thecourier thecourieronline.co.uk Lifestyle Check out this week’s rant on attention-seeking birthdays Page 12
Feature Interrnational Womens Day: All our sections come together to celebrate women Page 22-23
Monday 4 March 2019 Issue 1385 Free
Science Read about NASA’s new mission for life on the moon Page 35
The independent voice of Newcastle
Black students verbally abused Isabel Sykes Deputy Editor A group of black Newcastle University students have been subject to racist abuse in an incident at Manor Bank accommodation. On Wednesday 27 February a group of Newcastle students were on their way out for the evening when they had racial slurs shouted at them by another group of students leaning out of an accommodation window.
The girl identified and the Northumbria students began shouting racial abuse at the group of black students from the accommodation window
In a video uploaded to Instagram, a girl identified as Ellena Robinson can be heard shouting “you’re not from here”, “you don’t belong here” and “fuck off” to students on the street below the window. An male, who cannot be seen in the video, can also be heard shouting “fucking n****r”. Two of the people involved in shouting the racial slurs have been identified as Northumbria University students. The girl in the video identified on social media as Ellena Robinson is a student at Newcastle College who was visiting them on the night the incident occured. The video was posted on Instagram on Wednesday by a girl identified on social media as Amber Wood, who captioned the clip “Go on @ellenarobinsonn”. It then began circulating on Instagram, with other students sharing it and calling out the people shouting abuse in the video. Yasmyn Ntega, a second-year Newcastle University student, shared the clip on her Instagram story alongside a message stating: “My friends were about to go out then this flat starts throwing eggs at them out of nowhere and start shouting, making racist comments.” “This is whats wrong with some people” “At this age people are still coming at black people for what?” Following this, Ellena Robinson sent Yasmyn a message over Instagram in which she said: “I understand this video is awful!” In her message she said that she takes “full responsibility” for her actions. She also told Yasmyn: “I have several black friends who I love and I would never intentionally disrespect them in any way”. “I do not know what came over me in the slightest I am
extremely disgusted with myself, just as my friends are also with themselves too.” In response to Yasmyn’s reply asking for an account of “what exactly happened”, Ellena said “one of my friends was at the window having a cigarette and saw a couple of people and he said quickly pass me an egg”. In these messages Ellena went on to claim that after the egg was thrown and hit one of the students on the street, they came upstairs to the flat and banged on the door. She wrote in her message to Yasmyn that she was “shouting” at them “to leave” through the door. It was after they went back downstairs and out onto the street that Ellena and the Northumbria students began shouting racial abuse at the group of black students from the accommodation window, as can be seen and heard on the video. The incident has also received attention on Twitter. On Thursday 28 February @FloManning Tweeted: “Last night my sister and friends had eggs thrown at them, were racially abused and were told “they don’t belong here” because they’re black.” Northumbria University responded to this Tweet on Friday 1 March saying “We’d like to reassure you that we take reports of hate crime extremely seriously and will investigate this immediately.” Chris Wilkinson, Newcastle’s Racial Equality Officer, told The Courier his perspective on the incident: “In light of the news that the offenders involved in this incident are not ac-
“I hope that an appropriate response will be given so that students in this city don’t feel afraid to simply walk on the street”
Chris Wilkinson, NUSU Racial Equality Officer
tually Newcastle Students, the University and the Union are unfortunately more limited in how they can respond to this. But this does not make this racist offence any less serious, abhorrent, or problematic. “I will be contacting both Northumbria University and Newcastle College to press on for something to be done, and I hope that an appropriate response will be given so that students in this city don’t feel afraid to simply walk on the street.” Following Wednesday’s events, Chris Wilkinson also encouraged Newcastle University students to attend the Stand Up to Racism conference, which took place on Saturday 2 March in the Students’ Union.
A state of ‘climate emergency’: Newcastle Green Party demands urgent action. p4
Inside today >>>
Interview: Stuart Prebble
Questions of ethics
Best brows around
Begpacking
Trump the Musical
A cultural kick-about
Current Editor of the Courier catches up with the man who ran the paper and the Union in the 1970’s News, page 9
Find out about the problems with this latest gap year travel phenomenon Travel, page 20
Read about the controversy surrounding surrounding claims that Shamima Begum will be stripped of her citizenship Comment, page 10
Musical mayhem or a triumph in political satire? Take a look Arts, page30
Take a look at the best brow products currently available to help you stay on fleek Beauty, page 17
We take a look at how the culture of football differs across the globe Sport, page 43
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the courier
thecourier The Courier is a weekly newspaper produced by students, for students. It’s never too late to get involved in the paper, whether you’re a writer, illustrator or photographer. Just visit thecourieronline.co.uk/about for more information. Editor Louise Hall Deputy Editor Isabel Sykes News Editors Grace Dean, Molly Greeves, Sidney Pinsett and Steven Ross Comment Editors Jamie Cameron, Caitlin Disken and Alexandra Sadler Life & Style Editor Sophie Henderson Lifestyle Editors Phoebe Fielder, Holly Margerrison, and Ella Williams Fashion Editors Poppy Couling Joe Hood and Miranda Stoner Beauty Editors Laura Buckle, Susanne Norris and Nimra Rafique Travel Editors Jenny Franken, Bianca Ionci and Amy Harris Culture Editors Alex Moore and Carys Rose Thomas Feature Editor Ally Wilson Arts Editors Rosie Mccrum, Julia McGhee Russell and Scarlett Rowland Music Editors Charlotte Boulton, Rory Ellis and Max Hobbs TV Editors Jacob Clarke, Tom Cooney and Chloe Mullins Film Editors JImmy Athey, Joe Holloran and Jack Gill Gaming Editors George Boatfield, Kelly South, James Troughton, Shawn Khoo Science Editors Eleanor Gratton and Cecilia Adamou Sports Editors Sydney Isaacs, Rebecca Johnson, Harry Parsons, Jack Smilie, Rory Ewart Puzzles Editor Helena Buchanan Online Editors Rory Cameron, Jodie Duddy, Amanda Goh, Thomas Hardwick, Orestis Katsoulis, Sophia Kypriotis, Dominic Lee, Lucy Lillystone, Alex Darbyshire The Courier NUSU King’s Walk Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8QB Tel: 0191 239 3940 The Courier is printed by: Trinity Mirror Printing, Barton Road, Riverside Park Industrial Estate, Middlesbrough, TS2 1UT Established in 1948, the Courier is the fully independent student newspaper of the Students’ Union at Newcastle University. The Courier is published weekly during term time, and is free of charge. The design, text, photographs and graphics are copyright of the Courier and its individual contributors. No parts of this newspaper may be reproduced without the prior permission of the Editor. Any views expressed in this newspaper’s opinion pieces are those of the individual writing, and not of the Courier, the Students’ Union or Newcastle University.
Monday 4 March 2019
NSR show of the week Fun, Folk and Feminism Mondays 11am-12pm Isabel Sykes Deputy Editor Every Monday at 11 The Courier’s very own Feature Editor Ally Wilson and Culture Editor Carys Rose Thomas treat us to funky, folky tunes and topical feminist chat on NSR. If you’re struggling with a weekend hangover or just have the back-to-uni Monday morning blues, Carys and Ally’s lovely calming tones will set you right in no time. In terms of music vibe, you can expect all your classic girl-power anthems
from Aretha Franklin to Nina Simone. When you’re not bopping along to these soul queens you might be welling up to Eva Cassidy or having a folking-good time chilling to Kate Rusby. Fear not, Fun, Folk and Feminism has you covered whatever your Monday mood. So start your week right by tuning into NSR on Monday and listening to a couple of powerful ladies play some funky music by a whole load of other powerful ladies.
STU BREW beer of the week: Mens Agitat Molem ABV: 6.3% Rebecca Johnson Sport Editor As a connoisseur of the odd pint, I’m a bit ashamed to say I haven’t ever had a pint of Stew Brew. However, this all changed when I
If you’re looking for something different, give it a go
tried out their creation of Mens Agitat Molem. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t too impressed when I
Student Spotlight Team Kenya Society celebrates women Isabel Sykes Deputy Editor On Wednesday 6 March Newcastle’s Team Kenya Society are honouring International Women’s Day with an evening celebrating womanhood. The society are hosting multiple keynote speakers discussing topics surrounding feminism and gender politics.
“We will be discussing today’s gender politics and how we can move forward into a more gender-balanced world”
Krissa Ford, President of Newcastle Team Kenya Society
The event will take place in the History Room, on the Activities Floor of the Students’ Union, between 7pm and 9pm. Julie Scanlon, who is a trustee of Team Kenya, will be the key-note speaker of the evening. As well as speakers, the event will also feature a baked goods sale, where all proceeds will go to the charity. Krissa Ford, President of the Team Kenya Society, offered her thoughts on the upcoming event: “We want everyone to be able to join together to celebrate womanhood! To celebrate our achievements, our drive and our strength! We will be discussing today’s gender politics and how we can move forward into a more gender-balanced world. We hope to see you there!”
was presented with a frothy pint of what looked like stale piss, but it’s alright actually. I’d go as far as to say that it tastes like a better BrewDog, although that’s not really a high bar in my book. It’s a light colour with a pleasant fruity aftertaste that lingers on the tongue. Having said that, it’s certainly a very drinkable beer, if you’re looking for something different, give it a go.
Whats on near you:
Monday
Travel: 1pm-2pm: Spanish Taster session, beginner level. Location: Kate Adie Room, NUSU. Sport: 4:55pm-6pm: GIAG Female only basketball. Location: Meet at sports centre reception. Sport: 5:15pm-7:30pm: GIAG Golf Lesson. Location: Meet outside NUSU front entrance.
Wednesday
Travel: 12pm-1pm: Catalan Culture workshop. Location: Alnwick Room, NUSU Central. Beauty: 1:15pm-2:30pm: GIAG face mask making at Lush. Location: Meet outside NUSU front entrance. Travel: 4pm-5pm: Japanese Taster session, beginner level. Location: Dunstanburgh Room, NUSU Central. Lifestyle: 6pm-8pm: Cheese and wine tasting session. Location: History Room, NUSU. Film: 6pm-9pm: International film night, ‘Life is Beautiful’ showing. Location: Tyneside Cinema.
Friday
Societies:10am-12:30pm: International Women’s Day period poverty event. Location: Newcastle City Library. Sport: 5:15pm-7pm: GIAG Touch Rugby. Location: Sports Hall, Sports Centre. Music: 6pm-9pm: Festival of Culture: An Evening of Jazz. Location: Boiler House. Arts: 7pm-10pm: GIAG Trainspotting Theatre Show. Location: Meet outside NUSU front entrance.
Tuesday
Travel: 1pm-2pm: French Taster session, beginner level. Location: History Room, NUSU. Societies: 5:30pm-7pm: Young Women, Poliics and Voice. Location: Newcastle City Library. Arts: 6pm-7pm: Japanese Calligraphy workshop. Location: History Room, NUSU. Music: 7pm-11pm: Freya Ridings live. Location: Venue, NUSU.
Thursday
Travel: 11am-12pm: Mandarin Taster session, beginner level. Location: Kate Adie Room, NUSU. Lifestyle: 5pm-6:30pm: Festival of Culture Cookery Class. Location: Venue, NUSU. Sport: 6:20pm-9pm: GIAG Squash. Location: Meet outside NUSU front entrance.
Saturday
Sport: 8:40am-11am: GIAG Squash. Location: Meet outside NUSU front entrance. Arts: 10am-12:30pm: International Women’s Day inspired Calligraphy Workshop. Location: Gateshead Central Library. Sport: 12:30am-1:30pm: Pole Dancing taster session. Location: Space Six at Commercial Union House. Sport: 3pm-5:30pm: Newcastle United vs Everton. Location: St James’s Park.
Sunday
Sport: 3:40pm-6pm: GIAG Squash. Location: Meet outside NUSU front entrance. Music: 7pm-11pm: Lany World Tour. Location: Venue, NUSU.
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Monday 4 March 2019
@TheCourier_News courier.news@ncl.ac.uk thecourieronline.co.uk/news News Editors Grace Dean, Molly Greeves, Sidney Pinsent, Steven Ross Online Editor Jodie Duddy
I’m banning ‘Angels’ Instead Amanda Goh
Durham University’s recent Winter Ball ended tragically when a student was trampled on while the final song played. St Mary’s College, until recently, had a tradition of playing the song “Angels” by Robbie Williams to end the night. It started off as a fun night however ending in a student seeking medical help. Following the unfortunate event, Durham University College Officers announced the ban of “Angels” by Robbie Williams from St Mary’s College Balls. In an email, it stated that “As a result of this review we do not feel that the tradition that has formed around this particular song is safe in the confined space of our Dining Hall or anywhere else within College Buildings.” The popular song has been excluded from playlists in University events after a student sustained injuries when the College played it’s “traditional ‘end of the night song’”. According to The Durham Tab, the College has a tradition where students “rush to the centre of the room” when “Angels” is played at the end of the night. The last moments of
adrenaline kicked in too hard when a woman sustained a “nasty injury” resulting in the need for surgery. An email was sent to all the students of the College, explaining that a student fell over and was trampled – resulting in a wound to her shoulder. However, management at Durham University stated that this decision of a ban would be revisited if the students would refrain from moshing. Management further stated that “we do not feel that the tradition that has formed around this particular song is safe in the confined space of our dining hall or anywhere else within the college buildings. The safety of our student is paramount and so it has been agreed that the playing of Angels will no longer take place at future college balls.” While the ban was for safety precautions, there were many unpopular opinions among the students in the College. They stated that they felt the College “mollycoddling” them. One of their students, Ellie, commented that she acknowledged the unfavourable event but doesn’t feel the need of the ban.
The song was banned after a student was injured Image: Flickr, Matthias Muhlbradt
White working-class students less than 3% at majority of England’s universities Molly Greeves News Editor
White working-class students make up less than 5% of the student population at over half of England’s universities, according to a recent study by the National Education Opportunities Network. While white people are by far the most populous race group at most English universities, including Newcastle where they make up 74% of the student body, this study has revealed that the white working-class demographic remains largely underrepresented within higher education. In an opinion article for The Guardian, writer Phil McDuff described universities as “both pathways and gateways” that “can help train you to get somewhere new, but they also work to make sure that only the right sort of people get into positions of power.” As many people have pointed out, polytecnic universities appear to accept more working-class students Russell Groups in general. This is shown when looking at Oxford’s universities: a study by the National Education Opportunities Network (NEON) revealed less than 3% of Oxford University students are white and working class, whilst Oxford Brookes won the NEON Widening Access Initiative (Outreach) Award for raising “the aspirations of adult learners from disadvantaged and underrepresented communities”. Most polytechnics were formed with the education of working-class communities in mind, and in light of these statistics some people believe that it is time for other universities to follow suit. However, while many prestigious institutions are making slow progress on this issue, it could be said that Newcastle are taking steps in the right direction. According to Lucy Backhurst, the university’s Director of Student Recruitment, Admissions and Progress, 7.2% of the student population were
from white working-class backgrounds in 2017/18, putting Newcastle ahead of most of England in terms of representation. “Recruiting and supporting the brightest and best students, regardless of background is a priority for us. We have a longstanding commitment to widening participation and equality of opportunity not only in our region, but across the UK and this is shown in our figure of over 7% of our undergraduate student population who are from a white working-class background.
“Universities... work to make sure that only the right sort of people get into positions of power.”
Phil McDuff, Writer for The Guardian
“PARTNERS is probably the best known access scheme that we run. It has been running now for 19 years and over 4,500 widening participation students have entered and successfully progressed through the University as a result. But we do a lot of work in the region with specific under-represented groups too. Through the North East Collaborative Outreach Project, a government-funded partnership of 5 universities, 16 colleges and 106 schools in the region, we are working with the Newcastle United Foundation and the other football clubs to engage young men to think about higher education, and the feedback has been really encouraging. Our aim is to build on this work in the future.” While the exact percentage of white working-class people is unclear, it is evident that work needs to be done before the demographic is accurately represented by the student population.
White people make up 74% of Newcastle’s students, however only 7.2% of that group are working-class Image: Wikimedia Commons
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Monday 4 March 2019
University applications grow for first time since 2016 Joe Molander
Applications to UK universities have increased for the first time in three years. Overall, there were just under 2 400 more applications made before the January 2019 deadline than the same deadline the year before, representing an increase of 0.4%. The uptick is so modest because of applications actually falling across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, with a spike in international applications exceeding and concealing the domestic slump.
While EU applications have increased by a mere 380 since last year, non-EU applications grew by over 5000 in the same time period
The figures were released by UCAS – the organisation responsible for the universities admissions process – and reveal that the main bulk of the 5.5% increase in international applications from 2018-19 came from outside the EU. While EU applications have increased by a mere 380 since last year, non-EU
applications grew by over 5 000 in the same time period. The news may come as a surprise to those who follow current affairs, seeing as the decision to leave the European Union – taken in mid-2016 – and subsequent preparations for Brexit arguably created and continue to create immense uncertainty over the UK’s future relationship with the wider international community in several spheres, including education. Brexit has also cast doubt over universities’ funding, some of which comes from the EU. Indeed, in 2017 – the first year when would-be international applicants were able to take all of this into account – EU applications fell by over 3 000. However, it would seem that now the mindset overseas has changed: where once international students saw Brexit as an obstacle, they now see its unintended consequences as an opportunity to be taken advantage of. Nick Hillman, who heads up the Higher Education Policy Institute (a think tank), points to “the value of the pound. If you are sitting in Delhi or Beijing and thinking ‘where do I want to study?’ the value of the pound really matters as it makes our courses seem much cheaper”. This is in reference to the pound’s post-referendum slump, which is currently faring worse against the US dollar, Euro and Chinese Yuan than on the day we voted to leave the EU (meaning that UK prices – including tuition fees – are now lower for Americans, Chinese and those using the Euro than they were on 23rd June 2016).
There is also some consensus that the quality of UK universities has caused the surge in international applications; while Brexit could make UK universities less accessible to those living outside its borders, this would only in-
pointed out the importance to not “confuse learning skills with content that becomes quickly outdated”, describing her belief that universities should put more emphasis on how a student can learn new skills, rather than simply on the facts they are learning.
ments to ensure students continue to apply their course content in a work environment, with Philip Plowden, vice-chancellor of Birmingham City University, noting the lack of autonomous thought that comes with lectureformat teaching. “I have watched law students coming in with oodles of common sense from their everyday lives. You start teaching them and within about a year they can give you a lecture on contract law, but can’t solve a problem anymore they could probably have solved when they came in.” Other academics such as Frances Howell, Managing Director and Head of Corporate Banking for the Midlands at HSBC, suggested that the management of “mental wellbeing” should be prioritised. Jason Arday, senior teaching fellow in the Centre for Education Studies at the University of Warwick, also said that students felt the amount they were paying for degrees had changed their attitudes to the importance of course content and led to an added pressure on needing to deliver academically in exams.
UCAS university applications have increased by 0.4% in the past year - the first increase since Brexit was announced in 2016 which cast doubt over universities’ funding
crease interest if what British universities were offering was of a high standard. While EU applications across the UK grew by a measly 0.9%, Warwick University saw theirs inflate by an entire 10%. “Paradoxically, Brexit has focused people’s attention on the strength of British universities,” said Seán Hand, deputy pro-vice-chancellor for Europe at Warwick. “European students appreciate that universities such as Warwick, with strong international connections in research and teaching, would be a place for the best kind of education”.
UK universities have seen a growth in applications for the first time since Brexit was announced Image: Wikipedia
STEM jobs stall as arts attack Green Party declares Toby Bryant
With the 21st century’s rapid technological advances and the increasing focus on STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), many UK universities prioritise developing students’ technological skills. However, a recent analysis conducted by some of the UK’s leading employers and university directors, suggested a different attitude ought to be adopted. In February, HSBC sponsored a roundtable discussion event in Birmingham where senior academic leaders, employers and policy-makers gathered to bridge the gap between what employers look for and what universities teach. Despite the trend of global reliance on technology, the result of discussions places priority on creative skills. Kathy Armour, pro vicechancellor at the University of Birmingham,
Universities need to recognise the importance of creativity Image: Marta Brystron on Pixabay
Jobs in creative industries rose by nearly 20% in the five years preceding June 2016 while jobs in STEM have actually stalled since 2000
For many academics, this ability to learn new skills lies in an individual’s creativity. Julie Ward, Labour MEP for north-west England, went as far as to suggest changing the ‘STEM’ acronym to ‘STEAM’, in order to include arts subjects. She added that parents who dissuade students from following arts subjects because of the belief that STEM subjects lead to better job prospects were wrong to do so. Indeed, recent research from Harvard University shows that although STEM-related careers grew strongly between 1989 and 2000, they have actually stalled since. On the other hand, jobs in creative industries rose by nearly 20% in the five years preceding June 2016. Employers at the Birmingham roundtable agreed. Graham Thompsett, People Capability Director at Jaguar Land Rover, stated “there isn’t enough of that [creativity]”. Meanwhile, Mike Rowley, partner and Head of Education at KPMG, said that his company focused on softer skills rather than a particular degree or content. Google also follow suit, with many of the company’s “characteristics of success” being soft skills such as communication and empathy. The findings suggest a gulf between what universities teach and what employers want. A recent study by Universities UK even showed that nearly 50% of subject knowledge acquired during the first year of a fouryear course in technical degrees would be outdated upon graduation. Some attendees pointed towards the benefits of work place-
Nearly 50% of subject knowledge acquired during the first year of a four-year technical degree is outdated upon graduation
For many, even though universities would remain the primary source of further education in the future, more and more people would “want to package their learning somewhat differently over a life course”, Armour suggested. With employers increasingly offering work experience and internships, this could well be the case. Amongst all the ideas put forward by attendees last month, one thing is clear – UK universities’ education philosophies need to change to align with employers. The way to achieve that looks to be through an emphasis on creativity.
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the courier
Monday 4 March 2019
Pakistan Society hosts mystical Qawwali night
Fahmeed Rajput
Newcastle University Pakistan Society hosted a mesmerising Qawwali Night on 15 February 2019. Qawwali is a mystical music genre originated in Pakistan during the thirteenth
The three hour show reached its climax when Mast Qalandar was played, which induced the crowd into a total trance. As the music played, the audience moved to the beat and faded into its mystical abyss
century. The musical form moved out of the Sufi shrines of South Asia and into global mainstream culture in the 20th century. The event is the largest PakSoc event in the Northeast, drawing students from other universities including Durham, Sunderland, Northumbria and Teesside. Accompanied by a six-member ensemble, renowned Qawwali singer, Chand Ali Khan
performed famed renditions of legendary Qawwali singer, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, who is known as the ‘singing Buddha’ and ‘The Voice from Heaven’ by music enthusiasts around the world. Seated on the stage, the musicians build intoxicating swirls of ambient sounds, cut across with rhythmic handclaps and springing tablas. The most notable performances included “Allahoo”, “Sochta Hun” and “Halka Halka Suroor”. The energy and enthusiasm witnessed was nothing short of moving, as students rejoiced with Sufi music extravaganza. The three hour show reached its climax when Mast Qalandar was played, which induced the crowd into a total trance. As the music played, the audience moved to the beat and faded into its mystical abyss. The audience commended the organisational efforts of the PakSoc committee and encouraged them to hold more events like it in future. They were excited to celebrate Pakistan’s culture, music and colour away from home. One student felt “literally goose bumps throughout the evening”. Another commented that the event was full of “music, knowledge, awareness, and spiritual enlightenment.” Shedding light on the event, Vice President of PakSoc, Zukhruf Khan said “Qawwali night allows a younger generation to appreciate this traditional music genre.” Events Officer Rida Munawer said that Qawwali Night is precisely the kind of gathering that serves PakSoc's objective: to bring cultures together and send a message of peace and love.
Renowned Qawwali singer, Chand Ali Khan Image: Zukhruf Khan, Vice President, PakSoc
s a state of ‘climate emergency’ Fuse comes to an end Jodie Duddy News Editor
A climate change march that took place on the 15th February Image: Fossil Free Newcastle University
A petition has been made by the Newcastle Green Party imploring Newcastle County Council to declare a state of ‘climate emergency’ and to mitigate the effects of Climate Change. The petition calls for the council to report publicly on the progress it makes with its climate change targets, and calls for specific items to be addressed such as the council’s divestment from fossil fuels in the next 3 years. Clare Andrews, who created the petition on the website 38 degrees, desires for more transparency from the council on issues stating that; ‘Newcastle Council have not updated nor publicly reported on progress with their 2010 Climate Change Action Plan nor Declaration on Climate Change. In 2014, Newcastle Council became a signatory of Mayors Adapt, the European Commission’s initiative on preparing for climate change, under which they are obligated to report on progress every two years but have not done so.’ In 2016 Newcastle City Council made a commitment to ensure that by 2050 Newcastle would be fuelled by ‘clean energy’ that is, renewable energy moving away from coal and gas. In the meantime Newcastle’s carbon target is a 50% reduction by 2030, based on the fact that Newcastle were able to reduce their CO2 emissions by 29% from 2005. The mitigation plan states that some of the reductions rely on large ‘stakeholders’ in the city such as the NHS and Newcastle and Northumbria University, and that “ it is in the interest of Newcastle City Council to support and work with these organisations so that they can achieve their targets on Co2 Production.” On the 26th February, a planning application was made to review resident’s opinions on opening a surface coal mine on Dewley Hill, located on Ponteland road Throckley, in which it is estimated that 800,000 tonnes of coal and 400,000 tonnes of fireclay will be mined, devastating wildlife habitats and a loss of 250 acres of green space. A further petition has been created asking for Newcastle council to prevent this proposal from going ahead, in line with its targets for divestment. This takes place after thousands of students from across the country took to the streets to in a call to stop climate change.
Gayatri Gopalakrishnan
New research has revealed that nearly one Creative Fuse has now reached the end of its current phase. Creative Fuse is a unique partnership led by Newcastle University, has brought together academics from the five universities in NorthEast England to work with firms in the creative industry. Since it was launched in 2016, Creative Fuse has worked with 277 firms across the region, in order make the region’s creative economy more resilient by bringing in academic expertise to enable the sector to grow. The project, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, the European Regional Development Fund, and Arts Council England, has been instrumental in bringing together firms and academics from Newcastle, Northumbria, Durham, Sunderland, and Teesside Universities in working towards addressing industrial, commercial and social challenges faced by businesses in the creative sector. Creative Fuse, which included 30 innovation pilots as a part of a £4m funding, has now reached the end of its current phase. It has been a success, with almost 23 jobs being created, and at least one organisation recently receiving a £100k funding boost. This has been of importance not just to the firms, but for the industry and the region as a whole, since, as Project Director Mark Adam-
son mentions, London and the North-East have been the fastest growing regions for the creative sector. “Creative Fuse has shown that there is appetite and real opportunity to galvanise further growth in this key sector.” A report published by Creative Fuse describes its achievements since its launch. Some of the innovative pilot projects taken up by the collaboration include WordNerds and Intogral, both of which utilise AI for different functions. With WordNerds, it is about understanding the tone about products and services on social media, whereas with Intogral, AI is used to classify museum collections. Another popular innovation project is Fullblown Metal, based at of The Biscuit Factory in Newcastle. An SME with two full-time employees, it focuses on making a range of objects including sculptures and furniture using a patented blown metal technique. Following a partnership with academics from Newcastle and Northumbria Universities, they have been successful in diversifying and making aesthetic-led pieces of metal which absorb heat during daytime and release it at night. Newcastle’s West End Refugee Service was yet another project under Creative Fuse. Its Skillsmatch project matches skills and interests of refugees in the North-East, whilst allowing them to contribute through volunteering when they are not allowed to work. This project, developed in collaboration with academics from both Newcastle and Teesside Universities alongside Roots and Wings Graphic Design, has received further funding of £100k after the initial pilot project ended.
Newcastle University worked closely with the University of Teesside Image: LTees on Wikimedia Commons
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Monday 4 March 2019
Labour plans to tackle Vice-Chancellor pay Virtual Reality technology Sophie Wilson
As university Vice-Chancellor salaries are rising dramatically Labour has announced policies to tackle extortionate Vice-Chancellor pay and emergency loans for failing universities. Reports have been revealed that university Vice-Chancellors are sitting in the meetings which decide their own salary while receiving huge pay rises. One of the main vice chancellors guilty of this is Dominic Shellard, the ex-
Vice Chancellor of De Montfort University. In 2018, he had a 22.4% pay rise, and evidence has now been found as to why. In March 2017, he became a shareholder in the company Metamorph, of which Anthony Stockdale is a director. This same Stockdale was present at the meeting which decided Shellard’s salary. Since then, they both have stepped down from their posts, but it has revealed a lot about the functioning of finances at the university. Matt Waddup, the head of policy at the University and College Union has said that there has become a need for “proper transparency of key decisions being taken at the top table
Labour announced the plans on the 16th Februrary Image: Flickr, Chatham House
of our universities”, including the decision of vice chancellor’s salary. This has become apparent with at least three universities being known to be on the brink of bankruptcy, and yet salaries are still dramatically rising. It highlights a need for university students and staff to know about how money is being spent in their institutions, and that is why Waddup has called for staff and student representatives. On Saturday 16th February, Shadow Education Secretary from the Labour Party, Angela Rayner, said that her party plans to take a tougher stance on vice chancellors pay. She also announced that The Office for Students would give emergency loans to avoid any “disorderly failure” in universities. This would prevent disaster of those who become bankrupt and settle the situation for the moment. Rayner also attacked the Tories stance on this subject, however, saying that the “forces of competition run rampant at the expense of students, staff, and communities”, stating an obvious disenchantment with the Tories policy on this issue. But the Tories have argued back that Corbyn’s policies cannot be trusted, as any Labour policy imposed on this issue would only lead to less investment in Higher Education. Skidmore, speaking on behalf of the Tories, said that Corbyn’s plan would simultaneously “crash the economy” and also compromise the universities “world class quality”. And so the question of what is to be done over vice chancellor’s salaries and the running of finances in universities remains an unanswered question.
to combat autism phobias Jodie Duddy News Editor
Specialists at Newcastle University have developed a ‘Blue Room’ virtual reality space and have used it for the successful reduction of phobias in people with Autism. The room uses technology from Third Eye Neurotech, and allows for a 360 degree simulation of the participant’s fear where the patient remains in full control of the situation through the use of iPad controls. Researchers did a trial involving 32 Autistic children aged
"For many children and their families, anxiety can rule their lives"
Professor Jeremy Parr, Newcastle University
between 8-14 years old, in which half received the Blue Room treatment and the other half acted as the control group, these would receive their treatment later on. Specific phobias addressed in the Blue Room were dogs, wasps, bees, lifts, fear of the dark, flying, dolls, balloons, public transport, school and walking into rooms. After the children received the treatment, they were then reintroduced to their phobia
in real life. Two weeks after the treatment, research showed that four of the first group (25%) had responded to treatment and were able to cope with their phobia. This effect remained with a total of six showing improvement after six months (38%), although one participant reported that their phobia had become worse. In the control group, five untreated participants had become worse in the six months, and when they were treated in the blue room. Results showed that overall 40% of children treated showed improvement at 2 weeks, and 45% at 6 months. The team intend to further examine why some of the participants didn’t respond to the treatment. The funding for this project came from the National Institute for Health Research, and the Blue Room is available through the NHS for UK families suffering from intense phobias. “For many children and their families, anxiety can rule their lives as they try to avoid the situations which can trigger their child’s fears or phobia,” said Professor Jeremy Parr from the Institute of Neuroscience at Newcastle University, who led these studies in the Blue Room. One participant was able to eradicate their phobia of dogs to the extent that they now are able to own a dog, before the study this child’s reaction to seeing a dog would have caused hysterics. Another participant noted; “The blue room gave me back my independence.”
Universities lower entry requirements for students from disadvantaged areas
equivalent of positive discrimination- in universities across the Atlantic is rife with intense opposition. A spokesperson for Edinburgh said: “the university is committed to widening access and welcomes applications from students from diverse backgrounds, while ensuring we support every student throughout their academic journey”. Schemes like this are arguably a reaction to the criticisms that Russell Groups have faced for many years; in 2018, the Higher Education Statistics Agency found
“Edinburgh University is committed to widening access and welcomes applications from students from diverse backgrounds”
Spokesperson for Edinburgh University
Some universities, including Edinburgh, are making strides to increase the number of working-class people in their student body Image: Wikipedia Joe Molander Three universities in Scotland have lowered entry requirements for students living in a deprived or disadvantaged area. The Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen have started to publish two sets of entry requirements for all of their courses, with disadvantaged students being offered lower entry grades. In a statement, the University of
Edinburgh were quick to explain that grades alone wouldn’t guarantee entry, and planned to make offers based on a “range of factors”. Edinburgh have been open about their new policies. The two sets of entry requirements -titled “typical” and “access threshold” requirements- are listed on their website with each and every course. Students who are looking to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Physics, for example, and don’t come from a disadvantaged area are expected to achieve AAA-ABB at A-level, compared to someone from a disadvantaged area who must achieve
ABB. At the University of Glasgow, it’s a similar story: the standard physicist need obtain AAAA-AAABB at Highers (the Scottish qualification equivalent to English AS-Levels) to gain entry, compared to AABB-ABBBB for disadvantaged students (Glasgow call these “adjusted entry requirements”). Aberdeen require BBB from standard physics applicants, and just BB for those eligible for the “Adjusted/Access Threshold”. The way in which these universities determine who is and who isn’t from a deprived area is relatively simple: those attending poor-
ly rated schools, have been in care or who live in the bottom quintile of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (a statistics behemoth that splits Scotland into 6 976 ‘data zones’ and looks at the employment, health and crime rate in each, among other things) are all more likely to be viewed as disadvantaged at one or more of the three universities. In the past, many people have had negative reactions to schemes like this: in 2017, The Independent published an article claiming that positive discrimination is ‘wrong’, while the history of affirmative action- the American
that around only 15% of university entrants in Scotland were from the country’s most deprived areas. In a recent report by UCAS, it was found those who come from the 20% least deprived areas in Scotland are over four times as likely to attend university as those from the 20% most deprived, suggesting the steps taken by Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen are necessary to increasing economic diversity. However, things do appear to be in a good position to improve. As Richard Lochhead – a Scottish education minister – pointed out earlier this month, Scotland is only 0.4% away from the deprived student admissions target set for 2021 (mentioned above), while in 2018, a record number of “full-time firstdegree students” came from deprived areas. The three universities are not starting from the ground, up, then: it would seem they are merely going to nudge progress further along.
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Monday 4 March 2019
Academic's sustainable installation in London gallery Yasmin Hailes
Professor Rachel Armstrong from Newcastle University has joined forces with artist Cécile B Evans to create a new art installation. The exhibition is based at Whitechapel Gallery in London’s East End, and is now open to the general public.
The projects represent a range of 21st century issues, from climate change and migration to technology and spirituality
The exhibition is called ‘Is This Tomorrow?’, and is taking centre stage in the gallery. Taking its inspiration and title from the 1956 exhibition, the public can witness 10 immersive projects depicting different ideas of what the future holds. The work came together through the collaboration of 37 different artists and architects. The different projects take on a range of 21st century issues, from climate change and migration to technology and spirituality, and
are presented in a variety of mediums such as models, environments, objects, and films. Professor Armstrong is a Professor of Experimental Architecture at Newcastle University. The installation she created in tandem with Evans includes microbes, a curtain of fog, and other elements within frameworks dictated by unorthodox units of measurement. An example of their work you can see at the gallery is the creation of a 13sqm surface area, as this is suggested to be the smallest acceptable amount of space for human living. The microbes within the installation will take the form of ‘Living Bricks’, which were developed as part of the €3.2m Living Architecture scheme of which Professor Armstrong is the main coordinator. These bricks are able to convert sunlight into electricity, as well as recycling wastewater.
The bricks used in Professor Armstrong's project convert sunlight into electricity and recycle wastewater
Upon working with Evans, Professor Armstrong said “the collaboration with Cécile
Professor Armstrong simultaneously explores the concepts of space and sustainability Image: Whitechapel Gallery prompted us to set new challenges for what architecture might be. Working with [Professor] Ioannis, whose pioneering work with microbial fuel cells took 'sustainable' technology to a new level, made it possible for us to start designing with metabolism. This is a new
Always Czech your passport Steven Ross News Editor
Steve Vincent, a professor of Work and Organisation at Newcastle University has been stranded in Prague after his friend and fellow traveller Allan Poole flew back early using Vincent’s passport. Allan, who travelled with Steve for a weekend trip to explore the Czech capital had to leave early and travelled from Prague back to Newcastle via Amsterdam on Steve’s passport without being caught out by border control. According to border control agents it is quite common for people to travel using their friends or families’ passports without anyone noticing. This is a little alarming to say the least, especially coming from the very people
whose job it is to prevent this exact situation from happening. The passport which Allan travelled with was scanned four times on his return journey
The passport which Allan travelled with was scanned four times on his return journey and yet was not flagged once.
and yet was not flagged once. He even had to ask for assistance when there was a problem at an electronic scanning station, and still the
mistake was not spotted. Steve was stuck in Prague for several days waiting for the British embassy to offer support and provide an emergency travel document. After realising that his friend had taken his passport, Steve tweeted KLM airlines saying, ‘I’m trapped in Prague, what are you going to do about it?’ Steve blamed the airline for failing to spot the mistake and said that they should never have let Allan fly. The two swapped passports by mistake when they had put them on a table whilst filling out documents to check into their accommodation. KLM should not have let Poole board the return flight as his passport did not match his boarding pass. Steve has since returned to the UK, tweeting on 20th February ‘made it back to Blighty’. The incident raises issues over airline safety as it was clearly very easy for someone to travel on a passport that was not their own. In this case it was purely an innocent mistake, but those who may have sinister motivations could just as easily get through. In a time of anxiety surrounding global terrorist threats, new like this does not raise confidence that the highest care is being taken to maintain
Steve blamed the airlines for failing to spot the mistake and said that they should never have let Allan fly. The two swapped passports by mistake when filling out documents to check into their accommodation.
KLM arilines allowed a passenger to fly on a their friends' passport Image: Flickr
safety on airlines. Evidently, KLM and perhaps other airlines need to seriously review how they maintain safety on their airlines. Mistakes like these should be spotted at the point of check-in, they should not go unnoticed for the travellers' entire journey.
field and one that we are now pioneering.” The gallery is also aiming to immerse children into the exhibition, where they are welcome to work with artists, and play with images and sounds to create their visions of the future.
Whitechapel Gallery, located in London's East End, is open six days a week, and tickets start from just £12.50. The highly acclaimed exhibition ‘Is This Tomorrow?’ runs until 12th May 2019.
Aimee Seddon
Market Street, Newgate Street and College Street in Newcastle City Centre. The arrest comes after Northumbria police posted a CCTV video of the man they wished to speak to about the allegations. Nobody has been injured, with reports variously describing the liquid as a white fluid, shower gel, hand soap, shampoo or fabric softener. However, some victims reported it had bleached their clothes. Tests are being carried out to establish what the substance was. Steve Wykes, Chief Inspector of the Northumbria Police said: “It is understandable that reports of this nature can cause concern among members of the public, and I’d like to reassure the community that a full investigation is under way to determine the circumstances surrounding the incidents. Early reports suggest the liquid in question may be liquid soap, rather than any kind of noxious substance. "We are taking these reports very seriously and a man has been arrested in connection with the investigation. Our inquiries will continue throughout the day.” He also added “although some of the attacks took place near to the university, we do not think students have been targeted." Anyone with any information or concerns about the incident can contact the police on 101.
Man arrested for liquid attacks against women
Last week, Northumbria Police arrested a 35-year-old man after a number of women had reported being sprayed with an unknown substance in Newcastle. Nine reports were made between the 10th and the 15th Febru-
“I'd like to reassure the community that a full investigation is under way to determine the circumstances surrounding the incidents”
Steven Wykes, Chief Inspector of the Northumbria Police
ary, with the women claiming that a man on a bicycle had sprayed an unknown substance at them. The man was arrested on suspicion of common assault, and is currently in custody, assisting officers with the investigation. The attacks took place within a mile radius, happening on Argyle Street, Stepney Lane,
The police do not think that any students have been targetted Image: PXHere
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news feature
Monday 4th March 2019
ITV, The Beatles and changing the face of broadcast journalism Former Editor of the Courier and President of the Union Stuart Prebble tells the Courier about his experiences in television So Stuart, you were Editor of the Courier in 1971 and then President of the Union the subsequent year. Where did life after Newcastle University take you? From University I joined the BBC Journalist training scheme which was a real great break for me. Then I got a job back in Newcastle with BBC Look North and I was a reporter for a while and I presented Look North for a period of time. But I wanted to work in television current affairs I wanted to work on World in Action which was ITV’s flagship investigative current affairs programme. I worked as a producer in World in Action for five years and then I was ITV’s controller commissioning all their News and Current affairs which was fun. I was Chief Executive of ITV digital and then Chief Executive of ITV. ITV was consolidating at the time from five big regional companies down to one so I worked out over a couple of years I would be firing all my friends and then at the end of that they would fire me as well so I thought that would be a good time to go. So in 2001 I left ITV to start an independent production company called Liberty Bell. I ran that for 3 years and then sold it. By which point I thought I might have had enough but actually I was still finding that I was enjoying working with a really good team of people so we started another company called Storyvault films which is the one I run now and that’s why we’re here today. We do mostly arts programmes and a lot of documentaries. I’m now 67 , I do a bit of writing and a bit of television but It all started there really. What was it like being the Chief Executive of one of the UK’s biggest media production companies? A wise man said to me at the beginning of my career, it’ll all be fun and if it can’t be fun it’ll be interesting. Most of it has been fun and interesting and my period running ITV was interesting, but not fun. [laughs] I learned a lot and I always think you know if you join teaching because you want to be a teacher and you’re any good, you get promoted and you’re running the school but you’re not a teacher anymore. If you get into television and you’re quite a good producer you get promoted and I found myself wearing a suit and nowhere near programmes. I spent my entire time talking to shareholders and advertisers and all that which is a fantastically interesting learning curve. I knew I learned how to run a business. I knew when I started my own business all I had to do was take two noughts off every number, but I knew how to read a balance sheet how to read the profit loss account and all those things. But it was a time really where ITV was transitioning from a thing that people had joined because they wanted to be in public service broadcasting and quality programmes, to a way of making money. So, it was a difficult time. And when I left I thought, just remind yourself why you joined in the first place. You joined because you like making programmes. So when I went back on one day I had a chafer driven car, two secretaries, an executive office, first class travel. The following day I’m being kept waiting for 45 minutes in the foyer of Channel 5 waiting to see the commissioning Editor for factual programmes. But if you are the Chief Executive of Sainsbury’s and you get out, you can’t go back and run a branch. If you are the Chief Executive of ITV and you get out you can go back and be a producer, because in the end producing content is what it’s all about. So I’ve never regretted for a second leaving ITV. So what are you producing in Newcastle on this trip? We make mostly art programmes now, we do two programmes called Portrait artist of the year and Landscape Artist of the year for Sky Arts and they are really successful and are fun to make. Just about two years ago when Britain operated article 50 to tell the EC that we were leaving the EU
Editor or President? I mean I probably wouldn’t have been president had I not been Editor of the paper but I think if I was telling the truth probably President just because I could do it full time. I wasn’t thinking Christ I should be doing my degree or finishing this essay for a seminar. Do you have a favourite front page from your time as Editor? I can’t remember any specifically I mean we are talking 47 years ago but at the time the miners’ strike was on so we had coaches sent up to Ashington which was a big mining town. We had a lot of trouble with Jesmond Landlords, I don’t know whether that’s still an issue… Yeah it’s quite funny really how the more things change the more they stay the same [laughing] There was this notorious exploitative slum landlord, so those were big stories. The Vice Chancellor retired, this wonderful guy called Henry Miller, Dr Henry Miller. He was a fabulous bloke. And Mrs Thatcher was the Education Secretary and we always used to refer to her as ‘that bloody woman’ which we thought was really cool. [laughing] There was the rent strike as well, halls of residence rents had gone up and so there was an organised rent strike which was quite a big story.
One of the Editions of the Courier where Stuart was a News Editor Image: Courier Archive
we had an idea that it would be interesting to identify a whole load of ways in which Britain would be different post EU. And how artists might express that. So Sky agreed to sponsor 50 different artists in different disciplines to say something about how Britain will be different to play in the run up to us leaving at the end of March. You’ve been part of the Journalism industry through a massive shift between traditional print and digital media, what was it like to be part of that transformation and do you think there’s still an importance in keeping traditional media alive? If you go back to about 30 years everyone was predicting the end of terrestrial television, you know I started in television before Channel 4 and before Channel 5. There was ITV and BBC 1 and BBC 2 and ITV was the only company selling advertising. People say that monopolies are a terrible thing, but they’re not a terrible thing if you own one [laughs] and we did so it was absolutely brilliant because we could fund programming properly. But it didn’t mean that you didn’t have a public service duty, we had a remit and we had to do a certain number of hours of religious programmes and current affairs and high quality documentaries and all of those things, it was properly regulated. As Channel 4 came on the air and then Channel 5 and eventually Multi-channel Television, for at least ten or fifteen years we kind of thought we were walking up the down escalator, that we were witnessing a change in the ecology of broadcasting. It’s interesting the way that the market has sort of worked itself out. It’s ironic that we’re doing our most high quality arts programming, for Sky which is the most brutally commercial beast in the jungle. They’ve worked out that there is a market there for hard to reach subscriber based television. BBC and ITV have worked out that their USP is the big events, live events that everybody’s got to see at the same time because if not you get to work on Monday and you can’t involve yourself in the conversations about who won the X-factor or Strictly Come Dancing. I think there is as much good television on now as there was 30 years ago, it’s just a bit harder to
find. I worked ITV for 25 years and I almost never watch a programme on ITV now, because they’ve worked out that their remit is the X Factor and Emmerdale and Coronation street. ’ve been in television for 45 years and it’s fascinating to watch it change. It’s tempting to say it’s all gone to hell, but really we’re having a good a time as we’ve ever had. Going way back to your time at the Courier, what is your best memory of life in student media? So the Beatles had not long since split and Paul McCartney was experimenting with his new band Wing that had Penny Lane and his wife Linda in and they decided to do their rehearsals on the road just dropping in places unannounced. I was the Editor of the paper and I was going in on a Sunday but the University was deserted and I was walking down campus and a Volkswagen van drew up and someone said where is the students’ Union and I said, it’s there but it’s closed today and they said ‘well we want to play a concert.’ I looked in the back and Paul McCartney was in the back of the van. So I’d stayed in Castle Leazes my first year and thought this is a big crowd of people, maybe they could do something in the canteen. I said well you could probably play up there it would just take a bit of organizing. They said ‘why don’t you try and sort this out for us, we need to check into a hotel.’ And I always say to people this was probably the stupidest remark I ever made in my life, which is that they asked: can you recommend a hotel? And I said ‘Well there’s the Swallow Hotel just down there, but it’s a bit expensive. Paul McCartney said ‘money no object’, which I thought wasn’t very cool. [laughs] So I went up to Castle Leazes and said Paul McCartney wants to play here tonight and no-body believed me, but they did put on a concert and charged everybody fifty pence and it was utterly brilliant and everyone had a great night. And that only happened because I was in editing the newspaper and then it was the front page headline the following week. Which role would you say was your favourite:
You were producer and Editor of ITV’s world in action series which you mentioned earlier. I was wondering if you think in the modern world of advertorials and click bait culture if investigative journalism still has a place in our society. Is it still something people want to see? I think it is one of the great tragedies of the last twenty or thirty years. When I was on World in Action, that was on for 40 weeks of the year and it was really well resourced. ITV also had This Week which was doing really good current affairs on a Thursday and we were on a Monday. There’s almost none of that now, none of it at all on ITV and investigative current affairs are really important. It’s important in the newspapers but in a way even more important on television. That ITV was willing to do that and put it on Monday night at eight thirty, peak time. I made a programme in which Matthew Harris who was then a conservative MP tried to spend a week on supplementary benefit and failed. It was watched by eight million people, this is a way of getting really important public issues really widely talked about. ITV kind of lost its nerve for the reasons that I talked about earlier, they started looking at it as a way of making money rather than an important public service and so it was diluted and diluted and in the end I was kind of glad they stopped it because it was so diluted it would have been impossible. Whenever I talk about my career and I talk about World in Action people will say ‘ I used to love that programme’ and we got innocent people out of jail, it did change the world. Dispatches I think still does quite a good job and if there’s one panorama a year that makes a difference that’s surprising. So I think that’s a really sad loss. So finally, what’s one piece of advice you’d offer to aspiring journalists looking to get into the industry? Oddly enough it still is a business where you can start making the tea and if you’re any good you will be spotted and encouraged and promoted quickly. The Joys of our company is that we get loads of young people and one day they’re a runner and the next day they come back as an associate producer and the next time they come back as a producer. If you hire somebody as a runner and they run as opposed to walk you spot them. If you believe in it, I always believe people should follow their passions and usually you can turn it into an income one way or another but if you want to work in media believe in it and really go for it because it is entirely possible. Louise Hall
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the courier
Monday 4 March 2019 @CourierComment courier.comment@ncl.ac.uk thecourieronline.co.uk/comment Comment Editors Caitlin Disken, Alexandra Sadler & Jamie Cameron Online Editor Rory Cameron
The kids aren’t alright, they’re angry
Following the youth strike against climate change, our writers question whether politicians are out of touch with young people Orlagh Husband
T
he disengagement between politicians and the youth of society is symptomatic of the distrust many young people have in the democratic workings of Parliament. Young people are more politically engaged than ever with the Brexit vote showing a 64% turnout with its younger electorate. However, for the age group 65 and over there was a 90% turnout, perhaps suggesting that politicians are prioritising the older generations. This could be detrimental to the progression of politics as young people are the ones who have the potential to make a difference to future generations. But could comments like May’s be a catalyst for future political lethargy amongst today’s youth?
Our youth is being pushed either to political activism, or to apathy
May’s opinion on the climate strike has the potential to negatively impact the political engagement of young people discouraging them to stand up for what they believe in. With organisations like the UK Youth Parliament attempting to involve young people and encourage debate about current affairs, there is something being done to increase participation. However, is this really enough? Young people are being perpetually critiqued when they do get involved in politics and paradoxically also when they do not get involved. The problem lies in political disillusionment in which young people are expected to relate to the politicians and their proposed legislation, but there is a lack of dialogue. I think MPs should be channelling their focus onto young people in order to enhance and utilise their modern ways of thinking. Ultimately, the current government be pushing our youth to a more drastic way of political activism. Or, on the flip side, it could push them to political apathy. he Conservatives have
Edward Ingram
a youth problem. A very big youth problem. So large that it could very well become a crisis for the Party, and could eventually lead to its decline and annihilation. Of course there are young Conservative voters, activists and members, but simply not on a representative scale. In the 2017 election the Tories only secured 27% of the 18-24 and 25-34 year old vote, but 61% of the over 65 vote. Furthermore, the age where a majority of voters vote Conservative is now 51. This is a far cry from 2010 when age bore little to no indication of which party voters would support at the ballot box. So, not only have the Conservatives been overwhelmingly rejected by young people, but also middle-aged adults and young parents also. At this rate the Party risks being aged out of existence. One would therefore come to the logical conclusion that the Tories would make every effort to win round young voters and show them how Conservatism is more appealing than Corbynism. It was therefore infuriatingly baffling how tone-deaf the Tory reaction was to the climate change protests on the 15th February. Conservative-supporting pundits and commentators didn’t hesitate as they ruthlessly criticised the young teenagers who walked out of school to protest. Many patronisingly accused them of only striking because their Guardian-reading parents were ‘woke’ and therefore encouraged them to miss school and strike. Clearly, teenagers are incapable of mustering any politi-
T
cal voice themselves. Others argued that if it was so important they could have protested on a weekend and not missed school, apparently forgetting that the entire point of a protest or a strike is to create disruption to make a noticeable and significant statement. To make matters worse, the response from senior Conservatives was embarrassingly ignorant. Andrea
The Conservative Party risks being aged out of existence
Leadsom accused students of truancy, whilst James Cleverly (the deputy chairman of the Party) implied that students were only striking to bunk off school. Meanwhile,Theresa May criticised students for disrupting teachers lessons, apparently emphasising that one day of school was more important than protesting to draw more focus and attention to the greatest single crisis facing the world today. From a political perspective I suppose it makes sense. School children can’t vote so politicians don’t need to pander to them. But funnily enough, the ideals and aspirations of teenagers and young people in their 20s and 30s are remarkably similar. By shamelessly criticising an inspiring act of protest by our youngest citizens the Conservatives have simply re-emphasised how out of step they are with young people, the precise demographic that they are so desperately trying to win back. On a whole roster of policy areas such as tuition fees, housing, and the minimum wage, Conservative policy seems to clash with the Party’s mission to reconnect with younger voters. Unless something changes soon the Conservatives risk becoming the party of the old, the dying, and the dead - a party with no future.
Image: BBC London on YouTube
Gerry Hart
Y
ou know that Sham 69 song “If the Kids are United?” It’s an absolute banger, and years after its 1978 release it seems the world’s finally starting to make good on Jimmy Pursey’s call to action through the recent school strikes against climate change. Across the world, students have been walking out of their classrooms to demand action on climate change from those in power. The movement has already garnered substantial praise and it isn’t hard to see why. Climate change is already starting to take its toll on the planet and young people organising and finding their voice is surely admirable in of itself, right? Well, unfortunately many politicians don’t appear so willing to acknowledge the criticism being levied at them. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison defiantly stated that he wanted “less activism in schools” from the relative comfort of the Australian Parliament. Similar sentiments were echoed over here by Leader of the House of Commons Andrea Leadsom who stated on Twitter “it’s called truancy, not a strike”. And more recently, Democratic Senator for California Dianne Feinstein bluntly said to one protestor “well, you didn’t vote for me”. So why, after years of pretending to care about engaging young people are so many politicians becoming so defensive? Regardless of the efficacy of youth movements, I believe it has struck a nerve. Political action to address climate change is occurring at a sluggish pace and if I, as a major politician, were to see young people organising en masse furious at my inaction, I’d be cacking it. But I also suspect that for these politicians, seeing young people who are not only livid but politically engaged must come as something as a shock. For years, discussion surrounding the youth and political engagement painted them as lazy, easily distracted and politically illiterate. Thus, the best way to win them over wasn’t through actual engagement or appealing policies but with patronising attempts to look cool, the apotheosis of which was Hillary Clinton’s frankly amazing “Pokémon go to the polls” quip from the 2016 US Presidential election. One of my formative political memories was the 2010 student protests against tuition fees. I remember seeing teenagers my age being beaten and kettled by riot police, whilst our Etonian Prime Minister decried them as feral. I remember 200 students at my small town sixth form spontaneously walking out of class on a cold November day and marching on the town hall in defence of our education and in solidarity with protestors in London. Unlike those striking today, we didn’t even get a mention in the local paper. But that moment has stayed with me since, just as these strikes will stay with those partaking in them. Youth protest has power, and those who attract its ire should be scared.
Questions of citizenship and nationality Elisabetta Pulcini discusses whether Sajid Javid’s claim that he will strip Shamima Begum of her citizenship is humane
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hat does mean for a country to repudiate a citizen? Under the 1981 British Nationality Act, a person can be deprived of their citizenship if the Home Secretary is satisfied it would be “conducive to the public good”. While this vague definition does not provide sufficient guidance on how this law might be applied, it surely speaks to the weight of such action. It is not merely a punishment. It is not just a protective measure. The use of the word ‘good’ suggests heavy involvement of morality as perceived by the British public. While it is not uncommon nor unconceivable for laws to be based on a shared sense of morality, even the most heinous crimes do not lead to a removal of citizenship.
Acknowledging that the treatment of prisoners in the UK is questionable, they are still officially under the care of the State, who takes care of their health, nourishment
Denying a central aspect of a person’s identity is extremely dehumanising
and safety. They are separated from the public, yet still part of the system. International law does not allow states to render a person stateless. Shamima Begum’s Bangladeshi heritage provides legitimatization for the decision, with many arguing against the indirect discrimination
of this law, which seems to affect minorities disproportionately. However, under the law of Bangladesh, she is unlikely to obtain a passport. Therefore, although the law might allow it, the decision to render the 19 year-old stateless cannot be taken lightly. Denying a central aspect of a person’s identity is extremely dehumanising. While it is easy to demonize someone associated with terrorist organizations, it is essential to thoroughly consider the effect an organization like ISIS can have on a 15 year old. Deprived of her passport on arrival, Shamima has clearly suffered serious psychological repercussions for her decisions. Before turning 20, she has already lost two babies, and fears losing the third one.
It is scientifically proven that teenagers do not have the same quality of decision making as adults: while this does not condone joining a terrorist organization, it makes adolescents particularly vulnerable to grooming. Accepting her back would not only mean that she would have to face justice, but would also be an opportunity to gain an insight into the psychology behind grooming techniques used by terrorist organizations. Lastly, the most passionately supported reason against her return is the potential threat she could pose to the UK. While there is virtually no evidence of her being a threat, the incendiary comments about the Manchester Arena attack are sickening. Nonetheless, Shamima should not be stripped of her rights, for a decision made at 15 years old.
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comment
Monday 4 March 2019
Dividing Labour, multiplying issues
After the formation of the Independent Group, our writers discuss what the future of politics is
Sesha Subramanian
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n Monday the 18th of February, seven Members of Parliament - Luciana Berger, Chuka Umunna, Gavin Shuker, Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Mike Gapes and Ann Coffey – split from the Labour Party and decided to form The Independent Group. Led by Berger, the MP for Wavertree, the group was formed when the aforementioned MPs left the party in protest against Jeremy Corbyn’s Brexit policies and a failure to stop anti-semitism within the party. A day later, MP Joan Ryan also split from Labour to join the Independent Group. The group was handed a boost a few days later when three Tory MPs - Heidi Allen, Anna Soubry and Sarah Wollaston, also joined the group citing the grip of hard-line Brexiters on their party.
The split is perhaps the biggest airing of Labour’s dirty laundry yet
notion of an educated debate is lost. Corbyn’s alternative for the Prime Minister’s Brexit deal is not a good one – nor has it ever been. And given the numerous reports of bullying and anti-Semitism within the party, it’s no surprise and perhaps even right that the MPs decided to call it a day and sever their ties to the party.
Susanne Norris
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A Jewish take on the MPs who have left Labour: oughly 2,500 years ago, the Jewish population found themselves fall victim to a government who exiled and enslaved them in Babylonia. Fast-forward to the Middle Ages and Jews still saw themselves persecuted by governments all over Europe. Hundreds of years later, in 1939, my grandparents fled from Germany to the UK to escape an antiSemitic government. We constantly pat ourselves on the backs and tell each other we are better than these horrendous political parties of the past. So why – in 2019 – have nine (and, potentially counting) MPs left the Labour Party, with many citing anti-Semitism as their cause? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not comparing the issues in the Labour Party to the atrocities of the Nazi Party. I’m also not forgetting that many MPs who left blamed Brexit for their decisions too. But I can’t help but feel it is extremely worrying that in this day and age we still have a major political party which is systematically anti-Semitic. That is why I applaud the MPs who left Labour for what they did. The decision did not come lightly, as many of
them have supported Labour for years. As someone whose fundamental belief system aligns to the left too, I understand how hard it has been to turn away from what you categorically believe in. But Labour cannot go on like this. The intimidation, fear and even persecution the Jewish community have been subjected to over the last few years is nothing short of appalling. It’s not enough just to admit there is a problem with anti-Jewish feeling within the party. A step had to be taken to force people to act, and this is exactly what these MPs have done. I’ve seen the amount of abuse these MPs received on Twitter (not forgetting the totally unacceptable tweet from Young Labour). I’ve seen people trying to argue the Labour party is not anti-Semitic. It is true, you can be critical of Israel and not be anti-Semitic. I myself am critical of numerous decisions the country has made and believe it is healthy to be critical of government and their policies when needed. But this goes deeper than that. This is a party who – just since April 2018 – have already received 673 cases of members reported for anti-Semitism. The problem stems from more than a few trouble-making individuals, it is widespread if not systemic.
The problem is widespread, if not systemic
As of now, the MPs are independent and not yet a party, although the intention is to form one at some point in the future. The Independent Group is considered to be centrist and as of now, do not have a leader nor are there plans I therefore have nothing but respect for the MPs who to merge with another party. Reaction to both splits has have left Labour. I have nothing but respect for people been mixed, with some denouncing it and some in favour who continue to fight for core left values by fighting and of a new direction that the group seems to offer. defeating hatred wherever they find it, even if that is withWhatever happens with the Independent Group, it is in their own political party. safe to say that Brexit still very much determines the state of British politics as of this moment. The split from the Tory MPs will be especially concerning for Prime Minister Theresa May as it makes her working majority down to a fragile number of eight – its fragility down to the fact that there are rumours of more Tory defections. For the Labour Party, the split is perhaps the biggest airing of its dirty laundry in the open yet. Luciana Berger, during a press conference in London, said that the party had dramatically changed its identity under Corbyn. She said: “The core values of equality for all, opportunity for all anti-racism against all and social justice…have been consistency violated…I cannot remain part of party that I have come to the sickening conclusion is anti-Semitic.” The Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn has become rather toxic as compared to the past. From representing a viable alternative to the Tory government, the party has regressed to being one where everything seems to be in disarray and there is no clear identity going forward – politically and otherwise. It has become a place where arguments Image: Public Domain Pictures, Simple Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, Wikipedia are made for arguments’ sake and the
Reports of racial harassment rise Joe Holloran questions why racist incidents are on the rise , and explores what can be done
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n the aftermath of the 2016 EU Referendum, cases of racial harassment and abuse, both in person and online, have increased. Hate crime figures released by the Home Office for the period of March 2017 to March 2018, showed a 17% increase in England and Wales, to 94,098. More worryingly are the numbers from March 2013 to March ’18. These figures show a 123% increase from the 42,255 incidents, back in 2012. Recent high profile incidents from the world of football have hit the headlines and brought the conversation back into the cultural sphere, but you don’t have to look far online for stories of abuse. On February 8th of this year, the front doors of father and son David and Jackson Yamba and two other families were graffitied with the world ‘No Blacks’ scrawled in white paint. With incidents such as there on the rise, the question needs to be asked; what is going on? Let’s take the most optimistic approach first. One of the suggested causes for the increase in reports, is that more victims feel comfortable coming forward to report the
harassment or abuse they have suffered. Organisations such as Citizens Advice, ACAS and the charity Tell Mama have all increased their profile and visibility over the last few years. Simply put, the more places to report, the more reports.
Racial unity is an issue that should transcend party politics
What also needs to be noted is that much of the widescale racial-aggravation fears pushed by some prior to the referendum have not materialized, and the UK has not had a race riot since 2001. Admittedly, in a civilized country, not having common race riots is a pretty low bar to set. I mention it only to point out that the tension involving issues of racial unity is not what it once was. Take ‘SterlingGate’, or the Arsenal banana-throwing incidents at the end of last year. These events have always been reprehensible,
but what we now see is a greater acknowledgment of that by authority figures and wider society. Regarding Brexit, you would have to be the most naïve of voters to deny that the toxic rhetoric surrounding the debacle has had an impact on the rising numbers. Political language matters and makes some less savoury groups feel emboldened. Regardless of your views on Brexit, the government, the opposition or anything else for that matter, I hope that the vast majority of us can agree that progress needs to continue to be made on this issue. Austerity, cuts to policing and social-support groups doesn’t help, nor does the brushing away of reports against groups on the left as right-wing propaganda. Racial unity in the UK is an issue that should transcend party politics, and more needs to be done to root out the causes and symptoms of this social virus. However, like I said, hopefully these numbers have reached their highest level, and that the next set of statistics make for better reading. The problem is a problem for society in general, and it will not be solved by inaction.
SOAPBOX CRUMBLE COMFORT Grace Dean
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eople think it’s weird when I mention hosting crumble parties. I am often met with raised eyebrows and cynical comments. When you don’t drink, however, fruit crumble is arguably one of the best things to bond over. Everyone likes crumble, be it apple, blackberry or rhubarb. Sometimes I even like to jazz it up - my apple and raspberry crumble went down a storm. Don’t eat dairy? No worries, we can use dairy-free butter. Crumble is therefore inclusive, and is something that everyone can bond over. Crumble also tastes lush with custard and icecream – can you say that about your Strongbow Dark Fruits or bottle of cheap Tesco rosé? Fancy cocktails come with sprigs of mint or slices of lemon, which no one in their right mind eats; crumble, on the other hand comes with custard or ice-cream, which very few people can say no to. Next time you fancy socialising whilst still feeling rough from one too many trebs the previous night, consider throwing a crumble party. It’s cheaper than going to Quilliam’s, better for your hangover than a pint at Osborne’s, and (if you’re feeling optimistic) one of your five a day! Maybe it sounds naff to you, but I would never turn down an invite to a crumble party.
ROAST OF THE WEEK
MEDIEVAL NOSTALGIA Billy Lamond
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can’t even imagine how anti-vaxxing got so popular. Is it a misty-eyed nostalgia of “the good old days” where we didn’t need all these new-fangled vaccines, knew how to do an honest day’s work and died of smallpox at 12? Or is it the long-disproven idea that vaccines cause autism? Whatever it is, the recent rise of cases of measles in America show the dangers of this appalling movement. If they want to put themselves at risk by not getting vaccinated, that’s fine by me. However, the reality is that because most lifesaving vaccinations need to be administered in childhood, anti-vaxxers aren’t endangering themselves, but their children. By spreading false information about the dangers of vaccination, they are dragging other people back into the Stone Age with them. Just stop it anti-vaxxers - you can have your seventeenth-century diseases if you let the rest of us have our vaccines.
TOAST OF THE WEEK
ANGELS OF THE NHS
W
Caitlin Disken
e’re all vaguely aware of the good work that nurses do, yet rarely do we stop and actually appreciate how incredible the members of the profession are. Many nurses work ridiculously long shifts, providing care and support for people at all stages of their life. Nurses are also often overlooked in favour of doctors - whilst doctors also do an amazing job, nurses are an integral point of contact for many patients, and deserve to be appreciated just as much as doctors are. Student nurses have to do a huge amount of training before they join the profession, with many student nurses balancing part-time jobs with hospital placements and studying. As someone who has six contact hours a week, I can’t help but be in awe of student nurses, as they dedicate their time to caring for others.
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the courier
life & style lifestyle
Monday 4 March 2018
Lettuce get this straight... Is it true we still need our 5-a-day to stay healthy? Aimee Seddon is here to dispell the myth
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verybody knows about the 5-a-day rule, it’s the first thing we’re taught after our abc’s and 123’s. But do we take it seriously enough? Teachers weren’t just rabbiting on about rabbit food unnecessarily; although it sounds like a childish catch phrase, students need to pay more attention to it. We’ve all heard a friend declare they haven’t had any fruit or vegetables in a few days, or been guilty of it ourselves. But it’s not a funny quirk of student life; fruit and vegetables are a vital part of our diet. The Health Survey for England 2017 found that only 23% of 16-24 year olds eat five or more a day, lower than any other adult age group. This may be a particular problem for students, who are renowned for our hectic ‘party’ lifestyles, and the fact it is our first time in control of our food shop. But once you’ve got past the initial excitement of being able to buy as many doughnuts as you want, it’s about time you turn to the fresh counter. The benefits of having five-a-day are undeniable. The 5 A Day campaign is based on advice from the World Health Organization, which recommends eating at least 400g a day to lower the risk of serious health problems, such as heart disease, stroke, and some cancers. This is because fruit and vegetables are where we get so many important vitamins, minerals and fibre from. They also fill us up without the loaded calories found in most over foods, so it makes maintaining a healthier lifestyle easier. When I’m hungover, all I want to eat is a fresh orange or some pineapple. If that’s what my body wants after a night fuelled with toxins, I think that’s saying something about the reinvigorating quality of fruit. It may not seem like it’s feaImage: Forum Health Centre NHS
Weekly Rant Birthdays
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Celebrations are becoming less authentic and more attentionseeking
n the run up to my 20th birthday and in the aftermath of the excessive money flaunting that was Stormi’s 1st birthday party, I got thinking about this annual celebration. Don’t get me wrong, birthdays bring family and friends together and allow them to show how much they love and appreciate the person whose birthday it is. However, the celebrations in general are becoming less authentic and more attention-seeking. There is a constant expectation that birthdays equal parties and that at your birthday party you should be surrounded by hoards of people with each and every one being your ‘best friend’, which is a) entirely unrealistic, and b) extremely attention seeking. To me, it seems like people enjoy the ego boost of having hundreds of ‘friends’ coming to their event to celebrate their life and give them some undivided attention for the night, when in reality a lot of the party goers are probably just there for a weekend motive. Another self-centred birthday practice is something we all (unfortunately) see on a regular basis. Pink number balloons. They aren’t nice and they aren’t cheap, so my theory as to why these dreadful objects still pop up every time a local turns 18 is for THAT Instagram picture; purely to alert their followers who hadn’t already to go ahead and give little Emily the ego boost she deserves by sending her a lovely generic message that is identical to the one sent to all of the other ‘gals’ on their special day. In an age of social media, everything young people do to celebrate their birthdays seems to be excessive and heavily documented which suggests to me that rather than celebrating in a way true to what they would most enjoy, they are looking for constant validation from others and thus becoming utterly self-centred. Elli Brown
sible to have five-a-day. But you’ll be surprised how many things count. It’s not just fresh items, frozen and dried are also included.
Only 23% of 16-24 year olds eat five or more a day, lower than any other adult age group
sume. Fruit is normally cheaper from independent sellers like Grainger Market and the stalls in the centre of town. This is especially true for berries; for example the usual price for blueberries is 2 punnets for £1. This isn’t always the case; multipacks in shops can be more economical, plus watch out for reduced prices. If you’re near an Aldi, make use of their super 6, every week they choose 6 items of fruit and vegetables to put on special offer. This helps with variety too, I know I’m guilty of sticking to the same small handful of items! Just because we’re ‘adults’ now does not mean we don’t need to be told what to do sometimes. Have your five-aday! You’ll thank me for it.
But you should be aware of portion size; whilst you need 80g of fresh, canned and frozen varieties, you only need 30g of dried, and 150 ml of fresh fruit juice. However, you should be wary of fruit juice- even homemade- because the crushing of fruit and veg releases its sugars, meaning these drinks have very high sugar content. Perhaps the biggest surprise of all, 80g of beans and pulses are included in your fivea-day; although they only count once, no matter how many you eat, because they don’t contain as many nutrients. Besides, there is such a large variety of fruit and vegetables out there, even the pickiest eater is bound to find a few they like. Having your five aday is also not as expensive as people asImage: pngimg.com
Milk altern
Olivia Wallis weighs up the good, th
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oday people are paying an increasing amount of attention towards their own personal health and wellbeing. This in conjunction with the rising awareness over ethical and environmental concerns is significantly influencing our food market. Largely facilitated by the interconnected nature of technology, this has enabled consumers to have a more transparent understanding of mass food production and consumption. According to the USDA report, milk and dairy products have fallen significantly by 4.1 per cent in the past year, emphasising how consumers are driving a significant demand for dairy-free milk substitutes. One of the greatest reasons for this shift is due to rising concerns over future
Image: Mehrshad Rajabi on Unsplash
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15
lifestyle life & style
Monday 4 March 2018
Early riser made the wiser!
Caitlin Rawlings provides some much-needed tips on how to get up and make those 9ams
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ach and every university student understands the struggle of waking up for your 9am. Being at university has blessed us all with weird sleeping patterns which make early starts incredibly unappealing. Unfortunately, you cannot swerve those morning lectures. So, here are some tips and tricks to help ease your transition from a night owl to an early bird. 1. Use a sleep cycle app The technological answer to our daily struggle. Sleep cycle apps track your sleeping patterns and wake you when you remain in a light sleep. These apps make waking up all about timing so that you get up on the right side of the bed for your early start. 2. Keep your alarm clock on the other side of the room. Place the snooze button out of your reach. This literally places temptation out of arms reach. This will force you to pull the covers off in order to stop that torturous beeping. The first time leaving the warmth of your cocoon is the hardest. So, once you have ventured as far as the other side of the room you might as well pull on a sweatshirt and venture to your lecture.
The first time leaving your cocoon is the hardest 3. Drink a cold glass of water Not only does this give you a shock to the system it also brings your senses to life. Drinking a cold glass of water is associated with burning extra calories too. Your body has to work harder to keep up your body temperature and in doing so knocks off a couple of extra calories in the morning. 4. Stop the scrolling This is lethal. In 2017, it was proven that the average
social me- dia user spends up t o 135 minutes per day scrolling on their devices. This bad habit consumes your morning and provides you with an excuse for not making it to that seminar. However, you have one opportunity to go and sit in that seminar, whereas you have plenty of time to stalk Sophie Turner’s Instagram outside your contact hours. 5. Make your bed This will prevent you from running back to hide under your duvet. Once again removing that temptation. Making your bed is the declaration to yourself that you will make it to this 9am and there’s no going back to napping now. 6. Prepare what you’re going to wear Make sure you are ready to slay the day. When you look good you feel good and when you plan your outfit you are a woman who has her life together. Not only does preparing your outfit remove stress from your morning, but it also gives you a reason to go in so that you can flaunt those new flares. It is easy to make an excuse, but it’s time to focus on the
Ingredients: 100g gram flour 1/4 tsp nutmeg 1/4 tsp ginger 1 tsp smoked paprika 2 tsp turmeric 2 tsp garam masala 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper 1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for frying 100ml water 1 small cauliflower (roughly 500g) 2 spring onions a small handful fresh mint Image: wikipedia commons
reason. The reason why you are here and why that 9am is worth your time. Don’t lose out on a single moment of university. The good, the bad and the early starts. It doesn’t last for long and it’s worth dragging yourself out of bed for.
he bad and the ugly truth about plant-based milks - are they the best way to reduce your footprint? one almond, the nut percentage per bottle is insignificant to have such a detrimental effect on global water supplies. As it takes 100 litres of water to produce 100ml of dairy milk, the production impact of Almond milk is undoubtedly far less and much more localised than the widespread impacts of dairy production. It is without doubt that avoiding meat and dairy is the single biggest way to reduce your carbon footprint, as the livestock industry is poisoning the air we breathe. The high amounts of methane released into the atmosphere continue to contribute to global warming. From this, it is very clear how the media influences and manipulates consumers emotions, emphasising the confusion they face when trying to understand and source the most nutritious and ethical products for their diet. Changing the way we cultivate our land on a universal scale and the foods we consume in our everyday lives can undoubtedly reduce our ecological footprint and contribute to mitigating the effects of climate change.
The humble cauliflower is great vehicle for punchy flavours, and is delicious teamed with plenty of herbs and spices in these fritters. They’re bound together with gram flour, which is made out of ground chickpeas and can be found in the foreign foods section of supermarkets or in health food shops. That means these fritters also happen to be vegan and gluten free, so they’re great if you’re cooking for someone with dietary requirements. I love them as part of a spread with salads and dips, or alongside a lentil dal, or as a filling for sandwiches and wraps. Makes 12 little cakes (serves 3)
natives: a tough nut to crack water supplies, where vast amounts are used to rear livestock and produce milk. According to Natural News, it takes around 2,000 gallons of water to produce one gallon of dairy milk. Considering there are an estimated 780 million people on this planet who do not have access to potable water, such statistics highlight the significant burden consumers place on the environment when choosing dairy milk over plant-based substitutes, and cows milk over fresh water. In light of rising demands for alternative milks; such as soya, rice, hemp, oat, coconut and almond, brings us to question whether this demand is having a more negative impact on the environment than the dairy industry itself. Concerns have risen due to the fact that 80% of Almond production is localised in California, which over the years has endured major droughts as a result of Almond farms tapping into local water supplies. Continued development of these farms in the region may bring about severe environmental consequences, so much so, that the ground has been sinking by an average of 11 inches per year due to the extraction of groundwater. Whilst there has been significant debates over the production of Almond milk, it is evident how conventional nut milks such as Alpro and Almond Breeze found on supermarket shelves have a mere 2% nut content, largely made up of water, sugar and additives including sunflower lecithin and carrageenan. Despite it taking 5 litres of water to grow
Cooking with Hope Coke Cauliflower Fritters
Image: pngimg.com
@TheCourierLifestyle @thecourierlifestyle
Image: Hope Coke
Directions: Start by combining the gram flour, spices, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add in the water and a tablespoon of olive oil and whisk together until you have a smooth batter. Set aside for at least 20 minutes to rest. Coarsely grate the cauliflower using a box grater and finely chop the spring onions and mint. If you have a food processor, then you can save time and arm power by chopping the cauliflower with the blade attachment. Once the batter has rested, add the grated cauliflower, spring onion and mint and stir together until everything is well combined. Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, scoop heaped tablespoons of batter into the pan and use the back of a fork or spoon to press the mixture into disks. I recommend cooking them in batches of 3 so as not to overcrowd the pan and so that there’s room to flip them. After 3-4 minutes you the underside should be golden brown, at which point use a spatula to carefully turn the fritters over. Continue to cook on the other side, flipping and repeating as needed until they’re golden brown and lightly crisp on both sides. If you’re working in batches you can keep the cooked fritters warm on a baking sheet in a low oven while you finish cooking the rest, adding a little more oil to the pan as you go if needed. Once all the fritters are cooked, transfer to a plate or serving dish and you’re ready to eat! Any leftovers can stored in an airtight container and will keep for a couple of days in the fridge. They can be reheated in a low oven until warmed through to have hot, or are great repurposed into a pita or sandwich for an easy packed lunch the next day.
the courier
Monday 4 March 2019
life&style
13
@CourierLifestyle c2.lifestyle@ncl.ac.uk thecourieronline.co.uk/lifestyle Life & Style Editor Sophie Henderson Lifestyle Editors Phoebe Fielder, Holly Margerrison, Ella Williams Online Editor Amanda Goh
Blind Date
James Shannon meets Rosie McCrum
What made you decide to go on a blind date?
What were your first impressions?
My mates signed me up, and then I thought I should go for it in order to try something out of my comfort zone. Oh nice.! What kind of person were you expecting and was Rosie as you imagined? My mates put down that my usual type is tall and brunette so I expected that, but I was pleasantly surprised! So you had good first impressions then? Where did you guys go? Yeah, she seemed really nice and I found her very interesting to talk to. We just went to Holy Hobo for a couple What did you guys talk about? We had a lot of things in common - both of us have passions for literature, art and music. Travelling came up a lot. It was nice to also have some more serious conversation too rather than just small talk. Sounds like you were very compatible! Did you talk for a while, then? Yeah, we were there for a couple of hours... Do you think you will see her again? I don’t know, she gave me her number so we’ll have to see. Depends what she says to you guys as well, haha! We are just about to talk to her, actually. But I’m glad you had a good time. Could you describe her in three words Funny, intriguing and attractive And if she were an alcoolic beverage,what do you reckon she would be? Pimm’s: classy and classic!
“We had a lot of things in common”
First impressions were he seemed friendly and approachable and put together. We went in for a friendly hug Cute! Did the conversation flow from there? Yeah, he was very easy to talk to. We covered most things from politics to sex to family. He had a lot of stories as well! Sounds like you got on pretty well. Were you attracted to him? We had quite a lot in common but I felt the vibe was more friendly than romantic... Fair enough. Would you see him again, then?
As a friend yeah but don’t think as anything more than that Ah, ok. Did you earn any fun facts about him? Yeah he makes his own wine in his room and he’s driving from Oxford to Mongolia next year Could you describe him as an alcoholic beverage? A long island ice tea: an interesting mix and sweet overall. A lot of layers to him. And finally, what do you think he thought of you? Not really sure, think he thought we got on well
Are you unlucky in love? Email us at c2.lifestyle@ncl.ac.uk
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life & style beauty
courier.beauty@ncl.ac.uk Beauty Editors Susanne Norris, Nimra Rafique Laura Buckle Online Editor Molly Taylor
the courier
Monday 4 March 2019
The Ultimate Beauty Basket Our writers racked their beautiful brains in this cosmetic showdown: what is your no. 1 beauty product and why?
Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation £8.29
Huda Beauty Warm Brown Obsessions Palette £25
As someone who has dry and blemished skin that loves a full coverage foundation look, finding one that doesn’t cake or dry out through the day can be a nightmare. After trying many top end brands I always find myself reverting back to Rimmel lasting finish foundation as I love the dewy finish it gives my skin while evening out my blemished complexion. Alongside the fact it doesn’t dry my skin out, it also lasts all day meaning it is perfect for someone who do not like to reapply their foundation during the day. Charlotte Taylor
Image: @swayzemorgan
NYX Ultimate Brights Palette £16
I’ve never been very into makeup. I’d like to say it’s because I love my face just how it is but really I’m just far too lazy when I wake up in the mornings. Given how infrequent an occurrence it is, when I do wear makeup I like to go all out – particularly on my eyeshadow. The NYX Ultimate Shadow Palette is by far the best budget eyeshadow I know of for doing this. With a massive range of brilliantly bright, high-quality colours, this palette allows you to get really creative with your eyeshadow. If you’re like me and want to make a bit of a statement on the (rare) occasions that you wear eyeshadow, I can highly recommend it. Carys Thomas Image: @w_bociag
Rosehip Oil, The Ordinary £9.00 - 30ml
I have oily/ acne prone skin, and this is a problem for me as my makeup always seperates within 3-4 hours of applying it. I started applying Rose Hip Oil instead of usual moisturiser at night, leaving it to soak in. It evens out the sebum (oil) production in your skin, and now I find myself a great deal less oily throughout the day. Amy Urmston
Image: @kosmetolya
Huda Beauty is definitely one of my favourite beauty brands, and I particularly love their eyeshadow palettes. Their Rose Gold Edition Palette is all I used since I got it, I’ve hit pan on all my favourite shades. I didn’t want to splurge on buying the whole palette again as I don’t use all the colours, so when Huda Beauty released mini palettes, each with a specific shade range, I was very excited. The Warm Brown Obsessions Palette is perfect for creating both natural daytime looks and more glam looks, it’s so versatile with 8 pigmented mattes and 1 creamy metallic. What I love most is that it’s small and compact, the perfect size to take on your travels, or throw in your bag. Nimra Rafique
Aveeno Moisturiser £5.13 - 300ml
Image: Flickr
Although not a luxury product, Aveeno has been my staple product for years. I was first recommend this by my Doctor as I suffer with bad eczema and sensitive skin. I’d tried a range of antibiotic treatments and moisturisers, but many either sat on top of my skin or actually irritated it more with their perfumed fragrances. Instead, naturally active ingredients dominate this moisturiser and the oaty formula soothes my skin. Coming in at around £8 in Boots or your local supermarket, I feel you can’t go wrong – especially when my friend told me she spends £75 on hers! Holly Margerrison
Maybelline Brow Drama £5.99
Without a doubt, a favourite product for me has to be one of the brow variation. As a girl who NEVER leaves the house without a set of brows, brows are no.1 priority and my favourite is a tinted brow mascara from high street gem, Maybelline. At just £5.99, this product doesn’t just keep them in place all day but they even give the illusion of thicker brows; something I definitely need! Laura Buckle
St Ives Apricot Scrub £4.19 - 150ml
Exfoliation for me has always been an absolute necessity. Alongside moisturising, exfoliation is so heavily interwoven into my showering routine that I can’t leave the house without doing it. But while some may complain that the roughness of St Ives Apricot scrub is too damaging to use on an everyday basis (it is slightly like using sandpaper) I find it a perfect complement to my skin type, since I don’t have particularly sensitive skin and the smoothness is too invigorating to give up on. Chris Wilkinson
Image: @stivesskin
the courier
17
beauty life & style
Monday 4 March 2019
The best brow product buys Lori Harper takes a look at the best brow products on the market for us to get our hands on
right colour eyebrow products can be a bit of a nightmare. I tend to find that lighter powders and brow mascara’s work best on my pale eyebrows, my favourite is the NYX Tinted Brow Mascara, priced reasonably at £6.50.
Image: @anastasiabeverlyhills
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Brows have become one of the most powerful features of our face. Many celebs are known for their iconic, fierce brows; Dua Lipa, Maisie Williams, and Cara Delevingne have all given rise to the bold eyebrow trend. Nowadays, brows have become pretty high maintenance; makeup isn’t really complete until you’ve at least darkened your eyebrows. So, when it comes to doing our brows at home, we all want to make sure we’re using the best products on the market, right? Here’s a few of the best eyebrow products to make sure your brows remain on fleek. When it comes to brows, Anastasia Beverly Hills offer an extensive collection of products. Their Dipbrow Pomade is by far their most popular product; its waterproof formula gives you the time to blend the product before it dries to a matte finish. Dipbrow also comes in a magnificent 11 shades to choose from - so you’re guaranteed to find a good match for your brows. The Dipbrow is great for building both full and natural brows, and its smudge-proof and long-lasting formula allows you to create small hair-like strokes, which is why it recommends being used with the Anastasia 7 B angled brush. (Dipbrow: £19, Beauty Bay) Similarly, Iconic London offer a pretty innovative brow product. The Sculpt and Boost Brow Cushion is a two-toned liquid eyebrow compact that will fit
neatly in any handbag. This product comes in 4 different shades, from fair to deep, and even has its own applicator with both a spoolie (the pipe cleaner type brush) and an angled brush. The idea is that you use the spoolie to comb the brows and the angled brush to bounce into the cushion and apply this to the eyebrow in hair-like strokes. (£26.99, Iconic London). If you’re not wanting to spend as much, there are some much cheaper products out there. The Maybelline Tattoo Brow Gel is a high street revolution; gone are the days of eyebrow tint appointments. This long-lasting product is simple to use and won’t break the bank either, only costing £12.99. Furthermore, NYX also have their own eyebrow pomade, more modestly priced than the Anastasia Beverly Hills, at only £6.50. Benefit Cosmetics have become increasingly invested in their brow products. From gels, pencils, powders and brow highlighters, Benefit offer an enormous collection. The Goof Proof Brow Pencil has always been a popular product, coming in 7 shades this pencil is known for its angled tip which allows for quick and easy application - it is literally “goof proof ”. (from £13, Boots). If like me, you’re fair haired its often difficult to get your brows to stand out without making them too dark. If you’re a natural blonde, finding the
If you're not wanting to spend as much, there are some much cheaper products out there. The Maybelline Tattoo Brow Gel is a high street revolution Currently, the latest eyebrow trend seems to be for feathered brows. Sported by Gigi Hadid, this look has never been easier to create; all you need is spoolie and some clear brow gel, which you can pretty much cheaply buy anywhere. The Rimmel London Brow This Way transparent gel is enriched with Argan oil to keep your brows soft and moisturised, but best of all, it is inexpensivecoming in at £2.99. This gel gives you great looking brows without the big price tag.
Image: @benefitcosmeticsuk
Jordyn X Kylie: Beauty breakup
The latest Kardashian scandal could effect the beauty industry. Sophie Hindhaugh discusses
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f you’ve not been on Twitter, you’d be forgiven for not knowing the latest drama to grip the world of social media. However if you are on social media, and you’ve missed it, then I’ll assume you just don’t follow anyone and live under a simulated rock, because the latest Kardashian scandal seems to have encompassed the entirety of social media- or in other words, ‘broke the internet’.
Last Tuesday, Jordyn Woods, Kylie Jenner’s best friend, got hot and heavy with Tristan Thompson, Khloe Kardashian’s baby daddy. And Khloe Kardashian happens to be her best friend’s older sister. Whilst it’s not surprising that Tristan has cheated on Khloe again (he notoriously did days before she gave birth with two women, at the same time) it is surprising that Jordyn, who went to Khloe’s baby shower and has been close friends with the family for years, would have betrayed Khloe (and best friend Kylie) this way. Or, how she could have been so dumb as to get caught or to pick a man associated with the Kardashians. She was really living the high life, riding Kylie Jenner’s billionaire coattails, and she’s thrown it all away for a quick fumble with some basketball player. She lived at Kylie Jenner’s comfy mansion. She modelled for Khloe’s brand, Good American, which opened other modelling
Image: @kyliejenner
doors in the industry. She had a collaboration with Kylie Cosmetics, her own lip kit. Notice that this is all past tense- because the Kardashian’s are leaving Jordyn Woods firmly in the past, along with all the other people they’ve blacklisted. The Jordyn inspired velvet lip kit ‘Jordy’ is now half price, she’s been kicked out of Kylie’s mansion, and it’s safe to assume she’s not modelling for Good American anymore.
The Kardashian's are leaving Jordyn Woods firmly in the past, along with all the other people they've blacklisted.
Big-up beauty brand lovin'
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f you’re a fan of a halo eye or a shimmering cutcrease, then you may have already came across this little Liverpool-based brand; Peaches and Cream. Just as sweet as the desert itself, Peaches and Cream first caught my attention with their Instagram coverage and relationships with British rising-star MUAs like @ mmmmicheal and @zackaryvang and now overseas with the likes of @jeffreestar and @nikkietutorials. But Peaches and Cream isn’t just your standard online site, their store in Liverpool is also part beauty salon where you can get your face painted in true Peaches and Cream style. First, the main reason this little Liverpool gem gets my beauty brand of the week is simply down to their range of amazing glitter pigments. Now, I can’t bear to complete a makeup look without one of their shimmers over a cut-crease or in an inner corner. Out of over 40 shades, a personal favourite of mine is “Fangulous”, a magenta/ emerald green shift glitter; one of the most unique of their entire range. At first glance, this pigment just looks like any old warm-toned bronzed shimmer but under certain lights, the blue duo-chrome really catches the eye and adds something extra to a make-up look. A second favourite for me has to be “Rattlesnake”, a duo-chrome gold and green shift glitter, which is also more on the “brave” side but perfect for festivals and adding a crazy pop of colour to a simple smoky eye. However, if you’re after something a little more subtle, their shade “Gatsby”, a champagne ultra-fine sparkle, is one of their best sellers and a cult classic; perfect for any glam eye-look. What’s the best about these pigments is that there is no limit to both colour and usage. Many MUA’s use the pigments as highlighters and Peaches and Cream openly invite their customers to mix and invent new pigments to use at home. Top-tip, I like to spritz some setting-spray onto the pigment to not only make the shimmer last all day but to also make the colour pop! Apply the wet pigment onto a tacky eye-lid, partner with some fluffy lashes, and your good to go! It’s as simple as that. Currently, their single pigments retail for £6.95 each and I just can’t get enough. Second, their incredibly affordable prices can’t go a mention. Not only are Peaches and Cream known for their beautiful pigments, they are also recognised by MUAs and beauty-lovers alike for their money-saving bundles. A common favourite for me is their “3 Pigments for £15” and “10 lashes for £25” which are an absolute steal. These bundles also extend into their limited-edition ranges, for example their “Wild West” collection where you can grab 3 pigments for £18, and even their lipgloss and brush sets too; “4 brushes for £15” and “5 lipglosses for £20”. Compared to prices at Nars or MAC, they really do give the MUA exclusive prices without needing that MUA status! So, if you’re not afraid to experiment with crazy colours and shimmers, whilst saving some of your hard-earned coin, then Peaches and Cream may just be the brand for you. Their insane quality and unique artistry belittles many premium brands on the market in terms of pigmentation and uniqueness and the small prices really are the icing on a very delicious cake. Next time you’re in Liverpool, be sure to visit their store on Dale Street to grab some of their cult products and until then, be sure to look out for their range on your favourite Instagram MUA. Big up Peaches and Cream! Laura Buckle
And it’s not just her Kardashian associated business ventures that are suffering- her collaboration with Eylure for example, isn’t off to the best start. At the event to celebrate the launch of her false eyelashes line, beauty bloggers hoping to be on the Kardashian PR list reportedly avoided the event. There are rumours that said event was as a result nearly empty, and that Jordyn hid most of the night, only to deliver a rather understated short speech, where she thanked people and Eylure for their continued support, stating ‘through everything that's been going on, you know it's been real, and Eylure has been super real.’ I’m not exactly sure what she means by ‘real’, but I’m gonna go with things looking real bleak. The most annoying thing about the situation for me is how Tristan Thompson has gotten off free from any criticism. He was the one in the relationship, with a child and who decided to make out with a young woman on a boozy night out. It’s 2019; it’s time to hate the cheater more than the other woman. And maybe to not collectively online bully a 21-year-old woman and cut her out of the beauty industry for making a mistake and suffering for it now.
Image: @kyliejenner
Image: @peachesmakeup
18
life & style fashion
c2.fashion@ncl.ac.uk Fashion Editors Miranda Stoner & Joe Hood Online Editor Molly Taylor
the courier
Monday 4 March 2019
Less is more: A beginner’s guide to minimalism
Nusrat Angela is here to teach us lesson in minimalist fashion and to share with us how to get the best out of your wardrobe
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hile going over the top with your style is never a bad thing, some of us like to tone it down and still look like we are at the top of our fashion game. For those of you who are a fan of sleek and chic looks, minimalistic style is a well- deserved blessing. It allows you to portray your individual style without being too loud and get a nod from fashionistas. For those of you who are starting this beautiful journey towards minimalistic fashion, or is simply fascinated by the concept, here’s a few tips to help you to effortlessly pull off a minimalistic style. Choosing a minimalistic style does not mean you are restricted to a few nude, light colours. Though the majority of your wardrobe may be dominated by black, white and shades of soft colours, it can have pops of red and yellow here and there, according to your preference. All you have to know is how to work the different pieces together in moderation. Wear a red shirt with a white skirt or a yellow top with black pants. No colour is wrong as long as you know how to pull it off. When it comes to minimalistic dressing, textures breath life back into your outfit. It is a fun way of adding zest into your style without overdoing it. Pleated skirts, knits with drapes and wool with ruffles can add the subtle boost your outfit needs. Minimalistic style does not always mean you have to stick to staples like white t shirt and skirts. You can add edge to the overall style by adding interesting cuts and shapes– a boxy cut makes your tee everything but basic while flared sleeves add some much-needed drama onto your white blouse. Layering again is a great way to showcase your creativity. Pair a tight-fitted top with a pair of baggy trousers topped with a long-line jacket-giving off a chic layered look. Mix and match the subtle contrasts between neutral colours or opt for a monochromatic colour scheme- the possibilities are endless, and you will end up with an exciting outfit. Have some staples ready to match with almost anything though. This includes a black handbag or a black overcoat. When it comes to accessories, the main factor to remember is that you should wear a statement piece
rather than lots of jewelleries together. For example, rather than wearing a pair of earrings, a necklace, and a few bracelets with your chosen outfit, no matter how well all those items look together, wear one of these items. That will be the statement piece, bringing all the attention towards it. Minimalistic style does not mean you can’t wear big or loud jewelleries, but it rather means you have to know how to wear them individually. Carry that one significant piece of jewellery, no matter how small, with suave and style. Go for solitaire diamond earrings, a thin gold necklace with a tiny pendant or delicate rings. Try to avoid chunky cocktail rings or necklaces emblazoned with your name.
Minimalistic style does not mean you can’t wear big or loud jewelleries, but it rather means you have to know how to wear them individually.
And finally, if you need inspiration, you can check out the styles of these minimalist fashion bloggers to get some fresh ideas about the kind of concept you want to go for. Each of them has their individual niche among minimalistic styles and you can find something that may interest you. Caroline-Unfancy (@caroline_joy), BlairBlair Bade (@blairbadge), Kathryn-Kat got the cream (@ katgotthecream).
Instagram: katgotthecream
Fast fashion, even faster damage Phoebe Eyles explains how to improve your sustainabilities
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he explosion of fast fashion and the shortened life span of our clothes is greatly damaging our environment, with the industry being the second most polluting. Whilst it is true high end brands are not doing enough to protect the environment, high street and online affordable brands are the largest contributors to the lack of sustainable fashion.
As shoppers it is important to be aware of what brands are the most sustainable
Instagram: Unsplash
However, there are high streets brands doing more to help the environment and reduce the amount of pollution the fashion industry creates. As shoppers it is important to be aware of what brands are the most sustainable so we can make informed choices as to which companies to buy from. As students, it is undeniable that we benefit from the fast fashion industry, with cheap prices enabling us to afford a new outfit for the next event. Yet the industry is creating a huge problem by increasing our desire to constantly have new clothes. Most recently, Kim Kardashian called out fast fashion brands for recreating her designer looks at cheap prices which she argued Is disrespectful to the original designer. Apart from moral issues, fast fashion brands are ruining the environment. The cheap dyes and materials used to create items for these brands are incredibly harmful, with textile dyeing being the second largest pollutant of water. The amount of clothes we can discard has dramatically increased, and the materials used in cheaper items often go to landfill. Unfortunately, whilst a large amount of our wardrobes may come from these unsustainable brands, we need to be aware of the environmental issues they cause.
Many brands on the high street are doing more to promote sustainable fashion and still have affordable prices. H&M have created there Conscious Collection, a line that uses 100% regenerated nylon fibre and recycled materials. The range features basic staples from simple bodycon dresses to casual shirts. The line also features flares and warm jumpers, perfect for your Newcastle wardrobe! H&M as well as Zara run in-store initiatives where customers can give unwanted clothes to be recycled by the brands. Zara also claims that 90% of their stores are eco friendly and run on renewable energy sources. ! Mango is another high street brand with a sustainable range titled ‘Committed’, which uses materials such as recycled polyester and organic cotton to promote sustainable fashion. The store Monki now only use 100% sustainable cotton in their garments and as a brand aim to be climate positive by 2040. The brand features a wide range of casual wear and unique designs you won’t be finding on fast fashion sites!
Many brands on the high street are doing more to promote sustainable fashion and still have affordable prices
With the average item of clothing holding a mere seven wears to most, it is vital that we cut down on our consuming habits and buy from sustainable stores where possible. The pull of on trend items at cheap prices is difficult to resist as a student, but it is important to make as many conscious choices as we can. With a bit of research it is apparent that a variety of high street brands are providing sustainable options at good prices, making it easier for shoppers to make ethical choices.
the courier
19
fashion life & style
Monday 4 March 2019
Life in the days of Karl Lagerfeld
Following his death on 19th of February 2019 The Courier Fashion pays homage to one of fashion’s most creative designers
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ike Marmite whether you love him or hate him it is undeniable that Karl Lagerfeld’s life has been characterised by success. He’s proved this time and time again with positive reviews on his shows and in 2015 when he claimed the Outstanding Achievement Award at the BFA’s, putting him on a par with other fashion legends such as American Vogue editor Anna Wintor and fashion designer Alexander McQueen. Lagerfeld grew up in an isolated house in the German countryside. He came a long way in his 85?(did anyone ever find out his age?) years, and before his death he had led three major fashion houses- Chloé, Fendi and Chanel, in addition to creating his own label ‘KARL LAGERFELD’. His influence has led to international success, Natalie Massenet, chair of the British Fashion Council says ‘Karl Lagerfeld defines outstanding’ and she goes on to say ‘his life’s work for his own and so many extraordinary brands, has written the language of fashion.’ It may seem like an exaggeration to say he ‘has written the language of fashion’, however despite the various controversies he has caused by saying things like only ‘fat mothers eating out of the chip packet in front of the television’ stating that he finds thin models ugly and that time when he hired the Italian porn star Moana Pozzi to model his Fendi swimwear collection in 1993 causing Anna Wintour to walk out. However, his career showed a development, such as his 2014 cat walk shoe turned feminist protest. Whilst some believed this was an attempt to jump on the feminist bandwagon he explained later that “I like the idea of feminism being something light-hearted, not a truck driver for the feminist movement.” This fitted in with his refreshing outlook on life. This is the idea that everything he says is a joke, even he himself was a joke. Moreover, this show sparked discussion and took fashion out of its isolated runway context, this is perhaps part of the appeal which led to his huge following. Despite Lagerfeld’s claims to have no marketing skills, he still managed to cleverly branded himself as an internationally recognisable figure with his white hair in a Mozart-esque pony-tail, designer shades just to hide his face, high white collar, black leather fingerless gloves and gothic style black trousers and blazer. He even made money off his pampered feline companion- Choupette, who has her own twitter account and eats better than the average Newcastle student. Karl Lagerfeld’s success seems to have stemmed primarily from his ability to warp convention, as seen in Chanel’s spring/summer 2015 show. The clothes featured took inspiration from the modern world. Concrete inspired jewellery and clothing was unexpected yet not unpleasant and the collection also included a twist on the traditional Chanel jacket which had been turned into a bag. Another feature was the men’s style brogues given the feminine twist of a gold finish, peep toe and ballet ribbon style ankle fastenings. It’s these eccentricities in his style and his hand painted fabric designs that made Karl Lagerfeld stand out from other fashion designers, as well as his commitment to the fashion industry; his career began in 1959 and he has continued consistently contributing ever since. A new designer for the house of Chanel is yet to be announced. Words: Miranda Stoner
Watch this cat walk His death is a great loss to many, but maybe none so much as his beloved cat Choupette; Jodie Duddy explains why
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arl Lagerfeld’s death has left the world mourning his creative genius and his unapologetic dedication to fashion, but also it has sparked questions about the future Lagerfeld’s seven-year-old Birman cat, Choupette. In a 2015 interview Lagerfeld noted that Choupette “has her own little fortune, she’s an heiress” and when asked to clarify this in 2018 he confirmed that he’d made his pet an heir to his fortune but emphasised, “don’t worry there is enough for everyone”. In the last few years the Chanel creative director gushed over his furry companion in interviews noting, “she is the centre of the world. If you saw her, you would understand.” He further explained, “there is something unforgettable about her, the way she moves, the way she plays. She’s an inspiration for elegance. For attitude.”
Instagram: admar.sk
"Everything I say is a joke. I myself am a joke"
Instagram: voguemagazine
"Embrace the present and invent the future"
Choupette has two maids trusted to her care, a chef to prepare her four meals a day, a vast jewellery collection, and an Instagram following of 295,000
Choupette has two maids trusted to her care, a chef to prepare her four meals a day, a vast jewellery collection, and an Instagram following of 295,000. It is unconfirmed as to how much of Lagerfeld’s $200 million estate Choupette has been set aside for her maintenance but it seems unlikely to drop below the million $ mark as she has earned Lagerfeld $3m modelling for Vauxhall and Shu Uemura beauty. Choupette’s Instagram was updated on the 20th February with a picture of the cat in a mourning veil and the words “ Thank you everyone for your words of condolence. With a once cold but now simply broken heart, I am going into mourning. I pray that your kind words and well-wishes will help me to put my best paw forward in my future without Daddy @ KarlLagerfeld & as my own woman.”
Instagram: chanelofficial
Chanel Spring/Summer Haute Couture Bride. Modelled by Vittoria Ceretti.
"I don't like standard beauty. there is no beauty without strangeness"
Instagram: the_chloe_fan
Instagram: erinanncullen
Making waves at Paris Fashion Week in 2014 with his catwalk show turned feminist march.
Instagram: melbietoast
" I am very much down to Earth. Just not this Earth"
Instagram: choupettesdiary
20
life & style travel
courier.travel@ncl.ac.uk Travel Editors Jenny Franken, Bianca Ionici, Amy Harris Online Editor Amanda Goh
the courier
Monday 4 March 2019
'Begpacking': the worst travel trend to date?
Gayatri Gopalakrishnan explores the latest travel phenomenon amongst "gap yah" tourists who are travelling around Asia
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egpacking your way through Asia? Is it the worst possible travel “trend” to date? Conventionally, planning a trip meant charting out the places you would like to visit, things you would like to see or do, places to stay, meeting regulations, travel documents, and of course, sorting out your finances.
Having Western tourists in Asia begging, for me personally, reeks of white privilege
However, what has recently emerged as a new travel “trend” is the begpacking phenomenon. A play on the words; begging and backpacking, this refers to a growing number of Western tourists, who decide to fund their travels through support from others. Whilst GoFundMe’s are popular, a more prominent variant of this involves travelling to a place, and once there, busking, selling handmade crafts or just begging on the streets, since working on a tourist visa or as a tourist is forbidden in most places. A video that went viral about two months back, showed a couple of Russian tourists performing some acts, including throwing their two-month old baby in the air, in a crowded mall in Malaysia. Subsequently, more photos and videos followed of Western tourists begpacking through Asia, mostly in South East Asia. Photos and videos included begpackers bragging about their achievements or frustrated locals on a quest to name and shame them. What emerged since then, were a volley of internet opinions, with most people agreeing that it was a combination of white privilege and millennial entitlement. Although, there were those who justified it under certain cases, like losing your travel documents or missing your flight. Finally, there were those who believed that there was nothing wrong, you have to see the world when you are young, and it does not matter how.
It is at this point, that I beg to differ. As an Asian who has travelled to the West, in order to get my travel documents and visa approved, not only did I have to show sufficient balance in my bank account to last me for the trip and longer, but also show proof of hotel bookings, an itinerary in case of regions without borders, like the Schengen, as well as flight tickets to go back home. Furthermore, owning a passport that does not give visa-free access or visa-on-arrival privileges in many countries, I have to pay a large amount in visa processing fees, not to mention the time taken. Adding on the currency exchange rates, and the costs of living, I believe that travel is a luxury, a privilege. So, on the other hand, having Western tourists in Asia begging to fund their trip, for me, personally, it reeks of white privilege. Whilst I can agree with the sentiment that it is about the wish to see the world, that is true for everyone, irrespective of where they are from. However, most people in Asia, work long hours, and can scarcely afford to travel even to local tourist destinations. Seeing the world could also be done by taking up volunteering or other jobs in international destinations. Contrary to this, begpacking brings up a fair bit of ethical and moral dilemmas. Since on a tourist visa, they are not allowed to work, most begpackers expect the local people to fund their travels, competing in the “begging space” with local people who are unable to work, due to poverty, sickness or the pure need for survival. This would essentially be bringing it down to; as a third person, would you rather donate to a homeless person begging for one meal a day or to a foreigner who wants you to fund them to travel your country? Many locals see the phenomenon as disrespecting their culture since these begpackers behave that way solely because they are in an “exotic” country, as well as wondering why people who can afford expensive camera equipment feel the need to busk or beg. This is not to mention opening flouting laws, for instance in Singapore, only those with a work permit can busk on streets, leading governments to impose rules trying to curb these, such as in Thailand and Vietnam. Hopefully this “trend” might meet its welcome end, quite quickly.
Instagram @thetravelpointeng
How to make the most of your gap year Megan Williams divulges into how to enjoy your year of freedom without any responsibilities to the full extent in three steps 1. Let your plans deviate
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ootloose and fancy free? Ready to explore the world and fulfill lifelong dreams? Here are three little tips that you may not have thought of for making the most of your gap year. Like most things, planning is crucial; a gap year is no exception to this. Although it can seem like an overwhelming task, start by creating a mind map of places you’d love to explore, skills you’d like to learn, work you are interested in and any other dreams you may have. Don’t let practicalities stop you writing them down. Once you have finished, spend some time thinking about how you could potentially draw certain ideas together and tick off as many things on the list as possible, by doing this you should be able to formulate a rough plan for the
Unsplash @edgar-charparro
year that will be as fulfilling as possible for you. To really get the most out of your gap year, research the places you are visiting, know the history, the ‘must-do’s’, the things to avoid, the hidden gems, the safety tips, the list goes on. Obviously there are hundreds of places to do this but I found that other travellers’ blogs were a great way to find out honest opinions and things to do which differed from the usual tourist attractions, I also loved reading books set in the places I was visiting and relied heavily on my trusty Lonely Planets’. Now, ironically, after recommending detailed planning I would urge you to not be rigid in your plans, let them deviate and change. Some of the best experiences arise when you go with the flow and follow your instinct. Gap years are all about seizing opportunities so if there is something you really want to do, don’t let past plans you have made hold you back. Travelling is all about the unexpected so be prepared to embrace that.
2. Stay Put
A lot of people have the common perception that to make the most of a travelling experience you need to see as much of the country as possible, I would advise against this mentality, instead stay put. Instead of rushing from place to place, spend time getting to know certain places and the people who come with it. Not only will you find this more relaxing, it also gives you a chance to form deeper connections with the places you travel to and those you meet. A great way to do this is to work or volunteer; websites such as Hovos or Work Away offer thousands of different working opportunities around the world in return for food and accommodation which also helps to eek out your travelling fund so you can stay travelling for longer. Although a year may seem like a long
Jenny Franken
time, it will fly by; finding a job abroad, instead of working at home then going travelling for a few months, is a good option to capitalise on your gap year.
3. Be open minded
As cliché as it sounds, a successful, fulfilling and purposeful gap year will alter you as a person. They are suppose to broaden minds and open your eyes but for this transformation to take place you have to be open minded. Try new things, learn about the cultures and religions of the places you are travelling to, say yes more, act without prejudice and throw yourself in the deep end. By doing all of these things, you will learn not only about the world but about yourself; a true sign of a gap year made the most of.
the courier
21
travel life & style
Monday 4 March 2019
Volunteering: global opportunities
Creating a better Calais with Help Refugees
Going to Calais to volunteer is a very different experience to your typical holiday, but more than worth it tells Sam Hoskyns
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trip to Calais is not your typical holiday destination. It hasn’t got beautiful scenery, exotic weather, nice bars and unique architecture but what it does have is the horrifying yet very real result of the refugee crisis, with huge displays of rough sleeping refugees in the area. Despite this, there have been over 12,000 people travel to visit Calais with one organisation since 2015; ‘Help Refugees’. Working with L’Auberge des migrants, Help Refugees co-run the main warehouse in Calais of which houses 7 other organisations including a kitchen, wood yard, school bus, info-bus, women’s centre, youth service, and material distribution organisations; all of which share the common goal of improving the lives of homeless refugees in Calais and Dunkirk. There are hundreds of reasons to visit Calais for a weekend, a week, or for months. The first reason to visit is the volunteers you meet. In the woodyard, kitchen or warehouse you’ll find yourself surrounded by incredible, compassionate people from all walks of life yet who all share an overwhelming drive for their work. There is a true sense of optimism created by volunteers that believe in creating a better world. The diversity amongst the volunteers is so broad: students, teachers, shop owners, travellers, lawyers, chefs, editors, business people, directors, carpenters, insurance company managers, you name it, are all brought together to work towards the common goal of helping those less fortunate. Unlikely friendships are made while chopping onions, washing 50L pots, sorting clothes into sizes, check-
Instagram @refugees
ing tents, counting stock or cutting wood. Being part of a united effort to improve the lives of the asylum seekers that have been left homeless is the second reason you should spend time in Calais. In the world we live it is sometimes hard to know which work is truly having a positive impact and making a change for the right people. Yet, in Calais you are able to see the direct impact you are having. The food you chop to the stock you count is distributed to the refugees suffering from inconceivable hardships the very same day. People who have risked everything in pursuit of a safe life in Europe for themselves and their families, just to have the governments and authorities turn their back on them in a time of absolute vulnerability have safety in knowing you are there to better their lives. In Calais alone there has been 972 reported incidence of disproportionate physical violence, the use of teargas, destruction of personal property and other rights abuses by the French police in just one year. Sadly, a significant role volunteers play in Calais is showing solidarity with those directly and indirectly affected. There is something to be said for the services there that say ‘we care’, on a cold winter day after countless nights sleeping in the woods. Being one of the 12,000 people that have joined Help Refugees and other organisations in their efforts, I cannot recommend going more. If you’re keen to help, interested to find out what it’s like there, or just have some free time in the holidays, you won’t regret taking time to support a cause such as this one.
Instagram @refugees
Funerals in Ghana: celebrations of positivity Travel Editor Jenny Franken discovered a very new perspective on life and death when she traveled to Ghana to volunteer
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efore starting university, I wanted to take the chance to travel the world; immerse myself in new cultures, meet new people and discover a new perspective to look at the world. A summer camp organised by NGO ‘Don Bosco’ for children aged three to 16 was the perfect opportunity to interlink all these points. Six other volunteers, a teacher and I started our journey into the unknown. Little did we know, that these five weeks in a western Ghanaian city called Sunyani would turn out to teach us more about life and death than ever expected. We started our journey at Düsseldorf airport in Germany. Destination: Accra, Ghana. The day we drove past a funeral deepened our rather superficial observations about the culture. Funerals have a very important position in society; described as a type of national sport, they are an integral component of the Ghanaian weekend. Not because there are so many deaths in the people’s inner circle, but because everyone in surrounding areas is invited to celebrate the life of the deceased. The dead are worshipped in Ghana: no funeral could be too big or extravagant. For the organisers, funerals are an opportunity to emphasize the gratitude and sincerity they feel towards the deceased person. However, the urge to create the ‘perfect burial’ is driven by social pressure. Way more than first expected, money plays a decisive role in this ceremony. A funeral takes three days; from Fridays to Sundays the city is in stand still. In order to ensure a thoroughly planned ceremony with guests attending from all over the country or even the world, the planning takes three to six months, sometimes even years in which time the body is placed in the mortuary. It’s a matter of respect to not bury someone too early as this would indicate that not enough effort and time was spent on the organization. The better the reputation of the deceased person in the village and country, the longer the funeral takes to arrange in order to make it more remarkable than any other. The actual funeral, following Ghanaian traditions, starts with the guests coming to the family house where the opened coffin is placed to give everyone the opportunity to say goodbye one last time. For that reason, the house needs to be polished to make it acceptable for guests to enter. Nine out of ten renovations happening in Ghana serve as an embellishment for the funeral. In extreme cases, new houses are built to create an outstanding ceremony.
The ‘fantasy coffin’ is a Ghanaian phenomenon that has attracted international attention and is controversially regarded as art. These customised coffins epitomise a part of the deceased person’s life such as dreams, occupation and status. For example, an estate agent’s coffin would be in the shape of a house and the mother of a big family would be buried in a hen-shaped coffin. Airplanes are a common design for children to suggest the successful expedition to the afterlife. On Saturdays, traditional red and black clothes float all around the villages. As Ghana is a heavily Christian country, they also wear black to express their sorrow. The red is expressing the red in their eyes after they have cried. It’s time for the celebration of life! All guests get back together for the entertainment. Four big tents are arranged to form a squared center providing space for hundreds of chairs. Even with the numerous seating options, groups of people have to gather behind the tents. The space in the middle is kept for a memorial of the deceased person. Every guest is expected to make a small donation to reduce the family’s expenses. It not only demonstrates gratefulness for the high effort but more important, it makes you an official part of the event. For this ‘auction’, someone is hired to constantly announce the amount of money each person has donated. The main event happening outside is the music and dancing. With drum groups giving the beat, people start singing and dancing around the memorial. This is the liveliest part as everyone frees themselves from the emotional baggage and evokes the positive feelings. The money spent on funerals is, by Ghanaian standards, exorbitant. People would rather devote effort and money on a dead person than a living one which would be considered absurd in Western society. The organisation and investments make the actual farewell appear less significant. For a population that cares so little about materialism; the social pressure to surpass each other financially seems untypical. The money seems to be wrongly invested for a nation that struggles to reach the subsistence level. People get into debt and lose sight of the important things in life such as education. Nevertheless, I loved joining the celebration of life. It gave me a lot to think about and even though it is only one part of the funeral, this attitude deeply impressed me. Travelling in Ghana taught me a lesson about the different ways people can spend their years on earth. Celebrating, dancing and singing are integral parts of the Ghanaian life, just as much of the afterlife.
Jenny Franken
Wikimedia Commons
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INTERNATI NAL W MEN’S DAY Feature Editor Ally Wilson
What’s on...
Image: Pixabay
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he city is alive with cries of gender equality, with plenty of International Women’s Day events for you to choose from. From on-campus events to city centre protests, there’s something for everyone who cares about equality and the celebration of women. Kicking off the week is the ‘Young women, politics and voice’ event at Newcastle City Library on the 5th March from 5.30-7pm. This event, organised by the Women in Newcastle group, features various young women talking about their political activism. As NUSU’s Marginalised Genders Officer I will be one of the panellists, so of course recommend coming along to hear me speak! There will be representatives from Northumbria and the Youth Council, with opportunities to ask your own questions, so is a great option for anyone interested in getting into politics and activism. On campus, Team Kenya are hosting a talk on Wednesday 6th March at 7pm. Head along to the History Room (SU) to hear discussions about gender politics, feminism and their charity work. They have Julie Scanlon, a Team Kenya trustee, as their key-note speaker and baked goods will be sold at the event – what more could you need? For the sporty students – or those wanting to get stuck in – This Girl Can are celebrating active women and encouraging women’s confidence with exercise on Thursday
7th March. Head to Exhibition Park for 6pm to join their 5k walk, jog or run (or 1k if you’re not feeling the longer route)! Make sure you deck yourself out in bright clothes and glowsticks to really feel part of the community. The main event for International Women’s Day is the Period Positivity event taking place on Friday 8th March. To really get involved, head along to the City Library’s Bewick Hall at 10am to join the choir rehearsal (I went last year and it’s really fun and not that scary, promise!) before everyone heads to Monument at 11.30am. At Monument we will be holding a direct action demonstration including a flashmob choir and red pom-pom representations of blood being thrown from the top of Monument! Various societies will be joining this action, including the Feminist Society, Amnesty International and Women for Women International, so feel free to come along with one of those if you don’t want to turn up alone. This will be the biggest International Women’s Day event, so get stuck in! If that’s not enough for you, Tyneside Cinema is also celebrating women with its screening of Waru at 6pm on the 8th March. Waru is a series of eight short films by Māori female directors, tackling the issue of child abuse. The film will be introduced by Anamarija Horvat from Northumbria University, who specialises in gender and queer memory. This is sure to be an enlightening experi-
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Comment Lifestyle
Rhiannon Walls tells us about Holly Margerrison talks the importance of gender equality omen empowering women. Men empow- deserve recognition. her favourite female figures ering women. What better way to celebrate That’s not to say we should focus solely on mater-
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rom Constance Markievicz and Nancy Astor to Theresa May, the UK has had some fairly badass female politicians in its time. Whether you agree with their policies or not, the fact that they’ve reached a position of power in a male dominated world is undoubtedly worth credit in itself. On the international stage, as of January 2019, 11 women are serving as Head of State and 10 are serving as Head of Government. Whilst this is a big improvement on past figures, there is still a significant lack of women in positions of political power. As of November 2019, just 24% of all Parliamentarians were female. That figure should be 50%. The United Nations pledged to “Commit themselves to establishing the goal of gender balance in governme n tal bodies and committees, as well as in public administrative entities, and in the judiciary,” at the 4th World Conference on Women held in Beijing, September 1995. Whilst this will go some of the way to fixing the situation, the UN can’t solve the problem alone. It is our duty t o show young women that they too can reach the top of the political ladder and lead their country. This International Women’s Day let’s empower some ladies and boost those figures! Image: Wikipedia
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the successes of females than a whole day dedicated to recognising how far we’ve come, and the measures we still have to take to creating a more balanced society? Last year, International Women’s Day fell into the same week as Mother’s Day and we saw the country reminiscing the resilience of women’s movements, like the Suffragettes, but also the heroes more commonly known to us – our Mums. Often we’re too busy getting old and forget that our parents are too. But taking a minute to thank them for teaching us values that no school or University ever could – how to hold your knife and fork, to how to hold your head high – they
Image: Wikimedia Commons
nal women – I can already feel Emmeline Pankhurst wriggling in her grave. Women in the business field to women living it up overseas to women smashing out their studies – even those still figuring it all out – each and every one matters. Whatever their niche, women continue to pave their way in the world. International Women’s Day should not be confined to a single day, though. Sure, get in the festivities, grab your groovy garms and get yourself down to the club with fellow sass heads to sing your heart out to ‘Man, I feel like a Woman’. But remember that everyday should be about balance – especially equalling our talents with men’s. After all, it takes two to make a thing go right,
Emily Cartwright talks about the sisterhood in cosmetics
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umbers of women in the typically ‘male’ industries, such as science, technology and engineering, has dramatically increased with the turn of the twentieth century. Yet, we also continually hear about the maltreatment of women in these fields, such as the gender pay gap and increasing information about cases of sexual harassment. Thus, it is no wonder that the female-dominated beauty industry continues to thrive and expand with hordes of women. Within the wide range of career options the industry has to offer, whether you enter as a trainee, a MAC trained makeup artist or a highly experienced you are guaranteed to feel a warm welcome, comfort and respect in the sector you choose. The women of the industry continue to learn, dominate and achieve managerial positions they may not have achieved in a different industry; it is a safe space for women. Some may see this as a negative thing, and call the industry ‘women’s work,’ however with the rise of the male beauty blogger, more and more men are being trained as MUAs. We women then, work together alongside men, for a strong and cohesive beauty industry that continues to empower people every single day. Beauty bosses, I say.
Image: Pixabay
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Fashion
Rashida Campbell-Allen explains female influence in fashion
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ashion is a culturally defined concept - fluid and malleable. As society changes, fashion often follows suit to reflect such movement. Women’s position in society has in many ways developed and progressed; obtaining more rights, more opportunities and a more amplified voice in a society which is still described as patriarchal. Women’s role and relationship with fashion is a two-way affair, an interdependent interaction of creativity, regulation and empowerment. The word itself is traditionally associated with modelling, bodies, beauty and money. However now, as a result of women’s engagements within the fashion world, the term is becoming synonymous with statement-making, individuality, independence, choice and equality. Indeed it remains that men still occupy the higher ranked positions of control in the fashion industry. However, if we turn our focus away from women’s corporate and industrial roles, we can see that women do have an
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active role, as consumers, as critics and as creators. The fashion world depends on a positive reception from its audience so the industry is dependent and ergo regulated by the everyday woman often through social media platforms - a space of social order. Women in the fashion industry also have quite an important role in providing a unique perspective on gender norms and portrayals as they collaborate on ways to deconstruct and challenge the gendered nature of clothing. Especially with focus on reducing the over-sexualisation of clothing inherently made for the male-gaze or even to accommodate sexuality fluidity, through androgyny and transexuality. They now have more agency to change and influence society through fashion, creating new role models, portraying “real” female bodies and redefining sexuality. Women’s role in fashion has significantly improved and now can be seen less as an enslavement or control and more a form of liberation, freedom and progression.
Science
Ally Wilson reveals the unsung heroines of academia
There are so many kick-ass women in science who have been snubbed fo any form of recognition becasue of their sex. Take Rosalind Franklin, whose controbutions to the understanding of the structure of DNA were invaluavble to the men who are famous for having ‘discovered it’ and who received the awards Franklin was only considered for post-humously. In 1974, Anthony Hewish won the Nobel Prize for the discovery of pulsars, which are remnants of stars. Hewish however was in fact only the supervisor of the real mind behind this discovery: Jocelyn Bell Burnell. So many crucial scientific discoveries had at the heart of them the work of brilliant female minds which have been simply forgotten about. Now there are efforts, albeit in most cases posthumously, to give these women the true recognition they deserve in these areas of expertise.
TV
How do they celebrate in Peru? Julia McGee-Russell tells us all Sophie Wilson on Elisabeth ne of the highlights of my time living and The slogan used repeatedly was ‘if we stop, the world Moss as a feminist icon studying in Peru was International Women’s stops’. Ten unions and leading female politicians backed
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day. In Peru, as in other countries such as Cameroon, Croatia, Bosnia and Chile, it is tradition on March 8th to give the women in your life flowers. The smiles on the faces of my teachers and host mother when I gave them each a flower I had bought at the local market, is something I treasure. It is a tradition I wish we had here in the UK. After all, there can never be enough time to celebrate the phenomenal women in all our lives. In many countries, International Women’s Day has become a mix between Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day. However, last year in Spain 5.3 million women across all professions took part in a countrywide strike for 24 hours.
the strike, the goal of which was to highlight how crucial women are to the functioni n g of society, and to protest gender discrimination. Nevertheless, whether it is through roses or protests, this International Women’s Day we should all consider how best we can support the women and femininepresenting people in our lives. Image: Instagram
Film
Gaming
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Film’s online editor, Lucy Lil- Shawn Khoo discusses one of lystone discusses why female the best female gamers ever aming has a fairly equal demographic of men superheros deserve credit
ith international women’s day around the corner and women-led films recently dominating the screens, it seems appropriate that we admire and appreciate the wonderful women-led films. So of course, we can’t have a feature without discussing Wonder Woman. Despite people being extremely wary about it, Wonder Woman set the bar for female-led superhero films as it did everything male-led films have done and more. Inspirational for little girls, this film showed that women can be powerful, strong and independent. All I’m going to say is…the No-Man’s Land scene. And, controversial but, Wonder Woman is by far the best DC film. Another brilliant female-fronted film is Tomb Raider. From start to end, Lara Croft kicked ass. Again, like Wonder Woman, she radiated fierceness, intelligence and bravery. And in the same way Wonder Woman inspired young girls, women all over the world have started cosplaying as Lara Croft. If this doesn’t show that female-led films are in fact excellent, I don’t know what does. Upcoming films starring similar portrayals of women include Rebel Wilson’s Isn’t It Romantic and Marvel’s Captain Marvel and I’m sure we can expect nothing less than excellence. Going from films that were male-oriented with women being reduced to love interests to women taking the forefront, the last few years of film have 100% been worth my time and money and hopefully, in the future, film can continue to bring inspiring wom- e n to central focus.
Image: Flickr
and women but in esports, 95% of players are men. It was only very recently in 2018 that the Overwatch competitive scene recruited their first female player - Se-yeon “Greguri” Kim. When she was first signed onto Shanghai Dragons, a team participating in the Overwatch League, fans were ecstatic as they believed that she would be the player that would finally break the loss streak of the team and bring the Shanghai Dragons glory. Unfortunately, the shared optimism was swiftly cut down as reality was proven to be much harsher. The Dragons became a team synonymous with losing matches, ending the season with an unprecedented loss streak of 0-40. Both the fans and Greguri herself were incredibly disappointed and heartbroken. With the new Overwatch League in session, it looks like Greguri may just have redeemed herself. When she faced off against the Boston Uprising, Greguri and the Shanghai Dragons made history by crushing the former team, ending their loss streak in the process. After the match, the team shed tears as they had finally seen their hard work pay off on stage to a worldwide audience. Now 1-42, Greguri looks to establish herself, not just as the only female esports player in the O ver watch League, but also as an icon of inspiration for women in gaming, proving that esports can be far more than a boy’s club.
Image: Instagram
Quick! Think of a feminist TV show… The Handmaid’s Tale is obviously everybody’s first point of call, so who better to discuss than Elisabeth Moss for International Women’s Day? Feminism is a developing area, a hotly debated topic. And so, when Elisabeth Moss told the world that the TV show was “not a feminist story”, the world went in to uproar. But sometimes instead of dismissing actresses because of social media’s portrayal of them, we have to listen to their views… As soon as Elisabeth said this debatable statement, she followed it by saying that “It’s a human story because women’s rights are human rights”. She clearly outlines a fundamental truth: women are humans and should be treated no differently to men. She was promoting women and equality, and this should be respected, not quickly dismissed. After all, it is not her fault if the media misrepresented her view on the Handmaid’s Tale. She went on to say that “anything that brings feminism into the spotlight…is a great thing”, and her lead role as Offred should be viewed as a progressive act in helping feminism develop. If Moss’ speech did not convince you that we should be praising her role for International Women’s Day, then think about how she overcame this negative portrayal of her from the media and went on to produce a second series of The Handmaid’s Tale. Not only is she progressing feminism, but defying, and moving past, social media’s negative portrayal of her: two prominent issues in society. Image: Instagram
Arts
Ella Williams discusses her favourite female novelist
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first came across Chimamanda’s work in a dinky little book called “We Should All Be Feminists”. I was drawn to the funky cover as much as the sentiment; it turned out to be an incredibly insightful and eloquent essay on Adichie’s experience growing up as a woman of colour in the West. It was clearly and concisely argued, all in an aesthetically pleasing little bookpackage that I now keep on my desk. I decided to explore Chimamanda further. In her accompanying TED talk, I found that she is a Nigerian novelist and nonfiction writer, born and educated in Nigeria and now spreading her intersectional feminist ideas with the Western world. I have since read a few of her novels, and especially enjoyed “Half of a yellow Sun”, a first-person account of the Biafran war. It was both engaging and insightful to the uneducated, spreading historical facts about a underrepresented moment in modern African history. Chimamanda is a talented and badass woman who has overcome turmoil and now acts as an emblem in the worldwide conversation about intersectional feminism. Yes lady!!!
Music
Carl Smith Valdez sings the praises of Ariana Grande
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ccording to Women in Music, the gender divide in the music industry across the world as of 2018 is approximately 70% male and 30% female. This is a truly concerning statistic that signifies the major lack of representation by women in the industry today. However, talented female artists are now beginning to dismantle this male-oriented industry. Ariana Grande is one of the female artists that supports gender diversity in the music industry. She released thank u, next earlier this year. In an interview with Billboard she highlights the double standard that has tainted the industry for decades. She asks: “Why do [men] get to make records like that and I don’t? So I do and I did and I am, and I will continue to.” Self-love and self-empowerment run across thank u, next. Grande destabilises the industry’s conventional structures by reversing the typical heavy break-up songs. She embraces her past and finds a lesson in moving on. Grande’s positive attitude pays off, as the entire album secures the top 24 of Billboard’s 50-position chart this February. This is a move forward to female empowerment and is a beginning for a cultural conversation. Grande is truly an empowering model for other women. Her album is an eloquent display of personal growth, incisive self-awareness and acceptance. She reminds women that despite hardImage: Flickr situations, there is always something to appreciate and learn from it.
Sport
Sesha Subramanian explains why this sportswoman is worthy of worldwide renown
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he 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang gave rise to a lot of storylines but perhaps nonemore impressive than that of Ester Ledecká. A snowboarder originally, the Prague nativemade headlines when she became the first person to win two gold medals at the same Olympics with two different types of equipment – a snowboard and a ski – and only thesecond woman to win gold in two different disciplines. Ledecká took up alpine skiing professionally only two years prior to her Olympic debut in South Korea, making her debut in Garmisch at the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup. Over the course of two years, she performed well enough to earn a place in the Winter Olympics – all the while excelling in her main event which was snowboarding, winning the overall parallel titles all three years (2016, 2017 and 2018). At the Olympics itself her win in the alpine skiing event was both unexpected and close – beating heavy favourite Anna Veith by 0.01 seconds. Many of the broadcasters including NBC had declared Veith to be the winner even before it was officially over because it was an extremely slim chance that somebody else would win. Even more remarkable, she allegedly raced on skis borrowed from another Olympian – Mikaela Shiffrin. While she was a surprise winner in the alpine skiing event, she took care of business as usual on her home turf, winning the parallel giant slalom with ease. With her double goldwinning campaign in South Korea, Ester Ledecká has cemented her status as one of the best winter Olympians in history – all at just twenty three years of age.
Image: Wikipedia
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culture music
the courier
c2.music@ncl.ac.uk Music Editors Charlotte Boulton, Rory Ellis, Max Hobbs Online Editor Dominic Lee
Monday 4 March 2019
Before they were cool: Manipulation and a bands to watch in 2019 2
019 is set to be a big year in music, with some incredible bands and artists looking ready to become huge. 2018 saw the likes of Sam Fender, Shame and Idles break out from the rest of the pack and 2019 looks ready to be just as good, if not better. One act that looks primed for success are Newcastle band, The Pale White. The Pale White are an alternative rock band who have had a lot of success recently and will be playing This is Tomorrow supporting Foals in May. Their latest single “Medicine” has a very Royal Bloodesque sound bass riff and, as usual, features a catchy chorus which is becoming a common feature in their recent work. London based indie-pop outfit Sea Girls are also an exciting act to look out for in 2019, having recently played Newcastle on February 28th. The band were nominated for the BBC Sound of 2019 award, eventually won by rapper Octavian, and are famed for their incredible live performances. The band have a Bastille-esque sound which is primed for chart success and are playing at
a number of festivals this summer including Glasgow’s TRNSMT festival. Similarly, Brighton band Chappaqua Wrestling have been gaining a great deal of media support from Radio 1 DJ Huw Stephens. The band have been compared to the Beach Boys with their blend of West Coast acoustic sounds mixed with pop and were recently invited to record two tracks at the famous Abbey Road studios in London. Chappaqua Wrestling will be playing at Live at Leeds this summer and with more material coming it should be a great show. 2018 saw punk return in a big way with Shame and Idles leading the way. 2019 could well carry on this trend with Irish punk rockers Fontaines D.C. and recorded their debut album last summer which has yet to be released. The band make use of their heritage with their distinctive Irish brogue featuring throughout their tracks. Fontaines D.C. are also playing TRNSMT festival this summer amongst others, so it looks likely that punk will continue to trend upwards in 2019.
Dominic Lee
Radio, someone still loves you
Adam Courtley tells us why, in the age of spotify, we still love the radio
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ver wondered why the radio seem to sound so good in the car? Driving by yourself, rushing a friend to their train, a passenger in a tightly squeezed three-door travelling too fast; there is something different when you hear a song through the radio waves, something a little bit more intoxicating. You can be sure to find some form of scientific explanation as to why you feel like that, that bores me a little, reducing emotions down to synapses seems too easy and I don’t understand myself any more than I did at GCSE biology. The truth is, music can be incredibly lonely, and the reactions we see from ourselves when we play a song that somehow captures the entirety of our emotions seems to be beyond belief, so we are actually anxious to let anyone else hear because they might find out too much. Remember the first time you were somewhere public and assumed your earphones were faulty,
only to then realise you’ve been playing your favourite song out loud for the entire library/bus/public toilet to hear… You were embarrassed, and not because being accidently loud is a crime, it was because you hated the fact people you don’t know were allowed to know how you feel through the song you’ve invested within. It’s personal, and because it’s personal, we are scared to share. But then you hear it on the radio… There is not control to what comes on the radio, there is no hiding place, and there is no reason to feel embarrassed. For three minutes, a piece of music that means something to you can mean something else to thousands of people, so it becomes, often worryingly, very easy to slip into a musical coma and blare out each lyric (even if you give away your odd Script obsession). Music has an overwhelming ability to connect people, and often what we find is that there is no such thing as ‘good music’, there are only good feelings because of music. So next time you listen to the radio, and that one song you know better than the back of your hands comes on, relax, enjoy it, and take comfort in the fact someone you don’t even know exists is just as excited as you are.
Following allegations against Ryan Adams and R Kelly’s recent sexual abuse charges, Music Editor Charlotte Boulton considers how abuse claims against musicians have become so common in recent years
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ower and lust are themes often explored through music, although usually operated under an unspoken promise of their expressions being exaggerated or performative.
Let’s take our headphones out when we see news about these allegations
When these become tangled in public issues of relationship consent, power imbalances and money, something of the sense of separation from reality becomes lost. We come to see that, funnily enough, some of these musicians who sing about ‘banging bitches’ and exploiting women are much the same in real life. Why does this happen and why should we care? The prompt for this discussion comes from the recent allegations about Ryan Adams concerning a history of manipulative behaviour, emotional abuse and harassment of many women – including a minor. He has denied all of these accusations. Adams is a singer-songwriter who has built a career on representing himself as emotional and authentic. The allegations against him have included his promises to catapult young women’s careers in exchange for sexual favours. This blatant abuse of power calls into question how so many musicians are seen as trustworthy simply due to their status; just because somebody has seven Grammy nominations, it doesn’t mean they have your best interests at heart. Adams grossly used his status to manipulate and control young women, and it’s important to remember that this is entirely his fault, not theirs for wanting to believe the best of someone they admired or felt a connection with.
Other than Adams, there are other musicians who have received similar allegations of abuse. Most notably, R. Kelly has recently been charged with 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse. There had been rumours of his horrific behaviour that went un-investigated until Surviving R. Kelly, a documentary detailing the sexual abuse allegations against him, was released and circulated the internet. How had he been able to get away with this for so long? Power. Not only the power he had, as a wealthy musician, but the power systematically unavailable to the demographic of many of the survivors of his abuse – young black women. His record label and supporters were able to turn a blind eye as there was little expectation for them to listen to what these women said…until the media attention was too intense to ignore and remaining affiliated with R. Kelly would be career suicide. There needs to be a change in the music industry, to hold all musicians to account and to value people’s lives over profit. There is a level of arrogance that I believe can come as a musician gains everything they ever wanted; recognition, fame, adoration, money, influence. If you knew you had fans hanging on your every word, and the knowledge that you had enough money to make problems go away, why wouldn’t you feel brave enough to act cruelly and even criminally? A common feature of these abuse allegations, from R. Kelly and Adams to BØRNS (accused of sexually taking advantage of intoxicated women, some underage) and Melanie Martinez (accused of sexually assaulting a female friend), is a sense of entitlement. Perhaps after being so used to receiving everything else they could want – fame, fortune, awards – it would feel inconceivable to not be able to receive sex when they wanted it too. This is obviously unacceptable. It always has been, but now there is a whole community of enraged people ready to stand up and challenge these behaviours. So why should we care too? Because if we don’t, sexual
RY X Unfurl
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nfurl is the album that’s been a long time coming. The singles and EP, Foreign Tides, have foreshadowed the same tempting mystery and fluid sound that RY X has unarguably become known for, even with his modest musical backlog. RY X, real name RY Cuming, declared in an interview with NBHAP that ‘I couldn’t bring myself to simply copy what I had done in the past. I wanted to work in new ways … exploring the vulnerabilities of this heart, but of exploring it in new ways sonically and visually’. Though this much clear in his recently-released album he still delivers the beautiful and obscured sound in a ghostly, ethereal nature – a feat of which not many other musicians are capable. Unfurl seems an appropriate title for an album so concerned with ‘experiences of the heart’ as Cuming puts it in a tweet signaling the release of the album. Like most of his work, the singer/songwriter reveals his emotions as fragments which only just make their way through the veil of the melody. It seems, then, even more appropriate that all the singles and EPs which preceded this were covered with photography which depicted the human form, struggling against the sheer fabric that seems to accurately depict the resulting sense of the finished work.
Initial collaborations with techno heavyweight Frank Wiedemann and Adam Freeland have seen him put his vocals to tracks that have come to be known as ‘Dance Hymns’, elements of which have continued to this second album. The machine generated sounds seems to rest more consistently underneath the fabric of the album, with the mellow but electronic beat in ‘Untold’ reemerging in ‘Coven’ and again in ‘To know’ with a distinct subtlety. And that very word is what underpins this album. In some ways some of the brilliant experimentalism of Dawn is lost in the midst of creating a more subtle, mature album which hangs together more effortlessly than it has done in earlier works. Whether this is a mark of improvement is difficult to say, because what the lack of welcome turbulence in the first album is only just compensated for by the evident emotional investment demonstrated in tracks like ‘Hounds’ and ‘YaYaYa’. They are hypnotically simple songs with lyrics so fragile they verge on the point of shattering; nothing short of the unique sound we have come to expect of RY X. And despite this, parts of the album are so atmospherically slow, they lose the momentum of the album. There are no doubts this a good album, whether it’s a welcome departure from the previous is a more difficult question. Rory Ellis
Images: YouTube
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@CourierMusic thecourieronline.co.uk/music
music culture
A Name? abuse in the music industry What’s‘YouInand I’ harassment in the music industry will continue and more people will be damaged by the actions of these seemingly untouchable celebrities. The separation of art from the artist is a contentious issue, with many conflicting views. This isn’t necessarily about that, but it’s important to consider the message it sends when artists suffer few repercussions from reports of their sexual misconduct and abusive behaviour. Perhaps hitting them where it hurts - in their pockets - is one way to show them that audiences do not wish to buy into a musician who is seen to be exploitative or abusive. With Adams’ upcoming album being cancelled and R. Kelly being dropped from his label, it shows that money talks. Or, the threat of losing money from continual support of suspected abusers is enough for industry powers
Lady Gaga
I genuinely worship Lady Gaga, to the point where I made a bauble full of her face for the Lifestyle section last Christmas. So when I say that “You and I” is one of my favourite songs of hers, this is no small compliment. When I play this song, I am no longer an exhausted student from the UK, I’m a Christian country girl in a dive bar in the deep South, singing my heart out to the love of my life while Brian May shreds an electric guitar. Yee haw.
hitting them where it hurts - in their pockets - is one way to show them
1D
to withdraw their funding. We need to change the culture, and fast. R. Kelly’s arrest is a step in the right direction. With multiple pieces of physical evidence reportedly being investigated by authorities, it seems likely that the allegations are true and a trial and judgement will follow. Other allegations against musicians remain unproven by courts, but this doesn’t mean they should be dismissed. Any reports of sexual harassment need to be taken seriously by musicians, industry professionals and, perhaps most importantly, by music fans. Music should be a safe haven, an art form for anyone to enjoy; not a place of fear with a lack of surprise when another musician is accused of misconduct. Let’s take our headphones out when we see news about these allegations, and tune into the important conversations going on about power, consent and the tricky role celebrity plays in all this.
Folamour Ordinary Drugs
Image: Instagram, @officialmuterkelly
Xiu Xiu Girl with Basket of Fruit
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rdinary Drugs is the fifth in a stream of albums that have steadily been released since 2015. Since then Folamour has crept out of from behind the slick frontage of his Lo-fi Jazz in Chapeau Rouge and welcomed the growing dominance of disco throughout his work. Since the success of 4MYPPL#1, it seems the following albums have continued the pursuit of ‘space Jazz’ while also giving room for Folamour’s downplayed version of disco. The album, which is markedly longer than the musician’s previous works boasts a collection of provocatively named songs and welcome collaborations. Of those, notably is ‘After Winter Must Come Spring’ featuring Elbi which harks back to Sade with its effortless combination of soul and smooth Jazz. Similarly, ‘Between The Nights’ and ‘I don’t Sleep at Night But I wake Up At 6AM’ possess a same smooth quality which Folamour is evidently very comfortable with producing. Songs such as these justify the intro which indicates the listener is walking into a warm, breezy paradise. The meandering nature of the album does naturally give itself away to being slow, and that’s not unfortunate, unless the experience you want is one that asks for your undivided attention. That said, standout track, ‘These Are Just Places to Me Now’ forgoes the smooth uniform of preceding songs and boasts the tempo and undeniable catchiness of one of his arguably most popular tracks, ‘Ya Just Need to Believe in Yaself’. This is a satisfying break from the less impactful track ‘Parfums D’Aurore’ and ‘I only Remember You When I Sleep’ which surround it It is emphatic, perhaps, to suggest that the album ends on a high with ‘Theme for Marie’, and yet it makes sense. For an album which is dedicated at exploring the intersection between downplayed house, Jazz and disco it seems appropriate to end with a creation which spans across those genres. Like most of the album it is weak when played alone, and yet faultless within the meticulously curated sound of Ordinary Drugs. Rory Ellis
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iu Xiu is an American experimental band, which takes its genre to the next level with each record. Groups creator, multi-instrumentalist and producer Jamie Stewart blends house, hi-NRG and techno to produce a new avant-garde type of art pop. Girl with Basket of Fruit - a new album from the band, is definitely not an easy listen. It was set as a cathartic release of creators’ tension, sorrow and anger. The album kicks off with a punch of a title song. ‘Girl with Basket of Fruit’ is chaotic on all fronts - both instrumentally and vocally. All tied together by a strong, steady rhythm, which creates a haunting, ritualistic-sounding composition. It’s extremely impressive that experimental song like this can be so catchy. Surprising and clever lyrics form a hybrid of some absurd poetry and spoken word. This style sets the tone for the whole album. Stewart’s vibrato whispered vocals in ‘It Comes Out as a Joke’ and ‘Scisssssssors’ seem other-worldly. He proves that is it possible to make extremely experimental music still sound good. I would describe the instrumental in ‘Amargi ve Moo’ as a soundtrack to a horror film. The use of cello reminded me of ‘Hereditary’ music and vocals of Perfume Genius. Similarly, ‘The Wrong Thing’ reminded me of Blade Runner and it’s probably my favourite as it sits somewhere in the middle of the band’s extreme spectrum. Despite there is no definite melody in none of those, the end result is quite beautiful. Other tracks like ‘Ice Cream Truck’ aim to torture the listener, but in a weirdly pleasant way. On Girl with Basket of Fruit Xiu Xiu delivers what might be the most adventurous and diverse alternative album to date. It has been criticised for a lack of direction, however, my interpretation is that the band uses percussion as an outlet for pain and anxiety. It seems to be the focal point of the album, as it comes through in every song. This album might have been a challenge to exhaust the band’s rhythmic capabilities. I am not familiar with Xiu Xiu discography, therefore most of the references probably went over my head. Despite that, I absolutely loved this album. I found that Stewart’s extremely dark take on sadness is much easier to relate to and frankly more beautiful as most ballads. Jagoda Waszkowiak
Sleaford Mods Eton Alive
Look, I know it’s cool to hate One Direction. But honestly, I’m partial to a bit of 1D; “Kiss You” for example is super fun and catchy. But this one is eh at best. They’re questionably the biggest boyband in history, and this song apparently charted reasonably well, so the fact that I had to relisten to it for the sake of this article because I couldn’t remember it really says it all. Like a lot of love ballads, the lyrics are really generic (“nothing can come between us”, etc, etc) which would be excusable if the instrumental wasn’t straight out of a Centre Parks advert. And didn’t we leave key changes in the early norties? Come on boys.
Queen
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leaford Mods fifth studio album Eton Alive pushes the Nottingham duos tongue-in-cheek attitude towards the current state of the world to the foreground. Although slightly repetitive, Eton Alive is still an incredible album and a great move forward for the duo. Despite the albums title, it does not hover over the idea of a rich upper class causing all the problems in the UK, but rather chooses to look at more mundane, everyday issues giving us a bleak but comical take of everyday life. Not ones to shy away from controversy, Sleaford Mods have been part of an ongoing ‘beef’, so to speak, in the run up to the release of this album, with the bands IDLES and Fat White Family. Whether this be a promotion stunt or a genuine tif, it still garnered a good amount of attention and anticipation for Eton Alive. The opening track ‘Into the Payzone’ kicks off the album with a fast-paced baseline and a belch, setting the tone for the quick and somewhat grim album. ‘Into the Payzone’ discusses the issues of buying things for the sake of buying and displays the Mods dismay at how many people do this. “You’re just saying it all to look good” is repeated by the Mods before the second chorus on Eton Alive’s second track. The oddly named ‘Kebab Spider’ which offers a view on how people do things and say things they don’t mean; again, displaying issues we face every day. ‘When You Come Up To Me’ almost seems out of place on this album. The backing track and the lyrics would not be out of place in the mid-80’s, providing a peaceful break from the aggressive vocals of frontman Jason Williamson as he adapts a more soothing tone. Although almost out of place it still works well within the albums framework as a place to pause and think. The albums closing track ‘Negative Script’ is a gritty end to Eton Alive and displays how we are brought up with our own ‘Negative Script’ and struggle to shake it despite wanting to get rid. Pounding drums guide us out of the album and back to facing the struggles Sleaford Mods brought to life in perhaps, their best album to date. Joe Smith
A B-Side from A Day At The Races, this “You and I” is classic Queen: Mercury’s soothing voice, operatic backing vocals, a strong piano riff. As far as Queen songs go, you’re probably less likely to headbang to this song and more likely to opt for a gentle sway as you think about your significant other. It also weirdly reminds me of one of the Fleetwood Mac songs you’d play in the background just to fill the silence. It’s not “Somebody to Love”, but it’s a pretty nice tune. straight out of a Centre Parks advert. And didn’t we leave key changes in the early norties? Come on boys.
Celine Dion
Honestly, if I hadn’t found out from Wikipedia that this song was written to advertise a Canadian Airline, I probably could have guessed it myself. Though the excessive mention of flying in the lyrics is meant to symbolise the invincible power of love or whatever I don’t think it would be possible for me to hear this song without picturing the world’s cheesiest flight safety video featuring a plane soaring through a perfectly blue green-screened sky. And to be fair, the music video perfectly captured that vibe with shots of Celine on a runway singing directly into the camera. Not really my thing, but fair enough babe, get that coin. Molly Greeves
/The CourierMusic @Courier_Music
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culture TV
c2.tv@ncl.ac.uk TV Editors: Jacob Clarke, Tom Cooney, Chloe Mullins Online Editor: Dominic Lee
TV Time Travel
One franchise to rule them all
Lucy Lillystone explores The Lord of the Rings' upcoming move from cinema to the small screen
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hen I first sat down to watch The Lord of The Rings back in the day, I didn’t think these films would become one of my many obsessions, even years later. I still get excited to this day when the films are put on Netflix or are placed in cinemas for exclusive viewings. So, when I heard that Middle Earth will be becoming a prominent part of my life again through a Lord of the Rings TV series, I could not contain my excitement.
Despite the plot being kept strictly confidential, producers have teased that the show is to focus on Aragon pre-Hobbit
Image: monkeywing (Flickr)
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here are some shows that demand attention. As soon as you notice them while channel surfing you are inclined to stop and watch, regardless of how long it has been on or which episode it is. For me, that show is the legendary detective-sci-fi-psychological-horror series The X-Files (1993-2002). The critically acclaimed show focused on the tense relationship between two 'black site' FBI agents named Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who search through unsolved paranormal cases - known as 'X-Files' - to try and answer the only question that matters: 'are we alone in the Universe'? With 62 Emmy and 12 Golden Globe nominations, as well as a multi-media legacy spanning video games, novels, comic books and two feature-length movies, the question is: what made The X-Files the cult classic it is today? Key to the show's success was its excellent production values and scripting. The show's creator Chris Carter, knew what the audiences for these types of shows wanted. Yes they tuned in for the 'Monster of the Week' stories that make up most episodes, but they also want character development, tribulation and long spanning arcs. He succeeded by taking the dramatic, suspenseful elements from Twin Peaks and combined them with the level of isolation and dread found in the first two Alien films, to bring television sci-fi away from its pulp-fiction 50s origins screaming into the grungy dark of the 1990s. The show’s design department won multiple awards across the its run, and deservedly so. Their creations were often genuinely terrifying (especially to this seven year old) and the ambiance created by the music and cinematography led to something very rare in TV sci-fi, a genuine sense of foreboding.
Image: YouTube What also drew the audiences in week after week was the 'will-they-won't-they' relationship between the show's leads. As a kid I personally didn't care whether they knocked-boots and found the sub-plot annoying. However, watching it again as an adult I have realised that the question was never about if they would get together but about how this would change the power-dynamic between them. Don't get me wrong I now find their back and forth interesting, funny and emotional at times, but it serves as a way of connecting them against the world, or universe in this case. What also needs to be noted is the power exhibited by Anderson’s character. She is just as smart, capable and independent as her male counterpart, something unfortunately not commonplace in shows from that time. While Twin Peaks remains my favourite show of all time, The X-Files is a close second. Its intelligence, humour, aesthetic quality, suspensefulness and character dynamics raise it to a level beyond anything else. Gender, sexuality, religious views, political views and all other dividers don't affect your enjoyment of this show because at its heart it is solely about what it means to be human. Will it ever be surpassed? Let's just say, 'I want to believe'. Joe Holloran
the courier
Monday 4th March 2019
And we finally have some teasers. It was taken up by Amazon Prime with a $250 million budget. The show is said to, at the minimum, run for five seasons. That’s five seasons worth of emotion we all have to prepare for (I’m 100% not ready). As for the release date, nothing has been revealed yet however one can predict that if production has started now, realistically, it should be aired around 2021, as Amazon Studios Head Jennifer Salke confirmed, stating: “It’ll be in production in two years: 2021 is the hope. But there are other people who wish it was 2020.” Personally, if I have to wait longer but it will be of better quality, I’m down for that. Despite the plot being kept strictly confidential, producers have teased that the show is to focus on Aragon preHobbit. Aragon’s life was not explored in full before his debut at The Prancing Pony; all we really know is that his history is deeply imbued with elves, as seen through him falling in love with Arwen. So, what I’m expecting from this is a series exploring the adventures, the monsters, the love of Aragon leading right up to him meeting Frodo. Either way, any material that involves characters from this trilogy will satisfy me.
$250m
is that Ian McKellen, the infamous and wonderful Gandalf in the original trilogy is open to bringing back his role. Graham Norton, our hero, questioned McKellen on it of which he replied “I haven’t said yes because I haven’t been asked. But are you suggesting that someone else is going to play it? Gandalf is over 7000 years old, so I’m not too old.” You heard it Amazon, get on it. On the other end of the scale, however, Andy Serkis who gave an amazing portrayal of Gollum in the movies revealed that he won’t be participating in the revival as he stated: “It sounds incredible, but I don’t see myself being any part of it.” Although I am extremely excited about this new opportunity for the trilogy, I am also nervous and extremely reserved. It’s basically inevitable that there will be changes as with the budget and the different form and the many different plots, nothing can be an exact replica of the tone and grandeur of the films. Because of this, I’m keeping my expectations low, but I am definitely looking forward to more news and trailers of this upcoming series.
The budget allocated for the show by Amazon Studios, the production company helming the new project.
As for casting, nothing has been confirmed yet but I’m sure fans all over social media have their perfect cast. For me, anyone from Game of Thrones would match the descriptions. What we are aware of though
Image: YouTube
When comedy meets politics: has SNL gone too far?
Jagoda Waszkowiak weighs in on Trump's naming of the show as a 'total Republican hit job'
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n February 17, the Sunday after the Saturday Night Live show, Donald Trump attacked the media again calling them the ‘enemy of the people’. He even implied that networks should face ‘retributions’ over being too critical or as he named it: a ‘total Republican hit job'. The question then arises: should prime-time comedy get political? In my opinion, the Trump era definitely changed the late-night comedy scene, however not as drastically as some describe it. SNL has always been very political. In fact, I see no difference between political bits of 2019 and 2008, when the butt of the joke was not Trump, but Sarah Palin - only that Tina Fey was able to do an impression of her without an extensive characterisation. However, the sketch format is identical, as it was also mostly based on recreating news show appearances or press conferences. SNL is still going strong after all of those years because their writers know what they’re doing. They are aware that there is a line they cannot cross. For example, SNL legend Dana Carvey had a taste of the damage that a risky political skit can do. The now iconic skit – then-President Bill Clinton breastfeeding puppies, plummeted the ratings of the ‘The Dana Carvey Show’ and it was cancelled soon after. As McCain’s vice-presidential pick during the presidential race against Obama, Palin was relentlessly made fun of. She wasn’t taken seriously, just like Trump, even though she was an actual politician. I am sure, that if McCain has won in 2008, the whole comedy scene would turn into a Palin bashing fest, similar to today's. Some
claim that Fey’s impression influenced voters and aided Obama’s win. For instance, Mark Dice, a right-wing conspiracy theorist, argued that comedy is camouflage for ‘liberal propaganda’. He brought up an interview with Chevy Chase, another SNL star, who said that Fey’s impression was a deliberate attempt to help Democrats in the race. It is important to point out however that Chase has a shaky reputation, as well as Dice. If it is true, it just aids my argument that SNL has always been openly political, therefore why should it stop? Just because the current administration feels particularly hurt? Finally, I just want to remind everyone that Trump himself hosted SNL. It was back in November 2015, just over 4 months after announcing his presidential run. If SNL ever got too political, it was then. Therefore, these c o m ments are just another example of Trump’s ego getting hurt while be-
ing extremely hypocritical. The president should take into account the impact his comments have. He inspires violence against those he calls ‘the enemy’. Despite comedy having some influence on voters, it is quite unfair to put it in the same basket as news or political commentary. Comedy should not be held to the same standard and there is no reason it shouldn’t be biased. SNL sketches nowadays point out the absurdity of the current administration and they should be free to do so, as they h a v e always been.
Image: YouTube
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Monday 4th March 2019
@CourierTV thecourieronline.co.uk/TV
TV culture
Ru Paul All Stars' controversial double winners Ellie Simmonite discusses the shocking Drag Race finale
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uch like everyone, I was ready and raring to watch one of our top four queens sashay away, sporting a crown Queen Victoria herself would’ve envied, when the finale of All Stars 4 aired on 15 February. What I did not expect was to be left utterly gagged by the double win the show gave us.
Trinity the Tuck and Monét X Change were crowned as double winners for the first time in Drag Race history
For anyone who has yet to see the final episode, it ended with Trinity the Tuck and Monét X Change being crowned as double winners for the first time in Drag Race history and everyone’s wigs were utterly snatched. Clearly this was a pre-planned ending, as not only were speculations of a double win being made as early as November 2018 but also questions need to be asked as to how the producers found an extra $100,000 to whip out in the last episode, as well as how they conveniently filmed a splitscreen crowning. Justifications for this choice vary, ranging from producers feeling a need to satisfy audiences with a drama
crammed final after the flop that was All Stars 3, to them wanting to haul in extra press, as they knew that longterm dedicated fans would be unlikely to abandon ship regardless of how much they disliked the finale. Personally though, I think they wanted to eliminate the element of the ‘robbed queen’ and the amount of tension this creates on social media – but what is the fun in that, eh? People tune in to route for their favourite queen and having a double win not only eliminates the thrill of the cut-throat results but also feeds into hostile debate concerning who was the true winner. This was such a sloppy choice, not only as it encouraged fellow Drag Race cast mates to take sides but most importantly it entirely neglected Monét and Trinity’s well-being, as well as discrediting their efforts on the show. Yes, they both won money and some plastic jewels, but you need
This was such a sloppy choice, it encouraged fellow cast mates to take sides
only look at Trinity’s live reaction to the finale to see how utterly heartbroken she was knowing she would be caught in the debate of the ‘true winner’ forever. Ending on a low note isn’t ideal, but I would encourage everyone to be supportive of both queens and just try to bop their worries away to their performance of ‘Super Queens’ because at the end of the day it wasn’t their fault, it was the producers.
Image: YouTube
Preview
Killing Eve: Season 2 Coming soon
Netflix: Pick ‘n’ Mix
Review
The Umbrella Academy Available on Netflix
Grace Dean watches The Sinner for the very first time Credit: CMetalCore (Wikimedia)
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fter watching Louis Theroux’s Jimmy Savile documentary, I was in need of some light entertainment – and what better choice than a dark crime series? The Sinner is a 2017 American crime drama mystery series starring Jessica Biel in the lead role as Cora, a married mother around the age of 30 living in suburban America with her husband and young son. The rest, however, is a bit difficult to explain, as the series consists of repeated flashbacks, addressing time periods varying from Cora’s childhood to just a few weeks ago.
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The number of Golden Globes the show's first season was nominated for, one for Jessica Biel and the other for Best Limited Series.
While the first fifteen minutes of episode one pass by without anything remarkable happening – indeed, my boyfriend and I were even contemplating ditching The Sinner for a bit of SpongeBob – the series greatly improved (in my opinion at least) when the first sign of blood appeared. In a seemingly unexplainable bout of insanity while at the beach, Cora violently stabs an apparent stranger to death using the knife with which she peeled pears for her son. Yes, she commits brutal, bloody murder in front of her toddler. From this moment onwards, Cora is presented as a troubled young woman. Flashbacks address her deeprooted problems stemming from her hard-line-religious mother, who blamed Cora for her sister’s ill health and subsequent death, and who made Cora repent even the most mundane of actions. Detective Harry Ambrose, who himself has his own problems with a failing marriage and an affair where he tries to fulfil his masochistic desires, tries to uncover Cora’s motive for the murder. Despite very openly admitting her guilt, she refuses to explain her reasons for her sudden violent actions, leaving Detective Ambrose no choice but to delve into her past. He soon uncovers some of Cora’s darker secrets (some revealed by friends and family and others by Cora herself): she ran away from home; she attempted suicide following an unexpected pregnancy; and she was admitted to rehab as a heroin addict. Stitching her life story together, however, is difficult for both Detective Ambrose and the viewer due to Cora’s compulsive lying and the fragmented nature of the flash-
backs. One thing the viewer is aware of, however, is one song that seems to be haunting Cora; a song which happened to be playing at the time of the murder. In a rare moment of weaknesses, she reveals that her victim, a young man named Frankie (and known to Cora as JD), was a member of the college band who recorded the song and was also the young man who impregnated her and drove her to desperate measures. Doubt is however thrown upon the identification of Frankie as JD. I have unfortunately not gotten further with the series I yet, but I am intrigued to see what happens to Cora and the true symbolism of the mysterious song that follows her around. For those of you who similarly want to be confused by a series (a series which I am not sure whether is actually good or not), both series one and two of The Sinner are available on Netflix, you can also read the original book of the same name by the German crime writer Petra Hammesfahr.
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Image: YouTube
illing Eve was by far one of the best shows to bless our TV screens last year. The cat-and-mouse thriller starring Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh snapped up Golden Globe and Critic’s Choice awards after its premiere and is soon returning for series two. Based on the Villanelle novella series by Luke Jennings, the show was adapted for the screen by Fleabag writer Phoebe-Waller Bridge and it became the eight-part series Killing Eve. It follows bored but passionate MI5 officer Eve Polastri (Oh) and compelling assassin Villanelle (Comer) and their growing obsession with one another with many murders, violence and fake accents along the way. The show was commended for the electric chemistry between Eve and Villanelle, the clever twists and the dark humour. Fans are hopeful that series two will bring an even higher level of suspense and intelligence. Filming has already taken place across London, Paris and Amsterdam. PhoebeWaller Bridge is taking a back seat this time round with an executive producer role, with Emerald Fennell taking over as main writer. The cast will of course include Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer, and Fiona Shaw will also be reprising her role. A new addition to the cast is Nina Sosanya, plus a few other new faces. Julian Barratt is also making a guest appearance on the new series.
Details on the plot are few and far between
Image: YouTube
Details on the plot of the next installment are few and far between, but let’s hope for some answers to the many questions that arose in series one. And of course, more of Villanelle’s creative murder weapons and expensive shopping trips. A trailer dropped on Valentine's Day (very fitting) and it is everything we love about Killing Eve, showing our main characters, familiar faces and a little taste of what comes next. The one-minute trailer is thrilling from start to finish, with a haunting cover of ‘Addicted to Love’ playing in the background. It only reveals snippets to get you hooked and does not reveal too much plot. If you’re caught up with series one and haven’t seen the new trailer yet, go and watch it. It will remind you just how much you love Killing Eve. For those who endured that cliff-hanger at the end of series one, we haven’t got much longer to wait. Killing Eve series two is set to begin on April 7 in America and should be available in the UK not long after that. Amy Brown
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Image: YouTube
etflix’s newest superhero venture makes a diversion from it’s usual Marvel and DC adaptations, taking its source material from a Dark Horse comic instead. The Umbrella Academy follows the lives of seven “super” people who happened to born at the same time all over the world. A wealthy man decides to adopt these children somehow knowing they would be special. The shock birth scenes were a good way to get you intrigued in the uniqueness of such an event and really grip you right at the beginning of the show. What makes the show stand out is its subversion from superhero tropes. Whilst it refers to the children in flashbacks being part of the conventional superhero team with their masks and their uniforms, as they have grown into adults they have developed into anti-hero personalities. Only one of them fits in to a conventional hero label, Tom Hopper’s Number One (Luther Hargreeves). Number One has super strength, forced to live on the moon for four years to build up his strength even more, he is the only one who respects his father’s cold determination. The show benefits from having such a good cast. Ellen Page as Number Seven and Robert Sheehan as Number Four really stand out. Sheehan’s portrayal as a flamboyant drug addict with the ability to talk to the dead is incredibly entertaining. His depiction of the uncaring yet down to earth eccentric addict is one to watch. There were, however, some issues with the first episode. For instance, whilst the genetically engineered talking ape who sees over their father’s estate is an engaging character and voiced well, the CGI leaves a lot be desired. This is understandable in a TV show format, however it really takes you out of the immersion of the show as the other character’s interactions with him seem really empty and false. The shows also suffers slightly from its off the wall absurdity in some of the scenes, whilst this can add character, such as one of their superpowers being the ability to turn into a Cthulhu-esque monster and cause devastation, some of the scenes do seem random and unneeded. For example in the first episode, there is a scene in which they all start dancing by themselves, wackily to an old 80s anthem for seemingly no reason. Whilst I could be argued it is charming, it just seems needlessly placed. Ultimately, The Umbrella Academy is worth a watch and I’ll certainly see it through to its end for this season, just be aware, it can be quite strange. Jacob Clarke
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culture film
the courier
c2.film@ncl.ac.uk Film Editors: Jimmy Athey, Joe Holloran and Jack Gill Online Editor: Lucy Lillystone
Monday 4 March 2019
Sussing out Shyamalan: Glass review
Lucy Lillystone gives us her take on the latest outing by master of the twist M. Night Shyamalan Image: YouTube
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Private War follows the life of fearless, famed, Sunday Times foreign affairs correspondent Marie Colvin as she attests to the injustices and suffering of seemingly all modern warzones from the last 11 years from the jungles of East-Timor to the desserts Libya, and her final days as one of the last journalists covering the atrocities committed by the Assad regime in Syria. The film offers insight into a relentlessly lived life of a women in the inner circle of London’s media elite, chainsmoking cigarettes and swilling martinis at bohemian soirées in luxurious London apartments. A real-life James Bond but with the very real demons of witnessing so much war playing havoc on her mind. Marie Colvin’s character and mannerism are masterfully and meticulously portrayed by Academy Award nominee Rosamund Pike, giving the audience a full picture of this remarkable women. The film goes a level deeper representing Maire’s life in a way that gives the audience a perspective into how she viewed the world. This creates a film that is everything Marie was, charming, charismatic, rebellious, and as was her life, disorientating.
A real life James Bond but with very real demons...
The way the film is segmented, switching between Marie at war and her London life seems to have the intended effect of setting the bi-polar nature of Marie’s existence against each other. Contrasting Marie as a hero war reporter out on the front-line dodging gun fire, with her in London living the high life, dealing with what she had seen, trying to conceive a child and maintaining her relationships.
Image: YouTube
The effect is innovative in that it puts the wars we often see in the news up against a life-style we can relate to, hitting home the stark differences between our everyday existence and the lives of those living in wartorn countries. The technique leads to the film feeling clumsy in places with aspects of the plot left unexplained though considering this is 35-year-old, award winning documentary filmmaker, Matthew Heineman’s first narrative feature it is surprising how well the young director has managed the transition between genres. Journalists aim to achieve a satisfying blend in their writings between connecting to the audience on a human level while communicating the facts so as to create the greatest impact. A Private War has attempted a similar feat in a visual form and while the blend could have been smoother the lasting effect is something unique, a fitting homage to Colvin. Theo Turvill
Image: YouTube
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. Night Shyamalan is back again with his final film in the ‘Eastrail 177 trilogy’ as Glass hits cinemas, ultimately connecting the worlds of Unbreakable and Split. Glass, set three weeks after the events of split, sees security guard David Dunn use his supernatural abilities to track Kevin Wendell Crumb, a man who suffers from an extreme case of Dissociative Identity Disorder with 23 separate personalities, alongside his 24th and probably the scariest personality, known as “The Beast”. But that’s not the only antagonist he finds himself facing as Samuel L Jackson also makes a return as former enemy Elijah Price. Clearly M. Night Shyamalan had taken ideas from Avengers: Infinity War this year as in a similar way in which the most popular superhero film brought together heroes from different movies, Glass similarly combined his two distinctive characters from the previous movies. But did it live up to what fans wanted from this new superhero movie? Personally, despite the plethora of negative reviews and opinions, this movie lived up to my own expectations. Glass offered a new perspective on what defines a superhero, with thrilling and extremely on-edge, creepy scenes between newcomer Dr Staple, a psychiatrist who specialises in patients who are convinced they have abilities and the films three antagonists. I think when people went into this movie, based off the trailer, they were expecting the typical fight scenes between the archetypal hero and villain. But this isn’t what Glass is about. Glass focuses on the
Animation Station Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)
dark psychological nature of the human condition and while there are fight scenes, this was not the focus of the movie. Unbreakable, Split and now Glass are characterdriven movies, not action action action. Alongside this, the cast of this movie was perfect. With the brilliantly scary James McAvoy bringing back his character from Split, fans get an insight into more of Kevin’s personalities such as a flirty teen and even a personality that speaks Spanish! McAvoy does justice to the disorder to the point that it is almost scary to watch him perform. You can tell from the start the effort and work he has put in to every single line and shot and bravo to him. Glass also sees the return of Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson who undoubtedly do an astounding job of their
roles, both in themselves and with one another. The only downside to this film, giving it a 4-star rating as opposed to the golden 5 is the ending. I found myself sat in the cinema looking at my watch, back to the screen thinking “is it done yet? Oh no there’s more”. It wasn’t even that it was a long movie (I’ve watched The Lord of the Rings trilogy), it was simply that more and more kept happening. It felt more like the beginning or middle of the movie as opposed to the end. It was mind blowing. While it will never live up to the popularity of Avengers, Glass gives returning fans the answers they’ve all been craving in a jam-packed 2 hours and is worth the watch if you enjoyed Unbreakable and Split. Or if you’re simply a fan of thrillers with a mix of action and superhero fun.
Image: YouTube
Roma (15)
How To Train Your Dragon 3 (U)
Image: FreePhotobank
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ith the release of 2016’s Kubo and the Two Strings, Laika, the Oregon based studio behind Coraline, gave the world an animated visual masterpiece. Set in a fantastical vision of feudal Japan rife with magic and mythology, the film follows the story of a young boy with the power to bring his paper origami creations to life using the power of his shamisen (a Japanese stringed instrument). However, Kubo and the Two Strings’ greatest strengths lay with its gorgeous artistic style. Partly influenced by origami and Japanese ukiyo-e prints, the studio aimed for the film “to look and feel as if it’s a moving woodblock print”. This effect is largely achieved through the dynamic created between the use of stop-motion character models and spectacular computer-generated 3D background landscapes. In a modern industry dominated by CGI animation, it is fascinating to see the potential of the stop-motion form pushed to its limits with modern technology. For one of the film’s epic battles the studio created a 16-foothigh skeleton puppet - which they claim is the largest ever created for a stop-motion film – that Ray Harryhausen would surely be proud of (stay seated while the credits role to be treated to a time-lapse of the construction of this monstrosity to truly comprehend the scale the team were working on). Yet this is not to say that Kubo is all style over substance. The story is original and well-written, with moments both far more profound and dark than would normally be expected in a PG film. For instance, the monster lurking in the ominous ‘Garden of Eyes’ is truly terrifying. Excellent voice acting is also provided by an almost allstar cast led by Art Parkinson (better known as Game of Thrones’ Rickon Stark), Charlize Theron, Mathew McConaughey, and Ralph Fiennes as Kubo’s estranged grandfather, the god-like Moon King. Although the film did come under some criticisms of whitewashing upon release, these certainly do not detract from its value as an outstanding offering of what animated cinema can achieve with a much-needed injection of originality and innovation. Alex Moore
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ith a combined total of 20 Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations, it’s fair to say my expectations of Oscar-winning director Alfonso Cuarón’s latest project were extremely high. Whilst much of the intense hype is somewhat lost on me, there’s no denying that Roma is a technical masterpiece. Set against the backdrop of politically tumultuous 1970s Mexico City, Roma follows the life of Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio), a housemaid to a middle-class Mexican family. Her character is based on Cuarón’s own childhood nanny, Liboria “Libo” Rodriguez, to whom he dedicated the film. Over the course of the film both Cleo and her employer, Sofía (Marina de Tavira) experience profound betrayals from the men they love – mirroring Cuarón’s childhood memories of his increasingly absent father. Shot in 65mm widescreen monochrome, Roma is aesthetically incomparable to much else. With many scenes filmed as single shots, the steady, panoramic camerawork has the curious quality of making you feel simultaneously immersed in and detached from the on-screen events. At times it almost feels as though you are a fly on the wall; privy to deeply intimate domestic moments. With his very meticulous cinematography, Cuarón somehow captured an enchanting element of mundane domesticity. Yalitza Aparicio, who only auditioned for the role because her sister forced her to and later accepted it because “she had nothing better to do,” absolutely shone in her acting debut. Her own mother still presently works as a domestic worker, as such, she embodied the role with authority. The cultural significance of having an indigenous woman at the heart of a storyline cannot be overlooked. Her visibility will inevitably inspire a generation young people who almost never see themselves represented on screen. Roma is a mesmerising, emotive portrait of resilience that should be viewed on the largest possible screen you can find. Natalie Chigariro
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ow To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World concluded the HTTYD trilogy, but was the ending satisfactory? HTTYD is without a doubt the best series of films that Dreamworks has ever made, and whilst I am sad to see it conclude, I am so relieved they didn’t make it like Shrek with endless sequels to serve as a cash cow. Honestly, the final film was probably my least favourite, but that doesn’t mean it still wasn’t excellent. Spoilers ahead! Personally, I already knew that the theme of the final instalment was knowing when to let go, so I was fully prepared to cry my eyes out. Oh boy did I cry. I think the best part about this series is how attached you become to Hiccup and Toothless, and how well Dreamworks explores their relationship. Whilst I did sigh at the cliché of finding a female Light Fury, honestly it felt fitting. Toothless was always regarded as the last of his kind, so to end the series with him finding a partner and not being lonely was really satisfying. My only real complaint was that the villain was a bit weak, with the narrative ending quite abruptly. However, I understand why, because they wanted to focus on the relationship between Hiccup and Toothless, eventually resulting in Hiccup letting Toothless free alongside the other dragons, so that they could live their lives in the hidden world rather than constantly in danger of being hunted. I really enjoyed this ending as the Isle of Berk grew with the characters; hunting dragons to protecting dragons, and finally knowing what is best for them and letting them go. I honestly cried so much at the last ten minutes because the ending was so perfect. I thought it was a really nice touch to show future Hiccup and Astrid, now with their children, reuniting with Toothless and his dragon babies. Instead of being a bittersweet ending, it filled the resolution with hope that they eventually reunited in the future. I will severely miss this series, and I hope Dreamworks has realised their potential.
Sophie Hicks
the courier
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Monday 4 March 2019
@Courier_Film thecourieronline.co.uk/film
Bringing the past to life on the big screen Billy Lamond takes you on a journey back in time to Stallingrad the epitomy of historical cinema W hat makes a good historical film or a good portrayal of a historical character? A few years ago, I might have argued that the most important task for the film makers is to make it accurate, by which I would really mean accurate costumes, sets and a strict adherence to historical sources with little room for interpretation. Nowadays though, while I still think it’s important to be accurate, I happy to sacrifice accuracy for artistic licence as it often results in a more entertaining and more authentic film. It seems paradoxical that making a film less accurate could make it more authentic, but film as a medium is less about teaching the audience facts and more about drawing the audience in to the stories it’s telling. If a film historical film more adequately portrays the emotions of its characters and the feel of its setting, that is a greater indicator of authenticity. For example, 1994’s Stalingrad despite the main characters and storyline being fictitious, remains one of the most authentic depictions of the war on the eastern front ever put to cinema. The film brilliantly conveys experiences of many German soldiers in the siege of Stalingrad, the plot and acting serving to exemplify the bleak desperation of soldiers fighting a losing battle. Furthermore, it shows the audience some of the atrocities both faced by and committed by the occupying Germans. The point of the film’s authenticity is that while what it shows is not the real experience of a German soldier, it very easily could have been and not having to stick to real events allows the filmmakers to represent a wider range of experiences in a more impactful manner. Unlike Stalingrad, Mary queen of Scotts supposedly depicts true historical events, although some artistic licence is clearly taken, and while the film is ultimately disap-
pointing, its portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I (played by Margot Robbie) is its most redeeming feature. Robbie’s performance carries a human complexity which is not always obvious in the historical sources. She shows Elizabeth to be a strong queen and powerful woman ruling the richest kingdom in the British Isles, serene, guarded, impassionate and detached, however she is also privately vulnerable, desperately jealous of her sister and distraught by her inability to produce and heir. There’s always a danger that in trying to accurately portray a historical figure a film can end up dehumanising them as there’s little indication of their private thoughts and emotions in historical documents. The makers of Mary Queen of Scotts have read between the lines for their depiction of Elizabeth I, showing an awareness of the culture and con cerns of the period in their application of artistic licence. Ultimately a historical film’s aim is generally to entertain and to give the audience a realistic impression of its period and setting. Mary Queen of Scotts and Stalingrad are two films which show that a good historical film or portrayal doesn’t necessarily mean strict historical accuracy.
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Elisabetta Pulcini discusses the films so powerful you can only bear to watch them once weighty themes, while leaving them exhausted by an emotional journey. Other movies will embrace the audience with a gentle tone and a slow pace, while draining them of any will to live. Hachiko will have this effect. With the titular dog being the moral centre of the movie, loyalty stands out as the most important element of the story: the movie offers a time of reflection on the different facets of this virtue, from dedication to grief to persistence. Lastly, Manchester by the Sea and Million Dollar Baby, with slowly evolving storylines, muted colours, and understated performances, provide thought provoking themes and nuance characters, which leave the audience with a fuller understanding of what life could be. However, the grounded styles add an element of relatability to the films: therefore, because the experiences of the characters can be especially gruesome and filled with regret, the emotional impact will feel genuine. These movies stand out because the
International Film Come and See (1985)
One time only films motional responses caused by especially upsetting movies are not something to be feared. Rather, they should be embraced as signs of a truly exceptional creation. However, the best movies may not be the one would necessarily want to watch again. Some films can trigger such raw emotions, as to leave a lasting impact on the viewer’s life: the images and sounds will be so poignant, as to not need a second viewing at all. In fact, it may be said that such movies will be more effective if only watched once. They will transcend the art form, and start to feel like more than a movie: an experience, impregnated of sentiment. Some movies may be predisposed to have such effect, purely based on the topic portrayed. Yet some can be especially gutting. For instance, The Boy with the Striped Pajamas merges the story of fictional characters, with the horrors of the holocaust. It captures history in the rarest way possible: the viewer, rather than feeling a detached sense of contempt, will be hit by profound desperation. It is for this reason, that The Boy with the Striped Pajamas should only be watched once. Because of its expertly written characters, the historical context does not alone provoke the emotion: it merely contributes to making it long-lasting. Okja is a different category. It’s not only is it emotionally resonant, but it shocks the viewer with scenes of incredible significance. Like numerous entries on this article, the movie focuses on the sweet and uplifting relationship between two main characters. The viewer will be fully invested in the relationship, and will be filled with dread at thought of such purity being tarnished. Almost unbearably tense, this movie will inevitably engage the audience, with extreme visuals and
film culture
weight they will put on the viewer cannot be lifted by a simple ‘it’s just a movie’. The decision to watch this films twice should not be taken lightly: the revealing portrayals of undeniable truths about humanity, paired with memorably appalling visuals will not be easily ignored, nor brushed away.
he film I am writing about today is one that I should not like. It was made by an dedicated member of the USSR's repressive regime and is, without question, a propaganda film. However, Elem Klimov's 1985 war film Come and See is a breathtaking, heartbreaking masterpiece that has lived longer in my memory than perhaps any other film I have seen. I will attempt to do it justice in these meagre 300 words. Klimov's film follows one such victim of these horrors; a twelve-year old boy named Flyora. The young man is living the quiet life in a small Byelorussian village in late 1943. All this changes when the retreating Nazi forces arrive seeking reprisals. Against the wishes of his family and with the world collapsing around him, Flyora joins up with the Byelorussian Partisan fighters. What follows is the most painfully realistic depictions of war time atrocities and their impact on humanity, represented entirely through the eyes of this young boy. Hence the title. Over the course the next two-hours we the viewer, see the limits of mankind's capabilities for inhumanity and destruction.
The most painfully realistic depictions of war time atroicities
It goes without saying that watching Come and See is a brutal experience. The performance of Aleksey Kravchencko as Flyora is stunning. One of the best childactor performances of all time. Klimov is able to bring to life the murky, muddy, blood-soaked reality of the war on the Eastern Front in a way never seen before or since. Despite these battle-scenes and depictions of war crimes, the movie never feels needlessly violent or disconnected from its emotional core. The cacophony of sights and sounds creates a feeling of helplessness, confusion and chaos - the true nature of war - and allows us to feel as one with Flyora. Most war films are told through the eyes of a heroic, brave and dashing solider who is immune to the horrors around him. But here Flyora represents the lost innocence of all humanity, regardless of nationality, to the ravages of a war in which even the winners have lost more than they will ever know. At a time when geo-political tensions are high, and talk of more war rising, I defy anyone to watch Come and See without emerging a different person. There is an old saying; 'War Is Hell, and while only those who have fought can attest to its true depths, watching this movie is as close as anyone else will get to those flames. Joe Holloran
Images: YouTube
/NewcastleCourierFilm Image: YouTube
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culture arts
the courier
c2.arts@ncl.ac.uk Arts Editors Scarlett Rowland, Julia McGee-Russell, Rosie McCrum Online Editor Sophia Kypriotis
Monday 4 March 2019
Political art: brings us together or tears us apart? Winifred Hewitt-Wright and Rashida Campbell-Allen debate whether or not political art is capable of causing real change I T , like many of us, laughed with triumph at Banksy’s art stunt in October of last year, a piece of art, which after selling for £1.04 million, shredded itself for the whole auction house to see. However, as admirable as this anti-capitalist statement was, this statement and his other protest graffiti around Europe, remain just that, statements. Temporary. Emblems. A moment in history for the future generations to not think so badly of us. Because of this, political art can only divide us. It is created and received within a historical narrative. We see art in rooms of high-ceilings with ornate furnishings, or flashy modern open spaces with glass windows, and while this is the very pretentiousness Banksy made a statement against, it is still received in a time
where art can only encourage thinking, never action. Since the birth of neo-liberal ideals, political art has become not a protest at all, but something to make us contemplate, wonder and question. Political art now invites the slowness that only the privileged can access. There is no desperation in it. In fact, if an emotional reaction in a gallery was not wholly disguised, it would be perceived as embarrassing. If a pin dropped in that room, it would be perceived as embarrassing. And thus, our thoughts and feelings remain in our heads, we note them down into our phones, or write them down in a tweet if we find them especially emotion-inducing, and, perhaps we speak about how ‘inspiring’ that exhibition was for a while, but it did not change us, it did not change anything. It was a statement. A moment in history for the future generations to not think so badly of us: for creating it, for seeing it, for thinking about it at all. Because we pat ourselves on the back for being ‘cultural today’. Individualism is the death of collectivism and community, and thus, political art and protest. Individualism stunts the urgency and immediacy of anger and injustice. Individualism can only encourage a process of depersonalisation. What explains this well is an extract from Adam Curtis’ documentary, HyperNormalisation: ‘“I could not identify with the political movements any longer. All the manic activity in the streets. In trying to join them, I felt overwhelmed by yet another form of bureaucracy.” – Patti Smith, 1970s, New York. What she was describing was the rise of a new, powerful individualism that could not fit with the idea of collective political action. Instead, Patti Smith and many others became a new kind of individual radical, who watched the decaying city with a cool detachment. Instead, radicals across America turned to art and music as a means of expressing their criticism of society. They believed that instead of trying to change the world outside the new radicalism should try and change what was inside people’s heads, and the way to do this was through self-expression, not collective action.’ Winifred Hewitt-Wright
Image: wikipedia
he influence of art in society today is undeniable. From posters and images used by political organisations such as the Black Arts Movement in the late 1960s, to the postmodern feminist work of the Guerilla Girls, to viral photographs such as that of Alan Kurdi in 2015, art has provoked conversations around international political injustice. Art acts as a vehicle for social change because it is a projection of current political and cultural climates. As a universal language of communication, art can reach and influence an immeasurable amount of demographics. Meanings and symbolisms embedded in artworks are indefinite and open-ended, often left to the audience’s. Art opens the platform for interpretation and often paves the way for a more democratic space with great conversation both in private and public spaces.
As long as art can trigger a reaction from a majority, it can pressure political powers Of course the very nature of art is subjective and personal - what is art to one person is meaningless to another. The arts can be described as an imaginative reworking of the world and a product of collective action, therefore art is often used with the intention to enlighten and provoke social change and in this context, the arts can be used to exploit and push boundaries politically. As American sociologist Howard Becker noted ‘all art is a collective identity that shares characteristics with social movements’ hence why social movements have an interesting dynamic with art worlds. Artists often have a social responsibility, to create art on behalf of social and political purpose due to modern mass circulation. It is common for many pieces now to have a canon of change and revelation, thus turning the personal aesthetic and impression of art into a political and social affair. Such art often challenges and illuminates the overlooked, so new and fresh outlooks and perspectives can be shared.
Making musicals great again
Theo Turvill reviews the greatest musical in the universe, on the planet in history, maybe ever
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atire is clearly not dead. Trump the Musical takes all the political mayhem that’s been whipped up in recent years and distills it down into a manageable one hundred minute performance, mercilessly and eagerly mocking a myriad political figure of our time. On entering Alphabetti Theater you are struck by its intimacy, seating around sixty people. With the stage surrounded by plastic chairs, basic lighting and sound production it was easy to have low expectations. Noticing the close proximity between audience and stage on entry to the theater, I opted for a seat further to the back correctly anticipating that participation would be required. Fortunately, I avoided the worst of it during the performance, with those on the front rows being picked upon, however even for someone averse to this kind of torment, it was conducted in a playful manner and didn’t feel forced.
the reputation that low budget musical theatre has of being overtly ‘cheesy’. The sound production was particularly impressive and had me bopping my head, with many of the numbers being set to dark electronica, fitting with the dark dystopic future and disastrous circumstances being portrayed on stage. It’s unfortunate the performances didn’t make more of this innovation in musical theatre. In its attempt to combine electronic music with more stylistically typical numbers, the performance was somewhat
Rashida Campbell-
Allen
PoemBox
Ride
RUBY OSBORNE
A late August evening. Tarmac: sticky, soft, full of ripe peaches Seeping off The edge of this domain. Easy rider in the pale moonlight Driving through the terrain Of America by night.
Putin and Kim Jong-Un make sporadic appearences throughout, often accompanied by some hard-hitting techno Unexpectedly for a musical, the show had an improv/ sketch comedy vibe, very loosely attached to a near nonexistent narrative of a dystopian future, in which Nigel Farage has become King of the UK and Donald J. Trump is mad dictator of the US, with Putin and Kim Jong-Un also making sporadic appearances throughout, often accompanied by some hard-hitting techno, a refreshing innovation in the field of musical theatre. The cast of Trump the Musical managed to create a performance that was both entertaining and engaging, the amusingly charismatic characters bouncing off each other through lively and dynamic interplay in a varying array of absurd and bizarre circumstances. As the show progressed it became clear that this was no ordinary musical, in fact it was surprisingly dark at times. The show was certainly better than I had anticipated given
undefinable, unsatisfyingly combining both new and old. The particular strength of this experimental piece is in the character portrayals, reminding me of elements of favorite performances from the West-End; James RingerBeck’s interpretation of one of Trump’s sons as a feeblyvoiced geek is particularly entertaining. For a fraction of the cost of a high-end production, it’s really worth the watch if you’re looking for some creative inspiration or something unique.
Though some may say that art is not enough to cause political change, as it is often does not reach the levels where change and reformation is put into real action. Given today’s social media saturated society, people are taking change and activism into their own hands. Therefore, as long as art can trigger and gain a reaction from a majority, they can pressure political powers to respond and act appropriately, thus art can indeed provoke political change from the bottom up. The intersection of art and activism is clear but it is important to remember that yes, art can create social political change, but only on a micro level, directly affecting local communities or spaces. Along with critical engagement with politics, change requires the direction and collaboration with politicians in order to take place. Art alone may not change the world but it does change people’s conversations, perspectives and behaviour - which is a political triumph in itself.
A breath of fresh air, Fresh smoke from a cigarette. Wind tears through my hair and I dare to exist. I saw God himself in the sky and as he flicked his lighter, he set me aflame.
Image: pixabay
@TheCourierArts Image: Heather Isabel Photography
@thecourierarts
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Monday 4 March 2019
Assembly Exhibition
arts culture ART50 ELLA WILLIAMS
Yoana Cholteeva reviews Newcastle Fine Art Masters’ students exhibition at Assmebly House
Artwork: Jenna McNamara
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he two-floor exhibition that took place on 20th February at the Assembly House was a final product of the work and talent of twenty two Masters Fine Art and Creative Arts practice students at Newcastle University. The style and the signature of the wide variety of young artists, although complementing each other at the foreground of the history-rich building, were quite eclectic and different from one another. It would be unfair to speak about this exhibition as a whole without recognizing that it is saturated with the life experiences, buzz and on-a-whim bursts of creativity of each art graduate. Ranging from photography, sculpture, painting, video installation, contemporary artefacts to site specific work and a hologram, the exhibition takes you on an artistic journey from looking back at long-forgotten history (Genevieve Stone; Jianfeng Lin (Calvin)), offering an individual outlook on everyday rituals (Ella Jones, see bottom right image) and exploring the transparency of thoughts in a way that remains intimate (Wan-Chen Chan).
Image: MFA Newcastle University
What is generally striking about the exhibition is that all of the works function on both conscious and unconscious levels to become a vision which stimulates the physical senses whilst bringing out deeper messages and stories to tell the spectator.
the Assembly exhibition incorproates the polarity of simplicity and complexity Some works central to the Assembly exhibition are Yan Yin’s collages that greet you on the very first floor, depicting everyday scenes and bodily features that work as a pattern to form obsolete narratives of personal perception and memory. In turn Eleanor Curry’s stitch and fibre practice demonstrates her flair and ability to tangle beauti-
ful threads into lively pieces of art that amaze the spectator. Alice Adams’s post-internet practice surprises the audience with its striking synchrony that, despite the stylistic contrast, collaborates with the environment of the building as if the latter has become the ultimate venue these paintings were meant to be displayed in. The photographs of Yanling Xu (Elaine) negotiating the Imperfect Girl have turned into a beautiful tale to remind people that, despite everything, women’s beauty is still looked at under a microscope, even though female bodies intrinsically stay quintessential in their intimate and individual characteristics. Overall the Assembly exhibition incorporates the polarity of simplicity and complexity through brightly exploring coloured stories, intimate connections and questionable norms that we often forget to question. This bright and vivid experience is a refreshing journey that reminds the spectator to sense more, experience more and definitely live more.
Swayed by The Suggestibles
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ast weekend marks two years since Article 50 was invoked in February 2017… yikes. To “celebrate” the shambles that has followed, the BALTIC exhibited a collection of artists’ work on the question of British national identity for the anniversary weekend: Art 50. Amongst the increasing division, citizens from every background have united together to flex their creative muscles and speak out through the chaos. I paused the episode of Question Time I had been desolately witnessing from my bed and concluded that I had no better way to spend my sunny Sunday. If you read my last review, you will know that I visited the BALTIC for the first time earlier this month and spoke in high praise. I would especially recommend it on a Sunday, though, as we caught the Quayside market en route and enjoyed some lovely food samples from the stalls. The BALTIC’s distinctive building looked even more striking in the sunshine and the river was literally shimmering. Funny how easily one’s spirits can be lifted in a country crumbling at the seams!
Art 50 provides a restorative recess of creativity and expression The exhibition itself was spread throughout all floors of the BALTIC, as well as in performances at the Sage Gateshead (giant slug) next door. There were several instalments in various forms (short films, visuals, paintings, sculptures), all of which explored what it means to be British. I enjoyed “Me, Nan and Oldham” by Connor Coulston, a working class perspective of Britishness in the form of handwritten words on a large slab. Without punctuation, it messily encapsulates a moment of conversation between a Nan and her grandson in their living room, aiming to provoke a sense of nostalgia and normalcy to the ordinary British onlooker. It is loud and comical: cries like “PISS OF YA BLOODY BITCH” and “YOU’RE GOING SENILE” scribbled all over in caps. More subtly it critiques the distance between government and every day British life, highlighting the experience of those overlooked in the UK’s “most deprived town”. I later attended the “Declaration of Independence” showing, a performative forum by Barby Asante focusing on the intersection of women of colour and how historic declarations and legislations have affected their lives. There was a mixture of spoken word, music and meditation, held on an intimate circular stage that mirrors the assembly spaces used to negotiate such treaties. Each performer took turns to take their microphone and reclaim their own voice: “I declare myself freedom’s keeper… keep it”, spoke one woman. The exhibits as a collection were a powerful insight into what Britain will feel like post-Brexit, and how the lives of those unheard will be affected. In a country crippling under the weight of false facts and broken policies, Art 50 provides a restorative recess of creativity and expression. They won’t listen, but Britons will shout!
Image: @the_suggestibles
Comedy-sceptic Amanda Goh on improv group The Suggestibles at The Stand Comedy Club
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am not a huge fan of a live comedy show; I am a pretty introverted person, I don’t particularly like being pointed to and asked to answer a question. Nevertheless, I ended up at the Comedy Club, watching an improv performance of stationary. The Suggestibles are a local improv comedy group based in Newcastle. To be honest, when I first saw their group name, I was not squealing in excitement. However, I still decided to give it a try. Not only did I actually show up, I even sat in the second row. The show started off with two of the members explaining what was going to happen. They told the audience that the show will play out through different “games” which involved us telling them what to do. An example would
be to give them a movie star, a location and a random object. They would then play out a scene involving all three
the Assembly exhibition incorproates the polarity of simplicity and complexity
objects. With barely any props, just a few chairs and an amazing pianist, they were able to make the whole room burst into laughter from the moment they stepped on stage until they stepped off. It was really interesting to see them come up with new
ideas every time a new “game” was played, they even performed a musical on stationary. They were truly able to draw the audience into their own world of laughter, encapsulating the audience’s attention through asking for random suggestions. It was the literal meaning of giving the audience what they want. It was amazing to see how well and quick they were able to come up with such hilarious skits. Despite not being a fan of watching live comedy, I was continuously tickled by their amazing performances in just a short span of two hours. The Suggestibles hold shows every Thursday at 8pm at the Comedy Club. If you have yet to watch them, I would highly suggest you give them a shot!
Images: Ella Williams
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courier.gaming@ncl.ac.uk Gaming Editors George Boatfield, Shawn Khoo, Kelly South & James Troughton Online Editor Alex Darbyshire
culture gaming Xbox Live coming to iOS, Android & Switch Is this Microsoft's next big play for console dominance? Alex Firth shares what we know so far M icrosoft are preparing a tool to allow developers to integrate Xbox Live services into their own games, regardless of platform. Originally spotted by Windows Central, Microsoft has scheduled a talk at the Game Developers Conference in March, with the tagline: "Get a first look at the SDK to enable game developers to connect players across platforms." A handful of in-house titles already operate on Xbox Live’s cross platform framework. Microsoft owned Minecraft has required an Xbox Live account to play, on all platforms, for a while now. However, this will be the first time third-party developers will have access to Xbox Live friend lists, multiplayer gaming and achievements,
and the ability to integrate them into their multi-platform games.
2002
The debut year of Xbox Live
The move represents a wider push from Microsoft to cross platform support. The Xbox console is becoming far less central in Microsoft’s gaming arsenal, with many ‘Xbox exclusive’ titles available on PC as standard. Microsoft are also working on a mobile game streaming service, representing a further move away from the home console.
the courier
Monday 4th March 2018
Outside Xbox Live, popular titles such as Rocket League and Fortnite have encouraged cross platform play, much to the discontent of rival Sony, who initially blocked cross platform play on their PlayStation consoles. Whilst this is currently being tentatively reversed, Microsoft’s move shows a clear vote of support for cross platform titles. Allowing developers the opportunity to build cross platform games on the Xbox Live framework is a huge revenue opportunity for Microsoft. If Xbox Live can be solidified as the go-to cross platform service on all devices, it will clearly work in Microsoft’s favour. For gamers, this would be a welcome move, with the option to pay only a single subscription for all gaming services on numerous platforms.
Gaming's buried treasure
Our writers delve into the vault of underappreciated gems, and dust them off for your pleasure
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Black The Fall James Troughton
s far as underrated gems go, Black The Fall is is at the top of my list, while it sits unlisted for so many others. Under the grasp of communism, you explore the dystopian world of this side-scrolling platformer. This is a setting hand-selected for more than just an eerie atmosphere to elicit a sense of unease from the player; the developers at Sand Sailor Studios specifically wanted to express their discomfort regarding the political climate in their home country of Romania.
Combat is non-existent and so everything is done through stealth
Many draw parallels between Black The Fall and games such as Limbo and Inside, but with the unique real-world context and setting in mind, it stands out on its own two legs. The aesthetic and the design of BTF as a whole is vastly different and far more distinctive. From the giant, inhumane mechanical robots that oppress the populous to the abandoned civilisations looming in the misty background, every image is striking in its terror.
Image: flickr (BagoGames)
During your travels through the cold, metallic and bleak facilities of the communist controlled landscape, witnessing untold oppression of the masses as they slave away powering the government, you are greeted by glimpses of optimism, hinting at the reward that escape truly offers. This reward is earned through engaging puzzles that present a challenge as early as the second chapter. Whilst I am terrible at anything that requires intellectual thought in gaming, I did not feel patronised or unfairly pressed as the puzzles gradually and, most importantly, organically rose in difficulty and complexity. Combat is non-existent in the game and so everything is done through stealth and deception but in a far less confrontational manner than most games. Through making the most of your surroundings, you can get past guards and through highly surveilled areas - puzzles are woven into the foundation of BTF in a subtle way. To begin with, the player has nothing but their own wit and intellect to survive. However, as you progress, you employ the companionship of a robotic dog and the powers of a stolen designator tool which opens the door to more thought-provoking experiences. Or, if you’re like me, it opens the door to immense struggle as you scramble to figure out even the most obvious of hindrances to your progression but, ultimately, that
77%
Percentage of positive reviews on the Steamam store, out of 243 reviews.
makes the click of realisation all the more satisfying. In numerous reviews, from IGN to Metacritic, it is often described as nothing but a shadow of the previously mentioned Limbo and Inside but, from one glance at the Steam reviews, it is clear that players absolutely adore this title. There are so many beautiful moments amongst the horrific landscapes that flourish without an overly complex user-interface to clog them up, and whilst the entire foundation of the game is built on puzzles, Black The Fall avoids throwing unnecessary filler at the player when so many triple-A titles do. It’s short, it’s beautiful, it’s impactful and purchasing the game not only provides a
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N++ Alex Darbyshire
urrently, the gaming scene is swamped with platformers of one kind or another - you can’t escape Steam’s featured page without running into a puzzle-platformer or an adventure platformer of some kind. N++, however, is a different story. The history of N++ goes back a lot further than you might think. Beginning as freeware flash game N in 2004, developer Metanet software unwittingly created one of the most fluid platformers of all time. N+ was incredibly similar, released on more platforms such as Nintendo DS, Xbox Live Arcade and PSP. Which brings us to N++, released in 2015 for PC, Xbox One and PS4, which may make some consider this title less of an underrated gem and more of the latest in a successful indie series. However, having asked around, not many people I know seem to have heard of it. Perhaps, then, the N series has for too long lingered in cult territory and is largely forgotten by modern audiences. With that in mind, allow me to make a case for the N series for new audiences. This latest entry, as the name implies, very much iterates on the established formula of the series. The player is a ninja, and must navigate through a sequence of short, minimalist ‘episodes’, each with five stages. This may seem iterative and boring, however with such satisfying physics and buttery-smooth movement, N++ is a platforming darling that puts even Super Meat Boy to shame.
The default singleplayer alone has 1625 levels
Only using three buttons (left, right and a jump), this simple set of controls and mechanics quickly becomes an intricate balancing act of speed, momentum and direction as the player is challenged by countless stages of increasing difficulty. Before you know it, you’ll be pulling off needle-threading maneuvers and using ramps to narrowly avoid death, all in effort to shave precious milliseconds off of your score (which also serves as a time limit that is always decreasing). This blend of simple but intricate physics, as well as minimal but expansive design makes N++ a speedrunner’s dream. Not to mention the frankly incredible controls, N++ adds to the enormous volume of levels that the series is known for. The default single-player alone has 1625 original levels, plus thousands of player-created levels which are also easily accessible. Add in a healthy community dedicated to creating some of the most rocksolid levels you’ve ever seen, and you have a recipe for the ballet of platform games.
Image: YouTube (PlayStation Official)
Major reve
Georgina Howlett returns to the Cou
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Monday 4th March 2018
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@Courier_Gaming thecourieronline.co.uk/gaming
Confusion boosts Apex sales
"No, not Apex Legends..." Shawn Khoo shares the unlikely success story of this solo VR title
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n an oddly humorous twist, a VR game with a similar title to the explosively popular battle royale Apex Legends had experienced a 4000% increase in page views on Steam along with more sales in the past week than they had in the entirety of 2018. Apex Construct, released by Fast Travel Games in March last year, is a singleplayer VR RPG where the player wields a futuristic bow and a deployable energy shield to face off against robotic foes while uncovering the mysteries of the surrounding world. While a short glance at the world of Apex Construct may look similar to the futuristic, dystopian environment of Apex Legends, that is as far as the similarities go. The gameplay of the former is solid and quite representative of the VR gaming genre but it is still a far cry from the fast-paced battle royale that is Apex Legends. Moreover, Apex
Construct comes with a price tag of £24.99 on Steam, as opposed to how Apex Legends is a free-to-play title on Origin, EA’s competing platform. It no wonder then that one of the developers from Fast Travel Games took to Reddit to share this “funny story”, stating how they received numerous complaints
Developers from Fast Travel Games took to Reddit to share this "funny story", stating that they received numerous complaints from non-English-speaking buyers who “feel they have been scammed”. He also voiced his worries, discussing the negative reviews on the Steam store page whilst also cheekily adding that “most likely [the sold units] will be refunded, but our books look pretty good at the moment”. While this certainly is a strange aftereffect of Apex Legends’ rise in playerbase, the outlook for Apex Construct is mostly positive. After all, any publicity for the slowly growing genre of VR games definitely helps and Apex Construct is not too bad of a game either.
eals from Nintendo
urier with fresh impressions of Nintendo's latest 'Direct' transmission
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ebruary’s Nintendo Direct was jam-packed full of news, announcements and surprise reveals of upcoming titles for the Nintendo Switch. Whilst some high-profile upcoming releases didn’t even get a mention - Animal Crossing and the upcoming Pokémon RPG come to mind - other games completely stole the show. Some of the biggest announcements include a surprise new entry into the Tetris franchise in the form of Tetris 99 (free-toplay, exclusively for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers), PlatinumGames’ newest action title Astral Chain, complete with a full-length trailer, as well as the unfortunate delay of the long-awaited Fire Emblem: Three Houses to July 2019. Super Mario Maker 2 was the first major announcement, with a short trailer serving as the opening to the Direct. Releasing in June 2019, there are all-new features, items and blocks to take advantage of, so it is sure to be a big hit with fans of the original. More information was also revealed about Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order, which is the first new entry into the series in ten years. It comes complete with new characters, storylines and combat mechanics to explore. Various updates to existing Switch titles were announced too, with new content
coming to Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, Starlink: Battle for Atlas and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, amongst other games. The free update for Treasure Tracker on March 14th will see co-op play introduced across all levels, while a new series of missions is coming to Starlink in April 2019. The “Ultimate Spring Update” – i.e. version 3.0 – teased for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate was lacking in substance, but at the very least, Joker was confirmed to be joining the battle before the end of April, and a reminder of the upcoming new Amiibo was given. The announcement of PlatinumGames’ upcoming action title, Astral Chain, came as a shock to many, and the game is currently slated for an August 2019 release. As part of a police special task force, it’s up to you to fight against mysterious, alien-like creatures who have invaded the world, and you have the choice of either a male or female character to play as on your adventure. And don’t worry, Bayonetta fans; it was confirmed that the developers of the third entry in the series are still hard at work. But let’s not forget the closing announcement of the Direct; 1993’s GameBoy classic, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, is being remastered for Nintendo Switch. Although the release date is as mysterious as the art style for the time being, the game has already gained a substantial following - this is certainly not a title to be missed. A huge number of other titles were also announced for the Switch during the Direct. Here’s just a small list of what’s to come: Deltarune: Chapter 1 (February 2019 best trailer, so many dogs); Yoshi’s Crafted World (March 2019 – demo available now); Unravel Two (March 2019); Box Boy! + Box Girl! (April 2019); Assassin’s Creed III Remastered (May 2019); Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice (Spring 2019); Dragon Quest Builders II (July 2019); Bloodstained:
Images: YouTube (Nintendo Official, GameXplain)
gaming culture
Fortnite merger inbound James Troughton reports the long anticipated feature
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ecently, Sony opened the door to cross-platformplay for the number one battle-royale game Fortnite. This allowed for PlayStation users to play with their friends on other platforms such as the Xbox One and the Nintendo Switch. However, due to the length of time it took for Sony to finally allow Epic Games the use of this feature, a lot of players had already created secondary accounts. This presented an issue as some players had spent money on their secondary accounts in order to gain v-bucks, the ingame currency. In an effort to aid users who had created two accounts, Epic Games implemented an account merging system with four main requirements which are as follows: one account must have played on the Xbox One or Switch whilst the other must have been played on the PlayStation 4; the accounts must have been played before 28 September 2018; either account must still be enabled, without any bans; and players must have access to both of their accounts’ emails. When merging the accounts, players will have to wait two weeks for the in-game items and v-bucks to be transferred. One thing that will not be shared between the two accounts is the progress made in 'Save the World' but, luckily, players will gain access to their llamas, defenders, heroes, schematics, survivors, XP, evolution and perk materials. All of this information along with the merging process can be found on Epic Games’ website. The merging process is extremely welldesigned and simple to do so long as you have access to the details for both accounts.
Image: YouTube (Fortnite Official)
Sony PlayStation 5 to have a greater focus on multiplayer
Despite Sony's success with single player, Exec Shawn Layden wants more multiplayer in future, reports James Troughton
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he PlayStation 4 dominated the single player market during its tenure but, after Business Insider interviewed Sony Interactive Entertainment chairman Shawn Layden, it seems like they have plans to shift their focus towards multiplayer in the next generation. What Layden discussed may come as a shock due to the incredible critical, financial and audience reception of titles such as Shadow of the Colossus, God of War and Spider-Man. What all of these games have in common is that they are single player with a focus on storytelling. When speaking to Business Insider, Layden said: “Couch co-op [is a] whole category I think the industry needs to look back at.” He claimed that they “Might want to revisit that to get more family engagement in the gaming experience”. This is something Nintendo excels at, with Sony and Microsoft instead choosing to neglect this former cornerstone of console gaming. Unfortunately, Layden’s nostalgia for couch co-op is not his main focus but it is nonetheless promising that the Sony Interactive Entertainment chairman understands the desire that gamers have to return to this experience. Layden then moved onto discussing Grand Theft Auto 5’s online mode, Call of Duty and Fortnite, claiming that
Sony don’t currently have “a whole lot” in this vein of “the multiplayer side of things”. However, this too seems to be a focus moving forward, as he then said it’s “an area where you will likely see us start to make more noise in the new term”.
It is promising that the Sony Interactive Chairman understands the desire that gamers have for couch co-op
There currently exists entries in the pool of Sony’s first party offerings - instant classics like Demon’s Souls and The Last of Us - that do include multiplayer, but it is by no means an integral part of the game like it is for the three that Layden mentioned. It is unlikely that Sony will shelve single player experiences anytime soon but, after what his recent interview revealed, it is possible that their next generation line-up will see fewer single player experiences and a more balanced selection of multiplayer experiences.
Images: Wikimedia & flickr
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Monday 4th March 2019 Science Editors Eleanor Gratton,Cecilia Adamou Online Editor Orestis Katsoulis
science culture New surgery will change lives of spina bifida babies @Courier_Science thecourieronline.co.uk/science
Sesha Subramanian reports that scientists have developed a groundbreaking new operation to cure the rare spinal condition
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pina bifida is a condition that affects approximately one in 1000 babies born annually in the UK. Part of a larger group of congenital disorders called neural tube deficiencies, spina bifida is a condition where the spinal cord has a gap in it because it fails to fuse properly, thus hindering its development. It is a debilitating condition that can cause neurological defects that last a lifetime, including paralysis of the lower limbs, incontinence and even learning difficulties. The exact cause of the condition remains unknown, but a lack of folic acid intake during pregnancy increases the risk substantially.
A team of 30 doctors carried out the procedure on a foetus by making a small opening in the womb
Usually the condition is treated after birth, and the earlier the treatment, the better the prognosis. However, that could change in the future, with doctors at University College London attempting to treat the condition weeks before birth. A team of 30 doctors carried out the procedure on a foetus during the summer, by making a small opening in the womb and then closing the gap in the baby’s spinal cord. The procedure – which takes an hour and a half – is risky and does come with the possibility of inducing premature labour. The doctors said that they were prepared for that possibility, even though the mother was on drugs that would minimise the risk of it happening.
While previously patients had to go to other countries like Belgium, the United States or Switzerland to undergo this procedure, the team at UCL have taken the first step in making treatment affordable and available domestically. Therefore, the option of undergoing surgery – offered at the Centre For Prenatal Therapy at Great Ormond Street Hospital as well as UCL Hospital - prenatally will be a welcome solution for mothers in the UK. The prognosis following surgery also makes it a viable treatment option. Professor Anne David, who worked on bringing the surgery to the UK from the US where it was studied extensively, said to the BBC that “There were some children who had grown up following foetal surgery who were walking and you wouldn't expect them to be walking if they hadn't had it.” The new surgery is an important step forward for patients everywhere and while there are possibilities of complications with the new procedure, the benefits far outweigh the risks. It wouldn’t be surprising to see many mothers choose to undergo these procedures in the future.
Image: flickr (Louise Woodcock)
Astrounauts to live on Moon for Mars mission preparation
Melinda Verga gives us the latest update on NASA's newest mission for humans travel futher into outer space than ever before
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early 50 years ago, millions of people held their breath while watching and listening as two humans landed on the surface of the Moon for the first time. According to NASA's newest and probably most ambitious directive, called Space Policy Directive-1, it seems like we might have a chance to see people not just walking but living on the Moon, or even on Mars. Within the National Space Exploration Campaign, NASA's new strategic goal is to establish a permanent and sustainable human presence on the Moon, using the lunar surface as a revolutionary 'scientific platform’.
This time, when we go to the moon, we will stay
Image: Wikimedia Commons
Working alongside U.S. companies and international partners, NASA is now developing the first delivery services such as scientific instruments and a spaceship called the ‘Gateway’. As NASA’s chief administrator, Jim Bridenstine, wrote to OZY magazine, “We are going to the moon with innovative new technologies and systems to explore more locations across the surface than we ever thought possible. This time, when we go to the moon, we will stay.” He also added,“Billions of people around the world will watch history being made as astronauts explore more of the surface for longer periods of time than ever before, and help us prepare for missions to Mars and other destinations”. Targeted to launch by the end of 2022, Gateway, as a lunar orbiting platform, will enable for month-long crew expeditions, providing multiple trips down to the lunar surface. Following Gateway’s roughly one year-long testing period, NASA will launch astronauts in a spacecraft called the Orion on an SLS rocket. When completed, NASA’s new Space Launch System will be the most powerful rocket the agency has ever built. Using the planet’s most advanced technologies, Orion has been specifically designed to keep astronauts alive on deep space ventures and to provide safe re-entry when returning to Earth. The spacecraft will be equipped with high-tech life support systems, special radiation protection, and a heat shield to hold on the heat when traveling
approximately 25,000 mph. Orion’s first test flights will start in 2020, flying without a crew. The second flight is targeted by 2022, launching astronauts for a test flight around the Moon and back, while the third flight will finally join Gateway no later than the end of the 2020s. With the first human crew on board, Orion will also carry new components of Gateway. These will include additional living spaces and fundamental science and operational capabilities. Over time, Gateway will serve as a new international station, research facility and transfer zone for refuelling depots and preparing for deep space expeditions, as well as a training and servicing platform. However, the first settlers will have to face many dangers and challenges. Reaching the Moon and coming back won’t take longer than a few hours but this isn’t the case with Mars.
Orion's first test flights will start in 2020, flying without a crew. Manned flights are targeted for 2022.
A mission to Mars will take years with many obstacles on the way. Mars is about 140 million miles away from our planet, which means that a journey would take approximately 200-250 days from Earth. Along the way, the astronauts will have to deal with isolation and confinement. Traveling in deep space will also subject them to a massive amount of radiation which can not only increase their risk of cancer in the future, but damage the central nervous system and prompt behaviour changes. However, NASA is dedicated either to solve or reduce all the possible hazards of human spaceflights. Without doubt, humanity’s desire to search, and extend the boundaries of human explorations has always been coded in ourselves, from leading pioneers to the top of the highest mountains to the circumnavigation of the Earth or into the sky. I’m convinced, that this desire, along with the brilliance of the human brain will one day take us not just to the Moon, but to Mars and far beyond!
puzzles Blue Suede Clues Across 4. Put around the outside (5) 7. Sweet waste or Britney Spears (5) 8. Melting in this climate (3, 3) 10. Meeting or lame expression for pres / party (7) 11. Speak for someone or something (8) 15. Someone or something you look up to (11) 17. Angle between 90 and 180 degrees (6) 18. Metals stick to it (8) 19. Vegetable like a ting tree (8) 20. Not a Senator but a (8) 21. Disco 2000 or fiction (4)
Down 1. Greyish greenish blue (4) 2. Create and put out (8) 3. Weeping tree (6) 6. Delineates, or a strong pen (6) 9. Type of journalist (8) 12. Speak well, or a game (10) 13. Personal aspect of religion, I gotta have it (three times) (5) 14. Invented by Nicephore Nirpce in c.1820 (11) 16. People being the same, having the same rights (8)
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Crossword
Sudoku: Spicy
ANSWERS Across 5. PayPal 6. Malmsey 9. Belgium 11. Latex 13. Springfield 14. Damask 16. Crustacean 17. Butler 18. Lorde 19. Minimum Down 1. Huxley 2. Starboard
3. Jainism 4. Zarathustra 7. Claret 8. Woolf 10. Sontag 12. Malcolm 15. Katherine 17. Behn FLAGS
1. ST Lucia 2. Cameroon 3. Uzbekistan 4. Chad 5. Mauritania 6. Denmark
Monday 4 March 2019
Puzzles Supreme Overlady It ME Puzzle Matriarch Rihanna Puzzles Editor It NOT me Thoughts and Feelings the.courier.puzzluzz@gmail.com
What links each of these pairs of things?
Coldplay // Bananas Dire Straits // di Caprio Estonia // Newcastle NWA // The Freezer
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student voice
Monday 4 March 2019
Festival of Culture hits campus Isabel Sykes Deputy Editor Monday 4 March sees the commencement of the Newcastle University Festival of Culture 2019. The international festival is dedicated to celebrating the creative arts and cultural experiences available in and around Newcastle, offering a two-week programme of events with plenty for students to get involved in. The festival has been a collaborative effort between Newcastle University Students’ Union and the University’s Culture Campus Committee, who provided the majority of the funding for the events.
Students can try their hand at learning a new langauge from scratch in free workshops, take tours of local galleries and museums, sample new cuisines, and appreciate international art
Events over the two weeks will take an international focus and will be centred around art and museums, music and performance, language and culture, and food. With such a wide variety of events, the festival aims to have something for everyone. Students can try their hand at learning a new langauge from scratch in free workshops, take tours of local galleries and museums, sample new cuisines, and appreciate international art. Events are continuous across the two weeks, with some repeated throughout the festival and others offering exclusive, one-off opportunities. In terms of geography, the festival will be farreaching. For students short on time who are looking for activities to squeeze in between lectures, there will be plenty to do on Newcastle University campus. Equally, for those willing to travel further afield for their cultural experiences, events will be taking place across the wider city centre and also in Gateshead. In the organisation and planning of the festival, NUSU Activities Officer Sophie McDermott has been supported by NCL Creative Arts (@NCLcreativearts) on Twitter, and a number of societies will be participating in the festival by putting on events throughout the fortnight. Among those involved are the Modern Languages Society, Anglo-Japanese Society, Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra, NUTS, Cheese and Wine Society, Film Society, and the Pole Dancing Society. The University’s Languages Department will also be hosting language taster sessions for students wishing to expand their skill-set in this area, or just have a bit of fun. Local organisations such as the Hatton Gallery and the Great North Museum will also be featuring as locations for festival events and will offer a great opportunity for sutdents to explore these free, on-campus cultural sites. On Monday 4 March at 7pm an ‘Opening Night’ event will kick off the festival. The evening will take place in Boiler House on campus and will be host to special guest Tom Caulker, who runs the popular World Headquarters music venue. There will be refreshments provided by Stu Brew and Newcastle University Catering, and a performance from Deboarah Ajayi with her dance partner Sammie to the sound of Afrobeat. Other highlights from the first week include languages taster sessions in Spanish, French, Japanese and Mandarin, an international film night at Tyneside Cinema, and a Japanese calligraphy workshop. On Tuesday 12 March students will have the chance to go and see a free production at the Northern Stage. The brand-new play is a co-production between Newcastle University Theatre Society and Moaning Toad Productions, and is written and Directed by Luke Bateman, Jack Hilton, and Chris Whyte. The performance, exploring the boundaries between love and terror, is expected to be very popular and is capped at 100 people, so students are encouarged to book onto the event as soon as possible through the NUSU website. Over the course of the two-week festival students
will also have the opportunity to attend cheese and wine tasting sessions, Pole Dancing sessions, gaming nights, and guided tours of the Great North Museum. It is the perfect chance to shake off the mid-module blues by getting more involved with the activities you love, or step out of your comfort zone to learn about a new culture and have a go at
“I am really proud of how the festival has come together, and it’s been really wonderful to work so closely with the University. When we work together we can do such amazing things”
Sophie McDermott, NUSU Activities Officer
something completely different. This festival is all about celebrating and appreciating the amazing diversity of cultures co-existing in Newcastle. On Friday 15 March in the Culture Lab on campus, a ‘Latin and Ballroom Night’ will close the two-week festival. Two professional Latin and Ballroom dancers will be attending the night to teach guests their moves, and refreshments will be provided by Stu Brew and Eat@ Newcastle. Activities Officer Sophie McDermott has been working hard with the societies and organisations already mentioned to bring this festival together. She offered her thoughts on the upcoming festival, anticipating success: “I am really proud of how the festival has come together, and it’s been really wonderful to work so closely with the University. When we work together we can do such amazing things.” Students can visit the NU Festival of Culture Facebook event page to find out more about the range of exciting activities coming up. A break-down of all events to be offered over the fortnight is also available on the NUSU website and can be found by visiting nusu.co.uk/nufest. Students will also need to use the NUSU website to book onto any events they wish to attend.
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sport
Monday 4 March 2019
The good, the bad and the plain ugly
Our writers contemplate the dirtiest players to grace the game now that Sergio Ramos has received the most ever red cards
Vinnie Jones By Tom Hardwick
If ever there was a player born to fulfil the role of the footballing hardman, it was Vinnie Jones. He would do just about anything to stop an opposing player, flying into a slide tackle with all the force and momentum of a freight train.
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The amount of times Jones got sent off in his career
He was sent off a remarkable 12 times throughout his career, with 7 of those coming in the Premier League, a record that sees him ranked equally with other notorious hardmen Roy Keane and Lee Cattermole. Jones also holds the distinction of having been booked after just 3 seconds for a foul on Sheffield United’s Dane Whitehouse when playing for Chelsea, a dubious record that exemplifies how aggressive Jones’ playing style truly was. Jones wasn’t afraid to quite literally go below the belt to gain the advantage in a game, a fact that Paul Gascoigne knows all too well, and yet it is unlikely that there would have been anyone brave enough to tell Vinnie to do otherwise. The fact that Jones soon landed Hollywood roles in ‘Snatch’ and ‘Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels’ further cements his hardman credentials, proving that whether it is on the pitch or on the silver screen, Jones will be remembered for being hard as nails.
Ryan Shawcross By Dominic Lee When you think of a traditionally “hard” or “dirty” club one of the teams on the tip of your tongue will undoubtedly be my beloved Stoke City and our long-time captain Ryan Shawcross. Shawcross is your classic “hard Brexit” footballer, he resembles the British “lump at the back” central defender who’s hard as nails, slow and tough in the tackle. Ryan has also mastered what I call the “diagonal hoof”- his favourite pass- in which he boots the ball from one side of the field to the other, usually going out of play or otherwise nowhere near the intended recipient. Joking aside, Stoke’s number 17 was an excellent defender in his time and provided a tough
Ramos has received more yellow and red cards than any player in La Liga Image: YouTube
challenge for strikers such as Diego Costa who relied on strength. However, when his career is over Shawcross will be remembered as “dirty” rather than talented. This is most likely because of Aaron Ramsey’s horrific leg-break against Stoke back in 2010. Shawcross clearly didn’t mean to break Ramsey’s leg, the challenge could easily have gone the other way and Ryan was clearly apologetic after the challenge as I saw him crying as he walked off the pitch with my own eyes. The outpouring of hate against Shawcross only served to fuel the belief that he was a dirty player and Stoke were a dirty team. We weren’t the friendliest side sure, Shawcross was- and still is- a “no nonsense” defender and formed a formidable partnership with Robert Huth, who we affec-
The outpouring of hate against Shawcross only served to fuel the belief that he was a dirty player and Stoke were a dirty team
tionately nicknamed the “Berlin wall”. However, as his career has gone on Shawcross has regressed and is a shadow of his former self. He is no longer able to use his strength as an advantage and is somewhat cumbersome in his defending which leads to him having to resort to “route one” Pulis-esque defending strategies, which occasionally involves a crunching tackle or a shove.
Sergio Ramos By Tom Hardwick Sergio Ramos is a player that certainly likes to push the rules to their very limit. Ramos was deemed to have intentionally received a yellow card in a game against Ajax, in order to ensure that his bookings were wiped off the slate in the event that Real Madrid made the Champions League Quarter Finals. Subsequently, Ramos received a 2-match ban, adding to a list of controversies that have propelled him into contention for the title as one of the world’s dirtiest players. The red side of Merseyside reviles Ramos for his foul on Salah in the Champions League final last season, with Ramos escap-
ing the referee’s attentions but forcing Salah off with a dislocated shoulder. Salah left the pitch and Real Madrid eventually triumphed, and as much as Ramos’ underhand tactics may be distasteful to some, it is clear that he is willing to win by any means necessary. Ramos has received more yellow and red cards than any player in both La Liga and the Champions League, as well as holding the honour of the most booked player to represent Spain. His disciplinary record is as sprawling as his honours list, with Ramos having 4 domestic titles, 4 Champions League titles, 2 European Championships and a World Cup under his belt. Ramos may well be perceived as a dirty player, but he is definitely the most successful dirty player to have played the game.
Lee Cattermole By Rebecca Johnson Lee Barry Cattermole. Three words that spark fear in any opposition side. Catts is a “proper” defensive midfielder, hard as nails and gets any job done the way he has to. Unfortunately his methods have seen him get a bit of a reputation. Playing for Sunderland this season in League One, Catts already has eleven yellow cards under his belt. With only another couple of months of the season to go, he only needs another three to surpass his record of fourteen yellow cards in one single season, achieved in 2014/15. He’s already beaten his achievement of ten last season.
Catts planted him spark out with a horrific sliding tackle, producing the iconic image of a menacing Catts stood over Colback
Arguably, Cattermole’s greatest dirty moment must have been against local rivals Newcastle. On home turf, former Sunderland player Jack Colback was playing for Newcastle, when he got the full Lee Barry Cattermole treatment. Catts spied him from afar and planted him spark out with a horrific sliding tackle, producing the iconic image of a menacing Catts stood over Colback.
Arguably one of Vinnie Jones’ most infamous incidents Image: YouTube
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sport
Monday 4 March 2019
The fight for equality in football Sesha Subramanian takes a closer look at Argentine football after the news of Macarena Sanchez’s lawsuit against the AFA For anybody interested in women’s football, the focus this year, for most players, is undoubtedly on the World Cup, scheduled to take place in France from 7th June to 7th July. In Argentina, however, that has taken a back seat in recent weeks, despite the team being slated for their first appearance in the showpiece tournament since 2007 – thanks to a certain Macarena Sanchez. Born in Santa Fe, Sanchez is a self-described football feminist. She was quoted by Argentine newspaper Clarin, as saying “I want to be a feminist and dissident footballer because we have to run away from the contamination that football has… I would like to see it with a new identity.” The new identity she refers to came in the form of a lawsuit earlier this year against her former club UAI Urquiza and the Argentine Football Association that demands equal treatment for the women’s game.
women a glimpse of what could be if Argentina professionalised the women’s game and made things better for them. Perhaps even more appropriate that the SheBelieves Cup was instituted by the US Soccer Federation as part of the #SheBelieves campaign to inspire young girls to pursue their dreams – athletic or otherwise. Sanchez’s lawsuit has received a lot of support from up and down the country with current and former players, politicians, feminist movements and various clubs siding with her. The demand for equality in football also comes at a time when Argentina has seen a rise in feminist movements across the board to demand equality at the workplace. And the AFA have been open – amidst what seems like a high degree of reluctance – to changing things locally. Ahead of last year’s World Cup qualifying tournament, the Argentine women’s team was allowed to train at the same complex where Messi and the rest of the men’s team prepare for their games, grounds that until recently were reserved for men only.
Sanchez filed a lawsuit earlier this year against her former club UAI Urquiza and the AFA that demands equal treatment for the women’s game
Football in Argentina, like a lot of places in the world, is predominantly a men’s game, a stage that is seen as being reserved for men and out of bounds for women. The men’s game in Argentina has been professionalised from top to bottom and boasts some of the world’s most iconic clubs and players. On the contrary, the women’s game is still played by amateurs. Sanchez herself worked a part-time job at the club that she played in and earned only a monthly stipend. She says that the treatment at UAI was “not the best but neither were they the worst…often indifferent and disinterested.” And this was at a club that was among the best in the country, winning their top division four times in the last eight years. The women’s game in Argentina has been plagued by the apathy and disregard by the national federation. Many clubs do not cover the costs of having police, ambulances and doctors at club matches, with players having to pay out of their pockets for things that the
However long it takes, it will only be a bad look on Argentine football
Macarena Sanchez played for UAI Urquiza Image: Wikimedia Commons
club has to provide for, not to mention things like food, training equipment and training clothes. The federation refuses to recognise women as professionals, which is fundamentally the reason why it finds itself embroiled in a lawsuit. In the middle of the Argentine season, Sanchez was suddenly let go by the club and found herself without a job and without compensation because there was never a professional contract involved. After consulting her sister (a lawyer by profession) Sanchez decided to sue the authorities in Argentine football and fight for what was right.
The Women’s game in Argentina has been plagued by the apathy and disregard
Macarena Sanchez’s fight for equality is indicative of a larger problem, not just in sport but also in society. In many communities around the world, patriarchy is a deep-rooted problem that refuses to go away despite the
overall development that we see. Football is an occupation and must be treated as such by everybody involved in the game. The timing of the lawsuit could also not be more poetic in a sense, although unintended to be that way. As Argentine women fight for their right to become professional, four major footballing nations go head to head in the United States as they continue to prepare for the upcoming World Cup. The USA will play host to three fellow aspirants for the title - England, Brazil and Japan - as part of the SheBelieves Cup, offering Argentinean
For Sanchez, the immediate issue was one about monetary compensation for her years at UAI Urquiza. But the real problem is more than that, she says. “The biggest compensation for me would be to get my claim heard and for women to be recognised as professional footballers,” she says, “I hope that all of us are recognised as professionals and that no other player has to go through situations of discrimination in football.” The case is now in judicial hands, with lawyers from both sides currently engaging in discussions mediated by a neutral party. If this fails to yield a favourable outcome, it will go to open court. However long it takes, it will only be a bad look on Argentine football were they to deny women the same opportunity as they provide the men. What started out as an arbitrary dismissal from a club mid-season has now ballooned into something beyond Macarena Sanchez herself and could likely change women’s football in Argentina for the good. The question remains though, that in this day and age, why did it take so long and so much for that to happen?
SheBelievesCup returns for its fourth year
Sport Editor Rebecca Johnson runs through the details of the “SheBelieves” football tournament based in the United States
Rebecca Johnson Sport Editor
This February and March sees the return for the fourth year of the SheBelievesCup in the United States. The tournament stems from the US campaign #SheBelieves which aims to inspire young girls and women. An exclusive invite only tournament sees four teams compete against each other, with the teams this year being the United States, England, Japan and Brazil. This is a difference in line-up from previous years, which has seen France and Germany compete. The US have won two tournaments, only France have won it otherwise. England Lionesses have had a solid start to the tournament with a 2-1 over Brazil, who are placed tenth in the FIFA rankings. Ellen White and Beth Mead provided the goals for a confident England side who are hoping to
reap success in the upcoming World Cup this year. England faced the USA on Saturday and take on Japan on Tuesday.
An exclusive invite only tournament sees four teams compete against each other
England will have to be wary of a strong US side, who are first in the FIFA rankings as well as reigning SheBelieves champions and World Cup champions. However, the dominant US team could only muster a draw against Japan, who are sat at eighth in the FIFA rankings. England should be feeling confident against the US.
England came third in the 2015 World Cup Image: Wikimedia Commons
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Monday 4 March 2019
All-Star Almiron Newcastle’s saving grace? Sport Editor Rory Ewart discusses Newcastle United’s latest recruit and how he faired in his home debut against Huddersfield
Miguel Almiron’s arrival to Newcastle United was one that was desperately needed, with the club fluttering with the relegation zone throughout the current season; fresh faces were required to improve their uninspiring form. Admittedly, Newcastle making a record signing was long overdue, with fans not witnessing this since the signing of Michael Owen for £17 million in 2005. Though this flexing of money from Mike Ashley comes at a strange point, with the controversial owner wishing to sell the club. Despite this, the £21 million Paraguayan comes with a host of achievements across the Americas. Winning domestic league titles in his native Paraguay, Argentina and, most recently, in the United States with MLS new boys Atlanta United. This, all the while collecting gongs across each country.
Early indications also suggest Almiron has a knack of placing himself in good positions to collect a ball and shoot
This rich pedigree was further embedded with an impressive home debut from the attacking midfielder against Huddersfield last weekend. Despite being able to play down either flank, manager Rafa Benitez opted to select him alongside Spaniard Ayoze Perez in a central attacking midfield position, lying behind physical striker Solomon Rondon. From the get-go this attacking three, with the support of Ritchie and Yedlin on the wid-
er flanks worked a dream. Barely ten minutes on the clock and Almiron was already providing dangerous crosses into the box, with Ayoze Perez coming agonisingly close to tapping home one such through ball, only to be stopped by the impressive Huddersfield goalkeeper Jonas Lossl.
6
good. This positive result was subsequently followed with another United victory in the midweek, defeating a Burnley side who had been unbeaten in the league since the turn of
the new year. Almiron once again produced an impressive performance, with the former MLS All Star being pinpoint to Newcastle’s chance creation. Newcastle in recent seasons has been
branded as particularly uninspiring with their creativity, both off and on the pitch. This latest investment from Ashley looks, from early performances, to be one that will prove to be a success for the club.
The number of chances created by Almiron on his home debut.
And it didn’t take much longer before Almiron put himself in a prime position to score. This time it was Rondon’s clever awareness to drop deep, creating a gap in the Huddersfield defence for Almiron to exploit. A crafty pass from Perez left Almiron one-on-one with the Terriers goalkeeper, only for Almiron’s cheeky chip to frustratingly clank the post. Early indications also suggest Almiron has knack of placing himself in good positions to collect a ball and shoot. Rondon’s header down to him near the latter stages of the first half being one of many examples of this, with Almiron’s lack of conviction behind his shots being the only reason why his name wasn’t added to the score sheet on this occasion. Almiron may have lacked in the goal department, but that certainly wasn’t the case in his chance creation. Leading the way with six chances being made for his teammates throughout the game, this culminated with a clever cross to DeAndre Yedlin, whose subsequent pass putting Perez on a plate to open the scoring. Newcastle finished the game as 2-0 winners, though this score line, primarily due to the chance creation from Almiron, could’ve easily been three, four or five goals to the
Almiron has made a massive impact already at Newcastle Image: YouTube
‘Gayle’-forced winds blow for final time Phil Etchells pays homage to the West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle,who will retire after the 2019 Cricket World Cup this summer Phill Etchells
Christopher Henry Gayle, the self-declared “greatest player in the world” will retire from ODI cricket after the 2019 Cricket World Cup. The towering, West Indian left-hander
His test match batting figures demonstrate that he could play the long game when required
Cheeky Chappie Chris Gayle celebrates one of his many centuries for the West Indies Image: Instagram
will be hoping to at least add 273 runs in the tournament and become only the 14th player to score 10,000 ODI runs. Although it’s very likely he’ll reach that milestone well before the tournament gets started at the end of May, (and before this article gets published!) given that he already smashed 135 against England in the first of the 5 match series last week. At age 39, what he may lack in speed and agility he certainly makes up in overflowing self-esteem. “I’m the greatest player in the world. Of course. I can’t complain. T20s, ODIs, Tests - you’re looking at a great man...They (the England bowlers) are going to be saying: ‘Yes, he’s got some grey hairs in his beard. Let’s get him now. This is the perfect time to get the
universe boss now he is 39.’” Gayle’s career stats are impressive. His Test match batting figures demonstrate that he could play the long game when required: 7214 runs from 103 matches - with a nine hour 333 against Sri Lanka in 2010 a particular highlight. But it is in the shorter formats where this beast of a man has starred. With the advent of fast paced and thrilling T20 cricket, the big hitting Jamaican made a name for himself as the most sought after batsmen in the IPL, BPL, Big Bash League, as well as the Caribbean Premier League. Scoring almost 14,000 runs around the world in both domestic and international T20 competitions he has become an opening bowler’s worst nightmare; making the majority of his runs from huge sixes (over 3,200 and counting). He has also been handy with the ball; picking up over 250 wickets across all international formats, and has shown he is the world class all-rounder that he claims to be.
215
The number of runs scored by Gayle against Zimbabwe in 2015
Since making his debut in 1999, he has arguably gone on to become the second most famous West Indian cricketer in recent years - only behind the legend that is Brian Lara -
and will be sorely missed in ODI’s. He has notched up 23 centuries in this format, including 215 against Zimbabwe in 2015, making him only the sixth player in
He has also been handy with the ball; picking up over 250 wickets across all international formats and has shown he is the world class allrounder that he claims to be
the history of the men’s game to hit a double hundred. Hopefully though, this won’t be the last we see of Gayle on the international stage: “I want to be the first man to play ‘til 50” he boasts, and has not ruled himself out the World T20 in Australia in 2020. There’s rumours too that he might play in the inaugural season of ‘The Hundred’ next year. ‘Should the “Universe Boss” get an invite to the ECB’s new 100 ball format?’. “Well, if I don’t start it, it won’t be a tournament” says Gayle. Well, that settles that one. The Cricket World Cup in England and Wales starts on 30th May 2019.
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Monday 4 March 2019
What English football can learn from abroad Stanley Gilyead takes a trip around the world to find out how football culture is different in various countries and continents
Germany use the 50+1 rule to ensure fans own a majority stake in their club Image: Tom Hardwick The Premier League is often called the most exciting league in the world, packed with superstars and popular worldwide it would be difficult to disagree. But global expansion has left fans feeling marginalised, only a third feel their club cares about them and two thirds think their club is
Nearly half of English fans think that Premier League crowds aren’t representative of wider communities
too focussed on its international brand. Solutions to these problems may lie in Germany, where two of English fans’ main complaints, high ticket prices and a lack of representation
on club’s boards, have been solved. 50+1 rules mean that fans’ trusts own a majority stake in clubs, playing an integral part in decision-making processes. Ticket prices are low, only £9 in Dortmund’s “yellow wall”, and safe standing, desired by 94% of English fans, has been implemented. The absence of billionaire owners means fewer superstars are brought to the Bundesliga, a German club has never paid a world record transfer fee. Clubs instead focus on developing young players, and with English football often criticised for a lack of trust in youth, this may not be a bad thing. Nearly half of English fans think that Premier League crowds aren’t representative of wider communities. Many working-class fans have been priced out of attending and little effort has been made to engage with ethnic minorities, meaning crowds are increasingly a mixture of tourists and the white middle class.
FENCING
M1 v Liverpool 1sts M2 v Duhram 2nds W2 v Duhram 2nds W3 v Liverpool 2nds
BUCS RESULTS
BADMINTON
M1 v Leeds Beckett 1sts M2 v Sheffield 2nds W1 v Bristol 1sts W2 v Leeds Beckett 2nds
BASKETBALL
M1 v East London 1sts M2 v Sunderland 1sts W2 v York 1sts
P-P 33-135 102-135 P-P
FOOTBALL
6-2 3-5 3-5 5-3 60-111 90-64 58-68
M1 v Leeds Beckett 1sts 1-1 M2 v Sheffield Hallam 1sts 1-2 W1 v Leeds Beckett 2nds 2-2 (NCL won 4-3 on penalties ) W2 v Sheffield 2nds 1-4
HOCKEY
M1 v Durham 2nds M2 v Durham 3rds M3 v Bolton 1sts M4 v York 3rds W1 v Liverpool 1sts W4 v Leeds 8ths
1-2 1-3 9-3 3-3 6-0 20-0
This is a far cry from Argentinian football, where clubs provide an identity for the neighbourhood they represent. This is best exemplified by Boca Juniors, who represent the working class “La Boca” area of Buenos Aires, home to a diverse range of immigrant groups brought together by the club.
94
The percentage of English fans who desire safe standing in stadiums
Superstars from Riquelme to Tevez have donned the blue shirt of Boca Juniors having grown up in “La Boca” and are worshipped by the club’s faithful as one of their own. Whilst the standard of football isn’t high, a game at Boca is considered one of the best
NETBALL
W1 v Sheffield Hallam 1sts W3 v Sheffield 3rds
RUGBY UNION
M1 v UWE 1sts M2 v Liverpool 1sts M3 v Durham 4ths M4 v York 2nds M5 v Leeds 5ths W1 Birmingham 1sts W2 Durham 2nds
SQUASH
M2 v Leicester 1sts M4 v Durham 5ths W1 v Edinburgh 1sts
61-51 37-26
experiences in world football. Pre-match barbeques and an atmosphere so intimidating it makes the stadium physically shake make fans as much a part of the match-day experience as the game. However, clubs’ close connections with communities mean they reflect both the good and the bad of their neighbourhood. Boca’s support encompasses the “La Doce” hooligan group, involved in assaults, drug trafficking and murder. The group are supported financially by their involvement with the club, selling parking, touting tickets and even extorting money from the sale of players. Common in Argentina, hooliganism often disrupts the football, notably in the second leg of last year’s Copa Libertadores final when crowd trouble meant the match was postponed and eventually moved to Spain. The answer to English fans’ complaints may in fact lie closer to home. The popularity of non-league football in England is un-
The absence of billionaire owners means fewer superstars are brought to the Bundesliga
LACROSSE
OVERALL BUCS POSITION
M1 v Sheffield 1sts W1 v Durham 2nds
RUGBY LEAGUE
M1 v Loughborough 1sts 71-7 10-21 31-47 15-17 W/O NCL 27-47 0-32
TABLE TENNIS
M1 v Sheffield 1sts
TENNIS
M1 v Leeds 1sts
VOLLEYBALL
M1 v Manchester 1sts 5-0 1-2 0-5
WATERPOLO
M1 v Liverpool 1sts W1 v St Andrews 1sts
5-13 6-9 34-18 0-17 8-4
matched globally, with average attendances in the National League higher than in many professional European leagues.
Tickets are affordable, £5 for students at local clubs Blyth Spartans and Gateshead FC, and the clubs’ dependence on supporters fosters a sense of community which the Premier League lacks. With non-league football’s popularity rising there has never been a better time to support your local non-league club.
Pos
University
Pts
8
Birmingham
2283.5
9
Newcastle ■
1933.2
10
Stirling
11
N’ham Trent
1770 1751.5
SURF FORECAST Tynemouth Longsands
3-0 8-20 10-32
There will be waves, thats for sure. Though I have now created debate in the office as to the validity of the previous statement. In all honesty I don’t know. I just thought waves were a pretty common thing. This is my first time doing this as our usual surf forecast professional has taken the day off. Shame.
sport the courier
Monday 4 March 2019 Issue 1385 Free
@Courier_Sport courier.sport@ncl.ac.uk thecourieronline.co.uk/sport Sport Editors Rebecca Johnson, Harry Parsons, Sydney Isaacs, Jack Smillie, Rory Ewart Online Editor Tom Hardwick
Waterpolo wash out against Liverpool Inside Sport today >>>
WOMEN’S WATERPOLO
Newcastle 2nds Liverpool 1sts
2 9
Sydney Isaacs at Sport Central Liverpool Football Club have not been the only sporting Scousers to start the 2018/2019 season spectacularly yet approach its culmination with a somewhat less spectacular lead. It seems that this year’s battle between Newcastle seconds and Liverpool firsts in the BUCS Northern 1A water polo league has taken on remarkably similar form, with Liverpool storming to a 35-2 victory in back in October, yet Newcastle drawing back the deficit to just seven goals in Sunday’s home leg. Within 20 seconds of the game beginning,
Lucy Aubrook injected some class into the game as she delivered a perfectly calculated ball to the top corner of the Liverpool net Liverpool had found themselves a goal, but this was little more than a tease for the Scousers, as it was clear from the swim-off that they would not be facing as easy a campaign as their home match was. Shortly after, Newcastle club president Lucy Aubrook injected some class into the game as she delivered a perfectly calculated ball to the corner of the Liverpool net from the top of the arc. By half time, Liverpool had slipped past Newcastle’s defence just three times more, taking the score to 1-4. With only seven players to their hand, Liverpool had no substitutes, and the third quar-
Liverpool had no substitutes and the third quarter saw that their batteries were starting to die
ter saw their batteries start to die. Newcastle, on the other hand experienced an adrenaline surge, as their male counterparts emerged onto the poolside, presumably following an intense warm-up for their subsequent match, to give support. Issy Denn-White, channelled this energy
Newcastle seconds have made a series of improvements since they last faced Liverpool Image: Newcastle Waterpolo
Inside Sport today >>>
and produced a number of strong shots which, to the disbelief of the support, somehow evaded the goal. Liverpool managed to capitalise on the counter.
Captain Sydney Isaacs said she’s proud of the dedication and commitment that the seconds have shown in their training sessions
With Charlotte Duff displayed style towards the latter end of the third quarter and provided Newcastle with their second goal, proving her invaluable worth on the team. The final quarter was closely fought between the North East and North West, with neither team able to boost their goal count. Captain, Sydney Isaacs told The Courier, “The Liverpool matches have shown a lot of improvement from the girls, and I am extremely proud of the dedication and commitment that they have shown in their training sessions.” She continued: “If by some ridiculous twist of fate we are not relegated from this league
5
The position of Newcastle Women’s Waterpolo 2nds in their league
next year, and this improvement curve continues, I think that we stand a good chance of beating Liverpool”. Newcastle Seconds are currently in 5th position out of 6 in their league, having conceded all of their matches. York are 6th on -2 points due to a walkover. It is worth noting, however, that Newcastle are the only second team in the league, all the rest are first teams. Women’s Waterpolo Northern 1A League
D
L
Pts
1 Manchester Met 1sts
Pld W 8
8
0
0
16
2 Northumbria 1sts
7
5
0
2
10
3 Liverpool 1sts
9
5
0
4
10
4 Lancaster 1sts
10
5
0
5
10
5 Newcastle 2nds
7
0
0
7
0
6 York 1sts
7
1
0
6
-2
DIRTIEST PLAYERS
A STAR IS BORN?
CULTURE CLASH
We take a look at some of the dirtiest players to grace the world of football Page 40
Is Miguel Almiron the saving grace that Newcastle United crave? Page 42
How can English football learn from customs abroad? Page 43