Courier 1321

www.thecourieronline.co.uk Monday 23 November 2015 Issue 1321 Free

FALLOUT 4 Revolutionising gaming p.36

The Independent Voice of Newcastle Students

PARIS ATTACKS Various views on the

impact of terrorism p. 10

Research policy prompts protest

Est 1948

DURHAM LUMIERE Photos of the festival’s best

light installations p. 22 Image: Mark Sleightholm

Staff asked to meet new research targets through Uni’s ‘Raising the Bar’ initiative Students and staff launch campaign against ‘outmoded’ policy

By Antonia Velikova News Editor

Students are preparing to rally and stand behind members of staff to oppose the ‘Raising the Bar’ initiative, claiming that it will be detrimental to student progress and experience.

The main arguments that students have against the initiative are that it will be detrimental for staff to be following an educational process which is focused on achieving certain targets, instead of concentrating on long-term ways to improve teaching and research.

“Pressures to produce more research are at the heart of this initiative, with additional pressures on increased teaching to come with the new Teaching Excellence Framework,” according to a statement issued on the Newcastle University Students Against ‘Raising the Bar’ Facebook page.

“At Newcastle University as elsewhere staff are already working more than the hours in preparing teaching, doing teaching, marking submissions, taking part in public engagement and impact activities, contributing to the administration of the University, and crucially doing the researching and writing which is vital to the kind of research-led training which distinguishes Newcastle as such a rich and excellent environment for both undergraduate and postgraduate students alike. Yet, Raising the Bar is asking them to do even more.”

MA student Beth Watt is the face behind the Facebook page.

Speaking to The Courier, she explained the implications of Raising the Bar on Newcastle University and why students should offer support to staff on this important issue.

“Essentially what the issue is, and what we’re protesting against as students, is that the initiative doesn’t only have a negative effect on our education, but also upon the lives of those who provide it. If the lecturers who teach us are expected to pull in vastly higher sums of money in research grants, they’re either doing more work outside

of paid hours, or sacrificing work in other areas, such as teaching or preparation,” she explained.

“The obvious result is that they get less time to put together modules, to give pastoral care to students, and to participate in public engagement and impact activities, but what’s paramount is the concern that this additional and extraneous pressure will in turn impact negatively on their lives, their careers, and their mental wellbeing.”

Initiatives like Raising the Bar are already in place in several public services, like the NHS, and are being run in some universities in the country.

Newcastle University staff, and the students who support them, believe that the initiative places pressure on staff to perform and that holds many risks to both their teaching quality and mental health.

“Raising the Bar has created huge levels of stress and upset amongst academic staff across all three Faculties,” a member of University staff, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Courier.

“Newcastle University undertook a survey on staff stress levels several years ago and the results showed that many staff were experiencing high levels of stress - well, it has just multiplied that by a hundred times over.

“Staff are already working 60-70 hours a week - and now they are being set targets which will require them to work 100+ weeks. This is simply not tenable - and the bottom line is that people will leave. In droves.”

Being a part of the Russell Group, Newcastle prides itself on the quality and amount of academic research, and its implication in teaching modules.

A spokesperson of the University commented: “Over recent years the Higher Education sector has become far more globally competitive, where the various league tables and rankings now have a greater influence on students, the sponsors of our students and staff who want to work here.

“Unfortunately, Newcastle University’s position in some of the world Continues on page 5

Divestment Week urges Uni to go fossil free, p.2

2

News

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NEWS

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Martin  Luther  King  statue  planned Omani  Soc  celebrates  national  day

COMMENT

9

Christmas  advertising:  to  love  or  hate

CULTURE

12 15 17 18 28 36

Blind  Date: Â

Hannah  meets  Mat

The  different  types  of  drunks Men  of  fashion

Monday 23 November 2015

The Courier

Deputy  Editor:  Mark  Sleightholm  News  Editors:  Antonia  Velikova,  Peter  Georgiev,  Sinead  Corkett-­Beirne  &  Sophie  Norris  courier.news@ncl.ac.uk  |  @TheCourier_News Â

University  investment  policy  challenged  by  week  of  events

By Jack Marley Divestment Week drew to a close on Friday, leaving behind more than 2000 signatures on a petition to Vice Chancellor Chris Brink and a lively debate over the University’s future. Reflecting the universal threat that climate change poses, a broad swathe of Newcastle’s student community added their voices to a growing call for change.

FemSoc opened Monday’s discussions with a reassessment of climate change as a confluence of sex, race and class injustice. In a world where 75% of climate refugees are women, most fossil fuel companies are exclusively owned by men and women occupy less than a fifth of all government positions on the world stage, our focus on polar bears as the greatest victims of fossil fuels forgets the sacrifices half of the world’s population are currently making to stay afloat. “Women are mostly absent from a debate that ultimately affects them� said talk leader and first-year English student Sarah O’Hare. “When they aren’t, their voices are more likely to be marginalised�.

As her partner Phoebe Howard, a history first-year, described it, “climate change is real, but it doesn’t affect us equally�.

Despite the tail-end of Hurricane Abigail threatening to overshadow it, Tuesday saw tents huddled at the foot of the Student’s Union building, each crowded with those following curiosity and shelter. Many left with white t-shirts coiled up in waterproof bags, the distinctive orange cross of the campaign still drying on them.

Wednesday brought with it a rare alignment of student politicians. In a

Battle  of  the  NAKED  palettes

talk that evening, Newcastle University’s Young Greens, Labour Students and Conservative Future societies came together to explain how divestment is an apolitical issue too important to get caught up in partisan point-scoring.

The event exposed fertile territory for common ground on the matter of the Paris talks, with each club president acknowledging that current commitments fall dizzyingly short.

Attendee Sophie White found the debate helpful: “It was a real eye-opener.

Tonight helped me to clarify my own views about divestment.�

Friday’s Divestival heralded a change in the weather along with a change in mood. The Newcastle University Food Co-op offered free nutritious and locally-sourced food for anyone engaging with the campaign, while the smell of fresh cakes and music from the Newcastle Student Radio Tent filled the air with (for the first time that week) something other than rain. For five days that were often punctuated by debates on themes of injustice, urgency and disaster, Divestival was the necessary tonic. For a broad church of Newcastle students, Divestival found a community spirit.

But questions may still linger over its long-term impact.

It was commonly asked by people who braved wind and rain to sign petitions and spray orange crosses onto tshirts- how much is necessary to make the University to take notice? How many signatures? How many raised voices? In a campaign so often fixated by numbers, the answer was surprisingly nuanced. “We could deliver a petition with 100 names or 10,000�, said campaign leader Rob Noyes. “What’s important is making clear this matters to us.�

Femsoc’s event opened the week Image: Jack Marley

Comment Divestment Week, like the movement it represents, has succeeded in transcending an issue rooted in cold arithmetic. The past week saw, for the first time ever, students of all backgrounds and aspirations talking frankly and openly about climate change.

Even the word “divestment� itself, perhaps once reminiscent of little more than dry boardroom speak has captured the imaginations of young people long accustomed to businessas-usual. Divestment implies ownership, choice and the freedom to decide, something alien to a generation whose opportunities have been stifled since birth by debt. Debt for having the audacity to pursue further education, and debt for an economic system that is consuming beyond our planet’s physical limits.

The most powerful argument emerging from the week’s experiment therefore was one that asked students how they wanted their university to honour the commitment they made when they signed up to a lifetime of student loan repayments. If they’re responsible for much of Newcastle’s private endowment fund, should they not also be responsible for how it is spent?

The question of responsibility hangs over the climate change debate, as it will a few weeks from now in Paris.

For students personally, university is a time of exciting possibilities but also one in which we accept sole authority for our own futures. The fight against climate change isn’t one we started, but it’s one our generation will ultimately be responsible for.

And as Divestment Week ends, the fight begins.

Jack Marley

Students printed t-shirts throughout the week Image: Mark Sleightholm

Preparing  for  Star  Wars

The  future  of  robotics

NUSU,  King’s  Walk,  Newcastle  upon  Tyne,  NE1  8QB.  Tel:  0191  239  3940

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. Email editor.union@ncl.ac.uk for more information.

The Food Co-op provided refreshments Image: Jack Marley

Editor Victoria Armstrong Deputy Editor Mark Sleightholm News Editors Antonia Velikova, Peter Georgiev, Sophie Norris and Sinead Corkett-Beirne Comment Editors Jack Dempsey, Adam Thompson and Daniel Robertson Culture Editor Laura Staniforth Lifestyle Editors /DXUHQ ([HOO 5XWK /RHIĂ HU .DWLH Ackerley and Fiona Callow Fashion Editors Sara Macauley, Ellen Dixon and Liz Rosling Beauty Editors Lucy Cochrane, Ellen Walker and Flo Davies Arts Editors Holly Suttle, Jade Holroyd and Emily Watton Film Editors Rhian Hunter, Simon Ramshaw and Emma Allsopp TV Editors Ellie McLaren, Jack Oliver Parker and Hannah Bunting Music Editors Jamie Shepherd, Dominique Daly and Connor McDonnell Science Editors Iqra Choudry, Louise Bingham and Anna Jastrzembska Gaming Editors Ollie Burton, James McCoull and Michael Hicks Sports Editors Calum Wilson, Alex Hendley and Lewis Bedford

The Courier is printed by: Print and Digital Associates, Fernleigh House, 10 Uttoxeter Road, Derby, Derbyshire, United Kingdom, DE3 0DA. 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 comment pieces are those of the individual writing, and not of The Courier, the Students’ Union or Newcastle University.

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Monday 23 November 2015

Uni bands battle it out for charity

All proceeds from the gig went to Great Ormond Street Hospital Images: Fay Jiang

By Antonia Velikova News Editor On Tuesday evening at Cluny 2 five student bands took part in the local heat of national music competition iSessions to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital.

The gig, organised by the i newspaper, saw a great turnout and £150 raised for the charity. Out of the five bands, one was selected to represent Newcastle in the final stage of national online voting. The winners were alternative duo Mama’s Kumquat.

“In a way I feel guilty that we won due to the arrange of talent on display!”

Jack, the drummer of Mama’s Kumquat, told The Courier. “It was a great night though - everyone seemed to be having a great time and it raised a lot of money for a good cause.”

Also performing in the event were solo acts Sarah Stephenson and George Suddaby, rock band Dune Alley and folk band Twisted Folk.

Sophie Ahmed, student brand ambassador for the i and organiser of the event, described the process as initially “terrifying”, since there were a lot of little details that needed tinkering over time. Finding the venue was perhaps the most challenging part, however Sophie felt lucky to have secured one of the top student gig spots, The Cluny.

“Once The Cluny agreed to let us hold the gig there the excitement started to kick in,” Sophie said. “I wasn’t expecting to get permission from such a renowned venue in Newcastle so that felt like a massive success. I think they just felt honoured to be asked on behalf of the i paper and The Independent, the two great publications behind this event.”

As part of her job as the i’s brand ambassador, Sophie had to find a maximum of five student performers to take part in the local heat.

“It was really lucky that I already knew some brilliant musicians from uni,” she explained. “I’ve jammed with Mama’s Kumquat a couple of times before, and Sarah Stephenson and Olly (of Twisted Folk) are on my course. Newcastle’s Music Society also gave me a hand and with

their help I found George Suddaby and Dune Alley who were thrilled to play their first ever gig at Cluny 2. I kind of just used all the links I have at uni and around Newcastle to make the night work.”

The night opened with solo acts George Suddaby and Sarah Stephenson, both jamming on their guitars, performing original songs as well as covers.

“The event was fantastic and was in an amazing venue!” George, who also took part in last year’s edition of iSessions, said. “I’ve been wanting to play The Cluny for a long time, and it was definitely worth the wait. Sophie did a brilliant job with organising everything, and all the other acts did great performances. With a packed out room, I really felt that I could get the audience to have a good time so I put a lot of energy and effort into making sure that they enjoyed themselves.

And it seemed as though they did!”

The night moved on to the bands, who electrified the crowd and kept the atmosphere buzzing. In the end, Mama’s Kumquat topped the narrow vote, both thanks to their musical talent and their creative name.

“The capacity for Cluny 2 is 180 people and although we only had a crowd of around 50-70 people it still felt nice and intimate and there was a really enjoyable, laid back atmosphere, despite the fact I was running all over the place keeping everything in check,” Sophie explained.

“Dune Alley even jumped off stage to rock out with the audience at one point.

I got so much positive feedback from the audience about all the acts, and some people even struggled or outright refused to vote for their favourite.”

In last year’s edition of iSessions, alternative rock band Ali’s Love Child battled the online vote and came in the final five student bands in the country.

They represented Newcastle University in the iSessions final in Manchester. They came third, as performer Man Like Nells from the University of Westminster emerged victorious.

Winners of the national iSessions competition get the opportunity to record their music in studio, as well as festival tickets.

“With a packed out room, I really felt that I could get the audience to have a good time so I put a lot of energy and effort into making sure that they enjoyed themselves”

Solo artist George Suddaby Image: Fiona Millie Leishman

Solo artist Sarah Stephenson Image: Fay Jiang

Winners Mama’s Kumquat Image: Fay Jiang

4.news

Monday 23 November 2015

The Courier

North East entrepreneurs celebrate together

By Yuwei Hu

The presidents of all the unis’ entrepreneurs societies and Caroline Theobald from FIRST Face to Face Image: NU Press Office

Five universities from the North East came together at the BALTIC Centre to celebrate young entrepreneurship at GENESIS 2015 last Wednesday.

The event was jointly held by all five North East universities including Newcastle, Northumbria, Teesside, Durham and Sunderland with the support of the Entrepreneurs Forum and the local enterprise ecosystem.

It was organised as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week 2015 (16-22 November), which is the world’s largest campaign to promote entrepreneurship and encourage young people to consider launching their own start-ups.

Over 700 visitors across economic and entrepreneurial business community were attracted on the day and participated in the workshops, exhibitions, idea pitches and one-on-one advice surgeries.

The aim of GENESIS 2015 is to equip youngsters with the insights and tools to step forward in their business journey.

It encourages students to think innovatively and grasp practical skills in order to validate or commercialize their schemes.

Participants can benefit from the opportunity to be involved in a collaborative environment where they are supposed to brainstorm with like-minded newbies, develop networks and access exclusive home-grown entrepreneurial talent.

“It has been a pleasure to be involved with GENESIS 2015 and develop the

website with Edd (president of Northumbria University’s NUOVO enterprise society) who developed our excellent brand,” said Noah Knapton, president of Newcastle University’s Entrepreneurs Society.

“Working with the other enterprise societies in the region has been really rewarding and has given us a great connection with the vast North East business community.

“The event will be invaluable to our members as it will help them develop vital skills and connections no matter what stage they are at in business.

“I hope that in the future we will be able to work on many more events like this.”

In past three years, graduate entrepreneurs have contributed a huge effort in breathing life into to the economy of UK, specifically creating 1,500 jobs, 450 businesses and £64 million in turnover for North East.

Tarek Nseir and Brigitte West are two of Newcastle Alumnus among those guest-speakers who share their stories at the event.

Tarek Nseir is the establisher of the TH_NK, a digital transformation agency. He demonstrated his inspirational blueprint to double his business scale, making it the fastest growing media data entertainment company.

For promoting the relevant skills and knowledge for business challenge, Entrepreneurs Society will continue holding open speeches.

Start-up support is given for students and graduates applying their concepts and experience to their own venture.

Transgender Day of Remembrance commemorated

By Sophie Norris News Editor

On Friday 20th November, students at Newcastle University took part in a candlelight vigil in remembrance of those who have lost their lives as a result of anti-transgender hatred and violence.

The vigil was held by Northumbria University and took place at Exhibition Park at 5.30pm.

There was a candlelight service to remember those who had suffered as a result of their gender identity.

This year marks the 16th year since the first ever Transgender Day of Remembrance, with the first event organised by Gwendolyn Ann Smith to remember Rita Hester who was killed.

Smith said: “The Transgender Day of Remembrance seeks to highlight the losses we face due to anti-transgender bigotry and violence.

“With so many seeking to erase transgender people… it is vitally important that those we lose are remembered, and that we continue to fight for justice.”

The day aimed to increase awareness of the transgender community and the difficulties they face on a day-to-day basis, something that many feel should be done more often by the media.

It also helps people to mourn and remember those who have died and express love and respect against what they believe to be national indifference.

Friday’s events were particularly poignant as it was reported on the day that Vicky Thompson, aged 21, a

transgender woman being held at Armley prison in Leeds had been found dead.

Her death came after months of campaigning from both her solicitor, Mohammed Hussain, and the general public, to allow her to be transferred to New Hall women’s prison.

Miss Thompson was born male but had identified as female since her midteens.

Thompson is one of many victims who face daily discrimination because of their gender identity.

Evidence from an inquiry launched by the Women and Equalities Committee in August this year shows the experience of Dr Arvin Chaudhary, a transgender female.

She said: “I travelled all the way to the Fiji islands to get the medication because I couldn’t get any support from my GP in London.

“I went through bouts of depression and even attempted suicide but no one gave a genuine interest.”

An anonymous account from the same enquiry states: “ I approached my GP alone. I was initially asked if I was in fact simply a gay man and had difficulties expressing myself.

An introduction to the investigation states: “Government has recognised that all hate crimes are significantly underreported and has identified transgender victims as one group of particular need.

In a post by Planet Transgender, it has been reported that a Transgender person is killed every 29 hours.

The Courier

news.5

Monday 23 November 2015

Martin Luther King sculpture planned for campus as part of city-wide commemoration of 1967 visit

By Kotryna Kairyte Freedom City 2017 festival launched last week to celebrate 50 years anniversary of Martin Luther King’s visit to Newcastle and a new sculpture of Dr King will be installed on the Newcastle University campus.

Professor Chris Brink, Vice-Chancellor of Newcastle University, said: “Almost 50 years on, the ‘great and grave problems’ of war, poverty and racism that Dr King spoke about during his speech remain as relevant today as they were in 1967. The idea of social justice for all was shared by many in Newcastle at the time, and is what we aim to encompass today in our mission to be a civic university.”

On 13th of November in 1967 Newcastle University became the only place to give Dr Martin Luther King an honorary degree during his lifetime. On a notable occasion, he visited Newcastle and give an iconic acceptance speech

King Jr is a rare chance to portray one of the most significant figures of the 20th century. It will be a thrilling prospect to use my skill to help celebrate Dr King’s extraordinary visit and speech in Newcastle.”

“The opportunity to make a bronze statue of Martin Luther King Jr is a rare chance to portray one of the most VLJQLÀ FDQW À JXUHV RI WKH WK FHQWXU\µ about his struggle for racial justice and the challenges in overcoming war, poverty and racism.

Nigel Bonham, who will create the new artwork, said: “The opportunity to make a bronze statue of Martin Luther

This city-wide two year programme of events celebrating the occasion will also aim to bring Dr King’s legacy to life through special events, talks, exhibitions, art works, and performances involving schools, artists, voluntary

groups, academics from Newcastle University and a host of partner organizations.

It will finally culminate on 13 November 2017 with a formal commemoration event in the King’s Hall at Newcastle University – the location for Dr King’s honorary degree ceremony in 1967.

His Excellency Matthew Barzun, the US Ambassador to the UK, who made a special visit to Newcastle to hear about the preparations being made for the celebrations and to take part in the launch event, said: “We are honoured to be a part of this journey. In his acceptance speech, Martin Luther King, Jr. talked about how we are all linked ‘in an inescapable network of mutuality’. This could not be more true of the relationship between the U.S. and the North

East. As Freedom City moves forward we have the opportunity to be more networked, more inclusive - we are eager to be a part of it.”

This event was dedicated to inform community groups, cultural organisations, Newcastle and Gateshead local authorities and other partners who will be involved in the two year programme about the current plans for the festival.

Chi Onwurah, MP for Newcastle Central, added: “When Newcastle University decided to honour Dr King, he chose to come here because we shared a vision of social justice, a world without war, poverty and racism.”

All the details for Freedom City 2017 festival will be confirmed over the next few months.

Left to right: Professor Brink, Ambassador Barzun, Patrick Collerton and Chi Onwirah, MP Image: Mike Urwin

Freedom City Festival will culminate on 13 November 2017 Image: Mike Urwin

‘what is really at the heart of this is what a university is for’

continued from front page rankings has fallen and this is having a direct impact on us. For example, some international governments and businesses will only sponsor students to go to universities who are in the Top 200 of the main international rankings.

“While rankings are not an exact science, the underlying fact is that if a university’s quality improves and they gain a better reputation as a result, then they will move up the league tables.

“That is why it’s in all our interests that we try to improve what we do and is why we have launched the ‘Raising the Bar’ programme.”

The initiative forms part of the new Teaching Excellence Framework, aimed at improving research at universities.

The spokesperson continued: “Funding is being made available to recruit senior academic staff and improve research facilities and premises.

“This is supplemented by a Research Excellence Support Scheme which is designed to enhance the performance and aspirations of individual academics across the University by provid-

ing them with quick access to funds to cover a range of costs related to their research as well as attending conferences and taking sabbaticals.

“An additional £13 million is being made available to support the recruitment of PhD students and early career researchers.

“We will be assessing the appropriate support needed by each member of academic staff through their normal performance and development review.

This system of review involves staff identifying measurable targets and has been in place for over ten years.

“The University’s reputation ultimately depends on performance against external competition and we all need to work together as a team to improve our position.”

There have been talks within many University departments and a public event happening next Wednesday at 5pm in Hershel Building, Lecture Thea-

tre 1. The event, called ‘Raising the bar?

Why we should resist target culture’ with guest speakers Liz Morrish, blogger at Academic Irregularities and John Holmwood, Professor of Sociology at Nottingham University, is open to all students and staff of the University.

Beth pointed out that attendance at those events would give students a better, clearer picture of the initiative, and outline their reasons for rallying against it.

“It would mean so much to staff to know that students support them on this,” the member of staff added.

“We need to be clear that there are two kinds of staff involved in this activity - there are the management positions who do not teach or research, but who set targets and monitor performance, and then are the multitude of staff with whom students have interactions every day - teaching, researching, sharing ideas, exciting one

“We need to stand in solidarity with those who show solidarity to us on a GDLO\ EDVLVµ

another with debate and dialogue.

“It is this latter group of activities which is the lifeblood of the University.

What is really at the heart of this is what a university is for - and while lecturers understand that a university cannot operate in a vacuum, it is vital that the fact that teaching and research are at the heart of what students and staff are doing.”

According to them, the major drawback of the initiative will be that members of staff will seek employment elsewhere: “Look to the primary/secondary education sector or to the NHS as examples of fields which have been nearly destroyed by the introduction of target-based performance management models. People are leaving these fields in droves and the same will happen in universities.

“We have always had targets, but this top-down model, which is using a model deemed outmoded in the business world some 20 years ago, is very problematic. The intention is to ensure that Newcastle is in the group of top universities in the world - what will

happen is that colleagues will leave for other institutions.”

Beth said that, at the moment, there is not much students can do but get acquainted with the initiative and realise its implications.

“Hopefully mid-December, there will be a rally,” she said. “The mission statement of the group is that we need to stand in solidarity with those who show solidarity to us on a daily basis, whether that’s in the care and the teaching they provide us, or the hours that they devote to their own research and fostering the unique academic environment particular to Newcastle, which makes our student experience so exceptional.”

The member of staff pointed out: “We ask that students ask staff what Raising the Bar is - and what they can do to support academic staff in their rebuttals of Raising the Bar. “We also encourage students to talk to their parents so that they know about what is going on - this is a fight for the very notion of what a university is for, and this has national and international repercussions.”

6.news

Monday 23 November 2015

The Courier

Fashion through time lecture provokes thought appearance. Secondly, you should support women in permanent positions wherever you find them because they The British Society for 18th Century are blazing the trails you will be able to Studies hosted a lecture at Newcastle follow.”

University which explored womens During the 18th century, there fashion during this particular time were a strict set of rules that women, period. The event, which took place particularly those who are middle aged, on 20th November 2015, was named had to abide by.

‘Mutton dressed as lamb’ which is a part A fashionable dress sense was of INSIGHTS Public lectures. Amanda perceived to be an ‘equipment of Vickery, a Professor of Early Modern seduction’. In modern day society, History at Queen Mary University of women have more freedom choosing London, delivered the lecture. Speaking what attire to wear in comparison, exclusively to The Courier, Vickery said: however the phrase ‘mutton dressed as “I think mutton dressed as lamb is still lamb’ still seems relevant. Many older something that women women are afraid of are scared about and it “Mutton dressed wearing certain items is still something which of clothing which may as lamb is still seem to appear ‘too the media criticises women for. for them.’ something that young If you look at Daily Hedley Sugar Wells, women are Mail, they do single an Art and Architecture out women who they teacher at INTO scared about think are dressing Newcaslte University, inappropriately for agrees with the relevance and it is still their age. So, I think of mutton dressed as something it’s a misogyny that is lamb. still with us. Sometimes “Following what which the younger women criticise Amanda was talking older women, but partly media criticises about I am probably it’s out of fear of what coming to the older age women for” is going to happen to (not old, but past my themselves.” prime), a bit over 27”, Hadley commentAward-winning author of two books: ed. “I think that a lot of the things are Behind Closed Doors: At Home In still true. The role and status of women Georgian England and The Gentleman’s in the 18th century depended on how Daughter, Vickery was also awarded they looked or how they appeared. a lifetime membership at The British Even though I think that has changed Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies a little bit now, women are valued for (BSECS). more than just how they look like, but Accoriding to Vickory, “Firstly, you still can see in politics that what she you should push to be valued for wears is as important as what she says. you achievements and not just your So, I think a lot of it still holds true.”

By Valentina Egorova

Prof. Amanda Vickery is an awardwinning author of two books Image: Valentina Egorova

The Courier

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Monday 23 November 2015

Omani society celebrate 45th National Day

By Sophie Norris News Editor

Students from the Sultanate of Oman celebrated the 45th National Day of their country on Thursday, November 19th by sharing their celebrations with the wider student population.

The Omani society currently has 41 registered members, all of whom come from the country.

15 students celebrated the day outside of the Students’ Union by handing out brochure, flags, maps, balloons and flowers.

A member of the Omani Society, Khalid Al-subhi said: “The Omanis are a society committed to kindness, friendship, hospitality and the value of the family. We want to introduce our country to the people of Newcastle.”

One member of the group dressed in a fancy dress costume showing the national dress of Omani men, which is an ankle-length, collarless gown with called a dishdasha.

Many students visited the stall to find out about the history, politics and culture of the country.

Oman is situated in South West Asia and borders Yemen, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia The country, with a population of over three million, is considered to be modern but western influences are heavily restricted.

It is for this reason that the students wanted to educate their peers about their country and get them involved in the activities.

They were celebrating the leadership of Sultan Quabus who they believe led the country in a renaissance towards modernity.

Members taught about the Omani culture Images: Omani Society

Trip to Greenland celebrated Parliament Week in research scholarship event does democracy

By Sinead Corkett-Beirne News Editor

The achievements of student research scholarships and expeditions were celebrated at a presentation evening on 18th October 2015.

The event, which took place in the Curtis Auditorium, consisted of six students showcasing the work they have carried out throughout the past year, followed by an awards ceremony that included the faculties of Medical Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Science, Agriculture and Engineering.

According to Professor Suzanne Cholerton, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor “A research scholarship provides an opportunity for students to find out what research is like, to develop research and problem solving skills and to engage in enquiry based learning.”

Newcastle University funds many research scholarships, including one carried out by Abigail Lowe, a Bachelor of Medicine student.

Lowe is currently studying the evaluation of care processes and clinical outcomes in pregnancy complicated by diabetes where it is anticipated that her findings will be presented at the UK Obstetric Society Meeting and published as a paper.

Throughout the year, 120 projects were undertaken in which fifteen students were successfully granted external funding from other organisations such as the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, the Physiological Society, and the Wellcome Trust.

Four expeditions were undertaken by students during the past year, including one to Greenland which consisted of six BA Physical Geography students investigating the interaction between ice loss and hydrology on the Russell Glacier for their dissertation.

External funding from organisations

jectives, identify study sites, learn new techniques, obtain field equipment, and liaise with research counterparts and institutions overseas.”

“The students who rise to these challenges gain a wide range of valuable skills and also benefit from team-working and leadership experience.

They always return with new skills, a huge sense of satisfaction and fulfilment, and increased confidence and maturity”, Pearson continues.

Other presentations were delivered

by Rebecca MacDermid, a BA Politics and History student, whose project involved looking at the Decade of Centenaries and The Irish Diaspora in Tyneside.

Elliott Jordan Eden Atkins, a BSc (Hons) Biology student, presented his work on the impact of a lack of starch has on a plants ability to tell the time.

Using funding provided by Newcastle University, BA History with Spanish student Katie Bethan Smith was able to travel to Patagonia to investigate the recent revival of Welsh culture in the Chubut valley.

After the presentations were delivered, awards were distributed from the three faculties to praise the hard work carried out by students.

“A research scholarship provides an opportunity for students WR À QG RXW what research is like, to develop research and problem solving skills and to engage in enquiry based learning” other than Newcastle University play an significant part in helping students to pursue their research, particularly in this case where £8,600 was granted by Sonia Stonehouse fund, the Royal Geographical Society, and other various organisations.

According to Dr Emma Pearson, the Chair of the University Expeditions Committee: “Organising an overseas expedition is a challenging exercise, requiring students to develop research aims and ob-

By Scott Houghton Parliament Week, designed to connect members of the public across the UK to Parliament and democracy, commences from 16th November 2015.

The primary aim is to encourage people, particularly those of a young age, to develop an interest in politics.

The event is currently being promoted on Twitter under the hashtag #dodemocracy. Parliament Week aims to shed the image of the government being run by middle-aged Oxbridge graduates, encouraging those from both working and middle class backgrounds to become actively involved.

The House of Commons coordinates Parliament Week and it is supported by the House of Lords, who have collaborated with over three-hundred different organisations throughout the UK. These include several museums, organisations, charities, and schools, Events will be set up throughout the UK promoting Parliament Week, including five being held in Newcastle alone.

This week, South Shields will host an event although the majority will be hosted in London.

David Walker, an academic from

Northumbria University, will host a talk on Sunday at Castle Keep which will be based on ‘John Lilburne: Local Boy, Leveller, and Civil War Radical’ and his relevance for contemporary debates about public democracy and human rights, which gives the events a personal regional touch, The discussion is open to members of the public and free to attend. The vast majority of events held in Newcastle will be located at either Newcastle or Northumbria University although anyone can create an event and add it to the event site on Parliament Week’s website.

Other events occurring this week are “How to Engage with Parliament” and a question and answer session with a local MP which intend to shed light on how Parliament works. Another event that is being held on 20th November aims to highlight Newcastle’s radical past and dissent through song and stories, in “Tyneside Radicalism in Story & Song”.

The evening will feature short talks on historical radicalism in Newcastle and will be accompanied by performances of local radical songs from musicians including Benny Graham and Tony Corcoran. The event will take place at Northumbria University and is open to the public free of charge.

“Parliament Week aims to shed the image of the government being run by middle-aged Oxbridge graduates”

8.nationalstudentnews

Monday 23 November 2015

The Courier

NEWSTACK

iSessions return to Newcastle

Strathclyde leads way Strathclyde

The University of Strathclyde has become the first Scottish university to offer scholarships to refugees. The scholarships will cover tuition fees and provide a study allowance of £2,000. They are available to both undergraduate and taught postgraduate students not eligible or denied funding from relevant government bodies such as SAAS. The scholarship has been developed in collaboration with the University of Strathclyde’s Student Association and the Scottish Refugee Council to help those staying in the UK on humanitarian grounds to overcome barriers in progressing to higher education. In the light of recent Home Office policies amendments in relation to asylum seekers Strathclyde hopes such initiatives will help talented international students, who are usually not eligible for this kind of funding, to get into university.

Mock EU referendum Kent

Image: Fay Jiang Candidates  should  also  have  excellent  written  and  RUDO FRPPXQLFDWLRQ VNLOOV DQG EH FRQ¿GHQW ZRUNLQJ RQ WKHLU RZQ LQLWLDWLYH DV ZHOO DV ZLWKLQ D WHDP Location:  Newcastle  University  Campus

Job  Title:  Newcastle  Work  Experience  –  Business  De-­ velopment  Assistant (PSOR\HU ZKRFDQ¿[P\FDU FRP Closing  Date:  29/11/15 Salary:  £700  Bursary %DVLF MRE GHVFULSWLRQ :KR&DQ)L[0\&DU FRP LV WKH UK  leading  comparison  site  for  car  repair  and  ser-­ YLFLQJ 7KH SODFHPHQW ZLOO RIIHU WKH VXFFHVVIXO FDQ-­ didate  the  opportunity  to  gain  experience  in  how  an  online  business  operates  (there  is  a  lot  more  behind  the  scenes  than  you  think),  and  how  different  prob-­ OHPV FDQ EH VROYHG 7KH SULPDU\ UROH ZLOO EH WR KHOS develop  and  run  investigations  (system,  and  personal  communication)  into  areas  of  the  business  where  WKHUH LV OHDNDJH IURP RXU VLWH 7KLV ZLOO KHOS XV SOXJ some  holes,  and  understand  what  improvements  and  FKDQJHV QHHG WR EH PDGH Person  requirements:  Excellent  communication  skills,  ERWK RUDO DQG ZULWWHQ LV HVVHQWLDO :LOOLQJQHVV WR JHW involved;͞  a  good  work  ethic;͞  ability  to  work  as  part  of  a  team  and  independently  when  required;͞  strong  time  PDQDJHPHQW VNLOOV DQG GDWD DQDO\VLV H[SHULHQFH Location:  Newcastle  City  Centre Job  Title:  Newcastle  Work  Experience:  Marketing  As-­ sistant Employer:  Parachute  Ventures  Limited Closing  date:  29/11/15 Salary:  £700  Bursary Basic  job  description:  Parachute  Ventures  is  a  retail  FRQVXOWDQF\ ZLWK DQ LQWHUQDWLRQDO FOLHQW EDVH :H VSH-­ cialise  in  positioning  our  clients  at  the  forefront  of  their  industry  through  insight,  strategy,  creativity  and  a  technological  toolkit  to  produce  innovative  brands  and  engaging  retail  experiences  for  driving  business  VXFFHVV :H DUH ORRNLQJ IRU D 0DUNHWLQJ $VVLVWDQW WR gain  experience  in  marketing  and  new  business  by:  coordinating  and  preparing  materials  for  pitches,  working  closely  with  the  Managing  Director  to  sup-­ port  the  wider  team,  attending  events  and  conducting  PDUNHW UHVHDUFK Person  requirements:  Great  written  and  verbal  com-­ munication  skills,  proactive  approach,  Excellent  at-­ tention  to  detail,  problem  solver  with  excellent  organi-­ sational  and  prioritisation  skills,  ability  to  multi-­task  DQG WKULYH ZRUNLQJ ZLWKLQ D IDVW SDFHG DQG ÀH[LEOH working  environment,  a  good  digital  understanding  is  SUHIHUUHG Location:  Newcastle  upon  Tyne Job  Title:  Adhoc  Events  –  Bar  and  Hospitality Employer:  Brook  Street  (UK)  Limited Closing  date:  30/11/15 6DODU\ … … SHU KRXU Basic  job  description:  Looking  for  Adhoc  Bar  and  Hospitality  Staff  for  large,  public  events  based  in  the  1HZFDVWOH DQG 6XUURXQGLQJ DUHDV Person  requirements:  Hard  Working,  Reliable  and  Flexible /RFDWLRQ 1HZFDVWOH DQG VXUURXQGLQJ DUHDV

Job  Title:  Newcastle  Work  Experience  –  Marketing  Consultant Employer:  Chogtags Closing  Date:  29/11/2015 Salary:  £700  Bursary Basic  job  description:  Chogtags  is  a  technology  start-­ up  with  an  aim  of  solving  two  main  problems  using  QR  codes:  1  -­  What  app  are  you  supposed  to  use  to  read  QR  codes?  2  -­  How  do  you  ensure  your  published  QR  codes  stay  relevant?  Chogtags  QR  codes  are  used  by  organisations  with  printed  media  that  want  to  migrate  FXVWRPHUV IURP SULQW WR GLJLWDO PHGLD %\ XVLQJ WKH Chogtags  QR  code  we  are  able  to  save  our  customers  time  and  ensure WKH GHVWLQDWLRQ PHGLD LV DOZD\V UHOHYDQW :H DUH VHHN-­ ing  a  placement  student  to  support  us  with  the  follow-­ ing:  To  plan  and  create  a  solid  and  effective  marketing  strategy  using  a  variety  of  marketing  channels  and  to  LPSOHPHQW WKH VWUDWHJ\ DQG PRQLWRU WKH UHVXOWV Person  requirements:  We’re  looking  for  a  creative,  HQWKXVLDVWLF DQG VHOI GLVFLSOLQHG FDQGLGDWH /RWV RI experience  isn’t  necessary  but  essential  criteria  in-­ cludes:  the  ability  to  contribute  a  range  of  creative  ideas  to  market  Chogtags;͞  can  put  forward  a  strategy  based  on  the  best  use  of  those  ideas  (and  explain  why);͞  can  put  the  strategy  into  action  with  positive  results;͞  Is  disciplined  enough  to  work  from  home,  in-­ GHSHQGHQWO\ Location:  Working  from  home  with  regular  meetings  ZLWK WKH 3ODFHPHQW 6XSHUYLVRU Job  title:  Newcastle  Work  Experience  –  Student  Feed-­ back  Research  Assistant Employer:  Newcastle  University Closing  date:  29/11/15 Salary:  £700  Bursary Basic  job  description:  The  University’s  mission  is  to  deliver  teaching  and  facilitate  learning  of  the  highest  TXDOLW\ 7KH /HDUQLQJ DQG 7HDFKLQJ 'HYHORSPHQW 6HU-­ vice  (LTDS)  works  with  Faculties,  Schools,  individual  staff  and  student  representatives  to  assure  and  en-­ hance  the  quality  of  learning  and  teaching  in  order  to  improve  the  student  learning  experience  at  Newcas-­ WOH 8QLYHUVLW\ 7KH SODFHPHQW VWXGHQW ZLOO ZRUN ZLWK LTDS  on  a  project  to  identify  effective  practice  in  the  use  of  feedback  sheets  to  give  students  feedback  on  assessed  work  and  to  produce  some  brief  guidelines  IRU VWDII RQ IHHGEDFN 7KLV ZRXOG UHTXLUH OLDLVLQJ ZLWK DFDGHPLF VFKRROV VWDII DQG VWXGHQWV WR ¿QG RXW ZKR is  using  feedback  sheets  now,  how  effective  these  are  DQG ZKDW FKDUDFWHULVHV HIIHFWLYH XVH 7KLV LQIRUPDWLRQ would  then  be  used  to  provide  practical  guidance  for  GLVVHPLQDWLRQ DFURVV WKH XQLYHUVLW\ 3HUVRQ UHTXLUH-­ ments:  We  are  looking  to  appoint  a  student  with  an  interest  in  improving  feedback  on  assessment  to  ben-­ H¿W VWXGHQW OHDUQLQJ DQG ZLWK H[SHULHQFH RI DQDO\VLQJ TXDQWLWDWLYH GDWD 7KH VXFFHVVIXO FDQGLGDWH ZLOO EH able  to  provide  useful  insights  based  on  the  feedback  SURYLGHG E\ LQGLYLGXDO VWDII VFKRROV DQG VWXGHQWV

Job  Title:  Customer  Service  Assistants Employer:  Namco  Funscape Closing  Date:  30/11/15 Salary:  NMW Basic  job  description:  Customer  Service  Assistants  DQG 3DUW\ +RVWV :DQWHG )XOO WUDLQLQJ ZLOO EH JLYHQ You  must  be  prepared  to  work  in  a  fast  paced  environ-­ PHQW 0XOWL WDVNLQJ MREV 3HUVRQ UHTXLUHPHQWV <RX PXVW EH IXQ FRQÂżGHQW HQ-­ ergetic,  approachable  to  all,  not  afraid  of  hard  work  and  cleaning,  good  time  management  skills  and  be  organised,  able/  willing  to  look  after  a  party  of  10-­20  FKLOGUHQ RQ RZQ ,I \RX ZDQW D MRE WKDW LVQÂśW ERULQJ DQG ZDQW VRPHWKLQJ GLIIHUHQW WKHQ DSSO\ WR XV Location:  Gateshead Job  Title:  Newcastle  Work  Experience  â&#x20AC;&#x201C;  Student  Per-­ ceptions  of  Research-­Teaching  Links Employer:  Newcastle  University Closing  Date:  29/11/15 Salary:  £700  Bursary Basic  job  description:  The  Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  mission  is  to  deliver  teaching  and  facilitate  learning  of  the  highest  TXDOLW\ 7KH /HDUQLQJ DQG 7HDFKLQJ 'HYHORSPHQW 6HU-­ vice  (LTDS)  works  with  Faculties,  Schools,  individual  staff  and  student  representatives  to  assure  and  en-­ hance  the  quality  of  learning  and  teaching  in  order  to  improve  the  student  learning  experience  at  Newcastle  8QLYHUVLW\ 7KH SODFHPHQW VWXGHQW ZLOO ZRUN ZLWK /7'6 on  a  project  to  identify  student  perceptions  and  un-­ derstanding  of  research-­teaching  links  and  what  these  are,  how  they  impact  on  teaching  and  how  important  WKHVH DUH WR VWXGHQWV 7KLV ZRXOG UHTXLUH JDWKHULQJ VWXGHQW YLHZV WKURXJK VHPL VWUXFWXUHG LQWHUYLHZV The  results  will  then  be  analysed  and  this  information  ZRXOG WKHQ EH GLVVHPLQDWHG DFURVV WKH XQLYHUVLW\ Person  requirements:  We  are  looking  to  appoint  a  student  with  an  interest  in,  and  experience  of,  social  science  research,  in  particular  through  using  focus  JURXSV 7KH VXFFHVVIXO FDQGLGDWH ZLOO UXQ WKH IRFXV groups,  analyse  the  transcripts  and  prepare  a  report  IRU WKH XQLYHUVLW\ RQ WKHLU ÂżQGLQJV &DQGLGDWHV VKRXOG also  have  excellent  written  and  oral  communication  VNLOOV DQG EH FRQÂżGHQW ZRUNLQJ RQ WKHLU RZQ LQLWLDWLYH DV ZHOO DV ZLWKLQ D WHDP Location:  Newcastle  University  Campus Job  Title:  In-­Store  Demonstrator Employer:  Channel  Advantage Closing  Date:  05/12/15 Salary:  £75  per  day Basic  job  description:  Do  you  love  talking  to  people  and  want  to  earn  some  serious  money?  Are  you  tech  VDYY\" 'R \RX KDYH DQ LQWHUHVW LQ VSRUWV ÂżWQHVV" 'R you  own  a  smartphone?  Available  to  work  on  Satur-­ day  and  Sunday  December  5/6th?  You  will  be  required  to  work  in  selected  Currys  stores  across  the  country  demonstrating  the  cool  new  range  of  Jabra  sports  KHDGSKRQHV 3D\ UDWH Â&#x2026; SHU GD\ SRWHQWLDO VDOHV ERQXV 3DLG 7UDLQLQJ D KRXU ZHELQDU VHVVLRQ ZLOO EH KHOG RQ UG RU WK 'HF WR EH FRQÂżUPHG 5DWH RI SD\ IRU WUDLQLQJ LV Â&#x2026; Person  requirements:  Each  store  is  different,  but  you  ZLOO EH UHTXLUHG WR ZRUN EHWZHHQ WKH KRXUV RI DP Âą SP 6DWXUGD\ DQG 6XQGD\ 'HFHPEHU WK WK Location:  Newcastle  upon  Tyne

Last week students from The University of Kent voted at a fictive EU referendum to express their position on UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s potential decision to leave the Union. Organized by AEGEE (European Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;) Canterbury, the event had 532 people in attendance with 435 students (82 per cent) voting in favour of and 86 (16 per cent) against remaining in the EU. The emphasis is being continuously placed on possibility of putting Erasmus programmes in jeopardy in case of voting No. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is abundantly clear that the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s membership of the European Union has an overwhelmingly positive impact on our world-leading universities, enhancing university research and teachingâ&#x20AC;? said Dame Julia Goodfellow, a vice-chancellor of the University of Kent and president of the Universities UK group of more than 130 educational institutions, earlier this year at launch of pro-Europe campaign in London.

Society safety buses Warwick Warwick SU and Stagecoach have recently established an agreement allowing universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Clubs and Societies to hire Stagecoach buses for nights out. To order their own bus, clubs and societies just need to contact Stagecoach representative and inform him of when and how many people they are expecting with at least a weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s notice. Many Warwick SU society officers are very optimistic about this development and express their willingness to rely on the night service when planning their future events. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is a very kind offer from Stagecoach which we will definitely make the most of for future events like our ballâ&#x20AC;?, said Sophie Hughes from Warwick Rowers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Free buses will mean more of what they do best and more accessible socials for Freshersâ&#x20AC;?, suggested Kerim Wiltshire from WarwickSnow.

International walkout Nationwide

On 17th November thousands of students across the country took part in a national walkout demonstration to support international students and denounce government changes to foreign policy. Supported by NUS and National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts, students were urged to walk out of classes, and stand in solidarity with international students to oppose legislative amendments.

A mock checkpoint was set up at UCL where students were asked to sign in at a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;borderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; before entering to stress the situation many international students are forced to live through as part of their experience. The NUS international studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; officer Mostafa Rajaai reiterated demonstratorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; intention to send â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;a clear messageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to the Government about studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; strong dissatisfaction with â&#x20AC;&#x2122;the attitude and directionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; the UK has adopted regarding immigration.

Sima Nikolaeva

The Courier

.9

Monday 23 November 2015

Comment

Comment Editors: Dan Robertson, Jack Dempsey & Adam Thompson courier.comment@ncl.ac.uk | @Courier_Comment

thecourieronline.co.uk/comment

Have ads corrupted Christmas?

Tears have been shed for the latest John Lewis number, but not everyone is convinced. Two writers discuss ZKHWKHU FRUSRUDWH &KULVWPDV FRPPHUFLDOV DUH VKDULQJ D PHVVDJH RI JRRGZLOO RU VLPSO\ VHHNLQJ PRUH SUR¿WV

YES

Jack Dempsey

A

t no other time of the year is it so encouraged to shamelessly gush over adverts than at Christmas. In fact, publicly declaring how many tears you shed over the latest release of Sainsbury’s emotional porn is seen as inexplicably cute and trendy in the 21st century, like wearing a onesie outdoors or Facetiming your Dad on the toilet. It lets everyone know that you’re human, and that behind all the Armani and Juicy Couture there is still some soul left. Fortunately, this soul can then be drawn out by some playful CGI and arm wrestled into your nearest Debenhams.

How did things get so backwards? I remember when TV adverts were dull intrusions into our lives that we simply had to put up with to get to the second half of Come Dine With Me. You do what you can to resist the cattle prod, but inevitably the brands we see in our living rooms are we ones we find ourselves mindlessly dumping into our shopping trolleys. At no point did we actively enjoy these lurid sales pitches. Now though, a three minute video about a spouseless penguin is the closest thing we get to high art all year.

“The biggest issue with these adverts is the way they combine sensitive subject matters with schmaltzy narrative to convince everyone that they’re Just Like Us” The biggest issue with these adverts is the way they combine sensitive subject matters with schmaltzy narratives in order to get under our skin and convince everyone that they’re Just Like Us. By piggybacking on whichever leading emotive cause market research has drummed up that year, they show us that they too have values and care about society. It used to be that a company would big up their product on the tele, we’d buy it, then feel like guilty consumers until we were hooked in again. But now we’re happy to throw our cash away, because it’s going to our nice friend Mr John Lewis who gives all his profits away to Grandma Jenkins (while his cleaners barely scrape a living wage). Shopping at John Lewis then becomes a charitable act of giving in itself, as we convince ourselves that our new electronic apple corer is going towards Grandma Jenkins’ new puss.

If there is anything good about companies appropriating charitable causes it is that at least they know what its customers want to see — the rich helping the poor and needy. As long as this ideological climate exists, there is hope left for us. Obviously, I can’t take away from the fact that companies are voluntarily choosing to give a portion of their profits (it would be nice to know exactly what percentage this portion really is) to charity organisations, but I wonder how much extra revenue these charity sanctioned tear jerkers bring in in

the first place. And even when Sainsbury’s stage a harrowing recreation of a war scene that appeals to our sense of national history in the name of a not-for-profit chocolate bar, the company name still rises from the misty battlefield in the final shot making us feel that little bit warmer towards good old Mr. Sainsbury (who still doesn’t always pay his male and female workers the same).

“Now, a three minute video about a spouseless penguin is the closest we get to high art all year”

So obviously I get that Christmas is a hedonistic orgy of commercialism, I have come to accept is depressing fact every time winter rolls back around. But the thing I really hate to see is my normally intelligent friends being emotionally manipulated by John Lewis and cooing over animated horny penguins.

Nobody cries over me being single at yuletide and I’m a real person for Christ sake. So I say this: turn off your TVs this Christmas, save your soul.

NO

I

Laura Kenny

t is not clear to me how anyone could have a problem with Christmas adverts. It isn’t as if shops only advertise to us in the run-up to the most wonderful time of the year. If we grudgingly tolerate adverts at all other times of the year, then why should Christmas adverts irritate us? And if we hate adverts all of the time, then why on earth would Christmas be any worse?

What’s more, I would argue that Christmas ads are actually less annoying than normal adverts.

Many of the best-known ones don’t show things you can actually buy and often have messages centred on caring for each other, sharing and being together (generally considered to be good things).

Some of them have even become traditions, up there with the Fenwick’s window as ways to get into the Christmas spirit.

The John Lewis Christmas ad this year features a lonely man on the moon and serves to highlight the plight of elderly people in the UK. They’ve teamed up with Age UK as part of the ‘no one should have no one at Christmas’ fundraising campaign to raise awareness and funds for lonely

Illustration by Jasmine Newton

elderly people at Christmas. According to Age UK, there are over a million older people who “haven’t spoken a friend, neighbour or family member for at least a month” in the UK right now. The aim of their campaign is to raise funds to provide an advice line that people can ring for help. The advice line can point people in the direction of befriending services, helping to reduce the loneliness of elderly people.

“I think it’s quite nice that retailers do in fact work with charities to create Christmas adverts with messages of goodwill”

The other big-hitter this year is the Sainsbury’s ‘Mog’s Christmas Calamity’ ad. It’s schmaltzy and sentimental but the message at heart is about community and helping others less fortunate than you.

It seems that Mog is a well-known children’s storybook character so perhaps we can forgive the cheesiness a little. Again, the Sainsbury’s advert ties in with a charity partner. In this case, it’s Save the Children and their campaign to improve child literacy in the UK. There is a product being advertised in this case, a children’s book by Judith Kerr and a toy, the profits for which go to Save the Children. This means that Sainsbury’s have essentially created an ad campaign to promote a book that they do not personally profit from.

“They could simply choose to focus on their products, but they don’t” The important thing to note is that adverts don’t have to be fun, or have a message or even necessarily be festive (e.g. all perfume ads ever created). Sainsbury’s and John Lewis and the like don’t have to produce miniature films with heart-warming messages and charity tie-ins. They could simply advertise their actual products. With this in mind, I think it’s quite nice that retailers do in fact work with charities to create Christmas adverts with messages of goodwill. Even Christmas adverts that do feature actual products (Lidl, Boots, ASDA) go out of their way to create a feeling of festive spirit and Christmas fun.

In fact, I think it is remarkably true to the spirit of Christmas. Think about it: advertising campaigns aren’t cheap (‘Man on the Moon’ cost £7,000,000). Retailers spend a not-insignificant amount of money to make an advert which promotes messages of goodwill and helping others. As previously mentioned, they don’t have to do this.

They could choose to focus on profits and products but they don’t.

I think that’s quite nice.

Finally, to those still complaining about Christmas adverts I say this. Without them, there would still be adverts. They would just be boring and non-seasonal. We have that for the whole rest of the year – let’s enjoy Christmas while it’s here.

10.comment

Monday 23 November 2015

The Courier

6WXGHQWV UHÀHFW RQ WKH Facebook’s weak attempt at online user solidarity Amid the outcry of sorrow following the horrific attacks in Paris there has been much rhetoric from the French state about what the next step will be. It is depressing that the French interior minister has spoken about his aim to enforce ‘the dissolution of mosques where hate is preached’.

Despite the repeated assertion of the French motto: Liberté, égalité, fraternité, the Liberté seems to have disappeared. We celebrate the freedom of the West in the face of ISIS but this freedom must exist for all. An ideology will not be successfully fought with censorship and banning but rather with liberal values and criticism. By banning such speech you simply deny the existence of such an evil and fail to promote the brilliance of a free, liberal, accepting West.

Considering the ease of access to hate materials online with ISIS’s penchant for media campaigns the closing of these mosques is merely symbolic. To defeat ISIS we must stick to the values that make liberal democracy so brilliant, including free speech for all. Furthermore, we must halt this decline of our society to one of censorship rather than criticism.

Robin Richards

WHAT NEXT? Liberté, égalité, fraternité. This motto dating back to the times of Napoleon has so often epitomised the values of the French. These are words that have routinely instilled hope, and in recent days, strength. Words that are individually so simple yet collectively so powerful.

Words that continue to embolden France, even in her darkest days. And these are very dark days. The question now is what can be done?

It is demonstrably obvious that things will not simply improve by sitting on our hands.

So far the West has failed to coherently act to defeat ISIS. Many have called for peaceful, diplomatic solutions and while these should obviously be sought, militarily action must also now be considered. Attempts to reach multinational agreements that lead to ‘boots on the ground’ may not be music to the ears of some, nor may it turn out to be the optimal course of action, but in the face of such barbarity, oppression and terrorism against all nations and peoples, moral cowardice is not the answer.

The western world must be strong. For liberty.

For equality. For brotherhood.

George Lamb

SOCIAL MEDIA As tragedy strikes Paris, social media is teeming with swarms of bolshy, opinionated tweeters, facebookers and instagramers queuing to give their view on the events. From Tricolores on profile pictures to the hashtag #prayforparis, the support being given to the people of Par-is is overwhelming.

But this is only half of the picture. While social media is a great platform for recognition of events and giving a voice to the victims, in some cases, it’s being used for the wrong reasons, often to dish out racial abuse left right and centre. Since the attacks in Paris, hate crimes and racist attacks seem to have increased tenfold. One of the most shocking incidents was a man pushing a Muslim woman into a moving train in a tube station in London. What can be done about this? Most people know that not all Muslims are terrorists and that terrorism can occur in religions other than Islam, but not everyone does. Personally, I think sites like Facebook and Twitter need to clamp down on what can be said, as this is half of the problem.

Meg Holtom

I

n the wake of the terrible events that occurred in France last week, Facebook created a filter of the tricolour flag that can be applied to user profile pictures. A wide range of criticisms have been evoked since this filter had been released, with most arguing that there had been a complete media bias and an attempt at self-promotion; there had been twin suicide bombings in Beirut which occurred the same day and had killed 43 people yet there was no filter for a flag of Lebanon. Alternatively there had been little representation of Syria, Iraq and any other country threatened by IS. The question to whether that the French flag filter is a symbol of solidarity and unity against terrorism is raised, to which I believe that there could be better ways to show unity.

Not to be a hypocrite, it was only until that I really started to investigate this topic that I actually decided to take down the filter of which I had myself had on my Facebook profile. I didn’t feel that

it was showing solidarity, more so that I was doing it because of the social pressures of Facebook and the feeling that by not adopting the filter I did not in some way care about what the situation. What was supposed to be seen as a mark of respect and solidarity, instead felt more like social conformity and therefore to not be judged by those online.

“I believe this was most certainly a misguided attempt at corporate branding”

With no personal connections or ties to Paris on social media –such as friends or family, there would be no one able affected by the recent tragedies to see my filter. It is absurd when you really think about it. The events of course need to be supported by sense of solidarity but it shouldn’t feel like you should be forced to pay your respects in a certain way, especially when the act does very little If Facebook were to show true solidarity, a greater

variety of filters should be made available or a better approach should be developed.

It is quite simply another example of the eurocentric media judging the attack in Paris as more significant as those in Beirut. When there is an attack on the West we are up in arms, yet an attack in the Middle East is ignored. Of course attacks are more commonplace in these areas, but we don’t mourn the loss of their lives in such a publically social way. So how is it fair that you can pay respects to those in one place but not another? Every life is unique and everyone matters- therefore everyone killed in these atrocities should be mourned equally.

I believe that this was most certainly a misguided attempt at corporate branding; they could quite easily allow filters for every country affected, so why only France? I doubt people using Facebook in Lebanon or Syria feel that the French flag is a now a symbol of unity with the countries of the West against a common enemy. Does this further isolate these countries at the epicentre of the crisis? The only way we can truly show solidarity is that we all tolerate, respect and understand one another- not through a button press away on Facebook.

Negative media attention toward Islamic faith

T

James Sproston

he recent attacks in Paris, Beirut and Baghdad have yet again unearthed the ugly side of the so-called ‘Western’ world. Even before the terrorists had been identified, there had been a huge backlash against the Muslim community; and it’s no surprise to see that the EDL and Britain First at the forefront. They wasted no time in blaming the entirety of the Islamic faith for what happened last Friday, but the reactions of the media sources were alarming.

In Britain, the usual suspects are the Daily Mail,

DAN ROBERTSON

CENSORSHIP

Tom Shrimplin

the Daily Express and the Sun. Throughout their coverage, the culprits are referred to as ‘the Muslim attackers’ or ‘Islamic terrorists’ and are essentially grouped with everyone else within that religion.

Due to the track-record of these well-established tabloids, I don’t think that’ll raise many eyebrows.

Overall, the media in Europe has coupled these events with the current refugee crisis. There has been a widespread demand amongst many rightwing media sources that European countries should close their borders to all Syrian refugees.

Their reason is because ‘anyone’ could be a terrorist. It hasn’t seemed to occur to these people that these terrorists are exactly who the refugees are

running from. No one wants to uproot their family, leave their home and most of their possessions to travel half way across the world for any minor issue. The bombings in Beirut and Baghdad prove exactly how dangerous their homeland is. So turning away hundreds of thousands of displaced people is not going to solve the issues at hand.

Moreover, the focus on the impact on Paris and the French people has angered many, primarily those who feel that the suicide bombings in Iraq and Baghdad have been overlooked. Although I understand that the Paris attacks should probably get more coverage due to abnormality of the location and the proximity to where we live, it is unforgivable for the media to lessen the significance of the other bombings because of it. It would appear that many media sources care less, just because Muslims killing other Muslims is far less newsworthy than Muslims attacking ‘Westerners’. Personally I am more apathetic about the Facebook France filter, but I can understand the frustration of those who feel that there should be Lebanese and Iraqi flag filters too. It seems like the legacies of Western supremacy are resurfacing, as it would appear that the media believe that France is ‘more important’ than any area in the developed world.

“These barbaric attacks in Paris, Beirut and Baghdad weren’t representative of the Muslim population, no matter what Murdoch might say” With it being more outspokenly right-wing, the American media response tended to be directed at politicians’ unwillingness to blame Muslims for attacks. Journalists and editors representing Fox News, Breitbart, RedState and DailyWire held nothing back in their views on Islam, specifically at Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama’s refusal to link the religion with the attacks; even though both Clinton and Obama condemned ISIS, this apparently wasn’t enough.

During this Islamophobic furore, most seem to have forgotten that it is not only extremist Muslims that are terrorists. Many overlook the mass murder by radical Christian Anders Breivik, the continuing re-emergence of Neo-Nazism in Eastern Europe and the presence of the KKK in the USA. Not only this, but there are more than 30 people shot and killed EACH DAY in America. These people are outlined as ‘mentally unstable’, not ‘radical Christians’. It proves that the media has focused on the religious aspect to perpetuate fear amongst its readership. But these barbaric attacks in Paris, Beirut and Baghdad weren’t representative of the Muslim population, no matter what Murdoch might say.

The Courier

comment.11

Monday 23 November 2015

ODWHVW WHUURULVW DWWDFNV LQ 3DULV 3DULV ZDV GHSORUDEOH EXW 0XVOLPV DOVR VXIIHU

T

Ritwik  Sarkar

he recent Paris attacks are, above all, from whatever angle they are disseminated, a tragedy. The togetherness shown in supporting the victims of ISIS in recent days and weeks is extraordinary. However, there is a danger weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re missing the full picture. We have a tendency to forget a large proportion of victims around the world are Muslims. And for this we can most definitely point the blame towards the media.

Terrorist attacks on Beirut, which killed 43, took place just a day earlier, and had been on the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;international wrap-upâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; sections for many notable news agencies, getting little more than 10 minutes of airtime. Unfortunately, the subsequent attention the attacks got after the Paris bombings felt like second-hand sympathies by comparison, overshadowed by a familiar failure to give all victims of terrorist attacks the necessary coverage in our media.

What should have been covered extensively, and reported as a warning shot, turned into an afterthought. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn brought the issue to light by claiming the â&#x20AC;&#x153;media needs be able to report things that happen outside of Europe as well as inside. A life is a life.â&#x20AC;?

Corbyn went on to emphasise that the media reaction could spur on a larger attack in Syria by Britain which would only result in, â&#x20AC;&#x153;more conflict, more mayhem, and more lossâ&#x20AC;?.

Corbynâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s statements will hopefully force politicians and the general populous to ask bigger questions about what is fuelling the conflict.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The attackers appear to be indiscriminate. Violence in Beirut shows how no single national group is immune from ISISâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; terror campaignâ&#x20AC;?

The attackers appear to be indiscriminate. Violence in Beirut shows how no single national group is immune from ISISâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; terror campaign. Lebanon specifically has had a difficult relationship with ISIS, reminding the world that the first victims of such atrocities are always the ones closest to the source.

While Paris might strike closer to the bone for many European nations, the victims of ISISâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; reign in the Middle East are forced to deal with such

harsh realities on a daily basis. Their everyday struggles are what Paris experienced on Saturday; their voices however, are less likely to be heard.

In the midst of an ever-escalating refugee crisis, the attacks on Paris force us to consider our own personal stance on mass immigration and the majority of Muslims who have tried desperately to achieve a place within European society.

Droves of Syrians and Palestinians alike are embarking on a dangerous exodus to escape the very organization that threatens the functioning of Europe and the Western world. Their stories are those of unrelenting hardship, they are of escaping death at every corner with only a fleeting hope of ever reaching safety. The more the media focuses on them personally, rather than on the immigration policies of each country, the more likely the Western world is to begin to understand, and more frequently acknowledge what they have to go through, and the more likely we are to arrive at a more humane answer to the problems plaguing the region.

The narrative is unlikely to change. More bombs are likely to be dropped, and more innocents are sure to be killed in the inevitable cross fire. If the media is to restore itself, it must rid its unilateral focus and educate the masses about the bigger picture. It must also empower people to arrive at their own conclusions.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  time  for  action  against  worldwide  terror

O

Max  George

n September 20th, 2001 George W. Bush declared a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;War on Terrorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; that would not end until every terrorist group had been â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;found, stopped and defeatedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. It was in this vein that French President Francois Hollande called the coordinated attacks on Paris two Fridays ago an â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;act of warâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, and announced Franceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intention to destroy ISIL. War is the ultimate escalation of rivalry, enmity or discord, but if we are really at war, what does that mean for our domestic and foreign policy? What does it mean for our way of life?

The government will undoubtedly use the recent attacks as further justification for new cyber espionage powers. It would be unwise for Parliament to allow such measures to be rushed through without proper scrutiny, as has happened in the past. We must recognise the right of government to gather intelligence, but it is inconsistent to trample on civil liberties in the name of defending liberty. Many also fear that if â&#x20AC;&#x201C; or indeed, sadly, when â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an attack strikes Britain, we will struggle to muster the forces to fight back. Police budgets are foolishly being cut to the bone. Without routinely armed police officers, how well could Britain respond to a multiple location attack?

In an international context, ISIL survives because its destruction is no countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sole and overriding priority. Turkey is busy retrenching authori-

tarian rule at home and fighting the Kurds; Europe is desperately seeking a resolution to the refugee crisis beleaguering its frontiers; President Obama is showing his timidity as his presidency draws to a close; Russia is concerned about securing its power base in the Middle East and halting American influence; Saudi Arabia and its allies are unwilling to confront the poisonous Wahhabi ideology flowing from its clerics, which serves to legitimise much of what ISIL does. The threat of ISIL transcends traditional power structures: Iran and Saudi Arabia, the USA and Russia. All find themselves with a common enemy, but without a common strategy.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;As people look to Governments to adopt a decisive strategy to defeat the wannabe caliphate, they ask the question: is Paris the turning point?'â&#x20AC;?

This totalitarian death cult will ultimately only be defeated by military means. Its fighters are not interested in dialogue. This makes a political settlement for the rest of the Syrian Civil War even more pressing. President Assad is the roadblock to Russo-American cooperation: President Putin claims to be striking ISIL but his jets are in fact

primarily targeting moderate rebel groups fighting regime troops. The regimeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s barrel bombs serve as one of the biggest recruiting tools for ISIL. The sooner Russia and the US-led coalition can begin coordinated aerial attacks against the group in tandem with a Syrian government of unity, the better.

The common retort is that more foreign powers bombing targets in Syria will simply lead to more civilian death and displacement â&#x20AC;&#x201C; exacerbating the refugee crisis. The truth, though, is that the majority of refugees are fleeing bombing from the regime. An end to the Civil War will bring a degree of peace and will start to slow the mass migration we have witnessed this year.

There is evidence that some of the Paris attackers arrived in Europe posing as refugees. As Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s peoples become ever more concerned at the volume of refugees entering the continent, reports like this will only increase anti-immigrant rhetoric.

Even as far away as the USA, presidential candidates are calling for no non-Christian Syrian refugees to be admitted.

The substantive threat from ISIL is no greater now than before the Paris attacks. But the atrocious events of Friday 13th have made that threat starkly more obvious. The fight against ISIL has so far been a piecemeal aggregation of diverging interests in the Middle East. As people look to Governments to adopt a decisive strategy to defeat this wannabe world caliphate, they ask the question: is Paris the turning point?

Illustration by Jasmine Newton

12.lifestyle

Monday 23 November 2015

The Courier

Lifestyle  Editors: .DWLH $FNHUOH\ 5XWK /RHIĂ&#x20AC;HU Fiona  Callow  &  Lauren  Exell

What does your Starbucks say about you?

Ghangaa  Mano  explains  what  personality  comes  out  of  our  favourite  coffees Flat White Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve probably visited every hipster-indie cafĂŠ in town and are a self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur. So naturally the only thing left is having Aussie on your bucket list to visit the motherland. Your minimalist themed Instagram account(s) has documented these cafĂŠ visits of course. Using words like â&#x20AC;&#x153;acidic toneâ&#x20AC;? to describe the taste of your coffee and have your coffee bean farmers on speed dial.

But letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s face it; Starbucks aint Starbucks without you and your MacBook, hogging seats and power points.

Skinny Double Shot Mocha, no whip and foam You skipped the gym today, rushing on an assignment and have slept 2 hours last night. Your life basically feels like a mess and the only way to fix it is to save on the wee bit of extra calories right? Your cleanse is going strong (according to your Fitness App) as well because chocolate in coffee donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t count and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;clean-eaterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; who has bookmarked/liked every healthy recipe in hopes of making it â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;soonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

Grande Soy 7-pump Sugar-Free Vanilla Latte Dairy makes you queasy and on your last Kindle purchase, Sarah Wilsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;I Quit Sugarâ&#x20AC;? was checked out. It all started with a New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resolution but since going completely cold turkey wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t your thing, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re sticking to the next best thing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the chemically induced world of SF products. You can be found in the aisles of Holland and Barrett picking up dried fruits and sugar-free chocolate bars.

Java Chip Frappucino The original don of all Starbucks pictures shared on social media around the world. Remember when the internet went crazy over Java Chip flavoured ice cream? You were one of them, sharing and reposting on your Tumblr, Facebook and Twitter and were probably hoping it will hit our shores soon. If you had to pick your last meal, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be from another well-known American fast-food chain.

Iced Passion Tea Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve either had reached your 2 cups of coffee quota of the day (you know for the sake of health and stuff) or youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re from another dimension. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in the first group: I sympathize with you but once the clock strikes midnight, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a new day!

If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in the latter group, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not surprised because people in earth love us some coffee. You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like the finer things in life and your definition of fun is to scroll through eBay for hand-me-downs.

Americano, less water You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like fuss and all you want is some strong caffeine fix (everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been there). This way you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to pick between the 5000 different blends that is being brewed and your drink takes seconds to prepare. Your simplistic and acquired palette gives you a sense of supremacy that trumps the other 3 clichĂŠ orders before you.

Toffee Nut Latte, easy whip and extra sprinkles (Xmas Special) Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re obsessed with the Christmas season and might be finished with gift shopping. You squealed when the app notified you that you can get the Christmas flavours a week early. You celebrate annually when the #RedCups gets launched and you have to let your social media friends know as well.

Your Instagram filter of choice is Gingham and your Snapchat timeline was rapidly updated when you snagged your first cup. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re forgiven because we understand the feeling of welcoming an old friend back too.

The  Deadline  De-­stress  Super  stressed  now  the  workload  is  piling  up?  Amanda  Yap  gives  us  5  ways  to  chill  out  when  deadlines  are  around  the  corner

S

teve Maraboli, author of Life, the Truth and Being Free ever said â&#x20AC;&#x153;You must learn to let go. Release the stress. You were never in control anyway.â&#x20AC;? I read this quote sceptically; what would Steve Maraboli know about pressing deadlines and sleepless nights right? He was probably enjoying a bubble bath with a glass of red wine when he thought of this quote, while some of us barely have the time to feed ourselves.

Assignment deadlines create different levels of grief, some of us soldier on with fortitude while others cry and throw in the towel. However, to ensure that we do not crumble in the face of adversity, I am proposing 5 destressing methods.

1. Sleeping The simplest and money-saving method to destress: Sleep. I feel that almost all is right with the world after an undisturbed 10 hours of sleep. Choose a particular day when you feel like you desperately need a break, then snuggle under the duvet and sleep your worries away! You will wake up feeling rejuvenated, ready to conquer that cursed pile of assignments once again. If you feel that 10 hours is insufficient, by all means sleep until you are satisfied or screw everything and sleep until 2016 rolls

around. Nobody will judge you. Nobody.

2. Treating yourself Food always makes everybody happy, whether it is a tub of Ben and Jerryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream or a round of dim sum, it will definitely make your day slightly happier and easier to bear.

If you are worried about putting on extra pounds because you will DEFINITELY bury your face in chocolate goodness, try healthy food like walnuts and berries to keep your mouth occupied until the craving goes away.

3. Watching movies/dramas Comedies are always a good option in any situation, especially when you want to laugh your worries away!

The choices are endless and based on individual preferences. Thank God for Netflix!

4. Exercise This method of destressing is my least favourite option.

However, judging from the positive responses that turn to exercising to relieve stress, I would say that exercising is definitely worth a shot. Exercise does not need to be intensive, just a 15 minutesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; walk in the park will do your fuzzy brain a world of good.

Scientific studies from The Huffington Post have shown that walking in a green space places your mind in a state of mediation; it boosts endorphins which in turn, reduces the stress hormones. For others, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just not enough, if an intensive workout to sweat out the tension does wonders for you, run that 15km â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but be warned, that run might be lonely.

5. Find your friends Gather a few stressed friends for Happy Hour, a sumptuous meal or just hang out at somebodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s flat. By nature, humans are creatures who crave human interaction, so by cooping yourself up in your room or library for 16 hours is counter-productive.

By having the company of friends is already relaxation in itself, I do not need to put up a happy front if I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel like it and I can joke, laugh and talk about anything under the sun. Most importantly, the stress is momentarily banished until itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to face it again.

Tinder: Â thoughts?

Amy  Baird  gives  us  the  low-­down  on  whether  Tinder  is  the  relationship  dream  or  a  curse  on  your  love  life  forever Â

O

k, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve probably heard and know about the concept of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Tinderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; app? If not, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll elaborate. You have a profile including photos of yourself (all from the best angles, obviously). You set the app to whether you like â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;maleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;femaleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; or both. Next you receive peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s profiles. The concept is straightforward: if you like what you see you swipe right, if not swipe left. If people â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;likeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; you back, congratulations youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve matched, you then start talking to them.

Now weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re clear on the concept, time to discuss is Tinder a good idea? Tinder can be a bit of entertainment and is quality when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re bored; living in an all-girl house thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been many an opportunity where Tinderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been the source of a good laugh.

(That one time my friend accidentally super-liked another of my friends, deleted Tinder, forgetting that sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d have no way of getting in touch with her next week Tinder date). Tinder is also free (unless you opt for the advanced version) so compared to online dating, which can be costly, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great idea.

A friend describes Tinder as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;convenient, harmless fun and an ego boost when people match with you.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tinder can be a bit of entertainment and is quality when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re boredâ&#x20AC;?

Tinder can also be a good idea because sometimes it leads to actual grown-up relationships.

One of my best friends met their boyfriend of nearly 2 years on Tinder and couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be happier; and heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a really lovely guy (not creepy/weird at all!). However, meeting your significant other via Tinder can open a whole new can of worms; what do you tell people when they ask how you met?

How are you going to tell the kids you inevitably have? One friend is too worried about her mumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reaction and so hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t told her family she met her boyfriend on Tinder - instead she says they met through mutual friends. But should you be embarrassed to admit to meeting through Tinder? Once Tinder dating progresses from a Tinder date to a Tinder relationship it seems to be, in my experi-

ence, a bit of a modern day taboo.

However, some aspects of Tinder are admittedly a little creepyâ&#x20AC;Ś such as that someone you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know (unless youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve started messaging them) can see how far away you are at any given moment.

Tinder is also superficial â&#x20AC;&#x201C; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s looks-based. As one friend says â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;it epitomizes being shallowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, then again everyone who uses Tinder knows this and still uses it anyway. Additionally, the concept is similar to being attracted and talking to someone you meet on a night out; your drunken self probably only talked to them because you found them attractive.

Another sceptical friend said she finds Tinder fun for a week then usually deletes it for a while (it takes up a lot of phone memory apparently) before downloading it again. Finally, Tinder can be deceptive; youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re only going to upload photos you think you look good in.

In my opinion, whether Tinder is a good idea or not depends what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re after. There arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t separate categories for those using Tinder to make friends/ for laughs, or those looking for a relationship, and others who are after a more casual date and hook-up. So, when using Tinder you should do so with low expectations, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t expect to find your next relationship or love of your life but, if it happens, and you do meet someone, then itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a bonus! So there we have it, Tinder: the good and the bad.

Tinder Travesties

Do  these  lines  seriously  work? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Are you my big toe? Because Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to bang you around the house.â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;On a scale of 1 to America, how free are you tomorrow nightâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Did you get those pants on sale? Because theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re 100% off at my placeâ&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;My feet are cold. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve just blown my socks off â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pizza is my second favourite thing to eat in bedâ&#x20AC;?

The Courier

.13

Monday 23 November 2015

Culture thecourieronline.co.uk/culture

Culture Editors: Laura Staniforth & Ellie McLaren Sections: Lifestyle, Fashion, Beauty, Arts, Music, Film, TV, Gaming & Science courier.culture@ncl.ac.uk | @CourierOnline

Blind Date

Hannah on Mat

Hannah Goring, Activities Officer meets Mat Hutchings 3rd Year Agriculture

Mat on Hannah

Where did you go?

We went to Osbourne’s on Ossy Road. A very original choice.

So did you choose the location of your date or did she?

I suggested it, we were going to go somewhere on Osbourne Road and it seemed as good as place as any.

Solid reasoning. What were your first impressions of him?

He was wearing a cream scarf which made me laugh.

What were your first impressions of her?

Well first I was a bit… well I was late, only a few minutes though, but I felt a bit bad. But when we sat down and started talking she was really nice, really smiley. I wasn’t particularly nervous but I was a bit unsure so it helped.

So was there a little bit of Facebook stalking involved before hand or did you already know who he was?

I already knew who he was. My housemate knew who he was but there was a cheeky Facebook stalk.

We joked that I should completely back-stalk him and just been like “so how was your holiday in Ibiza in 2009?” and he would have been like “oh my god”. But no, it’s better to just not know really.

Were there any awkward moments?

There was, but it wasn’t between us. It was when the England-France match was on, and we weren’t exactly watching it, but there must have been a minute’s silence for France because we were talking about what accents we found sexy, and she was talking about ‘Allo, Allo saying something in this accent, and the pub was silence. Some old lady shushed us.

What was the strangest topic of conversation?

At one point we did say “If you could have any accent, what would it be?”

What did you pick?

I went for a soft Scottish accent but it did end up with Matt doing a really camp German man impression which I really enjoyed.

That’s a bit awkward…

[Laughs] Yeah it was, because we were sort of laughing but trying to, you know, still be silent.

I hear you’ve got a hamster that you’re very fond of, what would you do if he stole it? *gasps in shock* That’s not even funny, like I don’t think he’d make it out alive if he went near Cindy.

Although I barely mentioned her it was my aim to not talk about the hamster the whole night and so I didn’t which is quite an achievement for me.

But no, there’s just no way. If they don’t like Cindy they’re just not the one.

Any strange topics of conversation?

Erm… strange… well we did talk about bee keeping and sausage making which I guess isn’t entirely normal.

So how did the date end?

We just walked back towards the metro then kind of said bye, hugged. It was raining. We were just like “see you again soon. Probably” and I was like “yeah, probably” but whether that’s in just a see you around the Union way or not, I don’t know.

Okaaay. What would you say her best trait was?

She was really easy to talk to, she’s a happy person, really smiley and it made the conversation really easy to flow.

How did this come up?!

Well she was talking about Give It A Go for R.A.G Week and it was one of the activities for that, something about making a chocolate sausage…

Any second dates any time soon?

Umm, I’m not sure, I don’t think there was a particular spark between us mutually. I think we both got on well, like friendly-wise, but I’m not sure there was that mutual thing. So probably not.

So is a second date not on the cards?

I don’t know, like, if it went there then I would but if it didn’t then I wouldn’t mind. Like, normally when you go on a date you’ve already chatted to the person loads so I considered this date as that sort of thing. So we’re just chatting and still trying to work out whether it’d work. Not a definite no.

Not a never. But I wouldn’t be devastated if it didn’t happen.

Did she mention her hamster at all?

[Laughs] What? She did mention a hamster… why do you ask?

I just hear she rather likes her hamster.

She talked about a guinea pig which I remember, but I don’t know about a hamster… I think she has a house one but she talked more about her guinea pig back at home when she was like seven.

Would your parents approve?

Yeah, although he doesn’t like football. My dad has three daughters and loves football so I think a guy who loved football who could occupy my dad would be ideal.

If Hannah was an animal, what would she be?

That’s an interesting one. Oh god. Ermmm… That’s really quite strange. [Long pause] erm… Let’s go for… I’m not really sure… [longer pause] I can’t think of any animals at the moment…

If he was an animal, what would he be?

Maybe like a brown bear. He was quite beardy.

You know like, not when a bear’s attacking you but when they’re like having fun with their bear pals?

That kind of bear. A bear on a good day.

How would you rate the date out of 10?

I’d say 8. It was a strong date

Looking for love? Send in your details to c2.lifestyle@ncl.ac.uk

Is this the weirdest dating question you’ve ever been asked?

I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t prepared for that. Maybe a bird. Something quite chattery. Like a robin.

Because they’re nice and chattery, you know?

I’ll take that. Rate out of 10 for you date?

I’d give it an 8. I had a good time.

14.lifestyle Rant of the Week For Sale

Monday 23 November 2015

The Courier

Home  Alone Â

If  you  want  to  avoid  doing  the  â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Walk  of  Shameâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;  or  â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The  Stride  of  Prideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;  if  youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re  Flo  Strachan  on  sassy  enough,  Miranda  Stoner  is  here  to  stop  you  from  any  morning  regrets how  getting  a  house  f youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever woken up to the sound of an tentially lead to casualties and the embarrassment is  like  entering  a  new  unfamiliar alarm with a more than stress of breaking a nose probably outweighs the shame induced headache, a loud ringing in your youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d feel when walking home at the crack of dawn relationship-­  without  the  ears and spooning a stranger who looked far from an acquaintanceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s flat. honeymoon  period...  more attractive through last nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beer gogIt can be tempting to use the classic excuses, When I signed up gles, then you are not alone. Your initial reaction however I would advise you not to. Sure â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m illâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; he house mania has been reverberating is probably thoughts on how to extract yourself *cough* sounds repulsive enough, in practice around uni for a while now. It began in delicately from the situation or maybe youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re to the sequel this though people can tell just by looking at you if small vibrations, a worry here and a whis- considering how to cope with the half approvyouâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re lying. Also saying â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I have a boy/girlfriendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; was NOT what I per there. Now, however, it appears to have ex- ing, half judgemental faces you will encounter can often lead to a full on interrogation and unless ploded and eager freshers are already lining the on your walk of shame, but hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what you really you have a detailed backstory you may as well have had in mind... neatly terraced rows of Jesmond and Heaton. should be considering. How to avoid this becomjust stated that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re single. Instead try reminding

T

How did this all happen so fast?

In many ways getting a new house is like embarking on a new relationship.

Firstly commitment issues are experienced. This is a big leap, the leap from living in halls to living in suburbia. The questions that are now plaguing everyday life resemble something like this - is it all too early to jump in and commit? It is possible, however, that a failure to commit could lead to single life forever. If everyone else is signed to houses you could just end up the only one without one of these elusive relationships. So should you be picky and choose the true love of your life or simply pick any Tom, Dick or Harry in fear of a life of loneliness?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;So should you be picky and choose the love of your life or simply pick any Tom, Dick or Harry?â&#x20AC;?

When you have finally made that commitment, however, and are situated in this new relationship, the new house meeting indeed feels like a very first date. Whereas before you have been friendly and completely yourself, you are now reduced to awkward laughter. The bond you now share has been taken from a normal friendly level to something more meaningful. But, as with every good relationship, the first meeting is strong. After the date you are all so keen on talking no three day rule is kept, but a house WhatsApp group is automatically created. The relationship in its early stages is sound, fun and happy. We all just hope that a year down the line when the house is actually moved into, the relationship is still in its honeymoon phase.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The classic patronising attitude of those in relationships has also become apparent. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Oh you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a house?â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;?

This is not a secret first date either, after a while it cannot be kept to yourselves â&#x20AC;&#x201C; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all too exciting. A week ago the house chat was kept in upmost secrecy, now this has changed and houses have become a factor in almost every conversation. This I must say is alienating and distressing to those who are still single; they do not want your relationship rubbed in their lonely faces!

The classic patronising attitude of those in relationships has also become apparent. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Oh you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a house?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; a friend will ask with a shocked tone. Sadly there are some who are not loosers or socially inept, but simply do not fit into a group or just missed out on the whole dating process. So just a word of warning for those in the love bubble, leave your pity at your house and let everyone develop along the journey in their own time.

The housing issue seems like a humming hive, all the bees going out and searching for their nectar. The dopey bees, however, are left thinking itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too soon to wake up from hibernation and would really rather go back to bed. Possibly in a couple of months everyone will have a relationship status, but currently I think that the singletons want the house chat to fuck off and the PDAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to lie low, before being trapped into yet another relationship commitment.

I

ing a common occurrence.

Short of eating a dozen garlic bulbs to give yourself the equivalent repulsion rating of a dragonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fire breath your options on how to go home alone at the end of the night can seem limited. However, follow these guidelines and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never have to parade last nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vicars and tarts social costume down Loverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lane again.

them of all the work they should be doing, even if they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any to do there is no bigger turn off than the word â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;homeworkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. The idea of hours of procrastination where happiness can be found solely through yik yak notifications assuring you that other people find you funny too will instantly dampen any potential sparks.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Develop a dance technique capable of clearing at least a metre radius around youâ&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Short of eating a dozen garlic bulbs your options on how to go home alone at the end of the night can seem limitedâ&#x20AC;?

Failing all of these your best option is to take a really, really long bathroom break in the hope that they will lose interest and move on. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also worth noting that it makes it easier to reject someone if you are clear in your mind of what you want.

Everything can get a bit blurry after a few jaeger bombs but generally no one is going to force you to do anything you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want so if you have no intention of leaving with someone who youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve only just met itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s relatively easy to just say no and use the occasional gentle push to get the really persistent ones away. Just try not to be mean or do too much damage to anyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ego, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not really fair to lead someone on all night then tell them youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not interested, so make your mind up early on. If in the heat of the moment all this advice gets forgotten just remember you do only live once and those stares are only half disapproving after all.

My first suggestion is to take a bodyguard with you every time you go out, someone to act as your anti-wingman and fend off anyone once theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve outstepped their welcome. The closer their resemblance to Captain America the better, but in this situation anyone loyal enough to stick with you all night and save you from temptation will do. Just make sure theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re clear on their role or they could end up being tonightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mistake!

Another tried and tested method of suddenly repelling unwanted attention is to develop a dance technique capable of clearing at least a meter radius around you. This is a good way to ensure you get the attention you crave without it leading anywhere. Just be careful because flailing arms can po-

Your  best  worst  friends

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I

tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s November, which means youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve being living with your flatmates for almost 2 months.

Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a fresher and are living with a group of people randomly selected by a computer programme or you chose to live with these people, you probably hate them by now, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s okay.

The most irritating thing your flatmates can do is steal your food. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not just talking a dash of milk or butter for their toast, by now theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got more adventurous and have started stealing more controversial items, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll start to find your bread running out at double speed, your block of cheese (which is expensive stuff) is half the size you left it and all you ever seem to have is dregs of fruit juice even though you only made the trip to Tesco yesterday.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve gotten past the polite stage of people never forgetting to buy loo roll, or rinse the shower out after useâ&#x20AC;?

Student loans are beginning to run dry after your flatmates have spent the past few months, endlessly buying trebles around the toon and then not being able to afford their food shop. The problem with all these stolen snacks is exacerbated by

the fact that your flat mates probably donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t clear up the mess they make after preparing your food for their meals. Your communal kitchen work surfaces are covered in crumbs, old butter knives and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a stack of unwashed plates in the corner, none of which are yours yet you still have to live in the chaotic crockery pile left, as your pride is still in tact so why should you have to clean up again?

You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t escape your flat mates presence in the bathroom either. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re lucky enough to have your own, do not take it for granted as as soon as you start sharing facilities, its all going down hill again. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve gotten past the polite stage of people never forgetting to buy toilet roll or rinse the shower out after use, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all pretty comfortable now but thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no reason why you have to always keep a spare loo roll in your room just in case or come out the shower hairier than you went in (if you catch my drift).

These common courtesies are not difficult yet still seem to slip your flatmates mind adding to the list of why you hate them. You think youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be safe in your room, the one place they canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make messy or get away with not cleaning, your untouchable space where everything is as you want it. Yet your flatmates will work theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re way in somehow to annoy you even further.

Your work load is on the increase which means less time going out and getting (responsibly) drunk and more time stressfully sat at your desk trying to finish your essay which you left to the last minute just because. But your flatmates being the reliably

annoying people they are, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand this and insist on pre-drinking in your flat, so theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re poor music taste blaring through the thin walls means you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t focus. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll probably then follow this by stumbling back in just after youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve managed to sleep and banging on your door at stupid oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;clock in the morning to tell you just how much they love you and that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re sorry for stealing your milk.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll probably follow this up with banging on your door at stupid oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;clock to tell you how much they love youâ&#x20AC;?

To top it all off, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve probably slept with one of them and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all gone wrong so that bumping into them in their towel coming out of the shower is literally the last thing that you want to see, so thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rarely a tension free moment. Especially when your other flatmates know all about this (walls are thin in student houses and people love to talk) and like to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;gently ribâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; you when enforcing a game of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Never Have I Everâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; at pres and making everything 10 times worse, (still too soon guys, ALWAYS too soon).

Even though you know that you love them really, and have already signed next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s housing contract, it makes it more than okay to also hate them.

The Courier

lifestyle.15

Monday 23 November 2015

thecourieronline.co.uk/lifestyle c2.lifestyle@ncl.ac.uk | @CourierLifestyle

The Emotional Drunk

Going on a night out with this friend is an emotional rollercoaster for everyone involved. Whoever says big girls don’t cry needs to have a look in Sinners’ smoking area on a Friday because yes, yes they do. They sob and sob until their perfectly applied mascara is smeared all down their cheeks. Remember that ex-boyfriend from secondary school 3 years back? The one she hasn’t seen, talked to or thought about in years? Well give the emotional one a few vodka lemonades and she’s leaving him 10 missed calls and several needy voice mails (cue Britney Spears, Oops I Did it again). You can attempt to take their phone off them and give them the ‘you’re too good for him’ pep talk but have you ever tried to get in the way of an upset woman?

My advice: don’t even try. Just make sure you’re there for them the next day with a cuppa to help sooth that bruised dignity of theirs.

The ‘No Limits’ Drunk This is the friend you’ll hear chanting ‘shots, shots, shots’ at the bar, at the house party, in the club, in bloody Tesco for all they care.

They think they can hack it but we all know they really can’t. This is the poor pal who consistently peaks too soon and struggles to put one blurry foot in front of the other.

They’ll be dancing against the wall, using it to keep them propped up thinking they’ve got everyone fooled or become acquainted with the toilet floor, because everyone needs 40 winks every now and then.

The rules for dealing with this pain in the neck drunken friend is primarily, and most importantly, take photos. Nothing is funnier than seeing their face the next morning as they look at themselves drunkenly slumped over the toilet. Also they might come in handy one hungover afternoon when you’re craving a pack of Dorritos but can’t be bothered to walk to the shops. A good bribe is always the way forward. And secondly get the poor lass/lad a pint of water and put them in a taxi home.

You think they’ll learn...they never do.

The Predator

This friend ‘don’t see nothing wrong’ with a little bump and grind and they this as a moto to live by. They probably got extremely drunk from the ‘never have I ever’ game at pres. They’ve got the moves and they’ve got the chat and they’ll flirt with everyone and anyone. I suggest you just leave them to crack on. Let’s face it you’re probably not going see them for long once you’re out as they’ll mysteriously disappear fairly swiftly.

Try your hardest to avoid one on one situation as you’ll swiftly be dropped and left all alone. And to be honest, there’s nothing that will get in the way of this predator on their mission, just say a prayer for their poor victim.

Drunk Personality Disorder Hannah Sharratt walks us through the different types of drunk that we all know but only sometimes love.

The Snapchat Royalty Every student loves forgetting our essay is due in for tomorrow, letting our hair down and maybe getting a little more intoxicated than recommended but it’s all ok because our wreckless and occasionally embarrassing night out antics stay between friends. Except, that is, when one of your friends happens to be the champion of drunken snapchats. We all know the one; they’ve got a 177 minute snapchat story on the go every night out they go out of them singing (shouting offensively out of tune) in a club. As soon as you see this friend whip out their phone and click on that all too well known yellow app, RUN! Or at least cover your face and stop belting your heart out to Beyoncé while she’s recording her 10 seconds of fame. And don’t even think of going to McDonald’s with them at the end of the night, they will without a doubt manage to capture you with ketchup dripping down your chin drunkenly revealing your darkest secrets.

Overheard on Campus There was a girl in my Geography lecture and she genuinely uttered the words “Anywhere past Manchester is practically Scotland”

“To be honest, there’s nothing that will get in the way of this predator on their mission, just say a prayer for their victim”

The Lost Cause Drunk

Everyone has a lost cause drunk in their lives, the one that tests your patience more than your 3 year old sibling. A night out with them, without fail, involves at least one lost phone/keys/ purse/wallet scare. There’s even times they manage to lose items of clothing and shoes. They have the disappearance act down to a tee, I’m sure they have an invisibility cloak or something.

However, do not panic. You always manage to find them, care free with some new found friends, completely oblivious to the stress they’ve caused you. 9 times out of 10 that lost phone which they repeatedly and dramatically convinced you had been stolen, has in fact been safely tucked away in their pocket the whole time. No. 1 rule for dealing with this friend is simply stay chilled and go with the flow, and of course check their pockets or bag before you waste half of your night searching the dingy corners of the club for whatever they decide that night’s lost item may be.

In Mensbar on Saturday night before Throwback, a boy at the bar exclaimed aloud: “Wait, what?

No Grey Goose?

Seriously?”

“At Campus Coffee, one of the women was literally calling out the food order for about 10 minutes, until someone claimed it. Awkward.”

Foody Foddy

Columnist Emma Foddy reviews Newcastle’s very own Nandos, Chicken Coop House

I

decided to try the Coop Chicken House simply because it was one of the few restaurants open on a Sunday night. It is clearly popular as there was a constant flow of diners trickling in right up until they stopped serving food at 8.

The location is ideal as it is right next to Central Station, therefore it’s easily accessible by metro and parking is available close by. Of course, another selling-point is that it’s surrounded by bars, pubs and clubs, just in case you wanted to make a night of it.

The atmosphere is very laid back. It is decorated as a simple diner, with some unique quirks such as a pile of chopped logs in the corner and metal pipes running along the ceiling to give the place a rustic vibe. It works. The dress code is casual; this is a no frills restaurant.

I have to say the menu is similar to Nando’s, however there are some added extras. All the ingredients down to the sauces are sourced from independent, local producers. There is an extensive choice of sauces (I would guess about 30!), ranging in spice. I played it safe with a fantastically flavoursome garlic and ginger sticky sauce.

Coop Chicken House boasts ‘simple food done well with a laid back, non-fussy approach’ and we certainly found this to be true. The food is chicken, it’s as simple as that, but if you’re a lover of chicken you will fall head over heels with this restaurant.

They cook it to perfection; wood-fired over a flame pit so that it is crispy and charred on the outside yet succulent on the inside. It was lip-smackingly good.

You can order a quarter, half or whole chicken and it is served in portioned pieces so you do not have to carve it yourself; you can just dive straight in. I should mention they offer a veggie option, so do not be put off if you’re dining with someone who does not love chicken quite as much as you do!

“If you’re feeling peckish, make sure you give Chicken Coop House a go!”

The sides offered include two of my personal faves; charred buttery corn-on-the-cob and sweet potato fries, amongst others. For desert my boyfriend and I shared (although I wish we hadn’t!) a peanut butter slab, which was to die for! Imagine a thick layer of crunchy peanut butter coated in solid chocolate, topped off with a ginormous scoop of vanilla-seed icecream. It was naughty but delicious. Withfr an extensive beer and wine selection to wash all of this down, this restaurant is very high on my list and I will definitely be returning.

The service couldn’t be faulted and the food came in just over five minutes- we’d barely taken our coats off! The only thing I would say is that by the time you have paid for the chicken, a side, a sauce and a glass of wine, you are paying slightly more than I would expect for a restaurant as casual as this one. However, don’t let this put you off, as on Mondays they offer 20% off the food bill and a refillable soft drink with a valid student card.

Foody Foddy could not recommend the Coop Chicken House more highly for those who are looking to enjoy a casual meal out and, well, chicken. It is cooked to perfection and the sauces served in shot glasses add a little something extra to spice up the meal.

If you’re feeling peckish (I’m sorry, even I’m cringing!) give this one a go.

25 Collingwood Street, Newcastle, NE1 1JE

16.fashion

Monday 23 November 2015

The Courier

Fashion Editors: Ellen Dixon, Liz Rosling & Sara Macauley

Sub-­culture style: Punk

Victoria’s Secret 2015

Sara Macauley investigates Rosie Setford gives us the low-­down on the most talked about fashion show of the sartorial year the trend-­defying movement of the seventies, explaining why we

Victoria Secret

should all get punked up

I

f you’re asked to imagine ‘punk fashion,’ I’d bet my last penny that you’re dreaming up images of leather trouser rocking, clumpy new rock wearing, spiked haired smoky-bar dwellers.

With its origins in New York City nightlife, it was said that the notorious Punk movement which was set to rebel against the late sixties ‘summer of love’ found a home in the infamous dive bar CBGB’s. Punk veterans Debbie Harry, Patti Smith and The Ramones were just a few of the star studded crowd to grace the beer stained carpet of this antiestablishment hub.

Across the pond, you might be a bit more surprised to learn that the Kings Road, an area now saturated with Made in Chelsea-like socialites, was actually at the forefront of the rebel- fashion movement when it all began. In the late seventies, the now prestigious area of Chelsea which prides itself on style and finesse was once the British heart of the archaic punk fashion phase. You were far more likely to hear the thumping vibrations of rock and roll music than the click clack of stilettos.

The Queen of rebellion and famed anarchist that is Vivienne Westwood was of course at the centre of punk-mania, not least because of her ties to Sex Pistol’s manager Malcolm McLaren.

The Punk power couple were figure heads for one of fashion’s most defiant trends, and their shop, appropriately named ‘Sex,’ stocked the staples which attracted Punks from all over the country.

“As a lifelong advocate of all black fashion and a lover of leather, I’m more than a bit pleased that the punk trend isn’t dead”

Carbon black leather jackets, slashed slogan tee’s and skin tight jeans lined the walls, and the shop was staffed by none other than Glen Matlock, bass player of the Sex Pistols and Chrissie Hynde, front woman of The Pretenders. Rubber outfits, zips and bondage outfits were bought en mass, and sex was selling like never before.

Today, punk fashion has been distilled into mainstream fashion and influences of the rebellion could be found in Louis Vuitton’s SS16 catwalk collection which featured bubblegum pink leather jackets edged with black duct tape, and creeper shoes clumpier than any Clarks school range. Netted mesh tops featuring cold shoulders were worn by raven haired models, and denim boilersuits were punked up with spiked handbags and shoes which could cause serious damage.

Thankfully, the good old British High Street is currently offering some less-fear inducing items in the form of eyelet punched bodycon dresses from Topshop and tassled leather skirts from H&M. Online, you can always count on Motel Rocks to pack a punch.

If you fancy giving the punk trend a try, I’d vote pairing a retro band tee with your leather of choice (a tassle skirt, skin tight trousers or a fierce jacket are all good options) and finishing the look off with a pair of old classics – Doc Martens. As a lifelong advocate of all black fashion and a lover of leather, I’m more than a bit pleased that the punk trend isn’t dead. If you’re after a sartorial shake up this winter , going punk is guaranteed to boost your confidence. Release your inner rebel and get punked up. leather tassle skirt: H&M

N

othing says Christmas is coming more than the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show (well in my opinion anyway!) On the morning of the 11th November, my Instagram feed was jam-packed with all the amazing photos from the night before at Lexington Avenue Armoury in NYC. The angels spread their wings for the 20th annual runway, strutting their stuff with their to-die-for abs and everlasting legs.

This year’s line-up included a number of familiar faces including Candice Swanepoel, Lily Aldridge and Behati Prinsloo, as well as some notable new additions, including Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid. The American 29-year-old, Lily Aldridge, was given the honour of modelling the $2 million ‘Firework’ Fantasy bra encrusted with 6,500 precious gems. The bra’s designer, Pascal Mouawad, took inspiration from the explosive sky displays, using a variety of coloured gems like garnet, sapphire, topaz and quartz, all set in 18 carat gold. The rest of Lily’s ensemble continued to emulate opulence with a diamond belt and panties, amounting to a total of a whopping 1,364 carats. However, in comparison to previous Fantasy Bras, the ‘Fire-

work’ bra was relatively cheap. Last year, Adriana Lima and Alessandra Ambrosio modelled the pair of ‘Dream Angels’ Fantasy Bras which, together, totalled $4 million. In 2013, Candice Swanepoel sported ‘The Royal’ Fantasy Bra which amounted to no less than $10 million!

‘‘Victoria’s Secret has helped to change attitudes in the fashion industry towards underwear, making it something for women to appreciate and take pride in’’

In this year’s show, two new models may have been the most talked about angels of the year; Kendall and Gigi. Both the 20-year olds surpassed all expectations with their runway looks, holding their own to the more experienced angels. They were both given appearances in two of the six parts of the show; Gigi in the Pink U.S.A and Butterfly segments, and Kendall in the Boho Psychedelic and Ice Angel sections. Both of the world famous supermodels sported the perfect Angel look, with loosely tousled locks and natural but sultry make

up. As best friends, the models both professed on social media how excited they were to be sharing the experience of walking for the Victoria’s Secret fashion show for the first time together.

The Victoria’s Secret lingerie line is probably THE most famous across the world. It has helped to change attitudes in the fashion industry towards underwear, making it something for women to appreciate and take pride in. In the earlier advertisements for Victoria’s Secret, the underwear was much more covered-up and conservative compared to the racy pieces we see today. The designers make each runway look a piece of art, with each year bringing more elaborate, more decadent and more imaginative ways of wearing lingerie.

Our screens will be dazzled with the 2015 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show on the 8th December.

Not only will we be able to see our favourite angels strut their stuff down the catwalk, but we will also be able to witness the remarkable talent of three artists; Ellie Goulding, Selena Gomez and The Weeknd. You really do not want to miss the most talked-about fashion show of the year.

You’ve got a trend in me: velvet

Izzy Patterson tells us which trends are hot right now, and which need to be left in summer

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ith the depths of winter fast approaching and the festive season creeping upon us, the latest trend to watch on the catwalk and the high street is all about the velvet.

A trend that often comes round when Christmas time approaches, its sure to provide a safe bet for garments you can whack out every yuletide. Inspired by 90’s grunge and the 80’s rocking the runways, rich velvets littered the catwalks this year, taking centre stage at shows such as Georgio Armani, Christopher Kane and Alexander Wang.

Available in a multitude of different items from cocktail dresses, boots, suits, and tops, velvet packs the perfect punch for the party season. High street stores such as Topshop currently have power suits and boots perfectly tailored for the androgynous trend. Available in rich royal velvet blues and Christmas tree greens, they offer an awesome al-

ternative for making a statement this season. Guaranteed to stick around until spring comes, celebs such as Gigi Hadid, Alexa Chung and Elizabeth Olsen have been spotted rocking the tactile trend.

“A trend that often comes round when Christmas time approaches, its sure to provide a safe bet for garments you can whack out every yuletide” Albeit difficult to tackle without risk of looking like a member of The Addams family or your grandma’s carpet and overdosing on the ‘dark romance’ theme, velvet can be worked into your wardrobe even in the most subtle ways. Key to nailing the trend is to go for higher quality fin-

ishes to the material, to reduce the risk of looking cheap. From just a simple pair of high waisted black velvet jeans to even just throwing on a red velvet scrunchie, anyone can try this. For those who are feeling a bit more daring, Zara have just nailed the velvet vibe, introducing velvet turban headbands into their Autumn/ Winter collection; perfect for the risk-takers this season.

Lads can also get themselves on board with the velvet vibe, whether it’s throwing on a velvet blazer or rocking a crushed velvet tee, this luxe trend can be worked by anyone.

Here are some of the best offerings on the high street this season to work this vintage- vampire look, rocked since the days of the 17th- century royals, perfectly apt for the colder weather, providing the perfect juxtaposition of Baltic temperatures with a warmer looking attire.

All items: Topshop

This Velvet bomber jacket from Topshop provides the perfect marriage of delicate embroidery and distinctive velvet to rock a grungy look in the upcoming months.

A plush velvet backpack provides a great way of dipping your toe into the water with the velvet trend, and really vamps up an essential accessory for the Winter months.

This burgundy velvet blazer offers a great option for you guys who are wanting to go suave, all out in velvet. Working perfectly for the upcoming party season.

The Courier

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Monday 23 November 2015

thecourieronline.co.uk/fashion Instagram:@thecourierfashion | Facebook: facebook.com/thecourierfash |Email: c2.fashion@ncl.ac.uk

Men of the fashion world

Jo Bentham tells us about a triplet of British men who are leading the male fashion pack right now

Unlikely style icon: The Gruffalo

Megan Long charts the growing success of The Gruffalo, making it clear why he gets our vote as unexpected style icon Reiss

flickr

@just_youtubers88 @jimalfredchapman

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hough much less coveted, men’s fashion is just as diverse in colour and design as women’s. Three men who are leading the way in the fashion world are Jim Chapman, Oliver Cheshire and Douglas Booth. These men have their own styles and represent British style to a T and prove that the British male knows how to dress, just as much as the women in the industry.

27 year old Jim Chapman is best known for his goofy Youtube vlogs in which he has attempted yoga, baking and pranking fellow Youtubers, to name a few. He’s the equally famous other half of Tanya burr, the gorgeous fashion and beauty blogger. However, he is also fast climbing the list of the best dressed men in Britain and has officially gained the title of male style icon.

Jim undoubtedly knows how to dress down, he can make even a sweatshirt and skinny jeans look impeccably stylish. He’s often seen wearing Burberry, with their classic wool coats his go-to item.

When it comes to events and the red carpet however, Jim is accustomed to the oh-so-British waistcoat and the man knows how to rock a fedora which tops off his geek-chic look perfectly.

@olivercheshire1

@urbanguys

@selectmodelmgmt

@jonababez_covet

Another gloriously styled male fashion icon is Oliver Cheshire. The 27 year old model - whose portfolio includes shoots for Hugo Boss and Versace – has a classically British style, which is no wonder when you take into consideration that he’s the face of major British retailer Marks and Spencer’s ‘Autograph’ clothing line.

‘‘Their diversity and uniqueness is what makes them so stylish and relatable and its an added bonus that they’re all so ridiculously talented’’

He’s a regular attendee of the front row at LCM shows, and always looks effortlessly elegant. His style is particularly diverse, ranging from quirky, bright jackets and white suits to the timeless black tuxedo. He’s also a pro at accessorising, regularly showing off his extensive sunglasses collection on Instagram. Oliver is the master of pulling off anything he throws on and naturally he can pull off double denim.

Last but certainly not least, we have 23 year old heartthrob Douglas Booth who manages to steal

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the show wherever he goes with his cool, effortless style. As well as being an accomplished actor and model, starring in films such as Noah along side Russell Crowe, Douglas is also a humanitarian, taking part in numerous rallies and charitable activities for issues such as the Syrian refugee crisis. Let’s be honest, nothing makes a man more appealing and stylish than just generally being a good person, but Douglas’ eye for style is what has gained him his male style icon role. Literally anything. His blacked out sunglasses regularly seen on his Instagram account oozes unruffled coolness and his naturally messy hair and stubble give him major style points. His style is very à la mode, with his patterned shirts giving a cool modern take on the 70’s vibe. He’s also not one to go for the classic suit look for special events either, and he often opts for a more quirky and unique outfit with pale blue suits and white shirts or a white tuxedo jacket and black trousers. These three could easily be style icons for every male out there, no matter their style preference. Their diversity and uniqueness is what makes them so stylish and relatable and its an added bonus that they’re all so ridiculously talented.

Spotted on campus

@annika.paprika

This week Lottie Bovill and Lara Cooper scout out our most fashionable students

Mark

Harriet

Course: Biomedical Science Age: 21

Course: History Age: 20

“My jacket is from a vintage store in Newcastle, the trousers are from Next and my boots are great for the winter weather!”

Worst trend: The man bun!

If you could ask any famous person to a dinner party who would it be and why?

“My favourite actor Bryan Cranston.”

“I got my coat from Zara, my hat is from Topshop and my pink bag is from H&M.” Style icon: Kylie Jenner What is your favourite place to get food after a night out in Newcastle? “I would definitely say Flame & Grill, it can be found nestled in next to Digital.”

John Sebastian

Abby

Course: Architecture Age: 19

Course: Fine Art Age: 19

“My scarf is from a boutique in London and my shirt is from H&M. Both my jeans and Shoes are from Zara.”

Have you ever had a really embarrassing moment on a night out in Newcastle?

“My friends had to wake me up in a club at the end of the evening while I was sleeping on the club’s stairs. ”

“My jacket is Yves Saint Laurent and my T-shirt is vintage - it was my mums!”

Style icon: Taylor Momsen What did you want to be when you were young?

“I really wanted to be a teacher but now I’d definitely say I want to become an artist.”

Topshop

hen The Gruffalo first rose to fame we never envisaged the influence he would one day hold over the fashion world.

He has never seen himself as an inspiration to catwalk collections, yet across the Globe he has undoubtedly had an unprecedented effect on them.

Remaining humble about his look and describing a regular day as having minimal effort on getting ready, he rivals Hollywood stars’ ‘just got out of bed look’. He always keeps styling to a minimum and exclusively uses natural products to enhance his look, often attributing his diet as assisting in helping keep himself look good.

As a style icon he has remained a man of mystery, very rarely giving interviews himself, yet his appearance is frequently commented on by his fans and those who fear him, giving him legend status. The Gruffalo’s look is classic and one that has never changed.

“He’s the inspiration behind MAC’s ‘orange’ eyeshadow that Cara Delevingne sported”

His impact on designers began as early as 2012 when Iris Van Herpen debuted her ‘monster boots’.

Herpen was one of the first to use The Gruffalo as a muse generating a collection of boots with heels created from tusks, mirroring the tusks that The Gruffalo had been sporting since the beginning of his career. It is rumoured that he receives a 20% cut of the shoe collection’s profit after a lengthy court battle saw his lawsuit against Herpen successful.

From Herpen to now, The Gruffalo’s hold over fashion has continued growing. His fur is the envy of all that know him and with this in mind, designers from Michael Kors to Reiss have revealed long fur coats in a chocolate brown for their AW15 collections (the Reiss ALBA coat coming in at £350).

Exclusively photographed in the woodlands, The Gruffalo’s style is influenced by nature, laced with ferocity to give his style the extra edge. Nature has been a key thread in collections for high street retailer Topshop who named their key trend for AW ‘winter garden’, and taking tips from The Gruffalo’s style, combined fur and natural woodland influences in the collection.

The Gruffalo previously commented that his bright orange eyes were something he felt insecure about whilst growing up, but now, embracing his insecurities he has been the inspiration behind Mac’s ‘Orange’ eyeshadow that Cara Delevingne sported to her Australian premier of ‘Paper Towns’ this summer.

The Gruffalo’s style is becoming more than just a character to dress up as during book weeks at Primary school.

As The Gruffalo’s presence in fashion develops expect to see jackets embellished in purple prickles and horned headbands next season. Secretly we are hoping for a H&M X Gruffalo collaboration which rivals Balmain X H&M but we don’t know if the world is quite ready for it yet. @hillofcontentbalmain

18.beauty

Monday 23 November 2015

The Courier

Beauty Editors: Flora Davies, Ellen Walker & Lucy Cochrane

Hot Stripped bare: battle

Ombre lips

Thinking of getting a Naked palette this Christmas? Molly Harris, Abi Walker and

Using an optical illusion to make your lips appear plumper, this beauty trick is a sleek and sylish trend for the autumn/winter season. Dark berry colours on the outside and a slightly brighter pink in the middle works really well! You could even a touch of highlighter in the middle for that extra bit of depth.

Natural skin

This winter, try ditching the fake tan for a night and embrace your natural skin tone. Pale skin teamed with red lips can look really classy and sophistcated. It’ll also cut hours off your pre-night out prep time.

St Tropez in-­shower fake tan Although this product sounded very

promising and revolutionary to us all when it was first released, we’ve found it takes a lot of application to build up a decent colour. It’s also a bit of a faff and the quality of outcome really didn’t match up to the original product, really isn’t worth the money.

Overdrawn lips

Kylie Jenner brought is this trend last year with claims that her plumped up lips were, in fact just make up. While we all spent the following few months awaiting the return of ‘whirl’ so MAC’s stores so we could mirror Kylie, we’re now over this fake-looking pout and plan on putting our nude liners to bed for a bit.

White nails

While we were all going crazy for this simplistic summer look that made your tan look fantastic, it’s definitely something that should be left on the beach with your sunnies for another year. Winter white nails can often end up looking a bit tacky, best sticking to deeper, more autumnal colours for an on-trend look.

Not Beauty tip of the week For those of us who can’t afford a top quality, salon manicure or simply lack the ability to wait an extra five or ten minutes before opening packets of Waitrose essential biscuits with our freshly painted talons, smudging is a REAL issue. Whether it’s a fast, fresh, French polish in between lectures or a quick slick of red to tie your Friday night outfit together with the taxi approaching imminently, the last thing a girl on the go needs is to worry about drying time and tacky, smudge-prone nails. Fear no more! After applying your polish, simply give it a minute or two and dunk them in some cold water (if you have any ice, then add a couple of cubes to the water for better results) and voila!

The cold water helps to set and solidify the polish throughout as opposed to just the top surface. Perfect polish every time!

Phoebe Ord

Naked 2

Naked 1

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ithout question, the Naked 2 is not only the best Naked palette, but possibly the best all round eyeshadow palette of all time. If you’re looking to splurge on an eyeshadow palette that will take you through all the seasons, Naked 2 is the one to choose!

For me, it’s the perfect compromise between the original Naked palette and Naked 3, offering some purple-pink shades reminiscent of Naked 3, but has the bronze/ brown goodness of the original palette in there too.

Naked 2 is mostly cool toned which makes it ideal for every season and every skin tone.

he original and in my opinion- the best. This product is what started it all and is an essential in every girls make up collection.

As it was the first one released, the packaging is perhaps the least glamorous of the four possible palettes, with its brown suede exterior it is easily dirtied (mine is covered in finger prints and foundation splodges but that only goes to show how well loved it’s been over the years). However it’s not what’s on the outside that counts. Inside, the palette is made up of twelve beautiful gold-hued shades, it’s the perfect palette to create everything from a bronzy smoky eye to a subtle every daytime look. I wouldn’t let the hefty £38.00 price tag scare you off, it is well worth the money, mine has lasted me over two years and I’ve only hit the pan on my favourite shades. However as students, £38 is a lot of money, but fear not, there is an array of dupes on the market no matter what your budget: 1. W7 In The Buff Palette in Lightly Toasted, £9.95 2. Sleek i-Divine Palette in Storm, £7.99 3. Makeup Revolution London Naked Dupe Eye Shadow Palette Romantic, £4.00 All these dupes just go to show the enduring popularity of the naked palette. With the Victoria Secret fashion show all over social media last week, Naked 1 is the only palette you’ll need to replicate that famous VS bronzy golden look. Half Baked is the perfect base to get that desirable golden-hue. If full out VS is not for you, here are some alternative ideas: My favourite shades within the palette to create an everyday look: Naked all over the lid. Buck in the crease (the two matte shades) and sidecar for a little extra shimmer. The best shades for a smoky eye: Half Baked all over the eye lid, Buck in the crease Smog, and Hustle in the outer corner and a little under the eye to elongate the eyes shape for the perfect smoky effect.

And Finally, my favourite You Tube tutorial for the palette would have to be ‘Victoria Secret Bronze Glow Makeup Tutorial’ by Pixiwoo.

“I find the warm tones of the original Naked palette to be too warm for my skin, Naked 2 is a perfect balance for every skin tone”

As someone with a skin tone, which can be described as a little paler than ‘corpse-like’, I often find the warm tones of the original Naked palette to be slightly too warm for my skin, whereas Naked 2 is a perfect balance for every skin tone. By far the most versatile of the palettes, the Naked 2 is the sort of palette you can use for an everyday look just going to university, or alternatively for an intense smoky eye for a night out. While Naked 3 is undoubtedly a lovely palette consisting of rose gold hues to sweep during the day and if like me, you love a good heavy eye makeup look when you hit Digi Mondays- Naked 3 is not the one for you. When it comes to packaging, Naked 2 is also a clear winner. The original palette is well known for its cardboard packaging, with it being lightweight, it’s perfect to take on the go, however the packaging easily attracts unwanted grime.

Whist I’m a big fan of the Naked 3 and Naked Smoky packaging, Naked 2 is the most iconic and simplistic of them all, and I’m definitely not just saying that because I’m an unapologetic Naked 2 fanatic. For a palette that is versatile in colour and shade intensity, which will take you from day to night and winter to summer- Naked 2 is the winner of this battle.

Abi Walker

Molly Harris

Winter skin combat

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o matter how much we love Christmas, we cannot deny our skin becomes vulnerable during the winter season. Here are some products that are particularly useful in our battle against the cold and dry weather. v

Sleeping Masks We all feel like skipping our night serums and creams at times, which is definitely a no-no in winter. However, sleeping masks (or sleeping packs) could be your solution. Originateingin Korea, the sleeping pack had soon conquered the Asian market. The drill is simple - spread the mask all over your face and leave it overnight whilst sleeping, wash it off next morning. Sleeping masks may sound like a strange idea to those who have never heard of them, but most new formulas have thin textures that would never make you feel sticky or uncomfortable over the night. The product moisturises your skin instantly and you will feel fresh and radiant the next day - perfect if you just had a late night, or are simply too lazy to stick to a daily facial routine. Sleeping masks are not widely known in the UK yet, therefore choices are limited.

Try Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask To Quench Skin’s Thirst (£20.7) or innisfree Green tea sleeping pack (£10) (available online only at the moment).

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Facial oil While cream moisturisers are great for keeping your skin hydrated and balanced under normal conditions, they are not as effective as oils when the air gets cold and dry. Face oil contains fatty acid that is essential to keep your skin hydrated, that you don’t naturally produce.

“The product moisturises your skin instantly and you will feel fresh and radiant the next day - perfect if you just had a late night, or are simply too lazy to stick to a daily facial routine”

It may seem too greasy to put oil on your face, but in fact face oil absorbs into your skin quickly under the current dry conditions. Apply after using toner and follow with your serum and moisturiser as normal. It helps your skin to absorb your cream more thoroughly. Try Neal’s Yard Remedies Rehydrating Rose Facial Oil (£20) or Body Shop Oils of Life Intensely Revitalising Facial Oil (£28). v

Lip Balm Never forget to take care of the lips and eyes - they are the most delicate areas of your face, once fine lines are developed, it is really difficult to reverse

the effect.

The good news is that keeping your lips hydrated does not mean that you have to stop wearing bright lipstick colours. You could go for the classic lip balm or Vaseline, but many lipsticks and lip-gloss now also provide excellent moisture benefits, so try to look for products with lip care elements, for example, vitamin E or oil. Dior Addict Lip Maximiser (£21.15) is not only enriched with collagen to offer maximum hydration, it also promises to plump up your lips; whereas Bobbi Brown Creamy Lip Colour (£20) contains plant-based nutrients and shea utter with choice of 13 different colours! v

Eye cream You may want to change your eye cream to a thicker, creamier formula to cope with dryness. Yves Saint Laurent Forever Youth Liberator Eye Cream (£45) is not only refreshing but also can illuminate your skin. Apply by tapping lightly under the eye area. Be careful of the amount you use as excess eye cream can cause milia. If the patting sounds too complicated, try eye rollers like Clinique All About Eyes Serum De-puffing Eye Massage.

Last reminder – if you want your skincare products to do the magic, always apply them within 3 minutes after shower or facewash.

The Courier

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Monday 23 November 2015

thecourieronline.co.uk/beauty Instagram @courierbeauty_ | Twitter @CourierBeauty

of the Naked palettes

Best Beauty Read Nathasya Gunawan gives us a run down of her current favourite beauty blog

Lois Johnston bring us this handy guide to help you decide which one to go for

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Naked Smokey

Naked 3

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on’t get me wrong I love the Naked 3 palette, with its cute pink exterior and even cuter collection of twelve pink shades it makes you feel like, well, how twelve glittery eyeshadows would make any girl feel.

But that’s the problem, the whole palette is pink! It’s definitely the least versatile of the four palettes. Naked 3 was the first out of the collection that I bought. I have green eyes and pink is a complementary colour, by using a complimentary colour it will make your eyes stand out more which is what all of us want out of an eye shadow.

“I have green eyes and pink is a complementary colour, by using a complimentary colour it will make your eyes stand out more which is what all of us want out of an eye shadow” However, after playing with it for a few weeks I became bored, I got into a routine of using Burnout, Buzz and Liar and didn’t really use many of the other shades. On nights out I would find myself reaching for my friend’s palettes that had Naked 1 and 2.

Having said that you can create some really pretty looks: The best shades for every day: Strange all over the eye lid, Limit in the crease, and Nooner in the outer corner of the eye– I tend to think matte shades are better for every day and save the glitter for nights out, but if you want to add a little sparkle I think Dust is a really nice baby pink. The best shades for a nighttime look: Liar on the base, Factory in the crease and Liar on the outer corner and under the eye, and a little dust in the inner corner to widen the eye. For a YouTube tutorial on how to create the best look with the Naked 3, why not watch Soft & Sultry by KathleenLights.

Instagram: @urbandecaycosmetics

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he most recent of the Naked Palette releases, this palette received a bit of backlash when it was first released, with critics claiming that the Naked Palette launches have been coming too thick and fast.

It’s no doubt that this is worth the Naked hype and besides, the palettes keep delivering.

Containing four glittery shades, four shimmer shades and four matte hues, there is something for everyone in the Naked Smoky. The neutral tones are easily wearable for anybody and it is so simple to take an everyday look into the night time with the middle shades. A large mirror is included and, in my opinion, the sturdy plastic packaging on the Smoky Palette is the best from the whole range of Naked Palettes.

“It’s no doubt that this is worth the Naked hype and besides, the palettes keep delivering. Containing four glittery shades, four shimmer shades and four matte hues, there is something for everyone in the Naked Smoky” One of the best things about this palette, is the double-ended brush it comes with. One end has a smaller head to make smudging underneath the lash line and the outer corners a lot easier. The other end is a larger, fluffy blending brush which gets rid of any harsh lines between the shades and is perfect for blending the outer edges out towards the brow bone. Price wise, the Naked Palettes are definitely higher end retailing from urban decay priced at £38, however, I would say they’re worth the price as Urban Decay produce the best eyeshadows out there. They’re very well pigmented, have hardly any fall out, are easily buildable and for that price you get twelve shadows, which is rare in other high end palettes.

Keeping in line Molly Harris

Lois Johnston

Sally Mu talks us through why it’s best not to wing it when it comes to styling your eyes every day

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hen asked about the best eyeliners, the fantastic, award-winning Bobbi Brown long-wear gel eyeliner would be the first to spring to my mind, it’s the best liner I have found so far.

This highly renowned beauty gem has been around for so long and is very popular now. I’ve repurchased this product several times, if you are just about to try a new kind of eyeliner; I have lots of good reasons for you to go for it.

This water/sweat-resistant formula is housed in a small glass pot and comes in an extensive assortments of shades (over 20) to suit any skin tone, whether you are addicted to classic mattes, or you are a shimmer lover like me (it won’t be too glitzy) — there will be one colour which definitely captures your heart.

I’m very impressed with this product as it sets to an excellent staying power and a truly waterproof finish. The liner’s brilliant gel-cream texture is applied with a brush and goes on smoothly without skipping or dragging, a trait which makes lining the eyes a breeze. Also, this product stays true to its name--it lasts throughout the day without creasing, budging or smudging to make sure your eyes look glamorous and gorgeous.

As with all such eyeliners, the formula is prone to drying out if you aren’t good about recapping the pot tightly after each use. Top tip, try place it on the radiator if it becomes dried out.

The Christian Dior luxurious long-wear eyeliner pencil is also a fab product to recommend, and trust me it’s definitely well worth the money. The highlight of this product is the ultra smooth volatile silicone formula which holds up to its claims of awesome water/sweat-resistance for record wear, even during the heat and humidity of summer and it doesn’t run, even with teary allergy eyes and oily lids like mine.

of the little foam blending tip on the end you can blend the colour very preciously to create a soft smoky look.

The prices of these two liners are slightly expensive, but alternatively, I’d like to recommand the L’Oréal Paris extra-intense liquid pencil eyeliner to those of you who are on a budget. It’s also a great product and is very pigmented, you can easily get a bold smoky eye look with a soft stroke.

This is a great essential eyeliner for every day, it goes on smoothly, and offers rich pigmentation as well as its versatility, which allows you to create subtle as well as dramatic looks. I bought it on a whim to test it out because I have been so impressed with other Dior makeup and skincare products and, of course, I ended up loving it.

It also comes with a sharpener, the liner is made with a soft wood that doesn’t irritate sensitive eyes.

However, if you keep the point sharp, it can make a very refined thin line. More to love, with the help

Instagram: @Bobbibrown

“This product stays true to its name - it lasts throughout the day without creasing, budging or smudging to make sure your eyes look glamorous and gorgeous”

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am one of those people who always go to Google and search for product reviews before I buy something. That includes beauty products. A lot of them can be quite pricey and I don’t want to waste my money on products that have bad reviews. While I was reading product reviews on a foundation that I wanted to buy, I came across a blog called The Sunday Girl.

For the rest of the night, I found myself scrolling through the blog reading other entries and quickly becoming a fan.

The Sunday Girl is owned by a Scottish blogger called Adrienne. Unlike other bloggers who also write on fashion and lifestyle, Adrienne only focuses on beauty products. Also, she doesn’t post videos on YouTube. The blog is jam packed with product reviews and swatches, ranging from the latest makeup releases to nail polish dupes. She updated her blog twice – if not more – daily.

“One of my favourite posts is the 10 quick and easy beauty hacks, which makes my life a little easier when it comes to getting ready”

What drew me to read her reviews in the first place are the photos on her blog. They are very clear which gives me a good idea of how the products look. The photos of her swatches give me an idea of the texture of the product . She also divides her blog into different features like advice, budget beauty, beauty q&a, etc. which makes it easier for people to find specific entries.

Her review of this foundation was the first post I read on her blog. My favourite thing about her review posts is how honest she is with her reviews.

She always starts her entries with detailed and thorough information about the products. Plus, she also has great sense of humour, which is clearly shown in her writing style.

For those who go to blogs for advice, she also writes useful trick and trips. Her entry titled Beauty Tips I Wish I Knew Years Ago seems to be helpful for a lot of readers. They are not ground breaking but definitely include some good pointers in doing makeup. One of my favourite posts is the 10 quick and easy beauty hacks, which makes my life a little easier when it comes to getting ready. She also posts advice on skincare, hair, and bath and body products.

“It’s always exciting to read about products that have the quality of a high-end brand with an affordable price”

She also has a section called Beauty Q&A. If you have any questions regarding beauty products, she might have the answer for you. From questions like what is the best hair conditioner to how to get rid of stretch marks, Adrienne covers them all. Considering that she only started this section in June, so far they are really helpful.

Another reason why the blog is fast becoming my favourite is because it has a good balance of high street and high end products in the blog.

As a student on budget, it’s always exciting to read about products that have the quality of a high-end brand with an affordable price. The Sunday Girl has abundant information on high-street products.

She has a section called Budget Beauty in her blog, which is definitely my favourite. When posting reviews on high-end products, she will also mention budget alternatives to the product, which I found really helpful.

She might be not as popular as the other beauty bloggers, but if you are looking for new beauty blogs to visit, you should definitely check her out.

20.arts

Monday 23 November 2015

The Courier

Arts Editors: Holly Suttle, Emily Watton & Jade Holroyd

Welcome to Fenwicks’ fearsome festivities Ridley uncovers the terrifying truth about the Christmas story Fenwicks are Night Alex really depicting in their windows this season through his satire of their narrative Vale U

Book Review by Charlotte Huggins

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his is a review - it is a collection of words telling you about another collection of words and if that is a worthwhile collection of words to spend an amount of currency on.

You see the review, flicking through the paper when you’re meant to be reading something else.

You may, even, decide to read it. You will don your crown of pigeon feathers, emit a low hum, and carefully read every word, occasionally stopping to nod, or narrow your eyes, or tut. Afterwards you will say “Hm”. Finally, you carefully tear the review from the paper, inch by inch, until it is a neat square of thin paper in your palm. Then you eat it. Then you go on to forget you ever read it just another piece of information in a world of far too much of it. This is, after all, standard reviewreading etiquette.

nless you’re particularly unobservant, or have been making a conscious effort to avoid the oncoming tide of early Christmas promotion, then you’ll have no doubt seen the smorgasbord of twee automata adorning the window of Fenwick’s on Northumberland Street. Nothing much to it, you’d think… but read between the panes, and it becomes apparent there is a complicated, dark narrative behind the cheers…

“It is obvious that they are being used as a metaphor for the pre-colonisation native”

The first two windows depict cadres of elves floating around a fictionalised Newcastle skyline while horrifying child-machines look up at them in wonder. But this heart-warming scene conceals a far darker narrative, a twisted postcolonial retelling of imperial oppression. As the elves swoop by on “magical” candy canes and umbrellas – lest we

forget that native populations believed technology to be “magic” – they spread their ideology, the quasi-religious, quasi-capitalist Christmas to the ignorant, wide-eyed children who populate the windows. It is obvious that they are being used as a metaphor for the pre-colonisation native, Rousseau’s noble savage. Furnished in ill-fitting Christmas trappings – forced upon them by their new Yuletide masters, no doubt – they stare blankly, unable to comprehend their way of life transforming.

Indeed, in the third window it becomes obvious that these Lapland conquistadores bring nothing but trouble to their childish ingénues. With no respect for law – receiving a callously disregarded speeding ticket from the Northumbria Police – Santa, clearly a clever, ironic comparison to the economic forces that compel empire, has crashed his sleigh into a rooftop, which, as the narration squeals, may have “ruined Christmas!” The roof is literally torn away from these poor children by the forces of empire. In their powerless state, all they can hope for is not yuletide glee but hypothermia

“Newcomers will be gratified to know that no previous knowledge of the podcast is needed”

Well, it is in Night Vale. It is a town like any other - one where girl scouts lead revolutions against blood-soaked business people, angels totally do not exist, old oak doors lead to a strange desert otherworld, and absolutely nobody is allowed in the dog park.

This sleepy desert town is the setting of the recently released novel Welcome to Night Vale, based on the popular podcast of the same name. The novel departs from the podcast’s usual radio show format, and instead two minor characters take centre stage: pawn shop owner Jackie Fierro, and single mother Diane Crayton.

Jackie is plagued by a piece of paper pawned at her shop, one that reads simply KING CITY., that she can’t get out of her hand. Diane is desperate to find a man that vanished from her office, one that nobody else can remember, as well as deal with a teenage son that keeps shapeshifting and asking awkward questions about his father.

“Welcome to Night Vale is known for combining surreal humour and existential horror” Both protagonists are interesting, fully realised, and enjoy fascinating relationships with their families and provide a sharp contrast to one another.

Diane’s relationship with her son is especially wellwritten, exploring with humour and sensitivity the love and frustration strained between teenagers and their well-meaning but overbearing parents.

Fans of the podcast will be glad to see a wide range of Night Vale’s most prominent citizens, such as Steven Carlsberg, Old Woman Josie, John Peters (you know, the farmer?), and, of course, beautiful Carlos. However, newcomers will be gratified to know that no previous knowledge of the podcast is needed to understand a thing.

What you do need is an appreciation for Weirdness (capital W). Welcome to Night Vale is known for combining surreal humour and existential horror, and these exist in the novel in abundance.

Some may find it just a little too out there, but for people who love the creepy and the strange, it’s an absolute gift. Welcome to Night Vale strikes a great balance between weirdness and touching explorations of themes such as family and identity, and I’ll admit it choked me up more than once.

For fans of the podcast, the book is an essential buy. For those new to Night Vale, maybe check out an episode or consult your bloodstone circle first.

and a sad death – but this does not worry the winsome narrator. No, they fear that the presents, the trinkets of the bourgeois, may not be delivered in time!

“Does this fantastical conclusion imply that a mundane solution to these modern tensions is impossible?”

For in the fourth window, the fascinating story twists once again, from a story of migration into a tragic Marxist narrative. To save Santa, this incarnation of bourgeois ideals, and ensure his capitalist function is carried out, the elves, the oppressors, are ironically cast into the role of the oppressed, the proletariat. Gripping hammers, cranks and other industrial tools – symbolism reminiscent of the USSR’s iconography – the elves dredge Santa out of the chimney he is stuck in using ropes, combined labour of the “little people”. Though they oppress the innocent children with their iconography, it is revealed here that these Imperialist slavers are in turn slaves to their own system, a tension highlighted by the ropes festooning Santa’s legs. Might these ropes also be the tools of the future Elf Revolution?

And yet the narrative provides us with no satisfactory answer. The final window reveals that all of these troubles were solved by a magic carpet, a starkly unreal twist in an otherwise shockingly real tale of colonial oppression. What are we to make of this? Does this fantastical conclusion imply that a mundane solution to these modern tensions is impossible? Does the narrator abdicate judgement on the events? Or is it simply the first instalment in a longer-running, further-reaching saga, to be continued next Yuletide? Take a trip by the window yourself and decide.

Kuppa Coffee’s interior design Ritwik Sarkar looks at the quirky artistry within one of Newcastle’s hidden gems

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hroughout our hectic lives at uni, we often miss great opportunities that stare us right in the face. We pass by places and stores, without a second thought or a moment of wonder. If you’ve walked left from the tip of Northumberland St., to have a cheeky pint, step a few paces back, and look a little harder.

Inconspicuously denoted by a single black sign, Kuppa Coffee is a basement café that you’ve probably crossed several times. Its unassuming black signage and absence of any sort of advertising probably don’t do it many favours, but if one does notice it, and step behind it’s black doors, they’re treated to something quite novel.

“A large chalkboard filled with art (drawn by the café’s patrons) greets you”

What lies inside is a myriad of cultures, colours and scents, which are as oddly complementary as they are uniquely charming. From open source zen music, to leather couches and large armchairs, Kuppa Coffee is one café that lets the ambience stand out bolder than the coffee itself. An ambience, that’s perhaps best enjoyed in the warmth of a basement, away from the public eye.

The coffee itself, would probably serve as the main attraction, that is if you hadn’t lost yourself on one of their six arms chairs, curled up with a good book. Using a blend of two types of singleorigin coffee, the espresso produced makes remember exactly why you choose it over a cuppa everyday.

Much like the coffee itself, the flavour of this basement establishment changes with every slight turn of the head. Upon entry, a large chalkboard filled with art (drawn by the café’s patrons) greets you with large murals of pop-culture’s most memorable icons. Kuppa Coffee, formerly ‘The Blue

Bunny’ is the brainchild of it’s Chinese owner, who longed to give his wacky ideas a cosy home.

A slight turn to the left affixes your gaze to the seemingly small seating area, which gets larger with each step. Despite housing only five tables, the restaurants arm chairs and sofas give it a feeling of a much larger space.

One one side, the red brick finish is met with complementary red-and-white striped couches.

Stars on the wall and gazebo lampshades evoke a feeling of subtle mysticism that catalyses the pro-

“You ask yourself how you passed it by so many times without a second glance”

cess of getting lost in one’s own world.

To the left however, the décor transforms walls, sprayed with cute cards and small plants in an almost panoramic manner. The composition in which they’re arranged gives off a vibe more suited to a cosy rooftop restaurant, let alone a café, as opposed to one in a basement.

The most delightful corner, however, is one that lies perfectly hidden from the first glance. Hidden at the left end of the café lies two stately arm chairs, a rectangular knee-length table, and a bookshelf filled with an assorted array of the weird and wonderful, that one can only be found at an establishment like this. In many ways, the last corner of the café typifies the identity of the establishment;

“The identity of the establishment; warm, tucked away and full of small surprises” warm, tucked away and full of small surprises.

For your money and your time, Kuppa coffee is worth the trouble involved in finding it. Whether you’re in for a take a way latte, or a sit down with nothing more than a piping hot chocolate, this basement wonder will make you ask yourself how you passed it by so many times without a second glance.

The Courier

arts.21

Monday 23 November 2015

Peter J. Evans @ BALTIC 39

thecourieronline.co.uk/arts c2.arts@ncl.ac.uk | @CourierArts

Flash Fiction

Tamsin Rees reviews Peter J. Evans’ Across islands, divides for your reading pleasure

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ou can start to hear the exhibition from the 2nd floor as you wait for the lift, clambering steadily up to the fourth floor. I didn’t even realise it was part of the exhibition; the sounds were mesmerising and I was intrigued, wanting to follow this strange, mystical, Clanger Planet music. An eerie ensemble of chimes and jarred rhythmic bells meets you as you are opened into the exhibition space at the top of Baltic 39. I was met by some very attentive and polite staff, but other than them I was alone, which as usual suits me well.

The atmosphere was exceptional. The sinister tinkling entices you into and around the space, echoing throughout the project space and indirectly engaging you, inducing an uncomfortable, dreamlike state. This exhibition, as Evans states, is on “the nature of reality and ideas of finite truth in an infinitely changeable universe”. He absolutely achieves this, I feel, with maturity and fluidity. There are intricate, logical details within what could seem to be a chaotic, illogical structure to this project space. For me, each piece flowed onto the next, bringing a disjointed harmony in trying

Peter J. Evans: No. 12

People’s Theatre:

NUTS:

NCLA:

Three Sisters

International Bloodaxe Poets

n front of a looming birch tree backdrop stands the Prozorov’s family house. Chekhov’s sceneries have always favoured forested expanses, because they can articulate a passing of time and make the lives of the characters inhabiting them seem tiny. “Today it’s warm, we can even have the windows open”, says Olya (Ellie Pullen), early in the first act, “but the birch trees are still not in leaf.” In People’s Theatre’s adaptation of Three Sisters, the birches half-fill a void: a spectacle of stifling confusion and of time’s inertia.

The democratic directorial team of Brian Green, Ann Short and the cast of the play decided to fix Three Sisters in its own period – the beginning of the 20th century. Velvet frocks, long skirts and tight-tied hair for the womens’ costume, and high boots, khaki uniform and three-pieces for the mens’. The wardrobe advisors adorned the actors with an aristocratic crispness. The long garments ebb the autumnal leaves that cover the stage in the final scene. The leaves are pushed and pulled around the stage like a tide of sweeping melancholy, backwards and forwards. They move around the stage underneath the actors, but the lives of Chekhov’s characters simply spin in the wind’s eddies and then return to the ground, settling.

The romantic dynamics are the most convincing. Masha (played outstandingly by Rye Mattick) and Colonel Vershinin’s childishly giddy affair shines through. In an intimate climax, Irina (Geffen Yoeli-Rimmer) shares a final goodbye with Baron Tuzenbach by telling him she does not love him. The Irina-Tuzenbach thread is completed by a psychotic Captain Solyony (Stuart Laider), who, in an earlier scene, aggressively harasses Irina.

Just as the production team intended, the jubilant celebrations of the first scenes at Irina’s birthday are lost in the ambiguous passage of progress.

All that remains of the happiness ensued at the Prozorov house are photographs, but the birch tree forest still streaks the horizon.

ewcastle Centre for Literary Art (NCLA) welcomed International Bloodaxe poets Choman Hardi, Tony Hoagland and Kim Addonizio on 12th November.

The evening was opened by the Bloodaxe’s founder Neil Astley who introduced the Kurdish Choman Hardi. Hardi took to the stage with her poetry that explored the relationship refugees share with their homeland, before she read a number of chilling poems about the Al-Anfal Campaign. The brutalities of the genocide and the victim’s harsh realities were shared through her words. Hardi closed with A Day for Love to offer some light to counteract the darkness of her other poetry.

Next was Tony Hoagland, looking eccentric in a sparkly red waistcoat. Through his poetry he critiqued the modern world, and he addressed issues such as the environment and our ‘high velocity, consumerist culture’ in a hilarious, satirical way.

My favourite poem Romantic Moments showed Hoagland’s skill as he compared a date between two people to the different courting methods of animals. Hoagland’s surreal and original poetry was met with laughter and I was unsure of what to expect from the final poet.

Kim Addonizio was welcomed to the stage by Neil Astley who described her as one of the ‘edgiest’ contemporary poets. She began by reading some of her new work: mysterious poetry packed with references to religion and the environment.

Like Hoagland Addonizio’s poetry was funny, but in a more subtle way. Addonizio’s poems whirled through topics and big ideas while her interwoven satire questioned our preconceptions and beliefs, keeping the audience on edge. In my eyes it was not until after her poem Cigar Box Banjo that Addonizio truly proved her edginess, by taking out her blues harmonica and performing a couple of train songs.

The evening was a huge success with Neil Astley picking an eclectic mix of poets. The next event will be a reading by Marilyn Hacker on 19 November.

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Connor McDonnell

to make sense and find clarity within these contained works.

Sometimes deliberately playful, perhaps shown best in work No.12 “No memory of a title”, in which you can direct a remote controlled car to draw on various maps collaged together to make up the North East. I spent at least 15 minutes happily playing, turns out it is incredibly addictive - I would recommend it as 2nd date material, 10/10.

But despite the somewhat face value playfulness and simplicity, it was stronger for me - it was really cathartic and calming, drawing your own paths, roads, rivers, futures.

This melancholy note echoed in a couple of other works, most notably for myself was No.13 “Tower of meaning”. In scrubby pencil writing, the words ‘Any change of path results in change of outcome’ were marked on a board halfway up the wooden tower. It is melancholy.

Maybe it was the day. I went on the 14th November, the morning after the night of horror in Paris. It was a sad, cold day as I marched through Newcastle to get to Baltic 39. I think perhaps the city felt it; felt the fragility and vulnerability of the world. Reminded of our finite mortality within this universe. With the quiet childlike music constantly echoing gently in the background, nostalgia flooded over in waves - something familiar, yet a sense of anxiousness about this unknown; for me, resonating Evan’s notion of finding a place in this ever changing universe. No.15 “Let me see your geometry” in particular, was part of a beautiful ending to the project - they were like contained universes within the graph paper, constellations splashed across the wall.

Go see it. Take a friend, take a first tinder date there will never be an awkward silence and there will be too much to talk about, or too much to think about: basking in the comfortable silence of your own thoughts on the nature of reality in an infinitely changeable universe.

The Peter J Evans exhibition is open Wednesday Sunday until 13th December 2016

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Oisin Power

The Complete Works of Shakespeare

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hen I was sent to review NUTS’ performance of ‘The Complete Works of Shakespeare’, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. From the colossal amount of detailed plays Shakespeare has written, I was instantly intrigued to see how a cast of merely four performs could pull this off. And tehy sure did.

The performance included interpretative dances, farsical scenes bursting with energy and plenty of audience participation. The group successfully covered aspects of all 37 plays whilst continuing to convince the audience that their comical performance was entirely improvised through the use of multi-roling as themselves as performers.

The hilarity of the show was complete with “injokes” that the audience were fully allowed to be included in, as audience participation was at a high in this play. Not only were members of hte audience questioned, asked up on stage and made to join in to help convey specific plot ideals within Shakespeare’s plays (such as Ophelia’s state of mind in Shakespeare’s Hamlet) but they were also fake “chundered” upon, as a comical recurring theme in every other scene within the show.

Without a doubt, my favourite part of the show was the incredible rap explaining the entire plot of Othello. They got it spot on, exciting the audience and bringing literary value into a modern and extremely fun environment.

Another major aspect of the performance was the cast’s use of cross-dressing and gender-role reversal; the decision to have a female actor as Romeo and a male actor as Juliet impacted the show drastically, making a faux-pax of Shakespeare’s “starcrossed lovers” into a shambolic, hilarious comedy.

The team’s variety of wigs for these various female characters was also terrific, along with the of props used to create all sorts of innuendos.

Overall, the audience loved the performance and enjoyed every moment of this entertaining interpretatition of Shakespeare’s works. This certainly was a show to laugh out loud at.

Holly Suttle

Waldeinsamkeit

by Jonathan Hastings

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can’t help but watch the last frozen petal curl backwards. It tapers a little, before falling loose and drifting slowly to the floor. Resting on the soft white surface of the forest floor. I keep my eyes focused on the glistening orange leaf; I focus on the slight curves that cradle the edges: they pull away from me, revealing the darkened shade beneath: the same shade the trees make as the settling sun luminesces on the horizon.

I’m alone in the wood, with nothing but the sound of the winds and the gentle trickle the river makes as is slips in front of me. It’s only made more beautiful by the settling notes of snow that drift towards the ground at such an elated state. a gentle warm settles on my chest as the crystal rain from the sky like stars pictured on the night sky. The world is white and untouched, stilling my frame on this wooden bench.

“The sound my feet make in the freshly pressed snow crackles like the warm notes of a fire”

I want to move, but despite the cold temperature it’s somehow warm here, wrapped in my jumper that’s two sizes too big, and filled on the surface with multi-coloured patterns that almost look too lurid in this space. I look down at my body, filled up with odd bits of cloth, and down at my feet. The sound my feet make in the freshly pressed snow crackles like the warm notes of a fire.

My hand raises a little as the sun finally picks at the corner of my vision, it leaves trails of solid starlight bursting through the cracks in the trees.

They split at odd patterns leaving the remnants to trace the floor in odd shapes: They pick at my body, enlighten my redding mittens and my harsh green overcoat. They fill me with a solemn sense of security as I focus on the stream and how the surfacing white, laps at the side, melting a few of the flakes that try to escape its grasp.

“Trapped in this circle of trees, watching over the light prism and the wispy clouds settle overhead”

I am alone in the woods and it’s filling me with a odd beauty, like I am the last person in the world.

I am the sole survivor of a nuclear holocaust, and this is the last thing I can see. It becomes all-consuming. Trapped in this circle of trees, watching the light prism and the wispy clouds settle overhead. And I can almost smell it. That harsh smell of a fire burning in the distance, the sound of the world recognising my existence. The branches as they grasp for each other.

Somehow I can’t fathom a world without this perfect harmony. I am trapped in this resonating image. Only able to wrap my numbing fingers into the folds of my jacket. I look back over at the wooden bench, the snow has already covered the soft patch that I left on its surface. Erased like the footsteps that I’ll leave behind when I vacate this place.

But for now I’ll admire the shimmering surface of the water; I’ll compliment this shade of white; I’ll watch as the sun turns the sky a wonderful mix of purple.

For now, I am alone in the woods.

22.artsfeature

Monday 23 November 2015

The Courier

Durham Lumiere We asked our writers to send in their best snaps of Durham’s bi-­annual light festival

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he first Durham Lumiere took place in 2009 originally as a one off. However, since then it has grown in popularity and creativity, to now be in its sixth year and is recognised as the UK’s largest light festival. It had 30 instillations this year, some open to all the public and the others were only for those lucky ticket holders.

I took the short train ride to Durham on Thursday evening, opening night, at around 9 o’clock, luckily avoiding the terrible weather and most of the crowds. I can honestly say I was amazed at the instillations. I had not heard of the festival before, and naïvely expected it to be similar to Blackpool Illuminations, but it was so much more than building lit up. There are 3D instillations and the whale, I think, was a talking point for most there; a little girl next to me even asked if it was a real whale in the river. It really was a wonder to behold.

The obvious destination to head to after was the cathedral. I passed other small instillations on my way, the quaint streets glowing warmly with lanterns hanging above. I did not expect the scale of sound and complexity of the images to be as they were. I really enjoyed the somewhat controversial idea of projecting biblical images, following those of science, maths and space synchronised to music. The prospect of rain threatened overhead but that did not put anyone off, with the crowds in their hundreds witnessing the laminations. Next I followed the crowd into the cathedral where I was blown away by the tranquillity; starring up at the ceiling where a mesmerizing display was taking place. Moreover, there were interactive instillations: the message in the bottles and the jam jar all encouraged audience participation.

The fact that this festival is so popular doesn’t surprise me, and nor does the fact that the capital city is having an instillation done by the same producers, Artichoke, in January. It really does change the game with projection and I can definitely tell you one thing; I will be visiting every year without fail and encourage you to do the same.

Georgie Morgan

Georgie Morgan

Daria Shvartcman

Ellie McLaren

Melado Al-Mutawah

Ellie McLaren

“A gathering of culture, history and humanity encapsulated by a giant projection of Einstein’s mass-­energy equivalence onto the side of one of England’s oldest cathedrals”

Melado Al-Mutawah

Durham’s Lumiere A Sonnet Melado Al-Mutawah

“I wish they had put a yellow jersey on the lead bike ” -­ Adam Stern

Melado Al-Mutawah

Dancing lights flouting around the dark skies, Under shadows where we watch with delight, Rain does not distract our wandering eyes, Heavenly are the shapes glowing so bright.

And if you enter the cathedral too, Make sure to glimpse the relic windows glow, Such an array of colours; red and blues, Like stars that have formed into a rainbow.

Up, look up! At the buildings – you will see, Magical monasteries deeply lit, Inside this wonderful monastery…

Even the documentaries can’t keep secret.

Remember this festival and these lights, Eradiating darkness through these nights.

Holly Suttle

Daria Shvartcman

The Courier

featurearts.23

Monday 23 November 2015

A picture is worth a thousand words Amy Baird rates the attractions at Durham Lumiere 2015 In case you weren’t aware, between Thursday 12th – Sunday 15th November, the historic City of Durham hosted the ‘Durham Lumiere ’. Originally planned in 2009 as a one off the Lumiere has since blossomed into the UK’s Largest Lights Festival.

I attended the Lights Festival on the final night and the atmosphere was delightful, from the young children waving their glittering glow sticks to parents and elderly relatives observing the displays in awe and amazement; everyone seemed to really enjoy each of the colourful and eye catching displays. The Lights Display was a perfect way to spend a cold November’s night and appropriately leads up to the Christmas period.

In this case the photos really are worth a 1000 words...

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In 4th place for my top 5 at the Lumiere were the gigantic, floating pink and blue whales.

They elegantly floated above the heads of the crowd in a diving motion and were a source of great joy to all ages. This display made my top 5 not only for the display but for the atmosphere; as to be expected the event had a large police and official presence. The sense of community at the whale display was lovely; a policeman with his police Spaniel sat on a bench next to children and allowed them to play with his dog whilst another offered passing children who commented on the police quadbike to have a seat on it.

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Inside the Cathedral one of the displays was a colossal vibrant sphere. Its glowing colours against the background of night made it thoroughly beautiful to gaze upon. Perhaps only to Harry Potter lovers but another reason for pleasure gained in looking at this display was its location, where scenes for the Harry Potter films have been filmed.

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“Children lay on the pews to gaze up at the rooftops as if star gazing”

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In my 3rd place was the large scale lights performance in which projected images could be seen on the whole front face of the Cathedrals outer walls. The scale of the show was incredible and the changing shapes and colours truly mesmerising. Having arrived early I was present for the first show of the day and already hundreds of people were gathered waiting eagerly in suspense. As the show went on and darkness fell around us, it could only got better. The second time I saw the show in full darkness the effect was twice as powerful. Also a lovely touch was at the end of the performance when the Cathedral was transformed into blue, white and red, the colours of the French Flag as a tribute and mark of respect to those recently affected by the recent, tragic terrorist attacks in Paris.

“The changing shapes and colours were truly mesmerising” In second place, in my opinion, was the ceiling inside the Cathedral.

After watching the large scale show projected on the front of the Cathedral I joined the rather large queue to go inside the Cathedral and in fairness despite its length the stewards kept it moving along at a quick speed. Once inside the Cathedral it was evident the wait was worthwhile. Already a spectacular building in its own right, the Cathedral ceiling looked truly remarkable. Children lay on the pews to gaze up at the rooftops as if star gazing.

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Finally my personal highlight of the festival was the Cathedral Gardens. Upon exiting the Cathedral and following the marked pathway you were presented with a large scale garden consisting of flowers and trees made out of vivid lights. As a nearby parent told her children ‘it was like in Willy Wonka’…although with decisively less chocolate!

If you have any photos you would like to share from your time at Durham Lumiere Festival, please tag us and follow us on Instagram at thecourierarts OR if there are any festivals or galleries you would be interested in reviewing for us, please contact us via email on c2.arts@ncl.ac.uk Images: Amy Baird

The Courier

Monday 23 November 2015

feature.25

Exploring the Continental Christmas Market Proving that literally any statue has the potential to be terrifying when multiplied, regardless of the Christmas spirit...

Photography by Laura Staniforth, Dan Robertson & Victoria Armstrong

26.music

Monday 23 November 2015

The Courier

Music Editors: Jamie Shepherd, Dominique Daly & Connor McDonnell

Living La Vida Local

Music Editor Dominique Daly chats to Newcastle Uni-­ versity student and founder of Endearment Records James Hewitson DERXW KLV ¿UVW UH-­ lease on the newly established label Endearment Records

What was your motivation to start the label?

I was writing some music about a year ago and I was feeling a little bit miffed about the idea of having to appeal to a ‘label’ or whatever to gain wider recognition. I wanted to write freely, release music totally off my own accord. I wanted to make myself feel liberated about what I was doing artistically, and also learn more about the business aspect of music. I also wanted to put shows on again, and it seemed a good idea to tie everything I wanted to do under the same name, or brand.

“‘Talk to Me’ encourages discussion about mental health, which is something music needs to do more of ” What’s your vision for it? Genre specific or free range?

At base level it’s literally just me bigging up music that I like, we all do this to an extent. But I do want it to be something that people can turn to discover something new and organic. I don’t care what specific genres I involve to any extent with the label. The first show was mainly indie-pop/ lo-fi stuff, whereas the next was mathy/post-rock.

The releases themselves can only come steadily at the moment though, as it’s just me working on it amidst other things. The idea of it is pretty free range but in terms of who’s actually ‘on the label’ so far (myself and Lissie) it probably leans more towards indie-pop music.

Why did you choose Lissie’s Heart Murmur for your first release?

I’ve known Lissie for a while, and she sent me her EP not long after I announced to friends that I was going to start doing this. I heard it, and I thought it was brilliant, so I didn’t want to pass the opportunity up. Although the initial aim of the label was to release my own music, I hadn’t properly recorded anything myself at this point so if I were to put Lissie’s songs out, it couldn’t have been me first.

What went into getting the record out?

Cover art, liaising with vinyl manufacturers, putting together a mini-tour to promote it (We’re at Bar Loco on Saturday 21st November), arranging the digital release (Spotify and Itunes), Lizzie did a music video which was pretty good, I attempted PR (initial arrangements fell through fairly late on), I went to local independent record shops with vinyl, played them it, asked them if they’d like to put it in their shop to sell etc. Just stuff like that.

“I wanted to make myself feel liberated about what I was doing artistically, and also learn more about the business aspect of music” What does Lissie’s Heart Murmur offer that’s different to that already out on the North East scene?

Lissie’s Heart Murmur does a lot with a little. I like how stripped back, yet aesthetically fulfilling this record is. It’s not blatant, corporately inspired pop music either. It’s not the singer songwriter all over again. ‘Talk to Me’ encourages discussion about mental health, which is something music needs to do more of. It is conceptually constructive, and the instrumentation around Lissie’s vocals and guitar is beautiful. Aesthetically, there’s a kind of lazy, mysterious, psychedelic vibe to it all that doesn’t fully sit with other music in the North East, which is another reason why it stands out here. Her voice is awesome too.

Be sure to follow Endearment Records on Sound Cloud: htt-­ ps://soundcloud.com/ endearment-­records

I can feel a comeback in the air tonight

Any Tom, Dick or Harry can start an online petition nowadays: most get the red light, but sometimes they can be the most important thing you sign all year like the campaign to stop Phil Collins returning, suggests Nick Joshington

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he return of Phil Collins, it strikes fear into the most battle hardened men and has women and children running for their lives. I’d rather chop my left bollock off than see him walk on stage again, who else is there that makes people feel like this?

Thinking about it there isn’t really many people who evoke such hatred from people. Though, for me, if Coldplay are reading this (barring their Games of Thrones charity shenanigans) then they need to get the message that giving people light up wrist bands is far too 90s hacienda. Easy target yes, but a pertinent example alongside Phil Collins that a band and person have a sell by date and anything past ‘Clocks’ can do one. Let’s be honest though, ‘Coming in the air’ is the one saving grace for everyone’s least favourite PC.

tax back tour, talk about flogging a dead horse, well done Gary, you wrote a few nice songs but really, you’re 40, singing about relighting sexual fires in front of your family is a getting a bit weird now.

Alright, there are some good points about Mr Collins and his back catalogue. For all the Disney lovers he did come out with a cracker of a soundtrack for Tarzan with much maligned love songs such as ‘You’ll Be In My Heart’.

Bringing it back away from there though ‘Sussudio’ isn’t even a fucking word, and don’t even mention genesis. ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidoious’ (or however it’s spelt) is acceptable, it has an explanation. But Su-bloody-sudio, you alright there Phil pal? You had a pint or 9? It sounds like some form of S & M style safe word, and frankly nobody needs or wants to know what Collins gets up to in the bedroom.

“I’d rather chop my left bollock off than see him walk on stage again”

“I’d prefer to have another 10 years of the Tory government than let Collins return, and that’s saying something; a thought that makes voters and pigs cower in fear”

Now it’s not that you should open your eyes and smell the roses. But if you think Phil Collins return is a good thing, you’ve got to question whether your parents really did love you as a child. Whether it’s because his music’s shit or the fact he’s a complete and utter tosser, the cons far outweigh the pros in this debate and it shan’t be said otherwise. I’d go so far as to say I’d prefer to have another 10 years of the tory government than let Collins return, and that’s saying something; a thought that makes voters and pigs cower in fear. So, before you suggest that it’s a good idea, go and look at yourself in the mirror and question your morals, ideas and childhood.

If you think of people who’ve tried to make a comeback you have to wonder why. Did you know Bob Dylan had a Christmas song? No, I doubt you did because it is an abomination and should never have happened. Much like the idea of Phil Collins’ return. We can all feel it coming in the air tonight and I hope that nobody buys a ticket if he does. Take That for instance have just finished their 3 piece Take That

We’re Putin this in your hands, Elton

With the surprise news that Elton John is meeting with Vladimir Putin to discuss LGBT rights in Russia, Iqra Choudhry explores the moments when musicians use their fame for good

F

ollowing reports that Sir Elton John met with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, to urge him to support the LGBT+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans*) community, and then met with business leaders to ask them not to turn away LGBT+ employees, it’s safe to say that he may be onto something.

Sir Elton has his sights set on a meeting with Russian President, Vladimir Putin, to discuss the antigay propaganda laws in Russia that support prejudice against LGBT+ Russians, and isolate them as a community.

“That’s probably the only power I have: to use my fame and fortune to bring people t o gether with music a n d

spread the message of peace and acceptance and inclusion afterwards,” he said. He has admitted that he is likely to be dismissed by the Russian leader, but is determined to try and talk sense to him.

“I think we can all agree that sneaking U2’s last album onto everyone’s iTunes without our permission may have been a violation of our human rights” Several members of the punk-rock outfit Pussy Riot were jailed after protesting Putin’s government and his involvement with the Russian Orthodox Church, which is assumed to have influenced the passing of the anti-gay laws currently upheld in Russia. Their case was publicised by Amnesty International, an organisation which supports and tries to resolve cases of human rights abuse the world over.

Politics and music have always been intertwined in the punk ethos, with bands like Rage Against The Machine, Anti-Flag and Rise Against singing songs that protest everything from sweatshop labour to modern-day warfare. Rage Against The Machine’s guitarist Tom Morello’s side project The Nightwatchman has acted as an outlet for his political views, using his fame to draw attention to protests such as Occupy Wall Street in 2012.

Rise Against have advocated progressivism, using their influence as a Billboard Chart-topping band to lend their support to organisations like Amnesty Internationa; the It Gets Better Project, which raises awareness to the suicides of LGBT+ teenagers who face bullying on a daily basis. The band also responded to 2012 Tohuku earthquake and tsunami in Japan, raising awareness with their song ‘Help Is On The Way’.

Even musicians we all love to hate have used the platform that their music provides to fuel humani-

tarian work. I think we can all agree that sneaking U2’s last album onto everyone’s iTunes without our permission may have been a violation of our human rights, though. Say what you will about Bono, you can’t deny his work as a philanthropist – his guest edit of Vanity Fair in 2007 drew attention to humanitarian work in Africa undertaken by various politicians a n d musicians.

Maybe Sir Elton John won’t make a difference over in Russia, if he sits down with Putin for a cuppa and a chinwag.

But music is something special when it’s a force for good, and fair play to him for giving it a go.

The Courier

music.27

Monday 23 November 2015

thecourieronline.co.uk/music c2.music@ncl.ac.uk | @courier_music

$OEXP 5HYLHZ: Get Weird

Electronic Blanket

Little Mix I

t’s pretty well known that winning The X Factor has no bearing on the success or longevity of the pop career that follows, but Little Mix, the girl band formed over the course of the eighth season of The X Factor, are comfortably ensconced in stardom. Having made waves on both sides of the Atlantic with the ‘Black Magic’, the lead single off their third album Get Weird, the chart-bothering pop quartet are ready to cement their place alongside former girl bands like Spice Girls and Girls Aloud.

“Their brand of pop is empowering, even if it is a bit kitschy-tween” Confirming the release of the record at this year’s Brit Awards, the four-piece hinted heavily at a new sound on Get Weird. Although a listen of the album doesn’t deliver on this promise, it has to be said that the slick, catchy pop tunes are undeniably catchy, and although the album is nowhere near as different as we’d come to expect, it’s still a great pop record.

Little Mix’s best attribute as a pop group is the fact that all four members have some serious pipes.

Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall are all great vocalists in their own right, and it makes them stand out. The harmonies and polished vocal production are what keep the band relevant and unique in a cut-throat pop world over-saturated by bands that centre around one standout vocalist.

The lead single ‘Black Magic’, released in May, has been dominating the airwaves since then. Equally as difficult to get out of your head is the funk-driven ‘Get Weird’, the only really inventive moment on the album – it throws back to an 80s sound which would have made for an interesting direction, if the

TandeMania Amy & The Engine

girls followed it.

The energy of tunes like ‘Grown’ and ‘Hair’ provide a counterbalance to slower, more powerful ballads like ‘I Love You’ which brings to mind Pixie Lott and Demi Lovato in one go. ‘Secret Love Song’ features Jason Derulo in a soaring ballad full of teenage angst – fourteen-year-olds will have a new heartbreak song in this track, for sure.

The girls are definitely improving over time as songwriters, and their brand of pop is empowering, even if it is a bit kitschy-tween, and their influences are easy to pick out. ‘OMG’ is a tribute to both Britney Spears and Rihanna (listen to it and you’ll immediately understand). Similarly ‘A.D.I.D.A.S’ hints at a more grown-up direction.

The track features elements of Drake’s ‘Hold On, We’re Going Home’, and goes on to nod a tribute to Nicki Minaj’s rap style. Surprisingly, it works.

“the harmonies and polished vocal production are what keep the band relevant and unique in a cut-throat pop world” The album definitely has its weak points, though.

Power ballad ‘Lightning’ is a listen that can only be described as painful. The cringe-inducing lyrics give way to an awkward experimentation with electronic elements that definitely prove that sometimes less is more. Although even without the synths that shouldn’t be, the song would still be a filler track at best.

The album is a solid pop effort. Little Mix fans will love it, but it’s nothing special. The girl group won’t be converting anyone else with this record.

Iqra Choudhry

B

Johnathan Hastings

L More than this Demi Lovato - Confident The former Disney star has churned out an astonishing amount since her pop career began, but Confident is this year’s treat. Our very own Jack Parker described this album as ‘oozing with attitude.’

Cher Lloyd - Sorry I’m Late In recent years, British pop artists are often considered lesser in comparison to American popstars. Both Little Mix and Cher Lloyd proved a partnership with some of the larger names in pop. The lead single from Cher Lloyd’s 2014 album was titled ‘I Wish’ and included the American hip-hop juggernaut T.I. Similarly, Little Mix pulled in the big guns with their soppy track ‘Secret Love Song’ which features Jason Derulo.

Delerium Ellie Goulding

Open Signals Cast MILKK

y now you may have heard of the little alternative rock group Wolf Alice, are you a fan of their music? Personally I like the rough edge, but it gets a little harsh after a few listens. So it was great when I was finally introduced to Amy & The Engine. Sprouting from Boston, Amy & The Engine is a six piece retro-pop band with some serious groove. TandeMania, their newly released EP, holds a collection of songs focusing on relationships and that awful break-up I’m sure most of us are familiar with.

The EP is slow to start with their hit single ‘Arrow’, focusing on a gentle synth pop, and a smooth 70’s vibe. Their second song Love Me is similar in nature, but the build up is clear to hear. By the time they’ve hit their third song it really picks up, with vocals seemingly taken from Icelandic rockers Of Monsters and Men, and a funky chorus redolent of sibling sister trio Haim’s work. The pace only seems to escalate with its fluctuating lyrical style, and its elegant layering. The last song may be daunting as first, leading with an impressive eleven minutes. Being the skeptic that I am, I was expecting a four-minute song that ended with seven minutes silence, then a subtle ‘hidden’ track, but what greeted me was a beautiful end to a striking EP. Amy & The Engine are a instantly likeable band, with soft guitar riffs and soothing vocals this EP will sit right at home in a coffee shop, or while you’re trying to finish some of that last minute essay work.

The elegant little songs will leave a pleasant vacancy in your life, which will, hopefully, be filled by their album in time.

Sophie Ahmed discusses the french terror attacks and 8UEDQ 2XW¿WWHUV SOD\OLVWV

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here’s very little out there about MILKK, the three-piece instrumental band from Sydney, so when I jumped in I was a little apprehensive. With two guitarists and a drummer I honestly thought they would be missing some cohesion, or at the very least the layering of the instruments would overlap, or class into disarray. Pleasantly, I found this not the case, I was happily surprised to find that, in fact, it is the exact opposite.

MILKK draws you in with its punchy guitar, and the perfectly timed drum beats. They’ve somehow managed to marry the perfect song length, which isn’t too long that our attention isn’t diminished, and is varied enough to be treated as its own piece.

Not only this, but they’ve formed songs in which every lines and riff seem chatter and clatter away incessantly like some beautifully designed musical number. Open Signals Cast contains five songs ranging from the quick paces of ‘Dadadada’, to the slow emotive five minute long track ‘Garden of Earthly Delights’. All of which purposeful lead the listener to recognize the growing cosmetic nature of lyrics, especially in todays pop’s orientated, not necessarily subtle, bawdy and salacious lyrics, and will hopefully let you seek out the charming side of musical fluency.

It’s easy to disregard this band for their alternative means of songs, but with their elegant differentiation and the subtle hooks: it’s no wonder MILKK is holding, and receiving, more recognition. Much like American Football and Foxing, MILKK has managed to find a sweet spot where they can focus on the musical production and their place as a band rather than its lyrical components. And why wouldn’t you, especially when your music is this refined.

Johnathan Hastings

W

hen Ellie Goulding released ‘On My Mind’ questions arose over whether her album could live up to the electro-pop hit which seemed to mark a pinnacle in fresh sound for Goulding.

Whilst the album delivers even more of a dance influence than its predecessor ‘Halcyon’ the ferocity of the single is only matched by the absolute gem ‘I Do What I Love’ which has a Bollywood feel and has Ellie Goulding come across both fierce and fearless. This is not an album for the fans who obsessed over ‘Love Me Like You Do’ as the other ballads on the album are laced with dance beats and quirky bridges. These add an element of interest to what could potentially be another Ellie Goulding, X Factor winner sounding, ballad.

However we could still do with less ballads when it’s the bangers that truly stand out on the album. Her singing style moves from sweet to soulful and, in places, is more spoken, adding a depth to her vocals. Each song’s brilliance lies in the story it tells. At once, you will be encapsulated by the songs’ root of emotion, with lyrics that carry a real truth with them. Ellie Goulding is not going to brought down and the combination of pop melodies, synth sounds and electronic beats in her music make you want to dance, songs like ‘Codes’ and ‘Something In the Way You Move’ build in excitement and ‘Keep On Dancin’’ has a sharp, dangerous edge.

Delerium is the album which will make Ellie Goulding as she has propelled her music forward with a daring electronic pop sound which elevates her above the other female pop singers in the market.

Meg Long

ast week, EDM Producer Kill Paris changed his stage name out of respect to those affected by the recent atrocities in the French Capital. Let’s not take anything away from this admirable gesture on Corey Baker’s part. But, the simple changing of two words signals that the repercussions of terrorism are now taking their toll on music in general, something which has always been a uniting force.

It’s sad because the title Kill Paris doesn’t even have any violent connotations when we look at its origin, nor does it refer to the city. In a lengthy Facebook post, Baker explained that he came up with it after reading Romeo & Juliet at the age of 16, and that it is a rejection of the values which Juliet’s intended suitor Paris embodied. Essentially, he said it was ‘a satire against a side of life that tries to hold creativity and love down’, which is ironic because an act of terror at a music concert motivated by these very intentions, led him to abandon a name backed by a moral meaning. In the grand scheme of things, this is a trivial issue, and terrorism and electronic music are connected in no way.

However, the overwhelming response to the massacre from DJs on Twitter reminded me that they do have the power to spread genuine positivity amongst people in a terrifying world, even if just for seconds during a set. We should follow Seth Troxler’s example in his statement, ‘my dancing was my way of letting go of the pain that humanity is facing’. Artists shouldn’t have to compromise what they stand for in the wake of such tragedy.

Preview: SoulJam, 25th November @ World Headquarters It’s true that the Disco, Funk & Soul of the 70s and 80s can be understood as a live genre through images of Chic clad in psychedelic colours, shredding rhythmically on guitar and slapping bass. But, don’t let this deceive you in the same way miming fooled fans of the time. Although this kind of garish footage is projected on WHQ’s walls at SoulJam, the monthly night does promote Disco as a potential form of electronic music which bridges the gap between the ‘real’ and the synthesised.

Although DJ Jack Pearce still uses old vinyl from back in the day and cracks out the classics, tracks are often layered with a House beat to please modern club-goers. The success of SoulJam and other Disco/House-orientated nights like Future Funk proves that the beat does indeed go on.

Listen: David Bendeth – Feel The Real (Jazz ‘n’ Groove Mix)

You Need To Hear: Sherwood & Pinch Everyone loves continuity in a column, and as I wrote of the bass booming out of Bristol last week from artists like Pinch, I’m going to hype up his new project this week. Two years ago, renowned Dub producer Adrian Sherwood joined him in the studio to form Sherwood & Pinch and after its careful development, a full length Late Night Endless was released in February. When I’m not discovering the sickest new beats in dingy nightclubs, I’m doing it through the equally edgy method of browsing Urban Outfitters in between lectures and Shazam-ing the song choices which tickle my fancy. Such was the case with this duo. Although I didn’t leave with any new clothes due to typical student money worries, I did take away the knowledge of a match made in chilled out Dub heaven, and a renewed love for Pinch who I saw at an Audio Asylum event a year ago. His solo track ‘Qawwali’ has been the meditative relief to my recent essay writing stress, so check that out too.

Listen to: Sherwood & Pinch - Music Killer Dub

Go follow us on intagram for live gig updates-­ @courier_music

28.filmfeatures

Monday 23 November 2015

The Courier

Film  Editors:  Emma  Allsopp,  Rhian  Hunter  &  Simon  Ramshaw

MEGA FAN

Star  Wars:  the  hype  awakens

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Jurassic World

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he blockbuster of the year, Jurassic World divided opinions worldwide.

Did it live up to the hype? Was it as good as the originals? And most importantly, did it capture the essence of your childhood obsession with the franchise? Jordan Oloman and Imogen Scott-Chambers fight it out in this weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mega Fan versus Giant Cynic

Mega  Fan Before we begin, let me level with you. I study Archaeology, so anything that even slightly hints at exploring the distant past gets me going. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m talking Indiana Jones, The Mummy and, of course, Jurassic Park. Despite my bias though, I still have Jurassic World pegged as one of my films of the year. Chris Pratt plays to his strengths as the cocky dinosaur trainer, and the development of his relationship with the raptors pulls the movie along nicely. The action sequences are adrenaline pumping and littered with suspense, and the soundtrack that accompanies them is suitably foreboding. The setting captures your imagination from the get-go, and the well-placed callbacks to the old films are satisfying. Seriously, who walks into a summer blockbuster expecting a deep narrative? I wanted dinosaurs going nuts, and a few chuckles along the way, so colour me impressed!

Jordan Oloman

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hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been an awakening in the nerds.

Have you felt it? If you havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, the gist is this: Star Wars is back. Big, bold, and set to storm cinemas all over again. Following Disneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s acquisition of the franchise in 2012, the film comes courtesy of director J.J. Abrams, best known for Star Trek and Lost, and his infamous tendency towards lens flaring. So howâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s it looking? A handful of teasers and big, fanservicey trailers say itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s looking pretty fucking good. (Understatement of the Year, right there).

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Without the (other) Death Star, Darth Vader, or the Emperor, the Empire has lost a degree of controlâ&#x20AC;?

What we know so far is this: the film takes place some years after the end of Return of the Jedi. Without the (other) Death Star, Darth Vader, or the Emperor, the Empire has lost a degree of control. However, Kylo Ren â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a would-be Sith lord with an apparent fascination for Vader himself â&#x20AC;&#x201C; intends to pick up the pieces. Into the mix is swept Finn, a Stormtrooper with a conscience; Rey, a scavenger girl from a very Tatooine-esque dustbowl world, Jakku; Poe, a pilot in the Rebel Alliance, and a number of returning favourites including Han, Leia, Chewie, C3PO, R2D2 and the Millennium Falcon (she counts as a character, okay?).

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also some distinctive shots of derelict Star Destroyers, crumbling hulls embedded in desert sands, as well as sneak

Giant  Cynic

Imogen Scott-Chambers

to shape the destiny of the galaxy. Where have we seen that before, I wonder?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot to look forward to on December the 17th, when we lucky Brits get our taste of Star Warsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; return to the silver screen a day ahead of Americaâ&#x20AC;?

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two more sequels in the works, too, meaning thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just the reputation of a legendary (and, in the last decade or so, controversial) franchise on the line, but its future prospects. J.J. is confident he can deliver, as are the rest of the cast, and frankly I see no reason to doubt it. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot to look forward to on December the 17th, when we lucky Brits get our taste of Star Warsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; return to the silver screen a day ahead of America. And there wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be a single fucking Gungan in sight.

Scintillating  cinematography

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Anyone who loves Jurassic Park cannot watch Jurassic World and like it, in good conscience. It is a disgrace to the greatness achieved by Jurassic Park.

The plot is poor, the characters are whiney and the product placement is desperate and degrading. The new dinosaur (â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Indominous Rexâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;) is ridiculous (apparently some kind of T-rex, raptor, bull frog, fish hybrid), and its only real advantage is that it can camouflage - how scary. This, in comparison to the ground-thumping, heart-racing arrival of the T-rex in Jurassic Park, is frankly pathetic. Furthermore, with a lack of Richard Hammond (Richard Attenborough), our substitute is Bryce Dallas Howard, whose cold, wholly unlikable demeanor canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t reach the charismatic highs that Attenborough achieved as the cuddly, dinosaur-crazed orchestrator of the original dinosaur theme park. Chris Pratt is hunky, yes, but as a leading man, is no match for Sam Neil and the film includes excessive violence for something rated 12A. The director seemed to think dinosaur death, blood spraying everywhere and a few shots of Starbucks would make up for a lack of story. Sadly, it does not.

peeks at the Stormtrooperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rebranded armour including one distinctive and distinguished Captain Phasma. Imposing in dark chrome armour and black-on-red shoulder-cape, sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s portrayed by geek-favourite Gwendoline Christie, best known for her stunning (and endearing) performance of Brienne of Tarth. This and many other things are shaping it into a very, very promising film indeed.

As for what we can expect from the plot, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s looking like Finnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s turn from the Empire might be followed by a turn to the Force, as some brief shots show him facing off against Kyloâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s distinctive crossblade sabre with a blue one of his own. Rey, however, is our primary protagonist, and ties to the Skywalker family will ostensibly bring her into the universeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s l ore, perhaps rising from humble backwater or ig ins

he shaking cup of water in Jurassic Park.

Deckard hanging on for dear life in Blade Runner. The shower scene of Psycho. All iconic movie moments, but why so? More often than not, we pay little attention to all bar the characters on screen, intensely focusing on the protagonistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; interactions, our eyes trained by Hollywood to look only at what is at literal face value. So how is it then, when the snowglobe falls in Citizen Kane, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re so entranced by what we see?

The answer lies in cinematography, filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most underappreciated micro-feature. Though youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll rarely notice it, how a shot is laid out is an essential aspect of filmmaking; after all, whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a film without footage? Cinematographers are masters of subconsciously conveying themes and key information to the audience, manipulating the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diegesis into a place extending beyond our reality. Framing, lighting, and camera movement are all intrinsic to the creation of a cohesive motion picture.

Roger Deakins is a master of these techniques.

With 75 films under his name, Deakinsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; filmography is legendary â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Shawshank Redepmtion, No Country For Old Men, The Big Lebowski. You name it, he probably filmed it. Heck, his shots are often the best parts (M. Night Shyamalanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Village would fade into obscurity without Deakinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s depiction of the titular ghost town). Yet somehow, after twelve nominations, he is yet to win an Academy Award â&#x20AC;&#x201C; though this will hopefully change thanks to this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sicario, giving us haunting aerial views of an impoverished Mexico.

Another notable name is Robert Richardson, a frequent collaborator of Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino. Hugo remains his most beautiful film to date, capturing the scale of Parisian streets and the steampunk set in glorious detail, though his less family-friendly works remain a force to be reckoned with; from blood splattering on cotton plants in Django Unchained, to uncomfortably intimate interrogations in JFK. Still not sure how to spot good cinematogra-

phy? Famous directors are the way to go. Robert Burks became known for his collaborations with Hitchcock, such as North By Northwest and Vertigo, but his most prolific work can be found in Rear Window. The audience becomes one with the camera, as point-of-view shots let us spy on the heroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s neighbours. We pan across their yards, peer into their lives, becoming voyeurs both in reality and in the fictional world. Burks thus uses this cinematography to question the ethics of spectatorship altogether. John Alcott similarly associated closely with Stanley Kubrick â&#x20AC;&#x201C; how can we forget Alexâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unnerving smile in A Clockwork Orange, or Jack Nicholsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s close up (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Johnny!â&#x20AC;?) in The Shining?

If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for more recent cinematic spectacles, look no further than Emmanuel Lubezki.

The Tree Of Life transformed the Texan landscape into a dream-like realm, our everyday surround-

ings captured in beautifully intricate detail, whilst Gravity was ironically grounded by his work, making the CGI backdrop feel far more real than your typical green screen through his nauseating use of tracking shots. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Birdman though that really accentuates Lubenskiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s skills; meticulously pieced together to create the illusion of it being only one shot, brilliantly capturing the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s themes of paranoia and depicting the streets of Broadway as a theatre in itself.

The camera lens is thus a powerful piece of equipment. You may not understand what â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;long shotsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; or â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;canted anglesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; are, but in expert hands, these techniques can completely alter the mise-enscène, and hence your interpretation altogether.

Next time you browse through Netflix then, look deeper at the films themselves â&#x20AC;&#x201C; youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be surprised at what you see.

The Courier

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Monday 23 November 2015

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Steve Jobs (15)

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nnovation. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the OS of this film, both thematically poignant and functionally integral to Danny Boyleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Steve Jobs. Appleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s co-founder and eventual CEO was a pioneer and visionary, changing the world of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;personal computingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; forever. He innovated, orchestrated, while those around him stagnated. He professed himself an auteur; those who argued got a resounding middle-finger until they stopped saying it or died.

The relentless pace, sleek repartee, ruthless editing and Boyleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s efficient manipulation of space and character combine to create a cinematic showcase of innovation, even if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more of an â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Sâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; version of current biopic fare rather than a full numerical advancement.

Steve Jobs (not to be mistaken with the woeful Jobs) is centred around three product launches; the ill-fated maiden voyage of the original Macintosh in 1984, the even more catastrophic launch of the astronomically priced NeXT cube in 1988 and finally the breakout success of the iMac in 1998. The story is told through a series of conflicts between Jobs (Michael Fassbender) and the people closest to him: his marketing executive Joanna Hoffman (Kate Winslet), his best friend and co-founder of Apple Steve Wozniak (Seth Rogen), his CEO and father-figure John Sculley (Jeff Daniels), tech wiz Andy Hertzfeld (Michael Stuhlbarg) and his daughter Lisa. These battles take place primarily back-stage and in Jobsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; dressing room, all in confined areas which Boyle conducts with end-to-end

control (the only way Steve himself would have it).

In fact, only the emotional climax is set outside.

The supporting characters act like a prism, offering various angles and each refracting a different light on Jobsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; complexities as a human being. This stark portrait of Jobs, his struggle with the world around him which he believes cannot keep pace, is the arc by which the film lives and dies. Such is the brilliance of Boyle and his excellent cast, it very much lives; despite having no discernable plot. Cracking the biopic mould, if not breaking it outright.

Undoubtedly the best moments of Steve Jobs are born by Aaron Sorkinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s script, returning to the kind of dynamic and absurdly entertaining, intelligent writing that saw him win an Oscar for the brilliant Social Network. Luckily, 99% of the film is driven by the electric dialogue. I would be unsurprised if someone told me they were exhausted by

the rhetoric, but at the same time many will find its synergy of tech jargon and organic back-and-forth deeply rewarding. The humour is nuanced, avoiding feeling forced, and there are some great nods to Jobsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; later masterpieces, the iPhone and the iPod. Some convoluted editing occasionally hampers the flow, however this only seeks to emphasise the processing power of these incredible minds, and works as a metaphor for the evolution of the industry.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to give this film a five-star rating.

Partly as it was a thrilling portrait of a tyrannical genius who placed the world in our pockets. But also because, after the underwhelming splodge that was Spectre smashed box office, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m perplexed at the financial sufferings of Steve Jobs.

More like this: Lincoln (2012) William Leng

Witchfinder General (15)

He Named Me Malala (PG)

The Lady in the Van (12A)

The  Good: *XDUGLDQV RI WKH *DOD[\ (2014)

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ooper breaks out of his handsome leading man comfort zone to play a cartoon raccoon, opposite Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldana, in Marvelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blockbuster hit Guardians of the Galaxy.

Introducing a whole new set of characters from the lesser-known comics, Guardians combines exactly the right amount of action and comedy to make it appeal to an exceptionally wide audience.

Add a number one-selling soundtrack and a shirtless Chris Pratt, and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got yourself a pretty fantastic movie.

The  Bad: $OO $ERXW 6WHYH (2009)

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have never seen a film quite like Witchfinder General. This 1968 epic (if you can call it that) follows the true-ish story of self-proclaimed Witchfinder Matthew Hopkins (Vincent Price) and his ale-filled assistant John Stearne (Robert Russell) in the English Civil War. They set out across Republican East Anglia, occasionally bumping into Parliamentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s troops or the odd Royalist sniper, as they ride from village to village in search of â&#x20AC;&#x153;witchesâ&#x20AC;?. The soldiers try to catch the King before he can flee to France, but are distracted by Richard (Ian Ogilvy)â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quest to save his fiancĂŠ Sara (Hilary Heath) from death.

How do you prove whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a witch? The answer, as Hopkins would have you believe, is deceptively simple: you stab them. In the back. After that drown them a little, but not enough to kill them; you want to save the body for a good hanging or burning. The film at times blows reality out of all proportions, with Hopkins acting as judge, jury and executioner. In every death, blood is ubiquitous. Blood made of red paint, that is.

The bizarre nature of this film wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wasted on the audience, who satirically laughed at every opportunity (even the hangings). At least half of the film consisted of men on horseback riding through Kentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s green and pleasant countryside. For the rest, some poor peasant was being tortured, or the soldiers were abusing women in a village tavern. A prolonged sex scene is also a bit unnecessary, especially when the couple had just been encouraged by the fiancĂŠâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s uncle (who by the way is also the village Priest) moments earlier.

Alan Bennett has unfairly described the film as â&#x20AC;&#x153;the most persistently sadistic and morally rotten film I have seenâ&#x20AC;?. His description is accurate; the unintentionally humorous moments created by Marshall and Russellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s terrible acting canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t rescue their god-awful 17th- century haircuts. The film is just about worth of 80 minutes of your time (but little more).

More like this: A Field in England (2013)

amed for the tragic Afghani heroine, Malala of Maiwand, Malala Yousafzai was never destined for a quiet life. Breaking from tradition and rebelling against the cultural norms of her hometown in Swat Valley, Malala stood up to the Taliban governing her region.

Her defiance was met with an attempt on her life.

The reason? She wanted an education. And she was prepared to fight for it.

Davis Guggenheimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s documentary follows Malala over the course of her recovery after the attack, allowing insight into her new life as both a GCSE student in Birmingham and a world-renowned activist and passionate campaigner for educational rights.

The tales of Malalaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family, including her fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role as a role model for her activism, are told via animations, adding a depth of storytelling to an otherwise sombre piece of filmmaking. Interviews with Malalaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family and friends, and more from Malala herself give a glimpse of the extraordinary courage and resilience that drives her.

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a moment when Guggenheim seems to have something deeper â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the man behind the camera states that Malala doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like to talk about her suffering. The statement is met with a non-committal response, and a hint at the hardship Malala has continued to face, having been torn away from her homeland.

There is another fleeting mention of the lack of belief in Malalaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activism â&#x20AC;&#x201C; people ask how she got so famous, referring to her advocacy for womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rights as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;publicity stuntsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and dismissing the her cause. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s footage that tells of the difficulties Malala and her campaigning companions face, and it would have been an interesting exploration to make. Instead, the it glosses over adversity.

Although an uplifting watch, the documentary could easily have been more rounded by showing the challenges Malala faces and has overcome.

More like this: Stories We Tell (2012)

he Lady In The Van is the screen adaptation of Alan Bennettâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s play, and recounts his acquaintance with the eponymous Lady, a Miss Shepherd (Maggie Smith) who parked her live-in van on his driveway temporarily and stayed 15 years.

Alex Jennings is marvellous as Bennett, not only in his uncanny mimicry of his appearance and soft drawl, but in his subtly separate embodiments of the two Bennetts (writer and man) who appear simultaneously on screen. Smith, too, is superb, bringing charisma to what is on paper a rather unappealing character.

Gradually, the feeling develops that one is watching two films. One is the story of Miss Shepherd, a well-made if predictable and emotionally light British comedy that offers few surprises but consistent laughs. Bennettâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s neighbours feature heavily, an amalgam of 1970â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s London media types, affluent but nagged by guilt, manifesting in the glorious moment one of them tries to feed Miss Shepherd by donating a crème brĂťlĂŠe. Class, of course, is the punchline these films favour.

But thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also the other film, the story of Bennett, shown in events but also (more interestingly) via the distortion of Miss Shepherdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s story by his authorial lens. Here, there are far less laughs; instead, we get sober contemplation in the form of bickering self-dialogue about his demented mother, his work, his life, and why exactly heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s letting Miss Shepherd stay. However, Bennettâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s half of the film dominates; the dual selves quietly commenting on story mechanics and manipulations of truth, as well as the litany of The History Boys cast members in minor roles, generates a detached, meta feeling to proceedings, and often robs Miss Shepherdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s story of its emotional urgency.

Overall, a very enjoyable film, deftly directed and performed. Shame, therefore, that its two halves struggle to work together before we reach the closing scenes.

More like this: My Old Lady (2014)

Francis Williams

Iqra Choudhry

George Severs

O

n paper, a goofy rom-com starring Bradley Cooper and Sandra Bullock sounds like a sure-fire winner, however not even Queen Sandy B can save All About Steve from being one of the worst films Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever laid eyes on.

The film follows the story of a desperate woman with a terrible white trash haircut (Bullock) who falls in love with a camera-man (Cooper) and stalks him all over the country. It comes across as messy and clumsy and only contains about 2 jokes, both of which could not be perceived as funny by any right-minded human.

I really do hope an agent or two got fired over this film as both Cooper and Bullock were fairly successful at this point, so they have no excuse for sinking this low.

The  Ugly:  $PHULFDQ +XVWOH (2013)

T

here are many people in the world who have told me that American Hustle is a fantastic film, an opinion backed up pretty nicely by its 10 Oscar nominations. However, this wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enough to get me past the first half an hour without falling asleep.

Whilst this would make the film ugly enough, the real reason it makes this list is the less-thanpretty controversy surrounding the film about pay inequality for the female stars. It was revealed during the Sony hacking scandal that Jennifer Lawrence and Amy Adams were paid 2% less than their male co-stars, a fact which tainted the reputation of both the film and the studio.

Katie Ackerley

30.tvfeatures

Monday 23 November 2015

The Courier

TV Editors: Jack Parker, Hannah Bunting & Helen Daly

Happy Ad-­vent With the Christmas season nearly upon us, Mark Sleightholm and Helen Daly take a look at the hugely popular John Lewis advert and decide if its worthy of its hype

N Drinking game Fun for the whole family. If the whole family is over 18 that is…

Here, Jenny Cooke provides us with 10 infallible rules to get tipsy whilst watching The Big Bang Theory. It’s a perfect excuse to get daytime drunk (as if we need one) since this programme is on all the bloody time.

You will need: - A bottle of wine/cans of beer - Vodka or any other spirit - The willpower to watch one more episode 1. Whenever Sheldon tells a ‘fun fact’, take a shot.

2. Whenever Raj does something effeminate or mentions something homoerotic that he and Howard once did, have two shots.

3. Whenever Bernadette acts like Howard’s mother- drink.

4. If they’re at the university? Great! Take a drink.

5. If Amy says something sad that used to happen to her (AKA never being invited to sleepovers), drink half of whatever’s in your glass.

ewcastle is starting to get cold (well, colder than normal), the nights are getting darker and the shops are starting to get absolutely rammed every weekend; that can only mean one thing: it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

It’s not even up for debate that Christmas is the best time of the year, with festive cheer spreading like wildfire when George Michael starts crooning about Last Christmas and Mariah Carey sets out every year to finally get that guy - go on, lass, maybe this year.

Now of course, there’s always those Grinches out there who constantly moan whilst donning their hipster garb that Christmas has become too consumerist, especially now we live in a world where adverts become part of the festive tradition. With the John Lewis advert costing around £7 million and actually becoming newsworthy, perhaps the consumerism theorists have a point. But wait, isn’t this an argument supporting the John Lewis advert? Yes, it is, and here’s exactly why we should completely embrace it.

The Man in the Moon, as it is so called, shows a young girl (and future astronomer) using a telescope to look at the moon, when she stumbles across an old man living by himself on the moon.

She tries to send him a letter but ultimately fails because obviously, the moon is quite far away. As Christmas takes hold of Britain, she manages to send the man a present through an awful lot of balloons. Yes, I know it’s far-fetched, but stick with it.

As he opens the box, he discovers a telescope so he can watch the festive fun and finally get to wave back to that little girl who did her best to send him a present at Christmas.

Whilst, yes, the advert is quite unbelievable and definitely ignores the rules of physics, the sentiment is absolutely there. John Lewis are raising a very valid point, reminding us that we should consider those who might be alone this Christmas. The annual John Lewis advert has become an emotional tradition, with the, churning out arguably the best

For

adverts each Christmas. This year is certainly no exception with the emotion and sentimental value

“There’s always those Grinches out there who constantly moan whilst donning their hipster garb that Christmas has become too consumerist, especially now we live in a world where adverts become part of the festive tradition” exceeding past offerings from the retailer.

One of the major successes of the advert is that it’s simply a beautiful thing to watch. For a TV advert, John Lewis have gone to cinematic lengths

Ag ain st

6. Sheldon goes on a scientific rant? SHOT. 7. Leonard makes fun of the scientific rant/mock him for any particular rant? Another shot.

8. Celebrity guest onto the show under their actual name like Stephan Hawking? Trade drinks with a friend and see how much you can drink of their drink in one mouthful.

9. If anyone gets annoyed at Sheldon for any reason, have a drink.

10. Is there something someone said that you don’t quite understand?

Down your drink.

I You’re in my shot.

Continue the debate online: thecourieronline.co.uk/tv

’ve been a big fan of John Lewis adverts over the past few years, but the man on the moon was a step too far. In fact, the more I see it, the more it irritates me. It’s a lazy, predictable offering, and I’m left wondering if John Lewis have peaked, and are now just descending into clichéd claptrap.

Things got off to a bad start when they released the advert the day after bonfire night – literally the earliest they could start their Christmas countdown without overlapping their celebrations. And the fact that John Lewis adverts are now shared on YouTube before being shown on TV reflects our changing TV-viewing habits, I suppose, but it still seems a bit over the top for an advert. It might have the budget of a small independent film, but it is still an advert, and I don’t really think it warrants

quite as much hype when it gets released.

“This is the John Lewis universe, where everyone buys each other decadently expensive John Lewis telescopes for Christmas, rather than a pair of cheap and cheerful Christmas-themed socks that were on offer in Primark” Then comes the advert itself, I’m left with so, so, so many questions. Why is there a man on the moon? Why is there a bench on the moon? Why is the bench so far from his house? I’m not much of a fan of sci-fi at the best of times; this was several

to portray their relatively simplistic narrative, making use of convincing CGI to make an actually believable moonscape. On top of this, they’ve once again found the perfect song to accompany the piece. Oasis’s ‘Half the World Away’ is given the old ‘haunting girl on piano’ treatment and perfectly compliments the old/young binary: ‘my body is young but my mind is very old’.

Alongside the advert, John Lewis have brought out a range of accompanying merchandise, all emblazoned with the main images from the piece, with proceeds (????) going to Age UK to support those who will be alone this Christmas.

With all of this then, it’s hard to read the advert as anything other than a triumph which reminds us of the true meaning of Christmas.

Helen Daly steps too far for me. What happened to the gritty social realism of the John Lewis advert where the woman grew up and got old, or the one with the couple that almost broke up but then didn’t? This advert just wasn’t believable enough. Walking snowmen and footballing penguins were endearing, a man/house/bench on the moon is too ridiculous.

If the man on the moon wasn’t hard enough to believe, the delivery service is even worse. I’ve made some pretty impressive paper aeroplanes in my time, but sadly none have quite made it as far as the moon, so I guess that part’s accurate, but I really don’t believe that a dozen balloons could do so much better. Maybe someone should buy the advertising department at John Lewis a physics book for Christmas? Or maybe I’m missing the point/ ruining Christmas/taking things literally.

Because ultimately, this is a story about loneliness and friendship, and that’s what Christmas is all about. And of course, this is the John Lewis universe, where everyone buys each other expensive John Lewis telescopes for Christmas, rather than a pair of Christmas-themed socks that were on offer in Primark. That girl battles on, determined to get in contact with the man on the moon – the true meaning of friendship. But therein lies the problem – the whole thing was just way too predictable.

Pretty much as soon as the man was introduced, you could see where the advert was going, and his tear at the end was a pathetic cliché. The whole way through I was waiting for the punch line – Monty the penguin wasn’t a real penguin, the little boy wanted to give a present rather than receive one, etc etc, but the punch line never came. It just ended, happily, in the way everyone could see it would – where’s the fun in that?

Mark Sleightholm

The Courier

highlightstv.31

Monday 23 November 2015

thecourieronline.co.uk/tv c2.tv@ncl.ac.uk | @courier_tv

Anime zing

A Capital

BBC One, Tuesday, 9pm

W

e want what you have– that’s the essential premise of BBC One’s new drama and the words, neatly type-written on anonymous postcards that plague Pepys Road.

The fictional South London street is heaving, as all streets are, with a multitude of tiny, covert dramas. With the introduction of the mysterious postcards, we are ushered swiftly through their front doors and into the thick of their lives.

Based on John Lanchester’s 2012 novel, it’s a story unique its time – the lead-up to the financial crash of 2008, when many, including banker and Pepys Street denizen Roger (Toby Smith) had yet to grasp the decidedly temporary nature of economic success. Equally, the show’s Clapham location seems as much a character as any other member of the stellar cast, which includes Lesley Sharp (Scott and Bailey) and Adeel Akhtar (Utopia). The newly-gentrified Pepys Road, still in the process

of an uneasy transition from bedsits to £3 million suburban refuges, is brought to life by the uneasy tension between the old and the new.

It’s not a new idea, to peel back the surface of a residential area and look more closely at the lives inside – there’s a multitude of TV soaps prepared to fill that particular niche. Capital distinguishes itself, however, in its close focus on the politics of property and the English obsession with houseownership. ‘An Englishman’s home is his castle’ is a tired saying, but in many ways an accurate one: the houses on Pepys Road are status symbols, expressions of the world view of the residents and the way they would like to be seen. They’re also (stretching the metaphor further still) fortresses, barriers which shelter Smith’s banker, anxiously awaiting a £2 million bonus, from Wunmi Mosaku’s Zimbabwean refugee, and the terminally ill widow further down the road (Gemma Jones). Again, it’s a state of affairs that’s largely unique to London: in few other cities can the desperate be found so closely alongside the rich and powerful. First Lanchester, and then series director Peter Bowker (Marvellous) promise to break down these divi-

sions, both through the intrusion of the mysterious postcards through the letterbox and the property crash looming on the horizon.

The trailer promises a rich portrait of London life, from top to bottom. It’s a daunting task: attempting to represent and appeal to a broad spectrum of lifestyles is admirable, but runs the risk of presenting the viewer with nothing more than an array of one-dimensional archetypes – the Polish builder, the wealthy lady-who-lunches, the bloke who runs the corner shop – and very little in the way of anything recognisable or empathetic. Bowker and his cast will have to work hard to deliver a story set firmly within wider social and economic contexts, while retaining a sense of intimacy.

If successful, Capital could well deliver both intelligent commentary and British ensemble casting at its best and, if it lives up to its promises, an entertaining – and, Bowker hopes, familiar – look into the lives of a group of people otherwise united only by their postcode and the persistent threat of the postcards.

Hannah Bunting

nime (short for animation) is a Japanese style of computer animation that started in 1917, although it became more popular after WW2. Its style and plot change greatly depending on the artist and the era in which it was produced. Most often they are based on manga (Japanese comics) or light novel stories.

There are anime in any genre imaginable, and some have also been adapted to live action dramas. Through subtitling and dubbing, anime has become a world wide phenomenon, with passionate fans all over the world.

Anime can either be seasonal shows (around 12 or 24 episodes) or be a long term project that can last for many years (such as One Piece, which aired it’s 718th episode last week). My three favourite animes of this Fall season (Sept – Dec) are: Young Black Jack, Gakusen Toshi Asterisk and Subete ga F ni Naru: The Perfect Insider.

Young Black Jack Young Black Jack and Subete ga F ni Naru (Everything Becomes F) are definitely for a more adult audience. Young Black Jack follows the story of an incredibly skilled medical student in a world full of turmoil and uncertainty. It is set in 1968 and it manages to portray the Vietnam War and student protests in a realistic and thought provoking way, something that not many animes can achieve. Although it does not show any actual surgeries it does show blood and the psychological effects of war so it should not be taken lightly. However if you are looking for a slightly different twist to the shounen genre, and are interested in the ethics behind being a doctor this may be an interesting anime to follow; especially as this is the prequel story building up to the main character’s adult life (shown in the anime/manga Black Jack).

Subete ga F ni Naru

Blindspot

Younger

F

Suspects

Sky Living, Tuesday, 9pm

Sony, Wednesday 9pm

W

Channel 5, Wednesday, 10pm

O

rom Sex And the City creator Darren Star, Younger is the new US hit show that encapsulates the ever growing pressure to be, as the title advertises, ‘younger’.

Starring the incredible Sutton Foster (Anything Goes) and with an unexpected appearance from Hilary Duff (Lizzie McGuire), the show is a surprisingly refreshing comedy.

The general plot involves newly divorced mum Liza (Foster), and her struggle to get a job in the publishing industry as a 40 year ‘has-been’ woman.

Thus, she is forced to erase history and turn back time. But will reliving her life as a 26 year old turn out how she expects? Or does the ever growing pressure of lying to her friends, work colleagues and her love interest eventually start to catch up on her?

The show incorporates not only the struggles Liza faces as an older woman pretending to be young, but also life in the 21st century. Consequently, she must become accustomed to all the latest trends and pressures that surround the world of social media, as well as the backlashes that come with it.

With an even blend of comedy, friendship and romance (Nico Tortorella as the love interest being very easy on the eye), the series is a light hearted break from the intense worlds of violence and drama that seem to dominate our screens lately. The succinct nature of the series (12 episodes, each 30 minutes long) is therefore suitable for such a relaxing and carefree show, although it still leaves you craving more as the show progresses. To summarise, Younger is a fantastic way to wind down after a stressful day at university: highly recommended!

hen a woman is found dumped inside a holdall in the middle of Times Square one night, with no clothes, no memory, and only a note to call the FBI in her possession, the mystery of Jane Doe begins. Covered head to toe in fresh tattoos, the one that stands out the most is FBI agent Kurt Weller’s name pride of place on her back, despite the pair being strangers.

With her system flooded with a trial drug for PTSD sufferers, Jane Doe has no memory of her life before, but her story begins to unravel as the tattoos are investigated closely. With a treasure map of criminals inked on almost every inch of her body, Jane Doe and the FBI must navigate piece-by-piece, tattoo-by-tattoo, all the while finding out more about Jane’s own shady past. Speaking fluent Chinese and deadly in hand-to-hand combat, there is more to her than meets the eye.

Jaimie Alexander is the puzzling woman spending almost eight hours in the makeup chair, selling the role perfectly with some incredible performances as the amnesiac. Sullivan Stapleton also stars as Kurt Weller, the FBI agent tasked with solving the complex puzzle, while Broadchurch alum Marianne Jean-Baptiste also features as Bethany Mayfair, Assistant Director of the FBI, with a secret of her own to hide.

Although guilty of rushing through parts of the mystery in the series’ opening episode, somewhat muting the suspense, the concept is one which is almost guaranteed to keep you asking questions throughout the series, even if it is at risk of blending into the standard police procedural.

n the surface, Suspects sounds just like any other procedural crime drama: each episode follows a team of detectives as they investigate and solve different crimes.

Sounds boring, huh? Turns out, there’s more to the show than meets the eye. In order to make the show more natural and realistic, the actors on the show improvise their dialogue and their reactions. The director gives them a detailed story document without word-for-word dialogue.

Set in London, Suspects focuses on a team of three detectives, DS Jack Weston (Damien Moloney), DC Charlie Steele (Claire-Hope Ashitey), and DI Martha Bellamy (Fay Ripley, reviving her role as the hard-nosed copper following stellar turns in The Bill and Hustle) of the Greater London Police, during the investigations.

Each episode of the show opens with a news report about the crime. The story then follow the three detectives investigate the crime until they find and charge the criminal. Unusually, we are left almost completely in the dark about the personal lives of the main characters. The show only focuses on police work.

Following the show’s first five-episode season in February 2014, Suspects has covered a variety of crimes ranging from assault and drug abuse to uncovering a paedophile ring, all in the show’s trademark fly-on-the-wall documentary production style.

While very little information has been provided about the latest series, trailers and press-releases promise a return to the show’s previous high stakes, high-tension drama.

Robyn Colclough

Reece Hanson

Nathasya Gunawan

Although Subete ga F ni Naru also covers themes of death and life, this is a much more phylosophical take on what it means to be alive. Based on the 1996 mystery novel by Hiroshi Mori it is intriguing and sometimes even disconcerting. Although I wouldn’t recommend watching all of it at 3 in the morning like I did, it is a powerful anime that completely involves you in the story. The only reason why it may not be as popular as other animes this season is that it is quite dark and it tackles some very heavy topics. Although it may sound confusing or the theories slightly ridiculous this anime is definitely worth watching till the end. A tv drama series is also available for those who prefer to watch real actors play out the story.

Gakusen Toshi Asterisk Gakusen Toshi Asterisk on the other hand is a completely different type of anime. With colourful drawings and the inhuman powers of the characters, it is much more of a traditional shounen anime. Although it does have some hints of harem in it, the fanservice and general exaggeration of the female body is not too bad and can be easily ignored. However many say that it is quite similar to another anime airing at the moment, Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry, which is either a good thing, if you can’t get enough of that genre, or proof that the plot may be dissapointingly cliché.

Noragami Aragoto and Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu ka?? are also worthy of mention but they are both airing their second season now so I would suggest watching them from the beginning.

34.gaming

Monday 23 November 2015

The Courier

Gaming Editors: Michael Hicks, Ollie Burton & James McCoull

Top 5 gaming post-­apocalypses Salman Ali Virk scours through the ruins of society for diamonds in the rough 5. Gears of War

Most of the game focuses on the war against the Locust and the brotherhood between Marcus and his kill crew, so much so that we seem to forget how screwed the human race is. No matter where Marcus and his crew seem to go it’s always in ruins. Sure, there are civilians on the ground as well but the situation on Planet Sera is even worse for the military. It’s a game about brute-force combat rather than the more subtle survival-based titles we’re used to in this genre. The sheer primitive power and weight of the action makes us feel every gun-fight, and the game poses a surprising amount of challenge for what many expected would be a pretty bog-standard shooter franchise. A great series set in a world that I’d never visit.

4. Resident Evil From the mansion to Raccoon City, from Eastern Europe to Africa. For the past 20 years it seems wherever Capcom goes they leave a trail of zombies or messed-up parasitic mutants behind. This is the series that made zombies look cool - no matter where you go or who you play as, one thing for sure is that you have to survive hordes of the infected.

The series, these days may not have strong hold as it had a decade ago, as the series has shifted from its original survival horror theme to more explosively military. But it still remains classic to this day and fans have not given up on the series.

Review: Rise of the Tomb Raider

Errol Kerr grabs his ice axes and steps back into the shoes of everyone’s favourite badass

I

f you’d been through the gruelling business that Lara Croft experienced in 2013’s Tomb Raider, you’d probably settle down somewhere quiet, avoid more dangerous spike filled locations, never pick up a gun again, and endlessly wash your skin after that encounter with blood pool which was strikingly reminiscent of The Descent… At least, that’s what you’d do if you didn’t want a sequel. But we all wanted a sequel, didn’t we? *Yes Errol, we did*, I hear you say.

So, enter Rise of the Tomb Raider. The second Tomb Raider game since Crystal Dynamics and Square Enix’s reboot of the franchise trades the jungles of Yamatai, Japan for the deserts of Syria and the frozen tundra of Siberia. Lara’s newest expedition brings her to breathtaking environments and views – kudos to the graphic design department here – in her search to reclaim her father’s legacy and find the Divine Source of immortality, whilst being hunted by Trinity, an underground religious fanatic organisation hell-bent on global control. No, they’re not the Illuminati. Or the Templars. Close enough, though.

This new game signals a return to Tomb Raider’s roots, combining elements of survival from the previous game with the exploration and puzzle solving elements from prior games. Following the

“second game” pattern of doubling the amount of a certain piece of kit, now Lara has two ice axes instead of one. Still only one pistol though - Lara’s a bit more human than her previous iterations. Gone are the days where she can execute a forward flip whilst jumping a 15 foot gap, back are the days of actually getting snapped, run through and sliced up by traps and falling rocks if you’re not quick enough, instead of disappointingly bouncing off of them like in Tomb Raider: Legend – and that’s not even the best death you can put Lara through. Yes, I killed Lara for this information, it was painful to do. You’d best be thankful.

“Everyone’s a winner.

Except for that bear you just blew up. Greenpeace and PETA would have Lara’s head, wouldn’t they?”

Customisation of Lara’s kit is now far more varied and implemented into the story – progressing through the main story, completing side missions by other individuals, or (you guessed it) raiding tombs will provide you with better gear, weap-

ons with different stats and capabilities, outfits with differing bonuses, and enough resources to upgrade your equipment. With the level of variation available, you can play this game however you want. Prefer stealth? Stick with using your bow, poisonous arrows, and your ice axes. More action?

Incendiary shotgun and explosive arrows. Everyone’s a winner. Except for that bear you just blew up. Greenpeace and PETA would have Lara’s head, wouldn’t they…

The elements of survival are entirely controllable, allowing you to play through this game incredibly easily if you wished – or, if you’re like me, give yourself the most gruelling experience possible.

No health regeneration, limited resources for crafting ammunition, weapon upgrades and bandages, and mercenaries, wolves, bears and supernatural enemies that are really good at killing you. At this point, when you find yourself hidden from a group of mercenaries with no health regeneration whatsoever, no bandages, two shotgun shells and an ice axe, things get interesting.

Overall, this feels like a Tomb Raider game. Considering I’ve played them all, the exploration and survival elements of this game fit perfectly within the franchise and diehard fans of the series should have already picked this up. In fact why are you reading this? Go raid a tomb or something!

3. The Walking Dead Based on the popular comic series by Robert Kirkman and TV series on AMC, Walking Dead is not your typical first person zombie shooter - some fantastic story lore is seen in this masterpiece by Telltale Games. Defined as a graphic adventure, the game experience largely depends on how the player interacts with characters, with each of their choices in dialogue having a substantial effect on how the storyline progresses.

2. The Last of Us Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us has perhaps done more for PlayStation console sales than any other title thanks to incredible character and story development that other game studios should take note of. In terms of game engine, it’s very reminiscent of other Naughty Dog games like Uncharted, but its rightful acclaim lies in not just the beautifullydesigned environment, but how much you get involved with the pair of characters. The Last of Us makes the end of the world look truly beautiful.

1. Fallout Fallout must be the granddaddy of all post-apocalyptic games. With five titles to its credit, it shows us the future as predicted by classic post-apocalyptic late 80s and early 90s sci-fi movies. The game series is not just about survival, but being able to move forward together as a society. To rebuild in the face of total annihilation. To rebuild in the face of power struggles, realising the importance of many an uneasy alliance, in the face of lies, all while staring down horrendous supply shortages. In the face of the end of the world, you choose who you will be, and what fate you make not only for those w h o choose to stand w it h you, but that which you make for yourself.

Image; Arturous007 on Flickr

Image; MyXbox.gr, Flickr

Club Trope-­icana: Sequel Resets

Richard Liddle asks what we’re all thinking: ‘where did my BFG go?’

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n most video games, there comes a point where you know you’re in the big leagues.

Your character is levelled to the max, your inventory is practically overflowing and even the toughest enemies don’t stand a chance against the skills you’ve amassed over your journey.

You’ve become the ultimate badass, and there’s nothing that can knock you off your pedestal.

Except, of course, the sequel. No matter how strong you get in the first game, when the sequel rolls around you invariably get sent back to square one. All of your items are gone, your equipment is laughably bad and somehow in between games your character has forgotten how to use all those fancy abilities they spent all that time learning first time around. Gameplay-wise, it’s a perfectly understandable, often essential trope – after all, there’d be little challenge if you started the game with maxedout stats and enough weaponry to make the NRA think it’s Christmas. In the narrative, though, it doesn’t always make as much sense.

The Metroid series is perhaps the best example.

Your progress through these games is punctuated by the retrieval of new abilities that allow Samus to reach new areas for exploration – heat resistance

to plod through a lava area, rockets to blast down walls and locked doors, upgraded jumps and so on.

Given how handy all of this is in Samus’ numerous adventures, you’d think she would try and keep hold of these upgrades, but nope: in every new game she’s back to her basic Power Suit.

“Link loses all his gear, his ability to swim and even his knowledge of swordfighting” Some of the Metroid games explain this factory reset – in Prime, her suit malfunctions after an electrical surge and in Fusion it has to be removed to combat a parasite that’s eating her alive. Other M gives a less satisfactory explanation, with Samus’ old commander (who no longer has any authority over her) telling her not to use her upgraded abilities unless he authorises it. Despite the obvious risk to her life, Samus agrees. This is still better than in Metroid II, Super Metroid and Metroid Prime 3, though, where all her abilities are gone with no explanation whatsoever.

It’s not just Metroid that’s guilty of this clumsy explanation. In most Tomb Raider games, Lara

starts off with just her pistols despite picking up huge amounts of weapons and resources in her previous adventures. Between The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and its sequel, Phantom Hourglass, Link loses all his gear, his ability to swim and even his knowledge of swordfighting. The Arkham series of Batman games even sees this trope happen retroactively, with various items introduced in the prequel, Origins, not actually appearing in the first two games.

Of course, not every sequel abides by this system. In Golden Sun, for instance, you’re given a password that can then be used in its sequel, The Lost Age, to unlock all your gear for the first game’s characters when they join the party later on in the game. The popular Flash game K.O.L.M 2 goes one step further, with its protagonist, Robbie, retaining all the upgrades he collected in the original K.O.L.M. The sequel reset has become a staple in games over the years, and despite the sometimes unsatisfactory explanations for losing all your precious gear, at the end of the day this trope allows sequels to provide a new challenge to players, meaning it’s easy to forgive any clumsy narrative it incurs.

The Courier

gaming.35

Monday 23 November 2015

thecourieronline.co.uk @Courier_Gaming

What I’m Playing: Hearthstone

Review: Call of Duty: Black Ops III

Abi Ellis and Dan Hirst check out Treyarch’s latest shooter hit

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reyarch’s Black Ops 3 is a cut above the rest, re-igniting the fire that was ebbing away along with its monotonous franchise. With 3 game modes available and an additional zombies campaign to sink your teeth into after completing the original story, BO3 will leave you in a tossup between going to your lecture and having, ‘just one more game’.

Equipped with multiple challenges and scenarios, BO3’s campaign will push you to the limits as you venture through the futuristic world of robots, AI’s and genetic enhancements. Customisation of your character and loadouts is achieved by unlocking upgrades throughout the story, a beautiful addition to the campaign.

Although the booster is an unlockable upgrade in this mode, it isn’t essential as

you can access the same areas through good old fashioned jumping. However, there’s more than one way to complete missions and it is up to you on what route you take. You can go all out with guns blazing, or be the badass assassin you’ve always wanted to be. If this wasn’t exciting enough, you can now play cooperatively with friends or randomers, an addition greatly welcomed by the community.

“You can go all out with guns blazing, or be the badass assassin you’ve always wanted to be”

All maps in the game’s online mode have a standard 3-lane BO2 style layout, incorporating running and boosting with wall climbing and swimming which I must say is quite a stylish touch.

As for the combat, the newly introduced scifi specialist superpowers are incredible. Similar to scorestreaks, they are unlocked as you fight, and offer a divine moment of unfair advantage over opponents.

These temporary power-ups include an overImage; news hubz, Flickr powered pistol

with one shot one kill, an explosive ground punch that instantly kills enemies in your immediate vicinity or a radar pulse that outlines any enemies in red. With these and many more you can tailor your loadout to your playstyle.

You can choose from one of nine specialist characters who each have their own ability and weapon. These are individual soldiers with names, callsigns and back stories that are linked to the lore of the Black Ops 3 universe. After feedback from the beta, Treyarch have added more detail into these characters who you couldn’t differentiate at first.

The immense detail and refinement in BO3 doesn’t go amiss: even the loading screen has been carefully considered.

Zombie mode is set back in the 1940s, separating it entirely from the other game modes. It could literally have its own disk as there’s so much content and it follows its own separate storyline. That being said, there’s speculation about a link to Infection (an online, Inception style map) as the levitating house is rumoured to be that of Samantha, Dr Maxi’s daughter.

“Black Ops 3 is a game made for the latest gen consoles”

Pack a punch now offers 5 different upgrades which is an improvement from only attachments being available in BO2. These are Turned (most powerful upgrade), Deadwood (electrifies zombies), Blast Furnace (spontaneous combustion of zombies), Thunder Wall (thunder gun effect) and Fireworks (brilliant visual appeal).

Overall, the game’s graphics are brilliant and the movement is a lot more fluid in comparison to previous games such as Advanced Warfare. In other words, BO3 is a game made for the latest gen consoles and in our opinion, something you definitely should be buying.

Player 2: press start (or don’t) Mairead Hickey and Jordan Oloman go head to head in the battle of the game modes: multiplayer versus singleplayer

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don’t know about you, but I’ve become sick and tired of multiplayer. These days it seems the gaming industry is focusing more time and effort into jazzing up the multiplayer functions on their products rather than the actual story.

To be honest, the only time I use multiplayer is if it can score me some post-game content. I couldn’t care less about the benefits of playing with friends or connecting with other DS consoles while out and about – in my experience, multiplayer is just a hassle that I can never be bothered with.

And let’s face it, there’s nothing worse than playing with a bunch of friends and facing the constant embarrassment of dying yet again. If I’m going to die in-game, I’d much prefer to do so in a boss battle, because at least then I can try again however many times I like, and without the added stress of other players who will inevitably be better than I

Jordan on...

Multiplayer

A

s they say, two heads are better than one, and in gaming, this couldn’t be more blatant. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good introverted, character driven story, but if you’re

am. On single-player I can be as crap as I like. Unlike my fellow Courier contributors, I’m not a dedicated member of the gaming community. I don’t live-blog or have a video channel. When I play a video game, I’m doing it just because it’s something I can enjoy by myself. It’s not something I feel the need to share or include others in; it’s something just for me.

“When I play a video game, I’m doing it because it’s something I can enjoy by myself ”

At the end of the day, though, I’m a sucker for a good storyline. And while multiplayer can be a good way to tide over those tedious family gatherlooking for some pure unadulterated fun, multiplayer games are the way to go. Pick any situation, and it is always improved by letting your buddies hop in on the action.

Most of my steam hours consist of high-octane, team based games which bring out a wealth of emotions. One day I could be masterminding a bank heist on Payday 2, barking orders at my team mates to get in the shadows as I watch the guards patrol through a hacked camera, and feeling the hairs stand up on the back of my neck as we sneak the last bag of loot out of the compound.

The next, I could be keeled over in hysterics as I charge my mate out of a window to an imminent, messy death on Left 4 Dead 2. And don’t even ask me about DOTA. However, if you were looking for something a bit more low-key, there’s nothing more relaxing than an evening spent on Civilisation 5, altering history for the worse and having a nice old natter with

Mairead on...

Singleplayer ings, it’s not the reason I buy a game. Multiplayer can be a nice bonus, but it’s not what makes a game good; there needs to be a decent story at the heart of it, or I’m just not interested. your friends (until Gandhi pulls the nukes out) or a few rounds of late night poker on Tabletop Simulator. Probably my favourite thing about multiplayer games though, is the element of surprise. Finding crazy nuances in a buggy engine or finding out one of your friends has a sinister streak.

“Probably my favourite thing is the element of surprise”

Some of my fondest memories have been building homes in game worlds like Minecraft, only to watch my empire crumble due to a breakdown in trade relations, or a sophisticated Redstone trap.

The possibilities are endless, and that’s why they come out on top!

Tom Shrimplin gets dealt a new hand in Blizzard’s latest expansion for their online TCG

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lizzard have a habit of making binge games- as in games you can go through periods of barely playing, then all of a sudden your back to playing it non-stop. This is exactly the same with Hearthstone, which has recently introduced League of Explorers; Hearthstone’s third adventure.

League of Explorers gives us new challenges and forty-five new cards, as well as pushing me back into binge mode. So far only the first wing has opened and I’m glad to see three unique, distinct challenges, showing that there is still creativity in abundance- including the first non-boss fight challenge. Then of course there is also Heroic mode, where the challenges are more difficult; requiring you alter your deck for success. Some of the cards also seem playable for laddering too and present new opportunities for deck creation. For example my favourite card design is the Naga Sea Witch has 5 attack and 5 health for 5 mana with an effect that makes all of your cards cost 5 mana while it’s in play. Basically you can get your expensive cards out for less, but it does make your cheap cards more expensive too. So while, I’m not the greatest fan of micro transactions at least it is only £13 (or 2800 in-game gold in total for all four wings, if you’ve somehow managed to hoard all that money) which is fair exchange for an excellent set of challenges and very interesting cards, with the new Discover mechanic (where you choose a card from three) adding another facet to a simple yet in-depth game.

“I’m glad to report that Hearthstone is still an enjoyable albeit unpredictable game” In other news, Patron Warrior has been wiped off the surface of the earth. Rejoice! When a deck can beat you in one turn and you can’t do anything it is incredibly frustrating. Sadly however Blizzard have decided to excessively nerf Warsong Commander which allowed minions under 3 attack to charge, meaning that it joins Undertaker, Starving Buzzard and friends in being complete and utter garbage. Therefore Frothing Berserker (the card more deserving of a nerf) escaped punishment, while an entire deck archetype was killed. No one asked for the deck to be obliterated out of existence just to be balanced in respect to other decks.

Similarly, Piloted Shredder and Dr. Boom (or Dr. Balanced as the Hearthstone community derisively call him) haven’t been nerfed either. Hopefully in the future the developers simply fine-tune unbalanced cards than make them downright unplayable, as well as looking at more criticised cards.

So with that rant over with, I’m glad to report that Hearthstone is still an accessible and (mostly) very enjoyable albeit unpredictable game, making it all incredibly exciting and infuriating in equal measure. Tavern Brawl, a mode providing a new set of rules each week, still remains varied and fun.

Arena still remains a true test of skill as you try select the best possible cards to take your deck to twelve wins. Casual mode gives you the chance to experiment with new deck ideas. Whereas Ladder mode takes blood, sweat and tears (or cash if you are so inclined) to reach the highest ranks.

You may also duel your friends on Friendly Play too. And finally the community is still expanding and remains as lively (and hilarious) as ever across Twitch, Youtube and many other websites with an ever-growing competitive scene. Hearthstone is truly exploring new horizons in terms of what a card game can be in the modern age.

Image; Sosiaalisesti Rajoittuneet on Flickr

36.gamingfeatures

Monday 23 November 2015

The Courier

It’s here. After months of anticipation, Bethesda have dropped the bomb, and nuclear apocalyptia has never been so beautiful.

So what’s left to say but this?

Welcome home.

Flickr: Midhras200200

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couldn’t honestly tell you when I realised that Fallout 4 was ‘it’. Perhaps it was during its teaser trailer way back at E3 2015, mournful music playing over a camera swinging between pre- and post-war America. Perhaps it was during the months of hype since, the build up steady and inexorable, a rising tension in the whole community. Perhaps it was starting it up for the first time, building a character I could step into, exploring Bethesda’s most ambitiously detailed and superbly beautiful world to date. Or perhaps it was when my dog swam through solid concrete. Jury’s out.

But the point is, ‘it’ is most certainly what Fallout 4 is. The big one. The genre-definer, the landmark we’ll point to for all future open world sandboxes and action RPGs and sci-fi games and say ‘beat that’. As I’ve said before, Bethesda know what they do well, and this is the fucking magnum opus.

There’s no doubt about it. With that in mind, allow me to tell you how I spent my first hours in the game.

I am not a rich man. Consequently, my beloved laptop – whilst just about capable of running the game – is by no means equipped for the graphical (and literal) armageddon that Fallout 4 wreaks upon processors. I run the game on low, limboing

sink into it, mark my words: you will, as I have, be caught off-guard by the tragic beauty of warped monuments, the overgrowth in a rusted diner, tattered skeletons clinging to Med-X and handguns.

It’s a world well and truly alive with detail, and I

“Fallout 4 is your new obsession. That’s all there is to it.

With a world of settlements to build, power armour to customise, dungeon-esque buildings to plunder, guns to play with and robots to fuck, how could it not be?” far beneath the bar of average settings, and still stagger through frame drops and sluggish performance. This is no criticism (it’s my own fault, really) but rather a compliment, because now you can properly appreciate what I mean when I say that even on low settings the Commonwealth is the most eye-wideningly gorgeous game world I’ve ever had the pleasure of sinking into. And you do

was mesmerised by just how much love and attention has been put into it. My character – Jasmine, a kind-hearted, dedicated mother and closet robot fetishist with a long-repressed love of firearms – spends more time staring at the environment than anything else. I opted for a fairly well-rounded Sole Survivor with a specialisation in guns, and they really do feel amazing. Revolvers in particular feel

exactly as powerful as they should, and combat on the whole is extremely satisfying – a marked improvement on Bethesda’s usual style. Sadistic though it might be, blowing a ghoul’s legs off and watching it gawk helplessly at you, waiting for the coup de grace, feels fantastic. Try not to think about the fact that you probably knew these people two hundred and ten years ago when you introduce their grey matter to the carpet.

Fallout 4 is your new obsession. That’s all there is to it. With a world of settlements to build, power armour to customise, dungeon-esque buildings to plunder, guns to play with, beasts to kill and robots to fuck, how could it not be? After five long years of silence, Fallout’s re-emergence into the gaming world comes as triumphantly, beautifully and spectacularly as it should. Needless to say, this is one not to miss, for fans and new players alike. With that, there’s really no better way to sum up than with the game’s own tagline.

Welcome home.

William Leng steps into the steel-­clad power armour of the Sole Survivor

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fter what seems at the same time like a millennium and no time at all, Fallout 4 is finally here and in my PS4. Once more do I venture into Fallout’s bombed-out husk of a world; a world packed with so much character, places to see, things to do,and things which want to kill you. While my first-hand experience of Bethesda’s newest behemoth of a game are not the most extensive out there, never the less I am going to share how I experienced the first few hours of my adventure in Fallout 4.

After one of the most poignant and haunting opening cinematics in recent memory; we are brought to Bethesda’s much-touted new character creator. I have a tradition in games of making the ugliest gonk possible, but I decided to spice things up for Fallout 4. My player character, Tarquin became a handsome Clooney-esque man of deep blue eyes, a jawbone you could sharpen a knife with and a magnificent silver pompadour and baby-beard combo.

“Thus my Fallout 4 adventure began; ready to explore the corny land of fifties, world-of-tomorrow Americana”

His wife is a bear of a woman, with satellite dish like ears that stick out a mile and a face so square that you’d assume the invisible artiste charged with designing her face had set squares for hands. Her jaw is like that of Alien’s famous Xenomorph; coupled with a nose so flat that you’d assume that she got into a fight with Mike Tyson and lost, badly.

She was also really, really big; like “her bum is so big I might need to extend the doorframes” big.

I also had an adorable but strangely black baby

boy (something you’re not telling me, honey?) named Shaun and a hilariously British robot butler named Codsworth. You could say they made a cute, if quirky, family. And thus my Fallout 4 adventure began; ready to explore the corny land of fifties, world-of-tomorrow Americana.

I quickly found that my character has a voice; a stark contrast to all the other open-world Bethesda RPGs I’ve played.

While this threw me off initially, I quickly warmed to it, deciding that if Bethesda felt that the game’s plot would benefit from having a vocal protagonist, I’m more than fine with it. Fallout at least seems to have made the jump of mute to

voice-acted player character in a much better way than that of gaming’s first lady, Samus Aran, in the now infamous Metroid: Other M. M I won’t spoil the details of the opening sequence of Fallout 4, as they are incredibly powerful and deserve to be seen firsthand, but I soon found myself in the year 2287 and in the post-nuclear war wasteland of the Boston area, on a quest to save my family. A quest to save my family that quickly devolved into helping the Minutemen, becoming an interior decorator à la Animal Crossing, Crossing modifying some guns and finding a cute puppy (he can do tricks! He and stand on his hind legs, seek out items and enemies and phase through walls.

That last one’s a great trick). The concept of power armour was given an extensive overhaul.

The player is now given access to it very early. It functions more as a super-powered exoskeleton which uses consumable fuel in the form of Fusion Cores; rather than another set of late-game armour.

It’s immensely satisfying to stroll through areas, eviscerating everything in your path like a Terminator. After a particularly nasty encounter with the nowterrifying feral ghouls and a raider donning power armour and wielding a Fat Man nuclear missile launcher at level six, I decided I had enough of Fallout 4, but I can’t wait to sink my teeth in again, next time hopefully taking a much more substantial bite.

The Chief hasn’t had an outing on PC since Halo 2 in 2007.

The Courier

Monday 23 November 2015

Charlotte  Huggins  sacks  off  the  whole  â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;married  with  kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;  thing  for  a  bit  of  the  old  ultraviolence

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â&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a postgrad paying ÂŁ5500 a year in tuition.

I have two jobs, PhD applications to work on, and heaps of academic work that I never seem able to make a dent in.

So naturally I bought Fallout 4 at midnight and stayed up until 3am playing it. The night before a full 9am to 5pm day of lectures - I never said I was a role model.

The game opens by plunging you into the life of a woman in a monogamous, heterosexual marriage with an infant son. Kind of a disturbing amount of commitment and responsibility, but donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t worry.

The game quickly kills the husband, kidnaps the baby, drops a bomb on the town, and puts you in a freezer in an underground vault for 200 years.

After 200 years as a popsicle, my character is burped out into a post-apocalyptic hellscape, determined to find her son - giant cockroaches, invisible Deathclaws and hordes of ghouls be damned.

But that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop her from getting caught up with every single tiny petty issue in the Commonwealth though.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m retrieving drug money, settling squabbles, killing ghouls, taking over drug labs, murdering raiders, fixing the plumbing, retrieving paint, and generally being a conscientious (if slightly interfering) citizen with a penchant for shotguns. I even help set up a robot with the exasperated schoolteacher sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been mooning over - maid of honour at their wedding and everything. A womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work is never done.

Not to mention the fact Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been abruptly put in charge of all building work across the Commonwealth. Apparently thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s absolutely nobody else in the Wasteland that can bang a few beds together.

That said, the settlement building minigame is something Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve wanted in the Fallout series for a long time. And finally, all the junk you can pick up is actually useful! You can actually turn those bits of pre-war rubbish into materials for building, so be ready to hoard even more than in previous games. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dangerously addictive though - I found myself spending three hours just building up the Red Rocket Truck Stop alone. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even have settlers living there. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just where my dog stays when heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not travelling with me. Yep, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve completely lost control of my life.

As I tried to decide whether Dogmeat looks cuter in a collar or a neckerchief, I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t shake the feeling Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d forgotten about something. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know how that was possible - all my settlements were doing well, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d set myself up with a new girlfriend, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d been off the Jet for a while now. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d even done a stint as a superhero.

Shrugging it off, I went to visit the detective in Diamond City, wondering if I could pull off some femme fatale thing with my new Black Widow perk, or maybe do some sleuthing side-quests.

Then my character starts going on about like, this baby she was looking for? Like, when had I picked up that quest? What kind of reckless mother would lose her own baby?

Oh. Yeah. That.

Shit.

featuresgaming.37

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ell, what can I say? Fallout 4 is here, and my free time is slowly dissipating into the void. I cheekily made Steam think I was in New Zealand so I could play it 16 hours early. That, my friends, is desperation and hype gone haywire, but I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t regret it, because of the countless shameful hours Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve sunk into this dystopian behemoth, I want to re-live every single one of them.

My main draw to games like Fallout is the way in which game developers can create an intricate, vibrant and intoxicating world, one that not only makes you want to search every nook and cranny, but rewards you for doing just that. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what sets Fallout miles ahead from your typical RPG, and Fallout 4 takes that concept and runs with it.

Random encounters can occur anywhere, and each crumbling building has a story to tell.

My initial reserved judgments of the game were the strange new way in which the power armor/ crafting system is utilized, the voiced protagonist, and of course, the removal of skills like Repair and

Medicine. However, Bethesda has managed to absolutely pull off all three of these rather brutish changes, whilst also refining everything we know and love about the previous Fallout games.

The game oozes sentimentality, which I think is what the Fallout games were missing. Now, the settlement system has you scouring the wasteland for what is, in honesty, rubbish. The pointless scrap that cluttered your inventory in 3 and New Vegas is now entirely vital. For example, Sanctuary - the first settlement you claim in the first hours - became my home away from home in the Commonwealth. I have a garage to house my power armor frames, toolboxes littered with unique weapons and outfits, and of course, a little doghouse for my trusty canine companion. The key thing, however is that none of it could be done without the scrap you accumulate on your travels. Without important ingredients like adhesive and fibre optics, I could never have the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rick Grimesâ&#x20AC;? bull nosed magnum of my dreams, or my bachelor pad complete with bobblehead stand.

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started my adventure into Fallout 4 the same way I have every Fallout game: as a lone wanderer, except this time instead of standing in the barren wasteland known as New Vegas I was stood in a queue at Eldon Square. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right, I was so hyped for Fallout 4 that I attended its midnight release. To put it into perspective, I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been so excited for something since my mum told me as a child that the end of a rainbow holds a pot of gold.

The following therefore is a review of my â&#x20AC;&#x153;game of the year.â&#x20AC;? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pretty S.P.E.C.I.A.L.: S: is for skills. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interesting to note that in Fallout 4 all skills have been removed. Gone are the days of maxing out unarmed so that you could karate chop your way through any Deathclaw that stood in your way. Instead, Fallout 4 relies on a perk chart to allow you to hone your characters killer instinct. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t worry though, it actually works much better in my opinion.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Simply put, Fallout 4 is stunning. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so pretty in fact that I find the dynamic lighting more attractive than my own girlfriendâ&#x20AC;?

P: is for plot. Warning, this section contains minor spoilers, so if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to know anything about the first couple of hours move on to E. The plot of Fallout 4 starts pre-atomic annihilation, which helps to set the scene for the following events. The game properly begins however, when some mysterious strangers murder your other half and nick off with your baby. I know right, how rude! So fuelled by pain and anguish, you set off into the apocalypse in search of your son, and inevitably more ghouls than you can count.

E: is for easy or hard? The game feels a little more

brutal than Fallout 3. Not only do ghouls appear to be much quicker, but radiation has a much greater effect, now eating into your HP bar and limiting your health. On the plus side, power armour seems to be a fairly common find in Fallout 4, so turning from Vault Dweller to Iron Man Mark 1 is much easier than it was in 3 or New Vegas.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Turning from Vault Dweller to Iron Man Mark I is much easierâ&#x20AC;?

C: is for Character. Fallout 4 begins with character customisation. Once Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d finished using my time to create a much fitter better looking version of myself, I was able to find that Codsworth (a robot butler), although able to say over a thousand names, didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know my name. Oh, and you have a voice now; I like that!

I: is for inventive. One of the best features of the new game comes in the form of customisation.

From settlements to weapons, adapting and changing the smallest of details is simple yet fascinating.

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing like a modified 10mm or automated turret to scare off that pesky raider scum.

A: is for aesthetics. Simply put, Fallout 4 is stunning. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so pretty in fact, I find the dynamic lighting more attractive than my own girlfriend. Not only have the graphics been vastly improved, but the multiple weather types allow for gloomy night time raids and gorgeous sunrises.

L: is for length. Fallout 4 is not a short game. In fact to fully complete Fallout 4, rumour is it would take you over 400 hours. That means if you played it non-stop without sleeping, you wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have fully completed the game after two weeks. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not to love then - it looks great, it plays great, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more customisation than a Subway sandwich and it has over 400 hours of content.

To conclude, Fallout 4 is THE game of 2015... and V.A.T.S my honest opinion.

Once you get it all up and running, a clear sense of community is established. You have settlers that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve personally saved, each working to provide different resources and establish security in a hostile environment, and the game makes you want to come back after every quest to check in and help out. Speaking of quests, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re back and better than ever. On the command line surface, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all very basic, but what makes them tick is the writing and the characters. The voiced protagonist allows for a lot of comedic and heartfelt moments, and the zany inhabitants that you meet are endearing and intriguing. A few choice favourites would be a Detective Synth, and a Super Mutant who loves Shakespeare more than the average English Lit lecturer. The distortion of the Commonwealthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lively history and landmarks to create compelling situations is also a delightful touch (seriously, go find the USS Constitution).

Post-nuclear Boston is a truly compelling place to be, and I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait to sink more of my teeth into it, if I have any left.

At  a  glance...

What  you  need  to  know  in  an  easy  to  digest  format Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  new?

Power armour now functions as an exoskeleton worn over your current armour, rather than a piece of clothing itself. It feels much more powerful, but relies on fuel - so youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d best keep an eye on the gauge.

After a certain point, you can settle little towns, down to building shacks and houses out of resources that are lying around in the vicinity.

People will be attracted to your settlement if you nourish it, but they have needs to fulfil.

Skills are gone, replaced by an overhauled Perk system. Now, the perks you can choose on a level up are based on your level in associated SPECIAL stats. Additionally, most perks have ranks that can be increased for new effects.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  back?

Vaults, the Pip-Boy and all the classic iconography are back in full form. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see a lot of familiar images with a new, prettier sheen.

A lot of weapons are returning - the Super Sledge, the 10mm and of course the classic Laser Rifle are all back to unleash hell upon the hostile (or not so hostile) denizens of the wasteland. Speaking of which, all your favourite terrors of the wastes are back, including Feral Ghouls, Super Mutants, Radscorpions and - Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sorry to say - Deathclaws. Good luck.

What  stands  out?

Disappointing as it may seem, the answer to this question is â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;everythingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Everyone will have something different to take away from it, from the sweeping vistas of Bethesdaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most beautiful and detailed world yet, to the nailbitingly intense combat, to the vibrant cast of endlessly fascinating characters. Fallout 4 has a lot - I repeat for emphasis, a LOT - to offer, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s up to you to find it all.

The Commonwealth is a wasteland you can really get into, and is full of breathtaking views Image: Holly Green, Flickr

38.science&technology

Monday 23 November 2015

The Courier

Science  Editors:  Anna  Jastrzembska,  Louise  Bingham, &  Iqra  Choudhry

Soon  we  all  will  be  upgraded

Are  humans  truly  irreplaceable?  Ollie  Burton  FRQVLGHUV WKH UHFHQW GHYHORSPHQWV LQ WKH ¿ HOG RI $, DQG URERWLFV DQG ZRQGHUV LI VFLHQFH ¿ FWLRQ LV MXVW ¿ FWLRQ RU UDWKHU DQ LQHYLWDEOH IXWXUH 0RVW RI DOO LV LW QHFHVVDULO\ D EDG WKLQJ"

A

s progress is made in the fields of robotics and artificial intelligence and we march towards our inevitable conquest at the hands of our mechanical overlords, the same question echoes in the minds of many around the world, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a biggie. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;How truly irreplaceable am I?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; It is well-known by large-scale employers that a machine is in many ways preferable to a human worker for many simple, repetitive tasks. And whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more, a robotic arm will never get sick, never require parental leave and never ask questions or attempt to seduce your daughter, merely requiring the odd spritz of WD40 every now and again or the occasional nut tightening. (Dirty pun? I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hesitate for a second.)

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Even occupations that require a huge amount of lightning-fast reactions and judgement are experiencing robotic integrationâ&#x20AC;?

On a more serious note, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re talking more than just factory line assembly and spray painting here, jobs that require judgment and complex reasoning are becoming susceptible to this change as the line between the adaptive consciousness of man and machine continues to blur, so much so that the Boston Consulting Group released a statement predicting that up to 25% of jobs are capable of being performed by machines in as little as ten years.

Very soon we expect to see driverless taxis

chauffeuring busy patrons around the city of London, with the government preemptively updating the Highway Code to make way for the autonomous cars.

On the other side of the world, Chinese robotics experts are piecing together the very workers that may end up replacing them. A factory operated entirely by machines is being constructed in Dongguan, the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;factory cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. The owners aim to reduce their current human workforce by up to 90% - a frightening prospect for those whose livelihoods depend on their role at the company.

Even occupations that require a huge amount of lightning-fast reactions and judgment are experiencing robotic integration. The beginning of this year saw the first ever surgery performed via robot in England; The Da Vinci XI is fitted with multiple arms holding a wide array of medical tools, and offers surgeons Illustration by the possibility of carrying Gustav Lundstrom out invasive operations

through tiny keyhole incisions rather than a large and painful incision. The robot acts as an extension of the performing surgeonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s arms and hands but eliminates human tremors and twitches, replacing them with incredibly smooth and precise movements only possible through servos and strict digital control.

While The Royal Marsden Hospital has aimed to carry out these types of surgery once or twice a day, they have stated that up to 80% of surgeries will still have to be performed by humans as keyhole surgery is not appropriate.

Calculators are available on the web that purport to predict how likely your occupation is to become automated in the near future, based on job requirements and the level of ab-

stract thought needed. While some of these are almost certainly based on some rather questionable mathematics, there are a few key points which are undoubtedly fair. Essentially, any job that demands a high level of contact and personal interaction with other human beings, as well as any degree of negotiation deems your position less at risk of replacement.

Conversely, any highly repetitive or simplistic role will place you in the group much more likely to be phased out and a shiny metal automaton sat in YOUR work chair come Monday morning, drinking motor oil from YOUR mug and probably successfully hitting on your attractive co-worker.

Who is, as it happens, now also a robot.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;A robotic arm will never get sick, never require parental leave and never ask questions or attempt to seduce your daughterâ&#x20AC;?

So is there anything you can do to prevent your inevitable obsolescence? Unless youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re lucky enough to be forced to interact with other people every day (highly debatable) or fancy a radical change in career path, not really.

Soon thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be a computer scrolling through Buzzfeed articles and stalking its ex-lovers on Facebook instead of dealing with Barbara and her obnoxious emails requesting that you stop eating her sandwiches, all without any outside input.

The term â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;faceless droneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; just took on a whole new meaning.

6RXWKHUQ RVFLOODWLRQ JOREDO RXWUHDFK (O 1LxR LV XSRQ XV RQFH PRUH JHQHUDWLQJ D Ă&#x20AC; XUU\ RI IRUHERGLQJ KHDGOLQHV SUHGLFWLQJ Ă&#x20AC; RRGV IDPLQH DQG Ă&#x20AC; XFWXDWLQJ WHPSHUDWXUHV %XW ZKDW GRHV WKLV UHDOO\ PHDQ IRU WKH *UHDW %ULWLVK ZHDWKHU" Ciara  Ritson-­Courtney  LQYHVWLJDWHV This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s El NiĂąo southern oscillation is expected to be the strongest on record since 1950.

But what is the El NiĂąo effect? Meaning little boy in Spanish, El NiĂąo is a phenomena in which the surface temperature of the ocean in the east central Equatorial Pacific becomes warmer than normal and fluctuations occur between the ocean and atmosphere, usually around December time.

Originally recognised in the 1600â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s off the coast of South America by fishermen, El NiĂąo can significantly alter and influence ocean conditions and weather patterns across the globe.

In the local region of the Pacific, the effects are

will not just affect the countries surrounding the pacific, this is due to the fact that the Pacific covers almost a third of the earthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surface area. The ripples of El NiĂąo can be felt in regions far from the Pacific with shifts in tropical rainfall, which, in turn, affect wind patterns such as the eastern trade winds. High El NiĂąo can lead to flooding, mudslides, drought and agricultural failure in many regions of the world.

the effects of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s El NiĂąo have already been felt in the UK with the unusually strong storm Abigail which saw wind speeds of up to 90mph , the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first named storm of the year, and the more recent storm Barney. Leon Brown, a meterologist at The Weather channel UK has implied that this years super-strength El Nio has the potential to displace the jetstream that controls our weather.

Brown stated that â&#x20AC;&#x153;A more mobile weather pat-

â&#x20AC;&#x153;During high El NiĂąo, more than just climate is affected. It is known to perturb marine life, leading to unfavourable fishing in many regionsâ&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;It has been speculated that the effects of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s El NiĂąo have already been felt in the UK with the unusually strong storm Abigailâ&#x20AC;?

well known with generally higher rainfall and warmer waters as the upwelling of cool, nutrient rich, water in the western Pacific ceases. However, the effects of El NiĂąo can be felt worldwide with it being characterised as the cause of many hurricanes in the eastern Pacific Ocean such as Hurricane Patricia, which hit Mexico in late October this year. El NiĂąo is related to global atmospheric oscillations and increases the likelihood of hurricanes and cyclones. This is due to the low-pressure episodes that usually accompany it across the eastern Pacific region and the high pressure it creates over Indonesia and Australia. This mixed with the higher surface water temperature leads to a quickening of water evaporation and high air currents which can lead to storms, hurricanes and cyclones.

It comes as no surprise that the El NiĂąo effect

eaters, it has highly negative effects on developing countries in the tropics whose food production and exports decline leading to fluctuations in their economy. El NiĂąo is also known to have an effect on the birth and mortality rate of Northern fur seal pups and Californian sea lions. This is due to the loss of upwelling nutrients from the deep, cool ocean which usually supports the growth of phytoplankton, which in turn feeds zooplankton, then fish. This means the prey of sea mammals moves deeper in the Ocean, becoming less available to the mammals and particularly hard to reach for the young pups.

Due to the strength of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s El NiĂąo effect, we can expect a snowy and bitterly cold winter to be on its way; so, if you ever needed motivation to get your work done, the draw of the Robboâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s subtropical heating regime may be the motivation you need.

In Europe and the UK the consequences of El NiĂąo arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t as clear as in other regions. The effect is generally more noticeable in winter and is suggested to cause colder drier conditions in northern Europe and drier milder winters in southern Europe. Despite the colder spell in northern Europe however, El NiĂąo generally leads to an increase in global temperatures. It has been speculated that

tern through winter increases the risk of a wetter, stormier season in the UK... (but the biggest impact) is around the tropics as we have started to see with a greater number of tropical storms.â&#x20AC;?

During high El NiĂąo, more than just climate is affected. It is known to perturb marine life, leading to unfavourable fishing in many regions. While this is good in the eyes of many fish and non-fish

The Courier

technology&science.39

Monday 23 November 2015

thecourieronline.co.uk/science c2.science@ncl.ac.uk | @courier_science

Forty winks for the win

Science of happiness

If you snooze you lose, or not as the case may be. Sunil Nambiar delves into the dreamy world of sleep science to determine if your shuteye can really impact your chance of success Does sun equal happiness? Anna nooze less, be more? The dazzling composer This is somewhat intriguing. The Division of compensatory sleep.

S

Mozart made do with 5 hours daily - as does Oprah Winfrey. Voltaire and Margaret Thatcher managed on 4 hours; Thomas Edison and Tom Ford on 3; Nikola Tesla and Da Vinci courted insanity with 2 hours a night. It’s an enduring trend that begs the question: are these sensationalised instances of self-imposed depravity, or does keeping awake pave the way for phenomenal success?

Invariably, our accomplishments in our waking hours are what count: it earns us money, it often satisfies us and is, essentially, our legacy. Martha Stewart attributes her lack of sleep to an early start to her schedule – she has guests arriving at 6.30am, while Donald Trump boasts that his 3-hour nights give him a competitive edge.

Yahoo’s CEO, Marissa Mayer once pulled weekly all-nighters, managed 19-hour days and presently functions on 4-hours of sleep. What makes her different from the “sleepless elite”, however, is Mayer’s compensation for her sleep dearth: weeklong vacations every four months.

Illustration by Gustav Lundstrom

Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School tells us that we should clock 7.5 to 8.5 hours of sleep per 24 hours, while our National Health Service advocates 6 to 9 hours. But can we, ambitious and young as we are, survive on a little less and make up for it afterward?

“Citing caffeine, alcohol and anxiety as triggers, continuous instances of sub-par sleep may blight our daytime alertness whilst raising our risk for depression, heart disease and obesity”

Can we do it all: attend our lectures, take on fantastic internships, ace our assignments, participate actively in societies, do the laundry, cook healthy meals, excel in sports, maintain a vibrant social life and throw flat parties while sleeping 4 hours nightly, safe in the knowledge that we can make up for this– over the weekend, over Christmas, over summer?

In a two-part series on the science of sleep, Forbes called this the ‘sleep debt theory’. It proposes that the first six nights of minimal sleep would be largely reversed by the last three nights of catch-up sleep.

However, they quashed this theory citing a new study by the American Physiological Society. The conclusion is that even though it made up for daytime sleepiness, participants’ attention levels remained significantly impaired even after

Cosmic climate

Ollie Burton explains why we should consider ourselves lucky that the clouds around Earth only dowse us with water

S

ome of the loneliest objects in our universe are those planets unfortunate to have lost the stars that they previously orbited. The Pan-STARRS survey of 2013 discovered one such planet, lovingly named PSO J318.5-22, floating in the void a little over 470 trillion miles from Earth.

However, the most interesting thing about this object is not its managing to be somehow more solitary than myself as I furiously rattle the keyboard of a library computer at 2am, but in the bizarre changes in brightness it seems to exhibit, as much as a 10% change over a few hours. This has led researchers at the University of Edinburgh to hypothesise that this phenomenon is due to some extraordinary weather patterns.

The planet has a similar rotational period to that of Jupiter; roughly 10 hours, but unlike the sub-zero gas giant, maintains a rather toasty surface temperature of approximately 1100 Kelvin – this means that clouds would be composed of incredibly hot molten metal, rather than our considerably more tranquil water clouds here on Earth. Remarkably, all this heat must be the result of internal processes as no star is present to act as an outside source of energy.

It is thought by Catherine Morley,

a specialist in modelling exoplanet atmospheres working at the University of California, that similar stellar objects might exhibit similar behaviour,

For these findings to be true for all of us however, is as unlikely as Marissa Mayer being absentminded or Thomas Edison lacking focus. A few of us are simply wired differently.

Speaking to the Scientific American, Professor Ying-Hui Fu of the University of California in San Francisco, explained that the amount of sleep we require boils down to genetics. In a study he co-authored, Professor Fu found that chance mutations in a protein involve in regulating a gene which affects our body’s 24 hour rhythm, can make one require much less – or much more – sleep.

Oscar-winner Halle Berry, the Dalai Lama and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos enjoy 8 hours of shuteye daily, Albert Einstein: 10 hours, and Winston Churchill: 7 hours. It is more likely than not that, amongst thousands of luminaries, a vast majority enjoy wholesome sleep routines.

In a piece titled ‘When Sleep Leaves You Tired’, the Wall Street Journal suggests while that some people may achieve the recommended hours in bed, a significant proportion may unwittingly undergo only superficial sleep, without progressing to the deep, restorative stages critical for memory and physical repair. Citing caffeine, alcohol and anxiety as triggers, continuous instances of sub-par sleep may blight our daytime alertness whilst raising our risk for depression, heart disease and obesity.

Enter Nick Littlehales, a ‘sleep coach’ who works with our national sports teams solely to improve the quality of their sleep. Warning against sleeping pills and self-medication, Littlehales advocates a cool bedroom with plain white bedsheets, a light duvet, a shallow pillow and complete darkness.

A healthy night, it seems, is a keen balance between self-discipline, simplicity and commitment; snooze right, be more.

Word of the Week: MYIASIS

“Clouds would be composed of incredibly hot molten metal, rather than our considerably more tranquil water clouds”

particularly in the case of previouslyoverlooked ‘brown dwarf ’ stars.

Her team is currently working to analyse a relatively young star known as HR8799 nearly 130 lightyears away in the Pegasus constellation which is orbited by planets displaying similar characteristics.

This new insight could deliver untold amounts of new information about the conditions of so many more planets, and I for one am eagerly anticipating a weather forecast for a planet on the other side of the galaxy. And if Michael Fish could read it, that would be great too, but no pressure.

Myiasis is an infestation of developing larvae (maggots) of certain fly species, in the skin of live mammals, including humans.

How to get myiasis: First off, many fly species that cause myiasis are found in Central America - so you’ll need to book some flights! On your arrival, you’ll need to get somewhere nice, hot and humid. Make sure to expose as much of yourself as possible to the humidity and then just sit back and wait!

Once laid, the eggs will take approximately 8 – 24 hours to hatch. After which, your newfound friends will proceed to bite and tunnel into your skin and subcutaneous tissue, which could lead to a bacterial infection, septicaemia, and death.

Of course, all this couldn’t be more undesirable, and any cases of human myiasis are taken very seriously. Actual treatment involves covering the wound with petroleum jelly; cutting off the oxygen supply, which brings the maggots to the surface, where they can be removed.

Leo Bear-McGuinness

Jastrzembska wonders if North East greyness dooms us to gloom

I

live for the short moments when sun peaks out from behind the clouds. I am not alone. The idea that sun is closely related to happiness is deeply rooted in our culture. Happiness is long summer days; it’s drinking mojitos under a palm tree and watching the sun reflect of the ocean waves. You can “walk on sunshine” and “be somebody’s sunshine.”

So should we all update our address to Newcastle, New South Wales?

Happiness surveys show that UK residents are happiest in northernmost regions, and, let’s be honest, Orkney, Shetland and the Outer Hebrides aren’t tropical islands. In the US, Californians are no happier than people in the Midwest. Nordic Countries and Canada always top the lists of the happiest countries. Does it mean that sun is irrelevant for our happiness?

Yes and no. Scientists have argued both ways for ages, so let me be very sceptical here. If a study was conducted in England, Sweden or New York, sunshine doesn’t equal happiness. If the scientists come from California or the UAE, then, suddenly, lack of sun changes everything. Am I the only one seeing slight bias here...?

Let’s stick to the facts. First of all, it depends on your temperament and where you are from.

Statistically speaking, if you grew up in Britain your mood is less likely to be negatively affected by miserable weather. However, long winters in the far North are linked to antisocialness, loss of libido, and melancholy. Two scientific conditions linked directly with weather: SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and meteopathy. People with SAD are easily upset by weather changes. They tend to be more energetic and productive in summer, and crave carbs, gain weight and suffer from hypersomnia during winter. It’s more common the further North you go, however, it is estimated that only 7% of Britons suffer from SAD. Then there’s meteopathy, when bad weather not only affects your mood but also provokes a more physical response, such as headaches or muscle pains. Essentially, it all comes down to you, your genes and brain.

So why when I google “happiness” do all the pictures either feature bright sunshine or the colour yellow? Why do we associate warm colours, especially yellow, with happiness? Why is the original happy emoji yellow, and resembles the sun?

Just because sun doesn’t improve our life satisfaction, it doesn’t mean that sunshine doesn’t improve our mood. Quite the opposite- sun is the best source of vitamin D and studies repeatedly link low vitamin D levels to sadness and even depression. Therefore, “winter blues” is a scientific fact as your organism is affected by loss of daylight.

There is also a lot of socio-psychology involved.

We tend to go on holidays in summer, choose to visit warm places, and, above all, have fun. The next time you feel sun on your face, you remember all the good times in Italy. Also, to involve some social science, happiness is constructed by society (and media) as warmth, summer and the colour yellow. It’s a semiotic code that isn’t always logical but you understand it- in the same way darkness is bad, a heart symbolises love and the sun stands for happiness.

Let’s stress it one more time: happiness is subjective. Some people thrive in sunshine, some are fine with more subtle, Danish hygge. And I think this is it. Enjoy long autumn evenings, snuggled up with a book as well as stray sunrays on your face as you walk through a park. It’s the little things in life.

42.puzzles

Monday 23 November 2015

The Courier

Puzzles Editor: Jack Parker Deputy Puzzles Editor: Mark Sleightholm

Puzzles ?? ?

Can you guess where we took this picture, and what phrase it represents?

1

2

4

3

6

5

7

8

9

10

11

12 14

13 15

16

17

18 “I’m Roy Walker and I heartily endorse this event and/or product”

19 20

21

22

Across

1 Northern city, home to the Human League, Arctic Monkeys and Pulp (9) 6 Alfresco dining (6) 7 Good place, or nowhere, in Greek (6) 8 Photography company, makers of film (5) 9 80s computer game that involved eating dots (6) 12 Central American lizard (6) 13 Reference book for the world (5) 15 Lives at Leazes after taking a gap yah (3) 17 King who failed to hold back the tide (4) 19 Sharp knife for chopping word; popular murder weapon (3) 20 Singing without music (1, 8) 21 Eastern European country, once massive, now big in the basketball world (9) 22 Popular English drink (3)

Opera

Down

1 Kick volleyball sport from Southeast Asia (5, 6) 2 Spanish dance, Procol Harum skipped it, Queen want to know if you can do it (8) 3 Scissor Sisters song, feminine name (5) 4 First, best (5) 5 Of, in or about the mouth (4) 9 Animated penguin (5) 10 Small balls, covered in chocolate (8) 11 Space experts (4) 14 Large African desert (6) 16 Pattern of behaviour (5) 17 ______ Reeves, actor known for playing a wide variety of roles (5) 18 ______ Hedren, actress once attacked by birds (5)

Connect-­ word

Suds

Find the word that connects these three words.

Stone

_ _ _ _

Completing the entirety of this puzzles page will entitle you to the respect of (some of) your peers.

Feel free to bring the proof of your achievement into The Courier office, where you’ll receive a firm handshake. If you’re one of the first three people to bring in a correctly completed page, you’ll also win a Hotel Chocolat advent calendar!

The Courier

sportfeatures.43

Monday 23 November 2015

They’ve got all the fans Rowdy Ronda We’ve all been guilty of spending hours on end sat on the sofa gets roadhoused watching the latest memes and vines that everyone is talking about. Sport has contributed to some of the funniest viral videos on the internet and here’s a few of the stars from our screens You’ve got no fans, but the raider does If ‘you want some’, there’s really only one man who’ll ‘give it ya’. Gordon Hill rose to fame last year when he was filmed heckling the opposition in a rather unusual way whilst watching his beloved team, Wealdstone FC. The 33-second video turned viral after Gordon, who has now become known as ‘The Wealdstone Raider’, unleashed his special brand of insults onto a Whitehawk FC supporter.

Clutching his beer, the Wealdstone Raider shouts cutting witticisms such as, ‘you’ve got no fans’ and ‘you’ve got no ground’ at the unsuspecting Whitehawk team. The tale then takes a rather dramatic when the pint-sized Stones supporter turns on a Hawks fan, and is caught threatening (if you could call it that) the cameraman with the

now infamous phrase: ‘ya want some?

I’ll give it ya’. It remains unknown just what that ‘some’ is, but you can bet he means business with that mean glare of his.

“Gordon Hill rose to fame last year when he was filmed heckling the opposition”

Business seems like the perfect word to associate with The Wealdstone Raider these days; since the video went viral, not only has he been getting big views, but has also been making high profile guest appearances on TV and has even bagged himself a top five single with ‘Got No Fans’. Whilst Whitehawk FC’s support base can be questioned, it’s safe to say that The Wealdstone Raider certainly has some fans.

Helen Daly

The Internet loves nothing more than to see someone proven wrong, especially when that person owns the spotlight and when you are wrong, it’s unlikely you’ll ever be allowed to forget it. ‘Rowdy’ Ronda Rousey went into her fight with Holly Holm at UFC 193 as the undefeated champ in her weight division.

She was being tipped as one of the most dominant athletes in any sport, her previous opponents failed to make it through the first round and in many of them the fight was over in seconds.

She couldn’t be touched.

The American has dominated headlines the past few months for her movie appearances, and a number of spats with Floyd Mayweather Jnr. But her prediction of how her next fight would go while starring on The Tonight Show in the States has proven to be the most fun for people online.

As with any fighter, the champion was supremely confident about the re-

sult.

Rousey described her opponent as “a nice chick that’s gonna lose. I feel like she’s going to get me frustrated, to a point where I make a mistake and she can try and kick me in the head but it’s not going to go like that”, exclaimed the champion.

Well, she was correct about what her opponent would try, not so much about the result though. Holm unleashed a brutal kick that knocked Rousey out cold after less than 6 minutes in the ring, ending the fight instantly.

She could just try and avoid the humiliation, deleting her twitter account might limit the embarrassment. But make no mistake, the internet never forgets. There will always be those awaiting her return. They will not hesitate in asking the questions: “Why you lying for”, “why you always lying” Ronda Rousey?

Gabriel Pennington

Andy, Moyesey and the technicality rant There’s no entertainment like a disgruntled Mancunian. Much like the wellloved Ray Bobbins, Andy Tate first appeared in a FullTimeDEVILS interview, ranting and raving about his treasured Manchester United. Andy’s Moyes, Cleverley and Fellaini bashing started in January 2014, but didn’t rise to global stardom until November later that year.

For several months our news feeds were barraged by vine compilations of his best and most memorable moments, including the unforgettable “you got the job on a technicaliteh” and “sorry to say again it’s Moyeseh”. His fame escalated when an app was released of his finest moments. But I don’t think he saw much of the proceeds as he was spotted working hard in Home Bargains.

As the remixes and memes petered

out, there was an Andy Tate shaped void in our lives. Well you’ll all be glad to hear that he now has a regular slot on FullTimeDEVILS where you can keep up to date with all his views on the current situation at United. But I guess most of us just ‘don’t care’ anymore.

Hope he didn’t quit his job in Home Bargains.

The Andy Tate hype always divided opinion. There were those that couldn’t get enough, whilst the rest had most certainly had enough. For some this will probably prompt them to dig up their old Andy Tate favourites, but I’m sure most will pray that his videos stay buried forever.

James Sproston

...and his name is John Cena!!!

The poster child of WWE is never short of finding ways to expand his brand image. T-shirts, baseball caps, wristbands, action figures, and most recently viral internet videos. John Cena has become the latest victim of the delightfully mindless vine trend. In essentially a seven second video, the WWE superstar is made to appear, along with his entrance theme, in the most unexpected of situations.

The vine is divided into two parts.

The first section introduces a question or a proposition, and the second part kicks in with a loud ‘It’s John Cena’.

While the concept is inherently simple, it’s the fact that many of the video’s viewers are still surprised, despite knowing what’s in store that truly makes this a viral masterpiece.

Alongside the infamous vines, one of the most famous John Cena viral videos is the Prank Call, in which an unwitting victim is subjected to multiple Cena sound bites.

After being well and truly side slammed, the prankee becomes expo-

nentially intolerant, calling the prankster a “wrestling f*ck”, and incessantly repeating “are you kidding me?”.

Ritwik Sarkar

Image: Anton Jackson, Flickr

44.sportfeatures

Monday 23 November 2015

The Courier

From dance to darts: Newcastle University’s wide sports variety While BUCS sports grab the headlines, there is a host of other fantastic sports available at Newcastle University. This week, The Courier explores the incredible opportunities on offer to Newcastle students.

The Parachuting Club can be found high in the sky, while the Caving Club dare to venture down underground

Parachuting We’ve had a brilliant year so far, running 3 courses for first time static line jumpers. The courses we organise are for the RAPS progression system, where students start on a static line and progress on to freefall. Students receive their A licence in around 20 jumps and are then free to jump anywhere in the world. So far this year we’ve had a few people receiving their full A licence and also a few people receiving their forma-

multiple jumps and it’s awesome to see some real progression under way before the weather turns for winter.

Looking ahead, we have an exciting year planned. Due to this abysmal weather we’ve been having recently, we are planning on running multiple trips down to the indoor skydiving centre in Manchester before Christmas.

This is a great opportunity for people who have only done a few static line

“I’d encourage anyone who’s interested in skydiving to give it a shot” tion skydiving qualification, which allows them to freefall with other people.

A larger committee than previous years has meant that all our socials have been better than ever, and nights in the dropzone bar have tended to get a little out of hand. We’ve also seen really great retention this year from first timers, with loads of people coming back for

jumps to get a taste of freefall and also to just have a general mess about in a wind tunnel.

First timer skydiving courses will be starting back up after exams in the New Year and we hope to run as many as we can as we’ve had a lot of interest so far.

For people who like the sun we are excited about having a potential summer

Cutting some shapes: the Dance Society offers weekly classes Image: NCL Dance Society

Dance Established in 2006, the Dance society offers a variety of classes from Street Dance to Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Body Conditioning and more. With a strong committee and teaching faculty, each and every year the society is on the up, winning more awards and getting credited for the efforts and sheer dedication that the society have to offer.

This year we intend to step it up even further, in more ways than one. This will include hosting our own dance competition in Newcastle, where there will be over 450 dancers from other universities competing.

Alongside this, our social calendar is busy throughout the year, with fort-

nightly socials, trips and the annual Sports tour. This makes it the ideal opportunity to meet like-minded social people.

We offer weekly dance and fitness classes suited to all abilities, beginners, intermediate and advanced. Whether you want to just attend one class to keep up your fitness, or attend every class and compete representing Newcastle University, it is completely your choice. With over 400 members within the society, it is a chance to meet fantastic people and a chance to get involved with a dynamic and exciting society.

Pippa McLeod-Brown

trip planned, at the minute we are looking at running a week long budget trip to the south coast of Portugal, nothing is definite yet, but keep an eye on the Facebook page for updates.

As we have a fairly experienced committee this year we are also looking at entering a Newcastle university team into the UK National formation skydiving championships, this style of competition involves hitting as many predetermined 4 person formations, called ‘points’, as possible in 35 seconds of freefall from 10,500ft.

We have loads of stuff going on this year and I’d encourage anyone who’s interested in skydiving to give it a shot.

I’ve never met anyone who was disappointed after their first jump.

It’s also by far the cheapest way you will ever learn to skydive, around 50% of the general public price. So at £170 for all your training, and £23 a jump after that, how can you say no?

Sam Parker

Pippin it’s time to fly: NUPC members board the plane Image: NUPC

The Courier

sportfeatures.45

Monday 23 November 2015

Real Tennis What do Henry VIII, King Louis X of France and Tim Henman’s brother, Michael, have in common? Well they have all, in the past, been dedicated players of the world’s oldest and finest racquet sport, Real Tennis. Said to be a cross between lawn tennis, squash and chess (believe it or not), Real Tennis is a game of agility, strategy and precision.

The sport is played on a baffling asymmetric court surrounded by four walls and topped with a ceiling, the balls are stuffed with compacted champagne cork and the racquets are intentionally bent out of shape.

How has a sport as barmy as this managed to stand the test of time you ask? Well we ask ourselves the same question a lot of the time. Granted there are only 45 courts remaining in the world, but the sport has developed a really dedicated following of players and aficionados alike. Its success is down

to the sheer uniqueness and incredible history it offers. Simply setting foot on court will make you a globally ranked player, you can play at Lord’s, Queen’s and even Hampton Court Palace itself and it’s one of the only professional sports where women pros can compete in men’s competitions.

Newcastle University Real Tennis Club has a completely open doors policy for anyone keen to try the sport out.

We play and train at a court in Jesmond Dene and hold individual and group taster sessions at anyone’s request. Later this month we’re taking a team to the University Championships in Cambridge where we’ll face the Oxbridge teams as well as Exeter, Middlesex, Bristol, Bath and Durham. More details on the club can be found on our Facebook page or on the Students’ Union website.

The real deal: play the world’s oldest racquet sport, Real Tennis Image: NURTC

Hugh Vermont

Darts Picture the scene, September 2014 and after fresher’s fair, Newcastle University Darts Society (NUDS), has eight people turn up to the first darts session of the year, downstairs at the SU, tucked away by the entrance to Throwback.

Fast forward a year, and something odd has happened. The first night of NUDS 2015/16 has got 55 people coming to throw a few darts and sink a few pints.

Darts has become a thing people want to be a part of. Take a look at the first Uni-wide darts competition we held in February last year, where 130-plus people packed out the venue downstairs in the Union and caused that much of a scene that for the competition we’re holding this week (Thursday 26th No-

Bullseye: Pints hit the spot with Newcastle’s darts society Image: NUDC

vember) they’ve made us hire bouncers.

But it’s not just about having a few drinks and getting to know people; of course there’s a serious competitive edge to it as well. Last year there were often occasions where we were struggling to make a full team, but this year

“The first night got 55 people coming to throw a few darts and sink a few pints” the numbers have improved so much that we at Newcastle are one of only five universities in the country to be able to put out a first and second team, both of which are highly competitive.

That’s not all either, with socials such

Ice Hockey The Wildcats turn 21 this year, and a lot has changed since the club was established in 1994. Now fielding an A, B and Women’s team, the 2015/16 season is shaping up to be an exciting one. The A team got exactly what they were hoping for in their opening game with a 9-4 routing of the Northumbria Kings. Having clawed varsity bragging rights from their cross-city rivals at the end of last season, the A’s added insult to injury with a united performance from seasoned veterans and raw recruits.

Coach Callum West was pleased but cautious of the challenges ahead. “The team had a very different look this year compared to last as people leave and new people come in. [They] hadn’t played together and had barely any time

“Now fielding an A, B and Women’s team, the 2015/16 season is shaping up to be an exciting one”

Ice cold: Newcastle’s Wildcats celebrate their 21st birthday Image: Newcastle Wildcats

to create some chemistry in training.

The players were put into their respective lines on the night of the game and just implemented the systems I asked them to and the team play followed suit.

All we can do as a team is go out every night and play 100%... we have to work hard, and give everything.”

With further positive results at home and away, including a win at Nottingham and a draw with league leaders Sheffield, the A’s have opened plenty of breathing space to allow their key players to repair and their newcomers to

adjust.

The B team suffered a tumultuous game at home last week against the Manchester Metro Stars. Despite moments of brilliance from longstanding players and a confident start from the rookies, the Wildcats slumped to a 9-15 defeat.

Although not ideal, there was much to be positive about, as Club President Jack Legind attests. “The B team are taking a lot of positives from their opening game and defeat vs Manchester.

Manchester had one good line but other than that we more than matched them.

We scored goals and new players have had a taste of competitive hockey so we’re looking forward to facing the Bradford Sabres on Tuesday before the reverse fixture of Manchester away.”

The Wildcat ladies meanwhile made history last year as the first all-girls university ice hockey side outside of Oxbridge. Their performance was similarly ground-breaking, narrowly missing the top spot to the Bradford Sabres. Their season starts in December, and the women’s team have high hopes for their chances this time around.

“We have a few new players and there’ll be the return of our top point scorers from last year, so since Bradford got promoted the league title should be between us and Northumbria based on last year” said women’s team forward and club vice-president Kirsty Ballard.

“We have to watch out for newcomers Nottingham Mavericks and Leeds Gryphons, but we’re confident we can hold our own, especially under the guidance of coaches Steph Towns and Amy Campbell.”

Information on the Wildcats can be found at the NUSU website.

Jack Marley

as bubble football and a trip to the greyhounds to come, weekends away in Sheffield and York before the end of the year, and Newcastle University’s very own Premier League of Darts starting very soon, why wouldn’t you want to be a part of this? On a more immediate

note, Thursday’s competition promises to be even bigger than last year, so be sure to come down and experience it for yourselves. Aside from that, Tuesday’s.

7pm. Mensbar. Be there.

Ben Newall

It’s a bit stalac-tight down here: UNCC members go spelunking Image: Joe Sharp

Caving The most common response we receive at the fresher’s fair every year is “what’s caving?” Second only to “no thanks, I’m claustrophobic”. Caving is the adventurous sport of exploring the underground landscape that sits within the limestone hills of the countryside. As a club we escape the city every fortnight bound for the beautiful scenery of the Yorkshire Dales for a packed weekend of fun and exploration.

Due to the sheer number of caves available to us, we pick the most exciting and interesting trips for the ability level of the groups. One team could be abseiling down great waterfalls and traversing underground canyons and rivers, whilst another is scrambling through enormous caverns or squeezing through smaller passageways to see fossils and impressive cave formations.

Caving is quite unlike anything else, but combines areas of other outdoor sports. We generally start a trip with a nice section of fell walking to get to the cave entrance, getting some fresh air and taking in the landscape along the way. We also use similar harnesses and equipment to mountaineers, but re-

designed to be more efficient and stand up to the abuse of caves. Often we are asked if it’s similar to rock climbing, and yes there is lots of rock and we do some climbing around, but in the dark, with a bright torch and wearing a pair of wellington boots. The key similarity is the spirit of adventure and exploration.

Caving is brilliant for team building with all the club members looking out for and helping each other through the caves, and everyone feels a part of a tight-knit group. This bond is why we have as much fun as we do; out of the caves, back at the hostel, or meeting up for socials in Newcastle.

When we aren’t caving we train the club members to use more advanced abseil techniques that open up possibilities for more adventurous caves next time. We also meet up every Tuesday to plan the next trips and catch up with each other and regularly go out for food, films or a night out.

If you feel like having your own underground adventure with us, find us on Facebook or the Athletic Union website and get in touch.

Joe Sharp

46.sportbucs&intramural

Monday 23 November 2015

The Courier

Trotters t rample D ollies of the Week Gus’ Club

Intramural Netball Globe Trotters

14

Pollies Dollies

9

By Lucy Brogden at Longbenton

Written By Alex Hendley This week’s club of the week, chosen by AU Officer Angus Taylor, is the Newcastle University Women’s Basketball Club for their first team’s 57-68 victory away at Loughborough. The Courier caught up with Isobel Johns, the President, to find out how their season has progressed.

“The Newcastle Knights Women’s Basketball team was promoted to the Premier League last year, a challenge everyone had to rise to. The three new American scholars worked hard during pre-season, focusing very much on fundamentals. After playing against the men’s third team (and beating them) during training to improve their confidence and skills, they faced the strong Northumbria team. After a serious injury, which took the captain off the court, the remaining girls suffered a defeat.

“They didn’t give up without a fight.

After many more hours of practicing and continuing to play the men’s second team, they travelled to Durham and played a very technically advanced game of basketball, which gave them the confidence to compete in this league.”

After their confidence boosting start to the season, the NUWBC team voyaged south in search of victory.

“This week they travelled to Loughborough with seven players due to illness, injuries and other commitments.

This didn’t stop them as they battled to the buzzer to successfully beat the midlands side.

“Loughborough was known to be a fast, skillful team, but Newcastle proved a tough match as they continued to run the court looking for fast breaks and easy baskets, which quickly tired the Loughborough players.

“Newcastle’s centres, Kara Bonenberger and Lauren Godde, showed great work under the basket with the post plays and rebounds, extending the point margin to secure Newcastle’s lead. With most of the game being less than a ten point difference, both teams continued to push and play intensely. Loughborough used a zone defence, pressurising ball movement, however Newcastle’s offensive plays provided inside looks and open shots for all players.

“Newcastle’s own zone defence brought trouble and confusion to the Riders in the 3rd and 4th quarters as they struggled to find shots or driving lanes. Both Noelia Quintas and Karin Robinson kept Newcastle’s hopes high with multiple shots and patience in offence.

“In the final quarter, Loughborough upped the pressure with full court defence but Knights were fully prepared to break their structure and continue scoring baskets. The final score was 57-68, showing both teams fought until the end, but Newcastle’s focus and teamwork in both offence and defence allowed Knights to take the win back home.

“The girls left Loughborough with their heads held high and the knowledge that they belong in the Premier League.”

This week’s intramural netball fixtures saw the Globe Trotters, who are second in the league standings, face the current third placed side Pollies Dollies on a drizzly Tuesday evening in the sports centre. Thankfully, the dreary weather did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm and energy of either team, as spectators braved the conditions and were rewarded to a thrillingly fast-paced and competitive game.

The Dollies took the first centre to start the match, taking to the court in green, led by their captain, Beth Jacomb at wing defence, against the geographers in yellow. The Globe Trotters got off to a strong start, stealing the ball from the Dollies and scoring to give them the lead. This first goal was soon

“Tireless defensive work by the dollies, who have really gelled as a defensive trio, was not enough to stop the Globe Trotters”

followed by another, the opportunity coming courtesy of Nathalie Spink’s interception of a green back- line pass in the geographer’s attacking third, making it 2-0 in their favour within the first few minutes.

Strong defensive play by the Globe Trotter’s centre court defenders, Emily Fanning and Libby Murphy, made life difficult for the Dollies during the centre passes, which meant that their defence was often called upon to receive the pass. This tactic seemed to work well for them as it allowed their attackers time to set up and gave centre, Nicole Stoppani, time to move the ball down the court with the help of WA, Brooke Penman.

Tireless defensive work by the Dollies, who have really gelled as a defensive trio, was not enough to stop the Globe Trotters, however, as they extended their lead by another four goals, bringing the score to 6-0. Globe Trotters’ goal

The Globe Trotters managed to keep Pollies Dollies at bay Image: Lucy Brogden shooter, Lally Sharman, showcased her shooting prowess, as she racked up the score for the geographers, with poise and effortlessness, a technique that Dollies captain Beth Jacomb praised after the match, as being nothing less than ‘impeccable’.

The sixth goal marked a turning point for the Dollies, as they finally found their stride and began to make a mark on the scoresheet. Goal attack for the Dollies, Emma Briggs, moved well around the circle with shooter Shaadeh Ghambari and scored their first goal of the match. A second goal, as a result of a turnover in their defensive end, followed soon after.

A goal from Sharman and two more

by Briggs made the score 7-4 by half time, quite the comeback from the Dollies, who seemed to have found their rhythm and looked like they were back in with a chance. Half- time brought about some changes for the Dollies,

with a re-shuffle at their attacking end, whilst the Globe Trotters stuck with the same starting seven.

Both teams started the second half with renewed energy and vigour, meaning that the speed of play got even faster. Yet, as a result of the increased momentum, both teams struggled to retain the accuracy of passes that they’d had in the first half. This led to plenty of interceptions by centre court players on both sides, preventing the ball from even entering the circle and keeping the score-line as it was at half time for several minutes.

The goal drought of the second half was ended by Sharman, as she increased the Globe Trotters’ lead to 8-4, but the Dollies weren’t going down without a fight. The new shooting duo for the Dollies of Helen Ladds and Bethan Davies, played the circle beautifully with great feeds from Stoppani at centre and Briggs at wing.

Interceptions by the Globe Trotters’ defenders, Murphy and Katie Hunter, allowed the yellows to continue their relentless attack. Centre, Sophie Battison, took charge by co-ordinating the execution of near-perfect textbook centre passes and feeding the ball straight to Spink on the wing, who offloaded it into Sharman and Sarah Todhunter’s capable hands in the circle.

The closing minutes resulted in a goal frenzy, as both teams grafted hard to gain some final points, but it was the Globe Trotters who triumphed in the end, maintaining their comfortable lead over the Dollies, leaving the final score at 14-9. Speaking to the teams after the match, Globe Trotter GA, Todhunter admitted they “upped their game” in the second half and had to “work hard” to stay ahead in such a “close match”. Jacomb, captain of the Dollies agreed, saying it had been their “most challenging”, but also “most enjoyable’ game so far”.

Wednesday 18th November results

Overall BUCS Position: 9th

Badminton M1 v Leeds 1sts M2 v Leeds 2nds W1 v Leeds 2nds W2 v Bradford 1sts

1-7 0-8 8-0 6-2

Basketball M1 v Chester 1sts M2 v Leeds 2nds M3 v Sunderland 3rds W1 v Loughborough 1sts

63-51 52-61 90-53 68-57

Fencing M1 v York M2 v Sheffield 1sts M3 v Sheffield 1sts W1 v Nottingham 1sts W2 v Sheffield 1sts

135-99 90-135 49-135 135-75 129-114

Football M1 v Manchester 1sts M2 v Teesside 1sts

0-3 1-4

Golf 1 v Leeds Beckett 2nds 2 v Northumbria 3rds

5.5-0.5 0-6

Hockey M1 v Liverpool 1sts M2 v Leeds 2nds M3 v Durham 4ths M4 v Durham 5ths W1 v Liverpool 1sts W2 v York 1sts W3 v Leeds 3rds W4 v Teesside 1sts

2-2 2-2 4-1 3-2 2-0 2-4 1-4 4-2

Lacrosse M2 v Sheffield Hallam 2nds 8-3 W1 v Birmingham 1sts 9-11 W3 v Hull 1sts 1-7 Netball 1 v Manchester 1sts 2 v Leeds 1sts 3 v Sheffield 2nds 4 v Durham 3rds

37-47 23-44 29-28 26-27

Rugby Union M2 v Hull 1sts M3 v Leeds 3rds M4 v York St John 1sts M5 v Leeds 4ths W1 v Loughborough 1sts

21-36 40-12 W/O 36-0 0-53

Rugby League 2 v Leeds Beckett 2nds

12-40

Squash M1 v Manchester Met 1sts M2 v Sheffield 2nds M3 v York 2nds W1 v Leeds 2nds W2 v Durham 2nds

3-0 4-1 3-0 3-1 0-3

Table Tennis M1 v Sheffield 1sts

6-11

Tennis W1 v Nottingham 1sts W2 v Durham 4ths

2-10 10-2

Volleyball M1 v Teesside 1sts W1 v St Andrews 1sts

W/O 3-0

The Courier

sportbucs.47

Monday 23 November 2015

NUNC thirds stay top Netball

By Abi Dodwell NUNC 1st 37-47 Manchester 1st Newcastle started strong as they stepped up against Manchester. The team immediately got into a good rhythm down the court as goal attack Hollie Joyce moved well on the centre passes working the ball down the court and safely into our net. This great play combined with her teams support meant that Newcastle took an early lead, finishing the first quarter up by three goals.

After some switches in centre court the team continued to dominate thanks to the interceptions and strong drives made by Jay Robinson at wing defence.

Whilst the gap had closed, Newcastle were still ahead going into the second half and were making every effort to keep it that way. In the third quarter Manchester’s attack stepped up their game but goal defence Emily Hollingworth rose to the challenge making constant steals and keeping her team’s positive momentum going. But unfortunately Newcastle began to make small errors which lost them crucial points giving the opposition a one goal lead.

Despite Newcastle’s incredible performance and teamwork, they continued to make small errors which allowed Manchester to increase their lead. Despite the loss the team came away feeling positive about their game and determined to ensure that next week they give the same valiant effort and come home with a win.

NUNC 2nd 23-44 Leeds 1st After the last game against Leeds, the current leaders of the league, Newcastle were apprehensive about their match.

But after an enthusiastic team talk Newcastle were ready to rise to the occasion.

They began well with Caroline Glenn at goal defence holding her attacker out of the D and winning every rebound.

Newcastle managed to stay level with Leeds and were beginning to be more confident in their own performance.

Leading up to half time, Newcastle continued to fight for each ball and stay close to every Leeds player, especially Frankee Bonnett who marked her player practically out of the game.

At half time the defence continued to play well and kept the teams spirits high but unfortunately the attack began to fall behind Leeds’ super league defenders. Newcastle kept fighting but Leeds began to pull away and despite their best efforts they were unable to bring the game back. Although the second half of the match didn’t go as the team had planned, the first two quarters were very promising and demonstrated the players true talent.

NUNC 3rd 29-28 Sheffield 2nd Another solid performance from the third team as they took on the overly aggressive team from Sheffield but Newcastle stood strong against the jabbing elbows and shoving. Olivia Dale played outstandingly at goal keeper as she held her shooter in place and applied pressure to the attack. Her great play gave the team turnovers which allowed them to establish a solid lead. The team continued to play well with Chloe Marshall at centre as she moved well throughout the court and supported her team therefore allowing Newcastle to stay ahead.

The second half remained strong as Ellie Rutter at goal attack was pivotal at leading the team and creating space on court. But in the last fifteen minutes Sheffield began to become even more aggressive stealing back goals and before Newcastle new it there was only one goal in it. But the team persevered, kept their spirits high and performed a high quality level of netball until the final whistle blew. Once again, a great performance from the team.

play from Scarlett Shaw at goal shooter.

Newcastle kept their fighting spirit in the 2nd quarter as Ella Peartree stayed close to her attacker and intercepted pass after pass.

The score was even for a while but the team pulled together and managed to increase their lead by four goals with five minutes left in the quarter. But Durham picked up their game as well and managed to sneak up on Newcastle bringing the score back to 16-15. In the second half Newcastle were determined to maintain their lead and secure their second win of the season.

After some changes in defence by moving Nadia Herhoffer to goal defence and Ella Peartree back to gaol keeper, the team managed to pull ahead thanks to the two girls great communication and defensive skill. But as the final fifteen minutes played out both teams fought hard for every ball and Durham unfortunately won the game by a single goal in the last few seconds. After an intense game the team came off the court feeling proud of their performance despite not taking the victory this week.

The first team get a motivational team talk from the coach Image: Abi Dodwell

NUNC 4th 26-27 Durham 3rd It was a fierce first quarter for Newcastle as they instantly won their first centre with ease. The whole team applied pressure to the opposition forcing them to make errors. Durham began to pull away but Newcastle managed to bring it back to 8-8 due to the outstanding

In attack: NUNC try and break through Manchester’s defence Image: Abi Dodwell

Title still in reach for basketball thirds

Missing Mackems: Sunderland missed a number of chances Image: Huezin Lim

Continued from back page man to man and improving the defence.

Sunderland were putting up a valiant effort and striving their hardest with several hustle plays but unfortunately, airballs were still a part of their game.

The pace of the game was slowing down but with 3 consecutive offensive rebounds stolen from right under their noses, the Sunderland players were noticeably frustrated. The hustle was still key in the Knights play and with a few loose balls, they finally converted it into two points. The Sunderland players scored right back from inside and it goes to show that they could have made this more of a match if they were more patient and found the pass.

With 2 minutes left in the 3rd quarter, the Knights led 62-31, maintaining their strong and dominant 30-point lead throughout the match. The quarter score was 63-37, with Sunderland striving to put up a relatively decent score to finish the game and go home with. Unfortunately, no matter how they tried, they made airballs time and time again, even on the free throws. Part of the issue was their leaky defence, which meant

plenty of penetration for Newcastle.

That being said, they did make some spectacular blocks.

The Sunderland players were finding a second wind and 5 minutes into the final quarter, they cut the lead to 23 and there some smiles began to appear on the faces of their players. The taller Newcastle side had a huge advantage on the rebounds in both defence and offence. A valiant effort on the part of Lampres, he unfortunately fouled out 4 minutes till the end of the game.

Inexplicably, the home defence switched off for the last moment but a Sunderland player missed the completely open layup, he was probably too surprised at how open he was. With a string of 3 pointers from Cheong, the lead was back up to 31 points with one minute to go, 84-53.

Maybe it was the competitive spirit or the thrill of scoring a buzzer beater but the final shot, which went in at the buzzer, was perhaps not very sportsman like. Final score: 90-53 to Newcastle.

The win moves the Knights level on points with leaders York, having played a game more.

Sport

www.thecourieronline.co.uk Monday 23 November 2015 Issue 1321 Free

thecourieronline.co.uk/sport

Sports Editors: Alex Hendley, Calum Wilson & Lewis Bedford courier.sport@ncl.ac.uk Twitter: @Courier_Sport | Instagram: thecouriersport

Diverse sports on offer at Newcastle University p.44+45

Heaton we have a problem: Newcastle’s Parachuting Club complete another jump Image: NUPC

Title still within dunking distance for thirds after win in local derby Men’s Basketball Newcastle 3rds

90

Sunderland 3rds

By Huezin Lim at the Sports Centre

53

Coming into the fourth match in the 2015-2016 BUCS Season, the Newcastle Basketball Mens 3rds team had done extremely well with three wins and only one loss so far in a closely fought match against the York 2nds team at home.

The start of this match was going to decide who could maintain local bragging rights and the Newcastle Knights did not want to come out on the losing end.

Four minutes into the match Newcastle were leading by 7 points and were getting the basket and the foul

opportunities. A sloppy offensive set led to an easy basket for the visitors but Newcastle countered straight back with a floater from Lampres. An easy steal from Greenwood led to the fast break and a Sunderland player was forced into an unprofessional foul which was capitalised on with two points. The lead was steadily increasing and stood now at 9 points.

Sunderland were finding it difficult to penetrate with turnovers or get offensive rebounds from Newcastle and after some sloppy dribbling they lost the ball once more. As the quarter went on, however, they were playing more aggressively and strived to push the tempo of the play.

Newcastle on the other hand were striving for shots from distance which were highly ineffective, but unable to seize upon this moment, Sunderland

were still sending Newcastle players to the foul line with unnecessary fouls.

With a minute left, the hosts were not pushing the lead and neither were Sunderland threatening to come back so both teams were looking to go on a game changing run. At the end of the first, the Knights led 18-12.

A long distance shot from afar was the key to the start of the second quarter and Newcastle soon pushed the lead to 10 points. Newcastle’s De Guzman made a really good inside pass to his centre and the Mackems were forced to call a timeout with the lead slowly increasing to 12 points.

The teamwork and chemistry was flowing for Newcastle and with several turnovers and missed passes from their opponents, they were finding it hard to breakout of this slump. They simply could not find the basket, having not

scored in 3 minutes.

Newcastle’s strong defence definitely played a part and it was clear to see in terms of the way Sunderland were approaching their offence. Without a proper coach, the team was struggling without direction and they were shooting airballs from far and left with little ideas. The timeout was called and the score was 33 - 12 to Newcastle.

Even on the fast break, Sunderland players were squandering opportunities, with mismatches and unusual layups, it was hard to see how they were going to come back from the deficit.

The Knights were brimming with confidence and even the long range shot was working. Sunderland were without options and they had not scored for the entire quarter after 7 minutes.

A questionable foul gave the Sunderland players their first opportunity at

the stripe and, finally, the player made one of the two free throws. The body language of the Sunderland players told the story, their heads were down and they could not get the offensive rebound.

At half time, the score stood at 44 16 to Newcastle and the visiting players must have been left wondering, what happened in that second quarter for the lead to grow in such a manner? The second string came on in the second half and it was good to see the intensity by the captain of the team to push his teammates to play proper defence.

Mysteriously, the referee stopped the play and blew the whistle for no apparent reason. Understandably, two wide open shots for Sunderland led to a time out from Newcastle. Holmes was extremely vocal about playing proper continued on page 47