INSIDE: LGBT MONTH
homophobe carey’s strand window british film festival goes lgbt homophobia still rife in hip hop film: Blue is the warmest colour the tory’s big gay marriage split
q ROAR! February 2014
King’s College London
roarnews.co.uk
SHOOTING AT STRAND TUBE page 23-24
EXCLUSIVE: KING’S STAFF IN POVERTY
CLEANERS IN CRISIS
‘we can’t
feed our children’
by MICHAEL DI BENEDETTO and DULCIE LEE
CLEANERS at King’s are relying on payday loans to feed their children because they are not paid enough by the College. The staff are paid £6.31 an hour, two pounds less than the London Living Wage, leaving them struggling to make ends meet for even the most essential living costs. Full story page 4-5
Cleaners forced to borrow money to survive KCL fails to deliver on commitment made in 2010 Poverty pay
inside: open letter to sexual abuse survivors
2 ROAR! February 2014
ROAR!
SAYS Homophobic Lord Carey SINCE October 2012 Roar! has stood firmly opposed to Lord Carey’s words on same-sex relationships. What Lord Carey said had nothing to do with the equal marriage debate, but concerned itself with undisguised discrimination: “Same-sex relationships are not the same as heterosexual relationships and should not be put on the same level.” We shudder when the full implications of this statement are considered, what would happen if everybody adopted this attitude in their day-to-day lives. Desmond Tutu, the man who sits on a window next to Lord Carey, once wrote that: “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor”. Lord Carey and his supporters have actively promoted injustice, this newspaper, unlike the college, has not and will not sit and wait. Those who sit on windows at the front of the Strand informally represent all those associated with the university. It is often said that we are only celebrating the careers of those on windows, but how can we separate a career from the individual? This separation is certainly not apparent to the thousands of people who walk past Strand each day. Despite our frustration we see the words of Lord Carey as an opportunity. It’s an opportunity to show to the outside world that one of the world’s most famous Christian institutions will lead on an issue so many fail on. This is also an opportunity for King’s students to try and educate those like Lord Carey who unfortunately have views of intolerance. If, as we hope, Lord Carey does retract his words then it would show those with similar views that, yes, they are out in the cold, but the door is always open.
OUR TEAM EDITOR Dulcie Lee editor@roarnews.co.uk DEPUTY EDITOR Megan Hector editor@roarnews.co.uk OPERATIONS MANAGER Robbie Hirst editor@roarnews.co.uk ONLINE PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Imogen Morrell editor@roarnews.co.uk COMMENT EDITOR Madhav Bakshi comment@roarnews.co.uk FEATURES EDITOR Laura Jessop features@roarnews.co.uk POLITICS EDITORS Michael Di Benedetto (Print) and Charlotte le Maignan (Online) politics@roarnews.co.uk SCIENCE EDITORS Durr-e-Maknoon Tariq (Print)
and Vanessa Megaro (Online) science@roarnews.co.uk
ROGUE – Roar!‘s culture pullout rogue@roarnews.co.uk FASHION & LIFESTYLE EDITOR Lauren Clark fashionlifestyle.rogue@gmail. com ARTS & THEATRE EDITOR Daisy Bartlett artstheatre.rogue@gmail.com MUSIC EDITORS Joe Brookes and Oscar King musicreviews.rogue@gmail.com FILM EDITORS Charlotte Woods and Josh Stupple filmtv.rogue@gmail.com SPORTS EDITOR Tobias Bruce-Jones sports@roarnews.co.uk SOCIETIES EDITOR Tskenya Fraser editor@roarnews.co.uk
we are hiring send in your cv and cover letter (previous work optional) or any questions to editor@roarnews.co.uk News (online & Print) Are you a glued-to-the-news junkie? We’re looking for someone who wants to be the first to break student-related news using both social media and concise, unbiased, tightly written articles for our website. Dedication to expanding a team of reporters to cover King’s-related events is a must, as well as a keenness to live-tweet and cover stories such as Student Council meetings, student protests etc. We want strategy and vision. (Extra news writing training can be provided). Don’t feel quite ready to apply for News online? Apply instead for a news reporter position today! Features (print) Want to hone your skills at finding touching personal stories, carrying out in-depth investigations and writing off-the-wall pieces all about King’s? This role requires dedication to laying out pages on Adobe InDesign (training provided). Arts (print) Love writing about all things arty? We’re looking for an Arts print editor that can deliver exclusive, student-focused news, reviews and stories to feed and inspire readers and artists at King’s. This role requires dedication to laying out pages on Adobe InDesign (training provided). Sports (online) Know your goals from your touchdowns? This role requires someone dedicated to writing news on both big and small sports groups, making contacts within clubs to get exclusive scoops and a passion for King’s-related stories. Puzzle editor Are you a lover of the cryptic who knows the difference between tongue-twisters and brain-teasers? We’re looking for a puzzle editor to create a page of sudoku, number games, crosswords and other puzzles for the print edition of the paper. This role requires dedication to laying out pages on Adobe InDesign (training provided). Senior photographer We expect you to be able to shoot beautiful pictures on diary stories, as well as build up a bank of stock photos over time. Examples of photography must be sent with the application.
February 2014
ROAR! 3
STUDENTS’ UNION ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING We heard fro m you that not alway it’s sc what KCL lear SU is...
ANTHONY SHAW: Vice President for comms
at last
- Mo Wiltshire Chief Exec, KCLSU
change is here New exam venue Student staff pay rise Lower halls deposits Cheaper drinks
WINNING: No more pigeons sh*tting on exam papers
CHEERS: Snakebite may be capped at £1
WIFI, CYCLING AND EXAMS: THE CHANGES IN FULL
ON ACCOMMODATION DEPOSITS KCLSU will lobby King’s to reduce accommodation deposits from £300 per student. Students who get the maximum KCL living bursary only have to pay £100. 348 FOR 37 AGAINST 16 ABSTAIN ON LONDON LIVING WAGE FOR STUDENT STAFF KCLSU will begin budgeting and planning to deliver the London Living Wage. 386 FOR 21 AGAINST 15 ABSTAIN
CHAIR: KCLSU President Sebastiaan Debrouwere
ON THE EXCEL EXAM VENUE KCLSU will lobby KCL to change the May 2014 exam venue to a more central location. 278 FOR 85 AGAINST 86 ABSTAIN ON REDUCING THE PRICE OF DRINKS IN THE UNION KCLSU will cap the price of Snakebite at £1 at all union bars all hours, and provide both one cost price alcoholic and one cost price non-alcoholic drink per night. 261 FOR 141 AGAINST ON CYCLING KCLSU will lobby KCL to ensure sufficient cycle parking, lockers for all students and shower facilities at each teaching site, as well as to provide students with cycle safety tips and recommended routes. 334 FOR 22 AGAINST 105 ABSTAIN NEGATIVE MARKING ON EXAM PAPERS The Union will NOT lobby for negative
marking in exams to be abandoned. 138 FOR 194 AGAINST 111 ABSTAIN
KCLSU will look at replacing Student Council with a Student Assembly. STATS NOT AVAILABLE
ON WIFI PROVISION KCLSU will lobby King’s to ensure sufficient wifi provision in student accommodation sites at all hospitals outside London. 367 FOR 13 AGAINST 57 ABSTAIN
ON A SOCIETIES NEWSLETTER KCLSU will create a society newsletter, to be sent round to all KCL students focused on promoting key events socities hold each month 233 FOR 61 AGAINST 136 ABSTAIN
ON MEDICAL STUDENTS’ MAINTENANCE LOAN KCLSU will campaign against and oppose any further reduction in fourth year maintenance loans 291 FOR 45 AGAINST 127 ABSTAIN
ON SHAKER AAMER KCLSU will name a room “Shaker Aamer Room for Justice” in solidarity with Shake Aamer, Britain’s last remaining Guantanamo detainee. 148 FOR 41 AGAINST 272 ABSTAIN
ON FRESHERS PUBLICITY KCLSU will ensure Freshers’ events run by student societies will be included in promotional material sent out at the beginning of the year 274 FOR 22 AGAINST 141 ABSTAIN
ON MEDICAL STUDENTS TRAVEL EXPENSES KCLSU will lobby KCL to provide appropriate, consistent compensation for travel cost to medical students and a streamlined method of applying for compensation for all students . 305 FOR 55 AGAINST 98 ABSTAIN
ON STUDENT COUNCIL ACCOUNTABILITY
4 ROAR! February 2014
OUR CLEANERS IN POVERTY SAY:
‘King’s are greedy and selfish’ Poverty pay
WHAT THEY GET...
BY MICHAEL DI BENEDETTO Politics editor
IT WAS three years ago that King’s College Council agreed to pay all of the cleaning staff the London Living Wage. This is yet to happen. The cleaners remain on the minimum wage. They remain in poverty. Two of these cleaners agreed to share their story with Roar!. They have asked to remain anonymous and will henceforth be referred to as Laura and Sophie. The reader is warned that distressing material follows: “[The minimum wage] is hard to live on”, Laura began. She explained that she struggles to pay her rent, that even buying food is “difficult”. Her only way out is to borrow money. “Sometimes we borrow money to pay council tax. Monthly, our pay is not even £900.” Sophie shared a similar experience: “I get paid and it is gone the same day when I pay my rent and tax. I don’t have money for my bus pass, my son had to give me £40 last week.” This, of course, whilst in the employment of a “world-leading” university, in one of the most expensive cities in the world. “I am ashamed to I tell people that I am getting this money at King’s College, on the Strand.” Laura said. In fact, must of their frustration is directed at Senior Management. As Laura explained: “We are not getting even £12,000 a year and when we look at their money some of them are getting £12,000 a month or every two months. Why they doing this to us? We can’t pay our rent so we are saying to them that please they should do something about it. The work is hard and they know it. They don’t care, they are selfish are greedy.” “We don’t even mind the work… but if we are getting this pay, this won’t encourage us,” Sophie added. By this point, Sophie was in tears. She had been at King’s in 2010, she explained, when the promised pay rise to failed to materialise. But the cleaners can win! The Living Wage is paid at ten institutions of the University of London, in part because of student pressure. It is with this in mind that Laura concludes the interview: “The message we have for the students is that please, because of them we are here, so they can help us, if they can help us to talk about our wage, if we can get the [living wage] we will appreciate it. So please, we need their help, to help us.”
THE CLEANERS
THE PRINCIPAL
PAID £250/wk
PAID £200/hr
My son h to lend as m money e f my bus or pass
LIVIN G WAG E NOW !
February 2014
@KCLLivingWage
ROAR! 5
facebook.com/KCLLivingWage
‘THIS IS SHAMEFUL’ What the £8.80 london College living wage
pledged to pay
£7.65 uk living
ROAR!
wage
the £6.31 What MINIMUM cleaners are WAGE
paid
SAYS
THREE long years, that is how long it has been since King’s College London; the institution we are all so proud to attend, promised to pay at least London Living wage to its staff. Three years on and we hear tragic stories of cleaners, still struggling to pay for basic needs, due to the College’s failure to deliver on its commitment. We wonder why the College would even consider making a promise it had no intention of keeping. This question is especially potent when we consider King’s’ £31 million operating surplus. The only reason we can come up with is the same reason why these people are paid the minimum amount.
‘Mothers and fathers’
S T O RY I H
THE PRINCIPAL’S SALARY COULD PAY FOR AT LEAST 30 CLEANERS
The answer: the College and many others consider these people to be right at the very bottom; so low that no one will hear their shouts of protest. These mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers are in such a precarious situation that they can only challenge the College anonymously. We desperately want to believe that the College doesn’t hold these views, but the truth is naked: there are employees at King’s who cannot afford to live. For many of these cleaners, this is it. Unlike us students, they are not at the College to learn and increase their career prospects. This is their career. King’s must stop ignoring those most vulnerable in our College community. They can no longer remain hidden in plain sight.
6 ROAR! February 2014
FIRED BARRISTER’S OPEN LETTER
Lecturer [SACKED] for giving legal advice to students ROAR! SAYS
Students should be able to defend themselves using commercial services, the College should encourage appeals access. Lecturers shouldn’t have to fear being fired for providing such services.
Dear readers,
In a few weeks, my role as Honorary Senior Lecturer in Ethics and Law will end. The College disapproved of my involvement in helping students with their academic and disciplinary appeals, and terminated my contract. Although the decision does not affect me financially – my post was unpaid - it grated against my sense of justice.
Why should you care? Because every student, even the best, may fall victim to an unfair decision by the College. You may be accused of cheating, when you did not. Of being fit to sit an exam, when you were not. Your mitigating circumstances may be unjustly dismissed by the College, or a punishment may be too harsh. Every student who contacts me - about 15 a week - never thought it could happen to them.
FIRED: Sokol said being sacked grated on his sense of justice
What has King’s got to hide? BY JESSY HOWARD
Legal affairs correspondent A KING’S lecturer has been fired for offering private legal advice to students seeking to appeal their grade, after less than a year in the job. Barrister Daniel Sokol was dismissed in December when his private appeals business, Alpha Academic Appeals, was brought to light in a series of articles. It all started when he was asked to write a piece on for Times Higher Education on the
appeals service, as nobody else offers it. Immediately after this article appeared, Sokol received an email from saying that King’s didn’t want to be seen to endorse his business, and asked him to remove his college credentials from the business’s website, which he did. ‘Abuse of position’ After continued criticism from his colleagues, Sokol wrote an open letter in defence of his actions, arguing that he had not abused his appointment at King’s to promote his private business. However, the reaction was opposite to the one he intended: the College immediately dismissed Sokol with three months’ notice. In the email dismissing Sokol,
The Law Society Gazette, a publication provided to most solicitors in England and Wales, picked up on the story, saying: “If only there was a service available to allow lecturers to challenge such decisions”. Many legal colleagues and the student press have also been supportive. Even King’s make mistakes, with potentially disastrous consequences for students. Although mistakes are inevitable, there must be a fair system to identify and remedy them. At the moment, it is the College who decides whether it has made a mistake and it allows no external representation at hearings. If you want representation, it must be from someone in the College. The College wants the whole affair to remain internal. Yet, there should be nothing to hide. King’s should have faith in the fairness of its system and allow students to obtain external representation. Some universities allow this. There is no good reason why King’s should not. In its letter terminating my contract, the College acknowledged a student’s right to seek legal help. If need be, exercise that right! The College may consider you a thorn in its side but that is not your concern. Your priority is to cure the injustice, not to make life easier for the College. Dr Daniel Sokol
Daniel Sokol
Barrister, 12 King’s Bench Walk Founder, Alpha Academic Appeals head of Administration for the College Ian Creagh said the College would not endorse something that “actively seek(s) to target students” and alleged Sokol was abusing his position at King’s to attract potential clients. ‘Vulnerable position’ The College did not regard Sokol’s business as a problem when it appointed him. Further, the two lectures Sokol gave made no mention of the business. “Clients come to me as a barrister, not as an honorary lecturer at King’s,” he said. Creagh pointed FIRER: out that students Admin man use the free adIan Creagh
Only 1 in 3 student s win their appeal vice service provided by the SU when appealing. This service had 324 appeals between 2012 and 2013. However, only around a third of students are granted their appeal. Given what’s at stake, there is a demand some for a faster, more in depth advice service. A spokesperson from the advice service told Roar! that “the biggest problem we face is that unfortunately many students just don’t know we exist.” A non-KCL student who used Sokol’s service said that “it was an investment in my future” and that “without the advice from Dr Sokol, I would have been in a very vulnerable position and the outcome would have been very different.” Sokol thinks that culture is at fault: “The academics have so much faith in their system that they think it can’t go wrong.”
ARCHBISHOP CAREY: YOUR ROAR! VIEWS AREN’T CHRISTIAN SAYS
TAKE CAREY’S WINDOW DOWN
by NIK JOVČIĆ-SAS WHEN he gave his speech to “Coalition for Marriage”, Lord Carey claimed the authority of a representative of Christ. I am writing to tell you that his views do not reflect Christian theology, and are simply a product of the irrational prejudices of a bitter man.
My journey with Theology started when I was sixteen and trying to reconcile my Christian faith and my sexuality. I had assumed that my sexuality meant I was damned, and so I looked to scripture to see what God had in store for me and others of my sexuality. The only allusions to homosexual acts in the Bible consist of two or
DAVE HAS BROKEN OUR V W BY BEN JUDGE
CREDIT: TEMI OCHUGBOJU
IN 2002 Theresa May told the delegates at Tory party conference that the public saw the Conservatives as the ‘nasty party’. And so the party began a long program of detoxification, with those at the top chanting ‘Vote blue, go green’. Cameron cycled to work, delivered the people of Essex their recycling boxes and even changed the party’s logo to a scribbled oak tree. After the election in 2010 the next step in this process was obvious – legalise same sex marriage. Opinion polls consistently showed that the m a jority of t h e publ i c support same sex marriage, with even larger numbers amongst younger people. Attracting young people has been a perennial problem for the party. With one stroke, the leadership created a bigger voting base and modernised the party. The new policy even helped them catch up with the policies of
their Liberal Democrat partners. Thus the Same Sex Marriage Act was created. Although the bill allowing gay arriage passed last summer, the Parliamentary vote resulted in a huge back bench rebellion, with 136 Tory MPs out of a total of 303 voting against. The implications are even more serious when we look at voter support. A YouGov poll in March 2013 showed that 60% of UKIP’s supporters voted Conservative in 2010. Whilst this shift cannot be totally attributed to the pursuit of same sex marriage, it is almost certainly partially to blame. Tory MPs, Councillors and branch Chairmen have mounted an increasingly vociferous attack on Cameron’s policy. Organizations such as Conservative Grassroots have sprung up bringing together some of the more hard core back benchers into a collective bloc. Cameron’s project of modernisation has allowed the Tories to break free from their reputation as miserly milk-snatchers. The green agenda was a bold, and fashionable, move – as was the same sex marriage agenda. The bid to expand the voter base and change voter perception, however, has created a rift within the party between modernising Conservatives and traditionalists. This is dangerous and should not be taken lightly. Appeasing the traditionalist right of the party is an absolute must.
three verses in Leviticus and the letters of Paul. There are no prohibitions of same-sex love or unions. So why has the equal marriage act caused so much furore amongst Christian groups? This is not really about defending the Christian faith. Instead it is about protecting Christians’ right as the dominant religion in the UK to discriminate against minority groups. Watch Lord Carey’s speech, and you’ll see that his “theology” boils down to little more than scaremongering peppered with pseudo-theological sound bites. This is not the first time churchmen have abused their authority to warp the Christian message to discriminate. Let’s not forget that some of the churches of South Africa used theology to support apartheid. But it is strangely this very fact that gives me hope - because in the end the Church played a vital part bringing an end to apartheid, through the Rustenburg declaration, the repentance of the NKD and the work of a great King’s Alumnus, Desmond Tutu. Apartheid and the fight for equal rights for the LGBT community are obviously quite different, but their goal is in many ways the same: to ending hatred and discrimination. Figures published by Stonewall show that a third of lesbians self-harm and a gay man is ten times more likely to commit suicide than a straight man. When there is so much suffering, how can we continue to hold up people like Lord Carey as figures to emulate? King’s College is a centre of Christian learning and for our university to stand against Lord Carey’s hateful views would be a powerful message to the Christian world. It’s time for King’s to take down Lord Carey from his window, and tell the world these views do not reflect the values or ethos of King’s College London. For too long Lord Carey has attempted to hide his bigotry behind his dog collar. But now I challenge Lord Carey to show us how h e can ground his views in real Christian theology.
THE HISTORY IN OCTOBER 2012 King’s alumnus Lord Carey made controversial comments about same sex marriage, including that gay relationships weren’t on the same “level” as straight ones. The former Archbishop of Canterbury said that equal marriage would pave the way for traditional Mormon-style polygamous relationships. That month, Roar! launched a campaign to rid the alumnus of his Strand Campus window. King’s refused to distance itself from Carey despite a petition, a student council motion and national media coverage. Since then there has been two incidents of graffiti on his window - “scum” and “raging homophobe”. The campaign, now led by council chair Robbie Hirst, continues today, with an event planned for later this term.
Same-sex relationships are not the same as heterosexual relationships and should not be put on the same level.
King’s’ LGBT Christian Support Group runs every Wednesday 5:30-6:30.
8 ROAR! February 2014
king’s students’ space skinsuit
SPACEMAN: Dane Andreas Mogensen will wear the suit in 2015
BY PHIL CARVIN
King’s graduate in Msc Space Physiology and Health
YOUR body, its muscular architecture, circulatory systems and skeleton have evolved to ‘resist’ the force of gravity; in space this force is reduced. As your body is an incredible adapting organism, it reduces its muscle and bone mass. This can lead to safety issues, especially for long term space exploration where on return to a gravity body i.e. Earth or Mars, the risk of injury, fracture and reduced occupational capacity is higher. My colleagues and I have developed a skinsuit to help counter back pain in space in collaboration with European Space Agency (ESA) and MIT. Considerable research has been performed to improve the safety of spaceflight; however due to the continued lack of loading on the body, current countermeasures are still not effective enough at attenuating this degradation, so the need for low cost, volume and effective countermeasure exists. The gravity loading countermeasure skinsuit (GLCS) utilises a lightweight, non-compressive, elastic weave to generate a calculated, staged, loading regime that mimics, with high resolution, the force or ‘pull’ of gravity (1G) on the musculoskeletal system. Through testing at King’s College London, we have been able to quantify that the loading, produced by the GLCS’s previous designs, is roughly 60-78% of what we call 1G, thereby providing a potential low cost, low volume means of creating staged loading on the body with the premise that it can be easily transported, adorned and integrat-
ONE SMALL STEP: The (rather figure-hugging) skinsuits were developed to combat back pain in space and will make their debut next year
ed into other countermeasures, such as exercise. I mention exercise particularly, as in space, astronauts currently perform two hours a day of training just to maintain their musculoskeletal capacity, however, as stated already, this can still degrade in space due to the lack of loading. At King’s under the supervision of Dr David Green, myself and Julia Attias (a fellow researcher and future PhD student at King’s) have investigated the poten-
tial for the suit to integrate with exercise by analysing its effects on the body during exercise and a range of motion. We have also investigated the thermal properties of wearing the suit, safety elements and comfort. This research has been presented at multiple conferences and as result of its success the skinsuit has been accepted for spaceflight in 2015 where Andreas Mogensen will wear it for the first time in space. To facilitate this mission King’s is performing further investigations with our long term partners at the MIT and the Crew medical support office at the European space agency. On a broad scale the entire earth communication network (telecommunication, social me-
dia, stock markets, internet) relies on and is a product of space technology. Computer chips, medical imaging devices, clothing manufacturing, antibiotic development, weather and hazard analysis all are examples of terrestrial benefits from space. In terms of the GLCS, at King’s, in partnership with MIT and ESA we are exploring how the suit could also be used to alleviate lower back pain. It could also be used to provide an extra stimulus to athletes, specifically strength based sports. With so much exciting and revolutionary research at King’s College, my main advice to any student is to get involved, volunteer for research, be a participant, a team player and above all never be afraid to share your ideas.
The science of shampoo
BY DURR-E MAKNOON TARIQ Science editor
SHAMPOOS are not some magical potions that transform your dry, lifeless, dirty or greasy hair into silky smooth strands of sexiness. Whether your hair is smooth or rough, dry or oily, long or short, depends on your genetic make-up
and to some extent, on the environment you live in. If a shampoo advertisement claims that their shampoo will enliven or add life to your hair, then they are lying to you. This is simply because hair is a naturally dead tissue. Hair is made up of a dead protein called keratin. It is a tough, fibrous material. Our nails are made out of the same protein. What shampoos actually do is simply clean your hair by removing dirt and grease.
Shampoos have characteristic molecules that consists of a water-loving (hydrophilic) ‘head’ and a water-hating (hydrophobic) ‘tail’. These amphipathic (ambivalent) molecules are called surfactant. So what happens is that the hydrophobic tail attaches itself to the dirt and grease particles while the hydrophilic heads interact with the water molecules. Then as you rinse your hair, the dirt and grease particles are washed away as the surfactants carry it with them.
When they are in the water, surfactants also form small circular aggregates (blobs) called micelles where the water-loving heads are in contact with the watery environment while the water hating tails point inwards away from the water. The dirt and grease particles collect in the middle of the micelle. Then when you
rinse your hair, these micelles are washed away taking the dirt and grease with them, leaving your hair nice and clean. Soaps, washing powders, detergents and washing-up liquids work in the same way. They also contain surfactants which remove dirt, oil or grease from your body and also from your clothes and pots and pans. So now you know: its science, not magic!
rogue
fashion wake me up, 10 ROAR! February 2014
fashion editor: Lauren Clark
make up
-
Get ok the lo
r
,
SLEEPLESS nights are bringing on dark circles (due to the sheer workload, obviously). Have no fear, there are beauty tricks out there to help you fake the awake look until summer… Concealer is great for banishing dark circles. Opt for L’Oreal True Match for ease of application, or YSL Touche Eclat for a pricier finish.
Use white/ light pink eyeliner directly on your waterline to create the illusion of bigger, brighter eyes. Purchase Benefit’s Eye Bright eyeliner. Mascara is essential for luscious lashes to finish off the ‘wide awake’ look. Max Factor False Lash Effect adds delicate-looking volume, while Dior Blackout Mascara has a creamy, kohl-like intensity.
q
By SNEHA CHOUDHURY
LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE BOYS BY CHLOE MOSS WITH Brit girls typically taking centre stage as style icons it is not often that the boys get a chance to showcase their sartorial talents. But that is set to change this year as we start to sit up and take note of what the boys are wearing. January 2014 saw some of our best of British design talent breaking out their menswear lines for London Collections: Men. This was the second season
of LC: M, and we have seen an overwhelming growth in the three-day event ever since it started, signalling 2014 as the year of the male style icon. Men are giving us a run for our money off the catwalk too. One Direction heartbreaker Harry Styles took away an award at the 2013 British Fashion Council Awards, with his gravity-defying quiff and slightly silly scarf. Styles’ style (had to be done) has people divided though. Love or hate it, that trademark quiff, as well as his strong relationship with Brit powerhouse Burberry, has Styles hitting the best-dressed lists everywhere, including GQ’s. The list demonstrates the eclectic style of British men, with Radio One DJ Nick Grimshaw taking the top spot for his take on preppy style. Grimshaw was in good company, with the likes of Colin Firth, Eddie Redmayne, Alex Turner and Douglas
Booth among those making the 50-strong countdown. Back in November Grimshaw was named Menswear Ambassador for the British Fashion Council alongside TV’s Dermot O’Leary, model David Gandy and musician Tinie Tempah. Although these men offer us unique looks, it is obvious that their respective styles are grounded in English style heritage established long ago by Saville Row. British men typically have a particular attention to detail in their tailoring (e.g. eccentric socks, colourful ties, pocket squares etc.) which is fairly unique to British style. All in all, this is definitely the year for male style to shine through, and, although
le Sicty s on and HaGrrriymmy
there’s still a lot of work to be done in terms of bringing men’s style to the forefront of fashion coverage, magazines like GQ are certainly a good place to start.
rogue fashion and lifestyle
Pastel me up By MARIA DINCA
WITH the sartorial indulgence that was recently Paris Haute Couture SS14, thoughts naturally turn to more ready-to-wear trends for this Spring/ Summer. One that featured on every catwalk last September, from Burberry Prorsum to Jason Wu, was every shade of pastel. Not only are they exquisitely feminine, but pastels are the perfect transition colour from winter to spring. Therefore, even if our budgets are tiny, brands like Zara and Topshop have great selections. If you think pastels are out of your comfort zone, they are actually ridiculously easy to style. Think basic outfits - jeans, sweater and biker boots - throw on a pale pink, mint, light blue coat, and you are good to go!
Matchy-Matchy By JOCELINE SHARMAN MATCHING separates have spurned an excited phenomenon. They provide elegance, as well as expressive, bold and innovatively coordinated outfits. It is the clever reinvatention of the stuffy suit, and comes in all shapes and forms.The trend was seen on many of the Spring/ Summer catwalks, including Mulberry, Ralph Lauren, Alexander Mcqueen and Chanel. On the high street, ASOS has a huge selection of patterns as well as Zara and Topshop. The beauty of the trend is that you can choose how to style it - whether you let the garments do the talking, add a statement necklace and wear a contrasting lip colour with matching shade shoes - there are so many options!
Bombastic bombers
By HELENA MAXWELL
We have the key trends you should be wearing this Spring/ Summer 2014. By JESSICA RADCLIFFE-BROWN
By GEORGIA CLARKE
THE appeal of check is its diversity; larger checks and gingham, alongside monochrome and colour were all seen on the catwalk. Topshop have carried this trend to the high-street with their gingham tube skirt mimics Oscar de la Renta’s tailored pieces, and their checked shirt makes incorporating the trend into your wardrobe effortless. Balance patterned separates with basics, or clash prints for a braver look. Be there and be square.
ROAR! 11
HOW TO WOW THIS SPRING
THE recent revival of nineties grunge has brought the bomber jacket back into the discerning eye of high-end fashion, albeit with a more glamorous twist. Bombers have been hitting the catwalk this season at Dries Van Noten, Marc By Marc Jacobs, and Julien David. For city luxe, go for vibrantly patterned silk teamed with harem pants and heels. For a sportier version take inspiration from Marc Jacobs and team a red and white bomber with a loose T-shirt, shorts and high tops. If you want one key item that screams ‘on trend,’ this is it.
Check it out
February 2014
SPOT ON... Georgia Jagger dead on trend wearing Alexander Wang
THERE was a huge influx of street-inspired clothing and wearable sportswear for SS14. The new trend for logo tees and revealing, expressive slogans come to the forefront this summer - feeling quite fresh, with a karge dose of nineties. Playful, younger brands, including Henry Holland, Alexander Wang and Jeremy Scott, have already practiced the art of wearing thoughts on their sleeves for a few seasons now, but more traditional fashion houses, such as Dior and Louis Vuitton, are even embracing a little wordplay themselves. Off the runway, draw inspiration from street style mavens Cara Delevingne and Rihanna, and pair a witty, intelligent T-shirt or sweater with distressed denim, tailored trousers and a statement collar necklace. Look to Brian Lichtenberg and Zoe Karssen for bold, tongue-in-cheek prints on the high street.
music 12 ROAR! February 2014
MUSIC EDITORS: JOE BROOKES AND OSCAR KING
TOP TENBanksPICKS
AARON MARCHANT
LA musician BANKS turned to music to help her get through a period of depression following her parents’ divorce, writing songs with the aid of a toy piano. Six years later, having developed a sound that she describes as ‘short and powerful’, BANKS is hotly tipped by numerous critics as the artist who will make the biggest breakthrough in 2014.
1 Tove Lo
Part of the burgeoning Swedish music industry, Tove Lo is Stockholm’s latest and potentially greatest pop star. Her various singles so far include the drumheavy ‘Love Ballad’ as well as the stripped-back ‘Out of Mind’, indicate a depth and variety to her sound. With a debut album in the works, Tove Lo may soon find herself atop the charts both in Sweden and abroad.
Hozier
2
6 BENJAMINE CLEMENTINE Discovered singing in the Parisian Metro, Benjamin Clementine’s debut Cornerstone EP teems with raw emotion. He taught himself piano and guitar after a troubled childhood, busking for money and sleeping on floors. With a debut album out in 2014, this is not
Only 18 years old, Chloe Howl released her Rumour EP in June 2013. Her edgy lyrics are instantly likeable, and she has already been hailed by the Guardian as ‘the most exciting UK pop prospect since Lily Allen’. Her attitude to all aspects of the music industry indicates a maturity that belies her young years, setting her in good stead for a successful 2014.
7 JAYMES YOUNG Quietly building up a following during 2013, Jaymes Young released his Dark Star mixtape as a free download on Soundcloud. Including a cover of Haddaway’s ‘What Is Love’, this was a superb entrance onto the music scene. Watch out for his next offering, although you’ll probably have
3
The viral hit ‘Take Me To Church’ established Hozier at the top of the Irish charts, but he has not yet made a name for himself on our shores. A debut album is bound to change that, and with Rob Kirwan, the engineer behind P.J. Harvey’s Let England Shake, on board, 2014 holds big things for a singer whose infectious songs are sure to be a hit.
Chloe Howl
4
looks at who is likely to make it big in 2014
Luke Sital-Singh
5
Luke Sital-Singh has written some of the most beautiful songs you will hear, including the simply superb ‘Fail For You’. Having released a number of EPs to critical acclaim, such as a BBC Sound of 2014 nomination, his debut album is awaited with bated breath. In 2014 Sital-Singh is likely to firmly establish himself as one of the best singer-songwriters around.
8 SOHN Described as a ‘tranquil Gotye’, SOHN is a singer, instrumentalist and producer whose melancholic electronica combines subtle rhythms with soaring vocals. Whilst you won’t find him on cheery pop compilations, his sound is similar to recent Mercury winner James Blake’s, so he’ll appeal those seeking something more laid back.
9 SAM SMITH Having received significant praise from both artists and critics alike following collaborations with Naughty Boy and Disclosure, Sam Smith won both the BBC Sound of 2014 award and Critic’s Choice at the 2014 Brits. With his highly anticipated debut due for release in the spring, 2014 is set to be a stunning year for Smith.
10 ELLA EYRE A promising young singer, Ella Eyre’s husky mix of pop and R&B has already resulted in an excellent debut EP, Deeper. Lending her vocals to tracks by Rudimental, Wiz Khalifa and Naughty Boy will only have added experience to her talent, and she is certain to establish herself as one of the best young musicians around.
February 2014
ROAR! 13
IN CONVERSATION WITH... BY JOE BROOKES
Music editor
R: To me there seems to be a parallel between your old bands, White Belt Yellow Tag especially, and the Editors. J: Definitely! There wasn’t meant to be, but I mean, looking back on it now, there was with that White Belt record, and I learnt a lot from making it. Obviously Milo was a kind of conceptual, noise/riff based band, with lots of different parts, and you think there’d be more discipline with that than there is with making an editors tune, but there’s not. It’s a lot harder to get the balance right on an Editor’s tune. I guess it is a strange path to take, going from post-hardcore, through euphoric indie, to kind of gloomy stadium indie. R: So how did you originally start out playing then? J: I went up to Newcastle for uni, and I was editing the student newspaper at Northumbria University. There was this guy called Adam [Hiles, guitarist], who always had cigarettes on him, so I hung out with him a lot ‘cos he’d always give me cigarettes. He mentioned that he wanted to start a band, and then we met Paul [Mullen, singer], our ‘genius’, and then we just cracked on from there really. I mean, I’ve been in bands since I was about 14 or 15, so I’ve been doing it
THE EDITORS UNEDITED: The band try to avoid overdubs
for quite a while now. I generally just do what I like, and then at some point, someone puts a record out. It’s different with the Editors of course, because they’re already established, but the dynamics are the same... just some guys in a room making a big racket. But you refine and refine it ‘til you get to what you’re happy with. R: Do you prefer to spend time in the studio layering things up,
or write it on a guitar? J: It’s a weird thing, it sounds really odd...quite arrogant but, the Milo records were all very much live, five chaps in a room making really loud music, and a massive drum kit. Then when we did the record with Flood [Mark Ellis, record producer] we got the basis of the tracks down in the studio, so the same kind of process, and then we layered it all up on that record: dou-
bled up on all the riffs, tripled them, did some crazy shit with effects...And that’s also a good way of working too but, you know, there aren’t a lot of bands who can successfully record live. You need to be really tight so it’s good enough to be put into record. White Belt was just the two of us in a studio layering stuff up, be-
cause we were both engineers. On the Editor’s record everything was done in a room, and there wasn’t enough need for too many overdubs. There were five of us in a room, and it’s kind of testament to the value of playing together, you know. Like anybody can play on their own, but you have to make it fit together.
Hip hop homophobia
BY OSCAR KING
Music editor
HOMOPHOBIA still exists in the hip-hop music industry. Whilst Frank Ocean’s ‘coming out’ was certainly a step forward in 2013, Snoop Lion (aka Snoop Dogg) praised him but then noted ‘He’s a singer. It’s acceptable in the singing world, but in the rap world I don’t know if it will ever be acceptable because rap is so masculine’. This boils down to the problematic assumption that ‘gay’ equals ‘feminine’: have you ever seen those hyper-muscular men walking around Soho? I don’t think anyone could call them ‘feminine’, although the majority are probably gay. This concept of rap being exclusively ‘masculine’ is also problematic in assuming that
there is no place for female rappers in 2014. Whilst it is true that they are not the most ‘feminine’ of women, the recent success of artists such as Iggy Azalea, Angel Haze and Brooke Candy would suggest that perhaps rappers themselves are the ones who have the problem with homosexuality and femininity, rather than the public, who clearly buy their albums and, as a result, facilitate their success. Chris Brown’s recent homophobic slur, ironically, brings the issue of gays and women into a striking parallel with the allegations of domestic abuse he has faced in the past against Rihanna: ‘I’m not into this gay shit, I’m into boxing’. Both Chris Brown and Snoop Lion’s words
Gay doesn’t equal feminine
have exposed their fear of ‘the other’ in the industry, be it women or homosexuals, rendering them pseudo-masculine, at best.
‘Gay homies’
Lion defends himself by stating his open-mindedness, ‘I don’t have a problem with gay people. I got some gay homies’. Very good Snoop, but to me, this is precisely the same thing as saying ‘I’m not racist, I have some black friends!’ – it by no means excuses him from prejudice. However, the hiphop indus-
BISEXUAL: Angel Haze
try’s views on homosexuality students who use the are not all doom and gloom. word ‘gay’ as an inMacklemore’s video ‘Same sult both in speech Love’ portrays his uncle’s and online (notasame-sex relationship, bly by posting the offend ed by showing a more tolerant viral meme ‘Ha! ‘gay’ a and, dare I say it, progresGayyyy!’); acs sive attitude towards homocording to recent insult sexuality. research by StoneYet, the truth still cuts wall, 84% of homothrough as he states, ‘If I was sexual teenagers said gay, I would think hip-hop hates me’. they were upset by gay being used This precludes Eminem’s most re- as an insult. Although you may have cent song ‘Rap God’, which is about ‘gay homies’ like Snoop Dogg who breaking ‘a mother******* table are ‘cool’ with it, I doubt deep down over the back of a couple of faggots that this is the case. and crack it in half’. Whilst this could Despite my peers assuring me that certainly be interpreted as homopho- this insult is completely dissocibic, he justifies it by saying that it is ated from homosexuals and is by no ‘more like calling someone a bitch or means homophobic, the hard truth is a punk or asshole’. that the word ‘gay’ will never not be associated with homosexuals, thereSlurs at King’s fore putting the people who identify Not only is the usage of gay as a themselves in this category on the derogatory term common in rap, but back foot and liable to be insulted, it also seems to be widely used at both in the rap industry and on camKing’s. I have spoken to many of our pus.
84%
film 14 ROAR! February 2014
twelve years a slave
by YEGANEH ABYAREH STEVE McQueen’s bio-pic illustrates the real story of Solomon Northup, a free black man from New York who is abducted and sold into slavery in the antebellum United States. At first glance, the story has been told many times before. Slavery has been a favourite topic in Hollywood. Considering this, it is easy to question whether or not it is necessary to re-tell such a tragic story. McQueen’s adaptation of Northup’s own biographical book contains something extraordinary which differentiates from these other depictions. With amazing visual cinematography, music score, and precise edited narrative, the film portraits a humanbeing’s hopeless senses of survival, endurance and strength. The film’s brilliance is only highlighted in small details. There is an ongoing silence – both visually and audibly - , filling the space in each frame, which makes viewers participate with the characters’ sufferings. Continuous shots of beautiful sceneries contrast with the horrific narrative events. It is clear how McQueen’s years of studying fine arts have strongly influenced his sense of visuality in cinematic storytelling. In addition, the strong performances of the entire cast assure that it is impossible to turn your head away from the screen. I left the theatre in absolute shock and despair from what I had just seen; I had been personally pushed beyond the level of weeping and sensuality. I could hear both sobbing and applause at the extraordinary moments in the film. My friend and I left the theatre without saying anything to each other. There was simply nothing to debate about. The film had said it all. And that is a rare quality in cinema.
FILM EDITORS: JOSH STUPPLE AND CHARLOTTE WOODS
BFI does LGBT
at Somerset House
DATES THE BF I London Les bian and Gay Film runs fr Festival om the 20-30th March 2014.
By ANYA COWLEY THIS March will see thousands of filmmakers, cast and crew flock to the Southbank for the third largest film festival of the year, the British Film Institute Lesbian and Gay Film Festival. Last year, the festival was divided into three categories: heart, body and mind. It saw a dizzying array of films reflecting the LGBT community around the world, from James Franco’s Interior. Leather Bar straight from the Sundance Film Festival, to accounts of LGBT life in Jamaica in Taboo
Yardies and the sexual antics among Australian lesbians in Submerge. This year is set to match last year’s line-up, as well as evolving to fit the aesthetics of gender politics in 2014 and the popularisation of gender issues in mainstream culture. The BFI have even suggested that the name of the festival might be changed to something more representative of the increasing diversity of our community. This year’s programme will be announced on the 19th February, and whatever name it falls under expect 11 days of the best new and classic LGBT filmmakers from around
the world, as well as filmmaker Q&As, illustrated talks, panel discussions and club nights. March will also see the second part of the BFI’s two month retrospective which concentrates on Jarman’s uniquely queer films. Jarman was coming of age in the 50s and 60s, a period in which homosexuality was illegal and his film rejects this oppressive mood, revelling in homosexuality as well as the stark brutality of his experience of HIV. Alongside classics such as The Last of England (and a first year KCL English student favourite!) look out for other Jarman screenings during the LLGFF.
For Jarman fans who can’t wait until March, the Inigo Rooms at Somerset house are hosting the exhibition Derek Jarman: Pandemonium, celebrating his life and work as one of the key creatives of his generation as well as a crucial voice in gay politics. The exhibition will be screening three films continuously including his striking Super 8 films from the 70s, as well as the notebooks he kept for each of his films and writing projects. Admission is free. Thursday 23 January until Sunday 9 March 2014, Somerset House East Wing.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty By JOCELINE SHARMAN DIRECTED by and starring Ben Stiller (as Walter Mitty), this reinvention of James Thurber’s popular fantasy short story portrays a negative asset manager employee who yearns for work colleague Cheryl (Kristen Wiig), and gives into his daydreams.
The scenery was charming, but the content uneventful, with very little meaningful dialogue. Sandler’s attempts at humour failed on many occasions, making this film neither light-hearted nor thought-provoking. Even with impressive cinematography, the film did not reach its potential; the production was messy and at times extremely tiresome.
February 2014
ROAR! 15
American Hustle
By JOCELINE SHARMAN
DAVID O. Russell’s black comedy is about an irresponsibly audacious FBI agent who begins working with con artists Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) and his alluring sidekick Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams). FBI Agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Coop-
BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOUR By ANGUS WOOD
WHEN a character eats, they don’t do it elegantly: there’s a lot of spaghetti-slurping and talking with mouths full. When a character cries (a frequent occurrence), they don’t do so with a single tear rolling down their cheek, there is proper crying- snot and all. Abdellatif Kechiche has shown things that are rarely depicted in films. This may seem insignificant in a work of such enormous scope, but Kechiche’s attention to the uglier details of everyday life creates a level of realism rarely seen in film.But due this level of detail, the film is baggy - there is nothing wrong with a picture being three hours long, but many scenes are drawn-out and some feel unnecessary. Unfortunately, they add very little to the narrative and eventually become infuriating. It also has a tendency to skip several years without warning and provides only a few clues as to how much time has passed. There is a refreshing frankness about the two main characters, and it is excellent to see a film that so unabashedly revolves around a homosexual relationship receive such wide attention. After all, it’s easy to forget how prejudiced the film industry can be: the gloriously camp Behind the Candelabra was released as a television movie in America because no major studio would touch it. But the film’s progressive nature is, unfortunately, tarnished by how it depicts lesbian sex. Sex in films nowadays shouldn’t be controversial and the uncompromising nature of the sex scenes is in keeping with the film’s realism, but one gets the impression that Kechiche got a little too much enjoyment out of his nubile actresses’ physicality. The camera lingers far too long, and the line between realism and exploitation is very fine. The end result is a flawed but beautiful film that will doubtlessly be remembered as a landmark.
er) entrenches himself, Adams and Bale into the murderous environment of the Jersey powerful, fraudulent politicians and the mafia. The result is a highly emotive film, full of tension and danger, making it gripping throughout. There are many standout performances: Bale’s impressive weight gain enhances his performance as this seedy hustler;
THE WOLF OF WALL STREET By JOCELINE SHARMAN
MARTIN Scorsese’s outrageous new production The Wolf of Wall Street has caused much of a stir among film critics, countries and cinemagoers – in Dubai 45 minutes of the 3 hour film was cut due its vulgarity and excessive content! It is a far cry from Scorsese’s recent productions like Hugo. Instead this film depicts a memoir portraying the story of money launderer Jordan Belfort, founder and president of Stratton Oakmont investment bank in New York’s Wall Street, who scammed many numbers of small-time investors out of millions of dollars. The film presents Belfort’s memoir convincingly through camera techniques, from freeze-frames, to slowing speeds and in-camera mono-
logues. It is also difficult to fault the performances from this stellar cast. Leonardo DiCaprio potently conveys the power hungry chauvinist, Margot Robbie perfected her trophy wife demeanour and Jonah Hill gave an astounding rendition of his character Donnie Azoff, surmounting all my expectations. Even with all the nudity, drugs and the monumental use of the F word, this black comedy is a must see. It some of Martin Scorsese’s best work in years.
Cooper conveys the erratic quality of his tight-curly-haired character impressively; and Jennifer Lawrence portrays Irving’s capricious wife with such ease. I found Adams frustrating in the film; her British accent was deplorable at times and I didn’t feel she was the right person for the character. Very well directed and entertaining.
16 ROAR! February 2014
AN OPEN LETTER TO SEXUAL ABUSE SURVIVORS AT KING’S
DEAR SURVIVOR, I’ve heard some rumours about you; but I know they’re all untrue. You didn’t ask for it. It wasn’t your fault and you shouldn’t take any responsibility. I hope you know these rumours are false too. The sad truth is we live in a society that blames survivors for the sexually abusive actions of others. They say we shouldn’t wear short skirts, but people in burkas are assaulted on our streets. They say you shouldn’t walk home alone; but people have been assaulted in black cabs. They say you shouldn’t have been drinking, but people are abused sober. This ignorance is not bliss: it’s harmful. A 2010 NUS study found that there were many other students on campus who have had similar experiences to you, so you should know you’re not alone. But this is more than a slogan. Rachel Williams, KCLSU women’s officer, has set up a Survivor’s Network to provide a space where survivors of sexual assault or rape can seek support. In my capacity as a student councillor, last year I set up the ‘Draw Your Own Lines’ campaign that will now become a university wide campaign to spread the truth about sexual assaults on campus. It happens more often than we all want to admit, but we want you to know that there’s something being done. Rachel and I are available to help any student on campus who needs help or advice dealing with sexual assault or harassment. Please get in touch with us if you want more information on these campaigns and networks. We can be contacted at Shanice.mcbean@kcl.ac.uk or Rachel.3.williams@kcl. ac.uk. But, if nothing else, please remember that if someone crosses your line, it is always their fault. In solidarity, Shanice McBean (KCLSU Student Council Welfare Officer)
February 2014
ROAR! 17
JAMES LEEMAN: KING’S SHOULD STEP UP
Our cleaners deserve better by JAMES LEEMAN ROAR’S! London Living Wage campaign forces us to look at the reality of many struggling to survive in one of world’s richest cities and question how we want our university, and the city it inhabits, to work in the 21st century. The wage accounts for the higher cost of living in the capital and gives low paid workers the ability to afford shelter, clothing, nutrition, utilities, healthcare and a small level of recreation. The LLW is worked out by the Greater London Authority and currently stands at £8.80, £2.49 higher than the national minimum wage. Although paying the LLW is not a legal requirement, it has received support from politicians across the political spectrum and has been adopted by a number of large companies. Employers who have adopted the LLW, such as KPMG, Barclays and Oxfam, have reported rises in pro-
ductivity. Workers spend less time dealing with financial worries and are more motivated to work. Originally KCL agreed with Boris Johnson, Ed Miliband and the 277 employers paying the living wage. But while busy inflating their ego by buying wings of Somerset house, the management forgot its pledge to the lowest paid within our institution. And now they defend the contradictory logic of paying everyone the uni-
versity employs directly a living wage while working with third party contractors that do not. If London is truly the greatest city in the world, who is going to be allowed to enjoy the city’s benefits? Too many are not enjoying the economic growth of the capital because they are struggling on an inadequate income to keep up with the rising cost of living. London can make a bold statement in the interest of fairness and productivity
Seb the Pres on Tutu and ubuntu by SEBASTIAAN DEBROUWERE
LAST November one of King’s most inspiring alumni, Desmond Tutu, paid his alma mater a visit. Like many other students, I dropped everything and made the long trek to the 4th floor of the Macadam building to hear him speak. It was worth every second – Tutu advocated, quipped and above all inspired. He also has a unique, roaring laugh that is irresistible. But what really drew my attention was the inconspicuous leather bracelet he wore on his left wrist and its hand-carved inscription: “Ubuntu”. Later on in the day, I had the privilege of spending a few moments in conversation with Archbishop Tutu and asked him about the bracelet. He passionately explained that ubuntu was the South African concept of “human-ness”.
Communities consist of individuals with shared bonds that transgress any differences in opinion, thought or philosophy. What that means is that human beings in a community are inevitably connected with one another. Or as Tutu put it “I am, because you are.” That’s something that’s stayed with me since, because it encapsulates and defines everything our students’ union is about. At KCLSU we are currently working on ‘Big Plan’, a 5-year strategy to carry on making the students’ union more relevant, effective and tailored to the needs of students. A key theme students have told us about is that of grassroots empowerment. KCLSU should be at the very heart of the hive
of activity that student life is at King’s. We want to be a collective, democratic organisation that helps our students to bring their bright ideas and initiatives to reality. That’s why we’ve started to bring in changes that unlock the potential of our community and amplify its impact. Whether it’s new funding for student groups, simplifying the interaction between student groups and KCLSU, making more funding available to liberation months or deciding collectively on major issues at our first quorate AGM in almost a decade, the intention is the same: putting power back in the hands of students. KCLSU is not about the individuals leading it. It’s not about Liam, Areeb, Anthony or me. It’s about you. Our community exists because of all us. Here at King’s we’re standing at the beginning of a sea change in student politics – that of students’ unions that truly empower their members. Ubuntu!
and guarantee every worker a wage they can live on. For this to happen, companies and institutions will have to lead the way by abandoning a race to the bottom in wages and providing their employees with enough to live on. It’s time for King’s to step up to its own mantle as a globally renowned institution and re-affirm its commitment to the living wage and become one of the pioneers in creating a fairer and richer London enjoyed by all.
18 ROAR! February 2014
CULTURE
SH O C K ELECTRIC: Performers from Vengance, in March 2013
CULTURE Shock is an annual showcase that brings African and Caribbean culture to the stage, exhibiting the talent among the King’s student population. The show is full of energy-fuelled
dance routines that encapsulate the different modes of dance that can be found within Afro-Caribbean culture. The Catwalk show presents traditional clothing from all over the African continent, and incorporates Caribbean styles as well as Western wear.
horses for courses THIS society is for students who are into horses. It does not matter whether you have been around horses all your life, or simply want to start as a beginner!
facebook.com/KCLHorseSociety
The main purpose of the showcase is to raise money for charity. This year the society has decided to give proceedings to charity ‘Give Me Tap’. ‘Give Me Tap’ is an organisation that uses an entrepreneurial approach to provide infrastructure for those in the developing world
A Wales of a time THE Welsh Society aims to hold regular socials, as well as inviting guest speakers to special events to keep the Welsh spirit alive (especially for those who may be feeling home sick).
CymdeithasGymraegKCL WelshSociety
BOOK CLUBBERS
THE King’s book club reads one book a week, with weekly meetings where all members discuss the book they have been reading. The books range from classics to more contemporary texts, making sure that there is never a dull week of reading or repetition! Go to: www.tinyurl.com/nhpeysx
struggling to find access to clean drinking water. The African and Caribbean society promotes unity as its members are from a wide range of cultural backgrounds. The society wishes to celebrate and share cultural similarities and differences, whilst pro-
Breakin’ KCL WE organise weekly lessons in Breakdancing, Poppin’ and Lockin’ led by professional, handpicked instructors. facebook.com/ breakin.kcl
KCL BAKING WHETHER you’re into cupcakes, cookies or croissants, this is the place for you! You don’t need to be the next Mary Berry or Paul Hollywood; have fun sharing what you know, and hopefully some of what you have baked!
viding a number of diverse events spread out over the academic year. For society updates and Culture Shock ticket information follow the ACS on twitter @KCLACS, or for more information on charity ‘Give Me Tap’ please visit: www.givemetap.co.uk
NICE TO MEET YA,
FASHIONISTA
FASHION comes in many forms and people can hold opposing views about what ‘real’ fashion is. The fashion society at King’s wants to encourage people to further their passion for fashion, and provide a platform for everyone to engage with current or past trends. Come and join us for an exciting discovery of fashion! Contact erinma@kclfashionsociety.co.uk for more information.
20 ROAR! February 2014
GUY’S’ BIG BUCKET SHAKE
AH DEAR: Students donned festive outfits while out raising FESTIVE: The RAG team after the day’s raising
0KETS 7 BUC
000 raised in a day FRANTIC: Treasurer Dan counting the coins
OF £70
ARMED with mince pies, free breakfast for the earliest members of the Raising and Giving (RAG) society, and Michael Buble’s Christmas album, the RAG rep team and committee set up base in Boland House on December 6th 2013. With the end of term tiredness accumulating, it was not an easy task for any of us to respond to our morning alarms. But little did we know that at 6am we would be greeted by a group of keen and smiling first year students in impressive Christmas fancy dress!
With a wonderful start to the day (and a group of three girls raising more than £600 within a few hours), we continued distributing buckets to students hitting the streets of London for our chosen RAG charities: The Evelina Children’s Hospital, Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Cancer Unit, Medicinema, and Multiple Sclerosis Society. RAG also collaborated with a handful of nominated KCLSU student charities, including Coppafeel, TeamUp and NeuroAid. In total more than 70 buckets were taken out with each one raising an impressive average of £70! The day also saw a very special
performance by King’s very own a capella group, All the King’s Men, who sang for us outside St. Paul’s Cathedral in the afternoon. Back in Boland House, frantic counting of coins commenced upstairs, which was overseen by our treasurer, Dan. After a much anticipated wait, he re-
vealed our grand total of £5,435 from the day’s bucket collections! With a portion of the proceeds from that night’s joint MSA and RAG Christmas party also supporting our charities, the whole day raised an incredible total of more than £6,000. RAG would like to give an enormous
thank you to everyone who devoted their time and positive energy to this wonderful day! All the proceeds will go towards making a considerable difference to ill patients and funding medical research. Special mentions to the top RAGger Katie Thompson (who raised £666.87 on the day!) in addition to runners up Annie Shelton (£391.76) and Danielle Tang (£365.55); who all received London Eye tickets and yummy treats from Borough Market. @GKTRAG
fb.com/groups/RAG.GKT
22 ROAR! February 2014
ALL HAIL REGENTS BY HASSAN RASHED & DAN REES Continued from back page STORMS, rain, hail and 55 mph winds over London. The defensive line stuffed Greenwich’s run game all afternoon, with pressure also coming in the Greenwich QB’s face from the 2 defensive ends, Jacob Smith and Rory Jubber and an oft blitzing Ameer Rashed, who picked up a couple of sacks and an interception.The secondary also got in on the action, with safety Dan Rees making a couple of important tackles on the sidelines, and forcing a fumble which was recovered by rookie corner, Josh Poole. This proved an important turnover as Rashed rumbled in for the only touchdown of the day just a few plays later. On the offensive side of the ball, the weather made it difficult for the Regents to get things going in the passing game, but QB Jack Burdell made a couple of important 1st down throws to receivers Nick Heemsjerk and Jacob Carah to move the chains, while running back Ameer Rashed ran the hard yards down the middle all day, hitting holes made by a dominant offensive line, aided by some stellar play in the 2nd half by new recruit Danny Gibbs at left tackle. Toby Bruce Jones also got in on the action, converting on an important 4th down, and using his pace to get to the edge. This Sunday’s win over the Mariners leaves the Regents at 3-2 and sitting nicely in a playoff spot as things stand. ‘The play offs start now’ was a phrase that had echoed from the lips of Coach Stephen Ramos since the end of the winter break, yet now, this notion is quickly turning form a dream to reality as the Regents pick up momentum heading into February. Our final home game of the season is Sunday 16th Feb Against the newly f o r m e d City Sentinels in Burgess Park. We hope to see you there.
shooting AT STRAND TUBE STATION (no, not that type)
BY TOBIAS BRUCE-JONES Sports editor
I’D ARRANGED to meet the King’s College London Rifle and Pistol Club’s President Tom Saggers in the Strand reception where he would take me to the shooting range. The location of the shooting range appears to be one of the best kept secrets of any King’s society. After being lead through the Strand Campus we came across a door with the indiscreet sign ‘K.C.L.R.P.C’ , a button was pressed, the door was unlocked from within and i was taken into King’s very own shooting range. The shooting range is based in the old Strand tube station with the club themselves still using old TFL equipment; An old TFL cash safe is now the ammunitions locker, Staff lockers now house rifles and there is a very out of date tube map up on the wall. With its leaky ceilings and bare walls, the range is full of character and history and it is unique in that the club is the only ULU rifle club with its own range. Security committee
HAIL: Monday morning was all about the weather
When I first heard about the KCL Rifle and Pistol Club, my initial thoughts were of a group of private-educated country boys with a penchant for tweed and Barbour jackets. What I encountered was an eclectic group of passionate people from differing backgrounds, one of the members I spoke to came from a ‘very rough state-school’ while another is a genuine Viscount! The club is unusual for a society in that it is largely autonomous and is advised from above by an alumni committee chaired by a former student who graduated in 2003.
This system is in place largely for security reasons, it would be irresponsible to allow an inexperienced first year or second year to run a club which handles firearms but it also gives the club a friendly community atmosphere where new members can stay in direct contact with old members. 100 year lease renewal The committee devote a lot of their free time to the club as they also double up as shooting instructors with them collectively putting in around 18 hours of coaching a week. Recently, the club entered its first competition for five years where they placed
2nd with the team captained by Will Hall. . The committee of 2013/14 intend to move the club in a new direction. I was told that they plan to enter the BUCS league and to start seriously competitive shooting, they’ve also recently created the new position of social secretary and they plan to have a lot more social activities going on, something which is difficult when you are only shooting one-on-one with an instructor. The future for this club may be bright, but it is not without one major issue. The lease for the tube station is to run out in 2021 after 100 years and the club now must work out how to contact TFL and renew the lease, Roar! promises to cover this closely.
February 2014
ROAR! 23
‘LYING DOWN AND FOCUSING ON BREATHING: SHOOTING IS A RELAXING BREAK FROM UNI STRESSES’ by DAN RENWICK I’VE been shooting with KCLRPC for over a year now, and I would definitely rank my time there as one of my highlights from my time so far at King’s. Prior to joining I’d only had any notable experience with shotguns, which I enjoy immensely, so I jumped at the chance to join the club.
The quality of the instruction we receive of a really good standard, especially for the fact that the instructors are volunteers from within the university who take time out of their studies to run and instruct the club. Lying down and clearing your mind to really focus on controlling your breathing, keeping your body still and eye keen is a lot harder challenge than it sounds. The kind of rifle shooting we do within the club is a fantastic challenge, the breadth
of skills and techniques required to learn and master will surprise some people I think, and means that with every session there is always something to work on and improve. I really find taking half an hour out of your uni work to focus on something like this to be very relaxing, and the feeling (as in any sport) of excelling yourself and shooting a good session is extremely rewarding. Being instructed on a one-to-one basis,
which, while not particularly social with other members, allows one to build a nice rapport with the instructor which is an obvious benefit which I’ve really enjoyed. The availability and opportunity in the uk to fire firearms is not always the most common, and so to have a club which allows anyone with no experience to join and shoot in a safe, instructed, and friendly environment is certainly something to value.
GUNNING FOR MEMBERSHIP? It costs £27.00 annually to join the Rifle Club and membership can be purchased at any SU desk.
p
SURREAL: A skylight in the range is actually the manhole cover on Surrey street pavement
P A M E H T D N I M ows half finished
sh c1995 tube map
Jubilee line
QUIRKY: The rifle club office
the armory under your feet ROAR! SPORT
Step inside King’s’ shooting range under Strand tube station pages 22-3
SPORTS EDITOR: TOBIAS BRUCE-JONES
Hard work plays off
Why take up rowing BY EUGENE McCORMICK
SHAPING UP... Regents look tip top for playoffs
BY HASSAN RASHED & DAN REES ON A WET and windy Sunday afternoon, the Kings College Regents emerged muddy, wet and cold, but ultimately victorious over the Greenwich Mariners in what was a defensive behemoth of a game. The score, 6-0, may indicate a close game, but that could not be farther from the truth as the Regents had control from the start. Turn to page 23
American football team in playoff position
IT’S not an exaggeration to say that it’s a bit more than a sport; it’s a way of life. All those early mornings, when everyone else is nicely tucked up in their beds and you’re stomping your way to training in the freezing cold. You do have to question your own sanity at moments like these. Why then do we do it? Well, because it’s all worth it in the end. The sense of belonging you get from being in a sports team is second to none. There’s something incredibly satisfying about seeing the team’s (and your own) progress over the space of a few months. That disjointed, shaky and unsteady first outing on the water becomes a seamless exercise of team cohesion within the space of 3 months. That feeling that you get when the boat going smoothly, everyone moving in perfect rhythm is second to none. You will make friends who will stick with you for the rest of your life. University is the perfect place to start a new sport – for the more competitive sportsman/woman, you can take part in Head of the River races on the world famous Thames. For those amongst you looking to just meet new people, the social nights with other rowing clubs should more than cater for your needs. And for those who just want to try something new and have a bit of fun, then there’s no better place.
KING’S GOOD WITH BALLS
RUGBY: KCL 41 GKT 21 THE men’s first team Rugby are in a good postion for the upcoming Varsity in March.
Lying top of the table, and having already beaten internal rivals GKT 41-21 in November and laying waste to the Gower Street men 31-18 in December, the March game looks to be an exciting encounter with UCL clearly wanting to seek revenge. In Volleyball, both male and female teams are sitting at the top of their respective leagues. Not only are they undefeated but both teams have only conceded two goals across the entire season.