The Print Volume 3, Issue 9 by Maynooth Students' Union

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The official publication of Maynooth Students’ Union

Thursday 1st March 2012 - Volume 3, Issue 9

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Students’ Union Election Season In Full Swing Across Maynooth CONOR O’BRIEN News Co-Editor @ConorWOBrien

Friday 17th of February saw the closure of applicants for the MSU elections, and the election campaigns began in earnest. Amid the hustings that took place over the last two weeks in the build up to this Wednesday’s elections, the sabbatical officer candidates also partook in a formal and well-attended debates on Tuesday 28th of February and Thursday 1st March, where they were presented with an opportunity to plug their manifestos and credentials before being grilled on a variety of issues both by The Print and Student Observer, followed by taking questions from an open floor. Contributors for both The Print and The Student Observer provided live coverage of the events via Twitter, resulting in the hash tag #msuelec12 trending a total of four times throughout the day: twice as the third most popular topic in Ireland during Tuesday’s hustings and twice again as second most popular topic during Tuesday’s joint debate. In total, two candidates opted to run for the position of MSU President for 2012/13: Seamus Reynolds and Naoise O’Cearuil. During both hustings and the evening debate Seamus Reynolds touted his extensive background in activism, including participation in the IrishPalestinian solidarity campaign and organisation of the La Senza Liffey Valley occupation, as well as skills accrued through his MA in Equality Studies as testament to his suitability for the post.

Naoise O’Cearuil focussed his campaign around three main points: the reintroduction of RAG Week with a strong charity focus, the recruitment of a Mature Student representative and the implementation of a strategic plan for the Students’ Union. When questioned about his lack of Students’ Union experience, Seamus retorted that his activism outside of the union more than compensates for this, voicing an opinion that many running for positions within the Students’ Union do so only as a “CV builder.” Likewise, Naoise defended his decision to stick by RAG Week despite the apparent toxicity of the name, believing that through clubs and socs it can be made into a family-friendly and charitable event beneficiary not only to students but the local community as a whole. Meanwhile, Seamus stressed that issues such as suicide (“the biggest killer of young men in the country”) and drop-out rates should get precedence, but insisted that as a representative of the student body, he would support RAG Week or indeed any initiative that bore the support of the majority on campus. Both candidates reaffirmed their opposition to the implementation of increased fees and/or registration charges. Three candidates presented themselves for the positition of Vice President for Welfare & Equality: Podge Sheridan, Danielle Clare O’Sullivan and the current holder of the position, Fiach O’Neill. The position most paramount to ensuring the well-being of Maynooth students has thus far been catagorised by discussions regarding the

effectiveness of campaigns, additional services to students and Union’s message of equality. Four candidates are running for the position of Vice President for Services, Events & Communications, the position which encompasses the management of The Print. These are last year’s unsuccessful candidate Malachy Callan, final year Economics & History student William Blumlein, Theology student Steven Fleming and NUIM Media Society Vice President Ailbhe Mahon. This race has been characterised by discussions of relevent experience and the progression of The Print to becoming a more online-based new source. The final sabbatical position being contested, Vice President for Clubs, Societies & Union Development, features the largest number of candidates. Six individuals are hoping to be elected into the role: current Faculty Representaitve Lorna Deegan, current Dance Society committee member Katie Dobosz, FEE activist Eoin Griffin, Style Society President Maeve Kavanagh, Drama Society Vice President Cain Lynch and Bizz Soc President Peter Quinn. Topics discussed frequently within this race include training for Clubs & Societies’ committee members, measures to improve the current Class Representative system and the great potential for the role as it enters only its second year in existance. Other positions being contested include the Theology Faculty Representative, the Science & Engineering Faculty Representative and the Arts, Philosophy & Celtic Students Representative. There were no candidates for the position of

education”. McCarthy has seen her maintenance grant cut by €3,900 in the budget, while Rowan has seen her own grant reduced by €2,440 and Robert Johnson faced a cut of €3,700. These hits have the same regard in relation to students who obtain non-adjacent rates. Previously a student who lived more than 24km from their place of study received the (higher) non-adjacent rate to reflect additional costs such as accommodation. However, this was changed and the distance required to qualify for the nonadjacent rate rose -From 24km to 45km for both new and existing grant recipients from September 2011. As well as this, mature students had previously automatically received the non-adjacent grant, irrespective of the distance from their place of residence to their place of study. This reflected the fact that they often have additional costs such as childcare, mortgages etc. Now, however, mature students no longer automatically qualify for the

non-adjacent rate of the grant and are required to meet the new criteria i.e. their place of residences must be greater than 45km from their place of study. These changes have affected 25,000 existing students, with an average loss of €1,700 each. Those in receipt of the top rate of maintenance and the additional special rate have seen their grant reduced from €6,355 to €2,545, a reduction of €3,810 or 60%. Considering that these students have been classed as being disadvantaged, there is no doubt that this has led to some students dropping out of education. Gary Redmond has referring to the withdrawal of supports from the most disadvantaged students midway through their courses as “nothing short of a disgrace”. From a Maynooth perspective, these changes have affected Students from most parts of Dublin, as well as a number of students in south Kildare.

The two candidates for MSU President. Social Science Faculty Representative, meaning that nominations for this position will have to be re-opened at a later date, likely in conjunction with a selection for referenda being proposed by the current Students’ Union President. For more information on each candidate putting themselves forward, browse pages 11 to 15 of this issue of The Print. NUIM Media Society have also filmed both the midday hustings and the evening sabbatical candidate debates. These can be located via The Print’s Facebook page: Facebook.com/ ThePrintMSU.

Students’ High Court Case Against Budget 2011 Non-Adjacent Grant Cuts Continues MARK DILLON

The High Court has heard a challenge from three students regarding an “unfair and unjust” decision by the Minister for Education to cut their maintenance grants. The students involved are Medb McCarthy from Clare, Iesha Rowan from Galway and Robert Johnson from Monaghan, students of NUI Galway, Galway-Mayo IT and Dundalk IT, respectively. The case is a result of a decision taken in Budget 2011 to severely cut student supports, not just for new students entering college that year, but also for students already in college who had relied on having that support when deciding whether to go to college, what to study and where. It has the full support of the Union of Students of Ireland (USI), with USI President Gary Redmond being of the opinion that it is “a shocking indictment of the Minister for Education that students are left with no other option but to resort to the courts in order to be able to stay in college and complete their

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The current President of USI, Gary Redmond.

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X Case Legislation Put Forward Via New Bill

Palestinian Hunger Strike Over For Now

SHAUNA LOUISE KELLY

FEARGAL Ó CLÉIRIGH

This month saw the twentieth anniversary of the case of Attorney General v X, more commonly known as the X Case. The Supreme Court came to a decision which established the right of Irish women to an abortion if the life of the woman was in risk, including the risk of suicide. No legislation has been brought into force regarding the Supreme Court ruling since it took place. Last week, Socialist Party TD Clare Daly tabled a private members’ bill on the issue on behalf of herself and TDs Mick Wallace and Joan Collins. The introduction of the Bill was not opposed, and a vote on the issue is likely to take place on April 19th. However, it is believed that the government parties are unlikely to support the Bill. An expert group was formed to publish a report on the matter as part of the Fine Gael and Labour coalition’s Programme for Government, and this report is scheduled for release later this year. Since the date of the Supreme Court ruling in 1992, it has been legal under the Irish constitution for a woman who feels her life is in risk by continuing the pregnancy to procure an abortion. However, due to the lack of legislation, any medical professional who performs an abortion on a woman is in breach of the Offences Against the Person Act, 1861. The teenager at the centre of the case, referred to as Miss X, was prevented by a High Court injunction from travelling to the UK to have an abortion. Miss X’s case was noticed by the courts was due to the fact that her pregnancy was a result of rape by a neighbour, and her family had asked the Gardaí whether DNA from the aborted embryo could be used as evidence to convict the rapist. Reactions from many groups have been positive, with a spokesperson for Choice Ireland commending Deputies Daly, Wallace and Collins

On Tuesday the 21st February, Khader Adnan agreed to bring his hunger strike to an end. The Palestinian prisoner had been on hunger strike for sixty-six days. The deal which was reached should see him released on April 17th. At 3:30am on December 17th, Adnan had been taken from his home by Israeli forces. The following day he began his hunger strike against the alleged abuse he had received during interrogation and the system of “administrative detention” used by Israeli authorities. On the same day, an Israeli military court sentenced him to four months detainment. Adnan, a 33 year old baker from the village of Arrabeh near Jenin in the occupied West Bank has been politically active since his days as a student activist. Previously he has been convicted of being a spokesperson for Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). The system of administrative detention used by Israel is similar to that of internment which has been used in Northern Ireland. It allows for Israeli authorities to detain prisoners without charge or trial for up to six months, after which their sentences can be renewed indefinitely. Presently, there are 310 Palestinians held under administrative detention. According to Adnan’s family, he has been detained nine times since 1999. The agreement which has saved Khader Adnan’s life was struck less than an hour before his surpreme court hearing was scheduled. Under this new deal, Adnan will be released on the previously mentioned date providing that “no new additional substantial evidence” emerges. Having lost at least one third of his body weight, Adnan has begun his recovery in hospital. The widespread publicity the hunger strike has gathered has put Israel put Israel under a substantial amount of pressure. Many Palestinian prisoners began sympathy hunger strikes. Protests

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Socialist Party TD Clare Daly. for doing “what successive governments for the past twenty years wouldn’t”. However in an interview with RTÉ, Dr Ruth Cullen of the Pro-Life campaign criticised the bill, saying it was worded in a way which made it seem like women were being denied a necessary medical treatment. Abortion is still a very contentious issue in Ireland, although polls conducted in recent years have shown a shift in public opinion towards an acceptance of legalising abortion. A poll carried out in 2010 by the Irish Examiner/RedC found that sixty per cent of eighteen to thirty five year olds believe abortion should be legalised in all cases. Ten per cent of those surveyed had either had an abortion, or been in a relationship where there partner had had one.

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PRINT Issue #9 Contents

NEWS 1 FEATURES 6 MSU ELECTION COVERAGE 11 ENTERTAINMENT & CULTURE 16 TECHNOLOGY 26 PROCRASTINATION 27 OPINION & COMMENT 28 SPORTS 30

Palestinian hunger striker Khader Adnan. were widespread across Gaza, the West Bank, and within Israel. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch called for the Israeli authorities to charge Adnan and have him tried, or to release him. A concerned EU foreign affairs chief, Catherine Ashton, announced that “detainees have the right to be informed about the charges underlying any detention and be subject to a fair trial”. Comparisons were drawn with Ireland’s H-Block hunger strike in the media. Former Provisional IRA hunger striker, Tommy McKearney, sent a video of support to Adnan and his family. While the family of INLA hunger striker, Patsy O’Hara, sent a public letter of support from Derry. While Khader Adnan’s hunger strike has ended, and an upsurge of violence has possibly been averted., the wider issue of administrative detention is far from resolved. Since February 16th, 29 year-old Hana Al-Shalabi has been on hunger strike in protest of her own administrative detention, and the fate of the protest remains uncertain.

Editor In Chief / Production Editor: Keith Broni News Editors: Conor O’Brien & Áine Kirwan Features Editor: Grainne Hallinan Entertainments & Culture Editors: Lyndsey Farrell & Christina Murphy Opinion & Comment Editor: Kate Phelan Technology Editor: Shane Kiernan Sports Editor: Conor Phelan Additional Proofing: Robert Munnelly Contributors: Aoife Campbell, Shane Coffey, Dylan Colley, Mark Dillon, Eoghan Dunne, Dara Folan, Rob Gilmour, Dean Healy, Bartley Hudson, Msghter Iwar, Shauna Louise Kelly, Robert Kelly Ally Kerr, Dana Lindamood, Feargal Ó Cleirigh, John Ó Liodáin, Fiach O’Neill, Michael O’Toole, Karl O’Dwyer, Padraig McCarrick, Conor McCrave, Conor McGee, Aine McManus, Shane McNally, Simon Mernagh, Rowan Moorkens O’Reilly, Matthew Mulligan, Majella Rogers, Eoghan Ryan, Cillian Shields, Aoife Thomas, Mark Tierney.

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Unprotected Sex Amid Maynooth Random Acts Students On Increase Of Kindness (RAK) Week CONOR O’BRIEN

LYNDSEY FARRELL

A survey conducted in January of this year by the USI involving over 1,000 students nationwide has revealed that nearly three-quarters of Irish students have had unprotected sex over the course of their time in college. In total, 73% of college students across the country claimed to have had sex without contraception. This figure constituted over 85% of sexually-active students in Ireland, leaving them exposed to STI’s or unplanned pregnancies. At 77%, males were the worst offenders in this regard with females following closely behind at 72%. When quizzed about their decisions to neglect contraceptive measures, the largest groups answered in equal measure because they had been in a relationship for a long time or because they or their partner were utilizing another means of contraception, such as a birth-control pill. 14% cited the spontaneity of the event as a reason for avoiding inconvenient contraception, with 13% claiming that lowered awareness due to intoxication caused them to neglect using a condom. Such results will come as a blow to the USI, whose SHAG week (rendered KISS week here in NUIM) was instigated on the auspices of encouraging safe sex practices among students,

Were you approached by a random blonde girl last week offering you a free hug? Did you find random chocolate bars in the bottom of a vending machine? Or a few coppers in the change dispenser? These are just a few examples of the on-goings of Random Acts of Kindness Week, organised by the NUIM Mental Health Society. The name of the week-long event is pretty selfexplanatory: students and societies come together to help spread a little happiness around campus, sometimes in the most random ways possible! Our current VP for Welfare and Equality, Fiach O’Neill, spoke to the Print about his own experiences of R.A.K.W.: “I first came across random acts of kindness in my first year of college. Two random students were leaving nice comments on sticky notes posted on walls, leaving chocolate bars in the bottom of vending machines, and leaving compliments on posters. “You’d be surprised at how excited people get over finding a chocolate bar! The random acts were doing what they were meant to: raising people’s spirits in a really simple way!” And that’s exactly what R.A.K.W. did for the students of Maynooth. Throughout the week, spirits were lifted with music from NUIM Gospel Choir

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Students are using less and less contraception. given the escalating problem of STI’s in Ireland. Instances of diseases such as Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea and infectious hepatitis B have all increased steadily in Ireland over the last decade, with alcohol intake frequently cited as a cause for non-safe sex practices enabling such illnesses to spread. Wearing a condom correctly can decrease chances of contracting an STI by up to 98%. For the last number of years, SHAG weeks have seen the free distribution of condoms to students in colleges across the country in a bid to increase the practice of safe sex on campuses nationwide. But these revelations suggest that more needs to be done to elevate the importance of contraception on campus.

and several voluntary buskers, as well as free sweets and free neck massages! The Chairperson of NUIM Mental Health Society, Kellie Fagan, was ecstatic with how the week turned out after all the hard work the society put into it: “There was a lot of planning done in advance to make sure the week was as successful as possible, including drawing posters, baking cakes and searching the web for some inspiration! We were really happy with how it went.” As well as helping to create a happy atmosphere around campus, Random Acts of Kindness Week raised a lot of money for the Student Union’s Charity of the Year, Pieta House. “We chose Pieta House for a lot of reasons,” Kellie told the Print. “Being the SU Charity of the Year was an important factor, but also for the fantastic work that they do! They are an amazing group of people, with such enthusiasm and love for the job that they do. So much time and effort is invested into everyone they see. We are so delighted that we can help this charity in such a little way.” Random Acts of Kindness Week raised €315 for Pieta House, and helped to put a smile on the faces of the students of Maynooth. Although R.A.K.W. is over, it doesn’t mean we can’t still cheer randomers up in a random way! Our VP for Welfare and Equality told the Print how we can continue to share the love on campus: “You’d be surprised at how much you can cheer someone up if they’re dealing with an essay just by paying them a compliment or making them a (random) cup of tea. You can treat yourself to something nice, you can add in your friends by including them, or you can cheer up a complete randomer by leaving something at the bottom of a vending machine!”in a relationship where there partner had had one.

Fine Gael Óg Ag Iarraidh Food Contamination On Gaeilge A Dhéanamh The Increase In Ireland Éigeantach Dn Ardteist. CONOR McGEE

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John Ó Liodáin @johnoliodain

Ghlac leis an rún chun “fáil reidh leis an nGaeilge mar abhar riachtanach don Ardteist” ag an Ard Fhéis Fhine Gael Óg coicís ó shin. Glacadh leis an rún ó Fhine Gael óg i Loch Gorman ag éileamh go ndéanfadh Fine Gael an rud a gheal siad ina gclár toghcháin agus an teanga a dhéanamh roghnach don ardteist. Labhair craobh Loch Gorman ar son an rún agus ritheadh é beagnach d’aon ghuth, ach labhair craobh Chiarraí Theas i gcoinne an rún. Dúirt MJ Murphy Fine Gael Óg OÉ Má Nuad agus eagraíCúige Laighean, go bhfuil Fine Gael Óg ag iarraidh díospóireacht a chothú ar an ngaeilge seachas stádas na gaeilge a ísliú sa chóras oideachais. An sprioc atá ag an rún, dar leis, ná plé oscailte a spreagadh ar an ábhar. Tá cuid mhór feirge le sonrú i bpobal na gaeilge mar gheall ar an rún seo, fiú sna meáin sóisialta, dúirt urlabhraí ón nGrúpa na gCumann

Gaelach “, níl aon rud dearfach sa rún, fiú na bréaga a bhí á rá ag Sean FG faoi fheabhsú teagaisc níl siad luaite ann, níl ann ach ionsaí eile ó FG páirtí a mheallann/ atá tar éis cuid mhaith daoine frith Ghaeilge a mhealladh”. Deir Dara Calleary T.D de chuid Fhianna Fáil go bhfuil an moladh ag teacht salach ar an obair mhór mhaith atá ar bun ag Gaelscoileanna agus ag eagrais Ghaeilge agus cé go bhfuil Fine Gael Óg neamhspleách ó Fhine Gael cháin sé Fine Gael as a bheith ag iarraidh baint de stádas na Gaeilge sa chóras oideachais. Níl sé an chéaduair a tháinig fearg ar muintir na gaeilge mar gheall ar polasaí Fhine Gael. D’eagraigh Agóid Chiúin anuraidh i gcoinne an polasaí a bhí ag Fine Gael chun an teanga a dhéanamh roghnach don ardteist. D’fhreastal 1,000 mic léinn ar an agóid chiúin agus iad ag léiriú a míshásamh maidir leis an bpolasaí.

According to recent statistics, the Food Safety Authority’s complaints line increased by thirteen percent by the end of 2011 as ever increasing numbers of Irish citizens report their concerns over food and food establishments. Contamination of food by foreign contaminants seems to be the most frequently reported complaint throughout 2011, says the FSAI, with cases of both living and dead insects, a plaster, a false nail, pieces of metal, segments of rubber tubing and even a tooth. One caller even voiced their complaint of discovering a deceased rodent in a bag of bananas. Among 11,166 queries made to the FSAI customer care line last year relating to information and complaints, a total of 2,415 were solely complaints categorised into several factions. Such categories include 966 complaints of unfit food, 497 complaints of suspected food poisoning, 446 complaints regarding hygiene standards, 137 pertaining to incorrect food labelling, 37 about incorrect advertising on food products and the final

Bacteria which can cause food poisoning. 332 were classified as ‘other’ by the FSAI. Edel Conway of the FSAI says that all complaints received have been followed up on and been investigated by several environmental health officers around the country. She said that the level of calls received by the advice line show that “consumers are more vigilant than ever” and that they “expect and are entitled to adequate standard of food hygiene in every food establishment and across every food product they purchase”. “The potential health risks posed when poor food safety and hygiene standards are not met by food businesses can be serious, but are easily avoidable,” according to Conway. “Poor standards can be the result of a shoddy approach or ignorance where a food business has not made a priority to ensure they are following best practices to safeguard their customers’ health.” “There is no excuse for a food business to have poor standards across any area of its production processes.”

March 1st 2012 - Volume 3, Issue 9

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An Roinn Oideachais Ag Tabhairt Neamhairde Ar Phobal Na Gaeilge i Maigh Nuad

John Ó Liodáin @johnoliodain

Tá tuismitheoirí Chill Dara agus pobal na gaeilge ar buille mar gheall ar an gcinneadh atá déanta ag an Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna gan cead a thabhairt d’fhoras pátrúnachta meánscoil lán-ghaelach a bhunú i Maigh Nuad. Faoi láthair, tá ceithre bunscoil a fheidhmíonn trí ghaeilge i dtuaisceart Chill Dara; Gaelscoil Uí Fhiaich i Maigh Nuad, Scoil Uí Dhálaigh i Léim an Bhradáin, Scoil Uí Riada i gCill Choca agus Gaelscoil na nÓg i nDún Búinne, agus is beag an rogha atá ag daltaí sa cheantar freastal ar meánscoil lánghealach. Beidh an scoil nua faoi stiúir Loreto agus ag feidhmiú trí Bhéarla cé go bhfuil éileamh sa cheantar don tumoideachas. Dúirt urlabhraí ón roinn le déanaí nach ga don ghaelcholáiste i Maigh Nuad chomh fada agus atá spásanna le fáil i gColáiste Cois Life i Leamhcán, ach bheadh an Roinn sásta Aonad a fheidhmíonn trí ghaeilge a chur leis an foirgneamh nua dá mbeadh éileamh ann. Thug an Coiste bunaithe le fios dúinn nach mbeadh aonad sách maith chun oideachas trí ghaeilge a chur ar fáil sa cheantar, toisc go bhfuil

Smaller College Funding Restrictions Possible CONOR O’BRIEN

The main street of Maynooth town. Coláiste Cois Life ag feidhmiú faoi lánacmhainneacht. Dúirt an coiste go mbeadh siad sásta an scéal a phlé leis an roinn agus d’iarr siad ar an Aire Oideachais Ruairí Quinn míniú a thabhairt dóibh maidir leis an gcinneadh. Tá stádas na gaelscoileanna timpeall na tíre ag cothú neart díospóireachta agus tá taighde le foilsiú ag Foras na Gaeilge i mbliana a léiríonn go gcuirfeadh25% de thuismitheoirí a bpáistí chuig Gaelscoil dá mbeadh ceann ar fáil go háitiúil. D’fhéadfaí 700 bunscoil lán ghaeilge a bheith ag feidhmiú timpeall na tíre má dhéantar freastal ar éileamh thuismitheoirí mar thoradh ar an taighde atá déanta ag Institiúid Teangeolaíochtana hÉireann. Tá níos mó gaelscoileanna sa tír anois ná mar a bhí ariamh, le 214 gaelscoileanna taobh amuigh den Ghaeltacht idir bunscoileanna agus iarbhunscoileanna cé nach raibh ach 166 gaelscoileanna sa tír 10 mbliana ó shin. Tumoideachas: Immersion Education Aonad: Irish Language Educational Unit ag feidhmiú faoi lánacmhainneacht:Operating at full capacity

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The development of a more co-ordinated system of higher education will likely lead to a restriction of funding for smaller third level institutions, the Higher Education Authority claimed recently. The stark warning was delivered in a paper published by the HEA earlier this month earlier this month christened Initiation of Reform of Irish Higher Education, which stated that a restructuring of the countries already overstretched higher education industry could see smaller colleges losing out. The proposed changes come as part of plans to create a more coherent system of higher education institutions in the country, which could see many smaller colleges forced to amalgamate with their larger counterparts in an attempt to save funding. This will lead to a smaller number of larger multi-campus institutions, such as the proposed technological university for the south-east. In addition, regional clusters of excellence will be developed through the cooperation and integration of colleges within geographic regions, in the hope of leading to synergies which will streamline higher

Minister For Education Rurari Quinn. education nationwide. Ergo, unless specific reasons for keeping a particular smaller institution financially separate, its funding will be curtailed and it will be forced to amalgamate with its neighbours. Other reasons for this shift towards integration include increased student-staff ratios and the perceived declining standards of higher education in Ireland, reflected in the latest international university rankings. Third level institutions across the country now have six months to respond to the paper, at which point the HEA will use these opinions to advise Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn on the appropriate course of action, which could have major implications for the future of higher education in Ireland. It is hoped that these suggestions – aided by the input of all of the country’s universities and institutes – will lead to the creation of a system of higher education capable of meeting the needs of the future job market and growing student population.

Maynooth SU Hosts Saudi Arabian Journalist Fees Town Hall Meeting Faces Possible Execution CONOR O’BRIEN News Co-Editor @ConorWOBrien

Tuesday February 21 saw a Town Hall meeting conducted by the Maynooth Student Union in JH1, which saw the first discussion of a groundbreaking yet contentious impending referendum which would establish once and for all the university’s position on college funding. The meeting commenced shortly after 6:00pm, with a variety of union and class representatives, as well as election candidates, joined by a contingent of students concerned with the nature and implications of the forthcoming proposal. Deputy President of the USI Colm Murphy started proceedings with a presentation about the USI, demonstrating the union’s long and stellar history of fighting social causes, which it has done until the present day. This was followed by a Q & A session, where when questioned if the USI deemed its most recent efforts to impede the introduction of increased registration charges a failure, Mr. Murphy conceded that new tactics will be needed in the future, although refused to admit absolute defeat. “We have to change the way we tackle every campaign” he claimed. Mr. Murphy further moved to dismiss rumours that any USI members had received pay rises since the union introduced its new constitution, and announced that the USI would recruit an economist to assist in future decision makings, a revelation which met with mixed response from the attendees, some of whom felt that more holistic advice could be accrued from the wider student body the union purported to represent.

The Q & A ended with a lengthy open floor discussion of the proposed ballot paper for the forthcoming referendum. The necessity for such a plebiscite was called into question by some students, who argued that this announcement had been made at two short a notice. Others maintained that given the anti-fee sentiment predominating amongst the student body, any referendum would be rendered obsolete, particularly given the ever changing nature of the student body. Other students raised concerns about cuts to grants – particularly for postgrad students – while some class reps were incensed that they were not made aware of this in due time and that a meeting was not arranged at an earlier date. NUIMSU President Rob Munnelly moved to refute some of these criticisms, stating that an official mandate and verifiable position on education funding would be required if any gains towards the goal of free education were to be made, and furthermore, that a vote on the issue would be needed soon to allow for a campaign to be organised. “A referendum is the strongest mandate we have” he reiterated. “The current system isn’t working for far too many people.” Mr. Munnelly also insisted that a referendum coinciding with SU election would help minimise expense. The meeting concluded with a discussion on the wording of the ballot paper, and this too proved contentious. Potential options for consideration included free access to higher education funded through progressive taxation as well as postgraduate taxation and a loan system for aspiring students. The discussion will resume on Monday February 27 at the next meeting.

EOGHAN RYAN Saudi Arabian journalist, Hamza Kashgari’s life hangs in the balance following his deportation from Malaysia, due to accusations that he has insulted the prophet Muhammad on twitter. The 23 year old is reported to have expressed doubts regarding Muhammad on the weekend of the prophet’s birthday. This resulted in his fleeing to Malaysia on Tuesday the 7th of February, and his detention at Kuala Lumpur airport on the Thursday of that week. According to the guardian newspaper, Malaysian police stated that Kashgari was placed in the custody of Saudi officials on Sunday morning before being flown home. Phil Robertson of Human Rights Watch has stated that Malaysia has claimed that “the return is based on a long-standing understanding between Malaysia and Saudi Arabia, despite the fact that there is no bilateral extradition treaty between the two. When seeking a seat on the UN human rights council, the Malaysian government pledged it would abide by international human rights treaties, but from the day they took their seat they have walked away from that pledge.” It has been reported that the tweet read; “I have loved things about you and I have hated things

Saudi Arabian Journalist Hamza Kashgari. about you, and there is a lot I don’t understand about you. I will not pray for you.” According to the BBC, Kashgari deleted the tweet, but it attracted more than 30,000 responses, including several death threats. Saudi clerics called him an apostate, and a Facebook page with over 13,000 members demanded his execution. Apostasy, the renunciation of one’s faith, is a crime which is punishable by execution in Saudi Arabia. “Saudi clerics have already made up their mind that Kashgari is an apostate who must face punishment,” said Christoph Wilcke, senior Middle East researcher at Human Rights Watch. No further updates have yet been released.

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Govenment Gives Green Light For Fiscal Compact Treaty Referendum ÁINE KIRWAN News Co-Editor @kirwanaine

Earlier this week, Enda Kenny anxiously announced to the Dáil that the people of Ireland will be asked to vote in a referendum based on the EU fiscal compact treaty later this year. The Taoiseach explained that the referendum is a necessity in order to regain stability and that it is in the interest of the people of Ireland and the future of the Irish economy. In an article that simplifies the fiscal treaty by the Irish Times, we can take it that the fiscal treaty was created to prevent a repeat of the Greek debit crisis and is also implemented in order to save the strength of the euro currency. The treaty will ensure that member states keep their state budget deficit below 3 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) and ensure their public debt does not exceed or is sufficiently declining toward 60 per cent of GDP. The treaty was agreed last January by 25 of the 27 EU countries, although is not yet put in place. The next step is to now ratify the treaty,

which involves the support of 12 of the 17 euro zone countries. Once this is done, the fiscal treaty may be implemented by January 2013. So, before January 2013, at least 12 of the euro zone countries in favour of the treaty must decide whether to hold an individual referendum, and this is where the Taoiseach’s decision on February 28th comes into importance. The Taoiseach’s proposal to hold a referendum last week not only reflected the progression of the fiscal treaty on a European scale, but also paves the path of the fate of the Irish economy. The Taoiseach and Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore both believe that the referendum will be accepted and passed by the Irish people, stating it as “a vote for economic stability and a vote for economic recovery”, despite a poll been taken by the Wall Street Journal which revealed that a large majority of Irish voters wanted a vote, but only a small majority would vote to approve the treaty. The reasoning behind Ireland’s agreement to the treaty is to remain access to the newly founded financial bailout fund, the European Stability Mechanism. By refusing the treaty, Ireland could be left in the lurch in the future, pending further economic decline. Both Michéal Martin and Gerry Adams welcomed the decision that was brought forward in the Dáil, although Adams questioned whether the government “will accept the outcome? Or will there be a rerun or replay?” This point along with other questions that were addressed to the Taoiseach by the cabinet are to be justified in the coming days.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny being questioned by reporters after the annoucement of a Fiscal Trey referendum.

Huntington’s Disease Auction Of 5,000 Titanic Breakthrough in NUIG Artefacts 100 Years On

SIMON MERNAGH

Genetic researchers at NUI Galway have made what could prove to be a breakthrough in the treatment of Huntington’s disease. The scientists believe they have discovered certain enzymes in the body which act as positive agents for the development of the disease. By isolating these enzymes with certain drugs, they can reduce the negative effects these enzymes have. Huntington’s disease is a progressive genetic disorder of the nervous system which affects cognitive and muscular functions. Symptoms of the disease include uncontrollable movements or spasms, emotional disturbances, speech problems and severe mental deterioration. It is most commonly found in those aged between 30 and 50, though the condition can be discovered in people of all ages. As involuntary movement is a staple of the disease, a sufferer is required to consume at least 5,000 kilocalories daily in order to maintain a healthy weight. It affects over 100,000 people globally, with about 500 diagnosed cases and around 2,000 potential contractors of the disease in Ireland. The cause of the disease is an inherited mutation which features too many repeats of the DNA ‘letters’ CAG. These mutations can trick the proteins which normally protect DNA into expanding the line of CAG repeats, which correlates with deteriorating symptoms. The NUIG team, led by Prof. Robert Lahue of the Centre for Chromosome Biology, carried out experiments in yeast and brain cells grown in the lab to investigate the nature of this expansion process. The research shows that specific enzymes called histone deacetylase complexes, or

AOIFE THOMAS

The brain of a Huntington’s disease suffer. HDACs, are positive agents in cell mutation. While these agents are active, they are understood to make the condition more severe by expanding the CAG repeats. According to Prof. Lahue, “75 per cent fewer expansions” were seen upon interfering with the HDACs. As the disease is incurable, current treatments can only serve to control its symptoms. While Prof. Lahue acknowledges that the findings cannot claim to cure the degenerative condition, they can potentially point to new methods of managing the symptoms. “In theory, if we could slow down these expansions then it would delay the disease” says Prof. Lahue. “So the next step is to see if these HDAC inhibitors can slow new expansions in the brain”. Coincidentally, a drug that can inhibit the HDACs is already in preclinical trials in the US. The study, funded by Science Foundation Ireland, was published in the open access scientific journal PLoS Biology.

On the 15th of April 1912 the Titanic struck an iceberg on her maiden voyage from Southampton, England to New York. With 2,223 people on board, only 709 survived. In the mist of the 100th anniversary of the well- known historical passenger liner, an auction of artefacts from the sunken shipwreck is attracting global attention. Taking place in New York this week, interest has grown for the immense collection of artefacts recovered during the one hundred years after sinking in the North Atlantic. The sale will see more than 5,000 items from the ship go on sale. However, the vast majority of the ships furnishings remain almost two miles under water due to orders of preservation and the case of some area of the shipwreck being off limits to salvage teams. Auctioneer Arlan Ettinger from Guernsey’s Auctioneers & Brokers revealed that they have been in contact with descendants of those that survived the sinking of the Titanic and there is a high level of interest in what objects are to be sold. Some of the many items to be sold include, a pocket watch, cutlery, clothing, silver wear and a child’s bracelet engraved with the name Amy. This artefact proves highly significant as only two girls

The wreak of the Titanic. named Amy were listed as passengers on the ship. Under court ruling the buyer must be in agreement to buy the collection of items for sale in a single slot or grouping and allow for them to become accessible for occasional public viewing. To mark the anniversary a series of events are taking place on a global level. Amongst many is the Titanic memorial cruise which plans to set sale for New York, departing from Southampton on the 8th of April 2012. It is witnessed as an idyllic opportunity for passengers to take part in the historical event and relive the voyage in its moments before sinking 400km from Newfoundland, Canada. The memorial cruise aims to recapture the experience of the maiden voyage before disaster struck. In a historic masterpiece the memories of the Titanic can only be relinquished one hundred years on.

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NASA’s Space Launch Programme ROWAN MOORKENS O’REILLY During my time at the US Space and Rocket Centre, between the spacewalk training in the Underwater Astronaut Trainer and the intense sessions aboard the Centrifuge, I could not help but notice the overwhelming publicity of what was to serve as an incentive to everyone who participated during my course. The Constellation Program, the successor to the Space Shuttle, and the promise that one day, we would be launched into the darkness of the cosmos aboard the mighty spacecraft, journeying across the void to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. That was the future intended for all the trainees, a future depicted on nearly every surface in every room of the complex. Even Huntsville’s local airport was drenched in such images. It has been nearly three years since then, and with the cancellation of the Constellation Program by the Obama Administration in 2010, and the subsequent loss of thousands of jobs the project was tied to, I cannot help but look back on Constellation and draw comparisons to NASA’s latest endeavour – the Space Launch System, or SLS. Nothing appears to have changed since; the publicity remains the same, ever-confident and certain that nothing will stop this rocket from taking flight. In September 2011, it was stated during the joint Senate-NASA presentation that the development of the SLS program had a projected cost of $18 billion. In the days that followed, SpacePolicyOnline.com produced several charts, labelled “ESD Integration,

Budget Availability Scenarios,” that indicated that the total cost of the program would total at least $41 billion, for only four launches, with only three of those launches being manned. These findings, presented in the Wall Street Journal, sparked a wave of criticism in the American public. Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and Bill Nelson stated that these figures were “contrived numbers” that are part of a “campaign to undermine America’s manned space program.” Whatever the total cost, the SLS program already faces public disapproval. The majority of the criticism focuses on a lack of sustainability, the cannibalization from other parts of the space program, and the lack of development of the commercial space industry. If this program is to go ahead, it will consume funds for other projects. The James Webb Space Telescope, due to replace Hubble, has been in development since 1996, led by NASA. Now having to accommodate the cost of the SLS Program, the USA is proposing to withdraw from the project they started, dumping the project, as well as its annual cost of $8.7 billion, on the Canadian and European space agencies, an action that is completely unreasonable given the current economic climate. Furthermore, the leaked charts indicate that per pound launch costs will not be reduced. Space Review Representative Dana Rohrabacher commented, “…this plan will suffer the same fate as Constellation; overpromised, under-delivered, and cancelled.” It is important to keep in mind that those words were spoken once before – in regards to the Space Transportation System, known popularly as the Space Shuttle. Development on the final design began in 1972, diverting funding away from immediate projects and leaving rockets and spacecraft left over from three Apollo moon missions that had fallen victim to the congressional

NASA’s Underwater Astronaut Trainer. axe. Alan Shepard, the first American in space, wrote of the space shuttle; “The program escalated swiftly in cost and decelerated just as rapidly in its time schedule. Weeks became months, and projects to take months stretched into years without definite future dates that could be sustained.” NASA’s management, engineering and astronaut teams were in a state of crisis. And yet, the Space Shuttle is today considered a success story, and supporters of the SLS Program use this comparison in defence of the rocket. However, at the time, NASA created ventures such as Skylab and the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in order to fill the gap. Currently, other than the rising commercial space industries, the USA has nothing. The first commercial cargo spacecraft, SpaceX’s Dragon, will be docking with the International

Space Station this spring, and China has overtaken the United States as the world’s second leading spacefaring nation. Ultimately, it is the feeling of uncertainty that dominates the team that I was a part of three years ago. One of them is studying Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering in Oklahoma, another Astronautics in UA Huntsville. I still talk to my commander every week, who has somehow convinced me to take her across Europe in the not too distant future. We reminisce about our time together and our adventure that was the Extended Duration Mission. There is no longer any trust that we will be part of any particular program one day; the space industry is in a state of flux, and there is no telling who will be leading the world to the stars in ten years’ time.

The Uncertain Future Of Print Media

MAJELLA ROGERS @majrog

Printed newspapers now face an uncertain future due to the increasing popularity of online news and news applications. The rise of electronic media and the large variety of news applications and newspapers online have resulted in less people relying on printed newspapers as their primary news source. As the sales of newspapers declines, new research has shown that one of the top sources for the latest news is via the internet. The Irish Independent, The Sunday Times, The Irish Times and The Mail are just some of the many newspapers that are available online and as applications. These online newspapers and news applications are so popular that they have had a knock-on effect on newspaper sales around the world. The Sunday Times have been publishing for over one hundred and ninety years and the papers iPad application has been launched all over the world and has won many awards. For the first time ever, an addition of the newspaper was available online on Christmas day 2011 and was free for Androids and iPads. The Sunday Times broke the tradition dating back to 1912, when publishers had agreed not to produce a Christmas edition of the paper to give newsagents, delivery drivers and

paper-boys a day off. However, technology allowed The Sunday Times to published the newspaper on December 25th without the need for a physical copy. This highlights the main advantage of an online newspaper: it is much easier to publish that newspapers. Online news is also environmentally friendly as it saves paper waste and is less costly to publish in comparison to newspapers. The recent creation of new and sophisticated tablets saw the popularity of tablets grow. One of the contributing factors for the popularity of tablets as a news source was that the wireless internet connection allowed people to download up-to date news and information instantly. As the popularity of news application increases dramatically, more and more newspapers have become available online and they are easy to view as they also allow the reader to zoom in on the articles and pictures they want to read or view. The Irish Times, The Sunday Times, The New York Times, The Mail and The Observer are just some of the thousands of newspapers which are available as news applications. Apple’s iPad and Amazon’s Kindle are two of the most popular tablets and are popular ways of reading the news today. The iPad’s big and crisp screen also led to an explosion of news applications and a survey by the Reynolds Journalism Institute of iPad users, found that people were spending a lot of time using the device and as a result, reading the news. The survey also found that the most popular use of the iPad was for reading about breaking news and current events, with 84 per cent listing this as the main use for their iPad. Despite the many advantages of online news and news applications, Miratech have recently discovered that despite the advantages of

Is the death of print media sooner than we think? the many advantages of the iPad, people read more news when reading a newspaper in comparison to a news application. Using eye-tracking technology to compare how people read news articles in a newspaper and on an iPad, the Miratech study found that readers were more likely to skim through an iPad article than a printed article. So this poses the question; are newspapers more effective? Arguably, yes. Despite the less material, production, transport and work required to produce a news application in comparison to a newspaper, newspapers are still a popular way of reading the news for people throughout the world and have been for many years. Newspapers are cheap, readily available and they are easy

to get. Unlike news applications, there is no technology needed to read a newspaper and they are not dependent on internet reception like news applications. It is sad to imagine that newspapers might not be around in the distant future as even now, they are being slowly replaced by the internet. In this ongoing news war between newspapers, online news and news applications, newspapers are being slowly defeated. Despite this, many people still depend on newspapers to provide news and there (hopefully) will always be people who will sit down for their breakfast or lunch and want to read a newspaper. It is argued that although newspapers are in danger, they will still be around for hundreds of years and I certainly hope so.

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The Legacy Of Hunter S. Thompson EOGHAN RYAN “I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they’ve always worked for me.” These are the revealing words of the late Hunter S. Thompson, American journalist and author of such cult-classics as The Rum Diary and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. For those of you unfamiliar with his work, the quote is about as concise a summary of Thompson’s life as one could get, but it does little to capture the persona of the man whose controversial texts have, and still continue to greatly impact popular culture, seven years after the author’s death. Born on 18th July, 1937 in Kentucky, Thompson spent his adolescence engaging in less extreme pursuits, excelling at sports such as baseball before joining the United States Air Force after a small stint in prison. It was following his honorable discharge from the Air Force that Thompson went on to hold a range of positions, such as sports editor in Pennsylvania, and copy boy for Time magazine in New York, while studying creative writing. During this time, to engage first-hand with the writing styles of great authors, he typed novels such as F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby word-forword. Moving to Puerto Rico in 1960, Thompson began to write for the sports magazine El Sportivo, before its closure. While in Puerto Rico, Thompson wrote the novel The Rum Diary, which is a fictionalized version of his experiences and has recently been

released as a film starring Johnny Depp and Aaron Eckhart. Following his return to the United States, Thompson married his long-term girlfriend Sandra Conklin in 1963, fathering one son with Conklin before divorcing in 1980, but remaining close friends until his death on February 20th 2005. In 1964 Thompson moved to California, covering stories for the National Observer, such as the reasons behind Ernest Hemmingway’s suicide, an act which Thompson himself would later engage, and in a similar fashion. It was soon after this that Thompson moved to San Francisco, and embraced the hippie culture that was exploding on the scene at the time.Throughout the next year or so Thompson would write Hell’s Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs while living and traveling with the subjects of the text. The great interest and subsequent success which surrounded this text afforded him the opportunity to write articles on the drug-fuelled counter-culture of the 60’s, which he would delve into in great depth in his acclaimed novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. The introduction of his renowned journalism techniques is evident in his article The Kentucky Derby Is Decadent and Depraved, a major milestone in his career. The subjective first person style, placing the author in the events of the narrative, is one which he would employ in his most famous works and would become known as the “gonzo” style, first appearing in his 1970 novel Fear and loathing in Las Vegas with the line “pure Gonzo journalism.”. The autobiographical novel, featuring the drug fueled escapades of journalist Raoul Duke and his attorney, Dr. Gonzo, as they roam Las Vegas with a trunk full of hard drugs, and a shotgun shaped microphone, would go on to become a cult classic novel, and later a fast paced feature film starring Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro. Thompson’s use of subjective journalism is

Infamous deceased gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson. prominent in most of his later work and can also be seen in his more political articles, such as “The battle of Aspen”, which saw him running for mayor of Aspen, with the intention of decriminalizing drugs for personal use, and banning the construction of buildings high enough to block the view of the mountains. His unique personality shone through even in his political attempts as he shaved his head, allowing him to refer to the opposing Republican candidate as “my long-haired opponent”. The events are detailed in his article for

Rolling Stone magazine dated October 1, 1970. His style is summed up in the words of the author himself; “There is no such thing as Objective Journalism. The phrase itself is a pompous contradiction in terms”. Thompson can be seen to stay true to this conviction, having had successfully shaped a career around this very style, despite admittedly blurring the lines of fact and fiction. February 20th marks the seven year anniversary of the journalist death, with his legacy remaining as a prominent force in popular culture.

Familiar Faces In The Russian Election MATTHEW MULLIGIAN @sususummertime

Fortune tellers and psychiatrists are just some of the people dishing out advice to young girls regarding their “first time” in the latest bout of political ads in Russia. The fortune teller reveals a tarot card adorned with an image of Vladimir Putin while the psychiatrist points his client towards Putin’s face covering an issue of Time Magazine. The slogan of the campaign is: “If it’s your first time, make sure it’s for love”, however as has been pointed out by protesters in Moscow and angry internet users, it is in no way Vladimir Putin’s first time. He has been president twice previously and this is his third time running for office. His party, United Russia, has the majority in the State Duma. He has the support of the biggest businesses in post-Communist Russia and even the head of the Russian Orthodox Church has lent his support to him, declaring his time in power to be “a miracle of God”. He is widely assumed to take power in the Kremlin following the election; the only thing which has divided observers is whether his election will come in a first or second round vote. Other candidates in the election include: Gennady Zyuganov of the Communist Party of

the Russian Federation, Sergei Mironov, formerly chairman of the A Just Russia party and Vladimir Zhirinovsky, leader and founder of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia and oligarch Mikhail P. However all of these candidates lag terribly behind Putin in opinion polls and none have gained as much support from business and religious organizations as he has. Some of the candidates have in the past supported Putin greatly, and the lack of candidates from outside the politicalentrepreneurial Moscow elite has been a notable feature of the race. Zyuganov has been chairman of the CPRF since its inception as the spiritual successor to the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1993. He previously lost the presidential election to Boris Yeltsin in 1996, Putin in 2000 and Medvedev in 2008. An outspoken opponent of capitalism, his supporters have been typically those who wish to return to centralized socialist government and he himself has been an advocate for pre-Gorbachev days of socialism, calling for the “re-Stalinisation” of Russian society, and is fiercely suspect of politicians and fellow candidates who benefited in huge financial gains following the fall of the Soviet Union, calling them “a gang of folks who cannot do anything in life apart from dollars, profits and mumbling.” Sergei Mironov ran for the presidency in the past, even though he had stated “we all want Vladimir Putin to be the next president”. It is unlikely that he will win at all, but in change from praise of Putin he has said he will support the CPRF candidate Zyuganov if a run-off vote is needed, stressing to his supporters not to vote for anyone else but Zyuganov in that case.

Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zhirinovsky of the inaptly named, extremely nationalist Liberal Democrat Party has dismissed Mironov and Prokhorov as “dummy candidates” in the election. He himself has run in four previous presidential elections, never winning or coming second. Another candidate who is familiar amid the voters, Zhirinovsky is one of the political elite in that his presence has been constant in Moscow for the majority of the federation’s existence. Billionaire independent Prokhorov has said that after the election he will form a new party which will be larger than United Russia. Speaking on his personal blog, Russia’s second richest man said that “this force will embrace the whole country”, adding that its’ branches would open the day after the election. Zyuganov as leader of the second largest party

in the Russian Federation is Putin’s supposed head rival for the presidency. Opinion polls have constantly shown Putin on a high rating with Zyuganov following behind him. However in these polls Zyuganov barely breaks double digit figures, with his highest rating being 12%. Putin’s highest rating has been 55%, according to an official poll carried out at the start of February. The Russian people go to the ballots to vote in their next president on March 4th. Their choices are again dominated by the same candidates’ names as in previous elections; it is not only Putin who has run a high amount of times. Whomever they chose will be entering into a new ruling term of six years instead of four. Putin is poised to start his 9th year as president and the most powerful man in Russia once the votes are counted.

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March 1st 2012 - Volume 3, Issue 9

So Is This Privatisation Or A Fire Sale? SHANE COFFEY @shanecoffey2

This week the government has admitted that they plan to sell off Irish semi-state assets in order to raise some €3bn for the exchequer. The move has long been speculated and raises again the question of privatisation that has existed for many years in the Irish political sphere. Those on the right have continually called for a cull of state owned companies, both on a practical and ideological basis. They have argued that the state has no place owning 25% of Aer Lingus or owning both ESB energy and Bord Gáis Energy, two state-owned competitors in the same market. Likewise on the left they have argued the opposite, citing the major division and unemployment that occurred during Thatcher’s wide sweeping privatization moves in the UK during the 80’s. New Era, the new independent state body, was created by the government to operate under the NTMA in order to bring about savings and infrastructure improvement within the cluster of state companies. Essentially it hopes to do what the government hopes that privatization will do to the companies that will be sold off; namely improve profits, streamline business and also harmonize any irregularities between the bodies.

Critics of this plan have attacked New Era for being yet another government attempt to improve the operation of bumbling, oversized and ill-managed state companies. They argue that it is a half-cocked attempt at privatization that neither seeks to maximise value for the state or modernize utilities but to do a little of both. In any sense, it is clear that the creation of this body is a compromise within the cabinet between those who want to sell and those who want to keep these assets. Time will tell whether it succeeds in improving the operation of these bodies. The assets that the government hopes to sell include those of foresting body Coillte, but not their lands. It also hopes to sell the retail arm of Bord Gáis Energy as well as ‘non-strategic’ parts of the ESB. The Labour party has historically been opposed to the sale of any state asset, making this move particularly painful for them. The fact that these national assets are to be sold under the current climate of austerity and uncertainty however, makes it seem as a fire sale of Irish assets and is proving difficult for the government to sell to the public. If these companies are sold off, how many jobs will be lost? Are pensions and salaries secure? These are questions that are yet to be answered. The United Left Alliance, the perpetual thorn in the government’s side, have been especially vocal in criticising the decision to sell off assets, and they have garnered substantial support. One of the main selling points of the deal is the fact that the government plans to reinvest €1bn of the cash into creating more jobs, although details of this plan are still sketchy. Whatever the outcome, these semi-state companies will soon enough be in private hands. Whether or not they fare better than in public hands remains to be seen.

25% of Aer Lingus is currently owned by the state.

A Brief History of Banned Movies MAJELLA ROGERS @majrog

For almost the entire history of film production, certain films have been banned by film censorship organizations throughout the world for many political or moral reasons. Censorship standards vary widely from country to country and have changed over time also. The second adaptation of the first book in Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) was banned in India in February 2012. India banned the Oscar nominated crime thriller after director David Fincher refused to cut scenes from the film which were not compatible to the laws of India’s Central Board of Film Certification. Sony released a statement, saying: “while we are committed to maintaining and protecting the vision of the director, we will, as always, respect the guidelines set by the Board.” Despite the film being banned in India, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo has been hugely popular and the second adaptation, The Girl Who Played with Fire, is reportedly being planned, with Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara set to return. India’s highly publicized decision to ban the film is partially understandable as the film contains some disturbing scenes, however there have been many films banned for much worse. The Human Centipede (2009) was highly criticized for its graphic horror, but the second film was so horrific

it was banned in the UK in 2011. The sequel to the controversial film, The Human Centipede II, was banned in the UK as it was rejected by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) who criticized the film’s scenes of mutilation, torture, humiliation and murder. The British censor argued that there was no amount of cuts that would allow them to give the film a 18 certificate, making it the first film to be banned in the UK since 2009’s Grotesque. The Irish Film Classification Office (IFCO) banned the re-release of the 1978 film I Spit on Your Grave in 2010. The film is so horrific that even the director Meir Zarchi said that he was not surprised the film was banned in Ireland as the film had been labelled as one of the most graphic and violent films in cinema history. The terrifying Woman In Black (2012) had 6 seconds of horror/ violence cut from the film for UK cinemas. The film was censored to reduce moments of strong horror in order to achieve a ‘12A’ classification. Although there are some compatible reasons for films being banned in recent years, some are rather strange. The Simpsons Movie (2007) was banned in Burma, but not for its depiction of nudity, humorous violence or even for SpiderPig. It was banned because at this time, the country’s Motion Picture and Video Censor Board banned the colours red and yellow in movies. The National Media Council for the United Arab Emirates banned Sex and the City 2 (2010) from being released also. The Council cited a conflict of ‘cultural values’ as the reason for the banning, which was unusual as although the film was set in Abu Dhabi, it was filmed entirely in Morocco. The highest grossing film in the world, Avatar (2010), was also banned in China because officials feared that the forced removal of Na’vi would cause political unrest among the Chinese locals who

A scene from the controversial American remake of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. faced eviction from their homes. According to the Daily Mail, in 2011 the Chinese government also banned any film related to time travel as they were concerned about the idea of film characters going back in time and changing history. Brokeback Mountain (2005) was banned in more countries than any of the above, including China, Burma, Iran, Malaysia and Morocco for its depiction of a love affair between two men. The 40-Year-OldVirgin (2005) was also banned in many countries including Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and Morocco. Censorship organizations have many different reasons for banning films but many have argued

that by banning a film, more people want to watch it. Meir Zarchi, the director of I Spit On Your Grave, highlighted that by banning the film in Ireland, IFCO had just attracted more attention to the film and encouraged more people to watch it. The Human Centipede II cannot be legally supplied anywhere in the UK- even on DVD or download. But if these films are deemed as being so horrific, should they not be banned entirely? It is disturbing to think of how far directors are willing to go to make the most brutally realistic movies when the boundaries have already been pushed to the extreme and as a result, banned.

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Candidates For MSU President NAOISE Ó CEARÚIL Hi, I’m Naoise and I want to be YOUR President. I’m the current Vice President for Clubs, Societies and Union Development and I’m from Maynooth. If elected I promise to do the following. 1. Introduce a Strategic Plan for the Union: To cover all commercial and representative areas 2. Re-introduce RAG Week: This would be a community event with a large emphasis on charity. 3. Mature Student Rep on the exec: 15% of students are mature students, this needs to be visible on the executive 4. Continue the campaign against fees 5. Introduce cost saving measures: Eliminate waste

and analyse SU spending 6. Financial Transparency with Union Finances: Release SU accounts biannually and also release officer salaries and expenses 7. Maintain the free medical centre: Stop the introduction of charges 8. Increase Phoenix opening hours 9. Reduction in clamping charges 10. Set a goal for a Green Campus Flag 11. Jobs Fair: Prospective employers will promote Graduate programmes, internships and general employment. I want to be a President that Maynooth Students can be proud of. I believe that together we can improve not only the Students Union but also the entire Maynooth Experience that the SU has such an important role in. This can be achieved by me as I will make the SU more transparent and accessible to the people who it represents and is funded by, YOU. So on the 7th of March, Vote NAOISE for President. Beir Bua.

SEAMUS REYNOLDS Hello, I’m Seamus and I’m running for the position of Maynooth Students Union President. I returned to education in 2008 after working in construction. I am now doing an M.A. in Equality Studies. If elected to represent you as President I will be a strong voice for our union. This means genuinely representing and promoting the concerns that we have, whether national or local. A union is a collective bargaining tool. If used correctly, our Union has the potential to lobby for the vital services which are necessary. An obvious example is the campus does not have a physiologist available. We have an overstretched counselling service. Our medical centre is understaffed. These are real issues. These are the issues that affect us

all. These should be the issues of our Union. There is a growing sense of detachment between students and our Union. If elected I would address this issue with a genuine open door policy, high visibility around campus and transparency in decisions that will affect us all. We need to band together and show our strength as an inclusive body. This movement will need to be led by someone experienced in the area of activism. I have worked as an activist in many campaigns and I have acquired skills which can be used to create a genuine change. The alternative, a ‘bidding politician’ has not worked for Union representation. I am a real alternative if you want a real change. Please vote Seamus on March 7th.

Candidates For Vice President For Services, Events & Communications WILLIAM BLUMLEIN Hi, I’m Will Blumlein and I’m running for MSU Vice-President for Services, Events and Communications. If elected I will be responsible for promoting union services and events, while also making sure we are getting the best value possible from our on-campus shops. I am running for this position because I believe that I can best improve the communications and events services provided by the union. I have worked extensively in the media industry and am one of the longest active members of the Literary and Debating Society. I believe that I can bring a fresh outlook to many of

STEVEN FLEMING My name is Steven Fleming and I am running for the position of MSU Vice President for Services, Events & Communications. I’m a St Pats student and would love to have the great honour to represent you. I am a person with a wide range of experience especially in the fields of media and communication. Here is a brief outline of what I would impalement if elected: #1: Radio / Recording Studio: I will launch a new Studio for Maynooth Student Union, this will allow all Maynooth students to create Podcast and Song Demo’s this will allow students to express their talents through media in a medium of Podcast and for our brilliant musicians that we have on campus to create demo’s.

the union’s most important publications and events. These include the student newspaper, The Print, which I want to transform into a great news website. With this transition can come greater independence for student contributors and the ability to promote new media outlets, such as blogs and podcasts. But this job is also about booking and promoting the union events, which are most peoples primary contact with the Union. I want to build on the excellent line-up of events this year by having a Bigger Beach Party and introducing an on-line ticket reservation system for the big events, so that everyone can get tickets. Finally there are the services provided by the union. I want to put more printing computers into the arts block shop so that we have better access to the cheapest printing on campus. These are only some of my ideas for improving the S.E.C. services provided to you by our students union. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to stop me and I hope you don’t get too annoyed by all the campaigning.

MALACHY CALLAN No candidate blurb received.

The four VPSEC candidates. This would be working towards a radio station. #2: The intergration of The Print newspaper with an online format. Don’t panic, I will not be getting rid of the print news paper, but there will be some changes this new website will bring The Print to a more instant news website hitting the news when it is happening it will bring about more up to date news as it is happens on campus or around the world. and the best of these articles going into the Print newspaper. This will mean that there will be up to date articles and a chance for more people to express their opinion’s and talents #3 Video Content: I would look to bring more video content into the with a week show that telling you what happening in your SU as well as news and celebrating Club and Soc’s and Sport’s team on campus. Video content would also be used to support clubs and soc and welfare #4: A weekly Text message and better social media networking tell you what going on in your SU Like SU Event’s, Print News, Video Content, Clubs and Soc’s, The College’s Event’s, Student Services and so much more. So I ask you to Vote Steve VP SEC For a strong and honest voice in the SU.

AILBHE MAHON Who IS Ailbhe Mahon? Have you been asking yourself that very same question these last few days? Well I suppose it is about time someone told you. I’m a final year BA Multimedia student, currently the Vice President of NUIM Media Soc and previously on the NUIM Drama Society committee as first year rep and was then elected as Public Relations Officer. Now let’s get to the main point of this. Why should YOU vote for me? One simple answer: experience. -> Experience with society event organisation, experience with video journalism through

NUIM Media Soc, -> Experience from my course, which has taught me how to use Flash animation, video and sound editing, and Photoshop. I have used this experience this year with the Media Society to produce the Media Soc magazine show, which highlights clubs and societies’ events on campus. Your Union deserves someone who has interacted with the wide range of clubs, societies, and people on campus as I have. Your Union deserves someone with experience, creativity and work-ethic for the role of Vice President for Communications, Events and Services. Your Union deserves Ailbhe Mahon.

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Candidates for Vice President For Welfare & Equality FIACH O’NEILL Hi! My name is Fiach and I’m running for your VP Welfare & Equality in the upcoming Student Union elections on the 7th of March. My last few years in Maynooth have been the most amazing experience and I have had a lot of involvement with our students’ union, I have put in a lot of work and I have a lot more to give. There are many issues which can affect our wellbeing during our time at university and they can have a serious effects on our student experience on an academic and personal level. I am standing for continued progress towards sufficient supports for you and increased awareness of welfare and equality issues, campaigns, information and rights. I believe you should give me your no. 1 vote because although a lot of work was done over the last few years, there is still much more to do. I have so much

PODGE SHERIDAN My name is Podge Sheridan. I am a 3rd year Law and Arts student here in Maynooth. I have always been involved in something while here. In first year I was a class representative to Union Council. In second and third year I became more involved in the society side of college and worked with the Law Society and have worked to better the Law programme here in Maynooth. During my three years here I have enjoyed the college experience. At times this was not possible for a number of reasons. Many people also face this problem, struggling with personal and financial

experience in the Students Union and this will mean a better service can be provided for you. There have been huge strides towards improving the financial support options available for you, improving the levels of awareness of mental health and the supports that are readily available for you, and with an online welfare database and a smartphone app, I will also be giving you the opportunity to see what options are best for you in your circumstances at the click of a button. I am not afraid of putting my heart, soul and huge amounts of effort into getting you what you deserve, which is what I promised you I will do. A vote for Fiach is a vote for you as a student, a system that supports you and the Maynooth experience that you fully deserve. About Fiach O’Neill: I’m a 22-year-old finalyear Music Technology and Anthropology Student from Aughrim, Co.Wicklow. During my time as an undergraduate, I have been very active in student life including charity fundraisers and campaigning, as well as being involved with University offices such as the Admissions Office and Registrations Office. The reason I am re-running for this position is that I believe that I am the best candidate for the job. As your Welfare & Equality Officer, I would like to use my excellent communication, design and leadership abilities and my enthusiasm to provide all students with an excellent service and a very approachable, friendly Maynooth Students Union that you can depend on for finding the information, facilities or services you require.

difficulties. If elected, during my year in the office of VP Welfare and Equality, I will meet all my constitutional duties and will achieve every aim set out in my Manifesto. I will work to make college a more affordable place for all students and I will ensure that any inequalities which exist are dealt with. This includes the introduction of a women’s officer. This position exists in other colleges and is seen as a pretty basic position to have. Women who have any issues and feel they would rather talk to another female can speak with the women’s officer. If by the time of the next election I have not achieved all of my aims on top of fulfilling my constitutional duties then I will not seek re-election. I will not attempt to cover up my failure by insisting that I wish to continue my work to achieve my aims. My campaign team will be situated all over Maynooth over the coming days so if you have any questions just go to them, stop me if you see me or email me on podge4welfareandequality@gmail.com or find me on facebook. Thanks for taking the time to read this.

DANIELLE CLARE O’SULLIVAN While you are in University you become an adult. You develop as a person, you make new friends. You can meet the person you are going to spend your life with. It can be the best time of your life but for some people it is the most stressful time of their lives. There are a rising percentage of people who are fearful of not being able to continue their education. The increasing cost of fees, along with the cost of living affects us all but for some it is worse than others. I personally know people who are considering leaving college as a result of financial concerns. I know people who are too embarrassed to ask for food vouchers. I also

Candidate For Arts, Philosophy & Celtic Studies Faculty Representative DAVID FLANAGAN

The sole candidate for Arts, Philosophy & Celtic Studies Faculty Presentative, David Flanagan.

know people who cannot afford books. All of these worries combined takes its toll on a person. There is only so much a person can take. Health, both mental and physical begins to suffer, and of course, education. Over my years here I have observed how there seems to be no middle ground for students. There are those with an excess of money and there are those with no money. Something needs to be done to alleviate some of the pressure placed upon us. It is the simple things like the cost of laundry that need to be changed. We need to get down to the very basics and make the changes that are necessary for us to excel in college. I am here to do that for you. I want my fellow students to exceed even their own expectation. We are all entitled to experience the joys that are to be had in college and I promise that if I am elected as your Vice-President for Welfare and Equality I will make it equal opportunity for all, no matter what.

Hi all. Dave here running for Arts,Philosophy and Celtic Studies Rep. You probably won’t know me that well because I haven’t been doing a whole load of campaigning for the election due to the lack of opposing candidates. I’m not feeling a whole lot of pressure here as you can imagine and I know you fine people don’t want to be further annoyed by me ranting,so I’ll get to the point. I just want to justify a vote for me not because I’m the sole candidate but honestly because I believe I can do this job well. If elected, I intend to

continue the precedent put across by the current Arts,Phil and Celtic Studies rep and build up an amicable relationship between my Faculty class reps and the Union, addressing any and all problems encountered. As Arts students we get a lot of flak for being unsure of what direction we’re heading in careerwise, so I intend to make resources for Arts students researching further careers more clearly defined, hopefully working in co-ordination with the career office. We can do anything, we just need to know how! Lastly the fact I have experience in the Union and it’s proceedings can only help you as students. All I really want to do is help, as I am a great beleiver of good karma. Thanks for reading and hope to see you all round campus!

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Candidates for Vice President For Clubs, Societies & Union Development LORNA DEEGAN My name is Lorna Deegan, and I’m a final year Arts student, from Athboy, Co. Meath. I’ve always been involved in clubs, societies and Students Union since becoming a student here. I have held numerous committee positions in clubs and societies and this year was elected as the Faculty of Arts, Celtic Studies, and Philosophy faculty rep. First off I would like to help every club and society in reaching their full potential, through stronger support from the VP CSUD. I would like each club and society to be able to enter every event they are eligible for without funding being the reason they cannot attend. To make the Special Events Fund more readily available and known to the clubs and societies that need it. Well trained committees can transform any club or society, so I plan to introduce proper training

EOIN GRIFFEN I’m a 21 year old MA in Digital Humanities student. This is my fourth year as a student at NUIM. I am running for the position of Vice President for Clubs, Societies and Union Development. Through my time in Maynooth I have had an extremely varied college experience. I have lived in Maynooth, commuted, failed exams, scraped through, graduated, and met some lifelong friends while meeting some not so nice people along the way too. The most striking thing about my time here has been the general apathy that most students have to Maynooth Students’ Union (MSU). This is manifested through disillusionment and a total lack of interest. I myself have had little involvement with the main structures of MSU, but this is representative of the majority of students who attend college here. What I hope to offer is a breath

CAIN LYNCH Hi my name is Cain Lynch. This year I am running for the position of Vice-President for Clubs Societies and Union Development. I made this decision based on the fact that I would like to improve the conditions within Clubs and Societies, I feel that there is a definite need for some form of a “Standards and Practices” document on hand for Clubs and Socs. I would like to have this in place so as a first port of call for Clubs and Societies having issues such as bullying. This I would like to do as well as give clubs and societies greater access to the Alcohol and Poster policies, I would aim to have all three of these documents published on the finished

for position holders. With this, and with the help of the capitation committee, I would like a scheme to have full feedback for committees after audits are complete. I also hope to update the clubs and societies handbook to contain all forms and information, rather than going through the Union secretaries. It should be distributed to all committees and also made available online. The current league system for clubs and societies fails to properly recognise the hard work and long hours put into weekly running of meetings and events, so a fully reformed league system shall be put in place, with a guide for the year to be drawn up and made available in the Union and online. Stronger bonds are needed between the community and students to allow for more union development. Promoting large society events and inviting the local community to attend, would begin to break down the student/local community stigma. Newly formed bonds give freedom for new events in the college, and a higher tolerance for events held by the university. Although attendance at Union Council is up on previous years, it is still not enough. In order to maintain a high attendance rate, the VP CSUD needs to be active in how the class reps interact with classes, and in emphasizing the importance of proper representation. I will ensure that class rep. handbooks be completely overhauled and distributed upon immediate election of each rep. of fresh air to the Union executive. I have experience working in grassroots activism, having spent the past two years heavily involved with FEE Maynooth. Our Union needs to fulfil its potential as a collective voice representing students both on campus and nationally through USI. As VP CSUD I want to introduce online balloting, which has been proven to increase voter numbers in other colleges. Union Council has managed to reach sufficient numbers to take place only twice this year. We need to get people involved who really care about the students they represent. I also want to introduce a volunteer tutoring programme, this has been successful in NUIG where NUIG SU along with AL!VE and FEE Galway have set up a system whereby tutors are trained and certified in exchange for grinds they give to their peers. In addition we really need to focus on the work done by our Clubs & Societies. Not enough is made of both their achievements and continuing efforts throughout the year. I propose having a regular podcast discussion show with a panel made up of members from different Clubs & Socs each time. On March 7th Vote Eoin

Griffin VP CSUD.

SU website, as well as provided to the committees of all Clubs and Societies. I would like to see Clubs and Societies being able to publish information in The Print should they wish to do so, and will work with the VPSEC on ensuring that this can happen. I also hope to implement a co-operative event into the Clubs and Societies League, an event which requires a society to work alongside an unrelated society. The combinations being set out at the beginning of the year and the committees of both club and society being given until the end of the year to complete an event with them. I also think that the Class rep and Faculty rep systems have to be utilised more effectively in helping to improve the communications between SU exec and the Student Body as Class Reps are usually the first port of call for students on issues that affect them. If elected I will work on improving the channels of communication between the exec and the Class reps.

KATIE DOBOSZ

Law Admissions Committee. I was an Assistant Returning Officer last semester, but I stepped down from my position to run in these elections. I am not going to make promises I won’t be able to keep, but I can ensure you one thing – if I get elected as VP Clubs Societies and Union Development, I will do everything I can to put YOUR voice into the Union.

My name is Katie and I am third year Law and French student. I am running for the position of VP Clubs Societies and Union Development. Why vote me? I can offer a lot of experience. Since first year I have been actively involved in many clubs and societies. I have been on Dance Society committee for the past three years. Being involved in running of one of the biggest and most active society on campus gave me knowledge of how clubs and societies work, and how much work is put in not only by committee members, but also ordinary members. Last year I was 2nd year rep for Law and Arts. Since I personally experienced the flaws in the current class rep system, I have clear ideas for its improvement. I am a member of

MAEVE KAVANAGH 21, from Co. Louth. Current President of Style Society, have held Vice President & PRO positions. Have organised numerous events such as two Annual Charity Fashion Shows and have worked alongside other societies when hosting events. On the swim team, active member of dance soc. Have participated in inter-varsities. I’m part of the welfare crew and assisted at class rep training this year, as well as working at orientation week. I’m also a regular contributor to the print. Some main manifesto points: Committee training - Special focus on Presidents (how to manage a club/soc effectively), Treasurers (how to deal with capitation applications and general banking processes), and Secretaries (communication & organisational skills) as these roles are quite specific

PETER QUINN Hi, I’m Peter Quinn and I am running for Vice President of Clubs, Societies and Union Development in this year’s upcoming elections, on the 7th of March. I am a third year business and management student from Tipperary, living in Maynooth. I have founded one of the largest societies in the university, and have been elected to a number of top positions within this society. I am also the representative of my third year class and have been proactive in voicing their concerns, and defending their rights. I have put forward what I know to be very pressing issues in my manifesto. In the past,

and require relevant know how. Blogging workshops - For clubs & socs interested in publicising their information and letting people know about their activities and achievements. I will also advise on other social media forums. Continue the C&S league, improve on it by holding more regular C&S competition events. I will also set up an interactive online ‘What’s on this week’ C&S page as part of the MSU website, as well as having the league table available for all to view online. Further develop class rep system - ensure there is a rep for every class in the college - recheck this in 2nd semester when work placements have finished. Get feedback from current class reps on how to improve training, and any other areas of concern for them. Ensure reps have handbooks when they are elected that include the necessary information on how to deal with issues raised by their class. Advise reps on how to encourage class members to bring forward issues. Go raibh maith agaibh!

some elected positions have proven themselves unsuccessful in following through on their promises, but I am confident the topics I intend to address are attainable, and will impact heavily and positively on the lives of Maynooth students. My manifesto will address issues such as accommodation, student life on campus, clubs and societies capitation and publicity on campus. I am very dedicated to life in Maynooth (as seen through my development of the Business Society), hard working (undergoing a degree while being heavily involved in society and charity work) and have the relevant and necessary experience needed to perform in this position to the highest possible standard. I know where things need to be improved, and know how to do this. I feel that I am the right candidate for this position, and I would really appreciate your support on the 7th of March by giving me your number 1 vote on the ballot paper.

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Candidates For Science & Engineering Faculty Representative DARREN BUCKLEY Hi, I’m Darren Buckley, and I want to be you Faculty Representative for Science and Engineering. My campaign is built on realistic promises, all of which will be achievable in a year. My aims are: A more streamlined Class Rep system. I want to see an end to situations where class reps haven’t been named by the start of November. It does a great disservice to students when they have no official voice to reach the SU or academic staff. I feel class reps for 2nd year onwards should be named within a month of Semester One starting, and by the October elections at the latest for 1st year. Use of Moodle as a support tool. At this time, Moodle is not used to its full capacity. The chat room feature should be encouraged as a method of group study, as opposed to a quick solution on a Friday

SHAUNA KELLY My name is Shauna Kelly and I’m running for Science & Engineering Rep. I’m a MSU Class Rep for 2nd Computer Science & Software Engineering and currently Deputy Rep for the Science & Engineering Faculty. I’ve volunteered teaching English to kids from Chernobyl and before starting college was heavily involved with St. Vincent De Paul. If elected, one of my main priorities is to ensure

afternoon. As such, if the time is available, I feel lecturers and tutors should have “Moodle hours”, along with office hours, as these hours are inaccessible for some students More involvement in extra-curricular events. University is hard enough as it is, it’s even harder if you don’t know those around you (believe me, I’ve been there). What I would like to see is small events, like inter-class 5-a-side football, or bigger things, like events in the SU and The Venue. We’re surrounded by good people, we just need to get to know each other, particularly first years. Finally, you need to know exactly who your reps are, and how to get in contact with them. If elected, I will make sure this is the case. Taking an idea from the Biology Department, I would have an accessible list, both online and on department notice boards of who you should talk to. These goals can be achieved in a year, and can be kept up long-term. I sincerely hope that on March 7th, you will give me a chance to get things working again, and to make your issues matter.

that every Science & Engineering student has a supportive network to help them in their studies. I want to increase the level of charity work we as a faculty organise and to help MSU make an even bigger, even more positive impact on both a local and national level. Everyone knows how difficult making the transition into college life or a new class can be, and I am no exception. Having started college and transferred courses here in NUI Maynooth, I want to ensure every student is welcomed into our faculty as warmly as I was. I feel my level of experience already in MSU, the strong relationships I have already built within the SU and the Faculty and the level of charity work I have been involved in show I have the best experience to give YOU the best experience in college! Further details of my manifesto can be found at www.facebook.com/voteShauna

RYAN CAHILL Hey, I’m Ryan. I’m in 2nd year Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Chemistry; it’s a mouthful I know; this year I’m running for Science & Engineering Faculty Rep. Over the last year and a half I have been very involved within Maynooth, last year I was on both the Basketball and the Ultimate Frisbee Clubs. Most people who know me know that I am constantly annoying everyone around me by singing to myself,

So I have put that bad habit to good use in Maynooth by performing, to raise money for the Galway cycle and their charity Pieta house, and have organized several busking sessions throughout the college in aid of the Make a Wish Foundation and the Mental Health Society. I am a very big believer in the idea that college is the people who are in it, and if I were to be elected for this position I would bring that same belief and conviction with me. I will not be hidden away in an office, I will always be around college, trying to find out exactly what it is that you want done, to co-ordinate with the class reps and ensure the Science & Engineering faculty is the way you want it.

The three candidates for Science & Engineering Faculty Representative pose for a photograph.

Candidates For Theology Faculty Representative

STEVEN GRAHAM Hello my name is Stephen Graham and this is a summary of my mission to bring a better Theology Representative to you during your time studying in St. Patrick’s College. As you are probably aware, throughout this arduous campaign there have been many suggestions made to the hopeful representatives and vague assurances of action made to the prospective voters. I, on the other hand, do not believe in vague assurances given with the sole intention of gathering votes. I believe in definite promises of what I can and will achieve on your behalf as your representative, such as improving the annual theology ball, installing a

suggestion box and installing microphones in Loftus. Please see Facebook or my manifesto leaflets for more information and goals. I believe in definite action taken by representatives on your behalf. Not just saying that I will do something or that I will try to do something, but actually getting up and doing it. I believe in not leading people on only to disappoint them, if there is a suggestion made that is highly unlikely to be achieved, I will tell you just that. However you can still be assured that no matter how improbable a suggestion may be, I will still fight tooth and nail on your behalf. I believe in actually acting as your representative by listening, meeting and conferring with any who feel they have good ideas on how to improve their college. I believe that only you, can help me bring this new, even better understanding to the ethos of St. Patrick’s college. I believe that with me and only me as you representative will we strive towards an easier, friendlier and more enriching college experience. This is why you should believe in Steve.

SEAN SMITH My name is Sean Smith and I am running for theology and divinity rep of St. Patricks College Maynooth. My main policies include, improving the common room for all SPCM students by getting the kitchen outlet open at certain times of the day for student use. Also to get books relevant to the course put in the common room for students to read if needed. Also my plan is to also implement a peer tutoring programme in SPCM for theology students who need to meet up with a post grad or someone of a higher year and talk about a certain part of the

course. This would be very useful to the likes of first year students who had not done theology before coming to college. Another policy is to fix the parking problems such as separate parking permits for north and south campus and also bring to the attention of the college that more parking is needed for students. Another one of my policies is to get a hang out spot for students on south campus, this is to keep the common room free for people who want to study and also for students to meet those classmates they have not spoken to. Another point on this is to have an annual SPCM BBQ where all the students can meet and have a good time in the sun. Also theology weekends away to the likes of Donegal or if enough people are interest Medjugorje could be a possibility. Also a SPCM paintball tournament could be organised. Also more faculty meeting between the class reps will be done to make the college a better place faster by hearing your needs.

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Candidates For Irish Language & Cultural Affair Officer DEAN MacCEARAÍN Hi gach duine! Is mise Dean MacCearaín agus táim ag iarraidh bheith mar d’Oifigeach Gaeilge agus Culturtha do 2012-2013! Táim ag dul isteach sa dara bhlian agus táim ag déanamh staidéar ar Ghaeilge agus Gnó! Tá líofacht agam sa Ghaeilge agus táim lán compórdach rudaí a phlé ar son agus trí mheán na Gaeilge! Ach, níl Gaeilge ag gach uile duine atá in ann vótáil agus mar sin, beidh an chuid is mó don blurb seo as Bearla! Hi everyone! I’m Dean MacCearaín and I want to be your Irish Language and Cultural Affairs Officer for 2012-2013! I’m going into second year and I’ll be studying Irish and Business! I have perfectly adequate fluency in Irish and I’m fully comfortable with discussing matters for Irish through Irish. But, not everyone who is able to vote in the elections has Irish,

so most of this blurb will be in English! So, what would make me an effective Officer for you? Well, as I changed my course this year, this is my second time doing first year. Last year, I was first year rep for both Cuallacht na Gaeilge and M.S.U.L.G.B.T.Q. This, along with my position as Vice-president for Cuallacht na Gaeilge this year, has taught me valuable skills regarding time management, event planning and also helped me improve my interpersonal skills! Possibly the most important question of all: what would I do if elected? Well, it would be my main aim if elected to show that this is a 2 part position. The various clubs and societies we have our bursting with potential, as is our uniquely diverse student population. One of my main aims is to establish a functioning Culture Week. The focal point of this week would be a society showcase centred around a specific theme, e.g. tribal (tribal dance, making tribal masks, tribal drumming, etc.) All this and more awaits if you elect me as your Irish Language and Cultural Affairs Officer! Come talk to me to hear more! Dean MacCearaín #1 d’Oifigeach Gaeilge agus Culturtha!

JOHN Ó LIODÁIN Hey is mise John Ó Liodáin agus tá mé ag rith i gcoir Oifigeach Gaeilge agus Gnóthaí cultúrtha. Táim sa dara bliain ag déanamh stáidéar ar an Dlí agus Nua-Ghaeilge. Tá spéis agam in eachtraí cultúrtha agus ba choir dúinn freastal ar an réimse leathan den chultúr atá le fáil anseo i Maigh Nuad. Is mise Uachtarán na Cuallachta i mbliana, agus le cabhair ón gcoiste, tá roinnt déanta againn, chuir muid gné gaelach le gach uile seachtain eagraithe ag an aontas agus tá feabhas tagtha ar íomha an teanga dá bharr! An príomh rud atá déanta agam ná feachtas chun oifigeach na gaeilge san AMLE athreisiú agus a chosaint, d’eirigh go maith leis an bhfeachtas agus fuair mé aitheantas i saol na gaeilge dá bharr. Is féidir mo manifesto a fháil ag http://

on.fb.me/johnoifigeachgaeilge. I fully believe that we have power as a union to change the way Irish is viewed in society and If elected I will work towards providing a union that strives to promote the language and ensure that an Irish language element is visible in all union activities, including The Print which I have contributed to on a regular basis to ensure Irish is visible. We, as a union, need to value the diversity of our members, and if elected as Irish and Cultural Affairs Officer, I will ensure that a cultural week becomes a highlight in the union calendar ensuring that our reputation as Ireland’s friendliest college is experienced by all, building on the success of the International Céilí which placed a spotlight on the wealth of culture in the college. “Faoi Scath a Cheile a Mhairimid” Vótáil John Ó Liodáin #1 d’oifigeach Gaeilge agus Gnóthaí Cultúrtha.

Who Are These Crazy People?: A First Year’s Guide To Student Union Elections PADRAIG McCARRICK @PaudiMcTurkish

Every year, the MSU elections are met with a mixture of glee, confusion and contempt. For those who have been in college for a few years, avoiding the gauntlet of canvassers telling you to vote for X for position Y becomes a daily routine. However, we never take into What is an SU election and what are all these positions about? Valid question. The SU elections is when all registered students get to vote for who they want to lead their Students’ Union for the following academic year. These include four, full time paid sabbatical positions: President, Vice-President (VP) for Welfare and Equality, VP for Services, Events and Communications and VP for Clubs, Societies and Union Development. There is also the part time Irish Language and Cultural Affairs Officer. When elected, successful candidates will take over from existing exec officers in July for the on coming year. Elections to select faculty reps for the following year will also take place. These are Theology, Science & Engineering, Social Sciences, and Arts, Philosophy & Celtic Studies and are the link between the Students’ Union, the Class Reps and you. Okay, so I get the representatives. But what do the sabbatical officers do? Do they get paid? The four full time sabbatical positions are paid jobs, which often attracts people to run in their final year. Those who run that are not in final year would take the year out to return to their studies the following academic year. The President is the main representative of Maynooth’s students. He/ she represents the SU and its students to both the university administration and the MSU students nationally. VP Welfare & Equality is in charge of the general well being of us students. While they give us free condoms during KISS Week, they also are available to help out with other problems students are having. These range from mental health to

financial problems or problems with equality. VP SEC is the mouthpiece of the Union. As well as being editor of The Print, VP SEC is also in charge of promoting the events run by the SU as well as improving existing services and communications on campus such as its online presence. VP CSUD, a relatively new position in its first year encompasses the old roles of Clubs & Societies Officers. In addition, its remit includes the open ended job of Union Development. This may include reviewing the SU’s constitution or improving the way the union is run. So now I know what the positions are. But why should I care? Having a good union is extremely important for the improvement of your experience in Maynooth. As a 1st year, picking the right and best candidate for the job can help determine how you interact with the union in subsequent years. Voting and being informed is the first step in doing this. You pick the union, and who represents you. I was talking to a 3rd year and she said it was all rubbish and I shouldn’t bother... Many students who have had experience of the SU, or lack there of, are very sceptical of what the SU can do. Many have heard of wild promises that have never materialised in the past. This is not the fault of the union per say, but of the contents of the policies by those running. it is therefore important to question candidates on viable policies that will improve the union in following years rather than a second ATM. Should I not just vote for the fella who’s a bit of craic? The rest just mumble and sound boring. He wants to bring in dragons and shit! While the fella who saunters in half drunk, curses and claims “if elected I’ll get a space elevator so the St. Pats students can be closer to God” may seem like a good idea when voting, remember this chap will be representing you in everything the union does. May want to re think and perhaps vote for the girl who wants to bring in some constitutional

Three of the current Maynooth Students’ Union sabbatical officers campaigning last year. reform to make the union run better. Not as sexy as space elevator I know, but a wee bit more practical. Okay, so what’s the deal with the t-shirts? Your guess is as good as mine. I suppose they are a bit eye-catching. On the plus side, least they are easily spotted if you want to avoid them. And what’s with the banners this year? Banners have really taken off this year. It could be worse, two years ago the place got covered in chalk. I still have night terrors to this day. In fairness, it’s all part of the game. and a spot of fun. The main thing is to balance the creativity with plausible policies for the best interests of the students. Okay, so when and where do I vote? Wednesday March 7th. Voting commences

between 9am and 6.30pm and you do this in the Arts Block and various other satellite polling stations across campus.

Padraig is an Assistant Editor of the Student Observer, a current events blog run by both current and former students of NUI Maynooth. You can find them via the following links: StObserver.Wordpress.com Facebook.com/StObserver

March 1st 2012 - Volume 3, Issue 9

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“A lot to say and yet we haven’t any vocals”: An Interview with ASIWYFA MICHAEL O’TOOLE @bassmastashadez

And So I Watch You From Afar (often abbreviated ASIWYFA) is a band with a huge sound and while often they let their music do the talking; guitarist, Rory and bassist, Johnny, were happy enough to give us a few minutes before their performance at the Hot Press Music Show in the RDS on the 25th of February. There we spoke about band names, Russian tours, Dave Grohl and the sad departure of life-long friend and former band member, Tony. Hey lads, I’m just going to start off by asking, how did ye get on in Russia? Johnny: It was unbelievable, we had the privilege of going there last year and couldn’t believe the sort of response that we got and the love that people were showing us so as soon as we came back from that it was like we have to go again and it was even better this time than the time before. You have a strange enough name, I have to say. I’ve always wondered, how did you come up with it? Johnny: In a nutshell, it was what I thought were song lyrics that I’d heard in a song and listening back to it thankfully it wasn’t the same as I’d originally heard it. It kind of stuck and I wanted to use it for a project for a while and then once we started getting going it was kind of like, hmm ok! And it stuck. Yeah because it’s a long enough name for a band really isn’t it? Rory: It is! Some would say it’s too long. Ah, but I suppose it gets you noticed! The same with the tracks, they have strange names as well. Rory: Yeah, well that’s kind of important for us to set a kind of narrative when you’ve got no vocals you know? We’re notoriously a band who I feel like we have a lot to say yet we haven’t any vocals or outlet so it’s good to paint a little picture before someone listens to the songs and it’s good fun, we enjoy naming our songs.

That’s another thing, the instrumental style you have, no lyrics... Rory: Yeah, no lyrics which is weird because we all grew up listening to hip hop and punk and sorts of music where the sole thing behind it is sending a message. But we’ve never ruled out vocals though, and I’m sure we’ll have them at some point, if we need them. Doesn’t sound like you need it really! Could you tell us a little bit about Tony’s departure? If that’s alright. Rory: Yeah, of course. It was announced maybe in September. I guess Tony decided he no longer wanted to be, you know, doing And So I Watched You From Afar and it was really sad for him to leave but he’s very much still pushing music hard and doing his own thing with VerseChorusVerse. Tony’s heart’s very much embedded in music but he’ll always be ASIWYFA. It was sad but hopefully it’ll all end up good. So, you have sort of a session guitarist on tour with you then yeah? Rory: Yeah, this dude behind you, Niall. He’s been touring with us since September and was kind of thrown in the deep end. But he’s an absolute whiz-kid and has been with ASIWYFA since the beginning. I live with him, Chris lives with him and he’s our best bud. So is he going to become a permanent member then? Johnny: Well the way we look at it, there’s still the three of us in the band. Niall has come in for touring purposes and we’re in no real rush to find a permanent member. At the minute we consider ourselves a three-piece. Do you think, if you went into a studio now to record a new album, do you think that would alter your style a bit? Rory: Well we’ve been writing a lot actually. As comes with everything in life there’s an opportunity to revaluate and change and we very much don’t want to stick to a formula. Obviously now that Tony’s not with us it does change things but there’s still me, Chris and Johnny so there’s still the same people contributing but we would strive to never want to put out the same music album by album by album. I was just reading up on you that you had a personal invite from Dave Grohl to support Them Crooked Vultures. Rory: Auld Davey, Davey boy. Johnny: Mr Grohl to you and me.

Rory: The Grohler, D-Unit! Johnny: Yeah I think they just wanted someone who was physically able to just go but I don’t know how much truth is in that… just print ‘yes, we were!’ Rory: Well our manager mentioned to their booking agent and he sent on our album to Dave and they said ok! So that part of it is cool. That’s cool! So where would your favourite place to play be? Rory: Well obviously Belfast is incredible; everytime we play in Dublin is incredible. Playing in Glasgowbury was incredible and then on the polar opposite playing to like 20,000 people in Latvia. But then there’s like basement parties like we played a party in a Kansas to like, 30 people in a living room and that was just insane. Any festivals lined up for this year? Rory: I think we’re going to try and not do too many festivals this year, over the past 2 or 3 years we’ve done 15, 20 maybe 25 festivals each Summer so this year; it’s inherent in us to just go out and play shows but you can’t just say yes to everything. Johnny: And also with the transitionary period

Alter Bridge frontman, Myles Kennedy. Kennedy previously appeared on two tracks of Slash’s first solo album which was released in 2010. The singer also confirmed that he will be touring with Slash later in the year, as he did with the guitarist’s previous album. Slash revealed to Total Guitar that he wanted to capture a more “live” sound with this new album: “Everything is being played live with the music tracks: the solo’s, everything. We’re trying not to overdub extra bits. So if there’s a solo, I’m playing on one side, singer Myles [Kennedy]’s rhythm track is on the other.” “We’re just going for the one take that sounds good, so my solo’s are more raw, probably sloppier in a way, because they’re very spontaneous to the point where it’s in the heat of the moment.” As well as the details of his new album release, it was also confirmed in December that Slash will be joining his old bandmates from Guns N Roses to attend their induction into the Rock And

Roll Hall of Fame, set to take place in Cleveland, Ohio on April 14th of this year. They have yet to confirm whether they intend to perform on the night. However, it was reported on the NME website in January that Slash “is not keen to revisit all the previous tensions between him and former frontman Axl Rose”. Rose is notoriously estranged from the other members, yet still tours as the lead vocalist of Guns N Roses. When drummer Steve Adler was asked about a possible reunion at the ceremony, he didn’t appear to be holding on to any hope: “Unfortunately, I don’t foresee it. You figure that time (try twenty years) could heal all wounds, but some people just REALLY hold a crazy grudge.” The chances of Axl Rose deciding to suck it up and agreeing to perform at the ceremony are pretty slim. But even if there isn’t a reunion (which there more than likely won’t be, let’s be honest), Slash fans can officially start the countdown to the release of Apocalyptic Love. If the first album is anything to go by, then we are in for a treat!

Rory, Johnny and Chris from And So I Watch You From Afar. that we’re going through at the minute it’s probably for the best to decide what’s going on and hopefully offers will come through next year and we’ll probably do 30-odd again next year. You’ve been going fairly strong lately, but where would you like to see yourselves in say, five years-time? Rory: Hopefully just doing the same thing but with a natural progression to it. From the very beginning we had very high ambitions and we’re still very ambitious but we’re content with going slow and steady. If we could just keep the way we’re going we’d be content really. Johnny: I think what Rory’s trying to say is, if we could still be doing it, we would. Rory and Johnny, along with Chris and Niall later played an absolutely intense set. Rory quite literally threw himself into it and even caused a few rather nervous moments for security. The band really showed what they’re capable of and while they may be planning on taking it relatively easy this year, they’re always up for a show and are always ready to throw everything into it no matter how big or small.

Guitar Hero Slash To Release Second Solo Album LYNDSEY FARRELL

Entertainments & Culture Co-Editor @TheLyndog Former Guns N Roses guitarist and music legend Slash has officially announced the details of the release of his second solo album. While there haven’t been any signs of a tracklist release just yet, it has been confirmed that the album, entitled Apocalyptic Love, is set to hit Irish music stores on Friday May 18th of this year. The LP will include vocals on all of the tracks by

Legendary guitarist Slash.

March 1st 2012 - Volume 3, Issue 9

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Jack White’s Post-Stripes Blunderbuss DEAN HEALY

@OnaedInSpace On February 2nd 2011, the critically acclaimed band The White Stripes broke thousands of Irish hearts by announcing their official split (even the Booker Prize winning Irish writer Roddy Doyle was heartbroken; he had previously set a scene of his book Paula Spencer at a White Stripes concert in Phoenix Park). It is now just over a year later and lead singer Jack White has finally announced his first ever solo record entitled Blunderbuss. Considering that White has released ten studio albums across three separate bands; The White Stripes, The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather, the fact that this is his first ever solo album is quite astounding. White is well known within the music industry for his insatiable work ethic and has contributed and performed with some amazing artists over the years; he produced Rockabilly legend Wanda Jacksons last two albums, produced and played on country singers Loretta Lynn album getting her to 2nd on the US Billboard chart at age 70 in 2004, released former homeless blues singer Seasick Steve’s last album on his own record label, sang on the James Bond theme tune to Quantum of

Solace with Alicia Keys, and most recently released a duet with Welshman Tom Jones. With such insane credentials as these, White is surely going to go down in blues music folklore. Jack White as an artist has never been afraid of releasing weird material, and this can be seen no more than in the last year when he began to release a series of spoken word tracks featuring the likes of talk show host Conan O’Brien and an auctioneer called Jerry King discussing the auctioneering business. He also featured on the classical composition album Rome which was put together by Danger Mouse and composer Danielle Luppi in May last year. White even went as far as to purchase an old ice-cream truck, renovated it and then proceeded to drive from town to town last summer selling records from his own label Third Man Records out of the back of it. Can I have a 99 with a flake and a vinyl version of your last three albums please? To return to the now, solo album Blunderbuss is due to pick up on Jack White’s moodier side of music with the album focusing on the origins of his upbringing and his early blues influences. White had this to say about the album: “[it is] an album that I couldn’t have released until now. I’ve put off making records under my own name for a long time but these songs feel like they could only be presented under my name. These songs were written from scratch, had nothing to do with anyone or anything else but my own expression, my own colours on my own canvas.” Blunderbuss will be available from April 24th.

Blues man and multi-talented musician Jack White.

Jedward For Eurovision The Simpsons Reaches A For Second Year Running Milestone 500 Episodes

AINE McMANUS

EOGHAN DUNNE

For the second consecutive year the Irish public have chosen Lucan twins Jedward to represent us in the Eurovision song contest. They won both the public and regional jury votes on The Late Late show which had a night dedicated to picking the right song for Ireland. Waterline, written by Nick Jarl and Sharon Vaughan is the song Jedward will perform in Baku, Azerbaijan in May. The twins came out on top after four other strong performances. Donna Mc Caul who previously represented Ireland in the Eurovision with her brother, was another hopeful who was in the running for that honour again, however it was Jedward’s energy that caught the public’s eye. The twins also made history by becoming the only Irish act to represent the country two years in a row. RTE selected 5 mentors with vast experience in the music business to find an act and song to match to compete for a place in Baku. Former Eurovision winner Linda Martin is the mentor responsible for Jedward and the song selection. She is confident the song will do well for Ireland in May as it has a modern European sound. Last year Jedward proved themselves after much speculation from the public as to what way they would be received in Europe. Whether you love them or loathe them their performance of ‘Lipstick’ earned them 8th place, the best result for an Irish entry in 11 years. What was more pleasantly

On February 19th The Simpsons reached a television milestone, airing their 500th episode. Now in its 23rd season, it is the longest running primetime scripted programme in American television history. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange guest stars in the episode titled “At Long Last Leave”. Assange, who is currently under house arrest in an undisclosed location in England while a decision is made over his extradition to Sweden for alleged sex offences, had to record his lines for the episode over the phone. In its 22 years on air, The Simpsons has had a huge cultural impact. A movie, books, games, in fact any item of merchandise you care to mention is likely to have had The Simpsons emblazoned on it at some point. Its impact has been great enough to merit Homer’s catchphrase “D’oh!” being included in the Oxford English Dictionary since 2001. Other words like “cromulent” and “embiggen” have also made it into Dictionary.com’s 21stCentury Lexicon. The Simpsons received some criticism in the late 90’s for its apparently declining quality, with even the show’s stars speaking out about the change in direction that the series had taken. The relationship between the stars and the studio has not always been perfect, with the voice actors going on strike in 2004 until their salaries were increased. It is said that the cast are currently paid $400,000 per episode, according to a 4-year contract signed in

Lucan twins Jedward. surprising was that the twins were embraced by all in Europe and were the real talking point of the whole build up to the event. Since that Jedward have gained many fans in numerous European countries and have recently brought their tour overseas. This makes the chances of them bettering last year’s result likely. People already are aware of who they are in Europe, making promotional efforts less pressurised for the twins who are widely regarded as two of the most hardworking and dedicated people in pop. John and Edward are already the favourites to win the Eurovision with Paddy Power giving odds of 7/1 for the twins to take the title.

Television’s favourite family, The Simpsons. 2008. The general consensus is that The Simpsons’ golden era ended after season 9, with only a handful of episodes rivalling earlier triumphs like “Marge versus the Monorail” and “Lemon of Troy”, but many believe the show is experiencing a return to form. The writers are keenly aware of the criticisms, and at the end of the 500th episode a title card reads “Thanks for 500 shows. All we ask is that you go out and get some fresh air before logging on to the Internet and saying how much this sucked.” The episode reached 5.79 million viewers. The show is scheduled to run for at least another 2 years.

March 1st 2012 - Volume 3, Issue 9

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BioWare Video Game Corrosion Of Conformity Writer Harassed Online Free Stream New Album BARTLEY HUDSON A videogame writer for BioWare has become the most recent victim of the internet’s hate machine. The writer in question, Jennifer Hepler, has been the subject of numerous venomous videos and forum posts pertaining to an interview she gave in October 2006. More striking than the five year delay in the backlash, is that her only purported crime was admitting that she didn’t actually enjoy playing videogames. While this is an unusual sentiment for an employee in the games industry, the outpouring of unbridled hate towards her seems disproportionate. During the interview in question, Ms.Hepler outlined the reasons she doesn’t enjoy videogames, including poor hand eye coordination, and a general disinterest in combat. While these are legitimate reasons, the real question is why the denizens of the internet care about what others do or don’t enjoy? Or even why personal preferences seemingly serve as justification for character assassination? Furthermore, Ms.Hepler states that “Games almost always include a way to ‘button through’ dialogue […] because they understand that some players don’t enjoy listening to dialogue. Yet they persist in […] forcing you to play through the combat even if you’re a player who only enjoys the dialogue.” As a writer, stating that she prioritises narrative over gameplay should be reassuring

DYLAN COLLEY @DylanColley The logo for the BioWare video game company. rather than shocking. Not only is this an interesting argument, but it could be developed to make videogames reach a larger audience; this writer fails to see the crime. One of many derisive Reddit posts describes Ms.Hepler as “the cancer that is killing BioWare.” How anyone could jump to this conclusion seems baffling, given that the Bioware games she has worked on, namely Dragon Age and Star Wars: The Old Republic, have been universally lauded for their immersive story and complex characters. Studio general manager Aaryn Flynn kicked the hornets’ nest when he retorted to this post by calling the Reddit user in question “A fucking moron”, further baiting the malcontents of the internet. Ms.Hepler eventually requested to have her twitter account shut down, due to the stream of personal attacks. In an admirable move Bioware donated $1000 in Ms.Heplers name to an anti-bullying charity, and as such, perhaps some good came from this online brawl. However, one can’t help but imagine that it must feel strange to wake up one day, only to find that the internet hates you.

Raleigh band Corrosion of Conformity (COC) are now streaming their eighth studio record Corrosion of Conformity for free online. This online version consists of 11 tracks, though 2 extra tracks come with the Deluxe Edition or the vinyl copies that can be bought in record stores from February 28th onwards. The self-titled album sees the studio return of COC’s hardcore punk line-up, consisting of Mike Dean on bass, Woody Weatherman on guitar and Reed Mullin on drums, with shared vocals between Mike and Reed. This is the same line-up that can be heard on the band’s second LP Animosity. After Animosity, the band took on rhythm guitarist Pepper Keenan, who, after their standard heavy metal record Blind, became lead singer. At this point, Corrosion adopted a stoner metal sound and even reached the top 20 with the singles “Albatross” and “Clean My Wounds”. Pepper is currently focusing on his side-project Down, with Phil Anselmo of Pantera on vocals, so the Animosity members decided to tour and write themselves. In June 2011, the three played Dublin’s Button Factory as part of a world tour. Those in the crowd got glimpses into the new material, such as a version of Rat City. There is no indication of Pepper

COC guitarist Woody Weatherman. Keenan returning anytime soon. The new album is being released under Candlelight Records. It was recorded in Dave Grohl’s California Studio 606 and was produced by the band themselves. COC are to set on another world tour in April after a US tour in March, though no Irish date has been announced. The album can be streamed from http://music.aol. com/ and will be available in Tower Records in the Deluxe Edition as well as standard.

‘The Artist’ Wins Big At Back To The Future 2012 Academy Awards Hoverboards To Exist? PETER MANNING

The 84th Annual Academy Awards took place in Los Angeles on Sunday 26 February. The big winner of the night, as expected, was the much-adored silent film ‘The Artist,’ which won five of its ten nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor for its suave leading man, Jean Dujardin, who beat fellow favourite George Clooney, who proved an equal contender for the Best Actor trophy. ‘The Artist’ may have bagged five gongs, but its feat was perfectly matched by Martin Scorcese’s dark horse fantasy film ‘Hugo’ which had received the most nominations out of any picture. The 3D adventure film scored wins in various creative categories including Best Cinematography and Best Art Direction. Hollywood royalty Meryl Streep bagged her long overdue third statuette for her performance in ‘The Iron Lady,’ a film that also picked up the Best Makeup award. Streep’s Best Actress trophy comes triumphantly after a slew of dead-end nominations in this category, the most recent being for ‘Julie & Julia’ in 2009. She last won the award in 1982 for ‘Sophie’s Choice.’ Octavia Spencer was named Best Supporting Actress for her performance in ‘The Help,’ while Christopher Plummer bagged his first Oscar (in a career spanning over five decades) for Supporting Actor for ‘Beginners.’ Accepting his award, Plummer joked “You’re only two years older than me, darling… Where have you been all my life?” Along with ‘Beginners,’ other single wins on the night included ‘The Descendants’ (Best Adapted

ALLY KERR @AllyKerr_

The Artist won a total of five Academy Awards. Screenplay), ‘Midnight in Paris’ (Best Original Screenplay), ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ (Best Film Editing) and ‘The Muppets’ (Best Original Song). Only three pictures scored multiple wins: ‘The Artist,’ ‘Hugo,’ and ‘The Iron Lady.’ Multinominated pictures like ‘Albert Nobbs,’ ‘Moneyball,’ and ‘War Horse’ left empty handed. There was a win for Ireland on the night too – ‘The Shore,’ Terry George and Oorlagh Georg’s short film won the award for Live Action Short. Billy Crystal was in top form on the night in his role as host. It was reported that the ceremony had a nostalgic, ‘old-school’ feel to it, a throwback to earlier Academy Award ceremonies.

Out of all the many gadgets featured in the Back to the Future trilogy, the hover board is probably one of the most memorable (second to the DeLorean, obviously). Now it seems we might not have to wait until 2015 to get our hands on our very own hover board . “Finally! This totally awesome 1:1 replica of the hover board from the BTTF 2 and BTTF 3 films includes multiple whooshing sounds and will glide over most surfaces,” Mattel said in a post on its collector blog. For those hoping for a hover board jaunt around their own version of the Hill Valley town square, Mattel stressed that the hover boards “don’t actually ‘hover’ – check back in 2015 for that feature.” They apparently glide more than anything else. “Because this is such a high-cost item, there will be a minimum number of orders required to go into production,” Mattel said. “If we don’t receive the minimum orders, it won’t go into production and customers will not be charged.” Pricing will be announced later this month. The hoverboard made its debut in the movie’s 1989

The hoverboard as seen in Back To The Future II. sequel, helping Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) escape from bully - Biff Tannen - on multiple occasions. It showed up again in the third instalment one year later as Marty and Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) tried to get an 1885 locomotive up to 88 mph. Last year, Nike unveiled a version of the aforementioned self-tying shoes, dubbed the Nike Mag. Only 1,500 pairs of Nike Mags were released and sold on eBay, with proceeds going directly to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. Bidding quickly climbed above $3,500 in the first night, with some models topping $4,000. Like the Mattel hover board, however, the Nike Mag shoes didn’t actually fasten themselves, but fans were apparently still willing to splash out big money for the BTTF-inspired sneakers. Who knows what BTTF-inspired invention they’ll come up with next – self-drying clothes? Fingerprint-operated door locks? Flying cars? I’m personally hoping for the latter anyway!

March 1st 2012 - Volume 3, Issue 9

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“I Love Maynooth So It’s Great To Be Back!”: An Interview with Maynooth Hero Pat Byrne LYNDSEY FARRELL

Entertainments & Culture Co-Editor @TheLyndog On February 22nd one of Maynooth’s favourite past-students, Pat Byrne, returned to the SU to perform a fantastic set, accompanied by two friends and current Maynooth students. I had a quick chat with Pat before the gig, and asked him about his audition for the Irish talent show The Voice, his mentor Bressie (that gorgeous boy!) and the lives shows which start on March 4th. Pat! What’s the craic, lad? “Ah sure I’m grand, how are you?” The finest, thanks! Tell me this, how does it feel to be back in Maynooth tonight? “Ah it’s brilliant! I love Maynooth so it’s great to be back. The SU is looking great!” We’re glad to have you back! So how has life been for you since you appeared on The Voice? Any crazy fans chasing you down the street? “Ah it’s been grand. I have had people come up to me, but it’s mostly people that already know me [laughs], that knew I was going on the show! But yeah, I’m really enjoying the whole experience, it’s brilliant!” That’s what we like to hear! Tell us a bit about your audition for the show? It’s very different from shows like the X-Factor because they can’t

actually see you. “Yeah exactly, it’s totally different. I was so nervous! And before the show starts the audience are told to keep quiet when people walk on stage, so as not to give anything away to the judges. So it was very nerve-wrecking. But once I started playing I just kind of got into it, and I was lucky enough that all the judges turned around and wanted me on their team!” Of course they did, it was a class performance! And so you decided to choose Bressie as your mentor, who has performed in Maynooth a few times with The Blizzards. Word on the street is that you were already mates with him… No not all. I had been to all of their gigs when they were here, but I didn’t actually know them. I’d never had a conversation with the chap or anything! I just got up on the stage and, thankfully, he liked what he heard. Do you think he was the right choice? Is he a good mentor for you? Yeah, he’s a brilliant mentor! He has great taste in music, and that’s what I was looking for in a mentor. I wanted someone who could help me work on some great songs for he competition. So yeah, we’re getting on grand. Good stuff, you can tell him I said hello! The live shows for The Voice are starting March 4th. How are you feeling about performing live for the entire nation? I’m really excited! I’m a bit nervous, but I’m really looking forward to it. I can’t wait to get up on that stage. We’ll all be rooting for you! Finally, what advice would you give to somebody who would be considering applying for next year’s show? I’d say just be yourself. Don’t try to be something

Former Maynooth student and current member of ‘Team Bressie’, Pat Byrne. you’re not, or try to sound like somebody else. Pick a song that you like and make it your own. I think that’s how I managed to get through, I sang one of my favourite songs and it just worked for me. So that’s the advice I’d give them, just be yourself and sing what you enjoy singing.

Wise words there, my friend. Best of luck with The Voice, Pat! Pat Byrne will be performing on the first live show of The Voice on March 4th. Make sure you tune in and give him your vote!

Rocket Juice & The Moon Drainland/Crows Split 7” To Release Debut Album to be Dispatched Soon DYLAN COLLEY @DylanColley

MICHAEL O’TOOLE @bassmastashadez

In recent years we have seen the formation of a number of so called super-groups in the music industry, some of the most notable being The Dead Weather and Them Crooked Vultures each of whom have been rather successful with the release of one or more albums and subsequent tours. A supergroup of course means a band made up of members of different, very successful bands. Rocket Juice and the Moon are a new funk super-group made up of Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz (guitar, vocals and keyboard), Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers (bass) and Tony Allen, drummer and producer for Fela Kuti, on drums and percussion. The group was originally set to form in 2008 however it was held off due to a number of different, separate projects. The formation of the band was finally announced by Albarn on 27th of October 2011, a day before their first performance together in Cork at the Cork Jazz Festival. With regards to the name of the group Albarn has said that he is not responsible for the decision but that someone at Lagos who also designed the album

The logo for supergroup Rocketjuice & The Moon. sleeve gave the band the name. The genre of the album is set to be a very curious mixture of funk and afro-beat given the musical background of the members, particularly the rhythm section of the band with Flea on bass and Tony Allen on drums and percussion. It will be interesting to hear what Damon Albarn can contribute considering his background of alternative rock and Brit-pop. The album will consist of 18 tracks and will also feature appearances from Erykah Badu, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble and many others. The album is set for release in March 2012.

After much anticipation in the punk community, the split 7-inch between hardcore bands Crows and Drainland (though admittedly, the latter has been described as a metal band over hardcore at times) will finally be ready for dispatch on approximately March 5th to those who have pre-ordered it. Released under Suburban Mayhem records, the 7-inch will be limited to only 300 copies, all pressed onto black vinyl and each one will also come with a download code. The sleeve bears artwork by Al Doyle, who has designed for other Irish hardcore acts such as Contort. The bands have pressed 5 new tracks between them to this release, consisting of 2 new songs from Drainland and 3 from Crows. Under their own label, Sour Milk Records, Crows have hit the media to a large degree after they dropped their promotional track Suburbia Nervosa, which can be heard on Youtube. Part of the reason, however, for the big splash was a controversial t-shirt they released with a picture of Gerry Ryan and the caption “Just Another Dead Junky” below. This is a song title from Crows’ upcoming album ‘Better Off Dead’ which should be dropping sometime in 2012. Suburbia Nervosa will be appearing on the 7-inch along with two others by Crows- Burning Eyelids and Denouement. Both Drainland’s offerings, Solar Temple and Blood Procession, can be sampled on Suburban Mayhem’s Bandcamp site, along with Burning Eyelids. Drainland will also be releasing

Cover the new Drainland / Crows split 7-inch. 7-inches this year with bands Enabler and Witch Cult. On Thursday, March 1st at the Lower Deck Thomas House, both bands along with Only Fumes and Corpses, the mighty ZOM and Human Leopard Society will be playing a release gig at €8 for entry. The pressing can be pre-ordered now at http://suburbanmayhemrex.bigcartel.com/ for €5.

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“Now We Have The House Booby Tapped Like in Home Alone”: Interview with The Cast Of Cheers KEITH BRONI Editor-In-Chief @KeithBroni

Emerging in early 2010 with a brilliant name and an exceptional album released as a free download, The Cast of Cheers quickly became one of Ireland’s most buzzed-about new bands. After a staggering 150,000 downloads of Chariot, the album in question, the lads packed their bags and made their way to London to begin working on a second album with the intentions of giving this one a full physical release. The Print was fortunate enough to catch up with Conor (Vocals / Guitar), Neil (Guitar/Vocals), John (Bass / Vocals) and Kev (Drums) prior to their performance at this year’s HotPress Music Show. Hey guys - first off, I’m really looking forward to later on. This’ll be your first performance in Ireland in quite some time, although I’m sure you’ll be returning to your home soil for a tour once the second album is released. Neil: “Yeah. There’s no dates set at the moment, but we’re definitely coming back. We’ll be doing a proper Irish tour, hitting Cork and Galway and Dublin and Belfast maybe as well. So it’s not booked yet but we’re working on it.” Conor: “I think at the moment it all depends on the summer festivals and which of those we end up doing.” You’re on the Belsonic line-up thus far, correct? Conor: “Yeah, that’s the first one confirmed and we’ve been talking to a few others as well.” So late last year you all moved to London and began sharing an apartment. Any funny stories from that? I know Conor and Neil are brothers, but did you John and Kev discover anything new about you guys they hadn’t known before? Neil: “There’s plenty of funny stories, but they’re not PG!” Conor: “The night we became blood brothers – we felt bad for the other two since they weren’t our brothers so, ya’know...” Neil: “Yeah – we all bled on each other.” Okay… Conor: “Actually, don’t include that story – that didn’t happen.” John: “Well there was a bloody night of blood, but…” Well if I learned anything from the last interview I did with you, you guys do love slipping in as much false information as possible! I remember there was a fake former band name… Neil: “Yeah… That’s pretty true, actually. Anyway, what was this band name? Was it Skeleton Belly?” Conor: “Skeleton Belly was the joke name at the start – it was the ultimatum. It was like ‘John, if you don’t come up with a good name within the next 24 hours, we’re gonna be called Skeleton Belly.”

Neil: “It was like the prequel to Another 48 Hours, expect no Nick Nolte.” And instead of thinking long and hard he just popped on a DVD boxset and... John: “Yeah! Well, no, but…” Neil: “I believe you were on your toilet when you fell over and…” Conor: “Let’s reign this in – this is going weird!” Yes, that might be for the best! So how’d you go about Conor: “Well we signed to Schoolboy Error last summer – that was already kind of in the works but we just didn’t bother saying anything. But then they moved us over to London.” And how’d you go about getting the gigs with Theme Park and Blood Red Shoes? Was this through Schoolboy Error? Conor: “Yeah, well that’s the thing – we arrived over there and we hadn’t played since October and didn’t play until that gig with Theme Park that State. ie reviewed. So that was about five months… Oh, well be played Eurosonic as well. Anyway, the Blood Red Shoe’s manager is kind of co-managing us as well. They’ve got a new album coming out in March, so they asked if we wanted to jump aboard that tour.” Neil: “I can’t wait to support them. I think the gigs’ll be really loud and energetic and stuff. Although of course I’ll really enjoying the Theme Park tour as well.” Conor: “That tour happened because we’re both under CoOp.” Neil: “Yeah, so they put us together on a double headline tour to fill the venues, since we’re both pretty new bands in the UK.” John: “And we’re joined at pretty much every gig by local bands as well.” So you’ve been doing well enough out of the move to London, between the recording of the album and the new tours. Neil: “Yeah. I mean, the label wanted us to record the album over there, basically. They asked us what producers we wanted to work with and we had a few we’d thought about but with settled on Luke Smith. So we ended up recording it in Hackney in the studio that Luke kind of runs...” Only “kind of ” runs? Conor: “He basically just has all his gear stored there so he’s just like ‘well it’s handy to go there!’ ” Neil: “‘It’s not my studio but all my stuff is there, so…’” Speaking of gear, you had a bit of drama with yours while over in London – a lot of it was stolen, right? What happened there? Conor: “It was in our house.” Neil: “We were burgled.” John: “We came down in the morning and our front window had been rammed open and we realised we were missing quite a few bits and pieces.”

Conor: “We were scratching our heads because all the amps were still there.” Neil: “Yeah, so it was obviously robbers who didn’t want to carry heavy things.” Kev: “Yup – left me drums alone! They had to climb in over them to get to the other stuff.” Conor: “They took all the pedals though, and the laptops.” But then of course the Richter Collective began a fan donations campaign for you guys. Neil: “Yeah, that was amazing. People were kind enough to donate enough money to us so we could buy back most of the gear that’d been stolen.” Conor: “Yeah, when we realised you were able to get the gear back through donations from people… That was a really cool situation.” Neil: “And now we have the house booby trapped like in Home Alone.” Conor: “Micromachines on the window and all!” So between the 150,000 and the willingness of fans to donate money, you must be aware of a certain level of excitement surrounding the release of your next album. Have you titled it yet? Conor: “Yeah, it’s titled Family.” Sharing the name with its first single, then. Conor: “Yup!” Neil: “Every song on it is called Family.” Conor: “Haha, yeah – Family A, B C…” So did you have many “Family” tracks to whittle down for the album? Neil: “Yeah, we had loads, we had like over twenty.” Conor: “About twenty four. At first we demoed some tracks in this place called the Meadow with Vinny from Adebisi Shank. We recorded about sixteen songs up there and then about half of them made the final album, ‘coz then we demoed another eight or something a few months later. So then in the end we whittled it down to nine definites and then we left it open to Luke. We rounded it off at ten in total because that’s a nice solid number.” There was a previous interview with RTE’s Two States where you discussed the inspiration for the apocalyptic themes of Chariot. So what were the

Of course, this devastated the rest of the band members, family, friends and fans. Cheng was not only the bassist for the Deftones, he is also an author of a collection of poetry entitled The Bamboo Parachute released in 2000 as a spoken word album. He has a wife, Colleen, and he is a practicing Buddhist. He was the bassist for the Deftones since they began in 1988. Sergio Vega, formerly of post-hardcore band Quicksand, is currently replacing Cheng on tour. Seven months after his accident, Cheng was no longer dependent on life support. Two years later, he started to shortly emerge from his coma in brief breaks. Now, Cheng is able to communicate with basic sounds, operate his legs and reply to commands more frequently. His recover has been slow, but he’s shown consistent progress over the years.

Unfortunately, Cheng’s family’s insurance dropped very early during his treatment. However, his band mates, friends and family have lent their time and musical talents to help the musician, setting up a benefit concert and releasing a single to raise money to help finance Cheng’s recovery. There was an outpour of support from the music community that included benefit shows and the creation of the website- One Love for Chi, where fans can donate funds for his recovery and check on his progress. However, a website devoted to his recovery reminds fans that he still has a long way to go before Cheng is back to full health. The recent response from Cheng is a good sign that he’ll be back to normal someday, hopefully soon. Fans can keep checking the official site for his recovery fund for updates on Cheng’s progress: http:// oneloveforchi.com/

Neil, John, Conor and Kev from The Cast of Cheers. main thematic inspirations for Family? Neil: “Well Conor was reading a lot of Romeo & Juliet…” Conor: “Yeah, it’s a love album!” A love album about your families? Conor: “Well the word ‘family’ is mentioned a good few times on the album. That was totally by accident though… Kind of… I don’t really think the album focuses on one sort of theme this time really though. There’s songs like ‘Trucks At Night’ which are very apocalyptic like the stuff on Chariot, but then there’s songs like ‘Family’... John: “And ‘Animals’…” Conor: “Yeah, I’m not really sure if there’s an overall theme to this album to be honest.” Neil: “It’s varied.” Conor: “And the lyrics as well – I didn’t go for a particular style or whatever, so I suppose it’s open to interpretation.” According to a review on State.ie, you’re taken to only playing two tracks from Chariot in recent setlists. Obviously this was a conscious decision. Neil: “Well we’ve been excited to play these new songs! We do still love playing the old ones, but I thinking playing the new ones for any band is always the goal when gigging.” John: “That and when we’re playing in London, nobody really knows Chariot, so it’s actually all new to them. But yeah, we’re also really enjoying the new songs. The set that we have at the moment, I’m in love with it. I think it’s one of the best sets we’ve ever put together. Conor: “John goes to bed with the set.” Guys, just to finish up, it’s been great to see how you’ve steadily gone from success to success. It’s rare to see Irish bands getting a decent stab at the British music scene, so I honestly wish you the very best of luck and hope it all works out great. Conor: “Cheers man!” Neil: “Yeah, cheers!” The Cast of Cheers second album, Family, will be released during the summer of 2012./

Deftones Bassist’s Slow Progress In Three Year Coma ALLY KERR @AllyKerr_

Deftones bassist Chi Cheng has spent nearly three and a half years in an unconscious/semiconscious state after a tragic car accident which nearly ended his life on Nov. 4, 2008. Recent reports say that Cheng is responsive to commands and that he may be emerging from his coma. Chi Cheng was in the front passenger seat in a car driven by his sister Mae, in Santa Clara, Cuba, when they struck another car going 60 mph. Their vehicle flipped over three times and ejected Cheng, who was not wearing a seat belt. His sister sustained relatively minor injuries in the accident. The collision put him in critical condition and, after being immediately rushed to the hospital, the doctors had to perform life threatening surgery.

Bassist Chi Cheng.

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An Ode To Bill Hicks, American Hero ALLY KERR @AllyKerr_

‘I left in love, in laughter, and in truth, and wherever truth, love and laughter abide, I am there in spirit.’ On February 26, 1994 the world lost a great American hero – Bill Hicks. He was a stand-up comedian, satirist and social critic that make his audience think as well as laugh. His material was often dark and controversial where he would usually discuss society, religion, politics, philosophy and personal issues. Hicks grew up in Houston, Texas and was raised in the Baptist faith which he rebuked later in life. He was influenced by comedians such as Richard Pryor, Woody Allen, George Carlin and Lenny Bruce. Hicks showed signs of his talent at an early age when he would tell jokes and funny anecdotes before class when he attended school. Once, one of his teachers had to telephone his mother to come down and stop him from doing this so she could get on with her class. In terms of comic material, he really went against the grain by criticizing consumerism, superficiality, mediocrity, and banality within the media and popular culture. ‘If any of you here work in advertising or marketing – kill yourselves….this isn’t a joke. You are Satan’s spawn!’ He would also discuss controversial issues such as fundamentalism, war, pornography, the military and drugs. ‘Keith Richards outlived Jim Fixx,

the runner and health nut. The plot thickens…’ Hicks didn’t care what people thought of him and because of his controversial approach to comedy, he was often the victim of censorship. In 1984, Hicks was invited to appear on Late Night with David Letterman for the first time. He had a joke that he used frequently in comedy clubs about how he caused a serious accident in school that left a classmate using a wheelchair. NBC had a policy that no jokes about disabilities could be aired on the show, making his stand-up routine difficult to perform without mentioning words such as ‘wheelchair’. Again in 1993, Hick’s routine was completely cut of the David Letterman show because he made a joke about Christianity ‘Do you think if Jesus comes back he ever wants to see a fucking cross? It’s like going up to Jackie Onassis with a sniper rifle pendant and saying “Just thinking of Johnny!”’ Hicks was infuriated that his piece was cut and never appeared on the Letterman show again. In 1990, Hicks released his first album ‘Dangerous’ performed on the HBO special ‘One Night Stand’, and performed at Montreal’s Just for Laughs festival. Hicks was a massive hit in Ireland and the UK and continued touring there throughout 1991. That year, he returned to Just for Laughs and filmed his second video, ‘Relentless’. A number of times Hicks opened for progressive metal band Tool back in ’92, where he once famously asked the audience to look for a contact lens he had lost. Thousands of people searched the ground. Tool dedicated their album Ænima (1996) to Hicks. Bill Hicks has influenced comedians such as Russell Brand, David Cross (who plays Tobias Fünke in Arrested Development) and Denis Leary (who pretty much plagiarized most of Bill’s work). Hicks featured in UK’s 100 Greatest Stand-Ups on Channel Four, and appeared again in the updated

Classic Small Faces Albums Set For Reissue

DYLAN COLLEY @DylanColley

It was recently announced that 1960’s mods The Small Faces are set to re-release four classic albums in Deluxe Edition. Specifically, the albums are Small Faces (1966), From the Beginning (1967), (the confusingly titled) Small Faces (1967) and their most famous and acclaimed work Ogden’s Nut Gone Flake (1968). This announcement came not only from the bands own relatively new website but from the site of the excited Paul Weller also, who claims The Small Faces as his favourite band. Each album has been re-mastered and will come in two-disc editions, except the psychedelic Ogden’s Nut Gone Flake which will carry three discs. Included in these editions will be both Mono and Stereo versions of each track, alternate versions of tracks which have yet to hit CD and some which were never even committed to vinyl and the nonalbum singles. The CDs will also include liner notes by Mark Paytress, interviews with the surviving members and rare photographs of the band. These are the albums that established The Small Faces (a Face being a term for a stylish mod) as a

The famed former London band The Small Faces. serious power in the mod world before they became simply the Faces with the entrance of slightly taller Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood into the band. They influenced many to come after and even some of their contemporaries. The reissues are due for release on May 7th 2012.

Deceased controversial American comedian, Bill Hicks. 2010 list as the fourth-greatest comic. His The Essential Collection was also released that year. Hicks died February 26, ‘94 of pancreatic cancer. December 16, 2011 would have been his fiftieth birthday. He’s gone but certainly not forgotten and his influence reigns on. I’m going to leave you with one of my favourite quotes of his: ‘How about a positive news story? That would be newsworthy – “Today, a young man on acid realized that all matter

is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration— that we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively. There is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we’re the imagination of ourselves. Here’s Tom with the weather!”’

RTÉ Make Documentary On “How To Be Irish” EOGHAN DUNNE

On 17th February, RTÉ announced their intention to make a documentary film on the subject, “How To Be Irish”, with footage for the program coming solely from user generated clips. People from Ireland and from around the world are being encouraged to shoot a three to five minute video that captures what being Irish means to them. 2FM presenter Rick O’Shea leads the campaign and will present the show. RTÉ are utilising his Twitter status to gain publicity for the project. Alongside Rick O’Shea is Irish vlogging star Stephen Byrne on YouTube and Irish model Faye Dinsmore on Facebook. O’Shea has said that if they are lucky, the end result will turn out something like the featurelength 2011 documentary “Life in a Day”, where over 80,000 people around the world submitted footage of their lives on 24th July 2010, with spectacular results. Twitter accounts like Irish comedian Colm O’Regan’s @irishmammies and @auldlads have been playing on the idea of the typical Irish individual for months, and now RTÉ is calling on the public to have their say on how they identify themselves. Byrne sees the project as an opportunity for vloggers and budding comedians to get their face out there and their ideas to a wide audience, and encourages young people to submit their work. Members of NUI Maynooth’s Broadcasting Society are sure to be interested, and the project is set to attract a vast amount of video content. To find out what people think it is to be

Promotional image for RTÉ’s How To Be Irish. Irish, search #HowToBeIrish on Twitter, and details of exactly how to take part are on the RTÉ website. The closing date for submission of material is 6pm on Monday 5th March. “How To Be Irish” will be broadcast on St. Patrick’s Day, 17th March 2012.

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From There To The The London Fashion ‘Nooth: Hickory, NC Week Low-Down AOIFE THOMAS

A welcomong sign to Hickory, North Carolina.

DANA LINDAMOOD Americans love Ireland. We all want to visit Ireland, drink like the Irish, and claim that somehow in a tiny corner of our mixing bowl genealogy that we are Irish. In the fall of 2009, I was lucky enough to leave the claustrophobic, suburban, college town of Hickory, North Carolina and pursue the real American dream and live like the Irish for three months. My first experience in Ireland included almost getting run over by at least 10 buses because I looked the wrong direction crossing the road, which was coupled with my first impression of Ireland: the undeniable friendliness of the Irish people who kept me from getting hit by said busses. So, having survived orientation with the 9 other American who would join me on my Irish adventure, I was let loose on the Maynooth Campus. Coming from a relatively tiny American University (1800 Under/Post Grad) where class size may reach 30 in a general education class, I felt very tiny in JH1. Being the nerd I am, I sat in the third row, but couldn’t help glance behind me at the absolute expanse of seating, that in my 2nd year English course would be filled completely (but only for the first week or 2). The professors were a great deal more intimidating, than American professors, despite the fact that calling them by their first name is common practice, which I only did because often times pronouncing some of the last names was a seemingly impossible linguistic task to someone unfamiliar to the Irish language and its idiosyncrasies. I liked tutorials, which functioned much like the average American college classroom, small and interactive; but I struggled to stay focused

and attend the larger lectures where attendance was stressed, but not accounted for, and there was no interaction on my part. But enough about classes, what made the semester for me were the people I met and the communities created in the clubs and socs. I became well involved in the tech side of the drama soc, working lights and various other tasks for multiple plays. Finally, I had friends I could ask all the “hard” questions, like, “how do you pronounce Dun Loughaire?” and “Where is the best place to drink on Thursday nights?” Without the drama soc, I could have had a close-minded experience of Ireland, as well as Irish University life. As much as I adored the Americans in my program, the Irish students gave me an experience I never could have had as just a tourist. Overall, I think it speaks volumes to my study abroad experience as well as the third level Irish education system that I returned on a full time basis. While the experience is different, and the school work is never ending, the people are still as friendly and accepting as ever. And even though I can never be Irish, part of the experience is realizing there’s nothing quite like a good slagging for being the token American.

Are you an international student here in Maynooth? Have a amusing story or two about your time in Ireland thus far? Well why not get your tales published in your Students’ Union newspaper! Drop an e-mail to: editor@theprint.ie

Lights, camera, action! Running from February 17th to 22nd, London City will become exposed to the catwalk and the most fashionable styles of 2012. To entertain the eyes of A-list celebs from around the globe, fashion designers will play host to a mesmerising six-day event which bears witness to the high street fashion labels of the Autumn/Winter collection in store for 2012. 59 catwalk shows and 24 presentations are to take place over the course of six days. Some of the events sponsors include; Vodafone, TOPSHOP and Canon. Over 5,000 visitors attend LFW each year, with such audiences including a range of A-list celebrities from across the globe, while mass amounts of media coverage also evolve around the centre that is fashion. However, it cannot be underestimated that these things do not run as smoothly as one would like. In the turn out for the most talked about party of the week; Stella McCartney’s winter evening wear presentation, saw Kate Moss and Yasmin Le Bon arrive wearing similar fitted-flattering designed dresses, a total “must-not” for red carpet goers in the height of fashion festivities. Although it would seem that it was Rihanna who stole the show taking a seat at the top table next to the hostess, the singing sensation effortlessly flaunted an emerald green, full length dress, keeping things simple with her new blonde look in a sleek position she finished the perfectly executed style by accessorising with gold jewellery.

BFC Young Style Ambassador Alexa Chung. With show-stopping performances from the well-known Alexandra McQueen, Vivienne Westwood and Sophie Hulme included amongst many more, some of this year’s hottest trends seem to be appearing across the board; Scarlet red lipstick against a pale skin tone and a backstage, up-style work their magic in creating an effortless yet, perfect poise, in the top looks of 2012 that already seem to be hitting the high street. The BFC (British Fashion Council) has announced Alexa Chung as young style ambassador. With international recognition for her style and previous winner of fashion awards, Chung represents London as an icon of fashion capability. A British television presenter and the face of Lacoste fragrance; “touch of Pink” she is no stranger to the public eye, Chung’s well noted talent for pulling off her personal style makes it necessary for her to become the new BFC ambassador. She will continue to promote Britain as a hub for style and fashion during her role in 2012. One thing is for sure: the outrageous yet, uniqueness of the various looks presented at LFW can only be interpreted by ourselves with a trip to the main street, in a dance of retail therapy, keep in mind the hottest looks of 2012 and make them your own.

The Empty Glass Guide ROB GILMOUR & SHANE McNALLY Altos De Luzon 2006

Score: (A) 92. Available in O’Briens this month for €12.99 (normal price €17.99). Every so often a wine comes along and absolutely blows you away in terms of quality and sometimes even value. This is a wine I have followed over a number of years and it just keeps on getting better. Made in the lesser known Jumilla region in Spain, this wine is filled with warm baked fruits, fig, blackberry, some raspberry and a hint of chocolate. Aged for twelve months in new French oak there is a layer of complexity with notes of cinnamon and cedar box. Full bodied, great structure and delicious.

Norton Malbec Reserva 2009

Score: (A) 89. Available in O’Briens for €12.99.

A wine that I used to buy a lot but seemed to have forgotten about recently, so I decided to reacquaint myself. Typical Argentine Malbec, full bodied and rich. Notes of blueberries, dates, violets and a lovely chocolaty kick from the twelve months in oak… That is two chocolates in a row, I am sensing a trend developing here. Funnily enough both of these wines go very well with some dark chocolate.

Longview Yakka Shiraz 2008

Score: (A) 90. Available in O’Briens this month for €12.99 (normal price €17.99) Some of our avid readers may remember Longview from the Devil’s Elbow (winner of wine of the year on emptyglassie.com) and winner of Long Legs Food and Wine soc Cabernet blind tasting. Well Peter Saturno, winemaker at Longview has another winner here with his top level Shiraz. Intense aroma of blueberries, blackberry, redcurrant, eucalyptus, cedar and a hint of cracked pepper. The wine is still developing, with the overall structure suggesting years of potential for bottle age. Yes this also goes well with some dark chocolate.

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The 54th Annual Grammy Awards CONOR McCRAVE February 12th saw 39.9 million viewers tune in across the states for the biggest award show in music, The 54th Grammy Awards. The annual ceremony, hosted this year by rapper LLCoolJ, recognizes the contribution by artists to the music industry and was held in the Staples Centre in L.A. A delicate balance was achieved as stars mourned the passing of 48 year old Whitney Houston less than 48 hours before the ceremony, while still celebrating current and upcoming musical talent. Tributes to the late singer became topic of conversation on the red carpet with Kelly Rowland amongst others commenting on the singers passing. The X Factor Judge told E!News reporters “we lost our hero” and added The Bodygaurd actress “impacted not only the music industry, but the world with her gift” Grammy Award winner Jennifer Hudson took to the stage to pay tribute to the star with an emotional performance of Houston’s signature track “I Will Always Love You”. The Dreamgirls actress told Us Weekly “It was the greatest honour of my life to be able to be the one to pay tribute to Whitney’s memory.’ British singer Adele also took centre stage at the

Ceremony entertaining guests with her three-time nominated hit “Rolling in the Deep”. Adele beat the competition in all six of her nominated categories. Amongst these she was awarded with ‘Song of the Year’ and ‘Record of the Year’ for “Rolling in the Deep” as well as ‘Album of the Year for 21 and ‘Best Pop Solo Performance for “Someone like You”. Upon accepting the awards, the overwhelmed 23 year old added “this has been the most life changing year”. Californian Girl Katy Perry delivered an emotionally charged performance of “Part of Me” while Nicki Minaj gave a more controversial performance of “Roman Holiday” after arriving on the red carpet accompanied by a man resembling the Pope. Barbados born Rihanna sang out her hit “We Found Love” followed by a duet with Coldplay, who concluded the performance with “Paradise”. Chris Brown, received a surprisingly warm welcome at the awards ceremony, after picking up the coveted Gramophone statue In the ‘Best R’n’B Album’ category for his F.A.M.E. Brown also took to the stage with a remix of “Turn up the Music” and “Beautiful People” leading onlookers to question whether this kind embrace by the industry came too soon, after being charged with assaulting his then girlfriend Rihanna, on the eve of the Grammy ceremony three years ago. Alicia Keys alongside Bonnie Raitt honoured the memory of the late Etta James, with their rendition of James’ classic “Sunday Kind of Love”. The tribute was initially to pay homage to James, but also paid homage to Whitney Houston after news broke of her death. Keys told guests “When the truly great artists leave us, their legacy lives on” and concluded the tribute with Raitt saying “We love you Etta”

Adele celebrating with her six Grammy Awards. directly followed by “We love you Whitney” from Keys. After spending more than fifty years in the spotlight, Diana Ross was honoured with the lifetime achievement award. She added “Its has been such an incredible ride, I am very happy, very excited” and told the audience she is “ready to go

into the studio and make new music” As expected The Grammy Awards 2012 saw both triumph and tragedy, as the music industry was faced with the death of an icon, but did however manage to uphold the both controversial and poised nature that make these awards show so successfully entertaining!

9th Jameson Film Festival Irvine Welsh & HBO To Welcomes Special Guests Make ‘Knuckle’ Drama MSUGHTER IWAR

DARA FOLAN

There was a buzz around Dublin last week with word that Oscar award-winning actor Al Pacino was in town. He was present to promote his new documentary-drama, Wilde Salome at the 11-day Jameson Dublin International Festival that ended on the 26th of February. The movie showcases Al Pacino’s exploration of arguably Ireland’s foremost playwright, Oscar Wilde while performing his interpretation of his play Salome. He was amongst a few other Hollywood names such as Mark Wahlberg who was present to promote his action thriller Contraband and Martin Sheen who was promoting his drama Stella Days, which brings viewers back to 1950’s Ireland in a story about a priest struggling between faith and passion. This continues the festival’s history of attracting notable cinema personalities including Sean Penn, Charlize Theron and Liam Neeson despite being a relatively young film festival, celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. The festival has been a huge boost for Irish cinema since it kicked off in 2002 and has grown simultaneously with the Irish film industry. This year the will have a total of eight Irish films being screened. This adds to the 1,137 films that have been screened since the festivals inception. It’s also a busy time for students interested in cinema

Those who were watching the Irish documentary Knuckle on its maiden national broadcast two Sundays ago and found themselves itching for some more bare-knuckle action will be happy to learn that American network HBO have picked up the rights to make a drama based on the gritty documentary. HBO, the purveyors of such quality series as The Sopranos, The Wire and Boardwalk Empire, purchased the rights after the documentary’s acclaimed screening at the Sundance Film Festival last summer. It has now recently emerged that Irvine Welsh the Irish-based, Scottish writer and creator of Trainspotting has been attached as chief writer on the project. On a different note I ask: Whatever happened to the days (nights?) when Sunday viewing in Ireland solely consisted of Glenroe, Where in the World and [insert nostalgic, era specific series here]? Families would gather around the warm glow of a Mitsubishi television as means to escape the drab existence of the farm and to live vicariously through the adventures of Miley and Biddy...on a different farm. The back to back terrestrial television double impact that was Knuckle and TV3’s Tallafornia probably resulted in the cardiac arrest of some poor unfortunate viewer.

Al Pacino with Irish President Michael D. Higgins. because they have a chance to join the 1,568 volunteers that have been involved with the festival over these years. In 2008, the festival created a forum to support talent in the Irish film industry by creating the Irish Talent Spotlight with this year’s focus on composer Brian Byrne (Albert Nobbs) and directors Ian Fitzgibbon (Death of a Superhero), Pat Collins (Silence). Al Pacino’s trip to Dublin was complete when he was honoured with the festival’s Volta Award sharing the accolade with past honourees Daniel Day-Lewis and George Harrison.

Knuckle, directed by relatively unknown filmmaker Ian Palmer, intermittently documents the life of James Quinn McDonagh and his extended family over a 12 year period. This timeframe alone renders Knuckle a unique achievement, considering the focus of the documentary is on a traditionally closed and guarded community. Knuckle is certainly a brutal and unprecedented insight into the realities of Traveller bare-knuckle boxing, even if at times it feels like a low budget ‘Danny Dyer’s Deadliest Men’ episode. Although primarily acting in a fly-on- wall capacity, Palmer does manage to subtly capture the gradual development of his protagonists and highlights the questionable rationalization of their feuds and fights. While these fights are deemed a matter of principle and a necessary by-product of wider family disputes and issues early on in the documentary, it is interesting to see how increased financial rewards, commercialization and video circulation over time, have rendered this brutal ‘tradition’ into a sort of clandestine prize-fight. Having recently produced the widely successful series Game of Thrones in Northern Ireland, HBO are no strangers to these shores and given the networks attention to detail expect a cast of largely home-based actors. Writer Irvine Welsh with his long-awaited prequel novel to Trainspotting, Skagboys, due for release this April, will be a busy man if production on this series is to start this year. One thing is certain, there is certainly no shortage of colourful characters to choose from and Knuckle should provide ample material for Mr. Welsh and HBO. Maybe HBO can invest in a gritty Glenroe reboot with James Gandolfini as Miley?

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CARNAGE

Film. 79 minutes. Directed by Roman Polanski. Starring Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, John C. Reilly. Released 3rd February 2012.

Roman Polanski pokes fun at middle class niceties in his newest feature film Carnage. The plot is simple, concentrating on the most banal aspects of life. Nancy and Alan Cowen (Kate Winslet and Christopher Waltz) must reach an agreement with Michael and Penelope Longstreet (John C. Reily and Jodie Foster), after their son’s scuffle, which results in a blow to the Longstreet’s son’s head via a branch, wielded by the Cowen’s offspring. Carnage is a belly burster of laughter from start to finish. Indeed it is comedy at its best, with fantastic timing. It is clever and smart, never relying on slapstick humour or cliché to gain a cheap laugh. Most importantly however, Carnage is not a film that takes itself too seriously, but also does not descend into farce. It blends toilet humour with bourgeois puns , and carries both off to an impeccable degree. Its style can be best likened to Stanley Kubrick’s hilarious Doctor Strangelove (or how I Learned to Stop Worrying and Start Loving the Atomic Bomb). Like Strangelove, Carnage plays masterfully on

THE WOMAN IN BLACK

Film. 95 minutes. Directed by James Watkins. Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Ciarán Hinds, Janet McTeer, Sophie Stuckey, Liz White. Released 10th February 2012.

The Woman in Black has inevitably been seen as the litmus test for Daniel Radcliffe’s ability to escape from Harry Potter. What can be said for the film other than this however? The Woman in Black, directed by James Watkins, does exactly what it says on the tin, delivering a haunted house / angry ghost hell bent on revenge narrative. Radcliffe plays Arthur Kipps , a young father in the throws of personal and professional crises due to the impact of his wife’s premature death. He is sent on a job to recover the last will and testament of Alice Drabow, in order to prove his salt to his employers. When he arrives at nearest village the residents seem none to pleased to have him poking his nose around the old Drabow house and with due merit as the audience will find out. The Woman in Black is nothing new but is also a rather

the social conventions of its time and reminds its audience how ridiculous and absurd they are. The entire cast of Carnage deliver powerhouse performances, in particular Christopher Waltz who plays a cell-phone addicted father who tires quickly of the reconciliation game, which the other parents seem intent on playing. Kate Winslet also shines in her performance as Nancy who sheds her pretences as the plot progresses. Her performance that won Winslet the Golden Globe for Actress in a Musical or Comedy, easily outstrips Foster, who was nominated for the same award. Foster’s performance is not so much flawed, rather it is not endearing, making it hard for audiences to warm to her character, the uptight and righteous Penelope. John C. Reily keeps the momentum going with ease and an extremely natural performance in the role of Michael. Carnage is truly a comedic and cinematic achievement that will stand its ground against the long list of Polanski’s other films of note. Set entirely in an apartment, the audience relishes in the closed and confining nature that humour alone can break through. Carnage masterfully provides audiences with a satire of our rather drab and unrealistic value systems and provides an escape from them. It is an example of screenwriting at its finest and also is fantastic in terms of editing. To sum up Carnage is a thrill and a genuinely hilarious film, which will not age any time soon. CHRISTINA MURPHY

decent horror film, which makes great use of shadow and light. The Woman in Black is a tense rollercoaster of emotions with great crests of tension and frights, mingled with white-knuckled anticipation for the next scare. The film succeeds in depriving its audience from a few nights’ sleep, but really doesn’t advance the horror genre at all. Daniel Radcliffe’s performance is endearing and engaging. Indeed he does manage to cast aside Harry Potter’s cloak and wand to the best degree as can be expected. There are problems of course. Whenever Radcliffe bumps into a door he cannot open, you cannot help but think ‘Aloehomora …Why doesn’t he just use Aloehomora?’ Radcliffe does his best however, but is somewhat unbelievable in the role of father and widowed husband, largely due to his age rather than his performance. Another performance which is not eclipsed by Radcliffe is Ciaran Hinds as Daily, an aggrieved father determined to prove the beliefs of his neighbours wrong. However the film is truly the Daniel Radcliffe show, which leads to rather poor character development for other characters. Despite its flaws The Woman in Black truly is an entertaining and gripping film from beginning to end. You get exactly what you pay for in terms of being scared out of your wits, but unfortunately not much else. CHRISTINA MURPHY

SILENT HOUSE

Film. 85 minutes. Directed by Chris Kentis & Laura Lau. Starring Elizabeth Olsen, Adam Trese, Eric Sheffer. Released 16th March 2012.

Chris Kentis’ and Laura Lau’s Silent House is the latest in the slew of foreign language films to be remade for the Hollywood audience. Filmed in a near identical fashion to the Uruguayan original, Silent House does little to advance the horror genre. It tells the all too familiar story of a scary house, under assault by human/ supernatural forces, leaving a young woman, Sarah (Elizabeth Olsen) to attempt to find safety. In spite of this, the film is genuinely scary and tense, particularly in its middle section, after which it looses some of its steam. Shot to look like a continuous, single take the camerawork in Silent House adds fantastically to its atmosphere. At the beginning of the film however, the camerawork is more nauseating, than eerie with its constant shakes and rattles. Set design adds greatly to the tension, as does the use of shadow and (lack of) light. Audiences are treated to a constant threat of a scare due to this. The three main actors in the feature vary greatly in

terms of their execution. Both Adam Trese and Eric Sheffer Stevens, cast in the roles of Sarah’s father and uncle are wooden and unbelievable for long stretches of the film. Trent’s performance is worse however, which results in his character becoming parody. To the credit of Eric Sheffer Stevens his performance improves greatly as the film proceeds. With all these factors in mind, Elizabeth Olsen’s job was never going to easy. Once again however, she shows her ability to completely command the screen and the audience with a natural finesse and everyday charisma. Hot off the tail of her impeccable debut performance in Martha Marcy May Marlene, Olsen delivers another stellar performance. She is truly the most redeeming thing about the film and is many ways above it. Olsen captivates audiences for the entire length of the film, delivering a realistic and human portrayal, something that is extremely hard to do when venturing almost solely on the terror spectrum. Silent House is an extremely watchable film, which will not disappoint cinema audiences. It succeeds in infecting its viewers with terror and tension, but little else. The film is not in any sense a classic, but will perhaps be remembered as an excellent performance in the early career of Elizabeth Olsen, whose legacy will hold much more longevity than this film. CHRISTINA MURPHY

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SLEIGH BELLS REIGN OF TERROR Album. 36:24 minutes. Mom + Pop. Released 21st February 2012.

This album is simultaneously punk, industrial, shoegaze and most certainly electronic. Sleigh Bells are as confusing as they are loud; they shred guitar, they are perhaps heavier than any mainstream metal band playing today and they promise to make you bleed if you frequent them live. But the music somehow strikes that aloof chord between frantic and relaxing. This band is paradoxical to say the least. Female lead singer Alexis Krauss is still the pretty lady screaming down your headphones on this second album Reign of Terror, but she now sounds a hell of a lot more knowledgeable. Perhaps losing your voice through excessive gigging has its benefits, or simply being able to afford new recording equipment after smashing up your old gear goes a long way. Opening track “True Shred Guitar” gives a live opening feel of the heart pulsing goodness to come. Derek Miller, the mastermind behind the band, is still layering his preferred electric guitars over anything that gets in his way. “With [debut album] Treats it was less clear to me whether Sleigh Bells was going to be a guitar band or if we

EMILI SANDE - OUR VERSION OF EVENTS Album. 48:56 minutes. Virgin Records. Released February 13th 2012.

After winning the British Critics Choice Award 2012, its hardly surprising Emili Sande topped the UK Albums Chart with ‘Our Version of Events’. Sande sprung to some well deserved attention, after collaborating with Professor Green on ‘Read all about it’ and her first solo single ‘Heaven’. Her debut album reigns as a no-holds example of her unique vocal ability. A selection of contrasting tracks make up the album, some highlighting a softer tone to her vocal skills, and indeed some with a more edgy sound to them. The sound is almost a cross between Leona Lewis, and Amy Winehouse at times, and surprisingly it works. The album genre as a whole, is a prime example of modern soul combined with an r’n’b mix. The first track of the album ‘Heaven’ is the single let down however. The combination of a soulful vocal, and the strong beat, simply doesn’t work well. It doesn’t fall under the easy listening category that so many of the songs on

were going to do more sample-heavy stuff ”. Well it certainly is clear now; the guitar certainly won. Songs like “You Lost Me” and “Demons” show case how lead singer Krauss is simply employed as just another layer of noise to play around with between the ambience and guitar chugging in the studio. First single “Comeback Kid” is one of the most accessible songs the band has ever recorded; although it still moves at breakneck speed and the lyrics are still mostly indistinguishable, but Krauss sure does sound cute when she fires those syllables out at us. Coincidentally, my housemate started blow-drying her hair while I was reviewing this album and I had a realisation that the sound pretty much fit in with the vibe of the work; tonal noise is always good noise for Sleigh Bells. Essentially this second album sounds like a cheerleading brigade at a motorcycle revving convention. It is not wholly unique, but it is done extremely well on every single track. If you want to get Sleigh Bells in a nutshell; think something along the lines of the introduction to Sesame Street meets The Prodigy in a dark club... and Elmo is wearing every leather item that he could possibly own. DEAN HEALY @OnaedInSpace

this album do, but hey I suppose one in fourteen ain’t bad! Next to me is probably the best known of the album, and as combination of vocals, beats, and lyrics, its quite possibly the best. It is notable that Sande wrote most of these songs, and as an artist in their early twenties, to pen her debut album at such a high standard, is but another achievement under the singers belt. The 13th track of the album ‘Hope’, was penned by Alicia Keys, and the raw vocals of Keys similarly resonate in Emile Sandes. Not only are the vocals strong, but so too are the lyrics, and resulting in one of the best tracks on the album. Sande proves she is not only talented vocally on this set of tracks, as she incorporates her pianist skills into the beat. River highlights this delicate balance, and the play between piano and voice envelopes the track with a delicacy, lacking in many current artists. All these aspects combined, and a further array of awards will be on the way soon. To arrive on the music scene with such a creative, and talented debut album, there’s no doubt Emili Sande will be going places. If Sande takes the talent, adds the beat, involves the right people, she will most certainly be the one to watch! CONOR McCRAVE

MARK LANEGAN BLUES FUNERAL Album. 55:27 minutes. A4D. Released February 6th 2012.

It’s hard to believe that this is Mark Lanegan’s first solo album since the glorious Bubblegum which was released in 2004. The former Screaming Trees vocalist has been so prolific over the past few years on collaborations with musicians such as Queens of the Stone Age, PJ Harvey, Isobel Campbell and Greg Dulli that it seems as though he’s been a constant fixture. He has been a frequent guest on RTE’s Other Voices and has played in the Academy numerous times. He really shows a great love for this country and I think we’re going to love his new work. The album opens with the single, “The Gravedigger’s Song” with its canned distortion and droning electronics. “Riot I My House” which features QOTSA’s Josh Homme on guitar, has that definitive hard-rock sound the Lanegan is known for. “Ode to Sad Disco” actually sounds like a sad disco track with its electronics and electro drums, similar to MGMT or the Naked and Famous. You can hear his definitive, baritone screams in both “St Louis Elegy” and on “Deep Black Vanishing Train”. “Burning Jacob’s Ladder”

is a great bonus track with a blue-grass feel and sounds almost like the theme music to a Western. Lanegan shows his fondness for Southern Gothic genre as it seems to be a frequent lyrical foundation for his songs. He also likes to express his fondness for drink on this album too: “If tears were liquor / I’d have drunk myself sick” he coons on St. Louis Elegy. Regardless of all the collaborations he has done since departing from Screaming Trees, Lanegan proves he is still a magnificent solo musician. Fans of QOTSA, Tom Waits and Nick Cave should check out Mark Lanegan if they haven’t already. Mark Lanegan is set to play the Academy on March 7th. ALLY KERR @AllyKerr_

Saw a movie that you liked? Didn’t like? An album? An If you’d like to start contributing, drop an e-mail into the e-mail address below! editor@theprint.ie

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The Playstaton Vita Let Loose MARK TIERNEY We’ve been here before. 6 years ago, Sony took its first steps into the handheld market with the PSP. Released alongside Nintendo’s 3DS, the portable sold around 71 million units, a qualified success, but those numbers were dwarfed by the reported 151 million DS’ that were sold in the same period of time. Quite simply, the PSP’s graphical superiority could not mitigate the effect of a poor line-up of games at launch and throughout its life cycle, along with a price point that was at launch $100 higher than the recently launched DS. As such, the PSP never reached the heights that many expected it to reach before its launch. One would be forgiven for thinking that Sony should stick to the console market and leave the handhelds to Nintendo, after all they’ve been doing it for 32 years, 25 more than Sony, but then again, the PlayStation wasn’t supposed to be a success and we all know how that turned out. The PS Vita is in many ways an evolution of the PSP rather than a full blown evolution. Like its predecessor, the Vita’s calling card is its technical might. It is quite simply the most advanced handheld ever made. The launch model features two quad-core processors, a 5 inch touchscreen OLED display, a rear touchscreen and dual

analogue sticks, one more than the PSP whose lack of a second stick was often annoying and at times infuriating. The system will be released as two different versions: one with 3G support provided by Vodafone which will retail for €299.99 and a cheaper version without 3G support that will set you back €249.99. Perhaps more noteworthy is the price of a memory card for the handheld which does not come with one in the box and will cost you anywhere from €19.99 for a 4 GB to €49.99 for a 16 GB card. The launch line-up is thankfully much more promising than its predecessors with titles such as Wipeout 2048, Super StarDust Delta, ModNation Racers: Road Trip and Nathan Drake’s first foray into the handheld world, Uncharted: Golden Abyss set for release on launch day. The question remains however, can the PS Vita succeed in loosening Nintendo’s grip on the handheld market? Its chances for doing so are certainly better than they were 6 years ago, considering the rather lukewarm reception Nintendo’s new 3DS has received in Europe and North America, however Sony must also find a way to win over those consumers who own neither a PSP or a DS who are happy gaming on whatever mobile platform they own, whether it be their mobile phone, iPad or Android. Above all else, Sony needs to ensure the Vita rapidly stockpiles a strong library of impressive games, something the DS had a virtual monopoly on during the previous generation. From the simple 5 minute diversions, to the triple-A titles that would not look out of place on a console; if they can get that right, then Sony may just be onto a winner.

The Playstation Vita is the successor to Sony’ first handheld gaming console, the Playstation Portable.

Facebook Hacker Jailed Google Paying People For Eight Months To Monitor Them?

SHANE KIERNAN

CONOR McCRAVE

26 year old Glenn Mangham has been sentenced by the English courts to serve eight months in prison over what has been described as the most serious hacking offence the courts had ever seen. Mangham’s hacking of a Facebook employee’s account to attain ‘invaluable information’ was described by the prosecution as ‘ingenious, calculated and sophisticated’. The breach of Facebook’s system took place in April of last year over a number of days from Mangham’s bedroom, which is perhaps the most intriguing fact of the case. Personally, I think the case should be treated as a cautionary event in Facebook’s security history, especially for a site of over 845 million users. Mangham’s defence stated that the breach was only carried out as a personal challenge and not a crime based on the consideration of profit. Be that as it may, the data that Mangham stole was not even fully disclosed to the British Courts, lending credence to the notion that Facebook have some shady dealings going on underhand, although that

Are Google taking the idea of Big Brother to a whole new level? Just over a month ago the multi-billion dollar earning company revealed they would be using information obtained from users of the Google services including Youtube and Gmail. The company has now set up a new program called Screenwise. Through this program Google will financially reward users to track their every online move. The program will initially reward users with a $5 amazon.com gift card, and a further $5 for every three months they remain with the program. Google states, this program will give them access to information “such as what times of day people browse, how long they stay on websites and what types of sites are popular” for what they believe will “make a better online experience for everyone”. The program is open to anyone over 13, with a Google account and using Google Chrome to browse the net. The leader in internet search engines, is also offering cash in exchange for information reports arstechnica.com. A select 2,500 people as part of the Screenwise panel, will install a plug-in device to their computer, in

Technology Editor @shanezor101

Jailed Facebook hacker Gleen Mangham.

is just speculation. In a question of safety of user and company data, it has to be considered the ramifications of this breach, seeing as it was carried out by one man acting alone from his bedroom, what are Facebook going to do? Hacker activist group, Anonymous, have already made claims to take down the global networking giant, yet the claims were met with little action on both sides. While, obviously, there are extensive security measures in place in Facebook’s system, the determination of a group of individuals such as Anonymous could do much worse damage to the sites system than one man who had carried out the hack in a simple challenge to see if he could do it. Despite Mangham being convicted as an ‘e-criminal’, I think his actions must be commended in pointing out the hole in security in such a sophisticated and renowned website.

The logo and router for Google Screenwise.

exchange for an initial $100 for joining, and further $20 each month thereafter. Google, have teamed up with Knowledge Networks, an online research company, which may lead to speculation as to where exactly this information will be used, and who will have access to it. Website infoworld.com report that search engines including Google “all records are retained in their vast data banks any term that you query in addition to the date and time your query was processed.” If this is the case only time will tell how much new information Google will obtain and how effective it will be to the site. 16 years on from Google was founded, the company is adding a whole new layer to the term Big Brother.

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“Cum” To Mondays At Alchemy?

AOIFE CAMPBELL

Monday’s at Alchemy is a club-night run by agency Midnight Promotions, and held in Alchemy, a venue on Fleet Street, in Temple Bar. Those familiar with these club-nights may have a sense of the advertisements used to promote them. I first became familiar last weekend, when I spotted a discussion, sparked by a blog post titled “the sex sells myth” on Facebook. The particular advertisement being discussed, contained the image of a young girl, reaching for her underwear which lay around her ankles, a beer can in the background, accompanied by the slogan If you’re not up for it don’t cum. The event page for the night emphasised in more explicit terms the particular audience welcome at Alchemy’s doors, commenting that: “If you’re in a relationship, don’t cum, if you’re frigid don’t cum, only cum if you’re up for it!” Up for what exactly? In this instance up for having sex it seems, in previous weeks, to cite a few more of the clubs tag-lines, up for “getting creamed”, “getting laid or dying trying” for “sluts and suits” and for “drippin moths and cheap shots”. All were accompanied with an image, one or two suggestive of heterosexual sex, most featuring just one girl – crawling around scantily clad, pouring cream on herself, posing in a bikini or pole dancing alone. There are extensive problems with what Monday’s at Alchemy are selling and how they’re selling it, all of which were expressed on their page by me and many others. After having our concerns erased from the event page, it was clear that the promoters were keen to keep these blatant problems out of the limelight, unfortunately for them, in doing so they produced just the opposite. On setting up a Facebook group titled “End Monday’s at Alchemy’s sexist and dangerous advertising” with the aim of encouraging people to formally complain to the A.S.A.I. - requests, debate and support came flooding in, reaching over 850

members in five days. Clear from the subsequent discussion on the group page is the anger, disgust and frustration not just at the image first discussed, but at the entire tone which the promoters are attempting to achieve in their advertisements. This tone is not only sexist in its depictions of women and men, but also extremely dangerous in its rhetoric. Midnight Promotions are not just selling us sex; they are selling us the entitlement to sex on attending their club-night. If we are not “up for it” we are not welcome, meaning if we enter Alchemy, we are signing an agreement to be ‘up for’ whatever happens. This message is laced with the eerie sentiment of responsibility which penetrates our ever swelling rape culture. Responsibility on the part of the victim of sexual assault is inherent in societal attitudes which promote the idea that sexual consent is implied when a girl decides to consume alcohol, to walk home alone or to wear a certain outfit. Such sentiments shift the responsibility of sexual violence from the perpetrator onto the victim, leading to a vast under reporting of sexual assaults. Images and messages used in the advertising of club nights such as Monday’s at Alchemy (and a multitude of other products and services) promote this shift in responsibility, and in this implication sell us a particular version of sex, of women and of men. In reducing women in the media to bodies, to objects, we as consumers and human beings are accepting the implied role, place and limits of the female sex as-sexually available, passive, powerless and in this particular case explicitly ‘up for it’. Simultaneously, we are accepting the role, place and limits of the male sex, as sexually dominant, powerful and aggressive. This idea of men and women, and of sex, is dangerous and restricting for all genders and sexualities, producing both cultural and structural inequalities for each. Such advertisements are not, sexually liberating for either sex - being handed a construction of your gender

A cropped version of the offensive advertisement used by Mondays At Alcameny. and apparent sexual desire is not liberating for anybody. Comments posted on the “End Monday’s at Alchemy sexist and dangerous advertising” page which disagreed with the groups perspective, argued that people can choose not to attend the club night if they disliked what it promoted. It is of course true that we can choose not to attend nights such as these but we cannot choose to opt-out of a

culture which validates the messages which such promotions endorse. The A.S.A.I. have released a statement to say that they cannot regulate Facebook advertising but that this policy, on the vast number of complaints they received about Monday’s at Alchemy, is currently ‘under review’

America And Iran’s Slow March To War MARK DILLON The past ten years have been good for the military-industrial complex. The share price of the United States’ largest defence contractor, Lockheed Martin, has risen by 60% since 2002, and this increase is mirrored across the board. Sex sells, but it seems weapons sell better. And if the current warmongering against Iran in the USA turns to military action, the party looks set to continue. Listening to the Republican candidates’ debate, you’d get the impression that Iran has 100 Trident missiles aimed at their heads. Three out of four of the remaining candidates are in favour of war with the country. Ron Paul is not, but he’s “satanic”, so nobody listens to him. President Obama has not explicitly said that he is in favour of war with Iran, and this has led to him being castigated by certain sections of the US media. He speaks about leaving all options, presumably including war, on the table. His website states that “we have recognized Iran’s international right to peaceful nuclear power” and that “we do not interfere in Iran’s internal affairs”. This rhetoric contradicts what he has actually done, which is

impose economic sanctions against Iran’s oil and banking sectors and send military drones into Iranian air space. As well as this, half a dozen Iranian nuclear scientists have been assassinated, if not by US hands very probably by their Israeli allies. So considering all this, surely Iran poses a nuclear threat, or the US wouldn’t expend so much energy worrying about them? Well, there has been no credible evidence to suggest that Iran has a nuclear weapon, or is even pursuing obtaining one. The U.S. Secretary Leon Panetta acknowledged in January that Iran is not trying to develop a nuclear weapon, and was only trying to develop nuclear power, sentiments echoing the Director of National Intelligence, James R. Clapper’s previous assertions. There is a lot not to like about Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but he has called for the creation of a nuclear-weapons free zone in the Middle East. As well as this, Iran has repeatedly made compromise offers to place strict limits on its nuclear program beyond what the NonProliferation Treaty and the Additional Protocol require of Iran, including operating Iran’s nuclear program as an international consortium, with the full participation of foreign governments. Iran has recently even opened its borders to International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors, who are affiliated to the UN, allowing them full inspections. However, the USA, and other Western powers have constantly demanded that Iran suspend its nuclear program. Iran, being an independent country, has resisted these demands, citing its alienable right to pursue nuclear, like various other countries have done.

American President Barack Obama in conversation with a member of the US military. However, this has only made it more of a target. The only time when Iran has come close to having a nuclear weapon was when the US backed Shah of Iran was in power. C.I.A. documents show that in 1974, the USA was planning to allow Iran become a nuclear power in the mid-1980s, should the Shah have been in power. However, the Shah was overthrown by a popular revolution in 1979, and the West has imposed sanctions ever since. If the US really believed that Iran had ambitions of becoming a rogue nuclear power, along the lines

of North Korea, then surely they could use some of their $698bn defence budget to carry out tactical strikes on the country. But unfortunately, all the signs point to all-out war, especially if a Republican candidate is elected. Politicians and the US media have been racketing up fears about a small country led by a dislikeable man, who fails to toe the US line. All this sounds very similar to another Middle Eastern country who were said to have weapons of mass destruction. And look what happened there.

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An Arguement For The Now A War On Obama’s Return of College Fees “War On Religion”

ROBERT KELLY

I write this article not just as an opinion piece but as an act of concern for the students of Maynooth. It’s not one I write joyfully, or with an expectation that everyone will change their minds and agree with me. I simply feel that when the topic of college fees arises, the free-fees brigade gets a monopoly on portraying what the student body wants. I propose to you today that college fees be paid in-full by the students who attend. I further propose that the universities be privatized, be subsequently deregulated and opened up to competition. I argue that this option is better for the country as a whole, for the students and for the universities themselves. First off the idea of “free fees” is a fallacy. Its fallacy because there are no ‘free’ fees, someone else always foots the bill. They’re only ‘free’ for those who attend college. What happens in reality is that people are forcibly stripped of their income by way of taxes. Taxes are a state-imposed penalty on success and in this circumstance are used to pay for something the taxpayer doesn’t directly want or benefit from, but that exist simply because the majority demand it. The majority are nothing more than a group of people who band together and plunder that which they want from public coffers, as they see as some kind of right or entitlement. The majority seem to be of the view (either explicitly or implicitly) that education is an inalienable right and that they have a mandate to trample on other people’s rights. Only negative rights (freedom of speech, civil rights and private property for example) can exist in the world without being contradictory of each other. I don’t disagree with people being educated, if I did I don’t think I’d be writing this article now. What I do disagree with are the current methods by which they achieve this goal. For example, I would

personally love to put an end to physical and sexual abuse of men and women in the home. It is possible to do this by installing a camera in the front room of every home. This example exemplifies that the end does not necessarily justify the means. This really glorifies the old saying that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. In fact it all boils down to a fundamental question of should someone be robbed of what is rightfully theirs for a mythical “greater good”? Those who say 3rd level education is a right are really saying that their free education is worth more to society than the right of the taxpayer to not have to pay for their free ride. Frederic Bastiat (a great economist and journalist) once said that “when plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men living in society they create for themselves, in course of time, a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that glorifies it”. Some people like to shout about how the American “free market system” of education has failed and that the ridiculously high fees are a result of the privatisation of education. On the contrary, they are high due to government failure implemented by loan schemes where the colleges may charge as much as they want, while being fully aware that the student can pay using the government’s money. It is my view that a serious debate is needed between students and taxpayers in Ireland. The current system of an illusion of free fees is untenable. The free market is the best provider of goods and services ever devised. When I argue for fees I don’t fight for those who currently control the universities or for any multi-national corporation. I argue on behalf of society as a whole, who would be far better off with 3rd level education that is paid by the students rather than demanded by the middle classes at the expense of everyone else.

MATTHEW MULLIGIAN @sususummertime

An increasingly extremely conservative Republican field of presidential candidates has brought a new level to attacks on secularism, with Republicans declaring Obama’s legislation as regularly being part of his “war on religion”. Not content with branding universal healthcare as “Obamacare”, Republicans then proceeded to order that the heads of religious institutions such as Catholic hospitals shouldn’t have to break their conscience by allowing their employees (read: women) to avail of contraception as part of their insurance plans (read: preventative healthcare). No one has raised the question of what would happen if, for example a Jehovah’s Witness employer decided his morals were being violated by allowing his employees to avail of blood transfusions. As Jon Stewart of the Daily Show put it, religious leaders have “confused freedom with not always getting their own way”! The ridiculous Congressional committee appointed to investigate is devoid of any females. The panel set up to investigate female birth control, the female reproductive system and female health has not one single female sitting on it. Instead the committee is made up completely of men, most of them religious leaders whose only qualification to be on such a panel is that their opinion on birth control goes against Obama.

Democratic representative Carolyn Maloney was clear in her anger as she confronted the committee and the chairman: “What I want to know is where are the women?” The response was that the committee couldn’t find a single woman in all of America who met “the requirements” needed to sit on the panel. This is a pathetic attempt to shield the Republican run panel from just complaints of anti-woman intent. It has been argued that this panel is being unfairly criticised for its members’ religious affiliation. However the one woman who was to testify, a law student who was to discuss contraception as a medical issue, was told no. The committee said that contraception was a “religious issue” and as such, she was unqualified to speak on the issue. How can Obama be accused of waging a war on religion when in actuality the people making religion a divisive issue are the Republican Party themselves? Gingrich in particular is a perfect poster boy for the hypocrisy in America surrounding religion; a serial adulterer, who tells the faithful of how God has forgiven him for his sins. However Gingrich is quick to denounce others as being sinful, or immoral. Romney is a Mormon, and in America his religion is seen as a fair point to bring up while discussing his disadvantages. The Anti-Defamation League, the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty and the Interfaith Alliance released a “statement of principles,” that calls upon the candidates to feel comfortable explaining their religious conviction to voters, but warns that they need to understand they serve people of other faiths and of no faith. This is a clear sign that religious organisations do not appreciate the politicians’ distinctly American form of secularism. On paper Church and State should not be combined, but in practice it’s anything but.

Terrorified of Facebook’s Rihanna, A Role Model? New Timeline Feature

EOGHAN DUNNE

Who were you in February or March 2007? You were probably going out with that girl or guy; maybe you were doing your Leaving or Junior Cert. For better or worse, you’re a different person now. Who was Facebook in 2007? Let me tell you, it’s not who it used to be either. It has done a lot of growing up too. Facebook used to be a mess of movable boxes containing apps, pictures, gifts and games. Since then it’s grown into a professional looking site, with a much increased user count, and an incredible reputation. We can reminisce about Facebook’s not so glamorous past, but the thing is, we can never go back to the old Facebook. Its past is past. Timeline is going to bring your past back. Content from your Facebook since the day you signed up is going to be accessible in a matter of seconds. But I’m panicking, aren’t I? Only your friends can see this content, and who cares if they see? They’re your friends! And then I remember, that there are people in my friends list that I do not particularly like, that maybe do not like me, but we don’t let on. There are people I would rather didn’t see everything I’ve been doing for the last 5 years, but I can’t delete them or block them. They’d know. They’re in my circles. A quick calculation and I find that my friends have on average 300 Facebook friends. How many of that 300 I wonder, are unblockables? But I’m panicking again. Eoghan, you can choose

who sees your content before your Timeline goes live! True, yes. But is it really possible that you’ll be able to go through years and years of content and decide whether that friend you know through that other friend but you don’t really know but you often see, should be able to see that picture of you with your arm around that person you met in Marbella in 2009 but nothing happened? I used some God-awful Facebook app and it gave me Timeline without telling me. I then had a week before it went live, to basically sort out my past. I haven’t been a serial killer or anything for the last 5 years, but I still don’t feel at all comfortable with a thousand fingertips clicking on my photos from way back when. Facebook wants everyone to connect. It wants everyone to share. So it’s only natural that they should want all of your content to be available to your friends. Without Timeline, your content just gets lost. It’s accessible if you really want it, but there’s no index to go by. If you’re comfortable with all of your Facebook friends having such ready access to your personal content, I commend you. If you can go through all of your content, pick and choose specific settings for each person within a week, I commend you further. Perhaps I’m overreacting. But I deleted my profile and started all over again, new email address, new clean slate, and it feels good.

AINE McMANUS Pop juggernaut Rihanna is rumoured to be seeing her ex Chris Brown once again. For those of you who have been living under a rock for the past few years, this is the guy who beat the pretty songstress to a pulp during the first bout of their relationship. Rihanna had discovered a message from a previous lover on Brown’s phone whilst she was passenger in a car he was driving. An argument ensued and without going into too much detail Brown proceeded to beat almost every part of the popstars body and even threatened to kill her. Recently it has been reported that the pair have reconciled. It’s rumoured that they have recorded two collaborations together. Rihanna celebrated her 24th birthday recently with Brown in attendance. He tried to force guests of the party to sign confidentiality reports, to hide the fact he was there. It seems the pair knows that the reconciliation will affect Rihanna’s reputation and possibly her career. Rihanna is arguably the most influential woman in pop at the moment with millions of young girls turning to her for inspiration. So should such a role model be setting this kind of example? Is she not demonstrating to her young female fans that

it’s ok to be treated the way she was and to forgive and forget, perhaps constantly living in fear? She is also sending a dark message to young men. If it’s ok for Rihanna to be beaten and forgive the man who done it, then will other men think its ok for them to abuse their girlfriends? It is possible that many men will think that they can get away with such treatment. In 2010 almost 14000 women were violently abused according to Woman’s Aid Ireland. Surely women should stand together in defiance against domestic abuse, especially those in the public eye. The saying a leopard never changes his spots comes to mind. Men like Chris Brown rarely change, some can, but many never do. Not only is she sending a disturbing message to young girls on how relationships work, she is setting a bad example on how young women should behave in general. She is often spotted in little more than what can be described as underwear. Her music and videos sometimes seem slightly raunchy for the kids that are her fans. Even her birthday cake for her 24th celebration bash was a little bit rude. Young girls do not have to look or act like Rihanna to be successful or find Mr. Perfect. She’s living proof of that. In fact in the real world, behaving like her may attract the wrong attention to young women. There is no doubt the lady is multi talented and very beautiful but Rihanna is setting a bad example and taking her fame for granted. Celebrities sometimes forget who made them rich and famous. She would do well to remember who buys her music and tickets to her concert, and the influence she can have over them. She should be a more positive role model for women.

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Arsenal And Chelsea Both To Face An Early Champions’ League Exit? DARA FOLAN

This season’s Champion’s League has thus far been a rare and unique edition of a tournament that has in recent years to steep into a malaise of predictability, albeit a damn good predictability, bi-weekly 5-0 wins, as offered by Barcelona’s axis of talent. For Premier League clubs in particular, who until recently had been such a dominating force in the final stages of the competition, it has been a truly unremarkable season. With both Manchester United and their well-to-do neighbours, Manchester City, out of the competition at the first hurdle, Arsenal and Chelsea’s abject performances in the knockout stages may have already consigned them to a similar fate. Arsenal will have a 4 goal deficit to overcome in their 2nd round, 2nd leg clash against AC Milan at Emirates on the 6th of March. Given the Italian champions wealth of experience and success in the Champions League, the match is likely to be a formality. Although Milan’s victory in the first leg was no particular surprise, the apparent ease in which they won poses some serious questions over the integrity of this Arsenal side, widely deemed to be the worst in Arsene Wenger’s tenure at the club. Chelsea: formerly known for their stalwart defending and clinical efficiency, currently known for misfiring strikers, slapstick defending and aging prima-donnas. The egos suffered a veritable bruising last Wednesday night as Chelsea suffered a 3-1 defeat to an eager Napoli side. Napoli have been arguably the revelation of the tournament, clocking victories of over Man City and Villarreal to progress through the group stages alongside Bayern

Munich. It is hard to fathom that just six years ago this side were languishing in the third tier of Italian football, their 1980’s glory days a distant memory. Their impressive and meteoric resurgence has also seen them develop some of the most adventurous and cutting edge football currently being played in Europe. Apart from the much documented shortcomings of the English representatives, 2010 finalists Bayern Munich and Inter Milan suffered defeat at the hands of Basel and Marseille respectively. Inter look nowhere near the well-drilled and oiled machine that secured the trophy in 2010 and the post-Mourinho comedown has proved difficult to recover from. Basel beat Bayern in 1-0 in Switzerland to add to their impressive already impressive list of scalps. Bayern, tipped at the beginning of the campaign as possible candidates to break Barcelona’s stranglehold over this tournament, will most likely overcome ‘plucky’ Basel in the return leg, winning the overall competition however looks unlikely. A power shift in European football to challenge Barcelona-Real monopoly seems unlikely with the elimination (probable) and current state of mediocrity that can be applied to most of the English sides. However the resuscitation of Milan as genuine contenders and the likely progression of exciting underdogs Napoli should provide an interesting narrative to the remainder of the tournament. An image from a match between Arsenal and Chelsea.

Sonia O’Sullivan To Carry Olympic Torch AINE McMANUS

This June will see Ireland play host to the Olympic Torch for the first time in the relays 76 year history. Former Olympian Sonia O’ Sullivan is the chosen athlete to carry the prestigious torch through Dublin’s city centre on June 6th. She will be the first of over 40 torchbearers to have the honour of transporting the torch on its journey through the Republic before it returns to Northern Ireland. Michael Carruth and Wayne Mc McCullough, both former Irish Olympic boxers will be part of the planned ceremonial handover across the border in Carrickarnon Co. Louth. School children from both Dundalk and Newry will have a part to play in this historical occasion. The torch is then due to travel by road to Howth where the Irish Olympic Council headquarters are located before heading on to Croke Park. It will then be paraded through the streets of the city by O’Sullivan visiting such landmarks as the Garden of Remembrance and O’Connell Bridge. Each torchbearer will cover 300m of the 12km leg lasting approximately two and a half hours. The

unconfirmed participants will represent a broad section of Irish society as well as other local and national sports people. Out of its 70 day tour the famous flame is to spend 3 days Ireland, most of the visit will occur in Northern Ireland. The intended route for the visit South is very much a quick visit to Dublin and back, with The West, Midlands and Southern counties being excluded from the course. The Torch will then return to the U.K. to continue its trip, and arrive in London for the opening ceremony on the 27th of July. Unlike many other locations the Olympic torch will visit in summer 2012, Ireland will not mark the event with a public celebration. A special concert that was due to take place in Dublin has been cancelled due to financial reasons. It is estimated however that thousands of people are expected to line the streets, in hope of catching a glimpse of the flame in what may be a once in a lifetime opportunity. Sonia O’Sullivan was born on the 28th of November 1969 in Cobh, County Cork.

Irish Olympic Gold Medal winner, Sonia O’Sullivan.

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Haye And Chisora Involved In Post Press Conference Boxing Brawl DARA FOLAN Although the main event of the night was billed as Vitali Klitschko’s 8th WBC Heavyweight Title defence against British contender Dereck Chisora, the fight will be most fondly remembered for the pantomime villainy and violence which ultimately bookended the night. After his conclusive points decision defeat to Ukrainian man-mountain, Vitali Klitschko, on Saturday the 18th of February, Dereck Chisora would go on to star in a bizarre post-fight fracas with recently retired British heavyweight David Haye. Chisora, already a figure of controversy within the sport, had raised a number of eyebrows when he slapped Klitschko at the pre-fight weigh-in and subsequently spat in the face of Wladimir Klitschko at ringside. Unsurprising to some however, as Chisora’s behaviour and list of criminal run-ins reads like that of fictional Simpsons pugilist, Drederick Tatum, the fighter’s prior offences include: possession of an offensive weapon, separate assaults on a police officer and a former girlfriend, receiving a 12 week suspended prison sentence for the latter. Pushing his mother down the stairs,

however, appears to be one misdemeanour missing from his rap sheet. Haye, who had been in attendance as a television pundit, interrupted the press conference to propose a challenge to the Kiltschkos and to promote hype around a potential return to boxing. Chisora in turn challenged his fellow countryman to a bout, a callout which would subsequently ignite an exchange of insults in which Chisora and Haye alternately called eachother “an embarrassment” and “a loser”. However, in true schoolyard style, once the obligatory “tell me to my face” was issued by Chisora, the absurd confrontation kicked off. The clash, in summation, involved: a punch up between Haye, Chisora and several entourage members, an alleged “glassing” and Haye’s manager Adam Booth being struck over the head with a camera tripod by his own client. Post-brawl, Chisora reported to the German authorities to give a statement on the incident which is being classed as an assault. Chisora was released pending further inquiry but Haye failed to appear before the police, fleeing Munich and Germany that same night. Unfortunately, his “flight” was quite literally an aeroplane flight, as opposed to an identity changing, beard shaving, ‘The Fugitive’ style escape from the law. Most recently, and in a very un-Richard Kimble-like move, Haye tweeted how he is now in Las Vegas for ‘party time’. Certainly, the melee nicely tees up a Haye return to boxing, most likely in a grudge match against Chisora. If he is planning a comeback, Haye is unlikely to get an immediate shot at the Klitschko

Professional boxers Dereck Chisora and David Haye. heavyweight monopoly and could even find a return to the sport difficult if the governing bodies decide to issue a lengthy suspension on him or Chisora. Whether or not this mooted comeback

happens, in the meantime one may find Mr. Haye in partying in Vegas or most likely making painful high quality chit-chat bi-monthly of Soccer AM.

Maynooth Come Up Short Bohs In Line For Vacant In Sigerson Cup Finals Europa League Spot ÁINE KIRWAN

CILLIAN SHIELDS

News Co-Editor @kirwanaine111

It was not meant to be for the NUI Maynooth Men’s GAA team who put up a brave fight against DCU in the Sigerson Cup Final on February 25th in Pearse Stadium. Both teams made the journey to Galway, hoping to bring back the coveted Cup but the title was unsurprisingly given to the DCU side for the third time in Sigerson Cup in seven years after a display of pure sporting class against a relatively weak defence line, bringing the final score to 2-17 to 0-7 for NUI Maynooth. The game was somewhat in DCU’s favour as the had a relatively strong panel, consisting of Donegal captain Michael Murphy and Sligo star David Kelly, although they did not show their potential until pacing the pitch in the second half of the game. The end of the first half saw DCU only leading by a short margin of 0-6 to 0-4, with 5 of the DCU points arriving in 14 minutes. The Maynooth side kept the pace by putting the ball across the bar 4 times by Newman, Dalton and Quinn which regained the hope that they needed to keep the fight going if they wished to bring the Cup back

@pile_of_eggs Maynooth VS DCU in the Sigerson Cup Finals. to Kildare for the second time, with their first win being in the history books of 1976. The second half saw the DCU side emerge with a raw passion and energy with a goal and two points being scored within minutes of each other, which left the Maynooth side to play catch up for the remainder of the match. The scores constantly continued from the Dublin boys, making their triumph to be the biggest winning margin in a Sigerson Cup final since 1969. DCU manager, Niall Moyna explained how it was not as easy as a win for the DCU side, explaining that they were a confident and strong side, who arrived to the west after already being awarded the O’Byrne Cup. John Divilly, the manager for the Maynooth side, accepted the defeat by agreeing that “our semi-final win over UCC probably took a lot out of us and we just never got going. In fairness, DCU have some squad and they used it well.” Although a dismal score was produced by the Maynooth panel, it goes without saying that they will be back after some intense training this semester.

After much speculation without any official ruling, Derry City have now finally been told that they will not be allowed to participate in next season’s Europa League. Bohemians, as the next highest finishing team in the league who didn’t qualify for Europe, look likely to replace them. UEFA have ruled the Candystripes ineligible to compete in European competition as they have only officially been in business for less than three years, as financial woes forced them to re-establish themselves in 2009. As they are a club less than three years old, UEFA rules state that they cannot apply for a European license. City chairman Philip O’Doherty effectively ruled out the option of the club appealing the decision, saying that it would be too expensive a road to pursue. The appealing fees for this ruling could cost the club around €100,000. The FAI had worked with Derry earlier in attempt to get them a successful application to play in the Europa League next season. Derry still have the chance to appeal to the Court of Arbitration of Sport, but if they don’t, or if their appeal is unsuccessful, then Bohemians will be nominated to

Bohemians celebreating a goal. take their place. O’Doherty also went on to say that the playing staff will be “gutted” by the news, as it would have provided them with a great opportunity to showcase their talents, in the competition that a fellow League of Ireland team, Shamrock Rovers, were so successful in only last season. For Bohemians however, this news rounds off a great week, in which they managed to beat Irish League side Portadown 1-0 away to advance to the quarter finals of the Setanta Cup. Their European involvement this season will also be an unexpected source of income for the club, something the Phibsboro outfit desperately need to combat their own off-field worries. At least one home tie will generate some much-welcomed extra revenue. As it looks as though they will be seeded for the tie with a co-efficient of 3.975, they could even manage to get another tie or two from the competition.