The Beaver: Week of January 15th, 2013

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WITHDRAWAL OF CHILD BENEFIT | TIL DEATH DO US PART | NEW YEAR’S REVOLUTIONS

TheBeaver

15.01.2013

Newspaper of the LSE Students’ Union FREE

LSE100 nomination for Teaching Excellence Award raises eyebrows LSE100 has been shortlisted for a Teaching Excellence Award in the inaugural Guardian University $ZDUGV WKRXJK WKH KRQRXU has raised eyebrows among students due to the apparent unpopularity of the course. LSE is one of three universities to be shortlisted in WKH FDWHJRU\ ZKLFK LV VSRQ sored by The Higher Education Academy. $ *XDUGLDQ 1HZV 0H dia spokesperson outlined the assessment process for the award. “LSE100 was shortlisted for the Guardian University Awards by a panel of expert MXGJHV IURP DFURVV WKH KLJK er education sector. All enWULHV ZHUH MXGJHG RQ WKH ED VLV RI LQQRYDWLRQ RULJLQDOLW\ and how readily they could be replicated.� In recent survey conductHG E\ 7KH %HDYHU /6( sparked much controversy for high rates of student GLVVDWLVIDFWLRQ +RZHYHU LSE100’s Teaching Survey

results for Lent Term 2012 run contrary to the Beaver’s VXUYH\ VKRZLQJ WKDW PRVW VWXGHQWV KDG LQ IDFW UDWHG /6( KLJKO\ ZLWK SDUWLFX larly high satisfaction ratings for classes. In the teaching surveys collected during Lent Term WKH &ODVV 7HDFKHU Evaluation for LSE100 was rated higher than the LSE DYHUDJH IRU DOO VSHFLன FD tions. LSE100 classes were ranked noticeably higher for “skill at involving members of the classâ€? and “providing helpful feedback on work/ performance.â€? +RZHYHU /6( VFRUHG VLJQLன FDQWO\ EHORZ WKH school-wide average for satisfaction with course conWHQW WKRXJK LW ZDV LQ OLQH with the average for the RWKHU VSHFLன FDWLRQV LQ WKH Course Evaluation section RI WKH VXUYH\ When asked about the assessment process for the *XDUGLDQ $ZDUG DQ /6( VSRNHVSHUVRQ FRQன UPHG that no teaching surveys were required at the current stage. “As part of the entry pro-

cess we had to answer a series of questions. These ranged from outlining the SURMHFW WR GHPRQVWUDW ing how the initiative sits within the School’s overall ethos and how the initiative goes beyond standard practice.â€? The spokesperson went on to explain why they felt LSE100 deserves to be shortlisted. “Its ability to meet academic concerns that students were becoming too specialised has particularly impressed external examiners. LSE100 also enables students from all disciplines to interact with some of the PRVW LQŕŽ‹ XHQWLDO VRFLDO VFLHQ tists of the day.â€? The spokesperson highlighted the attraction of /6( WR HPSOR\HUV FLW ing a graduate recruitment event for key LSE HPSOR\HUV ZKHUH SHU cent agreed or strongly agreed with the statement: “LSE100 makes LSE graduates more attractive as potential employees.â€?

LSE100

Hayley Fenton

Continued on page 6, col 1.

The Lonely School of Economics? LSE did not manage to seFXUH D WRS VSRW VFRULQJ VWDJ The Complete University geringly low in the snog staGuide 2013 saw the London tistics. The Student Bean survey School of Economics rise from fourth place to become DVNHG VWXGHQWV IURP the highest ranked university XQLYHUVLWLHV LQ WKH 8. KRZ LQ WKH FDSLWDO ன QLVKLQJ MXVW many people they’ve locked behind Cambridge and above lips with since the start of the 2012 academic year. An Oxford nationally. <HW IRU WKH ன UVW WLPH /6( average was then calculated is falling behind on its statis- to work out which university had the most active kisstics. The results of the 2013 ers. The three best performing Student Bean Kissing League were published at the end of universities were NorthumDecember and despite daz- EULD 8QLYHUVLW\ /HHGV 0HW ]OLQJ JUDGXDWH SURVSHFWV ropolitan University and the Jade Jackman

8QLYHUVLW\ RI 'XQGHH UDFNLQJ XS DQ DYHUDJH RI DQG VQRJV VLQFH 6HSWHP ber 2012 respectively. LSE lagged behind in the UDQNLQJ VFUDSLQJ WRJHWKHU an average of 1.38 kisses and placing them in 83rd position. Brunel University proved to EH KRPH WR WKH OHDVW SUROLன F H[FKDQJHUV RI VDOLYD ன QLVK ing last in the survey with an average of 0.88. First year Anthropology VWXGHQW 0DU\DP $NUDP commented that “perhaps it is time to rename our institution as the Lonely School

RI (FRQRPLFV $IWHU DOO LW LV embarrassing to be beaten by Imperial.â€? The exposure of rankings that are viewed by many to be EDVHG RŕŽ‰ PRPHQWV RI GUXQN en impulse has led to certain /6( VWXGHQWV RŕŽ‰ HULQJ KDUVK critiques of the article. First year Government DQG +LVWRU\ VWXGHQW $OLFH $HG\ VDLG RI WKH KLJK UDQNLQJ XQLYHUVLWLHV ‍ڔ‏WKDW‍ڑ‏V VR XQVDQ LWDU\ WKDQN *RG ZH DUH QRW high up.â€? Yet should students instead be considering the wider implications of such a low

ranking? Should we consider whether we are all boring? Is there too much of a focus on careers as opposed to social lives? Do we have so much work that we do not have enough spare time to indulge in semi-open mouthed awkwardness? Do we even care? From observations made by several students that the more prestigious institutions were all to be found at the bottom of WKH WDEOH WKH DQVZHU WR WKLV question is that it does not appear to be so.

visit us online at thebeaveronline.co.uk and at twitter.com/beaveronline

Editorial

2

Editorial Board Executive Editor Liam Brown

editor@thebeaveronline.co.uk

Managing Editor Matthew Worby

15.01.2013

7KHBeaver Established in 1949 ,VVXH 1R

managing@thebeaveronline.co.uk

News Editors Low Shu Hang Hayley Fenton news@thebeaveronline.co.uk

Comment Editor Alice Dawson

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comment@thebeaveronline.co.uk

Features Editor Chris Rogers Nona Buckley-Irvine features@thebeaveronline.co.uk

Social Editor Cleo Pearson social@thebeaveronline.co.uk

Sport Editor Dennis Mooney

| The Beaver

Collective A E Dawson, A Doherty, A Fyfe, A Krechetova, A L Cunningham, A L Gunn, A Moneke, A X Patel, A Peters-Day, A Qazilbash, A Riese, A Sulemanji, A Young, B Arslan, B Butterworth, B Clarke, B Nardi, C S Russell, C V Pearson, D McKenna, D Ming, D Yu, E Beaumont, E Delahaye, E E Fraser, E Firth, E S Dwek, F Bennett, G K Chhina, G MannersArmstrong, H Brentnall, H Burdon, H Dar, H Fenton, H J Sheppard, I Lorandou, I M Silver, J Allsop, J Attueyi, J Austin, J Curtis, J M Palmer, J M Still, J R Peart, J Stoll, J Tindale, J V Armstrong, J Wacket, J Yarde, K C Hughes, K Kenney, K Pezeshki, K Rogers, K Singh, L A Yang, L Atchison, L Aumeer, L Brown, L Kang, L Slothuus, L Vardaxoglou, M C +H૸ HUQDQ 0 )OHWFKHU 0 -HQNLQV M Veale, M Worby, N Antoniou, N J Buckley-Irvine, N Jaroszek, N Mashru, N Mateer, N Russell, P Gederi, R A Coleman, R Al-Dabagh, R Browne, R Cucchiaro, R Gudka, R Hamer, R Holmes, R Illingworth, R J Charnock, R Serunjogi, S Chaudhuri, S Desai, S Gale, S H Low, S Lindner, S Newman, S Nissila, S Poojara, S R Williams, S Sebatindira, S W Leung, S Hang Low, T Poole, V A Wong, V Chan, X T Wang, Z Sammour

sports@thebeaveronline.co.uk

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PartB Editor Josh Jinruang Laurence Vardaxoglou (acting) partb@thebeaveronline.co.uk

Photo Editor Didem Tali photography@thebeaveronline.co.uk

Design Editor Khushi Mehra design@thebeaveronline.co.uk

collective@thebeaveronline.co.uk

Online Editor Martha Petrocheilos

The Beaver would like to thank the LSE students who contributed to this issue. Any opinions expressed herein are those of their respective authors and not necessarily those of the LSE Students’ Union or Beaver (GLWRULDO 6WD૸

web@thebeaveronline.co.uk

General Manager Benedict Irving info@thebeaveronline.co.uk

Collective Chair Eden Dwek

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EDITOR ELECTIONS

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As the new year begins the Beaver Editorial Board is looking for new VWDŕŽ‰ :H ZLOO EH HOHFWLQJ a new PartB, Comment, and News Editor in the FRPLQJ ZHHNV 7R ன QG RXW PRUH DERXW the positions as well as LQIRUPDWLRQ RQ H[DFWO\ ZKHQ DQG KRZ WKH HOHF WLRQV ZLOO WDNH SODFH \RX FDQ HPDLO RXU &ROOHFWLYH &KDLU DW FROOHFWLYH# WKHEHDYHURQOLQH FR XN 3ULRU H[SHULHQFH QRW UH TXLUHG EXW D JRRG VHQVH RI JUDPPDU DQG D VXSH rior writing ability are UHFRPPHQGHG :H DOVR ZDQW WR UHPLQG RXU UHDGHUV WKDW ZH DUH DOZD\V RQ WKH ORRNRXW I RU UHJXODU FRQWULEXWRUV IRU DOO VHFWLRQV -XVW HPDLO WKH VHFWLRQ HGLWRU RI \RXU FKRVHQ VHFWLRQ IRU PRUH LQIRUPDWLRQ

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News

The Beaver | 15.01.2013

3

LSE has “got its priorities wrongâ€? says GenSec on underfunded Union Warwick (ÂŁ100), Liverpool (ÂŁ229), Edinburgh (ÂŁ82) and Data from the National Un- Newcastle (ÂŁ72). Recently, the school reion of Students (NUS) reveal that LSE Students’ Union is jected a proposal worth trailing behind institutions ÂŁ20,000 by the Union aimed like Imperial College, Uni- to improve the academic supversity College of London port received by students. Peters-Day said, “We need (UCL) and other universities in terms of funding per stu- more funding on the academic side, as that is what dent for students’ unions. According to Peters-Day, students want us to put more LSE is the “third richest uni- HŕŽ‰ RUW RQ +RZHYHU WKLV UH versity in the UK,â€? but yet the quires a lot of money, such funding per student received as to hire an academic repby the Students’ Union ranks resentation coordinator to around the middle compared support course representato other universities, not re- WLYHV +RZHYHU WKH /6( LVQ‍ڑ‏W ŕŽ‹ HFWLQJ WKH OHYHO RI LQFRPH willing to support it, despite the fact that the LSE always LSE commands. Stating that the LSE is not score lowly on teaching satspending enough proportion isfaction in national surof its income on students, veys. “Its a shame that a univershe said that the school has sity with an annual surplus “got its priorities wrong.â€? According to NUS data, in the tens of millions won’t LSE Students’ Union receive fund a ÂŁ20k SU position to ÂŁ67 per full time student support academic developin 2011, putting the Union ment,â€? she added. According to an LSE above the nationwide average, ÂŁ62. Nevertheless, it spokesperson, “LSE takes trails behind other Russell student support and develGroup universities such as opment very seriously and Imperial (ÂŁ91), UCL (ÂŁ115), FRQWLQXHV WR SXW VLJQLன FDQW resources into improving the

Shu Hang

WONG’SS WEEKLY COMMENT SHORTLISTING OF LSE100 FOR THE TEACHING EXCELLENCE AWARD LSE100 winning any sort of ‘Teaching Excellence Award’ when 80 per cent of students want to end the course is as much of a joke as the EU winning the Nobel Peace Prize. Forget banning The Sun, if the left-wing, self-proclaimed education experts at the Guardian do give LSE100 the award, it makes a pretty strong case for banning the Guardian on campus.

My fear is that this would encourage Mr Calhoun and Mr Leape to continue ignoring the widespread unpopularity of the course amongst students and go full steam ahead with plans to make LSE100 a compulsory fourth module which counts directly to students’ ன QDO JUDGHV - Jason Wong

WE WANT YOUR OPINION. Like him or not, Jason Wong is without question a loud voice on campus. The Beaver wants to know what our readers would think about a weekly Jason Wong comment appearing in this section on current events at the LSE. All you have to do is go online to www.

thebeaveronline.co.uk to vote in our poll! Of course you can also go to our Facebook page at facebook.com/ thebeaveronline for information!

student experience.â€? “As many students will be aware, the School is investing ÂŁ38 million in the new Students’ Centre which should be completed later this year, VLJQLன FDQWO\ LPSURYLQJ WKH Students’ Union facilities.

stantial additional sums given by the School to support activities and student societies via the Annual Fund. For example, the Finance Committee recently approved an additional ÂŁ222,964 from the Annual Fund SU societies

:KLOH WKHUH DUH VRPH VLJQLன FDQW GRQDWLRQV WR VXSSRUW ன nancing this building it is anticipated that around 90 per cent of the funds will be from the School’s accounts.â€? The spokesperson also SRLQWHG RXW VLJQLன FDQW SURE lems with the NUS data. “The 6WXGHQWV‍ ڑ‏8QLRQ ன QDQFLDO ன J ures quoted from the NUS survey do not include sub-

and other student-led projects.� When asked about the decision of the School to reject the Union’s proposal to improve academic support, a spokesperson from the LSE said, “the Students’ Union had already recruited the academic representation coordinator post before they approached the School

for funding. This post was ன QDQFHG IURP WKHLU H[LVW ing budget. There was not, therefore, a strong case for the School to give additional funds for a post already created and funded by the Students’ Union.â€? The spokesperson added, “In terms of teaching support, the Academic Board has recently backed the ‘Teaching Task Force 2’, led by Professor Paul Kelly. This has clear objectives of continuing the improvement in student satisfaction with undergraduate teaching, and bringing similar focus to post graduate teaching.â€? Last year, LSE came ninetieth out of 124 universities in a national league table based on NUS data on student satisfaction with the Students’ Union. Peters-Day attributed the low ranking to the fact the LSE Students’ Union is “incredibly underfunded compared to our contemporaries,â€? while stressing that “student satisfaction is closely linked to the levels of investment into the Union.â€?

4

News

15.01.2013

| The Beaver

13.2 per cent classes went over maximum limit KDOI RI WKH FODVVHV IRU )LQDQ FLDO $FFRXQWLQJ $QDO\VLV DQG 9DOXDWLRQ $& +LVWRU\ RI (FRQRPLFV +RZ 7KHRULHV &KDQJH (& 3XEOLF (FR QRPLFV (& &RUSRUDWH )LQDQFH ,QYHVWPHQWV DQG )L QDQFLDO 0DUNHWV )0 7KH 3ROLWLFV RI (FRQRPLF 3ROLF\ &ODVV *9 ,QWURGXFWLRQ WR 'HYHORSPHQW LQ WKH 6RXWK *< (PSOR\PHQW 5HOD WLRQV ,' 3URSHUW\ ,, // ,QWHUQDWLRQDO 0DU NHWLQJ $ 6WUDWHJLF $SSURDFK 01 DQG PDQ\ RWKHU

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тАЬOnly two departments were able to keep all their classes under the limit, namely the Language department and LSE100.тАЭ 7KH LVVXH RI FODVV VL]H KDV SURYHQ WR EH D FRQWURYHUVLDO VXEMHFW 0DQ\ VWXGHQWV IHHO WKDW ODUJH FODVVHV PHDQ WKDW WHDFKHUV KDYH OHVV RSSRUWXQLW\ WR HQJDJH ZLWK VWXGHQWV DQG

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Shu Hang

тАЬOver a third of the classes in the Accounting and Management department went over the designated limit, with Management Accounting, Financial Management and Organizational Control (AC310) and Aspects of Marketing Management (MN307) having class sizes ranging from 18 to 21.тАЭ )XUWKHUPRUH

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Twitter Q&A with the director returns Shu Hang

7KH SRSXODU тАл ┌ФтАмDVNWKHGLUHF WRUтАл ┌ХтАмVHVVLRQ ZKHUH &UDLJ &DO KRXQ 'LUHFWRU RI WKH /6( JRHV OLYH RQ 7ZLWWHU IRU D VHVVLRQ RI 4XHVWLRQV DQG $QVZHUV 4 $ ZLOO EH PDNLQJ D FRPHEDFN RQ 7XHVGD\ -DQXDU\ EHWZHHQ SP 7KH VHVVLRQ LV SULPDULO\ DLPHG DW PHPEHUV RI WKH /6( FRPPXQLW\ VWXGHQWV DOXPQL DQG VWDроЙ WKRXJK тАл┌ФтАмDQ\RQH FDQ DVN D TXHVWLRQ тАл ┌ХтАм6WXGHQWV DUH HQFRXUDJHG WR SRVW WKHLU TXHV WLRQV GXULQJ WKH KRXU RU LQ DG YDQFH XVLQJ WKH DVNWKHGLUHF WRU KDVKWDJ $FFRUGLQJ WR D /6( VSRNHV SHUVRQ тАл┌ФтАмWKH ODVW 7ZLWWHU VHV VLRQ >KHOG RQ 2FWREHU @ SURYHG WR EH SRSXODU DQG ZH UHFHLYHG D QXPEHU RI UHTXHVWV DVNLQJ LI ZKHQ KH ZDV JRLQJ WR GR LW DJDLQ 7KHUH ZHUH DS SUR[LPDWHO\ TXHVWLRQV DVNHG IRU WKH ODVW VHVVLRQ ZLWK DQ DGGLWLRQDO RU VR FRP PHQWV тАл ┌ХтАм +RZHYHU GXH WR WKH RYHU ZKHOPLQJ QXPEHU RI TXHVWLRQV EHLQJ SRVWHG PDQ\ TXHULHV ZHUH OHIW XQDQVZHUHG ZLWK WKH GLUHFWRU SRVWLQJ тАл┌ФтАм:RZ 7KLV ZDV WHUULроК F ,тАл┌СтАмYH JRW DERXW

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News

The Beaver | 15.01.2013

5

LSE opens new Lincoln’s Inn Fields Building junction with Serle Street and HQMR\V YLHZV RYHU /RQGRQ‍ڑ‏V LSE’s newest acquisition, 32 ODUJHVW JDUGHQ VTXDUH 7KH WKUHH ORZHU ŕŽ‹ RRUV RI Lincoln’s Inn Fields is openLQJ LWV GRRUV RQ WKH WK RI EXLOGLQJ ZLOO EH GHGLFDWHG WR WHDFKLQJ DQG VWXGHQW DFWLY January. %RDVWLQJ D 1HR -DFREHDQ ity, with the capacity to hold VW\OH GHVLJQ WKH EXLOGLQJ LV XS WR VWXGHQWV 7KH EXLOGLQJ LV DOVR KRXV located on the south side of Lincoln’s Inn Fields at the LQJ WKH DFDGHPLF RIILFHV for Centre for the Analysis of Social Exclusion (CASE), Centre for Economic Performance (CEP), Centre for Macroeconomics, Department of Economics, International Growth Centre (IGC) DQG 6XQWRU\ DQG 7R\RWD ,Q ternational Centres for Economics and Related DisciSOLQHV 67,&(5' 7KH EXLOGLQJ ZDV SXU chased for ÂŁ37.7m, and FRVWHG e P LQ LWV UHQRYD tion. After 25 months of planQLQJ DQG EXLOGLQJ WKH EXLOG LQJ QRZ FRQWDLQV QLQHWHHQ WHDFKLQJ URRPV VHPLQDU URRPV WZR +DUYDUG /HFWXUH 7KHDWUHV RQH 3K' VWXG\ room and one cafe.

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“The building will also contain a PC study room with 65 computers.� A new contemporary addiWLRQ WR WKH EXLOGLQJ WKH (Q

WUDQFH 3DYLOLRQ ZLOO DOVR EH constructed to address the increased intensity of use, SURYLGLQJ VHFXUH DQG DFFHV sible entrances to the buildLQJ IURP ERWK /LQFROQ‍ڑ‏V ,QQ )LHOGV DQG 3RUWXJDO 6WUHHW WDNLQJ LQWR DFFRXQW VWXGHQW

PRYHPHQW SDWWHUQV IURP YDU ious parts of the campus %XLOW LQ WKH EXLOG LQJ JDWHV DQG UDLOLQJV RI Lincoln’s Inn Fields were listed by the Secretary of State as Grade II listed on $SULO /6( KDYH LQ

corporated some restoration works as part of the refurELVKPHQW SURMHFW LQFOXGLQJ UHLQVWDWHPHQW RI GHFRUDWLYH FRUQLFLQJ SDUTXHW DQG WHU UD]]R ŕŽ‹ RRULQJ UHVWRUHG

Marr on popular history In one of his last public apSHDUDQFHV EHIRUH VXŕŽ‰ HULQJ a stroke, journalist, broadcaster, and self proclaimed “parasite upon academic historians,â€? Andrew Marr JDYH DQ LQVLJKWIXO SXE lic lecture at the London School of Economics. Entitled, ‘Can we learn from history?’ the 53-yearold presenter of the popular 6XQGD\ PRUQLQJ %%& SUR JUDPPH 7KH $QGUHZ 0DUU Show explored the history RI KXPDQ FLYLOLVDWLRQ :KLOH he has faced stern criticism IRU EHLQJ D SRSXODU KLVWR rian, Marr stated that academic historians “should EH LQIXULDWHG RQ D UHJXODU basis.â€? 0DUU ன UVW GHDOW ZLWK the recent economic crisis GUDZLQJ SDUDOOHOV ZLWK WKDW of the Great Depression VXJJHVWLQJ WKDW ‍ڔ‏LW FRXOG KDYH EHHQ D ORW ZRUVH ‍ ڕ‏+H then explored the issue of WULEDOLVP WKURXJKRXW KLV WRU\ DUJXLQJ WKDW WKHUH LV an “innate suspicionâ€? that H[LVWV DPRQJ KXPDQV %XLOGLQJ RQ WKLV 0DUU looked at the nature of hu-

PDQ GHYHORSPHQW DQG ZK\ some parts of the world adYDQFH ZKLOH RWKHUV GR QRW $FFRUGLQJ WR 0DUU WKLV LV “partly to do with climate DQG EDG OXFN ‍ ڕ‏8VLQJ WKH H[DPSOHV RI WKH +DQ '\QDV ty and the Roman Empire, Marr made the point that WKHVH WZR JUHDW HPSLUHV HPHUJHG DW WKH VDPH WLPH Not only were they similar in size, they also had similar attitudes towards powHU DQG URXJKO\ WKH VDPH number of cities. For Marr, FKLOGUHQ VKRXOG EH WDXJKW D EURDGHU UDQJH RI KLVWRULFDO HYHQWV DQG VKRXOG QRW EH FRQன QHG E\ D ODUJHO\ (XUR centric curriculum. $IWHU WDNLQJ WKH DXGL ence on a whirlwind history lesson from Confucius to +HQU\ 9,,, 0DUU DUULYHG DW WKH SUHVHQW GD\ VWDWLQJ WKDW ‍ڔ‏ZH DUH D YHU\ FOHYHU DSH LQ a spot of bother.â€? Marr contrasted historiFDO SURJUHVV LQ UHODWLRQ WR VFLHQFH DQG SROLWLFV :KLOH WKH ‍ڔ‏VFLHQFH FXUYH‍ ڕ‏KDG XQ GHUJRQH ‍ڔ‏FODVVLF DFFHOHUD WLRQ ‍ ڕ‏WKH ‍ڔ‏SROLWLFDO FXUYH‍ ڕ‏ ZDV IDOOLQJ EHKLQG 0DUU did make the point that poOLWLFDOO\ ZH KDYH DGYDQFHG

VRPHZKDW DV ZH OLYH LQ ‍ڔ‏OHVV OHWKDO WLPHV WKDQ HYHU EHIRUH ‍ ڕ‏+RZHYHU KH DOVR stated that democracy rePDLQV YHU\ UDUH DQG DUJXHG WKDW D PHGLHYDO SHDVDQW would be more likely to understand the situation in Syria or the recent MP expenses scandal rather than DQ L3KRQH RU D WHOHYLVLRQ Alice Dawson, a secRQG \HDU //% /DZ VWXGHQW was impressed by Marr’s RŕŽ‰ WKH FXŕŽ‰ NQRZOHGJH RI ZRUOG KLVWRU\ ‍ڔ‏7KH OHFWXUH ZDV HQJDJLQJ DQG LQVLJKW ful. Andrew Marr took lots of questions from the audience and the way he anVZHUHG TXHVWLRQV UHODWLQJ to countless cultures and DQFLHQW FLYLOL]DWLRQV ZDV DPD]LQJ ‍' ڕ‏DZVRQ VDLG Marr ended his lecture XUJLQJ WKH DXGLHQFH WKDW ‍ڔ‏ZH QHHG WR HQJDJH LQ SR OLWLFDO GLVFXVVLRQ ‍ ڕ‏+LJK OLJKWLQJ WKH SUREOHPV RI WKH electoral cycle and the failXUH RI SURJUHVV LQ UHODWLRQ WR KXPDQ FRQŕŽ‹ LFW 0DUU PDGH WKH DUJXPHQW IRU WKH SRSXODU KLVWRULDQ VWDWLQJ WKDW ‍ڔ‏ZH KDYH WR VWDUW WDN LQJ SROLWLFV PRUH VHULRXVO\ ‍ ڕ‏

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6

News Continued from page 1.

External examiner reporter, Hughes, provided commentary on strengths and weaknesses of LSE100, methods of teaching and assessment, and standard of the student performance. In his report, Hughes stated, “in all of my dealings with the course team and administration, I have found that the processes and procedures are exemplary.” Certain students publicly opposed the nomination, with allegations that some will send an open letter to the Guardian urging them not to give the award to LSE100, referencing LSE100’s supposed unpopularity with students. One second year student criticised the judging process of the award, as the entrants were judged primarily on a ‫ڔ‬GHWDLOHG HQWU\ IRUP‫ ڕ‬ஊ OOHG XS by the school. The student commented, “I hope Guardian takes student opinion into consideration when deciding whether to award LSE100 the award, as that is what matters the most. The fact that LSE100 scores lowly on satisfaction with course content on the teaching survey should show that students are not exactly in love with the LSE100.”

15.01.2013

| The Beaver

When asked for a response on the matter, LSE100’s spokesperson said that although such a campaign by GLVVDWLVஊ HG VWXGHQWV ZRXOG EH disappointing, it “would not alter the School’s determination to continue to challenge its students, produce outstanding social scientists and give them the best possible preparation for their future careers.” The Beaver asked about campaigns among students to make including the LSE100 grade optional on transcripts. 7KH VSRNHVSHUVRQ FRQஊ UPHG that this is not feasible, due to School policy to put all courses on the transcript. Dr Jonathan Leape, director of LSE100, said: “LSE100 has pioneered a new approach to supporting the development of intellectual breadth, in a higher education environment of increasing academic specialisation, while strengthening students’ higher order academic skills. I am delighted that the Guardian has shortlisted us for this award.” The winner of the award will be announced at the Guardian University Awards on Wednesday, February 27th, 2013.

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News

The Beaver | 15.01.2013

7

7KH *UHDW /6( %DNH 2૸ Alice Rudge

In keeping with festive spirit of Michaelmas Term, FoodCycle LSE staged a Great &KULVWPDV %DNH 2ŕŽ‰ LQ 7KH Quad during the penultimate week. Inspired by the famous television series ‍Ú?‏7KH *UHDW %ULWLVK %DNH 2ŕŽ‰ ‍ ڑ‏ FoodCycle LSE incorporated a competitive twist into their standard tradition of baking and eating cakes in the name of charity. FoodCycle has fourteen hubs across British universities, run entirely by volunteers. It aims to create a positive social change in the community by combining volunteers, surplus food from supermarkets and free kitchen space to create nutritious meals for people affected by food poverty in the UK. The Great Christmas %DNH 2ŕŽ‰ ZDV VSOLW LQWR WZR rounds. A variety of colourful desserts were crammed onto tables before being judged. 7KH ன UVW URXQG RI WKH %DNH 2ŕŽ‰ VDZ +HDG 3DVWU\ &KHI DW The Delaunay, Regis Negrier,

as the guest judge. FoodCyFOH‍ڑ‏V GRQRUV VXFK DV *UD]H and luxury cake makers KonGLWRU DQG &RRN KDG RŕŽ‰ HUHG D variety of expensive rewards to the winners of the Bake 2ŕŽ‰ 7HQVLRQV DPRQJ FRQWHVW ants were running high as the judges scrutinised and sampled the range of festive desserts. After sampling the cakes, Negrier narrowed down WKUHH ன QDOLVWV &RQWHVWDQWV waited with baited breath before Negrier announced the ‘Chocolate Mousse Layer &DNH‍ ڑ‏E\ +RD 'RDQ DV WKH winner. Doan was awarded a free lunch for her and a friend at The Delaunay as well as an exclusive ‘Behind WKH 6FHQHV‍ ڑ‏H[SHULHQFH LQ The Delaunay kitchens, with Negrier showing her the works of great cooking in a professional environment. The second round of the competition left judging down to the public. Eager to sink their teeth into sucFXOHQW GHVVHUWV VWDŕŽ‰ DQG students swarmed to The Quad where they were able to sample any cake of their

choice, and then pay what they thought the cake was worth. The winner was the cake that was valued highest. An impressive red velvet cake, dusted with coconut and a pair of fondant snowmen was instantly popular ZLWK VWXGHQWV DQG VWDŕŽ‰ 6KD UHHQ .XOGLS‍ڑ‏V ULFK FKRFRODWH brownies, shaped as presents and Christmas crackers, were not only in keeping with the festive spirit but also proved to be a serious contender for a topthree position. Meanwhile -RH 'DYH\‍ڑ‏V XQXVXDO EDQDQD cake, with essences of lime, black treacle and cinnamon got several thumbs up from students. After an intense round of cake-eating and nominating, the results were tallied. ,Q ன UVW SODFH DQG ZLQQLQJ D cooking masterclass worth

ÂŁ230 at Food@52, was Alice 6WRWW‍ڑ‏V PRLVW /HPRQ 'UL] ]OH &DNH ZKLFK ZDV YDO ued at an average of ÂŁ2.80 a slice. Close behind Stott was Emma Bakht, winning a ÂŁ40 voucher to spend at the restaurant, Leon. Snatching up third place was Adeline /RX‍ڑ‏V WUDGLWLRQDO &KULVWPDV cake. The overwhelming success of the Great Christmas %DNH 2ŕŽ‰ ZDV UHFRJQLVHG E\ founder and CEO of FoodCycle, Kelvin Chung, who made an appearance at the %DNH 2ŕŽ‰ ,Q EHWZHHQ VDP pling the variety of warm cakes and tarts, Chung stated he thought the event was a “very original ideaâ€? and one well worth being used E\ RWKHU )RRG&\FOH +XE‍ڑ‏V across the country to raise money. Clare McElhatton, General Co-Ordinator at Food-

Cycle LSE, was thrilled with WKH VXFFHVV RI )RRG&\FOH‍ڑ‏V ன UVW %DNH 2ŕŽ‰ KRSLQJ LW ZDV pioneering the way to future FoodCycle LSE success. McElhatton was particularly impressed with the amount of people who came down with cakes and the effort that was made. McElhatton said, “I think it was a great success, not least because we raised over ÂŁ500 but because it raised awareness for FoodCycle and proved how much people want to help. 7KH EDNHUV ZHUH DPD]LQJ as were all the volunteers who helped out on the day.â€? In keeping with FoodCycle ethos, McElhatton informed The Beaver no cake was wasted and encouraged VWXGHQWV DQG VWDŕŽ‰ WR ORRN RXW for similar events in the future.

Write for News this term! 11.12.2012

News

4

| The Beaver

EasyJet founder talks entrepeneurship

Philanout into industries lios founded the Stelios lised industries are often bro- branched providing well to the airline thropic Foundation, ken up by innovative entrepre- that relate who are Easy brand such as help to entrepreneurs The Beaver | 11.12.2012 neurs. In the airline industry, it core of the FXOWLHV hotels and airport IDFLQJ H[FHSWLRQDO GLŕŽŒ happened in the US in the 80s, real estate, Moreover, he runs a comHis latest foray is in Europe in the 90s, Asia in transfers. entrepredisabled for petition of collaborative the 00s and now it is beginning into the world UK, one for young consumption with EasyCars, a neurs in the to happen in Africa. Entrepreneurs in Greece and service. Being a founder rather car sharing business competition in Cya varihis addressing After than a manager himself, Hajithe competition in prus. For Ira Cameron went on to exLorandou, 6WDŕ­ź 5HSRUWHU Cyprus, he only funds teams plain how Old Street Roundaboth of people consistingLast week,from LSE Cities and bout symbolises the “physical Cyprus, in divided Bank’s entrepreneurship. Deutsche sides of the Alfred Her- heart of London’s technology from both people Widely known as the foundrhausen a bid to bring Society held the Ur- cluster,â€? and that the civic and proer of EasyJet, a low cost airline bantogether Age Electric sides closer City Confer- space will provide entreprehas between Haji-Ioannou relations ence. company, mote good neurs and start-up businesses social aspect theconference The also founded EasyBus, Easythem. Despite focused on facilities and spaces that they comexemplifying that the Hotel and many other franhow of it, he stressed a modern need to succeed. Continuing day city awardforbased not takes chises of the Easy brand afterpetition does granted how from Cameron, Boris Johnson electricity “feeds the complex stated that this space “will be on excellence. wards. At the same time, he is on pity, but systems praised the which sustain running a philanthropic founHaji-Ioannou and the cyclotron in which brilliant sometimes model spectacularly education dation. He made it clear from Anglo Saxon fail people of all ages will collide usâ€?. like subatomic particlesâ€? proto the southern Euthe outset that he would be compared 2Q WKH னUVW GD\ which RI WKH FRQ- GXFLQJ ‍ڔ‏WKH EOLQGLQJ ŕŽ‹DVK WKDW talking about both philanthroropean universities, py and entrepreneurship. “It is happen to be more laid back. about making money, but also Being one of the largest proabout giving back to society.â€? viders of scholarships at the Talking to about 250 attendLSE, he has pledged to into quick was Stelios 200 for Haji-Ioannou ees, vest ÂŁ3 million admit he wouldn’t be where he Scholars. back from the ous business ventures, Haji-Iois now without the help of his luckier you get,â€? and explained Ioannou stepped Haji-Ioannou ended his once it was annou talked about the philanasfather. His father was a suc- that he worked very hard to running EasyJet he has been speech with an advice for traded on the London Stock thropic activities cessful entrepreneur himself achieve his ideas. piring entrepreneurs. While experienced involved in. He is personally DQG KH ன QDQFHG KLV VRQ‍ڑ‏V ன UVW Regarding his business Exchange, hiring he encouraged people to try job instead. related to three countries: Cyventure at the young age of model of undercutting more managers to do the his GLŕŽ‰ HUHQW URXWHV RXW DQG QRW WR of country home the prus, the retained 28. He named his Father as a established businesses with Nevertheless, he Greece plan too far into the future, he of the Easy brand, parents; his birthplace most his of one that source of inspiration for him. innovative business models, ownership stressed EasyJet DQG ன QDOO\ WKH ORFDWLRQ RI KLV “It was a classic case of a Haji-Ioannou sees himself in a licensing it back to important experiences as an a variety business activities, the United son trying to prove himself to big historical line of entrepre- and went on to found entrepreneur is to “never bet carrying Kingdom. To give something his father with some friendly neurship. He pointed out that of other companies ZKDW \RX FDQ‍ڑ‏W DŕŽ‰ RUG WR ORVH ‍ڕ‏ He has also back to these countries, Stecompetition, but he helped me in the past 40 years, monopo- the “Easyâ€? label. a lot. Can you imagine how

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risky it is to give your son a lot of money to start an airline at 28? I’m not sure I would do it.â€? Haji-Ioannou also admitted WKDW OXFN ZDV D VLJQLன FDQW IDF tor in his success, but not the GHன QLQJ RQH +H TXRWHG 6RXWK African golfer Gary Player that “the harder you practice, the

Ethics Code should be “embraced by all�

5

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age in an increasingly urban world and the challenges that would face infrastructure and policy; a point that was heavily emphasised given that it is estimated 70% of the world’s population will be living in cities by 2050. 7KH UHVW RI WKH னUVW GD\ was divided into two halves. 7KH னUVW KDOI IRFXVHG RQ XUEDQ technology in conjunction with the city’s three main areas of challenges to policy: mobility, space and communication.

surthe Ethics Policy “commercial sensitivity over ÂŁ10,000 is subject to an made by certain issues.â€? university. as to Committee (EPC), which over- rounding 1HYHUWKHOHVV ன IWHHQ UHF individual assessment Naomi Russell, Ethics & Code of the funds, and to sees both the Ethics ommendations were made the source ethi- Environment Officer of the The London School of Economof any ethical or and the School’s wider said, “Having by the report, including the consideration framework has raised con- Students Union ics is calling for students and in an in- reputational risks which might cal nothing that does code [ethics] recommendation a cerns among students. VWDŕŽ‰ WR DELGH E\ WKH (WKLFV implementation stitution-wide Ethics Code be arise. One student commented, itself. It is the Code and Ethical Guidelines. Donations over ÂŁ100,000 to enable the univerbe in- RI WKHVH QHZO\ FRQன UPHG SULQ In an email sent to all stu- adopted intensive scru- “It’s hard for students to sity to “navigate the ethical receive more ciples that truly matters. Now dents earlier last month, sturelationship be- volved in the ethical decisions for all memand reputational issues which tiny of the by the school when so what we need is dents were asked to complete in tween the LSE and the poten- made to world community ference, changed LSE the the in of Prime arise bers Minister available David will lead to the billion pound From these a survey, where they were to whilst those over little information is main areas arose upholding andboth active in which it operatesâ€? in the hope tial funder, be Cameron Mayor of London, industries of the future.â€? to them.â€? ‍ڔ‏FRQன UP WKDW \RX KDYH UHDG the concept of “smart citiesâ€? themselves Boris Johnson “gate-crashedâ€? LSE Cities student, Nick and “How are we supposed to these principles the Ethics Code and agree to “successful cities.â€? Questhe event holding the School a ÂŁ50 Kaufmann, stated that he felt tions were know if the school has been and actively to announcenot abide by its principles.â€? raised such as: in million where it does Lon- Cameron and Johnson’s pres- what has London’s abiding by the Ethics Code to account investment in code In the email, it was said Congestion the don’s that Tech ensure to City. order With whatthe report aid of ence brought “credence to the Charge meant when there is no WKDW ‍ڔ‏WKH &RGH ZLOO EH HŕŽ‰ HFWLYH for efficiency images of the Tech eventâ€? and made “things that not just words.â€? is simulated soever?â€? he added. in mobility? Has car-sharing only if it is read, understood City, “Transparency new civic space at the we talk about, which at times Sheaadded, According to a statement meant less construction of and fully embraced by all.â€? of accountcentre of Oldpart Street Rounda- can seem lofty, feel impor- car parks from the Press Office, “pa- is an integral The Ethics Code, which was and thus more arbout, and it is obviously expressed not the tant.â€? pers and minutes [from the ability, Cameron HDV IRU JUHHQHU\" +DV ZL ன approved by the LSE Council this with government’s combine to possible commitment The would Prime EPC] the to Minister’s by produced meetings an- changed the way we share earlier this year, was decision make the where thebest UK “the place nouncement set the scene for work space? not necessarily be suitable for a system IROORZLQJ WKH *DGGDன VFDQGDO in the process not visible.â€? to isstart and run, what would characterise the public release because they making world In 2011, controversial links :KLOH WKH னUVW KDOI RI WKH the rest of the day’s oncomand to grow to acomment Asked technology discussions. conference argued PD\ FRQWDLQ FRQன GHQWLDO SHU between Libya and the LSE that techpanyâ€?. between the Ethics Code The conference went on to link sonal information.â€? nology was a solution to many was exposed by the media. of the LSE, cover the future of the digital of the city’s problems, Nevertheless, “the expec- and the culture The acceptance of Colonel the secCalhoun said, tation is that, where possible, Director Craig *DGGDன ‍ڑ‏V VRQ 6DLI DV D 3K' are Guidelines Ethics the committee’s work will be “The student in the LSE, the receipt not just rules and procedures. publicly communicated.â€? of ÂŁ1.5 million in donations to part of a larger The Press Office added, They are one WKH XQLYHUVLW\ E\ WKH *DGGDன discussion about how we can that Deenvisaged and currently is Charity “it International an annual report best live up to our principles. ink calligraphy velopment Foundation, as well ÂŁ250,000 are automatically, there will be Shu and shape Hang to Chinese accountability helps clearer Climate a discussion of This Answers, whilst the Policy Comas a number of other links bepalm reading while the Pa- Film along with lesser donations [by the Ethics structures. a larger culture as well as to Society continued their referred mittee] to [the LSE] Council, Last tween Libya and the univerweek, the F GHFLVLRQV ‍ڕ‏ LSE Students’ kistan society sold cultural East Asian Film night The Ethics Code consist of that raise concerns, LQIRUP VSHFLன with sity, called into question the formed Ethics although this may be more Union held “Only a few rela- items. He added, International a showing of the Taiwanese “a set of six core principles to the newly of key judgment not only of individuDonations) Panel. frequent if a number On Thursday, an Interna- னOP ‍<ڔ‏RX $UH WK Week, are sim“week-long decisionscelebraunderpinning life at the LSE,â€? (Grants and F DUHDV DUH tively aeasy H $SSOH RI 0\ als within the LSE, but also The Panel, made up of LSE GHFLVLRQV LQ VSHFLன tion wrong. tional Food Festival was held, Eye.â€? 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Societies taking part in Week added a the fair decorated their stalls a Cultural Performance and perky, splash of colour to an with a wide variety of deco- Karaoke Night in the Tuns on otherwise dreary Week 9, and rations, making Houghton Monday night. hopefully reminded us how On the academic side, the great Street unusually colourful. an asset LSE’s interna7KH +RQJ .RQJ 3XEOLF $ŕŽ‰DLUV Think Tank Society held an tional diversity really is.â€? & Social Service society (HK- European Union roundtable PASS) showcased traditional with Stephen Tindale, cofounder of the organisation

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David Cameron speaks at LSE Conf

ond half saw the discussion life. Questions concerning the take a more global outlook. degrees of “human freedom The second half of the Electric or statistical fatalismâ€? were City Conference emphasised raised and it was concluded WKDW D ‍ڔ‏WHFKQR ன[‍ ڕ‏ZDV QRW WKH that these questions presuponly solution to the city’s prob- pose the idea that technology lems. always works. It was argued that in the Carlo Ratti, Director of MIT Global South, the vision of the Senseable Lab, raised a valid city as a borderless shared point that “technology can space enabled by technology be used to create things such seems very far-fetched. The as a Digital speakers stated that people in Zaragoza, Water pavilion in cities are more behind walls high-tech Spain, which uses sensors which don’t in security zones and gated always work.â€? communities as urban crime The dichotomy of Sennett’s increases. predictions and the realities Wim Elfrink, Chief Globali- of technology provided a fruitsation Officer and Executive ful discussion regarding the Vice President for the Indus- extent to which people play a try Solutions Group, Cisco, re- role in the minded the conference speak- technology. design and use of Famous architects ers: “technology is not the Richard solution, but a tool that we Zaera-PoloRogers, Alejandro need to use. Technological in- emphasised and Bjarke Ingels the cyclical relanovation is not much use in the tionship with architecture. wrong hands, for instance in 7KH னUVW KDOI RI GD\ RQH SURgovernments that do not have vided a complete closed systhe wealth to use it.â€? tem of the City; a system that The second day of the con- enables the City to be planned ference took a more academic and organised to maximum efstance on the challenges of ur- ficiency. However, the conferbanisation. Dr David Madden, ence went on to unravel this LSE Lecturer in the Depart- view, showing how “messyâ€? ment of Sociology, comment- cities are and how much the ed that “the second day did a city is only made people, not much better job of addressing things, and it is these people questions of inequality and and the extent of equality and powerâ€?, which he felt were power within dealt with inadequately in the determines collectivities that the nature of each னUVW GD\ city. LSE Professor of SociolThe highlight of the second ogy, Richard Sennett, painted day was Anthony Giddens’ talk a picture of a future of less-in- on the “high risk and hightelligent city-dwellers. Sennett opportunityâ€? society we live voiced concerns about how in. Giddens emphasised govtechnology is taking away the ernance and its responsibility city’s ability to make individu- to confront and deal with the als smarter in their everyday realities of climate change. dealing with complexity. Com- He predicted a future that will plexity, Sennett said, ; which be increasingly dominated by is the ‘complex’ nature of the energy politics, and called for ambiguous and incomplete in- policies that will build a city teraction with strangers which which is resilient enough to fulstimulates human beings’ de- ly handle Climate Change. velopment into a sophisticated The conference concluded adult. According to Sennett, with politicians and policy technology robs us of interac- makers questioning how it is tions that stimulates social de- possible to pass policy within YHORSPHQW DQG VR ‍ڔ‏VWXSHனHVâ€Ťâ€œ ڕ‏18th Century institutionsâ€? us. that are facing “21st Century Debates followed on the problems.â€? role of technology in relation to WKH JURXQG OHYHO HŕŽ‰HFWV RQ FLW\ /6( 3+272*5$3+< 81,7

No experience is necessary.

Last Thursday, the LSE SU Entrepreneurs Society hosted one of Europe’s most successful entrepreneurs, Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou. The LSE alumnus and serial entrepreneur returned to his alma mater to give a talk on philanthropy and

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Bjoern Wolf & Jack Bridger

Students celebrate International

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Comment Comment

The Beaver | 15.01.2013

9

:LWKGUDZDO RI FKLOG EHQHૹW

([SODLQLQJ WKH GHEDWH RYHU FKLOG EHQHŕ­˝W ZKLFK ZLOO Dŕ­źHFW RYHU RQH PLOOLRQ IDPLOLHV “It’s not fair! You can’t take it away from me. It’s been there since 1946.â€? “Tough luck. You don’t need it and we can’t afford it any more.â€? “Fine. But don’t think I’m going to like it.â€? Is this an argument between parent and child over a favourite toy which the child had outgrown? No. This is the gist of the argument between wealthier parents and the government over the withdrawal of entitlement to child EHQHனW This decision came into effect on January 7th, the day Parliament resumed session after the Christmas break. It means that families earning over a certain income will no longer be entitled to their FKLOG EHQHனW 7KH XQLYHUVDO FKLOG EHQHனW ZDV LQWURGXFHG XQGHU D GLŕŽ‰HUHQW QDPH ‍ڔ‏IDPily allowances,â€? in 1946. Families where one parent earns ÂŁ60,000 or more will ORVH WKHLU FKLOG EHQHனW DOWRgether whereas families with one parent earning between ÂŁ50,000 and ÂŁ60,000 will KDYH WKHLU FKLOG EHQHனW FXW RQ a sliding scale. All parents on an income under ÂŁ50,000 will UHWDLQ FKLOG EHQHனWV 7KHVH FKDQJHV ZLOO DŕŽ‰HFW approximately 1.1 million families. The Prime Minister David Cameron, speaking on the Andrew Marr Show, said, “This will raise ÂŁ2 billion a year. If we don’t raise that ÂŁ2 billion from that group of peoSOH WKH EHWWHU RŕŽ‰ னIWHHQ SHU cent in the country, we would KDYH WR னQG VRPHRQH HOVH WR take it from.â€? The government is appealing to the public’s sense of fairness, presenting their changes to the welfare system as “returning fairness to welfare.â€? As David Cameron said, “we’re all in this together.â€? Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, David Gauke, said that “every section of societyâ€? must contribute to UHGXFLQJ WKH GHனFLW 7KH /Dbour Party has responded on the same linguistic playLQJ னHOG GHSLFWLQJ WKH FRDOLtion government’s policy as “totally unfair.â€? Certainly, more extreme commentators see the change as heralding the end of the welfare state. The Guardian’s Aditya Chakrabortty went as far as

writing an obituary to the death of Beveridge’s welfare VWDWH ‍ڔ‏KLV PRVW IDPRXV RŕŽ‰spring,â€? calling the end of the XQLYHUVDO FKLOG EHQHனW ‍ڔ‏WKH proximate cause of death.â€? However, there seems to be broad public support for this change. Boris Johnson has supported the cut of the EHQHனW ZKLFK IRU KLV IDPLO\ was an unnecessary addition to the household income, with characteristic gusto. He said RI WKH FKLOG EHQHனW ‍ڔ‏ZH‍ڑ‏UH looking at ten half-decent ski KROLGD\V KHUH RU DERXW னYH luxury safaris.â€? Indeed Britain’s billionaires were claimLQJ WKH EHQHனW WKH\ KDG EHHQ entitled to until last Monday. Of course, Boris Johnson’s family is not a typical example of the 820,000 people ZKR ZLOO ORVH WKH EHQHனW DOWRgether. Many of the families who are closer to the ÂŁ60,000 mark will certainly miss it and will need to readjust family budgets. In particular, single parent households are likely to feel this cut more deeply, since in many cases the benHனW ZDV XVHG IRU FKLOGFDUH D VLJQLனFDQW FRVW IRU PRVW IDPLlies. However, the coalition government is currently considering childcare credits to KHOS RŕŽ‰VHW WKHVH FRVWV Continuing the fairness debate, the principle element of unfairness is that the limit is based on individual earnings rather than total household income, thus households where parents each earn ÂŁ49,000, and collectively earn almost ÂŁ100,000, still UHWDLQ WKH EHQHனW 2Q WKH RWKer hand, a household with a single earner on ÂŁ60,000 will lose it. That does not seem “fundamentally fair.â€? Furthermore, since women traditionDOO\ UHFHLYH WKH FKLOG EHQHனW reports show that women will VXŕŽ‰HU PRUH IURP WKLV FKDQJH contributing to gender inequality. For the wider inequality debate, this change seems to address inequality by reducing the income of the higher earners and freeing up tax revenue for other purposes. An annoying aspect of the change is that, due to inadequate data, up to 300,000 of WKRVH DŕŽ‰HFWHG GLG QRW UHFHLYH the HMRC letter informing them so that they could opt RXW RI UHFHLYLQJ WKH EHQHனW

HM REVENUE & CUSTOMS

Marion Osborne

Those who missed the January deadline will continue to UHFHLYH WKH EHQHனW EXW PXVW complete a self-assessment form to repay it in tax. The deadline for tax completion is fast approaching, further annoying those who will have to repay. More important than the principle of fairness is the IDFW WKDW D EHQHனW ZKHWKHU or not it was needed, is being taken away. Nobody likes anything they already have being taken away. The tradition and custom of receiving it means the loss of entitlement is a soft spot which hurts, even though they may understand the economic necessity of the cut. Tears and tantrums will

arise and, in turn, politicians will be punished in the ballot box. 0RUHRYHU FKLOG EHQHனW was one of the few remaining XQLYHUVDO EHQHனWV RI WKH %ULWish welfare state, enhancing the ongoing trend towards a solely means-tested and neoliberal welfare system. Certain commentators fear that this defeats the social democratic model of universal EHQHனWV ZKHUHE\ WKH PLGGOH class is more likely to support the welfare state if they DOVR EHQHனW +RZHYHU LQ WKH current economic climate, helping to control welfare spending by removing the FKLOG EHQHனW IURP WKH EHWWHU RŕŽ‰ VHHPV DQ XQGHUVWDQGDEOH

move because there seems to be no better alternative that would enjoy broad public support. The bigger question for the near future is whether ending the universal nature RI FKLOG EHQHனW ZLOO EH IROlowed by further encroachments on other universal benHனWV ,Q SDUWLFXODU SHQVLRQHU EHQHனWV VXFK DV WKH ZLQWHU fuel allowances, TV licensing, and free travel passes, which are growing expenses and concerns. This will come to a head in 2015. More bruises, tears and tantrums lie ahead in the fallout from the battles over welfare in the political playground.

10

Comment

15.01.2013

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Ich bin ein Ausländer UKHOMEOFFICE

Political rhetoric and results do not seem to be adding up

Bernard Feng

I must preface this article by stressing that I have nothing but the utmost respect for the United Kingdom. The birthplace of the Magna Carta, Adam Smith, and John Locke, it is a country that has strong values and has laid the foundations for ideas such as the balance of power and the rule of law. It is also the right of every nation to determine its own policy regarding who it takes in and who it does not. Securing borders is vital to maintaining sovereignty. Immigration has become a hotspot for British politics; in the 2010 General Election, the push for a tougher stance on immigration was felt throughout election season. Then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown was constantly grilled by a varied range of people, from students to “bigoted woman” Gillian Duffy, on his government’s failure to deal with what was seen as an out-of-control immigration problem. The government was accused of taking in more people than it could deal with. Immigration was brought up constantly in the US-style Leaders’ Debates, regardless of what topic each debate focused on, be it domestic, foreign or economic policy.

I came to the UK for undergraduate studies on a student visa before the Tier 4 reforms took place. While the application was a little cumbersome, caught up with biometrics and the like, it was nevertheless done in a fashionable manner, with the whole process taking a month to complete. Not ideal, but nonetheless within reason for someone who was going to be staying in the country for four years. What Tier 4 did was make the process much more complicated and more expensive; instead of simply filling out an application form, there was a point-based system, where one would have to attain “points” by possessing the right documents and circumstances, with the application only deemed satisfactory once a sufficient amount of points have been acquired. In addition, there were other restrictions, such as requiring the student to have at least £4,000 in his own name. Had I applied for university a year later, his visa would have been refused. Instead of heading home for Christmas, I was forced to spend the festive season in London as my passport had to be sent off as part of my application for a Masters degree. The United

Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA) has been facing a major backlog of applications and therefore my case has yet to dealt with. In addition to the fact that I was unable to return home for Christmas and a family birthday, the absence of my passport has led to some rather awkward situations every time I am asked for ID when I feel like having a beer. Apparently this story is not entirely unique, as many others were forced to spend Christmas stranded in Britain. Moreover, some are still waiting on their visa applications even after their studies have ended, rendering the entire process redundant. Before anyone starts criticising the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, Tier 4 was implemented under Labour, ironically enough. Immigration policy has not changed, it has gotten worse, and the tragedy is that international students are caught in the crossfire. As of April 2012, students are no longer allowed to work for a few months after they finish their studies. While the purpose behind getting rid of the Post Study Work (PSW) scheme was probably to prevent people from illegally working while pretending to study, it nevertheless makes

the ordeal for students who would like to stay and contribute to the British economy much harder; instead of having a grace period to figure out what to do after graduation, now they have to make absolutely sure they have a well-paying job lined up along with a work visa ready to go as soon as they graduate. However, this is something that only the surest of graduates, which are few in number, can do. A few weeks ago, newly married St Andrews graduates Daniel and Jenny Whiteley were forced to leave the UK after falling foul of immigration rules; Daniel’s Scottish wife needs to have an income of at least £18,600 before bringing a non-EU national to her country. As a result, they have to change their plans of beginning their new life in the UK and move to the US instead. Understandably, this has put the couple off returning to the UK for some time. The tragedy is that while many students are receiving the short end of stick from the UKBA, there are people who mean this country harm and yet still manage to remain here. Abu Qatada, described by a judge as “Osama bin Laden’s right-hand man in Europe,” has recently been

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released on bail, returning to his suburban flat in North West London. In addition, the UKBA’s bureaucratic reforms have done absolutely nothing to crack down on illegal immigration. Unfortunately, the UKBA seem to be rewarding the guilty while punishing the innocent, a paradigm that puts off many potential immigrants. A 26 per cent fall has recently been reported in student visa applications as of September 2012. Students may be more convenient targets for immigration crackdowns, but it cannot be denied that the UKBA’s policies are only haemorrhaging the valuable human capital that it should utilise to help restore the economy. In times of economic crisis, it is very convenient to pin the blame on the foreigner, but the majority of these people do not want to abuse the welfare state and suck taxpayer money dry, as many accuse them of. They want to learn in an environment that is well-renowned for its world-class education and its commitment to excellence, and, if given the chance, stick around and give something back. Perhaps they even want to give the country’s flailing economy the help it so desperately needs.

Comment

The Beaver | 15.01.2013

11

Half time on the coalition

Ben Phillips warns us to prepare for more of the same EEPAUL

Ben Phillips

This government will be around until 2015. That’s not something to celebrate. We’re half way through the Coalition government. The austerity programme and the Big Society - whatever that is - are in full swing. The Conservatives have their hands confidently fixed on the levers of power, diverted only by a few tantrums concerning fox hunting and other crucial Tory mattes. The Lib Dems stand by them like some sort of confused and estranged sibling, addicted to the power which is slowly killing them. This government isn’t going away. But should we want it to? Has this been the pioneering leadership we were promised all those months ago? I don’t think so. This coalition should be remembered as a government to forget. Here’s why. First, dishonesty. The “audit of the Coalition,” which looks suspiciously like politicians pretending they can hold themselves to account, will probably show that, on the most basic level, this government has kept a large proportion of its promises. That is to say that on a plain ratio of policies promised to policies implemented, the Coalition can’t be faulted. It’s when you look at the way these policies have been advertised and argued for that the picture changes drastically. Let’s start with the economy. Challenge almost any Coalition member on the austerity programme and you’ll get the same answer: a crisis caused by too much spending can’t be solved by spending more. World leading economists past and present have dedicated careers to refuting that claim. To reduce the nation’s most important economic issue to one of simple mathematics in this way is disingenuous and delusional - third year Econometrics dressed in the clothing of GCSE Mathematics. Even more cringeworthy is Cameron and Osborne’s claim that the economy is “healing,” an argument of such ambiguity that any government in any economic climate could make it without being proven dishonest. Economic matters are, by nature, complex. It’s unfair to expect politicians to spell out economic policies in all their

never ending detail, but to simplify them to such a great extent is undeniably misleading. How about the claim that, in tackling the deficit, all people of the UK are paying their fair share? Given the right premises and statistics, any politician could claim to prove such a statement. The reality, freed from manipulation, is a little different. Take the example of us students. It’s difficult to see how a 200 per cent increase in fees (or for LSE students, thanks to our glorious lefty credentials, a 183 per cent increase) is a burden proportional to that placed on the rest of the population. A debate on the necessity of raising fees is fine. To suggest that it constitutes the paying of a fair share, however, is deceptive. The coalition has played politics too far, not only bending the truth but apparently ignoring it. The Coalition’s faults lie not only in the way it advertises its policies but also in its total unwillingness to change them in the face of failure. In terms of minor policies, of course, the government has been more

than happy to indulge in a few U-turns, although this doesn’t seem to reflect so much an admission of failure as a lack of confidence in the strength of some of its original policies. When it comes to major ideas, however, the coalition has been about as flexible as a brick wall. Its obsession with deficit reduction, coming at the expense of economic growth, has done more to strangle the economy than to heal it, yet we can be sure that no change will be considered. The austerity agenda will continue fully-fledged throughout the coalition’s term. If a triple-dip recession can’t change that, nothing will. Perhaps another problem with the Coalition is not its policy direction but rather its occasional lack of any direction whatsoever. The UK’s relationship with the European Union - far more important and uncertain that the “special relationship” with the USA - is becoming ever more mysterious. The Coalition’s view on whether the UK should retain a strong relationship with the EU, lessen ties with it, leave it

or give the British people a referendum on it seems to change with each trip David Cameron makes to Brussels. The cracks which appear in the Tory party at any mention of Europe should be no excuse – if our Prime Minister can be so forthright when addressing the question of Scottish independence, he can surely be the same when it comes to the EU. The Coalition has been quiet when noise has been most needed. Supporters of the government will claim that the existence of a coalition is impressive in itself. But Cameron and Clegg don’t regret their parties’ unity. On the contrary, they relish coalition government. Coalition members are desperate to secure the image of a government dragging itself along for the national good, in spite of its various divisions and disagreements. The ability to begin any announcement with the reminder that coalition government is difficult is seen by both the Tories and the Lib Dems as an enormous asset. The government does not see its coalition status as a drawback – it has used it to its

advantage. These criticisms of the Coalition should not be interpreted as an endorsement of Labour. Far from it. The opposition has failed to promote a consistent or significant policy agenda, instead relying on a stream of criticism of everything the Coalition does. Two and a half years after electoral defeat, that just isn’t good enough. Whether a Miliband government would be more effective than the current one is open to debate, but on the question of whether Labour would undertake a clearer and more comprehensible policy agenda, I’m not filled with hope. So maybe the Coalition has been just one element of a fairly dire few years for British politics. It has mixed dishonesty, intransigence and occasional silence. I can’t pretend I’m looking forward to two and a half more years of it. Cameron and Clegg will though, no matter how torturously they describe the rest of their term together. Until 2015, brace yourselves for more of the same.

12

Comment

15.01.2013

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A sex education revolution INDUSTRY AND PARLIAMENT TRUST

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Benjamin Butterworth

Welsh Tory MPs are a rare breed. There are a total of eight of them now - one more than Snow White ever needed, four fewer than would have satisfied Jesus. But one of these sacred lovies has been making more headlines than the other seven. David Davies, the honourable member for Monmouth, in South Wales, has created waves with his views on sexuality. Davies has claimed same-sex marriage to be “barking mad� and that, apparently, “most parents would prefer their children not to be gay.� Which begs the retort: most parents would prefer their children not to be Tory MPs. In a Guardian interview published over the Christmas break (that time of goodwill to all men, er, beside those who fancy other men), Davies said that same-sex marriage could lead to the teaching of anal sex in schools. Bah humbug! Davies claims: “if children are going to be taught that

[heterosexuality] isn’t nec- get in Vauxhall. about different sexual pracessarily the norm, and that OK, I confess: that isn’t tices does not mean they you can carry on doing all true. You can’t be indoctri- will suddenly become Oscar sorts of other things, are nated into a sexuality – even Wilde quoting, queer theory we going to have a situation though some go to extreme readers, wandering school where the teacher’s saying, and cruel extents to try and corridors like a lost cast ‘Right, this is straight sex, fulfil this fallacy. An offen- of Priscilla Queen of the this is gay sex, feel free to sive fallacy David Davies’ Desert. It means they are choose, it’s perfectly normal comments are pushing; how- informed of the realities, to want to do both. And you ever bumbling he may wish differences and risks that know, why not sexual matutry both out?’� rity brings. 7KH IDFW WKDW \RX FDQ FRPSOHWH WKH IXOO For a closeted I recall teenager, dealing the first OHQJWK RI FRPSXOVRU\ HGXFDWLRQ \HW KDYH with their emotime I was QHYHU EHHQ WDXJKW WKH SULQFLSOH VKDSH tional and sexproposiRI \RXU IXWXUH VH[XDO H[SHULHQFHV LV D ual identity, of tioned. The course that was man and I VFDQGDO the problem. I were at a frequently thought that had to claim to be. All I knew, house party, not far from teachers just explained to during those questioning Davies’ Monmouthshire conthe six-pack baring, chisel- school years, was that I en- stituency, when he enquired jawed jocks in P.E. that they joyed acting, occasionally if I am a “top or bottom?� I could give it each other from fashioned my shower towel was fairly confused, but asbehind, they would immedi- like a ball gown, and got an sumed this meant we were ately have begun doing so. erect penis when looking at sharing bunk beds. He reHad Mr Tasker in Biology naked men. The choice was peatedly asked the quesonly referenced the basics basically a binary between tion, to which I repeatedly of anal intercourse, I expect being a homosexual or a avoided answering for conthe rugby team would have Catholic priest. fusion. It was a whole year, been piling in, requesting Somehow, I’ve ended and a number of searches on my assistance. At mere men- up an atheist homosexual. the home computer (which tion, the gay mafia probably Probably because the pu- taught me of the need to dewould have been submitting bescent may be moody, but lete “recently visited�), beplans to the PTA for locker they are plenty capable of fore I understood the very rooms to be converted into making their own decisions. cornerstone of so-called a sauna, like the ones you Teaching young people “gay sex.�

The fact that you can complete the full length of compulsory education, yet have never been taught the principle shape of your future sexual experiences is a scandal. I was not prepared for my first sexual encounter. I did not know how it worked, what bits went where, or crucially: what the dangers were. It’s no surprise, when you consider the lack of education, that the rate of young gay and bisexual men being diagnosed with HIV is on a sharp incline. The Health Protection Agency (HPA) statistics reveal 2011 saw the highest number of new diagnoses since records began, with 3,010 men’s lives changed irreconcilably. That is a new diagnosis every three hours. Not to mention the estimated 25,000 people who are unaware they have contracted the virus. The tough truth is that we have an education system letting young men who have sex with men down. Going into the world without the tools to understand your own sexuality, and its potential risks, is a situation that needs (like so many things) to be wrapped up. Talking about anal sex might be awkward or “un-British,� but not understanding our privates’ private encounters is a situation risking lives. Just because David Davies isn’t a fan of anal sex (or more probably his wife, but I guess it’s not dinner table conversation to enquire), doesn’t mean we shouldn’t explain it. Davies seems to think his constituents learning there are different ways to have sex will see our kids being taught biology lessons by a resurrected Dale Winton and Carry On films added to the National Curriculum. But, really, this is a matter of decency to young people. To provide them with the full facts of life; not just those an outdated sexual conservatism thinks are appropriate. So long as women can give birth, schools should teach about contraception. So long as gays are having sex, schools must explain anal sex. We are dangerously overdue a sex education revolution in this country.

We are looking for a new Comment Editor. ,I \RX ZRXOG OLNH WR ன QG RXW PRUH DERXW WKH UROH SOHDVH HPDLO FRPPHQW#WKHEHDYHURQOLQH FR XN 3OHDVH FRQWDFW FROOHFWLYH#WKHEHDYHURQOLQH FR XN IRU LQIRUPDWLRQ DERXW WKH HOHFWLRQ

Features

The Beaver | 15.01.2013

Last week saw the 150th anniversary of the ன UVW MRXUQH\ RQ WKH /RQ don Underground, when the Metropolitan Line opened between Paddington and Farringdon. It was described at the time as “the most stupendous engineering undertaking yet achieved in the railway worldâ€?. 8.,3 ૽ UH <RXWK President The former leader of the youth wing of Nigel Farage’s party (Olly Neville) ZDV ன UHG IRUP KLV SRVW DI ter disagreeing with party SROLF\ +H ZDV ன UHG DIWHU making public statements, including comments in support of Gay Marriage, which caused the NEC of UKIP to remove him from KLV RŕŽŒ FH $QJOLFDQV DOORZ *D\ %LVKRSV The Church of England has issued a statement indicating that they will allow individuals who are in a civil partnership to join the Episcopate, on the condition they remain celibate. This has prompted criticism from both sides of the debate from liberals and traditionalists. 7KH XQLRQ ૾ DJ LV ૾ \LQJ in Belfast 7KH XQLRQ ŕŽ‹ DJ LV ŕŽ‹ HZ over Belfast City Hall on Wednesday (in honour of the Duchess of Cambridge’s’ 31st Birthday) IRU WKH ன UVW WLPH VLQFH D decision not to display it permanently sparked protests in the city, as national identity remains a source of deep division in Northern Ireland. 2EDPD SLFNV QHZ Defence Secretary President Obama has nominated former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel as the next U.S. secretary of defence. However this has provoked controversy due to his comments regarding Israel, abortion and Gay rights in the past.

13

What is Eve-Teasing?

Lizzie Craig This coy euphemism commonly used in India to describe sexual molestation of women suitably epitomizes the lack of action taken for women’s rights. --- Not only does it suggest that women bring such violations on themselves but the act of molestation itself is wrongly downplayed to mere ‘teasing’. So where and how clearly is the line drawn between teasing and harassment? Public outrage at the recent atrocity undergone by a 23-year-old-woman in Delhi seems to present the act of rape as a rare occurrence to outsiders. On the contrary, rapes and consequent suicides are a tradegy that is frequently described in India’s press – undoubtedly leaving many unreported. In an age of strong domestic and economic development for India, it would not be unreasonable to expect living standards and, more importantly, equality to develop alongside. These frequent and widespread injustices against women should not, indeed cannot, be explained away by culture nor religion. Hinduism, arguably the dominant religion throughout India, is in fact fairly tolerant towards women. Countries that share similar cultural practices and religions have not allowed their women to be thus treated for so long. In a 2011 United Nations Index on female education, employment and more, India ranked a miserly 134th out of 187 countries in WRWDO ‍ ڋ‏D ன QH IHDW IRU VXFK DQ LQŕŽ‹ XHQWLDO DQG HFRQRPLFDOO\ VLJQLன FDQW QDWLRQ 7KLV SODFHV them behind Saudi Arabia, Iraq and China in terms of rights for women. Whilst India’s competitors, such as China, may have had their human rights pitfalls publicized globally, it is often noted that the silent nations have more to hide – with regard to women’s ULJKWV ,QGLD DSSHDUV WR ன W WKH bill entirely. Anyone willing to come to the defense of such claims may readily assume that the existence of female leading politicians proves substantial female participation in national government – this would be a hasty conclusion. looking at

the example more closesly reYHDOV D IDU GLŕŽ‰ HUHQW SLFWXUH ,Q the most notable cases, women have only achieved leadership roles by starting their own party (Mayawati, Jayalalitha‌) or through family rule (Sonia Gandhi, Rabri Devi‌). It is also unfortunate but highly likely that one of the most LQŕŽ‹ XHQWLDO ZRPHQ LQ ,QGLD‍ڑ‏V history, Indira Gandhi, gained recognition for her family ties – regardless of her ideas or motivation. A level of 33 per cent participation for women in politics has been stated as the aim of the United Nations: an outstanding and clear example of how compromise once again tips in the favor of the male section of the population. Whilst it may be true that 33 per cent participation may be enough to convince women that their opinions are heard, it lies just under the level QHHGHG WR PDNH D GLŕŽ‰ HUHQFH LQ DQ\ ன QDO GHFLVLRQ ‍ ڋ‏D FRLQFL dental 35 per cent. This statistic made all the more damaging by the fact that in August 2012, only 28 of the 200 states in India had reached this modest target. If it wasn’t enough that Indian women cannot make their voice and vote count in the foreseeable future, the most far-reaching vehicle for representation depicts them as objects and the men who ‘tease’ them as macho heroes. The media; to (most) developed nations it presents an outlet for debate, opinion and entertainment. However, for women in India, it does almost nothing to help their position in society and in fact makes matters worse. There’s an Argos-sized catalogue of examples to choose from, so picking one that needs no explanation seems ன WWLQJ DV DQ H[DPSOH $Q DG vertisement for a premium whisky with the slogan Kuchh Bhi Ho Sakta Hai (anything can happen) shows a man taking three sips of whisky. With every sip, the woman in front of him loses more and more clothing until she is practically naked. If men have little else to inŕŽ‹ XHQFH WKHLU MXGJPHQW ZKDW wonder is it that they assume women welcome harassment? If women in India have any

hope of gaining the respect and equality they deserve, they will need the support of DW OHDVW RQH LQŕŽ‹ XHQWLDO ERG\ Whether it be the media, the government or the newly emerging middle-class still remains to be seen. The recent demonstrations in Delhi seem to suggest that the growing power of the middle-class may be the driving force behind a possible women’s rights movement. U.S. EMBASSY NEW DELHI

Tube celebrates anniversary

Features

However, the use of tear gas on said demonstrations suggests the opposition to such a movement will be violent and will come from a position of strength which will be hard to challenge. There can be no doubt that the road towards equality has and will be a long one, and paved with difficulties, but maybe, just maybe, this could be the beginning of the end.

14

Features

15.01.2013 |

The Beaver

Bernard’s Watch(ing you) Fionn Shiner and Ed Bayes BBC - DESERT ISLAND DISKS

Welcome Happy New Year to everyone, and welcome back to the LSE. We hope you have enjoyed the Christmas Holidays or Christmas catch-up as it is known to many of us. Features is a section designed to allow anyone anyone to write about anything they would like the wider LSE Community to read, from satire to political analysis. We look forward to the term ahead, and hope that this section will enlighten and inform you about what goes on in the world. If you have a topic you would like to write about please drop us an email: Features@thebeaveronline.co.uk

In this column we intend to take turns discussing a particular that we noticed over the last week. The issue that I noticed, being the political hack that I am, was Olly Neville being fired from his role as President of UKIP’s youth wing, apparently for his support of Gay Marriage. Olly Neville can be adequately described, I believe, as a libertarian and an anarcho-capitalist, and has very outspoken views on a number of issue frequently at odds with the rest of his party. His twitter bio describes himself as “Still embarrassingly off message. Still an Anarchist.” The problem apparently arose after Olly Neville was interviews on the “World at One” in which he publically backed Gay Marriage legislation in Parliament (in direct contradiction to UKIPs party line). Shortly thereafter he was dismissed from his post. Olly released images of several of the emails that informed him of his dismissal, and in effect they seem to indicate that Olly had deviated from the party platform & listed his public views on Gay Marriage as one of the reasons for his dismissal. He said he was asked to stand down after being told his remarks were ‘quite simply completely at odds’ with the official party policy and put gains in opinion polls at risk. Followed by writing a piece in the Independent entitled “So much for the libertarians! How UKIP sacked me after I said I support equal marriage” This has certainly been dominating the headlines, well the headlines in the world of Youth Politics, a niche within a niche. Certainly if it is true, this seems to be PR disaster for the party. Internal divisions never help and especially for a party whose youth wing is dominated by Libertarians, this restriction of freedom of speech, and authoritarian attitudes is politically damaging to the party, particularly when he supports an idea that the majority of the public are in favour of. But, this is still politics and all is rarely as it seems, UKIP are kicking back at the ex-youth chairman’s story: “It has been reported that he has been removed because of his support for gay marriage. This is not the case. However, we did point out to him that stating policy views which are in contradiction to Party policy, or mis-stating Party policy, in public media was not only in breach of his responsibilities but also contrary to the YI’s objects.” Rather UKIP have asserted that it is due to Neville’s frequent statements at odds with a whole raft of party policies that caused his removal from office. Indeed, the Guido Fawkes Blog asserts he has expressed strong and outspoken disagreements with the rest of the party. The Guido Fawkes Blog stated thta Olly Neville has made highly controvertial statements in support of legalising bestiality and necrophilia: “Yes I am pro bestiality and necrophilia being legalised as you ask. Why should the state tell me I cant?… the animal was never human, the corpse is no longer human… if people want to do it and want it to be done to them what’s wrong with it … they aren’t a person anymore, they’re property, its like having sex with your pillow.” Olly Neville’s views on Gay Marriage certainly came into it, but as ever with politics there seems to be more going on here than meets the eye. Chris Rogers Features Editor

A Satirical look at the life of Bernard Levin Part II ‘Hello motherf*******’ said Bernard. All three of them turned to him. Tia Maria’s expression was unreadable but it conveyed at best bewilderment, and at worse burning resentment; Xi Wan was smiling maniacally like a squirrel on a gram of MDMA and Charlotte giggled nervously touching her luxurious straw-like hair as she did so. ‘Oh my Christ oh lord’, screamed Bernard internally, ‘why did I just say that? I don’t even believe any of them has had intercourse with their mothers’; he didn’t get a waft of Oedipus from any of them, so why had he addressed them in such a way?! Bernard tittered awkwardly and pushed his shaggy mop out of his eyes. “I’m sorry about that” he began to say when the door to reception crashed open behind him. Karl strode in with the glitter of intelligence burning in his eyes. “Hello dear friends, so we are all going to this tedious tour of campus” Karl announced with a thespian flourish. “We sure are Karl!” said Charlotte enthusiastically. She’s never that enthusiastic with me, Bernard thought desolately. “Shall we set off then” Karl asked as he strode towards the door not waiting for a reply. He had craftily disguised it as a question but it wasn’t, it was a command. He set off along High Holborn at a rather unforgiving pace. ‘Oh my’, Bernard thought queasily, ‘it should be me leading this band of merry-men’. The five of them arrived outside the Waterstone’s knowing they had suffered an absolute ordeal. Karl had yapped on non-stop about his take on the political institutions of Europe and how Britain was simply miles behind when it came to levels of democracy. When he took a break from his litany, the others had literally nothing to say to one another. Bernard had tried to extract a conversation from Tia Maria about his hopes and dreams but he had simply shrugged and said ‘I don’t know mate, the only

hope I currently have is that this fucking hangover pisses off ’. Bernard didn’t know how to respond to that but noted mentally that the thing happening to his body was a ‘hangover’. Bernard decide he should just laugh but he did so a shade too loudly, and Tia Maria just stared blankly at him. ‘Yeah same mate, I mean, what a bloody pain in the arse hey!’ Bernard had responded. Swearing had never come easy to Bernard and it was twice today that he had sworn for literally no conceivable reason. The words were like acid in his mouth; not the drug though, the corrosive substance. Bernard had overhead a stilted conversation between Xi Wan and Charlotte about male circumcision. I wonder how that came about Bernard thought to himself. The tour had been similarly painful. Bernard was aware that he had nothing to say to these people. They were his only ‘friends’ so far, but there was only so many times you could ask someone “So, what course do you do?” and it not just become rude. Even now, he couldn’t for the life of him remember what they all did, despite asking them individually, soberly, what they did at least 5 times. He thought Tia Maria did Geography, Xi Wan Accounting and Finance, Charlotte Government but he couldn’t be entirely sure. He didn’t dare ask again, he couldn’t take the raised eyebrows anymore. Of course, he remembered what Karl did. He broadcast it to all and sundry. He had to do Politics and Philosophy, Bernard thought, he’s a certain rival for a First. He had overheard the others talking about some sort of ‘Welcome Party’ at a mysterious, exotic place they called the ‘Tuns’. ‘I suppose I should go Bernard thought; it could be fun. I certainly won’t be drinking though, I don’t want to embarrass myself any further’, he concluded. It was around 12pm and Bernard was in hell. This exotic ‘Tuns’ place was exotic only in the sense that it was an urban rainforest of death, desolation and dickheads. The humidity of the place was breath-taking. Sweet was dropping down the walls, ponderously tumbling down the walls like wax and the foul stench of beer hung in the air. The lighting had a strange blue hue, like the innards of the main protagonist in the video for that musical classic ‘Blue (Da Be Dee)’. Bernard was confused; he had seen 3 boys with their shirts off swinging them over their veined heads with a look of ecstasy on their face. Bernard had slurred to Charlotte “why are they doing that” but

it accidentally came out as “buy me some hats”; Bernard had been drinking again. When he had earlier told Tia Maria of his intention to not drink he had looked aghast. He had called him a pussycat minus the cat and thrust a can of Stella Artois into his hand. Then he had gathered the others and started chanting forcefully “down it, down it, down it”. The others joined in, a fervent enthusiasm burning in their eyes. Bernard felt compelled to ‘down it’; he felt like he had just wandered into an extract from Lord of the Flies – he didn’t want to end up like Piggy. After ‘downing’ the first can Bernard felt like a regal prince; a glorious lion amongst a flock of seagulls. So he went down to Sainsbury’s and bought six more. Here he was, in a room as muggy as a reptile room. He was dancing in a peculiar way, watching Karl and Charlotte gyrate as he did so. His knees were crouched and his entire upper body was violently vibrating and shaking, as if he was having a stroke. His back was stooped forward and his right arm was placed across his chest as if he was going to be blessed by a priest in a purple velvet robe. He looked like a drunken, malfunctioning robot. It was an odd sight to behold. It was an odd, but endearing sight. At around 2am ‘The Gang’ had decided to leave the ‘Tuns’ and stagger home. Tia Maria was missing; he had been sighted with a human of the female variety. Xi Wan informed Bernard of this and the interesting titbit that she had seen his hand resting on her bottom. I wonder where he is, Bernard thought. Is he sexing with her? When they got back to their halls they had stayed up in their kitchen discussing the futility of life, and whether we could really rely on our senses as sources of information. Bernard had performed admirably in this discussion, and Karl had conceded victory to Karl by saying ‘Good point’ after one of Bernard’s particularly thrusting and elucidating musings. Bernard loved this bit of LSE; the discussions that really meant something. Little did he know, no one gave a shit about his pseudo-intellectual pontificating except for Karl. Bernard clambered into bed in his Bart Simpson pyjama’s safe in the knowledge that he had had on the whole a fun night. ‘University is strange’, Bernard thought to himself, ‘but I think I’m going to enjoy. So far, so good’. Continued next week..

Features

Till Death Do Us Part - the Coalition

Philosophy Problems

Ryan O’Rourke It wasn’t that long ago that David Cameron and Nick Clegg stood shoulder to shoulder in the gardens of No.10, DownLQJ 6WUHHW $W WKH KDOI ZD\ SRLQW RI D ன[HG னYH \HDU SDUOLDPHQW OLWWOH VHHPV WR KDYH changed. A press conference called, its aim to set out the agenda, raise optimism and appease doubters on both sides that this political experiment would prove successful. There was even a joke and a number of scenes Hugh Grant would have been proud of. Mr Cameron went as far as to label the coalition ‘a Ronseal Deal’. The walls of No. 10 could at times KDYH EHHQ PLVWDNHQ IRU URZV RI ŕŽ‹RZHUV Only the coalition is on track to become as much a cliche as Mr Cameron’s choice of words; setting out bold, optimistic aims amidst the euphoria of election success, only for the realities of government to emerge and disappointment to surface. The aim of the press conference held last Monday was to refocus the coalition, relaunch what has become a stalling project, and portray the image of two parties coming together for the good of the country. The message was this partnership is, and was always, strictly business. A Ronseal deal this will be. 2QO\ WKH னQDO SURGXFW PD\ QRW EH that good. It is hard to remember the Coalition’s strong start. Radical reforms LQ (GXFDWLRQ :HOIDUH DQG னVFDO SROLF\ were implemented. The number of ‘free’ schools rose from 203 to 623 within the னUVW \HDU &KLOG FDUH ZDV IUR]HQ IRU WKUHH years, personal income tax allowance was raised by ÂŁ1000 and a levy put on banks liabilities. These were only mild reforms on the coalition agenda. The NHS was to be radically reorganised, the retirement age risen and tuition fees increased. All three, said the government, had been neglected of reform for too long. The vision was of a leaner state, directing rather then providing services for an electorate who conformed to the idea of a ‘Big Society’. Reform has slowed, the economy has proved far more immune to recovery and a number of events have side-tracked ministers. The failure of Liberal Democrats to win the AV vote (some may say their political lives) with the Conservative party backing the no campaign began a slow divide between the two ruling parties. This has only continued as /LEHUDO 'HPRFUDWV FRPH WR UHDOL]H WKDW they may have spent all their political capital. The phone hacking scandal has not only revealed how close members of this government were to the press and LWV SUDFWLFHV EXW LW KDV UHDIனUPHG LQ the minds of many voters the idea that the Conservative party is made up of privileged, upper-crust members who’s incentives are aligned with other privileged members of society. This and the London riots of 2011 have led many to question the real motive of this government and its intentions. Welfare cuts can seem far more questionable when parts RI \RXU VRFLHW\ ZKR ZLOO EH DŕŽ‰ HFWHG EXUQ to the ground a furniture shop. This has seemingly sidetracked the coalition from its original plans. But their are other, far deeper concerns WKDW HYHQ D SXEOLFLW\ VWXQW FDQQRW ன[ Blaming Labour for a stuttering economy after two and a half years in charge GRHV QRW SDLQW WKH னJXUH RI D FRPSHWHQW statesman. It shows how clear, coherent and honest communication is not one of his strengths. NHS reform, though unpopular is necessary if voters want to

THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE

The Beaver | 15.01.2013

continue to enjoy free healthcare in the long term. George Osbourne must also UHDOLVH WKDW HFRQRPLFV DQG னVFDO SROLF\ has to be dynamic. Failure to do so could ensure the original aim of the coalition government, to reduce debt, isn’t met. But most of all it is the trap of posturing that political parties to often fall into that is most concerning and could jeopardise the coalition. Of the two parties, the Liberal Democrats would be favourites to do this. Mr Clegg has already apologised for rising tuition fees. Many thought he was disingenuous at best. Doing so has raised the question of whether Liberal members have lost appetite for bold reform. Better to oppose Conservative ideas and campaign on a safer platform of rebellion at the next election. This would do Mr Clegg’s party little good. Voters will vote for a party who govern. But it is the Conservative party who have the potential to cause most harm. Europe has again become the topic that could rip Mr Cameron’s party apart. This is worrying. A party cannot hope to govern with another if it is itself divided. Including measures in the review to further curb immigration and ambiguity surrounding Europe will increase speculation on a referendum over our membership with Europe not only contributing to the party divide, but are plain wrong; it is guaranteed to incense Liberal Members of the coalition It is the popular belief that such measures will win an election that the Conservative party pursue such

policies. But it is far more likely that Mr Cameron is trying to appease dissidents on the right and undercut UKIP; he is trying to unite the right out of fear of splitting the rightwing vote. Not all is bad. Child care has been further reformed so that a household who has a member who earns above ÂŁ50,000 does not receive as PXFK OHVV ZHOO RŕŽ‰ IDPLOLHV :HOIDUH EHQHனW ULVHV KDYH EHHQ capped at 1% a year last week, the same as public-sector pay. Defense will be cut by a further ÂŁ4bn. All of these reforms are contextually reasonable. But there is no guarantee any of these, nor those imSOHPHQWHG LQ WKH னUVW KDOI RI WKH SDUOLD ment will work as planned. Over christmas, I was told that my old school was considering turning to the church for funding; hence becoming a religious school. This was in response to curbs in education spending. For many, WKLV LV D FRQFHUQLQJ VLGH HŕŽ‰ HFW It is a shame that a government that started so well seems to be failing. Messers Cameron and Clegg should by now realise a schumpeterian form of government is what Britain needs. The will to implement reform, make mistakes and learn from them. Unfortunately, the relaunch of the coalition has not raised optimism of this. Rather, it seems both leaders have lost their boldness, replacing it with ambiguity and confusion; two factors which the last government were ridiculed for. At this rate, Nick and Dave will plod on, until WKDW னQDO GD\ DUULYHV

15

“Theseus owns a sailing ship. One day he sets sail on a long voyage. During this voyage Theseus anticipates his ship may need various repairs this and so he brought with him a complete supply of new parts to make repairs on his voyage. As repairs are needed, Theseus throws the old parts overboard and replaces them with new parts. Shortly out of port, Theseus notes a plank needs replacing. He replaces the plank, throwing the old plank over board. Now is this still the same boat? Surely it still is? As Theseus is approaching the end of his journey, he has replaced all but one of the planks, now there is only one original plank remaining form the original ship. Is the ship the same ship that set out from port? Finally Theseus replaces WKH ன QDO SODQN 1RZ 7KH seus has completely rebuilt the ship. He returns home to Greece (or wherever it was) after defeating the Minotaur (or whatever he did) in this completely new ship. So the question is: “is this ship at the end of his journey the same as the ship that began the journey?â€? If not, at which point did it cease being the same ship? If it is the same ship, as we intuitively seem to think it is, why, given that the ship at the end of the journey shares nothing that was a part of the original ship how can it be considered the same ship? Given your answer to that: Let’s suppose that Theseus is followed on his voyage by another ship. The captain of this ship collects all of the old parts that Theseus throws overboard. As we said, Theseus eventually throws every part of his original ship overboard, so the captain of the following ship eventually collects every part of the original ship. Then this captain returns to Greece and takes the collected parts to make a ship which is exactly like Theseus’ original ship. If this happened, then, then it would seem that Theseus now has two ships. First, there would have been Theseus’ ship that has had each of its parts replaced one by one. Second, there would have been Theseus’ ship that had been dismantled, restored, and then reassembled. Each of them would have been Theseus’ ship. But surely something cannot be identical with two distinct object. The ship cannot be one and the same as both the ship returning to port, and this rebuilt ship. Which of these ships is identical to the original ship?

16

Features

15.01.2013 | The Beaver

The battle over defence begins William Gurney

Battle lines are being drawn up in the Senate over President Obama’s nomination of Former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel as Defence Secretary. Though this does not appear newsworthy so far however, considering that the ranks of resistance to the presidential use of patronage DUH ன OOHG ZLWK 5HSXEOLFDQV and Democrats from all ends of the American social spectrum many start to wonder LI 2EDPD KDV ELWWHQ RŕŽ‰ PRUH from the proverbial political carcass than he can chew. Hagel’s core, and largely RQO\ VXSSRUW LV FRQன QHG WR WKH White House. Since Republicans identify the Former Nebraska senator as a member of the dwindling number of RINO’s (Republican in name only) and no real evidence has emerged of Democrats rushing to the Chuck Hagel standard as of yet. As a result eyes must logically turn to his patron’s wisdom in nominating this decorated war veteran for the Defence Secretary post when 6HQDWH FRQன UPDWLRQ LV E\ QR means a foregone conclusion. Cynics would point to a President still smarting over Susan Rice’s withdrawal for the Secretary of State post last month post and as a result looking to assert himself once more among Capitol Hill. However such an argument for motivation is contentious given that Obama, so far, will not go down in the political logs as a president to run headlong into political battles ZLWK ன VWV VZLQJLQJ More comprehensive theories see Obama and Hagel holding similar stances on cutting the Defence Department’s ballooning budget. In 2011 Hagel endorsed a report by the advocacy group Global Zero who had proposed an 80

percent reduction in the U.S. nuclear-weapons stockpile leading to estimated savings of $100 billion over ten years. This commitment to reduced military spending has raised expectations that Hagel will be far more forceful in imposing cuts than Leon Panetta or his predecessor, Robert M. Gates. Many Republicans were therefore quick to condemn Hagel as little more than a new frontman for Obama’s further budget cuts and as a result will supervise a downgrading of the US military outlook into something more akin to how Europe is seen to operate today. Hagel has possibly come across the most resistance to his nomination from pro-Israel interests which he referred to as, “the Jewish Lobby.â€? Comments such as this, and combined with his insistence on direct talks with Iran over their nuclear ambitions, point to an at best ambivalent attitude towards Israel by Hagel. Indeed Senator Lindsey Graham declared that, if conன UPHG +DJHO ‍ڔ‏ZRXOG EH WKH most antagonistic secretary of defence towards the state of Israel in our nation’s history.â€? This author would like to point out that, with world opinion of Israel declining VLJQLன FDQWO\ LQ OLJKW RI UHFHQW HYHQWV WKH FRQன UPDWLRQ RI Hagel may well alleviate the subsequent hostility felt towards America for their, as of yet, unwavering support of Israel and their actions. Senator John McCain denounced Hagel’s presumed stance on Israel and noted his own, “serious concerns about positions Senator Hagel has taken on a range of critical national security issues in recent years.â€? McCain, the former ranking minority member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, used to be Hagel’s

inseparable friend which led to the two relocating their offices in order to be in constant contact with each other. This close relationship degraded rapidly in the face of a combination of policy disagreements, political slights and SHUVRQDOLW\ FRQŕŽ‹ LFWV How McCain treats Hagel LQ WKH ORRPLQJ FRQன UPD tion will surely be an indication whether reconciliation

is in the offing and possibly whether Hagel succeeds in his nomination. One must also not forget that women’s issues were one of the foundations of Obama’s re-election bid. However recently three of the most prominent national security posiWLRQV DUH DOO SRLVHG WR EH ன OOHG by white males, with John O. Brennan set to head the CIA and former Presidential canSECRETARY OF DEFENSE

didate Senator John F. Kerry was named to replace Hillary Clinton. Obama has been heavily criticised in not taking advantage of the chance of appointing a women to a prominent security role in order to set an example when the suppression of women in the Islamic world is a growing concern. With further posts up for grabs political commentators are predicting Obama’s cabinet will be less diverse than even the cabinet of George W. Bush. Not many would put any serious money against Hagel’s FRQன UPDWLRQ HVSHFLDOO\ FRQ sidering that more than 9 in 10 defence nominees have EHHQ FRQன UPHG ZLWK OLWWOH RU no challenge. However, questions over whether McCain and Hagel can rekindle their “bromanceâ€?, and wether a happymedium be found with Israel and wether Hagel’s less than exemplary comments in 1998 over James Hormel’s sexuality cause any more damage to his bid for the Defence job makes this another example of how political drama in Washington D.C. just keeps on giving.

Features

The Beaver | 15.01.2013

17

The brutal reality of rape Asha Tanwar Last month, India was plunged into shock following the gangrape, torture and murder of a 23-year-old woman in the Indian capital, Delhi, on a public bus. The case of Nirbhaya (the fearless), as the unnamed victim has come to be known, has brought shame and derision to the country and forced it to question its moral shortcomings. The extreme brutality of the act, where the victim VXŕŽ‰ HUHG PXOWLSOH RUJDQ IDLOXUH and needed a gut transplant after being assaulted repeatedly by an iron rod, resulted in mass protests across the country and demands for a death penalty for the assailants. But this is not an unusual crime. Another tragic story is that of 25-year-old Aruna Shanbaug, who was strangled with metal chains and left to die, after being sodomised by her attacker Sohanlal Bharta Walmiki, in 1973. Shanbaug barely survived the attack and has been in a vegetative state for the past 39 years, brain dead, while Walmiki was merely given a seven-year-sentence for robbery and attempted murder and has since been released. According to author Pinki Virani, who wrote Aruna’s Story, the court did not NHHS D SKRWR RI :DOPLNL RQ ன OH which makes him impossible to track. Though a rape is reported every 21 minutes in India, nearly all go unpunished. Last year 632 cases of rape were reported in Delhi, of which only one led to a conviction. Reasons given for dismissal of cases include arguments that the accused committed the crime because they were drunk, or the accused was a high-caste man who could not rape a Dalit - low caste - woman. Indeed, some have questioned the reaction of the public and many believe that it is unlikely that the same reaction would have resulted had the victim been a Dalit villager, or provocatively dressed. Uma Subramanian, an Indian social worker and blogger, suggested, “I believe this case has grabbed national attention not only because of the brutality but also because the girl was ‘spotless’ according to the moral brigade of India. She was a student, wearing Indian dress, it was 9:30 pm (not so late), she went to the cinema with a friend and she was returning home. She ticked all the boxes of the ideal Indian woman.â€? This seems to be built on the foundation of archaic gender views and the crisis of Indian masculinity. The furore over whether or not the suspects should be given capital pun-

ishment masks a much deeper social problem. This is a country where marital rape is not considered rape and where the names of the rape victims are not revealed, lest they bring shame on the family. Women are treated as inferior, lowerclass citizens, not only in the dirt-poor villages, but even in several metropolitan, middleclass families. India needs a wider societal transformation. The most regressive attitudes to women in India are in the rural areas where rapes are suspected to be even more commonplace than Delhi, but are seldom reported due to social stigma. Several female foetuses are aborted after illegal sex determination tests because of the preference for a male child, seen to be more able to provide for the parents in old age. This has led to an abysmally skewed sex ratio. 7KH ன JXUH IRU WKH RIILFLDO 2011 census was 940 women for every 1000 men, and many of those who survive face discrimination, prejudice, violence and neglect throughout their lifetime. A hundred million women are ‘missing’ worldwide according to Nobel Prize-winning economist Amartya Sen. These women would have survived if they had received similar healthcare, medicine and nutrition as men. India is bottom of the class, and research shows more than two million are ‘missing’ in a given year. In 2011, India ranked 137th of 187 countries for women’s welfare, and TrustLaw, a news service run by Thomson Reuters, ranked India as the worst G20 country in which to be a woman. And yet, the government of India is PLVVLQJ WKH REYLRXV UHG ŕŽ‹ DJV for the need for urgent action. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh appeared on national TV to appease the public, promising to make India safer for women, after almost a week of protests. Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi, considered to be the most powerful woman in India, concurred to meet a group of livid students only after massive public demonstrations had been widely broadcasted. Ironically, a report released in December 2012, found as many as twenty-seven Indian politicians in senior positions have rape or molestation cases pending against them, and six elected state legislators have charges of rape against them. The optimists may hope that the intense pressure on the government will lead to swift laws being written and imposed against sexual assault and rape, promoting a safer India for the next generation of Indian women. However,

RAMESH LALWANI

A look into the horrible case of Nirbhaya the fearless

misplaced hopes in a corrupt, hypocritical government are XQOLNHO\ WR OHDG WR DQ\ HŕŽ‰ HFWLYH long-term changes in the law without consistent will from the people. Law reforms in the area of rape have been taking place over three decades, with ŕŽ‹ XFWXDWLQJ XUJHQF\ EXW WKH\ do not seem to have abated the appalling levels of violence and indecent behaviour to which many Indian women are exposed. For a country which has recorded a growth of over 200 times in per capita income in a period from 1947 (time of independence) to 2011, India remains painfully backward in terms of the equality between the sexes. Over the past several decades, women’s rights have started to take shape and Indian women are asserting their identity in the modern workplace. But, argues Ratna Kapur, writing for The Hindu, “With the opening up of the market, women are entering male bastions of power [which] has challenged the sense of superiority and entitlement of the traditional Indian male.â€? Instead of collectively welcoming the ideas and perspectives of the new participators of the economy, some men feel that women are intrusively trying WR LQŕŽ‹ XHQFH D SDUW RI VRFLHW\ they have no right to. “The grooming of young men to have a feeling of entitlement by Indian parents breeds a sense of masculinity and male privilege,â€? continues .DSXU 7KLV HŕŽ‰ HFWLYHO\ HURGHV the respect for women, making girls often seem burdensome and unwanted to the family. 7KHVH LQHTXDOLWLHV ன OWHU through the age and result in distrust and sometimes hatred against women in the public arena. Calls for a new law, perhaps named after Nirbhaya, may only serve to give a sense of action, without addressing the deeply ingrained social

problem. What India needs is education. The wider Indian society needs to be taught about women’s rights and women themselves should be given the opportunity and actively enFRXUDJHG WR FRQன GHQWO\ HQWHU the work force. The responsibility also lies with parents to ensure that male children are not indoctrinated with a sense of superiority and privilege, and taught to respect women in their own right, not only as mothers, wives and sisters. Another educational concern is related to social interaction between men and women. The strict social rules in place regarding open sexual contact with the opposite sex or dating rules which encourage relationships within castes prevent open interaction. Six states in India are said to have banned sex education because it is stated according to Hindu nationalists that it “has no place in Indian cultureâ€?. But this only fosters a mystical, unattainable image of the opposite sex, which may in part explain the fascination of the other, mostly men, to break the social norms and moral values when an opportunity, such as an unaccompanied girl travelling at night, arises. Capital punishment for the perpetrators behind Nirbhaya’s case or amendment of current rape laws is not enough. The government needs to invest time and thought into changing the way these crimes and their victims are managed. They should establish sensitive screening procedures and outlaw the use of crude medical PHDVXUHV VXFK DV WKH ‍Ú?‏WZR ன Q ger’ test used on rape victims to assess their claims. The practice of providLQJ XQVFLHQWLன F DQG GHJUDG ing medical opinions about rape survivors only promotes the image of the animal-like treatment of victims, many of

whom will never be able to rebuild their lives following the ‘shame’, with the blame placed squarely on their shoulders for a lifetime. A ‘spiritual’ guru, Asaram Bapu, was quoted as commentLQJ ‍ڔ‏2QO\ ன YH WR VL[ SHRSOH DUH not the culprits. The victim is as guilty as her rapists. She should have called the culprits brothers and begged before them to stop. This could have saved her dignity and life.â€? Nevertheless, for every naĂŻve fool, twice as many educated, young people understand the ŕŽ‹ DZV RI ,QGLDQ PRUDOLW\ DQG are taking to the streets in protest against the grave injustice that Nirbhaya, and others like KHU KDYH VXŕŽ‰ HUHG Perhaps this is the wakeup call, or rather the slap in the face, for India. Under the watchful eye of the now alert SXEOLF ன YH PHQ KDYH EHHQ charged with the abduction, gang-rape and murder of the Nirbhaya. Ironically, the hearing took place at the Delhi court across the road from the cinema where the 23-year-old student and her friend watched the ன OP /LIH RI 3L The sixth perpetrator, a youth, will be tried separately in a juvenile court. The fragile URDG WR MXVWLFH VXŕŽ‰ HUHG DQRWK er blow when it was revealed that he may go free within three years, as under Indian law juveniles cannot be tried for murder. Personally, though David &DPHURQ DQG , KDYH RXU GLŕŽ‰ HU ences, I can’t help but agree with the point he made in 2011 regarding the atrocious behaviour during the London riots, “If you are old enough to commit these crimes, you are old enough to face the consequences.â€? Here’s hoping that each of them faces the harsh consequences of their actions. And here’s hoping that it leads to a better India tomorrow.

18

Features

15.01.2013

control. But other things being equal there is probably a slight advantage to Labour over time and that will make it slightly more difficult for the Conservatives without Boris. Yet outside London most cities in the country tend to be Labour, they rarely elect Conservative MPs?

Pleb-gate and the Police Benjamin Scrivens Widely known as Pleb-gate, WKH LQFLGHQW KDV LQ HŕŽ‰HFW GHstroyed a man’s career, but now it looks like it may well double back on the police. On the face of it Andrew Mitchell, former chief whip (the man in charge of ensuring the members of his party do as they are told) seems to KDYH VXŕŽ‰HUHG EDGO\ RYHU WKH last couple of months. The SROLFH DUH QRZ JRLQJ WR VXŕŽ‰HU terribly too. On the face of it nobody comes out smelling of roses. What happened to Andrew Mitchell? The police report state that Mitchell attempted to ride his bike through the Downing Street gates, however the policemen manning the gates refused to allow him to stating that the new policy was for pedal cycles to use the side pedestrian exit. Mitchell refused, stating he was the chief whip and he always used the main gates. The policeman then said “I am more than happy to open the side pedestrian gate for you Sir, but it is policy that we are not to allow cycles through the main vehicle entranceâ€?. After several refusDOV 0U 0LWFKHOO JRW RŕŽ‰ KLV bike and walked to the pedestrian gate. The story then gets a little surreal, and caused the destruction of Mitchell’s career. The policeman asserts that there were a number of members of the public nearby who then overheard Mitchell say to the policeman “Best you learn your f------ place...you don’t run this f------ government... You’re f------ plebs.â€? The policeman then stressed the point by saying that “the members of public looked visibly shockedâ€?. The report ends with Mitchell leaving saying “you haven’t heard the ODVW RI WKLV‍ ڕ‏DV KH F\FOHG RŕŽ‰ The term pleb is politically toxic for a party desperately trying to shed its ‘posh boy’ image. %XW WR WRS LW DOO RŕŽ‰ D PHPber of the public emailed in to support the officer’s

story, complaining about the conduct of Mitchell. This if anything else most seriously damaged his chances. As a result he lost the trust of senior and backbench Tories and was forced to resign. Who, after all, would take the word of a politician over the police? Well, then of course the story has started unravelling. CCTV footage was released. Showing the actual events don’t at all match the police logs. On top of that there were no bystanders in the street to over hear the events that transpired, for them to be “ shocked.â€? The other and possibly PRVW VLJQLனFDQW EORZ WR WKH story was that this alleged member of the public who wrote in about Mitchell’s conduct was not a member of the public. It turned out to have been written by a serving policeman in the Diplomatic Protection Group – the armed officers who provide Downing Street security. This man has now been arrested. The events seem to imply a concerted attempt designed to undermine a minister’s career. His email, which made false claims about shocked crowds similar to those in the police log, was a major reason in the collape of Mitchell’s career and loss of trust among his fellow Tory MPs. The police are supposed to protect us. If you can’t believe them, who can you believe? The damage is now wider than simply destroying one man’s career. It seems to indicate the people trained to protect all of us tried to destroy one of those under their care. It is not a comforting thought that those we trust to protect our leaders, our nation, and ourselves appear to have their own agenda, and one opposed to their elected masters, against those they are pledged to serve and protect.

| The Beaver

Cameron has said he only wants to serve two terms in of૽FH DW PRVW VR LQ ZKR GR you think is the most likely Tory successor? Boris?

I’ve been thinking about this since the Tory conference. Boris needs Cameron to win the next election. It suits them both. Boris needs to get back into ParliaWell there are some cities ment and win over a majority of that don’t elect any Conserva- the Parliamentary party by 2016 tive councillors. Liverpool, Man- unless Cameron wins the next chester, Newcastle-upon-Tyne election and stays Prime Mindon’t have a single Conserva- ister. Then Boris can go back Government Department tive councillor. In that sense into Parliament in 2015, and has /RQGRQ LV GLŕŽ‰HUHQW LW LV SOXUDO time to build his support over and much more plural than al- the next few years. most any other city in England. But if Cameron loses the next Topic: British Politics And there are parts of London election, then you are back inRegarding London politics, that are rock solidly Conserva- side the existing Conservative what do you think is the likely tive, but in the long term the party. Those who have done well outcome in the next set of Lon- Conservatives need to think out of this government include hard about trying to win back people like Theresa May and Midon elections? urban seats, and council seats, chael Gove. Now they are very Well, of course in all these because they are never going to GLŕŽ‰HUHQW WR &DPHURQ EXW WKH\ things you can never be sure. win seats in Parliament without are seen as ministers who have got a grip on their brief, and are The next time Labour will face them. Equally for Labour they need relatively well liked across the a much easier hill to climb because if Boris doesn’t stand for to see what they can do in the Conservative party, and that’s a third term the Conservatives rural seats in the south, because what matters. However being considered won’t have a candidate as visi- Labour has almost died out the front runner is often ‘the ble, and given the Coalition will there. kiss of death’, as David Millihave been in power for some Even with Cameron’s at- band discovered, among many time, it would be much easier tempt to detoxify the Conserva- others. for Labour to win. The next mayoral elections tive brand they failed to get an The Liberal Democrats are in are in 2016, so it depends on outright majority. What more do trouble at the moment, can they whether the Tories have recov- you think they can do? recover? ered their poll ratings. And if Well, there’s an interesting the economy grows the ConThe Liberal Democrats are servatives could certainly be do- line of thinking that Tim Monting much better than they are gomerie has been musing about in terrible trouble, partly benow. It is very hard to guess the in print recently to see what cause as a party of government outcome of a General Election the Conservatives can do to get they have lost their entire prothemselves away from their per- test vote. They used to get twenthis far out. The Conservatives still have ceived metropolitan southern ty-25 per cent in polls most of to come up with a really good core, and more to northern and the time they are now down to WHQ WR னIWHHQ SHU FHQW WKDW VXJcandidate because London more working class voters. In fairness to the Conserva- gest eight to nine per cent of tends to swing back and forth over time. If you look over the tive party, I think the Labour their vote has now gone. They long period of London citywide party has a not too dissimilar might not do as badly as that in government, London has again problem, though Labour has a a general election. If they were and again swung back and forth much larger working class vote GRZQ WR னIWHHQ SHU FHQW LQ WKH General Election, they probably between Labour and the Con- even these days. So I think the Conservatives wouldn’t lose that many seats servatives. However Labour have the need to think not just how to as Liberal Democrats are quite challenge of coming up with a make their brand less toxic, but good at holding on to seats. They could quite easily end candidate who is as visible as have a more positive way of apKen Livingstone. And as you pealing to those on average and up holding the balance of power know, Ken is one of the most below average earnings. Poll- in a hung parliament again, even GXUDEOH னJXUHV HYHU WR JUDFH ing again and again shows the with a smaller number of MPs. London’s political scene. So for labour party scores much better So the game isn’t up for them. both parties it’s going to be a on “understands people like usâ€? On the right of the Tories, big thing to come up with a can- questions. 8.,3 KDYH ULVHQ VLJQL૽FDQWdidate next time. The next election is obvious- ly in the polls, will that hold The Liberal Democrats get hopelessly squeezed in London O\ IDU Rૼ DQG KDUG WR SUHGLFW EXW up to the general election? politics, so at the city wide lev- what is your view? UKIP are a threat, and pollel it’s a big difficulty as Brian Well, I think it is going to sters believe UKIP could come Paddick discovered this time. be quite close, the Conserva- second in the Europe Elections In the assembly elections tive poll ratings are 32-34 per in 2014. UKIP like the Greens Labour managed to receive just cent which is not bad given the are probably the natural inheriunder two thirds of the vote, yet amount of austerity they are tors of the protest vote, though Boris managed to win the may- seen to be imposing, it is low but not the same protest vote the not catastrophic. So the Con- Lib Dems had. oralty? servatives should not be written UKIP are a threat to the Tories, and on the margins so Well there has been this RŕŽ‰ Labour are well ahead of probably are the Greens to Laswing to Labour of about eight per cent, lower than the swing their 2010 voting share which bour, though UKIP is probably outside London (fourteen per was 29 per cent. Most of the more of a threat to the Conservcent), but bigger than the swing polls put them around 40 per atives. But UKIP are not particularfrom Boris to Ken which was cent, and that vote share during an election would probably fall ly good at building up a grassabout 1.5 per cent. roots movement, and though I There are people who be- back. I think the most likely out- think that UKIP are a threat, lieve London is now a Labour city, but it isn’t permanently go- come is no party winning an will that lead to the Conservaing to go to Labour and there overall majority, and we’re back tives promising an in-out referendum on Europe? It seems unare plenty of London boroughs in coalition. likely, but things may change. that are under Conservative

Tony Travers

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he Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey begins with four people looking through memories of a glorious past, dreaming of the day when those glories will come again. At the start of the picture, Bilbo Baggins is an old hobbit, reliving his memories of a great adventure. Telling this tale requires memories that belong not to him, but to the dwarf prince Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage). Thorin is heir to the kingdom of Erebor, the Lonely Mountain that was the home of the dwarves until they were driven out by the dragon Smaug, visualised in a spectacular flashback. For many years, Thorin has wandered in exile, but now he wants to reclaim his people’s glorious past. The decision to begin the story with the 111-year-old Bilbo (Ian Holm) looking back on his memories was absolutely correct because it sets up the thematic nature of the tale: this is a story about characters who are living after their glory days. However, the prologue starts running long with a cameo appearance by Elijah Wood as Frodo, a young hobbit whose own adventure is still to come. This does not derail the movie, but it slows it down just when we want to get into the story. It also brings us to the third person reliving a glorious past with this picture: director Peter Jackson. It would not be a stretch to claim that The Lord of the Rings trilogy was the peak of Jackson’s career. There is a strong temptation to see his adaptation of the prequel book The Hobbit as an attempt to make lightning strike twice, and Jackson has already faced criticism for turning one book into another trilogy of three-hour films (if the first installment is any indication). However, Wood’s early cameo is one of only a few in-

stances when An Unexpected Journey feels stretched out. The picture really begins to work once it transitions to a young Bilbo, in a fantastic performance by Martin Freeman, meeting Gandalf the wizard (Ian McKellen), familiar to those of us who have seen The Lord of the Rings. Just as in that film, McKellen brings a great deal of mystery and warmth to his character as he introduces Bilbo to Thorin, the quest for Erebor, and the twelve dwarves who will accompany the exiled prince. Jackson makes a very wise decision to keep the pace of the film slow here. Rather than feeling stretched out like the prologue, this sequence is appropriately lengthy, giving full weight to these characters. The dwarves are comical at first, but the arrival of Thorin brings seriousness to all of them. The sequence has several great moments that add incredible depth to the characters and the story: a conversation establishing that these thirteen are the only ones willing to take up the quest out of thousands of dwarves, Thorin’s closest friend attempting to dissuade him from the quest, Gandalf encouraging Bilbo to be adventurous, a solemn dwarf dirge, and the moment when Bilbo runs out of his door having decided to join the quest. No matter how spectacular, the film cannot work without this sequence, especially in comparison to the epic sweep of The Lord of the Rings. Jackson goes to great lengths to give The Hobbit the same weight that he gave the earlier films, even repeating some of the same story beats as Fellowship of the Ring. That An Unexpected Journey is not as masterful as that film is not entirely Jackson’s fault. There are no sequences here that can really match the emotional powerhouse scenes from

the earlier trilogy, and this is mainly due to the source material. Jackson makes some missteps, too. After the lengthy setup, Jackson feels the need to have an action sequence every few scenes, making the pace too frenetic at times in the first half of the picture. There is also a subplot involving the return of an ancient evil to Middle-Earth, one that will certainly pay off in the subsequent installments, but the lack of payoff in this film is a little frustrating. There is also the matter of High Frame Rate 3D. In the normal frame rate, the 3D is the best that I have seen, though unnecessary. On the other hand, I found High Frame Rate to be incredibly distracting, making the picture appear like it was being played in fast motion. Despite these missteps, Jackson delivers an exhilarating entertainment. The special effects sequences do not disappoint, particularly an early encounter with three trolls and a climatic escape from goblins in mountain tunnels. Yet, the most memorable scenes are usually dialogue scenes. I really loved a moment when a dwarf (played by James Nesbitt) realises that he has never known what it is like to have a home, but the best scene belongs to Bilbo and Gollum (Andy Serkis in a

motion-captured digital performance) a creature familiar to us, but not to Bilbo. This sequence, at once funny and terrifying, allows us to revisit the most memorable character from LOTR, but it also allows Freeman to give Bilbo incredible depth as he confronts this horrifying, pitiful creature and makes a decision with repercussions that will carry throughout the larger tale. It is fitting that Jackson should use this material as a way of reliving the past because the fourth person who begins this story by looking into the past is author J.R.R. Tolkien. Tolkien began his work by trying to create an ancient mythology that did not exist, and in that mythology, he created an elegy for a time gone by and characters living in the shadow of the past. This particular story is about a heroic figure trying to reclaim his past and a villain ,hidden in the background for now, trying to do the same. In this way, Jackson’s quest is very much in the spirit of Tolkien. As the first part of a trilogy, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is not a complete narrative, but as an exhilarating emotional experience, it shows Peter Jackson well on his way to reclaiming Erebor.

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Nick Kelly

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w WHAT RICHARD DID

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illed with lingering looks and contemplative silence, Lenny Abrahamson’s new feature film is a haunting, panoramic, visually arresting exercise containing a story that combines elements from different yet familiar genres. At its heart is a tragic story of a bright young man from noble, wellto-do birth brought down by hubris, nurtured by his privileged upper-middle class upbringing. Or perhaps it is a spiritual exploration of Dublin, a milieu at once particular and universal, embodying the barely hidden class friction inherent within any economically advance society. Inspired by Kevin Power’s novel, Bad Day in Blackrock, itself based on a true story in Dublin of a teenager beaten to death by his own schoolmates in 2000, the film could be seen as a voyeuristic, exploitative, sensationalised melodrama with a story thoughtlessly grabbed straight from the headline. However, what sets What Richard Did apart from these trodden territories is the surprisingly compassionate way with which the titular character is presented, a difficult task considering what he did, not to mention the fact that he seems to live an enchanted life, a golden boy from a wealthy family given everything without even having to ask. In these days and age when every demographic group is, or at least feels oppressed in some way, shape or form, it is easier to construct a relatable story with a socially marginalised, outsider protagonist. This is proven in Abrahamson’s successful previous works—Adam & Paul and Garage—where quirky, eccentric characters roam the set,

naturally springing morbid black comedies solely from their interaction. What Richard Did is no doubt a different creature, focusing on Richard (Jack Reynor), a rugby player, an alpha male type, a prince of his domain whose parents own a beach house where wild alcohol-fueled parties he regularly hosts. In this hedonistic summer between college and university, Richard appears to have everything: secured place in higher education, chance at professional sports, even romantic reciprocity from Lara (Roisin Murphy), a girl whose affection he stole from Conor (Sam Keeley), her sensitive, less emotionally stable, artistically inclined ex. And yet, like a piece of conceptual art, the brilliant title injects the film with additional energy, a sense of weighty suspense even in the low-key first half where Richard’s fall has yet to occur. Abrahamson’s craftsmanship lies in his cunning ability to build a character up with the sole purpose of brutally tearing him down. In an outstanding performance, Reynor imbues Richard with a wide range of genuine, recognisably human emotions, from the self-satisfied easy rapport between him and his mates, to the irrational, drunken outrage at a party with unintentional yet unthinkable consequences, to a guilt-ridden nervous breakdown manifested in animated physical intensity and primal screams. This talented newcomer plays a huge part in making the character sympathetic to the audience. Lars Mikkelsen, as Richard’s father, is appropriately appalling as an example of shameless adult practicality. The naturalistic acting

style of the rest of the cast also plays well with story's matter-of-factly presentation. Incredibly detailed in its cinematography, the film smoothly switches between wide shots of lush Gaelic landscape, where characters appear as diminished human figures in the foreground, and intimate closeups, where emotional nuance is visible even in the subtlest of bodily movements. Filmed in light blue and green, What Richard Did has an undertone of Romantic melancholy throughout, offsetting the human drama at the story’s center with the terrifying Otherness of the sublime natural landscape. The characters’ intense emotions may be subjectively significant, but compared to the objective vastness of nature, their existence barely registers. Abrahamson’s directorial acuity is most evident in his set pieces. In an impressive scene, Richard confesses the crime to his father on an outdoor benchpress, in an Edenic garden that once hosted the young boy’s treehouse, symbolising the holistic nature of a person whose present existence is not only itself but also an accumulation of one's selves from every point within one's own personal history. The titular character is neither a monster fueled by teenage hormones nor a victim of a spoilt upbringing, but a complex, intricately realised individual on the limbo between adolescence and adulthood, trying desperately to reconcile his idealistic ambition and moral straightness with the self-disillusionment at the wanton destruction of which he has never thought himself capable. However, in this society

where image and reputation reign supreme over ethical actions, such guilt is not only discouraged, but actively deterred by his father, the one person whose job is to be a much-needed moral compass for his golden boy. One could see this as a political allegory for the class conflict within the city of Dublin, where the rich who benefitted from the brief economic boom exploit the poor—the spirit of Ireland as beautifully encapsulated in the poetic, ballad singing Conor—with no tangible consequence, repercussion, nor retribution. It would not even be a huge stretch to see a parallel with the 2008 financial crisis. Underneath the facade of bourgeoisie propriety lies the hollowness of moral bankruptcy, a rotten heart at the core of any materially abundant culture where inequality still exists. As such, the only real flaw of the film is its refusal to expand the insightful sensitivity with which it explores Richard to other characters, who remain ciphers despite playing key roles in the film's events. Lara fulfills her function as a lower-class consort with all the insecurity and transiency such a role entails and nothing more. Her lack of moral

standing reduces her to, by the end, a typical Victorian female figure whose only function is to provide her man with absolution. Similarly, Conor, whose character exploration in how he responds to his position within Dublin's class and religious dynamic is substantial enough to be its own story, only emerges occasionally like a ghost haunting the story's edge. While this marginalisation is probably intentional to demonstrate Richard's solipsistic tendency, perhaps an ensemble approach would lend the film even more emotional punch, as it would allow the audience to be fully invested in their plights. In a rare moment of intelligent honesty, Lara says to Richard, 'You can't think of anyone but yourself'. Neither can the film, it seems. Still, What Richard Did is remarkable both for its technical proficiency and insightful handling of the subject matter. There is something visceral about the film. Perhaps this coming-of-age experience is not only for Richard, but for us all, whose defunct moral system needs to be deconstructed in its entirety.

Josh

Jinruang

IN CINEMAS NOW Director Lenny Abrahamson Writer Malcolm Campbell Starring Jack Reynor, Roisin Murphy, Sam Keeley, Lars Mikkelsen Run time 88 minutes

22

15.01.2013 PartB

PICTURE COURTESY OF WILMINGTON THEATRE COMPANY

x OVERRULED

It is seldom mentioned on Houghton Street that LSE was co-founded by a man who was many things but a playwright ஊ UVW DQG IRUHPRVW ,Q *HRUJH Bernard Shaw, the School boasts a connection to one of WKH PRVW SUROLஊ F VWDJH ZULW ers and yet an under-valued drama society is all there is to VKRZ IRU LW 7KH QHZO\ IRUPHG :LOPLQJWRQ 7KHDWUH &RPSDQ\ has chosen to perform a trio of Shaw plays at the Old Red /LRQ WR NLFN Rஉ WKH QHZ \HDU in stylish fashion - this is an outstanding debut production QRW WR EH PLVVHG E\ VWDஉ DQG students who harbour even a slight interest in LSE’s heritDJH Shaw is a surprising – and certainly ambitious – choice for a group of young dramatists trying to forge a name for themselves by putting on their RZQ VKRZ 7KHUH LV DOZD\V WKH worry that such period-specific theatre will seem outdated to today’s audiences but there was enough guile and panache in Overruled to dispel DQ\ VXFK IHDUV /HR :\QGKDP impressed as the archetypal young Englishman, his separate characters all shared a nervous and naïve energy WKDW ZDV Hஉ HFWLYH LQ W\LQJ WKH plays together over the evenLQJ ,Q WKH FORVLQJ VWDJHV /XF\ Hough’s charming village girl “says what she thinks” in her bid to win over a fanciful travel writer, played by Pat-

ULFN :DUQHU 7KH SDLU PDNH for a convincing couple as he enjoys the playful inquisitiveness and innocence Hough’s FKDUDFWHU GLVSOD\V In the main, Shaw’s characters grapple with the boundaries of marriage in a calamity of confusion that results in KLODULRXV FRQVHTXHQFHV 7KDW the show still entertained, considering that these boundaries are now so well trodden, is testament to director Polina Kalinana who has injected energy and class into her actors’ SHUIRUPDQFHV 3UHVHQW LQ WKH script is an orgy of pleasantries used to mask the real goings-on in the scenes and saving the face of very English FKDUDFWHUV ZKR ஊ W WKH VWHUHR type of being uncomfortable

with feelings of lust that are so widely and excitably accepted by our cousins on the FRQWLQHQW A stones throw from LSE, and in one of the capital’s quainter venues, Wilmington’s Overruled is a fantastic opportunity to see a selection of Shaw’s lesser known plays – which have been carefully chosen to epitomize the general themes and rhetoric prevDOHQW LQ KLV ZULWLQJ

Laurence Vardaxoglou

OLD RED LION THEATRE until 19th January 2013 Written by George Bernard Shaw Directed by Polina Kalinana Starring Patrick Warner, Jasmine Hyde, Lucy Hough, Alice St Clair, Leo Wyndham & Jim Creighton

EDITOR'S PICKS OLD TIMES

12 JANUARY - 6 APRIL 2013 BY HAROLD PINTER @ HAROLD PINTER THEATRE STARRING KRISTIN SCOTT-THOMAS, RUFUS SEWELL & LIA WILLIAMS

METAMORPHOSIS

17 JANUARY - 9 FEBRUARY 2013 BY FRANZ KAFKA @ LYRIC HAMMERSMITH ADAPTED AND DIRECTED BY DAVID FARR AND GISLI ORN GAROARSSON

MARE RIDER

22 JANUARY - 16 FEBRUARY 2013 BY LEYLA NAZLI @ARCOLA THEATRE STARRING MATTHEW FLYNN, ANNA FRANCOLINI & HARA YANAS

MONEY: THE GAME SHOW

31 JANUARY - 2 MARCH 2013 BY CLARE DUFFY @ BUSH THEATRE STARRING LUCY ELLINSON & BRIAN FERGUSON

CRIMPLENE MILLIONAIRE

5 FEBRUARY - 9 FEBRUARY 2013 BY BOOGALU STU @ OVALHOUSE THEATRE

23

The Beaver 15.01.2013

Ă&#x; FUERZABRUTA show does not seem to have lost any of the charm that has seen consistent rave reviews in every city it has visited.

Diqui James, founder of De La Guarda, has created something which bridges all gaps across the arts and sees genres and sub-genres collide to reinvent the circus in what is a true modern masterpiece. James hails from Argentina and, in Fuerzabruta, he has somehow captured the exuberance, optimism and passion so often associated with the South America psyche – and so often missing amongst the British public – in order to unleash it for one hour only to audiences around the world. The show has been on tour for several years – temporarily installing chaotic wonder everywhere from Lisbon to Sau Paulo – though it has now settled comfortably into a residency in New York. Amazingly, the

a Greater Manchester car park – but this does not do it justice. The show is comprised of a series of unconnected scenes; each one designed to inspire

PICTURE COURTESY OF ARTHUR LEONE PR

Fir trees litter the streets, there is likely torn wrapping paper underneath the sofa and bank balances are in tatters – London is never in more need of a pick-me-up than in January. Thankfully the Roundhouse is currently home to the perfect antidote in the form of Fuerzabruta. Fuerzabruta literally means brute force, and this is all that can be said with certainty about a show that has to be seen to be believed.

a mystery. The show is a tangle of performers, harnesses, trapeze and ropes and there are great structures manually operated by a technical team that repeatedly change the performance space to create a ŕŽ‹ XLGLW\ HYHQ DPRQJVW WKH DXGL ence. Two large tanks of water – lowered from the ceiling to within touching distance of the audience – contain inside them the nymph-like performers. Observing these mystical creatures from below – in effect under the water – is incredible as an image and it is the way in which Fuerzabruta toys with perception that is most impressive. James has in interview claimed there to be no ‘story’ in the piece and it is true that

the scenes seem to be a bit disjointed; and yet it is difficult to really criticise the lack of narrative because it is in precisely this where the majesty of the show is found. It is a spectacular exercise in feeling, an exploration of the purity of human emotion; whilst some might be disappointed by there being no tangible explanations the images created are sufficiently vivid as to provoke D ŕŽ‹ XUU\ RI GHHS PHDQLQJV LQ you. After all, brute force is often the result of spontaneity – forethought is sometimes best in hindsight.

Laurence Vardaxoglou

Â?Â?Â?Â?

Fuerzabruta can be described as the beauty of the human form together with the wonderful imagination of the human mind set against the backdrop of a gritty 90’s rave in

ROUNDHOUSE until 26 January 2013 Devised by Diqui James Fuerzabruta is a standing show which contains scenes of mild nudity and violence.

and astonishe the audience. Fuerzabruta’s iconic image is ‘the running man’ bursting through white-bricked walls on a never-ending conveyer belt – though where he is running is

T

o many modern day PC gamers, Valve is best known for a wealth of franchises which spans, Counter-Strike, Portal, Team Fortress 2 and now even Dota 2 but is especially revered for WKHLU ŕŽ‹ DJVKLS JDPH DQG IUDQ chise, Half-Life. Half-Life was meant to be a modest entry into an already heavily contested videogame market by a relatively inexperienced developer, and even in its early stages the threat of premature termination loomed precariously over Valve. Instead, what we received was much more than just a humble Doom imitation; it was a bold and unprecedented step into the narrative drivHQ ன UVW SHUVRQ VKRRWHU WKDW LQ ŕŽ‹ XHQFHV WKH )36 JHQUH WR WKLV day. The gameplay elements of Half-Life are thoroughly engaging and well realised. The sheer diversity of weapons and the even more eclectic mix of enemies makes the ride both an entertaining and everevolving experience. The AI is evidently primitive, yet the detail and artistic nuances of each enemy are ahead of their time, whether it be their deformed, strange bodies, their bizarre myriad of sounds or even the unique tactics each one employs against the protagonist as they struggle to survive in the collapsing ruins of Black Mesa. The fundamental shooting mechanics of the

standard FPS are constantly manipulated and reformed throughout the game to ensure that each section challenges the player to adapt to new and ever more ferocious enemies. Indeed, this inability of the player to ever rely upon a singular strategy of combat throughout the game succinctly harmonises with the overarching atmosphere of distress and horror that besieges the world of Half-Life and affirms the illusory nature of stability. Unfortunately, unlike many contemporary FPS titles, Freeman must replenish his health DW D ன [HG VWDWLRQ PDNLQJ WKH player highly vulnerable, especially at the points when he is exposed to a barrage of threats over a long period without rest or sanctuary. Personally, I believe that this vulnerability emphasises the overwhelming motif within Half-Life of survival in a harsh and unforgiving environment, but it might deter individuals who have a disdain for the scrounging behavior low health forces the player into. Atmosphere is one of the most striking aspects of HalfLife. Frantic scientists are devoured by alien life-forms, marines are blown to pieces by grenades and anything living can get generally mutilated and dismembered in every conceivable fashion. This visFHUDO FDUQDJH LV PDJQLன HG E\ WKH IDFW WKDW IRU WKH ன UVW WZHQ

ty minutes of the game, everything is mundane and normal. The contrast is terrifying and ZRUNV WR WUHPHQGRXV HŕŽ‰ HFW LQ edifying an overall sense of mayhem and tumult. The horror of sight is conjoined with the torrent of sounds that assail the player at every possible turn. Crowbars smash through ZLQGRZV JXQன UH ULQJV RXW DV ejected cases clang upon the ŕŽ‹ RRU DOLHQV VKULHN ZKLPSHU and click their tongues ceaselessly and deafening explosions tear out of broken pipes and technological apparatus. It is a vicious assault on all the senses and the atmosphere of WKH JDPH HDVLO\ GHன HV WKH IDFW that the graphics are outdated. Though Half-Life’s plot is simple, the macabre atmosphere, memorable characters and thrilling scripted events professionally presents a brutally hostile world. Scientists working at the CERN-esque research facility Black Mesa accidentally rupture the fabric of space-time, unleashing a deluge of irascible and terrible alien monsters from Xen. The dialogue and actions of the characters is well-written, portraying their dismay and desperation in a plausible manner. Some will dive through windows before you in their hectic DWWHPSW WR ŕŽ‹ HH D ]RPELH DQG others will plead to you for help whilst clinging to the edge of an elevator shaft before losing

VALVE CORPORATION

HALF LIFE

their grip and crashing below. It is a narrative that evinces itself in an organic and unobtrusive manner, and individuals who desire to dissever themVHOYHV IURP WKH ன QH GHWDLOV RI the plot need scarcely refer to it at all, so that no player, ZKHWKHU WKH\ ன QG WKHPVHOYHV more invested in the story or intent on concentrating solely RQ EORRGVKHG ZLOO ன QG WKHLU enjoyment diminished by suSHUŕŽ‹ XRXV JDPH HOHPHQWV Although the shooting mechanics are solid and the narrative even now holds up to its contemporary peers, an aspect which might deter many gamers are the clumsy and awkward platforming segments which transforms a great shooter into a lackluster sciன Super Mario clone. This is glaringly prevalent during the Xen section in which the play-

er is forced to perform monumental long jumps across PRYLQJ ŕŽ‹ RDWLQJ LVODQGV LQ D cosmic void. This proves frustrating after the 11th time and indeed, the overall ‘organic’ design of Xen means that often the clear cut paths and steel corridors of Black Mesa are replaced by weird mushroom puzzles, labyrinthine mazes and an experience more akin to Alice in Wonderland than Gordon in Half-Life. Still, if you can stomach the more eccentric aspects of late game, this title still holds its own in terms of artistic style and narrative direction. Here’s hoping that Half-Life 3 will be just as JRRG ZKHQ LW LV ன QDOO\ UHOHDVHG in 2057.

Sanjay Quail

24

W

GARUFIN

hat springs to mind when you hear the words, “Argentinian cuisine�? A tender chunk of steak accompanied by a large glass of bold red wine, serenaded by a Latin soundtrack and flamboyantly effusive waiters? I wonder if it might partly have been that my expectations were at fault, but that is not the offering of London’s newest Argentinian restaurant, tucked away in Holborn. Garufin is owned by the restaurateurs who established Garufa in North London. So a

ral filaments, and on each table a label-less metal food can filled with water and a floating tea light. As for the music, I’m not quite sure what it was – too quiet to be any more than background noise but enough to be an intrusion precisely for its being indiscernible. The manager was enthusiastic about his food – clearly relishing the opportunity to offer his clientele Argentinian with a twist. Had we not had his guidance, though, the menu would have been confusing to navigate, it being unclear what

15.01.2013 PartB

The next dish we shared was Locro, a pumpkin, pork, beef and chorizo stew in a lidded pot presented on a wooden block. Somewhat unexpectedly, our pot was the size of a cappuccino mug so we had only a few mouthfuls each. The meat was all tasty, as was the sweet corn, even if that was an unanticipated reappearance. Unfortunately the flavour of the pumpkin sauce was unable to compete with the strength of the other ingredients, and more sadly, the stew was tepid to cold. Had it been sizzling (as

fennel. The steak was standard, which seemed a shame given the reputation of Argentinian beef. Here, as with the pumpkin sauce in the Locro, the red pepper flavour was indistinct beyond tasting smoky, though that sensation nonetheless complemented beautifully the aniseed-y fennel and sweetly salty black pudding. My friend said she was even inspired to begin sprouting her own fennel seeds on a paper towel. The vegetable dishes were a delicious combination of smoky mushrooms balanced by sweet potato, and the surprise hit of the evening, “humita and cabra�, a dish of grated creamed sweet corn, sweet potato, goats cheese and basil oil. This was the ultimate in winter comfort food – textured, creamy and flavoursome. Intrigued by the enigmatic promise of a dessert of dulce de leche “served in all its ways�

we were left a little unsure of exactly what that meant, even after having finished the dish. The second dessert of salted dulce de leche, cinnamon and chocolate ice cream scoops was fantastic; it was only a shame that it was all melting before it arrived at our table. We’d waited almost an hour between main and dessert, apparently forgotten by the waiters (unless this was part of the laid-back Latin experience). Luckily my friend and I had a great deal of news to catch up on, accompanied by a bottle of the house red. We left feeling that Garufin has potential. With greater attention to detail in presentation and service, our evening would have been filled with the Latin energy and flavour such a place should be capable of.

Abigail Malortie

Â?Â?Â?

central London venue represents a conscious attempt to enter a new market. Stepping inside from a very chilly London evening, the lighting is warm and welcoming, the dark wood furniture with black and white check floor tiles classically Latin in style. At street level the place is tiny, the bulk of the seating being in the basement. Downstairs, though, the dĂŠcor seemed undecided on what exactly it was trying to be. Exposed brickwork, unapologetic metal air vents, bulbs with spi-

A

were the starters, mains and sides. As it turned out, adopting a “tapas style� approach is definitely the way to eat here, and we saw plenty of large groups as well as couples dipping into a range of offerings. We started with two empanadas – filled pastry parcels. One was stuffed with creamy sweet corn and goat’s cheese, the pastry crisp and delicate. The other filling offered an unusual complement of scallops and olives, surprisingly and deliciously robust.

I assume it was meant to be), quite probably the dish would have come alive. Having thought the Locro would be a “main� course, we readjusted our expectations for the next dishes. The rib eye steak arrived with two vegetable “sides�, the presentation (not only in style of plates used but also in arrangement of the food and garnishes) distinctly, unexpectedly Asian. Our beef rested in red pepper sauce and was topped with crumbled black pudding and sprouting

ing mood. Sometimes I eat out for convenience, but other times I desire a change of scenery; Benito's Hat certainly achieves the latter. The menu is relatively small. Their main dish is the burrito. They also offer salad and a soup of the day. A burrito costs roughly ÂŁ6, with options of chicken, pork, steak or veg. You put together your burrito with your server, choosing between a few choices of contents and sauces. All the burritos contain rice and refried pinto or black beans. I had the vegetarian, which contains grilled vegetables as well as guacamole, dodging the 50p guacamole charge the carnivores must endure. For my selection of drink, the options included a ÂŁ1.75 horchata, a selection of familiar ÂŁ1 soft drinks, ÂŁ2.50 Mexican hot chocolate, as well as some drinks I think it would be best left to the servers to identify. There is a list of alcoholic beverages. The cocktails range from ÂŁ5.50-ÂŁ8.50, making them rather well priced if bought between 5 and 7pm when they are two for one. They also have a selection of beers, including the familiar

ÂŁ3.50 Corona, or potentially more exotic Dos Equis or ÂŁ3.75 Micheladas. In addition, there is a selection of wines. For my selection of drink, I decided to choose in the spirit and gusto of some of my heroes, such as Maximus Decimus Meridius from Gladiator, or Tom Cruise in The Last Samurai. So, for the benefit of LSE students, I decided I would try a Horchata. Apparently it is a traditional Mexican drink, and is a combination of milk, sugar and cinnamon. Our server spoke very positively of it. I was apprehensive. My colleague chose some seating in the form of sofa-like cushions stalls around a small table. Rest-assured, traditional seating is the dominant form, however, I found the less conventional seating charming, and could also make the place a good setting for a date. As to the food quality, regretfully it was not exceptional. My burrito contents were not quite hot, closer to warm. This was a view shared by my colleague. I am hoping this was merely due to the unorthodox timing of our 5.30pm meal. I am sure you are interested into the result of my gallant

BENITO'S HAT

s the tides of university life roll in again, you're submerged back into the depths of your studies. If you're seeking to rekindle that carefree frolicking of your Christmas holiday, I may know a restaurant worth visiting. Benito's Hat is a low-cost Mexican food chain consisting of four branches. One of them is pleasantly situated in Covent Garden, and the walk there from LSE passes through the always interesting Covent Garden Market. On entering, I received a warm welcome. The staff were exceptionally friendly, and seemed genuinely hopeful that our experience was pleasurable. The charming service lasted throughout the night. This would potentially be the perfect place to take a date, as one can easily strike up conversation with a staff member if one's companion is lacking interesting contribution. Furthermore, the environment shines beyond its chain roots and student-friendly pricing. The styling is artistically successful, with a retro VW Beetle photo adorning a wall, and some coloured lights that very effectively create a calm-

0Z DYeZ k ;gf\mal HYkkY_]$ O;)J ,J?

020 7430 9073 Mon-Fri 9am-3pm & 5pm-10.30pm, Sat 5pm-10.30pm Cuisine: Argentinian Average spend: ÂŁ15-25 Meals: Lunch, dinner

sampling of the Horchata. Perhaps it is as a result of my Jewish roots lacking any Mexican, but it was not my thing. The staff appeared to genuinely like it, but I personally found it strange. For dessert I had a ÂŁ3.25 bunuelos, which is crispy tortilla strips wish sugar and cinnamon, and comes with “real vanilla ice-cream.â€? What I've been having all these years instead I'll never know. The ice-cream was very nice. The crunchy tortilla I personally was not wild about. They also offer ÂŁ3.50 crème caramel and ÂŁ3.75 tres leches cake, both of

which sounded nice. Overall, Benito's Hat is charming and low-cost. Unless you are fortunate enough to have more money than sense, I would definitely recommend it over some of the restaurants closer to Covent Garden Market, as their display of overpriced stingy portions does not impress me. You can also find Benito's Hat at Oxford Street, King's Cross and Goodge Street.

Harry Burdon

Â?Â?Â?Â? )1 F]o Jgo$ O;*F ,D9

020 763 6656 Sun-Wed 11.30am-10pm, Thurs-Sat 11.30am-11pm Cuisine: Mexican Average spend: ÂŁ8-20 Meals: Lunch, dinner

25

The Beaver 15.01.2013

T

THE DELAUNAY COUNTER

he Counter, smack bang in the middle of the Aldwych, is not your average cafe fare. Drawing inspiration from the cultural importance and sheer aesthetic grandeur of cafes in Central Europe, it's actually rather unlike any other takeaway in the West End. Quintessentially 1920s Art Deco in style, it embraces stylistically low lighting and wood paneling. It's also fully equipped with managers to greet you on entry: suited, enthusiastically and willingly guiding you through the ordering process. Despite this illusion of being established, those of you who resided at our fair campus preDecember 2011 will attest to The Counter’s youth (and its glamorous sister restaurant next door, The Delaunay) with respect to London's restaurant scene. It's seemingly impossible to believe that this duo has been open for just over a year. With compliments, darling, of Corbin/King, who lay claim to the magical and decadent (albeit with prices to match) The Ivy, in Covent Garden and The Wolseley on Piccadilly, respectively. The menu is largely Eastern European, thus vegetarians will have difficulty setting on something they like. In fact, you'd be forgiven for assuming that The Counter's demands on thy pocket venture way beyond the average student's 'comfort zone.' I suppose, beyond the visual splendour of the cafe, with its charismatic but oh-so-slightlystaged (and yet it works, in true Corbin/King style) aesthetics, the best aspect of The Counter is the fact that it seems decidedly underpriced

satisfying, fresh and meticulously presented. My partnerin-crime chose the Chef Roast (ÂŁ8.75), which was, that day, lamb. The meat proved tender, succulent and sought (and subsequently succeeded) to complement the starter. Indulgent as ever (did I mention the moderately priced House Wine at ÂŁ4.50 a glass?) we both settled our stomachs with satisfying fruit salads (ÂŁ3), although we couldn't resist snaring several Eastern European sweet treats to go home with. Now, the range of desserts behind the 'counter' is sensational. Do not reach, or cast your eyes upon, for that matter, these should your New Year's Resolution involve dieting in any way, shape or form. You have been warned. Perhaps The Counter justifies its takeaway prices by subtly encouraging you to order food to go. Prices are, in line with other cafes, lessVAT, should one choose to take their food elsewhere. Food is packaged up so beautifully that one curiously debates

whether or not to take it home as an excuse to bear a 'The Delaunay' bag, its contents curiously chic and reminiscent of another era. Despite this, The Counter's biggest draw is, ironically, the quality of the establishment when juxtaposed against its remarkably down-to-earth prices. I shan't imagine that rents come cheap on The Aldwych, yet you can perch yourself at a window seat, people-watching one of the most sought after streets in Central London, whilst drinking coffee from china cups. For a mere ÂŁ2. This, teamed with a fantastic array of sandwiches, soups, meats and salads (the most expensive item on the menu being less than ÂŁ9), facilitates a sophisticated cafe experience that remains within the realms of a student's affordability. All whilst retaining that true Corbin/King mark of quality and sophistication. Seems too good to be true? I assure you, it isn't.

Laura Randle

Â?Â?Â?Â? 55 Aldwych, WC2B 4BB

for what you receive. The manageress Dominika was attentive, sophisticated and undeniably charming. A match for the decor, perhaps, but we were, naturally, curious to see if such quality in staff and attention to detail within the layout of The Counter would be reflected in

its food. The Chicken Noodle soup (ÂŁ3.95) was authentic and enviably tasty. So much so that my guest, indecisive as she was proving to be, immediately ordered another upon trying mine. I then proceeded to opt for the Chopped Chicken Salad (ÂŁ6.75) to follow which, although small, proved

MAYAN REVENGE

NEW YEAR, NO NIGHTMARE

020 7871 3990 Mon-Fri 7am-7.30pm, Sat 8am-7.30pm, Sun Closed Cuisine: Central European Average spend: ÂŁ10-25 Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner Reservations: No

G COCKTAIL CORNER

W

ell much to our dismay, the doomsayers claiming the world was going to end on December 21st turned out to be wrong. It's a shame really considering just how spectacular the apocalypse would be. The Mayans were known for their cruelty, so the end of the world, to them, must have been a pretty damn impressive sight. In any case, we thought we would give you some cocktails to celebrate the continuation of the era of the human - because as we all know, there is no better way to celebrate life than by shortening your own by a tad.

30 ml Sambuca 1 splash Tequila 10 ml Kahlua Layer in the order given above, ignite, and suck the mixture up with a straw ZKLOH RQ ŕ­˝ UH 5HDOO\ JRRG DW SDUWLHV %XW \RX KDYH WR keep in mind that plastic straws melt easily and that XVLQJ ŕ­˝ UH FDQ EH GDQJHURXV Use caution!

44 ml Gin 15 ml Cherry Brandy 15 ml Madeira 5 ml Orange Juice Shake with ice and strain LQWR D FRFNWDLO JODVV 7KLV LV a nice drink to start the year (apparently on borrowed WLPH Rŕ­ź ULJKW

NULL AND VOID 500 ml Peach Schnapps 1 bottle Vodka 500 ml Wildberry Schnapps 1/2 bottle Southern Comfort 1.9 l Hawaiian Fruit Punch 7KLV LV DQ HDV\ GULQN WR PDNH %DVLFDOO\ MXVW SRXU DOO this shit together and mix it round in a big 'ol bucket, or perhaps if you want a classiHU H[SHULHQFH D SXQFK ERZO

OAXACA JIM 50 ml Gin 2 dashes Bitters 30 ml Grapefruit Juice 30 ml Orange Juice ,Q D VKDNHU KDOI ŕ­˝ OOHG with ice, combine the gin, RUDQJH MXLFH JUDSHIUXLW MXLFH DQG %LWWHUV 6KDNH ZHOO 6WUDLQ LQWR DQ ROG IDVKLRQHG JODVV DOPRVW ŕ­˝ OOHG ZLWK LFH *DUQLVK ZLWK D OHPRQ WZLVW DQG FKHUU\

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15.01.2013 | The Beaver

LSE UNVEILS LATEST IVORY TOWER The latest expansion to the LSE Campus opened on Monday, the most reFHQW SDUW RI D ORQJ WHUP HŕŽ‰RUW E\ WKH School to continue the segregation of the Department of Economics and associated research institutions from the rest of the British population. 32 /LQFROQ‍ڑ‏V ,QQ )LHOGV LV EHOLHYHG WR KDYH KDG DQ SURMHFWHG EXGJHW RI H[FHVV RI e ELOOLRQ VOLJKWO\ RYHU the original estimate of four shilOLQJV ZKHQ WKH SURMHFW ZDV னUVW DQQRXQFHG E\ IRUPHU &RPPLVVDU -Xdith Reesults eighteen months ago. $ UHSRUW E\ WKH /6( $XGLWRU 3ULQFH Waterstones-Cooper, indicates that WKH RYHUVSHQG ZDV FDXVHG E\ D னW

RI DEVHQW PLQGHGQHVV RQ 3URIHVVRU 5HHVXOWV‍ ڑ‏SDUW KDYLQJ IRUJRWWHQ DERXW 'HFLPDOLVDWLRQ JLYHQ WKDW VKH KDV QHYHU OHIW WKH 6FKRRO VLQFH 7HG +HDWK EHFDPH 3ULPH 0LQLVWHU “At times of austerity such as WKLV‍ ڕ‏+HDG RI 'HSDUWPHQW 3URIHVVRU 0LFKHOH 3LFFROR LQIRUPHG WKH % ‍ڔ‏LW LV YLWDO WKDW DOO UHVHDUFK LV XQGHUWDNHQ LQ DV LVRODWHG DQ HQYLURQPHQW DV SRVVLEOH ‍ ڕ‏,W LV EHOLHYHG WKDW WKH SURMHFW ZDV னUVW PRRWHG DIWHU D SRRU UHVSRQVH WR D 'RFWRUDO SURMHFW DLPHG at recreating the Great Depression LQ ‍ڔ‏7R EH KRQHVW ‍ ڕ‏3URIHVVRU 3LFFROR FRQWLQXHG ‍ڔ‏QRQH RI XV are allowed in any countries on the

Mediterranean these days anyway, VR WKH QHZ EXLOGLQJ VLPSO\ VHUYHV WR FRQVROLGDWH RXU WUDYHO KDELWV WR WKHLU logical conclusion.â€? 32-322 Lincoln’s Inn Fields will EH XVHG DV WHDFKLQJ DQG OHFWXULQJ space and also includes a “The BeDQFRXQWHU‍ ڕ‏FDIH DQ H[WHQVLYH SXEOLF address system powerful enough to drown out the sound of a thousand VWDUYLQJ FKLOGUHQ DQG D XQLTXH ‍ڔ‏0RUal Black Holeâ€? waste disposal system WKDW VXFFHVVIXOO\ WUDQVSRUWV DOO UXEELVK IRUZDUG LQ WLPH E\ \HDUV IRU the next generation to deal with. ([WHUQDOO\ WKH 7RZHU‍ڑ‏V LQQRYDWLYH ‍Ú?‏3OHE *DWH‍ ڑ‏GHVLJQHG DW :HVWPLQster’s leading Mitchell Studios, also RŕŽ‰HUV WKH ODWHVW LQ /6( 2WKHUV VHJUHJDWLRQ WHFKQRORJ\ $OO YLVLWRUV WR Lincoln’s Inn are scanned for moral forthrightness and sense of worth, RU D /LE\DQ 3DVVSRUW ZLWK WKRVH SRVsessing neither then allowed to enter WKH EXLOGLQJ‍ڑ‏V IR\HU 7KH OREE\ DUHD LV GRPLQDWHG E\ D VSHFLDOO\ FRPPLVVLRQHG IRXQWDLQ IHG E\ DQ HFR IULHQGO\ water supply comprised of tears supSOLHG E\ WKH 7UHDVXU\ 0HUY\Q .LQJ and the European Central Bank. In addition to the Department RI (FRQRPLFV WKH EXLOGLQJ DOVR DF-

FRPPRGDWHV D QXPEHU RI DVVRFLDWHG 5HVHDUFK 'LYLVLRQV LQFOXGLQJ WKH Schumpeter Centre for Unemployment Macroeconomics and British Aggregate Growth (SCUMBAG), the National Association for the Study of Trade Yields (NASTY) and the CenWUH IRU 8QLYHUVDO 1RQSURனW 7KHRU\ 7KH ,YRU\ 7RZHU UHSUHVHQWV RQO\ WKH னUVW RI D QXPEHU RI ORQJ WHUP LPSURYHPHQWV WR WKH /6( &DPSXV 7KH +HFNOHU DQG .RFK 6WXGHQWV‍& ڑ‏HQWUH LV GXH WR RSHQ ZKHQHYHU WKH EXLOGHUV FDQ EH ERWKHUHG WR SXW D URRI RQ DQG ZLOO UHSUHVHQW D PDMRU LPSURYHment on the Students’ Union current home, which is currently shared with the Aldwych Homeless Shelter. The residents of the latter recently made WKH (YHQLQJ /DFNRIVWDQGDUGV RZLQJ WR WKHLU OREE\LQJ HŕŽ‰RUWV WR :HVWPLQVWHU &RXQFLO UHTXHVWLQJ WKDW WKH 8QLRQ EH PRYHG RQ WKH JURXQGV RI WKH 6DEEDWLFDO 2IILFH EHLQJ D KHDOWK KD]DUG 5HGHYHORSPHQW RI WKH HQWLUH (DVW %XLOGLQJ VLWH ZLOO EH IRUWKFRPLQJ DV VRRQ DV $OH[ 3XWLQ 'D\‍ڑ‏V FDU GL JDQ FDQ EH VXFFHVVIXOO\ GHVWUR\HG E\ FRQWUROOHG H[SORVLRQ Ginger Whoreby will return next week.

COMMISSAR’S UPDATE Firstly, the AU’s Ski Trip preVHQWHG D JUHDW GHDO RI SUREOHPV IRU WKH /6( JLYHQ WKH WRWDO ODFN RI DQ\ FRQWURYHUV\ ZKDWVRHYHU ,W LV D WUDGLWLRQ RI WKLV XQLYHUVLW\ WR use the smokescreen presented E\ WKH DQQXDO PHGLD PHOWGRZQ WR force through some surreptitious changes to campus operations. As a result of the failure of the $WKOHWLFV 8QLRQ WR DELGH E\ WKHVH SULQFLSOHV WKH 6FKRRO KDV EHHQ forced to postpone the installation of the weapons silo until the summer term. 6HFRQGO\ /6( KDV EHHQ nominated for a national teaching LQQRYDWLRQ DZDUG 7KH *UXQGLDQ has selected us alongside ImpeULDO‍ڑ‏V ‍&ڔ‏ORFNZRUN 2UDQJH‍ ڕ‏VHPLQDU SURJUDP DQG WKH 8QLYHUVLW\ RI 6DOIRUG‍ڑ‏V ‍<ڔ‏HDU LQ .DQGDKDU‍[( ڕ‏FKDQJH 3URJUDP :HOO GRQH WR DOO concerned, apart from the Second <HDUV ZKR GR QRWKLQJ EXW ZLQJH

7KLUGO\ WKH 3ULPH 0LQLVWHU WKH &KDLUPDQ RI %3 )RUPHU 3UHVLGHQWV %XVK 6DUNR]\ DQG 0XEDUDN DQG 'DSS\ IURP 1 'XE] DOO FDPH RQWR FDPSXV RQ WKH னQDO )ULGD\ RI Term. They went into the students office and ran around pretending WR EH VWXGHQWV DQG ZH WKLQN RQH of them took a slash on Tindick’s FKDLU :H LQYLWHG WKHP LQ SXUHO\ WR VKRZ WKDW QR RQH FDUHV DERXW VWXdent politics as soon as you can’t JHW VXEVLGLVHG ERR]H RQ FDPSXV any more. As a result, the Socialist Shirkers and General Sexretary are all suspended owing to their total lack of action. )LQDOO\ ZH KDG D FKRLFH RI EX\LQJ DQRWKHU YDVW QHR *RWKLF EXLOGLQJ RU JLYLQJ DOO FDWHUHG KDOOV free dinner. Guess which one we chose? Craigie Calhooligan will end communcation now.

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The Beaver 15.01.2013

27

Creating a semi-new you

Amelia Thomson takes on the new year, little by little, step-by-step

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he ten second countdown to New Year beJLQV WKH ஊ UHZRUNV JR Rஉ LQ /RQGRQ DQG \RX WRDVW WR D SURVSHURXV \HDU WR FRPH (YHU\ \HDU RQ WKH GRW once the moment has passed \RX IDFH WKH UHDOLVDWLRQ WKDW DQRWKHU \HDU ROGHU DQG OLIH ORRNV D OLWWOH ELW JUH\HU 7KHUH PD\ EH FKDPSDJQH DQG FHO HEUDWLRQV EXW WKDW ZRQ‫ڑ‬W KHOS JHW \RX WKURXJK \RXU SLOH RI ZRUN WR GR EHIRUH WHUP UH starts and or through the next IHZV ZHHNV LQ GXULQJ ZKLFK \RX ZDWFK \RXU UHVROXWLRQV IDGH DZD\ The statistics on New Year’s UHVROXWLRQV DUH SUHWW\ JORRP\ DV DFFRUGLQJ WR D QHZ SV\FKR ORJLFDO VWXG\ FRQGXFWHG E\ WKH 8QLYHUVLW\ RI 6FUDQWRQ RQO\ HLJKW SHU FHQW RI $PHULFDQV DFWXDOO\ DFKLHYH WKHLU UHVROX WLRQV )XUWKHU WR WKLV DIWHU MXVW RQH ZHHN RI -DQXDU\ SHU FHQW RI XV KDYH DOUHDG\ JLYHQ XS RQ RXU UHVROXWLRQ 6R WKH TXHVWLRQ KDV WR EH DVNHG ZK\ LV LW VR GLIILFXOW WR DFFRPSOLVK ZKDW ZH VHW RXW WR" 8QTXHVWLRQDEO\ VRPH RI XV PD\ EH RYHUO\ DPELWLRXV ZLWK our target setting deciding

WKDW LV WKH \HDU WKDW ZH‫ڑ‬OO be motivated enough to hit the J\P VR DV WR EH DEOH WR DSSHDU RQ %ULWDLQ‫ڑ‬V 1H[W 7RS 0RGHO 7KH IDFW WKDW WKLV PRWLYDWLRQ KDVQ‫ڑ‬W PDWHULDOLVHG LQ SUHFHG LQJ \HDUV RI RXU OLIH VHHPV LU UHOHYDQW RQ -DQXDU\ VW )XU ther to this some targets such DV TXLWWLQJ VPRNLQJ DUH MXVW

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After just one week of January, 25 per cent of us have already given up on our resolution. VR KDUG WR VWLFN WR HVSHFLDOO\ ZKHQ RQH LV JRLQJ LW DORQH 6RPHWLPHV ZRUN RU VRFLDOLVLQJ MXVW WDNHV RYHU PHDQLQJ WKH UHVROXWLRQ LV SXW RQ WKH EDFN EXUQHU (YHQ PRUH OLNHO\ LV WKH IDFW WKDW ZH QHYHU TXLWH HV WDEOLVKHG KRZ ZH ZHUH JRLQJ WR JHW WR RXU JRDO LQ WKH ஊ UVW SODFH 7KHQ LQHYLWDEO\ ZH DU rive at the decision to give up SHUKDSV MXVW D OLWWOH WRR HDV LO\ 2ZLQJ WR WKH IDFW RXU EUDLQ LV FRQVWDQWO\ WU\LQJ WR SHU suade us to do something (in IDFW DQ\WKLQJ WR DYRLG VDLG UHV ROXWLRQ LW PXVW EH FRQVLGHUHG KRZ OLNH WKH VPDOO \HW VXSHUE

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/6( NQRZ WKHRU\ LVQ‫ڑ‬W WKH VDPH DV UHDOLW\ +HUH LV D UH PDUNDEOH VXFFHVV VWRU\ ZKLFK LOOXVWUDWHV WKDW WKH LPSRVVLEOH FDQ EHFRPH SRVVLEOH 7KH %%& IHDWXUHG WKH VWRU\ RI $PDQGD Biggs who despite passing her GULYLQJ WHVW DOPRVW WKUHH \HDUV ago had not driven since due WR DQ LUUDWLRQDO IHDU )RU WKH SDVW WZR \HDUV KHU UHVROXWLRQ has been to get into a car and GULYH 7KH VHOI LPSURYHPHQW JXUX 3DXO 0F.HQQD VSHQW WHQ PLQXWHV ZLWK $PDQGD XVLQJ WHFKQLTXHV WR UHGXFH KHU IHDUV VXUURXQGLQJ GULYLQJ 6XEVH TXHQWO\ $PDQGD ZDV DEOH WR EHJLQ WKH MRXUQH\ RI JHWWLQJ RYHU KHU IHDUV DQG GURYH IRU WKH ஊ UVW WLPH VLQFH KHU WHVW ,‫ڑ‬P QRW VXJJHVWLQJ ZH DOO QHHG WR UHVRUW WR HVRWHULFW WUDQVIRUPD WLRQV WR PDNH WKLQJV ZRUN EXW LW GRHV KLJKOLJKW WKDW QR PDWWHU KRZ ORQJ \RX KDYH EHHQ VWUXJ JOLQJ ZLWK D UHVROXWLRQ LW LV SRVVLEOH WR DFKLHYH ZKDW PLJKW at the moment seem unobtainDEOH )LQDOO\ WR ZKDW P\ RZQ 1HZ <HDU‫ڑ‬V UHVROXWLRQ VKRXOG EH" 7KH DJH ROG ZRUU\ DERXW KHDOWK DQG ஊ WQHVV FURVVHG P\ PLQG RQ -DQXDU\ VW 3HUKDSV

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15.01.2013

| The Beaver

Friendships going the distance

Jiayi Fan looks back on the trials that have reinforced her friendships

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s I planned my trip to York visiting my best friend Zhuolun, I suddenly realized that I had known this girl for eleven years. I told her on the phone: “Do you know we’ve been in each other’s company for half of our lifes?â€? Zhuolun snickered: “Yeah, it is true, but you make us sound really old, like two ladies in their late eighties recalling the days of our lives.â€? 2XU னHQGVKLS LV VLPLODU WR what Aristotle described as “a single soul dwelling in two bodiesâ€?. We were born in the same year, the same month and only six days apart. Aries people have been known to share similar personalities, like being full of courage and posessing a hunger for adventure, just some of the traits we share that make the two of us such close friends. I still remember in my rebel-

could never ever break up our friendship. =KXROXQ GURSSHG PH RŕŽ‰ in the Beijing Capital International Airport on August 21, 2010 with my family. She held me tight and wiped my tears: “When I can see you, my body is with you. When I can’t see you, my heart is with you.â€? She tried to relieve my sadness, but I knew she wept after I turned around and walked through security. She didn’t want to see me live alone in another country speaking another language. Thanks to ever developing communications technology we were constantly in contact. I remember when Zhuolun would criticise me on my crazy love of Arsenal Football Club, “Jiayi, I really want to go to the U.S. to watch the NBA. You are there, but you are desperate to come to London for Arsenal! Why

The Atlantic Ocean separated us by distance, but it could never ever break our friendship lious adolescent years, how Zhuolun’s words comforted me in a kind motherly way to help me get through hard times. We went to the same middle school and the same high school, but were sepaUDWHG DV ZH KHDGHG RŕŽ‰ WR GLIferent colleges. Aged nineteen, we both chose a study abroad scheme. Zhuolun went to Keele while , KHDGHG WR )ODJVWDŕŽ‰ $UL]Rna. The Atlantic Ocean separated us by distance, but it

don’t we switch? Keele is not far away from London!� Her humorous side is always hidden deeply behind her gentle and quiet face. Now, both of us are in England. It only takes me two hours by train from London to York. Eleven years have changed a lot of things about us. We need to use a bunch of eye gels, creams and ointments to hide the unmistakable signs of aging - even if we are still in our twenties. We

remind each other to maintain healthy eating habits instead of keeping ourselves on strict and crazy diets. The one thing, though, that does not change is our friendship. We have something special that no one, no distance, no time can take away. Since the university in )ODJVWDŕŽ‰ KDG IHZHU &KLQHVH students, Zhuolun worried about me being lonely until I told her Americans are very easygoing so it was not hard to make friends. I really cherish my American friends ZKRP , PHW GXULQJ P\ னUVW year, for they showed great tolerance and patience towards my no doubt horrendous English skills. Justin is one of them and we haven taken German classes together for a whole year, alWKRXJK QHLWKHU RI XV DUH ŕŽ‹Xent in German. Justin is the typical American guy with an outgoing character and an open-mind. If he wants to do something, he will just do it regardless of making plans. So I was shocked when he knocked on my door asking me to go out for a movie, the Green Hornet, because it features a well-known Chinese actor. In typical Justin style, there were no appointments, no calls. He just came. I told myself: “Well I guess this is just the American style.â€? %HIRUH OHDYLQJ )ODJVWDŕŽ‰ we had a farewell dinner. I asked him curiously: “I’m sure my weird Chinese-English accent bothered you in னUVW \HDU +RZ FDQ \RX EHDU that?â€? Justin shrugged: “At

least you can speak English. It’s better than me going to learn Chinese.â€? I laughed: “Yeah, the only Chinese word you can say ‘hello’, which you learnt two years ago!â€? Even now that I’m in London, we often talk online. American students are struggling LQ WKHLU னQDOV DW WKLV WLPH while Justin was wondering why I look so relaxed. I explained: “Do you believe all RI RXU னQDOV ZLOO EH SLOHG XS until the very last semester based on my post-graduate degree progress? So you can LPDJLQH KRZ KRUULEOH RXU ன-

nals will be next year.� Zhuolun and Justin are representatives of my Chinese and American friends. It is my pleasure to have such considerate and understanding friends. No matter where I am, no matter how far I will go, I know I will never walk alone. There is always someone watching over me to share my joy and sorrow. Even though I can’t see you, my heart is with you. Emily Dickinson once said: “My friends are my estate.� Then I am a really rich person, indeed.

Swartz: Freedom only in death?

Liam Brown tells the legacy of Aaron Swartz, genius or criminal?

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ome sad news came out over the weekend about the apparent suicide of internet activist Aaron Swartz, a man who not only was instrumental in the creation of RSS (Rich Site Summary, a basic subscription service for websites that is used heavily in the news industry) as a teenager, but also founded Infogami - a site that merged with Reddit and arguably made Reddit one of the most popular websites on the Internet. Swartz, though, in recent years had become an advocate of internet freedom, founding groups like Demand Progress to spread

awareness of internet censorship and policing. But Swartz made headlines in both 2009 and again in 2011 for his hacking of two dataEDVHV WKH னUVW EHLQJ WKH WKH PACER database of the United States Federal Court systems in which he accessed and released thousands of court documents that were previously available only to paid subscribers (and those on free trials, a loophole he exploited to gain access to the system). In 2011, Swartz made an even bolder hacking attempt, this time on the popular academic database, JSTOR. After connecting to the MIT computer system,

Swartz downloaded nearly 4 million academic articles before surrendering to police. He was charged with wire fraud and computer fraud, but despite these charges (and likely because Swartz returned all of the documents to JSTOR) the organisation did not pursue civil action against him. In spite of the dropped civil case, the criminal case continued with US Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz claiming, “stealing is stealing, whether you use a computer command or a crowbar, and whether you take documents, data or dollars.� The maximum penalty Swartz faced was considered harsh

by many and included up to 35 years in prison and a னQH RI XS WR 86 PLOOLRQ His family claim it is these charges and penalties that, at least in part, contributed to his suicide, saying “Aaron’s death is not simply a personal tragedy. It is the product of a criminal justice system rife with intimidation and prosecutorial overreach.â€? News of Swartz’ death spread quickly, Sunday, as friends and organisations such as Reddit and even JSTOR posted condolence messages on their websites and social media pages, with the latter describing the man who had hacked their

database only two years prior as “a truly gifted person who made important contributions to the development of the internet and the web IURP ZKLFK ZH DOO EHQHனW ‍ڕ‏ Despite his young age, Aaron Swartz made a tremendous impact on the world and the internet as we know it. Unfortunately a man wise beyond his years and plagued with severe depression has sadly succumb to an illness all too common among people of his age group. Hopefully his death will serve as a reminder that HYHQ WKH PRVW FRQனGHQW DQG outspoken of us all can be battling something much greater.

The Beaver | 15.01.2013

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New year’s revolutions Cleo Pearson on how to make sure 2013 is your lucky year.

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ew Year. Ah shit, that nagging thought that you should probably do something to make your life better, because society says it’s evidently not good enough already. Look at the toned stomachs of those work-out DVDs and save yourself the guilt of buying and not using it. At least you can spend that ÂŁ10 on drowning your sorrows on the realisation that it’s not going to happen. Just like Valentine’s day, new year’s resolutions have become hideoulsy commercialised so that we inevitably end XS EURNH DQG GLVVDWLVன HG just in time to do it all again on February 14th. However, don’t dismay, wipe away those tears. Wouldn’t it be a wonderful way to start the new year E\ SXWWLQJ D PLGGOH ன QJHU up at society and making a change to your life, your own way. Forget expensive self-improvement programmes, the best improvement you could make this year would be to realise that you are the boss of your fate. Stop taking yourself so seriously and give some of these ideas a go:

if that amount of lycra must be burning some calories, it’s so tight and people may believe that you have just been/ are about to work out. This strategy obviously must involve some exercise, try this in short sharp bursts, if Usain Bolt only has to run 100m to get that stacked, you clearly can by running down Houghton street to beat the rush for Wright’s Bar. Still struggling for motivation? Set yourself a goal. Make it realistic and try to visualise it, like this:

spond to something so you don’t have to spend hours checking. If you can wean yourself using it on the big VFUHHQ \RX PLJKW MXVW ன QG time to do other things on this list. Eat more healthily and cheaply.

STAY ORGANIZED

Not a master of disaster as opposed to master chef? Stop those excuses and start changing. Excuse #1I don’t have time to cook! Excuse #2- I don’t like vegetables! Excuse #3- It

JOHN SCHULTZ

MALDITA LA HORA

Wars worldwide erupt All throughout our lives over disagreements concerning territory, religion we’ve lied to our parents, and human rights. Howev- to our teachers and our er, if there’s one thing that friends. You know who we we’re all agreed on, it’s lie to most? Ourselves. I’ll that nobody likes a hang- do it tomorrow, we say. over. Those hours spent Then we don’t. There are feeling sorry for oneself in so many trivial things that bed might be slightly more build up our stress levels enjoyable if they consisted every day: the pile of recyof fond memories from the cling that needs to be taknight before. But, for some en out, that DVD you’ve got of us, it’s more of a matter to give back to your mate, of trying to remember what that internship application you’ve got to complete happened at all. and that friend you really We might think that WATCH YOUR ALCOHOL we’re a clever bunch here should tell that you’re goat LSE but realistically, we ing to miss their birthday. costs too much to eat good, can sometimes act a bit I am not talking about the Appeal more to potential healthy food! Buying fro- daft. We go out and we egg 5 hours of reading you need romantic partners zen and tinned vegetables each other on, there’s no to do, I mean little things, such as peas, carrots or denying it. What’s most im- things that we spend more I say this in gest, hoping sweetcorn has many ben- portant to remember is to time worrying about than therefore that you might Hன WV 7KH\ DUH FKHDS WDNH have an idea of how much the time it would take to read it: get tested for STIs. barely any time to cook, Moral hazard is something are healthy and can be that most LSE students are used as either a side or an *HW ૽ W familiar with, so let’s put added ingredient to nearthe free clinics to good use. ly any dish. Even better, Pros: can use less irony What’s more, whilst you’re WKH\ ZRQ‍ڑ‏W JR RŕŽ‰ 6R ZH‍ڑ‏YH when singing ‘I’m sexy and there you can also save boiled the kettle, popped in I know it’ money by picking up free the rice and frozen/tinned Cons: crisps, TV and condoms. Yay! veggies and now what? every other reason you You’ve actually got to want have ever had before. Demote facebook to your to eat it of course! To avoid If you this is an idea mobile phone. putting copious amounts WAKE UP HAPPY which has been lingering of salt in your food: use on the sofa in your mind for Have you ever found ground pepper, garlic, TXLWH VRPH WLPH QRZ ன UVW you’re loading facebook lemon, chilli peppers, soy you intend to drink/how GR WKHP LQ WKH ன UVW SODFH and foremost, whatever on your computer with- sauce, herbs and spices to late you intend to stay out you do: don’t join the gym. out consciously doing so? give your cooking an add- and make sure you stick to Wake up happy. If you join the gym in an un- 7KH VD\LQJ JRHV ‍Ú?‏WLPH ŕŽ‹ LHV ed punch. It’s as cheap as it. Try taking cash rather prepared state, rather than when you’re having fun’, chips! No wait, it’s cheaper than your debit card so that Arriving at your 9am at being motivated by that fun or not, time certainly than chips! you can limit how many quarter past with sweat direct debit leaving your VHHPV WR ŕŽ‹ \ ZKHQ \RX‍ڑ‏UH drinks you buy (obviously dripping down your forebank each month, your con- on facebook. By demoting Get in control of that al- make sure you’ve got your KHDG DQG FRŕŽ‰ HH VSLOW DFURVV ன GHQFH ZLOO ŕŽ‹ RXQGHU DV \RX fb to your phone, it alerts cohol oyster card so that you your top doesn’t lay the enter the world of inade- you to when you need to recan get home!) Go out but foundations for a good day. quacy, currently populated don’t necessarily drink; the Setting your alarm earlier by guys with guns bigger two don’t have to go hand than you need to might not than your thighs and girls in hand. Going out and not give you extra sleep but it with waists smaller than drinking means that you gives you extra wake up your ankles. Instead make can enjoy your late hours time. Indulge yourself in exercise fun! of the day without wiping the mornings with a good Ways of doing this inout the early hours of the breakfast and time to take clude: tricking your body next one. Being sober can care of your appearance, into it- take the stairs in also enlighten you in other make sure you’ve got all the library but rather than ways, you might for exam- you need for the day and resenting this, adopt one of ple, actually know how to to mentally wake up. Start Monty Python’s silly walks the day right and the rest get home. for the entire duration. Putwill follow. ting on luminous and tight EAT MORE HEALTHILY Keep your word sports clothing, you feel as

30

Sport

15.01.2013

| The Beaver

E. Strygina and M. Trethewey

It was a term to remember for LSE Women’s Rugby team. The new season has started fantastically with the largest amount of recruits Women’s Rugby has ever seen. )RU WKH ன UVW WLPH LQ WKH modern history of the team, we have enough players for a match against each other. You just know it’s going to be a good season when the Zoo turnout matches the one from training sessions. 7KH ன UVW IULHQGO\ JDPH ZDV with Goldsmiths, a team we have previously smashed with D ZKRSSLQJ 7HUULன HG and excited, we prepared for RXU ன UVW JDPH WRJHWKHU DQG what a game that was. With their front row bigger than our entire scrum, even uncontested we handled the ன JKW DGPLUDEO\ ,W ZDV D IDQ WDVWLF ன UVW PDWFK ZLWK RXU IXOO back performing magic on the pitch, which evened the score to a decent 11-12. Enraged after a 1-point loss, the team was ready to take on Kingston. What followed was a beautiful game with a 50-0 victory, with our tiny but vocal scrum-half, Ellie scoring 4 tries and footballerturned rugby Beatriz (we don’t hold it against her really, everybody makes mistakes) making most of the conversions. Now-club captain Low Low Low has made some excellent runs and scored a try after the forwards mauled Kingston away from our own try line. The score would have been at least 10 points higher if a certain Wingette didn’t forget where the try line was. It’s ok though; we are all of course only learning. +RZHYHU LW ZDV WKH ன UVW

ANA CUARTERO DE VIDIELLA

Women’s Rugby: Ruck and Roll YOUR SPORT, IN BRIEF Olympians and Paralympians Dominate New Year Honours List

League game against UEL that really showed what LSE Women’s Rugby is truly capable of. The weather conditions, best described by our fullback, Charday as “stepping into a wind tunnel with currents colder than Donald Trump’s soul roaring at youâ€?, did not prevent us from winQLQJ WKH PDWFK ன QLVKLQJ points ahead. The true highlight of the game, however, was an impressive ‘defensive’ move by our rugby-fresher Ella, blocking the goal posts with her head in the most bizarre conversion attempt. Our coach, Keith was very impressed with the move, subsequently referring to it as an excellent ‘header’. It was also the game that saw Ellie being sin binned for reasons probably not even known to our impromptu ref. The last game we managed to play was against our nem-

eses, Kent. Despite the slow start, we showed them hell in the second half; team captain Cynthia in particular taking on a girl three times her size and leaving a black eye as a parting gift. Meanwhile, rugby-fresher ŕŽ‹ DQNHU (YD PDGH VRPH WDFN les of Sebastian Chabal quality and second-row jumper Ana won us the majority of lineouts. Leaving competitiveness on the pitch, both teams rallied together for a celebratory GULQN DW WKH ன QHVW %HUU\ODQGV pub. Unfortunately, weather has not been our best friend last term and rest of the matches have been cancelled because of ‘poor conditions’ (we are pretty sure though that Queen 0DU\ ZHUH MXVW WRR WHUULன HG WR play against us). Players of the month include Front Row Lisa, Wing/ Scrum Half Chloe and Flanker Blandine, applauded for their

impressive progress through WKHLU ன UVW PRQWKV RI SOD\LQJ rugby. Of course Women’s Rugby team not only rucks hard, but also parties hard. Messy initiations and solid Zoo attendance have truly bonded the team and ensured we have enough stories to (not) remember in our old age. Our Pikachu attack of +RXJKWRQ 6WUHHW ZDV D GHன nite success that began with our beloved general course prop elegantly leaving the Tuns at 10 am and number 8 enjoying a cheeky nap on the ŕŽ‹ RRU It was the best of times, it was a pain at times - Michaelmas term has been a great one, but the most important games are ahead and Women’s Rugby team is fully ready to defend Fortress Berrylands in the new year.

Clay pigeon shooting We have regular beginner lessons, intermediate tuition Despite the natural reserva- and independent practice tions of an institution situat- for experienced shooters HG LQ D FLW\ VXŕŽ‰ HULQJ UHJXODU with our friendly hosts, EJ incidents of traumatic and Churchill Shooting Ground, bloody gun violence, the LSE only 24 minutes by train from Athletics Union have been Marylebone Station. If you fancy shattering surprisingly accommodatthe tranquility of the tradiing about establishing the tional English countryside by 6FKRRO‍ڑ‏V ன UVW HYHU VKRRWLQJ blasting shot into the sky (at club. Though I was unable to a considerable student disconvince them that bringing count) then join us on the last a shotgun to Freshers’ Fair Wednesday of every month. 7KH ன UVW VKRRW RI WKH QHZ last term was a good idea, we term will be on the 30th of have managed to build up a January, so please visit our large mailing list and in the space of only one term, LSE Facebook page: Facebook. com/LseClayShooting to sign Shooting is up and running.

Michael Story

up and choose your package. A one hour totally inclusive beginner lesson is only ÂŁ35, and we have great rates for experienced shooters who just want to rent a gun and get a good session in. No gun licenses are required at our venue and ammunition, hearing and eye protection, even tea and FRŕŽ‰ HH DUH LQFOXGHG LQ RXU quoted prices. If you’ve ever wondered how it would feel to hold a weapon with the power to project hot lead into the heavens at over one thousand feet per second, then look us up!

Britain’s sporting heroes have rewarded with a plethora of honours. There are Knighthoods for Ben Ainslie and Bradley Wiggins along with coaches Dave Brailsford (cycling) and David Tanner. Cyclist Sarah Storey is made a Dame. Jessica Ennis and Mo Farah both receive CBEs, as does David Weir. Andy Murray is one of six OBEs and there more MBEs than we have space to list here. Danny Boyle is rumoured to have turned down royal recognition, however.

Controversy Over Disability Sport Stats The British Paralympic Association and the Sport and Recreation Alliance are at loggerheads after the former questioned the results of a survey by the latter suggesting participation in disability sport has EHHQ D૸ HFWHG RQO\ PLQL mally by the success of the Paralympic Games.

Murray Warms Up With Win Andy Murray got 2013 R૸ WR D SHUIHFW VWDUW ZLQQLQJ KLV ૹ UVW WRXUQD ment of the year in Brisbane as he warmed up for the Australian Open, which started yesterday.

Sport

The Beaver | 15.01.2013

31

American Hero to American Psycho

munity; Scot David Millar, who served a ban for doping and is now on WADA’s athletes commission, has suggested the interview will be ‘stage managed’ and not a particularly rigorous interrogation. It is

hard to disagree with his predictions; Oprah is not quite Lord Leveson. The other questions are over Armstrong’s motives. Sources around the fringes of the Armstrong camp have suggested it might be a way back into competitive sport, on the basis that if Armstrong admits his guilt (and presum-

ably serves a ban) he could compete in triathlons and other extreme endurance events. Any success which he might have though would surely be open to question. Nor does it seem there LV D VWURQJ ன QDQFLDO PRWLYH to confess. Armstrong’s giant corporate sponsors such as Nike, Oakley and the US Postal Service have abandoned him, costing him an estimated $30m, although they have continued their support for his Livestrong charity. Obviously the deal with Oprah will bring in some money, but if the intention is to confess this will open the Texan up to a series of legal challenges, not least from the media. The Sunday Times is already suing for a reversal of the libel charges Armstrong won against the paper and David Walsh, the chief sports writer, thought to be over $1m. He also faces repayment of over $10m in prize money and performance-related bonuses from victories achieved whilst suspected of doping, which, though currently contested, would become a certainty in the event of a confession. The ன QDO QDLO LQ WKH FRIILQ RI WKH ன QDQFLDO DUJXPHQW ZRXOG surely be that Armstrong is already worth well over P KLV ன QDQFHV PD\ have taken a blow but he is

far from strapped for cash. Presumably then, the idea is to salvage his reputation. Can it be done? I have to confess I hope not. His comeback from cancer is impressive and heartwarming, but not a huge WIKIMEDIA

There is a scene in 'RGJHEDOO WKH DŕŽ‰ HFWLRQDWH but not-at-all-subtle parody of the classic American underdog story, in which Lance Armstrong makes an inspirational speech to Vince Vaughn’s dispirited team captain on the eve of a match against a seemingly invincible opponent. (SPOILER ALERT) Needless to say, Vaughn’s character is rejuvenated and his team go on to win D QDLO ELWLQJ ன QDO PDWFK LQ the process sticking one to their corporate megagym opponents. 9 years ago, when the ன OP ZDV UHOHDVHG $UP strong was the very perVRQLன FDWLRQ RI WKH XQGHU dog; he had beaten cancer, after all, and at that point had just claimed a fourth consecutive Tour de France victory. He was on his way from cycling legend, via American hero, to global icon. Watch the clip back now, however, and his words ring hollow. The old boxing adage that ‘the bigger they are, the harder they fall’ is as apt in discussion of sports stars image as it ever has been in the ring. Popular opinion having raised Armstrong to the highest of pedestals, his unmasking as a cheat, a liar and a bully means many now consider him the lowest of the low. There is not space here, nor do I have the expertise, to detail the legal processes that have led to the current situation: Armstrong has been stripped of his titles but is currently still maintaining his innocence, or at least refusing to admit his guilt. All may be about to change in that most American of ways, though; Armstrong is rumoured to be considering telling all to Oprah. It seems he plans to sit on the couch, look mournful down the camera and apologise to the American people for at least some of his multitude of sins. If speculators are correct, he may do that most heroic of things and cry. The move has prompted criticism from both the media and the cycling com-

JOHNGOODE

Dennis Mooney

KINGCHIEF

Lance Armstrong: The Rise and Fall of a Doping Icon

personal acheivement; as much credit is due to medLFDO VFLHQFH KRVSLWDO VWDŕŽ‰ and pure chance as to the individual. The inescapable fact is that Armstrong cheated, lied and coerced his way to the top. Cycling was by all accounts rife with doping at the time and there are doubtless others who com-

mitted similar crimes. The scale of Armstrong’s operation, though, detailed by his ex-teammate Tyler Hamilton in his book The Secret Race, was vast. The sheer number of people who supported the disgraced star’s US Postal team is staggering. Doctors, physios, team directors and support riders have all been revealed as part of the scheme. Hamilton details an array of codewords and secretive arrangements that enabled the continued dominance of professional cycling. It was all orchestrated by, and for, Armstrong; his word was law, and, up until relatively recently, omerta. Testimonies by Hamilton and others close to the team enabled USADA to strip the seven consecutive Tour De France titles away. There are now questions being asked of the UCI, cycling’s international governing body, over payments that Armstrong made to them during his career. It seems that the IXOO UDPLன FDWLRQV RI WKH scandal will not be uncovered for some months or even years. The original America hero, George Washington, was famous for his honesty, reputedly once admitting to his father that it was he who had cut down a favourite cherry tree. It is hard not to feel that the moment for such frankness passed Lance Armstrong by some time ago. He appears, uncharacteristically, to have found some of Washington’s entirely characteristic humility, and to have decided the world needs that other horrible American concept: ‘closure’. I hope I am wrong, and that his appearance is a full and frank exchange covering all his sins. I suspect though that Armstrong believes the American public can be induced to ignore all this by a teary, doleful, pseudo-apology and an inspirational montage heavily featuring his charity work. I fear for the future of cycling, of whistleblowers and of professional integrity in sport if he is right.

Sport

32

Sport

15.01.2013

| The Beaver

Inside ‍ښ‏/6( 6KRRWLQJ ‍ښ‏:RPHQ‍ڑ‏V 5XJE\ ‍ښ‏:K\ *RLQJ 2Q 2SUDK 6KRXOGQ‍ڑ‏W 6DYH /DQFH $UPVWURQJ

/6( 6QRZ6SRUWV JR RQ WKH SLVWH LQ 97 /6( 6QRZ6SRUWV

LSE is subject to many a dirty rumour. Oft whispered as nothing but a sinister training camp for the city, we are told it is where a social life is considered no life. An institution plagued by social inadequacy, where beer is feared. Yet this winter marked a new era for our dear school. One in which we rose up. One in which we ruled the mountains. One in which we made our presence NQRZQ LQ D UDWKHU GLŕŽ‰ HUHQW manner to what you may have read in the Daily Mail last year, it must be noted). This years ski trip to Val Thorens was about good, wholesome fun. Honest. Departing from Houghton Street on that drizzly end of term Friday, trepidation was etched across the faces of many. ‘Will I be a mad skier?’ wondered the beginners (probably not). Others considered ‘whether I’ll meet a host of cool new friends’ (stranger things have happened). Whilst

some mused ‘will it just be like ன YH FRQVHFXWLYH $8 QLJKWV with added snow?’ (alas, most likely). Arbitrarily divided into strictly segregated coaches, WKH ன UVW RUGHDO ZDV VXUYLYLQJ the best part of a day with your closest buddies. After everyone becoming acquainted with the people’s hero of the trip, ‘The 5HDO 'DUUD‍ ڑ‏ZKR FRQன GHQWO\ had a word when the eccentric rep was struggling with travel admin around Dover), Coach C-11 was eventually lulled to sleep by the dulcet tones of Social Mason. Meanwhile Flirty Birty made her midnight rounds, swigging Amaretto as she went. We hear on the rugby coach there was nothing to report. Just as cabin fever began to set in we emerged in Val Thorens and a huge night was in order. It was a chance to state your intentions for the week, aided by the obligatory draw on t-shirts, which almost all saw as an opportunity to expose their dirtiest sexual

misdemeanors. The evening wasn’t elegant and was made less so by the questionable ‘VKA’ Vodka all were consuming. This smooth liquor had the intriguing ability to turn HYHQ WKH SROLWHVW RI ன UVW WHDP football captains into the Hulk. Some were in the loving mood though; everyone’s favourite second year and drugs pusher turned de-virginator for the night, rocking a lucky mans chalet, making his trip and quite possibly his life. As morning broke the next day some thought it could be a good opportunity to do some skiing. Special mentions go out to beginner Lashmonkey Morris who took to the slopes in typical crazy form as well as Plough King, Richard Chillingworth who despite assuring his fans that he ‘waved goodbye to Mr Plough on the last ski trip’ proceeded to work it all week‌ sometimes backwards‌ sometimes with ski SROHV LQ XQGHVLUDEOH RULன FHV A jovial time was had by all, especially El presidente and

young Will Essayan who managed to miss the last lift back from Maribel and rode back in taxi style to the tune of 180 euros and rapturous applause. Reader, now is time to shed a tear for the rugby boys, who were cruelly struck down in their prime by the wonderful Norovirus, which was gifted by Sam Hewes. In worse news a young apprentice was discovered to have had a rather large accident on the journey down to a club, and subsequently had to walk himself home, which proved a rather large trial. Indignity spanned the entire trip, with CTR keeping it classy, vomiting in a saucepan and enquiring what her chaletmates ‘were going to do about it’. With the old stalwarts of LSE somewhat incapacitated it was down to the freshers to represent. Many of the girls took up this mantel having riotous times with multiple partners leaving some disgruntled third years feeling rather aged. So there you have it, a

snapshot of the week. To those who were not in attendance ,‍ڑ‏P VXUH \RX‍ڑ‏UH QRZ ன OOHG ZLWK encompassing self-loathing. P.S. Vik was sick sick sick. There was sex in a shower. There was fecal matter in a shower. There was sex in a hotel lobby. There were multiple bum injections. There were helicopter enquiries. There was Sergant Mytear saving a stranded Chinese man. There was a body con onesie. There was 5:00am story time. There was snaking. There was home wrecking. There were tears. There was laughter. There was dignity. P.P.S Sports Ed thinks special mention is due to one Beaver correspondent who, despite having denied the existence of chivalry in this very paper just weeks ago, was bailed out of French hospital by her extremely chivalrous friend, who in no way spent the rest of the week reminding her of this dichotomy.

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