Issue 35 - University of Surrey Students` Union

Transcription

Newspaper of the students of the University of Surrey
Issue 35 – Tuesday 11th October 2011
Got a something to say? We will print
your letters and our reply:
letters@thestagsurrey.co.uk
NEWS
Transport: Safety threatened
on the Tube whilst Guildford
roads get help up by a horse –
See pages 3 & 4...
FEATURES
Gems of Guildford: How to
make the most of this historical
town – page 9...
DJ Larizzle returns to
Surrey in an exclusive
interview with The Stag
£8,000 DOWN
•
•
NUS research shows non-London students have £8,037 average funding shortfall per year
Cost of living for average student rises to £16,279
SCIENCE AND TECH
Scam alert! Conmen trying to
use Steve Jobs’ death to hack
your details out of you. See
page 13...
SOCIETIES
Societies Development Week,
17th-21st October 2011 – Find
out more about what you want
to do! Page 14...
DANCE & THEATRE
New Talent: How to survive
dance as a fresher and
Guildfords newest theatrical
outlet – page 19...
LITERATURE
Graphic Novels: A muchmaligned artform gets a boost
as Alexandra Wilks reads
around the Holocaust in the
Pulitzer Prize-winning Maus.
Page 22...
SPORT
RUGBY WORLD CUP: The
Jonny Wilkinson vs. Toby Flood
debate and ‘shock results’ –
page 30...
The NUS is taking on the Higher Education funding agenda of the current Government. Pictured are NUS President Liam Burns and Universities Minister David Willetts.
By Jack White, Editor
S
tudents in the UK this year face an £8,037
hole in their personal finances, according to
research just completed by the National Union
of Students (NUS). The average cost of living
outside London will be £16,279 but the average
income from Government funding only £8,242.
Liam Burns, NUS President said: “There
has been a shocking leap in the gap between
Government funding and the cost of being
a student. The kinds of wages available to
young people at the moment mean that many
students without family support would have
to work virtually full-time jobs or take on huge
commercial debt whilst they study.”
The figures rise for students living in London,
where one can apply for around £2,000 extra in
Government support. The disparity in income
and outgoings here is still a whopping £7,548.
While the University of Surrey is outside
the extra London payment system, Guildford is
renowned for its massive cost of living, which
is only partly offset by bursaries available from
the University. Several other universities in
the London commuter belt suffer from the
same problem. NUS Vice President (Union
Development) Ed Marsh recently told The Stag,
“You should get together with the unions at
Reading, Kent and Canterbury Christ Church
universities to put a case together.”
Continued on page 2...
STUDENT MEMBERSHIP JUST £195 PER YEAR!
students@surreysportspark.co.uk | surreysportspark.co.uk | T:01483 689111
2
EDITORIAL
The Stag | 11th October 2011
editor@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Editor | Jack White
Editor-in-Chief | Bakita Kasadha
ussu.communications@ussu.co.uk
Deputy Editor (Design) | Hollie Rowe-Roberts
design@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Design Team | Vacant
Deputy Editor (Marketing) | Tom Goulding
marketing@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Marketing Team | Shervin Hejazi, Imogen Jones and
Eleanor Pearson
News
News Editor | Jyoti Rambhai
news@thestagsurrey.co.uk
News Team | Sophie Howard and David Williams
Features
Features Editor | Nicole Vassell
features@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Features Team | Peter Bailey, Stephanie Davies and
Becky Powell
Science and Technology
Science and Technology Editor | Nathanael Roome
sciencetech@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Science and Technology Team | Vacant
Societies
Societies Editor | Jaz Broughton
societies@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Societies Team | Vacant
Arts
Dance and Theatre Editor | Hannah Jelliman
dancetheatre@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Dance and Theatre Team | Sarah McDowell, Beth Hedges
and Lexi Sutton
Film Editor | Tiffany Tucker
film@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Film Team | Kristie Marchant
Literature Editor | Alexandra Wilks
literature@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Literature Team | Stephanie Davies, Candice Ritchie
Sports
Sports Editor | Jordan Vine
sports@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Sports Team | Vacant
Copy Editors | Megan Barnacle, Michaela Fulton, Emma
Giles, Candice Ritchie and Louisa White
copyteam@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Webmaster | Andrew Smith
webmaster@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Photo Editor | Raisa Joseph
photo@thestagsurrey.co.uk
The Stag is a newspaper editorially dependent on and published by
the University of Surrey Students’ Union.
The views expressed in the paper are those of the individual authors
and do not necessarily represent the views of the educational team, the
whole Students’ Union or the University of Surrey.
Surrey and Berkshire Media Ltd
8 Tessa Road, Reading
RG1 8NS
The Stag reserves the right to edit all submissions and the right to
decide which articles are published.
Police officers from Guildford and Redhill came to the Students’ Union on
6th October with their dogs for a drug search training session. A specialist
trainer told The Stag, “We use all the live training areas we can. They have a
training day once a month, and you can’t get anywhere more live than Surrey
University Union.”
Notices
The Issue 34 article Read More! should have been attributed to Candice
Ritchie, but this was not done. Not only that, we spelled Ritchie incorrectly
too. Sorry Candice – please forgive us!
Letter from the Editor
Jack White – Editor
B
y now everyone should
be beginning to settle
into their courses (again)
and even freshers will have
got past the point where the
lecturers waffle about the
history of their subject for a few hours.
With this sense of oiled gears however, will come the
problems familiar to all old hands, like the pesky coins in
our pockets, or rather the coins that were there but are
now in the pockets of Guildford’s shopkeepers.
The struggle to maintain a decent quality of life is
one that almost all students make, throughout their
time at University. Many years ago it was true that
Higher Education was a place where the older generation
invested their money by giving the young a leg up – highly
subsidised campus food and sport were quite normal. As
evidenced by this issue’s leading article, that is no longer
the case and you are now being expected to shoulder a
much-increased burden.
However it is encouraging that the National Union
of Students is not sitting idly by and is pushing for your
welfare both by engaging with direct-action-orientated
campaign groups for our futures and by conducting
ongoing research into the problems we are facing right now!
As I said in my last editorial, while many of our
collective problems are caused by other people (perhaps
not putting in the funding they could), it is very clearly
our responsibility to fix them, so I hope you will take note
of the opportunities presented in the coming weeks to
have your say and supported others, like our lecturers,
when they want to have theirs.
Otherwise, will we have anyone to blame but ourselves
when we reach 50 and find that our children are paying
£27,000 a year in fees and must take out commercial loans
to cover their day-to-day living costs?
Students suffer £8,000 average personal funding
shortfall; NUS launches fact-finding campaign
...Continued from front page
The NUS is now launching a special task force
on students’ finances, the Student Financial Support
Committee. The Committee will look at costs faced by
students and the support measures available.
Following last year’s student protests over the
state of University funding, the NUS has endorsed a
national demonstration on 9th November, organised by
the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts (NCAFC) a
broad student campaigning group. NUS President Liam
Burns has stated his support for continued action by
students to reverse the Government’s Higher Education
funding policy on several occasions and reached out to
other student organisations at April’s NUS Conference.
On the 30th November, the trade union of university
academics, UCU will be taking part in a major day
of striking called by the Trades Union Congress in
agreement with the large unions, Unison, Unite, the
GMB and the Fire Brigades’ Union. Unison has some
members at the University of Surrey among the
non-academic staff. Although officially called over
pensions, the strikes are part of a wave of opposition
to Government policy, which seeks to transfer financial
burdens from the Treasury to the individual.
L
© Colin Gray
abour Party leader Ed Miliband
has announced he would cap
student fees at £6,000 a year if he
won an election right now. He
said, “We can’t build a successful
economy if our young people
come out of university burdened
down by £50,000 of debt.“
While less than the incoming
£9,000 fees, the plans have been
described as being ‘regressive’
by
right-wing
think-tank
CentreForum. This is due to the
current way in which the student
loan payback system works, and
as a result, virtually no-one in the
bottom half of the wage brackets
or under the age of 35 would
Commuters faced severe disrupion as government cuts impact on staff and facilities.
Tube anarchy passengers
claim “worst week yet”
As London Underground users suffer from
severe delays and closers, London Mayor Boris
Johnson boasts about London’s Tube system at
Tory Party conference in Manchester
By Jyoti Rambhai, News Editor
T
ube drivers announced on the
7th October that they are to
ballot for industrial action over
safety concerns. If passed, the
action will not go as far as a strike,
but may include tactics like working
to contract.
Over the last week no line has
spared delays, whether it is from
signal failures, faulty trains or the
lack of staff. And now, tube drivers
have announce they are to ballot
for industrial action.
The news comes only three days
after they won a four-year £50,000
salary deal. London Underground
(LU) management claimed that
by signing the deal offered the
possibility of no industrial action
over wages until 2015.
However
in
its
ballot
announcement, the Rail Maritime
and Transport union (RMT) has put
forward a list of safety issues that
need to be considered, including
the consequences of the mass
number of staff reductions, the new
procedure for reversing and faults
3
Opposition slated for
‘regressive’ fees policy
By Sophie Howard, News Team
in platform cameras.
RMT has also claimed that the
London Underground management
wants to remove the built-in
function that stops a train from
proceeding if an object is obstructing
the doors, despite a potentially fatal
incident that occurred in which
a passenger jumped from moving
train and another was caught in its
open door.
Bob Crow, RMT’s General
Secretary said: “It is our
members who have to deal with
the consequences of theses illconceived policies. We tried to get
London Underground to see sense,
but they have continued to put cash
and job cuts ahead of passenger
safety and we now have no choice
but to ballot for action to put a stop
to these dangerous proposals being
imposed without agreement.”
Meanwhile, Labour told of
how millions of Londoners had to
endure a total of 33 separate delays,
line closures and suspensions.
The District Line was one of the
worst, experiencing nine severe
delays, closures and suspensions.
The Circle Line also caused
inconvenience for its passenger,
with four line suspensions, whilst
the Victoria, Hammersmith &
City and Northern Line were partsuspended at least once.
Labour pointed out that the
chaos on the underground occurred
during the week when Mayor
Boris Johnson ‘boasted’ about the
tubes performance at the annual
Conservative Party conference in
Manchester.
The results of the ballot are due
at the end of this month.
NEWS
stand to benefit from this system.
Business Secretary Vince
Cable has argued that this system
will not benefit young students,
and claims that ‘it makes clear
that the policy only benefits
wealthier, older graduates.’
Universities Minister David
Willetts also commented: ‘“This
timely analysis highlights the
flaws in Labour’s proposals. They
don’t help students and they
don’t help the economy.”
Social liberals Counterfire
also attacked Miliband saying,
“it becomes clear that this is not
really a pledge to lower fees, but
merely a proposal to increase
them by less.”
Business Secretary Vince Cable argues that the new system won’t benefit young
students but only the ‘wealthier, older graduates’
Surrey Satellite Technology
receives blockbuster backing
By David Williams, News Team
O
riginally designed as a means
to control space satellites,
new
technology
IKinema,
developed under the helm of
Surrey University’s Dr Alexandre
Pechev, has found an earth bound
use with the backing of visual
effects and computer animation
studio Framestone.
The revolutionary IKinema
technology has the ability
to
convert
virtually
any
computerised skeleton model to
full feature rig while generating
fluid and life like body movement.
Head of rigging at Framestone,
Nicolas Scapel said: “The IKinema
solver is a fantastic solution for a
wider range of skeleton control
issues.
“By using IKinema’s advanced
solver settings and its extremely
flexible constraint system, we
have been able to iteratively
improve our solving solution
and accuracy. With the ability to
easily reproduce this same setup
script on many shots, we will be
shaving days and weeks off our
production time.”
Framestone is possibly best
known for their involvement in
the visual effects on blockbuster
The Dark Knight as well as their
Oscar and Bafta wining polar
bears in The Golden Compass.
4
NEWS
news@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Runaway horse holds Doctor allowed to practise
up motorist on A320
O
n October 3rd a horse who
had ran away from its field,
caused some delays to Motorists
on Woking Road, Guildford.
The pale grey horse was seen
by drivers around 8:30am walking
up the A320 in Jacobs Well, near
the junction with Saltbox Road.
The horse, walked along the
road with the vehicles on tow,
before it stopped briefly to look
at another horse that was tied up
on Stingers Common and then did
not move at all.
Long queues of traffic began
to form as the animal stood its
ground. A woman not too long
after led the horse away and back
to its field.
Although the police were
called, the woman had led the
horse away before they arrived at
the scene.
The police have not yet
confirmed where the horse
escaped from but commented
that it may have been the same
horse they dealt with the day
before, where once again it had
made run for it and was spotted
on Barnet Road.
Police search for two men
over ‘serious sex offence’
T
he police are searching for
two men who are believed
to be connected with a serious
sexual assault on a young woman.
The incident took place in
Guildford Town Centre, in the
Charlotteville area between
12:30am and 1am on Saturday
(October 1) morning.
The men have been described
as dark-skinned, with one aged
between 18 and 19 and wearing
a dark jacket and blue jeans. It
is also possible that one does not
speak good English.
The police are asking to
speak to anyone who may have
seen the two men matching this
description between midnight
and 2am, around the areas of
Upper Higher Street, Jenner Road,
Harvey Road or Sydenham Road.
Since the assault, police have
increased their patrols within the
area.
Anyone who does have
information can call Surrey Police
on 101, quoting crime reference
GD/11/9667 or can contact
Crimestoppers anonymously on
0800 555 111.
D
r Stephen Carr-Bains was
suspended last year for
breaching the doctor-patient trust;
however, following a case review by
the General Medical Council (GMC),
he has been allowed to practise
medicine again as of this month.
The GMC found Dr Carr-Bains,
who worked at the Guildowns
Group Practice at the University
of Surrey, to have entered into a
sexual relationship with two of his
patients, between the years 1995
and 2003.
Both the women were known
to be suffering from mental health
issues at the time.
It was learnt that one of the
patients became pregnant and Dr
Carr-Bains then helped her arrange
an abortion. Following this, the
doctor failed to put a letter from the
British Pregnancy Advisory Service
in the woman’s record. He also
ensured that there was no record of
the abortion and did not refer her
for post-termination counselling.
In 2005 and 2006, several years
later, Dr Carr-Bains is thought to
have put pressure on the woman
not to reveal their relationship to
her counsellor.
Dr Carr-Bains began a second
relationship with one of his patients
in June 2003. The GMC panel heard
evidence from the woman, who said
that the doctor had stayed with her
at her university accommodation.
It was concluded by the panel
that Dr Carr-Bains’ suspension
would expire on October 8.
However, the report also disclosed
that GMC member Stephen
Brassington thought that the
doctor’s fitness to practise medicine
remained in question and aspects of
his evidence were of concern, thus
implying that there is a likelihood
of repetition.
Despite this, the GMC believed
that the evidence put forward by Dr
Carr-Bains was ‘honest and frank’
and he had shown remorse for his
past behaviour.
The existing Clinical Research Centre will become part of the University’s new Institude of Biosciences and Medicine
University launches new medical institute
E
©Chris
in spite of ‘breach of trust’
xperts in medical research are
to be based at a new institute
launched at the University of
Surrey. The main objective of the
new research centre is to find new
ways to help patients with illnesses
such as cancer, sleep disorders and
cardiovascular disease.
Academics
with
specialist
knowledge at the Institute of
Biosciences and Medicine will
be involved in a range of clinical
and research areas. It is designed
to encourage multi-disciplinary
research
across
biosciences,
medicine,
physical
sciences,
business and engineering.
This new medical institute
has been launched after the reorganisation of the Post-Graduate
Medical School (PGMS) at the
University and will see the staff
transfer over into the new centre.
The institute has been designed
specially to improve research,
reinforce the University’s medical
strategy and make way for a Medical
School at the University.
Staff at the University have
worked closely with colleagues in
the NHS in previous years and they
hope to continue to work together,
building on existing relationships
and forging new ones.
The Surrey Clinical Research
Centre, which has an internationally
renowned reputation for its
research on sleep, alongside other
areas, will also become part of the
new institute of Biosciences and
Medicine.
Vice-Chancellor
of
the
University, Professor Christopher
Snowden said: “The new Institute
will provide a vehicle for the
University’s medical ambitions,
including working towards our
eventual aim of a full Medical
School...
“The Institute will work closely
with the local NHS, both in training
and research. Formation of the
Institute will enhance the link
between scientific and clinical
research in the medical field, helping
to translate advances in research to
improvements for patients.”
Alongside the launch of the new
Institute, the University has also
started to recruit 60 new academics
across all disciplines in order to
boost their research.
The University wants to create
a larger research base for those
people working in biomedical
research and in doing so they hope
to get greater funding, thus leading
to better outcomes.
The changes are due to take
place in January next year.
NEWS
5
Learning Resource
Centre opens doors
T
he new Learning Centre,
which opened last month, has
transformed the library facilities,
providing a social way to learn in a
hi-tech environment.
The plans for the new library
were devised in 2007 and were
based on data that had been
collected over the past years from
students and the manner in which
they use the library.
Director of Library and
Learning Support Services, Jane
Savidge commented: “When we
first developed SPLASH, it was
very different and we watched how
students used it and from it we
were able to develop the building to
reflect the way it is being used.”
The Learning Centre is a multimillion pound building that has
been put together from several
different areas of funding. The
smart modernist glass interior
and the gold exterior has been
designed by architects’ RMJM
and has increased the learning
space available to students from a
capacity of 880 to 1240.
The new centre has three
floors; the first two floors consist
of different zones of study space,
including silent study spaces and
are linked to the existing library.
The third floor is the new English
and Language Learning Facilities.
The centre also now houses the
University Book Shop and Amigos.
The first floor also has a guest
area to the left of the security
barriers, where people who have
visited the university and need
access to a computer, can do so.
Jane Savidge also said: “We
wanted to move away from having
a lending desk,” and hence the
numerous number of new self
service machines. The University
has also invested in a system which
sorts out returned books according
to which floor they should go on.
This is to provide a service which
enables books to be shelved as
quickly and efficiently as possible.
Furthermore, as there are now
two entrances, you have to swipe
yourself both in and out of the
building. This security measure
has also been put to account for
the number of students in the
library at any particular time. This
is important mostly as from next
week (10th October) the library will
be open all night. However, the old
entrance will close at 5pm.
Professor
Christopher
Snowden, Vice-Chancellor of the
University said: “Here at Surrey, we
understand that Universities and
their libraries operate as a focus
for the community with a strong
emphasis on learning and teaching.
Both support the generation of
new knowledge in an environment
which encourages creative and
independent thinking.
“This new building reinforces
our ethos, extending the library’s
role as a hub of learning and study,
and with the clear goal of putting
the needs and wishes of students
first in a calm... atmosphere.”
Buy my face: face it, it’s brilliant!
T
wo university graduates
attempt to crack the current
job climate by selling advertising
space on their faces.
The current situation for
graduate employment has not
been looking good for a while.
This year in particular,
according to the BBC National
Statistics
Data,
graduate
unemployment
reached
its
highest for over a decade (since
1995). One in five UK university
leavers has failed to find a job in
the last year.
Two of Cambridge University’s
recent graduates, Ed Moyse and
Ross Harper, were faced with one
of the most difficult graduate job
markets and are now taking a less
conventional approach to earning
a living.
Armed only with a massive
student debt and a good grasp
of the principals of viral
advertising, both Ed and Ross
are attempting to survive a year,
based on the income generated
by transforming themselves into
walking advertisements.
From October 1, Ed and Ross
will be painting their faces with
numerous logos and wearing
them all day long for everyone to
see.
Through
www.BuyMyFace.
com, any individual, company
or group can purchase ‘face-ad’
time, upload an image and have it
painted on the pairs faces for the
whole world to see. However, the
action doesn’t stop their – they
will also be using social media
and featuring of the Wright show
(Channel 5) in the next couple of
weeks.
Moreover, they will be
travelling across the country
to festivals, protest, live TV
recordings or wherever they can
to get to get their faces out there.
In six days they have made
£750 – yes it’s bizarre, but it might
just work.
Bouncer avoids jail
in Dusk assault trial
By Sophie Howard, News Team
A
The University of Surrey has opened the new Learning Rescource Centre after years of planning
28 year old male has been
cleared of a jail term after
an assault in the popular student
nightclub Dusk, in Guildford
Town Centre. The incident
occurred in the early hours of
February 26th 2011, and the victim
is still currently receiving dental
treatment after suffering from
a fractured cheek and a cracked
tooth during the incident that
took place earlier this year.
The male, who has been named
as Szeman, is currently employed
as a guard for department store
House of Fraser situated on the
High Street. This was used as
evidence against him in court
as the judge argued that due to
his line of work, he should have
known not to have used violence.
One witness stated that he
grabbed his victim aggressively,
throwing him to the floor, before
striking a punch at him in what
is thought to be an unprovoked
attack. The victim has stated that
he no longer feels safe in any
nightclubs in Guildford as a result
of this violent attack.
Szeman has been sentenced
to six months imprisonment
which has been suspended for
a further 12 months, and has
also been ordered to carry out
200 hours of unpaid community
work. He is ‘very willing to pay
compensation’, and it is likely
that he will lose his security guard
license in light of this incident. The
defendant has also been ordered
to pay £750 in compensation to
the victim, plus £500 to cover
prosecution costs totalling £1,250.
He has been given six months to
pay this penalty.
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09/09/2011 14:15
FEATURES
7
Sabbaticals Say...
Looking to get involved in
something a bit different?
Jake Willis
Union VP Societies
A
The Court Life Mentors enjoy the unusual October sunshine down by the lake.
How you can have maximum
impact on the Students’ Union
Community Officer
Osama Salih
Union President
A
fter being at University for five years, I can say
that this years’ Freshers’ Week has been the
best so far. For those of you who are first-years you
have a lot to look forward to and I hope you have
enjoyed Freshers’ Week. This week would not have
gone as smoothly if it wasn’t for the dedication of
the full-time staff, Executive Officers, part-time staff,
Freshers’ Angels and all the other volunteers so if you
see anyone who helped you throughout the first days,
walk up to them and thank them.
It has been absolutely fabulous seeing a lot of
people enjoying the lovely campus and enjoying the
unseasonably brilliant sunshine. During a long day of
presentations and meetings I decided to have lunch
by the lake and the atmosphere was lively. The Court
Life mentors had a social organised and had two
barbeques out and a number of games organised for
all their mentees, they were kind enough to offer me
a burger which was exactly what I needed after that
long day! What I am trying to say, as I have mentioned
in my welcome speech for the live guide presentations
is: ‘‘Get involved in anything and everything, make the
most of every opportunity and ride the rollercoaster
of student life. That way, you will leave Surrey with
a smile on your face, a photograph album full of
memories and an address book full of numbers.’’
Now if you are thinking you would like to get
involved in leading your Students’ Union, there can’t
be a better way than running for one of the three
remaining part-time executive officer positions. The
available posts are:
The Community Officer is responsible for initiating
debate and action on issues affecting students in the
local community, with an aim to providing cohesion
between the Students’ Union and those living in local
private accommodation.
Postgraduate Development Officer
The Postgraduate Development Officer facilitates
the development of activities to support the
postgraduate community. This post is also charged
with ensuring the Students’ Union is aware of issues
effecting students studying at postgraduate level and
representing the collective views of postgraduate
students in conjunction with the Union Sabbatical
Officers both internally and externally.
Ethics and Environment Officer
The Ethics and Environment Officer is charged
with facilitating debate and action on ethics and
environmental issues affecting both the campus and
the wider world. They also ensure that the Students’
Union is aware of environmental and ethical issues on
a world scale and that the organisation forms policy
on major topics that require a portrayal of a collective
opinion, of the membership.
Nominations closing date:
Question time:
Voting opens:
Voting closes:
14th October 2011
24th October 2011
25th October 2011
28th October 2011
www.ussu.co.uk/yourvoice/Pages/Elections2011.aspx
re you looking for something
new to get involved in?
Something a bit different? Unique?
Then why not get involved in
volunteering? The Students’ Union
has hundreds of opportunities to
get involved in, and the likelihood
is that you haven’t heard about
many of these.
The obvious places to start when
discussing volunteering are RAG
and Do>More. This year, both have
gone through a revamp, with new
opportunities, new experiences,
and new initiatives to get involved
in. RAG (Raising and Giving) are
currently looking for dedicated
people to become RAG Reps – the
people on the ground who make
RAG a success. If you want to apply,
visit www.surreyrag.co.uk for more
information. Do>More also have
exciting projects to get involved in,
all rewarding, and these are listed
at www.surreydomore.co.uk.
However, you may be looking
for something a bit more specific
to get involved in. In that case,
why not pick up a Volunteering
Opportunities Handbook from
the Students Union, or visit www.
ussu.co.uk for information on how
to find opportunities tailored for
you. Clem, our Volunteering and
Training Coordinator, is here to
make sure that a wide variety of
opportunities on offer, and the best
thing is that you can get involved
as much or as little as you like.
Experiences range from being a
Scout Leader, to being a Gardener
for the National Trust. All of these
give you invaluable experiences and
skills to compliment your studies
and contribute to the community.
I can’t recommend getting
involved in volunteering enough.
It’s a great chance to do something
different, make lifelong friends,
and, most importantly, help others.
Sports are not just fun;
improve your CV too
Trung
Union VP Sports
D
on’t worry if you’ve never
played a sport before; most
clubs are open to all or have
some kind of beginner route to
accommodate all abilities.
A common excuse to not join a
club is... “I don’t have time to do
sport”. Naturally you are here for
a degree and some courses have
many contact hours but try rising
up to the challenge in managing
your time. Having a degree does
not necessarily guarantee you a job
as even degrees are common across
the country, it’s other skills than
can enhance your employability.
Time management is one of
the many skills you can gain out
of clubs. If you can actually show
that you have time management
skills especially when you had loads
going on, you will be miles ahead
from the job applicant next to you.
So if you think you haven’t got time,
try making time.
Okay so if you’ve tried this and
cannot manage to find time to train
regularly with a club, some clubs
don’t require you to go to every
training session whereas other
clubs host one-off events and trips
which you can get involved in (such
as the Surf & Wakeboard Club). So
why not look around different clubs
to see what they offer.
Finally what if there isn’t sports
club which interests you? You can
try another sport, I can help you set
up a new club at Surrey or if this is
not possible then I can help you find
an external local club which does
your sport.
8
FEATURES
© Stacey Hunter
Features
"Y'know what
really grinds
my gears...":
Lighting in Guildford
By Bakita Kasadha, Editor-in -Chief
T
Debates rage over the inappropriate and outright offensive hashtags that trend on Twitter and equally over Twitter’s moral and practical ability to censor them.
Don’t hate on the hashtag
By Stephanie Davies, Features Team
T
witter, I love you. You had @
me at #hello. You link me to
brilliant news and amazing likeminded people, helped me to
follow events, like the student
protests and phone hacking
scandal, and you are one of my
all time favourite expressions of
narcissism. But Twitter, you can be
really, really sexist.
Now, my dear students, I’m
just going to go ahead and assume
that you know what Twitter is,
but some of you may not be so
familiar with the concept of a
‘trending topic.’ A trending topic
is a way to group certain terms
on Twitter, often preceded by
a hash (#) to make them more
easily searchable. If enough people
are discussing something, these
hashtags will ‘trend.’ It can be a
pretty cool feature — Doctor Who
commentary usually trends, Justin
Bieber never trends anymore,
thank God, and it sometimes alerts
you as to which celebrities are
about to appear on talk shows (or
which ones have just died…). But
the cool thing about these hashtags
is also the problem: they are the
most popular conversations on the
social networking site. And as one
tweeter put it, “Sometimes when
you try to peer into a hive mind,
you end up stung by hundreds of
misogynist bees.”
There have been literally
thousands, but examples of some
of the offensive trending topics of
the past include #stopthatthatsgay
and #rulesforgirls. By far the worst
I ever noticed was last year’s
#ItAintRape, which I think trended
for days. Not cool, Internet!
It’s true that the site forces
you to condense information into
140 characters, but it’s somewhat
difficult to defend these with
the
‘oh-but-there’s-a-lack-ofcontextualisation’ excuse. I don’t
what they have been conditioned
to believe. Not to mention the fact
that it is close to impossible to have
any kind of productive debate in
140-characters or less.
Bad Reputation, a blog run by
some smart ladies, has a pretty
decent theory that explains
why Twitter’s sexist (-racisthomophobic-ageist-etc.-etc.)
trending topics feel out of place
next to your Twitter stream. “It’s
much easier to craft your own
media bubble online than offline,
but it’s basically the same thing. If
you read the Guardian, and hang
…examples of some of the offensive
trending topics of the past include
#stopthatthatsgay and #rulesforgirls.
think that Twitter’s trending
topics are reflective of a universal
and perpetual ‘hatred’ towards
women, but rather an effect of
society’s tired old belief that the
two binary genders are separate,
unequal and cannot be reconciled.
I’ll buy that. However, trying to use
the social networking platform to
promote any sort of understanding
through dialogue usually ends
in a #ragequit, for me at least, as
people are inherently defensive of
out with Guardian-readers, then
Guardianesque opinions are going
to appear to be the norm. Whereas
the norm, in circulation figures is
actually The Sun. And then the
Daily Mail.”
Twitter is the way it is because
the anonymous nature of the web
encourages people to be idiots. That
people are bigoted or misogynistic
when they have the safety of
their monitor to hide behind is no
ground-breaking story. “It’s easier
to be an a**hole to words than to
people,” as webcomic XKCD asserts.
But in regards to Twitter, use of the
hashtag itself may also encourage
cheap shots at minorities. As Bad
Rep says; ”It’s a joke, and there’s an
age-old link between cheap gags
and crude gender stereotypes.”
Through comedy, people often
voice more controversial opinions
than they might otherwise. When
I was featured on the front page
of Twitter, it was not for my
left-leaning tweets – it was for
a joke about hipsters, and one
which in some lights belittled the
experience of the Chilean miners.
(A miner faux pas, you might
say… Sorry!) It’s also important
to remember that people are no
more ignorant on Twitter than
they are on any other social media
platform, or high street, or train
carriage. Flaming everyone who
posts a derogatory tweet is a waste
of time. Misogyny wasn’t invented
by Twitter. It may be perpetuated
in that forum, but the real problem
is much bigger than that. Sexism is
a global problem, not just confined
to the Twittersphere. As well as
undermining women, it reflects
unfairly on men, it divides us, and
sadly it’s not going to go away
soon.
Just remember: you are what
you tweet!
he lack of lighting in Guildford
to be more specific – in
particular the bus stop outside
of Tesco. How am I supposed to
be wary of ‘stranger danger’ and
alert when I cannot see anyone
approaching me?
Without exaggeration, the strip
of road between the Tesco and Park
Barn/SSP roundabouts after 9pm
can be described as the perfect spot
for bandits, alien abductions on
most days but if you’re lucky you’ll
only encounter pick-pockets or
attackers.
When there is lighting in
Guildford, it’s a murky, dingy
yellow – actually, maybe it’s better
if one cannot see an inevitable
bandit attack as they approach. At
least then there’s only fear when
contact is made. Another benefit
(if we’re going to clutch at straws):
the stars are easier to see in the lack
of artificial light, but if I wanted to
hold my head up and bump my chin
into oncoming inanimate objects I’d buy a baseball bat.
I really should have eaten more
carrots as a child.
I’m not a moany mare all the
time; I like to see where I’m going
and if I can’t it really grinds my
gears.
‘Y’know what really oils
my gears?’:
...when a person’s actions don’t
really match what they’re sayingI’m sure there’s a word for that
For example, the infamous
‘page 15 article’ – many people
were horrified at the contents but
chose to read it even though the
headline explicitly conveyed what
the article was about. Maybe they
only realised they were offended
once they got to the last sentence.
My source of amusement over the
last two weeks.
L: © Kevin Oliver / B-R: Courtesy of the Boileroom
Clockwise from left: Guildford castle and its lovely grounds; the famous Bearded Lady of Guildford, Brenda; the crowd laps it all
up at a Dreadzone gig in favourite town nightspot, the Boileroom.
Hidden gems of Guildford
By Stephanie Davies, Features Team
Marvel at the Bearded Lady
uildford is a lovely place. It's where Ford Prefect
(in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) claimed to be
from, and it'd be cool for that reason alone. But here are
some of the things you should go out and explore before
the cycle of assessment/drink/assessment leads you to
forget that there might be a whole world outside the
little bubble that is the University.
Many visitors to Guildford are more shocked at
the public’s non-reaction to Brenda than by her actual
appearance. For some of us, her sporadic manifestations
on high street benches are oddly comforting, and we
barely bat an eye. The Bearded Lady of Guildford is easily
recognised by her shock of white hair and leopard-print
coat – or, you know, the bloody great beard. Brenda has
been dubbed "fierce" by Perez Hilton.
G
There's a freaking castle
And it's located on Castle Street opposite the
Tunsgate Centre. Entry to the castle grounds is free, and
while the structure itself is nothing to be excited about,
the landscaping is some kind of thing that can only be
described as 'ridicuprettilous.' Depending on the time
of year, you’ll be greeted with either a myriad of flowers
or several mounds of pleasing dirt. There is a visitor
platform which offers a panoramic view of Guildford
and the surrounding area, and the estate also holds a
statue of Alice peering through her looking glass.
Eat noodles and listen to ear music
The Guildford Boiler Room has the best noodles
you will ever taste. Ever. Really. It also has great live
music. Guildford's sexiest band The Charming Thieves
play there quite a lot, and one time Patrick Wolf stood
on my foot. That was awesome. The Music Section will
usually review some amazing gigs, so keep an eye out,
but there's nothing to stop you going and enjoying the
music yourself!
Drink a coffee and buy a record
Cute little cafe Glutton & Glee is located on Tunsgate
St, right next to Ben's Collectors Records. G&G is
adorable and does amazing jacket potatoes. See Glutton
& Glee? No hard feelings. Right next door is Ben's,
which specialises in the sale of a wide range of secondhand vinyl records and CDs. It's pretty much Aladdin's
Cave in there -- be prepared to spend at least an hour
going through the stock.
Get some culture in ya'
James Price, the last alchemist in England,
committed suicide in his laboratory on Guildford's
Upper High Street in 1783 when he failed to demonstrate
his magical process to scientists. To this day, many
places in Guildford continue to charge exorbitant prices
in an effort to turn their cheap wares into gold (The
Legion, anyone?). One building that is worth its weight,
however, is the Guildford House Gallery, perfectly
situated at the middle of the cobbled High Street. The
House Gallery shows selections from the Guildford
Borough Council's collection, and varying exhibitions
throughout the year. It does have a costly gift shop
(Price would be proud) but the tea room is more than
reasonably priced, and offers a delicious brie and grape
sandwich that must be sampled to be believed.
Guildford also has a tiny Museum, which only
has a few rooms and a not-so-worth it screening of a
documentary. But they have a dress up box. Have I sold
it to you yet?
Due to Lewis Carroll's local influence, the gift
shops in both the House Gallery and the Museum sell
Alice merchandise. Which brings me to my next local
attraction...
Lewis Carroll's Grave
This one might not be for everyone, as you might
find something a bit disturbing about making a
pilgrimage to see where somebody is buried. But for
fan girls and boys who would like to make the hike, you
can find him at The Mount Cemetery, situated on a hill
overlooking the town centre.
FEATURES
9
BUSINESS
© Gonçalo Valverde
Splash the plastic
By Peter Bailey, Business Columnist
S
o, a new academic year has
begun and freshers’ antics are
in full swing. No doubt most of
you will have gratefully received
your student finance payments
for this semester and whether it’s
your first year enjoying loans and
grants or your third, chances are
the balance is burning a hole in
your pocket.
Well, I have some good news
and some bad. First up: you most
certainly should spend a bit of
that money to make the most of
your first few weeks. Not only is
it well worth being out and about
without worrying too much about
money, every bit of spending in a
hard-racked recession economy
helps oil the wheels and keep
the wolves from the Eurozone
door. But in all seriousness, a
bit of blowing your cash is a rite
of passage that I wouldn’t expect
any student to forego, so go enjoy
yourself.
The problem will come in
around Week 8: bank balances
shrink and Tesco Value beans
become that little bit more
appealing. The way in which
student finance structure their
payments is always a bit disjointed
from student spending patterns,
so a good way to even things up
a little is to get a part-time job to
keep you out of the red.
Luckily our campus is rife with
employment in a wide range of
applications; you just have to ask
in the right places. From campus
tours to pulling pints, it doesn’t
have to be all work and no play
either (as if there was any danger
of that). The majority of jobs on
campus pay weekly and they are
used to handling students who
might be a bit transient so they
can be a big help towards beer
money every Friday.
The global recession is
applying pressure across the
employment market, and the
kind of entry-level retail and
hospitality jobs which students
have typically rolled into in
University towns are now
hotly contested by non-student
workers who may have been
squeezed from other sectors. This
means you might have to move
fast to get the role you are keen
on, particularly if you want to be
working in town.
A good way to start is to track
down students around campus
who have been around for longer
than you. Chances are they have
scouted around and picked up
a few contacts, and there is no
quicker way into a job. Don’t
expect company bonuses and topend wages though, there is a war
on, sorry I mean recession.
Just to be clear, this is my
own meandering financial advice
based on my experience, I am
not advocating you spending
your entire loan in the first week,
although that would make for one
interesting week…
10 FEATURES
Should I stay
or should I go?
By Becky Powell, Features Team
F
reshers, in a few months you
will have to start thinking
about where you will live next
year. So, if you live commutable
distance from Surrey, is living
at home an option you should
consider or should you stay in
Guildford?
Money matters
A trademark of meningitis is a rash of spots that does not fade when a glass is pressed over them. If this happens to you then get
medical help IMMEDIATELY.
“DON’T IGNORE THE SIGNS!”
Infectious diseases regularly hit students and can lead to death. With
care however, you can minimise the risk for yourself and other students.
The very mention of Meningitis strikes fear into the
heart of most people. This is understandable because
Meningitis is an inflammation of the lining of the brain
and spinal cord, and, can be very serious. It is caused
by bacteria. Teenagers and students in particular are
at increased risk of Meningitis and Meningococcal
Septicaemia (blood poisoning).
Most people in the UK have had the Meningitis C
vaccination but if you haven’t or can’t remember getting
vaccinated, now is a good way to protect yourself. You
can get the vaccine at Guildown’s GP Practice if you are
registered there, or at your own Doctor’s surgery.
Vaccines can’t prevent all forms of Meningitis
though, so it’s very important to be aware of the signs
and symptoms, so you can get medical help urgently if
you become ill. The disease can develop rapidly, in a
matter of hours, so seek help if you are concerned.
How is meningitis spread?
The bacteria is spread by coughing, sneezing and
intimate kissing especially when people live closely
together such as in University halls.
Main Signs and Symptoms
• Fever
• Very bad headache
• Vomiting
• Stiff neck
• Dislike of bright lights
• Pale or mottled skin
• Red / purple spots or rash that does NOT disappear
/ fade when a clear glass is pressed over them (see
main picture)
• Diarrhoea / stomach cramps
• Pain in joints
• Confusion or delirium
• Severe sleepiness or losing consciousness
• Possible flu-like symptoms 24 hours earlier for
example sore throat
Measles, Mumps and Rubella are infectious viruses
which can also be very serious. Adults are more likely to
be ill than children and have more serious complications,
including death. Measles is highly infectious – a cough
or a sneeze can spread the virus over a large area. You
are at greater risk if you have not had two doses or the
MMR vaccine. If you have missed one or both, please
contact your GP surgery as soon as you can, as this is the
best way of protecting yourself.
Prevention of Meningitis and MMR
• Get vaccinated
• Regular hand washing and use of anti-bacterial hand
gel
• Cover mouth and use tissues when coughing or
sneezing, dispose of them afterwards and clean your
hands
The party factor really
depends on two things: where
you live and how important
partying is to you. If you live in a
pretty dull town, then you might
love the idea of living somewhere
livelier. Similarly, if partying is
top on your list of things to do,
then you’re better off living at
university. There are definitely
more organised nights out, such
as bar crawls, at university and
they are probably cheaper than at
home unless you live in another
university town.
However, if you want to
knuckle down and get a first,
going out and getting smashed
every night isn’t going to help, so
living at home might help you!
Comfort
Let’s not forget that some
students may simply be happier
living at home, some may have
commitments,
boyfriends,
girlfriends, jobs, get homesick
or may just live very near to
Guildford!
These are just a few things to
bear in mind once you begin to
make your decision about where
to live next year. Both options
have their positives, but it’s up to
you to decide whether living out
is worth the experience and the
money saved by living at home.
For further information and advice:
Courtesy of the Students’ Union
Meningitis
Measles, Mumps and Rubella
Night life vs. work
• Pick up a leaflet from The Student Health Centre or
from our Fit for Life stands
• www.nhs.uk/pages
• www.meningitis-trust.org
If you suspect Meningitis
GET MEDICAL HELP IMMEDIATELY!
•
•
•
Go to your nearest A&E
Contact your GP or
Call 999 or NHS direct
It could happen to anyone: it
could happen to YOU!
© English106
By Student Health Care
Generally speaking, if your
commute to university would
be a reasonable distance, living
at home is likely to cost you less
than living at university. You
can now get great deals on train
fares, with season tickets and
railcards offering great discounts.
Alternatively, if you live near
enough to get a bus to Guildford
then most bus services offer
weekly or monthly tickets that
also save you money. As you may
know, parking on Surrey campus
can be a bit of a challenge but
many do drive in which can work
out even cheaper than travelling
by train.
If you live with your parents
and commute, you may have the
option of living rent free, or at
least cheap rent! Also you may
be able to work out a deal with
your parents and contribute to
the food shopping which may be
cheaper than buying everything
yourself.
Lastly, as you tend to save
money by living at home, you
receive a smaller loan, which
equals less debt! For example, I
am commuting this year and will
have £1,000 less debt this year every little helps!
Stay at uni or live at home? It depends on you and what you want to achieve.
Youngs Kitchen
Friday 14th Oct
Friday 21st Oct
Serving some of the finest freshly
made Chinese, Japanese,
Thai and Korean food in Guildford.
Friday 4th Nov
Friday 28th Oct
Youngs International Kitchen
Relax. Eat. Chat.
Youngs International Kitchen is the
perfect place to relax and eat
some of the finest Chinese,
Japanese, Thai and Korean
food in Guildford.
Youngs International Kitchen
Relax. Eat. Chat.
www.live2flirt.com
facebook.com/live2flirt
@live2flirt
Fancy a nibble?
V - Suitable for Vegetarians
H - Suitable for Halal
TERM TIME OPENING TIMES
MONDAY – WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY TO FRIDAY
SATURDAY & SUNDAY
9.00AM – 11.00PM
9.00AM - MIDNIGHT
11.00AM - 11.00PM
TERM TIME FOOD SERVING TIMES
MONDAY TO FRIDAY
SATURDAY & SUNDAY
BREAKFASTS
TOAST
£1.00
PORRIDGE
£2.20
2 slices of brown or white with preserve and butter
A bowl of homemade porridge topped with a swirl of golden syrup (v)
BREAKFAST WRAP
£2.50
A soft flour tortilla filled with sausage, bacon and a fried egg
VEGETARIAN BREAKFAST WRAP (V)
£2.50
A soft flour tortilla filled with a vegetarian sausage, mushrooms and a fried egg
9.00AM - 8.00PM
11.00AM - 6.00PM
BEEFBURGERS
A juicy 6oz beef burger, served in a seeded bun with salad and red onion, served with
chips or a dressed mixed salad. (Spirals 50p extra)
CLASSIC - Mayonnaise and relish
BBQ MELT- Topped with bacon, grilled cheese and BBQ sauce
MEXICAN - Homemade beef chilli, jalapeno peppers and sour cream
ALL DAY BREAKFAST - Bacon, mushroom, ketchup, fried egg
CHICKEN BREAST BURGERS
£2.95
CLASSIC - Mayonnaise and relish
PIRI PIRI – Topped with classic hot peri peri sauce
FULL BREAKFAST
£3.95
BBQ MELT - Topped with bacon, grilled cheese and BBQ sauce
SOUTHERN - Southern fried chicken fillets, mayo and sweet chilli sauce
FULL VEGETARIAN BREAKFAST (V)
£3.95
OMELETTE & TOAST
A freshly made 3 egg omelette served with buttered toast with one of the following
toppings. Cheese (v), bacon, mushroom (v), sausage, tomato(v). (Extra toppings £0.80)
Prime rindless bacon, fresh locally sourced sausages, baked beans, hash browns,
fried eggs and buttered toast
Vegetarian sausages, baked beans, hash browns, sautéed mushrooms, fried eggs,
tomato and buttered toast.
EXTRA BREAKFAST ITEMS
Sausage £0.70
Egg
£0.40
Bacon
£0.60
Mushrooms £0.40
Baked beans £0.30
Extra cheese £1.00
Hash browns £0.50
Extra chicken £1.50
MAINS
SAUSAGE & MASH
Locally sourced pork sausage served on a creamed leek mashed potato, served with gravy
VEGETABLE SAUSAGE AND MASH (V)
A meadly of vegetables binded together cooked until golden brown served on a leek
mashed potato, served with vegetarian friendly gravy
£4.95
£4.95
VEGETARIAN BURGERS
FALAFEL - Falafel & spinach topped with houmous, cucumber raita & sweet chilli sauce
MEDITERRANEAN - Tomato, olives and mozzarella cheese burger (V)
GOATS CHEESE - Grilled goat’s cheese topped with grated beetroot and sweet potato (V)
SPECIALITY BURGERS
GREEK LAMB (HALAL)
Greek lamb (halal) burger served in a seeded bun with salad and onion, topped with
cucumber raita, sweet chilli sauce and houmous
HOMEMADE PORK AND APPLE
Homemade pork and apple burgers served in a seeded bun with salad and onion
STONE BAKED 10 ½ INCH PIZZAS
SEHOMEMADE ROOT VEGETABLE AND LENTIL CURRY (V)
£4.95
RV N
ROAST CHICKEN
¼ £4.95
IN EW
LIGHT BITES
IN
½ £7.25
G
ONE FOR £2.25, TWO FOR £4, THREE FOR £5.25
GU UP SE
GAMMON STEAK
£5.50
ILD TH M
FO E B ES
FULL BREAKFAST
£3.95
MEXICAN FIESTA
RD ES TE
FULL VEGETARIAN BREAKFAST (V)
. Y T F R£3.95
OU O . N NACHOS (V)
HADDOCK AND CHIPS (F)
KN OD,£4.95 EW
DR HOT SANDWICHES
OW £4.75
HOMEMADE CREAM CHEESE AND SPINACH LASAGNE (V)
M
SUB
WH INMEATBALL
EN
K
SCLUB
PENNE PASTA WITH MEATBALLS
£4.95 E CHICKEN
RE AN U
D (V)
VEGETABLE
TOFAJITA WRAP
SPAGHETTI NORMA (V)
£4.75
E
CO VEN
SALADS
HOMEMADE BEEF LASAGNE
£4.95
TOASTED GOATS CHEESEM
(V)
E. TS
Medley of root vegetables and red lentils cooked slowly with light curry spices and coconut
milk to create a wholesome meal topped with yoghurt served with rice and toasted naan
Served with your choice of thick cut chips, rice and peas or mixed salad with dressing
(spirals an extra 50p) also served with your choice of piri piri, lemon and herb piri piri,
BBQ or just simply plain.
8oz gammon steak, chargrilled and topped with an egg and served with chips.
Prime rind less back bacon, fresh locally sourced sausages, baked beans, hash browns,
fried eggs and buttered toast
Vegetarian sausages, baked beans, hash browns, sautéed mushrooms, fried eggs, tomato
and buttered toast
Large battered fillet of haddock deep fried until golden brown served with thick cut
chips and peas
QUATTRO FROMAGIO (4 CHEESE) (V)
HAWAIIAN (HAM AND PINEAPPLE)
PEPPERONI
HOMEMADE SOUP SERVED WITH FRESH BAGUETTE (V)
HOUMOUS AND TOASTED GARLIC FLATBREAD (V)
CHIPS WITH CHEESE (V) CHIPS WITH CHILLI (BEEF)
- 5.00pm
Rides in the7.30am
Dark
Live Action Horror Maze
Terror Zone
£4.95
£4.95
£4.95
£4.95
£4.95
£6.00
£6.50
£6.50
£5.00
1. Choose one of the following : FLOUR TORTILLA, TACOS OR RICE
2. Choose one of the following toppings : PORK CARNITAS, CHICKEN FAJITAS, 3 BEAN CHILLI (V)
OR CHIPOTLE BEEF CHILLI.
3. Choose one of the following : SOUR CREAM, GUACAMOLE OR SALSA
£3.50
Nachos topped with cheese and grilled, then served with sour cream, salsa and jalapeno peppers
Toasted sub roll topped with a tomato meatball sauce and grilled cheese, served with chips
Tubes of pasta bound with a homemade Italian tomato meatball sauce topped with
chilli flakes and parmesan
Bacon, tomato, chicken, mayonnaise and crisp lettuce sandwiched between three slices
of toasted white bread, served with chips
Layers of bolognaise, pasta and béchamel sauce, baked alforno, grilled with cheese
served with salad garnish and chips (spirals an extra 50p)
£4.60
£4.75
£5.10
£5.10
Wednesday 26th October
Fright Nights at Thorpe Park
entry price is £43 without transport) !
JUST £26 (Normal
OPENING
HOURS
ONION RINGS (V)
GARLIC FLATBREAD AND CHEESE (V)
CHIPS WITH 3 BEAN CHILLI (V)
Layers of spinach and cream cheese, pasta and tomato sauce, baked alforno, grilled with
cheese served with salad garnish and chips (spirals an extra 50p)
Spaghetti bound with sautéed aubergine in homemade basil infused tomato sauce
topped with chilli flakes and parmesan
£4.60
£5.10
£5.10
£5.10
Some of our dishes contains peanuts,
please ask at the counter for details.
Stir fried meadly of vegetables with fajita spices and salsa sauce, served with chips
Grilled goats cheese slice on a bed of balsamic dressed salad leaves topped with
grated beetroot and toasted sesame seeds, served with fresh baguette
£3.95
£3.95
£3.50
£4.95
CHICKEN CAESAR
£4.95
CHARGRILLED CHORIZO
£4.95
Chargrilled chicken breast on a bed of crisp cos lettuce tossed with homemade croutons,
creamy Caesar dressing, fresh parmesan and topped with a fried egg served with fresh baguette
(healthy option available)
Slices of char grilled chorizo with sweet potato, hardboiled egg and cherry tomato served
Book up in the Students’ Union
TODAY if you dare!
OPE
7.30
12 FEATURES
Games
Answers in the next edition of The Stag. Send correct answers to letters@thestagsurrey.co.uk to get a mention in the paper.
Sudoku
9
Wordsearch
2
6
6
1
6
4
8
5
5
3
B
I
H
B
V
J
Y
E
Y
L
D
U
R
E
O
F
X
A
I
R
M
U
C
C
V
S
V
S
R
I
A
N
O
5
S
E
V
D
E
D
M
A
M
8
R
X
Y
I
D
Q
N
D
I
B
Q
H
G
U
A
L
X
C
Y
Q
A
E
V
I
T
C
A
E
D
I
R
P
L
C
Y
R
1
2
1
8
T
4
8
7
N
5
9
4
4
5
T
3
7
6
7
9
The words to find are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
ACTIVE
DANCE
PRIDE
TEASE
COMIC
DIVER
HUMID
LAUGH
Last issue’s answers
1
2
8
7
9
5
3
6
4
J
V
T
S
G
U
K
W
H
4
9
3
6
1
8
2
7
5
T
T
C
A
S
I
N
O
E
6
5
7
3
2
4
1
9
8
R
A
D
O
T
W
Z
S
A
5
3
1
9
8
7
4
2
6
A
B
R
L
G
O
D
W
L
9
8
2
5
4
6
7
3
1
I
M
A
Y
G
N
I
K
T
7
6
4
1
3
2
8
5
9
N
U
E
M
R
S
S
F
H
8
1
9
2
6
3
5
4
7
G
Z
B
P
I
G
N
Q
E
3
7
6
4
5
1
9
8
2
W
X
W
I
O
K
E
R
G
2
4
5
8
7
9
6
1
3
I
W
K
C
T
P
Y
P
D
The words to find are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Olympic
Beard
Riot
Casino
Train
Zumba
Disney
Snow
Health
Pig
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
13
Science & Technology
BT back in court over
Internet policing law
T
elephony bosom-buddies BT
and TalkTalk have been granted
leave to appeal a failed previous
challenge to parts of the Digitial
Economy Act (DEA).
The DEA’s most loved and
loathed sections dealt with online
copyright
infringement
and
delegated some of the policing
of that crime to Internet service
providers (ISPs).
Many ISPs have expressed
chagrin at the law, saying that the
obligations forced on them are
unfair and unworkable.
The requirements of the DEA
mean that ISPs are forced to keep
tabs on customers at the request
of copyright holders and send
out letters to customers pointing
out that they have been spotted
breaking the law.
Introduced by Lord Mandelson,
the DEA was passed by Parliament
during the last months of Gordon
Brown’s government.
In April of this year, BT and
TalkTalk made a series of five
rebuttals of the DEA at the High
Court, but all apart from one were
thrown out. The remaining point
was over who should shoulder the
cost of dealing with customers who
are accused of infringement. The
two ISPs won their argument that
the copyright-holders should bear
some of the cost.
M82: Cigar Galaxy
The Cigar Galaxy is what is know as
a starburst galaxy, where a large
number of stars are forming at once.
Ten times the number of stars are
coming into being than in the Milky
Way.
M82 is 15 million light-years away
from us.
Scammers steal Steve
A group of scammers has seized on the death of tech marketing guru
Steve Jobs to con Facebook users into giving away their personal
details.
In keeping with a multitude of similar scams, the conmen are saying
they have a load of free iPads to give away in honour of Mr Jobs.
When users click on the provided link, they are taken to a another
webpage where their details are taken ‘for delivery’.
14 SOCIETIES
societies@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Societies
Welcome to the meta-world:
an introduction to Gamesoc
By Daniel Pilgrim, Gamesoc
© Alexandre Duret-Lutz
W
If you’re very lucky, you might get a game of Settlers of Catan at Gamesoc!
S
E
I
T
E
I
SOC
T
N
E
M
P
O
L
E
V
DE
WEEK
ER
B
O
T
C
O
1
17-2
ithout using my so-called
creative writing skills to turn
this into a piece of meta-something
(seeing as it’s not meta-fiction
because of its apparent factual
condition) and excusing the pun
of meta-gaming, I will try and put
forward the argument for joining,
or at least going along to find out
what is Gamesoc.
Yes, the society for games! I
think it was C.S. Lewis who said
that when he became a man he
would put away childish things.
I am accordingly, a man-child
and I refuse to grow up. I would
like to believe that university is
a place, an open forum, where
difference is a good thing and
that the university experience
can help us shape and form our
identity and selfhood, rather than
something to be shunned. As is
the case, this community shares a
common ground and interest and
facilitates the fostering and growth
of it as such. The group meets every
Thursday in 39MS02 and every
other Sunday (starting this Sunday
9th October).
I’m sure people must have
heard of Warhammer somewhere
along the long, but there are also
roleplaying groups and board
gamers and gamers of Magic etc.
There is a Facebook group (shock
horror) and I am pleased to say the
group is exploring the diversity of
what is on offer.
Sessions include:
Website Training
Posters and Publicity
Project Management
Understanding Media Law
...and More!
Launches 17th October
at 6pm (LTG)
Make Your Mark.
Surrey does
Disney
2ND - 4TH
DECEMBER
From just
£155
Price includes:
Travel Insurance
2 day hopper pass into the Disney Parks
Optional 1 day in Paris
Return luxury coach travel
2 nights Bed and Breakfast accommodation
Reserve your place NOW for only £50!
For more information and to pay your deposit, please go to
www.ussu.co.uk or pop in the Students’ Union offices
and ask for Helena Vardy or email ussu.giveitago@surrey.ac.uk
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The Union Shop. Not for profit, just for students.
Your Students’ Union is a charity, and all of the profit
it makes through The Union Shop
All bags include :
American Print
University of Surrey Hoody
(Navy or Grey and all sizes)
Branded T-Shirt
Branded Beanie
I love Surrey Bag
Revisited
18 DANCE & THEATRE
dancetheatre@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Dance & Theatre
GLIVE GUILDFORD
By Hannah Jelliman, Dance and Theatre Editor
A
©Jamie Harbor
Your fortnightly guide to the Arts at Surrey
When: Wednesday 9th November, 7:30 pm
What: James Wilton Dance
Where: Ivy Arts Centre
How much? £5 students (£10 full)
s some of you may well know, Guildford has got
itself a brand new theatre. This summer, the
1700 capacity Glive opened, situated at the top of the
town centre and bringing a diverse array of shows,
performances and concerts to our town.
Costing a staggering £26 million in total to
complete, the theatre is spreading the diversity of
the Arts through our county, creating great buzz and
excitement amongst the locals.
Being situated so close to London, we often don’t
get to experience big-name acts so close to home.
However, with the opening of this contemporary
venue, the likes of Jimmy Carr, Stephen Merchant,
Adam Ant and International Orchestras among a
long list of other famous faces, will be right on our
doorstep!
Contributing to the world of dance and theatre,
several musicals are being displayed in the coming
months, including Blood Brothers, Joseph and
the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, and the
controversial Vagina Monologues. Along with these,
performances of both The Nutcracker and Swan
Lake will be performed by the Russian State Ballet in
December.
Glive’s varied display of performances is helping
to make performing arts, like dance, theatre and
comedy, more accessible to the people of Guildford,
and is obviously great for all of you theatrical
enthusiasts out there!
It could be said that the large, modern structure
is an eyesore in our fairly traditional looking town
centre, but in my opinion, it is bringing Guildford into
the 21st Century Arts world, benefiting not only the
fanatics but the general public. We are lucky to have
such a great venue bought to our town with some
truly outstanding performances lined up, which I, for
one, cannot wait to go and see. I’m sure I’ll be bringing
you some reviews in the very near future!
Winner of the Sadler’s Wells Global Dance Contest, rising star James
Wilton and his dance company presents a programme of dynamic and
daring dance work where performers are pushed to their physical
limits.
Drawing influence from martial arts, break dancing and capoeira,
the works Cave, an exploration of our perceptions of reality, and Falling
Unknown, a duet exploring self-sacrifice, will leave audiences on the
edge of their seats with such breath-taking athleticism and stunning
imagery.
Check out his amazing work on video at: jameswiltondance.org.uk
Jelliman’s Gems: TOP
5 CHOREOGRAPHERS
1. Akram Khan - It has to be said that he is by far my favourite
choreographer, at the moment anyway, with a solid career behind
him and still creating new, exciting works, he really is an inspiration!
2. Matthew Bourne - Ok, so he’s probably in a very large majority of
dance-lovers top 10, and quite rightly in my opinion. He made ballet
accessible to all, creating impressive (and often controversial) retakes
on all the great classics.
3. Hofesh Shechter - Having recently seen Shechter’s newest work, and
leaving feeling somewhat overwhelmed, he is definitely higher than
he would have been a few months ago.
4. Merce Cunningham - One of the biggest pioneers of contemporary
dance, Cunningham went against the boundaries, choreographing
fantastic work for decades and inspiring many great dancers and
choreographers along the way.
5. Bob Fosse - Possibly the biggest name in Jazz dance, Fosse took
the dance world by storm in his time with quirky movements and
impressive group numbers.
The new Glive theatre in Guildford Town Centre is an outlet for musical and theatrical talent.
Survival of the fittest
By Sarah McDowell and Beth Hedges, Contributors
A
big welcome to all of you
freshers! We are third year
students who have experienced the
ups and downs of university life,
and would like to share with you our
expertise on how to survive your
first year.
Healthy Eating
First things first, a healthy diet
is key to any dancers life, as food
is essential in preventing illness
and keeping up high energy levels.
Before your first big Tesco shop,
make a list including as much fresh
fruit and vegetables as possible.
Foods with high protein are also
key, and don’t forget balancing your
carbs for maximum energy release.
Never go shopping on an empty
stomach; this could result in your
trolley being full of chocolate and
crisps! Buy enough to last a week,
as this will prevent annoying daily
trips to Amigos!
Sleep
On the rare nights that you are
not out in Rubix, try to get an early
night to catch up on the many hours
lost from drunken antics!
Nights out
We know it’s pointless telling
you to stay in when you have
lectures the next morning, so
here's some good tips to make that
9am African lesson that bit more
bearable. Try to limit your drinks
(opt for singles instead of those
enticing doubles), down two pints of
water before you stumble into bed
(food also helps soak up the alcohol
at this stage too), and finally, make
sure your dance clothes are easy
to find in that mad 5 minute rush
to leave (it's also handy to have
paracetamol in easy reach!)
Getting Involved
You’ll be told so many times to
get involved in many “out of lectures
opportunities” - this is a great
way to meet people with a similar
passion, and a chance to perform
more often. For those of you who
are dancers you’ll be welcomed with
open arms to CDI, which are weekly
contemporary classes taught by
outside dance practitioners. For
those of you who are not dancers,
there are plenty of opportunities
to join one of the several societies
around campus, as well as the dance
classes held by Surrey Sports Park.
DANCE & THEATRE
19
StopGap
By Hannah Jelliman, Dance and Theatre Editor
Today, we live in a very
mixed and generally accepting
society, with discrimination
constantly decreasing. Whether
it is race, sexual preference,
social background or disability,
we are all increasingly being seen
as equals. This is clearly very
positive, but my question is this:
Why has it taken longer in the
dance world for certain people to
become accepted as performers?
Disabled dancers are very rarely
seen in a professional context,
but companies like Candoco
and (my new-found obsession)
StopGap, are fighting to change
this. StopGap work with both
able-bodied and disabled dancers
to create some truly inspiring
and diverse work, pushing not
only their dancers’ physical
abilities, but also the audiences’
opinions of what dance can be
and who can perform it. With
a wide range of abilities, from
dancers in wheelchairs to those
with severe learning difficulties,
StopGap
encourages
their
audience to realise that anybody
can dance. They want audiences
to believe that contemporary
dance is so adaptable that it
gives opportunities to those that
a large majority of the public
would assume could never dance.
Their work is incredibly moving
and some of the most expressive
I’ve ever seen, with every dancer
showing true passion for what
they are doing. They want to
prove to the audience (and
possibly also themselves?) that
you are capable of anything if
you put your mind to it, in the
least ‘clichéd’ way possible! After
recently attending a workshop
with the companies’ youth dance
group, I became overwhelmed
at their work and the immense
desire of the workshop leaders to
make dance more accessible. Not
only are they allowing anyone
and everyone to dance, regardless
of medical conditions, but they
are also building aspiring dancers’
confidence and self-appreciation.
Yes, not everyone has the ability
to move in the same way, but that
should not mean that they cannot
perform beautifully in unique
adaptations of movement – they
have created some of the most
breath-taking work I have ever
seen. It is companies like StopGap
that are transforming the world
of not only contemporary dance,
but the Arts in general – an
attempt to make it universal,
yet to still produce works of the
highest standard. It is the second
decade of the 21st Century, and
contemporary dance is making a
whirlwind of societal change!
The smiling faces of Surrey’s dancers.
Three Productions
By Lexi Sutton, Dance and Theatre Team
T
his summer, there are three performances which I
have seen that stood out to me. Three completely
different casts: one by a youth theatre, one by an amateur
dramatics society and one at a world renowned outdoor
theatre. There were three completely different budgets,
but all three were amazing in their own right. However,
what is even more astonishing is that all three were, on
the whole, sold out by completely different audiences.
At the youth theatre I must have been one of the oldest
there, at the amateur dramatics one I must have been
the youngest and at the outdoor theatre, I think perhaps
one of only a few British audience members.
Although the performing in the first two shows
was not ‘Oscar worthy’, I don’t think that is what the
audience expected, nor did they want it. The fun loving
musical of the youth production was hilarious and
the audience joined into the fun of the performance,
with sing alongs and cast members coming into the
crowd. The ‘whodunit’ performance from the amateur
dramatics society kept the audience in suspense, but, at
the same time it was funny and relatable. However, the
last performance I saw, at the outdoor theatre, was also
by a London based amateur dramatics society (though
some cast members did attend drama schools like RADA
and Guildhall – so on the whole I wouldn’t really count
them as amateur). The acting was incredible, the staging
and direction was immaculate and the performance was
so graceful.
I saw amazing productions over the summer, three
stood out, with three completely different audiences.
There is a performance out there to suit every taste, age
and budget: please, if you get an opportunity, go to the
theatre.
Photographer: Hugo Glendinning; Dancers: Laura Jones and Dan Watson;
Choreographer: Filip Van Huffel
20 FILM
Film
‘What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?’
By Megan Barnacle, Copy Editor
T
he scene is set in ironically
named, fictional dead-end town
‘Endora’, and the focus is on the
Grape family, specifically Gilbert
(Depp) and his mentally challenged
younger brother Arnie (DiCaprio).
With two sisters, a brother who
has managed to escape the system
and leave home, no father and a
morbidly obese mother, Gilbert
has to help support the family by
working in a local convenience
store that has lost the majority of
its customers to ‘Foodland’, the
evil supermarket a few miles down
the road. Then along comes Becky
(Juliette Lewis) who is briefly stuck
in Endora with her grandmother,
and something new starts to ‘eat’
Gilbert Grape. This tragically
working-class tale of self-discovery
brings a new element to a love
story, a story of the challenges real
people have to face, capturing the
mundane lives of Gilbert and Arnie,
with Arnie not knowing any better.
A long three years before his
heart-throb career takes off in
Romeo and Juliet, and at just 19
years old, DiCaprio shows the true
colours of his acting skills, seizing
the character’s traits and making
them his own. A truly magnificent
film, with a heart-rending finish to
stop you in your tracks.
Abduction
By Tiffany Tucker, Film Editor
I
typically strongly dislike a film
in which I know everything
that will happen from the trailer
alone, sadly, this was the case for
Abduction, but it didn’t stop me
enjoying it regardless. It’s the type
of film which takes me back to my
love of suburban American teen
thriller-dramas like Disturbia and
Never back down.
The breakdown is that the main
character, twilight star Taylor
Lautner, finds his perfect family
life is shattered to pieces after he
discovers a baby picture of himself
on a missing persons website. With
his adopted parents out of the
picture, it’s up to Lautner and his
leading lady to save themselves
from the bad guys, and find out the
truth about his birth parents.
As the film drew to an end, I
realised that the story line was
nothing original, and I could
predict the ending without a
shadow of a doubt. However,
this lack of originality in plot by
director John Singleton was oddly
satisfying and somewhat relaxing.
If you’re looking for a film with
some top eye-candy in the form
of Lautner and the Guildford born
beauty that is Collins, and aren’t too
fussed about a hardcore convincing
fighting scene, then this film ticks
all the boxes.
With these things in check, I
was able to appreciate the film for
what it was: a perfect, girly, teenage
flick, with enough action that
some teenage boys may even enjoy
it aswell. It’s nothing amazing,
spectacular, or Oscar-winning
worthy, but Abduction is worth the
watch if you simply want to escape
reality for an hour and 46 minutes.
On the other hand, it also works if
you want to be taken back to when
we bought into the teenage kickass story lines where the handsome
boy gets the beautiful girl.
Abduction, overall, is nicely
entertaining, exactly what I needed
at the time when I watched it. It
is unsurprisingly predictable but
in a good, comforting way, and I
actually enjoyed knowing what
would happen and how it would all
end.
film@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Final Destination 5
By Tiffany Tucker, Film Editor
N
ever did I expect to become
tired and bored of the concept
of cheating death. However,
with the new release of Final
Destination 5 I was simply tired
of the repetitive story line which
had failed to grip me since the
third film in the series - even to
the point where I was considering
suicide myself.
However, I forced myself
into watching the film with an
open and optimistic mind; after
all, I enjoyed the first three Final
Destination films immensely. My
general analysis now, however, is
that it’s best to leave horror films
to trilogies and not exhaust the
same idea over and over again.
The film, directed by Steven
Quale, begins with the traditional
Final Destination cliché. I was
intrigued to see what the iconic
initial event of mass death
would be. However, it was fairly
reminiscent of the beginning
of the 2nd film where there is
the grand car pile-up, the only
difference being the addition of
a collapsing bridge. There is the
standard main character that
foresees the accident and warns
everyone around him of the
impending tragic event which
he feels will occur, and true to
form, it does. Without giving too
much away, (which, if you’ve seen
any of the previous films, you
could probably guess yourselves
anyway) the film continues with
the ‘lucky’ survivors being killed
off one by one in the order in
which they would have died at the
beginning of the film.
This part of the film is one of
the only parts of Final Destination
which remains exciting. The ways
in which characters die are in
some sense adventurous and at
times (probably not intended)
very funny. They consist of a
large Buddha impaling a man’s
head, laser eye surgery which goes
terribly wrong and a young girl
whose gymnastic routine leaves
her twisted up. They are made
a little more horrific by the 3D
effects intended to add excitement
and scares, and while I did flinch a
few times, it was hardly anything
to have viewers screaming in their
seats.
The ending of the film was the
only part which strayed away from
the typical conventions – usually,
death coming back to claim those
last lucky survivors. The film
cleverly manages to tie back into
the first film and round it off fairly
neatly.
Overall, it’s nothing to rush to
the cinemas to watch, however,
if you’re just looking for a little
entertainment and nothing too
complex then this is the film for
you.
FILM
21
2012 TO HIT CINEMAS HARD
By Candice Ritchie, Copy Editor
U
Crazy Stupid Love
By Megan Barnacle, Copy Editor
I
©Alex Jagendorf
K cinemas have begun to fear
a drop in sales in 2012, as they
prepare to face competition from
the Olympics. Over 65 million tickets
were sold in the UK this summer, a
staggering rise from 2010, which
only managed to hit £62.03m. This
was largely thanks to the success of
British films such as Harry Potter
and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 - the
biggest selling film of the year - and
The Inbetweeners Movie, claimed
the Film Distributors’ Association
(FDA). Overall box office earnings
for 2011 are expected to beat the
figure for 2010, with the current
total at £872m (a 4% increase
compared to this time last year).
However, 2012 looks set to be tough:
not only are the cinemas faced with
the Olympics, but significant events
such as Euro 2012, the Queen’s
Diamond Jubilee, the British Grand
Prix and the Paralympics will all
contribute to the competition. The
FDA’s chief executive, Mark Batey,
in an interview for the BBC News
claimed that there will be “plenty of
opportunities for big screen escape
for people who aren’t so interested
in sport” – I’ll definitely be going,
then!
UK cinemas faced a similar
situation in 2010, when Sex and the
City 2 was scheduled for release
at the time of the World Cup.
Distributors aimed to target females
who may want to escape from the
football. The film made a surprising
£21m at the box office - a positive
hope for 2012, perhaps - however,
as of yet there are no films in line
for release next year that look set
to match this figure. The biggest
films are expected to be superhero
movie sequels such as The Dark
Knight Rises, The Amazing SpiderMan and The Bourne Legacy. Family
movies such as Madagascar 3 and
Ice Age: Continental Drift are also
due for release, however, Mark
Batey claims that the release dates
for next year are still uncertain. UK
Cinemas might be looking worried,
but with a modern adaptation of
Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights
on the cards, they’ll certainly be
maintaining my loyalty! Let’s hope
Cathy and Heathcliff can bring the
ratings back!
f you are a lover of a good old
rom-com then you will love
Dan Fogelman’s Crazy Stupid
Love. In fact, even if you are
not such a fan then you may
still want to have a peek at this
not-so-serious film. I went in
expecting the usual and came out
pleasantly surprised, with this
funny collection of interlinked
characters which all follow the
same story but appeal to different
ages and relationships. Now, that
may sound like a Love Actually or
Valentine’s Day repeat, but, instead
of copying it seems to almost be
mocking those kinds of stories.
At each point that two characters
connect, it doesn’t seem witty or
clever; it’s just some ridiculous
situation that creates a load of
laughs for the audience. The general gist of it all
is centred on Steve Carell’s
character ‘Cal’ whose wife tells
him she wants a divorce. He goes
into a short term of depression
before meeting Ryan Gosling’s
character ‘Jacob’, who teaches
him how to be more of a ladies
man, and the two of them
become good friends. The rest
of the characters develop a web
of different love dilemmas and
they all end up crossing paths by
the end. Not only does the film
involve cliché narratives and
typical Steve Carell moments,
it also includes some of the real
stuff about the hardships of
love and divorce as well as some
lovely shots of the beautiful Ryan
Gosling. Give it a go; it might
make your day.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
By Tom Goulding, Deputy Editor (Marketing)
N
ot satisfied with revamping
psychological horror with the
critically acclaimed Let the Right
One In, Swedish director Tomas
Alfredson has turned his attention
to shattering the clichés of the
British spy movie in his minimalist
reworking of John le Carré’s Tinker
Tailor Soldier Spy.
Alfredson’s adaptation of le
Carré’s classic thriller is the antiBond, a labyrinthine spiral into the
grim reality of Cold War espionage.
Here, the spotless, moral certitude
of Fleming’s world is replaced
with paranoia, cynicism and selfpreservation; London is a murky
playground for dirty little men with
dirty little secrets.
Gary Oldman gives an absorbing
performance as the remote antihero George Smiley - a disgraced
veteran tasked with exposing a
Soviet mole at the top of the Circus.
Elsewhere, Colin Firth, Benedict
Cumberbatch, Toby Jones and Mark
Strong are among a troupe of A-list
British actors who endeavour to
make the secret service their own.
Alfredson’s London is archaic,
sexless and in decline, yet this
environment allows the cast
to flourish. At 127 minutes in
length, the film expertly refrains
from veering down the complex
trajectories of the novel, while
managing to illustrate the hidden
depths of its characters; a single
tear, a look and a slight inclination
in voice convey all the information
the audience needs.
As a result, Alfredson has
created a well-paced, intelligent
thriller that trades sensationalism
for subtlety. Both captivating
and viscerally stunning, Tinker
is a bittersweet tale of paranoia,
treachery and shabby wallpaper.
22 LITERATURE
Literature
COMICS ARE NOT JUST FOR
LOSERS AND WHY DID I
EVER THINK THEY WERE?
By Alexandra Wilks, Literature Editor
I
’d never read a comic or graphic
novel before last week. I’d
never had any interest in them
whatsoever: they looked confusing
to read and I felt that they were only
for the chronically uncool. This is
until I saw Maus by Art Spiegalman
on a friend’s book shelf. Now, I know
I am a bit late with Maus, seeing as it
was first published in 1986 and then
a later edition in 1991. It is the only
comic to have ever won a Pulitzer
Prize, yet I’d barely ever thought of
reading it.
I picked Maus up to flick
through and ended up riveted for
the next hour. Maus details the
story of Art Spiegalman’s father
Vladek Spiegalman, a holocaust
survivor, and spans his life before
and after the war. I laughed, cried
and could not put it down. The
reason why Maus is so wonderful is
that the story could not have been
told any other way. A picture tells
a thousand words and every image
is beautifully drawn to give you a
further insight into what it felt like
to be a Jew in the Second World
War. For example, the Jews are
depicted as mice, and the Nazis are
depicted as cats. As for the words
themselves, they are anything but
simplistic. Spiegalman’s use of
language is wonderful; from the
way in which the Jewish characters
speak (in a typical ‘Jewish’ format,
similar to the structure of Yiddish)
to the sparse elegance of every
perfectly chosen word, ‘My father
bleeds history.’
Maus has proven that my view
on comics was completely wrong.
I have since read Batman: The Dark
Knight by Frank Miller and loved
that too. Comics get a bad press as
being ‘geeky’ and simplistic: they
are anything but. So, why not try
reading one? You never know, you
might love it.
HAEMORRHOIDS, BODY HAIR, SEX AND POO...
Just a few of the themes from Wetlands
By Alexandra Wilks, Literature Editor
L
ast issue, I discussed Germaine
Greer’s The Female Eunuch and
its ability to still cause a stir. I have
always loved books that spark
controversy. Wetlands by Charlotte
Roche, first published in 2009, is no
exception. The Daily Mail described
it as ‘profoundly unsettling’ and
Look Magazine cited it as ‘this year’s
most controversial read’. I was
desperate to get my hands on it.
But everyone has their limits and
when I attempted to read it, at the
tender age of seventeen, I threw the
book down in disgust. At twenty,
I decided I was ready to handle
the novel which so boldly breaks
down every sexual and hygienic
taboo, whilst, also questioning the
stereotypical standardisation of the
female body. In fact, questioning
is too weak. Roche holds up the
archetype and takes an axe to it.
The protagonist, eighteen year
old Helen Memel, narrates the story
from her hospital bed. The reason
for her incarceration? ‘An intimate
shaving accident.’ Wetlands is
utterly gross – ridiculously so.
Helen states, ‘Hygiene’s not a major
concern of mine’ and this couldn’t
be a more accurate description of
her character. Roche describes,
in painstaking detail, homemade
tampons, poo, vaginal hygiene (or
lack of) and, not to forget, all types
of sordid and extraordinary sexual
practises. Some scenes were so
graphic I actually thought the book
jacket should carry a sick bag inside
it. For example, Helen rips her own
anal wound with the pedal of a
hospital bed.
This leads me on to the part of
the book I found most troubling.
Helen is obsessed with reuniting
her long divorced parents. However
impressive her sexual exploits are,
and however revolutionary her
hygienic concerns may be, the story
becomes a little sad. Helen begins to
sound more like a little girl crying
for help, than a sexually liberated
heroine.
However, Wetlands is an
interesting read, as the Guardian
stated, ‘If you ever wondered what
you’d be like if you weren’t shy,
polite, sexually repressed and
constrained by modern standards
of hygiene, this may be the book for
you.’ Roche herself, in an interview
with Philip Oltermann, states that,
‘[She] wanted to write about the
female body in a way that was funny
and entertaining but also sexy.’ The
mixture of the somewhat gross
facts about women: we bleed, we
defecate, and we don’t always keep
ourselves squeaky clean and the
overtly sexual is interesting. I liked
the idea of women not just being a
sexy image in a magazine, but real
people, and if you sleep with them
you are getting the whole deal –
haemorrhoids and all. I just don’t
think that Wetlands truly delivers
its message, as the narrator ends up
sounding as if she is trapped by her
promiscuity and using everything
she can as a desperate attempt to
reconcile her broken family. So,
read Wetlands if you’re after a sexy
and sickening story, just don’t
expect it all to pull all its punches.
And it really is graphic, so don’t say
I didn’t warn you.
LITERATURE
23
Five books on student life
By Stephanie Davies, Literature Team &
Alexandra Wilks, Literature Editor
The Secret History – Donna Tartt
The Secret History was
critically acclaimed on its release
in 1992 and is a truly fantastic
read. It follows the story of misfit
Richard Papen in his first year of
university. Richard is seduced by
five Greek scholars and becomes
engulfed in their decadent world,
which is not all that it seems. The
plot turns will leave you reeling
and keep you gripped throughout
all 500 pages. Tartt’s writing is
extremely romantic (the boys
even wear cravats), and her
characters are wonderfully drawn
and somehow believable despite
their actions and eccentricities.
The Accidental – Ali Smith
This one may be cheating
a bit, as Michael Smart is an
English professor and not
actually a student, but, he likes
to play naughty with his pupils,
which might entertain you for a
while. Some might argue it is not
Smith’s best novel, as it seems a
bit contrived in moments when it
tries to be too clever. However, it
is an interesting story of a family’s
world turned upside down by the
arrival of a stranger.
Norweigan Wood – Haruki
Murakami
Set in Japan in the 1960’s,
the protagonist’s experience of
university might seem a world
away from our own. Nonetheless,
he still experiences drunkenness,
makes mistakes and falls in love.
This is a magical tale, and I don’t
want to give too much away for
fear of spoiling it. Don’t be put
off by the fact it’s written in
translation, it reads beautifully.
Engleby – Sebastian Faulks
Engleby, set in the 1970’s,
follows the life of an incredible,
intelligent, yet socially inept
Cambridge student. The narrator
is fixated with the death of his
female friend. As the novel unfolds,
the circumstances surrounding
her death become increasingly
sinister, and a massive twist at the
end reveals the shocking truth.
Prep – Curtis Sittenfeld
Set in the USA, Prep tells
the engulfing story of Lee Fiora.
Although not at university, Lee’s
experience is much the same as
she attends the prestigious Ault
School in Massachusetts. Lee
feels out of place surrounded
by her sophisticated peers, and
longs for home. Prep is funny and
heartbreaking; the perfect novel
to read if you’ve ever felt like the
odd one out.
Favourite Book
P.D. James transforms Pride and Prejudice
Here is the chance to see what some
of our readers love, not just our
wonderful editor and writers!
P
NAME: Liam Conroy
AGE: 20
FAVOURITE BOOK: The Outsiders
by S.E. Hinton
WHY: I read this a while ago and
the story has stuck with me ever
since. It was so memorable and
compelling. I think The Outsiders is
a perfect coming of age novel, with
loss of innocence as one of the major
themes. I would highly recommend
this book as it is beautifully written
and an interesting story.
By Candice Ricthie, Literature Team
hyllis Dorothy James, or P.D
James, is best known for her
novels of the crime and thriller
genre, particularly her series
of mysteries starring poet and
investigator Adam Dalgleish.
However, this time she’s adding a
twist – 91-year-old James is set to
publish Death Comes to Pemberley,
a novel that integrates crime
and death into Jane Austen’s
Pride and Prejudice. The novel
is set in 1803, six years after
Darcy and Elizabeth’s marriage,
and the couple have two young
sons. Elizabeth is content in her
marriage, and her sister Jane and
husband Bingley live within 17
miles. It is the eve of the autumn
annual ball and the Darcy’s are
planning to retire for the night
when a chaise appears, and out
gets Lydia Wickham (Elizabeth’s
sister), uninvited, screaming that
her husband has been murdered.
Enticing!
However, James is not the first
author to explore and expand Jane
Austen’s imaginary worlds, with
more than 40 Austen-based novels
published in 2010 single-handedly.
Similar works include Darcy’s Story
by Janet Aylmer, which retells the
novel from the antagonist’s point
of view, along with Seth GrahameSmith’s instant bestseller Pride and
Prejudice and Zombies. Likewise,
Joanna Trollope only recently
announced that she was writing a
contemporary Sense and Sensibility,
NAME: TOM KITSON
AGE: 20
FAVOURITE BOOK: 1984 by George
Orwell
WHY: For risk of sounding like
a pretentious you-know-what, I
would state that 1984 is my absolute
favourite book. Every time I read
it I notice something different, it
is just so impressive and such a
wonderful, yet terrifying novel. If
you haven’t read it, I would implore
you to, as it is thoroughly excellent.
Mr Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet in Joe Wright’s 2005 remake of Pride and Prejudice
due for publication in 2013.
Sarah Crown, of the Guardian,
said that Death Comes to Pemberley
is “politer” than various others
in that it’s a “sequel rather than
a rewriting”, and I agree. After
all, if you were one of the greatest
authors of all-time, would you be
happy with your plot being edited
and re-worked? Even P.D. James
stated that the novel would be "not
an emulation, but a tribute" and
went on to apologise to Austen for
“involving her beloved Elizabeth
in a murder investigation.”
It’s safe to say, I’m looking
forward to hearing what happens
next to the Darcy’s, rather than
what happened instead! Check it
out on November 3rd.
24 LITERATURE
PEN Roadshow
F
or ninety years, English PEN has
been fighting for the freedom
to write and the freedom to read
at home and abroad. The event
is a spoken word celebration in
which today's authors draw on the
words of those who have led PEN's
fight for freedom of speech over
the last century, from H.G. Wells
to Monica Ali. How do the free
speech battles of the past affect
writers and readers today? PEN at
the University of Surrey is a unique
collaboration between English PEN,
the Department of English, and the
students and staff of the University.
Participants
include:
Carole
Seymour-Jones, Deputy President,
English PEN; Moris Farhi, Former
President of the PEN International
Writers in Prison and Shaun
Keaveny, author of Toast the Nation
and presenter on BBC Six Music.
This will be an exciting event
and is not to be missed! If you wish
to know more about this event or
buy a ticket (they can be bought
on the door) visit http://www.
guildfordbookfestival.co.uk/11writing-freedom.
PEN Roadshow will take on the
15th October in Lecture Theatre
M at 5pm (4.30 tea/coffee). It’s
3 pounds for students, and PEN
members are free.
Hallowe’en Creative
Writing Competition
E
ver dreamed of having your
work in the paper?
Interested in having your work
read by a published novelist?
Enjoy writing chilling tales?
This competition is for you!
Please send your scary stories
and poetry to literature@
thestagsurrey.co.uk to enter. A
story must be no longer than 500
words and can be complete or an
extract, poetry must be between
14 and 20 lines.
Entries will be judged by
published novelist and Surrey’s
own Programme Director for
Creative Writing the much
acclaimed Paul Vlitos!
The winner and two runners
up will receive personal criticism
from Paul himself, a rare chance to
gain feedback from a top author.
The winner will also receive
a £5 gift voucher for Waterstones
and have their story published in
the next issue of The Stag.
All entries must be sent by Monday 24th
October to:
r
r
e
u
y
S
S
f
t
o
u
y
d
t
i
e
s
n
r
ts’ Uni
e
v
i
n
U
on
T he
LITERATURE
Your Team
Exec 2011 - 2012
Your Sabbatical
President
Osama Salih
sWĚƵĐĂƟŽŶ
Sam Ratzer
VP Welfare
Dave Halls
sW^ŽĐŝĞƟĞƐΘ/
Jake Willis
sW^ƉŽƌƚΘZĞĐƌĞĂƟŽŶ
Trung
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hŶŝŽŶŚĂŝƌƉĞƌƐŽŶ͕ǀĞŶƚ
ƐΘdƌĂĚŝŶŐKĸĐĞƌ͕
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ƚŚŝĐƐĂŶĚŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚK
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WŽƐƚŐƌĂĚƵĂƚĞĞǀĞůŽƉŵ
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ŽŶĂů
ĞǀĞůŽƉŵĞŶƚKĸĐĞƌ
Get in touch!
www.ussu.co.uk
m/surreyunion
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25
26 MUSIC
Music
Ex-Surrey student DJ Larizzle
rocks freshers’ entertainment
Bakita Kasadha, Editor-in-Chief
D
J Larizzle, a former Surrey
student,
officially
joined
StormParties, a UK collective of
entertainment providers. Larizzle
is also a part of a project know as
Trendsetters, he’s collaborated
with such artists as Chipmunk, JLS
and Lethal B. Larizzle has become
an accomplished radio presenter
and over Freshers' Week he came
back to Surrey where it all began.
The Stag: So, how did you find
tonight?
DJ Larizzle: It was great being
back, the Surrey crowd were really
great… they were totally up for it.
Good to be back.
TS: For anyone who doesn't know,
what's your tie with Surrey?
DJL: Well this is where is all started.
It must have been 5...6 years ago
now - I'm too tired to do the maths,
but I was DJ-ing in HRB, now called
The Living Room at Bling with
two other DJs. It's where I started,
I came here to do Bio Sciences completely different I know- but
started practising here.
TS: So how has your career grown
since leaving here?
DJL: Well after here, I went on to
do Masters at Brunel. I got more
involved in playing; I’ve been to
different countries… worked with
Tim Westwood who also has a lot
of time for Surrey. I’ve also got a
busy week ahead… I’ll be in Dusk
on Thursday and flying out of the
country to Malta.
TS: What did you think of
tonight's acts?
DJL: Loick obviously did his thing
and he smashed it with his no.2 he
had a great energy... Duchess were
good, good vocals and they were
looking good. Hot, really good! Luke
Bingham is gonna be big...he has
talent.
TS: Is it hard to DJ between acts?
DJL: It can be quite disruptive
because you don't know what kind
of energy they're going to bring to
the table so you have to work with
that as well as creating your own.
giving out, what was on it?
DJL: It's an RnB mix but for anyone
who missed out, you can download
it on my website.
TS: So it's Freshers' Week, think
back to when you were a fresher
– which court did you stay at and
did you sign up to any sports or
societies?
DJL: I lived in Stag Hill. The best
court [your reporter shakes her head
disapprovingly] Nah definitely was!
TS: Yeah, honestly thought it was
really good.
DJL: Ah, thanks!
TS: The one that's known as
"Slag" Hill?
DJL: I dunno what you guys are
calling it nowadays, but not in my
days it wasn't! As for clubs and
societies, yeah I got involved. I
joined ACS (African-Caribbean
Society) and I also joined the
Football Club- really enjoyed it.
TS: Have you got any advice for
freshers?
DJ: Pace yourselves. There's no
need to take it on all at once. Take
things slowly, don't go too hard. As
in when it comes to going out, not
studying...obviously I know all you
have to do is pass in your first year
but...
TS: As a Union bartender, I have
to ask what was Ben Mc like
-honestly- as a boss?
DJL: Honestly?.. he was great. Ben's
like a big cuddly thing. We- him,
me and some other guys- used to
go around on Rubix nights stand
on the doors, go around with our
“walkies” [walkie-talkies] not like
official security but it was cool… I
had fun working.
TS: For anyone who didn't get
a copy of the free cd you were
TS: Along with your Afrobeats
Vol. 1?
DJL: Yeah, have you heard it?
TS: Obviously, you're a Team UK*
advocate (DJ nods) – who in your
opinion is representing the UK
the most at the moment?
DJL: Hmm... I'd have to say Tinie
Tempah. I mean he's had hit after
hit and he's managed to crack
America (with Till I'm gone ft Wiz
Khalifa)… many UK artists struggle
in America, but he’s done it.
TS: Okay, thanks for your time,
to end let's go with two random
questions.
DJL: …Okay:
TS: Scone (said 'won') or Scone
(said 'cone')
DJL: Scone (said 'cone')
TS: Good man!
DJL: (laughs)
TS: Lastly, in a fight between a
polar bear and a tiger, who would
win?
DJL: I'm gonna have to go with the
tiger. Yeah the polar bear's strong,
about I think this all about agility...I
reckon the tiger would win.
TS: I’m glad you answered that,
the last person I asked refused to
answer because of animal rights.
DJ: Oh, wow!
*Team UK: the promotion to
support UK artist
THEDavidRobson: shoutout to @DJLarizzle who gave me a copy of his DJ
set on CD tonight, probably the best bit about my monday night at rubix!
Osama_salih: @DJLarizzle welldone for making surrey #freshers2011
have their best night on freshers week so far
music@thestagsurrey.co.uk
MUSIC
27
HEAR ME OUT
S
o this is the part of the issue where
I go out into the wild world, find a
willing participant and discover exactly
what they like to hear. So if you see me
walking around, armed with a voice
recorder and a camera, do not fear…
although saying that, I may be coming
for you.
Name: Katherine Seaman
Age: 23
Studying: Psychology MSc
Favourite Genre: Pop/RnB
Top 3 Artists: Laura Marling, Rihanna, Lady Gaga
Guilty Pleasure: Britney Spears
Ultimate Song: All Saints - Pure Shores.
REVIEW: Blink 182 –
Neighbourhoods
By Tom Mckeown, Music Team
G
one are the days of long shorts
and guitars to your knees,
after an eight year absence from
our ears, Blink-182 are back with
their long awaited new record:
“Neighborhoods”. This album
marks the former pop-punk kings'
serious return to the music scene,
dispelling any rumours that their
2009 reformation and subsequent
reunion tour (where they headlined
Reading Festival 2010) was merely a
money maker.
“Neighborhoods”, its title
the band described as symbolising
how each of the trio brought their
own musical tastes to the record:
“Travis just released a hip-hop
album, Tom always talks about
U2...and I listen to obscure indie
rock” states bassist Mark Hoppus,
fittingly encapsulating the album’s
musical diversity and progression
from the straight anthemic poppunk the band are notorious for.
Now free of the music
industry machine which drove
them to split, the band have selfproduced this album with the
maturity and professionalism
acquired through four years absent,
spent raising families and exploring
side-projects.
Its opener: Ghost On
the Dance Floor launches into
unfamiliar territory as synth
soaked keys bleed in with jagged
rock guitar, galloping towards its
cinematic, sombre chorus: “I felt
your ghost tonight, And god it felt
like hell”. While familiarly angst
ridden, this album's lyrics are far
more morose and punctuated by
violence. An unsurprising fact when
considering their arduous 2005
split as well as death of long-time
producer Jerry Finn and drummer
Travis Barker’s survival from a
plane crash in 2008. Nevertheless
lyrics are mature and creatively
poetic, akin to the sobriety of 2004's
“I Miss You”. Further along, the
band explore their heavier side
with the headbangable breakdown
running through the ghostly synth
of current single Up All Night and
the all-out punk assault of Heart's
All Gone. As the record passes
half-way it swerves into more
familiar turf, with athemic “La-dada's” pounding in Wishing Well
and piercing snare hits leading
infectious choruses in Kaleidoscope.
Indeed it’s the accomplished
drumming which makes many
tracks a joy to listen to, particularly
future single After Midnight.
However it's as the
record makes its finishing sprint
that it falls flat. Its forgettable
synthy pop/rock ending tracks feel
contrived and limp, leaving a bad
taste as the finale fizzles out. Such
disappointment is only enhanced
in light of the “Deluxe Edition”,
where it's bonus tracks, far from
being throwaways, are some of
the most mature and experimental
tracks on the complete record.
With Snake Charmer (arguably
the album's highlight) effortlessly
blending rocking riffs and singalong choruses with a dressing of
haunting keys and electronica.
It's a strong album for
any band's rebirth, while its heavy
keyboard accompaniment and
climatic rock guitar (influenced
by side projects) may put off
hardened traditionalists, its poppunk undercurrent ensures that
Blink-182 haven't strayed too far in
their absence.
Cross eyed smilies all round.
Notable Tracks:
Up All Night, Natives, After Midnight
For Fans of:
Angels and Airwaves, My Chemical Romance, All Time Low
REVIEW: Evile –
Five Serpent’s Teeth
N
ever has a ‘saviours of British
metal’ tag been so deserved
as by Evile. While much of the
British underground metal scene
rides off into the hinterlands
of knuckle-headed deathcore
mishmash, Evile not only make
the best noise, but up their game
as each album goes past.
Five Serpent’s Teeth sports both
the speed and intensity of Evile’s
earthshattering debut, Enter the
Grave and the more interesting,
extended riffs of previous effort
Infected Nations. Russ Russell is
back as producer and although the
sound isn’t quite as defined as the
Fleming Rasmussen production of
Enter the Grave, he somehow fits a
lot better than on Infected Nations,
which sounded a little flat. Five
Serpent’s Teeth is anything but
flat. The riffs speed along like
bouncing bombs and the lead
work is approaching best-in-thebusiness (check out the breaks on
In Dreams of Terror).
If you tire of the lack of
dynamic in most modern thrash
recordings and you hanker for
something that genuinely harks
back to the glory days of Metallica
or Destruction, this album is
where Evile come into their own.
More interesting and well-written
than their debut, these guys put
to shame a good half of their
inspirations, including Slayer,
Metallica, Megadeth and notably
Anthrax, whose recent Worship
Music is barely half as good as Five
Serpent’s Teeth.
The standout tracks on the
album are Eternal Empire, with
all its twist and turns. Evile
really show off all their chops.
First single Cult is also a ripper,
despite being fairly slow all the
way through. Cult also shows off
Ol Drake’s growing maturity as a
lead-writer.
All in all, Five Serpent’s Teeth is
scintillating stuff – maybe even
metal album of the year material.
28 MUSIC
music@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Just how Loick Essien rolls…
By Sophia Field, Music Editor
S
hortly before his dynamic performance at
our very own Rubix, Loick Essien was kind
enough to answer a few of my questions. His
album ‘Identity’ will be out in March 2012.
The Stag: So, Loick Essien, are you excited
about performing tonight?
Loick Essien: Really excited, this is my first
time performing in…(looks for assistance) …
GUILDFORD!… Should be really good and I like
uni fresher’s as well because I feel like it’s a big
statement to be able to perform for guys who
are going to have the most memorable time of
their life. Hopefully they’ll always remember
that I was able to come and hopefully give
them a good show and make them get down
on the floor!
TS: If you didn’t become a singer, what
would you be doing right now?
LE: Um… If I wasn’t a singer what would I be
doing now? I’m not too sure; I’d probably be
a cleaner.
TS: But what would you like to be doing?!
LE: Cleaning! Very therapeutic, and ironing…
TS: You could start with this room!
LE: Yeah, it would take me a while, I think that
would be my show done. No one would even
get to see a show if I started cleaning round
here…
TS: When did you first realise you were
making it?
LE: I don’t know, I’ve never really felt like I’m
making it, I’ve always felt like once you think
you’ve made it, that is going to be your biggest
downfall. You should always feel like there is
more to get, more success, more to achieve.
TS: So your album is coming out, how was
the whole process?
LE: It’s taken three years to make the album,
I’ve been signed to Sony for like three years
now. There have been a lot of changes within
the label and stuff like that, I’ve mainly been
making sure that what I put out is right and
it’s a good representation of myself.
TS: So you’re proud of it?
LE: I’m definitely… more than proud of it.
TS: Tell us about your collaboration with
N-Dubz.
LE: Dappy was a friend from before, someone
that I knew through Chipmunk when I did
collaboration with him, but yeah it was really
cool, I sent him the song, we were both out
in New York at the time because they were
signing their deal with Def Jam. I basically
asked if he could jump on the track, and yeah
he jumped on it. It was really good man! I was
really grateful, he did what he did and he did
it well.
TS: What other hobbies do you have aside
from your music?
LE: I really like to play football, watch
football…
S
ince the very beginning, John and Edward
Grimes have inspired worship and loathing
in equal measure — think X Factor brand
Marmite. You either wanted to spread them
on your toast, or punch those cute quiffed
little heads clean off. And you know what I
did? I loved them. Loved them. Do you hear
that, internet? I’m not even ashamed. I put
TS: Tell us something that we don’t know
about you?
LE: I really like playing Xbox, like A LOT. I’ll
lose sleep over Xbox.
TS: So maybe that is what you’ll be doing
when you get in?
LE: Haha, yeah so maybe I’ll do that as well!
It’s either ‘Gears of War’ or ‘Call of Duty’, and
I won’t stop playing it!
TS: Tell me about an embarrassing moment
that has happened to you?
LE: Hah. One time my ears came out my pack,
so I couldn’t hear what I was doing and there
is a really high note in ‘How We Roll’, and I
really thought I was hitting it but I wasn’t! I
thought from what I could hear, I was killing
it, but we listened back and it definitely
wasn’t right. So that was embarrassing… to
think I had actually killed something and I
hadn’t was quite refreshing.
TS: Who is your ultimate celebrity beauty?
LE: Umm, right now probably Megan Fox.
TS: When did you first start song writing?
LE: I started really young; I wrote my first
song when I was around 14.
TS: How do you prepare before you go
onstage?
LE: I do some warm ups, have a Disaronno and
Coke and I’m ready to go.
TS: What are your most important items?
LE: Um… I don’t know. That is a very good
question. My most important items are
probably my brush and erm, my phone,
definitely my phone. (Laughs and points
behind me) they were all waving their phones
at me!
TS: If you could meet anyone dead or alive
who would it be?
LE: I’d like to meet someone who is alive
actually, Jazmine Sullivan. I’d really like to
meet her, she is so talented. She could just
serenade me all day and I wouldn’t get bored.
TS: Has success changed you?
LE: Ummmmmm, no I don’t think so. The
reason I took so long to answer is because
people say you change, but I think people
change around you because your life is
changing. I suppose with some people it’s
for the worse, some people for the better,
but I feel like the way it has changed me is
just wanting to be more motivated to get my
dream even more, so…
TS: What is the first thing you do when you
get back from a gig?
LE: Straight to sleep. Usually the gigs are quite
late and when I’ve given my full performance
I just really need to catch up on the sleep.
MUSICAL MARMITE
By Stephanie Davies, Writer
Usually I’m up early to do more gigs or
something… I’m pretty much just an old man
after my gigs, I just deflate!
them in my Spotify playlists. I play them at
parties. And I’m going to tell you why.
Jedward are a bizarre phenomenon. They
encapsulate ‘celebrity’ only in its most basic
definition: the state of being well known.
They are beautiful, brainless and their music
is kind of rubbish – but from their first
appearance on UK television, the twins have
risen to stardom completely oblivious of their
critics. Perhaps they explain it best and most
simply themselves in the hook from their
Loick Essien does his stuff on stage in Rubix
single ‘Lipstick‘:“Here I come, here I come,
dum de dum de dum de dum.”
Jedward are a postmodern comment on the
fundamental triviality that is contemporary
music. They hold a mirror to society and
show us: this is what we have become. THIS IS
WHAT WE HAVE BECOME. You don’t need to
write songs any more to be marketable. You
don’t need to be lyrical; you don’t even need
to have talent. But what I love about Jedward
is that they are so endearingly obvious, and
so perfectly naïve in their approach towards
the music industry, that one cannot help but
think of them fondly. They are sincere only
because they are so very clueless. They’re like
Zoolander. For those of you who still aren’t
converted, be comforted: at least Rebecca
Black doesn’t have a twin.
MUSIC
29
Mud, Music and Mayhem
By Sophia Field, Music Editor
T
here is no reasonable logic as to why
I love Reading festival so much. I’ll
pay two hundred pounds to have the most
uncomfortable sleep of my life, get covered
in mud, walk for miles carrying heavy bags
and stink, but I absolutely love it. I know
I’m missing out a very crucial part here:
the bands, but even putting that aside, the
whole Reading experience for me is not to
be missed. I have been to the festival for the
past two years, and I must admit, I did prefer
the music last year. The combination of Biffy
Clyro, Mumford & Sons and Paramore was a
winner for me. However, there were some
fantastic acts this year. Madness provided
a fun and lively performance which was a
huge crowd pleaser and Ed Sheeran drew
in masses of adoring fans with his acoustic
guitar and lyrical genius. Elbow and Muse
were among other great performers and I was
also surprised by My Chemical Romance, who
I’d imagined would be out-dated, but were
actually very enjoyable to watch. Despite
the expectations of Jarvis Cocker, Pulp’s
performance seemed a little flat and once
‘Common People’ had been played; many
people seemed to lose interest. 30 Seconds
to Mars were also a slight disappointment as
front man Jared Leto came across as arrogant
and expected the audience to sing more of
the songs than he sang himself! On the whole
though, the bands were excellent and I would
certainly class Reading Festival as one of the
best weekends of my life. There is definitely
something wonderful about being able to
walk around and watch your favourite bands
with mud smeared arms, a painted face and a
can of Strongbow.
7:00AM- The sun beaming through your
unimaginably flimsy £12 tent wakes you up.
7:01AM- You recognise your desperate
need for water and feel it is so bad that you
might just die. So, you reach for the plastic
bottle beside your ‘bed’ (floor), take a large
swig, only to realise it’s vodka. VODKA. Your
need for water is now urgent.
7:30AM– After borrowing your tent mate’s
bottle of volvic you realise it is now time to
visit hell on earth. The festival portaloo. The
only toilets in the whole of England that make
a bush seem desirable.
8:30AM- All over body baby wipe and
awkward tent underwear change.
9:00AM- Gather with your friends from
the neighbouring tents and discuss the events
from the night before, when you can manage
to start drinking again and the bands you will
see today.
10:00AM- Greasy burger anyone?
11:00AM- Your first cider of the day. Only
in Reading.
11:45AM- On the way to the arena to see
the opening band of the day, maybe with a
couple of beers hidden in the back of your
welly boots. . . shh.
12:05PM-11:00PM- These hours of the
day are taken up by running from band to
band, regular pit stops back at the tent to
refuel (because you are not paying those
prices!) and various trips to the much nicer
arena toilets. You will also probably end up
with some form of paint on your face and mud
on your body.
12:30AM- So the bands are over and you
visit the funfair. You immediately regret the
waltzers after the consumption of the day.
1:00AM- With the hope that the funfair
rides haven’t reduced you to a vomiting state,
you head back to camp for laughter, a few
drinks, maybe a fire and various chants of
BUTT SCRATCHER, MARGARET THATCHER,
CHILD SNATCHER…. Or maybe you’ll look for
Alan.
30 SPORT
Rugby World Cup:
The story so
far...
sport@thestagsurrey.co.uk
At the time this was written, the teams
had just qualified to go into the quarter
finals and the games will be as follows...
Wales v Ireland.
England v France.
South Africa v Australia.
New Zealand v Argentina.
By Jordan Vine, Sports Editor
Jonny vs. Flood
J
England 30-man squad
for the 2011 World Cup:
onny Wilkinson had a shocking game against Scotland, missing five
out of six kicks. Eight years ago he was adored by fans everywhere for
his kicking ability, but compared to his kicking status now; he is almost
a completely different player. He may have the experience, but at the
moment Toby Flood is stronger. Though to give Jonny some credit, he was
injured in the match against Scotland and was forced to come off in the last
five minutes with a wrist injury - did it affect his kicking... hmm? He has
since had a scan and the results are ‘inconclusive.’ Jonny has never been
the same since the 2003 World Cup victory, which saw him perform a drop
goal to secure England’s title as World Champions. With frequent injuries
since, and his once reliable kicking ability disappearing, is it time to make
way for a new number 10?
Backs: Armitage, Ashton, Banahan, Cueto, Flood, Foden,
Hape, Simpson, Tindall, Tuilagi, Wigglesworth,
Wilkinson, Youngs.
Forwards: Cole, Corbisiero, Croft, Deacon, Easter, Hartley,
Haskell, Lawes, Mears, Moody, Palmer, Shaw,
Sheridan, Stevens, Thompson, Wilson, Wood.
The Shock Result...
I
reland beat Australia 6-15 to qualify as the winner
in their pool. This was unexpected and changed the
dynamics of the world cup entirely. It has now turned
into the Northern hemisphere versus the Southern
hemisphere, with almost a six nations versus a trinations split. This has supposedly made things a lot
easier for England, as either South Africa (World
Champions) or Australia (who won the tri-nations
against South Africa and New Zealand this year) will
be knocked out, meaning that only one of the three
tri-nation teams, who are deemed to be the best in
rugby, can make it through to the final.
Toby Flood set to be the new British Rugby hero 2011
Missing Players
H
Jonny Wilkinson - has he lost his game?
owever these teams are missing some great
player. England are without Delon Armitage for
a week meaning that he will not play in the match
against France after his high tackle against Scottish
player Chris Patterson was cited. However he was
lucky this time – a high tackle can get a ban of up to
10 weeks. Jonny Wilkinson is also injured, and at the
time of going to press he may even be going home.
For New Zealand, Dan Carter received a left groin
injury in training and will be out for the rest of the
tournament, which is a major setback. Colin Slade is
replacing him, and hopefully he will live up to the
high expectations which have been set by the world’s
best fly half. The captain Richie McCaw may possibly
be injured also, but despite this not being great news,
New Zealand have many replacements so it shouldn’t
be too much of a problem. As long as New Zealand play
like they have so far, and don’t buckle under pressure,
the games ahead should be easy for them.
South Africa has lost Frans Steyn, who has gone
home to receive surgery on his shoulder after a tough
game against Samoa. He will be replaced by Zane
Kirchner. The game against Samoa also saw wingers
Pietersen, Hougaard and Habana injured (though not
seriously).
Another winger is also injured. This time Australia
has lost Drew Mitchell due to a hamstring injury, his
replacement being Lachie Turner. They were on top
form in the tri-nations, winning the competition and
losing just one game out of four, against New Zealand.
They beat South Africa in both matches that they
played, although nobody knows if they will beat South
Africa for a third time after Australia’s shock loss to
Ireland.
To date, Ireland and Wales have no injuries and are
both going into the quarter finals with full sides.
SPORT
31
A member of Surrey’s skydiving club takes the plunge
Skydiving: not quite Jitsu
so scary as it seems W
By Joaquin Perez, Writer
S
kydiving is a great sport. Jumping out of a plane is a
thrilling experience that you will never forget and it
could be compared to learning how to fly (downwards).
It is also a very misunderstood sport.
Most people find out about skydiving from watching
the media but news reporters or writers are not
necessarily trained skydivers and thus are bound to get
things wrong from time to time. When this happens,
it ends up leaving many individuals with a wrong
understanding of how it all works. These are some of the
questions I get asked the most by individuals interested
in jumping.
1) What if my parachute fails to open?
The common misconception here is that if your
parachute fails, then there is nothing you can do and
you will die shortly afterwards.
When it comes to flying, a parachute is something
you can wear to remind you that you always have the
option of bailing if things get out of hand. It is something
to be used as a last resort and opens with a simple pull
from a handle. Since you are already using a parachute
when skydiving; it makes sense to keep a second
“reserve” parachute just in case the first one doesn’t
work. That way if your main parachute malfunctions,
you can simply detach it and open the reserve.
As it is rather important for your reserve parachute
to work properly; the job of packing these is done by
very experienced professionals. You are also required
by law to send the reserve parachute for a repack at
regular intervals so you can trust on your reserve to
work if the main one fails. Because of this, a double total
malfunction is extremely rare and wouldn’t happen just
because you are unlucky.
This is where things can get frustrating for
skydivers. News reports have a tendency to attribute
skydiving accidents under “equipment failure” in order
to simplify it for the readers. The result is that some
people are left feeling that skydiving is like playing
Russian roulette when it isn’t.
2) Can I breathe while freefalling?
Yes! Even while falling at terminal velocity, you
can breathe without problems. You will however need
goggles to see where you are falling.
3) Does that mean I can talk to others
while I fall?
No. There are some movies where characters
have conversations while falling but this is absolute
nonsense. The wind flowing past your ears is quite loud
and prevents you from hearing anything else. Not even
the extremely high pitched screams of scared first time
jumpers can be heard by the instructors falling next to
them.
4) What if I fall unconscious?
When you first learn to skydive, you won’t need
to worry about this very much as you will either jump
with an instructor or have a parachute that opens
automatically as you exit the aircraft. Later on, if you
lose consciousness for some reason then it’s not the
end of the world. There is a magical device on your
parachute called an AAD which stands for Automatic
Activation Device and does exactly what it says on the
name. This tiny machine will detect if you are going
too fast at dangerously low heights and use an electric
signal to force the reserve parachute to open by itself.
5) What about landing? Will it hurt?
There are quite a few people concerned with
breaking their legs on their first landing. The rule is
simple: The faster you fall, the more it will hurt. Heavy
people, or those with small parachutes (i.e. experienced
jumpers), will fall faster. That’s not to say there is no
way to control your landing though. There are toggles
on your parachute which you can use to temporarily
slow down you decent and they key is to do it at the
right time. Done right and it feels like you just took a
tiny jump. Done wrong and you will end up with a sore
bum. As long as you keep to the legal limits and follow
your training, there will be no broken bones.
I really want to encourage people to take up
skydiving. You don’t have to be insane or absolutely
fearless to enjoy it. Just be the sort of person who wants
to try something new and looks forward to a completely
life-changing experience.
e are a self defence based, martial arts club; we focus on a variety
of techniques that are practical in the real world. Jitsu also
builds on your self confidence and is a great way to meet new people
and exercise.
In addition to gradings, we compete at a national level; last year we
brought back a total of 7 individual national medals and 1 silver club
shield.
Jitsu always welcomes beginners and your first session is free of
charge, £2 normally.
Mondays 9-10:30 and Wednesdays 8-10, dance studios, SSP.
Check our website for more details: www.surreyjitsu.co.uk
32 SPORT
sport@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Sport
Summer of success for boat club
By Jonathan Rains, Boat Club Communications Officer
A
fter a disappointing BUCS (due to adverse
weather conditions causing many races
to be cancelled), USBC successfully competed
over the summer and took part in a number of
fundraising events as well. In spite of the poor
weather of BUCS, they did manage to win one
bronze medal in the Woman’s Coxless Quads,
so it wasn’t all bad.
The first race after BUCS was the Walton
President Tom Mee putting in the miles at the
Boots Macmillan Fundraiser
and Weybridge Regatta. This was a highly
competitive event with many clubs entering
(of which USBC entered nine), with many
rowers competing in both the morning and
the afternoon. Although there were no pots
won by the end of the day, in most categories
we came second and often missing out on first
place by only a fraction. This was just a sign of
what was to come.
Twickenham Regatta was our next race
and after a decent performance at Walton
and Weybridge, expectations of us were high.
USBC entered nine crews again (although
now with a few different crews), and after
a hard day of racing, USBC came away with
its biggest collection of pots of the year, with
four crews winning a grand total of 13 pots.
This was the perfect way to end the clubs
racing calendar for the year after one of its
most successful racing days all year.
Despite the fact that the academic year
was now over and the summer was in full
swing, this didn’t stop members of the boat
club competing to the best of their abilities in
a number of local regattas. One such example
was at Kingston Regatta where we put out
three boats in three different categories,
and although no pots were won on the day,
our men’s captain Phil “Roy” Elton narrowly
missed out on winning the Men’s Novice
Single Sculls, by a matter of seconds.
At Colours Ball this year USBC won “Best
Fundraising Club”, and we are already working
on keeping that title. During the summer,
members of the club went down to Boots in
Rugby club finds a place
for everyone somewhere
By, James Lovell and Rebecca Della-Porta
T
his week saw the return to training of the
University of Surrey Rugby club. After
a poor season last year, it was essential that
changes were made to ensure future success
for the rugby team. Following an end of season
win against Kingston in the Varsity match,
the new committee sees potential in the
university team and has decided to take action
and make the necessary adjustments. The
most prominent of which is the launching of
a brand new coaching and training structure,
introducing compulsory rugby training two
days a week (Sunday 2-3.30 pm and Monday
8-9.30 pm) for the 1st team members, whilst
offering 2nd team players an opportunity to
improve their game. Team Surrey and Surrey
Sports Park are providing the squad with a
four man Strength and Conditioning team
to work alongside Player, and Strength and
Conditioning coordinator Tim Kirkconel.
Furthermore, a new four man coaching team
led by Neil Sweeney has been introduced to
bring more structure and a higher degree of
professionalism to 1st Team rugby at Surrey,
whilst also keeping the game accessible for
2nd team, beginner and social players. The
new head coach’s experience and professional
approach has already begun to transform the
way USRFC trains and we are confident this
will only get better!
Our first training session of the year on
Sunday 2nd October enjoyed an impressive
turnout of 56 people with a lot of new faces,
and even had a special guest appearance
from Osama, Students Union President, who
was keen to get involved and begin his rugby
career. This session was designed for the
coaches to gauge the level of new talent and
assess what would be the most useful and
effective training methods for future sessions,
whilst allowing both the beginners and our
senior players themselves to get into a rugby
mindset and prepare for the new season. Both
the level of talent and interest further boosted
Darryl Kelly (left) and Robert Sillitoe (right) won the Men’s Novice Doubles at Twickenham Regatta
town to help out with their Macmillan rowing
challenge, where many miles were completed
on the rowing machines in aid of the cause.
Many other fundraising events are currently
in the works as well including a corporate
rowing challenge for local companies, and a
local schools challenge as well, among many
other events. Also in the pipeline is an “USBC
Rows the Thames”, where a coxed quad boat
will attempt to row over 250km along the
Thames River in order to raise funds for the
British Red Cross and the Boat Club. Donations
can be made and further information can be
found at www.sponsor-me.org/usbcthames.
Now that the summer is over, the new
academic year looks set to be the boat club’s
most successful year yet. Thanks to our great
relationship with Molesey Boat Club (one of
the biggest and best boat clubs in the country)
allowing us to use their world class facilities
and their head GB coach now being available
to coach our rowers, USBC now has all it
needs to really make a name for itself in the
world of rowing as one of the top university
rowing clubs in the country.
If anyone is interested in the boat club
and would like to know more of what we are
about, the best way to contact us is to go to
our facebook page (search for University
of Surrey Boat Club) or our website (http://
www.surreyboatclub.co.uk/) for all the
committee members contact details. Or just
contact our president at t.mee@surrey.ac.uk.
We look forward to seeing you on the water
soon.
our confidence in the rugby squad’s success
for the upcoming season and the afternoon
was a huge overall success!
Here at USRFC we uphold the saying
that rugby is a sport for all and take pride in
the fact that we are a highly inclusive club
regardless of shape, size, experience or ability.
We are a very social club with our 2 Social
Secretaries organizing weekly socials, often
based around Roots Bar on the university
campus. We welcome players of all levels of
ability and make a point of not turning anyone
away. The absence of a trials system means
that we try to find a game for everyone in our
2nd team or with a local club that we have a
link with. There has never been a better time
to get involved with rugby at Surrey and with
an energetic new committee, an effective
coaching team and an ambitious approach, all
we need is for you to get involved and make
this year the best ever year for Surrey Rugby.

Issue 35 - University of Surrey Students` Union

Transcription

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