Issue 13 - Platform Online

2nd
Annual
NTSU
Awards
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Platform is an independent publication and any views
expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Editor or
of the Nottingham Trent Students Union and its Officers.
Companies advertised in Platform are not necessarly endorsed by Nottingham Trent Students Union. No part of this
publication may be reproduced without the prior permission
of the Editor.
Letters should be addressed to:
Platform
Nottingham Trent Students Union
Byron House
Shakespeare Street
Nottingham
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Email: platform@su.ntu.ac.uk
Phone: (0115) 848 6224
Editor: Andrea Vassallo - (0115) 848 6224
Designer: Stephanie Combs - (0115) 848 6211
New Platform Team for 07/08…
Editor: David Baird
Features Sub-Editor: Samantha Hewlett
sjm_hewlett@hotmail.co.uk
News Sub-Editor: Susan Mintern
N0068303@ntu.ac.uk
Music Sub-Editor: Robert Reid
N0111161@ntu.ac.uk
Film Sub-Editor: Amy Gathercole
N0097314@ntu.ac.uk
Arts Sub-Editor: Sarah Louise Davies
N0105272@ntu.ac.uk
Fashion Sub-Editor: Sophie Howarth
N0106941@ntu.ac.uk
Health Sub-Editor: Amanda Yates
N0098417@ntu.ac.uk
Pictures Sub-Editor: Patrick Taylor
N0152923@ntu.ac.uk
Travel Sub-Editor: Claire Haywood
N0114060@ntu.ac.uk
Societies Sub-Editor: Jen Skuse
N0059300@ntu.ac.uk
Eating Out Sub-Editor: Edward Smith
edwardsmith.photography@hotmail.co.uk
Sports Sub-Editor: Position vacant
Email platform@su.ntu.ac.uk
Gaming Sub-Editor: Position vacant
Email platform@su.ntu.ac.uk
Well, incredibly
we have made it to
the final issue of the term, and I hope I’m not the
only one left wondering how the year passed
by so fast! We’ve seen lots of changes within
Platform, some of which you’ve seen but others
are under wraps until you pick it up next year!
We wouldn’t have made these plans if this year
hadn’t gone so well, so an enormous thank
you to everyone for contributing and reading
Platform.
Outside of our own little magazine world, plenty
more has been going on at Trent this year and
it wouldn’t have happened without you guys. Testament to that are
the long lists of students who were nominated for our recent Volunteer
Awards – turn over for full details on those who put something back
into being a student.
In this Issue, as has come to be expected, we have another photos
pull-out for you – showing where you’ve been out recently. For the first
time ever in Platform’s history (well, that I know of anyway) we have
cartoons drawn for you by Trent’s Fine Art students. We are always
on the look out for new ideas to introduce each issue, so if you fancy
yourself as an artist, writer, photographer (or generally creative person) and will still be around next year then contact us!
We’ve tried to cram as much as possible into this issue so check
out the chance to win round-the-world flights; our essential summer reads now that reading all your notes for exams is behind you;
and the Trent kayaker hand-picked to represent British universities!
We’ve also got photos from the Varsity matches played this term, an
Ocean’s Thirteen Preview, and all the usual suspects.
Need I say more?... other than to wish you all a great final fortnight
and all the best for a long summer ahead. To those of you graduating and entering the real world of work, I’m leaving too so I share
your suffering when it comes to packing up and moving on. But, no
doubt like many of you, I will be back again to live the Trent dream
and hold on to the carefree life as a student for as long as humanly
possible!
Goodbye from me and, once again, Happy
Reading!
To contact the relevant Sub-Editor, please either email
them directly or email platform@su.ntu.ac.uk and put the
relevant section in the subject area.
This Issue:
To advertise with us please contact:
Simon Rhodes – (0115) 848 6244
4 NTSU Awards
6 News
12 Film
14 Music
16 Photos Pull-out
Thanks to Polar Group Limited
www.polargroup.co.uk
Printed by Polar Print Group using Low Alcohol technology and Vegetable based inks. Printed on 9lives 55 Gloss
100 gsm (25% post-consumer waste - 30% pre-consumer
waste - 45% virgin ECF from sustainable forests).
18 Arts
22 Fashion
24 Health
26 Sports
Platform Volume 15/Issue 13 • 3
l
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2nd ngham n Awards
N ot t i e nt s U n i o
St u d
Junction Awards
• Dedication Award
On Thursday 24th
May we held our
2nd Annual Volunteer
Awards Evening to
recognise the efforts
of those who get involved
with what the SOAP Station organises. These
students offer their
spare time to take part
in activities such as fundraising for RAG, volunteering in projects with Junction,
establishing and running Societies, producing Platform, Fly
FM & Trent TV, and attending
Stride workshops to improve
employability and skills.
Much in the same way as the Annual Sporting Excellence Awards
recognise talented and dedicated
sports club members, the Volunteering Awards were established
last year to acknowledge the
hard work put in when there is
little personal gain other than a
sense of self-fulfilment. The Trent
Media Awards were introduced
this year, following its success
and popularity since launching in
October.
Laura Armstrong and Andrea
Vassallo hosted the Ceremony,
as their positions as Student
Activities and Media Operations
Officers have been introduced
to the SOAP Station this year to
represent and be the main point
of contact for the students involved. Other speakers included
Bav Shah (NTSU President), Kate
Steventon (previous NTSU President), Aissa Pesqueira (Fly FM
Officer), Will Anderson (Trent TV
Officer) and David Baird (Media
Operations Officer 07/08).
Everyone agreed it was a really
enjoyable evening, with free
drinks and buffet. Thanks to
everyone who came or helped
out, and we are already looking
forward to next year. Here are
lists of all the Awards, nominees
and winners:
4 • Platform
Volume 15/Issue 13
Sammy Keetley
Kieran Nellist
Samantha Palmer
Zuo Yen Lee
Kirsty Islett – WINNER!
Stride Awards
Stride is our training and development
programme, offering training in life
tools, time management and essential
skills. The five students who received Stride Awards have committed
over 25 hours out of their own time
– equating to around 12 sessions or
more. This shows a great deal of perseverance, enthusiasm and keenness
to develop skills. The Stride Platinum Awards went to Saurabh Gupta,
Rajiv Khemlami, Anastasios
Koufopavlou,
Jagjeet Singh
Tathgar, and Maz
Zaman.
• Achievement
Award
Siobhan Byrne
Samantha Lister
Stewart Oxford
Harpreet Chahal – WINNER!
• Leadership Award
Harpreet Chahal
Kirsty Islett
Kieran Nellist
Sammy Keetley – WINNER!
Trent Media
Awards
• Outstanding
Contribution
Natalie Doble
Emma Grant
Phi Howard
Jashan Patel
NTU Cheerleading Club
Tim Mercer – WINNER!
• This year’s Top Fundraiser for
RAG was Phi Howard
• Society Progress
Asian Cultural
Afro Caribbean
Societies
Awards
WINNER: Asian Cultural for their
massive success over the last year,
improving their Society dramatically.
• Society Event of
the Year
LEX - LEX Ball
LEX - LEX Networking Evening
Islamic - Awareness Week
International Relations - UN Global
terrorism course
Rave Trent - Society nights
Asian - Disco Dandia
WINNER: For the second year in a
row, this award can only go to Islamic
Society for the time and effort put in
James Brigham
– Platform
Ellie George – Platform
Alex Hulse – Platform/Fly
Shari Knowles – Platform
Anna Middleton – Platform
Katie Wilson – Platform
Katie Atherton – Fly – WINNER!
Ian Bond – Fly
Carole-Ann Galloway – Platform
Emma Hunt – Platform
Carl McQueen – Trent TV
Luke Richardson – Fly
Jen Skuse – Platform/Fly
Tim Spiers – Platform
Patrick Taylor – Platform
Laura Johnstone – Platform – WINNER!
• Outstanding Achievement Award
Ian Bond – Fly
Mike Cowan – Fly
Emma Hunt – Platform
Laura Johnstone – Platform
Susan Mintern – Platform
Jen Skuse – Platform/Fly
Tim Spiers – Platform
Carl McQueen – Trent TV – WINNER!
• Volunteer of the Year
• Volunteer of the Year
Sammy Keetley
Tim Mercer
Phi Howard – WINNER!
Mark Crossley – Fly
Paul Fernley – Platform/Fly
Susan Mintern – Platform
Luke Richardson – Fly – WINNER!
Grace Walker - Aegis
James Walsh - Rock and Alternative
Music
Lindsay Wheatcroft - Socialist Students
Caroline Winter - LEX
Notable mention must go to Lindsay
Wheatcroft, who has worked all year
to get a Socialist Society set up single
handedly.
WINNER: Caroline Winter for driving LEX forward, incorporating new
events and branching out into sport
to really provide everything for LEX
members.
• Society Community
Rave Trent
NTU Pride
WINNER: NTU Pride for the continued
work with the GAI health project and
tireless work with Nottingham Pride.
• Newcomer
Award
• Dedication Award
RAG Awards
to raise awareness within the student
body, local community and within the
University.
• Society of the Year
Aegis
Asian Cultural
LEX
Rock and Alternative Music
Notable mention goes to Rock and
Alternative Music.
• Best New Society
WINNER: LEX – who are deserving
winners of so many awards across the
board.
Aegis
Brack Rock
Finance
Forensic Science
Rave Trent
WINNER: Aegis Society for bringing
a political interest into the Students
Union and encouraging others to
campaign and make a stance against
genocide.
• Committee of the Year
NTSU Volunteer of the Year
Brack Rock
Conservation
International Relations
LEX
Rock and Alternative Music
• Best Society Individual Contribution
This Award stands alone, as it accredits a student who has applied themselves admirably and whole-heartedly across all areas of involvement.
While the SOAP Station encourages
all students to find something to suit
them, this student saw the range of
opportunities as a check list and has
successfully tried their hand at it all.
Further than that, they took on multiple committee positions, are always
enthusiastic and full of good ideas,
and a pleasure to work with.
Sarah Cawley-Wilkinson - LEX
Sandi Dheensa - Rock and Alternative
Music
Chris James - Rave Trent
Kirsty Sargent - LEX
Anjuli Smith - Forensic Science
Albert Sulaiman - Afro Caribbean
This year, choosing a winner was a
simple task as one student’s involvement greatly surpassed all others.
It was with great pleasure that we
closed the Awards Evening by presenting the NTSU Volunteer of the
Year Award to Aissa Pesqueira.
WINNER: LEX Committee for effectively working as a team, creating
sub-committees when needed and
supporting each other through every
event.
Platform Volume 15/Issue 13 • 5
A recap on your headlines
this year:
To round up this academic year, we thought we’d recap on the number of
milestone events that have happened around Trent and our city.
• Nottingham has been through some dramatic changes in industry as
well as major face lifts. During the autumn months we told you about the
ASBO centre and its efforts to encourage students to be environmentally
conscious by installing a much needed recycling bin on Burns Street, just
up the road from our city site.
• Admirable steps to combat global warming meant we became the first
Walk with us
city in the country to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 30,000 tonnes
in 2006, following the signing of the Nottingham Declaration on Climate
Change six years ago. As an example to the rest of the country, the Nottingham Declaration has since signed more than 150 UK Councils, showing that it is widely agreed that something must be done about global
warming and climate change.
• March 22 saw the revamp of our (new) Old Market Square unveiled to the
Following on from our article in Issue 12,
city. Many students felt it was a welcome addition to the city: “I think the
we’d like to invite you to do something for
modernisation is a good idea as the square was beginning to look old and
the 400,000 people that have been murneeded a new lease of life, especially a new water feature to replace the
dered in Darfur by the Sudanese Government and the Arab militias, the janjaweed. fountains,” says Lucy Hancock, a Nottingham local and science student.
They have been abandoned to the mercy
With the work schedule being totally abolished and the revamp taking
of their killers because still, after four years,
around 18 months to complete, the Council gave us free concerts! Just
the international community has brought
Jack, Tony Hadley and Beverley Knight were among the acts lined up to
NO protection – saving life is not a priority.
Walk with us to show that you care, and
persuade politicians to take action, is by
joining the Nottingham Trent Aegis Society
in walking each week for Darfur. It’s not
just 400,000 people murdered, but one life,
then another and another – each one as
precious as yours.
Student organises Charity Football Tournament;
in memory of Kathryn Staff
O
n the 6th March 2007, my life was hit by a tragedy; I lost my
girlfriend, Kathryn Staff, in a road accident. Ever since that
day my life has changed. Amidst all the darkness and trauma I was
so determined to create a positive from all of this; an event which
would pay a fitting tribute to my girlfriend Kathryn.
A football tournament immediately struck me as the best possible way
to do this. Consequently an event on 23rd May 2007 was organised
and took place at Clifton Campus.
the standard of football was high, with several players displaying
impressive performances. With the Shield aloft and the Carlsberg flowing, the victors were applauded off the pitch. The event which took so
much hard work to organise came to a close.
There’s no doubt that it was all a success, evident most notably by over
£650 having been raised. All proceeds are to go to RDA; ‘Riding for the
Disabled’ charity. RDA focus on providing disabled horseriders with
fantastic opportunities and support.
and protests. Whilst this news section bemoaned the rising levels of student apathy, many of you restored our faith by embarking on these necessary marches. This academic year saw tuition fees inflate from around
£1200 per year to £3000, something which a lot of you were not happy
about, so on Sunday 29 October, Trent joined forces with thousands of
other students from all corners of the country to protest against the top
up fees system in London’s Trafalgar Square. This year saw a significant
decrease of applicants to universities, showing that there is plenty of
scope to say that the financial cost is really “debt-erring” students from a
higher education!
• March brought Exec Election fever to all three campuses, with the fren-
Walk with us in protest at the international
community’s failure to act, that our Government has been inactive in YOUR NAME
as a voter.
• Continuing on the campaign trail, we informed you of the local Not-
You can sign up at www.walk4darfur.org
and meet the Aegis Society every Sunday
at 11.45am at the Nottingham Trent University Tram Stop. We will then walk from
3-4pm with Darfur Survivors who are living
in Nottingham having fled from Darfur.
We will also keep this going in our individual hometowns over the summer period,
so get your friends and family to join in
back at home in walking for a set distance
or time each week. Remember, when we
stop walking and abandon the people of
Darfur, so does the rest of the world…so
keep walking until the killing stops.
Many people have thanked and congratulated me personally for the
success of the event, but it is the hard work and continued support of
my wonderful friends, RAG volunteers and the Exec that aided its success and I will always be grateful for their support.
Successful, emotional and fulfilling, this event was a very fitting tribute
to a very special person; my girlfriend Kathryn Staff.
To order Walk4Darfur T-Shirts contact
Nottingham Trent Aegis Society on thechair.ntu.aegis@hotmail.co.uk or via the
Walk4Darfur website.
The tournament lasted until 5.40pm, at which point the winners held
the Shield aloft and celebrated their much deserved win. Surprisingly
Words: Marc Herman
Photos: Patrick Taylor
Grace Walker
Nottingham Trent Aegis Society
Volume 15/Issue 13
• Closer to our student bodies, this year saw a number of demonstrations
Walk with us to remember those whose
lives are ruined forever; children who have
seen their parents killed in front of them,
the women who live with the shame of
having been raped, and the men scarred
from being brutally tortured.
It was a beautiful day with the sun baking everyone underneath. Over
200 people turned up at 1pm to either play or spectate. There were 18
teams playing for title of ‘Tournament winners’. The tournament raised
its level of professionalism with the hiring of two FA qualified referees
from the local community to oversee the action. With half an hour to go
before kick off, the teams were warming up, hungry for success and to
get their hands on the Tournament Shield.
6 • Platform
perform to a packed out square.
zied but fun two week campaign period proving that we have some of the
most innovative and downright stunt-addicted political strategists of the
future in our midst!
tingham elections in April, ensuring you knew you had the chance to vote
for candidates that would hopefully improve student-related issues with
Nottingham. When you add to this our coverage of the NUS conference in
Blackpool, where our reps lobbied and voted for changes that will benefit
us all in the coming year, we think you’ll agree both Trent and Platform
have your continued well-being at heart.
• Following on from a survey that has shown one in seven students choose
to sit through illness rather than pay for vital medication as they cannot
pay the charges, the NUS are currently pushing the idea of students being given the same healthcare as under 18’s in education. Encouragingly,
students in Wales have been benefiting from free prescriptions since
April 1st.
• On a poignant final note, in our last issue we have highlighted the walk 4
Darfur. If the action the Aegis Society took to mark the fourth year of the
genocide has motivated you, read our accompanying article to find out
how you can help this devastating situation.
Thus concludes our year in review. We hope you enjoyed the recap and
we’ll see you all next year for more informative and groundbreaking
news.
Alex Hulse & Susan Mintern
Platform Volume 15/Issue 13 • 7
Rewarding experience: Trent volunteer named East
Midlands International Student of the Year 2007
L
ence by participating in the
Shine! International Student
Awards 2007 organized by the
British Council.
I did all of this for the benefit of
others, and would never have
thought that my volunteering would turn into an actual
reward for me! I took the chance
to share my wonderful experi-
I felt so proud and deliriously
excited when I was then named
the East Midlands International
Student of the Year 2007 and
represented East Midlands at
the national awards ceremony
held in London in April. It was
an unforgettable night as all
twelve finalists from the whole
United Kingdom gathered
around to share their extraordinary experience and were
presented our awards by the
world-renowned shoe designer
Dato Professor Jimmy Choo. We
were given a warm welcome by
Rt Hon. Lord Kinnock, the Chair
of the British Council, and also
had the privilege to meet Moira
Stuart, previous finalists, representatives from institutions and
ife as a student definitely is
not just about studying, so
I have been joining Junction in their One-day challenge
voluntary works. This year I
have helped children to enjoy
their Bonfire Night, built a herb
garden in Stonebridge City Farm
and been litter-picking twice in
the Nottingham City Big Spring
Clean. As well as this, I have
also offered myself to assist
voluntarily in the Kit in a Kase
Project run by the Centre of
Effective Learning in Science
(CELS). The project’s objective
is to introduce and teach science subjects to school children
through interactive activities.
Development Agency of different regions.
It was a special night to celebrate the achievements and
commitment of International
Students studying in the UK
and I am glad I was a part of it.
After meeting all the finalists, I
realised that one’s potentials
are unlimited and that, where
there is a will, there is a way.
I am really honoured to have
been recognised in one of the
biggest events for International
Students.
I think all university students,
regardless of whether they are
home or international, should
take every chance possible to
immerse themselves into local
community and try something
different everyday.
Zuo Yen Lee
Student Cartoons
Hi there, we’re team zip lob! We are a group of second year students studying Fine Art who are interested in exploring the much criticised contemporary art world as we know it. We ourselves occasionally struggle to identify with
the pretentious nature of many artists and their work, and want to bring the fun back into this worldwide culture
that all too often takes itself so seriously. We do this through creating witty and satirical single-panelled cartoons,
raising questions or issues about the work in a palatable format. Feel free to enjoy the cartoons (& laugh out loud),
drawn by Lucy Blackmore, Olivia Pilling, Rachel Pitman, Natalie Oliver and Jennie Webber.
8 • Platform
Volume 15/Issue 13
Win flights around the world with
Glasshouse accommodation
S
ign up to live in the Glasshouse development in Nottingham city centre and you
could win chance-of-a-lifetime
tickets for you and a friend to fly
around the world! FHP Student
Living is offering all students living
in these superb, recently built
student accommodation facilities in
the academic year 2007/8 free entry
into an amazing prize draw to win
two round-the-world flights.
From as little as £69 per week all
inclusive, you can live in this high
quality development which is located in the heart of the city centre.
The Victoria Centre is across the
road, the city’s bustling nightlife
a stone’s throw away and it’s just
a short stroll from Trent’s main
campus.
Glasshouse consists of 605 rooms,
many of which have en-suite shower
room facilities and several studio
flats are also available. The contemporary rooms are light and airy
and are fully furnished with a bed,
wardrobe and workstation as
well as useful accessories
such as a pin board, desk
lamp, bookshelves and access to broadband – you can
literally move in with just a
suitcase!
When you need time out from your
studies, the development also offers a number of relaxing common
rooms with a generous kitchen-diner and lounge all fitted with modern
appliances, sofas, kitchen table and
coffee table. And when it comes to
stocking up on food, a great-value
Aldi supermarket is located underneath. Glasshouse has everything
you could possibly wish for – there’s
even a launderette and an on-site
storage area for a bike.
And if the facilities and prime location weren’t enough, FHP Student
Living are also supplying each resident with a complimentary Lush
membership card, which gives the
holder fantastic discounts in a wide
range of city centre shops as well
as restaurants and bars. On top of
that you will receive a complimentary Cornerhouse card, which gives
the bearer special privileges in venues within the nearby Cornerhouse
complex.
If you’re reading this and regretting
having already reserved accommodation then fear not, as FHP
Student Living will reimburse any
reservation fees incurred for accommodation elsewhere.
For your peace of mind, Glasshouse
has CCTV, over-night security
patrols and a secure swipe card
entry system. Day-to-day queries
can be answered by the on-site
management team which provides
a friendly point-of-contact for all
residents.
To reserve your room at Glasshouse and secure your Lush card,
Cornerhouse card and free entry
into the round-the-world flights
prize draw visit www.fhpstudentliving.co.uk/glasshouse where
you’ll also find our hilarious
online podcast!
Platform Volume 15/Issue 13 • 11
How it changed my life…
Platform writer Laura Baker reveals how these films have made
an impression on her
• The Constant Gardener (2005) &
Blood Diamond (2006)
Goodbye guys!
With my time as Film SubEditor now at an end, I’d
just like to say thank you to
everyone who has been involved with the Section and
to say that it really could not
have been done without you.
Our collective diversity in
opinions and writing styles
is what has made these few
pages each issue so successful. Thanks also to everyone
who has picked up Platform
over the past year; for my
part I have tried hard to
make it easy and enjoyable
to read, and my team of
writers have helped achieve
this.
Also I’d like to say good luck
to next year’s Film Sub-Editor Amy Gathercole, who I
believe will do an amazing
job. Alas you can’t get rid of
me that easily; we have a
new Eating Out Section starting in Platform next year so
I will be bringing you all the
best places to eat and drink
while at Trent!
Wishing everyone a fantastic summer, see you next
year!
Ed Smith
Classic
Quote:
“My momma
always said,
“Life is like a
box of chocolates. You
never know
what you’re
gonna get.”
Review
Pirates of the Caribbean: At
Worlds End (12A)
Directed by: Gore Verbinski
Starring: Johnny Depp, Keira Knightley, Orlando Bloom, Geoffrey Rush,
Yun Fat Chow, Bill Nighy, Jonathan
Pryce
Released: 24/05/07
Preview
Ocean’s Thirteen (PG)
Directed by: Steven Soderbergh
Starring: Ellen Barkin, Matt Damon, George
Clooney
Released: 08/06/07
Unfortunately, as with all the previous Ocean films,
the plot is over-thought and only understandable at
the end when you lean over to the person next to
you and they answer your question of “so what the
hell was going on?”
This film sees Danny Ocean (Cloony) helping out
a friend who has been hospitalised after a heart
attack. His friend Reuben Tishkoff (Elliot Gould)
makes the mistake of building a hotel with one of
Las Vegas’ most hated businessmen, who goes by
the name of Willy Banks (insert own joke here). He
is played by none other than Al Pacino, but when
Tishkoff gets cut out of the deal and the hotel starts
The trailer looks great and Steven Soderbergh is a
legend so overall you can expect this film to actually
not be that bad. The plots in these films are sometimes too much for me, but I always come out loving
the end and it’s got such a great cast, with wicked
music so definitely one to watch.
Kevin Granger
Wonder Woman
The current whirlwind of super hero rebirths can now boast the possible return of Wonder Woman… but who will play the leggy swimsuit-clad wonder?
Rumour has Rachel Bilson from The O.C down for the role. Considering her
co-star Mischa is lined up for Supergirl, a Box Office battle could be on the
cards. This would not ensue if talks of American Idol’s Katherine McPhee
taking on the role develop further. Buffy and Alien Resurrection fans alert
your ears; Joss Whedon is apparently up for director.
Ed Smith
Volume 15/Issue 13
Considering the fact Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was
set to be a one-off film, it’s remarkable
how At World’s End, the third instalment,
is now gracing screens across the UK. Predictably, this film picks up from where the
last one ended, with Captain Jack having
just been swallowed whole by The Kraken.
I think it’s safe to say that we all knew he
was never going to die, but were shocked
and excited by the arrival of Captain Barbossa just afterwards.
What makes these such amazing and enjoyable films to watch is the fact that they
combine humour with great action scenes,
boast great acting and captivating plots,
and are set in beautiful locations! What
more can you ask for? This is the must see
film of the summer.
The film sees how Will Turner (Bloom),
Edward Smith
At another point, I was definitely sceptical when
I went to see ‘Blood Diamond’, starring Leonardo
DiCaprio; I was expecting a poor Hollywood blockbuster. However, my initial preconceptions were
blown away…this film is not for the light-hearted;
it is absolutely remarkable. It documents the
atrocities committed in Sierra Leone due to the
abundance of diamond fields. Leonardo DiCaprio is
perfect as Danny Archer, the South African guy who
buys and sells diamonds on for a greater price.
Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou) excels as always
as the hard-working fisherman who loses his family
and very nearly his hands too. DiCaprio gives the
best performance of his life and I just could not
take my eyes off him. I urge you to watch this film.
It changed my life and has made me reconsider my
future. This film will exceed your expectations.
Basically it’s all about getting back at the evil Willy
Banks, for which the Ocean crew enlist the help of
their own nemesis Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia) who
also has beef with Banks. This time it’s not about
the money; it’s about revenge.
Rumour Control
(Forrest Gump)
12 • Platform
to make a lot of money, Tishkoff gets a little ticked
off. So Danny Ocean and his merry men try to get
back what their friend is owed! Are you keeping up
still?
Elizabeth Swan (Knightly) and Barbossa
(Rush) come together at World’s End to
bring back Captain Jack from his beastly
demise. The trio travel to the far edges of
the world to save Jack. Yet, once reunited,
they face foes in the form of Cutler Beckett, who is now in control of Davy Jone’s
heart and wishes to rule the high seas and
wipe out the last remaining pirates. Jack
and his crew call on Sao Feng (Yun Fat
Chow) and other pirate lords from the far
reaches of the globe, who come together
to take on the forces of evil for one last
time.
A combination of two films changed my life. Having
lived in West Africa for most of my life, I identified
with the film ‘The Constant Gardener’ on every
level. At the heart of the story is Tessa (Rachel
Weiss), a student who falls in love with her professor, Justin (Ralph Fiennes). She is murdered at the
very beginning of the film in Kenya. The true story
of her death unfolds as Justin reveals a massive
cover-up by the British Embassy and Government.
From the ex-patriot lifestyle, right down to the poverty and corrupt leadership, I connected with this
film. The third world is exposed as a testing ground
for out of date drugs and drugs trials. This film is
heart-wrenching and memorable. This powerful film
woke me up to the horror of events that happen on
a daily basis. I would recommend this film to anyone; it has a love story, violence, an incredible plot,
great acting and will leave you feeling concerned
and wanting to do something about the issue, now!
[Wedding Daze]
[Black Snake Moan]
Out Now [by Amy Gathercole & Edward Smith]
Wedding Daze (15)
Black Snake Moan (15)
[Magicians]
Magicians (15)
Directed by: Michael Ian Black
Starring: Jason Biggs, Isla Fisher
Release Date: 01/06/07
Directed by: Craig Brewer
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Christina
Ricci, Justin Timberlake.
Released: 18/05/07
Directed by: Andrew O’Connor
Starring: David Mitchell, Simon Webb,
Jessica Stevenson
Released: 18/05/07
Remember that girl Isla Fisher from Home
& Away from the 90’s? She is now making
quite a name for herself in Hollywood, having already appeared in Wedding Crashers
and ScoobyDoo. Here, she and Jason Biggs
(American Pie) are brought together through
a friend’s dare and are unsurprisingly the love
each has been searching for… Hollywood’s
still replicating reality obviously.
God-fearing bluesman, Lazarus (Jackson)
finds wild young woman, Rae (Ricci); a victim
of childhood sexual abuse lying half naked in
the street. Lazarus decides to teach Rae a
few lessons, in the oddest of ways - namely
by chaining her to a radiator, and justifying it
with scripture. The two embark on a journey
and set each other free to love again whilst
rediscovering their humanity. The film displays
harsh times, tough measures, and ends with
a message.
Current comedy favourites and stars of
Channel 4’s ‘Peepshow’ have jumped on the
bandwagon of films about magic. Following
The Prestige and The Illusionist, the terrible
two-some are showing the world how the Brits
do it… better! Harry and Karl (Mitchell and
Webb) are magicians, whose act goes wrong
when their assistant’s head is cut off in a trick
involving a guillotine. The two become rivals
and are forced to confront their past and compete against one another. Expect gags galore
and lots of laughter.
Platform Volume 15/Issue 13 • 13
What it means
to me…
Platform Music Sub-Editor Luke
Eldridge tells all about the
album that made an impact on
his life
• The Cooper Temple Clause – ‘See
This Through and Leave’ (2002)
A closing thought as I bid you goodbye…
Alas, the end of the school year is upon us, and so I write my last article for Platform.
During my involvement with the magazine over the last three years I have been
to some amazing gigs, interviewed some really obnoxious musicians and nearly
drowned in my colossal record collection. Highlights include watching Franz Ferdinand go big time at the Arena in November 2005, Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster
chewing their own faces off in Rescue Rooms in October 2004, chewing the fat with
Edith Bowman in the back-stage bar at Leeds Festival 2005 (we’re practically best
mates) and hanging out with Buxom Bangs at the NME Awards just a few months
ago.
When I started writing for Platform it was all ripped jeans, military jackets and
brogues. My successor inherits a music scene of glow-sticks, neon t-shirts and
hoodies. What next? I sign off with a miserable outlook on music, not because I’m a
doom merchant, because it’s my last chance for a rant. Keep it foolish.
The cassette dies; does music’s spirit go with it?
2007 is the year our humble cassette finally gave way to the unremitting power of
the digital era. Ok, no one (save for the naïve and nostalgic) really cares, because
cassettes were piss poor technology invented in the 60s; they were utterly useless and made all music sound like it was recorded in the middle of a war zone.
‘Why does it sound like there is a wasp in my tape player?’ is what children were
commonly heard to say to their parents when listening back to some drivel they
recorded off the Radio 1 Chart Show and would ironically dance to 10 years later.
As the tape deck shuts firmly for the last time, do we kiss goodbye to the spirit of
music also? Music scenes of old were typified by a select number of artists, word of
mouth, watching unacquainted bands and single sales. You heard about a band,
you waited for the single to be released, you bought it and you watched them play.
And do you know what? Sometimes, you would have to wait to hear a band. You’d
tune into Steve Lamacq and listen to the whole show to hear what you wanted to
hear. Jean Jacques Rousseau once said ‘patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet’,
and he was born well before the cassette was invented, so he should know. Those
sweet fruits would last years.
But what now? Myspace has bestowed some terrible things on the world (notably
Arctic Monkeys, Lily Allen and narcissistic profile photos), but as the medium for
our music it has ripped the soul out of the industry. People don’t just go and ‘check
out’ a band; they listen to four songs online, watch their Glasgow tour date on
YouTube and become overnight experts from Wikipedia. No pleasures are denied,
they feast on all they can lay their hands on and toss aside the scraps.
The trouble is that the roll call of new bands makes ‘Schindler’s List’ look like a
bloody post-it note. Quantity is ok if quality is maintained, but all you need now
to get featured in the NME is some hi-viz and a fringe. They haven’t got any songs
yet? No worries, we’ll let marketing take care of that…
Being a musician is a profession for a reason. I’m all for people having a go, but
aren’t we supposed to be in awe of those who can pick up a guitar and write
something awesome? The bellowing chimney that is the music industry churns out
the next ‘scene’ before the last one has had chance to vanish into the clouds. After
a month we’re bored of even our favourite bands and can’t wait for what’s next;
Klaxons anyone?
In its cold digital form music has become disposal. We don’t wait; we indulge
and we throw away. We hop over the wall and pinch the fruit before it’s ripe. You
wonder why it’s bitter.
Luke Eldridge
14 • Platform
Volume 15/Issue 13
A feature so
popular the
Film section
plagiarised
it; the final
chapter
of ‘What it
means to
me…’ lies in
my hands.
It took me
seconds to
think of the album I was going to write about,
as it sits on my desk, scratched and in its
battered box.
South Leicestershire, circa 2002, was not full
of Indie kids. With ripped jeans, skinny tees
and long hair, my friends and I were the oddities of our school, examined with fascination.
Of course, we were in a band (The Martells
– awesome name I know, but don’t bother
Googling us as we were well underground);
it was people like The Cooper Temple Clause
we were trying to emulate. It doesn’t sound so
cool in hindsight, after they’ve made a stinker
of a third album and split up because no one
bought it, but at the time they epitomised
what we were aiming for.
See This Through and Leave reminds me
of those small town days, when I was naïve,
optimistic and impressionable. When finding
someone else who was into bands was a
miracle. I remember giving my mum the
money to buy it from the local record store (remember them?). I put it on my stereo, lay on
my bed and listened in amazement. So much
energy, so many ideas, so different from what
I knew before.
It made me love The Cooper Temple Clause, it
made me grow my hair long, rip the knees off
my jeans, buy a synth and try to write something as inspiring. Ok, The Martells (a.k.a. The
Burning Question, The Black Mariah, The
Gilmores) didn’t work out, but the impression
lasted. My love for the band has continued
over the last five years, aided by the fact that
my fiancée and I first started dating after a
TCTC gig at Rock City.
Three of Trent’s finest music critics have each compiled a list of their top five albums…
so pick & choose to see if there’s five here that would make your list?
Beirut – ‘Gulag Orkestar’
Thirty seconds into this and you’re wondering
why the hell you have bought an album of
shambolically recorded Albanicroatslavastan
folk songs. Forty-five minutes later you realise that ukulele, badly tuned piano and horn
section are actually incredible and the man
whining and moaning over the top is in fact
a genius. So much so that moving to Eastern
Europe, changing your name to Zlativiko and
finding a gypsy folk band to try to create music half as romantic, wistful and uplifting as
this seems like a perfectly acceptable career
option post-university.
: ( - ‘First Blood’
Emotronica? Str8bit? The soundtrack from a
bad NES game? Call this what you want but
the originality and concept of the Google unfriendly :( is second to none and with songs
that sound like Funeral for a Friend covering
Minor Threat on an Amiga, this mini-album is
devastatingly good.
Patrick Wolf – ‘The Magic Position’
Underground weirdo-indie-electro-folkster
goes pop, appears on the Charlotte Church
Show, humiliates self and then quits music…
a bit of an odd ball I hear you say? I’ll have
none of it! Just listen to this album and I’m
pretty certain you can put all of Patrick
Wolf’s idiosyncrasies aside. His ability to
craft dazzling melody backed by sparkling
orchestration and oppressive beats is as
unique as it is brilliant and this album is a
perfect balance between his diversities as a
musician and as his uniqueness as an artist.
Bright Eyes – ‘Cassadaga’
Business as usual for Bright Eyes; Conor
Oberst produces the goods once again.
Behind the unassuming sheen of perfectly
orchestrated country and blues are lyrics
deeper, darker and more revealing than any
other singer-songwriter dreams of.
LCD Soundsystem – ‘Sound of Silver’
If you can put this record on and not dance,
fall in love with every one of your friends, or
want to stay out until it gets light then you
literally must be deaf. As touching as the
death of a loved one, this album does it bigger, better, and with more style than any of
the New York pretenders (see the Rapture).
Stefy – ‘The Orange Album’
A relatively unknown, five piece band from
Orange County, America. They recently
played at our very own Students Union, supporting The Pipettes. Some songs are easy
listening with the sultry voice of Steph Rae;
others have fast guitars and loud lyrics.
Radio 1 – ‘Radio 1 Live Lounge ‘
This is the best thing to come from Radio 1;
all praise Jo Whiley! The best thing about this
album is it covers so many genres of music,
both the songs being covered and the bands
covering them. From Rap to Rock and Indie
to Dance, it really does have something for
everyone!
Foo Fighters – ‘Skin and Bones‘
A band very dear to me, in fact one of my
favourites! Certainly the best band I have
ever seen live, and this CD epitomises that.
A live document of the band’s first ever tour
with its expanded eight-piece line-up. Dave
Grohl is a hero to me and can do no wrong;
when I listen to this album the hairs on my
neck prick up.
Fall Out Boy – ‘Infinity on High’
Still singing songs about girls, break ups
and taking a slightly gangster turn with hit
single “This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race”.
With the emo edge and ridiculously long
song titles, this album is explosive, likeable
pop-rock; full of guilty pleasure tracks and
ever so catchy riffs. It shows how the band
has grown, particularly vocally, Pete Wentz
no longer sounds like a fifteen year old boy
(hooray!).
Arctic Monkeys – ‘Favourite Worst
Nightmare’
Already outselling the rest of the top ten albums in the chart, people cannot get enough
of these likeable Sheffield scoundrels. “Brianstorm”, the first single from the new album,
did not take hold of me, but the rest of the
album is pretty damn good! With addictive
songs, and some might say inspired lyrics,
this album is staying on my play list for the
summer.
Amy Gathercole
Manic Street Preachers – ‘Send
Away The Tigers’
This is the year that the Manics wandered
back from the middle of the road and onto
the path to righteousness. Forget the hazy
contrived confusion of recent years – the
Manics are back doing what they do best:
mammoth, intelligent rock anthems.
Bright Eyes – ‘Cassadaga’
Emo-folk-rock’s bright-blue eyed boy Conor
Oberst returned this year with the epic opus
of ‘Cassadaga’. Still proving to exceed his
reputation as ‘The Bob Dylan of our generation’, Oberst delivered another poetic and
heart-felt collection of tracks to listen to
through a stethoscope.
Yourcodenameis:milo – ‘They
Came From The Sun’
The North’s most underrated and noisiest
export gave British rock another harsh kick
in the rear this year with their self-produced
third album. With much more variety and far
more immediate than previous efforts, YCNI:
M produced an alt-rock gem meandering
somewhere between the soundscapes of
Muse, The Secret Machines and At The
Drive-In.
Bloc Party – ‘A Weekend In The City’
Proving themselves to be more than a onetrick pony, those indie Londoners matured
somewhat for their sophomore record.
Lacking is the explosive energy and urgency
of ‘Silent Alarm’, but present are examples of
lush and intelligent song writing; criticising
society and telling tales of the city, whilst
retaining the ability to make you dance.
The Decemberists – ‘The Crane
Wife’
Those of you who caught this band at the
Students Union earlier this year can vouch
that they really are something special.
Maintaining their love of folk tinged fables
but met with a heavier emphasis on poetic
lyrics, beautiful delicacy and epic overtures,
Meloy and company’s fourth album is a musthave for those of you who just like bloody
good music.
Andy Trendell
Rob Crich
There have been some pretty interesting
stories in this column over the year. I don’t
suppose mine is particularly unique; there
are probably a hundred people in Nottingham
with a similar story. But this is the one album I
can say has genuinely made an impact on my
life. As I prepare to depart university it seems
fitting that The Cooper Temple Clause have
chosen this time to split up. Seen through, we
leave.
Platform Volume 15/Issue 13 • 15
[Photos: Patrick Taylor]
16 • Platform
Volume 15/Issue 13
Platform Volume 15/Issue 13 • 17
Book Review
Winkie
The Last Oil Shock:
A Survival Guide to the Imminent Extinction
of Petroleum Man
On reading the synopsis for Winkie (cover 4, left page), I have to
admit I was a little sceptical. A Teddy Bear arrested for terrorism?
It sounded a little too bizarre to really work. Kind of like Toy Story
meets Animal Farm! But Clifford Chase manages to weave drama,
sentiment, and fantasy together to create a story that is both a fairy
tale and a worthy political satire.
by David Strahan
by Clifford Chase
1
2
3
4
5
The novel revolves around Winkie, an actual teddy bear who is now
over eighty years old, and was given to the author by his mother.
Both Chase and his mother feature as characters in the novel,
which describes the bear’s life, first as a sentient toy trapped inside
a motionless body as he endures love, abuse, neglect, and even
a change in name and gender from two generations of the Chase
family. Then one day he suddenly finds himself able to move, and
makes his escape to the wild where he delights in his new-found
mobility, freedom, and even gains a family. Then the plot takes an
unexpected twist, and Winkie finds himself under arrest for terrorist
attacks; undergoing a trial which rapidly expands to include accusations of blasphemy, corrupting the youth of Athens, and witchcraft
amongst other things.
Goodbye for now I’m switching sections!
It’s the end of another year and it’s
my time to say goodbye to you as
Arts Sub-Editor. I fell into this position
part way through the year and have
tried to bring you an assortment of
comedy events, theatrical performances and many an art exhibition.
All of this I couldn’t have done without my collection of wonderful contributors who I would like to thank
for their constantly fabulous articles
they’ve managed to write, even with
looming deadlines.
A personal highlight of the year for
me was the endlessly fantastic shows
that the Theatre Royal have been
putting on, for instance Cats, The
Rocky Horror Picture Show (which
I urge you to see when it hopefully
returns next year, fishnet tights and
corsets are essential) and acts such
as the truly mind boggling Derren
Brown.
Enjoy your summer, relax loads,
barbecue-a-plenty, and maybe
have a few visits back to Nottingham to enjoy the Thriller Season or
admit that you’re a Starlight Express
fan. Whatever brings you back
here, make the most of the cultural
offerings and look out for all the new
Platform sections that will be brought
to you in the new year - I’ll be Travel
Sub-Editor!
  
As you’re all aware the summer is basically upon us, hopefully
bringing with it lots of lovely sunshine and lazy days stretched out
on the grass/ beach/ other idyllic location, with a fab summer read
to while away the hours. Unless you’ve had your head buried in
the sand you cannot fail to miss the promotions everywhere for
the final instalment of J.K Rowling’s fabulous Harry Potter and
the Deathly Hallows (cover 1, above), due to hit our shops July
21st (I will be hitting Tesco at midnight for my wizardly fix). Did
Dumbledore really die? Is Snape as evil as Rowling would have
us believe? And will Ron and Hermione finally get it together?
Hopefully all will be revealed next month.
Another summer staple is of course the much-criticised Big Brother,
another summer of wasting what should be beer and barbecue
filled nights glued to the box in our bedrooms (hopefully this isn’t
just me). For literature fans, many of you will already know that
this show originates from George Orwell’s 1984 (a contender for
last issue’s room 101 section), conceptualised from the idea of being constantly surveyed (cover 2).
My final recommendation to you all is The Beach by Alex Garland
(cover 3). A gripping tale of a young traveller that finds a mad
man’s mystery map in a Bangkok hostel and decides to follow it
to find the elusive ‘beach’... telling you anymore would ruin the
plot. But if a sappy chick lit novel is not your thing and you fancy
a grittier read, this is definitely something you will want to delve
into time and time again.
Have a wonderful summer.
Happy Reading!
Claire Haywood
Claire Haywood
18 • Platform
Volume 15/Issue 13
Book Review
Winkie’s layout is one of its best aspects; separated into small
sections with photographs illustrating the teddy bear’s journey,
therefore breaking up what could be a rather confusing narrative,
and doing a pretty good job of keeping the reader interested from
one page to the next. The story starts near the end, as Clifford
Chase speaks at Winkie’s trial, and travels back and forth, gradually
filling in the bear’s back-story between parts of his trial and prison
experiences.
One of the things, which make Winkie so worth reading, is the
apparent absurdity of the plot. A teddy bear arrested for terrorism?
It seems beyond belief. And it proves so, as Winkie’s prosecution
argue the presence of an unheard of disease, ‘ritual scarification’,
or ‘reconstructive surgery’ to explain Winkie’s ‘condition’, unable
to simply accept his existence as a teddy bear. The trial becomes
increasingly strange as the prosecution calls on witnesses from the
cases of Oscar Wilde, Socrates, and even the ‘afflicted girls’ from
the Salem witch-trials.
Winkie’s case invokes such bias from even the police officers that
victory seems impossible. Even a cleaning woman who dares to
repair him is arrested and entangled in the prosecution’s corrupted
case. And yet is this so absurd? While talking, walking teddy bears
are not generally put on trial; the book raises some serious questions about justice. The reader is forced to consider how fair we are
as a society, especially when it comes to our new mania for the ‘war
on terror.’ Is our justice system really as impartial as we would like
to think? Or are we all looking for scapegoats?
The book also traces Winkie’s developing consciousness: his movement from passivity to self-determination and the formation of his
identity. He is forced to watch as the children grow up and detach
from the world of teddy bears and make believe, and to find a way
of coping with the process. Chase injects a wry sense of humour
into this rather done-before plotline, making it entirely his own. Yet
in spite of his satirical style of writing, Chase manages to put some
truly heartfelt moments into his novel. Winkie’s struggles as he tries
to find out who he is and how he fits into the world, help any reader
to identify with the story, even given the rather strange narrator.
Winkie is an unusual book, much argued over by critics, and telling a
strange, even fantastical story. However it is certainly a book worth
reading, for those who love a book they can get their teeth into,
and for anyone who brought an old stuffed animal to Uni.
• For every barrel of oil we discover, we now consume three
• Oil production is already falling in 33 of the 48 biggest oil
producing countries
• At some point, probably in the next decade, global oil production will start to fall – forever….
Thus begins the story of ‘The Last Oil Shock’ (cover 5, left page).
A cross between a rough guide to the oil industry and a shocking account of our future without oil, this book is extremely well
researched and manages to keep the reader interested throughout.
This is not the sort of book I usually read but none the less I dived
in and as I continued to read this engrossing account of politics,
nature and our future I became more and more intrigued by what I
was being shown.
This book highlights the seriousness of our situation and how it’s
been covered up for all these years. By looking at global terrorism,
global warming and changes in prices it is quick to point out this is
an issue that is more than it first seems and something everyone
will be affected by.
Although the chapters are reasonably long and quite detailed
they are split down into smaller chunks, with graphs and statistics
explained in full. Coupled with a slightly sarcastic writing style
this book is easy to read, even though its subject matter is highly
complicated.
The book has a plethora of experts explaining formulas, oil fields,
political gain and how this crisis can be controlled.
Nuclear power is discussed as the only real alternative in an age
when consumption is tripling production.
Author David Strahan goes into great detail about M. King Hubbert,
a geologist who created a method for predicting when oil would fall
short, although the days of his original predictions have long gone
(late 1960s), evidence is increasing that the fateful day is growing
ever nearer.
So what does our Author suggest we do in order to prepare for the
last oil shock? Wear warmer clothes and turn down heating, do not
dawdle in the shower and avoid things such as plastic shopping
bags, bottled water and non-seasonal fruit and veg – all of these
things, by shipping and packaging, waste oil and needlessly raise
CO2 emissions.
Perhaps not the book to take to the beach to sunbathe, it nevertheless is investigative reporting at its best. A clear understanding
of the subject matter, a wonderful writing style and that all so
important survival guide element makes this an extremely enjoyable book.
The seriousness of the ideas being discussed in this book can be
summed up by Strahan’s own closing statement;
‘Welcome to the last oil shock… Good luck’
David Strahan, award winning investigative journalist, has
discussed this idea through many different media forms including
his documentary The Last Oil Shock that was aired on BB2’s The
Money Programme.
Jen Skuse
Carole-Ann Galloway
Platform Volume 15/Issue 13 • 19
Theatre Review
LUX: 11th Annual
Nottingham Trent University
Photography Degree Show
Festival
Theatre Review
It’s the summer term and the Bonington
Building is a hive of creative activity in
preparation for the final year photography
degree festival, which will be happening
between the 5th and 15th of June. This will
be the eleventh successive photography
festival of this kind held in Nottingham, and
hosted by the students. This year the festival
is entitled LUX.
LUX festival is unique in the fact that it does
not happen within the university building;
instead it incorporates Nottingham city
centre; mainly the area surrounding the city
campus. The students locate and finance
their own spaces, which vary from professional gallery space, such as Waterstones;
(View from the Top) which is used throughout
the year to host a variety of professional exhibitions, to disused factories and desolate
buildings. LUX festival allows the Nottingham
community to see spaces that they would
not normally have access to, opening up
new doors and potential opportunities for
investors and other artists. With Nottingham
so desperately trying to change its image, to
one associated with creativity, talent, and art,
it is festivals like this that are important for
the local area. It is imperative that the more
forgotten spaces are opened hand-in-hand
with galleries and popular artistic areas to
expand upon the cultural significance of the
city centre itself, as a centre for arts. The
idea of taking the degree show out of the
university building came from course leader,
Cary Welling. The festival, as it has become
known, has gone from strength to strength
ever since its inception, and we are looking
forward to 2007 being the best yet.
The main difference with Nottingham Trent
university’s BA Hons Photography is that it
endeavours to be professional to the highest
standard and this has been backed up by the
fact that previous graduates who participated in the festival have gone on to do great
things in the creative world of photography.
All aspects of the festival are the responsibility of the final year photography students.
They are responsible for all elements of
organising the festival: from establishing
their project genre to devising a catalogue.
The task is to raise the profile of the show by
fundraising and effective marketing, in order
to get as many people as possible involved
and active in the festival’s creation.
The festival showcases all areas of photography; from documentary, to landscape, fine
art to fashion. The show also negotiates
areas of film and sound, which would not
normally be typically seen in a photographic
degree show. The course tries to push the
boundaries of photographic practice to another level, identifying other artistic mediums
within its frame. No matter what kind of
The exhibition spaces chosen by the
students attempt to reflect their individual
work and though the workload is plentiful,
all involved see the result as a rewarding
experience. For many of the students it is
the first time they have successfully and
professionally exhibited work and this may
well provide a launch platform for their
photographic careers.
Art Fair
Our exquisite Bonington building was
host to a dazzling artistic display
from Trent students on May 1st with a
fantastic and quirky craft fair from its
School of Art and Design students. It
was the second installment of many craft fairs to come, judging from
their growing recognition. Following the success of the Christmas
craft fair, which included an array of fanciful festive creations, carol
singers, mulled wine and the oh so faithful cake stand, a follow up
was eagerly anticipated. Open to only the University, students and
lecturers were invited to unite as one cultural force to enjoy the
creative delights from their fellow peers and students.
The aim of the program was to offer the student body something culturally different; a chance to revel in culturally diverse student work.
The School of Art and Design is internationally regarded as one of
the foremost centers for shaping creative talent in the country, and
is ranked 1st nationally for the number of students gaining courserelated placements. Therefore Trent’s Art and Design students are
20 • Platform
Volume 15/Issue 13
photography you think you are interested in,
you are guaranteed to find something worth
seeing.
Photo festivals are becoming ever more
popular around the world. Photography is
one of the most accessible art forms and
because of this more people seem to want
to see this work. The number of annual
festivals is growing and there are over 30 to
date. Because this type of festival is liked it
means we have a lot of interest locally and
nationally. LUX festival is being marketed at
Nottingham rather than just the university
network; this also helps the festival to have
an edge. Look out for the students wearing
LUX photography festival t-shirts from the
middle of May. The LUX team will have an
information stand where you can pick up
flyers and information about the upcoming
shows and previews. Failing that we look
forward to seeing you between 5-15th June
in and around the city.
Words: Lisa Johnson and Becky Ayre
Photo: Lucinda Chua
a collection of some of the most creative students in the country. By
offering them this ability to exhibit their creations; confidence and
experience in this particular field is instantly gained.
Located in Trent’s state of the art creativity centre; the Bonington
building was an apt setting for the exhibition. Showcasing an array of
vintage clothing, distinctive materials and fabric, ethnic style jewelry,
an assortment of beautifully crafted glass brooches and a MAC
makeup stand adding a slice of glamour to proceedings; this was a
craft fair with a difference. But thankfully those delicious handmade
cakes still made an appearance!
This craft exhibition of talent is perfect for the eclectic, fashion-conscious victim, desiring to stand out from the crowd with something
original, or just for those of you who fancy delving into the creative
works of your fellow students, so make sure you don’t miss out on
the next installment!
Sarah Davies
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest
I Have Been Here Before
Theatre Royal
Nottingham Playhouse
The multi-award winning production of ‘One Flew over the Cuckoo’s
Nest’ is finally on the road with its long awaited tour. After two sell out
seasons and its huge success in the West End, it’s a definite must
see. You should get your tickets and your tissues ready for the play
which will make you laugh and cry. Based on the best selling novel by
Ken Kesey, the play is set in a mental asylum and centres around the
criminal Randle McMurphy played by the Ex-Eastenders star Shane
Ritchie. From Alfie the bar man in the Queen Vic to a memorable
performance matching the charm and charisma brought on screen by
Jack Nicholson himself in the award winning film version, Ritchie is the
man for the job.
Anyone remember studying ‘An Inspector Calls’ inside out at GCSE?
Well J B Priestley’s earlier play ‘I have been here before’ directed by
Giles Croft is now running at The Playhouse and offers a refreshing
take on the playwright. Another gritty mystery… not of murder and
death but on the mystery of life; once again the characters all seem
to know each other already. The play offers an insight into destiny, existence and the discourse of our lives. Worried it sounds a little heavy
going? Think again. A simple stage set of a 1930’s drawing room of a
quaint Yorkshire Inn provides the setting for the four main characters
to meet again. A peculiar feeling of Déjà Vu seeming to grasp each of
them as they begin to arrive for a short weekend break to escape their
individual problems.
McMurphy is the ultimate rebel of the asylum, having faked lunacy to
escape a prison sentence he expects to serve the rest of his time in
comfort and comparative luxury. However, McMurphy is well and truly
mistaken; ironically being thrown from one repressive confinement
to another. The asylum is a destructive medical institution which is
able to make prisoners even more mentally ill by diagnosing them as
untreatable in many cases and simply restricting their chance to regain
sanity. McMurphy brings out defiance and laughter in his fellow inmates, showing them an alternative life of girls, alcohol and gambling.
Yet McMurphy’s rebellion against authority is met with fierce opposition in the form of the dominating Nurse Ratched. Her authoritarian
management of the asylum ensures that her presence is felt throughout the play. Ratched and McMurphy are enemies from the beginning
due to his defiance. However her repressive power prevails in the
ultimate crushing of the character McMurphy. The play ensures we feel
for McMurphy as we watch his destruction from the strong character
grasping our attention and that of his fellow inmates, to the weak
lobotomised helpless man reaching his end.
The play evokes a mass of emotions stemming from its surface humour to its underlying regime of repression. The glamour of this West
End show hit Nottingham 28th May until the 2nd of June at the Theatre
Royal, so if you didn’t catch it you certainly missed out!
Fran Morris
Janet and Walter Ormand (Aoibheann O’Hara and Robin Kingsland) play
a couple searching for something new and ‘friendly’ in their flawed relationship, Oliver (Sam Talbot) the schoolmaster is looking for peace and
recuperation from a hard school term. The final guest is the strange
and mysterious figure of Dr Gortler (David Acton), a physicist-turnedpsychologist that causes a certain feeling of unsettlement for the other
characters in the play, especially the simple Landlord and his daughter
Mrs Pratt (Penelope Woodman). It is these two Yorkshire natives that
provide much of the humour for the audience with their northern ways
and honesty.
The play explores the life paths of the individuals, some deep, emotional flaws and the alternative endings for their lives. Priestley’s
obsession with time & space is exemplified in the creepy, intelligent,
but slightly crazy ‘foreigner’ Dr Gortler who travels in time in order
to attempt to change the destructive and careless paths their lives,
witnessed in his recurring dreams, could take.
I wouldn’t call it a full on thriller or compelling mystery although it does
hold onto some of those conventions, but it definitely is an interesting, emotional, gritty and humorous adaptation of Priestley’s play.
Portrayed in much the same way as it would have been in 1937 the
play in its time was pretty radical, reaching beyond the typical, realist
boundaries of theatre into an unexplored world of the unknown.
My first visit to the quaint, arty Playhouse Theatre on Watford circle,
hidden away behind the castle was a pleasant, enjoyable evening – an
experience I definitely want to repeat.
Anna Middleton
Platform Volume 15/Issue 13 • 21
Tried & Tested: celebrity scents reviewed
Fashion
Forecasts
Forget Mystic Meg, this issue Psychic Sarah Davies is in the house!
Well fellow fashionistas,
we have come to the end
of the road.
I’d like to thank everyone who contributed to the glamorous pages of the
Fashion Section: Katie Wilson, Zoe Marriot, Sam Hewlett, Kate O’Brien, Lorna
Elliot, Claire Collier, Nimisha Mistry,
Annishia Watts, Lianne Ryan, Sarah
Davies and Francesca Abram.
I’m glad to have had the opportunity to
edit the section, and I hope you have
all enjoyed browsing this past year. I
am going to miss seeing my name up
in lights - well, ink - every fortnight, but
hopefully it’s ‘Vogue, here I come!’ …
This fortnight:
Fashion Status: Happy
Trips to Primark: 7
Money Spent On Clothes: birthday gift
vouchers for Topshop (and the rest but
I can’t print this amount as my mum
would KILL me)
Items Purchased: New Look satin top,
Primark blue dress, Miss Selfridge check
playsuit, Topshop dress, Accessorize
jewelled necklace, Barry M dazzle dust,
Kate Moss top, Ark slogan tee.
Number of Hours Queuing For Sell Out
Items: 2 ½
Number Of Rude Shop Assistants: 2
Daydreams of Owning a Pair of Louboutin Heels: 1& ½ (Interrupted by a
strikingly similar pair in Faith)
Wish List for next Fortnight: Maxi dress,
Wooden platforms, Lily Allen @ New
Look prom dress
Number of tears cried over my days
at Platform coming to an end: not as
many as for the new Platforms I’m going
to buy which I saw in New Look today!
Tears of joy, in this case though.
Happy reading!
Aquarians stand tall and get spotted with sexy Slingbacks from
Topshop £60. Not only will these lengthen your legs and make you feel
amazing, that extra inch could make all the difference in getting that
one special person to notice you! (pic 2)
Maxi Dresses are the new smock
dresses this summer… don’t be
caught summer lovin’ without one!
Team with cinched belts to glam up
and sky high platforms or ethnic
bracelets and tousled hair for that
laidback look. Check out these
budget buys (all only £14!) from
Primark. [Emma Hunt]
Volume 15/Issue 13
The fragrance is a mixture of flowers and has a hint of sweet fruit. The beautiful
design of the bottle reflects Britney’s love of vintage and has a traditional atomiser
and charm attached which would look perfect on any girl’s dressing table.
Sarah Jessica Parker – ‘Lovely’ 30ml £21.45
Like her personal style, her fragrance is a flashback to the classics of fashion design,
made modern with her trademark twists on tradition. The fragrance has a blend and
scent of pure innocence with the exotic nature of precious oil and the sophistication
of a fine perfume. Lavender, orchid and amber that mingle with apple martini, paper
whites and musk. The result: Sarah Jessica Parker’s casual glamour fashioned into
a fragrance.
Paris Hilton – ‘Just Me’ 50ml £24.95
you big spenders! Get hunting for unique vintage pieces that will separate you from the rest of your friends. Your bank balance will thank you for it.
Aries escape the stress of everyday life and let loose. Go for the relax-
Beyonce for Tommy Hilfiger – ‘True Star’ 50ml £29
1
The fragrance is not so much Beyonce’s but inspired by the lady herself. A mix of
florals and toasted grains; it’s a fragrance that’s soft and warm but very exciting.
Shaped like an award trophy and just like her: beautiful, elegant and charming.
ing hippy look with this beautiful butterfly printed maxi dress from
Miss Selfridges £55 whilst making an elegant statement. (pic 3)
Taureans feel good this fortnight with a bright and basic yellow all
in one playsuit from New Look £18 to complement your contented
and cheerful mood and show off the summer tan you are working on.
2
Gemini, have you not dared to bare your sun-deprived legs just yet? Ditch those
skinny jeans and show off those pins with high waisted shorts. Swap
the sun bed for fake tan moisturisers for a smooth, sun kissed and skin
cancer free look.
Cancers we know you’ve always harboured a desire for fame and
fortune so get your slice of the celebrity life with the Kate Moss range in
Topshop stores now!
Terri, Business Studies student: “This perfume makes me feel special, it’s great for day or
night and isn’t too strong either – it’s just right.”
snuggle up with some comfy and cosy pyjamas! Get yourself down to
Primark and grab yourself a bargain, with cute PJs from £4.
Virgos are lucky in life and love this fortnight. Display your good
fortune and head down to New Look for funky, gold shamrock pendants
at £6.
Libras feeling slightly unfit and dying to get that bikini body that you’ve
Kylie Minogue – ‘Darling’ 50ml £26
This fragrance is a sensual floral bouquet filled with sweet and sparkling fruit notes
contrasting against pretty florals and sensual woods. Whether you’re just going to
lectures or heading out to the clubs this is a perfect all rounder. The packaging is
very feminine and the bottle is daintily designed. It’s a fantastic perfume reflecting
the singer’s personality and heritage. The scent incorporates notes of Australian
sandalwood, star fruit, freesia, and boronia flower – a plant that flourishes throughout
the nation.
Not content with having her say, Nimisha asked what you think of ‘Darling’…
Leos have a rest from the revision grindstone, have a duvet day and
3
Jessica, Law student: “This fragrance is absolutely divine. It’s very different to the fragrances
I normally wear, a lot sweeter and softer. I love the different layers; it wears so well, I just
can’t stop smelling myself!”
always dreamed of… It’s time to hit the gym and give your body a detox. Showcase
those newly toned curves with a must have Kelly Brook bikini exclusively available
in New Look stores. And for those of you with more on top, don’t miss
Jordan’s array of sexy swimwear coming soon. Boob job optional.
Hayley, English Studies student: “The minute I smelt this I was hooked. I love it so much, I
even had to spray it before going to bed the night I got it, so that I could smell it while I
dozed off!”
Scorpio organise your hectic life with an oversized bag this fortnight
to accommodate all your must-have girly necessities. Could double as
the perfect accompaniment on your travels this summer as sexy hand
luggage?
Katie, Media and Cultural Studies student: “I loved the design of the small bottle as it is so
easy to carry with you in a little handbag when going to the cinema or on a night out in town.
The smell lifts you off your feet and picks you up when you’re having a bad day.”
is the sexy, silky floral dress from Warehouse £60 is a sure fire hit this
fortnight. (pic4)
Max Factor!
Britney Spears – ‘Curious’ 50ml £27
The smell is like a blend of frozen apple and peach nectar; it has a very fruity
feminine scent. The bottle is tall and slim reflecting Paris Hiltons figure; the name is
one you would come to associate with Miss Hilton, not one to blow her own trumpet
of course….
Pisces kick that high street habit and get down to the charity shops
Sagittarius your perfect partner in crime for those summer nights out
Emma Hunt
22 • Platform
Capricorns should make a splash this fortnight with fun and flirty
floral prints like this fantastic little pleated trapeze dress from Topshop
£30. You never know who you might bump into in that saucy summer
barbeque. (pic 1)
This issue, Platform is road testing celebrity scents and whether or not they match up to more
original perfumes. Our reviewer, Nimisha Mistry tried five celebrity offerings and gave marks out
of five for the good, the bad and the downright smelly…
4
Jasmin, Psychology student: “I couldn’t wait to try ‘Darling’ and I wasn’t disappointed. I am
normally a ‘fragrance fussy’ but I was so impressed by the subtle, fresh, sweet smell of
Darling. It’s a great one for summer gals!”
In your dreams…
Gucci £ £ £
In your war0drobe…
Primark £1
Ssshh!!
Fashion Gossip
VIVIENNE WESTWOOD
JEWELLERY @ PROJECTS
Cool local independent store,
Projects, situated on Pelham
Street has announced they will
be stocking the new jewellery
line by Vivienne Westwood as
part of their Autumn/ Winter
range. As well as supporting local designers such as
Bantum, who make the ‘I love
Notts’ hoodies, and Regenerate,
Projects continues to provide
the people of Nottingham with
the latest in cutting edge
fashion. They will be the first
store in Nottingham to sell
Westwood’s designs. Don’t miss
out!
CYBER SEX (IN THE CITY)
Patricia Fielding, the uber cool
stylist from SATC has teamed
up with online store, ASOS.
com to design a new clothing and accessories line which
will be available to buy in
August. Sources say the collection called ‘Patricia Fielding
for ASOS.com’ will be a mix of
casual and smarter pieces with
some denim thrown in, as well
as accessories. If Carrie Bradshaw’s wardrobe is anything to
go by, we can’t wait to see what
Ms Fielding has in store for us.
MOSS HAVES
The Moss Franchise’s
latest export, ‘Kate
Moss for Topshop’
opened in style
on London’s Oxford
Street last month,
with Kate posing in
the window wearing
a red figure hugging
dress and sporting
a shorter blonder
hairdo. Eager shoppers queued from
2am, and the line
sold out both in stores and
online within 24 hours. If you
were one of the lucky few who
managed to bag items from the
much anticipated collection,
don’t flog it on Ebay as many
people are doing, keep it in
your wardrobe; it will be an
iconic piece for years to come.
SJP BITTEN BY FASHION BUG
The next fashionista
to jump on the celebrity clothing range
bandwagon is none
other than Sarah Jessica Parker. Following
the ongoing trend of
celebrity collaborations with designer and high street
chains, SJP has confirmed plans
to launch her own clothing line
called ‘Bitten’ in June. The
tagline for the range will be
‘Fashion is not a luxury, It’s
a right’, and promises affordable yet highly stylish fashion. The line will feature wool
and cashmere sweaters, dresses,
jeans, lingerie, jewellery and
footwear, and all items are rumoured to be priced at $20 and
under! Let’s hope it reaches us
in the UK some time soon!
Katie Wilson
Platform Volume 15/Issue 13 • 23
Heading for the sun?
A
It’s goodbye from me…
I really can’t believe that my year
as Health Sub-Editor has come to
an end. There will be no more of
me going on about how you can
lead a healthier lifestyle and avoid
illnesses…or find out about those
lurking within you! You are essentially free for the summer months
to do it your way. But, come October I am safe in the knowledge
that someone else will be there to
carry on where I left off.
Health is not the most popular
area when it comes to student journalism, but I can honestly say that
I have found the experience to be
one of the most enjoyable I have
ever had. No, you don’t get many
freebies such as CD’s and theatre
tickets, but working alongside
passionate Health professionals
is self-fulfilling enough. I have
gained so much knowledge, and
met a variety of new people. I am
actually so sad to be handing over
when I graduate that I have set up
freelance work within the Health
editorial area with the hope of
developing it into a career.
The highlight of this experience
for me has been devoting a whole
section to eating disorders in
February of this year. For many of
these items to then be nominated
for The Mind Student Journalism
Awards was an extremely proud
moment for me and an extra item
for the good old CV!
The Health Section would not
have achieved the status it now
has without all of the help I have
had over the past year. So thanks
to everyone who has contributed
work, and also to the Editor and
staff behind the scenes who have
put up with me and my emails!!!
Having written for Platform
for many years, I have seen it
develop from a large black and
white newspaper to this sleek A5
glossy. I have loved every minute
of it, and cannot thank Platform
enough for the opportunities it has
opened up for me. Good luck to
next years Sub-Editors; make the
most of it!
Laura Johnstone
24 • Platform
Volume 15/Issue 13
S
o how are you doing with the aim
to get your five portions of fruit and
vegetables each day? I know that you
have heard me rant on about this for
months now, but as Health Sub-Editor
I do see it as a responsibility to actually practice
what I preach and I’m feeling benefits that you
could too.
One of the main aims of the 5 A Day campaign
is to promote the effects it can have in preventing illnesses such as heart disease and even
some cancers, and maintaining a healthy weight.
But did you know that what you eat can actually have an immense effect upon your mental
well being too? I am the first to admit that I
am stress-orexic. At times of high stress from
uni deadlines I cannot eat and tend to cut back
dramatically at meal times. I am sure that some
of you suffer with this too. But as this has been
happening for years now, I have come to realise
that it actually does more harm than good. Yes
I feel like I am controlling the situation in my
own unique way, but it is not having any positive effect upon my work or the grade I will get
at the end. I can’t concentrate or think properly,
and I end up being so stressed about not eating
that this simply adds to the stress I am already
under. No, the best thing that can be done at
times of stress is to eat a balanced healthy diet.
If I told you that getting your 5 A Day would
mean that your stress levels decreased, and your
time spent revising and typing became more
productive, you would run out to the fruit and
veg stall for sure. Well, it is true; certain fruits
Blend
Your
Stress
Away
actually have stress relieving properties which
calm and sooth, and Trent students are lucky
enough to have these within easy reach of each
campus.
Wendy at ‘Juice it 2’ (located upstairs in Victoria
Market) has concocted two special fruit smoothies specifically designed to relieve us of the
stress we are currently under. What’s more,
there’s no need to stress over our finances with
the 15% discount available when you obtain a
loyalty card. Try one of the following smoothies
and feel your stress levels melt away;
STRESS BUSTER: Orange, Apple, Kiwi &
Strawberry
The STRESS BUSTING nutrients in this juice can
help your body absorb the vitamins and minerals for an instant boost of energy and nourishment replacing those lost through stress.
BRAIN BOOSTER: Orange, Apple, Carrot,
Ginger
The BRAIN BOOSTING nutrients in this juice
can help the brain support oxygen to the
blood, energising cells with the high level of
antioxidants. Your cells will then be optimally
oxygenated, leaving you feeling refreshed and
revitalised.
There are many more smoothies to try at Juice it
2… take advantage of that discount!
Laura Johnstone
t this time of year, who isn’t looking
longingly out of the window and
imagining being somewhere far away?
Good news is the end is upon us and you
will soon be able to leave any stress behind.
We all know travel broadens the mind, but
there are still some important things to
think about while you’re enjoying your
time off, or even while you’re still packing.
Preparations largely depend on where
you are going to obviously. Should you be
heading for developing or tropical areas, it
is essential to see your GP or local travel
centre at least six weeks before your
departure date. They should be able to give
you information on the jabs and tablets
you might need.
If you’re going to fly somewhere, especially if it is a long journey, there are also a
few points to consider. First of all, always
plan and be prepared. For instance, allow
yourself enough time to get to the airport,
after all, you don’t need all that stress
worrying about missing the flight even
before you get on board. Once safely in the
air, drink plenty of fluids, especially water
(the air isn’t humidified, which results in
your body becoming dehydrated); one or
two glasses an hour should do the trick,
and try to avoid alcohol and caffeinated
drinks (which would lead to even more
dehydration). It is advisable to move
around the cabin every now and again. The
changes in air pressure when an aircraft
is ascending or descending can cause you
some discomfort. Simply pinch your nose
and with your mouth shut, try blowing out
gently. Other ‘remedies’ that spring to
mind are chewing gum, sucking sweets or
simply swallowing more often.
Following all of this you should reach your
destination in good health, but there are
still a number of things you should be
careful about. You don’t want your holiday
ruined by food poisoning for instance, so
eat only food that has been cooked and is
still hot, or fruit you have peeled yourself.
There is a simple rule to remember here:
“boil it, cook it, peel it or forget it!” About
dubious water, the best advice you could
get is when in doubt, stick with beverages,
such as tea and coffee made with boiled
water; bottled or canned carbonated
beverages, such as fizzy bottled water,
and soft drinks also sound fine; as do beer
and wine.
Ask Agony Aunt!
There are other obvious ‘rules’, for
example take heed of local traffic regulations: don’t exceed the speed limit, abide
by the rules (helmet, protective clothing
for mopeds, seatbelts for cars), and also
check their condition before you hire a car
or bike and their insurance. Last, but not
least, let’s turn our attention to personal
safety. Taking the sensible precautions you
might do at home goes without question,
be aware of potential dangers, don’t
wander around dodgy areas after dark
or on your own. Ask trustworthy locals
and tour guides about possible threats. In
some countries there are ‘no go’ areas;
advised to be avoided altogether, particularly during times of unrest. For further
information, just check the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) website, which has
up-to-date Travel Advice and is searchable
by country. Another really useful website
is www.bbc.co.uk/health. All in all, as long
as you take care and behave sensibly, I’m
sure you’ll have the time of your life this
holiday season and fill those hard-earned
days of rest with great memories.
Susanna Lada
There are lots of myths
surrounding spots and
food, yet there is no
scientific evidence to suggest
that what you eat has any effect
upon your skin. Obviously drinking lots of water will help to remove toxins, but when it comes
to recurring spots you need to
treat them from the inside and
the outside.
Continuing the topic of sex education, I’ve been thinking about the advice given to teenagers
starting to explore their sexuality as they grow up.
Parents and teachers seem to love explaining the ‘conditions’ part (wear a condom or you’ll
get pregnant, STI’s are not fun, and not in our house!), but the ‘terms’ are often left to friends,
magazines and those late night TV shows your parents don’t know you watch on channel five.
So here we have an A-Z of ‘street’ terms, some basic, some…not so basic, but all rather amusing! Funny or not, these will aid your personal safety; knowing a few of these terms can ensure
that you are well educated, and know exactly what you are getting yourself into.
slang term for semen
K is for Karezza: A form of
prolonged sexual-intercourse with
penetration but no ejaculation, and
little or no coital movements, as
practiced for people seeking a higher,
more spiritual form of pleasure
L is for Love Truncheon: The penis
M is for Missionary position:
Another word for man-on-top
(sexual) position , so-named in 19th
century by Christian missionaries who
believed that the man on top was the
only natural and proper position for
intercourse
N is for Nookie: Sexual activity
in general
O is for Oral Sex: Any sexual
activity involving contact between
the mouth of one partner and the
erogenous zones of another
P is for Perineum: Area of soft
tissue (covering the muscles and
ligaments of the pelvic floor) between
the genitals and the anus
Q is for Quim: The Vagina
R is for Route 69: Mutual fellatio
(oral stimulation) in the 69 position
S is for Self-flagellation: A
form of auto masochism in which one
achieves sexual arousal or gratification from whipping oneself
T is for Tail feathers: Colloquialism for the female pubic-hair
U is for Urophilia: Paraphilic
condition in which a person derives
sexual pleasure from urine and urination; its odour, sight, feel, and taste,
the sound of urinating, urinating on or
in the mouth of a partner
V is for Voyeurism: A paraphilia
in which an individual derives sexual
pleasure from secretly observing
people in the nude, undressing, or
engaged in sexual activity
W is for Whirlygigs: 17-19th
century term for testicles, based on
their resemblance to a spinning toy of
the same name
X is for Xenerotica: Term for
sexual attraction to strangers
Y is for Yodelling in the canyon (of love): American expression
meaning to perform cunnilingus
Z is for Zelophilia: Sexual
arousal from jealousy
Jennifer Skuse
I have tried all of the medicated soaps and scrubs but
they don’t seem to make any
difference. I eat fruits and
vegetables, and play lots of
sports. I really don’t know
what else to do.
A:
Terms and Conditions apply...
A is for Auto-fetishism: Paraphilic
narcissism in the extreme in which
ones own body becomes a sexual
obsession and the stimulus for all
erotosexual responses
B is for Butt Plug: A spindle/phallic-shaped object (preferably no
longer than 4 inches) designed to
completely fill the anus and stimulate
the prostate/press against the inner
vaginal wall; especially appreciated
in sadomasochism
C is for Cunnilingus: Oral sex
performed on a female
D is for Dogging: Having sex in a
parked car with people on the outside
looking in
E is for English overcoat: A condom
F is for Fight the turkey: Male
masturbation
G is for Genophobia: An irrational fear of sex
H is for Hircusophilism: Erotic
preference for underarm hair
I is for Irish toothache: In the
19th century this was the term for
an erection of the penis that won’t
come down
J is for Jizzom: A wide spread
I have always had
what you would call
‘problem skin’, but over
the past couple of months
it has got a lot worse. I am
now 22 years old and should
have left spots far behind me.
Everywhere I go I seem to see
other guys with perfect skin,
all having a good time. Their
skin is the first thing I notice
when I should be out looking
at girls. I am currently single,
and find that I don’t really
want to go out too much at the
moment because I feel really
self conscious. It’s not as easy
when you are male… you can’t
cover up with make up!
Q:
If this is affecting the way you
interact, socialise, and feel
about yourself then you should
really see your doctor. They can
offer so many options available
today which are not widely
recognised. This is no longer
something you simply have to
accept. Your doctor will assess
your skin (the spots have to be a
real problem) and then suggest
the best course of action. Trust
me, they will be sympathetic and
do everything they can to help.
The usual treatment will be a
course of antibiotics, and a
cream to apply to the affected
areas. This is not a miracle cure
so expect to wait at least six
weeks for a noticeable difference, but it will clear things up.
In the mean time, I know that
you will be self conscious, but
other people probably don’t
see them in the way you do. We
always tend to see things as bigger or worse on ourselves, but in
the end it is what’s on the inside
that counts.
Laura Johnstone
Platform Volume 15/Issue 13 • 25
Snooker World Championships:
Inside the Crucible Theatre
W
ters. Although this was disappointing, the
presence of Higgins makes for a fascinating
contrast of styles between the two Scottish
players on show.
The first thing you notice when getting inside
the famous old theatre is how small it is. With
my ticket being eight rows back, I presumed
I wouldn’t feel that close to the action, but
even at this distance you feel like you can
reach out and touch the players. Everything
looks smaller than it does on television,
especially the table – which is a lot narrower
than you’d imagine. MC Richard Beare, who
belongs in Butlins, was all smiles and joyfully announced the house rules: no eating
or drinking in the arena, and if you need to
leave do so at the end of a frame, then there
was a round of applause for the tournament
sponsors.
Higgins is a diminutive figure, smartly dressed,
uptight, and a perfectionist. Maguire is the
opposite; strolling around the table so relaxed
you’d think he was playing with his mates in
a pub. He wears a black shirt with his black
waistcoat, and no bow tie; he looks positively
scruffy by snooker players’ standards. He
casually tosses the extension of his cue back
to his seat, and swipes his cue through the air
if he plays a bad shot. Despite the contrast
in styles, they couldn’t be separated on the
table. After Maguire played a scrappy opening
frame, with both players looking rusty, Higgins treated us to a magical break of 90 in the
second with some inch-perfect positional play.
The standard, as you’d expect for a World
Championship semi-final, was top drawer.
This could particularly be said of the safety
play, with both players continuously finding
the baulk cushion with their efforts.
hen I admit to getting up at 6:30am
and travelling to Sheffield to watch
three and a half hours of snooker,
my friends think I’m bonkers. Perhaps
they’re right, but for sheer sporting skill, intensity and mental strength, it doesn’t get
much better than my day at the Crucible;
watching the Snooker World Championships.
Referee Jan Verhaas, who bears a striking
resemblance to Herman Munster, was introduced, and so were the players. I was there
to watch the second session of the semi final
between John Higgins and Stephen Maguire,
which was deadlock at 4-4 (first to 17 frames
would win), with both players looking to carve
out an advantage leading into the final two
sessions. Some snooker players’ nicknames
really do baffle me, but The Wizard of Wishaw
(Higgins) and The Merlin of Melton (Maguire)
aren’t as bad as some, and both players received rapturous applause when they entered
the arena.
All of a sudden the theatre fell silent and
play got underway. I was due to see Ronnie
O’Sullivan play in this semi-final, before he
was beaten by John Higgins in the quar-
26 • Platform
Volume 15/Issue 13
The atmosphere was incredibly intense and
claustrophobic, as the slightest noise is heard
by everyone in the theatre. An elderly couple
next to me would ‘um’ and ‘ah’ after every
great shot or miss and, after an hour or so, a
chap behind me started to breathe very heavily for a while, until the noise progressed into
a light form of snoring that was irritating beyond belief. I put on my headphones, on which
you can listen to the BBC commentary of the
game, but after a while I found that listening
to the commentators telling me exactly what
shot was being played cheapened the occasion somewhat. I may as well just be watching
at home; at least that would have eradicated
the echo of the sound of the balls in my ears.
I began to notice little things that you
wouldn’t normally grasp from watching the tel-
[Left: John Higgins; Right: Stephen Maguire]
evision screen: the referee slyly moving a red
from one overloaded pocket to an empty one,
in anticipation of a big break; the cameramen
discretely moving around the table, trying not
to interfere with the players’ movements and
getting out of the sight-line of shots. When
Maguire was at the table, Higgins would sit
upright and stare impassively straight ahead,
desperately hoping to be back in play soon.
Maguire, in contrast, would impatiently twiddle his thumbs and avert his attention to the
crowd or his cue.
The standard of play remained very high
throughout the session, with neither player
able to forge an advantage. I have to admit I
was disappointed not to see a century break,
but there were a couple of exciting frames
which went down to the last few colours, and
the session ended with the score eight apiece.
Higgins has since won the match 17-15, and
gone on to triumph in the final to become
World Champion, beating Mark Selby 18-13.
At £20 a ticket for a World Championship
semi-final, I feel I got great value for money,
and I’d recommend the experience to any true
snooker fan. It was surreal to feel like I was
in a library, with the stakes being so high, the
drama so intense, and witnessing players
realise/shatter their lifetime dreams.
Tim Spiers
[Platform Sports Teaser answers: Andre Agassi, Don Budge, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson and Fred Perry]
Trent kayaker picked to represent British universities
A
s a third year student I am proud to
represent Trent, and what better way to
do so than by being selected to take part
in a British universities kayaking expedition.
The Four Borders Expedition 2007 will take
me through the mighty rivers of The Altai
Mountains in Siberia and Mongolia, where Kazakhstan, Russia, China and Mongolia unite.
I was chosen for the trip at a gruelling selection
weekend in Wales, along with seven other outstanding student white water kayakers from other
British universities. This is the first time a student
from Nottingham Trent University has been picked
to go on the expedition. Currently on placement, I
study Financial and Project Management in Construction, and was President of the University’s
Canoe Club last year.
We will be entirely self sufficient for almost two
months while navigating several different rivers.
Battling fierce, icy torrents, often far from civilization, in boats loaded with food and camping gear,
it’s going to be a dangerous trip and mistakes
could be disastrous.
Our team will consist of European Freestyle Kayak
Champions and National Canoe Slalom Competitors. Having collectively paddled in over 15 differ-
ent countries and on six different continents, we
come from seven universities and most met for the
first time at the selection weekend in November.
We are expected to find funding and sponsorship
for the trip and to publicise the expedition by writing articles and seeking out opportunities to give
lectures upon their return. To get my fundraising
off the ground I approached Vice-Chancellor Professor Neil Gorman, who obliged with a bursary of
£500!
This was a very generous donation; it will substantially help with the cost of the trip. The trip itself
is very expensive due to the area we are traveling
to and the method of transportation needed whilst
out there. Many of the rivers should be reachable
by jeeps or old style military trucks but some
descents may require the use of horses or even
helicopter drop offs.
The general website for the British universities
kayaking expedition is www.uniyaker.co.uk. The
team has also set up a website for their trip: www.
fourbordersexpedition.com – expect this to grow
as the expedition approaches. All support will be
greatly appreciated.
Tom Hunter
Platform
Sports Teaser
Bit of a tricky tennis
question for you this time
readers. There are only
five players in the history
of men’s tennis who have
won all four of the major
Grand Slam Tournaments
(Australian Open, French
Open, Wimbledon and
U.S. Open). Can you name
them? [Answer at the left
of the page.]
In the last issue I asked if
you could name the two
footballers to have played
in the last two matches at
the old Wembley stadium.
They were Gareth Southgate and Gareth Barry,
both of whom played
for Aston Villa, in their
1-0 defeat to Chelsea in
the 2000 F.A. Cup Final,
and for England against
Germany in another 1-0
defeat, this time in the
World Cup Qualifiers.
Tim Spiers
Platform Volume 15/Issue 13 • 27
Women’s Hockey
On Thursday 26th April our Women’s Hockey
1sts kick-started our second set of Varsity
matches that were all held this term. Having
finished off Term 2 with Trent drawing level
with Uni after three wins each, hundreds of
spectators turned out to cheer on both the
Women and the Men’s 1sts who were to play
afterwards.
speed than the Women’s; with Trent using
the full width of the pitch and nimbly running
circles around Uni. The teams were well
matched, and yet the final score line did not
reflect the multiple opportunities Trent had
to pull ahead. With Adam Dickson and Sam
Hawkes having scored for Trent, the result
was unfortunately 5-2 to Uni.
Women’s Rugby Union
Playing on the water based Astroturf at
Highfields opposite Notts Uni Campus, the
team consisted of Laura Thomas (President),
Claire Dennis, Liz Murray-White, Alison Leeke,
Anne Peregrine, Emma Erwin, Lauren Geddes,
Liana Smith, Naomi James, Joanna Waters,
Laura Hook, Charlie Webb, Cara Glover, Annie
Chan, and Abigail Gordon.
Monday 30th April saw 3,500 students flood
through the gates to Notts County Football
Ground…to watch Rugby! That’s right, the
pitch was converted and there was barely a
glimpse of sun but the Women’s Rugby Union
took to the pitch after extra training sessions
and fully confident after already beating
Beeston this season.
It was certainly a good match to watch, with
fast paced passing and lots of opportunities
opening up for our side. While the action was
pushed forward, the defence remained solid
and the single opportunity for Uni to break
through was the only time we conceded a
goal.
The team consisted of Ali “JC” Fazzani (President), Anna Stelfox, Shelly Hurrell, Christene
Miller, Katie Wigmore, Carly Fearon, Krysta
Logan, Laura Cunnigham, Katie Astbury, Maybelle Morris, Sarah Moten, Heather Willaiams,
Antonia Slade, Coli Cunningham, Natasha
Hlmes, Emma Jeffree, Hannah Weston Smith,
Laura Tyzack, Becca Gaffeny, and Debs
Mason.
This only spurred the girls on, with Naomi
James scoring the first goal for Trent and
Laura Thomas settling the final score line at
2-1; a very fitting way for a President to end
her final Varsity before graduation, and a
deserved win for all the girls after superb play.
Men’s Hockey
While standard sports such as Football and
Rugby are popular amongst student spectators, it was really encouraging to see an
increase in the numbers who turned out from
Trent to support their own.
Following the success of the Women’s match,
the Men seemed elated and keen to prove
their worth too.
Players on the night were Micheal Finlay, Matt
Askill, Jamie Webb, Ben Scott, James Mason,
Dave Fasey, Tim Whiteman, Chris Duncan,
Matt Clark, Ali Wilson, Alan Miller, Nick
Hunwicks, Adam Dickson, Chris Seddon, Kam
Rafee, and Sam Hawkes.
With GB representatives on the team, the
Men’s match was played at even greater
28 • Platform
Volume 15/Issue 13
Smashing any preconceptions that girls can’t
play rugby, the match was thrilling to watch
and Coli Cunningham was rightfully awarded
Player of the Match for having ensured a win
of 10-5.
Men’s Rugby Union
With such a great atmosphere and the usual
chants reverberating around the stadium,
the banter and applause welcomed the
Men’s 1sts to the pitch after our Trent Tigers
upstaged the Beeston Cheerleaders with
spectacular stunts and a better Baywatch
performance.
Taking their places on the pitch/sidelines
were Ed Dupee (President), Guy Townsley
(Captain), Andrew Robert Houston, Steve
Harrison, Tim MacKay, Ross Griffiths, Mike
Howells, James Robinson, Joe Timson, Phil
Darby, Chris Roddy, Chris McArdle, Ruari
Geoghegan, Matt Douglas, Chris Townsend,
Ed Phillips, Adam Pegg, Richard Kearns, Luke
Cooper, Simon Chilcott, Craig Stewart, Olly
Johnson, and Jeremy Cox.
After a very successful season, various
famous victories and promotion to North Premier B as a result of winning their league, the
Men were expecting a tough match against
the Uni boys. That is exactly what unfolded
and Trent did well to hold Uni back for most
of the match but unfortunately lost 29-10.
President Ed Dupee said afterwards, “It was
all about the support behind the team and
even though we did not win, the team played
well together and this will not overshadow
such a successful year.”
Men’s Rugby League
Bringing Varsity to Mellish RFC for the first
time, the 1sts and 2nds Rugby League teams
went head to head with Uni just two days after
the Rugby Union matches. President Ollie
Wright commented before the match: “I’m
very proud of the way in which the players
have gone about preparing themselves for
Varsity.”
Joining Ollie Wright on the 1sts were Dave
Sims, Tim Hopkins, Matt Abbott, Si Hodges,
Tom Metcalfe, Henry Harland, Luke Hales,
John Lapham, Kalvin Cunningham, Jimmy
Sadler, Sean Forrest, Steve Carr, Max Grevoson, Chris Dixon, George Strachan, Rory
McQueen, Alex Mole, and James Buratti,
The 2nds played early in the evening, with
the sun setting behind the impressive open
grounds. The match put everyone in high
spirits as Trent won, but unfortunately the
1sts did not match their success and lost
38-8. Having been on level footing until this
point, Trent fell behind as Uni were winning
the Series 6-5.
Overall result: With the Cricket rained off for
another year in a row, there was no chance to
see Trent try to regain a draw – which would
have meant that the Varsity Cup would have
remained within our possession as last year’s
winners. Although we would have preferred
this not to be the case, the Series as a whole
was really enjoyable and showcased some top
sportsmanship and talent. Hopefully the title
will be ours once again next year, and we’ll
see you there!
Words: Andrea Vassallo
Photos: Patrick Taylor, James Brigham,
David Baird & Felix Jones
Platform Volume 15/Issue 13 • 29
ll
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fi
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Trennament
tour
Hello to all you Korf ball virgins out
there! Its ok, don’t be embarrassed;
unless of course you do know what
it is and still haven’t joined the NTU
Korf ball Club!!
Korfball has similarities to netball and
basketball, with one main difference:
girls and boys get to play together
on the same team. 4 boys and 4 girls
makes this the only official mixed sex
team sport!!
Farewell...
Alas readers this is my final Sports Section
as I’m graduating this summer (fingers
crossed). To round off here’s some sport-related figures from the last twelve months.
800,000,000: Amount in pounds it cost to
rebuild Wembley stadium.
81,076: Attendance for the Heineken Cup
Final at Twickenham between Leicester
and Wasps; a record for a Rugby Union
club game.
708: Test Match wickets taken in the
career of Shane Warne, who retired from
international cricket after the Ashes series
in January.
402: Ranking of Tottenham Hotspur and
England goalkeeper Paul Robinson in a
recent analysis of 403 Premiership players performance in the 2006/07 season.
83: League goals scored by Manchester
United in the 2006/07 football season,
more than any other team in the country
despite the fact that teams in the Football
League played eight more matches.
81: Winning streak of consecutive matches won on clay by Rafael Nadal. The run
was ended when Roger Federer beat him
at the Hamburg Masters in May.
63: Number of league matches in a row
that Chelsea remain unbeaten at Stamford Bridge, which equals Liverpool’s 25
year old record.
10.20: Time in seconds it took Roy
Makaay to score for Bayern Munich
against Real Madrid in March, the fastest
ever Champions League goal.
10: Price in pounds of a matchday programme for a game at the new Wembley.
Other prices include £4.50 for a pint of lager and £5 for a burger, and somehow I
don’t think you can get student discount!
0 – Test Matches won by England in their
Ashes tour over the winter. They lost the
five match series 5-0.
To sum up my year, I’ll be eternally
grateful for the opportunity given to me
by Platform. Hopefully this will be the
start of a long and successful career in
Sports Journalism. I urge anyone reading
this that is passionate about sport and
wants to write about it to get involved
with the magazine next year; you’ll work
with some fantastic people and get valuable journalistic experience.
Tim Spiers
30 • Platform
The main benefit of the sport is that
everyone starts as a beginner so no one
feels the pressure of trials. The main
idea behind korfball is to keep fit and
have fun at the same time, plus you
also get to travel across the country to
tournaments.
BOOK NOW AT
T
R
U
O
C
S
’
R
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T
E
P
.
ST
Our Korfball Club hosted their first
tournament on May 12th, from 9am
till 5pm. The aim was to put Trent on
the Korfball map, and we definitely
achieved this. Twelve teams entered,
including both university and
non-university teams. Thanks to the
Korfball President Helen Stevenson
and the rest of the committee and team
members that helped contribute, the
event went brilliantly and we all had
a fantastic day. The winners’ trophy
went to the deserving Manchester
Warriors, having played superbly all
day. Afterwards a social was held at
Bar Risa, where the fun and games
continued!
We would like to say a huge thank you
to all the teams that came along to our
tournament. I think the biggest thank
you has to go to members of the Trent
team as they’re the ones that made
it all happen. Those who played on
the day were: Helen Stevenson, Sarah
Turner, Sarah Hardy, Gemma Faldon,
Vicky Gibbens, Jenny Burpee, Tom
Sadler, Nigel Hinds, Sandeep Patel,
Rick Mohabir, Jamie Reston and Robin
MacDaniel…you guys were stars!!
Thanks also to everyone who helped
out.
Last but not least we want next year
to be as brilliant as this year has been.
This means popping all the Korfball
cherries and getting YOU involved.
Yes, YOU!!! It won’t hurt and we’re all
really nice people so you won’t regret
it. Just come along to give it a try and
see what you think. Look out for our
stall at the Freshers Fair for more
details of the up and coming year or,
if you can’t wait until October, send
us an e-mail to trentkorfball@hotmail.
com.
Helen Stevenson & Gemma Faldon
Volume 15/Issue 13
21ST CENTURY
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