AUTUMN EDITION
Keele University’s Student Magazine
Welfare Cuts are Immoral: Corbyn is a welcome p. 5 change The Science of Stars Wars: could the Force be rep.12 al?
p. 3
I age
Navigating the Library Steps: are you using them properly?
edit: M. Holla d CC BY-SA .5
Love Letters from the 90s: found in Hawthorns K block p. 6
Letter from the Editor
Star Writer:
Hello!
Hannah Evans
Want the chance of being our next Star Writer? Then submit your articles to the Editor-in -Chief or any of our Sub-editors. Keep your eyes peeled for updates at the beginning of the New Year.
I hope everyone is enjoying the first semester, despite the impending deadlines. Stay positive; Christmas is on its way and you’ll be able to relax soon enough. We’ve had some superb content submitted over the past few months, so you should definitely head over to our website and have a browse. As you’ll notice, the design of this issue is different to our Freshers’ Special Edition. We’re continually improving and developing Concourse to incorporate the feedback from you, our wonderful readers. We love hearing from you and encourage everyone to get involved, whether that be by writing articles, designing issues or being part of the committee. If you’d like to join Concourse, get in touch: editor@concourseonline.com Carrie Hodgkins
Winter Edition Content Deadline: Monday 15th February Winter Edition Release Date: Monday 30th February
Contents Navigating the Library Steps Simon Gater CoppaFeel! Announces Greg James as the Face of the Uni Boob Team Danielle Kelly Welfare Cuts Are Immoral Ahmer Aziz Love Letters from the 90s Carrie Hodgkins Table Football and the Art of Finals Revision Simon Hickie Campus News: Bar nes and Hawthorns Development Update Concourse Editorial Team www.co courseo li e.co
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Shia Labeouf and the 55 Hour Film Marathon Oliver Hackett– Watson The Science of Star Wars Hannah Evans Bored This Christmas? Try Board Games Chris Wilton Poem: You Could Say Rachel Campbell C o n c o u r s e C r e a t i v e Wr i t i n g Competition Concourse Editorial Team Lads Mag: A Long Awaited Obituary Chris Wilton
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15 15 16
I age edit: Ca ie Hodgki s
Navigating the Library Steps Which side of the library steps do you use when
Well, listen close my dim-witted friend and I
entering or leaving? Did you not know there is an
shall enlighten you. The stairs which are closest to
unspoken rule? Well, you do now.
the entrance are the ones that you ascend when you want to enter the library. The stairs closest to the
There’s just so much terrible stuff in the world these
exit are those that you descend when you wish to
days. Every time you turn on the T.V, consult your
leave the library. That sounds fairly simple, yet it
Facebook feed or open a newspaper, you are bombarded by an endless stream of people all vying for the position of being the next Satan. However, no matter what crimes and transgressions these people
seems beyond the grasp for the pond
“On graduation day, when they hand out the degrees, someone should inspect each graduate to ensure that they always
commit, they will have nothing on the true evil that infects humanity. This
life that seeks to get a degree in this place. Every time I walk past a person heading the wrong way on the stairs, it takes all of my effort not to give them
used the right set of
a hefty push. I honestly think I’d be
steps.”
doing the world a favor by scraping
very campus is a seething hotbed of the most diabolical
some dead leaves off the gene pool. That being said,
kind of people. I am, of course, talking about those
I’m not sure there’s much danger that these amoeba
who use the wrong set of stairs at the library.
would be capable of reproduction, as a sense of
Were you not aware that there was an order for the stairs?
direction is required. I
propose
that
some
form
of
@Co courseO li e
surveillance is put in place to monitor this most evil of
how to function in a civilised world.
crimes. On graduation day, when they hand out the
This may seem particularly harsh for those
degrees, someone should inspect each graduate to
doing five or seven year courses, but do you honestly
ensure that they always used the right set of steps. Any
want these people out in society administering
who went the wrong way, even once, should be made
medication to people and designing buildings when
to watch as their degree is set on fire. They could then
they can’t even understand how stairs work?
be sent back to the start of the course to complete the
So, that’s something that mildly annoys me.
whole process again, hopefully with a better grasp of
Simon Gater
CoppaFeel! Announces Greg James as the face of the Uni Boob Teams We're the Uni Boob Team and we're here to talk BOOBS! This year DJ and CoppaFeel! Patron, Greg I age edit: CoppaFeel!
James, wants you to help us on our boob-loving mission, starting right here at Keele University! The Uni Boob Team are a collective of student volunteers who act on behalf of CoppaFeel! on campuses around the UK. Their role is to remind YOU to check your boobs. Why? Because early detection is key in treating breast cancer, so the sooner you get to know your boobs the sooner you will detect any changes. Greg will be using his influence to increase awareness in the student population (lads - we're talking to you too!) and we'll be encouraging you lot to sign up to CoppaFeel's FREE monthly text reminder service. In fact, you can start right now by texting ‘UBT Keele’ to 70500! This year’s campaign is sponsored by Laundry detergent brand Surf. CoppaFeel! will be working with Surf to bring a whole host of fun awareness activities to get you scrubbed up and checking your boobs!
Starting with ‘Launderette Hijack’, we'll be hijacking your launderettes with boob checking reminders - so keep your eyes peeled for our Uni Boob Team in the Halls launderettes and make sure you come and chat boobs with us! October 19th – 23rd was our first boob week, a week dedicated to fundraising for CoppaFeel! on Keele campus. Thanks to all of you who got involved, we managed to raise an incredible £214!! Bra pong went down a treat in the SU before Lockdown. Khansa Taha was the lucky winner of two tickets to a very exciting event we have planned for Valentine ’s Day in the SU! We’ll be releasing more details very soon about this, but in the meantime get checking those boobs! Danielle Kelly
www.co courseo li e.co
I age edit: Jef J. Mit hell / Gety I ages
Welfare Cuts Are Immoral Irrespective of your political views, any attempt to cut welfare should always be perceived with distaste, as they are undeniably immoral.
I age edit: Gety I ages
Gone are the days of coalition and the prospect of Ed Miliband as Prime Minister. Perhaps Ed should have gone down the route of video games or make up, instead of Russell Brand to get the backing of Youtubers– who knows what could have been? What we are left with now is a fully conservative government, one which is free to impose its political ideology without the shackles of coalition. Not that those shackles did much to prevent the tripling of tuition fees (highest in the world), or the immoral enforcement of cuts and austerity. The Conservative agenda to further impoverish the working poor of this country took a bashing last month, when the bill to cut tax credits was defeated in The House of Lords. Tax credits were introduced by New Labour, and are essential to two categories of people: families that require financial assistance in raising their children, and working people on low incomes. Principles of integrity and good seem alien to this government, after their laughable claim that they have public opinion on side in their attempts to further reduce welfare spending. Cameron and Osbourne’s war on welfare, social services and the working people must be stopped. For many, Corbynmania is a potential solution. Corbyn claims that his society is one where wealth and
POLITICS
opportunity would be in the hands of millions and not simply the millionaires. To me, it sounds similar to what Ed was offering, and so what is the real difference? Well for one, Corbyn would certainly bring an end to the never-ending policies of austerity, something which Ed Miliband strangely and interestingly said he would keep. Corbyn offers a more revolutionary and knowledgeable approach to politics. This is achieved through his strategy of taking questions from the public, which he then presents to Cameron in the PMQs. It is also refreshing to see the leader of a political party conducting himself with class. Throughout his career Corbyn has refrained from the conventional, pointless and often childish approach to putting pressure on his opponents. If more politicians conducted themselves in such a way, they would not alienate young people from the dishonest and often confusing world of politics. I do not have any political allegiance myself, but personally like the idea of a resurgent Labour Party. It makes the whole political scene a bit more interesting and lowers the risk of having a Conservative government for decades to come– and let’s be honest, who wants that? Concourse will be following Labour’s resurgence closely and Jeremy Corbyn’s climb up the mountain to get the top job come 2020. Ahmer Aziz
Your Chief Editor of Politics is Ahmer Aziz. If you have an interest in politics and would like to pursue it by writing for Concourse, please email him at: politics.concourse@gmail.com
@Co courseO li e
Love Letters from the 90s If you hadn’t already heard from the hype which has spread throughout Keele’s social media network, student Ellie Provins has found what appears to be old love letters in Hawthorns Halls. On 26th November, a rather magical and amusing post appeared on the Keele Freshers’ Page on Facebook. A student had found some old letter, crumpled up, in the back of one of the airing cupboards in Hawthorns K block. The letters are dated 3rd and 5th December 1996, addressed to a mysterious Martin and signed off by someone named Penny. They were “in the only unlocked airing cupboard on the top floor. [I] was intrigued by the things in there and found this screwed up in the corner under the slats,” said Ellie Provins, “It was found among old soap bars, an ashtray and an old fire notice and a note saying about milk in the fridge.” The discovery has caused quite a stir amongst students, lecturers and alumni, all craving to know the contents of the letters and also the story surrounding their existence. John Easom, the Alumni Manager at Keele I age edit: Ellie P ovi s
University was promptly informed, and now a search
If these letters have inspired you to find out more about Keele’s unique and exciting history, then you should visit the Keele Oral History Project website as your first point of call.
has begun to try and find the writer and recipient of the
If you know anything more about these letters, or perhaps know someone who does (maybe the emphatic Penny or Martin), then get in touch with John Easom, the Alumni Manager of Keele University: j.c.easom@keele.ac.uk
letter: Penny and Martin. He contacted every Penny and Martin who attended the Uni from that era but as yet has been unsuccessful. The student reaction on Facecbook has been huge. The letters were transcribed by students who were still awake and perusing social media in the wee hours of the night. They were then posted to the Freshers’ Page and there was a great deal of excitement about the contents.
www.co courseo li e.co
Some of the best comments following the transcription included:
Alex Millington- “That’s intense! :P”
Gabrielle Ahmed- “This makes me emotional because the recipient didn’t keep the letters in a memory box.”
Timothy Sillery: “I’m trying to think of what type of movie I should get someone to help co-write a script.”
Gabriella Burton: “I literally can’t even believe this. Someone make a film about it.”
Louise Dutton: “I wanna know if Penny still has the Pepsi can…”
Lisa Berrie: “Maybe he ‘keeled’ over when he read it.”
Adam Mawardi: “Hopefully this won’t be the subject of a future Jeremy Kyle episode.” Another post by Ulrich Pohanka on the Freshers’
Page caught my eye the day afterwards: “The real question is: has everybody checked their airing cupboards yet? Like what other treasures are hidden in
I age edit: Ellie P ovi s
Hawthorns? Is this maybe why they are being demolished? #Keelespiracy”
is truly astounding to find such a lovely piece of
For those of you still unaware, there are current
Keele history hidden in student halls. If anything,
plans for Hawthorns Halls to be demolished, due to the
these letters should remind us that we are all
irretrievable state of the accommodation (see page 9 for
human. Many students have come and gone before
more updates). The newly found letters represent why
any of us ever even thought about applying for
Hawthorns should be retained, due to its weird and
university, never mind choosing Keele as our first
wonderful history.
or second choices.
But unfortunately, it’s not feasible to keep
Thousands of people have passed through
Hawthorns any longer, due to the extent of work which
Keele, leaving traces of themselves behind, shaping
needs to be carried out to refurbish them. For many
and creating Keele as we know it now. We should
students, their university life began in Hawthorns,
all take a moment to appreciate that.
making it extremely loved by some and why it is sad to see it go.
Carrie Hodgkins
Despite the questionable contents of the letters, it
@Co courseO li e
I age edit: Fil
Sill / Sta Wa s
ARTS & CULTURE
The Science of Star Wars Ever wondered if The Force could really exist in
mythology goes a whole lot deeper than that, and I’m
our universe? Well, you are just about to find
sure that the internet is awash with all the information
out...
you’d ever need on the topic. Right now, we want to
When Science Fiction and Science Fact meet, it’s a
focus on the reality of the physics behind it. Is it possible that The Force exists in our universe as we
beautiful thing. But the one big, beautiful, surreal piece of Sci-Fi fantasy that’s always intrigued me is
know it? Let’s take a step back, and look at what The
The Force. Now, for those who aren’t Sci-Fi inclined, or
Force is comprised of: four separate ‘forces’, all
for whom it’s been a while since they dusted off
interacting
their original VHS Stars Wars trilogy, here’s a quick
remaining individual in their composition. Sound
refresher: Star Wars is set in a universe which is permeated by The Force: a mystical field made up of four
“The four forces that make up our universe: the strong, the weak, the clectromagnetic and
components; the Physical, the
physical surroundings, or the universe as a whole.
each
other,
whilst
familiar? If not, then don’t worry. For those who have studied Physics in any depth, you should remember the four strong, the weak, the electromagnetic,
Unifying, the Living, and the Cosmic, or bad. This can include life after death, your
influencing
forces that make up our universe: the
gravity.”
that can be detected, harnessed, and used for good
and
and gravity. Although these forces aren’t manifestations of good or bad, or influenced by thought or emotion,
Some species are more sensitive to it than
they do have their own specific roles in the cosmos.
others, and can use it to manipulate objects or create
The strong and weak force act over the very, very
visions of the future and of the dead. The
small; within atoms. The electromagnetic force is what
www.co courseo li e.co
ARTS & CULTURE
transmits electromagnetic waves such as light, radio, or microwaves. And last we have gravity, the ever elusive force that, although we can feel, seems to slip out of our grasp when we try to quantifiably calculate its cause or propagation.
Bored this Christmas? Try Board Games
Unfortunately, the similarities stop there. I age edit: Pat i k Q CC BY-NC .
One of the biggest problems, apart from the control of matter through thought, is the conservation of energy. Now, don’t worry, this isn’t going to get too heavy. Essentially, the universe as we know it is a closed system. This means that energy can’t be created or destroyed, with some wonderfully fun results (see Entropy). When you push something, it exerts the
As the days get shorter and the nights get
same amount of force on you as you apply on it.
longer, we must find new ways to entertain
If the object is heavy enough, you might start to
ourselves, or perhaps old ways.
slide backwards. But this isn’t really something you see
If you're anything like me (and I hope you aren't),
with The Force. When Yoda lifts Luke’s X-Wing out
you probably get pretty bored around Christmas.
of the swamp, he doesn’t get pushed into the ground.
You have barely any money to spend on presents, so
Vader’s choke hold doesn’t send him slipping
you guiltily open your own, knowing that you have
backwards. We can conclude that The Force is not a
nothing to offer in kind. Spending the whole day at
closed system, and therefore not viable in our universe
your parents' having nothing much to talk about.
as we know it.
Watching brain achingly dull television. Stuffing
So, is there any hope? Well… no.
your face and drinking copiously, just to occupy
In early 2015, a news article appeared saying that
yourself until you can finally go home and do
the Large Hadron Collider had confirmed the existence
something you want to do. Your symptoms may
of The Force. ‘WHAT?!’ you might exclaim. It was on
vary.
the CERN website, it was cited and dated, and it must
For me, this has been the case for the past
be true! Patience you must have, my young Padawan. If
three years, and since the death of my pets, I don't
you had been more observant, you might have seen
have an excuse for not staying over at my parent's
that the aforementioned date was 1st April.
claustrophobic and overheated house. This year,
That’s right. It was a prank by scientists.
however, I may have a solution, for the boredom
Damn. Everything’s more exciting in the movies.
anyway, and that solution is a board game. Board games, like bow ties, are cool and they
Hannah Evans
are made for Christmas. They bring people together in a fun and engaging way, employing various
Your Editor of Science & Tech is Hannah Evans. If you are interested in this section and would like to write for us, then email her at: science.concourse@gmail.com
knowledge
and
creative
employed
toward
thinking
some
skills,
celebratory @Co courseO li e
CC BY . I age edit: ua i
Table Football and the Art of Finals Revision Here is Part 4 of Simon Hickie’s series of articles about Keele in the 70s. You should check out the others on our website.
deflection from Lou Macari. Even then Lou Macari was having an impact on life at Keele, an impact which would be become all the greater when he took on Neil Baldwin as Stoke
I was cross. Very cross. I was in my final year and
City kit man in the early 1990s.
the exam timetable had just been published. It
Back in the 1970s, it was usual for one’s final
wasn’t so much that ten, three hour exams had been
degree classification to depend entirely on the results
crammed into eight days, or the fact that they
from ‘finals’ and perhaps a dissertation – Keele was
started on a Saturday and finished on a Saturday.
no exception.
No, the real issue was that the final exam
So, planning for 30 hours of examinations had
clashed with the FA Cup Final between Liverpool
to be pretty thorough. I have a vague memory of my
and Manchester United on May 21st 1977.
revision period lasting about eight weeks and this
As an Aston Villa supporter I had no affinity
would seem to accord with a final year teaching
with either team, but it was always good to see
timetable lasting to mid March. A strategy was clearly
Manchester United lose. In turned out that United
needed if I was to be successful and take my PGCE at
won 2-1, the winning shot coming from a
www.co courseo li e.co
Leicester University in September 1977.
Step one was careful analysis of past papers in
vital role in my revision programme. The tap-bang, pull shot and push shot were a
each of my ten modules. Some topics were a certain to feature in the exams, whilst others
were
more
randomly
selected. Therefore, I focused my
“The Students’ Union came into its own: table football, darts, snooker and pinball all played a
revision efforts on four solid
vital role in my revision
topics per paper with a fifth ‘emergency’
topic,
in
programme.”
case
standard stock in trade for the 1970s Keele table footballer. The experience gained led in my first job at a boys’ minor public school, where my table football partner and I remained unbeaten for a
something went horribly wrong with my question
term and a half. Until relatively recently, I even had a
guessing.
full size table football machine in our garage, until a
However, revision topic planning on its own was not going to be enough. What was needed was a
bad back and sciatica forced my retirement from the game.
further strategy to prevent revision fatigue and it’s
Simon Hickie
here that the Students’ Union came into its own:
(You can read the rest of this article on our
table football, darts, snooker and pinball all played a
website)
Campus News: Barnes and Hawthorns Development Update Here’s
all
the
latest
information
on
the
developments of the Barnes and Hawthorns Halls of Residence:
In response to the refusal for a planning application for the Hawthorns site, a new draft plan was drawn up in mid-September 2015.
After the circulation of this draft plan, a great deal of feedback was received and the proposals were further updated to incorporate as much of the feedback as possible.
The proposed improvements were focused on the setting of Hawthorns House, house styles and design, retention of important green space,
For more information, and to view the proposals in more detail, please visit: http://www.keele.ac.uk/estates/projects/ futureprojects/
and the retention of a greater number of trees.
There were no concerns raised about the
If you have any feedback or other enquiries,
proposed blocks in Barnes.
you should contact Jamys Peacock, Project
This latest version of proposals has been
Manager for the developments via email:
submitted as a planning application.
j.j.w.peacock@keele.ac.uk @Co courseO li e
ARTS & CULTURE
Shia LaBeouf and the 55 Hour Film Marathon Film buffs and the internet community were both confused and a little in awe of Shia LaBeouf’s latest publicity stunt. Whether or not you like Shia LaBeouf, one cannot deny he is a fascinating character. Is he mad? A genius? Or quite possibly a mad genius? Both sides could be argued considering his latest artistic venture. From the 10th to the 12th November, Shia LaBeouf invited the public to sit with him at the Angelika Film Center in New York and watch a marathon of his work in reverse chronological order. It lasted a staggering 55 hours, showing 20 films with free entry to all. Shia has been known to produce more bizarre pieces of art in New York, such as his ‘stylish’ bag head depicting the words “I AM NOT FAMOUS ANYMORE”,
which
he
also
wore
at
the
Nymphomaniac premiere in Berlin. This was followed by an art exhibition where he simply sat down in an empty room with the bag over his head. Reportedly, he didn’t say a single word, but people were allowed to remove the bag for authenticity that it was Shia underneath. However, this event failed to reach the same level of meaning and effect as his latest venture of Image credits: Live Stream / Shia Labeouf
“I AM NOT FAMOUS ANYMORE.” www.co courseo li e.co
screening all his films in three days. I tuned into Shia’s webcam not sure what to expect. Would the cinema be empty? Would Shia himself be doing something artistic whilst in front of the camera, such as painting a picture outlining his
ARTS & CULTURE
feelings and journey as he watched his own work? No. I was greeted with a cinema, which seemed
to me when watching this. Firstly, Shia is a child star
to be packed with people, and a slightly tired looking
and he is still working rather successfully today, with
Shia. This is an aspect of filmmaking that one does not get a chance to experience. We witness interview after interview with each respective film star, yet this always feels somewhat staged as the actor or actress must convey and persuade
“Some have called this epic Marathon an incredibly narcissistic venture for Shia, and they may have a valid
‘Fury’ receiving critical acclaim. Second, Shia was never laughing harder, nor more animated than when he was watching the ‘The Even Stevens Movie’ [though arguably he may have just gone insane with power naps: the only
point.”
thing sustaining him for three days].
viewers that what they have made is an excellent film,
Lastly, he created an online community
usually for promotional purposes. By pure probability,
through Twitter and Tumblr, who not only
this is not usually the case.
communicated by sharing posts and liking tweets, but
Some have called this epic Marathon an
actually bonded over the experience, some going as
incredibly narcissistic venture for Shia, and they make
far as to mourn the ending of the marathon and
a valid point. I was not aware until the second day of
worry about how they were going to cope with the
the marathon that an online webcam had been placed
loss.
directly in front of Shia, enabling an online audience
Not once was Shia rude to anyone who wished
to spectate as he watched his own films. It is on this
him to sign autographs. People brought him gifts
aspect of the experience I would like to focus on, as
which he graciously accepted, and while it could be
the results were quite fascinating.
argued that he had no choice given the constant
Twitter was extremely active throughout the
surveillance on his reactions, surely this would be
entire affair, constantly commenting on Shia’s mood,
harder to maintain after three days of constantly
his bathroom and food breaks and the positioning of a
watching yourself.
certain bespectacled man to his right, whose neck was apparently built to rest at a permanent angle, practically resting on Shia’s shoulder. Tumblr was also on the hunt of finding as many Shia photos as possible, creating reaction tiles and comparing them to each film he watched. The humour that arose from this marathon was actually quite
(You can read the full article on our website.) Oliver Hackett-Watson Been to the cinema lately? See a film or TV show that you thought was exceptionally brilliant or shockingly awful? We want to read your reviews!
COMING SOON:
witty: Kurt Cobain anyone? Several things occurred
Concourse Film & TV Podcast. Keep your eyes peeled!
Your Editor of Film & TV is Oliver Hackett– Watson. If you enjoy watching television, writing reviews or analysing films, then we want to hear from you! Shoot him an email at: film@concourseonline.com
@Co courseO li e
ARTS & CULTURE
that gets more than two-thirds of the way across the
conclusion. They vary in sophistication of course
board can be flipped over to denote new movement
and not all board games are for everyone.
and attack properties. So it plays like ‘Chess’ but with an
I would love to play ‘Dungeons and Dragons’ in my parent's conservatory, looking out over a snow
extra dimension, as players adapt their units to best suit their developing strategy.
covered lawn, with Bing Crosby's ‘White Christmas’
However, all of this is preamble to what I really
on the record player. Unfortunately, such a
have in mind. Instead of buying a new game, I plan to
comprehensive game is a lot to digest on top of
make my own. As an arts and crafts geek I have
roast turkey, stuffing and gravy. As such, simplicity
constructed dioramas, scenery and props for various
or 'pick-up and play' board games often work better
role-playing games. So, this December, I'm going to go
for festive occasions. These include Christmas
one step further and build a board game from scratch.
favourites like ‘Cluedo’, ‘Monopoly', 'Risk’, ‘Scrabble’
If you're into arts and crafts you know that there's very
and ‘Trivial Pursuit’. Other more child friendly games
little you can't cobble together from papier-mâché, hot
are less cerebral and more physical or creative, such
glue, paint and epoxy.
as ‘Charades’, ‘Guess Who?’, ‘Hangman’, ‘Jenga’ and
It has to be simple enough to pick-up and play,
‘Pictionary’, though these are more parlor games than
with a sense of excitement and strategy to the
board games.
gameplay. I'm still in the planning stages, but if you
‘Chess’, supposedly, rates quite highly for
have any suggestions or have even tried your hand at
Christmas, though I would avoid strictly two-player
game development yourself why not get in touch with
games, as they’re not very inclusive of the whole
me at gaming.concourse@gmail.com. Or, to display
family. If, however, you insist on playing in pairs you
some of your own handy work, get in touch with the
could always try your hand at ‘Shogi’. Often referred
Keele Crafts Society.
to as 'Japanese Chess', the game has a simple yet
Chris Wilton
I age edit: Meage
CC BY-NC .
strategically intriguing 'level up' system. Any piece
Your Editor of Gaming is Chris Wilton. If you’re interested in any aspect of the gaming world, get in touch: gaming.concourse@gmail.com
www.co courseo li e.co
CREATIVE WRITING
You Could Say You could say that you were the one to wake me:
Your Editor of Prose is Rachel Campbell. If you’d like to showcase your poetry or prose pieces, submit to: prose.concourse@gmail.com
The one who helped me fall in love with the sunrise
Writing Prompts
and the one who helped me appreciate the flowers.
Coursework can cause You're the gentle fire on cold November night,
a creative block so if
and the cool sea breeze under the mid July's sun.
you're struggling for some ideas about what to write then
You're the sip of wine that sends me into dizziness and the cause of this hangover I face daily. You're the one who can make me dance in utter silence And the only one I find laughter with in the darkness.
here are some things to prompt you. You don't have stick to these, they're only here to help you get some ideas:
While collecting extra stock
You could say you were the one to wake me,
from your store's warehouse,
But I prefer saying you're the reason I never sleep.
you learn why ignorance is bliss.
Rachel Campbell
It is 1.16am on Christmas day and you're still awake. You hear sleigh bells followed by a
Concourse Creative Writing Competition! Over the next few months, we are running a creative writing competition to find new talent at Keele. Entries can be either poetry or prose (word count for prose is 1,500). The theme to focus on: ‘Historical Keele’.
bang
coming
from
your
neighbours' house.
Retell a Winter holiday story in a modern setting.
Happy writing!
The winner will receive a Blackwell’s book voucher, as well as Concourse merchandise and a mystery gift! The winning piece will also be featured in our next issue. Send your entries to our Chief Editor of Creative Writing, Oliver Singleton: creative.concourse@gmail.com
Deadline: Sunday 31st January
I age edit: F ed ik Ru e sso
CC BY .
@Co courseO li e
Lads Mag: A Long Awaited Obituary Certainly a win for feminism, two prominent
At best, they'll be playing off past glories, the
‘Lads Mag’ publications are being discontinued
cache of brand loyalty; but the consensus seems to
in print format.
be that this branch of publishing is about to bow
It is with some personal conflict that I mourned the
out sooner rather than later.
passing of Zoo and FHM this week. Both titles are
So why feel conflicted? It is less sexism on
moving entirely online: the last nail in the coffin of
the shelves, allowing women of all ages to feel less
the 90s ‘Lads Mag’ craze. Some are saying they are
objectified in thousands of popular outlets across
two more victims of new media and online culture.
the country. This is a good thing, right?
When I heard this news on the radio the other
Even if it is an unintended consequence of
day, I had to stifle a chuckle. Growing up in the 90s,
shifting market forces, it is arguably a net-win for
I witnessed this craze in its prime and never really
most shades of feminism. Undoing the normalising
understood the rationale. If guys wanted to ogle
effect of the 90s and returning it to the quasi-
young women, why didn't they just buy porn?
private, self-exposed sphere where it rightfully
Some willing suspension of disbelief was at work back then, which somehow normalized the
belongs. No. My conflict comes from the wider
perception of sleaze in the public eye: a triumph of
narrative:
the dark arts of marketing.
sacrificed to our modern, digital, age. Though an
If you bought a copy of Nuts, Zoo or Loaded in
another
piece
of
tangible
matter
unsightly growth on the face of the industry, the
the 90s, you weren't just some wanker, you were one
decline and fall of ‘Lads Mags’ is a small reminder
of the lads, an honest geezer, a bloke, who knew what
of the general collapse of print media as it struggles
he liked and liked what he saw (sans penis). Just who
to renovate itself for the 21st century.
were they – we – kidding? A rose by any other name Chris Wilton
would have been just as clichéd. It is perhaps only fitting then that this phenomenon has fallen to the instant gratification of online content. Yes, that's the official
line.
Even
in
their
revamped online format, the publishers, Bauer Media (et al), are pessimistic about their long term prospects when forced to compete
directly
superabundance
with of
the well-
established alternatives. I age edit: )oo & FHM Cove s of i al issues
www.co courseo li e.co
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