The Demon - Issue 76

Win tickets to the opening night of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg at the Curve.

What's your Curve ID? Do you need help fitting into those perfect jeans?

Demon Page 4

Diablo Pages 4&5

Trip to Palestine DMU students are invited to An-Najah University Demon page 2

Issue 76

January 25 2011 The Newspaper of the Students of De Montfort University

Circulation 2,000

FREE

Thieves target smartphones Victoria Coffey & Naomi Marcus News Editors DMU students are being urged to remain vigilant following reports of an unknown cyclist targeting smartphone owners.

Over the past two months, a male thief has been focusing on DMU students as they walk around campus and the surrounding residential areas, unknowingly advertising their phones.

Of the twelve phones reported phones stolen, ten were iPhones. In every case, the snatcher, thought to be in his early twenties, has disguised his face using a scarf and hooded top. This makes it very difficult for him to be recognised, particularly due to the speed of his attacks, and so he remains at large, both in the city centre and around DMU. The thief cycles from behind and grabs the victim’s phone without warning before speeding away. Local police have stated they believe the man is becoming increasingly confident and is using his bicycle to escape quickly and unrecognised.

DMU campus police officer, PC Gail Warden, is advising students to be cautious, particularly in Bede Park, Jarrom Street and Grasmere Street.

She warned: “The cyclist may follow or monitor you to see what phone you’ve got — he’s after the nice ones.”

In the wake of the thefts, police are also urging students to register their phones with Immobilise.com, a free online property register. It gives people the opportunity to register their valuables, so that if stolen and later recovered, items can be returned to their rightful owners.

PC Warden also suggests that people make a note of their phone's IMEI

number to assist in recovering stolen phones. To find your unique IMEI number, dial *#06# and the code will appear on the screen.

One male victim was lucky to return home with his smart-phone after the cyclist took his phone but then dropped it on Jarrom Street.

As the attacks become more frequent, PC Warden’s advice is to keep your phone hidden when walking about, even in daylight, and to pay careful attention to who is about.

The Demon Team want students to stay safe and not put themselves at any unnecessary risk. Anyone with any information on these events should contact Leicester Police.

Staying safe • • • •

Keep your phone hidden Watch who's about Write down your IMEI number Register with Immobilise.com

Leicester Police (0116) 222 2222 DMU Security (0116) 257 7642 Left: The Demon team encourage DMU students to remain vigilant

2 | Tuesday 25 January 2011

News

Swine Flu Vaccine Shortage Unexplained Charlie McCulloch

Swine flu is a potentially deadly virus which usually affects the respiratory systems of pigs, however, in April 2009, it was found to have infected humans in Mexico. Swine flu, also known as H1N1, became a pandemic which slowed down in the spring of 2010, and was said to be relatively mild, despite the fact that people died. Since then, H1N1 has been off the agenda, until November last year when the virus once again reared its head. The World Health Organization has said that this is not another pandemic; rather it is circulating alongside normal seasonal flu.

50 people are said to have died so far from the current outbreak of swine flu, and almost 800 people are critically ill in hospital.

Despite the potential deadly nature of the virus, the vaccination programme has been causing many problems both locally and nationally.

The vaccine, as it stands is available for people in ‘high risk groups’, which include asthmatics, diabetics and pregnant women. However,

official figures show that just 27% of pregnant women have opted for the jab. The Health Secretary has come under fire for axing the flu campaign, usually shown in the Autumn, which warned people of the ease of spread, as well as the importance of having the vaccine for those in high risk groups.

It has also come to light that there have been shortages in the amount of vaccine that has been available this year. Family doctors suggest that this is because more people have come forward for the jab than last year. Dr Clare Gerada, chairman of the Royal College of GPs, said: ‘The problem is that many people who were not on our list may have come out of the woodwork – for example, carers who may not have realised that they were eligible for the flu jab. Also, people who refused the jab in October might now be coming forward.’

To cater for these extra people, the Department of Health has suggested that GP’s order from a stockpile of nearly 13 million injections which are left over from last year’s pandemic.

Pandemrix is a swine flu vaccine, which gives protection against H1N1, but will not protect against two other

strains of influenza which are also circulating this year, accounting for a third of all cases.

Government officials have said that there is no shortage of vaccines, but that they do not know where the remaining jabs are. Professor David Salisbury, the Department of Health’s director of immunisation, said: ‘I can’t tell you where every dose has gone... I find that the discrepancy between the total number of doses and the actual difficulty being experienced locally to be challenging and we need to do more to find out where this mismatch has occurred.’ GP’s order the jabs from manufacturers up to 8 months in advance, and base the number on the vaccines used in previous years, however this year shortages have been reported across the country suggesting that either more people have come to have the injection than in previous years, or that not enough vaccine has been ordered.

The News editor of the Demon, Victoria Coffey contracted swine flu which lasted for 2 and a half weeks.

She said: “I couldn’t get out of bed and it felt like I had a hangover all the time. I didn’t know what I had

until I read the news and realized that everyone seemed to be suffering with swine flu. I had dizziness, nausea, a sore throat, a fever and a severe headache.” Victoria had not been vaccinated against swine flu or seasonal. She also said she would consider getting vaccinated if it were to become routine for all members of society. Thankfully she is now fully recovered.

DMU visit to Palestinian University

Price of alcohol to rise

De Montfort University Students’ Union is planning a visit to AnNajah National University in the Second week of March.

The trip, organised and led by Azhar Maqsood (Deputy President Education) and Ally Akbar Ali (A student and the Presenter of the Policy).

This is in reference to the twinning motion passed by the student body, regarding human rights violations against the students and academic staff of An-Najah National University.

There are various important reasons that we should raise support for the students going to An-Najah university: To fulfil the Student Union’s obligation laid out from the twinning with An-Najah policy.

Supporting our students to endeavour

Jaymi-Lee Wilmin

support for Human Rights and justice.

To make the twinning policy work in practice, and to encourage our students to be pro-active about issues they care about. The interviews for the students to be selected will be taking place in the second week of February 2011.

Anyone interested in visiting AnNajah University should send their name, contact number and level of study to amaqsood@dmu.ac.uk, mentioning An-Najah in the subject line by Tuesday the 1st of February.

The government’s plans to put a base rate on the price of alcohol has been revealed.

The new proposal will mean that shops and supermarkets will no longer be able to sell alcohol below the rate of duty and VAT. A can of lager cannot be sold for less than 38p and a litre bottle of vodka for no less than £10.71 the Home Office revealed.

The government hopes to reduce the number of crimes and hospital visits. Petra Meier, professor or public health at Sheffield University, who conducted the research on behalf of the previous government, estimated that the new plans would save 21 lives a year and reduce hospital visits by 2400.

Home Office Minister James Brokenshire told the BBC: “Duty plus VAT is a basic definition of what the cost of those products are and we wanted something that was workable.

"The policy is an important first step and the government will continue to keep it under review.”

However, not everybody is as optimistic about the new plans. Professor Ian Gilmore, from the Royal College of Physicians, said: “It's a step in the right direction but I have to say, it's an extremely small step. It will have no impact whatsoever on the vast majority of cheap drinks sold in supermarkets.”

The British Medical Association supported the 50p-per-unit minimum, but the new Home Office’s plans are for a lower minimum price.

Don Shenker, chief executive of Alcohol Concern said: “Duty is so low in the UK that is will still be possible to sell very cheap alcohol and be within the law.”

Gemma Carey, a student at De Montfort University, said: “I don’t think it will affect people because if you’re going to drink then you’re going to drink. Look at how expensive petrol is, but if you want it then you just have to deal with it.”

The Home Office stated that, while setting a base price on alcohol is a start, cultural and social factors also need considering if the country is going to control its alcohol consumption.

News in Brief Demon TV website relaunch

The Demon TV website relaunch is finally here! On 24 January the much-anticipated student online broadcasting station revealed all the hard work put in by DMU students.

Part of its makeover included a brand new, re-designed website and whole new set of programmes. Dan Aked, Demon TV station manager said: “I am proud of my team and Demon TV. It has been amazing to see the station grow and improve this year. It really is coming into its potential.”

To mark the event the re-launch will have its own special night at the Student Union on 27 January at Kinky. The screens at the Union will be showcasing the new content. To reflect the New Year Demon TV really wanted to make everything fresh, General Managers, Kirsty Chalk and Lauren Bland said: "The re-launch is going to be awesome; there is some great new content that I think students at DMU will all really like.

It has a new face this year, and the new website is the space to check it out". To see the new station for yourself, go to www.demontv.co.uk.

DMU Islamic society raises over £11,000 for charity in just one week

In just seven days, DMU’s own Islamic society managed to raise an impressive £11,325.23 for orphans and needy children around the world.

At the end of October last term, a range of fund raising events were held including pool and computer game tournaments, social nights and talks. The tremendous effort put in from the society led to them gaining the title of regional winner for raising the largest total out of seventeen societies in the Midlands. For more information on charity week visit www.onecharityweek.com.

2 | Tuesday 25 January 2011

Features

Belated Christmas surprise?

Would you like the gift of diabetes this year?

Yasmin Duffin

Christmas has come, gone and after days of lounging and extreme calorie intake, it is back to reality.

A time of turkey, mistletoe and presents, not to mention the Mrs dressing up in that special number that only comes out once every 12 months.

Although many men around the country may have received a more unexpected gift this year: Type 2 Diabetes.

Excessive consummation of alcohol and treats during the festive season has reportedly put thousands at risk of developing the life-long condition.

Practice Nurse, Elaine Duffin, who specialises in Diabetes Care and Education warned: “Over indulging at Christmas can often tip men who are at risk of getting diabetes, over the edge.

Often, men use the excuse that they ate and drank too much but if they are still feeling lethargic towards the end of January, the light should switch on that something’s wrong.”

But then there is the head banging

hassle of going to the doctors, right?

Painfully stuck in a queue at reception for what seems like forever, to sit impatiently in the waiting room, listening for your name to be called out through the muffled speaker.

Why bother?

Well it is that or the possibility of leaving the condition too late.

In the worst case scenario, diabetes can lead to blindness, a heart attack, or even a stroke.

But if the very idea of seeing a doctor is all too much, most local chemists are offering on site tests.

Elaine added: “I know men do not like coming to the doctors in general but they should go straight away, it could after all, be nothing.”

A common misconception is that Diabetes only occurs when people are greatly overweight and unhealthy.

Yes, being ‘apple-shaped’ is a general warning that there is a risk, however, fit, healthy men who are in shape should definitely not ignore symptoms.

Take Sir Steve Redgrave for example. The Olympic Gold

Medallist, now 48, was diagnosed with the condition at the age of 35 as he entered his rowing career.

Look at him now: fantastic five Olympic Gold Medals, three Commonwealth Games gold medals and nine Gold World Championship medals.

If the condition is controlled, the world does keep spinning.

Elaine explained: “What men have to realise is that a diabetic diet is not rocket science. It is how we should all be living our lives: smaller portions, less fats and sugars and more exercise”.

Colin Dexter, a hockey coach from Rugby was diagnosed with the condition at the age of 40.

As a life-long hockey player, who has always kept on top of his health and fitness, Colin admits he was initially in denial when he was first diagnosed, “I refused to believe it. How could a fit and healthy guy have diabetes?

“But once I had got my head around it, controlling the condition became simple.”

Understandably, having the ‘D’

word might be scary.

Just compare diabetes to a technical problem in a car: it has gone to

the garage and once the problem is diagnosed and controlled, the journey can carry on smoothly.

What is Type 2 Diabetes?

Symptoms

Facts

Diabetes is when the amount of glucose in your blood is so high the body cannot use it properly.

Type 2 Diabetes is when the body can make insulin, just not enough, or the insulin that is produced does not work properly.

Insulin is a hormone that allows glucose to enter the body, which provides us with energy.

So, if there is not enough insulin or it is not working properly, glucose starts to build up in the blood and does not allow the body to use it as fuel.

Tiredness Falling asleep often, especially after big meals.

Thirst or dry mouth.

Passing urine more often than normal, especially at night.

General itching or regular reoccurrence of thrush.

Erectile dysfunction.

Blurred vision.

Unexplained weight loss.

Slow healing of cuts and wounds.

There are 2.8 million people diagnosed with diabetes in the UK. Approximately 850,000 people have the condition but do not yet know it.

You are at higher risk if a close member of your family has diabetes.

You are at higher risk if your waist is over 35 inches for Asian men and over 37 inches for white or black men.

You are at higher risk if you have high blood pressure or have had a stroke or heart attack.

Tuesday 25 January 2011 | 3

Features

Online dating – not just for the odd With the internet being used more and more as a social networking tool, is online dating a good way of finding the love of your life?

Lauren Harrison

It was on New Year’s Day, whilst I was busy spectacularly winning an intense game of Scrabble that I saw the advert for a free weekend on the site EHarmony. Clearly targeting the singletons that had made it their New Year’s Resolution to find a partner, the site promised to do the hard work for them. Being one of those irritatingly smug people who is coupled up, I’d never really paid any attention to any of these websites until my 12-year-old cousin piped up that he suspected that ‘loads of crazies are gonna join now.’ Good point. Now I’m interested.

But what is the appeal of online dating? Surely the only people who join are geeks and weirdos?? It’s a well-known fact that anyone can remain anonymous over the net and therefore no one can ever be sure who they’re talking to, so why is our generation living the era of Facebook and MySpace?

In 2009, teenager Ashleigh Hall was raped and murdered after meeting a ‘boy’ she’d befriended on Facebook.

That boy turned out to be a 32 yearold man who had befriended Ashleigh solely to kill her. Her death drew widespread criticism from parents and campaign groups that Facebook lacked adequate security controls that could have prevented this. So what is the appeal that online dating holds? According to responsesource. com 52% of British men and 48% of women have used the Internet to find a date, with nearly one third of singles (29%) believe it’s a great way of finding love.

Finding the subject really hard to get my head around I decided to ask people who had tried the site themselves. My best friend (who shall remain nameless) told me that since she’d left Uni and entered the world of the graduate-with-the-crap-job land, she’d found it harder and harder to meet a guy who wasn’t after one thing. “As long as you avoid the sites where people just join for a one night stand, then why shouldn’t you meet someone nice?”

I decide that the only way I can really understand this, is to become a member myself.

Day one

Now being a fully-fledged member, with a fake alias under the belt, I painstakingly fill out my info, and there’s a lot. I’m not only asked basic

details but asked about religious beliefs (none) medical history (nothing exciting) and if I’d be happy to ‘accept any children my partner may or may not have’. It’s surprisingly easy to lie. The only thing the website asks for is an email, which anyone, who is vaguely technical, knows is not exactly hard to fake. I upload an old picture from 6th form (circa blonde hair… yeesh) and away I go. It doesn’t take long. Within an hour I receive a ‘communication request’ from David. He tells me I look cute and would love to talk. For a moment I’m girly and giggly, till I realise that 24-year-old David from Derby is just as capable of being 52-year-old Greg from Mansfield (Anyone see Hollyoaks recently??) I decide not to reply. Not long after there’s another.

This time I don’t reply purely from forgetfulness. By the time I next check, there’s a further 18 emails.

Goodbye David from Derby.

Day two

It’s Edd, from Luton I get talking to next. He seems nice and tells me that he doesn’t get to meet a lot of women as he works long hours and has a two year old. I decide to be honest and tell him why I’m really on the site. He doesn’t believe me and tells me not to be embarrassed.

Day three

I get talking to ‘Tom’ from Liverpool to see if my cynical views on Online Dating are true. He seems nice enough. He claims to be blonde (not my type), a rugby player (could be persuaded) and rather tellingly an engineering student at Loughborough University. Proximity is apparently the basis behind our ‘connection’ according to EHarmony. We chat for a couple of hours about generic things (films, music, uni etc…) until he asks the fatal question “Do you fancy meeting for a pint.” Errrrm….

Day four

Usually on a date, I would try harder with my appearance. This would probably involve a consultation with my housemates, an evaluation of my wardrobe and if I really liked the guy, a dash up to Topshop (Thankfully only a 10 minute walk from my house). As I don’t regard this as an actual date it’s just a tunic and leggings. Hair is being bizarre as usual but I am at least wearing make-up to try and give the impression that I have not just rolled out of bed.

I arrive at the pub early as I want to make sure that it’s busy enough in case things turn nasty and sit as close to the bar as possible. I keep my promise to keep people informed of my movements and text the boyfriend and three friends to let them know I’ve arrived.

Tom arrives with a couple of minutes to spare. It turns out he wasn’t lying about being blonde, or about being 25. Whether he’s actually a student remains a mystery, but if he isn’t, he’s definitely done his civil engineering homework. For a few hours it’s actually relatively nice and I almost forget that it’s in some ways a setup just to see whether a typical guy who uses online dating sites can be trusted.

This one seems to have passed the test. After a couple of hours, I make my excuses and leave.

Several days later…

To conclude my few days as an ‘online dater’ I generally found that whilst my theory that everyone you meet on the net is a psycho is not entirely accurate, it’s something that is not for me. After my ‘date’ with Tom, I received an email from his girlfriend asking me to please stay away from her boyfriend. Mistress is definitely not a tag I want so I politely responded that I most certainly would. I am tempted to add that I was never actually interested in her (scumbag) boyfriend, but then that probably wouldn’t have achieved anything.

Whilst I still don’t think I’ll be tempted back into the virtual romantic world, it’s nice to have my cynical views proved wrong… well sort of. I read the blog of a girl I know who a few days after ending my experiment who says that over the

course of several years she has made good friends through various sites so it’s clear not everyone has an agenda.

Obviously anyone can hide who they really are but it seems that’s going to happen anywhere. I have however learnt some things from this.

Top Tips Don’t use screen names like “bigDaddy”: It’s wrong for many reasons.

Don’t arrange a date too quickly and definitely not without telling people.

Use a picture that is both you and was taken recently. A year agogreat. 10 years ago- not so great.

And a personal pet peeve of mine – don’t use text speak.

Cn ppl rly nt h8 ths??!

4 | Tuesday 25 January 2011

Fashion

What's your Curve ID? Holly Smith

Just about every fashion magazine and blog worth a mention has been praising it and now, The Demon is too. A denim revolution has begun so...what is your Curve ID? Holly Smith investigates.

So, it’s that time of the year when you have taken to wearing tights and leggings over jeans because of that

dreaded Christmas bulge. For the fifth time this week you have stared at the jeans in your wardrobe and decided against wearing them because they are just not right. Then the dreaded thought passes through your mind.

You are actually going to have to go denim shopping, and you already know that after six hours, nine shops and undressing twenty times you are going to walk away empty handed

and disappointed. You clearly haven’t heard of Curve ID. We all know how hard it can be to find the one; that perfect pair that you want to live in and shout about from the rooftops. In fact Levis found that 87 percent of women wish they could find jeans that fit better and just 28 percent believed jeans were designed to fit their bodies. So, being the denim experts that they are and with over

100 years of experience under their belt, they sat up, took notice and done something about it. In the biggest piece of global fit research in history 60,000 women’s bodies were studied in high tech 3D body scanners, and the outcome? Three fits made to sung, hug and flatter the curves of 80 percent of the population. Three key fits build the structure of the range, and around thiscolours, styles and sizes can be decided

by you. Whether you’re a Slight curve, Demi curve or Bold curve you are sure to find something you will love and treasure for a lifetime.

Does it really work, how do you know what my Curve ID is and is it all a painfully long process of measuring my wobbly bits? I went to the Levi’s store in Highcross shopping centre where I met Siobhan Cooper, a Curve Consultant to find out more...

Holly: So tell me a bit about Curve ID. Siobhan: Curve ID is a revolutionary concept designed by Levi’s, born out of the fact that women struggle to find the perfect pair of jeans. 60,000 women’s figures were measured in 3D body scanners and we came up with three new fits; Slight curve, Demi curve and Bold curve. At the moment they are all low waisted but new classic waist styles are being released this spring/summer.

H: What’s the difference between Curve ID and other jeans?

S: The Curve ID jeans will give you a better fit on your hips, bum and thighs because they are all tailored to your individual shape. The denim is also softer giving you extra comfort without going baggy over time. The height of the back of the jeans varies depending upon your curve meaning they hug your figure and stop you getting that dreaded builders bum!

H: So what would be the benefit of switching from other high street brands?

S: You get a perfect fitting pair of jeans that are great quality and long lasting. They are all handmade so know two pairs will be the same. As well as a large choice of on trend colours and styles, you also get the versatility to wear them during the day or night.

H: How do I know what curve I am?

S: It’s all to do with the ratio between your hip and seat measurement. If the difference is 0 – 3 ½ inches you will be a Slight curve. 3 ½ to 5 inches, you will be a Demi and if your difference is more than 5 inches you will be a Bold.

H: Will you measure me in store and how long does it take?

S: Yes you can come into the Highcross store, or any of our stores across Europe, and our fully trained staff will be happy to measure you. We simply pop a ribbon with two tapes fixed at the sides around your waist. Four inches from your waist is your hips and this is our first measure. Eight inches from your waist is your seat, this is our second measure. The difference between the two gives us your Curve ID. All this is done in a matter of minutes.

H: What if I don’t feel comfortable being measured. Can’t you still find my Curve ID? S: Yes we can! Simply tell us the problems you have when finding jeans and we can estimate your Curve. If your jeans tend to gape at the back try a Bold. If they are too tight at the hips and loose in the leg try a Slight. If you find that jeans fit ok but are just unflattering, head towards the Demi section.

H: What if I have been measured and can’t remember my Curve?

S: We have ID cards for you to pop into your purse so you will never need to be measured twice. Just ask one of the specialists in store to get you one sorted.

H: Which pair of Curve ID jeans would you recommend to a fashion conscious student on a budget of £75?

S: After a quick measurement I would recommend some Demi cure skinny jeans for you. The original price is £90 but with our 20 percent student discount they are only £72, making them £3 under budget!

H: What other new products do you have in store to go with the Curve ID jeans?

S: This spring/summer we will be seeing a lot of polka dots creeping into the range and my personal favourite is a red button down shirt with small white dots.

Showing off their curves; from left to right, Slight, Demi and Bold

Tuesday 25 January 2011 | 5

Fashion Demi Curve bootcut fit (also in Bold)

Demi Curve Skinny Fit

Demi Curve Skinny Fit (also in Bold)

rec Levi' om s me nd

!

Demi Curve Skinny Fit (also in Bold)

Slight Curve Skinny Fit (also in Demi)

Demi Curve Straight Fit

8 | Tuesday 25 January 2011

Advertorial

House Hunting Made Easy!

It’s that time of the year when all students’ thoughts turn to a new house for 2011/12. Nervous about finding somewhere to live for next year? Worried that you’ll make a mistake you’ll regret?

Don’t worry – follow the steps below and they will lead you to a stress free housing situation!

Your aim should be a property in good repair, with the correct safety checks in place, from a landlord who will fix repairs quickly and will not try to keep your deposit unfairly. How to achieve this?

Read on…

Take your time Do not panic when looking for accommodation. Think about what sort of property you want (halls or a house) and who you will live with carefully. Don’t rush into taking the first house you see; see several places so you can choose what would be best for you.

Signing up too early for a property means there is more time for problems to arise. For example, you may decide not to return to DMU, you may be forced to take an interruption or you may no longer want to live with the people you have signed up with.

If any of these are the case, it will be very difficult to get out of the contract and you will have to pay for the accommodation even if you’re not living there.

Finding a property The standard of service and care you get will be different depending on the individual lettings agency or landlord you decide to sign with.

Look around several providers and compare them. Ask around your friends – who do they rent from?

Are they happy with them?

The Students’ Union has its own lettings agency DSU Lettings www. dsulettings.com which you can rent a private property from. The agency does not charge any admin fees unlike other agencies and the properties are regularly inspected for their quality.

Examine the house closely Make sure that the property meets all your requirements.

Consider who will be living there and think about all of the group’s needs. Many landlords will agree to provide more furniture or to decorate the property before you move in – ask and see what you can negotiate. If you have agreed anything extra, get this written into

the contract before you sign.

Use the WEC checklist when you are viewing properties (collectable from our reception or on the Students’ Union website). This will help you to not miss anything when you’re looking at houses.

Speak to the current tenants – what’s their opinion of the landlord and would they rent from them again?

Take time to read the contract and get it checked Always ask to take any contract you are being asked to sign away to read through. You should be allowed to have at least 24 hours to examine the agreement and if an agent or landlord will not allow you to do this, think twice about agreeing to the property. Never allow yourself to be pressured into agreeing there and then.

If possible, bring the contract in to be checked by one of our advisers in the Centre before signing.

You need to understand exactly what you are agreeing to – remember by signing, you are agreeing to a legal contract and it will be virtually impossible to change your mind later. Never agree to a contract if you are unsure. Be sure you are happy before you agree to a contract.

Do you know what you are agreeing to?

Most tenancy agreements will be for a fixed term. This means that you will not be able to leave the agreement unless there is a clause which allows you to give notice (this is rare), the owner/agent agrees to release you or you find a replacement tenant for your room.

Unless one of these points apply you will still remain liable for the rent even if you leave the property.

Joint agreements

Most tenancies will be joint agreements where one contract

is signed by the whole group. The law looks upon the tenants in a joint tenancy as one legal person and this means that all tenants are responsible to pay all of the rent. If one of your group doesn’t pay, you are liable for their share as well as yours and you could be chased by the landlord for this.

With individual contracts the situation is reversed. You will only be liable for your own rent but the landlord has the right to fill a vacant room without having to get your permission. This is because your tenancy will be for your individual room and not the whole house unlike a joint tenancy.

Tenancy Deposit Protection Scheme The Tenancy Deposit Protection Scheme places an obligation on landlords to protect tenants’ deposits. The Tenancy Deposit Protection Scheme offers greater protection to tenants and allows disputes to be dealt with by the schemes much more quickly and cheaply.

Landlords or agents should provide you with details as to how the deposit has been protected.

Furthermore, landlords can be taken to the County Court if the deposit has not been protected and a court can award three times the amount of deposit to you. Recently the courts have decided that to get this, the deposit must remain unprotected on the day of the hearing. Seek further advice if your deposit has not been protected.

Landlords will need to provide justification to the scheme if they want to keep tenants’ deposits at the end of the tenancy but it will still be important to make sure that you create and keep safe evidence of the condition of the property when you moved in and out. Make sure you carry out an inventory when moving in and out and take pictures of the property so that you have proof of its condition. This

will be your evidence to prove you should get your money back.

Moving in

When the time comes to move in, check with the landlord that everything is ok with the property a few days before you are to return and if you haven’t already done so, sort out collecting the keys.

Notify the gas/electricity/telephone/ water authorities that you are the new occupants in the property and open your own accounts. If the last tenants didn’t pay the bills when they left, you may get lumbered with their bills without your own accounts. One person should not make themselves liable for all the bills Obtain a Council Tax exemption certificate from the Academic Registry and deliver it to the Leicester City Council offices. Keep a copy of this before submitting it to the Council.

Immediately inform your landlord of any disrepair by telephone and follow this up in writing keeping a copy of the letter.

Hopefully if you have followed this advice you should have ended up with a great house for the year. Sit back and relax!

Advice is always available from the Welfare & Education Centre.

Check out our housing guide and our WEC property checklist available on our website and also from our reception.

Come and see us on the 1st Floor of the Campus Centre Building.

Opening Hours

Monday to Wednesday: 9.30am – 3.45pm Thursday: 9.30-6.30 (Term time only) or Thursday: 9.30-3.45 (Vacation) Friday: 1.00pm – 3.45pm Call in or telephone (0116) 257 6307 www.demontfortstudents.com

Tuesday 25 January 2011 | 9

Arts

On the CUSP of something new Anoushka Wroblewski Arts Editor

You may not think it, but DMU’s Fine Art course is budding some pretty serious, ambitious players and Diablo's Arts section has been engaged by two of them, Daniel Kelly and Jack Squires, about their intriguing new gallery venture and partnership, CUSP. To begin with, obviously, what is CUSP? What’s it about?

Daniel Kelly: It’s a visual arts organisation based in Leicester. We want to promote and encourage contemporary art in Leicester.

Jack Squires: It’s selective as well.

We’re not going to show anything we get handed in. It’s a taste of what the City Gallery used to be, before it became a pound shop.

DK: We want it to be critically engaging. It was up to us to do something to get contemporary art taken seriously in Leicester.

What does “CUSP” mean?

DK: We were trying to think of material kind of words because we thought there’s going to be a lot of sculpture and people who are interested in the physical world.

JS: It’s like you’re eating something when you say it. You use your jowls.

It’s quite a confusing word. My friend asked me what it meant but I didn’t have an answer for him; it’s just a word.

DK: Yeah, we liked the way it looked in capitals.

So would it be correct to say that you’re striving for professionalism more than “hobby artists” or for ventures that encourage everyone “get involved/be creative”?

JS: Yes. I don’t speak for both of us but I believe Leicester is a city that doesn’t take the fine arts seriously, like bigger cities with a more established art scene like London, Birmingham, and more recently Nottingham. The only contemporary gallery we have has now been turned into a pound shop. It’s quite a dire message for the arts in Leicester.

DK: I think I definitely encourage people to get involved with creativity.

It’s a really good thing for people to have that in their lives and that there are venues to encourage it. But I think in terms of us getting Leicester to be a contemporary art city we do want to be selective.

JS: To be taken seriously you have to be selective.

What’s a venture like this going to do for the city and for students?

JS: It’s a learning curve for us. It probably won’t do anything for the city as its a short program with only 6 exhibitions but we see it as a stepping stone for us as first hand experience for running a gallery space.

DK: We think it’s a really good Fine Art course in Leicester that people don’t stay on afterwards. We hope that it would encourage other students to do something similar.

How did you decide on your final group of participants?

JS: we chose artists who predominantly practice in sculpture or installation because that’s what we’re interested in and that’s what our work revolves around. And also whose work we thought would be suitable for a professional gallery space. We weren’t impartial and it wasn’t based on any particular or current work, the artists are free to exhibit whatever they see fit. We don’t have complete control but we will help the artist decide what’s suitable.

How will you organise the participants?

JS: we sat down and discussed the order in which the artists would appear and roughly decided whose work would compliment each other.

DK: We thought quite carefully about who to pair up together.

Do you think the “cultural quarter” pipe dream of the council is dead?

JS: it’s not dead but it’s dying. They’ve done what they want to do with the cultural quarter by building Curve and relocating the Phoenix. They’re profitable organisations but I’ve not seen any contemporary art galleries or studios spring up. There’s nothing really cultural popped up there it just seems to be a fashionable thing to have a “cultural quarter” in a city. I don’t think there was much confidence in it from the start. It seems the council responded to people complaining about the lack of arts in Leicester by announcing they were going to develop a “cultural quarter” to shut us up. I think they’re looking in the wrong places. It hasn’t kicked off because they’re trying to cater for everybody.

DK: It’s the kind of thing you can’t make overnight. They’re trying to throw money at it but it won’t work for

The boys take a break from doing up the venue and two students' work which will be featured in the following weeks.

another few years. It needs to develop.

I think it’s maybe because they’re not willing or able to take risks about what kind of creativity to encourage.

They’ve decided to develop something for “creative businesses” but that’s a safe venture as it’s just another office building. I don’t think it’s necessarily the council’s fault though; the government have cut all council’s money.

Can projects like CUSP restore interest in art in the city?

JS: yes, they have the potential to. We aim to cater to those who are already informed about art, not like “art for change” or the council who aim to involve everyone. By doing this those who are interested are less enthusiastic with joining in these projects because they feel it’s not a worthwhile investment of their time. We aim to cater for those people.

DK: Yes. I think most people get some enjoyment out of contemporary art. If us doing this makes one person who sees it become enthusiastic about art then that would be really good.

Finally, any plans for what’s next?

DK: we hope to stay in Leicester after we’ve graduated and continue doing similar projects.

CUSP begins January 24th, in the former Silver News newsagents in Malcolm Arcade in the city centre. Admission is free.

Above: "Untitled" by Lloyd Hughes, various dimensions, coloured construction paper and blue tack Below: "Untitled" by Kerry Jackson, various dimensions, five slide projectors on continuous loop, table, colured slides

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Tuesday 25 January 2011 | 13

Lifestyle

Lucy loves... There's no place Whoopie Pie

like home

Lifestyle Editor Emma Baylis shows you how you can revamp your student digs on a budget:

Beauty blogger Lucy Partington is a third year Journalism student at DMU. Here she shares with you her favourite guilty pleasure: I think that this year, 2011, is going to be the year of the Whoopie Pie. 2010 saw the vast growth in Cupcake loving amongst bloggers, stationary designers and chefs alike. Everywhere you looked there were amazing Cupcakes, whether they were edible or purely for decorational purposes. And now I think it's time for the Cupcake to step aside and make room for the Whoopie Pie. Whoopie Pies are, according to Wikipedia (don't shoot me down), an American baked good that may be considered either a cookie, pie, or cake. It is made of two round mound-shaped pieces of cake, with a sweet, creamy filling or frosting sandwiched between them. Sounds good, huh? Here's the recipe:

004. Measure buttermilk into jug and add vanilla essence.

005. Pour into butter mixture and beat well.

006. Slowly add dry ingredients in 2 batches, mix until only just mixed in.

007. Stir in the chocolate chips.

008. Chill for 30mins and preheat oven to 180°C at this point.

009. Drop 18 large or 48 scoops of batter onto trays, 5cm apart.

010. Bake on shelf for 10-12 minutes 011. Put onto wire rack to cool

Ingredients 280g plain flour 1tsp baking powder 1 1/2tsp bicarb soda 1/4 tsp salt 125g unsalted butter, softened 100g caster sugar 100g light brown sugar 1 large egg 120ml buttermilk 1tsp pure vanilla extract 200g dark chocolate chips

Method 001. Melt chocolate over simmering water 002. Weigh all other ingredients into a bowl 003. Put the bowl over the water used to melt chocolate (water should be boiling for this part) and whisk until sugar has dissolved, the mixture is frothy and slightly opaque. Should take about 10-15 minutes 004. Remove bowl from heat and and use electric whisk or mixer until it is white/thick and holds its shape 005. Fold in the melted chocolate and use straight away 006. Put filling on one of Whoopies and sandwich together and enjoy!

Method 001. Line 2 trays with baking paper.

In a bowl, sift flour, baking powder and bicarb. stir in salt and set aside.

002. In a seperate bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, using an electric hand whisk or a wooden spoon.

003. Add egg and mix well

Marshmallow filling 100g dark chocolate, broken into small bits.

3 egg whites 150g caster sugar 2tbsp golden syrup 1tsp pure vanilla extract

You can find Lucy's blog at grazedknees.com.

Living away from home doesn’t have to mean bare walls and hideous orange curtains that you want to burn at the first opportunity. Whether you’re living in student halls or in a huge echoing eight-bedroom house off Narborough Road, there are ways you can brighten up the darkest of rooms, without blowing your student loan.

Firstly, try and bring as much of your stuff from your room at home as possible. Teddies, pictures, ornaments, anything that will make you feel like you’ve not left!

Then, when everything is in its rightful place you can start getting creative...

1. Bedding. Simple, yet so effective. It’s best to choose your bedding and work your colour scheme around this.

If you can, stick to bright colours, especially if your room is dark. IKEA, H&M and even most supermarkets have some gorgeous bed linen at really reasonable prices, for no more than a tenner. Cover your bed with cushions and a throw to make it that little bit more cosy.

3. Lighting: Bright lighting will make such a huge difference, more than you think. With the dark winter months feeling like they’ll never end, put up fairy lights and purchase a pretty lampshade. You’ll find that you’ll feel much happier (I’m sure we all suffer from the winter blues at some point each year) and in no time at all, Spring will be on its way.

4. For something that little bit different, make your own decorations to hang up around your bedroom, in the living room and in the kitchen. A great idea would be to make your own bunting from scraps 2. Walls: Nobody wants to be staring at a plain white wall all day; it feels dull, cold and impersonal. Cover this blank canvas with posters and photographs of loved ones.

DMU Campus Centre hosts a poster sale every so often where you can pick up some real bargains and PhotoBox offer 50 prints free on your first order.

of material that you can cut from old clothes or you can search through the material stall at Leicester Market and see what takes your fancy. You could also cut out pages from your favourite magazine to stick around your room.

5. Finally, make your room that extra bit warmer by getting a rug (you can purchase some good quality rugs at a great price from Wilkos). Believe it or not Primark have an absolutely brilliant Home department where you can pick up some lovely home furnishings cheaper than anywhere else. There are lots of ways you can make your room more homely, but what’s most important is that you make it your own.

14 | Tuesday 25 January 2011

Travel

Skiing for beginners Travel Editor James King enjoys a week on the slopes at Pamporovo, one of the cheapest resorts in Europe Weeks before leaving for our skiing holiday, we had been checking the snow reports daily. We were headed to Pamporovo in Bulgaria, and for a fortnight before we were due to leave there was nothing but rain. There was the occasional centimeter or two of snow but as we were flying to Sofia airport, I was worried it was going to be a wasted week. However, as we stepped off the plane, the snow had started to fall, and four hours later we arrived in a beautiful winter wonderland.

Arriving at a cheap foreign hotel is usually a grim experience. And it’s made even worse when it is two in the morning and you’re starving, because all you’ve eaten in hours is dodgy plane food and you are absolutely shattered from the four hour transfer on a dirty Bulgarian coach, with a couple of incredibly annoying children talking as loud as possible about the advanages of

Quavers over Hula-Hoops, with Grandad sitting next to them shouting in to his phone, promising their mother that he would keep them safe, as I try to catch just a couple of minutes sleep.

To be fair to the hotel, they did attempt to feed us by supplying some incredibly questionable brown meat between a couple of slices of hard bread. And the room was very clean and comfortable, and luckily, by morning, there was even more snow and our holiday was starting to pick up.

Our holiday was booked through Crystal, whose posters and banners plastered all over the resort tell you that they’re the “UK’s Number 1 Ski Operator.” Considering they’re the only one I’ve ever gone through, I would have to agree. They were very efficient on the first morning in getting our skis, boots and passes ready for us, and we were on the first lift up by 9 o’clock. As with any

The Main Green Run at Pamporovo

skiing resort the views were amazing.

From the ski lift we could look down on the resort centre and see for miles across the mountains.

The skiing was good. It was still snowing and almost all of the runs were open. My pretty poor skiing meant I was sticking to the greens, snow ploughing my way down the mountain with crazy Bulgarian children bombing past me, but for the first couple of days that was plenty to keep me interested.

Pamporovo is the one of the best places in Europe, and possibly the world for beginners, as long as there’s plenty of snow on the ground.

The main green run is over 4 kilometers long and varies a lot in speeds and inclinations. It’s also very easy to branch off onto a blue or red run and at some point end up back on the green so you can ease your way into the more difficult runs. Of course the downside of this is that you can also end up on

the red runs by accident and see your life flash before your eyes as you accelerate at a heart stopping rate, and somehow manage to slow yourself down just before smashing into a group of tables outside a small café on the slopes. Looking back up the run I had just come down, I saw my friend who had followed me slowly walking sideways down the mountain, obviously not keen on taking the same terrifying route as I had seconds before.

Lunch on the mountain was one of the best parts of the week. All the restaurants and cafes on the mountains were incredibly cheap and were all clean and comfortable enough for a relaxing hour of stuffing your face with cheap but delicious pizza. The dinner at the hotel was a different story. All the reviews on Trip Advisor suggested we wouldn’t have anything to worry about when it came our breakfast and dinner, which was included with the hotel price, but it was some of the worst hotel food I’ve ever had. Breakfast wasn’t too bad, but I’m glad we didn’t have to pay any extra for the dinner. The sauna, hot tub and steam room in the hotel partly made up for this, just what was needed after a day falling down mountains.

There was also a great bar in the resort, specialising in incredibly strong cocktails. They were made by a slightly crazy bar maid, but were delicious and cheap at around three pounds each.

By the end of the week, we were getting more confident in our skiing ability. The red run I had accidentally flown down on the first day was now

one of my favourites, and as we got better, so did the resort. The routes that we were now able to go down were amazing for relative beginners, blue and red runs were now our standard and it was black runs we were unwillingly flying down. You may think that Bulgaria is solely for beginners, but there were plenty of the red and black runs, including “The Wall”, which is a near vertical drop. So if you are more experienced and want a cheap skiing holiday, then Pamporovo is well worth considering.

I’m sure I’d return to Pamporovo.

It is more suited to beginners, but the cheap ski passes (£72 for the week, compared to £150 - £200 for Mayrhofen in Austria,) and the clean simple hotels can’t be beaten for value for money. And I only fell over twice the whole week, so I was pretty pleased. Even more so when I saw two crazy Bulgarian children crash into each other and take down a snowboarder in the process. And, whilst waiting at Sofia airport, (the worst airport in the world by the way) I happened to see a certain child from our outbound transfer sitting in a wheelchair, with her leg in a cast. Grandad had obviously failed in keeping that promise he'd made. I thought I could buy her some Quavers to cheer her up but unfortunately, all they had was Hula Hoops.

Diablo Travel is always looking for contributors. Email James with any ideas or articles you have at p09252430@myemail. dmu.ac.uk

16 | Tuesday 25 January 2011

Music

Heavy snow with chances of a ‘Hurricane’ The US rockers 30 Seconds to Mars cause a storm at the Birmingham NIA, 1st December 2010 Gemma Harling

The band has had a mammoth year with two world tours, a Download festival performance, winning a MTV EMA award for Best Rock Band and a MTV VMA award for Best Rock Video. Nothing could have stopped 30 Seconds to Mars in their attempt to make 2010 year of the Echelon, and the biggest year of their musical career. Was it just one step too far?

First band of the evening was a trio from California, Funeral Party. The indie/rock band was not originally on the bill to support 30 Seconds to Mars, therefore a surprise to most of the audience. Funeral Party had a similar sound to 30 Seconds to Mars but lacked in on-stage personality affecting the reception they received from the still spectators. Being an unknown and unexpected addition to the line-up, the band did not receive the positive response they were hoping for. The next band was the announced support which, by the greeting they received, was very popular with the Birmingham crowd. Enter Shikari, post-Hardcore rock ravers from St Albans took the

NIA stage, strobe lighting and techno beats at the ready. Stirring mosh-pits as they played tracks such as, ‘Sorry You’re Not a Winner’ and their newest single, ‘Destabilise’. Vocalist, Roughton 'Rou' Reynolds, climbed up the lighting stand at the side of the stage and ran around like a man possessed as the band truly warmed the crowd which, he himself claimed, was their job. Enter Shikari played last year at the Reading and Leeds festivals, managing to fill the NME tents. Therefore, they were certainly able to play before an arena sized crowd, keeping their charisma whilst performing. With adrenaline pumping through their veins, the audience was now ready for 30 Seconds to Mars.

After the long interval the ‘cult’ was ready for their leaders to arrive on stage. Intense drumming could be heard from behind the white curtain complemented by flashing lights darting around the hidden stage. This wait seemed to drag on longer than needed; the anticipation in the arena was already high without this added delay. Finally the curtain was pulled down, revealing an electric blue haired Jared Leto to the hungry crowd.

‘Escape’ opened the set followed by

‘Night of the Hunter’ two tracks off their most recent album ‘This is War’.

Those who had not seen the band tour earlier this year would perhaps not have noticed that Jared’s vocals were slightly off when it came to the next song, ‘A Beautiful Lie’, the title track of their second album. It was clear, however, to those who had seen them previously, that a year of nonstop touring has affected Leto’s voice. The normally hair-raising notes were not being reached. It also seemed that the audience were asked to do the bulk of the singing, giving Leto time to recover. Jared’s voice had either been temporarily damaged by illness or touring fatigue, nevertheless he turned up and performed to his fans which some lead singers would not have done. For what he lacked, that night, in vocal ability he made up for in onstage personality; acting as a true leader, commanding the seated to stand and the standing to go crazy. As part of Jared’s get-fit scheme he made the entire audience jump to every song, adding in the occasional pumping of fists to work the arms.

The drumming from Shannon Leto was as impressive as it always has been; his passion visible through his

art. Shannon was able to give the ordered audience something to jump to. Tomo Miličević gave a great performance on lead guitar, sometimes joined by Jared to produce the classic and new riffs of 30 Seconds to Mars.

Later in the set, Jared took to the stage solo, playing some of the older 30 Seconds to Mars tunes acoustically, ‘Echelon’ and ‘Capricorn (A Brand New Name)’ both tracks from their self-titled album.

He then went off on a tangent playing Lady Gaga’s ‘Bad Romance’ acoustically, encouraging all to join in with the cover. Jared achieved inspiring vocal diversity when singing this chart hit.

A patchy ‘The Fantasy’ ended the set before the encore; Leto stopping many times to tell the crowd to go

crazy, whilst sounding slightly out of breath when performing the track.

At the end he stood center stage under a spotlight, acting as a volume switch to the audience’s screams.

Raising his arms made them louder and lowering his arms made them quieter. Leto then had fun with this power rapidly waving his arms up and down, screams distorted as he exited the stage. The band returned to perform two songs for their encore, the first was ‘Hurricane’, before which Jared mentioned the banning of the highly controversial new video for the song, comparing it to the news which shows explicit scenes every day. The last song of the evening was the popular ‘Kings and Queens’. Jared invited several members of the audience to join the band onstage to create the unity the song reflects. Although this gig seemed like a puddle reflection of the tour earlier this year, the band did well with creating an exceptional atmosphere. The lighting effects used added to the dramatic appearance of the set, which also included a giant model of their triangle ‘This is War’ symbol. Nothing has changed Leto’s charisma and audience interaction, however, a break for the band is well overdue.

If your interested in writing for music, contact ktbowley@ hotmail.co.uk!

Tuesday 25 January 2011 | 17

Music

Editor's Reviews and Debuts Katie Bowley looks at what's hot and what's not in the music world today Upcoming Gigs 03/02/11 - MODA (Annie Mac, Fenech Soler and others) @ 02 Academy 11/02/11 - Formation (Nero, DJ Hype. DJSS. Warren G & Others) @ De Montfort Students Union

Muse Baby Blues?

After a short lived relationship of 9 months, Muse frontman Matt Bellamy is expecting a baby with girlfriend Kate Hudson. Rumour has it Muse fans don’t want so much “Showbiz” attention towards their hero. Well, Mr Bellamy needs a life!

Parachute and Best Female Artist.

Also up for double is Take That with a nomination for Prestigious Album and Best British Group. My votes are with The XX with Best British Album and Arcade Fire to steal International Album.

CHIC guitarist Nile Rodgers has announced over networking site Twitter that he is fighting cancer. He has decided to have major surgery to try and remove the cancer; however the form of cancer is still unknown.

Producer, guitarist

13/02/11(7.30pm) - Leicesters best MC competiton (Gigs and Griminal) @ 02 Academy

Neon Trees

Brit Hits?

The nominees for this year’s Brit’s have been announced, and it looks like a good year for Ms Cole. Cheryl’s up for Best British Single with

How Many Albums?

Last year was extremely successful in accordance with new music, but this year it seems our old and favourite

Album White Lies - Ritual Jenny & Johnny Reviews **** I'm Here Now **

Nerinog increasingly popular,

Becom king ght out a crac Nero has bou a ’s It d You”. single “Me an ass, Drum and B of n io combinat you ctro, whatever Rock and Ele . want to call it

Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy ****

Jump on the Band Wagon

Guilty Hands

Electronic rock band Guilty Hands released this incredible single “Razor” from their forthcoming album “Desire on a Short Leash” scheduled for Valentine’s Day this year. The single is catchy, loud, sharp and vocal with an edgy stress of identity. Worth a listen if you like pulp 80’s rock. Watch out for the album, you won’t stop listening.

and song writing star Rodgers has had some of the biggest hits in R&B and Soul history, an absolute living legend.

Nile Cancer

13/02/11 - Joy Formidable @ 02 Academy

Electro Rock band from the Utah’s single “Anim al” has become progressively popular in the UK. Strange m ix between U2, Killers and We Are Scientists.

artists are producing albums left right and centre. I think there is a brilliant amount of anticipated albums this year, but why have these clever music producers not released the albums a little more sparsely, it seems 2011 will be a battle of the album chart every week. Look out for The Maccabees and Bombay Bicycle Club releases.

I am a big fan of White Lies, their last album “To Lose My Life” was a big hit. Reminiscent of 'Editors' with a punk, electro and alternative edge.

The recently released “Ritual” has been eagerly anticipated and the result is pleasing. Following the single “Bigger Than Us” their sound is similar to the past hits they have produced. The album consists of a loud and hollow sound, creating a dark monotonous feel. One would think why should I listen to something that is deemed depressive? No matter how their music looks to disappoint, it’s the unmistakable and attractive sound of Harry McVeigh’s resonant voice that creates that trendy indie feel.

Jenny and Johnny are an American couple, to whom found love within the same genre. Jonathan Rice and his girlfriend Jennifer Lewis have created a very post 60’s sound, very similar to that of country or folk, with a modern pop twist. With chemistry keeping this album together, the echoing melodic voice of Jenny, makes up the slightly boring feel of Jonathan Rice. As Rice’s solo album “o” was branded mundane and boring, this upbeat and tuneful album differs from the solo. If you like old country/folk music that has tried to keep up with the mainstream requirements, then go ahead and listen.

I’m not sure which genre you’d class this album as, but it’s certainly a mix of Hip Hop, R&B and electro pop.

With collaborations from Jay Z, Nikki Minaj and Rick Ross, it’s an album of pure genius lyricism. Rapping about some pretty detailed stuff, in “Hell of a Live” and creating another intense masterpiece with Rihanna with “All of the Lights”. An album of Listen out for POWER, with the similarity of catchy beats and gospel like backing of “Jesus Walks” This typical Kanye album will have you bobbing your head and forget where you are. It

disregards the washout that was a new sound of “808’s and Heartbreak” and brings back the classic Kanye sound.

Editor's Choice 1. White Lies – Bigger than Us 2. Adele – Rolling in the Deep 3. Two Door Cinema Club – What You Know 4. Bruno Mars - Grenade 5. Biffy Clyro – Booooom, Blast and Run 6. Rihanna and David Guetta – Who’s That Chick 7. Chase and Status – Blind and Faith 8. Mona – Trouble on the Way 9. All of the Lights – Rihanna & Kayne 10. Jessie J-Price Tag Check out our Spotify playlist at http://bit.ly/ hrrsJr

18 | Tuesday 25 January 2011

Film

The Demon Meets...

Film Editor Samantha Nicholson tracks the life of 'heart-throb' Colin Firth 2006 was the year of Pirates of the Caribbean 2, Da Vinci Code and Casino Royale in terms of high grossers.

An ‘indie’ release (I say it with inverted commas as it was still financed by a major studio, just not for a lot of money) of that year was Running with Scissors, a film based on the memoirs of Augusten Borrows, somebody whom has a photo next to the ‘messed up childhood’ definition of the DictionaryIJustMadeUp. What attracted me to this was that it is the film debut of Ryan Murphy, who made TV shows ‘Popular’ and ‘Nip/Tuck’ in which the episodes written/directed by him make up some of my favourite TV drama moments ever.

He also created a thing called Glee, which is apparently big in the states.

To describe the full cast would destroy my word limit, but consists of the always-brilliant-at-playing-amental-housewife Annette Bening, the gratuitously attractive Evan Rachel-Wood and Brian Cox in arguably his best performance ever.

It follows Augusten's (Joseph Cross) incredibly odd childhood from being given up for adoption by his mother to her psychologist (Cox) to his relationship with an older man (Joseph Fiennes; remember him?!).

I really enjoyed this film; it contains all the funny, clever scenes that make me adore Ryan Murphy’s writing/directing style which also comes with an awesome soundtrack as standard.

A great film that hits the right side of the ‘quirky’ on the indie genre box if you are a fan of Juno or similarly interesting dramedies I would highly recommend this film.

Colin Andrew Firth was born on September 10th 1960, to parents Shirley Jean (nee Rolles) and David Norman Lewis Firth in Grayshott, Hampshire.

The son of two teachers, Firth spent part of his childhood in Nigeria where his parents were teaching. He later attended the Montgomery of Alamein Secondary School, now Kings’ School, a state comprehensive in Winchester.

He went on to study at Barton Peveril College in Eastleigh. From an early age, Firth had musical ambitions, however his school banned the guitar and saxophone, saying they were not serious instruments, forcing Firth to learn the baritone euphonium instead.

He began his acting training at the Drama Centre, London.

Firth made his debut on stage in 1983 in the award-winning London stage production of Another Country.

This was quickly followed by his film debut in 1984, when he starred in the screen adaptation of the play. His television debut followed in 1986, when he starred with Sir Lauren Olivier in Lost Empires, the television adaptation of a J.B. Priestly novel.

Firth’s big break however came in 1995, 12 years after his career as an actor began, when he secured the lead role in the BBC adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

The role of Mr. Darcy, gave Firth his ‘heartthrob’ status.

His role as Mr. Darcy never truly left him, with his role as Mark Darcy, the object of affection for fictional journalist Bridget Jones. It is rumoured

Colin Firth in his role as Mr. Darcy in 1995's BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice

that he was cast in this role as an injoke. The in-joke however continues to some of Firth’s characters, including Geoffrey Thwaites, who in the film St Trinian’s kills a dog called Mr. Darcy.

Since starring as the debonair English gentleman, Firth has starred in a wide range of films from The English Patient (1996), What a Girl Wants (2003), Nanny McPhee (2005), A Christmas Carol (2009) and most recently The Kings Speech (2010).

He is currently expected to appear in the 2012 adaptation of the John Le Carre novel “Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy,” directed by Tomas Alfredson

and also starring Gary Oldman.

Firth is now not only an acclaimed actor on both big and small screen, he is also a writer, and published his firect work “The Department of Nothing,” in the short story collection “Speaking with The Angel” (2000).

Firth is a long standing supporter of various charities including Oxfam, Survival International and has his own political activism website, Brightwide. com along with his wife.

However Firth has one, not so secret ambition. After being a singer in Mamma Mia, a writer, silver screen and small screen actor, political

activist and father, Firth wants to be a stripper. According to NME, “I’d love to play a transvestite or a stripper in my next movie. I’m dying to be a transvestite or a stripper. They are roles that just don’t tend to come my way.” Firth hopes a role will come along, so that he can shed his serious acting persona.

Firth currently resides in Chiswick, London with his wife, Italian film producer/director Livia Giuggioli. The couple have been together since 1997 and have two sons, Luca (born March 2001) and Matteo (born August 2003).

Golden Globes 2011 Natalie Portman was one of the lucky few to walk away with a Golden Globe this year for her role as Nina Sayers in the Triller 'Black Swan.'

However the real triumph of the night was 'The Social Network'. Director and producer David Fincher, celebrated as the film walked away with four Golden Globes for Best Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Director and the highly sought after Best Motion Picture (Drama). 'The Social

Network' beat favourite to win 'The King's Speech.' Still Colin Firth's latest film won one award for Best Performance, beating Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network) and James Franco (127 Hours).

It was a dissapointing night for 'The King's Speech' overall, after being nominated for six Golden Globes, it only went home with one (a well deserved for Colin Firth.)

Other lucky winners on the night included 'The Kids Are All Right' which walked award with two Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture (Comedy/Musical) and Best Performance by An Actress (Comedy/Musical) for Annette Bening. Annette beat out Angelina Jolie (The Tourist) and Emma Stone (Easy A).

Suprisingly Johnny Depp went

home empty handed this year, after being nominated twice in the Best Performance by an Actor (Comedy/ Musical) for his roles as The Mad Hatter (Alice In Wonderland) and The Tourist. He lost out to Paul Giamatti of Barney's Version.

On the television front, the cast of Glee went home smiling after two of their own, Jane Lunch and Chris Colfer, walked away with Best Performance for an Actor/Actress in a Supporting Role (Television).

They beat stiff competition from the likes of Hope Davis (The Special Relationship), Julia Stile (Dexter), Chris Noth (The Good Wife), and Scott Caan (Hawaii Five-O).

For a full round up of the Golden Globes, visit www. goldenglobes.org.

Tuesday 25 January 2011 | 19

Film

What's On Now: Reviews The Kings Speech Christopher Bell

Following the death of his father King George V and the abdication of his brother, Prince George (Colin Firth) reluctantly accepts the throne.

Yet as war with Germany looms on the horizon, the new King must first defeat his own personal enemy before he can lead a frightened nation through international conflict.

King George VI, affectionately known as Bertie among family, has a debilitating stammer that makes public speaking an incredibly difficult and tormenting affair. His wife Queen Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) struggles in finding a speech therapist to successfully cure Bertie of the affliction until she enlists the help of the sublimely unorthodox Aussie, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush).

The part-time thespian relies upon experience rather then academic training and it is the time shared between Firth and Rush on screen that really carries this British regal drama toward Oscar territory.

Directed by Tom Hooper who made his name with 2009s The Damned United, The Kings Speech has an exquisite awkwardness that stops it from being grandiose and smug. In

therapy, Logue gradually gets through to Bertie, whose timing isn’t his strong suite, after a shaky start and he helps the insecure Royal Highness eradicate his stutter so he can confidently engage in everyday duties and convince the royals and countrymen that he is indeed brave enough to lead Britain and it’s colonies to war with ‘Heil’ Hitler’s Germany.

But it is the unlikely friendship between Rush’s off the wall teacher and Firth’s edgy and temperamental stammerer that shines brightest. A bond is made between royal and common man that is perhaps the greatest factor in allowing the King to tackle the microphone and its “evil red eye” accomplice.

Whilst the curtain twigging insight into royal family troubles, with an older sibling Prince Edward (Guy Pearce) being the main culprit due to his determination to marry a divorcee, performs a nice intriguingly rich undertone.

Already nominated for seven Golden Globe’s including best film drama and best actor for Firth, much more will be written about The Kings Speech and the picture has enough ingredients to give it a prosperous longevity. Kudos to

Hooper and scriptwriter David Seidler. The gorgeous Helena Bonham Carter is on song as the valiant wife and Timothy Spall, who has to be one of the hardest working actors in Britain, adds spice as a slurpy Winston Churchill, who himself had a buggering stammer. Yet the bond created between Logue and Bertie

127 Hours

Tia Pennant-Lewis

Danny Boyle once again excels himself in his latest showpiece.

127 Hours, on paper, sounds a film that will drag like a 9-5 on a damp depressing Monday morning. Little background is given about Aron Ralson (played by the excellent James Franco), but context is a non-issue in the ninety minutes we spend persistently concerned for the amateur mountaineer.

In a mix between hiking, biking and climbing through the picturesque Blue John Canyon in Utah, Ralson traps himself under a small rock as he falls through a deep passage set far away from civilisation.

From here, the two girls from the start of the film disappear; leaving just us and him, and what a pleasure it is.

We witness a transformation from the uber-confident, high on life twentysomething as he turns into a scared, regretful

Barry Edwards Jnr

fighting by night, whilst publicizing their own actions by day.

The film has a brilliant soundtrack featuring the genius of Johnny Cash and The White Stripes.

Though parts of the movie are predictable, the 3D visual effects work perfectly for the many action sequences.'The Green Hornet' is certainly entertaining and hilarious throughout-particularly because of Christopher Waltz's fantastic oneliners-and is well worth a watch.

February 2010 sees the release of Frankie & Alice, the heart wrenching tale of a woman (Halle Berry) struggling to deal with her split personality and racist alter ego.

Alice In Wonderland star Mia Wasikowska returns to our screens alongside Judi Dench in the adaptation on Charlotte Bronte's novel Jane Eyre.

The Green Hornet Despite receiving bad press, The Green Hornet had audiences across the world buzzing since release. It's no suprise it took the number one spot at the US box office.

The cast along seals it with the leading role takenby co-screen play author Seth Rogan (Zack and Miri Make a Porno) and breakout star Jay Chou. Both deliver fantastic erformances along with Cameron Diaz and the hilarious but terrifying Christoph Waltz (Hans Landa in Inglourious Basterds.)

The movie is based on a 1930's radio programme character who went on to appear in comics. The story follows Britt Reid (Rogan), who is forced to inherit his father's media empire when he dies. Based on their mutual dislike of his father, Britt and employee Kato (Chou) form an unlikely alliance. With Kato's martial arts and mechanical expertise, and Britt's new media power, the pair decide to start a new career of crime

Looking To The Future

is the heart of the movie; a male friendship that trumped an often embarrassing problem. The Kings Speech is certainly an Oscar frontrunner but there are more then a few heavyweights to come. Nevertheless Firth pilots a film that will definitely have its say, however long it may take to say it.

and forlorn shadow of his former self. The illusions portrayed by the despondent adventurer are majestic, especially set alongside the beautiful Utah scenery. As emotion turns temporarily to gore, cinema goers lean forward not back, as Franco leads us through a rollercoaster of emotions in the 127 hours he is trapped. As he completes his painstakingly gripping escape, we follow him in every step he takes in his final steps back to human existence. Another triumph for Boyle, and another showing from the upcoming Franco that illustrates his depth and versatility as an actor.

Wes Craven brings us the first of the new Scream trilogy, Scream 4. The original cast return including Neve Campbell (Sidney Prescott), David Arquette (Sherrify Dewey) and Courtney Cox (Gale Weathers). 10 years after Scream 3 does it have a spark?

Useless film trivia: When was Scream released? Answer: 1996

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6 | Tuesday 25 January 2011

Politics “We are not exactly living in a democracy” The Demon presents some alternate views on the Millbank tuition fee protests There was a fundamental problem with the mainstream coverage of the first student protest in London.

It is entirely negative, one sided, and aimed primarily at the docile middle class.

Words like ‘anarchists’ are banded around effortlessly. It’s a little disheartening because no type of mainstream media outlet is challenging the view that those students who broke into Millbank Tower were anarchists. I was stood at Millbank Tower as the windows were being smashed. I saw no journalists.

I did not see any Student Union Presidents with clipboards asking us if we thought this was a “tiny minority ruining it all for the rest of us”.

“Peaceful protest achieves nothing.”

Most importantly, I saw no sign of a band of anarchists. No one shouted anarchic slogans; I saw no Bakunin or Kroptkin t-shirts or placards. I saw one young girl with a backpack look scared,

but determined to make a stand. I saw a skinny guy with a placard simply saying “Mr Clegg, stand by your pledge” storm the building. In what way were they anarchists?

The NUS President, Aaron Porter distanced himself from the direct action at first. This is entirely due to a sort of institutionalised system of ethics in place simply to pave the way for Student Union executives to find a way into Parliament in the future. They don’t want to be seen to be controversial.

Porter later changed his mind, saying: “For too long the NUS has perhaps been too cautious and too spineless about being committed to supporting student activism. Perhaps I spent too long over the last few days doing the same.”

Porter did, however, refer to the violence at Millbank as “despicable.”

One wonders where he draws the line.

Nothing would have been achieved with simply reasoned argument.

When the owners of large sums of capital are protected by new terms of property protection, at the expense and exploitation of those without large sums of capital, it doesn’t matter what the issue is; whether it be GM crops, or the right to vote, or tuition fees, it is always going to result in direct action.

James Madison, American president (1731-1856) referred to the people as a “great beast” that needed taming. The farmers of the Constitution worried that if you gave the people without great wealth a say over the democratic

process, they would always try to take some of that wealth, and so should not be given too much of a say, and should be punished if they tried. Hence, the electoral college system.

When people are massively disregarded by the political elite of the time and punished with economic or political violence, then direct action is bound to ensue. It is a product of democracy, not the antithesis of democracy.

We are not exactly living in a democracy. We have no say over the economic sphere. The only way this can change is through direct action.

People don’t enjoy being arrested, tear gassed or being trampled by horses. They are protesting for a better world, and violence has often worked through the ages.

Think of the womens' rights movement in which the Suffragetes changed the lives of women forever through violent protest.

2,000,000 people went on peaceful anti-Iraq war demonstrations in London throughout 2003 and 2004.

The war ended in 2010. Thousands more died. I wonder what would have happened, had there been mass riots on the streets of London. I cannot imagine the voices of 2,000,000 people would have been ignored then.

Peaceful protest gets ignored, by politicians, by the middle classes who dominate our ethical culture and by the media who cater to their celebrity news needs.

Photo: Michael Zemanek

Jamie Smith

Hayley Mortimer, a DMU journalism student who attended the first student protest in London said: “It was quite peaceful, but when we walked past Millbank some thugs went running over there. They were our age but there were a lot of people with socialism flags.

There were students being egged on by these thugs.

I’d say there were only 200 thugs to the 40,000 odd students who were there. Only ‘The Guardian’ put a positive slant on the events.”

Barry Edwards Jr, a DMU journalism student took a balanced approach to the student protests in London and said: “I think students do have a voice. However, just because certain roads in London were closed doesn’t necesarily mean that the protests are going to affect the price of tuition fees in the future. The protests displayed that students are willing to fight for their rights, but must remember that obtaining a degree is a privilege and not a right.

He added, “In my opinion, the lower classes will recieve adequete funding to complete university classes in the future in the majority of cases. However, I feel the middle classes will be the ones that suffer. Regading rioting during the protests, it is clear that a small majority tarnished a well organised group of well intended people.

It looks like the protests have made little or no difference.”

The “old and sad” test for the coalition

Sean Moore asks just how important was the Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election?

By-elections historically have always been a turgid affair involving cheap publicity and tribal politics. The battle of Oldham East on January 13th, however, broke the mould.

It was a by-election fought in the midst of a coalition government involving two parties that have been reluctantly put together. Truly can the saying ‘a week is a long time in politics’ be uttered honestly, now that things have changed expeditiously since May 2010.

2011 brings about the battle for the ‘progressive’ mantle, involving lively debate between a fresh sprightly, if somewhat amateur, Labour opposition and a Liberal Democrat party that has had to turn on its head to the mistress of compromise. On top of this, we have a Conservative party that has a new, divisive threat amongst its ranks, this being its

Liberal partner.

So far it is reluctantly biting its lips, but cracks are starting to manifest in the form of the right in the party, who are infuriated with David Cameron’s concessions in shoring up Nick Clegg’s faltering popularity. This can be seen by the practically non-existent campaigning of the Conservatives during the by-election.

One such comment of indignation comes from the famous (or infamous depending on your inclination) dark spectre of the right, Norman Tebbit, in his Daily Telegraph column; “Mr Cameron may be pleased that his decision to run a half-hearted campaign and offering good wishes to their candidate helped save the liberals, but Conservatives will be downcast.”

The Daily Mail shines more light on a potential internal split, according

to the paper, Baroness Warsi had a seemingly snappy and somewhat peeved response to Norman Tebbit’s comments: “we had some who made much comment about the fact we weren’t fighting a strong enough campaign, but interestingly, didn’t turn up to the campaign.” For now these are merely soft verbal skirmishes between old blue and new, yet a lot can change in a year.

Don’t let the 3,558 vote majority victory of Debbie Abrahams fool you, every statistic and past election for years pointed in Labour’s favour on the streets of Oldham. As Simon Hughes said in The Guardian, the Labour party increased their vote due to the anti-government sentiment prevalent in these situations.

In a video on The Guardian’s website, Nick Clegg admits the Liberal Democrat candidate Elwyn

Watkins had “great courage to stand”, re-affirming the Liberal Democrat’s argument that they will face a drop in popularity due to the inevitable decisions they have to make in government.

In essence then the by-election showed no real surprises. Any government that is made up of a party that has revamped its manifesto when it is given power and another which is implementing radical change to British is going to be unpopular.

The importance of this by-election is its aftermath. It instils belief in an opposition leader still trying to find the right words to use, and a government which needs to find a niche that appeals to the voters it is rapidly losing.

No longer can the party leaders continue to use the annoying, vague and now easily expendable buzzwords

such as the ‘squeezed middle’, the ‘big society’, or ‘alarm clock Britain’. If they continue to do so, no party will be a true winner in the next general election, and apathy will follow the already gloomy prospects for this new decade.

One man needs to stand out amongst the cautious three.

Tuesday 25 January 2011 | 7

Sport

Equestrian set for exciting 2011 Sian Lovatt

Hello and welcome back, I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and New Year!

Before I start with the more serious ‘stuff’ I would just like to say a huge well done to one of our members Nathalie de saint Steban.

Nathalie goes horse-riding at our local Stables, Witham Villa at least once every week, if not twice and has shown a high level of commitment and dedication towards our team already this year. Nathalie is on Erasmus at DMU for a year and has vowed to do as much as she can for the team in the year that she is here.

To show our appreciation and thanks, myself and the rest of the committee decided that Nathalie should receive the gold card that we won at the sports bar crawl back in October. We hoped by rewarding Nathalie with the gold card she would recognise our gratitude for her level of support to us.

The presentation of the gold card was held at the Christmas party, one of many of our social events. Nathalie was excited and surprised that we had chosen her to receive this gift and couldn’t quite believe she could get into DMU event for free with the card and without having to queue!

When asked how she felt about

receiving the card, Nathalie said “This is awesome; I am so happy that you guys have picked me out of everyone. I can get into every event now without having to queue – I’m so excited to use it!”

Now to the riding bits.

On Wednesday 12th January, we were lucky enough to be allowed to hire out 6 ponies and the ménage for two hours at Witham Villa Riding School where we train.

We thought as a change to our usual serious riding it would be nice to have a “Games morning” so we could all get together and have a bit of fun.

Witham Villa staff very kindly set up a course of jumps for us that we had to jump on our horses against the clock and then jump off and do the course again on foot.

Although some of us vowed not to take it seriously, some did get a little competitive but it definitely added to the excitement.

It was a brilliant morning and everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

On behalf of myself and DMU Equestrian Team and Society I would like to say a huge thank you to Witham Villa Riding School for allowing us to do this.

Our first competition of the year is going to be held at Nottingham

University on 26th January. This will be our first competitive action of the academic year and we are looking forward to getting out there once again and showing the other universities what we’re made of.

Last but not least in the Equestrian News, one of our Team members, Andy Heard is having his moustache waxed off this week in aid of

Rainbows the Children’s Hospice.

Andy had grown a crazy tash as part of 'Movember' last November in aid of prostate cancer. He kept the ‘tash’ to show his daughters' who were travelling over from California to spend Christmas with him.

He was going to then shave it off, but decided to do something in Rag week, which is now to WAX it off live

on Demon FM. I would just like to wish Andy the best of luck and I hope it isn’t too painful!

That’s all my Equestrian news this month – Good Luck to those members who are competing at our first competition next week. I wish you the best of luck; come back with a rosette!

Manager Ogundipe rues ‘shoddy’ defending Matt Stott

In the aftermath of the disparaging 3-0 cup defeat to Northampton firsts, player-manager Kole Ogundipe, who hooked himself off at half-time, was self-deprecating in his assessment.

He said: “It’s difficult to pinpoint where it went wrong today. From the team’s view, and a personal one, the passing was shoddy at times; that’s why I brought myself off. I wasn’t at the races today.

“It’s a disappointing result. I wanted to go far in this competition but obviously we’ve only been able to win one game.

“The game was difficult and we didn’t really get our passing going, and there were only a couple of very shorts spells where we were successful.

“The team struggled for space in the middle, and we didn’t use the ball well enough in the wide areas.”

Kole had the Christmas interlude had plenty to muse over the situation.

But he has his work cut out when the statistics of a turbulent start to the

Down and out: DMU men look despondent in their cup defeat, but 2011 brings fresh optimism for the team

campaign are scrutinised.

From the six matches played in all competitions, we have only been victorious in half; all unconvincing 2-1 scorelines against sides ranked inferior to us (seconds, thirds and fourths).

And when engaging with fellow first outfits in the other fixtures, we have twice been unable to score now, while succumbing in all three.

Moreover, all season we have not kept a clean sheet and currently concede two a match on average.

Having said that, we have notched up two goals on four separate occasions thus far, with only goal difference denying us top-spot from BUCS 3B league leaders Leicester firsts, who have played a game less with two wins from three, including a 2-0 triumph at our expense.

Such mercurial performances, that oscillate from excellent spells of crisp passing and intelligent movement across the pitch to unfathomable periods of lethargic dross, has rendered Kole a dumbfounded man.

“The goals we conceded are difficult to take as didn’t come from being outplayed; they were just from little mistakes really,” revealed Kole.

“Individually, we know we can play

a lot better than that. I don’t think we’ve showed how good we are.

“The next match can’t come quickly enough. We want to forget about today; we’ll take what we can but that won’t be a lot.

So does he still envisage Varsity and the league success?

“Yeah, yeah,” he confidently answers. “The league is tight at the moment but we’re still right in there.”

8 | Tuesday 25 January 2011

Sport

Football agony over cup defeat DMU Men's firsts ended 2010 by crashing out of the cup in the second round. Matt Stott reports DMU firsts suffered a 3-0 second round cup defeat at the hands of Northampton firsts at Victoria Park in a war of attrition before Christmas.

After knocking out Warwick fourths and bouncing back from local derby loss with league victory over Nottingham thirds, we appeared set to advance to the third round with home advantage.

And ‘Frosty’ looked to have sent us on our way when his shot was cleared off the line less than ten minutes in.

But with De Montfort in stylish government at the half-hour mark, Northampton inflicted a stinging clout with an audacious half-volley from outside the box that rippled the inside netting.

Our robust opponents gained mastery and presided over the rest of the tie thereafter; converting twice more in the second half and curtailing our hopes of a rally to impetuous long-balls, unopposed crosses and speculative long-range attempts.

All to no avail.

Not that individual commitment or overall attitude could fall into disrepute, as we fought on gamely to the bitter end with the full backing of a small knot of loyal home fans braving the icy winds.

They were the audience as playermanager Kole Ogundipe used the cup fixture to stage a couple of trials.

One of the tyros recruited from the seconds and auditioning for a full-time role was left-back Jack Greenwood, as established starter

Clearing their lines: DMU's 'Frosty' clears away, but he couldn't prevent the 3-0 defeat at the hands of Northmapton Firsts

Michael O’Grady watched on from the bench with intrigue.

He would have experienced mixed emotions then as Greenwood failed to control a punted long ball in the first minute, almost resulting in a Northampton striker snatching the ball as goalkeeper Lewis Hearne raced out to clear.

They quickly accompanied this with a short string of corners and a chipped shot from inside the box that Hearne could have scoffed at such was the dreadful miscalculation.

After this dicey start, we soon rebuffed their advances and began to

Battle: DMU swarm Northampton, but didn't check into the third round party

find our feet in the sludge.

We scoured the field for auspicious playing surfaces and found Ross Thacker demanding for the ball in an open area of grass down the left wing. He had good reason too.

Once on the ball, he visibly instigated fear in the right-back; his marker, who stood off and retreated, calling out for help. Thacker was soon surrounded by bulky green shirts, but found a way to link up well with Jake Smith, who had spurted on from the central midfield.

Thacker’s cross from the byline was headed away, but he had certainly caused a stir in the Northampton division.

So too was greenhorn ‘CJ’, who governed the middle of the field with spirited lunges and well-timed interceptions. Sid Mohammed’s replacement was impressive in these early stages.

Our passing promptly paralleled our work ethic, with the 4-5-1 formation engendering small but effective triangles. Smith, CJ, and Kole in the heart of the team disabled their attack through the middle, while the recalled Michael Reeves was ghosting in behind forward Frost ‘Frosty’ Khalifa from the right channel.

It produced an aura of potency and a feeling that a clear-cut chance would soon be carved out.

And so it proved.

In the eighth minute, ‘Frosty’ should have registered his second goal in a week when the Northampton left-back, under

pressure from Kole and Reeves, sold his keeper short with an ill judged back-pass.

Frosty capitalized, sprinting past the keeper but close to the touchline.

He shot first time, off balance but on target, from a tight-angle. This allowed a pursuing defender to bundle the trickling ball off the line and out for a corner.

Four minutes later, Smith filched possession and made substantial headway. He put through ‘Frosty’ for a chance to redeem himself, but his gentle crack merely illustrated what a proper pass-back looks like.

Thaker, an unbending quandary for them, was baulked only when two, sometimes three, players were thrown at him. Still, the chief mainstay of our offensive yoked well with comrades, exhibiting deft touches and agile spins that defied the boggy conditions.

Goalkeeper Lewis Hearne rubbed his gloves together as we subdued Northampton.

But opportunities were bluntly cut off. As was the service to Thaker. As was the tackling from CJ. Then the passing went. Then the movement went. We disintegrated, from top to bottom.

All this kindled by one outrageous goal, which inverted the upshot of this match.

A push in the back granted them a free kick 40 yards from goal. It was met by captain Curtis Watts and the ball bounced out of the box towards a Northampton player, who quickly positioned himself and

connected exquisitely with his leftfoot, sweeping it from left to right in a flash.

And just like that, we were 1-0 down. And just like that, Northampton exerted their power and dominance on proceedings, bulldozing through comparably feeble challenges and manifesting a previously masked finesse about their play.

It was Groundhog Day for DMU. As against Leicester firsts, it was a case of command but not conquer.

We had eased into a cosy supremacy and were foreseeable victors with 30 minutes played, but had nothing to show for it before the counterpunch.

Despite altering to a 4-3-3 strategy, the DMU cast had little to offer after the interval.

An unchallenged 54th minute cross from right-back Sam Baker was symbolic of our second half performance. It went out for a throw-in.

With an hour played, we ceded a penalty. Ensuing from a sortie down the right flank, a Northampton striker was brought down by ‘JT’. It was fired down the middle; Hearne dived to his right.

Seven minutes later it was three ‘n’ easy. After Baker handled on the halfway line, the long-ball was knocked down to an unmarked player to slot home from close-range.

Heads stooped only briefly as we plodded on. A 30 yard wallop was our parting shot. Over and out.

INSIDE: Read match reaction of DMU's cup defeat