Issue 4 2011/12 by lenurb

Dec 2011 Issue 4

NEWS

Brunel against all odds

Graduation puzzle finally solved

04 FEATURES

Christmas - student style!

11 ARTS & REVIEWS Who can resist a sexy Santa?

Brunel University Bess Browning Graduation has caused a great deal of distress and confusion for the current third year students preparing for their final year celebration. After changing the date to September, it has now been moved back to its original date – the week of July 23, 2012. Initially, students assumed that their graduation date would be as it usually is in July, but after an announcement from the University in early September, students began to worry. The message on the Brunel website claimed that the University’s involvement with the Olympic and Paralympic Games, also in July 2012, led the Graduation Team to have no choice but to discuss an alternative date.

After discussing numerous options, the team, including the UBS and agreed by the Senate, decided that Graduation 2012 would be the week beginning September 10. This caused uproar amongst third years, with many unable to attend. Many would be beginning new jobs, some had already planned holidays and some international students would have to pay extra money for an extended visa. Chris Ashford, a third-year English student, was one of many students who wouldn’t have been able to attend as he is due to start at the Royal Military Academy on September 9. He said: “It seemed ridiculous to put the Olympics ahead of the students and that while the decision was carefully considered by the University, I don’t think they put enough thought into how they

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could accommodate both.” When Promise Phillips, the student union president, looked into the issue, he found that the majority of students were unhappy about a September graduation. He said: “The third-years have given their blood, sweat and tears for the last three years and felt like Brunel put the Olympics before them.” He added that he wants “maximum quality” and 2012 “to be the best graduation ever.” Promise took the issue to the Senate, saying “if graduation was in September, it would’ve been very poor,” and that despite the July clash with the Olympics, he said “there is no challenge we cannot handle.” After much deliberation, the Senate came to an agreement and it was announced on November 25 that graduation would once again be held in July.

Leanne Bricknell is a third year Occupational Therapy student, also planning to graduate in 2012. Leanne, 20, said: “I’m just annoyed that they keep changing it. They need to make their minds up. We have enough stress already with our dissertations, etc. They need to make a plan and stick to it.” Ian Campbell, Pro-ViceChancellor of Student Experience, said: “We look forward to celebrating your success, in what promises to be a really exciting time at Brunel.” Tickets for graduation are £25 and Promise wanted to reassure all of the graduating students and their families that the prices of flights will not rise because of the Olympics being held at the same time. You can follow any graduation info on their Facebook and Twitter pages.

21 SPORT

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Le Nurb - December 2011

WELCOME TO ISSUE 4

Foreword

This Month... 03

Amy Blackford - Editor Another issue, another editorial. As the term draws to a close, assignments build up and exams becoming frighteningly close. Don’t fear, though! The Christmas holidays are almost here. I don’t know about you all, but I’ve only just started my Christmas shopping. In the eventuality that my bank balance forbids me from buying decent presents this year, I’ll say ‘Merry Christmas’ to my family in here and I’ll frame it. Merry Christmas everyone! Christmas holidays, traditionally, are meant to bring a sense of rest. This year, for me at least, will be the prime opportunity to at least start writing my dissertation: “How far should a journalist go to get a story?” For those of you that have somehow managed to avoid the reporting of the Leveson inquiry (where have you been?), it is an investigation into media ethics. Some interesting things have come out of the inquiry the best one being that Hugh Grant’s middle name is Mungo. With the NUS referendum approaching, will you be voting yes or no? Make sure you vote on the December 8-9 and have your say. My awards for the issue: James Squire – designer of the month. James has been consistent and innovative in all work he has produced and it’s about time he deserved some recognition for it. James, otherwise known as Chippy to all his friends, always brings a sense of humour to the team and can be relied upon to create such fantastic work. Thanks, James! Ollie de Kretser – section editor of the month. Ollie has managed to bring in some fantastic content for Sport. This is always a hard job to persuade the teams that are usually quiet to write something. Ollie has managed to lead his team into creating a strong sports section, something of which he should be proud of. Well done Ollie. Jon Partridge – sub editor of the month. Jon is always on the ball with his subbing, often being one of the first to complete it. He is there when there are problems and quickly finds solutions to help make Arts and Reviews the best that it can be. He is an asset to the team and I look forward to working on the next issue with him.

Issue 5 out January 16

The Team 19

NEWS

Last Christmas

ARTS & REVIEWS This year

EDITORIAL

UNION NEWS

RADIO BRUNEL

FEATURES

COFFEE BREAK

CENTRESPREAD

SPORT

I gave you my heart

But the very next day

You gave it away

To save me from tears

I’ll give it to someone

Simply put, if you’re a current Brunel student, you can write for Le Nurb. There’s a few things to bear in mind: YOUR ARTICLE

- Your article should be saved as a Word document (.doc or .docx). - Its filename should contain your name, student number, and a suggested headline. - We don’t accept PDF, Works (.wps), OpenOffice (.odt), Pages (.pages) or other formats. - Publisher files (.pub) are particularly horrific, beastly things. Please don’t send any, ever, or Rob will cry. - It may sound obvious, but please run a spellcheck before you submit your article! YOUR IMAGES

- For a Union News or Features article, don’t forget your headshot for use in the byline. - If you like, you can suggest specific images for your article. They’ll need to be separate .jpg or .png files. - Don’t embed your images into the article document - this compresses them too much for use on the page. - Any image filenames and image credits (who the photographer is) should be listed at the end of your article. - Images you submit must not be copyrighted by another individual or organisation. - Please don’t just nick pictures off Google Image Search; we can’t use them 99% of the time! Enquiries, advertising & complaints Design queries and feedback News articles In-depth articles on a given topic Reviews and arts articles Everything sport-related

Editor Santa ‘Hangers’ Blackford Deputy Editor Santa ‘Sense of Perspective’ Moxey Chief Designer Santa ‘Scrabble for PS2’ Hunt Chief Sub-Editor Santa ‘Candy Cane’ Muhly Media Chair Santa ‘Man Purse’ Scott NEWS

Special

Submissions

YOUR CONTACTS

This month’s team question: what’s your worst-ever Christmas present?

Amy - editor@lenurb.com Rob - via editor@lenurb.com (‘Design Feedback’ in the subject line) Bess - news@lenurb.com Emma - features@lenurb.com Nick - arts@lenurb.com Ollie & Alex - sport@lenurb.com

DEADLINE FOR ISSUE 5

The closing date for articles for the next issue is Friday, January 6.

More from Le Nurb http://

News Editor Santa ‘Egg Poacher’ Browning Sub Editor Santa ‘World Peace’ Martley Designer Santa ‘Bad Haircut’ Minuzzi FEATURES Features Editor Santa ‘Flannel & Parsnip’ Butcher Sub Editor Santa Lee ‘Shower Gel in Shoebox’ Heir Designer Santa ‘A Week’s Car Insurance’ Nair Staff Writers Santa ‘Expanded Waistline’ Baldwin Santa ‘Tesco Vouchers’ Sanghani Santa ‘A Lump of Coal’ Beeson Santa ‘My Surname’ Morgan-Jones Santa ‘Soap’ Bale CENTRESPREAD Designer Santa Williams ARTS & REVIEWS Arts & Reviews Editor Santa Birss Sub Editor Santa ‘Tic-Tacs’ Partridge Designer Santa ‘Shoe Polish’ Barnard Staff Writers Santa ‘Shaving Fun Ken’ I’Anson Santa Bashir Santa ‘Expired Sweets’ Gomez Santa ‘Socks’ Compton Santa ‘M&S Clothes Vouchers’ Sluman Santa ‘Dog Toy’ Smith Santa Adamson SPORT

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UBS MOBILE 2.0

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Sport Editors Santa ‘Tangerine’ de Kretser Santa ‘Man. City Fan Book’ Mitchell Sub Editor Santa ‘£5 Next Voucher’ Round Designer Santa ‘...Christmas Presents?!’ Squire PHOTOGRAPHY Lead Photographer Santa ‘ChristmasCard’ Khan Deshmukh

Find out more at brunelstudents.com/lenurb or via the Editor. To book an advertising slot, call Bonnie Crate on 01895 267215. The deadline for inclusion in issue 5 is Friday, January 6.

All articles and pictures © their respective authors unless otherwise indicated. Views expressed are those of the writers and do not reflect the official position of UBS or Brunel University. All comments and complaints about content in Le Nurb should be addressed to the Editor in the first instance: editor@lenurb.com. Complaints will only be entertained where it can be proven that an article or graphic is: factually inaccurate; breaches the Press Complaints Commission’s Editors’ Code of Practice; breaches the National Union of Journalists’ Code of Conduct; breaks the law; or encourages readers to break the law. No complaint that fails to satisfy at least one of these criteria will be upheld. Published by: Union of Brunel Students, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge, UB8 3PH. Printed by: Harmsworth Printing Derby, Northcliffe House, Meadow Road, Derby, DE1 2BH.

‘Twas the Le Nurb before Christmas and all through the house...

December 2011 - Le Nurb

NEWS

Brunel team wins prize for chemical research Adam Martley Brunel has won an award for its research into how chemicals affect the environment and reproductive health.

The Institute for the Environment won the Queen’s Anniversary Prize after they revealed a link between chemical exposure and reproduction problems.

They found that exposure to water pollution was causing sex change in male fish. The team, led by Professor John Sumpter, then found chemical exposure John_Dobbo

linked to declining sperm counts, more male genital abnormalities, and testicular, breast and prostate cancer. Now led by Professor Susan Jobling, they have also found that chemicals used every day are passing into rivers and eventually into the drinking water supply. Professor Sumpter said: “The long-term aim of our research and teaching is to ensure that society thinks more carefully about the use of chemicals and the impact they have on the environment.” Everyday chemicals such as those in contraceptive pills and dishwater tablets can interfere with hormones, leading to reproductive problems. The Institute won the Anniversary Prize for both its research and its global impact in finding cheap ways to combat the risk posed by some chemicals. Vice-Chancellor of Brunel, Professor Chris Jenks, said: “We pride ourselves on being at the cutting edge of research at Brunel University and the work of Professor John Sumpter and his team is a fine example of our research excellence.”

How do we look? Love our column widths? Hate our fonts? Tell us! We’re looking for feedback both general and specific - on Le Nurb’s layout, to help influence what we can do next with its overall theme. Any thoughts or suggestions? Email editor@lenurb.com with your comments (and ‘Design Feedback’ in the subject line), by December 18.

The prizes are the UK’s most prestigious form of national recognition for academic and vocational institutions.

Awards for the ARC George Bowden The Advice and Representation Centre (ARC), one of the services of the Union of Brunel Students, has once again been awarded the Quality Mark for legal representation. The facility, a Community Legal Service, is officially recognised as providing students with a quality service which ensures confidentiality and appropriate advice, with the Union’s commitment to quality of staff being cited too. A free and impartial advice service is offered which helps students with issues ranging from money and debt to housing and mitigating circumstances. The award means Brunel students can be assured of the quality of the Union’s advice and community legal service. Joanna Smith, Senior Advisor at the ARC, said: “As one of the first student unions to be awarded a Quality Mark for representation services nine years ago, we know this is greatly important.” “The Quality Mark is like a Kitemark, meaning students seeking our services can be confident we are professional and hold external accreditation.” “ARC advisors can support students when dealing with the University or outside bodies such as government departments like DWP [Department for Work and Pensions], who recognise tARC’s accreditation.”

Tom Scott

Students vote NUS Tom Scott The Union of Brunel Students are running a referendum on whether they should remain affiliated with the National Union of Students. This vote is part of the UBS’s constitution and this vote must take place once every three years. The Union will be running the referendum on the 8th and 9th December, with all Brunel students being eligible to vote over the 24-hour period. Currently, the UBS pays the NUS almost £50,000 a year on membership but in turn the NUS provides resources such as the discount NUS card, bar suppliers and more. The UBS also worked with the NUS last year when Brunel were a part of the student demonstration last November. FIND OUT MORE

The Advice and Representation Centre. VISIT THE ARC The ARC is located in the central Hamilton (Student Union) building. If you want to get in contact, email advice@brunel.ac.uk. They open Monday, Wednesday and Friday 10am-4pm, as well as Tuesday and Thursday 1pm-4pm.

You can find the full details on the referendum - including full details of the ‘Vote Yes’ and ‘Vote No’ campaigns, at brunelstudents.com. If you have any other questions, email the Union President via su.president@brunel.ac.uk, or the Democratic Support Coordinator, via richard.wiltshire@brunel.ac.uk.

Not a creature was recycling, not even the mouse.

News In Brief Christmas Angry Birds In a bid to match the awesome Party Rock Anthem Christmas light display, a man has set up his Christmas house lights display to the theme from Angry Birds. Despite usually using classic Christmas tracks, he used a remixed version of the tune from the popular mobile game. Obama gets the finger A senior newsreader from Russia has been sacked from her job after she inexplicitly gave US President Barrack the middle finger during a live broadcast. She claimed it was aimed at the camera crew in front of her, but a series of complaints led to her dismissal. Best drink driver A man who was arrested for driving drunk was found to have been wearing a rather ironic T-shirt. The T-shirt read: “I’m not an alcoholic. I’m a drunk. Alcoholics go to meetings.” Despite the clothing, he still drove head on into a police car. Seagulls hate Movember Despite popular belief, one man has been receiving a different kind of attention from birds this month. Chris Wells, from the Isle of Wight, needed three stiches and a tetanus jab after a seagull attacked his facial hair. He said: “My moustache is grey, so maybe it thought it was dive-bombing a seal.”

Le Nurb - December 2011

NEWS

UBS CEO to step down Promise Phillips Danny O’Sullivan has resigned in his position as Chief Executive Officer of the UBS after nearly nine years of service. Danny came to the UBS in 2003 from Reading University, where he held the senior management position in their conferencing and hospitality operation. He leaves us to take up the position of Director of Residences, Conferencing and Catering at Goldsmiths College, University of London, in the New Year. Danny has headed up the operation of the Union through a period of significant positive change and leaves the Union far stronger, leaner and more student focused than when he arrived. His tenure has seen major redevelopments of the

facilities, a rewriting of the constitution and registration as a standalone charity. He has also overseen the Union through regular increases in democratic participation, improved University funding, national recognition of excellence in nightclub operation and the largest single piece of membership research which has informed the writing of our soon to be published strategic plan. The Union is almost unrecognisable from the one when Danny arrived, not only in the facilities we operate in but in the level of support and activity we can offer our members and in the level of respect we now receive from the local community, the University and our compatriots from around the

National Student Movement. As President, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Danny for his hard work, his commitment and his loyalty to the Union, without which my job and that of the eight presidents before me would have been much more difficult, stressful and painful! The trustees of the Union are currently considering the recruitment process to replace the CEO and we anticipate this process will commence early in 2012. FIND OUT MORE Any further questions? Email Promise, the Union President, via su.president@brunel.ac.uk.

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WRITE FOR US!

Brunel against all odds Michael Knowles The number of applications to Brunel University is stronger than the national average, despite the proposed rise in tuition fees to £9,000 for 2012. With the University sector as a whole showing applications down 12.6%, Brunel is slightly above the national figure with applications currently being down 12.1%. One initiative to encourage further applications to Brunel is the introduction of 800 new scholarships, including the Urban Scholarship Programme. This encourages students “who achieve academic excellence” to

make Brunel their firm choice. Providing an offer is made, successful applicants will receive a non-repayable cash reward of up to £3,000. Coinciding with this, the courses being offered at Brunel take on a more vocational approach, in particular in the School of Arts. Here some courses require Work Experience modules to be completed, which subsequently increases the employability of graduates. Dr William Leahy, Head of the School of Arts said: “We were told to just hold your nerve, keep your targets realistic and don’t close anything or promise

Wendt Commons

anything that you can’t deliver... the targets are similar to last year.” He added: “Open days and UCAS days need to be absolutely brilliant... apparently a record number of students and parents are attending.” Cllr Kerri Prince, President of the Brunel Labour Society said: “The government needs to consider the implications of this disastrous policy. Whilst we support students contributing to their education, £9,000 is too excessive and will deter students from applying for a course the government needs the most, such as medicine.” Gulltaggen

A fifth of universities have now decided to cut next year’s tuition fees.

Branson’s big ideas for higher education Simi Sagoo Youth unemployment is at an unparalleled high. It therefore came as no surprise when business mogul Sir Richard Branson emphasised the need for radical action. In a letter to George Osborne, he set out his three point blueprint with hope to kick-start what is still a bitter and weak economy. In particular, Sir Richard focuses on the young generation as key players in the economic game. In response to recent figures of more than one million young people unemployed, Sir Richard said: “We’ve got to stop this high youth unemployment – there’s a great danger of creating a lost generation who’ve never known work.” With the number of long term unemployed also rising, Sir Richard added: “If the Government were clever, there would be no need for anyone ever to be out of work on a voluntary

George Osborne recently announced a £1bn “youth contract” to subsidise work placements for young people. The team sat down to seek new writers...

basis. It needs to get the nuts and bolts right and move quickly.” Understandably, much emphasis has been placed on higher education. Resulting ultimately from the tripling of tuition fees, this has been a topic which, amongst political leaders and students alike, has led to great debate. Sir Richard proposes that university degree courses should be halved to 18 months as for most students, time is considerably wasted: ‘Most students are twiddling their thumbs. Many only get one lecture a week. This is nonsense, particularly with tuition fees so high.” Having left school at 16 to start his first business, the Virgin tycoon claims that it is crucial to provide young people with access to microfinance, allowing them to innovate and start their own businesses.

December 2011 - Le Nurb

NEWS

Students stand up for the Train ticket scam warning rights of Brunel cleaners Hannah Fielding Students have become aware of a scheme which withdraws £10 from their bank accounts. Shopperdisc.co.uk is a ‘shopper discount and rewards programme’ which “gives members 24 hour access to cash back rebates at over 800 online retailers.” The most frequently asked question on this website is, “What is Shopper Discount and Rewards?” and the second most commonly asked question is: “How did I join Shopper Discounts and Rewards?” In answer to the latter, the websites says, “It is offered via many online retail partner websites. You or someone you authorised to use your credit or debit card joined the programme after making

an online purchase.” Research has found that this “someone you authorised” could be linked to transactions with www.trainline.com, causing a problem for many students who travel regularly by train. There are online forums of people complaining about having money taken from them by this company after transactions with companies such as Ticketmaster, Pizza Hut, and Ryanair and it is advertised on other websites such as that of BMI Baby. Consumer Focus, the consumer group, has confirmed they are looking into this type of business and strongly encourage people to always read the small print.

Daniel Rowe and Rainard Bhiroo-Stocks A group of students attended a demonstration led by the Brunel cleaners, protesting against ‘illegal and unfair treatment’ by the cleaning staff’s management. A few students joined their cleaners at 5am on 22nd November at the Heinz Wolff building to fight against the bad treatment they were allegedly subject to from OCS - a subcontractor of Brunel that manages non-residential cleaning on campus. The workers claimed that they had had their contracts refused, flouting UK employment law. They argue that it is their legal right to own a copy of their employment contract for all the cleaners, some of whom had worked for three years

under the same manager and never received their contracts. One of the cleaners stated: “Nobody is thinking about us, we’re like robots... we want to have the same rights as anyone else.” It was not just these workers who had issues with the current structure at OCS. When interviewed, another cleaner asked us if we were applying for a job with them. When we responded “no”, she said “God forbid.” According to the cleaning staff that organised the protest, the management had told them on Friday that they were holding the contracts in the drawer in the office and so far had failed to give the contracts to the cleaners. They said their onsite manager on

Tuesday morning promised to give them their contracts at the end of the shift. However, an anonymous source claimed that the documents given to them were everything except their actual contracts, after manager Sue French initially assured the staff that their contracts would be delivered to them upon the completion of their shift. A student said: “We must stand with the cleaners, without whom the University would be a terrible place to study, and value them, as in our society cleaners are some of the least valued members.” They added: “I rang the OCS human resources department, who assured me there would be a full investigation into why the company appeared to have failed its workers”.

Images_of_Money

Marcin Wichary Many caught out were unaware they had become a ‘member’ of the site.

The dispute revolves around the issuing of contracts to cleaners.

Student protesters’ new tactics UBS names first Honorary President Lily Woods Students at universities across the country have stepped up their game to oppose the tuition fee increases ahead of nationwide strikes. The student group National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts (NCAFC) called for a new wave of protests and occupations to publicise and build support for the millions of workers striking from the public sector on November 30, having already occurred at Cambridge

and Birmingham universities. Higher Education Minister David Willitts was forced to abandon his talk on ‘The Idea of University’ at the most publicised occupation yet at Cambridge University, where students chanted a prepared statement resulting in the minister’s premature departure after the students demanded: “Go home, David.” Their strongly articulated message made reference to the controversial arming of the Billy Rowlinson

Metropolitan Police with baton rounds for student protests early in November. Activists read aloud the prepared statement, of which each sentence was repeated in chant by other participating activists. The statement from Cambridge Defend Education declared: “You can threaten to shoot us with rubber bullets; you can arrest us; you can imprison us; you can criminalise our dissent; you can blight a thousand lives… but you cannot break us because we are more resolute, more numerous, and more determined…” Student activists at Birmingham University have similarly occupied an abandoned gatehouse at the north gate of the campus, where talks are planned from academics, university workers and students about fees, cuts and privatisation. Bethany Turner, chemistry undergraduate at Birmingham, said: “These occupations are helping to show that all our universities must stay accessible… justice must be sought to ensure our education establishments remain some of the most respected in the world.”

Alex Mitchell At the Union meeting on Thursday 24th November, members of the UBS voted overwhelmingly to elect Professor Robert Macredie as its first ever Honorary President. The motion was proposed by myself and seconded by the Vice President of Academic Representation, Craig Best. Despite having no official power and responsibility, the feeling among members was that electing an Honorary President from the University’s ranks would help to further strengthen relations with the University. Robert Macredie has a long standing relationship with students and the student union and many of you will have seen him volunteering his time during Freshers’ Week, or many other activities ran by the Union. He is the former Pro ViceChancellor of Student Experience at Brunel University. The role involved closely working with the UBS in order to improve the experience of University life for students at Brunel University. Upon hearing news of his

Final figures for tuition fees next autumn have now been released. To prevent their current ones producing some blighters.

election, Professor Macredie said: “It is always a pleasure to support and champion our students and the UBS and I look forward to continuing to support all our students in any way that I can.” Despite the Union constitution allowing for the election of an Honorary President, the Union has never before had a motion put forward to elect one. Since its registration as a charity this year, some Assembly members have felt that the Union should begin to appoint patrons, like many well known charities do. The election of Professor Macredie goes some way into using the Union constitution to increase the links and connections that the UBS has. The actual nature and activity of Professor Macredie’s role remains unknown, but the coming 12 months will be a chance for him to make the role his own. Professor Macredie has been invited to the next Student Assembly meeting in order to speak to its members about the months ahead.

Le Nurb - December 2011

UNION NEWS

Brunel’s shoe box success story I keep Nando’s in business. Zein Owfar I am Zein Owfar and I am the Union’s Campaign Chair. I will be doing various things throughout the year. The biggest thing so far has been the Christmas Shoe Box Appeal. I would personally like to say thank you to all the staff members and students who donated and helped us break the record by raising 291 boxes. I was seriously amazed by this and once again taken aback by Brunel’s giving nature, thus making me love being here more. Secondly, I would like to say a massive thank you to Sue Hepworth. She has been amazing throughout this whole campaign, and it has been great working with an absolute star and gem of a person. Lastly, I would like to thank all of my volunteers who helped on the day; you were amazing. Moving on, Team CV (Campaign Volunteers) has officially started. This is a team of volunteers who work closely with me and the Union. This is a great opportunity for you if you are interested in

using up your volunteering hours, getting more involved with the Union and seeing how it works, or just meeting new people around the University. Zeeno’s Jam! This radio show was created for the sole purpose of increasing student-Union interaction. This show is here for you. I bet you are asking how to get involved right now! Well the answer is simple: every Monday from 1-2pm, I have two guests. Anyone can apply to be a guest. And once you are selected as a guest, you get the chance to play any music you like as well as talking about anything you want to. If you want to be considered, please email me. Those are the two ongoing campaigns at the moment. Watch out for the Drug and Alcohol Awareness Week coming up in December. I would also like to say that I am available and here for you if you have any campaigns that you want people to be aware of. I am not promising I will 100% support the campaign, but depending on what it is, I will give you everything I can to make sure your voice is heard as loud as it can be. So please do not hesitate to get in contact with me.

Sally Trussler Santa “Zein” Claus was in town.

Your societies’ parents Sweetie, darling... make me look awesome. Sean Smith Hey, it’s your favourite Societies Guild Chair, here to disturb your coffee break once again and provide you all with a little update of what’s going on in the wonderful world of societies. Firstly, the budgets are all done, as I’m sure you’re all excited to hear about. This means you’re all free to host your events, go on your trips and buy the things you need to keep your societies active and engaged with your membership. So get spending! Sensibly, I might add... Dodgy times we live in! I would like to thank my committee for all the hard work they put in and the 56 man-hours of their time to get

them right. Speaking of the committee, November saw the election of six very hard-working guys and gals who give up their time to help me to help you. They are Peter Smallwood, Xenia Coudrille, Alec Beeson, Christina Ross, Glen Foley and Cam Mckirdy. Each of them has been given parental responsibility over a group of societies, and it is their job to engage with their societies, assist in any problems that may arise, to act a point of information and to encourage and help you guys grow and host awesome events. Another thing we’re doing at the moment is setting out criteria for a Society Awards scheme and starting plans for the awards evening itself. We’re looking at finding external funding for the event, too, so as to keep ticket prices to a minimum whilst still hosting an amazing evening

for societies. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for that in the near future. Finally, with RAG Week coming up, we aim to see as many societies as possible doing something to raise money for great causes. The committee and I will continue to encourage as many as possible to take part. As always, feel free to get in touch by email: socguild.chair@ brunel.ac.uk or Facebook: Brunel Societies-Chair. Thanks for reading; you may now go back to your latte.

How do we look?

FIND OUT MORE Discover more about the Societies Guild, or its budgets, society parents and Society Awards scheme, by emailing socguild.chair@brunel.ac.uk.

Love our column widths? Hate our fonts? Tell us! We’re looking for feedback - both general and specific - on Le Nurb’s layout, to help influence what we can do next with its overall theme. Any thoughts or suggestions? Email editor@lenurb.com with your comments (and ‘Design Feedback’ in the subject line), by December 18.

Love your future - and your climate Inclined to play on the wong. Melissa Wong We are already hard at work planning Green Week in February and currently have the following eco-loving campaigns for all to take part in. Our climate is very important and there are many

things that you can do help maintain it. Brunel has teamed up with Student Switch Off, an energysaving competition between halls of residence. The hall that saves the most energy gets a big party or prize at the end of the year! Not just that, but throughout the year, we hold several competitions where students upload photos of them saving energy and can win great prizes, such as Ben and

Jerry’s ice cream, Loco’s vouchers, Academy tickets and more. You probably have seen ‘I pledge’ cards in your kitchen. This competition allowed students to pledge on several energy saving actions and four lucky Brunelians have won £25 food and drink vouchers. Well done! So, if you love your future, take on these energy saving actions: - Switch off your lights. - Turn off appliances – no standby!

- Put a lid on your saucepan. - Put a layer on, not the heating. - Don’t overfill the kettle. Our second campaign gives you the power to tell Brunel where they can save energy. If you find a place where Brunel is wasting energy by keeping the lights on all night or using bad insulation, then take a picture and send it to Student SNAP IT OFF. it’ll be uploaded and the University will be made aware of the offending building!

A huge edition was made, the challenge was set...

For more information on the campaigns, visit Facebook Brunel SNAP IT OFF Campaign and Brunel University Student Switch Off. These may be little things, but together it does make a difference in protecting our environment. If you have any ideas or thoughts then please get in contact with me. FIND OUT MORE environmental.chair@brunel.ac.uk

December 2011 - Le Nurb

UNION NEWS

Give It a Go The very keen one. Gary O’Brien Give it a Go, a scheme aiming to increase the opportunity for students to try new sports and for clubs to boost their image and memberships, is taking on new branding for 2012, but we’re giving you a taste of it early! On the last week of term (December 12–16), some of Brunel’s sports clubs are opening their training sessions to anyone who wants to see what the sports, the club members, and the general vibes are about! If you, as a student, have been curious about a sport and want to try it out but have never had the courage or real push, then now is the time! Why not grab a friend, too, and go with someone you know? There is still plenty of time to join sports clubs (until February) and doing so comes with great benefits to enhance yourself as a sportsman/woman, an organised committee member, but its also a great way to unwind/de-stress from University work! Societies will also be getting involved, with Atrium spaces and chances to talk to you guys about what they boast, just like at Freshers’ Fayre! Give it a Go will go massive at the end of the second term, but look out for the new Brunel Give it a Go logo scattered about at lots of events next term. If you

The Sports Fed Committee

see that, you know there is an open opportunity to take a leap, try something new, and get fully integrated into Brunel life! A quick word about the new logo: because I am a bit of a geek and a massive Brunel keeno, it had to be a Brunel-related logo. And how is it Brunel related? The bridge on the image is the Bristol Bridge, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel himself. His death in 1859 meant he couldn’t see its completion, so this is another tribute to the work of the great man himself! The bridge is also meant to symbolise people bridging the gap between an old self and a new self through the Give It A Go campaign; this could be by getting fitter, more socially involved, or generally happier and more integrated into this incredible University. At the time of writing this (November 27), thank you to Ultimate Frisbee, Kung Fu, Netball, Trampolining, Cricket, Judo, Cheerleading and Squash for already registering interest in the taster week. Look out for the calendars around campus showing you times and locations of the events.

For once, Gary didn’t use crayons.

The quite keen one. Stewart Bailey Hey guys! I am Stewart Bailey, your Sports Federation Chair. Over the recent weeks I have been fortunate in gaining a strong committee. I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who voted in the elections. I am sure the six elected individuals share this appreciation. Adam Warden. I am a third Year Sports Science student, as well as the Chairman of Brunel Cricket. I have been heavily involved with the cricket club since I arrived on a playing, socialising and now committee level. Playing sport is a great way to meet new people and relax from the stresses of uni work. I joined the Sports Federation committee to give back to a Union that has treated me so well throughout my time here and hopefully to enthuse other people about sport at Brunel! Dilushi Jayasingha. I am a second year Electronic and Electrical Engineering student. I was an active member of six clubs last year including Women’s Cricket, Ultimate Frisbee, Badminton, Tamburelli, Fencing and Squash. I learned to love all these clubs equally and my passion for sports became even stronger. I have worked in the Student Activities reception, where I got to know the people and how the system works. I dealt with development plans, kit, memberships, and recently I

have helped with the data entry. I am very approachable and with my experience I hope to bring a positive change into your clubs. Duncan Foster. I am an extremely approachable third year Sport Science student with a passion for sport. I have been part of the Brunel Men’s Football club for three years, and this year I am the fourth team captain. It is a monumental year for everyone involved in sport, with the Olympics arriving in London next year, and that is why I wanted to be involved in sport at Brunel. I applied for the Sports Federation Committee as it allows me to be involved in making some key decisions for the clubs and organising some key events such as Varsity and Sports Federation Ball. Jamie Edwards. I’m in my third year at Brunel and my first year Sports Science student. I am chairman of Ultimate Frisbee and have been playing now for just over a year. I wanted to become more involved in Brunel sport as I believe that the smaller clubs at this University do not get the representation they deserve. Jayke Harrison. It’s my second year at Brunel studying Mathematics. This year I’ve really got involved; I’m the Vice Chair of Kayaking, Chair of Mathematics Society and also fundraise for Childreach International, raising £2,500 to sponsor myself to climb Mount Kilimanjaro alongside 39 other Brunelians! As Sports Fed Committee member, I’m really excited about getting to know my clubs and helping them out as

much as possible. This year is going to be a busy one, but it’ll be worth it in the end! Josh Murray. I’m a Sports Science with Business Studies student and am now in my third year. I’m a keen player and follower of many sports; primarily tennis and football. I’ve been chairman of Brunel University Tennis Club for the past two years and, when I’ve been injury-free, a regular in both the first and second teams over the past three years. I am a huge Southampton fan, so if I’m not doing uni work or playing tennis, I’m usually watching the mighty Saints. I should probably also mention: I LOVE BRUNEL. A lot. After seven meetings in three weeks, lasting 21 hours in total, we have successfully set budgets for all 49 of our clubs here at Brunel. Every committee member has the parental responsibility to oversee and represent seven clubs. We are currently in the process of organising Sports Federation Ball, with the date already confirmed as April 27, 2012. This is one of the highlights of the year for Sports Clubs, where clubs and individuals are recognised for their excellence over the past academic year. Please keep an eye on brunelstudents. com for tickets. There may even be a cheeky bargain deal for some of you if you are lucky enough to get your tickets early. FIND OUT MORE sportsfed.chair@brunel.ac.uk

Student Assembly welcomes non-members Terrified of heights. Tom Scott After the success of the first student assembly in October, the Union of Brunel Students opened its doors to the entire student body with the November Union Meeting on 24th November at 6pm in the Council Chambers. This meeting was open to all students to attend, along with the student officers, chairs, and assembly members. This was one of just two meetings this academic year where anyone can attend, with the next coming up in May. As such, over 100 members were required to attend in order for the meeting to meet quoracy, yet the meeting fell just short with just 67 members of the student body present. The meeting was chaired by new Student Assembly chair Joshua Dixon, who claimed that due to not meeting quoracy, the student trustees had allowed the meeting to go ahead. Therefore, at 6.15pm, the meeting got underway. The chair welcomed the student body to the meeting and then

presented the minutes from the October meeting. The minutes were passed and then the meeting moved on to other matters. Firstly, CEO of the UBS, Danny O’Sullivan, presented details on the finances of the Union, including what companies the Union pays towards. The finances were open to questions from the student body but none came forward. Next was the presentation of the upcoming guidelines for the NUS referendum. The guidelines were passed, and a full report on the upcoming NUS referendum can be found on page 3. The first motion was presented by the Volunteer Chair, Alex Mitchell, to confer the role of Honorary President of the UBS to Rob Macredie. The motion was passed and all the details on this motion can be found on page 5. The next motion was presented by Peter Smallwood, who presented an amended motion for the formation of a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Working Group. He claimed that due to Brunel’s poor result in the recent Stonewall report, that more work should be done to promote LGBT issues on campus

and that this working group would help to resolve this. Vice President Community Welfare, Avina Patel, spoke against the motion, claiming that this working group would add extra work to her already busy schedule and that it wouldn’t get the full attention that it deserves. The motion was passed with an overwhelming majority. The next motion was, again, presented by Peter Smallwood, who presented another amended motion for the formation of a Social Media Working Party. He claimed that with the increased focus on social media, there are no guidelines in place to monitor what UBS officers and chairs can put on their social media accounts. Overall, the motion was passed. The final motion was presented by student assembly member Dan Rowe, who wanted the Union to lobby the University on workers’ rights. This motion deals with the recent report that Brunel are using cleaning staff without giving them a valid working contract. 10 different people spoke both for and against the motion, with many arguing that this was not a union issue and that it should be something for the University and

the company that employs the cleaners to look into. The motion was passed and a full report on the current issue with Brunel cleaning staff can be found on page 3. The meeting then moved onto the student officers and chairs reports. All reports were presented and questioned and all reports were passed. All the questions raised by members can be found in the official minutes. The final item on the agenda was the motion to award life membership to the UBS to former assembly member Tasha Shackell. Tasha, in spite of her difficulties,

has contributed massively to the Union over the last three years, especially in promoting Disability and Dyslexia issues on campus. The motion was passed with a complete majority. The next meeting will be on January 27th at 6pm in the Council Chambers. Full minutes can be found online at brunelstudents.com. FIND OUT MORE Contact Rich Wiltshire, the Democratic Support Coordinator, at richard.wiltshire@brunel.ac.uk. Takunda Chikaku

The four men on the wall didn’t count towards attendance. Good thing that our budget meant we weren’t in debt.

Le Nurb - December 2011

THE ARC

What is the ARC? Welfare benefit entitlements Debt negotiation cases Council tax issues Access to learning fund advice

Money Matters

Housing

Immigration

Contract checks Non-returned deposits Landlord harassment cases Off-campus housing

Bringing your partner over to join you in the UK Visa renewals and extensions Working in the UK during and after your studies

Academic Jobs & Consumer Income tax and National Insurance payments Annual leave Withheld wages Utility and mobile phone bill/contract queries

Academic appeals University disciplinary cases Course problems Referrals to study support and other University departments Free condoms Information on local clinics Information leaflets Referrals to University Counselling Service

Sexual Health

Who are we? The ARC (Advice and Representation Centre) is run by the Union of Brunel Students. We are a team of professional advisers and provide confidential, independent, and free advice. We can also refer you to external agencies, and departments within the University. We can support you in almost any area associated with the practicalities of student life. If you are a registered, suspended or prospective student of Brunel University, then you are welcome to use our free service. We want to make a difference to your life at University!

Where to find out more Tel: 01895 269169 Email: advice@brunel.ac.uk Web: www.brunelstudents.com/arc Please check our website for the most up-to-date opening times. www.brunelstudents.com/arc

The Advice and Representation Centre (ARC), part of the Union of Brunel Students, is once again hosting the annual Housing Fayre which is an event to provide essential information and guidance to the large proportion of students living in accommodation in the local area. The ARC is committed to promoting and maintaining the welfare of students. We offer free, impartial and confidential advice to students on a wide range of issues, of which housing advice is one of the main concerns of students visiting the ARC. We aim to raise awareness amongst students of the housing services available to them, the issues surrounding housing, how they can find private rent accommodation, and what to think about once they move in. The Housing Fayre will be held on Tuesday 7th February 2012, between 11am and 2pm, in the Atrium, Hamilton Centre. In previous years the Housing Fayre has been extremely successful with over 400 students in attendance over the day. We aim to build on the success of past years and reach as many students as possible through the participation of organisations such as key departments at London Borough of Hillingdon including the Private Sector Housing Team; Community Safety Team, Off-campus Housing Office, Endsleigh Insurance, London Fire Service. Also you can meet and register with local letting agents â&#x20AC;&#x201C; NuPad; Coopers: and Gibbs Gillespie. This will give students an opportunity to review selected student rental properties and sign up to secure accommodation from Summer 2012. So on 7th February why not drop by, meet the ARC team, look out for the give-aways and get loads of information and guidance on taking your first steps into the private rental housing sector.

News, Features, Reviews and Sports...

December 2011 - Le Nurb

PCC

100% positive impact on their studies! Of students who met with us agreed that the advice had a

'I have always had anxieties when it comes to Maths and the session I attended greatly increased my confidence and provided me with helpful strategies.' Postgraduate Student in Sport and Education 'It gave me a wonderful push off to start my assignment, and continued support through it. It allowed me to feel confident through the process and made me feel what I was writing about really worked and made sense' Level 1 Student in Social Sciences

So what are you waiting for? ASK timetables for next year published at

http://tinyurl.com/askbrunel

Events this month (DECEMBER) Green Ops: Royal Marines Leadership Exercise*

The Rules for Integration**

8th 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

14TH 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM

Made for Life: Marketing (2) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; How?*

Correlation Coefficients**

08TH 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

14th 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Brunel Sports Park Multi use pitches

Lecture Centre LC262

ASK Workshop Room

Library Training Room (LTR)

* for more info and to register go to... http://www.brunel.ac.uk/services/pcc/events ** for more info and to register go to... http://tinyurl.com/askbrunel

Goggle: Brunel Super U Looking for articles of various sorts.

Le Nurb - December 2011

FEATURES

Brunel Atheists Brunel Circus Society Brunel Atheists President. Alison Finlay Are you disillusioned with religion? Perhaps you’ve never believed in a higher power? Do you question religion, or its role in society? A significant proportion of Brunel students do not identify with a religion – are you part of that 17%? If so, then you’re the person we had in mind when we set up Brunel Atheists. Brunel Atheists was formed at the end of the last academic year with the aim of representing the views and interests of non-believers at Brunel. With non-religious students making up the third largest group (after Muslims and Christians) we felt it was about time that this group was made visible on campus, in order to reflect the true diversity of beliefs – or lack of – that exist at the university. We offer a friendly environment for free-thinkers to engage in rational conversation. We’re a fun society, full of action-packed discussions, debates and events including screenings, trips and sometimes just a bit of a chat. We encourage discussion and debate on the topic of religion, and we love to talk to anyone who has an opinion on religious issues, whatever

their perspective. Additionally, we aim to challenge preconceptions about Atheism and dispel the myths about what those who don’t believe, believe. We want non-religious students to be listened to, respected and understood by others. We feel that no-one should be prejudged, pigeonholed or disadvantaged because of their opinions or worldview. We also think it’s important to add a non-religious voice to inter-faith discussions and to hear different opinions and viewpoints on a wide range of topics and issues. Every two weeks we get together at the chaplaincy and engage in a discussion and book group alongside members of the Christian Union and Jewish Society, in order to share our opinions and engage in challenging debate. If you want to meet like-minded people and make your voice heard, we welcome new people. Our meetings take place on Wednesdays from 6pm in a variety of locations. FIND OUT MORE For meeting details or to find out more, join our Facebook group ‘Brunel Atheists’, or email brunelatheists@gmail.com. If you’ve got any ideas, comments, questions or hate mail, we’d love to hear from you! Ian W Scott

Mike Kryjak

Brunel Circus kkkkkk Society President. Mike Kryjak Ever wanted to try out something truly different? Ever wanted to try juggling? Fire spinning? Staff? Fire Swords? Diabolo? Do you like beer and good times? If you’ve answered any of those questions with a ‘yes’, then Brunel Circus Skills is a society for you! We’re a friendly, fun-loving bunch dedicated to learning and performing circus skills. That doesn’t mean that we have clowns or tigers, mind. Or magic tricks, or knife throwing, or whatever. If you’ve ever been to a rave and seen people spin strobing glowy things, or fire breathers, fire spinners and so on then you’ve got a clearer idea of what we do! We can teach you a lot of these thanks to our skilled members. We’re pretty good at teaching, too, so you’ll be up and going in no time! Since there are so many things we do as a society, each of us has our own specialities. This means that you don’t have to feel awkward walking into a room where you’re the only one who can’t juggle – you could be learning to juggle along with some of us that haven’t quite mastered it yet (the running joke is that the president still can’t do it/be bothered to try properly). We meet every Monday at 7pm at the ground floor of the Isambard

It’s all fun and games. Amenity Building. If you dare to join us there, expect having to dodge flying juggling balls or clubs and poi spinners who got a bit too into it and are running around like lunatics while a proper sound system is blasting out the best electro swing/electro/tech house/ techno/acid jazz/dubstep/lounge music with just the right volume and bouncability. Every two weeks or so, we go out to a park at night and practice fire! This means we light up our fire swords, fire poi

and levistick and have a spin. You’re welcome to try it out! (after getting tips on how not to get burnt, it’s fine). For those of you who already know a circus skill, we organise trips to workshops, conventions, and spinning clubs around the UK and meet our equivalents from across the country. So come join us and have a play! Come on Monday at 7pm and then join us at the pub for banter and beer and good times!”

Crisis? What crisis? kkkkkk Dorset-born, thirdyear Sociologist. Alice Dorrington

Epicurus: Ancient Greek philosopher and atheist.

There is no denying the fact that Christmas is well and truly here. For some, it really is the most wonderful time of the year, the party season! A time for friends, family, good food and bad hangovers. For others, it is a time to come together and celebrate their faith. Or for you, maybe, it is simply an opportunity to relax and unwind with those you love? We all have an idea of what makes our festive season perfect. But for some, the Perfect Christmas is not so easy to achieve. Leading homeless charity Shelter released reports last week stating that a staggering 35,000 people could find themselves homeless by Christmas. It is a tragic reality that there will be thousands of people waking up on Christmas morning, not to be greeted with warmth or excitement, but with the familiar realisation of cold, hunger and loneliness. This is where charitable scheme Crisis at Christmas steps in. Crisis at Christmas, which this year, celebrates its 40th

anniversary, runs each year from the 23rd to the 30th of December and offers a range of vital services for homeless people across London. Not only are guests offered warm meals and comfortable accommodation, they are also provided with the opportunity of numerous indispensable services that many homeless people go without, such as free health care and counselling. Last year, nearly 3,000 people took grateful advantage of all that Crisis at Christmas has to offer, a figure that is set to rise for this coming festive season. In order for this scheme to be possible, Crisis heavily rely on the good will and Christmas spirit of regular folk like you and I. This year, 8,000 volunteers are needed to provide the highest possible level of care to all guests at what is often the toughest time of year for them. Crisis need volunteers for all manner of tasks, from making tea, to football coaching, transporting goods, to managing media and press coverage. There is something for absolutely everyone to get involved with. However, if hands-on help is not for you, there are several other ways to get involved. The Crisis website offers you the opportunity to give the gift of a place at Crisis this Christmas,

No maids were milking, no geese were laying...

or, if that is a little pricey for a student budget, you can sponsor a volunteer on the Virgin Money Giving website and all money will go to Crisis as a head start for next year’s scheme. University is a time to seize opportunities and do things that you have never done before. If nothing more, we all know that voluntary charitable work is going to put you a cut above the rest when it comes to job hunting! So why not think about volunteering yourself? There is always an awkward few days after Christmas, but before New Year that are generally spent watching Wallace and Gromit on repeat, whilst gorging on Quality Street. This year, why not spend even one of those days making a huge difference to the lives of those less fortunate than yourself and do something that resembles genuine Christmas magic by bringing someone closer to that Perfect Christmas that we have all come to expect? DONATE To make a donation to Crisis through my fundraising page, go to uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ AliceDorrington.

December 2011 - Le Nurb

FEATURES

White students need not apply I have been here too damn long. Ben Moxey Upon telling the editor that this article was to be about black students, the NUS, and free speech, her response was roughly: “Oh shit.” It’s fair to say that this is something of a thorny issue. With the referendum on the NUS approaching this year, and with Brunel being such an ethnically diverse campus, I could be writing the paper (and myself) into a civil rights case-of-a-barn-dance. My attention was drawn the other day to a poster in the Atrium for the NUS Black Students’ Campaign. We have included a copy alongside this article so you can have a read of it yourself. Go on... I’ll wait. This is the most ludicrous, absurd poster I have ever read. It is insulting to pretty much everyone and is a load of crap. First off, the “NUS Black Students’ Campaign.” What does that name conjure up in your head? People of African origin with a “black” skin colouring? Wrong! It means “Anyone who isn’t white” – so a “black student” needn’t actually be of dark skin tone nor have a family string from the Caribbean or Africa. They could be Indian. Or Pakistani. Or Korean. Or Arabic. Or Thai. These are all “black students.” A former president of this Union, born to Indian parents in Brighton, once told me that he had never seen himself as a colour until he joined uni and the NUS told him he was black and should therefore join the campaign. Reading on through the universitybased social issues the poster (and its organisation) brings up is altogether more alarming. The NUS has various “Liberation” campaigns (think D-Day, but on a smaller, less eventful scale), the sole purpose of which is to represent the views of their collected students. They have one for black students, for women, and one for the LGBT students. There

are also campaigns for International, Disabled, and Mature students. Those last three aside, what do the Campaigns actually provide in 2011? Does anyone think LGBT students get a rough deal at the hands of the university? Do timetablers think, “I could put this lecture in a room that is big enough but most of the people on this course are a bunch of gays so who cares?” Do the NUS honestly

think that all the female students are shuffled off to an unclean halls of residence ‘cos “women are good at cleaning, aren’t they, the pretty little dears?” Are the NUS championing themselves as the defenders of vice and virtue, to defend the black students who are unable to speak out when they are mistreated and are to be protected, like a rare species? In this poster, the NUS seem to

make out that black students are powerless to help themselves. “... If we complain[,] we’re militants, playing the race card[;] and if we don’t, it’s our slave mentality...” Is this a true problem in the modern and liberal world of a British university? I can’t see black students getting any rougher a ride than I got at as an undergraduate. At times we all get shit thrown at us, but I doubt

A clipping from the recent NUS Black Students’ Campaign poster

that it is due to race or gender. Of course, racism exists. We’ve all met the locals in the pub who reckons that “this country has gone to the dogs, that Churchill wouldn’t have stood for this mosque bollocks, that bleh blah blah bleh I’m not a racist but...” I’d be lying to you to say it any other way. And due to the proverbial Law of Large Numbers, there are some idiots on this campus who want black people to “go home,” women to get cleaning, and gay people to stop all of that. They believe that this social experiment called “multiculturalism” hasn’t worked and that the ethnic minorities should leave. Ironically enough, THEY are the minority. At Brunel, the amount of white students (compared with the NUS definition of a black student) make up the minority. Female students? There are considerably more of them, one source saying they outnumber the boys with a 60:40 ratio. And figures, now several decades old, suggest that at least a third of any body of randomly assorted people will be homosexual. So in the end, the NUS seek to protect the poor unfortunate students from black backgrounds; to represent the downtrodden woman; to encourage the gay and bisexual students to speak out. In actual fact, they make up a substantial portion of the University population. The ACS is one of the largest single bodies on campus. The LGBT, despite fits and starts in its early life, seems to be running smoothly; and as women make the majority of the campus population, I don’t think any man can claim to have any “ultimate power.” All these groups serve to do is to increase the segregation in our lives, to promote the use of labels. “Don’t talk to Barry; he isn’t part of the LGBT campaign. He must hate us all.” This would happen to be another out-dated and misguided NUS directive that has no place inside a modern day University. Well done, them. Bear that in mind when you approach the ballot box in December to cast your vote in the Referendum, hmm?

Right to reply: The NUS have been contacted regarding this article and have agreed to provide a response, which will be published in our January issue.

Re-Kindle your love for books Second-year English student. Richard Gilbert-Cross Sometime last month I sat on a long coach journey taking me from Gloucester back to the Smoke. Aside visiting a dear friend, I enjoyed a pilgrimage of the local Heart of England legend. Author Laurie Lee made his breakthrough in the Fifties with Cider With Rosie, a literary love letter to his beloved Cotswolds. Before me lay a beautiful, ornate, illustrated gold-rimmed special edition which I was proudly engrossed in. Much

to my surprise, a lady took the seat opposite and delightfully exclaimed that we were reading the same book! Intrigued, I looked over to see her remove a small, blocky black box which she then showed me. It turned out to be a Kindle. The damned thing nearly sent me into a panic attack. I’m no stranger to technology but feel my iPhone and laptop do not alter the experience of a beloved past time. Technology lies at heart of those things and new ways of communication come directly from them, but books have been around for centuries. I am certainly open to the idea that it doesn’t matter where you read your novels (be it on a computer screen or even

read to you on an audio book). But what could be more exciting than purchasing a book from a musty old shop or greeting the postman as he drops a Penguin Classic through the letter box? Not only do books smell nice, you can meet the author and get them signed and pass them on to your grandchildren. You can lend them to friends and have them returned late, all dog eared and stained with wine. But somehow that’s the beauty of it all. For my old-fashioned brain, it’s the difference between having an internet girlfriend and a real girlfriend. Or less ridiculously so, an MP3 or a beautiful vinyl. I understand that MP3s are far more convenient, absolutely, but

Although Rob’s head was surely aching.

have yet to hear a valid argument for the Kindle. Is it convenience? I hardly think so. It costs £90 (thirty second-hand books from Amazon). It is light. You can carry it in your bag. Just like the average book. My opinion is that people’s brains have been so seduced by technology the only way people read nowadays is to make an investment turning printed word into pixels. Whilst it is certain that Kindles have reacquainted many people with reading again, I would plead that one day when you don’t have to commute on a train too crowded for you to reach for your Kindle, do consider buying a book. Part of the fun of going on holiday for me is rushing around the airport

shops looking for reading material on the beach. Bookshelves are like wine racks for others – when you have visitors for dinner you can take pride at how sophisticated and learned you seem! Ultimately though, it is still fantastic that people feel the need to read, whichever means they resort to in order to so. I don’t feel books will ever join the cassette player or the Walkman on the scrapheap, and many years from now publishers will still be releasing novels in a physical format. Meanwhile, Christmas is approaching. And family, I would like the fading, yellowing, musty Raymond Chandler novels I saw in the charity shop window…

Le Nurb - December 2011

FEATURES

The Liberty Human Rights Awards: the winners No relation to Batman. Charlotte Bale On November 22 the UK-based Human Rights pressure group Liberty held its annual Human Rights Awards at the South Bank Center in London. The awards aim to honour those who have devoted their time to protecting civil liberties and promoting Human Rights awareness both in the UK and throughout the world. While he was on his way to Syria to study Arabic and work with orphans, Cerie Bullivant was stopped by police at Heathrow and questioned for nine hours. He was released, but authorities kept his passport for a month. This event would mark the beginning of a horrific ordeal that would last three years. Bullivant, a Muslim convert, would be put under a control order under suspicion of terrorism which would result in him losing his family, his friends and cause the breakdown of his

marriage. It would also force him to drop out of university due to a strict curfew set by police, as well as force him into unemployment. It did not end there. He would soon be remanded in custody and finally put on trial. It has since come to light that the sanctions seemed to have been imposed due to his close friendship with two men whose brother had been convicted of terrorism. Although he was found not guilty, Bullivant believes that the ordeal ruined his life. He has devoted his time to campaign against the control order regime and proposed Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Bill, comparing it to a more authoritarian dictatorship like China or Burma. He aims to raise awareness of the dangers of imposing punishment without trial. His efforts have gained him the Human Rights Young Person of the Year Award. Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas Mercer won the Human Rights Lawyer of the Year Award. The army’s chief legal adviser in Iraq spoke out against the mistreatment

Christmas: student style! English and Creative Writing student who loves to shop ‘til sunset and party ‘til sunrise!

Hayley Baldwin My fellow paupers, it is that time of year again when everybody moans about their decreasing bank balances and expanding bank statements. But in our case, the majority of us have no income and plenty of outgoings, making it even worse. But Christmas doesn’t have to be expensive. These five tips will help you save your pennies. 1. Shop early. By staggering the cost rather than going on one blow-out shop, it won’t upset your monthly expenses as much. This also gives you time to shop around and find the cheapest place to buy gifts from. So when September arrives next year, instead of groaning and trying to ignore the shelves lined with tinsel, start thinking about what you can get people. This leads to my next piece of advice. 2. Do not shop on Christmas Eve. Christmas shopping is bad enough in the weeks running up to Christmas, let alone the night before. You will have to shoulder-barge your way through the crowds only to be presented with the junk that will be left. The stress – plus the lack of options – means you buy the nearest things to get it over with. This means that instead of waiting for a huge smile to emerge on your receiver’s

face, you will waiting to apologise to them when they unwrap their lava lamp. However, you may be wondering how this affects the cost. By making impulse buys and not shopping around, you are likely to pay more for something that you could have got cheaper elsewhere. So the next point is… 3. Shop online. Doing your shopping at home with one hand on the mouse and a cup of tea in the other has to be the most

of Iraqi detainees by British soldiers. He accused the Ministry of Defence of a “cultural resistance to human rights,” calling them to “hang their heads in shame.” His efforts to warn the Supreme Court that the treatment of prisoners by British soldiers violated the Human Rights Act were ignored and consequently so were hundreds of cases of the appalling treatment of Iraqi soldiers. One such case was that of Baha Mousa, a hotel worker and father who died in the custody of the 1st Battalion the Queen’s Lancashire Regiment in Basra in 2003. A public inquiry into his death earlier this year revealed that he had sustained as many as 93 injuries prior to his death. Janis Sharp, whose son, Gary McKinnon, faces extradition to the United States on a hacking charge after he explored restricted military sites in 2001 and 2002. If convicted, he could face up to 70 years in prison. Janis Sharp has campaigned for Gary’s right to a fair trial to take place in the United Kingdom. Her plea to the government to act upon their

unjust extradition arrangements has earned her Liberty’s Human Rights Close To Home Award. The Lifetime Achievement Award went to John Hendy QC, in recognition of his dedication to defending the rights of workers and trade unionists in this country. Mr Hendy was one of the founder members of the Free Representation Unit in 1972 and has been involved in most of the leading cases in industrial action over the last three decades. He has also helped to extend worker’s protection rights against dismissal and suspension. Liberty remarked “His career at the bar and considerable additional advocacy demonstrate and extraordinary commitment to both individual justice and social action.” Other award winners include Screenwriter and Film Director Penny Woolcock, winner of the Human Rights Art Award, in recognition of her film “On The Streets,” a harrowing account of homelessness in London. Peter Oborne of The Telegraph, winner of the Independent Voice of the

Year Award, for “calling to account the most powerful in our country, especially in relation to the shameful history of [its] complicity in torture” during the so-called war on terror.” Private Eye magazine for their efforts to keep the public informed in a satirical manner and Statewatch, for their dedication to democracy and free debate, both winners of the Long Walk Award. Also, I have to give special recognition to Chris Whitehead, a shortlisted nominee for the Human Rights Young Person of the year. Although he missed out on the award, 13 year old Chris made headlines with his “creative use of peaceful protest,” when he challenged his school’s policy prohibiting boys from wearing shorts in the summer by turning up to school in a skirt. I admire young Chris’ bravery, although I must admit I was disappointed when I realised he had decided not to wear a skirt to the ceremony. Chris won free membership of Liberty which will be valid until his eighteenth birthday. Congratulations to him, and to all winners and nominees.

relaxing way. Not only do you avoid the crowds all together, but you can compare prices on company websites to see who has the best deals. Online shopping can be quicker, more efficient, and save you time and money. It’s not surprising that more people do it every year. The delivery means you also will not have to drag huge and heavy presents around the street (though some delivery charges can be costly.) On the other hand, play.com sells DVDs, CDs, books, and other gifts and gadgets very cheaply, and has free delivery. Ebay.co.uk is great for finding specific gifts and things that you wouldn’t find on the high street; and nine times out of ten you pay half the price for it. Although, timing can be an issue

here if let too late. Some items are from abroad and can take up to three weeks to be delivered, whilst some bids won’t end until a later date, which plus delivery time can be too late. Another great website that we are all familiar with is Amazon, as it stocks almost anything and offers free delivery on a lot of their items. There can be drawbacks with online shopping, like items not arriving in time or being incorrect, but if you shop early enough you should avoid the Christmas delivery rush and have time to exchange things. Personally, I love trawling Oxford Street and getting that warm, giddy Christmas feeling – or that might just be all the mulled wine. 4. Get creative. Family members

love homemade gifts, especially our parents and grandparents. It doesn’t have to be fancy; making something simple shows real effort and it can be so cheap. The best ideas are usually the edible ones. A few easy ideas are jams, chutneys, fudge, truffles, biscuits and cakes. However, if your culinary skills will make a gift seem more like abuse, then you could fill a jar with their favourite sweets, or make something inedible like a scrapbook, or compile photos into an album. I joined pottery this, year which has helped cut the cost. My designs are far from gorgeous, but my mum has loved receiving rubbish from me since I was four years old, so I know she will adore whatever I give her, and yours probably will too. For more homemade gift ideas visit homemade-gifts-made-easy.com. 5. Collect points. Many companies now offer loyalty cards through which you can earn ‘points’ throughout the year. The most well known is probably Boot’s Advantage Card. Every year I save up my Boots points and have just under £20 to spend on Christmas presents. If you prefer Superdrug to Boots, you are in luck, as they launched their Beautycard, which is their version of Boots’ Advantage card, this year. Plus there are also points from Debenhams’ Beautycard, Tesco’s Clubcard and Nectar to collect every time you shop. It may be too late to do this year, but bear it in mind for next year because it could be worth two or three gifts. By the time this goes to print many will still need to do some shopping (myself included), so either get going, get online, or get creative. Happy Christmas, and happy spending!

Mike_fleming

He knows when you’ve been bad or good... The Le Nurb stocking filled up with new content...

December 2011 - Le Nurb

FEATURES

Giving birth to our own demise Long time reader, first time writer. Joshua Robinson Survival is the driving factor behind most (if not all) organic processes, but to figure out just how well a species is surviving, it can be broken down into 3 stages. The first stage of survival is Personal Survival, i.e. can a single organism sustain its own life? The second stage is Survival of the Species, i.e. can a group of organisms work together to ensure the survival of their own species? The third stage of survival is Survival of Life, i.e. can a species not only look out for themselves, but also ensure the survival of other species around them?

Humans are facing a lot of problems at the moment, but most of them are to do with there not being enough of a particular thing for everyone. Recycling has become very popular recently, but only when people realised that there isn’t enough raw material to make everything that we produce. Similarly, our views on energy use have been changed, but partly because we found it difficult to produce enough energy to meet demand. Most of our issues have one thing at their root: overpopulation. If there were less people creating demand for food, energy, money, materials, and natural resources (to name but a few) then these complex globally linked systems would be under a little less strain. So back to the three stages of survival, I think we can all agree

that we have mastered the first one. If we were to jump ahead with a little bit of an ego, we might say that we have mastered all three, because we care for other endangered species and help them to survive. Sadly, this is not the case. Humans have killed off far more species than they have helped to save. What about the second stage? Can we claim to keep our own species from the brink of extinction? Again, the answer is no. Overpopulation is set to be the end of us. Never before in the history of life as we know it has a species had to stop and rethink their breeding strategy because they were doing it too well. It’s hardwired into us to want our species to survive, but if we don’t rethink how we do that then the consequences will be felt by us, our children, and everybody after them for the

foreseeable future. Overpopulation seems to be something of a taboo subject. Most people’s knee-jerk reaction when I talk to them about this subject is usually something like “So you want to kill loads of people?” Of course not, that would be ridiculous. I am not suggesting that we go round killing off a percentage of the population. I am suggesting that we all aim for a more sustainable birth rate. If every 2 parents have 4 children then the population doubles in a generation. There are currently 7 billion people on the planet, if it ever reached 14 billion I doubt we would be living as comfortably as we are now. If 2 parents had 2 children each, then that would sustain the population, and if you factored into it the amount of people who won’t have children at

all, the population would gradually decrease. Problem solved, and all within a single generation. Obviously it’s a lot harder than that in reality. We need everyone on the planet to know about this problem. This is a tricky task but in some parts of the world it’s nearly impossible, due to barriers ranging from poor women’s rights to out-dated traditions and cultural values. It takes time and effort to change people’s minds on these matters, but if we don’t live up to our self-appointed reputation as the smartest species on the planet then we will end up like the Dodo. You can recycle all you want, live in a solar-powered-mud-hut or even drive a Prius, but nothing is going to save us if we keep on makin’ babies like we do.

thisparticulargreg

This is the amount of people in your womb right now.

Education for leisure Never hit a man with glasses. Hit him with a baseball bat. Aaron Brown Based on the poem of the same name by Carol Ann Duffy. “Education is the movement from darkness to light.” - Allan Bloom, 20th century American philosopher. Sunlight splashed into the small, cramped living room. He stood there. Don’t rush this. Deep breath. His hands were clammy from the sudden surge of excitement that he felt flooding through his parched veins. The realisation had hit him. Today was the day. Today was the day he was going to kill something. He pushed a lock of thick, black hair from his eyes and searched the room for a victim. Start small. Walking around the back of the old, tattered, beige sofa he approached the only window in the room which gave out to a panoramic view of the garden at the back of the house. A fragile blanket of frost lay across the plants, transforming the view of the cramped, overgrown, untamed garden into a winter wonderland that could easily feature on any

festive card. He paused as a fragment of his education, one he thought long forgotten, returned to him. For it to snow, the tops of the clouds must be below 0 degrees Celsius or 32 degrees Fahrenheit. He stood there. He lifted his hand. There. On the glass. The fly on the glass did not give a reaction. It was a housefly, Musca Domestica, statistically the most common insect. He moved his hand. Slow. His hand trembled slightly with excitement. Don’t rush this. Slow. The fly did not move. Slow. His hand came crashing down upon the fly, shattering its feeble exoskeleton, folding its wings until they crumpled with a satisfactory pop as the pressure became too much for the body to support. Flies have a smelling distance of over 750 yards. The transparency of the glass was tarnishing with the brown viscosity of the fly’s insides, which spurted out to hide the winter landscape. His eyes glazed over as he replayed the moment over and over in his mind. He licked his lips. More. This control over the lives of others – it was exhilarating. He exhaled heavily. He was God. That was how he signed his name in the

thick condensation on the window. He stood there. Deep breath. A movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. Victim. He walked over to the fish tank. My fish tank. Inside the goldfish swam around. My goldfish. It was unaware of its impending, inevitable demise. Goldfish have been used a pets for just over 1,000 years and have no stomach. He picked up the tank and carried it from its habitual place on top of the small table in the centre living room – opposite the window now smeared with insect fluids. Careful. He didn’t want to spill a drop. The tank was heavy and difficult to grip. One litre of water is equal to a kilogram. He tightened his grip. Careful. He entered the small, grimy bathroom. He walked with purpose and stopped in front of the toilet. My bog. He balanced the fish tank with his right hand and right knee - which he had propped on the rim of the bath-tub. He thrust his left hand deep into the tank. Water spilled from the sides of tank, soaking his shirt. He cornered the fish and pulled it from the tank. It struggled. Its mouth flapped about uselessly, desperately trying to breath. Deep breath. Its eyes rolled in its sockets and its thrashing diminished. The oldest recorded

And then to our sub-editors it was sent.

goldfish was 43 years old and died in 1999 in Yorkshire. He dropped the fish into the toilet. My bog. A smile spread across his face as he flushed. He walked back to the living room. Nothing left to kill. To murder. His name was fading rapidly from the glass in the window. Losing control. He stood there. Deep breath. Now, He walks from the living room to the kitchen. Opens the first drawer he comes to. Knife. He picks up his weapon of choice. In the UK a knife crime occurs every 24 minutes. He shuts the drawer and walks from the kitchen. He puts on his shoes. He smiles. He clenches his knife. His hands are clammy from the sudden surge of excitement that he feels flooding through his parched veins. He opens the front door. He walks out into the street. He blinks. The pavement glitters. The air is cold. He coughs. He raises the knife as he sees me walking past, on the phone to my ill mother. The cartoonist and writer Steven Stiles once wrote that ‘God made death so we’d know when to stop.’ He shakes his head and curses his useless education for intruding on such a monumental moment for him. He approaches me. Quick. Yes Mum, I will be home shortly.

Quick. No, I know. I’m going to get the pills now. Quick. I love you too. Don’t worry about me, I’ll be home soon. Now! He plants the knife between my shoulder blades. My knees buckle. I drop to the frosty pavement. I splutter and flail my arms, desperately trying to grasp at the weapon in my back. He knocks my hands away. I crumple, my head smashes against the cold, hard pavement. I am God. My vision blurs. Images swirl before me but I can’t make out definitive shapes or colours. A warm feeling floods through my veins. The ground before me is soaked in crimson, ruining the surreal winder landscape. A single tear runs down my cheek and freezes on my chin. I sob quietly as my life drains and the deep red pool before me runs away, melting the frost and dripping into the gutter. I think of my mother. Alone. My eyelids flutter, then close for the final time. He stands there. Deep breath. That‘ll teach her.

Le Nurb - December 2011

THE ACADEMY

They checked if our writers were naughty or nice...

December 2011 - Le Nurb

CENTRESPREAD | ALCOHOL AWARENESS

The Union of Brunel Students presents...

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on Crashed vehicles How alcohol and drugs can put others in danger The concourse // All week Simulated recovery The concourse // Monday Water giveaway The Academy // All week

Campaign aims Increasing awareness of potential dangers of alcohol and drugs. Increasing awareness of the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Zero Tolerance campaign. Reducing crime on campus.

Buy one meal get another free in Locos All week // 5-7pm Confidential advice from the Medical Centre The Atrium // Thursday // 12-2pm Driving Simulator The Atrium // Tuesday // 12-3pm Fire brigade service The Atrium // Tuesday and Friday // 12-3pm Community police The Atrium // Tuesday // 12-1pm Give blood service The Atrium // Tuesday // 12-3pm

Reducing incidents relating to alcohol, drugs and weapons on campus. Building relations with the local community by reducing antisocial behaviour of students. Creating a safer environment on campus. We did cut the one with the fetish for spice.

Counselling on Radio Brunel Tuesday & Friday // 1-2pm Hagam Rehabilitation service The Atrium // Thursday // 12-3pm Campus security The Atrium // Wednesday & Friday // 12-3pm London nightline service The Atrium // Tuesday & Friday // 12-3pm

Le Nurb - December 2011

CENTRESPREAD | ALCOHOL AWARENESS

I had a difficult upbringing. My mother struggled to bring me up in South London, alone due to my father’s troubles with the law. In the 80’s, my sister Quinita was born and my mum continued to struggle, with a lack of support from my father’s family leaving her alone and feeling continually strained as she tried to bring us both up. Despite the distance between my parents, I knew that they were in love and it was hard to see my family pulled in different directions. In the late eighties, my father received a sentence that kept him away for three years. It was a testing time for their relationship. He came out in 1990 and recognised it was time to fix up and start being there for his wife and children. Growing up and preparing to go secondary school, we were now in the process of moving to a new area called Bellingham. We lived there for six years, and that was a period that opened up my eyes to prejudice and racism. It was something I never experienced while growing up as a child in Camberwell, but when I moved to Bellingham, it was literally brought to the door where we lived. Those teenage years were extremely confusing for me and brought about a strain on the relationship I had with my father, who showed me a huge amount of love when I was a child. When I left school, I was very unclear with what it was I wanted to do and failed miserably in wanting to be a professional Footballer, a hobby I really enjoyed from childhood. Leaving school and feeling unclear left me bewildered; I was idle to the thought of selling drugs on an estate I went in Camberwell. I first starting selling stolen goods, then went onto selling weed. It was not long before I went onto to selling crack cocaine. During this time, I met a girl who was detached from her family at a young age, and I grew fond of her. By this time, my parents had moved to another area in Catford, and my father for six years had kept out of trouble with the law. He was now involved in property development. It was obvious to recognise that he was clued up in that business and was very ambitious to climb the ladder, while my mother kept a stable job to help provide. The girl and I became very attached, and it was not long before we told our parents that we were expecting a baby. Our baby girl, who we named Nyesha, was born in 2000; but during that time, I became extremely uncomfortable with my lifestyle and felt it was my choice to find out how I could change things. So I went to college and studied English and Media, which opened me up to an understanding that I needed to attempt to change. However, I was still involved in the drugs game, and it was a source of income that I had to deliver for myself and for the person who gave me the drugs. I became very frustrated with myself and

Case Study

recognised that I was not in love with my daughter’s mother – and it was not long before I was chucked out of my own parents’ home. My father was disappointed and frustrated with me, and my mother felt I was not being much use to the family. The more drugs I sold, the more I had to get about. I was in demand to deliver and supply, but I was driving illegally and that created complications with the law. On occasions, the Police stopped me, and when I was name-checked, information would come back explaining I was either not insured, or banned. On the occasions when I got arrested due to being on a ban, I had to appear before a judge. On two events he sentenced me firstly to three months, and then five months, within the space of eighteen months. The second time made me recognise that I need to get educated, but when I came out, I fell back into a circle that was offering me the opportunity to earn one thousand pound a day, three days a week. Going off and selling drugs on my own proved to be quite liberating, and it offered me a lot of time to prove I could be confident about how I survived. During this period of now not hanging on the estate, not being associated with the blokes who offered the opportunity to sell even more drugs than I was selling on the estate and having my first child. I was determined to gain some education in the evening, and the Job Centre helped to put me on a few courses, which brought moments of huge fun, understanding and self esteem building. However, I was still wrapped up in selling drugs, but I

became extremely frustrated with myself, simply because I wanted more and I was asking myself, surely I do not have to accept this and surely I can exceed what it is I have before? The day came when I was arrested with a large enough quantity to be charged with Intent to Supply. It was a ironic because I was actually going to give it back to someone who I had taken it from to give to another person who, at the time, was supplying. When I was taken back to the Police station, I felt like the whole world was tumbling down on me. I was already trying to come off road, my interest to gain a better education had to be put on hold, I was facing the possibility of not being around for the first year of my daughter’s life, my oldest daughter also had to be without my support for a year and my family had to face the fact that I was going to prison. During my sentence, I really believed that I needed to utilise the time to get myself educated and would learn interactive skills, which I felt would improve my methods of coping a whole heap better. I took classes in English Literature, English Language, Script Writing, Drama, Communications, I.T, Maths, Film and Buddhism. I feel that all of these helped me understand why it was I felt compelled to offend and commit crime. During my private time, I wrote huge amounts, but for some reason anybody that would read it could not make sense of

it. However, I would not give up on trying to write creatively, but making sense of it would prove very difficult. Looking back I was extremely angry and was full of frustration but I think that was because I could not express honestly and openly how it was I truly felt without feeling ashamed or embarrassed. During those six months of being on the tag, I went onto a course that I was introduced to by a man I met in prison who helped introduce me to film. His name is Alistair Pirrie, and I latched onto him and thought with his unorthodox and passionate manner I could learn from him. While on a course that delivered a lesson on sound, I came across Julien Bernard-Grau who I thought looked quirky, so I wanted to find out a bit about what interests him about sound. Quickly he told me, he does not really have an interest in sound, and his interest is with film. From that moment I told him I wrote scripts and told him I was an ex-dealer he became fascinated to the potential of what my script entailed. That day we left the lesson, was the day we started planning and discussing the potential idea of setting up Roadworks Media. He was swift in asking me if I could sent a script to him, and his intrigue manner convinced me to send him the script I had written while I was on road. Julien became an instrumental partner in helping me develop and get together to form Roadworks Media. His history was this: he had been to Brits Academy and enrolled on to film colleges that taught him the art of movement in front of film. I, on the other hand, never

Moving forward through the week and all was grand...

had much experience, but along with Julien would come up with ideas that we felt could relate to the mood and cinematic feel of the script he wanted to help me get screened. Coming out of prison actually felt more difficult than going in because I didn’t know what I was going to do. All I had in mind was to be a scriptwriter. Thankfully, I still kept some contact with worthwhile people who I felt could help me on my journey to believe confidently. So I met up with Esther Baker, who is a director at Synergy who produce theatre and film projects that revolve around prisoners and the criminal justice system, as well as other ideas that appeal to audiences. She advised that I go to university and study film at the University of East London, where she heard they were teaching excellent courses about film. As soon as the suggestion was made and I agreed, it was not long before she rang them up and I was being booked for an interview. I went along, was accepted on the course, and was introduced to like-minded people who wanted to get involved in some area that made a film develop. It was nine months later before I went to University; six months on the tag gave me discomfort but being free was priceless and I was so looking forward to going University. Now I have gained a degree and Roadworks Media is set up in Kennington. Along the way, we have gained local press attention, talks on radio, screened our work at art exhibitions around London. We have had interviews for magazines, set up our own screening events, and have won awards for achievements in offering young people experience in front and behind the camera. The support we have gained from The Prince’s Trust has been absolutely phenomenal in terms of how we had start and how we keep on progressing. Last year we were named a top100 business in the Barclays Trading Places Awards 2010. Today, Julien and myself are very keen to set up some Crime Reduction training schemes that offer young people training and skills. We want to equip them with knowledge in any area of media, to offer training in film, animation, theatre, photography, print and design, presenting and broadcasting, journalism, fine art and fashion. At the end of each course, we would like to put on either an event that will be able to display the young people’s work or an exhibition that will display a gallery of creativity and expression. All that I have been through just gives me an understanding to what made feel frustrated, like no one wanted to give me help. I believe if I had easier access to develop my script idea when I was on road and - and easier access to a media company that wasn’t so corporate, with influential figures... Who knows? I believe strongly this would have been a different story.

December 2011 - Le Nurb

CENTRESPREAD | ALCOHOL AWARENESS

Zero Tolerance The University seeks to maintain an enabling environment which is safe and conducive to teaching, learning and research, and the well being of all. To ensure that the University environment is safe, the University has a zero tolerance policy towards drug dealing and the possession of weapons by students both on and off campus. This means that if you are found to have been dealing drugs, or intending to deal drugs, or that you have been found in possession of a weapon, you will face serious disciplinary action. This is almost certainly likely to result in you being expelled from the University, with the possibility that you would not retain any credits already achieved in your academic studies, or any intermediate award or your final degree (Senate Regulation 6.101 d). These consequences could arise even if it is your first offence, and even if you have been found not guilty in a Court of Law. If allegations are made against you that you have been dealing drugs, or were intending to deal drugs, or that you have been found in possession of a weapon, it is also likely that you will be temporarily suspended from your

studies or temporarily excluded from coming onto campus pending the completion of the disciplinary procedures in Senate Regulation 6. Such action will be taken by the Vice Chancellor (or their nominee) if they consider that you are a potential or actual threat to the safety and security of the University, its students, its staff or facilities, (Senate Regulation 6.42). This is likely to happen whether you are caught off campus by the Police, or on campus. In some cases, the University

may not be able to progress its own disciplinary investigation under Senate Regulation 6 until the outcome of the Police investigation into your conduct and any relevant court proceedings is concluded. This is likely to arise when the University does not have sufficient evidence of its own to progress the case, or where the Police have specifically asked that the University does not take any steps under its own procedures. In these circumstances, you are likely to be temporarily suspended from your

studies and temporarily excluded from campus, but the University’s disciplinary investigation would not be commenced until sufficient evidence had been provided to it, or it had been permitted to do so by the Police. Your conduct may also result in you getting a criminal record, which you will need to disclose to the University in accordance with the University’s disclosure policy on criminal convictions as referred to in the University’s Admissions Policy, which is available at: http://www.

brunel.ac.uk/courses/admissions/ admissions-policy/procedures-forcriminal-conviction-checking. It is essential that you recognise what is likely to happen to you if you are caught drug dealing or in possession of weapons. University should be a pleasurable and rewarding experience, and everyone deserves to have the best time possible here at Brunel. In strictly observing this policy, the University believes that the campus community will be a safe and secure place to study and socialise.

Case Studies 1 2 3 4 5 6

Found in possession of a large screwdriver on campus in my final year. Took it with me on a night out for protection but I didn’t intend to use it. Expelled from the University and did not get my degree or graduate with my friends. Brought shame on my family.

I was arrested for possession with intent to supply cannabis. Security stopped me outside my Hall because they had been told there was a smell of cannabis coming from my room. The police were called and I was searched and arrested, and then charged. I told them that it was for my own personal use, but I was given a suspended sentence, electronically monitored community service and a curfew. The University decided that they did not want me back, and I was expelled without any option of returning. Cannabis and cocaine which I said were for my own personal use were found in my room and my cupboard in the kitchen. The police came to my room with a search warrant. I don’t know how they knew I had them. I was arrested and bailed to my parents’ house. At trial, I had to plead guilty to possession of and intent to supply cannabis, and possession of cocaine. I was given a suspended sentence and supervised community service, and now have a criminal record. The University expelled me with no credit and banned me from returning. For the female figure: I was found guilty of possession and intent to supply cannabis and received a supervised community service order. I didn’t tell my family or the University because I didn’t want them to know, but they found out and I was suspended. Now I have been expelled and I have had to tell my family why. They don’t want me to live with them anymore. I was expelled at the end of my second year and got a criminal record for walking across campus after a night out with a Stanley knife in my back pocket. I wasn’t going to use it, but security caught me and called the police. I was arrested and charged with carrying an offensive weapon in a public place. I was found guilty at court, and then expelled by the University. I wanted to be a teacher – no chance now. I bought cannabis for my own personal use from a dealer off campus. One day, a few of my friends asked me to get some for them as well so I bought more than usual from my dealer, took it back to campus and started to give it to my friends and they gave me the money for it. I was caught doing this by Security who called the police. I was charged and convicted for possession of and intent to supply cannabis, and then the University expelled me. I didn’t know that what I had done made me a dealer -if only I had. Mainly since no-one really needed a hand.

Le Nurb - December 2011

CENTRESPREAD | ALCOHOL AWARENESS

Student Services C OUNSELLING

I felt alone, I had no friends and didn’t enjoy my course. I live so far away from home it was hard to go back to see my family. Thanks to the radio shows I heard on Radio Brunel I knew then I could go and speak to the counselling service. It wasn’t scary if anything it was nice to have a chat with someone who didn’t know who I was and knew how to help me manage my problems.

M EDICAL CENTRE S TUDENT CENTRE D DS

I don’t know what I would have done if the medical centre was not on campus I was certainly not well enough to search for a doctors off campus.

I needed a letter that I could send to the council so I didn’t have to pay council tax, I needed information about how to apply for my Oyster discount card, I was confused about when and how to pay my tuition fees and if my tuition fee loan would be enough, my parents wanted to visit me on campus and I wasn’t sure if they could park their car - I also managed to lose my university ID card within hours of receiving it - the Student Centre sorted all this out for me, no problem.

The Disability and Dyslexia Service (DDS) contacted me before I started at Brunel, gave me good advice, helped me apply for the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA), and loaned me some equipment while I waited to get my own through the DSA.

M EETING HOUSE L IBRARY

Being part of a group with like minded people is so important – it helps us develop new skills, and nurture friendships.

As well as our ranking of 11th in the National Student Survey, 2011 also saw us shortlisted for the sector’s Outstanding Library Management Team award.

W IDENING PARTICIPATION R ESIDENCES C ATERING B RUNEL

Being a WP Ambassador was also a part-time job and so I was paid whilst doing something worthwhile. I did not have to worry about committing to particular days either, as I could work around my timetable. I also gained invaluable transferable skills such as public speaking, team working, presentation skills and an immense increase in confidence.

In 20 minutes I knew the important information about halls and had booked my arrival slot, so moving in was really straight forward. Halls are a great place to make new friends and the facilities are really good. I’ve really enjoyed creating my own little ‘home’. Residences employ Student Mentors who are there for us all year and I am hoping to become one next year.

I live on campus and some days I just can’t be bothered to cook, so it’s great to know that the catering department is there so I can get a hot meal at a really good price. Rococo & the Hub are great places for socialising and up in More the food is hot and there is a really good choice, some of it is even cooked fresh before my very eyes.

INTERNATIONAL

Freshers’ Week is so intense and priority was to get the timetable for my course right and to find friends. The social life has become a priority for me, and when the first assignments were due I could feel the struggle and I felt like I lost the focus. My English is very good, but I was just not confident in my written work and when I got the bad feedback I was devastated. I felt like I was stuck and didn’t know who to turn to, I didn’t want to admit to my friends that I was struggling academically, but also didn’t want to miss out on the parties. I then remembered speaking to a staff member at the Freshers Fayre about free English support offered by Brunel International. I made the decision to be brave and just walked to the reception at Brunel International and asked if they can help me. The rest was so easy, someone spoke to me about the different classes they offer, and as I am studying LLM Law we decided that “Legal English” and “Academic Writing for Master’s Students” are the two best options. In addition I can book a one-to-one consultation with one of the English teacher who can help with the essays I have to write. I now have my confidence back and actually enjoy studying again.

When some problems arose (as they usually do)...

December 2011 - Le Nurb

ARTS & REVIEWS

Capitol Music Group

blogspot.com Rihanna vs. Katy Perry. The two stars are ruling the top of the charts.

The only stars in the world Lewis Sluman Music Correspondent All year round at the moment, we seem to have Rihanna lurking in our charts. No disrespect to her – she has been on a lot of songs in the last couple of years, not to mention her brand new album Talk That Talk that has only just been released. Or at least the songs she releases have been popular for a very long time. I have a great appreciation for her, and I do like a few of her songs; anyone who commits the time to a world tour as an artist performing as many dates as she has in the past has my respect. The relevant tour for previous album Rated R had her playing shows from April to August

in 2010 covering 58 concerts. This got me thinking: is a long, dedicated tour the only way you can cement your popularity nowadays? Let’s face it, nobody really buys albums or singles anymore, not like they used to. Some people buy through iTunes, but the majority listen to the radio, Spotify or use a YouTube converter to download the song. YouTube play counts of songs by Rihanna and Katy Perry are absolutely ridiculous really, to imagine that over 100,000,000 people have watched a single video doesn’t seem real. Fair play to Rihanna for all her hard work, touring that much and still getting out two albums in

the last two years. Although she does have some awesome tunes, of course not all her songs are great, to be honest. Where’s the new blood though? Whilst she’s away touring for months and months, she comes back and the throne is still hers to walk up to and claim. No challengers. The metaphorical music throne is dusty, but she cleans it with one single and she’s back, sitting right next to Katy Perry as they both look down on the rest of musicland, ignoring the townsfolk because they are so busy creating music history on top of their thrones. Katy Perry recently created said music history; the first female to

ever get five number 1 singles off her album Teenage Dream! Quite an achievement, as usually after the first two singles of an album are released, the hysteria and the quality of the singles take a huge plummet but clearly not in this instance. Has this success happened because there isn’t really anyone else to battle it out with? Rihanna and Katy Perry are from slightly different worlds, so they don’t really clash over sales and popularity. It’s almost like they both join hands and sell millions. Or are popstars less common, coming in more concentrated, hardworking forms? Both performed on the X Factor recently, and let’s face it, Katy Perry

couldn’t be any worse than she was last time singing Firework, but this time she sang her newest single, In Another Life, which I thought was a very unusual Katy Perry track. She sang it reasonably well. Rihanna did very well as usual, and out of the two I’d say she is definitely ahead of Katy Perry because she can actually sing her songs pretty well live. I want to see battles for the top spot, weekly charts and number one singles. It’s getting boring with the success of these two – we need someone to break it up. Although, I guess when you throw in how gorgeous they are – I withdraw my complaint. Forget I ever wrote this.

You are what you read Lewis Sluman Music Correspondent Everyone reads magazines of some kind, or scans their usual websites for the merest crumb of relevant or in some cases, irrelevant information. This always begins and ends with Facebook, fact. To include a wider variety of platforms, my routine is one I quite like. I look on iTunes when it’s a Friday to see if the latest Hamish & Andy Podcast is up it’s an Australian radio show and it’s brilliant. On a Sunday I read the last page from the little magazine that comes inside the Sunday Times like a Babooshka (the doll within a doll object – I’m so fancy). It’s really interesting, and his name is Robert Crampton if you care at all. In regards to music, I used to get Kerrang magazine every week, I used to worship the thing. I think the use of the past-tense lets you know where I’m going here… Then in a beaming light descending from

the heavens comes Rock Sound, a monthly magazine – so I’m saving money, which we all know is fantastic. Rock Sound focuses slightly more towards British bands and generally a wider style of music; each issue comes with a free CD of tracks and sometimes a free EP from an unknown band. This might not seem like much of a coup, but when I’m stuck on a band listening cycle and I’m getting sick of it slightly, the next best thing is to find new bands good or bad, but just give them a chance so I can decide what I think. It also helps that the magazine loves to swear, and aren’t afraid to slag bands off if necessary – which other magazines such as NME and Kerrang, in my opinion are afraid of. I’m not condoning casual swearing, but it does usually make things funnier in this instance. They focus less on the poster boy/girl pinups, and more about the nitty gritty industry and the reality of being in a band.

They also have great columns written by The Blackout front man Sean Smith, and the legendary Slipknot front man Corey Taylor. Corey’s one is an intelligent ramble about anything – this month it was smells, yes, smells. Sean Smith receives emails and makes comments back at them, sometimes serious but mostly funny responses. I always wonder what other people look at, read, and find funny or interesting. I mean I love listening to my podcasts and playing FIFA 12 with the sound off, that’s just something I love to do. Anyone else got something like that too? We are all different, but some things have got to be the same I guess. If you are into rock music, I would really suggest Rock Sound over anything else in terms of discovering new bands, general content and the saving of money as a month magazine – did I mention that?

Some magic Christmas dust was used and all was true. (Eh? - Rob)

http://www.rocksound.tv/magazine Rock Sound magazine.

Le Nurb - December 2011

ARTS & REVIEWS

PRBB resurrects the Blues Park Royal Blues Band

Top five Christmas songs Lewis Sluman Music Correspondent Chris Rea Driving Home For Christmas My favourite Christmas song, even though I don’t currently drive but it’s such a fantastic little tune that doesn’t even matter! It’s also our fashion correspondent’s favourite Christmas tune - get in. I can’t wait to see their faces! Wham Last Christmas Who doesn’t love a little Wham in their lives? Everyone knows every single word to this song, and as soon as it comes on nobody even cares. Oh, and I hope George Michael gets better soon. The Darkness Christmas Time A little bit of a rocking Christmas here, for what is a bit of a joke band and a joke video. It’s actually quite a decent tune! Perfect for the upbeat Christmas playlist.

“Oh boy, just another rock band waiting to fall flat...” Or maybe not?

WHO

Park Royal Blues Band WHEN

November 6, 2011 WHERE

Proud Bar, Camden Town Dana Segal Enter four ordinary looking boys from northwest London. At first glance, you wouldn’t expect much from their presentation – the crazy lights that seemed to be controlled by a monkey, the awkward microphone feedback at the start and the bassist wearing the brightest bottle-green tracksuit bottoms ever created by man. Before you’re given the chance to think “Oh boy, just another rock band waiting to fall flat…” Michael Cumming goes straight down to business, working up the crowd with the upbeat drum line of their first track Crocodile Tears. After hearing the first few notes of the song you know you’re in for a real surprise. If their style didn’t show through their presentation, it certainly did through their music.

Take Care Drake RELEASED

November 15, 2011 LENGTH

79:49 LABEL

Young Money, Cash Money

This is Park Royal Blues Band (or PRBB for short), based in northwest London, combining a fusion of blues, jazz and funk into their music. The overall result is songs filled with cheeky bass lines, clever drumming sequences and heart-plunging guitar riffs that leave funky tingles down your spine. If you’re reading this now and thinking, “that sounds a bit messy,” the combination of working together as a band and having a good time definitely shows through. Unlike most progressive bands, with overpowering guitar riffs or vocals that send you to the nearest bar to order a stronger drink, each instrument in PRBB is played so well, they seem to compliment rather than dominate each other, shaping a well-coordinated piece of music that is pleasant but still groundbreaking for the ears. Take their track All the Love, for example [the third track played at Proud Bar]. Guitarists Lewis and Anthony Heapy entice their audience with a harmonic funkyblues riff before David Morse callsand-responds with his bass line. Michael comes in at the same time

as David, setting the scene and shaping the track with a seductive drum line. The cherry on top comes from the husky vocals of Lewis, evidently expressing heartwarming passion from just his face. Looking back at the audience, I caught a few ladies sitting up a bit on their chairs. We’re halfway into the track and you’re already lost in the vibe, until the tempo unexpectedly kicks off. The next thing you know, you’re having a tumble with funk and blues in a naughty threesome that will leave you feeling rather guilty (clearly I am running out of euphemism at this point). By the time we reach the end of the track, David rounds it off with a sly “We’ll be back” bass ending and, judging by the looks of the crowd, they are hoping they will. PRBB also got the chance to perform their cover of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Hideaway with special guest Dave Dix on harmonica. The sharp melody of Dave’s harmonica was on point in giving this rendition a quirky edge that made everyone tap his or her feet in time. With

Michael cranking up the swingy beat an extra notch, I turned around to find that the amount of people at the venue literally doubled! If you still think I’m exaggerating, get this; PRBB broke the record for tips at Proud Bar with an impressive £85 (the previous record being £40) that very night. Hideaway was certainly the perfect track to finish off with, leaving the crowded venue with electrifying vibes and positive energy, which they carried out into the dark afternoon. PRBB is a band that definitely doesn’t need fancy lighting, gimmicks or good dress sense. They have their own fruity twist of conveying their music’s purpose, what they stand for and displaying a brotherlike relationship between each other on stage.

Verity Agababian 25-year-old hip-hop rapper and R&B-singer Drake, real name Aubrey Graham, released his highly anticipated new album Take Care on November 15. Much to Drake’s dismay, his album was leaked eight days before its release, but nobody could resist listening to it. On the Brunel campus I have heard the words “they know, they know, they know...” and “I’ll take care

of you...” coming from various headphones, car windows, mobile phones, and even kitchen windows whilst I have been walking from lecture to lecture. I have to say this pleases me, as I am a huge Drake fan! My favourite track on the album has to be Shot for Me, as I love how the Young Money rapper sings and raps in the same song, especially to such a mellow R&B beat, as it compliments Drake’s sensuous

voice. I also love the tracks Crew Love (ft. The Weekend), Headlines, Marvin’s Room, Make Me Proud (because Nicki Minaj owns every song she raps in), and Doing It Wrong, which features a beautiful harmonica solo by the very talented Stevie Wonder. Drake’s ambition was clearly to “Take Care” with this album, and it shows. His music is getting better and better, as well as his collaborations. I

Mariah Carey All I Want For Christmas Is You As soon as the intro begins, everyone begins to tune their voice to the high pitch notes at the beginning, a reminder to block your ears if you are amongst drunk people for that bit. Otherwise, an awesome fast Christmas track! Run Run Rudolph Chuck Berry (Home Alone) Something a little left-field for my final track, it’s on the soundtrack for Home Alone which should help. It’s old school, heaps of energy and swing – and basically a great fun time song. Home Alone is awesome too.

LISTEN IN You can listen to PRBB’s music on: soundcloud.com/prbb, or find them on Facebook at facebook.com/prbb.uk.

As the compile reached and Amy was worried...

have already mentioned a few people who feature on this album, but others include Lil Wayne, Rihanna, Rick Ross, and Andre 3000. VERDICT I cannot wait to see Drake again in concert...Let’s hope he comes back soon! I rate the new album... 88888

December 2011 - Le Nurb

ARTS & REVIEWS

Christmas Collections 2011

My top Christmas gift ideas

myfashionlife.com

Emma I’Anson Fashion C orrespondent They may not all be to your taste, but I thought I’d list some ideas that I have seen dotted around while browsing myself. Some may be pricey, but hopefully they’ll inspire you ladies! For men, I have as much trouble with gifts as I am sure you all do. I did find one unique gift which I am sure will make you and him giggle. WOMEN Fashion Face-Off Cards £8.99 by Laurence King, available at Waterstones and major bookstores

Topshop - leading high street fashion this Christmas. Emma I’Anson Fashion Correspondent One of the many pros of the Christmas festivities is that fashion retailers love to give so we can receive. With so many beautiful new Christmas lines on the market right now, it’s hard for a student with no money in her purse to cope. If you can manage to purchase some new items, I’d highly recommend the many new lines coming out from various retailers to update your winter wardrobe and keep it fresh. One of my favourites is the ASOS Ultra-Luxe Christmas Collection, including beautiful feather and lace dresses and a mixture of stunning gold, metallic and sequin outfits. There’s so much to choose from

that you should be able to come away with one statement piece. Topshop’s Collections, Midnight Angel and Glam Rokette, have the perfect blend of sheer blouses, sequins and gold glitter that the good old student discount should come in handy at the till. If I had £200 right now, I’d be purchasing the Spikey Embellished Playsuit by Topshop’s Dress Up Fashion Collection. There’s just something about it that screams to me that it should be in my wardrobe and heads would turn on New Years – maybe I’ll be lucky and Santa will put it under my tree. It may not be a Christmas Collection exactly, but for anyone who hasn’t already heard, Rihanna has collaborated with Armani

to design her very own capsule range. The collection includes rock chick jeans, laid back white tees and a slight dash of naughtiness with a lace bracelet and brief set. The boyfriend and skinny styled jeans that Rihanna has designed even include a statement bandana which you can wear with the jeans or style how you’d like with a bag or even your hair. Some pieces aren’t that expensive, and with prices starting at £28, I think we should all take a look. I am a huge fan of Chanel, and one day I hope to have a vintage, quilted Chanel bag on my arm. Until that day comes, I shall dream. I feel Karl Lagerfeld designs beautiful pieces, and my heart

fluttered when I saw that he had created a limited edition makeup and accessories set for a Christmas Collection with Sephora From looking at the collection online at sephora.fr. My must-haves are the Karl Lagerfeld snowglobe at €25 and the Karl Lagerfeld eyeshadow palette at €35. If you like any of the items on the website, remember that they are limited edition and are unfortunately only available online, due to Sephora being a France-based company. However, they ship all over Europe – merci, Sephora! To all you beautiful Brunelians out there reading this, I hope that you have an amazing Christmas and that all your wishes come true. Merry Christmas!

Santa baby Emma I’Anson Fashion C orrespondent The festive season is upon us, and I am like a child in a toy shop around this time of year. I love the cold, the decorations, the clothes and the smiles on everyone’s faces. Since sixth form, back in the days when I lived in Sussex, I have always loved dressing up in a Santa outfit with my girls to go out and celebrate Christmas. I purchased my Santa outfit from Ann Summers around five/six years ago and it’s been a pretty good best buy. Ann Summers seem to create new ones every year for their collection of dress up outfits; I find the one that I got is one of their best. Previous ones, in my opinion, haven’t been as well made or looked as good, but this year they’ve done pretty well and got some pretty nice looking ones in stock – some even come with bows! Retailing at £30, it’s an average price for a Santa outfit, maybe a little pricey for a student,

Naked Pallete £35 by Urban Decay, available at urbandecay.co.uk, House of Fraser and Boots Bobbi Brown Party Collection Deluxe Travel Brush Set £85 Bobbi Brown, available at House of Fraser and bobbibrown.co.uk Bobbi Brown Beauty Book £14.99 Bobbi Brown, available at House of Fraser and bobbibrown.co.uk Nails Inc Limited Edition Crystal Nail Polishes in Burnt Orange £15 Nails Inc, available at nailsinc.com MEN Moustache Hip Flask £12, available at Urban Outfitters

Ann Summers

but if you look at it as an investment for the future years then it’s worth spending the money on. Back to bows, I have seen they are selling bow outfits so if there are any risk-takers out there, then you could give it a go, or even wear a Christmas bikini. Might want to keep that one for indoors just in case it snows... If you fancy purchasing your Christmas outfit online, the two websites legavenue.co.uk and sparklingstrawberry.com offer a wider range of outfits than Ann Summers. The prices vary from £20-£100 so depending on what you’re looking for I’m sure you’ll find something to your liking. I do hope to see you girlies in some festive gear during the last week of our first term in 2011 at Brunel. Remember to take some mistletoe out with you just in case you need to nab yourself that special guy you had your eye on – how could he refuse a Santa Girl at Christmas?!

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WRITE FOR US!

Who can resist the sexy Santa outfit...?

Her big editorial would have to be hurried.

Le Nurb - December 2011

ARTS & REVIEWS EA

Modern Warfare 3 or Battlefield 3? The battle rages on.

Modern Battlefield of Duty 3 Robert Pennington DICE recently released the new edition of their flagship game series, Battlefield 3: an effort that looks to overthrow the lord of all console shooters that is Activision’s Call of Duty franchise, complete with its spawn killing, grenade spamming and bad mouthed American 8-yearolds who have just learned the beauty of a “yo mama” joke. To counter this leviathan of the gaming industry, DICE have gone down the route of gritty realism, destructible environments and industrial electronic rock music. Unlike the usual Battlefield games, this one includes a single player campaign, but it really is not something to get worked up about. It has an eerily similar plot to the Modern Warfare series, with Russians, nuclear bombs and a rebel force in the Middle East fighting

Americans. Also making a shared appearance, there is a scene with hundreds Russian paratroopers falling from the sky, a likable character who meets his end while lying on the ground with his hand in the air, a first person cut scene of you being killed, a mission set in a plane bombing little white dots from afar with a choice of different sized bullets and Michael Bay-esque exaggerations in action and scenery. Except this time it’s in flashback mode with not a single handlebar moustache in sight. Even I, with my wit and intelligence as it is, cannot quite tell whether DICE had given up or just satirised the Modern Warfare formula perfectly. I must admit, however, that there were some parts I liked: people running through walls to stab me, objects disappearing before me, the colour

of walls periodically changing, and five Russians occupying exactly the same area of space doing what looked like the Riverdance. But where this game shines, and where its makers should stick to in the future, is the multiplayer. On the PC, the platform the Battlefield games are made for, we find there is a 32 v 32 player game option; on Xbox and PS3 this is cut down to 12 v 12. This is acceptable in the concentrated fire fight, but when playing the larger maps a lot of time can pass between seeing enemies, let alone killing them, which becomes especially annoying when a sniper decides to take a shot for your head before you’ve even gone anywhere. The effects really are a beauty to behold. When you do get in a fire fight with your teammates, you are surrounded by the sounds

of the grenades exploding, the bullets pinging of iron and tearing off concrete, the rising dust of a nearby pyrotechnic disturbance covering your moves, and blowing up an opponent’s cover with a wellplaced. It all leads up to a rather orgasmic smorgasbord of audio and visual, and one can only dream of the 64-player games. The game adds a few RPG elements, like many modern shooters in the market, multiple load-outs and weapon accessories like scopes and grenade launchers that you must unlock through gaining points. These points can come from killing enemies, obviously, but can also be gained via a few nice extras such as suppressive fire bonuses while another teammate flanks, or just being a nice guy and healing the others on your side. However, this still means that older players

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Chris Couch It has been 200 years since the Oblivion Gates were closed. Civil war is taking hold in the Skyrim province of Tamriel, the High King of Skyrim is dead, and to top it all off, the dragons are returning. Upon learning that you are one of the Dovahkiin (Dragonborn), with the ability to speak the language of dragons and absorb their souls, you are tasked with finding out why they are back and stopping them. After the initial setup, Skyrim lets you play it however you see fit. So far, I’m 35 hours in and have only done about half the main story, instead spending my time hunting dragons, crafting stronger armour and weaponry, and doing a few of the many side quests. This “playhow-you-want” mentality with which Bethesda has approached

the game also makes the levelling and combat systems much more fun, letting you craft your own character based on what you enjoy. I should also point out that even if you hated Oblivion (like I did), you will love this game. There are a few problems with Skyrim, though, such as the typical bugs expected of Bethesda games such as texture issues and some minor scaling issues with enemies, where you feel too powerful too early on against certain enemies, especially if you use certain builds. However, these are all minor issues that don’t affect the overall experience a great deal, and the levelling issue is overcome by the fact that you’re having far too much fun killing dragons with your dual-shock magic whilst shooting fireballs at nearby bandits,

have an annoying advantage over new players. It’s an incredibly pleasing and well-crafted game, with an amusingly overblown bolted-on campaign, but is purely made for the fantastic multiplayer. If you like a lot a bang for your buck (with emphasis on the bang) in a shooter and are perhaps tired of the direction of the Modern Warfare series and looking for something different, then I recommend this. VERDICT I’m not a big fan of giving numerical values to represent an ultimately subjective and varying experience, so I won’t. God knows why I chose to study economics. But if the editor requires one, I’ll give it... 88888

Bethesda Softworks

hopefully missing the guards that have joined in to help protect the nearby village. This short review doesn’t even scratch the surface on the amount of content in the game, as there are hundreds of hours of potential fun in the game currently, and Bethesda will be adding even more to the immersive world of Skyrim with a host of DLC sometime next year. VERDICT Skyrim is a must have for all gamers, looking to be a key contender for Game of the Year due to the immersive world and a ridiculous amount of fun content. It’s also great value, perfect for a student budget. 88888

She wrote a letter to Santa for some major help...

Skyrim - the dragons are returning...

December 2011 - Le Nurb

ARTS & REVIEWS

‘arts@artaud: Shades of Autumn’ TITLE

Shades of Autumn WHEN

November 23rd, 2011 WHERE

Antonin Artaud building Dana Segal The third arts@artaud of this academic year may not have had the highest attendance, but this intimate audience proved to be perfectly suited to the atmosphere as well as highly engaged with the incredible variety of work on offer. Opening the event was Nathan Jones, a “digital poet” who presented us with fragmented visual and vocal poetic fragments. As a PhD student, the work was highly informed and inspired by both the Romantic poets of the 18th century as well as

more contemporary experimental poets. What was particularly strong about the piece was the presence Nathan’s vocal delivery: the Allen Ginsberg-esque delivery of such luscious, image filled Romantic extracts gave the audience an unexpected disturbing visceral feeling as they received the words. Following Nathan was the wonderful puppeteer Joni-Rae Carrack, conducting an untitled semi-improvisational performance of Jeffrey, her monkey-shaped puppet. The authenticity of the movement had audiences forgetting what Joni-Rae looked like – showing her excellence and commitment to her craft. Jeffrey captured the hearts of the entire audience as he interacted and played with them throughout, and

certainly captured the heart of this reviewer. The Box Man, an experimental film by Kristijonas Dirse, was a particular highlight of the night; although the film was only a short piece, the quality of the camerawork alongside the compelling narrative may have been labelled as experimental but indeed spoke many truths about the world we live in: do we as artists ever have complete freedom, or are we boxed in by the society we live in? Bald Dog followed with some excellent music which in their words was a “fusion of jazz, baroque, folk & dubstep.” Now this may sound bizarre, but what was coming out of their saxophone/drum combo was far from – and with the added

element of a loop pedal the pieces came alive. Invisible, by Ingrid Vethrus, explored the forced eviction of the Romani in Belgrade and was a sensitive and powerful documentary. This was by far the most challenging of the night; the discussion opened up to a very passionate audience, showing the power of the documentary. Hugh Frost-Wellings and Ross Jennings performed a rehearsed reading of Waiting for the Bus – a short play by first year drama student George Coates. Hugh and Ross brought the text alive, engaging with those moments of silence that add the extra dimension to the playtext, and George is truly a talented writer, explaining the most complicated ideas of in a way that is simple,

engaging and entertaining. The nod to Beckett’s Waiting for Godot as an autoreferencial mode showed not only an intellectual style, but a certain coolness and unique voice as a playwright. Zein Owfar’s poem about love melted the hearts of the audience, as he talked us through the love of his life, and how she inspires him. Rather shockingly (or unshockingly, you decide) we found out that the true inspiration for this poem was FIFA. Whether that is 100% true or not we’ll have to leave to Zein’s discretion. And finally, New Noise delighted us as a huge ensemble of talented improvisational musicians; showcasing the variety and talent of Brunel’s music and sonic arts students.

50/50 - sad, funny and humbling DIRECTOR

Jonathan Levine STARRING

Joseph Gordan-Levitt, Seth Rogan, Anna Kendrick RUNNING TIME

99 mins

Jon Partridge Joseph Gordan-Levitt and Seth Rogan take a gamble on a comedy about cancer. And it pays off. Sad, funny, and humbling all at the same time, screenwriter Will Reiser’s semi-autobiographical script is all from the heart, and it shows through the authentic dialogue and well-written pieces. The film attempts a delicate balance of bringing out humour from its

viewers as well as tears, and the film succeeds in both categories. Diagnosed with cancer in his 20’s, Reiser’s friends Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg encouraged him to write about his experiences. And what a result that came out of it. 50/50 stars Joseph GordanLevitt as the lead character, Adam, who leads an almost perfect life in Seattle. He works as a public-radio producer, has an attractive artist girlfriend, Rachel (Bryce Dallas Howard), and seemingly has it all set for him: apart from a small ache in his back that won’t go away. So when he goes to get it checked out, his life is turned upside down as his focus shifts away while the doctor, who has about as much bedside

manner as a robot, tells him the bad news. The film looks at how friends and family respond to Adam’s diagnosis, as well as – through the eyes of a young cancer sufferer – how he deals with his cancer to the best of his ability. Anjelica Huston plays the typical, overbearing mother that we all have and offers to move in to help care, despite already having to care for Adam’s father who suffers from Alzheimer’s. Kyle (Rogen) is there in typical Seth Rogen fashion, but acts as a great foil and a superbly caring friend who has as much idea about cancer as Adam does. He brings out the laughs for both his buddy and the audience. No one in Adam’s world can even

fathom how he is feeling, or if he is even coping with his diagnosis, evidently seen at a work party thrown in his behalf; his colleagues almost accepting he’s already dead, and Kyle using his best friend’s illness as a means to pick up women. The only one to really listen to Adam is his inexperienced psychologist, Katherine “Katie” McKay (Anna Kendrick), whose almost naïve and textbook manner are both charming and alarming. Of course, it’s the performances that really make the film. Seth Rogan plays his part perfectly, and Gordan-Levitt, taking a step away from (500) Days of Summer and Inception for a different kind of role, is nothing short of superb. Anna

Kendrick adds a hint of feel-good charm to an already impressive selection of talent, not to mention the superb camera work and a soundtrack that simply matches the cinematography. 50/50 shows us while having a serious subject at hand, humour isn’t far away, and is also pretty close to tears. VERDICT The film goes straight for the sincere in its delivery, and despite the seriousness of cancer, 50/50 shows us that we can still laugh. Laughter, as they say, is the best medicine. 88888

Top 10 Christmas films Subat Bashir 1) It’s a Wonderful Life James Stewart and Frank Capra’s final collaboration is universally acknowledged as the quintessential Christmas film. The plot, which features a man disillusioned by his life and then commits suicide, only to be saved by a guardian angel who shows him what life would be like if he never existed, is a formula that is still frequently imitated by Christmas episodes of TV series. Mixing the fairy-tale with realism, Capra created a picture embodying the modern spirit of Christmas: family and magic. 2) Home Alone 1 & 2 “Keep the change, ya filthy animal!” Most of us grew up watching eight-year-old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) hilariously (and rather painfully) outsmart the Wet Bandits, whilst living every child’s dream: life at home, alone. Ice Cream for breakfast, full reign of his dad’s credit cards, and a free opportunity to get his own back on big brother Buzz.

Christmas wouldn’t be complete without Home Alone - it’s almost a national ritual. 3) A Christmas Story An American Christmas classic about the holiday season: the implications of getting a BB-gun for Christmas, the importance of family, and having to get turkey from a Chinese place on Christmas Eve after a Christmas meal gone very wrong. Set in the 40’s, made in the 80’s, it’s sure to be a hit for generations to come.

4) Miracle on 34th Street I’m going to go ahead and say the remake starring Mara Wilson is better than the 1947 original. A simple, warm, and sentimental story of a girl who doesn’t believe in Santa Claus, and a store-hired Santa (Richard Attenborough) who turns her life around by teaching her to have faith in the unseen. 5) The Nightmare Before Christmas This quirky Tim Burton film captures the naivety and wonderment through which children perceive Christmas. When Jack Skellington, the pumpkin King of Halloween, stumbles into Christmas Town he becomes so enamoured by Christmas that he tries to debunk Halloween, in Halloween Town, and replace it with Christmas. 6) While You Were Sleeping This is the sort of film you want to watch with the family around you, a nice hot cup of tea, and the fire on. Lucy (Sandra Bullock), an orphan, finds herself being embraced by the Callaghan family after she

saves their eldest sons life, and is mistaken for his fiancé. 7) Die Hard While not the most conventional Christmas film, Die Hard features Bruce Willis as officer John McClane, and is about to have a really bad Christmas Eve. Arriving in LA to reconcile with his estranged wife at Nakatomi Plaza for a work party, the building is then swarmed by a group of terrorists and it’s up to McClane to stop their plot, save his wife, and get out in time for Christmas. 8) Edward Scissorhands The visual imagery alone in this film is enough to get you in the mood for Christmas. Tim Burton and Johnny Depp set the tone right with quirky imagery and a deep theme. One particular highlight of the film is when Kim (Winona Ryder) dances in the snow created by Edward’s ice sculptures.

9) Elf Will Ferrell plays as Buddy, the human elf, in one of his best roles to date. As a baby, Buddy crawls into Santa’s sack and is raised as an elf in the North Pole. After discovering the truth about his human condition, Buddy sets out to find, and gain the acceptance of his biological father. 10) Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale Once you’re sick of all the sentimental cheese that’s usually an obligatory part of any Christmas film, seek out Rare Exports. It’s a Finnish film about a darker Santa Claus, who punishes naughty children instead of rewarding good children.

Her prayers were answered when Rudolph did yelp. (Yelp? What? Why? Is that the magic sound of reindeer approval? - Rob)

Le Nurb - December 2011

ARTS & REVIEWS

The death of the CD will mean a huge loss to the art of music Matt Smith With the introduction of digital music downloads, the sale of CD albums has seen a slump in recent years, and it is rumoured that industry bosses could phase out the compact disc as soon as 2012. But for all the good this move would do to the bank accounts of record executives, it would do a world of harm to the audio fanatic and the art of music. I rarely use compact discs myself. At university I listen to music via a library digitally stored on both my laptop and my iPod. But back at home on a shelf in my bedroom there is a pile of CD albums in jewel cases, with album art and release notes intact. This is where the true value of music lies: in small details that simply cannot

be enjoyed as thoroughly on a screen. Sure, there have been upgrades to music distribution before, for instance when the CD replaced the vinyl record. However, that transition was like the small step from PlayStation 2 to PlayStation 3, and a move to purely digital distribution would be the musical equivalent of the huge leap from snail mail to email; a jump from sentimental intricacies to the cold black and white of text on a computer monitor. Yes, the music will still be there to enjoy, but the added pleasures of a booklet and even just the sensation of owning the physical album itself will be lost to the digital realm. That’s not to mention the predicament you’ll be in if your hard drive fails and

you haven’t backed up since downloading an expensive host of new tracks. While it might not make financial sense to buy every album in CD form, it’s nice to buy favourites to keep, and a disc in a jewel case is certainly a more satisfying gift to give than an iTunes voucher. While it is not guaranteed that the compact disc will see its end before the end of the next year, it is almost certain that it will start to disappear in the near future due to the obsessive efficiency of the digital world. Those notes from the band and additional album art illustrating pages of lyrics will be sorely missed once the transition takes place. We’ll just have to enjoy them while we can.

Mulad

CDs - a thing of the past?

Santa sightings! Bartfields

UK Internet speeds drop by 35% during evening rush hour Matt Smith A uSwitch study of over two million UK broadband speed tests has shown that download speeds drop by an average of 35% between 7pm and 9pm. The average rush hour speed was 6.2Mb/s, compared to an average of 9.6Mb/s at the quietest surfing time between 2am and 3am. The report also found that there was a geographical difference between the best and worst download speeds, with rural areas often coming off worse. Some of the areas suffering worst were Evesham (a drop of 69%), Weston-super-Mare (64%), and Wadebridge, Cornwall (nearly 50%).

uSwitch technology expert Ernest Doku said: “This research may shed some light on why many consumers never actually feel like their connection is fast enough.” There have been complaints that broadband providers advertise their best connection speeds when few customers actually receive them. New regulations will mean that from April last year, at least 10% of customers must receive the speed advertised by ISPs. Clearer advertising will help customers who need reliable speeds for high-bandwidth activity like large downloads and video streaming. Zach Heller

Found him!! Chrissie Gomez You don’t have to believe in Santa Claus to see this! Across the globe, images of incredible Santa sightings have been compiled into an album for Christmas last year, and by the looks of it, Santa was certainly very busy! From Australia to New Mexico, Santa sought help from organisations such as the Holloman Air Force Base and, to everyone’s surprise, the Special Intelligence. He also went as far as cloning himself, enabling him to cover more areas of the world. All in the name of Christmas and to make sure every single person across the globe receives the prosperous and joyous Christmas they deserve.

The majority of these Santa sightings aimed to raise awareness on current issues such as climate change or charities. Volunteers in South Korea, for example, went out dressed as Santa to give presents to prematurely born babies in Seoul. Meanwhile the army of Santa’s in Liverpool take part in the 5km “Santa Dash” to raise money for their designated charity. And just when you thought Santa couldn’t get more outrageous than this, a Santa at Tokyo’s waterfront cleaned the windows of a 31-metre high building at the Odaiba Shopping Mall. Now who said they wanted the smears removed from their windows for Christmas, eh? The global Santa craze was

successful in not only raising awareness of the unfortunate and combating climate change, it also brought about the communities within the cities; the fact that this was something that absolutely anyone could be a part of. For example, if you fancied running for charity, you just need to equip yourself with a costume and a lot of sponsors. And with the great responses coming from countries worldwide, it may mean that this year will be bigger, better and be filled with more of Santa surprises. I’m still betting on a sponsored Santa sleigh race complete with reindeers. Now that I would definitely pay to see!

“So working at 2am IS more productive!” As Rob sat and added some funny final touches... (Funny? Fine. Next issue I’m setting everything in Wingdings. - Rob)

December 2011 - Le Nurb

RADIO BRUNEL

He smacked his head into a plate of Victoria sponges. (What?! Where did these come from? Why are they small enough to fit multiple Victoria sponges on a plate? - Rob)

Le Nurb - December 2011

COFFEE BREAK

COFFEE BREAK Wordfinder

Sudoku Evil

Medium

Difficulty: 55555

3 5

5 9

6 8

3 4

6 8

9 6

7 7

9 4

Difficulty: 55555 Find as many words as possible using letters from the grid. The words must be four letters or more, and contain the central letter, but each letter may not be used more than once. There is at least one word that uses all nine letters in the grid.

L O

C G

U O R

8 Ratings: 11-16 average

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Numberdrums

17-21 good

22-27 excellent

Difficulty: 55555

Use all the numbers in the outer ring to make the target number. You can add, subtract, multiply or divide them - and use brackets - to reach your solution.

291

30 12

90 7

719

1 5

167

50 15

3 7

883

35 12

How do we look? 9

The design was sent through the chimney to Santa’s workshop...

28 godlike

December 2011 - Le Nurb

COFFEE BREAK

Mensa Corner

Horoscopes ARIES (March 21-April 20)

“It’s ok, he is breathing and not dead as it may appear on first glance”. These words, sung by the pop-prog-rock-synth band Spam Meat Shoulder, have never seemed more relevant. Adopt them as your personal mantra.

TAURUS (April 21-May 21)

The feeling of walking on air when talking to that special person is largely to do with the new shoes you have. Air by Nike. Feel the Air!

GEMINI (May 22-June 21)

Life throws us all crazy things now and then. Like swords made of ham. And dogs on skateboards. Jail sentences between 5 and 10 years may be applicable to your situation today.

CANCER (June 22-July 22)

Your computer has a virus. Spend the day trying to work out which port to pour the Lemsip into. Make sure the USB drives have plenty of fluids and be sure to disconnect the fan to keep the poor thing warm.

LEO (July 23-August 22)

True Love is only ever one step away. But then so are its ever present bosom-buddies, Abject Failure and Humiliation. Note that love comes when you least expect it and that 73% of all good romances happen in the toilet in the local Tesco Metro.

VIRGO (August 23-September 21)

Misfits is just a terrible show. Sorry, but it really is. And that girl?! Yeesh – how tall was the ugly tree she fell out of?

LIBRA (September 22-October 22)

Moving house is very stressful. Not that I’m saying that’s what you’re doing or even planning to do. But it is stressful, you have to agree.

SCORPIO (October 23-November 21)

The post-office is going to be lucky for you today as a mystery package arrives for you that for once is neither ticking, covered in mysterious powder, or have red-stamped URGENT all over it.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21)

Test yourself, let go of your fears. Always fight for what you believe in. Pay of your debts with a simple, consolidated payment. Avoid serious questions wherever possible today and TIE YOUR SHOES DAMMIT!

CAPRICORN (December 22-January 20)

It is your birthday this month so you can be upset that you are aging and becoming closer to death. But as the bukkake girl said, take it all on the chin.

AQUARIUS (January 21-February 19)

Love: 80%. Money: 45%. Life: 12%. Happiness: 30%. Le Nurb Christmas joy 100%. Pickles are a source of joy for you this week. Check your email daily. Because you never know what may arrive.

PISCES (February 20-March 20)

Your lack of self-control “down there” may mean you’re limited to small forays to the bathroom today. Reading student newspapers is not advised. A skydiving accident may befall you if you go skydiving. Alternatively, it may not.

STEP ONE Join the dots, from 1 to 16. Difficulty: 55555 8

11 4

13 2 1

14 15

STEP TWO Colour-by-letters, using the key below. Difficulty: 55555

PLAY AND WIN! First correct submission sent to the Editor wins their choice of prize from the Nurb Stash - either: two free copies of Le Nurb, OR

two mangoes, OR

one large tin of pineapple chunks. Closing date: Dec 16. No prize substitutes. Maximum 100 entries/person.

Solutions

One of these gulls is festive. The other is not.

3. (70 - 50) x 7 + (15 x 2) - 3 = 167. 2. (90 + 30) x 5 + (12 x 10) - 1 = 719. 1. (30 x 12) - (85 x 1) + 7 + 9 = 291.

cling, clog, cluing, clung, coil, coin, colon, colour, colouring, cooing, cool, cooling, coon, coring, corn, croon, cuing, curing, curio, curl, curling, icon, incur, loci, loco, logic, uncoil, uric.

28 godlike 22-27 excellent 17-21 good 11-16 average Ratings: ggl1

3 1 2 5 4 6 7 8 9

9 7 5 1 3 8 4 2 6

7 5 1 2 8 3 6 9 4

6 2 9 4 1 5 8 3 7

8 4 3 6 7 9 2 5 1

1 6 8 3 2 4 9 7 5

5 9 7 8 6 1 3 4 2

2 3 4 9 5 7 1 6 8

6 8 5 3 1 9 4 7 2

1 7 4 8 6 2 9 3 5

9 3 2 7 4 5 6 1 8

4 1 9 5 7 8 3 2 6

2 5 7 6 3 4 8 9 1

3 6 8 9 2 1 5 4 7

8 9 3 2 5 7 1 6 4

7 4 6 1 8 3 2 5 9

5 2 1 4 9 6 7 8 3

His helpers handmade Le Nurb and didn’t have time to stop.

4 8 6 7 9 2 5 1 3

Our lol/fail section will return next month. No, really.

Medium Sudoku

Evil Sudoku

ggl1

Difference

Wordfinder

Numberdrums

4. (85 + 10) x 9 + 35 - 12 + 5 = 883.

Spot the Difference

Le Nurb - December 2011

SPORT

Men’s Basketball D’Cruz brings home BUCS trophy for Brunel sink LSBU to Chris Luscombe Brunel’s badminton team enjoyed a successful weekend in Nottingham at the BUCS Individual Championships 2011 on 18-20th November. Against the best students in the UK, many of whom have represented their countries at national level, Brunel showed that we are able to provide genuine competition for the northern universities, who have traditionally played at a higher level than the south. Brunel’s Andy Robinson and Nathan D’Cruz breezed through the first few rounds in the men’s singles before Andy fell in the 4th. Similarly, in the women’s singles, Andrea Bergmark cruised through the first few matches before eventually being defeated. Andrea also enjoyed a good run in the women’s doubles along with partner Xiang Yu, seeing off two other pairs before being beaten by the third, who would eventually do quite well in the tournament. Entering the final day of the competition, only Nathan D’Cruz remained. His first opponent of the day was Bath’s (and England’s) Dan Groom. Nathan took his time in the first set, with the score remaining relatively close throughout, and only won it by a few points. In the second set, however, he went to town on the Bath hopeful, pulling out some fantastic trick shots many of which left Groom in noman’s land on the court. D’Cruz took the set 21-4 and left the Bath player exhausted. His second match of the day was the first of the semi-finals against

stay undefeated

Its all smiles for Nathan D’Cruz. Leeds Met’s (and England’s) Josh Green. The first set was a closefought battle, with Nathan taking it in the dying points with a burst of energy. The second set was a similar affair, but this time went the way of the Leeds Met player. In the final set, Nathan showed his extraordinary talent, and after some expert coaching from Andy Robinson, coupled with his ability for aggressive, attacking play, he won the match. The other semi-final saw last year’s runner-up Jamie Bonsels, from Manchester Met, defeat his rival, and holder of the title for the last two years, Malaysian Limm Ken of Leeds Met. This meant that Nathan, as second seed in the tournament, became the favourite for the title. He opened the final with a

steady display of skill, taking the first set yet again by just a few points. In the second set, he conserved his energy, preferring to drain his opponent by moving him around the court in preparation for the inevitable third and final set. The final set was close fought. Nathan took the early lead before it changed hands around the half way mark. In the end, though, his superior talent left the Manchester player nowhere, with the Manchester head coach even driven to provide advice between points, regardless of the fact that this is against the rules. But this advice provided absolutely no help, and with the Brunel team cheering on, Nathan played the last few points with no fear to take his first BUCS Men’s Singles Championships trophy.

Miles Byrd The stage was set. Two undefeated teams, a packed sports centre, and the top spot in the league up for grabs. Wednesday’s game against LSBU proved to be more entertaining than could have been imagined, with a back-andforth battle needing overtime to settle the score, providing great advertisement for Brunel’s sporting pedigree. Coming in to the game, Brunel were coming off a big 37-point win against London Met, needing this game to make a real statement to the rest of the league about their intentions. LSBU, normally a powerhouse in the Premier South, had lost some of their more recognizable players and needed this game to prove to the rest of BUCS that they could still turn it on and dominate when necessary. Much like David and Goliath, this was a battle between the up-and-comers and the already established force. A free flowing first quarter meant for an exciting, fast paced start, which slowed down as LSBU led by 1 at the half. Solid first-half performances from Louis Sayers and Daniel Dunscombe kept Brunel close, with clutch buckets from Tom Politi and Terence Aryee adding to a strong second quarter finish. With their undefeated record on the line LSBU came

out in the second half, and with a point to prove, and opened the third quarter with a small run that extended their lead and put hearts in mouths. However, where Brunel had faltered in previous seasons, this year’s team buckled down and clawed back the 8-point difference over the last two quarters to tie it up. With 1.5 seconds left in the game, Louis Sayers (33 points) had a great chance to win the match and send the fans crazy, but the ball rimmed in and back out again, ensuring the dramatic finish this game needed. Extra time beckoned, and a tired LSBU team were caught offguard by Brunel’s fast start, enabling Brunel to record a 79-74 win. Brunel retained the only undefeated record in the Premier South, and continue their best start to a season for years. Next up comes Brunel Vs. London Met at 6PM, with a place at BUCS Sheffield up for grabs. If the last game is anything to go by, Brunel’s highflyers will surely provide a great night for all! FINAL SCORE

Brunel University 79-74 LSBU

Lisa, we will miss you! B.V. Lisa Sumpter, Brunel’s Student Activities Development Coordinator, is leaving Brunel. Not that she hasn’t been here a while or anything... she started as a student in September 2005, graduating with a BSc in Sports and Exercise Science in July 2008. By December 2008, however, she was back as the new Sports Administrator in the Student Activities department. It’s in this role that many of you out there in reader land will have got to know her, for her dedication, passion for Brunel sport, and levelheadedness that kept Sports Teams and Clubs going, through whatever problems BUCS, the Opposition and Minibuses had to throw at them for the last three years! Now, however, she is on to pastures new. Lisa has been appointed as the new Bookings Administrator at Surrey Sports Park, which has state-of-thearts facilities that rival Brunel’s own for quality. After so long

at Brunel, this step up in her career will help her to develop professionally and personally, something she became adept at helping club and society committees to do over her time working for UBS. It also means she will be working closer to home, rather than having to battle through the M25 for an hour every morning and evening just to continue a job she loves. She will be missed greatly by all at Brunel, from staff members who taught her during her time as an Undergraduate; to student members of Brunel’s many clubs and societies; to Union staff members who aren’t quite sure how UBS will keep going after Christmas without her; to staff members of Brunel Sports Park, who she has worked tirelessly with to ensure that training slots were as hassle-free as possible, and that matches all went off without a hitch! In her role, she brought the London and South East Conference Finals to Brunel Sports Park for a major Finals

Day in 2010, the first year that anything like that had occurred. This was awarded to her new employers, Surrey, in 2011 through a bidding process she devised and implemented in her role as London Competition’s Group Chair. The process for 2012 is now getting up and running. BUCS are now starting to roll out the template she created, across the country, as the system has been a resounding success. The annual Varsity Match Day against St. Mary’s would not have been created in as smooth a fashion if it weren’t for the tireless efforts of Lisa working with Nick Ince and Joel B-J (Greenwood) who held the Vice President Student Activities roles over the past three years. Lisa has been heavily involved in the Netball club all the way through her cumulative 6 years at Brunel, playing all the way through her time as an Undergraduate, holding committee positions, and doing a bit of coaching along the way. She is about to end

her involvement with coaching at Brunel, having coached the Netball 5th and 6th teams full time since September 2009, and they are possibly the most upset of all, having worked closely with her on a personal level, with the 5ths achieving promotion last year, and the 6ths narrowly missing out themselves! Lisa is extremely sad to leave Brunel, and I know she will be greatly missed by all, possibly none more so than by the rest of the Student Activities Department, who will struggle to fill the gap left by her departure! When asked what she would miss most about the job, not one thing stood out for her, as “The passion of the students for their respective sports has been incredible to witness, I can’t pick anything that stands out, everything has been brilliant.” Goodbye Lisa, and Good Luck, from all at Le Nurb, Brunel University and The Union of Brunel Students!

1,500 presents arrived with all its extra quirk... (Quirk. Noun. A peculiar behavioural habit. - Rob)

Author

December 2011 - Le Nurb

SPORT

Swim team defy the odds

Rachel Keeley The underdogs more than prove their worth. Metin Ayhan A busy month of swimming saw Brunel Swim Team excel in two major university competitions. The first of the two competitions saw no fewer than 25 Brunel swimmers travel to Ponds Forge arena in Sheffield for the BUCS Swimming Short Course Championships, along with the 1,000-strong contingent of student athletes comprised of Olympians and World Championship medallists. This was an exciting three days of fierce competition for the Brunel Swim team, bolstering a squad scattered with veterans, Freshers, and those that come along for the

notorious night out in Sheffield Hallam Union. For many Brunel swimmers, it was their first taste of competing, having been out of the game for a long time. This provided a fine opportunity for swimmers to dig out those tight Speedos and get those race glands juicing. For other members of the team, it was a case of being in comfortable surroundings. Jenna Turner, a 2nd year sports science student who has represented GB on the European stage, dominated the headlines for Brunel. Jenna lit up the pool in the 200m freestyle, where she produced a striking

performance, earning her a place in the final later that evening with a time of 2.03.55. In the final, Jenna shaved off her previous time to 2.02.78 in the heats to earn a very respectable 5th place. Jenna continued her fine form in the 100m freestyle, where she cruised into the final, ultimately coming in 6th overall in 57.09 seconds. Other impressive swims included Metin Ayhan’s 50m freestyle relay split of 24.95s, and Alistair Gainey’s 50m freestyle, who clocked a solid 26.81s. The following weekend saw Brunel Swim team travel to Surrey Sports Park for Brunel’s first ever

Southern Team Championship Qualifiers. Snubbed into Division 3 and regarded as complete underdogs, the team were keen to make a good impression, prove their counterparts wrong, and qualify for the next round. First on the programme was the girls and boys 4x50m Medley relay, which set the tone for Brunel with impressive performances, finishing in 5th and 2nd respectively. The next was the individual medley 100m; these saw some excellent Brunel performances. Fresher Byron Parkin managed to shave some time down from his personal best in the 100m IM in 1.05.45. This was followed closely by a convincing 2nd place position by Faisal Bhatti in the 100m breaststroke clocking 1.12.89. Catherine Welford stepped up for Brunel in the 100m backstroke and the 100m butterfly. The timing of Catherine’s races were very tight, with races only minutes apart, meaning that lactate headaches, and high heart rates were on the agenda. Despite this, Catherine swam courageously in both events and provided valuable points to Brunel’s point tally. Next on the programme was the 100m freestyle, where freshman Lucas Perry-Hill produced a striking performance, finishing first in a personal best time of 55.77. Personal best times were also on the agenda for Lucas, who lit up the pool in his 200m freestyle, coming in second with an amazing time of 2.03.40. This was closely followed by Rachel Keeley who secured 2nd

place with a very convincing time in the 200m freestyle. The next events were the 50m individuals, where the Brunel team could make some ground on their opponents. The team duly delivered and sealed valuable points, with special mention to Alice Woodyatt in the 50m butterfly, clocking a very respectable 34.98. The heat was on for the last race; the men’s 4x50m freestyle. Comprising of Lucas, Byron, Simon and Metin, who needed to win the race to have any chance to qualify for the next round. Brunel was neck and neck with their rivals UWE and Bristol either side of them. No team managed to be a stroke ahead, or a stroke behind. After three incredible swims, it was all down to the anchor leg, Metin Ayhan head to head with the UWE and Bristol. Having simultaneously entered the water together, Metin managed to pull through and finish 0.2s ahead of their opponents to win in what was a Brunel record in 1.43.12. It was an admirable display of swimming from the Brunel team. They emerged as the dark horses of the competition, finishing in 4th place and securing a slot for the Division 3 National final in Loughborough, where Brunel will compete for the Shield Trophy. When it came down to it, it was a combination of camaraderie of the Brunel team, and courageous individual swims.

Volleyball boys clear Kettering Cup win for Women’s at the top Volleyball Shohreh Mazloumian

The boys are looking unbeatable this year… Shayesteh Mazloumian Brunel Men’s team are just awesome this year. They won their 4 matches both home and away, and are top of the table with all 15 points. Our success story started at our very first game in Kingston University, in which Brunel boys won 3-2 in a very close match. This winning streak continued as Brunel won their 2 home matches against Buckinghamshire New University and Chichester University both 3-0. In the 4th match, they beat Brighton 3-0, and the 5th match was another 3-0 win for the boys, this time against Portsmouth University. Now Brunel is standing on the top of the table with all 15 points possible.

Volleyball club is doing fantastically well this year. Apart from all the success that we have had in our matches, all the members are enjoying themselves in the club as well. We have had many great socials so far, and there are a lot more coming up as well. Volleyball club is still welcoming new members, and you can come down for one free session and have a wonderful experience, as well as meeting so many nice and friendly people. Volleyball club is also welcoming all the students to come and watch our matches. You can have fun, cheer for Brunel, and enjoy the game. I am sure you will be proud to watch your university winning.

Shayesteh Mazloumian Brunel Volleyball is one of the most improved clubs of the year. The atmosphere of the club is just great, and everyone is enjoying themselves both in and out of training sessions. After pushing hard, we finally have 2 training sessions each week, which are on Mondays 9:30 to 11 and Saturdays 6 to 8. The club is for both beginners and advanced players. We have two coaches, the great Marco Leites for the main team, and our lovely Betty Varkonyi for the development team. They are both doing a fantastic job, and the

match results show this perfectly. This is the first year for the girls’ team in the BUCS league, and it could not have started better than this. We won the student cup in Kettering on November 5th, and got into the finals that take place on 11th and 12th February 2012 at UEA Norwich. Meanwhile, we are doing a great job in the league as well. By winning 4 out of 5 matches, we are in 1st place, and there is a great chance for us to win the league as the team is improving game by game. We lost our first away game of the season against Portsmouth 3-1, due to not having

the whole team. However, in the second match we won 3-0 against Chichester here at Brunel, and the 3rd one was a great 3-0 win in Brighton. The 4th and 5th matches of the season ended in 2 wonderful 3-0 wins against Royal Holloway University and Buchinghamshire New University, respectively. The girls 6th match will be against Chichester University, as the first match of the second part of the league, and it is going to be another big win as the girls have been practicing very hard for it.

Behrouz Behzadan

…While the girls have started their first BUCS League year with a bang. The Le Nurb sat and admired their outstanding work.

Le Nurb - December 2011

SPORT

Women’s Hockey 1s look to build on Gloucestershire defeat Danielle Austin We started the game in high spirits. Using the new tactics we learnt in Monday’s training session, we passed the ball effectively round the back, exploiting the spaces down the wings. Well done to Lucie, Gemma, Annie and Emma, all of whom continued to keep shape and possession throughout the match. The forwards looked eager for the ball, and we looked dangerous. The Gloucestershire coach was definitely getting nervous. The teams were both working hard and it looked as if anyone could score; our composure put us in good stead and we created a few chances. However, Gloucestershire managed to score, but it gave us the boost we needed and heads didn’t fall. We started creating chances in the opposition’s half, with through balls and nice passing into the ‘D.’ We created several short corners and missed out on goals by inches. Kelly worked well down the right, linking with Tuna to cause havoc in the middle. Hannah put hard work in like always and cut off options for Gloucestershire. They

didn’t know how to deal with us because we were pressing high and taking gambles, just like Shay had taught us. We were working effectively but our game was slacking, and our zonal marking was falling apart as we weren’t pressing high enough. But heads had not fallen and we were ready for the second half. At halftime, the score was 1-0. We made a confident start to the second half, and the game ebbed and flowed and either side could have scored. The second half was not always pretty, as we defended for much of it and did everything to clear the ball away safely. In the second half our defense was marshalled by Annie, who played hard all match to save us from Gloucestershire chances. However, Gemma was the player shining through, clearing balls and putting in critical tackles as well as creating spaces to attack. An outstanding performance and a well-deserved Player of the Match. She and Hayley worked together as sisters, and managed to put balls through to the attackers where Alice, Tuna and Bexs all managed to beat players and successfully reach the ’D.’ However, we

couldn’t turn these chances into goals. Through the whole game, Harker made some awesome saves keeping us in the game, and taking out players (I loved this!) to save us from conceding. Sadly, we let in 2 more goals in the second half and our game started to deteriorate in the last 10 minutes. The ball stayed mainly in our half while the attackers tried to make the most of the chances we had, but it just wasn’t happening. Again the midfield was controlled by Kelly, Hannah, Tuna, Jo and Hayley who kept the shape of the team, which was vital to keep Gloucestershire out. We have learnt from our performance this week and it is something to build on next week. PLAYER OF THE MATCH

Gemma Easton FINAL SCORE

Gloucestershire Uni. 3-0 Brunel University

BUMS take a trip to reach their peak

Lucy Meredith Following on from Brunel University Mountaineering Society’s (A.K.A: B.U.M.S) first social in Loco’s, the group headed off to the Peak District (near Manchester) for a weekend of hard-core climbing to initiate our freshers. An early rise on the first morning to the best breakfast (the classic egg and bacon) ensured we were all ready for whatever the rocks could throw at us; except climbing in rain-clouds! Typical British weather made it highly unpleasant (and

almost dangerous) for amateurs to be negotiating wet rock faces. So, settling on indoor climbing, we descended upon AwesomeWalls in Stockport, where the walls were challengingly high: perfect for Freshers to develop basic and notso-basic skills; some of us climbed 23.5-metre-high walls and others preferred to stick to bouldering (in which you don’t need – or rather, shouldn’t have – a harness on). In the evening, we shared stories; some revealed the kind of secrets that create ‘legends’ out of a

character (i.e. sleeping with your twenty year-old Spanish teachers: you know who you are!). After the personality probing, from the BUMS and Freshers alike, it was time for ‘sock-wrestling’ in the scout hut. Two people were suspended from the ceiling by rope and harness, and endeavoured to remove a sock from one of their opponent’s feet. The result: battered faces, bruised and rope-burnt arms, and socks stretched until holes appeared... but all shyness was forgotten. To a much-needed early sleep

we went, and woke the next day to a sky with blue peeping through the clouds. Feeling optimistic, we drove and walked to our first (first ever, for many of us) outdoor climb. Adrenaline ascended higher than we did, and I think it’s safe to say that we all finished that first climb completely exhilarated; even if some of us started it by swearing out our frustration at not being able to leave the ground in the first five minutes [my own personal experience]. Then the heavens opened and soaked the rock face we were

climbing. Freshers scrambled up to meet sodden and wind-beaten BUMS, and it was a situation anybody would look at and label “barmy.” But after going to the pub and taking the usual cheesy – but absolutely necessary – photographs, it was with a sense of triumph that we tired Freshers got back into the mini-buses with the brilliant but “barmy” BUMS, anticipating the next trip with an even greater excitement than this first trip inspired.

Fencing cutting themselves a clear path to glory Alex McGeoch Brunel Fencing is excelling this season, both in competition and in the development of its newer fencers. Having secured two training sessions weekly and the expertise of an excellent coach, the newer fencers are developing fast; with talk of trialling several Freshers for a team match later in the season. The Brunel Women’s 1st have made a good start to the season, winning three of their five matches; one of which placed them in the final 16 teams of the BUCS conference cup with a 30 point victory over Kings College Women’s 1st Team. This was a great result, with the girls winning all three weapons (epee, foil and sabre) by a large margin.

So far this season, the Men’s team are undefeated. With a solid team and a new competitive streak, the team are keen to win both their league and cup. They have won 5 of 5 matches played so far, three of which were almost unopposed (135-76 vs Royal Holloway Men’s 1st, 135-82 vs Surrey Men’s 2nd and 135-85 vs Hertfordshire Men’s 1st). Their toughest opposition was Sussex Men’s 1st, which they clinched by a narrow 2-point victory (130-128). This match was probably the tensest match the club has ever seen. The first weapon was Sabre, which was won 45-40. All three fencers (Stuart Dixon, Laurence Knott and Alex McGeoch) fenced well, holding their own and each achieving good results in their individual fights.

Amazingly, Foil was lost by the same margin. Foil was expected to be our weakest weapon, but fortunately the efforts of GB #47 Chris Mollard saved this weapon, scoring 26 of the 40 hits we scored with some excellent fencing. Going into the epee, both sides started with no advantage in terms of points. This stayed the case up until the final fight: Alex McGeoch (Brunel) vs Miles Gandolfi (Sussex –former GB Junior International), the score stood at 39-39. Support from the six Brunel fencers was fantastic; it more than equalled the support of the many Sussex supporters! The match was fought well by both, becoming especially tense for Brunel when Miles scored an awesome hit to Alex’s foot, proceeding to score another hit

with a well-timed lunge, putting Brunel 2 hits behind. Fortunately, Alex cleared his head and came back with 2 hits in succession; a double-hit, then finishing with a hit to wrist on a lunge to clinch victory by 2 points. On an individual basis, Chris Mollard has shot from outside of the UK top 300 to GB #47 (Foil) in

six months, and Alex McGeoch has also climbed to GB #106 (Epee), with a view to breach the top 100 before the end of the month. Alex Chatterton and Laurence Knott both scored points at their first UK senior opens in foil and epee respectively. A fantastic achievement, as individual opens are always daunting events!

Chris Bratton

Xanthe Roe scoring a superb hit in Foil against Royal Holloway Women’s 1st. At the end of the day, this issue’s for you...

December 2011 - Le Nurb

SPORT

JUDOn’t mess with Brunel Hamza Junaid and Taylan Hussein Brunel University was proud to host the London Senior University and Colleges Judo Open Competition on the 26th of November 2011. All the competing teams from across the country arrived early Saturday morning, and were welcomed by Brunel’s own team who stood out wearing their brand new, royal blue team hoodies. The home side stood out on the mats, too, as they took 4 gold, 2 silver and 2

bronze medals and only narrowly missed out on the tournament cup, by a single medal, to Imperial College London. For most of the Judokas on the team, this was their first competitive tournament. On the day the whole team fought extremely well, especially the girls, with all of them winning gold medals. The Brunel Judo team would like to thank their coaches, and good friends Nick Shepherd and Omar

Anaz. Their hard work, excellent coaching, and dedication made the teams successes possible. Brunel Judo are already looking forward to their next competition in the New Year. If anyone is interested in joining the club, visit their mini-site: brunelstudents. com/judo, and come along to the sessions. Everyone of any ability is welcome, and we hope to see you there.

Men’s Hockey 2nd XI suffer narrow defeat to Kingston 1st XI Bob Carr On Wednesday November 23rd, Brunel 2nd XI took on Kingston 1st XI away at Surbiton Hockey Club. With Kingston situated fairly highly in the league, and Brunel suffering a heavy defeat last week, the game looked set to be one-sided. This was not the case. Brunel entered the game with nothing to lose. They dominated the majority of the first half, and with good communication and outstanding defensive play, Brunel forced Kingston to make numerous errors. Midway through the first half, Daman Johal made a quick break. One-on-one with the keeper, Daman fired a shot which rebounded from the goalkeeper’s pad. With Bob Carr running in support, he collected the rebounding ball and slapped it towards the goal, resulting in a welldeserved goal that took the score to 1-0. For the remainder of the first half, Brunel continued to pressure their opposition. As the halftime whistle blew, the Brunellians were overjoyed to be in the lead. The second half began, and it was

clear that the Kingston side had now switched on. Both sides fought hard for the ball, but eventually Kingston managed to slip a goal past Brunel. With conceding a goal, Brunel began to panic; however, with Jack Galliers’ consistent dominance in the mid-field; Brunel managed to hold on to the draw. Unfortunately, towards the latter part of the second half, Brunel conceded again. The final whistle blew at 2-1, and the Brunel men were very disappointed. The score did not fairly reflect Brunel’s outstanding performance. Brunel 2nd XI are set to play LSE 1st XI on Wednesday 30th November for a conference cup match. The South Eastern 2A league matches will continue after the Christmas break, the majority of which will be played at Brunel’s home ground. FINAL SCORE

Kingston 1st XI 2-1 Brunel 1st XI

Brunel Women’s Basketball needs you! Lauren Dransfield Judokas strength rewarded with 8 medals.

Brunel Men’s football is hosting the first ever mid-year trial Danny Mitchell Brunel Men’s Football are hosting a mid-year trial for the first time ever. The purpose of this trial is to allow students who either missed out on the Freshers’ Week trial, or those who felt they were unfortunate not to get the chance to be selected for one of the clubs five teams. Trials

will take place on Wednesday 14th December on site 5 from 12 till 4pm. In order to register interest for the trials, you need to email Danny Mitchell at footballmens@ brunelstudents.org.uk and provide your name, position, and contact details. During Give It A Go week, Brunel

Men’s football will also be hosting a FIFA tournament in the Academy. Details are yet to be confirmed, so keep a look out on the Brunel Mens Football 2011-2012 Facebook page for your chance to prove you are the best FIFA player at Brunel, and also be in with a chance of winning some awesome prizes!

BUWHC Ball Girls on patrol at Wembley Arena Annie Allum Nine members of Brunel Women’s Hockey Club have been lucky enough to be asked by England Hockey to be Ball Patrol in the National Hockey Indoor Finals, the Super Sixes, at Wembley Arena on Sunday 29th January 2012. Last year, BUWHC also provided the Ball Patrol for the Super Sixes and it was a great success, so it is

fantastic to be asked again! The action-packed day will include a number of National Indoor League teams full of international players. The day consists of the two men’s semi-finals, where they’ll compete for a place in the Men’s Championship Match later on, and hot on the heels of the semis comes the first of our grand finals – the Women’s Championship

Final. Players who are participating are likely to include London 2012 Olympic hopefuls, and some Olympic veterans! GET YOUR TICKETS Tickets can be purchased before the day starting at just £12.50 for adults and £5 for under 18’s from www.ticketmaster.co.uk.

Grace Truemna and Ana Costa Baptista Hi Brunelians! Brunel Women’s Basketball team has had their best start to the season for years! Winning our first four league matches of the season, our eyes are now set on promotion! We want to thank everyone who has come down to show their support at the games so far – it makes a massive difference and it creates an amazing atmosphere. We want to keep up this intensity and we hope you come down for our most important game of the season on the 7th of December. We’re currently in first place in the league and we want to keep it that way by winning against Kings College London. With a few key players missing, our only encounter with Kings this year left us with a tight 8 point defeat, and a disappointing first round knockout of the cup. This will be our first league meeting and we aren’t planning to lose again anytime soon! Kings are currently second in the league and are the only other undefeated team, so this has all the makings of a great game. Anyone who saw the Men’s team beat their equivalent rivals Southbank on 23rd of November knows the potential drama of a fixture like this! It’s one of only a few fixtures in week 11 and we want to see as many Brunelians there as possible! We stand a great

And please don’t use it for toilet tissue. (You’re fired. - Rob)

Dan Dunscombe

Come along and join the action. chance of winning the league (and possibly being promoted to the PREM!), but we think we would stand an even better chance if you guys come down to support. When you do: BRING THE NOISE! So get down to the Sports Hall at 6pm and support Brunel Women’s Basketball.

Le Nurb - December 2011

SPORT

SPORT Jamie Smith

Brunel Hockey running rings around the opposition.

Christmas has come early for Men’s Hockey 3s Elliot Funnell The game against top of the league Portsmouth was arguably the most important game of the season so far for the 3rd team. A win would send them joint top of the league going into the

Inside... 28

Badminton

Basketball

Swimming

Volleyball

Fencing

Bringing home the gold

Still undefeated

...Like dolphins

Men’s and women’s news

A cut above the rest

Christmas break. For the first time this season, there was a full squad of 16 at the disposal of our new stand-in coach Sophie Hoseason. Brunel started the game very strong, forcing the Portsmouth keeper into action early on. Most notably, Dave Isaac missing a clear-cut chance after Dave Fox set him up with a skilful run along the by-line. After a period of high pressure from Brunel, Portsmouth started to apply more pressure to the Brunel back four, with sweeper Callum ScottCollins making some superb tackles. Portsmouth’s pressure almost paid off, with consecutive short corners leading to captain Elliot Funnell conceding a penalty flick for stopping the ball from crossing the line with his thigh. The penalty flick, taken by the Portsmouth striker, was awful as it was flicked straight at a grateful Matt Rasiah in the middle of the goal. Brunel regained their composure to once again test Portsmouth’s defence, with Adam Moore, Ky Chenai, and Sumeet Dhinsa pulling the strings in the centre of the pitch. After the halftime break, Brunel came out firing on all cylinders.

Some great passing between the midfielders and forwards lead to Ky Chenai beating the keeper at the far post after Dave Fox hit the ball into the D. Dave Fox then converted a short corner with a ridiculously good drag flick; it flew sweetly into the top left corner, leaving the Portsmouth keeper and defenders standing. A great run into the D from the left wing by Shaun Pirie was picked out with no problem by Dave Fox, and Shaun slotted home to make the score 3-0 to Brunel. Brunel kept Portsmouth shut out with ease, and a solid tackle hit down the pitch from Ale Cristofoli set up Dave Fox. Dave wasted no time taking the ball past one defender and cracking the ball into the bottom left corner. Callum Scott-Collins then found Dave Fox with a cracking long ball. Dave Fox then dribbled the ball effortlessly around dumbfounded Portsmouth defenders and smashed the ball past the keeper, completing the 5-0 demolition of Portsmouth. The 5-0 score line, reflecting an awesome display across the pitch by Brunel, leaves the 3rd team sitting top of the league.

Men’s Hockey 1st XI victorious over Varsity rivals Jamie Smith and Ollie Wickham With St. Mary’s being our Varsity rival, and with the potential to put Brunel at top of the league, this was definitely a must-win game. The first half started with Brunel retaining most of the possession, passing well and causing some problems to St. Mary’s defence. It wasn’t long before Brunel broke away down the left side with Ben Tibble on the ball, who placed a reverse stick cross straight into the path of Neil Guilder at the back post; Neil slotted home. St. Mary’s only had eleven players, so fitness levels were a big part of the game. They have a few talented players in their squad, but the likes of Devon Halls and Thaddeus Rivett kept them at bay, which massively contributed to our success. Brunel continued to dominate play, forcing a short corner which was converted by Peter Brooks from a Devon Halls strike, making it 2-0. The second half was more of a fight. St. Mary’s started strong,

Merry Christmas to all - and to all, please recycle.

with most of their attacks coming through the middle of the park. The home team worked the ball well in Brunel’s 25, which led to four consecutive penalty corners being awarded. Fortunately for Brunel, St. Mary’s couldn’t capitalise from any of these chances. There wasn’t enough depth in St. Mary’s squad, and the danger was instantly quelled once the ball had been passed to the weaker players in their team. The game was extremely stretched in the last quarter due to a yellow card given to a Brunel player, and the lack of fitness from the St. Mary’s team. It was end-to-end excitement, with plenty of banter from the St. Mary’s supporters. Jack Forward had a massive part to play in the game and saved everything that St. Mary’s threw at him. The game finished 2-0 to Brunel, a well-deserved victory. Next is the long away trip to North Prem team Durham in the cup. Thanks to the 2’s boys that came and supported.