n h n h LE NURB n h n h December 2015 - Winter Issue
NEWS
Students march for free education page 4
SCIENCE
Entering the post-antibiotic world page 16
FEATURE
Humans of Brunel pages 26-27
CULTURE
Brunel students spook INTU page 29
DIGNIFIED STUDENTS TURN THEIR BACKS ON ‘PROFESSIONAL TROLL’ Elisabeth Mahase
Photo credit: Elisabeth Mahase
L
ast Monday Brunel students staged a silent walk-out to protest the invitation of Katie Hopkins, failed business woman turned controversial speaker. The student-led action caused a media frenzy, with The Independent, Huffington Post, BBC, The Guardian and even Lad Bible covering the story and sending the video viral.
Student President Ali Milani, who has previously referred to Ms Hopkins as a professional troll, has been responding to journalists and media requests all week. When contacted by Le Nurb, he said: “We always knew we would get a response. Unfortunately, Katie is a media magnet. However, we have received so many letters, emails, Facebook and Twitter message from all over the world. Trade Unions, Professors and everyday citizens have commended the students for walking the line of free speech and freedom of expression perfectly. As
Brunel stands united against homophobia in sport page 40
#IAMBRUNEL Noora Ismail During the month of November, Brunel’s Student Union hosted a month of Islamophobia awareness to begin a year-long campaign organised by Ali Milani, UBS President, and others. The Student President told Le Nurb, “In my 3 years as a student, Islamophobia was becoming increasingly prevalent within my life, within the lives of Muslim students around me. When I became President I had a tool and a space which I could use… to make sure that we are, as a university, having a discussion around issues that I face like thousands of students on this campus.”
Ms Hopkins was speaking as part of a panel in a debate on the welfare state, organised by the university as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations. As Ms Hopkins began to speak, the first three students stood up and turned their backs. The rest of the movement immediately followed – all in complete silence. Waiting patiently for her to finish the students then filed out of the auditorium and headed back to the student union, leaving the room almost empty.
SPORT
Islamophobic attacks in London have soared by 46.7% over the last year, totalling 845 reported attacks up until this October.
have I; it’s the proudest I’ve been since I got here. “But more importantly, what our students were able to achieve was to spark a wider, more pertinent discussion that needs to be had in our society. That is: at a time when minorities are so under represented in the public sphere, why are trolls like Katie so overrepresented?” Brunel’s own Professor Peter Beresford, who was sat on the panel next to Ms Hopkins said: “I have always been a strong supporter of legal and peaceful protest by students. I see their walk-out at Brunel’s welfare state debate in protest against right wing columnist Ka-
tie Hopkins as just such an example. I think it is important for students to engage and express their views. “Unfortunately it is a sign of our times that Katie Hopkins is given many sympathetic platforms because her views so often chime with those of our government and right wing media. Which means in my view that we have to engage with those views on our own platforms and show them up for the hateful and populist claptrap they are. “So I think we are going to have to develop new, more effective strategies to combat the vitriol of people like Hopkins, if we are to make them yesterday’s news rather than today’s trending social media.”
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The university responded to Le Nurb’s request by commending the students: “Those audience members who exercised their right to protest should be given full credit for doing so peaceably without disrupting the event for others.” In the end Brunel students were clear in their message, they stand for free speech and freedom of expression. They exercised their right to walk away from a ‘professional troll’ and took the higher ground, rejecting the labels that were given to them and showing that silence can be the most powerful tool.
Racist and religious hate crimes have risen by 20.9%, representing 13,435 officially recorded incidents. Islamophobia like any other form of racism is not a new phenomenon, but its sharp rise is connected to current affairs. The discussion hosted speakers from Brunel’s student body, poet and athlete Ryan Raghoo, NUS Black Students Officer Malia Bouattia, and ex-President of Sheffield SU, Abdi-Aziz Suleiman. The panel addressed the origins of Islamophobia, ‘Prevent’, racism and its side effects on Muslim students, “the de-politicisation of minorities” according to Abdi-Aziz, representation in the media and how to safely intervene in
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SCIENCE & TECH FEATURES
YOUR IMAGES
CULTURE SPORT
Contributors Le Nurb would like to thank the following people for contributing an article to this month’s issue.
News
Culture
Elisabeth Mahase Noora Ismail Stephanie Beaumont Ali Milani Aisha Qadi Wangu Mureithi Sophie Perry Maddi Black Kerri Prince Katerina Tiliakou Barry Cilia Jessica Watson Joanne Smith Mariana Rocha
Charlotte Davis Julie Valeur Aliya Siddique Sophie Perry Laura Davey Kate Buck Milly Gunn Kate Krakowiak Jessica Watson
Elisabeth Mahase
Features George Hudson Julie Valeur Arthur Toomer Vivienne Burgess Alexander Short Adam White Damyana Bozhinova Jack Frayne-Reid Indra Warnes Alexander Short
Editor-in-Chief Elisabeth Mahase
NEWS
Science & Tech
The Team
Sport Bradley Hayden Mark Davies Katie Papps KC Swain Adam White Jessica Watson Katie Papps Lauren Norton Mayoor Jobanputra
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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.
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NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
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Editor’s Letter Elisabeth Mahase Editor 2015/16
Dear Reader, Thank you for picking up the Winter edition of Le Nurb. November has been an unprecedented month at Brunel. With the busiest deadline period of the year, a number of campaigns and some pretty intense media attention; it’s safe to say there is plenty to report on this month. The entire team and I have worked very hard to make sure all the prominent issues on campus are covered in this issue, and that we also have some riveting and thought provoking pieces. We have had an array of students contributing and this makes for a great issue. The latter end of this month has seen an immense amount of spotlight shone on Brunel. As a result of the action that took
place on campus, we have seen over 50 different news organisations around the world look to our campus. From Romania to the USA, the world was talking about Brunel. Throughout this media fanfare, the best place to get a real grasp on what is happening here at Brunel and what our students are thinking is our student newspaper. It is also an important time for the Higher Education sector. With the publication of the governments “green paper” and the implementation of the Prevent strategy; University campuses and students’ lives are drastically changing. We’re committed here at Le Nurb to keeping you informed on all these changes, while also providing a level of analysis.
But we need you. This is a student paper, and so we are always looking for our editions to reflect our readers. With the refurbishment of the Media suite, it is the best time to get involved in student media. So if there is anything you think we should cover (online or in print), please feel free to contribute by emailing me at lenurb. brunel@gmail.com. Alternatively, find us on Facebook by joining the Le Nurb contributors 2015-16 page. I hope you enjoy the issue and have a fantastic holiday season! Elisabeth x
FIRST PAGE CONTINUED... an Islamophobic incident.
for insulated discussions on campus to be opened up to all students, “we need to have spaces where we discuss what’s happening on campus in terms of ‘Prevent’ and the things that our teachers are being told to look out for, we need to have a discussion about what is happening in our society” said Abdi Aziz Suleiman.
Photo credit: Ali Milani
Members of the audience bravely shared their personal experiences of Islamophobic abuse, to which the panel offered their guidance on how to behave in such circumstances. Malia Bouattia reiterated the importance of recording and reporting the incident with Although it the aid of stop and search It’s not just a Muslim was a successful event, Ali apps. Abdi Aziz Suleiman reinissue, it’s an issue that Milani aims to continue to forced the idea have Islamothat anyone afeveryone is trying to phobia awarefected by racial ness training abuse must tackle together for students on not allow the campus to supperpetrator port members to have their of Brunel University. desired effect on their target – to feel as though they have power over For support or information, their intended victim. contact the Students Union or NUS Black Students. Katherine Kneebone, History student at Brunel, responded to the event by saying “I think it is really great to get everyone together and show everyone cares about this issue. It’s not just a Muslim issue, it’s an issue that everyone is trying to tackle together and I think that’s a really nice sense of community.”
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Questions and comments from the audience clarified the necessity
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04 NEWS
NEWS
PHOTO CREDIT: Ali Milani
THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS MARCH FOR FREE EDUCATION Stephanie Beaumont
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n the 4th November students and activists alike joined forces to protest against fees and cuts imposed by a Government who plan to get rid of the few remaining maintenance grants available to subsidise the cost of Education. Student Union President, Ali Milani headed the group of students from Brunel who joined the march in Central London and said he was ‘Delighted to have attended the #FreeEducation march alongside #TeamBrunel’. Although some media coverage focused on the clashes a minority of protesters had with the police, the
march was successful in, once again, bringing the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts to the attention of a wider audience. The National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts aims to ‘fight for free, democratic education and universal grants, funded by the taxation of the rich and business’ meaning higher education would be more accessible for all. John McDonnell, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, made this statement at the beginning of the demonstration – ‘Switching back to a loan in place of a maintenance grant will push the poorest students into higher levels
of debt. ‘There are no student fees in Scotland, Germany and twelve other European countries, I want to bring all UK students into line with that sensible approach. ‘We all benefit from education, collectively as a society, not just as individuals. Education is a right, not a privilege.’ Anticuts.com reported that ‘over ten thousand students marched through central London’, demonstrating that the discussion of Free Education is far from over and the right to Education for all is to be taken seriously.
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PHOTO CREDIT: Aaron Lowman
08 NEWS
QUESTIONING QUOTAS: AN INTER-SOCIETY DEBATE Sophie Perry
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n November 11th the Debate Society collaborated with LGBT+ Society in an inter-society debate which took place in the Meeting House. The topic was: ‘This House believes that there should be a quota in the media for LGBT+ representation’. One of my strongest intentions as Chair of Debate Society is to bring together different students from across the Campus. I believe that by bringing different Societies together their members are able discuss, share ideas and make friends with students from all walks of life. The very act of meeting and debating with people that you might not otherwise talk to is, in my opinion, fundamental to building a strong community.
Brunel having such a vibrant student community makes such events vital. The topic arose after discussions with LGBT+ Society’s Committee, where it was felt that the issue to be debated should not be clear-cut one, creating space for a more open and varied discussion. The very idea of a ‘quota’ of representation for LGBT+ people in the media is a divided issue even within the LGBT+ community, bringing in to play questions surrounding the ideas of positive discrimination and education. The topic choice is particularly relevent at the moment as GLAAD, an LGBT+ media advocacy organisation formed in 1985, has
this year decided to retire their annual Network Responsibility Index. The NRI has been used since its release as a tool to hold Television Networks responsible for the images of LGBT+ people that they present, by promoting fairness and accuracy.
only goal’. The success of the Inter-Society Debate was exemplified by the mix of LGBT+ and non-LGBT+ students who attended, many staying afterwards for further discussion over buscuits and a cup of tea.
In a C h a i r guest blog of LGBT+ post for Brunel is such a diverse S o c i e t y Va r i e t y, LGBT+ G L A A D community and this Debate and Officer for CEO and Union President had such a huge spectrum of the Ellis Cronin S a r a h reiterated Kate Ellis opinions and experiences this where stated: ‘We she said: haven’t “ w o n ” ‘It was really interesting to see when it comes to television, because simply getting higher numbers of other LGBT+ students and nonLGBT people on TV was never the LGBT+ students, hearing what their
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opinions are on the matter; it really shows how far we’ve come in terms of being able to talk about these issues as a group.’ The Debate took place the Meeting House as the space is used by both Societies, making it an appropriate location. On the event, Brunel’s Coordinating Anglican Chaplain and Inter Faith Advisor Sally Hitchiner commented: ‘Brunel is such a diverse community and this Debate had such a huge spectrum of opinions and experiences and it was brilliant to bring everyone together looking at a really important issue in our Society. I hope we have many more opportunities for this sort of discussion’.
IS THE STUDENT STORE ANY DIFFERENT FROM COSTCUTTER? Elisabeth Mahase
PHOTO CREDIT: Elisabeth Mahase
I
n the first issue of Le Nurb this university year, we featured the opening of the student store as our front page. This was the main manifesto goal of newly elected student president Ali Milani and one that the officers had repeatedly been told would never happen. Since then, multiple people have raised questions and concerns about how it works and whether or not it’s actually any cheaper. Due to this we decided to try and shed light on how the store works, how it progresses and what can be expected from it in the future. We spoke to Student President Ali Milani. What are the key differences between Costcutter and the store? “The store’s product ranges are decided by both myself and Brunel Commercial. The product line is directly linked to focus groups run by students. We currently have 5 suppliers and if we look for a product and it’s cheapest in Costcutter then we use Costcutter as a supplier but that’s rare. Obviously we also have a Starbucks. One of the main things that came out from the focus group was that sandwiches were too expensive. So we aimed to find a cheaper supplier that could provide a cheaper option. We went and found Independent which is 27% cheaper. There’s also the price check area – on the left by the entrance – which is checked against high street prices and is average 10% cheaper. Goods there will always be cheaper,
sometimes it’s 10% and it has gone up to 40% previously. Kosher sandwiches was also something that came out of our focus groups. We did that within 2 weeks and that’s the main difference. With this store students have the say – that’s not something you get with a 3rd party store like Costcutter.” Where does the money go? The money goes where all of the money goes on campus. Everything goes into a central pot. Right now it’s just paying for the costs of opening and it’s staff. In the future the idea is that there will be a negotiation on where the money goes. It started off
open on weekends, however many people have brought this up so it’s something we’re looking into.”
and the kosher sandwiches are all good signs of progression.”
When the Is it 100% what we Are the store starts staff Brunel making money want it to be right now? students? there will be No. Will it be? Yes!” a discussion The main as to where staff are that money students goes but it will firstly go into the university’s central however the managers are Brunel pot. This is then used to do things like Retail staff.” bursaries.” How has it progressed since Why is the store only open opening? Monday-Friday? It’s progressed faster than we Initially we weren’t sure that there thought. The fact that we were able was going to be the need for it to be to bring in Starbucks, a new supplier
We’ll find more suppliers and keep tailoring the content as we have been doing. We are definitely expanding the social side of it as that have proved to me a massive success.
as a smaller project but we’ve made it into social space as well and that’s really working well.
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What can we expect in the future?
We are also working on a meal deal – that’s currently being figured out – which would include a sandwich, drink and a snack. Don’t underestimate what we’ve done and what we are going to do. Is it 100% what we want it to be right now? No. Will it be? Yes!”
10 NEWS
STUDENT UNION LAUNCHES COMMUNITY ORGANISER SCHEME Kerri Prince
the role, the Community Organisers said:
his week, the Union of Brunel Students announced their Community Organiser scheme, which is an extension of their existing Community Development scheme.
“We are all very enthusiastic to start working with residents, and we believe that by building bridges between students and the wider community, we can solve many issues that affect us all and create an on-going and mutually beneficial relationship.”
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The Community Organiser team is made up of three current Brunel students who will be canvassing and meeting with residents and community groups, researching what issues of concern residents have in the local community and how we can work together to reach an agreeable end outcome. The intention of the scheme is to bring students and permanent residents together to identify and campaign together on issues we want to see resolved. The Organisers are: Joanne Cassidy a History and Politics student, International Politics student Ammaar Ikram, and Naheem Sharif, studying Economics and Finance. Carrying out these roles alongside their studies, this is a project with students at the forefront, leading and creating the change that we want to see in our community.
PHOTO CREDIT: Kerri Prince
‘LETS COOK’ Kerri Prince
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his year the Union has committed to continuing the ‘Let’s Cook’ project, but with less celebrity chefs and more taster sessions, stalls, videos of our Vice President’s cooking, as well as a brand new website to keep all this information together. Marcus Stein, the Vice President CEDPS, and Michael Darlow, the Vice President Student Activities, have already cooked up a batch of delicious Pumpkin Soup that was given out to students to try in the atrium. The video has gone up on the Let’s Cook website, as well as the recipe! Throughout the rest of the year, Marcus and Michael will be doing
When asked about their plans for
PHOTO CREDIT: Kerri Prince
more cooking sessions together, with the aim of getting students to think about the cost of food and the kind of food that they should be eating. Living as a student is hard, and it is easy to reach for that takeaway app on your phone, but those endless amounts of calories and salt aren’t doing your body any favours! Let’s Cook is here to promote a healthier, and cheaper way of eating as a student. You can go on to the Let’s Cook website now (brunelstudents. com/social/letscook) and look at the numerous recipes and tips to get yourself started. Now the cold weather is setting in, it’s the perfect time to turn that oven on and get cooking!
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for the scheme. “The Community organiser scheme will build relationships and networks between the local residents and the Brunel University Community.
The Organisers will be instrumental in researching and targeting where the university Key can assist in figures from We are all very enits local area Brunel have e x p r e s s e d thusiastic to start working by working in partnership t h e i r with residents w i t h support and residents exc i t e m e n t and local for the authorities. project. The President of the Union of Brunel Students and staff at the Uni Students, Ali Milani, had this to say: continue to do some amazing “Our union has consistently work off campus which often goes shown its commitment to improving unnoticed.” our engagement with the local He went on to express his community and we are confident that we need the community enthusiasm at future involvement organisers, whose roles will provide with the scheme. brand-new insight and innovative “I am looking forward to working ways to research outlook and with the organisers to redress the improve production.” balance somewhat and also tackling Another prominent supporter of some of the more difficult issues the creation of these roles, Police that our neighbours can find quite Constable Barry Cilia, affectionately testing living next to a large Campus known on the University’s campus as such as Brunel.” “Brunel Bobby”, also has high hopes
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NEWS 11
BEATING HOMELESSNESS Katerina Tiliakou
H
ow often do you see people on the streets begging for your money? Help the Uxbridge-based charity, Trinity, to reintegrate people to society by offering them a place to stay, physiological support and a job. If you have no place to stay, you can call Shelter’s Helpline on 0808 800 4444 to get advice and local help. It is open 8am-8pm MondayFriday, 8am-5pm Saturday-Sunday.
Statistics for Homelessness in London: Being poor can happen to anyone and this may be caused by many different factors, such as the ending of a relationship or sudden unemployment. According to Trinity’s website, street homelessness in London has risen by over 75% since 2010. Surprisingly, 87% of people living on the streets are male.
Homeless Projects explains that ‘The Big Sleep Out’ is an event where thousands of people will be sleeping outside in cardboard boxes on 4th December 2015 in Hillingdon Athletics Stadium, Gatting Way, Uxbridge UB8 1ES. They will get sponsored to raise much needed funds for the Trinity Homeless Project. National and local businesses, politicians, artists, and community groups will attend the ‘Big Sleep Out’ live event and help to make the change to the community.
Trinity’s Furniture Shops By purchasing or donating your furniture to Trinity’s furniture shops in both Hayes and Uxbridge, you contribute to reducing poverty and unemployment for the residents.
Contact Information
Hayes Telephone: 020 8797 9505 Uxbridge Telephone: 01895 256655
Real Heroes Trinity was founded in 2000. Some of its employees and volunteers were homeless in the past. Staff members also share their stories with people to show their fight against poverty. Every year Trinity’s staff organise projects to encourage people donate money to the poor.
Visit Trinity’s wearetrinity.org.uk
website:
Or call: 020 8797 9500 Trinity’s call value is that people deserve to have a home.
The Big Sleep Out Joanne Wright, 39, from Surrey, the Events Manager of Trinity
PHOTO CREDIT: Katerina Tiliakou
PHOTO CREDIT: Barry Cilia
DON’T LET CRIMINALS RUIN YOUR CHRISTMAS! Barry Cilia
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ith Christmas just around the corner, Brunel University Campus Police officer Barry Cilia has some very sound advice in making sure that your holiday is one to remember for the right reasons. Don’t leave presents in full view on the back seat of your car when out shopping. These can be tempting to thieves. Lock them away out of sight in the boot. At home, keep presents out of sight. Large piles of gift wrapped goodies under the tree that are visible through a door or window are an invitation to thieves. Keep doors and windows locked at all times, even when you are in the house. •
Don’t leave empty boxes on display outside. Discarded
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packaging advertises all the new goods you have indoors. Make it look like someone is at home when you’re going out for the evening. Leave lights on and close the curtains. If you have a burglar alarm, set it. Don’t carry large amounts of cash on you when you go out. Be alert, and make sure your purse or wallet is secure and hidden from view. You can make it difficult for criminals to operate by not purchasing stolen property. If you are offered a quality product at a bargain price ensure that the source is genuine. Drink or drug driving can be fatal, for both you, and those around you. If you are going out for the evening, stick to soft drinks if you are driving. Nominate a designated driver
who can get you all home safely. •
Go out over the Christmas period and have a safe and enjoyable evening. Anti-social behavior, particularly related to alcohol, is one of the Brunel local policing team’s priorities and they will clamp down on it. Know your limits.
PC Cilia says sadly every year he comes across someone who has had their Christmas ruined by thieves or excessive drinking and told Le Nurb: “It’s a busy time of year for everyone, including the criminal, certainly opportunistic crime rises around the festive season, but by taking some simple precautions and being a bit sensible when out drinking you can avoid your festivities being anything less than merry.”
NEWS
EXAMS, CHRISTMAS, MONEY- SOURCES OF SUPPORT IN STRESSFUL TIMES Joanne Smith
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ometimes during the winter months everything can look quite bleak and stress can pile up. Everyone experiences it and we are often good at dealing with it. Occasionally though things overwhelm us. It is difficult even to seek help. But if you can, these are the places and people to talk to: Advice & Representation Centre; Student Union’s confidential service. ARC helps with practical issues, like financial hardship, housing troubles, student funding delays and much more. See brunelstudents.com/ advice. The ARC will be closed for Christmas from 22.12.15- 04.01.16 Big White Wall; All Brunel University students going through a tough time or struggling with mental health issues can now get free online support from Big White Wall (BWW). The service is available online – search for Big White Wall and click “join” or via the Big White Wall app. BWW provides 24/7 peer and professional support (with trained counsellors online at all
times), plus a range of wellbeing tools to help people self-manage. This service is safe and anonymous, so no one will know you have chosen to use it unless you tell them. Chaplaincy and Meeting House; where you can relax, meet new friends, talk to a chaplain, pray, find a quiet space. There are Anglican, Catholic, Muslim and Hindu chaplains and all students from a variety of religious and non-religious backgrounds are welcome. The Meeting House is located in Zone A of the campus, between the Marie Jahoda and Gaskell buildings. And if you search online for “Brunel Rabbit Café” you’ll be on your way to a decent smile. Counselling Service; this is available to all students, without any need for a referral from a doctor. Call 01895 265070 for an appointment or come in for a drop-in session every weekday at 2pm. You can also talk to a counsellor in confidence about your worries by calling 01895 267059. Leave a message and the duty counsellor will call you back
within one working day. Nightline; a confidential listening, support and practical information service for students in London. You can talk to us about anything – big or small – in complete confidence. They won’t judge you or tell you how to run your life: they’ll simply listen to whatever is on your mind. They are open from 6pm to 8am every night of term. Phone: 0207 631 0101 Email: listening@nightline.org.uk Skype Chat: chat.nightline Skype Phone: londonnightline Text (new): 07717 989 900 Samaritans; for immediate confidential listening support. National Number: 08457 909090. Website: www.samaritans.org Get Connected; for information and access to other youth support services. Freephone: 0808 808 4994. Text: 80849. Website: www. getconnected.org.uk for chat and more.
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PHOTO CREDIT: FLICKR
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SCIENCE AND TECH
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BRUNEL RESEARCHERS LEAD RADICAL NEW RESEARCH WITH BREAST CANCER UK Elisabeth Mahase
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cientists lead by Dr Elisabete Silva have been awarded a grant from Breast Cancer UK to complete a research project: the effects of chemicals on the development of breast cancer.
phenol A, DDT, propylparaben and benzophenone-3, combining them at low levels and exposing the cells to them. All of these can be found in the human body and disrupt hormonal actions and functions. The outcome should map of how the cells react and their role in the process of cells becoming cancerous.
The team will be growing milk Although there is currently little duct-like structures using an innovative 3D in vitro (in a glass/petri evidence to suggest a link, this is a growing area dish) method. of research Milk ducts for cancer are where the that cannot majority of Map of how the cells s e e m i n g l y breast cancer cases occur. react and their role in the be explained through geThey will then be testing the process of cells becoming netics or lifestyle. effects varicancerous ous mixtures Dr Silva’s of chemicals hope is that have on these this project cancerous could lead to better regulations in cells. everyday chemical products and enThis advanced technique – never able both men and women to make before used in this way – mimics the informed choices in what they buy conditions of human body, allowing and use. for a more realistic outcome. They will use four chemicals: BPA or Bis-
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PHOTO CREDIT: WIKIMEDIA
WORKING HUMAN LIVER CELLS GROWN IN LAB 85% of the liver -- are routinely used by the pharmaceutical industry for study of hepatotoxicity, drug clearance and drug-drug interactions. They also have clinical applications in cell therapy to correct genetic defects, reverse cirrhosis, or support patients with a liver-assist device.
PHOTO CREDIT: USA TODAY
Sciencedaily In new research appearing in the journal Nature Biotechnology, an international research team led by The Hebrew University of Jerusalem describes a new technique for growing human hepatocytes in the laboratory. This groundbreaking development could help advance a variety of
liver-related research and applications, from studying drug toxicity to creating bio-artificial liver support for patients awaiting transplantations. The liver is the largest internal organ in the human body, serving as the main site of metabolism. Human hepatocytes -- cells that comprise
Regrettably, while the human liver can rapidly regenerate in vivo, recognized by the ancient Greeks in the myth of Prometheus, this capability to proliferate is rapidly lost when human cells are removed from the body. Thus far, attempts to expand human hepatocytes in the laboratory resulted in immortalised cancer cells with little metabolic function. The scarce supply of human hepatocytes and this inability to expand them without losing function is a major bottleneck for scientific, clinical and pharmaceutical development. To address this problem, Prof. Yaakov Nahmias, director of the Alexander Grass Center for Bioengineering at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, partnered with leading German scientists at upcyte technologies GmbH (formerly Medicyte) to develop a new approach to rapidly expand the number of human liver
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cells in the laboratory without losing their unique metabolic function.
search,” said Prof. Nahmias, the study’s lead author. “Our technology will enable thousands of labo“The approach is revolutionary,” ratories to study fatty liver disease, said Dr. Joris Braspenning, who viral hepatitis, drug toxicity and liver led the cancer at a German fraction of group. “Its the current This groundbreaking strength cost.” Nahlies in our noted development could help ad- mias ability to that genetgenerate ic modificavance a variety of liver liver cells tions prerelated research and from multiclude using ple donors, the cells for applications enabling transplanthe study of tation, “but patient-towe may patient variability and idiosyncratic have found the perfect cell source toxicity.” for the bio-artificial liver project.”
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The team generated hepatocyte lines from ethnically diverse backgrounds that could be serially passaged, while maintaining CYP450 activity, epithelial polarization, and protein expression at the same level as primary human hepatocytes. Importantly, the proliferating hepatocytes showed identical toxicology response to primary human hepatocytes across 23 different drugs. “This is the holy grail of liver re-
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The proliferating hepatocyte library was recently commercialized by upcyte technologies GmbH (Hamburg, Germany), which is expanding the scope of the technology. “upcyte© hepatocytes represent the next generation of cell technology,” said Dr. Astrid Nörenberg, the company’s managing director. “We are poised to become the leading cell supplier for pharmaceutical development and chemical toxicity testing.”
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20 FEATURES
DECEMBER IN LONDON : AWAY FROM ALL THE CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION Photo credit: Julie Valeur Julie Valeur
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ome people celebrate Christmas, and some people don’t. If you’re one of the latter and living in London over the Christmas period, don’t worry! Regardless of religious belief, there is still plenty to do in London to keep you entertained. In some ways, Christmas itself has transcended its religious origins, and become an overall celebration of the end of another year. For you all foodies out there, December might sneak in as your favourite month of 2015, right at the last second. As a complete lover of Southbank, I have to talk about the Southbank Centre Winter Festival, which is definitely worth attending. Completely free, the festival will run until the 17th of January with various events to entertain everyone. From a roller disco with DJs, free gigs, dance shows to a winter market The only thing left to do is to wrap up and head on down to the river. Obviously, December is also famous for ice-skating, and London is in no way short of choice for that.
Whether you want to skate to the beat of international DJs after sunset at Somerset House, or under the fairy lights of the Natural History Museum Ice Rink, you will have ample opportunity to impress and fall over! Talking about fairy lights, they are also very popular all over the city during the winter period, and some parks are completely re-designed with light shows and sculpture art to celebrate the end of the year. The Enchanted Woodland in Syon Park, in the London Borough of Hounslow, commemorates its 10th anniversary by illuminating, in all colours, over 400 species of tree. The Royal Botanical Garden Kew also decorates its paths across the park with dancing illuminated fountains, glowing waterside reflections, a tunnel of light, and a fire garden. The lights transform the landscape completely. It’s an amazing walk to do with friends and family, or by yourself, so why not book your ticket, wrap up, and prepare to marvel! December is a pretty sweet month for food lovers. At the festive food stalls in the Borough Market (a huge market under the railway lines in
Southwark, where British-reared meat, artisanal baked and dairy goods are sold throughout the year) you can basically find anything! Even better, you can try whatever it is you want, from chutneys, jams, and nuts to gingerbread and biscuits from the Cinnamon Tree Bakery on Peckham Road! You can also head down to Tobacco Dock for a Taste of Winter. This
annual food festival gathers chefs from restaurants all over London to serve everything from street food to top chef specials! Obviously, the inevitable event of every December is the New Year’s Eve Fireworks. Even if you are disappointed that the display is not free anymore (£10 per person), it is still definitely worth the price to get to view one of the most famous NYE
events in the UK; so start booking right now! Finally, if you’re ready to brave the cold, head to one of the numerous rooftop bars to get a view of London’s winter skyline. Wrapped up in a blanket, sipping a hot drink with a stunning view! What else could you ask for?
SHORT STORY: WHITE FEATHERS Photo credit: Downton Abbey
Arthur Toomer
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oday, when crossing the campus, we often see white feathers on the ground or floating about, but we take little notice of them unless it is to think how hard it must have been for Chaucer and the likes to write legibly with their quill pens. A century ago, it was a different story. In 1914, a woman would pick up a white feather (the bigger the better) and present or send it to any man whom was not cavorting about in the uniform of one of his Majesty’s Armed Forces. The implication of this gesture was clear enough. He was a coward. One such recipient was a man who many, many years later I knew as my Uncle Norman. When he received a white feather in 1914 he was, I am sure, extremely upset. He was only
sixteen years of age, and therefore not eligible to enlist. Admittedly some youth did enlist at sixteen. They claimed to the recruiting officer that they were eighteen, and nobody bothered to check. My Uncle Norman did not feel comfortable doing something so deceitful.
Norman Weston was ready to take to the skies, but on November 5th 1918 peace was declared, and he was sent back home. Life for those who had lived through the war would never be the same. In 1914 they had believed the government propaganda telling them their boys would The implication of this be home by When he turned eight- gesture was clear enough. C h r i s t m a s . It was not een he enlistHe was a coward Christmas ed in the Royal 1914 nor Air Force. Life for those who 1915 nor flew in the First World War was 1916 nor 1917 but Christmas 1918 very brief. Often the air crafts were when they earliest soldiers returned, poorly and hurriedly made. Planes and many were broken men in body, were shot at from the ground, with spirit, and mind. machine guns or artillery, and shot at in the air, by German fighter aces like For those who fought, the First Baron Von Richtofen, World War was four years of hell in mud filled trenches, death waiting Having completed his training, to snatch you at any moment. Some
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men refused to talk about the horror, but many, including my father, had recurring nightmares in which they were back in the trenches fighting hand to hand with the enemy.
There was of course a lesson to be learned from the slaughter of the First World War, but we did not learn it. In November 1939, we were back at war with Germany again.
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WHITE FEATHERS: INTERVIEW WITH ARTHUR TOOMER Vivienne Burgess Despite his age, Arthur Toomer (first year Anthropology student and omni-president if Brunel Women’s Rugby Club) continues to excel. When we received the short story ‘White Feathers’ as a handwritten letter in Le Nurb’s pigeon hole, we thought the personal gesture should be reciprocated. I arranged an evening to sit down with Arthur to discuss his short story and his wider life at Brunel. What inspired you to write your short story “White Feathers” and send it in to Le Nurb? I just thought it was interesting. My uncle, as I wrote in the story, trained to be a pilot in the air force in WWI, but by the time he was qualified peace was declared. If peace had been delayed by even six months… You see the lives of those in the air force were dreadfully short. Shorter even than people in the infantry. As a pilot you risked being shot at from the ground as well as from the air. In most cases, when you were hit, the aircraft burst into flame and if you tried to jump out you gambled on your parachute opening. There were so many risks. But the gift of a white feather...
mas” but they didn’t come back until 1919, and when they did they weren’t the same. I heard stories from my father, who was in the Royal Artillery in the First World War. He would never talk about it, but they used to come out in his dreams. He would get out of bed, still sleeping, and move in a diagonal across the room, thumping whatever was in the way. The thumping woke him up. I’m sure he must have been remembering the war. In March 1918, the Germans launched a colossal attack and captured several hundred yards of line, which sounds like nothing now but at the time advancements were made inch by inch, and I’m certain that a German jumped into the trench my father was in, and in that moment it was him or the German. To survive he probably stuck a bayonet or something into the German. And that’s what he was dreaming about, before he’d wake himself up. The moments like that. You’ve been at Brunel for a many number of years now, having studied numerous courses. What degree are you currently working towards? It sounds a lot but its not really. I studied English Literature with Creative Writing. That was a few years ago. After that, I went down to Kingston and I did a Masters in Children’s Literature. We were always told you had to get an agent to get published. I was always dead against that in my own mind because the last thing I wanted was someone telling me what I should or shouldn’t write.
It’s a symbol of cowardice, especially in those days. It was terrible really, the women would pick up these feathers that they found just lying around and they’d send them to anybody they thought should be out there fighting for their country. My uncle There’s a saying that, received one A f t e r before he in war, truth is the first casK i ngston, could have ualty. Everyone was lied to. I was back even enlisted. Some In 1914 families were told to Brunel. I started to do lads signed “the boys will be home for History but at up when they were Christmas” but they didn’t the end of my second year too young come back until 1919 I was told I and nobody didn’t have cared. They enough merboys would its to go onto go into the remy third year. I was bitterly upset. I cruiting office, and when the officer asked how old they were they’d say even offered to go back and start the sixteen. To that the officer would say whole thing again but they told me “come back this afternoon and tell I couldn’t do that. Anyway the story me you’re eighteen”. They just didn’t has a happy ending because I went to see the course leader of Anthropolcare. ogy. I must have had a great interThere’s a saying that, in war, truth view with him because I was offered is the first casualty. Everyone was a place on the course. And here I am, lied to. In 1914 families were told back again.
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“the boys will be home for Christ-
I’m enjoying it, but first years are always the hardest. Working out where you’ve got to be and when you’ve got to be there. But you get into a routine, don’t you? I have, certainly.
had won a game everyone would stand up and cheer. But if one of our teams had lost the place would be utterly silent. Everyone supported everyone else. It was a lovely atmosphere.
What clubs and societies are you involved in at Brunel?
Speaking of sports clubs, I’ve seen the drinking culture get worse. I remember there was an occasion when I’m Omni-president of Brunel’s some rugby players were kicked out Women’s Rugby club. I try to go to as of the team for getting involved in many of their games as I can. I stand a bust-up on a night out drinking. at the side and shout encourage- It was a big thing. Nowadays I hear ment. That’s students relaxing to on campus me, but it feels bragging like I’m getSuddenly this security about how ting involved much they man started running after can drink in the game as well. me...When he got to me, he and then the next mornSometimes said, ‘I remember you! You ing they’ve I overhear got a terrible were at Brunel with my stupid people hangover daughter talking about and miss all Women’s their lecRugby, saytures. As ing ‘oh all the if they’re players are lesbians’. It’s absolute proud. What’s clever about getting nonsense. What does it matter? I tell drunk? Anyone can do it if they’ve the girls I don’t give a damn about got the money. Now, because I’m oldtheir sexual preference. It’s a loss to er, I can tell when enough is enough. the team if a good player is excluded If I drink too much at my age, I just based on something that has nothing fall over. I can’t bounce back like a to do with their skill. All I care about young man anymore, I might break is how the girls play the game. my arm. It’s dangerous even when you’re young. Other than that, I try to support everything I can on campus. This In a YouTube video, ‘The Peter morning I went to a music recital. I Pan Man’, made in 2013, you admit liked it because they were playing to never wanting to leave univerfolk music. I go every Friday actually. sity. Two years later, do you still feel It signifies the end of the week for that way or can you now see yourme, the end of lectures. Sometimes self leaving education? in the past they’ve been too highbrow for me, but sometimes they No. I don’t see myself doing anyplay the blues and jazz. I love Louis thing else. What else could I do in Armstrong. That week was a good this country? There’s only one counone. try I feel would really welcome me, and that’s Vietnam. When I was here I think I’ve had more health prob- before, I had a Vietnamese friend, lems than anyone here at Brunel. also a student. When she went back Prostrate cancer, all sorts of things. to Vietnam she asked if I wanted to I had cancer of the bowels at one go with her, which I did. I stayed with point too, which ruptured my appen- her relatives over there. Being there, dix. But obviously it doesn’t stop me. in her country, I could understand I keep coming back. It’s important to how she used to get these terrible me that my mind is kept healthy too. nightmares. Dreadful things were I’ve got to keep myself involved. done in Vietnam. I saw many people visibly disabled by the atrocities of You must have seen the univer- Agent Orange. If I ever leave Brunel, sity change a lot since starting at I’ll go back there. I want to give Brunel. In what ways have you no- something back to the people I’ve ticed things are different? seen suffering.
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When I was first here, several years ago, I remember how Loco’s would be packed out every Wednesday night. All of the sports teams would come in to hear the weekly announcements. If one of our teams
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I’ve got two grandchildren who are very good with drama. They’ve played quite big parts in junior productions in Southampton and I’d like them to come up here and study at Brunel with me. I don’t know if that’s
ever happened before… a grandchild and a grandparent studying at the same university at the same time. I know it’s happened with parents and their children but not across three generations. That would be quite unusual. Many fellow students have come to know you personally throughout your years here. What is it like being so recognisable on campus? It’s amazing how many people avoid talking to me because they think I’m a lecturer. Even with the braids in my hair. I’ve always wanted to learn, more than I’ve wanted to teach. I did it backwards, in a sense. I earned a lot of money when I was young and then decided to study. Money doesn’t bring happiness. Learning does that for me. It’s funny, having been here for so long. I’ve been static while other people come and go. I kind of like it. In years to come, if somebody heard my name and said ‘I remember him! I was at Brunel with him!’ that would make me smile. In fact, that did happened once... I was at Paddington station, just walking to my platform, and suddenly this security man started running after me. I thought, ‘God, what have I done now? What does he want?’ When he got to me, he said, ‘I remember you! You were at Brunel with my daughter.’ That was nice. I like the idea of being remembered as part of this place, part of the history. As our conversation draws to a close, Arthur asks if I can sum him up to Le Nurb’s readers. Tell them, “he hated violence”. One of the turning points – or it could have been – in our history was Christmas 1914. That year, on Christmas Eve, the Germans started singing. And the English starting singing along with them. For three days they were the best of friends. They helped each other bury their dead. They nursed each other’s wounded. Three days past and they went back to hating each other. Hate. That’s the most terrible word. All this business about the attacks in Paris, and all the others all over the world. If we could only figure out how to stop hating each other, the world would be a much nicer place.
22 FEATURES
PART 3: DREAM OF CALIFORN-VACATION*
*sing to the tune of Californication by Red Hot Chili Peppers
tle town where we were simply stopping for one night to recuperate before hitting the road again the next day. We went out for pizza, watched the sunset, and hit the hay. In the morning, I went for a 10k run along the beach, the sunrise for breakfast, before we headed off again. Now on the road to Cambria from Santa Barbara, there were as many sights as there were directions to look. We passed by a small town called Harmony. Harmony began as a dairy settlement in the 19th century, consisting of Swiss immigrants, before later being founded in 1869. What’s interesting about this town today, is that it is one of the smallest towns in the state of California and if not the world, with a population of only 18. Yes, only 18! Further along the road, we stopped again to take in the views at Morro Bay, including the famous Morro Rock; a volcanic plug sitting at the harbour’s entrance.
Adam White
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o we’re currently on the road; California State Route 1, The Pacific Coast Highway, on our way to our next big city stop; Los Angeles. Having just stopped in the small town of Monterey for two nights, about 120 miles south of San Francisco, we now had two more nights on the road, stopping in the small town of Cambria, followed by the lovely Santa Barbara.
at $199,861, and being another concrete arch construction, has the longest span of all the bridges along the coastal highway. Now this bridge is, as I mentioned, more famous than the bridge we visited earlier, being the most photographed along the coast. The bridge has featured in TV shows such as Then Came Bronson, and Heroes as well as Elizabeth Taylor film, The Sandpiper. References
to the bridge have been made in a song by alternative rock band, Death Cab For Cutie, and the landmark itself was the inspiration for “Cassidy Creek” in Grand Theft Auto V.
The next place we stopped was, interestingly, a small Danish town known as Solvang. Founded in 1911 by a group of Danes, this town is now a thriving local and tourist destination that exhibits a lot of Nordic architecture, culture and food. We stopped here for some such food, before continuing onto Santa Barbara.
Stopping at a small lighthouse, several other state reserves, including “Ragged Point”, and “Moonstone Beach”, we continued along the road to Cambria. This was a nice quiet lit-
While in Santa Barbara, we hit up the local high street for some window-shopping. We found a very big tree that resembled the Whomping Willow from the Hogwarts’ grounds
On the morning of the 18th June 2015, we got up and had some brekkie, and then headed out a little down the coast to the Point Lobos State Park, one of the many state parks and reserves that trail along the coastal highway. This park in particular is considered one of the crowning jewels of the lot. The park has several nature trails, taking you up in and through the forest that follows the shoreline, as well as down and around the rocks where you can watch the sea lions and elephant seals bathing. Walking through the forest, we were even lucky enough to stumble across a deer grazing peacefully with her two fawns. After a few hours of trekking through the natural beauty, we headed back to our hotel room to pack up and hit the road.
and visited the local pier at Stearns Warf. Our final day on the road to Los Angeles, we set off nice and early. One of the highlights of this route was the stop at the Leo Carrillo State Beach in Malibu. This 2.4km long beach/park sits at the base of the Santa Monica Mountains and has some of the best spots for sunbathing or surfing along the entire Pacific coast. Now it’s likely that you have heard of this beach before, or seen it at last. The beach is a firm favourite among Hollywood film producers. Remember the movie, Mega Shark v Crocosaurous? No? Perhaps you remember Sandy and Danny’s romantic first kiss in 1978 classic Grease, or where Mr Miyagi famously instructed his protégé Daniel in John G. Avildons 1984 The Karate Kid. No? Well Le Carrillo State Beach is where these (and many other) famous scenes were filmed! After getting over the thrill of the beach, we continued along the highway until hit the outskirts of LA. We headed through infamous LA traffic to our hotel, which was situated a mere 100m from Hollywood Boulevard. Now in LA, we were set for an awesome 6 days of fun! To be continued...
PHOTO CREDIT: ADAM WHITE
There were then tonnes more sights to see on this next 3 hour drive down the coastal highway. One such example was The Rocky Creek Bridge. A reinforced concrete arch bridge built in 1932. This awesome sight, however, is dwarfed by its bigger and more famous brother; The Bixby Creek Bridge, further up the road. Also opened in 1932, this bridge was finished under budget,
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FEATURES 23
“THEY DON’T EVEN GO HERE” - RESTRICTED ACCESS TO CAMPUS FACILITIES Damyana Bozhinova
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ecently a great deal of students throughout the campus, have been experiencing problems accessing editing suites, software and activity rooms for rehearsals. This seems odd to me. Isn’t improving and developing oneself what being at university is all about? Since we all pay tuition fees, surely we must be entitled to usage of all the university has to offer? Students are gradually starting to raise their voice and approach the Students’ Union for help and acknowledgement of their extracurricular activities, in the hope that they get the opportunity to use all the facilities available on campus. Emily is one such student, she is studying Sociology and Media here at Brunel. However, alongside her studies she is very passionate about music and is part of a band here on campus. Her deep concern is that since none of the band members are music students they cannot practice on campus or use the designated rooms for rehearsals. Emily shared her experience: “There is a great availability of drum kits we desperately need, amplifiers, and storage rooms with some
extra equipment in the Gaskell building, which by far has not been made accessible to all students. In our case, our band that is completely made out of Brunel university students, nonetheless we are not music students; therefore we cannot access.”
PHOTO CREDIT: ELISABETH MAHASE
Due to the circumstances, Emily has had great difficulty in finding places to practice, with time, location and money forming major barriers. However, she is not alone. Other bands on campus have been having similar issues. She attempted to speak to the Gaskell building’s reception concerning the problem, even suggesting a small fee for the usage of the facilities, however the outcome was zero. Another option for her inquiry was the Students’ Union, she is hoping that she can get some attention and influence change in the way students are allowed to practice their personal interests and hobbies in Brunel: “ I don’t think the fact not being on a music course really relates to how passionate one is about music. Neither how valid their practices are. There are plenty of musicians who did not do a music degree and despite that are famous for their music now. The fact that there are these rooms, which a lot of the times are
Elisabeth Mahase, Editor of Le Nurb, raised a similar issue:
Editor-in-Chief of the university student newspaper. I’m unable to access any macs on campus or the software that is required to edit and design the paper. Instead I pay a monthly subscription to have the software on my own computer – after the £9000 I already pay for tuition fees and the £1000 admin fee I pay to do my placement.
“As a Brunel student I feel should be able to access the facilities that the campus offers. Although I’m a biomedical science student, I’m the
There should be a clear process to go through to allow students to access restricted facilities on campus. I understand that there may be health
actually empty, therefore the problem is not with finding space. To me it just seems like a lot of “waste of facility” and why not be put into use?” This seems like a valid question to me.
and safety, as well as financial implications, however there needs to be a way in which students who genuinely want to use the equipment available on campus can apply for access.” My belief is facilities on campus are there to be used by the right people for the right purposes. If a student has the desire to develop their talents and contribute to university life, surely Brunel should be the last ones standing in their way?
HOME MADE CHOCOLATE & NUTELLA MICROWAVE MUG CAKE Adam White
PHOTO CREDIT: ADAM WHITE ~5 minutes prep ~4 minutes bake Makes 1 large mug cake
Ingredients 3 tablespoons self-raising flour 3 tablespoons white granulated sugar 1 medium egg 3 tablespoons cocoa powder 3 tablespoons Nutella 3 tablespoons Milk 3 tablespoons olive/veg oil You’ll also need a large mug, a fork, a tablespoon and a microwave.
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Method Add all ingredients to your coffee mug. Mix well with the fork until you observe a smooth consistency. Microwave on high for about 3 minutes, depending on your microwave you may need to heat for a shorter or longer time as microwaves temperature settings vary. Once cooked, top with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, ice cream or anything else you fancy.
24 FEATURES
CORBYN AND THE BONFIRE PISSERS Jack Frayne-Reid
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t is easy to forget, when discussing current events, that the condition of their current-ness means the climate in which they are discussed must be constantly changing also. An article praised for its poignancy one week can become utterly irrelevant and nonsensical the next, depending on what happens over the weekend. On Thursday the 12th of November, I was writing a piece about reactionary corporate press and its collaboration with right-wing elements of the Labour Party to portray their leader, Jeremy Corbyn, as a Britainhating scourge of patriots (who’d guillotine the Queen quite happily) but is as soft as a marshmallow when it comes to foreign policy. The article was coming along nicely. Then Friday the 13th rolled around and the world learned of the colossal and barbaric terrorist attacks in Paris, which changed, by force of circumstance, the shape of any foreign policy discussion. After deliberating, I decided to continue with the piece I was originally writing. Tragedies like the Paris attacks produce a rhetorical minefield. They turn areas of debate that have rarely been so pertinent into exceptionally sensitive issues. As people struggle to process the brutality they have witnessed, some can seem to be attempting to politicise the tragedy, and are condemned, although in reality there is little about it that isn’t political. Given, then, that a discussion of its wider ramifications is inescapable, the least we can ask for is for it to be conducted with decency. And that doesn’t just mean bowing so low that your nose polishes the tips of your shoes. Jeremy Corbyn is a man pushing a huge boulder up a steep hill. A boulder covered in loads of glue. With spikes coming out of it. The insistent prick of said spikes represent the most formidable adversary he has faced in a thirty-year career; the so-called Labour “moderates”, whose preferred leadership candidate, Liz Kendall, received an extremely moderate 4.5% of the vote compared to Corbyn’s 59.5%. Some Labour moderates are so moderate they want to stage a coup, like the moderate military general who said he’d like to stage an actual coup if Corbyn came to power. I do like the smell of moderation in the morning.
isn’t worth reprinting and he’s since deleted it and printed a formal apology. The Tory press might have targeted Corbyn in the 1980s for expressing such ludicrous fringe opinions as “gay people should have equal rights” and “Apartheid is bad,” but even Rupert Murdoch might read right-wing Labour MP Simon Danczuk’s weekly anti-Corbyn screeds and think “blimey, steady on, Si.” That said, Danczuk’s latest backstabbing extravaganza has moved from the Daily Mail to Murdoch’s Sun. Writing in these Tory papers, Danczuk does a stand-up job promoting Labour to an audience outside the party, by telling them how rubbish he thinks it is. Paranoid Labour right-wingers like Danczuk - or “bonfire pissers”, as I’ve taken to calling them, for their utterly miserable determination to keep raining on the parade of the party they belong to - whinge that Corbyn will have them deselected; thrown out of their seats in a Stalinist consolidation of power (Stalinist/Leninist/Trotskyite, who gives a toss? As long as it sounds evil.) But Corbyn has said he’s opposed to deselection. Anyway, I reckon the party could easily make do without Danczuk; they’d still have Tom Watson to hunt paedophiles. Ultimately, the impression left by the public contributions of Danczuk and his Blairite buddies is that of a deeply divided Labour Party. Despite having the biggest mandate of any leader in British political history (sorry Tony), the press love that Corbyn is failing to command the confidence of his parliamentary party. They love that the views of anti-Corbyn MPs mirror their own. Hence, whenever Corbyn tries to appoint anyone he actually agrees with to a senior position - be it Shadow
Chancellor John McDonnell or advisors Seumas Milne and Andrew Fisher - Fleet Street’s collective indignation can be heard echoing for miles. The biggest dig at Corbyn, coming from within the party and externally, is that he is “unelectable.” Yet his detractors must, at least on some level, believe Corbyn could become Prime Minister as you don’t see the same treatment meted out to Lib Dems’ Tim Farron, whose unlikeliness to become PM is illustrated by the fact I just felt the need to refer to him as “Lib Dems’ Tim Farron.” It’s worth remembering, also, that Labour’s 2015 leadership contest was essentially open to the public, costing as little as £1 for a student, and that the other three candidates could have built mass support to exceed that of Corbyn if they were anywhere near as “electable” as they were made out to be. No, whatever electability Corbyn does have represents a threat to the established order, and not just financial elites, but the political consensus on military intervention that has resulted in our jolly western japes in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya. In the wake of the Paris attacks, the drum is now being beaten for a new bombing campaign in Syria. Since his election, the British Right (as exemplified by the majority of printed press) have engaged in an unprecedented amount of ugly, nationalistic, warmongering, dissent-squashing, pseudo-patriotic, jingoistic, more-British-than-thou flag-waving nonsense virtually unrivalled in Western democracy since the Bush administration. It is unmistakably McCarthyist in tone. Suddenly people are talked about in simplistic, binary terms – you’re either with us or against us! It’s fine to have an analysis of history, but only one Forrest Gump could understand. At the Conservative Party conference,
John Rentoul of The Independent is a really moderate guy; a moderate former advisor to Tony “moderate” Blair. When he heard of the attacks in Paris, he was shocked. Not moderately shocked. Really shocked. Shocked that he hadn’t heard of it sooner so he could lay into Corbyn on Twitter. His excremental tweet
Oxford-educated David Cameron pretended not to understand something Corbyn said about Osama Bin Laden and so pretended to be very angry about Corbyn’s “securitythreatening, terrorist-sympathising, Britain-hating ideology.” Evidently Cameron has noticed that perpetuating a strong national or cultural myth proves politically expedient for everyone from Reagan’s neoconservatives to the Wahabists of ISIS. Or maybe he’s just decided to get the ghost of J Edgar Hoover to write his speeches. The affectation of Cameron’s anger is wholly unconvincing to anyone who’s seen him truly hot under the collar, gurning and grimacing his way through six questions about tax credit cuts at Prime Minister’s Questions. Corbyn’s Britain-hating is evidenced by his opposition to the renewal of Britain’s Trident nuclear missile system; a £167bn vacuum of money and morality that it is highly likely we will never use (and would be an atrocity if we ever did) but is predicated on the idea that we should keep saying we might in order to intimidate other countries, or, as its defenders say, “keep us at the table”. Apparently, they think disarmament would see Britain expelled from the UN Security Council. The English love Trident because it’s kept a bajillion miles away in Scotland, where the citizens, curiously, aren’t such big fans. The SNP and Scottish Labour both oppose its renewal. Who are we deterring with it anyway? Terrorists and Putin seem to be the stock answers. The head of Britain’s military, General Sir Nicholas Houghton, was caught out on BBC1’s Andrew Marr Show saying that he would be worried by Corbyn’s unilateralist stance “if that thought was trans-
lated to power.” “It’s not personal,” said Houghton, whilst expressing a clearly personal preference for who he’d like to see governing the country. And, as the people of Chile can attest, it always goes so well when the military try to weigh-in on the democratic process! According to former First Sea Lord, Alan West, the thing about soldiers is that they don’t know nothing about no “being clever with words”; most of them are simple types who only speak bullet. Houghton may have been the victim of a ruthless interrogation, but if he buckled that quickly under Marr, God knows how he would’ve held up in a Vietnamese POW camp. In any case, it’s lucky Houghton’s combat experience appears to have consisted largely of valiantly fighting his way through whichever formidable paper foes pile up on his desk. That probably involves a bit of “being clever with words,” come to think of it. But it’s all okay, really. While Corbyn himself seemed quite perturbed, Labour’s Shadow Defence Secretary, Maria Eagle, said Houghton was perfectly entitled to express those views; which had nothing to do, of course, with her own support for Trident. Given the nature of the fight against global terror, it would make absolutely no sense to invest that £167bn in the police or the armed forces, given that only the nuclear deterrent can possibly scare away the terrorists. It’s all about preventative measures, right? Imagine if the only nuclear power in Europe was France; you’d have France, where nothing bad ever happens, having the time of their bloody lives while Britain just sits there getting nuked into the ground by the Putin-ISIS Axis.
Photo credit: BBC PLEASE RECYCLE
FEATURES 25
TAMPON TAX: SANITATION VS SANITY Photo credit: Cardiffstudentmedia
Indra Warnes
I
am confident that a large percentage of people go their entire lives without ever desperately needingedible sugar flowers. Admittedly, I’ve done absolutely no research into this, but I can’t think of a single occasion when I, or anyone I know, found themselves incapacitated by their lack of edible sugar flowers. I think it’s fair to say that sanitary products, on the other hand, are pretty desperately needed – i.e. by half the population on a monthly basis. I’d like to think that most people would have the intelligence to recognise that sanitary products are in fact essential, more so than edible sugar flowers. Unfortunately, it appears those lacking this intelligence were the very people voted into Parliament last May, in the confidence that they could best represent our needs. On the off chance you’ve been living under a rock for the past year (and are therefore completely bewildered as to why I’m comparing edible sugar flowers to sanitary products) I am of course talking about the so-called “Tampon Tax”. The majority of products you buy in this country will cost you 20% VAT, but (and I’m quoting the government directly here) you can expect this tax to be less on the “essential items”. And by essential items I am of course talking about edible sugar flowers, Jaffa Cakes, and horsemeat, which is handy for us Brits. I’m sure you all remember how unanimously thrilled the nation was, back in 2013, when
we discovered what Findus (among others) had been accidentally feeding us with their delicious “beef” lasagne. As a nation we should consider ourselves lucky that we aren’t being taxed on all the horsemeat that is clearly so essential to our collective diet. Tampons and sanitary pads on the other hand, well, it seems the government isn’t quite as clued up on the necessity of those. Once a month, when a menstruating individual might be feeling a bit miserable thanks to the blood coming out of their vagina (as well as a range of other equally-annoying symptoms: sore breasts, crippling cramps, backaches, headaches, and nausea) perhaps the perfect way to cheer them up is with a luxurious tampon. Because that’s what tampons are, right? Well, that’s what they’re categorised as under VAT, indicating that at least someone in a position of influence thinks so. Not an essential item, no. A luxury; to buy as well as to need. What this means essentially is that, unlike people buying men’s razors (which are tax-free), people with periods have to pay 5% VAT on every box of tampons and pack of pads they purchase. Sounds sort of like having a uterus is a luxury too, despite being, you know, the organ that harbours every new life. That’s sounds quite essential actually, come to think of it. Hopefully the problem with the inclusion of tampons under “luxury times” is clear, but I’ll break it down for you anyway. In the case of tax-
free men’s razors... If a man doesn’t shave, at worst he grows a beard. And, let’s face it, beards are pretty cool right now. I know this is a fact because Shoreditch is cool, and everybody in Shoreditch loves a beard. A man with a beard doesn’t worry about being shunned or mocked for his facial hair. Having a beard is a largely personal choice, and yet, men’s razors are deemed an essential item. Now, on the other hand, a someone menstruating doesn’t have the luxury of choice. If they don’t use sanitary products, they still bleed. Everywhere, through everything, onto everything, and this (even in Shoreditch) is considered a social faux pas. Despite the protection of pads and tampons, sometimes getting blood on your clothes is unavoidable. Ask anyone who has rushed home or to the “privacy” of a public toilet with visible period blood on their behind and they’ll tell you how luxurious an experience it is. Sanitary products, as the hygienic solution to an unfairly stigmatised bodily function, should not be considered a luxury. When the issue of taxing tampons began to emerge in the public spotlight earlier this year, a lot of people were quite angry about it. On average, those who menstruate will use a minimum of 11,000 tampons in their lifetimes. At approximately £3.14 a box, a person earning minimum wage must work 38 days to pay for a lifetime of periods. This means periodhavers, who must swaddle the dirty secret of their fertility in cotton panty-liners, will end up working over a month solely to avoid the ridicule of an essential bodily function. A petition to have the tampon tax scrapped has so far been signed by over 270,000 people. However, when the matter was raised in Parliament last month, MPs voted against
Photo credit: Vice
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Labour’s Finance Bill Amendment, which would have forced a negotiation with the EU to reduce the existing 5% VAT rate. At 305 votes to 287, the amendment was rejected.
tive pill continuously (rather than for the recommended three weeks of a month) to inhibit menstruation because the pill is free in this country and tampons are not.
What does this teach us? The majority of MPs still think that using sanitary products is a luxury. As an entirely unrelated observation, the majority of MPs are also male.
While researching the tampon tax, I stumbled across a Vice News article on how difficult having periods is for the homeless, in which a woman called Zoe explained the problems having a period causes her living on the street. At the time the article was published, Zoe was 21; the same age as many of us at Brunel. She talks of begging friends for sanitary products, of having to resort to stealing them; which, she said, would have been utterly mortifying if caught. But, the fact remains she doesn’t have a choice. The alternative would be lining her knickers with toilet paper from a public toilet – an ineffective solution considering the ply-thickness of public toilet loo roll. Sanitary products are expensive and essential. Anyone with a basic understanding of economics can see the paradox of this combination.
Brunel’s Women’s Officer, Christina Franklin, described the tampon tax as “unnecessary, illogical and inherently sexist.” She also said, “women should not have to bear the tax burden for something out of our control, whilst other items, such as men’s shavers and Jaffa Cakes, are considered an absolute necessity. I am currently looking into ways in which we can introduce free sanitary products onto campus, so our students do not have to be subjected to this cost.” It is also important to note that it is not just women who are affected by this tax. Anyone purchasing sanitary products regularly will notice the costs adding up. It’s very easy for me as a middleclass, white woman to complain about the ridiculousness of taxing people for having their period, but ultimately, I am one of the lucky ones. I have never been unable to afford sanitary products and it’s likely that I never will be. I’m probably never going to have to choose between spending my last few pounds on sanitary products, or eating a meal but ruining my clothes instead. There are many others who are not so lucky. One in five people in this country are classed as living in poverty, and one in five adults have to choose between paying a bill and putting a meal on the table for their children. Foodbank usage is at an all-time high. There are many women who, without knowing the future health implications, decide to take the contracep-
A line from the article sums up why this issue makes many so angry: “How on earth are we in a position where women – who, it bears repeating, have absolutely no choice over whether their womb lining sheds each month – are having to sneak into McDonald’s toilets and make do with stuffing toilet paper into their knickers to stop them bleeding through their clothes?” We live in a country where MPs lack the compassion to realise taxing the maintenance of a bodily function is absolutely absurd. If menstruation is essential, then the hygienic maintenance of it must be also. Putting a price tag on periods is not a question of sanitation, but insanity.
26 FEATURES “Being on placement as a physio student really makes you appreciate a lot of things. Enjoy it while it lasts.”
“I think that societies are so important. We are all different people and they bring us together with a unified interest.”
“My parents are visiting from Portugal, but they’re going back now. They’re taking my summer clothes with them as I definitely don’t need them.”
“Free Palestine.”
“We just submitted a group project and we’re so happy it’s over. We had a really good group and it was reaally productive. I’m so sure we got an A.”
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FEATURES 27
HUMANS OF BRUNEL
“This university has inspired me to do my masters. I applied yesterday and recieved a conditional offer from Imperial College. I won’t forget what Brunel did for me and what I learnt from the people here.”
Words by Elisabeth Mahase Photography by Alexander Short
I want to know why it’s so hard yo change course. I’m studying law but I want to change to English. I’ve spoken to so many people and no one seems to be able to help me.”
“We’re off to sell tickets for BruTown.”
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CULTURE 29
‘WHAT’S THIS? WHAT’S THIS?’ BRUNEL STUDENTS SPOOK INTU! Sophie Perry ‘Twas the night before Halloween, when all through Intu Not a sound was stirring, not even a ‘boo’; The masks were hung in the shops with care In hopes that someone would buy them to wear
O
n October 30th Film Orchestra and Choir Society teamed up with Brunel Musical Theatre Society to perform a
Halloween flash mob in Uxbridge’s Intu Shopping Centre. Taking place outside Next, crowds gathered on both levels to watch the two societies perform a sevenminute medley inspired by Tim Burton’s 1993 animated musical, The Nightmare Before Christmas. Fully Halloween-ified in their zombie makeup, Film Orchestra and Choir were poised and ready for the performance’s 3:30pm start. Sensing something was not as it normally is, onlooking shoppers gathered into
crowds. As the time came, the Musical Theatre Society appeared, transformed into a rabble of ghoulish creatures; a dead cheerleader, Beetlejuice, a skeleton and Wednesday Addams, to name but a few of the fantastic costumes. Film Orchestra provided the live music for the event as the Choir and Musical Theatre sang and performed a choreographed piece created especially for the flash mob.
The organisation of the event, from initial talks through to the final performance, was a creative and collaborative process between the Societies. Conductor of Film Choir, Emily Keziah-Green, led liaisons with Intu, explaining; “I’ve been involved in discussions with Intu due to my role in Circus Society, through that I suggested a Halloween flash mob could be done at Intu. They loved the idea and I brought it back to BMTS and FOCS. I got thrilled responses all around”. The Societies created their individual elements for the flash mob, which were then combined together in rehearsals to create the final product. Speaking to Laura Davey, Chair of Musical Theatre, she said; “FOCS had a Nightmare medley in their repertoire and it was perfect material for our Choreographer Katie [Pantry] to use. We wanted to ease the pressure by relying on performance-ready content from the Orchestra and Choir, which they could teach their new members as we rehearsed with ours”.
Following the excitement, pressure and relief of the final performance both Laura and Emily had positive views of the flash mob; each having nothing but praise for the other Society and its members. When asked if they would do it again I received an affirmative ‘yes’ from both – watch this space! Looking to what the Societies and their members gained from the flash mob, Laura explained that they achieved their goal to ‘spread the word about our single societies on campus and in Uxbridge’. Laura went on to say; “Hopefully we have both gained new interested audiences for our upcoming shows and performances or, at the very least, a few more likes or views on our social media pages”. Emily also commented on the uniqueness of the experience for Society members because ‘how many people can say they’ve been in a flash mob?’ A YouTube video of the flash mob, edited by BMTS Producer Lia Harlin, can be viewed on the ‘BrunelMusicalTheatre Society’ YouTube Channel.
PHOTO CREDIT: Laura Davey & Emily Green
BRUNEL MUSICAL THEATRE GO TO SEE WICKED! Laura Davey
F
or any musical theatre lover or West End enthusiast, the opening lyrics from Stephen Schwartz’s award-winning musical ‘Wicked’ are hardly reason to celebrate, as the opening ensemble sing; ‘Good news! She’s dead! The Witch of the West is dead!’ For ‘Wicked’ is the untold tale of Elphaba and her friend Glinda, two witches of Oz who rise to become familiar faces in both the novel and film, ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ Rather than aligning with Dorothy and her friends, Winnie Holzman’s
book of the musical follows Elphaba’s time at Shiz University as she surprisingly befriends Galinda, the Good Witch, and demonstrates her unique magical abilities before being deliberately exposed to Oz as ‘wicked’ during the circumstances in which the flying monkeys first appear. With its universal themes of acceptance, bullying and even animal testing, ‘Wicked’ offers more than just a night of fun at the theatre. Ask anyone who has been lucky to sit in the audience since its introduction to Broadway in 2003 or London in 2006, and you’ll soon discover why hit numbers ‘Defying Gravity’ and ‘For Good’ resound within audience
PHOTO CREDIT: Ticketmaster
even outside of the context of the complex tale based on Gregory Maguire’s novel ‘Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.’ (1990) For Brunel students, the call of the experiences that the West End has to offer are often appealing and close by. With Shaftsbury Avenue and Victoria Theatre both just over an hour away from campus by tube, matinee and evening performances can easily become dates in the diary, and at discount student or group rates. For large societies, the West
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End offers great deals: the Musical Theatre and Film Orchestra and Choir had a joint trip to ‘Wicked’ on the 18th of November, having secured stall seats with a £50 individual saving. Served by Elphaba understudy Natalie Andreou, all attending
members had a great West End trip, some even greeting the cast at Stage Door after the show; all priceless opportunities which could make others turn ‘green with envy’ upon discovering their up-close stall seats were only £25!
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Photo credit: Katie Papps
BUNC ARE TOP OF THE LEAGUE Katie Papps
B
runel Netball have had their best start to the season in years! The 1st and 2nd teams are top of their leagues and all other teams have put in some strong performances to win their BUCS league games and Cup fixtures and some incredible netball has been played. The 1st team managed to beat Cardiff Met 1st’s away from home in a closely fought match that ended with the score being 49-47 in Brunel’s favour. In the process, they became the first Brunel side to beat Cardiff in five years.
On the 18th November, the 1st team faced their local league rivals Hertfordshire 1sts with the winners of the heading to the top of the league table. The following match report was written by one of their captains, Liv Emanus: This week saw the highly anticipated top of the table clash between Brunel and Hertfordshire. With the support of a large home crowd and the team in high spirits following recent victories, the game was set to be a thrilling encounter and it did not disappoint! A one-minute silence was held prior to the start of this fixture, to
remember the victims of the recent Paris attacks.
Hertfordshire defence saw Brunel extend their lead, with the score at half time being 27-15.
The first quarter between the two sides was a largely even affair, but Brunel managed to get their noses in front as the quarter drew to the end, with the scoreboard showing the scores to be 9-7 in the home side’s favour.
With the home side well aware of Hertfordshire’s ability to get themselves back into the game, Brunel continued to pile the pressure on in the third quarter with a strong shooting display
No changes were made in the second quarter, and Brunel put their foot on the accelerator, taking control of the game.
Hertfordshire’s progress was inhibited by an unfortunate injury and the quarter ended with Brunel leading 39-23.
A resilient Brunel defensive unit and some well worked, persistent attacking plays against a physically demanding and capable
The team took to the court looking to secure the win in this vital fixture, and that they did! Leading from the back, the defensive unit effectively
Photo credit: Chris Rathore
Photo credit: Chris Rathore PLEASE RECYCLE
turned over ball and brought it safely through court. A special note must go to Georgia Lees for her timely movements and delivery in the attacking end, and Rachael Murley for her strength and shooting stats. They were rewarded with joint Players of the Match. In the end, Brunel ran out 47-30 winners, and for the first time in a long time, Brunel sit top of the table. But there is no time for complacency as this standing is far from fixed.
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LACE UP: BRUNEL STAND UNITED AGAINST HOMOPHOBIA IN SPORT Photocredits: Brunel students
Elisabeth Mahase
O
n Wednesday 18th November Brunel sports teams took a stand against homophobia in sport by wearing rainbow laces to make it clear that they are welcoming and accepting. The initiative was lead by UBS Vice President of Student Activities (VPSA) Michael Darlow who was motivated by research from the NUS, who produced a report called ‘Out in Sport - LGBT Students’ Experiences of Sport’. The report found that in 1 out of 5 sports clubs, students feel they cannot be open about their sexuality. Concerns were also raised that being open about their sexuality could lead to homophobic, transphobic or
bi-phobic abuse, as well as being ostracised or rejected from the club. The VPSA took to social media to invite students to join the campaign: ‘The outcomes of this research saddened me, and I am determined to lead Brunel sports clubs in a campaign to eliminate such discrimination and fear of involvement. Looking at practical, visible statements, I’ve been inspired by the Rainbow Laces Campaign (led by Stonewall), and so, on Wednesday 18th November I’ve asked every student competing for Brunel to wear rainbow laces. Chris Meadway, the Sports Federation Chair, reinforced the importance of the campaign: “Anyone should be able to participate in sport, no matter what sexual-
ity. I am fully behind this campaign as it is a fantastic way to raise awareness about homophobia in sport. I will be lacing up this Wednesday to demonstrate I am in full support.” LGBT+ Officer Eilis Cronin added:
cial media in photos and words of support. Brunel Basketball were one of the teams involved, tweeting ‘We don’t care which team you play for! Tackling homophobia in sport!’ alongside their photos.
“As the Union of Brunel There was Student’s What an absolutely such a buzz LGBT+ Libthat Sport eration Of- brilliant day, proud to be a E n g l a n d tweeted the ficer I am Brunelian right now! VPSA: ‘Fandetermined to stamp out tastic to see homophobia you all tackin every aspect of University life, in- ling #homphobia in #sport.’ cluding sport.” Alumni and staff also joined in, The campaign had an incredible with the Union’s Chief Executive response with all the students play- posting photos of his laces throughing sport joining in and covering so- out the day as he travelled around.
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”
At the end of the day, Darlow took to Facebook to highlight the incredible response and solidarity shown throughout the university: ‘What an absolutely brilliant day, proud to be a Brunelian right now! Every team showed their support for the #BrunelRainbow campaign!’ Before adding: ‘I would like to say a special thanks to certain members of each club, who helped me get the laces out to their members. Without them, the campaign would not of been as much of a success!’ To see all the photos and posts, search #BrunelRainbow and #RainbowLaces in Twitter, Facebook and instagram.