Issue 161 The Rabbit

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NEWS

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NEWS

50 Years of Essex

LIFESTYLE SPORTS Wednesday 26th NOVEMBER | Issue 161

therabbitnewspaper.com

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COMMENT

Is Charity Selfish?

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TV

Netflix Favourites

LIFESTYLE

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DIY Gift Ideas

Tumultuous SRF sees an Officer resign

Full Story on Page 3

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News Editorial

Ed Gove, Content Deputy Editor Emily Townsend, Online Deputy Editor Andrew Smith, Design Deputy Editor

Jake Stones, News Editor Fiolla Korenica, News Deputy Editor Shaun Quilter, News Deputy Editor

STUDENT

Yesterday when I was standing on the squares listening to the names of over 200 transgender people who had lost their lives in the past year I felt heart-broken. I felt ashamed that for that one second that their name was read out I would know who they were, but that second was not enough to know anything about them or even pretend that that somehow made up for the fact the rest of the world had forgotten who they were.

As I stood there in silence people were bustling around us, talking and laughing. This did not touch upon their life at all, and where a few would be curious to find out what we were doing they would not even think of joining in, and once it dawned on them what the vigil was about would silently turn away in confusion. In case you are one of these people who does not know what Transgender Day of Remembrance is about or even what it means to be transgender then I encourage you to take the time to research it.

I cannot pretend to know what it is like to be transgender and what people go through. But I do know what it is like to not feel comfortable with yourself and to look in the mirror and hate what you see. And I’m not saying this is how all, or any transgender individuals for that matter, feel. But the fact that suicide rates are high among the LGBT community, and especially trans* indivuals speaks of unhappiness, often rising from misunderstanding and being ostracised by society.

Maybe some of you were expecting me to mention the SRF in the editorial or take some position on the heated debate that had been going on, and in all honesty that was what I was going to write about. But even if most people don’t read this editorial, to those who do, I thought this was more important. It is important to know that we lose people every day to violence, for reasons that are too cruel to comprehend. For the reason that someone else decides how you should live or who you should be. And it isn’t okay. So if you know nothing about LGBT* issues then know this, on the 20th of November we remember those transgender people who we have lost. And on the rest of the days we should try to be there for those who are still here.

Your Editor, Saga Eriksson

The Wivenhoe Neighbourhood Plan Essex students given chance to shape local community.

Over the last couple of years Wivenhoe Town Council have been assembling a Steering Group and a Working Group consisting of individuals who are both invested in the potential of the community and who possess enough vision to help establish the Wivenhoe Neighbourhood Plan.

Since the establishment of the Localism Act in 2011 community residents are no longer subjected to endure external powers creating and allocating new policies and plans for the community’s future as this new government legislation has granted residents a voice. Residents will now find that any policies or ideas concerning expansion or improvement drawn up by the community in these plans hold real authority.

As a community-led project the creations and developments made to Wivenhoe will be the direct result of proposals made by the local residents during the early stages of the Neighbourhood plan.

This is a chance for the local residents and Essex students interested in the future of the Wivenhoe community to contribute ideas that will secure the improvement of the local image.

Not only will Essex student’s participation be a sure-fire way of giving back to the community but our involvement is guaranteed to improve the overall experience for Essex students in the years to come by boosting the already existing rapport

between locals and us at the University.

Thus far feedback from the Wivenhoe household surveys has identified a desire for improvements to be made in the following areas: Countryside, river and environment; Heritage; Community, facilities and/or leisure activities; Traffic and transport; Residential development and land uses; Economic and business development; Infrastructure needs; The University. These eight areas for improvement have a designated Working Group endeavouring to concrete proposals for the draft of the Neighbourhood Plan.

Students and residents alike are now eagerly anticipating how the collected data of the Wivenhoe surveys will become realised in shaping the advantages made to the community.

The Wivenhoe Town Council have an open door policy, and meetings regarding the progress of the Neighbourhood Plan take place on the first Wednesday of every month at 77 High Street in the Council Chamber of the Wivenhoe Town Council office.

For further information on the Wivenhoe Neighbourhood Plan or upcoming events and open evenings then visit their website: wivenhoeneighbourhoodplan.org.uk/ or join their Facebook page.

Shaun Quilter

WEDNESDAY 26th NOVEMBER | ISSUE 161

NEWS

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Mature and Part-time Student Officer resigns amid controversial SRF motion At one of the busiest SRFs of the year a motion for a Vote of No Confidence in the President was defeated and a Part-time Officer stepped down.

On Thursday 20th November, the University of Essex held its most heated Student Representative Forum (SRF) yet with a motion proposing a Vote of No Confidence against the President of the Su and censured against the entire Sabbatical team being proposed.

Turnout at the SRF was the highest this year, and some students wishing to participate had to be turned away owing to the limited capacity of the venue. Before the SRF began, Petar Stanchev, a member of Essex Radical Platform, asked if the SRF could be moved to another room, because students who wanted to participate could not because of the over-capacity in the Senate Room. However it was stated that no bigger room was available as there had been efforts earlier in the day to move the event to one of the rooms in the LTB. The SRF began with the chair, Jessica Blair, asking for a minute of silence out of respect for the Transgender Day of Remembrance.

The agenda swiftly moved on to the first motion, which was the Free our Education movement motion. The motion proposed that a vote of no confidence should be held regarding SU President Chantel Le Carpentier’s decision to take the Free Education motion passed in the previous SRF to the Trustee Board. George Johnson provided a loud voice in support of the motion and against the decision to the overturn part of the orginal Free Education motion, namely the provision of free buses to London.

He claimed that the university’s bylaws, which say that a vote of no confidence need only comprise a two-third majority of the SRF, arguing the students attending the SRF should have the only and final vote on wthether the President still enjoyed the confidence of students. However as outlined by the Chair, the Articles of Governance state that a simple majority is required in the SRF, then leading to a university-wide referendum which would only require 5% of voters to concur with the vote of no confidence for the President, Chantel’s removal.

The Chair of the meeting stated that the Articles of Governance precede the bylaws, as they are what make the Union legal and able to function in an official capacity. Therefore the original rulings that there would need to be a simple majority in favour of the motion as well as then a student wide referendum on the issue of no confidence still stood At this point George Johnson raised procedural

motion B to challenge the Chair’s ruling, which was overturned by a secret ballot.

The agenda then moved towards discussing the Free our Education Motion. Adrià Porta Caballé, SU Campaigns Officer, introduced the motion, stating that the motion was not personal, but a reaction to the democratic issues the proponents of the motion had regarding the decisions of the Trustee Board. He stated that students who went to the protest were safe, arguing the Trustee Board’s reasons for were unfounded.

The Trustee Board had overturned part of the Free Education motion which mandated that the SU provide funding for coaches to the protest for free education on Wednesday the 19th of November.

The reasons stated were that an adequate risk assessment had not been carried out, and therefore if students were injured the SU could incur both reputational repercussions as well as financial consequences if students were to get hurt and then decided to take legal action. There would have been an understaffing of stewards at the demonstration, as well as a lack of safe space and accessibility for disabled students.

In her speech the President told the SRF voters that the Trustee Board’s decision was made in the students’ best interest emphasising the fact that the Trustee Board is comprised of both student representatives as well as external members who are experts in the business, legal and financial sectors, further iterating that all those on the Trustee Board has in unison recommended that the SU pull its support for the demonstration.

Stanchev’s speech argued that the section of the motion was overturned because of a political agenda.

He said that the National Union of Students (NUS) was dominated by the Labour Party, who do not support free education. The NUS also withdrew their support for the free education protests for the same safety reasons as the Trustee Board. He said that the SU President’s safety reasons were “offensive”.

Chad Blackman, a law student, speaking against the vote of no confidence believed that “At the end of the day the Trustee Board makes a legal decision”, and that legal decision was to protect the SU. His argument stemmed from a legal perspective, including the argument that the President could ultimately go to prison if she had not taken the motion to the Trustee Board. Therefore emphasising that instead of going beyond her powers the

President had in fact done her job as outlined by her role.

George Johnson then made a speech in which he further accused the President acting undemocratically. After this James Potter, previous VP Education accused George of personally attacking the SU President - by mentioning her multiple times - when the speech was meant to be about the censuring (punishment) of the rest of the trustees.

Chris Flossman, President of the Green Party on campus, said that an emergency SRF could have been held instead of having the decision “behind closed doors”. He also elaborated on his personal reasons and loss of faith in the President as to why he supported the motion.

George Johnson asked for a secret ballot to be held. As the votes were being counted, the most unexpected event at the SRF occurred. Mature Students and Part Time Students Officer (MAPSA) Ruth Raymer decided to stand down from her role. She said that the Student’s Union was called a union for a reason, but the antagonistic behaviour showed that “This is not united, this is divisive” and felt like she could not continue work in such an environment.

After an access break the votes were annouced.

There were 191 votes in total, with 65 people voting in favour of the motion and for a vote of no confidence, and 119 against, with 4 abstentions and 3 spoiled ballots. Therefore the motion did not pass, and Chantel Le Carpentier remains President of the Students’ Union. There was delighted applause among part of the audience as the results were announced.

Fiolla Korenica

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THINK! Seminar held on ISIS On Wednesday 12th November, another successful Think! seminar took place. The seminars, hosted by faculty member Dr Jeffrey Howard, have become very popular as the seminars broach very controversial topics.

The question posed at the seminar was: ‘Why have so many Westerners gone to fight for ISIS, and what can be done about it?’.

Although the seminar began firmly on this topic, it diverged onto the general discussion on how to combat extremism. The guest speaker was Usama Hasan, an ex-jihadist. He is now Senior Researcher at Quilliam, a counter-extremism think tank.

This seminar was open for students to walk in unlike the last, which had security present and people had to sign in and prove that they were students of the University before entering. This was due to the accusations surrounding guest speaker Julie Bindel on her transphobic and biphobic views.

The seminar began with Hasan describing how his life had progressed from being a jihadist to campaigning against extremism. After 9/11 and the Chechen wars in 2003, with his role as an imam Usama began preaching for the end of terrorism.

His change in mindset was not widespread however: “In Islamist circles all around the world, 9/11 was celebrated.” However, the event that transformed him into an anti-extremist campaigner

was the 7/7 bombings in London: “You basically grow up.”

According to Hasan, almost half of the 30,000 Islamic State (IS) fighters are foreigners, and 5001000 of those fighters are from Britain. He mentions that the University of Essex used to have an Islamic study circle, where there was an active attempt to recruit students to the jihadist movement, as there was all across universities in the UK. He attempts to explain the rationale behind the growth of the jihadist movement, mentioning historic events such as Soviet war in Afghanistan in 1979 and the murdering of Bosnian Muslims at the Srebrenica massacre in 1995, which “helped fuel more radicalism. “Terrorists are not born, they’re made” he says.

The seminar then progressed to a question and answer session. Jeffrey Howard asked how we should punish extremists, the two options being through prison or a process of de-radicalisation.

Hasan states that the UK fails to rehabilitate criminals. He passionately speaks about how, if a terrorist is imprisoned, it should be in solitary confinement.

He refers to Michael Adebolajo, who murdered Lee Rigby, who was moved to a different prison because he had begun to radicalise others in the prison – Hasan passionately referred to him and his accomplice as “nutcases.” A solution he suggests is a foreign fighter rehab programme, which is what is being tested in Berlin in Germany.

He speaks against current jihadist groups, stating that their beliefs are “just hogwash, nonsense.”

The Quran does not teach hatred: “If you don’t care for human rights, it’s not Islam.”

The next seminar will discuss the question: ‘Should Britain shut its border?’. A guest speaker Tim Aker, a Member of European Parliament for UKIP will be attending.

If you want to find out more on how to attend these seminars and how to participate in the debate, visit www.essex.ac.uk/ss/news/think_ seminars.aspx.

Fiolla Korenica

50th anniversary celebration Ivor Crewe at full capacity for UK’s first Regius Professor of Political Science The Ivor Crewe was at full capacity, waiting to hear from Professor David Sanders, the UK’s first Regius Professor of Political Science, the first time the University has received such an accolade.

Regius Professorships are approved by the Queen.

The University of Essex has been recognised for 50 years of excellence in research – and is one of the youngest universities to receive this honour.

Professor Sanders has been key to the success of Essex’s Department of Government, which has topped the politics rankings for years due to its quality of research.

Professor Sanders garnered laughs the moment he spoke – he took off his jacket, then said “I want to try and get a little excitement going.” The lecture featured empirical evidence from YouGov surveys on the topic of euroscepticism.

The main reason euroscepticism has grown, Sanders states, is because of “the stories they tell themselves and the stories they tell each other.” He refers to UKIP as “loonies”.

After his lecture, there was a panel discussion.

The panel discussion included Baroness Shirley Williams, Professor Anthony King, and RT Hon John Bercow MP, speaker of the House of Commons.

The panel began with an introductory speech from the chair, the RT Hon John Bercow. As a former student of the University of Essex, he said that he is “always tingling with excitement when I return to this university”.

The lecture ran over by a significant amount of time, but the audience was enraptured by Sander’s facts. At the end of the lecture, Professor Saunders asked for a show of hands: If a referendum was held, who would stay in the EU? The audience overwhelmingly voted to stay in, with only a handful voting for leaving. The lecture will be available online in the near future, as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations. For information on future 50th anniversary events, go to essex. ac.uk/fifty.

Fiolla Korenica

WEDNESDAY 26th NOVEMBER | ISSUE 161

NEWS

STUDENT

Marking boycott suspended following negotiating talks The University and College Union (UCU) has warned 69 universities affected by the marking boycott that they could face further sanctions if staff pay is cut.

Both unions have insisted that they will only reach an agreement at this early stage if negotiations set in motion plans that will ensure that no member of staff will have pay deducted and students will not have been adversely affected by the action.

The meetings will close the differences between the stakeholders’ negotiating positions, with a vision towards establishing mutual ground.

The assessment and marking boycott was enforced on Thursday 6th of November in response to members’ concerns about proposed changes to the pension scheme, USS. The two participating unions, UUK and UCU, met on Wednesday the 19th of November to discuss the prospect of suspending the current industrial action from the 20th of November 2014 until after the Joint Negotiation Committee scheduled for Thursday the 15th of January 2015.

Universities have been warned that if staff pay is cut, both unions could take legal action.Teaching and academic staff belonging to both unions formally notified universities of their intention to begin industrial action on Thursday the 6th of November. Members of the University’s schools and departments refused to mark coursework and assessment pieces from this date.

Speaking at a publicity event last week, Sally Hunt, the Union’s general secretary, said that there was no need for any “dramatic action”, but pointed out that previous proposals put forward

by Universities were “full of holes” and were considered by the Union as being “misleading”.

Emily Townsend

75% of Students Will Never Pay Off Tuition Fee Debt Three quarters of students will not be able to pay off their student loans once they graduate.

A major report into the university funding system has confirmed that three quarters of students will not be able to pay off their student loans once they graduate.

The Government is now being forced to support higher education by writing off billions of pounds in student debt – opening a gaping “black hole” of lost funding.

The 30-year repayment period is now no obstacle to student debt, say authors, as many graduates will be unable to repay fees to their universities by the end of the payment period.

The report, authored by an independent monitoring body and aptly named “Too Good to Fail”, warns that the government could have taken one step too far in its decision to increase tuition fees. In it, experts reveal that “there is no silver bullet solution to solve the funding problems facing English higher education”.

According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), students will graduate with an average of £44,035 of student debt, compared to £24,754 of debt if the reforms had not been introduced.

Using the current fees system, the report displays statistics that indicate that some universities are already showing signs of being at risk of administration, some which could cause “total failure” in the coming years.

Keeping fees at a fixed cap of £9,000 a year could also be damaging universities, as universities could soon be facing an “annual erosion of real terms income”.

Student numbers are also a concern, say authors, as the “rapid expansion of undergraduates”, including those let in through the lift on places caps in this year’s intake, are proving the government’s “lack of control”.

This year’s cap on university places, which gave an extra 5,000 students (those obtaining AAB or above) places at UK universities, allowed Essex to welcome additional students to our Colchester, Loughton and Southend campuses in October.

Emily Townsend

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Upcoming Events History Society - Quizzing at the Movies Date: 27/11/2014 Time: TBC Location: History Common Room History Society - Christmas Meal Date: 4/12/2014 Time: TBC Location: TBC Essex Cypriot Society - Bouzoukia Night Greek night with live music.

Date: 02/12/2014 Time: 23:00 Location: Sub Zero

Student Ambassador Society - Christmas Meal Date: 4/12/2014 Time: Evening History Society - Staff v. Students Christmas Charity Quiz Date: 11/12/2014 Time: TBC Location: TBC

Winter Fayre The University of Essex Winter Fayre is fast approaching! The squares will be bustling with people scouring the Christmasthemed stalls, the most notable being those that sell handmade glass Christmas decorations and homemade jam.

Furthermore, there will be music from those who wish to show off their skills.

Student Ambassador Society - Rollerworld week

Join others on the squares on the evening of Friday the 5th of December!

Date: 17/1/2015 Time: TBC Location: TBC

Fiolla Korenica

50 Years of Making History Bold. Loud. Restless. Just three words to describe the university that has now been standing for an incredible 50 years. But what made the university what it is today? The University of Essex has an extraordinary history, with a few stories that may just surprise you...

Essex had been partying hard long before us Freshers of 2014 shimmied onto the scene, just ask the 1980s Question Time contestants. After an appearance it has been rumored that the Essex representatives ‘trashed’ the set, leading to a ban still in place today.

It is questionable whether this is true; surely a respected and refined university such as ours would not behave in such a manner?

But it was the 80s and it is slightly strange we have not appeared since and there is very little trace of the university’s appearance. Essex University is known to live life to it’s limit but who knew it extended that far!

It’s pretty clear that the students of the 80s make us current students look like a library revision session.

Loving to cause a stir, campaigning is in our DNA. Last year the Students’ Union joined the fight against Page 3 girls, putting us in the Metro and the Independent. Claiming that it devalued women the SU pushed the cause by not only banning the selling of The Sun and The Star but by also covering any revealing image of women with stickers stating ‘boobs are not news’.

Campaigning didn’t start there however. Back in the 60s when the University was just created it was already at the forefront of student protest. In protest of the Vietnam War, when Enoch Powell (a controversial MP) was scheduled to visit the university students arranged a sit in, making national newspapers for the first time. Students were put forward for disciplinary action from the University but students working in the union actually prevented

this from happening!

We didn’t stop there. In the same year students planned to interrupt a lecture held by Dr Inch from Porton Down (a government military science park) to complain about their biological and chemical warfare activities. The students were so vociferous police dogs were called in to control the chaos (the first time to ever happen in a English university may I add) but even the police were outnumbered, students preventing any arrests being made.

The University is decorated throughout with signs commemorating student sit-ins and protests on the squares (check out the garden outside the Happy Days diner). Essex University was so forceful in its beliefs that in 1972 the UGC actually cut student numbers in hope it would calm us. It’s student passion like this that demonstrates the power we have as students within this institution. We can push for what we believe in and win.

Some students however have taken this to a extreme.

Chris Bott, Anna Mendleson and Hilary Creek were three students of Essex University in the 70s. Well, until they became involved in a small terrorist organization known as the ‘Angry Brigade’. Dropping out of university they took opposition to the Vietnam War further, deciding to bomb banks, embassies and even the Miss World event in 1970. After a year they were arrested. These three are an exception to the well-respected alumni the university holds however.

Essex has been the home to John Bercow who is now speaker to the House of Commons, Oscar Arias

Sanchez who was the President of Costa Ricaand David Yates who is a multi-BAFTA winning English film and television director.

This is the Essex current students know and love.

Ranked 6thin the UK for overall research quality.

Being able to attract students from 130 different countries reflects in itself how immense Essex University is. This university was built in the hope that it would prevent Britain from falling behind other further developed countries. It hasn’t failed.

The list of achievements for this university is just as long and deep as its history and we are the students creating the stories people will be writing about in the next 50 years. We are Essex. What will be your legacy?

Claire Buckley

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Comment

Philippa Dobson, Comment Editor

Editors Note: The views represented in this section are from those of the individuals and do not represent the editorial views as a whole.

Giving to Charity: A Selfish Act? Yes Charity and giving is often considered a virtue.

To give to charity is to think of others needs before your own.

This could take the form of a donation of money to a worthy cause or to give your time to help others. But is that really why we do it?

The main reason we do it is to inflate our own ego. It’s common for acts of giving to be public events, Children in Need and Comic Relief for example. However coy we may seem about it, we’re always very proud to tell people of our generosity. Many people donate money in order to inflate their own self-worth; many individuals have given large sums of money to ensure their name will forever remain virtuous.

It’s the same for volunteering, whereas a donation of money has the possibility of anonymity, volunteering our time is far more visible. And even if we don’t do these acts to impress others we still do it to make us feel better about our ‘meaningless consumer driven lives’. Even at this university there are incentives for donating our time; be it awards, certificates or skills and qualities that will aid us in the mystical quest for employability.

Do any forms of charity really help the causes they claim to? Being charitable to those who are impoverished doesn’t truly benefit the impoverished individuals that suffer. Many argue that giving without any reciprocation encourages a lack of self-improvement. Why bother to achieve anything if someone will give

it you on a silver platter, and say it was out of the goodness of their heart?

On the other hand, giving is also a display of superiority, making the recipient the inferior.

There is no greater show of supremacy, that you have more money, more happiness, and more freedom. The recipient on the other hand feels shame for their failures. Oscar Wilde believed that charity was an opportunity to “tyrannise over the private lives” of the poor, and perhaps it does.

For the price of a few macchiatos you can continue to live in blissful ignorance of suffering.

Alice Vardy

No The moment you receive your student loan and budget how much you need to spend to live comfortably, what better way to use the rest of the money than to give it to a charity of your choice? You can feel like you’re making a difference to a person’s life or even a group of lives. That will make not just you feel good, but others too, right?

It probably is a completely selfless act.

You know you don’t need the money, and why not use it wisely? It is better to donate it than to give it to a betting shop or spend it on

booze and cigarettes, surely? Statistics show that almost two thirds of adults will gamble in the course of a year. Why do people waste their money on these past times when they know they have a slim chance of winning and could do something to make a difference? It doesn’t help that websites like

going to a good cause rather than going into someone’s pocket.For anyone who argues that the loan isn’t really our money to gamble, sure, I suppose in most ways you’re correct. However, the moment that money reaches our bank account it is ours and it is up to us what to do with it.

Paddy Power and Ladbrokes will give you a £5 free bet to set you off on your gambling journey, so that once you start you’ll probably gamble again. There begins the vicious cycle that some people find themselves in, which emphasises how selfless an act donating to charity is! It is

What if that amount that you think is insignificant could transform someone’s life? I think that is a good enough reason to donate money to charity.

Gina Dedman

Wednesday 26th NOVEMBER| Issue 161

COMMENT

Beware of Capitalism Debt plays an important function in capitalist society; it acts as a catalyst for growth allowing individuals to fast track their desires or goals, ultimately paying a premium on the value of the loan.

It has become increasingly difficult, for the most part, to make any inroads without amassing quite a substantial debt throughout our lives.

This is particularly hard for students. It is accepted as necessary to take out a huge loan to fund the £9,000 a year fees and living costs.

This debt then stays with you throughout your working life, with penalties for early repayment that maximise the interest on repayments.

Regardless of whether or not the government will ultimately profit from the handing out of these massive loans to hundreds of thousands of students year on year, the situation doesn’t warrant a favourable outlook.

Capitalism requires debt as a core necessity to maintain the value of the currency. Historically, legal tender would be valued against tangible assets, acting as a medium of trade; not from the speculative interests of banks and complicated economic systems which constantly have to be changed and ‘legitimised’ following the inevitable financial crashes.

The free market system operates on a boom and bust cycle; making years of unemployment, bankruptcy and evictions inevitable as

confidence in the market crashes, when, ‘they’ realise too much has been lent out to maintain the value of special pieces of paper that hold value.

Worried of sounding too much like Russell Brand I’ll stop there, there’s no need for ‘revolution’ in my view. There are many things our society does well and in a hugely complicated post modern world it’s obstructive to give up completely on systems of government which are so structurally solid.In order for progress there must be serious efforts to curtail the overwhelming burden of debt in which so many people blindly mire themselves. The danger now more than ever is that debt is so accessible.

Consumerism is poisoning society into quick fixes of pleasure; encouraging people to spend, have the latest gadget, car and the rest. I personally struggle to accept how it’s necessary for people to spend nearly £1000 almost every year on the latest phone contract.

Marketing has won, people don’t question credit, and the scandals with Wonga and similar sites recently have proved this. In a society where so much emphasis is placed on spending money,

if there are going to be systems of lending then they must be vigorously regulated and limited.

If you subject people to constant advertising and underlying tones inadequacy because they don’t have the best “thing”, followed by a friendly advert for £500 loans that will be in your account in minutes, then of course this will lead to trouble.

I’m by no means suggesting that people are lemmings following every whim of the corporate elite, but to an extent, we must accept human nature is flawed and the rampant encouragement of consumerism will only lead to more pressure to get into debt.

What’s worrying now is that before any student graduates, they will be forced into debt of over £30,000 and charged interest throughout their lives as they repay this. Combined with a mortgage or rent, only the top earners will enjoy any kind of freedom with their wages.

This might not be a worry in a perfect world of plentiful graduate jobs; however, for many of us insteadfuture is likely to be earning to cover the interest on previous life choices.

James Prescott-Smith

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Zero-hour Student Hello. My name is Ashleigh and I am a student.

Outside the safety of the university campus, such an assertion is met with a knowing look. In public consciousness, student status is synonymous with being lazy and poor.

In reality, most students are anything but lazy and quite often juggle full-time education with a string of part-time jobs and work experience placements, as well as extracurricular activities, in a desperate bid to ensure that they are employable graduates.However a vast majority of students would consider themselves, to varying degrees, poor. Money, or lack thereof, is undeniably a primary motivator in students seeking employment whilst studying.

Rising tuition fees and cost of living has created an immense pressure on students to fund their study. In fact the idea of being a ‘full time’ student is increasingly incompatible with a student’s financial needs. A part time job alongside study is often the only option for many considering university education.

In recent years there has been a rise in what can be dubbed ‘zero-hour students’. A generation of students that demand a flexible relationship with their academic provider to satisfy the pressing need to earn a living. In some instances, students are accepting work shifts first and working their studies around them, missing lectures if necessary.

Money is one of the biggest concerns and challenges faced by students in higher education today. Exaggerated student stereotypes intent on drinking away their student loan are not conducive to finding a solution to this problem.

Certainly there are a great many benefits to students acquiring part time work.

Many of these students accept paid part-time work through a zero-hour contract which is branded ‘student friendly’ by employers and students alike on the basis of their flexibility.

Students are encouraged to take jobs on these contracts because it enables them to work around their deadlines.

Many students can and do manage work with education. However, employers should be able to provide a degree of flexibility to students within the security of a fair contract. In addition, there is a clear need to break the sense of acceptance regarding so-called solutions to student financial problems. It should not be considered acceptable that students are compelled to accept contracts that do not offer them the stability or rights they deserve.

This justification ignores the reason a student has sought work in the first place - to earn money.

Monthly outgoings do not cease because a student has a deadline. The reality is that a lack of regular hours leads to a lack of regular income.

Students are completely dependent on their employer to make shifts available, adding to the problem of putting paid work first and education second.

It should not be considered acceptable that students live in a constant, eye-wateringly high overdraft. In fact many students are complicit in accepting these options as ‘student friendly’. Yet only through breaking these perceptions can we perhaps find a real solution.

Ashleigh Hudson

Condemning Ched Evans I am writing to you to respond to an article featured in issue 160 of The Rabbit Newspaper entitled ‘Condemning a Rapist’

by Luke Smith.

When I was reading this issue I was pleased that The Rabbit chose to focus on the issue of so-called ‘lad culture’ and sexual harassment in universities: each of the articles seemed to reflect the progressive 21st century attitude towards sex and sexuality that I have come to expect from The Rabbit, especially considering the previous issue’s feature on modern day feminism. However, the article ‘Condemning a Rapist’ seemed to stick out like a sore thumb.

I would first like to address the point: “What better way to repay society than by providing joy for the fans of his new club by scoring goals (and in doing so, contributing to the most popular sport on the planet).” I find it extremely concerning that football, and footballers, are placed on such a high pedestal that they can be excused from criminal acts with the line, “but, football!”

As a society, do we really want to place higher importance on sport than on rape victims? In regards to Ched Evans ‘bringing joy’, I highly doubt that the victim, who was named and

shamed by Evans’ fans, will feel joy when she sees the man who raped her being celebrated and seen as an idol by children.

Secondly, the author of this article comments that “the notes of the case are worth examining”.

I find myself somewhat confused by this, does the author mean to imply that Ched Evans does not deserve to be called a rapist, despite his rape conviction by a jury, or is the author implying that because the victim was intoxicated the rape was, as many believe, ‘not that bad’?

I may have misunderstood the author’s point, but both of these interpretations are completely against the other articles in the feature, and shows an example of rape culture. To assume a convicted rapist is innocent is to assume that the victim is lying, which is itself, one of the main problems leading to a rape culture.

It is no surprise that so many cases of rape, assault and sexual harassment go unreported if women are not believed. Additionally, some people

LETT

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believe there are varying degrees of rape, and that some rapes are ‘worse’ than others. Again, this shows such a lack of empathy towards the victim of an abhorrent crime and, as mentioned, embodies rape culture. Rape is rape, whether the victim says no, is coerced into keeping silent, or was too intoxicated to give consent.

I absolutely do not agree that Ched Evans should return to professional football in the spotlight, to be admired and looked-up-to. Let us not forget that whilst Mr Evans has apologised to his girlfriend for ‘cheating’ on her, he has shown absolutely no remorse towards the woman he raped, who was then shamed by his girlfriend’s rich family. If he is to repay society, I recommend that Ched Evans first apologises to the victim - not that this would make a difference to her. He will always be the man who raped her, not the great football player bringing ‘joy’.

Alexandra Beard

Wednesday 26th NOVEMBER| Issue 161

COMMENT

F*CK, BE A LADY! Response to Issue 159 - Are we sacrificing the white knights for our womanly rights?

Every girl knows the fairy tales - princesses with brave princes and knights coming to whisk them away on their trusty steeds, but is that still up for grabs or are we putting ourselves on a trusty steed and riding into the sunset alone?

It seems that gone are the days when men put their jackets over a puddle to save our shoes, but is it our own fault? Women have spent years fighting for equality and rights and that may just have killed the romance.

It’s been years since Sinatra came out with ‘Luck be a lady’ but as the days go by I find myself questioning whether ladies even exist anymore.

Just walking down the street or into your local bar can teach you an assortment of new vocabulary and it isn’t all good. With expressions such as ‘swearing like a sailor’ you’d expect this traditionally taboo language to be spewing from the mouths of young men, but no, women are just as guilty.

black books that would put Russell Brand’s to shame. Perhaps too many of us girls have taken on the persona of Samantha causing the ‘Charlottes’ to slowly slip into extinction.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting we all put on pearls and run around acting like damsels-indistress and waiting for Prince Charming; but did we really need to throw lady-like manners and behaviour out of the window along with our 50s housewife mentalities? There must be a middle ground in which women are still powerful without vulgarisms. The F-word does not bring you any more power or respect than those who say ‘gosh’ or ‘oops’; in fact in some cases it might make you seem wildly inappropriate and unsophisticated.

Is this a turn-off for men? If it sounds like a duck and walks like a duck, the obvious conclusion is that it is, in fact, a duck. It appears that all the fighting for equality has done more than equal us; it has transformed us into men.

Equality is an important progression in our society but there are some things that shouldn’t change.

There have always been certain differences between female and male language, for example women are known to use more empty adjectives - duck-egg blue, rather than just blue for example.

Women want to be equal to men but that shouldn’t diminish our feminine natures. There are, and always should be, things that separate us from being just another one of ‘the guys’.

The ‘Sex and The City’ generation have made their way to the top not as women in a male world but by beating them at their own game. With mouths that need to be washed out with soap, and little

Think of a lovely romantic date, dinner and a movie, perhaps a walk in the park on the way home; now picture him picking you up, taking you to a football game with a burger van and freely

delivered flatulence.

That’s what it’ll be like to be ‘just another one of the guys’. Does that sound good to you? If it does, by all means, go ahead, fire profanities at anyone you like! But I’d bet my last dime that most women want romance.

After all, a leopard can’t change its spots and women as a group have always loved the romance. Films, songs, books, even adverts focus on romance, and surely this didn’t come from nowhere. We can be strong, independent women flying through the business world or become a doctor, police officer, virtually anything today, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still be ladies.

Fairy tales can happen to the most independent of women, even Disney has acknowledged this! Don’t believe me? Just watch ‘Tangled’. Screw being a damsel in distress! Rapunzel had a frying pan to hit the bad guys with; but she still fell in love and she still had her Prince Charming and she didn’t get that by swearing like a sailor, children’s film or not!

Just remember: Cinderella had two ugly step sisters and a million things on her to do list and she still managed to get to the ball and find true happiness without a swear word in ear shot AND she looked classy doing it.

Charlotte Louise Bell

Volunteering Changed Me! “Volunteering has given me a new lease in life that I wasn’t aware I could have”.

Volunteering now has made me feel like I was living in a cocoon for two years and I didn’t realise it. I couldn’t believe I was in my final year and I hadn’t done any volunteering. I knew having a degree wasn’t enough, but I knew it wasn’t too late to gain priceless experiences.

Building on the skills that I had gained academically, I wanted more. I wanted personal growth.

Volunteering may be unpaid, but it is certainly worth it without the wage.

Being an active global citizen has made a difference in my life. Helping others has given me a new level of satisfaction. It has equipped me to build relationships with others. This may help me later on in life in my career, in terms of

building relationships with stakeholders, clients and networking at events in the field of finance.

Participating in projects, such as the Money Mind, helped me reach a new level of self-realisation.

Having the capacity to teach and educate kids helped build my confidence and helped me step out of my comfort zone. Being a team leader provided me with career experience, finding value in teamwork. Giving vision and focus was important and the experience of building a relationship with the kids, had prepared me to do so.

I feel like if I was paid for being part of the project, I would have liked it, but I wouldn’t have experienced the true gratification of helping others. I wanted to push my boundaries a bit more so I decided to volunteer for SX.TV. I didn’t know what to expect at the first meeting, but I was immediately thrown into the deep end.

I was required to interview a rising musician, Gavin James. I had no idea how to interview or present but after I did it, I had no regrets. This experience helped increase my confidence even more and helped me consider new doors that could have been open and more opportunities.

I want to become a better-rounded person that can take on any challenge and not to be caught off guard. Writing was something I even thought of but didn’t have the courage to do. However, I had the opportunity by volunteering. Being offered a wage may provide a great incentive to do work, but volunteering makes you work harder, because what you are doing is bigger than yourself. You are investing in yourself and others.

Leticia Osei

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Arts

Jess Rich, Arts Editor

The Trial – A Masterpiece in Face Paint

Written by Steven Berkoff, Directed by Catherine Wilson, Produced by Jess Rich.

Lakeside Theatre Studio, Friday 14th and Saturday 15th November.

Entering, you are greeted by the sounds of humming, laughing, crying and singing; creating a surreal sense of un-naturalism, discomfort and uncertainty – heightened as the only pathway to your seat was through the slumped bodies of the actors themselves.

The ensemble cast, all but one, are caked in layers of white and black face paint as ‘The Trial’ by Steven Berkoff has received a delicious makeover, both literally and figuratively, in Cathy Wilson’s directorial debut at the Lakeside Theatre.

Lasting around an hour and a half, the audience are treated with the spectacular synchronisation, precision and dynamism of the entirety of the cast. The constant requirement of energy needed for a Berkoff play never once faltering. Especially, considering it is lengthy in time.

However, that is just a mere reflection of the intense commitment and rehearsal that evidently went into producing and performing such an electric piece of theatre.

It is a perfectly choreographed piece, allowing the cast to showcase an array of talents due to the use of multi rolling throughout. Each section of performance is connected by the story of Joseph K, under a mysterious trial, and as warned to the audience via the programme, The Trial “raises many questions but answers none.”

However, there was not a bit of disappointment to be had, as you are instantly captured by the exhilarating imagination of the director and all that input to create such a visually stimulating production.

Genuine moments of humour, but also terrifying and intense scenes which take you through a rollercoaster of emotions, as you follow the journey of Joseph K, who manages to keep his own identity within the pool of surreal and strange characters surrounding him.

Personally, I have never felt such energy being projected from stage to audience, so much so, you feel exhausted yourself as the closing bow begins. For me, an extremely complex and highly energetic performance, capturing the intense and multifaceted style that a Berkoff play requires.

Megan Sharman

Nicky Morgan: “Arts won’t get you anywhere” Education secretary Nicky Morgan has spoken out against Arts subjects, urging teenagers to opt for science or maths-based subjects to obtain access to the widest range of jobs.

prospects, earning an average salary of £12,359 after graduation – the lowest in the country. Her recent remarks have sparked controversy among Arts and Humanities students.

Speaking at the launch of the “Your Life” campaign, which aims to double the amount of teenagers choosing to study maths and physics within the next three years, she said: “If you wanted to do something, or even if you didn’t know what you wanted to do, then the arts and humanities were what you chose because they were useful for all kinds of jobs.

Charlie Edge, a recent Drama graduate, said: “Kids spend their whole compulsory education thinking they’re stupid and being told they’re lazy because they don’t excel in traditionally academic subject areas. To remove arts courses from university is to reaffirm the idea that creativity is unimportant and that creative-minded people are less worthy of the government’s time and money than others.”

“Of course, we know now that couldn’t be further from the truth – that the subjects that keep young people’s options open to unlock the door to all sorts of careers are the STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths),” she added.

The Times Good University Guide indicates that the average graduate salary of students studying a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Essex is £17,128 – among the UK’s top 32 institutions for these subjects. Arts graduates have found employment in various different industries, ranging from public services to broadcast journalism.

Ms Morgan’s comments come shortly after a national survey revealed that Essex students studying Drama graduate with dim employment

Emily Townsend

Wednesday 26th november | Issue 161

Dahling You Were Marvelous Lakeside Theatre Studio, Saturday 6th November One script. 31 Company Members. Twenty four hours.

The Theatre Arts Society took to the Lakeside Theatre stage to perform Steven Berkoff’s Dahling You Were Marvelous - after only twenty four hours of rehearsal.

Berkovian theatre is characterised by its ‘in-yer-face’ style with stylistic acting and often sensitive topics.

Dahling You Were Marvelous is not an exception to this, and explores the ‘behind the scenes’ of theatre itself.

The play’s restaurant setting gives actors, directors and audience members alike the opportunity to discuss the successes and failings of the theatrical industry, and not to mention the successes and failings of the others present!

Just twenty-four hours before ‘curtains up’, the brave members of TAS started their rehearsals. Working through the night, TAS’s performance of Dahling You Were Marvelous was put together. Many had not read the script before, or were even familiar with Berkovian theatre and its distinct style.

Considering the time frame, it was quite an impressive performance!

With such limited rehearsals, Dahling You Were Marvelous was presented very well with hardly any lines forgotten. TAS did not deliberately choose a shorter play to make the line-learning process easier, but luckily this decision was not a problem - even if lines were forgotten, it was hidden excellently.

The restaurant setting was plain to see with the assortment of chairs and tables that lined the stage, giving the performance just what it needed.

It’s also worth considering that once most of the characters had come onto stage, they were there to stay, and did not exit until the end. No sneaky line learning or cheeky naps in the wings for this cast!

It was an enjoyable performance that did not look like the cast had only come together the night before. All in all, dahlings, you were marvelous!​

Caroline Dunmore

A Thread: Jean Abreu Lakeside Theatre Studio, Saturday 6th November What constitutes a good performance? If the measure of success on stage is defined by moments of hypnotising movement, which captures the audience’s eye, then that is success - and “A Thread” certainly has a commendable number of these moments.

But in another measure, and how it is with many shows, these moments are still broken up by periods where the sheer expression of the performance corrupts the emotional investment.

To say “A Thread” is a mixed bag is an ugly and inappropriate expression. In the sum of all of its parts, it’s an enjoyable experiment of dance, movement and sound, which still has deviations into sections which feel repetitive, and bloated.

So in which aspects does “A Thread” succeed? In terms of aesthetics, it works very well at evoking a sense of minimalist neutrality and spiritual transcendence.

The colours presented on stage by both costume and a set of neutral blacks, whites and greys bring forth ideas of clinical precision, and brutalist architecture.

This success is heightened by its coupling with the

pervading sense of childlike curiosity within the piece. At times, it’s like watching disorientated and unsure individuals discovering movement, sound and life in general; like children in the bodies of adults.

And then there’s the audio design. Echoes which shudder through the auditorium are perfectly synchronised to the movements onstage. The music brings a universal feel to the whole show, with its vast encompassing of genres and cultures. Sitars and chants bring a religious feel to certain sections, whilst distorted and despondent post rock guitars create a bitter melancholy to other parts. The audio is definitely the strongest player in the whole show.

A Thread is like many shows in the precarious balancing act of live theatre and art. It has its moments, which work, which excel, which captivate the audience. And still, it cannot shake off the damaging reality that at times, it’s unable to maintain such a standard throughout its entire piece. But for a piece of dance to reach that standard, even if it couldn’t hold its position long enough, maybe that is success.

Scott Osbon

ART

The Snow Queen Directed by Richard Hornsby and Joe Lyndon.

Produced by TAS. Lakeside Theatre Studio, Wednesday 10th and Friday 12th December.

The Snow Queen was not a pantomime I knew of before auditioning and this was the case for several people involved; and I think that worked. I mean, it’s easy for a cast to start off with the likes of Cinderella and know the characters very well and portray them at their best; but it’s nothing new, it’ll always feel like a copy of what has been done before.

The Snow Queen hasn’t had this and thus I have been able to shape the character with Richard and Joe (the directors) the way we wish to, as opposed to having it already shaped by how the characters have been played before.

Obviously as with any pantomime, you have your stock characters like your dame, but there seems to be a bigger sense of freedom with where you take these characters then there is with the bigger ‘Disney products’.

Having been in the TAS pantomime twice before as a student and this time as alumni, its fantastic being able to see the first years (alongside students from other years who have not been involved before) get sucked in and experience it for the first time.

A sold out show, fantastic theatre, a band, improvisation; it’s all very different to a standard piece of theatre, even your average pantomime, and it’s great to see people embrace this.

Book your tickets quickly; you don’t want to miss this!

Forest Morgan

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16

Music live review

The Pisdicables Ska may very well be considered an underground genre today – the precursor to reggae was born in 1950s Jamaica, and gained huge followings throughout the UK in the 1970s and 1980s with the crossover success of Madness and The Specials. It was characterised by punchy brass sections and a controversial fanbase of skinheads and mods, much to the distaste of a number of the genre’s pivotal bands. Today, however, the most recent “ska” hit single is Lily Allen’s ‘Smile’ in 2006. Make of that what you will.

New Cross Inn was trembling like an earthquake upon our arrival – King Punch, one of the many bands scheduled to play at the venue that day was commanding its faithful audience like only a ska band can. Of the night though, it was The Pisdicables who took the cake. For those readers who are not yet acquainted to the genre, Bexley’s young sevenpiece are my recommended go-to band for opening your eyes.

Rarely can a variety of music be so universal.

Everyone in attendance knows how to skank, a simple, slightly bewildering dance often associated with the punk/ska/reggae scenes that you’d never guess how much fun you’d have doing it, and moshing happens even though the music isn’t exactly heavy, just very fast. It is incredible to watch keyboardist Mike Crampton pound away at the keys; and, with the scratchy dual vocals and speedy bass lines to accompany the iconic guitar strumming patterns and tone, the key to their good show is clear.

Highlight of the set “I Know, I Know” is fantastically gripping; catchy enough for the young, and as with the rest of their music, has plenty of visible influence to satisfy the older ones.

Their songs are very pliable and offer varying tempos, meaning dancing is damn-near impossible. A set by The Pisdicables is the kind of set that you might not realise you’d enjoy until you find yourself fully immersed in their youthful spell.

Alex Driscoll

Alex Driscoll, Music Editor

Wednesday 26th NOVEMBER | Issue 161

MUSIC

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ALBUMS OF THE YEAR

Miranda Lambert – Platinum Wasted opportunity of a duet with 64-million record-selling artist Carrie Underwood aside, “Platinum” is the best album of 2014. Why? Because only Miranda Lambert, the first artist in history to start her career with five US No. 1 albums, could have pulled this off.

The 16-song epic is not only reflective of her first four albums going Platinum, signifying at least 1-million sales each, but also of her hair colour, and her lifestyle. “What doesn’t kill you... only makes you blonder. Something ‘bout Platinum irrefutably, looks as good on records as it does on me”.

But what about the music itself? Between ‘Priscilla’, requesting advice from Elvis Presley’s wife on “being Queen to the King” (referencing her celebrity husband and “The Voice” coach, Blake Shelton) and ‘Gravity Is A B**ch’ (on realising you’re growing old), it is clearly retrospective of her recent 30th what that means for an artist and a woman.

Genre-hopping between 1950s Texas swing and even classic rock, Lambert even finds a spot to sound like Green Day on ‘Little Red Wagon’. “Platinum” is the pinnacle of Miranda Lambert’s career, critically, commercially and stylistically.

ed sheeran – x

Lykke Li – I Never Learn Lykke Li began gaining international interest in her music through her Myspace profile in the early 2000’s, grabbing people’s attention with her unique style and voice.

She has since released the albums ‘Youth Novels’ (2008), ‘Wounded Rhymes’ (2011), and her most recent album, ‘I Never learn’ (2014), which I believe to be some of her best work, and a worthy contender for album of the year.

At first listen, ‘I Never Learn’ strikes you with those ever familiar qualities of Lykke Li’s musical style: her haunting barely-there vocals, armed with synthesizers providing an electronic aspect, along with the more traditional piano and violin.

However, you never feel like this album is a record stuck on repeat, as there are new sounds being brought to the table here. Working alongside Greg Kurstin (The Shins, Foster the People), we are presented with a thoughtful, folky and subtle side to Lykke Li, in contrast to the more edgy and indie pop ‘Wounded Rhymes’.

Wisecracking, experimenting and having so much fun as she goes, there’s simply no other reliably brilliant artist around; well aware of her (debatable) vocal limitations, and using every inch of her genius songwriter personality to show that it doesn’t even matter.

Certain songs stand out in this album: ‘Gunshot’ brings a surprising energy, with great use of percussion and all the available power in Li’s vocal range. The title track is a perfect summary of the album, demonstrating echoing folk guitar, melancholic violin and Li’s signature voice that will stay with you, calling you back for more. Don’t hesitate to give this albumhighest-quality music to be heard in 2014.

Alex Driscoll

Cass Wood

Ed Sheeran, the red-haired man who makes most youngsters swoon with his words released his latest album, “X”, on the 20th June this year and, my, what a success it has been! From ‘Sing’ – the first song released on the album, and perhaps the most unusual for Ed, due to being very upbeat – through to ‘Thinking Out Loud’.

This was the song that he named as his favourite from the album andwhich just missed out on the number one spot to Cheryl Cole (let’s not go there!). There are many other songs on the album such as ‘I See Fire’ and ‘Tenerife Sea’, which are just as high-quality.

‘Don’t’, a song that is about an ex-girlfriend who cheated on him (rumoured to be Ellie Goulding, but who knows?) is very catchy. ‘I’m a Mess’ will get you singing along too. There are very few tracks on the album that I could criticise, and I know many people that have enjoyed his album just as much as I have.

If you need a good album and haven’t already heard “X”, try it! It might not be to everyone’s taste but it has a variety of songs that range from slow to upbeat and there’s bound to be one on there you’ll definitely like.

Gina Dedman

For interviews with Gavin James and Tallulah Rendall, visit our website at therabbitnewspaper.com

18

Film

Edward Lincoln, Film Editor

Interstellar ‘Mankind was born on Earth. It was never meant to die here.’ These are the words spoken by Matthew McConaughey’s Cooper, and it does well to summarise the key themes in Interstellar - life and death.

After The Dark Knight Rises , fans have been in eager anticipation as to what Christopher Nolan’s next project would be, and many were excited to hear that a sci-fi adventure was in the pipeline. The film is set in a world where Earth is dying and can no longer sustain human life. In order to preserve humanity, former astronaut Cooper must leave his

family behind to venture through a wormhole to find a new home for humanity.

The film features outstanding performances from its ensemble cast, with the likes of Michael Caine, Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain supporting McConaughey in his leading role. As well as the acting, the cinematography really is immersive, with great visuals and sets that draw you into the dystopian world of Interstellar, and create an awesome spectacle.

position of life and death and the emotional parent and child story at its heart. The relationship between Cooper and his daughter Murph is what really drives the plot and what gives the story a purpose, as this lone astronaut must abandon his children in order to save their future.

Interstellar is a must see for 2014, and its gripping story and stunning visuals (made better by IMAX) make it one of the best epic sci-fi dramas in recent years.

But what makes this film truly brilliant is the juxta-

Aiden Mills

plore ideas of romance and intimacy, particularly in the life of a person who has recently lost those things. Cleverly, it also avoids the grandiose ideas and themes that are more commonly found in sci-fi.

or the unending reaches of outer space, Her brings a refreshing intimacy to the genre. Frequently, we see only Theodore, in extreme close-ups that are used to capture the subtleties of his feelings. Even when he ventures out into the sprawl of Los Angeles the shots are usually tight and claustrophobic, always emphasising how personal and minimalist the story is.

Her Sci-fi films tend to come with a lot of assumptions.

Visions of aliens, spacecraft, a story of intergalactic proportions, and strange outfits (though, Her partially covers that base) fly through my mind whenever it’s mentioned. Most of all, however, it is a deliberately unrealistic and ‘out of this world’ genre; a genre that urges you to constantly suspend your disbelief.

Her subverts these expectations fabulously. Set in an extremely near-future Los Angeles, the film tells the deeply intimate story of Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix), who falls in love with his computer’s operating system, voiced by Scarlett Johansson.

Unlike the films usually associated with the sci-fi genre, Her is carefully grounded and uncomfortably close to reality. It uses the near future to ex-

Her takes and subverts Sci-fi tropes in order to tell a subtle, human, and intimate story that interweaves with tight visuals to hone in on the miniscule. This, along with a fantastic cast and a great script puts you in the place of the characters to ensure an incredible sci-fi experience, albeit one from a more earthly perspective.

The visuals further contradict our ideas of sci-fi.

Abandoning the usual vast cityscapes, neon lights,

Sean Murphy

Wednesday 26th NOVEMBER | Issue 161

FILM

19

New Star Wars Title Revealed Disney announces that the much-anticipated first instalment of the new trilogy has finished principal photography.

For those of you who may have been living under a rock for the past two years, it may come as a shock that not only will we be getting a new Star Wars movie next December, but in fact two more this side of 2020. It is with this news that the title of the upcoming “Star Wars: Episode VII” has officially been given a title: Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Announced in a tweet from Disney, we were also told that principal photography has now been completed and the crew is ready to begin postproduction.

Under the direction of JJ Abrams (Star Trek into Darkness) and with a script penned by Abrams and fan favourite Lawrence Kasdan (The Empire Strikes Back), expectations are high after the mixed reception of the prequel trilogy and the epic success of the original films.

Fans were treated to an exclusive insight from the

set at Pinewood Studio, courtesy of cult filmmaker and Star Wars fanatic, Kevin Smith. While he is under contract not to reveal any spoilers, Smith had this to say: “I saw uniforms; I saw artillery that I haven’t seen since I was a kid,” Smith said. “I saw them shooting an actual sequence in a set that is real – I walked across the set; there were explosions, and it looked like a shot right out of a f**king Star Wars movie.”

Little is known about The Force Awakens other than that it is set thirty years after the events of 1983’s Return of the Jedi. The movie will see the return of our favourite heroes, seeing series veterans Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher return to their iconic roles. The original trio will be joined by newcomers Adam Driver, John Boyega, Andy Serkis and Daisy Ridley.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is set to open in theatres December 18th, 2015.

Aaron Brooke-Naylor

The Maze Runner Based on James Dashner’s novel of the same name, The Maze Runner (Directed by Wes Ball) hit the big screen this October. Like any book adaptation this film had its flaws, little changes here, pieces missing there, but it was still a brilliant film in it’s own right.

From the second the film begins, you can’t help but become hooked. Whether you’ve read the book or not, the suspense of this film is intense, mainly because no character is ever truly safe; especially not in the maze. No one has ever survived a night in the maze. It’s appropriate that this film has more twists than the maze itself and none of the big questions actually seem to get answered.

Why should they? This is only the beginning.

And trust me, that is not a bad thing; you will crave more. I just hope they don’t over do it in the films to come. The set of this film is both simple and complex at the same time, just as everything feels normal and yet strange.

The post-apocalyptic backdrop has been a popular choice for films and books lately; it is the new vampire obsession. Twilight is dead (not that it was ever really alive) and this futuristic doom and gloom has taken the throne.

From The Hunger Games to this, our future view of the world has never been so captivating, nor so scary. Unlike the human enemies in The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner brings a whole new kind of creepy enemy. The Grievers. The book was unnerving. The film brought them to life, not a pretty sight but brilliantly effective. For once the special effects didn’t make me cringe!

However, it wasn’t just the effects that were brilliant but the actors too. The amazing Dylan O’Brien was supported by a great cast with performances that truly gripped you. I left the cinema somewhat emotionally scarred and yet I loved it. Bring on the sequel!

Charlotte Louise Bell

For reviews of Blade Runner, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and 12 Monkeys, visit our website at therabbitnewspaper.com

20

TV

Amy Bater, TV Editor Nisa Khan, TV Editor

This week, it’s all about

Sons of Anarchy Motorcycles, 90’s rockers and pornstars sound like an angry teen’s wet dream. And “Sons of Anarchy” delivers the full package, including a cameo from Jenna Jameson, as well as recurring roles from Henry Rollins, Marylin Manson, Dave Navarro and Sen Dog. The series revolves around the Sons of Anarchy motorcycle club and follows both its official affairs and dirty underground business. Charlie Hunnam joins the list of British leads in American shows, playing the club’s VP, Jax Teller, as he tries to challenge the status quo.

Katey Sagal steals the show with her Golden Globe-winning performance as Gemma, the angel and devil on their shoulders, none other than Jax’s mother and Clay’s wife. That’s just the main triangle, but there are numerous characters and

story arcs that will keep you guessing. The plot combines generational conflict, family betrayals, troubled romance and smalltown politics.

A healthy dose of dark humour sweetens the amount of violence. Staying true to the aforementioned musical ties, the episodes build up in a crescendo leading to breath-taking season finales, each and every time. The soundtrack is spot on for your driving/road-trip playlist.

If you’d like to relive your teenage years but feel you may be too mature for that, no problem. “Sons of Anarchy” successfully combines that gritty and exciting feel with polished and well-written content. And with the series finale fast approaching, it’s about time you “joined the club”!

Stefan Stoican

Buffy Buffy may have been off air for over a decade now but she’s still slaying it! Netflix lets us be staked in the heart over and over with our easy access to binge watch the epic battles, heartbreak and brilliant wit from start to finish.

Sarah Michelle Gellar in the role of Buffy has been the perfect role model for women since the moment she stepped onto the small screen; she is the epitome of female power.

jerks, bad break ups and gross fast food jobs, we’ve all been there!

We may not be out on patrol every night dusting vamps but I’m sure we’ve all fallen asleep in a lecture, probably because of Netflix, but with shows like ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ in the mix how could we not stay up all night?

With her super strength, quick wit and cute outfits she is the perfect mix of superhero and everyday gal. Because that’s what it comes down to, Buffy may encourage us to be strong and powerful but what makes her really awesome is her humanity.

Buffy has it all. Action, eye candy, comedy, captivating storylines and the LGBT community are represented with the most kickass lesbian couple to ever grace our screens. So get your Scooby Gang together and have a Buffy marathon, seize the moment! I sure will be, but “if the apocalypse comes, beep me.”

She isn’t a killing machine, she loves and hurts and goes through all the stuff we have. High School

Charlotte Bell

Wednesday 26th NOVEMber | Issue 161

TV

Firefly “A Sudden, but Inevitable Betrayal” I discovered the TV series Firefly through Netflix, based on a recommendation from watching Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, because, they’re totally similar right? Firefly is a tremendous intersection of the genres of space and western and in recent years has become a sci-fi cult classic.

Joss Whedon’s memorable sci-fi drama is set in the year 2517, as the protagonist Mal explains, after “earth got used up” and a new solar system has been colonised by a Sino-American Alliance. The series follows the adventures of Mal and his eclectic crew aboard the Serenity, which includes a mercenary, an escort, a fugitive surgeon and a pastor with a shady history.

Like Buddy Holly and countless others it has become well known for its premature death, it was cancelled after only 11 episodes. This cancellation has marred the sci-fi community and even after 11 years of being cancelled, Comic Con continues to hold talks on how to cope with your favourite TV shows being cancelled in honour of Firefly.

However this is the one of the rare instances where the fans and self styled ‘brown coats’ won. 3 years after its cancellation, Serenity was realised and all loose ends were tied up.

The cult status is not only a result of the cancella-

tion but the potential the series had and the excellent stories Whedon tells us. Mal and Zoe are veterans who fought on the losing side of a civil war against the Alliance and who now make a living on the fringes of the solar system, on the claim: you got a job, we can do it, don’t much care what it is.

But nothing is as simple as it sounds, they are double crossed, and get caught up in the variety of problems that riddle the solar system.

Whedon’s aim was to display a future where “nothing will change: technology will advance, but we will still have the same political, moral, and ethical problems as today”. Sci-fi has a beautiful way of addressing contemporary issues under the guise of the future. Firefly doesn’t disappoint.

Addressing relevant issues such as gender roles, prostitution, the control of the government as well as considering profound problems in American history such as slavery and frontier history.

I recommend this despite the heartbreak, or maybe because of the heartbreak so you can join the ranks of angry sci-fi fans.

“I may be dead, but I’m still pretty.”

Alice Vardy

Orange is the New Black In the world of television, there is currently a transition in gender portrayals with female shows (at least shows with female protagonists) becoming more prominent with sit-coms like ‘New Girl’ and ‘The Mindy Project’ which are based around female leads.

Netflix’s original comedy drama ‘Orange Is the New Black’ is falls under this with a mostly female cast, but it’s not what you would call the most conventional of shows.

Created by Jenji Kohan, the show follows the story of Piper Chapman, a seemingly everyday woman who enjoys eating burgers and watching ‘Mad Men’. However in the first episode, she finds herself incarcerated for a ten year old crime in which she smuggled drug money for her ex-girlfriend Alex Vause, who also happens to share the same prison as her.

Its narrative techniques are familiar, with the regression of Piper’s morals and behaviour serving as the main story arc (which is not too dissimilar to

Walter White in ‘Breaking Bad’) as she moves from being a timid push-over to being a closed-off aggressor, and even has a breaking point moment, where she stamps her authority.

Whilst the narrative is familiar, what gives it an extra edge is that it is rife with crude jokes, sex scenes and sexual references which can be highly comical, as well as having characters you wouldn’t necessarily find in a stereotypical 1950’s Hollywood film, for example transgender hairdresser, Sophia.

Kohan also creates a sense of empathy for the inmates and gives a personal feel to the penal system. Whilst Taylor Schilling gives an engaging performance as Piper, the rest of the cast excel as well, the interplay between the other characters keeps you intrigued, with every character being strongly developed with their own personal back story.

Overall, the show brings fresh air into the television industry with dynamic characters, intriguing narrative and an original format, it goes to show that orange really is the new black.

Aiden Mills

21

22

Books

Georgina Dedman, Books Editor

The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe

by C.S. Lewis If you’ve left the house in the last few months, you’ll know that winter has well and truly arrived.

Luckily, Christmas is fast approaching to make up for all the wind and rain, so what better way to celebrate the holiday than with a book by the fireplace, illuminated by the lights from your Christmas tree?

My suggestion for this year is The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, from The Chronicles of Narnia series. The plot follows four English children, the youngest of whom stumbles upon a wardrobe, which serves as the gate to Narnia.

Narnia is a land of mythical creatures and sorcery, but is ruled by the White Witch who threw the land into a deep winter. The children explore the land and meet a variety of creatures and friends and together they defeat the White Witch, freeing Narnia from her control.

Although this story is not directly about the holiday of Christmas (if you would prefer that, try a short story called The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry, or A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens), it’s a snowy setting with a strong Christian overtone, returning to a traditional sense of Christmas.

Christmas is also all about familial love, and this book delivers that in the strong relationships between the children. Even if that isn’t enough to get you in the Christmas mood, you’ll enjoy the pow-

Did you know? · C.S. Lewis was born Clive Staples Lewis but

BO REVI OK EWS

erful theme of the triumph of good over evil. The whole adventure elegantly dances between being powerful and whimsical, the perfect recipe for an evening on the sofa with a book and a warm duvet!

his family and friends called him Jack. He published his poetry collections under the pseudonym Clive Hamilton.

·

The idea of Narnia first came to him in 1939 but C.S. Lewis didn’t finish writing the first book until 1949, a decade later!

·

The Turkish word for ‘lion’ is ‘Aslan’, which is the name of the lion in the Narnia Chronicles. However, Aslan did not appear in the first draft of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

·

C.S. Lewis was a friend of J.R.R. Tolkein who joined Inkling, which was an Oxford literary group that encouraged fantasy writing.

·

The main character, Puddleglum, of the book, A Silver Chair was based on Lewis’ gardener!

·

Some of you may have seen 2005 film adaption, but I urge you to still read the book. You may know the story, but you won’t have experienced C. S. Lewis’ wonderful writing, which ties the story together.

Sadly, C.S. Lewis’s death went largely unreported. He died on 22nd November 1963, which was the same day as JFK’s assassination.

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe really is a great book. It’s effortless to read and tells a wonderful, magical story set in a snowy wonderland. In my opinion, that really is all you need this Christmas.

Gina Dedman

Lydia Pauly

The Gift by Cecilia Ahern Cecilia Ahern is a very clever and creative writer.

The cover of this book doesn’t say too much, it just looks like one of the numerous random books that are always on offer, probably with a soppy romantic plot that everyone wants to read on holiday or after a long day at work – which is exactly why I bought it. But this is far from the truth.

Lou Suffern is a busy man. He always needs to be in two places at the same time, has a million things to do and he dedicates all his time to work, always putting his family in second place. His character is quite frustrating and it is completely understandable if you even start hating him at some point.

Even though that will happen, you won’t be able to put this book down.

One winter morning whilst heading to work, Lou sees a homeless man and he offers him his coffee. This stranger named Gabe, short for Gabriel,

gets hired by Lou to work for him in the post room.

But strange things start happening and Lou begins to regret offering Gabe a job. As Christmas approaches, Lou starts to understand and appreciate the value of time.

This story is one about people, people that need to be unraveled until their true spirit shines. And the greatest thing about this book is that it reminds people the lesson that we all need to hear and know – time is precious.

Money can always be reproduced and no matter how wealthy you are that means nothing if you don’t dedicate yourself to things that truly matter and to the people that love you.

Luiza Sandru

WEDNESDAY 26th NOVEMber | ISSUE 161

BOOKS

23

Happy Birthday Jane Austen Born: 16th December 1775 Born on 16th December 1775, Jane Austen is known worldwide for her romantic novels, although she only wrote six. Her stories have been reproduced in plays, films, TV series and even quirky rewrites like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Her works have inspired such a following thanks to the relatable, believable characters that she creates, and the realistic worlds in which she places them.

She drew inspiration heavily from her personal life and circumstances; all of her novels follow a young lady’s experiences of societal pressures, friendships and courtships, leading to the eventual happily-ever-after of marital bliss. Whilst her heroines and their stories have similarities to her own story, Jane Austen never married – she received one proposal, which she accepted and then swiftly turned down the following morning.

Though the match would have profited her greatly, she chose not to marry the gentleman because she held no affection for him, a choice that could be viewed as controversial for her period. This decision forms a resonating theme in her writing, recreated in memorable scenes such as Elizabeth Bennet’s refusal first of Mr Collins and then Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, to the horror of her mother Mrs Bennet.

Despite the more oppressive attitudes of the 1700s, with regard to a woman’s role and rights, Jane Austen

enjoyed a good education at a private boarding school until the age of 11, and then continued her studies at home under her father and brothers’ guidance, delving through her family’s personal library.

She belonged to a close-knit family that encouraged creativity, philosophy and intrigue into the world around them. She began writing short stories, poems and plays when she was only 12 years old, often performing or reciting them for her family members, yet her first book was not published until she was 36, only 6 years before her death.

Choosing to publish under the guise of ‘A lady’, Jane Austen was not acknowledged as the author of her own novels until after her death, when her brother chose to reveal her identity in his foreword for Persuasion and Northanger Abbey, both of which were published posthumously.

Jane Austen tackled the injustice of women’s dependence on marriage for social standing and economic security through light-hearted, humorous novels based on vibrant and independent heroines. As a personal fan, I would like to thank her for the enjoyment her stories have brought me and also wish her a very happy birthday.

Natalie West

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol is one of the most well-loved and well-known Christmas stories of all time. Even those that haven’t read the 1843 novella will know of at least one of its many adaptations.

A Christmas classic, which brings joy and warmth to its readers, it also presents a moral tale whose message has resounded through the ages and will continue to do so for many years.

We are introduced to Ebenezer Scrooge on Christmas Eve seven years after the death of his business partner. He is as cold and bitter as the night itself, an instantly unlikeable character with no generosity and a whole lot of greed. He has since become the embodiment of greed and pessimism in modern culture.

After rejecting all kindness, he goes home alone where he is visited by the ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley. He is subsequently visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future.

Throughout the night we travel alongside Scrooge on the journey that will change his attitude forever. Dickens’ exaggerated Old English language can make understanding the prose difficult in some

places, especially amongst the never ending paragraphs of description which are all too common in his novels.

However, within this over-descriptive narrative is a story that is clearly meant to be performed, and perhaps we can forgive Dickens when we remember that he was being paid by the word.

We should also remember that A Christmas Carol was written in a time when Christmas was not as it is today. Christmas cards were not introduced until 1846, and Christmas crackers even later than that.

The story was written during the time of the Victorian reinvention of Christmas, and could even arguably be called one of the great influences. As such, to think of a Christmas without A Christmas Carol is near impossible.

The moral message, alongside the introduction of hope and family as part of the Christmas spirit is what makes this heart-warming classic a definite Christmas must-read.

Arianne Stack

24

Science

Alice Vardy, Science Editor

WINNER OF THE ARTICLE OF THE WEEK SPONSORED BY ODEON COLCHESTER

A Public Service Announcement On The Perils Of Global Sea Climate Melt Change Warming Rise It has been decided that humanity should give up on this hopeless crusade to stem the (potentially literal) tide of climate change. Most people are doubtless amazed by this decision. They would argue that the inevitable global catastrophe and mass fatalities are a fate worth avoiding.

It is suspected that this is a lie concocted by the global capitalist agenda to get you to purchase more flip-flops and those little umbrellas you put in lurid fruity cocktails. We are also suspicious of the veracity of the claims because we’ve just been outside, and its freezing.

The impending obliteration of the modern world as we know it apparently necessitates sifting through our refuse to divide polypropopolypothene from propolypropopolypothene. On balance we don’t think it’s worth it.

A major consequence of ‘Global Warming’ will apparently be a notable rise in sea levels. This is because the Polar Ice Caps tend to turn runny when it’s hot. This could present a serious issue for people who like Polar Bears.

It is a fact that 100% of scientists and 100% of Al Gore now agree that something is definitely happening; 65% of these individuals purport to have a vague idea of what this something is. The main warning is about ‘Global Warming’.

But consider this: have you seen what they do to cute little baby seals? An additional impact will be the disappearance of icebergs. Given our habit of crashing great big boats with Kate Winslet aboard into them, we think the world would be safer for fading Hollywood starlets without them.

Coming from a country where recent surveys indicated most people thought the weather was ‘miserable’ and ‘usually crap’, warmer weather might be a vast improvement.

Instead of looking like a woollen Michelin Man during the winter months, you could wash down your Christmas dinner with a Mai Tai next to the pool. Sure, some poor soul will wake up to find their holiday chalet in Great Yarmouth is now a houseboat, but sea air is healthy for the aged community.

This has been a public service announcement on the dangers of Rising Climate and Global Change, brought to you by The Ministry Of Threats To Humanity Russell Brand Doesn’t Have A Solution To Yet.

Elijah Bell

Climate Change: The Elephant at the G20 Summit Great Barrier Reef. This was followed by the announcement that the US and Japan have pledged $4.5 billion to the new Green Climate Fund, formed by the UN to mitigate climate change.

Recently the ninth G20 summit took place in Brisbane, where 20 of the world’s most economically powerful leaders discuss international economic strategies. It is also a forum to discuss climate change and what can be done to limit the damage done by capitalism.

Yet this did not seem the case at this summit, Australia’s Prime Minister Tony Abbott fought the inclusion of Climate Change in the summit’s agenda. Abbott is well known for his disdain for climate change science, he once called it “absolute crap”.

The subject was relegated to single paragraph in the communique and refused to acknowledge the Green Climate Fund.

Other world leaders put Australia to shame, Barack Obama gave a defiant speech at Queensland University, where he urged sceptics to look squarely at the science and to protect majestic gifts like the

400 protesters gathered on Bondi Beach in Sydney to protest Australia’s avoidance of this critical issue by sticking their heads in the sand, literally. Another response to this omittance is from Google, it has launched “Street View” for the Great Barrier Reef, which features more than 100,000 beautiful images.

Fake Science: Cats always land on their feet and toast always falls butter-side down, attach the two together then affix cat-toast apparatus to generator et voila infinite rotation!

Yet this all has a serious undercurrent as it allows the public to track the changes and more specifically the damage that is being done to the Great Barrier Reef. The destruction is a result of rising sea temperatures which results in acidification and periodic underwater cyclones.

Alice Vardy

Wednesday 26th november | Issue 161

SCIENCE SCIENCE

25

Island in the Sun I bet that the majority of you have heard about solar panels, which you would expect to find in fields, meadows and on the roofs of houses, and possibly supplying energy to traffic signs or even powering cars and planes. But have you ever heard of solar panels on water?

But Switzerland is not the only country with such idea. In September this year, two companies in Japan announced that they will be building two huge solar panels floating on reservoirs. This project will follow the Kagoshima solar power plant, which opened in 2013 and floats in the sea near the coast of southern Japan.

The oceans collect nearly 80% of the energy that Earth receives every day from sun rays, the equivalent of nearly 250 billion barrels of oil, and three times more than the worldwide daily demand for energy. Therefore covering even small amounts of the world oceans could provide us with lots of energy.

Japan is turning to solar energy because of the devastating accident in Fukushima in 2011. After this accident, people stopped trusting nuclear power and therefore the government needed to find another source of energy for its 127 million inhabitants. Also Japan has only limited space on land, so building solar panels on the sea was the best possibility at this time.

In 2013, two companies in Switzerland decided to build three solar islands, which will be placed on Lake Neuchâtel. These floating solar panels will be placed 150 metres off the shore and provide energy for laboratories, which will be placed in those floating islands. Each of these islands will have 25 metres in diameter, will carry 100 solar panels and should be sustainable for 25 years. After that all of their parts will be recycled.

Let’s hope all of these projects will pay off and other countries will follow those examples, as we need to turn to renewable resources before finite resources, such as oil, run out.

Barbora Eliet Hrádecká

Science Update: In 2012 scientists at CERN got incredibly excited about the God particle, also known as the Higgs Boson, which a particle that is believed to be one of the things that caused life to start, the universe to expand, and basically anything we can’t really explain. Scientists have recently admitted that this particle may not be the only explanation for the occurrence of life, the universe and everything.

China and the USA have made historic climate change agreement to dramatically cut their carbon outputs. In 2008 these two countries alone were responsible for just under half of the world’s’ carbon emissions and frequently use each other as an excuse for making little effort to combat climate change. China will aim to have 20% of the country’s energy from renewable sources by 2030 and the US have given themselves the goal of reducing carbon emission by 26-28% by 2025.

There has been more conflicting evidence on the effects of THC, the active chemical in marijuana, on the brain. A recent study has found that although the grey matter shrinks as a result of the usage of this drug, the connections in the brain multiply in order to counterbalance this change.

ESA have managed to land the Philae probe upon a comet, and if you didn’t already know that you should probably remove yourself from the cave you have been living in.

Once mosquitos were very happy to munch on pretty much anything with a pulse, guinea pigs, horses whatever meal came their way. But mosquitos developed a penchant for human blood a few thousand years ago, scientists have discovered the Or4 gene that is responsible for making the scent of human blood irresistible.

A team in the Netherlands has designed and installed a stretch of cycling path 70 metres long that doubles as a solar panel. Now granted 70 metres doesn’t sound like very much, but it’s being hailed as a proof of concept by renewable energy groups around the globe. So someday soon, when you go for a drive, the road you are on may be providing electricity for the surrounding houses.

Alice Vardy

26

Lifestyle

Luiza Sandru, Lifestyle Editor

First Zero-Waste Supermarket Opens in Berlin Germany is a country known for dedication to environment and its eco-friendly practices. So when Original Unverpackt, a crowdfunded project aiming to open the first packaging-free supermarket in Berlin got an incredible support no one was surprised. Raising more than double the amount they were aiming for, today the company is running with almost 400 products, and it only started last August!

“You’ll find everything you need. You won’t find countless brands for each product because one, the right one, is enough. We carefully test and select each product. Most of our food is sourced regionally.”

The shopping works like this: the customer brings his reusable containers for both food and drinks, fills them from the dispatched bulk tubes in which the products are stored, weights it and pays for it. It’s a fairly simple

The place where it all started seems perfect for this type of business. Kreuzberg, a notoriously old, cheap neighbourhood, now hosts a hip and very conscientious young population which the income to support a project like this.

system that gives an option to those with growing concerns over food and ethical consumption.

But it is only a small step in the path to slow down the climate change which will, in the future, make it very difficult to grow food. We must be aware of how environmentally unsound it is to import an exotic fruit or the consequences of the deforestation caused by intensive animal farming and out-of-season vegetable growing, and we must act upon it.

Similar initiatives to Original Unverpackt have been attempted in the UK but were never successful, however in 2011 alone, nearly 11m tonnes of packaging waste were produced here. That is our little contribution to the islands of rubbish in the ocean or in landfills around the globe.

The initiative, launched by Milena Glimbowski and Sara Wolf, is part of a Zero Waste movement concerned about the rubbish created by our consumer habits and its consequence on the environment. The initiative has different priorities from normal supermarkets:

Even though there may not be a high demand for a similar project in other countries, a necessity definitely exists and more similar shops should be created if we care about our future.

Isabel Rivas Martínez

Four Winter Essentials We Need In Our Lives Right Now With the cold weather upon us, it is quite normal that our necessity from clothing to the products that we use, and everything in between, will probably change. Winter is coming, and as much as we love Christmas, the last thing we want to do in the mornings is to leave our cozy bed and face the cold wind for our 9am lecture.

That is why I’ve come up with four things that will hopefully make your life easier during the winter months.

1. Hot drinks will save your life It doesn’t matter if you are a tea kind of person or if you prefer coffee. Any warm drink will give you the best feeling when you are walking around campus from class to class or studying in the library. Plus all the coffee outlets have their Christmas drinks back again. No one can say no to a Pumpkin Spice Latte or a Gingerbread hot chocolate.

2. Invest in a hot water bottle Most people don’t understand how crucial this is, especially if you don’t leave in university accommodation. Having to actually pay for your heating now that is not included in the rent will cause a lot of tension in the house. So even though you want to turn the heating on, the rest of your housemates will not agree with you.

Your duvet is not thick enough to cope with the cold and you don’t have money to pay the full bill anyway.

Great for cuddling up in bed or having it on your lap when you sit at the desk and write your essays. You can even put it under your jumper for extra warmth!

3. Cover yourself in warmth One of the best gifts I ever received are these massive slippers. Even though it was very weird walking in them at the beginning, they keep my feet warm all day long so I can’t complain. Invest in thick socks and mittens, the key of keeping yourself warm is by keeping your extremities warm. Invest in a couple of thick jumpers, classes can get cold and shivering in the library will stop you for being productive.

4. Good food The best feeling in the world is getting out of the bed and eating something warm. It will take a few minutes longer, but there are so many warm breakfast ideas that are very quick to make so you have no excuse.

Put your sandwich in the oven for a few minutes or warm your milk before eating cereal. Porridge is also a good idea, 2-3 minutes in the microwave and you have a yummy breakfast that you can customize to your liking.

For lunch and dinner eat some soup - that will give you all the vitamins that you need and it is very healthy. Soups are in general quite easy to make, but if you’re not very good at cooking you can always find some really good quality soups in almost every shop.

Luiza Sandru

Wednesday 26TH NOVEMBER | Issue 161

COLUMN

Green Beauty An Olive for Your Thoughts?

LIFESTYLE

27

DIY Gifts for Family and Friends

If you are wondering what is the meaning behind my bad pun up there I can help you with that. It’s simple: to me, olives are like money. And then how about olive oil? That’s right- liquid cash! It is time for your favourite Green Beauty DIY, brought to you by the writers of the Lifestyle Section. So what I suggest you is to try to include olive oil into your beauty routine this week. For any of the of the multiple uses mentioned in this article, I guarantee that besides it being delicious and healthy, olive oil will surprise you with amazing results after only one try!

It’s that time of year again. We’ve done another term, despite all the budgeting struggles! If you’re a first year then you are just learning how to manage your finances, so what better way to save money than to make Christmas gifts for your family and friends this year? Not only is it cheaper, it will be sentimental and they will appreciate it more because of the thought that has gone into it.

First, let’s look at why even Cleopatra was ardent about it during ancient times. The reason lies in the abundance of vitamins, minerals and natural fatty acids, who are the best friends for sensitive skin.

Olive oil also is the main ingredient in anti-aging skin care products and because it is so rich in antioxidants, not only it prevents the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, but it also nourishes and rejuvenates. Through the action of the vitamin E and A it prolongs and maintains the elasticity of the skin by hydrating it intensively. The list of the beauty purposes that Extra Virgin Olive Oil has is very long, but here are a few that I have tried and benefited from myself:

1. A Photo Album/A Collage of Photos

1. Olive oil bath To give your skin the softness and smoothness that gets lost because of rubbing against the fabric of your clothes all day, add 5-10 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil to the water before you hop into the bathtub. You can add more if you like, it is truly a matter of personal preference.

2. Olive oil make-up remover This is the part where I assure you that putting oil onto your face, even if you have oily complexion, is actually advised! The olive oil will actually grab onto other oil-based products, removing them from within the pores. If you want to kill two birds with one stone, after using cotton pads, focus more on opening the pores by performing a facial massage. This will leave the skin smooth and rejuvenated. For a walkthrough on facial massages, have a look at my last article on the newspaper’s web page (www.therabbitnewspaper.com).

Here are some ideas to help you:

Have you got a lovely photo frame or album that you no longer use? If not find a cheap one from a charity shop or whilst you’re window-shopping. All you really need is Facebook! Find some nice photographs and then you have yourself a great gift for both family and friends!

2. A Candle With a Candle Holder All you really need is a pack of tea candles, which are fairly cheap. Do you have a pretty mug or cup that you no longer use? If not, again charity shops are always a great option or even Tesco! Get a matching cup and saucer and put a candle in it! If they don’t want the candle, at least they can have a nice cup of tea!

Okay, so the name doesn’t quite work, but this is perfect for your mates! It’s no secret that we do indulge ourselves with the occasional drink, especially at Christmas.

So why not get your friends a pack of 4 bottles of beer or cider and dress them up? All you need are two goggly eyes, a small bit of red tinsel, a red ribbon and some crafty wire, which you can get from any stationary store.

Put them on the beer and BAM you have a cute Rudolph to give away!

3. Lip scrub Mix sugar with a teaspoon of olive oil and some lemon juice. Using your fingers or an old toothbrush massage your lips gently. Be careful though, you might be tempted to eat the product! It’s delicious!

4. Cuticle conditioner

4. A Chalkboard Mug

In order to grow long, strong healthy nails, olive oil is a must! Apply a bit while massaging into the skin and over the surface of the nail and let it sit while you’re watching a film or even going to bed.

For this all you will need is a porcelain mug, painter’s tape and Pebeo Porcelaine 150 Chalkboard Paint, which is available on Amazon. Use the painter’s tape to put on the section you don’t wish to paint.

So here are four of the benefits of using olive oil that I swear by. I have been doing this for so long now, I learnt to always go to nature for perfect results and no rely on fabricated products full of chemicals and harmful substances. So keep your eyes peeled for another green beauty article in the next issue. Until then, give this ancient beauty secret a try and watch as the health of your mind and body unveils itself from within.

Madalina Leordean

3. Rudolf the Red Nosed Beer!

Once painted with the chalkboard paint, let it dry for 24 hours and put in the oven to bake for half an hour on a low heat and let it cool down. Once cool, it is free to wrap and give away!

Gina Dedman

28

How to make Pumpkin Spice Lattes People wait all year for autumn to come and drink this tasty beverage at Starbucks. Consumers have tried to even push the brand to sell this all year long, and as nice as that sounds, having this seasonal drink only in the colder months is what makes this drink so special. The downsides of it is the amount of sugar and other unhealthy ingredients that are used in making it. But you can always make your healthier version at home whenever you like!. It’s so easy, and you’ll have enough to share with someone you truly love. Don’t skip the whip!

What You Need:

Instructions:

Ingredients

Equipment

2 tablespoons canned pumpkin

Mixer, whisk, or hand blender, to whip cream

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, plus more to garnish

1. Heat the pumpkin and spices: In a small saucepan over

medium heat cook the pumpkin with the pumpkin pie spice and a generous helping of black pepper for 2 minutes or until it’s hot and smells cooked. Stir constantly.

Saucepan

Freshly ground black pepper

Wooden spoon

2 tablespoons sugar

Whisk

2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

Blender

2 cups whole milk

Espresso maker or coffee maker

2. Stir in the sugar: Add the sugar and stir until the mixture looks like a bubbly thick syrup.

3.

Warm the milk: Whisk in the milk and vanilla extract.

Warm gently over medium heat, watching carefully to make sure it doesn’t boil over.

1 to 2 shots espresso, about 1/4 cup 1/4 cup heavy cream, whipped until firm peaks form

4. Blend the milk: Carefully process the milk mixture with a hand blender or in a traditional blender (hold the lid down tightly with a thick wad of towels!) until frothy and blended.

5.

Mix the drinks: Make the espresso or coffee and divide between two mugs and add the frothed milk.

Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, or nutmeg if desired.

Substitutions: Milk Fat: This recipe is most satisfying when made with whole milk, but 2% and skim can be substituted.

Canned Pumpkin Substitution: You can substitute 1 teaspoon Torani Pumpkin Spice Syrup for the canned pumpkin if you have it on hand.

Sugar Substitute: You can use a sugar substitute in place of the sugar if desired. Add to taste.

Pumpkin Pie Spice Substitute: No pumpkin pie spice? No problem — use any recipe you like to make it out of cinnamon, ginger, and other spices.

Espresso Substitute: If you don’t have espresso on hand, you can use strong brewed coffee instead. Increase amount to 1/3 to 1/2 cup.

Recipe from http://www.thekitchn.com/

WEDNESDAY 26TH NOVEMBER | ISSUE 161

LIFESTYLE

Friday 5th of December Winter Fayre on the Squares!

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Sports

Tom Phillips, Sports Editor

American Football Match Report:

UEA vs Essex Blades Final score: 8-2 to UEA Man of the match for offense: Joe Chadwick Man of the match for defence: Jason Tshimbalanga Essex Blades had their first game of the season with a mouthwatering fixture against rivals UEA Pirates at home. UEA came to the new season with high expectations from last season after finishing second in our division.

This game was highly anticipated and drew a large crowd of supporters both from the University (including many other sports teams) and family members. The crowd was loud and managed to brave the wet muddy weather for a game of defence.

The score was still at 2-0 late in the fourth quarter when Essex fumbled a punt deep in their half, giving a short field to UEA. The defence once again managed to stop Chris Carson, the long-time UEA running back. But a penalty on the defence resulted in a score for Carson on a short run that was converted for 2 points. Essex attempted a comeback but fell short.

The next game is away at Kent Falcons who are coached by a former Blades defensive captain Jamie Griffiths.

Greg Forsaith

The Blades were the first on the board with a safety coming off a fumbled punt by UEA. The score remained at 2-0 for the majority of the game making it very intense as any side could have taken the lead at any time.

Both teams struggled on offence, with UEA hardly completing a pass due to a strong secondary and the linebackers and lineman shutting down the run game. The Blades got a few first downs on completions to Luke Hallet and Jon Ives. The run game of Essex started to see some life on the backs of Johnny Wamala and Daniel Jay.

WEDNESDAY 26TH NOVEMBER | ISSUE 161

SPORTS

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