Courier 1356

thecourier

Monday 30 October 2017 Issue 1356 Free

thecourieronline.co.uk

Beauty How to do Halloween on a student budget Page 19

Arts We get Christopher Little’s take on ‘Our Theresa’ Page 31

Science Could we build Frankenstein’s monster?

Page 33

The independent voice of Newcastle students

Est 1948 Halloween Special Inside today >>>

Your Halloween night out We put all the options on the table for your perfect Halloween night out Lifestyle, page 15

Appropriation on Halloween Charlotte Brook tells us when a costume become an act of perpetuating a cultural stereotype Fashion, page 16

Top 5 horror TV shows For those in love with Halloween TV, here’s our selection of what shows are out there for you TV, page 24

Club Tropicana: Zombies Local zombie hunter Jack Coles mentions Wetherspoons as he talks us through daywalkers as a gaming staple Gaming, page 29

Robot doppelgängers Conor Newton explores whether the world would notice if any of us were replaced Science, page 32

The ISoc protest Image: Qiushi Song

Muslim community outraged Protest surrounding changes to the King George VI prayer space 100 people protested to regain 24/7 access Valentina Egorova News Editor The Muslim community of Newcastle University carried out a peaceful protest against the university’s alleged plans to limit access to the campus prayer space.

On Sunday, October 23, members of the Islam Society gathered to pray outside the King George VI Building in an attempt to show how important that the prayer space remains open throughout the week. Despite the strong gusts of wind, about 100 people came to take part in the protest in a hope to regain the 24/7 access to the room, as it used to be for years before.

This summer, the prayer space was closed for two months to remove asbestos from ducts beneath the room. It was reopened by the beginning of the academic year in late September with new opening times, limiting access during weekends. It is now open on weekdays, and Saturdays from 8am to 1pm, despite the fact that the religion of Islam requires five prayers each day throughout the year.

“If you go to the library, it’s open on Saturdays and Sundays. The university is aware that students study during weekends. And likewise, we pray throughout the week. It’s very important for us - praying is part of our lives”, said Mielad Niekzad, a Biomedical Science student.

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hours on a Saturday - the only opening times on a weekend are 8am to 1pm on a Saturday

Currently, during weekends, Muslim students are forced to pray either outdoors on the ground or seek alternative

hideouts on campus to avoid the public eye.

“The bare minimum we can ask for is somewhere to pray and express our religious freedom” Mielad Niekzad, Biomedical Science Student

“A prayer is something very personal and private in your life, and when people walk past, they’re scared and staring at us. So, we ask the university to let us pray in a specially dedicated place”, said Niekzad.

The Muslim community on campus comes to a few thousand students, and the Islam Society boasts to be the largest and the most ethnically diverse society on campus. The prayer space brings the Muslim community together, and most of them see it as a place to escape from

the mundane problems and meet with the “sisters” and “brothers”.

“You can work hard for hours at university, and then come to the prayer space to find that relaxation and to meditate”, added Niekzad.

“There is a huge number of Muslims on campus, and a lot of them are international students, who are paying huge tuition fees. The bare minimum we can ask for is somewhere to pray and express our religious freedom”, said Omar Ali, a medical student.

“This prayer space is a well-established place. It has been here for decades. Why is it suddenly being removed?”

Talking to The Courier, the members of the Islam Society admitted that they fear there is a “hidden agenda” behind these plans, referring to the Islamophobic sentiments injected by the mass media.

But the university denies such allegations, pointing to the “unexpected building issues”. continued on page 7

Halloween quiz Have a go at our Thriller Night puzzle, as well as your regular crossword and sudoku Puzzles, page 35

The Great Senior Editor Carve Off The Courier’s senior editors were tested to the extreme in the Harrison Place tent, as they each carved a pumpkin and are pitted against each other Feature, page 10-11

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From the archives

Monday 30 October 2017

thecourier The Courier is a weekly newspaper produced by students, for students. It’s never too late to get involved in the paper, whether you’re a writer, illustrator or photographer. Just visit thecourieronline.co.uk/about for more information.

Editor James Sproston Deputy Editor Alex Hendley Online Editor Jared Moore Copy Editor Laura Staniforth Current Affairs Editor Sunil Nambiar News Editors Valentina Egorova, Hanson Jones, Louise Hall, Laura Higgins and Isabel Sykes Comment Editors Jamie Cameron, Caitlin Disken and Alexandra Sadler Life & Style Editor Izzi Watkins Lifestyle Editors Sophie Henderson, Jaymelouise Hudspith, Lauren Sneath and Victoria Young Fashion Editors Chloe Bland, Sophie Schneider and Zofia Zwieglinska Beauty Editors Laura Greatrex, Lois Johnston and Susanne Norris Travel Editors Charlotte Hill and Talia Gillin Culture Editors Zoë Godden and Errol Kerr Arts Editors Scarlett Rowland and Carys Thomas Music Editors Toby Bryant, Charlie Isaacs and Ally Wilson TV Editors Jacob Clarke, Joel Leaver and Alex Moore Film Editors Helena Buchanan, Daniel Haygarth and Christopher Wilkinson Gaming Editors Gerry Hart, Georgina Howlett and Richard Liddle Science Editors Jack Coles, Christopher Little and Ciara Ritson-Courtney Sports Editors Tom Shrimplin, Courtney Strait and Mark Sleightholm The Courier NUSU King’s Walk Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8QB Tel: 0191 239 3940 The Courier is printed by: Print and Digital Associates, Fernleigh House, 10 Uttoxeter Road, Derby, Derbyshire, United Kingdom, DE3 0DA. Established in 1948, the Courier is the fully independent student newspaper of the Students’ Union at Newcastle University. The Courier is published weekly during term time, and is free of charge.

The design, text, photographs and graphics are copyright of the Courier and its individual contributors. No parts of this newspaper may be reproduced without the prior permission of the Editor. Any views expressed in this newspaper’s opinion pieces are those of the individual writing, and not of the Courier, the Students’ Union or Newcastle University.

5 YEARS AGO

Courier by law student Terry Morris, who complained about the “deplorable and detestable practice” of paper registers in lectures. Worried that the practice was spreading Morris proposed a “large scale protest”.

Attendance monitoring sparks protests 55 YEARS AGO Swiping smartcards is just the latest in University a long line of controversial methods the University has used to monitor student rebranded attendance. Five years ago proposals to introduce biometric scanning, where students would have to scan their fingerprints on entering their lectures, caused outrage on campus.

Members of Newcastle Free Education Network responded by setting up a mock fingerprint-scanning station outside the Students’ Union.

“The introduction of biometric scanning [would be] unnecessary and intrusive,” one campaigner explained.

The proposals, like the smartcard scanning scheme introduced last year, were in response to a call from the UK Border Agency for universities to closely monitor the attendance of international students. However, the protesters pointed out that the University’s proposals went beyond the level of monitoring required by the Border Agency, and also highlighted the lack of communication from the University about the issue.

Attendance monitoring has long been a controversial issue. Coincidentally, this protest came on the 55th anniversary of the publication of a letter in the

After nearly 30 years as “King’s College” the institution was set to be renamed “Newcastle University” when it gained independence from Durham in 1963.

The Newcastle college made up around two thirds of Durham University’s student population, and increasing tensions between the two sites made the creation of a separate university in Newcastle the most sensible solution.

The college had been known as “King’s” since the 1930s and a survey conducted by the Students’ Union suggested that three out of every four students wanted their new university to be called “King’s University”.

Interestingly, two per cent of students voted for the name “Northumbria University”.

The Council of the new university decided against the King’s name because of its connections with King’s College in Cambridge and King’s College London, and, as the Courier pointed out, “we would always be known as Newcastle anyway”.

56 YEARS AGO

RAG hits low Compared to its heyday in the 1950s, Rag Week 1961 was a sorry affair. A combination of poor planning, poor weather and a partial boycott by the influential Agric society saw a paltry sum of just £10,017 collected, the lowest total in five years. In today’s money that works out at over £212,000; RAG Week 2017 raised £5,000.

Nevertheless the Courier of 1961 complained that Rag needed to do more, particularly in the way of selling tickets

and collecting money from members of the public.

Long before any pretence of standing for “Raising and Giving”, Rag Week was a celebration of student debauchery.

Highlights of the week included the traditional pageant, which saw students design floats to parade through the city centre, various dances and balls, and some slightly more questionable activities.

Piano bashing at Haymarket, beauty contests, mock slave auctions and raids on student halls rounded out the week, but the winds of change that were blowing across 1961 saw these traditional Rag activities come under increasing criticism.

Image: Susie May Beaver

news

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the courier Monday 30 October 2017

@TheCourier_News courier.news@ncl.ac.uk thecourieronline.co.uk/news Current Affairs Editor Sunil Nambiar News Editors Valentina Egorova, Hanson Jones, Louise Hall, Laura Higgins & Isabel Sykes

Has MLK been misrepresented at Luther’s?

Hanson Jones News Editor Concerns have recently been raised about the visual portrayal of Martin Luther King Jr on the windows of the Luther’s, the students’ union bar at NUSU. A motion was passed in December 2016 allowing for a change in the name of the bar from its previous name Mensbar, to another which was voted on by students in the March elections. Out of the three names eventually put to a vote, Luther’s was chosen by the student electorate as the new name for the bar.

The area on the lower floor of NUSU was then renovated over the summer to reflect this, including depictions of Dr King himself on the rear windows.

The Students’ Union received one formal complaint from a University professor concerning the murals, along with

Students came forward with concerns that these representations of Dr King were inappropriate on the basis of it being a bar anecdotal evidence from the student community, NUSU President Ronnie Reid told Student Council last Thursday. Students came forward with concerns that these representations of Dr King were inappropriate on the basis of it being a bar, and that this could cause offence to Dr King’s family.

He also informed Council that in the motion passed, it was stipulated that the name chosen must remain for at least three years, and that we might find ourselves in a “curious situation” should the Union be prohibited from using visual representations relating to the bar’s

name.

Various opinions were share at the Student Council on Thursday, including one referring to Dr King’s previous troubles with alcohol and his subsequent decision to adhere to sobriety.

It may then be seen as discrediting his legacy to have an establishment devoted in part to selling alcohol using his image in its branding.

However, Mr Reid noted that the

The issue is particularly pertinent coinciding with Newcastle’s Freedom City 2017 programme formal complaint made no mention of student union policy, and that the rules keeping the name in place for the coming three years would also allow students to pass a new motion regarding the murals.

It was also made clear at the Council meeting that the selection of the names to go to the vote were reviewed by various committees within the Students’ Union and the University.

The issue is particularly pertinent coinciding with Newcastle’s Freedom City 2017 programme, commemorating 50 years since Martin Luther King Jr’s honorary doctorate issues by Newcastle University in 1967.

Mark Walker, a history student, said: “It’s great that Newcastle University recognised Martin Luther King’s work during his lifetime, but that was fifty years ago, surely, there is something more recent that we can be proud of?

“I feel like it’s a bit over the top to have four of his faces on the windows of the student bar, and his name wasn’t even Luther - Martin Luther was a religious reformist, who has no connection to Newcastle whatsoever.”

Martin Luther King Jr Image: Wikimedia Commons

Locals fear spooky student celebrations Grace Dean In the run up to Halloween, students are reminded to be mindful of their alcohol limits and be respectful towards neighbours as concerns over student behaviour in Jesmond over the Halloween period are on the rise.

“It is really important that students take care and ensure their own safety and that of others is maintained”

Osborne Road, Jesmond Image: Wikimedia

Tony Waterston, Chair of the JRA (Jesmond Residents’ Association), has suggested a number of steps that students are encouraged to take to ensure that their Halloween plans disturb neighbours to a minimum. This includes student who live in streets such as Osborne, Queens and Manor House Roads being particularly mindful; these streets, whilst being popular with students, also house many families with children, and

therefore students are reminded to be quiet after 11pm. Additionally, students having parties to celebrate Halloween are encouraged to limit these to their houses and not spill out onto the street, as doing so can spread noise and litter onto the street, which can strain towngown relations.

Despite this, there has recently been a lot of cooperation between Newcastle University Students Union, the University and the JRA with many joint activities being held to break down barriers between the student and permanent populations, including a community litter pick.

The JRA, which was established in 1964, is a non-political association which aims to voice any issues raised my residents of the area bounded by the North and South Jesmond Wards.

Whilst the student population in Jesmond has contributed to some ongoing problems in the area, including noise, litter and vandalism, the JRA recognises that a lot of work has been done by NUSU and the University to foster good relationships with the local residents. The JRA recognises that the students are not solely to blame for

these “student-related” issues, as some of them stem from a lack of awareness about Anti-Social Behaviour legislation, and Jesmond’s litter problem can to an extent be traced back to landlords who do not properly educated their tenants about waste removal policies, leading to ambiguity about bin dates and students often using waste removal bins other than their own.

One key issue being raised by the JRA this year is bars along Osborne Road offering cheap Halloween drinks offers. These encourage students to drink more alcohol than usual, which can lead to rowdy behaviour when students are on their way back home.

President of NUSU Ronnie Reid said, “Halloween is always a great time to celebrate, and I hope that all students enjoy it after a tough day in the Robbo. That being said, it is really important that students take care and ensure their own safety and that of others is maintained.

I would also ask that the student body continue to demonstrate their care and consideration towards other local residents. The start to this year has been really positive, and I look forward to this continuing.”

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Monday October 30 2017

Friends of MSF hosts a panel discussion on refugee crisis Mark Walker On Monday, 23 October, the Friends of MSF society held a panel discussion “The Refugee Crisis” to raise awareness of immigration issues and to seek answers to what had caused it in the first place.

The event, which was free admission, took place in Dental Lecture Theatre, bringing together around 50 people.

The panel featured such panellists as a Syrian refugee, who relocated the North East; Elena Katselli, a Senior Lecturer in Law at Newcastle University; a representative from Newcastle City of Sanctuary; an MSF anaesthetist who has recently returned from Jordan; a representative from the Comfrey Project, a Newcastle based charity that helps refugees integrate into the community; and two committee members from

N.E.S.T., a Newcastle University society of student volunteers that teach English to refugees.

The event started with the speakers sharing their personal stories and their vision that generated a range of questions in the audience, which enabled guests to explore the topic further.

A student who attended the discussion said: “As informative, interesting, this insight into the Syrian civil war was, the one and a half hours of discussion was simply not enough to scratch the surface of other pressing refugee issues around the world, or to solve the deep problems which politicians, nations and the UN have failed to do in recent years.”

Friends of MSF (Medecins Sans Frontiers) is a humanitarian organisation that provides impartial and free healthcare to out-of-reach or endemic areas and raises funds for the vital work.

Syrian refugees Image: IOM

From the Middle to the North East - a 2,500 mile journey Rory Cameron

R

egrettably, both media and public interest in the plight of others is all too fleeting. Attention on the hundreds of thousands of refugees desperately seeking to cross the Mediterranean has waned.

The ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar is old news. Venezuela’s plight continues, with food, medicine and power shortages since its economy collapsed widespread. All these issues once dominated the front pages of newspapers, and the problems remain severe, which have lead to the deaths of hundreds of thousands, and the deaths of millions, is an all-tooeasy crime to commit, one which most of us are guilty of.

Not so, the six inspiring and courageous women who were part of the panel discussion on the refugee crisis, and stood before a half-empty lecture theatre to speak of their personal experiences, and what more needs to be done.

Elena Katselli, a senior lecturer at Newcastle Law School, rejected the terminology of a ‘refugee crisis’, suggesting that this insinuates the problem is caused by the people who suffer from it most- the refugees. Moreover, the media have exploited this terminology to their own benefit, and not enough blame scrutiny has fallen on the countries who ‘wash their hands of International Law violations which occur outside their territory.’ Inaction towards countries who have persistently

broken international law, and abused human rights, has continued despite the existence of the UN security council, a highly politicised body, which has come under fire in the past for both unlawful intervention in Kosovo; failing to block the illegal invasions of Iraq, Afghanistan and Ukraine; and a lack of action in Rwanda, South Sudan, Kashmir, Libya….

Anaesthetist Dr. Shabana Anwar spent 6 weeks in Jordan with Medecins Sans Frontières at an emergency trauma surgery centre, just across the border from Syria. She has witnessed first hand how politics has interfered with the lives of vulnerable, wounded and dying civilians, who have been denied treatment, or sent back across the border because of intentionally narrow definitions and terminology in the 1951 convention for the status of refugees. Despite her positive actions, she still feels like their work was ‘putting a band-aid on a grave injury.’

Salma Alyounes is one of the luckier Syrians who escaped the war and is the veritable embodiment of selflessness. As the civil war war raged on, she remained in Damascus, working by candlelight as a gynaecologist, because others needed her help. When men came looking to kidnap her [perhaps because she is Kurdish, or perhaps just because she is a woman doctor] she chose to flee to foreign lands, alone, in order protect her children. It would be over a year until she next saw her family again. Despite her enormous strength to travel thousands of miles across Europe, find refuge in a foreign

land, courage from and then bring her family to safety, the painful memories of her journey and separation bring her to tears. Reliving such traumatic memories is one thing she is not strong enough to do, and as the discussion restarts, a disturbed expression lingers on her face.

Fortunately for Salma and her family, they have benefitted from the efforts of people like Newcastle students Bridget Stratford and Ala’a Otain from North East Solidarity and Teaching who volunteer to lead classes six days a week, helping refugees assimilate with the community, and overcoming cultural barriers, such as misinterpreted gestures of respect, to communicating with a neighbour. Sarah Smart, from Newcastle City of Sanctuary, has 15 years of experience helping relocate and welcome refugees, and continues her outstanding work in the face of vicious cuts to public services. In the face of so much adversity, the inspiring story in the lecture theatre was that all six women were part of an effort to help and support their fellow human beings.

Salma too, has been doing everything in her power to find work so that she can contribute to the community, and is hoping to return to medicine once her English is at a sufficient level. Maybe, in time, she will even develop a full Geordie accent like her three children.

‘I want to be a doctor, I want to help people, because everyone in Newcastle has a beautiful heart, ’ she pleads, with palpable longing in her voice. Don’t believe what you read in the Daily Mail.

Shaista Aziz calls for feminist solidarity Zoe Crowther

On Wednesday the 25th October, the Feminist Society invited Shaista Aziz to speak about gendered Islamophobia and its relevance to the development of modern feminism.

Amelia Webb, the president of FemSoc, gave her insight into the value of this honest discussion: “It is increasingly important to talk about the intersectional aspects of racism, misogyny and all other forms of oppression across the world.”

“Why are we not protecting our feminist sisters? I want representation that is real” Shaista Aziz, Journalist and Aid Worker

On this, Shaista Aziz would most certainly agree. A freelance journalist and an international aid worker, Aziz has spent many years working across the Middle East and the UK, listening to the experiences of women and communicating them to others in the bid for change.

The primary obstacle was quickly identified by Aziz: “There has been a narrative, for a very long time, where women who identify as Muslim need to be saved from themselves.” It was proposed that this view has been maintained throughout colonial history, with Muslim women repeatedly subjected to the politicisation of their lives and bodies.

Aziz explained how the actions of the US and British governments have only

served to continue this trope, by using the image of suffering Afghan women to justify their military exploits.

The need to critically evaluate political figures has not disappeared: “Hillary Clinton is frequently held up as a poster woman for feminism,” Aziz pointed out, “but she is not viewed as a heroine by marginalised feminists of colour.

We need to apply our intersectional lens to our feminism, and not look on ethnic minorities through the lens of victimhood.”

In other words, the agency of racially oppressed groups must be recognised, so that they can fully utilise their power and legitimacy.

Current affairs were addressed, such as the challenges that Brexit and Trump present to the liberal values on which the Western world prides itself.

The talk revealed that these events are occurring alongside rising hate crimes and acts of terrorism across Europe, making the lives of Muslim women, both internationally and within the UK, increasingly uncertain.

While commenting on these broad issues, Aziz brought personal stories of oppression and discrimination into the picture.

As well as relating the harrowing experiences of other women, she spoke of her own experiences of racism and how they affected her. “I felt so demoralised, I just wanted to go silent. I was very tired by this racialised violence on our streets.”

Shaista Aziz did not stay silent for long. In the Q&A session which followed the talk, she encouraged students to engage and discuss how they too could make an impact.

The message was clear: “Why are we not protecting our feminist sisters? I want representation that is real. Open up the spaces you work in and pick a way in which to show solidarity.”

Shaista Aziz Image: Shaista Aziz

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Monday October 30 2017

Reid reveals affordable student meals James Sproston Editor Newcastle University Student’s Union President has taken the first step of his ‘NUSU Affordability 2018’ plan by introducing a cheap meal deal option in the library, starting this week.

The new deal is the first of its kind in the library, incorporating the commonly seen ‘sandwich, drink and snack’ format. The options on show range from the ‘Egg Mayo’ and ‘Cheese Savoury’ sandwiches.

“We want price justifications and better proposals to make life more affordable, it’s really not much to ask.”

Ronnie Reid, NUSU President

With a ‘Simply Ham’ sandwich in hand, NUSU President Ronnie Reid spoke to The Courier about the new library deal. “We’ve finally got an option on campus for students to have a cheap lunch deal. We know that these establishments qualify for the educational VAT exemption, so students should be paying less.”

Reid doesn’t plan to stop here, however, as he targets other areas of university life that he believes students are paying

over the odds for. Therefore, the President has decided to package all of these battles into one campaign, ‘NUSU Affordability 2018’.

“There are a few key principles behind the campaign. I think we can all agree that university is becoming more expensive, so it’s about getting rid of those hidden costs to give students better value for money for what they’re getting on campus.

To make student life cheaper, there are a number of ways Reid is planning on driving down costs. “It starts with lobbying the university in a number of ways.

I’m lucky enough to be the student representative on various committees in the University, one of which is the ‘Value For Money (VFM) Committee’.”

The University has had a VFM strategy since 2004, and Reid intends to put increased pressure on the University to adhere to it. “We want price justifications and better proposals to make life more affordable, it’s really not much to ask.”

Launching his campaign, Reid considers his win in the library to be just the beginning. “This is the first of many big wins for us, we’ve got much more to tackle other than food and drink.”

One issue close to Reid’s heart is that of sport at university. Now into his fourth year of playing for the Castle Leazes Invitational Team, the President is planning on driving down the cost of Intra Mural sport and gym membership at the university.

“It doesn’t seem fair to me that the intra mural player is turning up once a week to use university facilities and is still charged the full £66.50 for Silver Membership. That’s something we seriously need to address because some players are being put off by that price tag.”

Reid has arranged meetings with the Sports Centre staff to iron some of the issues out. “Gym membership is another one we want to change. Paying the full Gold Membership in advance is too much for some students, and no other gym would structure payment like that; it’s not fair on the average student at all.”

Another aspect of affordability that Reid intends to focus on is petrol money allocation for those on placement.

Speaking specifically about Medical students, but also others on term-time placements, Reid believes that certain students are struggling to pay for transportation costs.

“Having to commute to places as far as Durham or Carlisle on a daily or weekly basis is sometimes part and parcel of university, but students shouldn’t be out of pocket.

“Giving students more money towards travel for these placements is the least the university can do, and hopefully we can make some progress towards that as the year goes on.”

With affordability being top of Reid’s manifesto pledges when he was running for the role, it seems that NUSU’s President is committed to seeing it through as much as is within his power.

Ronnie Reid reveals new meal deal Image: Ronnie Reid

Student volunteers share lingual passion Grace Dean Languages into Schools is a new languages project which will be delivered in local primary and secondary schools to encourage children to foster a love for language-learning.

Go Volunteer, the wing of Newcastle University Students’ Union that coordinates volunteering projects across Newcastle and beyond, is in the process of setting the project up.

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Activity-based learning Image: Wikipedia

volunteers currently representing a multitude of languages on the project

Phil Hay, the Students’ Union Volunteer Coordinator, said: “The main aim of Languages Into Schools is to get children at a young age interested in languages and hopefully this could be something which will stick with them as they get older.” The project also aims to expand the cultural awareness of the students.

Go Volunteer are looking for volunteers to spread their passion for languages. It is not necessary for the volunteers to be native speakers or even Languages students; what is instead key to this project is that the volunteers are passionate, confident and enthusiastic. The primary role is to show pupils just how interesting and rewarding language-learning can be by spreading their love for languages.

The scheme offers an opportunity to gain work experience volunteering in a school and to develop employability and personal skills such as communication, delivering presentations, and the ability to adapt oneself to different situations. The project also aims to increase cooperation and foster good relations between the University and local primary and secondary schools.

Volunteers will receive training from Helen Kenney at the Language Resource

Centre, where they will work as groups to deliver short, entertaining workshops that they can deliver to children centred around language, music and games.

Workshops will be based on learning the basics of a foreign language, such as numbers, colours and greetings. They will feature songs, story-telling and role-play to highlight how enjoyable language-learning can be.

The secondary school arm of the project will be a study-based support group for pupils studying for their GCSEs and A-Levels in modern foreign languages.

Go Volunteer aims to start this in the New Year, and it will involve volunteers working one-to-one with school students throughout Gateshead.

Inspiration for the Languages Into Schools project came from a translation scheme piloted by Go Volunteer last year in which volunteers helped to translate school documents from English into the native language of parents at a Gateshead school. EMTAS (Ethnic Minority and Traveller Achievement Service), then asked Go Volunteer to spread the scheme and find other ways in which Newcastle University students could use their languages skills to help and inspire local school children. EMTAS has been a fundamental part of the project, as its links with primary schools across Gateshead enables the project to be carried out on a larger scale.

The project also aims to expand the cultural awareness of the pupils The project has been promoted throughout the University, and there are currently over 60 potential volunteers representing a multitude of languages.

To apply to be a volunteer or find out more information, students can contact Phil Hay, the Students’ Union Volunteer Coordinator, at Go Volunteer in the Students’ Union.

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Monday October 30 2017

Volunteers perform 24-hour CPR in life-saving marathon Isabel Sykes News Editor St John’s Ambulance volunteers from Newcastle LINKS completed a 24hour CPR marathon outside the Students’ Union as part of ‘Save a Life Week’ last week.

From 12:30pm on Monday 23rd until 12:30pm on Tuesday 24th of October, volunteers from Newcastle LINKS continuously performed CPR on a training manakin outside the Students’ Union.

The 24-hour marathon was organised in an effort to promote the importance of first aid and to raise money for St John’s Ambulance.

“Some people would come in at midnight until three in the morning. Someone was here from two until twelve today” Newcastle LINKS is a first aid society with members from both Newcastle and Northumbria Universities, and an operational St John’s Ambulance unit. Their 24-hour CPR marathon was just one of a number of events planned as part of their ‘Save a Life Week’ which ran from the 23rd to the 27th of October. The week also included a free Heartstart course on Wednesday in partnership with The British Heart Foundation, and a bake sale on Friday with a representative from the organ donation charity Live Life Give Life.

The marathon was organised as a relay, with volunteers changing over every few hours. Alison Mace, the president of Newcastle LINKS, took part in the last shift on Tuesday lunchtime. She told The Courier about the hard work put in by volunteers throughout the 24 hours: “We had shifts going, so people would switch in and switch out. Some

“It’s an essential life skill” people would come in at midnight until three in the morning. Someone was here from two until twelve today.”

As the marathon drew to a close, LINKS members were dancing to the Macarena to count down the last few minutes. They were also handing out information leaflets entitled ‘This Guide Saves Lives’ and encouraging passersby to get involved with the event.

Alison told The Courier why she thought it was especially important for students to know first aid: “Obviously it’s an essential life skill, you never know when you’re going to need it so it’s better to know it than not. Also, students go out a lot and drink a lot. Things happen when people are drunk and it’s good to be able to handle it and have a basic awareness.”

Students interested in donating to St John’s Ambulance can do so through Newcastle LINKS’ JustGiving page.

See the NUSU website for more details about the Newcastle LINKS society and to find out about upcoming events.

Newcastle LINKS volunteers performing CPR Image: Isabel Sykes

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Monday October 30 2017

Newcastle professor at heart of new research Phil Thompson Exciting new transplant research will have your heart beating out of your chest - literally.

Human trials have commenced in Sweden using a new technique that keeps donated hearts alive for up to 24 hours.

Currently, hearts are transported for donation without a supply of oxygen and at temperatures of 4 degrees. This is known as cold ischemia. The longer these conditions are maintained, the

“Seven hearts from every ten organ donors go unutilized” more the organ deteriorates. Surgeons cannot assess organ degradation until after transplantation.

The organs are usually only kept in this state for up to 4 hours, limiting the potential distance between recipient and donor.

Transmedics, a medical technology company, believe that, despite the severe shortage of heart donations, “seven hearts from every ten organ donors go unutilized.” This is due to the inability of cold storage techniques to preserve the heart sufficiently.

A technique devised by Professor Stig Steen of Lund University hopes to revolutionise the process.

His method keeps the organ at 8 degrees and supplies it with a “blood like fluid” containing high levels of potassium; stopping the heart from beating.

Steen says: “it’s like being in a deep deep sleep.” The heart can be kept safely for much longer.

A successful trial of this method was carried out on a 52 year old Swedish

man dying of heart failure. The heart was stored for 3 hours and resumed beating after transplantation as it warmed to body temperature and the potassium was flushed away.

Further trials have recreated the results; with plans to increase the storage time up to 24 hours.

A separate method developed in Andover, Massachusetts, simulates the conditions of the body for the heart. The organ is kept beating at body temperature inside a box machine that supplies the organ with blood from the donor.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence said: “this technique aims to decrease the amount of damage…by reducing the rate of tissue deterioration compared with conventional cold ischaemic storage.”

The heart can be kept outside the body on the machine between 7 and 12 hours.

The device, Organ Care System (OCS), is currently being used in 3 NHS transplant centres. NICE said: “this technology has sufficient shortterm safety evidence to support its use with normal arrangements for clinical governance.”

One source estimated that the device adds as much as £35,000 to the £27,000 cost of a standard transplant operation.

The initial purchase cost of the OCS is £180,000.

It has a conservative estimated lifespan of 3,000 hours of active use.

Professor John Dark, cardiothoracic surgeon at the Freeman hospital and academic of cellular medicine at Newcastle University, has had the opportunity of testing the OCS. He was unavailable for comment.

Similar techniques are being developed for kidney, liver and lungs. For recipients of the 200 UK heart transplants conducted every year, and for those on waiting lists, these new breakthroughs are potentially life-changing.

Surgeon Operating Image: Wikimedia Commons

news continued from front page A Newcastle University spokesperson said: “We are aware of the expressed desire for 24/7 prayer space facilities within the University.

“However, as there have been some operational difficulties with the King George VI Prayer Space - such as members of the public sleeping in there overnight and others trying to gain access not for prayer purposes - we have invested in a staff member whose role it is to ensure the health and safety of our student and staff users across all faith spaces.

“Part of this management is to temporarily alter the custom of the prayer space being open 24/7, while the University takes the time to form a Student and Staff Multi-Faith Space Task and Finish Group.

This group will meet from November onwards to look at the needs of all faith groups within the University and will also consider the issue of opening hours.”

The group will “ensure suitable provision in line with a Higher Education Institution setting” and report its findings by 2018.

Hasham Jamil, NUSU’s Faith or Belief officer, said: “The issue regarding the Muslim Prayer Space is indeed a matter of absolute significance.

It is understandable how important it is for the Muslim students to be provided with an appropriate prayer space as their routine revolves around the prayer timings.

“The Students’ Union is doing everything in its ability to assure students feel confident in their faith and belief and to allow them to practice their faith with confidence.

“Several motions have been addressed at the Student Council to ensure urgent problems surrounding the timings of the prayer space are resolved at first instance. Long-term plans are being made to safeguard interests and rights of all students.”

Newcastle named fastest growing region after London Laura Bolden Newcastle has been named as the fastest growing region outside of London for digital and technological employment.

The city has also been ranked 14th position in the UK after an evolution of their strategies, key projects and overall readiness in using digital technology to improve their civic services.

The research, commissioned by Huawei UK and conducted by Navigant Consulting, named the city as one of the 12 ‘contender’ cities alongside Manchester, Aberdeen, Leeds, Milton Keynes, Glasgow, Nottingham, Peterborough, Cambridge, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Oxford.

At the forefront of progressing smart and socially inclusive initiatives Sir Andrew Cahn, a Huawei UK Board member, told us: “the successful cities of the future are going to be smart cities. It’s clear from this report that cities across the UK have made considerable progress over the last year” “While Bristol and London are named as ‘leaders’, other cities have entered the index with exciting smart initiatives such as Newcastle’s, City Futures programme and Cambridge’s, Smart Cambridge intelligent City Platform (iCP)” Newcastle’s smart city initiatives focus on identifying solutions for major challenges while boosting its aim to be a leading city for science and digital technology. Science Central, a £350 million

flagship project, is currently under joint development from Newcastle University and Newcastle City Council. It will bring together academia, the public sector, communities, businesses and the industry to create a centre for urban innovation. Newcastle City Futures is at the forefront of progressing smart and socially inclusive initiatives across the city. Newcastle University led the establishment of the platform in 2014 to collaborate Research and Development with long-term policy trends and business needs in the city.

Since its creation it has become one of five Urban Living Partnerships pilots funded with £1.2 million from Research Councils UK and Innovate UK. Professor Mark Tewdwr-Jones, Director of Newcastle City Futures at Newcastle University said: “We’re pressing ahead with a refreshed vision and unique partnership model to accelerate the adoption of smart, clean and digital technologies that will enable us to overcome the economic and social challenges our city is currently facing” “We’re extremely proud to be included and recognised in this year’s Huawei Smart Cities Index, as it shows the scale of progress we have made over the past 18 months.”

“An important element to the city’s success is key funding in smart city initiatives and projects that are set to transform Newcastle to an all-around digital city.”

In addition, Newcastle University continues to invest in new projects within Science Central, where the Urban Sciences Building will become the £58 million home of the School of computing.

Newcastle city centre Image: Shaoyang Xue

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the courier

Monday 30 October 2017

@CourierComment courier.comment@ncl.ac.uk thecourieronline.co.uk/comment Comment Editors Jamie Cameron, Caitlin Disken & Alexandra Sadler

Weinstein is one drop in the ocean

Similar abuse will surely continue so long as powerful men are systematically protected from the consequences of their actions Rory Cameron

A

s stomach-turning as the recent controversy surrounding disgraced Hollywood executive Harvey Weinstein is, it is the reaction in the wake of the scandal which really makes your blood boil.

The damning allegations of rape and sexual assault have generally been accepted as a matter of fact. Indeed, this is something which was known about within the industry. To cite just a couple of the many examples: in a red carpet interview back in 2005, Courtney Love advised young girls not to accept any invitations from Harvey Weinstein to a private party at the Four Seasons. While presenting the 2013 Oscars, Seth McFarlane joked that nominated actresses ‘no longer had to pretend they were attracted to Harvey Weinstein.’

This is something which was known about in the industry

In cases of similar nature, inaction from the law has proved costly and allowed countless people to be robbed of their dignity.

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance’s decided not to prosecute Weinstein in 2015, and Vance has been forced to deny that months later, a $10, 000 donation to his re-election campaign- made by a lawyer of Weinstein’s- did not sway his thinking. This stinks of sleazy men who prop each other up with their enormous wealth and power.

Sadly, sexual exploitation, rape and sexual assault are not limited to the media. Silence on the part victims who have undergone through such an ordeal is understandable. The culture of silence, with the purpose of protecting the perpetrators, is unequivocally not. It is thanks to the bravery of all victims of sexual assault who speak out, that others can find the courage to come forward too; and it is thanks to those in complicit knowledge, whose voices remain mute, that such acts are allowed to continue. To quote Edmund Burke, ‘All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing’.

aspects; particularly in film, with many of the largest production companies being headed by men. The Weinstein Company are responsible for creating Django Unchained, The King’s Speech and the Silver Linings Playbook – all very successful films, making the men in control a lot of money.

With this money comes power, and seemingly the ability to get away with repeated sexual assault and rapes.

Society’s willingness to look past women’s experiences... is a symptom of patriarchy

More than 40 women have spoken out about Weinstein, including Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie. These are actresses of considerable fame and wealth who would arguably have a platform to share their experiences.

However, society has created a rape culture that expects silence and often punishes women brave enough to speak out, regardless of their status.

Weinstein is simply indicative of a wider issue – men who feel they have the right to take whatever they want, and who don’t expect any consequences. Consequences must happen, and attitudes need to change around sexual assault. This must start in the media, which we are constantly surrounded by, if we ever want these stories to come to an end.

Charlotte Boulton So why did no one listen? A toxic atmosphere of fear, combined with institutionalised sexism and nepotism surrounds those at the centre of these kind of cases. The claims against Bill Cosby ended in a mistrial, Jimmy Saville outlived any accusations, while other alleged sex offenders have ended up in the White House. No, not Clinton - I mean the climate change denying, neo Nazi-sympathising, chauvinist demagogue with the shit hair.

It is thanks to those in complicit knowledge... that such acts are allowed to continue

T

he Harvey Weinstein allegations will have – unfortunately – not come as a surprise to many people when New York Times broke the story. The fact that a powerful Hollywood big name has been accused of sexually harassing women is nothing new. Woody Allen, Jared Leto, Casey Affleck, Donald Trump: all have been linked to sexual harassment claims, yet remain in their positions of power and influence.

Society’s willingness to look past women’s experiences with sexual abuse is a symptom of the patriarchy. It’s more likely men are defended – whether out of fear, loyalty, or just the refusal to believe a woman’s word – than for any help to be given to those who speak out.

The media is a male-dominated world in many

Our generation must save Earth Joe Holloran argues callous disregard by politicians, business, and journalists cannot be allowed to worsen climate change

O

ne could argue that we are living in a post-truth society. One where facts and opinions are indistinguishable. This phenomenon is best encapsulated in the current commander in chief of the US, and his catchphrase of ‘fake news’. If you repeat enough that media outlets and experts are not to be trusted, or have a hidden agenda, then you and the public can deny their facts with impunity. This phenomenon of ‘anti-rationalism’ is rampant, not just in the US, but in Europe.

Opinion is not divided among those who know and study climate change What does this have to do with climate-change you’re asking? Well, climate change is an undeniable fact. A universal, demonstrative truth. A truth that is far, far too important for the passive press and political establishment in this county to relegate to the side-lines. An issue that, in the current dominant narrative, is debatable. The news media

has to take some of the blame for the public perception of climate change due to their false equivalency of experts and ‘experts’ (shills). Opinion is not divided among those who know and study the science behind climate change.

The two major parties in the UK, Labour and Conservatives, refuse to engage seriously and proactively on this issue at both a national and international level, The result is that the narrative is handed over freely to the populist right. It is easy and fair for us to attack Trump for pulling America out of the Paris Climate Accords (2015), but we must realise the reasons why. Reasons that

are not unique to Trump, America or even Britain. Lobbyists. Specifically, the fossil fuel industry. It is in their interests for the truth about climate change to be denigrated as it would hurt their bottom line to act, so their lackies in power ensure no action is taken. Be it Exxon Mobil in the US, or BP in the UK. Or, should I say used to. What is incredible is that many of the biggest oilcompanies in the world backed the climate accord, not for environmental reasons, but because in the long run it will be good for business. Trumps Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (a man put in power because of his ties to Exxon deals in Rus-

sia) even urged the real-life King Joffrey not to pull out of the accord. But, Obama signed it, therefore it must automatically be destroyed. Thankfully, none of the other reluctant signees have shunned the treaty yet, as was feared. Perhaps to follow Trumps lead was too much for them.

Our generation didn’t start this, but we must be the ones to remedy it So, we must look to our own shores. It seems appropriate that the nation that spearheaded the industrial revolution that started this problem, should be the nation that leads to way in remedying it. For a start we must push the electric car deadline up to match that of France and Germany, if not before them. Britain can and must join our Scandinavian cousins to the North, utilizing our expertise and wealth to become a beacon of environmentalism. Our generation didn’t start this mess, but we must be the ones to remedy it.

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comment

Monday 30 October 2017

The geopolitics of caring Katherine Lovell: A truck bomb killed hundreds in Mogadishu - the West doesn’t even blink

A

truck bomb exploded in Mogadishu, Somalia last Saturday destroying a hotel, killing at least 300 people and wounding the same number. The heat it generated was so intense that the remains of many bodies will never be found.

But how many Facebook profile pictures now have the filter of a Somali flag?

Described by some as the worst terrorist attack in Somalia’s history, tens of thousands of Somalis are protesting to demonstrate solidarity with the victims. But how many Facebook profile pictures now have the filter of a Somali flag? Have you seen any pro-Somali hashtags?

Why is there such discrepancy between how

much we care for our rich and poor neighbours?

Attacks in the US are widely broadcast in the UK so these differing social media trends cannot be down to proximity. Is it that slogans only support countries who have something to contribute to our economy?

The situation may be more complex. Strong links exist with the US due to common religious heritage, similar legal systems, and the use of English.

Kinship ties reach back hundreds of years with many Americans tracing descent from Europeans settlers. Large numbers of European expatriates live in the US and vice versa.

This may explain, though not excuse, the differ-

...these differing social media trends cannot be down to proximity

ent reactions. The attack in Mogadishu desperately needs our attention. The mainstream media should be more outward looking. But it is part of the broken human condition that we are most shocked by attacks in countries we have a strong relationship with.

Alongside better broadcasting, we should be bettering our trade and diplomatic relationship with poorer countries so that in times of adversity we can truly stand with them. #Jesuischarlie” and “#westandtogether” raise awareness, but if that does not lead to action, what good are they? The question remains: How many of us are ready to put our money w here our hashtag is?

SOAPBOX COMMENT’S HOME OF WEEKLY RANTS CHANGING LIVES Megan McManus

I

f there is one way in which humanity constantly discredits itself, it is in the lack of understanding and kindness shown towards those of us who are homeless. More than this, often I have seen blatant dehumanisation in how these people are described and treated.

A while ago I had a conversation with a man who was homeless. He told me that it was his birthday in two days, but that it didn’t matter because now his entire life was begging.

‘Christmas day I’ll be out begging because I have to, I don’t want to’. He told me about how desperately he wanted to escape this situation, but the difficulty he faced in doing so because of bureaucracy and stereotypes of homeless people. He didn’t want pity, he just wanted help. It is our responsibility to help. Are we not inherently kind as a species? I urge anybody reading this, appeal to this side of your nature – look with tenderness, rather than cold indifference.

GRADUATION FEVER

Mental Health: a crisis ongoing Health issues don’t just disappear. Neither will this crisis. Time for action, says Emma Bancroft

I

t’s difficult to deny how far we’ve come as a nation when it comes to mental health. Less than only 100 years ago, patients with mental illnesses were being ‘treated’ with the likes of insulin-induced comas, lobotomies and malari-

mental health issues), Prime Minister Theresa May acknowledged that is was an important day in our national calendar, and that there is much more to be done in terms of removing the stigma that stops

The government certainly has taken huge steps towards helping those with mental illnessess

Closer to home, we are still faced with worrying statistics But closer to home, we are still faced with worrying statistics; according to YouGov, more than a quarter of students report to having a mental health problem of one type of another, with the most common mental health problems among students being depression, anxiety or an eating disorder.

Perhaps the most concerning statistic is that 21% of students who have used a university mental health service rated its helpfulness as ‘not helpful at all’.

al infections. But is anything really being done?

The government certainly has taken huge steps towards both helping those with mental illnesses and also towards relieving the stigma. For example, in June 2017, the government pledged that by 2020, every secondary school in the country will be offered Mental Health First Aid training. £200,000 of government funding has been pumped into this programme that will train secondary school teachers in how to identify and respond to early signs of mental health issues in children, this will include practical advice on how

Time To Talk Day...aims to break the nation’s silence around mental health issues to deal with issues such as depression and anxiety, suicide and psychosis, self-harm, and eating disorders. Furthermore, on Time to Talk Day 2017 (a day that takes place on the first Thursday in February which aims to break the nation’s silence around

health; the likes of Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, Demi Lovato, Ryan Reynolds, Adele and Ellen DeGeneres are paving the way on squashing the stigma with many of them using social media as a platform for raising awareness.

so many people from seeking help.

Mental health awareness in the UK also has royal backing; The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Price Harry are at the head of the initiative Heads Together, a campaign that aims to tackle the stigma on mental health combined with fundraising for new mental health services.

Kate and Wills aren’t the only famous faces to be opening up the conversation surrounding mental

We’ve certainly come a long way from brutal and invasive therapies... but it’s indisputable that a stigma remains We’ve certainly come a long way from brutal and invasive therapies, and even people paying to ogle at ‘insane lunatics’ in asylums, but it’s indisputable that a stigma remains, and that more positive steps need to be taken by governments, influential figures and universities to combat this.

T

Louis van der Lande

his applies to all 3rd year uni students right now....CALM DOWN...!The sudden madness that has gripped the year is that of Grad Schemes and trying to apply for them. It’s the latest conversation over coffee in the Robbo, a pint in Blanc and over the phone with Mum. Im aware that they close at the end of October and it’s good to get in while you’ve still got time but I only ask you to wait and think , just for a minute. Don’t rush into singing away the next 2 to 3 years of your life, consider what you actually want for yourself. Most people still have no idea what that is. So I say, put the scheme down, take your time, you’ve got your life ahead of you, so make sure to get it right.

ODE TO A MILKMAN

I

Grace Dean

love having a milkman. On a crisp winter’s morning, when the previous night’s hot chocolate cravings have depleted your dairy supplies, there isn’t much better than waking up to a fresh pint of milk on your doorstep, ready and waiting for a nice cup of tea.

Herman’s Hermits once sung “No Milk Today”, and sadly that is true. Admittedly, produce from a milkman costs more than that from Tesco, but life always charges you for convenience, and you commit a social “good” by supporting your local economy. Or maybe the Brits just aren’t drinking enough milk anymore. New breakfast snacks like bagels and Belvita are on the rise, and even for those who enjoy a bowl of cereal in the morning, almond, soya, and coconut milks are becoming increasingly popular as guilt-free ways to indulge your “dairy” desires.

Despite this, milkmen still serve as a key component in our idyllic imaginings of traditional rural British life, alongside the now decaying village green and the Agatha Christieinspired idea of afternoon tea at the vicarage.

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feature halloween

Pumpkin Editor: Jared Moore

Calamity Carving

Monday 30 October 2017

A brief history P

resumably, being a pumpkin farmer must be a fairly all or nothing job. Let’s face it, when apart from Halloween do you ever hear of the average joe popping out to the local Nisa for a pumpkin? Then, when we do buy the occasional pumpkin culture dictates that as a society we come together to sadistically mutilate the poor fellow.

It is believed that the practice of carving jack-o’lanterns originated across Ireland in the 19th Century. However, at the time, more commonly available vegetables were used, a popular choice being the turnip.

The term “Jack-o’-lantern” derives from the Irish folk tale of Stingy Jack. The tale goes that Jack invited the devil to have a drink with him. Being the stingy fellow that Jack wasn’t prepared to pay for his drink. Being a keen wordsmith, jack convinced the devil to transform into a coin, so to allow him to pay for his drink. The devil, in all his naivity did so and in front of Jack now sat a coin. Jack being of the deviant variety, decided instead to keep the coin, placing the devil inside his wallet next to a silver cross which prevented the devil from returning to his original form.

After some time, Jack decided to free the devil, under the condition that he wouldn’t bother Jack again. In addition, if Jack were to die within this time, the devil wouldn’t be able to claim his soul.

With a year gone by, the devil appeared in front of Jack who was sat at the base of a fruit tree. Through his charm, he convinced the devil to climb the tree to pick out some fruit for him. Once satan was firmly sat in the tree, Jack etched into its trunk a cross, preventing the devil from leaving the tree.

He allowed the devil down, this time however, Jack demanded that the devil not bother him for a further ten years.

Soon after the ten years passed, Jack died. The story goes that God would not allow such a immoral being to enter heaven. Satan, feeling salty for Jack’s repeated trickery, declared that he would also not sit by his side. In turn, Jack’s soul was left

to wander the lands for years to come. Those who came across the ghostly spectre referred to him as Jack of the Lantern, which over time became Jack O’Lantern.

In the celtic speaking regions halloween was known as the festival of Samhain. There was a strong belief throughout these communities that supernatural beings roamed the face of the earth.

By those who made carvings, the vegetable craft represented the various creatures and spectres entered the mortal realm.

It is believed that the practice of carving lanterns originated in 19th Century Ireland.

It’s held by many that the lanterns were purposed to ward off evil spirits, acting as guardians to those who positioned them in front of their homes. This historical purpose still finds its roots in modern day pumpkin carving as families still often opt to position their pumpkins upon windowsills facing out to the world.

Another theory suggests that in Christian families, the lanterns represented the lost souls of dead men, biding their time in purgatory. Halloween falls on the eve of All Saints Day. The story of the jack-o’-latern originates in many forms across western europe, with a range of countries each bearing its own pumpkin parables.

In Switzerland, children would leave out bowls of milk for homely spirits, known as the “Jack o’ the bowl”. Similarly, there are stories that speak of the jack-o’-lantern being used as a method to ward of vampires. It’s told that the light inside would allow a person to indentify a vampire, once this happened its believed that the vampire would give up its hunt. It’s sort of like the historical equivelent of CCTV, except with far more craftsmanship involved.

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halloween feature

Monday 30 October 2017

The Great Senior Editor Carve Off 6.5

Patch

Gary the Cat

JAMES SPROSTON

IZZI WATKINS

Editor of the Courier, James Sproston reportedly modelled this pumpkin from the nostlagic backdrop of his childhood nightmares.

4th

As Life & Style Editor, Watkins created up a feline frenzy. Known as Gary, this Cool Cat would give Jay-Z’s list of problems a run for his money.

Patch “Having lived a long and arduous life, Patch has made it to this year’s Carve Off against all the odds.

Experts had previously concluded that so much pain and and anguish could not be encapsulated in the short existence of a tearful, wincing pumpkin. Thanks to Patch, they will think again.

Where to start with a cat like Gary. Dragged up on the mean streets of Byker Gary learnt life’s lessons the hard way, soon finding out that 9 lives isn’t actually that many.

This year however, with the help of his pumpkin pals, things are looking up. Gary is getting back on his paws and if all goes well should be able to see his kids again soon. This got weird.

6.8

7.3

Rowlett

6.5

ZOË GODDEN

4th The Boi JARED MOORE

Culture Editor, Zoë Godden recieved her pumpkin from Professor Oak, not exactly a Squirtle but you’ve got to start somewhere.

As the Courier’s Online Editor, Moore shaved the face of his beloved Boi before sculpting what some critics are describing as a masterpiece.

The purest of all grass starter Pokemon, made even more round and wholesome by the spooky season’s autumnal fruit.

Owls are the symbols of death in many countries, so my son’s large hollow eyes seem appropriately existential this time of year.

Disclaimer: pumpkin Rowlett would likely do rather poorly in a battle, please leave him be.

6.1

6th

1st

2nd Pumpkin Pi

6.7

Happy Pump

LAURA STANIFORTH

ALEX HENDLEY

The Courier’s Copy Editor, Laura Staniforth has a keen eye for wit and humour, creating this classic pumpkin pun from scratch.

As Deputy Editor, Hendley and his Happy Pump are like two peas in a pod. Both trapped in the internal prison of madness that is their mind.

A classic Halloween dish rendered in a classic Halloween format. Also maths is scary and this pun is hilarious...

3.141592653589793238462643383279502884 197169399375105820974944592307816406286 2089986280348253421170679 82148086513282 306647093844609550582231725359408128481.

Boi, derived from the Latin meaning for ‘pumpkin with large lips’, was a failed community art project.

The children of Burnage asked budding artist Jared Moore to sculpt a mural of Liam Gallagher, instead he created a pumpkin that appeared to be a self-portrait in the style of an Easter Island Moai.

Happy Pump is just pleased to be out the house.

Having been sectioned over a decade ago for crimes against sanity, his face is now a picture of content as he reacquaints himself with the sound of birdsong and the camaraderie of having other wee pumps to chat to. Sadly his day release is over and he must return to vegetable Azkaban.

3rd

Dissecting the scores The Judge’s Score

The Public Score Pumpkin Name

Total Score

Pumpkin Name

Aesthetics

Personalty

Effort

Spookiness

Total Score

Patch

123.5 (Average 6.5)

Patch

30

35

31

31

127 (Average 6.4)

Gary the Cat

124.5 (Average 6.6)

Gary the Cat

30

40

38

20

128 (Average 6.4)

Rowlett

123 (Average 6.5)

Rowlett

44

38

44

15

141 (Average 7.1)

The Boi

131 (Average 6.9)

The Boi

25

43

39

46

153 (Average 7.7)

Pumpkin Pi

130.14 (Average 6.8)

Pumpkin Pi

41

21

29

17

108 (Average 5.4)

Happy Pump

135 (Average 7.1)

Happy Pump

41

42

27

15

125 (Average 6.3)

12

the courier

student voice

Chat: Errol Kerr

Alex Hendley chats to the new Chair of Council about his busy schedule across mulitple branches of the union

Hi Errol, you had your first Student Council since being elected as Chair last week, did that go as expected?

Personally I really enjoyed it. I know I was a little unorthodox but that’s just me. Motions wise, it went relative as I expected it to, there were the usual questions to the Sabs, but it did take a long time to get through with all the elections we were having for the individual committees. It’s important but I think everyone felt a bit of election fatigue!

Now that’s over though, the next meeting will be a bit swifter I’m sure. Is there anything you’d do differently?

First off, I want the countdown music back! We didn’t have it last week, which was pretty upsetting.

My plan is to get some more societies and some more voices involved. Last week all of the motions were proposed by the Sabs, which is great, but with Council being designed as a space for staff and students to make change, then hopefully we can make Council a platform to do something ‘more’.

It can be stepping stone, whether that’s the Fossil Free movement, like a few years back, or getting ISOC (Islamic Society) or BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) network to voice their concerns with something, that’s what we’re for.

Sounds great. Council isn’t the only thing you do though, you’re always busy with something - how are you juggling your time?

In between DAN (Disability and Neurodiversity) Society, which I’m President of, Chair of Council and the Courier, juggling is difficult, I’m not going to lie. I’m one of those people who actually say ‘let me check my diary’. Between all those things and my masters degree, it isn’t easy but I got very good at it last year, when I was a Part Time Officer, so I’m used to my timetable being full. I never used to

be good at time management when I was younger, but I’m a lot better now.

What a pro. What’s coming up for DAN Society that people might be interested in?

We are looking into campaigning in regards to building access to the university across campus in the coming weeks and months. In the near future Daniel Wood’s (former President of DAN Society) parents are coming in, as they want to present us with some donations following his sad passing earlier this year. We’re also looking to coordinate with Mind the Gap Mental Health Society to have a talk in early November. Socially, we’re trying to organise some events as the year goes on.

The uniqueness of each item is what has increased the popularity of retro Mind the Gap also have a conference next year, what part do you play in that and what is it all about?

I’ll be leading the conference. It goes back a few years now and looks to raise awareness on mental health. I’m hoping to expand it to a wider audience using live streams and Twitter feeds, and also include post-graduates and mature students as they’re sometimes forgotten about when it comes to mental illness. Mental health is an incredibly relevant issue and is inherently connected to modern politics, so it’s important to bring it to a university level. That’s in April, so I’m sure the Courier will cover it more closer to the time.

Monday 30 October 2017

Yuying Peng gives us her unique take on moving to Newcastle

C

ulture shock does exist among international students, but could we offer a helping hand? The new semester has started, and there are some adorable international students who have joined our campus (like me).

When international students move to another country to further their studies they will meet culture shock commonly, because of cultural differences. For those students, it seems different to deal with totally new things; for instance, unfamiliar environments, different cultures, social customs and language barriers. In order to emphasize the fact that international students might be in a position to experience profound culture shock, this article will focus on why culture shock deso exist around international students, my studying experience in Newcastle University and what a local student like you could do if you wanted to offer a helping hand towards international students to deal with culture shock.

For international students, unavoidable culture shock created by language barriers might cause problems toward their academic learning and daily life. Firstly, in terms of dealing with academic learning, a proficient level of language ability is the key for international students. According to this, for those students who study abroad, English or another language is the tool for them to learn.

If international students lack the ability to apply their language skills in a flexible way then it seems increasingly difficult for them to understand the content of classes.

However, due to the reason that those international students are not native speakers, most of them do suffer language barriers which have a vital effect on their academic study. As follows: it is quite difficult for those students to keep up with the pace of lecturers’ speaking speed, even in important tutorials they might miss some significant points, therefore the language problem will result in slow academic improvement and the development of culture shock. Furthermore, the academic language ability supports the need for long-term systematization. Improving language skills is a transformative process when people are

studying abroad, which means that the process requires more time for their adaptation. While culture shock is a common process of adaptation for people moving to another country, this culture shock is unavoidable for those students who are not a native speaker.

During the class time, for us, sometimes language barriers do exist, which means during the class it is hard for us to understand full meaning of the content and we do need to put more effort into class. Sometimes it’s really hard to catch the points from local or EU students speaking because of their high speaking speed. British class seems more interactive and open-minded, it contains dozens of discussions during the class time, sometimes, it’s hard to understand the topic and get involved in the group discussion for international students due to the language barrier.

British class seems more interactive and open-minded, with dozens of discussions As an international student, sometimes I do feel quite stressed and unconfident about the course, but I am trying to make up for the lack of the language, as I will ask my classmates around about me when I didn’t get the point.

Local students: what could we do? As a native speaker, if you are willing to help your classmates, maybe you could slow down your speaking speed a little bit, and ask them: “Do you understand that I’m willing to explain to you if you would like me to ?” or “what do you think?” during the discussion with a kind smile toward your international classmate is sweet enough.

In an essay, Pedersen pointed out that “Culture shock is the process of initial adjustment to an unfamiliar environment.” I do agree with that, but if we can get a helping hand from you guys around us that will be so sweet and moving.

the courier Monday 30 October 2017

life & style

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@CourierLifestyle c2.lifestyle@ncl.ac.uk thecourieronline.co.uk/lifestyle Life & Style Editor Izzi Watkins Lifestyle Editors Sophie Henderson, Jaymelouise Hudspith, Lauren Sneath & Victoria Young

Blind Date Charlotte on Hugo

Charlotte Butter, 2nd Year Psychology meets Hugo Storey, 2nd year Politics and Sociology

Hugo on Charlotte

Hi Charlotte, how was the date? What did you two do?

Hi Hugo. Firstly, how was the date?

The date was really nice thanks! We just went to 97 and Social in Jesmond and had a few drinks What were your first impressions?

I thought it was quite good We met by the Waitrose in Jesmond then went for a few drinks What were your first impressions?

The first thing I noticed was his height… in a good way! And he just seemed like a nice, genuine guy

Very positive, Charlotte was great company

What time did you guys meet?

And what did you guys talk about?

We didn’t meet until 9:30 because he had rowing training, but I would rather go for drinks than a meal anyway! I was a bit nervous beforehand, but once the first meeting was over it was fine!

Loads of stuff! What courses we do, our housemates she did say she doesn’t like cats but I’m prepared to forgive that Hahaha is she your usual type?

What did you talk about? Was he easy to get along with?

She isn’t a rower… so I would say not

Yeah he was. We talked about loads of things – hobbies, family, friends, exes

Looks-wise?

Well, I don’t think I have a specific type looks-wise

Exes came up?

Hahaha yes briefy, mainly about how we broke up with them

Did you guys have anything in common?

A few things, definitely taste in Martinis, and an affinity to get injured

Is he someone you would usually go for?

I don’t know I think it’s hard to tell from just meeting once, but we seemed to get on quite well!

Can you elaborate?

I mentioned that I’d managed to come off my bike the other week, and then proceeded to be shown up by her far more impressive running injuries

How about looks-wise?

Well I do normally go for someone tall with dark hair, so I suppose so

Have you been talking much since the date?

If he was an animal, what would he be?

We have messaged a bit since then

Hmmm, he seemed to be the sort of person who is often busy doing stuff, so a type of animal that’s always… busy? A night owl?

More of a light-hearted one - if Charlotte was an animal?

Ironically for her dislike of cats, probably something like a Lynx or a Snow Leopard

And more of an important question, would you see him again?

Most important question, do you think there will be a second date?

Potentially! I guess we’ll just have to wait and see!

Anything you would have done differently?

I know I wouldn’t be opposed to a second date I’ll see what happens when she gets back from holiday

I don’t think I would have, the date was nice and relaxed (the way it should be) And what would you rate your evening out of 10?

Overall, I’ll give it an 8!

Thanks Charlotte

Fancy a date? We’ll set you up.

Find us on our 2017/ 2018 Facebook page or drop us an email at c2.lifestyle@newcastle.ac.uk

And what would you rate the date itself out of 10?

I’d give it an 8/10, probably would have been higher if I’d remembered to bring my jacket!

Thanks Hugo

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14

life & style lifestyle

Recipe of the Week with Hope Coke ‘Spooky Beetroot Socca’

Monday 30 October 2017

Who needs a gym to stay fit?

Miranda Stoner busts myths on online fitness videos and shares her tips for home motivation

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heoretically, there is no reason why exercising at home shouldn’t get you the results you want, whilst saving you time and money. However, in practise, this isn’t always the case, and it’s often down to a lack of motivation.

If you’re paying for a gym membership or playing for a sports team, then you are more likely to have a scheduled time and sense of obligation to exercise, whilst if you’re exercising at home, you aren’t going to feel as driven.

One of the best ways to stay on track when it comes to reaching your fitness goals is using YouTube or other workout videos. Although some of the instructors can be a bit irritating, there are so many out there that everyone is bound to find

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occa originates from Italy and is likened to a savoury pancake. The basic ingredients are a gram flour water and a splash of olive oil, making it both gluten free and vegan friendly, it can be eaten by pretty much everyone - hooray! It’s rather delicious and with such simple ingredients it’s the perfect starting point to create a whole range of flavours.

Here I’ve come up with a very Halloween appropriate, spooky dark red version using one of my favourite autumn vegetables, beetroot. The earthiness of the beetroot and chickpeas goes beautifully with the sharper freshness of the dill and lemon zest.

Socca would be delicious topped with poached egg and avocado for a fancy brunch (or any other mealtime if you’re not an aspiring yoga mum). Alternatively, with some sautéed spinach or kale and a crumble of feta cheese, or keep things simple and use them as a filling for sandwiches and wraps to give your packed lunches a creepy Halloween makeover.

Ingredients: 100g gram (chickpea) flour| 1/2 tsp salt a good pinch black pepper a few sprigs fresh dill, finely chopped finely grated zest of 1/2 a lemon 150ml water 1 large raw beetroot (roughly 200g) 4 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Start by making the socca batter. In a large bowl whisk together the gram (chickpea) flour, salt and pepper, lemon zest and chopped dill. Then gradually add the water followed by two tablespoons of the olive oil, whisking thoroughly until you have a smooth, fairly runny mixture. Next prepare the beetroot by cutting off any undesirable parts, you can peel them if you want to but it’s not necessary.

Coarsely grate the beetroot and stir into the batter until evenly combined.

Now you’re ready to cook the socca. Place a large frying pan over a medium high heat on the hob, add about a tablespoon olive oil. Once the oil is hot, take a heaped tablespoon of the mixture and drop it into the pan, spreading it with the back of a spoon until it’s in an even layer about half a centimetre thick and the size of those little american pancakes. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side, until tiny bubbles are appearing on the surface and the underside is crisp and starting to brown in places. Flip with a spatula and repeat on the second side. You can cook them a few at a time but try not to overcrowd the pan.

I would recommend doing a trial run first - it just seems to be a thing that the first pancake in a batch is always a bit ugly but it’ll still taste good!

Once you’ve cooked a few, keep them warm on a baking tray in the oven on a low heat while you cook the next batch, adding a little more oil to grease the pan if needed. You should end up with about 8-10 little cakes. And then you’re ready to serve! Top with roasted vegetables, your favourite cheese, a fried egg... anything your heart desires.

Any leftover socca can be wrapped in cling film and kept in the fridge for a few days, simply reheated on a baking tray in the oven on a low heat or eaten cold as part of a packed lunch or for a suitably scary late-night snack. Happy Halloween, and happy eating!

Image: @bodybossmethod

one that inspires them. It’s also important to pick a workout which targets the area of the body you’re hoping to improve, whether you’re looking for a flat stomach, toned arms, or a bum like Kim K. Try out a few different lengths and intensities to get a feel for your level. Always remember to read the description as well, as these sometimes suggest alterations or helpful hints for staying on track with

It worked muscles I didn’t even know I hadbut by the end it was so much easier your training. It’s really important that whichever work out you decide to do, it’s one you enjoy doing, otherwise you may lose motivation and give up.

It’s also a good idea to start small. If your main aim is weight loss, then try experimenting with a few 10-20 minute YouTube workout videos and pick one that you find challenging but not impossible. If you schedule this video every day, it will equate to between one and two hours of extra exercise a week, which burns around 350 calories. This may not sound like much, but if you stick to your plan you will notice a difference- every little helps!

Personally, I find exercise challenges are a great way to stay motivated. These offer a bit more variety so you don’t get bored doing the same routine every day, and they also provide a more holistic

How to make it to your 9am

training. These often include rest days as well, which allow your body time to recuperate. My favourite is the Boho Beautiful 21 day Pilates Challenge. At the start I found it difficult, as it worked muscles I didn’t even know I had- but by the end it was so much easier and my flexibility improved.

For me, one of the main problems with working out at home is that I never know if I’m doing the exercises correctly. For example, I spent years of my life thinking squats were all about the bend and never tilted my hips back, until I was told at an exercise class that I was doing it wrong. It can also be hard with yoga workouts to tell whether your body is in line, but as a general rule, if you can feel the burn- it’s working. It’s really important to check that you are in the correct position for any exercise, as bending the wrong way or pushing yourself too hard can easily result in injury. Unfortunately, some videos don’t bother with a warm-up or cooldown, but these are key for peak results, so make sure to work in some sort of warm-up before hand, including stretching, and cool down correctly after a workout.

As well as workouts, the internet has a plethora of cardiovascular training videos. For the best results, it’s a good idea to include these in your schedule, or go for a run, as this will help you burn fat and release stress. Most importantly though, you need to make sure you enjoy yourself. One of the major benefits of working out at home is you have free reign on the speakers so you can blast out ‘Get Your Head in The Game’ and exercise like there’s no one watching- just watch out for the lampshade.

Dating apps

Emma Williams delves into the biggest student struggle of Your dreams, your disasters all: making it to your early lectures after a massive night out and your outright nightmares

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e’ve all been there, and some of us more than others. You’re stumbling home at 3am with a McDonalds, and the last thing on your mind is that 9am lecture, looming in the distance.

Set at least 5 alarms You’re going to be in an absolute state when you wake up. You know it, your housemates know it, even your lecturer probably knows it. Key point here, is that you should try to wake up. Setting one alarm is not going to work, especially if your favourite feature on your phone is the snooze button.

5 alarms spaced out over an hour seems to be the way to go.

Image: Public Domain Pictures

Have a good breakfast This should be a no brainer. You’ll need energy to get you through what you’re going to think is the worst day of your life. Good luck!

Coffee Enough said. Sugar is recommended for an extra kick.

Get organised the night before The last thing you want to worry about when you’re half drunk and very disorientated at 8am or earlier is trying to put an outfit together. It’s best that you make a ‘tomorrow pile’ which you can just go through quickly the next morning to maximise time for sleep.

Go in last night’s makeup This saves you so much time which can instead be used for sleep or chugging coffee (see point 3 again as a recap) and you probably passed out after last night anyway so it shouldn’t look too bad when you wake up...

To be honest, just go in last night’s outfit We’ve all done the walk of shame in some way, shape or form, and if you haven’t, here’s your chance! Shove a jumper on over your outfit and you’ll be good to go. The likelihood is that nobody

else is going to care what you look like: It’s 9am and they’re most likely hungover or trying to at least stay awake too.

We’ve all done the walk of shame in some way, shape or form Make sure you’re not sober Waking up drunk is a bonus for some! You’re not in the hangover stage yet, so it’s a perfect chance to get out and go to a lecture to take your mind off the unavoidable pain and tiredness you’re going to feel later. Plus, the fresh air will do you some good.

Fake it till you make it It’s an infamous phrase, and probably for good reason. If you’re unlucky enough to have a 9am seminar in which you’re going to have to contribute to a discussion, either re-evaluate your life choice of going out the night before a seminar or just grit your teeth and try as hard as you can to appear fresh and… well sober.

Drink water Hydration is key; no, it really is. Down water before you leave, take a bottle in your bag, stumble blindly to the water fountain in the corridor- dehydration must be avoided at all costs.

Image: Flickr- Ktoine

Or, don’t go You’ve heard of scan and scram, might as well e brace it, unless you really cannot figure out how the human body works anymore. In this case, you might as well suffer in bed for the rest of the day, complaining about how you’re never going to drink again at least until you plan on doing it all again the following night. Whether that’s because you get major FOMO or you have zero self-control, who knows?

M

y experience with dating apps has been full of highs and lows. Best low? Meeting a guy for one date and I just wasn’t feeling it, so said I had to go home to do work.

He insisted on walking me back and when we got there, began saying how he wanted a long-term relationship.

With me, specifically. He then kissed me (it was awful) and I stammered something about not wanting anything serious. A few days later he drunk messaged me telling me repeatedly how beautiful and amazing I was….I blocked him – far too much, far too soon!

On the other hand, I met my lovely boyfriend on Tinder and would likely never have met him otherwise, so there’s a success story to come out of it!

Charlotte Boulton

D

Image: Flickr- theglobalpanorama

o you even go to university if you haven’t experienced the cheesy chat up lines, awkward first dates or the general crippling embarrassment of Tinder? We all know that if your mate tells you they’re going on a Tinder date, its obligatory to rinse them to within an inch of their life.

Ultimately, it’s most likely going to end with either a seedy one night stand, hiding in the toilets or running away altogether; much like my friend’s experience of Tinder. When relaying his story, he claimed that he was “bored being sat at home” one day, so decided to ask the next girl out he spoke to on Tinder, purely to get out of the house. As one could imagine, this was a stupid idea.

Upon arrival, he was taken aback not only by the difference between her photos and actual appearance, but also by her “mind numbingly boring personality”. Eventually, following a plethora of horrible conversations about the politics of Brexit and an emergency phone call to a friend, he ran. He actually ‘went to the toilet’ and ran home. Safe to say Tinder doesn’t always serve well as a boredom crusher.

Anonymous

the courier

15

Monday 30 October 2017

A guide to your Halloween night out

Whether you fancy techno, 80s jams, indie or a quiet movie night, Isobel Clark has the ultimate low-down on the best spooky events across the city this Halloween (and they’re not all pricey)

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ou’ve bought the unoriginal outfit, you’ve bought the Tesco value vodka that will most probably lead you to your demise, now where to go. As Newcastle is the UK party capital there are bound to be events on at every establishment in the NE1 around the ‘terrifying’ time of Halloween.

To help you refine your search, we’ve picked out what we believe to be the very best nights out coming up this week; the results are as follows: ‘ALICE HALLOWEEN, “We’re All Mad Here”’ When? 31st October, 22:30-3:00 Where? Blackie Boy Bar Price? £4 Early Bird, £10 Final Release Music? House, Disco, Classics An ‘Alice in Wonderland’ themed outfit is easy to scrape together, with so many characters to choose from. Queen of hearts? White rabbit? Your choice, but with this theme, the wackier, the better.

‘The Upside Down 2’ (the personal favourite) When? 31st October 21:00-3:00 Where? MSA Price? £5 Early Bird, £9 Final Release Music? 80’s Spooky Jams Who doesn’t love MSA? Furthermore, qwho doesn’t love spooky 80s music? Prepare for ‘Thriller’ on repeat and at least one floor-shaking renditon of ‘The Monster Mash’ at this basement extravaganza.

‘Halloween Hip Hop Horror Show’ When? 31st October, 23:00-4:00 Where? World Headquarters Price? £8 Music? Hip Hop, RnB ‘Applebum’ at Worldies always promises something special, and this Halloween is no exception. Grab a funky costume and be sure to buy a ticket beforehand for this ever popular event.

‘Ill Behaviour Halloween Special’ When? 31st October, 22:00-3:00 Where? Cosmic Ballroom Price? £4 Early Bird, £12 Final Release Music? House, Techno Techno? Check. Franky Rizardo? Check. A pretty

Image: Facebook - Ill Behaviour

much guaranteed good time? Check.

‘Digital:Apocalpyse’ When? 31st October, 22:00-3:00 Where? Digital Price? £6 Early Bird, £12 Final Release Music? Electro, RnB, Indie, Classics Can you really beat four rooms of separate music?

We think not.

No Money? No Problem.

Free entry events are always the best events: ‘Freddie Mercury Halloween Party’ When? 31st October 17:00-2:00 Where? Billy Bootleggers Price? FREE Music? Live Music, Rhythm and Blues, Rock n Roll Not only is this event Freddie Mercury themed (does it get any better?) there are free drinks available if you dress as the legend himself.

Nightmare on Mosley Street When? 31st October, 21:00-2:00 Where? Flares Price? FREE

Music? Disco, Classics Flares always puts on a show, and this event can be used as a precursor to another- but you’ll probably love it so much you’ll stay all night.

Fancy a quiet one?

Brewdog Halloween Movie Night When? 31st October, 17:00Where? Brewdog Bar Price? FREE Music? No music, but classic horror film screenings all night and plenty of popcorn all round…

There we have it, go ahead, run to tell your chums that you’ve only gone and found the perfect spooky night out, and if you have no chums, you’ve still only gone and found the perfect spooky night out.

Give yourself a pat on the back as you’ve officially saved Halloween- not all heroes wear capes.

Just in time for Tuesday, Hettie Shirtcliffe picks out the best Halloween party themes out there

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The Hanted House Everyone knows a Haunted House themed party is the go-to, most typical idea for your Halloween soiree and probably the easiest and most fun to decorate due to the large amounts of decorations, which are sold vastly around Newcastle.

Poundland however have the cheapest and imaginative decorations I’ve found, here are 10 spooky items to transform your house or flat for only £10: 1.

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Glow in the dark, 4ft skeleton ‘Beware’ horror gel stickers Large Halloween inflatables (bats or ghosts) Halloween photo back drop LED tea-lights, 4 pack Novelty balloons, 18 pack Paper pumpkin lanterns

Rant of the Week: Halloween!

Erin Holley rants on why she thinks Halloween should be a big deal in the UK.

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Throw the perfect haunted house party

s October comes to a close the pressure to throw a more than iconic Halloween party intensifies. As students, you will battle it out in order to throw the best house or flat party, but before receiving that credit you must decide on a theme that will provide your guest with a night they may or may not remember. Inviting your friends to a party with a theme will require them to dress accordingly, and in return you must put in the effort to decorate your house. Here are some ideas or themes you can put into action, accompanied by the best deals on decorations.

lifestyle life & style

8. Halloween window silhouettes 9. Beware Halloween wooden sign 10. Creepy critters, 52 pack Autumn Inspired Thinking of a classier approach to Halloween this year? Why not throw a more autumn inspired evening as oppose to a ghostly one: 1.

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200 artificial maple leaves (£2.80- Ebay) Bunch of 15 artificial flowers (£1.24- Ebay) Candles (80p – Primark) Fairy- lights (£2- Primark) Paint your own pumpkin ( £4-Hobbycraft) Pumpkins! (2 for £1 - Morrison’s)

go above and beyond in order to add to the atmosphere however here are a few decorations to get you started: Harry Potter: 1.

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Set of 5 Harry Potter signs and arrows ( £3.49 –Ebay) Harry Potter Hogwarts Chalkboard ( £4 – Primark) Harry Potter sorting hat shaped foil balloon ( £2- Amazon) Hogwarts string light set ( £14 – amazon) Harry Potter cardboard cut-out (£14.99 – partydelights.co.uk)

Harry Potter or Alice in Wonderland

Alice in Wonderland:

Wanting a more specific theme for your party, how about Alice in Wonderland or Harry Potter. Lewis Carroll’s ‘Alice in wonderland’ is the perfect theme for a Halloween get-together due to the number of kooky, imaginative characters you guests can dress as and the wonderland of course is the perfect backdrop to a party if decorated appropriately.

Harry Potter as a theme is also a popular choice due to the whimsical, wizarding world, and the fact that guests only need circular glasses and a lightning bolt drawn on their forehead to be recognised as Harry Potter. Decorations for both themes can

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Talking Tables Truly Alice Party Prop Set for a Tea Party & General Party Decoration (£6 – amazon) Mad Hatter party and cup and plate set (£5.44 – Amazon) Alice in Wonderland ‘Drink me’ tags x12 (£2.99 –EBay) Alice in Wonderland Arrow Quote Signs Prop Mad Hatters Tea Party decoration (£2.99 - Ebay) Alice mixed photo Props ( £8.49- partypieces. co.uk)

t’s that time of year again- you see all the Halloween hype on social media and start planning the best Halloween costume - I think that costumes of Pennywise from ‘IT’ will be popular this year as if the killer clown phase wasn’t bad enough?

Planning parties to go to and all the Halloween themed Pinterest ideas you will try. If you are anything like me, you’ll be emotionally invested in the idea of Halloween but will probably end up doing nothing for it.

This seems to be common and I think it might have something to do with the lack of popularity of the holiday in the UK. Halloween in the UK seems to be a bit of a low-budget side quest to tackle before people get ready for Christmas, the holiday everyone cares about. I want to know why don’t people celebrate Halloween with the same amount of enthusiasm as Christmas? I know I’m biased because Halloween is like my version of Christmas and a birthday rolled into one but still.

2nd

Halloween is considered the second biggest house party of the year in the United States

Halloween needs to borrow some of the hype for Christmas- image a whole month of nothing but ‘Thriller’ on the radio and all the crappy Halloween songs at the top of the charts. Why can’t there be the Halloween equivalent of the Christmas sweater- everyone could go around in huge oversized orange sweaters because they’re being pumpkins. We could have Halloween fairs and marketsselling pumpkin soup and pie.

It’s starting to sound a lot like the Harry Potter universe but that book franchise nailed Halloween- they had a whole feast dedicated to it, invited ghosts and let live bats loose upon the school. That is the quality content that I wish we could have more of. Honestly, what is not to like? It’s the only holiday where you get applauded for the scarier and more hideously you dress up. You don’t have to buy anyone obligatory gifts and you won’t be coerced into visiting all your family to be asked, yet again, ‘what’s the plan for the future?’ Nope, October is just reserved for being spooky however you want. What other holiday encourages knocking on neighbours’ doors and demanding free treats.

It’s so frustrating when I’m buying Halloween decorations to only find garish, tacky garlands.

America seems to be the best country when it comes to Halloween - they really go all out. Every store has heaps of different Halloween decorations, and unlike in the UK they are brilliant quality, none of this tinsel and paper rubbish. It’s so frustrating when I’m buying Halloween decorations to only find garish, tacky garlands.

It would be amazing if the UK could re-vamp Halloween and make it a proper celebrated holiday.

I’m not saying that we all should bury our heads in pumpkins and watch ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ twice a day, I just think that Halloween could be made into such an enjoyable event instead of the disappointing night that it often seems to be.

I know that the main thing people want to be for Halloween is exceptionally drunk - an excellent choice. But this year I think people should really go all out, dress up, buy some vampire fangs or crazy contacts, watch a way too difficult makeup tutorial, try and copy it, fail but still go out anyway. It would make Halloween that extra bit enjoyable if people put in more effort.

@Courier_life @courier_lifestyle

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life & style fashion

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Cutting out Photoshop

hether conscious or not, we are all culpable of looking at photo-shopped images and comparing ourselves to

them.

Even if people working within the advertising industry believe that photo-shopping is something we must accept like special effects in movies, the truth of the matter is, photo-shopping has negative consequences for our society, in terms of general attitudes as well as mental health.

Retouching doesn’t only affect the confidence of the public, who the adverts are aimed at, it can also have detrimental effects on the models. Having their image constantly altered to fit the industry’s beauty standards can lead to self-doubt and eating disorders. Therefore, this dishonest approach to selling seems to benefit no one. However, as retouching has been used for so long and has improved capital for many businesses, nothing has been done to combat it.

This is why the new French law, as of October 1st 2017, which requires all retouched photos be labelled with the words “photographie retouchĂŠeâ€?, is such a break through. What’s more the fine facing those who don’t adhere to this law is 44,000 Euros or 30% of advertising costs, which shows that these negative effects of the advertising industry are finally being taken seriously. The law applies only to images where the body shape has been changed and lighting changes do not require labelling. The law affects all visual marketing areas- print, online, email etc. although it does not yet include editorial

A lot of this is dependent on how thoroughly advertising is regulated and whether offences are taken seriously images in magazines and newspapers.

France’s Minister of Social Affairs and Health, Marisol Touraine, describes how “exposing young people to normative and unrealistic images of bodies leads to a sense of self-depreciation and poor self-esteem that can impact health-related behaviour,� and expresses France’s hopes “to avoid the promotion of beauty ideals that are inaccessible and to prevent anorexia in young people.�

France’s status as a fashionable capital of the world makes this change particularly important, as changes here are likely to have global reverberations. However, it is still not clear what the lasting effects of this law will be. A lot of this is dependent on how thoroughly advertising is regulated and whether offences are taken seriously. There is hope, as France seems to see the importance of regulating the media. It has already put forward some pretty forward-thinking laws in this area. In 2015, it was proposed that models should have a health certificate, valid for 2 years, in order to work. This ensures that underweight models are not promoted. This came into effect earlier this year.

Whilst S. Bryn Austin, director of the Strategic Training Initiative for the Prevention of Eating Disorders at Harvard’s School of Public Health doesn’t believe the latest measure will put an end to eating disorders, he expects we “will be one step closer to stemming the well-documented psychological harm these images cause, especially to young and vulnerable consumers.� He views the law as a message from France to advertising industries, saying “it’s time they acted responsibly toward the people on whom their livelihoods depend.� Hopefully, he’s right.

Image: pexels.com

the courier

c2.fashion@ncl.ac.uk Fashion Editors Chloe Bland, Sophie Schneider and Zofia Zwieglinska

Monday 30 October 2017

A Culture, not a costume

Charlotte Brook shows the importance of consideration while wearing Halloween looks

Instagram: @bethompson Instagram: @dajana_hope

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f course, we all love to dress up on Halloween, it would be a crime if we didn’t – but at what point does the ‘fancy dress’ get taken a little too far?

I’m not talking about a mean girls-esque corpse bride in a graveyard full of playboy bunnies, I mean the appropriation of another culture used as a meaningless costume. Cultural appropriation is something that always poses a question of “what’s the big deal?� but for the members of a race, ethnicity or culture it can be massively disrespectful and mocking, especially on a holiday like Halloween.

More often than not, someone adopting an aspect of a culture that’s not their own does not involve an appreciation for the culture but is rather done with little understanding of the history, experience and traditions of the origin. So, if you’re thinking about going as a ‘sexy Native American’ for Halloween, take a minute to think about the stereotypes you are perpetuating in doing so. Disney’s Pocahontas is a classic favourite love story but the real Pocahontas, living as a Native American, doesn’t have quite the same story. Abducted as a teenager and forced to marry an English man for the use of propaganda is

Instagram: @ halloweenmakeupidea

Instagram: @anyekuos_

the reality of the costume that you’re wearing to get ‘white-girl wasted’ in. With cultural appropriation often stemming from the creation of lies about a marginalised culture, it is hard to realise the implications of what you are actually doing.

So, if you’re thinking about going as a ‘sexy Native American’ for Halloween, take a minute to think about the stereotypes you are perpetuating Another popular Halloween go-to, especially as ASOS seem to think, takes from the Mexican Day of the Dead festival. Flowers in your hair and pretty face paint, what could be wrong with that?

Appropriation in this way robs the traditional culture of the recognition they deserve; the

Instagram: @ halloweenmakeupidea

weeklong festivities which are an integral part of the embracement of death, particular to Mexican national identity, become unimportant and vain.

What’s more so, the Day of the Dead is a celebration of life yet Halloween is used to honour the dead – it’s like copying someone’s work and handing it into the wrong class.

People often think about Halloween as an ‘anything goes’ sort of event, and don’t get me wrong, if you want to make it slutty, go for it! But there’s also a line. For example, blackface. Just don’t do it. Imagine being part of a minority that has faced discrimination, exploitation and violence for centuries, then going out on Halloween to be surrounded by people dressed in your skin as a costume, for a ‘joke’. A costume that they can take off at the end of the night, one that doesn’t come with prejudice and hostility as accessories.

So yes, although many of us may think it’s harmless, cultural appropriation is a big deal. It’s a big deal for the sacredness of the traditions that are being diluted, and for the people who will continue to face discrimination because their race is not just a costume. Be creative this Halloween, but also be thoughtful.

Basket or checkout...?

Federica Mazilli explores the psychology behind the ‘full basket’ with so many products left unbought

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nline shopping has grown significantly in the past years, with people preferring to make their purchases online rather than having to go to a store; as a result of our advanced technology.

This option allows us to save time and do multiple things at once, in addition to having access to a wider variety of products that are not always available in store. We also have to admit to reading endless online reviews and comparing products, giving us a greater insight into which one is of the highest quality and the most trendy in the industry at present.

Subsequently why is it that we never check out those very items in our online basket? According to getelastic.com who have conducted 22 studies, the average rate of checkout abandonment across the web is 67.4%, with 41% of this is as a result of hidden charges at checkout, for example when purchasing a product from abroad or with additional shipping and delivery charges.

For many, the notion of putting products in our baskets may be a way of remembering them and saving them The publicity and fixation on products that require shipping and promise to make you look more aesthetically appealing, like, for example, ‘Fit Tea’ and ‘Sugar Hair Bear’. Actors and celebrities including the ‘Pretty Little Liars’ cast along with Kylie Jenner and Madison Beer have continuously advertised both brands, encouraging young girls to imitate them and purchase their products to become more like their role models. However, although great results have been shown such as

weight loss and healthier hair is it really worth it spending $45 for a tea considering that shipping costs and other hidden charges have not yet been applied? These products are being ditched at the basket, as the delivery costs are way too excessive for customers to endure. Even with celebrity endorsement and Insta-snap brainwashing, most people do sober up before payment and realise that the amount of money spent is just not worth it.

Moreover, another psychological factor behind our abandoned baskets (aside from the price) is the disadvantage of not being able to try on products, leaving us disappointed once bought and acknowledging that that dress from ‘Misguided’ is two sizes too big, or the ‘Fenty Beauty’ ‘Match Stix Trio’ and ‘Galaxy Eyeshadow Palette’ are the completely wrong match for our skin. Although some shops are now presenting accurate skin and size samples, it can be disheartening if your expected size or fit is just not the same for these online shops.

The very setback is not having the validity of holding the actual item before purchasing it as it is done virtually, therefore creating doubt and requiring approval from friends and family, leaving those items on hold as we have the certainty that they will remain on the site as there is usually no high demand for them or the sense of being limited like in a store. Sometimes this ‘need’ is accentuated online through lucrative sales, but most times it is simply not enough to convince you to purchase the item.

For many, the notion of putting products in our baskets may be a way of remembering them and saving them for a certain occasion, or as a mental shopping list for pay day. Although our online baskets and wishlists on our favourite fashion brand websites remain full on most occasions we still love shopping online. So even with all the trouble of online purchases, the ease of delivery and going shopping on your couch can definitely outweigh stuffy shop changing rooms.

8 items in everyone’s wish list at the moment: t(JHJ )BEJE T 70 4 GPS 7PHVF eyewear t($%4 Y 6SCBO 0VUGJUUFST DSPQQFE MPHP sleeve sweatshirt t+PTJF .BSBO T BSHBO PJM t.BSJP #BEFTDV T GBDJBM TQSBZ t1PQ BOE 4VLJ T QFSTPOBMJTFE DBNFSB CBH t7JSHJM "CMPI Y /JLF "JS +PSEBO t#BMJ #PEZ T CSPO[JOH MPUJPO t* BN (JB T QJYJF DPBU i suk and pop

:@ am agr Inst

*NBHF ! 6SCBO 0VUGJUUFST *NBHF! 7PHVF &ZFXFBS

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Instagram:@ haileebobailee

:@josiem aranco

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the courier

17

fashion life & style Acid-attack Spotted on Campus: Halloween Edition victims no longer Editor Sophie Schneider snaps the hottest styles around uni right before Halloween silenced @CourierFashion c2.fashion@ncl.ac.uk

Monday 30 October 2017

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n the last 5 years, we have seen the rise of the participation of female victims of acid attacks and sexual harrasments on the catwalk.

The aim is to raise awareness of the increasingly common physical and sexual violence against women around the world. Of course, one would say that such ‘activism acts’ are just personal marketing, but the effect they have on society’s acceptance and compassion for such women, prove otherwise.

Let’s look back to 2012 when celebrity stylist Derek Warburton organized a Show with Bottomless Closet, for which designers such as Betsey Johnson, Rachel Comey and Nanette Lepore donated looks to women who were victims of domestic abuse. The aim of this show, announced

by Derek Warburton, was to persuade women to not silence this violence, and to start talking about it.

Ben Course: English Lit and French Stage: 2nd Outfit: Jacket - Carhartt; Shoes - Dr Martens; Shirt - vintage

Ida Course: Modern Languages Stage: 4th Outfit: Jacket - charity shop; Trousers - vintage; Shoes - Sports Direct; Scarf Edinburgh Wool Mill

The aim is to raise awareness of the increasingly common physical and sexual violence against women around the world

Scarlett Course: Classics Stage: 2nd Outfit: Coat - Urban Outfitters; Trousers charity shop; Shoes - Dr Martens

Spooky style and high street Halloween Erin Holley showcases the best Halloween looks on a budget this autumn

Image:Wikimedia Commons

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alloween fashion is in every high-street store at this time of year, with shops catering for all levels of enthusiasm towards the spooky season. Whether you want the glam sparkly mermaid look or the humble cat costume (aka a black dress and some last-minute eyeliner whiskers), there is something for every level of Halloween enthusiasm.

Doing ‘research’ for this was actual torture for me, so much cool Halloween merch and so little money… the struggle was real. So, if you want to spare yourself the heartache of searching around, I’ve picked some of the best Halloween themed clothing stores (which won’t cause a horror movie moment when you check your bank statement).

The Halloween themed pun game is strong this year and if you are looking for a subtler look- a ‘Witch better have my candy’ t-shirt would be perfect. If you are feeling the love for all things glitter and gemstones, Missguided has you covered with an amazing range of the Gypsy Shrine gems and loose glitter jars. They also win the award for most clothing with a Halloween themed pun written across it. Examples include some gorgeous mesh bodysuits proclaiming, ‘Squad Ghouls’ and

‘If You’ve Got It Haunt It’ both of which would look even better paired with a vinyl miniskirt (very popular in all high-street stores).

There is something for every level of Halloween enthusiasm If you prefer to look glam with less of a costume, Topshop has some great accessories including costume face stickers and creepy jewellery, including some amazing blood drop earrings, to create a more wearable Halloween look.

My personal favourite is the zombie-mermaid Halloween crown. They also have a fab new collection with Stranger Things 2, in anticipation for the new series. I think I’m going to have to take the advice of ironic t-shirts and trick or treat myself, it’s just too cool to ignore.

If you’re feeling the love for Halloween but not feeling like parting with your money, Primark

Topshop Lace Halloween Bat mask £7

have a cute Halloween section including a skeleton onesie that would be perfect for a horror movie night in with flatmates. H&M are always a good bet for decent Halloween merch and they’ve just brought out a vintage Harley Quinn themed jumpsuit with a matching jester headband for any DC fans. They’ve also got a creepy cheerleader costume which I would probably wear on a day to day basis as it looks relatively casual.

If you like to get in the Halloween spirit but don’t want to go out, Boohoo has the nicest onesies: a bat, a monster, a unicorn and a skeleton. Complete the creepy cosy look with some cobweb or vampire patterned socks. Halloween slogan tees are a way to show Halloween some love on a day to day basis, with Boohoo representing the vampires with shirts saying, ‘I Only Date Vampires’ and ‘Bite Me’ for a bit of fang-tastic fun. For an effortless Halloween look most stores are selling some form of plain shirt that has the caption ‘This Is My Halloween Costume’, perfect for a last-minute costume which also has a devil-may-care attitude, whether you go hard for Halloween or stay spooky at home. Follow these tips and you are sure to look the part.

Natalya Baranovskaya

Misguided Halloween cat face Sticker Black £4

H&M Jersey Top £8.99

A few years later in 2016 at New York Fashion Week, a 19-year-old Indian teenager, who had survived from a sulfuric acid attack by her brotherin-law and his peers in 2014, walked the FTL Moda runway. This was a complete act of bravery for Reshma Quereshi, who lost her left eye and was left disfigured. Quereshi used her voice to start a campaingn against the open sale of dangerous acid in India. She later created her channel on Youtube with make-up tutorials for victims of acid attacks under the hashtag #EndAcidSale, which have reached millions of views.

In 2016, Mukhtar Mai owerwhelmed attendees of Fashion Week in Pakistan, proudly walking on the catwalk in support of gang raped women as she had suffered from such humiliation. Mai’s brother attacked her in 2002, after he had decided that her sexual behavior was offensive. She was punished by gang rape and Mai was forced to publicly parade the streets naked. Her participation in the fashion show effectively raised awareness for genderbased violence.

This year, during the recent London Fashion Show on the 10th of October at the Truman Brewery, eight women, who were all victims of acid attacks from Bangladesh, bravely walked down the catwalk in partnership with Action Aid. Among them was 15-year-old Sonali, who faced an acid attack when she was just 17 days old. These women were actively supported by British stars such as Holiday Grainger, Jodie Whittaker and Hugh Dennis.

WHO (Wealth Health Organisation) stated that approximately one in three (35%) women around the world experience some form of physical, sexual partner, and non-partner violence in their lifetime.

This includes domestic abuse, sexual harassment, rape and acid attacks.

Now, fashion is gradually changing the standardised notions about beauty; this gives women who are victims of acid attacks and sexual assault a chance to speak freely about it, defending their human rights, showing to the world their bravery, courage and yet another side of the beauty.

Topshop Halloween Blood Drop Earrings £15 H&M Mesh Body £9.99

Misguided Black Vinyl Mini Skirt £22

Missguided This is My halloween Costume T Shirt White £15

H&M Alice band with bells, £6.99

Topshop ‘Stranger things’ T Shirt, £22

Instagram:@actionaiduk

18

life & style beauty

courier.beauty@ncl.ac.uk Beauty Editors Laura Greatrex, Lois Johnston & Susanne Norris

the courier

Monday 30 October 2017

Make up trends to leave in 2017

Review: Huda Beauty Desert

ong gone is the year of the beauty challenge.

In 2016 our feeds were filled with everything from the Kylie lip challenge to the insane 100 coats challenge. This year is all about the weird, with trends such as wavy brows and nose hair extensions becoming more and more popular. To be honest I would rather see someone cake on a hundred layers of foundation than stick fake eyelashes up their nose, but each to their own I suppose.

The trend making ~waves~ this month is the wavy eyebrow. Just when we’re recovering from the strangely popular phase of feathered and plaited brows influencers began spreading the new, even weirder craze. The trend involves using glue, or concealer, to hide sections of the natural brow while eyebrow products are used to draw waves across the eyebrow. The results are…different.

Nimra Rafique gives us her first impressions of Huda Beauty’s brand new eyeshadow palette

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I

’ve been a huge fan of Huda Beauty for a very long time now. Huda Beauty’s Rose Gold Edition palette, the brands first eyeshadow palette, has been a favourite of mine since the very first time I used it. So, when the launch of the Desert Dusk palette (which retails for £56) was announced and I got a first glimpse of the colours on the Huda Beauty Instagram page, I knew I just had to have it.

Image: by Nimra Rafique

Image: @promisetamang

Of course, it was first seen on Instagram, a site that is the holy grail for us beauty lovers. In August, popular YouTuber @promisetamang posted the picture of her supporting the wavy eyebrow trend and many believe she was the one to single handily inspire hundreds of others to share their own attempts.

It is becoming increasingly harder to tell what is real and what is a joke in the world of online beauty. Everyday beauty is incorporating more tips and tricks than ever, meaning what some consider a joke is something another is using as a real beauty hack.

It is becoming increasingly harder to tell what is real and what is a joke in the world of online beauty Last week, one blogger went viral after cutting up, yes cutting up, a brand-new pair of Louboutin’s to use as a make shift beauty blender. Because you know, £5 for a blending sponge just seems like an un-necessary spend when you have stuff like designer high heels lying around waiting to be destroyed.

One trend that has shocked even the most cynical social media user is nose hair extensions in which people take a pair of strip eyelash extensions, curve them into a circle and secure them up the nostril.

Yes, it does look as ridiculous as it sounds. From fluttering lashes to party lashes with diamond embellishment, there are many different styles being used. It’s very much a case of the weirder the better.

Even though I am not a fan of the latest trends, I think it is important that influencers are constantly challenging our conception of ‘normal’ make-up by pushing the boundaries. I mean contouring was an online trend before it became a vital tool in our ever-growing beauty bag.

Whether it is the return of long curling nail extensions, over-plucked thin eyebrows or something as crazy as a completely highlighted face I can’t wait to see what we will all be discussing this time next year.

Laura Bolden

The founder and CEO of this big beauty empire is Huda Kattan. The now 34-year-old entrepreneur became tired of working in finance so decided to become a makeup artist and soon, through her blog, YouTube channel and various social media platforms (most notably Instagram), rose to fame.

Kattan then went onto launching her sensational beauty brand, Huda Beauty, with the help of her two sisters Mona and Alya. The first ever products launched by Huda Beauty were their range of eyelashes, which are still to this day some of the most popular eyelashes in the beauty industry, particularly in the Middle East.

Image: by Nimra Rafique

Image: by Nimra Rafique

which have also made an appearance in the Desert Dusk palette. The textured shadows have a creamy formula that allows them to effortlessly glide onto the lid. The same can also be said for the pigmented mattes in the palette, the rich, buttery formula blends seamlessly, something every makeup lover appreciates in an eyeshadow.

The Desert Dusk palette has arrived at the perfect time as the colours are ideal for Autumn, to create that famous ‘fall’ makeup look you’ve probably seen all over YouTube and Instagram. One of the great things about the Desert Dusk palette is that you have a wide range of options to choose from when creating makeup looks, you can go for a brown smoky eye, golden goddess looks or bright purple glittery eye makeup. The Desert Dusk palette can be used to create effortless natural looks or full on glam looks, which means it’s great for everyone.

With the unique textures and beautiful colours, the Desert Dusk palette is going to easily become one of my favourites and I would recommend it to everyone.

Beauty all boxed up

Jaymelouise Hudspith educates us about the most popular beauty boxes on the market, revealing where to find them, what we can expect inside and whether they’re worth the cost

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eauty boxes are one of the latest beauty trends.

Each month, a box full of beauty treats are delivered straight to your door, almost like a regular present to yourself. But with so many brands offering this service, which one is right for you?

They’ve become such a popular phenomenon that now there is an option for everyone. There are beauty boxes that cover all products from razors, to the latest and hottest make-up and skin care samples, allowing you to try the products before you decide whether you will splurge out on something new and expensive product – everything you could possibly need.

Image: @birchboxuk

Image: @glowmakeupacademy

Because of my love for the Rose Gold palette, from the colours to its formula, I had high expectations for the Desert Dusk palette. The palette launched on 18th September 2017, on the official Huda Beauty website, as well as in the UK at Harrods and Selfridges online and instore, online at Cultbeauty and multiple places internationally including Sephora in the US, Canada and Australia. Unlike the Rose Gold palette, the Desert Dusk palette did not sell out immediately due to the high volume of stock provided by the brand, which meant there was enough palettes to go around and no stressing at the early hours of the morning trying to compete for the product or disappointment when discovering that it sold out.

Now onto the palette itself. The Desert Dusk palette has 18 shades including, ‘4 ready-to-layer textures, 8 buttery mattes, 6 sublime pressed pearls, 3 duo-chrome toppers and 1 darling glitter’, as claimed on the palette’s packaging. Kattan revealed on her blog that she was inspired by the ‘desert landscapes’ and the ‘colors of the desert at dusk’ so she decided to incorporate ‘the multihued tones of the sand and shimmering dunes’ into her palette. I must admit the colours in the Desert Dusk palette are all so beautiful and are colours I personally prefer, such as the warm toned browns, burnt sienna and vibrant purple hues. An aspect I particularly loved in the original Rose Gold palette was the foil-effect textured shadows,

One of the most popular brands to deliver your monthly treat is BirchBox. For £10 per month you get five sample sized beauty products tailored to the options and preferences that you provide them with upon subscription. Not only do BirchBox give you five different samples, including haircare,

skincare, make-up and body products, but each month the delivery box will have a different design, often related to a charity or event – October’s box is in cooperation with breast cancer charities.

Similar to BirchBox are Glossybox and Look Fantastic. Glossybox offers discounted monthly prices depending on how long you subscribe for.

If you want to try one month only you can enjoy five sample products for £10 per month, plus postage and packaging. Glossybox states that their products are beauty essentials that will leave you feeling great. Their product selections range from niche, high-end and emerging brands.

Look Fantastic have a different theme each moth.

October is their ‘Indulge Me’ box worth a total of £68 including products such as the ‘Bean Body’ Coffee Bean Body Scrub, Lancer Skincare Cleaner Blemish Control and four more products, plus each month you get entered into a prize draw to win over £100. The only drawback is a minimum of a three-month subscription, which is currently £43.50 for three months or £82.50 for six months.

Vegan Cuts Beauty Box is available to the UK online from allsubscriptionboxes.co.uk. This is the most expensive beauty box I have come across at £35 per month, however, it’s one of the easiest ways to discover cruelty-free brands and products.

Each month they’ll send you for to seven products, either sample size or full size, ranging from unique cosmetics to luxurious skincare. Vegan Cuts guarantees that all their products are 100% crueltyfree, paraben-free, and many of their products are organic and natural.

If you’re looking to splurge a little more, you can subscribe to Candy Coat’s box for £15 per month.

Each month Candy Coat will delight you with three new shades of their own brand gel nail varnish, amongst other nail care products, to give you the

perfect manicure all month long. They’ll also treat you to some candy sweets with your delivery!

Personally, I would avoid this box unless you have a UV lamp and the other essentials to care for gel polish, like the top coat varnish, but if you already have these products it’s a steal for the price.

One of the cheapest beauty boxes is by the fragrance shop named ‘The Discovery Club. For £5 you can try six mini perfume samples every three months. This allows you to sample all the latest scents without committing to a full bottle.

Image: @glossyboxuk

@CourierBeauty @courier_beauty

the courier

@CourierBeauty thecourieronline.co.uk/beauty

Monday 30 October 2017

Something stranger

Tired of the typical Halloween looks we see year in, year out? Susanne Norris talks us through this year’s most interesting and out-there looks and how you can create them at home

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hilst I love Halloween, I can’t deny that people tend to go for the same looks year in, year out. The devils, slutty cats, and variations of zombies account for ninety percent of Halloween outfits every time. Whilst I have no issue with this (I myself have been an amazing slutty cat before) it is pretty refreshing to think outside the box sometimes. So this year, I brainstormed all the ‘out there’ Halloween looks I could think of. These looks are assured to turn heads and get people talking.

The Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz: I know what you’re thinking. Why on earth would you want to come as a character from the most overrated film you’re forced to watch every Christmas? But for anyone who loves glitter, tight clothes and Cosmic this is perfect for you. To create the look all you really need is silver shorts and a top, the rest just involves showering yourself in silver glitter. You can make this look relatively understated by sticking with a bit of face glitter, or equally go the full way and cover your entire body in glitter. For

the particularly brave, check out the ‘Gypsy Shrine’ YouTube channel for the ‘glitter boob’ trend that swept festivals this summer, as this can be easily incorporated into this look. For your silver glitter, check out NYX in Boots, or equally do what I did and buy it all on Ebay.

These looks are assured to turn heads and get people talking

Image: @lilmoonchild

Image: @thegypsyshrine

the big eyes, use a white pencil (try NYX’s Jumbo Pencil in Milk, Boots) to draw big circles that cover your eyebrows and under eye troughs. Once you’ve done this, fill in this circle with the white pencil, including colouring over your eyebrows in white.

You can then draw yourself new pupils on your eyelids, and draw thin, Tim Burton style eyebrows on your forehead, above your natural brows. Then you can just use pale blue or off-white face-paint for the rest of your face to enhance your pale look (any fancy dress shop should sell this). For specific defining features, add stitches done with liquid liner for Sally, lines of green liner for the worms the Corpse Bride has, or replace the white pencil used for the eyes with a black one for Jack.

Anything from any Tim Burton film: For that nostalgic touch, we all want to see Jacks, Sallys and Corpse Brides at Halloween. However these looks are rarely ever seen due to their perceived difficulty, they are looks left for make-up artists rather than us mere mortals. What people don’t realise is how easy they actually are to create at home.

The signature Tim Burton look involves big eyes, pale/off colour skin and then a defining feature depending on which character you choose. For

Lady Gaga’s ‘Countess’ look from American Horror Story: A very specific look, but possibly the most amazing one yet. For all you American Horror Story fans it’s time to ditch the generic looks and channel your inner Gaga. To create the Countess’ effortless face, use a white pencil liner or blonde eyebrow pencil (Try LA Girl’s Shady Slim Pencil in Blonde, Beauty Bay) to give a bleached brow effect. Her signature facial look is then completed with black, winged eyeliner and a nude or red lip, easy even for make-up novices. Add to your look with some fake blood on your neck and chest. To create the iconic pointed finger, place a plaster over your forefinger and shape it to give it a pointed tip. You can then cover this plaster, and the rest of your finger, in silver glitter to complete your entire Countess look.

Halloween on a student’s budget

Emily Cartwright talks us through some easy and affordable looks you can create this year for Halloween, using Makeup Revolution’s gorgeously spooky new Halloween product range

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alloween is coming up and one thing’s on all of our minds…make-up! Fake barbie? Bloody cuts? Sugar skull? Devil?

Pumpkin? Mermaid? Pennywise? Leopard?

Angel? The decision is more than crucial. First though, decent make-up is needed to create your perfect look.

Image: @nikkietutorials

It’s no news to anyone that make-up can be expensive, and Halloween make-up is no exception. Brands like MAC Cosmetics have started to advertise Halloween make-up looks you can create using their products (a great place to get inspo, by the way), but even with MAC being a somewhat cheap higher end brand, a new full face of make-up products will undoubtedly be pricey.

So, as students, where do we turn? Where can we buy Halloween make-up that will make us look good without breaking the bank? One answer: Makeup Revolution.

Yes, that’s right ladies and gents, a drugstore

brand has provided us with a fantastically cheap, yet decent quality, Halloween make-up line, available at Superdrug. Below are my best picks from their range, as well as tips on how to create Halloween make-up looks affordably.

Vampire Glam (or not so glam): Check out nikkietutorial’s YouTube video ‘Vampire Princess’ for some inspo and top tips! This one is a good one, and probably my favourite, as it can be glammed up so you’re glowing to the gods, or made as spooky as you like! To make this scarier than Nikkie’s, add fangs and make your contour grey, using the Makeup Revolution Ghost Sculpt (£4) to really get that deathly vampire look going.

Products to use: Makeup Revolution Halloween Ghost White Foundation Whitener £3, Makeup Revolution Halloween SFX Realistic Fake Blood £2, Makeup Revolution Vampire Night Lip Kit £6.

Zombie Taylor Swift: A popular one for this year, I think T-Swizzle will be inspo for a lot of looks from her crazy new video ‘Look What You Made Me Do.’ Check out sophdoesnails’ YouTube video ‘Zombie Taylor Swift Drugstore Tutorial’ to get a step by step guide; she uses the exact products listed below! Sophdoesnails’ YouTube channel is always a good one to refer to near Halloween, as she does many looks using cheap make-up products, accessible to us students!

Fake barbie? Bloody cuts? Sugar skull?

Devil? Pumpkin?

Mermaid? Pennywise?

Products to use: Makeup Revolution Halloween SFX Scar Liquid Latex £2, Makeup Revolution Halloween Special Effects Spectre Palette £6, Makeup Revolution Halloween Ghost White

Image: @makeuprevolution

Foundation Whitener £3, Makeup Revolution Ghost Sculpt £4.

Slit Throat/Cuts: Always a good one for a last minute look, grab yourself some fake blood, liquid latex, tissue, black and red eyeshadow, and you’re sorted. There’s tonnes of make-up looks for this on YouTube so I won’t refer to a specific one, but here are the key products you might need.

Products to use: Makeup Revolution Halloween SFX Scar Liquid Latex £2, Makeup Revolution Halloween Special Effects Spectre Palette £6, Makeup Revolution Halloween SFX Realistic Fake Blood £2, Makeup Revolution Dark Reign Palette £6 (this palette is also good for a mermaid look as it’s full of greens, blues and purples).

Bruised/Black Eye Makeup: One for the boys too, this is another easy last minute look. Search for mannymua’s ‘How to: Bruises and Black Eye’ make-up tutorial on YouTube. This is an oldie but goodie of his, and only one product is needed! If you’re fancying being extra, bear in mind that the bruising doesn’t have to be restricted to the face like Manny’s, and you can always chuck some fake blood on too.

Products to use: Makeup Revolution Halloween Special Effects Spectre Palette £6.

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beauty life & style

Cruelty-free swap: Popular products

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nfortunately, not all our favourite beauty products are cruelty-free. Here are my picks of some cult classics and what they can be swapped for.

Swap Coralista by Benefit for Ray of Light by Too Faced: Coralista was one of the first make-up products I ever bought, and since then I haven’t been able to live without it. I love the way it gives the cheeks a very natural looking and healthy pink glow and it’s such a buildable colour. I sometimes used it as a highlighter on the tip of my nose and on the cupids bow. That is until I discovered the Love Lights highlighters by Too Faced. These come in a blinding ice white, a startling goddess gold and my personal favourite is Ray of Light, a coral/pink.

Like Coralista, ‘Ray of Light’ is a delicate shell pink colour, perfect for the nose, the upper lip and of course the cheek bones. However, the versatility of this product exceeds that of Coralista- due to the prima- shine technology. The highlighting effect is intense, yet the formula also blends well into foundation, unlike some highlighters which makWe your face streaky. The pink tone really brings your face to life, especially combined with a red toned contour.

Image: @toofaced

Swap Bumble and Bumble Invisible Oil for LUSH R&B: The formulas of these products are very different, the Bumble and Bumble invisible oil is a gel like liquid, whilst R&B has a creamier texture, but both leave the hair soft, tangle free and glossy.

They are both expensive but I view hair treatments like these as more of an investment. I have been using the same pot of R&B after every hair wash for almost a year now and haven’t reached the bottom yet. The LUSH product is, however conveniently, cheaper, as well as being cruelty free and vegan.

R&B also has a lovely smell, it’s a bit like oranges mixed with Christmas spices. I use it to detangle wet hair and then let it air dry. I love the way it brings out my natural curl pattern and keeps the ends healthy.

Swap your body moisturiser for Nip + Fab Bee Sting Body Soufflé: I discovered this little gem by accident whilst browsing the shelves of TK Maxx for beauty bargains and was too intrigued not to try it. I fell in love with this product immediately. It has a floral rather than sweet smell and it absorbs into the skin really quickly. This means you don’t experience that horrible sticky sensation, where you can’t sit down or touch anything for half an hour. The real beauty of this moisturiser though is how the skin feels the next day, so soft and even.

What’s more, I found that after a week, not only was my skin really smooth, but some of the scars on my legs were less visible. I also have really sensitive, eczema prone skin, which this product soothed rather than irritated. I would definitely recommend trying it.

Swap your Maybelline Baby Lips for Barry M Cor Balmy: The Maybelline Baby Lips is a classic handbag staple, the subtle moisturising shades have won the hearts of many. However, Barry M offer a cruelty free alternative with almost the same packaging and an equally effective balm.

It’s available in five shades from pale pink to dark red to fit every skin tone and the transparent core contains vitamin E as well as SPF protection. The light, natural shades of these lip balms makes them easy to apply on the go and without a mirror, although if you have pale skin beware because the darker tones are more pigmented than you may expect.

Mirander Stoner

20

life & style travel The Instagram generation

W

e are the Instagram generation; our feed is littered with photo after photo of well-edited holiday snaps, coupled with deep and meaningful captions. These pictures are undoubtably asthetically pleasing, but let’s be honest, does anyone really care that you went to that cool hipster café in Sydney, or that your high school friend is currently on their exchange programme in Europe?

It can’t be denied that social media inspires you to travel. The speed that you can share images, and ability for them to go viral what makes Instagram an effective marketing tool. Gone are the days where Instagram was the site to share snippets of your daily life- it has become a site to compare which of our lives the glitziest. But does social media, especially Instagram, affect the real experience of travel? Are we taking photos for the sake of capturing that moment, or because we need to update our seemingly dead social media account?

Erin Holley details the Halloween traditions and celebrations that take place across the globe

alloween, or All-Hallows Eve, is derived from Celtic festivals and medieval pagan celebrations that first originated in Britain. However, over the years Halloween has changed from a religious and social rite to a family-friendly, seasonal holiday. Halloween as we recognise it today is a greatly commercialised version of what it used to be, with costume, parties, decorations and candy.

North America Halloween began to change form into the Westernised version commonly practised in many countries over the world in 18th century North America. In the US and other countries that have adopted the modern Halloween, the 31st consists of children dressing up in scary costumes (such as ghosts, monsters and vampires) as they go house to house trick-or-treating. Other activities include pumpkin carvings, watching horror movies, visiting haunted houses and other games such as apple bobbing. Apple bobbing comes from the Irish traditional game of snap apple- hanging an apple from a string as partygoers attempt to bite it.

Ireland

Are we taking photos for the sake of capturing the moment, or because we need to update our seemingly dead social media account?

For the percentage of us who possess a passport, travelling is a privilege and if we are able to do it, we should all take the opporunity. By going to a destination that has a culture different from your own, you become the minority in the country and gain a whole new perspective. Too often in modern society, we fall into the loop of going to the same few places because ‘it is convenient’ or ‘it is cheaper’ and eventually lose the thrill of exploration. By pushing ourselves outside our comfort zone we are able to enrich our lives to such a degree that upon our return, we don’t see our home country the same way anymore.

There is a difference however between travelling for yourself and travelling for validation by others.

When it comes to taking photos by all means, do it! Capturing memories is all part of the joy of travelling anyway. However, obsessing over the best angle and which type of filters to use will cause you to lose sight of what is happening around you and result in some of the best parts of your trip slipping away silently. There is a fine line between enlightening and boasting about your travelling experiences. Rather than spending hours thinking about which pun to use for your caption, why not share what you’ve learnt that day. Remember to live in the moment and embrace the blessing of being among the fortunate few who have the physical and financial capabilities to travel. That is what I call living life to the full and worth way more than any number of ‘likes’.

Amanda Jane Yapp

Words of the Week Spanish: Español Hello: Hola Thank you: Gracias I’m sorry: Lo siento Goodbye: Adios Beer: Cerveza

the courier

Monday 30 October 2017

Halloween around the world H

Image: Instagram @niomismart

@Courier_Travel thecourieronline.co.uk/travel

courier.travel@ncl.ac.uk Travel Editors Charlotte Hill & Talia Gillin

Much of our Halloween activities originate from Gaelic roots-practices throughout Ireland. Folk customs included several rituals including telling people’s futures through divination rituals (such as scrying with special bonfires lit for their protective and cleansing powers).

Spain Many countries have their own unique ways of celebrating the fundamentally religious holiday, that are traditionally engrained in their national cultural customs. Perhaps the most famous example being ‘Día de Muertos’ (Day of the Dead), a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout South America and Hispanic regions such as Spain. The multi-day celebration begins on the 31st October and ends on the 2nd Novembereach day focusing on mourning and praying for dead friends and family. The 3 different days are dedicated to different people who have died: the 1st November is ‘Day of the Innocents’, to honour deceased children, the 2nd ‘Day of the Dead’ honours deceased adults, and the final day is a celebration for all which includes decorating the graves of loved ones. During the fiesta, the traditionally bright yellow marigold flower of the dead adorns graves and tombs, and sugar skulls, tissue decorations and cardboard skeletons are used to embellish houses and graveyards. The festival is a fun celebration to remember the happy memories with deceased loved ones, and to share jokes and anecdotes about their lives.

Japan

Images: Pixabay, Wikicommons, Wikipedia

In Japan, the festival ‘Obon’ is considered similar to Halloween due to the focus on honouring the spirits of one’s ancestors.

This is expressed by cleaning their graves in the hope that their spirits will visit their household alter. It is a three-day celebration in the middle of summer, and consequently it is traditional that people wear light cotton kimonos or yukata. ‘Bon Odori’ is a traditional dance performed during Obon, or ‘Bon’ as it is often known.

It is a folk dance to welcome the spirits of the dead. The celebration varies from region to region, with each region having different music and local dance, so the celebration will look

different depending on where in the country you go. The dance typically involves people lined up around a high circular wooden scaffold, as they dance in various directions around it.

China The Ghost Festival is a traditional Taoist and Buddhist festival held in China. Although it falls in late summer, it is often compared to Western Halloween because it signifies the opening of the gates of Hell and it allows all ghosts to receive food and drink. Family members offer send prayers to dead relatives and burn items are made from Joss paper (such as cars and houses) to appease spirits and give them valuable things in the afterlife. Tributes are paid to wandering ghosts of other families to prevent them from intruding on people’s lives and causing misfortune. A large feast is held for the lost ghosts as people bring offerings of food and drink and place it upon a table to ward off bad luck. Finally, Chinese lanterns in the shape of lotus flowers are made, lit and put to float on rivers and seas and act as a symbolic guide to lost souls and ancestors through the afterlife.

A large feast is held for the lost ghosts where people bring offerings of food and drink and place it upon a table to ward off bad luck

Phillippines During Halloween, residents in the Philippines traditionally return to their hometowns to buy flowers and candles in preparation for the Christian celebration of All Saints Day. In recent centuries during Halloween in Scotland and Ireland, special foods such as colcannon (mash potato and cabbage) and cranachan (traditional Scottish dessert made with fruit and cream) would have hidden items within them and served out at random. Finding a coin means the person will become wealthy whilst a ring signifies they will become married. Exhibiting the diverse culture behind one of our favourite childhood customs, it appears that the world’s fascination with all things ghoulish will only continue to increase in popularity.

From travel plans to essay plans

Alex Moore discusses his own struggle to adjust to university life after an amazing year of travel

A

pplying for deferred entry was the single best decision I have ever made (and I am really not very good at decisions). In no way was I ready to go from a lifetime of education straight into even bigger school. I was half sick to death of sixth form and all I wanted was some personal freedom.

My gap year (I say gap year, not ‘gap yah’ – daddy didn’t pay for it) was the most enjoyable year of my life so far. As soon as I could afford it I went away to: London, Amsterdam, Berlin, Croatia, Florence, Venice; Vietnam and Thailand, with a cheeky wee festival in between. For the first time ever, I felt like a real human; not yet a proper adult (who wants to be one of those?), but not a child who constantly needs their hand held by the nanny state. By the end, I just wanted more. I came pretty close to sacking off university and having another gap year.

And another one. Then probably at least one more after that.

It was quite striking coming to Newcastle and seeing everyone’s different attitudes. Those who came straight from school were almost always

more eager to be there than me. University was their freedom, whilst I felt trapped in the system once again.

All I could think was ‘Why the hell am I paying thousands of pounds for someone to tell me what to do when all I want is to see all thing things this wonderful world has to offer?’

All I could think was, ‘Why the hell am I paying thousands of pounds for someone to tell me what to do and give me homework, when all I want to

do is see every single thing this wonderful world of ours has to offer?’. At least school didn’t cost anything. The workload never made me want to cry a little bit inside either.

Just think of the holidays you could go on with forty thousand pounds – Forty. Thousand. Pounds.

And that’s being optimistic… (yes, I know that not going to university doesn’t make 40 grand magically appear in your bank account, but every penny pinched out of your pay-checks for the next 30 years is a penny that will never make it to the holiday fund). It probably took about half of first year until I finally accepted that this was it, I’m not going to be travelling the world any time soon but I did get there in the end. I’ll just have to have another year off when it’s all over. Or two.

@Courier_travel @courier.travel

the courier Monday 30 October 2017

student voice editor.union@ncl.ac.uk

culture What’s on 21

thecourieronline.co.uk Student Voice Editor: Alex Hendley Culture Editors Zoë Godden and Errol Kerr

NSR SHOW OF THE WEEK Newcastle Comedy Hour Thursdays 8pm-9pm

NSR’s brand new show ‘Newcastle Comedy Hour’, hosted by some of Newcastle Comedy Society’s finest exec, is the perfect end to a Thursday. Alex, Aiden, David, and Yonis have already built a fanbase on the station with their hilarity and originality as a show.

Their most popular features include ‘guess the motorway’ and some sing alongs to the cringiest tunes as well as regular guest appearances. On the show, you can find Mrs Heggerty who spits bars better than Big Shaq, or perhaps her son who has a slight addiction to Babestation.

The guest characters are endless, and the laughs even more so. Make sure to listen in to the lads, every Thursday at 8pm on Newcastle Student Radio.

Union University Campaign Society Monday 30 October

12.30-3pm Placement and Internship Fair Location: Partners’ Room, Business School 5.15pm GIAG: Golf Meet: Hatton Gallery 6pm Marketing Soc: M(eat) and Greet Location: TBC - See NUSU website 7pm SHOOK: New Material Comedy Night Location: Venue, NUSU

Location: NUSU 2pm Exit Room: Escape Games Meet: Outside NUSU 2.30pm/3.15pm Horse Riding: Beginner Course Location: Stepney Bank, NE1 2PN 5.30pm GIAG: Ice Hockey: Introduction Meet: Hatton Gallery 5.30pm Spanish Beginner Classes Location: Language Resource Centre, Old Library Building

Tuesday 31 October

STU BREW BEER OF THE WEEK Wheat Wanderer Available now

Something to wit your appetite! The next beer in the spotlight this week is the fusion of an American pale ale and a German-styled “witbier”. “Wheat Wanderer” provides a complex and delicate flavour balance whilst remaining at a fairly low ABV. A combination of Maris Otter and Wheat malt in the brew means that upon first taste, you’ll get a sweet, slightly spicy hit and heady aroma of a wheat beer, but as you drink it mellows to the crisp and dry characteristic of a pale ale.

Unlike a pale ale however, the bittering hops are dialled back to really let the natural character of the wheat shine through. Through the addition of Cascade hops we find a citrusy hit and a slight floral note.

This synthesis of lemon, spice and sweetness make the beer light and refreshing. If this has whet your appetite, and you’re hankering to try some, Wheat Wanderer is available at Luther’s and at The Herb Garden.

A special edition, “Spot Wheat”, can also be found at Spot White Pool and Snooker club. If you’d like to get involved with the society, you can sign up on the NUSU Societies page, or get in touch at: contact@stubrew.com Dan Jordan

POETRY IN ACTION POEM OF THE WEEK ‘Poetry is a mirror which makes beautiful that which is distorted.”

Let’s use Shelley’s words to look at Mental health, and how assorted Feelings and thoughts can be caught Up in people’s minds, Like a flailing fly in a spider’s web.

But, it doesn’t take too much To see that I’d be out of touch If I told anyone how to feel, or live life to the full; That something that is sometimes distorted, is not beautiful.’

12-2pm Housing Advice Drop-In Location: Student Advice Centre 1pm Pumpkin Carving Meet: Outside NUSU 5.30pm Halloween Ghost Walk Meet: Outside NUSU 5.30pm Mineshaft Thirteen: Halloween Maze Meet: Hatton Gallery 5.30pm Halloween in the Park Location: Felling Park, Gateshead 5.30pm Luther’s Halloween CarnEvil Location: Luther’s NUSU 5.30pm Lecture with Charles Jencks, architecture historian Location: Curtis Auditorium, Herschel Building

Wednesday 1 November 11-3pm Housing Fair

HOUSING WEEK Monday 30 - Friday 3 October The week aims to give information and advice to students looking to sign up for a house or flat for the next academic year

Thursday 2 November

12-2pm Housing Advice Drop-In Location: Student Advice Centre 11am-12pm Stitches in Time Tour Location: Discovery Museum 7.15pm Alan Hollinghurst in conversation with William Fiennes Location: Culture Lab

Friday 3 November

12-2pm Housing Advice Drop-In Location: Student Advice Centre 4.30pm Friday Night at the Races Meet: Outside NUSU

Saturday 4 November

9.30am Beamish Museum Meet: Hatton Gallery 11am Come and Sing Event Location: Kings Hall, Armstrong Building 3pm NUFC v Bournemouth Collect tickets: Activities Office NUSU 6.30pm The Complete Stone Roses Location: NUSU 7pm Aikido Location: Multipurpose Room B, Sports Hall

Sunday 5 November

10am Snowboarding Lesson Meet: Hatton Gallery 5pm GIAG: Badminton Location: Eldon Leisure, Grey’s Quarter 7pm Ladies Football Location: Sports Hall

Student spotlight WOMEN FOR WOMEN

Last event: Film Night at Quilliams Women for Women International is a global charity that aims to help women survivors of war rebuild their lives through a 12-month educational programme.

The women use their new skills to set up businesses in their local area, helping them to gain independence and empowerment.

Since 1993 the charity has helped more than 462,000 women in war-torn countries such as Afghanistan and South Sudan.

As a society we sponsor several women through this programme; our key aims are to fundraise and to educate.

We are organising several fundraising events this year, and we are currently in talks with N.E.S.T. to organise a conference which would involve speakers from various charity organisations around the country coming to the university to educate students about the work they do.

Last Friday’s film was ‘Sweet Dreams’, and the £5 tickets went to our sponsors.

NEWCASTLE HOUSING WEEK Housing Fair: Wednesday 1 November

This week is all about giving students the relevant information regarding all student housing matters, from what to look out for, to your legal rights and responsibilities.

The key message we give out during this week it NOT TO RUSH! This is so key at this time of year when agents and landlords are really pushing students to sign that dotted line.

The true story, and in my experience as a student, is that there are houses available all year round, despite agents suggesting they will all go by the end of November.

It is recommended to start looking after the Christmas break when you have a secure friendship group, and are absolutely clear who you want to live with.

We also have key information in our housing supplement which highlights the key bits of information you need, including a checklist of what to look out for

when you begin viewing.

From looking out for hidden charges and fees, to whether you’re provided with a washer/dryer, we’ll help you out.

Simple information but very easy to forget about in the excitement of house viewing. We have it all covered for you.

Come along to the housing fair, where there will be a collection of agents giving out information.

There will also be the SAC and Welfare there to answer any questions and give you the support you may need when you begin looking for your student housing.

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culture music

c2.music@ncl.ac.uk Music Editors Toby Bryant, Charlie Isaac & Ally Wilson

On Campus MUSSOC Voices

N

ewcastle University is currently home to a thriving musical scene. Boasting at least 7 different music related societies, there is something for everyone.

One of the largest of these is the Music Society which, at the time of writing, runs 6 ensembles, regular open mic nights, socials and a successful Outreach program taking music into primary schools in the local area (keep reading The Courier’s On Campus column to find out more about these in coming weeks).

One of the largest ensembles in the society is the MUSSOC VOICES choir - an un-auditioned fourpart choir which meets on a Wednesday 4-5:30.

This choir sings a variety of music from choral classics through to the songs of ABBA!

The group sings regularly around Newcastle and will be going out carolling as we get closer to Christmas Conductor Tom Edney, a third-year music student, leads the ensemble and organises the music: “I’ve loved setting up MUSSOC Voices last year and carrying it on this year. It’s been a fantastic opportunity to bring together a wealth of people from different backgrounds and perform around Newcastle. It really creates a sense of community between students and locals. I’m exceptionally proud of all the singers and what they’ve achieved the past year and a half!”

During rehersals Tom works with the singers to get the best out of them and create the most impressive sound!

Image: MUSSOC Voices

the courier

Monday 30 October 2017

Tricks & Treats: Halloween party guide

Max Hobbs and Elizabeth Blake take us through the best ideas to sneak your way to victory in both the costume and Halloween playlist categories, with some help from our favourite artists

H

alloween is just around the corner. Here is our pick of the top five best looks from famous musicians to steal for yourself, with the perfect sound track to match.

Chelsea Wolfe Given her status as the queen of modern goth, Chelsea Wolfe is a no-brainer for our list. This look will require a heavy emphasis on black: black eyeliner, black wig and black clothes are essential, as well as a look of deep despair.

Album: Abyss – If you are committing to the dark route, the thunderous bass guitar and Wolfe’s dread-filled lyrics will be all you need to complete it.

David Bowie (Ziggy Stardust era) If however you are feeling more rock ‘n’ roll than doom and gloom, then we recommend Bowie’s iconic androgynous alter-ego. The iconic lightning bolt across the eye will require some precision face painting skills and you will need to source a red wig, but other than that this one is fairly open to interpretation.

Album: The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (duh) – celebrate Bowie’s look with the album that launched his career. Iconic hits like ‘Starman’ and ‘Moonage Daydream’ are perfect glam-rock stage setters.

John Lennon There are of course plenty of low-effort alternatives.

John Lennon is a perfect choice for those with a pair of round glasses lying around. A semi-convincing Liverpudlian twang will also go a long way. A floral shirt was go to item of the time with a pair of distressed jeans.

Album: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – Although not Lennon’s solo material, this is certainly perhaps more his album than anyone else’s, characterized mainly by his psychedelic contributions on songs like ‘Strawberry fields’.

Michael Jackson In some ways, Michael Jackson is the perfect choice, embodying both the fun and scary elements of Halloween. Stables in Jackson’s wardrobe included white socks,

his iconic white sequin glove and a black trilby. However, to achieve his famous ‘Bad’ look try a leather jacket, black trousers and as many buckles as possible.

Album: Thriller – the title track is a no-brainer, synonymous with Halloween whilst also being danceable and upbeat. Everyone knows the moves. Other tracks from this album such as ‘Billie Jean’, ‘Beat it’ and P.Y.T are essential for a MJ playlist infused with 80s nostalgia; fun and the perfect excuse for some adventurous dancing.

Amy Winehouse High-waisted denim jeans and a bird’s nest hairstyle are all you will need to emulate Winehouse’s unmistakable look. For added effect, overdraw some pouty lips and sharpen your cheek bones with excessive amounts of bronzer. A bandana, hoop earrings and blingy jewellery are also distinctively Amy. Album: Back to Black – Winehouse’s break-out 2006 record is jazz-infused, soulful and heart-breaking, but you can just put ‘Valerie’ on repeat and call it a night. Of course, ‘Rehab’ would also be the perfect song to have a tipsy sing-a-long to that everyone is sure to know the words to.

Image: Wikimedia Commons/Flickr

Video Killed the Radio Star

Tom Crooney argues why the art of music videos are still a force to be reckoned with in 2017

A

This group sings regularly around Newcastle and will be going out carolling as we get closer to Christmas. They will also be performing as part of the MUSSOC Winter concert on the 10th of December in King’s Hall in the Armstrong Building, which promises to be a very exciting evening.

As part of the choir you develop your choral singing skills such as singing as a section, signing in harmony and diction. With these grows performing confidence and an ability to read music.

It’s also a great chance for members to get away from the course and do something they enjoy in a really chilled environment.

If you would like to sing in the choir contact the Newcastle Music Society or come along to a rehearsal in room 2.98 of the Armstrong building at 4:00 on Wednesday.

lmost as if by accident, what is widely regarded as the first ever music video appeared on BBC 1 all the way back in 1975.

Filmed for Top of the Pops under significant financial and timing constraints, the six-minute masterpiece that is Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ was born. Yes, Queen were not the first artist to partner their track with a visual, but the fact of the matter is that Freddie Mercury and co. unwittingly propelled the innovative concept into the mainstream.

Six years later, MTV was launched (ironically, with The Buggles’ ‘Video Killed the Radio Star’) and with it came a whole new era in musical television. Over 30 years on from that cultural landmark, music videos are being released more frequently than ever. But with more and more people turning to streaming services for their music and fewer and fewer tuning into TV chart shows, are these visuals still necessary? Spoiler alert: they most definitely are.

The music video has always been able to add an extra level of meaning to a song: to extend a lyrical

Chris Fox

@Newcastle University Voices @Courier_Music @TheCourierMusic

Image: Wikimedia Commons

theme or illuminate a certain element not immediately obvious with the audio alone. In these cases, that video is an invaluable artistic tool. Take Logic’s ‘1-800-273-8255’ for example. This is an incredibly powerful track, with lyrics exploring the heavy and painfully real topic of suicide. What takes Logic’s already-potent message to an even deeper level though is of course his video – highlighting one boy’s struggle with his sexuality. The video allows for the universality of the track’s lyrics to remain, but in tackling this issue actively illuminates a very specific turmoil, working to aid those facing similar circumstances.

encing the majesty of Beyoncé’s Lemonade or just replaying Lady Gaga’s ‘Poker Face’ over and over again - there’s no denying that these visual accompaniments remain to be more relevant than ever.

If you remove such musical merit, a great video can undoubtedly salvage its overall product However, some may argue that a video like Logic’s is only successful due to the already-present quality of the track. Yet, if you remove such musical merit, a great video can undoubtedly salvage its overall product. This is where good ol’ Taylor Swift comes in. I have never personally shunned Swift for the controversy surrounding her character – ‘Shake It Off ’ is, and always will be, an absolute banger – yet recent single ‘Look What You Made Me Do’ is admittedly pretty dire, barely warranting a second listen. But then she dropped the video, and it was kind of epic. From giving her reputation its own deserved headstone to crafting on-the-nose arguments between her former selves, the mundanity of her comeback was immediately forgotten in the visual. The single scored Taylor her first ever UK number one, mere days after the vid hit YouTube.

Go figure.

What these examples ultimately prove is that for as long as there is music, there should be music videos. Whether you’re watching Foals send ‘Mountain at My Gates’ into virtual reality, experi-

Image: Wikipedia

Top 5 Most Viewed Music Videos 1. Despacito - Luis Fonsi ft. Daddy Yankee 4.12 billion views 2. See You Again - Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth 3.18 billion views 3. Gangnam Style - Psy 2.98 billion views 4. Sorry - Justin Bieber 2.80 billion views 5. Uptown Funk - Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars 2.73 billion views

the courier

@CourierMusic thecourieronline.co.uk/music

Monday 30 October 2017

Carry Fire Robert Plant S

olo projects can go several ways. Often you’ll find albums that are incredibly similar to the sound of the original group, just repackaged under a different name. In other cases, the solo artist goes down a different route and tries something new, but you quickly realise that without the rest of the band they don’t particularly set the world alight. Sometimes, however, solo projects can be quite different but really quite good.

Robert Plant is a British rock veteran, but the former Led Zeppelin front man is also no stranger to the solo world. Carry Fire is the singer’s 11th solo album and continues on a theme set out in the well-received 10th release, Lullaby and… The Careless Roar. In this latest project, Plant skilfully crafts a melting pot of world sounds including African grooves, strings, crunchy guitar, as well as subtle electronic pads. All this combines to create a spacious bed for the warm vocals to sit atop.

Lyrically, many of the songs are slightly dark ballads of love, but Plant does dabble with some contentious political issues.

Until recently he lived in

It is the music on this album and the way that it interplays with the vocals that is the real selling point. Plant’s voice has mellowed somewhat since the Led Zep days. Whereas once you’d often hear him singing high pitched melodies that would cut through a heavy bed of distorted guitars, such as in ‘Kashmir’, this album offers quite the opposite.

Carry Fire sees a far more delic a t e and gentle vo- cal but there is no danger of this not cutting through the m u - sic.

Every instrument, including the voice, is given its own

To...

Horror Synth

by Jess Weiser space. Many of the tracks have a lot going on but they don’t sound busy. In the title track ‘Carry Fire’ we hear complex and aggressive sounds of Middle Eastern strings layered over African drum grooves with synth swells, but it all works together. At other points there are some incredibly warm soundscapes created. ‘Season’s Song’ has a great balance of sound with smooth vocals seeping over the top.

As Plant sings of long nights and winter weather you can’t help but feel enveloped in a warm musical blanket.

It’s refreshing to hear music from so many different cultures sit so well together Robert Plant will always be remembered as the singer from Led Zeppelin, and there are definite hints of that throughout the album, but Carry Fire is not a Led Zeppelin album. The album is truly global and, at a time when every country seems to be pulling up the drawbridge, it’s refreshing to hear music from so many different cultures sit together so well in Plant’s arrangements.

Joe Davies

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Lotta Sea Lice Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile

C

ourtney Barnett and Kurt Vile are two of the most charming musicians in the industry, the kind you just want to have a beer with round a dimming campfire and mull over how cool dogs are. It’s unlikely you’ll ever be in their company but the good vibes channel through and, unfortunately, it’s the closest you’re going to get.

The album sets the scene early. Like a campfire singalong in spring, it pulls you in until guitar shrills rattle your brain, just to be lullabied back together by the swaying melodies of ‘Let It Go’.

“There ain’t a ‘nother soul around/I wanna dig into my guitar bend a blues riff that hangs” Barnett sings in ‘Over Everything’, her delivery dry and lyrically piercing, but with that throaty warmth that makes her so charming.

Like an embrace from a lover you haven’t yet met Kurt Vile offsets her wonderfully with a little bit of goof; you can almost hear him grinning throughout ‘Blue Cheese’. This is what a makes the album so pleasant – a wonderful sense of fun, like the album is the audio form of their blossoming friendship.

But with any jam album, there’s always the threat of melting away into your own nonchalance. ‘Outta the Woodwork’ does exactly that, and ‘On Script’ comes and goes just as quick as is came. If all that came from the project was this song then it would still be worth it; it feels like an embrace from a lover you haven’t yet met, gentle on the ears and warming to the soul. Not exactly profound, but to hang out with these two for a little while is a treat.

Look it up for the most wholesome album you’ll hear all year.

Sidney Pinsent

Great Heights And Nosedives ROAM

B

righton pop-punk, five-piece ROAM released their second album, Great Heights and Nosedives, just a year after their debut effort. However, the year has allowed the band to mature and move to the forefront of the UK pop punk scene.

‘Alive’ serves as opening track, this seems sensible considering it features the album’s title within its lyrics. However, it’s easy to see why ‘Playing Fiction’ was chosen for the lead single as it showcases ROAM at their finest. It’s fast paced, with a catchy sing-a-long chorus, which are recurring features throughout the album.

Any fans attempting to sing along quickly become puffed out The first four seconds of ‘Guilty Melody’ trick listeners into believing it’s a softer lyrical effort before a complete change of pace transforms the track.

Although, it is a shame the album doesn’t feature a slower, more lyrically-focused, song. Only ‘Curtain Call’ provides a calmer offering, but even here the chorus ups the tempo.

The fast pace is aided by the fact that ROAM have two vocalists allowing for seamless transitions from one line to the next, without a pause for breath. Though any fans attempting to sing along quickly become puffed out!

‘Scatterbrained’ features perhaps the best lyric of the album in the form of, “don’t look left when everything is alright”, which also epitomises the uplifting, inspirational underlying tone of the record.

Songs all seem centred on making it through life’s good and bad days to come out stronger.

All in all, Great Heights and Nosedives is an excellent pop punk album full of catchy choruses, punchy guitars and clever lyrics.

Eloise Doherty

music culture

A Love Letter

America and this offers an interesting transatlantic perspective on things. In ‘New World’ there is reference to colonial activities of the past whilst in ‘Carving the World Again… a Wall and not a Fence’ and ‘Bones of Saints’, Plant comments on the global divisions that are being carved out.

Plant’s voice has mellowed somewhat since the Led Zep days

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Editor’s Picks

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ach week, The Courier’s Music Editors are working with Newcastle Student Radio to bring you the best new tracks from the week before...

‘Stand’ Tom Tripp You may have heard of Tom Tripp from his superb Mura Masa collaboration ‘helpline’. ‘Stand’ comes from his new EP, Red, which showcases a strong, unique sound that sounds so fresh and so current.

Toby Bryant, The Courier ‘Music In You’’ Purple Disco Machine feat. Lorenz Rhode This electro-funk track comes from the album Soulmatic, which offers a mixture of jazz and techno, with some interesting arrangements and up and guest singers. One for both a revision and a pres playlist.

Ally Wilson, The Courier ‘Common Section Creeps’ Mush A driving garage rock track with an infectious series of grooving, Parquet Courts-esque riffs perfectly complimented by duel deadpan vocals - with only two singles to their name, Leeds group Mush is one to watch out for.

Charlie Isaac, The Courier ‘Hearts’ Jessie Ware After only just getting into Jessie Ware, she conveniently comes out with new, killer album Glasshouse. ‘Hearts’ bleeds with pain as she captures the raw emotion of a break-up.

Meg Smith, NSR ‘Little Dark Age’ MGMT MGMT return with their first track in four years.

The dark and moody effort is a contrast to previous summer anthems. If this is anything to go by, their upcoming album will be an interesting listen.

Amy Woods, NSR Hear the Editors’ Picks first, as well as all the latest music news, reviews and gossip on NSR’s Music Show, Wednesdays at 4pm.

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f you enjoy the 80s aesthetic without the corporate sheen and affected optimism, horror synth is the genre for you. Inspired by the likes of John Carpenter and Goblin, horror synth (aka horror-inspired synthwave, or darksynth) is a style of electronic that emulates the thick, otherworldly textures of eighties horror movie soundtracks.

It can be a breeding ground for gimmicky imitations, but there are also brilliant artists who make captivating and extremely spooky music. Let these retro pioneers layer up brooding analogue synths for your listening pleasure.

Violent, conceptually vast and unusually complex Without a doubt, one of the best contemporary horror synth artists is the cheekily titled Carpenter Brut. Popular in both the electronic and metal scene for their harsh beats and baroque composition, their trilogy of EPs is a must-listen, being violent, conceptually vast, and unusually complex for the genre, while also funky as all hell. GosT is another great example of abrasiveness and dissonance played for terror; their harmonies sound like they genuinely come from the underworld.

The genre is fairly indie/underground in sensibility, and with that comes a lot of DIY mastering, hence a lot of artists are let down by overcompressed masters that leave the tracks with no breathing room (though they’re all worth checking out if you can stand the aural assault).

A delightful journey through bleak fantasy, minimal arrangements and unsettling rhapsody Perhaps the best-known of them all is Kavinsky (who you may know from the soundtrack to Drive), who suavely evades this with melancholy flair and a good old French house beat. Even John Carpenter himself has added new material to the genre with his Lost Themes album duo, featuring brand new instrumentals from his ear for horror.

The second, released last year, was something of a diminishing return, but the first is a delightful journey through bleak fantasy, minimal arrangements and unsettling rhapsody.

Sure, much of horror synth can feel a touch homogenous; there’s only so many times you can hear the same chord progressions played with the same synth presets, underscored by the same drum loops. But for the artists who transcend the clichés, it’s well worth sticking around.

Image: carpenterbrut.bandcamp

Newcastle Student Radio: nsrlive.co.uk @NSRlive

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culture TV c2.tv@ncl.ac.uk TV Editors Jacob Clarke, Joel Leaver & Alex Moore TV for Vendetta?

Monday 30 October 2017

The Walking Dead: Rest In Peace?

Kieran Macfadzean has seen every single episode of The Walking Dead - he is not impressed

L Image: YouTube

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he first domino has fallen. Yes, Channel 4 has announced that it will develop a dramatisation of the graphic novel, which follows a modern-day Guy Fawkes ‘V’ on his fight against a post-war fascist British government.

Excitement surrounding this news is already palpable amongst fans - unsurprising, given the greatness of Alan Moore and artist David Lloyd’s seminal work, and how their masterpiece has left a lasting impression on the literary, artistic and political scene.

Hacker group Anonymous, and the Occupy movements of 2011 drew much of their inspiration from the ideals of political upheaval and resistance of the text. And if you have ever wondered where those Guy Fawkes masks, worn by protesters across the world post-2011 came from? It was our hero, ‘V’, who donned one first.

One question remains however: would Alan Moore claim any relation to a TV series? Moore famously disowned the Hollywood adaptation of V for Vendetta, and was enormously critical of another adaptation of (arguably) his opus magnum in the 2009 film Watchmen, claiming that ‘[Hollywood] spoon-feeds us, which has the effect of watering down our collective cultural imagination. It is as if we are freshly hatched birds looking up with our mouths open waiting for Hollywood to feed us more regurgitated worms.’

Their masterpiece has left a lasting impression on the literary, artistic and political scene Pretty scathing. Personally, I enjoyed both adaptations and found that for the most part, they remained true to the original texts and retained the rich and visually stunning artistry displayed in both graphic novels. However, a TV series would certainly allow for more development of the multifaceted character arcs.

I for one would love to see more of the personal lives of important characters who were neglected in the film: the fractious marriage between the supine Conrad Heyer and his manipulative wife Helen; the amoral and opportunistic gangster Alistair Harper; and the brilliant detective Mr. Finch - arguably one of the most relatable of the graphic novel - all deserve more screen time and investigation into their motivations and psyche, as we see in the novel.

Channel 4’s recent dystopian successes of the gloriously sinister Black Mirror, as well as TV interpretations of some of Philip K Dick’s shorter fiction, Electric Dreams, suggest that Moore’s dark imagining of Britain under the autocratic rule of ‘The Leader’ could enjoy similar critical acclaim.

Let’s hope that this will be a TV series even Alan Moore will be proud of.

Rory Cameron

et me preface this by saying that I hate The Walking Dead.

Let me preface that preface by adding that despite this, I have seen every episode of The Walking Dead. The reason being that I wished to be completely qualified to complain about it.

So, with the decayed corpse of the show about to drag itself up from the mud this week for season 8, I ask: ‘Has TWD run its course?’

My answer, of course, is that to say the show has run its course is to do a disservice to running.

Since season 2, it has limped, stumbled and face planted its course across cultural consciousness with all the momentum of one of its eponymous crawling cadavers. Aside from the storyline, which is as formulaic and predictable as it is uninteresting, the pacing for the show is very obviously geared towards season premieres and finales. Every now and again there’ll be an action-packed jaunt in between these milestones to briefly jolt us awake again but we’re soon sung back to sleep by another of Rick’s never-ending speeches about family, survival or ruthlessness (more on him in a bit).

Image: YouTube I’m not the first to make this point but it bears repeating that the entire structure for all seasons is as follows: Group walk through woods; group find sanctuary; sanctuary is unsuitable or destroyed; group walk through woods again. I’m not blind to the writers’ problem. If their characters were constantly outside- vulnerable and on alert- they

@thecouriertv @Courier_TV

Our protagonists simply say or do whatever the script requires

and comforting, in which case she just is. I can’t describe the characters without mentioning what they look like or what their job is. E.g. ‘has a tiger’ or ‘is pregnant’.

The only individual whose arc I can definitively describe is Carol, a genuinely well written, wellacted and logical protagonist (they more or less wrote her out of last season for being too interesting). Similarly, I love Negan. He’s as simplistic as any other character but Jeffrey Dean Morgan is the only cast member who looks like he’s actually enjoying himself and as such he’s a blast to watch chew up scenery.

At the end of the day, my problem with TWD is that it’s a lazily written, insultingly produced exercise in mediocrity augmented by an admittedly spectacular effects team and a couple of good performances. Has it run its course? Definitely. Will I watch the new season? Probably. Hopefully with an increased focus on the battle with Negan, the show can do something as entertaining and different as it was in its first season so I suppose we can dredge this corpse up one last time.

Also, remember when Rick fought that Mouth of Sauron zombie in the junk yard? That was weird.

Speaking of characters, the show could do with some. Creator Robert Kirkman has always described the comic and show as a character drama where zombies are just icing on an (unappetisingsounding) cake. I love that idea. Unfortunately, the characters in question are so one-note, inconsistent and infuriating I’d rather we just had a 40-minute corpse effects reel.

The issue is that our protagonists don’t really have personalities, they simply say or do whatever the script requires that week. It’s impossible to judge what Rick’s reaction to any revelation will be based on prior behaviour as he only exists to push the plot to its next sequence. Daryl’s entire personality can be boiled down to ‘owning a crossbow’. “Coral” Grimes, with his costume design presumably being constructed under the working title of ‘pirate cowboy’, is simply moody except when he isn’t and stupid except when he’s not. Michonne is… stoic I guess? Unless we need her to be motherly

Image: YouTube

Programmed Horror: A TV Showcase

Can’t get enough of Halloween TV? Amy Gildert walks us through her Top 5 horrifying TV shows American Horror Story In a list of TV horror, we were always going to encounter American Horror Story. While everyone and their mother has their favourite season of AHS, the appeal of the show is the way it changes its premise each season to explore different genres of horror. If ghost stories are your thing, I would recommend starting with the first season, Murder House, where a family moves into a new and creepy home, only to discover the dark and supernatural secrets of its inhabitants. If witches and magic are more up your alley, the third season, Coven might be worth a Halloween re-watch. No matter the season though, you’re guaranteed some shocks.

Black Mirror Image: Flickr

would need to construct long form tension, think of inventive survival techniques or develop character through quieter, visual means. Far easier to just give them a house and have them tell us outright what their motivation is this particular episode.

Then, if we need to fulfil a zombie quota, just cut to whichever character is on a supply run that week.

There, we can insert a logic breaking jump scare with a slow-moving zombie that in every other scene makes continuous loud groaning noises and should therefore be unable to sneak up on a headphone wearing Stevie Wonder.

Zombies, by the way, that are only as threatening, durable or intelligent as this scene needs them to be and that can be dispatched so easily by our characters with a headshot frequency that would make a Call of Duty MLG player jealous.

Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror might not be a conventional choice for Halloween horror viewing, but it really delivers on the kind of psychological horror that will keep you up at night questioning humanity. Often set in twisted alternate realities, Black Mirror succeeds in its horror by showing us aspects of life that we recognize, which only makes it more creepy. In addition to the psychological horror, it also dabbles with the typical jumpscares

that we love to hate. An episode like ‘Playtest’ for example, follows an American man testing out the latest in virtual reality horror games, taking his deepest fears and bringing them out into the open.

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million viewers (on average) tuned in to the third season of American Horror Story - it’s most successful season.

Bates Motel Bates Motel is a series that doesn’t drop you straight into a confrontation with a chainsaw wielding maniac. What it does do however, is engross you in a horrifying dynamic between a mother and her son. Created as an origin story to Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, Bates Motel shows a teenage Norman Bates and his mother as they attempt to run their new motel. However, things descend quickly into a mess of manipulation, murder, and a surplus of psychological violence.

The suspense of watching the dysfunctional dynamic between Norman and his mother is enough to set anyone on edge.

The Mist Stephen King reigns the king of horror, pumping out classics like The Shining and It. While many of the films based off his novels are extremely popular, a series such as The Mist is often overlooked, and wrongly so. The show centers on a group of characters that have taken refuge in a supermarket after an inexplicable mist descended upon their town, hiding in it an assortment of deadly monsters. The Mist provides tense moments of character interaction, interspacing it with moments of heart pounding horror when the characters venture outside.

When the mist brings out dark secrets, the characters are forced to confront their worst fears whilst simultaneously dodging gory deaths at the hands of the creatures in the mist.

Penny Dreadful Penny Dreadful is homage to the popular supernatural tales of the Victorian era, and explores the origins of iconic villains we know so well, such as Dracula, Van Helsing and Frankenstein. Set in 1812, the city of London is being plagued by a shadowy assortment of demons and creatures.

An explorer, a clairvoyant and a marksman come together to investigate these monsters, and the series builds its horror by bringing you in to the darkest corners of the city. By using the gothic origins of the characters, Penny Dreadful brings out the scariest elements of the supernatural to leave you wondering what might be stirring in the dark corners of your room.

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@CourierTV thecourieronline.co.uk/tv

Monday 30 October 2017

Are Superhero TV shows �inally dying?

Lucy Lillystone asks whether superhero saturation on the silver screen will be their kryptonite I t’s reaching that time of the year when all of our favourite television shows start up again.

It’s that time of when we all get snuggled up in bed, turn the lights off and click play, hoping that Lena Luthor will eventually realise Kara is Supergirl (come on Lena, it’s obvious).

they may have always wanted. Yet, there are also problems. For one: I literally cannot keep up. As a full time student I find it hard enough to have time to watch TV anyway (I know, shame me).

But knowing that when I do watch TV, I spend almost 99% of the time trying to catch up on the superhero shows as opposed to How To Get Away With Murder or Supernatural dampens my mood .

It makes watching these shows all the less exciting.

And half the time, I don’t even manage to watch them all! There are just too many.

And then there is the matter of crossovers. In the last seasons, CW decided to do a full crossover between all of their superhero shows. Don’t get me wrong, it was AMAZING! But what about those people who only watch say one of these superhero shows? My mum is one and let me tell you, she was confused as to who Dig and Felicity were when they appeared on The Flash. It is also extremely annoying when you have to watch, say Arrow, just to see the conclusion of a storyline. It gets to the point where you find yourself just not even caring because of the immense effort required to watch them all.

But it doesn’t stop there. Last year in January, CW went one step further and created Legends of

Tomorrow. A TV show made literally for the cast out superheroes – Sara Lance, Ray Palmer, Martin Stein – who the writers could not bear to dismiss because the world (obviously) could not go on without them.

Mindhunter

Stranger Things

Twin Peaks

Netflix

Netflix

Sky Atlantic

etflix’s Mindhunter is their latest endeavour at creating quality, original content for its customers. Adapted from the true-crime book Mind Hunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit, the show is a psychological crime thriller set in the 1970s. It follows FBI agents as they interview some of the worst serial-killers in US history, all while solving a few gruesome crimes along the way.

Jonathan Groff plays Special Agent Holden Ford, a former hostage-negotiator with boy scout-like enthusiasm for his new position within the FBI’s behavioural science department. Alongside him is Special Agent Bill Tench, a hyper masculine, hardened veteran of the FBI, portrayed masterfully by Holt McCallany. Each have skeletons in their respective closets, which play out as they delve deeper into the psychology of murder and get uncomfortably close to real-life monsters.

nless if you live under a rock, you are probably aware that Stranger Things season 2 is airing this Halloween season.

But, what exactly will become of season 2? How will Will’s life be altered after his experience from the Upside Down? What’s happened to Eleven?

Alongside these burning questions from fans, new characters will be revealed, such as Max who will be joining the iconic group of kids. Max is being billed as a new love interest, so it will be interesting on how this changes the dynamics within the group, combined with new sub-plots that will emerge as the season develops. It is presumed that The Upside Down will have a much more prominent role within season 2, with a larger focus on the visual effects and a greater exploration of exactly what is in The Upside Down, developing the world that haunts Will.

One important question is: Will it live up to the hype? With the rapid popularity of the first season (even my mum watched it, and it took her years to watch Breaking Bad), Stranger Things quickly became one of Netflix’s most popular original shows.

It combined nostalgic 1980s tropes seen in films like The Goonies and Stand by Me with a fresh storyline that a multitude of audiences enjoyed.

Image: YouTube

From CW’s vigilante in green to the fastest man alive, DC’s superhero shows are all anyone will be seeing on the channel for the next months.

However, despite being a dedicated fan, I still find myself asking whether it is all too much. Has CW overdone itself and created too many superhero television shows?

For fans of these saviours, this is not an issue. All of the shows do in fact provide good plots, humour and action. They give every comic book fan what

Reviews

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Mindhunter’s pedigree is nothing short of worldclass Everyone they interview is based upon a real serial-killer, with Cameron Britton putting in an Emmy-worthy performance as Ed Kemper.

Known as the ‘Co-ed Killer’, Britton’s portrayal of Kemper will leave you feeling violated as he eloquently describes his graphic crimes without any sense of remorse. It is, however, all for the greater good as the FBI agents try to formulate a profiling mechanism to catch killers, like Kemper, early.

Mindhunter’s pedigree is nothing short of world-class, David Fincher, the legendary architect behind critically-acclaimed crime films such as Fight Club acts as director and executive producer for the series. Fincher’s directing genius and unique aesthetic will do nothing less than draw you in to the minds of some of the most depraved men to ever walk the Earth.

Mindhunter starts as a slow-burn but by the end of the series you will be asking yourself questions like “Am I going to become a serial-killer because Mum and Dad left me alone in a pub when I was 8?”. Maybe, maybe not. May as well hand yourself in now.

Jerome Affleck

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The first season was a critical darling, so chances are the Duffer Brothers won’t disappoint However, as one of the most popular shows on Netflix, the anticipation is extremely high. The first season was a critical darling, so chances are the Duffer Brothers won’t disappoint, less Netflix subscribers bring out the fire and pitchforks.

Whether it will live up to the hype or not will be up to your own personal opinion, but one thing’s for certain: everyone will be watching. Season 2 of Stranger Things is out now so get bingeing!

Sophie Hicks

You find yourself not even caring because of the effort required to watch them all Imagine a world with fewer superheroes?

Impossible. What’s worse is that I even find myself forgetting their names because there are that many to remember. Which, really, is just embarrassing.

I for one, love superheroes. I own T-shirts with superheroes on. I have posters with superheroes on. But I am now at the point where I am fed up.

I don’t need another show with people dressed up in capes. I don’t need another show that retells the story of Batman. Let’s maybe pause the creation of new superhero shows for a while, yeah?

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f you watched the original series of Twin Peaks, you’ll probably be thinking that the weirdest thing you’ll see on the show is a floating red curtain and a guy called Bob. For those who aren’t familiar, welcome to the weird mind of David Lynch.

Series three was a decent continuation of the original, especially being set 25 years later. There were some similarities in setting, characters and tone. However this series was more daring than ever. With loose ends untied even now, I’m still not sure what happened to Agent Cooper despite spending most of my summer watching the show.

The latest edition was certainly more supernatural and abstract than its predecessors, which is something that I enjoyed, although I question the episode where it was purely light, colour and sound for 45 minutes. The original weird essence was maintained and even if I didn’t feel quite as immersed as I did before, I still couldn’t turn it off.

This series was more daring than ever. With loose ends untied even now It was great to see all the old cast again, like Catherine Coulson as the Log Lady and Sheryl Lee, who played the iconic Laura Palmer- she certainly lands herself on the scream queen wall of fame with this series. The only thing that really bothers me is the absence of the Cooper and Truman banter of the original series. As Cooper was split into three versions of himself, I missed seeing the character that we got to know so well in the first series. Every second I was waiting to hear one of his little catchphrases but alas this did not happen until the last episode.

I would highly recommend this show for it’s variety in storylines and creativity in producing quirky characters. It’s extremely hard to encompass it all in 300 words - but all you need to know is, once you enter the town of Twin Peaks you’ll never want to leave.

Sian Dickie

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TV culture

Throwback: Fresh Prince of Bel Air

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he Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is still one of the best sitcoms our TV’s have ever been graced with. It was based around Will (Will Smith) and his move from the ghetto in ‘Philly’ to the swanky neighbourhood of BelAir, living under his Uncle Phil’s strict rules. The show was a huge hit for its funky fashion, hilarious one-liners, and truly iconic moments (e.g.

‘The Carlton’ dance). The re-birth on The Graham Norton Show in 2013, when Smith surprised the audience by reuniting with Carlton (Alfonso Ribiero) and Jazzy Jeff is one of those moments that will be immortalised in TV history.

First things first: Best theme-song ever? No question. From the first jingle of the tambourine you know what’s coming. You prepare for your very own world-class performance of the song that will never leave your brain. It’s everyone’s dream to master the lyrics and I think we can all admit to looking them up once or twice and unveiling our inner rapper to the rest of the family.

Every character was designed, developed, and executed so brilliantly that the show would never have been the same without any of them (aside from the sneaky swap of Aunt Viv after season 3).

Will Smith is without a doubt one of the funniest actors on and off screen and this role will always be one of his best performances. Whether it’s fat jokes at Uncle Phil, size jokes at his cousin Carlton, or ‘yo mama’ jokes with Jazzy Jeff, he is so naturally talented it is as if he is not even reading a script.

It is hard to believe that he had little to no acting experience prior to the show!

Image: YouTube With such a strong lead, you might expect the co-stars to appear as not so developed or not so funny. This was simply not the case. Carlton Banks - Will’s nerdy, unintentionally hilarious suck-up of a sidekick with some serious dancing skills - was a star in his own right and a well-deserved favourite with the fans! Their relationship is easily the most entertaining aspect of the show.

What made Fresh Prince so ‘fresh’ is that it tackled social issues that are still prevalent Humour aside, what made Fresh Prince so ‘fresh’ is that it tackled social issues that are still prevalent today. I remember being 10 years old and one episode particularly stuck in my head. Philip’s friend had given Will and Carlton permission to drive his expensive car when they were pulled over by a policeman, who them accused them of stealing the car and arrested them. This episode, along with many others, dealt with the issue of race in America which stuck with me because I had never realised how everyday this problem really was.

The show also dealt with the issue of class, gun violence, sexism, and parental neglect. Its most poignant moment comes in the final scene of an episode when Will’s father reappears, having abandoned him as a child. Will burst into tears after he does so once again, crying to Uncle Phil, “How come he don’t want me man?’ Uncle Phil rushes over to him off script and hugs him tightly, not character to character, but actor to actor, friend to friend: this was all too real for Will Smith.

Helen Stevens

Want to write for us? Pop us an email to c2.tv@newcastle.ac.uk - we are always after new writers!

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culture film

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c2.film@ncl.ac.uk Film Editors Helena Buchanan, Dan Haygarth & Christopher Wilkinson

Monday 30 October 2017

Golden Oldies Can you truly separate a director from his works?

In light of claims about Harvey Weinstein, Joe Holloran looks at some famous, and famously questionable, directors. Can we watch the films and fill the pockets of such immoral characters?

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he recent revelations about Harvey Weinstein have been circulating repeatedly on TV and print news for the last few weeks, as more and more women bravely come forward and expose him for who he was.

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is foul, so his works must be foul. However, the uncomfortable question must be asked ‘Can you separate art and artist,’?

I should be clear that I understand there is no one answer to this question, but for my part the answer

Goldfinger (1964)

went to see Goldfinger at the Tyneside I think on a slightly wistful whim. Any James Bond film reminds me of the weekends of my childhood, and I thought seeing the film on a big screen would do it justice.

The title sequence alone highlighted why streaming a film on your laptop sometimes really isn’t good enough. It highlighted the skill and creativity of the artists who came up with such a pivotal and still recognisable sequence with far less developed technology than we have today. This with the soothing strains of Shirley Bassey was almost enough to make you forget to notice quite how questionable the rest of the film is.

Almost. It was not, as it turns out, enough to cover so much coercive sex, blatant misogyny, and use of people of colour to play Goldfinger’s workmen. This film caused me to think about how often we tend to glaze over the deeply troubling aspects of classics (and, indeed, modern films) to enjoy good cinematography and stories. All too often we hear the excuse that “things were different then” is used to justify these ‘classics’, and to watch and enjoy them we must glaze over these aspects, coughcough almost every line in the film cough.

claims made against directors themselves. The most prominent example when thinking about questionable directors is the case of Woody Allen.

What Allen did was arguably immoral, but not illegal. Other such cases include Michael Bay’s creepy behaviour toward Megan Fox, Stanley Kubrick’s psychological abuse of Shelly Duval or the rumours surrounding X-Men and The Usual Suspects director Bryan Signer and Kids cultdirector Larry Clark. The alleged criminality of these filmmakers has not yet been settled and may never be. You yourself will have to do the reading to decide for yourself what you believe and if you

Weinstein is foul, so his works must be foul. However, can you separate art and artist?

In the past Hollywood has been dogged by accusations of a ‘casting couch’ culture, wherein aspiring young actors (see Coreys Feldman and Haim) and actresses are subjected to behaviour ranging from intimidation and harassment to rape and blackmail. Weinstein proves that these days are not long gone, and Hollywood is not as open and progressive as we would like to think.

An age-old question has resurfaced in the wake of these allegations. Yes Weinstein’s actions were abhorrent but should that fact block us from enjoying the films he was involved in making? The initial response to this question is to ‘throw the baby out with the bath water’ as it were. Weinstein

is that it depends.

Weinstein was a producer of films. A powerhouse of the commercial side of the industry and a star maker, a man of immense power. But, he was not involved directly in the creative process of film production through his companies Miramax and The Weinstein Company. In other words, Weinstein bought the canvas, the space and paid the artist, but his tainted hands did not once touch the brush. Because of this distance, the line becomes more blurred. Miramax produced Pulp Fiction, but Tarantino wrote and directed it. It is his film. His art.

Over the years there have been numerous

will view their works again.

The most painful case for me personally is that of Roman Polanski. As the creator of both Rosemary’s Baby and The Ninth Gate, Polanski’s art is highly regarded among fans of religious and psychological horror, such as myself. But, Polanski is a total, foul, creep. He admitted to having raped a thirteen-year old girl in 1977, he even plead guilty in court in Switzerland before fleeing to the States. Perhaps this is deflection of blame on my part, but I think retrospective degrading of art is more complicated than what action to take once the crime is known.

Why the hell are Polanski and others like Victor Slava (Jeepers Creepers) welcomed back into the industry with almost no complaint? But I suppose when one takes into consideration the recent revelations about some of the people running the business, perhaps it is not too surprising that they are more willing than others to turn a blind-eye to claims, and even confessed crimes.

Should we jump at Horror or is the genre dead?

Are Horror films really worth your time? Finbar Oliver and Jaymelouise Hudspith discuss

H Because it is true, I did enjoy the film and it was amazing and highly appropriate to see it in the ‘classic’ screen. Indeed, I liked it so much that the announcement that they would be showing The Pink Panther next month made me very excited.

Will I be able to watch and enjoy it though, as Kato, like Oddjob in Goldfinger is bizarrely presented, and exploited by the white men in the film for the white men watching at home? Should I enjoy this?

Is it acceptable to seek to?

Films would be few and far between if we were to boycott all those which do not adhere to our moral and social values. Perhaps, as with literature, the best thing to do is still watch them, still, even, enjoy them, but to question what you see and recognise the structures that these films support.

If you choose to look away you see nothing, and if you see nothing you know nothing. Knowledge is power, and just as we will not be pushed out of the “men’s talk” as by the pool in Miami, we will not deprive ourselves of culture and enjoyment, just try to see the cost at which they come.

Helena Buchanan

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orror films are a much maligned artform, so much so that in singing their praises it often feels like you’re coming to their defence, rather than celebrating their merits.

In my mind, that’s a shame – some of the most interesting and entertaining films in recent years have been firmly rooted in the macabre. We’ve got a few months left, but so far 2017’s track record illustrates this claim. Big budget box-office smash hit, proving that scares still sell in an age of real-life horror, Get Out reminded a new generation that the genre is still (and always has been) political, and titles like The Love Witch and Prevenge continue to push the indie-horror boat out. So why do filmmakers and audiences continue to sneer at horror as a less valid cinematic form?

hether you love them or you hate them, you cannot deny that modern horror films are rubbish. Are we to blame?

As a society are we so used to horror and gore that what we see in films no longer affects us like it used to, but are the production companies to blame for simply making bad films?

I blame two main things: jump scares, and bad marketing. So many times, I’ve watched a film just to find out that I saw all of the best bits in the trailer and wasted the last 120 minutes watching nothing but filler.

This is because of poorly executed marketing and horror trailers are notorious for doing this. It’s all to do with the marketing of the film, creating an expectation it can’t live up to.

Some of the most entertaining films in recent years are firmly rooted in the macabre One criticism of the horror film lies in the belief that they are uninspired, exploitative and derivative of whichever breakthrough genre film came out the previous year. True, many are similar, yet therein lies the comfort; the predictability of the form gives the benefit of appeasing fans with familiar stories and tropes, and ensures that curveball titles which reinvent these familiar subjects come as a pleasant surprise. Recent titles like Raw, Bone Tomahawk, It Follows and Under the Skin reanimate muchloved styles, demonstrating the genre’s ability to shape-shift through the ebb and flow of different generations of filmmakers.

While none can deny that horror has given us some stinkers, don’t let this detract from the standout voices in the genre. From David Cronenberg’s sci-fi splat to John Carpenter’s iconic scores, Tobe Hooper’s D.I.Y American nightmares to Dario Argento’s technicolour surrealism, horror has (and continues to) shock, surprise and satisfy audiences eager for audio-visual exhilaration.

So many times I’ve watched a film just to find out that I saw all of the best bits in the trailer The other issue is jump scares. Rather than finding a way to actually terrify me, horror films opt for the easy option of a jump scare; startling me when someone jumps out shouting boo isn’t the same as genuinely scaring me. Yes, my heart may race for 10 seconds but I don’t go home afraid like I would afraid of some killer lurking in the dark to stab me like a pin cushion.

Whenever a new horror film comes out, I pray it’ll scare me, that I’ll feel the adrenaline rush as my heart races rather than sitting trying not to laugh at how cringe worthy the special effects are or how ludicrous the plot is.

@Courier_Film Image: Wikimedia Commons

@NewcastleCourierFilm

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@Courier_Film thecourieronline.co.uk/film

Monday 30 October 2017

The Death of Stalin (15)

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is more historically accurate than its getting credit for.

It is absurd, then, that the Russian culture secretary has called for the film to be banned. Perhaps it is the similarities between an increasingly autocratic

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film culture

Column 2 Electric Boogaloo

Image: Youtube

Sid Pinsent reviews the much awaited Death of Stalin. Can we find humour in this most questionable of leaders? Should we attempt to create art out of our traumatic history? t’s 1953, Stalin has just died and it’s up to his calamitous cronies to work out who’s going to take over. Faced with the prospect of being shot as traitors, they plot, panic and plunder in trying to find a consensus in the shadow of the death of their leader. Armando Iannucci (The Thick of It, Alan Partridge) directs a superb ensemble cast round the chambers of a Kremlin crumbling into chaos.

Steve Buscemi as Khrushchev is more of a Brooklyn hardman gangster than a politician while Paul Whitehouse is hilarious as a matter-of-fact Russian Yorkshireman.

The result of this set up is a motley set of characters with all the stereotypical regional mannerisms, while - to this film’s praise - never falling into pantomime. Indeed, on closer inspection, the plot

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million taken in the first weekend by The Death of Stalin to top the UK box office

accent.

You’d have to be a genius to get a laugh out of one of the darkest chapters in human history; Armando Iannucci is exactly that.

This Is black comedy at its darkest, the kind of comedy that reminds us that we’ve not got it too bad right now. We can slate the establishment to our hearts desire, while here a stutter will land you a life in an icy Siberian outpost. The Death of Stalin is bleak and brave, but it pulls it off and, for my money, it’s the film of the year.

Russia under Putin that hit a sensitive nerve.

Perhaps they are embarrassed that Russian leaders probably were just as rumbustious – although not quite as funny – as Jason Issacs, who plays a Field Marshall Georgy Zhukov with a steely northern

Image: Youtube

Shrek 2

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here’s no denying the endless cultural references and seamlessly constructed soundtrack of Shrek makes it one of the best children’s films ever, there’s also no denying that Shrek 2 exceeds the expectations of a sequel by a mile.

The two films’ plots follow a very similar structure. Shrek has been, or feels, shunned by society, nobody wants him and Fiona together.

Just on the cusp of everything falling apart they are reunited for the perfect fairytale happy ending featuring lots of animated fairytale characters dancing along to a pop classic. But something about Shrek 2 just does this that little bit better.

The Shrek 2 soundtrack is banger after banger

Geostorm (12A)

Brawl in Cell Block 99 (18)

Image: Youtube

I Am Not a Witch (15)

Image: Youtube

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On the assumption that you have seen Shrek if you’re watching Shrek 2, by the second film you have grown to love characters like the three blind mice and Pinocchio enough for them to carry their own sub-plots. Unlike the preceding film, Shrek 2 doesn’t only follow the story of Shrek (and Donkey, lets not forget everyone’s favourite character).

This stunning sequel also features the

Image: Youtube

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bone-popping, skull-crushing thriller that’s not for the fainthearted. It’s dark, mature, and brutal — and has the potential to be quite special — but sadly struggles to find its rhythm.

Vince Vaughn (better known for his appearances in romantic comedies such as Delivery Man) puts in a vigorous performance as the devastatingly violent Bradley Thomas who we find punching his own car in a scene weirdly reminiscent of Fawlty Towers. After losing his job, Bradley turns to a lucrative life of drug-dealing to fuel a new start for himself and wife Lauren (Jennifer Carpenter) with whom he has a troubled past.

Unfortunately, the film’s wordy title is its own spoiler, as the audience are left wondering for the first hour how and when the main character is going to find himself in a prison — and specifically ‘Cell Block 99’. Once eventually convicted Bradley is confronted with a harrowing ultimatum on which the entire film hinges, also rendering everything before just a prolonged prologue.

Don Johnson makes a hardened villain in Warden Tuggs who controls all goings-on at the aptly coined ‘Minimum Freedom prison’. Here Cinematographer Benji Bakshi does a fine job in composing shots to highlight Bradley’s increasing isolation. The deliberate omission of a soundtrack means when it comes to the fight scenes — of which there are many — every bone-crack, every limb-snap is heard in its fullest.

Indeed, it’s a curious watch as Director Steven Craig Zahler (known for Bone Tomahawk) clearly wants it to be artistic and refined, but sometimes the action is more akin to that of a video game, with each punch perfectly choreographed and the recurring sense that our main character is invincible. That said, these gruesome scenes are without doubt a spectacle.

With gore that will make you gasp, Brawl In Cell Block 99 is probably not date night material.

erard Butler is not a very good scientist.

After realising the super satellite he helped build has been hacked to create global weather catåastrophes, he exclaims that his project has been turned into a gun. Lest we forget this NASA-owned Death Star stops natural disasters by firing missiles at the sky.

Inconsistencies like these should make Geostorm entertaining, instead of mildly inconveniencing you like a light sprinkle. For something that markets itself as the next 2012, we spend more time watching family feuds via pseudo-Skype conversations than any kind of tornados, tsunamis or heatwaves.

The most action we get in the first act is stock footage with exposition voiceover from Butler’s daughter explaining how global warming was solved with the creation of the humorously codenamed ‘Dutch Boy.’ Fast forward three years and Butler is reassigned to investigate foul play on the satellite after a town in Afghanistan is frozen solid, all whilst he and younger brother Jim Sturgess bicker for two thirds of the running time.

Don’t worry though, the good ol’ USA doesn’t get any scratches until the final act – it awkwardly just happens to be Orlando.

In Dean Devlin’s directorial debut, he’s created cliched character arcs and mediocre CGI interwoven through brooding conversations of political espionage and overcomplicated tech lingo. The cast is trying their hardest, with the only bad performance coming from a poor British accent, but both dramatic and comedic elements fail to make an impact as the film takes precedent in convincing you of its seriousness. A somewhat impossible task considering it expects you to believe Leonidas built the space equivalent of a Nerf gun.

Not as atrocious as forecasts predicted, but not sunny either, Geostorm is a poorly timed release that leaves you uncomfortably damp in your seat.

Sebastian Ward

Zoë Godden

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mong the very few sentences the accused “witch” uttered, “I am not a witch” is not one of them. This stylish and deeply disturbing debut by Zambian-Welsh director Rungano Nyoni turned out to be more profound than I expected.

The story unfolds as a 7-year-old girl is accused of being a witch by a village woman, who, after falling on her feet, finds the girl staring at her. The girl, named Shula, is given a choice: to be a witch or a goat. She chooses the former. She is transported to a “witch camp” governed by a male “witch doctor”, which also consists mainly of elderly women.

A sort of magical element surrounds the place: every woman has a long white ribbon tied to their back, which is in turn attached to a track which transports them between different work places.

Throughout the film her powers are used from picking up a guilty suspect to bringing rain to a farm, and all the while, throughout these exploitations, Shula remains timid and silent.

She is forced to work hard labor underneath the strict supervision of men, eventually accepting this absurd fate, and subsequently turning a blind eye to camera-buzzing tourists.

The constrained aura of Maggie Mulubwa – a newcomer to the world of film – is brilliant. It is worth considering however whether this fear was natural, since the actress was told by her local villager that the film crew were going to eat her.

The true misery lies in the sheer helplessness of Shula’s situation. Would young Shula have taken the risk of becoming a goat to free herself from the manipulation? Or indeed would her choices make any difference to her treatment?

With a metaphor that seems so universal to our world, this is something worth pondering over.

introduction of some of people’s favorite Shrek characters who were absent from the first film.

There’s Puss in Boots, who was such a good character they even gifted him his very own spin-off film, as well as the evil yet enticing fairy godmother (voiced by Jennifer Saunders) who sings what is without a doubt the best rendition of Holding Out for a Hero you’ll ever hear.

That’s another of the undeniably brilliant things about Shrek 2 - the soundtrack. Yes, All Star by Smash Mouth is one of the best moments of the first film, but whereas the rest of the original’s soundtrack is somewhat lacking, Shrek 2 is just banger after banger, and I continue to unashamedly listen to it pretty much every day.

As a child, I didn’t watch fairytale films. I know not of Disney princesses and believe that I am better off without being exposed to their patriarchal plots and over-jolly songs. But Shrek 2 gives you every fairytale story you could wish for, along with fantastic songs and jokes that are equally enjoyable for adults and kids (hence why over a decade after first watching it, it remains one of my favorite films). It’s the whole package, and I’ll fight anyone who tries to tell me it’s not the best Shrek film going.

Carys Rose Thomas

Leslie Deng

Images: Dreamworks

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culture gaming

courier.gaming@ncl.ac.uk Gaming Editors Gerry Hart, Georgina Howlett & Richard Liddle

Top 5 Ghosts in Gaming 5. Inky, Blinky, Pinky and Clyde - Pac-Man

The Evil Within 2 Review

Erin Holley gets to grips with Tango Games’ latest hair-raising addition to the Halloween season being the Reborn Laura, a creepy splice of waiflike corpses with multiple heads. She is made even more unsettling by the pained moans and enraged screams it emits as she chases Castellanos with an enormous rotating blade. On that note, the game is quite loud with tortured cries and howls of the mutated undead and if, like me, you have thin walls

Originally released in 1980, Pac-Man is no doubt one of the world’s most famous video games, which, in turn, probably makes the title’s villainous ghosts pretty noteworthy. Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde are the original awesome foursome famous for taking on Pac-Man as he attempts to munch his way through the world. With an indomitable spirit and persevering nature their legacy is firmly cemented alongside other great groups of four such as The Beatles and NSYNC.

The Evil Within 2 marks another excellent addition to the genre of survival horror

4. The Ghost - Spelunky Spelunky is an open source indie platformer in which you roam around caves dressed as an adventurer who, has an uncanny resemblance to Indiana Jones . Spelunky punishes you for your own stupidity, and does so frequently. However, it’s most brutal aspect comes in the form of an apparition, who if you hang around a level too long, will appear, chase you down and instantly kill you. In essence, to avoid death, be quick and efficient or else what started as a fun expedition could end as your last crusade.

3. Boos - Super Mario Bros The adequately named Boo rose to fame appearing consistently throughout the Super Mario Bros franchise. Paired with a cheeky grin, there aren’t many enemies across the Mario universe as pervasive as this not so friendly apparition.

In Mario Kart, Boo acts to steal weapons from other players highlighting his love for mischief.

Occasionally though boos may appear in a far more sinister form. Broozers are large, grey Boos found in the ghost house levels of New Super Mario Bros. Sporting a set of bright red boxing gloves these larger variations of Boo certainly pack a punch.

2. The Headless Horseman - The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim The fifth installation of the Elder Scrolls Series, Skyrim, is known for its vast lands and wide range of characters. Travelling across the fantasy realm certainly has its hazards. Soldiers tell tales of such dangers, retelling stories about how they once too travelled the land. Many of them though curiously ceasing their escapades due to unfortunate encounters with knee targeted arrows.

Perhaps there’s a Dwarven bowman amidst the Dark Brotherhood we’ve yet to meet. However, it’s a headless spectre that wanders the land who truly confirms that crossing Skyrim isn’t for the faint hearted. Appearing anywhere in the world between 10pm and 4am, the horsemen exuberates an eerie presence. Performing no actions, the horseman wanders through the night, a constant reminder of the treacherous path his living body once rode.

1. Jolene Cranley-Evans Grand Theft Auto V Grand Theft Auto V is known for its range of easter eggs. From UFO’s to the infinity killer there are a huge range of hidden gems, each with their own backstory. One such easter egg comes in the form of a ghostly apparition that can be found between eleven and midnight on the peak of Mount Gordo.

Further digging reveals that the ghost floats above a rock sporting the word “Jock” painted out in large bloody letters. The female figure appears to be that of the late Jolene Cranley-Evans, who accordingly was murdered by her husband, John Cranley.

Speculation suggests that the killer pushed his wife over the peak of Mount Gordo, however a lack of evidence ended with Mr. Cranley walking free.

Details of the entire story can be found using your in game phone, using the browser and visiting the url: www.WhokilledLeonaraJohnson.com, from here players should click on the link “Blood on the Rocks Mystery” for further information.

Jared Liam Moore

the courier Monday 30 October 2017

Image: Igdb.com

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ith Halloween just around the corner, it’s the perfect time for Tango Gameworks to drop the muchanticipated horror video game The Evil Within 2. I have been itching to get my hands on the sequel after being blown away by the twisted plot and high-quality gameplay of the 2014 The Evil Within game.

The Evil Within 2 marks another excellent addition to the increasingly popular, ever growing genre of survival horror. The plot returns to follow the protagonist ex-detective Sebastian Castellanos, several years after the events at Beacon Mental Hospital in the first instalment. Still haunted by his past, he plunges into the ravaged, haunted nightmare of the idyllic town of Union, a simulation created by the Mobius STEM system.

Presented with a chance to find his thought to be deceased daughter, Castellanos takes the player to a shattered, zombie-infested wasteland on a desperate search for Lily.

Ostensibly, the game is very similar to the 2017 smash hit Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, with parallels of the young girls haunting the protagonists, leading them through decrepit buildings in the search of redemption. This similarity is understandably expected as the first instalment was directed by Shinji Mikami, creator of the Resident Evil franchise, who also supervised development of The Evil Within 2.

However, The Evil Within 2 focuses less on interactions with infected humans as seen in Resident Evil 7 and much more on the battles with mutated monsters. Most haunting of these

’ve checked and I’ve somehow not written about any old-school horror games in the years I’ve spent writing and editing for The Courier. Have I ever told you how pantsshittingly scary old horror games are? Everything from camera angles, ammunition scarcity, limited saves and the naturally weird sounding SFX and soundtrack just make them so damned uncomfortable to play, and I love them.

However, for me there’s an undisputed king of 1990s console horror games; and that is the glorious tension of the Resident Evil franchise before the release of Resident Evil 4. Don’t get me wrong, 4 is great, but it’s not… scary. You know what is scary, though? Resident Evil 3: Nemesis.

pretty easily – and you come down a set of stairs with a large paneled window at the bottom, only for the window to shatter and a ten-foot monstrosity to burst through the window.

and flatmates, I would advise in using headphones during the gameplay.

Fans of gore may be disappointed with the lack of blood and guts throughout the narrative, particularly after the gruesome scenes of the first game. But then again how can you top fighting for your life whilst trying to climb out of a huge vat full of blood, intestines, body parts and of course zombies? Still, since it was the sheer volume of visceral slaughter in the first game that truly captured my horror-loving attention, this second instalment was arguably a bit of a let-down in that regard.

In addition to this, the narrative of the game gets a bit hazy at times with seemingly random side quests hindering the momentum of play. But gamers who dislike the cop-out of a jump scare will be glad to know that this new instalment has relatively few eye-rolling reanimations (when I see a suspiciously innocent dead zombie I tend to try and kill it again-just to be on the safe). Overall, I was really impressed with The Evil Within 2 and I sincerely (fingers crossed) hope that in a few years we can get another dose of survival horror in a third instalment.

Memory Card: Resident Evil 3: Nemesis Errol Kerr revisits his ultimate Nemesis in this week’s Halloween horror-themed throwback I

You’re not just trying to escape from a house. You’re trying to escape from something hunting you down You know what makes this game scary? First off let me explain the damned static camera. This means that you see what the game wants you to see at all times. The tension of not being able to know what’s around the corner until you round the corner, the inability to see into rooms extending off of a corridor because the camera doesn’t look that way until you’re actually in the room. It’s the camera that makes combat difficult – aiming is so much more difficult when you’re not looking over your character’s shoulder, and whilst the majority of undead enemies are slow enough that you can manage, it’s still the frantic procedures of switching to inventory to check your ammo count, reloading your weapon, and deciding when to conserve ammunition and use your knife.

So imagine you’re used to quite slow enemies – apart from those goddamn zombie dogs that die

The fear of a known enemy that you just can’t shake off This isn’t the first encounter with the creature known as Nemesis but this opening is unforgettable.

His entire existence throws a spanner into how you’ve played the previous Resident Evil games (which I suggest you all try to find). He’s fast, he’s armed with a long-range rocket launcher, and he’s an absolute bullet sponge. Don’t think you can put him down permanently though – he’s got some mad Wolverine-esque healing-factor plot device that means that he will recover from whatever you throw at him and he will come back to hunt you – and only you – down.

You’re not just trying to escape from a house, or a city, or a nuclear explosion. You’re trying to escape from something hunting you down. It’s what made Alien: Isolation so good in 2014, what makes games like Outlast so good – the fear of a known enemy that you just can’t shake off. These enemies make everything else scarier – if you’ve burned through all your shotgun ammo trying to

fend off the Nemesis, it’s going to make fighting the regular zombies so much harder, and the tension will only build if the last time you managed to save was before you fought the Nemesis last time round.

This game is perfect for anyone who likes to be kept up at night. Just, when you round a corner and hear that ominous, guttural cry of “Staaaaars…” – don’t say I haven’t warned you.

the courier

@Courier_Gaming thecourieronline.co.uk/category/gaming-2

Monday 30 October 2017

Club Tropeicana: Zombies

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gaming culture

EA Shuts Down Visceral Games

Jack Coles is talking dead as he explores gaming’s love for the wonderful world of daywalkers Jordan Oloman provides the ombies. Time was, zombies were a Haitian eulogy for EA’s latest victim Image: Igdb.com Voudou thing, a state of reanimation that

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arose when a shaman carried out acts of necromancy – or a metaphor for slavery in Haiti, depending on who you believe. Then, like any kind of cultural appropriation, rich blokes turned it into a highly successful commercial franchise across Westernised countries.

William Seabrook was the first, a travelling occultist who popularised zombies through his book The Magic Island where he recounted his travels throughout Haiti. Know who was a fan of that book? George Romero, the guy that directed Night of the Living Dead, popularising shambling zombie hordes for years to come.

Since then, there have been very few popular game franchises without zombies, with zombies either being shipped as baseline or retconned in several months later. Call of Duty has some sort of contractual obligation to include a zombie mode with every new instalment; I’m surprised they haven’t thought of a gun that literally shoots zombies out of its barrel. Red Dead Redemption had zombies as the main focus of its DLC, which I always found slightly perplexing. Mass Effect had zombies, XCOM: Enemy Unknown had zombies, Skyrim had zombies (sort of), even Saints Row: The Third decided to parody zombies.

Zombies are to gaming now what cover-based shooting was seven years ago If you want a “zombie safari”, if you will, of all the different zombies that have been invented ever I’d recommend Dying Light. Not a single one of its zombies are particularly original, but there is an impressive level of diversity to them. You’ve got

Image: Wikipedia

the basic walking zombie, sometimes they run, sometimes they hold tools, and sometimes they are on fire. But that’s just the start. There’s ones with explosive intestines, ones that spit acid, big ones that move slowly and twat you with hammers, big ones that move quickly and twat you with their entire body, scary ones that only come out at night and can fuck right off, and glowing green ones that run away when they smell your eau de survivor. All you’re missing here is one of those crawling zombies that don’t have anything below the ribcage.

Nowadays, it’s very hard to make zombies in any way original. Plants vs Zombies managed it with novel tower-defence mechanics and enough variety to fill a 20th century extravaganza. The Typing of

the Dead is a highly amusing adaptation of those typing tutorials that adults tried to get you to use when you were twelve. But these are swamped by all the other bazillion survival and shooting games.

Zombies are to gaming now what cover-based shooting was seven years ago. Actually, they’re like pulled pork in 2016. They’re being put absolutely everywhere, in shooters, in strategies, in the Wetherspoons meals. Tasty though it may be to have zombies in your blue cheese brioche burger, there are some occasions where they detract from the overall experience. For example, Saints Row: The Third was at its most boring during the zombie sections. So, developers, please exercise res-brains… I mean, restraint.

Little Nightmares Review

Amy Gildert braves the horrors of the Maw in Tarsier Studios’ terrifying puzzle-platformer

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ittle Nightmares is easily the scariest game I’ve played all year. Made by Tarsier studios, you play as Six, a little girl desperately trying to escape the house of horrors that is the Maw, while evading capture at the hands of the creatures who run it. At its core, Little Nightmares is a puzzle solving platformer, however its unique design and dark themes bring you into a twisted world of horror.

Little Nightmares doesn’t make use of any jumpscares, and to be honest, it doesn’t need to. As such a small character, you have no choice but to hide or to run, meaning that the scariest moments come from hiding and waiting; the moments where you’re holding your breath to see if you’ll be found. It was this approach to horror that kept me consistently tense throughout the game. Suspense is built even in the quiet moments, and you soon come to realise that for Six, no place is truly safe.

I found myself waiting for the moments in the vents between rooms so I could have a moment to relax before moving on to the next horrific puzzle or chase. But no sooner had I let my guard down, than two long arms came into the vents, snatching wildly for Six. Because of this, there are no moments where the pressure of being found doesn’t hang over you.

some unpleasant surprise. In those moments of darkness, you use Six’s lighter to reveal the room yourself, which creates a small flickering light reminiscent of ghost stories around a campfire.

The game is smart enough to show you the story rather than guide you through it However it is the character design in Little Nightmares that is the foundation of the horror that you will experience. Six encounters a variety of nightmare inducing creatures, each of which has their own unsettling quirks and particular sense of accompanying dread. The Janitor, with his long reaching arms and grinding teeth, the Chefs with their heavy breathing and meat cleavers, or the Lady with her blank face and shadowy appearance.

Each is perfectly designed to leave you thoroughly unsettled.

Little Nightmares does not hold your hand through its storytelling, there is no real dialogue, as the game is smart enough to show you the story rather than guide you through it. There is also very little help from tutorials. From the beginning there are next to no instructions on the controls, a tip frustratingly popping up perhaps an hour after you first needed it. And while the puzzles and chases are complex enough to challenge you, the checkpoint system is a little hit and miss, sometimes taking you much farther back after a failed attempt than is necessary.

Despite these slight frustrations, Little Nightmares is the most imaginative horror platformer that I’ve encountered in a long time. If you’re looking for something creepy to play this Halloween, Little Nightmares will take you to the disturbing depths of the Maw and set your heart pounding with its monstrous game of hide and seek.

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ike Saturn devouring his many sons, EA has finally got around to chomping on Visceral Games. The studio was mainly known for the Dead Space franchise, which, as is par for the course, had a great start, a faltering but worth it middle, and a horrific, forced co-op microtransaction laden ending.

Mass Effect & Dragon Age ring the same bell in their inevitable decline, with Mass Effect: Andromeda being a swan-song shitstorm, the result of letting a studio even attempt a fourth game under the impossible to impress publishing eye of EA. Pretty sure Bioware are just gritting their teeth after their original I.P (what a concept, huh?) was put on ice by upper management.

The issue at hand is that these studios are genuinely talented and have produced quality games in their infancy Hell, DICE are now being propped up by Star Wars, perhaps the most name-brand geek franchise known to man, after they have officially run out of ideas with Battlefield (cops and robbers, really?).

The issue at hand with all of this is that these studios are genuinely talented and have produced quality games in their infancy. Mercenaries.

Theme Park World. The Godfather, Skate, SimCity, Command and Conquer. I really could go on, but I won’t because it hurts.

Visceral were meant to be making an Amy Hennig-penned single player Star Wars. Han Solo’s Uncharted. Of course, that possible masterpiece is too much of a beautiful idea to conceive so that’s being mutated into a service based game like the ever popular Overwatch or Destiny, with multiplayer and loot boxes and hell, maybe some voice taunts and skins to collect. Because who needs meaningful characterization and storytelling when you can gamble real cash after your RRP purchase for a recolour?!

Honestly, all you need to do is look at the Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes turnover/daily usage stats and you’ll get the message here. Support Singleplayer games. Don’t fall for the loot box trap.

There are no moments where the pressure of being found doesn’t hang over you The design of the game itself contributes to the overall atmosphere of creepiness. While not made exclusively with a dark colour palette like many other horror games, Little Nightmares makes full use of the balance between light and dark, using the dark corners of the room to hide either Six or

Image: Igdb.com

Image: Wikimedia Commons

the courier

Monday 30 October 2017

c2.arts@ncl.ac.uk Arts Editors Scarlett Rowland and Carys Thomas

@CourierArts thecourieronline.co.uk/arts

Our Theresa’s strong & stable sculpture

Christopher Little tells us about ‘Our Theresa’ - a work of art far naughtier than fields of wheat.

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heresa May once confessed that “running through fields of wheat” was the naughtiest thing she’d ever done. If Ellie Pennick’s ‘Our Theresa’ sculpture is anything to go by, she was telling a big fat lie. (No change there then!)

Our Prime Minister hasn’t had the best of times lately.

There’s been that tickly cough, the embarrassment of being handed her P45 in front of all her enemies, I mean friends, and being told to literally ‘f ’ off by the Conservative Party Conference itself.

She’s having such a hard time that some – from varying political allegiances I might add – are actually feeling sorry

What’s On: You’ve Changed @ Northern Stage, 31 Oct-1 Nov

Through song, dance, hard-won wisdom and hilarity You’ve Changed shines a light on the ins and outs and ups and downs of transitioning.

for her. They’re saying, “give the gal a break”. And maybe they’re right. There’s an old proverb that you shouldn’t kick someone when they’re down, but then again we are talking about the Tory overlord, so why the hell not.

A creation so brazen, so indecent, so very,very naughty Cue Ellie Pennick’s giant pink sculpture. A creation so brazen, so indecent, so very, very naughty, I’m not quite sure where to begin. I suppose we may as well get to the nitty gritty first. Basically, she’s d r i l l i ng for oil with a EU flag. Using i t to take a dip in the lake. To go spelunking in the mystery cave. If you haven’t caught on by now, she’s bashing one out with the flag.

My word, that was awkward. Anyway, it gets better, or worse depending on your viewpoint. ‘Our Theresa’ is lying on her back, wearing crotchless leather pants, with a can of beer in hand, a fag in her mouth and a ‘Strong & Stable’ necklace around her neck – a cracking touch I might add – and of course she’s not wearing a top, though what’s going on down below is of more pressing concern.

At this point I think it is important

Pink Sari Revolution @ Northern Stage, Oct 31- Nov 4th

In Uttar Pradesh, where violence against women can be traced back to Indian mythology, one woman has raised an army to say “no more”.

Traces @ The Holy Biscuit, Tues-Sat 11-4

An interactive exhibition that explores how we deal with grief.

to add some context regarding the artist. Pennick wears her working-class Northern heritage with pride, drawing upon that passion to stoke the fires of her outlandish creativity. The works she creates are designed to challenge the post-Thatcher neoliberal society she rebels against. This new sculpture is not atypical of the artist, who frequently uses sex to satirise serious social and political themes – her previous work used homoeroticism to reverse class roles in society.

Even still, some have criticised the artist for her representation, and disparaging use, of the female body. But art collective Nasty Women, who take their name from Trump’s derogatory comments towards Hilary Clinton, certainly weren’t dismayed by the bawdy sculpture.

Theresa’s open legs greeted 3,000 visitors They were proud to place it in their first feminist themed London exhibition in September, so much so that Theresa’s open legs greeted all 3,000 visitors as they entered the building. With all money raised from the event going to Rape Crisis England and Wales and Women for Women International, it’s hard to argue it’s not all for a good cause.

History is full of works of art that have challenged power, and whilst many are subtle and nuanced, Brexit is so brash it probably deserves a ludicrous caricature to capture the madness of it all. In truth though, ‘Our Theresa’ has drawn the short straw, it really should be Boris or Farage shoving that flag up their jacksie.

Walter @ Alphabetti Theatre, November 1-3

Ultimately, The Sun and Her Flowers establishes prolific self love§ A Canadian artist, Rupi Kaur’s experiences as an Indian immigrant in the Western world have evidently shaped her career. Her success rose rapidly on social media as she began by posting her words on Instagram, and now has a staggering 1.7 million followers.

Kaur’s first collection of poetry, Milk and Honey, was

Images: @rupikaur_

self-published in 2014, and it was quickly picked up by publishing houses before becoming a New York Times bestseller, and rightfully so. Kaur is currently on tour with the collection.

She describes the sun and her flowers as a set of poems on “grief / self-abandonment / honouring one’s roots / love / and empowering oneself.” It is split into five chapters: “wilting, falling, rooting, rising and blooming”.

Kaur takes inspiration from ‘moments’, stories and individual experiences. She begins by tackling the ‘root’ of our own emotions, and tells us to accept the people around us for who they are, our ancestors and heritage. Ultimately, the sun and her flowers establishes prolific self-love. You are important.

Her poetry imparts a powerful voice to the female millennial Put yourself first. And so Kaur’s poetry reads like collective experiences of the modern women.

She comments on on feminism, rape, mental illness and the female body, making the tribulation women have gone through, and are going through, well-documented.

But what makes it different to Milk and Honey?

Topics are well-developed and there is an entire section on immigration and what it means to be a refugee. Politically relevant, she writes: “borders / are man-made / they only divide us physi-

SWEET COLUMN Body Postive Instagram SCARLETT ROWLAND

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crolling through Instagram can sometimes be a depressing place. Flooded with influencers promoting their idyllic lives full of beach bodies and green smoothies.

However there has been a surge of artists and other users on the platform who promote self love to all bodies.

Artists like @lizzi.morris help to dilute the harshness of Instagram, with her messages of softness. She presents soft forms as strong; millennial pink as a source of power. Lizzie Morris presents these previously looked down upon as weak feminine traits in a different lights. Using herself as her muse, she draws herself wrapped in soft items that protect and provide her comfort and strength.

Another fabulous Instagram illustrator is @ frances_cannon, who also promotes self love to all bodies. Filling her Instagram with illustrations of bodies of all sizes and gorgeous self portraits of her own body. She is also part of the movement trying to reclaim the word ‘fat’, describing herself as ‘fat and fabulous’. These illustrations include She recently illustrated a book called ‘Girlish’ by Alana Walsh all about intersectional feminism.

Not only do these artists promote self love through images of varied bodies, but many sell apparel with strong feminist messages. Graphic designer, @theprawnshopp , created the ‘No Still Means No’ and other shirts with bodies that have stretch marks and imperfect breasts.

Ultimately, this surge of body positive artists and contributors can only be wonderful for the self-worth of the future.

@TheCourierArts @thecourierarts

Sophie Henderson shares thoughts on Rupi Kaur’s recent release , The Sun and Her Flowers t’s rare for a modern poet to achieve mainstream success, but with a cathartic collection of poetry and hand-drawn illustrations, Rupi Kaur is breaking literary boundaries.

Her long-awaited second collection, ‘The Sun and Her Flowers’, was released on October 3rd. It imparts a powerful voice to the female millennial, and evokes very specific and recognisable emotions to anyone struggling, anyone who has struggled, or anyone in search of self-empowerment (so essentially all of us).

arts culture

Meet Walter the pigeon as he embarks on an ‘adventur to end all adventures’ in this family production.

The Sun and Her Flowers is a shining sucess I

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Image: @frances_cannon, @lizzi.morris and @theprawnshopp

PHOTOBOX

cally / don’t let them make us / turn on each other - we are not enemies”. Police brutality is also approached, as is race: “my voice / is the offspring / of two countries colliding”.

Kaur speaks a truth that can be understood by everyone Nonetheless, you don’t have to be a women of colour to identify and empathise with Rupi Kaur’s poetry - “the irony of loneliness / is we all feel it” and “why is it / that when the story ends / we begin to feel all of it”. It is universal, and love and heartache are at the forefront of the collection, guiding the reader through their own journey.

Rupi Kaur speaks a truth that can be understood by everyone, and at the young age of 25, her poetry is a like a mantra, distinguishable, caring and healing. It makes you think about the world around you, and your own place within it.

Glastonbury Sunset

I

CHARLOTTE HILL

took this photo on the Wednesday night of Glastonbury festival this June. Every year there’s a big firework display to mark the start of the weekend, and festival goers make the trek to the highest point of the site.

This year was blisteringly hot. We all ditched our wellies for dusty flip flops, but by this time in the evening it was starting to cool off. The sun was setting, and watching hordes of people trekking up the hill gave me with the opportunity to capture this moment.

I’m proud of this photo because it was the first time I captured silhouettes on film. I also love how it encapsulates everything Glastonbury is to me. It is an exodus to happiness, a purposeful decision to exit the ordinary and enter bliss. Even if it takes a steep climb to get there.

Image: Charlotte Hill

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science & technology

Are you Tech-ing the piss?

Breast Cancer Detection

B

eware humankind, Artificial intelligence (AI) has taken another huge step in conquering the medical field! As many of you might have noticed, one of the latest topics of discussion in newspapers, science and technology websites and social media this October has been about the use of AI in breast cancer detection. What a timely news in conjunction with Breast Cancer Awareness month.

According to the latest (2014) statistics available on Cancer Research UK, breast cancer tops the list of ten most common cancers in female in the UK. Within UK itself, it is estimated that around 150 unfortunate women will be diagnosed with breast cancer every day.With around 31 deaths per day, breast cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in females within the UK. While most statistics available out there are mainly on females, it is important to note that males can also become the victims of breast cancer.

Now, enough of the boring stats. Let us return our attention to AI and its new role in aiding breast cancer detection. Since the late 1970s, mammography has been used to screen for and detect breast cancer, and has remained the most efficient tool available to detect breast cancer. Well, at least till before AI decided that it’s time for them to rise and shine.

150

Within UK itself, it is estimated that around 150 unfortunate women will be diagnosed with breast cancer every day.

With around 31 deaths per day

While many believe in the saying “old is gold”, I guess it is not fully applicable to our good-old mammography. Now, don’t get me wrong. Mammography is still a very crucial tool in breast cancer screening, but with its own flaws and maybe in need of some helps. Mammography has been known to be prone to false positive results, sending many poor women to have to go through painful and expensive surgeries each year. And what is worse is that 80-90% of the time, the seemingly high-risk breast cancer lesions turned out to be benign.

In order to improve the efficiency of breast cancer screening and prevent unnecessary surgeries, scientists at MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab have partnered up with Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School to devise an AI model that could distinguish high-risk breast cancer lesions that are more cancerous and require surgery, from those that don’t, with highly improved accuracy.

Back in August in 2016, another group of scientists from Houston Methodist have also successfully developed an AI model that was able to, with 99% accuracy, interpret mammogram results 30 times quicker than trained medical professionals (seems like AI is doing pretty well in breast cancer field).

Putting aside the fear of AI conquering the human race, one must appreciate that indeed AI plays important role in minimising patients’ suffering, maximising medical professionals’ time as well as cutting down money spent in c ancer care. Nonetheless, mammography is still the best tool available for breast cancer screening as current AI models mainly work on mammogram results. So, it looks like AI is more like a helping nurse.

With AI getting more and more diligent and intelligent, maybe we should start to be more fearful of AI apocalypse, instead of a zombie apocalypse in near future. What should we do if AI decided to strike humanity this coming Halloween?!

Ny Yin Min

courier.science@ncl.ac.uk Science Editors Jack Coles, Christopher Little & Ciara Ritson-Courtney

the courier Monday 30 October 2017

Robotic doppelgängers Conor Newton (or something that looks like him) ponders if we would notice impersonators

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obotics is progressing rapidly, and it’s scary. The future of Robotics even more so. It is often the fantasy of many writers, to depict a not-too- distant future dystopia. One where Artificial Intelligence and Robotics have progressed far enough to exactly mimic and impersonate a human, and ultimately exact vengeance on their human subordinates. But how far away really is this technology? Is it right around the corner – or hundreds of years away?

The “uncanny valley” describes the psychological barrier an object - be it sculpture, doll, or robot - must cross before it can be accepted as sufficiently human. This is fundamentally one of the biggest problems that will always plague any robot aspiring to be considered or mistaken for a human, it must imitate human likeness perfectly. Anything less than perfect and we will (as humans) immediately suspect that something is not quite right.

2029

The year Google’s chief of engineering, Ray Kurzweil, believes AI will reach human level intelligence

When an object is designed to resemble a human but is still obviously not one of “us” then our brains accept it on those terms (think of the beloved cartoons and puppets from your childhood). However, as an object inches towards a naturalistic human form, any small non-human deviation can be unsettling (that’s why clowns in full make-up, porcelain dolls, and zombies are horror movie tropes - they resemble us, but they’re

just slightly off). For our robots to start appearing as a human, we must first cross some creepy and downright unnerving stages. And deep down in the hellish depths of this “uncanny valley” is where our humanoid robot technology currently resides.

I wouldn’t start to worry about military grade porn bots walking amongst us just yet If we consider the human body as a system, then the two main sub-systems that it is comprised of are the body and the mind. For humanoids, this equates to the Mechanics that form the body, and the Artificial Intelligence for the mind.

While we do possess the technology to recreate the mechanical likeness of a human, we are still in the infant stages. Where the mechanical robots appear as obvious robots, slow, bulky and uncoordinated. Anything that tries to apply a human skin-like appearance to this is nothing short of horrifying at this stage.

This is an extremely progressive industry, however, as the field of prosthetics, military drone applications, and (unsurprisingly enough) the porn industry drive the revolution of this field.

I wouldn’t start to panic about military-grade porn bots walking amongst us yet. Leading multi-billion dollar companies like Apple and Samsung struggle to keep your phone alive for a full work day; powering your life-size humanoid vibrator is another issue we are yet to cross.

Battery technology is currently lagging decades behind our smart everything technology.

As for the mind, have you ever wondered what consciousness even is? Well if you have, you’re not alone. Curiously enough, nothing in modern science can accurately explain it. So how do we begin to replicate something when we’re not even sure what it is? We don’t really.

For AI to actually be intelligent, we must start from the ground up, and build a database on what absolutely everything in the world is, its purpose and characteristics. And on top of this establish the AI through machine learning techniques such as “deep learning,” a kind of trial and error, where the machine learns how things work and come together. But through this, AI is a mistaken phrase.

It is still just a bunch of deterministic rules: that is simulated intelligence. Not true conscious thinking. And even this technology is still way off.

So, given the current state of things, unless you’re a creepy looking sex-bot producing loud noises from the generator you’re permanently attached to, saying inane phrases such as, “Pardon, I didn’t quite understand you”, you and your family have nothing to worr y about.

Together, we can crush antibiotic resistance

Orestis Katsoulis explains why bacterial mutations could be the greatest threat to mankind

U

sually, when people hear the phrase ‘global catastrophe’ their minds immediately jump to events of immense size, such as a nuclear meltdown, an earthquake creating a tsunami or a meteor crashing onto Earth. But an equally threatening, if slightly more likely, scenario may be caused by something so small that it cannot even be seen by the naked eye: antibiotic resistant bacteria. These are bacteria that through random mutations in their genes have developed resistance to certain antibiotics, which gives them a selective advantage over other bacteria.

700,000

The number of people that already die from antibioticresistant infections every year

The principle of antibiotic resistance can be demonstrated using Darwin’s theory of natural selection. Consider a population of 100 bacteria, all of which are susceptible to a certain antibiotic (for example penicillin). One out of the 100 bacteria undergoes a random genetic mutation that grants it the ability to survive in the presence of penicillin, i.e. it is now resistant to penicillin. If this population of bacteria is exposed to penicillin, 99 of the bacteria will die while the penicillin-resistant one will survive. Due to the lack of competition, the sole surviving bacterium now has greater access to a nutrient-rich environment where it can thrive and repeatedly divide, to give rise to a population of penicillin-resistant bacteria. In addition to passing down the gene of antibiotic resistance to their offspring, bacteria can also transfer this gene to other species of non-resistant bacteria, in a process called conjugation.

In 2014 the World Health Organisation issued a press release stating that unless immediate action is taken to combat antibiotic resistance, ‘’…the world is headed for a post-antibiotic era, in which common infections and minor injuries which have been treatable for decades can once again kill… ‘’.

But what is it that brought about this surge in antibiotic resistance?

The answer lies in the use, or rather the overuse and the misuse of antibiotics ever since they’ve been commercially available starting in the mid1940s. One of the most significant ways in which humans have contributed to the increase in antibiotic resistance is by using antibiotics as ‘growth promoters’ in farm animals, in order to maximise profit. This overexposure of the farm animals’ bacterial populations to antibiotics leads to a rapid development of antibiotic resistance, which can then easily spread to human bacterial populations.

Unfortunately, things don’t get any better as far as antibiotic use in humans is concerned. Ever since its accidental discovery by Alexander Fleming in

1928, penicillin and antibiotics in general have been overprescribed by doctors to treat misdiagnosed diseases on which they have no effect whatsoever, such as infections caused by viruses. Again, the bacterial populations within the human body that will be exposed to the antibiotic will almost certainly develop some degree of resistance as a result of this unnecessary exposure.

Sir Alexandar Fleming The Scottish microbioligist’s discovery of the world’s first antibiotic earned him a Nobel Prize and a knighthood.

As if that were not enough, even when the use of antibiotics is actually warranted, many people stop taking them a few days after because they start feeling better. What these people don’t realise is that by doing so, instead of killing the bacteria, they only weaken them and thus allow them to survive and reproduce, eventually forming populations that will very likely be resistant to the antibiotic initially used to kill them.

An obvious solution to the problem would be to keep coming up with new antibiotics. Sadly, this is easier said than done, since it’s becoming increasingly difficult for pharmaceutical companies to develop new antibiotics, which in turn has led to them investing their funds in more profitable drug developments.

Years after the discovery of penicillin, Alexander Fleming said: ‘’ the thoughtless person playing with penicillin is morally responsible for the death of the man who finally succumbs to infection with the penicillin-resistant organism’’. Maybe it’s time we started putting some serious thought into how we use our antibiotics.

the courier

@CourierScience thecourieronline.co.uk/science

Monday 30 October 2017

science & technology

Mother or murderer?

Gerry Hart infects us with the knowledge of how mother nature might be trying to kill us all

I

sn’t Mother Nature great? Her resplendent beauty surpasses all human endeavour, yet ever inspires the mind. That is until she kills you to death. In the spirit of the Halloween season, let’s take a look at some of the more colourful ways the natural world can kill off its unfortunate denizens.

In talking about this article with the Science editors, one of the first possible examples that came up was Cordyceps, a particularly nasty parasitic fungus that preys on insects, so let’s start there.

Though there are several variants, the most famous is Ophiocordyceps, or the so-called “Zombie fungus”. Found in the jungles of Southeast Asia and Brazil, this fungus is most famous for targeting ants. Once infected, the fungus will take control of the host’s mind, directing them upwards. The ant will then attach itself to a tree branch or leaf before the fungus erupts from the now dead host’s head, spreading its spores on to more unfortunate victims. Though several ant species have found a way to sense the fungus and isolate infected colony members, Cordyceps has been known to wipe out entire colonies. And if that weren’t terrifying enough, fossil evidence indicates Cordyceps has been preying on insects for millions of years.

The most famous is Ophiocordyceps, or the so-called “zombie fungus”

going on your merry way when all of a sudden you chance upon a drying, muddy swamp full of dead dinosaurs. Sweet! An all you can eat buffet of festering carcasses right? WRONG! Those animals died of exhaustion trying to escape and now you’re doomed as well. Hope you enjoy having your petrified skeleton mounted for the amusement of weakling mammals, nerd.

12 million

Despite not being as well known, the third plague outbreak killed over 12 million people across China and India

Thus far we’ve not really touched on the ways the natural world can kill off humans, so let’s do that now with a brief look at diseases, few of which have had such a profound impact as the Bubonic Plague. Caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis, initial symptoms include fever, nausea and chills before developing the characteristic swollen lymph nodes or “buboes”, which can developed in puss-filled, oozing sores. Tissue necrosis is also common, and if left untreated most cases result in death. There have been three major outbreaks in recorded history. The first, known as the Plague of Justinian after the ruling Byzantine Emperor, occurred during the mid-6th century AD and is credited by historians as stunting Justinian’s plans to restore the old Roman Empire. The second, and by far most famous outbreak was the infamous

Black Death, which ravaged Europe and the Middle East from 1346-1350 and is believed to have killed as much as one third of Europe’s population.

Despite not being as well known, the third plague outbreak still killed over 12 million people across China and India and was considered active until 1959, over a century after it first broke out in the 1850s.

But that’s just a sample of some of nature’s surprises here on Earth. There’s plenty of stuff out in space that can kill you just as easily. There’s disagreements among physicists as to what would happen if one were to fall into a black hole but a common hypothesis is that one would undergo “spaghettification”. In essence, once you passed the Black Hole’s event horizon, its gravitational pull would have a greater effect on your atoms closer to its centre, and thus as you descended you would be violently stretched out as your atoms are violently ripped torn from one another by gravity.

And that concludes our brief tour through some of nature’s death traps. If you’re anything like me, you’ll probably never leave your flat after reading this (the itch at the top of my head I got whilst researching the Cordyceps segment was particularly unsettling). Happy Halloween kids.

On the subject of fossils, let’s talk about predator traps. Broadly speaking, these are natural locations such as swamps or tar pits that carnivorous animals are lured to by the prospect of an easy meal before becoming trapped and die. These sites provide palaeontologists with a wealth of fossils and information on prehistoric wildlife, with famous examples including the La Brea tar pits in Los Angeles, where numerous Mastodon, dire wolf and giant sloth bones have been unearthed, and the Cleveland Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry in Utah, famed for its high concentration of Allosaurus fossils. Imagine you’re a carnivorous dinosaur. You’re

The nutritional value of braaains...

Science Editor Christopher Little gives us a bite-sized article on why brains could be the next superfood to sweep the world

W

e all know that zombies have an insatiable desire for brains. They just can’t get enough of that juicy grey matter.

But why do the undead love a cerebral snack over everything else? It’s because they’re packed full of tasty goodness that’s why!

While many will balk at the idea of eating brains, they are considered a delicacy in many countries throughout the world. The French sauté beef brains in butter and top with garlic and parsley, the Sichuan province in China poach pigs’ brains in a spicy hotpot, and the Cubans fry them off to get crispy brain fritters.

In countries such as the UK, however, one will rarely find them on the menu. And for those who dare hunt them out, the surprisingly creamy texture – which some compare to slightly-set custard or runny scrambled eggs – can be a little off-putting.

But get over this initial queasiness and you’re in for a nourishing treat. That’s because brains are one of the most nutrient-rich organs found in any animal. They’re a great source of B12, a vitamin that helps make red blood cells, releases energy from food and keeps the nervous system in tip-top condition.

They’re rich in selenium and copper, which contribute to the health of your immune system. And they’re especially rich in DHA, a type of omega-3 fatty acid that reduces the risk of cardiovascular

disease and is thought to play a key role in the cognitive development of children.

There is a downside, however (besides the weird texture). Brains are so high in cholesterol a single 4-ounce portion will contain more than 10 times your recommended daily limit. And if you’re chowing down on beef brains there’s a more serious health risk to consider.

That’s because it’s thought that eating central nervous system tissue – such as brain – contaminated with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), more commonly known as ‘mad cow disease’, can lead to humans contracting Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), which is fatal. Though it is worth noting there have been very few cases throughout the countries that do in fact eat the organ.

Consuming human brains on the other hand, is very bad for you, and not only because it’ll send you to jail. Cannibalising the cranial contents of your fellow species is known to cause a deadly neurodegenerative disorder (an epidemic devastated the Fore – a tribe of cannibals in Papua New Guinea – in the early 20th century).

But, of course, deadly neurodegenerative disorders are of no concern to zombies, who can happily feast on creamy brains for the rest of their undead lives.

Word of the Week:

F

Parasitoid

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rom Brain Slugs to Necromorphs, Xenomorphs to Headcrabs, everyone has heard of a science fiction parasitoid. Though the mileage may vary, these critters climb up inside a host, live there for some time, enjoy themselves, then when they’re all used up, hop out the other end leaving nothing but viscera behind.

A kind of a beautiful metaphor for students like ourselves making our university journey, right?

If you can excuse the depressing analogy, let’s move onto something even more stark.

These guys actually exist. Like, in real life.

These dangerous, no good Koinobiont specimens alter host behaviour in intriguing ways, like the Sacculina barnacles, who inject themselves into a crab, transform themselves into egglaying bags, castrate it and focus all the energy of it on nourishment until it dies. Braconic wasps modify caterpillar behaviour so that they defend the oviposited wasp babies they eventually release. Stockholm syndrome inside out.

Enemies become friends!

Jordan Oloman

Mythbusters: Could we build Frankenstein’s Monster?

M

ary Shelley’s book Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus is a cautionary tale against ambition in the sciences, as well as a sore point for many professional researchers. (As a general rule, we don’t like it when non-scientists start making ethical obligations against genuinely helpful research; especially when the ramifications are blown out of proportion.) But this is Science and not Comment, so a rant is inappropriate here; what we want to know is could Frankenstein’s monster be made? Well, probably not yet.

Frankenstein was written when “galvanism” – passing an electric current through corpses – was seen as a potential method for reanimation.

These days, passing electricity through the body is largely restricted to the very-much alive, as a shock will not boot up an inactive heart. It can help re-establish a regular heart rhythm if it’s still beating; if it’s not beating, chances are quite slim.

Mary Shelley described the monster as having yellowish skin, with black lips and glowing eyes.

The black lips and yellow skin scream “liver disease”; the black lips could be explained by anaemia (a lack of the blood protein haemoglobin), and this in turn could be caused by excessive degradation of haemoglobin (which is red) to bilirubin (which is yellow). Normally the liver gets rid of superfluous bilirubin through the bile; people that do not develop jaundice, a condition that makes your skin turn yellow and maybe destroy your brain cells. The glowing eyes, meanwhile, suggest that the monster has bioluminescent plankton or fungi in front of its retina, meaning realistically it couldn’t see a thing.

Then you have the iconic film adaptation of Frankenstein’s monster. I’m sure you’ve all seen one; flat head, skin stitched across in various places, two bolts in the neck… ring any bells? This, scientifically speaking, is a total shitshow. For one thing, protruding bits of metal tend to be rejected by the body; it’s an issue with pacemakers and it would be an issue here as well. (Piercings don’t have this problem as skin re-forms around the metal.)

7.5x1034

Number of possible HLA gene combinations for a single human body

Stitching random pieces of flesh together also never has good prospects; you only need to look at early transplant experiments to figure that one out. Pretty much all human cells carry set of proteins called Human Leukocyte Antigens (HLA), and these vary greatly from person to person. This is why modern transplants take a long time before they are approved; a donor organ has to have most of its HLA proteins matched with the recipient body. If the HLA proteins are not matched, the body “rejects” the organ by sending the immune system to destroy it.

If you have an above-average knowledge on transplant science you could say “why not use an immunosuppressant?” Fair point, this would prevent the monster’s immune system from attacking the rest of its body, but then it would quickly die to infection. Anybody post-transplant is at risk from infections, and they’re usually only taking three immunosuppressants at a time. Frankenstein’s monster would have to have about six or seven (due to all the different corpses used to build it), and would quickly die if somebody sneezed on it.

In short, Richard Dawkins is more likely to be become Pope than Frankenstein’s monster is to even be within the next fifty years or so.

Jack Coles

c o

puzzles

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the courier

Monday 30 October 2017

Puzzles Editor Joey Barton Deputy Puzzles Editor Alex Hendley 1

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Thriller Night

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6 19th century cutter ship, now on display in London (5,4) 7 They’re allegedly masterminding everything (10) 10 Popular BBC show presented by Sandi Toksvig (2) 12 One of Alton Towers’ most popular rides (6) 13 ___ Heung-min, Spurs striker (3) 14 Card game with terrifying spitting robot (3) 16 Beetle, worshipped by ancient Egyptians (6) 19 3.14 (2) 20 Therefore (2) 22 US State, capital Phoenix (7) 24 South Ameircan monkey species (8) 26 Organ: in Spanish it’s ‘piel’ (4) 27 Conversely (2)

Down

1 Lawbreaker (10) 2 French school (5) 3 Vorsprung durch Technik (4) 4 Uncontrollable emotion (8) 5 Rappers’ favourite mustard (4,6) 8 Pepe the frog is a one of these (5) 9 Number of points the UK love to get in Eurovision (3) 11 Common preposition (2) 15 ______ Wood: Gryffindor’s Keeper (6) 17 First two letters of a Carlisle postcode (2) 18 Very uncommon (6) 20 Hipsters would put on a shoe without one (4) 21 2008 animated film starring John Cusack (4) 23 The river which flows through Florence (4) 25 __ Farah, British athlete (2)

Premier League heroes Can you list these players, past and present, in order of top goal scorers?

Ferna ndo T orres

vies a D n Kevi

Didier Drog ba

antona e C n c a i e r D E Brian Bent n e r Dar Peter Crouc h Emile Heske y

orke Y t h Dwig

2009 1991

Thier ry He nry

1980

The Addams Family

1974

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

1996

Coraline

1993

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Scary Movie The Nightmare Before Christmas

15 17

1996

Scream

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The Shining

3 1 2 4 4 8 9

5 6

3 4 5

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8 G

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the courier

sport

Monday 30 October 2017

Inspire a generation, but at what cost?

Despite an embarrasing “not fully compliant” bid, Birmingham looks set to become the host city for the 2022 Commonwealth Games. But with the costs associated with hosting international sporting events rising ever higher, is it still worth the hassle?

West Ham have now moved into the London Olympic Stadium Image: Wikimedia Commons

Vancouver’s Olympic flame Image: Wikimedia Commons

London - 2012 Olympic Games London’s slogan Image: Flickr

The justification in bidding for London 2012 was to encourage greater participation in sporting activity, especially in children, and to regenerate the East End of London in particular. Five years on, the legacy promised has caused debate. Some of the facilities used during the games are now open to the public, like the velodrome and aquatic centre, with the Olympic Stadium as West Ham’s

Delhi - 2010 Commonwealth Games

Empty stadiums highlighted the poverty that surrounded the 2010 Delhi games Image: Wikimedia Commons

When hosting a major sports tournament the organisers want to show to the world the great things about their cities, right? Well considering Delhi is one of the poorest, most congested and smelliest capitals in the world I’m sure they wanted to keep athletes away from the reality when they went 40 times over budget – that’s £7 billion. 400,000 people from slums were relocated without proper resettlement, 70 workers died in construction and those who survived were paid as little as £1 a day.

All this under the control of politicians and contractors who have since been charged with corruption. Oops.

Sidney Pinsent

home ground. Realistically though, the Olympic Park is a desolate area, with little activity happening. Additionally, participation levels for sports clubs have shown little increase since the games. Although the games themselves were enjoyable, the legacy promised is clearly yet to be fulfilled.

Rebecca Johnson

Vancouver - 2010 Winter Olympics The 2010 Winter Olympics were the third games held in Canada, and one of the most ecological and green in the history. One of the main goals for the Vancouver Organizing Committee was to build environmentally friendly facilities. Once the Olympics were finished, the villages for the athletes were used as the models and examples of sustainable living in the country. But the Olympics in the

beautiful Canadian city was not only about building eco-friendly constructions. The games encouraged people to help during the preparation and become volunteers. More than 70,000 locals became volunteers throughout the games, and it created a lot of job positions in the market.

Egle Vaitekenaite

Rio de Janeiro - 2016 Olympic Games State corruption, money laundering, Zika virus, security issues, pollution, and infrastructural nightmares…

You wouldn’t be entirely wrong in thinking that the reputation of Rio de Janeiro as an Olympic host city didn’t get off to the best of starts. But it looks like it didn’t get off to the best of ‘ends’ either; just six months after the games, we were flooded with reports of the looting of Maracana Stadium, the water in one of the practise pools turning orange, and the whole Olympic Park being reduced to a ghost town. The summer games were meant to bring Rio to new heights, both athletically and also on the world stage, but as the impoverished favelas continue to overlook the neglected structures that cost the city so much, it’s difficult to see what Rio really gained from winning that Olympic bid back in 2009.

Emma Bancroft

The unusual colour of Rio’s pool caused concern during and after the games Image: Wikimedia Commons

Qatar - 2022 World Cup Beijing’s Birdsnest Stadium under construction Image: Wikimedia Commons

Beijing - 2008 Olympic Games The Summer Olympics of 2008 took place in Beijing, the capital of China.

The most expensive and at the same time the most watched Olympics in history created controversial opinions in the public. More than 30 new stadiums were built, the main subway of Beijing was doubled, and the new terminal was added to the airport. But while the great infra-

structure and perfect facilities for the games were created, the preparation had its downsides as well. Unfair treatment of immigrant workers, the forcible removal of millions of people and big pollution was created. This event had both positive and negative impacts on the metropolitan city.

Egle Vaitekenaite

The construction of Qatar’s innovative stadium has not been without controversty Image: Wikimedia Commons

The popularity of sporting events continues to increase, with events like the World Cup and Olympics attended and watched by millions.

However, although these events can positively boost the economies of the host countries, they may not always be as positive as they seem. Take Qatar for instance, who are hosting the 2022 World Cup. The Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International highlight the “serious exploitation” of the migrant workers hired to build the infrastructure, with migrants workers being vulnerable to systematic abuse. More needs to be done in order to ensure major world sporting events don’t contribute towards enabling poor behaviour.

Aida Daniel

37

the courier

sport

Monday 30 October 2017

New sports facilities on the way Mark Sleightholm Sports Editor Over the next two years the University’s sports facilities are set to be transformed in a £30 million project. A major extension to the Sports Centre and a complete overhaul of the facilities at Cochrane Park aims to improve and expand the opportunities for students to take part in sport.

That the University values sport is demonstrated by Newcastle’s perennial aim to rank in the top ten universities in the BUCS league, combined with an increasing focus on participation programmes such as Inclusive Newcastle,

Intra Mural sport and Give it a Go. The provision of these kinds of activities, however, is constrained by the limited space available in the current Sports Centre. The number of students wanting to participate in sport has increased substantially since the Centre opened in 2005, and the University’s sports facilities are now severely over capacity.

Dr Phil Ansell, the University’s Dean of Sport, is part of the team overseeing the project.

“The development of the University sports facilities will play a key part in the implementation of the recently approved University Sport Strategy. One of the overarching themes of the strat-

egy is that of an excellent sporting experience for all. The new facilities will provide students from all backgrounds and at all ability levels with more opportunities to participate in their chosen sport during their time at Newcastle University” The University is keen to hear the views of students on the current plans.

The Athletic Union and student focus groups have been involved throughout the project, but now the University is holding consultation events in the Planning Room throughout November to hear feedback from the wider student population.

The new and old parts of the Sports Centre will be linked by a high-level bridge Image: Newcastle University

COCHRANE PARK Generations of Newcastle students have used the University’s facilities at Cochrane Park, but these are also now set to be renewed. The proposals include replacing three grass pitches with multi-purpose artificial ones, which will accommodate more intensive playing schedules. All three artificial pitches will also be floodlit.

The existing cricket pitch is set to be relocated, while the pavilion will be extensively renovated and extended to provide more changing rooms, specialist training facilities and a new social space for students and spectators.

The University is in the process of seeking planning permission for these proposals, but the plans as they currently stand are available to view in the Activities corridor of the Students’ Union.

As well as extensive consultation with

students, the University has been working with local residents, community groups and sporting organisations such as the FA, ECB and Sport England to ensure the facilities at Cochrane Park meet national standards and can be used to support community engagement projects. At present the pressures of fitting student fixtures onto the Cochrane Park

Increasing the capacity at Cochrane Park will save clubs money that is currently used hiring out external pitches pitches leaves little room for local youth teams and the University’s other community partners.

Increasing the capacity at Cochrane

SPORTS CENTRE Alongside the new Park View student accommodation, the former Ricky Road site will be home to a new wing of the Sports Centre, due to open in September 2019.

The extension will more than double to size of the Sports Centre, with the two parts accessed via a high-level link bridge, enabling both buildings to operate as one Sports Centre. The new building will house an eight-court sports hall with viewing gallery and four squash courts to replace the ones demolished with Ricky Road in 2016.

The new Sports and Exercise Science degree programme, which welcomed its first intake this September, will also relocate to the new building, which will also include social spaces and a student common room in a bid to make the building more inviting to students.

Once the extension is completed the existing building will be renovated to include a much larger gym, with its current 120 stations increased to 200. The offices currently located on the ground floor will also be turned into multi-purpose activity spaces for students, with the administrative areas moved into the extension.

The additional sports hall and increased activity spaces will allow a greater proportion of University clubs to play fixtures in the Sports Centre, while also making it easier for students to hire spaces for casual use. The aim of the redevelopment project is to increase capacity to accommodate all of the current activities in the Sports Centre but also leave room for further expansion in the future.

A project of this size will inevitably lead to a temporary loss of facilities, but the University are working to

Park will allow more of the University’s own teams to use the facilities as well.

This will save the Sports Centre and AU clubs money that is currently used hiring out external pitches and the transport and time costs associated with this.

Ansell added that hosting more matches internally could lead sports clubs to feel a greater sense of inclusion and recognition. “Students told us that it’s beneficial of doing sport on a University-owned pitch,” he explained.

“You feel more a part of the University.”

The redevelopment of Cochrane Park’s sporting facilities coincides with the demolition of Henderson Hall’s ‘New’ Hall, which provided student accommodation until its closure in 2014.

Although the plans are yet to be formally approved the actual work required is relatively quick, meaning that the new-look Cochrane Park should be open to students from September 2018.

Indoor sport is centred around the Physical Education Centre on King’s Walk in the heart of campus

1971

1977

Squash Courts open next to the new Richardson Road accommodation

An old brewery garage on Claremont Road is converted to a sports hall, which Head of Physical Education Stan Calvert describes as “appalling” and “only an interim measure” to relieve pressure on the Physical Education Centre. “It is without heating,” he explains: “merely a covered space with a tarmac floor.”

1984

2000

The Courier launches a campaign to extend and improve the over-capacity Physical Education Centre on King’s Walk

Claremont Road Sports Hall is demolished and replaced with a new, much larger, sports hall. The gym and Physical Education Centre remain on King’s Walk

2003

2005

The current Sports Centre opens, with a new gym, studio multipurpose rooms and offices built around the existing sports hall

The University announces the closure of the Physical Education Centre to make way for the Culture Lab research space. Despite student calls to keep sport on the main campus, the University opts to extend the Claremont Sports Hall to create a unified Sports Centre

“The new facilities will provide students at all ability levels with more opportunities to participate in sport” Dr Phil Ansell, Dean of Sport

While the basic structure and layout of the extension has now been finalised, attention is now turning to the internal fittings and facilities, and the development team is keen to hear student views. Plans for the new building will be displayed in the Planning Room in the Students’ Union, and the Sports Centre are welcoming feedback from students – both those who currently use the sports facilities and those who don’t – via social media and email as well.

The view of the proposed Sports Centre extension from Park View Student Village Image: Newcastle University

Sport at Newcastle: from campus-centre to Sports Centre

1960s

ensure that most of the work happens during the quietest times of the year.

“Our ambition is to minimise disruption,” explained Ansell, pointing to the current work at the Marjorie Robinson Library Rooms as an example of phased redevelopment that keeps as many areas open to students as much as possible.

Construction is due to start in January 2018, but the existing Sports Centre will remain open until much later in the project timeline. The University has developed the proposals in partnership with the Athletic Union and student focus groups in an attempt to make the new facilities fit student demands as closely as possible. Discussions over a possible expansion of Newcastle’s sporting facilities began as early as 2014, with students involved throughout the process.

2014

2016

Old squash courts demolished along with Ricky Road accommodation

Talks begin between the Sports Centre, Athletic Union and students over proposals to increase capacity at the Sports Centre.

The University agrees to put £30 million towards the project

Nov 2017

Consultation period with students on current plans

Sep 2018

Improved facilities at Cochrane Park open to students

Spring 2018 (proposed)

Sep 2019

Extended Redevelopment Sports of Cochrane Centre Park begins opens to students Jan 2018 and existing Construction building is starts on Sports refurbished Centre extension

38

the courier

sport

Monday 30 October 2017

Toon struggle to halt Brum scrum WOMEN’S RUGBY

Newcastle 1sts 7 Birmingham 1sts 22

Amie Walker at Longbenton Last Wednesday Newcastle Women’s Rugby took the long bus trip to their furthest league foes Birmingham.

Despite a few key absences NWR were hopeful that they could acquire their first win, with both teams yet to win a game this season. The game saw many players step up and out of their acquired positons especially rugby fresher Georgia Green conquering flyhalf and Maddy Wood smashing her second every rugby game as inside centre.

First kick off was to Birmingham, the game started by Prop Gabi McGregor into the centre of the opposition’s ten metres. Winger Sally Eardley made the first crunching tackle as she flew up and NWR started their onslaught defence, hammering into the Birmingham players. Play stopped momentarily for an injury and was restarted with a Birmingham scrum, both teams battling furiously to secure the ball. With quick hands the ball was quickly shipped to the opposition 12, the quick inside centre carrying well against the Newcastle back line.

Half time talks emphasises on the ladies slowing down Thankfully for Newcastle Birmingham conceded an offside penalty, the opportunity quickly taken by scrum half Lightning Teresa McGillivray darting up the pitch. Sadly unable to catch up to the scrum half, Newcastle conceded their own penalty for holding on which lead to Birmingham’s first try by their inside centre.

Undeterred by the try NWR fought back, managing to secure the ball after first kick off. This allowed the blitz of the forward to test the Birmingham defence. Vice Captain Beth Robinson and Number 8 Esther Crompton smashed through the defence followed by Second Row Amie Walker palming player after player into next week. Unfortunately fast hands on the ball saw Birmingham regain possession but fantastic movement in the line controlled by winger Manuella Aturia and brilliant hits by

flanker Ellie Pratt, outside centre Imz Cullen and Robinson saw the ladies not panic. With a fantastic ruck from the Vice Captain, NWR managed to escape their own 22 with a big kick from Walker, causing the Birmingham fullback to knock the ball on. In spite of Newcastle’s brilliant attack and strong defence, little knock ons and Birmingham’s fast wingers saw Newcastle finish the first half on the back foot.

Half time talks from coach Robert Wood and Robinson emphasised on the ladies slowing down instead of playing at a hundred miles an hour to minimise mistakes and to set up better play.

With the words still ringing in their ears Newcastle received the ball from kick off, the attack moving the ball up the field with Maddy Wood playing brilliant passes to forward as she now stood in at flyhalf due to injury. Winger Sally Eardly showed off her fast feet, her brilliant line cutting through the red wall.

Due to a knock on, Birmingham received a scrum in their own half, the red eight running a good line but tackled by Crompton. The defence saw the Second Rows team up, Ellen Jones and Amie Walker almost cutting the red forward in two with the double hit saw Newcastle have the ball to attack again. Many forward balls and fast feet from McGillivray saw Newcastle in touching distance from the try line, just metres away from their goal. Their hard work was rewarded when fresher Maddy Wood finished the team try, crashing through the line and putting the ball down.

The rest of the second half was played the same way as Newcastle realised the red wall couldn’t withhold their strong carries. With Crompton off with injury, Walker picked as 8 at the scrum from their own half, running through the Birmingham back line and putting Newcastle in sight of the try line again.

A drive from the forwards was held up by the awaiting defence and the attack started again. Another pick from Walker on the blindside saw the replacement 8 storm towards the try line. Sadly due to misplacement from the referee Newcastle were denied another score, the try given as a knock on.

First Team Captain Sophie Slater commented; “Great performance for our first away game. We have plenty to work on but we were up against a great team.

Well deserved try from Maddy which was a full team effort....Hopefully we’ll bounce back when we play them again.”

A strong second half performance could not make up for Birmingham’s early onslaught Image: Amie Walker

Polo Princesses rule the court

INTRAMURAL NETBALL

Polo Princesses 29 Medics 6

James Sproston at Sport Central Polo Princesses put down a real marker of intent in just the second week of fixtures in the late Saturday morning netball league by comfortably beating Medics in the Sports Centre.

With both teams going into the match winless, both were looking to get their seasons back on track. Though it’s an early point in the season, neither team would have fancied being winless after two games.

Polo Princesses could’ve thought themselves unlucky after History stole a draw in their curtain raiser by scoring 14 points each. Medics weren’t so close, losing 18-12 in the derby against the Toothfairies, when the DentistryMedicine rivalry is played out on the netball court.

With both teams having their pride

dented in the opening round of fixtures, this clash looked all the more important, but only one of the teams on the court treated it that way. From the off, Polo Princesses acted like they were on a mission.

Hitting the ground running, it was Polo Princesses’ MVP that kicked off proceedings, as Goal Attack Jade Holden scored her first goal of the match.

A quick turnover from Medics’ Kirsty Green’s centre pass gave Holden another chance, but she couldn’t convert.

From the backline Medics weren’t able to work the ball up the pitch, and Polo Princesses threatened again. Holden passed the ball onto Wing Attack Giorgia Bosworth, who then set up Goal Shooter Sarah Poyntz to score. Though her shot missed, the ball fell to Holden who made no mistake from 2 yards out.

Again from the restart, Princesses pressed forwards. Bosworth fed Polo’s Centre Helen Murray down the righthand channel, before delivering an accurate pass into the D for Poyntz. Rath-

er than shooting herself, she selflessly gave Holden another shot at goal, who made no mistake.

It was the same four who combined again for the fourth goal, as Holden dispatched a chance worked well by Murray, Bosworth and Poyntz. Holden made it 5-0 moments later after yet more good work by Murray in the middle third.

Rather than their heads dropping, Medics pressed on with that intra mural spirit that can’t be found anywhere else.

From Green, Medics fashioned some good chances, with Wing Defence Zoszka Webb, Wing Attack Iona Tatham and Goal Attack Beth Burrus all growing into the game.

After an impressive interception by Princesses’ Goal Defence Ellie “Sowerbaby” Sowerby, Medics kept up the pressure. Goal Shooter Lisa King’s miss didn’t faze her, as Green found her again in the D, and she kept her nerve to convert.

Princesses hit back to reset the deficit

as Poyntz scored her first of the game, and then a series of chances for both Poyntz and Holden weren’t capitalised upon. This caused gobby Princesses’ Wing Defence Megan Lord to pipe up and say ‘we might need some new shooters’. Such a statement couldn’t have been further from the truth, though it did get a few cheap laughs amongst those on the court.

Princesses’ often spectating defence was switched on to a Medics attack After those chances had passed Princesses by, they were punished at the other end as King notched up another.

Lord once again piped up, asking the Medics Shooter to swap sides, however Princesses’ shooting errors were finally put to bed after Holden scored from a

neat Bosworth pass.

Lord herself was then in a physical battle out on the court, marshalling Medics’ Tatham away from the Princesses’ final third. From the resultant play, Sowerby moved the ball onto Murray, who played a one-two with Lord, before setting up Poyntz in the goal circle. Though the Shooter missed, Holden made no mistake.

Holden added two more, but Poyntz couldn’t match it, getting into a shooting rut of her own. She even saw the ball go through the hoop, only for the play to be brought back for her footwork, then saw her next effort blocked by Medic’s Keeper Daisy Thomas.

There was time for one more Holden goal before the half-time whistle, which then saw a number of positional changes for Princesses. Keeper Emily Budd swapped out for Charlotte Blyth, whilst Lord and Bosworth swapped positions, as did Holden and Poyntz, and Sowerby and Murray, The changes seemed to unsettle Prin-

39

the courier

sport

Monday 30 October 2017

success

Toon’s momentum Fresher finds her way stopped by Sheffield to Orienteering victory MEN’S LACROSSE

Newcastle 1sts Sheffield 1sts

6 8

James Sproston at Longbenton Newcastle missed out on the top spot of Northern 1A after a close defeat in a top-of-the-table clash with Sheffield.

On the back of very impressive derby wins against Northumbria and Durham, Newcastle had momentum going into the match against the side that they beat 7-1 at a similar stage last year.

It was Sheffield that looked the better side in a cagey first quarter, however, with their talisman Ben Page Laypipe the man who made the difference. The creative No.7 scored two scrappy but important goals to give the Yorkshire side the advantage.

Aside from Jack Clohessey’s penetrating runs from deep, there was little intent from the Newcastle side, who benefitted from the breather after a nervous first quarter. However, after the break it seemed that Sheffield had hyped themselves up even more, as a big bosh sent war-painted Conor Doyle flying and put him out of large parts of the game.

Despite the physicality, Newcastle started to play some better lacrosse, as Luke “Rambo” Ramsbottom’s ten-yard sprint opened up the Sheffield defence for the first time in the game, only for Kristien Warren in between the posts to make a good save.

However, it was yet again Page Laypipe’s quality that put further distance between Sheffield and Newcastle. The mid shook off challenges from Newcastle’s Matthew Rees and Miles Moran before spinning and converting past the helpless Clohessey. Rather than score again himself, Sheffield’s No.7 set up the next one, as he laid one on a plate for the big David King.

At the face-off, it was Tim Deehan that stepped up for Newcastle, crucially beating Ned Swift in a battle of strength and speed. Newcastle immediately went on the attack, with Ramsbottom finding Jake McNair, who set up Doyle, but he could only fire wide.

On their next attack, Newcastle finally managed to get on the scoresheet. The move started with Deehan, who played a one-two with Patrick Kearney before offloading the ball to McNair. The ball found its way to Ramsbottom via American Gil Richards, who coolly netted

with a good cut to goal and reverse shot.

With the wind suddenly in their sails, Newcastle pressed on, with shots from Ian Lummis and Ramsbottom almost reducing the deficit. However, on the counter Newcastle conceded again. Despite Richards’ best efforts, Page Laypipe scored against after cleverly pocketing the ball from a wayward Walker pass.

Upon the start of the third quarter, Newcastle attacked a rattled Sheffield back line. Stemming from a quality stick check by Holland on Philip Svensson, Ramsbottom found Rees in each space to score a decent goal.

After a ten-pass move for Newcastle led to a Doyle bouncing effort from outside the Sheffield D, another crucial Rees stick check at the other end ensure that a 19-pass build-up wasn’t able to reach Page Laypipe on the far side.

After turning over from Josh Brown, Sheffield’s Dodd instigated his team’s sixth goal of the day, as Hugo Chung picked out Page Laypipe for yet another goal, despite Brown and Richard’s defensive pressure on the ball.

28

Newcastle 1sts had scored 28 goals in their previous two games, before their defeat to Sheffield 1sts

yards out stood out from the rest.

Further goals from Holden and Poyntz soon put that goal out of the memory, and switched everyone’s attention to the slick Princesses play. It was this play that was excellently demonstrated for the last goal of the game.

Princesses’ often spectating defence was switched onto a Medics attack, as Sowerby cut out a loose Thomas pass.

With the ball fed into Lord, Holden made a run to the edge of the box. The run drew the Keeper out of position, giving Poyntz space in the D. Having received the ball, Poyntz fed it into Holden, who had continued her run. The diminutive Shooter then easily converted for her 18th goal of the match.

The sound of the final whistle brought Polo Princesses’ strengths into perspective. An emphatic 29-6 win is a massive statement to the rest of the league. They take on high-flying Toothfairies next week, which will give Princesses’ defence a much bigger test.

Fell Running and Orienteering Club’s newest recruits showed her new teammates how it should be done by storming to a victory in their opening event of the year.

With a time just eight seconds over 37 minutes, Elen Norris was the fastest woman in the race, over two minutes ahead of her nearest rival.

The first year student also beat all of the other members of the Fell Running and Orienteering Club, who were taking part in the Autumn/Winter LOP Event 1 at the Havannah Nature Reserve near Hazlerigg on 21 October. The students were up against members of other orienteering clubs, with the Newcastle and Tyneside Orienteers a particularly strong showing.

Both the fastest and second-fastest women at the race were students, however, with Norris followed over the finish line by team-mate Eilidh Brown.

The highest-placed man from NUFOC was Mark Kostadinov, who came in sixth overall with a time of 38:20.

Orienteering courses are ranked into eight different colours, and the orange course that all NUFOC members took part in is the third-easiest. This allowed

beginners to get the hang of things, not that Norris seemed to need it, and also provided an opportunity for more experienced club members to get back into the swing of orienteering after the summer.

To make things a little more challenging, all NUFOC members opted for the ‘long orange’ course, which required a much longer run than the standard course and was therefore more physically demanding.

37:08

BADMINTON

M1 v Leeds Trinity 2nds M2 v York 3rds W1 v Nottingham 1sts

BASKETBALL

M1 v Man Met 1sts M3 v York 2nds W1 v Nottingham 1sts

CRICKET (INDOOR)

M1 v Sunderland 1sts M2 v Sunderland 1sts

FENCING

M1 v Leicester 1sts M2 v Hull 1sts M3 v Durham 3rds

FOOTBALL

w/o Ncl 6-2 1-7 78-61 50-81 72-42 w/o Ncl w/o Ncl 97-135 127-130 108-113

M1 v L’pool John Moores 1sts 1-1 W1 v Leeds Trinity 1sts 18-0 W2 v Manchester 3rds 5-0

Elen Norris ended the race as the fastest woman

Of the 19 runners taking part in the long orange course, seven were members of NUFOC. After Norris, Kostadinov and Brown crossed the finishing line, they were soon joined by Peter Walmsley (40:42) and Chloe Watson (41:04). Just behind them came Henry Ling with a time of 42:43, while Emma Peters brought up the NUFOC rear in 48 minutes and 12 seconds to find herself in 16th place overall.

NUFOC will participate in the second event of the series at Nuns Moor on 11 November.

Newcastle quickly responded, as Jake “Snake” McNair was able to get on the end of Deehan’s face-off, to set up Ramsbottom to score again.

Since the half-time break, McNair had grown into the game, showing speed, stamina and an on-the-ball composure that Newcastle had been lacking at times. Again pouncing on a Deehan face-off, McNair laid the ball into the path of Doyle, who was again struck down by Sheffield’s Tatton.

Following impressive build-up play from Doyle, Richards and Kearney, Ramsbottom set up “Snakey Jakey” to grab his first of the game, and then George Band and McNair combined to score another to set up a tight finish, only for Sheffield to snatch the game at the end.

The final score of 8-6 was testament to Sheffield’s quality of play, but it was a spirited performance from Newcastle that demonstrated their ability to mix it with the best in the league.

over Medics BUCS RESULTS cesses, as Medics dominated the opening stages of the second half. King bagged two more, with only one Holden goal in response.

For the next few passages of play, Medics had Princesses backs against the wall. A block by Lord and an interception by Bosworth kept the blue-clad Medics at bay, and another interception

by Sowerby sent Princesses down the other end. The counter attack led to yet another Holden goal.

Following a rare Holden miss, a neat one-two with Sowerby gave Poyntz enough space to score another, whilst Lord picked out Holden just inside the D to score from four yards out. Though Holden scored another five goals after, the goal of the game title was soon to be taken off her.

Working ball from deep, Medics found King in the corner. With her feet just touching the goal circle, she lined up the shot and flicked the ball home. A round of applause from all of the players was well-deserved as the goal from six

Harry Wilson

NUFOC showed their skills in Hazlerigg Image: Emma Peters

GOLF

Mix2 v Mix1

HOCKEY

W4 v Bradford 1sts

2-4 w/o Ncl

LACROSSE

6-8 0-17 22-1 8-8 4-6

NETBALL

RUGBY UNION

M1 v Loughborough 2nds M3 v Sheffield 2nds M4 v Leeds Beckett 4ths W1 v Birmingham 1sts

SQUASH

VOLLEYBALL

M1 v Liverpool 1sts W1 v Nottingham 1sts

WATERPOLO

11-5 1-4 1-4 8-4 3-0 2-3

66-47

M2 v Durham 2nds W2 v Durham 3rds

40-28

OVERALL BUCS POSITION

W1 v Sheffield Hallam 1sts

RUGBY LEAGUE

TENNIS

W1 v Manchester 1sts

M1 v Sheffield 1sts M2 v York 1sts W1 v Liverpool 1sts W2 v Durham 4ths W3 v York 2nds

M1 v Hull 1sts

TABLE TENNIS

M2 v Northumbria 2nds W1 v Durham 2nds W1 v Sheffield 1sts

43-22 29-15 24-45 7-22

M3 v Leeds Trinity 1sts M4 v L’pool John Moores 1sts W1 v Lancaster 1sts

3-0 0-3 3-1

10-10 20-1

Pos

University

Pts

9

Cardiff ▲

1267

10

Northumbria ▼

1203

11

Newcastle ■

1100

12

Leeds Beckett ■

1027

13

Notts Trent ▲

915

sport the courier

Monday 30 October 2017 Issue 1356 Free

@Courier_Sport courier.sport@ncl.ac.uk thecourieronline.co.uk/sport Sport Editors Tom Shrimplin, Courtney Strait & Mark Sleightholm

Inside Sport today >>>

SPORT CENTRE UPGRADES P37

RUGBY 1STS FALL TO SHEFFIELD P38

MEGA SPORT EVENTS: GOOD OR BAD? P36

Late lacrosse surge not enough Full story on page 39

Newcastle players tussle with Sheffield at Longbenton Image: Clara Pettitt

Men’s table tennis makes quick work of cross-town rival TABLE TENNIS

Newcastle 2nds 11 Northumbria 2nds 5

Mark Sleightholm at Sports Central A comfortable win over Northumbria propelled Newcastle to the top of the league, with complacency the biggest danger facing the team going forwards.

Each member of the four-man team played against all four of their opponents, with Newcastle winning 11 of the 16 matches to claim the overall victory, throwing in a win in the doubles for good measure.

Top seed Bailey Pye powered through the afternoon without dropping a single game to the opposition, and both Pye and his team-mate Jeremy Pock won each match in which they played. Even a surprise lapse in form from the Newcastle captain couldn’t save the Northumbria

side as they struggled to make their mark on the match.

Fresh from victories over York and Leeds, the Newcastle seconds were feeling confident against a Northumbria team playing their first match of the season. Newcastle captain Oliver Grant led the charge, winning his first point against Northumbria’s Ben Rimmer before going on to take each of the first three games and claim what turned out to be his solitary victory of the afternoon.

His team-mates Pock and Pye also won their opening matches, with Pye making light work of Northumbria’s fourth seed Joe Hastings. Shot after shot powered over Hastings’ shoulder as Pye stormed to 11-1 victories in both his opening games. Hastings became visibly more frustrated as the games went on, although he managed to save himself from complete domination by taking the third

game to 4-10 before Pye could claim victory.

Perhaps lulled into a false sense of security by Pye’s easy win, Grant struggled when it was his turn to take on Hastings. Grant’s tall figure allowed him to stand well behind the table, which benefited him against the powerful shots of Rimmer but worked less effectively against Hastings’ shorter strokes.

Despite winning the first game Grant was unable to capitalise on this advantage, and points he had won effortlessly in his opening match seemed suddenly beyond his capabilities. In a match devoid of long rallies or fast-paced play, Hastings’ persistence paved the way to a rare win for the hosts.

Grant faced similar difficulties in his subsequent matches, losing them both 3-1, but his sluggishness was not enough to help the Northumbria team now well

on their way to defeat.

Fourth seed Sam Hansen started the afternoon against Northumbria’s top two second-team players, but despite losing his opening match and the first two games of his second, he was able to take Kem Dogonsoy to a deciding game. Perhaps with a little help from the Northumbria coach, whose shouts of “Come on Kem!” punctuated the afternoon’s play at regular intervals, Dogonsoy was ultimately able to prevail, but Hansen’s determination in this match propelled him to victories against both of Northumbria’s lower seeds.

Each Northumbria player was demolished by a clinical Pye, who never lost more than nine points in any of his games. His final singles match, against rival top seed Adam Hardiman, saw Pye mix skilful drop shots with powerful smashes to force a lot of movement from

Hardiman. Northumbria’s finest had beaten two of Newcastle’s players earlier in the afternoon but was unable to overcome the relentless barrage of surprise shots from Pye. Pye and Hardiman faced each other again in the doubles match, a mere formality given that Newcastle was already 11-5 up in the overall score. Hardiman continued his trademark practice of stomping his foot heavily every time he served, but was unable to translate this into power on top of the table, and Newcastle’s Pye and Pock won three straightforward games against Hardiman and Dogonsoy. This took the final score to 12-5 to Newcastle and put Newcastle in first place in the Northern 3B league, although late withdrawals from the league from Sunderland and Leeds Beckett mean that several teams, including Northumbria, have played fewer matches.