Courier 1362 Christmas Pullout

the courier Take care in all you do next year And keep smiling through the days If we can help to entertain you Oh we will find the ways

-Elton John & Bernie Taupin, ‘Step Into Christmas�

2017 festive pullout Image: Mark Sleightholm

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christmas news

Monday 11 December 2017

Christmas cards for care homes Christmas calendar Izzi Sykes News Editor

On Friday the 8th of December at the INTO Centre students had the opportunity to participate in making Christmas cards for elderly people in local care homes.

Esme Murphy, a second year English Language student, organised a Christmas card making event as part of the Give It A Go Programme to give students a much needed break from deadlines and exam revision and also to make a positive contribution to the local community.

The event on Friday ran from 2-4pm and there is another opportunity to take part on Monday the 11th from 12-2pm in the Philip Robinson Library.

Materials and equipment have been provided and it is a relaxed event where students are free to come and go as they please within the two-hour slot.

Esme said that people are “free to be as creative as they wish” when decorating the cards.

Esme is working as a Marketing and PR Intern for the Give It A Go programme as part of a career development module. She spoke about her decision to organise this event: “I meet up with my supervisor every week and we decided a Christmas card making event would be a great idea for students as a source of release from their studies and just a break from any deadlines they may have in the weeks coming up to Christmas.”

“I decided then that I wanted to do something within the local community as well and thought that donating the cards to local care homes would be a great way to help those who may not have loved ones at this festive time and would hopefully be something to brighten up their Christmas.”

The Christmas card making event has been organised as part of Newcastle Student Union’s Give It A Go programme, involving a range of events and activities aimed at encouraging students to try

new things. Esme expressed hopes that her Christmas card making event would encourage more people to get involved:

“A great way to help those who may not have loved ones at this festive time” Esme Murphy, second year English Language student

“I want to encourage people to get involved not only to enjoy some festive fun and to have a break from their studies but also to promote the Give It A Go programme on the whole.”

“It will allow them to look into the programme and see what we have to offer as well as giving back to the local community and having fun.”

Fenwick’s ‘Love From Paddington’ Laura Higgins News Editor The greatly anticipated Fenwick Christmas window was unveiled in November 2017 and it didn’t disappoint. Crowds flocked to the focal point of Northumberland Street to see the magical ‘Love From Paddington’ window display come to life.

Children waved flags and snow flakes gently fell to celebrate the start of the festive season.

Founded in 1882, Fenwick Newcastle is a luxurious department store located in the heart of the city centre and is the flagship of the Fenwick Group. The Fenwick Group is an independent family business which has a portfolio of over nine stores throughout the United Kingdom. Alongside the Christmas window people visit Fenwick to explore the iconic five floors which sell everything from food to clothing. With thirteen tempting eateries and personal shopping services, it is the landmark of any visit to Newcastle Upon Tyne.

Inspired by Michael Bond’s much loved bear, the Fenwick Christmas window mirrors famous

scenes from the popular Paddington Bear books.

Their popularity is illuminated via their literary success since thirty five million copies have been sold worldwide and have been translated in overthirty different languages.

“It’s a huge pleasure to feature such an iconic children’s character in our 2017 animated windows. We hope everyone enjoys themselves and wish all a very happy Christmas” Matt McWhinnie, Head of Marketing at Fenwick Newcastle

Walking along Northumberland Street, festive shoppers are immersed into a literary world for example Paddington’s first meeting with the Browns at Paddington Station and tea with in Mr

Gruber’s antiques shop. The series of delightful vignettes concludes with Paddington welcoming in the Christmas season by helping Jonathan and Judy to decorate their tree. The Fenwick Christmas window celebrates Paddington’s 60th birthday next year.

Every Christmas, Fenwick Newcastle designs a new window display which is always met by a wave of popularity amongst adults and children alike.

Previous window schemes have been distinctly unique and memorable, including Aladdin in 1975, Treasure Island in 1977, A Christmas Carol in 1980, Gulliver in 2006 and The Night Before Christmas in 2010.

The window has marked landmark events in the business, for example in 2011 it successfully celebrated forty years of the window. Last year, the window captured the Beatrix Potter canon; animating the famous characters including Jeremy Fisher and Jemima Puddle-Duck.

Matt McWhinnie, Head of Marketing at Fenwick Newcastle, told The Courier: ‘It’s a huge pleasure to feature such an iconic children’s character in our 2017 animated windows. We hope everyone enjoys them and wish all a very happy Christmas.’

One of the windows from the ‘Love From Paddington’ display Image: Fenwick, Newcastle

Mark Walker The countdown to Christmas is long underway, and it is time to pick the best festive events held by Newcastle University Students’ Union’s societies.

As per usual, the Christmas jumpers socials have been topping the charts, but we were looking for a bit more unusual ways of celebrating the favourite holiday of millions of people.

Here are top five Christmas events on campus selected by the Courier: 1) Mussoc: Christmas Concert The Music Society held ‘Christmas Concert’ on the 10th of December, enjoying performances from Chamber Orchestra, Voices, Chamber Choir, String Ensemble, Brass Ensemble and Flute Group. The performance took place in Kings Hall, Armstrong Building, celebrating both Christmas and the power of music.

2) NUCATS: Ice Skating Newcastle University Computing and Technology Society went to glide the ice rink at Centre for Life last week. When it comes to the Christmassy activities in Newcastle, ice skating has become as favoured as queuing for Fenwick’s window.

3) Newcastle University Geek Societies: Christmas Social Nerd Society, Gaming Society, Anime Society and Pokemon Society are hosting a joint festive social on Wednesday, 13th of December.

They are promising ‘fun and general socialising’ and the inter-society gaming competition. Yet again, Christmas brings joy to every heart.

4) Politics Society: Christmas Drinks The Politics Society is hosting a Christmas Drinks end of semester celebration on the 12th of December at As You Like It. A festive evening, with cocktail dresses and suits and a performance from the Jass Society. Every attendant will be offered a glass of prosecco and a selection of canapes upon arrival what a fancy festive celebration!

5) BioSoc: Christmass Ball BioSoc is hosting an evening of elegance, with a view on Quayside and fanciful drinks, at Pitcher and Piano. An annual celebration will take place on the 11th of December, marking the end of the semester.

Only a few more sleeps: no better way to pass the time than a Christmas social Image: Wikipedia Commons

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lifestyle christmas

Monday 11 December 2017

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The Lifestyle Editors have compiled a list of gifts sure to impress your friends and loved ones this Christmas. Be it for Secret Santa, that flatmate who always hides in their room, or simply to go under your family tree, these are the best gifts on a budget

For the sporty friend: For the gym and sport in your life, the h e a dp h on e s , spray, water and body set will cover all of their gym and sp or ting needs.

Plus at £20.00 for a Jack Wills s et?

lover Jack Wills b o d y bottle wash

The ultimate Christmas gift guide (on a student budget) For the foodie: With options for vegans and vegetarians, salted caramel and chocolate lover, s’mores kits, and even flavours including your favourite alcohol like gin and prosecco. Get cosy this Christmas and give someone one of these kits to satisfy even the sweetest of teeth.

Available from nakedmarshmallow.co.uk from £8.95-£24

Image: @JackWills

Image: @ASOS

For the fashion fan: Everyone loves a clutch bag, and this furry number from ASOS is Christmassy enough for your New Year’s Eve party, but different enough to stand out in a crowd.

Available from ASOS.com for £15.00

For the avid gamer: Image: @UrbanOutfitters

For the music-mad mate: Unless your music loving friend has specifically asked for a certain record, or tech then you’re limited for options and an iTunes gift card is a boring alternative.

So why not choose a portable speaker, available in 5 different styles.

Available from urbanoutfitters.com now for £18.00, originally £25.00

Bring video games to real life with this VR blaster.

Download the free AR Gun App to your Smartphone for out of this world fun.

Available from urbanoutfitters.com now for £20.00 originally £28.00

Image: @UrbanOutfitters

Right so there’s lots of you out there that love TV, but there’s those that really love TV. They’re the people I’m targeting with this here gift, those that would be wholeheartedly prepared to sit down for 60 consecutive hours to watch the entirety of Game of Thrones, had they not seen it already.

So what we want is a decent show that will not break the bank. Two shows immediately jump to mind: Breaking Bad and Dexter. I don’t really know why they ‘jump to mind’, but they jump to my mind so deal with it. They’re two of the most successful and watchable series ever produced so trust me, they’d both be a good present. I’ve decided to go for Breaking Bad because it’s 70p cheaper on Amazon, but you get fewer episodes so you can make the call, but who’s got that much time on their hands?

Available for only £24.49 on Amazon

For the film buff:

Image: @Sleekmakeup

For the make-up addict:

These lipsticks from Sleek are the perfect stocking fillers! Shades shown below are ‘Cinnamon Spice’, ‘Platinised Plum’ and ‘Electroplated Nude’.

Available for £4.99 each from Sleekmakeup.com

For the science lover: Some wear sweaters with quotes from famous scientific theories. Others are a bit more subtle with science socks and Albert Einstein toilet roll. But if wall mounted periodic tables are out of your budget then mugs, glasses cases and notebooks with the period table are the go-to.

Available from: Waterstones and Tiger - Less than £10.

Jane Austen journals, coffee mugs and boxes of notelets with images of everyone’s favourite novels.

Penguin launched their box of traditional penguin postcards nut now have the modern classics which are a bit more classy! Any book lover will love using these cards to mark their pages, to send to friends or even just using them to decorate their living space.

Blackwells: £10.99

For the TV binger:

Image: Vimeo

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was one of the biggest films to come out this year, and it’s no small wonder why. Packed with laughs and containing an awesome soundtrack, this film will even appeal to those who don’t usually like sci-fi films.

Available for only £6.99 on eBay or for £10.00 on Tesco Direct

For the bookworm:

For the artist: There is a theme for everyone whether they’re a Star Wars lover, feline fanatic or a fashion mogul. So, art therapy is the best gift to give someone after the stress of Christmas shopping.

Smooth stress, relax and colour 100s of designs. It’s a cheap, lightweight, travel sized gift great for any student on study break.

Available from paperchase.co.uk for £4.99-10.99

Image: Paperchasse.com

the courier

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christmas comment

2017 L 2017 2017 Retrospective Last year, the Courier asked 6 writers to give us their predictions of 2017. What a year. What did they get right, and so terribly wrong? Now, they come back to give us their thoughts on what was a time left thoroughly seared into our retinas.

But what are the point of predictions anyway? If you ask Sam Blackburn, they do more harm than good, and that’s just great; all this editing was a waste of time.

P

redictions are not useful at all, end of article. I jest, but are they honestly actually important or just a way for us to sit atop our ivory towers, get a crystal ball out and tell everyone why we believe something is going to happen in the distant future.

When I think of predictions, I like to look at how pundits and fans predict football. Take the 2015-2016 Premier League season for example. Back in August of said year, who was going to win the Premier League? Most said Chelsea, a good second choice would have been Manchester City with Manchester United also being a team worth putting money on. Who would have been relegated that year, Premier League mainstay, Aston Villa with a solid European pedigree or strugglers of the 2014-2015 season Leicester City? Well for all you unaware, the 2015-2016 season featured reigning champions Chelsea finishing 10th, both Manchester clubs finished 4th and 5th, with Aston Villa being relegated on 17 points and Leicester City winning the league. I bring up this example because it’s evidently the greatest example of why predictions aren’t useful.

A big question what the example above asks is do predictions help or hinder us? Did the pressure of Chelsea defending their title get into their heads, causing a string of problems and a complete breakdown? Did the lack of expectation on Leicester give them a ‘nothing to lose’ attitude to propel them into success.

It’s also very prevalent in the Video Game industry. Everyone predicted No Man’s Sky to be a massive success due to the hype cultivated by Hello Games, yet all this emphasis and foresight to see the game succeed may have hindered it massively. This year boasts another example of this is the game Yooka Laylee, a retro throwback to platforming games from the N64 era. Everyone felt that this would be the spark to fuel the platforming genre to finally come back after a decade of absence, but in reality, everyone’s pressure and predictions that this game would be amazing is clearly what killed expectation. I found the game still to be very enjoyable, mainly because I didn’t predict it would set the world on fire. Whereas many critics predicted differently, meaning they got burnt out when the product could not match their lofty expectations. Predictions just ruin things, don’t hype anything and prepare to be pleasantly surprised.

Monday 11 December 2017

UNITED. UNDIVIDED Leana Tajkov

ooking back on 2017, one simply has to ask: where is this world going?

Understandably, with so many changes on the political and economic world scene, we knew things would not be the same. But the anticipation of madness of our future went beyond our predictions. Too many rash and not-so-well thought through decisions truly led us to being self-destructive, as well as tremendously influencing other people’s lives, their future and their freedom.

This year left me feeling divided, both amazed and scared of the influence of single man/country decisions. Part of me feels like our global nation has never suffered more and that we have never been more divided in opinions, points of view and experiences. I also feel like the Earth, with all these climate changes and natural catastrophes is simply telling us: stop this madness of politics over destinies, over thousands of lives across the globe. On the other hand, I feel like these troubles brought us closer and truly showed each one of us that despite the differences in political, economic or racial views, we are still just human. We all just want freedom and peace for us and our future.

Regardless of this year’s drastic events, I remain hopeful that we won’t lead our way to self destruction and that soon enough we will realize we are better together and diverse than separated and hateful.

SPECTRE OF FASCISM

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Scott Houghton

lthough I was wrong about the South China Sea and the gains of the far-right in Europe I still think the trends which provided the backdrop to 2016 still characterised this year too. It can still be thought of as a year where the destabilisation which has permeated the 2010s continued.

Although terrorist atrocities still occurred in 2017 in Manchester and London, the loss of ISIS’s territory this year in Syria and Iraq mean that ISIS is near defeat, at least with regards to its physical strongholds.

The snap general election in June meant the Conservatives were short of a majority and had to rely on Northern Irish nationalists the DUP for support, and a massive reversal of fate for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, and the implosion of the UKIP vote. In Catalonia, a controversial referendum declaring independence from Spain resulted in Spanish police battering their own people. In Germany, famous for its stability and being seen to be ‘boring’ politically, the CDU Party has failed to form a government. Not to mention, despite the far-right European parties failing to win they have nonetheless made significant gains both in elections and in the polls.

President Donald Trump has passed controversial tax reforms which disproportionately benefit only the top percentage of earners, which includes himself and where his administration is embroiled over links between his campaign and interference in American democracy by Russia. The United States has also taken a step back from its traditional role in international governance under the Trump administration. The first to do so willingly since 1945.

A ROT IN GOVERNMENT

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Max George

f, as I wrote twelve months ago, 2016 had seemed to be a rotten year for Western democracies, then 2017 has been a marginal improvement. That is, if you judge them on their defence against the populist tide which doomsayers predicted would wipe the slate in polls around Europe. British politics in particular has degenerated not so much into anti-establishment demagogy as it has into a symposium of incompetence and pitiful parochialism.

In the Netherlands, France and Austria, the far right performed below expectations against mainstream candidates and parties. The nascent antiimmigrant AfD party in Germany remains frozen out of government despite gaining nearly 100 seats in the Bundestag. Meanwhile, Democratic candidates have scored striking victories in usually Republican districts in the US as Donald Trump’s diplomatic and economic ineptitude shield America and the world from his worst policy proposals.

The Eurozone, perhaps the fount of so much political anger in Europe, is enjoying better growth and prospects than it has for a while.

By one key parameter, though, public life has not improved since last year. Democratic discourse remains bitter, fake news continues to permeate social media (and, possibly worse, the ‘whataboutery’ which makes us doubt any assertion of truthfulness), and political and ideological antipodes are still failing to engage seriously with the other side. The result, in Britain most strikingly, is a body politic stumbling towards an outcome which most know will be ruinous, yet which a zombie government is too decrepit to prevent. That outcome is a car crash Brexit. Populist miscreants may have been stalled, but they have been replaced by floundering mainstreamers seeking to ape them.

Mistakes were made LABOUR’S WORKING

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Benjamin Eckford

017 got off to a shaky start with the inauguration of the 45th president. His tasteless inaugural address set the tone for his administration, where so far no legislation has been passed despite controlling the congress, he has postured over North Korea, and he has given succour to Nazis in Charlottesville.

Populism was the trend of 2017 but Britain is the real story of hope. The government made two huge mistakes. Trigerring Article 50 was a sad mistake and now the clock is ticking - this will mean huge damage to our economy. But it made a happy mistake in calling a snap election. The opposition, normally preoccupied with infighting rather than presenting the country with an alternative government, suddenly and unexpectedly snapped itself into shape.

Despite taking a hammering at the local elections on 4 May (where I myself was a defeated Labour candidate), receiving just 27% of the vote, four weeks later on 8 June Labour won 40% of the vote and a net gain of 30 seats, stripping the government of its majority. Labour’s success was down to its populist leader and manifesto, both of which rejected the status quo and offered a radical transformation of the economy. An opinion poll by Survation last weekend (the only polling company to get the election result right) putting Labour 8 points ahead, I bid farewell to 2017 with hope in my heart.

SILVER LININGS

THE GRASS IS GREENER

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Hanson Jones

erhaps my optimism is my downfall. Last year I wrote that I was looking forward to the carpet being pulled out from under the Establishment’s feet, but that in the end all of the events of 2016 would probably not turn out to be as bad as the media suggested. Boy, was I wrong.

I had expected that after the campaign, Trump might pull himself together, assume a presidential role and roll back his unpredictable and audacious ramblings on Twitter. Quite the contrary! Not a day goes by without the BBC covering the inflammatory remarks the President makes online. He is an embarrassment to the West. Not only that, he and Kim Jong-Un are having a go at re-enacting the Cold War, only this time the two parties don’t have as much restraint.

On the other side of the pond, things aren’t going so well either. What a calamity this government is.

Does anybody remember a prime minister as weak and incompetent as Theresa May? Besides the rest of her cabinet. A year ago, I didn’t let the Brexit problem bother me. Now, with March 2019 ever faster approaching, I see a future that is nothing but bleak.

Across the channel, our neighbours are getting along nicely, confident to do just fine without us.

Europe prevails as Britain declines. Life abroad seems ever more tantalising. Maybe it’s about time to jump this sinking ship.

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Dayam Ali

s the year comes closer to an end, we begin to think to ourselves, where exactly has this year gone? 2017 might have gone the wrong way in some people’s opinions We begin off with perhaps the biggest mistake of 2016/17, Donald Trump becoming president.

Other than his racist tweets, disrespectful gestures towards women, and his attempt to build a ‘physical wall’ between Mexico and the United States, He has also decided to remove ‘Obama care’. Allowing 20% of America without health insurance or affordable care by 2026. These are just a few things, I could go on all day.

There is no clear indication as to what will happen once we have divorced the EU, but Theresa May has pledged that it will not shock the economy, or the market, but we will all have to wait and see what happens.

I remember thinking ‘the worst is behind us’ in 2016, but it feels like things are just starting to heat up, in the political world things are intense, especially with the threat of ‘World War three’ thanks to Trump and his dumb tweets towards North Korea.

On the positive side, NASA have announced that they have discovered a solar system with ‘7 Earthlike planets orbiting a single star’. At least we’ll be able to leave this planet and its political destruction soon. Oh, and Christmas! Maybe this year hasn’t been so bad.

the courier

comment christmas

Monday 11 December 2017

2018 P 2018 2018

DOOM AND GLOOM

THE AGITATED MANY

Predictions

The most loyal and astute readers may just figure out what’s coming next. Last year, we scryed the future with our crystal ball, and this year, fresh writers step up to the plate. What orgastic future will the new year bring us all?

Errol Kerr

redictable is not a word I, or anyone else, would probably use for 2017 and in all honesty I don’t think 2018 is going to change. If anything though, I can expect more of the same.

This obviously isn’t going to be a good thing. Realistically, I can see us struggling to come up with a Brexit deal with the EU for the next year, and I definitely don’t see progress made there. I expect more of Trump’s fuckery spreading globally, and a rise in right-wing ideologies on a global scale.

One thing that’s impressed me with 2017, though, is activism, especially online, and how much change it’s made.

Without question, the Affordable Care Act would have been torn apart without American disabled activists taking the forefront, and several bills would have destroyed what remains of American healthcare had that not been the case.

I can see 2018 as both a year of political strain, but also a year of recovery. I feel 2018 will be the year that the world as a whole realises the danger we’re in and takes action against it.

It might end up being ‘more of the same’ but I definitely feel that the public is going to be more and more angry at it. One thing’s for sure, the protests in the UK if Trump visits will be fucking delightful and I will be at as many as I can be.

Oh, also, North Korea’s future is completely up in the air next year.

Have fun.

T

Louis Vanderlande

rying to predict the future of 2018 seems all neigh impossible so I’m going to predict the most likely course of events and guess what, they’re going to be pretty gloomy: 1. More terrorist attacks across Europe: It’s a pretty sad truth that such things now occur yearly across the Western world and to combat such attacks its getting harder and harder 2. Theresa May will remain as PM: She’s lasted this long and I doubt anyone actually wants the job currently 3. The EU and UK come to a arrangement: The posturing on both sides will lead to a compromise being met and a deal being struck 4. I will struggle to find a job: As a third year I might as well predict my attempt to find employment post university in this post-brexit economy 5. Many people will join gyms and fail to go: the classic new year, new body mind set will kick in but naturally after month of trying we fall back into doing nothing 6. An extra national holiday?: On a slightly happier note, we may get an extra days holiday to celebrate Harry and Meghan’s wedding 7. A new Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them film: Fine, it’s not exactly more Harry Potter but take what you can get people. I have no doubt that this film will be the perfect distraction from all the wrongs in the world.

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COULD BE WORSE

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Jack Coles

017 wasn’t so bad, was it? Mind you, after last year, 2017 could have fired white phosphorous at my face and I still wouldn’t chalk it up as the worst year I’ve been vaguely conscious of. So let’s completely forget about 2017, and cast our eyes towards 2018.

1. Trump gets removed from office: I’m honestly surprised he’s lasted this long, but with all the stuff that’s happening with the FBI investigations, he’s in some serious hot water. He fired James Comey which kept the heat off for a bit, but now the issue has come back like a hand grenade duct-taped to a boomerang.

2. Catalunya tries to become independent again: I’ll be honest, I’m not the biggest expert on Catalonian politics, despite having grown up there when I was a kiddiewink. What I do know is that many people there are fiercely independent, almost as independent as the Basques. I can totally imagine them teaming up with Galicia to form El Reino Norteiberiano or something.

3. Brexit is an abject failure: A couple of weeks ago I heard rumblings that the EU was demanding some sort of policy from our ruling party. At time of writing, I still haven’t heard anything on said policy. Best-case scenario, Brexit gets cancelled.

Worst-case scenario, Boris Johnson carries it out.

4. Skyrim 2 gets announced: Judging by my backof-an-envelope calculations, we should have had Elder Scolls VI announced by last May. Oh well, maybe soon. For now, I’ll just play Skyrim on a graphing calculator.

Crystal ball: A happy new year?

LETS MAKE OUR REALITY

I

Jamie Cameron

could write this article about who will be in power and who will top the Forbes rich list, or I could write about how movements will organise to dethrone them. However, I want to be more sure than I could ever be about that.

What we can predict is how technology will change the material base of our society, and how we will have to adapt to a changing world.

Let’s start with cause for optimism. The price of solar power is dropping off a cliff. If we manage this properly, there is real potential for an energy revolution, but we must also work to make it one that benefits regular people. We must be the ones who own it. We cannot leave our energy independence in the hands of borderless elites with no loyalties but to their bank account. Bringing ownership of solar panels, wind farms, and even larger projects into local communities needs to be our way forward. Either way, we will be forced to change our consumption of fossil fuels. But here’s another prediction: contemptuous anti-scientists like the Republicans will pull out every stop to halt this needed transition to renewables.

Technology will not solve our problems without societal change though, don’t get this confused.

As we can become slaves to energy monopolies, so too can increasing automation leave us jobless and precarious without democratic control of these means of production. We need to make automation something that gives us free time, not something that takes away our living. We have to accept new technology, but we must make it ours, not property of the 1%. Let’s just hope the supply of needed minerals keeps up, and the Republic of Congo is saved from the civil wars caused by its natural wealth of these resources.

Consumption will continue to increase. That is, so long as capitalism as we are used to continues.

Unfortunately, this is impossible. We have limited resources. The future of higher living standards is in addressing inequality, not blind faith in growth figures. Predictions are fine, but the point isn’t to predict, it’s to make the world what we want it to be. Let’s predict our success, and make it so.

A CONVENIENT HOPE

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James Sproston

017 saw one of the nation’s favourite nature programmes make a comeback on our idiot boxes. Following on from the multi-awardwinning Planet Earth II, David Attenborough returned to please our ears with the immensely popular Blue Planet II, Planet Earth’s aquatic cousin that racked up over 14 million UK viewers during the first episode alone.

This interest in the natural world was starkly contrasted in the world of current affairs, as current U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly denied that climate change exists, citing back in 2012 that “global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.” Something tells me the administration believes just whatever it wants. This view was translated into action very recently as Trump nominated Kathleen Hartnett White to become environmental quality council chair, who refers to carbon dioxide as a ‘plant nutrient’.

However, being the ever-optimistic greenthumbed man I am, I believe that things are about to change. In 2018, we will see the biggest ecomovement the world has ever seen, as issues such as climate change, the global food crisis, deforestation, species extinction and overpopulation are actually seen as real threats that need to be tackled immediately.

At the forefront of this movement will be Barack Obama, fresh from overseeing the ‘Chicago Climate Charter’ he will tour the U.S. gathering support from more municipal officials, accumulating more pledges to reduce greenhouse emissions. They’ll collectively lobby the government to re-enter the Paris Agreement, and successfully establish binding pledges to make every G8 nation fossil-free.

In fact, by the end of 2018, there’ll be plans in place for Planet Earth III and Blue Planet III, which will focus on the resurgence of biodiversity across the world, and how humans finally became complimentary to nature. God save David Attenborough. No doubt, come 2019, there will be nothing inconvenient about the truth at all.

SEEMS LEGIT

F

HOT POTATOES

Henry Holborn

irst off, Putin will colonise Mars with hacking servers aimed at disrupting elections world-wide. His radical project will be an attempt to reignite the space race, which Trump will no less oblige.

Carrying on Reagan’s Legacy (another actor turned president), Trump will successfully establish the ‘Star Wars’ laser guided intercontinental ballistic missile defence mechanism. This will bankrupt the US, triggering another global financial crisis.

Meanwhile, Michael Palin will rally an army of penguins from Antarctica and protest outside climate justice talks. The movement will gain strong publicity and establish some small victories in shaping policy. However, it will fall short at the last hurdle, as animal rights’ activists uncover Palin’s use of steroids on his fish-bird minions; a vain attempt to make them look hard.

The Queen will announce her retirement to Lindisfarne ‘holy island’ in order to escape the invasive media. She will commission Peter Andre to sing ‘fog on the Tyne’ indefinitely from atop the castle. The re-built monastery will be the new seat of power for the reformed Church of England, now titled ‘heaven’s gate mark II’. Wearing purple Nikes will be compulsory on Sundays.

In local news, Newcastle University will build water-slides connecting all campus buildings together in an elaborate liquid labyrinth. Controversially, Wallsend will be re-named ‘Walls-start”, sparking heated online debates between rival Bowness-on-Solway. The price of Freddo’s will soar to £3.95 and their species swapped from frog to newt in order to cut costs further.

All in all, a year to remember.

G

Fred Hunt

reat danger can be found in uncertain times. Feckless and reckless is the leader of the free world, and combined with this period of prolonged economic stagnation, many citizens of the earth are catching glimpses of radical options.

My predictions for the new year coming may be labelled vague, hysterical or even simply nonsense, but there is a stark contrast of the UK’s serene sleepwalk into disaster, and the volatility of the wider world.

A crucial and primary concern for planet Earth currently is the policy of rearmament currently being undertaken by both China and the USA two economic and cultural rivals with competing spheres of influence who will not be inclined to back down so easily in the coming years.

My assessment is that certainly in the coming 12 months, this competition will ostensibly develop into a tense and frantic race. Will world war return to this planet in 2018? I hardly think so, but what is clear is that increased world tension and suspicion is bad for everyone.

I do think Theresa May will be around next year.

The sad truth is that all the other capable and exciting politicians are waiting for her to deliver Brexit before catching the hot potato - be it Labour or Conservative. This means another depressing year watching the poor woman, held hostage by the snarling hyenas ready to cast her into political oblivion when surplus to requirements - lucky us.

These predictions are so often futile, so the only thing I will leave you with is this dry cliche.

Trump’s got 3 years left, so expect the unexpected and fasten your seatbelts.

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christmas fashion&beauty

the courier Monday 11 December 2017

the courier Monday 11 December 2017

#ALevelArt

Illustrations: Becky Irvine and Zofia Zwieglinska

fashion&beauty christmas

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the courier

8

christmas fashion&beauty

Monday 11 December 2017

Fairytale of New York Christmas Shoot

Shop the looks Warehouse Faux Fur Coat £99

Urban Outiftters Silence + Noise Red A-Line Mini Slip Dress £42

TTYA BLACK Cami Strap Maxi-Dress with fishtail hem £110

ASOS Coast Beau MaxiDress £189

Burton Black rollneck jumper £20, Camel Chesterfield coat £89

Burton 3-Piece Blue Jaspe slim fit suit jacket £54, waistcoat £20, trousers £25

Burton Teal Velvet blazer £59, trousers £20, velvet bowtie £5

Get the look: beauty Eyes: Morphe 350 Palette Gold & Dark Bronws, Revlon Colorstay Skinny Liquid Liner In Black Lips: MAC Faux

Eyes: Morphe 350 Palette Light Brown all over the lid with a Dark Brown defining the crease Lips: Lancôme L’absolu Velour Liquid Lipstick In 197

Eyes: Morphe 350 Palette Dark Brown all over the lid with White & Gold dabbed on the centre of the lid Lips: MAC Whirl

Each model had their make-up done by make-up artist Ava Pelham who used a range of highstreet and high-end products to create three ball-inspired looks. The key products used to create the flawless complexions of all the models included, Collection Long-Lasting Perfection concealer, Sleek Face Form contour kit (fair), Sleek Solstice highlight palette, Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow (fair to medium) and Fenty Beauty highlight (Trophy Wife).

This look was finished with a selection of Morphe eyeshadows and Benefit Roller Lash mascara.

This shoot was organised and creatively directed by the Fashion Editors: Chloe Bland, Sophie Schneider, and Zofia Zwieglinska With special thanks to: Laura Greatrex, Lois Johnston and Susanne Norris Beauty Editors Kevin Wong - Photographer Ava Forbes - Videographer Ava Pelham - Make-Up Artist Alice Coulman, Doyin Oyekan, Hayden Martin, Rose Hinds, Sam Prentice and Yannick Thompson- Models ASOS and Burton - Clothes providers All the staff at Jesmond Dene House - Thank you for providing us with this beautiful venue

the courier

travel christmas

Monday 11 December 2017

9

Christmas celebrations around the world

It goes without saying that Christmas in India is far less celebrated than it is here. A majority Hindu country, the season is subject far less to the commercialisation which is common in western countries. However, there are elements of the Christmas season which have transported themselves over into the continent. One of the largest Christian communities in India belongs to Mumbai, which in turn has roots in the state of Goa. While only accounting for 2 percent of all the people in India, this still amounts to 25 million people celebrating the season. Midnight Mass is widely attended, which is then followed on by wide feasting and the conventional gift-giving. Churches are decorated lavishly, and varieties of trees are set up in resemblance of the conventional furs which are common in the western countries. Because of this, banana trees and mango trees can sometimes be found decorating peoples homes and houses. Popular food includes Christmas cake that is rich in fruit, and traditional sweets might include pastries and toffees which, again, might be given as gifts to neighbours and friends.

Christmas in India is largely similar to Christmas here, with lots of celebration between family and friends and communal fun all round.

Chris Wilkinson

India

Australia

Think of Christmas and you’ll probably be conjuring idealised images of snow swept streets and the whole family huddling from the cold around the Christmas special of Dr. Who… Not in Australia. I’d like to take the opportunity to point out that this isn’t just an article stuffed full of massive racial stereotypes,but is a personal account I retrieved from a genuine Ozzy. Our upside-down counterparts are more likely to be found swimming in the pool or the sea under the scorching summer sun. Try that at Tynemouth and you’re asking for a one-way ticket to the emergency ward with a festive dose of hyperthermia. You’ll probably be expecting goon sacks and shrimp on the barbie, but not today: just as it is here, Christmas is for family. The cricket and piss-ups (which are probably the same thing) start on Boxing Day – in the words of one Australian, there’s “nothing better than playing cricket while watching the poms (that’s us) get flogged by Australia.” Well it’s alright for some…

Alex Moore On paper, December in Iceland is pretty grim. With the temperature sticking between -1 to 4 degrees, and an average of around 5 hours of sunlight per day, its no wonder the locals make the most of things with some amazing Christmas celebrations. Known as Jól (or Yule), the festivities stretch from the 12th of December until the 6th of January. The coming of the Jólasveinar, or the Yuletide Lads, continues until Christmas Eve. Originating in the 17th century, the Yuletide Lads are thought to be the sons of bloodthirsty ogres who leave presents for children in shoes on the windowsill. If a child has been naughty, they get lumped with a potato instead. Some translated names of these spirits include Candle Beggar, Pot Licker, and my personal favourite: Doorway Sniffer.

Aðfangadagur is Yule’s Eve, and when the celebrating really kicks off. Festivities start at 6pm, a relic from when old Icelandic tradition started the day at this time instead of midnight. Children open their presents on this day.

Christmas Day, or Jóladagur, is mainly a day for feasting. Roast lamb is the dish of choice, accompanied by leaf bread (Laufabrauð) of which each family has their own unique pattern. Entertainment is considered inappropriate on these two days, so on Boxing Day public dancing is once again allowed. The celebrations finish in January, on Epiphany (Þrettándinn). It involves dancing and bonfires and magical traditions; the dead are thought to rise from their graves and cows are believed to be able to talk. This is possibly why Icelanders light up their cemeteries at Yule!

Laura Staniforth

Iceland

Peru

Spending Christmas in sunny Peru at 30 degrees Celsius was a surreal experience. Surprisingly, the set-up was quite similar to the UK: the streets were filled with fairy lights, and huge fake Christmas trees were hung in every mall window display. Even more surprisingly, the displays had cartoon images of snowmen with fake snow sprinkled over the artificial trees, even though it was most definitely sweltering bikini weather. The main difference, however, was that the day to celebrate Christmas was the 24th December which is the same, generally, as the European traditions. Families congregate together at 10 pm for ‘Misa de Gallo’ (Rooster’s Mass) in their local church. Afterwards, incredibly well-crafted routines of fireworks are set off and everyone starts handing around beers and ‘piso sour’ (whisky sour equivalents). I sat outside the house I was staying in at around midnight on the 24th, and the sights of the firework displays were nothing like anything I had seen at New Year celebrations in the UK. After almost an hour of firework festivities, Peruvians then eat la cena de navidad which is the traditional Christmas meal. The food that I remember most strongly from my experience were lechon which is a roasted suckling pig, along with tamales which are sort of corn dumplings (but a worryingly bright orange colour). Paneton, which is a sweet Italian cake, is served in every shop or mall in Peru for months either side of Christmas, and every Peruvian I ever met thought it was the best thing since sliced bread; although this may have something to do with the twelve pisco-sours.

Sophie Schneider As Christmas in the UK has become more secular, less spiritual and further from the nativity, (and closer to our love for Father Christmas and his elves) Spain has maintained a connection religion in their traditions. Most gifts are usually opened during ‘La Fiesta de Los Tres Reyes Mages’ (the festival of the three kings) beginning the 6th of January. Children write to the Kings on Boxing Day, and on January 5th they leave out shoes to be filled with gifts. Just like we leave Christmas biscuits and sherry for Santa and a carrot for the reindeer, in Spain they leave a glass of cognac, a satsuma and some walnuts for each King, and sometimes even a bucket of water for the camels. The first morning of ‘La Fiesta de Los Tres Reyes Mages’, a cake called a ‘Roscón’ is eaten. It is ring shaped, and can be filled with cream or chocolate and contains a small gift.

There are still some celebrations during Christmas itself, with midnight mass on Christmas Eve. It is sometimes called ‘La Misa Del Gallo’ (The Mass of the Rooster), because a rooster is said to have crowed the night of Jesus’ birth. The main Christmas meal is usually had before mass, with turkey stuffed with truffles (‘Pavo Trufado de Navidad’) as the traditional main dish. After mass, crowds of people walk through the street with instruments, making music and carrying torches. Although these traditions are very different to ours, and definitely more connected to the nativity, like ours they bring families together, and because of that, they are important.

Julia McGee-Russell

Spain

Jamaica

Images: NASA; Freestock.ca; The Best Deer 2017; Pixabay; freeflagicons.com

In Jamaica, t h e main celebrations of Christmas take place on Christmas Eve, or ‘Grand Market’. In nearly all the cities in the country are large markets, where you can buy toys, food and clothes.

In the evening, the market transforms into a festival and party that continues throughout the night. Everyone is encouraged to look and dress their best, the buildings themselves being no objection as they are decorated in Christmas lights. Traditional Jamaican foods eaten at Christmas include fruit, meat, fried plantains, curries and veg. Commonly eaten is a rum fruitcake which takes months to prepare, as it spends months soaking in red wine and white rum.

Charlotte Hill

the courier

10

christmas arts

Monday 11 December 2017

Christmas crafts

Merry Christmas, Courier Reader! To get you in the festive mood, this week your lovely Arts Editors, Carys Rose Thomas and Scarlett Rowland will be guiding you through the steps to make a festive snowflake decoration. Good luck crafting!

You will need 6 squares of paper

Fold the piece of paper in half, then half again

Turn the piece of paper over, and tape the next two points together

And a stapler, tape and scissors

Make 3 parallel cuts from the folded edge

Repeat this for all the points

Tape the two central points together

Staple the pieces of paper into 3s

Staple all of the pieces together

And there you have your festive snowflake!

Haven’t had enough of our faces yet? Check out the Arts section on the Courier Online to watch us make these decorations and make some suitably festive drinks

the courier

11

music christmas

Monday 11 December 2017

Re-cast: a musical Christmas nativity The Courier Music team have re-cast your favourite childbirth story with the biggest names from the music industry in 2017

Elton John as... WISE MAN 2

Stormzy as...

ANGEL GABRIEL

T

S

tormzy (re)appeared in February after a hiatus to give us the news he was to give birth to a new album, akin to the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to tell her she was to give birth.

The album was released in March and charted at number one, cementing Stormzy’s position as the UK’s chief Grime Images: Flickr artist (much like how the Angel Gabriel is God’s chief messenger).

Stormzy very openly supported Jeremy Corbyn in the general election and essentially told us all to trust Jezza as PM and that “Theresa May is a pagan”. Similar to the Angel telling Joseph to trust that Mary had been faithful. To conclude, Stormzy is an angel.

Eloise Doherty

here’s far more to this wise old man than his tinted glasses and tiny dancers.

As a veteran of the pop world, there aren’t many people who don’t know and/or love Elton John’s music. He is so popular in fact, that he was asked to follow in the footsteps of Beyoncé and play the presidential inauguration earlier this year. However, Donald Trump is no Obama. As countless superstars sell out and swap ethics for fame, playing questionably ethical gigs, it was an understandable worry that Elton John would follow in these footsteps and play tyrannical Trump’s big do.

But, like the wise man he is, he told Trump to stick it, as The Prez had to do with ‘3 Doors Down’, a knock-off Nickleback.

Carys Thomas

Thom Yorke as... WISE MAN 3

“Poor man’s Coldplay” my arse; seeing the glorious, wizened visage of Yorke take the stage (unfortunately for myself, only on TV) to illuminate the muddied hordes of Glastonbury on such topics as paranoid androids and lemon sucking, one can see how the man has rightfully earned his place on our 2017 musical nativity.

Charlie Isaac

Image: Flickr, Wikimedia

Robert Plant as... WISE MAN 1

W

ith the release of his eleventh- yes- ELEVENTH studio album, this rock n roll legend is still a working wonder, with a new sound, it would seem with every new album he concocts.

Although perhaps not to everyone’s taste, it can’t be denied that Carry Fire was an innovative and very different addition to 2017’s releases.

He skilfully uses musical techniques and textures froma ll over the world, which echo his lyrical pleas that the world sticks together in such tumultuous times as these.

He may be getting on a bit, but he is still one of the most ambitious and talented musicians of our time.

Ally Wilson

Ed Sheeran as...BABY JESUS

L

ike Jesus turned water into wine, Ed Sheeran performed his own miracle in 2017, turning his guitar and song-writing skills into the globally successful album ÷.

2017 also saw Ed take on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury, just six years after his solo set in the BBC introducing tent. Forget feeding the 5000, Ed gave millions of viewers a feast of raw musical talent using just his guitar and a loop-pedal.

“I’m going to play a song now that you might not like”, was his notable introduction to ‘Galway Girl’, a nod to the criticism the artist has received over the years. But just as the Herods and Judases of the Biblical World were beaten by Jesus’ positive message, Ed hasn’t let the haters stop him, ending the year with a 4x Platinum album and a sold-out world tour ahead of him in 2018.

Amy Hannigan

Image:s: Flickr, Wikimedia

Liam & Noel Gallagher as...

MARY & JOSEPH

Images: Flickr, Pixabay

Taylor Swift as...KING HEROD

N

obody’s quite as precious over their reputation as Taylor Swift, and boy, she’s got something going there.

Gone is the sugary-sweet Taytay, here is a Swift who’s not afraid to pull her punches and make some waves. Her snakey label certainly seems fitting after a listen of Reputation’s album-long bitter tirade.

Get some anti-venom for whoever’s still enamoured, because Swift’s out for revenge!

Rowena Tylden-Pattenson

iam has been busy this year, releasing his first solo album As You Were, so it’s totally plausible to compare him to Mary being busy giving birth to Jesus.

And we can’t forget Noel, who has recently released Who Built The Moon? with the High Flying Birds. Perhaps like Joseph would have, Noel is feeling a little left out as Liam has been stealing the limelight with lots more album hype.

The brothers argue like a long suffering married couple, plus it’s entertaining to picture no-nonsense Liam Gallagher wearing a dress and holding a baby as Noel looks on in amusement…maybe as ‘Wonderwall’ plays in the background.

Charlotte Boulton

J

Nativity, The Chainsmokers must be part of a 2017 summary.

The Chainsmokers know how to nail a pop melody, you’d be lying to say you didn’t have ‘Closer’ or ‘Paris’ stuck in your head at some point this year. The reason, however, they have made an ass of themselves is because of the path taken to get to where they are.

Thier jouney from respected EDM group to commercialised pop has Images: Wikipedia seen them forget their roots and, consequently, fans. That’s not cool.

Toby Bryant

2D as... A SHEPHERD

A

n overarching theme of Gorrilaz 2017 release Humanz is the collective emotional fallout of unexpected event with seemingly global impacts.

As 2D, Murdoch, Noodle and Russel navigate through surreal representations of the political turmoil of 2016, so did the humble shepherds have to journey to the birthplace of the saviour. Tenuous? Perhaps, though in all honesty we mostly just thought 2D would look amusing as a shepherd.

Charlie Isaac

L

Images: Wikimedia

Chainsmokers as...ASS ust as the ass must be part of the

Sampha as...LAMB

L

ike a little lamb emerging into the world for the first time, Sampha released the critically acclaimed Process this February.

Like a sheep, Sampha has a quiet, understated personality, he doesn’t have to fight for attention because he pulls it in effortlessly with his insane talent. Everyone loves a sheep, and everyone loves Sampha.

Like a lamb Sampha is still a relatively emerging musician, so if you haven’t given the album a listen yet, definitely do.

Carys Thomas

Image:s: Wikipedia, YouTube

the courier

12

christmas TV

Monday 11 December 2017

The Courier’s Top Ten TV Shows of 2017 Ranked by our readers - the shows you simply have to ask Santa Claus for the box set (or a Netflix subscription!)

10 Godle Too late to top the li ss (Netflix) 2017’s best st but ern painte in retrospect; Gowill be seen as on d in cloud an dless is feminist e of sweeping d w cast, it fo delta’s of New M crimson. Set on estmysterioullows Michelle Do exico with a stac the fend off Je s town of wome ckery’s Alice and ked fin. The b ff Daniel’s bad ne n as they attemp her (Logan, O rain child of gen ws outlaw Frank Gt to Westworl ut of Sight) it fi ius writer Scott Frarifalternativd’s and offered a lled the void betw nk e to raw een offerings the surreal, sci-fi character driven of the yea and comic r. - Callum b Costello ook

9

Broad City (Comedy Central) Carrying on from the flawless first 3 seasons we join Abbi and Ilana on their marijuana fuelled trails through NYC. S4 includes storylines such as Donald Trump (a curse word in this season and thus bleeped out) and the election causing Ilana to lose the ability to orgasm and a partially animated episode following our slacker pair on shrooms. This season also includes some well-crafted character development for both leads. Broad City is incomparable. It’s hilarious, filthy, inclusive and portrays true female friendship in all its glory.

Yaass Queen! - Beth Chrisp

6

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7

8

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the courier

13

film christmas

Monday 11 December 2017

The Courier’s Top Ten Films of 2017 As voted by our writers, these are our favourite films of 2017. A year for progessives, politics, and the general state of the world to forget, but it’s nice to know that we’ve scraped together some evidence that came of it 10. The Florida Project

The Florida Project is a stunning portrayal of what it is to grow up or, indeed, not.

It follows Moonee and her young mother, Halley, around sun-baked Florida motels. The adventures and charm of this aggressive, scarcely likeable pair are captivating, uplifting, and ultimately heart-breakingly real, and sad.

One of the amazing things about this film is the actors’ lack of experience.

Bria Viniate (Halley) was found by director Sean Baker on Instagram, while Brooklynn Prince, at a mere seven, seems prepped for a stunning career.

This film ranks at number ten in our list, but not in my heart. Ten, in this case, means ten out of ten top banger and film anyone who likes films (nay, anyone at all, indeed everyone) should see.

Helena Buchanan

9. Silence

25 years in the making, Martin Scorsese’s religious epic Silence is a brilliant exploration of religious faith and a remarkable piece of filmmaking, which proves that even at age seventy-five, Scorsese is as bold, fascinating and versatile as any director in Hollywood.

Every element of the film is captivating. Liam Neeson gives his best performance in years as Father Ferreira, while Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver excel as the two leads. Rodrigo Prieto’s Oscar nominated cinematography is beautifully atmospheric and Scorsese’s direction is suitably restrained (no freeze-frames or fourth wall breaks in sight).

Both pensive and powerful - this is quite possibly Scorsese’s magnum opus.

Dan Haygarth

8. Dunkirk

The Dunkirk evacuation of 1940 has been depicted in film countlessly, but never quite like it is in Dunkirk, making it undoubtedly the definitive cinematic depiction of this major chapter in British history.

The combination of stunning camera work, heart stopping action and breathtaking scenery makes the cleverly layered ninety-minute narrative of enticingly immersive action that guarantees a unique rush of British pride in every watcher.

In a political climate where the far right often manipulates patriotism for their own ends, Dunkirk is an immensely influential film in reasserting the British cultural identity and is nothing short of a cinematic masterclass.

Danny Aspinall

7. Logan

Hugh Jackman bowed out as James “Logan” Howlett (better known as, y’know, Wolverine, but I always find it cool that I share his surname) in March’s Logan, which showcased the true power and potential of 18-rated superhero films.

Action-packed,

emotional, and just the right amount of violent, this film demonstrated m o v i n g storytelling, great characterisation, and a stunning combination of visual effects and a brilliant soundtrack – making it thoroughly deserving of its spot in our top ten films of the year.

Georgina Howlett

6. La La Land

Damien Chazelle produced this tragic romance centred on two strangers who meet in California and try to balance their personal lives with their careers and dreams.

The film is both a love note to Hollywood with its throwbacks to classic musicals like Singin’ In The Rain, and a critique as it also shows the disillusionment that fame and success can bring.

The acting from Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling is superb and the cinematography is beyond compare. La La Land deserved every award which it won and even the best picture Oscar that it didn’t.

Steven Ross

3. Get Out

5. Baby Driver

If Grand Theft Auto was a film, this would be it: crazy criminals, outrageous stunts and beautiful women.

Cliché that might sound, but with Edgar Wright in the driver’s seat Baby Driver is sharp, stylish and a lot of fun. Getaway guru ‘Baby’ (Ansel Elgort) hopes to leave this criminal life for good and escape with Deborah (Lily James), but first he must complete one last job.

Breathless action is amplified by a stonkingly good soundtrack as the film crescendos towards its climax. With the dynamism of Ocean’s Eleven and the finesse of Drive, this red-hot heist thriller goes full-throttle.

Sebastian Ward

4. Call Me by Your Name

Call Me by Your Name is quite possibly the most romantic film of 2017. From the exquisite Italian locations to the seamless integration of Sufjan Stevens’ music, everything here contributes to Luca Guadagnino’s beautiful end-product.

The film contains one of the most natural relationships the genre has seen in years, with both Armie Hammer and Timothée Chalamet delivering the best performances of their careers.

Call Me by Your Name ticks every box, being as heart-warmingly funny as it is emotionally resonant – leaving the audience with a message, delivered by protagonist Elio’s father, that will simmer in their minds for a long time to come.

Tom Cooney

Though it faced some controversy, Get Out is certainly worthy of a top 3 spot. The film featured British actor, Daniel Kaluuya, playing an American in an interracial couple, visiting his white girlfriend’s family.

The film revolves around this racial tension culminating in a very odd course of events including hypnosis, conspiracy and transplants.

Director Jordan Peele should be proud of this debut into the horror genre, after having made his name in comedy. This topical plot placed within a comic film makes the racial issues more accessible and asks us to reflect on our own lives Scarlett Carroll

2. Moonlight

Surely it is impossible for anybody not to be moved

by Moonlight. A typical ‘coming of age’ about a not so typical, and three-dimensional protagonist, Chiron, an African American, gay male.

Whilst being completely visually stunning and experimental, it is never pretentious, assuming or obvious in any way. Using three different actors to take us through Chiron’s life, his heart is our heart and his wounds cut us just as deeply.

The expectations that come with the idea of ‘masculinity’ are highlighted loudly and angrily, and we cry, we rage, we love.

This film is a masterpiece. Every slight detail is perfection and leaves us truly overwhelmed with feeling.

Isobel Clark

1. Blade Runner 2049

Decades in the waiting (for some) and brimming with a cast that showcases the best of today’s acting talent, this film brought stunning visuals and cinematography, a gripping story, and an unparalleled soundtrack to this years cinemagoers.

Picking up from the inconclusive story of the first Blade Runner, K (Ryan Gosling), is an advanced android working as a blade runner, someone who tracks down rogue androids and ‘retires’ them, effectively working as an assassin.

Sucked into events that occurred 30 years prior (in the first film), K descends into the proverbial rabbit hole, which soon forces him to confront some things that he thought he might never have to.

The film is utterly absorbing, with absolute satisfaction for original Blade Runner fanatics like myself. While being maybe a tad too long, Ryan Gosling is immensely good as K, melancholically glowering at the state of things whilst also seemingly glowering with pleasure over his holographic partner. With the possibility of a sequel in the works, we hope that Denis Villenueve returns and does another great job, and we hope that you’re there to review it.

Chris Wilkinson

the courier

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christmas gaming Image: Flickr

Image: Besthesda Softworks (YouTube)

The Best Games of 2017 We asked our writers to name their game

Monday 11 December 2017

of the year - here’s what they had to say

Image: IGDB

Read our full list on www.thecourieronline.co.uk/category/gaming

Image: IGDB

Image: Flickr

Super Mario Odyssey (Switch)

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t all began with the reveal trailer. From the moment Mario threw his hat, then jumped on top of it, an iconic aspect of the character’s image became an intuitive mechanic. For many fans, along with myself, the initial reaction to this was that it was genius followed by a sense of confusion as to why and how it had not been done before; it just seemed to work so well!

That feeling ended up being indicative of the innovation present throughout the entire game. Not only is Odyssey riding the train of Nintendo’s recent successful return to the mainstream, but it’s also my favourite main-series Mario game since the 2007 classic, Super Mario Galaxy.

In an acceptance speech for five Golden Joystick Awards, the most ever received by one game, Eiji Aonuma, producer of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild stated that he was “a little relieved that Super Mario Odyssey had only been out for a week when voting ended!” If that doesn’t indicate the stellar year Nintendo has had, I don’t know what can.

George Boatfield Image: IGDB

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PC, XB1)

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Image: IGDB

inner Winner Chicken Dinner? Those were the words uttered by one of the international students on my course as I was scrolling through Polygon mid-lecture.

I hadn’t spoken to this person before, but the old British idiom has become such a worldwide phenomenon that we started to bond over a mutual love… a battle royale video game. PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is the early access ARMA mod turned game of the year, and if you’re not on board/don’t believe the hype, you’re probably just waiting in vain for it to arrive on your console.

Undoubtedly the most popular game of the year, and easily the most exciting moment-tomoment multiplayer gameplay I’ve experienced in years, this camaraderie simulator feeds on tension and adrenaline to provide an unsurpassed multiplayer experience. All hail the MOBA/ Overwatch killer in the yellow tracksuit. Also, try the starting island if you think you’re hard enough. That’s the real rotisserie strategy.

Jordan Oloman

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Wii U, Switch) or me, Breath of the Wild is easily the best game to have been released in the past decade, let alone 2017.

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Image: Flickr

The huge open world is a joy to explore, with secrets, puzzles and stunning views to be found around every corner. What separates this from your standard open-world adventure is just how fun it is to explore - Hyrule isn’t just a backdrop for your travels from A to B, it’s a living, breathing world that never fails to surprise you with its many hundreds of puzzles embedded into the landscape and the charming, quirky characters you meet throughout the wilderness.

The game’s mechanics are also fantastic, turning the entire world into a physics-based puzzle sandbox as you constantly find new ways to manipulate and traverse the environment. The weapon durability system has been criticised by some, but in my experience encourages you to be more inventive when tackling enemies, using the environment to take them out to avoid wearing down your arsenal. On top of everything, Breath of the Wild is simply stunning visually - if ever there were a game that could be called a work of art, it’s this.

Richard Liddle Image: IGDB

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (PC, PS4, XB1)

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n retrospect, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus didn’t quite live up to its predecessor. The levels weren’t as cohesive and the difficulty could, at times, take the piss. Still, as I said in my review, Wolfenstein II represents something of a dying breed as a linear, story driven FPS and it’s a pretty spectacular one at that.

Wolfenstein’s gameplay, though challenging frequently proves cathartic in its brutality, with numerous ways of dispatching the plethora of Nazis in your way. But perhaps more impressive is how this visceral gameplay is balanced with the game’s story, which centres on a strong cast of characters and several bombastic set pieces.

All these factors are good in themselves, but I further admire how, unlike so many other games that seek to abstract their politics, Wolfenstein II wears its on its sleeve. If you’re up for brutalising Nazis, you could do far worse.

Gerry Hart

Horizon: Zero Dawn (PS4)

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orizon Zero Dawn graced our screens as a PlayStation exclusive at the end of February 2017, and honestly, I’ve never looked back. A single-player, open-world actionadventure title, the game follows Aloy (the player) as she navigates through a world overrun by robots and tries to protect both herself and her tribe from extinction.

Horizon Zero Dawn boasts a breathtakingly expansive environment to explore with huge amounts to find, see and do, and with stunningly believable characterisations (in Aloy, Rost and Elizabet Sobeck especially), an intriguingly unusual plot to follow, and rewarding systems of both progression and character design, is there any more you could really ask for? What’s that? DLC you say? How about the Frozen Wilds, which offers an entirely new area to explore, an extended new storyline, and never-seen-before machines for you to face off against and conquer? See? You can’t get any better than this.

Georgina Howlett

Image: IGDB

Yes

By typing in a few strings of numbers and letters into a computer, you can make an imaginary person walk from A to B. You will be able to recognise your kind from a huge distance and all you’ll talk about are the sensors in the USB.

Computer Sci.

1

Although this subject baffles most people, you somehow actually understand what trigonometry is, never mind how to use it. You will remain forever more in Hershel as you will inevitably become a lecturer.

Mathematics

Not a fan

No

Yes

Just the one!

You masochist, may someone save your soul however, this is only the start; what flavour will you get?

Chocolate Chemical, vanilla Mechanical, pistachio Electrical, or Civil sorbet?

Chemistry was a blast at school, right?

It had loads of experiments! Now it’s like 53% quantum mechanics. If people don’t know you they’ll think you’re cool because you smell of cigs. Really you burnt something in labs.

Chemistry

No

Not Excellent

Biology

Yes

No

Hey, you might not have landed a place in Medicine, but you can transfer next year! Or you can set bacteria on fire. Or you can do Bio-Med and claim its medicinal. The world is your oyster and all these courses are essentially the same.

Biomedical Sci.

You didn’t get into Medicine; do you want to try an alternative entry method?

Decent

Poor

You have entered possibly one of the most competitive degrees. Good work!

Now memorise every bone in your feet.

Oh and don’t forget to mention you do Medicine every 20 minutes, that’s half of the course sorted.

Medicine

Yes

Are you good at interviews?

Excellent

How good was your UKCAT?

Excellent

How good were your A-levels?

Many people consider this a “soft” science, considering your CW in A-level was essentially catching a ball, but they’ll quickly change their tune once you recite the Krebs cycle at them.

You also love plants, its weird.

Yes

Do equations scare you?

Engineering

Like, four

So you did ok at GCSE and thought Physics would make you sound smart or it’d let you play keyboard in a band, but what you didn’t realise is that you’re less employable than an engineer and that Brian Cox has a huge mouth.

Physics

I want to feel Brian’s Cox

Yes

Do you appreciate a theoretical approach?

How many variations of your course would you like?

I’m alright

What’s your opinion on Brian Cox?

X

Are you good at maths?

HELL YES

No

If you’re at Newcastle Uni, that’s a lie

Monday 11 December 2017

Which is your favourite number?

No

Reduce your expectations

Is your salary of great importance to you?

Start here:

the courier 15

gaming christmas

Which STEM subject should you be taking at university?

16

the courier

christmas sport

Monday 11 December 2017

2018 Winter Olympics preview Pyeongchang will host the next Winter Olympics from 9-25 February. We take a look at some of Team GB’s best medal hopes

SKIING

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he Winter Olympics, which are just nine weeks away, make the British guess about the success of their skiers in the Games.

The 2014 Winter Olympics were not successful for Britain’s skiers, therefore people are hoping for better performances this time.

For the Games of 2018, the high hopes are placed for Billy Major - a 21-year-old current British mens’s alpine champion, who is very determined to get the high position in his sports category.

Another prospective athlete is Dave Ryding, a 30-year-old alpine skier who managed to come in the top eight during various championships in 2017.

The alpine skiers of the UK are ready to conquer the 2018 Olympics, and might bring home a medal or a few!

Egle Vaitekenaite

The British curling team take on Sweden at the 2010 Winter Olympics. In their 2017 rematch Eve Muirhead’s team won 6-3 Image: Wikimedia Commons

CURLING

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very four years the UK becomes a nation of curling experts, as the likes of David Murdoch and Eve Muirhead become household names. The traditional Scottish sport is not unlike bowls, but features furious broom-sweeping by players wearing Teflon-soled shoes.

Muirhead’s team won bronze in Sochi and are one of the favourites this time round. Just last month they demonstrated their expertise with a 6-3 win over a previously-unbeaten Swedish side in the final of the European Championships.

Murdoch, however, has now retired, with the men’s team instead being led by 25-year-old Kyle Smith, who has previously won medals at junior level.

60

Team GB are expecting to take around 60 athletes to the Winter Olympics.

Russia has been banned from the Games

Two other members of the five-man team are Thomas and Glen Muirhead, hoping to emulate the success of their sister and add to their family’s medal collection.

Mark Sleightholm

SPEED SKATING

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he Gangneung Oval will host the Speed Skating event as part of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games, with fourteen different events where medals will be up for grabs, including the newly introduced ‘mass start’ event.

After the Netherlands dominated in the 2014 Sochi Games with impressive performances from the likes of Kramer and Mulder, Team GB have a lot on their plate in order to catch up with the Dutch team who secured 8 out of 12 available gold medals.

Elise Christie is certainly the athlete to watch for Team GB. After taking home double gold in the Short Track Speed Skating World Cup in Shanghai and recently setting a new 500m personal best, she definitely seems to be on top form to chase at the heels of her fellow competitors.

Emma Bancroft

SKELETON

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ith the women’s skeleton race only added into the Olympic frame when the sport was made a permanent fixture in the games back in 2002, there isn’t a great deal of recent history which we can draw on. What is evident, however, is that Great Britain has firmly cemented itself at the very top of this exhilarating sport, leading the women’s medal table with two golds.

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Sochi was Britain’s most successful Winter Olympics, equaling their 1924 record of four medals, but they are hoping to beat this in 2018

Sevenoaks-born Lizzie Yarnold is the reigning champion and, despite a recent break from the sport, intends to become the first Olympic champion to defend their skeleton title.

Alex Hendley

SNOWBOARDING illy Morgan will take to Pyeongchang’s

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slopes with a reputation for mid-air gymnastics and groundbreaking tricks. Although he was unable to win a medal in Sochi he is a consistent performer at world championships and has been pushing the boundaries of what is possible on a snowboard.

Initially a gymnast, Morgan began snowboarding on the dry slop in his native Southampton as a teenager, but his gymnastic ability shines through his mid-air performances.

Further medal hopes are resting on the 20-yearold shoulders of Katie Ormerod. A string of podium finishes in international competitions has created a buzz around Ormerod, who started snowboarding at just five years old.

Snowboarding is a relatively recent addition to the Winter Olympics schedule, but offers some of Team GB’s best chances to get on the medal table.

Mark Sleightholm

Find the SPOTY Santa Christmas bauballs

Spuzzles

Match each ball to the sports star that plays with it the most

2011

2013 2015 2016

1971 2004

Hiding behind each of these Santa beards is a former sports personality of the year. Guess them all for a sense of festive fulfilment.

HINT: their hearty beards hold the year they won the award

1987