thecourier thecourieronline.co.uk Lifestyle Has Greggs made one big step for vegan-kind? Page 14-15
Travel Visit the magic kingdom in Travel’s first ever two page spread Page 31
Monday 18 February 2019 Issue 1383 Free
Science The long lost section makes a surprise comeback to the Courier Page 28
The independent voice of Newcastle
160k of student fees spent policing Jesmond More than 2 million pounds has been given to police forces by 27 universities
Sidney Pinsent News Editor
Newcastle University is paying thousands of pounds employing extra police in residential areas and on campus. This is part of a move echoed by many other universities in the North East, who are concerned that their students make easy targets for criminals in the local area.
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Students have recieved warnings due to witnessed incidents between September and December
A Newcastle University spokesperson said “Between the periods 1st Feb 2016 – 31st January 2019, we have paid Northumbria Police £166,146. This was to pay for an officer on campus and additional policing in residential areas populated by students.” More than 2 million pounds has been given to 17 police forces by 27 universities, intent on fortifying
“The biggest problem facing students where they live is frequent burglaries and I am doubtful of what’s actually being done to tackle this issue.”
Raff Marioni, NUSU President
these preventative measures. Newcastle University and Northumbria University are paying for Operation Oak which, a Newcastle University spokesperson said, is a “joint initiative which pays for extra police patrols on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights during term time as well as four week periods at the start and end of the academic year.” The operation aims to fund more “bobbies on the beat” but schemes like this haven’t been without criticism. Labour shadow minister for policing, Louise Haigh, stated: “This is yet another example of the police, who have been shrunk to their lowest ever level, being unable to protect the public in the most basic sense.” Indeed, officer numbers have fallen by 20,000 since 2010 and Police budgets have decreased by 19% over the same period of time”. Haigh continued by saying community funded policing “creates a two-tier system leaving those areas that can afford to pay with
the public services we all should benefit from and our more deprived areas going without.” Others have also asked why student tuition fees are paying for a service that is usually funded by general taxation. Dominic Sutcliffe a third year Politics Student commented: “Everyone in Jesmond is worried about break-ins and it can become a bit of strip on the weekend. You don’t see the police cars though, or I least I don’t.” Raff Marioni, President of Newcastle University Students’ Union told the Courier: “Operation oak funds a greater police presence in highly populated student areas, which probably does improve student safety, particularly after nights out. That said, I think the biggest problem facing students where they live is frequent burglaries and I am doubtful of what’s actually being done to tackle this issue.”
“You don’t see the police cars though, or I least I don’t” Dominic Sutcliffe, Third Year Politics Student
However, The Neighbourhood inspector at Northumbria police says “Operation Oak has been a huge success and that would not have been possible without the support of the universities. “This type of funding allows us to deploy targeted patrols in student communities to ensure they are safe and keeping out of trouble.” He added “It also gives us an opportunity to engage with students, make sure they are safe and offer them advice to ensure they don’t fall victims to crime.” The number of students that have received warnings due to witnessed incidents between the 21st of September 2018 and the 16th of December 2018 was 242 in total. Some have expressed frustration that the operation may be targeting students rather than working to protect them. Jesmond Residents Association (JRA) spokesperson, who has been a resident of Jesmond for 3 years, says “Things are pretty static, they aren’t getting better or worse but without Operation Oak things could have got worse”. They said Newcastle University was listening and working well with the JRA, especially after the death of Edward Farmer at an initiation ceremony in December 2016. However, they were still looking for more police during freshers’ week, which they said “seemed to last 5 weeks this year”, and more police involvement in tackling 24 hours parties, which happen outside the agreed working hours of Operation Oak. A Newcastle University Spokesperson also claimed Operation Oak has been successful saying “Collaborating with the Students’ Union, Northumbria Police, Newcastle City Council, residents and other stakeholders has proven very effective alongside our community schemes that reward positive student behaviour.
Osborne road in Jesmond the surrounding area heavily populated by students Image: NUSU
Inside today >>>
Council: It’s back
Pub quizzing
Social media mayhem
A step too far?
Don’t be a drag
Grammy’s 2019
Editor Louise Hall gives an overview of council controversy and which motions failed to pass News, page 9
Our comment writers review whether they think social media helps or hinders students today Comment, page 10
Molly Greeves examines the hottest looks in the world of drag happening right now Beauty, page 17
High-vis fashion
Could neon be the new fabric you need to spice up your wardrobe? Shamara Mohsin says yes. Fashion, page 19
Our Editors recount tales and rate the best pub quizzes so that you don’t have to Feature, page 22-23
Does the new Bundy biopic mark a dangerous turning point in the true crime craze? Film, page 29
We recount highlights and take a closer look at the winners at this years awards Music, page 24
Boob-ball returns
Sports Editor Rebbecca Johnson reports on the annual tournament Sport, page 43
BALTIC: Editors review the latest exhibitions p30
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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 Louise Hall Deputy Editor Isabel Sykes News Editors Grace Dean, Molly Greeves, Sidney Pinsett and Steven Ross Comment Editors Jamie Cameron, Caitlin Disken and Alexandra Sadler Life & Style Editor Sophie Henderson Lifestyle Editors Phoebe Fielder, Holly Margerrison, and Ella Williams Fashion Editors Poppy Couling Joe Hood and Miranda Stoner Beauty Editors Laura Buckle, Susanne Norris and Nimra Rafique Travel Editors Jenny Franken and Bianca Ionci Culture Editors Alex Moore and Carys Rose Thomas Feature Editor Ally Wilson Arts Editors Rosie Mccrum, Julia McGhee Russell and Scarlett Rowland Music Editors Charlotte Boulton, Rory Ellis and Jess Taylor-Weisser TV Editors Jacob Clarke, Tom Cooney and Chloe Mullins Film Editors JImmy Athey, Helena Buchanan and Joe Holloran Gaming Editors George Boatfield, Kelly South and Matthew Neville Sports Editors Sydney Isaacs, Rebecca Johnson and Harry Parsons Online Editors Rory Cameron, Jodie Duddy, Amanda Goh, Thomas Hardwick, Max Hobbs Orestis Katsoulis and Chris Wilkinson The Courier NUSU King’s Walk Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8QB Tel: 0191 239 3940 The Courier is printed by: Trinity Mirror Printing, Barton Road, Riverside Park Industrial Estate, Middlesbrough, TS2 1UT 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.
Monday 18 February 2019
NSR show of the week Second semester’s brand new timetable Rory Ewart Sport Editor NSR is back for the second semester with a brand new timetable packed full of returning broadcasters, as well as some new shows on air for the first time. We are proud to announce that the Breakfast Shows will now be running four days per week, with new show every Monday being presented by Ha and Carl, and also Ben and Tom each Thursday from 9-11.
For those who enjoyed listening to the 90 Minute shows last term will b e pleased to hear that they will be making a return for this term too, with listeners being able to tune on Tuesday and Thursday early evenings for those. We have a wide range of different shows for this semester too. So if you are into movie reviews, sport, any genre of music or even just want to hear some good chat about nights out in Newcastle, NSR has you covered.
STU BREW beer of the week: Nonlinear Regression £3.20 per pint Alex Moore Culture Editor StuBrew’s latest offering, Nonlinear Regression, is a light Pale Ale with a respectable booziness of 4.7%. With a rather pleasant floral and fruity aroma and very little fizz, Nonlinear Regression makes a good first impression on the senses. Whilst not the most appetising colour, the ale is very smooth and extremely drinkable. Nonlinear Regression is the type of beer which leaves the drinker wanting more: partly due to the lovely initial taste, but also partly
Student Spotlight Friends of Palestine Film Screening Isabel Sykes Deputy Editor On the 19th February NUSU’s Friends of Palestine Society are hosting a film screening of ‘Jenin Jenin’, and all students are welcome to attend. The film screening is being held for Israel Apartheid Week and will take place in the Dunstanburgh Room behind the Union, opposite Luthers.
‘Jenin Jenin’ is filmed in Jenin refugee camp after the atrocities of April 2002
The society will hold a discussion following the film. The documentary is made by Palestinian filmmaker and actor Muhammad Bakri, who is known for his previous production ‘1948’. ‘Jenin Jenin’ is filmed in Jenin refugee camp after the atrocities of April 2002 and records the testimonies of local residents. The Friends of Palestine Society host a variety of similar events including reading groups, cultural evenings with guest speakers, and question and answer sessions. The Society welcomes students from all backgrounds to participate in their events. Carys Thomas, Treasurer of the Friends of Palestine Society, is looking forward to the event. She said: “It’s a brilliant chance to learn more about the conflict and to celebrate and support a great work of art. It is a good way to learn about and engage with history in a relaxed and informal setting.”
due to the fact that the relatively hoppy aftertaste lingers far beyond the point of pleasure. The obvious solution… buy another! At £3.20 for a pint it reasonably affordable, although it pales in comparison to Luther’s currently monthly deals (£1.45 for a pint of Cloudy Apple Strongbow, yes please). Even so, Nonlinear Regression is a satisfying drink that will leave you stumbling sideways from the bar.
Whats on near you:
Monday
Tuesday
Sport: 12pm-2pm: GIAG Table Tennis. Location: Venue, NUSU. Sport: 4:55pm-6pm: GIAG women’s only basketball. Location: Meet at Sports Centre reception. Sport: 6:45pm-8:30pm: GIAG Karate. Location: Sports Centre. Multipurpose Room B. Music: 7pm-11pm: The Struts live. Location: Venue, NUSU.
Sport: 12pm-2pm: GIAG Table Tennis. Location: Venue, NUSU. Sport: 12:30pm-1:15pm: GIAG Les Mills BodyPump fitness class. Location: Sports Centre, Multipurpose room B. Lifestyle: 5:30pm-7pm: GIAG Escape Room. Location: Meet outside NUSU front entrance. Sport: 10:45pm-2am: Watch Newcastle A vs Sheffield C Ice-Hockey. Location: Meet outside NUSU front entrance.
Wednesday Sport: 12:30pm-3:30pm: GIAG Go Karting. Location: Meet outside NUSU front entrance. Beauty: 12:45pm-3pm: GIAG Makeup Masterclass with INGLOT. Location: Meet outside NUSU front entrance. Student Council: 2:30pm-4pm: Motionwriting session. Locatoin: NUSU, Planning Room. Arts: 6pm: Life Drawing. Location: Cobalt Studios Ltd. Science: 7pm: An evening with astronaut Tony Antonelli. Location: Herschel building, Curtis Auditorium.
Friday Employability: 10am-1pm: Newcastle Jobs Fair. Location: Assembly Rooms. Sport: 12:30pm-1:15pm: GIAG Les Mills BodyPump fitness class. Location: Sports Centre, Multipurpose room B. Societies: 5pm-8pm: Positivitea. Location: The Coffee Trader. Sport: 5:15pm-7pm: GIAG Touch Rugby. Location: Sports Centre, Sports Hall.
Thursday Arts: 2pm-4pm: Where Art Thou (Watch Your Head event). Location: Hatton Gallery. Societies: 5:15pm-8pm: SobrieTEA. Location: The Coffee Trader. Lifestyle: 5:30pm-7pm: GIAG Dog and Scone Dog Cafe visit. Location: Meet outside
Saturday Sport: 3pm-5:30pm: Newcastle vs Huddersfield football. Location: St James’ Park. Sport: 4:55pm-7pm: GIAG Badminton. Location: Sports Centre, Sports Hall. Music: 8pm-3am: Uni-T. Location: Venue, NUSU.
Sunday
Sport: 8am-7pm: GIAG Caving. Location: Meet outside NUSU front entrance.
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Monday 18 February 2019
@TheCourier_News courier.news@ncl.ac.uk thecourieronline.co.uk/news News Editors Grace Dean, Molly Greeves, Sidney Pinsent, Steven Ross Online Editor Jodie Duddy
No deal means no Erasmus says Universities UK Carl Smith Valdez
A recent report by the Universities UK reveals that under a no deal Brexit, approximately 17,000 UK students would miss the chance to partake in the Erasmus study aboard scheme next year. The UK government had previously specified it wanted to remain in the Erasmus+
“Without the international opportunities offered through schemes like Erasmus, the UK’s workforce will not be equipped to meet the changing needs of the economy post-Brexit”
Alistair Jarvis, Chief executive of Universities UK
Students currently studying overseas will continue to be supported with the Erasmus+ scheme Image: Flickr: Jirka Matousek
programme in the future, if agreed by the EU. However, Universities UK suggests no further support would be provided in the event of a no deal Brexit. Students currently studying overseas will continue to be supported with the Erasmus+ scheme, but there is no assurance for students planning to study abroad for the forthcoming years. The Erasmus exchange scheme has been operating from the 1980s. The programme provides students the opportunity to study in another European country for three to 12
months, as a part of their degree. A report from Universities UK found that students who study abroad are 19% more likely to achieve a 1st class degree, 20% less likely to be unemployed and 10% more likely to have jobs after six months of graduation. According to Alistair Jarvis, the chief executive of Universities UK: “An investment in international experience for our students now is an investment in the future of our economy. Without the international opportunities offered through schemes like Erasmus, the UK’s workforce will not be equipped to meet the changing needs of the economy post-Brexit.” “In the case of a no-deal Brexit, I strongly urge the government to commit to continue funding study abroad opportunities for UK students, even if the UK cannot negotiate continued participation in Erasmus+ programme.” Universities UK has launched the national #StudySupportAbroad campaign calling on the government to find alternative funding for study abroad opportunities in the case of a no deal Brexit. The campaign gained momentum on social media, with many directly mentioning Damian Hinds, the Education Secretary, and Chris Skidmore, the universities minister to initiate a UK-backed equivalent scheme. Professor Chris Day, the Vice-Chancellor of Newcastle University has been in contact with all students on 6th February via email regarding international collaborations after Brexit. Day said: “Our international community, representing many countries from the EU and further afield, is a vital part of who we are as a University and we value immensely the contribution that you all make. “We will continue to create an environment in which international research and educational collaborations continue and encourage staff and students to be mobile and international in our outlook.”
Guidelines for free speech law released Joe Molander A new guide to the law about freedom of expression has been published by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. The guide focusses on the law as it applies to universities and “other higher education environments”, a phrase so sterile that one would be forgiven
The report fails to condemn ‘no-platform’ policies, despite some seeing them as an affront to free speech
for forgetting how the report touches on areas subject to intense, passionate debate across Europe and America. After all, freedom of speech and expression are seen as under threat from a variety of public figures across the political spectrum, from Jonathon Pie – a comedy news reporter with over 45,000,000 views on his YouTube channel, and a self-described “lifelong Labour voter” to Tommy Robinson, former leader of the far-right English Defence League (EDL). As early as 2015, The Telegraph – a respected right-wing publication – was running headlines describing the “suppression of free speech on university campuses” as an “epidemic”.
The report takes a decidedly less excitable approach to the topic. Sparing no detail on British and European law, the guide offers a sobering, more grounded perspective on these issues than the ones usually offered by those on both sides of an often heated debate. As such, the report lands somewhere in the middle: it fails to condemn ‘no-platform’ policies, despite some seeing them as an affront to free speech – which see universities refuse to invite certain individuals or organisations to speak at their institution – but only in certain circumstances. It recognises that if there is no good reason for these policies – such as the protection of students’ welfare or the Student Union’s reputation – then they could undermine free expression. The report is more enthusiastic in its support for safe spaces, though, “which aim to create welcoming, inclusive environments on campus, and ensure that people with particular protected characteristics are free from harassment and discrimination”, to use the report’s own definition, which recognises the spaces as “not unlawful”. The report also touches on ‘trigger warnings’, another subject of debate. Trigger warnings are issued at the beginning of a talk, essay or video, and alert potential attendees, readers or watchers that the content discussed may be disturbing – such as including reference to rape, drug use or domestic abuse. These have drawn criticism in the past, often being seen as a sign of oversensitivity by some and as a barrier to exposure-based
PTSD recovery by others. The guide is cautiously supportive of such warnings, though, arguing that they allow balanced debate without “causing harass-
Tigger warnings have drawn criticism in the past, often being seen as a sign of oversensitivity by some and as a barried to exposure based PTSD recovery
ment” for anyone it’s likely to ‘trigger’, asserting that, provided they don’t “risk unnecessarily putting people off participation”, they can help free speech, not hinder it. In a time where discussion over freedom of speech and expression is becoming more and more hostile – especially around university campuses – a report that cuts through the noise will hopefully be welcomed by all. The Equality and Human Rights Commission worked with at least 10 other organisations, including the Home Office and Department of Education, in producing these guidelines, and the rigour and quality of research shows. It would be a shame if that went to waste.
Both the left and right have called for free speech protections Image: Wikimedia Commons: Simon Gibbs
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Monday 18 February 2019
Reports show racial inequality in academia Shwetha Vasan Increasing evidence suggests that British universities have made very little progress when it comes to employing professors from black and minority ethnic groups (BME). A BBC Freedom of Information Request
to 22 Russell Group universities has shown that 86% of their academic staff are white. The combination of racial and gender inequalities means that black females are rarely represented in academia; statistics collected by Advance HE reveal that out of 19,000 professors working at various universities in the academic year 2016/17, only 25 of them were
black females. Olivette Otele, the UK’s first black female history professor, says she hopes she’s not “the only one” for long. “I think the structural barriers prevent people who look like me and from other ethnic backgrounds from reaching the ladder and achieving certain things”, she says. The Royal Historical Society has
revealed that fewer than one in 100 current history professors in the UK is from a black background. “UK academia is very hard in general for anybody,” says Professor Otele of Bath Spa University, “but even harder for people of other backgrounds. Historians are a very close-knit group. It’s not surprising that there’s only two
of us; first a black man who was appointed two years ago and now me.” The Royal Historical Society additionally suggested that almost one in three BME historians working in higher education have been directly discriminated against or abused
Out of 19,000 professors working at various universities in the academic year 2016/17, only 25 of them were black females
based on their race or ethnicity. The BBC Freedom of Information Request to 22 Russell Group universities also revealed a considerable pay gap between academics from different ethnic groups. The average salary was revealed to be £52,000 for white academics compared to £38,000 for black academics. The lack of diversity has a direct impact on the quality of teaching, learning and research in the UK. For the education system to improve, diversity and inclusion is necessary. Racial, ethnic and gender inequality are pressing issues and need to tackled in the right way. This is something that Otele is campaigning for and her words give us hope: “I want to show women who look like me that it can be done. I’m not super human.”
Bath Spa University who appointed the UK’s first black female history professor Image: Pixabay
Is student mental health at breaking point? Comment Editor Alexandra Sadler discusses whether UK universities are doing enough to tackle the mental health crisis
Heading off to university seems like an opportunity filled with so much potential, and in many ways it is. Becoming a student of Newcastle University invokes images of a great night out and student life, a beautiful city, and a world class university. Yet, for many people the reality is a little different to the ideas presented in glossy prospectuses and on open days. Despite the excitement of starting university and the chance to gain independence, sometimes things don’t quite go to plan. According to a 2017 report from the Institute for Public Policy Research, over the previous five years, 94% of universities reported a significant rise in the number of people seeking mental health support. This may be some-
Universities cannot expect students to all fit a similar set of criteria in order to gain much needed support
what indicative of a more honest public conversation about mental health, and therefore an increased willingness to discuss mental health issues, or the surge in people seeking support may be due to new issues arising on modern-day campuses. Despite an increasingly open public dialogue on mental health, the stigma against discussing your mental health is still predominant. In recent years there has been a drive for universities to help tackle the causes of mental health difficulties and provide greater support for students. Newcastle University’s Student Health and Wellbeing service offers support for students including counselling, student support plans for assessment, and wellbeing workshops. Whilst much has been
done at Newcastle in an attempt to tackle the stigma, including involvement with the
Most students probably know that the wellbeing services exist, but not necessarily the exact services
#stepchange and Time to Change campaigns, mental health week, and focus groups on mental health, it is not enough. Tackling stigma against discussing mental health is extremely important, but so is ensuring that students can access support when it’s needed. The university’s wellbeing service has numerous resources on mental health and hardworking counsellors, but the budget for mental health is limited and therefore so is the number of students that the service can support. Long waiting times for referrals and assessment appointments, inability to access long-term NHS services due to changing residence, and reliance on self-referral, all contribute to limiting the support available. Additionally, pledging to provide more support for students’ mental health is sufficient only if the support manifests itself. The reduction of waiting times, closer links to local NHS services and charities, and greater efforts to help identify and reach those in need of support or advice, will make a vast difference. Offering counselling and student support plans is helpful, but if availability to these services is restricted then the potential benefits are limited. Extending the opportunity for students to gain support from the university is useless if students can’t then actually access the support needed. An individual’s health is a personal thing, and universities cannot ex-
pect students to all fit a similar set of criteria in order to gain much needed support. Furthermore, the support available is not always obvious. Most students probably know that the wellbeing service exists, but not necessarily the exact services and support that are provided. At the very least, knowledge of the specific services available makes it more likely for students to seek support from the university or others as they know exactly where they can go for advice.
1 in 4 students suffer from mental health problems Image: Pixabay
Universities have a duty of care to their students, and mental health is no less important than physical health. Efforts to destigmatise mental health have led more students to seek help or support, but the impact is limited when confronted with overstretched support services and a stressful degree environment. Prioritising mental health is long overdue for UK universities, especially as the number of students disclosing a mental health condition to their higher education institution has in-
creased almost six fold in the last decade. Confronting stigma against mental health difficulties and discussions on mental health, ensuring students are aware of the support on offer, that it’s accessible, and tackling the root causes of issues, will go a long way to help ameliorate the issue. At the very least, it is in the university’s interest to prioritise solutions in order to prevent the issue having a detrimental impact upon individual grades, or the reputation of the university.
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Monday 18 February 2019
MDMAybe a cure for the future Spark your career Joe Molander
On 8th February, a talk was held titled “Trauma, MDMA and Psychedelic Therapy: A New Paradigm for Psychiatry”, organised by Students for Sensible Drug Policy, the Neuro-
There is a stronger link between childhood trauma and addiction than between obesity and diabetes
logical Society, the Institute for Neuroscience and the Psychology School. It saw Dr Ben Sessa made a bold case for the use of MDMA as a way to help those who have endured childhood trauma in a more meaningful way than the current world of therapy and pharmacology allow. Sessa – an NHS consultant, psychiatrist and
Sessa addressed the future of MDMA's medicinal use Image: US Air Force
psychedelic drug researcher – is quick to address concerns about a more relaxed approach to drugs: he explains that his is a datadriven approach, and that the persecution of drug users does more harm than good. Sessa relates that there is a stronger link between childhood trauma and addiction than between obesity and diabetes, making the War on Drugs – a term first used by Richard Nixon in 1971 – “a war on traumatised people who just need help”. He posits that childhood trauma leads to insecure attachment, which itself spawns a narrative of the world characterised by mistrust and paranoia. Sessa tells an anecdote about his patients who, in looking down from his office and onto the high street, regard passers-by with extreme suspicion: “he looks really dodgy”, “I wouldn’t trust him” and “she’s gonna screw me over” are a few choice phrases. With such mistrust of the world, it’s no wonder 50% of childhood trauma survivors experience what Sessa calls “treatment resistance”, elucidating that getting such people into therapy to open up about the trauma they’ve been trying to block out with drugs and alcohol for years often isn’t effective. Going as far as to offer an apology “on behalf of my profession”, he begins to make the case for MDMA, a powder drug that acts as the primary active ingredient in ecstasy pills. Sessa explains that the drug “ticks all the right boxes” of treatment: short acting, almost always pleasurable, psychedelic enough to allow for new ways of thinking while still remaining lucid, safe in therapeutic applications and able to provide access to traumatic memories. He also claims that the infamous comedown from MDMA is not seen in a therapeutic context, arguing much of the comedown is attributable to factors outside the drug itself, such as sleep deprivation and excessive drinking (though it should be noted that the serotonin depletion caused by MDMA can also be a factor). In his studies, Sessa’s team pay £9 000 for a single gram of
the drug – joking that he’s got a mate who could do it for £35 – to ensure a high purity, and also points out that the risks of MDMA are reduced by hourly monitoring of blood pressure, temperature and heart rate, as well as having a psychiatrist and psychologist sit with patients for the entire experience.
Sessa claimed that the infamous comedown from MDMA is not seen in a therapeutic context, arguing much of the comedown is attributable to factors outside the drug itself
As drug policy in the UK and US becomes more relaxed, final stage studies have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA, an American body) for using MDMA to treat PTSD, meaning the drug could be legal in the US for medicinal purposes as early as 2021. Meetings with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) held last year could make that the case in the EU as well, meaning Sessa’s wish of using MDMA for therapy could well come true. The talk did leave certain issues unaddressed. One issue with the drug is potential side-effects that come even with moderate use, such as paranoia and memory damage; there is also the high cost (mentioned above), though this is likely to fall once the study gets out of the trial stage and more MDMA is needed (which counter-intuitively reduces price per gram, owing to the high cost the companies producing it charge for smaller quantities of the drug). While promising, many still find ecstasy a hard pill to swallow.
Grace Dean News Editor
NCL Spark has been launched to provide current students with the opportunity to contact alumni from around the world to seek careers advice and mentoring. A collaboration between Newcastle University Careers Service and the Advancement department, NCL Spark launched on Monday 4 February with a launch event held in the Hadrian Building. NCL Spark is an online networking platform where current Newcastle University students can search through graduate profiles to explore different careers. Students are then able to contact the graduates and, if desired, establish a mentoring partnership. This enables students to explore career routes and benefit from the guidance and personal experience of those currently working in their
sector of interest. Via the platform, students can find out about the skills and experience required for success in a particular career path, gain advice on finding relevant work experience, and receive tips on how to succeed in applications and interviews. Commenting on the platform, Jonny Hall, Newcastle University Students’ Union Education Officer, said: “NCL Spark is a great tool for students to connect with alumni who once walked in their shoes. I look forward to using NCL Spark to connect with alumni mentors and to building my network.” Alumni are also able to contact former course mates through the online directory on NCL Spark, as well as having the opportunity to seek careers advice and establish a professional international network. To access NCL Spark and search for mentors, go to https://www.newcastle.aluminate. net/.
Online networking platform NCL Spark has officially launched Image: Newcastle University Advancement department
Top awards nomination for Fine Art graduates Sophie Wilson Two Newcastle Fine Art graduates, Peter Hanmer and Petra Szemán, are being showcased at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Arts, after being shortlisted for a prestigious award.
The Baltic exhibition comments on the presence of digital technology in society and in our individual lives
Their work is included in the exhibition “Digital Citizen-The Precarious Subject”, with their art centring around the impact that digital technology has on our society today. Peter and Petra graduated from Newcastle University in 2014 and 2017 respectively. Their careers have flourished since then, with Peter winning the 2017 Gillian Dickinson North East Young Sculpture Competition with this work that is now on display. They are testimonies of the hard work of the Fine Art department at this University, and Irene Brown, the Head of Fine Art, says that she is extremely proud of both of these young artists. She comments on their successes, saying that they showcase the best of Newcastle graduates by being at the “forefront of contemporary art practice”. The Baltic Exhibition comments on the presence of digital technology in society and in our individual lives. It asks questions alike,
has it prevented us from forming communities because of its ever looming presence? Has the importance of public space been weakened by it, and hence has our ability for informed political action been lost? It draws on society’s concerns about “different aspects of the digital realm”, and invites us to question elements of our relationship to it. Peter’s work is based on Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave”, and through a series of miniature figures, which are positioned in a tiny dictatorship, questions whether we ever see reality or only a construct of it. Similarly, Petra’s work is a series of two short videos, which include a tutorial on how to create an avatar. She has used a voiceover to ask the viewer questions about whether the crea-
The exhibition runs until the 16th June 2019 and is a thoughtprovoking experience about the foundations of our society
tor’s fictional reality is in any way different to the reality that we see today, as we experience both in very similar ways. Both exhibitions use digital technology to resonate with concerns in our society about its power over us. Are we really living in a world like that of Orwell’s 1984, where reality is only a concept, and digital technology controls us? The exhibition runs until the 16th June 2019, and the exhibition is a thought-provoking experience about the foundations of our society.
The Exhibition is on display at the BALTIC in Newcastle Image: Molly Greeves
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Monday 18 February 2019
Newcastle top city for young people Miminy Wang
Newcastle has been selected as one of the best places to reside for under 26-year-olds according to BBC research. The research is based on the 11 categories such as 4G coverage, number of bars, clubs, pubs and music events, youth population, and so on. The poll
Locals are proud of this epic cosmopolitan city with a world-class culture, a massive football following, award-winning restaurants, and of course, the famous Geordie spirit.
ranks 378 local authorities in the UK and involved more than 1,000 young people to guarantee. It is exciting to know our beloved city has been excellently evaluated. Let’s see what they say about Newcastle. On the scale one to ten, Newcastle acquired the seven on average. Second only to the local areas of Camden and Islington, which came
to the top of the ranking. The other cities that have the same score as Newcastle are Glasgow, Sheffield, Liverpool, Cardiff, Exeter, Nottingham, Oxford, Bristol, Cambridge, Oxford, Portsmouth, London (Lambeth, Tower Hamlets, Westminster, Hammersmith). Looking more in depth, it is clear to see that Newcastle provides a high standard of living for young people. Most of the evaluation projects have high reviews and are similar to those in Camden and Islington. On the other hand, it is worth pointing out that rent is the most important issue for young people, given their financial situation. However, Newcastle is much friendlier than Islington and the average price per bedroom is £302 and £904 separately. Thus, with all things considered, Newcastle one of the top places to live for youngsters in the UK. What attracts young people in Newcastle are undoubtedly its vibrant and diverse nightlife. There are many reputable places such as The Diamond Strip which, like W1 of London, is famous for being trendy and expensive. Bigg Market is popular for its cheap and cheerful drinks the drinks; at night The Quayside comes to life with upmarket and busy bars; Grey, Dean and Pilgrim Street are the places for the real ale lovers. Locals are proud of this epic cosmopolitan city with world-class culture, a massive football following, award-winning restaurants, and of course, the famous Geordie spirit. Aye, you can feel how comfortable and convenient it is to live in the Newcastle without the check list. Thank God made fate led us here so we can enjoy the best of the times!
The Quayside is home to upmarket and trendy bars Image: Pixabay
Understanding Islamophobia and what it takes to hate Joe Molander On 12th February, the Insights Lecture series continued with a talk from Professor Peter Hopkins, entitled “Understanding Islamophobia”. With the rise of the far-right and hate crimes against Islam’s followers, disdain or hatred of Muslims and “Muslimness” has
EDL protest in Newcastle (2010) Image:Wikipedia Commons
become an increasingly contentious issue, with debate even surrounding the definition of the word ‘Islamophobia’, which Hopkins describes as “infuriating”. However, none of that deterred the excitable, packed crowd that took their seats and listened attentively as Hopkins – Professor of Social Geography and University Dean of Social Justice at Newcastle – began his address. He starts by explaining “there’s an issue and there’s a problem”, moving from one Power-
Point slide to another full of examples of Islamophobic abuse. There is literature advertising “Punish a Muslim Day” – distributed last year in Lincoln, espousing “They have hurt you, they have made your loved ones suffer” – and following this, a picture of a ocal Muslim school, vandalised and covered in graffiti reading “MOSLEM TERERISTS” (spelling that makes it all the harder to understand why white nationalists describe themselves as the superior race).
Hopkins goes on to relate less anecdotal evidence, showing that ‘verified offline antiMuslim incidents’ across the UK grew by 47% from 2015-16, and by 31% from 2016-
The week after the Manchester Arena attack (2017), offline anti-Muslim incidents increased by 700%
17, with online incidents remaining fairly constant, in the hundreds. That Islamophobic abuse is on the rise is hard to doubt: in graph after graph, Hopkins highlights that especially egregious spikes were triggered by certain events, such as the EU referendum in 2016 (the week after which saw a 475% increase in ‘offline anti-Muslim incidents’) and the Manchester Arena attack in 2017 (the week after which saw a 700% spike). With the same rigor, he relates the lukewarm support that anti-Islamophobia efforts have garnered in political circles. The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), an informal cross-party club of Members of the House of Commons and Lords, on Islamophobia was so ineffective that TellMAMA, an organisation that records anti-Muslim incidents and provides support for its victims, had to help set up a new one that focused on hate crime. There is then the damage of Islamophobia, which, counter-intuitively, is not limited to Muslims. Its tentacles also extend to those who ‘look’ Muslim, with Hopkins explaining that men with beards often receive abuse, along with East Asians and those wearing clothes which are “perceived as Islamic”. In conducting interviews in Hopkins’ native Scotland, he found that all Sikhs questioned had been mistaken for Muslims and subsequently received Islamophobic abuse. Hopkins goes to on to say that men who genuinely are Muslim are painted as “potential terrorists” and the women as “helpless
victims of oppression”. Hopkins explains that Islamophobia typifies the religion as a whole as “inherently violent, tyrannical and patriarchal”. Last week, the Courier reported on the vandalism of a local Islamic school, which shows that the rise in hate crimes fuelled by events of recent years has not abated. Far right groups frequently hold rallies in Newcastle City centre, but so too do anti-racist groups. Talks like the one given by Hopkins are part of the move to educate people about the problems of racism in UK. The causes of Islamophobia are boiled down into ‘Five Pillars’ – a reference to the religion’s central tenets of the same name – namely the state (whose counter-terrorism strategies – such as Prevent – receive no kind words from Hopkins), the far right,
Islamophobia also extends to those who 'look' Muslim. Men with beards often receive abuse, along with East Asians and those wearing clothes which are "perceived as Islamic."
Professor Peter Hopkins, Newcastle University
neo-Conservative movements, parts of the Zionist movement (which supports the occupation of Palestine) and a collection of what Hopkins calls “pro-war, New Atheist and New Secularist” groups, in that order. He explains that even if we deal with the far right, there are the other four pillars to reckon with. With the continued efforts of dedicated people like Hopkins, the counter movement to the spread of Islamophobia will hopefully continue to grow.
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news Newcastle poverty shows North-South health divide the courier
Monday 18 February 2019
Cayla Viner Speaking at the Gateshead Council's Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Professor of Urban Design for Health Tim Townshend argued that there are location-related causes for serious health concerns in the area. The academic spoke of "depressing" neighbourhoods and "toxic high streets" damaging the mental and physical health of those who live there, which he attributes to the North East’s socioeconomic factors. Newcastle is now a known problem area in regards to poverty after Newcastle City Council and Newcastle University academics urged Philip Alston, UN Special Rapporteur for Extreme Poverty, to investigate the city. The report from the council and University detailed that “welfare reforms have hit hardest where reliance on benefits has been greatest and the most affected places are older industrial areas, many of which are located in the North East of England.” This makes Newcastle among the most deprived cities in the UK. The socioeconomic dynamics of the area ultimate contribute towards the prevalence of physical health problems and non-communicable disease. Consumption of alcohol is one contributor to the North-South health divide. “Drinking [alcohol] is just part of the social culture in the North East,” states Elaine Wilson, public health communications advisor at Newcastle City Council. Statistics published on Gov.uk show that 40.4% of drinkers in the North East “binged” on their heaviest drinking day; this is 20% more than drinkers in the South of England. Therefore, it is inevitable that the deeprooted drinking culture in the North East will be having an increasingly negative impact on people’s lives. The North-South divide is not only evident through differences in alcohol consumption, but also through variation in on the development of and opportunities for children. Child poverty is higher in Newcastle than
many other places, the authors of the report to Alston argued, evidencing how 29.1% of dependent children under the age of 20 live in low-income families, compared to the 19.9% average across England. Prof Townshend warned the North-South divide was additionally impacting opportunities that young people have for sport, creating an obesogenic environment in the North East of England. Not only is the physical health of people in Newcastle a problem, but there is a further link with impoverished areas and poor mental health too. North Durham’s Labour MP Kevan Jones is worried that the North East is facing a mental health crisis. “The mental health figures do not surprise me at all, there is a link between social deprivation and mental health issues,” he said. Professor Townshend described how these health inequalities are exacerbated further by local socioeconomic differences, saying how "in Newcastle you can walk from one bit of the city to another where the life expectancy is more than 11 years different within 20 minutes." Despite this, Professor Townshend had praises for some areas in the North East, describing how "anything with greenery like Saltwell Park is absolutely fantastic for health and really good for social cohesion." Ultimately it is vital that Philip Alston of the UN can make improvements after his investigations into poverty in the region. He reiterates that: “The Government has made significant changes to social protection in the past decade, and I will be looking closely at the impact that has had on people living in poverty and their realisation of basic rights.” Alston’s full report will include investigations into Universal Credit, child poverty, and the social and financial impact of Brexit on the North East, and be presented to the Human Rights Council in Geneva in June 2019. This report could be a positive step towards closing the socioeconomic gap between the North and South as well as reducing the risk of further health problems arising in the Newcastle area.
Saltwell Park (Gateshead) is an example of how urban design can shape a population's health Image: Steve McShane on Geograph
Post-Brexit identity New University role aims to Toby Bryant
Newcastle University is set to lead a research project studying the long-term impact of Brexit on identity in Northern Ireland. Spearheaded by Newcastle University, and in partnership with the Universities of Durham and Birmingham, the research project funded by the ESRC Innovation Grant will stretch over 18 months. Even with the Prime Minister’s Brexit plan still ambiguous and needing approval from MPs, it is clear that any result other than staying in the EU will result in some sort of shift on identity in Northern Ireland. Currently, anyone born in the country is also eligible for an Irish passport thanks to the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement of 1997. With Ireland keeping their place in the EU, that would allow those born in Northern Ire-
land to keep their EU citizenship. This unique position and complications will be central to the research project, as Colin Murray, Reader at Newcastle Law School, adds: “The UK’s withdrawal from the EU will require some people living in Northern Ireland to align with new identities, such as becoming a dual national. It also could affect how they identify themselves politically, culturally, or nationally, alongside existing identities shaped by the conflict in Northern Ireland. “The change in governance arrangements post-Brexit could affect the nature of society, citizenship and governance in Northern Ireland. Understanding if and how this is happening could influence and change ideas of governance in the 21stcentury within and beyond the UK and could ultimately begin to re-shape deeply ingrained conceptions of identity in Northern Ireland.”
Brexit has attracted diverse opinions Image: Robert Mandel, Wikimedia Commons
improve community links
Isabel Sykes Deputy Editor
Newcastle University are creating a new job role to increase the impact the instiution makes on the local, national, and internatioanl community. Jane Robinson has been appointed Newcastle University’s first Dean of Engagement and Place. She will be focusing on strengthening the ways in which the University's worldleading research can make a positive contribution in the North East region and beyond, bringing extensive experience in higher education and the public sector to her new role. Organisations who will be working with the Dean of Engagement and Place in this new initiative include Newcastle City Council, Newcastle Gateshead Initiative and the newly formed North of Tyne Combined Authority. The new role comes at a time of increasing focus on the parts played by Universities in their local communities. On the 12th February Newcastle joined over 30 other institutions in signing a new Civic University Agreement, pledging that the economy and life quality of the surrounding community would be one of their main focuses. On the University's civic commitment, Newcastle University's Vice-Chancellor Chris Day commented: “Newcastle has always been very proud to be a civic university. It’s at the heart of everything we do. We are about to launch the University’s new engagement and place strategy which will further demonstrate our commitment to our community.”
Another recent example of the University's engagement with the surrounding community is the announcement of the forthcoming Campus for Ageing and Vitality, which is a plan to re-develop the former General Hospital site in the West End of Newcastle to create a site for elderly care, research, housing, and businesss development. In her new role as Dean of Engagement and
"We have the opportunity to shape future policy and to contribute to societal, cultural and economic wellbeing in the region in really meaningful ways over the next decade.”
"We are all really delighted to have Jane join the Engagement and Place team at such an exciting moment for the University"
Professor Julie Sanders, Newcastle University Deputy Vice-Chancellor
Place, Jane will be taking a prominent role in Newcastle University’s new Engagement and Place Strategy, which will be launched in May 2019. Newcastle University Deputy ViceChancellor Professor Julie Sanders said: “We are all really delighted to have Jane join the Engagement and Place team at such an exciting moment for the University. Our staff and students have achieved amazing things in recent years working with passion and commitment in place-based contexts.
The University want to strengthen links with the community Image: Flickr
the courier
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news
Monday 18 February 2019
Student Council returns: overview of motions Louise Hall Editor
The first session of Students’ Union council of the semester and the Annual General Meeting of the students’ Union too place on the Thursday the 15th of Feburary. Council commenced with the AGM, as Raff Marioni the President of the Students’ Union and Simon Gerry, the Chief Executive of the Students’ Union presented the Impact Report for 2018/2019. After the AGM council resumed as usual, with a couple of buisness motions and officer reports passing with
Jonny Hall proposed the motion, arguing that holding a second election in Council rather than a cross campus ballot would be a more effective way of filling vacant positions
minimal abstension and no votes against. A constitutional motion proposing a restructure of the second round of PTO cross campus elections was then discussed. Jonny Hall the Education Offier proposed the motion, arguing that the time and effort put into running a second ballot is a misplacement of resources and that holding a second election in Council would be a more effective way of filling vacant positions. The motion needed a two thirds majority to pass and failed. Haaris Qureshi, Disability Officer proposed the first motion to change his title as a part time officer from Students’ with Disabilites Officer to Disability Officer. Qureshi was heavily questioned about the evidence to
suggest that this would be reflective of most student’s with disabilities choice of language. Jack Green, Welfare and Equality officer proposed a procedural motion which was rejected by Qureshi and then went to a vote. The motion was again rejected and when the original motion went to ballot it passed . The second ordinary motion was on ‘Food waste bins in the Newcastle Campus libraries.’ The proposer argued that food waste bins are offered at other locations across campus and should be extended into the library to further encourage recycling and sustainability. The motion passed with a firm majority. The third ordinary motion was proposed by Charlotte Boulton, Newcastle University Students’ Union’s Marginalised Genders Officer. The motion was to mandate the Union to lobby the university to provide more water facilities in NUSU. Charlotte argued that “I just think we should have some more water” “its a bit annoying when there’s not that many and the one in the Student Advice centre is hidden away and sometimes at Luther’s they’re busy.” Sophie McDermott, Activities Officer proposed an amendment which was accepted and the motion passed. The returning ecozia motion was then once again brought forward by Scrutiny officer Jamie Cameron, who argued that the points of criciticsm that had caused the motion not to pass previously had been adressed. However, there was still a significant amount of debate surrounfing the motion. Harry Parsons a member of Media Executive Committee argued: “Ecozia is still not a charity” to which Cameron interrupted and was cut off by the Adam Warner, Chair of Council. Parsons continued: “Ecozia does still have a detrimental enviromental impact” and that “any search has a negative concequence” and that this would be an “inconvenience” to many people in the Students’ Union and that “there are so many more amazing things that people who care about the enviroment will put their time towards, but this isn’t a solution to this.” The motion failed to pass. A decision was held to not extend council and hold the open debate, and proceedings drew to a close.
Student Council began again after breaking for the winter holidays Image: NUSU
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the courier
Monday 18 February 2019 @CourierComment courier.comment@ncl.ac.uk thecourieronline.co.uk/comment Comment Editors Caitlin Disken, Alexandra Sadler & Jamie Cameron Online Editor Rory Cameron
Social media: good, bad or ugly? After a recent study revealed that anxiety in young people is on the rise, our writers discuss whether social media is to blame Sesha Subramanian
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recent study by the Prince’s Trust – a charity that enables youth into education, work and training – says that 18% of the 2,162 people surveyed disagreed with the statement that “life really is worth it”. The number might seem small but given that it has risen from 9% just 9 years ago and the survey involved people in the age group of 16 to 25 years, it drives home a rather grim reality – that young people are increasingly disillusioned with life itself.
The emphasis has to be on separating the real from the reel
The study also further found that the aspect of life that took the sharpest decline was relationships with friends and emotional health. Material aspects of life like money and accommodation were in fact, more or less steady over the last nine years. They also found that nearly half the respondents pointed to social media as the reason why they feel anxious about their future when they see their friends supposedly doing much better on outlets such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. So should we limit the use of social media and should more attention be paid to youngsters by universities and work environments to signs and symptoms of social media-induced feelings of inadequacy? The answer to the second question is a tad easier than the first so I will deal with that first. With regard to the question of universities and workplace management dealing with signs of inadequacy, the emphasis has to be on separating the real from the reel. Reinforcement of the concept that social media such as Facebook and Instagram show only the good and not the bad is imperative to prevent the notion that whatever we see on these platforms is the only truth that exists in other peoples’ lives. This can help with not just bringing awareness about the problem but also help with insight on the part of those affected and encourage them to seek help. The presence of a support system – whether that is through specialist counsellors or even professors taking an additional interest – is important in getting through the potential pitfalls and downward spirals that thought processes of failure and inadequacy can give.
Any kind of control has to come from people themselves
As for limiting social media use, I think it’s unreasonable to expect there to be any kind of implementation of external control on people who are adults – even if they may be in the infancy of adulthood. Any kind of control, whether it is a complete social media blackout or a limitation on the number of hours of use, has to come from people themselves. Counsellors and other people
of importance in that person’s life must be there to facilitate. Forcing anybody to limit usage of social media is going to have no effect if the person themselves don’t think they have a problem. I also think that there must be an inherent realisation that social media is what people want and like to put up in public and that there is a lot more to every person than meets the eye on a photograph on Instagram. This is obviously not an exhaustive discourse on this topic but hopefully this just goes to give a glimpse at the real depth of the issue at hand that has led to an increased rate of suicides among teenagers in England. recent YouGov study found that anxiety amongst young people is on the rise in the social media age. 18% of 16-25 year olds believed that life wasn’t worth living, with other ques-
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Aimee Seddon tions drawing particular light on social media’s negative effect. 48% felt more anxious about their future when seeing the lives of friends online, and 46% said that comparing themselves to others on social media made them feel inadequate. These are worrying statistics, particularly when paired with the fact that teen suicide is on the rise, going from 3 out of 100,000 in 2010 to 5 out of 100,000 today. This begs the question, what is to be done? The answer is not a restriction on how much time young people spend on social media. Social media is here to stay, so usage limits simply wouldn’t work. Besides, social media has its bonuses. In the same YouGov study, a third said being on social media makes them feel like they have a voice for their generation and could influence positive change, and more than one-quarter said it made them happy. We all feel good when we get a certain number of likes, and there are so many inspiring social media campaigns out there. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t change aspects of social media’s nature so it is not as detrimental for young people. The good and the bad of social media do not have to be part and parcel. The culture of self-harm glorification is especially
damaging. I remember seeing it myself in high school, and sadly had many peers who were affected by it. This topic has come to light recently with the tragic death of 14-year-old Molly Russell in 2017, after viewing material relating to depression and suicide. Some kind of censorship is needed. I’m not talking full 1984 vibes, but if Instagram can remove a nipple picture as quick as a switch, then the same technology can be used for selfimages.
harm The proliferation of such images only causes harm. They may be a cry for help, but there are far better ways to seek it - ways that don’t create a whole tirade of images to influence more vulnerable teenagers. The feelings of inad-
equacy that are driven by social media is another issue to tackle. This is hard to avoid, as it’s human nature to compare ourselves with others. The Government recently announced children will have lessons to deal with the pressures of social media, and I think this is the best thing to do. Targeting the youngest in our society and teaching them to recognise the deceiving nature of others’ online lives, and to understand their own self-worth, is the main way to combat the problem.
Issues such as anxiety and depression are not simply linked to social media
Social media can be used for great things. It is the authority’s job to help filter out the most damaging parts of it and protect its young users. However, issues such as anxiety and depression are not simply linked to social media. There are many more complex elements that play a part, such as access to GPs and general funding for mental health care. Some limiting of s o ci a l media’s influence on the matter is a great first step, but there’s still a long way to go.
Image: Pixabay, Flickr, Caitlin Disken
Hasta la vista to the British high street
Charlotte Hill discusses how online shopping, government policies and inflation have caused a decline in high street shopping
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uts, inflation, and price increases aren’t just affecting the general public, but businesses as well. The past couple of months have seen major high street companies being forced to close their doors. Well known traders, HMV, after being bought by Canadian Firm Sunrise Records, has shut 27 stores across the country. Patisserie Valerie hit headlines recently after many of its staff face unpaid redundancy due to similar scale closures, as well as the reduction of many of its concession and Drucker’s outlets. Even Debenhams, who have been a business since 1778, may face as many as 20 store closures this year. So who’s to blame for the drastic fall in high street re-
tailers? The rise of Spotify, Netflix and online clothing retailers such as Boohoo may suggest a shift in consumer preference to online shopping instead of entering physical stores themselves. There is a lot to be said for the convenience of browsing from the comfort of your sofa and having things delivered to your door. So much of modern day living has shifted into the online world – including banking, route planning and even daily communication with friends – that it seems inevitable that shopping will follow suit. However, if this were the case, and our generation really are a bunch of internet obsessed millennials, how can we explain the recent resurrection of vinyl and cassette? The
reason consumers are pushed towards online consumption in place of physical shopping is not for aesthetic preference, but for price.
When the public are earning less, they are going to spend less
When the general public are earning less, they are going to spend less. When customers are able to purchase access to unlimited amounts of music online for five or ten pounds a month, or opt for one physical album for ten to
fifteen pounds, the choice for many is obvious. The same applies to films and television boxsets that are available far cheaper on sites like Netflix and Amazon Prime than if they were bought from a store like HMV. The introduction of Universal Credit has made many people unable to afford the cost of basic living expenses and necessities, let alone luxuries like new CDs or clothes. The introduction of cheaper, online options has allowed people to indulge every now and then, where they may not have been able to previously. However, this has also had the adverse effect of pushing high street stores out of business. Until our economy is stable it is likely that their decline will continue.
the courier
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Monday 18 February 2019
Criticisms of campus culture
Our writers respond to the backlash to Warwick’s handling of rape culture on their uni campus
Rhiannon Walls
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n 6th February, hundreds of students turned out to join the #ShameOnYouWarwick protest over the university’s acceptance of what the Student Union called “sexism, racism and rape culture.” Last year, 11 male students were suspended when a Facebook message group was bought to the attention of the university. It contained rape threats and messages of a racist, sexist, ableist and antisemitic nature. Amongst other things the men made horrifying remarks about how “Sometimes it’s fun to just go wild and rape 100 girls.” They openly described racism as “class.” Two of the group were given a 10-year ban from the campus but it was reported that the students were being allowed to return after just one year, inciting fear and outrage amongst the student body. To the relief of many, a statement has been released saying the students will not be returning in September; no thanks to the university.
Warwick has positioned itself in solidarity with the perpetrators
Organisers of the protest stated on Facebook: “The university is sending a message this behaviour is acceptable, and the rehabilitation of those who glorify sexual violence is more important than the safety and education of those they seek to attack.” Students feel their safety was overlooked in favour of the men responsible for perpetuating sexual violence on their campus. Stuart Croft, Warwick’s Vice-Chancellor explained that the university has a “duty of care” to the eleven men, but appears to have forgotten that it also has a duty of care to victims of sexual violence and abuse. After serving only one year of their original punishment, Warwick was willing to let the students return to campus and therefore to the lives of the women they had threatened to violently rape. Megan Wain, one of the victims of the chat, spoke about the negative effects the events have had on both her mental health and academic performance, and how she no longer feels comfortable on
campus. Warwick University has not only failed Megan and the other girls discussed in the chat, but rape victims everywhere by positioning itself in solidarity with the perpetrators. It has belittled the struggles of the female victims involved and implies that this sort of behaviour is in some way defensible and will have few repercussions. Its course of action concerning the issue indicates that it takes the ‘bums on seats’ philosophy to terrifying extremes. In their view, the money gained from letting the two men continue their studies was more valuable than the welfare of other innocent students. It has taken the attention of the national news for the women to get the assurance that the men will not be re-entering their lives. In failing this group of victims, they’ve sent the message to others that they also do not deserve the justice or protection every student is entitled to.
Aastha Malik
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leven male students of the University of Warwick were suspended after a misogynistic, racist and anti-Semitic group conversation encouraging the rape of fellow students was brought to public attention last year. However, after an appeal last week, the ban of two of the male students was reduced from a decade to merely a year causing mass uproar and disappointment in the university’s handling of the situation. Despite the institution’s confirmation that students who made rape threats will not be returning, hundreds of students are expected to march on campus to showcase their outrage. While the entire incident raises numerous concerns regarding equality and questions of how young men are raised, the issue that lies at the root of the Warwick group chat is the prevalence of rape culture at universities and how it is dealt with. An incident at our own university wherein ‘It Happens Here’ banners were vandalised, reflect a similar problematic mindset of “#StopBlamingMen” and victim shaming. So the question to be asked is what measures can universities take not only to prevent such incidents but rather educate their student
communities regarding sexual assault and the concept of consent? At the onset, they can start by something as simple as encouraging conversation. Conversation lies at the base of the solution as it works as a teaching tool reiterating the importance of consent and breaking away the ‘taboo shackles’ of sexual assault. Universities can hold educative seminars teaching students important values of equality and respect. Not only can they provide wellbeing services to victims of abuse and assault, but moreover ensure that a campus environment is created wherein assaults cease to exist altogether. Fostering that environment starts by not tolerating any form of speech that perpetuates a hateful, unsafe ideology like the one of the Warwick group chat. Universities that claim to ensure the wellbeing of their students ought to have their actions reflect that sentiment. The day that such speech is no longer disregarded as merely ‘locker room talk’ or ‘banter’ and perpetuators are held accountable for their actions, is the day that universities take a stand for the safety and equality of all students on their campus and take a step towards ending rape culture altogether.
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he Ministry of Justice has just published its annual report on the state of the prisons in England and Wales, and it makes for damning reading. Among the most disturbing findings are that instances of violence within prisons, both male and female, have risen. Attacks on other inmates and staff has risen to record levels - 11% and 23% respectively - with 29,485 instances of assault recorded in total. That amounts to around 80 per day. HM Inspectorate of Prisons report that many institutions are in appallingly unhygienic conditions with, in some cases such as Bedford prison, infestations of rats and cockroaches. But there is worse to come. Another recent report, commissioned by the Disabilities Trust in conjunction with the University of London’s Holloway Hospital, found that a staggering 65% of inmates at the women’s only Drake Hall prison in Staffordshire have some form of brain injury. That number is astounding, and there are indications that inspections at other institutions would yield similar results. This, coupled the recent spike in prison suicides 120 in 2016 - has led to an increase in calls for government action. So, what is to be done?
Belief in rehabilitation, not retribution, should be the focus
The problems in our prison system have not sprung up overnight. The Institute for Government, a largely conservative think-tank, has long campaigned for prison reform, yet their pleas have fallen on deaf ears in Downing Street. Overall, government spending on prisons has not increased in a decade. Proposed government spending for 2016-17 was £772 billion. Only £4.2 billion was allotted to the rapidly growing prisons population. More money will provide better, more sanitary facilities, provide a pay rise
Elisabetta Pulcini
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nfestations of rats, cockroaches, and escalating levels of violence. These are merely symptoms of a much larger problem: the fundamental disregard for the human rights of prisoners. To understand the reasons for such horrifying conditions, one should look to society’s perception of criminals. It will quickly become apparent that criminals are often forgotten by the UK: this is not surprising in a country in which 48 per cent of the population still supports the reintroduction of the death penalty, and 30 per cent believe that torture can be justified. An even bigger problem is prisoners being barred from voting, which has been openly recognized as a violation of human rights by the European Court of Human Rights. This is largely due to the ‘us vs them’ effect. A population may find it comforting to know that the most dangerous individuals in society are being treated poorly because, af-
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Toby Bryant
y Year Abroad is going great. I’ve made a lot of great friends and seen some really cool things. However, sometimes my accent slips and a Parisian or Spaniard clocks I am English, and I brace myself for the inevitable question. Sure enough, they raise their eyebrows and sigh… ‘So, Brexit, eh?’ I don’t know if they want me to tell them the goings on of the UK parliament, defend the country’s choice or show some sort of youthful rebellion against it. The fact is, no-one in the UK (not even Mrs. May herself) knows what’s going on, so I won’t be providing any sort of revelation. What’s more, I haven’t even been in the country for 8 months so the news I see is the news you see from abroad. Clearly, in Europeans’ eyes, right now the first thing that comes to mind when you see someone British is Brexit. Admittedly, with the monumental shitshow going on at home we deserve that. But still, stop bothering me with the same question.
STUCK IN THE MIDDLE
Image: Richard Potts on Flickr, juliedrazk on Instagram, Max Pixel, Wikipedia
As conditions in prisons deteriorate our writers debate about how we can improve the system to prison staff, and employ more health care professionals. However, simply increasing funding is not the answer. For a long-term solution to this increasingly pressing issue, we must look to other countries who have faced similar issues and come out of their situations with a system that works. Take Norway and the system of restorative justice, for example. There, they focus all their efforts on person-centred rehabilitation. With money for job training, education programs and therapy classes, Norway has the lowest recidivism rate in the world at only 20%, and the highest inmate-employment rate along with Denmark. This is the way forward. Their overall structure and belief in rehabilitation, not just retribution, should be the focus of our long-term prison strategy. Combine this with more attention paid to the root causes of crime - poverty and unemployment to name a couple - and the system should slowly improve. Sadly none of this seems likely under the current administration.
BRITS ABROAD
ROAST OF THE WEEK
Reports of rats, not rehabilitation Joe Holloran
SOAPBOX
ter all, that’s what they deserve, right? However, many people ignore that prisoners are one of the most vulnerable groups in society, due to being, once in prison, at the complete mercy of the state.
A country can’t consider itself liberal until these issues are addressed
Before trying to fix the current system, a complete overhaul is needed. In this regard, it is imperative to redefine the purpose of prisons. For both practical and humane reasons, prisons should focus on the reintroduction of convicts to society. In fact, in the Netherlands, where prisons engage in extensive educational programs, only 11,600 people of a population of 17 million are locked up. On the contrary, in the UK, 68 per cent of prisons hold more inmates than their usable ‘certified normal accommodation’. Therefore, rehabilitating people would not only be an admirable exercise in humanity, by conceding second chances to people who have already suffered the due punishment, but it would also mean a relief on the prison system, which is currently overpopulated. Another problem tied to the prison system is the continued disregard for mental health concerns. This affects prisons in two different ways. Firstly, when people are imprisoned, any pre-existing mental health conditions that they may have are never addressed. This is especially troubling considering that nearly 65% of prisoners at women’s jails show signs of brain injury: this can be identified as a contributing factor causing irresponsible, and even criminal behaviours. Secondly, the terrible conditions prisoners are expected to endure can give rise to serious issues when being reintroduced into society: one cannot expect a man to go from killing ‘cell rats during inspections’, to being reintroduced into society. Any country who prides itself on democracy and freedom cannot expect to be truly considered liberal, until these vital issues are addressed.
I
Ally Wilson
have never claimed to be a good motorway driver. In fact, for the first year after having passed my test, However, I drove back from Edinburgh to Birmingham last summer. It was during this drive that I began to understand why so many people break the law and undertake on the motorway. Middle lane drivers. In the last week, a driver in Stoke was caught on camera “hogging” the middle lane. They were reported as only having been driving for a year, so they were let off the hook. However, this means that they took their driving theory test recently, during which you’re asked to identify the meaning of each lane of the motorway. A disgraceful percentage of candidates on the test are under the illusion that the inside lane, rather than for those who are not overtaking, is for lorries, caravans and horse boxes only. WRONG. If you are not overtaking, you should only be in the inside lane and not sat in the middle lane clogging up traffic, slowing the flow of vehicles down and driving people like me to distraction. Let’s just hope that the introduction of dash cams and better surveillance of the motorway leads to less of these ill informed and dangerous drivers on our motorways.
TOAST OF THE WEEK
THE FAB FIVE
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Molly Greeves
n the current political climate, it’s easy to be angry. In the UK and U.S, there is a hard line between the left and the right, and after years of bickering the temptation to tell the other side to fuck off is very real. That’s why I think Netflix’s Queer Eye is such a ray of hope. The Fab Five are experts in grooming, fashion, culture, interior design and food who visit Republican towns to help people feel better about themselves. Seeing five gay men who have been rejected throughout their own lives spread love and positivity to the very groups that rejected them melts my frozen little heart every episode.They are setting an example of how we can use our skills to make the world a better place, and if there’s any time for that it’s now.
the courier
Monday 18 February 2019
life&style
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@CourierLifestyle c2.lifestyle@ncl.ac.uk thecourieronline.co.uk/lifestyle Life & Style Editor Sophie Henderson Lifestyle Editors Phoebe Fielder, Holly Margerrison, Ella Williams Online Editor Amanda Goh
Blind Dateisited The most sucessful blind date
Susanne Norris and Tom Milner
Tom and Susanne, one of our Very own beauty Editors here at the Courier are probably one of our most sucesssful Blind Date couplings. Almost a year on the pair are still together, a million miles away from their Blind date at Bar 28. In their interview Tom said he intended to take Susanne for a “cheeky spoons cocktail sometime” while Susanne was impressed by the fact he “runs the poetry society”. When the Courier caught up with them last year they said they’d been on a couple of dates and things were going really well, and it seems things have continued to do so 10 months on.
The funniest blind date
Tony Cottiss and Rhianna Stenson
The funniest things about Tony and Rhianna’s got their wires crossed with their choice of location. While they agreed to go for a pint, it seemed Rhianna was hoping for a little more than to go to their local spoons, telling the Courier: “he suggested we go for a pint. I thought that was perfect: something nice and chilled. Then he said Mile Castle and, to be fair, it wasn’t until we started walking I realised it was a Spoons and I didn’t want to be rude and say no, so we went but it wouldn’t of been one of my first choices of places to go on a date.”
rev
The most awkward blind date
Tom Letts and Brendan Quirk
Tom and Brendans date back in December got off to a particularly awkward start when there was a confusion about meeting each other. Brendan told the Courier: “I tried to play it cool by arriving late, but he was running later than my idea of late anyhow. It was raining so I waited at the bus stop for him to arrive.” While Brendan claimed that “he was nervous about meeting me he pretended to wait for a bus”. Tom said that he was tempted to walk out on the date after all the awkwardeness
The first ever blind date Jamie Hudson and Miranda Dobson In the name of Blind Date revistited I trawled through the old issues to the Courier to find what I’m pretty sure is the first Blind Date in its history between Engineering student Jamie and English student Miranda. The pair both agreed they’d like to see each other again despite the awkwardness of his flatmate shouting “you better have slept with her” unaware that Miranda was still in his company.
Are you unlucky in love? Email us at c2.lifestyle@ncl.ac.uk
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life & style lifestyle Weekly rant
Mega-fuss on the mega-bus
A wild vegan saus
Does the national gem mark a moment for veganism? Emily Cartwr
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fter a 30-minute hike through the windy streets of Newcastle City Centre, I arrived at the location necessary to catch my transport to Sheffield. As the stormy chaos of the blistering air caused my thick, curly hair to dance upright on top of my head, as if it was one of those tall inflatables outside of a garage, it had arrived, the Megabus. A shiny blue and white beast of engineering, with the cities of England sprawled across its blacked-out windows without discrimination. It looked like the sort of coach you’d expect a professional football team to arrive on, with journalists and fans waiting eagerly outside in hope of catching a glimpse of their heroes. I showed my ticket to the driver and climbed the steep steps up to the seating area. The Megabus was not what I had imagined. I currently write this article through the pit of sweat that this radiator-on-wheels induces. I never imagined I could dream of air-conditioning with such desperation in the depths of a Northern Winter. Part of me wishes I could be back on my walk through the city, with that lovely cold air utilising its force to batter me across the pavement. The solemn atmosphere of eighty-something people was piercing as everyone wallows in their bold decision not to take alternate transport. It was as if we are all being driven to a maximum-security penitentiary to slave away the rest of our lives, most merely here for a night out in Yorkshire. Ten more Great British Pounds and I could have been on a smooth, cool Virgin Train with a charging socket and some kind of general transport etiquette. The first 40 minutes of the journey has been just about bearable. Hot. Sticky. But Bearable. Then comes along the woman. The woman, to put it nicely, enjoys a drink or two. We all enjoy a drink actually. The woman is an alcoholic. For the remainder of the two hours, I have to endure the woman slurring sweet nothings into my ear and fondling my hair, after she’s pulled out my earphones of course. AftAh, I have to go. The poor woman has just hit the deck after the bus took a sharp turn and she doesn’t seem to be getting up from there. Genuinely…
the courier
Monday 18 February 2018
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his year’s Veganuary excited me, as it was the first year as a vegan I was going to be experiencing new food releases, restaurant offers and vegan advertisements (like what?) all in one beautiful month. It’s safe to say it was a successful month for my tastebuds and veganism as a whole.
Greggs Vegan Sausage Roll
A must-mention is of course the highly anticipated, controversial, iconic Greggs vegan sausage roll. Causing a ruckus up and down the country between meat eaters and non-meat eaters alike, the vegan sausage roll gave veganism a plethora of publicity, so I personally thought it was the best Veganuary 2019 release. Alongside this, the hatred Piers Morgan gave the sausage roll made me and many others only want to love it more. Thus, although I don’t tend to buy many meat substitutes, the concept is great as it makes vegan options accessible to everyone. As you’d expect, it looks like a meat sausage roll but honestly it really tastes like it too. The flakiness of the pastry alongside the well-seasoned sausage-esque meat is truly a delight. I’d recommend it to both meat eaters and non-meat eaters. Rating: 11/12. Major points scored for annoying Piers Morgan.
Image: @crueltyfreeella on Instagram
Tesco Wicked Next on my to try list was the Wicked range from Tesco. Offering a range of products, from desserts, food to go, deli, ready meals and pizzas, this range truly has it all. I firstly tried their Margherita Sourdough Pizza as I love finding quick, carby meals that require no effort on my behalf (it was also reduced to £1.25 from £4 because it was on date, so no excuse). I
have to say this is my favourite margarita pizza I’ve tried to date, as I’m not that big a fan of vegan cheese so I’m quite picky with pizza. The cheese and sundried tomatoes melt in your mouth and the sourdough base is just lovely. I then tried the Cauliflower and Mushroom Pie to compare it with my favourite Linda McCartney Country Pie, but unfortunately this didn’t touch. It wasn’t filling and it was quite watery in my opinion – the pastry was good though! Nevertheless, I continued my Wicked quest, finding that their deli options were the best. Grabbing a Tesco meal deal before going the Robbo has become an undying habit of mine, and every time it includes a Wicked product. Rating: 7/10. Inconsistency lets it down, but big thanks for getting me through tough times at the Robbo.
M&S Plant Kitchen
The M&S Plant Kitchen range was also a brilliant release of Veganuary 2019, launching with 60 meals, snacks and ingredients. I felt spoilt for choice, but ended up going with the Cauliflower Popcorn because quite frankly, I miss KFC. These were gorgeous even though the texture of course wasn’t anything like chicken, but the flavour was there. And the buffalo dip it come with…wooooow. Very solid start. I then went with the Sticky Teriyaki Tofu as I love Eastern food and can’t cook tofu to save my life, and it exceeded expectations. The tofu was flavoured great, and the side of edamame beans was a good touch for an extra boost of green, clean protein. Such a simple meal but it’s become a staple for when I can’t be bothered to cook. Rating: 8.5/10. I need to try more products, but good range so far.
Minimalism: against consumerism?
Elli Brown explores the connection between the two very different methods of cutting back
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larity and intention. Two words which are fundamentally associated with minimalism in all its strands, whether that be the modernist art movement, dynamic music genre, or what this article will be focusing on – spatial minimalism. Popularised by Japan and countries in Scandinavia, spatial minimalism focuses on the concept of owning only the bare essentials and moving away from the hoarding mentality that is ever present in modern society. This promotes the adoption of a stripped back way of life, reflecting the familiar phrase ‘tidy home, tidy mind’; the belief that possessions equal happiness is being recognised more and more as a toxic attitude subconsciously possessed by many people. Therefore, in recent years, minimalism has had an increased presence in interior design trends worldwide in an effort to guide people away from their superficial, materialistic lifestyles. Author and financial advisor Dave Ramsey sums up the problem of materialism, commenting that “We buy things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t like”, a sequence of issues that would not exist if we didn’t fall into the initial trap of buying these unnecessary “things”. Followers of the minimalist lifestyle avoid buying experimen-
tal makeup products like bold lipsticks that may only be worn once before being tossed into a draw with various other obnoxious shades, never to be used or seen again. They avoid buying yet another book that seems like a worthwhile purchase when stood musing in the charity shop, but realistically will stay stuck on the bookshelf collecting dust without more than two pages being read. They avoid frivolous spends on quirky band posters, badges and other generally useless items that are only purchased to uphold a cool, edgy identity. Through these habits, minimalists ultimately avoid the pull of the consumerist ploy. Or do they? Yes, following a minimalist lifestyle is unarguably beneficial, saving people both time and money. However, with trends come exploitation. Businesses have begun to recognise the popularity of so-called minimalist products, taking the stripped back appearance of minimalism and applying it to their own products in order to increase sales. This inverts the very principle of minimalism, exploiting the original concept and making it less of an anti-consumerist protest and more of a capitalist agenda. Shops are crammed full of products to fit the clean aesthetic; Primark’s homeware section offers various different rose gold wire ornaments and Urban Outfitters has an array
of mugs in various shapes and sizes, all being similar in their cool, muted ‘minimalist’ colours. Famous figures on YouTube and Instagram display items like these in pictures of their idyllic homes. However, just because their possessions appear minimalistic, it doesn’t mean that they are. These items are more often than not completely useless and are bought purely to look nice on a windowsill, which contradicts the fundamental idea that minimalism is about intentionality and purpose. Spatial minimalism as a concept is a refreshing way of disregarding the money-grabbing consumer industry. However, in a world so focused on appearance I fear that it may have been corrupted, continuing to lure us into a materialistic trap.
Do I look sustainable in this? Image: wikimedia
Charlotte Swinger asks if companies going green is just another marketing strategy
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ustainable’, ‘eco-friendly’ and indeed ‘green’ are all loaded words within modern marketing aimed at a captive audience who, paradoxically, are more aware of humans’ damage to the environment than ever before, whilst simultaneously producing waste and pollution at an ever-increasing rate. This twenty-first century ‘eco-anxiety’ is arguably what motivates companies to greenwash their brands; we’ve all watched Blue Planet, made the link between singleuse plastic and sea pollution, and the marketing industry knows it. In the same sense that the phrase ‘whitewashing’ is used, its green counterpart refers a company adopting eco-friendly campaigns (be that via advertising slogans, ethos or simply choice of colours and packaging) in order to enhance their brand’s environmentally friendly image. So, are companies actually becoming more focused on sustainability in the wake of environmental concerns, or is this morality becoming a trend for companies to make more money? Obviously, if a company spends more on its eco-friendly advertising campaigns than actually funding sustainability efforts and product development, greenwashing is clear. Mostly, however, it is more subtle, such as Pampers recently claiming to have a noble, tree-saving agenda behind reducing the paper fluff in their nappies, when in actual
fact it just saved them a considerable amount of money. Similarly, in terms of creating a more ethical brand image as a whole, from 2009 European McDonald’s chains began to phase their colour scheme from red and yellow to green and yellow, which in the words of their spokesperson acknowledges their “responsibility for the preservation of natural resources”.
is this morality becoming a trend for companies to make more money? This change of aesthetic does not negate McDonald’s involvement in the unsustainable meat and dairy industry (the damaging carbon emissions and water usage of which have been drawn to our attention by the recent rise in vegetarian and vegan activism), or their distribution of single-use plastic straws, takeaway cups and drinks bottles. This arguably subliminal marketing strategy (I was shocked after realising I had not noticed this gradual colour change from red to green) contributes to painting a big corporation in a more wholesome light. Another more recent cause for controversy is tech initiative Ecosia, a search engine which promises to plant trees
with every Internet search via money from controlled advertising. This may sound too good to be true, and suspicions arose when discovering that Ecosia is involved carbon offsetting, where companies pay to have their carbon emissions negated by the planting of more trees or funding conservation. This has been likened to the system of Catholic indulgences, as the paying off of environmental ‘sins’, and so Ecosia has been accused of greenwashing if its actual impact on carbon emissions is less than advertised. Research into Ecosia however does suggest more merit than simply adopting the sustainability trend for the company’s own gain, and so this controversy, I believe, confirms the general scepticism we now have for ethically motivated companies. In a modern world hyper-aware of the environmental damage we cause on a daily basis, product choice and brand integrity becomes extremely complex, as we struggle to discern who has the planet’s interests at heart and who has piggybacked the ‘green’ trend for their own gain. As a self-confessed cynic I would find it naively optimistic to suggest that companies don’t greenwash their brands for popularity and profit.
Image: Instagram @tickover_
At the end of the day, though, even if businesses are motivated by economic gain, as long as their practices are not corrupt, sustainability is still increasingly becoming a focus of companies’ ethos as standard. This in itself is a step forward in creating a more sustainable consumer society.
the courier
15
life & style
Monday 18 February 2018
usage roll a-Piers!
Cooking with Hope Coke
Chickpea and Cauliflower Stew
right reviews the latest explosion of products available in Veganuary
As grim as the weather seems intent on being, this is just the type of warming, cosy dish that I need to power me through until spring. Roasting the cauliflower helps bring out its mellow flavour, which pairs beautifully with the spices and freshness of the herbs and lime. I serve this stew over quinoa or with pita bread for dipping, topped with yoghurt or crumbled feta cheese, but it’s also delicious as it is if you’d rather keep it vegan. Ingredients: 1/2 a medium cauliflower 2 tbsp olive oil 1 red onion a thumb sized piece fresh ginger 1 x 400g tin chickpeas 2 tsp cumin seeds 2 tsp curry powder 2 tsp garam masala 1 vegetable stock cube 2 big handfuls kale or spinach a handful fresh coriander and/ or mint 1 tsp chilli flakes 1 lime
Image: @Kake on Flickr
Image: @Chickpea.Char on Instagram
Chin up, sleeves down
Caitlyn Rawlings gives us with a handy toolkit for staying upbeat throughout the chilly season
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hat time of year has arrived when the streets are laced in ice and you can no longer dress with the motto of ‘style over substance’. The days are being quickly consumed by darkness and you remain in a constant state of feeling cold. Understandably, keeping chirpy in the frosty weather is a difficult dilemma. However, taking care of you and how you feel should be at the top of your priorities in this chilly spell. It’s important not to feel snowed under this sweater season. So, here are some tips on how to stay upbeat during this downbeat time of year.
1. Winterize your workout
The arrival of the cold weather has provided us all with an excuse to not leave the house. Yet moving your body is vital to keeping up your mood. Even if you’re not a gym bunny it is so important to get out an exercise. Why not try a walk round Jesmond Dene, a quick swim at Jesmond swimming pool or even a short YouTube fitness workout?
2. Catch some rays
Do not become a hermit. I know it’s tempting to binge a Netflix series and hide away from the cold, but it is so
important to get out and about during this wintery period. The hormones that are produced when we are exposed to sunlight are proven to boost your mood. Other benefits
the hormones that areproduced when we are exposed to sunlight are proven to boost your mood
range from improving your blood pressure, immune system and even your skin.
3. Clear out the clutter
Take advantage of the time you will be spending inside to rid yourself of all the mess that you have collected and stored for the last semester. There will be piles of paper, books and folders you really don’t need in your life anymore. So, now is the time to cleanse your room of all the excess and start a fresh this term. Clear space means clear mind.
4. Eat good feel good
Eating healthy and eating regular is proven to give you more energy and consequently improves your mood. It’s all about balance. It’s easy to fall into the cycle of searching for the confectionary aisle, although why not take a spin down the fruit and veg aisles too. Use food to nourish your body, especially when it’s fighting against the cold to keep you healthy.
5. Get the balance between socialising & solitude
Being comfortable with your own company is so important to having a well-rounded outlook. You need that time to focus on you. What you want. Where you want to be. You are important and investing time in yourself is key to staying positive. However, isolating yourself inside during this cold spell does nothing for your mental health. Make
Image: Instagram @hollmargerrison
@TheCourierLifestyle @thecourierlifestyle
salt and pepper, to taste Directions: Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C and start by prepping the cauliflower. Chop it into chunks roughly 3cm big, including any outer leaves, which get all crispy and yummy in the oven. Toss the cauliflower chunks with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, spread on a baking sheet and place in the oven to roast for 15-20 minutes, or until tender and just starting to brown and crisp in places. While the cauliflower is roasting, start on the rest of the stew. Heat a large saucepan over a medium heat and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Peel, halve and finely chop the onion and peel and finely dice the ginger, then add both into the saucepan along with a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until the onion is soft. Drain and rinse the chickpeas and pat dry, then add into the pan along with the cumin seeds and a further pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the cumin seeds are fragrant and everything is well combined. Using the back of a wooden spoon, crush about half of chickpeas so that they break down (this will help thicken the stew), leaving some whole for a bit of texture. Pour 500ml boiling water into a bowl and stir in the stock cube until dissolved. Add the vegetable stock to the saucepan of chickpeas along with the curry powder and garam masala, stir well and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, until the stew has thickened slightly. Once the cauliflower is ready, remove from the oven and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the roasted cauliflower into the saucepan along with the spinach or kale and stir to combine, then top the stew up with enough water that all the ingredients are submerged. Bring to a simmer and cook for a further five minutes, stirring frequently, until the kale or spinach is wilted. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Roughly chop the coriander and/ or mint and slice the lime into wedges, and you’re ready to serve! Ladle the stew into bowls, garnish with the herbs and chilli flakes and squeeze over the lime juice. Serve alongside any accompaniments you like, like rice, quinoa, crusty bread or pita, or just as it is.
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life & style beauty
courier.beauty@ncl.ac.uk Beauty Editors Susanne Norris, Nimra Rafique Laura Buckle Online Editor Molly Taylor
the courier
Monday 18 February 2019
The dangers in your detox product The NHS are warning people not to use detox teas, diet pills and meal supplements - Heidi Wilkinson investigates why this is
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ith the recent years’ boom of influencers and promoters on social media sites, predominantly Instagram and Twitter, the NHS medical director Professor Stephen Powis’ call for a ban on misleading social media advertisements of dangerous products such as detox teas, diet pills and appetite-suppressants, seems a step in the right direction for the regulation of advertisements and a halt on the promotion of dangerous diet products.
The NHS' warning comes in light of concerns for the dangerous effects to health that these diet products pose The Dove Global Beauty and Confidence Report found that almost 70% of women and girls believe the media contributes to their appearance anxiety. The National Citizens Service also found that at least one in four young people say that their appearance is the most important thing to them. Both worrying statistics to consider, and a further reason why advertisements on diet products should be regulated. As we become increasingly overwhelmed with conflicting external pressures of ‘what we should eat’ and ‘how we should look’ from the media, professionals, celebrities and Influencers, many of us, in turn, are becoming out of touch with our own bodies and identity. This is becoming detrimental to mental health and our relationship with food and body image. The unrealistic beauty standards set by the media, which permeates
around us in our day-to-day lives, disconnect us with who we are and contribute to issues with body image and the influx in eating disorders, body dysmorphia and many other issues with mental health. The NHS’ warning comes in light of concerns for the dangerous effects to health that these diet products pose. Many ‘detox teas’ are sold without clearly informing people of the presence of the herbal laxative, Senna, which causes diarrhoea - the ‘detoxing’ effect they promote. Used in excessive quantities, this laxative can be dangerous. The NHS would not prescribe this laxative in these quantities - the public are able to buy as much as they wish and use them long-term. Some detox teas have even been shown to interact with contraception. The NHS England’s involvement in the debate around the advertisement of these products is optimistic and seeks for a necessary change in advertisement standards that puts the public’s health as priority, offers transparency from promoters and stops the NHS dealing with the consequences of these dangerous products. Kim Kardashian’s recent post in January, at a prime time for the promotion of diet products to reduce you ‘bloat’ and achieve ‘weight loss’ after indulgence over the Christmas period, promoted Flat Tummy Co. shakes, claiming they helped her to get her ‘tummy back to flat’. She promotes a product that acts as a meal replacement, a particularly damaging product for those with eating disorders. The worrying association of these products with a lean stomach is misleading for young people who buy these products on the premise they will achieve a stomach like hers. More worryingly, these paid-promotions of diet products do not advise the buyer of what they contain and how they work. Merely, they simply focus on, for example a detox teas’, ability to rid you of the ‘toxins’ in your body-
providing you with a slim, and toned stomach. In reality, our bodies naturally expel toxins and the laxative product in these teas proves damaging to your bowels through long-term usage. As Professor Stephen Powis states, ‘The risks of quick-fix weight-loss far outweigh the benefits, and advertising these products without a health warning is damaging and misleading’.
Ultimately, the NHS’ call for a ban on the advertisement of these unhealthy and dangerous products is a positive step for change in the realm of social media. A push for more responsible advertising and transparency will certainly help to cultivate a safer social media space for young people that pushes influencers and celebrities to use their platforms positively and responsibly.
Masking magic Cult fave: MILK
In need of some relaxation and restoration? Culture Editor Carys Rose Thomas shares with us her love of face masks
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ow second semester is under way, dissertation deadlines are in sight and free time has become a distant but fond memory, it’s especially important for you to find the time to fit in a bit of selflove. Here are the 3 best face masks to bring those bagstricken eyes back to life after an arduous day of uni: Lush BB Seaweed: Albeit a little more on the pricey side, this face mask is a lovely one to use every now and then to treat yourself to something that bit fancier. I was gifted it just before coming to university in 1st year and have used it ever since. Granted, I was skeptical about the whole seaweed thing to begin with. Conjuring up images of gloopy piles of it on beaches from family holidays to Wales didn't leave me particularly bawled over at the prospect of putting that stuff on my face. But I sucked it up, put my faith in Lush and gave it a whirl. The bits in it made it a little challenging to smear on your face easily, but the mask leaves you with refreshingly smooth skin. And to top it all off, with Lush products it’s lovely to know that everything you’ve had on your mug is nice and natural. L’Oreal Pure Clay masks: L’Oreal released their Pure Clay mask line in 2016. The masks come in pots, which is handy if you’re someone like me with combined skin because you can buy all 3 and “mix and match” which one is best suited to different parts of your face. My favorite by a long way is the Detox Mask. It’s a bit harsher than the other two (the Purity and Bright masks) on the skin, but that’s just because it really works into your skin and cleanses out your pores. The one slightly heartbreaking feature of it is that when it dries it leaves you with visible dark dots which point out all your pores, but this is also useful as it highlights which areas of your face could use a little more exfoliation & TLC. The masks are so smooth and easy to apply and even though the products say that you can only get 10 applications out of each pot, I usually manage to make the product stretch a little further. They may be considered as,
again, on the slightly more expensive side but you can frequently find them on offer in Boots or Superdrug, and if you do, I urge you to snap them up and give them a go. Burt’s Bees Hydrating Sheet Mask : You’ve probably tried their lip balms, why not give their face masks a go? Sheet masks are a cheaper, single-use way of giving your face a cleanse. Different to “potted” masks, sheer masks can be quite watery so be careful when applying. Although you can’t really do much whilst you have it on, it provides you with a perfect excuse to sit back, relax and do absolutely nothing whilst the masks gets to work. These masks leave you with a lasting fresh feeling which sticks with you for a few days; making those late library nights seem not as bad.
Image: @boombod
Emily Cartwright talks us through MILK cosmetics best and most-hyped products following their launch on Cult Beauty
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Image: @lorealskin
Image: @milkmakeup
t was 2016, in Milk Studios LA and NYC, when Milk Cosmetics was born. Founded by Zanna Roberts Rassi, Georgie Greville, Mazdack Rassi and Dianna Ruth, Milk Makeup offers products for everyone that are all cruelty-free, paraben-free and 100% vegan. Because the brand is born from a photo studio, the claim and aim is all about inclusivity, ranging “from fresh-face street vibes to full-face studio looks” as their website states. For many years now, those crazy for Milk Cosmetics have had to order from overseas; cringing at those jaw-dropping import fees. Yet now, the people at Cult Beauty have taken one for the team and finally listed the much-loved Milk Cosmetics via their UK site. Queue the applause (and the dip in the student loan) for Milk is definitely a brand worth the hype. I first heard of the brand when the holographic highlighter was released. Though a dreadful phase in the beauty community in my eyes, it was this trend that helped me discover one of my now favourite brands. I tried a lip product out first, as I like to buy a cheaper product if I’m trying a brand for the first time. I went with their demi-matte lipstick in ‘O.G. Red’ as you can never have too many red lipsticks, and it was great! It was smooth, long lasting and didn’t dry my lips out like a lot of mattes do for me. The website claims their lipsticks are
packed with a “30% pigment load (versus the average 8-10%)” and I can safely say they must be. The pigment is like nothing I’ve ever tried before; it’s a no-fuss one swatch experience. They are very similar to the Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution, but I definitely prefer these as some of Charlotte’s mattes don’t last long enough for my liking. My endeavour continued then, what else do Milk have to offer? I’m also a skincare lover so when I heard they had a skincare range I thought it would be nice to try something from them. My under-eye bags have always been dark and puffy, it runs in my family, so I’m always on a quest for something new to try and get rid of them. So, I found Milk’s Cooling Water. Firstly, the packaging of this is SO cool, as it comes in the thick chubby-stick form many of Milk’s other products do; making the products so good for a quick application. Secondly, it ACTUALLY works. This magic de-puffer really has helped the appearance of my under-eyes, and that is saying something! I swear by this product and wouldn’t go back to another eye cream. Milk also have cooling eye patches to match the cooling water but I’m yet to try these.
The brand is born from a photo studio, the aim is all about inclusivity, ranging "from fresh-face street vibes to full-face studio looks Of course, finally, Milk’s KUSH High Volume Mascara needs a mention. The brand is great at pushing boundaries, and it certainly did with the world’s first cannabis-infused mascara. I bought this on a whim, because I really wanted to try it, and I think it’s a great product. It doesn’t blow my mind in the sense that I think every mascara should be kush-infused, but I think it’s a good mascara that doesn’t clump your lashes, gives you great volume and best of all, dries down and doesn’t smudge across your face / eye area. The volume it gives you is definitely one of the best formulas and brushes I’ve tried and I’d say it even tops the cheap cult favourite L’Oréal Lash Paradise. Overall, I love Milk products and I’d definitely recommend trying a few! My next stop is their face products, which I’ve heard great things about.
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beauty life & style The ultimate blender vs. brush showdown Big-up beauty To blend or to brush, that is the question. Lori Harper weighs up the pros and the cons of Monday 18 February 2019
both products, looks at the best sponges and brushes on the market and gives her final verdict
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he big debate every makeup-wearer faces: Beauty Blender, or makeup brush? For years, I have always been true to the humble brush for applying foundation, but recently, I have succumbed to the flawless application of the beauty blender. Here, I have drawn up a list of the pros and cons of each product to inform your all-important decision. When it comes to foundation brushes, there’s an enormous spectrum to choose from. I’ve tried many throughout the years, flitting between the full-coverage buffing Kabuki brush and the lightweight stippling brush- yes, I didn’t realise they actually had names until now either! The Kabuki brush gives a flawless, even finish and is ideal for a full-coverage look. The new Iconic London HD blend base set are a Kabuki brush revelation, providing a naturally light, blended look, only using the tiniest amount of product. If, like me, you find your brushes absorbing all your foundation and concealer, then I really recommend investing in a set of good quality Kabuki brushes like these. One of my makeup bag essentials has always been the flat foundation paintbrush with its tapered edges; this brush allows for perfect coverage, and its thin curves let you get into those difficult areas around the contours of your face. But the classic paintbrush is not always
Image: @beautyblender
seamless, often leaving streaks and needing to be buffed out with a Kabuki brush. Brushes are useful and essential tools for any makeup lover’s collection, especially when they can come in pretty colours and soft feathery textures. However, brushes are also particularly expensive, and often need regularly replaced, furthermore, there is so many to choose from that we often find ourselves feeling as if we are not using them correctly. This brings me to the Beauty Blender. Created in 2007 by Rea Ann Silva, the Beauty Blender marked a new beauty venture. This little egg-shaped sponge is the ultimate tool for any High Definition look. The instructions highly recommend wetting the sponge before use to get the most out of your make up; the unique logic is that soaking the blender before use means there won’t be enough room for the sponge to absorb all your product. Unlike brushes, the Beauty Blender works by patting product into your skin in a dappling motion, it’s so easy to use and you don’t even need to worry about going in the wrong direction like many makeup brush horror stories have told you over the years. The brand advocates a “wet, squeeze, bounce” method for perfect, airbrushed results. Although I absolutely love this product, I also can’t help but feel as if I’m literally pushing and patting product into
my pores, more so than when swiping a brush over them. For this reason, I prefer to use my Beauty Blender on nights out and special occasions than every day wear, in order to avoid spot breakouts. Furthermore, it’s important to bear in mind that the Beauty Blender is not really designed to be a makeup applicator, but more of a blending tool. Many foundation tutorials will teach you to apply the product with a brush, and then to buff and bounce it out with the Beauty Blender. The original Beauty Blender is priced highly at £17 on Cult Beauty and Beauty Bay and should usually be replaced every 3 months! The good news is that you can usually find cheaper alternatives; my favourite is the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge (£5.99 in Boots), but Primark also offer their own range costing less than £1! My verdict: if you want the best finish for your foundation then I definitely recommend investing in a Beauty Blender, as you won’t get quite the same finish with just a brush. But, after weighing both products against each other, they come out at a pretty similar score, which is why I suggest the combination method, using both brush application and Beauty Blender buffing.
Image: @fentybeauty
The hottest looks in Drag Everyone worships a Drag Queen's beauty ability. Molly Greeves discusses the fiercest looks
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ince Rupaul’s Drag Race became an international sensation, the influence of drag queens on the makeup world is becoming more and more obvious. Looking back, it’s no coincidence that contouring became such a big trend after Raven’s run on the show, or that everyone was wearing so much highlighter after seeing Farrah Moan. Since the influence of drag queens has been so overlooked over the years, it’s time to give a “yas queen!” to the ones have been changing the makeup game. One of the queens that I love seeing on my Instagram is Trixie Mattel. My favourite thing about Trixie is that she’s not remotely trying to look like a woman; her overexaggerated look is well-known for being something that people either love or hate. When I first saw her face I had no idea what I was looking at, and I think that was the point. From the insane cheek contour to the ridiculous amount of eyeliner, Trixie’s Barbie-doll aesthetic both celebrates and mocks femininity at the same time. Even after following her for a while the strangeness of her face is something so magnetising to me and that’s why her makeup is so cool. Another queen I want to give some love to is Pearl Liason. I’m going to be honest, I wasn’t the biggest fan of Pearl on season seven of Drag Race, but in the last couple of years her look has completely transformed and I’m living for it. While queens like Trixie tend to paint a similar face every time, Pearl’s feed is a compilation of completely different (and equally flawless) makeup looks. Her signature look resembles a porcelain doll with long lower lashes and beautiful blended brows, but her alter-ego, Roxanne, has huge fake-looking lips and high up brows that make her look both hilarious and impressive. Her hair also deserves a shout out: while drag queens traditionally wear huge voluminous wigs, Pearl often wears these Daisy from Great Gatsby-esque bobs that make her look elegant and sleek. She looks unlike anyone else I’ve ever seen and for a drag queen that can only be a good thing. It would be a crime to talk about drag makeup without talking about Kim Chi. When she walked into the workroom on season eight, she promised to “destroy
everyone with (her) makeup” and that she did. Kim’s Korean heritage is clearly a huge influence on her work, and her huge signature eyes make her look like she stepped out of an anime into real life. She’s another queen who experiments a lot with her face, using it as the focus of her entire look; her black and white runway from Drag Race was mind-blowing. To me, her level of skill when it comes to makeup is pretty much unmatched by anyone else who has been on the show, and I’m in awe every time I see her. Getting into Drag Race was the first time I was ever really excited about makeup because drag queens aren’t painting to look more socially acceptable, they’re doing it to explore different sides of themselves and push makeup as an art form. Following these queens helped me stop viewing makeup as something that made me look better and used it instead to explore other sides of myself. And for that, I tip my wig to them.
brand lovin'
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H Cosmetics has to be one of my favourite makeup brands to date. It has a range of vegan products, and is also completely cruelty free. If that wasn’t enough, it’s also super affordable. My two favourite eyeshadow palettes from them retail at just £22 and £18 and I can guarantee they’re worth the investment, I reach for them time and time again. The ‘Galaxy Chic Baked Eyeshadow Palette’ (£18) was given to me as a gift about a year ago, and I’ve been using it more or less weekly ever since. Not only does this palette look amazing (the pans are shaped and named after planets), it also has the potential to create a huge range of looks, due to amazing variety of the 18 colours featured. With reds, oranges, plums, blues, lilacs, greens, and smoky greys, this palette has the scope to create a look to suit any mood, it’s brilliant for any season and its versatility means it’s great for both everyday looks and nights out. My favourite looks to create with this palette are sunset oranges and rich plums, and all shades look amazing applied dry with a fluffy brush or wet/sprayed with setting spray to make for an even more dramatic look. The ‘Aurora Lights 18 Color Baked Eyeshadow Palette’ (£22) is another favourite of mine. This is my go-to palette for night out/clubbing looks, due to its bright shimmer colours and their amazing pigmentation. There are lots of pink and purple tones in this palette, as well as some beautiful blue, white and silver shades that double up brilliantly as a highlighter, which really brings the look together if used on the inner corner of the eye or to do a cut crease as well. If you’re looking for a highlighter palette however, the ‘Blacklight Highlight 6 Colour Palette’ is a must. For only £13 you get a range of gorgeous frosty highlights, with gold, blue, pink, and purple tones – a tone for every look. It reminds me of the Anastasia Beverly Hills ‘Moonchild’ palette, and is a pretty perfect dupe for almost half the price. One of the things that BH Cosmetics does best is bright colours and delivering on pigmentation, and not one of the products mentioned above disappoint on this front, whether they’re for your face or your eyes. Finally, if you’re stuck on what to apply these products with, I would recommend BH Cosmetics’ ‘Weekend Festival 10 Piece Brush Set’. For £22 you get a set of 10 brushes, including an angled contour brush, 4 different eyeshadow brushes, and a fine liner brush for creating the perfect winged liner to finish off the look. Of course all these brushes are cruelty free, meaning they can be used and enjoyed with a clear conscience. In terms of buying these products, Beauty Bay is probably your best option. They have a collection of nearly one hundreds BH Cosmetics items, ranging from highlighters to brushes to lipsticks. The colour selection is vast – there’s certainly something for everyone. I’ve spoken to lots of other students who have made them a staple in their makeup bags due to low prices. If you’re looking for cruelty free, high quality make up without a hefty price tag, then BH Cosmetics is for you. Megan McManus
Image: @bhcosmetics
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life & style fashion
c2.fashion@ncl.ac.uk Fashion Editors Miranda Stoner, Poppy Couling, Joe Hood Online Editor Molly Taylor
When music meets style
Monday 18 February 2019
hm.com
Phoebe Eyles verifies the top of her fashion chart this week
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usic videos are an invaluable part of the music industry and have provided the world with shock and scandal over the years. From ‘Wrecking Ball’ to ‘Famous’ artists have spoiled us with the delights of their creations. Music videos can also be a key source of outfit inspiration and whilst some outfits might seem crazy (who can forget ‘Oops I did it again’?) often the trends shown in videos can be easily emulated in your own wardrobe. Below is a round up of current music videos and how to recreate the looks within them.
Ariana Grande - 7 Rings Ariana Grande is continuing her domination of the music industry and the release of her latest album is going down a storm. The music video for 7 Rings appears very glamourous and over the top in terms of outfits, but a key look to recreate is where Ariana is dancing outside of the house. Pink cargo trousers teamed with killer heels and a glittery jacket seem very full on for your 9ams, but pairing cargo trousers with a satin shirt and your favourite white trainers would be a look fit for Soho. Misguided have an amazing selection of cargo trousers and Pretty Little Thing are well stocked in satin shirts to bring this look together.
Mabel – Don’t Call Me Up
Instagram: @littlemixico
The outfit in this video is arguably the most wearable. Teaming a red/orange 3/4 zip up top with blue joggers and a headband make a relaxed yet stylish campus look. In the video Mabel’s headband match her trousers so make sure your headband compliments the colours you have chosen. If two bright colours is too full on for an everyday outfit, switch out one of the colours with a muted tone such as black or grey. SheIn have a wide selection of 3/4 zip up tops and at a great, student friendly price point. Boohoo have a large range of joggers to choose though if you are looking for quality, Topshop is the way to go.
Billie Eilish - when the party’s over Billie Eilish is something of a phenomenon and has provided the world with incredible songs. To make her achievements even more impressive, Billie is only 17, making her younger than us students! Her outfit in this video is great for showcasing how powerful and stylish a one colour outfit can be. In order to recreate this all white outfit, you should pair together an oversized white top with white loungewear leggings/joggers. For maximum effect make sure the white of each garment perfectly match! To make sure it doesn’t look like you have shown up to lectures in your pyjamas, this outfit should be paired with a variety of accessories such as long necklaces and matching earrings/bracelets. Topshop do great jewellery sets to complete this look. Overall music videos are continuing to provide us with
Instagram: @mabel
YouTube @BillieEilish
newlook.com Instagram: @victoriasport
Fashion’s financia
Sophie Henderson examines the impact of consumer spending - jus
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here is no denying the economic impact of fashion. The UK industry is a towering £32 billion sector: London Fashion Week generates a near £270 million for the British economy, and fashion itself supports 890,000 national jobs. However, we must keep in mind that fashion cycle is entirely dependent on capitalism. Shows are held several months ahead of the season to encourage the relationship between trend forecasters and manufacturers. Their engagement ahead of time eventually produces the stock we go on to purchase. Those staggering statistics first mentioned would amount to nothing without everyday consumers, and shifting spending habits are having a detrimental effect. According to 2018 consumer reports we have reined in the amount of clothing we purchase. We have switched to buying online (partially), but we have also prioritised spending on personal leisure such as holidays.
Although many looks might not seem wearable, there are easy ways to tone down the look of the music video or simply be inspired by colour combinations
emorable looks to inspire the fashion world. Although many looks might not seem wearable, there are easy ways to tone down the look of the music video or simply be inspired by the colour combinations, mixtures of fabrics and garments worn in the video. Whilst you won’t be seeing any students walking into the Robbo in Britney’s iconic red catsuit, you may see students on a night out in vinyl skirt or red trousers. And if all else fails, use the looks for Halloween!
Online vs. high-street failings: the impact
Unsplash: Jeff Sheldon
The high-street was undoubtedly the first to affix the struggle. For several years the press have consistently reported on its failings, and the British Retail Consortium has estimated that about 85,000 retail jobs were lost as a result in 2018. Acclaimed names have delved into liquidation, both salvaged and strained by the likes of Mike Ashley and Philip Green. We have entered the new year with the grim reality of profit-loss, but this overarching unease of falling sales is indefinitely spreading online. Ashley had told a committee of MPs that the internet was “killing the high street,” but what if the high-street is also ‘failing’? One would expect ASOS - the biggest UK
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fashion life & style
Monday 18 February 2019
The Neon-Bible Edit Shamara Mohsin signposts the risks of wearing neon and advises on lighting up your look
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urning heads and splitting opinions the controversial comeback of 80’s favourite, neon has been lighting up your screens as the infamous fad yet again, attempts to weasel its way back into your wardrobes. And if it doesn’t feel like two minutes since you last had to rid the memories of the horrors of the highlighter lookalikes, that’s because it was briefly worth mentioning back in 2014, however only became truly notable late 2018 through prominent figures like the Kardashian’s. We can thank social media, however, for its fast track to our favourite retailers clothing racks. The comeback was never really a shock, this last decade has solicited a mashup of fashion favourites, as well as those looks you just wish would die. While for some living in a decade where its perfectly acceptable to walk around with a cross body bag on your chest is outrageously fabulous, for others its nothing but a cringe. And if that doesn’t sum up 2019 fashion so far, nothing will. While an entire dissertation could be written on the
topsho p.com
No need for that slime green Kim K spandex dress just yet. Branching out accessories to include your neon can create a contrast that can add refinement
topshop.com
asos.com
al failings
st how much is fashion struggling?
online-only fashion retailer to be thriving, however they issued a shock profit warning just before Christmas. Shares are at an all-time low, and Neil Wilson, a markets. com analyst, told the Guardian: “If Asos is finding it tough out there, then just about every retailer has a problem.” With Brexit on the horizon, it will be interesting to monitor the uncertain nature of fashion retail. The fashion industry cannot simply take a halt, but surely its progression can waver?
If ASOS is finding it tough out there then just about every retailer has a problem
There are benefits to consuming less
Unsurprisingly, there are plenty of well-known benefits to consuming less. The Ellen MacArthur foundation estimates that the business of fashion creates 1.2 billion tonnes of greenhouse emissions every year: more than international flights and shipping put together. Therefore, fashion’s newfound struggle is only doing good things for our planet.
Here are some ways you can make a change: 1. Buy clothes made locally by ethical labels 2. Reduce your consumption by wearing vintage or shopping in charity shops 3. Extend your wardrobe’s lifespan by mending
way’s neon can be integrated wrong; there’s also that occasional outfit where nothing works better. Neon is predicated to be the standout trend of the festival season and honestly, nothing screams fierce fashion like a festival weekend. We can imagine you’ll be regretting many moments of the event, so what’s one bad piece of clothing? Wearing neon in small amounts is also a styling option
of considerable value, however, all out neon appeared to be a popular choice last summer. Neon swimwear has made a steady incline through the years and it’s probably the one incorporation that’s seems to be fully agreed upon to be a fabulous idea. Maybe a repeat of summer 2018 will leave you tanning in an ultra-neon orange bikini too? Other sectors of the fashion industry have seen the incorporation of the colours, for example sportswear. Safety first, means neon can actually seriously save you during late night work outs. Implementing gym wear into daily use is just a standard as a student and with the enlarging optimization of chic sportwear sporting neon, it’s hard to be mad about this partnership. According to a study, wearing bright colours can make you feel happier. Whilst the scientists behind that probably didn’t have the return of neon in mind, nevertheless the combination, albeit scary, can be implemented subtly and rather tastefully. No need for that slime green Kim K spandex dress just yet. Branching on accessories to include your neon can create a contrast that can add refinement rather than ridiculousness to your outfit; think black jeans, white t-shirts and a neon yellow crossbody bag. Your neon is your statement and can add interest to your ensemble. In a world where your clothes are only as desirable as they appear through the lens of your iPhone, coordinating your monocratic February wardrobe with a little eye-catching colour can a make you shine bright through that Instagram filter. Did you hear scrunchies are back? Nothing says 80’s like a neon pink scrunchie and while sporting your colour on your head isn’t for everyone, it’s definitely an option for those with the confidence to pull them off! While neon will never be my favourite trend, even I can admit that its ability to adapt with the changing market is
admirable. While the contagious quality of today’s fast fashion generation will never excuse the purchasing of a neon beanie or dropping over half a grand on sunshine yellow trainers (Balenciaga, quelle surprise!). Subtle inclusions and well executed additions can be the defining factor of a stylish look and maybe, just maybe, make neon bearable.
asos.com
Mother of Pearl Positive Fashion
Olivia Wallis shares the hottest tips on reducing our planetary impact and living sustainably
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he fashion industry is one of the foremost polluting industries in the world, significantly contributing to land degradation, as well as threatening air quality and water supplies. Scientifically proven studies have suggested that the industry itself is responsible for 10 per cent of the world’s carbon footprint, largely the result of mass manufacturing of fashion items in the contemporary world. Today, items cost next-to-nothing, so much so, that it has promoted garments as single-use, while fostering an unsustainable ‘throwaway culture’. Undoubtedly, consumer demands for cheap clothes and current fashion trends are sparking the development of this culture, leading to detrimental effects across all spheres of the earth. Constant consumer demands for particular fashion items places stress on retailers, forcing them to use unsustainable manufacturing practices. Historically clothing was made from ‘natural fibres’ such as cotton, wool and silk, which although are heavily water intensive, are more environmentally friendly due to their biodegradable nature. The recent adjustment to synthetic textile fibres such as polyester is widely used in production today. The fibre itself is made out of a combination of water, air, coal and petroleum, subsequently emitting carbon dioxide and other numerous impurities into the atmosphere. Pollution to the environment doesn’t stop there, as the fabric is non-biodegradable, meaning it can never decompose to its original state and instead leeches micro plastics into the ground, waterways and even oceans. In light of rising demands for new collections and the intertwined nature of this fast fashion period, it is without doubt that environmental damage is magnifying as the industry grows. However, there are solutions and alternative methods available to help mitigate these issues. The conscious fashion movement is slowly emerging, bringing to light the atrocities that are occurring as a result of over production. Largely this is due to the poor working conditions in developing countries such as Bangladesh, where environmental corners are being cut to keep up with production. One such company who is contributing significantly to combat this fast fashion trend is Mother Of Pearl, who is interested in revolutionising the way one
shops, focusing on the story of a products creation rather than the type of garment itself. Mother Of Pearl’s sustainability strategy is something that more companies should strive to achieve, ensuring that their fibre is organically grown and sourced, whilst giving consumers a more transparent insight into their current supply chain. One of their key attributes is that they trace their products from ‘Fabric to Final’, highlighting the great relationships that they have with everyone involved in the production process. As a company, they highlight how sustainable fashion choices are, and can be fashionable, all the while helping to reduce one’s individual carbon footprint. Their work is a perfect example of the ways through which companies can actively take corporate responsibility for their actions and engage with safer product manufacturing.
What can you do? You can take an active stance against mass production by limiting your personal consumption, easily done by thinking in terms of quality rather than
In light of rising demands for new collections (...) it is without doubt that environmental damage is magnifying
quantity. In many instances, buying higher quality and relatively more expensive items of clothing encourages the ways through which more socially responsible actions are being met, something that is of considerable importance today. If your interested in learning more about sustainable production then head to London Fashion Week on 16-17th February where an insightful discussion with BBC Earth, The British Fashion Council (BFC) and Mother Of Pearl present positive attitudes towards the production of sustainable clothing. Collectively, the speakers aim to share their knowledge about how unsustainable the industry is, highlighting how mindful consumer behaviour can make a difference and a noteworthy impact on combatting climate change.
What can the individual do? Take an active stance against mass production and think in terms of quality not quantity. I try to only buy items that are relatively more expensive. I get less for my money,but chances are the quality and production process is of a higher standard and will inevitably last longer. Instagram: @motherofpearl
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life & style travel
courier.travel@ncl.ac.uk Travel Editors Jenny Franken, Bianca Ionici, Amy Harris Online Editor Amanda Goh
the courier
Monday 18 February 2019
The most magical Jazzy Jordan place(s) on Earth
New Travel editor Amy Harris recommends the best attractions Jordan, an oft-overlooked travel destination, has to offer
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hen you hear of the country Jordan you probably don’t think of hot springs, a safe haven, world heritage sites, and friendly towns - you just think of its location in the Middle East. However, Jordan is an oasis with extraordinary food, magnificent attractions and the jewel of the country that is The Lost City of Petra. Jordan is located in the Middle East sandwiched between Syria, Israel, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Due to its setting Jordan isn’t one of the top 10 travel destinations for tourists to fly to. However, looking past its location there are so many magnificent wonders of Jordan to explore, you just have to look past the conflicts of its neighbouring countries. There is no danger in travelling to one of the new Seven Wonders of The World, the Lost City of Petra. The ancient Nabataean city with its pink sandstone tombs and temples carved into the cliffs has earned the nickname “Rose City” due to its beautiful pink sandstone architecture. Discover Petra and take in the magnificent towering edifices that surround you.
Jordan has been nicknamed the Middle East's "oasis of calm" due to the peace and tranquility the country offers
Other than the beautiful Nabataean City, Jordan also has a lot of other places to offer, especially for history enthusiasts. In Jerash, north of Petra, there are Roman ruins to discover. With theatres, colonnades, triumphal arches, squares, hippodromes, an enormous Graeco-Roman settlement and mosaics illustrating the lives of Jordanians you’ll get lost in the history of this beautiful country. Then when you’ve taken in all the history of Jordan’s past you can explore the desert landscapes that surround the stunning country. Visit the canyons flowing with mineral-rich water, smell the seasonal flowers covering the arid hills, take in the towering palm trees then take a ride through Wadi Rum at sunset to see the colours of the desert shift as the sun goes down. Jordan is known for its history of hospitality to visitors, so you’ll get a warm welcome from the locals. While taking in the sites make sure to also try some Jordan delicacies and eat like the locals. If you consider yourself a foodie, then head to Amman. After seeing all the historical sites and the “Rose City”, relax by taking some food-fuelled days off. There are endless amounts of exotic spices and colours to take in when you explore downtown Amman. A famous delicacy to try is Mensaf, a traditional dish of
yoghurt and lamb served with rice, a very popular dish amongst Jordanians. After eating all the gems that make up Jordan’s food culture, explore some more and visit the Citadel, climbing to the highest hill to see the extraordinary views of the charming Amman. There are so many more places to discover around Jordan, but The Dead Sea and Shaumari Wildlife Reserve should be at the top of your agenda. With some of the rarest species in the Middle East you’ll get the opportunity to see ostrich, wolf, jackal, gazelle, hyena and the endangered Arabian Oryx, experiencing the great work the reserve is doing to look after them. Next are the hot springs. Take a dip into mineral-rich waters reaching temperatures of 63 degrees Celsius at 264 metres below the sea level. Escape from the hectic days travelling and take a long-deserved break in the hot springs. Jordan has been nicknamed the Middle East’s “oasis of calm” due to the peace and tranquillity the country offers. Surrounded by much conflict, Jordan is a peaceful safe haven, with beautiful sites full of history, friendly locals, endless delicacies to enjoy and beautiful views that can take your breath away.
Unsplash @jcrod
Holly Mawdsley recounts the harrowing experience she and a friend lived while travelling overnight from Hungary to Italy
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isney Parks: every child’s dream destination. What is there not to love? The fantasy land of dreams, where Mickey and Minnie live a life of eternal love, where Princesses live waiting for their Prince Charming to whisk them away, and where you can dine with Winnie the Pooh! The Disneyland parks have amazing restaurants, live shows, castles, fireworks, rides, and more. But which is the best Disney Park? Each one is magical in its own way, and whichever one you choose will be a magical time. Here are some of the well known Parks and why they are so special.
First up is Magic Kingdom Park in Orlando, Florida. This is probably the most well known park, with the highlight being Cinderella’s Castle
First up is Magic Kingdom Park in Orlando, Florida. This is probably the most well known park, with the highlight being Cinderella’s Castle. When the fireworks are set off at night, it fills you with such a warm feeling, being surrounded by children and families who are all enthralled at the magic of the castle and of Cinderella herself. But this is not all that there is to look forward to in this park, with the meet and greet many Disney characters consistently catching the attention of many children. It is possible to meet Minnie and Mickey, Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, Ariel, Buzz Lightyear, to name but a few, and they are all in their special settings. You can meet Alice in Wonderland at the Mad Tea Party, Peter Pan in Fantasyland and Rapunzel in the Princess Fairy Tale Hall. The opportunities are endless, and to capture these it is
A ride on the night train: a Budapest horror story wish I could say that the story I am about to tell is about overpriced tickets or the overly common occurrence of delayed trains, but I cannot. This story is instead the horror of my experience on a night train when I was travelling from Budapest to Venice. Being cheap student travellers, we didn’t pay extra for reserved seats on the train. This was our first mistake. Each vestibule was crammed, spilling human litter out on to the corridor. We joined the sweaty passage of flesh and were stuck to the floor, until a stranger with an Eastern European accent told us he had found some seats at the other end of the train, and told us to follow him. This was our second mistake. As we walked through the corridors they began to empty until they were deserted and consumed by the blackness of the night. He showed us into an empty vestibule and sat with us. He began nonsensically talking like madness possessed him. He noticed how I was beginning to get tired, so he tickled my feet and threw a bottle of water at my face. It was 3 am. I
Sophie Wilson takes us on a tour of her favourite Disney parks located in Florida and Paris and their most magical features
asked him to leave so I could sleep and he reluctantly left, his eyes filled with tears. My sleep was broken, as I was conscious he was stalking our vestibule and did not leave our corridor. We were not far from our stop so we left our seats and moved to the exit. I felt a presence behind me. I turned around and there was the stranger, shoeless and licking his lips. I was so scared I began to sob. He grabbed me by the arms and told me he loved me and gave me a picture of a little girl drawn in biro. I desperately looked around for another person, but there was no one awake in the travelling prison. He started reaching into his pockets and pulled something out and thrust it towards my neck. I looked down, but there was no weapon, it was a bar of soap. He laughed, and reached again, this time pulling out a cigarette, and lighting it. The smoke irritated my eyes. The train stopped at our station, and we finally escaped the jaw of the doors. The stranger followed us off and I turned around and looked at him. He said, “Don’t worry I am only a little boy”.
You can meet Alice in Wonderland at the Mad Tea Party, Peter Pan in Fantasyland and Rapunzel in the Princess Fairy Tale Hall. The opportunities are endless
possible to buy a signature book for these characters to sign. But Magic Kingdom is not just about the characters, there is much more to it, with its rides also being a huge attraction, the biggest of them all being “Space Mountain”. This ride plunges everyone into darkness, and proceeds to take 180 degree sharp turns, taking you to the outer reaches of space: very fun for the thrill seeker travellers. The Disney Parks of Orlando are numerous, and as well as the most famous Magic Kingdom, there is also Animal Kingdom. The highlight of this park evidently is seeing the vast array of animals on offer, including many which are labelled as vulnerable species, like
the African Elephant. There is a lot of choice including African birds, flamingos, gibbons, giraffes, tigers and zebras. But my favourite part of this park were the shows that were put on, including Finding Nemo (The Musical), where the acting and singing is amazing. Immediately, they plunge you into that happy holiday mood that every Disneyland Park aims to do. Orlando is the home to many parks, but Disneyland Paris is also a very unique experience. The main attraction of this park is Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, which has been recognised by critics as one of the most beautiful Disneyland castles ever built. Sometimes, the idea of going to Paris Disneyland instead of the Orlando Disney World seems like an underwhelming experience. But this is certainly not the case, with there being so much to enjoy in Paris. Its rides are not to be missed, with “It’s a Small World” being a ride for the whole family. It consists of sitting in a boat and being taken around miniature versions of different countries, sailing through the water, a family friendly ride but one which everyone will enjoy. Being a traveller that has been to both America’s and Paris’ parks, I can safely say that whichever park you go to, the magic of Disney will hit you. It is the children’s fascination at where they are, and the constant happy atmosphere of the place that is so enthralling. The rides allow you to constantly be busy, and the food is amazing to try. There are also Disney parks in California, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai, and if Paris and Florida are anything to go by, then visiting all the parks will create special memories to be treasured forever.
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travel life & style
Monday 18 February 2019
Volunteering with children in Bosnia and beyond
Victoria Hudson-Grant passionately tells of her Bosnian volunteer experience with Svitac, a multiethnic youth arts NGO
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hree brilliant shocks of white tore through the darkness of the night sky as we followed the winding road from Tuzla to Brčko. I had never seen a storm like it, hot flashes of light continued to illuminate the deep purple sky around the mountain peaks, which we snaked around and around until the sky turned black.
Whilst the town itself may be small, its reputation is not. In fact Brčko earned great notoreity in the wake of the bosnian war in 1995
My destination was Brčko, a town on the north-eastern border of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Whilst the town itself may be small, its reputation is not. In fact, Brčko earned great notoriety in the wake of the Bosnian war in 1995, whereby it was responsible for nearly derailing the entire peace agreement between the conflicting Balkan countries. For it actually sits on a tripoint of Bosnia, Serbia and Croatia, and became a geographical deadlock during the war; as all three antagonistic nationalities laid claim to it. It also held great strategic significance during the war, as it lies on the banks of the river Sava, which is an important trade route between all three countries. However, being the most multi-ethnic point in Bosnia, it then became a monumental task deciding who it should belong to; so much so it earnt the name of the ‘great Brčko question’. The result? A free city, a special multi-ethnic district with its own powers. One that belonged to everyone, but also no one. However, a great challenge now lies ahead; with one of the bloodiest wars of recent history now behind them, how can these three opposing nationalities live together? The next morning, the storm cleared, revealing
bright blue skies stretching for miles above Brčko, yet electricity still hung in the air as if this storm was not over just yet. I used this time to explore before I started my first day volunteering with the Firefly organisation; which was the real reason for my visit. I was staying in the Serb corner of Illička, a mile or so from the centre, with my host; a man called Milós. It was one straight road from Milós’ apartment into the centre of Brčko and, it was from this first walk that I truly understood the rich tapestry of this inter-ethnic town. Like a kaleidoscope flicking between views, each new side street offered a different eclectic mix of culture, with Bosnian mosques touching the sky with their towering minarets, to the gleaming golden domes of the white-washed Serbian orthodox churches and the gothic spires of the Croatian catholic churches. I would later find out that these spaces do not overlap, not even slightly, the fiercely enforced demarcations between each are upheld by every citizen of Brčko. As Milós said ‘they are watching all the time, every move is calculated, if you cross the line then that is your mistake…’. This tone jarred with me as I felt so relaxed and, apart from the nearby rumble of the oil factory, the sound of Brčko was a peaceful one. But I was an outsider, I could only recognise religious buildings, I could not read the aggressive graffiti and I certainly did not know when one territory stopped and another started. But, I did know that the people were the beating heart of Brčko and they knew every inch of this town… Milós worked as the international volunteer coordinator for Omladinska Organizacija Svitac, which in the local language means Firefly Youth Organization. Started by British Aid worker Ellie Maxwell in 1996, Svitacs uses creative arts to encourage reconciliation, as young people often feel disenfranchised and marginalized in this post-conflict community. Crucially, it is a culturally neutral zone, one where religion and nationality are left at the door and activities all focus on greater ideas of peace and solidarity. Paper doves hang on the end of sparkling thread, dancing in the wind at the window and peace signs decorate the walls. Children rush in hurriedly taking their favourite seats and chant together, ‘Good morning, everyone!’ in the local language.
Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian are virtually the same, coming down to a matter of accents, but here everyone speaks the local language. This is just a small flavour of how hard Svitacs works to create a neutral, safe environment, allowing children to make friends without politics getting in the way. Every day I learnt something new, whether through making an assault course with Tamara, crafting paper peace signs with Mia or listening to Bourja talk to me in a language I did not understand in the slightest.
This is just a small flavour of how hard Svitacs works to create a neutral, safe environment allowing children to make friends
Peace-building in a town ravaged by warfare may seem like an impossible task and some may question the effectiveness of arts and crafts, but when dealing with something as complex as the human spirit why would creativity not be a reasonable ally? The work Svitacs is doing is groundbreaking, even if there are no instant results. In the future there may be a moment where a Bosnian boy is being told that Serbs are not to be trusted, because they are enemies of the war, but a little voice in his head may shout back ‘but I can be friends with a Serb and we can play together…’ This is just a small snippet of my time with Svitacs, but I am writing this to encourage you to take a chance on a country currently defined by its past conflict and go out there and see for yourself. Svitacs welcomes international volunteers from all over the world, their zest for life and enthusiasm to learn as much as possible about other places will welcome you as an old friend and their culture will feed you as if every day was Christmas.
Tom Gardner
London calling: life in the capital It may sound like the ultimate cliche, but Yasmin Hailes is here to change your mind - London is truly one-of-a-kind
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ou may think it’s a cliché when I tell you my favourite place in England is London. This bustling, fast-paced, opportunity-filled haven has been characterised by negative impressions in recent years, but I’m here to convince you that it’s not all doom and gloom, and that the Big Smoke should definitely make its way onto your travel bucket list. As someone who grew up in the Lake District, my town is full of your typical country bumpkins. At home the closest airport is over two hours away, shops close early, and smog is just a four letter word. City life is a whirlwind, and London never sleeps. You’ll never be short for something to do, something to see, or somewhere to go. Palaces, pubs, and photo opportunities on every corner, London mixes the old with the new, and the rugged with the classic. You’ll find greenery in a land of concrete, and a paradise away from the Caribbean. Hyde Park is always a p e r-
Unsplash @thkelley
sonal highlight. Minutes from the high-street, it’s perfect for a spot of sunbathing (in the summer of course), or a walk to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. The park also comes to life during times of national enthusiasm; the World Cup, Wimbledon, the Olympics, royal weddings, it’s a hub for excitement where you can celebrate with strangers. Not to mention the annual British Sum-
Palaces, pubs, and photo opportunities on every corner, London mixes the old with the new, and the rugged with the classic you'll find greenery in a land of concrete
mer Time 10-day extravaganza; street food, world-class entertainment, and drinking Pimm’s by the jug. In the past few years I’ve visited a handful of times, and my London bucket list still remains as long as ever. My top 3 must-sees would be: Notting Hill, its abundance of brightly-coloured houses and vintage-looking cars will most certainly make their way onto your Instagram; Cahoots, a bar situated in a 1940s Tube carriage, a truly unique night out that lets you experience the spirit and glee of a post-war Britain; and a peep around Buckingham Palace, for a snoop into the Queen’s pad (whilst she’s on her hols) - you can only do this for two months in the year, so exclusive! Although I’ll always be a country girl at heart, London is a place that sparks the belief that anything is possible and that opportunities are endless. Yasmin Hailes
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feature
Monday 18 February 2019
Feature Editor Ally Wilson
The Lonsdale
Rebecca Johnson is on to a winner with one of the most popular quizzes in West Jes
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h the pub quiz. The perfect opportunity to have a few pints justified through the purposes of trivia. A group of history students armed with a concerning amount of history knowledge and a lot of pints took the challenge of the Sunday quiz at the Lonsdale in West Jesmond. The set up is as follows: 50p entry for a quiz consisting of five rounds with ten questions per round, and after each round the answer sheet is swapped, marked and returned. The themes of the rounds vary each week, but three remain the same: general knowledge, picture and “connections”. There are prizes at the end of every round up for grabs, bar the final round. Cash prizes are awarded to the winning team, second-placed team and second-last team. Additionally, one of the best things about the quiz was the threat of disqualification if mobile phones were seen out. ROUND ONE: General knowledge, the staple
round in any pub quiz. There was a good mixture of topics, including sport, film and geography. The peak of this round has to be wondering what my worth is when I know instantly that Jim Henson created the Muppets. ROUND TWO: Food and drink, a slightly unusual but nonetheless intriguing theme. The difficulty in this round ranged immensely, from what is the key ingredient in a mojito to what food is named after a French victory under Napoleon Bonaparte, and was also the name of his horse. I’m not embarrassed to say that six historians couldn’t work the latter out. ROUND THREE: Picture round and loo break. This week’s theme for the picture round was scenes from Disney films, and not easy Disney films either, there was some obscure stuff on there. However, this isn’t too much of a
problem if you’ve got a Disney fanatic on your team, someone whose on par with that Disney obsessed woman on Come Fly With Me. ROUND FOUR: Things beginning with the letter “G”. A bit of a strange one. Essentially just another general knowledge round, but handy that the answer was always going to begin with “G”. Questions included what is the real name of the Green Lantern and what is the largest frog in the world. ROUND FIVE: Connections. A mysterious and rogue round, but a really neat concept. Nine questions are linked by one theme and the answer to question ten is what connects all these answers. A really fun and unique round, with the theme this week being books from the Bible. Overall, a really decent quiz with a varied amount of topics to suit a range of knowledge. On a side-note our team (Trivia Newton John) got 37/50, pretty impressive given how clueless we were at times. The Lonsdale pub quiz is at 9pm every Sunday. Entry fee: 50p per person.
9/10
Luther’s Bar at NUSU
Charlotte Paige Boutlon is pleasantly surprised by NUSU’s quiz offering
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ou’d be forgiven for thinking the Luther’s pub quiz sounds like a desperate attempt for NUSU to get people into the bar on a Tuesday evening, as I expected a lacklustre quiz format with plenty of advertisements for quizzers to get the drinks in. Turns out, our very own students’ union’s pub quiz is actually really fun. The #ThisIsNotConsent campaign had teamed up with Luther’s for this pub quiz, which is why I ventured down; at first, I fully expected it to just be me and my friends from the campaign. However, the quiz soon filled up – partly thanks to some sort of exchange student meet-up. They even ran out of quiz sheets, something the quiz host, Emil Franchi, assured us was a rarity. The quiz began with a picture round of various singers, with a mysterious connection (they’d all played the Superbowl, it turned out). Pretty standard fare for a pub quiz, and luckily I had teammates who flew through it. The quiz continued fairly normally for the ‘music, TV and books’ round, before Emil introduced the general knowledge and general nonsense round. Teams are encouraged to answer the questions either seriously if they knew the answer, or to add in a joke answer which would gain points if Emil laughed. This was a fun departure from the usual pressure of pub quizzes to get everything spot-on, and some of the joke answers were undoubtedly better than the actual answers. After this, a ‘listomania’ round ensued; quizzers had 30 seconds to write down as many Chinese zodiac signs as they could, before running to hand in their answers. The winners won a variety of Chinese food items, fitting with the recent Chinese New Year celebrations, which was an amusing joke prize. Finally, there was a ‘guess who’ round where quizzers got more points if they guessed the answer with less clues.
Our queen Rihanna was the answer, which my teammate guessed right away…but we held on until we were sure, sacrificing some points and ending up somewhere in the middle of the results. The University Challenged quiz is surprisingly fun, and Emil’s confident and light-hearted hosting kept it interesting. If you’re ever on campus around 7pm on a Tuesday, give it a go! You could even win a £50 bar tab for Luther’s, enough for plenty of Diesels to go around…
The Hancoc
Sport-heavy and impossible to w about the Sunday night quiz at thi
I
think some people use a quiz as an excuse to drink, I however drink as an excuse to quiz. That is not to suggest that I am very good at quizzes, mostly they make me feel a bit stupid and very occasionally I feel incredibly smart and then generally let down because what I was certain was the answer was actually some sort of brain fart. The answer to all geography questions is neither Blue Whale nor the Sahara (though you would be forgiven for thinking so). I felt quite medium about this pub quiz. We love a quiz (who doesn’t) but this one was distinctly mediocre. The main issue was that every round had some sort of sport question, and these questions seemed to be very boxing heavy. I have no qualms with one or two boxing questions but more than that seemed a bit niche to say the least. My perception may have been a little skewed as I came straight form the library and I slightly hate the Hancock and think the drinks are overpriced. But for real. Fewer boxing questions please. On the plus side, either you didn’t have to pay to play or we managed to avoid it. Most of the team names were uninventive, but at least not super offensive as is sometimes the case. Attempts to be creative or witty when hungover and tired often fall short. One thing which contributed to the overall dullness of the quiz was the wildly convoluted procedure you had to go through in order to win. I know a pub never really wants to give you anything for free but I feel like they were really pushing
THE B
8/10
Luther’s pub quiz is every Tuesday at 8pm. Entry fee: £1 per person.
IN
NEWCAST
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feature
Monday 18 February 2019
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win, Helena Buchanan reveals all is student favourite near campus the illusion. The first prize consisted of a £20 bar tab and a gallon of Carling, which is a very decent prize, however in order to win you had a go seven rounds of higher or lower in order to get it. Seven goddam rounds. As if you hadn’t gone through enough with all the goddam boxing questions. It felt ridiculous and I can’t actually remember whether the people won or not, I think I had slightly lost the will to live. The Hancock pub quiz is at 8pm every Sunday. Entry fee: £2 per person.
4/10
The Blue Tyneside Cinema Bell Inn T
Want niche film trivia? Kelly South knows just the spot
Grace Dean was not happy with Sandyford’s hotspot
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had high hopes of the pub quiz at the Blue Bell. I have frequented many pub quizzes over the years, and was delighted to find one on offer at a pub just round the corner from me in Sandyford. However, I was disappointed. The quiz lasted about three hours, which is a very big time commitment. It really needn’t have lasted so long, but the question master saw it fit to have a ten minute drinks break at the end of every single round. Was this really necessary, or was this just to bring in more money at the bar? The quiz master tried a bit too hard to be funny which left us cringing, including dressing up as his DJ alter ego in the middle of the quiz. Why, you may ask? Well I have no bloody clue. To quote my dear boyfriend, it was a “pile of shit”. The Blue Bell Inn quiz is every Wednesday at 8:30pm. Entry fee: £2 per person
1/10
BEST
yneside Cinema is beloved by cinephiles of all ages, offering screenings of all the latest indie darlings and the opportunity to watch a diverse range of foreign gems on the big screen - but is its quiz a must-see? Naturally, the quiz is film themed, but it’s substantially more difficult than your average pub quiz. The entry is only £5 for a team, the prizes on offer are 5 cinema tickets, 5 drinks at the bar (a lucrative prize if you have a taste for expensive spirits, but not so exciting for anyone who is teetotal) and film posters. There are extra points on offer for the funniest team name, and for the winners of a creative challenge - this time round it was pitching the next Jason Statham film, the entries ultimately ranging from Article 50 jokes to hardcore porn with life-or-death stakes. The quizmaster quipped with us before the start, and succeeded in lulling all participants into a false sense of security with questions like “who starred in & directed the unexpected horror hit A Quiet Place” and “who portrayed Esther Hoffman in the 1976 version of A Star Is Born” (the character reimagined as Lady Gaga’s Ally in last year’s version). Go along with the awareness that the only sure-fire way to succeed is to have an encyclopaedic knowledge of niche nineties thrillers, classic pre-code science fiction cinema, and what’s currently dominating the box office. It’s a perfect test of geek credentials, if that’s what you’re looking for, and it’s a guaranteed inexpensive night out. The Young Tyneside card, available to any 19-24-year-old, provides discounts on the varied selection of soft drinks, spirits, and beers. Expect to come away having learned some obscure trivia and having promised your teammates that you’ll watch Blue Velvet at the earliest opportunity. It’s a night perfectly suited for students. The Tyneside Cinema Film Quiz is on every fourth Tuesday of the month. Entry fee: £5 per team
7/10
The Chillingham Arms Louise Hall had a heated run-in Heaton’s best known drinking spot
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TLE Image: Wikimedia Commons
o quite a while back me and some friends got together after recently moving into Heaton to go find out what our new local pub quiz had to say for itself. So as a team of 6 we sat ready to take on the Chillingham challenge. While from what I can remember the quiz itself was perfectly amicable, there was a rather ecentric quality to the host of the quiz that can’t be quite explained. The older gentleman holding the quiz was very verbal in his comments towards us throughout the evening, going so far as to call my friend a fool when she overzealously called a misplaced answer in the music round. Between rounds he kept chastising us for being on our phones, and while I understand the absolute sacred nature of the cheat free enviroment of the pub quiz, it couldn’t help but feel like an overly intense atmosphere was building. In the end we managed to come away from the quiz fully intact and with two cheap bottles of ‘cava’ and tickets to the comedy night happening the following evening (an admirable booby prize if there ever was one). And while the evening itself was fun, the added intensity the host brung to the table was just not quite as appealing to me as other quizzes I have attended. If you happen to be in the Heaton area and looking for a pub quiz I would reccomend it, but I would be aware of the eccentricity you’re getting yourself in for. The Chillingham Arms pub quiz is every Wednesday at 8:30pm. Entry fee: £2 per peron
2/10
Image: Instagram
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culture music What’s In A Name? Album edition Adele This song seems to combine only two elements: Adele’s haunting voice and a simple piano instrumental. It later develops into a concoction of some cello and violin, also choir and percussion. Even without it all those additions, it would still be an extremely powerful song. One of those that you can feel in your chest. The lyrics are quite simple, relatable, but for that reason, deeply moving. I remember when this song came out, out of nowhere, and how everybody was deeply moved by Adele’s performance. In my opinion, she showed her best vocal skills to date on this one. Because of that it is the best song out this selection.
Beyoncé Instead of the gradual change, Beyoncé opens up with the full power of her voice and the instrumental all at once. The sound is reminiscent of the Sasha Fierce age. Despite being over 10 years old, it didn’t age much at all. The choir works much better in this one. Beyoncé, as usual, uses it in a way that invites listeners to sing along. However beautiful, it doesn’t have the same tear-jerking properties of Adele’s version. Maybe that’s why it hasn’t gained the same iconic status as hers or even as other songs from that album.
Lionel Richie This one again uses quite classical instrumental as a base: piano, acoustic guitar, violin, even a bit of flute and trumpet. Richie combines it with very 80’s synthesizer, which make it sound a bit outdated and cheesy. However, it gets points for being the most musically ambitious and diverse. The lyrics, on the other hand, are on the same level as Adele’s: simple, powerful and worthy of shedding a tear. The vocal performance is not as impressive as the other ones, therefore he doesn’t sell his emotional dread as well as the others.
Eminem Eminem’s song does, of course, stand out the most from this selection. However, when unpacked, it also has quite simple guitar line and percussion as the base. It doesn’t sound as beautiful and romantic as the others and the lyrics don’t try either. The man is not addressing the woman in a respectful and gentle manner at all. Some interpret it as a reminder to his audience about what person Eminem used to be. However, for me it doesn’t stand out from other rap songs from that time at all - there is nothing innovative about it. The case might be, that it works better as a part of the larger narrative of the album. Jagoda Waszowiak
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c2.music@ncl.ac.uk Music Editors Charlotte Boulton, Rory Ellis, Max Hobbs Online Editor Dominic Lee
Monday 18 February 2019
The Grammys 2019: winners, losers, and a few controversies
As the Grammy music awards conclude for another year, we give our impressions on an evening full of successes as well as missed oppertunities, with prior speculation and post-evening thoughts from your editors
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Dominic Lee
he 61st Grammy Awards being held on Sunday the 10th February at the Staples Center in LA are set to be the worst in recent memory. This year’s crop of nominees for Album of the Year in particular are a disappointing mix of unimaginative pop and hip hop, which contribute very little in terms of individuality to the world of modern music. The current tips to win the award include Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy and Post Malone’s Beerbongs and Bentleys. However, albums such as Shame’s Songs of Praise - one of the best punk albums in recent memory- Kids See Ghosts and many more were arguably more unique projects. Similar lacklustre efforts can be found in the Song of the Year category with the only real standout performances being Childish Gambino’s ‘This is America’ - containing a prevalent message for modern American society - and Drake’s ‘God’s Plan’ which was possibly the biggest hit of 2018. However, this rather drab selection of nominees is not just characteristic of music’s most prestigious award ceremony. It is an indicator of an industry which celebrates popularity and values sales over artistic merit. Fortunately, there are some interesting picks in some of the other categories. Best new artist in particular includes exciting nominees such as Jorja Smith, who played Newcastle in October and Greta Van Fleet who play the O2 Academy on March 5th. Greta also feature in the nominees for best rock performance, with their track ‘Highway Tune’ competing against ‘Four Out of Five’ by the Arctic Monkeys and ‘When Bad Does Good’ - the posthumous single from Chris Cornell. Best Alternative Album also includes the Arctic Monkeys Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino alongside efforts from David Byrne and St Vincent. This is also a solid and varied category, yet the same cannot be said for best rock song and best rock album. Though Greta feature in both, their contemporaries are less impressive, including Bring Me The Horizon- who may have released the worst album of 2019 so far- and one hit wonders Weezer. The Grammys - and other music awards ceremonies in general - serve the industry rather than the artform itself. While there are some outstanding nominees in a number of categories, the vast majority will be won by the same artists. Award ceremonies such as the Grammys then are a celebration of by-the-numbers music by largely by-thenumbers artists and have little real merit in rewarding the best of the year’s music.
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Rory Ellis
o the Grammys were intense. And while they’re dramatic most years, this year it was particularly hard to pinpoint a moment that wasn’t spectacular for whatever reason. The show supposedly cost more this year and it’s easy to see why. The acts were amazing – Camilla Cabello opened with ‘Havana’, set to the backdrop of an electrified West Side Story. Similarly Gaga performed ‘Shallow’ in a scary yet entertaining way. Dolly also made an appearance, singing a medley of her songs with a variety of different artists along the way: Miley Cyrus and Kacey
Musgraves to name a few, though no one managed to outshine her. There was also very sexually charged rendition of respect from Dua Lipa and St. Vincent, a performance which I’m still struggling to fully comprehend. And despite all this, it seemed that Janelle Monae was the standout performance of the night, if Lady Gaga’s enthusiastic dancing at the side lines was anything to go on. Also props to Brandi Carlile for singing a stripped back and personal rendition of her song ‘The Joke’, standing out amidst the busy performances of the night.
61
Number of years the Grammy Awards have been happening annually.
There was of course the usual controversy. Cardi B was the first woman to win the award for Rap album of the year with her album Invasion of Privacy and ended up with a whole lot of naysayers who claimed she didn’t deserve the award. In fact, there were many female artists winning at the Grammys such as Kacey Musgraves who dominated the Americana categories. There was also Drake who, despite having historically criticised the establishment and the award system for its supposed biases, turned up to get the award and then critisised the award before having his speech cut off most the way through. Lady Gaga gave a tearful and positive speech about mental health after receiving the award for best Pop Duet for ‘Shallow’. Alicia
Keys’ hosting was energetic and impressive, not least because of her guest hosts which included Michelle Obama - she couldn’t even get her first word out without the Crowd screaming over her. All in all, it’s been a good year for women at the Grammys, and we saw a good deal of diversity with the rise of Latin culture demonstrated in performances from Ricky Martin and J Balvin. That said, the show was not without its issues, Drake’s clipped speech demonstrates the Grammy’s continuing issue with rap and J-Lo’s involvement in the tribute to Motown was a problematic move. And yet Diana Ross told the crowd to ‘put [their] hands back in the air. Don’t be Lazy’ so maybe some things just stay the same.
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Max Hobbs
t’s easy to be cynical about the Grammy Awards; like a lot of similar awards shows, they don’t typically represent the best that their industry has to offer, instead opting for tried-and-tested acts that haven’t done anything interesting in decades. The whole evening usually comes across as the music industry indulging in masturbatory self-praise for its own achievements. Unfortunately, this year was basically more of the same in that sense, and so it’s hardly surprising that viewing figures, although up from last year, were some of the lowest they’ve ever been. That’s not to say that it was all bad, of course. There were exciting collaborations between St Vincent and Dua Lipa as well as Post Malone and The Red Hot Chili Peppers. Award winners were also less disappointing than they perhaps could have been, with Casey Musgraves taking Album of the Year as well as Country Album of the Year. There were also some much-deserved wins in rock and pop, with Chris Cornell taking Best Rock Performance and Ariana Grande winning for Pop Vocal Album. The fun stops there though I’m afraid. Sirens went off when Greta Van Fleet, perhaps the least original band of the decade, took Best Rock Album in an already terrible list of nominations. Never mind that GVF sometimes sound more like Led Zeppelin than Led Zeppelin do, some of the others in the category barely even fit the label of rock music. Beck then took Best Alternative Album for what might have been his worst album ever in place of Arctic Monkeys, Bjork and St Vincent. The evening was then graced by everyone’s favourite musician, Michelle Obama, in an effort to promote her new book. Lonely people on Twitter then got upset that Jennifer Lopez led a Motown Records celebration performance, on account of her being too white. It was all very exciting. The night did pick up a little bit when Drake began slating the Grammys and the fact that they are run by washed-up old people who probably don’t even like music. This continued until his microphone was cut and the show promptly scooted to an ad break. In all, the Grammys were a pretty average level of bad. The acts were boring, the drama was boring, and adventurous music fell by the wayside. It could have been worse, but that’s a low bar if you ask me.
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Image: Instagram: @recordingacademy
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Monday 18 February 2019
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Ariana Grande thank u, next
reasons that include cultural appropriation and queerbaiting. However, this hasn’t stopped the latest release being considered a success by mainstream audiences. The first track ‘Imagine’ has a slower beat which is slightly reminiscent of her previous tune ‘Dangerous riana Grande’s latest album thank, u next, is Woman’. The slower pace sets the tone for the album, arguably her most anticipated creation to date. with Ariana belting out the title of the song ‘Imagine’ like With Grande’s music videos surpassing 100 it is the prerequisite to a broadway production, acting as a million views, the thank u, next, period seems like her kind of homage to Ariana’s theatrical background. most important era, with changes in sound, aesthet‘Needy’ provides a more soulful approach to the subject ics and vision. This change in vibe hasn’t been smooth of romance and relationships. The track’s lyrics elude to sailing for Ariana, the former Nickelodeon star, who Grande’s own self-evaluation of her past relationships has been questioned by fans and critics alike for several with lines such as “I’m obsessive and love too hard”; it makes you wonder which one of her famous partners she could be discussing. The following track ‘NASA’ allows a much needed emotional break for the listener. ‘NASA’ is about needing space from your S.O. and can definitely be considered a self-love banger, with the takeaway message being about avoiding being “dragged under” by an intense relationship and pursuing “self-discovery”: something that is on brand for Grande these days. A significantly more upbeat track, ‘bloodline’ emphasises the overall message of self-empowerment and self-love running through the album. The reggae styled trumpet influence differentiates this tune from the Images: Instagram @liamhemsworth; Twitter @gerardbutler; Wikipedia
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other, lower key, computerised sounds that plagued the album and became overly repetitive. One of the most talked about tracks for positive and negative reasons, ‘7 Rings’ has certainly created some of the biggest waves. On the track, which mirrors the Sound Of Music’s ‘My Favourite Things’, Grande argues a message of self-empowerment. However, lyrics which glamourise the glory of having a lot of wealth and being able to buy everything you want miss the message of true female empowerment. Notably, a lot of the fallout has been down to the song’s use of Japanese symbols in the video, with some claiming that the song is ignorant to their meaning to Japanese culture.
‘bloodline’ emphasises the overall message of self-empowerment and self-love running through the album
The following track ‘thank, u next’ needs no introduction and can still be considered the stand-out tune on the entire album. This is certainly one to listen to with your friends before a night out as a gentle reminder to say be grateful for the past. The most recent controversial tune comes in the form of ‘break up with your girlfriend, I’m bored’, while the song seems relatively unremarkable and on a similar level to the other tracks on the album, Twitter users have been questioning the release of the video, with many citing it as ‘queer-baiting’ as opposed to another song to promote a message of self-love, as it depicts Grande stealing a boyfriend from a girl who looks remarkably like the singer. Sian Dickie
21 Savage detained by ICE
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apper 21 Savage was last week detained by ICE, who claim the rapper arrived in America in 2005 and failed to leave when his Visa expired a year later. ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) arrested the rapper (real name Shayaa Bin Abraham-Joseph) while he was in a vehicle in Atlanta, Georgia. It was commonly believed that Savage was an Atlanta native, with Savage himself claiming several times to be from the Atlanta area. However, after his birth certificate was sourced by Reuters it was confirmed that the artist was actually born in Newham, East London - meaning Savage was a neighbour of Danny Dyer and Idris Elba, who are also Newham natives, not that we’ll be seeing ‘21 Savage’s Toughest Prison’s’ or a Luther cameo soon. Yet, very little other than this fact is actually known about Savage’s background with some questioning where his British accent has gone and whether his American accent is a façade.
21 Savage’s original Visa US expired in 2006, but he may be able to remain
Savage claims that he applied for a Visa in 2017 when he realised it was a legal requirement and that his original Visa ran out in 2006 through no fault of his own. However, Savage’s lawyers claim that he is likely to be able to stay in the US due to his close ties to the country, having 3 children who are US citizens and a mother with lawful permanent residence. One theory that surrounds 21’s arrest is that his recent comments about immigration in a recent song may have provoked ICE to detain him. This seems a far-fetched claim, but Savage has been arrested once before and his citizenship wasn’t flagged up so this claim does seem to have some weight to it. Nonetheless, should 21 return to the UK, could we see a homecoming tour of UK cities? Or possibly the pubs of East London? No one knows for sure what the situation may hold, but new developments are likely to come to fruition by the end of the week, with much speculation surrounding his apprehension. Dominic Lee
Images: Wikimedia Commons and Pixabay
AJ Tracey AJ Tracey
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n a week when 21 Savage’s UK heritage was revealed, Anglo-American hip hop relations have naturally been put under the microscope. The resulting onslaught of memes has highlighted the fact that the UK scene - which used to define itself, almost dogmatically, in opposition to its counterpart in the states - now resembles its American cousin more closely than ever. This is not necessarily to the UK’s detriment, as is generally perceived; the relationship is often reciprocal. Recent years have seen Method Man adopt the Ocean Wisdom flow on Wiz’s track ‘Ting Dun’, A$AP Rocky and Skepta’s exhibit their symbiosis on ‘Praise Da Lord’ and DJ Premier lend his fabled production talents to The Four Owls on ‘Think Twice’ – all are prototypes for mutually beneficial transatlantic collaboration. So often however, UK artists seem to parrot American motifs in a lazy, albeit successful, attempt to emulate their commercial success. To them, it probably feels a bit like being stuck behind a slow-moving tractor: British MC’s are unable to move past the chart-dominating juggernaut that is US hip hop so are forced to meet its speed. On his eponymous debut however, AJ Tracey shows this adoption of a similar stylistic approach doesn’t necessitate the same cringe-fuelled reaction induced by many of his contemporaries, even if lyrically he sometimes runs the risk of being labelled one-dimensional.
Tracy has taken a Chunk Metro Boomin production, covered it in glue and punted it through suburban London
For the most part, his self-titled debut album sounds as though Tracey has taken a chunk of Metro Boomin production, covered it in glue and punted it through suburban London; references to N’golo Kante, Nigel Farage and the Shard are met with rolling hi-hats, melodic bass and Migos-style adlibs. The result is the core of an album which is heavily Americanised but ostensibly British enough that people will still call it ‘grime’, even if in reality it’s more Waka Flocka than Wiley. Interspersed between these polished and relatively formulaic sections however are genre switch-ups which breathe new life into the album, accommodating AJ’s more melodic vocal performances on the bluesy ‘Country Star’ and dancehall inspired ‘Butterflies’. This apparent sensitivity is tonal in nature only, though. Bragadaccio and hedonism are ever-presents throughout the album’s 15 tracks, extending to the cover art itself which shows Tracey with a baby goat in his lap, an expression somewhere between disinterest and imperiousness written across his face – the symbolism is blatant. There are moments when this unrelenting pomposity can be grating, but for the most part AJ gets away with it, his unapologetic demeanour is curiously endearing. The ironically titled ‘Wifey Riddim 3’ is the best example of this, the West London MC playfully chanting “my girl you can’t be, but I wanna see you up and out of them jeans, yeah” over compressed snares and infectious tropical xylophone keys. ‘Ladbrook Grove’, an homage to the area where Tracey spent his youth, is bonified UK garage. Produced by Conducta and featuring a pitched up Jorja Smith sample, the track provides a rare opportunity for gunfingers in an album which is driven predominantly by its mellower cuts. It’s clear AJ Tracey is revelling in his role as the newest commercially viable face of UK hip hop. This sprawling marriage of drill, dancehall and trap can sometimes feel contrived, but the ambitiousness should be lauded. Overall, AJ is a relatively convincing evangelist for hip hop transatlanticism. Adam Williams
Image: Youtube
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culture TV
Netflix: Pick ‘n’ Mix Jacob Clarke watches The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
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Amy Brown explores the reasons behind the current popularity of true crime documentaries
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he Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt ran for four seasons from 2015 until 2019, following the adventures of a young woman who was recently released from fifteen years of kidnap in an underground bunker by a delusional reverend, intent on convincing his victims that the world outside had become an apocalyptic dystopia. Despite the dark and twisted set up for this series, this Netflix original sitcom is actually incredibly bright and vibrant and relatively inoffensive or black in its humour, following a similar style to the ever popular The Good Place.
Image: YouTube
Image: YouTube The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt produces most of the show’s truly funny moments from it’s larger than life characters. There is the titular character, Kimmy, who offers a naïve and optimistic outlook on life, often seeing the best in people even when they are obviously out to fulfil their own selfish ends. Despite her years of abuse at the hands of the preacher, she was never broken by her circumstances. Despite her lack of academic abilities and knowledge of how the real world works (she still believes in Santa Claus at the age of twenty-nine) she is a character that always manages to make the audience smile. Supporting characters include the ridiculous thirty year old aspiring actor, Titus Andromedon, a gay man who has spent his life lacking wealth under the assumption that he will one day make it in New York as an incredible actor or musical talent of some kind. Despite some the humour around Titus being seemingly random and ridiculous, it’s Titus’ facial reactions to the increasingly odd events in his life that really add to the humour of the show and makes actor Tituss Burgess a real credit to the cast.
Kimmy Schmidt marks yet another win for Netflix's prowess in comedy Another asset to the cast is Lillian, Kimmy and Titus’ criminal landlord who assures them they are renting a real apartment rather than a converted tugboat, with icing used for wallpaper paste. Lilian embodies the humour around the old, caring New Yorker who loves the city but prefers it to be kept in an imperfect but authentic state rather than being shaped by hipsters and gentrification. Her endeavours to stop this growing technological progress taking over New York almost always fail, with Lillian once chaining herself to a construction vehicle for a week to then realise that they weren’t starting work for another month. Despite the context for some of the episodes being quite generic and mundane, it’s the combination of these three main characters who really make the show worth watching. Despite its flaws, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt marks yet another win for Netflix’s prowess in original sitcoms. Here’s to hoping there’s more shows like this to come.
Monday 18 February 2019
Obsession with the awful: Our true crime addiction
Image: CMetalCore (Wikimedia)
/thecouriertv @Courier_TV
the courier
c2.tv@ncl.ac.uk TV Editors: Jacob Clarke, Tom Cooney, Chloe Mullins Online Editor: Dominic Lee
he true crime genre has been widely popularised in recent years with sites like Netflix producing high quality documentaries, making it more accessible than ever, but by no means new. True crime has been exposed to us forever. It’s on the news, it’s in the papers. We see it everyday. Watching true crime is something many people feel guilty about enjoying but the growing obsession with the genre means viewers are now more open about it. The topic of discussion is: why do we watch them? Why are we drawn in by real-life murder cases and getting to know serial killers? Is this fixation normal? The answers to these questions are multifaceted, but the easiest explanation is the adrenaline factor. It’s seeing something real, not a fictional horror flick. These crimes actually happened in real life and that’s the scariest part. There is something to be said about people who get scared at fictional horror and not at true crime. Perhaps viewers feel like they have control over true crime; they become detectives from the safety of their sofas. Viewers often delve into extreme cases of crime committed by the likes of Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy and so on. These stories have become notorious. But a morbid curiosity is normal and true crime documentaries can be addictive once you start watching. You need to know what happened, who did it, if justice was served. It’s a level of interest in the human psyche that everyone has. There is a need to understand the perpetrator and their reasoning for doing what they did. What
happened to them to make this horror a reality? Or rather, what didn’t happen to them? These criminals are sometimes seemingly people like you and I and you come to understand human nature on a different level once you know the lack of limitations to our capabilities. Average viewership for the first 19.3m season of Making a Murderer
People keep watching it because it is a chance for us to explore this side of human nature without being too close to it, delving into the darker side of life without the threat of danger, since we’re just watching it on TV. Serial killers and criminals are capable of things beyond our imagination and many viewers find this fascinating. The increasing interest in this genre may also be because we get to know ourselves better too. We begin to understand our own nature. Some documentaries and podcasts even move away from serial killers and focus on one-time killers, showing us how one moment of anger can lead to murder, no matter who you are or what you have experienced. As with anything, there will be people out there without this interest in true crime. But for the majority, we are addicted to the adrenaline and have a desire to understand why these horrific crimes were committed. The Ted Bundy Tapes on Netflix has been a recent topic of discussion, and will be followed by the upcoming film about Bundy titled Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, set for release later this year.
Are we falling for Gemma Collins? What's new for the Sophie Hicks investigates the on-ice antics of a national hero
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f you weren’t already aware, Gemma Collins, the meme queen herself, is a contestant on the new series of Dancing on Ice. She has received a lot of criticism because of drama and her generally conflicting personality. A video of her falling on the ice went viral, but was it faked as a publicity stunt? After all, she has had previous high-profile accidents such as falling through the stage at the BBC Teen Awards, so is it a stunt or is she just extremely clumsy? One theory is that she bent forwards before she fell, implying that she was edging herself forward so that she could fall. However, others argue that leaning forward was an attempt to stop herself from falling down as she was losing balance, but fell anyway. Arg (her boyfriend and TOWIE co-star) did an interview on Loose Women and claims that she wouldn’t risk such a serious injury for a publicity stunt, especially when she has already fallen publicity and is surrounded by controversy. Despite her fall she stayed in the show due to popular public vote, but has used her fall as a crutch for when she hasn’t p e r formed well to evoke
sympathy. Did she fall so people would feel bad for her and not vote her off the show? If she’s entertaining, is that better for ratings? I doubt they allowed Gemma Collins to be on the show because she’s a graceful athlete. Honestly, I don’t think the fall was fake. If it was set up, they wouldn’t have staged it towards the end of the routine, and it would have been more of an event. More camera-time would have been on it, rather than Gemma Collins quickly getting up and continuing. I think Gemma handled it well, and if it was staged it would have been more dramatic. Honestly, Gemma Collins probably isn’t strategic enough to decide to fall, or stage one and look realistic. Also, falling on ice c a n cause really serious injuries and I don’t think Gemma Collins would want to put herself through those risks - she could have broken bones or badly hurt her face which would have caused her to cancel other gigs so that she could recover. Honestly, the fall was over-emphasised in the media and I think people wouldn’t have cared as much if it wasn’t Gemma Collins, or if she didn’t have a history of falling.
Image: YouTube
future of You?
Grace Dean predicts what is in store for season two of You
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hile many fans have been left delighted by Netflix’s announcement of the renewal of their original series You, this news should ultimately come as no surprise. After all, the conclusion of series one shocked viewers with the appearance of protagonist Joe’s ex-girlfriend Candace, a character presumed by many viewers – and Beck herself – to have been killed long ago. The surprise that Candace evidently didn’t suffer the same gruesome fate as Beck therefore virtually necessitates a second series.
Expectations will certainly be high and producers and writers have a lot to live up to But what will happen in this new series? Up until now, You has left many questions unanswered. The conclusion of series one shows the posthumous launch of Beck’s semi-autobiographical novel which confirms the viewer’s suspicion that Joe’s sadism would ultimately lead him to kill Beck, but her final moments are never explicitly documented in the show. Was she violently dragged down the stairs, as it appears, or did Joe continue punishing her with an inhumane existence in the glass “cage” in the basement of the bookshop? Or will You exclusively focus on the events following Beck’s death and Candace’s surprise reappearance? This would necessitate more flashbacks to discover exactly who Candace is and if Joe attempted, unsuccessfully, to murder her– after all, he managed to kill many other people without problems. And how many people exactly did he kill? Following Mr Mooney’s rather unorthodox advice that “some people deserve to die” after Joe announced that he killed Elijah in a fit of rage, he is then shown to kill Benji, Peach, Ron and Beck. Will flashbacks reveal more about the illusive Mr Mooney who gave him this advice, and his turbulent relationship with Joe? Add to this the ceaselessly dramatic conflicts circulating around Paco and Claudia, alongside the ominous presence of the private investigator hired by Peach’s family, and series two is set to be equally as explosive with shocking plot twists alongside hopefully the return of series one’s most beloved supporting character Ethan (Zach Cherry). Having neither read the book by Caroline Kepnes nor looked on Twitter for plot theories, I’m not sure what to expect in the second season of You. Judging by the phenomenal success of series one, expectations will certainly be high and the producers and writers have a lot to live up to. Most pressing, however, is for me the question as to what developments we will see with Joe’s jar of wee…
the courier
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Monday 18 February 2019
@CourierTV thecourieronline.co.uk/TV
TV culture
Moffat and Gatiss ressurect Dracula for TV Joe Holloran outlines his predictions regarding the latest adaptation of Bram Stoker's vampire, from the creators of Sherlock
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elevision writers Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss have, both alone and as a duo, contributed to some of the greatest British small-screen experiences of the last two decades. Moffat is perhaps best known as a writer and later showrunner on Doctor Who, creating the Eleventh and Twelfth Doctors and scripting some of the revived series most beloved episodes. Gatiss as one third of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, alongside Inside No.9 pair Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, created the self-titled show which over three years provided audiences with some of the best dark-comedy and disturbing characters ever seen on British TV.
lain of the piece as has been the case so many times before. Gatiss himself has said that the show is '"his story". Also, given how they brought the story of Sherlock Holmes into the 21st century, many fans were curious if they would do the same with the famous bloodsucker. However, Moffat was quick to put these rumours to bed when he stated that the show will stick closely to the original book and its Victorian timeline. It will be fascinating to see the pair bring the same visual style and aesthetic detail that created the world of Sherlock and apply it to the dark, brooding mountains of Transylvania and murk of Victorian London's streets. Fans’ expectations are already growing for the series and it is easy to see why
Moffat and Gatiss first collaborated together in 2010, when they dragged the tired detective-drama format into the 21st century by co-creating and co-writing the acclaimed BBC show Sherlock. The pair have now announced that they have joined forces once again to bring one of popular culture’s most revered characters to life.
The one and only original 'Prince of Darkness', Count Dracula. The three episode mini-series will not air until the end of 2019 or within the first few months of next year, but some details have already been revealed. The latest media adaption of the 1897 story by Bram Stoker will likely be structured in a similar way to Sherlock, with a new episode airing each week, rather than an all-in-one streaming release. Little is known casting wise beyond the revelation that the Vampire Count himself will be played by Danish actor Claes Bang (The Square, The Girl In The Spiders Web) and this time the Count will be the central character of the show, rather than being the shadowy vil-
Available on Netflix now
Available Netflix now
Available on Netflix now
The show will stick very closely to the original
The Punisher
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Image: YouTube
Russian Doll Sex Education Marie Kondo
Image: YouTube
fter starring in Daredevil season two, as he desperately hopes to avenge the murder of his family, The Punisher got his own Netflix series and has returned, this January, for a second season. However, this time, with the people responsible for the brutal death of his wife and children punished in a violent and exceptionally brutal way, Frank starts this season off in a mellow but reasonably happy place. The new series explores the idea of the innate violence in Frank and whether he can truly exist without returning to conflict. It sees the return of Billy Russo, although this time he is more psychotic than ever... who’d have thought it? Alongside new additional characters such as Amy and Pilgrim, who were both intriguingly interesting to watch and learn about. The Punisher season two delves into the fact that there is no universe in which Frank Castle doesn’t put his skull vest on, picks up a gun and give us the violence we all cringe at but love to watch. Even me, someone who can’t stand graphic scenes involving gore. This season also explores and questions who exactly the villain is. Is a man who kills murderers that have targeted innocent people just as much of a villain as those he kills? Through exploring this, fans get to see Castle at breaking point as he believes he’s killed three innocent women. It was heartbreaking and despite thinking I had grown past sobbing at fictional characters, the scenes with Castle and Daredevil’s Karen Page had tears rolling down my face. Then there were the new characters. John Pilgrim, played by Josh Steward, presents viewers with a devout Christian who sets off to hunt Castle and Amy with the view that he is doing it in the name of God. Despite the very slow introduction to this character, the season eventually saw him become just as badass and just as powerful as Castle. It was brutal in every way. Finally, there was the introduction of Giorgia Whigham as Amy Bendix, a kid who has lost all her family, finds herself mixed up in blackmail and so much trouble that she can’t see the light. But what really made this character was her friendship with Frank. Starting off the season attempting to escape him, the season ends with this bittersweet duo that is reminiscent of a father and his daughter. It’s truly beautiful to watch. Season two of The Punisher was as brilliant and over the top with violence and gore as season one, if not even better. If it gets cancelled you will find my Netflix subscription down the drain as this is a show that has potential to continue on for quite some time. Lucy Lillystone
given the pair's previous experience. Moffat spent years creating fantastical settings during his stint on Doctor Who and has already proven his ability to successfully adapt a Gothic classic for the small screen with Jekyll (2007). Within Mark Gatiss he has a partner with an encyclopaedic knowledge of, and appreciation for, what well-crafted horror can achieve. This is a match made in Hell that will feel like heaven. The series debut can't come soon enough.
Image: YouTube
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ussian Doll is a new limited series on Netflix created by Natasha Lyonne, Leslye Headland and Amy Poehler. Lyonne plays Nadia, a true New Yorker experiencing a mid-life crisis. The concept is similar to Happy Death Day as it starts with Nadia’s 36th birthday party and is shortly followed by her death when, on the same evening, she is hit by a taxi. However, this is obviously not the end, she keeps coming back in time, always to the same moment forcing her to relive the worst day of her life. The show managed to keep this premise interesting by perfectly combining gory imagery with drama and comedy. The end result is very intriguing and addicting. In true Poehler’s fashion, all characters are ridiculous and over-the-top. Despite that, they came across as believable and relatable. The exposition is incredibly smooth and we learn a lot about Nadia within the first episode, this invests viewers within the story allowing them to become immediately addicted. The snappy dialogue provides the main source of humour, therefore the show avoids tacky physical jokes associated with dark comedies. Most importantly, thanks to the writer’s mastery, an inherently repetitive premise doesn’t feel repetitive. The show keeps the audience guessing and surprised as it constantly raises the stakes, bringing one twist after another. I am absolutely in love and impressed with scenography and costumes. All of this was accompanied by an incredible soundtrack and outstanding cinematography. In the background of a heart-breaking drama, the show paints a picture of a diverse, colourful and dreamy New York, including both the dark and the light.
The show keeps the audience guessing and surprised The show is far more original than we could have anticipated. Russian Doll proved to be far from standard dark comedies. It contains a deep moral message whilst simultaneously remaining self-aware and making fun of forcefully deep tropes. The show uses the supernatural motif of repeated death, but presents it in an intimate and touching way, while remaining both funny and dark. Jagoda Waszkowiak
Available on Netflix now
Image: YouTube
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ighly stylized, heartfelt and peculiar, Sex Education follows the story of Otis, a repressed teenager who finds himself in the role of a sex therapist for his classmates. Surrounded by people more experienced than him, Otis shines as a wise, yet incredibly awkward advisor. The strength of empathy is the defining theme of the show. In fact, Otis is shown as a responsible kid when it comes to advising his peers, yet he is often guilty of the mistakes against which he cautions others. However, episode by episode, he makes remarkable progress and learns how to take his own advice. That is the journey that the viewer is taken through: self-doubt and shame are present in all of us, and it is only by destigmatizing these emotions that we can learn how to deal with them.
Each episode remains fun and entertaining When dealing with relevant topics, such as abortion, revenge porn, and homophobia, the show participates to the societal discussion with extreme nuance and never in predictable ways. Through this, each episode remains fun and entertaining. . By showcasing a variety of broadly relatable characters, the show effectively uses stereotyped versions of real people to entertain and connect to its audience. Not surprisingly, the creators of the show cite John Hughes as their inspiration: movies like The Breakfast Club use stereotypes to comment upon socially relevant issues, without losing the entertainment value or coming across as shallow. Incredible performances and thorough storylines set this show apart in the genre of sex-comedy. In particular, its portrayal of mental illness and the importance of representation give meaning and depth to the characters, while never resulting in it seeming pretentious or preachy. Yet the setting is where Sex Education excels, using British actors, American schools, and unlikely houses. The show captures the eye of the viewer with its almost surrealist feel. While off-putting at first, the improbable setting is completely intentional, due to its meticulous attention to detail and masterful craft of the tone. In conclusion, through relatable characters and careful creators, Sex Education has found a way to approach highly educational topics, while remaining fresh and invigorating. Elisabetta Pulcini
Image: YouTube
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idying with Marie Kondo was released on Netflix just as New Year’s resolutions were being made worldwide, making it the perfect time to inspire audiences to tidy their houses and revitalise their lives. I was sceptical about the show at first. Just how entertaining could watching people tidy up be? Surprisingly so, apparently. Marie Kondo is a Japanese tidying guru with successful books about decluttering and making the most of your living space. The series focuses on a different family or individual in each episode, all with a specific living situation to focus on: a family with toddlers; ‘empty nesters’ ; and a couple trying to adult-ify their college house. Even though I couldn’t relate to many of the living situations, I found it interesting to see how other types of people view tidying and their possessions, and many of the tips Marie gives are transferable to other situations. The show alternates between showing the family’s situation, Marie coming in to help them, and cutaways of Marie talking to camera and demonstrating organisation methods. Marie speaks mostly Japanese throughout the series, with her translator or subtitles providing context for English speakers. I’m glad they did this as being able to have a glimpse of Japanese language and culture throughout the series was a highlight for me.
I felt that the series could have easily represented other experiences My main issue with the series is that most of the groups featured in the series are clearly wealthy and privileged. One family hired someone to do their laundry just because they didn’t enjoy doing it (who does?). Many of their issues came from having unbelievably huge houses and hoarding items away in one of their many spare rooms. For me, that was frustrating as I felt that the series could have easily represented other experiences, rather than being dominated by wealthy middle-class suburban families. However, I still found the transformations interesting to watch, even though I had an eyebrow raised at the unconscious privilege many of the families had. Overall, it’s a relaxing and motivating show and I’ve enjoyed trying to ‘Marie Kondo’ my life and restore some sort of order to my wardrobes. Charlotte Boulton
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culture film
c2.film@ncl.ac.uk Film Editors: Jimmy Athey, Joe Holloran and Jack Gill Online Editor: Lucy Lillystone
the courier
Monday 18 Feburary 2019
Is 'Green Book' in our good books?
Elisabetta Pulcini gives us a review of the first critically-aclaimed film by the comedy master behind Dumb and Dumber, Peter Farrelly
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hile not every movie needs to provide incredibly complex revelations about humanity, films should be judged based on what they set out to achieve. Green Book tries desperately to portray a wonderful and heart-warming friendship between a non-conventional black person and his lovably racist friend. Unfortunately, the result can feel shallow and unoriginal, failing to rise up to Maharshala Ali’s profound performance. This movie follows Tony ‘Lip’, an ItalianAmerican bouncer who starts working for Dr. Shirley, a world-class AfricanAmerican pianist. Brought to the deep South for his tours, Dr. Shirley relies on Tony not only for driving, but
Image: YouTube
more importantly for protection. Any creator should be aware of the importance of the topic they’re bringing to the screen, especially if the topic at hand is as relevant and complex as racism. Because of this, when the impact of the systematic oppression of black people in America is portrayed according to the same played out beats constructed for white audiences, the whole movie can come off as insincere, or even worst, superficial. The typical story of a friendship apparently fixing racism is painfully out of touch, especially when compared to other movies that have come out recently. This movie is not empowering, nor heartfelt. It panders to the audience with a predictable story, and stereotypes used in the worst way possible: for cheap laughs
In fact, other than the main protagonists, characters are portrayed as the most offensive versions of either African-Americans, Southerners, or Italian-Americans. This discredits the relationship between the protagonists, while leading one wonder about the creators, and their intention in reporting this reallife story. Although the accuracy of a movie cannot alone ruin an entire viewing experience, in this case the controversies can help explain why this movie can feel forced. Not only was the remaining family of Dr Shirley not contacted during the making of the film, but they even have complained about enormous inaccuracies of the musician’s relationship with the family. Adding to this, the appalling allegations of sexual harassment and islamophobia pose a definitive answer on why the character of a creator matters when consuming media. Because creating can be truly a personal experience, major faults in one’s perception of the world, such as bigotry, can end up being reflected on the screen, mostly in the form of an outdated message. That being said, this movie is worth seeing purely based on the strength of the performance of Maharshala Ali. He turns what could have been a
mundane performance into a moving portrayal of the serious loneliness due to being forced by society into a role that does not suit us. Tragically, the movie does not explore this conflict as intelligently as it could have in the hands of more capable creators. Instead, Virgo Mortensen is the focal point of the movie, delivering a worthy performance. Although Maharshala Ali’s performance deserved to be the central point of the movie, the movie works best in the interaction between the two main actors, even when the material fails them.
Image: YouTube
An extremely wicked trailer? Editor of The Courier Louise Hall expresses her views on the controversy surrounding the trailor for the Netflix Ted Bundy film We have always been obsessed by serial killers. It’s one of those strange universal facts of life. Our fascination with them is woven into society, from learning about Jack the Ripper in high school history classes to a whole genre of true crime branded as evening entertainment. There’s no denying that there is something morbidly interesting about stories like these. However, the upcoming Ted Bundy biopic staring none other than high school musicals Zac Effron could mark a dangerous turning point in our interest in the serial killer phenomenon. The trailer to Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile opens as though it could be a romantic comedy. I
get this. I get it. its supposed to convey how Klopfer was so encapsulated by Bundy’s love that she couldn’t see who he really was. However. it also romanticises him and their relationship. In the trailer … recites a half-finished quote from Klopfers book: “when I feel his love, I feel like I’m ontop of the world”, missing out the other half: “when I felt nothing from Ted, I felt that I was nothing.” From the trailer you get the impression that despite Ted’s ‘dark side’, his relationship with Klopfer is passionate and caring, rather the abusive and co-dependent one detailed in her own biography and in this full quote. One of the other things that really bugs me is the throwaway line “what is it about this guy?” As if none
of us, even the women in the film, really understand his complexity depth and allure. That somehow Bundy is bigger than all of us, rather than just a well-educated white man with influence and power that our society reveres. The trailer also undermines any sense of complexity by continuing with the same upbeat rock and roll soundtrack throughout the whole god damn thing, overlaid with graphic blockbuster style graphics that proudly detail ‘ZACH EFFRON as TED BUNDY.’ As if this is somehow the revered role of a lifetime and this is some kind of exhilarating tongue and cheek action movie. People may argue this trailer is supposed to ironically
paint him in the positive light in which others saw him, but what is the point in this if we don’t highlight how misguided and fundamentally wrong that interpretation was. Nowhere is his appeal undermined in the trailer. Sure, we get a few very brief glimpses of Effron about to hit a woman over the head and dragging a body into the woods, but the true atrocity of this man’s crimes is never fully juxtaposed against his outward appeal. There is no direct mention of Ted’s Victims, no respect for those who suffered at his hands, instead the trailer sacrifices conveying the impact of the crimes he committed in the name of creating a vibrant, entertaining aura of light hearted intrigue. We even get a glimpse of Effrons Hollywood abbs for crying out loud, something Bundy never even possessed. In actual fact Bundy was not a Hollywood sex icon, he was a necrophiliac, a rapist a murderer, a sociopath. Throughout this trailer we are fed the impression of him as a sexy, confident, clever, desirable family man, who might have also happened to have killed some women. But shockingly wicked, evil and vile? I’m not so sure. Even if the trailer had on any level managed to give the impression of this man as the awful human being that he was, it then has the audacity to finish on a tongue and cheek reference to Ted’s escape from custody. The final clip of him jumping from the second floor of the courthouse can’t help but feel like the joke ending to said initial rom com trailer. Meant to draw you in and make you want to see more of his clever ‘hijinks’ and seemingly glossing over the fact that during one of these escapes he murdered and assaulted 5 women. What to me is most disturbing about this so called biopic of Bundy’s life is that had the man himself been alive to see this trailer, he would have been so proud of how he was being remembered and who he had become in the public eye – a romanticised figure of white masculinity, rather than the cowardly snake who preyed upon vulnerable women and got away with it because of the privilege that the society he lived in afforded him.
/NewcastleCourierFilm Image: Instagram, @@shootbits
@Courier_Film
the courier
29
Monday 18 Feburary 2019
@Courier_Film thecourieronline.co.uk/film
Can you ever forgive me? (15)
Vice (15)
If Beale Street Could Talk (15)
film culture Animation Station
Hakujaden (1958) Image: FreePhotobank
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very year, when Oscar season rolls around, there inevitably comes a slew of biopics and true-story retellings. These often range from self-serious slow burners, à la Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln, to more purposefully thrilling and even tongue-in-cheek efforts, such as Adam McKay’s The Big Short. This year’s Vice, illustrating Dick Cheney’s rise to power as the Vice President of George W. Bush, certainly falls into the latter category. There is no surprise here, however, being another of McKay’s directorial projects. The film pushes the limits of what a biopic can be, incorporating a range of unique stylistic decisions to relate a tale that the film itself acknowledges is one masked in secrecy. These include a fake-out credits sequence occurring midway through the film, numerous montages of both genuine news clips and symbolic images, and even one scene in which a private conversation between the politician and his wife Lynne is conveyed in the form of a Shakespearean monologue. While the inclusion of these elements does keep Vice consistently entertaining across its two-plus hour runtime, as the film progresses through its third-act, they do become gratuitous substitutes for more linear and pragmatic storytelling. What keeps the film grounded throughout this are its two leads, Christian Bale and Amy Adams as Dick and Lynne. While not seeming like obvious casting choices, the work of seriously impressive hair, make-up and costume teams, as well as the total commitment of both actors to their roles, sees the couple accurately realised on the big screen. Cheney is inarguably presented as a detestable figure, but Bale manages to incorporate a level of moral complexity into who could have become a mere pantomime villain.
t is no secret that a good film requires a good script and in this film authorship becomes the central figure of the movie. Directed by Marielle Heller, Can You Ever Forgive Me? is based on writer Lee Israel´s memoirs as a literary forger of the same name. Set in the nineties, the film follows the best-selling celebrity biographer going through rough times. She turns her skills for research and writing into a criminal career, forging and selling hundreds of letters imitating literary and famous personalities. Certainly a strength of the film is the cast, whose powerful performances are acknowledged by various award nominations. For both the Oscars and the BAFTAs, Melissa McCarthy (Lee Israel) and Richard E. Grant (Jack Hock) can hope to bring home a trophy for their roles as leading actress and supporting actor. It is great to see complex characters that do not adhere to Hollywood´s norms. The female lead is not simply beautiful and onedimensional. She is rude, middle-aged, homosexual, a massive cat lover and an alcoholic. Music and lightning stress the protagonist´s loneliness. Both Israel and her friend/accomplice Hock are characters with flaws, whose struggles in life make them more relatable. Unique voices that are refreshingly non-conformist. Since writing is the central theme of the movie, a closer look to the script seems reasonable. Nominated for several awards as best adapted screenplay, Can You Ever Forgive Me? convinces with its witty writing style. This character-driven narrative is not carried by enormous action, but its pointed dialogue and sense of humour. The overall narrative arch may not be too surprising, but the originality of the character´s voices makes it still enjoyable to watch.
Tom Cooney
Julia Hoepfner
dapted from Baldwin’s 1974 novel of the same name, If Beale Street Could Talk is set in 70s New York, ridden with prejudice, where our lead couple Tish and Alfonzo (Fonny) battle against the discrimination around them. The particular predicament that the loved-up duo found themselves in is the false sexual assault accusation against Fonny. Encrypted with corruption, Fonny is imprisoned with no sure sight of freedom. Outside the confines of his prison cell is Tish, his partner. Early in the film, we learn that Tish is pregnant with Fonny’s baby, a piece of news that divides relations between her belated parents and the scornful mother and sisters of Fonny’s relatives. The ensuing drama triumphs in the way that it exceeds one set temporal space. Instead, Jenkins raises a mirror to our own world and visualises the power of love in times of desperation. From the way that the director merges the soft jazz of Nicholas Britnell’s score with the romance of our lead characters, to the detailed close-ups of John Laxton cinematography that allow us to gaze into our characters sensations, Beale Street is an altogether immersive experience. What makes this approach so rewarding is that the film gives new life to Baldwin’s literary work. Where other adaptations simply screen their source material, Beale Street textures its interactions with intricate details. These items, be they the sharp patterning of Tish’s dresses or the vivid lighting of Fonny’s basement, are vital components for world-building; without them, audiences senses are far removed from their viewing. Thankfully, Jenkins and everyone behind Beale Street leave no stone unturned, creating a film that is bold and beautiful, challenging and charming, yet remains widely accessible through its message of unity. Jack Gill
Film critics: friend or foe? William Nsieyanji discusses whether we should trust the opinion of the dreaded film critic
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y personal distrust of film critics has derived from artistic snobbery, a common prejudice throughout all art forms where certain genres are regarded as more gracious than others. Which explains why dramatic biopics never fail to be nominated at the Oscars and is the genre with the most best picture wins with 20 in total. Whereas there has only been one horror film that has ever received a best picture nomination (The Exorcist 1973). The Academy Awards of Motion Pictures and Sciences has already been scrutinized for its lack of appreciation of other genres with Will Ferrell and Jack Black’s softly satirical song at 79th Oscar Awards Ceremony joking that they “do not like to laugh” and that a comedian’s name will never be called at the Oscars. In 2016 The Academy were also accused of having a racial bias in their nominations and the #OscarsSoWhite movement motivated
Image: Flickr
household names like Will Smith, Reese Witherspoon and Spike Lee all to boycott that year's festivities. Genre and potentially ethnicity are not the only biases behind reviews, there is also the actors, directors and producers associated with the film which I personally believe also influences critics in their reviews. When was the last time you read a negative article featuring Leonardo DiCaprio or Meryl Streep? A critic’s opinion of the director or lead actor/actress in a film will affect their opinion of a film before they even watch it. In essence, I am suggesting that if the critic is a fan of the star, they are likely to write positive reviews of the film and negative reviews for a star who they particularly dislike. According to research from Cinema Blend some reviewers are more prone to writing negative reviews and some are more prone to positive ones. Steve Persall from the Tampa Bay Times was rated the most positive film critic in the US by having 25% more positive reviews in his archives than any other contemporary critics, meaning that if you are a Tampa Bay Times reader you are probably frequently exposed to overly kind and sugarcoated reviews. In contrast, Joe Morgenstern (The Wall Street Journal) is 13% more likely to tell you a film is crap than any other critic. This study does not by any means Image: Flickr
prove my fan theory but does demonstrate that critics are not always fair impartial candidates when it comes to movies. Having said that, neither is anyone. Films are so subjective that people will inevitably have varying opinions about them and there is not a correct viewpoint to hold. Whether or not you should trust film critics depends on how significant it is to you for a review to be reasonable and not clouded by biases and snobbery.
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nime. When you hear that word what do you think of? Floating castles, confused little girls conversing with sentient pigs? The genre certainly has come a long way from its highlyWesternized origins back in the early post-war years. One of the brightest gems from the acclaimed Tokyobased anime studio Toei Animation is 1958 Hakujaden – or Panda & the Magic Serpent in English. Before we analyse the film it’s important to note that, at the time, Toei saw themselves as the ‘Disney of the East’ and this comes across clearly in this film. It you want to watch a quintessentially Japanese anime then there are plenty of others for you to look at, if however, you want to see how the East does Disney you won’t find much better than Hakujaden. Also worth noting is that, despite being Japanese made, the characters are named and portrayed as being Chinese – due to Western anti-Japanese sentiment post-war.
(2002)
The commercial highpoint for Westernized Japnese Anime
The film features a young man named Xu-Xian, who as a child had a pet snake Bai-Niang whom he loved dearly. His parents however are less enamoured and force little Xu to get rid. Years later Xu discovers that his beloved snake has transformed itself into a beautiful princess. Forced apart by (an understandably bemused) local monk and Xu is exiled. Fear not because luckily for Xu his two pet pandas go on a quest to rescue their master and reunite him with his love. The films plot is characteristically simple and fablebased, as earlier anime is. As such the story is not taxing even for children. Despite this, it is highly charming and provides a great contrast to both the dominant Disney films of the time and modern anime. In many ways this film marks the commercial high-point for Westernized Japanese anime and represents the old ways as it were, the ways the greatly influenced later anime masters like Hayao Miyazaki and Mamoru Oshii whom would go on to typify the new style of cinematic anime that we are all familiar with today. If anime is your preferred form of cartoon based fun then take a step back in time and give Hakujaden a try. It’s a film that’s a must see for connoisseurs of the form and is perhaps the best example of anime made with a primarily Western audience in mind, something we don’t see much of today. If you’re hesitant trust me, it’s worth it just for the ridiculous antics of the two OG Kung-fu Pandas alone if nothing else. Joe Holloran
Image: Flickr
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culture arts
Image: Geograph
c2.arts@ncl.ac.uk Arts Editors Scarlett Rowland, Julia McGee-Russell, Rosie McCrum Online Editor Sophia Kypriotis
the courier
the BALTIC
Monday 18 February 2019
This week, we sent Arts editor Julia McGee-Russell and Lifestyle editor Ella Williams to the home of the Newcastle art scene
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Zine Workshop
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ines – the smaller, more budget-friendly homemade cousin to magazines and comics. I had never made one before attending the Baltic’s Zine Making Workshop, but this three hour workshop gave me an appreciation of the artists, activists and comedians who make them.
he Baltic’s “Digital Citizen: the Precarious Subject”, groups together works from contemporary artists on the themes of citizenship and self-identity in today’s digital age. These are ideas that are undeniably rife in the modern world: fake news is all the rage in the era of Trump tweets and insta-journalism, hysteria about online surveillance has been hyped since the Zuckerbergian Cambridge Analytica scandal, ideas about identity are causing havoc with the rising acceptance of gender-fluidity and dareI-say Brexit is making us question democracy and our collective identity in an increasingly divided world. The Baltic’s collection brings these pressing issues together in a unique way: one that links together current affairs and hot topics by their common participation in a wider digital revolution. This was my first visit to the Baltic gallery, and it did not disappoint. Just over the bridge from Quayside, it occupies a converted flour mill- striking and industrialist with a spacious, modern interior. It definitely fills the Tate Modern needs of my London roots- a magnet for edgy fine-art types and septum piercings- and I felt very at home (if a little twatty) with my moleskine notebook and a DSLR slung over my shoulder. “Digital Citizen” was in the main exhibition room on the ground floor. Upon walking in I could see that it incorporated many different artistic mediums, from photos and short films, to interactive structures and three dimensional artwork by a range of up-and-coming artists. In the dimmed space and with a digital hum coming from a screening in the next room, its themes of eerie online surveillance and the blurred distinctions between reality and simulation felt especially poignant.
Zines have been around for decades, and I can see why. You can make a fully finished product cheaply and quickly, and you have full creative freedom We made three zines: one which took us eight minutes, one half an hour, and another an hour. To begin the eight minute zine making process, we learnt how to fold a small booklet out of a sheet of A3 paper. Then we were given a challenge: choose a book by only the cover (without looking inside it), photocopy one page from it, and fill our entire zine booklet using that photocopy. We built on the ideas from the first zine in our second and third ones. For me, what started as a photocopy of a target with the title ‘The First Real Target?’ became an Alice in Wonderland inspired zine about dreams and the passage of time, using blackout poetry. Before I arrived, I had no ideas about what to make, but everyone came up creative ideas because of the structure of the workshop. I even stayed for an hour after the workshop was over just so I could finish my final zine. Zines have been around for decades, and I can see why. You can make a fully finished product cheaply and quickly, and you have full creative freedom, making them perfect for creatives and crafters on a budget. There are zines about everything, from politics to Bruce Springsteen’s butt. There is nobody to tell you how to make your zine, or what about – they can be as niche or weird as you want them to be, and they’ll still fit into the art form. So if you’d like to try your hand at zines, you don’t need anything other than paper and a pen. However, if you’d like some inspiration and guidance, look no further than the workshops at the Baltic. Who knows, maybe you’ll find yourself selling your zines at their Self-Publishing Artists’ Market in the future. Until then, happy zine-ing! Julia McGee-Russell
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lobule. A word I have enjoyed ever since my chemistry teacher used it describe glucose oxidase in Year 9. It is texturally evocative, referring to a substance with properties both sticky and gelatinous yet orb-like and self-contained… delicious. I am often drawn to this kind of sensual richness, whether words, sounds, patterns or pictures. More recently, I have found the same buttons pressed by Instagram CGI artist Oliver Latta and his page “@ExtraWeg”. Using the latest computer simulation technology, he creates weird and wonderful clips of bodies in various abstract
Citizenship in the Digital Age
Two Hour Zine
Front and Back Cover - Thirty Minute Zine Front and Back Cover - Two Hour Zine Eight Minute Zine
Unpretty in Pink
scenarios. One depicts a jelly-limbed figure being slurped up by an enveloping head. Another is of a body’s sluggish walk towards a giant, hyperreal eyeball which melts away upon impact. While I have been following his work for a while, it has recently reached the viral feeds on account of its striking what-the-fuckery. Others too, it seems, cannot divert their eyes. The latest BALTIC exhibition, “Digital Citizen” explores the significance of this rising genre of CGI art. An explosion in the progress of computer technology means that we have reached an age where virtually anything can be
created with photorealistic accuracy; the gap between what is real and simulated has narrowed to a close. With immaculate depictions of any physical texture or movement at their fingertips, artists can enter a new realm which plays with reality in new and conceptual ways. In Oliver Latta’s case, he creates a plastic world in pastel pink and in it pairs human bodies with jarring material attributes: a pourable crowd, a deflating head, a squidgy limb or a malleable eyeball. It’s captivating and revolting- what Warburton calls “the digital grotesque”. This is a part of the rising genre of Instagram satisfac-
Image; Instagram @balticgateshead
I was immediately drawn to Alan Warburton’s “Trollololologram”, a funky illusionistic hologram (or “Lenticular print”) that depicts a 3D representation of “keyboard warriors” at their desks. The characters change at every viewing angle, each hunched over in the same position at their computers, but are obscured by flecks of prismatic colours and holographic effects. Warburton takes the mundanity of teenage internet trolls in their bedroom and conjures their position in an eerie and precarious technological future, exploring their significance in internet-driven ideologies such as the alt-right. Another stand-out piece was the prominent media installation that centres the exhibition room, “Plato’s Lair”. A white, shed-like box from the outside, this sculpture by Peter Hanmer involves sticking your head through the fabric-covered viewing holes to see what is inside. Shadowy and dimly lit, it includes a series of miniature figures, each involved in various strategies to try and escape the box. It acts as a modernised allegory for Plato’s famous allegory of the Cave, which calls into question ideas about the nature of reality itself. In this case, Hanmer critiques the restricted field of truth imposed by today’s ideological echo-chambers, and encourages us to seek to look at things from new and varying viewpoints. I left the exhibition feeling sufficiently spooked, but enlightened. The consequences of living in a digital age means an uncomfortable new linking between the online world and reality- a treading between the reassuring feeling of anonymity and the constant online surveillance to which we are all the subjects... Ella Williams
tion porn: videos that seem to satisfy an unrealised itch and create a feeling of calmness and completion. Entire accounts are now dedicated to slime-squishing, pimplepopping or tofu-slicing. ASMR uses various materials and sounds to sensually arouse a specific tingling feeling. “The digital grotesque” tickles this urge for disgusting yet delicious content. However, with limitless effects, surfaces and finishes to play with, it can warp what seems like a physical reality. Gloopy. Globular. Glorious. Who knows where this will end up? Ella Williams
Image: Instagram @ExtraWeg
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Monday 18 February 2019
Cultural criticism is changing
arts culture Book Review
Culture editor, Carys Rose Thomas, discusses theatre criticism’s place in contemporary society
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ow, I am coming at this from a theatre writer with a (modest) two and a half years’ experience writing this kind of stuff. And let me tell you, theatre criticism is losing its relevancy, fast. Gone are the days when oracles like Lyn Gardner and Michael Billington had the final say on what was good or bad, high or low art. This isn’t to say that people like that have no worth. They have dedicated decades to writing this stuff. They know how to spot work of quality and how to curate a beautifully written or spoken review of a piece of work. That being said, the world of media consumers are waking up to the realities of subjectivity in artwork. As individual authoritative figures’ opinions lose the prestige and objectivity they were once seen to possess, the voice of the masses is prevailing as the final word on the quality of productions. Raving Guardian reviews aren’t worth much cop if everyone on twitter is slating your production. We now see productions popping a hashtag in the corners of their programmes, or setting up twitter accounts dedicated to the show, one of their main purposes being retweeting positive reviews about the show. Not by professional reviewers, but by the everyman with a twitter account and something to say.
We are moving in favour of the democratic masses. And so we should be; good art isn’t just about how “high art” a piece can be. Good art is about entertainment, enjoyment, positive reception - hence why Mama Mia Live is hands down one of the best pieces of theatre I will ever see. Never in my life have I seen a room full of older women be quite so rowdy. Twitter and other social networking sites also provide a space for voices usually marginalised in the world of theatre BAME, young, working class, queer theatregoers are given a space to have their voices heard. As fantastic as contemporary culture’s recognition of democratic approval in art it, a place for criticism can still be found in this contemporary world of culture. Criticism is reinventing itself, finding a new form which aligns with this erasure of the merits of massmedia, in order to survive. Criticism has finally started being more honest with us. Why anyone ever pretended they could have an objective opinion on a piece of work, I don’t know. Maybe you’ve had a bad day, maybe Shakespeare’s not you bag, maybe you misjudged it at the interval and just really needed a piss for the whole second half. Whatever
Approaching Empty I
thankfully it doesn’t get mired in an over-romanticisation of British industry It’s a story of hope and tragedy in post-industrial Britain, of struggle and friendship, of getting by in a time when everything seems to be getting harder. In Approaching Empty there’s no longer solace in the security of skilled labour or dignity or pride in their work, only the daily struggle of keeping the failing company afloat and dreaming of
a better future. It’s a story full of the Thatcher bashing tropes of any post-industrial drama, with a television playing in the background showing news coverage of her funeral. But, thankfully, it doesn’t get mired in an over-romanticisation of British industry, instead carefully blending the untold story of second generation immigrants whose families are now ingrained in the fabric of working class Britain. And in that sense it does feel thoroughly British, but an overcast, Ken Loach vision of Britain. The play wonderfully portrays the BritishPakistani community, weaving themes of family and work with aspiration and duty; they’re constantly in conflict and find themselves internalised within each character. The two best friends running the taxi company simmer with a frustration that lingers behind their every move; Mansha wants to buy the firm and risk his savings after a life of regret, while Raf is desperate to sell after feeling his life’s work hasn’t reaped the rewards he feels he deserves. It asks how far we will go for fulfilment, for our families. Are we even working for others or just for ourselves? Approaching Empty shows us there are no easy an-
Image: Instagram @georg_oskar
portrayal of the individual. Despite only being situated in one small room, the exhibition still managed to be varied. The first few unnamed paintings blended dark blues and greens to create compelling portraits of abstract individuals. A particular highlight was an intriguing painting of a woman riding a bicycle, which was comprised of subtle, layered colours, a clear reflection of Óskar’s artistic talent. The last couple of paintings built upon the theme of the individual. Óskar’s use of the individual in the crowd offered an interesting look at contemporary life. In one particularly striking painting, Óskar used his abstract representation of the individual, placing a multitude of people within a crowd. Contrasting the naked form of the body with the clearly branded clothing of other people, Óskar has succeeded in creating a raw yet compelling representation of modern life. Overall, Óskar has triumphed in creating a set of extremely distinctive paintings which show he is an artist of great calibre. Seeing his work is definitely an enriching experience, and I’m interested to see how his art will progress over the next few years. The exhibition runs until February 23rd, so there is still plenty of time to pop down and see his work.
Image: Instagram @story_of_a_biblophile
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Image: Instagram @londontheatredirect
swers, and it presents that conclusion solemnly and honestly. We are nothing and all our aspiration and education is going to get us nowhere, so why not just admit it and give ourselves to others, to service. Approaching Empty is as real as it is cynical and wrestles with all that we hold dear, ending with a diagnosis that’s stayed with me since: “there aren’t good people or bad people in this world, only rich c***s and poor c***s.”
ICaitlin felt bad but I feel a little bit better now Diskin delves into the visual diary of Icelandic painter, Georg Óskar, in his first UK exhibit I f you’ve got a spare half hour or so and are in the city centre, then Georg Óskar’s exhibition ‘I felt bad but I feel a little bit better now’ is definitely worth a visit. Hidden away in the Abject Gallery on the eight floor of Bamburgh House, it is Icelandic-born artist Óskar’s first time exhibiting in the UK. The succinct yet carefully chosen collection of paintings use the abstract form to offer an imaginary yet honest
IMOGEN DAVIS
et in the fantastical land of Orïsha, Children of Blood and Bone weaves a tale of identity, magic and persecution. The reader follows an epic narrative through the eyes of three characters: the strongwilled and vengeful magic user, Zélie, the sheltered turn rebel Princess Amari and her brother, the Prince, who grapples with his own demons as he attempts to prove himself to his father, the despotic King. This debut novel, by Nigerian American author Tomi Adeyemi, has received a lot of praise and attention and rightly so. What makes Children of Blood and Bone so refreshing and particularly within the YA fantasy genre is the rich world in which the characters exist. Adeyemi’s Orïsha transforms West African culture and its pantheon into a magical realm in which the ancient gods, and magic users known as magi, inhabit the earth. The plot is abundant with action and emotion, yet where Adeyemi’s strength lies is in depicting the adversity and oppression that faces her characters.
Sidney Pinsent reviews new work by playwright Ishy Din about the troubles of mixing friendship and business t’s the magic of theatre! Even being transformed to a scruffy Middlesbrough taxi firm for two hours feels exotic, or maybe it’s being surrounded by the toffs of Geordieland. Either way I’m here at Approaching Empty and Mansha, the middle age manager of the firm offers to buy the struggling business from his life-long friend Raf. Mansha must come up with £120,000 to buy the business from Raf, so he scrapes together the money from taxi drivers Sameena and Sully, who risk their entire family savings in a leap of faith.
Children of Blood and Bone
your reasons may be, your environment, mindset, social outlook etc. inform your opinion of a piece, and that experience can differ for each and every person. The more critics acknowledge their personal biases and subjectivity, the better their work can be, because the more creative they can be. Writing about the arts can be in art form in itself. Embedded criticism, reviews given in the form of two people’s text messages and reviews written in the style of performances themselves are becoming more and more commonplace. And, if you ask me, they’re making something which can otherwise be a little bit boring or naff at times into an art form that can be recognised for its own merit, just as the works it comments on are. So let’s celebrate Adam, 36, who tweets a little quip about every play or gig they go to. Let’s respect critics like Gardner who have a lifetime of experience and knowledge behind them. But let’s especially commend those people who aren’t shying away from trying something new, and bettering the world of theatre criticism in genuinely innovative, creative ways.
Image: Instagram @georg_oskar
the novel relies too heavily on young adult fantasy tropes, leaving it quite predictable and flat in places The genocide of the magi at the hands of the tyrannous aristocracy, draws on racial tensions both past and present. Zélie’s fiery hatred for the nobility after the brutal murder of her mother paired with the blissful ignorance of Princess Amari and Prince Inan reflects the deep divisions and miscommunication between ethnic and social groups today. Adeyemi ultimately weaves a tale that calls for equality and understanding as the unlikely trio of Zélie, her brother Tzain and Princess Amari join forces in a final attempt to restore magic to Orïsha and, thus, the identity and agency of those oppressed by the crown. While Children of Blood and Bone is an easy and engaging read, it still has its problems. The novel relies too heavily on YA fantasy tropes, leaving it quite predictable and flat in places. Although Adeyemi excels in the emotional and powerful voices of her characters, their motivations seemed overemphasised, repetitive and, in some instances vague. For me, these issues affected the flow of the novel and in parts pulled me out from the action. I feel that Adeyemi could be bolder in her writing. She has the potential to further challenge YA conventions rather than abiding to overplayed clichés. For this reason, I believe that the novel doesn’t quite stand up to the hype it amassed in its early days of publication. Overall, Adeyemi proves herself a promising, new author. Her reflections on contemporary issues of race under the guises of fantasy, rebellion and a diverse cast of characters are a breath of fresh air to the YA fantasy genre. Although imperfect, Children of Blood and Bone is a highly enjoyable read and, though far from revolutionary, it provides a great source of escapism that prompts readers to question the world around them. I have high expectations for the upcoming sequel scheduled for release in June and hope that Tomi Adeyemi continues to grow as an author.
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culture gaming Nintendo mobile: Mario Kart delayed, Dr Mario confirmed
courier.gaming@ncl.ac.uk Gaming Editors: George Boatfield, Shawn Khoo, James Troughton & Kelly South Online Editor: Alex Darbyshire
the courier
Monday 18th February 2019
Voice Chat: Gam
Is Nintendo racing to the finish line with these games? George Boatfield sits down with Courier alumnus Errol Kerr to talk accesibility in gaming and the ch s the attention given to gaming accessibility there’s a lot to think about. We’ve now got a potential now sounds like me, whether I like it or not. Alex Darbyshire thinks not
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hile it appears that Nintendo are expanding further into the mobile games market, you may have to wait a little longer before you can play more classic Mario titles on your phone. After being announced in 2018, Nintendo initially claimed that Mario Kart Tour would release in the first quarter of 2019. However, according to a financial report from Nintendo, Tour is to be delayed until the summer of 2019. The reasons for this are fairly vague, with Nintendo wanting to improve quality and ensuring that more content is on offer after launch. What this confirms is that extra content will be planned once the mobile title launches - which isn’t exactly surprising, as Nintendo have to profit from the game somehow. What may be slightly more worrying, however, is that no content, other than a project logo has been released. With so little to go on, the profits of this game could be questionable before it even hits the App Store.
Perhaps to balance this troubling news, Nintendo announced an entirely new mobile game: Dr. Mario World
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and representation has seen greater and greater exposure throughout 2018 and shows no sign of slowing down, former Courier Gaming editor Errol Kerr has recognised the opportunity to distill this rapid progress into a new series of multimedia content. Working alongside Sara Khan, Liberation and Access Officer for University of Manchester Students’ Union, Errol successfully funded the project, titled Game Assist, on Kickstarter over December and January. With the launch date set for 22 February, he had plenty to share with the Courier regarding what has helped him prepare for this project as well as what he hopes to achieve moving forward. First of all, I just want to congratulate you on reaching your Kickstarter goal! Could you tell us a bit about what that funding is going to help you do with Game Assist? Errol: Absolutely! Not only has it quite visibly gone into things like a polishing of the branding and merchandise, but it’s also a lot of tech, mainly because setting up a two person project on these lines,
Perhaps to balance this troubling news, soon after this delay, Nintendo announced an entirely new mobile game in the form of Dr. Mario World. Like other mobile games from Nintendo, this will be co-developed, this time round in cooperation with South Korean developers LINE Corporation and NHN Entertainment. Similarly to Mario Kart Tour, few details about the game have been released as of yet. What Nintendo have said about Dr. Mario World is that it will be free to play, and will release simultaneously in 60 as yet unnamed countries. This lack of information is much less worrying. Dr. Mario as a brand is much more predictable - we all know how it plays and what it looks like. Additionally, it will be difficult to mess up a game that is both so simple and well suited to the mobile platform.
Image: IGDB
Image: Game Assist
website in the works - obviously hosting that is going to cost. And with buying audio tech, we’ve got new microphones and we’ve got soundproofing because I don’t want to deafen my flatmates with screaming! We’re looking into new camera setups because getting high quality footage is important to us. And for future, we’re looking into getting a standing microphone for going around and talking to people with. Alongside that, it is just going towards regular maintenance, the potential to travel to events, some of which I haven’t yet mentioned!
Sounds like that’s a scoop for the Courier there! Okay, so following on from your mention of the website, what kind of services and platforms are you planning on using for hosting any content you make, and what future sources of funding go along with that? Patreon, adverts, merchandise? EK: So, platforms first: any videos will be YouTube and written content will be on the website. Because we do have a Patreon going, we don’t want to hold accessibility features back. Say, if we released a script alongside a video, that won’t be held back via Patreon. We might have entire bundles of script, video and other resources as separate patreon content, rather than monetising key features. And outside of that, we’re being very careful with potential adverts. We’re going to approach sponsored videos with caution because we do want to make sure that the individuals we partner up with do share our interests and views. Also, YouTube ads are an absolute pain! It can completely break the flow of content. I guess that means you want to make sure ads are relevant to your audience and not completely random. If there are ads, it will be something that applies… So heyy Gillette hit us up! Given that you’re creating a multimedia platform, has your past work on The Courier and broader experiences at Newcastle University - helped you prepare for this? Absolutely. Editing for The Courier for a couple of years was a fantastic insight into journalism in general and specifically games journalism as I was gaming editor. So that was my little bubble, so the experience that I gathered and just getting into that field, into that bubble, really genuinely did help. Also, the writing experience from the years beforehand where obviously people would pick apart and edit your work really helped in developing a standard voice, a way of communication - everything I like
I get exactly what you mean. There’s something to be said for the structure and the repetition of it - having set times every week to write, edit, Photoshop and layup quickly builds up experience and knowledge. So how about the other roles you had at uni? So being Disabled Students Officer way back when was the start of getting to grips with this. I did have a lot of conversations back in the day about gaming and accessibility, while obviously now accessibility has become quite a buzzword in the video game space. And with Sara as Manchester University's Liberation and Access Officer, her experiences run parallel with mine in that regard. So, what ground I don’t cover, she will which is great. So yes, my experience with Newcastle, mainly with Students’ Union orientated stuff , was invaluable and I couldn't do
Gaming has a lot of potential to educate, and a lot of potential to expand throughout a much larger and much younger culture
what I’m doing now without it.
Fantastic! With the launch of Microsoft’s Adaptive controller and further flexibility added to accessibility options in games, what are some of your favourite examples of the ways in which accessibility is being addressed in video games currently? Let’s talk about Apex Legends! It’s literally just come out, it’s Respawn Entertainment’s new battle royale FPS. I never thought in my life I’d praise a battle royale, but here we are! So I downloaded it a few days ago, and basically the first thing that you see is a settings menu with accessibility features built right in without a seperate menu. It’s right there and there’s plenty of ways to modify the experience. People’s voice chat auto translates into text, and this is all on console so it does the same on PC! Onscreen features are also read out as audio, so if you can’t pick something up visually there’s that there to assist. Voice chat isn’t necessary because the communication system, even with button emotes, is really really strong. Even just remembering little things like button toggles and changing the size of the heads-up display is brilliant. Apex Legends, whilst obviously there are some things it could improve, I sat down and loaded up and just went “bloody hell!”
Memory Card: DOOM James Troughton shares his adoration for one of the founding fathers of the FPS genre
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hilst I spent much of my childhood playing first-person-shooter masterpieces ranging from Half-Life, to the original Far Cry, to Quake, there was one game that eluded me: Doom. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I delved into one of the most influential FPS games of all time. Some might argue that the older, twodimensional graphics may have caused the game to age poorly, but all it does for me is make the endless demon killing all the more fun. The incredibly detailed sprites are unbelievably satisfying to shoot as they explode into a timelessly gory spectacle. Although the beloved double barrel had not yet made its grand entrance at this point in the series, the weapons provided are nothing short of fantastic. They are responsive, well-designed
and - most importantly - useful. Whether it’s tearing down a horde of mindless monsters up-close with a chainsaw or decimating an army of
Some might argue that the older, twodimensional graphics may have caused the game to age poorly
demons with the minigun from afar, Doom has the arsenal for any playstyle, be it careful, mindless or a healthy balance of the two. Personally, I always enjoyed running around with the shotgun, recklessly blasting away until I reach my inevitable grizzly demise. The levels weren’t ever overwhelming in terms of visuals, but they were very well designed as each one offered
a plethora of secrets, alternate paths and enemies to duke it out with. A lack of graphical sophistication matters very little when the gameplay is the focus, so Doom has aged like a fine wine and will likely continue to do so. Even though Doom (2016) was a brilliant game, I can’t help but finding myself jumping back into the original and the numerous mods the community are releasing
3m
Doom's total sales from it's release in 1993 through to the end of the millenium.
to this day. The most recent two games were products of the modern gaming world with Doom 3 featuring narrow corridors, jump scares and a mediocre story, and 2016's Doom being far more user-friendly with more obvious secrets and less rewarding exploration. The original Doom will never get old and, to any fans who enjoy the latest entries from Bethesda and ID Software, it is definitely worth delving into the beginnings of the Doom series and the roots of the FPS genre.
the courier
Monday 18th February 2019
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@Courier_Gaming thecourieronline.co.uk/gaming
me Assist
hallenges of creating a multimedia project to discuss these issues I would never have thought Apex Legends would be such a strong example of good game accessibility! How about the potential for hardware changes? Obviously the Xbox Adaptive Controller is the dream, but outside of that a lot of accessibility tools are in the individual, one person setups. The AbleGamers Charity and SpecialEffect go out and produce bespoke singlefunction setups, but I also see a lot of people online making things too. I’ve quite recently seen a singlehanded dualshock controller! Like with the inclusion of accessibility options in games, the frequency of developed representation of marginalised identities is steadily increasing. Do you think representations such as these are at risk of becoming marketing ticks on a checklist rather than something that has genuine thought and care put into it? Without question, of course that could happen. Again, I’m going to sit and praise Apex Legends for a little bit, who have an incredibly diverse cast of heroes. One concern I’ve had and a concern I’ve got with Overwatch is “Hi, Soldier 76 is gay”. It’s all very J.K. Rowling. It doesn’t apply! It doesn’t apply to the story! Here’s a game where we can just slap these labels on them and you just go and shoot people and it doesn’t matter to the story. One difference with Apex Legends is that the casting is appropriate as well - representation comes from everything; it comes from the characters used; it comes from the casting of those characters; it comes from how you portray them throughout; it comes from not completely deviating from that story to make someone straight, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey! And lastly, do you think the interactivity of video games lends any advantages to addressing the prejudices against marginalised groups, particularly in younger players, that other media may have a harder time doing? It genuinely really could! There are stories that can be told through interactive media that don’t really come across in the same way on single-watch TV or single-watch films which have the same story all the way through. In a game, like with the moral choices in Bioware games such as Mass Effect 2, or even Life is Strange where actually having to make big decisions might not result in a ‘win’ condition. There’s always going to be a loss, but it depends on which loss you want to take. But currently, gaming doesn’t seem to be doing that. I think what can be done to increase diversity is to highlight the issues with a lot
of the communities that it impacts. How many people would have stopped playing as Soldier 76 when Blizzard made him come out as gay, or when they realise certain characters’ backgrounds, or once something happens ingame that involve certain NPC’s that players don’t happen to like? The players immediately recoil from these things due to internalised bigotry or whatever you want to call it. Games have the potential of changing that, but it’s going to take time and it’s going to take a lot of effort from lots of different groups. There are still a lot of stereotypes that gaming needs to overcome. Gaming has a lot of potential to educate, and a lot of potential to expand throughout a much larger and much younger culture. It’s just about getting past a lot of internalised bigotry that unfortunately exists within certain gaming circles. Game Assist would like to be a starting point to move away from that, to discuss it and tackle important questions regarding how representation is done and if it’s done well. The fact that game developers are aware of more widespread issues and are willing to tackle them, directly or indirectly, is a good sign. Also, as a side-note, Sara and I are going down to London in March to speak with the National Autistic Society’s young ambassadors about representations of autism in video games! There’s your scoop! Cool! Thank you for talking to us! Congratulations with Game Assist and good luck with everything you have planned! Thank you very much! To find out more about Game Assist and look at the content they produce moving forward, find their Kickstarter page at http://kck.st/2V9sXv1
gaming culture
Metro Exodus exclusive to Epic Store Ransomware against Valve's monopoly? Al Ridley wonders
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etro series developer 4A Games has caught a bit of backlash recently after announcing that the PC edition of its upcoming instalment Metro Exodus is going to be exclusively distributed through the Epic Games launcher. That’d be all well and good but some eyebrows have been raised over 4A’s conduct leading to and surrounding the announcement. And where there are raised eyebrows in the gaming community, there is a commensurate outcry and a butchering of the game’s online review score. The case against 4A is mainly focused on two real arguments. First and foremost is the breakneck about-face that the developer seems to have taken in choosing Epic as its distribution method, because for a while now you’ve already been able to pre-order it on Steam. Though 4A isn’t cancelling any sales or failing to deliver any Exodus-related content already purchased, those who’ve pre-ordered are the only people who’ll be able to play Exodus on Steam until the terms of exclusivity with Epic run out a year after release. While it’s certainly permissible for a developer to use any launcher they wish – Steam may be an industry standard, but it’s not without its own suite of problems – that this exclusivity deal both came out of the blue and is so shortterm speaks of sloppiness on 4A’s part. It’s as if 4A learned of the Epic launcher’s superior 88/12 developer/distributor revenue split a month ago, hashed out a contract and
agreed to awkward terms for quick cash. It comes with little benefit to the consumer, too. It’s not that inconvenient to install an additional launcher, but you don’t get anything out of it either. And if exclusivity contracts can be retroactively negotiated for games, then what’s stopping other developers from doing this to maximise their profits after gauging interest via pre-order? But the brunt of the fury seems to be directed at 4A’s response to criticism. In a statement by a 4A employee going by ‘scynet’, translated by Steam user Redeemed, a refusal to buy Exodus will result in 4A ceasing Metro development for PC entirely: “if at all all the PC players announce a boycott of the Metro, then the next Metro, if it does, is definitely not on the PC.” [sic] The developer perspective seems to be that PC gamers believe “our work is not worth even a couple of minutes to install the launcher.” The onus is therefore unfairly placed on the consumer to purchase Exodus through different means to ensure their continued access to a beloved series. Because what 4A doesn’t seem to twig is that the outrage is directed more at the precedent this case might set than their decision itself. If exclusivity – which is, let’s be clear, always a restriction on the consumer – can be enforced retroactively, and this methodology strikes gold, then what’s to stop a less scrupulous company from doing it with another series? If microtransactions have told us anything, it’s that if it works once it’ll be repeated ad nauseam.
PS4 fruit fiasco James Troughton is ready to explain that the PearSatsuma 4 is not the latest console to rival the likes of Nintendo or Xbox
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nineteen-year-old man has been sentenced to four months in prison for stealing a PlayStation 4 from a chain supermarket in Montbeliard. He manipulated its self-checkout system via weighing the console as fruits and vegetables instead of scanning the PS4 barcode, ending up paying only €9.29. After making €91 in profit from selling the stolen console, he returned to the exact same store the next day to strike again. Using the exact same plan as before, he was then caught by the police.
After paying only €9.29, he made €91 in profit from selling the stolen console
Image: IGDB
His ultimate goal was to sell enough to get a train ticket to Nice, though now he’s behind bars. But who knows? With his special set of skills, perhaps his sentence will be shorter than expected…
Image: Wikimedia & pixabay
What I'm Playing: Unavowed The controversy around the triple-A game industry shows no sign of quitting, so Gerry Hart looks instead to vibrant indies
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hen one looks back at the previous year in gaming, you’d be hard pressed not to remember 2018 with a sense of mild disappointment. True there were some standout gems like God of War and Red Dead Redemption 2 but for the most part, the year was characterised by sparse, tepid releases and even more examples of Triple-AAA excess to add to the pile. No, the bulk of 2018’s best games lay not in the Triple-AAA space but in the indie scene, and few were as widely acclaimed as Wadjet Eye’s Unavowed. The spiritual successor to the acclaimed Blackwell Epiphany series, Unavowed is the latest in a long line of point and click adventure titles created by developer Dave Gilbert. Despite experiencing something of a renaissance at the start of the decade, adventure games have never quite recovered from their fall from popularity towards the end of the millennium. Through Wadjet Eye however, Gilbert has become something of a torchbearer for the genre, and the years of practice and experience tell in Unavowed. Set in New York City, Unavowed takes place in a world steeped in magical realism, wherein all sorts of fantastical
oddities such as elementals, ghosts and dryads exist behind a thin veil separating them from our mundane reality. The game follows the titular Unavowed, a ragtag vigilante organisation dedicated to keeping us ordinary safe from the supernatural world, sort of like the Scooby Doo gang minus the Mystery Machine and the talking stoner dog. And much like the Scooby Doo gang, the game is defined by its cast of characters. You start off with Eli, a fire mage and resident dad of the group and Mandana, a centuries old half-Jinn and sword-wielding badass. Later you pick up Logan, a super chill recovering alcoholic who can communicate with the dead and Vicki, a former Staten Island cop who could deck you with her accent alone. Many have noted the similarities between the Unavowed and the party system in BioWare games. Its an apt comparison, not only insofar as you take two of these characters with you on missions, but much of their characterisation stems from banter between other party members or conversations with the player which slowly reveal a deeper backstory. Another strength of Unavowed is the way it utilises its environment. As the genre suggests, the player interacts with Unavowed by clicking on details in the environment.
Where Unavowed differs from its peers however is the use of party members in overcoming its obstacles, as depending on what combination of characters the player has with them, the resolution to puzzles can differ drastically. Logan for instance can interact with and tease out clues from ghosts. The setting of New York is also more than a stylistic decision (though to be fair a magical adventure in Darlington or Hartlepool sounds decidedly dodgier). As a native of the city, Gilbert infuses local knowledge and a sense of place into the game that would be impossible to an outside observer. This is done through charming little details like characters bantering about the gentrification of Brooklyn or using the subway to travel between missions. As a game, Unavowed isn’t particularly expansive or long, being beatable in a day or two. But in many ways I think that’s one of its strengths. As many games become increasingly feature laden and cumbersome, Unavowed offers the kind of structured and intimate experience that is becoming
increasingly rarer. And it is this simplicity I think that allows Unavowed to rank among the best games of last year. Plus at around £10 on Steam it's more than affordable, so pick it up if you haven’t already.
Image: IGDB
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Monday 18th February 2019 Science Editors Eleanor Gratton,Cecilia Adamou Online Editor Orestis Katsoulis
@Courier_Science thecourieronline.co.uk/science
science culture
Lab-Grown Meat Is scientific language inclusive? Will it be an ethical alternative or a mad scientist invention?
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ver the last 2 years, the number of vegans has soared from half a million to almost 3.5 million, with increasing numbers of us ditching juicy beef burgers for a cruelty free option. However, a newly developed lab grown meat may open the door for those of us who still want those succulent flavours in our meals without promoting factory farming. There is one ultimate question surrounding this new ‘clean meat’: is it really the answer to a healthier, more ethical diet or are the logistics of mass production and cost simply not feasible? Lab grown meat first came to light when Jason Matheny co-authored a paper on cultured meat production and created New Harvest, the first non-profit organisation that was dedicated to supporting in vitro ( in the lab) meat production, in the early 2000s. Following this, a professor at Maastricht University in 2013 produced the first labgrown burger patty and ever since, lab grown meat has gained more and more media attention. For example, food technology giant Memphis Meats gained around $17 million in investments from sources such as Bill Gates and agricultural company Cargill to continue investigating the possibility of lab grown meat. Lab grown meat is manufactured by collecting stem cells (cells which can differentiate into a variety of other cells) from the muscle tissue of an animal. Scientists then grown and sustain the cells so they can divide rapidly, which accumulates to the formation of muscle tissue or meat. Mosa Meat has claimed that one meat tissue sample from a cow can yield enough muscle tissue to make up to 80,000 burgers and so if successful in mass production, the newly created lab meat could transform the food industry. So what makes this latest invention so great? Scientists claim that the new meat will have a triple benefit hit: improving the environment, our own diet and reducing animal cruelty, as well as being more economically viable.
Can a 'Model Plant' save the planet?
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cientists at the Salk Institute, situated in California, have been working on an immensely important project for the past few years. Professor Joanne Chory and her colleagues have been developing ‘The Ideal Plant’. ‘The Ideal Plant’ is one of the many potential solutions that scientists around the world have considered to deal with the surging problem of global warming and climate change. Specifically, Professor Chory and her colleagues want to create a plant that has the capacity to remove huge amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store them in their extensive roots. As a potent greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide is guilty for aiding the rise in the Earth’s temperatures so, lowering the concentration of this gas will make a difference in resolving the catastrophic issue of global warming. Professor Joanne Chory and her colleagues at the Salk Institute, California, have been working on the Ideal Plant project which they hope will contrite to solving this problem. The main idea of the Salk Institute’s project is to create plants which are more efficient at capturing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in their roots. Plants have been doing this naturally for millions of years. Their ability to do this is due to a compound called ‘suberin’. By enabling the plant to produce more of this compound, it will, in turn, behave more efficiently at absorbing CO2. Even though it is still too early to say if they will ever achieve their goal, many scientists are excited about the idea and have emphasized the need for drastic solutions to both cut down on future carbon dioxide emissions as well as to remove some of the already existing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. If we continue to heat our planet at the alarming rate we currently are, human life will not exist in 50 to 100 years. This is shocking to us all and there are many ideas floating around on how to combat this crisis. By making the planet just 2% more efficient, the issue of climate change will be significantly reduced. Further to this, the Salk Institute project aims to have positive downstream consequences elsewhere in sectors that are risk factors to global warming such as food, clothing, energy, and medicines. Other ideas by the Salk institute include the use of coastal marine plants – which have 30 times the capacity for storing carbon dioxide. Holly Fry
If widely adopted, lab grown meat could significantly reduce the amount of greenhouse gases produced such as methane. This would be as a result of a lower demand for cattle, which were recently predicted to contribute 9.1% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the EU, as lab grown meat only requires the generation and sustainment stem cells rather than the whole animal. Furthermore, the production of lab grown meat would significantly reduce the amount of land required for agricultural use. For example, it is predicted that for every ten thousand square metres used to produced lab grown meat, up to 200,000 square metres could be converted back to its natural state from agricultural land, significantly reducing our environmental footprint. In addition, the new meat is also thought to be much better for us as omga-3 fatty acids could be added as an additional health bonus. As well as this, by reducing the amount of antibiotics used in meat production that have resulted in antibiotic resistance in the past, more medicines could be used to combat a variety of diseases such as pneumonia and tuberculosis. Eleanor Gratton
Lily Holbrook discusses the impact that the language used to encourage young women into careers in science actually has
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hether we like it or not, there is a disparity in the number of girls going into science careers compared to boys. Women make up just 23% of the science, technology, engineering and maths workforce in 2017 (WISE). But why? A recent study published in Psychological Science suggests it could all come down to language. Is it really true your confidence to pursue a certain career could be ingrained in the way you were brought up? If I ask you to think about the word ‘science’, initially your thoughts may be drawn to Bunsen burners, safety specs and labs. But in a world where living beacons of knowledge such as Sir David Attenborough exist to inspire us about the world around us, you may equally associate science with the discovery of knowledge about everything in the physical and natural world, from astronomy and botany to psychology and oceanography. However, what thoughts come to mind if I ask you to think about the word ‘scientist’? The difference may be subtle, but a recent study led by researchers at New York University has found that the language used when encouraging young girls to follow a career in science can have a bigger impact than we might think. Researchers in the study used two key phrases to address girls aged four to nine years old: ‘Let’s do science’ and ‘Let’s be scientists’. They found that when 'Let's be scientists' was used, girls were less likely to engage in a sciencebased game which could have far-reaching consequences for their career aspirations in later life. In developmental psychology, it is suggested that boys are typically encouraged to seek information and explore the world boldly. Meanwhile girls are praised for playing nicely and exhibiting gentle, proximity-seeking behaviour. This may therefore explain young girls’ lack of confidence in their ability to do science. Due to this lack of
confidence, girls may perceive their identity as inconsistent with a scientist’s, deeming it unattainable. Even if there aren’t any issues with confidence, the word ‘scientist’ may conjure up images of people in white lab coats, which is not necessarily all that appealing to young girls. But with a demand for scientists in all fields on the rise, it is increasingly clear that not all scientists wear white
The word ‘scientist’ may conjure up images of people in white lab coats, which is not necessarily all that appealing to young girls
coats. Breaking the stereotype are a number of modern female scientists, making important scientific breakthroughs to inspire a new generation of girls. Cynthia Kenyon is working on extending human lives by up to 100 years, Helen Fisher discovered that long-term antidepressant use can halt the brain’s ability to fall in love, and Jennifer Doudna is revolutionising genetic engineering with her pioneering development of CRISPR technology. These women are all serving to lead the way in their respective fields. We are living in a changing world and gender roles are shifting, and so understanding the subtle differences in linguistic cues may be the first step in helping us bridge the gender gap in science for the next generation.
CO2 levels to reach record high Patrick Harland reports the environmentally devastating CO2 predictions for 2019
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nother milestone of carbon dioxide levels is set to be surpassed, with CO2 atmospheric concentration expected to reach 411ppm (parts per million) in 2019. This is a rise of 2.8ppm, passing the milestone of 410ppm not too long after passing 400ppm a few years ago. The rise in CO2 concentration is the main cause of increasing global temperatures that has been identified. This global increase in temperature, known to many as global warming or climate change, and is one of the biggest threats to modern life, with many attributing it to the ‘Greenhouse effect’. The greenhouse effect is the term coined to describe the way in which the radiation of the atmosphere traps the heat from the sun in the lower atmosphere of the planet. The effect stems from greenhouse gases absorbing and emitting radiant energy, which are critical to sustaining life on Earth. However, a large build up of such gases leads to an increased amount of radiation, which is emitted back towards the surface of the planet. This leads to an increase in surface temperature, and subsequently causes rising sea levels and increased ferocity and number of large-scale storms. There are a variety of ways in which the amount of greenhouse gases can increase in the atmosphere, such as burning of coal, natural gas and petroleum, which is a major contributor in CO2¬ emissions. However, there are also ways of first reducing and potentially fixing the issue. The first is to reduce the use of fossil fuels worldwide by a significant amount, if not completely. The use of green energy sources such as solar, wind and hydro-power is already beginning to become more important globally, although more effort is required in order to make a large impact on the reduction of all greenhouse gases (not just CO2 ). There is also the potential of carrying out a chemical reaction of atmospheric gases, or the mixing of atmospheric gases into the ocean. This would reduce the capability of the atmosphere to absorb and release radiation towards the surface. Essentially, the levels of greenhouse gases are worrying, both in the current amount and the rate of increase. Yet, there are glimmers of hope in that this is issue is solvable, there are options at present that if were taken more seriously, would become very viable solutions to the issue. The sooner action is taken to avert the issues of rising CO2 levels, the higher the likelihood that the ‘Green-
house Effect’ can be reduced. We are living in a changing world and gender roles are shifting, and so understanding the subtle differences in linguistic cues may be the first step in helping us bridge the gender gap in science for the next generation.
puzzles
Crossword
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the courier
Monday 18 February 2019
Puzzles Supreme Overlady Carrot Puzzle Matriarch Rihanna Puzzles Editor Hummus Thoughts and Feelings the.courier.puzzluzz@gmail.com
Sudoku (medium)
1
Across
1. David like lightening (5) 6. Cat chat (5) 7. Need something a lot (6) 9. Garbanzo bean (8) 12. A very big thing (6) 14. A festival and a kid (8) 16. A lilo or bouncy castle (10) 17. Renowned root vegetable (6) 19. Precious metal worker (11) 21. Seen during the day in the sky a surprising amount (4) 22. Possibly too zesty (5)
Down
2. Can’t rhyme it (6) 3. The middle (6) 4. Eat or buy (7) 5. Unnesescary extras (11) 8. A statement taken back (8) 10. Like a road but better (7) 11. Good helmet, good boots (9) 13. Not an apple (4) 15. Stardust or Marley (5) 18. Professional flower person (7) 20. Fibrous fruit best from Pakistan (5)
5 1 4 2 3
NAME THAT STATE:
Top marks if you can name all of them, but five points for each each to the numbered states
9
the courier
student voice
Monday 18 February 2019
Sabb Chat: Marioni talks tampons
Louise Hall grills President Raff Marioni as to whether he’s putting his manifesto where his mouth is with free sanitary items So Raff, one of your main points in your manifesto that you were elected off the back of was that you would ensure that all students had access to free sanitary products across campus. What progress has been made so far in implementing this manifesto pledge?
This is one of the main policies that I was elected on, that it was one of my main flagship manifesto points and I got over one thousand votes... but there’s also a bigger growing movement surrounding this as an issue
I think one thing that’s worth saying is that it’s been a lot harder and taken a lot longer than first expected. Initially in my pre-election naivety I was like ‘yeah fine the Students’ Union can run it and we can put one in every building and it would cost only one thousand pounds’ but obviously working with the university you learn that they always want to evaluate it in the long term. They want something that is future proofed and has all the intricacies completely worked out and costed. So it’s moved from that original idea to becoming key locations across campus rather than being in every building. Crucially we’ve just being going through the process of clarifying our argument, doing the research formulating the costs, coming up with a plan and forecasting the impact it will have. We’ve pretty much written a full report now which has recommendations to the university basically trying to convince the executive board to fund this initiative, take control of it and introduce it across campus. Has there been any kind of official commitment from the university that this is something they’re willing to implement? There has been no official statement and there has been the kind of reservations that you would expect because
there is a fair bit of money that will need investing into this. But in my meetings and one to ones with people at the top of the University they have been supportive of it, they have been welcoming the idea. I think crucially they trust students to not abuse this system and use it appropriately and they are very interested in tackling things like period poverty. So at Student Council last week you proposed a question to the room asking if that they would be willing to have their university fees go towards this initiative and that was met with universal agreement throughout the room.
Do you think this is reflective of the entire student body and this is something that students really want to see happen on campus as soon as possible? I mean this really all goes back to the government putting a tax on tampons and the backlash that caused. Crucially, a lot of students don’t understand where their money goes and they don’t see what it contributes to. Utilising student money for something like this, from all the conversations that I’ve had that would much rather their money be spent on an initiative that actually helps them and benefits them. Students would much rather have their money go into something tangible that really affects them.
one who needs them? It’s a tough one, not least because being a cis straight male this is not an area that I can confidently voice an opinion on because I don’t have any experience of needing to access these services myself. So I’m really relying on consultation with others and from that consultation the key thing that’s come out is these machines need to be in discrete locations. Whether this is in a toilet or just in a discreet communal area in a
building is still up for discussion.
What are the next steps in ensuring that this will be implemented and what kind of time frame are you working to? So, the next steps are convincing the university director of finance that spending this amount of money will be worthwhile. Then we need to make sure that the report will get approval from those at the top of the university. If this happens it’s just a case of physically delivering it so finding a company who would supply it and install the machines, and we think the lead time for this would be about two months. If this is approved in the coming weeks in its current form without the need for redrafting, we could be have this implemented by after Easter.
This could be really big for both incoming and current students and I think student councils agreement is really reflective of a supportive student body. Will you be doing any wider survey of student attitudes towards this? I’ve spoken to societies and a lot of students in general about this. But also there’s the fact that this is one of the main policies that I was elected on, that it was one of my main flagship manifesto points and I got over one thousand votes. There has been petitions about the university funding this, so there is this bigger growing movement surrounding about this as an issue. You noted that there would only be funding for a limited number of machines across campus so there’s then a discussion of where these machines should be placed, in terms of being in gender neural toilets or both male and female toilets or not in bathrooms at all. How do you think we tackle this issue and make sure these machines are accessible to every-
Free Sanitary items was at the front of Marioni’s campaign Image: Raff Marioni
NUSU hosts Employability Extravaganza
Isabel Sykes Deputy Editor
This February the Students’ Union are running an ‘Employability Extravaganza’ event to help students make the most out of their Newcastle University experience, boost their CVs, and learn how they are valuable to employers.
For first and second-years, the extravaganza promises a great chance to start thinking ahead and planning for the future
The event began on 11th February and runs right up to the 28th, creating a whole month of activities for students to get involved in. These activities are especially useful for those who have already been involved in NUSU clubs and societies during their time at university. The extravaganza kicked off on the 11th with a panel discussion featuring alumni who were involved in the students’ union. They talked to students about how they used the opportunities it offered to achieve the careers they have today. On Wednesday 13th the volunteering fair took place in the Union with over 40 stalls telling students how they can get involved with volunteer on campus, in the community and further afield. The event also included CV advice for attendees. Students who have missed these events needn’t worry, because there is plenty more ahead this month. On Monday 18th from 5.15pm-6.30pm in the History Room
of NUSU, there will be an event called ‘Knowing Your Strengths’ where students can learn how to perform well in an interview. Attendees will be helped with selling their strengths and boosting their self-awareness of areas to improve. More highlights from the month will include an event on the 19th to help students tackle job application forms, with a useful subject-specific session for medics. Also on the 19th, the Careers Service are running an event called First Year Fest. This day is exclusively for first year students and offers information, guidance and activities to take part in. First-years can get informed about part-time jobs, volunteering opportunities and work placements, as well as take advantage of some free refreshments. For those interested in volunteering, the 28th of February will see the launch of the ‘The Third Sector Forum’ which is an initiative to help students access the volunteering sector of work. This will offer informal group meetings to anyone interested in learning about the different career possibilities in this sector, with the chance to network with people who have volunteering roles in the local community and beyond. In addition to these great opportunities, the Careers Service are putting on a number of other activities for students to take part in in throughout the month. For third years, this is a great time to get prepared for graduation and put the skills learned during their degree into practice. For first and second-years, the extravaganza promises a great chance to start thinking ahead and planning for the future. More information about the events run during this month’s Employability Extravaganza, as well as additional events put on by the Careers Service, can be found on the NUSU website. Contact information for Jo Day, NUSU Employability & Skills Coordinator, is also available online for anyone with enquiries.
A stream of events will be held at the Students’ Union Image: NUSU
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Monday 18 February 2019
Getting to the Root of the problem Sport Editor Harry Parsons and Phil Etchells evaluate England skipper Joe Root’s response to an on-field homophobic slur Phil Etchells
“The International Cricket Council must address homophobia in cricket” These are the words of Chris Sherwood, of Graces CC, the “world’s first LGBT cricket club”. They come a few days after West Indian cricketer, Shannon Gabriel, was charged for an “inappropriate comment” aimed at England captain, Joe Root. Now admitting he asked Root, “Do you like boys?” Root’s immediate response of “there’s nothing wrong with being gay” has been highly praised. Showing leadership and integrity, as well as a touch of professional class, Root quickly downplayed the incident saying, “I just did what I thought was right”. But to have a role model, such as the England captain, standing up against what he saw as homophobic abuse is critical if this sort of unacceptable behaviour is to be stamped out of the game. Homophobia is still an issue in cricket. Given that homosexuality is illegal in five of the top ten cricketing nations - there is a prison sentence up to 10 years for any sexual activity between men in some countries of the West Indies - there is clearly work to be done. According to Sherwood, the ICC have a responsibility to tackle homophobia in the game. “They have very clear guidelines and disciplinary procedures when it comes to racism, (however) the same cannot be said for homophobia”. Graces CC, originally founded in London in 1996 as a supporters’ club, arguably is leading the way in challenging stereotypes in the game. “We exist to provide an opportunity for people to watch and play cricket irrespective of gender or sexual orientation. Our vision is to assert upon the cricketing and wider sporting community an ideal of total equality and inclusion”. Their work, as well as other initiatives such as the ‘Rainbow Laces’ (where players, umpires and even the stumps are donned with rainbow coloured stripes) are wonderful ways to raise awareness of this issue and promote acceptance in sport. Nevertheless, straight allies to the LGBTQ community are perhaps one of the big-
gest inspirations to breaking down ignorance in sport. What’s seen by our sporting heroes on TV, at the weekend is very often repeated in the school yard and on pitches on Monday morning. When there are people like Joe Root who stand up for themselves and others it sends a powerful message to everyone; that there are sportswomen and sportsmen who will stand in solidarity with those who experience these derogatory slurs. After Politics and Media, Sport is arguably the most influ-
ential catalyst for changing culture. We need more clubs like Graces CC, who are in the community and promoting a love of sport as well as a love for our fellow competitors. We need sporting institutions to do more to combat the inappropriate behaviour from grassroots level to professional sport. But perhaps what we need most are more sportspeople to stand up and speak out against ignorance and inequality - and be our role models.
Harry Parsons Sport Editor
While on the filed during England’s third test against the West Indies last week, TV Cameras and stump microphones picked up on England Captain Joe Root saying, to the opposing side’s fast bowler Shannon Gabriel, “don’t use it as an insult, there’s nothing wrong with being gay”. The mics didn’t pick up what caused him to say to that. It has since emerged that Gabriel asked Root “whether [he] liked boys?” as a sort of obscure insult which only brings into question, the asker of said questions insecurities. Joe Root, in interviews later on, was calm and seemed unwilling to talk about the incident, suggesting it needn’t be discussed any further. Root did not know that the stump mic would pick up his words. He didn’t know the clip would go viral. He didn’t know that TV and Radio coverage would pick up on the incident while cricket was still being played.
Joe Root in interviews later on was calm and seemed unwilling to talk about the incident, suggesting it needn’t be discussed further
Gabriel has since apologised for his comments, but he can keep that apology. The words Root used, as an off the cuff rebuttal, and the challenge he made I’m sure are used around the world in all forms of sport, all the time. But you don’t need to use a microscope to find homophobia in the sporting world. Openly gay sportsmen are hard to come
Root has been a part of the England set-up since 2012 Image: Wikimedia Commons
by and the problems are deep rooted. But Roots’ comment gives us something that many of us needed. He gave people a simple, easy message. Don’t be a bigot.
When you’re young and adore sport but you’re still working out exactly who you are and who exactly you might fancy, you need to know that that is okay
Young LGBT+ people watch sport. We watch it, we enjoy it, and we grow up with it and its culture. When you’re a 21 year old, openly gay man, sat in an away end at a 3PM kick-off and you hear homophobic slurs aimed at nobody in particular, is it disheartening? Sure. Hurtful? Yeah. Easy to move past? After a pint with your friends; probably. When you’re not lucky enough to be out, proud and surrounded by people who support and appreciate you, it’s harder to hear. When you’re young and adore sport but you’re still working out exactly who you are and who exactly you might fancy, you need to know that that is okay. And it is a heart-breaking shame that young people are forced to watch cowards who dress up like role models, people like Shannon Gabriel, use the idea of homosexuality as some sort of insult. However, much to Gabriel’s dismay I’m sure, Joe Root showed that it’s easy to challenge bigotry. It’s easy to do it because it’s the right thing, not because you want a flood of praise. Cricket is at the forefront of brilliant developments in sport. But this doesn’t have to be that deep. Shannon Gabriel is lame. Joe Root is just an all-round top bloke.
Green clears up on the Green
Sport Editior Harry Parsons and Newcastle pool player Matt Green recounts his latest experience of the national BUCS Harry Parsons
On Wednesday 6th February Newcastle University Pool and Snooker Club made the 276 mile journey to Great Yarmouth for a four day pool competition. From Thursday to Sunday the team of 20 Newcastle Students made the trip for a four day national competition in the Norfolk town. Split into teams of 5 and individual competitions, over 600 people were competing in some capacity over the long weekend. Matt Green and Joshua Smith both got through to the final 64 of the individual competition with Matt green making it to the Semi-Finals and finishing in 3rd place.
Matt Green in Great Yarmouth My 2nd experience of the Great Yarmouth BUCS event was far better than I could have predicted. Two years ago, our 1st team went on to win the shield event. Going into this year’s tournament, I hoped that I could go away on a similar high. Despite our team not quite replicating the same performance as we had previously, my progression to the last four in
the individual competition was a complete rollercoaster. Being behind in many of my knockout matches before coming back from behind to win meant I was going through a complex cycle of emotions; frustration, then elation and then nervousness for the next match. Nonetheless, the experience was one that I’ll never forget and I only hope the society goes from strength to strength for the future tournaments.
“I only hope the society goes from strength to strength”
Following the tournament, our president, Liam McCann, commented: “Last week at Yarmouth was a fantastic weekend for our players. Everyone played to an excellent standard and did our university proud. I’m particularly pleased that our second team managed to reach the semi-finals of the Shield event. In the individual competition, Matt Green made it to the semi-finals, playing some of the best pool this society has seen. I’m happy to see that the club is growing more each year and we hope for further success in upcoming tournaments.”
The 22 strong Newcatsle Pool elite Image:Matt Green
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Monday 18 February 2019
Will Liverpool let the title slip again?
Phil Etchells casts his eye back to the last time that Liverpool were in good contention for the illustrious Premier League title At the turn of the New Year, Liverpool were flying. Collecting 54 points from 20 games, and Manchester City losing three times during a dismal December period, Liverpool sat unbeaten and seven points clear at the top of the Premier League. No team have had such a big lead at this stage of the season and not gone on to be crowned champions. Were the 29 barren years without winning a league title finally coming to an end? Fast forward just over a month and Liverpool have dropped those seven points. They stand shakily at the ‘starting line’ of the Premier League run in, looking over their shoulders at City, Spurs, United and Chelsea racing up behind them as the 2018-19 season goes down to the wire. Twelve games remain (as of writing) and by the end of next week the reigning champions could be firmly back at the top of the table.
The high hopes placed on Brendan Roger’s “incredible” team resulted in failure
As the business end of the season approaches, the question is whether Liverpool have the bottle to battle it out until the end or will they once again ‘slip’ at the last hurdle as they did in 2013-14… “This does not slip”, were Steven Gerrard’s infamous (paraphrased) words after their
2014 defeat of Manchester City at Anfield, on the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster. But fate it seemed would have the final say. A Gerrard slip, resulting in Chelsea’s 2-0 win a few weeks later, was the beginning of the end. The season soon unravelled for Liverpool following a shock 3-2 defeat to Crystal Palace, and City went on to win the title. The high hopes placed on Brendan Rogers’ “incredible” team resulted in failure, and
29
How many years it has been since Liverpool last won a Premier League title
left Liverpool fans with a bitter aftertaste in their mouths of ‘what could have been’. For weeks the team bus had been greeted with flares, smoke bombs and deafening chants of “We’re gunna win the league”. The red “Champions 2013-14” shirts had already been printed and prepped in advance. It had all gotten a bit too much. Liverpool have come a long way since then. Bringing in Jurgen Klopp in 2015 has completely changed the fortunes of the club: a weary and an ageing team after the disappointing spells of Roy Hodgson, Sir Kenny Dalglish and Brendan Rodgers as managers would be soon revamped. With some serious investment and Klopp implementing his high intensity ‘gegenpressing’ tactics, a new project began. Recruiting quality attackers such as Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sa-
dio Mané has been critical to their success, as well as creating a solid spine to the team with recent signings of goalkeeper Alisson, and players such as Virgil van Dijk, Naby Keita and Fabinho. James Milner has come into his own under Klopp’s tutelage, as have youth products like the exciting Trent AlexanderArnold and Joe Gomez. However, you do wonder if Jurgen Klopp’s team are feeling some of that mounting pressure again. The Liverpool side is young and full of potential, but have no experience of winning titles. As charismatic and galvanising as he is, Klopp has not touched silverware since the 2011-12 season, when he won his second Bundesliga title as well as the German Cup - and he has lost all six finals he has been in since that season.
This Liverpool side is young and full of potential but have no experience of winning titles
With injuries to their defence hitting the team at a crucial point in the season, and Klopp complaining about the officials and even the weather after recent losses, it remains to be seen whether Liverpool can finally end their title draught. Their fate is firmly in their own hands (and legs).
Steven Gerrard made 504 appearances for Liverpool Image: Wikimedia Commons
Falcons to Flood the Sharks at the Park Sport Editor Rebecca Johnson reviews the local Newcastle Falcons’ uneasy start to their Gallagher Premiership campaign It’s been a tough time for Newcastle Falcons in the Gallagher Premiership this season. Currently sat at the bottom of the table with seventeen points from twelve games, it hasn’t been easy. March 3rd sees a bottom of the table clash between the Falcons and the Worcester Warriors, who are sat just above them in eleventh place with twenty-one points from twelve games. The Falcons should be confident going into this game with the knowledge that they beat the Warriors 20-23 back in September last year. The start of 2019 has seen some heavy defeats for the Falcons in all competitions. After a good start in the Heineken Challenge
Kingston park is the home of the Newcastle Falcons Image:Tom Hardwick
Cup earlier in the season, it’s been a bit of a challenge for the Falcons since then. January blues hit them hard as they suffered defeats
The presence of former England fly-half Toby Flood has been major for the Falcons.
to Montpellier and Toulon in the Cup and to third placed Harlequins in the Premier League.
The Falcons have lost nine games overall in the Gallagher Premiership this season. However, not all of these losses have been colossal. In fact, some of their games have been rather tight and they’ve been unlucky to lose. They were narrowly defeated at home by mid-table Wasps 22-23 in September and just missed out against Gloucester in December, losing 17-20. However, the Falcons need not be disheartened going forward this season. Although they have had a difficult start to their season, they can take a lot of positives from their recent spell in the Premiership Rugby Cup. Newcastle smashed the mid-table Sale Sharks 28-12 in the competition. The perfor-
mances of players including Vereniki Goneva, Mark Wilson and Johnny Williams have been consistent throughout all competitions,
They can take a lot of positives from their recent spell in the Premiership Rugby Cup
with them providing the much needed tries. Additionally the presence of former England fly-half Toby Flood has been major for the
Falcons, supplying crucial conversions and penalty kicks. The Falcons have a tough upcoming month in the Premiership, facing the top of the table team Exeter Chiefs at the end of the month. However, arguably their most exciting game is “The Big One” on 23rd March 2019 when they take on Sale Sharks at St James’ Park. With the Sharks being their north-most rivals, this certainly has the ingredients to make for a tasty meeting between the two teams. With £10 tickets for students making it the perfect opportunity to watch some quality local sport.
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Monday 18 February 2019
Pettitt Talks: The Problem with BUCS Former AU Officer, and Courier Sport coloumnist, Clara Pettitt evaluetes the problems with the way BUCS points are allocated CLARA PETTIT
Clara was the elected AU Officer in 2017/18 and is a featured columnist for Courier Sport
With BUCS nationals this weekend and the centenary of BUCS sport, the excitement spreads across the country to see some of the country’s top athletes fight for national titles and those ‘all important’ BUCS points. Today I question what makes a BUCS point and if there is consistency across all sports. To me it doesn’t seem possible to directly compare sports, each sport has many different aspects: scoring systems, formats and frequencies etc. which creates disparity when creating a multi-sport competition. This is reflected in the Olympics where there are lots more medals on offer in some sports than others which doesn’t directly correlate to the amount of people competing in the events or how hard it is to get selected to take part in that event in the first place. Nevertheless many would regard the Olympics as the greatest sporting competition of all time and it doesn’t take the excitement away from it.
This issue however transfers to BUCS and the frustration is clear when discussing the BUCS points system across various stake-
I struggle to see how BUCS poitns should only be given if someone is of GB standard and I don’t believe that this is consistent
holders. The points system aims to give a full representation of how good a University is nationally for sport, however many would question whether this is actually possible to do fairly and without bias. Furthermore if such a system creates many problems in terms of funding, recognition and participation in University sport. To me it seems that the initial problem stems from the difference in formatting of sports; many team sports have BUCS
Wednesday leagues where they have the opportunity to compete every week, alongside cup competitions each year, with some even having national competitions as well. Whilst individual sports only have a handful of national competitions each year in which their position across the country is decided on one days performance. The amount of points allocated to each sport is different based on the sport, this situation is not just perpetuated across sports but within sports themselves. If we take Athletics for example there are the same amount of points allocated to a Cross Country race in which 600 people take part in as one 1500m in which there are only 36 entries. It is a problem I noticed early into my University life, when competing in a local harrier league for the University, I thought I had done well by finishing in the top 5% of the race but even despite these competitions attracting international athletes such as Laura Weightman, I soon found that because there were no BUCS points available there was not much emphasis on these competitions. I found this hard to adapt to since at school my sport had been highly recognised by staff since we would always make the national finals, there was no overall ‘national school sport system’ and therefore recognition was
consistent in all ‘brands’ of competition. Here understandably recognition is heightened if we are achieving points for the University and improving the countries national ranking.
It is sad to think that University sport is judged on something so ambiguous and I hope for some justification and more understanding
Competing in the BUCS cross country championships, whilst I was running around the course alongside 650 other runners from other University’s I heard the commentator announce that my sister was coming 4th in the event and was on for GB selection, this was obviously amazing, although I was shocked to hear that this was the lowest position she could have come to achieve BUCS points. I struggle to see how BUCS points should
Hull fumble as Raiders triumph AMERICAN FOOTBALL
Newcastle 1sts 22 8 Hull 1sts
Nathan Chatterton-Sherburn in Hull
One week after the Superbowl and Newcastle Raiders travelled down the East coast to face Hull Sharks, a game which arguably made for a more exciting result than the Rams v Patriots, Superbowl LIII.
After a motivating half time team talk, the Raiders looked more alive and ready to do some damage
Newcastle Raiders are currently top of their BUCS League Image: Mick Woodruff
The Raiders found themselves frustrated in the first half; the defence holding out, offering the Sharks very few yards, with regular turnovers of possession courtesy of interceptions made by defensive backs. Despite best efforts the offence failed to score any points before half time. A twopoint safety for Hull meant that they led perhaps unjustly at the end of the second quarter, 2-0. After a motivating half time team talk, the Raiders looked considerably more alive and ready to do some damage, which was converted into a touchdown by rookie running back Michael Atementaka after breaking multiple tackles and running over half the field. A trademark of the No.95 who scored three against Glasgow two weeks ago. The two point conversion was sealed with a pass route to put the raiders 8-2 up. Before the celebrations could finish however, an array of fouls against the Raiders had the team pushed back to the 5 yard line with the Sharks in possession, allowing a touchdown for the Sharks to level the score by the end of the third quarter. The only positive to take was a blocked conversion by Liam Mills aka. Hagrid, to deny Hull any conversion points and keep the score level at 8 a piece coming into the final quarter.
The Raiders pressed for the win in the final quarter with the defence again allowing Hull no opportunity to take advantage. It looked as though Newcastle would be held to a disap-
8
The amount of points the Raiders have in BUCS having won all four of their games
pointing draw until with three and half minutes of game time remaining, James Cross found himself in the endzone unmarked and able to make a catch for the touchdown, his second in as many games. With the offence having done their part, it was for the defence to hold down the win for the final few minutes. Not only did the defence subdue the Hull offence, a pick-6 by rookie linebacker Will Stephen, completed with an excellent run that any running back would be proud of, extended the Raider’s points tally over the Sharks, putting the nails in the coffin for Hull in the final moments to end the game 22-8. The game MVPs were awarded to Joel Sandilands (DB), Yacine Meziane (LB),
Newcastle finds themselves in a very strong position for making the playoffs but must first face off Northumbria on the 17th Feb and again on the 20th Feb
Will Stephen (LB) and Jay Layfield (OL). The result against Hull places the Raiders at joint top of the league with Northumbria, with a game in hand over the Northumbria. Having won every game this season, Newcastle finds themselves in a very strong position for making the playoffs but must first face off Northumbria on the 17th Feb and again on the 20th Feb. Both offence and defence are excelling in training and are certain they can beat Northumbria to top the league.
only be given if someone is of GB standard and I don’t believe that this is consistent across all sports, last year in the BUCS Biathlon championships only 5 Universities took part and therefore all of them received points. The issue is one that is recognised by other Universities and I believe BUCS itself, however in my 4 years at University I haven’t seen any changes or justification as to what a BUCS point is. Last year at BUCS Conference amongst a discussion we posed the question ‘what is a BUCS point worth’ and I think we all came to the conclusion that it was very hard to put a figure on the credit of sports and compare one to another. However since there is a national University sporting system, it is inevitable and understandable that the figures do have an effect on funding, recognition and motivation and to me it is upsetting that such a system can have such a big effect on University sport. That is not to say that those passionate about the sport don’t compete in the sport they want to because of this, that would of course be ridiculous, the excitement still holds for all sports regardless of if they are even in BUCS or not, however it is sad to think that University sport is judged on something so ambiguous and I hope for some justification and more understanding in the future.
Man United fall at PSG
CHAMPIONS Manchester United PSG LEAGUE
0 2
Jamie Mounsey Manchester United came into the game as strong favourites with Neymar ruled out of both legs suffering a metatarsal injury in late January and with Cavani being ruled out a couple of days prior to the fixture with a muscle problem. The United fans were confident in their team being able to subdue the young prodigy, Mbappe with their team starting strong, pressuring the backline of PSG well, with a standout run from Pogba in the opening 30 minutes which was very close to opening the scoring, but the veteran Buffon kept Lingard from tapping the ball in. Prior to Martial and Lingard having to be substituted off, United were 50/50 with the Parisians and it could have gone either way. However, it was evident in the second half, bringing Mata and Sanchez on was a backwards step that couldn’t be changed - United lost width and speed in the midfield. Sanchez had recorded zero crosses, zero key dribbles and zero shots in the 45 minutes he was on. United conceded two goals from poor defending at the set pieces, with Matic not picking up Kimpembe at a corner, and both Lindelof and Bailly not being close enough to Mbappe when the cross from Di Maria came in. Many, including myself, thought United could win the game - but as Solskjaer put it in the post-match interview ‘mountains are there to be climbed’. It will be a battle at the Parc Des Princes for sure.
Image: Flickr
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Monday 18 February 2019
Boob-ball tournament returns Rebecca Johnson Sport Editor
Friday 15th February saw the return of the annual Boob-ball tournament organised by the Newcastle University Boob team for its third year. Different societies and groups on campus gather to participate or spectate in a series of dodgeball games.
The tournament aims to raise awareness about breast cancer
The tournament has been running for three years Image: Rebecca Johnson
Social media officer for the Boob team Mel Havery said that the tournament aims to raise awareness about breast cancer and stress that it’s important to trust your touch. She goes on to say that the team encourage “guys, gals and non-binary pals” to be checking regularly for symptoms. The tournament saw nine teams take part in a round-robin format of small dodgeball games. On one half of the court, there were two matches being played, whilst on the other half the remaining teams were encouraged to get some practice in as they waited. One of the games had a twist to it, on each team one player donned a giant inflatable boob, which was used as a shield. Much to everyone’s surprise, the King’s Dodgeball team were the winners of the competition.
Olé Ole. Is Solksjaer the man? Sesha Subramanian looks at Manchester United’s success so far in the second half of the season
Nine wins out of ten games in charge is a very good record for any manager in the Premier League, and especially so if you consider the fact that Ole Gunnar Solksjaer’s previous managerial record in the Premier League isn’t the one you’d tell young managers to look at as an example of success.
13
The number of goals Paul Pogba has scored in the 2018/19 season
The players seem to be performing as individuals, the team seems to be playing better football – probably the best since Sir Alex left the club – and they have the results to match. The only bump on the road was a two-all draw with Burnley. Are Manchester United finally back from the dead? On the surface it would definitely seem so. They’ve finally moved out of the sixth spot that they seemed to occupy almost eternally this season and have earned some crucial wins over Tottenham and Arsenal during this unbeaten streak. They are winning games regularly, scoring goals regularly, with Marcus Rashford looking more and more like a real, classic centre-forward these days. United are managing to get wins even in games where they don’t look like the better team. That may be due to individual performances (David De Gea against Tottenham, for example) or inefficient opposition (again, Spurs and their numerous chances at Wembley come to mind) but somehow they are getting the job done. But in my view not all of United’s revival is down to Solksjaer. Of course, he has adapted tactically, choosing a pacey front three for most of his games with Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard featuring heavily in it, his full-backs (especially Luke Shaw) are playing with confidence and Paul Pogba looks like a wholly different player now that he has been given
more freedom to influence the game further forward than under Mourinho. And United don’t look invincible by any means – again, consider their performance against Spurs. He is stylistically more like Ferguson than Mourinho and even though he does tend to sit deep against teams that are maybe more talented than his own, it does not negate his attacking threat – which is the crucial difference between his and Jose’s way of playing. But Ole is not the only one who’s gotten his act right. Paul Pogba, for example, is now putting more effort and energy into his game than he did before and he is getting the rewards for it with both assists and goals to his name. The atmosphere at the club isn’t as toxic anymore and there is a keen sense of ambition both on and off the pitch that was previously lacking under managers like Mourinho and Louis Van Gaal. And even though we have to wait till we see evidence of it in the sum-
BADMINTON
M1 v Bangor 1sts
7-1
BASKETBALL
M2 v Leeds 1sts M3 v York St John 1sts W2 v UCLAN 1sts
79-63 52-79 WO NCL
FENCING
M1 v Sheffield 1sts M2 v Lancaster 1sts W2 v Lancaster 1sts
FOOTBALL
89-132 62-135 79-135
M1 v Liverpool JM 1sts M2 v Teeside 1sts M3 v Bolton 1sts W1 v Durham 2nds W2 v Lancaster 1sts
7-2 1-0 1-4 5-0 1-1
GOLF
Mix1 v Stirling 2s
3-3
HOCKEY
M1 v Manchester 1sts M2 v Leeds Beckett 2nds M3 v Bangor 2nds W1 v Leeds 1sts
1-1 5-1 1-0 0-2
LACROSSE
M1 v Northumbria 1sts W1 v Durham 3rds W2 v Sheffield 1sts
27-0 12-5 13-14
NETBALL
W1 v Nottingham 2nds
50-39
RUGBY UNION
M1 v Durham 2nds 24-10 M2 v MMU Manchester 1sts 7-49 M3 v Hull 1sts 19-14 M4 v York St John 1sts 12-71 M5 v Leeds 4ths 15-15 W1 v Edinburgh 1sts 5-75 W2 v Liverpool JM 1sts 19-40
RUGBY LEAGUE
M2 v Bangor 1sts
SQUASH
40-26
M2 v Imperial London 2nds M3 v Durham 1sts W2 v Sheffield Hallam 1sts
TABLE TENNIS
M1 v Durham 1sts
4-1 0-3 0-4
13-4
TENNIS M1 v Leeds 2nds
United are scoring goals regularly with Marcus Rashford looking more like a real classic centre-forward
mer transfer window, there is a feeling that United have realised their mistakes handling the non-footballing aspects of the game like transfer targets and recruitment. I am still on the fence as to whether this is just an extended honeymoon period or a semblance of real progress and will reserve my judgment until Solksjaer and United have gone through a few more games – especially the ones against their arch-rivals Liverpool and Manchester City, not to mention the summer window that will define where they stand and what their intentions are in the league.
BUCS RESULTS
ULTIMATE
M1 v Liverpool 1sts
VOLLEYBALL
M1 v Liverpool 1sts
12-0 3-0
3-0
OVERALL BUCS POSITION
Solksjaer is a former Red Devils player Image: Wikimedia Commons
Pos
University
Pts
8
Birmingham
1963.5
9
Newcastle ■
1755.2
10
N’ham Trent
1632.5
11
Cardiff
1612.5
sport the courier
Monday 18 February 2019 Issue 1383 Free
@Courier_Sport courier.sport@ncl.ac.uk thecourieronline.co.uk/sport Sport Editors Rebecca Johnson, Harry Parsons, Sydney Isaacs, Jack Smillie, Rory Ewart Online Editor Tom Hardwick
Inside Sport today >>>
SLIPPY BESIDE THE POOL
UNITED REVIVED?
ROOT-ING OUT HOMOPHOBIA
The Premier League season nearing its climax Page 41
Joe Root stands up to homophobic slurs Page 40
Raiders secure a Hull of a win
We take a closer look at the recent revival of Manchester United Page 43
Full story on page 42
The Raiders have started the season well Image: Mick Woodruff
Volleyball secure another ace victory MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Newcastle 1sts Liverpool 1sts
3 0
Tom Hardwick at Sport Central Newcastle Volleyball 1’s season has been superb thus far, with the team occupying a commanding position at the top of the Northern 1A League. On Wednesday, they came up against Liverpool 1’s, who Newcastle had beaten 3-0 in the away fixture last year. A look at the BUCS table suggested that Newcastle would dominate the game and that was largely true, with Newcastle earning a 3-0 win to continue their run of good form. Newcastle wasted no time as the game started, soon racing into a 10-2 lead by firing some stinging efforts over the net that Liverpool struggled to match. Newcastle were definitely the more composed of the two sides, recovering impressively from Liverpool shots that weaker teams might have been unable to
salvage. The gap between the sides became increasingly evident as the first game went on, and Newcastle’s lead was soon at 16-3. Patterson began to show his quality, mustering a powerful serve that Liverpool’s Olabode could not contain. Liverpool did their best to plug away at Newcastle’s lead, but they were undoubtedly second best to their table-topping opponents. After a resounding performance, Newcastle took the first game 25-12, a score that suggested a whitewash was on the cards for the away side.
7
The amount of games Newcastle have won in the BUCS league this season
The second game started as the first ended, with Newcastle getting points on the board courtesy of Janiunas. The first game had seen something of a chasm develop between the
two sides, with Newcastle picking up points in tight situations whereas Liverpool seemed to struggle when the game got more frenetic. This game, however, was closer, with a tight 7-5 lead for Newcastle suggesting that Liverpool had tightened their game up. Pepe Bean managed a superb recovery that Yang Lee capitalised on to earn another point, but the game was still tight, with Newcastle’s lead being a slender 10-8. Newcastle were doing their best to pull away by sending a couple of scorching hits that probably would’ve broken my hand, but these were interspersed with some inaccurate efforts that left the game evenly poised at 1514. After a brief timeout, and with the coach’s words ringing in their ears, Newcastle began to show the quality that had won them the first game, extending into a 21-16 lead. Liverpool deserve some credit for a fighting performance, but ultimately succumbed 25-19, leaving Newcastle in the driving seat. At this point, with Newcastle having enough players to field two teams and Liver-
pool having no substitutes to make, the away side’s fatigue should have had an impact on proceedings. However, the opposite seemed
Newcastle were the more composed of the two sides recovering impressively from Liverpool shots
true at very beginning of the third game, with Liverpool taking a 8-6 lead aided by avoidable Newcastle errors. Despite Liverpool doing well to take the lead it didn’t last long, and ultimately their exertions began to take their toll, with Newcastle soon holding a 16-10 lead that they didn’t seem likely to relinquish. Commendably, Liverpool refused to roll over and accept defeat, and having clawed
the deficit back to just 19-16 there was the slightest danger that they might force a fourth game. Yet, just as that danger presented itself, Newcastle once again replicated their dominance of the first game. The game finally reached its conclusion with Newcastle winning 25-19, earning the home side a deserved 3-0 win. Their status as league leaders was further cemented by another crushing victory, sending out a message to other sides that they do not intend to allow themselves to be ousted at the top. Men’s Volleyball Northern 1A League
Pld
W
D
L
Pts
1 Newcastle 1sts
7
7
0
0
21
2 Manchester 1sts
6
4
0
2
12
3 Leeds 1sts
6
3
0
3
9
4 Liverpool 1sts
7
2
0
5
6
5 Manchester Met 1sts
6
0
0
6
0