Courier 1395

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Lifestyle Halloqweens: exploring Halloween as a feminist issue Page 12

Monday 28 October 2019 Issue 1395 Free

Travel The battle of the Disneys: which comes out on top?

Page 19

Television The best of spooks on the small screen Page 24

Est 1948

The independent voice of Newcastle students

Cochrane Park alcohol licence granted Grace Dean Editor

Students are now able to purchase alcohol from the bar at Cochrane Park.

A hearing on Tuesday 22 October with Newcastle City Council’s licensing sub-committee’s granted a licence for alcohol sale at the venue’s pavilion, which is operated by the Students’ Union.

The bar will only have a “small alcohol offering”, and will serve a range of other refreshments including Starbucks coffee and nonalcoholic drinks, and all alcohol purchased much be consumed on the premise. Though

the licence states that alcohol sale will be permitted between 11am and 10:30pm each day, its opening hours will additionally be limited to when Cochrane Park is being used for sport, meaning that late-night disruption will be minimal. These licensing hours are actually much more restrictive than the ones the site had prior to the refurbishment.

This addressed feedback given in the focus review group meetings prior to the redevelopment, in which students voiced the need for a space to provide pre- and post-match refreshments.

Athletics Union Officer Joe Gubbins said: “The redevelopment of the facilities and pavilion at Cochrane Park is a massive boost to

our students. Not only do we have top quality sporting facilities to play on but it also allows that team culture to go and is vastly better for spectators. Having the pavilion balcony so that teams can watch games and support other University teams either before or after their own games will really add to the team spirit and culture that we’re developing here as Newcastle Sport. The bar is a great addition as a space to relax after games or grab a hot drink for winter afternoons while supporting on the sidelines.”

A group of neighbours had objected to the proposals over fears of noise and unruly behaviour”, leading to the creation a petition signed by residents stating that the licensing

will “cause a public nuisance for residents living nearby”, particularly due to the proximity of young families or elderly residents.

One critic of the licensing plans argued: “I am concerned about drunk and disorderly behaviour that will inevitably come. Whether it is just loud, yobbish behaviour at bus stops or tipping over people’s bins, to the vandalism of people’s cars and property.” However, none of these concerned neighbours attended the hearing last Tuesday.

Graham Hattam, the Students’ Union’s Director of Commercial, addressed the concerns: “While we appreciate the concerns of residents, we have tried to engage with them to address those concerns and unfortunately

have been unsuccessful.”

The licence covers alcohol sale from 11am to 10:30pm every day

Cochrane Park was renovated during Easter by the University at a cost of £8.5m. The site now includes three new artificial pitches, a rowing ergometer training centre, a larger sports pavilion with upgraded changing facilities, and further car parking spaces. The site had previously been used as a training venue for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Free bus travel for Northumbria

Grace Dean Editor

It has been revealed that Northumbria University students can travel for free between Chillingham Road in Heaton and the Civic Centre, whereas Newcastle University students have to pay for tickets.

The number one Stagecoach bus costs £1.90 for a single ticket for students wishing to travel between Heaton and the Marjorie Robinson Library Rooms. A tip-off from a fourth year Law student revealed that, because Northumbria University has campuses located by each of these bus stops – their City and Coach Lane campuses – they offer free transport to both students and staff using their student card.

The free bus service is furthermore not just limited to daytime use, as it valid from 7am to 10:15pm seven days a week, which is beyond the usual lecture period.

7am til 10:15pm

When Northumbria students can travel for free with the Stagecoach number one bus every day

The partnership has been amended since its introduction to cover not just direct travel between the City Campus (Civic Centre) and Coach Lane Campus (Chillingham Road) stops, but also between designated stops at the corner of Sandyford Road and Portland Terrace, the junction of Portland Road and Warwick Street, and the Warwick Street/Stadium.

£3.80

The cost of a return journey between Heaton and campus

Despite the partnership being established to facilitate transport between the two campuses, however, many students take advantage of the free transport for purposes other than this.

The student revealed that some Northumbria University students who are based only on the City Campus use the buses to travel between their accommodation and the city centre or the main City Campus.

Continued on page four

When Northumbria students can travel for free with the Stagecoach number one bus every day from 7am til 10:15pm Image: Grace Dean

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Monday 28 October 2019

thecourier Editor Grace Dean Deputy Editor Molly Greeves Online Editor Tom Hardwick

Current Affairs

Newfess of the week: spooky sitings Newfess of the week is back and this time it’s personal!

From our favourite messy confessions site we’ve chosen this post: “I think there must be a ghost in my house. Milk and food keep

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News 3 courier.news@ncl.ac.uk Editors: Aimee Seddon, Carl Smith Valdez, Em Richardson, Emma McLaren & Sophie Wilson Comment 8 courier.comment@ncl.ac.uk Editors: Aastha Malik, Joe Molander & Kelly Corcoran

Life & Style

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Life & Style Editor: Nimra Rafique Lifestyle 11 c2.lifestyle@ncl.ac.uk Editors: Catherine Entwistle, Cecilia Adamou, Holly Margerrison & Jess Herbert Fashion 14 c2.fashion@ncl.ac.uk Editors: Kajal Patel, Phoebe Eyles & Shamara Mohsin Beauty 17 courier.beauty@ncl.ac.uk Editors: Rashida Campbell-Allen Travel 18 courier.travel@ncl.ac.uk Editors: Amy Harris & Meggie Williams Food 21 ???@ncl.ac.uk Editors: Amanda Goh & Cayla Viner

Culture

Culture Editors: Charlotte Boulton & Ella Williams Music 22 c2.music@ncl.ac.uk Editors: Dom Lee, Jagoda Waszkowiak & Joe Smith Television 24 c2.tv@ncl.ac.uk Editors: Amy Brown, Sophie Hicks & William Junior Film 26 c2.film@ncl.ac.uk Editors: Elisabetta Pulcini, Joe Holloran, Lucy Lillystone & Steven Ross Arts 28 c2.arts@­ncl.ac.uk Editors: Caitlin Rawlings, Charlotte Slinger & Lauren Sneath Gaming 30 courier.gaming@ncl.ac.uk Editors: Alex Darbyshire, George Boatfield, James Troughton & Shawn Khoo Science 32 c2.science@ncl.ac.uk Editors: Eleanor Gratton, Patrick Harland & Seshadhri Subramanian

Puzzles

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Sport

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???@ncl.ac.uk Editor: Emma Dawson

Head of Sport: Rebecca Johnson courier.sport@ncl.ac.uk Editors: Rory Ewart, Stan Gilyead, Toby Bryant & Tom Moorcroft The Courier, NUSU, King’s Walk, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8QB Tel: 0191 239 3940 Email: editor.union@ncl.ac.uk

The Courier is printed by: Trinity Mirror Printing, Barton Road, Riverside Park Industrial Estate, Middlesbrough, TS2 1UT 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.

NSR show of the week

CHEESE PACKET Sat 7-8pm

Jake & Joe Eager cheese enthusiasts What’s in a name? Some kind of emotion or meaning maybe? We don’t know, we’re ‘cheese packet’. Every Saturday at 7pm, you have the luxury of listening to Jake Anderson and Joe Foreman discuss some of their favourite albums and play a few related tracks. We’ll be chatting about modern releases from the likes of Weyes Blood and Travis Scott to the artists your dad listens to like Talking Heads and Fleetwood Mac. Listen via the NUSU app or the brand new NSR website ThisIsNSR. co.uk, and follow us on Instagram @ cheese_packet_nsr

Get involved in student media Established in 1948, the Courier is the fully independent weekly student newspaper of the Students’ Union at Newcastle University produced by students, for students.

Any Newcastle University student can write for the Courier and it’s never too late to get involved as a writer, illustrator or photographer.

We hold our drop-in writers’ meetings on Wednesdays during termtime in the Planning Room of the Students’ Union from 1:30pm to 2:30pm, so come along to find out a bit more about us. Our next meetings are on 30 October and 6 November. Unable to attend the writers’ meetings?

All our leftover articles get posted in our Facebook groups, so make sure you join them all; simply search ‘the Courier 2019/20’ and the name of the section you’re interested in.

For more information, visit thecourieronline.co.uk, or email editor.union@ncl.ac.uk or the relevant section email on the lefthand column of this page.

Newcastle Student Radio (NSR) is our award-winning radio station run by students, for students. On air since 1997, NSR runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week with shows ranging from music to comedy, politics, sport and news. We have a wide range of opportunities to learn the tricks of the radio trade, from hosting your own show to event organisation and live punditry, and you don’t need any experience to get involved. For more information visit the NSR Facebook page and listen live at nsrlive.co.uk.

NUTV is our high-action, fast-paced television branch. Founded in 2010, NUTV produces both on-demand and live broadcasts, covering current affairs, entertainment, music and sports, allowing students to experience the world of TV production.

Whether you want to present on camera, direct and produce from behind the scenes, flex your editing muscles, or write and develop ideas, check out NUTV. For more information, email nutv.union@ncl.ac.uk.

mysteriously disappearing, and my flatmates claim they haven’t touched them. Spooky season is truly upon us.”

Here at the Courier, we understand that Halloween is a tough time for people who live in haunted student accommodation. While many students can enjoy getting drunk and dressing up in classy devil costumes, this individual is dealing with the trauma of going to the fridge with a full bowl of cereal only to find out that a goddamn ghost has gulped all of their milk. Tragic.

According to the Mirror, an incredibly reliable source, spraying salt water in the house is the best way to remove a pesky spirit. Also, your housemates are lying so pay attention to who smells milky this week.

Can’t get enough of the Courier?

Then check out our flagshi NSR show Hot off the Press!

If you want news, weather, great tunes and other miscellaneous crap in an hourlong format, join us for an hour between 11am-12pm every Monday morning.

Perfect for if you need a post-9am pick-me-up or if you can’t read. Don’t worry, we won’t judge you.

Go to thisisnsr.co.uk to catch Hot of the Press and a variety of other fantastic shows!

From the archives Grace Dean looks through the archives to trace Newcastle campus history

TWO YEARS AGO

Meal deal becomes real

Students of 2017 celebrated as a meal deal was finally introduced to the Robinson Library.

Mimicking the concept of many supermarkets but unfortunately unable to rival their variety, the £3 deal was introduced following efforts by Students’ Union President Ronnie Reid, who was elected partially for his strong commitment to on-campus affordability.

The Beauty section of the Courier that week offered a rather haunting insight into “makeup trends to leave in 2017”. These included the weird eyebrow crazes of the year, such as wavy, feathered and plaited brows, and using fake eyelashes to create very questionable nose hair extensions (see right). Whether these were bona fida make-up trends or just nightmares dreamt up by the writer I shall leave to the readers’ discretion…

It’s safe to say that that week was evidently an odd one in the Courier office, with Science publishing an article titled “the nutritional value of braaains”, arguing that “the undead [zombies] love a cerebral snack over everything else because they’re packed full of tasty goodness”. The article didn’t exactly tempt people to give the juicy grey matter a try, though, with the texture of brains compared to “slightly-set custard or runny scrambled eggs”, and it actively warned readers against giving cannibalism a go, “not only because it’ll send you to jail” but also because it can cause a deadly neurodegenerative disorder.

SEVEN YEARS AGO

No to biometrics

Students were left angered by proposals to introduce biometric scanning to measure attendance across campus. Suggestions were made to implement compulsory fingerprint scanning for lectures following a call from the UK Border Agency for universities to record the attendance of international students. This idea, however, faced great backlash from the Newcastle Free Education Network and a range of student protestors, who argued that the University’s proposals greatly exceeded the levels of monitoring required by the Border Agency. Four years after this, smartcard scanning was introduced as an alternative.

Coincidentally, this protest coincided with the 55th anniversary of the publication of a letter penned to the Courier by a Law student outraged by the “deplorable and detestable practice” of paper registration in lectures.

14 YEARS AGO

57 YEARS AGO

The Robinson Library caused controversy when the smoking room shut to be replaced with a comfy lounge. This followed students complaining about smoke entering the main library from under the smoking room door, as well as the smoggy air of the previous smoking room. A member of Library staff argued that “this is in line with government legislation on banning smoking in places that sell food”. This news came around the time when disagreement between Cabinet ministers delayed the government’s partial ban on smoking in public places bill, which was instead passed as a compromise Health Improvement and Protection Bill, in which smoking would be banned in all workplaces, pubs and restaurants which serve food, leaving other pubs which offered sealed smoking rooms unaffected, alongside private clubs.

This was heavily supported by former Health Secretary John Reid as an attempt to both protect public health and grant individuals the freedom to make informed choices, but was criticised as being too lenient by some trade unions and Labour MPs who wanted a total ban to echo those in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Returning to Newcastle, prior users of the Library smoking room had been encouraged to find “alternative arrangements”, which led to a congregation of smokers outside the library. Some of these discarded cigarette butts and packets on the floor outside, leading the Courier to report that these students were “potentially damaging the image of the Library”, to the extent where the Library café staff even proposed employing an extra member of staff to deal with keeping this area intact. Students who spoke to the Courier were keen to express their disappointment about the replacement of the smoking room, with comments ranging from the development being a “hassle” and leaving “many students suggesting that their rights have been questioned”, to accusations of “being treated like a leper colony”. A Library staff member said: “I think it’s terrible as it takes away personal choice. We have had a lot of complaints.”

A self-defined “alarmed and periodically irritable” student wrote in to the Courier to complain about this policy, describing his “horror” at discovering that the “holy sanctuary” no longer existed.

After almost 30 years of being called King’s College, the decision was announced in 1962 to rename the university Newcastle University upon its independence from Durham the following year. The Newcastle-based King’s College site accommodated two-thirds of Durham University students, and a rise in tensions led to the decision to divide the two sites into separate universities. Three-quarters of respondents to a survey conducted by the Students’ Union wanted to retain the name of the college and call the university King’s University, but the Council of the new university opposed this name because of confusion with King’s College Cambridge and King’s College London. The Courier supported this decision, arguing that “we would always be known as Newcastle anyway”. Interestingly, two per cent of survey respondents voted for naming the university Northumbria University. This was years before our rival university over the road came into existence, which occurred following a merger of three colleges to form Newcastle Polytechnic in 1969, and decades before this then became known as the University of Northumbria in 1992 as part of a national process in which polytechnics became new universities.

RIP to the Robbo smoking room

King’s College becomes Newcastle University

The Courier discussed 2017’s weirdest beauty trends Images: @promisetamang (above), @glowmakeupacademy (below)

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@TheCourier_News courier.news@ncl.ac.uk thecourieronline.co.uk/news News Editors Aimee Seddon, Carl Smith Valdez, Em Richardson, Emma McLaren & Sophie Wilson

North East’s most deprived places revealed Erica Pascoe New government statistics have indicated the levels of deprivation in UK neighbourhoods, and the North East of England is shown to have some of the most deprived areas.

49% of neighbourhoods in Middlesbrough are considered to be in the most deprived 10% of neighbourhoods in the UK - the highest proportion of deprivation in the country. For Hartlepool this is 36%. These statistics imply that the area has seen an increase of deprivation in the last four years. Unemployment is currently highest in Hartlepool at 9.6%.

The Index of Multiple Deprivation considers a wide range of an individual’s living conditions and not just income. The percentage of population having qualifications (5+ GCSE grade A-C including English and Maths) in Middlesbrough was 51.2% (2016). Hartlepool had a lower rate of 47.6%.

49% of Middlesbrough neighbourhoods are considered to be in the most deprived 10%

26% of neighbourhoods in Newcastle are also among the most deprived, an increase from 22%. Deprived areas include the suburb of Walker, where crime is extensive, and the

area of Byker, which is suffering from unemployment after the collapse of local industry.

South Tyneside saw a smaller increase from 22- 25% being amongst the most deprived neighbourhoods, and Redcar & Cleveland

with 2% increase from 22%. Over the last five years, Redcar & Cleveland has seen the largest fall in unemployment in the North East, from 13.3% to 4.9% which is a vast improvement.

Newcastle City Council’s cabinet member for communities and climate change, Coun Clare Penny-Evans, said that “With our partners, the council works on many different levels to tackle poverty and depriva-

tion in the city, but the devastating impact of 10 years of Government-imposed austerity cannot be underestimated. Coupled with cruel welfare reforms, it has taken a terrible toll on residents and families.”

She further stated that “public spending cus and benefit changes have had a profound effect on families but deprivation data such as this only hardens our resolve and reminds us that we are doing the right thing targeting help at the poorest parts of the city and in the interests of fairness we will continue to do that.”

Deprivation in Newcastle has increased from 22% of neighbourhoods to 26%

According to the Office of National Statistics, ‘the highest unemployment rate estimates in the UK for September to November 2018 were for the North East at 5.5%.’ This has now decreased to 5.1% in 2019. These statistics are largely due to the lack of opportunities available in the local job market and also various government cuts. The Councils within the North East have launched the Life Chances Fund in aid of disadvantaged residents who need to gain the skills and training in order to seek employment.

North East neighbourhoods were shown to be some of the most deprived in the UK Image: Flickr

Students with mental illness may risk penalties for missing classes Phoebe Hurst

Students suffering with mental health problems could face being penalised with academic sanctions at some of the UK’s top universities whilst other universities have no uniform policy to help suffering students.

The Guardian has found that of the 21 universities who responded to a freedom of information request, only an estimated 20% had a consistent intervention policy in place to support students in need. This suggests that at many top universities in the UK, students suffering with mental health illnesses are being left with little to no support.

These findings reinforce increasing concern over student mental health and the support offered by universities, emphasised by the growing number of undergraduate student suicides at universities in the UK. During an inquiry into the death of Natasha Abrahart, a Bristol University student who committed suicide last year, it was uncovered that there had been a lack of support in place for her, in spite of the university being aware of her mental health illness. Bristol University is one of the UK’s leading universities: it is ranked as one of the UK’s top ten universities and as one of Europe’s top 30 universities. Abrahart’s death has, therefore, raised concerns as to why a leading university so tragically failed a student.

There is a concern that many universities deflect their duty of care onto the academic schools and expect them to be proactive in raising concerns over attendance and at-risk students. However, there is a lack of guidance on when to do so and how to report concerns.

Newcastle University’s attendance policy reads as follows: “students are, except for ab-

sence with good cause, expected to attend all elements of their programme of study. A student who is not able to attend University should inform the school/institution and submit a Student absence request. For absences longer than 7 days, a student must also submit a medical certificate. A Student Notice of Absence Form is not compulsory but any absence noted by the academic unit may be recorded as unauthorised if it has not been authorised in advance.”

cies and procedures for reporting absence and extenuating circumstances require students to provide substantial evidence, such as proof of medication, doctors’ notes or a letter from a counsellor. For some students, these requirements are a barrier to receiving the consideration they require. In addition, because students face considerable waiting times for

both University counselling services and free counselling services elsewhere in Newcastle, many are unable to access support or diagnosis they need. I am aware that the University is piloting the provision of Welfare Advisors in Schools which is a fantastic idea and one that I hope becomes a permanent scheme across all Schools.

“Despite this, there is still not enough provision for support students’ wellbeing. I think the University should also consider funding alternative, more sustainable wellbeing provisions such as art therapy and group therapy that would be accessible throughout the year.

I hope to implement some of these in the Students’ Union by semester two.”

The Uni’s absence request policy was changed last year

This could suggest that the responsibility for raising concerns is placed at the feet of the academic school, rather than the university body itself.

Changes to the University’s absence request forms that came into effect last academic year mean that students were not able to submit student absence forms unless absent for upwards of three days: this means that students who are absent for one/two days due to mental illness are not able to apply for their absence to be authorised and thus may face disciplinary action as a result. Absences of one to two days are more likely to occur in students who are mentally ill than those who are not. On some courses, attendance counts towards a student’s final grade, meaning that students with low attendance due to their mental health are academically penalised.

Welfare and Equality Officer, Sara Eklhawas, said: “Student mental health is hugely important and should be taken seriously by the University. Currently, the University’s poli-

Often students with mental illnesses find it hard to attend lectures Image: Pixabay

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Monday 28 October 2019

Over 30 crimes on campus in August Grace Dean Editor Statistics published by ChronicleLive show that Newcastle city centre experiences on average 40 crimes a day, with 1143 being recorded in August 2019.

The most common type of crime was antisocial behaviour, with 361 incidents being recorded during the month, followed by 264 instances of violent and sexual offences.

The area in and around the main Eldon Square shopping area was identified as the city centre’s hotspot for August, with 56 offences recorded. Half of these were shoplifting, while 10 were reports of anti-social behaviour, and nine violent or sexual crimes.

The statistics published by ChronicleLive, which were based on official police crime logs from police.uk, showed that Bigg Market saw the second highest amount of crime in August with 49 instances.

Interestingly, the evidence shows that 36 crimes were recorded on Edward's Walk, which is the narrow lane running between the Bedson Building and the King George VI Building, in August 2019 alone. This comes as a surprise considering many students were home for summer throughout the month. 11 of these were violent or sexual crimes, which police.uk defines as including “offences against the person such as common assaults, Grievous Bodily Harm and sexual offences”.

The area also was host to seven public order offences, identified as causing “fear, alarm or distress”, and two incidences of drug-related crime.

The area directly around the Medical

The street between the Bedson and King George buildings Image: Grace Dean

Free bus travel for Northumbria

Continued from the cover A Northumbria University spokesperson said: “Recognising student feedback we entered into partnership with Stagecoach to provide students free travel, funded by the University, between our City and Coach Lane Campuses in March 2015. This point to point service also includes evenings and weekend travel. Since then we have developed the offer to include additional stops in Heaton and is still very popular, so much so, that Stagecoach recently agreed to provide additional buses on the route during peak times at the beginning of semester.”

Discussing Northumbria’s policy, Commuting Students’ Officer Sian Dickie said: “I am aware that Newcastle University lacks transport cards and subsidies for its own students. This is my main priority for the year, and I already have plans underway to come up with a solution.

"The reason why Northumbria has this current benefit is due to their Inter-Campus Travel Scheme, as Northumbria University is split between Coach Lane Campus and the city centre. This doesn’t justify why Newcastle University hasn’t done something similar, but I do believe that if our University could negotiate for this route too, it would benefit many in our student population - particularly, people who take part in sport as their training area is next to the Coach Lane Campus, which the Northumbria students’ attend.”

Newcastle University students can purchase a single ticket on the same route between Heaton and the Civic Centre to travel to the University campus for £1.90 for a single, meaning that a return journey costs £3.80. For Newcastle University students living in Heaton who have lectures five days a week and wish to travel by the Stagecoach bus, this would cost £19 a week.

One fourth year Law student said: “I find this extremely irritating, especially as we pay the same in student fees and Northumbria University supplements this travel yet

Newcastle doesn’t. I personally find this as another example of Newcastle University not providing for their students as they could do.”

Students have argued that the lack of free travel for Newcastle University students shows its failure to provide adequate support for those from a lower socio-economic background.

Despite the role of Commuting Students’ Officer being recently introduced, criticism has been attracted towards the lack of a Working Class Students Liberation Officer at the Students’ Union. This was once addressed in a motion brought to Student Council in 2017, in which it was argued that such an officer should be introduced to mirror the likes of Manchester University, the School of Oriental and African Studies, and St Hilda’s College, Oxford. This came following a survey in April 2017 that revealed that 58% of working class students felt underrepresented by the Students' Union,.

The motion proposed that the officer would “represent the interests of working class students within the Students’ Union, the University, and other appropriate organisations”, including being a member of the University’s Diversity Consultative Group and liaising with the Welfare & Equality Officer to provide representation, signposting and awareness to those affected by classism. This motion was ultimately rejected at Council.

Newcastle University students living in St Mary’s accommodation are, however, given limited access to free public transport.

Throughout their accommodation contract, St Mary’s residents are able to travel for free on Stagecoach services 36, 63, 72 and 87 at any time when the service operates, which is generally between 6am and 11pm.

Alike the Stagecoach service offered by Northumbria, however, students are only able to travel for free when boarding and alighting at these designated stops; other stops will incur a travel fare.

Grace Dean

School was also the site of two offences: one for anti-social behaviour and one for bicycle theft.

Nine offences were also recorded as occurring in Leazes Park, which is concerning given its proximity to many student accommodation sites including Castle Leazes, Marris House and Park View Student Village. These include two drugs offences and two cases of possession of a weapon.

The area around the Medical School was also the site of two offences

In the year ending March 2019, the wider area of Newcastle-upon-Tyne had a slightly crime rate than the national average, with the Toon experiencing 144.32 police recorded crimes per 1000 population, compared to the average of 119.88 for its Most Similar Group, constituted of areas most similar to each other based on an analysis of crime-related demographic and socio-economic characteristics. Of these 144.32 crimes per 1000 in Newcastle, 44.75 were crimes of a violent or sexual nature. Perhaps surprisingly, Newcastle-upon-Tyne was recorded as having the higher crime rate of the area covered by the Northumbria Police Force, with Sunderland witnessing 120.38 police recorded crimes per 1000 population and Gateshead experiencing 105.69. The Northumbria Force covers an area of 2144 square miles which encompasses a population of 1.45m, with there currently being 3.27 police employees per 1000 residents.

Getting ready for Brexit: Greggs are ready to roll Joe Molander

Greggs have announced that they have begun stockpiling pork - as well as building up supplies of other "key ingredients" and obtaining certain pieces of light machinery - as part of preparations for Brexit.

The beloved pastry giant said "We are preparing for the potential impact of the UK's departure from the European Union", and that the equipment being acquired is any that "could be affected by disruption to the flow of goods into the UK".

Firms are still nervous about the stability of the UK's future relationship with Europe.

The news was put into new light by Boris Johnson's Brexit deal which, despite being voted down, seemed to confirm that firms are still nervous about the stability of the UK's future relationship with Europe. Ford and Honda both plan to close UK plants, Sony are moving their European headquarters from the UK to the Netherlands, and HSBC are considering sending sizeable portions of their workforce overseas.

Greggs's apprehension about Brexit shouldn't come as much of a surprise- the source of their anxiety, especially in the case of a no deal, is relatively easy to understand. Being

in the EU makes it easier for UK businesses to forge supply chains with companies in other member states, whose logistics are often finetuned with a minimal margin for error (the most notable example - which is far from exclusive to the EU - being "just in time" production). In addition to it being harder to create those supply chains, it is also feared that, as Brexit will put a stop to free movement of labour for the UK, labour costs may spike, another eventuality that could be problematic for Greggs.

As the world of business watches the 31st October Brexit deadline approach with bated breath, Greggs are taking drastic preparatory action.

Greggs have had to stockpile pork for their sausage rolls Image: Wikimedia Commons

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Monday 28 October 2019

Fashion Society raises £6500 for Smart Works Eleasha Foster

Newcastle University Fashion Society (NUFS) has raised over £6500 from a pop-up sustainable clothing sale held at the Venue last 17 October.

The event aims to raise awareness to social collectivism Smart Works strives for through fashion, by supporting local women to get back into employment.

Smart Works has supported more than 370 women across the North East

The sale was in collaboration with Smart Works. All the money raised will be used by the organisation to continue delivering their services and support more women.

Smart Works is a national charity established in London six years ago. They have opened a centre in Newcastle in April 2018.

In its first year, Smart Works Newcastle has supported more than 370 women across the North East.

Smart Works helps those who identifies as a woman to get back into employment by providing them work clothes, styling advice and interview training. Women with a confirmed job interview receive two hours appointment and a 1:1 interview preparation from coaches working in HR, recruitment and senior management. They also provide personal care items such as makeup, deodorants and underwear to disadvantaged women.

Smart Works is managed by Nathalie Bouleau Chabot and Helen Boyd alongside a team of volunteers. They are dedicated to stock, take on admin duties and coach women around Newcastle.

Bouleau Chabot highlights the importance of sustainability in Smart Works. She said: “We are a sustainable clothing charity in the sense we don’t waste anything that comes through the door. We know how bad the fashion industry is with everything that has come out late.”

“People are becoming more conscious about spending and reusing clothing items.

What’s a better way than to share it around the city – an almost sharing economy.”

The ethos of Smart Works has been echoed by NUFS. Tinii Suii, who works as the social secretary of Fashion Society said: “Women need to feel empowered in their work wear and feel confident. It gives them hope and the confidence to carry on trying without the worry of what to wear. If a woman feels confident in their style and clothing item, then this can be easily seen through their body language and how they hold themselves together.”

"Smart Works represents a sense of power dressing in a workplace"

Tinii Suii, NUFS Social Secretary

“Smart Works represents a sense of

The sustainable clothing sale has raised over £6500, which will be used by Smart Works to maintain its services Image: Ben Payne

power dressing for women in a workplace. We saw their vision and wanted to further raise awareness for sustainable fashion as well as what their charity represented.”

“We look forward to more future collaborations with Smart Works and other

Latest campus developments Em Richardson News Editor

Three new architectural developments are coming to Newcastle, bringing promises of 10,000 new jobs and over £600 million in investment. However, the developments, situated at the Stephenson Quarter, the Helix site and Pilgrim Street, have all faced complications.

Construction on the Helix began in 2004, funded by One NorthEast, Newcastle City Council and Newcastle University, with the first building on the site opening in 2014. After One NorthEast was abolished in 2010, the project was funded solely by the council and Newcastle University, until Legal and General invested £65million in the site in 2016.

The Helix site is considered a centre for science and technology. It currently features several completed buildings, including Newcastle University’s Urban Sciences Building.

Over the next few years, several of the site’s buildings are due for completion, including office blocks for leading science and technology-based companies. It is hoped that all buildings on site will be completed by 2024, with an estimated 4000 on-site jobs generated by this date. The completed site will also provide space for numerous university students and researchers.

It is hoped that all buildings on site will be completed by 2024, generating an around 4000 on-site jobs

Construction on the Stephenson Quarter has also been planned for some time, but was delayed by the 2008-2009 financial crisis. The development is situated behind Central Station, on the site of the now-redundant Robert Stephenson & Co. Locomotive Works.

Developers Clouston Group, working

along-side Newcastle City Council, previously hoped to build a hotel, carpark and a University Technical College on the site. They also hoped to refurbish historic buildings on the site.

Yet, the project came to a stand-still in 2018, when the council terminated its contract with Clouston Group, alleging that the developers had failed to make previously agreed payments.

A revised plan for the site has now been produced, with hopes of attracting a new developer. The council has failed to specify a completion date for the project, but claims it will create 2000 jobs.

Finally, plans are in place for exciting new developments on Pilgrim Street.

Over the last decade, the billionaire Reuben brothers have already funded a large number of building projects on the street.

Now, disused buildings have been demolished, and there are plans to build an office block on the former Bank of England site, a hotel in the ex-fire station, and a £200million ‘leisure, shopping and living scheme’ at the top end of the street. Planning permission was granted for the bank development last month.

Time will tell if these exciting developments are able to deliver on their promises of numerous jobs and financial investments for the people of Newcastle.

charities. We enjoyed being a part of such an incredible cause and will definitely further raise awareness through our works.”

The Smart Works Newcastle office is located by the MEA House in Newcastle City Centre. They accept clothing

Marginalised Genders Officer finally elected Grace Dean Editor The new Marginalised Genders Officer at the Students’ Union has been announced as Eleasha Haslam.

At the Student Council meeting on Thursday 17 October, two candidates nominated themselves for the role of Marginalised Genders Officer for the 2019/20 academic year. The two candidates, Eleasha Haslam and Katie-Jane Bennetto, gave brief speeches outlining why they would be the ideal candidate for the role and what they would hope to achieve. Voting opened on the NUSU website at 7:30pm and closed at 2pm on Friday 18.

Second year Geography student Eleasha Haslam was elected with 48 votes to Bennetto’s 34, with two students instead voting to re-open nominations.

Summarising her aims for the upcoming year, Haslam said: “I want to close the gender inequality gap within Newcastle University campus and help create a safe and accepting space for all marginalised genders to feel they belong here at Newcastle University. There is a huge gender inequality within academia itself and I hope that in what I have planned and my ideas I can make the University more inclusive and

Haslam was elected with 48 votes to Bennetto's 34

The development is expected to bring thousands of high-quality jobs by 2024 Image: Newcastle University Press Office

donations from the public, local retailers and businesses. Anything not workappropriate are sold at sales or are given to ‘Changing Lives’, a charity organisation supporting vulnerable individuals in the North East.

students happier here.”

One of Haslam’s key objectives is the introduction of more gender neutral toilets across campus. Haslam argued: “Why should gender have to limit you? You don’t choose your gender,

it is part of who you are so let’s fight gender discrimination on campus by implementing gender neutral toilets."

"Those who do or don’t identify as male/female should not have to be pressured into gendered spaces they do not identify with or feel comfortable in. Gender neutral bathrooms offer marginalised gender students a safe and non-judgmental space to carry out human rights on campus in a way that does not undermine their iden-

"I hope that what I have planned can make the University more exclusive"

Eleasha Haslam, Newcastle University Student Union's Marginalised Genders Officer

tity and improves cohesion of gender equality within university campus.”

Furthermore, Haslam wants to create a system of focus groups and anonymous forums for students who identify as a gender other than cis-male to listen to what students actually want to make them feel more included at Newcastle University.

Haslam finally hopes to partner with LGBT+ Society and Feminist Society to run campaigns for gender equality awareness both within academia as well as on campus and work with the Courier to promoted this across campus and celebrate diversity and inclusivity at Newcastle University.

Haslam will work alongside a team of seven other liberation officers to ensure students from marginalised groups have a voice on campus.

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news 6

Monday 28 October 2019

Academics seek egg-cellent hen welfare Lily Abery

Following World Animal Day on the 4th October, Newcastle University is doing their bit, and not just by using bad, egg-related puns in their student newspaper.

The Chicken Stress European Training Network is launching a project spreading across the domains of both education and industry to train future leaders in a range of scientific studies. They aim to help egg producers attain the best possible welfare standard for chickens.

Things for chickens have been looking more positive in the last decade, with the ban on battery cages in 2012, and projects like these receiving as much investment as €3.9 million from the EU Marie Curie fund. The programme here in Newcastle is being led

by Dr Tom Smulders, reader in evolutionary neuroscience. Each project will involve a PhD student to support the educational facet of the scheme.

Speaking about the project, Dr Tom Smulders said: “We still don’t know what is best for laying hens in these large-housing

Humans and animals lead a curious coexistence

systems and it is difficult to ask the chickens.

“Shoppers consistently ask for chickens to be kept in the highest possible welfare conditions and in Europe in 2012 this led to a ban on battery cages. However, while this was introduced with the best of intentions with an eye to improving welfare, unexpected problems have occurred with alternative productions systems.”

Humans and animals lead a curious coexistence; one coloured by the binary ideas of slaughter and love. The project will use methods such as neurogenesis, stress hormones, behavioural tests and health parameters. It seems to be a case of seeking to uncover the route to an omelette whilst avoiding the realms of unethical cages and unhappy chickens. Newcastle’s project will work to im-

"I have my doubts that these experiments are for the wellbeing of the animals"

Molly Greeves, Third Year Newcastle University Student

plement conditions to maximise welfare and productivity.

Third-year Newcastle University student Molly Greeves was unsure about the ethics of the scheme. "I'm suspicious of why they want to de-stress the chickens. I have my doubts that experiments like this are actually focused on the welfare of the chickens and not ways of exploiting them for human benefit."

What may surprise many readers is just how intelligent chickens are. According to Peta, chickens can distinguish between over 100 other faces of fellow chickens, and they communicate with over 24 vocalisations which each have a distinct meaning, such as warning about oncoming predators. Despite having such advanced minds, however, chickens sadly lack in table manners - evidence shows they slurp grass like spaghetti.

Let us hope for a happy conclusion, a poultry utopia may be on the horizon yet, so we and the chicken community may at last walk into the sunset chick-to-chick.

More people are refusing to pay eggs from changed hens Image: PxHere

NU's collaborative energy deal Home from home Emily Hawksley

Newcastle University is one of 20 universities which have struck a renewable energy deal which will help reduce carbon emissions.

The aggregated power purchase agreements (PPA), involves the universities buying £50m of renewable energy from a group of wind farms. The deal would then fix power prices at a competitive rate for the next ten years, which minimises their exposure to market volatility. This PPA has been arranged

by Squeaky Clean Energy in association with The Energy Consortium (TEC). Statkraft, Europe’s largest producer of renewable energy, will deliver the wind power from their British Portfolio every year.

Matt Dunlop, the Head of Sustainability

at Newcastle University, said that “the PPA was part of our strategy to diversify and increase our investment in both on and off-site renewables as part of our climate action plan to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions by 2040.”

In order to meet the high standards demanded by the universities which are involved, the deal has been structured to allow the power from the wind farms to contractually flow with the Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGOs). The PPA will help the participants meet the UK’s goal to build a net-zero carbon economy by 2050. This first kind of transaction also provides a platform to open the market to much smaller companies and public sector bodies.

In the past, the complexity of arranging PPAs meant that only large corporations who had the capability and resources needed to negotiate these agreements. And to make a

PPA with smaller organisations as the scale as any deal was always too small. However, the establishment of standardised documentation that cut down the size of the contract which lowered transaction costs to an afford-

The deal would then fix power prices at a competitive rate for the next ten years

able level.

Second-year student Joe Molander believes that this is a "great success for the university.

Although the climate crisis is exactly that, a crisis, it's important to note that there are groups taking steps towards positive social change."

Imogen Birkett

On Thursday 10 October, the Home from Home Market arrived at Newcastle’s Students’ Union, bringing together over 20 stallholders, all of who were selling an impressive display of products.

Throughout the day, students could purchase items such as vintage Levi jeans, indie clothing, handmade jewellery and edible goods, including vegan cakes and chocolate.

Many of the fashion stalls sold products that were eco-friendly and sustainable, with several also including an empowering slogan.

The event was hosted by Sister Shack, a collective that focuses on women’s participation in arts, music, entrepreneurship, crafts,

design and wellbeing. Organiser, Chantal Herbert, spoke enthusiastically about the event, stating it was ‘for everyone’ yet importantly provided women ‘the space to get into business’. Echoing the positivity of the event was Vicky Armitage. She is the owner of the business Meraki Cacao, and she sells handmade cacao bars created from organic, unrefined, nutritious ingredients, where all the flavours are inspired by travel. Vicky expressed how the event was made up of a “nice collection of people” where many of the products were “interesting and unique, most things being handmade and creative”.

A substantial amount of people visited the Home from Home Market, both students from Newcastle and non-students, making it an all-round success.

The Uni is looking for ways to reduce their carbon emissions Image: Pixabay

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Monday 28 October 2019

@courier_latest courier.news@ncl.ac.uk courier.comment@ncl.ac.uik

campus comment

Got an opinion on this week's news? Students share their thoughts on the city and university on the brand new campus comment page

Newcastle vs Northumbria: bit of banter or closeted classism?

Em Richardson For many students at both Newcastle and Northumbria, attending a ‘Poly VS. Posh’ bar crawl is an annual tradition.

Essentially, students from both universities are encouraged to attend the same event, where they wear t-shirts with slogans that ‘insult’ their ‘rival’ university, and visit various bars around the city.

On paper, this is a harmless joke, and might even be a fun opportunity for students to socialise with friends from another university, and exaggerate the ‘fun’ and ‘harmless’ rivalry between Newcastle and Northumbria. It’s easy to claim that the rivalry between the two universities is based on nothing more than academic standing, since Newcastle is a member of the prestigious Russell

Images: Flickr

Group, whilst Northumbria is a former polytechnic college.

However, I think we need to remember that this rivalry has other deeper, and generally more unpleasant, roots.

At Northumbria, over 30% of students come from a household where the main breadwinner is from a working-class, manual occupation. At Newcastle, this figure falls to around 20%.

I think it’s time we faced up to the fact that the divide between Newcastle and Northumbria is less about who’s best at sport or has higher entry requirements, and more about whose students belong to a higher social class.

Like many Russel Group universities, Newcastle has faced criticism for admitting few working-class students. Its students are often stereotyped as snobbish, and walking around town sporting t-shirts baring the legendary ‘Your Dad Works For My Dad’ slogan hardly helps our case.

However, the fault lies with Northumbria, too. I can think of several Newcastle students, myself included, who worked extremely hard to achieve the grades needed to study here, and have never stepped foot in a private school. Despite this, Northumbria students use Poly VS. Posh as an excuse to depict us as painfully out-of-touch and privileged, even wearing t-shirts that refer to us using the dreaded ‘C-bomb’.

In 2019, I think it’s about time we accepted that both Newcastle and Northumbria have their strengths and weaknesses, and any university student should simply be proud to obtain a degree, regardless of which university gave them their certificate. Poly VS. Posh is simply an excuse for cynical bar-owners to make money by exploiting and exaggerating the perceived differences between the two universities.

Last but not least, it’s not even a particularly great night out. With over 2000 people attending, Poly VS. Posh is cramped, chaotic and over-priced.

So, do yourself a favour, and find an event with a more tasteful dress-code.

Molly Greeves We all love a friendly rivalry. At its best, the competition between Newcastle and Northumbria can helps students establish their identity, get stuck into sports matches and laugh at Facebook memes. But at its worst, the rivalry encourages ignorant and outright elitist attitudes on the part of Newcastle University students.

The culture of Newcastle vs Northumbria seemed a little odd to me when I first arrived here. I remember discovering the Poly vs Posh events – streams of students wearing “your dad works for my dad” t-shirts – and feeling uncomfortable. I guess I’d realised that a lot of people would be from wealthy families, but the idea of flaunting it on a shirt that wasn’t even particularly funny was a little weird to me.

Even still, I brushed the whole thing off as a joke, which is probably what many students participating in these events see it as. The tone changed, however, when I met people who believed that Northumbria students are stupid.

I’ve heard a privately educated person say,

with no sense of irony, that there was “no point” in getting a degree from a former polytechnic. I’ve heard another, also from a wealthy background, saying in a derogatory way that they could tell someone was from Northumbria based on what clothes they wore and how they spoke.

I knew the idea of Russell Group superiority existed outside of university, but for some reason, I was surprised when it was actually expressed by students.

I guess I expected people who were, in their own words, “educated”, to be aware enough to know that not A-level results aren’t an irrefutable measure of intelligence and that their societal privilege, as well as their brains, allowed them to get into Newcastle Uni. The core of the issue is that, for many people, they genuinely view the rivalry as being about intelligence rather than class. But the idea that students at Newcastle are smarter than those at Northumbria is classist. It’s based on the assumption that everyone has the exact same life opportunities, when in reality nothing could be further from the truth.

It's not just a case of whether your parents send you to private school; some people have to work during A-levels; some people can’t take A-levels at all because they’re helping to support their families; some people suffer from mental health problems; some people

Images: Wikimedia

grew up in areas where the schools weren’t as good. There are a million reasons why an incredibly intelligent person might not achieve what you consider to be acceptable results at school and either way it’s not any of your business.

To all the Freshers’ reading this: some of you may have had a huge amount of help getting here, and others may not have had any help at all. Either way you should be proud of yourself, but your pride should not be dependent on the idea that you’re better than Northumbria students, because let me tell you, you’re not. It doesn’t matter if you got three DDC in BTEC subjects or A*A*A* in STEM; if you honestly believe that going to a Russell Group makes you smarter than everyone else, you need to get a grip.

Should buses Newcastle saves Erasmus to uni be free?

Grace Dean

Joe Molander

Northumbria University offer their students free bus travel between their two campuses.

In browsing their website (a risky thing to do around Newcastle students, seeing as it opens up the floodgates to some very funny, and not at all elitist, jokes about how not all people go to a university as good as them) reveals they're also piloting a free coach scheme to their open days from cities across the North.

Despite what the snobs say, it's easy to be jealous of Northumbria, and worse, you can't even call them out for environmental irresponsibility. On top of advocating for public transport, the university also have a raft of policies to encourage cycling, and have an Environmental Sustainability Policy pledging

The University’s decision to continue funding for the Erasmus exchange program has come as a relief to many Newcastle students. a reduction in water use and waste.

For students studying Modern Languages, Newcastle University are trying to play this news is particularly important. Currentcatch-up: they recently secured free bus travly it is compulsory for all degrees including el from St Mary's to key points closer to the at least two modules of a modern language centre of Newcastle, which will last until next each year to spend a miniJune, and have announced the creation of a mum of sevnew Commuting Officer. Given the en months university's recalcitrance in abroad in divesting from oil and a country gas and their sclerosis w here in creating this new their lanoffice, though, one guages are would be forgiven spoken, for thinking Newunless the castle aren't particus t u d e nt larly green or effective has valid when advancing the personal interests of commutextenuating students.

Images: Wikipedia ing cir-

cumstances. As a Languages student, this experience abroad is vital. It is almost inconceivable to imagine a student achieving anywhere near fluency without spending at least some time either working or studying in a country where their language is spoken.

With the relevancy of degrees in European languages has continuously been questioned by many frustrated Languages students following the 2016 referendum result – the EU is the largest employer of interpreters – the loss of Erasmus funding is the last thing Languages students need. With many fearing for their post-graduate career prospects, the concept of additionally having to self-fund a large proportion of their year abroad, or choose to limit their practising opportunities by not undertaking a year abroad, would be a further nightmare for students wishing to spend time living in Europe. For students who are unable to self-fund a year abroad, it would be devastating for Brexit to take away this invaluable opportunity, especially as most of those yet to embark on their year abroad were too young to vote in the referen-

dum themselves.

For students from other academic schools who don’t necessarily want to further their language skills, a semester or year spent at an EU partner university can still have a massive important on their personal, professional and academic development. As well as providing new perspectives on their discipline of study, students can really bulk up their CVs alongside developing a range of transferrable skills related to communication, time management and adaptability. The main thing I personally experienced during my year living in Germany, though, was an almost overwhelming growth in confidence. This wasn’t just limited to my improved skills in Deutsch; throughout the year I impressed myself with my ability to settle into new environments and make the most of what may have otherwise been a terrifying experience.

Ultimately the news that Newcastle University will continue to fund the Erasmus program regardless of the Brexit outcome is fantastic for all students, but arguably essential for Modern Languages students.

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Monday 28 October 2019 @courier_latest courier.comment@ncl.ac.uk thecourieronline.co.uk/comment Comment Editors Aastha Malik, Joe Molander & Kelly Corcoran

No ID? No Vote: photo IDs to be introduced when voting

Ben Audsley and Jake Dannatt weigh in on the government’s new plan to make photo identification compulsory for voters Jake Dannatt

The government have announced plans to introduce the requirement for voter ID in elections across England, Scotland and Wales. The proposed measure, already existing in Northern Ireland, is aimed to ‘tackle electoral fraud’ and ‘protect our democracy’. However, with electoral fraud being so uncommon in the UK, is this measure really necessary, or is this simply another way that the Tories can reduce the number of disadvantaged voters from turning out in an election?

In countries where electoral fraud is high the use of photo identification can be considered a strong and necessary measure. However, this is not the case in the UK. In the 2017 General Election there was one conviction for electoral fraud and only eight suspects cautioned. That equates to 0.000063% of all votes cast (44.4 million). Furthermore, in 2018 the Electoral Commission found no evidence of large-scale electoral fraud. Anyone with the tiniest bit of common sense can therefore see that in the context of the UK this is an unnecessary issue to be debating. However, the danger with this plan lies not in its unnecessary nature alone, but also in its potential to suppress democracy.

With an estimated 3.5m eligible voters without any photo ID, this policy targets the poorest members of our society

Currently, the public must sign up to the electoral register in order to vote in the UK; this requires no proof of ID and keeps the process simple. However, this added a layer in the voting process that could almost certainly discourage people from

turning out on election day. Why? With an estimated 3.5million eligible voters without any photo ID, this policy targets the poorest members of our society, something that the Conservatives practise regularly. Take the USA for example, where Milwaukee, Wisconsin saw the lowest turn out in 20 years after strict ID laws were introduced and approximately 300,000 voters were affected.

Fundamentally, with rates of electoral fraud already being low in the UK, it seems to be an illogical measure to implement, particularly when considering the £20million price tag that each election will carry as a result. Thus, can the proposal for the use of voter ID at elections really be considered necessary or justified, or is it merely a measure used by the Tories to streamline democracy? This is particularly prevelent when considering the millions of Britons whose access to voting will now be inhibited, reducing the number of economically disadvantaged voters from turning out on election day and under-

quiring photographic ID will suppress votes, and secondly, that electoral fraud is not an issue in the UK. In light of the first critique, while it is true that poorer voters will be less likely to have a passport (mine has just expired and I’m hesitant to drop £75.50 for a renewal) and that ethnic groups such as Irish Travelers are less likely to have ID, the government has announced that anybody without photographic ID can apply for free ID – similar to what happens in Northern Ireland

Ben Audsley mining the voices of millions of Britons.

The government’s recent proposals laid out in the Queen’s Speech included a pledge to require voters to present photographic ID at voting stations. This has not been accepted with universal acclaim to put it lightly, Jeremy Corbyn arguing that it is an attempt by the government to “rig” the next election and “suppress voters”.

Most of the criticism that I have seen can be divided into 2 points; firstly, that re-

Image: Instagram @conservatives

where this measure is already in place. Furthermore, photo ID was also trialed in local council elections in May 2018 and 99.7% of voters arrived with photographic ID. Therefore, I very much doubt that such a move would rig an election.

The second criticism, that electoral fraud is not a problem, is also one that I would challenge. A figure repeated on numerous occasions is that in the 2017 General Election there was only 1 conviction of voter fraud. However, voter fraud is incredibly difficult to catch, nevermind convict someone of.

The government has announced that anybody without photographic ID can apply for free ID

The recent Peterborough by-election caused controversy when Tariq Mahmood, previously jailed in 2008 for rigging postal ballots was found

by Times investigators to have helped run the Labour campaign. The NGO Democracy Volunteers also raised concerns that multiple voters were entering the same polling booth again and again. In another case, the mayor of Tower Hamlets was found to have rigged votes and HMICFRS reported multiple failings in the police’s investigation. It was this event that actually led to the government’s current proposals after an investigation into how voting security could be improved in the future.

Therefore, while I do not believe that there is widescale voter fraud in the UK, the potential is there and recent cases are worrying. With countries such as Germany, Italy, and Canada already requiring ID when voting this is hardly an unusual proposal, and it is one that I would argue is necessary.

Trump pulls US out of Paris Agreement, Accord-ing to sources Joe Molander looks at one of the latest and most controversial decisions of the Trump administration, and what it teaches us

F

or some years, many have seen the Republicans as America’s anti-green party, which – at least in historical terms – isn’t entirely fair: even some of the die-hard conservative “villains” in the liberal narrative were soft on renewable energy, such as Richard Nixon’s establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency, or George HW Bush’s attempts to control acid rain.

That Republican Party is gone. In a world full of hyperbole, there’s a grim satisfaction in seeing a political leader living up to the near-hysterical complaints of their detractors, and in the last few days, Trump has acted exactly as irresponsibly as the environmental lobby have expected him to. On Thursday 24 October, the President confirmed the US’s eventual exit from the Paris Accord, or Agreement. Although it won’t take effect until 4th November 2020 – the day after the presidential election, which Trump will need to win for the plan to go through – the announcement still sends shockwaves through western political spheres, and solidifies America’s shift to the right on climate issues.

The moderate Republican Party is gone

The agreement was created in 2016 as part of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and currently boasts 195 signatories; it aims to keep the increase in global average temperatures below 2˚C above pre-industrial levels (preferably 1.5˚C).

To achieve this, the 20/20/20 targets were developed: an

across-the-board 20% cut in CO2 emissions, 20% rise in energy efficiency and boost in renewable energy’s market share to 20%.

The US’s commitments under the agreement include cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 26%-28% from 2005-2025, and it should be noted that Trump is not alone in his criticism. What is unusual is the nature of his objection: most take issue with the agreement not being binding, or not including penalties for non-compliance.

At least on an international level, Trump is largely on his own in saying that the agreement goes too far. According to him, the problem is that the “Paris accord would have been shutting down American producers with excessive regulatory restrictions like you would not be-

lieve, while allowing foreign producers to pollute with impunity”, a possible reference to how other countries have different targets to America (such as China’s pledge to have CO2 emissions peak by 2030).

As usual, Trump has failed to consider the greater good.

He refuses to accept that a bigger country – not only in terms of economic clout but also greenhouse gas emissions – has greater responsibilities on the world stage. He has legitimised the right wing small-mindedness seen across the Atlantic in recent climate thinking, and given how crucial the direction of American policy is to guiding worldwide affairs, the effects have the potential to be disastrous.

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comment

Monday 28 October 2019

Regimes which Persecute: talking Turkey

Aimée Rees on Operation Peace Spring, Turkey’s somewhat ironically named invasion of Syria

A

fter having so valiantly fought against the forcand callousness shown by the west towards the people we es of ISIS, led peaceful negotiations to stabilize claim to want to protect is nothing less than sickening. It is the area surrounding Syria and fighting alonga gross image of our own selfishness staring the world in side British and American troops, the Kurdish are the face. We absolutely must use our influence as an the epitome of an ally who have sacrificed an economic power to prevent any further slaughincredible amount to fight the spread of evil. ter, even while the US is failing.

They have deservedly won their war.

It may be argued that this is not our war to Yet now Kurdish children are being burned fight. Yet if we are content to abandon this ethwith napalm and white phosphorus; 70,000 nic group who have been endlessly persecuted Kurds have been displaced; and Amnesty Inand who have fought with us against a comternational has uncovered evidence of war mon enemy, all for the sake of maintaining comcrimes, including untried exmon foreign policy with ecutions. The invasion the USA or not getby Turkish forces is ilting our hands legal: this is the same dirty, then Turkey which banned we default Kurdish names and to the dress, restricted their side of the language, resettled them persecuon a mass scale and detor. History nied even their existence will not look throughout the 20th century, kindly upon our despite making up 15-20% of the cowardice.

Turkish population.

Our willful ignorance of the bloodshed - now that it has become politically inconvenient to intervene in the Middle East - is at odds with our claims to want democracy and peace.

The absolute disregard Images: AFP (top), Wikipedia (Abdi), Flickr (Johnson, Erdoğan and Trump), President of Russia website (Putin)

No, Mr. Hurst, special needs statements are no ‘Golden Ticket’

Writer and film editor Joe Holloran unpacks the controversial comments made in The Times

O

n 14 October, The Times social-affairs editor, Greg Hurst, published an article on the education spending announcement by the govern-

ment.

The original headline (before being quickly changed) of the second of his two articles read “£400 million schools funding diverted to special needs”. Hurst details that there is a “Crisis in special needs funding” in our schools. Nothing wrong so far. As many parents of special needs children have been saying for years and years, the school system as a whole is massively underfunded, and teachers overstretched.

It is what Hurst writes next that has caused such outrage among these same parents, and many more on social media. Hurst writes that “[The funding gap] has led to councils to raid their mainstream budgets”. Already we have a typical trait of the right-leaning journalist. Distract from government failings and austerity by dividing the people – in this case parents – and then diverting blame to those most vulnerable in society, which in this instance is children with special needs.

A quick addendum - I use the word ‘special’ as it is

the understood term, but personally I find it patronising, and prefer ‘additional’.

According to Mr. Hurst in a second article published the same day, parents are desperate for their child to be granted what is commonly referred to as a “statement” (a document detailing the individual pupil’s needs), which Hurst refers to as a “Golden Ticket”. In his reckoning, schools are arbitrarily

assigning special needs labels to pupils in an attempt to get more money and that the rates in which conditions are being diagnosed is not a sign of more attentive teachers or more un- derstanding on the part of parents, but rather a work-around. Any parent who has had to endure the endless forms, bureaucracy, sleepless nights and humiliation of having to beg school to look after their children properly will probably have a better phrase to describe the process than obtaining a “Golden Ticket”.

As someone who has experience of the system first hand (I did not have a statement, though a close family member did), I know the t) s r u H itter ( process is failing pupils r), Tw a b a k across the board, and the (Won s n o solution is not scapegoating omm C ia d ikime parents, schools or pupils. Quite simply, it es: W Imag is listening to the experts in educational childcare, and granting them the funding they need.

SOAPBOX THE PALAVER OF POLITICS

T

Joe Molander

he era of British politics that succeeded the Second World War was seen as an age of consensus. Today, we are living through that era’s diametric opposite, entirely unable to tolerate different points of view.

If you ask people who disagree with them, you will be told a Conservative is devoid of all compassion and decency, whereas a Labour voter is stupid, emotional and quick to be “triggered”, or whatever the buzzword is this week. There are valid criticisms for all ideologies, and in only talking to those we agree with – and generalising the views of those we don’t – we lose all sight of what those criticisms are. Obviously, part of that intellectual incision is recognising that if an ideology involves the spouting of hatred, such as Nazism, it deserves neither respect nor attention, but this doesn’t detract from the fact that the lack of empathy seen in today’s political discourse makes us worse debaters and worse people.

TOAST OF THE WEEK

A UNIVERSAL AGREEMENT

M

Iona Lowe

ental health has been a huge issue in the UK for the last 10 years with more and more people beginning to accept the mind as an area which can also be greatly affected.

Now even universities seem to have taken into account the rising problem, with each student having a mentor and a list of people they can contact if they ever feel they need to. Not only has the support team doubled but lectures and seminars have also become less harrowing for the young mind. In years previous students were expected to speak up in lectures, sharing their work and their ideas, whereas today, while students are still encouraged to share their work, there is no pressure, meaning that those more anxious students are not triggered. It would appear mental health campaigning is making a difference: it’s now time for global warming campaigning to become successful as well!

ROAST OF THE WEEK

Is social media swaying public political opinion?

Elisabetta Pulcini argues that social media itself is not to blame for recent political tensions

I

t needs to be noted that, while it’s easy to blame technology for today’s problems, through history humans have consistently proved their ability to divide, with or without Facebook.

Legislators must not demonize the platforms as a whole, but rather understand their nuances and uses, and exploit their potential as informational tools.

The solution lays not in castigating the concept as a whole, but rather in regulating its use, and educating users on how to use it most effectively

Canadian law has been trying to control the use of social media campaigning during federal elections: in particular by demanding platforms to set up a digital ad registry.

Nonetheless, the social media platform WeChat was able to target Chinese-Canadians with a campaign of misinformation. In fact, although WeChat has declared that they do not accept political ads on their platform, heav-

ily deceiving messages have been allowed to advance the conservative agenda on the app.

In light of this development, it would be ingenuous to state that social media does not have an influence on elections. Yet, this is an issue that does not concern social media itself, but rather its uneducated misuse.

To some however, the mere concept of social media, whether in compliance with the law or not, is damaging to a functioning democracy. They argue that targeted ads reinforce the division between different sides, to the point of users being enclosed in a “bubble” carefully crafted to support their views. However, it is not impossible to break out of this “bubble”.

For example, through the internet, it has never been easier to compare and contrast different news websites, or even participate in forums that do not reflect the user’s political views. In light of this, it can be argued that the problem is not in social media itself, but rather in people wanting to listen only to what they already believe. This instinct is not new. It used to happen through newspapers, with people preferring those who reflected their own political views, and it still

happens with TV reporting.

While social media has been partly blamed for increasing levels of populism, the solution lays not in castigating the concept as a whole by reducing its influence, but rather in regulating its use, and educating users on how to use it most effectively.

Image: Flikr

SLOW WALKERS

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Rebecca Johnson

e’re living in such torrid times that it’s easy to find a topic to get frustrated about. However, one problem that has existed since the dawn of time needs a solution.

You know what I’m talking about: it’s slow walkers.

We’ve all been there, pottering down the high street, in the shopping centre or wandering into university, only to get stuck behind the slowest walker on the planet. However, if you’ll forgive a slightly more controversial opinion, slow walkers as individuals don’t really bother me. It’s the ones who congregate in a massive group and take up the entire path, walking in a line and chuckling at your growing frustration at not being able to get past. Although perhaps not at the top of the priority list, this is a call for walking lanes to be introduced. One for fast walkers, the other for slow, to prevent me from silently venting and giving the annoyed eyes at these slowcoaches.

life&style

11

the courier

Monday 28 October 2019

c2.lifestyle@ncl.ac.uk @Courier_Life thecourieronline.co.uk/lifestyle Life & Style Editor Nimra Rafique Lifestyle Editors Catherine Entwistle, Cecilia Adamou, Holly Margerrison & Jess Herbert

Are you unlucky in love? Email us at c2.lifestyle@ncl.ac.uk

Adam Evans meets Natalie Salt Third year Medicine

Kindly sponsored by As You Like It

Second year Law

Blind Date Hey Adam, what made you sign up for Blind Date?

My friend signed me up for the blind date as she wanted me to find somebody, but I was actually interested in it too as dates are always fun and I’d never had a blind date before.

Hey Natalie, how long have you been single?

I’ve been single for two years now.

How did you prepare for your date?

I text him to make sure he was coming and then had a drink to calm the nerves.

How did your date go?

I’m not going to lie, it went better than expected! I didn’t think much would come of the blind date but conversation flowed well and it felt like we really got on well with each other.

What kind of man were you hoping for?

I was hoping for someone funny and chatty so the date wouldn’t be awkward.

What did you get up to?

We went to As You Like It for a few drinks.

He was immediately chatty which made it less nerve-wracking

What were your first impressions of Natalie?

Stunner.

What did you talk about? Were there any topics you avoided?

We chatted about all sorts from family to ambitions. We didn’t talk about past relationships (but who really wants to talk about that on a first date, it’s a bit deep).

If Natalie was a cocktail what would she be and why?

Anything with a fireball in. Red and fiery.

Out of all the dates you’ve been on where does this one rank?

I’m not going to lie, it was a really good date and I would probably put it top.

We’ve already had a second date a few days after our first!

Will you see each other again? What will your second date be?

We’ve already had our second date a few days after our first! We went for such a great curry down by the Quayside and then Spoons of course.

If you were to sum her up in three words what would they be?

Funny, ambitious, confident.

Where did you go for your date?

We went to As You Like It.

What were your first impressions of Adam?

He text me when he got there asking if I wanted a drink which I thought was really nice and then he was immediately chatty when I got there which made it less nerve-wracking.

What was your favourite memory of the evening?

Nothing in particular, it was all fun!

If Adam was a flavour of ice cream what would he be?

He’d be strawberry because he was so sweet.

Are you glad you signed up for Blind Date? Would you recommend the experience to other people?

My friend signed me up when we were drunk but I had nothing to lose by going on the date and it was fun so I would recommend.

Will you see each other again? If so, what will your second date be?

We went for food a few nights after!

If you were to sum Adam up in three words what would they be?

Polite, chatty and intelligent.

If you had to compare yourselves to a celebrity couple, who would it be?

Kimye.

12

the courier

life & style lifestyle

Monday 28 October 2019

Friend Halloqweens: 31 October as culling P T Beth Robson explains why it’s okay to end a friendship

Image: Public Domain Pictures

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e’re very quick to unfollow someone online, or ignore someone in the street, who shouts abuse or posts things that make us feel uncomfortable. It’s easy because we don’t know them! But unlike with random strangers, we have deep connections with our friends; the good AND the bad! So should we do the same? If a friend is negatively affecting our lives and mental health, should we cull the friendship the same way we’d unfollow a celebrity promoting detox tea? I would argue yes.

Toxic friendships come in all shapes and sizes; some easier to identify than others. Too often we think of abuse being exclusive to relationships, but the reality is that our “friends” can do just as many manipulative and hurtful things as our romantic partners can, and too often we let it slide. Friends can be brutally honest (and we definitely need a friend to tell stuff how it is!), but they’re also supposed to love and support you, especially when you’re down or having a tough time.

Friendship is a two-way relationship built on a mutual trust, care, and respect for each other, and if they aren’t pulling their weight or they’re taking advantage of you, maybe it’s time to cull the friendship. It is, of course, easier said than done, and when it comes to culling friendships the best thing to do is to be honest with yourself; remember, nobody is worth sacrificing your self-worth or wellbeing for!

The truth is, we all change lots as we embark on adulthood (or at least attempt at it!). Our likes, dislikes, and beliefs evolve as we meet new people and try new things; the best friends you had at secondary school might become a distant memory, or a message out of the blue three months after graduation. Whilst we’ll all make mistakes and say things that are stupid and hurtful, it’s important to be able to identify when a friendship is no longer about ‘banter’ and is instead causing hurt and self-doubt.

“Embracing the idea that some “friendships” are toxic and not worth the hurt of staying in will initially be a hard pill to swallow but will eventually bring you a lot more peace and a lot less heartache.”

So, ask yourself this: Does this person make you happy? Do you feel like you can be yourself around them? Can you rely on them to be there for you? If the answer to these questions are “no” then you’re probably in a toxic friendship. Embracing the idea that some “friendships” are toxic and not worth the hurt of staying in will initially be a hard pill to swallow but will eventually bring you a lot more peace and a lot less heartache. When we acknowledge that someone is bad for us or our mental health, and we choose to cut them from our lives we acknowledge that we are worth more.

Culling your friendships, online and in real-life, can feel both sad and cathartic. Maybe you’ll mourn the loss of a friendship, the memories, and the things you shared together much like the ending of a relationship.

As much as we harp on about “deleting toxic people from our lives” and “loving yourself enough to drop toxic friends”, the reality of culling that friendship can lead to a period of real sadness. In the aftermath of World Mental Health Week activities across campus, I urge you to give yourself time to mourn. You’ve got this, and you’re worth so much more!

Let’s reclaim Halloween

Don’t appropriate

icture this: you’re at a Halloween party. Now, imagine what everyone present is wearing.

For male guests, your mind probably jumps to white make-up, a smear of fake blood or, if they’re feeling adventurous, maybe even a cape or an old bed sheet.

For female guests, your mind probably jumps to underwear, leather, mesh, and possibly a pair of animal ears, if they had any spare cash.

Halloween has long been stereotyped as an excuse for girls to ‘let loose’, and use the spooky holiday as an opportunity to embrace their ‘naughty’ side.

Skimpy costumes are now seen as a rite of passage. After all, who can forget Mean Girls’s infamous ‘I’m a mouse, duh?!’ scene?

It’s difficult to determine exactly when the trend for ‘sexy’ Halloween costumes started, but I think it has something to do with the fact women have traditionally been taught to be ashamed of their sexuality.

Just as a woman who enjoys sex is characterised as ‘easy’, a woman who enjoys showing off her body is perceived as promiscuous.

The fact that women are only encouraged to dress in such a manner on Halloween, a holiday associated with ‘weirdness’ and ‘spookiness’, is a prime example of the way society treats confident women… We’ve been conditioned to think they’re somehow ‘odd’, or ‘strange’.

So, maybe we should all buck the trend, ‘reclaim’ Halloween, and start to wear traditional, conservative costumes?

I disagree entirely. Girls, the skimpier the better.

Personally, I think there’s nothing more empowering than acknowledging a stereotype, then ironically fulfilling it anyway, and choosing to embrace it.

So, wear that mesh bodysuit. Cake yourself in whatever make-up you choose. Dance around in leather boots.

Just make sure to do so with the knowledge that you’re turning a stereotype on its head, and laugh at those who think you’re only this confident on occasions when society has given you the ‘okay’.

Em Richardson

he discussion of feminism at Halloween is often defined by slut-shaming and is predominantly focused on the outfits of white women, but it’s important to remember the other political implications entwined in people’s costumes.

Photos of Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, wearing blackface to a party recently emerged, demonstrating how the most powerful people in the world are still using their white privilege to ignore the history of oppression involved in their costumes.

Blackface is therefore a feminist issue at Halloween as it brings to light the racial inequalities which are still prevalent in society. It is important to not overlook the cultural associations of certain costumes to engage in a fully ‘feminist’ Halloween.

Women are not truly liberated until all women are equal, therefore, although it is extremely important to consider the mainstream concerns of body confidence, we must also consider the cultural and historical origins of certain costumes.

Another example is the appropriation of outfits inspired by The Day of the Dead, which has significant cultural connotations in Mexican history.

The historical origins of the event are rooted in an amalgamation of Aztec beliefs with the enforced conversion to Christianity by the Spanish crown.

Today, customs based upon the Day of the Dead are distanced from this violent clash of cultures, but the impact of colonialism should not be appropriated for a Halloween costume.

It is important to consider the origins of certain costumes - Native American headdresses, Geishas, Cowboys and Indians, blackface and Day of the Dead to name a few- and question whether it’s appropriate to wear them.

In order to keep Halloween fun and feminist, it’s vital we do not overlook the cultural appropriation or connotations in the process of trying to look edgy.

Jenny Banton

Image: Instagram: @ritaora

Image: Instagram: @KylieJenner

Image: Instagram: @perrie_lm5

the courier

13

lifestyle life & style

Monday 28 October 2019

s a feminist issue T

Scary or sexy? Both!

he narrative of slut shaming girls for dressing a certain way for Halloween has long been pushed and quite frankly, it’s boring.

Halloween should be a time where we all get to dress up and have fun, not to verbally abuse the girl stood next to you at the bar for wearing a short nurses dress and a pair of stockings covered in blood.

She wanted to wear it. Giving into this urge to call other women out on Halloween is saying hurrah to patriarchy.

“Girls should be virgins and dress like nuns!”

It’s so old, and quite frankly, ridiculous.

Likewise, there should be nothing wrong with someone deciding to dress up as a zombie, covered head to toe in toilet rolls.

Not sexy in your opinion? Mind your own.

If you really are wanting to be a feminist, let girls dress up how the hell they want to and not give them shit for it

There really should be nothing wrong with deciding to dress up how to you want to, be it on Halloween or on a daily basis.

If you really are wanting to be a feminist this Halloween, or want to encourage others to be, it’s time to let girls dress up how the hell they want to and not give them shit for it.

Though, I do advocate for a scary Halloween costume.

It is Halloween after all. Just throw some blood on that lacy bodysuit girl. Happy Fem-o-ween!

Emily Cartwright

Have costume confidence

H

alloween can be a daunting celebration, especially as a female, especially at university.

The discussions start at the beginning of the month, with whispers of ‘what are you dressing up as’ and ‘where are you going’ culminating in a mad panic of shopping, raiding your housemates wardrobe and stressing about looking as good as everyone else.

Unfortunately, there is a pressure on females to dress up in as little clothing as possible and stretch the concept of ‘witch’ to the most vague degree.

However, it’s vital to remember is as long as you feel comfortable then dressing up should be an exciting endeavour. There’s no point being a Kardashian-esque angel if you’ll spend all night pulling down your wings so they cover your bum, but it’s also pointless covering yourself up if you want to embrace your sexy side.

Halloween can be a difficult concept to navigate as a feminist, but the most important thing is to surround yourself with your friends, feel confident in whatever outfit you chose and remember not to judge others for their costume choices.

Jess Herbert

Clothes as empowerment

F

eminism is the equality of men and women and the equality of their freedom and choices. The question is, does this include having the freedom to decide what to wear on Halloween?

From tots to teens, many have seen and felt a shift from ‘the scarier the better’ to ‘the sexier the better.’

For many children, halloween is a time to feel powerful and special, whether this be by dressing up as your favourite super hero, super villain or by having the best home-made costume at school.

It’s a chance to let creative juices flow and for children to be whoever they want to be.

Similarly, for decades, women have used fashion as a feminist tool.

From the suffragettes using the colours green, white and purple to identify themselves as feminists, women during WWII wearing trousers to prove that they could do the same jobs as the men to women all over the world still using fashion to feel empowered and confident.

If dressing up as a sexy nun, nurse or nan is what makes a woman feel empowered, sexy and simply good about herself, then who’s to tell her that she’s wrong and that she should be showing less skin.

Just like there should be no pressure to dress up sexy, neither should there be pressure to make oneself as gory and scary as possible.

Dressing sexy vs. scary does not make you a Mean Girl.

The Karen, Gretchen and Regina George’s deserve the same amount of respect as the Cady’s. Ghost bride or “a mouse duh”, halloween should be about feeling good within yourself.

If feminism is about having the freedom of choice, then shouldn’t women be free to choose how sexy or scary they want to dress.

Laura Chaney

Image: Pixabay

Wear whatever you want

H

alloween, at its core, should be about having fun. It’s an alternative holiday to those who aren’t so bothered about the spectacle of Christmas. But with Halloween, dressing up is expected. And this is where the problem comes into play, something I myself have seen growing up.

Halloween starts off as an exciting holiday where you can dress spooky and eat copious amounts of sweets.

Thinking up and buying a scary costume was half the fun. This is where it becomes, and remains to be a feminist issue. Our choices of costumes become sexualised in some way. A witch costume becomes a ‘sexy’ witch. Or you can dress up as a female version of a horror villain like Freddy Krueger but it’s somehow sexy? It’s an unnecessary pressure. Specifically gendered costumes will hopefully fade out. But of course, all of this brings with it the idea of slut-shaming which remains to be prominent. In an ideal feminist society, everyone should be free to wear whatever they like; not even just on Halloween. If it makes you feel confident, then that’s the most important thing.

Everyone deserves the same amount of respect regardless of how they dress.

If it makes you feel confident, that’s the most important thing But the underlying issue here is the pressure for women to be sexy. It’s how in a patriarchal society, worth is determined. Worth becomes based on how physically appealing you are. A holiday that celebrates the scary and dark ironically only becomes scary because of these strong expectations. We have to strive for mutual respect and push for social constructs to be torn down for the world to become a safer place. The hardest part is that there is no real immediate solution to this. We’re heading slowly into a more equal society but for now, look after each other and don’t tear each other down. Be safe. Wear whatever you want, as long as you’re not being offensive. Enjoy Halloween for what it’s meant to be.

Amy Brown

Hallo-wondering how to celebrate?

Lyndsey Ward has some tips on how to spend 31 October

Image: Max Pixel

H

ung up over what to do this Halloween? This time of year can get a lot of people spooked out, trying to plan outfits, buying club night tickets or hosting a party. Here’s some ideas on how you can celebrate Halloween this year.

A house party is a great way to celebrate Halloween, have all your best mates over dressed in the wackiest of outfits without the stress of entry fees, club queues and melting make up.

You can take lots of great photos in your ghoul-y getup and it’s a brilliant way to save money (unless you go all out on the decoration, drinks and snacks!) But you can easily decorate your living area at a little cost. Put on a themed playlist and you’re ready to have a blast!

Alternatively, hosting a party can sometimes be a bit messy, so why not go to a themed club night where all the work is done for you. If you buy your tickets in advance, entry fees are often not expensive and worth the money, as a lot of effort goes into themed club nights.

If you’re worried about what to wear, clubs often have a particular theme towards their Halloween night out, so

perhaps this could guide you in the direction of what to wear.

There’s so many different themed nights, so you can easily find one most suited to your taste. Nevertheless, if you’re not very inventive, or on a tight budget, there’s plenty of quick and easy Halloween make up tutorials and outfit ideas online to help you out.

If a club night isn’t really your scene, but you love all things Halloween themed and spooky, why not stay in and host a horror film marathon?

Decorate your flat and make some Halloween-y snacks.

Plan which films you want to watch and sit back and enjoy. You could also do some festive activities such as pumpkin carving to get you in the Halloween spirit.

If Halloween is your favourite time of year and you love both partying and a quiet night in, why not do all three activities?

Halloween festivities can be stretched over the course of a week, so why not host a party, go out on the Toon and end the week with some of the best Halloween film classics. Happy Halloween!

Staying safe: IUD

Julie Boggio talks contraception and her own personal experiences

F

irstly, I want to make it clear that I am not claiming to be an expert on the topic, I just want to share my own experiences. Contraception is something everyone should know and talk about and I warmly invite you to share your experiences with friends, it shouldn’t be a taboo topic!

Contraception can either be used as a form of birth control or as a way to regulate hormonal and period problems. For me, it was used as the former.

My contraception journey began when I started having sex. I used condoms to start with, which is the safest contraception method you can find on the market because if used correctly are really efficient at stopping you from getting pregnant and protect you from STDs. I used this method for quite a long time, but it started getting annoying as it’s not very practical on a regular basis.

This is when I decided to move onto the pill – For the first few months I was quite happy as my periods were regulated, but then I started noticing side effects.

I started getting really moody, I noticed a strong loss of libido and often felt dizzy. I also found it hard to remember to take it every day.

It can be the best solution for some but it just wasn’t right for my body Of course, the hormones in the pill work differently on every woman and can be the best solution for some, but it just wasn’t right for my body. I was also concerned because it does not protect you from STDs!

Finally, I started my own research and found the IUD (Intrauterine Device). This is a small birth control device that is inserted by a gynecologist into a woman’s uterus.

I decided to go with the non-hormonal one, so I still have my periods, whereas with the hormonal IUD, your period is limited to light bleeding and is sometimes non-existent

IUDs can either be hormonal or non-hormonal. I decided to go with the non-hormonal one, meaning that I still have my periods, whereas with the hormonal IUD, your period is limited to a light bleeding and is sometimes non-existent.

I had it done more than a month ago now and I have to admit, the first week was really painful but it seems worth it so far.

I no longer have side effects I was getting from the pill and I don’t have to worry about getting my IUD changed for another 5 years!

If you decide to get one you should be careful and still wear a condom with new partners as it doesn’t protect you from STDs. I hope that you find my experiences so far interesting and were able to learn something from my contraception journey!

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14

life & style fashion

c2.fashion@ncl.ac.uk Fashion Editors Kajal Patel, Phoebe Eyles & Shamara Mohsin

Monday 28 October 2019

Back to the past: why we love 90s fashion

Belinda Lloyd reveals why, nearly two decades later, we are all still obsessing over many of the fashion trends from the 1990s

A

s numerous fashion trends come and go, 90s style continuously remains one of the most popular, timeless trends to date, but why are we so hung up on it?

The rise of indie and grunge bands, Oasis and Nirvana for example, sparked a revolutionary change in fashion.

Instagram: @bestdressed

Though this change fizzled out when the 2000s hit, indie bands resurfaced (Arctic Monkeys, The Kooks and Florence and The Machine to name a few) and revitalised this trend. Now it’s the norm for any young adult to rock a pair of Dr Martens with a pair of mom jeans and a thrifted sweatshirt.

Something about the 90s exudes an edgy yet chic vibe that we’re unable to capture in this day and age.

We have an endless amount of material to work with too: with Winona Ryder, a paragon of cool yet comfortable 90s chic, making us want to be as trendy as her as she makes a comeback onto our screens. When rewatching Friends, Clueless and 10 Things I Hate About You, we google what they all used to wear and follow those 90s throwback fashion pages on Instagram and Twitter for inspiration (@modernmodels being a good source).

hippie-witch vibes, it’s hard to not notice a sudden rise in floral maxi skirts coupled with a good pair of Docs and we’re all here for it.

It’s hard to not be so hung up on 90s fashion when it’s so diverse that it fits anyone and everyone’s needs. Literally, everyone. Whether you fancy wearing a spaghetti strap dress with a choker, a tracksuit with a pair of slide shoes and a bucket hat or fishnet tights and a tea dress (all probably accompanied by at least two multicoloured butterfly clips), 90s fashion accommodates everyone.

Along with social media, Instagram: @haileybieber the constant broadcasting of It's impossible Friends on practically every to escape 90s television channel in existence (I mean, seriously, does Comedy trends. But let’s be Central air anything else?) honest, we don't further throws endless amounts of inspiration for 90’s fashion whilst really want to giving us a sense of nostalgia for a With the Kardashians/Jenners and the Hadids etc time some of us wasn’t even alive in. strutting in spaghetti strap dresses paired with a choker Rachel and Monica’s various casual and butterfly clips. As well as Hailey Beiber, who recently yet cute outfits; including the white doing a Diana-esque photo shoot where she effortlessly cropped jumper, plaid mini skirt matched a vintage sweatshirt with bike shorts, it's literally and knee high socks, makes us yearn impossible to escape 90s trends if we wanted to. But let’s to be living in New York City in the be honest, we really don't want to.

90’s, in a funky apartment. While Social media is a hub for 90s fashion inspiration along Phoebe’s funky yet hippie outfits has with the rise of fashion-based Youtubers, @bestdressed us hooked while giving us even more for example, constantly throwing endless amounts Stevie and Florence vibes that we of outfit combinations that we want to try out while can’t get enough of. We are constantly regurgitating old yet fashionable styles. With Florence surrounded by 90s culture making us Welch, Kate Bush and Stevie Nicks blessing us with

'Depop' it like it's hot Imogen Davies shares her favourite Depop shops to buy from

I

n a world growing ever more concerned about sustainability, the social shopping app Depop is on the rise. Whether you’re interested in supporting small creators, revamping your wardrobe for a reduced price or finding a unique purchase; Depop is the place to look. Here are six accounts that I think are definitely worth keeping an eye on.

On A Whim Clothing

@Onawhimclothing is a trendy vintage shop that stocks a myriad of hand-picked pieces. From teddy jackets to retro flowery blouses, there are so many items that could spruce up your wardrobe and all while avoiding the toxic

Shopfembaby

This shop’s style is distinctively femme and cutesy as suggested by its name. @fembaby sells all sorts of items - whether you’re interested in t-shirts and crop tops, jewellery and funky pin badges, or scrunchies and retro sunglasses, you’ll find them here. Think Elle Woods.

Bee Vintage

This Depop shop’s strength lies in its collection of colourful denim. It stocks a range of differently patterned trousers and shorts suitable for any season. @eviehallows also sells vintage shirts and dresses that are bound to set you apart from the crowd.

If you want to rock a cute autumnal look without scouring the high street, then this is a great option

culture of fast fashion.

Betty Berry

Perfect for autumn, @bettyberry stock a range of vintage knitwear, shirts and indie denim pieces. This Londonbased shop sells internationally and affordably. If you want to rock a cute autumnal look without making the effort to scour the high street, then this is a great option.

TP Charms

If quirky, handmade earrings are right up your street then this shop will change your life. Selling unique jewellery of all shapes and sizes, you could end up scrolling through @tp_charms ’s shop for hours in search for the perfect pair of earrings. From cartoonish dinosaurs to elegant lotus flowers, they really do have everything!

Lucy & Yak

You have been living under a rock if you haven’t heard of this brand. @Lucyandyak are an ethical independent shop that specialize in corduroy and denim pieces – specifically dungarees. Although they are more on the expensive side, their clothing is long-lasting and high quality.

Instagram: @lucyandyak

yearn to be a part of it as it appears to be a better decade than we will ever experience.

We are constantly surrounded by 90s culture, making us yearn to be part of it

The rise of denim jackets, tea dresses and Dr Martens, along with Adidas and Nike tracksuits, once worn by Sporty Spice and now Kendall Jenner, marks the second, though not last, wave of 90’s fashion, showing us that it’s here to stay.

Instagram: @missguided

Upgrade your night out look Fashion sub Editor Kajal Patel shows us the different ways to spice up your look

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aybe your outfit is too casual and you want to spice it up a little? Maybe you’ve put on a dress and realised it was too formal? Or maybe your outfit just straight up needs a little more – you know – SOMETHING. Here’s a couple of ways to change up your night out look, whether that means you’re trying to dress up or dress down.

Firstly, let’s say you’re wearing that “jeans and a nice top” kinda look, but you’ve taken the casual side of things too far. Just by switching out your shoes for a classy pair of stiletto heels, you’ve already taken this look from standard to out out in no time.

It instantly gives your body more shape and spices up any look

Let’s talk wrap shirts. Get the bottom two ends of your shirtandtiethemtogethertosingeyourwaistline.Itinstantly gives your body more shape and spices up any look.

Moving onto the outfit that all girls have in their wardrobe – the bodycon dress. There are endless ways to style this staple piece; chuck a leather jacket over the top to grunge up the look a little, or go for a girly vibe and throw on a pair of heels, some silver hoops (a girls best friend) and a clutch purse.

Okay, time for a lil black dress chat. Personally, the look of throwing on a denim jacket over the top of a dress is too cute to miss. However, if you’re looking to take a little black dress to the next level for a night out – accessorize!

I’m talking rings, hoops, a dainty necklace and a cute bag.

Just adding a few accessories to this look will take it from a 6 to a 10 without any effort at all.

Another idea, is to use belts within your outfits. That includes, chain belts, leather belts, wrap belts - the lot.

Take your standard oversized top or shirt, pop a belt of your choice around the waist and maybe unbutton the top couple buttons, to give yourself a completely different fit and style. It takes a simple and casual look up a notch or two. Pair this with some boots of your choice and i'm telling you, it's a look that'll have them all staring.

The last thing I’m going to say is don’t be afraid to switch up your style – that means having your jacket fall off the shoulder slightly for a sexier look, sing accessories around you as stated to take it from casual to stylish, or even

Instagram: @kyliejenner

switching your hairstyle from standard curls to a slicked back ponytail to give your look a classier feel.

Don’t be afraid to switch up your style

There’s so many ways to change up your night out look, but my biggest advice is to play on accessories and your hairstyle. It’s the small things will take a look from 0 to 100!

the courier

15

fashion life & style

Monday 28 October 2019

Amber Gill's collection with MissPap Charley Moran reviews the newest Love Islander fashion collaboration with MissPap from Geordie-born Winner Amber Gill

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mber Gill has released a collab with fast fashion creators MissPap, following her new claim to fame winning Love Island 2019 with fellow

Sizes range from 6-26, which was Amber felt was very important

contestant Greg O’Shea.

The £1 million collection deal went down a storm on its 10th of October debut with sizes ranging from 6-26, which was something Amber felt very important in order to have something for everyone. In an interview, she spoke

Instagram: @misspap

about the collaboration saying, “The collection channels my style, it’s for party girls.

It’s very inclusive too", which we can see in her stylish and party looks including neon, sparkles that reflect the reality stars personality and allowing for it to shine through. Amber's line includes 69 products with a price range of £12 - £120 so these beautiful items are all at

a going out look for a Saturday evening embracing a more fun look compared to the 'black pu belt' and the diamante belly chain which although are more subtle can finish off a look on a classic pair of jeans, or a skirt, making it the statement and tying the look together.

Now moving on to my favourite part of the collection, the dresses! There really are dresses for every occasion; night out, formal, daytime, everything. There is a balloon sleeve style dress and velour oversized t-shirt set which is perfect for all body types, helping to hide those insecurities and embrace the parts you love, giving a sexy and confident look to the attire.

There are thin strap cocktail dresses in black and red, a necessity as we all need a classic cocktail dress, working great at hugging the female figure with a complimentary material which can help show off your curves. Amber also introduced the velvet material with some dresses in hot pink, Subtle and baby pink, silver and black. The ruched glam looks front mini dress is off the shoulder with poof out sleeves that are so in style right for every now and give the look a modern vibe. occasion The sparkle also shines through with glitter pants, leggings and mini dresses all suitable a reasonable price and currently have 50% for all body shapes and sizes that compliment the off EVERYTHING; so the perfect time right places as well as being a statement look for to shop this collection. a party/evening event. I can guarantee this will The items range from accessories make you stand out from the crowd. to coats to dresses. The necklaces The neon look is also represented in all statement pieces mainly the line giving a cool and vibrant style consisting of a silver/diamante to the collection with neon green, pink material and long down and orange presenting a variety of the neck with one choker in colours and styles. Finally, she has also particular. They're all stunning and released an over-sized faux fur coat in compliment any outfit combination black, orange and white, as well as massively giving an elegant and classy many more colours, perfect for the touch to your look. There are also four winter season and right on style with belts as part of the collection which a mid-length cut and button in the I'm personally absolutely loving, middle. ensuring a belt for every occasion.

Overall the collection is spectacular The 'multi-drop diamante belly and is flawless for a party girl chain' and 'diamante circle buckle combining subtle and glam looks for Instagram: @amberrosegill belt' are perfect for glamming up every occasion.

Instagram: @amberrosegill

Fashion police: guilty pleasure 'ugly trends' Fashion Editor Shamara

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n fashion, you have the good, the bad and the, simply put-ugly. Sometimes however a trend defies the odds and crosses categories to become something we loathe but can't seem to stop buying.

For your pleasure, I’ve compiled a list of the worst offenders of this crime of fashion. Of course, what's considered an ‘ugly trend’ is completely subjective and should be handled as simply an opinion, I’d like to see you argue that many items on this list, however, should not have died a quick death seasons past, yet stores keep stocking them, celebs keeping wearing them and alas we keep buying them.

Mohsin shares her thoughts on the guilty pleaure fashion trends we all can't stop buying and a complete fashion monstrosity for a twenty-year-old. Now it's cool, but only if it barely covers anything. Please don’t undo the true use of a cardigan, to keep you warm.

Chunky trainers

This summer saw guys and gals donning what was dubbed the 'ugly shoe trend'. Despite these being the ugliest of shoes, many major brands contributed towards chunky trainers becoming a major trend with them being comfortable, practical shoes that gave your short friends that extra inch without it being too obvious, is it really that bad of a trend?

Floral on floral

Often this trend appears as if it popped right out of your nan's wardrobe with patterns that will make your eyes water. It's rarely cute and often garish, there is such a thing as too much going on.

Cropped cardigans

The worst offenders should be better named barely-there cardigans, you know, the ones that cover nothing and are essentially pointless. Gone are the days when cardigans were for your gran

Flared trousers

Instagram: @ kyliejenner

Especially prominent with the students of Newcastle, we oddly love some flares (wink wink).

While they haven't been considered 'in style' for a decade the

unfashionable flared trousers still manage to litter the wardrobes of some Millennials.

Animal print

Gracing our screens for more than half a century, we still can't decide how we feel about animal print. It's more ethical in recent years sure, but the body-con dresses and fur print coats are just a little too much, so maybe leave that look to the animals because they wear it better.

Bucket hats

While in its essence the bucket hat is a brilliant accessory for sun protection, we all know that the fashion statement becomes much more than that.

The circular hat is one of many to be taken from its roots, commercialized and made into an honorary 'ugly trend' like many before it.

Faux fur jackets

This one began gracing the social influencers all the way back in 2015 and isn't necessarily 'ugly' but rather hard to wear. Many struggle to 'pull off ' the fluffy attire, struggling to pair it with other outfits or simply feeling not themselves in it. The jackets are often comfy, cosy and rarely very costly, but if it's not working it's not working.

unsustainable, and almost always unavoidably so tight it would make the most confident girl selfconscious.

Neon

Great on photos not so great in real life, much like the many Instagram influencers wearing it. Neons like marmite and will leave a taste in your mouth you may not like.

For once, I hope you have not been inspired to shop the look, while these guys and gals may look amazing re me mb e r, social media can make even the ugliest trend look fabulous.

Shell tracksuit bottoms

A tale as old as time, the tracksuit trousers have been terrorising our streets for years and trust me, they've never really been in style. Unless you're about to start working out, take them home to lounge in.

Biker Shorts

While this one may only see the light of day on the festival scene or the most outlandish of celebrities Instagrams it still deserves a mention. The lycra material is often fluorescent or skin-toned in colour, rather hard to work into everyday life, therefore rather

Instagram: @ ritaora

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Monday 28 October 2019 courier.beauty@ncl.ac.uk Beauty Editor Rashida Campbell-Allen

Top five Black-owned beauty brands

Rashida Campbell-Allen shares some brands you should know about

Fenty

The iconic fashion and beauty mogul. Rihanna’s cosmetic range offers 40 shades spanning all skin tones, from foundations, concealers, and the emblematic Kilowatt highlighter. It’s the first of its kind, providing women of all ethnicities with great options.

Sheabutter Cottage

This is a UK based cosmetic company specialising in ‘Exotic Ethical Raw’ products. The brand stocks oils, hair and skin care therapies and toiletries. What’s particularly great about this brand is that they source their sheabutter directly from a co-op of women in Ghana, meaning the products truly are natural, organic and chemical-free.

Juvia’s Place

Ever struggled to find eyeshadows that have sufficient pigments to show up on darker skin? Look no further.

I personally swear by Juvia’s place eyeshadow palettes as they cover the spectrum from neutral, to vibrant through to glitter shades. This brand is embedded in the celebration of African kingdoms from the queens to the rebels and everyone in between.

beauty life & style

This is the part when I break free

Beth Robson shares her experience of acne treatment and must-have products for dry skin

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or over seven years I’ve tried desperately to find a ‘cure’ for my acne; trying everything from different antibiotics, hormonal contraceptives, and chemical exfoliants. In the end, nothing ended up working, and finally this March my GP referred me to a dermatologist. If you’ve been to the doctor about treating acne before, you’ve most likely heard of the slightly terrifying wonder-drug, Roaccutane.

A highly controversial medication, Roaccutane has been met with a lot of criticism among the incredible success-stories. With side-effects like super dry, cracking skin/lips, joint ache, and even bouts of depression, it’s easy to see why some would be glad to see this medication made illegal.

But despite all of this, many people still

choose

Pat McGrath

If you’ve not heard of Pat McGratch then where have you been? As one of the world’s most celebrated make-up artists, her brand is very everyone, of every shade. Her products do reach the higher end of the market but their quality and long-lasting so arguably worth it.

Base Butter

Initially starting as a lipstick venture, She’Neil Johnson developed this brand to reflect the growing landscape of skincare for women of colour. Her body butters are multipurpose so can be used on the hair, skin and lips.

Although relatively new on the beauty scene, Base Butter's future is certainly glowing.

Roaccutane as their last resort Image: Beth Robson Instagram: @sheabuttercottage

to fixing their skin; including me. After the usual months-long wait for an appointment, run-through of side-effects, blood and pregnancy tests, and signing of legal documents, I started my treatment this month!

I’m only a week into my treatment as I write this, but quite literally overnight have I seen the beginning of the side-effects I’ll be facing in the next few months; dry skin, chapped lips, and close to fifty teeny tiny little spots lurking under my skin in preparation for the infamous ‘Purge’. The biggest change so far however has been my skincare routine; going from a salicylic acid-based, oil-free routine to a routine that’s so oilbased I could fry an egg on my face. Embracing a dewy makeup look has been equally as alien, but I can’t lie, my skin is feeling pretty good and it’s all down to the following three dry-skin saving products: CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser (236ml) (£9.50) This cleanser really does what it says on the bottle; it leaves your skin feeling nice and moisturised without feeling too tacky. Unlike lots of cleansers, it doesn’t foam, and works more like cleansing lotion than a ‘soap’; because of this I find myself massaging the product into my face rather than rubbing, which is a great way to give yourself a little bit of TLC whilst also making sure you’re removing any grime that will irritate your sensitive pores.

C e r a V e Moisturising Cream (177ml) (£9.00) Unlike a lot of moisturisers for dry skin, this one isn’t heavy, nor does it leave an overly oily finish. Instead it works into the skin very much like a silicone makeup primer, and leaves your skin feeling velvety soft and smooth to touch, evening out any dry patches and texture; overall, a great glowy base for makeup (if you choose to wear it!).

Aquaphor Soothing Skin Balm (45ml) (£9.00)

Instagram:@theviralbeautyshop

This stuff is already a holy grail product for me!

Nothing feels as horrible as painfully dry, stingy lips, and this stuff saves the day! On a particularly dry day my lips feel most importantly soothed, soft, and moisturised, but they also look like they’ve just been coated with a very expensive lip-gloss (win win!); I carry this around wherever I go, and I can’t recommend it enough!

Breaking the stigma associated with acne is unfortunately hard (yes, I have “tried washing my

If you’re suffering with acne, remember you aren’t alone, and you certainly aren’t the only person on campus with this condition face” thank you!) even in today’s “Body Positivity” culture. If you’re suffering with acne, remember this; you aren’t alone, you certainly aren’t the only person on campus with this condition (even though it feels like you are), and no it’s not ‘vain’ or ‘self-absorbed’ to look for a ‘cure’, but it’s also absolutely OK to feel confident in your skin (treated or not!). If you choose to go the Roaccutane route also remember; the bad will be BAD but the good will feel AMAZING! Hang in there, you’ve got this!

To induge or not to indulge? That is the question Our writers investigate whether beauty treatments and plush pampering are really worth the hype (and the student loan...)

U E very year, the people of Britain spend an incredible £7.6 billion on salon and spa treatments with 33% of people having had a spa or salon treatment in the past 12 months.

In the age of social media, many people receive inspiration for beauty treatments online, and look to their favourite celebrities’ beauty routines for inspiration.

Celebrities have been seen to endorse everything from ‘vampire facials’, to face masks made with 24k gold.

Instagram: @goldbyglow

However, should we really believe what we read online?

In a world where celebrities have previously been accused of advertising poor quality products for money, should we really trust their ‘recommendations’ for something as personal and important as our beauty routines? Speaking as someone with extremely sensitive skin, I’m inclined to say no.

Evidence suggests that expensive spa treatments aren’t always as effective as the price tag would have us believe.

For instance, a quick online search reveals that doctors have expressed concern over the popular phenomena of ‘oxygen facials’, warning that there is no medical evidence to support claims that they smooth out wrinkled skin.

Moreover, they warn that skin treatments labelled as ‘organic’ might not be any better for our skin than any other beauty treatment, and could even be harmful, since many people are actually allergic to plant oils.

It seems that many such treatments may be little more than an excuse to make money out of our insecurities. This seems particularly true of products that are advertised on social media: a breeding ground for insecurity. Let’s be honest, when you’re scrolling through Instagram, pictures of models making you wish you were 10lbs lighter, you’re at your most insecure, and most likely to feel drawn towards ‘miracle cure’ treatments for your ‘imperfections’.

Next time you feel this way, remember that the beauty industry profits from your insecurity. Whilst there’s nothing wrong with an annual trip to the spa, or the occasional shop-bought facemask, make sure you research the effectiveness of a treatment before spending large amounts of cash, and remember that some advertisements’ claims may be exaggerated.

Em Richardson

niversity can be one of the most stressful experiences of our lives to date. With all the pressures surrounding us and with a reported 42.8% of us often or always feeling worried and anxious (guardian.co.uk).

Don’t get me wrong, beauty treatments are not going to solve your student strife however they surely can alleviate and help along the way. Self pampering and time alone is seriously underrated. The process of taking time

Image: flickr.com @Zenspa1

out for ourselves and indulging ourselves in a calming environment, detached from our everyday lives can work wonders. The cost is not everything, yes, but if it is rare treat and with a cheeky discount added on to lessen the damage, they can be worth it. Lastminute.com, Treatwell and Groupon are great places to find local offers and great discounts making treatments and experiences all the more tempting. There is definitely no need to sacrifice your pocket, instead it is all about being clever with money where we can, and trust me, it makes the experience all the more enjoyable knowing you’ve saved some coins. Beauty treatments do not just include the 24k gold facial masks or the latest laser-infused fad endorsed by the many celebrities and influencers. It also includes pedicures, manicures, massages etc, but do your research to avoid the harsh treatments that may just be ‘hype’.

The most important reason why I encourage a pampering experience is the inevitable confidence and happiness boosting effects. The results of beauty treatments are far more holistic than egoistic. Endorphins can be released which increases our feel good factor – spurring you on to jump back into the books with positivity. When you feel pampered and beautified you naturally exude an air of self-confidence from within and that glow will radiate tenfold.

The host of benefits that come with the price tag (occasionally pocket stretching) makes all the difference.

What’s wrong with indulging ourselves every now and then and relieving built up tension and stress? We can get so lost in the whirlwind and demands of everyday life so a little indulgence and time for yourself, can surely only be salubrious.

Rashida Campbell-Allen

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life & style travel

Monday 28 October 2019

courier.travel@ncl.ac.uk Travel Editors: Amy Harris and Meggie Williams

Staying safe while studying abroad Charlotte Booy Howlett shares her essential tips for staying safe when studying abroad, from 'Down Under' to Mexico City

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o you need a break from the cold conditions of Newcastle? I certainly do. Then maybe you should consider studying abroad next year!

Although intimidating, studying abroad can offer so many learning opportunities and leave you with the fondest memories that not many other experiences can provide. The chances of you being apprehensive about flying the nest of Newcastle are probably high. Nevertheless, it’s time to send that little voice of doubt packing and embark on your new adventure.

Here are my essential safety tips for some of the most popular study abroad destinations for UK students: Australia So many people are attracted to the big city life in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, but in my opinion, Australia has so much more to offer than skyscrapers, traffic jams, and bustling bars. Australia is completely unique: boasting rainforests, deserts, alpine mountains and underwater ecosystems, Australia has something for everyone. However, with a diverse range of ecosystems and wildlife, the biggest threat you will encounter to your safety is Australia’s natural environment. When swimming in the sea, be

aware of strong rip currents. The Aussie lifeguards will patrol designated sections you should stay within. Likewise, shark attacks are rare, but you can further reduce your risk by swimming in the designated areas. When partaking in a bush walk or hike always wear plenty of insect repellent, stick to the path to avoid coming across dangerous (and most likely poisonous) flora and fauna, and stick with your mates! Never trek alone. Try to group together a party of 3 or more in case of emergencies. You can read more about staying safe in the land of Aus here.

New Zealand

Are the Kiwis onto something? Definitely! New Zealand has so much to offer, from scenic walking trails, to miles of mountains to ski on; it is the perfect location for all you adrenaline-junkie students. It has an abundance of extreme sports, plus the picturesque environment to match.

And unlike Australia, there isn’t even any deadly wildlife for you to worry about! Whether you want to ski, snowboard, skydive or sail, make sure you purchase insurance that not only covers the duration of your stay in New Zealand, but covers your uncontrollable desire to partake in extreme activities. Remember to bring your insurance policy details with you and I would recommend carrying an emergency contact numbers with you at all times.

The Netherlands The Netherlands offer over 2,000 university programs taught in English, which is amazing for any of you wanting to experience a completely different culture, but who may be hesitant to attempt learning a foreign language. As a result, many international students choose to study in the Netherlands, making the country very internationally diverse. Alternatively, many students decide to study in the Netherlands due to its ‘relaxed’ Dutch culture. The Netherlands has a reputation for being tolerant on the use of so-called ‘soft drugs’. In reality, most drugs are prohibited and this tolerance exists only for designated premises in the major cities, such as Amsterdam. So for any of you

Image: Mark Galer from unsplash

attracted to the Dutch ‘lifestyle’, the use of cannabis is only allowed in specific designated cafes.

Image: Sorasak from Unsplash

Mexico

This one is for all you penny savers! Mexico is one of the cheapest places to study, and when it comes to day-to-day expenses, the country is known for its affordability and low living costs. You can rent an apartment for around $300 and eat out for $5 or less. So, even if you attend one of the more expensive universities, you won’t find yourself out of pocket. That means you can spend your extra cash on exploring colonial churches, Mayan ruins, or any of the World Heritage Sites throughout the country. Result!

The local currency is the Mexican Nuevo Peso, known colloquially as ‘Peso’. UK debit and credit cards are widely accepted for payment and in ATMs, however, I would recommend investing in a prepaid travel card to avoid hidden charges, such as ATMs adding a non-sterling transaction fee, cash withdrawal fees and interest charges.

My prepaid travel card was a life saver! It meant I could buy more beer!

Japan If you’re wanting to throw yourself into the deep end and immerse yourself in a culture so different to the UK, Japan is the place to be! Try the mountains of sushi, visit the authentic spiritual temples, embrace J-pop, cosplay and Japanese fashion. Even try and learn the language! That being said, Japan is very big on manners, so equip yourself with a perfected etiquette skill set before embarking on your journey. For example, loud, boisterous behaviour is not as acceptable as it is on a night out in the Toon. Meanwhile, keep the PDA to a minimum. In Japan, public displays of affection are viewed as being poorly mannered.

Therefore when greeting a local, bow or shake hands, never hug and kiss anyone when you greet them. Additionally, if you are lucky enough to visit a Japanese home, a ryokans, temple or traditional restaurant it is essential you remove your shoes. Time to get the sliders out! I’d highly recommend taking shoes that slip on and off easily as you will find yourself doing this a lot.

Image: Matthew Buchanan from Unsplash

Wherever you decide to study abroad, take the chance, grab the opportunity with both hands and enjoy an adventure like no other!

If your destination of choice was not mentioned, head to the Travel Aware campaign for more information on travel advice and safety tips. It’ll be worth the read.

I'm here for the boos Are EU ready for this?

Madeleine Raine details fangtastic Halloween events to get your spook on, taking place in the North East this October

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t’s that time of year again. The nights are getting darker, the weather is colder, and the pumpkins are starting to line the windows of houses. This ghoulish season continues to be a highly celebrated occasion across the globe and has become increasingly popular amongst youngsters today. In this article I will be looking at just some of the spooky events that are available to ensure your Halloween is frighteningly tasteful.

If you want a more frightening experience, then Pyscho Path is for you! As the biggest Halloween event in the North of England, it hosts its terrifying activities in County Durham from 11th to 31st October. Situated on abandoned farmland, this haunting experience is sure to raise the hairs on your arms and leave you screaming for more. This experience boasts four attractions: the maze, the forest scream fest, an illusionist and fairground. With live actors and haunting music this attraction is sure to scare even bravehearted souls.

If this doesn’t sound like you and you’re wanting a more toned down and family friendly experience, then Beamish is the place to be. Join in the fun and step back in time to a ghoulish night of intrigue and scare. Whether it’s with family or friends, this museum recreates a perfectly haunting experience for young and old. Face painting, street dancers and illusionist shows are just some of the many activities that will be held in the 350-acre site.

Another event sure to chill the hairs on your spine is the screening of the 1973 horror film The Exorcist

at the Castle in our very own Toon. Held on 28th October in the main hall of the Castle, this event not only projects a dark story but also allows one to delve into the historic past and all the horror it holds within its walls. Come along, bring your own snacks and be prepared to be chilled.

If none of these events take your fancy but you still want to enjoy the festivities, then Bongo’s Bingo are holding a Halloween special at the Boiler Shop in Newcastle. With guest star Fatman Scoop taking the stage everyone is sure to have a blast. Running from Thursday 31st October to Saturday 2nd October this event has all you need for a night packed with bingo, dancing and much more.

Halloween has certainly begun to soar over the past few years and continues to be a highly celebrated and profitable time of the year. Whether you decide to stay at home and carve pumpkins or participate in one of these spooky activities that the North-East has to offer, your Halloween will always be one to remember.

Image: Mathew Schwartz from Unsplash

When it comes to Brexit nothing has been simple or straightforward, except Jane Howard's easy, helpful EU travel advice

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y the 31st of October the Government have stated that the United Kingdom will have left the European Union. So what consequences do Brits face when on their travels after the exit date?

Passports Official government advice can be found online. However, to sum it up, your passport must have at least six Image: Elionas2 from Pixabay months left before it expires.

It must also be less than 10 years old, even if it does have six months or more left until the expiry date. However, this rule is only applicable when travelling to Schengen countries, such as Switzerland or Norway. These rules do not apply when travelling to Ireland.

Visas UK travellers will not need to worry about having a Visa to enter a European country, as long as the visit is less than 90 days. This will change in 2021 when British Citizens will need to apply for an ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) before travelling away.

EHIC cards In regards to the use of EHIC cards, this is dependent on whether Image: reconnaissance.net the UK government manages to make a

deal with the EU to still allow the use of them.

Regardless of this, it is always important to get appropriate travel insurance to cover your health care.

Transport Flights, Eurostar, ferries and other modes of travel should, according to ABTA (The Association of British Travel Agents) and the Government website, operate like before. However, you should be prepared to queue in the nonEU line and may have to wait longer at border control. It has also been announced that consumer rights will not change. So, if there are delays or cancellations then passengers are still entitled to compensation from the company they are travelling with.

Roaming Something that is not guaranteed is the, ‘roam just like home’ concept. Extra charges will now be applicable when roaming in the EU. It is advised that you check with your mobile phone operator before travelling to find out how much these charges will be.

Currency The value of the pound has fluctuated since the referendum due to the lack of confidence in Britain’s economy. Therefore, in regards to exchange rates and uncertainties, the safest thing to do is get your travel money sorted now. If a no-deal Brexit is the case then UK bank cards will incur a charge when being used in EU countries and may be subject to more expensive cross border transaction fees.

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travel life & style

Monday 28 October 2019

Vibrance, spice and all things Nice Patrick Young gives the low- down on a weekend away in a modern French metropolois for the foodie and the adventurer

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ice is a modern French metropolis, from glamourous hotels with beachfront views, to a vibrant mix of Asian and African culture. Nice has so much to offer that it is impossible to do it all in one weekend. I’m here to try to showcase the best Nice has to offer over the course of two days.

For those of you who enjoy spending time at the beach, Nice has got to be one of the best places in Europe to do so. Like many places on the Mediterranean, Nice is filled with beach-front bars for that naughty mid-day tipple (we all do it). The water is pristine: beautifully clean and clear.

You could find yourself spending the whole day here and not minding. Bring a book, a towel, a parasol and relax, let the Med wash your worries away. If your looking for a place to eat, the Promenade Des Anglais offers a host of different eating options, from a Hard Rock Café, to highend Spanish Tapas to traditional Niçoise dishes, there is enough variety of food for every taste bud.

If, like me, you want to visit as much stuff as possible within a short period of time, you’re in luck. Nice offers fast tram links throughout the city, from the airport into the centre and from north to south. You can get a 10 trip travelcard (T10) for 10 euros which will last the 48 hours you are there. Using the tram, you have access to a variety of museums, including the Musée de Massena, Colline du Chateau and the Acropolis (Yes, Nice has one too).

However, if you are trying to keep it as cost effective as possible, everything in central Nice is within walking distance from the main high street.

For those true adventurers, you could brave a day-trip to Monaco and fake a life of opulence for one day. It is one hour on the train (which is a double-decker!) and return tickets cost €2.50. Monaco is just as beautiful as Nice and you can brag that you went to two different countries on your little weekend get-away. Visit the Monte Carlo Casino, the Royal Palace of Monaco, or the Oceanography Museum and the beautiful gardens that surround it. Those who like to hike can climb to the top of the hills surrounding Nice for the perfect view of the Mediterranean and the city, as well as the Matisse Museum and the Roman ruins of Ancient Nice, not to mention the incredible Colline du Chateau: a medieval castle on the hill overlooking the bright blue ocean.

It is the perfect mix of French language and Spanish architecture

The one downside of travelling to Nice is that France, as a whole, is expensive; and Nice is one of the most expensive parts of France. So, be careful not go over the top, spending wise; my advice would be to stay at a cheap Airbnb in Nice so you can get supplies in and reduce the cost of eating

out.

However if you choose to eat out, there are plenty of good-quality, cheap restaurants in Nice, many of which serve authentic dishes.

Another piece of advice would be to explore all the possible backstreets and alleys that you can, Nice is a medieval city with many small back alleys that host the most beautiful spectacles, from a cascade of umbrellas hanging from strings above you, to signs written in the tradition language of Nice: Nissart. Nice is full of culture and life, you’ll feel invigorated by the sun and sea making it an idyllic place to detox after a stressful year at university. It is the perfect mix of French language and Spanish architecture, all wrapped up in a parcel of Mediterranean goodness.

All that I have left to say is, what are you waiting for?

Disney: which park reigns supreme?

Kayleigh Fraser deliberates which Disneyland should be crowned the winner from parks in D isney is now a global superpower, with theme sential visit for holidaymakers if only for the World Showparks in the US, Europe and Asia. But, what is case. it about that signature Disney magic that atHollywood Studios: My personal favourite, 1989 saw tracts us all through those gates? Today I’ll be taking the opening of ‘MGM Studios’, later renamed to Hola look at two park giants, the flagships for Disney: Dis- lywood Studios. Although it is a small park at 135 acres, ney World Florida and Disneyland Paris. But which Hollywood Studios this year saw the opening of Star will take the crown?

Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, adding to the already legendary Let’s first take a look at the US stronghold Disney Rock n’Roller Coaster by Aerosmith and the Tower of World, located in the heart of Orlando, Florida. With 4 Terror. Now re-innovated, Hollywood Studios combines parks, 2 water parks and over 25 uniquely themed the old glamour of 1950’s style and the new fuhotels, several golf courses, a camping resort, turism within Galaxy’s Edge. Overall it is and other entertainment venues, (ina excellent park, attracting 11 million cluding the outdoor shopping centre guests in 2018.

Disney Springs), the Disney empire Animal Kingdom: The last is nothing less than majestic. We addition to the trio of parks, can start by having a run down Animal Kingdom opened of the parks. in 1998 and like the theme Designed as the second suggests, holds a strong Disney Park to supplement natural, forest and safari Disney Land California, it theme. With it’s own conwas named ‘The Florida Proserve, a rain-forest cafe ject’ by Disney himself. Unand yeti themed coaster like what most people think, Expedition Everest, AniDisney World Florida is not mal Kingdom is truly in one combined site, each park is tune with the natural world. separated through a complex road In keeping with this, this park Image: Tomáš Nožina from Unsplash system and themed signs. Sitting on too welcomed an extension in the 27,000 acre site are four distinctive 2017 with Pandora: The World of parks.

Avatar, holding a truly immersive moMagic Kingdom: Home to the iconic Cindertion ride Flights Of Passage. ella Castle, Disney’s first park in Orlando opened Looking at this therefore, it is evident to see in 1971. Attracting over 20 million visitors in the true Disney Magic held in Florida, as it is 2018, the park mirrors a military operation with the beating heart of what the brand is. Let’s underground tunnels, characters dotted around now compare it to it’s European counterpart. the park and staff packed in each restaurant and Opening in 1992 under the name Euro shop. For me, the park truly encapsulates the Disney Disney Resort, the park is now called Disneyexperience as it holds iconic rides such as Big Thunder land Paris. Containing 2 theme parks, 8 resort hotels, 7 Mountain, The Haunted Mansion and It’s a Small World. associated hotels, a golf course, a high-speed rail station, It’s a must see for every Disney fan. a large outlet centre (La vallée village), and a large shopEpcot: The second park to open in 1982, Epcot holds ping mall, Disneyland Paris acts as a large add on to the rides such as Test Track, Mission: Space, and Soarin’ and Disney experience. the infamous ‘World Showcase’, encapsulating 11 nations With only two parks, the first (Disneyland Park), offers including the UK, Japan and Italy to name a few. Albeit many of the same features as Magic Kingdom in Florida, the futuristic theme is now outdated, Epcot is still an es- offering nothing really different apart from the Space

Mountain extension of ‘Space Mountain 2’. However, it does include Discoveryland, themed after the visions of famed European thinkers and explorers such as Leonardo da Vinci.

The second park named Walt Disney Studios, which too mirrors the famed Florida park Hollywood studios.

Again the park simply mooches ideas, offering the Tower of Terror and Rock N’Roller Coaster.

However, On 27 February 2018, Bob Iger announced a Multi Year Expansion, opening in phases from 2021 to 2025 to coincide with the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, which will

Abeijman from Pixabay

Asia, Europe and the US

completely transform the park. The cost of this expansion is €2 billion. It will feature new areas based on Marvel, Star Wars and Frozen, all surrounding a new man-made lake. This then suggests that Paris may be gaining much more individuality than before, finally offering a different experience for Disney addicts.

So, looking at both parks they both offer that key Disney magic,and that’s why both of them continue to be popular with visitors from around the world. They have their differences, they have their similarities, but for me Florida will always radiate that individual Disney flair.

That’s why for me, Florida takes the crown and will always be the winner in my eyes.

Image: Cody Board on Unsplash

the courier

21

food life & style

Monday 28 October 2019

Food Editors: Cayla Viner & Amanda Goh

Pumpkin for you Testing taste buds to think about... around the world Meg Blount shares her favourite leftover pumpkin recipes

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s the 31st October draws ever nearer, preparations for Halloween are sure to be well underway with devilish decorations, crazy costumes and scrumptious sweets re-emerging for their yearly display. However, the stardom of the show undoubtedly belongs to the traditional pumpkin – these unique lanterns, created centuries ago duri ng the Celtic era, were intended to ward off the evil spirits that were believed to revisit the mortal world on the last day of October.

Yet, over the years, the carving of a pumpkin has strayed from its historic origins, now an enjoyable activity for most, with designs ranging from the typical scary face to elaborate creations. Nonetheless, these wonderful works of art are only desired for a short period of time, raising the interesting question: what can be done with the pumpkins once they have fulfilled their purpose and Halloween has passed away for another year?

The obvious answer is: FOOD. Almost all parts of a pumpkin are edible, resulting in a plethora of delicious recipes that are readily available to everyone - meaning anyone can put their culinary skills to the test and turn their used lanterns into mouth-watering snacks and meals. The Courier generously offers a few ideas to ignite this pumpkin delicacy revolution.

a pumpkin curry, entwining an Indian tang with the wholesome fruit.

Pumpkin can also be used in deserts, to please your sweet tooth and fulfill any cravings. The go-to pumpkin pie is a popular choice for very good reason, but a pumpkin cheesecake offers a whole different sensation and is a more imaginative approach. Controversially, put a twist on the classic pancake pudding and incorporate pumpkin for that little bit of seasonal spice.

Roast pumpkin seeds make a tasty snack

Regarding savoury food, here are some suggestions: for something quick and easy, try roasting the seeds of a pumpkin to make a tasty, moreish snack. Or for something a little more complex, prepare some pumpkin hummus to spread on warm bread or to use as a dip. In terms of more hearty food, a pumpkin soup is a perfect meal to warm the cockles on a blistery autumn day. A slightly more exotic alternative is

Dish of the Week: Mushroom Stroganoff News Editor Em Richardson shares her family-loved recipe

Ingredients

2tbsp olive oil 300g mushrooms, chopped into LARGE pieces 3tsp paprika 1tsp garlic salt OR one clove of garlic, finely chopped

Pinch of salt and pepper 300ml vegetarian stock 1 pot crème fraiche 2tbsp Worchester sauce Pasta or rice to serve alongside your stroganoff

Steps

1. Heat 2tbsp of olive oil in pan, sprinkling in paprika, garlic, salt and pepper.

2. Once the olive oil is hot, add in the mushrooms, and fry for around five minutes.

3. Turn down the heat on your hob, then add 300ml of vegetarian stock to your pan.

4. Gently stir in one whole pot of crème fraiche, until the dish is cream in colour.

5. Add 2tbsp of Worchester sauce, and stir in gently.

6. Leave the stroganoff to thicken, ensuring the heat on your hob remains low. The dish should take between 20 and 30 minutes to thicken. For the best results, stir the dish frequently to prevent sticking, and ensure it never boils. Taste the dish regularly, and add more flavouring if needed.

7. Whilst the stroganoff simmers, prepare pasta, rice, or even bread to serve alongside the dish.

8. When the stroganoff reaches a thick, silky consistency, and any liquid that is left in the pan is creamy rather than watery, it’s ready to serve.

Bon appetit!

Image: Krzysztof Niewolny on Unsplash

Image: Pixabay

Go forth with this influx of inspiration: grab your apron, chef’s hat and pumpkin and strive to become the culinary artist you always knew you could be – in this life and the next…

Food sub editor Cayla Viner dishes on her favourite intl foods Being a massive foodie, I take great pleasure in experienc- curry?! ing wonderfully strange and interesting foods. I’d like to The Netherlands share with you a few of my favourites from around the Quick stop in the Netherlands, go and visit any food marworld. ket and you will find a shop/stand that serves smoked herFrance ring with raw onions and gherkins. Possibly the Dutch verI want to begin here, because first of all it is somewhere I sion of marmite, it is definitely an acquired taste, but take a am now very familiar with from family holidays, but leap and become a fish fanatic! also it is a quick train ride away from capital to capiMalaysia tal, so you can easily pop over and try some French Rambutan is a Southeast Asian delights! Now the most obvious French ‘weird’ food fruit which comes from the Mais escargots (known to us Brits as snails). There’s defilaysian word rambut, meaning nitely a hype behind this delicacy but in all honesty, if these “hair.” Before you squirm at the little slugs haven’t been slathered in garlic butter there really idea of eating hair, stop is not much to them. Another, less widely talked about food, panicking – that is just the which you will often be able to buy at the ‘boucherie’ is outer shell. Inside is a sheep brain. Yes, you can turn up your nose at the thought, white sweet deliciousbut have it gently pan-fried on toast and you have got yourself a killer starter.

South Africa My mum’s side of the family come from this incredibly diverse and cultural country and it is not short of unusual foods. Biltong is a snack favourite.

Image: Angga Siswanto on Unsplash At first glance you may think it is just a ness. The closest funny name for beef jerky but there are a few resemblance to this differences which ultimately make the SA snack exotic fruit is a lychee: also the more superior of the two; biltong is gently flavoured a much underrated fruit gem. with salt, vinegar and spices while jerky has a smoky taste; Germany you can then choose on a scale of chewy to dry, and lastly, Finally let’s talk about sausages. biltong is hanged to dry from raw therefore containing its flaForget the popular bratwurst you vours, whereas jerky is cooked in a dehydrator for 6-12 hours. can buy at ANY shop or stand across Germany. Forget those I challenge you jerks to resist conversion! My second South boiled hotdog frankfurters that get drowned in ketchup. Be African selection is bunny chow. Don’t worry, no rabbits are more adventurous and try some blutwurst. This translates to harmed in the process! Hailed from Indian South Africans ‘blood sausage’ and it is so tasty. Even though you can find in Durban, this dish consists of a hollowed out loaf of white blood sausage all over the world (black pudding is an essenbread and generously filled with curry. I’m surprised this is tial to a proper English breakfast), I thought that where best not more widely served because who doesn’t love bread or to begin than amongst a country of sausage lovers.

Soul food: African American cuisine Marcel Shamshoum discusses African American food’s culture, with it’s historical context

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t all started in 1619, the first ever Africans brought to the Americas as slaves.

The Dutch ship carrying 20 Africans arrives to the shores of Jamestown, Virginia. Despite the dire circumstances in which they arrived in America, with them they brought a whole host of culture, including authentic African music and food.

After years of slavery, discrimination and poverty, finally in 1863 African slaves were freed when Abraham Lincoln issued a preliminary emancipation proclamation. Today, after many generations, proud African Americans live in the US with an amazing culture behind them that was built by their ancestors who fought and many died for freedom. It is no wonder why Black Heritage Month should be a celebration; it honours and remembers a rich, historical and deep culture reflecting authenticity as well as intermixing of cultures.

It honours and remembers a deep history reflecting authenticity and cultural intermixing

In the 1960’s the phrase soul came about to describe black culture at that time, for example “soul music”, “soul

brother” and obviously - to refer to the African American cuisine - “soul food.” This type of cuisine originates mainly from Georgia, Mississippi, and Alabama also known as the Deep South. During the slave era, African slaves were given miserable food supplies that were low in quality and nutritional value.

Never-

Image: Needpix

theless, Africans stuck to their roots and maintained their traditions and food culture with the resources available.

With time, African cuisine was merged and influenced by many other different cultures namely French, Spanish and American. This explains the richness of this style of cooking as well as the heartiness. Many famous dishes like ‘gumbo’ for example uses French techniques.

While all soul food is Southern food, not all Southern food is soul

Many might say that southern food and soul food are the same. But Bob Jeffries, author of the 1969 Soul Food Cookbook wrote: “While all soul food is Southern food, not all Southern food is soul,”. He continues to explain that: “Soul food cooking is an example of how really good Southern [African American] cooks cooked with what they had available to them.” So, it’s all down to simplicity, seasonality and love.

One might ask, what does soul food consist of? Well, a typical soul meal would usually consist of an entrée; this could either be fried or smothered chicken, fish or pork.

Then you’ve got your sides; these may include stewed greens, black-eyed peas, and candied yams. Cornbread is also a very popular accompaniment to your dish, to wipe up, or “sop,” your gravy with. And finally the dessert; that could be a nice banana pudding or a beautiful warm cobbler.

Soul food is not simply American cuisine, like other cuisines soul food has a deep respected history that should be celebrated not only by Africans, but also by the world. Enslaved Africans have gone through bitter times where they experienced hatred, racism and poverty, and from this rose the beautiful African American soul food we now know of.

the courier

22

culture music

Monday 28 October 2019

c2.music@ncl.ac.uk Music Editors Dom Lee, Jagoda Waszkowiak & Joe Smith

Spooky singles for your Halloween playlist

Our writers have their thoughts on the best haunted hits for getting you ready for the big Halloween night out - or nights out

Abominable Albums

Our editors have picked their top spine-tingling records to listen to this Halloween, so give them a go...

Dom: Portishead Dummy Joe: Bauhaus Mask

The Who ‘Boris the Spider’

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his is a tune to whack on your Halloween pres playlist. Created by one of the best bands Britain has produced, the Who, Boris the Spider is a track that may not send shivers down your spine, but will certainly make you feel incredibly uncomfortable.

Written by bass player, John Entwhistle, the song tells the story of a spider who terrorises a household and eventually meets a bit of a grim end. The jagged bass and guitar and the chilling, “Borrrissss the Spiiiidddeerrrrrr” repeated during the chorus definitely makes it a contender for one of the creepiest songs recorded.

Jagoda:

Charlotte Boulton

Yeah Yeah Yeahs ‘Heads Will Roll’

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side from classics like ‘Monster Mash’ , this track has simply GOT to be played at any Halloween bash. Or, knowing students, any of the multiple costume parties that take over the weekend before and after actual Halloween.

‘Heads Will Roll’ epitomises the darker side of Halloween; there are genuine lyrics that say “off off off with your head, dance dance dance ‘til you’re dead”, for crying out loud. Yet the potentially pretty grim lyrics are offset by the incredible fast beats, so intense you feel like you actually could dance until you’re dead...or at least exhausted and in need of some horrifically synthetic orange-dyed spooky beverage to recover with. Add it to all of your Halloween playlists...or else...

Radiohead ‘Burn the Witch’

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f you are looking for a song to continuously listen to this Halloween season, look no further – it’s Radiohead’s ‘Burn the Witch’.

Do not be fooled by its joyful and welcoming rhythm.

The short stirrings of the violins bear resemblance to Hitchcock’s Psycho, invoking a sense of peril, panic and paranoia into the upbeat song. Even the lyrics carry a sinister meaning. The line “We know where you live” screams into your ears, bringing unexplainable chills down the spine. This song remains highly ambiguous around its meaning to the point that listeners are left pondering even after the song has ended. This song is guaranteed to keep you up thinking at night!

Cayla Viner

Joe Smith

Perturbator Dangerous Days

Phoebe Bridgers ‘Demi Moore’

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here is something so inherently haunting about the song ‘Demi Moore’. The intro mixes a somewhat chilling yet reassuring synth with Phoebe Bridger’s mellow, rather calming vocals to create a song with an atmosphere so spooky, it wouldn’t feel out of place in a coming of age horror film.

‘I don’t want to be alone anymore’ mourns Phoebe as her words echo a fear that can be said to resonate within all of us. The fear of loneliness.

Although, not a traditional Halloween song, ‘Demi Moore’ recognises terrors far more human than those portrayed by traditional horror media. The panic inducing dread of being endlessly alone.

Grace Dean

Carl Smith Valdez

Rebecca Johnson

My Chemical Romance ‘Blood’

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ost people had an “emo phase” when they were in secondary school.

For some it was Paramore that they were obsessed with; others listened to Green Day every day, or stuck posters of Panic! At the Disco around their bedroom. For me, it was My Chemical Romance who shaped most of year ten at school. I thought I was a Killjoy, and my room and Facebook profile became shrines to Gerard Way. Some of their songs were very dark, but the hidden track Blood, taken from the American band’s third album The Black Parade, is somehow satirical, with its twisted lyrics encouraging listeners to “grab a glass because there’s going to be a flood”. It certainly won’t give you nightmares, but listening to the strange lyrics certainly is enough to send a shiver down your spine.

Dominic Lee

White Room ‘Cannibal Song’

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repare for a weird psychedelic tune that you feel certain should be dark and harrowing, yet is kind of playful in an unconventional way…

It begins with an odd man asking whether it will be okay to cook you dinner despite the fact he is a cannibal.

He admits that he also loves food between the hat and sole of your shoes – watch out! We are then introduced to an equally creepy female who we soon find out is also a cannibal and they can be cannibals together; what a juicy story!

Radiohead ‘We Suck Young Blood’

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ight from the opening piano chords of Radiohead’s ‘We Suck Young Blood’ your skin starts to crawl.

The progression of the notes feels staggered almost in the rhythm of a zombie-like walk. Thom Yorke’s famous falsetto murmurs “we want the young blood” and “we suck young blood” imitating Count Dracula as he preys on the weak. Yorke’s distorted moans under his haunting vocals also mimic muffled cries for help as he is “strung up by the wrists”. ‘We Suck Young Blood’ is possibly the most haunting track in the band’s discography and an essential this Halloween.

the courier

23

Monday 28 October 2019

@culture_courier thecourieronline.co.uk/music

music culture

Nightmares in Neverland: ‘Thriller’ Lily Hopkins reflects on Michael Jackson’s Halloween classic song after Leaving Neverland

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t’s 2006, I am watching my Year 6 classmates perform Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’, as the video streams from the dodgy projector onto the wall in front of them. I am in awe. Awe of the rare talent that covered the crumbling assembly hall wall. I still remember the feeling of jealousy as I watched my more dance-centered (read, talented) classmates stomp along to the chorus. Now, sat in my university house, having watched the Leaving Neverland documentary, I recall that memory and I cringe.

It is essential to separate the artist from the art and it is undeniable that, in a time where individuality was the new lifestyle, pushing musical boundaries was praised and fashion was arguably the leading force in p opu l ar culture, Jackson managed to create a masterpiece t h a t blended all three.

Image : Wikimedia Commons His ‘Thrill(Executive Office of the er’, directed President of the United States)

Caroline Polachek PANG

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ince alternative duo Chairlift dissolved in late 2016, lead singer Caroline Polachek has been floating on the outskirts of the music industry.

More renowned for her indie synthpop stylings, the last few years have seen her focus shift into collaborations with avant-garde producers Danny L Harle and A.G. Cook, as well as a critically acclaimed appearance on Charli XCX’s 2017 mix tape Pop2. PANG, the result of her work with Harle and her first solo release under her real name, feels like a step into a lush, robotic future that perfectly marries her ethereal vocals with sublime, transcendent production.

a vibrant, futuristic soundscape

At its core, PANG is about the deepness of longing. It’s not just in the name – pang, a jolt of emotional pain – but evident throughout each of the album’s fourteen tracks.

There’s a much richer overall feel than her work with Chairlift, thanks in no small part to her classically-trained vocals; in Harle’s hands, her voice transcends – even the peppy 80s-inspired track ‘So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings’ becomes a symphony under Caroline’s voice, and it’s hard to imagine the A.G. Cook-produced album highlight Ocean of Tears sung by anyone else.

It’s hard not to see the beauty in Polachek’s major solo debut

It may not be as groundbreaking as one might expect from an album so directly linked with one of PC Music’s most prolific producers (PANG’s core sound undeniably owes a lot to Björk, Kate Bush and St. Vincent) but it’s hard not to see the beauty in Polachek’s major solo debut.

A vibrant, futuristic soundscape punctuated by some of her most personal lyrics yet, this is easily one of 2019’s strongest alternative pop releases and one that feels like it could hold up for years to come.

Lex Firth

by John Landis, was released in 1983 and revolutionised the music video world, bringing a musical platform that could reach all four corners of the world. One of those faraway lands was Australia, where 5-year-old Wade Robson ravaged the VHS copy of ‘Thriller’ his mother had bought him. Initially defending Jackson in court, Robson recounted his earlier testimony, now alleging Jackson had sexually abused him from age 7 to 14. Since the 2019 release of Leaving Neverland the Jackson legacy has been under fire.

myself tapping my foot beneath my desk to the (still) irresistible rhythm. Ultimately, ‘Thriller’ remains a pinnacle of musical artistry – that opinion is not impacted.

However, for the individual, the mother, the father, the haunting memory of a class of Year 6s dancing to the beat, the piece’s impact has been altered for the worse by the cruel reality of the sexual misconduct allegations.

The Beatles: Abbey Road

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f, like Alan Partridge, you are ever asked ‘what’s your favourite Beatles album’ you can often be spoilt for choice, and that is even without the fall back to ‘probably the Best of the Beatles’.

Perhaps their most iconic is the pinnacle of their time together, the last album they recorded. How does it hold up on its 50th Anniversary?

Abbey Road is in two distinct halves, a fact that can be easily forgotten in the streaming age. Side one opens with the catchy ‘Come Together’, a very much a John Lennon song with eccentric lyrics and explosive chorus that builds on the solid foundation of Ringo Starr’s drums and Paul McCartney’s expert bass lines. ‘Something’ follows on, a more soulful and impassioned song, perhaps George Harrison’s most famous. Frank Sinatra declared it the best love song of all time, high praise indeed. Side one offers some of Paul McCartney’s best vocal work, on ‘Oh Darling’ and ‘I Want You’ that each offered something different from their other work, as was their style. Even Ringo has a good song, ‘Octopus’s Garden’ is a bizarre yet catchy song that didn’t help dispel the rumours of the Fab Four’s drug use.

I still find myself tapping my foot beneath my desk to the irrestible rhythm

It is neither my intent nor my brief to act as judge, jury and executioner, but to discuss whether the viewing experience of ‘Thriller’ has been impacted by the allegations. In a purely analytical appraisal of the piece, the impressive nature of intersectional art forms still remains.

However, having rewatched the video it is hard to deny the deeply sinister feeling that overwhelmed me throughout my viewing experience. Now, the lyrics “Something evil is lurking from the dark” draw uncomfortable parallels in one’s mind.

The dark images of monsters evoke a feeling of haunted nostalgia.

Nonetheless, amongst all the negative connotations I still find

Jimmy Eat World Survival Sizes

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ith it being almost three years since the release of their previous album Integrity Blues, Jimmy Eat World’s 10th album is finally out and it’s brilliancy still has me as shook now as when I first listened.

Returning to their rockier sound, Surviving is an album that is full of life, feeling and power and deserves nothing less than praise.

Surviving is an album that builds on energy and emotion

Going from songs such as ‘Criminal Energy’ that make you want to get up and literally dance your heart out, to songs like ‘Delivery‘ and ‘555’ that drop the tempo, this album has something for everyone. Embracing the new sounds of mainstream radio but at the same time sticking to their old roots. Don’t even get me started on ‘All the Way (Stay)’ where not only do we have the classic guitars and drums, Jimmy Eat Worldreally went there and gave us a sax. If that isn’t iconic, I don’t know what is. ‘Surviving‘ doesn’t have a one bad song but ‘All the Way (Stay’) has to be my favourite by far. Surviving is an album that builds on energy and emotion, it gives focus to the instruments and rhythm but not at the expense of the lyrics and the message of the album.

What makes this album special though is the story behind it. Jim Adkins, the lead guitarist and vocalist has spoke of how writing and producing this album helped him to confront the demons from his past: “I was a passenger in my own body for 36 years and never realised it…I didn’t know it because I was letting a voice inside my head tell me all sorts of lies to continue life at the minimum. As I grow older that minimum got lower and then lower.” This is an album that is all about facing your depression and self-doubt head on and embracing life.

I cannot recommend this album enough. Jimmy Eat World are still very much at the top of their game. Surviving screams seize the day, live your life to the fullest, and while you’re at it, listen to this album.

Lucy Lillystone

Image : Wikimedia Commons (Holger Ellgaard)

Image : Wikimedia Commons (John Wiley, Alan Light)

Foals

Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 2

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hen indie darlings Foals announced that they were going to be releasing two albums this year they were probably met with a lot of sceptics.

However, Part 1 wowed fans and critics alike with its combination of dance beats and the Oxford band’s famous Math-Rock precision which garnered them praise on their 2008 debut album Antidotes. The result was a thrilling album which feels at home on both the dancefloor and the moshpit of a summer festival.

A perfect ending to the Beatles work

Side Two is what makes the album unique. Straight away there is another strong hit in ‘Here Comes the Sun’, classic of George Harrison’s philosophical optimism.

However, it is not the hits which makes Abbey Road, it’s the Medley. A 16-minute run of eight short songs whiwch contains hidden within troubles with the band, songs that would never have worked alone, and even a reworking of a poem from 1603 in ‘Golden Slumbers’. It ends with ‘The End’, a perfect ending to the Beatles work. It contains solos from each of the members of the band, and leaves with the immortal words “and in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make” which rounds the album and the band off nicely.

In short, it is an incredible album by one of the best bands of all time and will in no doubt still be listened too in another 50 years. Truly the best of the Beatles.

Sam Slater

It’s a band that perfectly balances chaos with calculated production

Part 2 of the epic double album marries this precision with the ferocity Foals’ live shows are famed for which is evident as opener ‘Red Desert’ transitions into ‘The Runner’- the second single from the album.

‘The Runner’ has a mean bass groove underneath Yannis’ feral vocals which together introduce a band that perfectly balances chaos with calculated production.

Foals also put their own spin onnumerous musical styles. ‘Wash Off’ has been compared to Prog-Rock with its jangly guitar. While ‘Black Bull’ has a rebellious Punk energy coursing through its veins.

Third single ‘Into The Surf’ is also a firm favourite here, showing a gentler and more melancholy side to the band which provides a nice contrast on the album. The combination of a progressive piano and the electronic chimes from ‘Surf Part 1’ which feature on this cut make the track one of the band’s strongest to date.

Nonetheless, ten-minute closer ‘Neptune’ is likely the biggest talking point on the record. ‘Neptune’ progresses in perfect balance as Yannis laments over the temporary nature of human existence and how one daynothing will be left.

The irony behind ‘Neptune’s’ lyrical content is that even if societies collapse and nature fades, Foals legacy will remain forever.

Dom Lee

/The CourierMusic @culture_courier

24

culture TV

Star -Trek Discovery landing on E4 Alfie Blincowe shares the good news for UK fans

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his is good news for UK Trekkers who have not had already watched the show on Netflix.

Channel 4 also bought the rights to screen the Matt LeBlanc comedy Man With a Plan From CBS in this deal.

Star Trek Discovery (or DISCO) has been a controversial move for the franchise. In America the program has been exclusively on CBS access, the very limited streaming service. The show has also departed from the previous series by having a singular main character and neglecting the ensemble cast styles of its older and more successful predecessors. This has led to the show getting bad ratings and even worse reviews online.

The Picard series is set to bring in a massive audience Airing on E4 could be a new chance for the show to bring in a broader audience and keep DISCO going for future series. Currently, the fate of the show is tied to the highly anticipated Picard series. Fans are much more excited to see a return of Patrick Stewart and his co-stars than the next series of DISCO or any of its planned spin-offs. The Picard series is set to bring in a massive audience but will stream on Amazon prime outside of the US. It’s unknown how this will affect the future of DISCO, but it’s likely that it will also migrate over to Amazon as well, as the two series will inevitably tie in to one another. This is probably why episodes are coming to E4, so that people who have chosen Amazon over Netflix are not lost when the two shows show up on Amazon Prime Video.

The future seems uncertain for Discovery. The show was never as successful as producers hoped, and being moved around from outlet to outlet could bring in a bigger audience, but will more likely alienate what little audience the show already has.

the courier

c2.tv@ncl.ac.uk TV Editors Amy Brown, Sophie Hicks & Will Nsieyanji

Monday 28 October 2019

Netflix VS YouTube: The Battle For Views Writer Kayleigh Fraser discusses which streaming service offers the best viewing experience

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chieving unbridled successes around the world, Netflix and YouTube stand as absolute global superpowers. But as the demand for streaming grows, which company will emerge as the front runner? Let’s take a look at what they’re offering.

As of 2019, Netflix boasts 148 million subscribers worldwide, with 60 million of those in the U.S. Offering movies and TV shows, the platform contains hit titles such as Friends, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Shrek and Pitch Perfect. Of course that is just a selection of hundreds of titles, with subscriptions starting from £5.99 a month.

The 7th most successful internet business in the world

global notice, now having hundreds of self titled ‘creators’, making money off the site through the ‘Adsense’ system.

However in 2015, the site launched the movement of YouTube Premium, collaborating at the time with creators like PewDiePie to film paid for content.

The subscription allows holders to download videos, watch offline and access music too. Starting at £11.99 a month, this to me seemed like a blatant attempt to step into the subscription market held by Netflix. Could this show YouTube’s insecurity regarding viewers?

With no figures available, it’s not too easy to judge the success of YouTube, but the fact that many creators on YouTube like KSI, Jake Paul and Jeffree Star continue to gain worldwide fame.

However we can observe the switch of content on You-

The brand has diversified since being founded in 1997.

The company now creates and produces ‘Netflix Originals’ consisting of movies and TV shows which have gained global notoriety and fame for their standard. This can be seen especially within Stranger Things and Orange is the New Black, which has shot stars like Taylor Shilling, Noah Schnapp and Millie Bobby Brown to worldwide fame.

This trend can also be seen within the hit show Black Mirror, and how recently last year the company created the first ever interactive film Bandersnatch. So by this, we can tell the level of influence held within the brand, offering its 18 million Instagram followers sneak peeks into upcoming series.

Although I could go on forever about the endless amount of successful Netflix series, there is more to think about when discussing the 7th most successful internet business in the world. With a revenue of 15.8 billion dollars, the company hosts 5,400 employees to keep it going, a small army compared to the 5th wealthiest company Facebook, holding 25,000 employees.

But where else is there to go with Netflix? Holding a loyal band of subscribers, I think it will continue to go from strength to strength, with Netflix Originals offering new ideas each day.

YouTube on the other hand, is constantly changing. Since 2005, the video sharing site has gained

Tube and relate it to the Netflix format. Shane Dawson uploads serial programme like videos. Lasting 40 minutes to an hour at a time, the videos get over 5 million views.

Dawson’s most recent ongoing series The Beautiful World of Jeffree Star, reflects this, with the most recent episode gaining 12 million views in 2 days.

Could this shift of content show the lack of need for shorter videos like YouTube used to offer? And does it now show the need for longer episode like videos in a Netflix format, and the success of it?

It’s hard to tell which company wins the battle, since now they are both becoming so similar in content. So then, could this endless success ignite even more subscriptions in streaming services? I guess we will just have to watch and see.

Image: Piqsels

Big screams on the small screen: the very best of horror TV

TV horror fan George Bell tells us what TV shows we should be watching for the Halloween season, from ghoulish ghosts to zombies to killers

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orror is a broad genre covering all forms of media from books to movies and plays. And TV is no exception. Here are just a few of my favourite horror shows that the horror junkies among you should definitely watch in the run-up to Halloween.

Scream- Netflix’s Scream follows the same premise as the cult classic for which it shares a name. The way Wes Anderson explored the horror genre with his meta storytelling is matched here with a look at how TV handles horror while investing more time into its characters so when they eventually get killed, it hurts so much more.

While being fresh and new, it’s still being respectful to the source material with its humour that manages to change seamlessly to dread when the killer appears.

American Horror Story- You can’t talk about horror on TV without mentioning one of the biggest horror shows of recent years, American Horror Story.

The anthology series has been airing since 2011, spanning 9 seasons. It has led to some

of the most iconic characters of all time and introduced us to some of the best actors and actresses in the industry today. And due to each season covering different elements of horror, it allows each season to be as fresh and engaging as the last, so there is sure to be a season you will enjoy.

Haunting of Hill House- Another horror show on the

If you are thinking about watching this, don't do it alone.

streaming service Netflix is the successful The Haunting of Hill House. With another season set to release under the title of The Haunting of Bly Manor it looks like it is gearing up to be the next American Horror Story, but with one key difference. The series is based on real-life events which just makes the entire premise all the more terrifying. So, if you are thinking about watching this, don't do it alone.

Image: Flickr

The Walking Dead- While some recent seasons have gone more of the action and drama route, it can’t be forgotten that the first few seasons of the popular zombie show and the tense, slow (perhaps too slow in season 2) burn horror that made you dread what could happen next, especially with how the writers are not afraid to kill off numerous main characters. Recently, season 9 looked like hopefully a return to form with the introduction of the Whisperers that bring back that fear of the unknown.

Dead Set- Before the release of the wildly popular Walking Dead as the go-to zombie show, there was a limited series known as Dead Set. The basic premise is simple yet effective: Big Brother meets zombies. Despite its weird idea, the series is actually quite dark and makes use of gory practical effects that’ll make you cringe, only let up by dark humour throughout. Another great thing about it is that with it only being 5 episodes long, it can be an easy watch.

Hannibal- This origin series about the iconic Hannibal “the Cannibal” Lecter played

by Mads Mikkelsen in one of his most notable roles.

Focusing more on psychological horror, the show explores mental illness through the other protagonist Will Graham as his relationship with Hannibal and role as a criminal profiler leads him down a dark path into his own mind. As Graham deteriorates further, the show becomes jumbled with hallucinations and makes you question what’s real or not. Unlike most horror shows where the antagonist is a monster, demon or psychopath in a mask, the various bad guys of Hannibal, for the most part, look normal. It makes the acts they perform even worse and makes you fear the next person you walk past on the street.

Images: IMDb

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Monday 28 October 2019

Brooklyn Nine-Nine Halloween heist s Kate Dunkerton rates the iconic episodes that span across the show for the spooky season

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s the spooky season approaches, many will rewatch their favourite horror movies. For those who prefer to laugh rather than scream at their TV screens but still want a Halloween-feel, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a must-watch. As a prominent staple within the show since its debut in 2013, we rank the infamous Halloween-themed episodes of the lovable police sitcom, aka Halloween Heist. Warning: spoilers ahead!

1. HalloVeen (Season 5) This is the first year where it is every man for himself as the squad fight for the “Amazing Human/Genius” belt, or as Captain Holt (Andre Braugher) insists the “Amazing Human/Genius” cummerbund. In an unexpected but touching twist to the show, Jake (Andy Samberg) uses the heist to propose to Amy (Melissa Fumero) when she

least expects it. Another highlight includes Jake distracting the squad by dressing up as handmaids from The Handmaid’s Tale.

2. Halloween Part III (Season 3)

The first heist in which Jake and Amy are officially a couple, this leads the whole squad to distrust Amy and leave her out of the heist to win the crown. However, things get out of control as an unknown third party steals the crown from Jake and Captain Holt. Out of revenge, Amy plots against everyone as Al the janitor and is crowned the Queen of the 99 and “Amazing Detective/Genius”.

3. Halloween (Season 1)

The one that started it all. Initially a bet between Jake and Captain Holt, Jake gets the whole squad involved to defeat Holt and steal his prized medal of valour. Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio) tries to bond with Amy by convincing her Halloween is fun. Highlights of the episode include Jake stuffing pigeons into Captain Holt’s air vent and a synchronised dance sequence by suspects dressed as royal babies. Jake succeeds and is declared the first “Ultimate Detective/Genius”.

4. Halloween II (Season 2) The origin of the infamous “Halloweeeeeeen” quote, Jake attempts to steal Captain Holt’s watch from his wrist. Gina (Chelsea Peretti) is danced out of her dance group “Floorgasm” and Terry (Terry Crews) offers to dance with her at the competition. Holt gets his revenge on Jake, revealing he planned the heist the year before with the rest of the squad to conspire against Jake. With the heist scores being 1-1, Holt wins the title of “Ultimate Detective/Genius”. Highlights include Gina and Terry dancing to Salt ‘n’ Peppa as Mr and Mrs Terry Jeffords.

Image: IMDb

Preview

Rick and Morty: Season 4

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aster than time continuum sees the fourth season of Adult Swim’s cult classic Rick and Morty rioting onto our Netflix screens on November 10th. And, personally, I was looking for an excuse to swim in the schwifty depths of this animated universe.

One of the most indiscriminately, intelligently senseless cartoons in animated history, the aesthetic of Rick and Morty creates a dreamscape of the most succinct development of universe(s) – creating a spectacle of single-most demand for an audience’s attention; wherein a multidimension of inconceivable colour congeals minds of show producers, Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon. In summation, Rick and Morty follows the exploits of the relationship between grandfather and grandson; substituting the stereotype of tender familial moments, for the preference of disestablishmentarian science and standoffishness.

Postmodernity paired with the purely nihilistic

Although the 2D cartoon, primarily, may pose as inclination of another simple child’s animation, the censor bleep is used more times than voice actor’s themselves, posing the idea that this infinitely interstellar multi-universe is as complex as the reality of our own – only, maybe with a little less of the aliens and inventions.

I’d summarise the show as a blend between 1985’s Back To The Future with Netflix’s original series Big Mouth and you’ve got a generalised idea of the show, but nothing could compare to the artesian depth crafted of the adventures of our four-fingered fellows onscreen.

Impressively, the show builds a taskforce of postmodernity paired with the purely nihilistic – conceiving an almost hyperrealist simulation for a viewer, oxymoronically, in the most non-realistic way possible. In turn, this perceives our reality through the perspective of protagonist/scientist, Rick (Justin Roiland); creating a pessimistic alternative on the approach to life. What this timeline has to offer poses contrast to our own – inspecting a world of subjective space continuum to create what is inaccessible, as accessible.

Sure, it may not help your Physics degree, but at least you’ve got plenty of time to binge watch by the time the fourth season drops – Wubba Dubba Dub Dub Beyoch!

Iona May Todd

culture

@culture_courier thecourieronline.co.uk/TV

Image: IMDb, John P. Fleenor

5. Halloween IV (Season 4)

As the squad pair off to win the “Ultimate Detective/Genius” plaque from Amy’s childhood caboodle, the gang suspects Terry is conspiring against them solo. Amy and Rosa (Stephanie Beatriz) put aside their differences and team up, with Rosa even using Amy’s codenames taken from The Babysitters Club. Jake enlists the help of Boyle’s creepy doppelganger Bill to trick the others, as Holt uses Boyle to make Jake helpless. In a twist not dissimilar from Season 3, Gina is the shock conspirator despite initially being paired with Jake. By stealing the plaque, Gina requests for the title of “Ultimate Detective/Genius” to be changed to “Ultimate Human/Genius” so that she is no longer discriminated against as a secretary. Although a good and funny episode, this heist is not as memorable as past Halloweens.

Special shoutout for Season 6’s Cinco de Mayo for not making the list; although the most recent Halloween Heist episode, it doesn’t meet the same standards that fans have became accustomed to.

The reigning King of horror

Amy Brown talks the TV adaptations of Stephen King's works

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n the spirit of Halloween, it’s the perfect chance to talk about the brilliance and nuance of author Stephen King, and how his work has inspired decades of TV. We hear a lot about movies with the tagline ‘Based on the novel by Stephen King’ and rightly so; a number of them are great adaptations. But for King, known for writing quite lengthy novels, TV show adaptations sometimes work better. A rather creative adaptation is the 2018 Hulu show Castle Rock. This show cleverly mashes together characters, stories and themes from King’s stories. It lends its title and setting from one of King’s fictional towns in Maine; the setting of many of his bestselling novels.

The show basically a Stephen King multiverse.

Season one calls back to Shawshank Prison from King’s short story Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption and the widely successful film adaptation. There are endless references to King’s work.

Castle Rock is superbly crafted and the plot of the show itself runs on mystery and tension, the same way King writes himself. Season two is set to be released soon.

The 1990 ABC adaptation of IT deserves a mention. This premiered as a mini-series but you can still watch the full show in three hours.

While it’s arguably not as scary as the new movie remakes, it has a certain charm to it that you only find in classic horror. As for casting, Tim Curry as Pennywise was a brilliant choice and differs drastically to Bill Skarsgård’s version in the new movies. While I do prefer Skarsgård, there is something chilling about Curry’s that I can’t quite put my finger on. The casting for

the Losers Club as children and adults was good, although again, not as spot on as in the movies.

Although I will always have a soft spot for Dennis Christopher’s portrayal of adult Eddie Kaspbrak. Overall, the mini-series can be questionable at times, especially that strange ending, but it’s an entertaining watch especially if you’re a fan of the book. Any chance to see these characters come to life is worth it.

The latest major adaptation due to be hitting screens is The Outsider, based on his 2018 bestselling novel of the same name. A trailer for the HBO mini series just dropped and as an avid fan of King and the novel, I’m very much looking forward to it.

As soon as the trailer started playing, I was all in.

In only two minutes, it captures exactly how I pictured The Outsider as I read the novel. I’m also intrigued to see what Jason Bateman can bring to the lead role; Terry Maitland may be a tough character to portray effectively.

The miniseries is set to begin in January 2020. Stephen King continues to prove that his timeless works have neverending potential.

Writer's Corner Baran bo Odar

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here can be no doubt that modern television is dominated by the influence of British and American production companies, methodically creating shows which keep us enthralled not only by their storylines but also by their forms of artistic expression.

This then calls into question the role of the foreign television show and its ability to make a name for itself in an otherwise conquered space. Nevertheless, such writers as Swiss born Baran bo Odar, with the assistance of Netflix, attempt to prove foreign television as an art form which still has significance on the small screen.

Having trained at the Ludwig Maximillian University of Munich, Odar began gaining a level of notoriety through directing and writing such projects as Sleepless, starring Jamie Foxx, and German titles Who am I and The Silence. Each of these films helped to lift Odar to an elevated status of recognition on the silver screen. However, it is his contribution as both creator and writer of the hit Netflix series Dark that I believe truly puts him in a position that is worthy of recognition. Dark is based in the isolated German village of Winden, which is haunted by the disappearances of several young children deep within the surrounding woods.

(Dark) puts him in a position worthy of recognition Odar proceeds to use this dramatic setting to revolutionise the viewers preconceptions of the science fiction genre. He does this through the introduction of a revised version of time travel, suggesting that the disappearing children escape and live fruitful lives in another time, some thirty to sixty years in the past. As supposed to this plot device becoming the shows downfall however, it introduces a new format into the genre, placing past, present and future on the same causal loop, instead of one after the other. This further illustrates how impactful the actions of a character can be by immediately seeing the consequences play out in the next scene.

94%

Percentage score rating awarded to Dark by Rotten Tomatoes users

Upon first inspection, this show appears to have the designs of a simple drama. Missing children, clueless police and a complex and secretive community. Nevertheless, Odar’s introduction of a complex plotline, a diverse range of characters, and such science fiction plot devices as the doctored notion of time travel, makes Dark one of the most enthralling shows available, and reflects Bara bo Odar’s right to become a household name, not only in Europe but across the world.

Dominic Hancock Image: IMDb

Watch Dark on Netflix Image: IMDb

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culture film Indie Spotlight

(2004)

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Image: YouTube

his noughties drama sci-fi is probably caught in the minds of those who know it as a quintessentially indie, yet unconventionally popular, cult classic. From my experience, Eternal Sunshine is one of those films that people either adore or have never even heard of, and to me, that’s part of its charm.

The story centres around protagonists Joel and Clementine, who, after a painful breakup, undergo a revolutionary procedure to erase each other from their memories.

As one of the world’s worst kept secrets, Eternal Sunshine reigns as one of the front runners for what I believe it takes to be a typical indie film – consistently beautiful cinematography, unexpected lead talents, a convoluted yet awe-inspiring plot, and a color palette that could even rival Wes Anderson’s work for defining what it means to be aesthetically pleasing. It explores themes of loss, identity, destiny and regret, all of which accumulate into almost two hours of heart-wrenching self-retrospection and, if you’re half as sensitive as me, floods of undignified tears.

There was an inordinate about of spontaneity, improvisation, and old-fashioned camera tricks involved in the production which make the experience of the film totally unique, and the pure talent of Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet continues to blow me away with every re-watch. Jim Carrey is presumably the last actor to come to mind when looking for someone to adopt the life of introverted, meek-mannered Joel, and Kate Winslet isn’t necessarily the typical choice for feisty, larger than life Clementine, but somehow, they work together perfectly. Their chemistry is tangible, and their performances are deeply moving – for something so different to their usual typecast roles it’s refreshing to see them embrace it so naturally.

The pure talent of Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet continues to blow me away with every re-watch Aside from the production and acting however, the story itself is incredibly compelling. The sci-fi aspect is rather unusual for the indie genre, but it’s subtle enough to fit unquestioningly into the narrative without feeling forced or unrealistic.

The premise of the film itself – the idea that it’s possible to erase other people from your mind to cure painful memories – is an extremely thought-provoking and dystopian concept that rings true with certain viewers and can truly resonate with those finding themselves relating to Joel and Clementine’s desire to essentially delete their trauma as opposed to living with and processing it.

Eternal Sunshine forces its viewers, in the best possible way, to question everything – what it means to be human, what it means to be alive, and what it means to be in love. And while these questions, for the most part, remain unanswered by the concluding scene; it certainly provides the opportunity to consider them in a deeper way than you may have before and find some way to answer them for yourself. This niche story does provide some emotional closure, however, in the overarching sentiment that (much like the experience of watching this film); "You can erase someone from your mind, but getting them out of your heart is another story.”

Emy Moore

Image: YouTube

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c2.film@ncl.ac.uk Film Editors: Elisabetta Pulcini, Joe Holloran, Lucy Lillystone & Steven Ross

Monday 28 October 2019

Halloween flicks for the fearful Our writers gave us a taste of some of their favourite non-horror Halloween classic films 1. Hocus Pocus

Cue the 90s nostalgia by pulling out your old VHS copy of this Halloween cult classic.

Hocus Pocus hit cinema screens in 1993 and starred Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker as the Sanderson witches. This iconic trio are summoned from the dead by Max Dennison and proceed to wreak havoc upon Salem Massachusetts 300 years after their deaths in 1693. This is the ideal film to feel spooky rather than scared this October 31st. The exaggerated acting style, the appearance of a talking cat and the epic rendition of 'I Put a Spell on You' makes it the perfect film to get you feeling festive. To claim any other Halloween film is better is just a bunch of Hocus Pocus.

Caitlin Rawlings

2. Coraline To conject to a ‘children’s horror film’ makes me sound a little oxymoronic, but in summation, 2009’s claymation, Coraline, submits the spooky, without so much of the stuff.

Consider an animation, recalling motifs of buttons, sand, imaginary worlds.

Director Henry Selick creates a juxtaposition between semantics of the typically childish, shifting it to a spin of the typically chilling. Coraline may pose as architype for your family to enjoy; you, your mother, your father, but your Other Mother and Other Father?

Well, you’d just have to watch and find out.

Image: YouTube

4. Halloweentown

Through creative costumes and thrilling use of stopmotion, this movie carefully crafts a world that draws the viewer into a strangely familiar atmosphere, populated by with incapable ghosts and overloaded caseworkers.

Due to memorable performances, particularly from Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara, Beetlejuice is filled with entertainingly quirky character. At the centre of the story, Michael Keaton shines in the titular role, with a menacingly hilarious performance as the sleazy “bioexorcist”.

Without a doubt one of the best projects by Tim Burton, Beetlejuice is perfect for anyone looking for a fun, yet bizarre Halloween.

If you’re looking for a wholesome throwback Halloween film, then Halloweentown is the perfect destination for your trip down memory lane.

The film franchise based upon monsters being not all that different from humans is charming and cheerful, transporting you back to your own childhood with bright warm colours and gimmicky special effects. A highlight of the film being the late Debbie Reynold's strong yet nurturing and endearing portrayal of the grandmother.

Whilst the film may not ultimately be anything more than another children’s halloween film from the outside, it has a special place in the hearts of those who grew up with it.

Image: YouTube

s the final credits appeared on screen, the buzzing sounds of chatter and laughter filled the theatre.

Expectedly, the story line was weaker than its predecessor, still, I believe this film hit its target!

Director Ruben Fleischer launches his sequel with an update on the lives of the four beloved zombie-hunting friends. It’s been a decade since they united and they’ve grown closer through their adversity. Yet, Fleischer capitalizes on the fact that, even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse, human frailties are still present. This makeshift family crumbles as Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) leaves to chase selfish adolescent desires. As the others search for her in Graceland, they uncover difficult truths about a new zombie strand which is near impossible to kill.

Double Tap doesn’t commit to a flawless narrative - it leans on the audience’s willingness to come along for the adventure. This film is meant to be fun … And, it succeeds! But, if a moviegoer is expecting perfection, they’ll leave wondering what the fuss was all about. In truth, this film doesn’t require the screen play to outshine its original, as this franchise is grounded more on the depth of its characters.

Woody Harrelson, steals the show again with his likability. This Twinkie-loving, country boy draws you in with his quirky, genuine personality, and makes you care about the group’s survival. Yet, he revives his role with new and interesting facets to his character. And, the sister duo, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin, bring that much needed balance with their witty, tough cores. They’re back, and they’re fun to watch!

Krista Volden

Emma Atkinson

Elisabetta Pulcini

Iona May Todd

Zombieland: Double Tap (15)

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3. Beetlejuice

Image: IMDB

Gemini Man (12a)

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Image: YouTube

ill Smith and Will Smith star in the new drama/thriller from director Ang Lee (Life of Pi) about assassin Henry Brogan whose plans of retirement are turned around when he comes to face a new enemy: himself.

I didn’t have the greatest of expectations for Gemini Man and to be fair to the film, it did exceed preconceptions.

It’s unexpectedly funny (“My government lied to me and then tried to kill me!” “Ah, in Russia, we call that Tuesday”), and there’s some intense action sequences running throughout the film.

My main issue is just how this is filmed. The action sequences don't look right because they’ve been filmed at 120 frames a second, where most films normally shoot at about 25. Any filmmaker wants ‘smooth’ sequences, but making them this fast just feels clunky and actually uneasy on the eye.

Then there is ‘young’ Will Smith. Now I finally understand why there’s not much of him in the trailers – his first few, albeit brief, appearances during fight scenes, actually have some impressive de-aging. It really does looks like a younger Will Smith/Henry. Unfortunately the quality drops for the second half, yet this is when he has the most screen-time, and it just becomes disappointingly distracting.

All in all, it’s a good concept, but poorly executed. My advice? Save your student loan and watch Living With Yourself, featuring Paul Rudd and Paul Rudd (you can never have too much Paul Rudd) on Netflix if you’re in the mood to find out why cloning people is a bad idea.

Harriette Metcalfe

Sorry We Missed You (15)

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Image: YouTube

’ve never left a cinema where every single person was silent; still contemplating what they had experienced and the story they had shared. But that is what Loach has achieved here; a truly over-whelming, heart-breaking piece of cinema.

Loach is known for his imitable desire for social justice, having before targeted the brutality of the benefits system or the disregard for young people in this country. This time Loach picks up his long term collaborator Paul Laverty’s script and uses it to take aim at zero-hour contracts. Ricky Turner (Kris Hitchen), an unemployed ex-builder sells his wife’s (Debbie Honeywood) car to pay for a van in order to start employment at a freelance delivery service.

What begins is a harsh lesson about the reality of zerohours work. With the false hope from his employer that Ricky will be the ‘master of his own destiny’ a series of events fall in place to prove this is just not true. It’s a story about a man striving for a better life for him and his family despite it seeming perpetually out of reach.

The brilliance of this film lies in its simplicity, its ability to invite us into a family’s life and in turn deepen our well of sympathy for every family like the Turner’s. I felt emboldened by the power that everyday people have to overcome the darkest corner that they can be backed into.

Once again Loach has spoken with a bold voice that demands to be heard, a voice that demands action to stop the desperate situations these families are in. This is an unsettling film that doesn’t shy away from holding us all grossly accountable for those who we live among.

Eve Ducker

the courier

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Monday 28 October 2019

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The new masters of screams

George Bell recommends some of the most talented upcoming directors in the horror genre

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he horror movie genre has been around for ages and has led to some of the best movies of all time. However, with something that has been going for as long as horror, original ideas tend to dry up, which explains all the sequels and remakes that have oversaturated the genre. Yet in recent years, there have been numerous directors who have revitalized the genre with unique and creepy movies that chill you to the bone.

David Gordan Green While not new to directing by any means, the director of movies like Pineapple Express and The Sitter, David Gordan Green hasn’t really delved into the horror genre. That changed in 2018 with his latest movie, Halloween, a sequel to the original 1978 movie of the same name. The movie was a huge success grossing over £150 million thanks to an engaging use of cinematography, set pieces and plot as well as a brilliant score by John Carpenter. This makes it no surprise that the two sequels for the 2018 slasher have been green-lighted and will be directed by Green which is highly anticipated. Will these movies make like the previous Halloween genre and not live up to the original or will they keep getting better?

Jordan Peele Jordan Peele had his directorial debut with the very popular Get Out and overnight cemented him as one of the greats in horror, as well as earning him an Oscar for best original screenplay. He then further proved himself in 2019 with his latest movie Us which makes us all question, and hope, that this is just the start of an extensive filmography of brilliant movies. His method of addressing serious world problems, like racism and social divide, through dark, intense plots makes for an engaging watch. At the same time, it helps shine a light onto our problems as a society, makes us realize that maybe we are the protagonists of these horror stories. Peele has also stated while at Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre that "I don't see myself casting a white dude as the lead in my movie. Not that I don't like white dudes, but I've seen that movie" showing how with his future movies,

Peele is unlikely to start following the old conventions of horror in cinema instead creating unique movies full of people from a wide range of backgrounds, not just the generic white guy who saves the day. This is perhaps the push horror needed to remain viable in an era of superhero and action movies so it goes without question Jordan Peele is at the front of that charge.

In 2018 Ari Aster introduced us to, in my opinion, one of the most genuinely scary movies of the past decade, Hereditary. While most horror movies these days like The Conjuring or Insidious franchises rely on numerous tropes and cheap jump scares, Hereditary builds a sense of foreboding and tension very quickly at the beginning and doesn’t fade for the rest of the run time.

Throughout the movie, the viewer has no idea what’s going to happen next, which adds to that fear of the unknown; coupled with an ambiguous and weird ending makes you question if you just watched a movie or had a nightmare. Aster then followed it up a year later with the equally disturbing Midsommar and this too gained many good reviews showing that Aster too is gearing up for an impressive filmography that will chill you to the bone and make you wish you hadn’t watched them in the dark, alone.

Image: Pixabay

Image: IMDB

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28 Days Later is one of the most rewarding horror films

Image: IMDB

dramatically younger appearance. The effect?

Impressive, yes. But is it convincing? Can the appearance of a younger perhaps more plastic looking Robert Downey Jr. on screen create a jarring effect on audiences? On the one hand, it allows a seamless transition from scene to scene instead of employing Robert Downey Jr. or Ian McKellan lookalikes. Alternatively, the process stumps the opportunity for blockbusters to feature new upand-coming talent. Although utilising new talent in a five-minute scene is hardly enough exposure to launch a new career, it is in these moments of exposure that aspiring actors can build their reputations.

Flashback scenes only offer short spurts of

(2002)

t's hard to believe that the zombie sub-genre is finally taking a back seat after two decades of it being one of the most prevalent types of horror, from Shaun of the Dead to World War Z. Nevertheless, the trend that peaked in the early 2010's with The Walking Dead's popularity has almost entirely cannibalised itself. But that doesn't mean we can't enjoy where the resurgence started.

Now renowned as one of the greatest horror and British films of all time, 28 Days Later was the surprise hit of 2002 that shocked audiences and critics alike.

The film is set in London 28 days after a raging contagion has infected most of the population into zombies that can spread with a single drop of blood. Jim, played by a then-unknown Cillian Murphy, has just woken up from a coma into this post-apocalypse.

Freya Gilbert discusses the merits and issues with the new technological development

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Scream On Screens!

Ari Aster

The takeover of de-aging in film n the advent of feel good throwback films in Hollywood, de-aging seems to be a natural step in current cinema trends. But just because we have the technology to create these visual effects, does it mean that we should?

There are currently two films due for theatrical release which are utilizing this far reaching technology. Gemini Man, with frontman Will Smith, has already hit theatres and The Irishman, starring Robert De Niro, is due to come out on the 8th November. By far the most ambitious undertakings into de-aging technology to date, The Irishman and Gemini Man hope to demonstrate the truly astonishing effects that de-aging can achieve.

With the sci-fi action film Gemini Man and high drama crime film The Irishman stemming from two very different genres, it’s easy to see the wider opportunities that the technology presents. The current criticism? That the technology is visually very impressive in stills but doesn’t keep up with the live movement of the actors. This can render the aesthetic of the de-aged actor as ‘cartoony’, a term De Niro himself used to describe some of the sci-fi genre’s ventures into the technology.

Marvel Studios made their first sustained foray into the de-aging realm with Samuel L. Jackson in Captain Marvel. Jackson looks remarkable throughout, the technology seems to agree with him, but is this due to the fact that he doesn’t look too dissimilar at age 50 to age 70? Marvel’s first attempt of the technology in 2006 for X-Men: The Last Stand had screen legends Ian McKellan and Patrick Stewart de-aged for a flashback scene. Since then, the studios have been perfecting the technology using it extensively in flashback scenes across the Marvel Universe. The short flashback scenes that the technology is used for allows the viewer to marvel at beloved actors new,

film culture

star in the entire film as a character ages would be an intriguing and exciting prospect. Unfortunately, this theory has not come to fruition with Will Smith’s Gemini Man garnering average reviews and disappointing box office sales. It doesn’t appear that this thrilling technology is translating into critical and commercial success.

De-aging in film could fast become a sci-fi gimmick, denying new talent exposure and creating box office flops if it does not seamlessly translate into other genres. It is on the shoulders of The Irishman and De Niro to prove that the technology is not purely a device to rehash old talent for nostalgia’s sake.

28 Days Later was a major departure from the conventions that defined the Romero-era of the Zombie genre. For the first time in mainstream culture, the zombies were exceptionally fast. Paired with the thrilling and haunting score by John Murphy, the decision shapes some of the most intense chase scenes to appear in cinema.

Additionally, the use of rough and quick cuts make the violence almost implicit, unlike the gore featured in classics such as Dawn of the Dead, which only serves to heighten it through the audience's imaginations.

28 Days Later doesn't rely on its zombies - as great as they are - and instead places focus on its outstanding cast, which along with Murphy, included Naomi Harris (also an unknown), Christopher Eccleston, and Brendan Gleeson. In particular, Harris and Eccleston stand out for their portrayals as two uncompromising individuals that wrestle with the film's themes of the limits of survival.

28 Days Later is one of the most rewarding horror films you could watch this Halloween, and Tyneside Cinema will also be screening it as part of the Brexitapocalpyse section of their all-nighter on October 26th.

Peter Lennon

This thrilling technology isn't translating into critical and commercial success. screen time for new actors portraying a character’s younger self, but sustained performances in The Irishman offer a far more exciting opportunity. De Niro, unquestionably a silver screen legend, portrays hitman Frank Sheeran as he rises the ranks of a Pennsylvanian crime family. Although this is a great challenge to an aging De Niro, and if the critics are to be believed, a challenge he excels at, the feature could have been an exciting opportunity for new talent to take up the charge. More established names undoubtedly give a film gravitas, boosting box office sales and notoriety. So, it would make sense that having on screen legends

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culture arts

c2.arts@ncl.ac.uk Arts Editors Caitlin Rawlings, Charlotte Slinger & Lauren Sneath

the courier

Monday 28 October 2019

‘I HAVE MET THE ENEMY (and the enemy is us)’

Sophia Kypriotis visits Byker Community Centre to explore the murky, taboo subject of the UK arms trade (whilst eating canapés)

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ight now UK-made fighter jets are dropping UK-made bombs over Yemen and CS grenades made in a British factory are being used against pro-democracy campaigns in Hong Kong, and in Byker Community Centre an arms sale is being held.

Walking into the production, we were transported into an arms sale with canapés and champagne on offer, while classical music played in the background.

It was an absurd, futurist, whimsical kind of wonderland where arms were promoted as being able to “play music and attack at the same time”, launched from Starbucks and pitches for new weapons ended with “Namaste”. While the subject matter may be one that requires serious attention, Mo’min Swaitat, Alexander Ely and Shatha Altowai added lightness, warmth and humour to the mix and the Byker cast were exceptional in conveying their stories.

The production was heavily layered and intricate Two years in the making, I HAVE MET THE ENEMY (and the enemy is us), was originally a play about the arms trade but due to the poignance of the actor’s experiences, it transformed into exploring their personal stories of how they have been affected by the arms industry. The production revolves around Mo’min, a Palestinian actor from the West Bank, Alex, an ex-British soldier from South Wales and Shatha, an artist from Yemen. Observing how these three seemingly distant stories all flow into the same river was absorbing and moving. Co-director Evie Manning underlines this: “standing back and looking at the whole journey to make something and how it kept shifting and responding to being in a room with people, and that’s when you see the layers”. The production was heavily layered and intricate, and it was clear how much planning and rehearsal went into it, while remaining fresh and authentic. The audience was one

of these layers, interacting with the actors from the start and even following them on a military drill. This meant we had no choice but for the global issue of the arms trade to become local and personal; it was right in front of us and localised in the community centre.

Despite the fragmentation explored by Mo’min, Alex and Shatha, writer Hassan Mahamdallie powerfully establishes a sense of unity through the interweaving of their stories. Mo’min and Alex’s shared love of techno music, acts as unifying motif, emphasising that Jenin and Port Talbot are not so far apart.

The audience were invited to take a seat at the table - Shatha’s reimagined table from her destroyed home. This was the most powerful element for me.

we had no choice but for the global issue of the arms trade to become local and personal Being welcomed to her table, with chocolate, nuts and tea laid out in front of us felt like we really were inside her home, it felt special - I felt like her guest.

Despite her being broadcast on a screen from Yemen, I felt close to her and it is art that channels this connection; “[her] painting could fly to different continents without the need of passport or visa… we can still be connected; we can still exchange messages of peace through art…art can break borders as it has always been the trigger of our evolutionary souls in this infinite universe.” (Shatha) I HAVE MET THE ENEMY (and the enemy is us) expresses the powerful unity between the actors as well as the production itself, given that it is a collaboration piece between Common Wealth, Northern Stage and Comra Films, a Yemeni film company. Rhiannon White, Co-Director, said these joined forces remind us that it “is about the arms trade but it’s also about being human and finding ways to connect.”

Image: instagram via @ common_wealthhq

Witty, shameless and full of love: Pride and Prejudice *(Sort Of)

At Northern Stage, Gabriela Wieckowska reviews the all-singing, all-dancing, all-female re-interpretation of Austen’s classic novel

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he classic story of romance and family drama: two hundred years old and yet still well-loved, told many times by many artists without losing its popularity. This October Northern Stage hosted Pride and Prejudice (*Sort Of) – a vibrant and energizing retelling of Jane Austen’s most famous novel.

The show, written by Isobel McArthur and directed by Paul Brotherson, takes a fresh look at the story imprinted in our cultural consciousness and retells it with humour and wit that makes a viewer feel like a welcomed friend listening to the gossips.

The opening and ending of the show frames it as a story told not by the aristocracy, or from their perspec-

tive, but told by the servants of the Bennet family. People who are always in the background, making sure that great romance plots can happen in the first place, now tell their own version of events playing every role in an irreverent comedy with incorporated karaoke songs.

an incredibly entertaining and heartfelt show...a love letter to the original

The all-female cast of six talented actresses did a marvellous job; they played multiple characters during the show, but each one of them was played in a different way and with individual mannerisms, equally entertaining to watch. The stage set and costumes mixed the regency of era-inspired clothing with a modern aesthetic, making creating an anachronic fictional reality that suited the satirical tone of the performance.

Pride and Prejudice (*Sort Of) fleshed out some of the characters that fade into the background in the original novel, like the younger Bennet sisters or Charlotte Lucas. The novel’s focus is on Elizabeth, her subjective perspective and what happens to her, but this approach would not work in a theatre setting which is an interesting difference to see.

the all-female cast of six talented actresses did a marvellous job We get to see other characters moving around the stage and having their own little subplots in the scenes, having their own personality and interacting with each other in a much more explicit way than in Austen’s novel. This puts a valuable and welcomed spin on the narration, creating an impression that everyone has their own life and their own story where they are the main character, even if Elizabeth remains the Image: instagram via @northern_stage

character we focus on the most. I also particularly welcomed the production’s addition to Charlotte Lucas’s character – the scene when the audience finds out she has one-sided romantic feelings for her friend Elizabeth is intimate and melancholic. This added another dimension to her character and seeing her acti ons through that perspective leaves a little sting in my heart.

Overall, Pride and Prejudice (*Sort Of) is an incredibly entertaining and heartfelt show. It has all the wit of Austen’s writing with even more humour, but also knows when to slow down for sadder and more emotional scenes. It is a love letter to the original that shamelessly takes what it wants to tell its own version of the story.

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culture film Indie Spotlight

(2004)

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Image: YouTube

his noughties drama sci-fi is probably caught in the minds of those who know it as a quintessentially indie, yet unconventionally popular, cult classic. From my experience, Eternal Sunshine is one of those films that people either adore or have never even heard of, and to me, that’s part of its charm.

The story centres around protagonists Joel and Clementine, who, after a painful breakup, undergo a revolutionary procedure to erase each other from their memories.

As one of the world’s worst kept secrets, Eternal Sunshine reigns as one of the front runners for what I believe it takes to be a typical indie film – consistently beautiful cinematography, unexpected lead talents, a convoluted yet awe-inspiring plot, and a color palette that could even rival Wes Anderson’s work for defining what it means to be aesthetically pleasing. It explores themes of loss, identity, destiny and regret, all of which accumulate into almost two hours of heart-wrenching self-retrospection and, if you’re half as sensitive as me, floods of undignified tears.

There was an inordinate about of spontaneity, improvisation, and old-fashioned camera tricks involved in the production which make the experience of the film totally unique, and the pure talent of Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet continues to blow me away with every re-watch. Jim Carrey is presumably the last actor to come to mind when looking for someone to adopt the life of introverted, meek-mannered Joel, and Kate Winslet isn’t necessarily the typical choice for feisty, larger than life Clementine, but somehow, they work together perfectly. Their chemistry is tangible, and their performances are deeply moving – for something so different to their usual typecast roles it’s refreshing to see them embrace it so naturally.

The pure talent of Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet continues to blow me away with every re-watch Aside from the production and acting however, the story itself is incredibly compelling. The sci-fi aspect is rather unusual for the indie genre, but it’s subtle enough to fit unquestioningly into the narrative without feeling forced or unrealistic.

The premise of the film itself – the idea that it’s possible to erase other people from your mind to cure painful memories – is an extremely thought-provoking and dystopian concept that rings true with certain viewers and can truly resonate with those finding themselves relating to Joel and Clementine’s desire to essentially delete their trauma as opposed to living with and processing it.

Eternal Sunshine forces its viewers, in the best possible way, to question everything – what it means to be human, what it means to be alive, and what it means to be in love. And while these questions, for the most part, remain unanswered by the concluding scene; it certainly provides the opportunity to consider them in a deeper way than you may have before and find some way to answer them for yourself. This niche story does provide some emotional closure, however, in the overarching sentiment that (much like the experience of watching this film); "You can erase someone from your mind, but getting them out of your heart is another story.”

Emy Moore

Image: YouTube

the courier

c2.film@ncl.ac.uk Film Editors: Elisabetta Pulcini, Joe Holloran, Lucy Lillystone & Steven Ross

Monday 28 October 2019

Halloween flicks for the fearful Our writers gave us a taste of some of their favourite non-horror Halloween classic films 1. Hocus Pocus

Cue the 90s nostalgia by pulling out your old VHS copy of this Halloween cult classic.

Hocus Pocus hit cinema screens in 1993 and starred Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker as the Sanderson witches. This iconic trio are summoned from the dead by Max Dennison and proceed to wreak havoc upon Salem Massachusetts 300 years after their deaths in 1693. This is the ideal film to feel spooky rather than scared this October 31st. The exaggerated acting style, the appearance of a talking cat and the epic rendition of 'I Put a Spell on You' makes it the perfect film to get you feeling festive. To claim any other Halloween film is better is just a bunch of Hocus Pocus.

Caitlin Rawlings

2. Coraline

3. Beetlejuice

4. Halloweentown

Through creative costumes and thrilling use of stopmotion, this movie carefully crafts a world that draws the viewer into a strangely familiar atmosphere, populated by with incapable ghosts and overloaded caseworkers.

Due to memorable performances, particularly from Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara, Beetlejuice is filled with entertainingly quirky character. At the centre of the story, Michael Keaton shines in the titular role, with a menacingly hilarious performance as the sleazy “bioexorcist”.

Without a doubt one of the best projects by Tim Burton, Beetlejuice is perfect for anyone looking for a fun, yet bizarre Halloween.

If you’re looking for a wholesome throwback Halloween film, then Halloweentown is the perfect destination for your trip down memory lane.

The film franchise based upon monsters being not all that different from humans is charming and cheerful, transporting you back to your own childhood with bright warm colours and gimmicky special effects. A highlight of the film being the late Debbie Reynold's strong yet nurturing and endearing portrayal of the grandmother.

Whilst the film may not ultimately be anything more than another children’s halloween film from the outside, it has a special place in the hearts of those who grew up with it.

Elisabetta Pulcini

Emma Atkinson

To conject to a ‘children’s horror film’ makes me sound a little oxymoronic, but in summation, 2009’s claymation, Coraline, submits the spooky, without so much of the stuff.

Consider an animation, recalling motifs of buttons, sand, imaginary worlds.

Director Henry Selick creates a juxtaposition between semantics of the typically childish, shifting it to a spin of the typically chilling. Coraline may pose as architype for your family to enjoy; you, your mother, your father, but your Other Mother and Other Father? Well, you’d just have to watch and find out.

Iona May Todd Image: IMDB

Image: YouTube

Zombieland: Double Tap (15)

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Image: YouTube

s the final credits appeared on screen, the buzzing sounds of chatter and laughter filled the theatre.

Expectedly, the story line was weaker than its predecessor, still, I believe this film hit its target!

Director Ruben Fleischer launches his sequel with an update on the lives of the four beloved zombie-hunting friends. It’s been a decade since they united and they’ve grown closer through their adversity. Yet, Fleischer capitalizes on the fact that, even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse, human frailties are still present. This makeshift family crumbles as Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) leaves to chase selfish adolescent desires. As the others search for her in Graceland, they uncover difficult truths about a new zombie strand which is near impossible to kill.

Double Tap doesn’t commit to a flawless narrative - it leans on the audience’s willingness to come along for the adventure. This film is meant to be fun … And, it succeeds! But, if a moviegoer is expecting perfection, they’ll leave wondering what the fuss was all about. In truth, this film doesn’t require the screen play to outshine its original, as this franchise is grounded more on the depth of its characters.

Woody Harrelson, steals the show again with his likability. This Twinkie-loving, country boy draws you in with his quirky, genuine personality, and makes you care about the group’s survival. Yet, he revives his role with new and interesting facets to his character. And, the sister duo, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin, bring that much needed balance with their witty, tough cores. They’re back, and they’re fun to watch!

Krista Volden

Gemini Man (12a)

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Image: YouTube

ill Smith and Will Smith star in the new drama/thriller from director Ang Lee (Life of Pi) about assassin Henry Brogan whose plans of retirement are turned around when he comes to face a new enemy: himself.

I didn’t have the greatest of expectations for Gemini Man and to be fair to the film, it did exceed preconceptions.

It’s unexpectedly funny (“My government lied to me and then tried to kill me!” “Ah, in Russia, we call that Tuesday”), and there’s some intense action sequences running throughout the film.

My main issue is just how this is filmed. The action sequences don't look right because they’ve been filmed at 120 frames a second, where most films normally shoot at about 25. Any filmmaker wants ‘smooth’ sequences, but making them this fast just feels clunky and actually uneasy on the eye.

Then there is ‘young’ Will Smith. Now I finally understand why there’s not much of him in the trailers – his first few, albeit brief, appearances during fight scenes, actually have some impressive de-aging. It really does looks like a younger Will Smith/Henry. Unfortunately the quality drops for the second half, yet this is when he has the most screen-time, and it just becomes disappointingly distracting.

All in all, it’s a good concept, but poorly executed. My advice? Save your student loan and watch Living With Yourself, featuring Paul Rudd and Paul Rudd (you can never have too much Paul Rudd) on Netflix if you’re in the mood to find out why cloning people is a bad idea.

Harriette Metcalfe

Sorry We Missed You (15)

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Image: YouTube

’ve never left a cinema where every single person was silent; still contemplating what they had experienced and the story they had shared. But that is what Loach has achieved here; a truly over-whelming, heart-breaking piece of cinema.

Loach is known for his imitable desire for social justice, having before targeted the brutality of the benefits system or the disregard for young people in this country. This time Loach picks up his long term collaborator Paul Laverty’s script and uses it to take aim at zero-hour contracts. Ricky Turner (Kris Hitchen), an unemployed ex-builder sells his wife’s (Debbie Honeywood) car to pay for a van in order to start employment at a freelance delivery service.

What begins is a harsh lesson about the reality of zerohours work. With the false hope from his employer that Ricky will be the ‘master of his own destiny’ a series of events fall in place to prove this is just not true. It’s a story about a man striving for a better life for him and his family despite it seeming perpetually out of reach.

The brilliance of this film lies in its simplicity, its ability to invite us into a family’s life and in turn deepen our well of sympathy for every family like the Turner’s. I felt emboldened by the power that everyday people have to overcome the darkest corner that they can be backed into.

Once again Loach has spoken with a bold voice that demands to be heard, a voice that demands action to stop the desperate situations these families are in. This is an unsettling film that doesn’t shy away from holding us all grossly accountable for those who we live among.

Eve Ducker

‘fake news’ and the purpose of life

the courier

Image: Instagram via @neilmcgfilm

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Monday 28 October 2019

@culture_courier thecourieronline.co.uk/arts

From Sudanese refugee to Newcastle bouncer

Christopher Wilkinson shares the story of Abu-Zayd Degale and his life of struggle and laughter

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Living in Limbo is a wonderful mixture of monologue, poetry, music, and film, and at the core of this is his story: the story of a comedian who will not give up his right to bring laughter, because if he does, then those who spat in his face, abducted his friends in the night and forced him from his country, would win.

Living in Limbo is thus indeed a modern Odyssey, and Degale is both hero and storyteller. And to allow this story to be passed on like the others before it, I would highly recommend you see it.

laughter.

iving in Limbo is the story of a modern Odyssey; a story of desperation, cruelty, separation and laughter. Newcastle’s Alphabetti Theatre showcases the story of a gruelling physical journey only underlined by an even more profound spiritual one.

Abu-Zayd Degale was a nationally recognised comedian in formerly unified Sudan, having toured the country whilst widely lampooning the farcical state of the government and its petty authorities.

Such recognition, however, quickly attracted attention from the wrong people, and after being viciously interrogated by the henchmen of the government, in this case the branch leader of a Student’s Union, Degale decided that for the safety of his family he would have to move to the UK. And it is here, now, that Degale works as a night-club bouncer, tossing out soaked students into the street, kebabs in hand, and every once in a while being on the receiving end of a casual racial assault.

It’s a story of immigration, class, ‘fake news’, and the purpose of life when common culture, instead of being a source of affirmation and cohesion, is instead the most alienating factor in ones life.

Despite what you may think, presumably that this situation is incredibly dire and how appalling that this kind of thing still happens (which is a reasonable response), Degale’s approach to his reality is through the best medium he knows:

the story of a comedian who will not give up his right to laughter

Poem Box The Haunting The night is squeezing air out of my lungs.

A nightmare demon like a snake released his fangs.

I’m suffocating and I really don’t know why, I close my eyes and feel as if I’m bout to die.

Too many years I had to face the same old story, It never breaks me but I am starting to worry.

I think that if I fall asleep I will stop breathing, The monsters in my head, they never stop the hissing.

And no one who can save me, no matter what I say, I do not hope, I do not wish, I never really pray.

It’s part of me, it’s bound to tear me down.

Am I the only one who suffers in this town?

Jade Aruzhan Sagynay

Play Review: Reasons to Stay Alive

H Image: Abu-Zayd Degale via alphabettitheatre.co.uk

I read dead people: Michelle Paver’s Dark Matter Steven Ross tells us his thoughts on Michelle Paver’s chilling neo-Gothic ghost story Dark Matter

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arts culture

ark Matter is a little-known ghost story written by an award-winning children’s author Michelle Paver, who turned her hand to a more sinister style. This is a novel to be read in dim lamplight one cold night over the Halloween season. Ideally not in an empty house, as you will jump at every creak.

The year is 1937 and as the dogs of war are beginning to growl in London, down and out Jack Miller decides to leave for Norway as part of a five-man expedition that is expected to last a year.

Over the first weeks of the expedition unfortunate circumstances force Jack’s companions to abandon the mission, just as the last light o f the year is draining and a polar night is setting in that

will plunge the base into total darkness for several months.

An ending that is scarier than anything the reader could imagine

Jack is left with a devastating choice: return home a penniless failure or stay out the expedition alone in the frozen, abandoned town of Gruhuken. Having set out looking for money and a sense of purpose, he will instead find horrors which will plague him for the rest of his life.

Written largely in the form of diary entries, Jack’s unease and mental derangement escalate until the readers themselves become more anxious with each passing page. Paver’s great success with Dark Matter is in producing an ending that is scarier than anything the reader could imagine themselves, something very rare in horror fiction. Ordinarily, a horror writer builds tension to a fever pitch only to round the story off with a predictable and stale bloodbath, or they employ deus ex machina to save the brave hero in a far-fetched and ridiculous manner. Not so with Dark Matter.

Considering the plot sounds typical of most gothImage: Flickr.com

ic horror story, Paver has borrowed from giants of the genre like Frankenstein to produce something innovative and far creepier.

Paver has come very far from the children’s literature that she cut her teeth on. She has produced a perfect Halloween read, filled with classic tropes of the genre, desolation, isolation and things that go bump in the night. However, she has combined these motifs to create an original horror story that deserved more renown than it has received.

If you are looking for a spooktacular read this October 31st, you can’t go wrong with Dark Matter.

aving read the hybrid work Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig, which shivers and twists between autobiography, self-help book and compilation of lists (it works, I promise) I felt well prepared for what would inevitably be an emotional rollercoaster of a show. It is right there, in the name - a protagonist searching for reasons to stay alive, drawn over an hour and 20 minutes with no interval and a small, intimate cast - a predictably intense experience.

I wasn’t wrong about that.

The show uses a set designed to look like a giant brain, with mobile pieces to pen and close the structure, as well as ladders and berths upon which the characters perched during different phases. The narrative, following loosely the structure of the book, follows a young Matt (Mike Noble) through his emotional breakdown at the age of 24, all the way up to the release of the book itself in 2015. An older Matt, played by Phil Cheadle, offers sage advice and occasional respite from his younger counterpart’s panic attacks and darker moments. This device was both creative and useful - both actors interacted in a clever, mature way and used older Matt’s wisdom and Dumbledoreesque attitude to balance out younger Matt’s much more neurotic behaviour. What struck me as most instructive, however, was the turntable moment where older Matt was sent into a tailspin, right before the publishing of his new book. Here, it was really hammered home that depression is not a phase, not a one-time issue, not able to be completely eradicated with medication or even time.

The show was a riot of emotion This book’s aim is not to instruct the public that there is one way to deal with depression, but to offer one sufferer’s perspective and to provide optional tactics to combat many facets of the illness, from panic attacks to unsympathetic responses, and even discusses how a person in a position of care for someone who is depressed could act.

Janet Etuk, who plays Andrea (Matt’s girlfriend and eventual wife) is impetuous and empathetic in equal measure, showing constancy in the face of Matt’s often erratic behaviour and always providing a shoulder, a leg up, a pep talk or sometimes a dressing down.

The show was a riot of emotion, undeniably personal yet encouraging, and perhaps unintentionally instructive.

I very much enjoyed it, learned a lot, and will view the concept of depression very differently after having been educated by Reasons to Stay Alive.

The Courier was lucky to be able to talk with Janet Etuk about the production - check out the full interview online.

Lauren Sneath

@TheCourierArts @thecourierarts

the courier

29

Monday 28 October 2019

@Courier_Film thecourieronline.co.uk/film

The new masters of screams

George Bell recommends some of the most talented upcoming directors in the horror genre

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he horror movie genre has been around for ages and has led to some of the best movies of all time. However, with something that has been going for as long as horror, original ideas tend to dry up, which explains all the sequels and remakes that have oversaturated the genre. Yet in recent years, there have been numerous directors who have revitalized the genre with unique and creepy movies that chill you to the bone.

David Gordan Green While not new to directing by any means, the director of movies like Pineapple Express and The Sitter, David Gordan Green hasn’t really delved into the horror genre. That changed in 2018 with his latest movie, Halloween, a sequel to the original 1978 movie of the same name. The movie was a huge success grossing over £150 million thanks to an engaging use of cinematography, set pieces and plot as well as a brilliant score by John Carpenter. This makes it no surprise that the two sequels for the 2018 slasher have been green-lighted and will be directed by Green which is highly anticipated. Will these movies make like the previous Halloween genre and not live up to the original or will they keep getting better?

Jordan Peele Jordan Peele had his directorial debut with the very popular Get Out and overnight cemented him as one of the greats in horror, as well as earning him an Oscar for best original screenplay. He then further proved himself in 2019 with his latest movie Us which makes us all question, and hope, that this is just the start of an extensive filmography of brilliant movies. His method of addressing serious world problems, like racism and social divide, through dark, intense plots makes for an engaging watch. At the same time, it helps shine a light onto our problems as a society, makes us realize that maybe we are the protagonists of these horror stories. Peele has also stated while at Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre that "I don't see myself casting a white dude as the lead in my movie. Not that I don't like white dudes, but I've seen that movie" showing how with his future movies,

Peele is unlikely to start following the old conventions of horror in cinema instead creating unique movies full of people from a wide range of backgrounds, not just the generic white guy who saves the day. This is perhaps the push horror needed to remain viable in an era of superhero and action movies so it goes without question Jordan Peele is at the front of that charge.

In 2018 Ari Aster introduced us to, in my opinion, one of the most genuinely scary movies of the past decade, Hereditary. While most horror movies these days like The Conjuring or Insidious franchises rely on numerous tropes and cheap jump scares, Hereditary builds a sense of foreboding and tension very quickly at the beginning and doesn’t fade for the rest of the run time.

Throughout the movie, the viewer has no idea what’s going to happen next, which adds to that fear of the unknown; coupled with an ambiguous and weird ending makes you question if you just watched a movie or had a nightmare. Aster then followed it up a year later with the equally disturbing Midsommar and this too gained many good reviews showing that Aster too is gearing up for an impressive filmography that will chill you to the bone and make you wish you hadn’t watched them in the dark, alone.

Image: Pixabay

Image: IMDB

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28 Days Later is one of the most rewarding horror films

Image: IMDB

dramatically younger appearance. The effect?

Impressive, yes. But is it convincing? Can the appearance of a younger perhaps more plastic looking Robert Downey Jr. on screen create a jarring effect on audiences? On the one hand, it allows a seamless transition from scene to scene instead of employing Robert Downey Jr. or Ian McKellan lookalikes. Alternatively, the process stumps the opportunity for blockbusters to feature new upand-coming talent. Although utilising new talent in a five-minute scene is hardly enough exposure to launch a new career, it is in these moments of exposure that aspiring actors can build their reputations.

Flashback scenes only offer short spurts of

(2002)

t's hard to believe that the zombie sub-genre is finally taking a back seat after two decades of it being one of the most prevalent types of horror, from Shaun of the Dead to World War Z. Nevertheless, the trend that peaked in the early 2010's with The Walking Dead's popularity has almost entirely cannibalised itself. But that doesn't mean we can't enjoy where the resurgence started.

Now renowned as one of the greatest horror and British films of all time, 28 Days Later was the surprise hit of 2002 that shocked audiences and critics alike.

The film is set in London 28 days after a raging contagion has infected most of the population into zombies that can spread with a single drop of blood. Jim, played by a then-unknown Cillian Murphy, has just woken up from a coma into this post-apocalypse.

Freya Gilbert discusses the merits and issues with the new technological development

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Scream On Screens!

Ari Aster

The takeover of de-aging in film n the advent of feel good throwback films in Hollywood, de-aging seems to be a natural step in current cinema trends. But just because we have the technology to create these visual effects, does it mean that we should?

There are currently two films due for theatrical release which are utilizing this far reaching technology. Gemini Man, with frontman Will Smith, has already hit theatres and The Irishman, starring Robert De Niro, is due to come out on the 8th November. By far the most ambitious undertakings into de-aging technology to date, The Irishman and Gemini Man hope to demonstrate the truly astonishing effects that de-aging can achieve.

With the sci-fi action film Gemini Man and high drama crime film The Irishman stemming from two very different genres, it’s easy to see the wider opportunities that the technology presents. The current criticism? That the technology is visually very impressive in stills but doesn’t keep up with the live movement of the actors. This can render the aesthetic of the de-aged actor as ‘cartoony’, a term De Niro himself used to describe some of the sci-fi genre’s ventures into the technology.

Marvel Studios made their first sustained foray into the de-aging realm with Samuel L. Jackson in Captain Marvel. Jackson looks remarkable throughout, the technology seems to agree with him, but is this due to the fact that he doesn’t look too dissimilar at age 50 to age 70? Marvel’s first attempt of the technology in 2006 for X-Men: The Last Stand had screen legends Ian McKellan and Patrick Stewart de-aged for a flashback scene. Since then, the studios have been perfecting the technology using it extensively in flashback scenes across the Marvel Universe. The short flashback scenes that the technology is used for allows the viewer to marvel at beloved actors new,

film culture

star in the entire film as a character ages would be an intriguing and exciting prospect. Unfortunately, this theory has not come to fruition with Will Smith’s Gemini Man garnering average reviews and disappointing box office sales. It doesn’t appear that this thrilling technology is translating into critical and commercial success.

De-aging in film could fast become a sci-fi gimmick, denying new talent exposure and creating box office flops if it does not seamlessly translate into other genres. It is on the shoulders of The Irishman and De Niro to prove that the technology is not purely a device to rehash old talent for nostalgia’s sake.

28 Days Later was a major departure from the conventions that defined the Romero-era of the Zombie genre. For the first time in mainstream culture, the zombies were exceptionally fast. Paired with the thrilling and haunting score by John Murphy, the decision shapes some of the most intense chase scenes to appear in cinema.

Additionally, the use of rough and quick cuts make the violence almost implicit, unlike the gore featured in classics such as Dawn of the Dead, which only serves to heighten it through the audience's imaginations.

28 Days Later doesn't rely on its zombies - as great as they are - and instead places focus on its outstanding cast, which along with Murphy, included Naomi Harris (also an unknown), Christopher Eccleston, and Brendan Gleeson. In particular, Harris and Eccleston stand out for their portrayals as two uncompromising individuals that wrestle with the film's themes of the limits of survival.

28 Days Later is one of the most rewarding horror films you could watch this Halloween, and Tyneside Cinema will also be screening it as part of the Brexitapocalpyse section of their all-nighter on October 26th.

Peter Lennon

This thrilling technology isn't translating into critical and commercial success. screen time for new actors portraying a character’s younger self, but sustained performances in The Irishman offer a far more exciting opportunity. De Niro, unquestionably a silver screen legend, portrays hitman Frank Sheeran as he rises the ranks of a Pennsylvanian crime family. Although this is a great challenge to an aging De Niro, and if the critics are to be believed, a challenge he excels at, the feature could have been an exciting opportunity for new talent to take up the charge. More established names undoubtedly give a film gravitas, boosting box office sales and notoriety. So, it would make sense that having on screen legends

Image: YouTube

/NewcastleCourierFilm Image: IMDB

@Courier_Film

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culture gaming What I'm Playing: Outlast If this game depicts life as a journalist, Tom Moorcroft is out A

Monday 28 October 2019

courier.gaming@ncl.ac.uk Gaming Editors Alex Darbyshire, George Boatfield, James Troughton & Shawn Khoo

s Halloween nears, I can’t help but think back on the scariest games I played during my childhood, and one comes to mind straight away: Outlast. For those unaware of the 2014 cult classic, you play as Miles Usphur, an investigative journalist who, after receiving an anonymous email, decides to investigate the horrifying experiments being conducted on patients at an asylum. Sounds scary, right? That doesn’t even scratch the surface on how terrifying this game really is (not least when you’re fourteen).

Whilst the narrative itself is shocking, the immersive nature of the game, refusing to adopt a third person camera and instead using first person, coupled with the lack of a health bar or any other conventional heads up display elements, left me immersed in a way I haven’t been in other horror games. At times I felt as if I was actually inside this asylum, and I’m not afraid to admit I had to take a few breaks as my heart rate climbed; whether this was whilst getting chased by violent patients down the hall, or being mutilated on a surgery table by Doctor Trager.

Outlast was scary enough to make us turn off the Xbox and stick FIFA on instead

for batteries, fearing the worst if you're unsuccessful in your search. YOU believe that you’re one step away from making a grave mistake. I can remember first playing the game when I was 14, going round to my mates house, and making it 10 minutes before we switched to something a little less nightmare prone. But for that 10 minute period, we were Miles Usphur, and it was scary enough to make us turn off the Xbox and stick FIFA on instead.

The total number of Outlast

sold as of October 15 million copies 2019

Outlast is a testament to how immersive gaming can be, and whilst reflecting on my experience of playing this game, it’s brought back a lot of good memories. For anyone reading this who isn’t persuaded of how scary the game is, I recommend you give it a download. You can buy all 3 games for around £7-8, a small price to pay for guaranteed terror!

Spook Squad: s

From behind their sofas to in front of their keyboards, three of our brav

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alloween is upon us at last, and some of us introverts might be searching for a way to celebrate the spooky season without the nightclubs or dressing up. Behaviour Interactive’s Dead by Daylight offers a clear solution to this problem.

Dead by Daylight is a four-versus-one nightmarish slasher chase game. You can either play as the killer or one of four survivors. At its most basic form, DBD is about evading the killer by both sneaking and running around a small map and getting out alive. To put simply, it’s pretty much just hide and seek but with much more gore.

I love to play this game in a group, mainly due to the amount of hilarity that can ensue in a Discord call, with all four of you screeching in fear whilst getting chased.

It's not a game to take too seriously but it certainly is one to play in the dark. In addition, the game itself isn't too expensive, and frequently features in the copious Steam sales so it's very accessible to everyone in your group.

As for DLC, there's a lot. The most recent, and my favourite, has been the Stranger Things tie-in, bringing the Demogorgon killer, as well as Nancy and Steve as survivors.

Dead by Daylight doesn't have cutting edge graphics, incredible new mechanics or an awardwinning story. It is, however, some good old fashioned co-op fun, and there's nothing wrong with that.

Sound a bit scarier? What if I told you the game is set, for the most part, in complete darkness, and the only way you can see is through the screen of an infra-red camera?

And to make matters worse, the camera eats batteries like there’s no tomorrow, so you have to constantly be on the lookout for more. Trust me, you haven’t known fear until you’re trapped in a basement, in complete darkness, with no batteries. And that’s the thing… YOU believe that you’re trapped in this basement, water up to your knees, hiding from crazed inmates. YOU believe that you’re on the lookout

Image: Fanpop

Dead by Daylight Kaitlyn Maracle

Image: YouTube (Dead by Daylight Official)

go 'Daybre PS5 reveal distracts from Sony lay-offs Don't Joe Molander reports that Sony are

The prospect of a new console may be enticing, but Stacey Henley isn't letting Sony off the hook

S

ony recently revealed the long awaited PlayStation 5, but the announcement was paired with mass redundancies amongst Sony employees.

Evidently Sony thought the day of the PS5’s official unveiling would be a good day to bury bad news, knowing attention would likely be on the ninth generation console.

The layoffs were part of Sony’s ongoing restructuring plans, which has seen the North American branch, Sony Interactive Entertainment America (SIEA), grow in influence and control. Previously, regional branches were largely autonomous, only reporting or deferring to SIEA on major projects. Smaller games could have their

Image: YouTube (PlayStation Official)

budgets managed entirely by regional Sony branches, but apparently this is no longer the case.

It appears Sony is moving towards a more centralised system with North America pulling all the strings. Regional autonomy meant a greater variety of ideas; modern classics such as LittleBigPlanet and SingStar were both developed under this model. While it did create a less cohesive environment for third party developers with Sony hiring so many personnel for in-house development, there is less specific insight into the European market.

This equates to Sony giving up ground to Microsoft and Nintendo.

Those affected have been given notice and asked to

reinterview for their jobs back, this time with more oversight.

There were cuts in the US too, with creative teams being shown the door.

“This group of talented and passionate people are out of a job” artist @JC_Art_ posted on Twitter. JC’s team worked on in-house Sony art, most recently the promotional materials for the Halloween sale.

As for the PS5 itself, with a sooner than expected release quarter four of 2020 and the promise of PS4 backwards compatibility, it’s easy to see why it has dominated headlines.

I

t’s easy to believe that a company you love isn’t really a company, that it provides goods and services not out of a desire for profit, but out of the goodness of its cold, corporate heart. Gaming enthusiasts labouring under that delusion were in for a shock this month, with Daybreak Games announcing massive lay-offs in the name of achieving their decidedly commercial buzzword of “long-term vision”.

The news is hardly surprising given the lay-offs in April and December of last year

Daybreak, whose major titles include both H1Z1 releases, Star Wars Galaxies and PlanetSide, announced the lay-offs on 11 October. They claimed that they were "taking steps to improve [their] business and to support [their] long-term vision for the existing franchises and development of new games.” Unfortunately, they add that this would “include a realignment of the company into separate franchise teams” which would enable them “to highlight their expertise, better showcase the games they

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gaming culture Memory Card: Mass Effect

Monday 28 October 2019

@culture_courier thecourieronline.co.uk/gaming

scares to share W

vest writers share games best enjoyed alongside even braver company

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Call of Duty: Zombies Patrick Harland

all of Duty Zombies: it is a game mode that encapsulates the idea of infinite possibility, where no one game you play is different, be it because of the other players or the gameplay itself.

As a game it makes itself replayable, this ability for it to reinvent itself without even changing the arena that you play in. It was the highlight of so many people’s school years getting home switching on your Xbox or Playstation, firing up Black Ops and jumping onto a game of zombies with your friends. The game combines the tension and fear of a real tooth and nail fight for survival with a genuine fun experience of enjoying a game with friends.

It was this combination that not only made zombies so successful in the future games but also that it allows the game to remain massively replayable even nine years on from its original release. The variance of each map ensured none of them grew old as you would always find a new way to progress through the rounds so the entertainment that the game provided wouldn’t cease.

Despite the fact that the franchise is now on its fourth iteration, the Zombies game mode as a cooperative experience, is something much more than the regular matchmaking with strangers online. It stands the test of time and will remain a popular choice every time you power up your console.

Image: YouTube (Treyarch Official)

Resident Evil: Mercenaries Mode Alex Darbyshire

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magine my surprise when, after finishing the wacky ride of Resident Evil 4, I come across its unlockable ‘The Mercenaries’ game mode. This thing is a real treat, and adds a hell of a lot more time to a game that was already brimming with replay value.

Unlocked after finishing the game on any difficulty, ‘The Mercenaries’ is fairly simple in its fundamental gameplay - kill as many of Resi 4’s spooky enemies as possible before a helicopter comes to collect you. This time trial style of gameplay is wildly different from the slow-paced survival horror of the main game, and one might think that Resident Evil 4’s control scheme would not suit such an energetic game mode. This is where the effort that Capcom put into the game’s combat really shines through.

The combat of Resi 4 is designed for close-calls, with quite literally every shot counting towards your survival.

Risky headshots can convert into a crowd-clearing melee attack, which turns into extra score from the combo system employed by the ‘Mercenaries’ gamemode. This ultimately creates a dynamic where the player is always on a knife’s edge between a satisfying combo and certain death Despite lacking the survival horror limitations of reduced ammo and sparse checkpoints of the main story, this game mode is excellent. I remember fondly taking turns with cousins and family friends on the Xbox 360 version, each of us staying up late into the night trying to beat each others’ scores. This turned a regrettably single-player mode into a high-stakes competitive group experience that you simply can’t put down.

This game is on every system known to man or beast these days, and is on sale so often that it’s a crime if you haven’t picked it up yet - go give it a try this Halloween!

Image: IGDB

Image: Steam Community

Mission report: CDR. Stacey Henley encounters an eerie foe ith its space opera overtones, brightly coloured palette and classic 'lone-hero-savesthe-world' storyline, Mass Effect doesn’t scream 'spooky'. Once you dig a little deeper into the enemies and their lore though, this trilogy becomes truly terrifying.

Controversial ‘pick A, B or C’ ending aside, the original Mass Effect trilogy is a rich saga with welldeveloped foes and a constantly-twisting narrative.

For example, Saren, the central antagonist of the

first Mass Effect, is a brainwashed war hero, with the objective being less about defeating him and more about making him see the error of his ways. Mass Effect 1 is propped up by hoards of Husk enemies, which feature throughout the trilogy and form a definitive arc in Mass Effect 3.

Rather than rotting flesh, the body of a Husk is slowly converting itself

Hu s k s are often thought of as just ‘space zombies’, in itself quite a spooky concept, but they’re actually so much worse.

Typical zombies from The Walking Dead, Night Of The Living Dead or even Plants Vs Zombies are just mindless drones, driven by instinct.

Husks are much more sinister. Rather than rotting flesh, the body of a Husk is slowly eating itself, turning into a machine.

Husks are featured as a fairly weak enemy to be gunned down before their numbers mount, but the notion of our bodies deleting themselves cell by cell and adding cybernetics in their place is a horrifying thought.

It’s not until the third game, where non-human species get their own Husk variant, that Mass Effect really leans into the unsettling horror of these creatures. Depending on your choices in Mass Effect 2, former squadmate Morinth can even be transformed into an asari Husk: referred to as a Banshee. Morinth is certainly not a saint, but this still feels like a terrible fate for her.

The Mass Effect games aren't your classic type of horror, but it can still give you some sci-fi chills this Halloween.

Image: Twitter

eak'ing my heart Activision Blizzard feel a chill from Hong Kong

en't the only ones laying off their staff Jack Wallace-Hunter dons his best winter coat and plunges into the icy winds of controversy work on, and ultimately provide tailored experiences for [their] players".

The news is hardly surprising given the lay-offs in April last year and the loss of over sixty jobs in December. The company as a whole appears to be enduring a rough patch, with their H1Z1 Pro-League shutting just seven months after its April 2018 opening amidst issues in paying players. At the same time, when a Russian associate of the company was sanctioned by the US Treasury Department, it suddenly began denying it was owned by investment company Columbus Nova which has ties to Russian entities. This is all despite Sony’s claim in 2015 that Daybreak (then named Sony Online Entertainment) had indeed been sold to the firm.

Workers have understandably taken the news understandably poorly: on the job site Glassdoors, a disgruntled employee cites the “working environment”, “terrible pay” and “lack of communication from the upper echelons” as reasons not to work for Daybreak, whose management they encourage to “get out of the games industry and go invest in something that better fits the way you like to do things”. Though the phrase usually describes just a year, Daybreak’s annus horribilis started in 2018, and shows no signs of stopping just yet.

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he gaming industry is in shock after events surrounding Activision Blizzard and the ongoing Hong Kong protests that have erupted into a boycott of the company and a dramatic drop in stock prices.

Over the course of the past few weeks, Activision Blizzard, creators of games such as Overwatch and World of Warcraft, have been subject to accusations of selling out to Chinese censorship and self interest after esports player Chung ‘Blitzchung’ Ng Wai spoke out against the Chinese Government over the protests in Hong Kong.

This led to him receiving a year-long ban from competition and withdrawal of prize money.

pressed by Blitzchung were NOT a factor in the decision we made. I want to be clear: our relationships in China had no influence on our decision.”

He goes on to state, “[we] have these rules to keep the focus on the game and on the tournament to the benefit of a global audience, and that was the only consideration in the actions we took”, and that, “our process wasn’t adequate, and we reacted too quickly.”

Perhaps this statement comes too late - in response to the company’s actions, fans have begun a boycott and

turned Overwatch character Mei into a symbol of Hong Kong independence, angering the Chinese state. With stocks falling, this statement has been perceived by many as damage control to protect the company’s profits rather than address the real issue: freedom of speech.

With the growing influence of China in the gaming community, many have been left anxious as to where companies’ allegiances lie – with their fans or their profit margins.

Fans have turned Mei into a symbol of Hong Kong independence

Recent developments have seen the company retract their stance, giving Blitzchung his prize money back and reducing the ban to six months, detailed in a statement issued by company President J. Allen Brack. In this statement, Brack highlights that, “[t]he specific views ex-

Image: Twitter

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culture science

c2.science@ncl.ac.uk Science Editors Eleanor Gratton, Patrick Harland & Seshadhri Subramanian

the courier

Monday 28 October 2019

Meat grown on the ISS may be the solution to food security crisis

Eleanor Norton reports on the latest intervention making mass meat consumption ethical, enivronmental and economical

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he Earth is heading for a food security crisis.

More than 113 million people across 53 countries experienced chronic hunger requiring urgent food and nutrition.

Alongside this, modern animal agriculture is responsible for 18% of human-causes greenhouse gas emissions globally. In recent years, cutting down your meat consumption could be the most effective personal action you can take to reducing greenhouse gases. Finding ways of producing good food with limited resources is crucial to our survival.

Aleph Farms believe meat is one of life’s greatest pleasures and it should be enjoyed without the downsides to health and the environment. The Israeli company have been the first to produce lab-grown meat at the International Space Station.

The process involves taking a sample of animal cells from a real cow and replicating them outside of the animal, without the contamination, environmental damage and slaughter that comes with conventional meat production. They extract the cells through a small biopsy, from then the cells are placed in nutrients that simulate the environment inside the cow’s body. From there, they grow into a thin steak.

This is a huge milestone that demonstrates our capability for producing slaughter free meat anywhere. We have been able to produce meat in the harshest conditions with

no dependency on land or the availability of water. The discovery suggests that companies could create meat in extreme environments on Earth – particularly in places where water and land is scarce, but the population is high.

Normally, it takes up to 5,200 gallons of water to produce a single 2.2-pound steak. But growing cultured meat uses 10 times less water and land than traditional livestock agriculture. Lab-grown meat is also quicker to produce — Aleph Farms calls its product a “minute steak,” because it takes just a couple of minutes to cook.

Now we have taken another giant leap for manking and produced slaughter free meat

Image: Flick Meat Gravity Tale

This revelation has advanced the progression of nutritious cultivated meat. Fifty years ago, no-one would have imagined we would step foot on the moon and now we have taken another giant leap for mankind and produced slaughter free meat in an unforgiving environment with a minimal environmental footprint.

Extinction Rebellion : The leaders against climate change Megan Butterfield reports the motivations and latest movements of the activist group that's always hitting the headlines E xtinction Rebellion has caused mass disruption in London and cities across the globe to rebel against the world’s governments lack of action in tackling the climate and ecological crisis.

Extinction Rebellion, abbreviated as XR, is an international campaign group and activist movement that uses non-violent civil disobedience to highlight issues relating to climate change. Through the use of disruption, the movement aims to force governments to declare a ‘climate and ecological emergency’ and take action in order to avoid tipping points identified within the climate system. The movement was established in the UK in May 2018 but has since spread worldwide, with recent disruption occurring in Sydney, Berlin and New York.

The movement uses a logo of a circled hourglass, known as the extinction symbol, which represents how time is running out immediate action needs to take place if we are to avoid extinction.

Commencing on 7th October, XR have held demonstrations across London in an attempt to force the government to do more to tackle climate change. Activists have congregated in locations across the capital, with large groups amassing at Trafalgar Square, the Houses of Parliament and the BBC’s headquarters. The climate protests have caused significant disruption across the city, with the first week of demonstrations seeing more than 1,300 people arrested. Extinction Rebellion have stated

that many of its protesters are ‘prepared to risk their liberty to stand up for the planet’, adding that many young people are getting involved due to ‘eco-anxiety’, a feeling of being overwhelmed due to the existential challenge of climate change.

1,300

People have been arrested due to the protests

During this two-week long ‘International Rebellion’, acts of protest have varied in both style and impact. At London City Airport, disruption resulted from Paralympic cyclist, James Brown, climbing onto a British Airways plane, whilst another man delayed a flight by two hours after refusing to sit in his seat. Government buildings have also been a target, with protesters gluing themselves to the Department for Transport building and the underside of a lorry outside the Home Office.

Similar demonstrations have occurred across the globe, with protesters in New York pouring fake blood over Wall Street’s Charging Bull statue. This demonstration mirrors one carried out by London activists in early October, where a fire engine was used to spray fake blood over the Treasury building.

Image: Flickr (Julia Hawkins)

No -deal Brexit could kill science Word of the week: dyslexia Lilla Marshall tell us about the potentially disastrous effects

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ctober 31st is almost upon us and the consensus on what is happening with Brexit changes daily. However, the chance of the UK crashing out of the European Union without a deal is still present – despite parliament’s best attempts to block it with the Benn Act. In light of this risk, many British scientists (including two nobel prize laureates) have spoken out about how a no-deal Brexit would leave British science “dead for years”.

The EU will be launching their €100bn science scheme, Horizon Europe, in 2021 and the British government has already made clear that they intend to join it.

However, Robert-Jan Smits (“the main architect” of the EU’s previous Image: Public scheme, Horizon 2020) Net has said that a no-deal Brexit gives the UK no chance of becoming a part of it.

Sir Paul Nurse, a British Nobel Prize winner for his work in genetics, agreed with Smits, saying “I was in Brussels last week and if we crash out as Boris says, I don’t think we

stand any chance of joining Horizon Europe.”

Sir Andre Geim, another British Nobel Prize winner, argues that scientists are greatly under-estimating the effects of a no-deal Brexit and that it will be even worse than many of them expected. A lot of his colleagues have already left the UK and more claim they will leave if the UK crashes out without a deal.

The UK directly received 15.2% of all Horizon 2020 funding, providing UK projects with around €12.1bn. With the successor to Horizon 2020 scheme having an even larger budget, that’s even more money the UK will be, potentially, losing access to.

Sir Alan Fersht, also, worries how the UK can cope without a deal with the EU, saying “The Domain Pictures.

European research council has provided support that didn’t exist, like starter grants for young scientists and advanced grants for senior scientists to do novel work.

It has been transformative.” As the Halloween deadline approaches, can the UK survive a scientific exodus?

Molly Greeves discusses the reality of the learning difficulty

D

yslexia, as many people know, is a specific learning difficulty that can cause issues with reading, spelling and writing. There are many misconceptions surrounding dyslexia, one of them being that it is a rare condition, when in fact the difficulty effects one in ten people in the U.K.

People assume that kids who write letters the wrong way round must be dyslexic

The extent of the issue varies from person to person, but in general, dyslexia causes problems with reading despite normal intelligence. It is said to be caused by a range of both genetic and environmental factors, so it can run in families or be obtained through brain injuries or dementia.

For those of us without dyslexia, it’s tricky to understand what it would be like, causing many people to imagine that dyslexic people see letters in a jumbled-up way. In reality, dyslexia is nothing to with vision, rather, the problem

lies with the way the brain processes information. People incorrectly assume that kids who write letters the wrong way round must be dyslexic, but this isn’t true either. Any young child can have issues knowing which way to write letters, what dyslexic people struggle with is connecting the letter (“B”, for example) with the sound (“Ba-”).

An important thing to know about dyslexia is that it doesn’t necessarily affect a child’s willingness to learn to read and, with any luck, it won’t hinder their love of reading. With the right treatment and support at school, a dyslexic kid can develop into an adult who loves reading and writing as much as us nerds at the Courier.

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Monday 28 October 2019

@culture_courier thecourieronline.co.uk/science

science culture

An in-depth look at microplastics, the start of a macro problem

Lily Holbrook explains the different types of plastics that have been developed, and what we can do personally to minimise their impact

T

hey’re everywhere. From the Equator to Antarctica, not even the farthest reaches of the planet remain untarnished by microplastics. Including you. Where do these tiny plastic particles come from?

Are they harmful? What can you do?

Officially defined as a bit of plastic less than 5mm in diameter, microplastics are classified into 4 main categories.

additional 4000 for those drinking tap water.

Washing machines

Every time you wash synthetic clothing, thousands of the microfibres they’re made up of become dislodged and end up in our waterways.

Microplastics are defined as bit of plastic less than 5mm in diameter

Primary microplastics

Designed to be small from the outset, these include everything from microfibres to microbeads.

Secondary microplastics

Broken down by sunlight or wave action, these particles start out life as bigger plastic objects.

Microfibres

Marine coatings

Woven together to make synthetic fabrics found in cleaning cloths, upholstery and clothing.

This includes anti-fouling paint used for boat hulls which is designed to flake off as ships move across ocean basins.

Microbeads

Manufactured with exfoliating properties, often found in personal care products.

Unlike macroplastic with which we are all-too-familiar, microplastics are often invisible to the naked eye, making them difficult (if not impossible) to trace. We’re all aware of microplastics in beauty products following the UK ban in 2018, but what about the more unexpected places?

Glitter

In your food

It’s not a nice thought. But, according to research published in Environmental Science and Technology, the average person will consume 39,000-52,000 microplastic particles every year. And that’s just through food.

60%

Percentage of hydrogen created in the big bang spread across space in the cosmic web

Beauty and cleaning products

Face scrubs, toothpastes, body wash…the tiny plastic exfoliators in these products are an unnecessary replacement for natural alternatives such as oats and ground al-

Image: NUSU

monds. This was recognised by a UK ban introduced in 2018, with the EU set to follow by 2020.

Tyres

Washed down drains, tiny bits of plastic residue from car tyres can eventually find their way to the oceans.

Teabags

How many students love a cuppa? Perhaps less of us following the realisation that teabags often contain microplastics that dissolve in your drink. Try loose tea varieties for a safer bet.

In the environment

Ever seen someone wearing a surgeon-like face mask on the streets of a big city? This may in part be due to grow-

Medicine is on the mind Grace Lazzaro on medicine supplied directly into the brain

T

he human brain has one hundred billion neu- a sort of carrier pigeon to the brain can be created; said rons, each neuron connected to ten thousand carrier pigeon would bring with it an encoded message other neurons. Sitting on your shoulders is the interpreted by the brain, letting the drugs pass the BBB. most complicated object in the known universe.” – Mi- It would then be administered through an intravenous chio Kaku injection, meaning it would be injected directly into the I am usually not one to put quotes at the beginning of patient’s bloodstream. really anything, because that then goes into the whole argument of I put it there due to the fact that I couldn’t The brain is the come up with anything but that’s not the case here… or is it? You, dear reader, will never know, and I shall never tell. most complicated And that’s one of the beautiful things about the human object in the mind. What is, you may ask. Well, while you were sitting there reading my mad ramblings, your brain was firing universe nearly eighty six billion neurons in order for you to do so.

Now, why would I, or you for that matter, care about what’s going on in that lump in your head? As we Who stumbled upon this groundspeak, more and more breakthroughs are ocbreaking information? curring in the world of psychology, some I’m so glad you asked; the right under your nose. team I mentioned beRecently, scientists have discovered fore is a collection of a way to administer therapeutics scientists from right directly to the brain. Before this here at Newcastle finding, it was near impossible University, headed to directly deliver drugs to a by our very own person suffering from a neuroProfessor Moein degenerative disease due to the Moghimi. blood capillaries in the brain.

While there To explain, the aforementioned is still a sigcapillaries in the brain are impennificant ways etrable to a large amount of drugs to go in terms used in treatment for neurodeof research, this generative diseases; this is due to discovery is the a protective barrier surroundgateway for a myring the brain called the bloodiad of other disbrain- barrier (BBB) which coveries that could in turn makes current treatcompletely revoment options quite risky. lutionize the way In response to this medineurodegenerative cal setback, a group of scientists diseases like Parbegan researching ways around the kinson’s and Alzbarrier and have finally hit a breakheimer’s are adthrough. They ascertained that by dressed and engineering small particles from a treated.

Image: Helath.Mill peptide- a short chain of amino acids-

ing concern over the cleanliness of the air we breathe. If taken into consideration with the aforementioned study, inhalation may put our annual intake of microplastics in excess of 74,000.

Given it makes up 70% of the Earth’s surface, it should come as no surprise that microplastic contamination extends to the sea. These may be ingested by marine organisms, passed up the food chain and end up on your plate.

Bottled water

By now it should be drilled into us that drinking from a plastic bottle isn’t great for the environment. But it also isn’t good for our health. Plastic bottles may give you an additional 90,000 microplastics per year compared to an

I hate to dull the sparkle, but when you think that the stuff we use to decorate our faces, clothes and gift wrap is actually countless bits of plastic, glitter becomes a readymade nightmare.

Despite an explosion of scientific interest in recent years, the long-term effects of microplastics on our health are still unclear.

Research in marine mammals suggests a cumulative effect could lead to immune system damage, hormone disruption and malnutrition. Some evidence even suggests that the Endocrine Disruptor Chemicals (EDCs) associated with microplastics may be more toxic in smaller doses.

Where does this leave us?

It may seem like making changes is useless. But if something as tiny as microplastics can have such a big effect, so can you.

Next time you’re doing anything, whether it’s driving, swimming, eating, drinking, partying or simply breathing, take a moment to realise that microplastics follow you everywhere.

Plastic has become a part of you.

Slow walking is an ageing indicator Emma Monaghan tell us about the lastest research findings

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ait speed – how fast you walk – has been widely used by doctors as an indicator of a person’s health. Scientists have now found gait speed can be used to measure how quickly a person is ageing. Studies have found that the prevalence of gait disorders vastly increases from 10 % in people aged 60–69 years, to more than 60 % in groups of people aged over 80 years.

Recently studies found that not only did their slower subject walkers look older, but they generally had smaller brains too.

Interestingly, this slow gait speed has been linked now to a higher risk of neurocognitive functional decline, leading to conditions such as dementia.

A recent study in New Zealand, followed 1000 people born in the 1970s to the age of 45. The test group, also called a cohort, had physical tests and brain function tests and scans, as well having cognitive tests throughout their childhood.

This study used the gait speed test not just on elderly people, but much earlier – on young mid-life adults.

Terrie E Moffitt of Kings College London, a specialist in developmental psychopathology, ageing, and neuropsychology, stated about these findings that, “This study found that a slow walk is a problem sign decades before old age”.

It was found that the faster walkers around the age of 45, in childhood had on average 12 IQ points higher than the slowest walkers.

Scientists are now investigating ways and treatments to slow human ageing. One current example is a low-calorie diet, as it has been proven that when the body is under slight stress from lack of food, this can lead to a reduction in the ageing process.

Metformin, a drug commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes, has also been shown to slow ageing in model organisms. Fascinatingly, Metformin reduces age-related diseases such as neurodegenerative disease and cancer in humans also, and so is a prospective target for anti-ageing investigations.

This study found that a slow walk is a problem sign decades before old age

The study found there was a large difference in the people’s walking speed, even at the age of 45. Slower walkers had older looking brains, and their teeth, lungs and immune systems were more damaged by age than those with a faster gait speed. Slower gait was correlated with accelerated ageing.

Amazingly, using the data of intelligence, motor and language skills from the subjects when they were three years old, the scientists found they could predict what the person’s walking speed would be when they were 45.

Image: Maxpixel

puzzles 35

the courier

Monday 28 October 2019

Puzzles Editor Emma Dawson

Solutions will be revealed in next week’s issue, available on campus from 4 November Great images courtesy of Pixabay

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MR TAYTO’S CROSSWORD Across

Down

1. Capital of Lithuania (7) 5. Japanese dish of vinegared rish often with a variety of ingredients (5) 6. ____ and the Bottlemen, Indie band from Wales (7) 9. American Professional Basketball league (1,1,1) 10. Children’s cartoon about an Aardvark (6) 11. Flowering plant associated with Scotland (7) 14. 2004 Summer Olympics host city (6) 16. Country in East Central Africa (6) 19. Type of bread from North East England (7) 20. Seek to influence a policy or elected official (5) 24. Popular board game released in 1938 (8)

1. . V for ____ , 2005 dystopian film (8) 2. species of Spinny, Stripped fish (8) 3. Historic peoples mainly from Peru (4) 4. Genre of performing arts (6) 5. Sam ____ , Singer of Like I can (5) 7. Popular Irish Sport (7) 8. 2009 Pixar film 10. Mountain range than spans 8 European countries (4) 12. Semi-hard chesse from the Netherlands (4) 13. ____Paul, American drag queen and TV personality 15. Military alliance of 29 countries (4) 17. Ancient people of Western Europe (5) 18. Landlocked country in South Asia (5) 19. A Thousand Splendid ____ , Khaled Hosseini novel (4) 21. Breaking ____ , US series set in New Mexico (3) 22. Common name of various species of coniferous tree (3) 23. Chemical element of Sodium (2)

The first person to find Editor-in-Chief Grace Dean with a completed copy of the crossword wins a mysterious prize from our puzzles drawer

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the courier

36

sport

Monday 28 October 2019

Ghost goals and phantom punches: sp

As the spooky season approaches, our Sports writers and sub-editors cast an eye over some of the most gruesome moments in sp

Luis Suarez Strikes Toby Bryant

With 307 goals in 446 appearances, there are few strikers in history hungrier than Luis Suarez.

Quite literally too. The pantomime villain’s penchant for having a nibble on an opposition’s centre-back during matches is infamous in football culture. For sure, the ravenous forward’s snacking may be childish and downright bizarre, but it’s pretty comical too.

Even David Cameron himself condemned the striker

First rearing his gnashers on November 20th 2010, the Uruguayan was playing for Dutch side Ajax against PSV Eindhoven.

Otman Bakkal was the dish being served as the biting phenomenon got underway.

A two-match suspension and a fine for a ‘good cause’ the first punishment for Suarez’ lacklustre table manners.

Biting incident number two was even more high profile than the first. Now at Liverpool, the goalscorer fancied some Serbian shoulder as Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic came under the chomp. Going unnoticed by officials, Suarez stayed on the pitch to score a last-minute equaliser but was later charged with violent conduct, fined again and even David Cameron himself condemned the striker.

Three times a charm, the 2014 FIFA World Cup saw Suarez salivating once more. Uruguay’s final group match against Italy saw the South American side in need of a win and Suarez in need of feeding. A 79th minute coming together with Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini gave the talisman the perfect chance to take a nibble. Once again unnoticed, despite the defender’s bite marks, it was two days after the incident that FIFA banned Suarez for nine international matches (including the rest of the World Cup). The longest ever

international ban, Suarez was also forbidden from entering any stadium worldwide for four months and fined once again.

The real question now, five years after his last meal... could Suarez be hunting for prey again this Halloween?

Sunderland Nightmares Matthew Crichton Over the past three seasons, Sunderland have suffered consecutive relegations, witnessed two Wembley defeats and employed four different permanent managers.

The club were left to rot without investment, with the fans enduring mercenaries like Jack Rodwell drain the club of every last penny whilst refusing to play.

Last season provided stability, but a poor

Last season provided stability, but a poor run of form and losing star striker Josh Maja in January left the club falling short of their promotion desires run of form as well as losing star striker Josh Maja in January left the club falling short of their promotion desires.

Fast forward to this season and the club are still underachieving, takeover uncertainty caused a problematic summer which combined with underwhelming results proved the end of Jack Ross as manager.

But after a prolonged period of suffering, the future of Sunderland AFC is highly exciting.

A revolution is coming which could take the club back to their former glory.

A group of American invesImage: Wikimedia Commons

tors linked to the Dell cooperation are close to agreeing a deal for investment, which should provide the tools to fire Sunderland out of League One. Newly appointed manager Phil Parkinson has been provided with a unique opportunity to guide a sleeping giant back to prosperity.

Although results have been poor and fans are feeling apathetic, all it takes is a run of consecutive wins to get Sunderland back into the promotion places. The sky may currently appear dark and gloomy, but the future of Sunderland is sure to bright.

Bone Snapping Basketball Dominic Lee For a supposedly non-contact sport, NBA Basketball has seen its fair share of gruesome moments. You only have to go back to 2016’s Western Conference Finals when the Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green intentionally kicked Steven Adams of the Oklahoma City Thunder in his particulars to make your stomach churn.

Nonetheless, it is arguably the injuries of Paul George and Gordon Hayward that will stick in the minds of fans of the sport as the most horrifying moments in the history of the league. Both players had to sit out significant time in order to recover and while George has flourished upon his return to action- with last year’s successes earning him a nomination for MVP- Hayward has returned a shadow of his former self with the Celtics underperforming with him in the starting line-up last season.

Hayward’s nightmare injury came in his first-ever season start for Boston, on opening night of the 2017 term. The small forward went up for an alley-oop when he collided with an opposing player and came down hard on his ankle, which snapped to the side on landing. The shocking scene was a flashback to the injury to George just three years earlier as the entire arena looked on in horror- the crowd fell silent while some knelt down to pray.

George’s injury came in a similar manner, colliding with the basket in a 2014 Team USA showcase, with the entire lower portion of his leg snapping and the bone bursting out of the skin. Similar sights befell George as players found it hard to look on at their teammate who lay on the hardwood

Looking back on these injuries was an especially tough watch and with the new season starting soon we can just be glad that both players recovered and can grace the court again this season.

David Busst Tom Moorcroft Many people might not be familiar with the name ‘David Busst’ at first. To be honest, when you think of the footballing moguls of the 1990s, his name isn’t the first on the list. However, if someone mentioned ‘Peter Schmeichel being sick on the pitch’, or ‘The

worst injury in football history’, one quick google search will reveal his name.

The Coventry defender received a career ending injury during a game against Manchester United, in which he collided with United fullback Denis Irwin and midfielder/forward Brian McClair. For anyone brave enough to give it a google, which I wouldn’t advise, you’ll be greeted with a rather disgusting image of Busst holding his leg in agony, as he received compound fractures in his tibia and fibula.

Although the picture doesn’t do it any justice, just looking at Peter Schemichel’s reaction can confirm the horror of the injury, as he was physically sick on the pitch

England touch do

Stan Gilyead discusses how England’s cricket team will be hoping t

England prepare for test and T20 format Instagram: @englandcricket

Off the back of a disappointing Ashes series this summer England’s test team will be looking to bounce back in their winter series in New Zealand. The tour gives the team a chance to try out some new players and accumulate to life under new head coach Chris Silverman, with the fact that the series won’t count towards the World Test Championship standings taking pressure off England.

To the delight of England fans everywhere Jonny Bairstow, who has averaged only 20.25 in Tests this year and has a terrible tendency to get out clean bowled, has been dropped.

This will give Jos Buttler a chance to stake a claim to become the permanent holder of the wicket keeping gloves, as well as allowing him to play in his more natural position down the order as an attacking wicket keeper batsman.

The test squad also features exciting young talents in the form of opener Dominic Sibley

and middle order batsman Ollie Pope. Sibley has been in exquisite form in the County Championship this summer, scoring 1324 runs at an average of 69.68 at the top of the

Jonny Bairstow’s dropping will give Jos Buttler the chance to stake a permanent claim as Wicketkeeper

order, an incredibly difficult position given the County Championship’s early start this year and the prodigious new ball swing that invariably opens innings in England. Whilst he may need time to adjust to the test format fans will be hoping that he can form a part-

the courier

37

sport

Monday 28 October 2019

pooky sport moments

ports - proof that no one is safe from the ghastly ghouls this October ceived 26 operations on his leg as a result of the clash, and is still reminded of the event to this day, with a large array of scars on his right leg. However, he did bounce back after his injury, going into coaching and working with young children in the Coventry area.

Ghost Goals Jamie Armstrong

Frank Lampard’s disallowed goal vs Germany.

Instagram: @betwayuk

afterwards. When asked about it in a later interview, Schmeichel said, “It was very difficult. What we had just witnessed was horrendous, very, very nasty”.

The fact that the Dutch legend, 6ft 3in,

“What we had witnessed was horrendous” - Peter Schemichel

‘Great Dane’ was left ill after seeing the injury is testament to just how brutal it was, and the few months afterwards were tough. Busst re-

Football is haunted by things coming back from the dead. Liverpool were six feet under when they returned from 3-0 down to win their famous 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul. More locally, Newcastle achieved the largest ever Premier League come back in 2011. Trailing 4-0 at half time, St James’ Park witnessed a 4-4 resurrection right in front of their very eyes, courtesy of Cheick Tiote and Joey Barton. Sadly, not everything comes back from the dead. Sorry Bury!

In football, however there is a different kind of ghost. The ghost (or phantom) goal. Essentially, a ghost goal is any goal given by a referee that in reality did not cross the line, or did but was not given.

The term seemingly originates from Germany, more precisely from a match played between Bayern Munich and 1.FC Nürnberg in April 1994. Defender Thomas Helmer, also of Sunderland shame, poked an incoming corner goal wards that was tipped round the post by Nürnberg keeper Andreas Koepke. Disappointed initially, Helmer was then stunned to see his teammates cheering, as the Phantomtor was given. The repercussions of this were drastic. A win for Bayern meant winning the league title on goal difference. Yet for Nürnberg, the draw would have meant surviving relegation… by one point.

Following FIFA’s objection, the match was replayed with Bayern running out 5-0 winners. But football has been haunted before and since by the ghost goal.

Germany as a nation are renowned for economic strength, beer and apparently, the ghost goal. Like an apparition, they appear throughout footballing history’s phantom finishes. Famously Geoff Hurst’s winning goal in 1966, against Germany has since controversially been deemed a ghost goal. An Oxford University study concluded the ball was 6cm from fully crossing the line.

Since then, ghost goals have haunted the likes of Crystal Palace, Hoffenheim and even Frank Lampard in the 2010 World Cup… against Germany. For better or worse, it seems that Germany may be cursed with the ghost goal. Penalties aside of course.

But whilst there is nothing inherently ominous or eerie about the ghost goal, nothing more than poor officiating in reality, it has bought about something truly dark and twisted. Goal-line technology and VAR. Football’s true Halloween-like nightmare.

Ali’s Phantom Punch Philip Etchells On 25th May 1965, in the small town of Lewiston, Maine an innocuous right hook from Muhammad Ali would go down in the annals of boxing history.

The former Cassius Clay, fighting for the first time since his conversion to Islam, stood over the body of Sonny Liston, rolling on the canvas 104 seconds into the world heavyweight title rematch. “You’re supposed to be so bad! Nobody will believe this”, screamed the enraged Ali after his “phantom punch” floored the former world champion. It went on to become one of the most iconic photographs in sport.

The infamous “phantom punch” was seen by few people, even at the ringside, and continues to remain a mystery over 54 years later. From the footage from the old fight, it is difficult to tell what really happened. Many believe it was powerful right-hand from the man who went on to define a new era of boxing, whereas others believe the fight was fixed. Liston was supposedly paid off by the mobsters who controlled his fights and with whom he was involved with throughout his murky, criminal past.

Sonny Liston was supposedly paid off by the mobsters who controlled his fights and of whom he was involved with

‘Fun, stupid, nonsensical’:

WWE Hell in a Cell Tomo Clarkson

Professional wrestling can be called many things: fun, stupid, nonsensical. This year’s Hell in a Cell pay-per-view set out to prove that the current WWE product is a mixture of all three Pre-show nerves could be expected from the fans considering there had only been four announced matches for this three-anda-half-hour show, presumably due to WWE pushing back as many big matches for their upcoming, and not at all controversial, Saudi Arabia show; reported to feature former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and former MMA fighters Brock Lesner and Cain Velasquez.

Hell in a Cell started off positively, with an intense, physical match between Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch, resulting in Lynch retaining the title. This match was widely regarded as the best match of the show, featuring two of the best women wrestlers working today.

The fast pace of the show continued when Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan, a man whose whole gimmick is that he is a vegan, teamed up to defeat the bearded rock enthusiasts Harper and Rowan in another entertaining match

Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan teamed up to defeat bearded rock enthusiasts Harper and Rowan

The rest of the card was an assortment of the passable to mediocre matches expected of the middle of a WWE pay-per-view, consisting of some rushed finishes and questionable victors. A particular low was the Corbin vs. Gable match, a match whose

whole build-up was based on the fact that Corbin called Gable short.

The night culminated in the main event, a highly anticipated match featuring Universal Champion Seth Rolling competing against “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt. Despite Wyatt’s character being unapologetically villainous, an audible majority of the crowd chanted their support for the Fiend. This has become a growing problem for the creative team behind WWE for years, with numerous “heroic” champions being rejected by the audience as bland and lacking believable motivations or consistent characters

Hell in a Cell showcased the best and the worst elements of modern professional wrestling

The excitement for this match was due to it being the eponymous Hell in a Cell match.

For the uninitiated, a Hell in a Cell match’s basic gimmick is that the match takes place in a cell. Inside the cell there are no disqualification, meaning all moves and weapons are allowed. So, when the match was controversially called off due to a disqualification, a blatant violation to the established rules of the match, the fans were not shy about voicing their displeasure, with boos and chants of rival wresting promotion AEW. Hell in a Cell showcased the best and worst elements of modern professional wrestling.

The opening championship match was an exciting display of the talent of the women’s roster and how invested fans can be when storylines are carefully developed and executed. In stark contrast, the main event was a frustrating and anticlimactic mess, far more likely to drive viewers away than draw ones in.

The scariest man he ever faced, according to Muhammad Ali himself, soon fell from grace after that career-defining loss in ‘65.

He would tragically be found dead in his Las Vegas home just 6 years later. Sinister circumstances surround his death and the mystery of what really happened to this fearsome fighter continue to haunt boxing today.

own to face New Zealand

to replicate their World Cup success against the Black Caps down under during their tour for the winter nership with Rory Burns at the top of the order and finally solve England’s opening partnership conundrum, an issue left unresolved since Strauss retired in 2012.

Pope, perhaps the most exciting batting talent to come out of England since Joe Root, returns to the side after playing 2 tests last summer. The 21-year-old missed some cricket this summer due to injury but still managed to score heavily in the games he played, averaging 80.14 and scoring a massive 221* against Hampshire. The youngster, who bats at five for Surrey, will hope that he can seize his chance in New Zealand and become a permanent fixture in the test side for years to come.

The squad also features a few nods to the future, suggesting that England are following the advice of pundits and preparing with the next Ashes series in mind. Highly tipped

talents Zac Crawley, a 21 year old opening batsman, Matthew Parkinson, a 22 year old spinner, and Saqib Mahmood, a 22 year old fast bowler, have been included in the squad

The series will be a good opportunity for the team to get used to playing without Jimmy Anderson who misses out through injury

and while they may not play in New Zealand the experience they’ll gain on the tour will be good preparation for them to potentially play in Australia in 2021/22.

Whilst the test series might not count towards the World Test Championships England will feel it is vitally important for them to get back to winning ways. The series will be a good opportunity for the team to get used to playing without Jimmy Anderson, missing through injury, and whilst the New Zealand squad contains great players such as Kane Williamson and Trent Boult, England will fancy their chances with atmospheric and pitch conditions likely to play to their bowling attack’s strengths.

The series looks set to be an exciting, competitive one between two evenly matched teams as New Zealand will be looking to avenge England’s narrow victory in the World Cup final. After a couple of months break following this summer’s feast of cricket, fans will be raring to go once the series starts on 20th November.

The infamous cage for Hell in a Cell Image: Wikimedia Commons

the courier

38

sport Analysis: How Kipchoge smashed the 2 hour mark

Monday 28 October 2019

Adam Baines looks at exactly how Eliud Kipchoge broks the elusive two hour mark and made marathon history at the INEOS 1:59 Challenge

On 12th October, the current worldrecord holder of the marathon, Eliud Kipchoge, slashed his personal best even further by completing a marathon in 1:59:40, becoming the first person ever to run sub-2 hours across this distance.

“100% of me is worth less than 1% of the team”

To achieve this time, Eliud had to average at 4:34-mile/2:50km pace.

This was not like the Berlin Marathon though, where he set his staggering world record of 2:01:39, nor was it like any other marathon he had ran before (except for his relatively ‘unsuccessful’ Breaking 2 project in 2017).

This was a special event, the INEOS 1:59 Challenge, in which all external elements critical to an athlete’s performance were streamlined and improved, giving Eliud the best chance to break the 2-hour barrier. But what this also means is that Kipchoge’s record time in this race is not legal under IAAF rules, as his support given exceeded the threshold allowed.

So, what made Kipchoge’s time possible?

Vienna was chosen for its weather conditions, course design and its time difference between itself and Kenya, where Eliud trains. The organisers had also been allocated a nine-day window, from 12th October-20th October,

in which they could run the race on whichever day provided the best conditions.

Vienna has stable and ideal temperatures, low humidity levels, excellent air quality and, on the day Eliud raced, a low chance of rain (10%). The course was very flat, its elevation ranging from 1.8 to 4.0 metres, making running at a constant pace easier. Finally, the 1-hour time difference between Vienna and Kenya meant Kipchoge would have a very low chance of suffering jet lag.

of the race, whereas pacers in IAAF standard marathons usually drop out by 30km. The pacemakers, running in a V-formation, shielded Eliud from any prevailing winds, and with the help of a car projecting a laser in front of them, they kept a constant pace for Kipchoge to maintain.

Training in Kaptagat, Kenya, Kipchoge consistently runs 100+ miles per week at over 2000 metres above

sea level. His training in the last several months has been tailored specifically to

42

The number of athletes who set the pace for Kipchoge’s marathon

this race, so physically he was very prepared for it.

To conclude, Kipchoge’s belief that “no human is limited” most certainly helped him achieve his time. His mental strength and fortitude demonstrate how we can break barriers when we don’t put limits on ourselves, and how we can always strive to be better.

On 12th October, Kipchoge didn’t just show us what the body is capable of: he showed us the power of a mind which places no limits on itself.

Training in Kaptagat, Kenya, Kipchoge consistently runs 100+ miles per week at over 2000m above sea level

“100% of me is worth less than 1% of the team” is Eliud’s attitude towards running. It is in this race especially that his pacemakers were crucial. In normal marathons, pacemakers start the race with the other runners and stay with them for as long as is needed. But in the INEOS 1:59 Challenge, there were 42 pacemakers taking part, with each group of pacemakers being switched every 5km to ensure they were fresh. This allowed pacemakers to help Kipchoge up until the end

Kipchoge crosses the line in style Image: @EliudKipchoge (Twitter)

Women’s Super League season: the action so far After a summer defined by the Women’s World Cup, Head of Sport Rebecca Johnson discusses the action from the Women’s Super League so far The Women’s Super League kicked off at the start of September with a bumper set of matches. Hoping to capitalise on the success of the World Cup over the summer in France, a handful of the matches were not only televised,

but played in their male counterpart’s stadiums.

This opening weekend saw a smashing set of matches, including the first ever Manchester derby, which ended with City snatching a 1-0 win at the

Etihad Stadium in front of a massive crowd of 31,000. Other fixtures included Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur Women playing at Stamford Bridge.

After this PR stunt by the FA, the league still grinds on, the main competitors for the title are still the immovable trio of Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal.

Manchester City are currently leading the way with four wins from four

Vivianne Miedeman.

Image: Instagram: vivianneemiedema

Manchester City are currently leading the way with four wins from four.

The blue side of Manchester have been rather fortunate so far, usually winning by narrow margins. Their biggest win of the season came in their previous game, where they beat Birmingham 3-0 thanks to goals from Keira Walsh, Tessa Wullaert and Lee Geum-min. However, despite their narrow wins, they’ve done something that none of their title rivals have by

keeping four clean sheets so far this season. This has definitely helped them clinch that top spot, and keep just ahead of Arsenal and Chelsea.

Sat behind City in the table are Chelsea, who came third last season.

The Blues have looked sharp this season, with new England international Bethany England being a crucial asset to the side. They’ve won three from four so far this season, with only a draw to struggling Brighton being their pitfall. However, as long as they continue to push forward, they’ve got a squad capable of going all the way.

They’ve shown their goal-scoring ability from all across the pitch, with six different players scoring the eight goals they’ve netted so far this season.

Last year’s league champions, Arsenal, are in third currently. They’ve had a good start to the season, despite a 2-1 loss to Chelsea. Dutch midfielder, Danielle van de Donk, has been a key player, providing three of Arsenal’s league goals so far. Beth Mead has also earned herself a regular starting spot in the squad, a well-deserved place thanks to a string of solid performances for club and country.

There was concern over the fitness of

star striker and a Ballon d’Or nominee, Vivianne Miedema after she sat out of their opening game against West Ham. She was Arsenal’s top goal-scorer last season, with 23 goals to her name, as well as becoming the all-time top goal-scorer for Holland over the summer. However, Miedema has been providing assists and bagged herself four goals against Slavia Praha in the Champions League last week. Much like Chelsea, Arsenal have got a squad with immense depth to fall back on.

Vivianne Miedema was Arsenal’s top goal-scorer last season with 23 goals to her name

It’s a close affair at the top of the table, with two points between the top three teams. It’s going to be a tasty season ahead, with women’s football only continuing to grow in interest and popularity.

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39

sport

Monday 28 October 2019

Handball marks return to BUCS action Newcastle Vikings track the history of handball in the North East and how its making its big return to BUCS Maren Liane and Andrea King

Handball, often referred to as a mix of basketball, football and volleyball, is the fastest team ball-sport in the world, and has rapidly grown in popularity in the UK since capturing the British public’s attention at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Earlier this year, BUCS’ Innovative Sport Review saw handball asked to deliver a successful pilot of its proposal over the coming season, with a view to initiating formal BUCS implementation for the 2020-21 season.

This recognition gives added impetus to the annual British University Handball Championships, which this season is set to take place over the weekend of 6-8 March 2020 down at the Medway Sports Park in Kent.

Newcastle University doesn’t cur-

Now this exciting fast-paced sport is gearing up to become part of the BUCS offer for inter-university competition.

rently have a men’s or women’s handball team, but it does have a rich handball heritage. In fact, Newcastle University was one of the top handball clubs in the country back in the late 1960s and early 1970s when handball was first introduced to the UK. Initi-

BADMINTON

M1 v Leeds 1sts M2 v York 3rds M3 v Leeds 2nds W1 v Birmingham 1sts W2 v Liverpool 1st

7-1 6-2 1-7 2-6 0-8

BASKETBALL

M1 v Northumbria 1sts M3 v Sunderland 2nds W1 v Northumbria 1sts

FENCING

M1 v Durham 4s M2 v York 2nds

82-75 65-56 37-103 119-105 71-135

FOOTBALL

M1 v Manchester 1sts M2 v Sheffield 4s M3 v Leeds Trinity 3s W2 v Teesside 2nds

Newcastle Vikings in action Image: Newcastle Vikings media

ated by a group of mainly Norwegian students, they were dominant fivetime winners of the men’s British University Handball Championships and also defeated Great Britain’s fledgling handball teams in the 1972 Geordie Cup tournament a few weeks before the British team’s debut in Olympic qualification competition!

After a 20-year hiatus, a mid-1990s revival of the university championships once again saw Newcastle’s mostly Scandinavian men’s and women’s teams do really well, including becoming the first women’s university handball champions in 1995.

Further details can be found on the

England Handball Association’s website at www.englandhandball.com/ leagues-and-competitions/british-university-handball-championships. Also check out the NETZ Handball Network on Instagram, which is the home of the University Friendly Games Series (UFX) and has partnered with the EHA to run this season’s University Handball League (UHL) competition.

Anyone interested in playing handball, whatever your level of experience, is welcome to join the training sessions with Newcastle Vikings Handball Club, who have multi-national men’s and women’s teams playing in England’s league and cup competitions

and boast several past and present Newcastle University students in their squads. Training is free for the first two taster sessions with discounted student membership options thereafter. They take place on Monday and Wednesday evenings, 7:00-8:30pm at the Benfield Centre for Sporting Excellence, which is just a short 5-minute walk from Walkergate Metro Station.

More details about training sessions and forthcoming home matches to go and watch can be found on the NVHC website at www.newcastlehandball. co.uk and their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

Climbing to the top of the record books Sport Editor Rory Ewart takes a closer look at Aries Sustani Rahayu’s incredible world record speed climb

Aries Sustani Rahayu has broken the 7-second barrier speed climbing record during IFSC World Cup – the completion which determines who will climb at the 2020 Olympics.

Rahayu, from Indonesia, becomes the first women to break this barrier, completing this with a broken finger in the process. Dubbed as “Spider woman” due to her immense speed, she climbed the speed-climbing wall which stood at 50m tall.

Speed climbing is a discipline of climbing in which speed is the ultimate goal, it is completed on numerous surfaces such as rocks, walls and poles and is partaken by climbers who have major experience of other disciplines before completing this form.

The competition form, the one that Rahayu completed her climb in, takes place on an artificial surface, with competitors climbing a five degree overhanging wall, with an automatic belaying system from the top of the wall.

The discipline itself is governed by the IFSC (International Federation of Sport Climbing) which sanctions speed climbing competitions and events that entail world record attempts. Speed Climbing is one of three climbing mo-

BUCS RESULTS

dalities that is going to be included in Tokyo 2020 Olympic games for the first time in its history along with Skateboarding.

Rahayu completed the climb with Chinese competitor Yiling Song, who had previously held the world record.

Iranian climber Reza Alipour Shenazandifar holds the men’s speed record at 5.48 seconds.

The timing is determined via mechanical electric timing. When it is used, the timer is displayed with accu-

Skateboarding, Surfing, Baseball and Softball are all being introduced for

1 v Leeds Beckett 1sts 2 v Sunderland 1sts

HOCKEY

M3 v Leeds 3rds W1 v Sheffield 1sts W3 v Durham 4s W4 v York 1sts W5 v Sheffield 4s

LACROSSE

M2 v Sheffield Hallam 2nds W1 v Nottingham 1sts W2 v Northumbria 1sts W3 v Leeds Beckett

NETBALL

W1 v Sheffield 1sts

RUGBY UNION

M1 v Birmingham W1 v York 1sts W2 v Teesside 1sts

RUGBY LEAGUE

M1 v Leeds Beckett 1sts M2 v York St John 1sts

SQUASH

M1 v Lancaster

4-2 5-1 4-0 2-0 1-1 2-2 1-0 7-1 3-17 23-4 16-1 59-63 34-13 0-46 20-33 20-50 16-35

5-0

TABLE TENNIS M1 v Nottingham1sts M2 v Newcastle 3rds M3 v Newcastle 2nds

TENNIS

M1 v Leeds Beckett 3rds M2 v Sheffield 1sts W2 v York 1sts

Speed Climbing is one of three climbing modalities that is going to be included in Tokyo 2020

racy of one hundredth of a second. In a major controversial, and down right silly change to the rules, the possibility of using manual timing was removed.

This caused mass carnage throughout the speed climbing community worldwide. The new precision is only used for ranking in case of a tie.

Along with speed climbing, Karate,

the first time at Tokyo 2022, raising the number of sports being contested to 33.

GOLF

2-1 4-3 4-1 2-2

VOLLEYBALL

W1 vNorthumbria 1sts W2 v Northumbria 2nds

1-16 13-4 4-13 9-4 8-4 8-8

0-3 2-3

SURF FORECAST

Tynemouth Longsands

Aries Sustani Rahayu celebrates her world record Image:IFS Climbing

Intrim surf reporter here, it’s a bit wavy as to what’s going on this week in surf news. It’s a bit wet at the moment so we’re expecting some stormy waves to hit the seas. Avoid any pier pressure and say “shell yeah” to these sick waves.

sport the courier

Monday 28 October 2019 Issue 1395 Free

@Courier_Sport courier.sport@ncl.ac.uk thecourieronline.co.uk/sport Head of Sport Rebecca Johnson Sport Editors Rory Ewart, Stan Gilyead, Toby Bryant & Tom Moorcroft

Five of the best from free-flowing hardly

Sports Editor Rory Ewart reports on the crucial win for Hardly Athletic from Cochrane Park on Saturday afternoon MEN’S FOOTBALL

Hardly Athletic Scouting For Goals

5 3

Rory Ewart at Cochrane Park

Hardly Athletic have managed to secure their first win of the 2019/20 season with a 5-3 victory over Scouting for Goals.

To term local Scots language, a ‘dreich day’ at Cochrane Park 3G was met with a fire in the belly approach from Hardly, who hadn’t managed to win a game since early 2019.

Despite the heroics, the game almost didn’t take shape at all, with Hardly’s opponents not having the full compliment of 11 players with just moments before the start of the game.

However, a young gentlemen (name unknown) wearing an Arsenal top did appear with minutes to spare.

∞

(Infinity) Since Hardly have scored five goals in a single game

Sadly he wasn’t able to produce a ball from Scouting, causing somewhat embarrassment as the designated home team was forced to ask Hardly for “a couple of balls to warm up with”.

‘Warm up’ they did not either. Hardly began the game clearly on the front foot, something that was lacking in the previous weeks defeat to ACS Tigers.

A change in formation saw Hardly play James Stansfield and Rob Litster as a front two in attack. This worked to devastating effect, as Stansfield was able to feed off the extra physical presence and hold up play from Litster, leading to a sublime through ball that was coolly received and dispatched into the bottom corner from Litster.

The designated home team was forced to ask Hardly for “a couple of balls to warm up with”

At this point, it wouldn’t be absurd to suggest that Athletic would go on to blow the lead and lose the game, this happened all too often in the past. Yet this Hardly XI decided that this trait was about to end, lethal crosses from left-winger Mike Marsh eventually led to Stansfield receiving a perfectly weighted pass, taking out both the centre-backs in the process, to which he then slotted home to double Hardly’s lead.

Bedlam ensued. It was noted by the bench that the physio’s on the side line were that excited by the prospect of Hardly winning a

Inside Sport today >>>

Spooky Sporting Moments Our writers look at bone-chilling scary sporting moments Pages 36-37

The gaffer discusses tactics and fridge brands with Angus Bolton Image: Hannah Franks

game, so much so that they needed reminding (for the second time) who exactly was playing.

Half time brought a welcome refresher for both teams. The referee had other ideas however, summoning both teams back to the pitch in quicker time than Graeme Souness lambasts Paul Pogba on a Sunday afternoon.

Half time did give a chance for manager Rory Ewart to hand a debut to Parisian Omar Akram, replacing a Rob Litster who’d blown out for the day. In a reshuffle of formation, Hardly reverted back to a 4-5-1 with Omar adding extra support in the midfield for Tom Nash and Sam Dawson, who’d worked tirelessly for 45 minutes.

Omar entered the second half with immediate effect, linking up well with lone striker Stansfield to provide an exquisite through ball to which Stansfield dispatched eloquently for his second of the day.

Alfred Larcombe had provided constant steel between the sticks in goal, giving regular stopper Ben Ashworth Kwasnik genuine competition for the No1 jersey. However, a

pre-rehearsed free kick routine from Scouting saw an early shot completely catch Larcombe off guard, 3-1 and game back on.

Mike Marsh decided on 55 minutes that he wanted to get in on the goal scoring act himself, developing his game into not only a provider for the team, but finisher too, eventually scoring his first brace of the season to take the lead to 5-1.

The ref summoned both teams back to the pitch in quicker time than it takes Graeme Souness to lambast Paul Pogba

This was unchartered territory for Hardly, winning only two games in the previous season and rarely seeing five goals to their name in a single game.

A comedown eventually arrived in the form of injuries. Litster had been the first

casualty of this at half time; Paul Bley followed him with a thigh strain, forcing him off. Stansfield, Akram and Dawson also fell victim to muscle spasms, leading to gaffer Ewart (lord help us) donning the pitch for the final 10 minutes at left back.

Retirement hadn’t done Ewart any favours, faltering with marking which led to a Scouting’s striker being clean through on goal, an excellent finish brought the deficit down to just three goals at 5-2.

Scouting for Goals would have one last hurrah in their attempts at a revival, with the ref blowing full time at 5-3, a let-off for Hardly, who’d certainly taken their foot off the gas in the final quarter as tiredness began to kick in.

A good day all-round for fans of the athletic, with particular mentions having to be given to Arun and Archie, who’d debuted extremely well at left-back and right midfield respectively.

Paul Bley once again played his heart out, rarely missing a tackle at right full-back.

Angus and Tom at centre-back brought a new partnership for the third match in a row.

FOOTBALL Intra Mural Saturday Div 3

Pld

W

D

L

Pts

1 Bayern Med

2

2

0

0

6

2 Treble Pogba

2

2

0

0

6

3 Mech Eng 11s

2

2

0

0

6

4 ACS Tigers

2

1

0

1

3

5 Hardly Athletic

2

1

0

1

3

6 Club de Wickbean 2

0

0

2

0

7 CompSci FC

2

0

0

2

0

8 Scouting for Goals 2

0

0

2

0

2-Hour Triumph

BUCS Return Newcastle Vikings go through the history of handball in the North East Page 39

This time both played excellent ball-playing roles, with Tom’s switch balls in particular reeking havoc throughout the afternoon.

Hardly, with this win, now move up to fifth in the table.

Hardly fans should enjoy the mid-table mediocrity whilst it lasts, one thing is for sure, there will be plenty more movement for the club throughout the rest of the season.

Adam Baines looks at just how the world marathon record was broken.

Page 38 Image: @EliudKipchoge (Twitter)