Impact Magazine - Issue 195 - Mar 09

Impact urban exploration TAKING A TOUR OF OUR CITY’S FORGOTTEN SPACES

occupation nottingham STORIES FROM THE RECENT CAMPUS PROTESTS

gordon brown IMPACT INTERVIEWS THE PRIME MINISTER

issue 195 mar ’09

4 Editorial 5 News 11

18 The G Word

34 Style

- Nottingham Joins National Occupations - Refreshing the Students’ Union - Nottingham Uni Prostate Cancer Research - Graduates Hit by Recession Freeze

Sport

- Superstars Preview - Paying the Price for Uni Sport - Disabled Sport

A look at the Atheist bus campaign and religion’s role in public life

19 Gaza Protests A selection of views on the recent campus protests

Features

15 Forsaken

22 Economic Ice Age

Is this really the worst year for graduate recruiting in 20 years?

Nottingham

- Gorgeous Lingerie - Michella Obama, Style Icon

40 Travel

- Have an Ice Day - The Trouble with ‘Tut’

42 Arts

- Student Improv Nottingham - Blagger’s Guide to Impressionism

45 Film

24 Compulsory School to 18

A restriction of civil liberties or a blessing in disguise?

- The Rise of Cinematic TV - The Best of TV’s New Golden Age

48 Music

- Interview with Buraka Som Sistema - Female Songwriters of 2009

52 Science Impact takes a liberal view of private property law, exploring the forgotten corners of Nottingham

inside

26 Authors Who Lie

The growing trend for bending the truth in non-fiction

- Stem Cell Research - A Junkie’s Logic

54 Nights

- Where to? Trent SU! - Coco Tang

57 Gratis 58 Famous Last 29 Snuff

this issue 195

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Grapevine

Cover Image: Ian Steadman

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Spare Parts

Words

The powdered tobacco phenomenon

Up and coming events from the Students’ Union Impact interviews Gordon Brown

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Editor-in-Chief Rob Barham Editor Ian Steadman Managing Editor James Sanderson Associate Editors Sophia Levine Lucy Hayes Emi Day Design Editor Amy Bell Associate Design Editors Charlie Walker Anna Vickery Sam Evans Image Editors Nicole Samuels Caroline Wijnbladh Website Editor Phil Morton Associate Website Editor Steph Hartley News Editors Susannah Sconce Camille Herreman Sports Editors Charlie Eccleshare Ben Bloom Arts Editors Lotty Clifton Clarissa Woodberry Music Editors James Ballard Elise Laker Film Editors James Warren Oli Holden-Rea Nights Editors Steph Aldrich Louise Fordham Kirsty Taylor Science Editors Henry Blanchard Sophie Stammers Travel Editors Bruno Albutt Samuel Selmon Fashion Editors Nikki Osman Laura Sedgwick Publicity Manager Scott Perkins

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Editorial

S

omewhere in Nottingham, an office lies abandoned and forgotten. The walls are coated in cracked and peeling paint, and mould clings tightly to the ceiling.

Faded scraps of paper and dust-covered magazines lie scattered over a desk, and on the floor a rat scurries into a corner as traffic breezes past in the distance. But tonight something is different. There are voices outside. A door clicks, and slowly swings open. Torches shine duracell-powered light into the darkness, and two men, bearing notepads and cameras, walk inside. But these are not thieves, or detectives, or even people looking for somewhere to stay. They are something different altogether: Impact journalists. …And so began the research for one of our most unusual features ever. Every once in a while we like to do something a bit different, and this month is definitely that. We’re tracking the new phenomenon of ‘urban exploration’ by strolling (or climbing, or blagging our way) into some of Nottingham’s most fascinating abandoned buildings and architecture. Urban exploration (or ‘Urbex’, for short) is based around a simple idea: if we can find interesting stuff exploring

forests, mountains, and landscapes, then why not explore what’s weird and wonderful in our own backyard? There are masses of empty buildings, caves, factories, and even air raid shelters around this city, and Impact has been treading carefully around safety and legality to bring some of these to you this month.

But there’s a lot more than that. We’ve got coverage of the student occupation of B62, tips on how to get a job in these ‘difficult times’, and a guide to why Twitter is taking over the world (ours included, you can now tweet at or simply stalk us on Impact’s own Twitter profile.)

We’ve also got all the dates for upcoming Varsity matches, an interview with Gordon Brown (seriously), a continuation of our debate on stem cell research, and an underwear shoot – something you will never, ever get in The Sanctuary.

So open the door, venture inside, and explore this treasure trove of sometimes cheesy and illprepared student journalism. We’ll see you next month with another helping.

Big love,

Rob x

This month on impactnottingham.com Reactions to the occupation of LASS B62 Steven “Are these people crazy or what? The so-called ‘occupation’ ended in 2005 and the conflict ended over a week ago. It seems like this had been planned for a while and the doors are now being locked up after the proverbial horse has bolted.”

Jordan “I was under the impression that all occupations were wrong/invalid/illegal/don’t generate the desired results. The problem with fighting fire with fire is that you should have used water!”

Ruffio “Through past experience, I, like many, feel dubious about the receptiveness the university will have towards the occupation’s demands. Students are blind to the activities of ‘their’ university. Therefore, even if demands are not met, if students think they are too far fetched to be complied to by the university, the fact remains that the occupation is making students aware and bringing to the front issues that the university would prefer remain unknown to the general populace. The university will, albeit gradually, begin to recognise and remember that they are accountable to students and in the future begin take their actions into consideration. Our opinion matters.”

News Nottingham Occupation Forcefully Ended Students at nineteen UK universities have staged sit-in protests against the continuing violence between Palestine and Israel. The sit-ins began at The School of Oriental and African Studies and spread across the city to King’s College and the London School of Economics before reaching at least twenty other universities in the country, including Nottingham.

Students used the Internet to their full advantage, using social networking sites and blogs to supply up-to-theminute information and rally support.

Generally, the demands of the nineteen groups have followed a pattern: firstly requesting a statement from university authorities condemning the bombing of Gaza, with additional requests including a cease of contact with companies involved in the supply of equipment to Israel and donations of books and computers to students from Gaza.

In addition, many of the groups have asked their own universities to provide full scholarships for students whose own institutions have been destroyed by attacks in the area.

be broadcast on the University Portal to address “the bias of the one already posted” on January 15th, and that vending of Starbucks coffee cease in the Hallward library.

One of the protesters, Hicham Yezza, explained that their objective was to clarify that the students of Nottingham are not oblivious to the sufferings of the Gazan people. Yezza also stated that “the protest was intended to be friendly and peaceful and not disruptive. We always intended for the lecture theatre to remain available for scheduled lectures.” Despite this intention the University decided to cancel or reschedule all lectures from Thursday 29th January. The Vice-Chancellor, Professor David Greenaway, issued a statement which “staunchly defended” the right of students to protest, but concluded that those involved with the occupation “do not have a right to disrupt the normal functioning of this University and the education of other students.”

“The protest was intended to be friendly and peaceful and not disruptive.”

The Nottingham demonstration attracted media attention from the BBC, ITV and numerous websites, and highprofile figures gave their support. Noam Chomsky sent a message of solidarity to the students commending their “courageous and honourable” actions.

The Nottingham protest began on the evening of Wednesday 28th January, in lecture hall B62 in the Law and Social Sciences building. At times there were over a hundred students involved in the event, armed with sleeping bags, banners, flags and food supplies, which were donated by local food shops in Lenton. In addition to the above demands, the Nottingham group requested that an alternative podcast

On the evening of 1st February, University authorities entered LASS B62 and reiterated a statement ordering the students to leave immediately. Upon the refusal of some, security guards evicted the students from the building.

Students allege that their cameras were seized to prevent the eviction from being filmed and some students have reported sustaining injuries, verified by medical professionals. Those involved with the

Student Mugged On University Campus On 29th January, a University of Nottingham student was mugged as he walked through University Park campus.

The student, a 21-year-old man, was robbed of his iPod and wallet as he walked across the Downs area. The incident, occurring in the early evening,

by Hattie Hamilton

has alerted the attention of University management, who have undertaken measures to reassure staff and students.

The University’s security office is working closely with the police to ensure the safety of students on campus, resulting in extra security patrols being

Protesters occupied a lecture theatre

protest – which lasted four nights in total - may face disciplinary repercussions.

These students have expressed their unhappiness at the way in which they were treated and believe that the University acted in a manner that was “not professional or reasonable”.

Following the recent eviction, a new campaign, ‘Books not Bombs’, has formed in order to pursue the aim of providing scholarships to Gazan students and sending educational equipment to Gaza. The launch rally was attended by over 150 people, including Alan Simpson, MP, who gave a short speech in support of the campaign outside the Hallward library. Hicham Yezza argued that, “The situation in Gaza is so catastrophic that any help is welcome.” A University spokesperson said that, “The University has a long track record of helping Palestinian students and helping education in Gaza.”

by Emma Shipley placed into the area in question. Police have described the offender as black, with a Caribbean accent and in his early twenties. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Nottinghamshire police on 0115 967 0999 to ensure this rare act of crime remains so.

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Campus News Refreshing the Students’ Union

Just in time for the beginning of Executive Officer nominations, an Extraordinary General Meeting of SU Council passed a series of wideranging changes to the structure of Nottingham’s Students’ Union. The reforms come after over three months of debate and discussion by the Executive, and represent the product of years of dissatisfaction with the previous system in the SU. Welfare Officer Hannah White, presenting the motion, said that it would benefit students if the number of sabbatical (full-time) officers was reduced, while non-sabbatical (parttime) officers needed reforming, owing to their high workload and lack of input into strategic decision-making. It was also felt that the positions of Student Run Services, Intersite & Residential Associations, and Equal Opportunities weren’t working satisfactorily, due to overlap with the duties of other positions.

The proposed solution defined the roles of four main decision-making bodies the Trustees, Union Council, Executive and other Officers - all with varying responsibilities. Instead of a single SRS Officer, Student Run Services will be overseen by Exec officers more relevant to individual services. For example, services such as URN, NUTS and Impact will fall under the remit of the Democracy and Communications Officer. Equal Opportunities will now combine with Welfare to create a single position, while Intersite & Residential Associations has been combined with the Community Officer.

There were numerous amendments proposed, the most contested of which was the discussion over the status of the Environmental and Social Justice Officer. SU President Nsikan Edung and current ESJ Officer Matthew Butcher argued that the position needed to be at the heart of Executive activities, as many day-to-day issues need input from an environmental perspective.

On the other side, it was argued that the ESJ officer could function much more effectively without the baggage associated with being an Exec member, and that even without a vote on the exec the ESJ officer would still be able to attend Exec meetings. The vote

by Dave Jackson passed narrowly in favour of the ESJ officer retaining his position on the Exec, 20 votes to 19.

The meeting also passed an amendment – proposed by Education Officer Craig Cox – creating the position of ‘Union Historian’, whilst also clarifying the role of the Education Officer. SRS Officer Stewart Bailey proposed the creation of a ‘Student Activities Officer’, worried that the new Finance and Services Officer would be representing different groups with conflicting interests.

Matt Leventhall and Charlotte Senior proposed an amendment pertaining to the representation of healthcare students, as it was felt that the issue of representing students on medical courses had never adequately been dealt with. It was noted that healthcare students are unique, not least because a sabbatical position of Health Representative had been described as ‘career suicide’ by a member of the medical faculty. It was decided that in order to take the concerns of health students seriously, it was too big an issue to discuss for the current changes.

The proposed amendment was retracted, but with assurances that the Exec would look further into the issue.

New research by the University of Nottingham revealed Recent research by members of staff at the University of Nottingham has produced groundbreaking results.

An investigation lead by Dr. Polyxeni Dimitropoulou suggested that highly sexually active men in their 20s and 30s run the greatest risk of contracting prostate cancer later in life. This stands in opposition to the common belief that more sexually active men are less likely to acquire prostate cancer.

The answers to a survey regarding the sex lives of 400 men with prostate cancer were compared to those of 409 men free of the disease. 40% of sufferers were sexually active 20 times a month or more in their 20s, whereas in the non-cancer group 32% were.

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Dr. Dimitropoulou said: “What makes our study stand out from previous research is that we focused on a younger age group than normal and included both intercourse and masturbation at various stages in the participants’ lives.” He also explained that higher levels of sex hormones were responsible for a higher sex drive in men aged between 20 and 30.

Also contrary to popular consensus, Simon Langley-Evans, a professor of human nutrition at the University, proposed that the doner kebab was essentially healthy. He said, “It brings together lean meat, wholemeal pitta bread, and it brings in vegetables in the form of salad. But doner kebabs

by Anisa Kadri

tend to come smothered in dressings, which bring in a lot of fat and salt.” The large portion size and high fat levels associated with doner kebabs have given their inventor Mahmut Aygun a lot of bad press.

Also, in progress at the moment is a major €3 million, 3-year-long European study, led by scientists at the University of Nottingham. The study will use genetic technology developed in Nottingham to fight the lethal hospital acquired infection, Clostridium Difficile (C. Difficile), which killed over seven times as many people in the UK as the MRSA ‘superbug’ last year.

Local News ‘Love Your New Stuff’

by Sophie Vogel cashpoints. As part of the programme to make students feel safer, uniformed police will be patrolling areas of concentrated student accommodation as well as adopting a ‘meet and greet’ scheme to help students move into their new homes.

After a spate of burglaries in Lenton over the last few months, the University and Nottingham Police have stepped up their campaign to make us more aware of the dangers we face as students. With the premise of showing burglars that we intend to keep our possessions safe, the ‘Love Your New Stuff’ campaign advises students on the easiest ways to prevent theft, with the aim of ensuring that safety is always at the forefront of our minds.

Informing us that students are three times more likely to be burgled than any other group, the campaign’s objective is to stop students from becoming victims and amend this worrying statistic. It offers simple yet effective tips on how to minimise risks: locking bedroom doors and windows before going out or going to sleep, making a detailed list of all valuable possessions

including serial numbers, and displaying the SmartWater logo as a deterrent to burglars. This free property-marking service means that stolen valuables will be difficult to sell on and are easily traceable.

“As part of the programme to make students feel safer, uniformed police will be patrolling areas of concentrated student accommodation” With the majority of student robbery victims last year being young men walking alone, students are advised to keep mobile phones and iPods out of sight, to stay in groups wherever possible and be particularly alert at

Notts Prankster Takes the Piss A Nottingham prankster caused havoc for the City Council over the Christmas period, using hoax signs to convince people to urinate in public.

The signs were put up over the festive period in and around Nottingham city centre, displaying an image of a toilet accompanied by the phrase, “Public Urination Permitted After 7.30pm”. The

“It is an offence to urinate in public” creators ensured their signs maintained authenticity by attaching a note headed with the Nottingham City Council logo, explaining that the scheme was intend-

While this campaign offers no groundbreaking solutions, it certainly reinforces the need for constant vigilance and awareness, with its website (www.easilydone.co.uk) constantly being updated to keep students well-informed of shifting crime trends around our city.

Students are advised to keep mobile phones and iPods out of sight

by Hattie Hamilton

ed to “reduce late night public nuisance during the holiday period” by designating several areas for public urination.

The signs attempted to convince unwitting citizens by claiming the measures were in response to the growing number of Nottingham residents having to clean up after ‘late night revellers’.

The note also promised that such areas were to be cleaned daily during the early hours of the morning.

A spokeswoman for the council said, “We are taking the signs down as quickly as possible. It is an offence to urinate in public and these signs have been put up illegally, for whatever reason. We would urge people to ignore them, otherwise they could

The signs appeared over the Christmas period

find themselves inadvertently facing a prosecution.”

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National News Seven Lives Saved by Organ Donation Vicky Johnson, a former Law student and an ex-Karni rep at the University of Nottingham, passed away last month following a car accident near her home in Bow, east London.

The 23-year-old was comatose immediately after the crash and remained on a life-support machine until a joint decision was made by her family to turn off her ventilator after learning from the doctors that she was brain dead. Vicky, a trainee barrister at Gray’s Inn in central London, had reminded her family just over two weeks before the crash that she wanted her organs to be donated for transplant when she died.

She had been a registered donor since the age of 18.

As such, her wishes were respected and her lungs and heart were transplanted to two other women within hours of her death. Parts of her liver were given to a critically ill one-year-old girl who prior to the transplant was given only a few days to live, and to another lady in her 50s, both of whom were suffering from acute liver failure. A man in his early 30s received her pancreas after a previously unsuccessful transplant. Two other middle-aged women received her kidneys.

by Rabab Kassam Some of the organ recipients have been discharged, whilst others are still recovering. To date, her organs have been able to save seven people, and doctors say her other organs and tissues can be used to save five more.

Vicky’s organs have helped save seven people

Graduates Suffer in Recruitment Freeze

by Justine Moat The graduates of 2009 are facing the worst employment prospects for 20 years, an independent research company has discovered. High Fliers Research has reported that students have a “very slim” chance of getting a graduate-level job this summer, due to private sector companies scaling back their recruitment in the economic downturn.

Graduate positions in the City have been reduced by 47%, whilst this year’s overall private sector intake has decreased by 17%. An investigation

by The Guardian has also revealed

that students’ choice of university is more significant than ever, with some companies restricting their recruitment to just five top institutions.

The University of Nottingham remains one of the most popular universities amongst employers along with Bristol, Cambridge, Durham, London, Manchester, Oxford and Warwick.

NUS President, Wes Streeting, advises students to “research earlier on for jobs and think creatively about the options available to them.” Popular alternatives to seeking increasingly elusive graduate opportunities with the private sector

include postgraduate study, and further education in teaching has risen by 50% according to the Teaching and Development Agency. Employment in the public sector is also becoming a common choice for graduates, increasing by 51% since 2007.

Students’ changing expectations of employment following graduation reflects Streeting’s observation that “students are incredibly conscious of the fact that there is a bleak future facing them.”

French Students Strike Against Sarkozy’s Reforms

by Susannah Sconce

Students and lecturers joined in protest against Sarkozy’s proposed education reforms

Thousands of university lecturers and students from over 20 cities in France have marched in protest against President Sarkozy’s proposed education

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reforms. Strikers have been protesting against planned budget cuts which will threaten over a thousand jobs, changes to the way lecturers are trained, and a move to grant university presidents greater power over their staff’s careers.

Stéphane Tassel, of the National Union of Higher Education, said: “We are profoundly angry with what’s going on.

It’s like coping with a disease. We went through denial and despair, now we’re angry”.

The university protests followed a general strike on January 29th, which saw the mobilisation of 1.5 million people across France. The university protest in Paris gathered approximately 17,000 supporters and police in Strasbourg used tear gas on the crowd, some of whom were throwing projectiles.

The protests over university reforms are part of wider dissatisfaction with President Sarkozy’s €26 billion economic stimulus plan, which appears to favour management over employees.

“The movement which is shaking up French universities could provide the spark that ignites the explosion,” predicted an editorial in Liberation newspaper.

News In Brief

by Dave Jackson

UK university students on the wane There has been a drop of UK students entering university by 1% this year, even as the number of overseas students attending British universities has risen by 5%. This is the first fall of British university student numbers since the statistics started being collected centrally.

The KGB comes to Nottingham A park named KGB Plaza has been included on a planning application in Nottingham, owing to its proximity to a Cold War nuclear bunker nicknamed ‘The Kremlin’. While unlikely to be the final name of the park, local councillors have expressed their willingness to collaborate with the infamous cold war-era Soviet espionage organisation: “We could market it to Russian oligarchs!” claimed the deputy leader of the city council.

Exeter score record low on University Challenge The University of Exeter bowed out of University Challenge’s quarter final having scored 15 points to Corpus Christi Oxford’s 350, a record low in Jeremy Paxman’s tenure as host of the BBC quiz show. They had been in negative figures for much of the show, having been penalised for interrupting starter questions and answering them incorrectly. Exeter captain Richard Stearn said that he had ignored Paxman’s advice to “be out of the bar the night this goes out”, but elected not to join in the pub quiz afterwards.

Harvey Nichols to open in Nottingham Luxury fashion retailer Harvey Nichols is set to defy the recession and expand, opening its seventh British store in Nottingham. Negotiations to open at the planned Westfield Centre in 2012 or 2013 are at an advanced stage. Jon Collins, Nottingham City Council leader, said: “The arrival of Harvey Nichols would confirm Nottingham’s position as one of the top shopping destinations in the country.”

Nottingham professor speaks out on school starting age With the government set to bring forward the school starting age to four in 2011, a Nottingham University professor has argued that it may be too soon for children born in summer months. It is feared that summer children may be misdiagnosed with special needs as they are less developed than their contemporaries. “I think there should be a common starting point, but there should be flexibility”, said Pam Sammons, Professor of Education at Nottingham University.

Nottingham games developer bought by Crytek Nottingham-based video games developer Free Radical Design – known primarily for the Timesplitters series and Haze – has been bought for an undisclosed fee by German developer Crytek, famous for hits Far Cry and Crysis. Free Radical Design had gone into administration in December 2008, causing more than 140 people to lose their jobs.

University Admissions hit by Recession

by Louis George Hemsley Under growing economic strain, the government has requested that universities recruit fewer students for the next academic year in order to cut grant costs. The figure, which once stood at 15,000 additional places being offered in September 2009, has now been revised to a growth of 10,000.

This comes after the admission that the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills underestimated the number of students who would be eligible for student loans and grants, leaving a huge budget shortfall of £200 million. This cap on growth will be coupled with funding cut-backs, including a £19 million reduction in the proposed budget for universities for the 2009-2010 session.

Universities Secretary John Denham, in his annual letter to Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), confirmed the cuts, recommending that universities “minimise and preferably eliminate over-recruitment” – effectively extinguishing Labour’s target of 50% of young people attending university by 2010.

Shadow Education Secretary David Willets said: “These figures will come as a shock to sixth formers taking A-Levels and diplomas, to people who want to up-skill during the recession and to employers needing higher skills.

We cannot hope to emerge from the recession in a competitive state until there is a clearer strategy for higher-level skills.”

A recent UCAS report shows a 10.4% rise in the number of university acceptances in 2008, alongside a 10.1% growth in applications – which resulted in 456,627 new undergraduates last year. In sum, prospective students will face increased competition, as the supply of places in universities fails to match the ever increasing demand.

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The Debate Should England Be Better Equipped to Deal with Extreme Weather Conditions?

On a single day at the beginning of February an estimated 6.5 million people - a fifth of the UK workforce - were unable to get to work and more than 3000 schools were closed. The London underground stood still, bus and train services were delayed and cancelled.

The cause of this pandemonium? The worst blizzards in nearly two decades.

Liberal Democrat spokesman Norman Baker said: “the lack of preparedness is astounding and damaging for the economy”, following estimates that each day of snow cost the UK £1.2 billion. He was not alone in voicing his concerns about the country’s inability to cope, as transport Secretary Geoff Hoon also criticised the speed at which the Highways Agency responded to the extreme weather conditions. The

Yes

question many have been asking is: should Britain be better prepared for extreme weather conditions?

by Dave Jackson

In the grand scheme of things, Nottingham City Council got lucky. We missed out on the national grit shortage because Nottingham City Council had put an order in for grit due before December. The deliveries arrived late – just in time for the snow to start falling.

To give the council credit, they did install storage barns for this exact purpose a few years ago. The question many Britons will be asking is why other councils haven’t been so prescient.

A county close to my own heart, Staffordshire, was only been able to grit A and B roads because otherwise they’d have nothing left. Hertfordshire had to look abroad for a grit supplier because it can’t find any domestically. Worcestershire came close to running out of grit too, as are many other county councils. At least one fatality has already been attributed to this rationing of grit: a policewoman skidding on ice on the M8. We may have enough money in the public purse to secure our bank manager’s job, but evidently we haven’t stumped up the cash to keep the roads safe during winter.

We’re in a time of economic strife anyway, who knows what impact weather like this might have on business? We’ve had people not turning up to work, trucks unable to transport goods, buses not running at all in London. They say the best lessons are learnt the hard way – hopefully the government will learn from this one.

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No

Snow worries in Lenton Image by Charlie Stewart

by Tim MacFarlan

Let’s be clear: the snowfall of last month – the heaviest Britain has seen for 18 years – have caused massive disruption to transport, schools and jobs, with widespread worker absenteeism costing the economy over £1 billion a day. A populace already beleaguered by the ongoing recession could certainly do without such inconveniences.

However, better provisions for conditions such as this are unlikely to rank especially high on the nation’s current list of priorities. The aforementioned financial crisis has thrown up a series of long-term problems that are far more pressing than the insignificant short-term damage to the economy caused by a few days of snow-bound disruption. Focusing on costly adaptations to infrastructure on the expectation of annual periods of such heavy snow would be folly, especially in the context of increasingly mild winters in recent years.

In terms of preparing for troublesome weather, flooding rather than snowfall is much more of a problem in modern Britain.

Annual inundation in certain areas of the country is becoming much more the norm than the exception, and local schemes such as the proposed flood barriers at Broxtowe along the River Trent are far more relevant to most people’s welfare than making sure that the underground keeps going when we do get some proper snow.

In an ideal world, Britain would be better prepared for snowfall like that which we have seen. However, in a nation historically unused to such severe weather, it is unlikely that we will be any better prepared in the immediate future and nor, to all intents and purposes, do we desperately need to be.

Sport When I grow up I want to be...a defensive line-backer?

by Jean-Luc Bragard This is England. Football, cricket, rugby...American Football? Now I know it doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue when defining what sport means to an Englishman, but open your eyes sport fans. This is the 21st Century.

Whether you are incensed by America’s seemingly global sporting domination or you’re one of those who grew up playing NFL Madden on the Playstation and now regularly stay up for 2am Sunday Night Football, one thing we can all agree on is that American Football is now very much not just American.

American Football is gradually becoming a British phenomenon. For the past two years, Wembley Stadium has been the venue for one-off NFL season matches, and in both cases the 80,000 capacity sold out. Indeed, for the 2009 scheduled game between the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 70,000 tickets have already been sold - 20,000 in the first seven minutes of going on sale. Since the creation of the Wembley NFL spectacle, British viewing of the sport has risen by 40%. Furthermore, one NFL official recently said he expected London to have its own team within 10 years.

This would be an extraordinary success for the NFL in its efforts to consolidate American Football as an international sport. Of course, we’re now talking about playing, not just watching, which leads us to ask the question: are years of playing American Football computer games enough to lay the foundations for an actual English NFL team? The answer is nearer than we think.

Nottingham University has had its own American Football team now for over ten years, and Impact Sport spoke to Nottingham Outlaws fullback Toby Majekodunmi: “We’re playing at a fairly good level considering many of the guys had not played before coming to Uni, which definitely shows you don’t have to have played since you were a kid to grasp the game. Having the NFL come to Wembley is only ever going to help the game in England, so it’s obviously a massive positive for the Outlaws.”

The Outlaws have qualified for the national playoffs in each of the last three years, and one of the main things helping them is the fact that no players

are turned away. The need for such a large squad (over 40) means the Outlaws can afford to be less elitist than many other sports, trying to maximise their numbers instead of cutting them down.

So will we see our fellow students making it to the big time when London has its own NFL team? American Football in England has seen big sporting names grace the grid-iron gang before. England Rugby head coach Martin Johnson played for the Leicester Panthers, whilst Scotland Rugby hero Gavin Hastings and GB sprinter Dwain Chambers have also donned the famous helmets and pads.

American Football is now a sporting force to be reckoned with in the UK. With millions watching on TV, thousands buying tickets for games, and with certain fans and players becoming disillusioned with soccer, British fans are increasingly referring to their adopted sport as ‘football’, a sign more than anything that the game is no longer simply American.

Getting to know…Canoe Polo, with Robbie Thompson by Ben Bloom Name: Robbie Thompson Position: Club President Hometown: Leeds Course: Physics

seconds, when it must be passed or dribbled. Dribbling is usually done by throwing the ball in front of the boat but can also be done just using paddles.

Polo and canoeing, please explain...

Has anyone ever smashed a member of the opposition round the head with their oar?

It’s a straight cross. We have specially designed ‘Horse Canoes’ and floating balls. It tends to take quite a while to teach the horse to paddle but we find Shetlands tend to pick it up rather quickly.

How does the sport work?

Two teams of five aim to get a ball into the opponents net, which is suspended two metres above the water. It’s a contact sport where pretty much anything goes - ramming, pushing and generally trying to drown the opposition are all considered good tactics. Nobody may hold the ball for more than 5

Yes. Constantly. We wear helmets and padding making it a very safe sport.

Is there any rivalry between you guys, the water polo guys, and the traditional horse polo crew?

Not really, there are occasionally issues with the water polo boys due to our relocation of their equipment but as long as we do it on the sly it doesn’t get out of hand.

naked calendar. Any plans for a rival canoeing version?

The Nottingham polo club is somewhat famous for its annual

We could do but last time there were that many guns on show people got arrested.

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Superstars Preview After a twelve year break, the AU has decided to re-launch Nottingham Superstars. Each hall has been contacted and instructed to nominate one boy and one girl to compete in the event. Superstars should prove to be a gruelling event and as an added incentive to anyone entering the competition, the reigning champion is none other than Olympic Gold-winning athlete Tim Brabants.

The event promises to be a huge test of sporting versatility and endurance.

Events range from football and basketball to cycling and kayaking. The events will all take place on campus, excluding the final, and promise to provide a compelling spectacle particularly the 800m run on campus and the 50m kayak on the lake. The competition is being organised by AU officer Paul Lloyd and to augment him there will be a ‘senior marshal’ present at each event to ensure that competitors comply with the competition’s rules and

by Charlie Eccleshare to ensure everything runs smoothly.

The showpiece final will take place on Wednesday at ISIS nightclub and is set to be a fitting end to what should be a fantastic competition.

Ominously, the exact events have not yet been disclosed and the only thing that is certain is that the male and female winners are not going to win the competition without an immense amount of mental and physical dedication and strength.

The rewards for such endeavour have already been set out by the AU and have been generously donated by the campus Fitness Centre and University Sports Centre. The winning male and female athlete will each receive free Fitness Centre and Sports Centre membership for a year and the three runner up boys and three girls will each receive a personal lesson with one of the Fitness Centre’s qualified instructors.

Each finalist will also receive a free

Nottingham Sport: Dates for Your Diary

ticket to this year’s Intra-Mural Ball and awards ceremony on the 6th May. There are few things a student can achieve in their first year at University that compare with competing in and let alone winning Superstars. The test of such a range of physical attributes coupled with the mental strength required to overcome each obstacle present a supreme test to any athlete.

Even Tim Brabants.

by Ben Bloom

Varsity Series Nottingham v Nottingham Trent

University of Nottingham Superstars

Intra-Mural Loughborough Varsity Matches

Swimming Wednesday 25th February, 2pm University Park Swimming Pool

Preliminary Round Sunday 22nd February

Hockey x 2 Wednesday 18th March, 1pm Beeston Hockey Club

Rugby League Sunday 8th March, 3pm Lady Bay Ice Hockey Monday 9th March, 7pm Trent FM Arena Football Wednesday 22nd April, 5pm Meadow Lane Netball & Basketball Wednesday 18th March, 1pm University Park Sports Centre Rugby Union Monday 27th April, 5pm Meadow Lane Hockey Wednesday 29th April, 2pm Beeston Hockey Club Cricket Monday 4th May, TBC Highfields

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Winners will receive a year’s sports centre membership

Football – 1-3pm University Park 3G 800m – 3-4pm University Park Basketball – 4-6pm University Park Sports Centre Semi-final 1 Sunday 1st March 100m sprint – 2-3pm University Park 3G 50m swim – 3-6pm University Park Swimming Pool

Basketball x 1 Wednesday 18th March, 2pm Jubilee Football x 2 Wednesday 18th March, 2pm Highfields Netball x 2 Wednesday 18th March, 2pm Highfields

Semi-final 2 Sunday 8th March Cycling and Rowing test – 1-3pm University Park Fitness Centre 50m Kayak – 2-5.30pm University Park Lake

Rugby x 2 Wednesday 18th March, 2pm Highfields

Final Wednesday 11th March Isis Nightclub

Tennis x 2 Wednesday 18th March, 2pm Nottingham Tennis Centre

Able to be Disabled For the first time in a few semesters I’d actually seen the light of an early Sunday morning, and I prepared myself for a fun day of disability sports. With all the publicity around campus, I knew that Disability Sports Awareness Day would not fail to please with activities such as ‘power football’, wheelchair basketball and blind football all on the day’s agenda.

The day kicked off with ‘power football’, a game played in electric wheelchairs as the players use a giant football to score on a basketball court-sized pitch.

The sensation of driving the power wheelchair was similar to driving a dodgem, with the added problem of trying to control, pass and shoot a ball at the same time.

Wheelchair basketball promised to be much more my kind of disability sport, as I believed I had an advantage as a seasoned basketball player. Oh how I was wrong. It proved very difficult to score a basket when you’re sat just two feet above the court, unless you’re packing some mean muscles in your arms, for which I am sadly not. However this did not take away the enjoyment of

by Hanna Flint trying to remember that for every two pushes of the wheels, the ball must be bounced if it’s in your possession, and trying not to crash into each other! My team, the Greens, were overall winners but whether that was because of skill or fluke is undecided!

“Blind football wasn’t as difficult or as scary as I had initially thought” Blind football wasn’t as difficult or as scary as I had initially thought. Under supervision of the national team coach, we separated into pairs to practise running, passing and kicking blindfolded, and using the regulation size football that makes a noise similar to a rattle when moved. After playing a game, I can honestly say we were still absolute novices, emphasising the professionalism and skill the real players actually have.

So after a 7-hour taster of disability sports, what did I learn? That there are so many opportunities out there in disability sports for people to become

Students give wheelchair basketball a spin Image by Bruno Albutt

professional players and actually take part in the sport they love. Seeing disabled kids take part in the day was great to watch and opened my eyes to the unrestricted possibilities for anyone, in any shape or form, to follow their dreams.

Paying the Price for Uni Sport

by Max McLaren and Charlie Eccleshare £597 and counting. I am not referring to the latest Paul Spencer quote for rent in Lenton, I am talking about how much a student is expected to pay to be a part of a University sports team at Nottingham. As a second year, I decided to join Nottingham University Hockey Club and although I have not regretted my decision, my bank balance has not enjoyed it quite so much.

Initially, one has to pay a compulsory membership fee of £60 for NUHC; in addition one must purchase a university gym membership (minimum price: £65). Since the price of joining the gym is a fee that students in university sports clubs must pay, it seems like a large sum of money to expect every sportsman and woman to stump up.

Moreover buying kit is normally in the region of around £65 plus and, in the case of hockey, match fees, BUCS gear and club tie all comprise additional

expenses. Add to this the almost obligatory spending on alcohol every Wednesday, lest one miss out on the crucial weekly socials, and it becomes clear that university sport at Nottingham is extremely expensive.

My issue is perhaps less with the University of Nottingham than with the price of playing university sport across the country - as this appears to be a nationwide epidemic. To use one example, the price of a gym membership at Bristol University is in excess of £100. My concern is that sport is perhaps the single most popular extra curricular activity across British universities but also the most expensive.

To pursue a passion in theatre, dance or music at university costs a fraction of the price and the financial burden of university inevitably compromises the experience of university sport for thousands of students nationwide.

“Surely British universities should be doing all they can to encourage promising and enthusiastic sportsmen to pursue their chosen sports” In an age when increasing numbers of youngsters prefer to play video games rather than sport, surely British universities should be doing all they can to encourage promising and enthusiastic sportsmen to pursue their chosen sports. Currently, it appears they are doing the opposite through the continuing financial burden.

On the back of last week’s healthy living week, my message is clear: get all students active and out and about.

Lower the price of university sport.

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N E K A S R FO M A H G N I T NOT

I

have some friends, who put on parties. Sometimes, they’re put on in buildings that aren’t theirs. Nobody else uses these buildings, but still, the police don’t like it. Something about loud bass in the middle of the morning seems to rub up the wider community the wrong way.

I figured there must be somewhere in this city – Nottingham, with more caves than anywhere else in the United Kingdom, a place with a glorious industrial past that’s gone to rack and ruin – where we could revel in peace. It makes sense, right?

Ulective term for an activity,

rban Exploration is the col-

or group of activities, that take place on the edges of the law.

It is deliberate trespass for the purposes of documenting (usually through photography) the decline of urban landscapes.

Anyone can be an urban explorer – all it takes is a low wall and an unlocked door. It’s not going into places that are still used (usually, but you’ll find a dedicated bunch online who genuinely find drains or railway tunnels intriguing – something Freudian about fascinations with holes could be inserted here, but that would be crass), mainly because there’s nothing particularly interesting about a working office building or hospital (as anyone who works in one would tell you). But there’s something about an empty school, or a deserted mental asylum...These are the places that take a grim hold upon the imagination of children, as sources of monsters and psychopathic criminals – the same bizarre, irrational transformation from ordinary to occult takes place in the mind of adults, a residual evolutionary fear of (or fascination with) the unknown.

The care and attention taken to locating sites, determining access points, and then building up collections of tools to defeat any obstacle to ingress (any combination of locks, doors, fences, window boards, brick walls, ledges, tunnels, shafts, or guards, tackled with makeshift ladders, lock picks, crowbars, parkour, hacksaws, ropes, torches, etc.) indicates a mentality most commonly

16

seen in cat burglars and collectors of finely trivial artefacts such as stamps, bugs, cereal boxes and statuettes of the Virgin Mary.

Online, forums are full of explorers comparing their equipment, laying out tools in dazzling arrays of size, shape, and function. The detail and care taken into their maintenance and use struck me, initially an outsider, as disturbingly obsessive – it didn’t surprise me when I found urbex websites describing the hobby as a fetish.

It’s only with a fetishist’s attitude towards old stuff that the really cool shit is accessible – and the greater the dedication, the greater the photography. The one piece of equipment most explorers cannot do without is a camera, people in the exploration community usually fancying themselves photographic artists (but more often than not it just makes it easier to gloat, like those long-haired guys in hostels in Berlin who won’t shut up about South-East Asian parties).

But there remains the fact that this is illegal. It doesn’t matter that there’s a strict code for most people who do it – “take only photographs, leave only footprints” – because if you’re caught, you will face some kind of repercussion. Usually the owner will wave a finger and ask you, sternly, to fuck along now.

He might ask why you’re there, to which you’ll reply that you were just taking photos. Usually at this point they’ll realise you’re harmless (and just a bit strange), so might smile as they escort you off the premises.

Trespass might be some kind of crime (and as I’ve said, it’s not actually something the police get involved with – it’s part of ancient common law – the police would actually be committing an offense if they were to assist in removing a trespasser or their property from somewhere in most cases) but it’s so mild, and so barely enforced, it merely becomes part of the sport for the explorer. Fences and walls are the Pacman arena, security

guards the ghosts. And once they realise you’re only carrying a camera and a slightly foolish taste for abandonment and decay, well, they’ll turn you out, but not particularly grudgingly (although, do note that if you’re entering a property in possession of something clearly used to break-and-enter like a crowbar, you will be in serious trouble if caught by an officer of the law – for prosecution in court, burglary only requires that intent be proven – you have been warned).

T

he first stage is research.

It’s perfectly feasible to walk around the city centre and see potential access points everywhere. Usually even the smaller places will yield something remarkable (the old Odeon cinema on Maid Marian Way has a striking panorama of Market Square, for instance). But different strokes for different folks, as they say. I was starting from the position of wanting space for free parties, and Nottingham is unique in its geographical history – thanks to being located on a large plateau of soft sandstone the city is known for having more underground chambers than any other in the country. Since Saxon times it’s caves that have been Nottingham’s most famous attraction, carved out by hand (so they’re all tall enough to stand in) by the poor and the lepers, banished from the surface communities. Most buildings in old Nottingham have cave cellars – so many, in fact, that over the years dozens were lost, rediscovered every few years as houses collapse and roads sink.

Chances are most locals will have a friend who knew a guy that had an uncle with a cousin and so on who honestly found a tunnel that went all the way from the Castle to Derby Road, or to the city hall, etc. These stories are all untrue; there are no cave networks under the city centre worthy of legend.

The Broadmarsh caves were a massive complex of workshops and stores in the side of a cliff, partially buried by time and excavated by modern workmen.

Most of them are filled in with concrete, to provide foundations for the glorious shopping centre above, but some were preserved as one of the tackiest tourist traps in the Midlands.

There are no good caves left in the centre of the city. Further

out, however, is a different story.

Wben Island (“the Alcatraz

hen being led around Rob-

of Apartheid South Africa”) by a former prisoner (arrested for violent arson upon a government tax office), the personal touch only vaguely makes up for feeling like a schoolchild or common tourist, gawping at this terrible place. He hints that he was raped, as were most of his friends; he now lives on the island with the guards who refused to prevent this in what is usually seen as a striking example of rapprochement. Whilst standing in a courtyard where Mandela and Tutu were forced to pose for white propaganda photography, under a teary sky and reading a poorly-laminated sign with descriptions of prison life (essentially naked and miserable) I’m seized by the uncontrollable urge to run away, into the prison complex, to find a quiet corner behind a locked door, and reflect for myself and myself alone on the decades of torture that have soaked this place with an atmosphere that seeps into the skin far more powerfully than the African rain.

I know I’m not alone in my distaste for the sanitised giftshop tours that spring up to support the maintenance of historic places. Witness the constant and endless debates on the ‘correct’ manner to treat the concentration camps of the Third Reich; whether to let them decay and dissolve back into the surrounding wilderness or to preserve them as monuments to the eternal ability of man to degrade man. To preserve is to simultaneously lose their power, some say, as the tourist money begets some twisted cousin of a theme park that, no matter the good intentions of the preservationists, will soften the horror. But then, the reply comes, if we let nature takes its course we will lose these

places to moss and grass, and the horror will erode, move into memory, lose immediacy and poignancy. Whatever happens, we are condemned to lose sight of the past.

Tare in the Rock Cemetery

he Nottingham Catacombs

on Mansfield Road. They were built in the early 20th Century, by a company convinced that the city could attain the international allure of Paris or Rome if only it had comparable tunnels full of skulls and bones. They were bankrupted early into construction, building only a fraction of the intended network; these days it’s riddled with rubbish from local kids, glowsticks and beer bottles. Walking past the graves of epidemic victims in the round amphitheatre of the Plague Pit (the section of the cemetery built on the collapsed ruins of an old sand mine), sunlight blocked by thick trees, heading to a small corner where a set of thick iron bars define the entrance of the dark, unmarked tunnels…well, there’s a reason the area is associated with Satanic cults.

The Mansfield Road area is riddled with tunnels and sand mines. Several were destroyed for modern foundations, but there are two sizeable complexes left - the best is Rouse’s sand mine. Ask in the shops along the road, going north past the YMCA, if you can have access. You’ll be turned down, but you won’t feel as bad when you sneak in after someone leaves the large doors to the entrances unlocked (as they strangely, frequently, seem to do). There are over 700 metres of dark, sandy tunnels - they used to be filled with fairy lights and called ‘Robin Hood’s Hideout’; local Victorian kids thought it was a troglodyte fortress; more mundanely, it was used as a bomb shelter in the Second World War (basements are uncommon in the UK, so Nottingham’s caves proved an advantage other cities didn’t have). Nowadays it’s musty, mysteriously misty, and far too easy to get lost in.

Rouse’s is fun, but it’s hardly practical - the location is partially residential and the ceiling probably couldn’t cope with loud vibrations. A dedicated WWII bomb shelter, like that under Player Street in Radford, sounded a better shot – I even

managed to dig out blueprints and maps from the city archives (the old lady behind the desk gave a suspicious squint when I asked about ‘bombs’). With a described capacity of 9,000, and rooms full of pre-war telecommunications equipment, the Player’s Tobacco shelter soon took on near mythical qualities over the weeks the area was combed for old manholes and blocked staircases. Asking around local businesses, rumour has it it’s still there, used to store ‘sensitive documents’, but nobody really knows what the deal is.

To kill some time we went instead to a stalwart of the Nottingham urbex ‘scene’, the Great Northern Railway warehouses next to the city’s station. Grand but burned-out buildings, relics of when this city produced lace and cigarettes that were transported around the world. One of the warehouses is now the home of smack fiends. The other is a shell, four walls held up by a mesh of scaffold and concrete like a set from a dystopian film.

Several bodies have been found dumped in dank recesses here over the years, and I could still taste the stench of waste and death until the next day.

Ffull of potentially valuable inding locations that are

stuff (and with the ease of eBay we’d have no trouble offloading anything – no need to deal with stern men in long coats down the local) is always a tricky temptation for the urban explorer. It’s only one simple act that violates the code – picking up a valuable piece of mahogany from a pile of timber transforms photographer into burglar. And it’s so tempting when you know how easy it is to get in and out undetected…

But, then, I’m looking for somewhere to use specifically beyond simply taking photographs, so am I any better? The aim isn’t damage or theft, but loud noise and the inevitable mess of the hedonistic will take away what

makes a true site of urban decay so beautiful – that sensation of walking through the remnants of activity, of seeing how a building, left to its own devices, is taken back by the elements whilst still possessing an eerie and indescribable atmosphere, a property of emptiness. With urban exploration, purity is the attraction – to hasten the process would be to undermine the entire point.

The more I explore, the more I realise I’d rather protect than reveal – begods, I was becoming one of them, the crowing forum members who detest those who abuse their skills for evil. I was even beginning to sound like a tourist.

Wing at a large factory on

e were meant to be look-

Ilkeston Road. After jumping the fence we heard people inside the ground floor (the owners clearly just didn’t care about replacing windows or weeding the yard, which to our mind was akin to a hotel’s neon vacancy sign – unlocked doors would be the mint on the pillow). Not liking the CCTV either, we decided it would be a night job. As we sat on our bikes outside the gates, dejectedly watching the pigeons freely wheeling in and out of the roof, I remembered a night I’d got lost walking home from Blueprint through Radford’s estates and stumbling upon an empty roller disco straight out of Scooby Doo. It was a better target than none – it proved impenetrable, but nearby was a ruined water tower on a warehouse, behind an invitingly dedicated metal fence.

Inside was a huge complex, larger than we could have ever anticipated. We made entry into a generator room, patches of oil spilling out from old car batteries. Through the door a ruined, cavernous car garage filled with the sound of echoed drips. We light-footed through the network of workshops and warehouses – rotten clothes; children’s toys sprouting cress; huge lathes and table saws rusting to pieces; vast collections of car parts, all decayed beyond use. The toilets were overgrown (vines crept out the bowl, through the ceiling), with the splintered twilight from above exaggerating the contrasts between the vivid blues and reds on the walls with the green, mossy vegetation that could be found in every crack and crevice. Downstairs was a

flooded music studio, shattered drum skins and a Smash Hits from 1988; upstairs, on the roof, an old clay tennis court riddled with holes and cracks. There was an office building, papers and desks as they were the day they were left – the office gym equipment was still in place, in working order. There was thousands of pounds’ worth of merchandise within these buildings, and evidently nobody gave a damn enough to want to take it with them – what was even more remarkable was that it seemed most of it had been left untouched for years (not by the owner, junkies, homeless, kids, or otherwise).

The water tower had had its ladder broken off, and was home to hundreds of pigeons. The sky darkening, egress was more important than messing about with nesting birds – it’s also dangerous to mess around too much in large pigeon nests, as disturbing their droppings in such large quantities tends to kick up dust filled with parasites (usually far more dangerous than asbestos, another common risk). In the distance we could see Jubilee campus, and the futile erection that is Aspire.

Rclass areas of Nottingham, adford, like other working

is riddled with buildings like these, left over from the decline of manufacturing and the rise of the financial sector. They’re magnets for the homeless and the poor, some of whom were left destitute by the same economic symptoms that closed the factories, decimated the world-famous Nottingham lace workshops, and left swathes of northern Britain empty and socially scarred. It’s a bitter irony that while communities split and people struggle in ugly ways, these buildings nevertheless fall apart and disintegrate with such beauty.

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she is responsible for the 800 bendy buses nationwide bearing the slogan, “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.” Her argument is that Britain is an increasingly secular society and that atheists should be represented in public life equally to religion. The statistics seem to back her up. Though it’s hard to get an accurate picture of religious belief, a 2007 YouGov poll revealed that 42% of those asked thought religion was harmful, and that only 28% stated that they believed in God. It seems reasonable that the other 72% should be represented by campaigns such as Sherine’s.

2007 YouGov poll “ Arevealed that 42% of those asked thought religion was harmful

“

by Karen Meng here’s an old adage that says the two things you don’t talk about in a bar are politics and religion. But what about on the bus?

In Britain we like to think of ourselves as having a pretty clear separation of church and state, and we’re reluctant to talk about God in most areas of public life - yet monotheism underpins many of our public institutions. Christian bishops are still automatically given seats in the House of Lords, the state funds faith schools, and the national anthem asks God to save the Queen. “We don’t do God,” snapped Alistair Campbell when a reporter asked then-PM Tony Blair about his Christian beliefs. Shortly thereafter Mr. Blair himself caused major controversy by stating that God would be his judge over the war in Iraq. Evidently, we “do God” in Britain - we just keep it under wraps.

Ariane Sherine really doesn’t do God, but she’s not afraid to talk about it in public. Indeed,

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The British Humanist Association ran a campaign on UK buses

Ten atheist bus-related jokes later, it’s not surprising that the campaign has had its detractors: the central statement is audacious and unprecedented in the UK, and statements about religion always provoke passionate reactions. What is more surprising is that the majority of criticism and commentary has come from self-identified atheists. Among believers, there has been a mild response, with some religious leaders actually celebrating the campaign for encouraging people to talk publicly about religion. More’s the pity, then, that most of the dialogue spurred has not been concerned with ontological arguments for the existence of God, or the validity of Pascal’s Wager, but with the futility of advertising atheism on a bus and the imposition of the word ‘probably’ by the Advertising Standards Agency. There’s still nobody talking about God, but everybody is talking about the atheist bus campaign.

Then we get to the ‘probably’, and the more theoretically-minded atheists, the Richard Dawkinses of the world (for whom the existence of God, for everybody, should be thought about a great deal), emit a great collective wail of distress. Tim Bleakley of CBS Outdoor (the company responsible for advertising on buses), explains the decision to make the word ‘probably’ compulsory as a fairly innocuous one; it would be misleading to suggest that there is definitely no God, since we don’t really know either way. AC Grayling, on the other hand, assures us that this decision is a clear example of “insidiousness, pusillanimity, timidity and absurdity,” rightly observing that there is no such caveat placed on the existence of other fictional characters.

After all, we don’t tell our children that it’s time they knew Santa Claus might not exist.

To many atheists ‘probably’ reads as surrender to the tyranny of political correctness that governs public life.

A look through the commentary on the Times website quickly confirms that atheists are not providing a united front on the issue. For the most part, it’s ‘practical atheists’ levelling criticisms. They don’t believe in God, but they consider this to be a lack of belief rather than a religious belief in itself. Accordingly, they don’t see the point of the campaign - we have nothing to sell, they say, so what are we advertising? They argue that the money would have been better spent on charity or humanitarian aid (which is probably true, but could be said of must human ventures).

Even those who concede that gaining public awareness might be useful in challenging the assumption that everyone believes in God are skeptical of the advert’s effectiveness. Are people really going to be enlightened when they see the atheist bus pull up at 8am on a Monday morning? Will they think about it at all?

The fact that the Advertising Standards Agency can place restrictions on statements by non-religious groups (atheists) but not, presumably, on faith-based groups is worrying in an age where freedom of speech is counted as one of the greatest achievements of liberal democracy. We can’t let religion be immune to public scrutiny because people are sensitive about it. The fact that it is taken so seriously and personally means it’s even more imperative that we have reasoned public debates about God, about our human origins and about the meaning of life. If we continue to dismiss such beliefs as ‘private’, their influence on all aspects of life will continue to be masked and monotheistic assumptions will prevail. This will be to the detriment of everyone who believes human beings, not superhuman deities, are the only entities that should be involved in governance and civic society, at least in this life.

O

Gaza the campus protests

N WEDNESDAY 28TH JANUARY, STUDENTS OCCUPIED A ROOM ON UNIVERSITY PARK CAMPUS IN A SOLIDARITY PROTEST WITH THE PEOPLE OF GAZA, IN LIGHT OF ISRAEL’S RECENT MILITARY ACTIVITIES THERE. Armed with sleeping bags, food, books, laptops, art supplies and legal advice, the protesters planned to remain until the University acquiesced to their demands, or reached a settlement through negotiation. Students at 16 other universities in the UK had already staged occupations, and many had declared success.

The room occupied, B62 in the Law & Social Sciences building, is a heavily used lecture theatre. The initial reaction from the University authorities came from Stephen Dudderidge, Director of Student Operations and Support, who cancelled or rescheduled all lectures in the room, in spite of the protesters making efforts to be non-disruptive. After this, the protest became firmly embedded, with posters and decorations placed on the walls (which some students found offensive and borderline anti-Semitic).

The University refused to engage in any negotiations whatsoever. Talks and meetings were held to discuss the issues at hand, Noam Chomsky sent a message of support from America, and local MP Alan Simpson gave a wellattended talk.

On the evening of Friday the 30th, there was a counter-protest held outside by students who felt that the occupation was inherently anti-Israel. This was included in the coverage by ITV Central News. The protest had also been featured in regional and national news. Later, Steven Dudderidge returned, along with Pro Vice Chancellor David Reilly. They read out a statement that said that if the occupation was ended immediately then the University would convene a discussion forum of student groups – no negotiations

would take place while the room was occupied. Further, any students who remained in the room would be, “subject to consideration under university regulations.” Few left.

On Sunday night, the fifth day of the occupation, security came in again and gave a two-minute warning for the protesters to leave. The protesters were then physically removed by security, who confiscated cameras – only one video survives. The protesters were left standing outside in the snow and without their jackets, and were only allowed to retrieve their property after surrendering their student numbers (the University authorities were recorded as saying no repercussions would come from this). Allegedly, local television media arriving to cover the eviction were turned away at the entrance to campus. The protesters alleged that the security team had performed assault and theft (physically ejecting a trespasser is often considered assault under common law). The police were called by the protesters, but refused to become involved (in line with trespass laws). The police have since said that they will not pursue the accusations of assault, and so the protesters are considering civil action.

Contrary to the University’s former statements, all students who gave their student number to the University representative have since received letters warning of repercussions under the code of conduct. The students involved in the occupation have begun a new campaign, ‘Books Not Bombs’, using protest marches to raise awareness and attempt to convince the University to provide academic aid to the Gaza region. The first march took place on Friday, February 6th, attended by well over 150 people.

Impact felt that taking an editorial stance on the events of the occupation, or the broader geo-political controversies, would serve nobody and would only potentially exacerbate already apparent inter-student divisions on campus. In the next two pages we will be presenting differing views of what happened – we leave the final opinions up to you.

The List of Demands: 1 STATEMENT - The University issue an official statement to the press condemning the atrocities perpetrated by Israel in the Gaza Strip.

2 PODCAST/ DEC APPEAL - An alternative podcast be broadcast on the University Portal that counters the bias of the one already posted.

The University website should also carry the DEC charities appeal.

5 REMOVE STARBUCKS – The University ends the vending of Starbucks coffee in Hallward Library and replace it with a Fairtrade alternative.

6 DISINVESTMENT – The University ceases to invest directly or indirectly in companies complicit in human rights abuses in the Gaza strip and internationally.

3 SCHOLARSHIPS – The University grants ten fully-funded scholarships to Palestinian students from Gaza.

7 END COMPLICITY - That the University bans from campus all companies involved in the supply of military equipment to Israel.

4 ACADEMIC AID – The University provide academic aid to the Gaza strip, in the form of a) donation of resources, and b) twinning with Gaza University.

8 THE RIGHT TO PROTEST - That there be no legal, financial, or academic repercussions taken against anyone involved in or supporting this protest.

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(Summarised) Statement From Vice-Chancellor, David Greenaway

Views From Those Affected By The Protest

T

F

University security officers removed the group at around 6pm on Sunday 1 February. Senior Management colleagues were present and verified that this was done sensibly, professionally and expeditiously. The security officers spent two hours helping occupants to retrieve their belongings. At no time were bags searched. It is untrue that we had “barred media from campus.”

The space was liberated in the sense that it became a ‘Temporary Autonomous Zone’ (TAZ) which was a concept proposed by Hakim Bey in the

HOSE taking part in the occupation were asked several times to leave, with an indication that a meeting with senior management could then be convened to discuss the concerns of the student occupants alongside those of other students groups affected by the conflict. This was declined. I authorised a move to end the occupation of this lecture theatre on Sunday 1 February. Those still present included registered students as well as third parties with no connection to the University.

Our students have a right to protest peacefully on any issue about which they feel strongly. This is a right which I staunchly defend, providing it is within the law and does not interfere with the learning of their colleagues. Senior colleagues and I remain committed to building on recent dialogue with student groups affected by conflict in the Middle East.

(Summarised) Post-Occupation Statement From Occupation Blog:

I

SRAEL’S latest attacks have cost the lives of over 1,300 Palestinians, injuring and maiming many thousands. There is now prima facia evidence that these attacks constituted war crimes as defined under international law. Our university maintains strong ties with arms manufacturers complicit in war crimes. This is unacceptable.

The University of Nottingham has a welldocumented history of ignoring student concerns. We believe that our actions were proportionate. We stated explicitly that any disruption of our peers’ education was expressly against our wishes.

Our intention was to open a constructive two-way dialogue, but the only offer of dialogue was made in the same breath that threatened disciplinary action. University security entered B62 and used physical force to end our protest. Amicable agreements regarding student demands were reached at the vast majority of universities, but that was not to be so here.

The only records we have of their statements are on camera - these were confiscated. Further, the media were denied access to campus. An academic environment should teach students how to critically engage with controversial issues. The University has proved that it is prepared to resort to violence in order to enforce ‘harmony’ (read; conformity) on campus. We hope to engage with the University management in a constructive way to address what have finally been acknowledged as legitimate concerns.

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OR me, the term ‘occupation’ does not seem fitting as a description of the goings on in B62. Occupation potentially implies a negative relationship between those who are newly present in the space, and those who usually use it, as well as with the space itself. The ‘occupiers’ made sure the space was suitable for lectures, thus enabling the possibility of a positive relationship with the regular users; there is lots of discussion around this point so I will leave it at that. What is also important, and potentially more interesting, is the relationship between the ‘occupiers’ and the space itself, which implies that ‘liberated space’ rather than ‘occupation’ is more suitable terminology.

80s and is described, “like an uprising…which liberates an area of land, of time, of imagination.”

Being an ‘occupier’ really did feel being part of a free, liberated space; decisions were made consensually, food was eaten communally and a sense of genuine solidarity and positivity was felt between those involved. If we think that solidarity and positivity are things humanity should be working towards, especially in our privileged position as University (under)graduates then we should embrace, if not by being part of then encouraging such liberated spaces. As Bey put it “TAZs are a microcosm of a free culture, I can think of no better tactic by which to work toward that goal while at the same time experiencing some of its benefits here and now.”

Jack Howe

I

WOULD like to begin by stating how proud I am to be part of a university culture that is concerned about the larger world issues that surround them. The students who ran the occupation of room B62 should be saluted for their commitment to moral and ethical values.

Though the occupation may have had good intentions I would like to draw attention to two reasons that prevented me and many of the Jewish and Israeli students on campus standing together in solidarity with the campaign.

Firstly, the campaign viewed recent events in Gaza in a vacuum, where Palestinian violence was completely ignored and the numerous peace talks that Israel has participated in completed dismissed.

When the situation in Israel and Gaza is viewed in this close-minded manner, students cannot help but form an inaccurate picture of Israeli life and culture. Where was the mention of the thousands of rockets Hamas have fired and continue to fire into Israeli towns and cities causing much destruction and trauma among the children and families there?

Secondly, one of the demands called for a boycott of Starbucks over remarks that CEO Howard Schultz (himself a Jew) had previously made regarding the situation in Gaza. His comments, made whilst speaking at his local synagogue, condemned Palestinian “inaction” and announced that “the Palestinians aren’t doing their job – they’re not stopping terrorism.” I believe these comments prompted a boycott of Starbucks to be added to the list of occupation demands. (Unless you believe that Starbuck’s profits goes to funding the Israeli military as one student seems to believe!) Why have Schultz’s other comments been ignored? He also said that he “does not believe the terrorism [sic] is representative of the Palestinian people,” and later, after realising that his words might have caused offence, was quick to make the following statement to eliminate any confusion: “I deeply regret that my speech in Seattle was misinterpreted as anti-Palestinian,” and proceeded to explain “My position has always been pro-peace and for the two nations [sic] to co-exist peacefully.” As Starbucks points out, “Howard was speaking as a private citizen and did not interview with the media regarding this subject”. On a larger note, the boycotting of American-owned companies tends to target what individual people say in a personal capacity and use it as a pretext to boycott whole companies. The link between all the individuals cited seems to be that they are Jewish. It is McCarthyism at its worst to start to hunt down and boycott anyone who says anything that is disagreed with and Starbucks is a case in point.

David Stern

L

ET me start by saying I am a staunch supporter of peaceful protest and have been a defender of this right for years. So whether I agree with Operation Cast Lead is irrelevant – if a group is irritated by something then I have no qualms with a demonstration renouncing it. I do feel, however, that this particular event went beyond the realms of what would be described as a peaceful protest. The aim should be to educate people about perceived wrongdoings, but unacceptably, the occupation ended up disrupting university life for many innocent students.

It made me feel very uncomfortable as the protest seemed to be against Israel as a state or concept, rather than against its actions. This is not the first time this has occurred, but every time it does it strikes me as intolerable. Many are horrified by

human rights abuses in China, but I have yet to find a protest against China’s existence. The same is true of many other nations around the world.

Why, then, is Israel an exception? Many answers have been suggested, including deeper issues such as anti-Semitism. Only the occupiers themselves can tell us the real answer. What they wanted to achieve is also a quandary - demanding the boycott of Starbucks suggested more was at stake than the IDF. One thing is for sure, though: this type of campaign has to stop, as many Jewish and Israeli members of the university become more and more uncomfortable in the face of an attack not on the actions of a government but on a people itself.

Nicholas Haringman

I

N an intellectual sense I’ve known the meaning of solidarity before; its prevalence in Marxist writings on the class struggle, its importance for revolutionary theorists the world over. But at no point in my life have I understood solidarity in such a visceral sense, in my gut, so to speak.

Solidarity is to live, eat and sleep in the presence of others, some friends, some strangers – though by the end all friends – who differ greatly from yourself in culture, class and background, but with whom you share a common cause. It’s a feeling that though you as an individual may be small, you stand united with others as part of something far bigger.

This, in some form or other, is the reply that I give to the criticisms levelled at the occupation as a strategy in itself – that dialogue would have been a better approach, that the staging of the protest was irrational. To this I say that the occupation was not a single event confined within the walls of one room, but just one point in a network, part of a studentled movement that has spanned not just cities but countries. Students who had participated in other occupations, some successful, some unsuccessful, travelled to Nottingham in support and were received as friends. Occupiers from Nottingham travelled to other cities to share knowledge, so that after events here had ended others could learn from our mistakes.

I

T’S all too easy to get caught up in the sense of turmoil and hostility that violence in the Middle East generates, allowing it to obscure the humanitarian values that most students really hold in common.

I sometimes think that by engaging in partisan ‘Pro-Israel’ or ‘ProPalestinian’ discourse on campus we dichotomise ourselves excessively.

I also think that there is too much posturing in student politics; arguing about who is right often seems to takes precedence over actively trying to help victims of violent conflict.

I’m a Jew with a strong connection to Israel, but I don’t support the recent actions in Gaza because I believe they are inhumane and counterproductive - a view expressed by various academics, journalists and protestors from within Israel itself. An important link between Israel and concern for social justice are the many Israeli Human Rights organisations which work with Palestinians. In the future I’d like to see more emphasis put by campaigners – from both ‘sides’ – on supporting these organisations, because they have the ability to change peoples’ lives directly, and to promote a more just vision of society.

INCE the occupation has now been forcibly ended, I would now like to take some time to express my thoughts about the experience.

I joined the occupation on Friday afternoon, and honestly was a little sceptical about its demands and aims. I sat listening to people discussing issues, both about the process of the occupation and negotiations with the University, always relating this to their highest concern; the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

As my confidence in the situation grew, I became more able to express my initial concerns both in general meetings and smaller groups. I learnt that the protest was an ongoing dynamic process, and therefore my contributions were appreciated and I could help shape the form of the occupation.

The atmosphere was friendly, productive, mutually supportive and fun. It gave everybody in the room the chance to express their feelings about the University’s role and responsibility in Israel’s onslaught on Gaza. I came to this

Corin Faife

picking sides to support or condemn we need to invest in measures that can help give security and freedom to both their peoples. To have any long-term hope for justice and peace in the future we should do more to encourage political change from the inside, starting with the work of organisations like these: B’Tselem - the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories: www.btselem.org/english Adalah - The legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel: www.adalah.org/eng/index.php Rabbis for Human Rights: rhr.israel.net Physicians for Human Rights - Israel: www.phr.org.il/phr Bimkom - Planners for Planning Rights: eng.bimkom.org Gisha - Legal Center for Freedom of Movement: www.gisha.org Hamoked - Center for the Defense of the Individual: www.hamoked.org Public Committee Against Torture in Israel: www.stoptorture.org.il/en The Association for Civil Rights in Israel: www.acri.org.il/eng

Neither party in this conflict is about to disappear overnight; instead of

S

Studying the First World War in high school, a teacher explained that when the horrors of war were over, many soldiers became nostalgic because they never again found friendships as strong as those formed under extreme conditions. Aged sixteen I found it hard to comprehend, but having been involved in activism for years now I feel I can understand more. When any direct action is over, the bond remains; forever after you’ll remember that even if the people around you weren’t the ones you’d normally share a pint with, they were the ones that you tried to change the world with.

space with a limited knowledge of the situation but motivated by the humanitarian crisis, and I found that this space provided an open forum for debate and discussion which greatly improved my understanding. This greater understanding has only served to increase my passion to help the people of Gaza.

There was a diverse range of political opinions in the room, and we used consensus decision making to act collectively to further our aims and support. However, this did not prohibit individuals from holding their own opinions about the conflict. The group was motivated by solidarity and revulsion of the conditions of the people of Gaza, and in the hope that the University would act in such a way that would alleviate the suffering of these people.

Since our demands have not been met, the most positive thing I have gained from this experience is the opportunity to engage with others in a

Sarah Braybrooke

lively and impassioned way about the issues that are shaping our world. In fact, on coming to University, this situation is exactly what I expected from a seminar. And more than just discussing these issues, I felt as though I was part of something which could positively affect people in the world. The space itself was one in which everybody was willing to help each other out, whether it was by providing food, music, support or sharing resources. It is a shame that the University could not recognise the positive learning environment we had created, and stopped the occupation of B62. I think we now know where the University stand on education and academic freedom.

Thank you to everyone who helped to create this space and experience, and I have no doubt that these expressions of solidarity and hope will continue unabated.

Charlie Brown

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A

re this year’s Nottingham graduates facing a ‘hiring freeze’?

This is the current corporate phrase being bandied about, particularly in the US, to describe the situation of graduate recruitment since the recession set in last year.

Media coverage of the situation in the investment banking and financial services sectors has allowed the ‘current economic climate’ we talk so much of to cause a chilly note of hysteria to creep into every conversation that might arise about our post-university career plans. From those who had set ambitious sights on a City career, hoping to manage lucrative hedge funds before settling down to an early retirement (spent pruning the hedges of the country estate/townhouse/ private island their sound financial maneuvering had afforded), to the first year who has never before given much thought to what to do with the degree he has just embarked upon, suddenly everyone is considering postgraduate gap years, Master’s degrees and, in some cases, escaping to live in the rainforests of Borneo to ‘ride it out’ with the Orangutans for the foreseeable future.

An Economic Ice Age?

by Libby Galvin

22

A recent poll by Reed has “shown only 4% of graduates would choose a career in finance at present

“

In fact, the lack of enthusiasm for employment in banking and retail belies greater opportunities in other areas. The public sector has increased vacancies by 51% in the last year, and applications to the civil service fast-stream alone have risen by 22%. This increase in both opportunity and uptake suggests the public sector is increasingly being seen as a ‘safe haven’ for graduates, and points to an emerging preference for job security and long-term career advancement rather than the attractive but presently uncertain potential a high starting salary in the private sector may provide.

In November 2008 the Centre for Economic and Business Research predicted an extra 50,000 jobs would be created in the public sector between then and April this year; add to this the fact that many accountancy firms are finding their

audit and consultancy sectors ‘bouyed up’ by the crisis and things perhaps begin to look less bleak. Ernst & Young are presently seeking to promote their graduate recruitment schemes with a new focus on on-campus skills workshops and online challenges, encouraging graduates to tailor their talents towards their chosen career paths, and PwC representatives were recently at the University advertising 1000 places available on their graduate programs.

These companies are keen to tackle the negative image surrounding the situation of recruitment: though there may be marginally fewer opportunities, they do not want fewer applicants. When streamlining resources it is all the more important to have the best employees on board.

So for those on the verge of graduation, making decisions about their immediate futures, what is the best course of action? To gap or not gap? To put it all off and remain submerged in academia (or simply prolong the joys of the student experience) on a postgraduate course?

Or, to plunge straight into a job search but tailor your career plans all the more specifically to make the best of existing employment opportunities? All of these are valid possibilities, but the overriding aim should be to increase your future employability. By delaying entry into the job market, the competition for said jobs is only increasing; in the next few years those who are taking years out or supplementing their degrees with further education will be competing not only against all the other students from the same years who have taken the same course of action in response to the recession scare stories, but also against the ever increasing amount of graduates queuing up behind as graduate numbers increase year on year.

Many employers suggest that getting a foothold in employment, regardless of the real desirability of the job itself, should be the primary focus of new graduates. This experience may not be the dream job previously imagined, but can be used to gain examples of the skills you possess relevant to the workplace, and hasten your development from a student to a business mindset.

This will stand you in good stead for future applications and interviews when the job market picks up again, and firsthand experience of the workplace will make these applicants’ skills sets already more appropriately honed towards professional positions. Nonetheless, further study or a gap year can do just as much to improve your applications,

provided you articulate your experiences in the correct manner; translating what you’ve done into something relevant to the business role you are pursuing.

And now more than ever, attaining work experience and internships in the companies you desire to build your career with is paramount. The highest success rate of applicants to jobs at firms such as Ernst & Young is amongst those who have been selected for and performed well in summer schemes and internships.

employers suggest “thatMany getting a foothold in employment, regardless of the real desirability of the job itself, should be the primary focus of new graduates

“

But is this really the way to go? Is it all as bad as it seems, or are we headed for a thaw just as quickly as we plunged into the tundra of economic turmoil?

Current statistics do little to comfort the debt-laden undergraduate who had hoped for a high starting salary in a big financial firm. Opportunities in investment banking have, unsurprisingly, fallen (by 28%), and with employment opportunities down 6% overall the graduate marketplace has certainly become a lot more competitive. A recent poll by Reed has shown only 4% of graduates would choose a career in finance at present, but it is not all bad news. Although companies are struggling, with KPMG recently offering its current employees sabbaticals on 30% pay or four-day weeks in order to avoid making compulsory redundancies, one place all employers recognize it would be foolish to over-economise is graduate recruitment.

Elena Hickey, Head of Recruitment Marketing at Ernst and Young, advises that “it is not sensible to have a whiplash reaction”, and that employers are very aware of the potentially negative longterm impact of scaling down recruitment too sharply. In the last downturn many big employers cancelled or downsized their graduate schemes to such an extent that when normal financial service resumed they were left with inconsistencies and gaps in their management structure - this is not a mistake they will wish to risk repeating.

Despite the reality that we undergraduates are going to have to up our game to compete for fewer jobs in the most popular sectors, the situation is not impossible. This might just be the opportunity to rethink entirely what we really want from a career, or the chance to widen our experience before following the bright lights of a City job when the market begins to upturn, as it inevitably will. After all, how do you measure the extent and seriousness of a recession, or the extremity of a fall in recruitment?

The popular method seems to be by comparing the present difficulties to the boom period immediately preceding it, and naturally, the contrast seems harsh.

However, in comparison to previous downturns, we aren’t doing so badly- as Micheal Blastland has pointed out in his BBC column, unemployment levels are both at a much lower starting level than in the recession of the early 1990s, and are rising at a similar rate; suggesting strongly that this recession will not prove nearly as bad. Although this contradicts the more cautious view taken by the government, with Ed Balls stating his belief that ultimately the recession is going to be much deeper than expected, both the figures to date infer (and some the biggest graduate employers are predicting) a fairly swift upturn to occur.

So despite the prevailing concerns of so many students, fuelled by a media that’s all too aware that fear (not just sex) sells, the recruitment situation is hopefully undergoing more of a temporary chill than a deep freeze.

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L O O SCH L THE UNTI

by Clare Hutchison and Emily Winsor

B

eing a student is a privilege – enjoy it while it lasts.

In the presence of friends who have already flown the university nest, it is impossible not to feel ever so slightly smug about the sheer amount of time at my disposal (though admittedly it is usually spent in front of a television), or the ability to go out two nights in a row without falling asleep at the bar. With just months left of my undergraduate career I’m putting off growing up for as long as possible – I’m sure the feeling’s mutual amongst much of the student body. With that in mind, the choice that we made aged 16, to remain in higher education, was relatively simple: not only would we get a ticket to the university party, but we would gain qualifications to access skilled and in many instances more highly paid work.

However, when the Department for Education and Skills announced in 2007 that the school leaving age would be raised to 17 in 2013 and eventually to 18 in 2015, not everyone was pleased. While we may be satisfied with what the world of academia has to offer, for some it is a source of tedium and disinterest and leaving school at 16 is the only appealing pathway.

There will therefore inevitably be opposition to the new law as it may initially seem restricting. There are, of course, thousands of young people who will welcome the reform as a chance to improve their earning potential, and relieve the pressure to start earning.

Thus we must ask whether it is right to impose two further years of education on young people, even if it is in an attempt to improve their life experience. Or is this new legislation a restriction of civil liberties by MPs who think they know what is best for the youth of today?

24

Firstly, it must be acknowledged that staying at shool until age 18 does not mean that all 16 year olds will be confined to the classroom and forced to pursue academic study – there is considerable scope for choice. Various vocational courses will be offered on both a part-time and full-time basis, including Engineering, Health & Social Care and Hair & Beauty, alongside A-Levels. The 14-19 Reform Agenda outlines its plan simply, and enthusiastically: •

GCSEs and A-Levels will continue.

•

The Diploma qualification will be fully established, introducing a new range of subjects which combine practical and theoretical learning.

•

There will be another route at 16 entitled Employment with Accredited Training, ensuring school leavers continue to learn and keep progression routes open.

•

Once fully implemented, young people will be able to choose or change paths at the end of key stage 3 (aged 14), and at 16, 17 and 18. For example, at 16 they can choose from the options of a higher/ advanced diploma, GCSE/ A level, Foundation Learning Tier, Apprenticeship or Employment with training.

The key issue here, therefore, is about choice. Today, many of us are overwhelmed by choice. We have had to choose from as young as 13 which subjects we want to study, then whether to stay at school/college, whether to have a gap year, which university, which course, which subsidiaries to do (with options from archaeology to plant science, even if you’re studying English) and finally which career path to follow. Maybe the decision to legally bind students to

8 1 F O E G A

L I V I C F O N O A RESTRICTI TIES, OR A LIBER N I G N I S S E L B DISGUISE?

education or training until the age of 18 is a good thing because it removes a little bit of choice whilst pushing pupils towards bettering themselves. Having grown up with parents and grandparents within the teaching profession, I have heard both the positives and negatives of the education system; but overall if children are given encouragement, support and individual attention whenever possible, they can only but benefit from being in school. We all know how daunting the idea of fending for oneself in the current turbulent job market is going to be, so perhaps the new law is actually a blessing in disguise keeping young people from working until they have enough skills and qualifications to secure the jobs they really do want to do.

However, critics of the new system have suggested that this increased choice of subjects and methods of delivery is no substitute for the freedom and decision making power that we enjoyed at age 16 and removing this freedom will simply create resistance. Given that truancy is already a widespread problem in Britain, it is argued that this would simply be exacerbated by extending compulsory schooling. The costs of monitoring this

WE MUST ASK WHETHER IT IS RIGHT TO IMPOSE TWO FURTHER YEARS OF EDUCATION ON YOUNG PEOPLE, EVEN IF IT IS IN AN ATTEMPT TO IMPROVE THEIR LIFE EXPERIENCE behaviour must also be taken into account, especially as parents can now be imprisoned if students fail to attend classes. Perhaps, therefore, it would be simpler and more cost-effective to allow those unsuited to the learning environment to forge their paths under their own steam rather than diverting resources to convince the apathetic. We all raise an eyebrow to so-called ‘Mickey Mouse’ subjects, such as Surf & Beach Management formerly taught at Swansea University, but at least then money for tuition fees was coming from the students themselves. Funds for state education must be used responsibly; if students have to stay in education, then it must be as significant as A-Levels in providing options for their future.

Historically, the school leaving age has only ever been increased; our grandparents were able to leave school at 13, our parents 15, and us 16. So extending the compulsory schooling period seems a natural progression. The gradual increase in the school leaving age represents a greater sensitivity towards the needs of children and in a society in which our young people are growing up too fast, would it be such a bad thing to prevent premature entry into the more serious and dangerous adult world? Of course, leaving school at 16 does not definitely entail an automatic slip into the criminal underworld, although at this age you can join the army, which is undoubtedly pretty dangerous. But it seems consistent overall; at 16

we can’t do much legally – drinking, smoking, marriage, voting and driving are all no-no’s so in reality there’s not much freedom left to remove anyway.

Though objections will still persist, hopefully the changes in the system will be communicated in such a way that students will recognize the value of the extra years at school. Studies conducted in Canada show that staying on in school for an extra year could increase income by up to 12%, and up to 15% for women in particular. The increased gratification from a higher wage packet can positively influence attitudes and behaviour. So while higherearning power doesn’t equal happiness, it can certainly equal greater self-esteem.

In the long term, it is not only the individual’s bank balance that may be affected. In 2007 a substantial 11% of 16 to 18 year olds were not attending work, school or training programmes, representing a significant source of untapped potential that could prove economically vital for the country. It’s no secret that a serious skills shortage has emerged in the UK. Recent statistics show that 15% of adults in the UK are functionally illiterate while 21% are functionally innumerate. With employers reluctant to train employees, British industry is left producing for lower end markets, rather than innovative, higher tech and in many cases higher value ones. In the face of increased competition from developing economies, the UK must find a leading edge. But such a strategy requires a flexible and capable workforce and if employers cannot be relied upon to provide training, where better to provide the necessary professional grounding than the education system?

The new law will affect students currently in year 8; with a bit of luck, by the time they are 16 they will be convinced of the benefits that two extra years in education can offer. Not only are they able to enjoy the relaxed student lifestyle for longer, but they should become more prosperous than previously possible while the country benefits in the process. What is more, an additional two years in a ‘learning environment’ seems minimal in the grand scheme of things. When we are forty, another two years in school from the ages of 16-18 will seem like ancient history, and will undoubtedly have given us the ability to better our situation in life until we need to retire. After all, the shelter of the education system may actually be the safest place in which to weather this current econmic storm, and when all is said and done, a little bit more knowledge will never be a bad thing, so long as it is administered appropriately for each individual student after the age of 16.

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Leftism As the economy has crashed and burned around us, there are few people who haven’t taken more of an interest in finance recently.

Consumers nationwide are now less inclined to spend or invest large amounts of money without careful consideration of what exactly they are buying, and given that now we pay many thousands of pounds for our education, it seems silly to make an exception. Often it’s a question that slips off the radar: what are the dynamics of the financial relationship between university and students, and what model of participation do we expect given the money and time we invest here?

by Alice Fisher

It’s no secret that the language and mentality of the corporate world is creeping into higher education, and along with it a perceptual shift towards a ‘student-as-client’ scenario. We the clients pay a sum of money to the university in exchange for services provided; the provider receives feedback on our experience through tutor meetings, satisfaction surveys and a council of representatives, and tailors the environment accordingly.

The flaws in this model are twofold: firstly, students do not simply consume the goods of university education, but create their value in equal measure. Secondly, unlike most client relationships, once committed there is little realistic possibility of withdrawing – part of the reason why those who are dissatisfied, but have exhausted the officially sanctioned channels in saying so, can be led to more direct forms of action.

Turning again to the business world, an alternative view suggests itself: the studentas-shareholder. Having bought a stake in a company, shareholders are entitled to a say, however small, in how it is run; and crucially, companies are expected to be accountable to shareholders for the decisions they make.

In the university context, when students voice serious concerns on an issue of policy, engagement from the university should not be a favour which is granted, but a right which is acknowledged. Given the breadth of business partnerships the university maintains, extending the logic to students does not need a huge cognitive leap.

For Nottingham to be awarded Entrepreneurial University of the Year, a great many students must have mastered the ins and outs of the business model. All the more reason for us to take a good look at the way we are managing the biggest investment of our young lives, and demand to be more than transient clients here.

Corin Faife

26

T

his summer I spent a couple of weeks in a bookshop in Paris called Shakespeare & Company, under the vague pretence of ‘work experience’. I spent most of my time reading books and walking the owner’s dog. They hold an annual literary festival and this year’s theme was ‘Real lives; exploring memoir and biography.’ Famous (and not so famous) writers and journalists came and spoke about the fact that the books they write aren’t completely true, and that sometimes memoirs aren’t really memoirs at all.

Obviously it’s near impossible to write a memoir that isn’t at all distorted by weakness of memory (no one can re-create word for word a conversation they had thirty years ago, for instance) and again it’s clear that most people, when writing a book about themselves, won’t be completely honest about what they’ve said or done. I know I wouldn’t be, but then a completely true book about my life wouldn’t exactly be a best seller...yet. But there are some people out there whose ‘memoirs’ and ‘biographies’ are just utter bullshit.

Binjamin Wilkomirski wrote a moving memoir called ‘Fragments’, a heartbreaking tale about his childhood growing up in Auschwitz. Written from the viewpoint of a very young Jewish boy, the book instantly became a success (everyone loves a good holocaust read) and won several awards, including the National Jewish Book Award in the US. But shockingly it turned out that Wilkomirski was in fact a Swiss citizen, Bruno Doessehker, who had never even visited a concentration camp. In another case, an American woman named Margret B Jones published ‘Love and Consequences’, a gang memoir supposedly written by a half-white, half nativeAmerican woman raised as a foster child by a black family in a deprived area of LA. Again, this turned out to be another neatly constructed sob-story. The writer was in reality a white Marget Selzter, born and raised in Sherman Oaks, part of LA’s prosperous suburbia.

James Frey is a more famous example of this literary fraud. The author of ‘A Million Little Pieces’ and ‘My Friend Leonard’, both autobiographical novels, Frey has become an international bestseller with his books translated into 31 languages. Frey was accused of lying in his books and was scrutinised for exaggerating certain ‘facts’ in his memoirs. When he was first charged with writing inaccurately he just dug himself in deeper by stating, “The only things that I changed were aspects of people that might reveal their identity. Otherwise, it’s all true.” Really James Frey? Really? Oprah got involved, and it came to light that when Frey had written that he’s been jailed for 87 days for driving under intoxication, he had actually been held at a police station for five hours at most, and got away with a few hundred dollars in fines for minor charges. His books were full of these ‘small’ changes. Drama queen.

The most elaborate of all lying authors award has to go to J T Leroy, the master of all literary hoaxes. J T LeRoy wrote horrible and disturbing books about his experiences of child abuse and being pimped out across the south of the US as a cross dressing prostitute.

These books sold terrifyingly well (I can’t account for why) yet no one had ever seen LeRoy in person. He only ever gave interviews via the phone or email and obviously this began to accrue suspicion.

It was eventually discovered that far from being a young victim of a horrific childhood and years of sexual abuse, resulting in a disturbed and transgendered genius, the writer was in fact a forty-year-old woman called Laura Albert. To keep journalists off the track, she had employed her sister in law to wear a wig and sunglasses and present herself as the elusive LeRoy at public appearances. This disguise had convinced LeRoy’s agent, manager and movie producer, as well as several journalists, for years. I’m not sure how you’d even go about asking your sister in law to do this for you. “You know how you look

a bit like a transsexual prostitute? Well, I was wondering if you could do me a favour...” When you read the stories it’s hard to say what’s more worrying - the actual stories, or the fact that they’re not real and someone’s imagination could be so twisted.

The literary hoax isn’t new or anything - people have been writing fiction and calling it fact for years. In the 18th century a teenage poet called Thomas Chatterlon got his work published as that of a 15th century monk. In America, writing schools have whole departments called ‘creative non-fiction’. One side-effect of autobiographies being exposed as lies is their fan base feel personally betrayed. But realistically, they all wouldn’t have sold nearly as many copies had they admitted their stories were fiction; people love a good sob-story.

There is even an entire shelving section in W H Smith’s devoted to ‘tragic life stories’. It’s forgivable though, as the insane stories behind the story only add to its intrigue.

The complete inversion of the trend in ‘real life fiction’ is O J Simpsons notorious book, “If I Did It”, written after being acquitted for the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ronald Goldman. The announcement of Simpson’s plans to release the book caused heated debate across America, with the families of the deceased outraged that Simpson could make money from their loss.

However in 2007 the rights for the book were passed to the Goldman family, who then published it so that the world could know the truth.

“I DID IT” is emblazoned across the cover, with “if ” in a much smaller font inside the “I”. It seems they don’t mind profit being made from their tragedy as long as they’re the ones benefitting.

Don’t always trust what you read; just because it’s been printed doesn’t make it the truth.

27

S

Snuff

nuff Soc, Snuff Appreciation Society and Snuff Stop Bus Stop are just a handful of the Facebook groups dedicated to the phenomenon of powdered tobacco. And all these groups have one thing in common: they were all created on the Uni. Nottingham network.

When I asked friends at other universities if they too had perfected the art of dodging drunk people waving small, shiny pots of McChrystal’s, attempting to stuff your nostrils full of sneeze inducing dust, their blank faces presented me with my answer.

It seems that Snuff is a growing trend that is specific to our own classy and beautiful university.

After all, it’s not unusual to find a mass of people in Oceana or Isis crowding around to snort Snuff from various parts of the anatomy. It’s always worth watching Snuff lovers creating a line the entire length of someone’s arm and watching the victim’s face contort as he or she struggles with the task at hand. Alternatively, grabbing a skinhead and using his baldness as their blank canvas for a Snuff work of art, or even creating a Snuff penis-haven for a spot of homoerotic tobacco inhalation.

Nevertheless, Snuff was not always a plaything for students on messy nights out and sports teams inflicting punishments on individuals who fail to meet their demands. It can apparently be dated back to Columbus’ second expedition to America in the fifteenth century. But it was not until the eighteenth century that it became popular, with the introduction of Snuff parlours, and the

Snuff-box becoming a must-have fashion accessory. The twentieth century saw the decline of its popularity due to the growing status of smoking cigarettes. Conversely, experts are predicting a rise in the number of Snufftakers in the near future in an attempt to quit smoking and as a result of the recent smoking bans.

“Fom the regular hint-of-mint varieties to the more obscure Champagne and Christmas Pudding flavours” However, the student obsession with Snuff seems to be unrelated to the smoking bans of 2007. Instead, it is a toy, with which to create a cheaper, yet equally messy night out!

A friend of mine burst into our Lenton house a few months ago, his face lit up like a child at Christmas and his arms full of his new snuff purchases. He proceeded to lay out his new toys on our table, with a running commentary

explaining each one. The table of delights included a Snuff snorter, to ensure less mess during the snorting process, i.e. to prevent him looking like he’d just face-planted into a bowl of brown powder. He’d also managed to track down bizarrely-flavoured snuff on the internet and had purchased it in industrial sized quantities. From the regular hint-of-mint varieties to the more obscure Champagne and Christmas Pudding flavours. He has since explained to me that the key lies in creativity; Snuff Straws, Equalizing and the ominously named ‘Snuff Accelerator’ are all techniques to enhance the hours of fun this trend can provide.

Many people consider Snuff a safer alternative to cigarettes, as it does not involve inhaling tar and harmful gases such as carbon monoxide.

It also has no link to lung cancer, emphysema and bronchitis as it is not inhaled into the lungs.

However, unfortunately there are risks involved with long term use, other than the familiar ‘snogies’, which line the nostrils after a snuff binge.

Experts warn of a risk of cancer of the oral cavity although the threat is minor. It seems users of dry Snuff are at risk of more general, but less serious, nasal damage. Various studies have been conducted investigating these risks and results have shown that long-term Snuff users complain of nasal discharge, swelling and permanently blocked and stuffy noses, a condition known as Chronic Rhinitis.

So I’m taking it upon myself to issue a warning to all Nottingham university undergraduates that if this snuff obsession extends beyond our student years we will be a generation subject to permanently snotty, dribbly and unattractive swollen noses.

By Hattie Hamilton

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grapevine

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Spare Parts T

he world thought it had rid itself of Noel Edmonds in the 1990s when ‘Noel’s House Party’ was decommissioned. Alas, thanks to his bizarre “cosmic ordering”, he wormed his way back on to our TV screens through the medium of Deal or No Deal, a “game” show that requires so little talent and skill that the contestants could be morons – and, on the whole, they are. Taken in by Noel’s façade that they ‘are playing the game well’ and ‘are beating the banker at his own game’, they idiotically believe that there is logic and skill in arbitrarily picking numbered boxes.

It wouldn’t be so bad if people realised that earning £30,000 isn’t bad for appearing on a game show; but, overcome with greed and delusions of grandeur, they continue in their pursuit, crossing their fingers expectantly, and warble out “Thank you, banker, very kind offer indeed…

But no deal, Noel, I say no deal!” They honestly believe it’s their destiny to be a winner of the top prize on the show; and how I laugh when they then take out the majority of the so-called “power five”.

If it’s not the greed, it’s the ridiculous positivity; you could take out as many of the high red boxes as you like, and yet the audience and contestants would still clap mindlessly, happy with their day out of the home. And, when they do get rid of a blue box, the game-player shakes the other contestant’s hand, as if this turn of luck is solely down to his opening of the box; I didn’t realise that opening a box involved so much fucking skill it required a handshake.

The worst thing about the show is Noel Edmonds’ egotism; he believes he is orchestrating it as the all-powerful cosmic orderer, with his ridiculous beard and completely outdated shirts. If he had his way, the show would be called Noel or No Noel. Or, maybe, Noel Noel Noel. Overall, Deal or No Deal is nothing other than complete drivel that pollutes our TVs; it requires no skill, it takes far longer than it should (they’re opening 22 boxes and it takes them an hour, for fuck’s sake), and the quicker it leaves our screens, the better. Deal or No Deal? No, fuck off.

A

re you a self-publicising megalomaniac? Are you bored with reading Facebook statuses updating you on a long lost friend’s fragile mental state? - Then Twitter may be for you. Described casually as a micro-blogging service, Twitter connects unlikely people together for professional and personal relationships by asking one question, “What are you doing?” Your answers to this question, over time, form your profile, which is essentially an open journal for all to see. It has turned into a phenomenon, reaching all ends of the world and allowing an insight into any conceivable lifestyle.

Impact’s Guide to Twitter

Follow these 5 steps to twitter nirvana: 1. Sign up on the website (www.twitter.com) and look beyond the shockingly bad design by downloading a twitter ‘client’ such as TweetDeck, step back and admire your new found reclusiveness.

2. Fellate your ego by creating a bio of yourself starting with the words, ‘experienced’, ‘professional’ or ‘talented’.

3. Start following random celebrities, begin with Jonathan Ross (@wossy) and Stephen Fry (@stephenfry), then add more obscure people such as Philip Schofield (@Schofe),

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Vent Your Spleen Noel Edmunds James Adams-Pace

Boris Johnson (@mayoroflondon) and renowned porn star Jenna Haze (@jenxstudios) 4. Sign up for a Tweetup or Twestival, an event where fellow twitterers get together and talk about how they have cut their average daily masturbation rate by half since being a twitterer. Marvel at the number of receding hairlines and how over-flattering profile pictures are far too common. If you’re lucky, take advantage of very high profile twitterers for your career (the real reason why most people are part of the community).

5. Check your twitter grade at http://twitter.grader.com, If you are above 90, Congratulations, you have joined an elite group. Post your result online and watch your followers grow by the day. This may also be a good time to take a photo of a shocking event to upload to your profile. Take for example Janis Krums (@jkrums), owner of the very first picture of the Hudson river plane crash, he rose to questionable stardom - for a bit.

All in all, Twitter makes me feel uneasy. Elements are reminiscent of an adult networking site and many members tweet everything from their dinner menu to the state of their carpet. Do however take advantage of Twitter, meet some people and at the very least, you may get a shag out of it.

James Sanderson

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he snow has melted, and now it’s just bloody cold. Finding the energy do anything is hard at the best of times and is made much harder when you wake up to find your bed sheets frozen rigid. Try this recipe for a quick, cheap and delicious way to fill you up and warm your bones. Perfect for lunch or dinner, you can also have it on standby in the freezer for reheating when you are pressed for time.

Serves 4 Ingredients 1 cup of Red Lentils (£1.38/kg) 4 Rashers of smoked bacon (£1.99/ pack of 8) - diced 2 sticks of celery (78p for bunch) – sliced 1 red pepper (60p) – finely chopped 1 medium onion – finely chopped 2 cloves of garlic – crushed or chopped 1 tsp Tomato puree ½ tsp Paprika ½ tsp Cayenne pepper 1 pint of vegetable stock (£1.54/100g pot of Boullion)

Instructions Prep time 10 minutes Cooking 20 – 30 minutes 1 Heat 2 tbsps of olive oil in a deep pot.

2 Fry onion on medium heat until soft and transparent, adding the garlic midway.

3 Add in all the bacon, fry for 3 minutes and then chuck in the celery and red pepper with the tomato puree.

4 Add the paprika and Cayenne pepper. Stir and leave to simmer on low heat for 5 minutes.

5 Add vegetable stock and lentils. Stir and bring to the boil.

6 Leave to simmer on low heat for 20 – 25 minutes.

7 Serve with buttered toast. Enjoy!

Nick Medhurst

Recipe Spicy Red Lentil and Bacon Soup

Style Photography Bruno Albutt Digital Consultant Natalia Ivchenko Creative Consultant Danielle Cartwright Hair and Make-up Georgie Allen Stylists Paul Barlow Laura Morrison Models Adriana Alvarez Sebastian Petersen Editors Laura Sedgwick Nikki Osman

Pink Dressing Gown - Linea Underwear - Calvin Klein at House of Fraser Shoes - Chloe Pearls - Monet

Leopard Print Slip - Karen Millen

Underwear - Elle McPhearson at House of Fraser Dressing Gown - Ann Summers

Bra - Karen Millen

The inauguration of Barack Obama into the US Presidential Office was undeniably a change of ground-breaking, history-making magnitude. And after just a month in office, his impact is already palpable. Whilst the youth and vitality he brings to the role has been a welcome change, the hearts of the fashion world have fallen at the Louboutin-clad feet of a woman who is never far from his side. We’ve all fallen head over heels for Michelle Obama.

After nearly a decade of the Bush years, an administration synonymous with tired regimes and a first lady similarly attired, Michelle’s seemingly effortless style is a breath of fresh air to the fashion world. In fact, a brief historical glance in the direction of the first lady’s past reveals exactly why the fashion industry has become so enthralled with her.

As a female position of iconic status, the first lady has long faced this inevitable scrutiny. You’d think that during the course of the dramatic style changes of the past half century, the likes of Hilary Clinton, Barbara Bush et al could have put on a better show. Not since the days of Jacqui Kennedy, with her iconic and highly recognisable style, has the American public had a first lady with any real fashion credentials. Now with an era of new leadership and, most significantly, change, all eyes in the fashion world lie expectantly on Michelle.

And so far she has delivered at every opportunity. Her elegant combination of high end and high street showcases both her cutting-edge style and a sense of modesty. Nevertheless, during the election campaign she tallied up an impressive list of designers, showcasing some of the key trends of recent seasons. As her husband’s prospects for power increased, the fashion industry began to sit up and notice. By the long-awaited inauguration ceremony, designers were falling over themselves to dress her, instigating a global stylist frenzy with desperate attempts to second guess Michelle’s outfit choice for the numerous inauguration balls. The successful candidate was twenty-six year old little known designer Jason Wu, a fitting choice considering Michelle’s tendency thus far to favour small, independent designers (although Michelle’s interest has inevitably caused Wu’s credentials to sky-rocket).

The First Lady of Fashion

By Nikki Osman

The inauguration ball commotion is just another example of how the media have fallen for Michelle. She has become the primary subject of numerous television shows, websites and articles which are passing constant judgement on what and who she is wearing at every moment.

Her most recent foray can be seen on the cover of the March issue of US Vogue, arguably the most flattering testimonial to her sense of style. But it seems Michelle is more than just another style icon. There is something so likeable and endearing about her that it seems that all the media attention surrounding her is simply a reaction to the world’s desire to get to know her a little better. Her decision not to use a stylist like so many before her generates applause from women everywhere, who are sick of seeing over-styled celebrities reaching the fashion top tens. She dresses herself and her kids in US high street favourite JCrew, a good move as a role model for parents in the midst of the recession. And to top it all off she plays her role so well, the epitome of a proud wife and mother.

So what can we expect next from Michelle now that she has conquered both the independent yet notoriously impenetrable platforms of the White House and Vogue? Judging by her style choices thus far, I think the fashion world can expect great things from Michelle. Whilst she will never upstage her husband Barack, next time we read a paper or watch the news our attention will be momentarily shifted to a proud, elegant woman standing a little to the left.

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Fashion Under Fire

The UGG Boot: an assessment

Following a recent conversation with a typically ignorant UON Rah (in male Ugg boots) I decided to delve into the depths of what it really is that makes fashion such an important influence on the world.

cannot see what these monstrosities actually add to the attractiveness of a girl. I’m sure there are many who will disagree, but they manage to turn the most alluring, slender and elegant into the lovechild of the Elephant Man and Paris Hilton on skis.

The pyjama-clad mummy’s boy claimed that the world of fashion was rife with bimbos and uneducated idiots. This simply couldn’t be further from the truth. Whereas an undoubtedly large proportion of Nottingham’s alumni are here out of duty rather than preference, the fashion elite have the balls to enter into the precarious world of the arts with no guarantee of a stable career. Infamous for its unforgiving and cut-throat attitude, the industry is not to be underestimated.

Fashion’s influence is present everywhere. If it wasn’t for such revolutionaries as Mary Quant and Vivienne Westwood, girls would still be dressing like their mothers. Clothes reflect the atmosphere of the world around us. From the power suits of the nineties to Eminem inspired peroxide, our bodies are a canvas for our thoughts.

The fashion industry is worth around £50 billion p.a. If you want to ridicule the likes of Donatella Versace or Karl Lagerfeld I’m sure they won’t mind, they’ll be too busy laughing all the way to the bank. They may not have a 2:1 in Economics but as with most industries, the innate prowess necessary to achieve such ‘top dog’ status cannot be taught. Education is a complex matter.

Someone may be a mathematical genius yet incapable of holding a conversation. The utter idiocy required to suggest that matters lacking in academia are worthless is beyond comprehension.

Michelle Obama is quite the hot topic at the moment when it comes to style. She was recently pictured wearing a cardigan and glove set from relatively cheap high street store JCrew. Not only did JCrew’s revenue soar but the tasteful gesture indicated to a nation in turmoil that cutbacks had to be made by even the most untouchable members of society.

In essence what my antagonist needs to remember is first of all that male Ugg boots (or Mugg boots as I prefer to call them) only turn your cognitive inadequacies into an all-too-honest material illustration of what a prick you actually are.

Secondly that it is this kind of inexcusable naiveté that leads to a kind of faux-elitism in which the only ones who remain blind to their own sorry ignorance are the ones at the hypothetical top.

Grace Gordon

The characteristic of sheep following whichever of their mates are in front of them is an irony which seems to be captured in the essence of their skin. Like the farmyard animal, or a fly being drawn to light, once one celeb is snapped in Heat wearing a pair of UGGs, the rest of the female population follow.

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he UGG Boot is by far one of the most common items worn on campus, and one of the most distinctive. The Australian sheep-skin boot has come to the forefront of fashion with celebrities such as Kate Moss, Eva Longoria, and recently even Leonardo DiCaprio being spotted in them.

Their ‘Marmite’ appeal leaves many in awe and others in despair. Should the UGG be regarded as a fashion necessity for both sexes? Or should sheepskin be left on the terraces?

Retailing at about £140 for the women’s ‘Classic Short’ and £170 for the taller version, the boots make a big dent in any student wallet. To add to this list are ‘Cardy’ and ‘Metallic’ versions which fly off shelves almost as quickly as England’s batting line-up collapses.

Of course there are knock-off versions, available at market-stalls and on the internet - but to fit in with the inner crowd of fools, one must buy original.

Although most of the females on campus seem to think that an UGG boot is what sets them apart, I really

Sheepskin has never really dictated fashion. For many the only time it is seen is on a sheep while holidaying in Wales; however some will recognise the ‘fabric’ on coats owned by football’s most recognisable voice John Motson. I am not too proud to admit I have tried on a pair of male UGGs, and it cannot be denied they are outrageously comfortable.

Therefore I could accept one wearing them around the house as a slipper alternative - at the end of the day they are just a glorified version of them anyway - but to see the clumpy, clomping, clumsy looking boots worn outside cannot be justified. They are ridiculous, especially given the price, and the argument that they are worn for comfort is dismissed when one takes into account how little consideration women generally give to comfort in regards to fashion - particularly with footwear! *** The end of last year saw UGG open their European flagship store in Covent Garden, which as well as the trademark boot, also sees sales of hand-bags, ear-muffs and hats for extortionate prices. Sightings of idiots, people with more money than sense and Chelsea footballers with their WAGs have already been reported.

Will Gilgrass

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TRAVEL

HAVE AN ICE DAY

Jukkasjärvi Ice Hotel, Sweden “Is it a warm night or a cold night for you tonight?” This was the question that greeted me as I landed at Kiruna Airport in Swedish Lapland. “It’s minus 21 degrees,” I thought, “it will definitely not be a warm one.” But staying at the Jukkasjärvi Ice Hotel brought a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘cold night’.

“after a refreshing night’s sleep, a glass of hot lingonberry juice is most welcome” 40

In 1990, a French ice artist held his exhibition in a 60sqm igloo on the frozen Torne River. One night a few of the guests, equipped with reindeer hides and sleeping bags, decided it would be a good idea to sleep in the ‘Arctic Hall’. The next morning the group raved about the unique sensation of sleeping in an igloo – and soon the concept of ICEHOTEL was born.

The original Absolut Icebar must be the most creatively designed bar in the world. It’s possibly the best place to drink vodka on the rocks.

Not your average Isis night though – unless next Wednesday you’re planning on wearing an allin-one snowsuit, boots and balaclava.

Running through the magnificent ‘Crystal Hall’ in one layer of clothing (recommended so you don’t sweat, as the sweat could freeze!) is certainly an experience. When you’ve assembled your arctic sleeping bag upon the reindeer skin, the aim is to get inside without letting any part of your body touch the ice, a feat more suited to the acrobat inside of you. Once tucked in, it’s actually surprisingly warm, and after a refreshing night’s sleep, a glass of hot lingonberry juice is most welcome. But be careful not to fall back to sleep, the hotel opens to the public at 10, so unless you want to appear in any Japanese tourist photos I’d get up and jump in the sauna before hitting the buffet breakfast (with a hot fry-up, thank goodness).

ICEHOTEL is on loan from the Torne River and is re-sculpted every winter after it melts in the spring. No two hotels will ever be exactly the same but the experience will definitely be the ‘coolest’ you’ve ever had!

Francesca Pathak

More reminiscent of the average Lenton house is the inside temperature of minus 5 degrees.

I WENT TRAVELLING

AND I TOOK MY BOYFRIEND...AND LEFT HIM THERE

Just like many gizmos and gadgets, boyfriends can invariably be handy to take with you on the road. They can lift heavy things, protect you down dark alleys, and *ahem* entertain you on a rainy day in Thailand. But much more than this, they can be a comfort and support when you’re homesick, and calm you down when your passport’s been stolen.

It was for the latter reasons, I suppose, that I thought my boyfriend’s suggestion to meet me in Australia half way through my round-the-world trip would be a good idea. But it turned out to be a very bad one - we split up on the day we were reunited.

You see, what I couldn’t have predicted was that upon my own arrival in Australia I would be offered a lift from Darwin to Adelaide, that I would throw caution to the wind, and that together with two strangers I would drive, camp, explore, drink and dance my way through the red centre, consequently meeting a rather damp-spirited boyfriend three weeks late in Sydney instead of Cairns.

COMPETITION

TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY Impact Travel are pleased to announce the Impact Travel photo competition, sponsored by Rough Guides. The photos entered can be on any aspect of travel. Finalists will win two “Top 25” mini guide books as well as a bag of assorted Rough Guides prizes. The overall winner will receive both of the above prizes as well as a Rough Guide to a country of their choice and will be published in the final Impact issue of the year.

How to enter: You can enter up to a maximum of 3 photos. Send the highest quality form of the files (ie not Facebook versions) to impact.travel@gmail.com.

The closing date for entries to be e-mailed is the 27th of April.

Full details can be found on the Facebook Group “Impact Travel”. Don’t miss out on this fantastic way of showing your outstanding travel photos and ‘Make the most of your time on Earth’.

Bruno Albutt

THE TEMPTATION OF ‘TUT’

What I should have predicted, though, is that when push came to shove I would always choose an opportunity for an adventure over prior engagements, my longing to meet new people over the comfort of regular, expected conversation, and my independence over anything I felt might hold me back.

As you would expect, from the moment of meeting up life was a living hell, and when it finally seemed the fighting had stopped, an unfortunate incident occurred on a night out in Bryon Bay whereby, while I was having a quick but passionate kiss with a (relatively) new acquaintance (in what I thought was a very well concealed corner), Andy discovered me, shouted that I’d broken his heart (and some other things that would make your granny faint) and ran off. The next morning, I booked my bus, I packed, and I left, and I didn’t tell him where I was going.

I realise I am currently being severely judged by couples far and wide, but it was never my intention to use this story as evidence for why travelling with your boyfriend/girlfriend is a bad idea; only why travelling with a boyfriend from home was a bad idea for me – and perhaps others who crave freedom, unrestraint and fun instead of whiney boy tears.

Shake out your rucksack, rummage through your drawers and have a good long look at your shelves. If like me you see an abundance of discarded and dusty souvenirs then you are a sucker for what I like to call ‘tut’ - those much cherished impulse items brought on holiday that hold little sentimental or practical use. The set of maracas that never get shaken, the chopstick set which never gets used and the straw boater that only comes out for fancy dress.

What is the problem? Do these trusty items not provide endless hours of enjoyment being chosen and haggled for in markets around the world?

Does the ability to create a toy car out of coke cans not require a substantial monetary reward? Why should I deny grafters worldwide the opportunity to make a quick buck out of my overly generous holiday spirit? My problems perhaps stems from an inability to avoid ‘tut’ and the devastation I feel when my statues of Ganesh, Buddah and David stare down at me from my shelf full of smugness.

So how do we avoid ‘tut’? Step 1: Never believe that just because you only have two pesos left in your pocket you have to spend them! (My Cuban maracas are justification of this!) Step 2: However much you enjoy the victory of haggling limit yourself to doing so for important purchases. Step 3: Anything hand made that you have seen before in another continent is not worthy of your money. As much fun as wire shaped sculptures provide I urge you to consider buying more paperclips. And finally, step 4 (A biggy): Fake designer items bought from men sat on collapsible stools are never a good find, and always Alex Kasozi end in tears.

So my assessment of the ‘boyfriend’ feature is this: leave him behind. You might think he’s going to be handy to have around, but trust me he’s just far too big and heavy to fit in a backpack!

‘Tut’, I am afraid to say, is hustling in sheep’s clothing. Perhaps some will call Image: Bruno me negative, and stand up for the long tradition of bringing home useless items.

Albutt Yet perhaps next time you enter a market abroad you will stop to think of the clutter surrounding you at home, and maybe even thank me.

Sam Selmon

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ARTS

EXHIBITIONS

WINDOWS ON WAR: SOVIET POSTERS 1943-1945

@Weston Gallery Lakeside Arts Centre My first assignment for Impact: to drag myself out of bed on a Sunday and take a short walk across campus to review the new exhibition at the Weston Gallery, ‘Windows on War: Soviet Posters 1943-1945’. I was optimistic despite a relapse of Freshers’ Flu: A-level history had prepared me for some satirical masterpieces.

On entering the exhibition I was immediately struck by the unprecedented breadth of styles presented by the posters: acerbic cartoons, heightened realism, stylised rural scenes - you name it. The posters were used to help the Soviet war effort and produced by a variety of artists. Anti-Hitler posters dominated, but these were executed with exceptional draughtsmanship. Most striking were those drawn by an artist named Deni.

His energised and demonic depictions of the dictator captured the intensity of the threat posed by Hitler.

“acerbic cartoons, heightened realism, stylised rural scenes - you name it” Windows on War

There was just one British poster. It proclaimed “Russia’s fight is ours”, and was a compilation of four Soviet posters with translations. The force and brutality of these images must have had a huge effect on conservative 1940s Britain.

Especially remarkable was that all the posters on display came from the University’s collection of 129 original posters called ‘Windows’, and 37 printed posters. The ‘Windows’ were painted and reproduced by hand in their hundreds and were displayed in shop and office windows. These posters bombarded ordinary Russians throughout the war. Walking round the exhibition gives a fascinating but, I feel, unfortunately limited insight into what the visual landscape and iconography of Russia was like during its involvement in the war.

Must-see: A poster of a Russian mother pleading for her son’s death to be avenged; a demonstration that posters can be as emotive as ‘fine’ art.

The exhibition runs until 22 March 2009.

Victoria Carter

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PARTICLES @ The Surface Gallery The Surface Gallery is one of the best-kept secrets of Nottingham’s art scene. Created and run entirely by volunteers, this small gallery regularly shows a diverse selection of work by both local and international artists.

The latest exhibition, Particles, emphasises difference and manages to incorporate a remarkable range of art forms as everything from film to sculpture and watercolour is on display in the small gallery space.

Particles can best be described as an eclectic mix of work; within the exhibition you will find everything from the aesthetically pleasing (Kaoru Shimada’s cartoon style pieces), to the admittedly bizarre (I couldn’t fathom the meaning of the blue taps hanging from the ceiling). Karen Ay’s ‘Luck of the Draw’ is particularly powerful, as the artist had incorporated the UN’s Human Development Index into a poker game to emphasise the importance of luck and the differences in life chances in various countries.

Particles is definitely worth visiting and, as the Surface Gallery is always looking for people to help out, there are many opportunities to volunteer and assist with future exhibitions.

From more information visit: www.surfacegallery.org Clarissa Woodberry

STUDENT IMPROV NOTTINGHAM Footlights, My Arse

Improv is a key part of the history of British theatre, not least because until 40 years ago it sort of wasn’t legal: the licensing act of 1737 determined that all plays were subject to review and censorship by the Lord Chamberlain before they could be performed publicly. Since 1968, however, anything goes, which is particularly good news for SIN – Student Improv Nottingham.

They meet weekly in Portland for exciting workshop sessions, which mainly consist of what could loosely be called games, designed to get the creative juices flowing: Three Line Scenes, Blind Date with a Twist, and the controversial ‘Fuck with the Baby’*. I took the plunge and improv-ed with the best of them. Let me tell you, it’s not easy. The trick is to let go of the idea that you will suddenly rattle off a complete and entire script to your first sitcom as soon as you open your mouth – you won’t. They seemed to laugh, though, and so did I. This is comedy at its purest - 10-20 people gather in a room and try and make each other laugh. Off the tops of their heads. For 2 hours. Some people are better than others, but that’s ok, there’s no elitism – these guys are welcoming with a capital W. Perhaps the only problem is that it’s hard to switch off from trying to be funny with every utterance – the post-society Mooch trip ‘banter’ was slightly competitive, but in a nice way.

Sooner or later, SIN move out of the relatively cosy and safe environment of the bowels of Portland, and unleash their finely honed comedy skills on the student public at large.

Their latest effort was ‘The Cranberry Chamber’, an improvised whodunnit where the audience choose...err...who dun…it, which had “frankly ridiculous success”, according to Society President RJ. He fondly reminisces how the male lead used the improvised half of the play as a ruse to kiss all female cast members, and not-so-fondly reminisces how he suggested it would be funnier if he entered from under a sink rather than stage-left, and consequently spent half of every performance onstage curled up in a metal box. This year’s production is expected to be bigger, better, and 100% improvised – RJ is just hoping the audience will be kinder to him this time round: “Every single night of performance, I was chosen as the murderer. I don’t know whether that means I have the look of a natural-born serial killer, or that Nottingham audiences are just tremendously anti-Scottish. I hope it’s a bit of both!”

Some of the foremost comedians of the age - Fry and Laurie, Mitchell and Webb, and a smattering of Pythons, all began life in student theatre. SIN and their ilk are the comedians of tomorrow. In the current, post-Brand/Ross climate, when there’s a chance people are afraid to take risks, and something can become a “-gate” with only five minutes and a Daily Mail writer with a soul full of hate, it’s refreshing to think that somewhere out there in University Park, people are gathering and being smutty, filthy and funny, and making each other laugh. Comedy is in good hands. *No babies were harmed in the writing of this article.

Esther Croom

A BLAGGER’S GUIDE TO Impressionism Probably one of the best-known artistic movements, Impressionism is epitomised by the works of artists such as Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir and Pissarro. Led by the French artist Claude Monet in the nineteenth century, the term Impressionism was coined by one of his paintings, ‘Impressionist, Sunrise’. He became the focal point of an exciting movement of French artists who wanted to challenge the status quo of The French Royal Academy and its Salon. The artists were united in their goal to depict day-to-day French life, challenging the conventional rules of painting. Typically, classical paintings were executed in the artists’ studio using models and numerous studies; however, the Impressionists painted in the open air drawing directly from real life and using natural light to capture the atmosphere of their scenes and create snapshots of French life. Using loose brush strokes, their work was accused of having an almost unfinished appearance which caused controversy in the French art world.

While in their lives their paintings were little appreciated, today they are easily among the most recognisable and widely appreciated works of art.

Rebecca Laing

CREATIVE CORNER

This image was inspired by my perpetual lack of money, and the fact it was a friend’s birthday – so instead of a present I took loads of photos at her birthday and made mixed-media collage things with them. What’s that thing they say about necessity and invention? It’s hard to see but on this one I used my favourite thing ever – a typewriter. The noise, the texture it creates…I put it to you that if you don’t have fun when using a typewriter, you’re dead on the inside.

I think everything can be an inspiration – I went to Art College for a year before uni, during which I made a comic about a cup of tea, a stop-gap animation of the destruction of a Lego house, and participated in performance art involving popping paint-filled balloons (definitely the most pretentious thing I’ve ever done.) Art can be about mundane things because it’s about appreciating the beauty in life and expressing that, whether it’s with pencils, film or paint-filled balloons. Drawing strangers in cafes is great for this as it forces you to really look at the people around you, and see them as beautiful rather than as the people who get in your way.

Esther Croom

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POST SECRET I talk to myself a lot. Full-blown conversations. Before you think I have forayed into unlicensed madness, consider this: what do you not know about those around you? Secrets are powerful. Big or small, bad or good, they all represent an integral part of our identities. For one man, accidental artist Frank Warren, what began as an inspired idea to be shown in a small-town exhibition spiralled into the iconic 21st century phenomenon that we know today as PostSecret.

Warren himself is vague about where his inspiration for such a project came from.

He began leaving blank postcards in books, on benches, indeed anywhere he could, tentatively hoping for enough responses to fill the exhibit. But, sure enough, being something that everyone has, the secrets just kept on coming. On January 1st 2005, a website, stark in its rejection of advertising, became a home for these newly hatched secrets. Book compilations of some of the most notable entries have brought them to an even wider audience, and Warren himself has invested significant amounts of time, money and emotion into furthering and managing the project.

Helping as they did him to confront a secret of his from his youth, Warren has used PostSecret to increase awareness of mental health issues. That said, he certainly doesn’t believe that our secrets are demonstrative of our mental fragility; he notes that they “unite us with others...They’re sometimes the most humanistic part of us”.

There are just two rules: the secret must be true, and one you have never told before. Those depicted vary from humourously misanthropic observations about modern life through to those of a far more revelatory, dramatic nature. No subject is taboo, a quality which has led many to scribble down even their darkest, illegal secrets, revelling in the anonymity and catharsis provided by pen and postcard. Aesthetically speaking, the pieces submitted reflect the diverse, cross-societal nature of their authors - a wide range of artistic influences can be observed, from kitschy, pop culture references to original compositions. Many often incorporate (or even more often desecrate) icons we see throughout our daily lives; contributors find their only limits being the size of the card, this even being overcome in the well-noted, “I give decaf to customers who are rude to me,” written on that great paean to consumer culture - the Starbucks cupholder.

So just think: the next time you curse someone who has wronged you under your breath, or even just the next time it was really you who drank the last of the milk, pop it down on a piece of paper. As Picasso said, “there’s an artist in all of us”. And as Warren, the master of the secrets himself said, “courage is the best colour on the palate”.

Jason Gregory

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FILM

Joan from Mad Men

THE RISE OF CINEMATIC TV Impact celebrates the growing trend in TV set to challenge the untouchable superiority of cinema

“tear up those cinema tickets and pick up a DVD box set instead”

This is undoubtedly a golden age for television. Every year a new classic seems to appear. From Battlestar Galactica to The Shield, The Sopranos to Mad Men, Friday Night Lights to Veronica Mars, in the past ten years we have been treated to some real masterpieces. Television has gone cinematic, with rival budgets and productions values, and, in some respects, can be even better than its rival art form, Film. With a film you grow attached to the characters over a couple of hours but with these shows you spend months, even years, watching them grow and develop and truly come to care for them. Most will admit they got a little misty-eyed at Amber’s death in House, failed to hold back floods of tears at the ending of Six Feet Under and punched the air whooping when Tim and Dawn finally got it together on The Office.

Even the film industry has a growing respect for the small screen. More big name actors are landing on TV screens than ever before, such as Glenn Close on Damages and even Morpheus himself, Laurence Fishburne, on CSI. The sheer wealth of amazing roles and

material available would be too much for any actor to pass up. And well-known talent from behind the scenes is working in TV too.

Steven Spielberg created the fantastic Band of Brothers, recently created a new television show with Juno writer Diablo Cody and has another TV war epic due to arrive soon.

Spielberg isn’t alone in his faith in television to tell a good story with other big names such as Barry Sonnenfeld and James Cameron following suit.

So tear up those cinema tickets and pick up a DVD box set instead. Why not stroll through the halls of the White House with The West Wing or take a seat on the therapist’s couch beside Tony Soprano? Perhaps step on to the streets of Baltimore with The Wire and remind yourself how good we have it in Lenton, or step into the swinging 60s with Mad Men. There’s something for everyone. Whoever said TV is bad for you was wrong; how bad can it be when it’s this damn good?

Stuart Thorniley

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THE WIRE The King on the Board When faced with a dilemma, the original bad-ass-cop-with-nothing-to-lose Jack Bauer rushes out of the office, picks up his gun, along with what he now knows will be the first in a long line of black coffees, and proceeds to punish the evil-doers of the world single-handedly. Working within the same (albeit much less ridiculous) crime genre, the struggle for justice in The Wire does not quite work this way.

The new American president has even said it’s his favourite TV show.

On the drugs side, the show presents a near-identical structure of power, complete with a king, bishops and expendable pawns. In one of The Wire’s defining lines, Bubbles (the show’s sympathetic addict) tells McNulty (a lowly police detective) that there’s a “thin line between heaven and here”. Characters on opposing sides of the war frequently chat, spout the same moral values and even bump into each other in the cinema. The audience can’t help but smile when the line “I’ll take any nigger’s money if he givin’ it away” is uttered by both street dealers and state senators.

Creator David Simon’s drama addresses the USA’s approach towards the War on Drugs, a problem that All-American Hero Jack solves his own damn self on Day 10 of 24. Simon employs the streets of Baltimore as a staging ground for a variety of social experiments that not only reveal the inadequacy of the current government solutions, but also reflect the struggle involved in effectively fighting the battle. Without breaching Wire fans’ sacred, spoiler-avoiding code of conduct, the third season’s ‘Hamsterdam’ is an idea brought about by America’s paper-bag drinkers. Designated areas around the city offer amnesty to

On the police side, the show follows a set of idealistic characters whose unconventional techniques for taking on the drug dealers are repeatedly hindered by departmental politics and hierarchical structures within the system. As the show continues, the creators expand their canvass to look at the higher powers that stifle such progress, such as city politicians, state attorneys and even the Mayor. The desire to create a better Baltimore is in opposition to the current social state, and it is only with the furtherance of these justice-seeking characters (‘good poh-leece’) that the battle can be won. Before he was running, Obama’s political idealism is used as a reference point, as another sign for the creators’ hope in an altered future.

Six Feet Under

The West Wing

Band of Brothers

77 people died in 63 episodes. A stroke of genius on the part of creator Alan Ball, each episode began with the death of a future ‘client’ of the Fisher funeral home. Watching someone about to die made for an uneasy two minutes of viewing. Death could be sad, but often it was also disturbingly funny, and paradoxically it was that ever-looming threat that gave the show its vitality and made the characters’ search for meaning more poignant. Driven by stellar writing and an excellent cast, this is without a doubt the most real, clever and affecting drama in recent TV history.

What makes The West Wing so enthralling? Is it the way Jed Bartlett throws his jacket on so effortlessly? Maybe.

Is it the intricate and intelligent plot?

Definitely. Is it the way CJ dances? No. The West Wing is a cinematic vision.

It’s fast paced and you don’t have to keep up, you get dragged along. But The West Wing just wouldn’t work on the silver screen. It is less glossy and stylish than, say, Lost or Heroes, but it is wittier, funnier, quicker and smarter than they’ll ever be. And for that it should be admired.

Hannah Coleman

This amazing WW2-based drama is co-produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, and holds more than just a passing resemblance to their Oscar-winning film, Saving Private Ryan. It follows a company during their various skirmishes, and as well as action on a scale of a Hollywood film, also provides intimate character development which no twohour film could dream of matching. With the largest budget ever for a television mini-series, Band of Brothers proves that TV shows can achieve the special effects and polish of feature length films, and even add something extra.

Mikko Makela

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drug dealers, just as the police save time by turning a blind eye to people drinking alcohol from paper bags on the streets.

Simon uses The Wire to explore familiar discussions surrounding drugs, whilst offering a broad criticism of America’s democracy, determinedly referencing everything from Bush’s War on Terror to the flawed school system.

You can’t sell ideas like ‘great writing’, ‘novelistic social commentary’ and ‘perfect characterisation’ in an article, particularly to those who watch Lost, so just watch it and, with so many shades of grey to choose from, you don’t have to pick a side.

Oli Holden-Rea

Luke Mead

LOST Pro

Anti

Are you a Lostie, or a non-believer? A man of science, or a man of faith? A Jack Shephard, or a John Locke? For the spinal surgeons amongst you, I suppose the most obvious question to ask has to be: when did you get Lost?

It’s most likely that you fell away around late season two/ early season three when admittedly the show floundered, but those who let intrigue triumph over confusion are now reaping the rewards. The show’s renaissance was assured upon receiving a concrete end date after 6 seasons, and as such the storytelling is tighter and more answers are forthcoming. So for those of you who (like Jack) left the island, you’ll soon realise that you have to go back.

Lost isn’t a great television show and it never will be.

The show started out like a girl you meet in a club and from far away, she looks great. She flirts with you, seems interesting and full of potential, at first you really like her. But as you spend more time with her it all starts to fall apart. She just isn’t as intriguing as you first thought and she is nowhere as smart as she likes to think. Her penchant for only giving ambiguous answers is just supremely irritating, as are her attempts to always seem mysterious. The analogy starts to collapse (unless you’ve ever met a girl who causes you to be inexplicably attacked by polar bears) but the point is made: Lost is aesthetics over substance.

What perhaps sets Lost apart from its competition is its intelligence, a rare feat for a mainstream television show. The storytelling is complex; flashbacks, flashforwards, flashes through time and space, but even as we enter season five where the mind really should begin to boggle, comprehension is retained. Returning audiences are treated with respect without pandering to the casual viewer, answers are forthcoming but rarely spoon-fed, the onus lies with the viewer to theorise and discover for themselves.

The fans are not just voyeurs, but are actively encouraged to take part in the show. This ranges from the between-seasons alternative reality games to having a direct effect on the storylines that appear on the screens. The executive producers scour the forums to gauge fan opinions, ensuring the programme they produce is as strong as it can be. The fans have a voice and can often be ruthless (R.I.P. Nikki and Paulo).

Although riddled with mythology and a pounding sci-fi heart, it’s the characters that elevate Lost above being simply a nerd’s wet dream. There’s a castaway or an other for everyone to identify with – I’m a Desmond man myself – and their intriguing pasts, revealed through flashbacks, flesh them out into riveting individuals that you can really invest in. So when a major death occurs it’s heartbreaking, when lovers are reunited it’s heartwarming; it is impossible not to care for at least some of the survivors without ever diverting attention away from the enigma that is the island. Dharma, numbers, others, cabins, statues and monsters... The answers are coming and I guarantee you’ll want to be around when they arrive.

Namaste.

The defenders of the show point to a master plan at work, and that it will eventually all make sense. The show gives the illusion it has such a plan, but you have to doubt it.

The first season looked nothing like the show currently airing; it’s hard to shake the feeling that it is being made up as it goes along. For instance, primary character and main villain of the show, Ben, was only ever intended as a recurring guest star and even the creator J.J. Abrams washed his hands of this convoluted mess a long time ago. The main problem with the show is that it isn’t satisfying. The plot never really advances and the audience just gets distracted from that fact by a new gimmick. The flashbacks aren’t working anymore, how about flashforwards off the island? It doesn’t matter that the idea entirely destroys the premise. The characters have barely developed; Jack and Kate are exactly the same as they were in the first season. The same is tragically true of the rest of the cast. There are of course exceptions, the fantastic Desmond and his ocean-spanning romance with lost love Penny are always enjoyable, but there are so few characters that are genuinely engaging.

The greatest offense is one the show has yet to commit: the ending. Lost has reached such preposterous heights that it can only culminate in a collapse under a mountain of expectation, probably destroying the show’s tenuous ‘mythology’ in the process and resulting in a stack of loose ends. Frankly, it might be better for us all if Lost just ended like The Sopranos and faded to black now.

Josh Mills

Joe Cunningham

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MUSIC “It was never world music, just Angolan kids trying to make dance music”

SOUND OF KUDURO

INTERVIEW: BURAKA SOM SISTEMA Over the past decade the sound of kuduro has made its way from the streets of Angola to every corner of the globe, and a key proponent of this spread has been Buraka Som Sistema. Galvanised by an MTV Europe Award, and considerable critical acclaim for first full-length album, Black Diamond, 2009 should see BSS continuing where they left off last year.

Impact’s James Ballard and Chris Barton met with producers DJ Riot, Lil’ John, and MC Kalaf to see what all the fuss is about.

You guys are from Lisbon - what’s it like?

Did it influence you in forming Buraka Som Sistema?

Lisbon is really cool. The weather is nice, it’s a great place to have babies and happy families! Buraka is a neighbourhood in Amadora, the biggest city in the suburbs of Lisbon.

When we were growing up, being in the suburbs wasn’t a bad thing. With time there were huge buildings housing 2000 families popping up like mushrooms. It’s supposed to have high criminality but we don’t really see that. There is as much in the tourist spots, but you don’t hear about that because the authorities wouldn’t want bad publicity.

Could you explain the sound of ‘kuduro’, and how it influences BSS? ‘Kud’ means ass, and ‘uro’ means hard, but you guys say it backwards! Kuduro is an electronic music style from Anglola, it was invented about 12 years ago. It was never world music, just Angolan kids trying to make dance music, and through their influences made their own techno. It has some roots influences, some samba, and some tribal rhythms, but it never started as a traditional thing. We make kuduro in Lisbon with our hip-hop, house, dubstep, d’n’b, and techno influences; we plan to do our own version of it.

Angola is one of the largest petrol and diamond producers in Africa, but the population are some of the poorest on the continent. Why do you think this is?

It’s the old dilemma about Africa and America; parts of the world that were conquered and then left by themselves. A huge amount of money and resources are left, but dictatorships and military regimes are linked with the west via chains of desires, including business and trade. The money is going somewhere, but not to the people who need it.

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How was the tour with MIA? It was just 3 gigs. She came to Liberia with us, but she got busy, and we were busy writing the album too, so to synchronise both agendas was really difficult. MIA really wants to break categories of style, which is great.

She wants to put the spotlight on other cities, and on other waves of music too.

So how long does it take you to put together a remix?

If it’s only a re-edit like Benga and Coki’s ‘Night’, it takes like one hour! With a remix everybody will throw ideas around to get the backbone, then we may do the whipped cream the day after. We did a remix for Manu Chao but it was rejected! When you are asked to work with a completely different BPM, what can you do? It’s not the remixes but the re-edits that make BSS what it is, the way we change a song into the Buraka way about dance music. Then we can go anywhere from Benga, to AC/DC or wherever!

Your songs have been remixed too. What’s your favourite?

Always the next one! We just received a remix by Drop the Lime, and that’s my favourite right now.

This is your second time to Nottingham, what did you think of Dot to Dot last year?

There was a bit of confusion, we got delayed.

We had to play in a very tight DJ booth, and we are kind of chubby! I prefer it when people come to our shows to see us perform, instead of what happened at Dot to Dot where everyone was just here anyway.

You released Black Diamond in November 2008, what are your hopes for the album?

We want to get to number 3! But no, we’re not talking about charts. This album is our calling card; take it home, get used to it, then come to our shows. It’s been working pretty well. At our shows we’ve had a bigger connection with the audience for all our songs, not just ones on our album. I don’t think its one of those albums with three months to live; hopefully it will grow and grow, taking everything slowly around the world.

COUNTRY PROFILE SWEDEN Impact travels ashore to Sweden to uncover some of its very different yet thriving music trends. We take a whistle-stop tour of the country’s legendary death metal culture, and get the low-down on the developing underground hip-hop scene that’s on the brink of international success.

Death Metal

For those of you unacquainted with the genre, Swedish death metal is synonymous with melodic death metal and is also referred to as ‘the Gothenburg Sound’, since the three founders of the genre hail from Gothenburg itself. Dark Tranquility, At The Gates and In Flames, each still active to this day, are sometimes referred to as ‘The Three Kings’ for their dominance in the genre’s formation and indeed in that of melodic death metal itself. More recently the style has spread throughout Scandinavia, giving rise to the mighty Children of Bodom, as well as up-and-coming stars Mors Principium Est and Norther.

The Gothenburg Sound emerged in ‘92 and ‘93, ten years after the birth of traditional death metal, which was pioneered by Death, Morbid Angel and Possessed.

It distinguishes itself from traditional and extreme forms of death metal through its slightly more accessible and comprehensible screamed vocals as opposed to the grunted style of the former, but the most characteristic feature is the use of melodic guitar hooks, riffs and solos inspired by thrash and heavy metal bands such as Metallica and Iron Maiden respectively. The genre often employs melodic and atmospheric keyboards to create a more diverse and epic sound.

Thematically Swedish death metal breaks away from its father genre in that lyrical content touches on political and social concerns, and often also includes Scandinavian folklore. Traditional death metal, on the other hand, is usually associated with gore and horror, conveyed through both lyrics and cover art (most infamously Cannibal Corpse), which are largely dismissed by Swedish death metal.

Bands currently dominating the scene include Amon Amarth, Arch Enemy, Dark Tranquillity, In Flames, The Haunted, Scar Symmetry and Soilwork. Some to look out for in the near future include Hypocrisy and Sonic Syndicate. Masters of the genre, Arch Enemy from Halmstad in Sweden, place a high emphasis on the thrash side of the genre - flying the flag for female vocalists, they’re fronted

by Angela Gossow.

The future of Swedish death metal seems promising with more and more bands beginning to merge the genre with other styles such as technical death metal, metalcore and doom metal, and with the ever increasing geographical expansion, Impact readers should keep a wary eye on the horizon, for The Vikings are coming!

Matthew Lambert and Ryan Neal

Hip-Hop Sweden’s hip-hop is equally innovative to other genres to come out of the country, though as of yet, less renowned internationally. Hip-hop burst onto the mainstream scene with Stockholm local Petter’s debut in 1998. What followed was a recognisable trend of second-rate imitation; all record labels signed their own rapper, resulting in a significant drop in quality. It’s the independent artists who have survived since the old days that have fared the best; Looptroop Rockers with their David vs Goliath imprint, or Timbuktu under JuJu Records.

Recent independent artists like Adam Tensta under RMH (Respect My Hustle) have witnessed their hard work pay off in the form of international acclaim from Perez Hilton and studio sessions with American promised-boy Wale. The international release of It’s a Tensta Thing, with its dance friendly house and electric influences, is one of the main events this year.

The best live experience and most consistent music to come out of the scene are the antics of Timbuktu and his following. His sixth and latest album En high-five och en falafel (Yes, A High-Five and a Falafel) launched another trademark tour with seven-to-ten men following Damn!, Scandinavia’s funkiest funk band. Timbuk’s steady follower Chords is equally talented but less celebrated. His Things We Do for Things of last year is arguably the best Swedish hip-hop album of this decade, an eclectic mix of soul, reggae, and boom-bap rap. Honorable mentions of late include always splendidly produced Looptroop Rockers’ Good Things, and Afasi & Filthy’s Fläcken (The Stain), the latter a hybrid of Southern American crunk and lyrics about the angst of inhabiting a harmless Western nation.

As in the rest of Europe, Swedish hip-hop does not necessarily praise or follow orthodox forms. Maskinen (The Machine) is a good example, whose first single ‘Alla som inte dansar är våldtäcktsmän’ (‘Anyone Not Dancing is a Rapist’) warranted not only a police report, but an international hit on the electronic scene. I’ve heard it played in Montreal, and the group has gigged in New York. The a la mode ‘80s influenced, cinematic sound is found with Stockholm rappers Lorentz & M. Sakarias, whose debut Vi mot världen (Us Against the World) is due to drop very soon.

What started in my walkman eleven years ago as something esoteric and unknown is now branching out into more genres than ever before, and beginning to get the international acclaim it is due. I’m excited.

Sven Carlsson

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GIRLS OF 2009 Emmy the Great

Emma Lee-Moss, a.k.a Emmy the Great, has been garnering a lot of attention recently with her ‘anti-folk’ tales of the darker side of love and life.

With her debut album First Love being released last month, we caught up with her before the Nottingham leg of the accompanying UK tour.

We sit down at a table strewn with cranberries. “That was me,” says the Great one. “I don’t actually like them because they remind me of bladder infections.”

A strange way to begin any interview, but it seems like this odd statement is her way of dealing with the nerves which have come with being suddenly thrust into the limelight after years of ancillary roles working and touring with other artists including Lightspeed Champion and Jamie T. Did this experience help when writing her first solo album? “No, the writing came naturally. It’s more about learning things. Technique, experience, confidence, stuff like that.”

Emmy’s lyrics explore a lot of dark and intimate subject matter. We wondered how much of it was actually down to

Florence and the Machine Florence Welch’s short but eventful career has already seen her win a Brit Award and feature in the BBC’s Sound of 2009 list, all at the tender age of 22.

We caught up with her and Isabella Summers from backing group the Machine, both visibly buoyed following their latest show. “Tonight was really good. The whole tour is going well, watching other people play is inspiring too.”

Florence got her break by singing to current manager Mairead Nash (from DJ duo Queens of Noize) in a club toilet, although she made a whole album before that called ‘Someone Spilled Snakebite on my Espadrille.’ In her short career Florence has had a number of collaborations with high profile artists, the most fruitful being with former Test Icicle Dev Hynes. “When I first met him I thought he was a wanker! It was a misconception because he’s actually really shy.

He’s the nicest, most talented guy in music today.” Studio time with Razorlight’s Johnny Borrell was less successful. “The stuff we did together didn’t fit. Johnny is a hit maker and I’m more about telling a story”. Florence also spent time with some of the world’s biggest stars when DJing at a Versace party. “Jay Z started

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grinding on Beyonce in front of me; it was the most amazing thing I have ever seen!”

Florence’s feelings on winning the Critic’s Choice Brit Award are mixed, “It’s so much added pressure, I don’t deserve it.” There are bands who she feels deserve more acclaim. She has known Milo Cordell for many years, so when he formed the Big Pink, alongside Mick Jones’s daughter Lauren, Florence invited them on tour. “Golden Silvers are absolutely amazing too, they make classic pop music. They’re not doing it to get girls or be cool.”

Florence has been grouped with many female singer-songwriters including Lily Allen, who Florence is a fan of: “her music is nothing like anyone else makes at the moment. She’s just some gnarly kid going, ‘fuck you I’m still here, and what?’” There are similarities in their personalities too, which illustrate Florence’s misconceived image, “I know everyone thinks I’m this wacky person, but I’m not. The songs I write are about love and emotions. I’m not insane, I just feel things strongly.”

James Ballard and Mark Howard

personal experience. “Quite a lot. The stories aren’t literal. But say, for example, First Love was an analogy for my entire relationship.” This song looks back at the beginnings of a relationship since turned sour. As is typical of much of her work, it centres around a male character who acts like a complete idiot. “I was romanticising an aspect of my relationship which was me trying to accommodate him all the time and him not responding but it wasn’t always like that – a lot of the time it was him trying to accommodate me but I don’t fucking write about that!” So how does the man in question feel about this portrayal? “We’re back together now. We do have some issues around music…”

Best change the subject… So how did she acquire her moniker? “It was a g-mail address. It was just like a joke. But I didn’t think I was going to be a solo artist.”

Lucky for us that she did – her captivating performance later on in the evening is of excellent quality and hints at the raw talent that, with time, could allow her to develop into a performer who lives up to her name.

Chris Lavey and Joe Hendry

INTRODUCING Dawntreader The light is on and burning brightly for the masses when it comes to dubstep in Nottingham. For those who don’t yet know, ‘dubstep’ characterizes an amalgamation of sounds from an expanse of different genres. Indeed, some have become disillusioned by the formulaic nature of other types of music, which might explain the overwhelming allure of the fresh and eclectic sound of dubstep. It is described through associations with such diverse genres as grime, garage, 2 step, techno, minimal and dub yet still it remains distinct and innovative - the inherently underground sound of dubstep is beginning to be felt by the masses.

The introspective and atmospheric feel of the music, and also the scope for diversity created a scene championed by bedroom DJs and exciting young producers, some of which even spring from our own uni. Having already heard former student Brackles bang out his unstoppable remix of Kid Cudi vs Crookers’ ‘Day ‘N’ Night’ on Ministry Of Sound’s Data label, we might now observe another emerging talent who goes by the name of Dawntreader. The DJ and producer, aka Sam Halsall, has been making beats since his first year and DJing since he was at school.

Dawntreader hosts a radio show every Saturday on the renowned Sub FM alongside counterparts Littlefoot and fellow Nottingham student Casual P. Sam, a third year philosophy student, has been creating a buzz on some huge nights, notably with his set at Detonate alongside Martyn and more recently at new night Boom Room at Market Bar. With tunes played on Rinse FM, a residency at Bassline Smith’s Interface in Derby, and bookings for Basslaced and Futureproof, 2009 looks to be a bright year for the 21-year-old.

Dawntreader blends a love of claps and heavy synths to produce his version of what might be interpreted as a fusion of dubstep and garage, an example of the organic progression of dubstep as it is characterized by the youth and exuberance of its producers. Admittedly ‘inspired’ by the early Skream bangers, Dawntreader will be playing alongside the Tempa Records heavyweight at Detonate’s 10th birthday.

Andy Whitelaw

INDIE GIG OF THE MONTH NME Tour @ Rock City

11th Feb 2009

Friendly Fires

This gig was always about White Lies, and they were the best band, performing ‘Farewell to the Fairground’ first. Following this a duet with the lovely Florence during ‘To Lose My Life’ ensured high energy from the start. Glasvegas, however, with their wall of sound and thick Gaelic accent, could not compete with the clarity of White Lies.

Unfortunately a fight during the set diverted my attention but overall the show was both an enduring and exhilarating experience.

Considering she hasn’t released an album yet, Florence and the Machine has certainly made an impression this year, appearing on BBC Introducing and now performing on this sold-out tour.

And my gosh did she champion the stage; with her eccentric, soulful voice dominating her backing quirky pop-rock band, filled to the brim with gritty guitars and mischievous on stage ‘kiss-chase’ sequences. Friendly Fires’, ahem...discofunk-punk-pop music is, as evident, hard to pigeonhole, but it no doubt makes anyone want to dance. Ed Mac’s vocal range was a little weaker than hoped, but despite a few moments of disappointment, there came moments of complete synth-infused bliss.

Charlotte Krol

Chris Jones

DANCE EVENT OF THE MONTH

DJ Yoda and Shy FX

@Mnstr/Dollop, Stealth 7th Feb 2009 Heading the lineup in Rescue Rooms was London boy DJ Yoda, recognised as one of the premiere turntablists of his generation. Combining an awe-inspiring mixing technique with a schizophrenic record collection, his cartoony brand of genre spanning hip-hop had the crowd bouncing non-stop. Some more discerning club-goers might find his song selection slightly saccharine, but in terms of atmosphere and sheer turntable wizardry, ten out of ten. The big name of the night for the Detonate room was D&B heavyweight Shy FX, industry pioneer.

Despite a reputation as a purveyor of the more accessible side of the genre, he delivered a well-rounded set with more depth than expected. A good helping of reggae infused jump-up was balanced by a healthy dose of liquid anthems, and a pleasantly surprising nod to dubstep helped polish off an accomplished set.

Unfortunately, Surkin, child prodigy of DJ Mehdi and rising star of the electro scene was a no-show on the ground floor of Stealth. Nevertheless we were blessed with an array of Dollop’s lesser known talent. D’Lex, MeMeMe, Newmano and Moses from Thoughtless Hussies all took to the decks over the course of the night. They provided a broad electro showcase covering the mainstream and popular, but also including some dirtier bass heavy tracks, as well as bringing in a strong element of the melodic minimal and the more soulful techno-house.

Perhaps with the absence of Surkin it will not be a night to remember, but the Dollop DJs still put on a fine show.

Angus Drummond and Edd Gent

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SCIENCE

STEM CELL RESEARCH AT WHAT EXPENSE?

The use of embryonic stem cells is a hotly disputed scientific issue, and as Nottingham University is one of only 9 centres in the UK authorised to conduct stem cell research, we have a wealth of knowledge right on our doorstep. Last issue, we opened the debate on stem cells, and here we continue it, with opinions from both students and staff.

What the experts say Dr Margaret Pratten, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Nottingham, works in the fields of Embryo development, embryonic stem cell culture, pregnancy and in vitro techniques.

What are stem cells?

There are several different sorts of stem cells - some are derived from adult tissue that actually has stem cells still present and some are derived from embryonic cells. These can spontaneously differentiate into different cell types.

So, why are stem cells such a big deal?

Because they have the potential - particularly embryonic stem cells (they don’t tend to set up the sort of immune reactions that adult cells do) - to form any sort of cell type that could be placed within adult tissues and populate them. But there’s also the possibility that you can actually get stem cells from the umbilical cord. If your parents were to bank cells from your own umbilical cord they could be stored until they were needed, then you could make them grow into whatever you needed to repair yourself.

Or, you could take some cells from an embryo and keep some of them back, because when an embryo’s in that undifferentiated state, removal of some cells doesn’t make too much difference to it and it will just

Peter Griet (PG) favours further treatment with the successfully proven adult stem cells, as the destruction of embryonic stem cells devalues human identity.

Sophie Stammers (SS) thinks most researchers’ notions of human identity are as given to ‘plasticity’ as their primitive cells, but that the potential medical treatments outweigh these concerns.

“my view is that little balls of cells are not people”

PG: The range of cures and treatments available with adult stems cells is at least as great as those from embryonic stem cells. In fact, government reports say that thinking otherwise “contradicts the conventional wisdom that stem cells derived from adult tissue have restricted potential to differentiate”. By the end of 2007, 72 treatments had been completed using adult stems cells and none using embryonic stem cells, despite many private companies being allowed to research using both methods.

SS: Disregarding embryonic stem cell research simply because adult stem cells have so far provided the only successful treatments does not imply the inferiority of embryonic stem cell research, but simply that it is a new field. It is true that we’re a long way from achieving the promised benefits exclusive to

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grow into a normal human being.

A lot of people say they’re not against adult stem cell research, but they’re against embryonic stem cell research. What would you say about that?

I think the problem there is that some people feel even at that very early stage, the embryo is a person and an individual that has a right to live. Now, it’s a bit of a flawed argument, because if they’re left over from IVF, they just get destroyed anyway.

So do you think we should carry on the research into embryonic stem cells?

I think people, when they first realised that they had this potential, thought that it would be a lot easier than it’s turned out to be, like most things. Stem cells are very frustrating things to work with, because they are so uncontrollable - it makes them potentially quite dangerous to put back into a person, because you could be infecting them with what effectively would be a cancer, because the cells just do what they like.

Until that has been all ironed out, it’s going to be a theoretical possibility rather than a practicality - all the hype in the newspapers implies it’s round the corner, but I don’t think it is.

Aarohi Sharma

Two viewpoints embryonic stem cells (treatment of spinal injuries, Huntington’s disease and even cancer) but by ceasing embryonic research in favour of proven but less effective treatment, we’d never know.

PG: What about human identity? At what stage does a clump of cells disposable to researchers become a human life? To say ‘at some stage after embryonic research’ is arbitrary – what is the difference between a living embryo in its early stages and a 24 week old foetus?

SS: It seems that most scientists would want to say that the identity of living things is a matter of degree, not kind, which could be problematic. But in talking about human identity and the right to life, aren’t medical patients just as entitled to the life that embryonic stem cell advances could bring? Ceasing embryonic stem cell research could potentially rob such patients of treatment, so for me the ethical imperative is towards embryonic research as a life-sustaining field.

PG: There are two sides to that argument, but neither will provide an adequate answer to the identity and rights of embryos.

A JUNKIE’S LOGIC

WHY DO SOME PEOPLE GET HOOKED?

Every day a different celebrity name is splashed across the newspapers for entering rehab. It’s not just the rich and famous, however. People from all walks of life can become addicts. Addictions can range from alcohol, smoking and drugs, to gambling, sex, shopping, and the Internet. Illegal substances aside, most of these pastimes are socially acceptable in moderation. But in excess such compulsive habits can be damaging to a person’s health, finances and relationships. So why do some people become uncontrollably hooked?

The second system is the frontal cortex. This is the part of the brain that controls planning and reasoning – it weighs up the long term values of an action. Addicts often have underdeveloped frontal cortex areas, sometimes due to psychiatric illness. Young people up to the age of 25 are also at high risk of addiction because their frontal cortex is not yet fully developed but the dopamine system of the mid brain is mature. There is a mismatch between the systems meaning that short term reward is appreciated but is not effectively balanced by longterm reasoning.

It seems the answer may lie in abnormalities in the decisionmaking parts of the brain. A three year study into addiction has recently begun at The University of Nottingham. The work, funded by the Medical Research Council, involves using scanning equipment to compare differences in the brain function of daily smokers and social smokers. Dr Lee Hogarth from the Department of Psychology took the time to explain to Impact Science what his work entails.

The study aims to investigate how action in the prefrontal cortex part of the brain differs between nicotine addicts and nonaddicted smokers. The processes occurring in the brain will however be similar for decision-making in people with other types of addiction. Hogarth explained that the work is hoped to encourage investment from the pharmaceutical industry.

Possible drugs may be investigated that could improve abnormality in frontal function. This would enable people to more effectively weigh up the consequences of their addictions and so make the decision to break the habit.

Decision-making is all to do with weighing up costs and benefits. Addicts expect to gain an unusually high benefit from the behaviour or substance they are addicted to. Dr Hogarth explains that this expected benefit is, “much higher than the most pleasurable thing you can think of.” So it is not really surprising that an addict will return for more. To the addicted, even though the negative consequences or costs associated with the behaviour might be high, they are outweighed by the perceived benefit.

There are two ways in which the brain calculates these costs and benefits. Firstly there is the dopamine system that is activated when a person or animal experiences something that is favourable to survival or reproduction, such as food or sex.

Dopamine is a chemical signal that acts in the middle part of the brain to create a feeling of pleasure or reward which encourages the beneficial behaviour to be repeated. The release of dopamine can be initiated by other behaviours such as drug use. To control the action of dopamine the brain contains receptors that inhibit its effects. Addicts often have an unusually low number of these inhibitory receptors. This means that the brain is overly stimulated by dopamine and so the feeling of reward is more intense.

Treatments for addiction have so far been somewhat overlooked. This is partly because the proportion of addicts in the population is much lower than those suffering other illnesses such as asthma or cancer. Also society tends to look upon addicts as having decided to take drugs or begin gambling etc, so they are often blamed for getting themselves into difficulty.

Whilst obviously there is choice involved, this study may go some way to showing that this choice is not completely free.

The decision-making system in many addicts is essentially broken. Dr Hogarth told Impact that the study has the potential to show that, “an addict’s freewill is undermined.”

With no addiction treatments currently in the pharmaceutical pipeline the work being carried out here at Nottingham is a significant first step. The findings could have important consequences for tackling the growing problem of addiction in our society, but the effect of the results will be a long time coming.

Laura McGuinness

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NIGHTS

WHERE TO? TRENT SU!

Saturday night has become a cliché: with such pressure to have fun, you rarely do. It’s a bit like New Year’s Eve, only every bloody week. I am therefore deeply relieved to have found the answer – yet for a solution, it is problematic. Riddled with controversy, it contains all the stigma of a long and bitter enmity. But in spite of this, the Trent SU offers something which the likes of the Venue could sadly never rival.

“a wide variety of music from Five to Punjabi MC”

Like every Trent virgin before me, I had sworn my allegiance firmly to Nottingham, our Nottingham. Loyalties aside, I wasn’t exactly comfortable with the thought of being outnumbered on enemy territory. Yes, I feared for my own safety. After some prelash, though, I was more easily persuaded; we boldly queued before the (unattractive) box that is Trent SU and, luckily, our presence seemed to pass unnoticed. Needless to say, chanting - “Give me a C... D... E, what do you get? Trent grades!” - soon rectified the situation, but even this provoked nothing more than a few glares. They showed us. Entrance was free (before 10:30pm), and once inside I began to understand the hype. This was no ordinary union, but a fully-fledged night club.

Multiple rooms, professional lighting, and different music zones, playing a wide variety from Five to Punjabi MC. There was nothing lacking but the usual Ocean-esque sleaze and grime, the rough security of Gatecrasher, and the difficult bouncers (Oceana *ahem*). Best of all though, the atmosphere was electric; the crowd was an equal mix of the two universities, and somehow the combination worked. The infamous Trent/Nottingham divide was no longer, and it was impossible to differentiate one student from the next. This was, indeed, a ‘students’ union’.

I therefore encourage Nottingham students everywhere to surrender themselves to Trent SU. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you look like, this is an all-accepting kind of place.

Just one word of warning: girls, wear flats – with drinks this cheap, you won’t suffer heels for long.

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Elizabeth Gourd

Bar Seven Junktion7 has had a revamp. Complete with new name, new paint, and new nights, Bar Seven is the shiny new incarnation of its slightly grimy predecessor. Friday 13th, launch night, saw the first of a new fortnightly fixture described by the organisers as “possibly the friendliest club atmosphere...fusing an extremely danceable mix of punk and pop”. Pop Bubble Rock! avoids the pretension of being cliquey and ‘too cool’, whilst remaining a credible alternative to the usual cheesy fare. If a fusion of punk and pop doesn’t sound like your thing, then why not bring along your own choice of tunes to boogie the night away? The DJs will happily accept your CDs of up to 3 tracks each, so that for the first hour-and-a-half of the night you will be in control. A monthly offering of BandSoc House Party reunites Bar Seven with student bands, providing the ultimate student house party with live music, and with 50% of the proceeds going to Oxfam. Finally, if all that partying is beginning to take its toll, Bar Seven has kindly created The Hangover Club, the perfect setting in which to nurse away the sins of Saturday night with chilled-out DJs and coffee in plentiful supply.

An NUS card will see you through the door of most featured nights for around £4, with cheap drink deals each night.

Jamilla Hinds-Brough

Boom Room @ Market Bar

February 2009 began with the credit crunch (oh yes, the credit crunch). And a little bit of snow (bloody life-threatening snow, the type of snow that means no one in England can do anything). It also brought a new semester. But most importantly it whipped up The Market Bar’s latest addition to the Nottingham social scene: BOOM ROOM! It’s on a Wednesday, every Wednesday. So I should probably tell you that it’s a welcome alternative to that much-loved piss-pot Isis! Look, if you like Isis then crack on, me old son. But if you don’t then your Wednesday night just got a little bit tasty methinks.

Boom Room professes to ‘drop beats like bombs’.

This figurative reference to the music is a fitting description of the huge dubstep, electro and garage tunes being delivered to you throughout the night.

With the bass smacking you in the face with a big cricket bat and the misty atmosphere of Market Bar, perfectly married with cheap drinks, the denouement is an absolute ripsnorter of a night.

The Market Bar already provides us with our favourite Tuesday and Thursday nights, and now it’s trying to eat into our Wednesday nights as well, cheeky little swine. Expect Boom Room to take off in a big way - after all it does “drop beats like bombs”.

Ed Davidson

clubbing with the crowd Progressing through your year at Nottingham? Feeling like you’ve done the same nights, same people and same place for too long? If you fancy branching out from the norm, here’s a summary of how to fit in amongs the many groups of Nottingham (all tongue in cheek of course).

Standard Rahs Most Likely to Wear: Striped shirts, boat shoes, velvet blazers, red jeans, Jack Wills, barbours, gilets.

Most Likely to Say: “Yar Yar”, “Lets have Sups”, “Pimms o’ clock”, “dread”, “schweffing”, “I’m Pranging out”, “On my gap year….”

Most Likely to be Found: Pub, Dinner Party, House Party with other Rahs, Polo social.

Rugby Lads/ Football Lads/ Hockey Lads: Most Likely to Wear: Shirt, tie and chinos combo (always gets the ladies), NUFC tracksuit and trusty oversized sport bag for the day times round campus.

Most Likely to Say: “Mate”, “Lad”, “He’s an oil”, “Lash”, “Banter”, “Gigging”.

Most Likely to be Found: In Isis or tied to each other naked in some form of initiation process.

North Londoners:

Keen Beans:

Most Likely to Wear: Abercrombie to the extreme, grey nike tracksuit bottoms, shameless fake tan, a designer handbag, Tiffanys or Links jewellery, a mini cooper, baggy pyjamas, trousers avec flame motif, a skin tight ribbed jumper or muscle top of the more beef cake variety.

Most Likely to Wear: Karni hoodie, Week One t-shirt, Fancy Dress, BUCS attire, a big furry hat and clipboard (Adam James Pereira aka AJP for the insiders).

Most Likely to Say: “Butters”, “Do you know so and so? Oh My god they’re a family friend.”

Most Likely to be Found: Market Bar, Isis V.I.P room (of course babes).

Most Likely to Say: “Get involved”, “I can get you on the guest list/I can get you in”, “text me the names”, some form of Hall chanting, “can you tag me in that?”

Most Likely to be Found: In Ocean, or staging a sit-in inside the Law and Social Sciences building.

Rah-vers: Most Likely to Wear: Bathing Ape hoodies with some form of monkeys or diamond design on them, sunglasses indoors - bonus points if they’re wayfarers Nike Hi-tops, mental charity shop finds, bowler hats or extra large caps, a casio watch, all mixed in with the odd Abercrombie piece. Note: there is no such thing as too much American Apparel.

Most Likely to Say: “Maaaate Maaaate” (note the difference in pronunciation from Sports Lads),”sweeeet”, “boosh some narcotics”, “I love Andy George and Deadmau5” (translation I’ve heard a couple of their tracks), “Have you got any Mandy/ Mud?”, “lead”, “chilled”, “Fancy a bun?”

Most Likely to be Found: Stealth, Rescue Rooms, Blueprint, Crave, Dogma, Firefly, and finally, Ocean.

Coco tang On first impressions the narrow entrance and rather imposing doorman didn’t bode well for my Coco Tang experience.

Yet I was pleasantly surprised when I walked down the stairs. Coco Tang has a cavernous feeling, but with two bars, a large dance floor, and several comfortable seating areas, you don’t feel cramped.

The barmen are skilled cocktail makers and there is a wide selection of drinks on the menu with a mixture of old classics and some original inventive cocktails that taste fantastic and keep you wanting more. With quality comes expense, though - ensure that you’ve had a lucky night at the casino or not eaten much during the week, as it is rather costly.

Fortunately Wednesday night offers a two-for-one deal, which allows you to stay longer and enjoy the experience more.

There are many features that make Coco Tang a place which you would regularly attend during the semester.

Upon ordering a bottle of champagne the

glasses come in the classic form of Marie Antoinette’s breast, a small touch that gives a more refined impression. Although sadly I did not see it first hand, I was told that some of the girls’ cubicles included not one but two toilets for the more open female customers. Another rather quirky and inspired touch was the small area which was more of a large alcove than an actual room where you could relax in the large raised bed in a more intimate setting.

The general atmosphere is promising for Coco Tang’s success in Nottingham.

It has become exceptionally busy on a Wednesday, the bar staff are friendly and the clientele are a mixture of Nottingham’s local upwardly mobile and the more discerning student. It has the potential to steer more and more students from the pre-lash ‘smash up’ Isis Wednesdays to a more sophisticated alternative.

Niall Farmer

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restaurant of the month The Curry Lounge This Indian restaurant has not always held the standard it does today.

With the help of Gordon Ramsay and his popular TV show, Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares, the Curry Lounge’s menu have been transformed.

No longer attempting to cater for anyone and everyone, the menu has been somewhat downsized and specialised. We would definitely recommend the Lamb Rogan Josh and a side of Palak Paneer, an Indian cheese with spinach. Dishes are reasonably priced, usually costing £10 for a main and £4 for a side - this is definitely a menu for a student’s budget. Booze too: a glass of Rose Zinfandel was £3.90.

The only fault was the waiter’s recommendation of Murgh Makhni, a tomato-based chicken tikka. It arrived with a lump of butter clearly apparent in the centre which we had to strategically avoid. However the service was brilliant: the waiters were attentive and the food came out surprisingly quickly, seeing as the restaurant was near to being full.

We were seduced by the chilled out surroundings and enjoyed a very pleasant evening. We left feeling satisfied, though rather uncomfortably full.

The Curry Lounge offer 20% off the total food bill on Monday and Tuesday evenings - only when all diners at the table present a valid NUS card at the time of ordering.

Moog

@Newdigate Street Situated a stone’s throw from Canning Circus, Moog is a sanctuary for electronic music enthusiasts. Effortlessly retro, Moog boasts such throwbacks as an 8-bit gaming machine and foosball table and has recently been awarded the accolade of Nottingham’s ‘best out of town bar’. It offers a large selection of cocktails at very reasonable prices, rum punch being the locals’ favourite. The bar staff are friendly and knowledgeable and certainly contribute to the laid-back atmosphere. The night of choice is arguably Aural Fixation. Occurring every third Thursday of the month, musical offerings range from the likes of Jimi Hendrix to Flying Lotus, deviating to Squarepusher and Prefuse 73.

Kicking off with low-key roots classics, the pace of the evening is gradually lifted. Over the course of the night the understated electronica and downtempo morphs into the darker soundscapes of dubstep. Despite the breadth of sound on offer, the night is characterised by a chilled out blend of bass-driven elements that segue well into the ambiance of the venue. Unfortunately the music on offer is on occasion let down by the soundsystem, which fails to fully reveal the full body of some of the harder dubstep tracks. However, this is a minor gripe and one that certainly should not discourage intrepid electronica fans from checking out Aural Fixation.

It certainly earns its title of most eclectic night in Nottingham right now.

Jonathan Tye

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cafe of the month Cookie Shake As a cheeky alternative to your regular visit to Starbucks, why not try the genius concept housed within the walls of Cookie Shake? Although some may be cautious at first, Cookie Shake serves milkshakes of every variety, turning your favourite chocolate bars and sweet treats into the most inventive drinks. For the chocoholics among us you can choose flavours ranging from Oreo and Wagon Wheel to Kinder Bueno, and for those of us with a sweeter tooth, and perhaps a bit more adventurous, try Skittles or Haribo! A regular shake costs £2.50 (ordering a large is perhaps an ambitious move), and for a little extra you can choose between a variety of toppings. For the more health conscious there is also a wide range of fruit smoothies in all sorts of exotic combinations.

If you have any room left then cram in some freshly baked cookies or pic‘n’mix. Situated on Upper Parliament Street just minutes from the Victoria Centre, Cookie Shake is definitely a worthy reward after a hard day’s shopping.

Rosalind Magennis

IMPACT COCKTAILS Saint Bar Instead of recommending a particular cocktail this issue, we are going to recommend Saint Bar’s whole cocktail collection: seriously pricy but seriously worth it. Saint Bar boasts a menu of classically delicious cocktails which you can sip in trendy, classy surroundings. Located at the bottom of the Lace Market Hotel, opposite Pitcher and Piano, this bar is one place you’d love to be taken on a date.

GRATIS

WIN!

Football Shirts For Your Five-A-Side Team (Or Just General Clothing Use) When it comes to stepping out onto the football field sometimes there’s nothing like a matching strip to make the opposition feel like they’re up against the professionals! To give your team a head start this term, we’ve linked up with new online retailer myfootballkit. com, to give you the chance to win five shirts of your choice. To be in with a chance of winning simply email competition@myfootballkit.com with the answer to this question and your name.

Q. How much would a football shirt from myfootballkit.com usually cost? (Visit the website for a clue!)

Terms and conditions apply. Entries must be received by the 20th of March.

The winner will be notified by email within 7 days of the closing date.

WIN!

WIN!

A Curry Meal For Two At New Restaurant Tamatanga A brand new, funky Indian dining concept – tamatanga – launched in Nottingham’s entertainment centre, The Cornerhouse, at the end of 2008. Branding itself as an urban Indian canteen, this fresh and innovative restaurant goes against traditional Indian eateries by offering a casual and fun place to enjoy great Indian food all day long and at great value for money. Its kitchen boasts top chefs from some of Nottingham’s finest Indian restaurants.

Rahul Khurana, previously executive head chef of multiaward winning restaurant Memsaab, is executive head chef, and Durga Das, ex-executive head chef of 4550 Miles from Delhi, is head chef.

Dubbed as “wagamama meets garam masala” by the Nottingham Evening Post, we’ve managed to get a chance for a reader to win a meal for two*. Just answer this question: Where was chicken tikka masala invented? a) Glasgow b) Delhi c) Mumbai Send answers into magazine@impactnottingham.com, and the winning entry will be contact by the 20th of March. *1 side dish item (or extra item from the menu), 1 main meal, 1 dessert and 1 drink (per person).

Standup Tickets For Just The Tonic @ Approach Every Sunday evening, Nottingham’s ‘Approach’ venue plays host to the ever-popular comedy night ‘Just the Tonic’, bringing you the very best of the alternative comedy scene. Darrell Martin’s ‘Just the Tonic’ began almost 15 years ago with line-ups over the years including the cream of the comedy world; Matt Lucas, Al Murray, Ed Byrne, Bill Bailey and Stewart Lee are just a few of the names who have treaded the Tonic boards since the club began. Johnny Vegas is often a regular guest of Just The Tonic and has claimed it “the best comedy club in the country”.

Quotability “Frankly, I’m more better than the competition” “It’s some guy called John at John. com” “You’ve the vibe of a woman who enjoys scatological sex” “I pissed myself during my cycling proficiency test, and still passed” “I’ve got creme egg all over my face”

We’ve managed to get pairs of tickets to each of the following nights, all taking place this March: 8th March Russell Kane (plus other tba) 15th March Ivan Brackenbury (plus others tba) 22nd March Jo Caulfield, Dan nightingale, Charlie Baker 29th March Jack Whitehall, Dan Atkinson, Darrell Martin To win, just answer this question – what is Steve Martin’s best film? a) The Jerk b) Cheaper By The Dozen 2 c) The Pink Panther Remake Send entries to magazine@impactnottingham.com, the first four correct entries received will be given their choice of tickets.

Impact Contributors

Issue 195

Hattie Hamilton, Emma Shipley, Dave Jackson, Anisa Kadri, Sophie Vogel, Rabab Kassam, Justine Moat, Louis George Hemsley, Tim MacFarlan, Jean-Luc Bragard, Hanna Flint, Max McLaren, Karen Meng, Libby Galvin, Clare Hutchison, Emily Winsor, Corin Faife, Alex Kasozi, Francesca Pathak, Grace Gordon, Will Gilgrass, Victoria Carter, Esther Croom, Rebecca Laing, Jason Gregory, Stuart Thorniley, Mikko Makela, Luke Mead, Hannah Coleman, Joe Cunningham, Josh Mills, Chris Barton, Matthew Lambert, Ryan Neal, Sven Carlsson, Chris Lavey, Joe Hendry, Mark Howard, Charlotte Krol, Chris Jones, Angus Drummond, Edd Gent, Andy Whitelaw, Aarohi Sharma, Peter Griet, Laura McGuinness, Ed Davidson, Jamilla Hinds-Brough, Elizabeth Gourd, Niall Farmer, Jonathan Tye, Rosalind Magennis, Marco Liam Guariniello

Advertising Gary Cully SU Marketing Tel: (0115) 8468742 Email: Gary.Cully@nottingham. ac.uk

Images and Design Andrew Speer, Charlie Stewart, Jenny Hobden, David Carter, Ian Steadman

Apologies

In the last issue a snide comment was made in the contents page, directed at certain parts of the student community. Class warfare, like most things from the 70s and 80s, isn’t cool any more. Sorry guys.

More Apologies An extra sentence was added to the end of the introductory paragraph of Smriti Sharma’s fashion piece ‘Work Experience Is In Vogue’ which was meant to be tongue-in-cheek, but which caused genuine distress. Sorry Smriti.

Email: chief@impactnottingham.com editor@impactnottingham.com managinged@impactnottingham.com

features@impactnottingham.com design@impactnottingham.com news@impactnottingham.com sports@impactnottingham.com style@impactnottingham.com arts@impactnottingham.com

Contact Us

travel@impactnottingham.com

The best way to contact us is via email, on impact.main@ gmail.com Failing that, you can find us using whichever of the following details takes your fancy:

music@impactnottingham.com

Impact Magazine, Portland Building, University Park, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD Tel: 0115 8468716

nights@impactnottingham.com science@impactnottingham.com film@impactnottingham.com Our office is on the top floor of Portland, room D9.

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Famous Last Words Gordon Brown Impact is going up in the world; all the way to 10 Downing Street, in fact. Prime Minister Gordon Brown recently met with Impact’s Marco Liam Guariniello at a reception to thank Labour Students for their year-long campaigning efforts. The atmosphere was very cheerful and the PM’s speech revealed a charismatic, influential and witty side sometimes overlooked in the wider media.

Obviously, the topic on everyone’s lips right now is the economic crisis. What are your plans for the British economy?

“

“These are hard times for the British people. This global financial slowdown is having serious repercussions on our economy. It is a clear demonstration that there are a lot of problems that need to be addressed, because the current free market is not working.

Unemployment is rising and so are the concerns of our citizens. These might be statistics and numbers, but we in Labour know that behind every number there is an individual or a family struggling to make ends meet.

These are people that need help. It is

we in Labour know that behind every number there is an individual or a family struggling to make ends meet

”

for this reason that this government is committed to the implementation of a series of measures to help these individuals. We are assisting people

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who have just lost their jobs, we are helping people to get back into employment, we are doing everything we can to combat child poverty.”

What’s your opinion of the ‘newlook’ Conservative party?

“The Conservatives may have a new façade with David Cameron, but if you scratch the surface it is the same old party it has always been. Unlike us, they view the unemployment statistics just as numbers, and refuse to accept that a lack of public spending in such difficult times would leave human beings without vital help, leaving financially troubled individuals in disarray.”

After years in politics, you’ve reached the most powerful position in the country. What inspired you to achieve this?

“During the Rwanda genocide about a million people lost their lives.

Governments around the world, including the British one, had failed in their objective to prevent such a devastating tragedy. Many of the victims were young children.” Mr Brown went on to describe a display in a remembrance museum made up of pictures of the victims; one

particular picture caught his attention.

“This child loved football, and wanted to become a doctor. The final line showed this child’s last words, ‘The United Nations are coming’. The UN, however, never did arrive. This is what led me to where I am now; the hope to help prevent such atrocities happening in the future.”

As a Labour student, I recently worked on the Glenrothes byelection campaign, which was a victorious election for Labour. What words of advice would you give to students currently becoming active in politics, particularly Labour students?

“Young people have a central role in Labour, giving the party vital enthusiasm and tremendous energy…

Without your efforts this important achievement would have been much more difficult. On behalf of Lindsey Roy (the winning candidate in Fife) and me, I warmly thank you for the valuable time you spent campaigning for the Labour Party.” The Prime Minister hailed the victory as a vote of confidence for a government that is prepared to give “real help” in difficult economic times.

Impact