InQuire 9.9

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Issue 9.9

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iq entertainment - page 17

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31st January 2014

21st century feminism

iq features - page 12

new set of strikes hit universities Afroditi-Maria Koulaxi

LECTURERS’ strikes have continued throughout January and February as the pay dispute between univerisities and lecturers continues.

The Universities and Colleges Union (UCU) has set in action a series of three two-hour strikes.

Two were held in January and a third in February.

In a collective decision, strike members will walk out on top of the last year’s national strikes over pay.

The strikes will disrupt seminars, lectures and other scheduled University activities, including lectures, seminars and tutorials.

The first two-hour strike took place on Thursday 23rd January between 11am-1pm; the second on Tuesday 28th January from 2pm-4pm.

The final strike will take place on Monday 10th February from 9am-11am.

In a further development, the UCU have threatened legal action against 31 universities planning to withhold pay for staff that took part in the twohour strike.

Several univerisities, decided to rescind on the plan after the legal threat.

The University of Kent is not one of these universities.

The University employers have offered a 1% pay offer, reinforcing the trend that has seen academic salaries fall by 13% in terms of the last five years.

This is the third set of strikes, with protests in the latter months of 2013 and lecturers

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new chancellor appointed Christopher Heron Newspaper News Editor

Lecturers’ Strike from 3rd December 2013 Photo by Christopher Heron

‘working to contract’ since the original strikes. These have so far failed to bring about a resolution to the dispute.

Data from the UCU noted that the several university chancellors had large pay increases last year.

Craig Calhoun, the ViceChancellor of the London School of Economics. took the largest pay increase at 61.1%.

In contrast, Professor Rama Thirunamachandran, the ViceChancellor of Canterbury Christ Church University, took a pay decrease of 27.6%.

The increase in ViceChancellors’ salaries is often cited as a reason for the strikes, comparing the pay rises to the 1% offer.

Professor Dame Julia

Goodfellow, the ViceChancellor of the University of Kent, took a 1.8% pay rise between the academic years of 2011/12 to 2012/13.

The UCU School Representatives called for students to stand with academic staff to communicate their purposes effectively.

There are also reports that the UCU are considering a boycott of exam marking, which could cause some students to fail to get their final mark.

After a Union Council vote last term, Kent Union is mandated to support any UCU strike action over pay. However, if a boycott of marking was imminent then a further vote on the issue is required to be taken.

Responding to the issue, Toni

Pearce, the president of the National Union of Students, said: “It’s clear that the continuing pay dispute, over the measly pay offer to staff made by vice-chancellors who are receiving pay raises of 8%, now risks causing significant disruption.

“Students want a speedy resolution. We need to see the employers and unions getting round the table and negotiating a fair and sustainable pay settlement.”

Sally Hunt, UCU General Secretary, says that “if the employers try to spin the action as having little impact, then it merely shows how out of touch they are with what is really happening on the ground at universities”.

GAVIN Esler, an awardwinning journalist for the BBC and a Kent alumnus, has been appointed as the new Chancellor of the University of Kent.

He takes the role from Professor Sir Robert Worcester, who has been the Chancellor for seven years, as he retires.

Esler graduated from the University of Kent in 1974 with a BA in English and American Literature, and has worked with the BBC since 1977 after completing a MA at the University of Leeds.

His work has included being one of the main presenters on BBC2's Newsnight, BBC News at Five and was the Chief North American correspondent between 1989 and 1998.

He was awarded a honorary MA in 1995 by the University of Kent, and an honorary Doctor of Civil Law in 2005.

Kent's Vice-Chancellor Professor Dame Julia Goodfellow said: "I am delighted that Gavin Esler has accepted our invitation to be the sixth Chancellor of the University of Kent "I am confident he will be an inspiration to all our students and a marvellous ambassador for Kent in its 50th anniversary year and beyond."

Esler will be installed as Chancellor in July 2014 during one of the University's congregation ceremonies.

2

News Editor’s Note

Hello all, Welcome back from your Christmas break; I hope you’ve had your fill of turkey, presents and all those Christmas things.

If you feel like you need a detox, head features where you can find a recipe to help.

I also hope you enjoyed Refreshers’ Fayre, and if you didn’t take a look at our InQuire stand and fancy writing for us to soothe those feelings of guilt that you did nothing but study and drink last term, then please get in touch with one of using the contact details below.

Matt.

InQuireMedia

2013/2014 Editorial contacts: Alasdair Lawrence Chairman chairman Matthew Gilley - Editor newspaper.editor Chad Greggor - Website Editor website.editor Newspaper: Christopher Heron - News newspaper.news Ginny Sanderson - Comment newspaper.comment Emma Shelton - Features newspaper.features Rebekah Chilvers - Culture newspaper.culture Emily Adams - Entertainment newspaper.entertainment Dan English - Sports newspaper.sport Website: Simon Terhaag - News website.news Tom Vine - Comment website.comment Tom Hagues - Features website.features Caroline Wadham - Entertainment website.entertainment Emma Greenacre - Culture website.culture Hetty Sieling - Distribution distribution LaShanda Seaman - Promotions and Events events Daniel Barnby - Design design To contact the committee, add @ inquiremedia.co.uk to the end of the address under their name.

no lecture segregation by gender Ginny Sanderson Newspaper Comment Editor

UNIVERSITY leaders have withdrawn a previous statement that would have allowed universities to segregate lectures by gender.

Universities UK previously released guidance concerning guest lecturers of certain religions, stating that gender segregation in lectures may be permitted if requested.

The statement made by Universities UK was that “if neither women nor men were disadvantaged and a nonsegregated seating area were also provided, it might in the specific circumstances of the case be appropriate for the university to agree to the request”.

This decision was made having considered equality and discrimination laws in conjunction with freedom of speech.

The guidance suggests that this segregation would consist of women and men on either side of a lecture space, as opposed to

women at the back, which they would deem discrimination.

However, this UUK guidance has since been withdrawn following complaints from students and members of parliament.

A petition opposing received over 8,000 signatures.

David Cameron is among ministers, such as Vince Cable and Education Secretary Michael Gove, speaking out against gender segregation.

The Prime Minister asserted on Channel 4 that “there shouldn’t be segregated audiences for visiting speakers to universities in Britain”.

Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna said: “when you have equality and nondiscrimination in conflict with religious freedom, equality is always going to win, as far as I’m concerned.”

Meanwhile, Katherine Hodgson, writing for The Independent, believes that “abandoning this guidance is a victory for equality” and “free speech”. She argues that the “notion that segregation and

equality can co-exist is a fallacy, a dangerous barrier to free speech…universities should be bastions of free speech and oppose segregation”.

In response to this backlash, Univerisities UK chief executive Nicola Dandridge has agreed with Cameron but has conceded that the law concerning voluntary segregation is currently ambiguous.

David Cameron had said that he “does not believe that guest

speakers should be allowed to address segregated audiences”.

Via a spokesperson, the Prime Minister had also expressed a desire to ban all segregated audiences, even when men and women voluntarily segregate themselves.

Subsequently UUK have written to the Equality and Human Rights Commission to seek clarification and advice concerning such legal implications.

TOP DEGREES HIT NEW HIGH kent union housing week Julia Mitchell

A record number of students graduated from university last summer with first-class degrees, according to figures released by the Higher Education Statistics Agency. This continuing rise has ignited new disputes over university standards and claims of grade inflation.

The figures show that one in five students graduated with a first class degree last year, while an increasing pass rate has also resulted in over two thirds of students finishing their courses with a 2:1 or higher.

According to Martin Birchall, the managing director of High Fliers, a graduate recruitment research group, this is the grade that three quarters of Britain’s major employers currently require as a minimum standard from graduates.

The director of the Centre for Education and Employment at Buckingham University, Professor Alan Smithers, has said that “the rise is driven by the need for universities to present the best possible picture to applicants through league tables”, and that this has resulted in “an incentive for

intellectual dishonesty”.

Professor Smithers continued that: "I don't think we ought to abandon the classification system but we may need to look at introducing a starredfirst on top." This would help to identify the highest performing graduates, as it is now becoming much more common for students to achieve the highest possible grade.

Speaking to the Telegraph, the chief executive of Universities UK , the Vice Chancellor’s group, Nicola Dandridge, the chief executive of Universities UK, commented that the “proportion of firsts and 2:1s awarded has increased marginally in recent years” but stressed that this has followed “increases in entry qualifications and developments in learning methods”.

Universities UK are in the process of trialling a “Higher Education Achievement Report”, which is aimed at listing the skills students aquired at university both within and outside their course.

The current degree system has been criticised by vicechancellors, calling it a “blunt instrument”.

Caitlin Webb

KENT Union’s Housing Week has just passed, at the time of year when many students in Canterbury are searching for housing.

Kent Union’s Vice-President Welfare, Megan Wells, called it a chance to find “accredited house stamp approved properties”.

The timetable included a daily pop up advice centre, interviews with the college student committees about their housing experiences and the Housing Fayre in Darwin Conference Suite.

The latter gave students the chance to meet local landlords, attend workshops, and get housing advice and information. The week will be for those looking for housing for the first time or getting advice about future accommodation.

With the pop up advice centres, talks and a fayre at the end of the week, Kent Union aims to prepare you for life off campus.

Discussions with landlords, potential housemates and fellow students will help you organise accommodation for next year, housemates and contracts where you understand all the details of your future property.

Each college student committee will share their experiences during the week and staff from Kent Union who give legal and financial advice.

On in Darwin Conference Suite there will be a fair with estate agents, landlords, the police, the accommodation office and Endsleigh Insurance as well as many others so you can see the properties and hear from the experts about details over contracts and protection of your property.

News 3 student opportunity fund to be cut Christopher Heron Newspaper News Editor THE coalition government’s austerity plan is set to include a £200 million cut to the Student Opportunity Fund, with a large backlash from universities, students and the National Union of Students (NUS).

The Student Opportunity Fund is aimed at supporting universities and colleges in their recruitment of disadvantaged students and how they support them throughout their studies.

It takes into account the social background and disabilities of students recruited by universities and colleges.

The fund currently has a budget of £332 million.

While the cut in funding has not been finalised, internal documents leaked from last autumn suggested that there will be large cuts in student grants, as well as the overall cuts planned by the department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) means that it is likely the Student Opportunity Fund will be cut.

Professor Michael Gunn, ViceChancellor of Staffordshire University and chair of the Million+ group of universities, came out against the potential cut, saying in an open letter to the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg: “The Student Opportunity Allocation is the last remaining direct funding from the government to support universities which recruit students from a wide range of backgrounds.

“Social mobility does not

stop at the school gate and there is simply no case to cut Student Opportunity funding in universities.”

The NUS also came out against the potential cut, with Toni Pearce, the NUS President calling it “an absolute disgrace”, highlighting how those from more “advantaged neighbourhoods” are three times more likely to take part in higher education than those in the “most disadvantaged” neighbourhoods.

kent law clinic landmark case Erik Bjerg KENT Law Clinic hit the front pages of various international and national news agencies after securing the first reported asylum case where an individual’s atheism was central to their .

The efforts of the law clinic secured religious asylum in the United Kingdom for an Afghan citizen who had turned to atheism since arriving in the UK in 2007 at the age of 16.

The case was submitted under the 1951 Refugee Convention under the grounds that the individual would suffer religious persecution due to his atheism, compounded by his original upbringing as a Muslim.

Under Sharia law, the individual would be defined as an ‘apostate’ (one who abandons or renounces their religion) which could result in a death sentence in Afghanistan.

Claire Splawn, a second year law student at the University of Kent, spearheaded the preparation of the case with the

Clinic Solicitor, Sheona York.

Ms Splawn said “We argued that an atheist should be entitled to protection from persecution on the grounds of their belief in the same way as a religious person is protected” Sheona York said: “We are absolutely delighted for our client. We also want to welcome the prompt and positive response of the Home Office.

We believe that this is the first time that a person has been granted asylum in this country on the basis of their atheism.”

The unique nature of this ruling was picked up by both nationally and internationally, with articles on the BBC and major newspapers such as the Independent, as well as various international news agencies.

A Home Office spokesperson said when asked about the landmark nature of the case: “We do not routinely comment on individual cases.

“The UK has a proud history of granting asylum to those who need it and we consider every application on a case by case basis.”

restriction on student housing graduate job prospects at pre-recession levels Benjamin Coode CANTERBURY City Council have approved an Article Four Direction which could severely limit student housing in Canterbury.

The Council Executive have resolved that they support the article, and that it should be “implemented as soon as possible”.

The article affects Housing in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), which are dwellings inhabited by three or more tenants from different households or families, or that share toilet, bathroom or kitchen facilities.

The majority of student housing in Canterbury would be affected by the change, and also other groups that often share housing (such as young professionals).

The article requires planning permission to be obtained for houses to be changed from residential dwellings (homes for a single family) to HMOs in areas including the City of Canterbury and its urban area, with areas such as Sturry, Barton, Wincheap and Blean Forest also being affected by the change.

This makes it more difficult

for further student housing to be introduced.

The rationale behind the article quotes “particular issues with the scale and density of smaller HMOs in the city, and potential spill-over effects”.

Under the article there would be a quota of 10% HMOs in any area, although current student housing would not be affected.

There has been considerable opposition to the introduction of the policy from the sabbatical officers and students, who see the move as discriminatory against student groups by restricting where they can and cannot live.

Megan Wells, Kent Union Vice-President Welfare, said: “Canterbury City Council have ignored the views of students and young professionals by introducing an Article 4 Direction which alienates and limits where they can live. The concerns that some residents and the council have regarding noise and litter, will not be addressed by introducing this policy at all. It will only divide the communities we live in, create student ghettos and deny students the choice of where they can live.”

Afroditi-Maria Koulaxi JOB prospects for graduates of 2014 are projected to rise above pre-recession levels.

Research has shown that job prospects now take graduate vacancy levels back to 2007.

For university leavers in 2014, job prospects are predicted to be much improved in previous years.

There has been an 8.7% increase in the number of graduate vacancies in the past year, an overall level not seen since 2007. “A degree is still one of the best routes to a good job and a rewarding career”, said David Willets, the Minister for Universities and Science.

According to research by High Fliers, the largest growth lies in the public sector, such as investment banks and engineering companies that co-operate to recruit more than 11,000 placements for the ensuing year. Companies PwC and Deloitte belong to the top three recruiters with 1,200 and 1,000 vacancies respectively.

Teach First, a teacher training charity, has 1,550 vacancies for this year, with the scheme’s aim to enhance the academic

performance and highlight the the brightest students ready for work.

“There are [also] more opportunities than ever for university students to get paid work experience with the country’s most sought-after graduate employers,” Martin Birchall, managing director of High Fliers Research added.

The 8.7% increase coincides with the increase in paid internships and work experience.

Although the UK graduate job market is at its strongest since the recession, salaries will remain static for four years.

The average salary lies at

£29,000, rising to £33,000 and £50,000 in banking and finance institutions, and investment banks.

The trends in media vacancies are highly suffering – they present a 57.9% downfall compared to 2007 statistics, followed by the armed forces and investment banking down by 39.6% and 32.5% respectively.

University graduates are set to soar to a seven year high the summer of 2014, as employers are planning to hire significantly more employees, boosting recruitment level for the first time since the 2007 recession.

4

News

“this is where they discover themselves for who they are, and they can actually be who they want to be.”

With LGBT History month approaching in February, InQuire’s Christopher Heron had a chat to Kent Union’s LGBT Officers, Rosie Copsey (RC) and Philip Stephenson-Oliver (PSO) about their experiences as LGBT Officers and their plans for LGBT History month as well as the coming term...

So, how have you found the role so far this year? How long ago did you start?

PSO: We've been in the role for what? Six months now nearly?

RC: Yeah, I'd say six months.

It's been really fun and I've found it really rewarding.

What kind of stuff have you been doing in the last six months?

RC: Well I tried my hand at an event. I wanted to do a transgender day of remembrance, a candlelit vigil outside of the venue.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to attend!

PSO: It was a joint event, we both organised it together. It was her idea. She was indisposed so I took over and it went very well and we had a very good turnout.

It is important to remember things such as that.

Of course, a couple of days ago we launched our gender neutral toilet campaign.

Yeah I saw the video!

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PSO: 500 views so far so that’s pretty good. We're starting to do another video. After this I'm going to the rugby club to film them. We're getting all the big major sports societies involved as well as all the cultural societies.

We're getting them all involved for a two minute video of silence in remembrance of those lost to homophobic bullying, transgender bullying and so on and so forth.

the plan is to take pictures of LGBT+ students and make a massive collage and project it onto the art block as Kent Union have done previously with the election campaigns.

RC [To PSO]: Are we going to be doing a fundraiser as well?

PSO: You need to strike that balance between work, social life and this job, as of course it is a voluntary job. I would say it is very good to have a good relationship with all these officers. We have quite a good relationship particularly with the zone committees.

You need to have a good link with societies. [To RC] What would you say?

PSO: We are! We're speaking to the Rowing Society seeing if we can try and get a fundraiser going on outside the plaza during LGBT history month as well as other charities.

RC: We were thinking of putting together a LGBT anthology.

Essentially what was going to happen is that students and staff across the campus in UKC and Medway to contribute personal anecdotes, poems and pictures - what this means to them to identify with the LGBT umbrella.

Ideally, the [Kent] Union will keep adding to it and its UKC's own personal slice of LGBT history! You can read it out at events and I thought it would be really nice to preserve that sort of memory.

I'm glad you mentioned it, as it is LGBT History month soon [February] and I was wondering what plans you had for the month?

RC: We've been thinking of two ideas. We may be doing a 'Did you know?' stall every week throughout the month. Each week the stall would have a theme, so for example one week the theme would be 'gay sex and all the mysteries around it'.

Another one would be 'Did you know that these people identify with the LGBT umbrella?', or 'Did you know about these statistics?'.

Another thing that we're still working on is 'Come out with me Kent'. It's still a work in progress and I'm meeting with some more people about it but

Okay, how about your experiences in the role?

What has it been like working with the other officers and what has been your biggest challenge so far?

RC: Well, I've been impressed by how the disabilities officer has wanted to have weekly meetings with all of the sabbatical officers to get ideas together. I've been a bit indisposed last semester due to personal things but this semester I'm really hoping to do some work with the women's officer and maybe other liberation officers as well.

If you were an average student, how would you get involved with the LGBT and what do you think is the best way to do that?

PSO: I think it would be really good to get involved with the LGBT movement. You can keep up to date with what's going on and you can lend support which is always very handy with the work we'll be doing. I think everyone can get involved with the general movement. The LGBT society is good for that.

We work very closely with them.

I think preaching tolerance is one of the easiest things to do.

It's just simple acts! When, say, you see perhaps you see a man or woman saying some awful things - it's not about being politically correct but if one could call it hurtful to someone.

- I think it’s best to point it out.

There is that line between a joke

Photo by Christopher Heron

and when it becomes offensive.

I know that some of my friends in first year, since they found out I was gay they have been very supportive. Everyone should be supportive, especially when they come out.

RC: We are setting up a surgery every fortnight for students just to come and talk to us regarding any issues they are finding or think we can do a better job on the campaign about. It's so that they can come to us and we can talk and we can interact. It's easier than emailing; it's more personal.

PSO: People get to know who the officers are and get to know who to talk to. And, with these surgeries we're going to be doing, then people who are maybe in a process of coming out or have had some issues or have felt discriminated against then they can come to us and we can talk to the relevant officers or we can help deal with it.

Just coming to a close.

What has been your favourite part about being officers?

RC: Meeting Phil, obviously.

PSO: With that I have to say meeting Rosie!

Also I have to say getting in touch with the LGBT society.

I must say it’s one of the really good ways to meet everyone.

You meet so many different

people and its far more engaging than life when you're just doing your degree and go out every now and again. Doing this is far more satisfying.

RC: For me it's the compassion and simply helping people. I remember when I was young and I'd just started uni and I was lost, I didn't know how to identify or what to do, and some students are lost or don't know what to do. As Phil said, it's really, really satisfying to provide them that love and support which they need.

PSO: One of the good things, particularly for me and Rosie and those that get involved, is that we all have different experience. Each experience lends itself to helping someone differently with coming out and so and so forth and dealing with it at home and with themselves.

They're all different with their experience. I've found that very satisfying helping other people, I think we both have, in that process. Maybe in Fresher's, particularly the first term, you find for a lot of first years...

RC: ...It’s their first time away from home.

PSO: This is where they start to feel open. This is where they discover themselves for who they are, and they can actually be who they want to be.

Brilliant, thanks guys!

Comment 5

the jeremy kyle effect: benefits street

Charlotte Smith

HERE in Britain, we love a bit of controversy. Any excuse to have a rant about the state of the country and we’re all over it.

The recent Channel 4 documentary series Benefits Street, which gives an insight into lives of the residents of James Turner Street in Birmingham, home to the highest proportion of people claiming benefits in the country, has certainly provided us with

an excuse for this.

After watching the show especially the scenes in which one of the street’s inhabitants is seen making a day’s living through flogging his shop lifted goods, before proceeding to spend the profits on drugs ,which he then goes on to use in front of the camera - we can be sure that not all the behaviour exhibited on the show is something we should be proud of.

But to tar everyone featured

on the programme, and indeed every person claiming benefits, with the same brush is an unfair generalisation, and it’s difficult to see where such extreme levels of anger over the programme have come from.

If anything, the show seems to be narrated with a tone of sympathy towards the plight of these people, and it is undeniable that there are many positive and likeable aspects to the street. It is impossible to ignore its endearing community

spirit, and the blunt charm of the self-proclaimed street mother ‘white D’.

Despite this, the show has been labelled by critics as ‘poverty porn’, a phrase which is more than apt considering the extreme response of viewers to the programme.

Instead of seeing the show as an example of a section of society in need of help for change, the residents of James Turner Street have faced heaps of judgement and abuse.

Whilst it is undeniable that some of the behaviour displayed on the show is shameful, so has been the response of the British public. It’s the Jeremy Kyle effect: an excuse for middle class snobbery to shine in its worst light, exploiting the ignorancefuelled stereotype of those on benefits as jobless scroungers, relying on tax payer’s money to pay for them to sit at home spending their time watching television.

It is precisely this pleasure in the judgement of the less fortunate that has caused ‘Benefits Street’ to become Channel 4’s highest rated programme for more than a year, garnering 4.3 million

viewers overnight.

It is very easy to sit in a comfortable home with a secure job and good education and indulge in this kind of judgement; this is certainly not a side of our country that anyone should be proud of.

However, it is reflective of a neglected part of our society in need of help and change, not judgement and abuse.

As the show’s creator Richard McKerrow wisely states “it’s a very honest and true portrayal of life in Britain and people are frightened of it”.

racial inequality still exists in britain Layla Haidrani ZAHID Mubarek. Christopher Alder. Mark Duggan. While Mubarek and Alder are lesser known, the three are connected: all have been subject to police mistreatment.

Duggan is the most recent case, shot in August 2011 as part of Operation Trident. An inquest into his death delivered a “lawful killing” verdict on 8 January.

Why has Duggan’s death been the subject of much heated debate all over the UK? Perhaps it is due to the many contradictions of the police; significantly, Colin Sparrow’s (the lead investigator) revelation that Duggan had not shot at police first, contrary to what they had previously stated.

Therefore, the inquest’s verdict cannot in any way be justified in any scenario.

Granted, Duggan’s family and the wider audience should be aware of the need of the police

force to protect themselves - the officer who shot Mark Duggan may honestly have felt he was under threat and believed he was armed.

In that sense, we cannot persecute an individual officer who thought he was under threat by a man whom, police intelligence said, was carrying a gun. The security of the team must come first.

Contemporary Britain may have been prepared to accept this if Duggan’s death was an isolated incident, but this is by no means the case. Since 1990, 1,476 people have died under police contact in Britain yet no officers have ever been convicted of any crime nor faced professional sanction.

Many, including myself, view Duggan’s death a result of racial motivations. It led to riots in August 2011, in what was later dubbed by the Guardian the “worst disturbance of their kind since the Brixton riots”.

Also echoing the Broadwater

Farm riots of the 1980s, the 2011 riots were not just the result of a death of a minority citizen at the hands of the police, it was grievances that had become entrenched in society, a result of racial tensions due to the frequent ‘stop and search’ of young black men.

Rates of stop and search are disproportionately high in London – black people are stopped and searched at 11 times the rate of white people and Asian people are stopped and searched at 4.5 times that of white people, so it is little wonder that many feel disenfranchised by our current institutions.

What needs to happen for the removal of tension between police and community relations is the assurance that minority members of the public won’t be gunned down as an effect of the stereotypes of their race.

But how are minorities - or anyone - able to trust the police when someone who wasn’t

carrying a gun was killed in broad daylight?

You only need to look at Daily Mail comments to see how hyperbole can successfully work on the masses: the association between Duggan’s skin colour and the assumption that he

was a drug dealer should be removed.

This month marked Martin Luther King Day, but the journey to racial equality is far from over. As the civil rights activist aptly argued, “justice delayed is justice denied”.

6

Comment

the daily mail attack on sherlock

Rosanna Shaw

THE long-anticipated third series of Sherlock was recently launched back on our screens.

It’s been estimated that around 9.7 million people watched the first episode on New Year’s Day. Online forums have been created discussing theories on how Sherlock managed to evade death in the finale of series two.

All of this gives you a pretty good idea of the show’s popularity. Given the level of expectation and suspense that surrounded the new series, I for one am totally unsurprised that Sherlock has hit the headlines.

However I’ve got to admit I didn’t see the Daily Mail’s particular attack coming.

They are accusing Co-creator, Stephen Moffat of inserting his own dislike of right-wing politics into the plot of the show.

The big baddie of the series, who has the spectacular name Charles Augustus Magnussen,

is a newspaper ‘shark’ who uncovers secrets and uses them to blackmail people.

It’s the rather unsubtle similarities this character shares with real-life newspaper baron, Mr Murdoch that’s getting Moffat in trouble.

He’s previously expressed strong views against right-wing media, of which Murdoch is King, and so putting the two together was elementary my dear Watson (sorry for that).

So are Moffat and the BBC really siding with the left?

Yes there is undoubtedly a resemblance between the real and fictional newspaper giants. But I think we should remember that Murdoch’s been in the press lately for very different reasons than for being right-wing.

In 2011 Murdoch faced allegations that his company News of the World was hacking phones of celebrities, politicians, and indeed anyone who could assist in the making

of a juicy story.

The other Mr. Murdoch, that’s James, the son of Rupert, was also implicated in the hacking scandal. So that’s two newspaper bosses who have been in the limelight for abusing the power of the press.

Then could this storyline have been chosen to highlight the gross tactics which some newspapers are currently still being investigated in court for using? I for one think that’s far more likely than the BBC trying to influence viewers political persuasions.

Also, as a literature student, I feel it’s important to remind people that the show is based upon a series of books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. One of the 56 short stories he wrote is titled ‘The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton’, a case in which Sherlock attempts to retrieve letters from the titled character which are being used to blackmail the débutante Lady Eva Blackwell.

This fictional character was based on a real person. But no, not Murdoch, actually a man named Charles Augustus Howell, a blackmailer who preyed upon people in the 1800s .

Clearly then Moffat has modernised this story so that it is relevant to our own times, when it is more common for the media to snoop than a singular person.

Where in this modernisation

of Conan Doyle’s books there is an attack on right-wing politics, I for one can’t deduce. I suggest the Daily Mail looks at all the evidence before it accuses.

As for that tricky question - whether programs should remain void of political views - I say that if you don’t like it, then simply switch over.

I’m sure that for every leftwing program there’s a rightwing one reinstating the balance.

Photograph: sh3rlock3dheart221b

enough with the caveman culling Ginny Sanderson Newspaper Comment Editor

CULLING has hit the headlines recently, and various species have emerged on the undesirables list.

It seems to be fashionable across the globe to shoot first, ask questions later. From the Japanese killing dolphins, to Australians going all out on sharks, I’d like to make a radical proposal to stop this madness.

In Norway the new fad is to kill wolves, despite 80% of population wanting to keep the species in their high numbers.

The problem is with farming.

It is claimed that sheep are killed by these animals. However, around 1500 out of 2 million Norwegian sheep are killed by wolves a year, and these small numbers are compensated for.

A much higher proportion of their deaths is predicted to be the result of some dumb sheep thing, like falling down a crevasse.

Moreover, wolves supposedly present a danger to human life.

Remarkably, for a somewhat foreward thinking, humanitarian country, the proposed culling in Norway still seems to think of the wolf as the

big bad creep out of a Brothers Grimm fairytale. In reality they affect humans very little: no one’s been killed by a wolf in Norway since 1800.

These animals, which have called Scandinavia their home for thousands of years, are facing extermination by ignorance and fearmongering.

Absurdly, farmers have said the animal ‘contributes nothing’.

Well besides balancing the ecosystem what do you expect wild animals to contribute to the human world?

It’s like saying ‘hamsters are shit bankers, so to hell with the lot of them’.

And quite frankly I think this statement is rash, philosophically, wolves may ‘contribute’ more than economics can measure. If it wasn’t for wolves, what would people get tattooed to represent their spirituality?

Jokes aside, if people do not pay attention to this ridiculous occurrence its existence will only snowball, and these majestic creatures will become

Photograph: janeywoo

extinct.

Similarly the Hufflepuff mascot is being culled by our meat obsession. Not to go all Morrissey on you, but the British badger is effectively being killed so we can kill other animals.

It’s not even working.

The aim of the policy is to prevent TB spreading in livestock. The randomised culling however has led to the remaining badgers spreading to TB areas and catching the disease, so this ‘solution’ is

ineffective.

My only suggestion in this line of thinking, for a completely successful British cattlefarming industry, is to kill every animal apart from the ones we want to eat.

In fact, kill all the cattle too because 94% of bovine TB spread is due to herd-to-herd transmission. If we’re going to roll with this fists first attitude, why not go the whole hog?

One could argue that it is a survival of the fittest, dog eat dog world. If the Dodo was too stupid and fat to survive, that’s not our problem.

The issue I take with this reasoning is that it’s regressive and insulting to humanity.

Have we not evolved beyond the carelessness of survival techniques such as these?

Aren’t we intelligent enough to realise when something is destructive – and what’s more, ineffective – and found a logical and peaceful way around it?

It’s like we haven’t made any progress since we were hairy cavemen thrusting spears at woolly mammoths.

To me, culling is an unnatural, nonsensical and lazy policy which does not belong in the modern world.

Comment 7

hands off internet pornography Callum Tyndall

DESPITE the sensationalist figures often batted around, it seems that only about 4% of the internet is actually porn.

Slightly higher is that 14% of all searches are porn related.

Now, considering the amount of information on the internet, it can be seen that that is still quite a lot of porn. The thing is, what’s wrong with that?

There are obvious elements of porn which are wrong and unhealthy and, unfortunately, things like child and rape pornography do exist and are present on the internet. It is a good thing that the authorities are attempting to clamp down on this kind of material.

The problem is that they’re doing it all wrong. Find the sick sites, trace the user’s IPs, arrest those individuals who actually watch these videos, sure.

But shutting down all adult content on the internet is not only impractical, especially as it seems likely that large amounts of people will simply not use the filter, but also unfair.

Ask people if they watch porn and, though they may be embarrassed to admit it, you’ll find that the majority of them will have, at some point in their

life, looked at some form of pornographic material.

In fact, porn users in Canterbury are some of the most dedicated in the country with the average time spent in a sitting being just under 10 minutes., according to Pornhub

more effective, the government is instead seeking to make overly generalised rules about internet usage that, to me, seem somewhat too controlling.

These rules may be looking to counter a serious problem but, I can’t help but feel that, this kind

“Canterbury porn users are some of the randiest in the country”

of blanket policy won’t counter the problem so much as make a fuss for regular people.

The kind of person who finds the bad material will always find a way around this kind of filter and so it seems that it would be more effective to employ a more specific, targeted campaign.

On top of which, I can never shake the feeling with policies like this that they’re mere smokescreens, used to cover up larger, ongoing problems

such as the continuing financial difficulties.

That is not to say that child pornography isn’t a problem, simply that I don’t entirely believe in David Cameron’s crusader spirit.

While I appreciate the idea behind the crackdown, it’s just a little too much of a worrying precedent for me, particularly as it seems most likely to just cause trouble for those just looking to enjoy a little release.

There’s absolutely no shame in this. It’s a perfectly natural thing to do and, believe it or not, masturbation actually does have health benefits.

But, due to outdated religious vilification, it’s still seen as something wrong, something to be ashamed of.

The simple fact is that the majority of porn on the internet is a business. Perfectly normal material, if somewhat overacted, that caters to a large market of people who are just looking to get off.

The kind of blanket ban that David Cameron is seeking to enforce has a good intent behind it. Kind of.

The problem is twofold.

First and foremost is the fact that, in the place of a targeted campaign that may actually be

uk should join cannabis revolution Sorcha Ingram THE world’s going mad on marijuana.

You only need to stroll around Hales Place (looking at you, Kemsing Gardens) to inhale the pungent herbal aroma.

Remarkably, one can now study a cannabis cultivation course in California. And cannabis has now been legalised in US States Colorado and Washington, following Uruguay in December.

Should the UK jump on the American bandwagon (as per)?

I don’t see why not. No word of a lie, Queen Victoria used the substance to stop period pain.

If the matriarch of the British Empire approved, who are we to turn our noses up?

Moving on to more current world leaders, Barack Obama - who admits to enjoying a cheeky joint in his youth has been vocal on the topic,

saying that weed is “no more dangerous than alcohol”.

Admittedly, and like many drugs, marijuana can be dangerous.

Younger people with family history of schizophrenia are at a higher risk of developing the disorder. Additionally, weed has been proven to have a negative effect on driving. But so does alcohol.

In fact, any argument I have heard against the legalisation of weed can be countered with “but, alcohol...”

Alcohol is addictive. It is also a depressant. Long-term health risks of boozing include liver disease, neurological problems, psychiatric problems and an improved risk of getting several types of cancer.

So why is cannabis illegal when

you can buy alcohol anywhere?

Moreover, there are proven health benefits of smoking ganja.

Like most medicine, the impact of cannabis depends on the individual. For every case when someone has had negative effects from marijuana, there have been many cases when the substance has changed lives; for instance for treating the chronic pain of multiple sclerosis and motor neurone disease.

My friend Toby White, who studies Psychology at UKC, maintains that ‘the arguments for legalisation could not be more clear.’ The UK would certainly benefit economically from the trade of cannabis, the Huffington Post recently reported that legalisation would ‘save millions’.

Legalisation also means regulation. The amount and quality of marijuana trade would be easier to control if it

is decriminalised. People aren’t going to go to backstreet, shady dealers and receive god-knowswhat in the pursuit of a herbal high.

With decriminalisation, further studies could be made into the medicinal qualities of cannabis. Scientists could try and diminish potential risk factors and enhance its proven positive effects.

The only reason weed creates crime is because of the fact it is criminal. It can be argued that the crime is caused by the illegal sale and competition between gangs, which leads to violence.

So, why waste so much money on a ‘war on drugs’ when it would be unnecessary if the drug was illegal?

The money we save from decriminalising could be used to help those addicted to drugs rather than trying to lock them away. It’s a no-brainer in my eyes.

8

Editorial & Interview

if only common sense were common Simon Terhaag Website News Editor TWO decades ago, 79 year old Stella Liebeck went to McDonalds one fine morning, and got herself a cup of coffee.

Shortly later, she spilled said coffee over herself – and sued the fast food chain for $2.9m.

At the time, the incident may have caused a hearty chuckle, a smiling shake of the head.

Absolutely ridiculous. Sheer luck. Yet, sadly, the 21st century has given rise to an entire culture of suing, a business of abusing what had previously been considered common sense.

It has come to a point where businesses of all sorts have to go absurd lengths to cover themselves against the daftness of their customers. Careful, the coffee might be hot. Bag of assorted nuts may contain peanuts. Please don’t try to stop

the chainsaw with your bare hands. Labels like these really make one wonder what it took for these safety warnings to be put in place. Even more bizarre – the unfortunate individuals that caused these warnings to be written made a sweet sum out of their lack of brainpower. As a result, labels and warnings that seem to belittle the consumer’s intelligence are printed on all kinds of items, just in case one person could hurt themselves with them.

While it’s especially in the US that, as Foundation for Fair Civil Justice member Bob Dorigo Jones says, “the legal system has become a litigation lottery”, the stupidity scare is slowly invading Europe too. Sadly, it is no longer safe to assume that ironing clothes while wearing them is not the wisest course of action. Rowenta’s Irons UK’s spokesperson Jennifer Gear explains that, after all, “people do iron skirts when they’re running out the door and get

burned”, and the company will not be taking any chances on people’s clarity of mind not to do so.

But alright, these warnings usually amount to a little bit of fun, it is rather comical to think what must have led to a label on a Superman costume clarifying that the suit does not, in fact, grant superpowers. What is

straight up insulting, however, is when individuals get sued for an act of kindness. One such case was that of Alexandra Van Horn, who sustained a car crash and was subsequently pulled out of the wreck of her vehicle by her friend. Thinking it a natural case of being a conscientious fellow human being, her friend did not expect the ensuing

lawsuit that Alexandra took out on her. The reason? Alexandra sustained spinal injuries, and since she was found outside of the wreckage, her insurance would not cover her.

While it is easy to shrug a case like this off, huff “you’d think she would at least say thank you”, and go on your merry way, these incidents are pointing at a disturbing reality in today’s world. By allowing, and legally supporting events and silly warnings, we are encouraging a society that is so obsessed with covering oneself for legal charges that we shy away from compassion and spontaneous help to others.

Altruism has no place in a society like this. Why risk your own skin when you might not only get injured in the process, be unable to deliver adequate help, but also get punished for an act of good intent? Better watch from afar, claim no responsibility, and think about something else.

why beyoncé is still queen bee (of feminism) Ginny Sanderson Newspaper Comment Editor WHILE I have always seen Beyoncé as a strong figure of female empowerment, from Destiny’s Child’s Independent Woman and Survivor to Run the World, others have been less certain. I have read many conservative opinions of her ‘over-sexualised’ dress sense and criticisms that she is being appropriated by the masculine music industry.

I’m calling bullshit.

Her newest, surprise-released album, Beyoncé, is her most earnest revelation of female empowerment to date.

Pretty Hurts is perhaps the most explicit example of feminist ideas throughout the album, criticising the shallow and problematic nature of Western culture’s obsession with physiognomy. The video accompanying the song exposes this through an American beauty pageant, the epitome of vanity. Beyoncé sings “it’s the soul that needs the surgery”. ***Flawless is a homage to feminism, pumped with aggressive assertions of empowerment.

This

is accompanied with the insistence that ‘Yoncé is not just Jay Z’s “little wife”. ***Flawless seems a heated affirmation that she ain’t defined by no man *clicks fingers*.

The album’s sampling of a speech by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is also a brave move.

The speech discusses various experiences of the modern woman, and the paradoxes the modern feminist is confronted

with. Beyoncé seems to recommend a reform of societal thought, not to value women for their looks or relations to men but for their actions.

Going back to the conservative view of Beyonce being sold through objectification, the album does anything but shy away from these constructions.

Songs such as Rocket, ‘Yoncé, Drunk in Love, the subtly titled Blow, and Partition are all sexy

as hell. From performing for Jay Z in the Crazy Horse strip club, to the fragmentation of the female body through close up, the videos accompanying these songs all conform to various examples of the male gaze.

Alone, these songs do not suggest a feminist message.

However, it is the consciousness of the feminist argument within other songs on the album which casts Beyonce as a much more nuanced and intelligent artist.

The aforementioned Adiche speech mentions how women cannot be sexual beings as men can. I would argue that these songs experiment with female sexuality to question such conservatism.

I’m sick of the argument that women who dress in a revealing manner cannot be feminist, as it’s for the attention of men.

What if – and this is a radical premise – women just like feeling sexy. In fact, the sultry French passage in Partition translates (admittedly less glamorously) into English as “men think that feminists hate sex, but it’s a very stimulating and natural activity that women love”. There is a misconception, which Adiche addresses, that to join the feminist club you must hate men and veto sexuality.

This assumption is beginning to be eroded thanks to feminism’s inception in popular culture, of which Beyoncé is a strong example.

Beyoncé is not the perfect feminist, whatever that may be. But she is a real, nuanced human being, a strong, empowered woman who is a role model to millions. Her album charts real female experiences, with Heaven touching on her miscarriage or Jealous reflecting on the complexities of marriage.

Yet it is Grown Woman, the album’s finale, which encapsulates the spirit of the entire artwork. That line “I can do whatever I want” transcends the song because it is what Beyoncé has been saying in every song. She can be a seductress, mother, revolutionary, and businesswoman. And with this message she is speaking to all women. We don’t have to worry about whether being sexual compromises our ethics, or being a mother and wife makes us less ‘feminist’. To me, that is not what feminism should be about – rather, it is choice.

The message here is that we don’t have to be restricted by an unattainable ideal. We can have it all.

It’s nomination time

Nominations open: January 22nd Midday

WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?

More money for sports clubs? More space for societies? Improved facilities in the Library? More online resources? A stronger national student voice? A safer campus? Better exam feedback? Make Woodys a Sports Bar? Drag the entire of Parkwood closer to main campus? (not sure this is possible, but you can try) Lower accommodation fees? More cash points in Parkwood?

Cheaper everything? Computer rooms in Parkwood? More student parking? Dedicated Union hub space? Better music at better events? Refurbished accommodation? A new Library? Improved gym facilities? More social space on campus? The Library fountain to produce more than a weak dribble? Cash points near Tyler Court? Ovens in Eliot? More lecturers? Later opening hours in the Library?

JUST SOME OF THE CHANGES KENT STUDENTS WANT MADE

LEAD THE CHANGE - RUN FOR ELECTION AD_116223_Kent_PG_Inquire_v2_1/2 page 06/01/2014 11:48 Page 1

STAY WITH KENT/DISCOVER THE WORLD Remain part of a top 20 world-leading research university with a global outlook and discover its European postgraduate centres and specialist programmes.

Canterbury

Medway

Brussels

Paris

Athens

Rome

Benefits: • Discounts and scholarships for Kent graduates • £8m postgraduate scholarship fund • The Graduate School’s Global Skills and Researcher Development programmes • Remain a member of your clubs and societies

Want to know more?

Book now for an Open Event Canterbury – Sat 1 Feb, 10am-2pm (all programmes and locations) Medway – Wed 5 Feb, 5pm-7pm (Medway programmes)

www.kent.ac.uk/pg

iq entertainment resolutions iq entertainment pg. 15 film-to-musicals: when will it end? iq culture pg. 20

should we boycott winter olympics? iq features pg. 11

the wolf of wall street review iq entertainment pg. 16

house-hunting tips iq features pg. 11

should film ratings be changed? iq culture pg. 20

IQ Features 11

the winter olympics of our discontent Georgia Hingston

As we approach the start of February, the world’s eyes turn to Russia with excitement and anticipation, to the glittering stadiums, snowbound glamour and bright lights of Sochi Winter Olympics 2014. This year’s Winter Olympics are being heralded with all the usual hype, however, I cannot help but feel that the excitement is somewhat marred by the deeper problems below the surface of the ‘New Russia’.

As the games draw closer, the controversy grows ever more heated.

With calls to athletes and spectators to boycott the 30 billion pound games, Putin and the Russian government have been doing their best to reassure the world and assuage fears of homophobic prejudice and oppression.

Despite having recently passed a law banning ‘gay propaganda’ (which many view as condoning homophobia), Putin has been pulling out all the stops, publicly declaring that he is on ‘friendly terms’ with some gay individuals and, in December, releasing two members of the Russian punk band Pussy Riot who had spent nearly two years in jail after staging an anti-government protest.

Many have claimed that this is

Photo by Cea

all a publicity stunt by the Russian government to create a more positive image before the games and thus making the boycott all the more necessary.

Finland’s Minister for Sport and Culture, Paavo Arhinmäki, as well as his Swedish counterpart Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth have both announced they will not be attending the games because of fears for human rights in Russia, whilst Barack Obama has chosen to openly send gay ex-athletes Billie Jean King and Caitlin Cahow as part of the US delegation.

For many athletes set to take part, a boycott of the games would be to throw away all they have trained for. After all, sport can be separated from politics, can’t it?

In this case I believe it cannot.

However regrettable it would be for hard working athletes to lose this

opportunity to shine, is it not more important to maintain moral integrity and champion human rights?

In the bright lights of the Olympic stadium and epic varnish of the official Olympic trailer, it becomes easier for the Russian government to hide its intolerance and corruption from the rest of the world.

The Sochi Olympics will also act as a handy distraction from the actions of Russia on the international stage.

As the UN peace talks for Syria have started, Russia has shown anger at the dis-invitation of Iran (President Bashar al-Assad’s biggest foreign backer) after protests from Syrian Anti-government Opposition, thus reinforcing Russia’s support for the Assad regime.

We must then ask ourselves whether we are prepared to support the Winter Olympics, organised by a government that not only suppresses the human rights of its own people but actively supports others that do the same.

Intentionally or not, to spectate or participate in the games is to fall into the trap so beautifully concealed by the glimmering stadiums, the glitz and glamour of Sochi and the image of new and modern Russia. The world has a chance to show the Russian government that no amount of money or

propaganda can blinker it to injustice, prejudice and human oppression.

When one of the Fundamental Principals of Olympism, ‘Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement,’ is being so blatantly flouted, how can the world remain silent?

As the BBC beams Sochi 2014 into our living rooms we need to ask ourselves some fundamental questions. What about Rio 2016? The Brazilian government are also far from squeaky clean, should these games be boycotted too? Where do we draw the line between sport and politics? The decision is yours.

Photo by caravanum

trials and tribulations of house hunting Emma Shelton Newspaper Features Editor

It’s the start of the year and for us students starts the mad rush of finding a house. I say mad rush, because some people start signing in October, and quite frankly, I had barely met anyone at that point in my first year that I could see myself having coffee with, let alone sharing a house.

To sign something that early on is brave, but a huge risk. Be careful.

However, as much I want to say ‘take your time’, many students opt for signing on deals way before the first Christmas holidays, which means, to a certain extent, you need to jump on the bandwagon with them before all is gone.

With hindsight, I would definitely advise everyone to choose your housemates wisely before the Christmas break. Together, make a list of what is ABSOLUTELY necessary for the house.

Start looking online during the holidays, and book viewings for when you get back.

As freshers, looking for houses is

stressful, I’m not going to lie. It’s something you’ve probably never done, in an area you don’t really know, with people you don’t really know, and agencies who just love to get hold of innocent, naïve students.

If it’s any consolation, being a second year myself, I thought the stress levels would decrease a tad, but it’s still just as easy to get overwhelmed by it all, bordering on hysterical.

Photo by litherland

You reach that point where you’ve looked at every property letting agency existing in Canterbury and words no longer make any sense on the screen.

Panicked, you start compromising on

anything, by envisaging living on the other side of town when you specifically wanted to be near UKC; Hales Place wasn’t even an option, and suddenly the houses seem stunning; you wanted ideally to be in Canterbury, but now, you’re thinking Gillingham… it’s on a bus route right?

As the pressure mounts, the thoughts that pass through your mind are quite surreal. You planned for a three bed house, with no mould, a comfortable lounge, and double glazing to save energy.

Forget it. All I want now is a roof and if it’s not too much to ask for, possibly four solid walls. Flicking through pages and pages of houses, a garage appeared, and literally the first thought that popped into my head was: “Only £50 per month? Near campus? Totally doable. We’re girls, we can be creative and innovative.”

Shortly after that, my favourite Sports Editor Dan English suggested an even better option for my third year accommodation: “All you need is a tent, and a gym membership, and that’s your

Photo by robleto

house and shower sorted, under budget.

What more could you want?”

Well, to be quite honest, the answer is I want a lot more. I want a house, and three partitioned bedrooms. Is that too much to ask for?

If compromises have to happen, then so be it. But my biggest advice is don’t sign on something out of desperation nor in a rush. You will panic, perhaps not to the extent I did, but that’s okay.

Just take a deep breath, get some fresh air, make yourself a cup of tea, and know that there are nutters like me in exactly the same situation as you.

12

IQ Features

2013: a new wave of feminism? news in Jessica Mills

I’ve identified myself as a feminist for most of my life. I can remember my dad telling me I was such a “little feminist” when I was 10 or 11 years old. Back then though, I didn’t really understand what it meant exactly to be a feminist.

I thought feminism was something everyone agreed with. I certainly didn’t realise just how important it still was.

Since then, I’ve grown up, educated myself, and started to see the world in a very different light to my naïve 11 year old self. We are now, according to The Guardian’s Kira Cochrane, in the “fourth wave” of feminism, following the first three waves, which emerged in the early 1900’s, again in the 1970-80’s and finally in the 1990’s.

The campaign for equal rights has always been active, albeit sometimes under the radar, but certainly in the last two years, feminism has exploded back into the public consciousness with a vengeance. 2013 brought contentious and controversial issues into the public eye. Now this sudden re-emergence of feminism is by no means a bad thing, but it becomes problematic when referred to as a ’wave’ or a ‘phase’ i.e. something which will eventually fizzle out and allow us to get back to real life.

The problems facing today’s women are continuous and unrelenting. Anyone who attempts to deny this truth or claims we are living in an equal society, and that feminism is now irrelevant, is in my opinion, seriously deluded. The path of feminism isn’t a wave, and it is in no way over.

I think it’s definitely true that one

Photo by classic_film

of the main reasons people are not as aware of these issues as they could be is due to the continuing underrepresentation of women in the media.

The Representation Project’s recent video, entitled “How the Media failed Women in 2013” demonstrates that there have definitely been certain breakthroughs for women (and can be found here http://www.sofeminine. co.uk/key-debates/watch-how-themedia-failed-women-in-2013-s234032. html). A few examples include the popularity of the ground-breaking new show ‘Orange is the New Black,’ featuring one of the first transgender actresses, Laverne Cox, the inspirational Malala Youseff, and Kerry Washington, the first black lead actress nominee at the Emmys since 1995.

Despite this, the video also highlights the major problems in representation for women. The biggest issue that

women face in the media is that they are constantly reduced to nothing more than their appearance, completely ignoring their achievements. This video demonstrates the continuous onslaught female politicians, athletes and actresses are subjected to, from only focusing on female athletes’ looks, directly highlighting the recent controversy in which NBA cheerleader Kelsey Williams was called “too chunky to cheer” by blogger Claire Crawford, to the trend of male politicians dismissing their passionate female counterparts as “hysterical”.

Whilst they are under-represented, the group is becoming more intersectional and is able to act more efficiently together in the knowledge of their misrepresentation so as to reverse the situation, placing greater importance on inclusiveness, of all races and all those who identify as female.

Internet campaigns such as The Everyday Sexism Project, encouraging women to share their stories of everyday sexism, bring to light just how much women deal with on a daily basis.

Their 6,600 stories of harassment on public transport prompted the training of 2,000 police officers in London and prompted the creation of a public awareness campaign.

I think we are definitely in the midst of a new wave of feminism and I’m remaining optimistic that it continues as more than just a phase. I, like many other women, hope that 2014 continues as strongly as 2013 ended, and that the campaign for equal rights remains an important and integral part of our culture.

inquire sudoku

science

Stefan Vassalos

‘Sixth sense’ is real... ...but it’s probably just part of your other ones, say scientists.

In the study, conducted by Margaret Webb and Piers Howe of the University of Melbourne, published on January 13th in the journal PLOS One, 48 undergraduate students were shown pairs of identical photos of people with small changes between them.

For example, the first photo showed the subject with glasses and the second without. The first one was shown for 1.5 seconds and the second came after a 1-second pause. The students were good at detecting when there had been a change, but performed poorly at choosing the correct change from a list.

According to Howe, the brain is likely to detect changes in vision such as colour, light and position, but cannot always translate that into being able to explain what had changed.

Nothing supernatural, then; in fact, we feel the ‘sixth sense’ all the time. Howe suggested that the same phenomenon is at work when a friend’s had a haircut and you just can’t tell what’s different about them.

Feel like hibernating?

Once the festive season’s over and the chill of winter really sets in, you might not be alone in wishing that you could curl up like a squirrel and sleep until spring. It’s just a pity that humans can’t hibernate... or maybe we can.

In one example, a Swedish man was found trapped in his car for 2 months in the winter of 2012, and doctors suggested that he’d unconsciously lowered his body temperature from 37C to 31C, shutting down bodily functions to survive.

Scientists led by Mark Roth at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle believe that hydrogen sulfide gas may be the key. They’ve shown that both mice and worms respond to it in a similar way to humans — entering a state of hibernation until oxygen returns. “We think this may be a latent ability that all mammals have”, Roth stated.

If he’s right, it may not be long before human hibernation can be induced for purposes from deep-space travel to trauma recovery — even sleeping away the winter blues.

IQ Features 13

recipe of the week

Emma Shelton Newspaper Features Editor This is the perfect recipe for a Christmas Detox. Fed up of turkey and roasts? Try this seasonal, winter warming dish. Easy to make and share with friends.

Spicy Beef Casserole Ingredients 1 ¼ or 1 ½ lb of stewing steak ½ oz plain flour 1 onion 1 clove garlic, salt and pepper 1 oz cooking fat 1 can of tomatoes 2 rounded tsps of mustard 1 heaped tsp chutney 1 tsp clear honey 1 level tsp paprika Instructions Prepare the oven 325°C, 160°C or Gas 3.

Trim the meat and cut into cubes about one inch thick.

Place the flour in a bowl and add seasoning. Toss meat in to this so as to coat it.

Peel onion and cut into chunks.

Peel garlic clove or crush it with the blade of a knife.

Melt the fat in a frying pan, and cook the onion until brown. Drain and leave to sit.

Add the meat and garlic to the pan, and cook until brown all over.

If you are using a frying pan, transfer the meat to a casserole.

Add tomatoes to the frying pan, and bring to the boil, stirring around to scrape up the pan juices. Pour into casserole.

Add the onion and all remaining ingredients to the casserole.

Add more salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and place in the oven. Cook for 1 1/2 - 2 ½ hours until the meat is tender.

Serves 4. Serve with tagliatelle.

resolve to not resolve Farah Chowdhury

It’s that time of year again. You’ve eaten too much, spent too much money and ignored that growing pile of books for the last few weeks, so you decide, what with it being a new year, there’ll also be a new you. Hurrah! But is there any point to resolutions and does anyone ever see them through?

Though the New Year seems like the right time to ‘turn over a new leaf’ and mark a pivotal moment in your life, I, personally, don’t think that should be the case. I’ve had resolutions before, ones I make every year – to get fit, to finish that novel I started oh so many months ago.

This year I came to the conclusion that I won’t be making any new year’s resolutions per se. Instead, it would make more sense to see the changes we need to make as individuals as we go through the year and commit to those changes, as and when the personal need arises. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t write your resolutions and try to stick to them, but we shouldn’t feel obliged to make them on an annual basis.

Change can happen whenever you want it to: as the cliché goes, you are

the pilot of your life and you can change the direction your life is heading in whenever you want to, not just on 1st January.

Needless to say from past experience, I have not kept many, if any of my resolutions, but a lifestyle change I will be embracing will be to appreciate things in my life more.

Photo by BazaarBizarreSF

Over the holidays, one of my housemates began tweeting #100happydays. Intrigued, I did a quick search and discovered to my delight a website service that integrated the different social media platforms, using the hashtag #100happydays. The point of this is that you take a picture every

day of something that makes you happy and use the hashtag on either Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr or Email.

With the purpose of helping people enjoy the moment, it really emphasised, to me at least, how much we have in comparison to others less fortunate.

For the moment, I won’t be embarking on the #100happydays challenge because I feel that sometimes it’s nice to leave the technology behind and switch off from constant communication.

Instead, I’ve decided to take a few extra minutes a day to be a bit more selfreflective, despite all our small qualms and worries, so as to see the bigger picture, which is something I think we can all do a bit more of.

Whether you’ve made a list of resolutions longer than your Christmas wish list or you believe they are a waste of time, take a few minutes today and just be happy. Resolutions or changes can happen whenever you want them to, but should only happen because you want them.

With deadlines already looming in the first week and graduate applications beating you down, try to see the brighter side, and not just today, but tomorrow, and the next day, and the next.

top dos and don’ts for 2014 Charlotte Wright

DO ask if anyone in your seminar or workshop fancies a coffee as it finishes. Not only will this broaden your friendship group outside your flatmates but chances are someone else on your course has been trying to work up the courage to ask you the same thing.

DON’T worry if you begin to feel homesick. Try and get out of your room, keep a positive attitude and make use of the student support services available to you.

Photo by David Ascher

DO try to explore Kent a little further.

You might not have left the campus last term, so now is your chance. Try fish and chips on the Whitstable sea front or a cultural trip to the Turner Contemporary at Margate.

DON’T rush into or worry about

getting a house for next year. First find a trustworthy group of friends to share a house with and then start looking together; Canterbury has plenty of properties – try looking at Kent Union’s ‘Home Stamp’ service to get you started.

DO make sure you stay safe on a night out. Make sure you have cash, keep a few taxi numbers in your phone, keep a watch over your drink and look out for each other. If you’re feeling unsafe or worried about being alone, don’t hesitate to ask Campus Watch or a friend to accompany you home after a late night.

DON’T worry if your grades were not quite what you wanted them to be last term. Try to set up a routine that allows for studying and socialising and remember to be strict with yourself!

DO get involved with other societies.

You may have been too busy last term but start something new: it’s another way meet new friends in 2014.

DON’T feel like you should have made ‘friends for life’ already. Getting involved in societies and activities that mirror your true interests will help you meet like minded people.

DO try to keep motivation going after the Christmas break. Get organised with a new diary, write to-do lists and ensure you get enough sleep and exercise.

DON’T fret if money is a bit tight after Christmas. Use this term as a new start in keeping better track of your finances – learning to cook, creating a budget and purchasing second-hand books from Blackwells will get you started.

DO remember to keep your door propped open again this term. Doing this coupled with corridor pizza nights and offering out cups of tea will keep you from hitting the post-Christmas blues.

DON’T stay up all night studying and stressing. A good night’s sleep is essential to holding onto information, so give yourself a break, you deserve it!

Photo by stewickie

14

IQ Features

north or south: which side are you on?

Georgina Coleman

As both a Southerner and a Linguistics student, the dialect and colloquialisms spoken by those in the North have never ceased to fascinate me. Whilst phrases such as ‘Alright pet?’, ‘Nout’ and ‘Dead good’ might be in common usage in regions in the North of England, it leaves us Southerners with little more than a perplexed expression and a raised eyebrow.

Dialect aside, the vastly cheaper prices of commodities in the North is frustrating and no doubt leaves other Southerners envious too. Whilst a pint of beer in Staffordshire costs around £2.95 on average, those of us in the South can be expected to cough up

Photo by Edmondson Photography

around approximately £3.50.

Another thing that irritates me slightly about Northerners is their referral to us as ‘bloody Southerners’. The Daily

Express often remarks about their favourite topic which differentiates the North and the South: the weather. Us ‘bloody Southerners’ typically enjoy warmer weather conditions and less rainfall, whilst the North is renowned for being colder. Whilst heavy snowfall in the North in the winter months is common, Southerners indulge in the luxury of it being five or six degrees warmer.

Perhaps this is why some Northerners enjoy telling us Southerners to toughen up and stop being so soft – another example of their unfair critiques of those living in the South.

Northerners are generally deemed to be friendlier and more sociable than Southerners, who are seen as more reserved. But where is the boundary when it comes to being friendly or being simply in-your-face?

For example, Keith Lemon, although perhaps a hilarious TV character for some, certainly grates me when it comes to his overly extroverted personality. Lemon’s flamboyance, I believe, is for those with an acquired taste. His attempt to epitomise the excessive, eccentric demeanour of some Northerners is highly exaggerated, and certainly gives us Southerners the wrong impression about the North.

Yet Lemon, as well as Geordie Shore, is rivalled by TOWIE, the stars of whom

live a ‘reem’ lifestyle (sorry Joey Essex, this is not a proper adjective) and portray the assumed stereotype of those living in Essex. Whilst their moronic colloquialisms do vex me, at least their accents are comprehensible.

what’s on at Friday 31st January #Trend Saturday 1st February Soap presents NEON SILENT DISCO Wednesday 5th February Jellibaby presents Team Kent Launch night

Photo by Kevin H.

I am content being a Southerner and wouldn’t have it any other way.

People in the North may disagree with my pronunciation of ‘baRth’ and ‘graRss’, and we in the South may never understand why they call dinner ‘tea’ or dislike commuters on the Tube so intensely, but I guess most Northern people are tolerable to be around.

Perhaps the North and South will always be ‘well jel’ of each other (or ‘very jealous’ for those of us who don’t speak TOWIE language).

Look out for next issue for a Northerner’s perspective in this ongoing debate.

Thursday 6th February S.U.A.D presents ROUGH COPY live Friday 7th February #Trend Saturday 8th February SOAP presents KRISPY KREME buffet Tuesday 11th February UKC BHANGRA SOCIETY presents AAJA NACHLE Wednesday 12th February Jellibaby presents RICK EDWARDS Thursday 13th February RAG present TAKE ME OUT

how to brighten someone else’s day Louisa Shute

Ever wondered how to brighten the day of one of your flatmates or friends whilst at university? Then here are some useful and practical tips that can help you think of others’ needs before yours.

Smile and the world becomes a much better place. For instance, why not smile at the bus driver when you get on the bus and wish him a pleasant day when you arrive at your destination? Smile at your fellow students as they may be having a bad day and it will certainly lift their mood.

Photo by phrawr

More generally, take the time to look around you and be aware of other people. On campus, are the students surrounding you stressed due to exams or upcoming deadlines? Are they feeling homesick? Some simple acts of kindness can go a long way like making your friend a cup of tea, offering them a hug to cheer them up or surprising them with a cheesy gift or even making them a homemade cake.

Take advantage of special occasions such as friends’ birthdays. For some of us students, home is miles away.

Birthdays should be times to spend with close family, so take care to make their day extra special.

Why not bake them a cake to show how much they mean to you, or get others in your accommodation to make some homemade banners and put balloons up to decorate the place? To go one step further, why not arrange a surprise party for them? Not only will

they be shocked, but you will give them something to remember from their time at university.

Photo by tjstaab

As for the birthday present, perhaps the flat can all put together a little money for something fun, or you can give a signature homemade present, like a collage of pictures put together of your fun times at university: the decision is entirely up to you.

Off campus, there are still generous acts that every student can do to help general members of the public. The old lady you see every day who struggles to carry her shopping bags across the road.

Why not offer to help her carry her shopping next time you see her?

Give the last of your change to the person holding a charity collection bucket or to someone short of change in the queue to pay for their bus fare? You never know, they may remember you and help when you’re in need.

Hopefully these simple steps will ensure placing other people before yourself becomes part of your day-today routine.

IQ Entertainment 15

events what not to miss in 2014...

Tom Hagues Website Features Editor Winter Olympics February 2014 Vladimir Putin on Ice Tom’s Trip to Stockholm February 2014 Woo! Stockholm, where the streets are clean and the people are slim. Can’t wait.

KIC Awards Spring 2014 A chance for the editors of the paper to be recognised for having to write all their own articles because no one writes for InQuire.

University of Kent’s Graduation Ceremonies July 2014 A chance for graduates to dress in cloaks and dash around the cathedral pretending to be in Harry Potter. Sex in the building is forbidden (unless it’s a quicky).

Talk Like a Pirate Day September 2014 Yarrr, talk like a pirate for the day and everyone’ll realise what a fucking weirdo you are.

Hastings Seafood and Wine Festival September 2014 A surprisingly delightful event on the south coast outside the Jerwood art gallery.

Christmas December 2014 Better than Easter and lasts longer.

Tickets available all year round.

Comic Relief 2014 Red Nose Day March Relief, but not in the masturbatory sense.

entertainment resolutions: this year i will...

Emily Adams Newspaper Entertainment Editor

No doubt, on 1st January, you made a few New Year’s Resolutions: to actually use your gym membership, to start an essay more than a day before the deadline or just try and attend all your seminars. But this year, why not make some resolutions that are a bit more realistic and enjoy doing them at the same time? Here’s our pick of the events, gigs and places you have to visit in 2014.

See a show at The Marlowe Theatre

The Marlowe Theatre

You might just know it as the-big-bluebox-in-town-near-the-cathedral, but for others it’s The Marlowe Theatre and it’s definitely worth a visit. For those of you interested in musicals, in the coming months, you can choose from the likes of Evita, Beauty and the Beast on Ice and Thriller Live. But if plays and musicals aren’t quite cool enough for you, you might be surprised to know that there is a wealth of comedy available too. This year, watch out for Sarah Millican (Sunday 9th February),

The Marlowe Comedy Cabaret (Saturday 1st March) and Russell Kane (Saturday 22nd March). There’s even quite a selection of music and bands to see, from blues and jazz to a Beatles tribute act. Or if that’s not good enough, go and support UKC’s drama society T:24 or the Musical Theatre Society.

Pick something, anything, in 2014 and take a trip down to the Big Blue Box. Get into the festival spirit: Whitstable Oyster Festival (26th July to 1st August) If you can deal with the pungent smell of oysters wafting around and the overly enthusiastic Morris dancers parading through the town, I’d recommend taking a trip down to Whitstable when the Oyster Festival begins. There’s a great summery atmosphere to enjoy and it’s worth a visit if you’re still around in the summer months.

Go to the Gulbenkian Second term has just begun but if you’re anything like me, you’re already getting tired and doing anything at all is just so much effort. So what could be better than walking out of your seminar and straight into the cinema: it’s right in the middle of our campus! There are classic films, recent movie releases, cheaper cinema tickets and the odd play and comedy act too.

Go to City Sound Project (Saturday 3rd May)

City Sound Project

Canterbury’s main music festival returns for summer 2014 with more local bands and numerous venues and for the first time ever, it’s a two-day event! Enjoy the music and sun across the city and who knows, you could even be seeing the music scene’s next big thing. After all, 2012 saw Bastille make an appearance so don’t miss out on it this year.

Spend a night in every bar on campus Whether it’s Origins for Ruby Tuesdays, Mungos for Massive Mungos or Venue for Jelli Baby and Soap, you have to have experienced them all before your University life is over. They won’t all be great and you probably won’t remember half of them but it’s your duty as a UKC student to try everything. I’d recommend trying out the fancy dress nights too, but a word of advice: make sure you get the date right.

Turning up to Venue in your finest elderly man costume complete with moustache, braces and fake stubble when OAP night was the week before, is just a little bit awkward.

look out for: the new bands on the block Elliot Bayliss Eve Ball at Camden’s KOKO, Wolf Alice The Strokes still were. Lead single Drowners This is a band whose name is almost synonymous of their sound. Named after Suede’s 1992 hit, the New York four-piece combine quintessentially Brit-Pop melodies with the essence of The Big Apple. It’s this sound that has led Rolling Stone to mark them as “The Smiths reborn as The Strokes”.

Lead singer Matt Hitt’s lyrics draw inspiration from Morrissey, whilst tracks such as A Button On Your Blouse echo the iconic sound of Johnny Marr’s guitar. EP Between Us Girls has proved a fine introduction for the band and they supported both The Vaccines and Arctic Monkeys last year. Now 2014 looks set to be a huge year for Drowners, who release their self-titled debut album later this month.

Wolf Alice Headlining Club NME’s New Year’s

ended last year on a high. It’s with similarly emphatic fashion that their 2014 kicked off, supporting charttoppers The 1975 and tour buddies Swim Deep in their six night run of sold out shows at both the Manchester and Brixton Academy. It’s on EP Blush that Wolf Alice truly demonstrate their abilities; the single She offers a chaotic rock serving, unleashing overpowering guitars and thumping drum beats.

It provides a stark contrast to titular track, Blush, a far softer, balanced, self expressional song that allows front-woman Ellie Rowsell’s vocals to float across its melodies. With music magazines highlighting them as their band for 2014 and hopefully a debut album on the horizon, Wolf Alice are the ones to watch in the UK right now.

Skaters With upcoming album Manhattan (released 24th February) named after their native city, it’s obvious that Skaters’ gritty punk is heavily influenced by New York. It’s perhaps this origin that’s caused critics to label Skaters as the band the world wishes

Deadbolt brings Skaters into 2014 with energy and a distinct sound; toetapping drums, and infectious and raw guitars inviting references to 80s punks The Clash, whilst newest release Miss Teen Massachusetts, which premiered on Radio 1 earlier this month, was met with further acclaim. With summer festival slots coming up, 2014 is shaping up to be the breakthrough for this three-piece.

Ben Khan Ben Khan is proving to be the artist of the moment. Arriving from seemingly nowhere, Khan’s first two tracks, Drive (Part 1) and Eden have clocked up over 600,000 plays on Soundcloud. His intertwining of electronic music with neo-soul and R&B has caused many to liken him to artists such as Jai Paul and the hotly tipped Jungle. Khan’s new track Savage and his growing fanbase are indications of his coming success. Expect to see a lot more in the next year.

16

IQ Entertainment

film

listen, watch, play and follow

Caitlin Webb Listen: This Is What It Feels Like - Banks I don’t know about you but trying to a find a good chilled out song to listen to whilst doing uni work isn’t the easiest.

But this song is one of those. Perfect for zoning out the rest of the world and zoning into your work.

Watch: Frozen If you’ve heard all the hype, you’ll know this film is worth a watch. The Disney story line has caught up with modern day and the theme song Let it Go,

by Idina Menzel, has been embraced worldwide as a song of liberation. Well Done Disney, you’ve done it again!

Use: The Simpsons - Tapped Out Having just gotten myself a new phone, this is one of the first apps I downloaded. But be warned: if you have work to do, do not download this horrifically addictive game! So Homer’s incompetency has struck again. Due to playing with his “mypad” game, not too dissimilar from this one, he didn’t save Springfield from an explosion so you have to rebuild it!

But it’s highly distracting so do this only at your own risk!

Follow: @UKIPWeather With over three times the amount of followers as the Official UKIP twitter feed, this spoof account was set up as a reaction to UKIP’s David Sylvester (now suspended) declaring that the vote on gay marriage is the cause of the floods around the country. Topical satirical tweets, what twitter was made for!

scorsese success: the wolf of wall street

Matthew Gilley Newspaper Editor

Much has been made of The Wolf of Wall Street’s apparently dubious morality and gratuitous drug use/ swearing/sex/suggested sexualised violence. Those critics seem to have missed the point, though. Far from affirming Jordan Belfort’s life of debauchery, self-gratification and illegality, it’s almost impossible to watch the film without seeing him as a depraved, monstrous human being – there’s one particular scene near the end where any shred of sympathy you had left for him is washed away. That the film never shows the consequences of Belfort’s actions for his many swindled clients doesn’t change that, and Scorsese’s decision to get inside the stock broker’s head and see him from the inside rather than the out is braver and less sermonising.

And the inside of Jordan Belfort’s head is a horrible place. Brilliantly played with relish, vigour and effortless sleaze by Leonardo DiCaprio in one of his best performances, it’s a place where money is the ultimate goal, noone really matters except himself and women are trophies at best (not that this makes the film sexist, as it’s been accused of; again, it never comes close to condoning such behaviour). Every time a spot of tenderness appears in his inimitably cocksure character, it is quickly stamped out: he weeps as his wife leaves him upon discovering his affair, only to immediately move his lingerie-designing girlfriend into their apartment; he warns his friend and business-partner Donnie (Jonah

Hill, getting a rare chance to show off his comedy chops away from frat-boy throwaways) about the FBI, only to give up everyone else.

The film’s major flaw is that it doesn’t make enough of these moments of humanity amidst the hedonism. As brief as they are they are generally the best moments. The clear highlight is an agonisingly and hilariously long scene where Belfort – so high that he can’t walk – crawls, slithers and rolls to his car (who knew DiCaprio was such a great physical comedian?), into his house and then, in his state of utter incoherence, has to force himself to recognise that Donnie is choking to death and do something about it.

The problem isn’t that the film is essentially Belfort’s view of himself.

He’s clearly an unreliable narrator and it’s not to be patronised and told exactly what to think. The problem is that focusing so relentlessly on Belfort’s selfish debauchery and leaving the rest to the audience seems a little lazy, and eclipses some of the character’s complexities which, whilst there, could have been teased out further. Combined with another flaw, the massive threehour runtime, it can make the film a

little numbing. Perhaps that’s the point, and since it’s a film about excess the length might make sense in theory, but it never seems justified on screen.

This is a shame, since there is a lot to like here. Aside from DiCaprio and Hill, Matthew McConaughey makes a fleeting but utterly brilliant appearance as a mentor figure to Belfort explaining the central fallacy of Wall Street that stocks are “fairy dust… they don’t fucking exist” and that the two keys to surviving as a stock broker are jerking off and cocaine. Scorsese also ploughs fertile territory when he gestures beyond Belfort’s own mind with a long speech that casts the stock exchange as the illogical conclusion of the American Dream, where the pursuit of “opportunity” has reached a bizarre place where the most important opportunities are to put a helicopter pad on your yacht or throw a dwarf at a target.

It’s Scorsese himself who probably comes out of the film best. Despite its flaws, it is consistently entertaining – though across three hours some of the jokes unsurprisingly fall flat – and confirms that, now in his 70s, Scorsese is still a risky and vital director.

nigel’s oscar nominee betting advice

Nigel Nielson

I know absolutely nothing about the merit of films and what makes them Oscar-worthy. However, do not let that deter you from my impending advice.

Take heed and you might win some money! Before we begin, who is Oscar?

Anyway, onto the advice. Here it is: Leonardo DiCaprio is nominated for Best Actor in a leading role. He has never won an Oscar before, which means he’s due for one any time now.

Plus, he’s absolutely terrific in The Wolf of Wall Street, so betting on him would be a sure-fire way of winning some money. I believe that’s what they judge it on anyway. Fairness etc.

Jonah Hill could win for his supporting role in The Wolf of Wall Street, but he got his dick out so that might put the judges off. (Or, depending on the panel, it could sway

them the other way). Bradley Cooper’s nomination for the same award is a surprise, considering the amount of off-putting curls he had on his head in American Hustle. Don’t put money on either of them.

As for best picture, I imagine 12 Years a Slave is boundary-pushing enough so I’d go for that. I saw American Hustle and it was boring. The Wolf of Wall Street completely shat all over Hustle, so perhaps put some money on that one too. I don’t know… I really don’t.

Meryl Streep will win, she always does.

What I don’t know about film, I make up for in my knowledge of the Oscars, so here we go: The 2014 Oscars are the 86th Awards and they take place in 2014 in Hollywood, USA. They celebrate the talent and brilliance of the American people that take part in films etc and it’s a right laugh apparently. They’re funded by the Hollywood Foreign Press (I think) but I’ve never understood what the Hollywood Foreign Press is. Why is it called foreign? Are they from a Hollywood that isn’t in America? I don’t get it.

Betting can become a habit. If you find yourself not being able to stop, speak to someone. I’d suggest a bank manager.

He can give you a loan to fund your betting and gambling. Everyone needs to enjoy something, don’t they?

IQ Entertainment 17

music & tv

albums on the channel 4: the controversy continues noted that the familiar sounding James Whatever your political stance may

Deema Al-Mohammad

Around this time a year ago, The

Telegraph complained, regarding the documentary Skint, that, “the channel’s (Channel 4’s) new habit, of staring voyeuristically at people who are a bit poor or a bit thick, is more than a bit creepy… But sometimes it’s exploitative – and it’s not always easy to see where the dividing line is.” With the arrival

of 2014 we’ve seen a new installment of The Undateables, and the premier of the controversial Benefits Street on Channel 4. However, the notoriety that comes along with a Channel 4 documentary is not news to the producers at the station.

The popularity of these programmes seems to be gaining a lot of negative attention. Many articles circling The Guardian, the BBC and, of course, The Daily Mail, have been highlighting that the documentaries are outrageous, demeaning and unfair on the communities and social groups that they portray.

In a lot of ways, this is true. An article

by Paul Baker from The Guardian

Turner Street – the focus of Benefits Street – is actually much less aggressive than it comes across. In fact from his own experience, he describes the street as, “Not hugely different from middleclass areas... other than the fact that a high proportion were prepared to participate!”

Baker’s article paints a far less extreme picture of the street, which begs the question: how much of the documentary is truthful? Does Channel 4 have a responsibility to portray the complete truth?

Not necessarily; of course Benefits Street is sensationalised to a certain extent. Nonetheless, this is necessary for a show to be entertaining rather than simply informative. By now we know what to expect from Channel 4, and we know to take everything with a pinch of salt. At least attention is being brought to the impoverished and difficult situation that so many British people live in.

The show is unapologetic in its content, with drug deals and methods of shoplifting being publicised. It manages to both disagree with and reaffirm many stereotypes about people on benefits.

Most importantly, however, is that it gives a public voice to a social group that is often undermined and talked about as a problem rather than a group of people.

be, observing the lives of people on benefits, sensationalised as it may be, is still incredibly interesting. Ultimately more knowledge and more personal accounts on these matters is always better than less. This proves especially true for The Undateables, which many people have found to be upsetting due to the fact that the personal lives of people with disabilities are apparently mocked.

This is a view that is founded in fear of taboos, and general ignorance of disabilities. We shy away from looking at the screen when the disability awkwardly manifests itself in front of us. But the fact is that if you have a

disability, it’s a part of life. The only embarrassment is the cringing viewer who can’t treat another human being equally, regardless of any medical condition. These are the real lives of people; they’re not going to disappear if you just look away. If anything, it’s great to see the family relationships and support systems the subjects of the show have. People are good, and kind, and dating is funny and awkward.

step aside downloads, vinyl is making a comeback Emily Adams Newspaper Entertainment Editor

Remember when you used to go into a shop and physically buy your music?

Maybe, but it’s probably a distant memory now. Or remember the vinyl records and LPs playing at home? No? Me neither. But that could be about to change.

British Phonographic Industry (BPI) statistics have shown that vinyl sales are the highest they’ve been for 15 years, with nearly 400,000 being sold in 2012, at a time when CD sales are plummeting. Internet downloads are supposed to be the rulers of the music scene but it seems vinyl is about to make its comeback.

Vinyl may be a bit before my time but it was definitely my parents’ chosen format. I admit, I don’t own any vinyl records and I don’t tend to buy CDs in the shops anymore either but there’s just something so impersonal about downloads and I hate it. Sure, it’s quick and easy, but I feel like I’m parting with my money and I don’t really get to see what I’ve got with it. It seems cold hearted and soulless to download hand

crafted and well-made music and then cram it into the memory of your iPod. No CD case, no album insert and no interesting artwork. It’s compressed and forgotten.

So maybe that’s why vinyl sales are looking up. People want to reclaim the enjoyment and fulfilment of owning the physical record. They’re valuable collectables that hold memories. I’m not ashamed to admit I miss playing my beloved S Club 7 cassette and memorising the lyrics printed all over the cover. It’s a souvenir of my childhood. Now, without the packaging, I don’t really know the names of my favourite tracks, just the order my iPod plays them in. I don’t get to appreciate them like I would if I could sit and study the album insert.

Nick Courtney, music guru and owner of Sweet Memories, Portsmouth’s most famous record store, highlights that there’s value in a vinyl record: “Digitalised music lacked the warmth of vinyl and listeners lost out when the CD failed to reproduce the full aural spectrum of sound previously offered by vinyl records. People have slowly begun to realise that the quality of music is again being reduced and this time the physical product has also been removed.”

Today, it’s speed and convenience over quality, but I’d rather pay more and support the music that acts as the soundtrack to my day to day life: the bands that help me relax, that get me through essays and get me ready for a night out.

With vinyl sales having risen for the last five years, I think it could be quality that brings music lovers of all generations back together. As Courtney puts it, “vinyl is back, not just as a novelty item, but as an investment idea and also as the preferred method of listening to real quality music”. If you appreciate music, maybe give vinyl a go.

Amy Bliss

go

Join the Dots - TOY Hazy and melodic, Join the Dots manages to move from mesmerising, psychedelic sounds to rhythmic drumming and bass lines so smoothly that the transition seems almost unnoticeable.

With a strong nostalgic sound, TOY’s second album offers a sensational follow-up to a brilliant debut.

Beyoncé – Beyoncé Step aside Sasha Fierce, Beyoncé’s new alter ego has appeared from nowhere and brought an outstanding album with her. ‘Yoncé’ feels like the darker twin sister of Sasha Fierce, creating a more provocative and experimental album both lyrically and musically. Unashamedly sexual, this album Beyoncé is able to strike the balance between exploring sexuality and using it to empower women.

Queen B is back and different, but better than ever.

Warpaint – Warpaint There is beauty in the effortless, melancholic sound of Warpaint. A captivating album that is harrowing and comforting at the same time. The mix of folky vocals and electronic instrumentals creates a juxtaposition so hypnotic it will hook you from the first song. It would have been nice to see more variety between songs, but definitely worth a listen.

Total Strife Forever - East India Youth William Doyle’s debut album under the pseudonym East India Youth is an innovative electronic success.

Total Strife Forever offers something completely new. Doyle’s compelling vocals alone are atmospheric, but when accompanied by his unique, adventurous melodies, this album reaches new triumphant levels. The instrumental tracks on this album really showcase Doyle’s ability to create stunning music. A remarkably brilliant debut and possibly the most unique album out in a while.

18

IQ Culture

cultural events calendar Fri 31st Jan-Sun 2nd Feb All Is Lost The Gulbenkian Cinema Fri 31st Jan-Sun 16th March Manet’s The Execution Of Maximilian The Beaney

important anniversaries in 2014

Natalie Tipping International Relations 100 years since the start of WW1 – 04/08/1914 Following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, AustriaHungary declared war on Serbia on 28th July 1914. Many countries soon got involved, with Britain declaring war on Germany on 4th August, and on Austria-Hungary on 12th. The war lasted for four years and over 37 million people were killed.

Sat 1st Feb Dial M For Murder 3D The Gulbenkian Cinema Mon 3rd Feb Anchorman Double Bill The Gulbenkian Cinema Tue 4th-Thu 6th Feb Blue Is The Warmest Colour The Gulbenkian Cinema Tue 4th Feb David O’Doherty - Will Try To Fix Everything The Gulbenkian Theatre Wed 5th Feb The Six Wives Of Henry VIII The Marlowe Studio Fri 7th-Thu 13th Feb American Hustle The Gulbenkian Cinema Fri 7th-Sat 8th Feb Blink The Marlowe Studio Fri 7th-Tue 11th Feb The Railway Man The Gulbenkian Cinema Sat 8th Feb Queen II Live: A Tribute To Queen The Kings Hall

75 years since the outbreak of WW2 – 03/09/1939 Despite the great amount of bloodshed and destruction caused by World War One, the conflict in Europe was not fully reconciled, and a mere 25 years after the declaration of the Great War, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain was forced to declare war on Hitler’s Germany. Over the course of the war, which lasted from 1939 to 1945, over 60mn people were killed – a death toll which at the time constituted 2.5% of the world’s population.

Travel 150 years of Charing Cross – 11/01/1864 Opened in January 1864, London Charing Cross is the fifth busiest railway terminal in the country, with around 40mn people passing through it every year.

20 years of Channel Tunnel – 06/05/1994 Since I’m currently studying in Paris on my year abroad, I’m glad this exists.

The Queen and then French Prime Minister François Mitterand presided over the opening of the undersea tunnel connecting Britain with France in May 1994. The tunnel had first been discussed 30 years earlier.

Sport 25 years since the Hillsborough Disaster – 15/04/1989 The FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest should have been just like any other football match. Unfortunately due to crowds of Liverpool supporters being allowed to cram in to the stadium to see their team play, many found themselves being crushed against barriers between them and the pitch. Some supporters were lifted to safety over the barriers or into the stand above, but 96 Liverpool fans were killed in the panic. A further 766 were seriously injured, a crisis which has largely been blamed on the

mismanagement of the crowds by the police.

50 years of Match of the Day on BBC2 – 22/08/1964 A slightly more upbeat one here for all you football fans. Everyone’s favourite Saturday night round-up show has been running for 50 years this year, which makes the show almost as old as its current presenter.

Entertainment 25 years of Sky TV – 05/02/1989 It’s often difficult for people our age to remember a time before you had 100+ channels on your telly that you don’t really need, but the birth of satellite TV wasn’t really that long ago.

30 years of The Smiths – 20/02/1984 Manchester based band The Smiths released their self-titled debut on the 20th of February 1984. The band are still incredibly popular today and if you haven’t listened to them, where have you been?

20 years of the National Lottery – 19/11/1994 The first National Lottery draw was held in November 1994 and was hosted

by Noel Edmonds. Edmonds has since moved on to bigger and better things such as hanging out with Mr Blobby and presenting Deal or No Deal. But hey, at least you’re guaranteed a cash prize for playing that game.

free range series kicks off

Matthew Gilley Newspaper Editor

This year’s series of Free Range experimental performance art events has got off to an excellent start. Free Range continues every Thursday evening at the Veg Box café until 1st May. More information can be found at http://free-range.co/.

Thursday 16th was singles night (blind dates not included), featuring three solo performers – Sam Bailey, Robert Stillman and Alison Blunt. Bailey, who also curates the series, opened the evening with improvisations for prepared piano. The array of objects inside the instrument really brought out its percussive qualities with a variety of buzzes and rattles. Particularly effective is Bailey’s use of e-bows and cheap plastic fans to create atmospheric layers of sustained vibrations.

Blunt’s improvisations on violin were similarly abrasive, often twisting and scraping her bow along the strings to churn out a compelling racket. Always seeming on the verge of collapse, her playing perfectly teased out that haunted, yet delicately beautiful sound unique to the violin, poised precisely between noise and graceful warmth.

There also seemed to be a hint of Eastern European folk music, especially in frequent chord passages, forging an interesting link with a musical history and tonality amidst the apparent chaos.

The highlight of the evening, however, had to be Stillman, who played selections from a suite of saxophone pieces called Broadstairs written for him by American composer Chris Weisman.

Weisman writes with “non-musical patterns for musical purposes” based on shapes on a guitar fretboard and has never been to Broadstairs – apparently he just thought it was a funny name.

That humour came out in the music, which swung from loud, low parps to intricate melody and surprising beauty in a heartbeat. One stunning piece was played to the open piano with the sustain pedal held down, leaving ghost whispers ringing after every phrase.

The next week was dedicated to Free Range’s other main focus – poetry.

The two poets, Holly Pester and Emma Bennett, are both ‘sound poets’, and illusive categorisation that focuses more on individual sounds than words, form or even (sometimes) meaning.

Tellingly, “legibility” and “illegibility” are mentioned in both of their solo

performances and both seem to be playfully concerned with how stuff really doesn’t make any sense.

With a wry, exasperated look Pester tells how her father, at his wedding, said “she’s gone from being a single to an LP”. What does that even mean?

Bennett, reading a supposed proposal for a piece of drama, casts chairs and shelves and tables as mystical “visitations” because, as everyone knows, flat pack furniture is impossible and may as well be from another realm.

These concerns really come to a head in their collaborative, improvised reading of Dylan Thomas’s After the Funeral. They stumble over lines, mix metaphors, tie themselves in knots assigning each other roles in the poem (“… the fox” “that’s you” “yes, that’s me”) and send up – with the greatest affection – the entire form of poetry in the process.

IQ Culture

best and worst: foreign language films

Laura Kennelly

Foreign language films are a bit like marmite - you either lap up the culture and atmosphere or you just loathe the idea of reading and watching simultaneously. Love them or hate them, here is a list of my top three best and worst foreign language films.

My third favourite foreign language movie is Biutiful. If you enjoy dark, depressing films, then this one is for you. Biutiful is a Spanish-Mexican film

by Alejandro González Iñárritu and depicts the story of cancer sufferer Uxbal and his struggles with a bleak life in Barcelona: his alcoholic, bipolar wife, his ability to communicate with the dead and his risky job of providing work for illegal immigrants.

The film wallows in Uxbal’s suffering, and the dark surroundings and music emphasise Uxbal’s guilt and pain over his loved ones. The title itself is striking and attention-grabbing – it is spelt how the English word ‘beautiful’ is pronounced in Spanish phonology.

In second place is The Diving Bell and The Butterfly/Le Scaphandre et le Papillon. This inspirational film is based on the memoir of French journalist Jean-Dominique Bauby. It illustrates Bauby’s life after he suffers a stroke that leaves him with locked-in syndrome – a condition where the patient is mentally fine, but completely paralysed except for

the eyes. His memoir was produced by blinking at letters in the alphabet. The film offers a first-person perspective on Bauby’s life, as the audience is able to hear his thoughts and see through his one functioning eye.

The best foreign language film has to be City of God/Cidade de Deus. This Brazilian film illustrates gang culture in the ‘City of God’, a favela (shanty town), in the suburb of Rio de Janeiro.

It focuses on the lives of a group of impoverished adolescent men and the troubles they get into in their corrupt hometown, such as robbing motels and working their way up the drug industry ladder.

The film is narrated by one of the men who focuses on his love of photography and watches his friends build a drug empire. The film is fast-paced and tense, with the entirety of the cast (bar one) being unexperienced actors from similar shanty towns, which creates an authentic story with impressive improvisation.

My third least favourite foreign language film is Glue. This Argentine film focuses on the life of horny teenager Lucas and his experimentations with drugs and sex.

In a nutshell, the film is a bit bland and pointless. It rambles a lot and features two hours of masturbation, teenage musings, glue-sniffing and various bike

rides across the Argentine countryside.

In second place is Diary of a Nymphomaniac/Diario de una Ninfómana. The 2001 Spanish film based on the life of call girl Val is well acted, particularly by Belén Fabra, but lacks any complexity or meaning. The title speaks for itself really and the film is crude and shallow, and basically just tells the story of a sex-addict.

But worst of them all is Daniel - The Wizard/Daniel - Der Zauberer. This film is one of those movies that is fun to laugh at because it is just that bad.

Produced by Peter Schamoni, this lowbudget German production is about two teenagers and their plot to kill successful musician, Daniel, because they quite simply dislike him. Reviews have described it as “an offence to the eye”; this could be a great film to play drinking games to.

at the end of the day, the cliché is ok ay

Lauren Harrison

A cliché is a phrase which gets a bad reputation for being overused, and is therefore accused of lacking in creativity. But it’s hard to ignore the truth in phrases such as “absence makes the heart grow fonder” or “every cloud has a silver lining”.

They may have lost the significance of their original meaning, like a game of Chinese whispers; they get mixed up and people forget how to use them in the correct way.

The increase in art and literature in our culture has given us the urge for more creativity when it comes to expressing ourselves. Whether this is in conversation or written communication, we can often get irritated by the lack of thought displayed when a cliché is used.

It is also becoming increasingly difficult to find something to say in place of a cliché. With the saturation of written media nowadays, writers have to try even harder to bring new descriptive language into their work.

Many fiction writers still use clichés

in their work, and are criticised for it, but what reasons do critics give?

The general feeling is that, in terms of fiction writing, clichés may not fit a character or plotline and they end up leaving the reader bored.

Words written for the story at hand are seen as far more suitable because they are written as an original part of the creative process. There is also a fear that if a writer uses too many clichés, a piece of writing will become predictable.

But, if clichés were really so unsuitable then they never would have ended up being overused. A lot of advice about writing is just guidelines, and the use of a cliché is not always going to guarantee

a bad piece of writing. It may just mean that a writer has to pay a little more attention to the rest of their work.

Originality can be absent in the face of clichés. So what a writer must do is bring something new and original into their work. If a writer uses clichés, it will not make them a bad writer; they simply must use them alongside original writing.

Writing is about doing something your way, and showing why your writing is worth reading. I don’t think that clichés are a marker for terrible writing, but I do appreciate originality in writing. It’s really all about balance.

Clichés, when used, must not be the only form of description and expression. If you think about it, a cliché is often the first idea you go to.

That doesn’t make it wrong, but it is rare in writing (whether fiction, academic or otherwise) that you will settle on the first thing you think of.

You mull it over, edit it and make it your own. Don’t stop using them altogether, but allow space for a little reinvention and creativity.

19

in other news...

Keira Knightley, who has starred in Pride And Prejudice, Pirates Of The Carribean and Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, has said that when she was in The Bill as a child, it was the “most exciting character I have ever played”.

Award-winning poet Patience Agbabi is set to release a “21stcentury remix” of Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales.

This April will see a new take on the characters including a rapping Parson. The book is already gaining praise, being described as “brilliant” and “virtuosic”.

Canterbury Cathedral’s girls’ choir made history this month, becoming the first ever female choir at the Cathedral in its 900 years’ history.

Jonah Hill, star of The Wolf Of Wall Street, has revealed that he was paid just $60,000 (£36,200) - the minimum wage for Hollywood - for his role in the film. The actor has been nominated for an Oscar for his part as Donnie Azoff. Leonardo DiCaprio who played the main character in the film, stockbroker Jordan Belfort, was reportedly paid $10m.

Sir Elton John has issued a statement condemning Russia’s “vicious” anti-gay legislation and has offered to show Vladimir Putin the human impact of “homosexual propaganda” laws.

20

IQ Culture

pause for thought The season of love is upon

us. If you’re feeling loved up, or if you’ve got that special someone who you want to spend some quality time with, then why not recite these magical Shakespearean lines to them on Valentine’s Day? What could possibly be more romantic than Sonnet 18?

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? (Sonnet 18) Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?

Thou art more lovely and more temperate.

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer’s lease hath all too short a date.

Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimmed; And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance, or nature’s changing course, untrimmed; But thy eternal summer shall not fade, Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st, Nor shall death brag thou wand’rest in his shade, When in eternal lines to Time thou grow’st.

So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

William Shakespeare

should film r atings be altered?

Rosanna Shaw

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has revealed that they are to introduce new guidelines for film ratings, particularly for the films aimed at children. The decision was made following a discussion with the public, which for the first time, included teenagers. The research revealed parents found the sexualisation of young girls a particular cause for concern. Other problems they will consider include swearing and the “psychological impact of horror”.

I, for one, have heard a wide range of responses to these proposals from, “about time” to “we’re heading for disaster”. I appreciate that censorship is always going to be a sensitive subject.

People often deem restrictions as crushing their freedom of choice, but honestly isn’t that a bit melodramatic?

It has far too many associations with totalitarian ideas to go unquestioned but if people really look at the guidelines, they really aren’t that scary.

The BBFC want to toughen up on language featured in films rated U, as, for example, there was a lot of controversy over The Pirates! In An Adventure With Scientists! which contained the word “crap”. This, as

well as the survey, has contributed to the decision to tighten up language allowed to be viewed by “audiences aged four years and over”. But before you start going off on one about the evils of censorship, it’s worth knowing that relaxation on restrictions of 15-rated movies are also planned.

I think this shows that the BBFC are trying to take the lead from the public themselves, rather than imposing rules that no one really agrees with. Many people have expressed their outrage that 15 year olds will be allowed to hear foul language in films, but I seriously doubt there’ll be many 15 year olds expanding their vocabulary at this change; most already know their fair share of swear words.

Ultimately the BBFC are making their guidelines more relevant to our current society, not fuelling the degeneration of our youth. It might be hard for some to admit but young people today are more experienced than previous generations, a change that’s finally being reflected in

film ratings.

Another area the BBFC are altering is the content allowed in horror films. This may be because the most complained about film in recent years was The Woman In Black. The horror film was rated a 12A, so anyone older is good to go and see it. It’s hard to say how scared I would have been by this at 12, but I first watched it at 19 and I refused to walk home alone after.

The problem with this is that it’s about the sensitivity of an individual.

I find supernatural horror, such as The Woman In Black, very creepy, but have no problem whatsoever with gory horror films like Saw. So, in matters of personal taste, how should film classifications be decided?

It’s tricky, but I think it’s safer to err on the side of caution. If children have to wait a couple of extra years to watch a horror film, I’m sure they can cope. It’s far better to wait than be introduced to something you’re not ready for, and can be traumatised by.

Although I do think that the guidelines are imperfect, ultimately the changes that will soon be introduced are a step in the right direction. And if you do disagree that violently… well they are only guidelines.

film-to-musical: will it ever end?

Rebekah Chilvers Newspaper Culture Editor

What have Frozen, Shrek, Spiderman and Avatar all got in common? Not that much upon first glance, right?

Well, thanks to Broadway and the West End, they’ve all either already been adapted into a stage musical, or are in the pipeline. But, with all of the classic musicals that fill the stages as it is, isn’t it worth asking why so many seemingly just-for-film movies are being made into musicals?

Is it to make a quick buck? In this so-called capitalist and materialistic society, is it possible that the ‘big bosses’ just see an opportunity to make some money fast by swapping the screen for the stage? Very possibly, yes. I mean, seriously, who thought that Spider-Man could possibly be appropriate for a stage musical? Honestly, did someone sit through Tobey Maguire’s Spidey and think: “I know what this needs… music and dancing!” I just don’t get it.

And you know what? Neither did the critics. In 2011, a reporter for The Guardian described the production as “a testament to how too much money leads to self-delusion, nerviness and, ultimately, a giant mess.” After three years of Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark (what – could they not think of a more camp name?), Broadway has said goodbye to this unfortunate musical this

month, which even fate tried to warn the cast and crew against (there were at least six major injuries during the threeyear run, as well as several high-profile legal cases). So, did the production team really not see the warning signs that this wasn’t going to be a smash hit? Or did they, indeed, see them and overlook them knowing that there would be a quick pay-out because people would just be curious? I don’t know.

But poor Spider-Man wasn’t the only film to be squeezed into a musicalshaped box only to find that the fit wasn’t quite right. All-time classic Breakfast At Tiffany’s was also tried and tested for the stage, but after only four preview performances, the show was pulled, and, I imagine, rarely mentioned ever again.

So, surely it’s clear that not just any film can be randomly selected and then magically transformed into a successful musical, but is that going to stop anyone from trying? Probably not.

While it would be nice to imagine that original musicals could completely fill the theatres of Broadway and the West End, it’s a lot easier to turn to other materials for inspiration. And yes, sometimes the film-to-musical adaptation does work. Just look at the success of Tim Minchin’s recent production of Matilda, the long-running triumph that is The Lion King and the

surprise accomplishment of Silence!

The Musical (an adaptation of Silence Of The Lambs).

Musicals for musicals’ sake is not the best kind of art, in my opinion.

But while it’s easy for me to condemn creators for not using their imagination enough, on the flipside, it’s just what we do; we copy. Books are adapted to films, films are adapted to musicals, and yes, musicals are also adapted to films – The Sound Of Music being a prime example.

Years ago books and plays were key material for musicals, right now it’s films. Who knows what will be next?

I do appreciate that when film-tomusical adaptations work, they work really well. I’d just like there to be a better sort of filter system for when certain films are suggested for musical scrutiny. “Hey, how about ‘Schindler’s List – The Musical’? ‘Forrest Gump – The Musical’? No, I’ve got it, ‘The Shining – The Musical’!”. No. Stop it, just please, stop it.

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22

Sport

super bowl preview: seahawks vs broncos Stuart Smith

AMERICA’S favourite sport is coming to its yearly climax and the furore surrounding it all seems to be spreading to the UK. This year sees the Seattle

Seahawks, in only their second ever Super Bowl, come up against two-time winners Denver Broncos at MetLife Stadium, New York.

It’s a cliché, but this is the definition of “an irresistible force vs an immovable object”.

The Broncos averaged 37.9 points a game during the regular season – 10 more than any other team – and also topped the stats on yards gained per down with 6.3.

The Seahawks, on the other hand, dominated the stats on

defence, the most impressive being the small amount of 14.4 points given up per game.

Denver will be looking to veteran Quarterback and future Hall-of-Famer Peyton Manning to put in a second MVP performance in his second Super Bowl to fire them to the win.

But Manning’s brilliant passes will score nothing without someone on the end of them.

Wide receiver Demaryius Thomas has played well all season but really stood out in the AFC Championship game gaining 134 yards and scoring one Touchdown.

Whilst Seattle will hope their defence holds strong, they’ll need to establish the running game in order to get points on the board.

Marshawn Lynch will expect to continue his admirable form in the post-season, the Running Back has picked up the most rushing yards of any player.

Both sides were top seeds in their respective conference and both sides go into the Super

Bowl with an identical record for the year of 15 wins and 3 losses, so there’s little to split the two.

Something that will be crucial to deciding this year’s champions will be how well the Broncos receivers hold onto the ball.

The Broncos offence were guilty of giving up 27 fumbles this regular season – the 4th highest in the NFL – meanwhile Seattle’s defence forced 26 fumbles across the season, also the 4th highest in the NFL. No doubt this will be a tight game and those of us who stay awake for the finish will agree it was worth it.

There are rumours an aging Manning will retire if Denver win the Super Bowl on the 2nd February and that would be a fantastic end to the Quarterback’s fantastic career.

Though the Seahawks defence won’t make it easy, I see the Broncos leaving with the trophy and Manning closing the book on his career as one of the greatest QBs of all time.

bucs fixture is neigh bother can city achieve the fantastic four?

Iida Mahlio ON Wednesday 22nd January, UKC Equestrian Club’s C Team competed against the B teams of Brunel, UCL and Royal Holloway in a BUCS Trophy league match.

The event was hosted by Brunel at Snowball Farm, Burnham.

Kent’s C team (Manuel Crepin, Jacqueline Hill, Anna Romanowicz, and Kate Gregory who was subbing in for Gabrielle Hemsley) managed a respectable 2nd place, putting them in joint 2nd place in their league with five points.

BUCS equestrian competitions are quite different from normal riding events.

In the BUCS Equestrian competitions, a team of four riders compete in both dressage and show jumping on horses they have never ridden before.

They are scored on their style, and the scores are then converted into penalties. The team with least penalties wins.

All four Kent riders did a lovely dressage test, with Jacqueline Hill achieving the best score on her horse.

After dressage Kent was in 3rd place, only a few penalties

behind UCL and Royal Holloway.

The showjumping went well for Kent. Manuel Crepin had an unlucky run out and one pole down, but managed still a good round on a challenging horse.

Anna Romanowicz and Jaqueline Hill both got the best scores on their horses, which helped Kent to gain a place and end on the 2nd place overall, leaving Royal Holloway behind by one penalty point.

The final team penalties were: UCL 46, Kent 122, Royal Holloway 123 and Brunel 334.

Kent riders also managed some fantastic individual placings: Jacqueline Hill came 2nd, Kate Gregory came 6th and Anna Romanowicz was 8th.

This was a successful result for the University of Kent’s equestrian team, and continues a good season for the side at BUCS competitions.

If you want to keep updated with the Equestrian team, you can visit their Facebook page at http://www.facebook. com/UKCEquestrianClub or on Twitter @UKCEquestrian.

You can also visit http://www. facebook.com/TeamKent to find out how UKC’s sports teams are doing.

George Dagless MUCH has been made this season of Manchester City’s attacking prowess.

The numbers make for eyewatering reading, averaging four goals a game at home and surpassing the 100 goals in a season mark during their 4-2 win over Cardiff at the weekend.

These record breaking stats have led to some wondering whether City really can win an unprecedented quadruple, including of the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup crowns.

Club captain Vincent Kompany has already come out to boldly state that it is a matter of when, not if, for his side to take all four competitions.

Certainly this season they are on track, barring the unlikeliest of miracles they are in the final of the League Cup after a 6-0 drubbing of West Ham in the first leg.

In the FA Cup they eventually brushed aside Blackburn 5-0 albeit needing a replay.

In the Premier League their home form is immaculate having won every game at the Etihad and they look to have addressed their early-

season away form which was indifferent.

Manager Manuel Pellegrini guided them into the knockout stages of the Champions League for the first time, in the Chilean, City have a manger who has a strong pedigree in the competition.

Villareal’s run to the 2006 semi-finals is the standout performance on his CV. Things look promising then: an array of attacking talent, formidable home form, an experienced manager and unparalleled resources if they do feel the need to bolster the squad in this transfer window.

However, there are a few concerns.

It’s all well and good blowing away teams by four and five goals as long as you don’t concede the same amount at the other end, this isn’t a problem when the skipper Kompany is in the side.

However, when he has been out through injury the heart of the defence looks much less stable.

Matija Nastasic looks promising but is still inexperienced, Martin Demichelis appears off the pace of the Premier League and it is

apparent Pellegrini doesn’t see Joleon Lescott as a first-team player.

Another issue relates to the domestic title race. City are in a three way battle with Arsenal and Chelsea.

What favours the London clubs is that in Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho they have managers that have done it before. For all Pellegrini’s years in management he has never won a major title in Europe’s big leagues.

This lack of Premier League nous has been reflected in some lacklustre performances against so-called smaller sides.

The Champions League poses the biggest threat to the quadruple. City face Barcelona, a side still reeling from last season’s humiliating elimination against Bayern Munich.

The Catalan giants have also welcomed back Lionel Messi from injury who has taken no time in wowing La Liga crowds.

This proves the biggest obstacle of all, however, should City overcome this and the others previously mentioned we might just be reflecting on one of the greatest club seasons ever come May.

Sport 23

vp comment: what team kent has been up to Chris Bull VP for Sport

SIX months have passed and six remain.

In late June, I was given the incredible opportunity to do all I possibly can to make change, and to provide a greater sporting provision here at the University of Kent.

An awful lot has happened in the last six months, though the majority has taken place behind the scenes, in preparation for what is to be a very exciting term.

By the end of the year, University sport will look very different to that of the past. We aim to improve and enhance your University sporting experience; and we are making changes in order to allow this to happen.

You’ll soon see a number of changes; from the way your club is funded, to the way in which your club orders its kit.

Both Varsity and Colours Ball will look significantly different, and all in an attempt to provide a greater sporting spectacle, to better your experience, and an opportunity to allow your club

has the power to change lives, with the ability to enhance and to develop ones personal and academic skills.

As part of the Sports Matters Campaign we’ll be exploring the barriers to sport and doing all we possibly can to make sport more accessible for each and everyone of you.

In doing so, we’ll be bringing you the very first Disability Sports Day on Monday 3rd February, featuring Wheelchair Basketball.

The evening will play host to an exciting open lecture that aims to tackle major issues surrounding liberation in sport, featuring Claire Harvey, Great Britain’s Sitting Volleyball Captain for the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

It is then time for the one you’ve all been waiting for: Varsity.

For more sport news check out our website at www.inquirelive.co.uk

Photograph supplied by Chris Bull to develop.

We are currently undertaking a key piece of research, which aims to prove that sport

plays an important role in several different areas, such as widening participation, retention, recruitment,

student satisfaction, wellbeing, employability and community engagement.

We want to prove that sport

Play for a University Sports Team? Get your match report in the paper!

why our ashes defeat ends all hope let’s embrace a winter break Henry Sandercock TEN years ago, an English capitulation in any sport would have been acceptable.

The news would come on and there would be montages of crying children and of hooligans throwing stadium seats at each other, whilst a reporter resembling a funeral director dryly summed up yet another sporting disaster. But it was all okay because that was what was expected and we continued our daily lives in a permanent raincloud of melancholia.

However, after the unlikely 2005 England Ashes victory, everything changed. Suddenly, our small island nation was a sporting superpower. Hope started creeping into the national psyche whenever a sporting event was on.

Even the 18 year old Andy Murray was suddenly expected to win Wimbledon, despite being ranked 312th in the world. Everything seemed to be looking up until we sent our cricket team down under for what was supposed to be a routine victory. The

2013/14 English Ashes effort greatly resembled the Sheppey Crossing crash, which saw 150 vehicles smash into each other in 10 minutes of sheer lunacy.

Instead of vehicles crashing, it was mindless batsman poking at balls that even a dog would not chase and bowlers leaking runs faster than a bloke who has just eaten an out-of-date curry.

So how did we go from a 3-0 victory to a 5-0 whitewash in the space of 3 months? There are two major reasons.

The first was the team’s mentality. It is understandable that confidence was high going into the series but it seemed that by the time the first test had begun confidence had turned into complacency, something which has no place in professional sport.

Graeme Swann played as if he was on holiday until his sudden, cowardly retirement; Ian Bell, our leading run-scorer in the summer series, was nowhere to be seen and is presumed to have been lost at sea on the trip over from England; and Kevin Pietersen seemed to think it was a 20-20 series.

The Aussies are equally to blame. As much as it pains me to say it, they out-played England in every aspect of the game. Mitchell Johnson, with a moustache that gave him an uncanny resemblance to Dennis Lillee, took wickets for fun; pantomime villain David Warner showed us what he is capable of with his bat rather than his fists and Michael Clarke simply out-captained Alistair Cook. All in all, the Australians seemed more up for it than England.

This was epitomised by former Prime Minister Bob Hawke downing a celebratory pint faster than an average Australian could say “croikey!”

Ultimately, I believe that this defeat marks the end of British sporting hope for the foreseeable future. There are faint rays of potential with our rugby team and Andy Murray but even they don’t guarantee us wins. Therefore I welcome back our familiar surroundings of sporting mediocrity and sheer incompetence.

Oh, raincloud of melancholia, how we have missed you.

Joseph Armitage IT pains me to say it but English football is being left in the dust by our continental counterparts.

The national team seems prehistoric in comparison to the tiki-taka of Spain, our domestic league no longer attracts the best players, and we find ourselves in a position where Arsenal, of all teams, are top of the league.

Between 23rd December 2013 and 5th January 2014 European champions Bayern Munich played zero competitive games, as did Real Madrid, Juventus and PSG – leaders Arsenal played five games in this two week period.

The Christmas period is the busiest time of the season for English clubs, most playing a game every 3-4 days, whilst Messi and co are enjoying a rest from the intense pressure they’re under.

England in general is steeped in tradition, and as an extension so is English football: we were unbelievably late to divert from the 4-4-2 formation, and the mere thought of an English

“sweeper-keeper” sends a disgusted shiver down the spine of Alex Horne and his chums at the FA. A winter break just isn’t commonplace in England and that sums up the argument for refusing to take the break: “it’s just not English.”

Every player on the continent who has voiced an opinion on the winter break seems to be in favour, and I’m sure the majority of players in England would be supportive of it if asked.

Every other year players will drain themselves during the domestic season and then almost instantaneously they travel to the World Cup or European Championships.

I can say without hesitation that I much prefer Boxing Day to Christmas Day. The day is made for football but I’d give it up for the sake of the winter break.

It’s time we stopped thinking of ourselves as the aficionados of the game and begin to mimic Germany in almost every way: their youth system set up, tactics, and the winter break.

visit our website at - www.inquirelive.co.uk/sport

InQuire sport 2014 - a year of exciting sport ahead

Photograph supplied by Chris Bull Dan English Newspaper Sport Editor 2014 looks set to be another great year of sport, both internationally as well as right here at Kent.

Perhaps the most important sporting event of the calendar year here at Kent is the forthcoming Varsity event.

This year’s competition will take place over five days, from Saturday 22nd Wednesday 26th February, pitting the sporting teams of the University of Kent against rivals Canterbury Christ Church University in a wide range of sporting disciplines.

This year’s event is going to

be bigger and better than ever, but relies on the co-operation of player and spectator.

For the University of Kent, expectations have never been greater, with Team Kent expected to carry on their success of having won the competition for the past 17 years.

However, the team were run close by CCCU last year, which will certainly give the underdogs a huge amount of confidence going into the event, particularly the Men’s and Women’s Rugby 1sts, who triumphed over UKC last time out.

The rivalry promises to be as intense as ever come 22nd

February.

For us at Kent, 2014 includes hopes for successes at BUCS Championships as well as Varsity.

In other sport, the World Cup will be a highlight, with 32 of the world’s footballing nations coming together in Brazil, the spiritual home of football, all vying to become immortalised by winning the greatest team prize in football.

For England, a tough group draw with opponents Uruguay, Italy and Costa Rica, could hinder the Three Lions’ hope of reaching the knockout stages.

For a change, expectation is low for Roy Hodgson’s men, with England certainly not

considered one of the favourites going into the tournament.

For that, you would have to look towards the likes of Brazil or Spain, with both sides looking in top form heading into the tournament, and supported by millions of fans at home.

The Brazilians will certainly be assisted by their home advantage.

However, the tournament is under scrutiny as a result of stadia not being ready, as well as violent protests marring the run up to the event, with questions remaining over whether some stadiums would be ready with just five months to go.

Another highlight will be the Commonwealth Games, being

held in Glasgow.

Eight years after the Games were last held in the UK (Manchester), it’ll be England vs Scotland for sporting bragging rights across a variety of sports.

England’s hopes of medals in the athletics field will be boosted by emerging sprint start Adam Gemili, as well as Olympic medallists Greg Rutherford and Mo Farah.

One disappointment for England will be the lack of Jessica Ennis, who ruled herself out of competing after announcing she is expecting her first child.

For the armchair competitor, pour yourself a drink, take a seat, and be entertained.