Redbrick - Issue 1478

Friday 3rd February 2017

Redbrick Issue 1478, Vol. 81

FREE

NUS Calls For NSS Boycott Guild takes neutral stance on the matter but opposes link between Teaching Excellence Framework and higher fees

Redbrick

The Official University of Birmingham Student Newspaper, est. 1936

Harry Burgess

Redbrick News covers the Birmingham protests against Trump's travel ban

Redbrick Features discusses the Women's March that became a global protest

Amandalynn Jones

Sci & Tech discuss the tech industry's response to Trump

Redbrick Food recommend where to eat on Valentine's Day

Ed Coy questions the latest fashion collaboration

Phil Jones reviews Two Door Cinema Club's live performance

Sci&Tech Page 16

Food Page 26

L&S Page 30

Music Page 33

02

REDBRICK

Friday 3rd February 2017

redbrick.me

Letter from the committee...

When I last wrote for this editorial, it felt like we’d only just started to get somewhere as a committee. Now, just over 3 months later, it already feels like we’re nearly finished. Much of the talk over these past few weeks has been concerned with the future of Redbrick and beginning the process that will see us appoint a new committee by the end of this term. At the moment, we have a date for our AGM, 9th March, and will be publicising more information about it in the coming weeks. But right now, I want to take the opportunity to say that we hope to see as many of you there as possible. If you’re a member of Redbrick, you are welcome to come along and vote for your next committee with us.

Even more so, we encourage anyone to go forward for a committee role, no matter what your level of experience is. This time last year, I was only a writer for the paper and despite my ambitions, had pretty much resigned myself to the fact that my dream of becoming editor would remain as that. Then, with nothing better to do and the assurance that there would be free pizza, I decided to attend the meeting. I may not have become editor in the end but the pizza was indeed free and I came out as the paper’s digital editor. People often think I’m joking when I say that I decided to run there and then but that’s how it

was; I didn’t even know what the committee positions were before it started. It goes to show that putting your name out there will always get you further than staying silent. Or, at the very least, it shows that the members of Redbrick are willing to take a punt on someone who is woefully underqualified.

While we’re on the topic of those who are woefully underqualified, I would also like to commend those who attended the city’s emergency protest against Donald Trump and his order to refuse entry to refugees/citizens of 9 Middle Eastern and North African countries. Redbrick has not been a particularly political paper recently and I would not normally see this space as a place to comment on world events. Yet, when the support for those seeking refuge from countries torn apart by war is seen as merely a political stance, one has to wonder if the west has become out-of-touch with basic humanity. In its insensitivity, its cruelty, and its cowardice, Trump’s actions cannot be justified on any grounds.

Those attributes do not have a place on either side of politics and it has been moving to see the speed and forcefulness with which they have been opposed across the world. Watching events from the UK, it is easy to feel powerless to combat the actions of this US government but while we may not

have a direct influence, we can still be vocal that we will not let this sort of injustice be unchallenged.

For anyone who’s tired of reading about politics, I’m sorry for talking about it where we would normally talk about how much we love this paper. I still do love it and fear not, this week’s edition does have articles that aren’t about that; although good luck finding them. Millions of voices have already spoken out against Trump and it may be fair to argue that another doesn’t matter.

But when intolerance and power come together in a way as ugly as this, the opposition to it should be deafening and unavoidable. In this paper, we have the opportunity to support those who seek to make the world a more compassionate, loving place and to oppose those who seek to divide it. That opportunity should not be forgotten.

From the dungeons, we salute you,

Conrad Duncan, Digital Editor

Follow us on Instagram @redbrickpaper Want to be featured? Send us your photos at: digital@redbrickonline.co.uk and/or tag us in your photos by using #redbrickinstagram

Online this week at redbrick.me...

CULTURE

GAMING

LIFE&STYLE

MUSIC

Review: LOVE at the Birmingham REP

Nintendo Switch : A ‘Switch’ in the Right Direction?

The It Factor: Are Brands Important?

Single Review: Arcade Fire – I Give You Power

Redbrick Editorial Team Editor Anna Griffiths editor@redbrickonline.co.uk

Deputy Editors Harry Turner Imogen Lancaster deputy@redbrickonline.co.uk

Print & Features Editor Gabriella Marcucci print@redbrickonline.co.uk

Digital Editor Conrad Duncan digital@redbrickonline.co.uk

Lead Developer Andreea Gheorghe developer@redbrickonline.co.uk

Marketing Secretary William Baxter marketing@redbrickonline.co.uk

Social Secretary Laura Burgess social@redbrickonline.co.uk

News Editors Beriwan Ceren Erin Santillo Grace Duncan Gregory Robinson Joseph Timan

Music Editors Giulia Bardelli Greg Woodin Holly Carter Phil Jones music@redbrickonline.co.uk

news@redbrickonline.co.uk

Comment Editors Aamina Siddiqi Joe Goodsall Harry Tennison comment@redbrickonline.co.uk

Culture Editors Imogen Tink Olivia Boyce Sophie Taylor

Film Editors Alex McDonald George Griffths Joe Ryan film@redbrickonline.co.uk

culture@redbrickonline.co.uk

Travel Editors Carys Bedford Delfina Rainoldi Sophie Braybrook

Life&Style Editors Kamila Geremek Nia Roberts Sophie Kesterton Zoe Screti

Television Editors James Tyson Lara Billington Tamsin Hackett

lifestyle@redbrickonline.co.uk

travel@redbrickonline.co.uk

tv@redbrickonline.co.uk

Redbrick Guild of Students Edgbaston Park Road Birmingham B15 2TT 0121 251 2462

Sci&Tech Editors Ellen Daugherty James Pettit Kara Watson

Careers Editor Lael Hardtman Mira Lodhia

tech@redbrickonline.co.uk

Editorial Assistants Alvia Zaidi Redbrick is printed through www.mortonAnna Burton sprint.com Emily Roberts 01507 523 456 James Dickingson Kseniya Shrimpton To advertise in Redbrick, get in touch with Laura Burgess marketing@redbrickonline.co.uk or visit Lorna Taaffe www.redbrick.me/advertise-with-redbrick Peggy Jones for more details, and to see our rate card.

Philippa Baker Sam Yearley Designed and typeset by Redbrick Shona Jain Copyright (C) Redbrick 2015 Will Gillingham The views expressed in Redbrick do not necessarily reflect those of the editors, the Guild or the publishers. If you find an error of fact in our pages, please write to the editor.

Our policy is to correct mistakes promptly in print and to apologise where appropriate. We reserve the right to edit any article, letter or email submitted for publication.

Food Editors Lauren Kelly Phoebe Radford Tasha Smart Tamar Smith food@redbrickonline.co.uk

Sport Editors Dan Steeden Harry Wilkinson Nancy Frostick Nicola Kenton sport@redbrickonline.co.uk

Gaming Editors James Lentschner James Marvin Nick Burton Roshni Patel gaming@redbrickonline.co.uk

careers@redbrickonline.co.uk

editor@redbrickonline.co.uk

NEWS

Friday 3rd February 2017

@redbricknews

NUS Calls For NSS Boycott Guild takes no position on NSS boycott despite opposing link between Teaching Excellence Framework and increased fees Gino Spocchia News Reporter

Final-year undergraduates across the UK are being encouraged to disrupt the 2017 National Student Survey (NSS). The boycott follows recent patterns of fractious relations between the government, universities, and students. It also follows a motion at the national NUS conference in April 2016, in which student union representatives voted to enact a NSS boycott if planned government reforms went ahead.

The supposed reforms come under the Higher Education Bill, which is currently in the ‘Report stage’ at the House of Lords. It represents a set of reforms that have rolled towards fruition despite ongoing amendments to the proposal. These have included assurances of university independence from ministers.

Although, the remaining features of the bill include the most controversial: the ability for universities to raise fees further under teaching excellence framework (TEF). Thus, minor changes have not been enough to quell the concerns felt by many students and staff, and counter-initiatives such as the NSS boycott continue.

Indeed, boycotting the 2017 NSS is more than symbolism on behalf of the NUS. It is a practical attempt of contestable quality to hinder the government’s use of student data in the enforcement of higher fees.

Speaking in Times Higher Education (THE), Anastazja Oppenheim, campaigns officer at the University of the Arts London’s student union and NCAFC national committee member, hoped that the boycott would 'render the TEF unworkable, and seriously disrupt the government’s higher education reforms as a whole'.

Notably, the annual NSS scores would be used alongside graduation rates and employment prospects, in the assessment of university credibility. These are mechanisms that are attempting to move government ‘marketisation’ of the education sector forward, under the guise of reform and raising student satisfaction.

"The supposed reforms come under the Higher Education Bill" This refers to universities being rewarded with the ability to increase fees, and receive funding, as well as an increased institutional focus on branding the student experience – not building it.

Correspondingly, many in the academic sector have been concerned by the ‘marketisation’ of the universities that began with fee increases in 2012.

The marketization argument holds up, considering the probable integrity of many NSS responses.

According to the Higher Education Funding Council for England, who

run the NSS, there have been 30 cases of university staff intervening in the inflation of survey responses over the past seven years.

In six instances, completing the NSS was compromised by direct staff intervention. These hold up as evidence of the pressure that universities are under to receive positive responses.

Problematically, university NSS responses feed into the TEF – the mechanism for fee increases. Universities including the University of Birmingham (UoB), University of Manchester and Durham University have already been allowed to put fees at £9,250 for next September.

Hence, Hope Worsdale, University of Warwick’s Education Officer, said to THE that the NSS would be used as ‘a weapon to beat academic staff with and as an excuse to cut courses and close departments.’ It could also mean that good universities without high NSS ratings would lose financial support, thereby constructing inequality into the undergraduate experience.

Research has also uncovered that the NSS has been marginally impacted by extremely enthusiastic university promotion. In the 2014 survey, 6.1% of final year undergraduates completing the survey said “yes” to every question. This is the growing trend of ‘yea-saying’, which does not allow for honest or accurate response.

NSS promotion at UoB has been noticeable across campus, which has included an intense spread of

banners, flyers, and posters using the new NSS rebrand. It has also come alongside an email from the pro-Vice Chancellor, Kathleen Armour, who said the ‘NSS is particularly important to us as a means of understanding what we are doing well and should continue to do, and what we could do better’.

Crucially, the Guild of Students has decided that it would not be taking part in the NSS boycott.

In a statement sent to Redbrick, Representation and Resources Officer Brandon Hattiloney said that the Guild would leave the decision to boycott the NSS up to individuals rather than support it as a union.

‘An idea was submitted

"Boycotting the 2017 NSS is more than symbolism" through Your Ideas, the Guild's democratic process, to determine our stance on the NSS Boycott however, this Idea did not receive enough votes for a decision to be made,’ the statement said.

‘As a result, though we oppose the link between the TEF and increased fees, the Guild has not taken position on this issue and leaves the decision to boycott the NSS up to the individual conscience of finalists.’

03

Guild Nominations Reopened Grace Duncan News Editor

Guild Officer nominations have reopened for part-time positions following a lack of interest for certain positions.

The nominations which were intended to close last night (30th January) have been forced to remain open for an extra three days with the new closure now at 4pm on the 2nd February.

The three positions causing the delay are: Women’s Officer, Home Students Officer, Part time and Mature Students Officer (a new position for this year).

Students are particularly surprised that no one has run for the position of Women’s Officer, a role that is normally popular.

The current Women’s Officer who has had the role for two years told Redbrick that she didn’t know why there was such a sudden drop in interest but attributed it in part to the lack of social media promotion and the lack of promotion that part time officers as a whole receive. She was, however, confident that the position would be filled as people had expressed an interest in the position to her since the nomination window has been reopened.

If, even with the extended nominations deadline, nobody puts themselves forward for the roles, the Guild have told Redbrick that there will most likely be a by -election in the Summer term in order to fill the role for next academic year.

Guild Election campaign and voting week runs from the 23rd February until the 4th March when the results will be announced.

UoB's Guild Q&A Highlights Student Priorities To Metro Mayor Candidates Erin Santillo News Editor

As part of the recent mayoral candidates’ Q&A sessions hosted at the University of Birmingham (UoB) Guild of Students, the union’s president, Ellie Keiller, has produced a list of ‘students’ priorities’; a document underlining key issues that the Guild believes should be addressed by the first mayor of the West Midlands.

The ‘manifesto’ divides the Guild’s proposals into five categories: transport, housing, policing, health services, and bins & recycling. Despite acknowledging that not all of the issues will fall into the remit of the future West Midlands’ mayor, Keiller emphasised at the Q&A events that a collective effort from the Combined Authority (CA), the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), and central government could resolve a

number of key problems affecting UoB student health, safety, and finances.

"The 'manifesto' divides the Guild's proposals into five categories" Under the title of ‘transport’, the Guild requests that the future mayor works to implement student train and bus pricing that reflects decreased incomes whilst studying, the usage of the 16-25 railcard before 9:30am to cater for morning commuting (a power that lies with central government, yet which the mayor could influence), and increased investment into cycle infrastructure and safety throughout Birmingham.

Furthermore, on behalf of UoB students, the manifesto asks the

mayoral candidates to commit to protecting and enforcing tenants’ rights through deposit protection schemes, guaranteeing that article 4 will not be triggered (which would see no cap on the number of houses of multiple occupancy HMOs in an area, often student lettings), investing in local council services that aim to tackle substandard housing conditions, and protecting the student right not to pay council tax.

The next category, policing, is currently under the remit of the West Midlands PCC. However, a potential future merger of this office and that of the mayor would enable the candidates to improve the balance of police community support officers and police officers in the area, the training of officers to deal with sensitive cases, such as those involving sexual harassment, with ‘serious and due concern’, and the investment into the policing of Selly Oak and nearby

areas in order to prevent theft and violent crime.

"Transport, housing, policing, health services and bins and recycling" Regarding health services, the Guild calls for the future mayor to increase investment into mental health services, to allow students to be registered both at home and university GP surgeries (again, central government holds the power to implement this, but the mayor could campaign in support of it), and to guarantee no further cuts to the sexual health budget maintaining free contraceptive services.

Finally, the document indicates

that a principal concern of students is the lack of recycling services near households. Therefore, it requests that the mayoral candidates support investment in the provision of suitable bins across the entire CA. Only residents on the West Midlands’ electoral roll will be able to vote in the Metro Mayor elections in May 2017. Therefore, if you wish to vote but are already on your home constituency’s roll, you are advised to contact the local electoral registration office, since you may be able to register to vote both at your home and term-time addresses.

A second year student said: 'I am relieved the Guild Q&A focused on student priorities. It is imperative the mayor candidates know what student's need'.

Full details about this and how to register to vote can be found on the government’s website: www. gov.uk/register-to-vote.

04

NEWS

Friday 3rd February 2017

@redbricknews

Students Protest Staff Working Hours Megan Stanley News Reporter

Staff and students gathered outside the Guild during lunchtime on Wednesday 18th January in protest of the University’s decision to increase the workload of staff.

This decision comes in order to accommodate an increase in the intake of students.

The demonstration was organised by both the Socialist Students Society and the University College Union (UCU).

Protestors were holding mock calendars titled “Drainuary” and “Stresstember” to illustrate the increase in hours which UoB has placed on them.

Mentioned at the protest was also the recent investigation by The Guardian, that revealed that 70% of staff employed by the University are currently under zero-hour contracts.

Leader of the University of Birmingham branch of UCU, Dr. Ronald Brandstaetter addressed the protestors: ‘it appears that the University of Birmingham is reluctant to appoint a sufficient number of staff.[...] The already excessive workloads provide insufficient time to conduct proper teaching and research.

‘The number of students per number of staff are already among the worst in the Russell Group Universities.’

He added: ‘half our case work is to help individuals harassed by management [...] we will increase pressure on management to change the situation.’

A member of staff present at the protest, who wished to remain anonymous, told Redbrick ‘it’s ridiculous, I’m expected to work 110 hours unpaid this year.’

Many students were at the protest. When asked why students should be involved in defending staff working conditions, a second

year student told Redbrick: ‘Lecturers are the heart of the university, if they are stressed it puts stress on the student.’

One student who aspires to be a lecturer said: ‘we’re only going to have these issues when we go into these jobs, this is my future.’

Talking at the protest, a member of Socialist Students, James Moran told the crowd ‘this isn’t something that’s just happening at Birmingham [...] staff and students have to join the union. [...]

To make a difference we have to organise ourselves’ This opinion was shared by one of the students present added: ‘The reason they [the university] don’t care is because we don’t care. It’s important we care about the state of our education because otherwise quality of teaching will go down.’

It remains to be seen if the university will act upon the demands of the protesters.

Megan Stanley

Birmingham Stands Up Against Inauguration Of Donald Trump

As Donald Trump was being sworn in as US President in Washington D.C., protesters from across Birmingham gathered outside Waterstones by the Bullring to speak out against the new president in a protest organised by Stand Up To Racism John Wimperis News Reporter @john_wimperis

Gino Spocchia News Reporter

The event was advertised on Facebook as a chance to ‘oppose Trump and his racism’ and claimed that Trump was causing a normalization of sexism and racism.

A diverse crowd gathered beneath the Rotunda to protest the new President. Among a sea of winter hats and coats, some individuals wore hoods and covered their faces while one person could be seen wearing the Guy Fawkes mask of the ‘hacktivist’ group, Anonymous.

At least two ‘Make America Great Again’ hats were also visible, worn by individuals who had come to oppose the protesters and voice their support of Trump.

The organisers handed out ‘No to Racism, No to Trump’ placards but many protesters had bought their own handmade signs.

Slogans ranged from ‘Women Against Trump’ and ‘Citizen of the World’ to ‘Not This Pussy’.

Large banners held up by protesters proclaimed ‘FergusonPalestine Solidarity’ and ‘Rage Against Trump.’

President Trump has made a number of controversial statements that have drawn widespread criticism such as calling Mexicans rapists, calling for a ban on Muslims from entering the United States and boasting about sexually assaulting women, among other controversies.

The vast majority of the protesters were not Americans yet still came out to protest his inauguration. One of the organisers told Redbrick that an international response was required because ‘this kind of thing has a ripple effect’.

"It’s about showing solidarity with the majority of people in America who didn’t vote for this outcome."

First year UoB student Mim Perry, who protested with a ‘Women Against Trump’ sign, told Redbrick ‘it’s about showing solidarity with the majority of people in America who didn’t vote for this outcome.’ Donald Trump won 1.7 million fewer votes than Hilary Clinton but due

to the United States’ Electoral College system, still won the Presidency.

One American living in Birmingham, who attended the protest and gave his name as Mike, told Redbrick that ‘Trump represents what’s truly wrong with America.’ He claimed that Trump is ‘the one who’s going to break [the USA] open and make them look at who they really are.’

Beginning at about twenty past five, there was an open mike at the protest and a number of speakers addressed the crowd.

The main speaker, who addressed the crowd frequently throughout the night to introduce each new speaker, began by claiming that normalising ‘someone who’s a bigot, someone who’s a sexist, someone who’s a racist’ was ‘an offence to any decent humanitarian in this world.’

He also claimed that it was important for Stand Up To Racism to bring together people of different political and religious views in the face of populism and the ripples that Trump is sending throughout the world.

A variety of speakers addressed the crowd, beginning with Stand Up To Racism committee member David Muritu who said that while it was tempting to ignore what was happening, ‘the only way you can fight this is to come out, protest.’ This theme was returned to by local teacher Nita, who claimed that ‘if we stand together, we can be heard.

And the more we stand together, the more we will be heard.’

Another recurring idea among speakers was that Trump’s impact was not confined to the USA. Speaker Bridget Parsons told the protesters that ‘every time Trump tweets something about keeping out Muslims, that gives the go ahead to Isalamaphobes in Birmingham to attack British Muslims.’

"Trump represents what’s truly wrong with America."

A poet who spoke later echoed these sentiments, claiming that

‘everything Trump does impacts on the entire world. We have to fight him in Birmingham, London, New York, Mexico, and Africa.’

Chants of ‘Dump Trump’, ‘We Reject the President-Elect’, ‘Build

"If we stand together, we can be heard. And the more we stand together, the more we will be heard."

Bridges not Walls’, and ‘Refugees are Welcome Here’ were sung by the crowd at points during the night.

Though there were discussions, which were in some cases heated, between protesters and Trump supporters throughout the night, the protest remained peaceful. The open mike finished a little after six o’clock and most of the crowd slowly dispersed shortly after.

Did you go to the protest? Do you have opinions on Trump and his inauguration? Let us know at: @redbrickpaper

NEWS

Friday 3rd February 2017

@redbricknews

05

Emergency Demo Following President Trump's 'Muslim - Ban' Astrid Skjold News Reporter

Megan Stanley News Reporter

On the 27th January the President of America, Donald Trump, issued an executive order banning anyone from seven predominantly muslim countries, such as Iran and Syria, from entering the US during a 90 day period. The decision sparked immediate outrage with protests occurring across America and lawyers offering free legal aid at American airports.

The United Nations and several human rights organisations have also criticised the move.

Monday night saw thousands protest in London and in major cities across the UK including Birmingham.

gration policies.

Many of those present were first time protesters who told Redbrick that the so-called 'Muslim-ban' was the last straw. A 21 year old first time protester said: ‘We have been witnessing the horrible things president Trump has said and is now doing. We cannot pretend that it is not a problem here as well.’

"We will not watch silently while Trump strips people of their dignity and rights."

Another protester added: ‘It is hypocritical of us to sit through history class and be disgusted by

the genocides and holocaust and racial discriminations that have happened throughout history and not be as disgusted by what is happening now.’

Under a sign saying 'Not my president, still my problem', Ros, a 22 year old University of Birmingham student, explained why it is important that people in the UK take a stand against Trump's actions. ‘The special relationship they claim there is between the UK and the US cannot mean that we accept Trump's words and actions.’

Also present at the demonstration was Hannah Jandu, Chair of University of Birmingham’s Amnesty International group who said: ‘We will not watch silently while Trump strips people of their dignity and rights. We value humanity. Every person deserves our respect, support and solidarity, regardless of their religion or race.’

The protest featured speakers

"We cannot pretend that it is not a problem here as well."

According to the West Midlands Police, more than eight hundred people participated in the Birmingham demonstration in Victoria Square. Banners, chants and speeches focused on solidarity with minorities affected by Trump's policies and rhetoric. Protesters and speakers also criticised Theresa May's recent visit to the White House and for not addressing Trump's controversial immi-

Joseph Timan

from organisations such as The People’s Assembly, Stand Up To Racism, The University and

"We feel you. We hear you. We stand beside you. We will not allow facism in the world to rise."

College Union, and Disabled People Against Cuts. However, due to the size of the crowd present, some demonstrators struggled to hear those who were giving speeches.

One speaker told the crowd: ‘even though we aren’t living in America, they are still our friends.

They are still our neighbours. We give them hope because we have come out in the cold. We feel you. We hear you. We stand

Joseph Timan

beside you. We will not allow fascism in the world to rise.’

A speaker from Amnesty International spoke about how Theresa May cannot use this time to focus on trade deals: ‘for once let’s think about the people’.

Jessica Foster from St Peter’s church also spoke at the demonstration and called for more practical action: ‘Political establishments are good at ignoring our protests. This doesn’t end here.

Write to your MP.’ Joe Mcneal, representing UCU, told the crowd: ‘this is the start of a resistance and a movement we need to keep going. We need to make sure everyone feels welcome.’

The speakers were met with great enthusiasm and the crowd chanted messages like ‘say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here’ throughout the two hour long demonstration.

News Analysis: Is The World Going The Right Way? After anti-Trump protests gain support in Birmingham, Tobias Sales offers an analysis on the rise of the Right Tobias Sales News Reporter

Following recent victories for Right-wing movements in both the Brexit campaign and Donald Trump’s American presidential election victory, it seems a ‘Right revolution’ could be picking up momentum across Europe too.

In a controversial interview aired on The Andrew Marr Show, Marine Le Pen – leader of French far-right group, Front National – hailed Donald Trump’s win a ‘sign of hope’, reflective of a major ideological shift in political movements of the future towards rightwing philosophies – and she may be correct. At the start of the new year, Le Pen surged into a lead in early election polls with 26.5 percent of votes. But for those who have kept an eye on the populism shift, this should come as no surprise.

An opinion poll recently conducted for French news station France 2 found 63% of respondents believed the left-wing is under

pressure in France, whilst threequarters of right-wing participants rated Le Pen as a positive influence on French politics, with this view shared by half of the total respondents, regardless of political affiliation. This is a staggering figure in comparison to the unimpressive 27% who view current president Francois Hollande amiably, with over 70% of respondents in the France 2 survey wanting the liberal president out of French politics.

In June, French newspaper Le Monde, polled 20,000 citizens, finding that only 14% of respondents would vote for the leader of the French Socialist Party, Hollande, whilst double would opt for Le Pen, at 28%. In describing her party, Le Pen – who has recently been spotted at Trump Tower in Manhattan – drew similarities to UKIP, stating that there is ‘not a hair’s breadth’ between the pair ideologically; a claim that the interim leader of UKIP, Nigel Farage, refutes.

Meanwhile, in The Netherlands, controversial candi-

date Geert Wilders leads the Party for Freedom (PVV) who, like Front National, have risen in popularity this year. Polling institution Ipsos MORI predicts Wilders to win 27 out of 150 seats in the election, to be held in March of the new year, which would be enough to see him the victor. The most popular liberal party of Holland, meanwhile, would win slightly less, at 25, according to the same poll.

Other pollsters predict an even larger win for Wilders, with Bloomberg believing the politician could win 36 seats (over 50% more than any rival party), whilst a survey conducted by Peil.nl even pitched a 42 seat win.

The Party for Freedom, holds a number of controversial policies embedded in their manifesto, some of which have seen leader Wilders banned from entering the United Kingdom.

The PVV believes harsher punishment should be implemented against those committing violence against both Jewish and LGBT communities. Further,

Islamic schools would be banned, should Wilders replace liberal Mark Rutte as Prime Minister, as would the Islamic headscarf in public functions.

Moreover, the PVV wish to hold a referendum which could result in a Dutch withdrawal from the European Union. A Dutch television channel, named Een Vandaag, has found that this would be a referendum which is supported by over half of the population. ‘If I become prime minister,’ Wilders has promised, ‘there will be a referendum in the Netherlands on leaving the European Union as well’. ‘Let the Dutch people decide’, he added.

Such movements have also impacted Germany, with news shocking the world in the summer after German Chancellor, Angela Merkel lost her seat in Berlin to strictly right-wing group Alternative for Germany (AfD).

Like the Dutch Party for Freedom, the AfD possesses a controversial stance on Islam, stating in its manifesto that ‘Islam is not part of Germany’. Shockingly, polls in

the country suggest this message could be in line with the population’s opinion too.

In a survey conducted by the Insa Institute for the Bild Newspaper, only 22% of respondents believed Islam – as an ideology – was welcome in Germany, a figure down from 37% just one year earlier. Alternatively, 61% believed Islam did not belong in Germany, up from 47% in 2015.

Such populist, right-wing groups stated above, as well as a plethora gaining popularity across the rest of Europe, all share an aversion to political correctness halting free speech, promote the disbanding of the European Union, and rally for more stringent controls on immigration, especially migrants entering from Eastern countries.

And whether such policies appeal to you or not: all are gaining rapidly in support.

For the Right Revolution, Brexit and Trump may just be the start, as advocates ask for closed borders, and an open mind.

06

NEWS

Friday 3rd February 2017

@redbricknews

Redbrick News Investigates: Response To Selly Attacks Redbrick News' Emily Darby investigates how students are feeling following the recent wave of violent crime in Selly Oak and how the university, the police and the Guild have responded Emily Darby News Reporter @themainemily

to be vigilant when returning home late at night. We ask that you walk home with friends or take a taxi for safety.’

Crime has been a major concern for students in Selly Oak and an issue that has spiralled in recent years. With each coming year, there are worrying rises in reports of muggings, attacks and robberies to a point where crime has become an accepted and inherent part of living in the student area.

With the University having released a series of warnings for students walking home and a A similar response by the ‘guide’ to returning home safer authorities was given when a last week, it is time to dive into string of linked attacks took place the truth of Selly’s crimewave and before Christmas, in which an ask: who needs to take responsi- attacker wearing a Yoda mask bility? forced a student to perform a sex Official West Midlands Police act on him - the fifth attack in that statistics show that in the period week alone. The assaults ranged of December 2015 to November from one woman being threatened 2016 there were 296 incidents of with a knife to another being Violent Crime in Selly Oak. Since attacked by a masked criminal May 2013, this category has holding a firelighter. included sexual offences.

‘These are extremely The issue of attacks serious attacks and we on University stuhave placed a large dents has been pronumber of resourcpelled to unsettling es into catching heights this year. the offender’, the The latest police said in a occurred on statement at the Incidents of Friday 19th time. ‘We are Violent Crime January, when an also asking young 18 year-old stuwomen to be vigDec 2015 - Nov 2016 dent fell victim to ilant when returnan assault on Church ing home late at Road, Edgbaston - a night.’ road which leads to the With reports of Vale, which is home to attacks increasing yet 3,500 Birmingham students. again as the new year gets off to a Police responded to this par- start, it seems that being ‘vigilant’ ticular attack by saying: ‘we have is far from an effective and suffistepped up uniformed and plain cient way of preventing the clothed patrols in the area and, a attacks. Patrols of police officers week on from the assault, are ask- have visibly increased in Selly ing people if they saw anything. Oak, but are failing to provide a We are also asking young people feeling of safety among students

"We have stepped up uniformed and plain clothed patrols in the area"

296

who still warn their peers of suspicious and scary characters harassing young women.

With many left feeling unprotected by police measures, posts have flocked into the Fab 'N' Fresh Facebook page as students try to warn their peers with reports of suspicious-looking men who are lurking in the area.

Stevie Chandler, a second year Psychology student who has witnessed first-hand the attacks, told Redbrick how a man approached her, blocking the path with his arms wide open and ‘creepily’ inviting her to a hug. ‘It’s scary because you don't know what he intends to do next’, she said.

‘Asking girls to be vigilant is absolutely not enough, I wasn't drunk I wasn't on my phone and I wasn't far from my house.’

"Asking girls to be vigilant is absolutely not enough" Chandler felt that raising the alarm on Facebook is the quickest and most effective way to warn people about the situation. ‘After ringing the police I think it's

important to post on Facebook as it’s the easiest way to get girls to know in the here-and-now in the hope that they either take a taxi or walk with a friend’, she said.

‘Much quicker than a police statement to be coming out.’

While she felt reassured that there was an increased presence of police patrols, she reiterated that a larger presence is still needed. ‘That did make me feel a lot better’, Chandler said, ‘but I would still feel a lot safer seeing an increase in visible patrols.’

On the second week of term the university distributed ‘Top Tips’ on how to stay safe when walking home to every student’s

NEWS

Friday 3rd February 2017

email inbox. The advice includes: ‘Go out in a group and come home in a group’, ‘Do not walk with earphones in’ and even tells students how to walk, saying, ‘Walk briskly and with confidence’.

Whilst the University is responding to the issues, some criticisms have been made regarding the advice that can be seen as ridding students of their independence. While it may be safer to ‘never go to the cashpoint alone’ it is not seen as an appropriate response for everybody, as it sacrifices autonomy for safety advice that may not even be effective.

"The safety of girls walking home at night is not a joke. The issue is that they can’t put themselves in our shoes" Katie Logie, a second year Drama and Theatre Arts student who has also witnessed some attacks, told Redbrick that she believes that the response so far has not been enough. ‘Telling girls to be 'vigilant' is not enough’, she said. ‘Yes, handing out alarms is good, but they need to go further. I don't necessarily know what the further steps should be but realistically something needs to change and it's so important that it does.'

Shedding further light on the situation, Logie shared her personal experiences with Redbrick.

‘I actually got grabbed by a man when I was walking home back in November, and had a lot of boys commenting on my posts taking the piss out of the situation, as well as girls’, she said.

‘Coming from a girl who has experienced an attack and the comments, it made my time a lot worse and in all honesty, I wasn't going to report it to the place’, Logie said. ‘After some convincing I did report my incident, which is now recorded by the police as

@redbricknews

assault, and they believed it was linked to a series of rapes back in first term.’

Logie referred to the frequent situation where a Facebook post will go up about suspicious behaviour, a dubious-looking character, or an incident that has occured, warning girls to be careful and to walk in groups. In response, several students will often tag their friends, ‘jokingly’ suggesting their mate is the ‘sketchy-looking’ criminal.

This sort of online incident has been met with a backlash recently, even provoking a Tab article denouncing the commets.

In her article entitled, '"Lads", stop making light of assault in Selly Oak’, Gemma Abrahams, a second year Political Science student, condemned the ‘lad’ behaviour. In it, she wrote that she was appalled by this behaviour.

‘The safety of girls walking home at night is not a joke. The issue is that they can’t put themselves in our shoes’, she continued. ‘They don’t have to arrange their evening around being walked home. They don’t have to pay out the extra money to take a taxi simply because they don’t have the liberty of walking home without someone touching them inappropriately or shouting in their faces.’

Abrahams, also wrote about girls who add to the problem by ‘jokingly’ tagging their friends, further trivialising the attacks.

‘What’s worse is that it’s not just "lads" that comment. Girls comment too, tagging their friends or boyfriends, joking at the expense of girls who are posting.'

"Something needs to change and it's so important that it does" Evidence of these ‘jokes’ aren’t hard to find on the social media website. Tagging their friends, a few examples of the comments on one post read: ‘Was this you again?’, ‘For god sake, *****, we've talked about this’, another tags his friend and comments ‘You need stop this mate’.

While there doesn’t seem to be any malice intended by the comments, they do seem to be reflective of the increasingly prominent ‘lad culture’ among students. The comments are insensitive to those who have been

safely before we go back into our own house shows how ridiculous the level of crime has gotten.’

The Guild, who have linked the inappropriate Facebook comments to their Not On Campaign, pitched their safety tips. Housing

07

down dimly lit side roads.

Speaking from the perspective of a Housing Officer, Nicholds stated that it would not sit well with her if students felt unsafe and proposed upcoming initiatives to tackle the issue.

‘Starting from January, I will be initiating peer-led walking buses home from the Library’, she wrote. ‘These will be running from 10pm-to early hours of the morning, depending when you finish studying. I will be working with our student Community Wardens next term to bring you a practical safety event where you get given tips about staying safe.’

"I will be initiating peer-led walking buses home from the Library"

victim to the attacks and it seems, above all, unnecessary to make light of the situation for the price of a cheap laugh.

Speaking to Redbrick, Abrahams shared her final thoughts on the issue. ‘I most definitely do not feel safe in Selly Oak – my friends and I agree that crime in Selly randomly peaks throughout the year and the last few weeks have felt like a peak’, she said. ‘The fact that we have to watch my friend walk 10 houses down the road and into her house

& Community Officer Izzie Nicholds dedicated a blog page to the issue with practical advice.

‘I’m writing this blog as an appeal to all students to be diligent when walking home at night’, it begins.

‘I know many of us are worried about our personal safety at the moment and it would be silly of me to give you advice on things you already know.’

Tips featured in the blog included carrying a personal safety alarm, walking in well-lit areas and avoiding taking short-cuts

Ju-jitsu classes in self defense were also mentioned, posters for which can be found throughout campus, though there seems to be little evidence to suggest that the walking bus scheme is in place as of yet.

The Police have responded by saying that they are taking the attacks very seriously and enforcing measures to prevent them. In a statement, they said: ‘extra patrols continue in the area and anyone who has information should call police immediately on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111'.

It’s clear to see that the University and the Police feel strongly about the issue and are taking it seriously. By stepping up patrols and giving helpful advice they claim to be doing the most they can. Meanwhile, the Guild have adopted safety as a key focus for their next campaign while students, the targets of the crime, try their best to warn their peers with whatever resources they have.

However, we can see that whatever measures that are being taken are making little progress, as was previously quoted in this article, ‘something needs to change and it's so important that it does’. The student message is clear: students still don’t feel safe in Selly Oak.

'The Chase' TV Star At Selly House Party Grace Duncan News Editor @gracieellen_

On January 19th, Paul Sinha, star of The Chase, ended his comedy night at the Bramall Music Hall at a student house on Hubert Road.

Sinha, more commonly known as the 'Sinnerman' on The Chase, also works as a stand up comic and has received many awards for his stand-up.

He did a show on campus earlier this month, but his night did not end there.

The Chase star mentioned during his show that he would be heading to a nightclub, Nightingales, if anyone wanted to meet him.

However, after running into one University of Birmingham (UoB) student, Sinha ended his night at a student house party.

Once there, he played along with all the students demands, taking selfies, dancing and allowing them to video him.

One selfie taken at the party received particular coverage after a screenshot of UoB student Izzy Hendley's Instagram post was shared on Twitter.

The selfie has been shared on numerous top newspapers' websites including the Daily Mirror, The Sun and the Metro, as well as Lad Bible and The Tab. Hendley attended the party as a friend of the person whose house it was after running into him and his friends at Nightingales.

She told Redbrick, ‘I just went

to my friend’s house for a party and it was a really crazy night.

Paul Sinha is a really lovely man and it was so fun to see a different side of him than is on TV’.

The next morning, the star clearly had some regrets as he tweeted: ‘I realise Dry January 20th is not as good as Dry January, but it feels like an achievement’.

Despite the regrets that Sinha may have, student reaction to the star has been good, with students calling him a ‘legend.’

With the reception he has received following his Birmingham night out, I am sure he will be welcome back in Selly if he ever wants another student night out.

Izzy Hendley

08

NEWS

Friday 3rd February 2017

@redbricknews

Arts To Lose Out In Council Cuts John Wimperis News Reporter @john_wimperis

Birmingham City Council is reducing its funding for arts organisations from £4.65 million to £3.18 million, a reduction of almost a third. This comes as Birmingham, along with local authorities across the United Kingdom, see their funding cut and are being forced to make reductions in spending.

Arts organisations were aware that these cuts were coming but many have voiced concern at their scale. The Birmingham Repertory Theatre faces a reduction of £325,000 (almost two thirds of its current council funding), meaning that it will receive only £200,000 in the next financial year.

Executive Director Stuart Rodgers claimed this would not cover even the ‘basic overheads and upkeep of the theatre’.

"The most extreme arts cut, however, was the 70% reduction in funding to Mac Birmingham."

Despite what will be a £900,000 reduction in funding since austerity began in 2010, the Rep has managed to increase their earned income by 54%. While it still receives funding from Arts Council

England and there are now plans in place to raise ticket prices.

Rodgers has said that ‘there is a limit to what we can do’.

The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) is also facing severe cuts. Council funding for the orchestra will be cut by £228,000, a reduction of 25%. In a statement, CBSO claimed that they have already faced real term cuts of £1.47 million since 2010 and that they would now be receiving less council funding than any of the country’s other regional symphony orchestras. CSBO Chair Bridget Blow voiced the orchestra’s concerns that Birmingham was cutting arts funding ‘so much faster than other local authorities in other major cities’.

The most extreme arts cut, however, was the 70% reduction

in funding to Mac Birmingham.

Mac claims to be the city’s most visited arts organisation, with over 850,000 visits per year. Despite this, Mac will see the funding it receives from the council reduced from £400,000 to £120,000 in the upcoming financial year.

At the moment, Mac is selfgenerating almost three quarters of it's income, but CEO and Artistic Director Deborah Kermode made clear that ‘a cut of this magnitude will be felt’. Kermode claimed that, though Mac would be reviewing the services it offered, ‘we aim to stay true to our ethos - to provide arts for all’.

Despite her organisation having been the most drastically cut, Kermode claimed that the visitors to Mac could ‘appreciate the difficulties the City Council face’.

Birmingham, as with local author-

ities across the country, is receiving less and less from Westminster each year. By 2020, the city is only expected to be receiving half of the funds Westminster was supplying in 2010.

"a cut of this magnitude will be felt" The other arts organisations who are having their funding cut are the Birmingham Royal Ballet, the Birmingham Opera Company, DanceXchange, Ex Cathedra, Performances Birmingham, Sampad, and the Ikon Gallery.

Uni 'Working Class' Officer Role Created Grace Duncan News Editor @gracieellen_

Student unions are recruiting working class officers in order to represent undergraduates from lower income backgrounds and make sure that their voices are just as represented as the voices of wealthier students.

Most recently, University of Manchesters’ Student Union has advertised for the new position which they said will ‘act as a voice for working class students’.

Two posts have been advertised, one for women and one for men, with all applicants having to ‘self identify as working class’. A further proviso for applying is that the student would need to be a recipient of the Manchester Bursary, a care-giver or the first in their family to go to university.

The role in the student union is designed to ‘bridge the gap between working and middle class students’ on the Manchester campus where the ‘class divide is particularly prevalent,’ a spokesper-

son reported.

Manchester, however, is not the first to create such a position.

This comes after the creation of the same position at other prestigious universities such as the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and King’s College London as well as St Hilda’s College Oxford which recently voted to appoint one.

"...bridge the gap between working and middle class students" St Hilda's passed the motion in November to support working class students and to try to end ‘microaggressions and classism at university’. The proposal still requires approval from the College’s governing body but if accepted, the elections will be held in the Summer Term of 2017.

This move may be in reaction

to the fact that Russell Group universities have seen the number of students from poorer backgrounds decline in recent years despite pledges.

A report last year showed that 7 of the 24 Russell Group universities witnessed that for the first time in several years, the amount of applicants applying from a working class background had not increased as much as in previous years. However, it is not all bad news as there has been a rise in the number of young people going onto university from state schools: 77% of undergraduates now come from state schools.

It has also been called into question as to whether this is only an issue for Russell Group universities. In the more selective universities the amount of working class applicants has only increased by 1% in the last 5 years. Those not in this group have seen an increase of working class applicants of nearly 4% in the same time frame.

At the University of Birmingham, this lack of diversity is also apparent with less than a

quarter of current students coming from working class backgrounds.

"Despite what the government is doing with fees we should be telling working class students that they are still welcome here."

The move by Russell Group universities to appoint working class officers shows the clear attempt being made to combat this. One spokesperson from the University of Oxford stated that they ‘are on track to meet our targets for students from low income and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds’. Hopefully the appointment of such a position

will only serve to improve equality within universities.

Could UoB benefit from such an appointment?

A UoB second year History student told Redbrick that she thought ‘the officer position in theory would be useful as the university could definitely do more to represent working class students.

But in reality, I think it might be more of a symbolic rather than practical position as I often don’t relate to the officers that are already present. I don’t really understand what they do'.

Another student told Redbrick: 'I think the move by many unis to appoint working class officers is really good. Despite what the government is doing with fees, we should be telling working class students that they are still welcome here'.

With a month to go until the University of Birmingham Guild elections, could this be the last time that the elections take place without a similar officer position at UoB?

Birmingham: Entrepreneurial & Friendly Daniel Hickey News Reporter

The city of Birmingham has been ranked as both the most entrepreneurial city outside London and among the friendliest cities in 2016 in two reports by the national entrepreneur campaign StartUp Britain and the Co - operative.

The report from StartUp Britain showed that 17,473 new businesses were registered in Birmingham during 2016. This was an increase of 25% on the previous year and more than any other city outside London. That number is almost double that of Manchester’s number of new businesses, who were in second place with 9,416. Glasgow was in third with 7,845 new businesses opened during 2016.

The Co-op also released a you can turn to, whether that's to survey which found that take in a parcel, borrow some Birmingham was in the top five milk or just for a chat, is so most neighbourly cities in the important. We all want to feel part country. This was highlightof a community and know ed by the facts, also that someone is there to released in this survey help a hand'. , that elsewhere in Furthermore, the country a quarBirmingham surter of people over passed London as 45 have no neighthe UK’s leading bour they can city for business call on for a growth rates, New Birmingham favour or help, according to the and that parcel Office for businesses delivery is now N a t i o n a l the main reason Statistics, who in 2016 someone calls on released their busitheir neighbour for a ness counts data late favour. last year.

Rufus Olins, a Co-op Birmingham’s business representative, emphasised the base grew by 8.1% during 2016, importance of a neighbourly com- surpassing Manchester’s growth munity: ‘having neighbours that of 7.2% and London’s 6.4%, while

17,473

the national average was 3.5%.

"We all want to feel part of a community and know that someone is there to help a hand."

Neil Rami, chief executive of the Inward Investment Agency Marketing Birmingham, attributed the start-up success in Birmingham to easy access to finance, mentoring schemes, and programmes such as the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Growth

Hub allowing entrepreneurs to remain in Birmingham to grow their business.

He added ‘this, in turn, creates employment opportunities for local people, boosting the region’s productivity and knowledge economy.’

The chairman of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership Steve Hollis said ‘start - ups come and stay in Birmingham, not only because of the formal support they can access through for example, the region’s Growth Hub, but because of the skilled people they can employ, the cost efficiencies of being based here and the ecosystem of small to medium enterprises here'.

COMMENT

Friday 3rd February 2017

@redbrickcomment

09

Make Britain Great Again? No Need Comment writer Jaffer Muljiani contemplates the accuracy of this slogan Jaffer Muljiani Comment Writer

Did you hear that Donald Trump was sworn in as the President of the United States of America? Of course you did. You’ve probably not heard much else recently.

And while that might sound like something you’d see on The Onion or The Daily Mash, it isn’t.

The election campaign that resulted in this debacle/ travesty/catastrophe/ ruin/wreck was divisive, filled with rhetoric that has been described as racist, xenophobic, hateful. The tag line?

Make America Great Again.

The election came only months after the British referendum to leave the EU. The campaign to leave the EU was one that ran with themes very similar to that of Donald Trump’s campaign. So, does Britain need to be Made Great Again?

It should be noted that the idea of Britain being Great, in that it was most commonly (and is still often) referred to as Great Britain, is intimately linked to the concept of colonisation and imperialism. Britain was Great because it had forced most of the world to submit to the Crown at gunpoint.

Exploiting the resources of the land and people it colonised,

Britain built a prosperous nation.

When some talk about the old, glorious, Great days, they remember the wealth and splendour that England was renowned for, conveniently forgetting the millions that suffered for it.

On the other hand, as many of the systems and wealth were built on the resources, blood and sweat of other nations, Britain has constructed some incredible systems.

I am an international student. I was born and brought up in a lesser-known country in the Middle East: Oman. Coming from outside Britain, I can appreciate what makes it unique. I firmly believe that this country does not need to be made Great, it already is; even if it is quickly becoming less so.

So, what makes it Great?

The NHS for one. Free, universal healthcare? I didn’t believe it when I first heard about it, but a quick internet search served as confirmation. The vast majority of the world will struggle with the very concept of universal healthcare. For most people across the world, serious illness is compounded by facing financial difficulty in paying for treatment. AMC Network’s Breaking Bad might be fiction, but it does show how desperate people can get. From my perspective, the NHS is easily one of the best institutions in the world.

Free schooling is another.

UNICEF figures show that by the end of 2013, almost 65 million adolescents between the ages of 12 to 15 years old were denied their right to an education, in addition to 59 million children of primary education that were out of school. That the state enables children, regardless of their background, to go to school is absolutely incredible.

"While there will always be room for improvement, Britain seems to be losing what makes it so special" And then there’s the people and culture. I was nervous when I flew into the country. Would I fit in? Wouldn’t the colour of my skin make me stand out? Would I feel strange, out of place?

My fears were unfounded. I feel at home here. I have rarely felt out of place. I’ve found Britons to be very friendly and welcoming. True, my perception might be slightly skewed because I live in an area that is almost completely comprised of students, but the point still stands.

It’s the small things that stand out to me – the little things that the locals take for granted or simply don’t think twice of. That public transport can get you from

Birmingham's emergency Donald Trump protest from Abigail Harvie Comment Writer

On 28th January, President Donald Trump signed and announced an executive order banning refugees from seven nation states from entering the country. Regardless of whether they had previously been accepted, citizens born in Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen are prohibited entry to the US for ninety days.

I, like many others, was outraged, and within hours (it felt), probono lawyers were in airports alongside protesters, fighting to get the passengers out of detention and into America. Here in the UK, emergency protests sprang up around the county. It was a breath-taking show of solidarity against Trump’s policy, and also against Prime Minister May’s lack of condemnation of his policy.

I attended an emergency demonstration in Victoria Square. Even though I was just one person, standing with a bobble hat and a sign, I felt empowered. It felt like more and more people were uniting, crowded together to show our support for those we cannot directly help. If one person shouts they can be ignored, but if many voices join together, perhaps we have a chance.

Various speakers from different organisations spoke to the crowd about 'never again' and announced their solid a r i t y.

P o e m s , speeches, q u o t e s , chants of 'let them in' and 'refugees welcome here' were joined by the more unique 'Donald Trump gives us bellyache' (or some variation thereupon). People from different races, religions, genders, and ages all joined together and it made me believe that if we work

together, if we stand up and fight, and say 'not today, not ever', then maybe we can make our voices heard.

"If one person shouts they can be ignored, but if many voices join together, perhaps we have a chance" The atmosphere of the demo was catching, and even though I knew none of the people around me (although I saw some of the officer team were in the crowd), I knew we were all there because we felt the injustice and wanted to stand up in protest.

My favourite sign from the protest said 'Theresa May, if you’re looking for a "special relationship" get on tinder like the rest of us', but I think the message that resonated the most with me, was towards the end. I can’t remember the speaker, but a summary of what he said was 'if you want a wall, we will be the wall, protecting them from you' and I think that is incredibly powerful, and something we should all consider.

that can be held to account. The number of hate crimes has risen dramatically over the past year.

Reports of racism and xenophobia are rising. The prices of buses and trains are rising disproportionately to increases in earnings.

I did feel unwelcome, out of place – just the once. It was the morning of the 23rd of June, 2016 and Britain had just voted to leave the EU. As I walked into university, I felt different, the air felt different. I wondered if anyone was staring at me, if anyone was going to shout out at me from their car.

But I still feel that Britons have a lot to be grateful for, to be thankful for. And I honestly think that there are more good people than bad, more honest folks than crooks. The future of Britain will perhaps not be played out by the actions of those that seek to ‘make it Great again’, but by the inaction of the masses.

Redbrick Satire

Massive Banner is 'Absolutely Necessary' Insists University Kia Hunt Satirist

#NoBanNoWall Abigail Harvie

almost anywhere to everywhere, especially within cities. That you can (normally) strike up a conversation with the person on the bus/train next to you if you so wish to (except in London). That everyone thanks the bus driver when getting on and off.

That person on the tills at the supermarket asks you how your day was. That you thank him/her. That you hold the door open for others, that you thank the person holding the door open.

But things are changing. While there will always be room for improvement, Britain seems to be losing what makes it so special. The NHS is slowly but surely being privatised. There are disputes with doctors.

Maintenance grants have been abolished. The number of homeless is rising. Wealth inequality is higher than ever before. University fees are rising, academies with private boards are being given priority over state-run schools

As anyone walking through campus this morning would’ve noticed, the final corner of, quite frankly, the biggest banner any of us have ever seen was being secured in place. And just like that, the old library, along with the memory of ample study spaces, was completely engulfed.

While observing the team of nearly fifty men, hanging around (literally) in their fluorescent orange jackets, I couldn’t help over hearing many people saying the things that I was thinking too. It must only be a matter of time before other rants appear online, so let me be the one of the first to express publicly what is on all of our minds.

There seems to be a long list of things that the University of Birmingham cannot afford to fund, study spaces are only the start, what about lecturers for every language? Or admissions staff that remember to send emails? Everyone will have a different opinion as to what the University should be prioritising, but I’m certain I can safely say that a HD quality banner big

enough to drape across the building THAT IS GOING TO BE DEMOLISHED, wasn’t exactly at the top of anyone’s list.

And before anyone says it, we’re not naïve; we know that each department is funded differently, and we’re not suggesting some revolutionary re-distribution of wealth (of course the apparently infinitely deep-pocketed 'ginormous banner' department couldn’t just wire over a transfer to the impoverished arts department, don’t be stupid!)

But surely, surely, whoever’s idea it was to create and display what might as well have been a tapestry of mutilated £50 notes would’ve thought twice about such a blatant exhibition of squandered funds? Such an unabashed demonstration of poor financial prioritisation would inevitably only invite criticism, and I don’t understand why nobody recognised this from the outset. If anyone has a logical justification for this, I’m sure we would like to hear it!

(Of course, the banner is just the beginning; the ‘new green space’ itself is the real heart of the problem, but alas, that is a rant for another day- and I have no doubt someone will get round to it sooner rather than later.)

10

COMMENT

Friday 3rd February 2017

@redbrickcomment

Feminism: Relevant and Misunderstood Abbie Pease argues that feminism still has a place in today's society Abbie Pease Comment Writer

I was in the library recently when I overheard two boys complaining about how staunchly feminist their friend was.

According to them, she was such a feminist that she didn't even laugh when they made jokes about her ‘time of the month’. I briefly considered making a comment, but then it occurred to me, do they even know what the word feminism means? As I was complaining to the girl sat next

"Misconceptions behind the word feminism must end, and gender equality must be prioritised" to me, she told me about her experience being catcalled whilst eating a banana that morning. Why is society still at a point where women are being objectified on the basis of their sex; and why does there remain such a stigma surrounding the word feminism? Why are people of all genders so dismissive of it? Misconceptions behind the word feminism must end, and gender equality must be priori-

tised in the face of those who are scared of progression.

I want to set straight the meaning of the word feminism.

It is not a scary word, or a controversial word, but something that has been shaped by the media to represent something that it does not. Both men and women should not be afraid of a word that stands to protect their rights and their equality; instead, they should promote it. This message rings louder than ever considering the current political climate, in which the world has been overshadowed by the emergence of a categorically misogynist man. As thousands of women march across the globe, it is clear that society has a way to go on the topic of gender equality.

According to Piers Morgan, those who march for gender equality are “rabid feminists.”

In making this comment, he epitomizes everything that is wrong with society's view on feminism. Feminism has been corrupted by people who do not understand its meaning. It has been molded into something negative that many wish not to associate themselves with; they would rather dismiss the term than educate themselves on its true meaning. Feminism is the advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of equality for the sexes. It is about reaching a

point in society where one’s gender has no impact on their political, economic and social opportunities. The goals of feminism should be universal, as they promote the equality of all people. Feminism is not about man-hating, it is not gender exclusive, it is not always militant and it is most definitely not irrelevant. Feminism is not about getting a foot-up; it is about reaching a point where men and women have an equal footing in life.

Another commonly held misconception is the belief that society has reached a point in which people of all genders are equal. In reality, we still need feminism. Nothing proves this point more than the fact that the most powerful man in the ‘free’ world outwardly opposes the rights of women. Women have

failed to break the highest glass ceiling. Trump has begun his crusade against women by cutting off all funding for international groups that perform abortions, give access to contraception and offer HIV support pro-

"The most powerful man in the ‘free’ world outwardly opposes the rights of women" grammes to women.

The rights of women are also hindered on a global scale. In Singapore and India, non-consensual sex within marriage still does not classify as a criminal offence; in Saudi Arabia, women

are still not allowed to drive cars; and 98% of women in Somalia have undergone female genital mutilation. Even right here in the UK, there persists an undeniable gap in the annual pay of men and women. Given these facts, try and tell me that there is no need for feminism.

Blinded by the negative connotations associated with this word, society is doing women around the globe an injustice by refusing to accept the importance of feminism. It is more important than ever for people to understand what feminism means and why it is relevant to the world we live in. Although you may be scared of the word, nothing is more terrifying than the refusal to fight for basic human equality.

When Human Rights Are Wrong Jadzia Samuel is concerned about social progress in 2017 Jadzia Samuel Comment Writer

At a perilous time in western political history, the question of human rights has rarely been under such intense scrutiny.

Police brutality, increasing reports of islamophobic hate crimes, general xenophobia, misogyny, and diminishing abortion rights are just some of the topics under general discussion in the popular media of today. Many have responded to such violations with powerful protests, including the Black Lives Matter movement and the recent Women’s March.

Yet while such potent responses generate a sense of solidarity and liberation to an extent, these movements have received a shocking amount of backlash.

"The demonisation of political freedom movements is a predominant issue" The phrase ‘Black Lives Matter’ was coined by two women in the United States and began as

a trending hashtag on twitter in response to the countless incidences of police violence against black Americans. It soon developed into a large-scale, empowering liberation movement, however, many people reacted with anger. The phrase “All Lives Matter” has been aggressively thrown around social media by those blindly assuming the acknowledgement of the importance of black lives signifies that people from other races cease to matter. It is horrendous to see the number of people who feel threatened by this movement, regardless of its intentions to unify and liberate.

Despite the evident necessity to fight for the rights of the hundreds of black Americans brutally killed by police annually, some people miss the point of the movement entirely, interpreting it as a personal affront on their own rights. It is both shocking and terrifying how many people condemn this liberal protest and it begs the question: why do we

prefer to silence the voice of freedom rather than face the uncomfortable reality of social inequality?

It is not only in the case of Black Lives Matter where an oppressing party has felt threatened by a liberal organisation. The fight for women's rights continues in a heavily misogynistic society where girls’ bodies are sexualised from a young age and 1 in 5 women over the age of 16 are subject to sexual assault, however, feminist organisations are receiving heavy backlash from those who feel that a fight for gender equality automatically entails the hatred for men. The Women’s Marches, which recently occurred in cities worldwide in response to Donald Trump’s inauguration, were clearly based in a sense of unity and defiance against a world leader with incredible amounts of power,

responsible for making countless misogynistic and degrading comments about women. However, numerous people failed to see the vulnerable position in which many women feel to be, and the marches received a deal of negative response. Piers Morgan famously described the march as a “creeping global emasculation” run by “man-hating feminazis”.

And yet again we bear witness to the phenomenon whereby people in a position of social power fail to see prevalent political issues and instead choose to demonise a liberal movement.

The demonisation of political freedom movements is a predom-

"Liberal movements have received a shocking amount of backlash" inant issue and many people will use any opportunity to condemn such groups. A recent case emerged in America when a group of black teenagers attacked a disabled white man and, while this is unforgivably horrific, the actions

of these four people were used to condemn the entire Black Lives Matter movement. Similarly, a viral video has been seeping through social media in which a woman declares that she wishes all men dead; this is a despicable statement to make, but again it is being used to portray the whole feminist community as evil misandrists. Nobody can deny that both cases are dreadful, yet the extrapolation of these events in order to attack entire organisations conveys a bizarre desperation to diabolise any campaign for basic human rights.

While many opponents to these organisations claim to still support “equality”, we must ask: why did they only argue that “All Lives Matter” in response to Black Lives Matter? Why did they only fight for meninism in response to feminism?

Perhaps, instead of having a true interest in equality, they are simply intent on silencing the voices they do not wish to hear.

Perhaps, after being so long in a position of privilege, the movement towards equality can feel like oppression. Because how can the fight for human rights ever be wrong?

COMMENT

Friday 3rd February 2017

@redbrickcomment

11

Government Incompetence Goes Nuclear Bea Harvie believes that there is more to Trident's technical glitch than meets the eye pre-set route to the African has insisted that Theresa May According to some sources, though, if the government had Bea Harvie

Comment Writer

Theresa May has been in power less than a year. And so far, she doesn’t seem to be doing very well at avoiding the scandal pages of the newspapers. The most recent “oops” moment does not involve leather trousers, it involves a nuclear missile launch going kooey and a ministerial cover up. I think the mishaps are escalating.

Trident is the submarine nuclear weapons contract. Last year, the decision to renew or not to renew the Trident contract was put to a Commons vote, with a landslide approval to build four replacement submarines capable of supporting the Trident missiles. The contract was worth £31 billion.

However, it has recently come out that there was a failed practice missile launch last year preceding the July 2016 vote. In a weapons test in the Atlantic in June 2016, HMS Vengeance launched an unarmed missile from off the coast of Florida, pointing it towards Africa with a lot of sea between. The missile was supposed to go down somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean on a

coast. However, some sort of technical glitch must have occurred, because the missile directed itself towards Florida, USA. Definitely not where it was meant to be going.

But this launch failure was not bought up in the Commons

"Does anyone else feel that the excuse “national security” is used to cover up all manner of sins?" debate on the Trident renewal, a month later. On the Politics Show on Sunday, Andrew Marr questioned Theresa May four times, asking “did you know?” directly, and receiving no satisfactory answer. It seems as if the Prime Minister at least, but possibly the whole Cabinet, knew of the missile failure and chose not to disclose it to the public, and the House.

Unreliable nuclear weaponry – not good. Shady government cover up? I’m hearing the X Files theme tune as I type this.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn

“come clean” about the cover up, and called for an Emergency Question for Minister of Defence Michael Fallon. CNN (American News source) claimed to have a US government spokesperson confirming the misdirection of the missile towards the US. An unnamed spokesperson which can lead to credibility questions, but a statement of confirmation nevertheless. However, Sir Michael Fallon refuted the claims, saying that the test launch was “successful”, and “all crew were certified as ready to rejoin the operation” despite the media shouting the opposite.

Despite being asked repeatedly, the government have refused to release details on the failed launch, citing “national security” and reminders that the government never release details on the nuclear programme. Does anyone else feel that “national security” is used to cover up all manner of sins? Even conservative backbenchers have been tutting and shaking their heads, with the Conservative MP in charge of the Defence Select Committee Julian Lewis accusing the Government of a cover up. If their own party don’t believe them, what chance do the public have?

successful Trident launches are often reported, probably to remind everyone that Trident is “such a good idea” whereas one failed launch causes the confidence in the Trident system to plummet as fast at the pound post-Brexit. The missile may have been unarmed, but the rumoured misdirection of the launch gets people a little nervous. Especially because it went towards America – we don’t have allies to be picking a fight right about now. A lot seems to have been resting on that one failed missile launch.

You can’t help but wonder

just come clean in July 2016, admitting to the one failed test launch out of how many successful test launches, would it have been quite as scandalous?

This current suspicion is because the government tried to cover it up. It’s another secret. What else have they hidden? What else has been swept under the carpet because it doesn’t fit Theresa May’s agenda?

It doesn’t exactly fill you with confidence – if the government can cover up something as crucial as a nuclear weapon going skewy, what else are they covering up?

Philosophy, change up the discourse Kat Smith calls for greater representation of women in Philosophy Kat Smith

Comment Writer

Recently, students of University of London’s SOAS (School of Oriental and African studies) have protested that due to the nature of the university, “the majority of philosophers” taught at SOAS University of London should be from Africa or Asia.

This sparked me to consider the lack of diversity in philosophy and its effect on all of students of it.

In the lecture theatre or the classroom while studying philosophy, it is a rarity to come across a woman or a philosopher of an ethnic minority. From Plato to Hobbes, Descartes to Plantinga, the discipline of philosophy is dominated by while males.

Though I reject that the likes of Kant and Plato be stripped from the curriculum (their contributions to philosophy are undeniably pivotal) it is important that institutions of education recognise the distinct lack of diversity in the history of philosophy.

George Yancy of Emory University explained in 2016 his experience of being a black phi-

losopher in modern times. Yancy explains how ‘philosopher’ and ‘black’ can be seen as a contra-

"As UoB students, I believe the need for gender equality in philosophy is recognised" diction to some and how his profession as a philosopher attracted nasty remarks. Though we haven’t reached racial equality, black philosophers now have a platform on which to speak and I believe we have an obligation to be hearing these voices and encouraging them through teaching their ideas.

Richard, who s t u d i e s Liberal Arts and Natural Sciences at UoB, stated that it should be considered by staff and students where each component of philosophy is headed by considering modern ideas, including the position of minorities in the field.

As UoB students, I believe the need for gender equality in philosophy is recognised. In the first Formal Logic lecture we had, our lecturer stated that we weren’t to be biased in our seminars; he recognised the stereotype of a woman holding less of a logical thought process than a male, emphasising the equality in achievement in this module.

In our reasoning module the gender schemas that affect philosophy were noted. It is recognised that we are taught vastly about white male philosophers and few others; there is no implication that this is what philosophy should be like.

As a woman doing her Philosophy BA, I was startled to realise just how many women study philosophy now. According to Which?University, 48% of the intake for BA Philosophy at Birmingham is female. We are hopefully breaking away from the idea that philosophy is a traditionally male discipline, which you would be forgiven for assuming due to being taught the ideas of almost exclusively white males. I don’t feel like my ideas are undermined by others because I’m a woman and after asking my female peers, this seems true for many. However, it would be encouraging to see more women in our readings and on the slides of our PowerPoints, but I’m hoping it’s just a matter time.

Despite the increase in women studying philosophy, it’s clear the bias remains. In her 2008 journal, Sally Haslanger claimed that the discipline of philosophy doesn’t offer women a place in which they are respected, drawing on accounts of women in graduate schools having their credibility questioned when it becomes known they have children/ are married. It scares me to think that if I carried on in academia past my degree, I wouldn’t be

"It scares me to think that... in academia... I wouldn’t be seen in the same way as my male peers purely because of my gender" seen in the same way as my male peers purely because of my gender.

It’s important to note that

underrepresentation has an effect on all students. A lack of representation means a lack of ideas; consider how many women and people from different backgrounds had incredible philosophical ideas in a time where their voices didn’t have a platform.

Furthermore, our experiences of the world can shape the way we think about ethical and political philosophy. We need to recognise the hindrance minimal representation has on the development and scope of philosophical thought.

Of course, we can’t change that there was a lack of platform in the past and I have no contempt for the ideas of the great philosophers we are taught about on the basis that they were privileged enough to have a way of communicating their ideas.

However it is imperative that we now encourage the next generation to make philosophy a diverse and inclusive area of academia. I can only hope that in the future, students’ lecture slides won’t be dominated by one social group.

12

FEATURES

Friday 3rd February 2017

www.redbrick.me

United for their rights Since the election of President Trump the world has united against his controversial policies in one of the largest global protests in history Gabriella Marcucci Print & Features Editor @gabbym1996

suggest it was just a march for those aligned with the female gender, this could not be further from the truth. This march was organised to stand up for anyone who was insulted, persecuted, or criticized during the recent presidential campaigns, and called upon any women, men or children who wanted to fight for these rights together to participate.

It has been two weeks since the inauguration of President Trump and in those two weeks in office he has caused moderate chaos; with the repeal of Obamacare, the stopping of federal funded international health aid and the travel ban imposed on citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries. There has been widespread public backlash as a result of these policies with many award ceremonies like The Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards becoming platforms for numerous celebrities to voice their outrage over Trump. Other countries have also responded to the changes set by Trump. For example, The Netherlands have recently set up their own fund for international health aid as a reply to the 'Mexico City Policy' recently passed by the White House. The rise of actions against Trump and Everyone who took part gathhis policies are a direct retaliation ered together and filled the streets to the scaremongering and threat- of over 673 different cities - such ening politics that have been seen as Washington, Vancouver, San in the recent election campaigns.

Jose, Prague, Helsinki and Yet it is the one small, but London, to name just a few. The revolutionary idea - one all started protesters adorned pink coloured with a Facebook plea the day after hats known as ‘pussy hats’, these Trump’s presidential victory from knitted hats were created by the Hawaiian citizen Teresa Shook - PussyHat Project, co-founded by that sparked one of the largest Krista-Suh and Jayna Zweiman as marches in history. On January an unofficial protester’s uniform.

21st 2017, the day after Trump’s Simultaneously they carried mulpresidential inauguration, over 4 ti-coloured banners with profanimillion women, men and children ties and puns, in reaction to from seven different President Trump’s comments continents took to during his campaign and the streets of the subsequent election. world.

They Famous personalities peacefully profrom the sectors of tested against film, radio, TV polihuman rights tics and music joined violations in with the protest, and for the some even chose to men, women and protection of use their status to chilren attended the these rights, speak to the crowds with a view and rally support for Women's March to ensure the causes close to their globally safety of all heart. humans and their Actress Ashley Judd, families. While used her fame to recite the known originally as slam poem ‘Nasty Woman’ ‘The Women’s March on written by Nina Donovan, a Washington,’ as sister marches Tennessee teenager, which disformed across the world it became cusses the prejudices against known globally as ‘The Women’s women and mocks the comments March.’ Though this name might of Trump. Similar to the ‘pussy

"Whilst this name might suggest it was just a march for those aligned with the female gender, this could not be further from the truth"

hats’, this poem has become an icon of the marches and showcases the creativity of these women who came together to fight injustice.

All protesters were joined together with a set of ‘unity principles’ and one clear message for the new American government: that women’s rights are human rights. The unity principles set out the agenda and focus of the march; to end violence, gain reproductive freedom, secure the rights of the disabled, worker’s and the LGBTQIA community, to fight for equal civil rights for all, and ensure environmental justice.

The Women’s March on Washington and across the world, bares striking similarities to the suffragette movement and the Women’s Suffrage March on Washington in 1913. 8,000 women took to the streets of Washington before the inauguration of president Woodrow Wilson to fight for the right to vote. Fast forward 104 years later and we women may have won the right to vote, but we’re still fighting for the right to make our own reproductive decisions, equality in pay, treatment with respect and much more.

4 million

Garry Knight

The organisers of The Trump’s controversial politics Women’s March have stressed to brought people across the world all those involved that together again on the 30th the action of change January 2017, this time does not stop at a it was to show their protest, and disapproval for instead have Trump’s controverstarted the '10 sial seven country actions in 100 travel ban. There Days camis further discuspaign.’ The sion to host cities across the world first of these another protest held a Women's actions asks when Trump individuals to comes to visit the March protest write a letter UK later in the to their MP, year and a petition Prime Minister to cancel his visit or Senators about has been signed by an issue that matters over 1 million people. to them, an issue that is An increase in respondeffecting the world, or else ing to the policies of government an issue that needs changing. through protest evidently shows Coupled with International that people of the world want Women’s Day 2017’s theme of change and unity. They want a ‘#Beboldforchange’, it is clear better, more secure future for that this year is a year of revolu- themselves and their families no tion and there is a clear call to matter what gender, race, culture fight for the end of inequality for or sexuality they identify with. all of those who are oppressed.

Much like those that came before The Women’s March is not the them, they are not afraid to protest first and certainly will not be the these inequalities that are still last march of its kind, in fact it has evident today, and reunite the paved the way for similar protests divided world. already. The Women’s March and

673

FEATURES Sport

Friday 3rd February 2017

@redbricksport www.redbrick.me

Why a year abroad doesn’t have to be the best year of your life Writing in from Spain, Kirstie Sutherland shares her experience of going on a year abroad

Kirstie Sutherland Redbrick Writer @whatkirstiedid

It’s the envy of your friends, parents and Instagram followers alike: the year abroad. Compulsory for language students and an opportunity for adventure for many other undergraduates, time out from university in the UK is increasingly popular year on year, with a third of students aged between 16 to 30 interested in studying abroad when polled in 2015. However, does it really have to be the best year of your life?

"I heard and read from several testimonies by other students about how their year abroad was the best year of their lives" Answer: no. While I’ll be honest and say a year abroad is a lot of fun, it doesn’t have to be defined with every superlative in the dictionary. A lot of students possess an overwhelming sense of wanderlust and it makes sense that we would want to travel and explore while we’re still able to.

We get to spend a year in another country, perhaps even on another continent. If we study languages, it’s also an amazing opportunity to experience the culture we’ve been learning about from a first hand perspective. It also means we can try out our language skills out on the locals in the hope we correctly understood those lec-

tures on the imperfect subjunctive!

I knew years before moving to Spain that this year was ahead of me, and while nervous, it was also an exciting prospect. I’d never moved further than twenty minutes drive away from my family, and I couldn’t wait to improve my Spanish and gain some independence. When planning my year, I heard and read several testimonies by other students about how their year abroad was the best year of their lives. It’s the phrase everyone hears when talking to others about their year abroad, and while I’m certain it’s true for many, what happens if you go away and it isn’t? This kind of rhetoric can be pressurising and I found myself asking a lot of questions early on: Why am I not enjoying this? What’s wrong with me?

Within a month of being in Spain, I was experiencing constant anxiety and panic, struggling to wake up without a sense of dread in the pit of my stomach before class. It seemed all I could do was mope about in my room and if anyone dared ask me how I was, it would just open the floodgates; I would cry constantly. I’d be on Whatsapp and Facetime with my mother all the time, telling her how much I wanted to go home, and for a short while I strongly considered dropping Spanish altogether and going home. Why couldn’t I enjoy being abroad for ten months of my life when everyone else around me seemed to be having the time of their lives? I thought there was something inherently wrong with me. I lost my appetite, would struggle to sleep for more than a couple of hours at a time and just

didn’t want to join in with anything. When I did, even doing small things like a walk with a friend or going out for a meal, I just wanted to run away back to England.

One of the things that I feel I and the rest of my cohort could have done with was more preparation for something like this.

Throughout all of our talks ahead of year abroad professors stressed the importance of immersion, of throwing ourselves head first into our new home in order to gain a sense of personal development, change and, ultimately, to improve our language skills. Yes, the phrases ‘homesick’ and ‘culture shock’ were mentioned, but how would we cope with them should we experience them? There didn’t seem to be much information that shed light on just how hard it could be to adjust and cope with

being away for months at a time.

Year abroad is a whole new ball game.

Another problem is the Erasmus+ programme itself, which enables thousands of students every year to study abroad, but does not assess the mental health of students before they go.

Though the Erasmus+ programme claims that the wellbeing of students is a priority, they do not ensure mental health measures are in place at the institutions who take part in the programme. This is in the hands of national agencies such as the British Council, but institutions are under no obligation to offer these kind of services to incoming students. While this is the case, what is available to us are several links on their website - if you look hard enough - including the likes of the NHS and Mind UK. I struggled to find information on the availability of counselling services at my Spanish university, which was not helped by the breakdown in communication between myself and the Erasmus coordinator, but I was lucky in that, being a student at the University of Birmingham, I had access to online counselling services with someone at home.

UoB were one of the first universities in the country to offer counselling of this kind, and I would highly recommend it to anyone in need.

Not only was this helpful, but for me, time was also a healer.

While I still wake up anxious sometimes, even after living here for nearly five months - not helped by a heavy workload and a stressful exam period - I was lucky in that I realised early on that something was not quite right. I didn’t think the feelings I had would ever pass. Over the Christmas period back in Birmingham, my doctor told me it sounded like I’d experienced anxiety and depression during my first semester, and while that was very scary to hear from a medical professional, it explained a lot. I was proud of myself for recognising the trouble I was facing in those first few months and made an effort to combat my fears through talking it out and sticking to a routine doing things that get you out of your own head is paramount to maintain a positive outlook on being away. I decided to write in my journal on down days and being a blogger, putting things into words is always a very therapeutic experience. I spend afternoons working in a different environment other than my room, finding cute cafés to sit in for hours on end, translating work notes and writing letters to friends.

13

I made plans to visit friends in other parts of Spain, with possible trips to Italy and France on the cards this semester. I’ve even gone as far as to join the gym which is, for those who know me well, something I don’t normally do.

"I found myself asking a lot of questions early on: Why am I not enjoying this?

What's wrong with me?"

The point is, if you’re struggling and not enjoying your year abroad like you expected to, it’s okay to feel that way. It’s so okay.

And it will get better. No matter how far you are from home, homesickness can hit you like a ton of bricks. I realised that there was a fixed expectation in my head that every day ought to be absolutely fantastic, filled with a new, life-fulfilling experience.

And yes, while there are days filled with trips, exploring my city, good food and beer, and even little things like booking a table for a restaurant or sorting out your phone contract out without help from your Wordreference app, there are days that aren’t so good.

And that’s okay. We are allowed to have days off, to feel emotional and sad, just like we would if we were at home. Despite the popular perception, a year abroad is pretty simple: it’s living your usual life but merely adapting it to a new place. If you want to have a night off and binge Gilmore Girls, or lock yourself in your room to read and be by yourself for a while, just do it. Don’t forget that there’s always tomorrow.

A year abroad doesn’t have to be the best year of your life, but it can still be enjoyable. I’m still in Spain and I’m so proud of myself for sticking it out, and of everyone else I know who are fighting the same feelings every day. I’m lucky that I’ve made some wonderful friends while studying on Erasmus who I know will be my friends for life and despite my lows, I’ll look back on my time here with a lot of happiness.

Giving up would have been the biggest regret of my life, and I’m hoping that this strength I seem to have found will help define who I am in later life. It may not be the very best year of my life, but I’m determined to make it an unforgettable one.

14

FEATURES

Friday 3rd February 2017

www.redbrick.me

The National Television Awards 2017 Last week, the stars of television descended upon the O2 in London to celebrate the very best the medium had to offer this year. TV Critic Laura Bourne looks back on some of the evening's winners BEST TV PRESENTER Ant & Dec, the nation’s most Moffatt being crowned Queen of BEST PERIOD DRAMA beloved TV duo walked away the Jungle.

About half of the nominees I voted for actually won, which made me feel quite happy that my vote counted. However, the award for Best Period Drama was the one I was rooting for the most. If any of you have read my Stranger Things review, you will understand my admiration and enjoy-

ment for that show. Unfortunately it didn’t win, with BBC's longrunning Call the Midwife taking the honours.

With the lovely Michelle Keegan (Tina from Coronation Street) declaring the winner, Twitter users claimed that ‘She could have sounded a bit more

enthusiastic about announcing it.’

But she later reacted to the criticism by stating that she was just nervous. Come on people, give the girl a break. Who knows?

Maybe she was disappointed that Stranger Things hadn’t won.

with their 16th trophy for best presenting. Can anyone end their winning spree? Or will the public just keep voting them until even their prize cabinet groans with the cumbersome weight of gongs.

But seriously, isn’t it time that somebody else took this award?

With other talented nominees, such as James Corden and Gary Lineker, it is almost cruel to face them against the unstoppable and indestructible Ant & Dec. Not only did they win the TV Presenter award, but they dominated two other categories: Best Entertainment Programme and the Best Challenge Show. I must admit though, I’m A Celebrity featured some great faces in 2016, with the inspirational Scarlett

With a standing record of 33 National Television Awards, Ant & Dec thrive on these trophies – maybe even too much. Rumour has it that when Ant arrived home, he dropped the trophy onto his foot and split his ankle open, saying that ‘he had to go to the hospital and get five stitches’. He further said to his wife ‘don’t tell them what I’ve dropped on my foot’. She apparently can’t keep a secret.

And the moral of the story is?

Just be careful with those heavy and spiky NTA trophies, otherwise freak accidents like this can occur.

BEST SERIAL DRAMA

FAVOURITE TV JUDGE

I was absolutely thrilled, same as the fans, that Emmerdale took their first ever award for the Best Serial Drama. After 22 years of consecutive wins by Coronation Street and EastEnders, we were beginning to think that Emmerdale didn’t exist, but this year they soaked up all the glory.

It was a shame that John Middleton (who plays Ashley) wasn’t there to give a speech, especially considering his extraordinary acting and realistic presentation of dementia during the storyline of 2016. However, Jeff Hordley (who plays Cain) gave a touching speech, with one fan

tweeting ‘Very proud of @emmerdale winning their first NTA, well done @HordleyJeff for a lovely speech.’

DAYTIME TV WINNER

All of the nominees in this category seemed like worthy winners this year, but The Chase just knocks the socks off all of them, for me. There’s nothing better than to eat your dinner and watch a bit of trivia on a weekday

evening. With the ruthless and bitter chasers to add to the banter of the show and, of course, the hilarious Bradley Walsh it is hard not to vote for.

Beating its other nominees, which were Come Dine With Me,

The nominees for this year included David Walliams, Len Goodman, Mary Berry, Nicole Scherzinger and the notorious Simon Cowell.

With the young Molly and William Edwards from Channel 4's Gogglebox being the presenters for this category, it was adorable to see them having a giggle with Dermot O’Leary on stage.

They were even more delighted when their favourite TV judge, Mary Berry, won the award. Of course, they were absolutely overjoyed when they shouted her name

at the tops of their lungs and got to meet her.

The queen of hearts and tarts was crowned with the award and gave a speech to an emotional audience. She even gave a celebratory fist-pump as her name was called. Her fans on Twitter reacted to this victory by tweeting ‘Mary Berry crying at winning a NTA ahh my heart’ and ‘Mary Berry is 80 years old and has just won an NTA, she’s putting the residents at the care home I work at to shame.’

SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD

Pointless, and The Jeremy Kyle Show, it was great to see Bradley Walsh and all of the chasers (including the new and cheeky Jenny Ryan) take the award on stage.

Even though The Graham Norton Show didn’t win the award for Best Entertainment Programme, Graham himself bagged the Special Recognition prize for his efforts over a long career. Similar to the years before, a wonderful array of videos and photos were compiled together as a way to celebrate Graham’s life-time achievements. Quotes and recollections from stars, such as Dolly Parton and Will Smith were featured in honour of Norton, with accounts of his childhood dreams and life-time goals discussed by his mother. You could see the genuine shock and astonishment in his face as he won the award, which makes it so much more sensational to watch the NTAs.

FEATURES

Friday 3rd February 2017

www.redbrick.me

15

Meet the Trumps: From Immigrant to President

With Donald Trump becomng the 45th President of America last month, Abbie Pease reviews Channel 4's documentary on Trump's entire journey from businessman to President in just a few years Abbie Pease TV Critic @pease_abbie

As President Donald Trump was inaugurated on January 20th, even the sky wept. It is fair to say that there has never been a more internationally controversial President.

Trump has captivated millions and disgusted millions, creating a sharp divide in the political landscape of America. However, despite everything we thought we knew about the now most powerful man in the free-world, Meet the Trumps: From Immigrant to President opens up a whole new dimension to Trump’s past, a past riddled with scandal, wealth and power.

Channel Four gives an excellently detailed account of the Trump family history, capitalising on the reemergence of a ‘Trump philosophy’ that runs through the families past and still exists in the President today. The Trump history in America began in the 1880s, when Donald’s grandfather, Frederich, moved from Germany to the US in the hope of achieving the American dream.

With the same ambition and grit as his grandson, he opened up a restaurant in Seattle at the ripe age of 23, marking the famous family’s first successful enterprise.

Frederich embodies the values that Donald holds dear; ruthlessness and determination to thrive in spite of obstacles. With an “eye for opportunity” the original Trump bought a number of hotels and properties. Despite the failure

of many of his ventures, Frederich collected a serious amount of wealth in his initial years in America, laying the foundations for a family that would go on to dominate New York’s property scene.

"Donald's father taught him that some individuals were fundamentally more intelligent, attractive and successful than others, due predominantly to their genes" Despite his major successes, Frederich’s ventures were not without their risks. On Frederich’s journey to wealth he engaged in taboo activities, such as prostitution and gambling in order to reach success. In Frederich’s story we see a theme of restlessness that he passes on to his children. In particular, this philosophy is passed on to Fred Trump (Donald’s father) who takes control of the business upon his father's death. In Fred, Frederich installed a “desire to find the next opportunity,” which Fred, at 24, was able

to use in his first major business challenge during the great depression.

Being a Trump, Fred was able to surpass the challenges given to him, thriving in the face of dark times, by working the system.

Through taking advantage of a government-run program supporting the building of homes around the country, Fred Trump was able to capitalise off the state, bringing in a huge sum of money. In 1936 he married his wife Mary. The pair go on to have five children, the most notorious of the brood being Donald himself. In his children, Fred secures the concept of determination, a characteristic that will enable Donald to thrive in the face of diversion, and shock the globe upon his election in 2016.

A disturbing look at Fred reveals the lessons he taught Donald, which centred around an evolutionary mindset. Donald’s father taught him that some individuals were fundamentally more intelligent, attractive and successful than others, due predominantly to their genes.

This is a belief that Donald has often reiterated in interviews and shown through his pick of women. Equally, Fred taught his children that 'you are killers, you are kings,' installing in Trump the belief that he can do anything he wants, as long as he reaches the ultimate goal of success. In

fighting his way to presidency, this mantra rings true.

Donald was undoubtedly the most ambitious and disruptive of Fred and Mary’s children. He adopted a lead role in the business following the downfall of his brother Fred, whose reputation was tarnished through the abuse of alcohol. From this moment, he took the reigns and pushed the company into a level of wealth previously unknown. For the next

"He is a man who cannot be trusted with considering the lives of those who cannot be trusted with considering the lives of those who represent diversity in America" few decades, Donald ran the business with greed and talent.

However, allegations of racism soon erupted, as the Department of Justice uncovered a dark secret in the Trump property enterprise; the rejection of black families from renting their homes.

Unfortunately, this tale of exclusion does not bring down the company, as they are able to recover from the worrisome allegations. Additionally, despite the dysfunction taking place in his private life, including two highprofile divorces, Trump was able to tread a ruthless path on the journey to wealth and stardom.

So, what does the history of Trump’s family tell us about the President? Personally I found that learning more about President Trump’s history failed to put me at ease, and only reinforced my view that he is a man who cannot be trusted with considering the lives of those who represent diversity in America. Instead, his philosophy seems to be one that rests on the unstable foundations of luck, evolution and the American dream. Throughout the next four years, we will all witness the turbulent journey that is the Presidency of Donald Trump. It is true to say that only time will tell whether we can trust the President’s history in predicting his future. This documentary reveals the extent to which America must brace itself for what is ahead; what is to come of a country run by a relentless businessman built on the belief that those who look the part may succeed? Ultimately, Meet the Trumps: From Immigrant to President does its job of leaving viewers anxious and concerned for the future.

Do you have an opinion on Donald Trump and the upcoming Presidency?

Tell us about it on Twitter at @redbricktv

16

SCI & TECH

Friday 3rd February 2017

@redbricktech

US Tech Industry Responds to Trump's Refugee Ban

Sci & Tech Editor James Pettit takes a look into the effect that Trump’s worrying immigration ban is having in the technology industry President Donald Trump’s decision to temporarily ban refugees and residents from 7 MajorityMuslim countries (Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, Yemen and Iraq) has been justly met with indignation and disapproval around the world. The Iranian Presidential Advisor for Legal Affairs, Elham Aminzadeh, has labelled the ban as ‘a blatant violation of human rights’, and has accused the US of ‘double-standards’ due to the absence of Saudi Arabia from the ban, who are known sponsors of Islamic terrorism. Similarly, Prince Zeid bin Ra’ad, the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights,

has denounced Trump’s actions, noting that ‘discrimination on nationality alone is forbidden under human rights law.’

One industry which has been forthright in its condemnation of the immigration and travel ban is that of the United States technology industry, which is a vital, profitable cog in the national economy. CEOs and founders of large companies are themselves immigrants or descendants of immigrants, for instance Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook), Sundar Pichai (Google) and Brian Chesky (Airbnb). The technology sector is one which is in a large part dependent on immigration. Areas

In the wake of recent events, Google have recalled some of its foreign employees from travelling overseas. It is estimated that over 100 of its workers are affected by the proposed 4 month ban on migrants, with those in question engaged in full time work in the US, but abroad for either work or holiday purposes. Immediately responding to Trump’s ban, Google’s chief executive Sundar Pichai penned a memo to his employees stating that ‘it’s painful to see the personal cost of this executive order on our colleagues. We’ve always made our view on immigration issues known publicly and will continue to do so.’ Central to Google’s concerns is the impact that Trump’s order will have over the status of H-1B visa holders.

A spokesperson for the company stated that such restrictions are worrying because they ‘could create barriers to bringing great talent to the US.’

John Zimmer and Logan Green, co-founders of transportation network company Lyft, sent an email to users of their services on Sunday. In it they too condemn the President’s actions, blasting the ban as ‘antithetical to both Lyft’s and our nation’s core values’ and promising that they ‘will not be silent on issues that threaten the values of our community.’

Further pledging their assistance in activism against the ban, Lyft’s founders also revealed that they were donating $1,000,000 to the American Civil Liberties Union, which has been actively involved in the defence of rights for those that have been denied access to the country at airports since the ban has been issued.

of specialised technology expertise such as Silicon Valley are reliant upon importing highly valued workers with specialised skills such as software engineering from foreign countries.

Specifically, those that are brought in to work in the US rely primarily on that of the H-1B visa program, which has been cast into doubt through Trump’s ban.

Director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, Abed Ayoub, noted that some workers that rely on the H-1B visa had already been refused boarding on flights back to the US within 24 hours of the ban being issued.

CEO of Apple, Tim Cook, issued a statement condemning Donald Trump’s actions and advocating his support of the benefits of immigration.

He stated that: ‘Apple believes deeply in the importance of immigration -- both to our company and to our nation's future. Apple would not exist without immigration, let alone thrive and innovate the way we do.’ The issue of talent accrual in the face of such a ban was at the heart of Cook’s memo, which noted also that: ‘Our employees represent the finest talent in the world, and our team hails from every corner of the globe.’ He concluded with a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King: ‘We may have all come on different ships, but we are in the same boat now.’

Brian Chesky, CEO and Co-founder of Airbnb, revealed in a succession of tweets last weekend that ‘Airbnb is providing free housing to refugees and anyone not allowed in the US.’ Chesky’s company allows its users to list or rent shortterm lodgings in residential properties, with prices determined by the property owners themselves.

It is now calling on any users wishing to help to support those affected by the ban through hosting people for free and offering up their homes. In an official statement on their website, Airbnb note that: ‘Airbnb is working with partners around the world to support refugees and those who may have unexpectedly been affected by the recent travel ban into the United States.’ Through engaging those outraged into a network of support for those affected, Airbnb is promoting activism and categorically acting in contra to the discriminatory nature of the President’s policy through aiming to ‘help create a world where anyone can belong anywhere.’

Mark Zuckerberg has also expressed his disdain for Trump’s mandate, posting on his website: 'We are a nation of immigrants, and we all benefit when the best and brightest from around the world can live, work and contribute here...I hope we find the courage and compassion to bring people together and make this world a better place for everyone.'

Zuckerberg has previously been outspoken on the issue of immigration. In 2013 he joined other tech leaders such as Bill Gates (Microsoft) and Marissa Mayer (Yahoo!) in supporting the non-profit group Fwd.us. The group advocates a comprehensive change and reform of immigration policy in the United States, aiming at ‘mobilizing the tech community in support of policies that keep the American Dream achievable in the 21st century, starting with common sense immigration reform.’

Microsoft are reported to have issued a memo in solidarity with all of their employees that are directly affected by the ban, noting that ‘our goal as a company is to provide you with legal advice and assistance.’ The memo noted that they are aware of 76 Microsoft workers whose country of origin has been banned, and are in the country on travel visas. CEO Satya Nadella has also issued a statement about how, as an immigrant himself, he has ‘both experienced and seen the positive impact that immigration has on our company, for the country, and for the world.’ Nadella concludes that Microsoft will continue to contest the ban: ‘We will continue to advocate on this important topic.’

As opposed to the condemnation as expressed by other tech companies, Uber faced a backlash on Sunday 29th January after they appeared to profit off the ban. #DeleteUber swept social media, with users posting screenshots of them deleting the app alongside criticism of the company. The New York Taxi Workers Alliance tweeted that they would not be running services from JFK airport for an hour in response to protests that were ongoing against the detaining of passengers coming into the US. 'We stand in solidarity with all of our peace-loving neighbors against this inhumane, cruel, and unconstitutional act of pure bigotry.' Seemingly taking advantage of the situation, Uber announced that they would be turning off their surge pricing, something that has been interpreted as a way of breaking the strike.

Uber CEO Trvis Kalanick is one of several tech leaders to join Trump's business advisory group. He has previously defended this position,with the defence that 'we'll partner with anyone in the world as long as they're about making transportation in cities better, creating job opportunities, making it easier to get around, getting pollution out of the air and traffic off of the streets.' The social media backlash shows that a lot of Uber's users view this position as ethically problematic.

Do you have opinions on this article?

Send them to us: @redbrickpaper

SCI & TECH

Friday 3rd February 2017

@redbricktech

17

Encouraging Women to Work in STEM Kara Watson Sci & Tech Editor @Karaml_Watson

Women going into STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths) subjects has become more and more of a focus in today’s society, and many researchers are looking into why so few women choose to pursue science careers.

Stereotypes at a young age One recent study looked at whether the perceptions some women hold about science subjects start at a young age. They found that young girls are less likely to think of their gender as being 'brilliant' than boys. They are also more likely to stay away from activities that are described to them as being for 'really smart' people.

In some earlier work, it was found that adult women are less likely to receive higher education degrees in areas that were perceived as 'brilliant'. Therefore, researchers from the University of Illinois, New York University, and Princeton University, investigated whether this perception began

from a young age. The study involved children aged from 5 to 7 years old. There were three parts to the research: the first was to tell the kids a short story about a person who was 'really smart', without referencing their gender. The 6 and 7-year-old girls were significantly less likely to decide the person in the story was their own gender than boys were. However, with children aged 5, boys and girls would almost always choose their own gender. This suggests that age 6 is a critical age for when these stereotypes form.

"Stereotypes about women being less able in 'smart' subjects starts at age six" The second part involved giving the children a questionnaire.

The participants had to guess which of the four children in the question, the options were two girls and two boys, get the best grades in school. The results

showed that there was no significant difference between the ages of children and who they guessed got the best grades. This means that they separate the concepts of 'brilliance' and school achievement, even at that critical age.

The final section presented the children with two new games. The first was described as a game for 'really smart people', and the other was for people who 'try really hard'. At age 5, there was no difference between boys and girls with the game they chose to play.

However, at ages 6 to 7, the girls would tend to avoid playing the 'smart' game more than the boys.

They saw themselves as more suitable to play the game for people who 'try really hard'.

'Even though the stereotype equating brilliance with men doesn’t match reality, it might nonetheless take a toll on girls’ aspirations and on their eventual career' said senior author Professor Cimpian.

Opinions are not fixed A different study looked at whether these perceptions stay static for their whole lives, or if

they can be changed at an older age. It was found that if parents talked to their children at high school age about the relevance of science and maths, then their children would receive better grades in STEM subjects, and their career interest in those areas would increase.

The research was led by Dr. Rozek at the University of Chicago. 181 families were involved in the study, and they were recruited in 1990-1991 when the mothers were first pregnant. When their children reached high school, the parents were provided with materials designed by the scientists to help them engage their children with science and maths, and how to discuss the relevance of STEM subjects.

Children who received this

intervention had improved grades in these areas, and were more likely to take more STEM courses at school. This in turn affected how many STEM classes in college they took, the careers they pursued, and their overall perception of science.

A separate study looked at the perceptions of parents about their children’s maths abilities. It found that mothers tended to hold their son’s maths abilities in higher regard than their daughter's. This study again highlights the great impact parents can have on their children’s futures in science.

Volunteering with Police as a Med Student Tatiana Zhelezniakova Sci & Tech Writer @tvzhel

At a medical interview, when you are nauseous and transiently unable to understand human speech, you are inevitably asked the dreaded ‘why medicine?’ question. So, in a half-shout, you throw out interview prep book terms like ‘versatility’ and ‘continued learning’. But these are little more than vague concepts you think the interviewer would like mentioned.

To me, ‘versatility’ meant the choice between medicine and sur-

gery. ‘Continued learning’ meant having to learn more unpronounceable drug names as they were licensed.

What I didn’t think it would mean was standing on a wrecked Volvo, cutting off its doors with power tools lent to me by the fire service. I should probably mention that this was part of an extrication exercise at a Pre-Hospital Trauma Course, rather than an act of vandalism. The reason I was lucky enough to get a place on this course was due to my previous volunteering with the police service.

All firearms police officers in

the UK are required to be trained in first aid, and multiple courses are organised across the country.

Where do medical students come in? We’re the practice dummies.

Generally, volunteers are from clinical years, the rationale being that students would have sufficient clinical knowledge to emulate trauma victims, while simultaneously assessing the competency of the trainees. We often participate in several scenarios ranging from basic life support to multiple trauma casualty scenarios. From our side, this provides a brilliant insight into police work: emergency services don’t operate in

isolation, and knowing your colleagues’ aims and competencies is crucial to cohesive and efficient teamwork.

Occupational hazards include: committing too much to the art of theatre and actually hyperventilating to the point of peripheral paraesthesia (or, in English, not being able to feel your fingers), getting swatted by swinging guns, or having a part of your shirt cut when your borrowed top layer is being disposed of during a medical procedure. Occupational perks: brushing up on acting skills, using night vision goggles, and free coffee.

While our main aim as volun-

teers is to assist the police service, the benefit to us is astronomical.

Not only do we get a revision of old skills and the receipt of new ones, we also enjoy a completely different side to clinical medicine.

To me, this work has demonstrated the excitement of working in a less controlled environment, and the extensive skillset and knowledge required to do so. If you ever get the opportunity to volunteer with emergency services in any capacity, I would strongly urge you to do so. Just remember to bring a spare shirt.

Creature Feature: Goats Not as odd as other creature features, but goats have some unusual behaviour, making them perfectly suited for this weeks feature. Ellen Daugherty reports Goats have been domesticated for thousands of years, and are used for meat, dairy production, religious sacrifices, and often just as pets. They are social animals, and will congregate in groups, but they do not stay in flocks as sheep do. It has been suggested by scientists, at Queen Mary University, that goats are as intelligent and caring as dogs are. This makes them great pets, as they can form an emotional bond with their owners.

I’m going to focus on a few unusual traits that some goats have - some of which have stormed the internet.

The Phenomenon of Fainting Goats You have probably seen the videos on YouTube of younger goats seemingly freezing up and

“fainting” in a stiff position. This behaviour is seen in some domestic goats after they have been startled, and is caused by a hereditary genetic disorder called myotonia congenita. It is painless, and just causes the goat to freeze up, and often fall over, for around 3 seconds.

Researchers have said the spontaneous muscle contraction is likely to have been caused by an acetylcholine deficiency before birth. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter in the nervous system that is involved in activating muscle activity. The condition does not affect the overall health

of a goat, and experts have said goats with this genetic condition also carry other vital genes that need to be conserved in the population. So it sounds like fainting goats won’t be disappearing from our screens any time soon.

Mountain goats Made famous by numerous nature documentaries, and even recently featured in David Attenborough’s Planet Earth 2, mountain goats are not domesticated, and can only be found in the North American rocky mountains. Their natural habitat is mountainous, so they need to be able to climb danger-

ous and rocky terrain just to get around. They also use it for predator avoidance from bears, wolves, and cougars, out-maneuvering their pursuers up and down cliff faces.

They can climb practically vertical surfaces, owing to having cloven hooves that spread out when climbing, revealing an inner pad to provide friction to be able to grip to the surface.

They also have sharp claws that often stop them from slipping.

be able to look out for predators while they are feeding.

The goats get a panoramic view of their surroundings, allowing them to accurately plot their escape route in front of them, the horizontal pupils giving a higher image quality of objects ahead of them. This effect is lost if the pupils are vertical when they tilt their head to graze, so the goats make sure to constantly adjust their eye so the pupil is always horizontal to the ground.

Horizontal pupils

With more than 924 million goats on the planet, it's safe to say they are not top of the conservation list. Although some species of wild goat have smaller population numbers, very few are actually endangered. But they are, without doubt, a very loveable creature.

OK, so not a behavioural trait, but have you ever wondered why goats have such creepy eyes with horizontal pupils? It is actually common in grazing prey animals, as it extends their peripheral vision to

18

GAMING

Friday 3rd February 2017

@redbrickgames

Review: Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

James Marvin dives into the newest installment of the iconic series James Marvin Gaming Editor @js_marvin

Now I’m one of those people who loves horror but also hates horror. You know the type, the people who are intrigued by the ideas in horror such as the supernatural, zombies, witches and all that and Google all the plots and watch playthroughs of games on the internet but couldn’t bare to watch stuff like The Exorcist by themselves in a dark room. I’m the person who, to this day, has still not completed Alien: Isolation and never played games like Silent Hill 2 or even the original Resident Evil back in the day. Hell, I only recently completed the classic Resident Evil 4 on my PS4 as I was too scared to watch my brother play it when I was younger.

"I just couldn't wait to get my hands on this game" Resident Evil 7 was where I made my stand. After becoming quite obsessed with the series after the aforementioned playthrough of Resident Evil 4 I was overwhelmingly hyped for this fresh new take on the series, especially after an attempt of a co-op playthrough of Resident Evil 6 with my housemate (which did not end well). Even though every trailer and bit of gameplay I watched leading up the release had me thinking “no thank you” I just couldn’t wait to get my hands on this game and, for better or worse, Resident Evil 7 has cured me of my affliction to the horror genre.

When I say that I do not mean by any stretch of the imagination that the game isn’t scary as it bloody well is, but unlike games like Alien: Isolation or Outlast, Resident Evil 7 just compelled me to power through every single time. This is in big part due

to the main antagonists of the game: the diabolical Baker family; consisting of father Jack, mother Marguerite and son Lucas. Not only are the performances of these characters great but they are by far the most memorable antagonists in the series since the days of Albert Wesker and Ramon Salazar and rightfully earn their place alongside those names. My favourite though was Jack as he embodied the best of the Resident Evil series.

Equally terrifying but hilariously campy in places. One moment he can scare the living shit out of you by unexpectedly breaking through a wall but the next genuinely make you giggle by saying 'Groovy' as he grabs a deadly chainsaw, a nod to the classic Evil Dead. But that’s what makes the Baker family great as a collective entity. Each member is terrifying in their own sadistic way. Jack scares you because of his hulking stature and relentless brute force. Marguerite scares you because she is disgustingly creepy and dark. Lucas scares you because he is unpredictable and frighteningly clever. If you think the game isn’t scary at the start with Jack, then just wait one of the other two will certainly get well and truly under your skin.

It is a shame then that the protagonist of the game, one Ethan Winters, who comes to the Baker family home in search of his missing wife Mia, is frankly rather forgettable. It’s not really because there isn’t potential for him to be interesting, it’s just his dialogue is bland and without a face to put to the man it’s hard to really find him engaging in the same way we do Leon Kennedy or Chris Redfield.

Not to say that the switch to firstperson wasn’t a good one but if Ethan is our man of the hour for the next couple of iterations of the series then Capcom need to up his personality a notch or two.

On the topic of the first person switch it was quite frankly a much needed one, for me at least. See for all I cry about being scared of horror third-person, more ‘action-y’ horror games like your Resi 4 or The Evil Within (at least at the age of 20) don’t scare me whatsoever, whereas your Outlast can fuck right off. There’s something about

the restrictive view of a firstperson camera that just oozes fear and tension. Just try and walk around the start of the game without a single clench of your buttocks and I’d be seriously impressed. The switch to first-person though shows that Capcom have recognised what made the series great: genuine horror. Having recently played some of the classic entries in the series of course today they are

"Resident Evil 7 is a true return to form "

Firstly, the combat is extremely awkward. It’s somewhat explainable through the fact that Ethan is your average everyman who isn’t familiar with weapons, but it can make getting those crucial headshots infuriating at times, especially when it’s the difference between life and death.

Also the puzzles in the game are very weak with the most complex being these shadow matching mini-games which just aren’t difficult whatsoever. However, the need for exploration of the large Baker estate does make up for this flaw in a minor way. You may have noticed however that I haven’t mentioned any other areas in the game other than the Baker family home and that’s not just because some of the much later ones are spoilers but just because they weren’t really as interesting to go through.

Whilst the Baker’s home is a massive sprawling entity consisting of three main areas that is basically a small open-world that begs for exploration the game’s later areas become linear corridors. It wasn’t something that weighed the game down too much as it is only for the last 2-3 hours of the game but these later acts do lessen the experience as a whole somewhat.

Yet despite the minor flaws and even with the perspective switch Resident Evil 7: Biohazard does feel like it belongs as part of the Resident Evil family. If Resi 4 can be as it switched from fixed camera angles to third-person, then Resident Evil 7 can for the same reasons as third-person to first-person. This game should not be overlooked because it doesn’t “look like a Resident Evil game” as it’s in first person.

It’s really just the natural evolution of the series with the current trends and quite frankly Resident Evil 7 is the finest example of a first-person survival horror game that I’ve played. Get it played.

not scary really whatsoever, but back then they were hallmarks of the genre. Come to later in the series though with the painfully “yeah it’s okay” Resi 5 and the “we don’t like to talk about it” Resi 6 and it’s clear that the identity crisis that the series had between third-person shooter and survival horror was killing the series. That’s not the say that Resident Evil 7 doesn’t have its more action-oriented moments, it does, but it is just more scaled down from bombastic bioterrorism on a worldwide scale and that’s the key phrase of what makes Resident Evil 7 a true return to form. By scaling the series back down to just primarily a house (there are other locations in the games later in the story, but no spoilers here) and focusing on what made the series great back in the day has revived a once struggling franchise. By making it first-person in 2017 Capcom have simply done what they did with Resident Evil 4 back in 2005. They’ve taken a popular framework, in this case the first-person horror game in the vein of Amnesia, and applied their resident magic to it (harhar) and it just clicks together so well.

However, as much as I love Do you have opinions on the game for shaking up a series this article? Let us know: and having amazing tension @RedbrickGames building moments of true, genuine fear the game does suffer from some very obvious flaws.

GAMING

Friday 3rd February 2017

@redbrickgames

19

Feature: What is the best approach to DLC? Nicholas Burton debates what is the best way for developers to deliver DLC Nicholas Burton Gaming Editor @Nic_the_Thinker

There are three main approaches to how developers will support their game post-launch. The ever-popular season pass, micro-transactions, or simply update the game for free.

Downloadable content has been a hot topic over the past few years, with season passes becoming more expensive than ever, gamers are now questioning the validity of the Season Pass, and with other developers exploring the free update approach, there seems to be more conflict within this topic now more than ever. Which approach to DLC is best? I will state now that those who believe there is no good DLC are wrong. There have been extremely good DLC over the years; Minerva’s Den (Bioshock 2), Shivering Isles (Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion), Left Behind (The Last of Us), Blood and Wine (The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt).

The answer to this question seems obvious from a consumer point of view. Of course all of us would like all post-launch content for free, but realistically, this limits the potential of what the developer can create without further funds to help with the cost of the DLC. Don’t get me wrong, the free updates provided by developer CD Projekt Red on the Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is impressive. All developers should learn from the free postlaunch support they provided to play-

Feature:

ers of that game (free updates after the game was released included a new game, allowing the player to continue their save after completing the game).

"It simply needs to be up to a certain quality that players will think is reasonable " However, they also created two premium-cost DLCs, both critically acclaimed, that delivered on what is expected from downloadable content.

It’s clear from this and other similar examples, such as The Shivering Isles (found on The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion), that gamers don’t mind paying for post-launch content, if the product you get in return is good, if not great. It simply needs to be up to a certain quality that players will think is reasonable in the context of its price. If this content is within a reasonably-priced season pass, there should be no reason players should protest to SPs. The issues arise when season passes do not have the quality content that matches its price tag. A recent example, Arkham Knight. Its season pass cost £30. That’s ¾ of the games price on launch. Did the season pass

have ¾ of the content found on Arkham Knight? No. Did it still have good quality content, even though the quantity of the content was a letdown? No. That’s not how season passes should be done.

You then of course have a completely different approach, whereby the developers and publishers receive money through micro-transactions throughout the game. This is the least liked approach, because micro-transactions are usually embedded within an already premium-priced game i.e.

Street Fighter V. Why should a player have to pay extra to progress further/ quicker within a game they’ve already purchased? Good for the publisher/ developer perhaps, but completely against the gamer. I know of one

instance where micro-transactions are acceptable, and that’s Warframe. A free-to-play game that can be completed without any purchase whatsoever. Micro-transactions simply speed-up the process of completion.

In a premium-priced game this would seem unreasonable, but for a game that’s already free seems completely fair. It still stands however that for the most part; micro-transactions should be eliminated from existence.

The answer to what is the best approach to DLC is a combination of both free updates, and premium content that is a high standard. It’s unreasonable to expect massive content through free updates, but it isn’t unreasonable to expect a high-quality standard for post-launch content, if

priced correctly. The days of £30-£40 season passes need to end, as no postlaunch content is worth this steep price. If it is worth that price, it should be released as a standalone game, since that’s the price of a new release.

A lot of work needs to be done in this area, but leading developers like 343 Industries and CD Projekt Red will hopefully show the light to other developers and publishers, and eventually we will rid the industry of overpriced season passes, along with micro-transactions in premium-priced games.

Do you have opinions on this article? Let us know: @RedbrickGames

Are mid-generation consoles a good idea?

Nicholas Burton evaluates the potential and pitfalls of console upgrades Nicholas Burton Gaming Editor @Nic_the_Thinker

There is a brand-new console cycle that will be fully implemented by the end of 2017. This new console cycle is in kindred spirit to the life-cycles of our mobile phones and tablets. Never has this kind of cycle been seen in the gaming industry before, and now, just after the release of the PS4 Pro, we have a better idea of what impact this

new mid-generation console cycle will bring for consumers, for developers, and for publishers. More importantly; are they a good idea?

Mid-generation console cycles have been created for the gamers that enjoys the latest and best gaming experiences. If there is a ‘better’ version of Uncharted 4 that players could get their hands on, if only for a reasonable upgrade cost, then these gamers will be the first to acquire such a version. This is ultimately what Sony and Microsoft have intro-

duced through the PS4 Pro and the Scorpio. Better versions of games that already exist on the current generation. By ‘better version’ I mean games with better framerates, displaying at higher definition, as well as bigger draw distances amongst other numerous things. I think it’s obvious that giving the option of these new consoles is good for these types of gamers. The gamers that want access to the best gaming experience possible, and nobody should condemn them for this desire.

That said, if the development of current games in production falter or suffer because of the release of these new consoles, that makes these consoles a problem for all gamers.

Unfortunately, it’s hard to see how the new console cycles won’t have a negative effect on the development of games for both Xbox One and the Scorpio, and PS4 and PS4 Pro. It’s likely the negative effect will occur because of the extra development these new versions of the game, and the pressure on developers to create/ update their games to be playable on this new mid-generation cycle.

Another issue may come in the form of E3 presentations. When we see the next new exciting game being revealed during an E3 conference, will there be a disclaimer at the start saying ‘running on PS4 Pro’? If it is being played/shown on a PS4 Pro, what will the game look like on the PS4? How well will it run on the PS4? If it isn’t running on the Pro, and looks beautiful, how will this incentivise people to purchase the pro? These are the problems faced now during every major game conference of the year.

Sadly, it seems we can’t exist in a world where gamers who are enthusiastic about getting the latest specs can’t get the mid-console generations they want, without the rest of us suffering from the extra developmental pressure that comes with these new consoles. It also seems that we can’t escape the challenge presented to us of how these versions will be shown alongside current consoles at E3 and other such conferences. It’s unlikely

the PS4 Pro sold significantly, but the real test for these new mid-console generations will be its long-term sustainability. The market is unlikely to jump on-board quickly with this new cycle, but I believe it has chance to be impactful in the long-term future.

"Unfortunatley, it's hard to see how the new console cycles won't ave a negative effect" That will be the real test as to whether the mid-console cycle is a good idea. If the market welcomes it, and the rest of gamers don’t have to purchase a new console every three years, and developers don’t suffer artistically, then perhaps this new cycle is a good idea. For now, it seems to be a forceful attempt to extract as much money from gamers as possible, while creating conference presentation issues, as well as make development harder for the makers of games. I do not think mid-generation consoles are a good idea, and probably won’t until these issues are resolved. I’m not expecting them to be anytime soon.

Do you have opinions on this article? Let us know: @RedbrickGames

20

CAREERS

Friday 3rd Feburary 2017

@redbrickcareers

What to expect when you're expecting (to find employment after university, at the least) Mira Lodhia Careers Editor

During your first year, it’s easy to fall into the mindset of 'first year doesn’t count', but you can make it count towards your career. In recent years, an increasing number of companies have developed first year internship programs, often shorter than vacation schemes for penultimate year students, they tend to come in the form of insight days and two week programs in the Easter holidays. Some firms in the banking sector like Barclays, KPMG and some technology firms hold insight days and first year events exclusively for women, to provide extra support for those hoping to break into traditionally male-dominated fields. The purpose of insight events is to help give you a feel for the firm, and look into its dayto-day workings. However, some larger organisations such as HSBC and the Bank of England run

internships for first year students that last between six and eight weeks.

Internships and insight programs are not the only way to gain

"During your first year, it's easy to fall into the mindset of 'it doesn't count'...but you can make it count towards your career." work experience and add value to your CV; volunteering and having a part-time job are great ways to acquire the skills and experience that employers look for. Employers

often look for skills such as team work, and values such as being client-orientated, so having a parttime job as a sales assistant can help you demonstrate such competencies. In a sales assistant position, working as part of a team with colleagues and managers, is something that’ll you gain experience in, and striving to always “put the customer first” is a transferable skill, which can be used to demonstrate how you would be committed to client’s needs.

Volunteering is also a good way to use your first year to improve your CV. A number of the University’s student groups are volunteering-orientated. This ranges from STAR, which runs several streams that help refugees, to InterVol, which gives you the opportunity to volunteer all over the world, running programs in orphanages in Bulgaria and animal sanctuaries in Ecuador, to name a few. The university runs the Birmingham Project for a fortnight over the summer which

Interested in writing or editing for the Careers section?

Email careers@ involves researching business problems like social mobility and sustainability, and working on solutions to these issues, another opportunity that can help improve your CV. Volunteering can provide really valuable experiences that you can draw on throughout the recruitment process for graduate jobs, and looks great on your CV!

redbrickonline.ac.uk

with your article ideas!

This Week in Careers: Work Experience Week Lael Hardtman Careers Editor @ehardtman

In honour of Work Experience Week running this week, and with the daunting prospect of responsibility looming over our heads like bad penny, our Careers team overviews some of the quick and easy ways to get involved, because taking that first step is always the hardest. From the 30th to the 8th, the Careers Network is hosting a variety of events targeted at students to help them find and apply for internships and work experience.

"The journey to a long career starts with one (maybe two) steps...in the direction of the Careers Network office."

A quick look at a few of the workshops happening in the upcoming week Work Experience in the Technology Sector

Top tips for finding work experience

Thursday 2nd February 2017 (16:00-18:00) Learning Centre LG14

Monday 6th February (12:00-13:00) Learning Centre, UG05

Get access to resources and platforms to support you in searching and sourcing work experience in the technology sector.

Discover the various routes you can take to secure work experience and how to make a successful application.

BAME Careers Showcase

Joining the Army Reserves

Thursday 2nd February 2017 (17:3020:00) Beorma Bar - Guild of Students Find out about funding and internship opportunities that are open to BAME students.

Work Experience in Healthcare Friday 3rd February 2017 (12:00-13:00) Learning Centre LG14 Find out about a range of clinical/research and non-clinical careers in hospitals available with local hospitals.

Tuesday 7th February (12:00-13:00) Muirhead Tower, Room 427 Attend a presentation and speaker event to learn about the Armed Forced Employment Pathway and the abundance of opportunities available.

Careers in Charities Wednesday 8th February (16:00-18:00) Arts Building, Lecture Room 1 Opportunity to hear from a number of charities and learn about career opportunities in fundraising, events, marketing, policy and volunteer coordination.

CAREERS

Friday 3rd Feburary 2017

@redbrickcareers

Sector Spotlight: Media and Journalism Lael Hardtman Careers Editor @ehardtman

'The pen is mightier than the sword,' said Shakespeare.

Now, there are more students than ever looking to go into journalism and the wider media industry as a whole.

You might not know, but the UK has the second largest publishing industry in Europe.

It’s not hard to see how journalism, in today’s turbulent times, is more popular than ever. However, be warned, it isn’t always glamorous, you

don’t start off jetting around the world chasing conflict as a foreign correspondent. The hours can be long, and more and more of the work is done from freelancers at home. Technology has changed the media industry, and journalists are now more than ever held accountable for their words. Still, with the myriad of issues facing modern society, it’s easily one of the most engaging sectors to work in. Typical salaries starting at £15,000 can increase to up to £35,000, and you can find yourself working in a variety of fields, including directories to newspapers and magazines.

We've done the heavy lifting for you, here's a few grad schemes to get you started.

Future Media Graduate Schemes

JOURNALISM GRAD SCHEMES

Expected to open in March 2017 and close in April

Daily Mail Graduate Scheme

Several 12 month schemes at national magazine brand, including writing and videography.

Closes on February 10 Year long scheme, giving graduates in-house training and five month external placement.

The Times SubEditing Scheme Expected to re-open in November 2017

TIP: Follow @journoresources and @SPAjournalism on Twitter Ran by Jem Collins, the former chair of the Student Publication Association (SPA), Journo Resources is a handy website and Twitter feed that publishes details of journalism training and graduate schemes. The website only started in June last year, but already has an extensive database of opportunities for

young, aspiring journalists. You can find these opportunities through this link: http://www.journoresources.org.uk/journalismgraduate-trainee-schemes-complete-list/. The SPA are also a good follow, as they have links to every student paper in the country, and is therefore a useful network to be in.

European Parliament Journalism Internship Expected to open in April and close on May 15 Five months paid traineeship at the European Parliament in Brussels. You must be part of a country in the EU to apply.

A year long scheme for subeditors.

Press Association BME Bursary Expected to open in March 2017 Two year training at the Press Association for ethnically diverse candidates.

21

CHANGING TIMES How Technology revolutionised the media industy Social media has emerged as a powerful force, and tools like YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter have very literally changed the way mass media is produced and consumed. It’s not the intrepid, investigative journalist generating stories or even photographs anymore, but rather, user-generated images and stories that dominate headlines and bulletins alike. The days of reporters chasing stories are over, and instead stories are sourced second hand, from Facebook or Twitter or Tumblr, and thus there is a vital need to make sure your content is fresh, with a new angle.

Turnout time is now vitally important as holding onto a story for too long results in redundancy. Audiences are more involved than ever, a trend that slides hand in hand with the dominance of the individual consumer in dictating trends.

Ajendandro (2010) firmly asserts that 'speed or immediacy was the aspect of social media that helps them best in receiving news' and thus, journalists are more accountable than ever to the words they produce. The fact of the matter is that the world has changed so much so that journalists now have to worry not only about competition, but also the loss of control over information. In this so called 'technology age', journalism isn’t dead by any means but must evolve to these changing circumstances.

Is Journalism a dying profession?

Abbie Pease

Careers Contributor

The room is tightly packed with keen writers, all gazing up at Tim Dowling. An opinion writer at The Guardian, Tim is a successful journalist, an achievement he argues is down to pure luck. After half an hour of listening to Tim’s experiences, it is question time. A girl near the back raises her hand. As Tim points towards her, she speaks up, 'do you have any advice for students wanting to go into journalism?' I turn to look at Tim, who sighs and looks disheartened. Tim’s response, although laced with humour, reveals the state of journalism. Truthfully, it is harder than ever to enter the professional world of writing.

Newspapers are quickly becom-

ing extinct, as writing shifts online. On top of this, a huge chunk of writing online is being done for free. Redbrick itself is

"Readers are experiencing a time of increased accessibility, as stories are pouring into social media sites at a pace never seen before" an example of this. So, is it worth trying to enter the journ a l i s m p r o f e s sion? Journalism is a middleclass-dominated field, which is increasingly becoming one of the hardest professions to thrive within. Writing has become a vocation, rather than a profession.

When visiting The Guardian offices in London this December, I was shocked at how small they seemed. 'I thought The Guardian was one of the biggest newspapers in the country', I asked a fellow visitor. The truth is that most writers work from home, pitching articles and columns to editors via email. This means that very few journalists have to leave their home in order to

write professionally, making it an isolating profession. This means that it is easy to publish articles, whether it be for a university paper or a gossip column. A knock-on-effect of this has been the number of writers, such as myself, who are willing to write for free. In a recent article, Peter Preston, who was editor of The Guardian for 20 years, made the claim that only 10% of online news comes with a price tag. Money is gradually being squeezed out of the journalism profession, as the vast majority of writing is now both read and produced for free. The quantity and quality of journalism has not suffered, in fact it has grown. However, this has failed to coincide with a more economically beneficial climate for journalists and young writers. Fundamentally, this is the problem with hoping to pursue a career in journalism.

Another speaker at The Guardian event was Polly Toynbee, a well established writer and investigative journalist who focuses on politics, jobs and social policy. As one of the most inspiring women in the field of journalism, if anyone was to persuade me to pursue a career in writing, it would be her. Having been a journalist since the 70s, she was able to give listeners an overview of the state that the industry now finds itself in. Along with Tim, she painted the picture of a profession that is suffering finan-

cially. Fifteen years ago, British people were reading 15 million newspapers each morning. This figure has now fallen to 6 million. Why pay for a paper when you can read the same articles online for free?

"Very few journalists have to leave their home in order to write professionally" Worst of all, journalism has become an exclusively middleclass-dominated field. To become an established writer, you must endure a period of low income, learning through internships and freely commissioned pieces. This is a lifestyle that can only be sustained by those who are able to financially support themselves. Unfortunately, this makes a career in journalism almost impossible for anyone from a working class background to pave their way into.

Although I love to write, these stages into journalism do not seem too appealing. As students, we are increasingly becoming mounted in debt. A career in journalism would do little to help this.

Readers are experiencing a time of increased accessibility, as stories are pouring into social

media sites and spreading news at a pace like never before.

Writers, however, are experiencing a time in which a career in writing is tougher than ever.

Listening to The Guardian opinion writers last December made me realise how powerful writing can be, but also reinforced my view that journalism, although not dying as a popular source of information, is not a safe or profitable profession to aspire to.

22

TELEVISION

Friday 3rd February 2017

@redbricktv

Review: The Halcyon Louise Dean TV Critic @LouiseMDean

Feeling the absence of a periodical drama on ITV after Downton Abbey ended, I was intrigued to watch The Halcyon and assess whether it was worth the hype which it had been given – after all, ITV had shown its previous capabilities to capture the nation through a periodical drama. The expectation of The Halcyon was high.

After four episodes, the series so far has failed to disappoint. It follows the story of running The Halcyon hotel, owned by the aristocratic Hamilton family, which consists of Lord Hamilton, Lady Hamilton and their two sons, Freddie and Toby.

The background of the drama is ironic considering its historical context; life both in the hotel and nationally is far from Halcyon.

The glitz and glamour of the guests at the hotel contrasts the

backdrop of the Second World War, which adds to the uncertainty when watching. But that uncertainty is what adds to the appeal of The Halcyon; every character is vulnerable in wartime, and you can never anticipate what is going to happen after each scene finishes, which makes it gripping to watch.

The dynamic between the characters is already entertaining, and it will be entertaining to watch its progression. Each episode sees Lady Hamilton struggling to cope with the humiliation and disgrace that her late husband’s affairs have bought onto the family. She is struggling to cope with the legacy of her husband in the hotel and having old members of staff, such as Mr Garland, the reliable hotel manager, still working there and being a constant reminder of her husband’s infidelity, as he helped cover up Lord Hamilton’s tracks while he was alive. Freddie Hamilton, the new Lord Hamilton and the oldest son, now has sufficient responsibility to the Hamilton family and the hotel. He

now has complete authority of the hotel, whilst being on call to fight in his air squadron at any point.

He is determined to do things differently from his father, which involves going against his mother’s decision to sack Mr Garland.

The second brother, Toby Hamilton, is a quiet yet deceiving character. His constant comparison and rejection from his family compared to Freddie has struck a chord. This caused him to confess his father’s infidelity to the American journalist, Mr O’Hara, which was a factor contributing to Lord Hamilton’s death. He has a lot of anger inside him against his father and I predict that this could be vented at either Lady Hamilton or Freddie at some point later on in the series. As mentioned earlier, Mr O’Hara is the American correspondent who is staying at The Halcyon as well. He is striking up deals with the wrong sorts of people, and the close bond that Toby has formed with him through his media influence could have the potential to cause damage. There is also a love triangle emerging

Captions go in the corner of pictures and shouldn't be hyphenated

between Freddie and Mr Garland’s daughter, Emma. They were childhood friends, but Mr O’Hara could be set to wreck this blossoming romance.

If you’re looking for a series to get into this winter, full of deceit, anger and passion, The Halcyon is definitely worth a watch. Regardless of whether you are knowledgeable on the Second World War or not, the storylines are current and relatable. They have underlying messages which can be applied to everyday life; witnessing the struggles that the

Hamiltons face despite their affluence reaffirms the belief that money can never buy you happiness. It’s not a laugh a minute, but it’s highly captivating and gives a snapshot from an unusual perspective of the uncertainty of living and working in Britain during the Second World War.

Do you have opinions on this article? Tell them to us: @redbrickpaper

Should We Kill The Revival?

Morgan Williams

TV Critic

The wide use of online streaming has changed the face of television. The medium lends itself to world building and the telling of complex, intricate stories, there’s no denying that. There are innumerate examples of the benefits of online streaming as a vehicle for storytelling- what network would green-light a show revolving around the story of a transwoman realising their true gender identity in middle age (Transparent)? Or even the often light-hearted but still hard-hitting Master of None, a show about an Indian-American actor’s life dayto-day? Around 70-90% of shows on network television have white male showrunners. Online streaming offers something else- a window into the stories that are barely ever told in visual media, a window into the lives we barely ever get to see.

However, there is, in my opinion, a definitive downside. As we enter the age of the revolutionary, we also stumble into that of the revival. This new trend was kicked off by Netflix’s revival of 2003 critic’s (and a personal) favourite Arrested Development.

Fans of the show were frantic with support. The show already had a rabid fanbase both from those who had seen it as it aired on television, and those who had discovered it post-cancellation.

So basically… the show already had a guaranteed audience. This new lease of life given to Arrested Development meant that it could take its more complex and longerterm payoff jokes to a new leveloften postponing entertainment indefinitely in favour of a ‘wait until episode seven where you’ll finally get this and have a mild chuckle about it’ approach.

While this does eventually pay off, it is nowhere near as satisfying as its Fox broadcast counterpart. The show lost sight of what made it funny in the first place- bouncing its crazy ensemble cast off one another. It got too cocky, basically.

Then there’s the recent Gilmore Girls revival. The final season of the Gilmore Girls is heavily criticised by fans (just see what the folks over at the Gilmore Guys Podcast have to say about it) because the characters just became sort of unrecognisable.

What was with that artificial Luke and Lorelai drama? Why the hell is Lorelai suddenly married to damp cloth Christopher? Why did they find a way to put the irritat-

ing Gigi back on our screens? I’m just saying. There might be an actual reason why the Gilmore Girls got cancelled. The difference between the Gilmore Girls and Arrested Development is this: while Arrested Development lost sight of what made it funny in the first place, Gilmore Girls had some cases of the same characters plodding through the same tired plot traps of ten years ago (why aren’t Luke and Lorelai communicating? Why is the exact time and date of their wedding still an issue ten years later?) and others where they depart from the source material so completely that viewers have a hard time recognising them- Rory was so different there’s a fan theory circulating the internet that she wrote the Gilmore Girls series as an idealised version of her childhood, and she’s actually been ‘Revival Rory’ this whole time- a complete dickhead.

These Netflix revivals continuously fail to toe the line between recapturing the tone and building on the characters that have been left suspended in time for ten years or more.

They rely on guaranteed audiences so they don’t really have to try too hard to make good, consistent content. Also in the case of the Gilmore Girls, there may have

been an actual reason they were cancelled in the first place.

However, this only applies to revivals. Black Mirror was recently acquired by Netflix, and produced what was perhaps its best series to date, with an elevated budget the series could really test the boundaries of modern television. (I’m still obsessed with San Junipero you guys). As far as I’m concerned Netflix can acquire as many properties as it wants- as long as it’s not going to reboot them for cheap ratings a decade or so in the future. Like seriously what even is Fuller House? An alternate universe where the characters are doomed to relive their crappy nineties-esque family problems forevermore?

It’s not just Netflix eitherYahoo has recently announced a reboot of Community- a show that hasn’t been funny since season three and can barely keep its cast together. I mean come on- the show’s been revived so many times that the tropes the show once made fun of have become its actual plot points- Abed jokes about Jeff becoming a professor?

You’ll never guess what happens next you guys. Seriously though, Yahoo lost $42 million on their Community reboot. Some of these revivals aren’t even generating cash. Twin Peaks has been

scheduled for a comeback for some time but honestly? That show had barely enough content to fill season 2. What effect will a ten-year gap have on the volume and lest we forget, the quality of the content?

Netflix and other online streaming services have the potential to be this wonderland- a place where the shackles of modern network television no longer exist. It’s brought us some amazing originals- Orange is the New Black opened the eyes of audiences everywhere to the struggles of largely working class, black and Hispanic women and Bojack Horseman expresses things about depression in a way never seen before on modern TV. And a talking horse says them.

So I don’t hate Netflix, don’t get me wrong. Whatever they decide to revive next I’ll probably watch every season (I’ve seen you pop up on Netflix, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. I know what’s coming) but I no longer expect anything. Let sleeping dogs lie, Netflix.

I do appreciate finally hearing Lorelai Gilmore say ‘fuck’ though. That was wild.

TELEVISION

Friday 3rd February 2017

@redbricktv

23

A Series of Unfortunate Events Emily Barker Reviews the newest Netflix revival of Lemony Snicket's classic novels Emily Barker

TV Critic

I should preface by saying that A Series of Unfortunate Events is one of my all-time favourite book franchises; it holds a hallowed spot front and centre of my bookshelf, each instalment has been read upward of eight or nine times, fan theories explored and contributed to online, and I have been waiting for a satisfactory adaptation of the whole series for, oh, I don’t know, about ten years?

Needless to say, I was so damn ready for Netflix to hit me with everything they got, and come Friday 13th had cleared my schedule (uh, seminar tutors…don’t read Redbrick, right?), accumulated snacks, assumed my bingewatching position, and ripped off my headphones within forty-five seconds in horror and disgust because what. was. that. theme. tune. Neil Patrick Harris, we get it; you do lots of theatre and you’re super good at singing and you have Tonys and stuff but now is not the time. It did not fill me with hope. Not the best of starts. One might even call it a…pretty bad beginning.

But don’t worry, it gets better (my jokes do not). Hoorah, someone managed to persuade producers that there was time for the dedications that open each of the books, and with a swift ‘To Beatrice – darling, dearest, dead.’

We’re back on track (although in order to totally win me over you would have had to somehow work in the letters To My Kind Editor as well, but whatever, it’s a start).

It’s a bit difficult to not spend the first three-quarters of the season comparing it to the 2004 film, and that’s never going to end well when you’re setting your actors up to be judged against the standard

of the god that is Billy Connolly.

In case you’re ever confused, the Netflix version is the one where Barny is Olaf, Robin is Mum with her loving husband Gob, and a weird Jeff/Puddy hybrid is Lemony Snicket. Basically a sitcom Avengers. It’s also visually distinguishable by the Wes Anderson inspired aesthetic, with plenty of distressingly brightly coloured, eerily symmetrical shots.

I know I sound like I’m slamming this, but I’m really not, it works well for the similarly implausible storyline. Handler (a.k.a. Lemony Snicket), wrote these elaborately stylised, absurdist books, and that’s pretty difficult to translate to screen. So props to Netflix for doing the one thing that the film seemed terrified of; accepting its fate and steering into the skid.

Sunny as a general character is a great example. See: baby Sunny using her teeth to reshape a rock or debark a tree while shimmy/crawling along its trunk like Samara in The Ring. In fact, for most The Miserable Mill episodes, Sunny appears as a floating head attached to prop baby in a worker’s jumpsuit. It’s as if the producers have sat down and said look kids, it’s just not safe to have a baby actor on a set with massive pieces of moving machinery, you know and we know it, so here’s a CGI of her head, let’s move on with things. I appreciate that level of honesty.

There’s a couple of other respects in which Netflix has the edge; long form television not only allows for a much more expansive two hours per book, but, as Neil Patrick Harris tells us in quite definitely the best six seconds of the whole season, it is so much more convenient to consume entertainment from the comfort of your own home. (The Reptile Room: Part One, about 28:30 in, just, just watch it, okay?)

But my personal favourite addi-

tion is all the Easter eggs foreshadowing future plotlines in later books; from Lemony narrating in the tunnels connecting Volunteer Fire Department members’ houses to cameos from the Quagmires to (what looks like) Hector’s selfsustaining hot air mobile home floating past Snicket’s head in the background of 11:30 of The RR: Part One (you’re welcome), the set up for seasons two and three (dear Lord, PLEASE) is strong.

So, things that they’ll hopefully work on: eradicating the theme tune and all other self-indulgent Neil Patrick Harris moments. He’s having so much fun with dressing up and putting on voices, which is fine, but I could do without a

finale song next season. With a bit of luck the children playing the, uh, children, will have settled into their roles a bit more and ironed out some of those shaky acting moments. I’m looking at you, Violet, no-one’s that happy when they’re rock-skipping. But on the whole, I’m staying positive about subsequent seasons. The last couple of episodes already felt like they were heading in a more promising direction, with some intriguing developments in character backstories and weirdly, very logical and satisfying deviations from the books (shhh, it’s not sacrilege when Handler’s writing the script).

Anyway, these first eight episodes are worth a watch, and I have it

from a reliable source (the Internet), that writing on season two (a.k.a. the part of the series we've actually been waiting for them to adapt) has already begun.

Production has, however, apparently not yet been greenlit, so we might have a bit of a tense wait on our hands…

Review: Sherlock Season Four Matt Dawson TV Critic

‘Must be something comforting about the number three. People always give up after three.’ It’s with this motif that Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss imply that the most recent series of the hit TV programme Sherlock has finally come to an end. So how does Holmes and Watson’s swansong fare? Full spoilers below.

Following a rather lukewarm series three and an interesting but insubstantial Victorian special, fans were waiting with baited breath hoping to see if the opening episode of the fourth series, “The Six Thatchers”, could deliver on the teased ‘Miss Me?’ messages left by the malevolent Moriarty (Andrew Scott). But in the end, the premiere was more of an anticlimactic whimper than the spectacular bang we were promised.

Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman delivered as ever as the famous detective and his companion, but the opening episode focused on Mary Watson (Amanda Abbingdon) and her past as an international assassin. While it was gratifying seeing some of the plot threads resolved, such as the A.G.R.A memory stick, this whole sub-plot felt unnecessary and threatened to turn Sherlock into a James Bond rip-off. Aside from a small case involving a family and their murdered son (that was resolved far too quickly), there was a disappointing lack of mystery to the detective stories that we have come to know and love. The redeeming aspect came at the end of the episode involving the shock death of Mary, allowing Freeman to showcase his emotional range, and freeing up Holmes and Watson to get back to solving cases.

This leads in to the second episode “The Lying Detective”, where there was a notable rise in quality. The impact of Mary’s

death caused Holmes to retreat into his guilt-fuelled drug addiction, which gave the creators a perfect canvas to showcase some superb editing and depictions of his thought processes, which have always been Sherlock’s strong point. The central plot to this episode involved the slimy Culverton Smith (Toby Jones). A serial killer able to hide himself in plain sight due to his wealth, Jones brilliantly crafts a creepy villain able to hold his own against Cumberbatch on screen. He bears a chilling resemblance to the late Jimmy Savile, from his accent and his untouchability, to his possessing a set of keys to hospital ward giving him ease of access to his victims. And in the final few scenes, viewers were presented with some answers to plot threads that have been seeded since the start with the introduction of the mysterious, psychotic third sibling Eurus Holmes (Sian Brooke).

Which brings us to the finale, “The Final Problem”. The entire

episode has a sense of finality to it, full of non-stop tension as Sherlock, John and Mycroft (played by co-creator Gatiss) are forced to play a series of savage mind games as Eurus takes over her mental institution. The personal stakes upped the level of psychological torture, evoking both the earlier instalments of the Saw franchise and Batman: Arkham Asylum. Scott makes a charismatic cameo as Moriarty in a flashback, dominating the screen from the moment Queen’s ‘I want to break free’ comes on, yet never upstaging Eurus as the series villain. Even in death, Moriarty’s character arc reaches a satisfying conclusion. If we continue with the Batman metaphor, while Moriarty may be Holmes’ Joker (and definitely still the best Sherlock villain), Eurus is his Riddler, relishing in her emotional manipulation. However, series 4’s climax was by no means perfect, as it could be argued that the plot was a little too contrived at times

(Mission Impossible-style disguises, anyone?), and that by giving the Holmes family a background, it undermines their characters. Personally, I’m still undecided on some of these aspects, but the episode was by no means undermined by them.

Sherlock’s fourth series got off to a slow start, but ended on a high note and peaking with the spectacular “The Lying Detective”.

Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman consistently upheld their roles, with their story being left open (despite a heavy handed final message from Mary), but as any continuation seems unlikely due to increasingly busier schedules, Moffat and Gatiss have brought a sevenyear story to a satisfying end.

Do you have opinions on this article? Tell them us: @redbrickpaper

24

FILM

Friday 3rd February 2017

@redbrickfilm

Review: Lion

Dev Patel's true story biopic deserves the Oscar's buzz according to Redbrick Film critic Charlie Kerr

Charlie Kerr Film Critic

There is something about Lion that is mesmerisingly different.

It focuses so heavily on the struggles of an individual in a scenario unparalleled elsewhere.

Just imagine for a second finding yourself cut off from your family in a place very different from your own, where you can neither speak the language nor

guarantee your wellbeing. This is the story of Saroo Bierley (played by Dev Patel and Sunny Pawar), who confronts this tragedy as a small child in India, and yet endures it. Anyone who has panicked when momentarily losing their parent in the supermarket as a child will empathise with Saroo’s fragile loneliness; yet the portrayal of Saroo’s struggles shows a real example of tragic separation.

The film begins in India,

somewhere in the region of Khandwa, where we find Saroo helping his brother to steal rocks from a moving train to provide for their family. The risks of this lifestyle are clear, yet they still seem happy in their endeavours.

Saroo’s relationship with his mother and brother is one of warmth and there is a tinge of hope on the horizon as the brothers joke about the day they will be able to afford thousands of sweets. One night, however, while Saroo waits for his brother aboard a stationary train, he falls asleep and wakes up to find it carrying him to an unknown destination. Deposited in Calcutta, Bengal, the child must escape abductors as well as find a way to survive.

It is at this point that the true poignancy of the film is felt.

Luke Davies, the screenwriter, delivers some acutely painful lines. When taken to a police station, Saroo can only identify his parent as ‘mum’. He cannot comprehend at such a young age that he is truly lost and mentions later on that his family will surely find him. Debuting his first feature film, director Garth Davis exhibits a darkly real version of Home Alone 2 – with the comedy replaced by genuinely frightening moments of danger. Saroo’s chances of survival in such a turbulent world looks slim.

By a stroke of luck he is adopted and transported to Tasmania where he finds safety and people who care about him.

At this point the narrative skips forward and we see Saroo successfully integrated into his new home and family. Here we meet

Nicole Kidman whose portrayal as Saroo’s new mother, filled with compassion and loyalty to those close to her, marks her as truly sympathetic. Yet Saroo has newfound struggles in his relationship with his also-adopted brother Mantosh, who is clearly traumatised from his childhood in India.

"A constant interweaving of past and present as the roads of Tasmania are conflated with those of Bengal" One night, at an Indian party, the sight of Jalebi sweets which were a symbol of Saroo’s childhood sparks in him a sadness that begins to spread throughout his life. Soon enough, with the use of Google Earth, he attempts to find his family again. It is at this juncture the film begins to wane. In his reclusive obsession to find his family Saroo becomes a shell of himself and, sad to say, so does the film. Not that his anguished search is not gripping, but the sad, overplayed piano melody, as well as a clichéd scene of Saroo trashing his room, makes the film less watchable. The figure of Mantosh seems an almost unnecessary presence in the film without any further exploration. There is no reflection of why Mantosh

chooses to run away from his past whereas Saroo confronts his. Thus the film momentarily falls flat and feels as confused as the mind of Saroo himself.

Perhaps almost conscious of this, Saroo delivers the lines that bring us back to reality'can you imagine the torture of thinking that your family have been searching for you day after day without any hope?'

Despite this, Lion still manages to redeem itself in many ways. There is a constant interweaving of past and present as the roads of Tasmania are conflated with those of Bengal. The flashbacks of his brother show how Saroo has grown physically, while his mind is still stuck in the past. We can’t forget the stunning shots of Tasmania and India too. At times the places look and feel identical to show Saroo’s mind being split between the two places. This character, played so exceptionally by Dev Patel and the young Sunny Pawar, earns our sympathies and his story is equally exceptional. It is not hard to see why Lion has received a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars.

VERDICT: If you can stand the film being slow, filled with a few loose ends, then you’ll find Lion a success capturing a thrilling pursuit of a young man’s dream to find his family after so many years.

««««

Review: Sing Critic Tom Edgerton is not singing the praises of Garth Jenning's new X-factor inspired animation Tom Edgerton Film Critic

Anthropomorphic films are a staple of Hollywood. People enjoy adding human qualities to animals, as it not only allows for easy and creative comedic chances, but it can also express complex themes through a simpler and more child orientated lens. Zootopia is an example of a film which utilises the opportunities. Sing on the other hand ignores the tools provided, replacing them with a standard story about people who use singing in order to find themselves.

Sing’s story revolves around a talent contest with a prize pool that cannot be provided. It is not difficult to imagine a room of producers who were frantically attempting to combine popular mediums, and realised the potential in merging X-factor with animals. Everything expected of this situation is provided, you have you’re wacky one scene characters whose purpose is to juxtapose real songs with absurd circumstances of animals singing, it is brain dead writing.

Set up a distinct animal that uses a song that relates to their qualities or completely contradicts it, then cut and paste for a

different animal. The audition scene went on for almost ten minutes using this setup, it was a whole jukebox worth of songs ranging from hip-hop to classical, and I would not be surprised if half of their budget went into obtaining the rights to use these songs.

"It is irritating how lazy writers can be when they know the film will be carried by cute and quirky animals singing" Whilst the music was overwhelming in its abundance, the music orientated moments were the only few times where the audience was left smiling. It had some character to it, minimal and forced but still character.

The actual characters within the film were largely lacking in this aspect, each of them had a onedimensional conflict that was easily solved at the end. A stay at home mother nobody believes is capable of anything greater,

proves she is capable; a young teenage girl who’s heart is broken, proves she is capable and a shy elephant who is afraid of singing, proves she is capable.

Each resolution is obviously set up and we know how it will end.

The only confusing character was Seth MacFarlane’s, who's job seems to be acting like an asshole for the whole film and was just allowed to continue even towards the end. He learnt a conventional lesson to not judge people, but continued to harass people and did not develop as a character at all.

The biggest sin this film commits is the liar reveal cliché; one of Hollywood’s most shameful and tired clichés. The audience has to endure the teasing of the reveal. Everyone knows it’s going to happen, but still we have to watch as Buster Moon digs his hole deeper, only for the truth to come out, which is quickly resolved through companionship. This tired trope is widely hated, and for good reason. The second the film starts going down this line, brace yourself for an hour of pointless lying that doesn’t go anywhere or create any emotional development.

Sing is barely held up by the music and if I wasn’t a sucker for it this film would be drastically

worse. The moments where development was occurring through song are done well enough to be enjoyable, despite its crippling simplicity most notably in Taron Egerton’s relationship with his father. It is irritating how lazy writers can be when they know the film will be carried by cute and quirky animals singing. Furthermore, I find it strange that the overt sexualisation of animals has become a trend since the success of Zootopia. However, if it makes money then it’s almost guaranteed that this trend will become even more popular in 2017.

It is this clear pandering to a

mass audience with its use of animals and variety of musical styles that can appeal to almost anyone which is the most frustrating aspect. Illumination studios will produce anything to turn a huge profit as fast and easily as possible.

VERDICT: Sing is a tired, lazy film with simplistic, uninteresting characters and a one-note story. Hitting each and every cliche going, the film is salvaged only by a couple of fun moments during the musical segments.

««

FILM

Friday 3rd February 2017

@redbrickfilm

Review: Jackie

Redbrick Film critic Josh Woods reviews the Firstlady-biopic from director Pablo Larraìn

Review: Split

Critic Robyn Kemp has mixed feelings on M. Night Shyamalan's latest abduction thriller Robyn Kemp Film Critic

Split was a surprise. From the trailer it was portrayed as a psychological thriller, conceivably even a high intensity horror, but really Director M. Night Shyamalan, focuses on studying the details of an interesting and disturbed character. The actual plot seems to be pushed aside so the characterisation can take centre stage. The film is highly character-driven, although the most significant characters are all the different personalities and one of the abductees, Casey.

Josh Woods Film Critic

Jackie follows Jackie Kennedy in the events surrounding her husband's (John F. Kennedy) assassination in November 1963.

Jackie shares its major driving force with previous Academy hits Lincoln, Forrest Gump, 12 Years as a Slave and American Sniper, that of America telling the story of itself – establishing and reappraising its history.

Ostensibly hinging its narrative on a dispute over the President’s funeral arrangements, Jackie dramatizes Mrs Kennedy’s struggle to do much the same – establish the legacy of her husband, and ensure that the man she knew is properly remembered in history.

Portman’s central performance is excellent – appearing in every scene, she balances Jackie’s inward trauma with her external grace. On a technical note, she nails Jackie's unique vocal delivery, her breathy vulnerability belying an inner strength of character. Chilean director Pablo Larraìn has created a biography that pushes the psychological drama of his subject to the forefront, with extended silences and close-ups of Jackie’s face as the nightmare unfolds. The Jackie of this movie matches the popular perception of Jackie held by Americans: delicate and softly spoken in her public appearances, but strongminded at her core. She determines herself not to be patronised by the men surrounding her; men who display little appreciation of her lack of private space to grieve such a public bereavement.

Jackie’s desire to assert a legacy and connect her husband with greater history is conveyed especially well through the flashback scenes of her 1962 televised tour of the White House. We see Jackie showing off her restoration of the build-

ing, one of the most famous acts by any First Lady, to an American public whom she believes deserve a Presidential home they can take pride in and that reflects their history. These scenes explore Jackie’s bizarre and almost unsettling fascination with the historical significance of pieces of furniture and household objects. Jackie is obsessed with artefacts and the stories they tell. This drive to collect and preserve is there when she reaches for the pieces of the President’s brain on the car – a moment presented in disturbingly graphic detail. And it’s there, when she insists on wearing the iconic blood-stained pink Chanel suit during Lyndon B Johnson’s emergency inauguration on Air Force One: "let them see what they’ve done."

"Portman's central performance is excellent" The film’s most affecting scene occurs approximately halfway through, where Jackie puts on her late husband’s favourite record Camelot (from the musical, sung by Richard Burton), drink in hand, and proceeds to explore the ruins of the mythological ‘Camelot White House’ they created together.

The alcohol-fuelled montage is marked by emotional complexity, as Jackie furrows through her spectacular array of clothes, jewellery and make-up in a mental state veering from defiance to desperate despair. Soon to be kicked out of her house, she is overwhelmed by the uncertainty facing her and her children. The Camelot mythology explicitly returns at the end of the film, in an interview with a magazine journalist (based on the famous real life interview with Theodore

H. White and used as a framing device throughout the film) where she first drew the comparison between King Arthur’s fight for a better world and the fragile liberal idealism represented by her husband’s presidency. With sadness, and a touch of vanity, she reflects that "there won’t be another Camelot."

However, Jackie is held back somewhat by the extended use of this interview, given days after the events from her new borrowed Massachusetts home, as a narrative framing device that treats the rest of the movie as one big flashback. The film repeatedly jumps chronologically from this interview to the central drama of the president’s funeral arrangements, to different angles of the assassination, to the televised White House tour from the year before, and to the Catholic priest Father McSorley offering Jackie counsel. A special mention must be made to the late John Hurt, who artfully captures the wounded stoicism of Father McSorley in compelling scenes that grapple with life’s apparent emptiness.

The recurring jumps to McSorley scenes and the White House tour are interesting and provide complex layers to Jackie’s personality. But every time Larraìn cuts back to the interview, the drama is interrupted and the momentum lost. The struggle for editorial control between Jackie and her interview quickly descends into cliché, with the two trading poorly written barbs.

VERDICT: Jackie remains a solid film that provides a fascinating angle on an oft-told American story. The continued interruptions of the magazine interview frustrate however, rendering the overall impression of the film as slightly less than the sum of its parts.

««««

25

"Split is intense with an excessive use of close-ups and an interesting use of staircases and mirrors as visual metaphors" The main focus of the film is to show off the different personalities of the lead character Kevin (James McAvoy). This perhaps is why the film is quite slow in places. When there is not a need to show a new personality the plot can be lacking, even with Casey’s (Anya TaylorJoy) back story running alongside the kidnapping. There is also a back-story of Kevin from the sessions with his psychiatrist, but these could have been developed more to add depth to the story, as the true extent to Kevin’s past is never fully revealed.

From the beginning, Split is intense with an excessive use of close-ups and an interesting use of staircases and mirrors as visual metaphors to signify Kevin’s disturbed mind, although we soon learn it is personalities: Denis and Patricia, of which we should be afraid. There is a lot of interesting camerawork used, which again develops the understanding of which character we are seeing and their view on the world. Even how the film is shot focuses purely on the characterisation of Kevin’s personalities.

Whether it’s the straight lines when OCD Patricia is in control or side-ways angles when young Hedwig is in the spotlight, this is clearly the main feature of the film.

James McAvoy from the start steals the show; his performance throughout Split is effortless. His transformation between personalities is flawless. As soon as he moves his face or body it is clear which per-

sonality he is portraying. At the start there are costumes to help suggest the different identities but towards the end of the film, the changes are purely based on McAvoy’s performance through his facial features, body language and speech. We do not see all twenty-three personalities in the film, but those that are conveyed provide both the thriller, horror and humour elements to the film.

McAvoy’s portrayal of 9-year old Hedwig is surprisingly funny, whilst fashion-fanatic and incredibly camp Barry is another lovable personality. Although there are also hidden darker identities too, which is what leading the film further into the realms of the supernatural. Even though the plot is stilted and uninteresting at times, the ending adds a sincere element to Split.

As Kevin believes “the broken are more evolved” and that “we are what we believe we are”.

Shyamalan adds a sense of reality with the suggestion that whilst this is a man with an extreme psychological disturbance, he is still human.

VERDICT: Split is an interesting watch, not what may be expected of Shyamalan and a terrific performance from James McAvoy. Kevin poses a very emotionally and physically challenging role for any actor, yet McAvoy suceeds on all counts.

However, the plot is fundamentally boring at times, slowing the pace depite the intensity.

Nevertheless, this is definitely one to watch to explore the different personalities and experience the excellent central performance.

«««

26

FOOD

Friday 3rd February 2017

@redbrickfood

Valentine's Cosmopolitan Caitlin Dickinson Food Writer

If you want to create a drink to impress someone this Valentine’s day, then a cosmopolitan cocktail is the perfect treat. Served in a fancy martini glass this looks very impressive while requiring little effort.

You will need:

35ml standard vodka 15ml orange juice Squeezed fresh lime juice 25ml cranberry juice Twist of orange peel, to garnish

Celebrating Valentine's Day Food Writer Sahar Jamfar presents the perfect three course meal to share with your Valentine Since Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, here is a three course meal with a hint of chocolate in each and every course. If you and your partner or even good friend loves their chocolate, then this is the meal for you.

Starter Spinach & Pear Salad with Chocolate Vinaigrette You will need: 20g chopped milk chocolate 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon honey Pinch of salt and pepper 90g baby spinach 1 large pear, sliced Dried fruit or mixed seeds to add on top (optional)

Method Method

Add all the ingredients together in a cocktail shaker or mixing bowl and stir/shake well with ice.

Once all combined and cool, pour evenly into two glasses.

Enjoy!

Redbrick Recommends (for the big spenders this Valentine's Day)

The Botanist showcases a range of fabulous cocktails, all with a botanical twist. Ranging from £7-10, the night can get pricey but the drinks are worth it.

Recommendation: The Botanist Pornstar.

The Alchemist presents its drinks with a scientific flair. Averaging £8 a drink it similarly can get expensive, but the drinks are well worth it and come with a fun theatrical element.Recommendation: The Lightbulb Moment.

Both can be found just up from New Street Station!

Firstly, melt the chocolate in a microwave until smooth.

Whisk in vinegar, oil, honey, salt and pepper and set aside.

Divide spinach among two plates and add the pear, dried fruit and seeds.

Drizzle with the dressing and enjoy!

Main Chocolate Pasta with a Cheesy Cream Sauce You will need: 150g chocolate pasta (can be bought from Hotel Chocolat) 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 tablespoon flour 100ml semi-skimmed or skimmed milk 50ml cream 60g of gorgonzola, or any type of blue cheese. Alternatively, parmesan if you don’t like blue cheese 25g chopped mixed nuts, parmesan and chocolate shavings for garnish (optional)

Method Cook the pasta in unsalted water until it’s al dente and then drain.

While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk constantly until smooth and cook mixture until it turns golden.

Add milk and cream and whisk until sauce thickens. Add the cheese and stir to melt. If the sauce is too thick, add more milk until you get the right thickness.

Place the pasta in two bowls

and drizzle with the cheese sauce.

Top with the mixed nuts and sprinkle parmesan and chocolate shavings. Enjoy!

Dessert Heart-shaped Chocolate and Hazelnut Sandwiches

the sandwiches into the egg mixture and leave for 1-2 minutes for the brioche to soak up the liquid.

Dip one side of each sandwich into the chopped hazelnuts.

Heat the butter in a frying pan and add the sandwiches.

Cook for 1-2 minutes until each side is golden. Dust with icing sugar and serve with ice cream and raspberries.

Enjoy!

You will need: 4 slices from brioche loaf 3 tablespoons Nutella 1 large egg 75ml whole milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon caster sugar 2 tablespoon chopped hazelnuts 1 tablespoon butter Icing sugar for dusting Ice cream and raspberries to serve

Method Spread two of the brioche slices with Nutella and add the other two slices to make two sandwiches.

Use a heart-shaped cutter to cut the sandwiches into hearts.

Whisk the egg, milk, vanilla and caster sugar in a bowl. Dip

Restaurant Review: Marmalade

Food Writer Adele Franghiadi suggests Marmalade for a more relaxed Valentine's date Marmalade, hidden away in the REP, certainly doesn’t spring to mind when considering the Birmingham bar-scene. I’d never been before and had no expectations, so I was very pleasantly surprised to learn that their cocktails are not only reasonably priced (£7 or under), but also reduced to £4.50 from 9pm (on selected cocktails, but it’s a fantastic choice nonetheless).

The bar also offers a great range of foods too, including 20% off all veggie and vegan options on Mondays, with the Independent

"perfect for valentine's day. especially if you're not a massive fan, or don't enjoy romantic grandeur" Birmingham card.

I ordered 'Midsummer Day Dream', which was a deliciously tangy yet sweet drink. It was packed with citrusy flavours, complemented with raspberry and rose bitters, and garnished with dried orange, which looked great.

I also had a sip of 'Captain Ahab’s Grog' which really packed a punch, owing to the spiced rum and various ginger-based ingredients.

The bar plays jazz classics to accompany the mismatched upholstery, and general vintage interior, which gave the bar a nostalgic and homely feel. It was a very casual atmosphere, perfect for Valentine’s Day, especially if you’re

not a massive fan, or don’t enjoy visit, and would certainly return, romantic grandeur. not only for the prices, but for the easy-going atmosphere, which felt unpretentious yet understatedly impressive nonetheless.

"vintage interior, which gave the bar a nostalgic and homely feel"

I really enjoyed my impromptu

Check out the cocktail menu online at: http://www.marmaladebirmingham.co.uk/drink/

FOOD

Friday 3rd February 2017

@redbrickfood

World Nutella Day

Food Writer Sophie Webb warns us not to miss such an important event So we all love chocolate, and by extension, Nutella. The spread that fulfilled so many chocolate-lovers dreams. Spreadable, bakeable, and even spoonable (if you’re feeling like indulging), Nutella really is the ultimate cupboard essential for every chocolate lover.

In 2007, American blogger Sara Rosso decided to take her love for the spread a step further.

On the 5th February she founded World Nutella Day. It has since become a global phenomenon, with Nutella fans all over the world coming together both in person and via social media to celebrate.

Since the day was transferred to Ferrero, the makers of Nutella, in 2015, there has even been a yearly search for a chief Nutella ambassador to lead the celebrations. Sounds like a dream job doesn’t it? It’s such a big deal, there is even an official guide which tells you how to celebrate!

To get you in the spirit, we have compiled some delicious Nutella recipe ideas for you to try online. All of these recipes can easily be found online and they are all super quick and easy. You really have no excuse! And anyway, who needs an excuse to have a Nutella feast?! Not us!

To get you in the spirit, we have compiled some delicious Nutella recipe ideas for you to try. Many more of these recipes can easily be found online and they are all super quick and easy.

3 tablespoons cocoa powder 3 tablespoons Nutella 3 tablespoons milk 3 tablespoons olive/vegetable oil

Nutella Brownies

Mix all the ingredients together and whisk it well to make sure the mixture is smooth.

Pour all the mixture into a large coffee cup. Microwave it on high for 1 and ½ to 3 minutes, the time it takes to cook will depend on the wattage of your microwave. Once it is done, serve with some whipped cream.

Method

350g Nutella 2 large eggs 65g plain flour ½ tsp baking powder

Method To start off with, preheat your oven to 180 degrees and grease and line your baking tray.

Mix all 4 ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir until completely smooth (if your flour is at all lumpy, sieve before adding).

Pour into the baking tray and pop in the oven for 30 minutes (but check as you go as you don’t want them to be over-done and dry!).

Once ready, leave to cool before cutting into squares – or scrape out with a spoon (no judg-

Review: Cafe Rio Ailsa Renk Food Writer

Here are some great Nutella based recipes for you to try!

You will need:

27

ments).

Serve with ice cream or a little bit of cream!

Nutella Mugcake You will need:

Nutella Banana Bread You will need: 1 ¼ cup self-rising flour 2 bananas ½ cup brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 10 tablespoons butter 2 eggs 1/3 cup Nutella

Method

First, preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF).

Mix together the butter and sugar, and then add the eggs.

Separately, mush up your bananas and then add them to the mixture.

Add in the flour, and stir in well to minimize lumps.

To create a marble effect with the nutella, pour half the mixture into your baking tin and then half of your Nutella. Repeat this and it should create a marble effect.

Bake for 30-40 minutes.

It has been suggested that Café 55 is the new Selly Sausage on our well-loved Bristol Road. I would, however like to suggest instead that Rio takes the crown of the ultimate chilled hangout, hangover-cure and meeting destination.

Rio goes beyond greasy fry-ups, offering exotic and diverse omelette options, fancy sandwiches and toasties, warming soup, refreshing smoothies and beautiful coffee.

Having been and returned to Rio on many occasions, especially for drama meetings and discussions (and gossips over a mug of coffee), I can vouch for the deliciousness of much of the menu.

The toasted sandwiches are filled to the brim, with my favourite being the spicy veg and cheese, though the brie and cranberry makes for an indulgent treat. In both cases, and many other toasties, the cheese genuinely oozes out the sides due to sheer naughty quantity!

The burritos are rather yummy, though perhaps not as cheesy as the Go Central ones! They are, however, like the sandwiches, served with a side of crisps and Rio’s secret spicy dipping sauce.

If for no other reason, pay Rio a visit just for this - it’s absolutely delicious.

Rio is also the perfect destination for a spot of afternoon tea and cake. It has a wide range of traybakes, cakes and other sweet treats on offer. These can be accompanied with a delicious, beautifully crafted coffee or tea of many a flavour.

Why not get in the spirit and give one of these a try? After all, it looks a little bit more sophisticated than eating it out of the jar with a spoon!

4 tablespoons self rising flour 4 tablespoons white granulated sugar 1 egg

Healthy Lunchboxes Food Writer Alex Reay's guide on how to eat healthy on campus Using up what you’ve got in the fridge can be quite hard when you’re catering for one, and I quite often end up throwing ingredients away because I haven’t had time to eat them before they’ve reached their sell-by dates. The price of food on campus is extortionate, and most of it is made of processed ingredients which keeps you full for about an hour.

You will need:

So here is a pick n’ mix option for lunch box ideas. They all have the same base ingredients, and I’ve swapped in one ingredient, just so you’re not eating the same thing everyday. I have genuinely made one of these meals every weekday for the past 3 weeks and it’s kept me full for the whole day.

They take 25 minutes to make, so either pop it in the oven when you wake up like I do, and it’ll be ready by the time you are, or you can just as easily make it the night before.

3 slices of haloumi 1 fillet of salmon 4 small falafel balls

1 medium sweet potato 1/3 can of chickpeas 2 tbsp oil Seasoning ½ avocado Olives A dollop of hummus

Either...

Method

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees.

Chop up your sweet potato into wedges and transfer it into a roasting dish with your drained chickpeas, 2 tbsp oil and season to taste (add some spices if you’ve got some, I choose paprika and turmeric).

Leave to cook for 20 mins or

until your potatoes are soft and your chickpeas are crispy.

While that’s cooking, chop your avo in half, season it and add your dollop of hummus, chop your olives in half and add to your tupperware.

Once your chickpeas and sweet potato are done, add them to your tupperware with any of the following:

Falafel balls

I buy these from any supermarket just because it’s quicker and easier than making them, but if you’re super organised then go ahead and make a batch!

Fried halloumi

I fry this on my griddle pan (a great uni investment) for 2 mins on each side, and the great thing is it doesn’t need any additional oil.

Pan-fried salmon

I fry my salmon on the griddle

pan for 4 mins on each side and like to add a tsp soy sauce whilst cooking for some flavour.

Rio is also attractive in its décor and atmosphere. With chilled music, delicate incense and natural looking materials, it’s an easy place to snuggle up and power through a few hours work.

With prices being so reasonable, as in actually appropriate to a student budget, topping up with coffee needn’t be a guilty experience!

I would perhaps retract my claim that Rio has replaced Selly Sausage: in fact, it’s more a classy place you might take your parents when they come to visit.

Admittedly, I can see little reason for the name ‘Rio’ from the menu or décor, but I also wouldn’t complain about either, actually I would place both as my reasons for this recommendation!

28

TRAVEL

Friday 3rd February 2017

@redbricktravel

Hidden Gems: Banff Sophie Woodley Travel Writer @srw075

We have reached that time of year where the post-Christmas blues have just about vanished and the hope for snow is optimistic as ever. The cold, frosty mornings in winter mean there is nowhere more fitting to visit, or merely fantasise over, than Banff. Banff is a resort town in the province of Alberta, located roughly 4 hours from the capital, Toronto.

Populated with 7,500 people, Banff is one of the most renowned tourist attractions in Canada. The main boutiques and restaurants, mixed with chateau-style hotels and souvenir shops give Banff a warming, cosy atmosphere. A place perfect for this time of year.

On average, in the winter, temperatures reach a low of -13.3 and a high of -0.2, so hats and scarves will certainly be needed (and the occasional hot chocolate).

Considering this, Banff is also home to three world-class ski and snowboard resorts. These being Mt. Norquay, Lake Louise and Sunshine Village. So, if you’re a big fan of skiing, this place should definitely be on your wish list.

"Banff is home to three world-class ski and snowboard resorts" Banff was first established as Canada’s first National Park in 1885. Therefore, the beautifully naturalistic parks are something worth visiting. Parker Ridge Trail and Central Park are amongst the large array to choose from, and have been highly recommended by previous visitors to Banff. An 'exciting natural experience' is guaranteed as you step into the wilderness, which Canada’s most famous Park has to offer. Not only will you get to admire the stunning views of woodland and lakes,

but the likelihood of encountering some wildlife is high. Elk, (related to deer) are the most common to be found in Banff. You don’t even have to visit one of the parks to spot them - they may simply be wondering alongside roads.

However, there have also been numerous sights of bears and beavers. Although bears are rarely seen in the winter due to hibernation, large paw prints may be spotted in the snow if you look carefully. Despite this, if you’re lucky enough to visit Banff in the spring, then the bears are highly likely to be detected in the woodland. These parks are located in close proximity to Banff town, and the local bus can very easily provide transport to and from your desired destination. Therefore, if you’re a lover of nature, or simply want to go bear spotting, then Banff’s enthralling parks are the place to be. In fact, the parks are worthwhile visiting at any time of year; in the winter expect inches of thick, pure white snow to blanket the ground. Whereas in the summer, be allured by the freshness of woodland, foregrounding the unmissable Rocky mountains.

Although Banff is greatly popular for its stunning natural aspects, there is plenty on offer for those who like action-packed visits. In particular, the skiing and snowboarding resorts are not to be missed. Sunshine Village resort is located roughly 20 minutes from the town of Banff, which is accessible via bus. With more than 3,300 acres of skiing and snowboarding terrain, this is winter wonderland for those who

have skied before, or perhaps wish to try something new. With a welcoming and vibrant atmosphere, Sunshine Village will make you come back for more every year.

you race down the long, winding tracks it has to offer. Clearly, in the winter Banff is a perfect destination for visitors who want to get active and try the exciting experiences that skiing/snowboarding have to offer. Or, if you simply want to enjoy the pristine snow and the less physical winter activities, Banff will fit your agenda perfectly.

So far, it seems that Banff is an attraction for visitors who want an adventurous, activity based holiday. However, when you need to wind down and enjoy the scenic views that surround Banff, then the Hot Springs are definitely Skiing lessons are always availa- worth a visit. The Banff Hot ble for those of you who want to Springs are the last remaining brush up on skills or try skiing/ springs that were discovered in snowboarding from the very first the 19th Century. The reason why time. Not only this, but bars, grills the Springs are so widely and cafes are dotted around the renowned is due to its georesort. This makes taking a thermal heated water. well-deserved break from This occurs 3km skiing or snowboarding a into the Earth’s little worthier; a range c r u s t . from rich hot chocoTherefore, lates to the classic during the Canadian burgers are winter water on offer. Clearly, this temperatures resort has a reputation can be as for a reason, and it is high as 47 not one you want to degrees. miss if you’re visiting Here, you Banff for a ski holiday. should 'relax Photograph by Sophie Woodley However, other resorts and let the water such as Lake Louise offer do its magical winter sports which may rejuvenating work'. appeal to those who aren’t big skiUltimately, Banff Hot ing fans, or merely love the adren- Springs are a perfect way to stay aline. For example, tubing is one warm, relax, and still enjoy the of the most popular events that beautiful landscape that surrounds Lake Louise holds - their Sunny you. Likewise, there are very high Tube Park will not disappoint as chances of relaxing in the water

"Banff Hot Springs are a perfect way to stay warm, relax and enjoy the beautiful landscape"

whilst watching it snow; a treasurable sight not to be missed. It has been said that sunrise and sunset are the most 'wonderful times' to visit the Springs. This is because the mountain air cools down at these times, which will inevitably make the natural heat of the water even more indulging and luxurious. The Springs are specifically located at the end of Mountain Avenue, which is 4km south of the town of Banff.

Clearly, this hidden gem located in Banff is a sight you’ll want to see and immerse yourself in; whether you want a relaxing holiday or need a well-deserved break from exploring - this will be an ideal destination for you.

Of course, when you visit a new place, food is on the agenda.

Down its small streets and interconnected roads, Banff is full to the brim with restaurants and cafes. Ranging from a classic McDonald’s to some of the most renowned restaurants in Alberta, Banff has everything to fit your fancy. In particular, Bumper’s restaurant is a must - 'if you haven’t been to Bumper’s then you haven’t been to Banff'. This restaurant provides the largest, most delicious steak and ribs you’ll find, which is a classic meal when visiting Canada. Not only this, but the burgers and buffet will definitely fill you up after a long day of travelling and activities in the snow. All the main restaurants and tourist attractions in Banff are within walking distance, so there’s no need to worry about transportation in the evening or day time if you want to simply explore Banff’s hidden treasures.

Essentially, Banff is one of the most naturalistic places you can visit in Canada. All year round, Banff’s wildlife and woodland will captivate you. If you thought you weren’t a lover of nature, this place is sure to change your mind.

Banff is a destination where there is always something to do, and it’s guaranteed you’ll fall in love with it the moment you lay your eyes on it.

A Post Card from... Saint Petersburg Charlotte Simpson Travel Writer @charlsimp

Particularly in these times, Russia is a land stereotyped as corrupt, dangerous, and frightening time after time. Yet what people don’t often consider is the Russia that gave the world timeless music of Tchaikovsky that still echoes through music halls today, the comedies and tragedies of Chekhov, and, most importantly, vodka.

As a Russian student, my classmates and I were offered the opportunity to live with a host family, which meant that we had the full experience of the Russian culture: food, theatre, and palaces. Nobody should go to Saint Petersburg without going to see

the Hermitage museum, which, up until the Russian Revolution, was the home of the Russian Imperial Family, some of whose rooms are even preserved today.

Entry is free if you’re a student (regardless of whether or not you are Russian), and if beautiful art, history, and culture isn’t what you’re in the mood for, then across the park is a vodka museum in which you can indulge in the finest vodkas, snacks, and peruse the history of vodka for the equivalent of a couple of pounds.

The main street, Nevsky Prospekt, has something on offer for everyone who wants to see, buy, or eat something authentically or fantastically Russian on their trip. It contains many Russian and Western restaurants and high-street fashion shops,

huge market stalls from which you can buy mugs, shirts, matryoshka dolls, or anything else with Putin’s face on it. There are also beautiful, hand-painted matryoshka dolls, fur hats, scarves, and more serious souvenirs which you can buy for a surprisingly cheap price.

And if you fancy a bite of real Russian food without having to sacrifice much money, then the stolovaya, or cafeteria, will be open to you 24/7, where you can buy a full meal for less than a pound! The city is also home to a

surprisingly large amount of themed or karaoke bars – we came across a Coyote Ugly themed bar and a Freddie Mercury themed pub, so no matter what you’re looking for, you’ll no doubt find it in Saint Petersburg!

The one most startling thing upon arriving in Russia was the immense heat, sunshine, and complete lack of darkness. Yes, night-time doesn’t exist in summer. It stands at such a high latitude that the sun does not descend below the horizon enough for the sky to grow dark. Although the white nights are a curious and magical phenomenon that are not unique to Saint Petersburg, in no other place on earth have they received

such acclaim; in no other country will you be afforded the experience of walking the grounds of the Winter Palace at the dead of midnight, surrounded by both bright white skies and bustling nightlife, ice cream stalls and vodka tasters, street performers and partygoers.

Amongst all of the stereotypes that tend to cloud our perception of Russia, some of which are true, some of which aren’t, it is nonetheless worthwhile to explore this frightening and fascinating place.

The culture is so different, so vast and incredible it is impossible to go there without finding something to fall in love with, whether it’s eating blinis with ice cream on a Sunday afternoon, getting lost in the history of the Hermitage, or belting out classic rock tunes until sunrise.

TRAVEL

Friday 3rd February 2017

@redbricktravel

29

Cheap Trips: Jávea Travel writer Iesha explains how you can visit the luxurious Jávea on a student budget Iesha Thomas Travel Writer @ieshamae97

The town of Jávea lies at the eastern-most point of Spain on the Costa Blanca, situated an hour from both the cities of Valencia and Alicante. The Costa Blanca is known primarily for its family holidays and tourism, however, don’t let the families prevent you from exploring a truly beautiful part of Spain. Jávea offers a chilled, cheap holiday that is by no means off limits to students, as the beach, sun and amazing food offers a haven away from the stress of deadlines.

"Jávea offers a chilled, cheap holiday" While the nightlife may not be as bountiful as the notorious Broad Street in Birmingham, clubs Moli Blanc and Achill are open ‘hasta la madrugada’ (early hours of the morning). Meanwhile, cocktail bars such as Atalaya host some pretty spectacular views – and what better way to relax than sipping a margarita watching the sun go down? If your clubbing needs are not totally satisfied, you can catch the ferry from the next town Denia to Ibiza and return the same day (or the next) on just a four hour crossing for about 40 euros each. The cocktail bars in Spain are roughly the same price as you would expect in the UK – about 6 or 7 euros for a cocktail, so pre drinking (responsibly) is advised if you’re on a tight budget.

While there are many opportunities to lounge around a pool or beach, Jávea has more to offer.

Hike up the mountain Montgo, which provides some beautiful views, or rent jet skis (but these

are usually 60 euros to rent).

Paddle boards or canoes are also available for about 20 euros on the Arenal Beach. Definitely take advantage of the clear waters and go snorkelling around the hidden coves up by Cap de la Nau. Furthermore, Jávea is dotted with boutique shops, and stalls line the boardwalk at night during the summer. For shopping enthusiasts, a shopping mall in nearby Ondara has everything from Lefties (a Spanish New Look) to Zara.

The tourist atrocity that is Benidorm lies a thirty minute drive away, and you can drive/bus or get on the train there if you crave a Malia style nightlife. Also, consider the theme park Terra Mitica or Aqualandia. You can get a full day of hilarious rides for about 35 euros each. This may sound expensive but it is really great value for money – just bring a cool box for lunch because the food is pretty pricey. Look out for leaflets at the airports and shopping malls as they give out discounts which no student can afford to turn down!

popular tourist destination in the past, the Spanish economy not being the best has seen the tripling population during the summer months decline, so you won’t be tripping over ‘brits abroad’. Also, being a student has the advantages of longer holidays so you can go in early June for a cheaper rate than in July, for example.

Transport: Skyscanner and eDreams offer flights from Birmingham to Alicante in June for as little as £90. If you travel to the area outside of the summer months, this price will plummet considerably.

While getting from the airport and visiting the area surrounding Jávea can be challenging, once in the centre, the old town and the Arenal are within walking distance and so exploring is pretty simple!

If you are over 21, renting a car is definitely worth the investment if you want to explore the area of the Costa Blanca. Hidden towns nearby such as Guadalest are so breath-taking, and the waterfalls nearby are best accessed

by car. Car rentals are usually about £110 for a week in June – so split between four friends that’s your transport covered for a whole week minus petrol. If you don’t have the liberty of being able to drive, airport shuttles are available for 13 euros. Some bus services are available from Jávea to Benidorm from less than 10 euros, but it does take about 3 hours instead of a 30 minute drive.

While the bus services are by no means as frequent as what we may expect here in the UK, there are plenty of ways to navigate the Costa Blanca without breaking the bank.

Spending Money: My biggest piece of advice for any traveller on a budget is to use supermarkets. At supermarkets such as Mercadona you will find an abundance of affordable baguettes, fresh fruit and vegetables. The food in the local area is incredible so be sure to pay a visit to Acqua on the sea front for their mouth-watering grill or sample Paella at one of the quaint restaurants hidden among alleys in

nearby Denia. Most restaurants along the Arenal will cost about 8 or 9 euros for dishes, and 15 euros at the more expensive ones.

"a chilled getaway, sun, and beautiful scenery" For spending money, I’d recommend a minimum of 300 euros for a week. As long as you play it clever, by not buying cocktail after cocktail and eating out every evening, but instead buy food from the affordable supermarkets, you will be able to travel to Jávea for less than this allowance. The price of renting a car and slightly more expensive public transport is made up for in relatively cheap flights and food. Besides, lying on a towel at the beach all day is free and a perfect way to recharge your batteries. If you’re looking for a chilled getaway, sun and Captions in the corner of pictures beautifulgo scenery, Jávea is defibe hyphenated nitely and not shouldn't to be overlooked.

"gorgeous appartments... within walking distance of the beach" Accommodation: Jávea boasts all manner of accommodation types to suit every budget. AirBnbs are a fantastic way to stay in the area for the best prices, especially if travelling in groups. You can find gorgeous apartments in Jávea within walking distance of the beach for less than £100 for a week, but a long weekend in Jávea is also plenty of time to explore the area. Despite Jávea being a

Photograph by Iesha Thomas

Top 3... Travel Guidebooks Hannah Woodbridge Travel Writer @hannahwoodbridge

The New York Times’ 36 Hours

Lonely Planet’s The Best Things in Life are Free

Lonely Planet’s On a Shoestring

This colourful series of guides by The New York Times uses a compilation of their articles to offer comprehensive itineraries for the time-disadvantaged in locations across the globe. Offering hotel, restaurant and attraction advice for both the budget and luxury traveller, these books are excellent for when you find yourself somewhere unusual. Furthermore, the itineraries are certainly doable but will not completely exhaust you. They even feature Birmingham in their Europe guidebook!

This book by Lonely Planet is amazing and a must have for any student traveller. It uses colourful maps, beautiful photography and simple graphics to help explain how to get the most value from you next trip.

This compendium features a variety of cities from across the globe, describing the best things to do for free and how to explore the most popular attractions for as little money as possible. It also offers general advice on topics such as: ‘How to Party at Carnival in Rio’ and ‘Safari without the big bucks’.

The regions covered in this series of books by Lonely Planet is increasing gradually and so hopefully there will be one for wherever you’re planning your next trip. These books offer wide-ranging information on accommodation, places of interest, food and nightlife, all with the budget traveller in mind, making this guidebook ideal for any student! Europe On a Shoestring is particularly useful when planning interrailing adventures and the series as a whole can guarantee to inspire your next destination.

30

LIFE & STYLE

Friday 3rd February 2017

@redbricklife

Louis Vuitton x Supreme: A Collaboration Worth The Hype?

Life&Style writer Ed Coy questions whether the recent Louis Vuitton and Supreme collaboration is worth the hype Ed Coy

Life&Style writer

In the worst kept secret in fashion history, Louis Vuitton debuted a collaboration with cult New York label Supreme in Paris last week.

Teased on Instagram by Travis Scott and A$AP Bari, the collection featured a wide range of accessories from sunglasses to holdalls, as well as a select few items of clothing and trainers.

The collaboration is the latest of many that Supreme has been part of in recent years. Aside from working with other traditional streetwear brands like Vans, Comme des Garçons and Air Jordan, they have also joined forces with Italian label Stone Island amongst others. However, none of the previous collaborations have been either as high profile, or crossed such seemingly stratospheric boundaries.

Louis Vuitton has a rich history as one of the world’s finest fashion houses. It seems odd, therefore, that they would have the need or desire to work with a youth-focussed skate brand that was only founded in the 1990sparticularly when you factor in

the cease and desist letter sent to Supreme from Louis Vuitton in 2000, the result of a collection of LV-inspired logos. Despite this, the collaboration arguably makes perfect sense for both labels.

The relative youth of Louis Vuitton’s creative director, Kim

"The collection could be seen as a desperate attempt from both sides to remain relevant" Jones, means that he has grown up alongside the rise of streetwear and seen Supreme grow from an independent skate shop in NYC to a bona fide global brand. A good friend of David Beckham, Jones is a known admirer of streetwear and his first job he took while studying at Central Saint Martins was for a company who imported Supreme to the UK. Perhaps the most important factor in the coming together of the two brands is that Louis Vuitton wanted to take advantage of the current trend of high fash-

ion meets streetwear. In recent times, fashion houses and designers have been taking their cues from streetwear, in particular the skate scene. Labels like Vetements and Gosha Rubchinskiy have blurred the lines somewhat between high fashion and streetwear, and the front row at a Fashion Week show is just as likely to feature hoodies and trainers as it is brogues and a tie.

This collaboration is an illustration of the importance of appealing to youth and the more casual scene. Supreme has an unprecedented cult following, with its customers regularly queueing up outside the stores for the latest drop. On occasion, the company appears to see what they can get away with – fire extinguishers and even house bricks bearing the box logo have sold out immediately.

The excitement of revealing such a ground-breaking collaboration between high fashion and streetwear at a catwalk show was dulled considerably by the fact that the collection was rather predictable. Everyone knew it was going to happen, and the collection was anticlimactic. Two companies known around the world by their logos inevitably came up

with pretty standard pieces covered in the LV monogram and Supreme’s red box logo.

Taking a cynical view, the collection could be seen as a desperate attempt from both sides to remain relevant. Supreme has upset a lot of its target audience, arguably through no fault of its own, who believe the brand should have stayed true to skate culture.

Instead, it has been appropriated by the fashion community, who want to appear youthful and connected to different cultures. For Louis Vuitton, the biggest luxury company in the world, recent menswear shows have been unfulfilling and the brand relies heavily on its core sales of leather goods.

Both companies could be said to be selling out.

It remains to be seen whether all the fawning over the collection in the press will lead to actual sales. It is a risk, considering the pieces are based mainly around the Supreme logo but will be priced at Louis Vuitton level. The designs rule out a lot of Louis Vuitton’s traditional clientele, while the prices could leave Supreme customers frustrated.

Credit: REX

Top Five: Designer Purchases A student budget doesn't leave much room for luxury but some things are worth investing in.

Martha Sanders explains which designer items are worth splashing the cash on

The Chanel Classic

Ray-ban Sunglasses

Burberry Trench Coat

The Chanel classic flap handbag is the designer bag of dreams. With trends for every season changing constantly it can be hard to keep up especially with designer products.

However, with a classic bag like this on your arm you will always have the perfect bag to go with every outfit. The great thing about the Chanel bags are that they are timeless classics and getting one in a particularly wearable colour will mean you can wear it time and time again. The high quality standard of these bags also means that you really can wear them over and over again.

With sunglasses there is one brand in particular which I feel everyone must own at least one pair of. It has to be Ray-Bans. The classic Aviators or Wayfarers are so flattering and come in a multitude of colours meaning there is one for every outfit and every occasion. Both of these styles of glasses can really pull an outfit together and help complete any look whether it be for festival season or a quick trip to the Alps, these are a definite must for your collection.

This jacket is great all year round as it’s perfect for most seasons. It is easy and light but durable with the weatherproof cotton finish. The Sandringham is a the more fitted of the trenches available and is perfect for any outfit and any occasion. This coat really pulls everything together and makes an outfit. It is such a versatile item and very wearable by simply wearing it with jeans and a t-shirt for a more relaxed style or for with an evening look with a dress and heels, you are sure to be dressed to impress.

Gianvito Rossi Plexi Heels

Christian Louboutin Lipstick

These shoes are so versatile and complete any outfit whether you’re wearing dresses, jeans, shorts, or skirts. The invisible Plexi section elongates your legs and this makes them very flattering. Despite what you may think, these shoes are so comfortable and as they are a high end product the quality is great and they wear really well. Due to their classic shape, these heels become a kind of timeless piece that can also be worn at any time of the year.

Christian Louboutin has brought out a stunning range of lipsticks in three different formulas/textures (Silky Satin, Velvet Matte, and Sheer Voile).

These lipsticks also come in 38 different shades (3 of which are beautiful red shades), so there really is a lipstick for every look. These lipsticks are really creamy and smooth so just glide on to the lips. The packaging of these products are also so luxurious, really feeling like a high end product.

LIFE & STYLE

Friday 3rd February 2017

@redbricklife

Trump's Anti-Abortion Laws: Just Good Business?

Life&Style writer Katelyn Ryder questions whether Trump's antiabortion laws are good for business despite the human cost The 45th president of the United States, on his first day in the oval office reinstated Reagans 1984 ‘global gag rule’, a ban on foreign funding to groups which actively promote or perform abortions. This law had been overturned and reinstated before with Obama overturning it just three days into his first term in 2009.

Trump has openly labelled himself as a pro-life president, with White House press secretary, Sean Spicer stating, 'he wants to stand up for all Americans, including the unborn'. He has also enlisted Mike Pence as his vice president, an anti-abortion campaigner.

However, Democrats who favour a strong central government and giving the people what they want could be seen as responding to the masses. CNN reported in

2015 that 58% of Americans opposed all or most abortions.

Ultimately though, Trump's area of expertise is business and as he wants to cut down on government spending, especially foreign spending, this law will definitely save the government money, but at what cost? The US funds international family planning and reproductive health groups at a cost of about $600 million a year.

It is thought that this money allows 27million women to access contraceptives. Trump doesn’t take into account the damage this will surely lead to for women in a vulnerable position who will have to turn to illegal and dangerous methods to terminate their pregnancy. He has prioritised good business over the safety of women from his privileged position of bliss-

ful ignorance.

Shockingly, he signed the law in a room full of men.

This image is more appalling than anything else as he has based his decisions solely on the opinions of men and has not taken into account how women would feel about not having control over their own bodies. The image went viral as people everywhere were astounded at how a law could be passed on the rights women have over their own bodies without a single women present.

Sadly, Trump has pledged to nominate an anti-abortion justice to the Supreme Court.

This could eventually lead to overturning Roe Wade, the ruling that originally legalised abortion in the US in 1973.

Valentine's Day: Unconventional Date Ideas

Life&Style writer Miriam Nixon gives her top unconventional date ideas that will make dinner and a movie a thing of the past 1. The Thrilling Date If you’re a thrill-seeker and you’re hoping to be a little more adventurous for Valentine’s this year, extreme sports could be the perfect date for you. Activities like skydiving, bungee jumping and water sports would be a great way to get your date’s heart racing and make them realise just how fun you are. The adrenaline rush will make this one of the most romantic dates either of you have ever had.

2. The Chilling Date If the adrenaline is too much for you, have a relaxed evening by escaping the winter weather and staying indoors. Spend an evening talking to your date across takeaway pizza and beers (or cocktails and prosecco if you’re feeling fancy), and get to know each other. Find out if they’re a morning or a night person, if they love Marmite or hate it, and whether they believe in supernatural beings. Reconnect by asking the most random questions you can think of and test your compatibility.

3. The Childish Date Remind yourselves of ‘the good old days’ and have a date filled with youthful fun. Channel your inner child and build yourselves a fort or take a trip to the park. Hit the swings and get your blood pumping. Nothing will put the excitement back in the relationship like being pushed on a roundabout until you’re dizzy.

4. The Travelling Date Travelling is on most people’s bucket lists, so why not use Valentine’s as an excuse to go somewhere? Get in the car with your date and go for a road trip, drive until you’re lost and then explore the place you end up in. Take a trip to the beach and admire the beautiful sunset as you snuggle under a blanket together. With flights to Barcelona and Paris as cheap as £30, you could even book a romantic weekend away and explore your love in a foreign city.

FIERCE Puffer Coats It is still getting colder and colder and puffer coats are everywhere. They are warm and useful as well as a great accessory. What’s great is you can have long, short, hooded, non-hooded, fur lined and zip lined ones and you can find them in pretty much any colour you wish.

French Plaits Wearing your hair in two French plaits, whether they hang down your back or sit simply down your front gives you a casual and cool look.

What’s more, this hairstyle really shows off the features of your face.

Tom Hardy He is the rugged, tattooed, God of Hollywood, and now as he features in the dark and disturbing yet captivating television series Taboo, he has never been more fierce or in high-demand.

Chick Flick Movies Other than La La Land, the movies that most people seem to want currently are the action and slightly darker movies that get your brain whirring.

Unfortunately, Chick Flicks are out as many actors and actresses want to push their performances further than a simple movie.

Denim While it is always an easy go to, whether it be a shirt or pair of jeans, velvet and chord seem to be the go-to fashion trend. Instead of pulling on a pair of classic denim mom jeans, try some red velvet flairs to boost your fashion confidence.

Chelsea Boots Although fun and classy, these thin shoes are unfortunately not ideal for these winter days. Try some warm, clumpy but stylish timberlands instead!

Lucy Lyth Life&Style Writer

5. The New Date Try something that neither you nor your date have done before. Open an events page in a magazine, close your eyes and randomly select a concert to go to. Go on a ghost tour and give yourselves a good scare (plus it’ll give you an excuse to cling to your date).

31

FINISHED

32

MUSIC

Friday 3rd February 2017

@redbrickmusic

Soundtrack of my Life

Editor Giulia Bardelli chooses five tracks in the first installment of a new feature for Redbrick Music

First Song I Remember Hearing: Duran Duran – Is There Something I Should Know

My dad’s obsession with Duran Duran started when we moved to London; I was about three years old. Their compilation album titled Greatest would be the only CD he ever played in the car. I remember ‘Hungry Like the Wolf’ and ‘Girls on Film’ being pretty iconic songs that would be played at parties my parents hosted with their friends.

However, it’s the first song on the album, ‘Is There Something I Should Know’ which I have a really vivid memory of. My dad would turn the volume up when driving and sing along like there was no tomorrow.

First Concert: Gwen Stefani – The Sweet Escape Tour It’s 2007, and all I remember is glitter halter-tops and Gwen Stefani being quite literally the only things I was into. I discovered Gwen Stefani one morning as I was having breakfast, watching MTV, back in the days when MTV was pure music entertainment.

I was obsessed. I went to see her during her Sweet Escape Tour. It’s no surprise she delivered banger after banger from ‘4 In The Morning’ to ‘Hollaback Girl’; it was a life changing experience. I remember wondering just how someone could dance so incredibly well, not get out of breath, and sing amazingly all at the same time. I was baffled. I came out of that concert a changed little galliana.

First Slow Dance: Eagles – Hotel California

Captions go in the corner of pictures and shouldn't be hyphenated

A Song For Sexy Time: Chet Faker – No Diggity

A Song For The Car: Childish Gambino – Sunrise Not to be cliché but there is nothing better than being in the car with your girlfriends and blasting your favourite song, especially during the summer. It’s the perfect stress relief. For my friends and I, our go-to car song is ‘Sunrise’

by Childish Gambino off his debut album Camp, released back in 2011. I got introduced to Childish back during the painful days of A-level exams, which for me was almost three years ago, but he made them all the more bearable. No great song is complete without an iconic line and in this case it's ‘I've seen it all, like I'm John Mayer's penis hole’.

6

It was that awkward pre-teen stage everyone goes through. I went to France one summer for two weeks to learn French and on my final night our supervisors put on a disco for all of us crazy kids. Classic.

The nerves started to kick in once I heard the slow intro of ‘Hotel California’ by the Eagles. Was someone going to ask me to dance? Surely I couldn’t ask a boy to dance, not at the age of twelve? But this girl did just that. That summer we didn’t stop emailing each other; now I have him on Facebook. I’ve never had a slow dance since then, and probably never will. My clammy hands won’t allow it.

I got introduced to this really sexy cover of ‘No Diggity’ almost two years ago by one of my close friends and I couldn’t stop listening to it. I was hooked.

This one is great for the bedroom when you're with your significant other and want a little bit of background music to break up any unwanted awkwardness.

It’s minimalist and charming and you’ll bound to be lost for words at first listen.

With Valentine’s Day coming up this is the perfect track to swoon your beau with. You’re welcome.

Has Coachella Gone Downhill?

Madeleine Bourne Music Critic @maddiemae_xo

It’s 1999. Promoter Goldenvoice announces plans to launch a new festival on a mere polo field in Indio, California. The two-day even is set to invite 35,000 people per day to roam the four stages, and thus Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is born.

Now, cast your mind forward, not to the present day but to just a few months ago, back to late November 2016. A couple of months before the headliners begin to be tantalisingly released for all major festivals, the rumour mill goes into overdrive. 'I’m pretty sure Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar and Radiohead will be headlining', everyone said.

'Wouldn’t that be, like, such a good line-up?', those who worship Queen B’s’ throne exclaimed.

I now want you to flash-forward to the present day. The lineup for 2017’s Coachella has been

released and the headliners are� even 20/20 vision needs glasses oh, they actually are Beyoncé, for, and all your eyes seem to rest Kendrick Lamar and Radiohead. on are the headliners in bold, California’s harsh sun’s rays black font. You sigh and think, have put a spotlight on some of the most contemporary, popular names in the music industry to date, and not even the shelter of a palm tree can deflect attention from that. The majestic allure of the ‘big reveal’ that music festivals place upon acts is something that excites us - the rumour-mill is there for contradicting.

However, when we’re in fact proven right in our guessing game, it all just feels a little underwhelming to say the least.

As much as those Beyoncé worshippers prayed for their queen to grace the stage, the fact that their premonition rang true makes their Lemonade taste just a little flat.

So first of all, the long-awaited, highly-anticipated announcement was slightly overrated. You cast your eyes over the poster, desperately squinting to read the ‘Coachella has gone downhill’. names that are actually worthy Why has Coachella gone but usually written in writing downhill? For a festival whose

mission statement was to bring the more underground, cuttingedge musicians to a mass audience, it’s obvious to even the least clued-up-on-music, dad-dancing, fifty-year-old father that Beyoncé is as good at cutting edges as he is at cutting shapes on the dance floor. Coachella started back in 1999 with the aim of bringing a diverse mix of talents to an eclectic showground that defies the norm; defies what’s in the charts and what’s on the radio. Last time I checked, Beyoncé wasn’t exactly struggling for a bit of dosh and a dose of media attention. The fact that Coachella is bringing out a lineup so far from what the festival professes to be about is testament enough to why so many are thinking California’s flagship music festival offering should now come with a warning on the poster, above Beyoncé’s headlining title, saying the word ‘overrated.’

Something else that has been at the core of Coachella’s style over the last few years, albeit not

to everyone’s taste, is EDM. However, Coachella was supposed to be a festival that defied the norm, but not this year. We see the likes of subtler electronic music on the bill, such as Nicolas Jaar and Four Tet. Lorde is making a highly-anticipated return to the stage, but quite frankly, Coachella isn’t as excited about this as it should be, placing her below contemporary man-of-themoment Kendrick Lamar. Throw in a bit of Hans Zimmer for a Lion King throwback, placed alongside DJ Khaled on the lineup, and you’ll see, shining glaringly obvious under California’s all-revealing sun, that Coachella’s attempts to still stake a claim as a festival that boasts an eclectic mix of talents are half-hearted at best.

MUSIC

Friday 3rd February 2017

@redbrickmusic

33

The Music of Trump's Inauguration - A Review Issy Campbell Music Critic @IssyCampbell

If January couldn’t get any gloomier, on Friday the 20th we watched Donald Trump be sworn in as President. However, I am not here to discuss the future of the USA or the speeches we heard, instead I am going to review the music. I didn’t have high hopes for the line-up at Trumps inauguration, and that didn’t change once I had sat through and watched it. Obama set the bar high back in 2009, with big names like Beyoncé and Stevie Wonder, but Trump couldn’t come close. This wasn’t a ‘who’s who’ of music, but rather a simple ‘who?’ So let’s begin.

After Donald Trump was sworn in, Jackie Evancho, a 16-year-old girl and former runner up on America’s Got Talent, sang the American national anthem.

Understandably it was a shaky performance, given the pressure from everyone watching – albeit far fewer than in 2009 – but the young teen brought it back together with her impressive high note towards the end.

After the swearing in, there was then a ‘Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration’, which was as dreadful as it sounds.

It consisted of numerous acts, including 3 Doors Down and Toby Keith, neither of whom I had ever heard of. 3 Doors Down, a band semi-famous back in the late nineties and early noughties, opened up with a new song from their 2016 album, which is always a risky move, even for bands people actually know. Their set was an unconvincing attempt at trying to bring back the sound of the nineties emo-grunge, and to my surprise they actually managed to get worse as the set continued. From what I could see and hear from the crowd, (or more like from what I couldn’t), the atmosphere was like the confusion of stumbling across an unknown band at a festival

before 3pm.

Toby Keith was one of the numerous country singers who performed later that the evening.

He was far better than 3 Doors Down, and the crowd seemed to agree – swaying, dancing and cheering throughout. I was surprised by Toby Keith and his impressive country voice, despite

his overly patriotic song choices – ‘Made in America’, ‘American Soldier’ and ‘Courtesy of Red, White and Blue’ - I mean come on!

A big part of the inauguration celebrations are the two balls; the Freedom Ball and the Liberty Ball, held at the same time in the same venue; the E. Washington Convention Center. Although slightly confusing as to who performed at which one, no performer was truly worth making the distinction. Travis Greene, a 33-yearold gospel singer was first to perform. Accompanied by the R&B singer Chrisette Michelle and a backing choir, they sang ‘International’ with plenty of passion and brought a bit of a fun to the stage. Personally I felt they

deserved more time on stage, especially considering the acts who appeared later. This was followed by Erin Boheme’s first performance of the night with Jim Gray Orchestra for a jazz solo, which again I thought deserved more time than they were given. Tim Rushlow & His Big Band followed with more

jazz which I found to be pretty flat for a genre so full of zeal.

Despite Trump’s struggle to find performers, the evening really hit rock bottom when Pelican 212 began to perform. The family pop band, with 12-year-old trumpet playing twins, who were also the lead singers, took to the stage covering typical cheesy wedding songs. Opening with ‘I’m a Believer’, which is far too easily associated with Shrek, the twins were suited up. The younger members of the band sort of ran around the stage playing instruments, as the older ones sung basic harmonies as backing for the twins.

Following on from this, they then played ‘Oh When The Saints’, which failed to give off gospel vibes, instead it was more like a

done up version of the Southampton FC chant. To finish off, the band performed ‘I Want You Back’ by the Jackson 5, and whilst I am a sucker for the original, this cover, like most, didn’t do it for me.

An act worth mentioning are the Piano Guys. Although they did perform One Direction’s ‘What Makes You Beautiful’, they were an entertaining quartet who played a singular piano at the same time, including the piano strings themselves. Nevertheless, what I enjoyed most was their second song, a mash-up of ‘Amazing Grace’ and ‘Fight Song’. This wasn’t necessarily because of the performance itself, but because the latter was actually Hillary Clintons campaign song. Whether this was intentional I can’t be sure, but I’d like to think so, although the band did take to Twitter to discredit the idea that was quickly circling the internet.

By this point, I was pretty happy to have reached the final song and the first dance of the new President and First Lady. Whilst I cannot deny Frank Sinatra’s ‘My Way’ is a great song with a poignant message, it felt very different as I watched Trump take to the floor with Melania. The performance by Erin Boheme, Nickie Conley and Jason Eskridge was probably the best of the evening, but if we compare it to the performance of Beyoncé singing ‘At Last’ for the Obamas, it wasn’t exactly moving. However, it’s hard to tell whether that was because of the singers, or perhaps the dancers. Regardless, I was happy to see the evening come to an end Overall, Trump’s inauguration was just as I had expected, not as good as Obama's and full of names I had never heard of. Politics aside, the performers lacked passion, personality, and unfortunately for a few of them, talent. Let’s hope the next inauguration sees bigger names. It hasn’t got much to follow on from.

Track of the Week: Father John Misty Pure Comedy Jack Lawrence Music Critic @r3dclyffe

Father John Misty’s blend of post-ironic-new-sincerityhipstery-indie-pop makes a welcome return with the track ‘Pure Comedy’, a song that takes his sarcastic commentary to new heights. Despite its name, the track is no laughing matter, though.

Father John Misty described this song as being about 'the comedy of man', something that seems apt when considering its criticisms on organised religion, politics, entertainment and the media in scathingly sarcastic fashion – ‘what makes these clowns they idolise so remarkable?’

This is one of the more levelheaded and actually thoughtout protest songs of the Trump administration so far.

Though politically charged music is rarely something I enjoy, we’d better get used to it, as I’m sure there’s a lot more to come over the next four years.

Pure Comedy will be released on the 7th April 2017 Check out Redbrick Music's top tracks of the week on our Spotify playlist. Search redbrickmusic to have a listen!

Live Review: Two Door Cinema Club Phil Jones Music Editor @philrdjones

There are certain bands that really define a certain period of your life.

Maybe one of their songs soundtracked the first dance at your wedding. Maybe they remind you of the birth of your child. I am only 21 years of age and so the most important bands for me and my generation soundtracked more simple things, such as the first time you had a sip of beer (which for me was also the last). Two Door Cinema are one of those such bands for me, and the moments they soundtracked were countless underage house parties.

Back in the halcyon days before everyone discovered house music or grime, the sounds accompanying the drinking of copious WKDs and Strongbow cans were Alex Trimble, Kevin Baird and Sam Halliday, singing sun-kissed songs of bliss.

With these memories in mind, I headed down to Birmingham’s O2 Academy to finally witness

these iconic indie anthems live, in all their glory. I expected a large proportion of the crowd to be made up of like-minded students wanting to escape the looming threat of deadlines and be transported back to a much simpler time. However, rather than be greeted by nostalgic twenty somethings, I found myself surrounded by a horde of 14-year-old enthusiasts in the middle of experiencing what appeared to be their first live gig. Of course there is nothing wrong with this, but it did give the impression that at 21 years of age, I may have grown beyond the target market for Two Door Cinema Club. To really buy into the experience it appears one must be fresh-faced, wide-eyed and just about to start their GCSEs. The baton of the Basement People has been passed downwards to a slightly younger generation, and maybe this is for the best. Seeing the emphatic reactions of these youths towards the newest singles and comparing this to my more cynical mood, one comes to the conclusion that it is time to let this band go.

Unlike some more established acts, TDCC do not seem ashamed at all of their widely-loved debut album, and made the wise decision to open the show with a flourish of ‘Cigarettes in the Theatre’, ‘Undercover Martyn’, ‘Do You Want It All?’, and ‘This Is the Life’. Opening with all-killer no filler was a real treat for the fans in attendance and transported many

"Opening with all killer no filler was a real treat for the fans in attendeance" of us to the summer of 2011. The four tracks really are self-contained, crystallised pieces of indiepop perfection, with each one being greeted by smiles and rapturous pogoing by both the old guard and the new disciples alike.

However, TDCC are of course more than a one album band, and after the opening nostalgia trip

pushed straight into EP track ‘Changing of the Seasons’. Lead singer Trimble went full Alex Turner on this track, swaggering and swooning centre stage throughout its entirety and being much more of true frontman than we ever saw on Tourist History.

Having recently released longawaited third album Gameshow, the band were keen to show off their new disco-tinged styling, and nowhere is this more impressive than on single ‘Bad Decisions’. A real funky piece of Bee Geesindebted, dancefloor filling music, the track performed well on the grand stage and altered the pogoing legs of the teenage audience to slinky sways and disco jives. The evening then transcended into a mishmash of new slices of funk, debut album classics (‘Something Good Can Work’ being a highlight) and the more sonically complex sounds taken from sophomore effort Beacon. The strongest of these cuts was ‘Sleep Alone’, a wonderfully melancholic take on the debut record’s formula, turning the sun-filled sounds that had made the band famous and turning

them into something deeper and more reflective.

Not willing to alter a winning formula, the band finished the main portion of the set with two more debut classics in the form of ‘I Can Talk’ and ‘Eat That Up, It’s Good For You’, the latter of which being a surprise, but a welcome one, and a reminder that the band seem to understand which songs their fans want to hear. Wandering off stage after a closing ‘Sun’, TDCC returned for a final flourish of Beacon’s ‘Someday’, before rolling straight into arguably their biggest anthem ‘What You Know’.

The intervening years since the release of Tourist History have not been the kindest on the band’s popularity, but there is no doubting the power of the debut record’s ability to bring a smile to the faces of teenagers everywhere. The newer tracks may inspire less enthusiasm in original fans, but as there is a whole new group of 14 year olds loving every minute of it, does that really matter at all?

34

CULTURE

Friday 3rd February 2017

@redbrickculture

Review: Stand Up SpESHial starring Steve Bugeja Rebekah Quixano Henriques Culture Critic @henriquestweets

Our very own Footnotes Comedy Society held a fantastic evening of stand-up on the 26th February, featuring both student acts and the presence of Steve Bugeja, performing his 2016 Edinburgh Fringe Festival show Unpronounceable.

" The Footnotes Comedy Society held a fantastic evening of standup..."

The ‘sesh’ took place in the Guild’s Underground and was hosted by Adam Elmi, whose excitingly dark humour was unfortunately softened by his role.

However, he managed to maintain the balance between showing off his talents and acting as a palatecleanser between the other comedians. Will Jackson’s performance was particularly memorable with his hilarious impersonations of the five types of housemates.

Jackson was unafraid to jump about the stage, making his set highly engaging, on top of being exquisitely written. Nathan McClelland bravely explained his ‘sexual career’ that culminated in a foursome in which his school tie played star role. Wil Metcalfe’s awkward presence on stage did incite laughter which could have benefited the set, but instead meant he left little impact on the audience as he did not greatly use this to his advantage. Emily Brooks brought a light-hearted mood to the stage with her bubbly personality and her (worryingly good) dabbing skills whilst James Pike staggering on stage with his characteristic pint of beer was similarly memorable. Sam Arrowsmith brilliantly brought

comedy to the necessary formalities of the evening from off-stage but his excellent performance with his ukulele was disappointingly brief.

" Bugeja took the mick out of himself and argued why heads should rule hearts..."

After an interval, a raffle took place which resulted in people winning odd prizes such as a hairdying session and the ability to touch Elmi’s hair on stage, much to Steve Bugeja’s amusement.

Bugeja, despite having an uncomfortably difficult surname to pronounce, was the highlight of the evening as the audience was in continuous fits of laughter. Any

human-being unable to initiate a “hip-hip hooray” could relate to the show in which Bugeja took the mick out of himself and argued why heads should rule hearts. The content from the Edinburgh Fringe festival was obviously phenomenal, but his true skill was shown though his ability to add jokes into his performance which linked to the student comedians from earlier in the evening, with Metcalfe’s love for his mother and McClelland’s sexual career being Bugeja’s favourites. Bugeja also made the show relevant to UoB students by beginning the hour with ridiculing Birmingham City University and telling us of his Broad Street experience.

Footnotes held a fantastic evening overall, which whilst varying in quality, did wonders for the student comedians performing. The evening displayed original talent and work and certainly helped to spread laughter throughout UoB.

Review: Made in India at the Belgrade Theatre Naomi Simpson Culture Critic

Unless your inner culture vulture is a Roland Barthes disciple, I’m sure you’d agree that context is key in any piece of art. Some context for my viewing of Satinder Chohan’s new play Made in India, then: five days after the Women’s March on Washington and its global sister marches and three days after Trump’s signing of an executive order to ban funding for U.S. health programmes which provide

" ... a dramatic reality with the same anxieties of a government intervention in women's bodies, class discordance and the type of world the next generation will grow in to." access to or information about abortions worldwide, here the audience was faced with a dramatic reality with the same anxieties over government intervention in women’s bodies, class discordance and the type of world the next generation will grow in to.

The play centres around the commercialisation of birth as Londoner Eva travels to Gujarat, India to pay the young dairy worker Aditi to be her surrogate.

Initially, the two women seem entirely out of sync with each other with their only communication taking the form of broken

conversations translated from each other’s languages and a haunting inability on Aditi’s part to look Eva in the eye. However, as the two womens' confidence in their endeavour grows, we see a blossoming of sisterhood onstage, built around the hopeful notion that Aditi’s dreams of providing for her family and Eva’s dreams of having a family can converge in the act of claiming Aditi’s body as a site of economic production.

With the spectre of a ban on foreign surrogacy hanging over their heads however, the two women, along with surrogacy clinic owner Dr Gupta, find themselves in the uneasy position of campaigning for the repeal of the ban. Herein lies the crucial tension of the play: in one poignant scene, Eva is preparing Aditi for her interview, coaching her into saying such clearly marketable feminist state-

ments as ‘My body, my choice’ instead of disclosing the reality that there is no other viable financial option for her. This compromised sisterhood built on an uneven power dynamic of the consumer and the supplier is used by Chohan to explore who the poten-

" Context is key in any piece of art..." tial benefiters in this situation could be. Underneath the lighthearted moments of the play’s middle section, it is clear that this idealised notion that western fertility issues could be combatted by increasing employment in the developing world is a combination of economics and emotion which will spell disaster for those involved.

All three actors portrayed their roles convincingly, with a vulnerability not often afforded to workoriented female characters.

Although striving to have a child, Gina Isaac’s Eva must attempt to balance a challenging career in London with her need to be present for the surrogacy process, an emotional conflict which stands as a testimony to women who are forced to navigate the desire to have a family and their career ambitions. In contrast is Syreeta Kumar’s Doctor Gupta, a woman able to fulfil her career ambitions purely because other women are failing to fulfil their maternal ambitions. Chohan never lets the audience forget both of these womens' moral compromises and sacrifices as we see them clash and come together as they haggle an agreement over the procedure and, ultimately, their moral standRobert Day

ings.

Of the three actors onstage, Ulrika Krishnamurti - who played the role of Aditi - was without a doubt the most complex and engaging performer, playing a role of psychological transformation with an impressive physical intensity. In particular the use of dance to portray Aditi giving birth became the play’s emotional climax as the conflict of the scientific and the human exploded in this moment of painful artistry.

With her swaying from vulnerable to powerful and back to vulnerable, Krishnamurti’s performance of Aditi brought the exploitation of women to life on stage, showing the complexities and politics of empowerment and, crucially, the imbalances present even in movements such as feminism.

" ...women, determinedly conveying that the stage can, and should be, a most effective protest platform" At a time of global anxieties over gender equality, reproductive rights and employment opportunities, Made in India is a rallying cry for women and men alike to examine how equal their interactions can truly claim to be.

Although the initial dialogue felt a little stilted and the direction was at times so stylised that it became a distraction from the hyperreal emotion onstage, the play is woven together by a group of women determinedly conveying that the stage can and should be a most effective protest platform.

CULTURE

Friday 3rd February 2017

@redbrickculture

35

Review: Closing Night of ‘In the Heights’ at the Kings Cross Theatre Georgia Campbell Culture Critic

Before musical theatre history had its eyes on Hamilton, there was Lin-Manuel Miranda’s first Tony winning musical, In the Heights, a show about a small corner of New York where Puerto Rican and Dominican Americans struggle to make ends meet.

January 8th marked the end of In the Heights’s run at the King’s Cross Theatre in London. The pop-up theatre that has been the show’s home for the majority of its off-West End season will also be dismantled, so it was an emotional night for not only the audience, but also the cast and crew.

Just as the characters bonded over their remaining days in the neighbourhood before many of them had to move, the final night audience did the same. I thought I was a big fan for going to see the show three times, until I overheard conversations of closing night being the thirty-second visit for some fans and old cast members.

The stage was a long thin strip that comprised everything in the neighbourhood by the elevator train, from Usnavi’s multipurpose bodega and Rosario’s Car Service to Daniella’s salon. The audience

sat on either side of a stage resembling two crowded train platforms filled with long-time fans, marginally overwhelmed and confused newcomers, as well as old cast members. And Ronnie Wood, just for good measure.

“The one thing the characters all have in common is that they are being pushed away from where they feel they should belong..."

The characters all have their own ideas of home. Usnavi is torn between the home and business he’s made for himself in Washington Heights, and the Dominican Republic, the country he came from and heard about from his parents, but has never visited. Vanessa and the girls from the salon are being forced to leave behind the Washington Heights neighbourhood for a cheaper area in the Bronx, and

Johan Persson

Nina feels she can’t fit in anywhere, and wonders what her life would have been like if her parents had stayed in Puerto Rico, with ‘her people.’ The one thing they all have in common is that they are being pushed away from where they feel they should belong. People are priced out of their homes to the point where they are practically forced to leave or sell the businesses they’ve worked so hard to build for themselves, it seems impossible for Vanessa to get her dream apartment downtown, and Nina can’t afford life as a college student, even with her scholarship.

But this doesn’t stop the neighbourhood from running like extremely well-choreographed clockwork, especially when they find out someone has bought a $96,000 winning lottery ticket from Usnavi’s bodega.

The most striking part of closing night was the understated community this show created between the characters, the cast and the audience. In Miranda’s lyrics, the characters often end up finishing each other’s sentences; Benny and Nina do this despite her having been away at college for a year, and Usnavi knows what all his daily customers need without them having to ask (in

“... a show about a small corner of New York where Puerto Rican and Dominican Americans struggle to make ends meet..."

Benny’s case, a Milky Way, Daily News, Post and, most important, his boss’s second coffee; one cream, five sugars). He is at the very heart of the community, keeping hold of everyone’s stories and legacies long after

Johan Persson

Washington Heights will be full of ‘rich folk and hipsters.’

Not only this, but the audience were so in tune with the unique atmosphere of every scene. One minute you’re laughing, the next dancing, then crying, then almost slipping off your seat because of the former cast member sitting behind pounding his feet, then dancing again, then being ever so slightly hysterical when Miranda came up on stage at the end of the performance.

Tickets are a must if this company decides to continue their tour, especially if you can’t get enough of Hamilton (literally because, unlike Burr and Hamilton, the world is not wide

“In The Heights is an electifying, energetic and immersive show..." enough for adequate numbers of tickets). If they don’t continue their tour, then have a listen to the original Broadway cast recording of the show. In the Heights is an electrifying, energetic and immersive show, filled with salsa dancing, abuelas who aren’t really abuelas and raps about winning the lottery.

Review: Suli Breaks, A Real Model Rebekah Quixano Henriques Culture Critic @henriquestweets

The renowned Suli Breaks, along with several other spoken-word artists, showcased the unique ‘Not a role model’ tour in our very own Guild of Students. The microphone gave off too much feedback, the chair on stage appeared to have no relevance to the show, and performers awkwardly attempted to avoid the audience’s eyes as they sneaked off the stage.

This is not the beginning of an awful review. In contrast, these are aspects worthy of praise as they made the performance relatable and altogether more realistic, adding to the key message of the NARM tour.

The Deb Hall was host to the legendary Darryll Suliaman Amoako, known for his spoken

word poetry YouTube channel, Suli Breaks, on the 17th January.

Suli spoke about the importance of first asking who we are as individuals, and being ‘real’ models (inspired by Tupac Shakur’s 1992 interview) instead of simply acting as improbable and unrealistic ‘role’ models. This was conveyed as he led us through a personal journey on the bus to Wood Green, his hometown in North London.

" Undoubtedly, the performances helped evoke the idea that we can all be role models..."

The artist merged exclusive videos, such as his wedding

speech (bringing the audience to tears), with new and old live poetry, which were undeniably authentic to his personality. Suli remined us not to let 'exam results decide our fate.' This alternative rendition was phenomenal to watch, with many audience members resisting reciting the well-known lyrics in awe of Suli’s talent and abilities live.

Suli’s pieces were not the only treat for the audience as five other acts were weaved amongst these.

Wuzzamill opened the show, with his ‘Opium of the People’ particularly inciting cheers from the audience despite the artist’s nervous and awkward presence on stage. Aliyah Denton, a psychology student at BCU, showed off her potential with an impressive piece about the words left unspoken.

Of the supporting acts, Sophia Thakur indisputably stood out as she performed highly relevant

hard-hitting poems, confidently expressing emotion, and effectively using gesture. A beautiful poem for women, encouraging self-love despite it being deemed

"Suli spoke about the importance of first asking who we are as individuals, and being ‘real’ models..." unacceptable followed her discussion of being ‘Drunk’.Additionally, Caleb Femi and Ayo Wrote greatly added humour and excitement as fellow passengers on the bus.

Similarly, the bus’s anonymous

voiceover lady gave the audience a hilarious insight into the envious and amorous contests involving Siri and satnavs, creating a surprising twist.

The Guild of Students held the NARM tour in hope of encouraging students to stand in this year’s Officer Elections. With nominations now open, the current Guild Officers posted on the Facebook event, 'Who knows, standing in this year’s Officer Elections could be your first step on the path to success, whatever that means to you.' Undoubtedly, the performances helped evoke the idea that we can all be role models. Whilst this is somewhat cliché, Suli Breaks presented it in a highly interesting and entertaining way, making the audience ecstatic and eager to see more of the remarkable spoken word artists.

36

Sport

Friday 3rd February 2017

@redbricksport

The Rise of the Chinese Super League Alex Alton Sport Writer

China’s influence in football is growing. With the 4 largest clubs in the West Midlands (Aston Villa, West Brom, Birmingham and Wolves) all owned by Chinese investors, this influence looks like it will grow into English football but will inevitably contribute to the rise of the Chinese domestic league itself. Let’s go on to analyse the Chinese case in terms of three things; talent, money, and governance.

"Belgian side Gent recently beat the mid-table Chinese outfit Yanbian 11-0 in a friendly" Firstly, it would be fair to argue that the Chinese league isn’t exactly stacked with domestic talent produced by Chinese clubs.

You have the few Chinese players who have managed to branch out into playing in Europe e.g. Sun Jihai (Manchester City) and Zheng Zhi (Charlton and Celtic) yet for a country of 1.5 billion people China has failed to produce a single player that could be considered world class. This lack of talent may be concerning for the league itself, as any league across

Alex Alton discusses how the recent transfers of high-profile players could affect the place of China's domestic league in world football the world is largely judged upon the quality of its native players within that league. Investment into talented players based in Europe and South America has bridged the gap between China and European leagues, but the standard of the CSL (Chinese Super League) is tremendously bad at present. For example, Belgian side Gent recently beat the mid-table Chinese outfit Yanbian 11-0 in a friendly. Lack of talent means the footballing authorities in China have introduced a cap on foreign players in each team – a limit of three.

Although this sounds positive in theory, the increase in demand for Chinese players will lead to a price premium akin to what we have seen in the Premier League with exorbitant sums for home grown players. This change is occurring already, with right midfielder Chengdong Zhang transferring to Hebei China Fortune for £17.37 million, a figure estimated to be 4300% over his market value according to transfermarkt.de. These fees may continue and may not necessarily result in an overall increase in talent in the league. Eventually, as has occurred with China’s attention to other sports (especially those in the Olympics) it is hard to argue with the idea that China will be a major player in world football in the future.

The money going in to Chinese football is intriguing on two counts – where it is coming from

and the power it has to change China’s standing in football. The recent transfer of Oscar to Chinese club Shanghai SIPG for a reported £52 million alongside £400,000 a week in wages, it was a decision that Oscar could perhaps ill afford to turn down. In addition to the Oscar transfer, many notable players such as Carlos Tevez, Axel Witsel and Hulk have opted to move to the world’s most popu-

"Footballing authorities in China have introduced a cap on foreign players in each team- a limit of three" lous country, offered extreme riches to do so. Other players such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney have recently been offered contracts in China. This influx of talent with players mostly at their peak ages is particularly interesting when you compare China to the most similar case study of the USA. The MLS has largely attracted players at an older age, looking for a final pay day in a sunny location. China on the other hand, is attracting players meant to be in their prime, such as Oscar

and Witsel. The point here is that the money is staggering, and if it continues at its current rates it may continue to threaten the hegemony of Europe in football.

One thing that may hamper the Chinese Super League in its attempt to become a footballing superpower is the level of state involvement. This idea is incredibly alien in comparison to European football, mostly liberal, democratic countries who rarely become involved in the state of the domestic football league.

China though, is an extremely interesting case, as a single party communist state you may expect intervention. Chinese leader Xi Jingping recently encouraged clubs to spend more money to attract the best talent on the planet to China, arguably as a propaganda tool to increase the status of China in a Western-dominated sport. But, it is interesting to consider that the only real attention the British government pays to its domestic football is David Cameron confusing his support for Aston Villa with a support for West Ham. Although the ability for some of the most powerful people in China to influence football could attract investors, the same power to regularly change the climate of the Super League negatively may dissuade players and investors from other countries to come to the league.

China’s rise is almost inevitable. The amount of money going into the game means that more

attention will be paid to the league, perhaps through TV deals, and a real focus will be made on growing the league properly with new rules put in place. The ability to attract some of the world’s finest talents to the league when the standard is quite bad is good news for the league, as things can only get better. With China’s rapid ascension on the global scene of sport, it is hard to disagree that with a sustained focus the Chinese Super League will be a major player in years to come.

Serena Williams: The Greatest Nicola Kenton Sport Online Editor

Nicola Kenton reviews the career of Serena Williams after she won a historic 23rd Grand Slam singles title Serena Williams is a name which is synonymous with the world of tennis. The greatest of her generation has just become the greatest of the Open-era and arguably of all-time. On Saturday, at the Australian Open, Williams won her 23rd Grand Slam singles title beating the record which Steffi Graff had held since 1999. Only Australian Margaret Court has won more singles titles (24) which came between 1960 and 1973.

It has been a long time coming for the younger of the Williams sisters, who burst onto the tennis scene in the late 1990s. At the US Open in 1999, Williams beat a flurry of title-winning players to reach the final there she played and beat the world number one at the time Martina Hingis to claim her first Grand Slam singles title.

However it was not her first Grand Slam title, by combining with older sister Venus, the sisters had won the women's doubles titles at the French and US Open.

The brilliance of Serena comes from both her physicality and mental strength. She is one of the fastest servers on the women's tour, dominating the first serve percentage points leaving her opponents with little room to return. Moreover, the rallies that she can produce in the most difficult of circumstances are unbe-

lievable. There have been many occasions when she has been a set down and needed to gather all the strength she can to force herself back into the match, channelling her aggression is one of her strengths. One of the most memorable instances of this was against Heather Watson at Wimbledon in 2015, when the 'Serena Slam' was being threatened - this was when Williams won the four tennis majors consecutively starting with the US Open in September 2014 and finishing at Wimbledon in July 2015.

After completing her own slam, Serena was sitting on 21 Grand Slam singles titles and so close to the record held by Graff.

However, in the last year the competitiveness in the women's game has increased dramatically with Angelique Kerber rising to the fore again, as well as the likes of Garbiñe Muguruza reaching the latter stages of tournaments more often. The seeded players in tournaments are more aware of those who are not with plenty of shocks occurring throughout all of the tournaments.

After losing in the Australian Open to Kerber, it was a rematch in the Wimbledon final for Serena to equal Graff's record and this time she succeeded. A few injuries, a disappointing Olympics

and a US Open semi-final exit later, Williams was ready once again to play for that 23rd singles Grand Slam title. Whether it be a romantic turn of events or complete coincidence, the Australian Open final was a battle that had not been seen for many years - the Williams sisters playing one another for the title. I remember watching the Wimbledon finals of 2002 and 2003 when they battled it out on court, Serena won both matches but Venus knew how to frustrate her opponent.

This final was no different.

The first set saw double faults, multiple breaks of serve, unforced errors and a broken racquet.

Eventually, Serena got the upper hand in the first set to lead 6-4 and started to take control in the second, although not capitalising on the break points on offer thanks to Venus' stalwart resilience. Still it was the younger sister who won the second set 6-4 and in that, the match and her 23rd Grand Slam singles title. If you include the doubles titles won with her sister alongside the singles, Serena has won 37 Grand Slam titles - an amazing achievement.

In the 18 years between her first and latest title, Serena has had many ups and downs on the court. She has achieved the 'Serena Slam' twice, won four gold med-

als, 37 Grand Slam titles and been world no. 1 for a record number of weeks in total. Serena has achieved so much but the drive and determination behind her success is still there, there is ample opportunity for her to become the greatest and set a new level of greatness for others to look up to.

Grand Slam Titles Singles: - Aus Open: 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2017 - French Open: 2002, 2013, 2015 - Wimbledon: 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016 - US Open: 1999, 2002, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014 Doubles: - Aus Open: 2001, 2003, 2009, 2010 - French Open: 1999, 2010 - Wimbledon: 2000, 2002, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2016 - US Open: 1999, 2009

Sport

Friday 3rd February 2017

@redbricksport

37

Redbrick Sport: International Away Days

From Madrid to Barcelona, Prague to New York, Rebrick Sport share their best experiences of away games and sporting events across the globe

Nathan Jacobs

Nancy Frostick

Harry Wilkinson

Sport Writer

Sport Online Editor

Sport Print Editor

My friends and I were interrailing and wanted to experience a European football club. We checked fixtures and Sparta Prague had a Champions League qualifying first leg against Malmo on our friend’s birthday (who actually dislikes football) but we told him this would be great. And it was. 4-2 to Sparta Prague, it finished. The atmosphere was sensational. They have a set of ultras, but not Crystal Palace -esque ultras. Their singing was sensational, and they proceeded to burn some sort of flag, spreading this smoke/fire across towards the main stands. It was safe to say I was quite concerned but all the locals around seemed unmoved as if it was commonplace. Quite ridiculous really, considering I have to take bottle lids off before going in to Old Trafford! A great experience and the only downside was that they lost the second leg 2-0 and failed to qualify on away goals...

Brøndby Stadium

Vicente Calderón

My European football experience came in July 2015 when I saw Southampton’s pre-season friendly against Feyenoord in Rotterdam.

The match was brilliant - mostly because Saints enjoyed an emphatic 3-0 win, which would set my hopes far too high for our ensuing campaign in Europe. De Kuip is a monster of a stadium inside and out, and you can sense there are some pretty feisty games there – not least because we were frisked on the way in, but also because you get trapped behind glass in the away end like a zoo animal.

Meanwhile, the home fans were happily setting off flares – go figure on the security plan there.

Considering we’d just raided Feyenoord of Ronald Koeman, Graziano Pelle and Jordy Claisie, the home fans were pretty friendly (flares aside) – and we were even treated to one of only three goals we’d see our new £5 million flop Juanmi score in a Saints shirt.

In March 2012, on a football tour with TNS academy, I had the coveted experience of seeing Barcelona B play against Alcorcón in Liga Adelante at Mini Estdadi (the 15,000 capacity stadium dwarfed next to Camp Nou). The game finished 3-2 to Barca, the second of their goals being assisted by Gerard Deulofeu, who moved to Everton in 2015. The ticket had no fixed seat, so at halftime we decided to move next to the Alcorcón away support: a total of 11 fans. We outnumbered them 3 to 1. The look of contempt and confusion on the Alcorcón faithful as thirty Welsh teenagers chanted “We love you Barca, we do” was something quite unique and beautiful to behold. For all they could have guessed we could have been singing the same chant about Amy Childs (woman from that Essex thing); and, by chance they did, they would have eventually been correct.

"At half-time we decided to move next to the Alcorcón away support: a total of 11 fans. We outnumbered them 3 to 1" Sam Harrison Sport Writer

I went to an NFL preseason game between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots in New York. It was a very different experience to live games in Britain, as everything is on a much larger scale. The stadium is a short distance outside the city, with much more parking, and a larger capacity than most club grounds in the UK. It was also much more social, with people talking through most of the game, because American football stops every four to five seconds. In the crucial moments of the game, however, the sound was deafening as the fans got behind their team, even though the game meant very little.

NY Metropolitan Arena

"The fans were incredible, the performance was mesmerising, and the weather was perfect"

Generali Arena

De Kuip

Mini Estadi

Dan Steeden

Tim Ramsland

Sport Print Editor

Sport Writer

My best foreign football experience came at the Vicente Calderón Stadium, where I witnessed Atletico Madrid's 5-1 victory over Real Betis last season. Several things made this game special the fact that crowd favourite Fernando Torres opened the scoring, the fact that the Rojiblancos managed to score five goals in a game, but most of all the fact that I got to play table football against my girlfriend in the VIP section of the Calderón at half-time. This was a regular league game around the middle of the season but the Atleti fans, myself included, stayed for an hour afterwards to sing songs that included very few of the words I had learnt for my Spanish A Level. The fans were incredible, the performance was mesmerising, and the weather was perfect. Oh, and as someone who believes that Antoine Griezmann is an angel, seeing him score twice and set up another was further confirmation of his divinity.

"The booooys from Vestegnen!".

A blue and yellow sea is moving back and forth delivering waves of passionate claps to the pulse of the chant. The stadium is packed with energetic fans roaring at the top of their lungs to inspire their team - our team. Today is derby day, and on derby day there is no such thing as too much passion.

The match-up between Brøndby I.F. and F.C. Copenhagen, the "New Firm" derby, is the story of the old working class club against the capital's young rich kids, the biggest event in the Danish league.

That day, almost 12 years ago, I saw my childhood heroes of Brøndby - Daniel Agger, Johan Elmander, Jonas Kamper - humiliate our local rivals from Copenhagen by five goals to nil in a spectacular display of dominance. It is one of my clearest and most joyful memories.

Because it wasn't just a football match - it was so much more.

Generali Arena (Prague) De Keip (Rotterdam) Mini Estadi (Barcelona) New York Metropolitan Arena Brøndby Stadium, Vicente Calderón (Madrid)

38

Sport

Friday 3rd January 2017

@redbricksport

Spotlight On: Women's Cricket Sports Online Editor, Nicola Kenton, spoke to the vice-captain of women's cricket Georgia Brown to find out more about the club Nicola Kenton Sport Online Editor @Nicola_Kenton

The women's cricket club have one full team with 32 members of the squad. They compete in the BUCS indoor and outdoor competitions, playing in the highest BUCS Leagues. Birmingham competed in the Western indoor

division and finished top of the league after winning all six matches. They have successfully qualified for the semi-finals of the competition which will take place on February 12th with Sheffield, Durham, Loughborough, Kent, Southampton Solent, Exeter and Cardiff Met. Similarly to the men's teams, the women train at the indoor cricket centre at Edgbaston. They

train once a week on Thursdays, which includes a mixture of net practices and other skills. For the outdoor season, there is also a training session on Mondays at King Edward's school.

In terms of the outdoor season, it usually starts the week before semester 3 commences and preparation for this comes in the form of the friendly week, which is the last week of semester 2.

Obviously, the outdoor season clashes with exam season and this can cause issues; "It's not too bad, it serves as a nice revision break and allows you to not concentrate on exams all the time. However, there can be times when we lack numbers for games but we still compete even if we do not have full capacity."

continued to compete even though we did not have enough players one disadvantage of playing in exam season - however, other teams who had forfeited games were not allowed through to the semi-finals which resulted in us being there.

What happened last season?

The match we are most looking forward to is playing Loughborough in the semi-finals of the indoor competition. The rivalry against Loughborough is what everybody wants, and to be involved in a game against them will be great.

Last season we got to the semifinals of the outdoor championships without winning a game.

Unfortunately, we didn't play in the semi's but it was a spirited season and there were plenty of opportunities for everyone. We made the semi-final's because the club did not forfeit any games, we

What are the aims for this season?

This season we aim to be competitive in the outdoor games and win the majority of them. We want to help develop the cricket skill set of our members and to have fun, while getting other people into cricket.

What is the match you're most looking forward to playing?

What is the best thing about cricket?

I think the best thing is spending your day in the sun with good friends and watching people do well.

5 Reasons to Try to Women's Cricket 1) We have a lot of fun 2) It is a welcoming and friendly atmosphere within a team environment 3) We're open to all abilities 4) We're an easy-going club which allows time for members to be involved in other sports 5) You get to train at Edgbaston with the occasional England cricketer walking around The club are always looking for new members, so if you want to get involved then just use the contact details above!

Contact Details Club Captain - Jessica Ward Email - ubwcc1@gmail.com Twitter - UBWCC Facebook - University of Birmingham Women's Cricket

Brum Novices Win Gold at BUTTS Team Champs Rebekah Tipping reports on the continued success of UB Archery, this time at the BUTTS Team Championships On Saturday 28th January, three teams from Birmingham travelled to Nottingham to participate in the tournament that brings variety to the league each year: BUTTS Team Champs! The competition is different to the usual format shots at BUTTS and BUCS; the archers shoot a ranking round of 30 arrows at 20 yards on a 40cm target face, then compete in team head to heads on Beiter Hit&Miss style faces, where a hit scores one point and a miss scores zero.

Teams of three archers shoot six arrows, two each, and compete for the highest cumulative score over the course of 24 arrows per team.

In the ranking round Birmingham’s A Team, consisting of Francis Berti, Chris Avins, and Catherine Jackson, seeded 3rd (out of 14 teams) with a team score of 782/900. Birmingham’s B Team of Caitlin McCarthy, Tupa Guerra, and Elisa Gradwohl, seeded 5th with a team score of 733/900. In the novice category, Birmingham’s team of Amber Clark, Pam Quilang, and Alex Ridler, seeded 2nd out of 10 teams

Campus Sports Results January 18th

with a score of 504/900.

As the head to heads began, the target faces were replaced with Hit&Miss systems that consist of six discs, one per arrow, 60mm in diameter. All three of Birmingham’s teams cleared their first head to heads, but an unlucky run in the quarter finals meant that the A Team narrowly missed out in a place in the semi-finals to Nottingham A, losing their match with 12 points to Nottingham A’s 13. Birmingham B got through to the semi-finals, however, but were pushed into the bronze medal match by Warwick A. They were up against Loughborough A in the bronze medal match and put up a good fight, losing to 2nd seed to finish in 4th place.

Birmingham novices put on an incredible show, winning every single match, and eventually winning their gold medal match with 5 hits against Warwick! These archers have only been shooting for four months, and they have already turned into true professionals, keeping calm heads and making the whole club proud of them.

Next week, our archers will be travelling to Sheffield for the BUCS Indoors Northern Qualifier, keep an eye out for the results on Tamlyn Score!

Badminton (men's) 1sts 8-0 Sheffield Hallam 1sts Basketball (women's) 2nds 52-39 Wolverhampton 1sts Badminton (men's) 2nds 8-0 Loughborough 2nds Table Tennis (women's) 1sts w/o Cambridge 1sts

Netball 2nds 48-38 UoB 3rds Golf 1sts 4.5-2.5 Northumbria 1sts Golf 2nds 6-0 Warwick 2nds Tennis (women's) 1sts 6-6 Warwick 1sts

Sport

Friday 3rd January 2017

@redbricksport

39

Lockdown 2017 Preview Sports Print Editor, Dan Steeden, previews the most electrifying basketball event of the year as Lockdown returns to the Munrow this Saturday Dan Steeden

Flashback: Lockdown 2016

Sport Print Editor @DannySteeden

“Lockdown is the highlight of our season and the opportunity to showcase basketball at UoB is incredible.

The event gives us a chance to make basketball bigger, get people involved and provide a top quality event. We believe it is the largest indoor sports event at UoB", said the basketball men's team.

The third instalment of Lockdown will grace the Munrow this Sunday and bring with it the electric atmosphere and tremendously zealous home crowd that it has become famous for.

This event represents the pinnacle of basketball at UoB and is a momentous, dazzling occasion for all involved.

The Lions will face the University of Nottingham, who are down in 4 th place in the Midlands 1A league with four wins and three losses. By contrast, the Lions are flying high at the top of the league with seven wins, and head into the title deciding Lockdown game off the back of a huge win in a top of the table clash against Cambridge.

The Lionesses also top their table with an unbeaten run of six games in the Midlands 2A league and the quest for an invincible season marches on. The University of Manchester are also undefeated with six wins in the Northern 2A division, so this promises to be a great matchup in what truly is an elite friendly.

There are also performances to look forward to from the Birmingham Pussycats and the Hip Hop Society, as well as a bar to help you make it to postLockdown Fab where the festivities (and hopefully celebrations) will continue into the early hours.

This promises to be an electrifying evening with bags of talent on show, and provides the perfect opportunity to create a groundtrembling home-field advantage for the UoB players.

Pick up a ticket for just £2 and head over to the Munrow Sports Centre at 4:30 on Sunday to soak in the atmos-

University of Birmingham Lions 91-34 Aston Eagles

Look out for dreamy team captain Andy Salmon to replicate some of the form from his monstrous 30-point game at last year's Lockdown event.

Team captain Rochelle Mackenzie-Spooner is the one to watch, having thrived in her debut Lockdown appearance last year as an explosive point guard with pinpoint passing ability and lightning speed in transition.

The Lions won the tip-off and Lewis Davis put points on the board straight off the bat after some good ball movement.

Andy Salmon sunk a midrange jump shot but Aston hit back with some strong drives which forced an early Lions timeout – the coach’s chair making an early appearance.

Crowd pressure affected the Aston men more than the women and they missed four consecutive free throws. The lead changed hands multiple times with Lewis converting twice in traffic but both teams wasteful in offence and lots of travel violations called. Andy Salmon’s transition offence was fervent and he capitalised on some great hustle late in the quarter from the Lions, to spark a hot scoring streak. A full-court pass from Lewis set up Salmon for a buzzer beater layup to end the quarter with a 24-13 lead.

Between the quarters, a basketball prodigy crowd member drained a downtown shot from the stands, sending the supporters wild and giving the players a tough act to follow. Luckily, Reuben Strada sunk a three to start the quarter and the intensity picked up straight away. Peter Onubogu made an instant impact off the bench as a big offensive presence with rebounds and

There will certainly be some powerful drives on show from talented club captain Lewis Davis.

Badminton (women's) 1sts 6-2 Edinburgh 1sts Fencing (men's) 2nds 2-1 Nottingham 1sts Lacrosse (men's) 1sts 18-4 Nottingham 2nds Volleyball (men's) 1sts 2-3 Loughborough

Basketball (women's) 1sts 91-5 Derby 1sts Football (men's) 1sts 2-1 Nottingham 1sts Table Tennis (men's) 1sts 5-12 Derby 1sts Fencing (men's) 1sts 97-135 Warwick 1sts

put-backs. Andy Salmon and Nick Kitchen ran a fast passing offence and the Lions, like their female counterparts, experienced success with the 2-3-zone defence. Lewis Davis lifted the crowd with some huge drives to the basket Salmon continued his fast break scoring.

The UoB Hip-Hop Society kept the crowd energized at half time, before the basketball resumed and Reuben was fouled for three free throws. Matt Porter and Andy Salmon combined twice early on in the quarter with good hustle and quick offence, and a bounce pass from Andy through the legs of an Aston defender set Matt up for a sumptuous midranger jumper. Intense defence from the Lions forced several turnovers and Reuben’s euro step layup in transition showed the gulf in class between the teams.

The fourth quarter was an exhibition in all areas of the game from the Lions. Andy Salmon drained jump shot after jump shot from the wing to bring his game total to 30 points and Illo Gonzalez forced multiple steals as the Munrow crowd cheered for project 100 points. As Lewis Davis sunk a three and the crowd erupted, it seemed like Aston had given up hope. The Lions defence did not concede a single point in the quarter; ending the game with a monstrous 91-34 win.

Photo Credit: Nancy Frostick

03.02.2017 Alex Alton investigates the recent rise of Chinese football

Page 36 Redbrick Sport discusses their favourite away days abroad

Page 37

Lions See Off Smashers In National Badminton League Nancy Frostick Sport Online Editor

@nancyfrostick

Dan Steeden previews the third installment of Lockdown

Page 39 For more, follow us on Twitter:

@redbricksport

Birmingham Lions won their last home fixture of the season in the National Badminton League on Tuesday night, beating Surrey Smashers 3-2. A good crowd of badminton fans turned out for a tie that saw some of Europe’s best do battle, which included Surrey’s Team GB Olympic bronze medallist Chris Langridge. The Lions victory put them back at the top of the table, with just one more round of fixtures before finals day. Depending on results from the remaining round of matches, the Lions are in with a chance of reaching finals day in Milton Keynes on 8th February to defend their title as AJ Bell National Badminton League Champions.

The first match of the night was the mixed doubles between Birmingham’s Rasmus Fladberg and Mette Poulsen and Surrey’s Tom Wolfenden and Gabby Adcock. It was the Birmingham duo who came out of the blocks quickest, coming off better in some intense rallies to win the first game 9-4.

However, the momentum shifted in the visitors’ favour in the second game, with some adept play from Wolfenden ensuring they emerged victorious, 9-5.

The third was a much tighter affair, with the scores level for much of the game. The Lions eventually capital-

ised and earned a 9-5 win. By the fourth and final game, Birmingham had found their rhythm, and couldn’t be knocked off course despite a Surrey time-out. The home pair wrapped up the game and the match with a powerplay and a 9-4 victory.

Next up was crowd favourite and England number one Fontaine Chapman against Surrey’s Line Kjaersfeldt in the women’s singles.

Despite a nervy start, Kjaersfeldt managed to apply pressure to Chapman and force a few errors – however it wasn’t enough to derail her with Birmingham securing the first game 9-8. After a fall in the first game, Chapman looked to be moving more tentatively than usual and Surrey took full advantage by storming to a 9-5 win in the second.

The third game was a spectacle that proved Chapman’s credentials as England’s best – after falling 6-2 behind she fought back to 8-7 and used the power-play to wrap up the game 9-8. Despite putting up more resistance to the Smashers attack in the fourth game, the Lions lost out 9-6, taking the match to the fifth tie-break game. The final game reached 4-4, with the deciding match-point going in Surrey’s favour.

Lions’ captain Toby Penty took on Sam Parsons in the third match of the evening. The opening game was a close one – with the score reaching 8-8 before Penty clinched the deciding

point. Just as the Birmingham crowd had fallen quiet, Penty once again came from behind to secure the second game 9-6. Fresh from victory in the Swedish International, Penty continued a fantastic run of form this season by using his power-play to win the deciding game 9-4 and send the Lions into a 2-1 lead overall.

The women’s doubles saw Mette Poulsen return to the court for Birmingham with partner Jenny Wallwork as they played Surrey’s Gabby Adcock and Sophie Brown.

Surrey took the first game 9-8 in a close contest before the Lions managed to nullify the Smashers powerplay and secure the second 9-8. The third was a comprehensive 9-1 win for Surrey, with Adcock and Brown making few mistakes along the way and surging to a 9-3 win in the fourth to ensure victory in the match.

With two wins apiece for both teams, the fate of the tie rested on the final match of the evening in the men’s doubles. In the most one-sided match of the night, Birmingham’s Frederik Colberg and Rasmus Fladberg made light work of Chris Langridge and Tom Wolfenden. In an utterly dominant display, the Lions duo won 9-5, 9-3, 9-1 to send their team back to the top of the NBL table.

You can check out the interviews from the NBL on the Redbrick Sport YouTube channel.