Redbrick - 22th March 2013

Redbrick. Est 1936

Malia Bouattia President

Print. Digital. Mobile.

Dan Jaenicke VP (Sport)

15th - 21st February 2013 Vol. 77. Issue 1426. www.redbrick.me

Sean Farmelo VP (Housing and Community)

Poppy Wilkinson President

Tim Barsellotti VP (Sport)

Tom Wragg VP (Democracy and Resources)

Vicki Harris VP (Sport)

Mark Williams President

Molly Wright VP (Activites and Development)

#GuildElections13

Seven of these people will be your Guild Sabbatical Officers for 2013/14. Who will you elect?

Beth Clarke @beth__clarke

Hattie Craig VP (Education)

Jethro Lee VP (Welfare)

Patrick McGhee @patricksmcg

Josh Llewellyn VP (Housing and Community)

James Hughes VP (Sport)

Jennifer Kirk VP (Welfare)

The candidates for this year's Guild Officer Elections have been revealed. A total of 21 candidates have been nominated to run for the seven available sabbatical positions, while 16 people are running for the 10 non-sabbatical roles. Five candidates, Malia Bouattia, Areeq Chowdhury, Timothy Lucas, Poppy Wilkinson and Mark Williams are vying for the role of Guild President. Four candidates, David Charles, Sean Farmelo, Amy Hegarty and Josh Llewellyn, are contending for the position of Vice-President (Housing & Community). Six candidates are running for the role of Vice-President (Sports), including Tim Barsellotti, Vicki Harris, Sara Henderson, Dan Jaenicke, Sam Travell and current VPS James Hughes, who is running for a second term. Running for Vice-President (Activities & Development) are Elio Di Muccio and Molly Wright, while contending for Vice-President (Welfare) are Jennifer Kirk and Jethro Lee. Two candidates have only RON (Re-Open Nominations) to contend with, as Hattie Craig and Thomas Wragg are running unopposed for the role of Vice-President (Education) and Vice-President (Democracy and Resources) respectively.For non-sabbatical roles,

running for Disabled Students’ Officer are Ellis Palmer and Chames Zaimeche. Two candidates, Tracy Makale and Olivia Ogolo are running for the role of Ethnic Minority Officer. Running for LGBTQ Students’ Officer are Leilani Rabemananjara and Isobel Stevenson. Two candidates are running for the role of Home Students’ Officer, including Mohammed Mumit and Jagpal Pahal. Two candidates, Bihe Chen and Deborah Hermanns are running for the role of International Students’ Officer. Running for the role of Anti-Racism and Anti-Fascism Officer are Georgia Levine and Zarah Sultana. Four candidates are up against RON (Re-Open Nominations). Mae Rohani is running for Womens’ Officer, Erin Lee for Mature and Part-Time Students’ Officer, Roz Burgin for Community Action Officer, and Rachel Cavet for Ethical and Environmental Officer.

Redbrick will be covering the Presidential Debate on the evening of Saturday 2nd March. We will also bring you live coverage of the election season in association with Burn FM and Guild TV at www.guildelections.co.uk, a dedicated website featuring the latest news, videos and photos from the campaign trail and results night.

Sara Henderson VP (Sport)

Amy Hegarty VP (Housing and Community)

Timothy Lucas President

Elio Di Muccio

David Charles

VP (Activites and Development)

VP (Housing and Community)

Sam Travell VP (Sport)

Areeq Chowdhury President

RON Re-Open Nominations

It is that easy, being green...

Redbrick turns green in a Go Green Week special.

Not Just a one issue party// COMMENT// PAGE 6 Green gadgets// SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY// PAGE 17

Green issues// LETTERS TO THE EDITOR// PAGE 19 Go Green Week feature// FOOD// PAGE 26-27

Louise Warren

2 | 15th - 21st February 2013

Compiled by Jasmine Northover Weather by Heather Findley

@RedbrickNews MEDIA

HEALTH

Six arrested over new phone hacking allegations

Signs that Sars-like virus

spreads between people

Six ex-News of the World journalists have been arrested in London and Cheshire after police 'identified a further suspected conspiracy to intercept telephone voicemails'. However, a News International spokesman has denied that four of the six arrested ever worked for the firm.

NATIONAL

Negative results in Maddy lookalike DNA test CHINA

NORTH KOREA

China celebrates start of the Year of the Snake

Nuclear test attracts UN and US criticism The UN Security Council has unanimously condemned North Korea for carrying out its third, most powerful nuclear test. North Korea says it is responding to the 'continued hostility' of the US but President Obama has said it will only isolate North Korea further.

STORY OF THE WEEK

Pope Benedict XVI announces resignation The Pope has announced that he is to step down from the position towards the end of February. He attributed the decision to 'my incapacity to adequately fulfil the ministry entrusted to me'. The Vatican expects to appoint a new pope before Easter.

12 noon Saturday

NATIONAL

WEATHER

British fi rms raided in

horsemeat investigation

Birmingham forecast warmer weather

A West Yorkshire and Welsh slaughterhouse have been raided as officials investigate the scandal surrounding the mislabelling of beef products. The Food Standards Authority has suspended operations at both premises and promised a 'relentless' enquiry.

Saturday will be overcast with light winds and a risk of rain. The maximum temperature will be 8°c. Sunday morning will be misty, followed by sunny spells with highs of 7°c.

Next week will see drier, warmer weather; temperatures could reach 10°c.

Redbrick Editorial Editor Raphael Sheridan

Marketing Manager Eimear Luddy

Deputy Editors Lexie Wilson Owen Earwicker

marketing@redbrick.me

Digital Editor Chris Hutchinson Art Director Alexander Blanchard Photography Editors Anna Kirk Charlotte Wilson photography @redbrick.me

Music Editors Lily Blacksell Jonathon Milnes Josh Holder

Travel Editors Chloe Osborne Zara Sekhavati Will Spence

music@redbrick.me

travel@redbrick.me

News Editors Patrick McGhee Ashley Kirk Zahra Damji Beth Clarke

Television Editors Charlotte Goodwin Russell Webb Abigail Salter

Food Editors Izzy Gibbin Jemima Lovatt Gemma Bridge Lynette Dakin

news@redbrick.me

tv@redbrick.me

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Film Editors Natasha Lavender Aisha Bushby Josh Taylor

Science & Technology Editors Sam Atkins Andrew Spencer Tom Rich

Comment Editors Daniel Baird Elisha Owen James Dolton

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technology@redbrick.me

Multimedia Editors Molly Garfoot Matthew Hewson Max Powley

Arts Editors James Kinsey Rebekah McDermott Jenna Clake

Life&Style Editors Lucy Whife Megan Nisbet Megan Jones

Sport Editors Tim Pearson Felix Keith Matt Clark

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Junior Art Directors Lauren Wheatley Akhil Kothari Anita Baumgärtner Julia Jablonska

Proofreaders Naomi Baldwin Louise Curry Hannah Dove Lucy Haffenden Emily Hickey-Mason Ashley Kirk Megan Kissane Senior Editorial Rebecca Mee Assistant Bethany Prottey Isabel Mason Amy Saul Faye Simpson Sophie Tollet Emily Trivette Editorial Assistants Elizabeth Waind George Bearman Hannah Coates Alicea Francis Ellie Jarvis Ravina Khela Hannah Mason Ella Parsons Francesca Seabourne Ellie Smallwood Charley Ross

BUSINESS

Republic confi rms it is entering administration

Redbrick Guild of Students Edgbaston Park Road Birmingham B15 2TT 0121 251 2462 editor@redbrick.me Redbrick is printed through www.mortonsprint.com 01507 523 456 Advertising Contact Linda Langley in Guild Marketing on 0121 251 2524 Designed and typeset by Redbrick Copyright (C) Redbrick 2013 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.

Guild Elections.

A beginners' guide

2013

@beth__clarke

Starting on the 27th February and lasting 10 days, campus will play host to the the University of Birmingham's Guild Officer Elections 2013.

This year there are a total of 21 candidates running for sabbatical roles and 16 candidates running for non-sabbatical roles, a reduction from last year’s Guild Elections which saw 25 candidates running for the 7 sabbatical roles, while 14 candidates ran for non-sabbatical roles.

Sabbatical Officers, who receive a salary for their year in office, work full time in the Guild, while the non-sabbatical officers are volunteers who perform their role alongside their degree.

The Officer Team, which consists of Activities and Development, Democracy and Resources, Education, Housing and Community, President, Sport, and Welfare aim to provide the student body with a fair representation throughout the University in various different areas.

The non-sabbatical officer roles include: anti racism/fascism, community action, disabled students, ethical/environmental, ethnic minorities, home students, international students, LGBTQ, and women's officer.

RON (Re-Open Nominations) is available as a voting option to students, allowing those who do not wish to vote for any of the candidates running for a particular position to still participate.

Online News Editor

@fredherz

Campaigning Period 27th Feb - 8th March

12% 6%

Don't know what elections are

'Will you be voting in this year's Sabbatical Guild Officer Elections?'

82%

17 students voted

The President is responsible for the overall leadership and governance of the Guild, organising and motivating the officer team and upholding the interests of students. The President also represents the wider student body in national media.

Hustings VP Activities and Development

Yes

No

Redbrick asked students on its Facebook page to answer the question,

Freddie Herzog

Election Timeline

President

Beth Clarke News Editor

The role of the sabbs

www.redbrick.me/news | 3

The VPAD is responsible for supporting student groups and represents the interests of student committees. They also liaise with groups such as the Careers and Employability Centre to enhance personal development.

VP Democracy and Resources The VPDR oversees finances and democracy, ensuring that money spent benefits students. They are also responsible for communicating the Guild's message to the wider student body.

27th February, 1pm-5pm Mermaid Square (All positions) 1st March, 5pm-10pm Guild Council Chambers Candidate Question Time (Sabbatical positions) 4th March, 1pm-4pm Campus (All positions)

VP Education

Track the elections at www.guildelections.co.uk

Live updates throughout the election season on Twitter

The VPE works to improve the quality of university education including representing the interests of students at the senate, education committee and graduate school management board.

VP Housing and Community The VPHC improves and supports student accommodation, as well as liaising with the RA. They also work to encourage community volunteering and to support the Community Warden scheme.

Presidential Debate 2nd March The Debating Hall Evening (To Be Confirmed)

VP Sport The VPS represents student interests in sport and helps to lead University sport clubs and societies. They also maintain equal opportunities and improve the quality of University sports.

Collaborative content in association with Burn FM and Guild TV.

Analysis and policy information for every candidate

Keep up to date with all of Redbrick's election coverage at: @RedbrickNews #guildelections13

Voting 4th March 10am 8th March 4pm

VP Welfare The VPW supports university students experiencing difficulties by making help available on campus. They also protect and improve student rights, as well as supporting lifestyle changes to enhance student well being.

Results Night 9th March, 7.30pm The Debating Hall

4 | 15th -21th February 2013 Olivia Wilson OKWilson_

Selly Oak. Cannabis farm found

Kitty Hart-Moxon OBE speaks to students about her experiences of the Holocaust.

Oliver Norgate Reporter

Selly Oak Police

Careers.

Students set up tutoring business Zak Bentley Reporter

Sofia Karttunen

Oliver Norgate

Reporter

Reporter

@zphy92

On Friday 8 February, the University received a guest speaker, Kitty Hart-Moxon OBE, who gave her testimony of the Holocaust to the student audience. Hart-Moxon, now 86, is one of the few who survived the Auschwitz concentration camp and the ‘death march’ and is alive to tell the story today.

@Nuggy_

On Tuesday 5th February officers stopped four people on suspicion of possession of cannabis and searched under the misuse of drugs act. A small amount of cannabis was found and they left with just a warning.

However, on the same afternoon, officers had to deal with a cannabis factory found in the Selly Park area. Rooms within the house were being used to grow up to 75 plants, separate rooms for drying, and also a growing tent for ‘nursery plants’.

A male was arrested the same afternoon for the cultivation of the cannabis.

Testimony.

Holocaust survivor addresses students

@ZBentley1

A group of four University of Birmingham students have successfully launched a business with support from the University’s BSEEN (Birmingham Skills for Enterprise and Employability Network) programme.

Stutors4u allows students to sign up as tutors to local pupils in a bid to earn extra money while giving back to the wider community who cannot afford normal tutoring rates. It is based on an ‘education for everyone’ ideal, while helping their fellow students earn some needed money.

One of the four students, Max Braslavsky, a third-year History and History of Art student, told Redbrick that the help and advice from the people in the University involved in B-SEEN was the catalyst to the launch of Stutors4u. He said that B-SEEN ‘gave you all the information you needed to set up a business whatever your background was, particularly the one-toone consultation given.’

B-SEEN aims to turn viable ideas into businesses, which Braslavsky says was vital to Stutors4u as their ideas were developed by BSEEN into a strategic business plan. B-SEEN made the four students pitch their ideas in order to receive the benefits of the programme and work towards a successful reality.

Braslavsky stressed that a large part of what they wanted to do through the tutoring was to deliver back to the community in which they

live. Students would be ‘able to give something back to the community, something sustainable and lasting through education’.

Stutors4u also aims to create a scheme in which if pupils and their parents still find the rates expensive they would be able to join in a small class of multiple pupils for reduced prices.

Braslavsky said they aimed Stutors4u specifically at students because of the money they could earn without having to enter the incredibly competitive part-time job market,

'The aim is to turn viable ideas into trading businesses - running for at least 12 months to boost higher level skills and to create local jobs.'

The University of Birmingham

the flexibility they could work with in terms of hours and workload, while also building up a CV. B-SEEN is a six-month start-up programme aimed at University of Birmingham students, alumni and graduates living in the West Midlands.

On its website, the University of Birmingham states, 'The aim is to turn viable ideas into trading businesses - running for at least 12 months - to boost higher level skills and to create local jobs.' B-SEEN will be running another programme at the start of July 2013.

@Nuggy_

sorting Jewish men’s jackets, during which time over 500,000 people were killed in Auschwitz alone.

She shared with the audience how perilously close to death she came within that time period; only being saved by rare fortuitous circumstances and the sheer desperate will to survive.

'It is a big mistake not She summarised, ‘Somehow, had to live’. ‘It’s unbelievto talk about it.' one able that she survived’, some students said in amazement, it’s not even that long Kitty Hart-Moxton OBE ‘and ago.’

Kitty’s presentation was orMs Hart-Moxon, a British- ganised by the Holocaust EduPolish Jew, has devoted her life cational Trust and also supportto raising awareness of the Ho- ed by the Guild’s Anti-Racism locaust and has written a book Anti-Facism Officer as well as called 'I am Alive' in 1961. the Regional Ambassador of the She also took part in the West Midlands and third year documentary ‘Kitty: Return to Psychology student, Imogen Auschwitz’ 1978, a 25-minute Dalziel, who has been working extract of which was shown with the Trust and the Lessons during Friday’s presentation. from Auschwitz Project since She also regularly visits 2009. schools and universities across 'I am pleased with the the UK. With her own son having graduated from the Uniturnout. It shows that versity of Birmingham with people still care and a degree in medicine, she was particularly happy to give the this is relevant to totalk on Friday. day's society.'

She said the reception of her work was at first very negative and no one was willing to hear The Regional Ambassador of about what had happened. the West Midlands Responding to a question about whether it is sometimes difficult to talk about her ex‘I am pleased with the turnperiences, she said, ‘it is a big out,’ the Regional Ambassamistake not to talk about it. dor said about the University Take the subsequent war, for event. ‘It shows that people still example, in Bosnia. People care and this is relevant to tohave not learned anything.’ day’s society. Hopefully we’ll Describing her arrival at the organise a similar event in the Auschwitz camp as ‘My greet- future’. ing to hell’, Ms Hart-Moxon The project involves stuwas profoundly candid and dents from the participating open about her experiences dur- schools across the UK to attend ing that time period. seminars and a one-day trip to She gave a full account of Auschwitz-I and Auschwitzher story over the two hours, Birkenau. from fleeing her hometown Students are then required to Bielsko in Poland, up to her create their own project within liberation by the Americans in their local community to pass April 1945. on what they have learned and what lessons can be passed on 'Somehow one had to from their visit.

Kitty herself admitted, it live.' is As impossible for new generations to truly comprehend quite took place during the HoKitty Hart-Moxton OBE what locaust. However she gave a movingly honest insight into She discussed the eight the experiences she endured, months she spent working next which was thoroughly apprecito the crematories in the camp, ated by everyone present.

www.redbrick.me/news | 5

City. £150m casino complex to open at NEC

Genting

EU Budget.

Aofie O'Connor Reporter

@Aofie2705

Work has begun on a £150m Casino Complex named Resorts World on the NEC site after being given the go ahead by Solihull Council’s planning committee on March 26th of last year.

Genting, sponsors of Aston Villa, is behind the development.

The seven-storey complex will include a hotel, restaurant, cinema and shops, giving rise to 1,750 construction jobs during the scheme. The finished complex would offer a further 1,100 jobs. The complex will cover 538,000 square feet.

Paul Thandi, chief executive of the NEC group said it would ‘make a significant contribution to the local economy. We are genuinely proud to be officially starting construction work on the Resorts World Birmingham. Our partnership with Genting marks an important step in our wider vision to make the NEC site more of a destination and the place where people come to discover the future’.

However, some people have warned the new casino could create more gambling addicts. Jim Orford, a Professor in Clinical and Community Psychology at the University of Birmingham claimed the new casino would be putting ‘the local population at risk.

‘A few years later you do find that the rate of gambling problems affecting individuals and their families has gone up in the neighbourhood.’

The Birmingham project is one of eight casinos which have been approved by the Casino Advisory Panel. The complex is due to be completed in 2015.

Anna Kirk anntidykirk

How it could affect students Sofia Karttunen Reporter

@zphy92

In early February, European Union leaders gathered for a budget summit to decide on the spending for the near future. Among the issues discussed was the Lifelong Learning Programmes including the ERASMUS student exchange programme, which is of relevance to many students, including at the University of Birmingham.

The programme enables higher education students to study or work abroad, normally as a part of year abroad degree programmes. The European Commission offers students monthly grants between €270-370 to contribute to the extra costs of studying abroad.

Preceding the budget summit, many students signed a petition to show their support of the ERASMUS programme. Fraternité 2020, Europe’s first Citizens’ Initiative, is aimed at making more funds available for the EU exchange programmes and giving more EU citizens the opportunity to spend time in another member state. This is to ‘contribute to a united Europe based on solidarity among citizens’ and to ‘develop intercultural skills’. The petition has a target of reaching 1 million signatures before 1 November 2013.

The EU budget summit held last weekend seems to show a green light to some of the proposals. In the academic year, 2013/2014, the EU said it will be able to provide around

280,000 ERASMUS student grants. Every year, approximately 240 University of Birmingham students take part in the ERASMUS scheme and over 250 ERASMUS students are welcomed to Birmingham.

The draft budget agreed in Brussels has been welcomed by many current and former ERASMUS students. Irene Chinellato, an ERASMUS student from Italy recalls her experiences at the University of Birmingham last year: ‘My principal aim of applying for the ERAMUS Exchange was to improve my English and thanks to the programme, my language skills have improved considerably! The experience also gave me an opportunity to meet people from many countries. I think there is nothing better for a student like me than getting closer to the rest of the world and sharing and learning about our cultures and traditions. The University of Birmingham was very well organised!

ERAMUS was one of the best experiences of my life and I really hope anyone else to be as lucky as I’ve been!’

The president of the Guild of Students, David Franklin, commented on the news: ‘One of the great things about ‘international universities’ such as Birmingham, is the way in which they bring together students from all over the globe to campuses, to live and work alongside each other. The ERASMUS scheme is at the forefront of these international exchanges, the development of which can only be a good thing for promoting cross-cultural understanding within Europe and the wider global community.’

Council forced to cut

£615m in spending Sofia Karttunen Reporter

@zphy92

Birmingham City Council has been forced to save £615 million by 2017. Up to 1,000 jobs are expected to be lost over the first two years amid a plan to save an initial £102 million.

According to Labour council leader Sir Albert Bore, the move comes from ‘hugely significant’ government cuts. Funding for areas such as home to school transport, early learning centres, IT centres and spending on children’s homes are all targets for these cuts.

The council is also planning to introduce a £35 charge in early 2014 for garden waste collection. The council will no longer supply black and green waste sacks to residents, which they claim will save £1m annually over the next four years.

Sir Albert Bore unveiled a letter written to local government Sec-

retary of State Eric Pickles, which protested that the savagery of the cuts risks ‘creating a financial crisis that threatens the economic and reform agendas’.

This was co-signed by several council leaders across many large UK cities.

Local Government Minister Brandon Lewis responded that ministers have been ‘repeatedly clear’ this was a ‘fair settlement to all parts of the country: rural or urban, district or country, city or shire’. Mr Lewis went on to say local authorities with ‘significant reserves’ were ‘crying wolf and letting their residents down’.

However, Sir Albert said Birmingham's reserves were already lower than they should be and were not an option to help prevent further cuts. He also claimed that the cuts were ‘significantly greater’ than Mr Pickle’s department had anticipated.

6 | 15th - 21st February 2013 @RedbrickComment

Common Misconceptions In celebration of 'Go Green Week', Political Commentator James Phillips proves the Green Party is more than a single-issue group.

It is a horrible misconception of the Green Party to take their name literally and assume that they are a single-issue party – that is to say that their policies are always, at the very least, tenuously linked to environmental policies.

However, this is not the case.

There’s no denying that the environment is at the core of a lot of Green policies but despite this, the Greens have a vast manifesto full of policies on education, crime and personal economy. And, unlike other smaller political parties such as UKIP, their policy focus is not one that can easily be solved in one policy change.

The Green Party is essentially a left-leaning party with Socialist ideals; similar to the Labour party before it abandoned its roots and repositioned itself under Blair’s New Labour. It’ll be impossible to talk through all of their manifesto points in 600 words, but we can at least look at some of their biggest policy areas.

The basic Green Party policy page alone outlines their attitudes towards the

banking system, health system and employment issues. The Green Party offer support for policies that attempt to make society a more equal arena, for example, a 'living wage' as a new minimum wage which they predict would be around £8.10 an hour.

One specific section on young people states 'we think it’s unfair that young people are demonised for hanging around on our streets' and then goes on to promise more spending on youth services and free travel on off-peak buses for those under 18 or in full time education. Furthermore, their extended manifesto highlights policies relating to the equality of those who define as LGBTI, women and disabled. They also have a keen focus on further democratising democracy by extending the right to vote to those aged 16 and 17, and changing the voting system to proportional representation for both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, and allowing a right to recall your MP. Of course, it would be

deceiving to talk through the Greens’ manifesto points without whipping out their environmental policies. As environmental policies make their way into mainstream politics of the three main parties, it is often questioned what more the Green Party has to contribute to the field; some argue that there are only limited, realistic ways of achieving an environmentally friendly society. It is, in fact, the opposite of this; although the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats do offer environmental policies in their manifestos, these are quite often easy to complete and more anthropocentric (to conserve what is for human consumption).

In contrast, many of the Green Party’s policies can be interpreted as ecocentric (focused on the welfare and value of nature).

Using the credible source of Wikipedia, we only have to look at the party’s encyclopaedia entry to note

that they are not simply an Environmentalist party, but are often attributed the characteristics of being republican, progressive, democratic, socialist and soft Eurosceptics. Upon Natalie Bennett’s successful election in August 2012, she announced that the UK needed 'investment in homes, investment in jobs, investment in energy conservation, renewable energy and public transport.' This clearly shows that, although the party does have an Environmentalist focus, they have room to focus on the wider social and fiscal issues that the

people of the nation find important. If you find all of this surprising, visit www. voteforpolicies.org.uk and you will see most participants have discovered that the policies of which they most agree with are those of the Green Party.

Try it yourself – choose four policy areas and choose which you most agree with; see what party you should be voting for.

The fact that you won’t be able to spot The Green Party’s environmentalism in every area shows that they are not just a single-issue party.

Tweet us your thoughts @RedbrickComment #GoGreenWeek

www.redbrick.me/comment | 7

The End of Old Joe Redbrick Comment Editor Dan Baird looks at the impact the outgoing Pontiff has made on the Catholic Church The announcement was made earlier this week that the current Pontiff, Pope Benedict XVI resigned from the Papacy on grounds of health and old age. Pope Benedict, or Joseph Ratzinger as he is less commonly known, has been Christ’s minister on Earth for the past 8 years and what a ride it’s been.

He is a Pope who has presided over one of the most conservative, fundamental Churches in modern times.

During his reign he has overseen various scandals in the Church, including most notably the child abuse scandal that occurred and is still occurring. He was a figure that was never afraid to offend more liberal Catholics I decided that in light of Ratzinger’s resignation, I would review some of his greatest hits as Pope and beforehand. In 2003 Ratzinger was Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (known as the Pope’s enforcer) when the child rape scandal originally broke. He wrote a letter to the Catholic priests of the world ordering them on pain of excommunication not to talk to the police and that the investigation should be handled in the most secretive way, protected by perpetual silence.

When speaking of the Leader of the Mexican Legion of Christ, Marcial Maciel, he said that, and this is a direct quote, ‘one cannot put on trial so close a friend of the Pope’. For his crimes against children, which are too awful to mention, he was ‘sentenced’ to a lifetime of prayer and penitence. Ratzinger then had the audacity to refer to the whole thing as ‘causing suffering for the Church and me personally’ and the way to stop things like this happening in future was to ‘stop homosexuals being allowed into the Church’. He also commented that ‘it is a very severe crisis which involves us in applying the most loving pastoral care’. I’m sorry but the most loving 'pastoral' care has already been applied by these ministers of the Church; it would be foolish to allow them a second chance.

Ratzinger also took his chance as Pope to refine a couple of definitions of the church. Homosexuality was viewed

in the doctrines of the Church as a ‘disorder’. Ratzinger decided this definition was not a forceful enough approach and redefined homosexuality as ‘a moral evil’. It beggars belief that in a modern, enlightened society that an individual can refer to homosexual people as being morally evil. I find it strange also that he is a celibate that has the audacity to lectures on family values.

That is the thing about the Pope and also the Roman Catholic Church, they are absolutely obsessed with sex, more so than anyone who has a healthy approach to it as a basic human instinct.

However, this is a Church that has the tendency to be fairly loose with moral evils. Such examples include the African slave trade, the preaching of anti-Semitism as an official doctrine of the Church and the Augustinian concept of Limbo. These were once regarded as good policy and doctrine, but then with a wave of a hand and the stamp of a seal these eternal truths were no more. How much more climbing down are the Church expected to do?

Another idea that is repeatedly perpetuated is that although the existence of AIDS in Africa is a problem, the existence of condoms is an even greater issue. There is an initiative in Africa to try and stop the spread of AIDS called ABC. This is abstinence, be faithful and correct use of condoms. This Pope however, is not satisfied at this attempt and he spreads the lie that condoms actually increase the instance of HIV/ AIDS and makes aid to organisations conditional on them saying no to condoms. This policy of the Church I believe to be one of their most shameful, they are not part of the solution, they are part of the problem.

However, at the moment we are coming up to a particularly lucid state of affairs. With Ratzinger’s resignation coming so suddenly the conclave of the College of Cardinals will not be able to meet until later this month. Up until this point there is no one on Earth who claims to be infallible. Isn’t that lovely?

8| 15th - 21st February 2013

Once Upon a Time A tale by Redbrick commentator Olivia Beesley ‘Once Upon a time’ These are familiar words that we all recognize as an introduction to narratives that always end ‘happily ever after’. But what if I were to tell you that ‘Once Upon a time’ did not always indicate a happy ending? Not too long ago, the story of The Little Mermaid ended in suicide and Sleeping Beauty was a victim of rape. These may seem like blunt words concerning such treasured children’s stories - I can almost hear the outcry of parents everywhere at the unveiling of such realities. But perhaps this is exactly what children need - not necessarily stories of rape and suicide, but stories of reality.

Since the creation of fairytales, it seems that writers, editors and directors have painted these stories into illustrations of comfort rather than caution. The original narratives of the Brothers Grimm were brutal ‘warning tales’ for children, but since then, there has been a large ‘Disneyfication’ of these narratives - The Wolf no longer devours Little Red Riding Hood and good undoubtedly conquers evil. This is taken for granted. But are these ‘safer’, updated versions more appropriate for today’s children?

After watching the movie, ‘Where The Wild Things Are’ I realized that there was a fine and fragile line between the hairy, ten-foot beasts protecting people and eating them in flights of passion. While many parents were outraged at the twisted narrative of this film, I suggest that darker movies present opportunities for children to face more controversial realities, such as the danger of wild emotions. Inside comfortable cinemas, holding their parent’s hand, children can experience controlled danger, rather than being thrown into the deep end concerning the real dangers that they will battle in their own lives.

English author, Sir Terry Pratchett, famously said that the oldest and greatest stories are ‘sooner or later, about blood’. While bloody stories are intriguing ones, they are also the most useful stories that our society can hear. When has a kiss ever woken someone up from a coma?

Despite what we wish, the answer is an unequivocal ‘never’. At the risk of sounding like an ogre, I stand by the belief that these ‘happy ever after’ endings do not reflect the realities of our world.

It seems that the more useful stories are cautionary ones of truth. These are the narratives that we should be exposing the next generation to.

In danger of alarming parents, I propose that the most protective action we can take is to expose realities to children at an early age. While ‘exposing to protect’ may seem like a contradiction of terms, when has wrapping a child in cotton wool ever prevented them from being bruised in later life? If anything, this allows for a more fatal wound in the future. It is inevitable that children will escape from the utopian bubble that parents have created for them.

Perhaps I am being too harsh? Or maybe we are becoming too protective. Surely a more realistic representation of the world will equip and prepare children to tackle the real issues of society. In real life, they will be battling problems of inequality and injustice, not dragons and mythical creatures. So why not substitute these issues in today’s fiction? Even if the reality is a bit Grimm.

@Oliviabeesley

10| 15th - 21st February 2013

Does Subway have a place in the Guild?

Charles Moloney Subway, with their slogan ‘Eat Fresh’, has always promoted itself as the ‘healthy’ fast food option. Nutritionists have since argued that this is entirely untrue, and you only need to go far as the Subway website to find this out for yourself.

Subway’s Meatball Marinara 6” sub is actually worse for you in terms of Salt and Carbohydrate content than a McDonalds Big Mac, scoring 2.2g and 49g respectively against the Big Macs 2.1g and 41g.

That’s ignoring the additional ingredients in the ‘tasty Marinara sauce’, which comes free on the recommended sauces list. Even on the “6 grams or less” menu the food which you are offered is by no means healthy. According to 100daysofrealfood the 6” Black Forest Ham Sub includes chemical additives, refined bleach flour, preservatives, artificial colours, hidden MSG, Nitrates and refined sugars. Subway is by no means the healthy fast food option.

However, we have Subway in the Guild of Students, whereas I very much doubt that a McDonalds would be able to slither its way in. Surely this means that we still believe what Subway tries to suggest about their food, with the pictures of vegetables and leaves tacked on

to their wrappers, despite all of the evidence to the contrary.

Sometimes if you are in the reception at the Guild, you may notice that almost without exception everybody is eating something from Subway. I feel that we need to question whether or not the Guild of Students is an appropriate place for a big corporation whose marketing department has clearly decided that we are a target demographic audience who can be manipulated.

Inside Subway we are told to “Make it a meal” by adding crisps and a drink on top of our sandwich. There is such an unashamed and obvious attempt at deception at work here that it insults our intelligence. I need to make it clear that I am by no means suggesting that students are unaware that Subway is an unhealthy choice, what I am saying is that we are wilfully allowing ourselves to be duped by not questioning, or even demanding the possibility of an independent student food outlet.

This being said, we have Joe’s bar, conveniently placed directly next-door to Subway. Joe’s is furnished as you might expect a student haunt to be, with pool tables, sports constantly on various TV’s, and an accommodating atmosphere with comfortable

sofas. Surely this is what we want to invest our money into, something which represents what we value as a community.

We are essentially a society of academics and intellectuals, who have come to university to exist in a place of learning amongst other students. A Guild TV presenter said, in the Guild TV’s introductory tour video of the Guild “the Guild is our student union, and is here to represent the student body, rather than the academic life of the university itself”.

I found that this was selling us a bit short. The student body is the academic life of the university itself; we are a vibrant and influential force, with a lot of potential.

I feel that we should view the Guild, as our space which symbolises what we are about, as too sacred to house one of the many talons of a faceless and soul-destroying corporation whilst it peddles its processed and imported garbage. The University, the Guild and we students should do all in our power to make sure that Joe’s bar provides us with the healthy, quality, affordable choices that students deserve, rather than bowing to the power of a chain like Subway.

News Views Tony Stark. The decision by Italian magazine Chi to publish bikini pictures of the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge has drawn criticism from St. James Palace who have called the pictures 'an invasion of privacy'.

This particular magazine, owned by Italy's (I will say colourful) ex Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, has not had the best working relationship with the royals over the years. From being one of the first magazines to publish topless photos of Kate Middleton late year to also being the first to publish pictures of Princess Diana as she lay dying after the Paris car crash. The British press kept a low profile not daring to antagonise before the government begins talks on press regulation.

MEDIA

HEALTH Selina Kyle. Well it's a fact, Coca-Cola is bad for you.

However, it may only become an issue if you consume over 10 litres per day as happened in the case of Natasha Harris, a 30 year old woman from New Zealand. The coroner's report into her death stated that she had developed cardiac arrhythmia, a condition when the heart beats too fast or too slow. Naturally Coke aren't that happy at the findings of this report and have tried to make it clear that the findings of the coroner were not 100% conclusive, but still pretty likely. Just to add a few stats 10 litres of Coke is twice the daily recommended amount of caffeine and 11 times the recommended amount of sugar.

Elisha Owen. 'I love Hitler...People like you would be dead. Your mothers, your forefathers would all be fucking gassed.' This horrendous comment left fashion designer John Galliano disgraced two years ago. Celebs like Natalie Portman expressed their horror, Dior dropped him and the world of fashion fell sheepishly silent for a while. However, his legacy is all but extinguished.

Galliano is set to return this season, at New York Fashion Week. It is frustrating that a world with ridiculous views on the physicality of women, is extremely forgiving when it comes to flaws among its own. The fact that his talent has succesfully overshadowed his immoral views once again highlights the ineptitude of this industry to address real issues.

MEDIA FASHION

GENERAL MEETING A General Meeting (GM) of the members of the Guild will be held at: Vaughan Jeffries Lecture Theatre, on Tuesday 26th February at 6pm.

This meeting has been called following the adjournment of a previous General Meeting (Monday 26th January 2013). Proxy votes from the previous meeting will not be carried over.

All members of the Guild are invited to attend. At the meeting you’ll be asked to vote on six proposed special resolutions:

2

3

INCLUSION OF A REQUIREMENT TO HOLD GENERAL MEETING ONCE A YEAR

A CHANGE TO THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS REQUIRED TO CALL A GENERAL MEETING

CHANGES TO THE COMPOSITION OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

4

5

6

REMOVAL OF THE POSITION OF UNIVERSITY TRUSTEE

CHANGE TO THE PROCEDURE FOR ELECTING STUDENT TRUSTEES

ADMINISTRATIVE AMENDMENTS TO GOVERNING DOCUMENTS

1

please see guildofstudents.com/gm2013 Unable to attend? Nominate a proxy voter by downloading the form online and returning to the Guild no later than 6pm on Sunday 24th February. Full instructions of how to complete the form and return it can be found online.

Enquiries: gm@guild.bham.ac.uk

12| 15th - 21st February 2013

The Cadbury lectures are off to a flying start this year. Every year, esteemed academics in the field of Theology and Religion come to the University of Birmingham to give lectures on these topics, and on Tuesday 29th January 2013, Mark Goodacre gave his lecture, ‘Myths of Mary and the married Jesus: how popular culture is affecting scholarship’ to an

a prostitute, a writer of secret Gospels, and many other things besides. Most of these arguments he managed to unravel in his hour-long lecture, and it left me wondering how, and, more importantly, why these myths have emerged. What is it about her role in the story of Jesus that made people so threatened that they had to call her a prostitute, despite a lack of any Biblical

and Jesus, including one brought to media attention last September by Professor Karen King.

However, very few of these ‘secret’, recently discovered scrolls have been found to be genuine artifacts from the time of Jesus’ life – some have glaring inaccuracies that can place them in a much more modern context – so can we base our entire attitude towards this

general consensus has arrived at one of the most unlikely conclusions, i.e., that she was without doubt a prostitute.

The whole wife-ofJesus argument seems to have been almost unanimously disregarded after Tom Hanks told Audrey Tautou that she was Jesus’ long-long-longlong-very-long-lost granddaughter, and yet people are still certain that Mary

Magdalene, if that WAS her real name, (highly unlikely, if I may say so), and she has been blamed for all the actions of the women-who-sin featured in the various Gospel accounts.

It’s all there in the book itself – how is it that devout followers of said text have come to misinterpret her character so drastically?

The lecture was

Religious Correspondent Meg Tapp reviews UoB's recent lecture by Mark Goodacre, exploring the myths of Mary Magdalene. enthusiastic crowd. Both funny and incredibly informative, he held everyone’s attention and taught even the most learned of listeners a thing or two.

His lecture raised some interesting points about how the woman commonly known as Mary Magdalene has been transformed into a wife, the carrier of a blood-line,

evidence for her being so?

Why, when the modern versions of the Bible are built, to some degree, on shaky translations, are some people so certain in asserting that she was definitely his wife?

There are, of course, a plethora of ‘secret’ or ‘lost’ Gospels that are claimed by some to hold all the answers about the relationship between Mary

woman based on texts that are less than historically sound?

Professor Goodacre – a Brit now working in Duke University, North Carolina – analysed a wide range of cultural adaptations of Mary, from scholarly certainties to Jesus Christ Superstar.

There are such varied versions of her character, it is a wonder that the

charged by the hour.

Nothing in the Bible says that she was. Indeed, it seems very likely that a number of women mentioned in the Gospels seem to have merged in the public psyche to become the woman we know as Mary Magdalene.

The exploits of other women have been attributed to Ms

delivered with humour and panache, and this article is certainly a testament to the lasting effect it has had on this listener. The other lectures are sure to be just as thought-provoking, so I would encourage anyone with even the slightest interest in Theology and Religion to go along to any of the up-coming talks.

News Views Dan Baird. Earlier this week Pyongyang once again had it's finger on the nuclear button. An underground test in the north of the country has had the UN Security Council scrambling to deliver yet another wrist slap to the pariah state. The real question however, is China willing to do anything to reign in North Korea?

China accounts for the largest portion of North Korea's trade and foreign investment so a shut off from the Chinese would fundamentally cripple the regime. The problem with the sanctions on North Korea is the effect that they have on the ordinary people. With all the country's money being funnelled into the nuclear programme is it hard to see where the people's relief will come from.

NORTH KOREA

USA Owen Earwicker. Obama's State of the Union was an opportunity to weave strong Democratic liberal policies into his final term. In the next four years he can be truer to his politics and push through the more progressive economic policies needed for America's recovery. However, in a largely domestic-orientated address, the focus was on how Obama would deal with gun control. In the wake of Newtown and Hadiya Pendleton, the president gave an emotional pledge for tighter restrictions. But there was little assertion. 'They deserve a vote', were the words; 'they deserve a yes vote' was the hope. Gun control is by no means an easy discussion. But the president was not bold in his opportunity to push for an easy answer.

James Dolton. On Monday, Joseph Ratzinger, who is also known by his snappy moniker of "Pope Benedict XVI" shocked the world by becoming the first Pontiff in 600 years to resign. He cited old age and ill health, and at 85 it is difficult to argue that these are not problematic factors to successful Popedom. However it is equally difficult to argue that these are not factors that have not affected every other Pope who all instead merrily clung to the post until their dying day. Given Ratzinger's uncompromising views on homosexuality and female priests, is his exit a gateway to the Catholic Church embracing progression and tolerance?

Regrettably, almost certainly not.

RELIGION

R E C I F F O D L I U 3 G 1 0 2 S : N S N O O I I T T C C E L E E L E E H T T U RE ABO O M T U O FIND

ASK THE CANDIDATES! candidates and what they would do if elected.

Presidential Debate

Deb Hall on Saturday 2nd March

Hustings on Wednesday 27th February Square

Hustings University Square

FOLLOW THE ELECTIONS ONLINE! guildelections.co.uk

#guildelections13

M A 0 1 T A H C R A M 4 Y A D N O M : S VOTING OPEN ses: Friday 8 TH

Voting clo

th

click on the elections link to go straight to the e-voting web page.

14| 15th - 21st February 2013 @RedbrickLifeStyle

Galliano's Return: Susie Dickey

'I love Hitler...People like you would be dead today. Your mothers, your forefathers would be fucking dead, fucking gassed.'

Life&Style Writer

It was the scandal that shook the industry to its core and had icons lining up to disassociate from John Galliano; the man who shrouded a world-renowned fashion house in disgrace. Galliano’s antiSemitic verbal explosion led to his impromptu dismissal from Dior, and from his own namesake label, John Galliano.

Karl Lagerfeld was amongst the faces that were unable to shield their disgust at the British designer, ‘I’m furious, I’m furious that it could happen. It’s a horrible image for fashion.' Former close friend, Israel-born Natalie Portman, was quick to express her horror, ‘As an individual who is proud to be Jewish, I will not be associated with Mr. Galliano in any way.’

It seemed like the end of a career that had revolutionised couture, a legacy extinguished by a gross act of callousness. However, two years later, €6000 in compensation poorer, and significantly humbled, Galliano is set to make his return at New York Fashion Week, sheltered under the wing of Oscar de la Renta. In what has been hailed to be one of the most anticipated shows at NYFW, it seems the fashion world has been quick to forgive Galliano’s indiscretions.

He has been openly supported by renowned eccentric, Patricia Field, who waxed lyrical about Galliano at the Concept Korea show.

‘He brought the House of Dior back, and the repayment to him for what he did was disgraceful,’ as well as British Vogue editor Alexandra Schulman, ‘I am delighted John's returning to fashion.’

There can be no doubt that Galliano’s work has been extraordinary; he propelled an aging Dior into a world of theatrics, elaborate sets, exaggerated make up, and outlandish, breath-taking couture, and it would appear that his two year repentance is more than enough to satisfy the industry.

The world that will forever condemn a crime against fashion is apparently more than willing to forgive a crime against the fashion industry. One thing is clear: the impending union of de la Renta’s romanticism with Galliano’s trademark eccentricity will have to be nothing short of spectacular in order to cement the former icon’s resurrection.

One egg fried rice, one mascara and a sparkle pallet please... Marianne Lampon Life&Style Writer

Fierce Victoria Haworth Life&Style Writer Award Season The award season is well and truly upon us and we are all ready to get in on the hype. Time to start rating the best dressed at the BAFTAS and making our predictions for the Academy Awards.

The Varsity Jacket The preppy hype is back, this time with the All-American Varsity sports jacket; the perfect transition into Spring-Summer 2013.

Chinese New Year Time to bring in the year of the Snake with a week’s worth of Far Eastern celebrations. Take-away, anyone?

Holiday shopping The British weather is officially vile: time to start thinking about escaping it all and heading off somewhere hot.

STA Travel is a must.

Monochrome Stripes Black and white block patterns are dominating the Spring-Summer 2013 high street, not only in single shade ensembles but also with zebra stripes in tow.

Public Humiliation If you think your most embarrassing moments are bad, at least you haven’t fallen down the stairs on Take Me Out. Chris Brown Chris Brown has once again hit the headlines on the eve of the Grammys after crashing his Porsche into a brick wall, supposedly trying to escape from paparazzi. What is it with this guy and pre-Grammy drama?

GlossyBox. Introducing the beauty service which delivers five miniature beauty products straight to your door in a pretty gift box for as little as only £10 a month.

There are different subscription plans available to suit everyone, however, subscribers can be the first to try new and exclusive beauty products, with personalised selections and combinations each month. With over 150 beauty brands at GlossyBoxes disposal, subscribers can expect to receive products from the likes of Nails Inc, Burberry Beauty and Elizabeth Arden, to name a few. Customers can also view the contents of previous boxes online – the January 2013 box was all about Detox for example.

There is also a special edition Valentine’s box out for that all important date or a great night out with the girls, gogogo!

BirchBox. Originating in America, BirchBox has recently taken over Joliebox in order to deliver the amazing beauty service in the UK. This box contains not only beauty products but also lifestyle and wellbeing products such as green tea and hot chocolate sachets, providing a wide range of goodies that will appeal to all tastes and preferences. The box also includes the Birchbox magazine, which incorporates useful beauty information, tips and tricks, as well as a handy drawstring bag to store the premium sized products.

Expect to receive luxurious treats form the likes of Lindt chocolate, L’Occitane, Yardley, O.P.I, Olay and teapigs also.

Birchbox have giftcards available and the chance to build up loyalty points, which you can later exchange for real money rewards to spend on the website.

AmaryaBox. Amarya’s beauty box focuses on giving their customers the chance to discover organic and natural beauty products.

The boxes often contain full size products as well as trial sizes and samples, so it is a great buy in terms of value for money. Also, by subscribing, customers get the chance to win free products and receive exclusive offers just for customers.

The packaging follows and accentuates their focus on all things organic and natural, with the products placed in a simple cardboard box, filled with shredded tissue paper.

With products from brands such as Pukka, Weleda, Botanicals, INIKA and terre d’Oc, the Amarya Beauty Box is great for those who want to try natural and organic products for the first time, or simply discover new ones.

Ugg Boots Realistically, these boots have been finished since 2010, but people still insist on wearing them. True, they do make a comfy slipper, but let’s keep it that way.

Snow It was fun the first time round, but now the cold weather has really outstayed its welcome. Bring on summer!

Valentine’s Day It’s finally over! Once again we can enjoy being single without the green eyed monster leering at all the happy couples; well not so much anyway.

Finished

www.redbrick.me/lifestyle |15

The Virginity Taboo...

Since coming to university in September, I’ve noticed that virginity appears to be a strange issue among students. I guess I just can’t help but wonder how many people are drinking in games of I-have-never and laughing along to their flatmates jokes about ‘romantic’ encounters gone wrong, when in reality they really can’t relate.

It just seems bizarre that people should be embarrassed or ashamed to tell their friends about making the completely fair decision not to sleep with someone before they reach their 20s. I attempted to Google how many students on average are virgins, but there are no clear statistics. Obviously people feel the need to lie. But why is this necessary?

It seems people are free to compare how many notches they have on their bed posts, or to discuss the gory details of the encounter they had with the boy/girl they brought home last night, but God forbid they’ve chosen not to take part in an activity that is, let’s be honest, extremely intimate.

My issue is not that people have a range of sexual partners, in fact I’d be just as happy to write a piece defending that decision, but I think people should be able to feel just as comfortable and accepted among their peers if they have decided not to sleep with anyone yet.

I’ve seen people laughed at when they’ve awkwardly admitted to being a virgin and their friends’ immediate reaction often seems to be to go on some sort of mission to get their friend laid as soon as humanly possible. I just don’t see why; virginity isn’t some sort of contagious disease that needs to be cured before it spread.It’s a Esme Myers choice. Nobody should feel defined by the Life&Style Writer decisions they’ve made surrounding sex.

In the wider scheme of things, it really isn't that important

Confessions: How I Bagged My BF Anonymous Life&Style Writer

There’s one question that we all go over and over in our heads and realise that there is no correct answer. That being; what should or can we do to get a boyfriend? There’s no denying that I’m a girl who enjoys the romance of a relationship.

Therefore, when I finally said goodbye to my ex-boyfriend after what can only be described as a majorly unsuccessful trip to Venice, I spent a summer filled with failed attempts to snatch up a guy ultimately being forced to venture out on my own into the world of independence.

This wasn’t for me.

I decided that enough was enough. So when the New Year came I agreed to meet up with a guy named Charlie that I had spoken to a few times in lectures.

He seemed nice, dressed well and to be perfectly honest, I was in no position to turn down the first offer of a date in four months. Everything went perfectly. From dinner at the Mailbox to drinking countless cocktails in the Jewellery Quarter, the evening was faultless, and finished off with a kiss as he dropped me back home; old-fashioned movie style romance to say the least.

However, this charming story took a turn for the worst on the following Thursday when I was convinced to ‘go all out’ at Mechu. After taking advantage of the 2 for 1 deals and dancing to numerous songs that could make anyone feel as though they owned the place, I soon realised that I was in extreme need of just having a wild night with someone completely new. It was obviously the only answer. I whipped out my phone and sent a horrifically misspelt text to Charlie, asking him to ‘meet me outside the club in five minutes’. I may as well have had ‘one-night stand’ stamped across my forehead. But one steamy night wasn’t what I was looking for. I wanted the fairly-tale relationship and not just a quickie that would fade as swiftly as we forget that drunken trip to Roosters on the way home.

So, I gave Charlie an ultimatum. I simply said that I was not prepared to sleep with him unless we were exclusive. He must have been extremely sexually frustrated because to my horror, I woke up the next morning, not just with a horrific hangover, but also with a new BF. The worst part; I have absolutely no recollection of anything and had to face the poor boy’s humiliation as he explained how we arrived home, the whipping off of my dress to reveal thought out underwear (I clearly went out with every intention of not returning home alone), and undressed him whilst undergoing a good straddle before landing the awkward ‘girlfriend’ conditional idea. Ooops!

16 | 15th - 21st February 2013

@RedbrickSci&Tech

Body Talk

Research into Fear and Panic offers a Cure for Anxiety Susie Dickey Writer

We take a look at some of the latest research in biological science.

Getting physical with cancer Soumya Perinparajah Writer

‘The challenge is now to unify all three pictures – chemical, genetic and mechanistic.’

These are the words of the physicist Paul Davies in his 2010 article in Physics World.

He is of course talking about cancer - the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. This condition has already taken millions of lives, with a cure yet to be found.

At present, the three main methods adopted to kill the cancer cells are surgery, radiotherapy (exposing the cancer cells to radiation which induces mutation and therefore cell death), and chemotherapy (treatment with drugs). While giving many side effects, including the characteristic hair loss, these methods of treatment do relieve symptoms.

However, they do not actually cure the disease and thus in some cases, the cancer can persist. Interestingly, it is exactly this viewpoint that the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) believes is wrong, as cancer cells do not just magically appear. Rather, it is normal pre-existing cells of the body that due to mutation become cancerous and therefore pathogenic. Therefore, every person in the world has the capacity to potentially develop cancer.

The NCI’s recent endeavours embrace the third point mentioned in Paul Davies’ quote; the mechanistic picture. This refers to the physical properties of the cancer cells and how they change as cancer progresses, including electrical, optical and elastic properties. For example, chromatin, an important component of DNA that is found in the nucleus of cells, follows Newtonian mechanics, and is likened to an elastic string.

Orchestrated by its deputy director Anna Barker and blessed with an annual budget of $35m, the NCI’s five year plan has already begun with the creation of Physical Science-Oncology Centres in major US research institutions. These are melting pots of physical scientists, mathematicians and engineers, as well as biologists. The hope is that this eclectic mix will encourage the union of ideas and research techniques that will make advances in cancer treatment. Progress is steady, and the collaboration between scientists is paving the way for fascinating research.

For example, one of the projects being conducted by Arizona State University’s Physical Science-Oncology Centre investigates chromatin, and how changes in its structure cause cancer cells to change shape. By attaching a recognition molecule to the tip of a specialised microscope, cells that contain abnormal variant forms of chromatin can be detected. In combination with high-resolution images of chromatin, the effects of the abnormal chromatin can be seen on the shape of the nucleus and of the cell.

In the words of Paul Davies, here’s hoping that ‘By looking at an old problem with fresh eyes, some radically new ideas might emerge.’

Located in the brain’s medial temporal lobe, the amygdala is an almond-shape set of neurons linked to both fear responses and pleasure. Previous research had indicated that the amygdala was the main source of fear in the human mind. However, a paper published earlier this month has shown that this is not the case, and could therefore hold the key to treating anxiety conditions.

John Wemmie, associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Iowa published a paper in 2009 in the journal Cell on how mice responded to fear. His research showed that the amygdala can detect carbon dioxide to produce fear, and a similar response was expected in humans. However, UI researchers have been working for years with a female sufferer of Urbach-Wiethe disease, a condition that causes extensive damage to the amygdala, and the results have offered invaluable insights into where fear comes from. The patient, known as SM, had not felt terror since getting the disease as an infant, and still seemed incapable of fear after years of being confronted with experiments involving snakes, spiders, horror movies, and other external threats including being held at knife point. The turning point came when she was confronted with an internal threat, and this is when it was discovered that the human response was entirely different to that of Wemmie’s mice.

SM and two other victims of amygdala damage were asked to breathe in a mixture containing 35% carbon dioxide- a commonly used experiment for inducing a brief bout of panic.

Shockingly, the patients took a breath, and quickly had the classic panic-stricken response expected of patients without brain damage: their heart rates spiked, they gasped for air, and they tried to rip off the inhalation masks.

Unlike the mice, a different part of the human brain was detecting the carbon dioxide and producing fear. Afterwards, the patients described the feeling as ‘panic’, a sensation that was entirely novel to them.

An identical test was then conducted on twelve completely healthy patients, and by contrast, only three of them displayed a similar response to the amygdala-damaged patients. This suggests that a healthy amygdala, whilst being closely associated with fear, might actually inhibit panic.

“Information from the outside world gets filtered through the amygdala in order to generate fear,” Dr. Justin Feinstein, clinical neurologist says, “On the other hand, signs of danger arising from inside the body can provoke a very primal form of fear, even in the absence of a functioning amygdala.” The paper has proven that other regions of the brain, such as the brainstem, diencephalon, and insular cortex, could sense the body’s most primal inner signals of danger when basic survival is threatened. As a result of this groundbreaking discovery, the newly discovered pathways could become new targets for treating panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other anxiety-related conditions.

Be sure to check out more science and technology articles online at:

www.redbrick.me/tech

www.redbrick.me/tech | 17

Top 5 Green Gadgets USBCell

Andrew Spencer Science and Technology Editor

@AndrewSpencer93

GreenZero

3

This eco-friendly charger turns off when the device plugged in has been fully charged. The large button is pressed to start the charging process and then switches itself off on completion, saving a great deal of energy that is usually wasted in the average household by devices being left plugged in.

5

This battery can be plugged into a computer by usb to be recharged.

It is a great eco-friendly on-the-go piece of technology which takes about five hours to charge completely from flat battery. It serves as a good replacement for traditional disposable alkaline batteries.

Luci

4

The luci is an inflatable solarpowered lantern. It is very easy to take around because it is collapsible and so durable.

Generating a fair brightness of 1200 lumens for up to twelve hours, by harnessing the light from the sun, it is expected to serve well in the developing world and in the wake of natural disasters.

PowerTrekk

2

Powertrekk is a water-powered charger for mobile phones, cameras and GPS devices. As well as adding water to the charger, a disposable Powerpukk fuel cell is required for each charge, to combine with the water. The fuel cell itself is fairly expensive, and while this device is very clever and is certainly greener than using an electric charger, it may need some work before serving as an ‘energy anywhere’ device.

Nest Nest is a self-programmable thermostat that, unlike traditional thermostats, learns the best times and the best temperatures to heat up the house. The device takes into account when the owner tends to change the heating and uses various sensors to create a personalised temperature schedule, saving energy by avoiding unnecessary usage.

1

18 | 15th - 21st February 2013

@RedbrickArts @RedbrickArts

Review

LIZ ROCHE

BODY & FORGETTING

"THE CARVING,

graceful and some-

times deliberately TREMBLING

composition illustrated everything about BODY & FORGETTING that cannot be written or spoken but only shown."

Thursday 7th February Liz Roche returned to the UK with her company to perform Shared Material on Dying (previously performed at The Southbank Centre, London and at Capitol Nights Festival, Liverpool) and the UK premiere of Body and Forgetting (premiered at The Dublin Dance Festival 2012).

Now, the title in itself begs questions and Roche’s intention seemed at first one that could not be clearly explained.

The description explained the dancers as

those who ‘look to each other for company and protection as together they face the unknown’ in the first half.

The audience was faced with three dancers, dressed in black, dancing in silence for twenty minutes. Nearing the end of the first half they simultaneously crouch down and dip their hands into clear goblets of red food colouring, rubbing it over their palms. The whole twenty minutes was everything about modern art that causes its isolation from the audience. Not only was it needlessly conceited, the dancing was exaggerated and at moments not in sync. The only emotion that watching dancing in silence brought forth is boredom.

During the second half, however, the reason why Roche’s choreography has gained

such success became clear. Both film and music were incorporated with the dancers to create a vision of both Body and Forgetting.

At the back of the stage images of a long corridor containing dancers were projcted, with the dancers on stage mirroring them.

A strong sensation of forgetting was created, accentuated by objects scattered on stage which one particular dancer kept picking up and then dropping, retrieved by the other dancers.

The carving, graceful and sometimes deliberately trembling composition illustrated everything about Body and Forgetting that cannot be written or spoken but only shown. This is only emphasised by the small utterances of the dancers that can be barely heard and deliberately not described as anything distinctive.

The music, composed by Niall Roche, was both haunting and effective and the dancing needs it to be truly effectual. The second half was both mesmerizing and meditational, reaching out to an audience who has no choice but to understand Rebekah McDermott Roche’s intentions.

www.redbrick.me | 19

@RedbrickPaper

With our Go Green Week special, we selected two letters for publication addressing green issues we recently covered.

Letters to the editor.

Green issues

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20| 15th - 21st February 2013 @RedbrickMusic

Oxfam Outreach Presents Rainbox 2013

On the 9th February, Anthony Keen headed to The Rainbow in Digbeth for Oxfam Outreach's annual showcase of local talent.

Anthony Keen Music Critic

@AntyFace

Rainbox is an annual event organised by Oxfam and hosted at the Rainbow. The night had a selection of up-and-coming artists, all of whom were playing for free, Rainbox being a charity event. I saw four out of the five acts playing.

Every act was given around a half-anhour set.

Benjy CJ was the first act, and started the night off nicely with an acoustic set which consisted of a few of his own songs combined with a few covers. As the night was only just beginning, the crowd was sparse but Benjy wasn’t discouraged, and proceeded to perform a strong set. His own songs ‘Hungry Days’ and ‘Hummingbird’ were highlights, as well as his rendition of ‘Let

Me Entertain You’, which I’ve never heard acoustic, but it worked very well.

If anything, it was a shame that he didn’t quite have the crowd that he deserved.

The second act was my personal favourite of the night, partly due to the fact that I was not expecting the happygo-lucky sound explosion that was their opening song ‘The Way You Make Me Want You’. The best description would most probably be ‘Noah & The Whale on crack’. A four-piece band, with a piano, drums, violin and guitar, The Musgraves’ super upbeat music was catchy, and the addition of piano and violin really made it stand out from other bands of the same genre.

Number three on the line-up was the fusion band JamTidy, consisting of a sax, bass, drums, electric guitar and acoustic guitar. Their music was a mix

of jazz and rap, with a bit of reggae thrown in too. They too had an extremely strong act, with the room packed and the whole crowd quickly joining in with the choruses.

You don't see bands like this everyday, so when they surface they're a real precious commodity While at times the lead singer was left to simply dance around until a song’s chorus (the acoustic guitarist also handling vocals), the band worked

well together and were instant crowd pleasers.

Antelope was the fourth and final act that I saw at Rainbox, and for me, they were the perfect end to the night. The band was verging on an orchestra with eight members in all – vocals, drums, bass, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, trumpet and trombone. Together they created a beautiful jazz vibe, accompanied by the superb soul vocals of their lead singer Taan Parisse. You don’t see bands like this every day, so when they surface they’re a real precious commodity.

Rainbox 2013 was an excellent showcase of talent from acts that people should really keep an eye on – any one of them could receive their rightly-deserved big break this year. The fact that all the acts were performing for charity only sweetened the deal.

Single Review.

Gabrielle Aplin - Please Don't Say You Love Me Gabriela Quattromini Music Critic

Gabrielle Aplin, A.K.A the hauntingly beautiful enigma of last Christmas’ John Lewis advert is gearing up for the official release of her single ‘Please Don’t Say You Love Me’, the first off of her highly anticipated debut album ‘English Rain’. This song epitomises everything that the UK music scene is proud to say they have sown.

The 20 year old Bathonian’s inimitably distinctive, velvety tones waltz through a narration of warmly worded lyrics, with a backdrop of folk guitar riffs and quirky piano solos gently

weaved in, decorating the song with a kind of melancholy that even the likes of Laura Marling would envy.

‘Please Don’t Say You Love Me’ offers a refreshing glimpse into a backwards world where love songs are fashioned into anti-love songs, but still make us yearn for that happy ending.

Gabrielle has exposed the muse behind this song as being from the indietreasure ‘500 Days of Summer’, but insists that the film only sparked inspiration and it is not utterly about Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt's cataclysmically dysfunctional romance.

www.redbrick.me/music | 21

Album Review.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Push The Sky Away

Susie Dickey Music Critic

@SusannahDickey

With their brilliantly original and upbeat debut album Tourist History being described by critics as showing ‘sporadic flashes of greatness’ by BBC Music and ‘mixing Bloc Party’s guile and wisdom with a pop sensibility not normally associated with modern-day guitar orientated bands’ by Drowned in Sound, Two Door Cinema Club were always going to face challenges when it came to a follow up. While it’s true that their second offering, Beacon, has received mixed reviews, Paste magazine seems to have hit the nail on the head, labelling it as ‘not a step up from Tourist History, but rather a brother to it.' But it could not be considered anything less than a triumph when they stormed the stage of the O2 Academy on Saturday night.

The crowd was kept entertained by well-chosen support acts Swim Deep; Birmingham’s own up-and-coming indie rock band, and Bastille; whose potentially risky yet ultimately awe-inspiring cover of Cornona’s ‘Rhythm of the Night’ evoked dropped jaws and enthused dancing. However, when Alex Trimble loped onto the stage with a relaxed gait and a shy grin, the room erupted. It became evident just what a cult following the trio have secured, and by the end of the gig, it wasn’t surprising. Rarely does a band maintain such an electric atmosphere which showed no threats of lulling throughout the two hour set, and this can be attributed to the band’s addictive vigour and

Lily Blacksell Music Editor

@LilyBlacksell

If you don’t know much about Australian band Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, watch Cave’s 1996 collaboration with Kylie Minogue ‘Where the Wild Roses Grow’ on YouTube. It is representative of neither the band’s usual style nor Australian culture, but it is quite an experience. I would also recommend you listen to Push the Sky Away, due for release on 18th February 2013. It’s an album of nine strong, sombre songs that together create an atmosphere only a face as hang-dog and a heart as dark as Nick Cave’s could get away with.

The opening track and first single ‘We No Who U R’ has been sending shivers along our radio waves for a few weeks now, and the wonderful and contemplative slow burner ‘Jubilee Street’ will follow. Other stand-out tracks include ‘Higgs Boson Blues’ and ‘Mermaids’. Whilst the songs are slow enthusiasm; their energy and passion is one rarely seen in today’s increasingly apathetic music scene, and it made for an exceptional performance.

Seamlessly blending tracks from Beacon with the material from Tourist History, the music was supplemented with flawless pyrotechnics and impressive stage lighting, which served to accentuate the raw musical talent of Trimble, Halliday, and Baird, rather than detract from it. New singles ‘Sun’ and ‘Next Year’ had the women licking their lips, and the cougars sharpening their talons. While the progression from Tourist History to Beacon was evident; the lyrics more insightful, the chords more polished, the tracks complemented each other beautifully, and the addition of bonus track ‘Costume Party’ added an element of whimsy. As the set drew to a close, all three were drenched in sweat and smiling like proud schoolboys, the thundering applause of the crowd a testament to their success.

The encore kicked off with ‘Someday’ and concluded with ‘Come Back Home’ and ‘What You Know’; three irresistible tracks only made more enjoyable by the release of balloons into the crowd, bringing the show to a phenomenal finish. Two Door Cinema Club have done the impossible, created an entirely unique sound whilst remaining utterly unpretentious, with an endearing charm that one can only hope will remain unsullied on their inevitable climb to success.

and long, do not mistake them for background music. This album cannot be appreciated without undivided attention, so don’t listen whilst, I don’t know, doing a Medieval English close reading exercise, or something.

The band's trademark darkness has earned them a sizeable cult following Whether appearing as their side project Grinderman or the good old Bad Seeds, the band have a focus on debauchery and moral turpitude in their music.

It is this trademark darkness that has earned them such a sizeable cult following, that and the fourteen previous studio albums and lengthy tours. There’s

no doubt that the gloom comes across on Push the Sky Away, addictive and repetitive guitar riffs piled high with shuddering violins and backing vocals make sure of that, as do some great lyrics such as “I got love in my tummy and a tiny little pain, and a ten ton catastrophe, on a sixty pound chain” in ‘Jubilee Street’.

However, some lyrics do a little less to uphold the vibes. At one point, Cave sings the words “I got a foetus on a leash”. Have you Nick? Really?

‘Water’s Edge’ includes the chant “you grow old, and you grow cold”, in which case they all must be pretty chilly.

I mean no disrespect, and I do really enjoy the album, but being sinister for the sake of it does jar a bit.

Our musical age is swarming with the rejuvenated old guard, and I think it is of paramount importance that they make sure what they are saying, or singing, or playing is not only worth a listen, but something that needs to be heard.

Live Review.

Two Door Cinema Club O2 Academy Birmingham

22 | 15th - 21st February 2013 @Redbrick @RedbrickTV

Period Dramas

Yasmin Jones-Henry TV Critic

Mr. Selfridge vs Ripper Street Some people play World of Warcraft... others watch period dramas. In the end, it’s all about escapism. Yep. I’ve analysed it and considered it in great detail – for approximately thirty seconds - and that is my conclusion. These are exciting times for the period drama fan. Both the BBC and ITV are at loggerheads, thrashing it out during the Sunday 9pm slot, same time every week – for the next month or so. The programmes on offer: Ripper Street (BBC) and Mr. Selfridge (ITV).

Ripper Street is set in 1889 Victorian London under the shadow of the Jack the Ripper murders. It is something of a combination between Criminal Minds and CSI. Only there are no mobile phones, white coats or CCTV cameras. If you thought that NCIS or CSI were a little graphic, where post mortems are concerned, Ripper Street takes graphic to another level. This is not for the faint hearted. There will be moments where the viewer will be forced to look away. The scenes of sexual violence are disturbing and the autopsies may have a few stomachs churning - but do not let this deter you. One of the virtues of this programme is that it is wholly unpretentious. Its objective is to illustrate a cross-section of

Jenny Porter TV Critic

the crime and poverty that ravaged the East End of Victorian London. It is also the quality of acting that makes this programme worth watching.

The hero, Det. Insp. Edmund Reid is played by Matthew Macfadyen (Pride and Prejudice, Anna Karenina) and his character is the don. He gets the job done.

His character is likeable, credible and vulnerable; comparisons to Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes end after the initial bare knuckle boxing scene. Unlike Sherlock, Reid presents London with a detective that is less of a mad scientist, and more of a human. His sensitivity to human suffering and his constant questioning of the reasons as to why humans perform such acts of depravity, adds a level of pathos and depth to the narrative.

His character is accompanied by his right hand man Det. Sgt. Drake - a lean, mean, criminal-beating machine - whose one-liners provide some comic relief amidst all the grime and grief. Then, last but not least, is the final member of this formidable trio. Captain Homer Jackson, the ex-army surgeon/coroner and something of a ladies man (to put it politely).

His character is dangerous and magnetic, and his swagger makes him irresistible to

all that cross his path.

Then there is Mr. Selfridge. Set in an entirely different universe – this drama is a biopic of the luxury superstore’s founder. This little treasure is a shopaholic’s treat. Jeremy Piven (Entourage) plays the lead role, and is arguably one of the main attractions. However, if you have seen the BBC’s rival adaptation The Paradise, Mr. Selfridge may leave you feeling a little underwhelmed. Jeremy Piven’s Mr. Selfridge has been cut from a different cloth to Emun Elliott’s Mr. Moray. There are no loveable characters in this ITV drama, only caricatures. But, if you genuinely wish to see how the superstore in Oxford Street was conceived, Mr. Selfridge is worth watching for this reason alone.

So, for those of you that have been lost in the wilderness that is television in 2013, and you are in search of an alternative to fill the void that has been left in the absence of Downtown Abbey; search no more. Whether it is a thrill that you seek, or fashion that you desire, Ripper Street and Mr. Selfridge will have something to offer for every viewer.

If you thought that NCIS or CSI were a little graphic, where post mortems are concerned, Ripper Street takes graphic to another level.

This is not for the faint hearted.

If you genuinely wish to see how the superstore in Oxford Street was conceived, Mr. Selfridge is worth watching for this reason alone.

Top 5: Hangover TV

5. Africa The wild card, no pun intended.

The beautiful scenery and images are a far away vision from the night before. This is purely for the soothing tones of David Attenborough; just imagine his narration of your night’s escapades and they won’t seem nearly as bad.

4. Family Guy For those with perhaps the more crude sense of humour, this American animated sitcom is funny, random and easy to watch without much concentration. The episodes are built upon wanton cut-aways that can really brighten a dark hungover morning.

www.redbrick.me/tv | 23

Brain Doctors Hannah Lloyd-Davies TV Critic

When I sat down to watch the first episode of the three-part BBC documentary Brain Doctors, I knew it would not be easy viewing. As a psychology student, I know that any disorder involving the brain is normally very difficult, if not impossible to sort out. Depressing I know. But I persevered, and despite getting a bit tearyeyed in places, I was ultimately amazed by the work that the neurosurgeons and nurses were able to do.

The episode followed three neurosurgeons, focusing on Dr Jay Jayomohan, a doctor who, despite the urgent and sad nature of his work, displayed a real love for his job. It was amazing to watch him carry out extremely complex brain surgery whilst listening to music and having a relaxed, eloquent conversation with the camera crew. It was as if he was screwing in a light bulb when he was actually trying to extricate a malfunctioning shunt that had become entwined in the blood vessels of a

young girl’s brain. It was stunning.

Other moments were difficult to watch. Witnessing a mum admitted having collapsed due to what was later discovered to be a massive tumour that had permeated her brain was truly a w f u l .

H o w e v e r, the extensive surgery carried out to give her a few weeks extra time with her family was truly remarkable. The neurosurgeon literally sawed her skull open – not a sight for those who are squeamish, but the surgery was a success, giving her precious time with her loved ones. Other patient’s plights were more uplifting:

Dancing on the Edge Yasmin Jones-Henry TV Critic

Adam, a sixteen year old boy who came home from school with amnesia was a baffling case. However, his memory loss was quickly remedied with surgery that very evening, which will probably have fixed that particular b r a i n problem for t h e rest of h i s life.

Another was a dad who regained his movement after being initially left paralysed by a flu-like virus. These stories are a testament to the leaps and bounds we are making in tackling problems of

The street is bathed in darkness. A shadowy figure dressed in a top hat and a theatrical cape leaps across the road, concealing himself in an empty doorway. Dodging unsuspecting pedestrians, this mysterious man slips into a dilapidated house, ducking and diving as he makes his way up the stairs – all the while the viewer never sees his face. The camera follows his every move. This attempt to build suspense or create curiosity fails as the viewer is left feeling very dizzy and very confused. (Dizzy and confused – remember these symptoms, they may recur as the viewer perseveres in watching this drama).

With blood on his hands and fear in his eyes, this character turns to face the camera and declares ‘I’ve got to get out of the country’. Duh Duh Duh!!! Who is he? What has he done? Where are we?

Bring on the flashbacks. The narrative unfolds in retrospect. This mysterious figure that gazes at his black and white headshot is revealed. Meet Louis Lester: leader and chief musician of the Louis Lester Band.

Dancing On The Edge depicts the successes and failures of a fictitious allblack jazz band that take the 1930’s London music scene by storm. The char-

3. Reality 2. Big Bang TV Theory Geordie Shore, The Valleys, The Only Way Is Essex or Made in Chelsea; take your pick. Their outrageous and often just disgusting behaviour should reassure you that no matter how awful last night was, it could have been, so, so much worse.

It is almost inevitable that this will be on at some point throughout the day, and with the loveable characters blissfully unaware of social norms and consequent awkward social situations and dry humour, this is perfect hangover TV.

the brain, which only decades previously would have been a death sentence for most people.

The most hard-hitting aspect of the programme was how hard the doctors and nurses work to ensure their patients get the best care. Working long nights on call with the “occupational hazard” of a patient death if any sleep-deprived mistake is made. This was reassuring to see, considering the extensive news coverage of the huge failings in patient care at Staffordshire hospital. However, the fact that nurses, over-stretched in every way, were not only having to focus on patients but manage a ward without enough beds, was a stark reminder of how much the NHS still needs to improve.

Overall, the documentary was aweinspiring, and gave me a new respect for the healthcare professionals who deal with the most challenging and important area of the body.

acters are meant to be loosely based around 1930’s celebrities such as Duke Ellington – the legendary Jazz musician who performed in London, and the Prince of Wales, aka the man who married Wallis Simpson.

Ambition is the buzz word in this series, and what the creator and director Stephen Poliakoff has undertaken is without doubt an ambitious enterprise.

Chiwetel Ejiofor (Amistad) as Louis, and Matthew Goode (Watchmen) as Stanley, are the stars of the show. The prospect of exploring race relations in Britain before the Second World War presents this drama as possessing some originality in its themes. However, this opportunity is wasted by the clunky throw away lines that are relied upon to illustrate racial tension and to establish the fact that black people had been living in Britain long before 1948.

The script is weak, the characters are two-dimensional and the clichés just keep on coming. If you’re expecting to be wowed by the soundtrack, don’t get your hopes up. What is presented is a poor imitation of 1930’s jazz. Neither the couture dresses nor the bright lights will save the viewer from dancing on the edge of boredom.

1. Friends This is perhaps the most popular and obvious choice. It doesn’t matter which episode or series it is, whether you saw the last one, or if Rachel and Ross are on or off. It is warmhearted and humorous, and no matter how many times I may have seen each episode, the novelty still hasn’t worn off.

24 | 15th - 21st February 2013

'You people are so petty... and tiny.'

@RedbrickFilm

Thor Avengers Assemble (2012)

TopThree

Newsreel MEGAN JONES Life & Style Online Editor

Flyboy Joe Allen steers us through the most stylish vehicles in film #1 Batman's Tumbler Batmobile

#2 James Bond's Aston Martin DB5

#3 Han Solo's Millennium Falcon

Christopher Nolan's rough-and-ready interpretation of the iconic Batmobile wins automatic points simply by virtue of being about as logical as any Bat-vehicle will ever be in cinema. Along with its angular, chunky design, its military aesthetic makes it perfect for the caped crusader to deliver a just walloping to the delinquent denizens of his city's grim criminal underworld.

Your chariot awaits, Mr. Bond. Sleek, super-stylish and rammed to the gills with all manner of preposterous gadgets and weaponry, the Aston Martin DB5 consistently gets Bond from A to B by way of cool letters like X and Z. Understated it most certainly is not, but for the spectacular antics of Britain's favourite super-spy, it will definitely suffice.

The only spaceship cool enough to measure time using units of astronomical length, the Millennium Falcon more than earns its place on this list by providing crucial assistance to the Rebel Alliance during the immortal trench run scene of Star Wars.

Han Solo may be somewhat cocky, but with a fine craft like the Millennium Falcon in his possession, who can blame him?

FilmReviews

Hitchcock

HARRIET JOHNSON Critic Release Date: 8th February 2013 Director: Sacha Gervasi Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, Scarlett Johansson

OutNow

Hitchcock gives us a peep through the looking hole at the making of legendary horror film Psycho, whilst introducing the director’s life outside of the studio. Alfred Hitchcock is getting a lot of attention at the moment as this film quickly follows The Girl which was shown in December on BBC2. However, despite a few references to his bad treatment of the ‘Hitchcock blondes’, this adaptation is certainly kinder and shows a more human and humorous director.

Here we see Hitchcock (Anthony Hopkins) mortgage his house, with the begrudging support of his wife and creative crutch Alma (Helen Mirren), to take the risk of his career in filming what is now considered to be the first slasher film. The scenes with the married JONATHAN FAGG couple are entertaining thanks to the brilliant performances from Critic Hopkins and Mirren, but the amount of time spent covering these Release Date: 8th February 2013 aspects, along with visions of the real serial killer, mean that the Director: Rich Moore biography does not reach beyond light entertainment. Most Cast: John C. Reilly, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch Hitchcock fans will walk away a little dissatisfied, as the superfluSet in an arcade where the video game characters are alive, it ous subplots are interruptions from the thrilling film set.

The fantastic supporting cast would have benefitted from more tells the story of John C. Reilly’s Ralph, the villain of old-fashscreen time, as Scarlett Johansson and James D’Arcy are strong in ioned platformer Fix-It Felix (Jack McBrayer). Tired of being the their portrayals of Janet Leigh and Anthony Perkins. However bad guy and jealous of the praise Felix receives, Ralph jumps into moments of brilliance do shine through and the ending is worth a other games, trying to find one where he can be the hero. On the watch alone, but the lasting feeling after walking out of the cinema way., he meets badass Sergeant Calhoun (Jane Lynch) and is a desire to watch the great film that this good film is about: Vanellope (Sarah Silverman), a girl discriminated against for having glitches in her code, along with a horror that threatens every Psycho. game in the arcade.

Many have compared this film to Toy Story, calling it the video game equivalent. This is unfair, as while it may have a similar premise, it has its own sensibility. Also, it is not quite as good, though that is not a criticism, as very few films are.

Wreck-It Ralph has great attention to detail, successfully capturing the genre of each game it explores. While too few are properly examined, it finds room for clever nods to beloved video game franchises, and cameos from their characters. However, it does not rely on these, and so does not alienate those unfamiliar with video games. It also has great performances, making each character relatable. Wreck-It Ralph is fun and funny, with a warm heart and is definitely worth seeing.

Hollywood’s finest braved the rain and sleet for Sunday’s BAFTAs, hosted by Stephen Fry. Argo was the big winner of the night, with star Ben Affleck taking masks for Best Film and Best Director. Daniel DayLewis, Emanuelle Riva, Christoph Waltz and Anne Hathaway were the winners in the acting categories.

Is Tarantino planning another ‘historical’ picture? Speaking at the BAFTAs after picking up Best Original Screenplay, the director hinted that he may follow up Inglorious Basterds and Django Unchained with another take on events gone by. The Vietnam War? The Moon landings?

With Tarantino, who knows?

Wreck-It Ralph

In other news, Dr. Who star Matt Smith has been announced as the lead in Hollywood hearthrob Ryan Gosling's directorial debut, How to Catch a Monster. Smith will star alongside Mad Men star Christina Hendricks and up-andcoming actress Saoirse Ronan in a fantasynoir-meets-fairytale picture, penned by Gosling himself.

www.redbrick.me/film | 25

Clash of the Comic Book Titans: DC vs. Marvel on film Cassiah Joski-Jethi examines the super hits and super flops from the giants of the comic world

In the past ten years or so, superhero films have exploded into mainstream cinema. True, superhero films have been around years before the turn of the millennium, but the recent rapid release of superhero flicks is unparalleled - even within the time span of ten years, Spiderman (2002) has already had a remake. But is the demand for superhero films justified in terms of film quality? To best examine this, it is wise to look at the two producers of these super tales: DC Comics and Marvel.

Let's examine the quality of DC Comics’ superhero films, and of course, the first movie that would spring to mind is The Dark Knight (2008). Christopher Nolan certainly successfully took the Batman franchise and turned it into a trilogy of respectable films.

Nolan’s ability to frame a superhero story without daft action and cheap dialogue led to a beautiful movie able to stand in its own right. Drawing on the themes of morality, duality and desire, Nolan’s aesthetic elements matched the intense and thought-provoking material.

Unfortunately, however, compared to other DC Comics films, Nolan’s Batman trilogy is an anomaly.

Catwoman (2004) was a laughable portrayal of a super female, using her sexual prowess and a whip above all else to achieve her one dimensional goal of revenge. Similarly, The Green Lantern (2011) was loose in terms of plot, cinematic shaping and character development. To argue that other DC Comic films have had any great cinematic significance is a weak claim, but is the strength of Nolan’s Batman trilogy enough to stand up against Marvel?

Marvel superhero films are an interesting case study, far more diverse than DC films. Marvel has an overall higher rate of box office and critical success,

with X-Men, Spiderman, Iron Man and Avengers Assemble representing just a few successes which have thrust Marvel into the forefront of mainstream superhero audiences. Avengers Assemble was the highest grossing film of 2012, and is one of the highest grossing box office hits of all time.

However, there are also a handful of Marvel films that are best forgotten, including Elektra, Ghost Rider and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. The narratives were simple and unengaging, and the characters had little substantial motivation and development.

Particularly disappointing was Elektra, as it had the potential to have a strong superhero female lead in a credible film. Sadly, Elektra as a character has no deep moral developments, and the film adheres to superficial superhero film conventions that are uninspiring.

While it appears that Marvel has a greater array of super films than DC Comics, Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy surpasses the quality of Marvel’s top dogs. There are a number of super flops shared between DC comics and Marvel, which is a shame, but does not discount their successes.

It comes down to DC Comics with one super film trilogy that can challenge superhero conventions and stand alone outside the genre, and Marvel with a string of super films that will not necessarily go down in history as the greatest films of the past decade.

In the world of superhero films, it is about a fifty/ fifty split between the hits and the misses. However, maybe with the recent success of the Batman trilogy and Avengers Assemble, future superhero productions will follow suit, endeavouring to create more super films as opposed to super flops.

26| 15th-21st February 2013 @RedbrickFood

Go Green.

www.redbrick.me /food | 27

Izzy Gibbin & Jemima Lovatt Food Editors

To coincide with the upcoming Go Green week, Redbrick Food has been exploring the more contentious issues surrounding what we eat in recent issues. But the sheer amount of unethical, big-name branding we are exposed to both at University and outside it can lead students to believe that there is no alternative to our current habits. This week will hopefully prove that change is possible and within our reach.

Our University is one that prides itself on its contribution to sustainable development. When it comes to food, we have several strings to our bow. Over 50% of the University's suppliers are from the West Midlands. We have a daily vegetable market. All eggs on campus are free range, and our milk comes from local farms with Red Tractor accreditation.

But there is still considerable room for improvement. As yet, the University does not use sustainably caught fish, or free-range meat (though it is Red Tractor accredited); its menus do not change according to the seasonality of produce (which would reduce the need to source fresh food from abroad); very little of its food is organically farmed. Many other

universities have implemented a separate food collection scheme which makes for less waste unnecessarily sent to landfill; UoB is still lacking this. There is also a conspicuous lack of commitment to integrating sustainability into the curriculum. Hopefully many of these issues will be addressed with the implementation of the University's 2015 Environmental Strategy.

Though UoB may have made a few admirable environmental changes to its policy, it has made it frustratingly difficult for its students to make similar ethical choices when it comes to food on campus. Walking around campus, it can often feel as though the 'ethical consumer' is fighting a losing battle. With the ubiquity of chains such as Spar, Costa and Starbucks, and the impending closure of the 19 Gales Farm Shop, students have little alternative but to buy from stores whose environmental and social policies are questionable at best.

SPAR convenience stores receive only a 5.5 rating out of a possible 20 from Ethical Consumer Magazine. Starbucks has been boycotted for unfair treatment of its workers, and tax avoidance. The heavy presence of these brands on campus seems at odds with the University's professed commitment to sustainability, the environment and social welfare.

It is the relative lack of sustainable food on campus that makes the student environmental movement so important here at Birmingham. And there is much to be said for it. The UoB Student Garden project meets weekly off Edgbaston Park

Road and grows vegetables and herbs for students to use. The initiative also encourages wildlife and promotes sustainability and self-sufficiency. The Student Food Co-op is another way for students to get sustainable, cheap food; it makes bulk orders from a Vegetarian, Vegan and Organic wholesaler, reducing the need for students' reliance on large supermarkets and convenience stores.

The sense of community you get from both of these volunteer-run projects far surpasses the profoundly unpleasant experience of fluorescent-lit supermarkets.

Beyond University, there are many other places to find local and sustainable food.

Volunteer-run Stirchley Stores, on Pershore Road, is a co-operative that sells some great environmentally friendly produce. Those with a tighter budget might consider foraging around the local area for nettles and herbs, of which there are many delicious and edible varieties.

Above all, make use of this year's Go Green Week to learn more about topics such as food waste, reducing meat intake, and sustainable approaches to food. By taking an active interest in these important issues, it puts pressure on our University to change its policies for the better.

Illustration by

Anita Baumg채rtner

28 | 15th - 21st February 2013

www.redbrick.me/travel

@RedbrickTravel

European Voluntary Service: If you’re British and you’ve heard about it, then you are definitely in the minority. Other Europeans are much more likely to know what it is. EVS is a chance to volunteer in any country in Europe, in neighbouring European countries or even anywhere else in the world, for a period of between two and twelve months.

The EU funds your accommodation, food, insurance and gives you pocket money. Most of your travel expenses are also funded.

Most of the projects are related to community outreach. You can work with children, youth or the elderly, and you can get involved in projects that deal with ethnic minority issues in Romania, promote sports in Spain or learn more about sustainable development in Russia. If there is an area of community development you are interested in, then you are sure to find an EVS project to meet your preferences.

Most projects provide volunteers with language lessons, so it’s the perfect opportunity to brush up on those rusty verbs and tenses.

Projects are often run in teams so you have the chance to hone your team working skills, as well as practising your leadership skills. A lot of projects also give you the freedom to design and implement your own activities, so there’s a chance to get creative and proactive and get involved in a project right from the beginning.

EVS is for anyone from the EU who’s between the ages of 18 and 30. But here’s the catch. 2013 is the last year that the EVS programme will be running, as every 10 years the EU re-evaluates its youth initiatives and alters them, so although something similar to EVS may still be around, it is difficult to say if the same funding and support will be available.

Have you ever heard of the EVS? Amira Mullaney tells us all.

http://www.youthnetworks.eu/ http://ec.europa.eu/youth/youth-in-action-programme/european-voluntary-service_en.htm

What the Brochure Didn't Tell You...

Foreign Office Ambassador Will Spence tells us what to look for when on a cheap student holiday.

We’ve all seen those holiday brochures in the shop window, the ones advertising dream holidays for students on European islands, usually accompanied by the words that every student lusts after when booking a trip: ‘all inclusive’. It’s fair to say there’s a reason for this; as students, we’re often short on cash and it’ll be quite a few years (even decades) until we can swap the reachable beaches of Spain or Greece for the shores of Sydney and California.

With programmes such as ‘What happens in Kavos...’ and ‘The Magaluf Weekender’ appearing almost nightly on our television screens, it’s hard not to become exposed to what can happen abroad when students are released from the clutches of their everyday lives in Britain, and enter into the realm of sun, cheap lager and 7am closing times.

Whilst these T.V. shows may highlight what can go wrong in these party resorts, the holiday brochures sometimes don’t mention the extreme hazards that can occur. Here are some pitfalls to look out for when abroad.

Balconies It’s the epitome of relaxation, a few beers whilst sitting on your balcony overlooking the sunset and getting ready to go out. After a few drinks though, when people start to get excited (or the vodka/absinthe/whatever was the cheapest in the mini market next door starts to take its toll), trouble can occur. AOL Travel stated that last year, 3 Brits were killed after falling off balconies in Magaluf alone, with many more being injured.

As this worrying statistic shows, it’s all too easy to

forget the dangers and become convinced that attempting to catch your mate’s lighter from below while leaning over the 9th floor balcony is a good idea. Sober or not, balconies are potentially dangerous and vigilance and common sense should always be applied.

Harassment This does not exclusively occur abroad of course, it can happen everywhere with both women and men at risk, but sexual and violent harassment can occur more frequently when you are out of your comfort zone or under the influence of alcohol.

The Daily Mail reported that last year, over 15% of 700 young people who took a survey in Malaguf said that they had suffered sexual harassment whilst out there in the early hours of the morning. Many of them said that they knew it had happened, but could not give any details as to how or where due to being so drunk.

Excess alcohol consumption causes us to drop our guard, so be responsible and know your limits, stick with people you know and always make sure someone knows where you are.

You should also never accept a drink from a stranger or leave a drink unattended.

All in all, this article may sound like a nagging nanny but the aim isn’t to dissuade you from having a good time - we all go and let loose sometimes.

The moral of the story is to apply the same level of vigilance as you would on a night out in the UK and not to drink more than you normally would, just because the alcohol is as cheap as chips and served in a watermelon.

For more information about staying safe abroad: fco.gov.uk/travel www.facebook.com/fcotravel www.twitter.com/fcotravel

www.redbrick.me/sport|29

@RedbrickSport

Birmingham lifesavers claim double victory in home water

Michael Jevons

James Newbon Sports Reporter

The University of Birmingham Lifesaving club took advantage of the comforts of being at home as they dominated their own leg of the British Universities Lifesaving Club’s Association (BULSCA) League. Over 100 competitors, helpers and judges from universities around the country had descended on the Munrow Centre for the competition but it was the club’s A-team who came out on top, winning the competition and taking a valuable 10 points towards the league. 10 points were also picked up by the club’s B-team towards the BULSCA B-league as their eighth place finish in the competition was the highest of any B-team.

The day began with two Simulated Emergency Rescue Competitions (SERCs), where teams were marked on their treatment of casualties, management of the situation and teamwork. In the dry SERC the Birmingham teams, faced with a speed dating session gone wrong and casualties with illnesses ranging from hyperventilation to angina, excelled. Brum-B’s fifth place finish was the best of the B-teams and beat four A-teams in the process.

Meanwhile, Birmingham-A’s Holly Willing produced the third best effort for the treatment of an epileptic sei-

zure, mirroring the efforts of her team who also finished third in the event.

In the aquatic SERC, teams were faced with a beach scenario where a total of nine casualties were in need of rescue. Birmingham-B’s Jess Dash accounted for the rescue of four of those casualties as her team once again went on to achieve a solid fifth placed finish. For the hosts’ A-team it was James Newbon who picked up the lion’s share of the points with every point proving crucial as the team recorded victory in the event by just a single point.

The two SERCs were followed by a total of five speed events. In the opening rope-throw relay, the home club were left disappointed as the B-team only managed to rescue two of their casualties, while the A-team rued a controversial judging decision that saw them relegated from third to joint 7.5th.

The Brum A-team were to make up for their disappointment in the remaining speed events as they went on to dominate and record victory in all four races. The hosts were pushed close in the swim and tow relay, with Sam O’Connor finding an extra burst of energy to hold off an advancing Warwick-A. But the other three speed events proved far more comfortable as

Brum-A were victorious in all by the comfortable margin of four seconds in each race. Brum-B also had a successful time in the remaining speed events, finishing in the top three B-teams in all.

Their swim and tow and medley relays proved particularly impressive as they topped the B-teams in both.

The overall results saw Birmingham victorious in both leagues, and crucially gain ground on rivals Loughborough, who currently top both tables. Captain of the A-team and club training-officer, Luke Peel, was delighted with the performance: 'The all-round domination is particularly impressive, being able to achieve both high finishes in the SERCs and speed events, which are two totally different skills to master, is the mark of a good team and shows the progress we’ve made, particularly in the SERCs, since the start of the year'. He also went on to add his thanks to the teams along with the helpers and judges for the work they put in to run the club’s home competition.

The club will look to continue chipping away at Loughborough’s league leads with competitions in St. Andrews, Nottingham and Loughborough itself still to come this season.

(Polo Report continued from back page) was not converted as Harvey’s effort fell short.

Eventually Stirling got themselves into the game with a strong counter attack and it required a brilliant defensive backhand from Forbes to prevent them from scoring. From Forbes’ clearance, Birmingham were able to launch a counter of their own as Harvey collected the ball from just behind her halfway line smashing the ball up field and racing onto it at speed before playing a calm approach shot and adding an astute finish. Finally Birmingham’s dominance was rewarded and they had just one minute to see out the victory. Forbes came very close to putting the win beyond doubt, but 1-0 the score remained and the girls were duly crowned national champions.

Birmingham’s Novice C team faced a tough task as all their opponents in their division (Novice 2) were other clubs’ B teams but they did not let this faze them in the slightest and they absolutely smashed RCSI B 7-0 in their opening match. Their free scoring form continued in their second match as they recorded an ever so sweet 4-0 victory over Nottingham B. The team, captained by Pierre Chlabovitch and also featuring Ali Ahmed and Zoe Cookson then beat Bath Spa B 2-1 in their semi-final and set their eyes on beating Cambridge B in the final. However they were resoundingly beaten 5-0 by the talented Cambridge Twos and had to settle for second. The trio have always fared consistently well in national competitions with Ahmed and Chlabovitch both having one title and two runners up spots to their names, whilst Cookson has now finished second on two occasions.

Birmingham’s first team, consisting of Imogen Norton, Chris Milton and Henry Outtridge (c) were fancied by many to win the Novice 1 section and their case was furthered after easing to a 4-2 victory over Reading A, winners of last year’s summer Nationals. This was followed up with a cracking 6-0 victory against St. Andrews and the team went into their semi-final against Oxford Brookes A with high hopes.

Despite the hard work of Outtridge and co the side always faced a losing battle, owing to a series of shocking decisions from the umpire and were confined to a 3-2 loss. The horrific umpiring display was immensely frustrating although some solace can be taken from their 2-1 win against Stirling A in the 3rd place play off.

Club captain Outtridge also featured in the highly competitive combined section forming a team with players from Glasgow and St Andrews.

Outtridge guided his side to a very impressive second place and his five goal haul against a combined Scotland side was particularly noteworthy.

On the whole it proved to be a successful championships for Birmingham. Indeed it was just as pleasing to see the squad take home some silverware as it was to see the club enter so many teams. With Birmingham fielding nine sides in total the club had one of the largest presences at the tournament and it is brilliant to see such a great number of Birmingham students enjoying this fast paced and highly addictive sport.

30 | 15th-21st February 2013

Sport View.

Financial fair play rules The Premier League recently announced new financial rules to try and create a level playing field, but are they necessary and will they even work?

Ed Tyler Sport Reporter

@Tyleed05

Last week, the Premier League announced a new set of financial regulations which are to be put in place from next season. The rules state that any team which exceeds a loss of more than £105m over the next three seasons will be hit with a points deduction.

Teams who have a wage bill of over £52m by the end of the same period will only be allowed to increase wages by £4m per season thereafter; and if a club makes a loss of more than £5m a year, these losses will have to be guaranteed against the owner’s assets.

The latter rule is for me, the most important one. In recent years there have been an increasing number of teams who are finding themselves in huge financial trouble simply because their owners have been spending more than they can afford, most notably at Leeds United and Portsmouth. The former self-destructed under Peter Risdale who, in trying to create a league winning side, bit off far more than he could chew. They bought Seth Johnson in 2001 and spent the prize money they earned from reaching the Champions League semi-final on his wages.

Portsmouth even more recently selfimploded after they spent too much on high profile players such as Peter Crouch, Glen Johnson and Niko Kranjcar. They ultimately paid the price when they appointed several owners over the next few years who could not

afford to run the club. They became the first Premier League team to enter administration, and are now struggling at the foot of League One. The new regulations will prevent situations like these happening in the future, but as they do not come in until next season, we can only hope that Queens Park Rangers have not already set the wheels in motion for a similar downfall. QPR are probably the most ridiculous and laughable club in Premier League history, with Harry Redknapp and Tony Fernandes proving that they have about as much nous in the transfer market as an elephant would have in explaining gravity. To buy players such as Christopher Samba and Esteban Granero for ludicrous amounts of money and pay them up to and including £100,000 a week is an absolute joke for a team who are odds on to be relegated. In a relegation dogfight you do not buy Champions League rejects and not give them a relegation clause in their contract (as is rumoured to be the case). For the club’s sake they need to stay up and let the new financial regulations will put them in line, or they could suffer a Portsmouth-esque plummet down the leagues.

The rule on clubs’ wage bills is also a positive one. Although I am not as opposed to such high wages for players as some people are (at the end of the

day, people don’t queue up to buy a shirt with the name of one of their local firemen on the back), it has got to the stage where enough is enough. Certain players at some big teams have a clause written into their contract which states that if the club signs another player and makes him the highest wage earner, then they are then entitled to be paid the same amount. The new regulations will hopefully bring an end to bizarre clauses like this, and should also stop moves such as that of Scott Sinclair at Manchester City. Sinclair is being paid tens of thousands a week, yet sits on the bench every match. He was on less money but had much more playing time at Swansea. You cannot blame him for accepting the money and trying to fight for his place in City’s team, but the rules should prevent clubs handing out lucrative contracts to players who they know will not be firstteam regulars.

The one regulation I do not understand is the first and main one of the Premier League’s financial fair play, that of a points deduction if teams exceed a loss of £105m over the next three seasons. On the face of it looks is a good idea, but is it even necessary?

The only teams to have lost this much in the last three years are Liverpool and unsurprisingly, Chelsea and Man City.

In Liverpool’s case, the majority of this loss came under the previous ownership of Tom Hicks and George Gillett,

and the latter two their owners are so rich that these losses do not even matter. If teams were regularly recording three-year losses of over £105m then it would be a necessary curb, but it does not seem to go any further down than the biggest teams.

With this being the case then surely UEFA’s financial fair play rules, which only allow for a loss of £38m over three years, are enough. If City and Chelsea want to play in Europe consistently, then they will already be curbing their spending and preventing losses, and they will be doing it a lot more drastically than the Premier League regulations will make them do. In fact, the UEFA rules should really be enough to motivate all teams to sort themselves out, with European football being the target for most teams in the division.

Points should be deducted for teams who lose too much money, but there is no point putting it at a level which is so rarely exceeded.

Whether these new rules work or not remains to be seen. They should certainly curb the free spending of the big clubs and with 70% more money coming into the Premier League through TV rights next season, there would be a lot more temptation for them to do so without financial control. Regulation is a welcome asset to this country’s top division, but until 2016 it may be difficult to judge whether it has been done correctly.

www.redbrick.me/sports | 31

Page 31 Sports Shorts

Tweet of the Week

Online this week @OfficialNeil

Heroes...

Lydia Ko The 16 year old New Zealand golfer continues to tear up the record book. Last week she completed a hat-trick of professional victories by winning the New Zealand Open.

Frank Lampard Instead of signing a contract extension at Chelsea, Lampard has gone left-field and signed a children's book deal. It adds another twist to the on-going saga.

If 'Frankie's Magic Football' is a success, who's to say he'll want to stay at Stamford Bridge?

'Whilst the result last night was very disappointing i want to pay tribute to our magnificent fans last night..there is no support like them' Weekend Wager

F1 reason preview

Redbrick Sport Quiz

Tom Walsh considers the upcoming season after initial testing at Jerez, in which Lewis Hamilton crashed on Mercedes testing debut.

Six Nations

Fraser Kesteven looks back on England's battling win against Ireland and ponders whether a grand slam could be on the cards.

Mark Cavendish

Fraser Kesteven sees sense in Cavendish's move away from Team Sky following his victory in the Tour of Qatar.

1.Wrestling 2.Leicestershire 3.

Juventus 4.Bicycle Motorcross 5. Number 10 Please complete this form before you hand in your completed crossword to the Redbrick office.

Name:

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Scribble box

In other news The University's Judo Club achieved an impresive overall victory at the University of Warwick's Invitational Tournament.

The victory included a clean sweep in the men's intermediate team event.

Owexis Earilhutch Guest Crossword Editor

This week's prize is a £5 Waterstones Gift Voucher Completed crosswords to be submitted to the Redbrick office, located in the Guild basement

Men's Hockey 1sts Won 2-1 Cardiff Met 1sts

...and Villains Inter Milan Inter have been fined ¤15,000 following fans racist chants at a match against Chievo.

The chants were directed at Mario Balotelli, who has recently joined their rivals AC Milan from Manchester City.

Cian Healy The Ireland prop was seen to stamp on England's Dan Cole in a ruck on Sunday. His actions have been condemmed as 'nasty' by Irish pundit Keith Wood and he will likely face disciplinary action.

They fought off competition from hosts Warwick as well as Bangor and Coventry to secure the competition.

3. Turin is home to which football team?

The Redbrick Crossword

Women's Squash 1sts Won 4-0 Imperial 1sts

Women's Fencing 1sts Won 123-109 UCL 1sts

2. Which county cricket team play at Grace Road?

5. In rugby what number does the fly-half wear?

Men's Squash1sts Won 5-0 Reading 1sts

Netball 3rds Won 52-49 Bedfordshire 1sts

1. Which sport was this week dropped from the Olympics?

4. What does BMX stand for in cycling?

Men's Hockey 2nds Won 7-4 Exeter 3rds Women's Hockey 2nds Won 4-2 on penalties Leeds1sts

5/1 This weekend sees horses compete in the Betfair Ascot chase, with some of the horses running bound for Aintree and the Grand National. The horse we like, Somersby, has not finished out of the top three in his four previous visits to Ascot. Look to him to be there or there abouts on Saturday.

Results - 13th February

Across

Down

1. Directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations (3) 2. System of electing the new Pontiff (8) 6. Female sex cell (3) 7. In the past, at a former time (9) 9. Fin (3) 10. The North York __ (5) 12. A speech or piece of writing characterized by strong feeling or expression; a tirade (8) 14. A bread product, typically from New York (5) 15. The ___ Coast; another name for the French Riviera (5) 16. Metals made by combining two metallic elements (6) 18. Democrat candidate for the 2000 US Presidential Election (2,4) 20. A network which connects computers within a limited area, Abv. (3) 21. Large metal discs giving resonant notes when struck (5)

1. A building designed to grind grain (8) 2. Disgraced former Energy and Climate Change Secretary (5,5) 3. The Social __; 2010 film (7) 4. A small, typically burrowing, mouselike rodent (4) 5. Balanced (4) 8. Leading Carthaginian commander during the First Punic War (8) 11. A large mainly solitary arboreal ape with long reddish hair (9) 13. A service of evening prayers, psalms, and canticles, conducted according to a set form (8) 16. A unit of land area equal to 4,840 square yards (4) 17. Twist it, lick it, dunk it (4) 19. The human manipulation of an organism's genetic material, Abv. (2)

This outstanding team perfomance leaves the club in good stead for the British Universities Championships in two weeks time.

Interested in being part of Redbrick Sport?

Get in touch: sports@redbrick.me @redbricksports Redbrick Sport

1``~2`3```45~ `~~~`~`~~~6`` `~~7````8```~ `~~~`~`~`~9`` 0`-``~`~`~~~~ `~`~=``````q~ `~`~`~`~`~~`~ `~`~`~~~w```` ~~`~`~~~`~~`~ e````~r``t``~ ~~`~~~`~~`~`~ ~~y`u```~`~`~ i``~`~`~o````

32 |15th-21st February 2013

Lifesaving at Birmingham.

The University of Birmingham Lifesaving club welcomed Universities from across the UK for their annual competition.

p29

www.redbrick.me/sport

Fair Play?

Can there ever be financial fair play in the Premier League when the sums of money are so big?

p30

RedbrickSport

Brilliant Birmingham beginners in national triumph

Lucy Stratton

Kian Gheissari Sport Reporter

The University of Birmingham Polo Club put in a sterling performance at the SUPA National Arena Championships leaving the four day polo extravaganza with one division title as well as a runners up spot and a third place. Rugby Polo Club played host to over 120 teams from across 28 universities as they battled it out for

national supremacy.

Birmingham’s Beginner D team comprising of Rowan Saunders, Claire Forbes, and captain Rosy Harvey triumphed in the Beginner 3 division and in doing so collected Birmingham’s second national title since the club was founded in 2008.

The girls got their campaign off to a brilliant start with a convincing 4-2 victory over Royal Holloway C but they were held to a 1-1 draw against a tough University of London Union side in a

tight match. However this result was still good enough to send them through to the semi-finals after London were only able to beat Royal Holloway 2-1.

Birmingham faced fierce local rivals Nottingham in the semis but brushed them aside in a 2-1 victory. Harvey’s side were pitted against University of Stirling C in the final on Sunday afternoon as the rest of the Birmingham squad watched on nervously from the side.

Chances aplenty came Birmingham’s

way and Saunders was very unlucky not to score straight from the off as fine defending from Stirling meant they were able to clear the ball after it fell just inches short from her attempt.

Birmingham kept the pressure on and were able to win a 15 yard penalty but unfortunately Saunders sent it just wide. With Stirling struggling to clear their lines Birmingham were awarded with another penalty, but once more it (continued on page 29, column 3)