Forward 9

THE RICHARD HUISH COLLEGE MAGAZINE SUMMER 2014

ART MODERNISM DEBATE INVENTIONS CURRENT AFFAIRS FASHION HUMOUR YOUTH POLITICS BOOKS TRAVEL MUSIC SPORT

THE MODERN WORLD

Having read every article in this issue I am amazed at the quality of writing. The travel article on the Lanzarote dive trip, for example, is not a catalogue of each moment of the trip. It goes into really interesting detail about what it is actually like to do a dive.

After reading the reviews of recent up and coming bands I started listening to them straight away. There is also a lot that is controversial in this issue and I particularly liked the way that sensitive areas are handled.

Everything in Forward is new and interesting. I have learned a great deal about new currency, use of organic cells for energy creation, the glass revolution and much more.

Well done to all the students for the hard work and creative effort. Liz Williams must be thanked for putting it all together and completing the design which takes hours of work.

Liz Webb also needs thanking for the detail (they say ‘the devil is in the detail’) – chasing stories, checking edits and generally making sure that it all got done on time.

Enjoy the read, I did!

Chris Brossard Marketing Manager

welcome ANNA LANE

Foreword

Hello there!

Summer greetings to you all and welcome to the most recent and most marvellous issue of Forward – The Modern World.

The 21st century has brought us many wonderful inventions, from solar panels, to the much loved iPhone, Oyster Cards, online shopping and my personal favourite, screw top wine.

From explorations of current views on gender and sexuality, to the newest crazes in technology and some sound advice on how to save money in this potentially very expensive new world – the team has worked hard in producing a treasure trove of articles.

At the end of the day, if you don’t have a clue what Google Glass is or have never heard of Bitcoins, then I have two things to say to you, you’re not alone and this issue is definitely for you!

A huge thank you is due to Liz Williams, Chris Brossard and Liz Webb for working their magic and bringing everything together and also to all the students who have written articles and played a part in producing this magazine.

Enjoy!

COVER IMAGE: HELEN SALTER, A2 PHOTOGRAPHY STUDENT

meet the team

Sam Rooks

Iesha Thomas

Sarah Taraq

Rory Walker

Mohammed Lone

Helen Salter

Cat King

Sam Dunnett

Aleki Vatidi-Turp

Hannah Govan

Melissa Everleigh

Genevieve Burns

Richard Huish College South Road, Taunton, Somerset TA1 3DZ forward@huish.ac.uk www.huish.ac.uk The college exists to provide routes to higher education and the professions through close tutorial support.

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contents SUMMER 2014

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17

6

4 | THE RETURN TO MODERNISM

15 | ORGANIC CELLS

AND SOLAR POWER

6 | ONE YEAR RETAIL BOYCOTT

16 | 2014 A GLASS REVOLUTION

8 | HOW TO BE A CHEAPSKATE

17 | THE £3 MILLION PIZZA

9 | SLAP BANG WALLOP 18 | BLURRED LINES – WHEN DOES ART 10 | MYSTERY OF BECOME PORN FLIGHT MH370 20 | THREE MODERN 11 | PREDICTIONS OF ARTISTS THE FUTURE 21 | NO MAKE-UP SELFIE 12 | YOUTH PARLIAMENT 22 | SAM’S JOKES OF 13 | A MODERN THE ISSUE NOAH’S ARK 23 | NO MORE PAGE 3 14 | WHEN THE RAIN

CAME 24 | LANZAROTE DIVE TRIP

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26 | TEMPLE GIG REVIEW 27 | UP AND COMING BANDS 28 | LITTLE COMETS 29 | HUISH SPORT DEGREES 30 | ACTIVE HUISH 31 | HOMOSEXUALITY

IN FOOTBALL 32 | NATIONAL SPORT SUCCESS FOR HUISH 34 | HOMER’S ILIAD 35 | ONE TO ONE 36 | TOP TEN FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILMS FORWARD | 3

Fashion takes a glance back to the original futurism.

Whether it’s with a bright PVC mini skirt, neon perspex clutch or a colour block bodycon, fashion is taking an irrefutable glance back to the original masters of futurism. Space-age, hi-tech imagery is pervading the catwalk and the high street, turning back the clock to the modernism era. The movement erupted in the 1960s, with designers such as Andre Courrèges, Pierre Cardin and Mary Quant unveiling visionary collections with monochrome palettes, hi-tech materials and sharp silhouettes. In particular it was Courrèges, who smashed the sartorial boundaries with lunar white go-go boots and sci-fi glasses - capturing the fashion consciousness of the world. Courrèges’ work embraced an athletic appeal, whilst lacing his designs with a naturally effeminate, youthful spirit.

His space-age, youth centric collection, reflected the arising cosmic obsession of the time, shunning away from the proper prim suits and evening gowns worn by women of high society.

FASHION helen salter

the return to modErnism

Courrèges’ work was quintessentially sixties. Never was a decade more inventive and ingenious with its fabric and fit. It is no wonder then that today, trends have taken a reform to the space-age scope. More and more we are seeing glimpses of monochromatic, minimalist and geometric shapes, embellished in glittering metallic hues. It is a mechanical response to avoid fashion’s latest influx of sporty silhouettes and leather combos. For many it isn’t the first thought that springs to mind when tailoring a typical college day outfit. Nevertheless, there is no offence in adding a trim of PVC, or tucking a metallic tee into an a-line skirt. If you want to go even bolder, integrate neon palettes to basic shapes – adding just a little more finesse and fun. The slightest ingredient of space-age glamour will transform your style, from simple to superior.

Photographs taken by Helen Salter, A2 photography student

Fashion’s latest affair with retro-modernism makes this season’s trend incredibly alluring. The modernism age eased timeless modernity and unforced femininity, noted and advanced by today’s definitions of the futuristic movement. This trend holds no burden in looking ‘dated’; it looks as fresh and innovative as it did in the swinging sixties. As season trends continue to develop and transcend, it is essential that, for our modern world to look forward, we need to take a look back.

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THRIFT ANNA LANE

How I survived my one year Retail Boycott

Living a life clothed from charity shops can be challenging, especially when you are a stylish student looking for clothes suitable for a night out.

Dress: Topshop, approx £50 Found in Oxfam for £6 Bag: Jane Shilton, approx £30 Found in PDSA for £4.50

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I know a lot of us run off to Topshop and Urban Outfitters soon after pay day. Last year I found myself getting paid on the Friday and by Tuesday the following week, I’d be £150 poorer, and one (maybe two) outfits richer… Know the feeling? With just a year of college left, an empty savings account and uni fast approaching, I had a mini money related panic in the summer hols last year… I had to save some money somehow.

There was no way that I could go an entire year without buying clothes (I love buying clothes?!) but there was an alternative – charity shops! Eventually, the One Year Retail Boycott plan was born. The more I thought about it, the more realistic and exciting the idea seemed. I would be saving a significant amount of dosh, whilst picking up individual pieces, whilst recycling, whilst supporting charities, whilst getting creative… The benefits are endless.

Top: Topshop, approx £25 Found in Cancer Research UK for £1 Jacket: D.DAY, approx £60 Found in Cancer Research UK for £1

Sweater: JOBIS, approx £40 Found in Shaw Trust for £5 Dress: Topshop, approx £45 Found in Sue Ryder for £5.50 Bag: Jane Shilton, approx £30 Found in PDSA for £4.50

The hardest times have been finding items suitable for nights out. Though I’ll occasionally come across a gorgeous dress perfect for cocktails at The Cosy Club, these finds are rare. Instead, I have resorted to making a friend a huge mug of hot choc with marshmallows and double whipped cream and asking very nicely if I could possibly borrow that really nice LBD that I know she has.

£4 that you can pick up in Taunton, to walk out of a charity shop with a Crew Clothing polo that you just bagged for a quid, is a fabulous feeling. If you’re ever in the area, check it out.

Of course, if the whole of Britain bought exclusively from charity shops for their whole lives, we’d run out of clothes. So if you don’t think you could boycott big retailers long term, why not simply check out the charity shops before heading to H&M? Yes there’s a chance you’ll find nothing but Elton John CDs and a grimy dressing gown with a huge Christmas pudding embroidered on the back (don’t ask…) but then again, you could waltz back to the car park with two Topshop dresses from last season, a thick 100% wool cardigan and a few pretty tops, all for under £20…

THRIFT ANNA LANE

So, my rules are: 1. All clothes (excluding underwear and shoes) must be bought from charity shops.

2. Ebay, TKMaxx and car boot sales are NOT charity shops.

3. If someone buys you a piece of clothing as a gift from a ‘normal’ shop then that’s fine! (But you can’t sneak a tenner into your mate’s purse and point out the dress you want from Primark…) Genuine presents are OK.

My best charity shopping experiences have been trips to typically middle-class cities. Oxford, Cheltenham and Exeter have great charity shops. My all-time favourite so far is Oxford’s Cancer Research UK £1 store. (Yep, everything is one pound… I gasped too.) As much as I love the funky woolly jumpers for

Sweater: Laura Ashley, approx £60 Found in Shaw Trust for £6 Watch: Citron, approx. £25 Found in British Heart Foundation for £5.50

Sweater: JOBIS, approx £40 Found in Shaw Trust for £5 Cardigan: American Retro, approx £60 Found in Oxfam for £7

Dress: Dorothy Perkins, approx £30 Found in Barnardos for £6 Cardigan: Zara, approx £25 Found in British Heart Foundation for £3

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with discounts and deals. A word to the wise though, if you want to become a true cheapskate, only use the deals on stuff you would have bought anyway, otherwise you are spending extra money and that’s just not cool.

3. Be Cheeky!

In the long and arduous journey in learning the art of cheapskatery, this last point is the most crucial to truly becoming a cheapskate.

So you can get a voucher? Big deal. Conquer the art of being cheeky and then feel proud. It is the hardest of all but once you’ve mastered it, the world will be at your feet.

cheapskate Genevieve Burns

With a bright smile on your face you could grab some great bargains and the worst they are going to say is no. Is a product broken or has something missing?

Ask for a discount. And don’t forget that student card. Just because a shop doesn’t mention it doesn’t mean they don’t take it – ask and 10% off could be coming your way.

HOW TO BE A CHEAPSKATE How to get ‘stuff’ for free that doesn’t involve rifling through supermarket skips or breaking the law!

1. Free Stuff Shameless. If you want to be a cheapskate you need to be shameless - lose all of that selfrespect you’ve been bottling up and grab as much of that free stuff as you can. Samples? Yes please. Chocolate, coffee, cheese, pasties, toothbrushes...anything.

Do you actually want it? Who cares? Just grab it and feel pride as your pockets bulge with all of those zero-cost items.

Universities can’t wait to give you all their stuff. See yourself as doing them a favour. Don that fake moustache, trilby hat and pink wig and slide on by that stall. Just a note; they have been known to get a little suspicious/angry (though I

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like to think of it as intrigued) after five or more costume changes.

2. Vouchers Everyone loves a good discount deal, so make the most of them and sign up to a website like www.moneysavingexpert.com.

There are tons of offers to be had from places like Pizza Express, Sainsbury’s, Superdrug (10p Maybelline lipstick – can you really complain?) as well as loads of other brands. Sign up and you will be the first to hear about voucher offers and other bargain hunting tips.

Also, keep an eye out for the minimagazines that the supermarkets produce which are choc-a-bloc

I am now going to disclose to you my favourite way of being cheeky – the letter. It works wonders. A letter to your favourite product producing company that expresses your undying love for their products could see vouchers heading back your way. I got £2 of Mars vouchers by doing this.

Never have I been happier in my life. This also works for letters of complaint. Burnt doughnuts?

Outrageous! Let them know it and you could be in for a treat.

Keep an eye out for FREEPOST addresses like Mars and McVitie’s and always send a letter (with your address at the top.) It may not always work, but you lose nothing from trying.

I don’t know about you but I like food. I like it a lot. In fact, you could say that I’m in love.

What I don’t take too kindly to though is the faff of a recipe that is just a bit too fancy for its own good. The 100 different ingredients which, once deciphered, can only be found for half your life savings in some far-flung delicatessen. Maybe this is an exaggeration but you can see the issue. This is the solution; simple and tasty food that can be made with what is in the cupboard. Bish bash bosh. Slap bang wallop. to the marinade. Make sure that the chicken is completely coated. Leave to marinate for at least an hour.

3. Cook under a preheated grill for around 15-20 minutes. Check the chicken is properly cooked by cutting in to the centre – there should be no pinkness.

Serve with the rice.

Grilled Spiced Chicken (Serves 4)

Salmon Fishcakes (Serves 4)

6 chicken breasts 1tbsp soy sauce 1tbsp vegetable oil 1tbsp honey 3tbsp orange juice 1 large garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped 300g rice, cooked

350g potatoes, peeled and chopped up 25g butter 1tbsp milk 213g tin of pink salmon 2tbsp plain flour 1 egg, whisked with a fork 75g breadcrumbs (make by whizzing stale bread in the blender) 4tbsp olive oil

1. Mix the ingredients for the marinade together and put into a shallow dish.

2. Make a couple of slashes in the chicken and add

1. Put the potatoes in a pan of cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for around

Beany Bonanza (Serves 4) 1-2 red onions, chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 6 chorizo (or other type) sausages, cooked and in chunks 2 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes 400g tin of butter beans, drained (though kidney beans etc should work fine) 125ml beef stock ½ tsp smoked paprika 1tbsp brown sauce 1tbsp Worcestershire sauce Buttered toast, to serve 1. Cook the sausages according to packet instructions and chop into large chunks.

2. In a large pan, fry the onions in a little oil over low heat. Once done, briefly fry the garlic, making sure it doesn’t burn. Add the tomatoes, drained beans, beef stock, paprika, brown sauce and the Worcestershire sauce. If you are using chorizo sausages, add them at this point.

3. Bring to the boil and simmer until it has reduced to a thick mixture. Now, add the sausages. Serve with buttered toast.

RECIPES Genevieve Burns

SLAP BANG WALLOP

20 minutes until tender.

Drain and return to the pan.

Mash with the butter and milk. Season well with salt and pepper.

2. Add the salmon, flour and one tbsp of egg. Mix so that it is evenly distributed. Make sure you don’t break up the salmon too much as you’ll lose the texture in the actual fishcake.

3. Split the mixture into four and shape into flat cakes. Brush them with the remaining egg and place them onto a baking tray covered with breadcrumbs.

Turn until they are completely covered. Pop into the freezer for 15 minutes or until firm.

4. Drizzle 1 tbsp of olive oil over each fishcake. Place them in a preheated oven at gas mark 7/425°F/220°C (or 200°C in a fan assisted oven) for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with chunky chips or wedges and peas.

Mexican Chicken Tortillas (Serves 4) Creamy Bacon Pasta (Serves 4) 400g spaghetti or tagliatelle 120g cream cheese (eg Philadelphia) 8 rashers of bacon (you could use ham or 125g of smoked salmon) 100ml milk 1. Cook the pasta according to packet instructions.

2. Meanwhile fry the bacon in a little oil. Alternatively, grill under a medium heat.

Turn every now again until done.

3. Drain the pasta and leave in the colander. Place the cheese and milk in the warm pan and stir until melted.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Add the pasta and bacon to the sauce and stir to combine. Serve with salad.

6tsp olive oil 6 soft flour tortillas 175g Red Leicester cheese, grated 3 medium tomatoes, slices 250g cooked chicken, loosely broken apart 1 large, ripe avocado 2tsp lemon or lime juice Soured cream 1. Make a simple guacamole: halve, stone and peel the avocado. Mash it with the lemon or lime juice and add a little seasoning.

2. Add 1 tsp oil to a frying pan over a low-medium heat making sure it covers the whole surface. Place a tortilla into the pan.

3. Pop a handful of the grated cheese onto one half of the tortilla, followed by a few slices of tomato, some chicken and any other ingredients you are using.

As the cheese begins to melt, fold over the other half and flip. Cook until crisp.

Serve with the guacamole and soured cream.

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flight mh370 MELISSA EVELEIGH

As days turned to weeks, officials declared the plane crashed with no survivors. There is now a very real chance that the plane, and the people on board, will never be found.

the mystery of flight MH370

In our modern technological world how can an aeroplane disappear from the sky?

On the 8th of March this year, a Malaysian Airlines Boeing 777 plane carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew members disappeared on its way from Kuala Lumpar to Beijing. All the families of these 239 people know is that it appears as if the plane was diverted on purpose by someone on board. It vanished from radar screens less than an hour after take-off. The only sign of the plane nearly a month after its disappearance were two possible sightings of debris in the Indian Ocean. With time running out, the

only hope of finding the plane soon was if searchers detected a ‘ping’ from the black box before it’s 30 to 40 day battery life ran out.

Everyone has a theory about what happened. Some say the plane was hijacked. Others think either Russia, China or the US had something to do with the disappearance. Mechanical failure has not been ruled out. Craziest of all, some said that the plane had been vaporised by lasers in the USA.

Mysterious plane crashes: December 1988 - Pan Am Flight 103 from Frankfurt to Detroit via London and New York City was blownup by a terrorist bomb over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all 243 passengers and 16 crew on board and 11 more people on the ground.

A three-year investigation led to Libyan intelligence officer Abdelbaset alMegrahi being jailed for 10 | FORWARD

the bombing.

In March this year, former Iranian intelligence officer Abolghassem Mesbahi told an Al Jazeera documentary that the bombing was ordered

by Iran in retaliation for a US strike on an Iranian passenger plane.

July 1996 – TWA Flight 800 fell out of the sky shortly after leaving JFK International

But with ‘Big Brother’ watching everyone going about their daily lives, and social media meaning almost anyone can communicate a thought to the world in seconds, people are wondering how a plane and passengers can simply disappear. How can there be no trace of a physical object so huge and a group of passengers that large? With all the technology we have in the world today, can anything really ever be lost? The search for the missing plane is on track to be the most difficult and expensive search and recovery operation in aviation history.

Four potential ‘pings’ were heard by searchers but then nothing more. An underwater drone was deployed but it’s first mission was cut short after it exceeded it’s depth limit.

Only time will tell if the plane will ever be found. With all the modern technology in the world, traceable and widespread, it is a surprise to people all over the world that anything can be lost without a trace. Especially people.

All the families have left is hope.

Hope that in the world we live in, with useless technology being used to promote laziness and to entertain millions of people daily, there will be some way to find what has been lost.

(The plane has not been found at the time of going to print.)

Airport, killing all 230 people on board. Some eyewitnesses claimed that they saw a missile strike it in mid-air.

A report in 2000 said that the probable cause was an explosion of flammable fuel/air vapours in a fuel tank most likely caused by a short circuit.

October 1999 – Egypt Air Flight 990, a Boeing 767, crashed into the Atlantic Ocean about 60 miles south of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, killing all

217 people on board. In 2002, the US National Transportation Safety Board ruled that pilot error was the cause of the crash.

June 2009 – Air France 447 flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris crashed and plummeted 38,000ft in just three minutes and 30 seconds. The pilots on the aircraft received conflicting air speeds in the minutes leading up to the crash, a report found in 2011.

the future sam DUNNETT

Predictions of the Future

that by 2100, people will become fluent in every language, and have music and films downloaded directly to their brains.

Maybe we should take predictions seriously, however. It is terrifying Time travel? No. Space travel? Yes. Via a space elevator that Asimov’s claims that don’t be ridiculous! How predictions over the centuries have boredom, in 2014, would be ‘a proved to be unreliable, but not in all cases ... disease spreading more widely each year, and growing in intensity’, and that ‘those who from fiction. H.G Wells’ ‘The Time “Roads? Where we’re going, we can be involved in creative work Machine’ has its hero navigate don’t need roads.” of any sort will be the true elite a world split in two, between The line at the end of ‘Back to of mankind, for they alone will do underground creatures and the Future’ is one example of the more than serve a machine’ could peaceable, apathetic surfacetongue-in-cheek, self mocking just come true. And then there dwellers. In ‘The Handmaid’s predictions of the future which is science. Climate research has Tale’, Margaret Atwood sees a can be found across popular given us an unprecedented way of future society ruled by religious culture. In the second film, the predicting the future of our planet, fundamentalists. And then there year 2015 (next year) is shown to and it’s not looking good. In an is, of course, Back to the Future. witness self-tying shoelaces and IPCC report published in April, it Isaac Asimov, author of ‘I, Robot’ the nineteenth ‘Jaws’ film. is predicted that global warming wrote, in 1964, a piece for the - which 97% of scientists accept is New York Times entitled ‘A Visit Predicting the future - sometimes man-made - will have devastating to the World’s Fair of 2014’, in clumsily, sometimes eerily effects on crops, water supply which he reported on moon successfully, is not a new and extreme weather events. It is colonies, moving sidewalks, and phenomenon. Robert Boyle compressed tubes to deliver post. telling that the focus of dystopian (1627-1691) wrote about the fiction seems to have swung from In 1946, Darryl Zanuck asserted possibility of designer drugs, and totalitarianism to environmental that TV was dead, because nanotechnology. In 18th century France, Denis Diderot thought that ‘people will get tired of staring at a catastrophe, such as in Cormac plywood box every night’. A rather McCarthy’s ‘The Road’, or even the future would bring a way of Disney’s ‘Wall-E.’ more poignant mistake from re-awakening the dead (he was the history of the future is that wrong), and artificial intelligence Predictions of the future are the theme of Asimov’s fictional (he might have been right.) entertaining, if from the past, festival was ‘Peace Through Konstantin Tsiolkovsky (1857and it is interesting to compare Understanding.’ Albert Einstein, 1935), impressively, predicted imagined worlds to ours. They in 1932, denied any possibility of space travel, but he thought the also, however, whether creative or nuclear power, because it would way we would do it would be involve the shattering of the atom. academic, can and should inform through a ‘space elevator.’ how we choose to act in the We, in modern times, may soon present. have to eat our words as much as Some of the most interesting Einstein did. It has been predicted predictions of the future come FORWARD | 11

youth parliAment cat king

YOUTH PARLIAMENT Hello, my name is Cat King, and I am the Member of Youth Parliament (MYP) for South Somerset.

That’s all well and good but what does that mean?

Well, it means I have been elected by the young people of South Somerset to represent their views and opinions.

We also help with Community group grants and Youth bank! We truly do a bit of everything in our group.

MYPs also do something that’s never been seen in history before. We sit in the House of Commons, where parliament sits (on the green benches) for one day a year.

I know anyone out there who knows anything about politics or the way our laws work would say “BUT IT’S ILLEGAL UNLESS YOU’RE AN MP TO SIT ON THOSE BENCHES!” usually followed by a dramatic gasp. Well our Parliament decided for one day a year youth parliament could hold a national debate that is televised for the young people of Great Britain and the world to see. It’s a chance to debate the five topics you have voted for, in our national ballot.

I was voted in on my manifesto; it contains two aspects, Bullying and Sex & Relationship awareness. I felt both were very worthy and important campaigns ‘Make your mark’ is a campaign run in early for young people of our age and area.

September each year. Ballot papers go out with around 15 issues on. You have the chance, if you are So why should you be bothered about Youth aged 11-18, to vote for the issue you think is the most Parliament? Why should you be interested in it, even important. These all get counted up and the top slightly? Well here are some of the things we do… five are debated in the House of Commons. It is the On a monthly basis UKYPAG meets, this is the largest youth consultation in the UK. Somerset branch of UKYP. We cover a range of topics on our agenda: debates, campaign planning, So if you think that Youth Parliament is something consultations on issues that concern young people you’d like to get involved in or are interested in (like Somerset’s Children’s trust and the County learning more about, visit these websites where you Council). They realise how important it is to talk to can find all the contact details and information: young people about things that are potentially going www.somersetyouth.co.uk/club_home/59 to affect hundreds and hundreds of lives. www.ukyouthparliament.org.uk/

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a modern tale sam ROOKS

N.Dog’s Ark A modern Noah’s ark

Why Noah would have no chance of repeating his famous mission nowadays!

Our story starts in the rural Somerset shire. Here lived a man called Noah but he preferred the name N.Dog as it had more swag.

On the 21st December 2012 N.Dog was visited by God. He was told a flood was on its way and to build a great ark to keep him, his family and a pair of every animal safe.

N.Dog immediately began work on the ark.

In December 2013 the rain came and God revisited N.Dog to see his work. He found no ark just N.Dog sitting on his own in the middle of what looked like a wasteland. The lord spoke to N.Dog and N.Dog told him the story.

“Please forgive me lord but I’ve encountered endless problems.

First I couldn’t get planning

permission as your plans did not comply with regulations. So they made me hire an architect who redrew the plans. Then I got in trouble with the H.S.E for not having a fire sprinkler system or floatation devices. After that my neighbours objected saying I was violating zoning ordinances by building the ark in my front garden, so I then had to get variance from the city planning commission. Then the environment agency told me I was using too much wood and it was destroying wildlife habitation and the Robin was now endangered as a result. So then I had to have a court hearing and explain that this will in the long term save the Robin and every other breed of animal on the planet. They then sent a team of environmental

scientists to inspect my plans and they came to the conclusion that the animals would not survive living in the confines of the ark with each other due to some waffle about eating each other and dying from other animal’s dung. So they made me redraw my plans again with an extension on the ark. But I didn’t have enough left in the budget so I took out a loan, which I couldn’t pay off so was living on benefits. But due to the recession these were cut and, to pay off my loan, they seized all my assets including the ark and left me with nothing.”

The lord then asked N.Dog where the instructions were. N.Dog replied saying that he was a man so he didn’t use them. The lord then gave N.Dog another set of instructions and demanded he read them. Inside the instructions booklet was one paragraph that read: “Thou art been trolled, LOL! No floods will cometh, thy story waseth all for da bants. For your planet has a worse punishment inflicted upon it, a cruelty that is self-created, The Government! ” And so the moral of this story is always read the instructions first.

Here endeth the lesson.

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environment cat king

when the rain came

Water is an issue which has literally flooded out newspapers, social media and consumed our radio and TV news segments. There has been finger pointing at almost everyone; previous governments, current governments and, if you believe some UKIP members, gay marriage.

Extreme flooding accross the Somerset levles has been such a huge issue yet I believe some good has come of it, but it’s a shame it took a natural disaster for it to occur.

Village halls and pubs began to overflow with people, wanting to access food banks and information on the current updates as to what was going on.

With weather reports continously screaming the news that no one Neighbours were suddenly talking. wanted to hear, it really did seem People who had lived next door to hopeless. each other for years but had never really spoken before were now out Some people who lived in inner at all hours. They were putting out cities saw the horrid images on sand bags to defend their homes, the news and felt an urge to taking boat rides to get in and out come down to the levels and of where they lived, because they help in any way they could. I even were literally ‘all in the same boat’. heard of one case where a lady

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came over from abroad because she saw the news and felt she needed to do something!

There have been bingos, band nights and even a burlesque show dedicated to the flood relief fund. People from all cultural backgrounds were finally standing as one to help. The Young farmers Clubs from up and down the country began collecting feed and bedding and any spare machinery for the farmers whose land was submerged and livestock had no food or shelter. For those people it wasn’t just their home and family affected but their businesses and animals as well.

However, now as the fields begin to dry and roads begin to open, I really do hope that these communities remain as tight as some have become because it shouldn’t take a natural disaster for neighbours to talk to each other.

science sarah taraq

ORGANIC CELLS AND SOLAR POWER

Everyone knows the importance of the Sun in our lives. We have used it for many years for drying clothes and making food, and it keeps us all happy!

However, only recently have we been able to use it for generating solar power: power which is obtained from the energy of the sun.

Solar cells (also known as ‘photovoltaic’ (PV) cells) convert light directly into electricity which can then be used to run household appliances, but how does this happen?

PV cells usually consist of layers of silicon, a semiconducting material. When sunlight shines on these cells, an electric field across the layers is created.

How much electricity is produced depends on the amount and the strength of sunlight, so the stronger the sunshine, the greater the amount of electricity that is produced. The electric field across the layers forces electrons to move in a certain direction and this flow of electrons is a current. The current could be used to power appliances like calculators. The power of a PV cell is measured in kilowatts peak (kWp) which is the rate the cell generates energy from sunlight.

Solar power cells are not only used to produce energy. They can also produce energy to run satellites that orbit the Earth. This provides us with satellite television, telephones, the internet and many other things. Today, living our everyday lives without having access to television and phones seems

impossible and the development of technology still continues. Although solar energy is renewable (can be used constantly as it can’t be depleted) and is free, there are disadvantages. It cannot be produced at night and the process of building solar power stations is extremely expensive - PV cells cost a lot more compared to the amount of electricity they would produce in their lifetime.

However, the discovery of organic cells could be a solution. Organic cells are known to be lightweight and a cost effective alternative to solar panels made of PV cells. An organic cell consists of only two layers of semi-conducting polymers (made of plastic) and other flexible materials. These cells can supply energy for portable appliances, like mobile phones. They have to be produced in clean rooms so that dust particles won’t be present as the presence of dust could lead to short circuits which are dangerous. These organic cells can then be used to produce thin, solar panels which could replace the huge solar panels which are fixed on the roof.

The process for this is still being researched and linkers are being produced to help charge transfer from one end of a dyad to another (a dyad is something which consists of two elements). When you obtain molecules which are excellent at storing and transferring charge, they can be applied to molecular batteries and consequently be used in solar panels as sunlight can cause electron transfer to take place. This would be good in the future because it would lead to the production of thin film solar panels, which is more cost effective.

The growth of nanotechnology allowed organic solar cells to develop and in our modern world, many more discoveries are yet to be made. As our technology develops, our way of life would also change as many more things would be accessible to us but it is our responsibility to use things sensibly and we should not let it ruin the traditions of life.

(Special thanks to Anna Nottrodt for passing on research about her organic solar cells project in Switzerland.)

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TECH MOHAMMAD LONE

astonishingly futuristic device.

Google Glass performs most functions of a smartphone- be it voice/video calling, satellite navigation, access to social networks, taking photos, even playing games (though how Angry Birds would work on it, who knows).

Using a head mounted displayprojecting a translucent image onto the eye - Glass features no physical screen. It relies on only two methods of control: a touchpad on its frame and user voice commands.

The touchpad is used to turn on the device and perform functions like scrolling through lists or photos. Commanding the device with your voice is simple- just tell it to ‘record a video’ or ‘call Jeff’ and it will.

2014 – THE BEGINNING OF A GLASS REVOLUTION?

2007 saw the release of the phone that changed the worldthe first iPhone. Could Google’s vision (no pun intended) be to instigate a similar revolution with their latest gadget?

Glass utilizes the fascinating technology of bone conduction.

Instead of having to wear headphones, audio is transmitted

by Glass through your skullwhich, despite the sound of it, is completely safe. Bone conduction gives deeper sound quality and removes sound leakage that normally comes from headphones (so no one else can listen in to your phone calls or any questionable choices of music).

Now this all sounds good but there’s something that could stop this from instantly becoming a top-selling consumer device at its launch later this year- its potential price. While Google has stated Glass will be cheaper upon release than the current $1,500 (£895) ‘Explorer’ edition, which is only available to a select group, most industry experts believe the starting cost will be no less than £300- a very steep price indeed for a first generation device.

Have you ever thought smartphones were too inconvenient? Too heavy? Too much of a hassle to carry around?

If you answered yes to any of those (in which case I’m guessing you need a different phone), Google has just the answer for you: Google Glass.

Announced last year, Google Glass has become the epitome 16 | FORWARD

of modern consumer technology.

Google’s premise in making it was simple- to turn a regular pair of glasses into a high tech device paralleling the smartphones people carry in their pockets.

Yes, the design of the device has split opinion, but for a first major entrant into this new ‘smart glass’ market, Google Glass performs a decent amount of functions that in combination make an

However, expensive first releases are no surprise in the tech world. It wouldn’t be silly to guess that, as the years roll on and technology develops, sales will increase and we may be living in a world full of what are now known as ‘Glass Holes’.

TECH MOHAMMAD LONE

THE £3 MILLION PIZZA Back in 2010, Laszlo Hanyecz convinced someone to accept 10,000 units of a currency he had just ‘mined’ with his computer to buy pizza for him, from Papa John’s.

On an online forum, Hanyecz asked someone to order two large pizzas, worth $25 dollars (£15), for him in exchange for 10,000 Bitcoins- a virtual currency, young and relatively unheard of at the time.

Little did the anonymous volunteer who responded to him know that soon, he would be very well paid for kindly doing this job; as of the 1st of April 2014, 10,000 Bitcoins were worth £2,955,271.52.

What is Bitcoin and why is it so popular?

‘Bitcoins’ are a virtual, online-only currency - but one that is far different from the Pound or the Dollar that we are used to. Unlike conventional currencies, Bitcoins are uncentralised. They don’t need a bank or central authority to control any aspect of it and they are fully global, not tied to any specific country.

This is a particularly attractive aspect of Bitcoin. It removes the need of a third party (such as a credit card company) in a transaction, making it quicker, more private and cheaper. For example, to transfer pounds to someone in China from Britain you’d have to pay high transaction rates - money that would go to the company you’re using for the transaction.

Bitcoin allows you to transfer this money straight to the receiver, without any extra fees or parties involved.

1 Bitcoin was worth 1 two-hundredth of a pound.

Currently 1 Bitcoin is worth almost £300.

Sounds great! How can I get these Bitcoins?

Bitcoins are produced through a process of ‘mining’you get your computer to solve a series of complex maths puzzles through a program and after long enough, you receive a quantity of Bitcoins. But it takes a long time - on average it’d take over 100 days to mine a single Bitcoin.

Where does Bitcoin get its value?

Well, no one knows exactly, but it’s generally accepted that Bitcoin gets its worth from trustsimilar to conventional money, but instead of relying on gold it relies on complex mathematical properties.

Essentially, people who accept Bitcoin value it as something someone else will accept for another good- just like if you take a fiver from your dad, you know the local Tesco will accept it for what you want to buy.

So what can I get with Bitcoins?

Anything, provided the vendor accepts Bitcoins; you can hire a private jet, order a takeaway and more notorious use it in the trade of drugs.

It’s difficult to tell whether Bitcoins are just part of a huge ‘crypto-currency’ bubble, along with other equivalents such as the short-lived ‘Coinye West’ and ‘Dogecoin’ and what will happen when the 21 million Bitcoin limit is reached? Only time will tell.

Contrary to regular currencies extra Bitcoins cannot be produced- there will only ever be 21 million Bitcoins; 12 million of which already exist.

Rising demand has seen Bitcoin prices skyrocket recently- at the time of Hanyecz’s pizza purchase FORWARD | 17

blurred lines: when does art become porn?

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There is a current campaign against Page 3 topless images. Its supporters are up against an industry that has been making money doing this for a long time; their audience want or expect and choose to see those images. But those photographers have to have some artistic vision no matter how crude some people may see it as. So could you say that these images are pieces of artwork, publicly unadmired and in demand to be taken down?

One movement claims that women crave sexual attention and reveal themselves for a certain message? Feminine beauty captured differently compared to admired artists.

Art encompasses many mediums from painting to sculpture, photography to film. It can stimulate great appreciation but at the With art brings freedom. The ability to break same time great controversy. Here Hannah with convention and call it exploration of the Govan explores the question of nudity and human figure. Sound familiar? Why should Page art and asks: So when does someone’s ideas become pornographic and no longer art?

Nudity in film is now widely accepted. Sometimes it’s not needed, other times it is essential to the story.

But nudity has not always been the norm. Artists over time have been criticised for the nature and style of their work. The nude woman has in the past been idealised into a goddess or mythical creature.

When Gustav Klimt painted The Kiss, a man craving a desire for a woman in the act of passion, it was viewed as disgraceful. Women at that time had to be clothed and if nudity was necessary then it had to be a man who was naked. Egon Schiele drew women not in love and with modest beauty, but with a sexual desire and displaying themselves in want of lust; this was seen as crude.

CURRENT AFFAIRS HANNAH GOVAN

type of environment they had been taken in. It is just imagery of the human body right? Or is the line blurred by two key variables: the purpose of the image and who it is directed at.

3 photographs be any different? Their purpose.

Boundaries shift and if seen in a gallery, surely they would be considered soft porn. But are they not artistic?

Freedom in art has led to these differences in opinion. Freedom is the podium of soft porn and pornography but it is in the eye of the beholder to decide how they perceive that image. Film, painting, print, photo and so on. The line is getting thinner and more transparent, the ability to express emotions in physicality forever evolve. History is shaped how we want to shape it, including the raw and beautiful human.

In India, there are sculptures of people, both men and women, in sexual positions carved into temple facades. When the Europeans saw them, they thought this was shocking. These carvings have art in mind and display great carving ability. Should these have been viewed as pornographic?

In Ilfracombe, North Devon, the Verity sculpture by Damien Hurst, depicting a pregnant woman with half her stomach cut so that you can see the baby inside, caused shock and awe at the same time. Disgusting to some but to others empowering, showing what women are capable of.

The crux of the question revolves around this: If someone was to show you a painting of a nude woman, it would likely be viewed as art. If the exact same image was a photograph, would you still think it was art? If you knew it wasn’t intended for art but the advertisement of pornography, would that change your perception? If a photographer creates a series of photographs of nude women, this is seen as expression, this is art. But your mind might change if you didn’t know who the photographer was, if you only found them in Google images and knew what FORWARD | 19

ART SAM DUNNETT

three ‘mOdern’ artists It is a common complaint: art, nowadays, is too abstract, or pretentious. ‘Modern art’ has become a kind of insult; a dismissive label. Those who love art, however, and hope it will always be an important part of the world as it changes, feel compelled to defend it as relevant and exciting. Here are three artists whose work are examples of how so-called ‘modern art’ gets a bad rep.

Women are Heroes

Lieutenant Williams Parry

Passage

In 2006, French street artist ‘JR’ took photographs of pairings of Israelis and Palestinians with the same jobs as each other, and pasted them in eight cities both sides of the notorious wall. He created the biggest illegal exhibition ever, and, when asked, most observers said they couldn’t tell the Israelis from the Palestinians. His project ‘Women are Heroes’ included the transformation of the Favela of Providencia, in Brazil. The only way the media could discover what was going on was to enter the town and talk to the community’s women and children - victims of ongoing wars between drug-cartels - whose eyes and faces now covered the hillside.

As he says of a similar project in Kibera, Kenya, ‘When you look at Kibera now, they look back.”

After 9/11 and the Iraq war, American artist Deb Solokow began to feel that traditional art was a ‘waste of materials’. Instead, she watched films, especially ‘Rocky.’ The first piece of art she produced after her ‘break’ was a nine foot flowchart, representing the plot of Rocky with diagrams, graphs, drawings and writing. She even inserted herself into the story as an alternate love interest for the hero. Now, she represents many different narratives in this way, including the lives of celebrities, and conspiracy theories. Her work is an example of how art can be valuable in dissecting, interpreting, and understanding the stories which surround us.

Cornelia Konrads takes another different approach. Her work is not particularly cerebral, but completely transforms natural landscapes. Her 2007 work in Germany, ‘Passage’, made twigs from the forest floor look as if they were floating in mid-air, forming a doorway in the middle of the wood. Her series of ‘piles’ make stones, bricks, and logs rise from stacks into the air; break away from the group and make the environment slightly strange and otherworldly.

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Art is varied; every artist looks at the world and their work differently, and this is as important and interesting to the ‘modern’ age as it had always been.

SOCIAL MEDIA IESHA THOMAS

#nomakeup selfie It went viral, daring to bare for charity. The power of social media, defying the press and working for the good.

If you scrolled down your Facebook newsfeed a few months ago, for the first time, selfie after selfie of your peers, classmates, siblings, or heaven forbid your parents, appeared with not an ounce of makeup on, accompanied by “#nomakeupselfie”.

Needless to say, as I tried to escape the endless selfies of my Facebook friends, accompanied by a roll of the eyes and a heavy sigh, I wondered why on earth people continued the stupidity of following Facebook crazes, like the “Neck Nominations” we were “entertained” with during February. After all, who wouldn’t want to see your friends down pints of alcohol mixed in with coffee, chili powder, shampoo or washing up liquid? And now, it was selfies. I wasn’t the only one infuriated with an equal amount of statuses criticising people for taking the no make-up selfies. However, once word of mouth spread that they were doing it to raise awareness for Breast Cancer and began donating £3 to the Cancer Research UK charity by texting “BEAT” TO 70099, and not for their own vanity or following the latest craze, I, among others, began to eat a large slice of humble pie.

many more charities, celebrities and brands getting involved and taking selfies of their own; it looks as though it could be one of the most successful campaigns of all time. Charity giving is becoming a far cry from people stood in the freezing cold on your local high street shaking an empty tub asking for donations. With Sport Relief just passed, those who maybe can’t be as active as running marathons or swimming the British Channel, have found a new way to get involved. And yes, of course taking a selfie with no make-up isn’t exactly the hardest or difficult task to achieve, but every penny counts towards charity, and finding new ways through social media is just taking advantage of how technology has changed. For some people the selfie is a way of remembering family members and friends who had to battle cancer or those who still are. If men get Movember why can’t women have No MakeUp Selfies? Men are also doing their bit by taking selfies grinning in red lipstick and mascara which can provide a bit of light hearted entertainment for us all.

It seems that all the Media ever does is spew out negative criticisms for social networking and the dangers and sedentary lifestyle “youths” now have.

By donating millions to charity that could help cure cancer, the No Make-Up Selfie defies the stereotype that Facebook and Twitter are constantly battered with. No one can deny that social media has shown it can do more than just spread a lack of face to face communication or people willing to jeopardise their health just to get a few likes. Social network can help make a difference.

Incredibly, these selfies sparked £2 million worth of donations, all thanks to make-up free selfies, in just one week. The trend is still going on, and with FORWARD | 21

humour sam rooks

Sam’s Jokes of the Issue

What is red and bad for your teeth?

– A Brick

What word is always spelt wrong in the dictionary?

– Wrong

What do you get when you jump in a Swimming pool?

– Wet

What happened when the wheel was invented?

– There was a revolution

What is the credit crunch?

– A cereal made by Gordon Brown What is the biggest oxymoron?

– Microsoft works Simba was moving too slowly.

So I told him to Mufasa Why is history a rubbish subject?

– There is no future in it Why do we never see hippos hiding in trees?

– Because they are too good at it What is the fastest cake?

– Scones

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For more jokes like this go www.samsjokeoftheweek. moonfruit.com or follow us on twitter via @ samsjokeoftheweek

Secondly, children can see Page 3 at any time. Some opponents of the campaign have tweeted Lucy Holmes, saying “If you don’t like it, just don’t buy it!” In reply, she has pointed out that it’s not just the direct consumers that are affected by what The Sun publishes. As a ‘family’ newspaper, children can access it at the newsagents next to The Beano (does that still exist?

I hope so), on a bus, in a café, at the hairdressers… and these images on Page 3 are full blown static porn! If a clip from PornHub was played just before the 6pm news, it would be the biggest scandal in history.

no more page 3

A national institution? Not any more, as celebrities such as Russell Brand sign up to the campaign to instill change.

‘In a moment we have the six o’clock news, but first a PornHub favourite.’

‘Because it’s not 1970 anymore’.

‘Because how are men supposed to leer at women over breakfast and then respect them in the workplace?’

‘Because boobs aren’t news!’ …are a few reasons why people have signed the No More Page 3 petition. With over 182,000 e-signatures to date, No More Page 3 are petitioning The Sun newspaper (and I use that term loosely) to take down their daily exposure of topless glamour models.

Lucy Holmes, the founder of the campaign, was outraged to discover in 2012 that the largest image of a female in an issue of The Sun, was a topless twenty-

campaign anna lane

The key reason behind the campaign: it is very, very sexist. By putting a picture of a woman in just her knickers at the beginning of the paper, the message is conveyed to readers that the most important thing about a woman is her sexual allure.

The campaigners are not attempting to ensure laws are passed to ban Page 3, but instead are politely asking owner Rupert Murdoch and current editor David Dinsdore, to take Page 3 down voluntarily. The aim of the campaign isn’t censorship.

The desired result of this is that attitudes are changed, as opposed to media organisations becoming determined and eager to have pornography censorships repealed.

Personally, I’m averse to the entire porn industry, tiny Barbie dolls, many advertising techniques, Photoshop and… well… lots of things, for various reasons. Sexual objectification is a much wider and deeper issue than page 3.

But No More Page 3 is a great campaign. It’s one that could provoke a dramatic change to the way the roles of women are viewed. It’s one that needs greater support.

something, despite the fact that Jessica Ennis had just won a gold medal for England. This initial outrage was the catalyst for the campaign and Lucy began by writing a letter to former editor of The Sun, Dominic Mohan.

If you think that the achievements of women are more worthy of celebration than their sex appeal and if you don’t believe soft pornography to be suitable content for the daily news, then get on to nomorepage3.org and sign the petition.

Follow the campaign on twitter @ nomorepage3 FORWARD | 23

dive trip Rhiannon Sampson & cat king

lanzArote dive trip

What better way to spend a weeks holiday than diving in Lanzarote? Rhiannon Sampson was lucky enough to go and shares her experiences.

Our first experience was weird breaths underwater in a freezing swimming pool (with some people taking to it like fish while others being more apprehensive) and everyone passing the dive exam on the first day in lovely Lanzarote. We put on our 15/20KG equipment and waded into mild waters, relaxing as schools of fish glided past, flashing their impressive array of colours and not caring about the group of gawking divers.

Floating over reefs teaming with fluorescent fish, bright red starfish and spiny urchins, being shown tiny, camouflaged seahorse and giggling as flat fish skim along the floor. After becoming PADI open divers, more mask skills and removing all our equipment – very funny moments removing weight belts… much celebrating went on where we experienced the local nightlife. As the sun

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melted into the sea, we entered the dark depths in our night dive, sea life emerging from all areas. Turning off the torches and doing the underwater jig, we were outlined by rainbow sparkles of light as we disturbed bioluminescent plankton. Alas we saw no octopuses but we did spot cuttlefish, which look adorable with their frills. On the last day we went wreck diving, jumping off the boat in full gear, it took a little squeak from many people. Here we hit our deepest at 18/20m and saw clouds of fish with eerie barracuda just casually moving over our heads. We had a BBQ followed by award giving then out for karaoke for a well-earned fool around. For our last day in Lanzarote, we went on a tour of the ‘fire mountains’ and rode up a volcano on a camel. So after a massive thank you to Nick and Sov for looking after us all, the last thing to say is that this was a truly phenomenal holiday.

ALUMNI YOLANDa BETHAM

Lanzarote SCUBA diving trip

Forward writer Cat King recently met with AS Richard Huish student Flo Bragg and asked her all about the Lanzarote Scuba Dive trip that she jetted off on earlier this year.

What were you expecting when you signed up?

To meet new people, and to make new friends as well as have fun whilst gaining a qualification.

freaked me out a bit. For example, if you didn’t equalise properly you could burst your ear drums!

What was your favourite memory of the whole trip?

Were you nervous Going out with everyone about anything before and celebrating passing. you went?

Yes! I didn’t know anyone It was so much fun and I really enjoyed it! who was on the trip prior to leaving, and the health risks of diving

Why did you choose to go on the trip?

I figured the diving qualification could be useful for my future and it was definitely going to be an experience that would help me later in life, no matter what. Also, the lure of Lanzarote was hard to resist especially in the horrid January English weather!

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music aliki vatidi-turp

Temples were only snapped up by Heavenly Records in mid-2012. Already they have been touring with such bands like Suede (which was the first time I witnessed Temples at Alexandra Palace in London in September 2013). Temples are in the league with the synth sounds of TOY and the calm vibes of Tame Impala. The EP that helped Temples to be recognised by the wider circle of psychedelic indie fans was ‘Shelter Song’ with lyrics that mould around the smooth but punchy guitar riffs of James Bragshaw, combined with the rhythm created by Sam Toms on drums to create a world which should be filled with sweet smelling flowers and flares.

temple gig review

“They were jaw dropping live, definitely the best gig I have been to in my short 16 years of existence.” Can’t say better than that...

Those 3 minutes and 14 seconds encapsulate the essence of care free youth in all its glory tied in with the story created by James’s lyrics, for example; ‘one night you came over to me, we shared a drink or three’. The expectation that Temples would be jaw dropping live was proven right about a minute into their first song on their set list ‘Golden Throne’.

Bragshaw’s stage presence was immense with his perfectly permed hair and glittered face. The cool vibe was off the scale and it made you envy everything about him. Even girls and probably every guy wanted to rock tight, black trousers like he does. Yet Temples were not a showboating band with crazy light work display and smoke machines.

Temples took the approach of a band that lets the music take centre stage. Their colour coordinated outfits and flares give the audience a feeling that they are witnessing something raw and not over worked.

The band worked together perfectly with their set roles and tasks, but the music didn’t feel regimented and strict rather, it felt like a fluent flow of riffs and synth sounds. An immense mosh pit created by some over intoxicated youths engulfed the whole of the pit; and me with it. But this did not affect the overall experience; it just meant I got very bruised knees. It was the kind of gig that I didn’t want to end, I just wanted to bask in Temples glory for eternity.

Definitely the best gig I have been to in my short 16 years of existence.

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music aliki vatidi-turp

up and coming bands

It’s hard for new bands to break through and be noticed. So how can you grab attention and make yourself stand out from the crowd.

Up and coming bands have a lot to compete with, not just other bands; but being original with their own ‘sound’ which appeals to the masses. Across the spectrum of music from alternative to hiphop, it is a cut throat industry that involves rejection and heavy criticism. So why do people want to put themselves through it? It’s a question of self determination and the end goal is something most of us aspire to; playing on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury, even if you have the musical ability of a badger. The music machine churns out new music every waking hour. It takes a gem of an EP to grab your attention and make you notice the artist.

If it wasn’t for ‘related artists’ on Spotify we would actually have to root through music online, in record shops and any other means which is obviously more troublesome than being told what other bands and singers you would like through a cyber

button. It is like the internet has a better knowledge of what you like than you do; and I don’t know about you but that button has introduced me to bands that I now hold in high regard. As we have evolved technologically, so obviously has music. The ‘loop system’ was a technological breakthrough. It meant artists could create beats and sounds never heard before by human ears. This new sound enabled the forefathers of electro bands like Kraftwerk to bless the world with such songs like ‘The Model’ and ‘Radioactivity’ which have influenced techno music that can be heard in the works of Gary Newman and Daft Punk. So this leaves our up and coming bands with quite big shoes to fill. The almost pandemic of small record companies looking for undiscovered talent has become a worldwide search for something fresh and exciting.

This has led to music scouts

working day and night to find the pearl of amazingness in a sea of mediocre, off pitched whining and questionable guitar riffs. Fresh faced bands are now expected to have a fresh image too. It’s like the music is almost as important as the styling; even the scruffy ripped skinnies and baggy jumper look has become a symbol of many bands and singers, for example King Krule who is a hipsters dream. And then you have bands such as the Arctic Monkeys who have been styled within an inch of their lives creating an epitome of slicked back hair and clean cut suits.

Artists such as Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs (T.E.E.D) have encapsulated being quirky to the extreme, with elaborate head dresses and funky shirts to put Howard Moon to shame. Many bands find their calling touring and performing, thus letting them play their music to a crowd of spectators. People power is what can make or break a band or artist. Once you get a following of people who will happily listen to your music and buy your records, you are in. It is inevitable that once a band is recognized in the underground music scene, deals and promotions will follow.

FORWARD | 27

release compared to your earlier releases?

music helen salter

Our previous album was recorded in a bedroom, which made things easier to change and it kept a natural flow to the process.

We had more time and it was less hectic, we didn’t ever lose sight. That was different to our first album, where we recorded with a drummer in a studio and everything was lot more hemmed in. This EP was recorded in a garage; we felt at home, however the lines were not completely as blurred as they were for the second album.

A colossal hit for the Little Comets Over the course of the last five years, indie rock band Little Comets have released two albums, three EPS and nine singles. The ‘kitchen sink’ trio Rob, Matt and Micky measure a boundless magnitude of animation and innovation, stitched into their beautifully intricate lyrics and polyphonic melodies.

Their latest EP release, ‘Gentle’, is somewhat of a volte-face in terms of their lyrical content and approach to expression and narrative. Albeit their signature polarisation between serious subject matter and jubilant tempo outlines their success, there is an irrefutable yet delicate shift dominating ‘Gentle’.

Focusing less on an adolescent and boisterous definition, Little Comets progress and flourish into producing earnest and elusive material, spoken delicately yet felt emphatically. I met up with singer Rob and guitarist Micky on the Tuesday eve of their UK tour in

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Bath to discuss the details behind their highly anticipated release.

What do you think characterises the new EP? For the first time I think we’ve collected together four songs which are a lyrical representation of our opinions on life – all firsthand accounts. Unintentionally, all of the material is written in the first person, usually there is a framework of a story but for these songs the lyrics are a lot more naked. The language isn’t blunt, it’s a lot more personal.

What do you think is the most significant difference with this

You mentioned that these songs are a lot more ‘naked’ – would you say this is due to having more experiences and maturing as a band?

Yes, and not only as a band but as people. We’ve all faced changes – Micky and I have become fathers which have both given us different outlooks on life. We were able to write more confidently, with a reason.

Was there anything in particular that spurred you into writing Coalition of One? – You mention food banks…

I think it’s more of a response in general to the way politics is proportioned and represented.

We’ve all grown up in the north which is predominantly Left; therefore our regions are underrepresented geographically.

A set of MPs simply do not adequately represent the makeup of our country in terms of gender, ethnicity, sexuality, birthplace, education and employment, so I wrote song about it.

The song ‘The Blur, The Line and The Thickest of Onions’, along with the EP title refers

to the music industry. Can you elaborate on the decision to name it ‘Gentle’?

I think with the music industry today and the majority of music you hear on the radio, it’s all very brash and somewhat empty. The song is a reaction against that: the current lack of effort with the lyrics. We weren’t drawn to the loudest and the biggest sound, therefore all four of the tracks are very tender and soft, which impelled us to name it ‘Gentle’.

How is playing the new material and which one do you enjoy playing the most?

It’s been nerve-racking playing the new songs, because you don’t know what kind of response you’re going to get. Fortunately they’ve all had a great response – especially ‘Little Italy’. Usually we say that song is the most fun to play, but last night when we played ‘The Blur, The Line and The Thickest of Onions’ there was something about Matt’s monitor and the mic for that song, it was perfect for me personally. But apart from that it is ‘Little Italy’, because you can really get your teeth into it. It’s been great going out and touring again especially when we haven’t done it for a while, the crowds have been so welcoming and warm.

Check out Little Comet’s ‘Gentle’ on iTunes,.

Development and Coaching Degree: I have just successfully completed the Sports Development and Coaching Degree at Richard Huish College.

I have been at Richard Huish College for five years and have studied both my A-Levels and Degree with the same institution.

I studied PE, Leisure Studies and Environmental Science A levels, whilst participating in the Rugby Academy. Furthermore, I was able to continue playing rugby during my first year on the degree as a third year student. Over the course of my degree I have gained valuable theoretical and practical skills.

The degree gives students a great opportunity to work in the real world; I had the opportunity to work in two primary schools, two secondary schools, Taunton Vale Hockey Club and completed a number of sport development projects, including tag rugby and Quad-kids. I believe that one major strength of the degree at Huish is that it gives students the opportunity to work in the real world and gain valuable teaching and coaching experience; something which employers look very highly upon. In addition, this led to me gaining a part-time job at college as a rugby coach.

These experiences not only look good on my CV, but also enhance my prospects of gaining a job in the future.

I will be starting at Bath Spa University in September to study a PGCE in PE. Having gained a number of practical skills during my degree will certainly assist in my development as a teacher. I believe that one major strength of the course at Huish is that students can still work part-time and study. Not only has this helped me to fund my

course and home life, but it has also demanded that I managed my time effectively. Completing a degree is time consuming and can be stressful, however, if you learn to balance your time efficiently you can study, have a part-time job and a social life all at the same time. Further to this, studying at Huish has certainly saved me a lot of money! All though I do miss some of the camaraderie and university lifestyle, I have been able to save lots of money for the future by having a part-time job whilst studying and living at home.

The degree has a good range of modules and many have a theoretical and practical base, which gives everyone the opportunity to show what strengths they have. Working in a small group has meant that we have become very close and has also given us a greater opportunity to have one to one contact with teachers; something which is very limited at university.

I do believe that you receive a greater standard of teaching at an institution such as Richard Huish, because student-teacher contact is greater and you get to build a stronger relationship with your peers and teachers.

career hayden johnson

What’s been different about this tour compared to previous tours?

For this tour we’ve brought a piano on stage and we’ve retired the percussion line. It was time for a change and it’s nice to keep delivering something different and keep evolving. It’s been great touring again; it’s been so nice seeing familiar faces in the crowd.

Richard Huish College Sports

Hayden Johnson Year 3 BA Hons Sport Development & Coaching

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active huish TIM LEGG

ACTIVE HUISH Always something happening...

Health and Social Care students become Football Leaders!!

Sports Ambassadors Deliver a Top Intra Mural Netball Competition

TEAM 19 WINNERS Every Monday last term ten 5-aside football teams contested for the prestigious Team 19 trophy in the Huish Dome. The winners this term were Tekkerz who were unbeaten.

Students play to enjoy themselves and to participate in a friendly competitive manner.

Team 19 5-aside football will continue in the summer term and it is open to all and any ability is welcome.

Don’t take our word for it. This is what some students have said:

‘Team 19 is full of banter, well organised and alot of fun!’ – Ben Swinton ‘Team 19 is well good, I love it.’ – Joe Jones Root ‘Team 19 football is good fun and I enjoy it every week. It is competitive which makes it even more fun.’ – Archie Charles ‘Team 19 is great!

Mondays are so much better knowing that fixtures are happening.

Thanks to Tim Legg and thanks to Team 19!’ – Simon Littlewood

Active Huish Sports Ambassadors decided to organise and deliver an intramural netball competition last term.

A total of 8 different sporting teams entered and it was no surprise to see that our superb Netball team won the competition. A huge well done and congratulations to the Sports Ambassadors on organising and delivering a very good event!

Health and Social Care students undertook The FA Junior Football Leaders Award which develops leadership skills including coaching a group of players, refereeing and running an event. The course also gave the students the opportunity to develop their communication skills and how to deal with conflict; a valuable experience which the students will take into their own profession within Health and Social Care.

Summer Social Activities What’s On This Term

Lacrosse, Rowing, Tennis, Rounders, Archery, Team 19 5-aside, Yoga, Athletics, Cricket, Cheerleading and Fun on the Field. For more information contact Tim Legg (timl@richuish. ac.uk) or go to office H210 to have a chat.

Follow: @HuishSport Facebook: HuishSport

CLIMBING

Active Huish introduced climbing within the programme for the first time and what a success it proved to be. Twelve students regularly attended the weekly climbing course at The Vivary Centre where they all learnt the skills needed to climb. Skills included tying all the knots, relaying and all the climbing techniques to reach the top!!

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SPORT RORY WALKER Casey Stoney playing for England

Homosexuality in Football

Homophobia has been widespread in football throughout the world for a long time. But in this modern world why is it still a taboo subject?

Homosexuality is something that is, in our modern society, widely accepted. We more commonly see gay couples on TV and there are many gay celebrities in the public eye without their sexuality being what identifies them. There have been improvements in law, such as the Criminal Justice Act of 2003, that gives courts the power to give criminals tougher sentences if they’re found guilty of a crime motivated by homophobia. Then why, when it comes to sports such as football, does there still seem to be a stigma attached to being homosexual? As a football fan myself I have often witnessed homophobic chanting from fans towards players seen as fragile or lesser than the other masculine players of the fan’s own team.

Maybe this is the reason there are currently no openly gay footballers in England. Justin Fashanu was the only openly gay footballer in England but tragically committed suicide in 1998 after suffering years of homophobic abuse. There has been some progress though, with England

Women’s captain Casey Stoney recently revealing she is a lesbian.

However it’s going to take more than a few individuals speaking out, it’s the actual attitudes that need to change. The 2018 World Cup is set to be hosted in Russia and then in Qatar in 2022. In both of these countries homosexual acts are illegal although FIFA, the

international football governing body, is urging them to relax laws before they host this massive international competition. There are now two petitions, one started in the US by football fan Zach Lewis and another started in the UK by James Lavin, which have gathered support from football fans in more than 60 different countries. Surveys such as one carried out by Staffordshire University have suggested that less than a fifth of football fans would care what the sexuality of a player was providing they did well for their team. These results are not surprising as an acceptance of varied sexualities is the norm in modern society, but there have also been negative comments made about this survey and these names have been kept anonymous. An example of this are comments made from one fan saying: ‘Gays can’t play football – fact’. The study and society in general seems to show however that this opinion is not the norm.

You can help contribute to putting an end to the issues I have discussed in this article by signing up to James Lavin’s petition.

You can find him on Twitter @ campaignjames where there is a link to his petition on www. change.org. Already there are over 52,000 signatures on his list but the total number he needs to achieve is a massive 947,932.

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National Success for Huish Students Richard Huish College have once again cemented their position as one of the leading sixth form colleges for sport.

On 4th – 6th April, Richard Huish College took 47 students across 12 different sporting disciplines to the British Colleges Sport National Championships at the University of Bath. Students qualified for this event back in the Autumn term by winning their South West Regional Tournaments in their respective sports against strong competition from other South West Colleges. Huish boasted Men’s Hockey and Women’s Basketball teams at the National Championships, as well as numerous individuals who qualified as part of the South West team in Men’s and Women’s Cross-Country, Women’s Golf, Women’s Singles and Doubles Table Tennis, Men’s Squash, Men’s and Women’s Swimming, and Men’s and Women’s Trampolining.

Huish students competed in the University’s fantastic facilities against the best athletes from colleges in the other 9 regions of England, Scotland and Wales.

Richard Huish students medalled in an incredible 9 of the 12 events they competed in, returning with a remarkable 29 medals in all. Huish Men’s Hockey put in a herculean effort to successfully defend their

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2013 BCS title by taking gold in the Men’s hockey competition. There were Silver medals for Clare Sykes (Singles), Imogen Setter and Danni CrossHenley (Doubles) in the women’s table tennis in a Roy of the Rovers performance which far exceeded even their own expectations. Josh Bryant won Silver in the Men’s Trampolining competition as part of the SW team, and Kathyrn Loader played two very solid rounds of golf to win Team Silver in the Womens Golf competition.

Olly Hacker won Bronze in the Men’s squash, narrowly losing to both the Gold and Silver medallists, giving him the incentive to go one or two better next year. Beth Stacy and Sunny Sharp won bronze medals in the Women’s trampolining event as part of the South West team, with Sunny producing an immaculate routine which saw her just miss out on an individual medal in tied 4th place. Jo Walton and Ben Hawkins ran superb races to win team Bronze in the men’s Cross Country. Rhys Cole, Jamie Vickery and Darius Vahdati won Bronze Medals as part of the South West Men’s Swimming team.

BCS NATIONALS HARRY LEE

Sam Young, Laura Hill and Abi Dare (Women’s Swimming) and Charlotte Rogers, Kate Drew and Alice Loneragan (Women’s Cross Country) put in great performances to finish in the agonising 4th place in their respective competitions. As all lower 6th students, they will hope to qualify and go one better next year. The Women’s Basketball team raised their game to a new level over the weekend and can be exceptionally proud of their commitment and level of performance against some incredibly strong and physical opposition. A narrow 10-12 loss to Tyne Met College in their final group game meant they just missed out on a semi-final spot.

All in all it was a highly enjoyable and extremely successful Championship for all involved with Huish Sport and this was topped off, as the South West fended off the other 9 regions to become the overall winning region and claim the Wilkinson Sword

trophy, which was collected by Huish student and South West Captain Max Ansell.

With such a large college representation for the winning region, and medals in 9 of 12 events competed in, Richard Huish College have once again cemented their position as one the leading 6th form colleges in the country for sport!

Sports Development Manager Harry Lee said “It was amazing to have such a large number of students qualify for the National Championships once again, and a pleasure to watch them compete on a National stage. Their phenomenal results were just reward for the hard work they have put in with their coaches throughout the year. The students were a pleasure to take away as ever, and a real credit to the college both in and out of competition.”

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BOOKS SAM ROOKS

Homer’s THE Iliad – A message to today from the dawn of writing The greatest and most influential epic poem ever written, telling of the tragic and bloody climax to the siege of Troy.

The Iliad is a book written by the ancient Greek poet Homer. Now you might think that messages that come from a book written nearly 3000 years ago would be irrelevant to modern society and I accept that as a view. But unfortunately the messages from the The Iliad do still apply. To most people The Iliad is a book about the Trojan war, but in fact the Trojan war is just a vehicle for so much more. It tells of a corrupt and conflict ridden society where morals are lost and it is all about glory and status, a society where war is 34 | FORWARD

a way of life. In The Iliad Homer shows us and the characters that war gets us nowhere, that it’s a waste of potential and makes us ask, War, what is it good for?

Every character in The Iliad has a story and as a reader you are even saddened by the death of a character who is only mentioned as a character who dies. And each one with their own, at times graphically described death. The Iliad also tells us of the anger of Achilles and how his stubbornness to forgive and forget led to the loss of his beloved companion.

It was said the only weakness of Achilles was his heel, but The Iliad shows us that even he cannot cope with the results of a trivial war. A war started because one man stole another man’s wife. The results of Achilles’ anger do then add the message from Homer that stubbornness in trivial anger gets you nowhere apart from negative impact. The fact the very cause of the war is down to one man’s bad choice, again reflects today’s society. The fact we can see this reflection shows that we never truly learn from history. It was said that World War Two was the war to end all wars, yet there are still wars today. Yes war may be necessary for a defensive side but not for the attacking side or over trivial matters. In all, The Iliad shows corruption in the earliest civilisation and still nearly 3000 years later those problems exist.

You may think they don’t but all you need to do is open your eyes to see. There is Russia, Syria and flight MH370 to name a few issues that could in some way be linked back. Perhaps then we should accept that this is just life, that the world will never be perfect and we should cope with what we have got. That we should go forward with our beliefs and do the best we can undeterred when the mountain is steepest in a society where corruption and conflict are in everything if you look hard enough. Perhaps though this shows the good in today’s society, that we have learnt to deal with it despite ignoring the endless list of messages from a book written by a blind poet at the dawn of writing. The Iliad then is not a dated novel, it is a timeless classic.

One to one

Carol holmes

What is your favourite piece of stationary and why?

It has got to be a BIC Biro as they’re cheap and last forever.

That is definitely the best value product in the Box Office. Mind you, I can give you a good deal with my liquid Tipp-Ex. I once overstocked three years ago as I thought I was buying them per bottle, not caseload! I’m still trying to shift them so if anyone wants to pop down to the Box Office, I can give you a fantastic BOGOF offer!

INTERVIEW GENEVIEVE BURNS

leaving. Obviously, him being the ‘big boss’ and everything I really wanted to impress by serving him quickly and efficiently! However, I had no £5 notes! I had to hand him two bags of 50p pieces. Poor Dr Avery then had to count out all the coins, one by one to put in the leaving card envelopes. He was a true gentleman though and put up with the inconvenience. If I ever wanted a £5 note, that was the day!

I heard there was once a contest between you and a student…

I did once race a student to You’d better ask that friendly face in the Box Office nicely college! I cycle to work every day for your printer credits. Or else! on my foldaway bike. He had a bigger bike than me and overtook We all know the lovely Carol me in the park but I managed to Sumurai for the best adult 1st who works in the Box Office and get ahead along the cycle lane Kup Tae Kwon-Do Black Belt in brightens our day with a big smile, Britain. They gathered all the black and claim victory! As I won, I chat and well, a pad of paper while belts in Britain and graded you on turned round and shouted back, you’re there. Or at least we think criteria like self-defence technique, ‘You’ve got no stamina!’ we do… Forward Magazine went patterns and sparring. Back in the What is your greatest personal along to find out what makes her achievement? day, I could kick 6ft blokes in the tick. It’s not what you’ll expect, Being a mum. I have two lads and head! that’s for sure! it is lovely to see them as adults What would people be surprised and ever so happy. I love them to What is the best thing about bits – good job well done! to find out about you? working at Huish?

I am also head of security at I enjoy my job! I get to talk all day Who would play you in a film of Richard Huish. Only joking! to a lovely bunch of students. I your life? love working with young people Someone good at martial arts…

How do you like to relax when as they are so enthusiastic – it’s Jackie Chan? Bruce Lee? Does it you’re not manning the box contagious! And I’m always have to be a woman? office? chatting. I love to chat!

(Nah, they can wear a wig!)

I enjoy going to the gym and Yes, it would be Jackie Chan. doing exercise classes. I also love Do you have a hidden talent? to eat chocolate whilst watching a He’s good at martial arts, full of I have studied American Kenpo good comedy. My favourite film is comedy and fairly short, like me!

Karate for most of my life. I began ‘Dinner for Schmucks’ (which stars when I was about 12 or 13 and only Steve Carell and Paul Rudd) – I really stopped when I became recommend it! pregnant with my first child.

What is the funniest/most What is your claim to fame? embarrassing thing that has Well, in 2001 I became Tae Kwonhappened to you at the Box Do British Champion! I worked Office? my way up, from South West One time, I had a visit from Dr England finals, to West England, Peter Avery (the last principal) then became English and finally who wanted four £5 notes from British champion in 2001! Also in his £20 note to distribute to 2003, I was awarded the Bronze four members of staff who were FORWARD | 35

film phoebe lang

top 10 foreign language films 1. City of God (2002)

Portuguese Set in the 1970s - with all the colour, buzz and anarchism of Rio de Janeiro - City of God is told from the view point of kids living in Brazilian slums who manage to be both its underclass and its criminal overlords.

Focusing on the violence and corruption in the lawless ‘favela’, aspiring photographer Rocket tells the story of his fight for survival and struggle to escape the world of drugs, guns and crime.

It’s overwhelming, an intoxicating assault on the senses, and a thriller so tense that you’ll have some unfortunate’s hair gripped in both fists.

2. Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)

Spanish Read it as a fairytale, a cry against fascism, a horror or a fantasy or a tale of a strangely beautiful mental illness: whichever way you look at it, this twisted masterpiece still packs an emotional punch that would floor Chuck Norris. The story of

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young Ofelia’s quest, against the poisonous backdrop of post-Civil War Spain. To survive three fantastical tasks and prove herself a Princess could have been terribly cliché, but in Del Toro’s sure hands becomes magnificent.

Creepy and beautiful in equal measure.

3. Cinema Paradiso (1988)

Italian Cinema Paradiso has charm and wit to melt the chilliest heart. The blossoming friendship of young boy Salvatore and grumpy projectionist Alfredo will surely entrance anyone not won over by cross-eyed priests and eccentric villagers, while the final kissing montage will devastate the hardest of hearts, and remind you why you love cinema in the first place.

4. Let the Right One In (2008) Sweden To come across a vampire film that isn’t full of sickly romance or absent of horror is pretty rare. However, the Swedes have managed to create an

atmospheric, terrifying, weirdly romantic film that keeps you on the edge of your seat for the full 115 minutes.

Bullied, disturbed Oskar befriends strange new girl Eli in his building, unaware that she is not exactly a girl and anything but new. It’s still that strange central friendship that makes this so frightening and so magnetic.

5. Downfall (2004)

German Quite simply, it’s one of the best movies ever made about the Second World War - and there’s barely any battle scenes in it. Depicting the final days of Adolf Hitler and his cronies in their claustrophobic Berlin bunker, it’s a gut-wrenchingly potent portrayal of a dictator in denial and the yes men (and women) too timid - or blinded - to stop perfuming the stench of decay and defeat for him. Bruno Ganz renders Hitler authentically.

Chilling and terrifying.

6. The Triplets of Belleville (2003)

French This bracing blend of silliness and sophistication makes it wrong to miss it off this list. When Madame Souza’s cyclist son is kidnapped by the French mafia during the Tourde-France, she sets out to rescue him. She picks up help along the way,

including singing jazz trio (The Triplets of Belleville) and dog Bruno. The film is best treated as a one-of-a-kind wonder: an ingenious contraption that dazzles, teases, attracts, and repels with all the mystery and sublimity of a miniature world.

7. In the Mood for Love (2000)

Cantonese/ Shanghainese/French A seemingly slight plot – man and woman move into the same cramped apartment building, gradually realise their respective spouses are having an affair and develop their own halting romance – is the platform for profound and moving reflections on life’s fundamentals.

It’s a film about, yes, love; but also betrayal, loss, missed opportunities, memory, the brutality of time’s passage and loneliness.

8. Tsotsi (2005)

Afrikaans Set in the slums of Johannesburg, we watch Tsotsi try and raise this child and change into a better man, while the parents struggle desperately to find the baby he has stolen. He is not a good man but he isn’t the caricature of a heartless bad guy either. Tsotsi is an honest depiction of a man who may have gone astray, but like the rest of us, has a chance for something better. Telling his story over several days, the

film gives us an insight into the lives of the slum-dwellers, as well as taking the audience on a gripping tale of violence and crime.

9. Dogtooth (2009)

Greek Perhaps one of the most surreal and shocking films of recent years, Dogtooth is nothing short of cinematic brilliance. Telling the weird and terrifying story of three children kept away from the world by their parents, and forced into various acts of submission. It is not for the faint of heart, but is incredibly rewarding if you take the plunge.

Each bizarre and unique situation that unfolds only serves to drag the viewer further into its crazy world.

10. Amelie (2001)

French Acting almost as a rite of passage, to watch Amelie is as good as sitting in a Parisian patisserie wearing stripes and a beret.

Audrey Tautou plays the innocent and naive do-gooder whose charmingly childlike games are interrupted by the very grown-up shock of falling in love. JeanPierre Jeunet conjures up a fanciful Paris absent of McDonalds and all destruction to French culture; this leaves a perfectly whimsical depiction of Paris which is by no means sickly sweet.