Issue 78

&

THE GALLEON 8 7

: GalleonNews- galleonnews.com FREE

The End of Year

Edition

Plastic Fantastic: UoP Professor-Led Team Discover Plastic-Eating Enzyme P.2 Flushed Away: Travel Editor Stephanie Lukins Tackles The Poo Taboo PP.18-19 Interview: Grammy-Nominated Singer-Songwriter Julia Michaels P.20

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The Galleon

Tuesday 1st May 2018

NEWS Our Team Editor: Jordan Osborne editor@galleonnews.com Deputy Editor: Georgina Monk deputy@galleonnews.com Copy Editor: Elizabeth Smallwood copy@galleonnews.com Design Editor: Alex Fiske design@galleonnews.com Graphics/Photography Desk: Mhlengi Mntungwa photography@galleonnews.com News Editor: Kayla Francis news@galleonnews.com Lifestyle Editor: Lucy VS Morris features@galleonnews.com Arts & Ents Editor: Michael Pusey artsents@galleonnews.com Reaction Editor: George Dummons reaction@galleonnews.com Sport Editor: Stevie-Marie Jones sport@galleonnews.com Technical Manager: Vacant tech@galleonnews.com PR and Social Media Manager: Vacant marketing@galleonnews.com

News:

Deputy Editor: Vacant Senior Reporter: Vacant

Lifestyle & Culture:

Fashion & Beauty Editor: Brogan Kirkby-Bott Sex & Relationships Editor: Vacant Travel Editor: Stephanie Lukins Food & Health Editor: Victoria Wilton Showbiz Editor: Vacant Film Editor: Dawn Brissenden TV Editor: Kaitlin McKenzie Gaming and Technology Editor: Will Brown Music Editor: Giada Nizzoli Arts Editor: Laura Davis

Opinion:

Deputy Editor: Vacant Deputy Editor: Vacant

Sport:

Deputy Editor: Vacant Online Editor: Vacant

Small Print Produced fortnightly by student volunteers at the University of Portsmouth Students’ Union.

Printed by CNN News Print The Galleon bears no allegiance to any political party and discriminates against no-one.

Editor in Chief Amber Mathurin amber.mathurin@upsu.net Send any complaints to mediacomplaints@ upsu.net Visit us at The Student Centre, Portsmouth Students’ Union, Cambridge Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO1 2EF.

Writers’ Meetings News TBC Lifestyle Monday 5pm, Third Space Culture Monday 3pm, Third Space Reaction TBC Sport TBC

National News

UoP Professorled team create plastic-eating enzyme The discovery of plastic-eating bugs at Japanese dump could solve the global plastic pollution crisis Jordan Osborne Editor In a moment of accidental genius, scientists have created a mutant enzyme that breaks down plastic drinks bottles. The international team, led by the University of Portsmouth’s own Professor John McGeehan, embarked on their research following the discovery of a bacterium at a waste dump in Japan in 2016 that had naturally evolved to eat plastic.

Following research that outlined the structure of the enzyme, the bacterium produced the international team sought to manipulate and alter the enzyme to see how this evolution had occurred. In doing so, the team accidentally enhanced the en-

zyme’s ability to break down polyethylene terephthalate (PET) - the plastic used to make soft drinks bottles. “What actually turned out was we improved the enzyme, which was a bit of a shock,” said McGeehan. “It’s great and a real finding.”

Ocean plastic pollution has become a serious environmental issue in recent decades, with most plastics expected to take centuries to break down completely in the ocean. The permeation of plastic into our oceans harms marine life and therefore the ecological pyramid as well as potentially harming people that eat seafood.

Currently the enzyme takes a few days to start breaking down plastic but with further manipulation, scientists are confident that the process can be significantly sped

up to help combat the plastic pollution crisis worldwide.

Currently, just 14% of plastic bottles are recycled and even those can only be turned into opaque fibres which are most commonly used for clothing or carpets.

But with this new enzyme, we can potentially gain the ability to recycle plastic bottles into new plastic bottles which would significantly decrease the need to produce new plastic.

One possible model being looked at in helping to improve the enzyme’s ability to break down plastic is the structure of industrial enzymes, such as the ones used in washing powders and biofuel production.

These enzymes have been engineered to work up to a 1,000 times faster than the

original form - a benchmark that scientists hope to emulate and exceed. Another option being explored is to transform the enzyme into an ‘extremophile bacteria’ that can survive temperatures above 70c - the melting point of PET. This would increase the speed at which the plastic degrades.

“Enzymes are non-toxic, biodegradable and can be produced in large amounts by microorganisms,” said Oliver Jones, a chemist at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. “There is still a way to go before you could recycle large amounts of plastic with enzymes, and reducing the amount of plastic produced in the first place might, perhaps, be preferable. [But] this is certainly a step in a positive direction.”

National News

Sugar tax leads to increase in fizzy drink prices Rising pant sizes has lead to drastic measures Georgina Monk Deputy Editor The worst tax ever has finally been implemented. The end of the world is nigh.

The sugar tax, coming into effect on April 6th 2018, will see an increase in the price of drinks with high amounts of added sugar. For drinks with 5-8 grams of added sugar, the tax will be 18p per litre and for over 8 grams, the tax will be 24p. Whilst this may not break your bank anytime soon, this will noticeably affect drink prices and even how drinks taste, with many companies avoiding the tax by changing their recipe. While this may be good for the health of our sugar-addicted population, many people have been criticising the lack of ef-

fectiveness the tax will have, suggesting that this will not stop consumers from buying fizzy drinks. Instead, many suggest that it would be better to reduce the cost of more healthy food and drinks.

Whilst the original plan was to stop childhood obesity, the tax could benefit many children as funds from the tax, estimated to make 500 million a year, are going to go towards children’s sports and breakfast clubs, necessities to health that many children lack access to.

It has already had a positive effect on many drinks, with many big supermarkets like Tesco, Asda and Morrisons announcing that they will be reducing sugar levels to below 5 grams in their own brand drinks. Many other companies are also set to replace sugar

with sweeteners, which would greatly decrease sugar content. Sugar-free alternatives to your favourite drinks are exempt however, such as Coke Zero.

However, do not fear if you are worried about your breakfast drinks like fruit juice and milkshakes. Due to the benefits of naturally occurring high levels of sugar in juice, fruit juice is exempt, along with milkshakes, which contain a lot of calcium which is good for bone growth and general health.

From the experience of other countries who have put similar measures in place, taxes like these are effective at decreasing obesity and the levels of fizzy drinks.

So, while you may all be crying over the new taxes, do not fear. You will still

be able to consume your favourite fizzy drink for only a few pennies more, or maybe your favourite sugary beverage will actually get healthier for you, giving you both the choice and the means to drink as many sugary drinks as you wish.

3 news@galleonnews.com

National News

The Duchess of Cambridge gives birth to a healthy boy

CREDIT: E!

Kate and Will’s third child is fifth in line to the throne Rosario Uribe On April 23 at midday, Kensington Palace announced by tweet that the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, gave birth naturally to her third child accompanied by William, The Duke of Cambridge.

It was uncertain if the baby was going to be a boy or a girl as they chose not to be informed during their scan. The Duchess gave birth to a boy at 11 am at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, where sup-

porters had gathered awaiting the announcement. The baby weighed 8lb 7oz, and both mother and son are in perfect health, in fact, Kate left the hospital the same day. The birth was supervised by two senior royal doctors, consultant obstetrician Guy Thorpe-Beeston and consultant gynaecologist Alan Farthing, also present in Kate’s previous births, in addition to a team of over 20 top medics from Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs the hospital.

The new Prince of Cambridge is fifth in line to the throne, after his older siblings Prince George, born in 2013, and Princess Charlotte, born in 2015. Even though past rules of succession demanded a prince to have priority over female siblings, the Succession to the Crown Act 2013 removed the bias towards male offspring, obeying strictly the order of birth. The sixth great-grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II is to have a traditional name like his siblings and will be announced in the coming

days. Bets state that the most ‘voted’ name for the future Prince is Arthur, followed by Albert and James.

The arrival of Kate and William’s third child will be celebrated with a bulletin on show at Buckingham Palace, and a proclamation for the public will be placed on an ornate golden easel on the forecourt of the palace. This special occasion was another opportunity to show how many dedicated royal watchers the UK and the world has, as many have been following the pregnancy

through the internet and some even camped outside the hospital awaiting for the arrival of the new Prince.

The Guardian talked to John Loughrey, part of a group of campers outside St Mary’s who said “We are so pleased. We have been here for 15 days. I’m so pleased it’s St George’s Day. St George himself would be very pleased if the baby’s born today. It doesn’t matter if it’s a boy or a girl as long as it’s a healthy baby and a healthy mother.”

National News

#Nochella trends on the internet Celebrities such as Cara Delavigne have supported the hashtag Kayla Francis News Editor With the legendary American festival Coachella currently underway, social media and the internet are full of photos and updates.

This year’s festival is expected to be a big one with hundreds of acts and top headliners such as Beyoncé, Eminem, Cardi B, The Weekend, Vance Joy and many more.

Beyoncé is the first black woman and only the third female solo act after Björk and Lady Gaga to ever headline the festival.

However due to the extortionate cost and demand of the festival, many were unable to attend.

Many people are posting photos of themselves staying at home or hosting parties with the hashtag #Nochella.

The tag has been used well over 65,000 times on Instagram alone.

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Celebrities such as model and actress Cara Delevigne have been using #Nochella to show their anger over the festival’s owner Phillip Anschutz”

However, the tag has not just been used as a fun way for people to show their disappointment. Celebrities such as model and actress Cara Delevigne have been using #Nochella to show their anger over the festival’s owner Phillip Anschutz.

Reports have surfaced tying the 78 year old billionaire Phillip Ans-

chutz to many conservative organisations. He has been found giving financial support to organizations with aggressive anti-LGBT agendas, such as the Alliance Defending Freedom, the National Christian Foundation, and the Family Research Council.

However, this news isn’t new. Last year, Anschutz issued a rare public statement saying, “Recent claims published in the media that I am anti-LGBTQ are nothing more than fake news — it is all garbage,” the statement reads. “I unequivocally support the rights of all people without regard to sexual orientation. We are fortunate to employ a wealth of diverse individuals throughout our family of companies, all of whom are important to us — the only criteria on which they are judged is the quality of their job performance; we

do not CREDIT: CNN.COM tolerate discrimination in any form. Both The Anschutz Foundation and I contribute to numerous organizations that pursue a wide range of causes,” the statement continues. “Neither I nor the Foundation fund any organization with the purpose or expectation that it would finance anti-LGBTQ initiatives, and when it has come to my attention or the attention of The Anschutz Foundation that certain organizations either the Foundation or I have funded have been supporting such causes, we have immediately ceased all contributions to such groups.”

Cara Delevigne, an activist for the LGBT+ community, publically refused to attend the festival. However, many fans were left confused

after she posted a picture praising Beyoncé, the festival’s main headliner. She defended herself on her Instagram story saying, ‘Some people are commenting on the fact that I posted about my anger towards the owner of Coachella and then about Beyoncé. My hashtag was #Nochella, I still refuse to go to a festival that is owned by someone who is antiLGBT and pro-gun. I am allowed to shame that man and the festival and show my appreciation of an artist at the same time. Just because I love Beyoncé doesn’t mean I now love Coachella. I still wouldn’t go.

And I will let nothing get in the way of me showing my love or hate for something. Don’t let anyone come between you and your truth.’

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The Galleon

Tuesday 1st May 2018

NEWS

National News

Death of rhino “Sudan” renders rhino subspecies extinct The rhino’s death leaves two females as the last of their species Rosario Uribe The last male northern white rhino was euthanized last Monday after the visible suffering of a degenerative illness made him unable to stand and caused him terrible skin wounds.

“Sudan”, also nicknamed “the gentle giant”, was put down at the age of 45 after surviving a near extinction in the 1970’s, conforming to the average lifespan of the northern white rhino in the wild of 40 years.

After being in Dv≈Ør Králové Zoo (Czech Republic), which still owns Sudan’s offspring, the rhino was transported back to Africa. He lived in the Ol Pejeta conservancy in Kenya, a 90,000-acre not-for-profit wildlife conservancy in Central Kenya’s Laikipia County, which is also a sanctuary for great apes and generates income through wildlife tourism.

The only northern white rhinos left are Sudan’s daughter and granddaughter, Najin and Fatu, two females protected round-the-clock by

armed guards.

The northern white rhino is a subspecies of white rhinos in East and Central Africa, and the third largest African animal after the elephant and the hippo.

The species that was once abundant became extinct in the wild almost 20 years ago due to the illegal hunting in the area, which caused a capture of the species and the survivors to be removed from the wild in 1975.

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Uncontrolled hunting in the colonial era and poaching for their horns… has destroyed the northern white rhino”

Sudan was a charismatic rhino whose death saddened the Ol Pejeta community. Elodie Sampere, a representative for Ol Pejeta said “He was a

gentle giant, his personality was just amazing and given his size, a lot of people were afraid of him. But there was nothing mean about him”.

Richard Vigne, Ol Pejeta’s chief executive added: “We on Ol Pejeta are all saddened by Sudan’s death, he was a great ambassador for his species and will be remembered for the work he did to raise awareness globally of the plight facing not only rhinos but also the many thousands of other species facing extinction as a result of unsustainable human activity. One day his demise will hopefully be seen as a seminal moment for conservationists worldwide”.

Uncontrolled hunting in the colonial era and poaching for their horns, which is still being practised, has destroyed the northern white rhino and threatens many other rhino species. Happily, the rhino species as a whole is not endangered, and the southern white rhino survives its relative with a population of approximately 20,000 rhinos.

With the hope of saving the spe-

cies from extinction, genetic material was collected from Sudan before he was euthanized.

Experts are cons i d e r i n g CREDIT: AMI VITALE/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC investing in advanced cellular technologies tion and the IVF techniques have not and IVF to continue the northern yet been proved on rhinos. Furtherwhite rhino line. There are multiple more, some think the high cost of alternatives such as artificially in- £7.1 million should not be invested seminating one of the two females in saving the northern white rhino left, or producing embryos with old- but on protecting the species that er collections of eggs by implanting are left and putting an end to poachthem in a surrogate female southern ing practices, which appeal mostly white rhino, probably producing a to Asian countries that use the horn genetically engineered baby rhino for traditional medicine and to demhybrid of both species. Neverthe- onstrate social status. In Asia, there less, this idea has been criticised as are approximately only 3,500 rhino well, as both females left are too old population left due to poaching. and probably incapable of reproduc-

National News

Student loan repayment threshold increases Graduates will see a drastic benefit after years of crippling fees Liberty Cullen Former students will now be able to earn more money before paying back their tuition fee loans.

Back on 1st October last year, Prime Minister Theresa May announced the repayment threshold increase.

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The government says that this change could save graduates up to £360 a year”

She also announced that, after listening to the voters, the fees them-

selves would be frozen at £9,250 a year. This came after a series of rises by universities.

In February, May then launched a review of university funds and tuition fees. She pointed out that students in England face ‘one of the most expensive systems of university tuition in the world’.

This led to the repayment rise.

Students from England and Wales who have taken out student loans since September 2012 (when the fees rose to £9,000 a year in England) will not have to pay back their loan until they are earning £25,000 a year instead of £21,000.

The government says that this change could save graduates up to

£360 a year. While the National Union of Students (NUS) said that the move will be a ‘welcome relief ’ for many.

The Department for Education has pointed out just how many will benefit from the change, saying around 600,000 graduates will benefit over the next financial year alone.

This change will also benefit those who earn over £25,000 as the percentage of their salary will be paid back in a smaller amount.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies carried out research which found that raising the repayment threshold to £25,000 will benefit middle earning graduates the most. They could save up to £15,700 in repayments over their lifetime.

The lower earning graduates, however, will see fewer benefits. Those who are likely to earn below the threshold for a large amount of their career will see a smaller reduction in payments.

It will also make little difference to high earning graduates who would repay their loan in full. This change will simply mean that they have a longer period of time to make the repayments.

‘Overall, repayments will fall by around £10,000 for the average graduate as a result of the threshold increase’ says Laura van der Erve, an economist from the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

‘This will significantly increase the long run cost to the government of providing higher education. The

long-run cost to the government will increase by more than £2bn a year, an increase of nearly 40%’.

The NUS Vice President for higher education, Amatey Doku, said ‘in making this change, the government has at least acknowledged that there are serious flaws in how we fund higher education in this country’.

‘I hope that this will not preclude a more in-depth consideration as part of the upcoming review into post-18 funding, lest this becomes patching up the holes on a sinking ship’.

However, Doku pointed out that the change in tuition fee loans did not address the issue of living costs, which is still a large issue for low-income families and students.

5 news@galleonnews.com

News

Winnie MadikizelaMandela has died Married to Nelson Mandela, she was a prominent antiapartheid figure Liberty Cullen Anti-Apartheid icon Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has passed away at the age of 81, following a long illness.

On Saturday 7th April, people gathered in South Africa to say goodbye to the mother of their nation.

In Orlando Stadium, Johannesburg, crowds packed together for the funeral that followed a private service held at her home.

Outside of her country, Madikizela-Mandela was best known for 38year marriage to Nelson Mandela.

At the age of 22 during her time as a social worker, she married Nelson Mandela. She stood by his side in the years that followed his conviction in 1964. This lead to his life imprisonment for sabotage and a conspiracy

to overthrow the government.

During Mandela’s imprisonment at Robben Island, Winnie took over.

She provided updates that his followers needed and lead an international campaign that called for his release.

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She became one of the country’s most prominent figures and retained a strong political stance long after her divorce from Nelson Mandela”

When he left prison, she was by his side, hand in hand as they raised clenched fists - a moment that became the symbol of his freedom.

After his release in 1990, their relationship became troubled. Mandela constantly accused her of infidelity.

This lead to their divorce in 1996, a short two years after he became the first black President of South Africa.

It was not only Mandela who experienced incarceration, but Winnie as well.

At the time of her death, Madikizela-Mandela was still fighting as a member of South Africa’s parliament.

The funeral began with mourners following the coffin into the stadium and singing the national anthem.

Her daughter, Zenani MandelaDlamini, was among those who spoke at the funeral. She said ‘she made a choice to raise two families, hers and the beloved country’ ‘She cherished freedom as much

as she treasured family. She protected both from constant assault from apartheid state’.

Since the end of apartheid in the 1990s, she has served in several government roles. These including being the leader of the ruling party’s women’s league.

She became one of the country’s most prominent figures and retained a strong political stance long after her divorce from Nelson Mandela.

In the eulogy, President Cyril Ramaphosa described her as ‘an advocate for the dispossessed and the marginalized…a voice for the voiceless’.

He continued to say that ‘even at the darkest moments of our struggle for liberation, mam’ Winnie was an abiding symbol of the desire of our

people to be free’ ‘In the midst of the repression, she was a voice of defiance and resistance. In the face of exploitation, she was a champion of justice and equality’ ‘With the departure of Mama Winnie, [we have lost] one of the very few who are left of our stalwarts and icons. She was one of those who would tell us exactly what is wrong and right, and we are going to be missing that guidance’ said Gwede Mantashe, Chairperson of the African National Congress.

Despite her reputation becoming tainted in later life due to being found guilty of kidnapping, it is clear that in her death, South Africa has lost an icon.

National News

Mark Zuckerberg faces Congress after Facebook’s Privacy Scandal Zuckerberg faces up to backlash in the era of social media Rosario Uribe Mark Zuckerberg, the creator of Facebook, faced Congress after corruption in the social media platform’s privacy had been proven to sway U.S. elections.

Back in March, the data-mining firm Cambridge Analytica accessed the Facebook profiles of tens of millions of users without their permission.

The firm used an App to gain info from

users who gave the App permission to access their accounts. However, by doing this, the firm also got access to the user’s Facebook friends, exponentially increasing the number of people and information gained.

The number of people affected keeps growing and is currently at around 87 million. In addition, some Android users discovered Facebook had accessed their phone call logs and text histories.

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This occurrence raised awareness of the problems of privacy in the era of social media”

Cambridge Analytica had ties with U.S. President Donald Trump’s political campaign, and a former employee of the firm confirmed that the infor-

mation accessed was used in order to build psychological profiles on a large portion of the U.S. electorate. He also added that Steve Bannon, the cofounder of the firm and Trump adviser “absolutely wanted to use the data for Republican candidates… and alt-right candidates in the United States”.

This occurrence raised awareness of the problems of privacy in the era of social media, especially after Russia allegedly used the service to meddle in U.S. elections as well.

The 33-year-old CEO and cofounder of Facebook spent two days testifying on Tuesday 10 and Wednesday 11 of April, where concerns such as the abuse of social media for spreading propaganda and the protection of both the privacy of users and their personal details, which are often used to fuel Facebook’s lucrative advertising business, were discussed.

Zuckerberg tried to defend his plat-

form by calling it a “positive force in the world”, and admitted not taking seriously the responsibility of its 2.2 billion users was a “big mistake”; “Facebook is an idealistic and optimistic company, but it’s clear now that we didn’t do enough to prevent these tools from being used for harm as well. That goes for fake news, foreign interference in elections and hate speech, as well as developers and data privacy. We didn’t take a broad enough view of our responsibility, and that was a big mistake, and I’m sorry. I started Facebook, I run it, and I’m responsible for what happens here.”

However, Zuckerberg avoided answering various questions and presumably pretended not to know how the core technology of the social media platform works. For instance, Democratic Congresswoman Anna Eshoo asked “Are you willing to change your business model in the interest of pro-

tecting individual privacy?” to which Zuckerberg replied, “I’m not sure what that means.” He furthermore made a statement concerning users’ content and data accession by saying “You can take it down at any time. The information that we collect, you can choose to have us not collect. You can delete any of it, and, of course, you can leave Facebook if you want.”

The vague remarks increased the public’s mistrust towards Zuckerberg and his intentions and begs to question whether the advantages of Facebook are worth the risk of data abuse.

The scandal has obviously had a bad impact on the 14-year-old Facebook, as it has lost users and advertisers and its stock fell by 14%. Further investigations of the privacy issues in the platform are being made by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and various authorities in Europe.

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The Galleon

Tuesday 1st May 2018

OPINION

Your View

Dear Hollywood, Stop Giving Women Men’s Old Hand-Me-Downs George Dummons Reaction Editor First we had the Ghostbusters remake, then a Ocean’s Eleven remake and now a High Fidelity remake. I

am not angry at the fact that these are being rebooted with female leads instead of male leads because they are female leads. I am old enough to know that just because you lack a little something swinging between your thighs does not mean you automatically are going to be ‘bad’ at providing the same performance quality. No, I am just angry that Hollywood is so stuck, incestuous and blatantly out of ideas that it is giving women the roles previously worn by men.

This does not signify equality.

It is not a case of ‘well boys had a Ghostbusters and now girls do so they are the same’, it is about that writers should be doing a better job at representing women across the board and it is being let down by lazy executives. I am so sorry that you may have to think for a little bit longer without playing with your-

self under the table until you come up with a proper idea for a film that features strong female characters.

Another easy solution is to have more female writers and directors.

This is something that has always seem rather challenging for Hollywood and created this idea that is difficult to be a female as a writer and director within the system. The only way to stop this is to make an active decision to integrate women into the filmmaking process. Writers and directors need to take a step away from the stereotypes and archetypes of female characters as being either ‘princess’ or ‘witch’, there is more to women than that.

This is very different in non-traditional, non-Hollywood systems such as with Netflix content which is a lot more open and willing to express different points of view. We also see that this is different in televi-

sion as well as independent cinema, there is a level of acceptance in nontraditional narratives and forms of story telling that is refreshing and often described as ‘bold’ and ‘fresh’.

As previously mentioned in an article I wrote a few months ago (‘Why I Love To Hate Hannah Horvath’), Lena Dunham’s Girls is arguably a pretty precise representation of female characters in modern America.

There is a range of ages, body types, skill levels and they are all motivated and flawed in unique and different ways. Yet Hollywood is still caught in the notion of unoriginal ideals at what women want or should be.

Recently it was revealed that an all female version of The Lord Of The Flies was also being considered. The argument for it was that while the original source text showcased how young boys were all capable of bad things as part of their human nature

and that the viciousness of man is unescapable. It was seen that with an island full of girls the events would be different from the original text.

To some it seemed that an island full of girls would manage to cope better with the situation at hand.

In my opinion the events that fall upon an island of children, whether they feature twelve year old boys of girls, would still lead to a range of pretty horrific events happening and at least one child dead. The big problem with re-writing The Lord Of The Flies but with girls is that this is again something that exists in the world already. Absolutely no creative thought or process has gone into this. It is like me saying I am doing to do a gender-swap version of ‘Clueless’ because we do not have enough films about white men falling in love with white women.

World

Not Saying The N-Word Molly Burns Why do white people even want to say it?

You know what I’m talking about.

That word. Casual if it has an ‘a’ at the end, and an attack if it is an ‘er’. The unsayable word - and rightly so. You can’t reclaim a word that was never used against people who looked like you, especially if it was used by people who do. It’s two syllables I categorically never want to shape my tongue around, and being myself whiter than Catholic depictions of God, I never should say it. Not my place, and that’s not a hard thing to understand.

So why does anyone want to say it?

I know a guy who considers him-

self to be ‘edgy’. By that, he means that he likes to offend people, and then blame them for taking offence at his words. He is the epitome of the kind of person who shouldn’t say it.

Of course, he does. All the time. He says it’s only said ironically, because white people are the only ones who get offended by his use of the word.

I don’t think it needs saying that the guy has a distinct lack of black friends.

Sure, racism is less socially acceptable, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still racists still unfortunately living and breathing out there.

I have a friend - shocking, I know - who doesn’t use the word in day to day life, sure, but if we’re singing along to a song, she doesn’t make a little grunt to fill the beat where the

word goes. She says it’s fine, says it’s all about context. She wouldn’t use it as an attack, and makes the supposedly very important ‘a’ versus ‘er’ distinction (which, quite frankly, I think is a *beep* unacceptable argument). Anyway, she says, it’s not her saying the words originally. She’s just repeating lyrics. I say that parroting ideas without challenging them is a massive problem. She says I’m reaching. I probably am. I’m still not gonna say it.

Someone on the internet - so they must be right - tells me that public use of the word is acceptable now we live in a post-racial society. A what?

Since when? When did that happen?

Sure, racism is less socially acceptable, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still racists still unfortunately living

and breathing out there.

Post-racial?

Those are the words of the ‘I’m not racist, but…’ kind of guy who, surprise surprise, is actually insidiously racist. The ‘I have black friends!’ guy who solidly makes jokes at said black friend’s expense. He says ‘postracial’, he means ‘I want everything to look homogeneously like what I’m familiar with’. He means that racism is over since he personally has never owned another human being.

Post-racial? And I’m the one who’s reaching?

The only argument I can, in a distant, abstract way kind of understand is the idea that not saying the word gives it a power, so we should use it casually to kill it; like when you

say a word over and over and it loses all meaning. In theory, okay, yes, this makes sense, but it ignores the fact that the word does hold a lot of power already. Mostly it just feels like someone clamouring for any excuse.

Just why are white people trying to argue for their right to reclaim a word? What is the point? What do we get out of it? It just feels like people wanting to make racism mainstream.

Do people just want to say it because it’s forbidden fruit? If so, can’t they pick another word? Pick a playground insult and reclaim that? Why does it have to be this one?

I think we know why.

7 opinion@galleonnews.com

Film & TV

The Big Bang Theory Is Problematic, But I Still Kinda Like It, Kinda George Dummons Reaction Editor After a long day at work I like to return home and watch Netflix for a while before being so tired I have to crawl to bed.

I turn the lamp on in the living room, create some ambience and prepare a snack of either chocolate or vegetarian halloumi and red pepper bites from ASDA.

Recently my show of choice has been The Big Bang Theory which I started watching from the tenth season on Netflix, due to my older sister’s love of the show I have seen seasons 1-9 before. So there I am sat chuckling to myself in a mostly darkened room while wrapped in a blanket and drinking decaffeinated Yorkshire tea.

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By lacking something as simple as a last name it speaks volumes about her character, or rather what the writers think of her character”

The jokes on the show are occasionally funny, the characters all have basic

flaws and appear to be some what threedimensional. Though that is when you start to realise the shows own flaws within its writing.

First of all the character of Penny one of the main trio of the whole programme - does not have a last name.

From the very beginning of the shows run when she is introduced she is just ‘Penny’, whereby Sheldon Cooper and Leonard Hofstadter are clearly estab-

lished. By lacking something as simple as a last name it speaks volumes about her character, or rather what the writers think of her character.

This is something that becomes a sort of ‘joke’ in the wedding episode where she marries Leonard. I struggle to see how trying to back peddle and make a joke out of a simple over-sight of character development is supposed to come across as anything other than rude. It is as though the writers got to the wedding scene and were like ‘oh, yeah..urgh that is weird, perhaps a laugh track over the top will distract people.’ Guess what, it didn’t.

Executive producer Steve Molaro told Vulture, “You know, I don’t think we will [reveal it]. We’re kind of a superstitious lot here. We’ve made it this far without knowing Penny’s last name. I think we’re good not finding out.” What? By fleshing out a character you may jinx the show?

That makes no sense and frankly is a shoddy answer.

“

Though, what more am I expecting from the creator of Two And A Half Men which was dripping in male only juices”

According to an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Molaro was again pressed for information about Penny’s last name, he explained that at the beginning on season nine she gets a last name - her husband’s one. He went on to say; “She has taken his name, and maybe that’s convenient, so we don’t have to deal with her maiden name, but she is Penny Hofstadter now.” I am ready to scream and hit something. What? You are dehumanising your female lead for nine years and then your solution is ‘she gets married and therefore no longer needs her own identity’? Though, what more am I expecting from the creator of Two And A Half Men which was dripping in male only juices.

The second problem the show seems to have, which to me is probably one of the most difficult, is the character of Dr. Sheldon Cooper. At the start of the show he is seen to be a highly rational thinking and neurotic person who shows several qualities found in people suffering from OCD as well as those identified on the autism spectrum. To some people these traits though not medically diagnosed or specifically spoken about in those terms on the sit-com create the character of Sheldon as cruel and insociable. However, on the matter while talking to Neil deGrasse Tyson, Dr. Mayim Bialik (who plays Amy Farrah Fowler on the show) who also holds a PhD in neuroscience said; “All of our characters are in theory on the neuropsychiatric spectrum, I would say […] Sheldon often gets talked about in terms of Asperger’s or OCD. He has a thing with germs, he has a thing with numbers, he’s got a lot of that precision that we see in OCD. There’s a lot of

interesting features to all of our characters that make them technically unconventional socially.”

Throughout the show we see all the characters develop and change somewhat from their simple beginnings. In the case of Sheldon this is not through any form of medication or forcing him to suddenly change his social interactions skillset rather he finds friendship and passions (both personally and romantically) but fundamentally remains the same lovable Sheldon. Yes he does sometimes say the wrong thing but that is part of who he is as a person. It should not simply be boiled down to whether it can be medically labelled and treated.

Mayim Bialik also stated that; “I think that’s what’s interesting for those of us who are unconventional people or who know and love people who are on any sort of spectrum, we often find ways to work around that. It doesn’t always need to be solved and medicated and labelled.

“And what we’re trying to show with our show is that this is a group of people who likely were teased, mocked, told that they will never be appreciated or loved, and we have a group of people who have successful careers, active social lives (that involve things like Dungeons and Dragons and video games), but they also have relationships, and that’s a fulfilling and satisfying life.”

On the other hand Kerry Magro, an adult with autism who is a national autism speaker and advocate, says that Sheldon Cooper has become a figure of importance within the autism community.

Magro, in his guest post for Autism Speaks, wrote; “No matter why you watch the show, after talking to many individuals in our community, the biggest rea-

son why people seem to be drawn to him is that he’s absolutely genuine. He is who he is and doesn’t pretend to be someone he isn’t. He’s just his own unique self.”

It seems that by not labelling Sheldon as someone on the spectrum that it allows a wider range of viewers to gauge and learn about how other people function. Perhaps naming a condition for Sheldon’s unique personality would actually be a disservice for many people who find solace within his quirky ways.

At the end of the day these issues do exist within the show. Though it is still easy comedy. It does not require a lot of thought and at times cringing at the characters is as funny as laughing at them. There seems to be an imbalance in how it portrays certain characters at times and I hope that if this continues the way it has been that the writers learn how to actually do their job. Maybe by the time the series wraps for good all of these creases will have been ironed out.

I will continue to watch it half-heartedly, sat in a nearly dark room after a long day at work. Not having to think is always a nice end to the day.

8

The Galleon

Tuesday 1st May 2018

OPINION OPINION

Your View

I Should Be Allowed To Change My Name George Dummons Reaction Editor Of course I am aware that I can if I want to change my name legally.

However I feel that there is some sort of unofficial, yet totally official list of reasons why you can change your name. I am not entering into witness protection - or at least I do not recall being told I was - nor am I getting married, though again sometimes you just do not know.

The idea of changing your name sometimes seems drastic. It is the signifier that people use to identify you, like some sort of easy short hand for allowing you to communicate with other people. A simple way to change your name is to merely ask people to call you something else - introduce yourself by this other name and people will call you by it. Believe it or not but names have power. Naturally after the Second World War the name ‘Adolf ’ dropped in popularity in certain parts of Germany, similarly the name ‘Gary’ after Gary Glitter was found guilty of owning child pornography and rape seemed to basically disappear off the map in the UK. I do think that people should be encouraged to change their name.

After all we may get to a point where our names do not reflect who we are, or rather who we have become.

Perhaps we should give people the option at the age of twenty four to legally change their name. Send off your form with your new name and all your legal documents would just get sorted as well with out you having to send off a thousand and one

different forms.

Your name is chosen by your parents most of the time, it is decided upon and given to you before you have even started to experience the world properly. It makes sense that it such not just be given to you for you to carry around forever. There should be a point to reflect upon this in the early stages of adult life.

Family names that are passed through the generations, or whether they skip generations at a time, seem to have a weird energy to them. I get that it is about honouring your loved ones but it seems somewhat strange to me to insist that a new person should be called the same as a previous person and yet still be an individual. Although obviously chances are, unless you name your child something ‘unique’ and different like Eastern Boulevard, that your child will meet someone with the same name throughout their life.

Choosing your name should be seen as a sense of identifying yourself rather than some sort of backhand slap to whoever you were named by people who just met you. That is the same as walking up to someone on the street and deciding to name them Barbara without knowing if that is what they want to be referred to. Perhaps twenty four is too early, maybe it should be a case of you get the form at the age of twenty four and it last ten years. Of course there is also the option to not fill out the form and in fact keep your name.

No one is saying you have to hate the name you were ‘born with’, you may be perfectly happy with it and how it has grown to suit who you are to

people.

There is a stigma to changing your name. It carries connotations of hiding something or running from your past. A key group of people who would benefit from this socially acceptable idea of name changing are trans people.

They would know that once get to a certain age they would be able to change their name without having to seek it out. It would merely be given to them as an option. Another group are people who have lived less desirable childhoods, people who

have either suffered abuse or have a fractured relationship with major people in their lives who they would associate with that name. That name may have been used as part of the abuse through a process of mental abuse which dehumanised them and hearing or saying the name would leave a bitter taste. By normalising things such as name changing we as a a society would be encouraging these people to be able to leave their pasts behind them and move on to a better future.

take. Naturally by the age of twenty four they should have enough cognitive functions to process a rational decision, and if not then they just have to wait five or six years then be allowed to pay and apply to change it again.

Another solution is to simply name children names that can be shortened to a range of nicknames, names like; Cathleen, Katherine, Elizabeth, William, Richard, Robert.

These can all be shortened in a range of names that add a sense of freedom and creativity to any situation the named individual finds themselves.

I do not honestly know what I would change my name to given the opportunity but I quite like the sense of self discovery it opens up.

Who am I to people around me? Or to myself? What name suits my face?

“

Possibly start ordering your Starbucks under a new name, change your Netflix name or get Siri to call you something new and see how it sounds”

Give people the option to create themselves as they see appropriate.

Allow them to possibly make a mis-

CREDIT: QUICKMEME

These are the sort of things that once you start thinking about it is clear to see that maybe one name does not suit you, perhaps several do.

Throughout my life I have met a range of people, some of who do go by names that were not given to them legally by their parents but have not changed them. Only months or years after calling them ‘that’ name do you learn of the other.

They do not suddenly morph into someone else, they simply remain themselves with a different name now associated to them.

We need to break the stigma on a lot of things in our society. We need to break the whole system and rebuild it. I personally think that by allowing people to live freely as who they want to be or who they see themselves as it is a strong step in the right direction. Being able to identify as your true self is such an empowering experience. So let us change our names. Let us be called by what suits us more. Maybe we would keep our original names, maybe we like them or perhaps have grown to like them - similarly to growing into a larger school uniform in Year 7 because school jumpers are pricey and you’ll only need a new one next year. Possibly start ordering your Starbucks under a new name, change your Netflix name or get Siri to call you something new and see how it sounds to be called by something other than what you recognise as ‘you’.

9 LIFESTYLE & CULTURE features@galleonnews.com Film & TV

Amazon’s Billion Pound Show Are Amazon set to give Lord of the Rings a second breakfast?

Michael Pusey Culture Editor When Tolkienites around the globe heard the news that Amazon were looking to secure the rights for a Lord of the Rings television show to air exclusively on Amazon Prime, one could understand their doubts.

Could the show possibly live up to the world created by Peter Jackson in his original trilogy? Would the show

have speculated that it could be following another of Tolkien’s stories, seeking to offer fans a visual representation of some of the visually unexplored mythology of MiddleEarth. One such story this new series could tell is the tale of Beren and Luthien. Beren, a mortal Man, falls desperately in love with an Elf woman, Luthien, and the two together undertake a daring heist to steal a powerful jewel from the Dark Lord

what may be more dangerous for Amazon Prime would be if they decided to create brand new characters and a brand new story and simply set it in the world of Middle-Earth.

The latest news coming out of the show’s pre-production is that Amazon are willing to fund five series, at a whopping one billion pounds.

That’s a lot of money, by any standard. Though we don’t know episode counts of the five series, we can begin to compare it against the most expensive series of all time. According to research, the top five most expensive shows of all time all had production budgets of $10 million per episode, and some of them may surprise you.

CREDIT: YOURSTORY

pensive television series is another NBC show, particularly at its George Clooney-starring peak, medical drama ER. During its heyday, it was reported that each episode was costing just shy of $13 million. This show and Friends started on the 19th and 22nd of September 1994 respective-

long, as can be seen by the sheer amount of money Netflix are willing to throw into a new series, one has to wonder if it is even possible for Amazon to knock Netflix off the top spot. However, with a lack of other competitors, it really is a twohorse race between the streaming

Game of Thrones - HBO, $10 million per episode

CREDIT: NETFLIX focus on old, established characters, or seek to tell a new story? Would the lovable (and true hero of The Lord of the Rings) Samwise Gamgee get the chance to make his worldfamous po-ta-toes? Many questions began swirling around the potential for a series, and until recently, details had been incredibly hard to come by.

Details are sparse surrounding the content of the show. Tolkien fans

Morgoth in order to win the affections of her father.

Whilst this may be my inner Tolkien fanboy hopefully wishing for that to be the case, Tolkien’s legendarium is not short of material for the writers and showrunners to consider. Whether or not the series chooses to recycle known characters could either open or close certain avenues to new stories. However,

Coming in at number five, unsurprisingly, is HBO’s massive fantasy epic, Game of Thrones. By season six, it was reported that each episode was costing the network “north of ten million”. However, when it was announced that there were would a reduced episode count for the final two seasons, it was also announced that the budget wouldn’t be affected.

Fewer episodes maybe, but bigger in scale and longer in running time.

Friends - NBC, $10 million per episode

Perhaps a more surprising entry on this list at number four is NBC’s lovable comedy, Friends. According to reports, by the tenth and final season, each major actor was asking for roughly $1 million per 25 minutes of television, bumping the cost of each episode up to $10 million. They’ll be there for you, but only if you’ve got the cash to pay them apparently.

The Get Down - Netflix, $11 million per episode

The first Netflix original series to be cancelled after just one season, The Get Down was a musical extravaganza directed by Baz Luhrmann, which explored the R&B and disco music in the Bronx throughout the 1970s. It became the third most expensive series on this list, and the second most expensive Netflix series, costing the streaming service roughly $11 million per episode.

ER - NBC, $13 million per episode

Second on our list of most ex-

CREDIT: HBO ly, and ran alongside each other until the comedy’s finale in May 2004. The two shows crossed over, with Clooney and Noah Wyle famously making an appearance during a hospital episode of Friends and leaving Monica and Rachel drooling.

The Crown - Netflix, $13 million per episode

giants for the most viewers. Netflix often declines to release viewership figures, so we may never know if Amazon ever ends up outperforming them with their own originals or adaptations. However, if they keep making their shows to such a high standard as with American Gods for example, who’s to say that they can’t become the top dogs in streaming one day?

It has been proven that more money doesn’t always make for a better show, and Tolkien fans and purists around the globe will be hoping that whatever happens with the newly announced Lord of the Rings show, they do it the justice it deserves.

Finally, topping our list as the most expensive television show of all time is Netflix royalty, The Crown.

Starring Matt Smith as Prince Phillip and Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth II, this show sought to bring to life the extravagance of the royal family and their living quarters, sparing no expense and costing Netflix just over $13 million per episode.

What’s immediately noticeable about the list, and indeed the previous four on this list, is a significant lack of Amazon Prime original series. With Golden Globe winners such as Mr Robot and Transparent, and universally acclaimed series such as The Man in the High Castle, The Grand Tour, and their adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, Amazon are certainly seeking to establish themselves as a serious competitor to Netflix’s streaming service.

Having dominated for so CREDIT: AMAZON

Galleon 10 The Tuesday 1st May 2018

LIFESTYLE & CULTURE Travel

The Hidden Treasure Chest that is Budapest Cheap food, great statues and baths for days Elizabeth Smallwood Copy Editor The end of term is drawing nearer, deadlines are getting worryingly closer but the peak of summer has just risen over the horizon. Crack out the sunglasses, the shorts and a cold beer - it’s almost

is a long one, but with leg room even Peter Crouch would be thankful for, a few episodes downloaded on Netflix and a good book (something not on the reading list), the five hour train journey to Munich will fly by. Experience some of Europe’s most beautiful countryside as you zoom past luscious fields and quaint

ian Baths. For ultimate relaxation - look no further. Step away from the most touristy of the many baths in Budapest, and visit the gorgeous Gellért Baths. With 4 different hot pools at temperatures as hot as 40°C, your mind and body will relax as all the stress of university melts away.There are also two steam rooms and two saunas. Some may find this too hot, so instead why not take a dunk in the 2°C ice plunge pool which is certain to revive you.

“

holiday season.

The place to visit this year is none other than Budapest, the capital of Hungary. Home to some of the best bars, baths and booze in Central Europe.

“

Budapest’s most significant highlights is its Hungarian Baths”

Flights to Hungary are as cheap as chips, but why travel with a small hand luggage bag and cramped seats and not even a free bag of nuts when it is possible to travel in style instead? Take the train! It may seem like a long way - which it is - but the comfort and adventure along the speeding tracks on the Eurostar from London to Paris is worth it every time.Time it right and you can get the next train soon after. It

The city is split into two main parts - Buda and Pest. Pest is the most popular side of the city for barhoppers and feel good vibes, and Buda, with the castle and art gallery is more the culture vultures territory”

towns which can’t always be enjoyed from the air.This is where it gets interesting - take an overnight sleeper train from Munich straight to the heart of Budapest. Think less Hogwarts Express and more sleepover style where there is a choice of either two, four or six couchettes - bunk bed style.

Yes, the cabin can feel cramped, but with the motion of the train lulling everybody to the land of nod, it won’t even be noticeable until morning when an attendant brings you breakfast.

Like most major cities, Budapest is not short of hostels. Many are within walking distance of the main city centre. Stroll down the long roads, and take a moment to stop and admire the architecture. Look CREDIT: COSMO CITY HOTEL up. Lots of the shop fronts along the roads look modern and fairly average, If Budapest’s baths are the highlight but it is surprising to see more classic of the trip, take a visit the Rudas Baths gothic archi- for a night time swim as they are open tecture the from 10pm to 4am. Again, multiple higher the hot pools, saunas and steam rooms to building rises. choose from - including more ice buckIt is the per- ets. fect collaboraThe highlight is without a doubt, the tion between rooftop pool. Warmed to the perfect old and new temperature, forget all your worries as - much like the you look over the river which is adorned rest of Hunga- with a thousand gleaming lights on the ry.Budapest’s bridges and enjoy the best view in Bumost signifi- dapest. cant highlights A visit to Budapest’s Ruin Bar is alis its Hungar- most a must. After the uprising, many

buildings throughout the city, especially the Jewish Quarter, were left derelict.

The first of the ruin bars is Szimpla Kert,

see the Hungarian Parliament Building.

Known for being one of the most beautiful government buildings in Eu-

famous for its eclectic and bizarre interior. Mingle with the locals and boogie with the tourists whilst taking in the surroundings. Like a strange museum, the design is a collection of random items all put together to create an almost wonderland and labyrinthian layout, which I’m sure won’t help when drinking the cheap beer the bars have to offer.

The city is split into two main parts - Buda and Pest.

Pest is the most popular side of the city for bar-hoppers and feel good vibes, and Buda, with the castle and art gallery is more the culture vultures territory.

That is not to say Buda is not worth the visit. Take the funicular up Buda Hill to the castle and spend a morning visiting the gallery.

Well explained and captivating, if it’s not the art, it is definitely the views you’ll be looking at.

Wander 10 minutes to the F i s h e r m a n’s Bastion for hot chocolate and a view.

On the other side of the river, it is imperative to

rope, it’s breath-taking Gothic Revival-style edifice is astounding with its amount of detail.

A little way on from the Parliament building is one of the most moving memorials: shoes on the Danube Bank.

Conceived by Can Togay, the shoes are to honour those killed by the Arrow Cross, a fascist movement in World War Two. The Jewish people were ordered to take off their shoes before being shot and falling into the river, leaving their shoes behind them on the bank.

Many people, tourists and locals alike visit the memorial to pay their respects, lighting candles and placing them inside the shoes. As the sun sets over the river, the candles glow in the dusk.

Budapest offers more than just history and culture - it offers the hospitality of its people, architecture which will blow even Barcelona out of the water and views of the city which no Instagram post could ever capture.

11 LIFESTYLE & CULTURE features@galleonnews.com Film & TV

Why Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Is On Solid Ground In Hollywood Right Now Johnson was the second highest paid actor in Hollywood in 2017 with $65m in earnings Michael Pusey Culture Editor It’s no secret in Hollywood that if you’re looking to draw a crowd for a planned movie, you get an A-list actor on board.

In years gone by, we’ve had charismatic faces like Ryan Reynolds with the Deadpool movies and Robert Downey Jr. in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, stretching all the way back to Harrison Ford during the height of Star Wars, Indiana Jones and Blade Runner. Actors had presence and charisma, interacting with their audiences in a way that made them not just enjoy the movie,

but relish the experience. Looking at Hollywood today, one could seriously argue the case for Dwayne Johnson to be added to that list.

Dwayne Johnson has had a really good few years in terms of moviemaking, starring as the voice of lovable and mischievous demi-god Maui in Disney’s seafaring sing-a-long Moana, becoming a part of the long-standing Fast and Furious franchise, as well as being the face of the revamped Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Rampage movies. That’s without mentioning that Johnson has done some stellar work on the small screen also, raking in the rat-

ings and viewing figures for HBO with his big-money show, Ballers, and hosting the season finale of American latenight comedy show, Saturday Night Live.

During his appearance on the show, Johnson was presented with a traditional robe to commemorate his fifth time on hosting duty, and jokingly announced his bid to run for President in 2020, introducing Tom Hanks as his running mate. The crazy thing is, both he and Hanks have the charisma and charm to make it seem believable.

It would appear as though The Rock can make almost anything into a hit

these days. Rampage, his latest cinematic offering, is based on an arcade video game where you take control of either a giant gorilla, lizard, or wolf, and attempt to destroy the city before you turn back into a human. From early reviews, it appears Johnson has come up trumps with another blockbuster that may not win any Oscars but is tremendous fun. When you consider the movies he’s yet to appear in that have been announced, it seems as though The Rock is on steady ground to keep making good movies.

His upcoming releases include DC superhero flick Black Adam, in which

he’ll play the titular role, and Skyscraper where he’ll play the role of a war veteran framed for a building blaze whilst trying to save his family. Other announcements and rumours include a potential appearance as Black Adam in the Suicide Squad sequel, as well as sequels to Jumanji and San Andreas.

Johnson has had a stellar few years in front of the camera, and with his incredible work ethic, appreciation for his fans, and drive to make them happy with his films, it is hard to see that big, beautiful, bald-headed man putting a foot wrong anytime soon.

Technology and Gaming

E3 2018 Predictions The world’s techy titans converge on Los Angeles to amplify anticipation for the gaming year ahead Michael Pusey Culture Editor The gaming world is gearing up for the annual E3 conference, and that means a whole new slew of video game announcements, updates and developments to keep gamers happy and looking forward to the future.

For those not in the know, E3 is the Electronic Entertainment Expo, a yearly event for the gaming industry titans to showcase their upcoming projects, whether that be games, consoles or new programmes. Usually held in Los Angeles at the beginning of the summer, E3 2018 is taking place from Tuesday 12th June until Friday 15th June, during which there will be conferences by gaming industry behemoths such as Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, Ubisoft, EA, and Bethesda among others. Usu-

ally these companies and developers tend to play their cards close to the chest, trying not to reveal anything until the conferences themselves, but we can begin to make educated guesses at what those reveals might end up being.

Microsoft

We know that Microsoft unveiled their latest console, the Xbox One X, at last year’s E3 so another console reveal is highly unlikely. Given the Xbox One X’s high specifications, it is instead likely that there will be a shedload of announcements regarding games becoming 4K-compatible.

Microsoft also released their openworld seafaring adventure Sea of Thieves this year, so look out for an expansion to that. New reveals may include Halo 6 or Fable 4, and possibly a more in-depth look at State of Decay 2.

Sony

Another console announcement for Sony is also unlikely, given the sales for the PS4 Pro, and so instead they may choose to focus on longawaited titles that are moving forward, such as Death Stranding by the legendary Hideo Kojima, and The Last of Us Part II from developer Naughty Dog, who were also behind the action adventure franchise Uncharted.

Nintendo

Nintendo caused something of an Internet meltdown amongst gamers when they announced earlier this year that a new instalment in the Super Smash Bros. franchise would be coming to their latest console, the Nintendo Switch. Expect to see more of that, as well as potential reveals for a teased instalment in the Pokémon franchise, and Metroid

Prime 4.

CREDIT: DIGITALTRENDS

Bethesda

Bethesda has already said that they are working on two more massive games before the release of Elder Scrolls 6, so players will have to tide themselves over with a likely announcement for an expansion to The Elder Scrolls Online, or The Elder Scrolls: Legends. Other than that, it is possible that a sequel to the 2016 reboot of the DOOM franchise could be announced for a late 2018/early 2019 release.

Ubisoft

After the success of Assassin’s Creed: Origins last year and because Ubisoft churn them out almost every year, it is possible that we may see a teaser of the beginnings for the next instalment in the franchise, though it is unlikely we’ll see a release date in 2018. There’s a possibility for a Far

Cry 5 expansion, though I wouldn’t hold much hope for that seeing as most of the DLC was announced with bundle sales of the game at launch.

Alongside all of these potential teases, we also have many games from last year’s announcements to think about. Microsoft teased a new open-world adventure game from BioWare called Anthem, Sony announced titles such as the upcoming Spider-Man game, and Ubisoft showcased a cinematic trailer for Beyond Good and Evil 2. There’s lots to look forward to for gamers moving forward, and whatever happens at E3, gamers will have even more to get excited about as gaming conventions reveal more throughout the summer.

Galleon 12 The Tuesday 1st May 2018

LIFESTYLE & CULTURE Food & Health

Four Tips for Staying Focused Whilst Studying at Home Working where you relax; can it be done?

Victoria Wilton Food Editor It’s happening again. Exams, coursework and dissertation deadlines are looming. Once again, you are ready to get to work when you walk into the library and almost every spot is full, and any spot that isn’t is beside a group who don’t understand the need to quiet. You have no choice but to work from home but this can be one of the most difficult places to work. You need to be focused, self-disciplined and ignore distractions of technology and housemates. So, here are a few tips for staying focused when

working from home.

Remove Any Distractions: Start by removing any distractions, especially your phone. Often we start the day thinking that we have iron-tight willpower but as time goes on and your energy starts to drain, it can become harder to resist the temptation of our social media feeds. The easiest way to tackle this is to switch off your phone and put it out of sight. If you need your phone during the day, there are many apps designed to help you focus and limit distractions during work. The app ‘Forest’ is an example of this. It allows you set a timer to plant a virtual seed

which will only grow if you remain on the app. This helps you to keep focused until your plant grows.

Develop a Routine: Study leave comes with a distinct lack of lectures and seminars, the basis of our weekly routines are gone leaving us with empty, unstructured days. Developing a routine for before and after your day of study can help with focus.

At the beginning of the day setting your intentions, having a shower or just getting dressed, although it is tempting to stay in your pyjamas, are all great ways to signal to your brain that it is the start of the day and time to focus. The same

way that changing into pyjamas or having a bath can signal that it is time to relax. Balance is key.

Set Aside a Work Space: While some people are happy to work anywhere in their home, it can be tricky to focus whenever you are working while sitting on the sofa, slouched in your favourite spot. This is because our brain likes to set aside separate spaces to work and to relax. Help your brain focus by setting aside a work space for during the day; it doesn’t have to be an entirely different room. Even setting aside a certain chair at your kitchen table that you sit in everyday to work can

be enough to signal to your brain that it is time to focus.

Switch Up Your Scenery: Sometimes being in the same place can be a bore; especially if you are staying in your room all day for study and relaxation. One of the great joys of having all your notes digitally is that you can work anywhere that has an internet connection. Something as simple as going to your nearest café or using the public library can be enough to reinvigorate you and keep you focused. Even taking a break and going for a walk outside can be enough to refocus the mind and help it be productive again.

Travel

Santa Barbara - The Pacific Dream An American break away Nine Hedlundh Imagine spectacular scenery where steep mountains meet white sandy beaches in combination with sunshine all year round. Add a relaxed lifestyle and Spanish inspired architecture and there you have the beautifully southern Californian city - Santa Barbara, also

known as the American Riviera.

Santa Barbara is located 90 miles northwest of Los Angeles along the Pacific coast and has a Mediterranean climate. Apart from the enviable weather and the ability to surf and hike in the mountains on the same day, the city offers a picturesque architecture with red brick-tiled streets and famous wine

regions. There is plenty of wine tasting tours so it would be a shame not try one out.

A vacation in Santa Barbara does not require much planning due to its comfortable size and location. Downtown Santa Barbara is the ultimate paradise for the pedestrian since you can walk comfortably everywhere.

“

It is considered to be the United States party capital for college students”

From downtown, you will be near State Street, which is the main street that offers a wide range of restaurants and shops. Along State Street is the outdoor mall Paseo Nuveo that offers more than 50 shops and restaurants. Two local favourite restaurants with affordable price tags and relaxed atmospheres are Sandbar and Sharkeez. Both restaurants are Mexican inspired and are located on

lower State Street. Ice cream and frozen yoghurt are also two musts when visiting Santa Barbara. McConnell’s fine ice cream is definitely a local favourite.

Located at the end of Lower State Street is the beachfront, which is ultimately breath taking. In the middle of the beachfront is Stearns Wharf that is also known as the Santa Barbara pier.

Whether you are looking for beach and water activities or just sunbathing, the beachfront has it all. On East beach there are several volleyball nets and a running trail, while on West beach there are kayaking and paddleboard rentals for under $8. Kayaking in the harbour is relaxing and it is almost a guarantee that you will see seals and sea lions. Along the beachfront are also several hotels, which can be found at decent prices if booked in advance.

Not only is Santa Barbara known for its beautiful beaches and easy to navigate location, it is also considered to be the United States party capital for college students. University of California,

Santa Barbara (UCSB) and Santa Barbara City College are located in the city and both have been ranked as top party schools. UCSB is located in Isla Vista which is an almost too-good-to-be-true college student location. It is more or less the definition of the ultimate American party college culture. Del Playa Drive also known as DP stretches four blocks starting at the UCSB campus and ends at Sands Beach. DP is where all the house parties are hosted and if one party does not meet the expectations you can just move on to the next one. However, if you are looking for a more sophisticated way of drinking, downtown offers several relaxed bars such as Santa Barbara Brewing Company and Joe’s Cafe. But remember the legal drinking age in the States is 21.

Whether you are looking for a relaxed beach vacation, college party or sophisticated cultural experience, Santa Barbara offers something for every type of traveller. You will not be disappointed.

13 LIFESTYLE & CULTURE features@galleonnews.com Game Review

A Way Out of Mundane Single-Player Experiences?

Could A Way Out usher in a renewed age of two-player gaming?

A Way Out Playstation 4, Xbox One

7/10 Michael Pusey Culture Editor When the teaser trailer for a co-operative only jailbreak game was revealed

nally released after much anticipation and speculation as to whether or not the game could live up to the hype generated across social media and various media outlets. Developed by Hazelight Studios, a small team of developers in Sweden led by film director Josef Fares, A Way Out was released as part of the EA Originals Programme, a programme dedicated to smaller and more independent games. Despite the heavy

CREDIT: ROCK, PAPER, SHOTGUN online to gamers everywhere, the reactions were mixed. Some were excited by the prospect of having to make choices as to how to escape from prison. Some were understandably sceptical at the promises afforded by the trailer. One thing was certain though. More than anything else, this was billed as a cooperative experience for gamers. Whilst the dialogue and gameplay leave a little to be desired, it certainly is an experience, perhaps one best enjoyed playing with someone next to you.

Arriving on consoles and PC on 23rd March 2018, A Way Out was fi-

CREDIT: METRO

focus on the solely co-operative way in which the game can be played, it was also billed as an emotional adventure, and there is one aspect in which the game doesn’t disappoint.

As a co-operative only game, you take control of one of two characters as you must navigate a daring prison break which quickly evolves into a deeply emotional story of revenge and betrayal. Players can either take control of Vincent, a freshly incarcerated man claiming to have been framed for his brother’s murder, or Leo, a hot-headed individual, six months into an eightyear sentence for grand theft.

What draws the two closer together is their mutual hatred of another criminal on the outside, Harvey, who they both claim to have a

grudge against.

“

Where the game could be improved however, is the gameplay and dialogue. Both leave a little to be desired, with the emphasis throughout placed far more heavily on visuals and storytelling”

Despite Leo starting the game understandably wary of Vincent, the two quickly bond and become dependent upon the other to escape a maximumsecurity prison. Once the breakout is complete, they decide to stick together in their pursuit of Harvey, navigating their way through forests and building sites, rivers and hospitals; all in pursuit of revenge against Harvey. It certainly is a game best played alongside someone you know, where you can discuss your strategy, playing minigames and hunting Easter eggs along the way. It can become frustrating however, if you find yourself playing with someone online that you don’t know, and you must wait for them to catch up to you. Communication is key in this game, and it helps make the experience a more enjoyable one.

It becomes immediately clear that this game was directed by a film director, with the heavy emphasis on gorgeous visuals, making full use of the Unreal Engine and all of its power.

Where this directorial style also makes itself known is the plot of the story.

Taking on tropes from films across the generations, the player can sometimes find themselves questioning where they have seen this before. The prison break involves theft, working at night, and escaping in the rain; at times reminiscent of the 1994 classic, The Shawshank Redemption. Both men are seeking to go after Harvey to secure their families future; Leo to escape with his wife and young boy, Vincent to settle down with his wife and newborn child.

Harvey is painted as a mob boss; secure in his Mexican villa, surrounded by armed guards, akin to Al Pacino’s Tony Montana in Scarface (1983).

The game is rife with plot devices and tropes from cinema history, though it does well not to allow the predictability of said tropes to take away from the emotion of the story.

Where the game could be improved however, is the gameplay and dialogue.

Both leave a little to be desired, with the emphasis throughout placed far more heavily on visuals and storytelling. As the game unfolds, it becomes apparent that the story is being told through a flashback whilst Leo and Vincent ride in the back of a cargo plane heading somewhere. These cutscenes feel slightly unnecessary, breaking up the gameplay without adding anything to the game. If anything, the dialogue here often gives away what may happen in the following act of the game.

“

Where A Way Out truly shines is in its choice to make the game co-operative only. The game thrives in this way, and even in its more lacklustre moments, my friend and I found ourselves joking about it whilst we continued to play”

Whilst there is a certain level of predictability to most video games, as a player, I prefer to play through a story uninterrupted and discover what’s going to happen myself without a cutscene telling me there’s going to be a high-octane chase sequence coming up. Some of the dialogue feels a little clunky in places, where the sentences fail to be delivered in the right way, or the wording isn’t quite right. The game offers a variety of gameplay options, ranging from stealth and tail missions to car chases and shootouts. In some ways, it’s hard to put this game into a specific genre, other than what it was billed as; “emotional adventure”.

Where A Way Out truly shines is in its choice to make the game co-operative only. When playing through the game for the first time, I did so alongside my housemate on the couch just after the game’s midnight release. As the game went along, we found our-

selves talking about the game’s choices and communicating more and more about how we would play out a certain situation. The game thrives in this way, and even in its more lacklustre moments, my friend and I found ourselves joking about it whilst we continued to play.

A Way Out isn’t a masterpiece in gaming, but it offers a memorable cooperative experience. Clunky controls and sloppy dialogue are overshadowed by gorgeous visuals, a deeply emotional story and a great co-op experience.

Galleon 14 The Tuesday 1st May 2018

LIFESTYLE & CULTURE Art

Women’s Prize for Fiction - Celebrating the Best and Brightest of Women’s Literature The coveted prize provides a longlist that reflects on a tumultuous year for culture and the arts Georgina Monk Deputy Editor Celebrating the key achievements from women in fiction over the past year, the Women’s Prize for Fiction, formerly the Orange Prize, and before that, the Baileys Prize, usually focuses on novels that reveal different aspects of what it is to be a woman, femininity and the current issues that woman face. This year’s longlist, announced last month to a lot of chatter within the book community, as well as some ideally placed bookstands promoting the nominated titles, has brought together the most innovative and thoughtprovoking literature from the last year, from books dealing with issues of domestic abuse to historical dramas.

This year’s long-list includes the current bestseller, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeymoon. The novel follows its eccentric protagonist Eleanor in her attempts to escape her rigid daily routine and deals with the problem of loneliness in younger people, particularly women.

Three Things About Elsie by Joanna Cannon, author of bestseller The Trouble With Goats and Sheep, centres on an elderly woman who is trying to deal with the secrets of her past. Although you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, its cover is particularly appealing, made

out of a jigsaw of a picture of Battenberg cake, assuring us that this will be a bittersweet read.

Elmet by Fiona Mosley has already been well acclaimed, having been shortlisted alongside The History of Wolves

by Emily Fridlund for the Man Booker Prize. A contemporary debut based on Yorkshire legends, Elmet follows a family on the outskirts of society as they fight with their nemeses and head further towards tragedy.

The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy, author of The God of Small Things, famous on every university literature course, is her first book since the novel that projected her to fame. Twenty years after her last novel, the book has been rated 4.2/5 on Waterstones’ website and transports us back to India to discuss the healing power of love.

A Boy in Winter by Rachel Seiffert, famed for her novels surrounding the aftermath of Nazi Germany and the Holocaust, brings us a new novel focusing on the Ukraine and the invasion of a small town by the SS. Sure to create tears, Winter‘s focus on a child’s experience of war is bound to be full of both heartbreak and tragedy, so get the tissues ready.

Miss Burma by Charmane Craig deals

with the after-effects of war in South Eastern Asia, following the path of wartorn lovers Benny and Khin through the lenses of their daughter. Steeped in political turmoil and the conflicting loyalty of those who belong to two countries at once, the novel deals with the history of Burma and the issues it faced, including the plight of minority ethnic groups.

Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward twists the legacy of classic road-trip novels, following JoJo and his mother as they journey towards the prison that his father has just been released from. This take on the American novel unveils the limitations of freedom, as well as looking at how the road trip novel can be adapted to discuss contemporary issues.

Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan focuses on the first female diver, Anna, and her time during the war. Opening in the Great Depression, the book centres on an element of war fiction that has not been covered to the extent that it should

have in the past: the role of women during the war and their experience of men’s roles.

Very recently released, The Trick To Time by Kit De Waal reflects on the passionate affair between a young Irish girl following her move to England and how tragedy forced them to go their separate ways also affected her future. This is one

of the books I am most excited to read, being set in a place and decade that is not often covered and is surprisingly near to home: 1970s Birmingham.

Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie, discussing the nature of sacrifice and the entwining of politics and love, is another novel focusing on very relevant issues in the current moment. It follows Isma, a Muslim girl studying in America as she worries about the rest of her family members, including her brother, who intends to follow his father’s jihadist legacy, until she meets politician Eamonn.

See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt, with its blurb showing its basis in medieval balladry and oral story-telling, reimagines the mystery of the murder of Lizzie Borden. A historical drama that is more Making a Murderer than Downton Abbey, Schmidt creates both a chilling and compelling portrait of Lizzie and her familial home.

When I Hit You by Meena Kandasamy, whose subtitle interacts with the borders of literary fiction, delves into an ongoing issue that has been often raised in fiction, not just, but especially, for women. The conflict between the innocent love of a young woman for a man and his domestic abuse, combined with familial pressure is dealt with here, turning what seems to be a perfect marriage into a monstrous social construct.

H(A)PPY by Nicola Barker is the post-apocalyptic novel with a twist. Set in a dystopian universe, it explores the cracks and follies of what a perfect world would look like, and the consequences of possible happiness.

And, like us all, The Idiot by Elif Batuman, focuses on a young student contemplating whether she can drop out of adulthood. Questioning the role of culture and love in our identity and everyday life, the novel is about Selin’s experiences teaching English in a Hungarian village and the surprises she finds.

The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar is about- yes, you’ve guessed it- a mermaid. Part historical drama and part magical realism, the novel toys with the boundaries of

both genres, following the trends of Sarah Waters and other prolific writers of historical romps.

And, finally, Sight by Jessie Greengrass, weaves personal recollections with medical history as it winds around the concept of motherhood, reflecting on parenting in all its forms, from the mothers that raise us and the generations before us, to the long 9 months of pregnancy that women experience to bring a child into their life.

15 LIFESTYLE & CULTURE features@galleonnews.com Fashion & Beauty

Easy Summer Trends This Spring/Summer WWW: the Warm Weather Wardrobe Brogan Kirkby-Bott Fashion Editor The summer months are now just an arms length away. Summer holidays have been booked, bikini bodies are on their way but the one thing that people are stumped for is the perfect warm weather wardrobe. Whilst a majority of spring/summer clothes have been in stores since early February, the weather has not exactly been long cocktail induced evenings in the Maldives, so no one has felt in the Summer mood to be buying cute denim shorts or crop tops. There are a number of trends to hit the stores this season and quite a lot of them have been obvious, for example pastels and florals, however a number of them completely nostalgic and somewhat bizarre.

“

On the high street chain’s website, models are seen wearing these pastel pant suits with mismatching shades, accessories and spotty bandeau tops” Beginning with the simplest -

pastels. Otherwise known ice cream shades. Seen in spring/summer shows by Victoria Beckham and Hermes, softer hues are really easy to pull off. At this present moment, influencers and stylists are going crazy for well structured pant suits which can be found in an assortment of colours and patterns. The pantsuit is an iconic item and should really be in everyone’s wardrobe. The two separates are extremely versatile, allowing them to be worn together or separately and are both ideal for summer weddings or to quickly throw on with a pair or trainers and a slogan t-shirt. Topshop offer pant suits starting from £70. Whilst this may seem a little too much to be spending on a pair of cigarette trousers and a blazer, this combination will last its owner right through to next summer. On the high street chain’s website, models are seen wearing these pastel pant suits with mismatching shades, accessories and spotty bandeau tops.

For the upcoming festivals, cowboy boots are becoming a pretty big hit. Usually paired with denim, these boots can be worn with a chiffon floral dress or pair with a basic tee and a pair of shorts. The cowboy boots made their return in Fendi’s autumn/ winter show in brights yellows and snake skin. This specific pair may not

be to anyone’s taste but more traditional pairs can be found on both the Missguided and Topshop sites for as little as £30. Go crazy and pair the boots with fringe or florals and maybe a little bit of glitter and they will become a staple piece in your wardrobe for lazy sunny afternoons and at festivals.

“

For easy options just stick to the classic floral tea dress or pale hues of pinks, yellow and blues”

The trend that no one wanted to see again, apart from being worn when swanning round an airport or sitting below Dads prominent beer belly on the beach, is of course the bum bag. Surprisingly the return of the bumbag is not that bad. Gucci is taking the lead with this trend and have morphed current bag designs such as their classic Marmont bag and vintage brown print and have taken everyone by surprise. The Guccia Marmont Matlesse belt bag is pricey at £795 but many high street stores have taken their own spin on this bag by using primary colours

such as greens and yellows and added detailed motifs. This accessory goes perfectly with summer dresses and light blue washed jeans. Again the perfect item for festival season and ideal for carrying around any devices, a signature lippy and any change spare after purchasing this new fad in every shape, colour and size.

Yes it maybe spring/summer but it is important that everyone has a little something to put over the shoulders.

If the British weather is anything to go by there is bound to be those days where there is a bit of a chill in the air and someone is in need of something light to keep them warm. The best item to opt for is the favourite, classic trench coat. These beauties can literally be worn with absolutely anything and come in different lengths and colours. The coat is always seen on the runway and quite possibly will never ever go out of style. To accentuate the waist, the coat can also be paired with a bum bag to show of the silhouette.

One trend no one is quite sure about is feathers and marabou trimmings. Seen in both the Calvin Klein and Yves Saint Laurent shows, these pieces of fluff were used to decorate parts of garments around the neck, arms and on the chest. The fashion world might not expect anyone to try

CREDIT: MYDRESSTIP.COM and pull this trend off but it can be introduced into evening wear or everyday casual wear in accessories. Either opt for a cute, fluffy clutch bag with a chain strap which can be picked up from Pretty Little Thing for £25 or go for a pair of strappy sandals with fluff across the foot from Dorothy Perkins or Missguided. Easy.

All in all, summer fashion trends are completely versatile and can not ever be wrong. For easy options just stick to the classic floral tea dress or pale hues of pinks, yellow and blues.

Whilst it is easy to only worry about what to wear in this weather, it is also important to ensure safety by wearing appropriate footwear, wearing a pair of sunglasses to protect the eyes from the sun and the most obvious making sure sun protection is worn all the time. Being cute is essential but no one looks cute with bright red skin and awkward tan lines from being out in the sun for too long. Pack that suitcase, apply the fake tan and prepare for the summer of a life time.

Travel

Getaway to the Emerald Isle Victoria Wilton Food Editor When we think about summer holidays we always think of jetting on getaways to faraway places no student can afford. If you are looking for a getaway this summer, but can’t afford to fly too far, why not look closer to home? The North and South of Ireland could be the holiday destination for you.

Capitals: While the package holidays to these capital cities can be pricey, hunting around some exclusive deals will allow for a cheap getaway. Dublin and Belfast are both cities full of culture

and interesting things to see and do. There are numerous budget flights out of multiple airports all over the UK, reasonably priced B&B’s and free and cheap activities that mean you can have the best time for the best price.Game of Thrones Tours: Fan of the hit show Game of Thrones? A huge amount of the show was filmed in Northern Ireland, and many Northern Ireland tourist sites and companies have begun to arrange Game of Thrones tours for the summer. What’s even better is that the prices aren’t too steep either! The coach tours leave from the centre of Belfast and take visitors all around with an experienced tour guide, in-

cluding the Titanic Film Studios, as well as many of the iconic locations of Westeros.These coach trips are perfect for a day trip.

Get away from it all in Donegal: In the north-west of Ireland is a county called Donegal. If you are looking to disconnect from the modern world, a holiday across to the coast of this county could be ideal. Throughout Donegal there are a multitude of holiday homes for rental all the way to the quiet seaside villages which are doused in rich history. It is the perfect place for those wanting to just chill out and get some well earned relaxation.

Get to the Camper: One of the best ways to see Ire-

land, and the cheapest, is to rent a camper for a few days, a week, a few weeks, even months. Renting a camper cuts out the costs of flights, hotels and tour guides.

There’s only the need to pay rental, petrol and food. If travelling in a bigger group too it can be even cheaper. Travelling in a camper allows the freedom to see what you want and when you want, and to simply get off the beaten tourist track to experience the real and local side to the

North and South of Ireland.Whatever kind of holiday you are seeking, you are bound to find something in your budget in the Emerald Isle that is Ireland.

Galleon 16 The Tuesday 1st May 2018

LIFESTYLE & CULTURE Sex and Relationships

Dating in Today’s Society Who knew our lives wouldn’t be like the movies?

Lucy VS Morris Lifestyle Editor I’ve had my fair share of dates. Some that have gone on further than the first and some that I have quietly laid to rest and prayed never to see again.

We’ve grown up in a world of fairy tales and fiction, repeatedly showing us that the handsome Prince and beautiful Princess are always each other’s ‘firsts’, and ‘lasts’. The reality of this happening, not to mention with a member of the Royal family (thanks, Meghan), is very slim but this shouldn’t deter you from putting yourself out there and seeing what is on offer.

The problem with dating nowadays is that there are so many different terms under the dating umbrella that it’s easy to get confused about where you stand and it is nerve-wracking to ask. How many dates should you go on before asking whether they’re seeing someone else? And how many more before

you can consider exclusivity? The answer is: there is no specific answer. Everybody goes at their own pace and may be testing the water before taking a nose dive into a relationship. It is almost expected that people won’t just be dating one person at a time. This is okay, as long as you go into every date with an open mind. The last thing you want to do is get hurt, so make sure that you aren’t expecting anything from your date. If something does come out of it, then it’s simply a bonus.

If you feel that you’re at the stage where something should be happening and things are getting on a bit but you’re still unsure of what part you’re playing in the other person’s life, there is nothing wrong with being honest and asking. Wouldn’t you rather know than be sat twiddling your thumbs, constantly checking when they were last active on Facebook? If they don’t give you the answer you were hoping for, it just goes to show they’re not the right one for

you. It’s better to know early on than be six months down the line and mentally planning your wedding or picking out baby names. Come on, we’ve all been there.

“

You wouldn’t pick up a sweet off the floor and put it in your mouth without knowing where it’s been”

One of the things that seems to be a reoccurring nightmare in today’s society is the enjoyment of playing the ‘game’. Girls do it. Guys do it. And most of us can say it’s happened to us at one point or another.

The ‘game’ usually refers to someone leading you on for their own personal gain. This can be physically or emotionally but either way it can have severe consequences on our confidence in ourselves and trust in

other people. The best way to avoid this from happening is to be upfront and honest about what you’re looking for whilst you’re dating. Let them know where you stand and then give them the benefit of the doubt. But if they’ve left you on read for over a week, then suddenly ask if you want to ‘hang out’, be wary. It takes someones seconds to reply to a message; if you wanted to wait a week for a reply, you’d have sent them a letter.

Meeting someone that you’ve connected with on a dating app such as Tinder or Bumble is the norm in today’s society, but this doesn’t mean you should be any less wary. Horror stories do circulate about unpleasant encounters so try and make sure the person is legitimately who they say they are, ask them for their surname and do a little search on social media. If they say they don’t have social media, question this. Although not everyone is as involved as most on social platforms, it might be something that could ring alarm bells.

Take every precaution possible and if you’re still not sure, ask if a friend can tag along to the initial meeting.

If they are who they say they are, the friend can leave. It’s better to be safe than to be sorry.

Some say that there are specific rules that you should follow on first dates, such as ‘no sex’. These rules weren’t written for or by a specific person so do what you feel comfortable doing. If you want to go the full hog, then you do you- we’re not here to judge, but protection is a necessity. They may be a really lovely person but put it this way, you wouldn’t pick up a sweet off the floor and put it in your mouth without knowing where it’s been.

The most important thing about the whole dating experience is to have fun. You may not find your Mr/ Mrs Right on your first couple of dates but that isn’t reason to give up.

There are billions of people in this world. Not all of them are complete idiots.

Food & Health

The Season of Smoothies Easy to make recipes to get you ready for those scorching days!

Anna Ryan It’s that time of year again. The days are warmer, the nights are lighter, and the jumpers are shoved to the back of the wardrobe and forgotten about until September. The hot weather makes icecold drinks a given. But there’s one more

thing to cool you down in summer; smoothies. Below are five smoothie recipes that should see you through. All you need is a blender.

Banana and Smoothie

Peanut

Butter

• A tablespoon of peanut butter • Almond milk

Mango and Passion Fruit Smoothie

• A banana

• • • •

A mango Greek yogurt A passionfruit 2 tablespoons of honey

Green Smoothie • • • • •

An avocado A mango A handful of baby spinach A banana 2 tablespoons of honey

Berry Smoothie

• A banana • A handful of any berries of your choice • Greek yoghurt • Ice cubes

Coconut and Pineapple Smoothie

• • • • • •

A mango A banana Coconut milk Pineapple pieces Orange juice A spoonful of honey

Smoothie Tips:

• Pour as little or as much almond milk in to find the consistency you like. There isn’t any set rule.

• To get an ice-cold smoothie, drop a few ice cubes into the mix. This will create a thicker mixture, and keep your drink colder for longer.

• A cheat for getting an ice-cold smoothie without the ice cubes, is to cut the fruit up beforehand and freeze it instead. This also means you can keep your fruit for longer, without worrying about its shelf life.

• For a creamier smoothie, add a banana.

• Smoothies are also great for breakfast. Pour your smoothie into a bowl, and sprinkle some fruit and granola on top for a tasty start to your day.

17 LIFESTYLE & CULTURE features@galleonnews.com Movie Reviews

No-One is Staying Hush over A Quiet Place John Krasinski’s directorial debut proves that silence is golden A Quiet Place 9/10 Michael Pusey Culture Editor The last two years have seen tremendous directorial debuts from funny men in the horror genre. First, Jordan Peele earned universal acclaim for his social bombshell, Get Out, which ended up being nominated for Best Picture at the 2018 Oscars. Now, John Krasinski, perhaps best known for his role as lovable dork Jim Halpert in the US

iteration of The Office, has crafted one of the most brilliant and original horrors in recent memory.

A Quiet Place is written and directed by John Krasinski, who also stars alongside his real-life wife Emily Blunt, and tells the story of a family who fight for survival in a world where sound means a swift death sentence. Joined by two marvellous child actors, Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe, the family are forced to live in silence, placing sand on the ground where they walk and painting parts of the wooden floor that don’t creak in order to move soundlessly throughout the world.

The film follows the family, who move

silently through their dystopian world in order to avoid encounters with the terrifyingly quick monsters who now roam the world devouring anything that makes a sound. Each actor in the film is given an opportunity to shine in their particular role. One of the most remarkable aspects of this film is that it is not simply a survival film. Krasinski’s character, the father, is very much a survivalist, seeking only to preserve his family’s life and make sure they avoid the monsters. However, in stark contrast, Emily Blunt’s character of the mother seeks to thrive and offer their children something of a life. Teaching the son maths, doing the laundry, cooking din-

ner, all the while being heavily pregnant; the balance between living and surviving is brilliantly addressed through these two uniquely opposite characters.

Krasinski relentlessly cranks up the tension, never fully releasing it and keeping the audience as silent as his characters, gripping the arms of their seats in the cinema. A Quiet Place is a film that begs a big screen viewing in order to fully experience the fear and terror that Krasinski has intended his viewers to feel. The use of sound throughout is restrained for as long as the audience can bear, before Krasinski unleashes it upon the audience. Viewers live in constant fear of where the next sound

may come from, knowing that it means another encounter with the merciless creatures who stalk them. The few sounds are used to great effect, whether it be to mask conversation, or the screams of a wife in labour, or to gather the attention of the monsters.

At its heart, this film is about the lengths to which one man will go to keep his family safe. Coupled with some tremendous acting, some terrifying monsters and a true sense of originality, A Quiet Place makes for one of the must-see horror films in a generation.

Avengers: Infinity War Review - A Heroic, HeartRendering Landmark for Popcorn Cinema Jordan Osborne Editor It’s all been leading to this. 18 entries over the course of a decade have tightened the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s grip on mainstream cinema with each mindbending episode of gargantuan, heroic escapism. The MCU has transported its audience from continent to continent, back in time, into the vastness of space, and for the MCU’s bite-sized saviour, into the smallest of spaces. But with Avengers: Infinity War, Marvel hopes to deliver an audacious landmark moment that will drag it all together intricately, superseding every popcorn flick with tsunamic effect.

Initially, there is one massive hurdle that could slowly derail that vision as it unfolds onscreen: balance. With Infinity War, all corners of the MCU are pulled together to prevent the villain of all villains, Thanos, from completing his atrocious, apocalyptic quest. In collecting all

six of the infinity stones, he will gain the power necessary to destroy anything and everything in the universe with the click of fingers. Portrayed with resonant brood and an unerring tunnel-visioned philosophy by Josh Brolin, Thanos’ ruthlessness and drive are immediately marked out in the film’s opening sequence.

But it is the balance that directors Anthony and Joe Russo manage to pull off without plot sagging or confusion that allows Infinity War and all of its many cogs to interlock so perfectly. This aspect establishes itself most obviously in the litany of cross-franchise and improvised groupings. The respective tussles between Iron Man and Doctor Strange and Thor and Peter Quill provide some truly dreamy displays of fragile masculinity, whilst Thor’s sub-quest with Rocket and Groot Jr provides a brilliantly chalk-and-cheese pairing. And of course, we can always count on Spiderman for some wonderful pop culture references - much to the dis-

dain of the pompous Iron Man and Doctor Strange. It’s these interactions, the stuff of fan fiction hysteria, that are the most enjoyable moments of the film. Teamups that we didn’t think were possible are brought to reality with gleeful effect.

“

It never feels lax or mundane, constantly painting from an infinite palate of emotions. Marvel are ambitious here even for Marvel”

Elsewhere, Vision and Scarlet Witch fret over the possibility of destroying the infinity stone embedded in Vision’s forehead, thus destroying Vision in the process. They are assisted by Black Widow, Bruce Banner (and a very reluctant Hulk), Falcon and Steve Rogers aka Cap-

tain America, who now sports a trimmed beard and a slick back following his Civil War falling out with Iron Man. Their own mission eventually brings them into contact with Black Panther and Bucky Barnes in the glistening hidden metropolis of Wakanda.

The various scenarios and subplots fade in and out as we whizz towards the inevitable showdown with Thanos. It never feels lax or mundane, constantly painting from an infinite palate of emotions. Marvel are ambitious here even for Marvel.

One second we’re laughing, the next we’re reeling. We’re met with the physically preposterous before being reminded of the sobering seriousness of Thanos’ devastating master plan. Again, it is all about balance.

As well as Thanos’ quest for universal superiority, the audience is forced to juggle three Avenger plot lines before they inevitably mesh together at the film’s dizzying climax. With the sheer amount of

characters, individual feuds and story lines it should’t work. But somehow it does. It’s incredibly unmissable, and if it wasn’t before, it’s now definitely in the same realm as Star Wars and Harry Potter especially with the addition of a supremely dangerous villain. It’s confident in the way that it pieces all of these headline acts together into one seamlessly-created puzzle but also confident in its ability to worry audiences with the threat of actual apocalypse.

It all feels very televisual which again plays into the power of the latest episode in the Marvel melodrama. Over the last ten years, Marvel has piled layer upon layer of context onto the shoulders of its heroes, evolving our relationships with these characters further with each chapter in the series. As a standalone film, Infinity War is a blast. Add ten years of emotional context and everything that unravels across this two and a half hour blitzkrieg becomes weightier, more heart rendering and more awe-inspiring.

Galleon 18 The Tuesday 1st May 2018

LIFESTYLE & CULTURE Food & Health

Breaking the Poo Taboo It’s time to talk about toilet troubles: Travel Editor Stephanie Lukins shares her story Stephanie Lukins Travel Editor Tummies - we all have them. Toilets - we all use them. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) - probably heard of it. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) - probably not heard of it.

This article aims to provide a new found knowledge and awareness of what Inflammatory Bowel Disease is really about and to ultimately remove the stigma, isolation and fear surrounding the issues of tummies and toilets.

IBD affects more than 300,000 people in the UK, and despite this huge number, it quite often goes undetected. It is an auto-immune disease with Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis being the two types of IBD. Although there are differences in the conditions, their symptoms can be very similar.

Crohn’s Disease is basically the inflammation of the digestive system or any part of the gut. Ulcerative Colitis is a little different. UC, as it is referred to as, is a condition which causes inflammation and ulceration of the inner lining of the rectum and colon.

The symptoms aren’t all that pleasant, with the most obvious being recurring diarrhoea which usually, but doesn’t always, contains blood, mucus or pus. There can also be the need to visit the toilet between

DIAGRAM OF THE ABDOMEN

five and twenty five times a day, and it can be the most significant indicator that something isn’t quite right with the body. Excruciating cramping pain in the abdomen, tiredness and fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, feeling generally unwell and in some cases, mouth ulcers can also be symptoms.

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There are ways to control and help alleviate symptoms to allow life to return to normality”

adjust and decide what the next step is to overcome the issue.

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Endless trips to the local doctor’s surgery came out with a range of different prognosis’, including chlamydia?!”

For the time being, Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis are chronic, life-long conditions where

It is important to understand that the severity of these symptoms is dependent on the extent of inflammation. For some, it can have a huge impact on their everyday lives.

In other cases, some can go weeks, or even months with just very mild to no symptoms at all with the right medication.

With any case of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, those who are on life-long medication may find themselves going through waves CREDIT: TV3 of remission where they feel 100% well. Whereas sometimes, for what- there is no current cure. But, and a ever reason, flare-ups can occur big but, it can be controlled by medwhere despite taking regular medi- ication or in some circumstances, cation, symptoms can reappear and surgery may be the only option. it can take a little bit of time to reIt does well to remember and realise that, although the thought of something like this is daunting and scary, those who have suffered, no matter how long the diagnosis takes, feel ultimate relief. A relief in the sense that they now have an answer in regards to knowing what is happening to their body. There are ways to control and help alleviate symptoms to allow life to return to normality without having to worry about where the nearest toilet is.

My story My IBD story, more specifically, Crohn’s disease story, began almost five years ago in August 2012. Just like any other 18 year old, I had just finished college for the summer, started a new part time job, was beginning to learn how to drive and

CREDIT: THE LOOSE SCREW trying to decide which university I wanted to go to. There was nothing untoward or overly stressful going on.

However, little changes were happening to my body. It first started with feeling a little bit more tired and fatigued than usual, even when I didn’t get up too much during the day. I would fall asleep on my bed without even realising. I soon began to get cramping pains in my stomach - sometimes they’d be tolerable other times they would be excruciating. The most obvious symptom was

having to go to the loo a lot more often. It happened mostly after eating, no matter what food it was - whether it be a chocolate bar or a roast dinner. I associated food with pain, and so my appetite was beginning to go, and my weight plummeted. I wanted to eat so badly, but the pain was too much to deal with sometimes.

The not so obvious symptom were red, painful and itchy swellings up

and down my legs. Flea bites came to mind, or even a bizarre allergy to some new washing powder. It was however, in fact, a little less known sign of Crohn’s disease which affects only 10% of IBD sufferers.

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A loyalty card wouldn’t have gone a miss after three months of countless visits to my GP”

Unfortunately for me, my diagnosis took some time. Endless trips to the local doctor’s surgery came out with a range of different prognosis’; indigestion, acid reflux, chlamydia(!?), making it up in my head, to an eating disorder.

A loyalty card wouldn’t have gone a miss after three months of countless visits to my GP. The final prognosis was enough for the doctor to tell me to “go home, back an overnight bag and get yourself down to the hospital. I’m referring you now” with what he suspected to be a burst appendix. It didn’t quite explain the diarrhoea, which I have no embarrassment in being honest about, but I was finally getting somewhere with an answer.

By no means do I put the blame on any doctor for not realising sooner because despite how the awareness of Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis is getting higher, it is still a condition which isn’t thought of first when presented with the symptoms.

19 LIFESTYLE & CULTURE features@galleonnews.com welcoming an answer as to what was going on with my body.

I wanted to know what could have made it happen.

What were the triggers?

Thinking DETAILED IMAGE OF THE COLON AND CROHN’S of all the DISEASE AFFECTING IT could have, would have, After what felt like hours of tests s h o u l d the following day with ultrasound haves were beginning to get on my and CT scans, two doctors and two nerves. nurses approached my hospital bed.

I did my own research and found I was in high spirits for once - probably due to the amount of pain relief I had been given. I don’t remember much of what was said. It felt like I’d zoned out and came back to reality where the doctor was saying “I’m sorry” over and over. The nurse comforted me with a little smile and handed me a green booklet.

“Getting diagnosed with Crohn’s disease” was the title of the booklet.

Big, bold letters. Crohn’s disease.

What on earth was Crohn’s disease?

I thought it was terminal, I thought I’d just been given a death sentence.

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Recent reports have found that the number of children and young adults being diagnosed with the condition is getting higher and higher, and therefore the importance of understanding IBD is even more so important”

My mum, on the other hand, was slightly relieved. She knew what Crohn’s disease was. It runs in my family. I just didn’t understand what was going on, or what was going to happen next.

It was hard to take in, despite

CREDIT: DOLLAR SHAVE CLUB

out that there can’t be a single thing to pinpoint the cause of Crohn’s disease. It is a combination of multiple factors; genetics, an abnormal reaction to the immune system to certain bacteria in the intestines, or an unknown trigger - a possible virus, diet, smoking, stress.

My next concern was that I was the only young person to get diagnosed with such a condition. That couldn’t have been further from the truth. Crohn’s disease can occur at any age and can affect anyone. The symptoms usually start to show in childhood or early adulthood.

Hence how recent reports have found that the number of children and young adults being diagnosed with the condition is getting higher and higher, and therefore the importance of understanding IBD is even more so important.

The next few months were absurd. Biopsies are usually taken to confirm what the medical scans and blood tests indicated. I was taking 30+ tablets a day and made up my own little medication timetable to help keep track of what I needed to take and when.

A lot of things needed changing in my life. I had been given a dietician to help me figure out a new diet plan to help ease inflammation. I had to take it easy, I couldn’t play netball anymore as my energy levels had plummeted. I met with my gastroenterologist consultant and my IBD nurse to help with any questions or worries I had. I thought I was getting better, and I felt like I was.

months previously.

By the end of February I’d had an operation to remove the diseased part of my intestines and drain the abscess. The need for an operation in relation to treatment for IBD is usually the last resort after all other avenues of medication have been exhausted.

The recovery process was to be a long one, and although it was the most extreme way of dealing with the Crohn’s, I’ve never looked back since.

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Never be ashamed to visit your GP if you feel that something needs to be looked into, even if it is for your own peace of mind”

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I was given the option of surgery which effectively removed all traces of the disease”

In the beginning of 2013, as I attended what felt like my one-hundredth appointment with my IBD nurse, I was booked in for an MRI scan as I had a significant pain in my groin. During the same appointment the different types of longterm medication were discussed; immune-suppressants, steroids and other drugs which are all options for achieving remission of Crohn’s.

Of course, possible side effects were extensively discussed, and how they can sometimes be tough for some individuals receiving medication treatment. However, the reassurance and realisation that this medication should help me to live a normal life again and get into a state of remission was welcoming.

Sure enough though, the MRI scan had shown something. An abscess was sitting on top of where the active Crohn’s was. I was told to pack an overnight bag again, but this time, for a longer stay, and to get back down to the hospital.

This hospital visit was going to be very different from the one I had experienced only three

My story/experience/journey whatever you want to call it - with Crohn’s disease, was anything but straight forward. In some ways I feel like one of the lucky ones. I was given the option of surgery which effectively removed all traces of the disease, and therefore means I no longer have Crohn’s disease.

Those who have had surgery are always told that there may be a time when IBD could return, but for now and five years on - touch wood - I feel very lucky to be able to go with the flow and make the most of leading a life without the need of medication, and be able to eat a pretty normal diet.

It’s all personal to the individual, but diets may need to be changed to help with any flare ups. Some people

feel that they ought to avoid certain foods and drinks, but what is important to understand is that what may be necessary and work for one person, may not be the same for the next.

Everybody’s experience with Crohn’s disease or Ulcerative Colitis is always going to be different, but that isn’t to say that a diagnosis of it should be met with fear and angst.

Those who have suffered with the symptoms almost always welcome a diagnosis, as it finally gives an answer as to what is going on. In turn, it can mean that there will be a focus on what to do next and how to get better.

It can all seem a bit complicated and overwhelming, but identifying the symptoms and noticing patterns in the body’s behaviour can all help with a possible diagnosis.

It also does well to realise that anyone who is given a diagnosis is sure to be worried and nervous, but also in most cases - relieved. Diagnosing Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis can take time, so it is important to push your GP if you feel that is what is needed.

Never be ashamed to visit your GP if you feel that something needs to be looked into, even if it is for your own peace of mind. They’ve seen everything before, and the ultimate importance is for you to feel safe and comfortable within yourself.

MORE CAMPAIGNS LIKE ‘GUT WEEK’ ARE AIMING TO RAISE AWARENESS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A HEALTHY GUT, BREAKING THE POO TABOO IN THE PROCESS CREDIT: VIP MAGAZINE

Galleon 20 The Tuesday 1st May 2018

LIFESTYLE & CULTURE Music

Interview: Julia Michaels The Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter sat down to talk with The Galleon ahead of her tours with Niall Horan and Maroon 5 Jordan Osborne Editor Check the liner notes, the acknowledgements, and most crucially, the songwriting credits on some of the biggest records and singles of the past five years, and you’ll find Julia Michaels popping up with great regularity. Michaels has worked with some of the music industry’s biggest artists, contributing to Justin Bieber’s ‘Sorry’ and ‘Friends’, Selena Gomez’s ‘Hands to Myself ’ and ‘Good for You’ and Ed Sheeran’s ‘Dive’. Such is Michaels’ agile touch around pen and paper, she has also stretched her collaborators list far beyond conventional pop, working with the likes of Linkin Park, John Legend and Janelle Monae.

But with her breakthrough hit, the lingering ‘Issues’, Michaels has overcome the difficult transition from songwriter to singer-songwriter. With her debut EP Nervous System out now and a full-length album set to follow, Michaels looks set to prove that she’s more than just pop royalty’s go-to hired gun.

If you had to live in an apartment with three other musicians, who would they be and why?

It would have to be… Judy Garland.

Just because she’s so pure and so wonderful. Janis Joplin, because I love the way that she writes. Aaaaaaaaand Fiona Apple.

Do you prefer to stream your music or are you an old-school iPod/CD type?

I’m kinda both. If I find an artist

CREDIT: GQ

that I like or if someone turns me on to something, I’ll stream it to see if I like it and then I’ll buy it. But yeah, kinda both.

Anyone you’ve been really getting into recently?

I really love LP, she’s super talented. I love Keaton Henson, also really talented. Kind of more like singer-songwriter vibes, I think.

What’s your favourite song you’ve written for someone else and why?

I get this question quite a lot and I know that it sounds like a cop out, but honestly I’m just so grateful that I can do what I love everyday. Every song that I get to be a part of is special to me.

They’re all important to me.

You’ve obviously got a bit of a knack for songwriting, but do you have a routine, a place or a process that helps you get in the zone?

Not really, it depends on the day.

Some days I’ll have appointments where I’ll bring a song to someone or I’ll write something really simple on a piano and then I’ll bring it to somebody.

Sometimes I’ll get the chords down and go on the mic and record something down. So it really just depends on my mood and how I feel that day.

Have you found that you consciously take a different approach to writing for yourself and writing for other people?

I try to just bring out the best in everybody as much as I can. My job as a songwriter is to help someone who can’t articulate how they feel and put their puzzle pieces together with them.

and enjoying more as time passes?

Definitely.

I think being around fans CREDIT: REFINERY29 and performing in front of them and seeing them woken me up in a dead sleep while we sing with me makes me feel so much were in Australia. So it took me a little more calm and content on stage. I think bit to come to and realise why she was I’ve always had a lot of problems with jumping and crying on me haha. Once stage fright because I’m always so nerv- I realised, I just couldn’t believe it. She ous that people are gonna judge me. couldn’t believe it. We were just so over the moon that we couldn’t believe it. It took a few days to really set in.

What was it like at the actual Grammys? Was it an experience you enjoyed or was it really nerve-wracking?

Or both?

I really love this kind of stuff and being there but this was the first time I was actually on the floor. I’m usually somewhere else so that was really cool getting be with a bunch of people I really look up to and admire. It was definitely a different experience because I normally just get to sit there and just watch and commentate. This year I had some wardrobe malfunctions that we had to fix and then some more wardrobe malfunctions and a bunch of things that could go wrong went wrong MICHAELS WITH HER SONGWRITING PARTNER JUSTIN but it was really awesome to even be TRANTER there and know that I’m there as an artCREDIT: HAMADA MANIA MUSIC BLOG ist and being respected by my peers. It dresses your personal issues so can- And when you write these songs that was a really incredible feeling. didly. It’s such a great, open track but are super personal to you it’s like peo- I read that your older sister is also a it’s also unusual for something like ple are judging you on your emotions songwriter. Has she played a part in that be a big hit. Why do you think it’s and your own personal experiences and inspiring you to become a songwriter made such a lasting connection with that can be really overwhelming and as well? so many people? really scary. So when I see people singI don’t think she inspired me to I think it’s had such a lasting con- ing them back to me I think “okay, you become a songwriter but I think she nection because I don’t think a lot of must be experiencing the same things maybe inspired me to become an artist. songs talk about being openly flawed that I am”. If you feel the need to learn She always wanted to be the artist and and admitting that they have these is- them or memorise them and come to I wanted to be the songwriter. I think sues - no pun intended. Being a jealous the show and sing it with me then I just watching her love her music over person or a possessive person or being don’t feel so alone up there. the years as a kid inspired me to push a certain way in a relationship, people If you could write a song with one through it. don’t wanna admit they are like that musician you haven’t worked with You’ve released a few EPs now, is a even though a lot of the time we are. yet, who would it be? full-length album in the works at the And I think that’s why it’s resonated so There’s this artist that I really love moment? much with so many people. It’s just the called Fink, so probably them.

Oh definitely. We have some new truth.

You were recently nominated for two music coming very soon and an album The last year has really seen you pro- Grammys including the coveted ‘Song to follow very closely after. I have been pelled into the spotlight as not only of the Year’. Was it surreal waking up working with the usual suspects - my a songwriter but a singer as well. I’ve to that news? co-writer Justin Tranter and doing a lot read that you’ve been apprehensive Oh yeah, it was super surreal. It of work with producers from my previabout stepping into the spotlight but was even more surreal the way that it ous record. is it something you’re getting used to happened because my manager had And when it’s just me writing for myself, it’s just me solely looking at my own psyche and figuring out what I wanna write about. When I’m with another artists we don’t just sit down and start writing. We talk for a little while and just get to know each other a little bit. I think a lot of the songs just come more naturally when you’re just talking to somebody and listening.

A lot of the tracks you’ve worked on are straight-up pop but your track ‘Issues’ is quite unique in the way it ad-

21 sport@galleonnews.com Sport

How the League was won: A Breakdown of Manchester City’s Dominance

CREDIT: EUROSPORT

Pep Guardiola’s devastating, modern ethos has taken full hold at the Etihad this season Jordan Osborne Editor In the context of such a commanding season, Manchester City have had the week from hell. They blew a 2-0 lead against their rivals Manchester United - knowing that a win would secure the title much to the scorn of the red half of Manchester. Either side of the derby loss, City saw their Champions League hopes crumble away as they lost both legs to Liverpool. The crushing aggregate of 5-1 was almost enough to make football fans forget about the eight months of mesmerising football that had preempted this uncharacteristic collapse. But rather fortunately, after a convincing away win at Tottenham, City were crowned champions as Manchester United slumped to a shock loss at bottom side West Bromwich, who ended a 10game winless streak in the process.

But even though it was a Manchester United-shaped pick-me-up that secured the title, memories of the 2017/18 season will rest on an extraordinarily dominant campaign from Manchester City that has really seen Pep Guardiola get to grips with the more aggressive style of the Premier League. Of course critics will point to the infinity of Manchester City’s bank account but compared to the mixed fortunes of other big spenders such as Chelsea and Manchester United this season, Guardiola has easily recruited better.

CREDIT: GETTY

The summer saw City revamp their defence to eyebrow-raising effect. Serial outgoings inevitably led to several new acquisitions, with Guardiola bringing in three new full backs in Danilo, Kyle Walker and Benjamin Mendy as well as centre back Aymeric Laporte in January. The signing of faster, more attack-minded full backs, a reimagining of Barcelona’s Dani Alves and Jordi Alba, makes for a more malleable defence. Behind a midfield trio and two wingers that regularly rove inside and outside of the full back, City’s full backs have a lot of creative freedom. But more importantly they can retain defensive shape with ease when possession is lost.

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Very much in the vein of Manuel Neuer, Ederson’s shot stopping and distribution has brought a renewed calmness to the City rearguard” In Laporte, City have an athletic, versatile defender who excels at centre back but can also slip into the full back position. Though, as good as Laporte is, his purchase in January felt like an intelligent reaction from Guardiola. With Mendy out for the season after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament, City were left with Danilo as first choice left back and midfielder Fabian Delph deputising. With John Stones, Nicolas Otamendi and Vincent Kompany at centre back, it’ll be interesting to see how and where Laporte features once Mendy re-

CREDIT: REUTERS turns from injury.

After the controversial goalkeeper debacle that saw fan favourite Joe Hart fall very much out-of-favour with Guardiola following the acquisition of the unreliable Claudio Bravo, the signing of relative unknown Ederson seems to have put Guardiola’s goalkeeping woes firmly behind him.

Very much in the vein of Manuel Neuer, Ederson’s shot stopping and distribution has brought a renewed calmness to the City rearguard.

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Where other teams may struggle to unpick defensively stubborn teams, the City formation is set up to provide numerous solutions”

Further afield, City’s first choice wingers, Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling, have adjusted the traditional aspects of the wide positions to suit the contemporary attacking style of the full back. Sane in particular has utilised his pace, agility and dexterity in cutting inside often whereas Sterling often floats in behind the lone striker, switching between a false nine

and attacking midfielder-style position in the final third of the pitch.

This not only creates space for the full backs but draws defending players and holding midfielders into the centre of the pitch, alleviating space for the midfielders to work with.

City’s midfield formation, one that advocates both rigidity and fluidity in equal measure, has been the key element to City’s success this season. Sitting deeper is Fernandinho, as both a firewall for the defence and a quick, but elegant deployer of the long ball, turning defence into attack swiftly. When the full backs do push on, Fernandinho is a crucial body that absorbs counter attacks or at least slows them to allow the defence to reshape. Further forward are City’s two creators, David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne. With the defence and holding midfielder occupied by the nomadic Sane and Sterling and either Aguero or Gabriel Jesus as the lone striker, the centre of the pitch becomes very clogged. As a solution, Silva and De Bruyne now operate in freer roles that can either exploit the vacant wide spaces or passing triangles in the congested midfield. Where other teams may struggle to unpick defensively stubborn teams, the City formation is set up to provide numerous solutions.

At the tip of the formation is an interesting battle for position between the consistent, and underrated, Sergio Aguero, and the emerging Brazilian talent Gabriel Jesus. Crucially for City, they both offer something a little different to one another. Aguero’s low centre of gravity allows for greater agility and strength for a small striker. But, like most Brazilians, Jesus is a trickier customer and arguably a

more industrial player than Aguero.

But crucially, they both have a supreme eye for goal which has boosted City’s goal difference significantly this season.

But praise must finally be heaped upon Pep Guardiola. Admittedly, I doubted whether Guardiola could translate his dominance of La Liga and the Bundesliga, leagues where success is monopolised by a few or one dominant team, to a league where even the worst teams are still very competitive. But after ironing out the weaknesses and gaining a greater feel for the strengths of the players at his disposal, Guardiola has pushed City into a space reserved for the truly great Premier League teams such as Arsenal’s ’03/04 ‘Invincibles’ or Chelsea’s ’04/05 record point accumulators.

One of the key elements of City’s significant improvement has been Guardiola’s ability to get more out of

not only his lesser players but somehow enhance seemingly world-class talent. Sterling has recorded his best goalscoring season whereas Fernandinho’s belligerence has been tweaked to transform him into a far more efficient holding midfielder. Even De Bruyne, as good as he is, has seen his creative output significantly increased by the implementation of a new, freer role. With City strong in every area of the pitch, and noticeably stronger than their nearest rivals, it’s difficult to see how the remainder of the top six can close the gap over the summer.

Galleon 22 The Tuesday 1st May 2018

SPORT

National Sport

The Salah Derby? The Champions League Semi Final Draw

CREDIT: DAILY MAIL

With the final close for the Champions League, it looks tough to call who will be holding the trophy at the end Michael Pusey Culture Editor The Champions League semi-final draws have been made, and they make for interesting reading. With four teams representing four different nations, four of Europe’s elite will compete in two semi-final matches for the opportunity to be crowned kings of European football.

The final for the Champions League will be held on Saturday 26th May in Kiev, Ukraine. As for the semi-final matchups, Bayern Munich face current twelve-time champions, Real Madrid, and Liverpool face Roma, something of a derby day for record signing Moham-

ed Salah. The Spanish side are bidding for an unprecedented thirteenth title, one that would secure their spot in the footballing history books.

Liverpool vs Roma poses an interesting scenario, one that football fans have not seen for a while. The Reds, who overcame Manchester City with a 5-1 victory over two legs, last won the Champions League in 2005 in a thrilling encounter against AC Milan in Istanbul.

For Roma however, this is the furthest they have progressed in this competition in the last ten years and will be keen to see it through to the end. Caught in the middle of the affair is Mohamed Salah, who was transferred from Roma to Liverpool for a fee of £34 million and

has lit up the Premier League with his scintillating skill and phenomenal play.

The English Twitter account for AS Roma tweeted a message to Salah just moments after the announcement was made, saying “We’ll be opponents for 180 minutes, but whatever happens we’ll remain friends for life. Looking forward to seeing you again, @22mosalah! #ASRoma #UCL #RomaLiverpool”.

It would be hard to pick a winner from this matchup. Based solely on the performances in the quarter finals, Liverpool pose a more dangerous threat going forward with the attacking prowess of Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah leading the line. But their defensive frailties in the league this

season cannot go ignored, and despite some good results of late, there is always the fear in Reds fans’ hearts that something will go wrong at the back.

Bayern Munich know that they have some work to do to overcome the current reigning champions, Real Madrid.

The Spanish club almost succumbed to an incredible comeback against Italian giants Juventus in the quarter final before winning the match 4-3 after a late penalty courtesy of Cristiano Ronaldo.

However, the big news came just minutes before the draw was made. Bayern Munich announced that they would be replacing their current head coach, Jupp Heynckes, with Frankfurt boss Niko Kovac at the end of the season. Madrid,

who have won this competition in three of the last four years will be looking to make it four from five and with the league title no longer an opportunity for silverware, Zinedine Zidane will be more determined than ever to make sure his side take home the trophy once again.

Whatever the outcome, rest assured that the semi-finals will provide fireworks for footballing fans worldwide over the two legs. Liverpool play host to Roma at Anfield on Tuesday 24th April before the return leg on Wednesday 2nd May, and Bayern Munich will host Real Madrid on Wednesday 25th April before travelling to Madrid for the second leg on Tuesday 1st May.

Sport

2018 Commonwealth Games Roundup

CREDIT: INDULGE MAGAZINE

A look at how our home nations fared in the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games Stevie-Marie Jones Sport Editor When it comes to the competitive world of sport, there truly are no surprises, and the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games was no exception.

History was made during the past twelve days of competition. We’ve seen the oldest and youngest participants of the event’s history; table-tennis playing 11-year-old Anna Hursey from Wales, and 79-year-old full bore shooter Robert Pitcairn from Canada.

New records have been created, and others equalled, throughout the duration of the Commonwealth Games and plenty of those fantastic experiences have come from our home nations.

Now the Games have come to an end, it’s now time to reflect on how

well our home nations have done at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland have represented strongly during the competition, with England, Wales, and Scotland all finishing within the top ten of the table, while Northern Ireland sat at twentieth by the end of the games.

Starting with England, the country proved its dominance countlessly throughout the games. The Lions secured 45 Golds, 45 Silvers, and 46 Bronze medals. This makes a haul of 136 medals in total for England, with some incredible stories to go with it.

The women’s netball team secured a shock win against Australia in the final to win their gold medal, while Jack Laugher won a total of three golds in diving. Other success stories for team England include Nile Wilson, winning

three golds in gymnastics and in the athletics, the sprint relay teams won double gold.

For Wales, this is their best overseas results and best Commonwealth Games ever, with them taking 4.1% of the medal share. They took 10 Golds, 12 Silvers, and 14 Bronze medals, making it 36 medals in total and a seventh place finish in the medal table. For some athletes, history was also made. Not only for 11-year-old Anna Hursey, but also for Hollie Arnold who broke the world record with her final throw in the F46 javelin, winning gold in the process. Elinor Barker won cycling gold, and Sammy Lee and Lauren Price secured gold in their respective boxing competitions.

Scotland came just behind Wales on the difference between gold medals, securing eighth place with 9

Golds, 12 Silvers, and 14 Bronze medals. With 44 medals in total, this is also Scotland’s best overseas result and the country’s best haul since 1982.

The biggest story involved Duncan Scott who won six swimming medals, upsetting the favourite, Australian Kyle Chalmers. Grace Reid also won gold for her country, becoming the first Scottish diver to do so, while para-cyclist Neil Fachie and pilot Matt Rotherham won double gold.

Finally, Northern Ireland sat at twentieth in the final medal table.

They earned themselves 1 Gold, 7 Silvers, and 4 Bronze medals, creating a tally of 12 medals to take back to their country. This haul matches the one from the last Commonwealth Games in 2014 Glasgow. Rhys McClenaghan brought home the only Gold for Northern Ireland by beat-

ing Max Whitlock in the gymnastic pommel horse, and brother and sister duo Michaela and Aidan Walsh bring home silver medals in the boxing, with other silver medals coming from other boxing finals and from the trap shooting with Kirsty Barr.

While Australia undoubtedly dominated the 2018 Commonwealth Games with a total of 198 medals in front of a home crowd, we cannot take away from what our Home Nations have achieved in these games. England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland all won a total of 229 medals - if you include the Isle of Man’s only silver of the games. Records have been created, targets have been met, and history has been made. Overall, a rather successful Commonwealth Games for the home nations and they will receive a warm welcome home.

23 sport@galleonnews.com National Sport

Reed It and Weep - 2018 Masters Roundup

CREDIT: AP

From putting greens to green jackets - how did the 2018 Masters competition fair?

Michael Pusey Culture Editor 2018 saw its first golfing major of the year, as players from around the globe gathered at the fabled Augusta in the state of Georgia to take part in the

days were glorious sunshine, showcasing the true beauty of Augusta and the familiar sight of Amen Corner basking in light, surrounded by a plethora of colourful floral arrangements. Spots of rain and wind did little to hamper the tournament play, instead posing

out at all times and sorted away from Spaniard John Rahm also put them their rivals. By the end of Thursday, in contention at the top of the chasing Jordan Spieth had applied his quality pack. It was looking increasingly likely and moved to first place on -6, lead- that there would be a new addition to ing many to believe that Spieth would the exclusive club of Masters winners, dominate the golf course once again. and only Sunday would tell that story.

Following closely behind on -4 were What a story Sunday told.

Matt Kuchar and, somewhat unbelievably, Tony Finau, the man who had dislocated his ankle just the day before.

Most of the chasing pack, including Rickie Fowler, Rory McIlroy and Patrick Reed were back on -3 after shooting rounds of 69.

Friday saw a drop in form for Spieth who ended up misfiring and finishing the day with +2 to move back to -4. While Spieth moved backwards however, his competitors showed no such lack. Patrick Reed moved to the top of the leader board after matching Heading into the final day, all eyes Spieth’s opening score to move to -9, were on Reed and McIlroy once they two ahead of Australian golfer Marc had teed off. As the leading pair they Leishman, who finished on -7. Friday started last, behind the chasing pack also saw some big names fail to make who knew they could heap the presthe cut, including defending champion sure on with a few birdies. McIlroy Sergio Garcia. The Spaniard finished Friday with +15, and so Garcia joins a select group of players who failed to make the cut while defending champion which includes legends of the game such as Jack Nicklaus, Sandy Lyle, Nick Faldo, as well as fellow countrymen Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal. Some of the big names who also failed to make it to the weekend in 2018 include former British champion Danny Willett, Jason Dufner, and Charles Schwartzel. But the contest must go on.

By the end of Saturday, many considered the tournament to be a two- CREDIT: GETTY horse race. Patrick Reed stayed ahead of the pack after moving to -14 by close sadly failed to replicate the heroics of play. His closest competitor was that had got him into second place, Rory McIlroy on and quickly fell back to -9 and now -11. McIlroy was six shots behind Reed who had moved bidding to become up to -15. Jordan Spieth pulled out all only the sixth play- the stops with a round of -8, despite er to complete a bogeying the final hole after hitting career grand slam a tree, and moved to -13. Roars went by securing the up around Augusta with every birdie green jacket and Spieth holed, and there seemed to be had given himself nothing which could stop the man. a great opportunity Augusta often acts a large cauldron of to do so by closing sound, with cheers and exasperated in on Patrick Reed. sighs echoing across the course, alertRounds of -7 from ing other players to nearby progress.

Rickie Fowler and Reed would have undoubtedly been

“

No doubt that this is not the last the golfing world will hear of Patrick Reed, as he will inevitably seek to secure more majors and championships in the future”

CREDIT: GOLFDISCOUNT.COM Masters tournament and compete for new challenges for those leading to the much sought-after green jacket. stay there, for those chasing to keep in This year saw its fair share of move- touch, and for those seeking to make a ment throughout the weekend, the late charge to not fall away and comreturn of Tiger Woods, slips and trips, pletely out of contention. hole in ones and some truly memorable displays of golf from world-class players. However, on the evening of Sunday 8th April, the golfing world welcomed its latest major winner and recipient of his first green jacket.

The week’s action began with the traditional Par 3 Contest on Wednesday, where players tend to try and relax before the tournament begins.

Children dress up as caddies, spouses accompany their partners down the course and it is a fun way to unwind before the serious golfing business starts on Thursday. Wednesday saw Thursday brought with it the anticisome brilliant and beautiful family pation of seeing who would emerge as moments, as well as some spectacu- an early leader and who could remain lar holes in one. One such moment in contention as part of the chasing was courtesy of American golfer, pack. As yet unsorted by their standTony Finau, who managed to shoot a ing on the leader board, players went hole in one during the Par 3 Contest and sprinted off down the fairway to celebrate. Unfortunately, during his celebrations, Finau managed to fall on his ankle, dislocating it in the process.

Taking a moment to steady himself, the American chose to immediately pop it back in and continue on with his round. What was more shocking however, was his standing on the leader board by the end of Thursday’s play.

The weather throughout the tournament offered players a variety of conditions to play in. The first two CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES

“

Perhaps the most remarkable placement inside the top ten however, was that of Tony Finau, the player who dislocated his ankle on Wednesday.

Many would not have expected that result”

aware of Spieth’s progress, and showed excellent professionalism and determination to stay focused on his own game.

Rickie Fowler surpassed Spieth on the day however, finishing in second with -14 after a final round of -5 thanks to some excellent putting throughout the back nine. McIlroy slipped back to -9 after a bad day on the greens, finishing alongside Henrik Stenson, Bubba Watson and Cameron Smith. Perhaps the most remarkable placement inside the top ten however, was that of Tony Finau, the player who dislocated his ankle on Wednesday. Many would not have expected that result. As Reed approached the final hole, he knew he simply had to make par in order to win and after a superb second shot to the green, left himself with two putts to win the 2018 Masters.

Patrick Reed held his nerve and was able to two-putt his way to victory at the final hole of Augusta, much to the delight of himself and the surround-

ing crowd. Reed was visibly emotional, and the crowds were treated to some splendid golf throughout the entirety of the week. A memorable display from Patrick Reed, holding off stiff competition in the form of Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth. No doubt that this is not the last the golfing world will hear of Patrick Reed, as he will inevitably seek to secure more majors and championships in the future. The first golf major of 2018 has finished, and eyes now turn to Shinnecock Hills course in New York, where the US Open will be contested on June 14-17.

Sport Sport

Is Sport No Longer Sporting?

In this issue...

With yet another scandal to add to the list, is there no more sportsmanship in the competitive world of sport?

Stevie-Marie Jones Sport Editor

How the Premier League was won P. 21

Commonwealth Games Roundup P. 22

Patrick Reed’s Maiden Major P. 23

It’s been over two months since the Australian cricket ball tampering scandal came to light during their Test series against South Africa in March. The cricket world still seems to be reeling over the revelation of Cameron Bancroft using sandpaper to damage the ball during the third test match against South Africa. Speculation has gathered, and opinions have been formed regarding this new misconduct in the sporting world. Pundits, ex-players, and fans alike all have something to say about this wrongdoing.

Some believe that the bans on Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft are fair, with Smith and Warner holding one-year bans while Bancroft was handed a nine-month suspension. Others disagree with the punishments, and according to BBC Sport, even the Australian Cricketers’ Association has asked Cricket Australia for a reconsideration on the bans given. There was also the suggestion as to whether the entire Australian cricket team knew about the plans to damage the match ball in use. On BBC Radio 5 Live, ex-Ashes player and ex-England captain Andrew Flintoff deemed it “absolute nonsense” that only three players were aware of the scheme to tamper the ball.

This is not the first sporting scandal to come into light. The last cricket scandal was in 2010 with the Pakistan cricket spotfixing, where three Pakistan players allegedly accepted money to influence events in a match. There was also the Russian

state-doping scandal that resulted in many of the Russian athletes being banned from competition at the Olympics and Winter Olympics, and those who could compete were unable to compete under their nation’s flag. The infamous 1986 World Cup quarter-final goal by Diego Maradona, who ‘punched’ the ball in for Argentina’s first goal in a win against England. And of course, we cannot forget Lance Armstrong’s confession of using performance enhancing drugs during his domination of the Tour de France, which caused him to be stripped of all his titles and awards.

These are all big scandals throughout the course of sporting history. We can’t forget the smaller acts of misconduct performed by players, either. The ‘simulated diving’ in football, feigning injuries and other forms of time-wasting to ruin the momentum of a game are, unfortunately, all types of ‘smaller’ acts of misconduct within the sporting game. However, when are we going to call these ‘scandals’ and ‘misconducts’ what they truly are? These are not wrongdoings, or outrageous acts of misbehaviour. This is cheating.

When has anyone ever been proud of cheating? It seems like the offending players do not feel a shred of guilt when they successfully win a penalty for a simulated dive and see their opposing player being booked or even sent off. And it looks as if teams do not feel a hint of remorse for running down the clock to minimise the chances of conceding. Are the rewards of winning games too distracting for teams and their playing members? Surely it can be said that even fans are influenced by

these acts of deceit by their teams, cringing at the slow-motion replays shown during the games or on highlight reels of the players during the post match analysis.

Of course, that is not the case for some teams and their members, as we saw tears being shed by Warner and Smith after the Australian ball tampering scandal and coach Darren Lehmann resigning from his position despite being cleared of all involvement. Those accused of ball-tampering also did not fight their bans, choosing not to appeal against them, which some critics believe may have won them some respect from the cricket world.

There are plenty of rules in place in each sporting body that are doing their best to keep cheating out of the world of sport. But it can be difficult to judge a simulated dive without a form of referral.

Even the smaller acts that we can call ‘professional fouls’ are forms of misconduct that team players are known to do. Taking a card for your team to slow down a form of attack by the opposition. Umpires and referees alike can give out as many cards as they can in each of the games they officiate, but that will not necessarily deter forms of cheating.

Sports enhancing drugs, simulated diving, time-wasting, ball-tampering or other forms of misconduct are too well known throughout the world. And there seems to be at least one scandal a year now for the sporting world to contend with.

What has become of the world of sport?

Are athletes that overcome by the pressure to be the best for their nations that they feel like they must resort to cheating

so they can represent in their sport? Of course, it can be considered that there is a selfish element to the misconducts performed by athletes. However, there is a massive weight on the shoulders of those who represent their countries at any major competition. Winning a medal or a trophy could guarantee better funding for their sport the following season, or it could end up breaking a record for that country. Athletes are, potentially, forced to consider all avenues necessary to hold their place in whatever team or competition they are in.

However, cheating in sport at the highest level is no way to influence and inspire the next generation of gold medallists or Champions’ League winners or Masters’ Cup champions. Why would we wish to portray to them that, to compete at the highest level possible, they would have to resort to some form of cheat tactic?

While it is acknowledged that it will be impossible to rule out all forms of cheating misconduct in the competitive world, something must be done to begin cutting it down slowly but surely. It must be considered what avenues can be ventured into to discourage misconduct, such as a Video Referral as seen in field hockey and rugby and cricket, or fines that are slowly being implemented into football for simulated diving and a certain number of cards gathered through a season. Not just for the sake of sportsmanship and fairness, but also for the sake of those aspiring to be our next generation of footballers, cricketers, hockey and rugby players, and so on.

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