Issue 1 (October 2014)

WessexScene.co.uk

University of Southampton’s Student Magazine

OCTOBER 2014

1

letters to a NIGHTMARE LANDLORD PAGE 32

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INGRAINED INEQUALITY 15 Has the time come to shut down private schools?

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VINTAGE IN SOTON 17

Where to shop for vintage clothes in Southampton

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THE RISE OF RACISM 31

Is racism endemic in football or are recent incidents just a blip?

WELCOME EDITOR'S LETTER TAHLIE COOPER EDITOR

editor@soton.ac.uk FRONT COVER BY SAM BAILEY

The second issue in two weeks.

We’re on a roll!

Once again, the committee have been hard at work to get the first official issue out to all you Southampton students. A lot of our editors have undergone the intense induction that is Creative Industries Induction Week. We’re now all fully equipped with the skills to make our magazine and website the best that they can possibly be this year.

This issue is particularly special, as it has just recently been unveiled at our Wessex Scene magazine re-launch party which I am sure some of our regular readers attended! The magazine has undergone some big changes and I hope that those of you who have been around a little longer, can see the transformation we have achieved to improve the university publication.

If you weren’t around for the launch party to meet the team and enjoy some bubbly, not a problem. We are more than just a magazine, we are a society. We plan to host a number of fun events for our writers, including a writer’s weekend that will be coming up later this month. We also look forward to collaborating with other societies, to widen our circle and try something new.

Wessex Scene Team Contact the team at wessexscene.co.uk/contact Editor Tahlie Cooper Deputy Editor Kerry Sclater Head of Design Sam Bailey Image Editor Jess Cox Features Shaun Harvey & Hebe Neate-Clegg Science and Environment Jennifer Allerton Politics Bridie Pearson-Jones Winchester Kalisto Bancroft Opinion Isabella Hunter-Fajardo Travel Anna Jenkins Lifestyle Bronwyn Scotland & Laura Cox International Emma Clarke Sport Ross Wilson & Jack Pethick News Emma Cheshire & Chloe Fabregas Pause Aidan Pittman Publicity Corinne Dugdale Editor-in-Chief Megan Downing 01

In this latest edition of the Wessex Scene, there really is something for everyone! If you’re a first year trying to master the solo art of baking, we have a scrumptious recipe for you under lifestyle. If you’re near to graduation and want those 3rd year myths answered, we have graduates revealing all in features. Or, if you fancy a laugh over housing issues (one of the most stressful times of a student’s life), then head to the final section, PAUSE, for an amusing twist on students’ biggest hassle!

I shall leave you to read now. Enjoy the issue and look out for the next one on campus next month!

Tahlie

WELCOME

LIFESTYLE 17 Vintage Shopping in Southampton - Laura Cox. Image by Eleanor Man

ISSUE 1 OCTOBER 2014

Features

LIFESTYLE

How to survive the Southampton zombie apocalypse

03

what university doesn’t tell you about the job market

05

Opinion

A JOURNEY WITH FEMINISM AND DEPRESSION

07

SHOULD SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES BE CRIMINALISED?

09

HOW TO BAKE PEACH CAKES

19

5 WAYS TO SURVIVE A LONG DISTANCE RELATIONSHIP AT UNI

20

AUTUMN/WINTER FASHION: SIXTIES REVIVAL

21

TRAVEL

THE REALITY OF ANIMAL TOURISM

THIS SUMMER IN SCIENCE

11

CLAMPING DOWN ON THOSE POTS OF PAINT

PUSHING CANCER’S SELF-DESTRUCT BUTTON

13

International

PRISONS & PREJUDICE

Politics

wessexscene.co.uk

THE CHILDREN OF WAR

14

@wessexscene

IT’S TIME TO ABOLISH PRIVATE SCHOOLS

15

WELCOME

17

23

Winchester

Science & Environment

fb.com/wscene

VINTAGE SHOPPING IN SOUTHAMPTON

25

27

Sport

AN ODE TO THE RYDER CUP

29

THE RISE OF RACISM?

31

Pause

LETTERS TO A NIGHTMARE LANDLORD

33 02

HOW TO SURVIVE THE SOUTHAMPTON

ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE I’M SORRY TO BE THE BEARER OF BAD NEWS, BUT THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE IS UPON US. SIM HANFLING IMAGES BY JORDAN STEWART I’ll be honest with you, the situation isn’t ideal; millions worldwide have become infected with a deadly virus and, if bitten, you’re going to go the same way.

The worst part is that we don’t know what’s caused it. Perhaps it started from a mutation of Freshers’ Flu, fermented on the sticky depths of the Jesters’ dancefloor. Maybe that mould in your housemate’s unwashed mugs finally grew into something more malignant. Either way, it’s happened and you need to act fast before you become zombie-grub. But with hoards of the undead rapidly descending on poor old SO18, where is the best place to weather the storm?

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Hartley Library

Hartley might seem like the obvious choice – plenty of room, good views, and you could finally get round to planning that dissertation that’s been postponed in favour of watching YouTube’s finest selection of cat videos and occupying a ceaseless vigil of BuzzFeed’s website since early September. But, when it comes to the crunch, how can one possibly differentiate between zombie and fellow student?

Lifeless, vacant, and occasionally foaming at the mouth… the average university student pulling an all-nighter is not wholly dissimilar to one of our undead companions. Consequently, the risk becomes simply too great.

2/5

are they ZOMBIES OR FRESHERS?

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The Maths Tower

Campus’ wet turd, the Maths Tower, should be considered. The building harks back to a simpler era with its grey semi-anaemic appearance, combining the appeal of a day-old Aldi burger with Soviet industrial chic. Surely, this would turn even the most braindead architecture critic loping in the opposite direction. But those stairs? A real problem.

I for one would rather have my still-beating heart become someone’s next hot meal than have to walk up ten flights of steps, or, even worse, have to squeeze into that tiny, curiously musky, one-person lift, although it’s worth remembering that what thwarts an unfit university student is likely to be a good obstacle for a zombie with questionable athletic ability too.

3/5

the stairs could thwart even the fittest

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Southampton Solent Uni

A bit of a walk, but not entirely impossible. It’s close to West Quay, for all your last minute shopping needs, and surely if the zombies are attracted to brains they will steer clear of the Solent? ( Just kidding, we love you guys).

3/5 03

that free bus pass comes in handy...

FEATURES

4

Avenue Campus

Off the beaten track somewhat, Avenue should not be overlooked. It’s got a food source in the form of the cafeteria, or should that be cadaver-teria (I cringed myself, as well). Similarly, the extensive film collection provides a great opportunity to brush up on zombie-killing techniques. In no time, even the least seasoned zombie warrior will be able to emerge from the building, popping caps in undead hides Rick Grimes style.

4/5

anyone speak zombie here?

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Jubilee Sports Centre

would shunt zombies away from harm’s way, thus keeping any campers safe. And just think of all those free machines!

4/5

DO YOU EVEN LIFT, BRO?

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The Physics Building

Great aerial views, and they have lasers and liquid nitrogen in there. Enough said.

5/5

the perfect hideout

Take your pick, dear reader. Or, better yet, go to Winchester, have a nice cold pint, and wait for all of this to blow over.

And you thought that the fitness regime was on hold, right? Never. You’re a lazy slob in need of toning, or so say 6 out of 10 zombies in recent clinical studies. Camping out in Jubilee certainly has its advantages, with a bit of ingenuity.

Moving all the treadmills to be outwards facing around the building, for example, could provide a nifty repellent that

FEATURES

04

SEARCH THE GREAT BIG JOB

What university doesn’t tell you about the job market...

IVETA IVANOVA IMAGE BY ALEXANDER MAVRONICHOLAS

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esearch consistently shows that there appears to be a significant “gap” between how recent graduates rate their own capabilities in the job market and how employers rate graduates’ performance. Employers often feel that students aren’t equipped with basic skills, knowledge and mindset required in order to succeed in the tough job market.

you’ve got (or not?). Alternatively, if you don’t think your grades have wowed the employers as much as you’d like, you can be sure there’s a lot more you can show face-to-face. Show who you are as a person and that you are more than a piece of paper with some numbers on it. This is why getting a job and building a career takes so much more than finishing essays and exams.

We have interviewed a number of Southampton graduates, asking them to reflect on their own post-graduation experience, and what they wish they knew when they were students.

This was definitely the one common statement among graduates. And you should be prepared for this once you immerse yourself in the world of endless cover letters, job applications, online tests and interviews.

1. Your degree alone really isn’t that important

Julia is a scientist and she had to go through what seemed to her to be an endless stream of applications, interviews, essays and tests. Initially focused on a career in the food industry, it took more than 30 job applications and a slight change in career path before she was thrilled to be offered a job with GlaxoSmithKline.

Getting a university degree is a huge achievement and something we should all be proud of. But with 300 students applying for one job at the more competitive companies, it’s becoming more obvious that what they teach you at university alone doesn’t cut it anymore.

“I think anything done whilst at uni unrelated to the degree, especially something that puts one out of their comfort zone gives an added advantage when it comes to getting a job. Getting involved in a variety of activities helps build a lot of skills that employers look for that grades don’t give... Interests are always good conversation starters or ice breakers in any situation no matter who the audience is. A well rounded person is more interesting than one with just great grades.”

Anvitha, PgDip Actuarial Science (2014), University of Southampton If your grades were the only thing that mattered, there probably wouldn’t be any point in conducting interviews.

Employers have already thoroughly examined your CV and have seen how hard you’ve worked and what awesome grades 05

2.Finding a graduate job is hard

“I shall say that getting a job is much more difficult than what they tell you in various websites and booklets. It is a real challenge, you have to be fully prepared and 100% motivated.

But if you are stubborn enough you will get the job and you will be so proud of yourself when you get that phone call saying “We want to offer you the job”.

Julia, Chemistry graduate (2014), University of Southampton Similar to applying for internships, the graduate job market is also famous for its own vicious cycle – you know, the one where you need experience to be hired for a job…. Only that no one will give you that experience in the first place… without any experience beforehand!

FEATURES

Laura had trouble finding an assistant psychologist job upon graduation due to her lack of experience, so she had to do voluntary work in London while working as a barista parttime to pay for the bills. Ultimately, she also decided to pursue a career in academia.

“Having this degree (Master’s) did help me to get onto subsequent degree courses, but it always seemed that I needed more qualifications to actually get a job in Psychology. It’s very difficult, as employers are looking for people with experience, and yet it is impossible to get experience without working for free, which is just impractical for most people.”

Laura, PhD in Psychology at University of Southampton Graduates can underestimate how difficult it is to get a job.

Having this in mind, you should use this to be much better prepared and motivated than you normally would be. It is not meant to be easy, because it’s meant to lead to something great.

Another lesson is to always keep your options open and be flexible in terms of your future. Things might not work out exactly the way you have planned them to, so be open to changes and be prepared to quickly change to a Plan B. Try to look at other possible options as a new life experience which, as it turns out, you may end up liking more than the original plan.

3. Don’t forget past applications In between all the crazy application forms and interviews, it’s easy to put all your past applications aside and forget about them. Don’t be afraid to call up and see how your application is going. It shows that their company is not just the next one on your list of prospective employers and that you genuinely care about working there.

“Show that you are more than a piece of paper with some numbers on it.

You need a lot of patience; not just in dealing with rejections and playing the numbers game with applications, but in being persistent in following them up. You need to be ensuring your name is in the minds of those who are sorting out your interview or assessment centre by keeping in touch with them, not just waiting for an eventual reply.

Richard, BSc Management Science graduate (2014), University of Southampton

4. Network, Network, Network!

Networking after graduation has never been more important.

You put lots of effort to get that first class degree, do all those extracurricular activities to boost your CV and bring some personality to your application – and it can seem frustrating if it turns out that even this isn’t enough. Because there are tens of thousands of graduates across the UK doing the exact same.

One regret which past graduates keep going back to is that they didn’t take the opportunities they had to network and get to know people.

“The advice I would give would be to always build bridges with people, as you never know if your paths may cross in the future and if they have a good opinion of you beforehand they are likely to offer you a position. Keep in touch with people you meet throughout your undergraduate and postgraduate journey, as if people have a good opinion of you then they might be able to help you in the future.”

Nick Alderman, PhD in Solar Energy (2012), University of Southampton So don’t avoid the career evenings and graduate events your department organises, and never underestimate the power of a big smile and a friendly attitude. Often people prefer to hire students they have already met, have spoken to, who have shown eagerness to work hard or, even better, if they have already been recommended by somebody else. As long as you make a good professional impression, have a commitment to work hard, and have a desire to grow and learn, most people you will network with will be more than happy to recommend you to someone they know. This will most likely involve a dose of initiative on your part so don’t be afraid to go there and network.

FEATURES

06

“

I suffer from depression and anxiety. I am a feminist.

These two things are major parts of my life, and they are surprisingly intertwined.

A JOURNEY WITH FEMINISM AND DEPRESSION

ORLA SHEEHAN IMAGE BY BETH FROST 07

F

eminism holds the belief that every single person has an inherent worth, regardless of their social identity. Feminism is about acceptance, whereas our society fosters insecurity. No matter what corner you look in, there is some ideal or other you’re busy not living up to. You’re not smart enough. You’re too smart so now you’re intimidating. You’re too fat. You’re too bossy. You’re too emotional. Feeling, hearing and seeing these messages every day, you’d be forgiven for thinking the world was out to get you. And when you are already vulnerable OPINION

due to a mental health condition, navigating this minefield can feel impossible. At a time when my mind was swirling with negative thoughts that I felt I couldn’t fight, I saw feminism fight the same negativity in society. Feminism was fighting for equality for people across the world. It was fighting for me.

Because I was worthwhile. We were all worthwhile. With the help of therapy and medication, this message started getting through to me. While feminism was knocking at the world’s door, demanding all women, all people, be treated with love and compassion, I was doing the same in my own mind. And let’s face it, we can all do with a bit of self-love.

Everydayfeminism.com even teaches a course on it.

“Feminism was fighting

for equality for people across the world. It was fighting for me. Because I was worthwhile. We were all worthwhile.

I have heard many anti-feminists say that feminism causes depression. Um, how about no? Depression can be triggered by a number of factors combined; for example stressful events, illness, family history, personality, isolation and giving birth.

Can we forgive these anti-feminists for thinking feminism causes depression? Well I’m not in a particularly forgiving mood, especially when it comes to ignorance about mental health conditions. But, in fairness, being a feminist isn’t always easy. In fact, sometimes it’s downright exhausting. Feminism confronts horrifying issues like rape and sexual violence which can be really upsetting and being aware of the oppression being experienced around the globe is really tough (and if you are experiencing oppression, that’s even tougher). On top of all that you have to contend with constantly reasserting why feminism is necessary to every Tom, Dick and Harry (and Tess, Dianne and Harriett) all the live long day. But feminism also comes from a place of love. It places equal value on all people. It allows you to place value on yourself, even when society is telling you otherwise.

OPINION

1 in 4 people in the UK will suffer from mental health issues each year, according to mental health.org. Researchers from Cambridge found that gay people are more likely to suffer mental health problems and are more likely to have negative experiences with primary care services. Research from Cambridge reveals that trans* people are at a higher risk of depression, self-harm and suicide due to the higher levels of discrimination they encounter. If ever I saw a need for feminism and its fight for sexual and gender equality, I see it in those realities. Women are also more likely to experience both depression and anxiety than men. This is thought to be due to both social and biological factors. The negative social issues women have to face that men don’t, well feminism thankfully is pretty vocal about those. However it is men that are most at risk of suicide, with male suicide accounting for 77% of all suicides in the UK. (ONS) While society is publicly policing and hating women, it is silently killing men. Women are more likely than men to get help for their depression, and it is only through getting help that one can work towards self-love and recovery. So why aren’t men opening up? Time To Change, a charity working to end mental health discrimination, asked this question of its followers. Many of the answers stated the fear of being seen as weak. Our patriarchal society teaches men that they must be strong, invincible, emotionless.

Emotions are for the hysterical and frail women, after all. But with this mentality you can see why women may then find it slightly easier to talk about their emotions than men. But feminism wants to break down these silly gender stereotypes, so that emotions are not seen as weakness just because they are associated with the feminine. Another issue brought up was the stigma and lack of understanding (something feminism can very much identify with) surrounding mental health issues, though this issue can affect all genders. And this stigma is rather reminiscent of victim blaming. The idea that the mentally ill are somehow to blame for their condition is like blaming someone for being raped. “Rape is bad but I mean… well you really shouldn’t have drunk so much” “Yeah depression sucks but you really should have pulled it together by now”. Both sentiments just make me so MAD it’s hard to even express it. All in all society doesn’t seem all that conducive to recovery. People feel like they can’t speak up from fear of being seen as weak or crazy. For me, that’s where feminism came in.

Feminism makes sure safe spaces exist. Safe spaces provide areas where members of oppressed groups are free from judgement in an accepting environment. Safe spaces provide a network of support and understanding, so experiences will not be belittled or judged, as they may be in wider society.

These words are straight from FemSoc’s safe space policy.

In short, feminism gives you the space to speak up. Therapy taught me to speak, but feminism gave me the space to do so.

08

Should SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS be criminalised?

The right to rely on the law has been assumed since the outdated case of R v Clarence, 1888, was overruled by the case of Mohammed Dica in 2003. In the latter case it was held that an STI could constitute as GBH under section 20 of the 1861 Offences Against The Person Act. This decision was upheld in the 2004 appeal. Dica was convicted on two accounts of maliciously transmitting HIV through the deliberate concealment of his infection. This was the first English conviction for the transmission of HIV in the UK. It signified a shift from the previous case of Clarence which upheld the transmission of STIs not to be a criminal offence. Since Dica there has been an increasing amount of cases where the trial judge has ruled that either reckless or intended infection of HIV could amount to the infliction of serious bodily harm, including Simon McClure in 2011, who was sentenced 2 years and 8 months for reckless transmission of HIV, and Louis Harris in 2013, who was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months under a similar charge.

However, it has only been in recent years where other sexually transmitted diseases have been considered by the courts. Previously, viral sexually transmitted infections were considered to be more malicious due to the “minimal implications” of bacterial infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis according to the Herpes Virus Association. Most notable is the conviction of David Golding in 2011 for recklessly infecting his partner with herpes. The conviction was met with considerable criticism from organisations such as the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) fearing the negative impact the ruling will have on those diagnosed with sexually transmitted diseases.

Their concern was supported this year by a ruling in Florida, USA, which saw Isaac Mitchell, 52, now facing up to 30 years imprisonment for failing to disclose his HIV diagnosis to his partner despite regular use of contraception. In Florida it is a felony to have intercourse without disclosing a known positive 09

should students be able to rely on the law to protect themselves from catching anything more longlasting than freshers’ flu?

MEGAN JOHNSON IMAGE BY JESS COX diagnosis of any sexually transmitted disease. Individuals such as Ruth Lowbury, the executive director of the British Medical Journal, have spoken about the implications of such non-disclosure laws, resulting in those living with STIs feeling “ostracised, with their families taunted and their employment under threat”. It is necessary to protect the public from exposure without it becoming a witch-hunt to expose and punish those diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections.

The law in the UK would as of yet remain unregulated, without judges following precedents from previous cases.

Even so, there has been an attempt to offer guidance through the publication of the Intentional or Reckless Sexual Transmission policy which is being used effectively by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Currently, the proposal of making criminalisation conditional appears to be the most favourable option.

This would mean the status of the transmission as a crime would be dependent on factors such as intention; whether the spreading of the disease was purposeful as well as the long-term bodily affects. This approach would address the stigmatisation towards those living with STIs criminalising the intentional, reckless or malicious transmission rather than criminalising the disease itself. It however does not address the underlying issue of consent.

The question of how the law should respond remains unanswered in most jurisdictions and those with regulation laws remain unclear. There is a clear divide in the perceived role of the law in private matters (such as sexual intimacy) and between the law adopting either an interventionist or a laissez-faire approach. Ultimately, before deciding whether the spreading of a sexually transmitted disease warrants legal intervention it is necessary to establish which is most important: the protection of public health, or the need to respect privacy with regards to sexual activity between consenting adults.

OPINION

Congratulations. You have survived barbecues in the rain, falling asleep in the sun, and most likely an ice bucket challenge or two and now the first thing you’re dying to find out is what happened in the world of science whilst you were in Summer-land.

THIS SUMMER IN SCIENCE JENNIFER ALLERTON SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT EDITOR IMAGE BY JOSHUA SPACKMAN

Icelandic volcanoes

Scientists at the Icelandic Meteorological Office were better prepared this time around than four years ago, when seismic tremors were detected at Bardarbunga, then came the “swarms” – sequences of many short earthquakes in a localised area. In 2010 criticism came from airlines who thought that flights were being unnecessarily disrupted. IMO was urged by the Icelandic government to devote more resources to understanding volcanic hazards. In addition to new and sensitive instrumentation, scientists have tested a planemounted sensor called the Airborne Volcanic Object Imaging Detector (AVOID) which should be able to discern ash from ice and give a better sense of the real threat to aircraft, meaning a decrease in unnecessary costly cancellations.

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

You probably did one. Everyone did one, from Ellen deGeneres to George W Bush. As yet, Prince Harry hasn’t answered Lindsay Lohan’s challenge, and I have brilliantly dodged being nominated. People across the world raised $88.5 million for ALS Association (which puts around 25% of its funds towards 11

The chip is built up of 5.4 billion transistors wired to form an array of a million “neurons”.By comparison, the human brain has 86 billion neurons. research grants), and more for MND Association and other charities.

Motor Neurone Disease is a small group of neurological disorders that affect motor neurons, including the most common, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. It is a degenerative disorder, in which muscles atrophy to the point where eventually it becomes difficult and then impossible to speak, breathe, and swallow.

MIT President L Rafael Reif, who was nominated

by Harvard President Drew Faust, enlisted student engineers to build a contraption to dump the bucket of icy cold water onto his head – one of my personal favourite challenges so far.

The Brain-inspired Microchip

IBM Research published news in August of their delivery in their quest to build a brain-inspired processor. It is called TrueNorth and operates at just 70 milliwatts, one thousandth of the power consumption of other traditional processors. The chip is built up of 5.4 billion transistors wired to form an array of a million “neurons” which communicate with each other via synapses (256 million of them). By comparison, the human brain has 86 billion neurons.

In 1965 Gordon Moore, co-founder of Intel Corporation, noticed a trend in computing hardware: that the number of transistors in a chip was doubling with every year, which he later modified to every two years. Later it was quoted

as Moore’s Law that the performance of computer chips doubles every 18 months. Some saw it as advancing towards a time when computers would overtake human brain capacity; others were sure there had to be a cut-off point beyond which computers simply would not be capable of reaching. It seems that artificial intelligence has come into its own as a science.

Rosetta Reaching Comet 67P

Rosetta is one of the cornerstone projects of the European Space Agency. After a ten year journey from Earth, it reached its destination, in orbit around Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko on the 6th August. The next step was to choose a landing site for the craft Philae that will detach from Rosetta in order to land on the 1km-wide comet, which scientists involved met to discuss on the 8th September.

Marc Saunders is the President of Space Imaging at e2v, the Essex-based company that designed and produced the imaging components for Rosetta, as well as its sister Gaia, another of ESA’s cornerstone missions, and which is a world leader in the industry. He commented “This will make history as the first mission to rendezvous with a comet, escort it as it orbits the Sun, and deploy a lander to its surface.” It has been suggested by some astronomers that the bombardment of many icy comets could have been what brought water to Earth; as Saunders says, “It is hoped that this analysis may even take us closer to understanding how life started on the Earth”.

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PUSHING CANCER’S SELF-DESTRUCT BUTTON

A

JENNIFER ALLERTON SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT EDITOR

n international team of scientists have discovered a potential way to trigger cell death in human cancer cells. The team, which includes researchers from the University of Southampton alongside those from the University of Texas and Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, have successfully shown that an influx of sodium chloride using synthetic “transporter” molecules can trigger cell death in human cancer cells.

“potential future

use in treatment of diseases such as cancer and cystic fibrosis.

13

Cells in the body need to maintain a stable concentration of ions within their membranes; if this is compromised, the cell will undergo apoptosis – the name for the process of programmed cell death by which the body can get rid of faulty cells. Usually the cell membrane controls the movement of substances in and out of the cell, but cancerous cells have differences in the way they transport ions across the cell membrane, blocking apoptosis from happening.

What you need is to build a molecule that will help transport the chloride ion into the cell. The cell membrane is made up mostly of lipids (fats), so by essentially surrounding the chloride ions with an organic compound, they are able to be dissolved by the fatty cell membrane.

As Professor Philip Gale explains, “the carrier molecule binds [with] chloride, [and] the carrier-chloride complex is

lipophilic…” (attracted to lipids) “… so it allows chloride to enter the cell.”

Sodium then also enters the cell to balance charge either side of the cell membrane – the usual channel by which sodium ions would enter the cell, only here facilitated by the chloride ions.

The synthetic molecule in this study was created by the team at the University of Texas. Although this has been done before, it has not been possible to show that the cell’s ion concentrations were definitely altered before apoptosis occurred, rather than as an after-effect of cell death, and this is the causal link that the teams at Southampton, Texas and Yonsei have managed to show through their collaborative efforts.

Prof. Gale heads the team at the University of Southampton who were a part of this research, including post-doctorate researchers Nathalie Busschaert and Wim Van Rossom.

The group is focussed on making ion transporters for the potential future use in treatment of diseases such as cancer and cystic fibrosis. Gale explained “it is important to stress that the compounds described… are not selective for cancer cells over healthy cells, so there is more work to do.” He added, “Our next goal is to make the compounds selective for cancer cells.”

SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT

The second shows a playground in Israel. In front of a slide and a pair of lifeless swings, an askew chair falls into a black crater left by a Hamas rocket. In lieu of an explosion, it had seemingly shrouded the area; so often the sight of joyful laughter; in silence. This stood as a reminder that though there were no child casualties on the Israeli side, it was not compassion from Hamas which brought about such good fortune.

For the third, we return to Gaza. This time the setting is urban, befitting the most densely populated area on Earth.

However, there is only one solitary figure in this picture. A girl of no more than 14 cuts a sharp white figure against the grey destruction of her home. She is salvaging what she can of her book collection; distinguishing the innocent fantasy of childhood from the rubble of her home.

Three images out of thousands. The first is a cruel reminder of the child casualties that have taken place – 418 Palestinian kids killed in just a month. And, though estimates are hard to come by now – Oxford Research Group reported that as of December 2013, 11,420 children had died in the now three years of Syrian civil war. It is painful to think what that number has risen to now.

IMAGE BY JESS COX

T

here are three images that have run through my mind since the end of Operation Protective Edge.

The first shows a beach in Gaza. Decrepit buildings line the shore, leaving the siege’s poor reflection lingering in the ocean. Behind, four children, using sticks stuck in the ground for goals, play football. It is a universal image. From the beaches of Rio to the estates of London, if there is space and there are children, there is likely football. But minutes after the picture was taken, an Israeli rocket thumped against the beach; killing all four.

The second two images leave us, we think, with more hope.

No Israeli children were reportedly killed and the Palestinian girl had survived. But the war isn’t over for them.

Those two images remind me of a story my mother once told me about an Iraqi boy who had come to London after living through the Iraq war. She had the class draw and his came back, not the usual cacophony of bright colours, but a black square with red gashes. He would tell her that this was his “window”. He claimed to see it every night. She later realised it was the news that his mum would watch every night at 9 o’clock, showing the war that he was trying so hard to escape.

Many children will never escape their wars. The World Health Organisation estimates that of the 3,000 injured children in Gaza, 1,000 will suffer a lifelong disability. An estimated 1,500 will grow up, perhaps to be doctors or lawyers, but certainly without parents; orphaned in the war. The United Nations estimates that 373,000 children in Gaza “require direct and specialized psychological support”. This impact cannot be overestimated.

And then there is Amerli. A small town in Northern Iraq which resisted an ISIS siege for two months. Kids too young to buy the Call of Duty video games had to carry AK-47’s just to survive.

There are countless stories of countless children scattered all over the world, who have been thrust into war zones that they may never escape. And while the Western world discusses allying with Assad in the name of “pragmatism” and Abbas refuses to sign the Rome Statute in order that both Israel and Hamas face court for their actions, it is important to remember the innocence they have destroyed.

THE CHILDREN OF WAR

FORGOTTEN VICTIMS OF THE CONFLICT IN GAZA BY LAITH CAHILL POLITICS

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It’s time to abolish private schools.

THIS MAY SEEM LIKE LEFTIST IDEALISM THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN - BUT SUPPORT FOR THE ISSUE IS SUBSTANTIALLY GROWING IN MOMENTUM. BRIDIE PEARSON-JONES POLITICS EDITOR IMAGE BY JESS COX 15

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ig name commentators such as Alan Bennett and Medhi Hasan have written in favour of abolishing fee-paying institutions. As Bennett brilliantly put it, “to educate not according to ability, but according to the social situation of the parents, is both wrong and a waste”. Former Education Secretary Michael Gove described the “sheer scale, the breadth and the depth of private school dominance of our society” as a “deep problem in our country”.

Warren Buffett, one of the richest men in the world has spoken out against the unfairness of private schools. And I’m with Buffett.

I’m not writing this to offend anyone who went to private school. Nor do I hold anything against those that did, or to parents who send their children to private schools. It’s the system that is flawed, and it is giving privately educated individuals an unfair advantage. In the interest of full disclosure, I went to an average comprehensive until my GCSEs and a very good state grammar for my A-levels – a sixth-form that was better than the private schools in the area.

I got in due to my grades – nothing to do with my parents’ income, my postcode, or my ‘connections’.

This is an issue surrounding equality of opportunity – not everyone is born with equal talents, or equal academic POLITICS

abilities. People should be accepted into Universities and into jobs based on merit, not on how big a cheque Mummy and Daddy can write.

According to the House of Commons Library, 7% of the British public went to private schools. Look into any respected area of the public sector and the number of professionals who went to private school is nauseatingly higher than 7%. A recent report from the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission states that 71% of our top judges were privately educated, and 14% went to one of just five public schools (Eton, Westminster, St Paul’s Boys, Radley and Charterhouse). It’s not just the judiciary that is dominated by the 7%. Look at the armed forces, the media, or even sports people, and it’s the same story. Over 50% of British Olympians who won medals at London 2012 went to private school. 37% of BBC Question Time guests in a year were privately educated, more than 5 times the national average. 50% of Lords, 44% of the Sunday Times Rich List, and 26% of BBC Executives went to Private Schools.

“This is an issue

surrounding equality of opportunity – not everyone is born with equal talents, or equal academic abilities.

Abolishing private schools could completely change the whole atmosphere of the country. Look at Finland, who abolished all private schools in the 1970s, and since are widely viewed to have one of the best education systems in the world. They have a 100% literacy rate, no school league tables, no exams until 16 – and one of the most equal societies in the entire world.

I’m not suggesting that if private schools are abolished the next day bankers won’t have bonuses, there won’t be people on the street, and inequality won’t be rife – but over time, the class divisions, and elitism would fade. We would be a better nation. We’re lucky enough to live in a county where education is a right, not a privilege. So why should the best education be left to the minority that can afford it? Sending one child to a British private school can cost up to £33,000 a POLITICS

year – that’s a startling 20% more than the average wage for a full time worker in the UK. In reality, the UK is a society dominated by upper class, privately-educated white men. This is nothing new, since Queen Elizabeth II has been on the throne, 11 men and 1 woman have been Prime Minster, and only 6 of these people attended state schools. Half the current coalition cabinet were privately educated. David Cameron, George Osbourne, Nick Clegg and Boris Johnson, arguably the four most powerful men in the country, went to public school.

I could bore you with more statistics, but I imagine you’ve got the idea by now. Individuals educated in private institutions have better access to education, more job opportunities, and better connections than those who were state-educated. This also occurs for students entering prestigious universities – at Southampton about 14% of our students were privately educated, twice the number in wider society.

Of course, there will never be a perfect system – it’s pretty likely if private schools were abolished, a postcode lottery would occur. It’s pretty likely that house prices around the best schools would increase, such that only the richest parents can afford them – but this is a solvable problem. Bringing back the 11 plus, and opportunities to go to state grammar schools for all would be one way around this issue. Countries with excellent education systems – such as those in Scandinavia – still use something similar to the grammar school system, and it works wonderfully.

Of course, there is a downside to abolishing private schools, and I’m not denying that, the cost to the tax-payer being the most apparent. According to the Department of Education, the average cost to educate a primary school child is just short of £4,000. There are around 278,700 children of primary school age in private education, an additional 349,700 are in secondary education (up to the age of 19). The of state education for these children would be around £3.38 billion a year. This sounds like a mammoth amount of funding the state would have to take back in tax, but in reality it is tiny. £3.38 billion would be less than 0.47% of the UK’s 2013 expenditure.

No new schools would have to be built – hundreds of private schools exist, with great teachers and great facilities, knocking them down would be ludicrous.

Our schools should be the face of promoting equality and social responsibility – not a two-tier education system that leads to a two-tier society. It won’t be until we abolish private schools that we abolish the huge social divides between the 7% and the rest.

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VINTAGE SHOPPING IN SOUTHAMPTON Inspired by Dawn O’Porter’s recent vintage shopping series on Channel 4, I’ve put together a guide to vintage shopping in Southampton and the surrounding areas. If you’ve just moved to the city for your first year, or are looking for some places to pick up some vintage gems, then this is the guide for you!

LAURA COX LIFESTYLE EDITOR

Beatnik Emporium

Beatnik Emporium, which has been trading in Southampton since 1992, is a one-stop shop for all things vintage and retro. Whether you’re looking for a sixties floral mini dress or a boho (faux) fur jacket, head on down! Located conveniently on Above Bar Street (near Café Parfait) make sure you check it out when you decide to visit the centre to hit the shops. Keep an eye on Beatnik’s Facebook page for special offers and events.

Beatnik Emporium stocks men’s and women’s clothing, shoes, accessories and vinyls. 202 Above Bar Street.

Lou Lou’s Vintage Fair

Make a day of vintage shopping by visiting Lou Lou’s Vintage Fair when it stops at the Guildhall. The fair offers a tea party and a vintage beauty parlour as well as rack upon rack of vintage goodies to sort through. The event’s organisers say: ‘Expect stall upon stall of affordable vintage clothing, accessories and homewares mixed with vintage inspired 17

IMAGE BY ELEANOR MAN handmade jewellery and clothing.’

There will be clothing spanning from the 1920s to 1990s so you’re sure to find something to suit your look.

For information about the upcoming events, visit www.thevintagefair.com

Portswood

Although shopping in dedicated vintage shops provides a unique opportunity to find authentic and individual items, it can be a really expensive way of sourcing your garments. Although you’re less likely to find ‘genuine’ vintage items, make sure you have a look in your local charity shops. Portswood has an array of charity shops on its high street – you never know what you could find hidden in the racks!

The surrounding areas

Winchester boasts a regular vintage market on its High Street. It’s held on the first Sunday of every month and is a great opportunity to find not only vintage clothes, but also beautiful homeware and furniture to spruce up your student accommodation! It also

hosts a weekly car boot sale, located at the Cattle Market car park (which is a short walk from the train station). The bootsale isn’t exclusively for clothing, but there can be some really great bargains to be found! If you can bear to tear yourself away from your bed on a Sunday morning, make sure you arrive early to get the pick of the stalls and the very best bargains. The boot sale runs every Sunday from February to November and beginning at around 7.30 am. Winchester is also home to a range of dedicated vintage shops, including Charming Magpie and Fab Vintage. The latter offers a student discount, so make sure you bring your student ID if you head on over!

Charming Magpies is located on Parchment Street and Fab Vintage can be found at 12 Kings Walk.

Have you got any favourite locations for vintage shopping in and around Southampton that we haven’t covered?

Let us know at wessexscene.co.uk, @WessexScene or fb.com/wscene

LIFESTYLE

HOW TO BAKE

PEACH CAKES Savour the remaining dregs of summer with this fabulously fruity bake!

LAURA ASHE

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t the moment peaches are one of my favourite fruits. They are great for snacking, baking and roasting (served with ice cream)! Deliciously sweet and flavoursome, this is an easy recipe to follow if you’re a beginner baker!

INGREDIENTS (FOR 6) 3 eggs 100g brown sugar 25g butter 100g plain flour 1tsp baking powder 25g ground almonds 6tsp peach jam 1 large or 2 small peaches TO SERVE Vanilla ice cream Preheat oven to 200°C 1. Whisk 3 eggs with 100g brown sugar and a drop of vanilla essence with an electric whisk until the mixture is combined and foamy (but not pale).

2. Melt 25g butter and pour into the mixture, then whisk until combined.

3. With a wooden spoon, fold in 100g plain flour, 1 tsp

baking powder, 25g ground almonds and a pinch of salt.

4. Line a muffin tray with 6 paper cases and divide the mixture evenly.

5. Place a heaped teaspoon of peach jam in the middle.

6. Then, thinly slice 1 large or 2 small peaches and place about 3 slices on top of the cake mixture and jam.

7. Optional Sprinkle each cake with a pinch of flaked almonds.

8. Bake for 20 minutes until golden and fully cooked (insert a spike into the middle of the cake. If it comes out dry then the cake is fully cooked).

9. Remove from the tray and leave to cool.

10. Serve warm with ice cream or eat cold.

TOP TIP!

You can try this with various different fruits to suit your tastes. Try strawberry plum jam with sliced plum on top or perhaps even marmalade. The possibilities are endless!

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LIFESTYLE

You’ve heard it all before; your single friends repeatedly tell you “relationships never last through uni”. So then comes the decision: do you end it with your lovely other half and resign yourself to a string of embarrassing Jesticle- fuelled one night stands? Do you stay with your other half and hope for the best?

Become celibate?

If you do decide to stick it out, here are 5 tips that may just help it work.

Trust

5 Ways To Survive a Long Distance Relationship at Uni We all know relationships can be difficult to maintain at the best of times. Throw in a 3 hour journey just to have a quick cuddle, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.

LUCY PARTNER IMAGES BY PAIGE NICHOLAS

LIFESTYLE

If you don’t trust them, don’t bother.

There is no bigger turn off than an overly jealous girlfriend/boyfriend constantly drilling you on your whereabouts: “You went to the library with HIM?! WHY? WERE YOU ALONE?”. Don’t get me wrong, a small amount of jealousy shows they actually care and we are all prone to moments where the inner bunny boiler takes over, but play it cool Ask casually how their day is going or what they’ve been up to. Constantly being accused causes unnecessary tension in the relationship. If you can’t trust that your other half won’t cheat on you, then I’m sorry to say that perhaps they aren’t the one.

Motivation

Motivation seems a strange word to use when giving advice on relationships, but there doesn’t seem to be another word for it. Every couple needs the motivation to make time for each other.

This may have been easy enough when you lived down the road from each other, but can you handle it when it takes two trains and three buses to get to them? Travel is often the biggest deal breaker in a long distance relationship, but if you think it through and organise it carefully it doesn’t have to break the bank. Book tickets in advance to get cheaper deals, buy a Railcard for money off train journeys and take it in turns to visit each other to make the distance more bearable. If you find you or your partner are constantly “too busy” to see each other then, again, perhaps it isn’t meant to be.

Dates

Making proper dates out of your visit can really help keep the spark alive and helps beat the monotony of just sitting in your room watching a film together (although this can be nice too once in a while). It may be worth breaking into the student loan for a nice dinner, as date nights split up the routine, giving you a chance to dress up and reminding you both of why you’re together.

Meet the new friends

When you lived at home you probably knew each other’s friends quite well, but as we all know university brings a whole range of weird and wonderful people into your life. All of a sudden you are constantly hearing about your boyfriend’s new best mate Katie, who in your mind has a face like Megan Fox and a body like Kelly Brook. Your partner may worry about you living closely with the opposite sex and the best way to ease their mind is for them to become friends. Regularly going on nights out as a couple is a great way to bond with your partner’s new friends and builds a rapport with the apparent “threat”.

(Katie is a 3/10).

Technology

While the old fashioned love letter has its charms, it has never been easier for long distance couples to remain together. With free services like Skype and FaceTime, couples can maintain closeness while being hundreds of miles away. Of course, you don’t want to take it overboard. Bombarding your loved one with texts and unflattering FaceTime close-ups of your face can feel smothering, so schedule times to have your chats and stick to them.

The biggest thing to remember is to have fun… university can make or break a relationship and, corny as it sounds, “if it’s meant to be, it will happen”.

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AUTUMN/WINTER SIXTIES REVIVAL A quintessentially British trend , the Sixties look is huge this autumn and winter. This season is all about teaming backcombed hair and doe-eyed make up looks with Peter Pan collars and chic loafers. Here’s my pick of the best Sixties inspired items on the High Street this season.

LAURA COX LIFESTYLE EDITOR

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the mini skirt

An essential item this winter!

It might not initially seem very practical, but when teamed with thick knitted tights, a cosy jumper and an oversized boyrfriend coat you won’t feel the cold! Look out for retro inspired paisley prints or traditional tartans like this New Look number, priced at £14.99.

New Look, £14.99

the roll neck jumper

Wear yours under dresses and jumpers for a chic way to stay cosy! Fluffy knitted roll neck jumpers and jersey tops are can be found almost everywhere on the High Street this season. A plain roll neck top, such as this Asos version, is the perfect partner to a printed pinafore.

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Layer colourful jumpers over cute, quirky Peter Pan collar blouses. A white collar peeping over a black jumper instantly adds a 60s vibe. I love this blouse from Jack Wills (who offer a generous 15% student discount!)

Peter Pan Collar Blouse, Jack Wills, £39

The make up

Roll Neck Top, ASOS, £12

the shoes

The chunkier the better!

The loafer is a great shoe for running around campus all day. Team yours with rolled up jeans or anklegrazing cigarette trousers.

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The peter pan collar

A liquid eyeliner is all you need for Sixties inspired eyes. Take your inspiration from the iconic makeup looks of Twiggy (all though you may need to tone it down for your nine oclock lecture!) and, more recently, Lana Del Rey. If you’re unsure of creating a winged Rimmel Glam Eyes eyeliner look, try looking onYouTube Liner, £5.29, Boots for some tips and tricks.

Next month: Laura Cox chats to GQ’s style editor Robert Johnson about this year’s Autumn/Winter men’s fashion trends.

Loafers, Asos, £25

LIFESTYLE

the reality of

animal tourism Photos with cute and exotic animals may be the perfect fodder for social media posts on twitter and instagram, but they mask a cruel and unethical reality.

ASHLEY MINSHULL IMAGES BY JACOB HEPWORTH-WAIN 23

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igers are one of Thailand’s most beautiful and majestic animals; therefore it is understandable that many tourists want to get up close and personal with them. For this reason, tiger attractions are becoming more and more popular.

Unfortunately when they arrive at the tiger “sanctuary” they are often shocked and saddened by what they find: overwhelmed animals that appear as if they have been drugged, suffering in sub-standard conditions.

An investigation by ‘Care for the wild’ revealed these magnificent wild cats that should be roaming deep in the rainforest are spending long periods of time contained in cages far smaller than even the minimum 500m2 area TRAVEL

required. During my trip I spoke to other travellers that had experienced this, each with the same disgusting tales of tiny cages, cruel trainers and drugged animals; some even being reduced to tears by the plight of these poor animals.

Worst of all, these tigers are subjected to serious mistreatment in order to “tame” them. They are often beaten and the workers mimic aggressive tiger behaviour such as squirting tiger urine in the faces of these helpless animals. Not only is the treatment of the animals barbaric, but evidence was also found to show that some tiger sanctuaries traded illegally with tiger farms in other areas of South East Asia, rather than rescuing animals in need. Just read the reviews on ‘Trip Advisor’ to see that these are far from sanctuaries!

Asian elephants are another of Thailand’s magnificent animals that find themselves in the middle of a growing animal tourism industry. Elephants in Asia are facing tough times due to increasing development and the destruction of their habitat.

Shockingly 3,800 of the 5,000 elephants in Thailand are in captivity. Previously used in logging, most of them are now used as tourist attractions in elephant camps. Regrettably, few tourists visiting these camps are aware that the growth of this industry is also the cause of the grotesque illegal trade of baby elephants across the border from Burma.

These baby elephants frequently endure a brutal ritual to “break their spirit” before they are sold, so that tourists can one day ride on their backs. If this wasn’t awful enough, poor management of these camps can lead to these giants chained up for long periods of time, living in unnatural social groups

and cramped living spaces. This couldn’t be further from their natural free-roaming lifestyle in the wild.

During my time in Asia I tried to be responsible when it came to animal tourism. The reviews of the tiger attractions certainly put me off visiting any of these and I am unaware of any ethical ways to see tigers in Thailand. As for elephant camps, based on a friend’s recommendation that they treated their animals with care, I did visit ‘Chang Siam Elephant Mahout Training School’ in Chiang Mai. Still expecting the worst, I was pleasantly surprised when I arrived. Chang Siam is home to 7 Asian elephants each with a dedicated Mahout (trainer) who remains with the elephant all the time; they even sleep near the elephants so that they are always there to help if needed, especially when the elephants are young.

“some even being reduced to tears by the plight of these poor animals

One of the elephants was a mischievous young calf, trained by following the example of the older elephants as opposed to being beaten which I was happy to see. The elephants were well fed and a river flowing through the camp provided them with plenty of water. The Mahouts did carry bullhooks –a training tool- but did not use them savagely, merely as a prompt. The elephants didn’t have any scars or signs of abuse, which was a relief. We did go on a short trek on the elephants, however Chang Siam do not use the heavy chairs, so the load is not as great for the elephants and ending the trek in the river allows the elephants to relax and bathe. The Mahouts certainly all seemed very passionate and caring about the elephants and only trekking them twice a day ensures they are not over worked.

While Chang Siam, and some other elephant camps, do care for their animals and don’t exploit them in some of the heinous ways previously mentioned, they are still tourist attractions. Knowing what I know now, I would strongly urge any tourists visiting Thailand to visit an elephant rescue and rehabilitation centre instead. They provide homes for a number of animals, allowing you to experience the local wildlife, as well as contributing to their welfare, development, and the protection of their natural habitat across the whole of South East Asia.

TRAVEL

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“DON’T use a whole pot of paint in just one studio session. i know that can be hard for a painter...”

Clamping down on those pots of paint A SHORT GUIDE TO MONEY-SAVING TIPS FOR THE AVERAGE ARTS/FASHION STUDENT KALISTO BANCROFT WINCHESTER EDITOR IMAGES BY CHARLOTTE SCARROW 25

WINCHESTER

WINCHESTER Image size: 170mm x 75mm

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o it has been a long four month break away from art school, and with the exception of a few art shows and exhibits, the studios have been otherwise dead. But after all these weeks crashing at the parents’ place and living off free homecooked meals, it’s time to get back to business i.e. spending delicate money on (yes that’s right) precious art materials.

It is no secret that art and textile materials are an expensive addition to anyone studying or working in the field of art and fashion, which can interfere with the necessity of buying much needed groceries, a social life, and of course, dreaded rent.

But there is no cause for panic! There are ways to avoid ‘breaking the bank’ and saving on art materials once that much-loved entitlement has dried out. For instance, shopping

with consideration. Looking for deals in the supermarket is a must! We have all become used to wealthy food cupboards at home, but now it’s back to the budgeting aisle. The less you spend on rubbish like biscuits and chocolate (although they are just too good to let go of!) the more you have to use for purchasing precious paints and fabrics.

And it does not just relate to food, as we all know Winchester High Street like the back of our hands. All that temptation surrounding you can be unbearable during the era of being a student! With all those wonderful stores, if you so wanted, you could just walk into and shop to your heart’s desire (of course not without disastrous consequence). So I am supposing all there is for it, if you are the typical one who loves a good spree, avoid the high street whenever possible…take the long way home! However if you live in Winnall, which requires no detour through the centre to return home to…good on you.

Another money-saving tip that helps is to shop around for these elusive cost-effective materials. Going online is one major choice which can leave pounds in your bank account.

But hey, we all love our little art shop at WSA! So another thing that helps is to just simply use what you’ve got with the utmost care and consideration. In other words, don’t use a whole pot of paint on a canvas in just one studio session. And I know that can be hard for a painter (I’m a big fan of abstract painting so my paint usage can be a bit extreme) but if it saves a few pennies, it’s worth it in the end. It is all about how you use the material, not just what you do with it. Learn to use it in smaller doses, or even better, save using masses of material for future, larger works by keeping to making studies in your sketchbook throughout the process.

Trust me. It will all be worth it in the end…

WINCHESTER

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PRisons & PREDUDICE THE REALITY OF THE AMERICAN JUSTICE SYSTEM. KIMBERLEY PEAKE IMAGES BY KATHRYN SMITH

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n 2013, the comedy drama Orange is the New Black became a Netflix hit. It follows the story of Piper Chapman, a woman who is imprisoned for her role in a drug smuggling ring almost ten years prior to her incarceration. The program focuses on the relationships which are formed within the all-female prison, as well as the violent hostility that occurs between the inmates and different prison gangs. Interestingly, in this fictional prison there is a very clear divide between the white, the black and the Hispanic women. For the most part, they are segregated by means of separate dormitories and bathrooms, and few inmates associate with women of a skin colour different to their own.

But is this really an accurate representation of the American correctional system or just a satirical portrait of the racial issues that have tainted the history of the United States?

America has the highest number of prisoners and the highest rate of imprisonment of any country in the world – approximately one in 100 adults are currently incarcerated – so while OITNB continues to receive critical acclaim for its humorous portrayal of the characters’ daily lives, the reality of prison life is no laughing matter. Unfortunately, it seems that the question of race, which the show touches upon, may be more of an issue than one might expect in a post-civil rights America.

Black people account for roughly 13% of all American citizens, and yet, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, 37.1% of inmates are black. Arguably, these statistics may appear to suggest that the disparity is due to black people being more likely to commit crime, but I strongly believe that it is due to the racial discrimination that still exists within the American “justice” system.

“

all-white juries find black defendants guilty more frequently than white defendantS In 2012, the FBI reported that black people accounted for 28.1% of total arrests for that year. The majority of which were for property crimes such as burglary and car theft, as well as drug abuse violations. However, these figures are significantly lower than those for the same crimes committed by the 69.3% of white criminals. So why is there such a high percentage of black people in US prisons?

The justice system consists of several tiers, from the initial arrest to final sentencing, and each of these tiers arguably augments racial tension. The first issue is that police operations are still aimed primarily at minority groups. For example, the American Civil Liberties Union discovered that 42% of Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) teams were deployed to execute a search warrant on black people. The unfortunate truth is that many white people in America still believe that black people are more likely to be armed and therefore more likely to use a weapon. The recent shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed black man, by a white police officer has brought police brutality into the spotlight. This young man had no previous criminal convictions and some witnesses have claimed that he had his hands above his head in the universal sign of surrender. His killing sparked riots in

INTERNATIONAL

Ferguson, Missouri, with many people taking to the streets to protest against the unfair treatment of black people by the police.

If a case goes to trial, the jury’s decision can also be racially motivated. In 1985, Professor Johnson of Cornell University reviewed a dozen mock-jury studies and concluded that white people were more likely to find a black defendant guilty than a white defendant for the same crime. However, she found that black people had the same bias towards white defendants.

A study in the Quarterly Journal of Economics in 2012 confirmed much of this research: all-white juries find black defendants guilty more frequently than white defendants.

A solution would be to ensure that juries are comprised of people from diverse racial backgrounds, but, as black people are a minority group in America, this is not a feasible option.

The picture doesn’t look any better when a defendant is found guilty and sentenced. In 2013, the US Sentencing Committee revealed that prison sentences for black men were, on average, nearly 20% longer than those for white men convicted of similar crimes. Surely the fact that the Supreme Court has restored judicial discretion in sentencing has only served to exacerbate this racial gap; the federal district judges are no longer required to impose a sentence according to the federal sentencing guidelines, and this has led to criticism that the system is open to racial discrimination. Two thirds of black people in the US believe that the criminal justice system is still biased against them, as opposed to just 25% of white people. Until this gap in perception of bias ceases to exist it seems unlikely that any change will occur.

Finally, the Bureau of Justice Statistics found that between 2005 and 2010 more than three quarters of released prisoners reoffended within five years, and so the whole process is set in motion again. Until America can truly begin to shake off their racial prejudices and ensure that a person’s skin colour has no bearing on the justice they receive, they cannot claim to be a fair and democratic society. Police brutality must not be tolerated, trials must not be biased and judges must be held accountable for the sentences they pass to ensure that everyone receives the same treatment no matter what their race.

The portrayal of different racial groups in Orange is the New Black has certainly made its viewers a lot more aware about the politics of sentencing and prison life, but it only brushes upon the surface of these issues. The 14th Amendment to the US constitution states that “no state…shall deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of its laws.” It’s time that America wakes up to the harsh reality of racial discrimination within the justice system and upholds the values it claims to stand for.

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AN ODE TO thE RYDER CUP

T

he format of the Ryder Cup was no doubt devised by someone with a shrewd sense of the glory of sporting competition. That much is apparent to anyone who tuned in to what turned out to be the ‘Miracle At Medinah’ two years ago.

The most important event in the world of golf, it features twenty-four fabulously successful golfers competing for nothing more than regional pride and the natural, raw joy of victory. For the best part of a century, the Ryder Cup has done much to foster the tremendous spirit of international rivalry that makes the competition the great thing that it is today.

Through the way in which match play golf works, the tournament is capable of throwing up some of the most tense and exciting moments in the sporting calendar. Let’s cast our minds fondly back to that fateful day at Medinah, which truly had everything you could possibly ask for.

A victorious underdog, but also crushing despair as we were spoiled with thrills along the way. The Europeans came back from 10-6 down at the start of the final day’s play to win 14½-13½ in the most dramatic of finales. From the charismatic Poulter’s chip on the first, to Rose’s brilliant putt on the seventeenth on his journey towards victory against the magnificent Mickelson, it truly went down to the wire in the most spectacular fashion.

But what makes the Ryder Cup so important to this day, and what perhaps separates the golfer from a large section of modern sportsmen, is its gentlemanly nature. Upon its creation, Samuel Ryder himself in 1926 said; “I trust that the effect of this match will be to influence a cordial, friendly and peaceful feeling throughout the whole civilized world.” And that he saw the game of golf as being “a powerful force that influences the best things in humanity.”

SEAN O’BRIEN SHARES HIS LOVE FOR GOLF’S RYDER CUP IMAGE BY JESS COX

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So as we briefly glance our eyes back to that magical moment of sporting brilliance by Rose on the seventeenth two years ago, it is worth remembering how Mickelson applauded the Englishman off the green despite narrowly losing such a vital hole in the context of the match, simply relishing the competition and appreciating the quality of his opponent. I’m sure that’s the kind of gesture Samuel Ryder had in mind way back in 1926, which is what makes the Ryder Cup so special today.

As we fast forward to this year’s event, Europe appear to be favourites, with four of the World’s top five in their impressive looking squad including the unstoppable world number one Rory McIlroy. But we’d be foolish to write off Bubba Watson and co, given this tournament’s love of an underdog!

SPORT

THE RISE OF RACISM? RACISM IN FOOTBALL IS BACK IN THE PUBLIC EYE, BUT DO RECENT HIGH PROFILE INCIDENTS EXAGGERATE THE EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM? ROSS WILSON SPORTS EDITOR IMAGE BY JESS COX

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ecent debacles involving the likes of ex-Cardiff manager Malky MacKay and ex-England and current Chelsea skipper John Terry have shone a light on the issue of racism in football.

High profile incidents such as this and the troublesome Luis Suarez are often damagingly presented by the media; fluctuating from a damning sensationalist account of the ‘perpetrators’, to a less vocal presentation of arguably more important racist issues.

Racism is a hot topic in football generally, but this article will focus especially on the general portrayal of perceived

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racism within football, in England. Racism is widely agreed as conforming to the following statement: it is essentially prejudice, discrimination or directing an antagonism against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior.

Terry was cleared of making a racist insult towards Anton Ferdinand by Westminster Magistrates’ Court. He was charged and banned for four games by the FA for insulting behaviour towards Ferdinand, which included comments on his skin colour. The media were all over the first murmurings about racism and John Terry, like a rash. However good the intentions are to raise a serious issue, those who make the SPORT

headlines are all too quick to forgive Terry and churn out positive sentiments of the player as a man and as a professional.

It is often the Daily Mail or The Sun who bombard readers with explosive headlines concerning a delicate topic, only to soften the matter weeks later. This is raising awareness of the difficulty, but simultaneously exaggerating it with some sort of perverse obsession with making the most vulgar headline possible. Often vulgar I would say, rather than ‘shocking’; a word which could help encourage positive action.

Terry’s language needed exposing, there is no doubt of that.

His language was racist, he is a talented footballer for Chelsea, he is also portrayed as of questionable character…I’ll leave that to your judgement. Investigations into discrimination and racist behaviour need to be carried out thoroughly by various authorities, so as to get a better understanding with victims. Media outlets revelling in the stigma attached to racism in English football is cringeworthy and if anything can normalise the actual problem.

Clearly there still is a problem with racist attitudes in our country but it needs mature reporting and proper investigating after detailed checks. The unfortunate reality that some people possess these prejudices should not come as a shock as it is often made out to be. The sensationalist angle on racism occurs all too often, such as headlines stating ‘How Could They Be So Vile?’ (in reference to MacKay and associate Ian Moody) even before full details have emerged, and what has surfaced is arguably bigoted, backward and ignorant turn of

SPORT

phrase. Instead of sensationalising football racism as a way to create drama and sell papers, in reality racist language should be seriously investigated and punished.

“the media presentation

of it only serves to distract from the most important issues English football has come so far in its tolerance of other creeds and cultures. Inappropriate ‘jokes’ (as they are more often than not claimed to be) privately sent between a white middle aged Scottish manager and another middle aged white English director should not actually be the centre of the investigation, as in the scale of things it is not the most abhorrent example of racism. Unfortunately the issue between MacKay allegedly isolating his own player based on racist tendencies received far less attention than the words interchanged in texts and emails. The stain of racism hasn’t gone away, but instead the media presentation of it only serves to distract from the most important issues, creating a lot more mess in the process.

32

Letters to a

NIGHTMARE LANDLORD

FOUND IN AN ABANDONED SOUTHAMPTON HOUSE, DISREGARD THE CAUTIONARY TALE IN THESE EMAILS AT YOUR PERIL...

AIDAN PITTMAN PAUSE EDITOR IMAGE BY ABBI ALLEN

One week late

Dear Mr. La

Dear Mr. Landlord, have had a We hope you are very well and wonderful summer. you but since We are awfully sorry to bother have discovered a moving into our new house we few problems. of a boiler we Firstly, due to the non-existence There is all. have no hot water or heating at a boiler re whe e, hol however a boiler shaped tty sure pre re we’ and sat e seems to have onc s out however none of us misplaced it. If it turn , dreadfully ully that we did, then we are dreadf sorry. and neither Secondly, the oven is not working out to be our turn s doe are the hobs. Again if this dly. rve ese unr fault, then we apologise nbag in the Finally, the lovely surprise of a bea until it one e com wel y ver front room, was a at all but, instead, turned out to not be a beanbag t for us then sen a sack of rats. If they were a pre but would ent tim sen we do truly appreciate the quite like them removed. ced you in any We hope we have not inconvenien way.

Have a most wonderful day!

r…

ndlord, We hope you are quite wel l.

Really sorry to ke ep bothering yo I’m afraid no u like this ne last email hav of the issues we referred but e been addre to ssed and they in our fact, got wors e. have, in The water pip es have froze n to be leaking large volumes , the oven seems which we fear of gas and th e ar Could you ple e now diseased, have m rats, ultiplied. ase take a lo ok at these n problems? ew We hope we have not inco nvenienced yo way. u in any Have a most ly wonderful day!

Yours with sl ightly waverin g faith, Sweet, Inno cent, Naïve Tenants

Yours Faithfully, s Sweet, Innocent, Naïve Tenant ings of Ginger P.S We have sent you some lash .

Beer as a pre-emptive thank you

33

PAUSE

Two months later...

Oi Prat

Please send help immedia tely! Our situation is so dire, even my computer ha s begun to type in this very ominous font!

The cold and lack of food has slowly worn us down. Six days ago Gerry stood up and, in an admirably reserved voice, said, “I am just going outside and may be som e time.” We have not heard from him since. In fact, the only heat we have felt since moving in, was when the oven exploded, taking Judy wit h it. And now with Jimmy contracting the Black Death , this really is the last straw!

Basically if you don’t sort everything out right now we will only have on e thing to resort to; telling our parents!

Oh and Merry Christmas!

Yours with zero faith and a tiny bit of absolute pure disdain, Cold, Hungry, Plague Rid den Tenants P.S All of our parents are lawyers

PAUSE

One day later...

Dear Mr. Landlord, fixing the Thank you so much for promptly with the ling dea and ler boi oven, installing a y much ver is n atio per coo r you ; rat problem appreciated. le experience I am sure we can now put this who behind us.

Yours Sincerely, The Survivors

One year

Dear Te

later...

nants, I am writ ing to in deposit fo for your rm you that yo rental p ur secur not be r er efu it the word nded. This is d iod will unfortu y nately ue to th s; ‘GET O e presen SWEET, UT WHIL IN c YOUR LIV NOCENT, NAÏV E YOU STILL CA e of E TENAN N! OH E S !’ w r itte TS room wa lls and c n several times ! RUN FOR e il in g , in red pa on the living As I am int. u next sta nable to find a p ted resid ostal ad d e the rece ipts of th nce; ‘The Afterli ress for your fe e ’, I w d e posit to Lots of L your par ill send ove, ents.

Mr. Lan dlord x

34

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