Issue 8 Winter 2013

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Credits Team Saeed Atcha – Editor Mithun Kerai – Sub-Editor Chloe Bennett – Sub-Editor Jasmine Moore – Fashion Editor Naim Ismail – Sports Editor Saimah Malji – Showbiz Journalist Naomi Sharples – Fashion Journalist Khalil Malji – Financial Director Tiana Marie –Journalist Sholah Martins – Journalist Kennedy Johnson – Journalist Adam Toorawa – Journalist Shabih Syed – Journalist Mubeen Moosa – Journalist Kajol Patel - Journalist Edward Jankowski – Journalist Phoebe McEwen– Journalist Chanice Patel – Journalist

With special thanks to Ronan Dunne, CEO O2 UK Sean Harriss, Chief Exec Bolton Council Amy Doram, O2 UK Kamran Rashid, Live UnLtd Cllr Sufrana Ismail Bolton CVS Courtenay Gray, Online Blogger Melody Taylor, Online Blogger

Contact Xplode Magazine There are many ways you can get in touch with Xplode Magazine Bolton. Give us a ring on: 07531 192 591 Send us a present: Xplode Magazine The Bolton Hub, Bold Street, Bolton, BL1 1LS ‘Tweet’ us: @xplodemag #CineXplode ‘Like’ us: Facebook.com/xplodemagazine ‘Email’ us: info@xplodemag.co.uk Distributed FREE in the Bolton area. Contributions welcome. Design & Print by Trendy Design Co www.trendy-designs.co.uk

Heyyyyy! As I sit at my desk writing this note at Xplode HQ in Bolton Town Centre, I’ve started to think about how great Bolton really is! The view from my window is the spectacular scene of Bolton’s “Winter Wonderland” at night – The bright lights of the Ferris Wheel with the iconic Town Hall in the background just reminds me of London. Our journalist Edward has written about his recent move to the big city, and how it has nothing on Bolton! It’s on page 20. 2013 was a great year for Xplode! We started our training sessions for young people, who can just come into our friendly offices and pick up some skills! We’re soon going to be starting CV writing workshops and increasing our training programmes on offer! We even had to add an extra 4 pages into the last issue because of how many people want to write for Xplode! In September all the way to November, we celebrated our 2nd Birthday and I cannot wait until Xplode’s 3rd one. This issue has got some amazing things in it! My favourites section is the Film/Movies section on pages 9-11, there’s some great pieces summarising last year’s films and what we can expect this year! 2013 really was a year from the Gaming Gods wasn’t it?! On page 17, Adam’s written about his favourite releases. And finally, I love pages 18 & 19 and I’m being biased there! I sat down with Bolton Council’s Chief Executive, Sean Harriss to grill him on what young people can do in the town centre, youth unemployment and what he really thinks about young people! I hope you like this issue – get flicking those pages!

Disclaimer: Xplode Magazine Bolton is a constituted community group and we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information. If you have seen any mistakes or anything that you are not happy with then please e-mail us: info@xplodemag.co.uk. All information is correct at the time of print and any unauthorised copying or reproducing of Xplode Magazine's content will constitute an infringement of copyright. © Xplode Magazine 2014, All Rights Reserved.

Contents

15

Jake Bugg

16

Gaming News

9

18

Music Reviews

City Life

Young People, Either Heros Or Villains

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4

12

10 Most Anticipated Films Of 2014

Seasonal Trends

10

2013 Movie Rewind

6 Straighteners To Curl Your Hair!

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When you first hear ‘Skort’ you probably think P.E or tennis - but these are coming in next season and you’ll defo be seeing a lot more of these in clothing stores - They'll be great for summer too! A pair of boots is needed as this cold weather doesn't seem to be going! You can dress these up or down either with a dress or heels. The contrast of the black and white will definitely get you noticed.

BooHoo - Andrea Contrast Sole Lace Up Ankle Boot - £30.00

Separates are gonna be back in the coming months and the Jacquard print is big right now. These remind me of Ariana Grande and I think they’d look great either in the day with trainers or at night with big heels and a blazer for a party.

This dress is key for next season – just because its denim. Even double denim seems to be rising back in fashion (if it ever even was!) The design and layout of the dress is so bang on trend.

This blouse is super-duper cute and the big dots are sure to catch people’s attention! It’s great if you’re a bold person… You certainly wouldn't miss someone in this.

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Article by Naomi Sharples

Here are two quick and easy nail designs which can be accomplished within minutes. What you will need: Caviar beads (Caviar Manicure Black Paint Pot - £18.00 Selfridges). Base coat (Barry M base and top coat £2.99 Superdrug). Chosen colour (Rimmel 60 Seconds Nail Polish £3.69 Boots). French tip stickers (Nailene Perfect French Tip Guides £3.05 Boots) and Paper. a piece of paper in half then open 1 Fold it out; this will make it easier to put the beads back into the bottle later. Then proceed to paint your nails over the paper

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Apply a base coat onto all nails

2 Apply a base coat onto all your nails

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Place the nail stickers on your nails

bob your chosen colour onto all 3 Then your nails apart from the ones you want

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Apply your chosen colour onto each nail and repeat

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Wait for all the nails to dry!

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Remove the nail stickers when the nails have fully dried and place new stickers (to ensure stickiness) underneath the tip

6 Gently press down on the beads 7 Repeat on the next nail 8 Then apply a top coat onto all your nails

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Paint all the tips with another of your chosen colours

7

When the tips are dried, remove the nail stickers

the 9 Place caviar beads

8

Finally, apply a top coat to all the nails

the caviar beads on – cause that would be silly! one coat of your chosen colour 4 Apply on the spare nail the caviar beads covering the 5 Sprinkle entire nail

from the paper back into the bottle; this should be easy, as the paper is already folded to a funnel shape

Article by Chanice Patel

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Article written by Kajol Patel

So we all own a pair of straighteners, and by following the instructions on these couple of pages, you can convert your straighteners into curlers! The technique is simple, quick and so easy try it now!

PREPARATION Heat – Heat your straighteners to the highest temperature

Instructions Starting with the bottom section, split your hair into half along the middle of your neck Grab a section of hair closest to your neck Set your straighteners near to roots but be careful! Don’t burn your scalp

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Brush

– Brush your hair thoroughly and make sure it’s completely tangle free and smooth!

Section your hair – It’s better to divide your locks into 3, especially if they’re thick! Upper part (from temple to temple), clip away

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Middle part (from ear to ear), clip away Lower part

Heat protection

– spray each section with heat protection spray to prevent damage

Hold – after the curling of each layer, 6

get that styling spray all over it!

Glide your straighteners to the end of the strands, as if you would when straightening, but make sure you’re rotating as you go along

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Once you reach the end of your hair, roll it up around the straightener and then pull down to release the curl. This gives extra hold

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Repeat the process until you have curled each strand of this layer, alternating between curling inwards and outwards

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Tie your curled hair back using a bobble, to make it easier to curl the next layer

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Repeat everything until you’ve curled all of your hair

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On the top layer, for the sections of your hair which are closer to your face, it’s better to curl away to give a nicer look

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And there you have it – multiple uses for your straighteners!

The size and tightness of the curls depends on the width of each section of hair used and the speed at which you use the straighteners Brush your hair from the middle downwards with your fingers for looser curls

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Article by Kennedy Johnson

This year has marked numerous new beginnings for the Kardashians. We’ve seen the birth of baby North West, the talk show of Momager, Kris Jenner, and the clothing line of Kendall and Kylie, just to mention a few. Another new beginning for us dolls in the UK is the new Kardashian Kollection for Lipsy! The collection holds around 20 pieces, not even including the jewellery and make up! In fact, the Kollection was the fastest selling collaboration ever, selling out in less than 24 hours. Khloe Kardashian recently came to London for a meet and greet with her fans which was described as "amazing" and a "dream come true" by one of the lucky contestant winners. Khloe met around 200 fans in the Capital, before heading to 8 6

Amsterdam for yet another meet and greet! If I haven’t made you want to go and look on the Lipsy website, go and do it – the dresses are gorgeous,the collection is very edgy, and the different pieces areall inspired by Kourtney, Kim and Khloe! What more do you want?! Go and look at the Kardashian Kollection for Lipsy! Be dashing, dolls!

Article by Chloe Bennett

Music Reviews

Ella Eyre - Deeper This feisty teen has already seen collaborations with Wiz Khalifa, Naughty Boy, Rudimental and Bastille! Her emerging solo career has gained her even more recognition through the release of her EP Deeper, last month. The BRIT schooled singer, with a soulful voice that hints experience beyond her 19 years, has been shortlisted for not only the Brits Critics’ Choice Award but also the BBC sound of 2014. Following the likes of Adele, Jessie J and 50 Cent, it can definitely be said that this young star is one to watch out for! So, 2014 then. The start of a new year and what does that bring? Amazing musical talent of course! Lots of stars will be dominating the music industry over the next few months. From the infamous BRIT Nominations that are out on our website and the BBC Sound of 2014 being awarded to Sam Smith, There's so much Fresh Talent that will soon be big!

Sam Smith He’s the voice behind the chart storming singles Latch and La La La. With a vocal range that most female vocalists would envy, this Hertfordshire born and bred youngster is set for stardom as he’s polled the front runner of Brits Critics’ Choice Award which coincides with the release of his new 9 single, Money On My Mind.

Film Reviews

Iron man 3 released April 18th, was truly spectacular! After his return from the Avengers planet-saving victory in New York; Tony Stark returned to his life of easiness in Malibu. However his life was not at ease,a series of attacks and escalating threats from a formidable terrorist called The Mandarin, threatened to tip him over the edge. As we all know, the Arc Reactor, is iconic to Tony Stark; one thing we weren’t expecting at the end was for him to have it removed!

Fast 6 was released on Friday 17th May 2013. This movie saw Dom and Brian re assemble their crew who had all scattered around the globe after the 100million dollar heist. Why were they reassembling the team despite saying their days of crime were behind them? Well the answer to that was simple! Hobbs (played by The Rock) promised to help the team make their family complete again. Lettie, who was thought to have died, was in fact alive and working with the enemy. There was only one thing different about Lettie, and that was that she had no memory of her past. Fast 6 has been reported to have earned $788,679,850 worldwide making it the third highest grossing film of 2013. Unfortunately, later last year the cast lost one of its most beloved characters, starring in 5 out of the 6 Fast movies, Paul Walker who played 10 Brain sadly passed away. It was an accident which truly took the world by surprise.

You might remember that this time last year our very own Mithun, listed the 10 most anticipated movies of 2013. My favourite of the 10 were Iron Man 3, Fast 6 and obviously, The Hunger Games!

And last, but definitely not least, my personal favourite from 2013:

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. This movie saw a huge twist in the reaping process of the games due to it being the 75th anniversary of the games (the 3rd quarter quell). This special reaping meant that we saw previous victors return back in to the arena to fight to the death once again. But it doesn’t all end how President Snow expected. In Catching Fire we are all introduced to Finnick Odair who has already become the favourite of many characters and I think you could probably guess why. The final movie, Mockingjay has been rumoured to split into two movies and it’s definitely going to be an eventful ending. Article by Saimah Malji

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Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones – This time it's slightly different. It has a Latin theme, with a full Latino cast; that focuses on Catholic based mythology. So maybe this time there will be something different? Something which will remind us why Paranormal Activity became so big in the first place?

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Night at the Museum 3 – Larry, the museum night guard returns this year and he's travelled to London which is now at the heart of all the action. This family film will surely have all the comedy and fun that the previous two have had.

8

Maleficent – Disney's 'Sleeping Beauty' is told from the perspective of Maleficent, the evil witch who cursed Princess Aurora. A story from the villain’s side, how interesting.

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Everyone's favourite childhood heroes are back! And I'm sure that their pizza eating habits will still be with them as they climb out of the sewers again to fight crime.

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Captain America: The Winter Soldier – This time Marvel has brought Captain America back and is joined by Black Widow in order to protect the world after a series of events arising when a S.H.I.E.L.D colleague comes under attack.

Article by Mithun Kerai

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300: Rise of an Empire – The epic continues as the battle moves to sea and General Themistokles tries to unite all of Greece to try and change the course of war. Epic films are hard to pull off; hopefully it will be something that will be amazing!

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How to Catch a Monster – Matt Smith swaps the sci-fi action of Doctor Who for this fantasy suspense where a family needs to be saved... not too far from what he did as the Doctor.

3

22 Jump Street – The two undercover cops are once again in a college... But when Jenko meets with a member of the football team and Schmidt gets involved with Bohemian Art, they both start to question their partnership.

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X-Men: Days of Future Past – X-Men fans are in for a treat, as the long anticipated film is planned to be released later this year. The team are forced to stop a key of events from happening in order to stop a deadly future.

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The Hobbit: There and Back Again – There really isn't much to say about this film, it's just something that we have all eagerly anticipated since last December. But unfortunately, there’ll be quite a wait as it is scheduled to come out at the end of the year.

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Current musical pheMusic Reviews nomena, Jake Bugg has released a new album mysteriously dubbed ‘Shangri-La’. From a workingclass background in Nottingham, the singer recently came into the public eye following his appearance at Glastonbury, aged just 17! He was offered a contract from Mercury Records and a year later was touring with Noel Gallagher - what an achievement! His career rocketed after that. In 2012 he released his debut album and has now released his second, which was produced by the legendary Rick Rubin.

Article by Phoebe McEwen

So, the album! It opens with the track ‘There’s a Beast and We All Feed It’ which despite being the first track, speaks of Bugg’s distaste for the commercial image of beauty in the media and the fact that we all fuel it. The track is tinged with emotion and sounds similar to the works of Bob Dylan but with the punk-rock sound that defines Bugg’s music. The other tracks on the album have more deep meanings than those of the previous album and are a text-book example of Brit-rock. His album also attempts to deal with modern issues with songs such as ‘Messed up Kids’. The album ends with the track ‘Storm Passes Away’, which rings with the influence of American country music but also with a punk rock feel. Buggs’ fantastic story-telling capabilities yet again shine through his music, highlighting his connection to people just like you and me. He doesn’t sing about the paparazzi following him or the expensive possessions he owns. Instead, he talks about real things. His music chimes with the influences of The Rolling Stones and The Who. So, what are you waiting for?! Go and have a listen! I’m sure that you won’t regret it!

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Article written by Khalil Malji

Last year we had Grand Theft Auto, Assassins Creed and Fifa 14! But‌ 2013 just wouldn't have been complete without a game from the Battlefield series. This game is a first person shooter developed by EA Digital Illusions or ‘DICE’. It is a sequel to 2011's Battlefield 3 which was regarded a huge success so the bar was set pretty high for this game. The single player campaign takes place in 2020, six years after the events of its predecessor. Tensions between the United States and Russia are higher than they have ever been and there is a threat that China will also join the conflict. Admiral Chang has plans to overthrow the current Chinese government and if he succeeds, he will have full support from the Russians. This could result in the United States being at war with 2 16 superpowers.

There have been a lot of changes since the last game. You can now use dual-scoped weapons including weapons with different firing modes such as single shots, semi-automatic and automatic fire. Players also have more survival capabilities such as countering melee attacks from the front while standing or crouching, shooting with your side arm while swimming and diving underwater to avoid enemy detection. The game is a better-than-ever mix of ground combat and vehicular warfare which will range from Jeeps and tanks to jets and helicopters. There is an absurd amount of customisation and unlockables for your character, weapons and vehicles which makes the game a complete package.

As 2013 has passed, I would like to take this opportunity to look back on last year’s releases. Even though the new consoles overshadowed the news of games, 2013 has been one of the best years for gaming. I have self-debated for several hours about which 3 amazing titles to bring to your attention, but I’ve finally decided.

3

GTA5 was by far the best open world game last year. This was thanks to the incredible size and the attention to detail taken by Rockstar; in Grand Theft Auto there really is something for everyone. If you’re feeling particularly destructive you may want to go for a ride in a military jet. But if you just feel like unwinding after a long day a leisurely game of golf may be just what the doctor ordered.

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Lara Croft’s origin story is jam packed with fantastic platforming, puzzle-solving, and genuinely enjoyable firefights; coupled with the plot makes this game perfect. The voice acting and sheer beauty helps put Tomb Raider game at the second spot. The game in first place is truly extraordinary. The Last of Us is not only the number one game of 2013, but it is the culmination of what games have been trying to achieve throughout this generation; it’s a masterpiece of gameplay-driven narrative and an awe inspiring and beautiful world design. The Last of Us brings us the over-used zombie concept in a fresh and reimagined way. The ‘fight for your life’ gameplay ties in with the compelling story that keeps you on the edge of your seat. You also see the formation of a bond between the main characters Joel and Ellie both of which are amongst 2013’s most profoundly believed characters.

Article by Adam Toorawa

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Saeed Atcha sat down with Bolton Council's Chief Executive, Sean Harriss to quiz him on youth, the town's plans for young people, youth unemployment and well, youth! Saeed: What do you think about young people on a personal level? Sean: There's far too much stereotyping and there's a sense that young people are either heroes or villains. That's it. There doesn't seem like there's an in-between – you're either a yob, or you're doing brilliant things and I think society needs a better understanding and a more sophisticated view on young people. Saeed: With almost half of Britain's adults holding a negative view towards young people (Barnardos, 2011), what are we doing on a local level to combat this?

Sean: Let me start by saying that we can do more. We've got a decent base to promote young people with Bolton Lads and Girls Club and YMCA in Bolton and we already try to do lots. It ranges from promoting achievements and publicising how good the town's schools are but one example is the Skate Park. We had complaints about how many young people were skating in the town centre and instead of banning it, we encouraged it. We built a skate park and gave the young people an active way of using their free time. Saeed: What are the council's plans with young people in the town? Sean: We need different ways and views on working with young people but we can't

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forget our budget. We try to involve young

people with policy making through our Youth MPs but it's something to work on.

' ' –

' '

Saeed: Do you think there's enough for young people to do in the town centre? Sean: I don't think there's enough in the town centre. I'm pleased that there are some things though – we've got Bolton Lads and Girls Club and the new owners of the Market Place Shopping Centre want to build a cinema which is brilliant news, not just for young people. I want to increase the amount of

leisure activities there are and I hope the cinema isn't the end of it! . Saeed: With just under 1 million young people out of work Nationally (ONS), what are we doing to help in Bolton? Sean: We're evolving our Council Apprenticeship Scheme so over 2 years, we'll employ 25 16 to 24 year olds to work with the Council at different levels. We're introducing work placements, a less formal 'job' for 6 months and we want to offer around 100 of those over 2 years. It's very hard for young people to get employed and we're keen to see how we can help further. I'm urging local large employers to start apprenticeships and Bolton at Home are a good example of how a local organisation can help tackle a national problem. Article written by Saeed Atcha

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Article written by Edward Jankowski

Have you ever dreamt about packing your rucksack, heading for the train station and moving away to the bright lights and the big city that is London? Well... last year that’s exactly what I did. I made the big move to the city. Sure it's been hard. I finally realised that money really doesn’t grow on trees and deciding what to eat every night is a living nightmare; I'm so tempted to chuck a frozen meal in the microwave or call for a takeout. I've decided to follow in the footsteps of all those who’ve flocked to cities around the world; from the City of Angels (Los Angeles/Hollywood) to the Big Apple (New York City) with the hope of following their dreams and making the big bucks, aka, £££!

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It's tough out there and the comforts of home, as small as a warm hug, are a

world away. Gallivanting off to the city offers you life experiences you wouldn't be able to find anywhere else but you have to want it. Don't think that just because you’re in a big city, opportunities will come to you. In fact, you have to search twice as hard. You have to remember if everyone else is heading off to the city to follow their dreams, what is it that sets you apart from them? CUE: CV Tips [Issue 5] and Story of my life: Xplode's guide to personal statements [Issue 7]. You can read our previous issues at XplodeMag.co.uk/mag Maybe my article is a little bit more like a diary entry because London is one of the busiest and most populated cities in the world, but it can also be the loneliest too. Coming back home to Bolton for Christmas, I thought “our little town could be easily mistaken for London, with its own Big Ben and London Eye, or should that be, Bolton Eye?”

1.

A rat can last longer without water that a camel

2. Your stomach has to produce a new layer of mucus every two weeks or it will digest itself

3. A raisin dropped in a glass of fresh champagne will

bounce up and down continuously from the bottom of the glass to the top

4. Chewing gum while peeling onions will stop you from crying

5. There are no words in the dictionary that rhyme with orange, purple and silver

6. Celery has negative calories. It takes more calories

to eat a piece of celery than it has in it to begin with

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