Issue 11 - Platform Online

Transcription

Nottingham Trent Students Union Magazine
2nd May 2006 Volume 14 Issue 11
www.trentstudents.org
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Platform is an independent publication and any
views expressed herein are not necessarily those
of the editor or of The Nottingham Trent Students
Union and its officers. Companies advertised
in Platform are not necessarly endorsed by
Nottingham Trent Students Union. No part of this
publication may be reproduced without the prior
permission of the editor.
Letters should be addressed to:
Platform, Byron House, Shakespeare Street,
Nottingham, NG1 4GH.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (0115) 848 6280
To advertise with us please contact
Simon Rhodes – (0115) 848 6244
Platform Team…
Part-time Editor: Annabel Woollen - (0115) 848 6280
Designer: Stephanie Combs - (0115) 848 6211
News Editors: Charles Tupman & Pooja Menon
Charles: [email protected]
Pooja: [email protected]
The Bubble Editor: Rachel White
[email protected]
Music Editor: Luke Eldridge
[email protected]
Film Editor: Kerry Edwards
[email protected]
Arts Editor: Laura Johnstone
[email protected]
Fashion Editor: Sally Torode
[email protected]
Health/Sex Editor: Gemma Stevens
[email protected]
Sports Editor: Paul Usher
[email protected]
To contact the relevant sub, please either email
them directly or email [email protected]
and put the relevant section in the subject area.
This Issue
04
06
09
Events Calendar
News
The Bubble
Stride, Intramural Sports
14
Music Reviews
17 Film Reviews
20
Arts Reviews
23 Fashion
11
Graduation Ball 2006
13
Sessions 26 Health
‘The shelves were filled
with unknown pleasures...’
28 Sports
Frock Me!
Coping with stress
Varsity Special
Thanks to Polar Group Limited
www.polargroup.co.uk
Editorial
Hello and welcome to Issue 11. Hope
you have all had a wonderful Easter
break and are ready for your exams!
In between all the hard revision I am
sure you will all be doing, why not
have a break, get yourself a cuppa, and indulge in a light read
of Platform?
We have a bumper packed edition for you this fortnight including
our News section, which has been written by our two new subeditors. Tips for safe travelling this summer and an article about
the continuing struggles of women in post-Taliban Afghanistan
are on offer, and an article about crèche closure at NTU. In
the Bubble we have a Stride article and information about an
intramural tournament, along with information about the upcoming Graduation Ball.
with stress is our new sub-editor’s focus for the health section.
A review of Frock Me! (a vintage fashion event) is the main
article in the Fashion section along with a section about current
trends. We have a Varsity 2006 special for your reading pleasure
in the new and improved Sports section, along with all our other
regular sports features.
I hope you enjoy the issue and, like always, if you want to get
involved with anything to do with Platform or want to find out
a little bit more about us, then do not hesitate to contact us at
[email protected] or call us on 0115 848 6280. Alternatively
we are always available if you want to come in to speak to us;
we are located in the Students Union at the city site.
Happy reading!
Sessions contains a series of articles about personal musical
experiences our writers have had, and in our Film section we
have our usual reviews and a comic book adaptation special.
Madame Butterfly and other reviews are for your perusal in our
Arts section this edition, and ways of recognizing and dealing
Platform Volume 14 Issue 11 • 3
NTSU Events Calendar
may
For more info:
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Clothes Stall in Byron House Stride: Revision Skills Session, Chaucer 470, 1:30
Open Mic in Glo Bar @ 9pm - 3:30pm
- FREE
Varsity Sports: Hockey @
Highfields
ACS Urban Talent Show in
Glo Bar @ 7.30 - £5 ADV / £6
Door
NTSU Dance Presents: Exposed - 8pm - Tickets £4
Open Mic in Glo Bar @ 9pm
- FREE
Grad Ball 2006 tickets on
sale!
Stride: Employability Session,
Dice Building (Seminar Room
3), 1:30 - 3:00pm - In conjunction with the Careers Service
Annual Recruitment Fair, Dice
Building, 11.00 - 3.00.
Rag: AGM, 5.00pm.
Campus Pre Bar in Glo Bar @
9pm - Free entry
Karl Kennedy and his band
The Waiting Room - Byron
House @ 9pm - Tickets £6
- FREE
Junction: Volunteer Celebration Evening, Nottingham
Cricket Ground.
Campus Pre Bar in Glo Bar
@ 9pm - Free entry
NTSU Events Calendar
Junction: The BIG Spring Junction: The BIG Spring
Clean, 10.00 - 1.00.
Clean, 10.00 - 1.00.
Jewellery Stall in Byron
DV8 Pre Bar in Glo Bar @
House
9pm - FREE (£1 drinks offer)
The Tone Club in Glo Bar @
9pm (£3 ADV [NUS] / £3.50
FLY FM broadcasting all day Door)
in Glo Bar & The Point
Flirt! in The Point @ 9pm (£3
ADV / Door)
FLY FM broadcasting all day
in Glo Bar & The Point
Varsity Sports: Swimming @ Nottingham Swimming
Pool
Grad Ball 2006 tickets on Grad Ball 2006 tickets on
sale!
sale!
Sporting Excellence Ball
9pm - FREE (£1 drinks offer) ADV / Door)
Climax @ 9pm (FREE
B4 10pm / £3 B4 11pm
/ £4 B4 12am / £5 12am
- 12.30am)
Varsity Sports: Cricket @
Trent Bridge
Quiz in Glo Bar@ 9pm (£1 per
person / FREE FOOD)
Climax @ 9pm (FREE B4
10pm / £3 B4 11pm / £4 B4
12am / £5 12am - 12.30am)
Assault Rock Night in Glo Bar @
9.30 - £2 B4 11pm / £3 after
person / FREE FOOD)
The Tone Club in Glo Bar @
9pm (£3 ADV [NUS] / £3.50
Door)
New Sports and Societies Committees Training Day
Climax @ 9pm (FREE B4
10pm / £3 B4 11pm / £4 B4
12am / £5 12am - 12.30am)
person / FREE FOOD)
Kinki Karribean Pre-Bar in
Glo Bar @ 9pm - Pre Bar
FREE / Club Night £2.50
- FREE
Junction: AGM, 5.00pm.
Campus Pre Bar in Glo Bar
@ 9pm - Free entry
Climax @ 9pm (FREE B4 10pm / £3
B4 11pm / £4 B4 12am / £5 12am
- 12.30am)
Assault Rock Night in Glo Bar @
9.30 - £2 B4 11pm / £3 after
person / FREE FOOD)
4 • Platform Volume 14 Issue 11
Platform Volume 14 Issue 11 •
5
News
News
The Childcare Conundrum
Student parents face unique social and
spatial challenges when it comes to balancing the responsibilities of undertaking
a higher education course with raising
children and managing a household. As
a minority within the wider student population, we take on the dual commitment
of parenting and studying, relative to two
full time jobs which can be, at times, both
exhausting and overwhelming. Aside from
the obvious yet often seemingly impossible
practicalities of childcare arrangements,
school holiday cover, and expenses, there
is also the emotional aspect of leaving your
child in day-care.
This guilt, compounded with the knowledge
that being a parent will inevitably hamper
your prospects of having a decent social
life, can
make university seem like a nightmare
for those with children. Indeed, a recent
survey carried by several leading universities into mature student recruitment to H.E.
found that 89% of student parents were
concerned about childcare quality, cost or
lack of it, and a similar percentage cited the
problems of juggling time commitments.
Whilst these issues were found at universities across the country, here at NTU the
problem is compounded by the fact that
there are no on-site childcare facilities at
either city or Clifton campuses.
Mother of two and full time student Louise
Giscombe (BA Joint Hons) comments:
‘On a good day I can just about cope
with the pressures of university, childcare,
motherhood and running a family home.
With a three and a half year old and an
eight month old daughter, sleep can
be hard to come by, but I haven’t lost so
many sleepless nights worrying about
childcare as when I started my degree.
There seems to be a general attitude
of antipathy towards us, compounded
by unhelpful staff in the libraries who
offered no condolence when they
inform you that ‘they don’t do children on
a Sunday’. My ability to remain calm, pick
myself up and not quit constantly amazes
me.’
Private day-care is expensive (with the
average cost per week for a child under
five at around £165) and often inaccessible
for students due to timetable changes each
semester, as well as parents with school
age children finding holiday cover hard to
come by. On average, therefore, day-care
costs for one child per year would be in
excess of £6000, with the full student loan
amount currently at £4195 per year.
However, despite these seemingly insurmountable barriers, networks between
student parents at NTU are good with
some even organising their own reciprocal childcare arrangements in order to
be able to attend lectures and seminars.
Support for one another and, indeed, from
other students is paramount in developing
a productive environment for studying.
Second year student Clare Pallett says “I
think it is important for students as a whole
to embrace diversity, and that in my experience, mature students bring benefits to
seminars in terms of their life-experiences
and motivation.”
Despite some raised eyebrows when
arriving in lectures with two tired toddlers
and pushchair in tow, I have found, on the
whole, that lecturers at NTU share solidarity with student parents. Such support from
teaching staff is invaluable, and many have
expressed an interest in our plans to campaign for on-site nurseries.
With such positive relations between students, their peers, and staff, and the government eager to encourage people from a
diverse range of background to acquire an
education, maybe it is time for Nottingham
Trent University to reassess the decision to
close down both of its on-site crèches, and
to start putting the needs of student parents
and indeed mature students in general on
an equal footing with the rest of the student
population.
Whether its dancing to the never ending Balearic beats in the
clubs of Ibiza, riding elephants through the jungles of Thailand, or falling in love with the beauty of Europe, you must
keep safety in mind. With the gorgeous surroundings and
the sun beating down it is easy to slip into a false sense of
security. Many of us forget the precautions we would ordinarily take when living in England.
This year started with the name Katherine Horton plastered across
our daily papers. The 21 year old student was brutally raped and
murdered after she wandered off from friends to make a phone
call on the beach in the island of Ko Samui in the south of Thailand on New Year’s Eve. Thailand is a hugely popular backpacker
destination with crimes of this severity being few and far between;
however this opens our eyes to the fact that nowhere is entirely
safe anymore.
Here are some top travellers tips to staying safe:
Stick like glue: Stay in groups, if you’re travelling with friends don’t
wander off on your own at any time as you may become an obvious target, especially at night time. If you’re travelling alone get
involved in different activities; this is the easiest way to meet other
people. Never advertise that you are on your own.
Know where you’re at!: This may seem obvious but when you’re
constantly on the go it is easy to forget where you’re staying. Note
down the name and address of each guest house/hotel and
keep it on you at all times, this way when your memory
has been lost somewhere along your crazy night of random encounters you will have a helpful hint on where
you left your bed.
Drop the bling: wearing expensive jewellery or designer clothes
may single you out so say goodbye to the bling and adopt a hippy
outlook to life whilst away.
Travel: If you’re planning a quick nap whilst travelling keep your
valuables close; a bum bag hidden under your jumper is always a
safe bet. If you’re in a group try and made sure one of your party
stays awake and alert to keep an eye out.
Embassies: After talking to travellers who have experienced
troubles whilst away one of the most common tips given was to
know the local embassy number wherever you are. If any problems
did arise the embassy would be able to advise you straight away
as to what to do. You will normally find your embassy in the capital
city of a country, though other major cities might have consulates
or consulate offices.
One last tip: Have fun - travelling is about meeting new people,
seeing new places and finding out things about yourself
you never knew were
there. Drink in the
atmosphere; soak up
every moment and if
you keep smiling the
sun will keep shining:
Safe travels.
Charles Tupman
One too many!: It may sound boring but getting completely out of your face can leave you vulnerable. Alcohol
in other countries may hit you harder then your usual
on a Friday night at home due to dehydration, heat and
the extra large measurements. Also keep your drink in
your hand at all times - drink spiking goes on outside of
England, too.
Space Cadets Unite: With each country comes an altered
severity of punishment which can range from a slap on the
wrist to the death sentence depending where you are. In
much of Asia local street sellers have been known to work
with police by luring tourists in to buy drugs; the police then
intervene, heavily fining the travellers and confiscating the drugs
to give back to the street sellers. Ask yourself if you’re ready for
that risk.
News
Learning to smile
Afghanistan is a country which no longer
exists; a place where the lines are so
blurred it can no longer be seen on the
map. The tragedy circulating around this
beautiful country has been talked about,
debated on, and ultimately forgotten.
The women in this country are devoid of
their own identity; repressed and abused
beyond their breaking point, they have
become shadows merely living each day
with no hope of survival, no happiness,
and no light at the end of the tunnel.
around their immediate family.
For the most part, women and
adolescent girls - once they’ve
completed school - live almost
entirely behind the high walls of
their family compounds, revealing
themselves only to family members.
The Burka decree was just one of the
few imposed by the Taliban. Women
were not allowed to wear make-up.
The punishment forced on them, if they
wore something as minor as nail polish,
Afghans are generally kind people who
was to tear off the nail from the cuticle.
are peace-loving and respectful towards
They weren’t allowed to wear thin socks,
their elders. For these people, the sanctity
so they wore thick ankle-length socks;
of their family holds more importance
compounded by the sweltering heat, this
above anything else. Females born in
intensified their sufferings. Education for
this country live within an inner circle of
girls is all but forbidden, as is work outside
deprivation and isolation. With the recent
the home, except for female doctors who
developments concerning the overthrow
can practice only at all-female hospitals.
of the vicious Taliban rule, the women
Women are not permitted in public except
are allowed some
in
the
company
Women are raped,
independence - they
of a male family
murdered, and abused member. Adulterers
are allowed to be
with impunity all
educated, to walk
are stoned, and
over Afghanistan,
free of the burka
prostitutes publicly
despite the
and take up jobs - a
executed under the
small step towards
Taliban interpretation
overthrow of the
their own personal
of Sharia.
Taliban that was
development.
supposed to have
A c c o r d i n g
ushered in a new
Despite this, they
to
Amnesty
era of rights.
are too terrified to
International, women
enjoy their well-earned freedoms. There
are raped, murdered, and abused with
is a built-up fear brought on by the
impunity all over Afghanistan, despite
government control over the past century
the overthrow of the Taliban that was
which cannot be easily forgotten. They
supposed to have ushered in a new era
are afraid to uncover their faces, believing
of rights for women. Women and girls are
that the Taliban just might come back.
being trafficked into prostitution. They are
Even if they don’t, there is a deep distrust
being forced into marriage, often to settle
among them about their new government.
family debts or disputes, and imprisoned
The Northern Alliance, who drove out the
for running away from forced marriages.
Taliban, had a history during their period
Women trapped in abusive or forced
of control when women were forced to
relationships have been driven to suicide
marry the Jihad gunmen, and were raped
as a form of escape. In a country where
if they didn’t agree. The end result was
warlords and Jehadi mafia dominate the
suicide, with women preferring to die
whole society, and the most dark-minded
rather than live a life serving these coldfundamentalists are in power, there is no
blooded murderers.
law and order to prevent such terrible
crimes.
Many women also fear that the men will
not be ready to handle the sight of women
Even though small changes like the
walking uncovered after seeing them
inclusion of women into the government,
clothed from head to toe for 5 years. Some
the right to vote, and institutions set up
men have even expressed the sentiment
to educate them in skills necessary for
that women should remain covered except
survival have been implemented, a very
Student Training opportunities:
WHAT DO YOU WANT?
Stride is thinking about what to provide next year. This is
your chance to have a say in what YOUR union provides.
WHAT DID WE DO THIS YEAR?
Stride provided Trent students with 18 free training sessions
this year. We are well on the way to filling over 400 places!
The Stride Skills Project included the traditional stride sessions
in study skills such as project management and presentation
skills. The sessions went down very well with the attendees..
“I thought the trainers were excellent, the session was
amusing as well as informative! I feel much more confident
about delivering a presentation now.”
- Feedback from Perfect Presentations session (7/2/06)
New Additions..
The Business Skills Package was a new addition to Stride’s
timetable, focusing around leadership skills such as delegation,
motivation, and managing meetings. The Package was very
successful, attracting 51 people to its first session!
“The ‘hands on’ approach helped to bring the subject to life –
something which is difficult when simply reading a textbook.
The session was worthwhile, fun, and informative.”
- Feedback from Learning to Lead session (28/02/06)
[ Video still from Stride training presentation ]
Please go to www.trentstudents.org/stride for the full
timetable.
OVER TO YOU…
The feedback gained from all the sessions will go towards
developing them for the future, but what about sessions
we don’t provide? If you have any ideas for personal
development, study skills, or course-specific training, then
PLEASE let us know by contacting:
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 01159 848 6273
• Or pop into the Stride office in the Students Union (Byron
House)
REMEMBER, IF YOU DON’T ASK, YOU DON’T GET!
Finally Stride would like to say thanks to all its 2005/2006
trainees!
Gemma Mitchell
Student Training & Development Co-ordinator
Upcoming Intramural Tournaments
Fancy an opportunity to try something new for a day? Or showing off your skills while having a laugh with
your mates? How about getting involved in Intramural’s latest craze – the one day tournament?
small number of women have stood up
to reach out for these opportunities, due
to fear of being ridiculed and harmed.
Developments can only progress if there’s
a better security system for these women,
laws which stand up for the basic rights
of women, international help by countries
economically stronger than Afghanistan,
and the understanding of compassionate
people worldwide. For now, their future
seems dark and bleak as ever before...
Pooja Menon
Outdoor 5-a-side Football
@ Clifton All-Weather Pitch
Sunday 14th May
12pm – 6pm
Mixed Cricket (Indoors)
@ Clifton Sports Hall
Sunday 21st May
12pm – 6pm
Mixed Rounders
@ Clifton
Saturday 10th June
12pm – 6pm
A great opportunity for all of
you still itching to get involved
with football once the season
has been long finished; Hoping
to be one of the biggest 5-aside tournaments NTU has
ever seen!
The 2nd cricket tournament
to be run this year – we’re
hoping this one is going to be
even more successful than
the last amazing day!
The summer send-off! A great
opportunity to all get together
before the summer holidays start
and have a brief break away
from your studies, in the sun
playing Rounders!! What more
could you ask for? Set to be one of
the best tournaments this year!!
For more information on any of these events, contact: Emma Maraio, Participation Sports Development Officer, Nottingham
Trent University, Clifton Sports Hall, Clifton, Nottingham NG11 8NS, Tel. 0115 848 3959, [email protected].
The Bubble
Tickets for the Graduation Ball 2006 will go on sale at
10am, Wednesday 10th May.
At 9.45 the doors to the main arena will open and the
evening’s entertainments will begin.
Please note - previous graduation balls have sold
out on the first day!
If you can resist the lure of the Vegas Strip and
ignore the temptation from the chocolate fountains,
you’ll find Radio 1Xtra’s M1X show DJ and MC
extraordinaire MisterJam on stage performing, as
well as introducing the other acts for the evening.
The Crazy Ape party band, with their blend of the
weird and wonderful, will play everything from reggae
to rock and ska to soul before handing the stage to
recent top ten chart hit The Feeling. After 5 weeks in
the top 20 with their debut single ‘Sewn’, The Feeling
will then give way to ex S-Club 7 member, Glamour
Magazine’s Woman of the Year, and five times top
ten solo single singer Rachel Stevens!
City Site: SUB Bar, Students’ Union, Byron House,
Shakespeare Street
Clifton Campus: The Point, Students’
Union, Clifton Campus
Following the massive success of last year’s event
where tickets sold out in a little under 3 hours, the
rumour mill has been working over time in the run
up to this year’s Graduation Ball. Every possible
question is being asked, from which celebrities will
be performing, to the theme, the menu, the wine, the
date, the dress code and the colour of the carpet!
Here, at last, are the facts:
For those of you with dinner tickets, you’ll arrive in
style at 7.00 pm, making your way down the red
carpet to the champagne reception and into Heaven.
A heavenly harpist and human statues will help to
set the scene before you make your way through
the pearly gates and into the main arena where your
three-course, silver service meal awaits.
Each table will seat 10 guests, with complimentary
wine and personal waiting staff. Throughout the
meal, a slide show of you and your fellow students’
favourite photos will be projected onto huge clouds
around the arena. (Send us your photos by the
12th June!!)
At 9.00pm the doors will open to those of you who
choose to buy after dinner tickets. Our official
photographers will be on hand to capture a memory
for you and your friends whilst a Las Vegas style
casino can be enjoyed in the arena’s concourse.
No money will change hands - simply bet using the
complimentary chips, and the player holding the most
chips at the end of the night will receive tickets to a
Nottingham Arena event of their choice!
After the pop comes a more urban feel with the
human beatboxers Crew 82. Renowned collaborators
with Rahzel, DJ JS-1 and Goldie and revered by the
likes of Westwood and Trevor Nelson, it’s beats and
baselines with nothing more than their voices! And
finally, as if all of this wasn’t enough, we’ve decided to
invite back an old friend of NTU after his sensational
set at last year’s ball. Radio 1’s MOBO award winning
DJ Spoony will keep you on your feet until the final
set is brought to you by every Climax-goers favourite,
Joey Fabini.
With all of this going on there’s likely to be a
queue to get into Heaven. Be sure to join it early
to avoid disappointment!
All inclusive Dinner Tickets: £67.50
After Dinner Entertainment Tickets: £37.50
Please note – Only two tickets are permitted per
Smart Card holder and Smart Cards must be
produced on purchase. Payment via cash or cheque
when accompanied by a valid cheque guarantee
card and all cheques made payable to NTSU.
Remaining after dinner entertainment tickets will be
available for purchase at www.trentstudents.org.
Bookings now being
taken for 2006/2007
Bookings also being
taken for summer 2006
For an application pack please
contact us at the address below
oks
Arts • Bo
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Music • F
The shelves were filled with unknown pleasures
victoriahall
Nottingham
… and other tales of musical fulfilment
For each poignant moment in your life there is inevitably a piece of music to fit. When you hear it again you are instantly
taken back to that moment, reminded of your emotional state, of euphoria, success, disappointment, grief or shame. The
significance of your current surroundings drips away like dishwater, and you are flooded with recollection.
In some cases the music has a direct attachment to the event itself. Whenever I hear Baddiel and Skinner’s ‘Three Lions’ my
mind goes back to the summer of 1996, Alan Shearer scoring the third past Edwin van der Sar, and then that inescapable
penalty miss by Gareth Southgate. And how much more emotional was Ross and Rachel’s kiss in the final episode of Friends
when accompanied by U2’s ‘With or Without You’? For once, I welcomed Bono with open arms.
At other times the music can be the event itself. When I hear the first Libertines album, I am reminded of my school days
when my friends and I revelled in our assumed image as the outsiders, as the ‘odd’ ones who listened to all that crap Oasis
rip-off music.
After having music as a faithful companion during those critical teenage years, I find we have a very balanced relationship.
Whilst I can choose the music to fit my mood at any particular time, just hearing certain songs can transform my mood in
an instant. In that way music is my superior, and it calls the shots.
“… all I can do is stand and watch her walk away”
On site management office
Maybe you weren’t listening to Coldplay’s ‘Parachutes’ when you broke up with your love, but when I listen again to the
wistful early melodies of ‘Shiver’, it immediately makes me feel like I have just ended a relationship, like all I can do is
stand and watch her walk away. Some of these examples may be rather pensive, but you understand the sentiment.
However it works for you, music has the effect of amplifying our emotions, but it can do so much more.
Direct dial telephone in each flat
Caretakers on site 24 hours a day
Door entry system and CCTV security
Fully furnished & equipped self contained flats
Optional internet connection in every bedroom
Television and Sky package included in each flat
All bedrooms have en-suite shower and toilet room
Sought after location within 5 minutes walk of University
Washing machines and tumble dryers in laundrette on site
Curzon Street,
Nottingham, NG3 1DJ
Telephone: 0115 908 2600
website: www.victoriahall.com
email: [email protected]
I remember coming to Nottingham about three years ago to visit my girlfriend, and being taken aback by the discovery of
the music shop Selectadisc. Being from Leicester originally, I was not exposed to much musical diversity, and was content
with the best HMV or Virgin could thrust in my direction. But occupying the shelves at Selectadisc was a plethora of new
bands and new ideas. With so much new music I didn’t know existed, I barely knew where to begin. I scanned the shelves
and picked out about five albums. Then the next week I would do the same. And the next week. And the next one. The
significant point about this discovery was that it wasn’t just my ears that were indulged, the music I was finding was
unearthing new emotions and new moods.
It was at that point that music really began to be the centre point of my life. It dictates how I look nowadays, how I act,
my moods, and in some cases my beliefs. Suddenly feelings align with the music. Hearing Morrissey sing about rejection
in ‘How Soon is Now’ was one of those moments when you cannot believe another individual has encapsulated your own
thoughts so well – ‘There’s a club if you’d like to go / You could meet somebody who really loves you / So you go on your
own / And you stand on your own / And you go home and you cry and you want to die’.
Handling your emotions can be a tough task, but remember there are always the songs to help you along the way.
“With hope in your heart, you’ll never walk alone”.
[Luke Eldridge]
Music
Music
Music is everywhere; it is one of the most important aspects of our
lives. Whether it be classical, hip hop, indie, pop or rock, it makes a
big difference. Nottingham Trent University photography student Sam
Johnson celebrates this and asks the musicians themselves:
Why are you involved? What does music mean to you?
What it means to me…
Platform writer Paul Usher tells all about the
album that made an impact on his life
Joy Division – ‘Closer’ (1980)
“This is the way…step inside” beckons tragic singer Ian Curtis on Closer’s
opening track ‘Atrocity Exhibition’. It is an invitation too heartfelt,
too desperate, and too emotive to turn down. Stepping inside this
classic album was for me like
entering a whole new part
of my life. Made five years
before I was even born, it has
become relevant to me today,
breaking boundaries and
reflecting important moments
of my life.
Closer is an album that
envelops any feeling and
any emotion you may have
when listening to it. It has
been called sombre, dark,
misgiving and sinister. It is
all of these things, but for me
it is also seducing, uplifting
and optimistic.
It jumps
from the dramatic beauty of
‘Isolation’ to the unsettling,
brooding epic of ‘Passover’
and the political and furious
‘A Means to an End’. Closer
is an unstoppable album, and
the anguish in Ian Curtis’
voice – one haunted by the
extremities of severe epilepsy
and manic depression – is not only prophetic of his suicide but also
very personal and invasive.
The album has helped me through moments of personal agony and
Curtis’ hopelessness has paradoxically provided me with optimism
and hope. In ‘The Eternal’ Curtis pronounces: “procession moves on, the
shouting is over”. This is an ambiguous line that could mean a number
of things. For me, it sounds
like an ending, a funeral. It
also tells us to be determined,
to carry on, to leave what is
in the past. The irony is in
his voice - deep, lost and
anything but hopeful. And
that is the beauty of the
album; it can be anything
you want it to be.
The influence of this album
is undeniable, its importance
reiterated time and time
again. For me, with Ian
Curtis died the legend. The
mess left from his death
produced New Order, a
successful band, but one that
leaves me feeling empty and
emotionless. The remnants
of the magic of Joy Division
are evident in some of today’s
bands. The likes of Interpol,
The National and Editors are
all close to my heart. Indeed,
for me Interpol’s Turn On the
Bright Lights is one of the only albums that gets close to the divine
Closer.
Paul Usher
The best of the live performances from over the holiday period.
Jack Johnson – Nottingham Arena - February 25th: Jack Johnson is an artist who if you like one of his songs, its almost impossible not to
fall in love with them all. It’s the sheer consistency in his writing that makes his hour and half long set breeze by. If only I could have wandered
out of the arena onto a white sandy beach to crack open a beer… but Nottingham will have to do, at least till the summer. [Sam Johnson]
Orson – Rescue Rooms – March 1st: When thinking of Orson as a band, the single and many of the album tracks come over as too
polished, too clean, crisp, and produced. Bollocks. Speak to them, or watch them live, and your eyes will be opened to the truth: these guys
are musicians, the same as Alex Turner or Pete Doherty, fed with an energy that you won’t find on the record. [Alex Brown]
This is an ongoing project which aims to include as many people from as many different backgrounds
as possible. If you are a musician or know a musician who would like to get involved with this project
- which already includes MOBO award nominee ‘45’, David Bradley (star of the Harry Potter films)
and Ireland’s Nizlopi - if you have played a couple of notes on a recorder, or if you have played to
250,000 at Knebworth, then email [email protected] and get involved.
James Blunt – Nottingham Arena – March 3rd: I am certain that Blunt will go down in history, if not as one of our most impressive singersongwriters, then as the first artist to lure me to the same live performance as my parents. Predictably, the final song of the night was ‘You’re
Beautiful’ which is I grudgingly admit set to become a classic of our time. He may come from a long line of military men but luckily for us Blunt
put down his gun and picked up his guitar. Now if we could only persuade him to get a haircut. [Dannii Leivers]
Dirty Pretty Things – Rescue Rooms – March 13th: With guitars flailing and sweat beading down onto tired looking leathers, they exude
[continued overleaf]
Music
Film
Hello!
Album Review [A lot has happened since Easter that we need to catch up on, so here is
the top recommended release from before you scoffed all that chocolate. - Sub-Ed.]
We are having a comic book themed film section this
fortnight and we hope you enjoy it! I know you have
returned from your Easter holidays with one thought on
your mind; not ‘Is eating your body weight in Easter eggs,
in fact, wrong?’ or indeed, anything related to essays or
exams; it is ‘what new great films can I entertain myself
with this term?’!
Morrissey
‘Ringleader of the Tormentors’
(Attack Records)
“He waves a flag and fucks off to America. He’s not nearly
as relevant as he used to be. He can kid himself, but he
ain’t. His glory days were in the ’80s. He’s just an old guy
that went to America. He’s talking to 30 year-olds, isn’t he?
Kids are going to say, “Who’s that geezer that looks like
my dad with a Tommy gun in his hand? Fuck off.” [Dominic
Young - 19/06/05]
Kerry Edwards
Romance and Cigarettes
Director: John Turturro
Six months on from that interview Dominic Young’s band Ikara
Colt split up. In contrast, Morrissey’s ‘You Are The Quarry’ went
on to sell over 1m copies and spawned four top ten singles…
not a bad return for someone whose glory days were in the
eighties.
Two years on and Morrissey is back with a rockier, more direct
sound for his new album ‘Ringleader of the Tormentors’. Cast
your eye over the artwork though and you will see it bares the
same old style – wordy song titles like ‘To Me You Are A Work
of Art’ and ‘I’ll Never Be Anybody’s Hero Now’, and a look of
unfeigned sincerity playing violin on the front cover.
The pleasing thing about ‘Ringleader of the Tormentors’ is how
Morrissey has reinforced his modern day sound. There are
still delicate smatterings of that Johnny Marr guitar sound on
tracks like ‘The Youngest Was The Most Loved’, but discounting
Morrissey’s inability to play guitar, this is still largely his
sound - commanding guitars layered with partisan orchestral
arrangements.
Musicals are a cinematic genre that evokes a bygone era of Hollywood. The likes of Judy Garland singing ‘Over the Rainbow’ are
considered to be out of touch with 21st century cinema. This belief
has been re-addressed with the popularity of Moulin Rouge and
Dancer in the Dark. These examples illustrate that the musical
format still has an audience in the modern world. Is Romance and
Cigarettes a film which will further capitalize on this resurgence?
The album is frequented with modern pop-rock songs, save for the anomaly ‘Life is a Pigsty’. Morrissey sings “You can throw me
off a train, I still maintain, life is a pigsty”, with the kind of obstinate gloom he has perfected over the years, in an almighty effort to
reproduce 1985’s ‘How Soon is Now’.
Well, the film’s plot is centred on the matrimonial problems of Kitty
and Nick (played by Susan Sarandon and James Gandolfini). Kitty
finds out her husband has been having an affair with a younger
woman (played by Kate Winslet). He is ostracized by the family
and he continues his affair. As the narrative progresses, Nick has
to decide whether to choose a new life with his mistress Tula or
redeem himself with his long suffering wife.
It would be foolish not discuss more of Morrissey’s lyrics, because in a current musical climate where guitar bands can be labelled
‘street poets’ by singing about ringtones and cash machines, we must remember what it really means to write challenging lyrics. On
being told death is immenent in ‘On the Streets I Ran’ he replies “Take anyone, the stillborn, the new born… just not me’, whilst in
‘I Will See You in Far Off Places’ he appears to have forgotten his recent fondness for America by sympathising with the people of
a certain occupied country – “If the USA doesn’t bomb you, I believe I will see you somewhere safe”.
The Ikara Colt got it wrong. Morrissey is just as relevant today as he was when in tow with The Smiths, and continues to push
boundaries with his lyrical content. Perhaps he is just an old guy who went off to America, but he came back all the stronger for it.
Words: Luke Eldridge
Illustration: Charlie Hood
[continued from previous page] vibrancy like few others. Barat has enough character to keep his audience captivated, but at times you
just long for more imagination. As a band in their own right, Dirty Pretty Things are unlikely to provoke much reaction from those who do not
already own ‘Up The Bracket’, but for those who do, feel free to join in with the nostalgia. [Luke Eldridge]
Buzzcocks – Rock City – March 14th: There’s something vaguely pathetic about Pete Shelley, looking peculiarly short, double chinned and
balding, singing songs so obviously about being young. But old classics like ‘Autonomy’, ‘Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t
Have)’ and ‘Boredom’ send the crowd into a frantic delirium. Maybe they should follow the lead of Gorillaz and be hidden from the audience
except for their silhouettes. Although, with those beer bellies… [Phil Bond]
Romance and Cigarettes is a movie that I can’t heap enough praise
on. The script is fast paced, daring, and incredibly humorous. The
cinematography of New York is truly superb. Steve Buscemi, Eddie
Izzard, and even former pop princess Mandy Moore constitute
a varied cast who all give spellbinding performances. Even Kate
Winslet’s dodgy Lancashire accent can be overlooked with her
emotive portrayal of a tart with a heart.
Spring/Summer Film Preview
There are a number of no doubt great
films coming up around the end of April
and into May and June, but I am most
excited about Silent Hill (although I will
be watching it from behind my hands),
which will be on general release by the
time you read this. Based on the hugely successful series of computer games which creeped me out considerably, it stars Radha
Mitchell as a mother searching for her daughter who stumbles
upon the eerie town of Silent Hill. I’ve heard good things about
Slither, another horror which is out April 28th. It looks like a sort
of parody/homage to much-loved movie classics like The Fly and
Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and is apparently hilarious but
also quite suspenseful.
I’m sure many of you will be looking
forward to Mission Impossible 3, which
is out on May 4th, with great excitement, though for me Tom Cruise’s real
life Katie-Holmes-kidnapping-type-shenanigans and general overall complete
insanity overshadow any films the man
can make. Make sure you refer to it as M:I-3, though, to seem
impossibly hip and down with the kids.
Another much-anticipated movie, The Da
Vinci Code, opens on May 19th. People seem
to either love or hate the controversial novel it
is based on, and I will be very interested to
see how the movie has turned out, especially
since it stars Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou.
Over the course of two years I have reviewed numerous films for
Platform. Romance and Cigarettes, however, would have to be the
best film I have ever had the pleasure to review. It is fresh and
innovative, with fantastic direction and acting. Even if you are not
a fan of musicals, I urge you to go and see this movie as it is a
fantastic piece of cinema.
Finally, the
third X-Men (X3) movie is out
May 26th, which ties in nicely
with Lee’s special on comicbook adaptations in this issue.
Tensions between the humans
and mutants have escalated
threatening to lead to out-andout war which the X-Men (and women! Hang on, this film is quite
sexist!) will no doubt battle to prevent. So, as well as enjoying the
fresh air, exam revision in the park - well, just the novelty of being
able to actually go outside again (summer at last!) - check out the
Platform-recommended new releases.
James Atkins
Kerry Edwards
Film
hybrid known as the Reapers, led by the fearsome Luke Goss from
Bros.
With V for
Vendetta in cinemas
now, as well as Superman Returns
and the third X-Men film on the horizon, it seems as if the current vogue
for comic-book adaptations shows
no sign of ending. Lee Reznik looks
back at some of the benchmarks of
the comic-book on film, to see what
these newcomers need to aim for in order to
satisfy both the box-office audience and the
comic-book elite:
Spider-Man (2002) – As the tale of the making
of a super-hero, rather than their exploits, Spider-Man takes the prize for Best Origins Story
for two important reasons. Not only is
Tobey Maguire’s
performance as Peter Parker pitch
perfect, with just the right balance
between hapless nerd and macho
crime-fighter, so too is cult icon
Sam Raimi’s direction, managing
to please his own fan base, as
well as the mainstream and the
Marvel hardcore. Who cares if
our favourite wall-crawler now
produces webbing organically, or that
The Green Goblin looks like a reject from Power Rangers,
when the end product is as entertaining as this?
Batman Returns (1992) – Some
may prefer the deadpan Dark Knight of
Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale,
but for true Gothicism, Tim Burton’s
sequel is by far the stronger film. Contrary to the beliefs of those who have
recently jumped on the Bruce Wayne
bandwagon, Batman Returns is also
the darkest outing, any film that manages to incorporate child
abuse (Oswald Copperpot’s downright depressing infanthood
back-story), sadomasochism and bondage (in the form of one of
cinema’s sexiest anti-heroes, Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman), as
well as Christopher Walken, could trump Katie Holmes and the
‘Bat-Tank’ any day of the week.
Blade (1998) – While Spider-Man, Wolverine and the ever-lovin’
blue-eyed Thing are now hot property, making billions of dollars
world-wide, it is important to remember that it was one of their
lesser characters that started the recent Marvel movie revolution.
With its attractive blend of gory horror and martial-arts action,
Blade proved to be a refreshing change from the majority of movie
adaptations, with its opening scrap, the infamous
‘Rave Scene’, providing audiences
with one of the most memorable action
sequences of the 1990’s. The equally
good sequel, directed by Guillermo Del
Toro, later of Hellboy fame, managed to
up the ante further, by pitting the Daywalker against a new breed of vampire
Akira (1998) – As one of the most important
animated features ever made, Akira heralded the
arrival of a New Wave of Japanese animation in
the West, ‘cartoons’ with fully formed narratives,
well-rounded characters and thought-provoking
themes. Based on the manga by Katsuhiro
Otomo, the film shows super-human power
in an altogether different light; whereas most
superheroes are blessed by their abilities, for
the character of Tetsuo, his telekinetic muscle
is nothing but a curse, as his new-found gift leads to
the destruction of Tokyo, and a conclusion in which he literally
implodes on himself. While the film is incredibly dense at times
(even more so if you haven’t read the manga in advance), it is a
worthwhile watch if only to see how many ideas were nicked from
this movie by The Wachowskis for the original Matrix.
Sin City (2005) – As far as adaptations go, Sin City is definitely
one of the most faithful, with an ensemble cast to die for, as well as
the novel’s creator, Frank Miller, on-board as the film’s co-director.
The film is the very definition of a ‘man-movie’, with just the right
amount of violence, not to mention male characters we would love
to be, and female characters we
would love to be with, to quench
the thirst of any discerning viewer.
While the film does suffer for the
same problems as the graphic
novel on which it is based, namely
the fact that the story templates
are near identical, Robert Rodriguez’s direction ensured that Sin City was one of the best
films of last year. Well, that, and Jessica Alba in a cowgirl outfit.
Ghost World (2001) – What with all superheroes nowadays needing some kind of superhuman strength, it comes as a refreshing
change to see that the most unremarkable
of protagonists can still find a place in our
hearts. For those of us a little too young
to have found solace in Generation X, it
is left up to two teenage girls to open our
eyes and prove to us just how ‘gay’ the world really is.
It is a testament to director Terry Zwigoff then, as well as Thora
Birch and Scarlett Johansson (as Enid and Rebecca respectively)
that two miserable teenagers are so strangely endearing, or that
a character as oddball as Steve Buscemi’s Seymour is at
once a scrawny emotional wreck, yet so inherently
cool.
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Arts
Arts
Artist in Focus
Robert Rauschenberg
There are certain types of art and design which evoke a
protective feeling in me, but at the same time a form of envy.
On one hand their message through art is so powerful that it
fascinates me and makes me want to achieve, and then there is
the envy… I want to create something like that. This is definitely
the case with Robert Rauschenberg’s work.
Rauschenberg is responsible for what can only be described
as an artistic revolution – a new way of painting. Each piece
created literally changes perceptions of modern art and
challenges our ‘artistic rules’.
It wasn’t until Rauschenberg was 22 years old that he realised
Theatre Review
Smaller
@ The Royal Centre
The first thing I have to say is that this
is an excellently written and emotionally
involving star-studded performance.
Dawn French plays a cooped-up carer
for her disabled mother, whilst her sister swans off around
Spain living her life. Although she loves her mother, being her
carer and having a job takes its toll and frustrates her. Bernie
begrudges her sister ‘Costa del Cath’ for leaving and having
fun, but it turns out they both have issues with the way in which
their lives have turned out.
Theatre Review
Madame Butterfly
Northern Ballet Theatre
28th February - 4th March
I’ve seen a number of ballets before
including Swan Lake and the Nutcracker
(at least three times), but Madame
Butterfly is a ballet that I have always
wanted to see. I took along a housemate
who was completely impressed by the
fact that the tickets were free, and that we
get a free drink during the interval. I don’t
know… mention the word ‘free’ and the
students come running. Anyway, we just
about made it in time to grab our seats
before the lights went down.
The costumes were beautiful - very fitting
with the recent cinematic release of
Memoirs of a Geisha - and matched with
the music of Puccini’s classical sounds,
interspersed with traditional Japanese
style music; it really captured the emotions
and movements of the dancers.
I was surprised as the light went up after
only 45 minutes to break for the interval,
and as my housemate and I made our
way to our awaiting drinks, we discussed
what we thought the story was and
came to the conclusion that we were
slightly confused as to who some of the
characters were (Note to self…always
read synopsis before the show starts). So
as we swotted up on the storyline whilst
sipping our wine, it suddenly became a
whole lot clearer:
Butterfly’s disgraced father sells her to
a marriage broker before he commits
suicide, condemning her to the life
of a geisha and leaving her only one
possession, his sword.
An American naval officer, Pinkerton,
becomes besotted with Butterfly as
they are entertained in a Geisha house,
and when he finds out that she can be
purchased as a ‘bride,’ they marry. They
spend the night together, where she
finds freedom in her new man, betrays
her religion, and adopts her husband’s
Christian faith, committing herself to him
forever.
He leaves the next morning and it is
not until three years later when she
has borne Pinkerton’s son that Butterfly
receives a letter from him. But the news
is not good…he will not be returning.
The news of his son reaches Pinkerton,
and he and his new wife Kate sail to Japan
to see Butterfly. The thought of seeing her
again is too much for Pinkerton and he
Smaller (I believe) relates to the comment made about the
mother on her death bed (“she looks smaller”). This must be
the irony in life, that as you get old and eventually near the end
of your life, you do regress back. The older generation become
physically and emotionally smaller, depending on the children
who once depended on them.
flees from the scene. Butterfly hears the
commotion outside and is greeted by his
new wife and the realisation of her new
bitter destiny. Although she is devastated,
she accepts the circumstances and
begrudgingly surrenders the care of her
child to Kate.
Left alone, Butterfly retreats back to
the only thing she has left - her culture,
where freedom can be found through
ritual suicide, and where her father’s
sword finally frees her from her grief.
Would I recommend it? Yep, and it’s only
an hour and a half long so I think it’s a
perfect ballet to go and see if it’s your first
time!
Smaller, which is directed by Kathy Burke, uses a small cast
of three and a revolving set (a bit like the Reflex dance floor),
one bathroom and one lounge. I was surprised to find how
resourceful you could be with such a minimalist set – just the
bare necessities. It told the story perfectly and even provided
its own jokes.
Starring Dawn French, I expected a comedy, but after
researching the context of the play decided it would probably be
a little more tearful than laugh-out-loud. How wrong could I be?
Each act was full of perfectly timed jokes that everyone could
relate to, even in such a sensitive and real subject. We are all
someone’s child, we all have parents, and the reality is that we
all have responsibilities. I think the point being made here is
that you can accept that, but at the same time choose to live
– have what you want, do what you want, and achieve what you
want to, or you can just exist and let everyone and everything
pass you by. I know what I choose! (I must add in my highlight
here… I was 6 rows from Dawn French!!!)
Rauschenberg’s work is truly
individual and inspiring.
This is due
to his choice of materials, layers, and
experimentation.
Using current event
photographs from magazines, he layers
them using paint strokes to communicate a
message. As each piece could be mistaken
for an abstract piece, you have to take the
time to peel apart each layer to find the message. Every time,
the message has meaning, and documents a moment in time
within society.
Personally, I find his work inspiring and, at the same time, clever.
I could look at them for ages and never get bored because there
is something new to discover all of the time. Rauschenberg’s
work just proves that there are not set art materials. I believe
that art can be whatever you want it to be, made of anything and
mean anything you want it to mean. Art and design are personal
experiences and creativity comes from having the ability to
think outside the box. Rauschenberg’s work emphasises this
and bridges the gap between life and art. Beautiful work… with
depth.
Laura Johnstone
Book Review
‘A Shape of My Own’
by Grace Bowman
As I am preparing a dissertation on anorexia, this
book caught my eye and turned out to be more
than research. This is not just your average reference book.
Shape of My Own is a very honest account of how anorexia
controls and destroys lives. It is not just a case of waking up
one morning and deciding not to eat and to become anorexic,
it’s more in-depth than that. Anorexia is an illness, and just like
all other horrible illnesses, sufferers do not choose to have it.
Here, Grace describes how anorexia took over her life at
eighteen years old when she was just a normal student like us.
Grace puts in her own frank words how she took on the battle
and amazingly won it. In my eyes, this book is just what is
needed to take away the myths behind eating disorders and
make society more aware of the torment they can cause. A
thought-provoking and mind-opening read.
Laura Whewell
Laura Johnstone
he had artistic talents and
interests.
After discarding
European art, he chose to follow
the more inspirational artists of
the time in North Carolina. Here
Rauschenberg’s work adopted
the theme of popular culture and
a three dimensional mode of
presentation. The 1960’s surge
in pop art transformed his work
again into the 2D we see today.
Laura Johnstone
Fashion
Event Review
Frock Me!
‘The fashion world’s
favourite vintage event’
4th March 2006
Chelsea Town Hall was to be the plush
setting for Frock Me! which has, for many
years, been the biggest and best vintage
event on the fashion calendar, selling
varied pieces including clothes, jewellery,
furniture, bric-a-brac and collectables.
Chelsea Town Hall is located on the very
posh Kings Road in London, which my
friend and I ambled down for about fifteen
minutes staring in wonderment at the
designer shops and street architecture
mixed in with millionaire row mansions,
before eventually reaching it.
As you walk in you realise that you’re in
it for the long haul as the place is vast.
In front was a huge hall that seemed
to stretch back for miles; and to either
side of us were narrower side entrances
with stalls set out up and down them.
We decided to take a right and work
our way round to be sure not to miss
anything! There were a variety of stalls,
some run by collectors who obviously
owned boutiques or had access to items
that were pre-owned by aristocracy or
gentry. The items were often overpriced
and the people who ran the stalls kept
up appearances by keeping themselves
occupied plumping dresses and cleaning
jewellery. Some stalls were run by funky
younger men and women, fashion
graduates, or young professionals, who
often seemed more concerned with
doing their own shopping than selling
anything from their own stalls! Others
were run by families or older ladies that
were there selling off their own clothes
from over the decades. These were, on
the whole, what dominated, and was also
where most of the bargains were to be
found. Often items were without prices,
which meant that you had to haggle to
get a bargain; but mostly the stall runners
were very keen to sell all that they could.
Most were very helpful and friendly and
volunteered information about pieces,
saying what era they were from and who
had previously owned them if they knew.
Stalls included a mixture of designer
and non-designer items. I managed to
get some unbelievably nice things at
fantastic prices, including some gloves
from the 1960s for £8, a 1970s chiffon
dress (haggled down from £40 to £25), a
leather clutch bag from the 1960s for £10,
and lots of little pieces, many for under
£5 or £10. The biggest bargain of the day
had to be a pair of Chanel sunglasses
from the 1960s in their original case,
haggled down from £75 to £30! I couldn’t
believe my luck that nobody had snapped
them up before me.
The town hall itself was a beautiful setting
for the event, with its high ceilings and
amazing murals. There was a quaint little
café where my friend and I recharged after
our bargain hunting, too. The vibe was
friendly with a definite mixture of people;
from fashion students to designers, from
the young and hip to the rich and elderly!
We didn’t feel at all out of place and we
were pleasantly surprised to find that it
wasn’t so busy that we couldn’t move
but that there was just enough people to
create a good atmosphere. We left feeling
excited and satisfied with our buys and
definitely not as poor as we thought we
would be! We both managed to find some
good quality one-off items, and enjoyed
the experience as a whole. I will definitely
be going back.
If you would like to go to Frock Me!, the
next one is being held on Saturday 6th
May at Chelsea Town Hall from 10am5.30pm, and after that on 17th June and
2nd September. It costs £3 on the door
and £1.50 with a valid student card (so
you won’t break the bank).
Sally Torode
In keeping with the vintage theme, the book
Alligators, Old Mink and New
Money by Alison Houtte and Melissa
Houtte (Orion, £10) is a memoir of a girl’s
life growing up wearing second-hand clothes.
Alison was the youngest of five girls, and
until she became a model at the age of 18,
she never got to wear new clothes. It was
only then that she realised that clothes with a
history can be much more interesting to learn
about and much more beautiful to wear. A
poignant and fascinating read.
Sally Torode
Fashion
You’re at
Liberty to stay!
Ship Shape!
Nautical style is back and, this time around,
it’s about far more than just saucy sailor
stripes and white shorts. Designers have
plundered historical, romantic and piratical
influences for a fashion voyage on the high
seas. Vivienne Westwood and Chloé have
injected a touch of Naval history into their
collections which has been replicated all
over the high street. Lucky for us!
Key colours and
textures for this
look are white,
navy blue, and
red in stripes,
linen, and canvas material with brass buckles, buttons and eyelet detailing,
cork wedge heels, and plimsolls. Try Zara and H&M for various
naval slogan tee’s which will look especially good if teamed with white crops and pumps.
If you fancy the more pirate-like take on the trend, take inspiration
from Sienna Miller, Lindsay Lohan and Ashlee Simpson with a skull
print scarf, available from Topshop and Claire’s Accessories (which
have good copies of the Alexander McQueen one seen on those
celebs).
With the skinny jeans trend carrying way
into spring, invest in some summery white
ones, available at just £25 from Topshop.
Team with stripes for that hot nautical look.
But don’t go ’overboard’ - you don’t want to
look like an extra on Pirates Of The Caribbean! Just settle for a
few accessories or a striped top. Try H&M for some kitsch anchor
pendants.
Rope detailing is also big this spring,
and this can be sported as a belt, and
on the cheap! Simply buy a metre or
so from Hobbycraft to accessorise
your outfits. Iron on patches are also
a cool way to customise your outfit to make it that little bit more
individual. John Lewis has some anchor shape ones. Old brooches and neck ties are also
inexpensive and simple ways to update your image.
And to really complete the look, accessorize with some spinach a la
Popeye! Oh and get down to Trent’s Sailing Club to work the look.
Emma Hunt
on the
Inspiratkioatn D
ries
al
tw
ca
n
te
Van No
Faith, £35
Sexy Spring
Look
A sleek and feminine look
emerging, perfectly timed
for spring, is the skirt
with button or pocket
detailing. Forefronted
by Chloe, Matthew
Williamson and Miu
Miu, it won’t be very long
at all before the high-street
shops are hot on their tails.
Sally Torode
Students enjoy Liberty Living so much
they come back year after year
Tel: 0115 942 3398 [email protected]
www.libertystudents.com
25
Platform Volume 14 Issue 11 •
Health
Symptoms
So how do you know if you are actually stressed? Here are a
few of the symptoms:
•
Nail biting
•
Frequent crying
•
Constant tiredness
•
Tendency to sweat
•
Feeling sick
No one wants to get stressed out, so here are a few tips to help
you on your way:
Here’s the science part - pay attention!
•
•
Well, it’s coming close to that time again - exams,
essays and dissertations are all on the horizon. So before
it all becomes too much, have a browse through this stress
section and put some of my handy tips into play over
Easter.
Most of us do become stressed from time to time, and it is not
all down to the workload. Moving away from home to go to
University is one way that stress can be triggered; adapting to
a whole new campus, city or region is a big change for anyone,
and meeting an array of new students and potential friends can
seem daunting at first and certainly adds to the pressure.
Even after your first year at University, friendships will be lost
or gained, and obviously your workload will change. This can
vary from group work to numerous exams which can fall within
a couple of days of one another. The problem starts when you
know you have to prepare work especially for revision purposes,
and good old procrastination kicks in. You will do everything and
anything but the priority in hand; yes, it’s true - students have
been known to clean their rooms from top to bottom to get out
of revision. Amazing!
•
•
Our bodies produce ‘fight or flight’ chemicals which
prepare us for an emergency
Adrenaline and noradrenaline raise your blood
pressure, increase the rate at which your heart
beats, and increases the rate at which you perspire
They also reduce blood flow to your skin and reduce
stomach activity
Cortisol releases fat and sugar into your system
All those changes make you want to get out of certain situations.
However, when you have important deadlines and mounds of
work, this is the last thing to be doing!
© Dragan Trifunovic @ Dreamstime.com
So why do we
become stressed?
• Exercise
• Eat properly; irregular times of eating can affect your body
• Meet up with friends frequently
Or why not try something even more relaxing like Yoga? You
may end up in some tricky positions but you will feel a whole
lot better. If that’s not your cup of tea then there’s always a
massage - who doesn’t love a good rubdown?!
Remember university is not all bad; it’s fun and a life-changing
experience, so enjoy it while it lasts and laugh a lot (relieves
stress!)
Gemma Stevens
If you have any other concerns about stress, or want to
speak to someone confidentially, here are a few helpful
numbers:
•
The Rural Stress Information Network
Helpline: 0247 6412916
General tel. no: 0247 6412560
(Mon-Friday: 9.00am-5.00pm)
Web: www.rsin.org.uk
•
International
Stress Management Association UK
General tel. no: 0700 0780430
(Mon-Friday: 9.30am-5.00pm)
Web: www.isma.org.uk
If this is you, and it seems like only anxiety and pressure will
kick start your revision, why not plan ahead? Just because you
need a bit of a boost doesn’t mean you cannot be organised,
and another plus is you will be less stressed too! Make a weekly
plan of what you need to get done, but be realistic; aims that
can never be fulfilled will make the stress situation worse.
According to research, a certain amount of stress does make you
perform better and can make us more attentive in challenging
situations, so next time you feel like everything is getting on top
of you, why not channel your stress into something positive?
Take a look at a few of the symptoms, and if this is you, why not
follow some of my suggestions?
Varsity Special
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Hi!
The match itself was watched by an excellent crowd which rose above
three thousand as supporters of both Universities came out in force to
get one over their rivals. They would have been forgiven for being quiet
as both sides failed to muster a shot on target in the first half, but the
antics of one Trent fan ensured that wasn’t the case. With a stoppage
in play, one fan took his opportunity to lighten the mood as he streaked
across the pitch baring all as he taunted opposition fans. Childish it
most certainly was, however it was the highlight of an otherwise forgettable first half.
The match itself exploded into life early in the second half as Trent
goalkeeper (1) controversially conceded a penalty as he tangled with
[Trent team: Natalie Shaw, Claire Turnball, Elizabeth Matthews, Nicola Harding,
Sarah Smith (C), Victoria Garner, Amy Batty, Justine Choo, Nicola Legister,
Grace Kirby, Sarah Akingbala. Subs: Katherine Powell, Amy Judd, Angela
Lotus, Alison Farzani, Lauren Barker. Goals: Harding 43, Akingbala 65, Garner
80.]
TRENT 2nd’s 3 – 0 BEESTON 2nd’s
the forward’s feet. It was no doubt a turning point in what was an even
match up to that point. (3) converted the penalty with minimum fuss for
Nottingham as he sent the keeper the wrong way. That sparked Trent
into action and the impressive (6) went close with a header that would
have given Trent an immediate response. However, the result was
effectively sealed with twenty minutes remaining when Trent were hit
on the break and Nottingham scored their second. (10) was released
down the right touch-line before he used his pace to leave the defence
in his wake before finishing well from a tight angle. Although it was the
end of the scoring it was not the end of the action. Trent’s best effort
came in the unlikely form of defender (5) as he strode out from the back
before executing an ambitious and almost perfect chip from fully forty
yards only to see his strike come back off of the face of the crossbar.
That was the closest Trent came to a goal and after all their hard work
and endeavours they were unfortunately left with little to show for their
efforts.
Mark Raven
Trent came out for the second half all guns blazing. They set the
tempo for the game right from the kick off. Trent’s defence looked
solid in the form of Smith and Harding, whilst Matthews’ stamina
down the left flank was proving to be a strong tool. Powell, a 55thminute substitute for Turnbull, has had an excellent season and made
her presence known on the pitch as soon as she came on. A superb
goal from Akingbala put Trent 2-0 up in the 65th minute. Akingbala
picked up the ball just inside Nottingham’s half, ran down the left
flank, cut into the middle of the field, and hit the ball beautifully into
the right hand corner of the goal. Kirby drew two brilliant saves from
Cash before Trent sealed the win in the 80th minute.
the crossbar. The resulting corner was dealt with brilliantly by Smith
and any danger was quickly quashed.
Trent dominated the rest of the first half. Choo, Batty and Kirby
continued to play balls through to Legister and Garner, creating
a series of chances. Nottingham’s goalkeeper Cash repeatedly
thwarted Garner as Trent dominated. Legister continued to run rings
Two days after Trent women’s football firsts beat Beeston 3-0; the
second team travelled to Highfields and completed the double by
beating Beeston second team 3-0. Chants from the Trent supporters
of “These could beat your first team” were not unfounded, as Trent
dominated from the start. Half time saw Trent winning 2-0 with goals
from Hannah Gibson (E-bay), and Angela Charlton (Swallow).
Despite lots of pressure from Trent in the second half, the only goal
came from Sarah Philpot (Bong). This game marked the end of a
brilliant first season for the second team, finishing forth in the league,
and beating our neighbours twice! For many of the team (including
myself) this was our final game for Trent, but with the club increasing
in size and talent, next season is likely to be another success! Our
thanks go to Coach Wop Wop for all her hard work this year.
Fizz
2nd’s Team Captain
First Team: Trent battle to win in ‘hard-hitting’ contest
The charity varsity series between Nottingham Trent and Nottingham
University on Monday night saw the rugby league battle. After Trent’s
victory last year, Nottingham Uni had a point to prove, and the
game did not disappoint the fans. Trent lifted the Varsity cup again,
defeating Nottingham 22-14 in an epic battle played with heart and
passion.
National league side Nottingham Uni had a point to prove this year
against the rising talents of Trent, winners of the Midlands Premier
League and through to the quarter-finals of the national cup. The first
half saw Nottingham take the game to Trent, soaking up possession
and playing some excellent mid-field rugby. However, man-of-the
match Dave Afray put Trent 4-0 up, touching down after a high cross
field kick. Both teams were now rising to the large crowd and fastpaced, hard-hitting rugby saw a deadlock on the score board till the
second half.
NOTTINGHAM TRENT 3 - 0 NOTTINGHAM UNIVERSITY
Another Varsity was soon upon us. With Trent and Nottingham being
in the same BUSA league this year, the two previous meetings
between Trent and Nottingham resulted in a win for each, so pride
was certainly at stake. Trent opted for a 4-5-1 formation with the view
of dominating the middle of the field. Trent started strongly from the
start. Within the first 20 minutes the ball hardly left Nottingham’s half
and Trent’s defence and goalkeeper were rarely threatened. In the
25th minute Nottingham caught Trent on the break and forced Trent’s
goalkeeper Shaw to make a tremendous save and tip the ball over
Grace Kirby
Vice Captain
around the Nottingham defence and cause them trouble. In the 43rd
minute Harding put Trent ahead after a beautiful build-up. Batty and
Choo interchanged beautifully before Turnball played it back into
Choo. Choo played the ball into the box and Harding placed a diving
header into the bottom left hand corner of the goal.
NOTTINGHAM TRENT 0 - 2 NOTTINGHAM UNIVERSITY
This year’s Varsity series continued with the Trent men’s football team
taking on their counterparts of Nottingham University at Notts County’s
Meadow Lane ground. This was a match that was high on commitment
but lacked some much needed quality that we have come to expect
from the Trent team, particularly in the first half. The match was eventually decided by two second half goals from Nottingham University
which gave them the hard fought win they deserved.
Substitutes Farzani and Lotus caused Nottingham even more trouble
before Garner finally got the goal she deserved ten minutes from
time. She hit a wonderful chip over Cash, which dropped beautifully
into the back of the net. At full-time celebrations began, with a 30 Varsity win finishing off a wonderful season for The Nottingham
Trent Women’s Football Team.
The half time team talk seemed to have inspired Trent as they now
took the game firmly to Nottingham. With some excellent football and
barn-busting runs by the forwards, Trent soon scored after a surging
run by full-back Simon Bennett. Fast-paced football soon saw Trent
on the back foot which Nottingham capitalised upon, scoring in the
corner as they sensed a comeback. The pressure increased on
Trent after another score from Nottingham under the posts. The
deficit was decreasing, but a miss-kick from the conversion meant
that Trent still had the marginal lead of 10 - 8.
It was not long until both Trent centres, Ali Savage and Grant Farrow,
showed pace and skill, both picking up excellent tries in the last
fifteen minutes, and increasing the lead to 22 – 8. The pace did not
decrease and the game was a continuous hard hitting battle up until
the final whistle saw a consolation try for Nottingham Uni.
Trent once more regained their varsity crown in the rugby league
series, which saw each and every player pour their heart and soul.
Congratulations Nottingham Trent!
James Litherland
(continued overleaf)
Sports
(continued from overleaf)
Second Team: Last-Gasp Trent snatch
victory
The second team clash was a brutally hard
game, full of passion for both sides as the
old-firm derby kicked off. Trent, after beating
Nottingham twice already this season to
win the league, were looking for a third
successive win and to take back their stake
as varsity champions after being defeated
last year. Indeed, there was no love lost
between the two in this ferocious match. In
the end it was Trent who grasped victory in
the final moments of the game, winning 16
– 14. It was Trent who took the lead after
only five minutes of play at the hands of
Simon Tanner, forcing his way over the line
after a good period of solid attack by Trent.
This lead was capitalised upon by Kalvin
Cunningham with a great interception and
excellent pace to put Trent in the lead by 10
– 0. But Nottingham did not lie down easily
and took the game to Trent. Continuous
periods of intense forward rugby saw
Nottingham pull back. The score closed to
10-8 after a midfield mis-pass by Trent. On
the stroke of the half Nottingham took the
lead after creating an overlap in a tiring Trent
defence. Nottingham led 14-10 at half-time.
With only two Nottingham attacks throughout
during the second half, it was surely only a
matter of time before Trent took the lead.
However for 30 minutes they were denied
by excellent line defence. Captain James
Litherland finally got the breakthrough
for Trent with eight minutes left. He was
offloaded the ball superbly, before advancing
through a defensive gap and forcing the ball
over the line. With a conversion to take Trent
into the lead all eyes were on Kicker Ian
Burnage, who, despite the pressure, coolly
kicked Trent into a 16 - 14 lead. Trent soaked
up intense pressure with hard rugby until the
final whistle and ran out deserved winners
The final score of 16 – 14 is an indication of
the close intensity of the game. However, it
was Trent who completed a seasonal treble
over their local rivals and congratulations
must go to the entire team for the victory.
Sports
o. 1
N
t
r
o
p
S
Strange
TCHOUKBALL
Sven’s
Selections?
DEAD CERT
England’s 2-1 friendly victory over Uruguay in March was the last
game before Sven Goran Eriksson has to make the decisions
that will elate some and break the hearts of others.
What the hell is it? A new and
fast growing sport invented by the
Swiss in the 1960’s, Tchoukball is
a non-contact sport which is also
the fastest handball game in the
world today. Both male and female
teams compete.
How does it work? Tchoukball is
played with two ‘frames’ at
either end of the court. A semi-circle
runs around each frame and is known
as the ‘forbidden zone,’ where if a player steps foot inside they are penalised. There
are three positions between 9 players on a tchoukball team – shooter, centre pivot and
defence. Players can attack and defend at both ends.
How do you score? Everything works in 3s. You have 3 seconds with the ball, 3 steps
with the ball and 3 passes with the ball before it has to be thrown at the frame. Jumping
from outside the ‘forbidden zone,’ the object is to fire the ball against the frame so that it
drops outside the zone. The opposition must catch the ball to prevent a point and can
then shoot themselves. This process is repeated until a point is scored.
Why should you play it? Quite simply, Tchoukball is an exhilarating sport, which is
developing the world over. Frantic and fast-paced, it preaches strategy, skill and a high
work ethic. Tournaments take place in Britain, Europe and Asia. It is an alternative
sport to get involved in, and is therefore also an interesting topic of conversation!
For more information contact the Tchoukball association of Great Britain: www.
tchoukball.org.uk
Paul Usher
James Litherland
Oops…Didn’t mean that! (Sports
quote of the issue)
Chicago Cubs outfielder Andre Dawson on being a role model:
“I want all the kids to do what I do, to look up to me. I want
all the kids to copulate me.”
COUNTDOWN TO
GERMANY ‘06
The game did little to influence the starting line-up against
Paraguay on the 10th June, except perhaps confirm that Joe
Cole will start in favour of holding midfielder. His last-minute
finish complemented an earlier cross for the ever-improving
Peter Crouch, who headed his maiden international goal. In
Geneva, Cole also laid on the goal for Michael Owen to win
the game for England against old foes Argentina, indicating the
Blues midfielder is now consistently producing an end product
to match his undoubted skill.
As for the rest of the squad, there will probably be very few
surprises. Sven has stated that he is in favour of 8 defenders
and midfielders, with 4 strikers. This seemed to create
something of a showdown between Darren Bent and Jermain
Defoe for the 4th striker’s berth, with Peter Crouch sealing the
3rd place by proving that he has the awkward physique to scare
opponents and sufficient qualities to offer an extra dimension.
Other forwards like Dean Ashton and James Beattie have found
good recent form, but surely too late in the season to stake a
genuine claim.
Bent and Defoe may both be included should Sven consider
taking 5 strikers. The use of Ledley King in midfield and Jamie
Carragher’s defensive flexibility suggests that taking 2 players
for every position is not the only way to compose a World Cup
squad.
Michael Carrick’s assured, if unspectacular performance at
Anfield should ensure his seat is booked. Arguably Spurs’ most
consistent player this season, he shows a fine range of passing
and possesses patience, which may hold the key to unlocking
the stubborn defences of tactically astute international sides in
the latter stages of the competition.
Elsewhere in midfield, the undroppable Beckham has looked
wholly droppable. Despite the captain’s immense talent with the
ball at his feet, Shaun Wright-Phillips looked far more penetrative
in the second half against Uruguay, laying on the cross for
Cole’s last minute winner. Alternatively, Steven Gerrard has
been outstanding for Liverpool when on the right this season,
and moving him outside may afford Frank Lampard the freedom
to attack, as it is clear that these world-class midfielders are
not as effective together as they are separately. Nonetheless
Sven’s unflappable loyalty to the Real Madrid man makes his
exclusion from the side as likely as Gary Neville winning the
Golden Boot this summer.
And
what
for
potential
gatecrashers?
It seems that
Sven does not watch Bolton or
Newcastle games, as if he did
then Kevin Nolan and Scott Parker
would surely have been in and
around the set-up this season.
Nolan’s goals this season have
been pivotal to Bolton’s good form
and he is clearly as comfortable
playing further forward as he
is grittily competing in midfield.
Parker’s energy and tenacity
complement good technique,
and seems a better alternative to
King for the holding midfield role.
Manchester City’s Joey Barton
may also count himself unlucky
while on his holidays this summer.
Sven is notoriously loyal to the
core of his squad, which perhaps
explains why Jermaine Jenas
continues to get the nod over
other midfield contenders despite
their undoubtedly superior form.
The only hope is that it is not
merely talk when Sven frequently
reminds England’s finest that the
door is not closed.
Selection headaches show that
England will take an excellent and
improved squad to Germany, with
some truly world class players in
all areas of the field. On paper
England have a team which
means that no opposition should
be feared.
Throughout the coming issues we
shall be tracking the progress of
England hopefuls with our ‘Sven’s
Squad Selector’ feature.
John O’Connell
David Beckham
Wayne Rooney
Frank Lampard
Steven Gerrard
John Terry
Gary Neville
Paul Robinson
Joe Cole
Rio Ferdinand
Jamie Carragher
Peter Crouch
David James
MIDDLE
GROUND
Michael Owen
Ashley Cole
Ledley King
Shaun WrightPhillips
Michael Carrick
Sol Campbell
Wayne Bridge
Jermaine Jenas
Jermain Defoe
Robert Green
Luke Young
OUTSIDERS
Darren Bent
Kieran Dyer
Scott Parker
Chris Kirkland
Phil Neville
Kevin Nolan
Paul Konchesky
Wes Brown

Issue 11 - Platform Online

Transcription

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