New world-leading Uni project confirmed
Transcription
New world-leading Uni project confirmed
NEWCASTLE (W U N IV E R S IT Y L IB R A R Y cawvS(3 S_____ 22 OT NOV2005. TO Use this coupon to dalm 2 meals for £5! 100% pure boef flame-grilled in a id bun Any two meals £5 excludes XL range Valid only at 24 Northumberland Street and 100 Clayton Street, Newcastle. Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. tssui NDAY 21 S T N O V E M B E R 2005 T H E IN D E P E N D E N T V O IC E O w 'A S T L E S T U D E N T S FREE ICE HOCKEY TICKET FOR EVERY READER p a g e 26 New world-leading Uni project confirmed Crime wave Recyclebling! Baring all The big one Countdown STUDENTS in the Osborne Avenue area of Jesmond are picking up the pieces after a spate of car robberies last Sunday. At least three cars were targeted, although it appears that the robbers were a little flustered after leaving behind a number of valuable items in each of the targeted cars. RECYCLING could win you £1,000 after the launch of a new initiative in the city. Every time that you put your black recycling box out for collection it will be scanned and your address entered into a prize draw. So it seems that you could get yourself a cash boost simply by recycling! MEDICAL students have stripped to raise money for charity. The fourteen third year females have posed for an arty nude calendar. All proceeds will be donated to the girls chosen charity, Breast Cancer Awareness. The calendar will be on sale soon around campus, so watch out! THE ANNUAL clash between Newcastle and Northumbria, the Stan Calvert Cup, draws ever nearer. The two universities locked horns last week across a number of sports as the rivalry begins to crank up. Check out this week's Sport section for full coverage of the latest Poly clashes. Full Story - Page 4 Full Story - Page 4 Full Story - Page 3 WHO should prevail - bookworms or film buffs? That's the subject of this week's big debate. Jen Gundill argues that a wellstocked bookshelf is preferable to a large DVD collection, and that greater pleasure is undoubtedly gained from reading a good book, whilst Ben Atkinson swears that celluloid is the way forward. Full Story - Page 11 Full Story - Back Page 4- + 2 thecourier News courier.newsQncl.ac.uk Monday 14th November 2005 thecourier 0191 2393940 Editor Stu Vose News Edward Sawyer Rachel Murray Features Freddie Darbyshire Jen Gundill Sports Nick Meakin Gemma Davies Design Karl Saunt Proof Reader Rob Bell Photo Editor Andrew Forrest Film Ben Atkinson Music Matt Marlow Roger Mackin Ents Kirsty McNaught Arts Joss Rankin Design Tom Gorman Big thanks to Erik Abel The Courier & Pulp are printed by: Newcastle Chronicle & Jounal Ltd Groat Market, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. NE11ED Tel: 0191 232750 Established in 1948, The Courier is the fully independent Student Newspaper of the Union Society at the University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. Pulp, established in 2003, exists as The Courier's entertainments pullout The Courier is published weekly during term time, and is free of charge. The design, text, photgraphs and graphics are copyright of The Courier and its individual contributors. No parts of this newspaper may be reproduced without the prior permission of the Editor, Stuart Vose. Any views expressed in this newspaper's opinion pieces are those of the individual writing, and not of The Courier, the Union Society or the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Uni expansion in city centre BY TOM CALVELEY_______ Science City, Newcastle University's new multimillion pound campus for 2008, is one step closer to completion after the purchase of the former Newcastle Brown Ale brewery site. As reported in The Courier last week, large scale expansions are planned for the University. With it comes the potential for both the city and the university to reap huge benefits, not least a vastly enhanced commercial and academic standing within the international community. As part of the initial implementation of these plans, a partnership comprising Newcastle University, Newcastle City Council and regional development agency, One North East, last week purchased the former Scottish and Newcastle brewery site near St. James' Park, for £33 million. The cost of this prime development site has been met equally between the three partners who each own a third of the 14.4 acre site. The University's Vice Chancellor, Professor Christopher Edwards said, "Very rarely does a development site of this size become available in a city centre and I am delighted that we have seized the opportunity to acquire it." This sentiment was shared by One North East Chair Margaret Fay, "The brewery site is a once in a lifetime development opportunity for a once in a lifetime project that will reinforce the North East's standing internationally as a major force in science and technology." This is the first key stage in the partnership's 'Science City' plan, a joint response to the government's announcement last year to create six 'science cities' nationwide. By providing increased support for science and technological facilities, the initiative,^, demonstrates a 11 long-term plan to IS a c c e l e r a t e ! scientific activity g j in order to grow m sustainable companies and S| jobs. It is estimated ■ that up to 100 new technology based companies could be created or attracted to the North East by 2010. The 100,000 sq metre site will form the centrepiece for Newcastle's Science City developments. The site will see new developments with the working title 'Science Central', accommodating new world-class scientific research, teaching and business facilities. Durham University has also pledged support to the project. A spokesperson from Durham University said, "Science City is clearly a landmark development which we welcome. We look forward to playing a full part in the multi-disciplinary research initiatives that will lie at the heart of Science City. We have a very high quality range of science expertise and are engaged in collaborative projects with the university and other bodies in the region." Durham Students' Union were against initial plans which included closing Durham's science. departments in favour of the new development, but since the removal of this proposal the Union's support for Science City has been enthusiastic. Durham Students' Union President Nick Pickles told The Courier, "If these departments had been closed then a large part of our University would have been removed. Without the closures, however, these plans are exciting and interesting. Science City will offer greater possibilities and how can that be a bad thing?" Newcastle University, which consistently excels in the field of science, plans to establish world-class research teams on the brewery site to work with companies and other partner organisations such as the NHS. Research teams will specialise in Nanotechnology, Bioscience and Molecular Engineering, which are tipped to be the boom industries of the future. This dose partnership with the business sector will ensure that research is constantly relevant and marketable - something that the University has come under fire over previously. This intended close proximity of the business sector and its capacity to be of significant influence on the workings within the University has raised fears within the student community. Tom Gorman, a fourth year medical student, has been following the developments very closely, "The developments are * - - potentially the l|| biggest thing for 0 the - University ! since we split from |Durham in 1968, i but it's going to be ! hard for the Uni to ;g§ find a healthy M balance between the academic and commercial interests, who are potentially so heavily influenced by business. There is a real danger this could lead to the academic side of things being neglected." One of the leading men behind the project, Newcastle University Deputy ViceChancellor John Goddard, understands the concerns but is quick to clarify that the project is beneficial to all parties involved. "We envisage a cutting edge open learning environment that is mutually beneficial for both our students and the community as a whole," he told The Courier in an interview this week. "We want other real developments such as hotels and cafes to complement the academic ventures we have planned. Science City will allow our students to transfer the latest knowledge to business, whilst the input of j business will create new challenges for science and act as a catalyst to ensure we provide relevant academic outputs and teaching for our students. This will ultimately benefit them in the world of work. Newcastle is an applied university and this constant interaction between theory and practice will allow for us to build on what we do f t best, which is science'and communication. We shall be engaging with business to help the region, not just to our own ends." Durham can take further comfort that their science departments are safe according to Mr. Goddard. "Durham is a flagship university in the fields of science, namely with regards to stem cell research. There will of course be restructuring in Durham but certainly no downsizing although there may be further reorganisation down the pipeline." "If the government approves the partial funding of the project, then we will be able to improve the facilities of the whole University, as well as these new developments; something we hold as fundamental to these plans," said Goddard. The next step in the development of Science City will be a master plan commissioned by the partners to be completed in 2006. Do students get a fair deal from letting agents? This week’s question put to students by SAM FOX jp!A [V u Karim Kassam, 3rd year Economics Mark Robinson, 3rd year Pharmacology "Not always. It is up to students to do their research rather than allowing agencies to push them into signing. If you don't panic and look around, you can end up paying a much lower agency fee and deposit." "Not really. I found my privately rented property through the university accommodation office. This might have cut out the agency fee and reduced the deposit, but our landlord is slow to sort out our problems." Lisa Etherington, 2nd Language and Literature year English "Yes, my landlord is nice; he's sorted out all our problems, like fixing the toilet, quickly. I found him on the Internet so cut out any agent's fees; I think it's the best way to find private accommodation" Mark Linnard, Engineering 3rd year Mechanical "Yes, my landlord was recommended by a friend, which means I avoided agency fees. He's always been efficient at sorting out any problems we've had." ammm Sadie Pattison, 3rd year English Language "I have had varied experience with agencies and landlords. However, my current Landlord was helpful and let me defer my rent payments, because I was having trouble with my loan." Teemu Kangas, 3rd year Mechanical Engineering No, I think agencies and landlords always find an excuse to keep bond money and rip students off. t News courier.newsOncl.ac.uk thecourier 3 Monday 21st November 2005 NEW S IN BRIEF Your chance to fight NEWCASTLE City Council now has the planning policy on the student housing contained in a draft supplementary document. The council are keen to hear from local residents about their views on the proposed housing restraint, something that The Courier informed students about two weeks ago. An informed drop in session has been arranged for Monday 21st November at the Banqueting Hall in the Civic Centre from 79pm. Comments on the draft are requested by 14th December. Strange module NORTHUMBRIA University has revealed a new, exciting module for their students, 'sociology of the strange', writes Claire Purcell. The course explores the reasons why people believe myths and conspiracy theory over scientific fact. For those who have pondered over why 'Most Haunted' is so addictive, the course offers a critical view of. the show, and also explores famous myths such Loch Ness. The Sociology module has already had twice the sign-up numbers expected and it is clear that the eccentricity of the module has drawn in much interest from local media. Dr. Lee Barron is the creator of the course, and boasts that recently he has conducted research into topics such as the rise of boy/girl bands and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Medical mistake AFTER initially being refused access, student Hamad Alshawoosh has finally been allowed to register at Gosforth Memorial Medical Surgery, writes Ross Fox. The postgraduate's troubles began when he attempted to register himself, his wife and his child at the surgery located just minutes away from his home in South Gosforth. However, on producing his passport and visa documentation however, Alshawoosh was told he would not be able to register. International students are advised by the university website that "soon after arriving in Newcastle it is essential for you to register with a local doctor". Thus, the surgery's initial refusal left Alshawoosh "outraged at being denied one of his basic rights as a university student," and "very angry at the surgery". The mix-up came after the medical centre has been mis-informed by their immigration department. GET THIS IN YOUR STOCKING...the medic calendar for Breast Cancer Awareness K ashm iri-P unjabi cu isin e p rep ared by our M a s te r C hef th a t w ill not s tre tc h your fin a n c e s , only your ta ste b u d s (free poppadoms for table o f four with valid Red Card) 01912724426 Kashm iriP unjabiRestaurant Croup 01912742323 Dhaba, 3-4 Studley Terrace, Solomons, Thorntree Farm, N ewcastle upon Tyne, NE4 5AH West Road, Denton Burn KashmiriPunjabiRestaurant O C lC iH C lt i d h a b a KashmiriPunfabiRestaurant + 4 thecourier News Monday 21 st November 2005 courier.newstilncl.ac.uk DO W N B U T N O T OUT...the Jazzman is back flyering Jazz banned! BY S TE P H A N IE G R A N T NEWCASTLE'S revered Jazzman was left stunned last week when he was unceremoniously booted out of Northumbria University's Art Department. The Jazzman, real name Keith Crombie, who is a regular fixture outside Campus Coffee on Kings Walk, was putting up posters for the Jazz Cafe in the building when he was intercepted by security staff and asked to leave. B Y R A C H E L M URRAY NEWCASTLE City Council are offering students the chance to win £1000 each time they recycle. A Iottery-style recycling prize draw is being introduced in the city to encourage people to be more eco-friendly with their rubbish. "Don't bin it - win it!" is a joint scheme set up by Newcastle Council and Defra and is being run by the award-winning recycling community group BAN Waste. The scheme will work by scanning each recycling box once it has been emptied. These barcodes will be unique to each household and will be entered into a prize draw each time they are scanned. Prizes include bikes, membership of sports clubs and alcohol, as well as £1000 cash. Liz Crocker from BAN Waste explains how to get your barcode. "If you live in a house that has a wheelie bin then you should also have a black box for recycling. Look out for a leaflet that will be dropping through your door at the start of December. Each leaflet contains an address label sticker that you must stick on your black box so we can scan the boxes of everyone who has recycled and identify the lucky winners! With over 30,000 students living in Newcastle, students have the power to really boost the city's recycling rates and have a good chance of scooping one of the many prizes on offer too!" If you haven't got a black recycling box yet, and would like to take part in the prize draw, then order your box through the Home Recycling Hotline 0845 600 2836. "They said 'You're not allowed to do this here'," Crombie told The Courier. "I don't know on whose authority they told me to stop, but other people have their posters up, so I'm only doing it to compete with other establishments." This is the latest in a string of problems between the Jazz Cafe and Newcastle's other university; according to Crombie: "Their Union got an extension on their licence in spite of severe objections from the local community, and they've also got the council to stop me from giving out leaflets on Northumberland Road. But what is the biggest nuisance to the community - drunken students from that university coming out at three in the morning, or a few dozen leaflets?" To add insult to injury, the Jazz Cafe, on Pink Lane, was recently the location for a fundraiser held by Northumbria students to raise money for a project in their Art degree. According to the Jazzman, they raised "about £600" from the event staged on his premises. "It's a funny situation," he commented about the lack of cooperation from Northumbria, even going so far as to suggest that their Student Union is "paranoid about competition", as they are unwilling to tell people targeting their students who to contact to gain permission to put up posters on the campus. Northumbria University's security department were unable to comment on the incident at the *j time of going to print. Thrifty Thieves Jesmond car robbers leave behind expensive possessions and make, off with petty c h a n g « F BY JO N N Y FRANK STUDENTS were left amazed after realising their pricey possessions were left in cars that were broken into. The spate of car robberies occurred last Sunday around the Osborne Avenue area of Jesmond. Northumbria police confirmed that the attackers gained access to the cars by smashing the back windows with a screwdriver. Student Stuart Dow was one of the victims. He told The Courier that although the glove compartment was emptied and the car rummaged through, the thieves failed to help themselves to a new audio system. Another qar was also let off lightly with a wallet containing forty pounds and a pair of Oakley sunglasses left. Reports I confirm that the only thingl stolen from this car was petty I change amounting to around I sixty-five pence. Police have urged all students I to take extra care with their I possessions, especially with the I dark winter nights approaching. The Forensic Officer at the scene I suspected that the thief was after I ipods, mobile phones, and I money coincidently enough. It I would appear that this car thief I operates in coin as opposed to I paper money. Although the break-ins have I caused obvious hassle for I owners with insurance I difficulties, Stuart Dow sees the| amusing side, concluding, "It seems a waste of time for| 65p if you ask me." thecouriers Interview courier.newsiancl.ac.uk Monday 21st November 2005 A Fresh Approach They promise to make Freshers’ Week 2006 the biggest and best that Newcastle has ever seen. TOM ARMITAGE catches up with Iona Owen, Ben ‘Harry’ Potter, James Storey and Kara Willys AKA reFRESH to get the lowdown on next year’s frolic-filled funfest Tom: Firstly, how do you feel about being in charge of the country's finest Freshers' Week — it must be quite a daunting task!? Iona: Nervous. Excited. Excitedly nervous! We've got a lot to live up to! T: Your campaign name, reFRESH, suggests that Freshers' Week is in need of a facelift — some people have even gone so far as to say that this year's event was a bit of a flop. Do you agree? I: I think it's very unfair to say that. The crew and everyone else involved with this year's Freshers' Week gave up a lot of their time to make it a success and I think it develops each year. people who don't want to drink — this year's ice hockey match, for example, which was very well attended. K: We're also going to try and get University sports societies involved a lot more during next year's Freshers' Week, to provide even more alternative daytime activities and events. T: The University has been accused of trying to kill off Freshers' Week by strangling it with red tape. Do you think this is true and what do you envisage your working relationship to be like over the coming months? I: Even though they are T: So are there any specific things s e p a r a t e entities, the that you would improve? Ben: The main problem with this ' links th a t. year's Freshers' Week was that e x i s t people were starting their first week at University and didn't want to miss their lectures. We'll be having discussions with both the University and the Union to try and get Freshers' Week back to where it was previously scheduled — before lectures and registration start. Kara: We definitely want to communicate more with the Freshers' Week crew and get them to feel more involved and excited, particularly during the run-up to Freshers'Week itself. We're not the only ones running the show —there are over three hundred other people involved too! B: We're also going to try and communicate a bit more through the supervisors, rather than turning the crew meetings into a big rant. After between the University and the all, the crew are the life and soul of Union are strong and we want to Freshers' Week and they give their keep that going. If people are services voluntarily! impressed by the Union and its activities, including Freshers' Week, T: It's been suggested that there's then it's going to reflect well on the been a noticeable decrease in the University. drinking culture, which is B: It's also important to remember stereotypically associated with that we're offering the University a Freshers' Week. Some of the locals valuable service by introducing even commented that first year 3,500-4,500 people to the city, as well students are getting tamer each as trying to get first years ingrained year! Surely this can't be true!? into University life. K: There will always be people who drink and want to get hammered, T: For the first time in several years, but there are also a lot of people who candidates for Freshers'. Week don't. It's our job to cater for organisers stood unopposed at this everyone, but that doesn't mean the year's Union elections — what do pub crawls will have to stop! you make of it all and do you think I: There have always been quite a lot you've been given an easy ride? of alternative events provided for K Well obviously it was easier for us, although perhaps not as satisfying as it could have been and the campaign week didn't have the same atmosphere as in previous years. I: We've fought campaigns before for previous Freshers' Week organisers and so we knew that if there was going to be any competition, we would put our hearts and souls into proving that we really, really would be the best team to run Freshers' Week in 2006. The fact that we still managed to win over 350 votes, unopposed, says something! message boards. This could help prevent some of the issues that came up this year, such as freshers' cheques and application forms being lost in the post. T: Have you any idea how much a Freshers' Week 2006 wristband will cost? B: I think that that's something we're going to have to discuss with the Union. It also depends on whether we take into account inflation and what sort of budget we get. All those things still have to be decided. I: With the budget that was provided last year and with all the entertainment and facilities that Freshers' Week provided, it matched quite well with what people were expecting. T: During this year's Freshers' Week, students were turned away from the Union because it became too full, too quickly. Do you think N e w c a s tle U n iv ersity needs a bigger live entertainment v e n u e ? Overspill at the Poly, perhaps!? I: Overspill at the Poly? Get lost! Who wrote that T: How do you plan on avoiding a repeat of this year's wristband catastrophe? K: We're going to make more of an effort to communicate with those people who have gone through clearing and those that don't know what Freshers' Week is all about. Loads of people turn up without any information at all and so it would be great to try and get through to them sooner. I: We're also looking at the possibility of allowing first years to pay for Freshers' Week on the web and developing an online application form, as well making greater use of the Union's online question!? B: The Union can't cope with the demand for Freshers' Week — you simply can't fit 3,500 people in it and there's always going to be a need for another overspill venue, which is a shame. K: The main problem is that if the overspill venue is more attractive than the Union, it's really, really hard to get people to stay in the Union. We're hoping to arrange special Union drinks promotions during next year's Freshers' Week and if we can make it a real competitor with other venues, then we'll be in with a chance. T: Northern Stage is scheduled to open just before the start of next year's Freshers' Week, leaving no space for the legendary late night tea tent and reduced space for daytime activity registration - how are you planning on getting around this? I: Finding another place to put a marquee will be difficult. Not only is it important for crew meetings, but it also allows us to communicate with freshers about some of the events that go on during Freshers' Week. The Union welfare service and the Christian Union both provide a really important service during Freshers' Week and so we'd really like to find a way of negotiating a space near the Union, rather than spreading things out. B: We're also looking at the possibility of using the car park behind the Union, or the space next to the new Bistro on King's Road. We'll obviously have to discuss that with the University first though. T: Already people have been speaking about bands night. Can you confirm whether Goldie Looking Chain will be making a comeback appearance? I:We're not ruling them out, although I have to say that they were the highlight of my Freshers' Week. They were fantastic and we'd like to keep moving forward with new and exciting live acts. T:And what about Bez? I: No comment, thank you! T: Finally, the question on everyone's lips: Boxers or Y-fronts? I: Definitely boxers. K: Boxers. J: Boxers. B: Personally, I prefer the thong! Your views count! What do you want in next year’s Freshers' Week? ■What activities do you want to keep? Tell us and we’ll pass your views on! Tel: 0191 2393940 E-mail: [email protected] + 6 thecourier , National & International News Round-up Compiled by Lia Gormsen & Helen Fitzpatrick Monday 21st November"2005 Expanding EU may affect graduate jobs B Y R A N D O LP H M A N D ER STA M As negotiations over a further EU expansion push forward, its effects on the employment prospects of first time graduates and the European labour movement remain uncertain. With 20 million people out of work on the European continent, many students are nervous about the effects enlargement could have on an already saturated job market. Moving ahead last month with existing commitments on enlargement Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey and Croatia are all in various stages of the EU accession process. After concluding talks with Bulgaria and Romania late last year, they look set to join the EU in January 2007. While negotiations with Croatia seem to be running smoothly, accession negotiations with Turkey are among the most controversial and are expected to last at least a decade. Whereas some countries with booming economies like the UK support enlargement as a means of ensuring increased prosperity and a strong GDP other countries in economic stagnation like France and Germany have expressed their reservations. With the accession of 10 new member states into the 'old Europe' of 15 in 2004, many European politicians are already taking measures to protect their national labour markets from an influx of job seekers from the East. As Silvana Bolocan, a Romanian PhD researcher at the University of Newcastle points out, EU enlargement will most impact the middle to low-income population of Europe to which migrant workers represent more of a threat. She argues that these workers represent a "layer of society that is less in a position to take advantage of the opportunities enlargement offers usually settling for lower incomes." Asked if given the chance whether she would like to stay and work elsewhere in Europe she replied "I would prefer to work in Romania, not only because there is much scope for working in building up institutions but also because living abroad is not always a positive experience, especially when you are Romanian." The recent social unrest in France certainly proves that the life of minorities and immigrants in Europe is complicated and not always appealing. Speaking to the Courier, a professor of the politics and policy of the EU at Newcastle University, Dr Jocelyn Mawdsley reminds us that "It is easy to overestimate the figures. People don't move around as much as one would think." However she does warn students that graduates from new member 244iour dri states have the advantage of both a degree and a second, third or even fourth language. She believes that British students should make the most of the opportunities ERAMUS exchanges have to offer, "The EU is something that, if you are willing to take advantage of it, it could work very much in your favour." One could therefore argue that at a graduate level, whereas many Eastern European students move across Europe to take advantage of the good education that the UK and other more established Western European universities have to offer, they do not necessarily want to make Western Europe their home. Cansuhan Pasabeyoglu, a Turkish student in her first year at the Newcastle University Law School, agrees saying: "The main reason I chose to study in the UK is because the education level is better than Turkey. After my graduation, I would like to go back to my home is here AS OF November 24, bars across England and Wales will have the option of staying open 24 hours under the 2003 Licensing Act. Tony Blair and the Labour Tarty defeated a Conservative motion last week that would have delayed the onset of the Licensing Act, which has allowed bars to apply to loeal councils for extended opening hours, by ? months. While only 700 bars have applied for the 24-hour licence, over 200,000 have requested to remain open tor an extra one or two hours. Proponents of the act believe the 11:00pm closing time of most pubs encourages people to rush their drinks, and that louder pub hours would in lacf lead to more cautious drinking habits in tlic long run. Home Secretary Charles Clarke said: "This is a committed and coherent effort to promote responsible drinking in this country." Other backers ot the bill point to Curru Cosy Curry Capital lunchtime and evenings Eat in or take away. Choice o f curry served with pilau rice or chips & choice o f naan bread or poppadum Only £3.75 Restaurant and Takeaway 6 Bigg Market, Newcastle Tel: 01912328629 www. curryhell. com www.studentcurry.com country to be a lawyer." Another Turkish student, Hasan. Ata, currently on an ERASMUS 1 exchange studying Marine Science] and Technology at the University of I Newcastle, explains how "In the last five years citizens in Turkey have] been experiencing better standards : of life due to the Turkish j government's improvements on the i law, health and education systems i needed for EU integration." An enlarged Europe could help; improve the education of millions of; foreign students in new member states, give Europe a louder voice in the world and with the right policies perhaps even encourage a more; active labour market. Rather than: take away British, German and j French jobs enlargement could create j more innovative working * arrangements that would create new ° jobs and encourage study abroad j opportunities that British students i should be careful not to miss. World’s Hottest Curry Challenge Birthday party: receive complimentary balloon, party hat, cake and picture taken with robe and a turban! the drinking cultures in countries like France and Spain as models for the type of casual drinking atmosphere they hope the extended bar hours will promote in Britain. Conservatives and Liberal Democrats,, who voted to delay the Bill, say longer hours will only increase the country's growing problem of anti-social behaviour, leading to an increase in alcohol related violence and binge-drinking. Opponents raise questions about the extra cost of policing streets with late-closing bars as well as the lack of public transportation options in the wee hours of the nie.ht, especially for Residents ot smaller towns. So. whether the act will lead to a culture ot 'responsible drinking', oi just give yobs an added excuse to binge-drink and cause trouble is uncertain, but regardless, the party scene across Biitain is about to heat up...look out Ibi/a! Sayako says ‘I do’ BREAKING centuries of tradition last week, Japanese Princess Sayako, the youngest child of current Emperor Akihito, marries a commoner, effectively giving up the annual Royal Stipend, her title of princess, and the chance of ever becoming empress. The 36 year-old princess wed Yoshiki Kuroda, an urban planner, in a modern Shinto ceremony held at a prestigious Tokyo hotel. Sayako follows in the footsteps of an aunt, who relinquished her royal status in 1960 by also choosing to marry a commoner. Sayako's decision, though, comes at a difficult time for the Japanese royal family who are facing a succession crisis at the current lack of male heirs to the throne. Under current succession laws, females are not allowed to become head of the Japanese state, and must forfeit all rights to bearf future heirs when they! marry 'out'. Sayako'sJ marriage is drawing! attention to these ancient! laws, as debate heats upL about possible a modernization of theZ obviously gender-biasH constraints. Any future changes would come too late for Sayako, who is preparing for her* new role as Mrs. Kuroda by | taking cooking lessons and learning to drive. J ftc Mttiona Societies ’ Christmas Ball The Union Christmas Ball, held on Monday 12th December at The Holiday Inn, Newcastle Full traditional Christmas menu with veggie option Wine on the table and cocktail on arrival Happy Hours before and after the meal and promotions all night Enjoy complimentary skating at the LIFE Centre in the afternoon Tickets £30 from the Union Society - on sale Monday 21st Nov. Ball starts 6.30 till late Black Tie a iDcufof &&stiaeSunand&%a£ic$ + 8 thecourier Monday 21st November 2005 Comment courier.newsfancl.ac.uk Binge drinking drone tneoourjer let loose, New City Campus Isn't it great that the University is expanding further into such an exciting and vibrant place? Science City will transform the West End of Newcastle. Not only will it provide another research outlet for the University, but will also provide a learning space and a wealth of University accommodation. With all the hype over the past couple of weeks about the future of students in popular places such as Jesmond, some students were understandably feeling a little put out - after all, this is our city too. What Science City will do is to pave the way for a new Jesmond, Sandyford or Heaton. With University accommodation on the doorstep of the city, many first years may find it difficult to leave the convenient location. The student popularity of Arthurs Hill and Fenham could soar, and that could only be a good thing for the city. The Courier would like to take the opportunity to congratulate the University on the Science Citv project. All at the paper believe that the University can only go from stregth to strength once it opens in 2008. Last Saturday I woke up feeling a little worse for wear. Actually, scrap that, I woke up feeling a lot worse for wear, and after drinking much orange juice and taking the prescribed dose of painkillers I crawled back to bed and vowed never to drink again. How many of us have experienced that same scenario? Suffice to say, I was out drinking again the following Monday. As much as we profess never to drink again following an over-indulgent night on the town, it never comes to fruition. Drinking is waay too much fun. Many a good night has been had after a couple of glasses of wine, with dancing and debauchery to follow. Providing that you don't drink so much that you lose fragments of time (not that this hasn't happened to me before) partying hard on the sauce every now and then is just fine by me, and seemingly fine by a lot of other people too, judging by the scenes in every town centre across the countay, come Friday night. Fine by everyone it seems, apart from the government, who are currently giving us a major ear-bashing about our drinking habits. Now, I consider myself a sensible drinker. I might go out drinking three times a week, hardly ever drink at home and I am quite happy to party sober. Particularly as a student, I assumed that this would be seen as moderate approach, but no, it seems that I am actually classed as a binge drinker. The government are quite happy to condone, even advocate a glass of red wine a day, replacing the apple in the cliche to keep the doctor away, but faint with shock at the idea that we might want to enjoy another glass, or even another! Binge drinking is variably defined but it basically equates to the idea that if you have more than a couple of drinks, you are binge drinking. I challenge you to find anyone in the Union on a Friday night who isn't! We all understand the risks of imbibing a little too much. We know that in the short term it will leave you feeling sick and tired and achy, and it has been drilled into us that in the long term, it can do serious damage to your liver. I mentioned to my parents just once how much I drink when I go out and now they call me at least once a week to check my liver's still functioning, and to berate me on the perils of alcohol. But I for one am sick of feeling guilty for enjoying myself. I think most students would find it nigh on impossible to go out over a period of six hours and not drink more than two glasses of wine. Furthermore, I think the members of the BMA who formulate the guidelines would find it pretty impossible too. In a message to the government and their BMA cronies, give us some credit; we love our livers, we don't want to hurt them, we know when to stop. Just leave off for a while, ok? Election Results Elections and General Meetings... Sign of the crimes? Everyone seems to know someone who has been a victim of crime. The article on car robberies in this weeks' edition only goes to highlight this further. It seems that we live in an age dominated by crime, whether it be car break-ins, burglary or muggings, it always seems to be prominent in conversation. Just yesterday another spate of break-ins in Jesmond was brought to The Courier's attention. After three reports in five issues on robberies in student areas, it is necessary to take a stand and try to avoid any more of these incidents. Students may have expensive possessions, but equally we should be paying the highest level of attention to security in our houses. We are not a newspaper that is trying to make people worried about living in student areas. What we have to remember is that unfortunately this type of crime occurs in student areas of many university cities, not just Newcastle. New uni elect Congratulations to our new officers! Well done on your new positions and we hope that you have a very enjoyable and productive year. The elections have however raised the question of the popularity of running for positions. In this week's interview, The Courier grills the Freshers' Week Organisers for 2006 on their take on last year's first week shenanigans, and their plans for the new intake next September. Running unopposed is a difficult position to be in and we wanted to make sure they were definitely up to the job. The voice of the students has spoken and with over 300 votes. reFRESH obviously have the support. We only want the best for students, and finding the truth about all aspects of university life is our service to you. IT DOESN'T seem two minutes since the last Union elections back in March, but the November Union Officer elections took place recently. Three positions were up for grabs. The first was the Freshers' Week Organisers. A job shared between four students, they are paid full time over the summer to organise the biggest and best Freshers' Week in the country. A proud job indeed Newcastle is renowned for having the best Freshers' Week in the country. However, only one team ran for the position this year, that team being Refresh. This is a big contrast to previous years, when competition for the position has been fierce, resulting in some particularly bitchy elections. Congratulations to Refresh, aka Ben (Harry) Potter, Kara Willys, Iona Owen and James Storey. I'm sure they'll do a great job - welcome to the Officer team! Refresh easily saw off the challenge of RON (Re-Open Nominations), the option students can choose to re-run the elections if they don't like any of the candidates. Thus, if RON wins, the nomination process begins again. Meanwhile, the job share of Julia Moore and Alice Wainwright managed to beat Michael Quinn to land the Executive Officer with responsibility for Societies position. They will be looking to improve the Union's service to its societies, and consider ways to forge an even closer relationship between societies and the Union. They will complement the Finance & Administration Officer in catering for societies. The third and final position was Postgraduate and Mature Students' (PGMS) Officer. The incumbent officer, Julian Dockery, ran again and once more claimed the position. He's hoping to take further steps forward during his second term in office. There's a few positives was can drawout of these elections. One - the quality of the candidates was high, and two - all Union Officer positions are now filled for the first time in quite a few years. With Unions often struggling to fill all their parttime officer positions, we're in a fortunate position here in Newcastle. On the other hand, we could also do with more participation in elections. This is exemplified by the fact that only one team ran for Freshers' Week Organiser. It's an attractive job- surely there are other suitable potential candidates out there. That's not to take anything away from Refresh - they are personal friends and I am sure they will do the Union and University proud. It7s just a shame they didn't have the chance to test their mettle against others during Election Week. Plus it would have made my job on Elections Committee a lot more exciting! The essential premise of a Students' Union is that every single member has the right to have their say, whether that be through The Courier or through Union Committees. So how do you get involved in the Union's ethos of freedom of expression and democracy? Well, j/ou could write in to me, or get involved in things like Union Council. Council can always use more members, and it makes all the big decisions concerning the Union. For more details about being ^ Union Councillor, see the Education Officer, David Bulmer. Any student can also bring a motion to Council if there's something that7s getting their goat - in fact you are actively encouraged to do so. Any Officer can help you with writing a motion - so give it a go and make a real difference to your Union! Also, something quite special is happening on Thursday 1st December. The Union's first General Meeting for a couple of years is taking place in the Bassment at 5pm. The General Meeting is the highest body of the Union Society, and students have called it to discuss the situation of Courage Idiagbonya, the Nigerian student who is under threat of being deported. Students have the right to bring other motions to be discussed at the meeting, so get scribbling and get involved! The meeting must have 100 attendees to be quorate, so get involved! The deadline for motions for the General Meeting is this Thursday at 12 noon. Then there's the March elections. I'd encourage anyone who's even remotely interested to consider running, after all I did it myself and it's great fun, a good way to get to know people and it looks good on your CV. So do it! I + the courier 9 Features freddie.darbyshireOncl.ac.uk Monday 21st November 2005 Speed, Bonnie Boat! MADDY TAYLOR and HENRIETTA WATCHORN celebrate a Newcastle institution: The Boat NCE upon a Tyne, a ship by the name of the Caledonian Princess sailed the treacherous North seas. With her gleaming exterior and sweet smelling interior, she was the envy of all other cruise liners. Those who travelled aboard that noble ship were proud to be associated with O her, but others believed her to be a myth - a boat too good to be true. But one terrible day, the gallant vessel came to a standstill and was relegated to the banks of the Tyne; the once admired cruise liner was never to sail on the ocean again... Today the Caledonian Princess is docked at the quayside, a mere shadow of her former, glorious self. Instead of weathering the high seas she now finds herself flooded with alcohol plied party-goers, most of the Monday night variety. Armed with the new name of the Tuxedo Princess, she has become firmly entrenched within the student community and is now known O NOT under any circumstances enter the boat sober... Watching drunken fools sing into their VK Apple can never be fully appreciated if you've abstained from the triples at pre-Boat stop Dobsons, and the stench that everyone talks about will hit you directly upon entering the boat, rather than a drunken three hours later. D Try to ensure you don't lose everyone you originally came with... When you've had a couple of drinks the boat turns into something of a maze, best negotiated in groups rather than solo. Not forgetting that going solo, you'll look like a loser. Take FULL advantage of the cheap drinks on offer... You may have to queue for hours to get them, but they're serious value for money, even if you do wake up feeling like a lobotomy-gone- With the opening of several new clubs, and revamping of previous nights, there is heavy competition on for the Monday student-night of choice, and anyone who has visited the boat in the past few weeks will have noticed a considerable decline in numbers. When questioned, the manager Derek Graham assured us this is perfectly normal for this time -of year, and when the student loans arrive again in January, the students will return with renewed vigour. We're not convinced. After the first year, the novelty of the boat for most people has worn off, although there are those older students who still frequent the boat. Is this simply an attempt to re capture those glorious first-year nights out? Or is it that on some occasions you've managed to get so wrong with a multi-coloured tongue. Avoid dancing till dizzy on the revolving dance floor... If it's working, that is! From a bystanders point of view it seems a sweaty mass, on which no-one is able to move, but looking at those drunkards dancing like they're having the times of their lives is always an interesting spectacle. Just what is the appeal of a revolving dance floor anyway?! Take care not to slip over when drunk... But let's face it - we've all been there. If you merely trip, the trick is to incorporate this into a unique, avant-garde dance move. Slightly more problematic is the full on forward dive... just go home, Fresher. Use The Boat as an opportunity to go all out on fancy dress... Cross dressing included! drunk, you just seemed to 'end up there' (well, that's your excuse anyway...)? Whichever you are, whether you go to the Boat or not will decide where it is in twenty years time. A scrap yard, perhaps? Or will it be restored to its former glory (as rumours suggest) and the much loved Tuxedo princess take to the seas once more, headed for the Irish coast? As one avid Boat simply as The Boat. The Boat needs no more introduction. Most, if not all students have experienced a night there at some point. And whether you loved it or hated it, it was bound to be memorable. The putrid smelling interior, the way that your feet stick to the floor, those tacky strung up lights and the precarious tilting floors are, to some, all part of the boat's charm. But you might, understandably, wonder why anyone goes at all. So, for the uninitiated amongst you, we have compiled the ultimate survival guide to ensure you enjoy The Boat to the full: Do not attempt to blag your way into VIP... Wait until later in the evening and sneak up the back staircases... always works a treat! Don't fall overboard... \ Pretty straightforward really. \ Don't indulge in the burger van... No matter how hungry you are, refrain from the tempting choices of sweaty hot dog and BSE burger. You'll be glad you did in the morning. Avoid The Boat at all costs on a Saturday night... No, really unless you're of a masochistic bent. NEVER deny your love for The Boat... many of you find it necessary to slate The Boat (with some good reason), but a Newcastle without The Boat is like a Rah without the f pashmina. lover remarked: 'if the boat goes to Ireland, I go to Ireland.' But whilst the boat remains in Newcastle, it will always have a place in the students' hearts. It would be nice to think that once we've left, the Boat will go on providing entertainment for future generations, and maintain its now legendary status. Despite its faults (the sweat, the sweltering heat, and the smells to name but a few), the Boat is still a big attraction, and there are only, two other cities in the country which can lay claim to having a floating club. So whether you view the Boat as a Quayside eyesore or an iconic symbol of Newcastle (sorry, Gateshead), it's safe to say we'd all miss her if she went... even if only slightly. 4 - + io thecourier Features Monday 21st November 2005 Freddie.Darbyshireiancl.ac.uk Men Behaving Beautifully CAT BAILEY and ELLE BRUNTON have no problem with men looking good, but not TOO good... OR years, women have been now proudly displayed by high accustomed to aspiring to a profile sports stars such as David physical ideal - then going to Beckham and Gavin Henson; men's great lengths to achieve it. men who have brought male We have spent countless hours grooming to the playing field. plucking, waxing and applying These are guys idolised for their cosmetics, used lotions and potions sporting achievements, making it (which don't deliver on their safer for other men to emulate them promises) and then headed out into both on and off the pitch. It is far the world with the easier for a man to respect a rugby 'natural' look that player, like Henson, than a balladevery woman knows . singing pretty-boy, and not question takes at least two his masculinity; it is much more hours. And, after acceptable to have a sun-bed tan or burning ourselves bleach your hair if David for the millionth Beckham has done it first. time on the hot wax, Rugby players we have cursed the ease once used to of the hassle-free grooming b e habits of men. Until recently, a shower, a shave and a fresh t -shirt seemed to be the only male grooming essentials. But times are changing; the fashion mullet is on the rise, tangoed-tans abound, and for men aged between 16 -25, pink was this summer's colour of choice. Yes, men are becoming increasingly interested associated in their appearance, and men's w i t h fashions have been veering in a cauliflower ears distinctly more feminine direction. and a lack of teeth, The pastel colours seen last season but not anymore. In a recent were, for want of a better adjective, interview in Cosmopolitan, Gavin 'pretty' shades usually favoured by Henson admitted that it takes him the fairer sex. Which brings us to our two hours to get ready for a night point are men getting more girly? Or oufc"First I shave my legs and then are the boundaries between the sexes shave my. face. Next I apply fake tan, becoming blurred? which works pretty instantly, and You can't have failed to notice the then I do my hair, which can take abundance of male skincare products quite a while." now available. Ten years ago, any Two hours? That's a long time, man who cleansed, toned, even for a girl! Gavin Henson is a moisturised and then used a self good looking lad (apart from those tanning product would have done so distinctly feminine eyebrows), but in secret. Now it is perfectly do women really want a boyfriend acceptable for men to spend hours on that will hog all of their bathroom their appearance. Hair highlights time? and make up, previously the We aren't against male grooming exclusive domain of boy band on principle; we're just starting to members and Baywatch actors, are despair at the levels of vanity it has F spawned. But fear not ladies: there are still a few cavemen left in the world! And we are definitely happy about it. We can't speak for the entire female population, but it*s pretty offputting speaking to a guy that knows more about hair care than you do! And after speaking to male friends, we are confident that there are a few men finding this trend as difficult to deal with as we are - we've had some pretty violent reactions to fashion mullets: 'We don't really think there's a rise in pressure to look good but men are becoming more feminine in my opinion; all those mullets and f***ing pretty boys!' says Phil, a student at Edinburgh University. Tom, studying in Sheffield, has a different opinion, saying that although he only spends 15 minutes getting ready, he feels that if his friends spend ages getting ready there will be more pressure for him to look good too. However, peer pressure isn't the only catalyst for this trend. The media has had a huge part to play. We know the effect that seeing Freddie Ljungberg in a pair of Calvin Klein's has on us, but what about its effect on men? Steve King, Editor of Men's Health Magazine lays the blame at women's door: 'I hate to say it but women are putting pressure on men, they want us to look like the guy from the Calvin Klein advert.' This, in part, is true but these airbrushed images of physical perfection are just fantasy: in reality we'd prefer a man that isn't always in the gym. But the media have made the Adonis image a fantasy for men themselves, a goal for them to aspire to. The rise in cosmetic surgery in men has proved that both sexes are equally susceptible to the media's influence. According to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (BAAPS), the number of men that had J cosmetic ^ surgery last year doubled. Men are resorting to d r a s t i c measures to keep up with what they feel women want. It used to be common (in adverts aimed at women) to see the reaction 8, St Mary's Place. H aym arket Newcastle. 0191 2811101 [email protected] of a man to the woman's look PHOTOcopyBINDprintDIGITALimageT-SHIRTSkiosksDISERTATIONSphotocopyPOSTERSbadges at the end of the 1 0 % Student D iscount for >£5 spend excludes self-serve ad. But this is no longer the OH D A V ID ... Is the star footballer you r m odem day Adonis? case; brands such as L'Oreal are now encouraging us to primp up simply because 'we're worth it', not because it will get us a man. This is not the case for men, however. Just look at adverts for shaving products: the real test of a razor is whether the scantily clad woman (that you have clearly just spent the night with) ectfum + touches your face and says 'oh wow, your skin is so soft that we should go back to bed', or words to that effect. Here the motivation is still to impress the woman. Or is it that the media are not confident that a man advertising skin care products can still look masculine and therefore have to make their heterosexuality explicit? This effect has spread to films, too. The hero is no longer of the ubermasculine variety (think Bruce Willis in Die Hard) with tom vest and five o' clock shadow, all sweaty and filthy. In Alfie, Jude Law is the epitome of the 'metrosexual' male who manages to sleep his way around New York. In the opening scene he addresses the audience, anticipating their reaction to his flamboyant wardrobe: "I know what you're thinking, but if you ooze masculinity, as some of us do, you have no reason to fear pink.' Leaving aside whether or not Jude Law actually does 'ooze masculinity', the message is clear; pink is no longer just for girls and anyone should feel free to moisturise. But lets not get carried away - when your boyfriend looks at your top admiringly and says 'my, aren't you a riot of colour today7 you may start to long for the good old days when men just didn't care. So next time you're getting ready and cursing your boyfriend for not feeling your pain, remember: be careful what you wish for. [email protected] J.L.G undill@ ncl.ac.uk thecourier n Features Monday 21st November2005 J.L.GundHMancl.ac.uk JENNIE BEN ATKINSON her bookmark at VifLiJ ~ EFORE I start, let me make it clear that I love film; going to the cinema is one of my favorite leisure pursuits, and many films have emotional ties for me, from first dates to the time I cried so much at the pictures that I was physically sick on the way home (Titanic - how embarrassing). But if film was still just a figment of an engineer's imagination, I think I would still be in exactly the same place as I am today. Books are the foundation of education. Having been read to from a baby I developed a natural curiosity for fiction and found myself immersed in novels ranging from Enid Blyton's Famous Five to Melvin Burgess's Junk. My passion for reading continued to the extent that I decided to embark on an English Literature degree. Literature is integral to everyday life, in a way that we are often not aware of; the concept of Big Brother comes from Orwell's 1984, and many of our everyday sayings have their origins in Shakespeare's plays; for example, "it's all Greek to me" comes from Julius Caesar. It is not that films do not have an impact on our lives, but I feel that it is more important to be well-read, than well-schooled in the world of film. If I should be lucky enough to have children I think a well stocked bookshelf in their bedroom is more imperative than an extensive DVD library. B 'A well-stocked bookshelf is more imperative than an extensive DVD library' Film allows us to escape the stress of everyday life for a few hours, which is fantastic, but I prefer to be able to dip in and out of a story, drawing out the suspense. When revising for my GCSEs I found myself gripped by Harry Potter, providing a welcome relief and a reward: one past paper to one chapter! Reading a novel may be harder work than watching a film, but I think the comparative rewards reflect this. You may not be able to see the characters, but this enables you to visualize them in your own way; a way which allows you to empathize with them more and live vicariously through them. When a novel is adapted into a film, someone who has already read the novel will always be disappointed by the portrayal of the protagonist; a director cannot cater for everyone's individual vision. It is also not possiETe in film to recreate every little nuance of a written narrative. The Harry Potter films for example, are visually enchanting, but if you have read 'Reading a novel may be harder work than watching a film, but the comparative rewards reflect this' the novels you may find yourself disheartened as you realize the small things which make Harry Potter Harry Potter, have b e e n missed out, and t h a t there are V little things V that niggle at you - Mrs D u r s 1e y should have blonde hair not dark hair! I am not a big fan of film adaptations. I am scared that I will be frustrated by the auteur's vision, as in the case of The Beach or The Virgin Suicides. I actually refused to see The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy for this very reason! However, the large amount of adaptations indicates the importance of literature, even in the cinematic domain; if the film's producer had not read the novel in the first place, there would be no film! Two of this week's major releases are adaptations; The Constant Gardener and In Her Shoes. Finally, if you were to be stranded on a desert island, you would (hopefully) be more likely to take a book than a DVD; it fits in your bag, does not need electricity, and would occupy much more of your time than a film! In this sense, although HEN it comes to superior storytelling, cinema is undoubtedly the ultimate medium. From the outset of a good film, your senses are assaulted as the director visually and aurally manipulates the viewer, whilst touching upon your soul in a way that the written word can only dream of. I will admit that it may very well be my job to take such a stance. However, as an English Literature student, I have been in a perfect situation to look at both sides of the spectrum, and have readily come to my conclusion. There is no denying that the novel is an effective and enjoyable means of communicating ideas, but the sheer • amount of dramatic instruments and devices on offer to a J Q 09,'3 q f i l m- maker W him n* Vi just to cover my f back) to f present material in a unique, exciting and im m ediate manner that surpasses mere print on paper. The true strength of a film is in reaching an emotional catharsis within the viewer, inducing a thrill like nothing else. Who could not be affected by the final escape in The Shawshank Redemption, the eye-juggling tension of Michael Corleone's restaurant meeting in The Godfather, or the spine-tingling night-vision , 'Cinema touches your soul in a way that the written word can only dream of' climax of The Silence o f the Lambs? All three of these, it may be added, were originally novels, yet have been transformed into superior movies, cutting out the drab and making a more focused narrative. While the novel leaves room for inconstancies in the pace of reading, the film-maker novels are definitely the way takes control of the temporal element of forward. the story, choosing his moments to perfection in developing plot and heightening tension. The control that the film has over your 'reading' of the storyline is invaluable in creating an unequalled dramatic sensation, as well as being the sign of a truly brilliant director. I reject the idea of 'not being 'A compelling film grabs you by the throat no matter what your reading ability is, and does not let go until the credits roll' able to put a book down' simply because it takes too long; even the fastest of readers cannot come to a satisfying conclusion without locking themselves in a room for a week. A compelling film, however, grabs you by the throat no matter what your reading ability is and does not let go until the credits roll. A simple way in which the film will always reign supreme is in its accessibility. We simply don't talk in the language of literature; our usual way of communicating is through speech and it is in this manner that the film can resonate deeper. Personally, I can relate more to a walking, talking character than one that is restricted to the confines of one's own mind. Sometimes it is easier for a film-maker to show you what you cannot envision yourself, leaving the viewer to interpret what he/ she sees in front of them. Anyone who has seen such genredefiant movies as Donnie Darko or Pi will agree that film gives equal, if not more, scope for imagination. Moreover, you could write a thesis on the complex characters of directors like Lynch and Cronenberg. A film can often leave you speechless. Films have a breathtaking ability to make the impossible possible and the unbelievable believable, whilst legitimising something that would look frankly ridiculous written down materialising before your very eyes. I doubt that Neo's dodging of bullets in 77k Matrix or the TIOOO's metamorphosis in Terminator 2 would have looked quite as good if ifd been left on paper. Put simply: actions speak louder than words. A director's tool box of colour, music, dialogue, sound effects, lighting, CGI, editing, camera trickery, I could go on forever, can collectively create a world of suspense, drama, comedy, horror or sci-fi, all in the more convenient two hour time slot. My work here is done! + 12 thecourier Monday 21st November 2005 Travel [email protected] RAVEL Nordic Never Neverland 9 St Mary's Place. Newcastle NE1 7PG 0191 233 2111 newcastle @statravel .c o .u k www. statravel. co.uk NINA HART explores Oslo, the cultured capital of Norway, and finds peace and tranquility T he capital city of Norway, 'Oslo' takes its name from the Nordic As meaning God and Lo meaning field. After spending 4 days there this reading week, it appears that this translation isn't far from the truth. Drawn to Norway because of the peace, tranquillity and cleanliness it has to offer, I wasn't sure how much opportunity I was going to have to see everything in such a short time. I shouldn't have worried. It appears that no matter how long you have or what time of year you choose to spend in Oslo, the capital will accommodate you. The city started to grow in popularity around 1905, the same time that Norway gained independence from Sweden. It was only in the 1950's however that Oslo became the city of commercial hubbub that we now recognise. At every glance, technological & cultural influences are visible, though this does little to distract from the unique identity that Oslo has created for itself. It purports to be one of the most serene cities in Scandinavia, which is perhaps why it was chosen to be the home of the renowned Nobel Peace Centre. Although not the official reason, the city's ability to assume peace and create serenity in a cultured and intellectual manner certainly influences the opinion one takes away from Oslo. As a tourist, one of the first things I noticed when investigating the city, is the amount of museums it boasts. Every district has at least one and most of them would justify a visit. This is especially true for the Munch Museum and the Vigelandsparken (the sculpture park). They both offer an insight into the world of two of Norway's most influential but opposing artists. Munch died in 1944, and at his death it was revealed that he had donated all of his work to his birthplace, Oslo. The museum that currently holds his work was built purely for this purpose. The collection is exceptional, punctuated by self-portraits which reflect the progression of Munch's life and career. The sculpture park, a massive outdoor space designed by Gustav Vi gel and, is always open and free to enter. It contains many weird & wonderful scul ptures, some of which are so randomly ugly you can't help but T H E C O A S T IS A L W A Y S C H A N G IN G ...O s lo looks out on the N o rth Sea laugh at them! Even if you aren't convinced or interested by Vigiland's artwork, the park is worth visiting just to benefit from Oslo's cool, crisp air. Both of these museums are easily accessible and although I think you can manage it on foot, the T-Bane is very regular and conveniently drops you off outside of both locations. Another unique selling point for Oslo is its vast selection of outdoor activities. During summer the harbour is bustling and awash with street side cafes. Most of them have patio heaters - it may be brighter during the summer months but in comparison to other European cities Oslo remains quite cool! This makes it a favourable destination to sit and chat or simply watch the world go by. For the more active amongst you, if you fancy taking a day trip, north of the centre is Nordmarka. Here there are lots of hiking opportunities and the forested hills and tranquil lakes offer a glimpse of what the rest of Norway has in store. A winter visit to Oslo is also packed with opportunity. Cross country skiing originated in Norway, ensuring that Norwegians are major skiers! Tryvain W inter Park is the capital's largest ski centre. It is easy to get there on the T-Bane and equipment rental is around £30 a day. Holmenkollen is also 25 minutes outside of central Oslo where the infamous Holmenkollen ski-jump is situated: this is the biggest and scariest ski-jump I've ever seen! Winter also offers the possibility of a horse drawn sleigh ride or, if you are around in late November, a chance to see the Festival of Light, when Oslo converts into a twinkling paradise. Eating or drinking out in Oslo can be a bit complicated but finding a nice place is definitely worth the effort. Essentially, Norwegian officials have decided that in order to control the drinking habits of the population they will put 'strict' regulations on purchase hours. This means that buying wine or spirits anywhere but a 'winery' or a bar after 6pm is impossible and beer can only be bought up until 8pm, apart from in bars where it becomes rather expensive. I spoke to two Norwegian students who thought that £5 was cheap for a pint! Fortunately, there aren't any restrictions accompanying dining out and although prices might bum your fingers, you can eat at whatever time you choose. One of the most economic areas is Griinerlokka. There are restaurants havcina frm £425 m exico frm £445 sau paulo frm £453 aplenty here and it is especially popular with students and artists. Also the location of a few cool bars, there is the occasion to have a nightcap or two. If you have enough in your budget there are some 'exotic' dishes to be tried in Norway, including seal and reindeer, but I'm not entirely sure how ethical this is as the seal population is rapidly diminishing, and I am convinced Santa would have something to say about eating reindeer... Transport to Oslo from Newcastle is remarkably cheap. Ryanair is currently offering flights from as low as lp working out at about £25 return with tax. Flights leave from Newcastle Airport and arrive at Oslo, Torp. This airport is about 1 houri outside of the city centre; for a* student return it is approximately £20. Alternatively, if anyone is planning to InterRail this summer, Norway is part of Zone B, along with Sweden & Finland. On the whole, Oslo rocks. It is the capital of one of the most peaceful countries in Europe (though not yet part of the EU), the people are amongst the friendliest that I've ever met, and it offers something for everybody in every season. So, GO! It might set you back a few pennies but it is worth it. buenos aires frm £584 lima frm £665 THIS WEEK... Prodigy Martha Wainwright Turner Prize Bingo Pulp.Music v. Remember, remember these gigs in November... prodigy« k . Metro Arena 22nd November Roger Mackin & Matt Marlow Neil Buchanan (of Art Attack fame) drew these pictures. At least that’s who she said she was... Through th eir fifteen years of highs and lows in the music scene, live sets are undoubtedly where Prodigy constantly excel. The rap tu ro u s sounds o f1 'S m a c k M y Bitch U p ’ or] ‘C harly’ in a live environm ent* always set the h eart racing, w hether pilled up to the nines or rid in g on pure hard adrenaline. Their Newcastle visit promises to be an incendiary opening to th eir ‘Singles’ tour, providing m o re a n th e m ic tu nes and rousing beats than you can shake a glow stick at. Moreover, this will give Prodigy an excuse to a ir th e ir s u p e rio r old m a te ria l fro m th e archives. Now, all together: .‘ I’ve gone sent to O uter Space, to find another ra c e ...’ Ben A tkinson As Autumn becomes W inter and we all start abusing our gas bills with dirty central heating, the music world is in a state of semi-limbo. Trips to record stores become less frequent as new albums dry up and music lovers prepare to go into hibernation, wrapping up in w arm sum m er hits and reminiscing of days gone by when we’d never even heard of the Arcade Fire... but w hat’s this come to warm our cockles? (And what the hell are ‘cockles’ anyway!?) Why it’s November gigs! There are some reet good ‘uns this week • two Arena spectaculars to shake the frost from your hips, and one home-turf night out from the cold at the Global Cafe. Calm us down with lovely ideas: [email protected] Familiar Faces A weekly look at the leading lights of Newcastle’s cultural life. This week: The ‘Steel Wheels' man! Name: Keith Manon Age: 32 Occupation: 'Steel Wheels' sign holder-for four and a half years. Keep tryin to leave coz its crap but they ask me back. How much do you get paid? £5 p/h Best and Worst part of job: Money is good. Wind is bad. What did you want to be when you were younger? Nothing man! Just wanted to be a lay about! Favourite part of Toon: Eldon Square Worst part of town: Standing here Favourite Venue: No where. I don't drink. Just coffee. This is only bad habit (rolls up a cigarette). What is your favourite song/artist? I don't like music. Have you ever brought a cd? Nah. Don't buy anything. Just spend money on me house and dog. Do you ever go to steel wheels? Nah, it's a load a crap. Mmm...ok... I tell everybody not to go man! Franz Ferdinand @Metro Arena 27th November Arab Strap @Newcastle Uni 23rd November With support in the form of upcoming indie sensations The Rakes and the 'dark and enigmatic* Editors, Franz's first visit to Newcastle in over a year looks set to be a ball-bouncingly cool event. The game plan is likely to consist of a healthy mixture of hits from debut album 'Franz Ferdinand,' with a pleasant smattering of new songs from that tricky follow-up album, 'You Could Have It So Much Better.' If their much-publicised Edinburgh performance some weeks ago is anything to go by, Kapranos & chums will not disappoint. Be there. Come November 23rd Aiden Moffat and Malcolm Middleton will i be providing some of the saddest, heart aching music to hit I Newcastle since the England vs. Portugal end credits. Often blithely written off as drunken Scottish misers with lyrics such as ‘It was the biggest cock she'd ever seen / But she had no idea, where that cock had been’, Arab Strap are not your typical axe heroes ■no groin thrusts here - but if you want unflinchingly honest music that will captivate and enthral, then these boys truly are a rarity in the shallowness of today's pop wasteland. Theo Johnson Jofa/vt.k , », „ , , ,, „ ,, Tom Wilson . * Various Artists A ll Tomorrow’s Parties 20 03 Released as a companion to the ATP Festival 2003, Groening has attempted to draw a line from the Veivet Underground to Sonic Youth through the best of the American alternative scene. There's a distinct lack of the VU but this is a fantastic collection - Sonic Youth's cover of the Simpsons theme is quality. The only lame duck is Daniel Johnstone's drippy track, but those by Electrelane and Jackie-0 Motherfucker more than make up for it. The highlight is definitely the Analog Set's beautifully understated ‘Come home baby Julie, come home’. Definitely worth a listen. ★ 1 - I |ajj|n c <75 |q J|d Rammstein Rockin' The Joint (Live in Las Vegas) Rosenrot Ah, Jim Noir...Music to skip merrily down a sunny street to after eating too many enumbers. Tower of Love’ is a collection of an individual’s private musings on subjects such as the artist's tortured relationship with his computer in ‘My Computer’ ( ‘ I tried control delete...I hate having to restart your mind...’) and the trauma of losing balls over fences in ‘Eeny Meenie’. This album is intriguingly individual, mixing electronic effects with upbeat folky melodies. If I had one criticism it would be that this music sounds destined to feature on some car advert or other. But never mind, Jim Noir is definitely worth checking out. Anna Coatman Aerosmith. Legends. All in favour? But this live compilation taken from 2002's ‘Just Push Play’ tour doesn't contain enough of their best moments to satisfy. Highlights are the seldomplayed album track ‘Seasons of Wither’ and the none-moreballadesque ‘Don't Want to Miss A Thing’. I've heard better versions of the (still cool though) ‘Walk This Way’. My overall impression is one of contractual obligation on the band's part - there are more worthy Aerosmith live albums out there, and this is for fans only. Scott Nixon Deutsch industrial favourites Rammstein show their rockier side on this, their 5th studio album. Moving away from the pounding beats of earlier albums, ‘Rosenrot’ features slower-paced singing and less abrasive basslines, but makes up for it with lots and lots of trademark riffage. I dislike the emphasis put on the vocals as I think that has never been Rammstein’s strong point in the first place, and the anthemic tracks on ‘Rosenrot’ tend to sag if you don't understand the lyrics. Furthermore, ‘Te Quiero Puta’ is the ultimate of throwaway tracks, and that's why this gets only 2 stars. ‘Rosenrot’ ist nicht amazing, but listenable enough. Romain Chenet if if if if ir if if if Last time Martha played in Newcastle, she was sick. On the audience. Or so she says half way through the set, following a slightly sarcastic ‘it's great to be back’. This nauseous legacy she left behind in Newcastle has been unquestioningly replaced by the performance she put on last week, which was nothing short of spectacular. Armed with an acoustic guitar and some killer stilettos, Martha filled every corner of the stupidly high-ceilinged Academy with her voice, personality and musical skill. She also showed herself to be very able to cross genres; covers of songs by Cole Porter and Leonard Cohen, husky jazz club stylings and Texan bar duets. However, the highlights were always going to be just Martha and her guitar, when she sings with such raw intensity that your knees feel a bit weak and you'd have to sit down if you weren't already. A gig that will truly be remembered, this time for all the right reasons. Sea Harbour if if if if if Blue lighting and spasmodic puffs of stage smoke set the scene for this showcase of Newcastle's young musical talent. Kicking off the proceedings is BMused, an all-female folk quintet whose emotive harmonising couldn't fail to impress. They were swiftly followed by Elliot Rush and Band, a piano-led 5 piece who's potent jazzy blues created the perfect backdrop for Elliot's soulful, occasionally anguished voice. Third act Flu wedded menacing prog-metal to haunting Radioheadstyle introspection, to excellent effect. Good riffs too. The Art Of Kissing combined blissful vocal arrangements with quirky and heartfelt lyrics to create a heady brew of acoustic-folk emotion. The evening climaxed with crowd favourites Myrtle Tyrtle, a 7-piece jazz/funk/rock/psychedelic barn dance band that swung harder with every song. Proof that the Newcastle music scene has been underrated for far too long. Scott Nixon Devendra Banhart Pharrell Calla System Possibly the most laid-back, melodic song on the 'loud' side of their smash-hit double album, 'In Your Honour', the anthemic 'Resolve' is therefore a safe bet for single release. Grohl lives up to his 'nicest man in Rock' persona by refraining from his usual throat-shredding vocals meaning your Mum may even approve! Heard Somebody Say The most normal and accessible release to date - no ‘horse-headed flesh wizard’ here - this single may well be the one that gives Devendra the recognition he truly deserves. The three tracks show off his talents nicely; warm, beautiful melodies, banjos and an ode to chickens. Just so we don't forget how wonderfully odd he is. It Dawned On Me This offering from New York is very easy on the ear. With the husky vocals, it sounds like early B.R.M.C. that's been subjected to some new government anti excitement measures. The riff's nice enough, but, you know... bleuurgh. Could be better to come from the album, as long as they're more rebellious against those damn imaginary laws. Hypnotize Standard SOAD. A nice arpeggio then a spot of distortion, combined with lyrics about Tiananmen Square and what-not. You know what to expect. If you liked their old stuff, you'll like this but maybe not as much as you were hoping. It's pretty formulaic but a welcome distraction from the X Factor. Chris Johnstone Bea Harbour Angel A far cry from the grinding urban fare of 'Can I have it like that?', here Pharrell leaves his celebrity friends alone to display his tender side; opening lyric ‘She got ass like loaf o' bread’ showing the depths to which this extends! Essentially this is a harmless, uplifting affair, demanding only the occasional tapped foot/drunken writhings in a nightclub of your choice. Luke Symonds Foo Fighters O) Aerosmith Tower of Love David Littlefair ‘We are Motorhead, and we play Rock 'n' Fucking Roll’, declares Lemmy and bloody hell they do! Firstly Girlschool, cult girl rockers, play at a ridiculously early time, so most miss them. In Flames play pounding metal with expert guitar work, pointing out the awkwardness of the entirely seated City Hall. The lights dim, and Motorhead swagger onstage, opening with the driving 'Dr Rock' as the noise engulfs the crowd. It's when Phil Campbell (guitarist) and Lemmy ask the crowd if it is loud enough (then upping it as a result) you know it's a good show! The newer material 'Killers' and the acoustic 'Whorehouse Blues' ride with ease with the classics such as 'Metropolis', 'Ace of Spades' and the climaxing 'Overkill'. This, the 30th anniversary tour, shows no relent of what is a class act - even if Lemmie thinks they’re getting on. A mesmerising and eardamaging experience - there is no finer! Chris Kay Resolve © Jim Noir I once travelled down to Manchester to watch Bright Eyes, it was a bit of a let down. What began as anticipation trickled away bit by bit as I found myself surrounded by chunky sixteen year old girls with 'I heart Conor' signs in their hands, and an audience so static it could have given the Louvre a run for its money in the statues-per-square-foot stakes. A collection of tour tit bits, this album doesn't really encapsulate that hushed reverence that constitutes the Bright Eyes live experience, but has some nice live b-sides and jazzed-up rarities for the completist. if ★ ★ ★ Single Of The Week to Bright Eyes Motion Sickness (Live 20 05 ) if if ir if if if if if if if if if if if if Tim Smith if if if if if Of A Down Tom Little it if if if if The Mystery Jets Alas Agnes Sick to death of saccharine love ballads? Then let me prescribe you a dose of ‘Alas Agnes’. The fourth single from Mystery Jets details the eternal dilemma of falling in love with a transvestite in such a harmonic, frenzied and fantastically eclectic manner it's hard not to fall for the lovable rouges themselves. Utter genius. Holly Poynton w ir ★ ★ ★ + Pulp.Music Why Does No One Ever Talk About Sufjan Stevens? Charlotte Otter puts the spotlight on the best multi-instrumentalist singer songwriter ever, ever... If there are two things you should know about Sufjan Stevens, they are that firstly he's making a series of albums to represent each state in America- an undertaking which is impressively ambitious and will most likely last the whole of his recording career. The second thing is that he's a Born Again Christian, but please, please don't let that put you off I This man in amazing; truly the best singer have seen and heard in ages. No exaggeration. Honest! His gentle voice delicately sings about topics such as divorce, alcoholism, murder and adultery, and these songs are backed by intricate, multi-layered melodies. As some of his subject matter is so un-christian like, he doesn't win the support of the CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) media; in fact hardly any of the rare - and dare I say it, beautiful - breed of people who listen to Sufjan's music are Christian, or even that way inclined. His latest album, 'Illinois' celebrates the State's culture of mythology and oral traditions with songs about UFO sightings, zombies, the Black Hawk War and John Wayne Gacy Jr. The latter being a heart-wrenchingly beautiful tune about a mass murderer who killed lots of little boys- disturbing to think about, yes, but an absolute treat to listen to. On 'Michigan' he turns to more traditional sounds, with banjos, wood flutes and oboes- playing the majority of the instruments himself. Each song on the album takes a location in the state and tells a story about it, resulting in a vivid soundscape of sounds and images being painted into your mind; a cinematic blur of scenery moving swiftly by. ‘Wonderful records of poetic genius...he can appeal and speak to everyone” Three other albums exist by Sufjan Stevens, his self titled debut, 'Enjoy Your Rabbit' and the legendary 'Seven Swans’ EP, all wonderful records of poetic genius - but maybe I’m gushing too much. The fact that Stevens is signed to, and distributed by, the supreme Rough Trade Records in the UK shows that he is a singer who can appeal and.speak to everyone- it's just a shame that more people don't know about him. His most recent album is also his most accomplished; ‘Illinois' is an epic, twenty-1 two song appraisal of the minutiae of ^ modern American life. Check it out. Northern Spotlights The Dead Beatniks Band Biog: Live Review The Dead Beatniks are 5 males, armed with a solid repertoire of funk, R'n'B and melodious art-rock to prove to the world that they're not just posh boys from Durham University. After rigorously touring the North East's little haunts for a year, they now intend to perform at bigger venues, beyond the region. Last week they recorded a live 3track ER Cum berland Arm s 05/11 Demo Review: In the recorded version of San Fran Disco the band's two singers restrain the growling bravado present in their live performance. But this still doesn't change the fact this song's combination of L.A. psychedelic-funk and ironically rubbish rhymes sounds like the Stereophonies conceiving No Wave. ‘The Games We Play’ is better- a convincing take on Libertinian revelry. Upcoming Gigs: The D ead Beatniks will be playing: 11th November @ St John College Ball, Durham. 24th November @ The Star Inn, Newcastle. The Dead Beatniks were the last act of Home Cooking - an evening of sour ballads, lowly poetry and bawdy comedy performed, by portly men and greasy hippy-goths. Such an introduction offset the sprightly ambience and contemporariness of the band's set. However, while there was verve in the bands performance, there wasn't in the music, which was really just a half-hearted melange of today's cool bands and genres, so there were glittering guitar-soars a la Interpol, ragged bluegrass in the form of B.R.M.C, and ska-tinged Landan punk. These models meant the performance was very now, but also insipid in its lack of daring to inject anything new into the musical landscape. And no matter how much the guitarist stamped-danced, how much the singers howled or how much the bassist tilted his dapper straw hat- The Dead Beatniks could not detach themselves from this charge. For more info check www.thedeadbeatniks.co.uk Lauren Mulvee out: TheConstant Gardener Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz, Danny Huston, Bill Nighy Director: Fernando Meirelles Th e Orange blues m et the release of Fernando M eirelles' latest film w ith great anticipation, as The Constant G ardener is set to be an immediate success. Pulp Right, tim e for ladies and gents. a g ru m b le , Adverts at the cinema are frankly turning into a piss-take. I am not by any means referring to film trailers, as I consider them as possibly the best bit of a cinema experience. No, I’m talking about those completely pointless and selfabsorbed commercials that have sweet FA to do with film. Personally, I don’t pay a fiver to be bombarded with what latest formula Persil have, or how much bloody time Ikea can save you. They’ve probably just wasted more than said time saved watching their inane, pretentious advert! Taking a trip to the Odeon the other day, I was greeted with a quite ridiculous twenty-minute-long session, which meant that after the trailer stint I was finally greeted with what I’d paid to see in the first place 40 minutes after I’d sat down. Maybe cinemas should pay more attention to ttie actual film part of selling films, instead of trying to sell a car or some bloody nachos. Fancy a bite? Bite my arse. Anyway, that out of my system, The Constant Gardener is set to be a major Oscar nominee and deservedly so, easily one of the best films of the past few years. Be there be square. Following the sensational City of God, Meireiles creates a haunting and intimate portrayal of a British diplomat and his wife, a civil rights activist, with the immaculate casting of Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz. The story is based on John Le Carre's novel and the Brazilian director absorbs you into their relationship and chemistry, deeply entangled with politics, deceit and corruption. The film is often reminiscent of The English Patient, and immerses the audience in much the same way, echoing the crucial element of the locations. However, The Constant Gardener far surpasses it in its use and diversity of settings, switching between the pivotal locations of London, Kenya and The Sudan. Such evocative scenes ,are matched by the growing suspicions of diplomat, Justin Quayle (Fiennes), who takes the audience on an emot i onal l y charged journey to uncover the truth. The energy and pace of the film is a credit to the cinematography, and the reality of the plot is intensified by scenes shot in Africa using the local inhabitants. The film is packed with colour and vibrancy, and with the use of traditional, African music, an incredible atmosphere forms. Superb performances by supporting actors Pete Postlethwaite, Bill Nighy and Danny Huston help enrich the plot with their involvement in the political conspiracies, which brings forth the question of humanity and whether a price can be placed on human life. The audience encounters constant revelations as the story unfolds and the plot follows complex betrayals and misconceptions, exposing government Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Michelle Monaghan, Val Kilmer Director: Shane Black Slick, fast paced and above all Cokeactually-cam e-out-of-Pulp's-nose funny, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang tells the story of Harry (Robert Downey J r ), a small time crook who accidentally auditions for the part of a private detective in a film . 'Gay Perry' (Val K ilm er), a real private eye, takes him in hand. Director Shane Black's darkly comic screenplay glows and is made the most of by his charismatic leads, who manage to keep the tone light despite the impressive body count. Black makes use of a narrative from Harry's perspective, allowing him to comment on the action as it occurs, and even skip back and Email in your Ultimate Student Movie to: courierfilms@yahoo. co. uk if if it if if ODEON NEWCASTLE 0871 22 44 007 | w m to ctw gfc/acfayg up to be and, consequently, they brutally kill their masters and then commit suicide (or as the film decides after a good 'ol' philosophical debate, 'self-terminate'). Our hero, Batou the half-human, half-robot cop, investigates... This really is a film that will split audiences right down the middle. If you're a fan of anything related to Japanese anime this film is a must. If you're a philosophy student, same applies. If you can't stand films that leave you with a rather unsettled feeling of 'something is happening here, but you don't know what it is', stay well clear. Michael Stott forth as he 'remembers' things. The voiceover is highly amusing, but eventually its use as a comic device is outweighed by its distracting nature. Michelle Monaghan deserves a mention as Harmony, the girl of Harry's dreams. She is not, as is so often the case, merely eye-candy for the chiefly male audience this film may draw, but also a foil to, and mediator between, the other two lead actors. She also manages to pull off a convincing shoot-out scene dressed only in a skimpy Mrs Santa outfit, which surely merits applause. Taking the form of a contemporary,'light hearted LA Confidential, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is certain to become a well loved classic, and deservedly so. Caroline Wood Sophie Schoi Ghost in the Shell 2 The latest offering from cult Japanese director Mamoru Oshii will dazzle audiences with its immense visuals, but its convoluted musings on the relentless advance of technology will leave the vast majority scratching their heads in bewilderment. The first Ghost In the Shell brought Japanese anime to Western audiences in spectacular fashion; featuring 2-D hand drawn characters in a 3-D CGI background, a slick Blade Runner-e sque narrative and philosophical dialogue on the rapidly blurring line between the 'real' and 'virtual' worlds. The sequel contains more of the same, but this time the plot ostensibly focuses on defective, sex-slave robots, a.k.a 'Gynoids,' who start to manifest human qualities (hence defective). One of these qualities is a realisation that life as a sex-slave robot is not all its cracked Sarah Crowe KissKissBcng Bang Ben Atkinson Film Editor & full-time moaner Voices: Akio 'Otsuka, Atsuko Tanaka, Koichi Yamadera Director: Mamoru Oshii atrocities and the horrors of the nation's contemporary situation. The Constant Gardener voices the repercussions of turning a blind eye and leaves you with a lot to think about, but this is undoubtedly one of the best films of the year. Its fantastic cast and direction pull you through, leaving you satisfied that it was most definitely money well spent. Pulp can't wait to see it again. Tyneside Cinema Starring: Julia Jentsch, Fabian Hinrichs, Gerald Alexander Held Director: Marc Rothemund Sophie Scholl made Pulp want to yell ‘Girl Power’ in way that has nothing to do with the Spice Girls. How many of us would ever do what Sophie did, and would not play up the helpless female card if you knew it would prevent you from being killed? Sophie Scholl and her brother, Hans, were leaders of the White Rose resistance party. The film portrays what happened when they are discovered in their fight to get students to revolt against the Nazi party. It starts off at quite a slow pace, showing the events that lead to their arrest. This background information to Sophie's 'last days' are a bit dragged out but never so much so that you want to nod off, and once the arrests have been made the pace just keeps picking up. Pulp defies anyone not to have tears in their eyes by the end. Julia Jentsch's portrayal of Sophie has you on the edge of your seat hoping something will happen to prevent the inevitable. It's the very real human element to this film that makes it so interesting, so if you are sick of the endless chick flicks and candyfloss Sophie Scholl is definitely worth a watch. Just remember that it gets loads better in the second half. Alexa Duff if if if if Tyneside Cinema Pulp.Film mm, | n Starring: Marcos Herdandez, Mushkadiz, Bertha Ruiz Director: Carlos Reygadas Anapola “ Enjoy your porno!” I was told by Grace, “ But it's not a porno!” I challenged back • I don't want to be thought of as the kinda guy who hangs round playgrounds in a dirty old mac, or as someone who regularly stars in his very own Viz column! m ■ . , _ 41 k 1 dvdreviews Whispering Conidcxs<1998) Out Now: RRP £1 9.99 'What?!' is the question you'll be asking yourself after watching this Korean schoolgirl horror directed by Park Ki-Hyung. Whispering Corridors is the first in the 'Ghost School Trilogy’ in which Lee Mi-Yeon stars as an ex-pupil returning to her old school as a teacher only to find ghosts of the past running riot. Beautifully shot with chilling scenes and more eerie sound effects than you can shake a stick at, this film will leave you quaking in your boots (if you can work out what's going on). It does prove that maybe it's not a good idea taking pity on the class weirdo - they might be a murdering psycho. No, Grace was wrong. This was going to be a good, arty film; long, panoramic shots, lots of gazing over hillsides, a skew-iff plot, and so on. And a bar! Yes, a gottle o geer while you watch your film. Hats off to the Tyheside! Anyway, arriving in stylish art-house film noir mode, with cravat nicely tucked under jacket, 1 sat down and watched............. And an hour or so later it was ail over. Basically, sex, followed by unveiling a forty foot Mexican flag ( I'll leave that part to your imagination), young pretty girl looking pretty, followed by fat people sex (no offence to fat people but these are F A T), crying, panoramic view, death, la fin. Arty? Yes, but The Iraq war has presented the ideal moment to re-release this 1974 documentary about U.S. involvement in Vietnam, which still seems relevant 30 years after it was originally screened. Footage from the war-zone as well as interviews with both American soldiers and Vietnamese survivors presents the impact of the conflict on both sides. Comparisons with Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9 / 11 are inevitable here, but this anti-war film takes a much subtler approach; the absence of a narrator or clear structure leaves the powerful visuals and interviewees' moving stories to get the message across. A thought provoking film that speaks candidly about war through its shocking and memorable images but gives us no easy answers to the difficult questions it poses. The DVD, available for the first time in the U.K., includes a commentary and interview with the director. Out Now: RRP £17.99 The geniuses from Aardman Animation return to the small screen this month with a new series of Creature Comforts. The incredible thing about the series is that the voices are all provided by everyday members of the British public, to which the animators apply an animal alter-ego. The results are frequently hilarious, from the extremely 'Rah'-ish horse, through to the hard-of-hearing bats. A wonderful display of British animation at its best, the only down side being that the actual features themselves only total a running time of an hour. That said, the extras are brilliant. From an extremely detailed look at the creation of one particular sketch, through to the process behind capturing the voices, there is easily enough here to satisfy anyone interested in the production of such a TV programme. Film: Extras: it it it it it it'i* # The Key Players: Katsuhiro Otomo • Otomo is clearly the leading writer in anime. his films, ■ Metropolis, Memories and of course Akira, are some of the most successful and wel.l* crafted plots in the Retire. Hayao Miyazaki ■The big dog of anime at Film: * Extras: M 1 Also consider^ -($r$yp Of jjie fireflies, Metropolis, Perfect Blua, N ifrfi Scroll. ,the moment is Miyazaki, chances are that you'll know ot either Spirited Away or-J-Jowls m Awards: (Like the Oscars lor ■jnlt/ie, just , Moving Castld, but his earlier work, like My slightly mote-, random) Neighbour Totoro, is easily equal to his • Most Disturbing Use of a Scarecrow bigger budget epics award- Howls Moving Castle • “I Swe^/. l Used to Have a Matching Set of Essential/Vlr* mg Limb?; Ofrtt^eOther Side.,." award Berserk Akira ■Ah, Akim, the story of a psychic boy • More Sugary Than an Iced Slush Puppy who's also a member o f a post-apocalyptic award • Tiny Snow Fairy Sugar bike gang, Like most anime storylines, • Only Classed As Anime Bebausp No-One attempting to explain Akira to the Else Wants It award: Final Famasy'- The uninitiated tends to leave you looking, like Spirits W ithin an arse. Whatever, for the majority of anirnc fans Akira was where it all began, and the combination of explosive armon and enveloping storyline continues to make it a breathtaking spectacle today. Ghost in the Shell • Qhohtquestions the true nature of hum-mity by placing the viewer in a future where'tium ans and robots are intertwined. Whilst occasionally.,being a bit pretentious, G/?os/ remains ;; fantastically animated and deeply involving, Especially since it's regularly punctuated by random bouts of full-frontal nudity to keep you alert. This quirky film has been described as Shallow Grave through the eyes of children. Two young brothers acquire a bag filled with money and the story follows their contrasting decisions on what should be done with it. They're under pressure as the currency must be spent before the impending change to the Euro. The film is packed with comic moments and captures the youngest child's colourful imagination and naivity, as the reality of the situation soon catches up with him. M illions is another of Danny Boyle’s achievements that provides a refreshing feel good film, with a helping of serious! elements. Recommended. David Carr Princess li/lononoke ■The finest movie by the greatest anime direct Of, Mononoke is two hours of sheer brilliance. Miyazaki's a b i 111y Lp»never i of a Ily demonise his villains ,i*fc;glorify his fw.-rnes leaves a gripping story, typically amusing characters and fantastic animation to do the talking. Crash Course... Anime U m m ...Is n ’t a n im e ju s t ca rto o n s? Truly, gra ssh o p p e r, you have m u ch to le a rn . ,, II we're going to compare anime arid cartoons let's look at a few examples wfts Mickey Mouse hacked to death by a lunatic samurai? No. Was Snow WJnile vapourised in a beam of energy? Not exactly. Vy^s Gambi cut down in a hail o r gunfire?..,well,, bad example. Anime can get away with much more than live-action; just look at the most successful anime of the last ten years, Pvkamon. In real life Ash has the RSPCA after him faster than a Pikachu quick attack, but in the aSjfs world of anime everything goes. So if you’re if) the mood for some mindless violence (or animal cruelty), then sit back and relax, anime's got you covered./. W ft w W '7 Sarah Crowe Rob Bell if Cartoons for perverts? Not so, explains Tom Marling... Ed McCabe Hearts and Mrids (1974) Creature Comforts: Mffions (2004) Series2 Volume 1(2005) Out Now: RRP £17.99 Out Now: RRP £19.99 Andrea Rangecroft Film: i f i t Extras: -ft* slightly farty also. So, did I enjoy my porno? Yes and no. But more yes than no. If only for scene where the main characters are selling jelly, cakes j and alarm clocks next to a Mexico City | underground station. Random as hell, but in a good way. • • • • Battle ri Heaven Film: Extras: ^ • Mflons of M K o n s to win (weB, three)... If you’d like to win a brand spanking new copy of M illio n s, answer this tres tres easy question. Q: W hich Danny Boyle film is based on an Irvine Welsh novel? Email your answer to: cou rie rfilm s@ yah oo .co .uk M ILLIO N S is available to buy on DVD fro m Pathe Distribution Ltd. on Novem ber 2 1 s t 2 0 0 5 © 2 0 0 5 Pathe Distribution Ltd. All Rights Reserved + “ T H IS week we need som eone to review the Blue Reef Aquarium in Tynem outh, anyone want to do it?” YES! Like a kid in a candy shop I snapped up the offer in about two m illiseconds, and on arrival I was glad that I had done. KIrsty’s Column Hey there lovelies, Hope you’re all well and not struck down by mumps! On Sunday I came over all domesticated and decided to cook a Sunday roast. I peeled and chopped and roasted and stuffed and invited. And do you know what? It was brilliant! Not a Bridget Jones moment in sight (If you know me you will understand this is v. rare!) So if you’re looking for a heartwarming experience, invite some friends over, pop open a bottle of wine and have a good old fashioned meal round the table - just like the Bisto advert! Ever wondered what’s under the sea? Reporter, Ed McCabe took the plunge at this week’s boredom buster and here’s what he found... It's great. I saw so many different types of fish, sharks, octopi, seahorses and generally amazing things in there, you can't help but be fascinated by the diversity of life that you can see while wandering around. There are all colours and hues of ray, shark, frog and beast to discover, and even Nemo himself can be found if you look hard enough (quite a coup to get him on a new five year contract!). Brilliantly there are also two otters living in a man-made badger habitat, which had just given birth to several baby otters which, I was informed, you will be able to see in around four weeks, when they are old enough to come out of their nest. The staff were very friendly, and really caught your interest by doing intriguing things like feeding whole boxes of live crickets to poison dart frogs (obviously not a typical event in and around uni... well not for me anyway.) What is there not to like? If I could, I'd give this six stars, it's that good. And all this is only ten miles or so away, and really easy to reach via metro. So go, I heartily recommend it. Live the dream and be that kid in the candy shop! Kirsty xxx Lunch Hotspot Base Eleven Cafe issohcxxfy ft'scJmostpcvt of Uni R4> sent CharioHeOHerto check out what's on offerat ttusunderground retreat. FORM ALLY known as ‘Hot Box' this sm all, trendy and welcoming cate is situated on Sandyford Road between Munchies and Northum bria Uni. It's easy to see why Base Eleven is a popular student place, with cheerful and friendly staff, a liberal smoking policy (it has a smoking section!) and a vast range of food at affordable prices. Open from 8 in the morning till roughly 8 .30 in the evening. It is a tad difficult to get a seat here between 12 • 2, so it's best to arrive for a late (or early) lunch, for a chance to sit down, relax and digest the scrumptious food. Bacon and Brie square clubs, fresh fruit smoothies, vodka milkshakes (Base Eleven has a full bar licence) and Malteaser slices are firm favourites on the menu, so I decided to opt for something slightly different and after hours of deliberation chose a chicken and Mediterranean vegetable sandwich. It was HUGE! Literally the size of my head, but. I made it my mission to eat it all - and a pudding (waffles with ice cream and cream ■ stuff the diet!) as well. Everything was delicious and I left with a huge smile and my belly making a bid for freedom - vowing to return. * * * * ^ Halal Meat Served Here your budget of Chicken Cottage with a mega Open 7 days a week 11.30am -12.00 midnight All Halal products. Meal Deals available 43 Gallowgate (Tyneside Irish Club) Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4SG, 0191 232 0611 * Offer applies to meal deals only. One voucher per student. Present this advert to the cashier. Offer may end at any time. Redeemable value 0.01 p Pulp.Ents Alternative Entertainment They say variety is the spice of life, so why not try something new? This week p the age-old sport of Bingo goes head-to-head with sexy salsa dancing Ed McCabe lives the salsa dream RIGHT... I have two dance modes; awful and super awful. Think of that ad, I think it's for Bacardi or something similar, which says “there is no bad dancing” ...how wrong they can be! I guess the idea is that I start now, rather like a late Billy Elliot (late in terms of time, not dead or anything!), dance with my magic feet and end up as some kind of world-beating Michael Flatley world-beating phenomenon. At least that was the theory! Located at uber-hip enormodome venue Tiger Tiger, this was my chance. A chance, to break out of the Westside ghetto that is Fenham. To live my life through dance and passion, and so on and so forth! Give a man a fish and he'll feed himself for a day. But give him dance lessons and he can, erm, feed him self (through dance, presumably) for a lifetime. No joking people, that's the hot- damn truth. And it's top. Yes, you will look like a silly billy, but everyone has to start somewhere, right? It's not like anyone minds either, it's all very friendly and supersupportive (no-one's going to point and laugh, basically. Instead they will coo and gasp at your flowing moves!). And, as Kirsty rightly said, girls do like guys who can dance. Which rules out 99% of guys in Newcastle anyway! But hopefully more people will see the light and give it a try. Verdict, go and give it a go! Just remember, there is no bad dancing! * * * * OBLIGATORY dabbers in hand we took our seats at one of the booths, arms full of bingo cards for the main and early sessions, priced at £7.99. The interior of the Bingo Hall in Heaton Social Club should apply for heritage status. Its mirrored walls and ceilings, green and red striped wall paper and golden booth for the bingo caller were straight out of the nineteen eighties. A group of lovely old ladies calmed our nerves, and talked us through the rules, in an atmosphere that was surprisingly tense! Our reddened, sweaty cheeks were cooled off with frothy pints for £1 .60, and I resisted the urge to buy a pack of Lambert and Butlers, which was what it seemed like everyone was puffing on. For the cash-strapped student a night at the Bingo is a good option, with prizes from £ 1 0 -£ 5 0 0 available on the night not to mention the "National" (with an even tenser atmosphere) with up to £ 5 0 ,0 0 0 up for grabs! Luck was definitely on my side on Monday night, as I dabbed my way to a full house and walked home with an envelope containing £250. For a real Newcastle experience this cannot be missed! Freaky Dancing Comedy spot Romain Chenet shares his pearls of wisdom on Autumn Freaky Dancing featuring Phil Kieran and Radioactive Man THE union was decked out in full bohemian regalia for this Autumn Ball edition of Freaky Dancing, with a brilliant diversity of lineup gracing the stage and DJ booths. That's where, of course, the pleasant stylings of Phil Kiernan were very much appreciated by we humble punters. It should have stayed that way but the annoying helium-pitch of Radioactive Man broke up the crowd somewhat, and his tune selection proved uninspired and somewhat disappointing. Furthering th at sensation was the malfunction of Ceephax Acid Crew's equipment, which cast an abysmal cloud over the Influence room. Thankfully, the eclectic gyrations of The Baghdaddies proved a big hit and a pleasant alternative to the throbbing beats of the main act when the exodus of bored revellers hit the live band room. Not on a par with the brilliant Valentine Ball earlier this year, I still enjoyed this edition of Freaky Dancing, but that may have had more to do with the drinks bought for me by a very drunk Czech than the music on offer. FUNNY BONES H Corriedvj Clwbs T This week Adam HaHs takes a look at the laughs on offer in our very own Union FUNNY BONES has been running in the Global Cate for a while now but it seems that not many students know about it. Let’s set that straight shall we. Funny Bones uses a simple formula, two rising comics compared by another able talent all set in the relaxed setting of the Global, a great venue for comedy due to the intimacy with the performer. The info at www.unionsociety.co.uk advises you to steer clear of wearing anything silly if you don't want to be laughed at; steer clear of the jester hats then! They're big on participation so get ready to get involved! The next session is on Nov 21st (tonight) featuring Bill Wooland, who has a repu tation as a friendly and able compere, Sarah Millican a dry ironic observational comic and Nik Coppin a storyteller with a focus on his mixed race upbringing and an easy conversational style. After that you'll have to wait until Dec 5th for your comedy fill. Tickets are £ 3 for NUS holders (that's students!) so what are you waiting for? + Art Rom Shock Tadics To Boredom TH E Turner Prize - the one event in the art calendar guaranteed to get the public, and the tabloids, talking about art, whether it’s to praise the nominees or, more commonly, to criticise and rant about ‘the state of the art world’ - or is that all a bit 90s? The choice for this year's shortlist - Jim Lambie, Darren Almond, Gillian Carnegie and Simon Starling, seems to be following a startling pattern that has developed in the past few years, that is to pick artists that are guaranteed not to shock or cause controversy. And what is the critic’s reaction to this after complaining so loud for so long about shock tactics? That it’s all a bit too boring. There’s just no pleasing some people is there? I can kind of understand where they’re coming from though. Where there once stood unmade beds complete with condoms and sheep in formaldehyde we now have a video of a granny in Blackpool (Darren Almond), a bike and a shed (Simon Starling), and paintings of bums (Gill Carnegie); well frankly guys, I’ve seen more shocking things down the town on a Friday night. But is everyone missing the point a bit? Surely we should be glad that the judging panel seem to be concentrating on serious art rather that what might end up on the front of The Sun? With Starling’s work concentrating on issues of globalisation, ecology and mass production; Carnegie's apparently traditional oil painting ‘with a twist’; and Almond’s focus on themes of remembrance and the effect of time; we can’t deny that these guys take serious subjects for their work. The exception to this is Lambie, who admits to wanting to create an art of ‘pure pleasure’, similar to the effects of listening to music, by overwhelming the senses with colour, pattern and, in this case, huge ornamental birds. Sounds great, but somehow it manages to look a bit computerised and detached to me. But is it boring? Well, that’s a matter of opinion. But there’s one thing I am sure of - that nothing sparks public discussion like a bit of artistic controversy, and with no controversy, well, will anyone pay any attention? Helen Bradbury Rocks In My Bed? Whafs Your Havou? ROCKS IN MY BED: PETER RANDALL-PAGE ONE TRINITY GARDENS, QUAYSIDE YORK ART GALLERY Exhibition Square, York, Y O l 7EW http://www.york.art.museum 24th September 2005 - 8th January 2006 Free THIS show has been set up in One Trinity Gardens to mark RandallPage’s permanent installation, Give and Take, in the centre of the new development, a hefty rock sculpture in the centre of a mini amphitheatre. Rocks in my Bed itself is composed of four Granite stones set against strips of canvas, all of which are covered in a complex, random maze of brown and black. The maze disguises the rocks against the background, mimicking the use of camouflage in nature. Although Rocks in my Bed has been advertised as a show it is more like a single exhibit in the foyer of an office block, so not really worth taking a trip to the Quayside especially for it. But you may want to wander in after visiting the Baltic, if only to annoy the surly security guard on the door. Cat Bailey Theatre W ry Interesting... PULP’S Rosie Cole was lucky enough to get up close and personal with Chris Magill, who will be starring as the Fairy in the Theatre Royal’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. So what exactly is it like talking to a bloke in tights? Pulp - This is your first production with the RSC. Were you nervous? C.M. - Completely! I’d only just graduated from drama school when I got the part, to work with the RSC is every actor's dream, but now it’s great, the cast have been together now since January and everyone gets along like a big family. It’s a real ensemble cast. Pulp - So how did you get into theatre? C.M. - It’s a family business really, my parents are both directors and my sisters are actors too; we’ve grown up in the profession. I had to make a decision between being a musician and being an actor, I was scared I’d made the wrong decision, but I’ve fallen in love with the profession, I think I made the right choice. Pulp - The RSC is offering £5 tickets to young people, why do you think it’s important to get young people into theatre? C.M. - Whilst we were in Stratford, the majority of the audience were TH E York Art Gallery is well worth a visit - my favourite painting was by Ben Nicholson (1894-1982), called ‘Still life: Birdie’, Oil and Graphite on canvas, 1934. Nicholson was heavily influenced by the European modern art at the beginning of the twentieth century, which can be seen in this abstract still life. The artist was part of an avantgarde. group (including Henry Moore and his wife, Barbara Hepworth), who were concerned with international modernism. This painting caught my eye because of the way the paint is roughly applied. Earthy colours, greys and whites, merge together and the oil and graphite make a tourists, but as time went on it was clear that we had a much older audience. We need to attract a much younger audience or theatres won’t function. Pulp - And what will attract younger audiences to this version of Midsummer Night's Dream? C.M. - This is one of the most visually stunning pieces around at the moment; Greg Doran has put together a spectacle full of magic and puppetry. The great thing about this play is it is accessible to everybody, Doran has managed to make Shakespeare magical, and that was the original purpose of this play, to be completely fantastical. Pulp - And finally, is this your first time in Newcastle, and if so, what have you heard about it? M W ,'--.--- rough texture, creating a sense of the elements that the viewer naturally connects to. Within the shapes that the line of the paint creates, is a red dot that grabbed my attention, being so bold and dramatic amongst the more subtle colours. There is lots of work to see at the Gallery, from the traditional to the more contemporary. There is also an exhibition on at the moment that anyone who has a special interest in ceramics should go and see. It’s not far from Newcastle, and it’s free; if you have the chance, do not miss it! Holly Willats C.M. - I have never performed in Newcastle before but I have heard it’s a beautiful city. The audience, according to several of the cast, have been really responsive in recent years and the Theatre Royal is an amazing space. I can’t wait to visit the Tyne and check it out for myself! Pulp - Thanks a lot for talking to Pulp, enjoy your Newcastle experience! Rosie Cole Competition THIS week’s competition is colossal in brilliance. To celebrate the opening of the Spencer Tunick exhibition at BALTIC on 21st January, one of you lucky, lucky individuals will become the proud owner of a LIMITED EDITION BALTIC GOODY BAG, exclusive only to Pulp Art Readers. To be in with a chance of winning simply email the answer to the following question to [email protected] before Monday 28th November 2005! What is the name of the artist who recently got 1700 volunteers to pose naked for an installation on Newcastle Gateshead Quayside? I _ M M 4 w ^v ' tf *■ U 9 + ' Pulp.Arts I Predct A Riot Riot: South Sheilds 1930 The Customs House South Shields 28th October 2005 RIOT is a play set in the 1930s in South Shields, showing the struggle Arab immigrants had in trying to find work and integrate with the local community. As relations between the two gradually worsen, the Yemeni Seamen riot leading to bloodshed and deportation. Whilst this play is obviously politically, it also shows the struggle of an inter-racial relationship of that time; a Yemen boy falls for a local girl, causing outrage among both communities. What is most interesting about this play is from the perspective of local history; this story was true and we were sitting a few yards away from where the rioting took place seventy years ago. It was therefore disappointing that the script and direction were weak. I found the production lacked energy and passion and did not have the ‘controversial’ effect the director Darren Palmer had hoped for. KLM Finer Literature Jane Hirshfield creamy halo under the white lighting. Hatton Gallery, Univeristy of Newcastle upon Tyne 26th October 2005 JANE Hirshfield stands in the porcelain confines of the Hatton gallery; roses and water on a white table; her mother-earth beauty almost glowing in a Tonight she read from her latest anthology The Lives of the Heart. The Mills-and-Boon-esque title belies what are actually gorgeously sensuous poems about genocide, human consciousness and decay. The reading was rounded up with a Q and A session: the sound of the prolific poet and essayist, imparting her thoughts on the artform set many eyes a-twinkling among the would-be writers in the room. But the poems themselves were the stars. Arranged in wandering rhyme, luscious images grow into each other and outwards, like blood-drops on water. And thank- 99 goodness that this selfm proclaimed introvert was willing to read her poems this evening, for what a voice: deep, American, softly monotonous. Everything she said lingered, beyond its utterance, in a weird glittering radiance. he was looking at. Finding the museum is fairly easy with the aid of a map. I got lost but anyone who possesses a sense of direction should be fine! So, if you have nothing better to do, or are deeply interested in eighteenth century fashions, give it a go. If this exhibition isn’t your thing, the museum is still worth a visit. You can wander in off the street, amble around the winding corridors and maybe even learn something. There’s a cafe and a gift shop and best of all it’s free! What more could you ask? S Lauren Mulvee The Alternative ARE you increasingly finding yourself knowing the ins and outs of the lives of Ramsay Street’s finest? Do you sit, alone and unfulfilled picking your nose, waiting for your flatmates to return from their exciting lives? Maybe that's just me then... What you need is to get yourself involved! Get out into the wonderful world of the alternative pastimes of our fine city. Elise Brunton and Sophie Islip weren’t afraid to try something new... Are you? Fashion Worics AS I set off with my flatmate to the Discovery Museum to check out the Fashion Works exhibition, my expectations were fairly low. I had been warned that the exhibition in question was fairly old and therefore in the words of Susie the press officer, “a little out-dated” . She was right. The exhibition ranges from eighteenth century garments to 1980s get-up and features ‘fascinating’ facts such as “Prince Charles (not ours!) Popularised creases down trousers because they disguised his bandy legs", which I’m sure we will all breathe easier knowing! The clothes themselves are displayed in glass cases and if you have a passion for clothing from different eras, there is good selection provided. However the draw of these types of museums are the interactive learning sections, and in this case we found many of them either ‘out of order’ or in a severely dilapidated state. And whilst the majority of the museum is clean and bright, the ‘resources room’ of the Fashion Works exhibition is dirty and in need of repair; hardly a sight which will invite children to learn! On this subject, the small boy I did see wandering around with his parents liked pressing the buttons but was largely unaware of what Elise Brunton Homecooking BORED of the usual? Looking for something slightly different? Then head down to Byker. Don’t be mislead by the name. The ‘Homecooking’ event at the Cumberland Arms isn’t your everyday fare... Don’t be deceived by the slightly traditional surroundings of the pub, as huddled away on the second floor Joss’ Juice GOLLY fritting gosh, what a week! Doing jazz hands all day has knackered me out good and proper. Oh the complete and utter joys of “reading” week! After my pervious week of a completely vodka induced stupor, I’m much more on top of things and looking for work with scrabbling paws and beady eyes; a lot like a hamster. A question for my readers, I’m starting a new column open to all, called What’s Your Flavour? Tell me what’s your flavour? Homage to the man, the legend, Craig David of course. It’ll consist of little snippets of your everyday lives. Have you ever been somewhere so utterly beautiful that you want to tell the world, scream it from the top of the Union Building? Have you ever read a book that has moved continents for you? Have you ever heard an orchestral manoeuvre in the dark that touched you somewhere you’ve never been touched before...? If so I'd like to hear about it and bloody publish it! is the setting for the unexpected. A raw mixture of ingredients of comedy, poetry and music result in a raw, eclectic and charged poetic screwball. Bands such as Indie locals ‘The Dead Beatniks’ headline whilst supporting acts such as local poets and acoustic sets keep the assorted audience equally I’ll be starting proceedings off by offering the first What's Your Flavour writer a super surprise not even Craig David could equal. So get scribbling boys and girls. You know you want to. I’d just like to take this moment to thank my beautiful writers of the year so far. You’ve been superstars and extremely tolerant of my erratic moments of enthusiasm. I thank you. l i f i i r i r i f engaged. Undoubtedly a Saturday night you won’t forget in a hurry. 8 For more information visit: http://www.thecumberlandarms.c o.uk/ Sophie Islip Smokers For President, Prime Minister, King and Taoiseach. i m u+ ; thecourier 25 Letters [email protected] Dear Editor, Hello! What's this? Whilst reading my weekly Courier this evening, and having exhausted the fun of circling attractive/unattractive ladies on the Solution pages, I turned to an article entitled: "How to...starve off boredom when it's nasty outside" Said article seemed, at first glance, worth further investigation; we all know the days of sober reflection caused by the onset of the fall and the distance to any Guinness outlet being hampered by poor weather. However, on further reading I came to a line I did not fully understand: "turn off Diagnosis Murder". Well, here I had to stop and reflect, was this a joke? some kind of game? I read on. No joke it seems as actual alternatives to DM were suggested. Alternatives! To Diagnosis! I exclaimed. There are no alternatives available at 2.35pm weekdays. Any other activity you may plan to do is clearly to be scheduled around this hallowed 50min period of the day. The Spanish have the correct idea, they close shops/pubs/schools/ hospitals every afternoon in the heat of the sim for the Diagnosis (or siesta as its known there). Rest for the body is exercise for the mind they say and what could tax the mind more than the complex plot lines and Van Dyke (father/son) action. "Edutainment", a phrase coined in parallel with the DM. Monday 21st November 2005 Letters to the Editor Got something to say? Drop me a line at [email protected] Speed dating is suggested as a socalled 'alternative', but why would anyone ’ chose to ignore the fine nuances of dating eloquence as portrayed by Barry Van Dyke (Steve Sloane)? Only today he had the victim's sister in his arms and used his charms to attract his female partner at the police station. Living on the edge, and only for the brave, but Steve's example is there to be leamt from. Why look for Mr Right when he can be seen in your homes daily courtesy of this fine medical/ detective/ drama/ comedy? epic? Culture! Yes, culture is suggested as an alternative but this begs the question; why is the inherent culture in DM being so callously ignored? Only last week I leamt about the inner beauty of mankind and the shameful tendency towards shallow, appearance based opinions we all harbour. The episode in question was based on the modelling industry and the dangerous steps some producers take to ensure thin models, by pure coincidence Steve's latest conquest was of a more stocky mould than Hollywood tells us is attractive. By this woman's personal confessions to Lt. Sloane and his own honest reaction to her beautiful personality I was able to take a step back and reflect on my own shallow existence. Medicine for the soul is a phrase never more appropriate than here. Now, I'm not deriding any of the ideas posted by the article, I'm simply questioning their relevance when following a statement so rash that it suggests missing the DM. There are 24 hours every day and DM does not even take up one of them (sadly). If some are too frightened by the concept of selfimprovement, too foolish to comprehend the complex plotlines or ignorant of the subtle humour applied at the end of each episode (usually skilfully underlining a running jape) that is their own fault. I'm not here to criticise anyone's upbringing (we all wish for the same kind of family based medical detective bonding?) but, in suggesting we "turn off Diagnosis Murder" you have gone too far. A final note, could not the photo have been more effectively used by archive pictures of the DM team? Perhaps an article with the programmes main murder solving unit, Dick Van Dyke would be appropriate? There's an interview that would stock the courier trophy cabinet. Especially as (no doubt you are aware) he turns 80 on 13/12/05! Regards, Luke McGrath Dear Luke, An interesting viewpoint indeed. Any other hardcore DM fans out there? We want to hear of your outrage! Regards, Stu Vose Editor SCAN News All the latest in student volunteering... Student volunteers were out and about again on Wednesday 16th November braving the cold to help make a difference to one of the North East's favourite landmarks. Student Community Action Newcastle (SCAN) and VANU (Voluntary Action Northumbria University) took part in the National Trust organised Volunteer Mega Bash at Penshaw Monument near Sunderland. SCAN joined nine other teams from businesses, the voluntary sector and even a European team to help restore and re-surface the pathways and steps that lead up to the monument. SCAN VRF Project Worker Gez Straker, who co-ordinated the recruitment of volunteers for the SCAN team said "It was knackering work but totally worth it when you could see the difference we had made to make the area more accessible to visitors". To find out how you could get involved in the local community in loads of different ways come to SCAN on the first floor in the Students Union (open 10am-4pm Mon-Thurs & Fri lOam-lpm) or visit SCAN's website at www.scan.ncl.ac.uk. TYNE MOBILES LTD STUDENT PLANS ON A STUDENT BUDGET E l 02 ■ T* Mobile-•• 3 CONTRACTS •PAY AS YOU GO •LANDLINE PHONES MOBILE UNLOCKING & REPAIRS 9 m anttia t® 9 n a re n te t Sony Ericsson K 80a £ 1 8 p » f month 300enatnttnww £4.98»nonth - 8 months Nokia 8880 Fraa 500 rajri 100 te a s Fraa accasaanas 1® month WfiliBXfe tOQOminutM AoH'tlmBi any network SrtiSSipsirmenfto £9.99 par month tor 10 months fw lm m ttw Song Ericsson KBQOi Motorola C975 Nokia 8830 Fraa Bluetooth i 300. m inutes, to o to r t* T S Q m n u tm 150 tro ts 18 month contract £ 3 0 / m anlh contract 18 month contract Freea accassonas » » a Free* DISmUNTi ft* SIMCAflD tQQOminutes a n y tim e RAYA3 YOU 00 3200 WnutBS 1000 minutes Samsung D800 Any time sny network £30 gar month Samsung DOOO FREE 1.2 megapmal ti? month c o n tra * £39,99 par month fcwSMCMO HueMi any network NO LINE RENTAL my as you M otorola V 3 - £ t5 8 9 ® S IM F ftK fte^^asGBSIDGff T F T S w aan S 6 u i» jf e u l3 Bluetooth (sCaffiagffl BLUETOOTH HEADSET 9 hour talktime TEL & PAX: 0101 2741117 Twxmnomp 0eEN M Q *3A T »J0AMk>l3QPM BaHenes£7 99 StMCASD£3 99 MMC1 QV memoft cards, memory Gticks, date suit USB, DVD & CD tens cleaner INSTOCK LAND U N I PM QNtl From £14.99 Callar ID PM Radio N a ta tio n System £100 For Nokia 8080 & Nokia 8830 Rhona unlocking (Whiia you wait) REPAIR MOBILES (No fix no gharga) mount TYNE MOBILES LTD 271-291 TWO BALL L0NNEN NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE NE49RX CUSTOMER tlOTteE Pnces am sutyect to change without poor notice OKere only *tale 0 B ^ @ S D E E D D 3 Q te a a n ftftw p 5tg&g,last + IGF 2006 starts here! jobwatch More stuff from the Job Shop... L THE BIGGEST International Student event of the year is back for another year, and YOUR help is needed to plan it. The International Grand Festival (IGF) is an annual event organised by students for the students and for the people of Newcastle. The idea is to promote understanding, diversity and tolerance of all cultures and to raise money for good causes. Events planned include a show at the City Hall, sports tournaments, a fashion show, open lectures and an arts and crafts exhibition. All this and more will happen during the second week of March 2006. Everyone in. the region is invited to get involved. The International Students Officer is working hard to organise the IGF 2006.. .but he can't do it alone! So, if you believe that we should celebrate our multiculturalism and learn from each other, then come along to our first public meeting on Wednesday the 23rd of November in Commitee Room A, 1st floor, Students' Union, and find out how you can get involved. You don't have to be international, it doesn't matter, if you are first year or final year, undergrad or postgrad, if you have loads of spare time or only a little to give, there is something for everyone to get involved! Plus, it looks great on that allimportant CV! Ice Hockey ticket for EVERY reader The Courier has teamed up with the Newcastle Vipers to offer every reader a FREE ticket for the Vipers' home game with the Edinburgh Capitals this Wednesday (23rd Nov). It gets better - your voucher also gets you halfprice entry to the Cardiff Devils fixture on Saturday (26th). Both games are at the MetroRadio Arena. Faceoff on Wednesday is at 7.15pm, and 6.30pm on Saturday. For those of you who haven't experienced ice hockey before, it's a fast and furious contact sport with a great atmosphere, and it's a really good evening out, so get yourself down there and cheer on the Vipers! vipersvoucher the This voucher entitles one person to FREE entry to the Vipers' home game against the Edinburgh Capitals on Wednesday Nov. 23rd/ plus half-price entry to the game versus Cardiff Devils on Saturday Nov. 26th. Enjoy! NAME: EMAIL: International experience If you don't w ant the Newcastle Vipers to get in touch for marketing purposes, please tick this box i Postgrad boost + □ • • • • t i t THE HUGELY successful International Student Work Experience scheme, run by the Careers Service, continues apace. Each year the Careers Service offers a limited number of voluntary work experience opportunities to bright and enterprising international students. We have various unpaid placement opportunities in local companies who will provide travel expenses. Current projects on the scheme include working for the Specials Laboratory, Executive Training Solutions, the World English Agency, CollatelT, and many more. However, many of the deadlines are this week, so hurry over to the Careers Service for details of how to take advantage of these excellent opportunities. All ISWE projects are advertised on www.careers.ncl.ac.uk/ vacancies, simply search for 'Work Experience Vacancies' in the 'North Easf For further information, contact [email protected], or call into the Careers Service and speak to a member of staff. POSTGRADUATE students now have access to an extra service, thanks to the Union Society. The Union's Postgraduate and Mature Students Officer, Julian Dockery, has established a mailing-list-based information service for students. Dockery, who was re-elected as PGMS Officer in the recent Union Officer elections, is inviting all students to sign up to the list. To add yourself, email Julian and [email protected]. T's & 0's: Vouchers admit ONE person only and are not transferable. Offers only available for the games stated. Produce cut-out voucher at Box Office to claim your free/discounted tickets. «■ ■■■■ gV* * f * * ‘ f/ jp - f P 5 24th-27th NOVEMBER 2005 a. 8.00pm ^ HIS ^ at the CASTLEGATE CENTRE, MELBOURNE STREET_ _ _ __ _ T K rm : f A r v iM f t U M E M K SS) AVAI LABLE FROM THE UNION SHOP M 3RHE1 Vacancy Number 4225 Nature o f business: Rehabilitation centre Job description: Main duties including serving customers, using a cash register, general cleaning, assisting in the preparation, presentation and sale of vegetarian dishes and working alongside mental health service users on placement within the restaurant. Person specification: Previous experience would be preferred but is not essential, as full training will be given. You must hold or be willing to gain a basic food hygiene certificate. A criminal records bureau check will need to be obtained before the successful applicant can start work. Hours of work: 15hrs per week. Hourly rate: £6.09 - £7.37 p/hr. Closing date: 28/11/05.. To apply: Come in to the Job Shop for more information. Vacancy Number 4224 Nature o f business: Children's Unit Job description: Main duties will include the preparing and regeneration of food for the unit's residents. Other duties include cleaning offices, activity rooms, toilets and other general duties. Person specification: You must hold or be willing to gain a basic food hygiene certificate. The successful applicant will have to undergo a police check before commencing duties. Hours of work: 17.5hrs per week (Mon to Fri, 3.30pm - 7pm). Hourly rate: £6.09 - £7.37 p/hr. Closing date: 28/11/05. Vacancy number 4138 Nature o f business: Event catering/ online ; purchasing Job Description: Various positions available for bartenders, bar backs, waiting staff, promotional staff and a student marketing executive. Bartenders - experienced & trainee cocktail bartenders required to work at a range of events throughout the North of , England. Bar backs - responsible for stock ; control/replenishment, set-up & clean down at events. Waiting staff - working in the event catering team, you must be a good communicator. Person Specification: Promotional staff responsible for promoting the Cocktail Box brand, working closely with the marketing manager as well as a student marketing 1 1executive. This will involve the development j & implementation of direct mail and flyer campaigns. Student marketing exec- you should ideally be a marketing student or have some marketing exp. You should be outgoing, confident & an excellent communicator, experience in the drinks industry an advantage. Hours of work: As & when required at various events. Pay: Bartenders £5.50/hr, bar backs £5.50/hr, waiting staff £5.50-£7/hr, promotions £5.50£7/hr, marketing £5.50/hr basic + commission Closing date: Urgent - apply as soon as j possible. Contract Casual, ongoing contract Location: Transport provided to/from events in North of England. To apply: Come into the Job Shop M/Tu/Th/Fr 11-3, or Wed 2-6 for more information. „ Sponsored by: eloitte. www.deloitte.co.uk + thecourief27 Agony Aunt courier.lettersOncl.ac.uk Monday 21st November 2005 Dear Dan, [email protected] It’s more than an accent, if s a way of life... Episode Four - Top Stotty On Disembarking The Boat I was blinded by a ray of golden light. Not since I was last in Cartier was I drawn to such bullion. As I stumbled down the gangplank in search of the source, I knocked a lady flying. In my drunken stupor my first thought was to call Jeremy and flee but at a second glance, I realised the gold was radiating from the girl's ear. At a third and rather alarming take, I noticed she was wearing a pair of gold earrings that touched her shoulders, entwined in platinum. She spoke, and I did not understand. Her skin had an orange hue and thus I inferred she must naturally be foreign; "Ca va?" She was clearly Spanish; "comment te yamas?". Well I only had a spattering of Israeli and it was a long shot, "he buba, mamataf?" She spoke, and I was enchanted. She was trying to speak English, bless her. She didn't seem all that impressed until I offered to pay for the. obviously ripped dress. She grabbed my hand, and hailed a taxi. On reaching Henderson Hall, with my heart pounding we approached Reception and she asked me if I fancied-a stotte. Thinking it was my lucky night I nodded and turning in the direction of my room, I expected her to follow and get my full dose of foreign stotte. I looked back and to my surprise, not only was she not in tow, but engaged in full conversation with the porter. I did not realise that speaking foreign languages was a pre-requisite of being an employee of Henderson. After a few minutes of dialogue she turned to me holding two sandwiches. What a thoughtful girl. I took her up to my room and the rest of the night was a blur. In the morning I awoke, to my door swinging shut. Naked, I leapt to the banister and she stopped on the stairs. I immediately realised the extent of the damage I had caused to her skirt the night before. I gestured for her to wait, dashing into my room I retrieved the nearest sweater. It was only after motioning for her to put it on and save her dignity that I realised it was my favourite cashmere. I gave her my phone number and pointed to the jumper. She shrugged and spoke what I can only presume to have been a word of eternal thanks, or a compliment on the quality of the cashmere. I returned to my room content My eyes scanned the room, fixing on a solitary gold earring lying on the floor. A memento. I could see the hallmarks on the inside of the larger hoop, and intrigued at the carat I had a closer inspection.. /Made in China'... With Charlie (Von) Heller I'm not overly keen on parsnips. Are you? Dear Dan Yours, 'Prejudicial Parsnips' Dan says: The voice of parsnip liberation Errrr... Actually, no. Why my opinion on the merits of parsnips is of value I'm not entirely sure. Personally I think they are a bit sweet and yucky, but hey, that's not to say all parsnips are vile. Of course, I believe in equal opportunities for all parsnips, and couldn't bear to think of parsnips being discriminated against wholesale. And nor should wholesalers of parsnips be discriminated against. That too would be wrong. • Why I am even writing this reply I'm not entirely sure. I suppose it's because I love my readers, even if they are only interested in the downfall of the common parsnip in print. Next week dears: pomegranates. What’s the score? Dear Dan, I have heard that there's a mumps problem on campus. Just wanted to confirm or deny a rumour - that's all. You seem to know most things about campus life! Should we be scared? Yours, 'Het-up in Heaton' Dan says: First off, no - don't be scared. That Dear Dan, I'm not sure, but I think a friend of mine is developing Tourette's syndrome. Either that, or his language has got so foul since we started University for no apparent reason. What can I do to figure out if he has got it? If so, what do I do? Yours, 'Exasperated about Expletives' would be silly. Local monitoring of disease is still showing rises in levels of infection in students at Newcastle University though, after last year's spate. As a consequence, all undergraduates who have not had two doses of MMR vaccine are advised to consider being immunised. MMR was introduced in 1988 for young children and most students will not have been previously immunised. Even if you think you have had mumps, you should still consider being immunised. A free immunisation session is being organised for Monday 14 November, 1000 - 1600, in the Kings Hall, Armstrong Building. More info is available from the University Student Welfare Office o n 0191 2228957. I had to ring Mummy and find out if I'd had the vaccine. Fortunately, after she got out the baby book and cooed a bit, I found I had. No more nasty pricks for me. Wash yer mouth out! Dan says: Well, we're all guilty of using foul language occasionally - some of us more than others. It must be really bad that you felt the need to drop me a line about it. Tourette's syndrome is portrayed as one of those comedy diseases of urban lore, but wrongly so. One of the things you didn't describe about your mate is nervous twitches or tics, to use the medical terminology. Repetitive foul language can be a symptom, but isn't always. Tourette's can be treated with drugs, and sometimes doesn't need treating at all. So, it sounds like all your friend needs is a good slapping for being a foulmouthed son of a... (enough Dan, Ed.) QUICK CLUES ACROSS I. Excessively sentimental (7) 5. Gold coin (5) 8. Sacred choral composition (5) 9. Daydream (7) 10. Insubstantial - other-worldly (8) II. To border on (4) 13. Good hand in a game of 16 down Competition changes.. Everyone's favourite crossword is changing. The lucky winners of the crossword competition each week will still receive a prize, but the winner will be determined in a different way. Acting upon student feedback. I've decided that there will be a deadline of 5pm on the Tuesday after the paper's publication (the 22nd Nov in this case), to allow those who have Monday afternoon lectures to be in with a chance of the prize! So whilst the competition's gonna be tougher, the prizes are still excellent! (ahem) SV about CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS I. How soppy: a short kiss on the mouth in front of hospital (7) 5. Currency active in middle of channel (5) 8. Spot of time for church music (5) 9. Vicar in a trance on the shores of Great Lake (7) 10. Two English in a sublime lather (8,5) 16. Sheltered bay (4) (8) II. Neighbour a backwards 17. Canvasser of public opinion (8) 20. Pasta dish (7) instrument (4) 21. To rejoice in (5) 13. Honest before made rich by 16 22. Work out (5) down (8/5) 23. Out of place, eg embryo (7) 16. Building society under construction in inlet (4) 17. Short girl, saint of American DOWN casualty department, compiles 1. Those belonging to a group (7) 2. Woman with supernatural powers statistics (8) 20. Italian plays air viol at meal! (7) (5) 21. Joy at union of previous 3. Suspend (8) 4. Trans-gendered person (13) girlfriend and lieutenant (5) 22. Puzzle out confused loves (5) 5. Plunge - undesirable venue (4) 23. Saga about Commonwealth 6. Antlered creature (7) 7. Deal with - take care of - source of Telecommunications Organisation pleasure (5) is out of place (7) 12. Liquid waste (8) DOWN 14. Resurgence (7) 1. Associates male with dying fire 15. Dissenter from the Catholic (7) Church (7) 2. Old crone cut short stick used for 16. Rectangles of thickened paper or whipping (5) plastic (5) 3. Pause to rearrange tin mitre (8) 18. Get the better of (in 16 down?) (5) 4. Queen and goddess of love make 19. Blood and guts (4) up third gender (13) 5. Roll a five to take a dip (4) 6. Vehicle I almost purchased As ever, thanks to Megan turned out to be a reindeer (7) 7. No trick to entertainment (5) Darby for compiling the 12. Curse flowing sewage! (8) crossword! 14. Vicar mixes up vial for evangelist mission meeting (7) 15. Religious rebel is present with a Check back next week for jerk (7) more crossword action, 16. Game played right amongst and in the 5th Dec edition knaves (5) there will be a special 18. Tea and steak - beat that! (5) 19. Pierce ogre with horn (4) Christmas prize! + ■■Hk 28thecourier 50 uses Monday 21st November 2005 + couriersf3veryversatile.com 50 uses for a courier The Courier is a versatile beast. Editor STU ^ VOSE gives you, the student at large, tips on how to make the very most of your newspaper... Replacem ent for Y ellow Pages For all you short people out there. Ladders are SO last year. S tu ffin g your bra - Cosmetic surgery is for wimps 13. W allpaper your house - Sod B&Q and the rest - go for stylish and informative interior decoration. Linda Barker would be proud S tu ffin g your crotch Essential for those less-endowed individuals. Be sure to change ’ stuffing in time with the release of each new issue to maintain hygiene levels W rap up v alu ab les - Every student moves house every so often, take The Courier with you and protect Mummy's best china. Use it as toilet roll - Recreate that 'I've just used the loo in a Halls of Use as a megaphone - Construct a voice enhancer to get yourself heard, and make yourself the biggest twat on campus 1 5 . Play fo otb all - See if you can do better than the Toon (not hard) during an impromptu game of footy outside the Union 1 9 . read the table if you don't find them interesting Give to tramps - well why not? Line a snow -hole - It's handy to carry a few copies with you in case of a 21. freak avalanche. If this happens, create an air pocket and then insulate with Couriers 20. always 2 2 . C u rtains - When your landlord refuses to give you any 3 6 . Paper cuts - Be a hard man by dishing out devastating paper cuts to all and sundry 23. Fancy dress - Stand out at house parties by saving up multiple copies and going as The Courier Saving your modesty Introduce modesty to drunken 2 5 streaking before the law gets you Fish and chips - Go old school by eating your food out of it U m brella - Get hold of some 2 6 . umbrella spokes and hey presto - an ad-hoc precipitation protector! Smoke it - Put Rizla out of business by insisting on king-size for all your smoking needs 27 Lecture entertainment - Deface it during especially boring lectures. Don't forget comedy 'tache and glasses for the pictures Massive paper planes - Your lecturer will think it's a 747 heading towards him 4 2 . S e ll it - Take on the ultimate entrepreneurial challenge, seeing as it's free. Then donate a cut of your millions to your fave student paper 35. F1yer M ake a m ask - Protect your identity. Works best with no. 10 Cover your fo ld er - And prove you really are too cool for 2 4 . school. See below! and post-N eighbours entertainm ent - Fill the vast hours between showings of Australia's finest soap. Alternatively, explore the vast potential of cable television for further nuggets of crap afternoon television glory people - Give those bloody flyer people outside Campus Coffee a taste of their own medicine by blanket-flyering them with Couriers. Hamster bedding - Give you pet a comfy bed - and ink poisoning - by lining its cage with Couriers Headwear - You'll look oh-so-wacky with a Courier-based hat 34. Pre_ >1/- Residence' feeling by rubbing * your arse raw with Couriers Reference for essays - Secure that first by quoting the ultimate 1 — reference on absolutely * everything Mop up spillages - Safety for all •jo T a b le clo th - Having a * romantic meal with that special someone? You can always D rying insid e o f shoes Death to wet feet! 28 Paper M ache - Simply add water for old-school Blue Peterstyle fun. Here's one I made earlier... 3 7 . Becom e a fact m achine Leam useless facts from The Courier and use them to impress your mates and become a pub quiz uber-god 3 Q W in n in g q u ality stu ff Dammit, there's some great competitions inside this very rag, so get entering them and win some free stuff! Just ask the lucky bugger who won free Skittles for a term last week 3 9 . R escu in g m oney from under vending m achines Get rich quick. A rolled-up Courier offers surprisingly good angle and coverage 40. Send it home to parents Cut down on phone bills and maximise valuable drinking time by sending your parents a copy to keep them up to date with what7s going on in Newcastle 2 9 Back scratcher - The Courier reaches all the places other papers can't jQ Beating o ff stalkers - Protect * your personal space from weirdos with a well-folded copy of your favourite red-top. Beats any restraining order R ep lacin g hall food Sustain a balance diet by replacing nasty hall food with Couriers. It works! Note - statement may not be true - If you get really desperate and Wilko's isn't open. Watch out for ink stains though T ie - You can tell we're getting near the end of the list 46. D issertation - Solve that vital coursework versus pub debate by handing assorted Couriers in for your dissertation. When your tutor complains about the spelling mistakes, tell them you're being postmodern 47 B ait the Poly w ith it - & Apparently 'Newcastle's biggest and best free student newspaper.' Bollocks. They still like taking the piss out of us though 48. Teach Poly students to read 4 ^ Anonymous letters - Cut out various letters from Couriers and send them to the enemies in your I life 32 3 3 44. Flannel Couriers provide a useful learning tool for Northumbria students. Unfortunately, the library won't stock them as they don't float in the bath. Finding out w hat's going on - The paper is actually really useful for something. Only the most recently-hatched news eggs make it into our pages m Looking at Solution pics Laugh at your mates' drunken posturing or simply savour the pissed-up misfortune of others - it's all good! 4 3 . C lean in g m irrors - Cut j through the crap with a " 1 Courier. Informative and useful! 50. Last 41. Self-defence down the Bigg M arket - If you're brave enough to go out on a Saturday night, keep a Courier by your side while you're watching the people get lairy. It's not vey pretty, I tell thee one - We've done all the work, send us your ideas! Email in your best Courier-based activities to [email protected], and the best one will win a very special prize (which has yet to be decided, but will probably be quite good): thecourief29 North-East courier.sportfancl.ac.uk thecourier sport IN COURIER SPORT THIS WEEK... Monday 21st November 2005 - OUT AND ABOUT AT THE FALCONS - INTRA-MURAL ROUND-UP - RUGBY SPECIAL - BUSA RESULTS Friday Night Fever GEMMA DAVIES went OUT AND ABOUT at the Newcastle Falcons to see what happens when you mix Premiership rugby action with fire-eating cheerleaders, a hot tub and a Friday night party atmosphere ANY SPORTS mad student in Newcastle can't have failed to notice that the city is host to one of the country's premier rugby sides, who just happen to boast one of the country's premier rugby players. But how many of these students regularly turn out to Kingston Park to witness King Jonny and his Falcons in action? I went along to see Rob Andrew's Newcastle Falcons in action against London Irish in what was billed as 'Friday Night Live'; the Falcons' chance to compete with the big boys in terms of their entertainment extras. The match was screened live on Sky Sports and although this is usually a factor in influencing a reduced match attendance, the switch to a Friday night had the opposite affect, with Kingston Park declared a 10,200 sell out on Friday afternoon, the last remaining tickets sold on Friday morning. Friday's event was a show-stopper with the off the field marketing ploys. Fireworks, a hot tub and cheerleaders galore had the atmosphere buzzing, which was in stark contrast to the usual Sunday afternoons Falcons fans are used to. In addition to the amusement elements of the game, a new PA system and countdown clock were in use to bring the Falcons in line with the majority of Premiership clubs. Crowd participation was high on the wish list of the Falcons' Marketing Team, with half-time and post-game competitions, including a try-time contest to win free pints of Guinness t courtesy of the Premiership sponsors if the number on your flyer matched that of the last try scorer of the game. Bars were open from 5.30pm, over two hours before kick-off and remained open until midnight, with special drinks offers to please us students in IOT AND STEAMY... Fans make the most of the hot-tub particular, such as a bottle of Fosters for £1.50, or three for £4. Aside from the off-pitch antics, there was a Premiership showdown to be contested and unfortunately the organisation of the evening couldn't be matched with a much-needed victory for a Newcastle side who are struggling this season with just one league win to their name so far. At 16-8 down at half-time, the Falcons fought back through the boot of a certain Mr. Wilkinson including a couple of his trademark mammoth long-distance efforts. With the scores at 23-20 to Irish with the clock counting down fast, the stage was set for another Wilko drop-goal, but the visitors were far wiser than to give the fly-half space within drop-goal distance and in the end the Falcons attack was beaten only by the clock. Despite the demoralising and yet again disappointing defeat, the Falcons have hailed Friday Night Live as 'the biggest ever match-day commercial success the Club has ever seen.' This statement is backed by recordbreaking sales figures in bar takings, ticket sales, corporate attendance, merchandise and food sales. However, although Friday Night Live What a Falcons Student Season Ticket gets you. Free Metro travel to and from the Free entry to Sea or Blu Bambu on match night Discounted drinks at Bar Bacca and the Hancock was a sell-out and a remarkable success, the number of students getting I to Kingston Park is surprisingly low. Some of the promotions on offer last I week were trial endorsements and for regular Falcons followers, one-offs. Us students, however, have bargains at our disposal all the time from those I lovely Falcons marketing people. The Falcons 2005/06 Student Season I Tickets are available for a full or half I season and at this stage of the year, the I half season ticket is probably the best I bet for your Christmas wish list! A half season ticket will cost you just I £45 for five matches after Christmas I including Premiership showdowns against Saracens, Gloucester, Leicester, Northampton and Leeds, with games over our Easter holidays excluded from the package, meaning you get the best value for money! The cost works out at just £9 a game, I but also includes free metro travel to I and from the game, discounted drinks in Bar Bacca and the Hancock and a free pass to Sea or Blu Bambu nightclubs on the night of the match. The shenanigans from Friday Night I Live may not be on offer for the next few matches, but staff at the Club are currently in the process of receiving feedback from fans as to whether they I want to see more Kingston Park Friday night shows. Judging by the success of last week, 11 doubt it'll be too long before we see another, but even if Friday was to be a one-off, I'll still be there to cheer on the new breed of young Falcons against high-flying London Wasps on the 27th. Forthcoming Home Fixtures: 27th November: London Wasps 18th Dec: L'Aquila 1st Jan: Worcester 15th Jan: The Borders Premiership rugby action To purchase your Student Season Ticket I call the Ticket Hotline: 0871 226 6060 or \ visit urww.newcastle-falcons.co.uk. Every newspaper in the country has been preoccupied with Michael Owen over the past week; whether to comment on his goals against the Argies or on his overall scoring record and so you would expect this column's focus to be no different as we harp on about the fact that he will always get you goals no matter how well he plays. But you'd be wrong. It wasn't the lethal finishing of Newcastle's favourite son that caught the observant eye of Toonwatch this week, but the shocking state of our favourite Grandad Alan Shearer. Thousands of fans in pubs around the Toon must have had their celebrations cut short on Saturday as the BBC cameras flicked back to a studio which more closely resembled an old people's home. Although some would argue that Shearer often looks like he's been given a heavy dose of morphine before an interview, it was unmistakeable that Big A1 was suffering from the after effects of his recent hernia operation. The injury, which may have been picked up during the filming of GOAL!, in which Shearer made his sizzling acting debut, left him struggling to sit upright during the commentary and to many it seemed that he would be more comfortable on a hospital bed than under the spotlight. Well-wishers will be hoping that he regains the use of his legs soon and that this unfortunate event hasn't cut short his budding TV |Ten Wennekf for Taylor Defensive frailties have long been a worry for Magpies manager Graeme Souness and the latest addition' to his casualty list is yet another blow to his season's plan. Steven Taylor, the England U21 who has impressed the Gallowgate faithful over the past two years and has gained 16 starts this season, unfortunately picked up a shoulder, injury in training and has consigned himself to almost ten weeks on the sidelines. The shoulder strain to Taylor now paves the way for Titus Bramble's return to the fold as he partners Jean Alain Boumsong in the centre of defence. Well, look on the bright side, at least the Newcastle board won't need to pay out any clean sheet bonuses over the next couple of months. I [Friday Night Fun Despite languishing in the bottom half of the table, the Newcastle Falcons have been happily raking in the money this season' as a party atmosphere grows around the Premiership club. A new approach to last Friday's match against London Irish saw the first full house of the season and even without England international Jamie Noon, 10,200 people squeezed into Kingston Park to see their side face the Exiles. Unfortunately, the home team couldn't do justice to the attendance figures as they went down 23-20 in an encounter that left Director of Rugby Rob Andrew steaming more than the hot tub that sat by the North stand. Yes, I did say hot tub and yes, there were lots of semi-naked people sat in it under the influence of alcohol. This sends a clear message out to the rest of the opposition...when the going gets tough, draw attention away from the action on the pitch. So next time you plan a night out just think where you can get sport, drink and bikinis all in one place and you might want to take your hard earned cash down to see the Falcons. + + The fre/yh/ Food people J/Hirnir W m ^ S ii0 fM on all our goods.. • Frozen Ready Meals * 830068 • • Pastas • Dairy Products • Confectionery • Cakes & Biscuits Ice Cream • Soft Drinks • Household 108 -110 Grainger Street, Newcastle upon Tyne Units 63 - 69 Grainier Market, Newcastle upon Tyne thecourier31 Intra-Mural courier.sportfancl.ac.uk Intra Mural Rugby Round-Up BY WILL DAVIES MOTHER NATURE, as is her wont at this time of year, has been playing havoc with pitches and competitors alike, thus rendering the Intra Mural competition of the last fortnight somewhat akin to the Law Blacks title charge: full of hope and anticipation, but never quite managing to get off the ground. Last week, only two fixtures went ahead, with Law Blacks going down to Titans and Agrics II finding some form to put diesel in the unleaded Engines, winning 17-5. Novos R.F.C decided their turf was not available for Intra-Mural use this week, which left Cheeky Ladies and Larrikins kicking their heels. Neutral eyes turned to the heavyweight clash between Agrics I and Titans. A win for Titans would have put them in a strong position at the top of the pile, while Agrics I had to overcome their rivals in order to maintain their championship aspirations. As it turned out, the game followed the usual Agrics pattern, with one of their forwards sin-binned for throwing a haymaker, but the Ploughmen still managed to dominate at the breakdown, allowing time and space for their fly-half to pull the strings. Titans managed a try through Dom Hebberd, but were outdone in most areas to finally go down 27-5. The maelstrom of sound and fury that is Armstrong on their day was always going to be a tall order for Law Blacks, who have yet to taste victory this season. In the event, 54 points with no reply was a fair result, Ozzy Osbourne scoring his usual hat-trick of tries, and Adam Kenard creating havoc by exploiting the space around the fringes. However, with Cheeky Ladies having two games in hand, and having lost to Titans already, Armstrong are not in as dominant a position as they were this time last year. Crayola continued their purple patch, the geographers managing to plot a course past Gorilla Tactics, who have been rather unpredictable this season. Tries from '8-ball Pat' and Tom Jail put Crayola in charge of the ball game, and a score line of 155 tells its own story. For sheer entertainment, Medics v. Engines was the one to watch. A fast-paced game with action at both ends made for plenty of tries, with Medics being slightly more clinical than Engines. This was a game to revel in, with Monday 21st November 2005 no acrimony and full of spirit and invention, epitomising all that is good about Intra Mural rugby. The final reading of 31-21 to the Medics was almost academic, although this result now elevates Medics to joint fourth. The only remaining contest was between Southern Fairies and Agrics II. The term 'contest' is rather flattering to Agrics n, as a 547 final score cannot be termed anything other than a somewhat brutal hammering. Griffin scored five tries, and must surely be eligible for an elevation from 'Fairy' to 'Wizard' for that effort. So. Armstrong take on Cheeky Ladies next week in what could decide the title an Armstrong defeat would leave Cheeky Ladies top with two games in hand. It would be a bold man who would predict that the eventual winners would be anyone other than Cheeky Ladies, Armstrong or Titans. Here's hoping next week's game lives up to its billing. Intra Mural: A True Reflection In response last week's Courier article on the failings of Intra-Mural sport, I would like to take this opportunity to respond with a more balanced view on the role and position of recreational sport here at Newcastle University. The aforementioned article was full of inaccurate comments and statements and did not portray the real ethos behind Intra-Mural sport. Intra-Mural sport at Newcastle University is one of the largest and strongest in the county being recognised as an example of good practice by UCS (University & College Sport). The programme has successfully been developed and improved over the last five years and our aim is to continue to invest, expand and improve Intra-Mural sport every year. The appointment of a Recreation Service Manager deeding solely with Intra Mural and Recreation sport at Newcastle University demonstrates our desire and commitment to develop and run a successful Intra- Mural Programme. The twelve Intra-Mural rugby teams together with New Recreation Service Manager Denis Murphy responds to Courier Sport's criticisms of the Intra-Mural set-up last week the seven representative teams combine to make Newcastle University the largest rugby club in the North-East. However, due to the University's BUSA rugby fixtures we do not have sufficient number of University pitches to host all BUSA and Intra-Mural fixtures, meaning that the Sports Centre must hire in external venues to accommodate this pitch shortage. If the University was not committed to Intra-Mural sport, as The Courier suggested, then surely they would reduce the number of teams in the league to avoid hiring in external pitches? We are also committed to providing Intra-Mural teams with training by making available a two hour training session every Monday night at the Benfield Centre for Sport. In addition links are being made with external rugby clubs to secure improved training facilities for the future. All Intra Mural teams can access any training facility, provided the facility is available and all their players are Sports Centre members. The financial expenditure for any student participating in sport at Newcastle University, is exactly the same whether it be BUSA players, Intra-Mural players or Recreation users. They all must pay a basic sports centre membership of £45 and then the registration fee for the league /dub. The fee of £385 for Intra-Mural hockey quoted in The Courier was total fiction. In return for Intra-Mural hockey team's investment, all pitches are booked, all fixtures are organised and referees are assigned to each fixture. The Sports Centre are totally committed to achieving the centre's aims of 'facility provision' and 'quality of service' as stated in our mission statement. The question of first aid cover is an important one and we are currently reviewing this policy and looking at ways to improve first aid provision for all Intra-Mural sports. Compared with other Universities, the level of first aid provision and support for the Intra-Mural programme is far superior. The Director of Rugby at Newcastle University, John Fenn, is also willing to help all Intra-Mural rugby teams out in the technical and potentially dangerous aspects of the game i.e. scrum and line-outs. This is another example of the commitment to providing safe sport for our students. I would also like to take this opportunity to discuss the refereeing situation for Intra-Mural fixtures. In football the current refereeing structure works very well and the majority of Intra-Mural football teams are pleased with their performances. Due to the large number of football referees available to cover Intra-Mural football fixtures the task of supplying referees for these fixtures is considerably easier. The same cannot be said for Intra-Mural rugby. The quantity of referees available in the North-East at the present is causing concern to the Northumberland RFU. Therefore, the task of securing fully-qualified referees for Intra-Mural rugby is extremely difficult. Currently we send two representatives from each Intra-Mural team on a RFU rugby referees course so they can officiate their own fixtures. The only other option is to withdraw Intra-Mural rugby from the programme, but we do not want to go down this road. Due to our sporting commitment at Newcastle University we now have the most comprehensive Intra Mural Rugby league in the country. We will however continue in our attempts to find qualified rugby referees for the Intra-Mural rugby league. I hope that this article will show all students that the University is committed to Intra-Mural sport. We firmly believe that without the current programme, sport at Newcastle University on a whole would not be as successful. We will, however continue to invest in the Intra-Mural programme and as always look at ways of expanding and improving. Intra Mural Football ©Close House By David Greaves A DREAM TEAM-style storyline, involving a bus with a door that just wouldn't shut properly, meant that Fluffy Wilson FC arrived at Close House just seconds before kick-off for their crunch six-pointer with Celta Nemo. However, when lesser teams would have floundered under such dramatic circumstances, Fluffy showed composure and true character, and deservedly finished the game 4-1 winners courtesy of a spectacular Andy Carrick hat-trick and a scrappy Celta Nemo own goal. Premier Division side Dyslexic Untied finished comfortable 6-1 victors against Garnett B; maintaining their unbeaten start to the season in the Wednesday League Dyslexics' ever-modest playermanager, Philios Jenkinos, described the victory as a "lesson in total football", and despite having only played half the match, called himself "the best player on the pitch by a mile". Eddie Blount also stood out for Dyslexic, scoring four of their six goals, and 'The Chief' was as always a man of steel in defence, before he was subbed off after thirty minutes, claiming that he was "cold". On Pitch 7 second placed Pro-Evo Panthers took on third placed Jesmond Globe Trotters in what was a very tight Division 4 clash. The Panthers hit the woodwork three times before the break but failed to breach the Globe Trotters' defence until early in the second half, when Neil Denver bagged a header that proved to be the match winner, Despite being on the receiving end of a 1-0 defeat, the mein of the match was undoubtedly the Globetrotter's midfield maestro David Molley, who was described by one onlooker as "better than Gerrard and Lampard rolled into one". In Division 3 an Ian Fraser goal was the difference between Deportivo La Costainia and The Parade, in what was a true six-pointer between second and first place, as Deportivo's victory means that they leapfrog the Parade and go top of the league. Moving up to Division 2, a lastminute goal for Inter Minan saw them run out 5-4 victors against relegation-zone stragglers The Hurricanes, in a spectator-friendly end-to-end game. Finally, Fenham Bache finished 3-0 losers against Crayola FC, concluding the day's roundup. YOUR SHOUT: E-mail your opinions and comments to: counersportS^xiacjjk + 32theoourier busa sport Monday 21st November 2005 + courier.sportOncLac.uk GOT A BUSA OR INTRA-MURAL STORY? E-mail us at [email protected] Sporting Profiles... No. 5: Hapkido This week, WILL RICHENS speaks to Hapkido captain KELVIN GARDINER What is Hapkido? What is its philosophy? Hapkido is a Korean martial art, which focuses on the use of your opponent's energy through circular motions in order to overcome differences in size, strength and sex. How does it therefore differ from other betterknown martial arts? All martial arts have some similarities; we are similar to Tae Kwon Doe with our kicking element. Aikido in our self-defence element, and Judo with the throwing element. But we are ■quite broad compared to other martial arts, as we have a lot of releases and strangles, with kicking elements and also the use of sticks and weapons. In what ways is Hapkido better than these other martial arts? Different martial arts suit different people, but most people who come along to our classes do enjoy the broadness and variety in the way that we teach. What are the benefits of learning Hapkido? Hapkido has several benefits, it has a fitness benefit from doing general practice, and it also has benefits in that you can defend yourself - so it is very practical. Also, there are mental development and self-discipline benefits, too. Is it an offensive or defensive art? It is more of a defensive art in that you don't spar as maybe you would in some other martial arts, but you do need control over your opponent all the time. But can it hurt? It does hurt. The main thing with Hapkido is that if you implement the techniques all the way through, you will break joints or pull muscles and put people in uncomfortable situations. However, if you control a move you will just restrain them and be in control of them, so you don't have to go all the way and cause a serious injury. Are you allowed to use the moves outside of classes and competitions? If you do need to defend yourself, then yes you can, but of course you do. need to learn control. What should people know about the sport that most don't? That we exist! The club at Newcastle is very young, is it managing to establish itself? Yes, we've had a regular attendance this year, and we are finding that more people are joining each week. Hockey girls downed WOMEN’S H O CKEY By NICK MEAKIN SPORTS EDITOR Newcastle 1 Manchester 4 "THERE WAS lots of hard work and effort from the girls, which is good to see. But we just weren't good enough on the day." Those were the words of Newcastle hockey coach Caroline Luck, after witnessing her side being embarrassed by a clinical Manchester team 4-1 in a forgettable match at Longbenton last week. The scoreline may have flattered the away side, yet the result was on the cards as early as the 13th minute when Manchester's Cat Savage was quickest to react to Hannah Williams' sprawling save to drive home from two yards out. Newcastle didn't possess the quality to control this scrappy spectacle and there was a plethora of errors from either side. If the men's game is played with the gung-ho tempo of Premiership football, ladies' hockey seems to have adopted a more continental approach. It was slower, more measured, some would argue more tactical, but ultimately it lacked the swift movement and speed that makes hockey such a thrilling sport. However, don't let me condemn the ladies' game so swiftly. Passion, power and fitness still exist as standards of the women's game, and Elite Athlete and captain Lesley Cairns embodied these qualities. One particular incident midway through the first half saw Cairns drive a ball straight into a Manchester shin, the thud of which echoed around the pitch and left the player with a pronounced limp and no doubt a heavy bruise. The match started slowly and both teams meandered gently through the first half almost apologetically. Newcastle were backed on the touchline by a contingent of supporters but their cries weren't enough to stir the team into action. There was a great deal of effort but the team were wasteful with passes and chances in the final third, which cost them dearly. They did manage an equaliser two minutes before the break when elegant right forward Lucy Partington slotted home after a period of sustained home pressure, yet that was their sole contribution to a drab half. Going into the second half, Newcastle failed to build on their ascendancy and within eight minutes Manchester regained their lead after Vicky Speed bundled home after a goal mouth scramble. Worse was yet to come. First, a slick home move unlocked the Manchester defence and Sophie Patton shot wide when it seemed easier to score, and then four minutes later with only fifteen minutes of second half played, Williams' inexplicably failed to clear and left Manchester to score an easy third goal. The game was now as good as over, yet the home side battled on, only to go further behind with fifteen minutes to go when captain Mieke Craigtyler finished a superb, flowing move that made Newcastle look embarrassingly pedestrian. A few minutes later AU Officer, Naomi Allum, had a goal disallowed when she fell foul of the 18inch rule (the height which the ball has to stay below in the penalty area). But the score line remained and Newcastle are now struggling in fourth place in the BUSA league nine points adrift of league leaders Leeds Met by two afternoons of intense competitions. Competitors take part in two sets of testing events; in the first part, the competitors demonstrate their technical skill by walking a gauntlet in which they face a variety of unarmed/armed attackers. The second part involves the competitor facing a barrage of attackers at pace and the aim of the game here is to demonstrate efficiency and effectiveness of technique, under a more intense, realistic situation. Newcastle University took a small team of around 15 people down to the competitions, with great success. Points were awarded for the top four in each belt category, a large number of Newcastle students managed to get all the way into the finals held on the second day; Novices Claire Deegan, Stephen Lindsay and Mark Holroyd fought off competition from around 300 novices to score points for Newcastle, and Orange belts Adam Walton and Chris Beale also managed to get through to the finals and score points. Andreas Stylianou managed a highly contested 3rd place in the Dark Blue belt finals, again scoring points for Newcastle. These individual successes of Newcastle students, led to a fantastic team result of finishing second in the BUSA national Championships, from a national competition with around 1000 Jitsuka being present. Jitsu is a relative newcomer to BUSA,as Jitsu National hampsionships only became BUSA recognised events this year, so previous successes have largely gone unnoticed by Newcastle University and the AU. Having finished 1st or 2nd in all national competitions in the past year and a half, as well as getting national recognition for our senior instructor, as well as our Club instructor, and being rewarded as the National Club Of The Year 2005. It can only be a foundation on which to continue building on our previous successes in the now BUSArecognised events. How does the club compete with other universities? Competing in Hapkido isn't a big element as it is more about selfcontrol and self-development rather than competitions. We have had competitions; the academy that our instructor runs has organised the first National Championship, and the first and second European championships, but we don't compete in a league like BUSA. Can anyone take up Hapkido, or do you have to be built like Superman, and possess more inner strength than Uri Geller? The whole point of Hapkido is that anybody using the techniques in the right way should be able to use them on anybody. There are a broad variety of techniques, so that depending on if someone is taller, heavier or stronger than you, you'll have a technique that can work - so it's great for beginners. I f you are interested in joining, the H apkido club runs training sessions every Wednesday from 5-7 pm, and every Saturday from 10 am-12 noon - and the first session is free! For more inform ation visit http-y/www.societies.ncl.ac.uk/h a p k id o / or em ail [email protected]. JFTSU By DAVID CHARLTON THE UNIVERSITY of Newcastle's Jitsu Club gave an outstanding performance in this years Jitsu Foundation Atemi Nationals where it punched, kicked, locked and threw against over 80 teams to take second place in this prestigious competition. This performance rounds off an amazing year for the club in which it received the award for club of year, instructor of the year and technique of the year. It confirms the clubs position at being one of the top clubs in the country and builds on the recent success at the Randori Nationals in March this year where the club again took second place against fierce opposition from much larger clubs. The BUSA Atemi Nationals, held in Birmingham at the Aston Villa Leisure Centre, consist of a series of training sessions taken by the country's highest-ranking instructors, followed + 33 BUSA Sport r courier.sportOncl.ac.ul Monday 21st November 200! GOT A BUSA OR INTRA-MURAL STORY? E-mail us at [email protected] BUSA Briefs NETBALL Sheffield Hallam 39 Newcastle 36 Newcastle's netballers suffered their first defeat of the season away to league leaders Sheffield Hallam in a close match. A disappointing first two quarters left Newcastle playing catch up. Newcastle did win the final two quarters, inspired by player of the match Julia Barnett, who led a superb defence. They in turn linked well with the shooters, but this was simply not enough and the university were left to rue their mistakes from a fast and aggressive game. Despite the loss, however, Newcastle still have the potential to win their division. iMeanwhile, the second string were also 'defeated; at home to York lsts. .The final score of 42-41 emphasises the game's excitement and its nail-biting finale which brought four goals in three minutes. Special mentions go to goal attack Katherine Andrews and goal defence Fiona Davison. The third team, however, were the only :side to come away with a victory, defeating York St. John 39-36 in another .tight game. Unlike their second team counterparts, this time Newcastle hung .on through a painful final quarter to take [the points, inspired by impressive plays from goal attack Lois Kettlewell and wing defence Luci Dawson. WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Newcastle 32 Northumbria 37 The Women's Basketball suffered their fourth defeat in a row against local rivals Northumbria last week. Despite a strong start and a lead going into the third quarter, a number of near misses and dubious refereeing decisions put the Dragons in the wrong state of mind for victory. As each Newcastle shot reverberated on the rim without scoring, Northumbria seemed to have all the luck. A team the Dragons would have ordinarily beaten, Northumbria's seconds cut off Newcastle's offensive play, intercepting pivotal passes and leaving little option for structured attack. Defensively, Newcastle were sound as they prevented the opposition scoring for an enormous seven-minute period, but their fate at the basket denied them the game by a mere two baskets. WOMEN’S RUGBY Manchester 12 Newcastle 17 Newcastle Women's Rugby overcame their Manchester counterparts, producing impressive form and avoiding a potential banana skin in an exciting encounter. Manchester are newly-promoted and have produced a few scares, notably beating Birmingham. The game started with good pressure from Manchester in the Newcastle half, but the visitors soon fought back. Newcastle's tackling was hard and fast, especially from Mimi Akhigir and Bonike Erinle, and their hard work paid off when Zoe Williams crashed over for the first Newcastle try on half-time. In the second half, the University dominated in the scrums and line-outs and gained reward for this pressure with a try from Bonike Erinle which was the result of a fifteen-man effort, taking the score to 10-0. Manchester fought back with a try from their fly-half and forced Newcastle into a period of defence that resulted in Manchester taking the lead through another try. The University were forced to fight frantically and came up with the goods at . the death with a try from captain Gemma Smith. SWIMMING In the annual meet of the BUSA swimming teams, Newcastle unfortunately suffered the fate of an overall ranking of eleventh, resulting in relegation from the First Division. However, there were some impressive races, including the women's 4 x 50m medley team who took second place. The men's medley team faced incredibly tough competition, and although there were brilliant swims by Matt Platts, Richard Russell, Michael Cowdy and Martin Webster, they could only secure sixth place. In terms of personal achievements, Andrew Omand gained personal best times in both the 50metres and lOOmetres Freestyle events; in her debut, Libby Waller secured a personal best time in the 50 metres Freestyle event, gaining third place. In all, the team consisted of four debutants, each one eloquently displaying their swimming talents. Holly Davis' powerful Breaststroke swims resulted in her securing third in both the 50 metres and 100 metres Breaststroke. Michael Cowdy's 50 metres Butterfly earned him a credible fifth, and Martin Webster's 200 Freestyle earned him second. Richard Russell's 50 metres and 100 metres Breaststroke earned him sixth and fourth respectively, and Louise Gilmer secured Newcastle valuable points with third in the 100 metres Individual Medley, and second in the 100 metres Butterfly. Jeff Marshall swam well in the 100 metres Butterfly, gaining fifth place. Emily Robotham's 100 metres Freestyle gained her fifth place, whilst Linda Strettle showed great dedication to swim two events back to back, starting with 200 metres Freestyle where she came fourth, followed by the 50 metres Butterfly in which she took fifth place. Particular credit should go to Mark Dunford who came a credible third in the 100 metres IM. Basketball emerge victorious from nail-biter MEN’S BASKETBALL By TOM MARLING Newcastle 61 Leeds 58 NEWCASTLE headed into their toughest game of the season so far all prepared for a dogfight, but ultimately only had themselves to blame for allowing Leeds to keep it so close. Leeds strode in unbeaten and top of the BUSA league, but apparently someone forgot to tell them that, as they proceeded to look utterly disorganised against an off-colour home side. Newcastle's play throughout the first quarter was marred by mental lapses as turnovers gave Leeds easy transition baskets, whilst the home side's missed free throws at the other end were characteristic of a side without its head in the game. Only captain Helio Cumbie's deep threepointer kept the scoreline respectable at 21-17 for Newcastle. Despite an utter lambasting from their coach, the second quarter continued to see the team force reckless passes and show absolutely abysmal transition defense. Star centre Zaci Ibrahim failed to get into the flow of the offense all night, but when he was off the court the inside defense proceeded to collapse without his intimidating presence in the paint. Luckily for Newcastle, Dave Baggley got to the free-throw line consistently, keeping the scoreboard ticking over, before another clutch three-pointer by Cumbie lifted the team to a 32-24 lead at the half. The third quarter quickly became the 'El-Nahil show', as the Leeds captain stormed off the bench a changed man in the second half, showing off lighting quick cuts and pinpoint shooting that gave the Newcastle defense fits. Suddenly on the back foot for the first time, mental lapses again crept into Newcastle's game, allowing Leeds to erase an eightpoint deficit to level the score at 48-48. Leeds would ultimately never lead in the game though, as this uplifting moment was followed by the spectacular ejection of their captain after he picked up his fifth foul. His theatrical storm-out, that included the upending of a selection of sideline equipment, unsurprisingly broke the Leeds momentum. Despite keeping the game close through the dying minutes Leeds were a changed team, and when their last-gasp three-pointer drew iron, no-one was really surprised. Captain Helio Cumbie admitted after the game that his team was lucky to come away with a win, "We started terribly tonight but we were able to overcome that and show our true Newcastle colours." If Wednesday night is any evidence, Newcastle will need to work hard on tightening up their fundamentals over the coming weeks, because the talent is there for the team to be a force in the league. MVP - Dave Baggley - Played with tenacity on defense and was willing to give up his body to get to the line at the other end, paced the team with a quiet, but vital, 21-point night. Tennis thrashed WOMEN’S TENNIS By TOM MARLING Newcastle 1 Leeds 9 NEWCASTLE locked horns with an underdog Leeds side in merciless conditions on Wednesday afternoon, only to come away tasting bitter defeat. Only one point behind Leeds in the BUSA league and with a game in hand, Newcastle saw a chance a second place in the table cruelly slip by. Nonetheless, Newcastle gave themselves reason for optimism from the outset, the doubles pairing of Ruth Walker and Amelia Wicks proving an inspired choice by captain Gillian Pordham. Walker's laser groundstrokes and Wick's cat-like reflexes at the net complimented each other perfectly, driving them to a convincing 8-3 win, and a 1-0 lead for Newcastle. The marquee match saw two highly-touted number one seeds square off, Newcastle's top seed Lucy Wright and Dutch International sensation Iris Berends. The opening set was a fantastic spectacle, as both players produced a veritable maelstrom of crunching forehands and lightning serves. However despite a promising first set, Wright just couldn't match the sheer quality of the Dutch superstar, eventually falling in straight sets 6-3 6-1. Suddenly down 2-1, Newcastle were in need of a confidenceboosting win from second-seed Gina Liverton. Her opponent, Louise Berdet was clearly in no mood to play along, producing a near-flawless performance that edged her side closer to victory. As night drew in on a marathon afternoon of tennis, the floodlights only served to illuminate Newcastle's unenviable position. Singles and doubles losses in quick succession concluded the inevitable defeat, leaving all eyes on Ruth Walker's match with Oily Lloyd to provide some faded solace. Neither player disappointed, taking the three-set match deep into the evening and producing a lasting memory of a valiant team that refused to accept defeat. Captain Gillian Pordham was reflective following the loss, saying, "Everyone played fantastically on both sides, and we'd like to think that the score wasn't entirely representative of our play today." Newcastle may well question what might have been if star player Laura Bailey had been available, or if the weather had been less cruel. But ultimately this has to be considered a disappointing start to the season for a group that was voted 'Sports Team Of The Year" less than 12 months ago. + + 34 thecourigr BUSA Sport Monday 21st November 2005 courier.sportl3ncl.ac.uk M ENS FOOTBALL ?NDS | By DAVID BROACH Newcastle 0 Northumbria 0 I THIS TOP-OF-THE-TABLE local I derby had the potential to be an I explosive encounter with plenty I of goals. Unfortunately, this was Ianything but the case. At a bitterly Icold Cochrane Park both sides I cancelled each other out, with I some solid defending making (chances few and far between. The game did start brightly Ihowever, with Northumbria Ialmost taking the lead in the first Iminute. A ball over the top from Imidfield found striker Tiller in I space, but the Newcastle 'keeper I was quick off his line and managed I to clear. Despite early Northumbria pressure, the Newcastle defence dealt comfortably, with centrebacks Hodgson and Bowden limiting Northumbria to a series speculative long range efforts. However, Newcastle gradually got back into the game and could have taken the lead on thirty-five minutes with their best chance of the half. From a comer, the ball fell back to Josh Hinton on the comer of the penalty box, who took a touch and fired a blistering right foot shot just over the bar. The game was still fairly open towards the end of the first half and on forty minutes Northumbria should have opened the scoring. A smart one-two in midfield gave Richards some space, who fired his shot past the Newcastle keeper only to see his effort cleared off the line by Bowden at the far post. The second half saw resurgence from Newcastle and a good spell of pressure early on, with strikers Woolman and Hutchinson both having good chances. Newcastle had a great chance to take the lead on sixty-one minutes. A counter attack down the left hand side sent Beattie away, who from twelve yards out forced a fine save from the Northumbria keeper down to his near post. The last fifteen minutes saw the introduction of Houlahan, back from a five-match ban, in an attempt by Newcastle to break the deadlock. However, it was now Northumbria who were applying pressure. On seventy-two minutes a free kick from the left hand side __ caused chaos in the Newcastle penalty area with a foul on the goalkeeper preventing an almost certain breakthrough for Northumbria. Despite this late surge in pressure the Newcastle defence continued to hold firm with some fine tackles and blocks from Andy Thomas, a late second half substitute for Bowden. The final whistle put an end to this disappointing derby game - certainly from a neutral perspective - although both sides were seemingly happy with the point. "It was a well-earned point" said the Newcastle coach after the game. "We are now hopeful we can go on to win the league". Man o f the Match - Tom Bowden BUSA Results SPORT OPPONENTS H/A mm NEWCASTLE OPPONENT RESULT Men's Badminton I Manchester A 4 4 D Men's Badminton II Hull 2 ' A 8 0 W Women's Badminton I Sheffield A 2 6 L Men's Basketball I Leeds H 61 58 W Women's Basketball I Northumbria 2 A 32 37 L Women's Fencing I Nottingham A 132 104 W Men's Football I Bradford A 4 1 W ? ! j i I\ k Northumbria 2 H 0 0 D Men's Football III Leeds 4 H 0 2 L Women's Football I Sheff Hallam 2 H 7 2 W 'P H O T O * M u V iK tf WOMEN’S FOOTBALL By ROSS FOX Leeds Met 2 A 0 15 L Golf Leeds A 3 3 D Men's Hockey I Sheff Hallam A 3 5 L Men's Hockey II York SJ A 0 1 L Men's Hockey III Huddersfield H WALKOVER Women's Hockey I Manchester H 1 Women's Hockey III York 2 H WALKOVER Women's Hockey IV Sheffield 4 A 2 1 W Lacrosse York A 0 32 L Netball I Sheff Hallam A 36 39 L L W 4 L W Netball II York 1 H 41 42 Netball III York SJ H 39 36 W Men's Rugby Union I Sheff Hallam H 62 5 W Men's Rugby Union II Northumbria 2 H 17 31 L Men's Rugby Union III Bradford 1 H 52 5 W Women's Rugby I Manchester A 17 12 W Rugby League Sheff Hallam A 6 36 L Women's Squash Huddersfield H 3 0 w H 9 0 w D Women's Table Tennis Sunderland Men's Tennis Liverpool H 3 3 Women's Tennis Leeds A 1 9 L Men's Volleyball Leeds A 3 0 W Women's Volleyball Manchester A 0 3 L - IS » Men's Football II Women's Football II ' si® * Newcastle 7 Sheffield Hallam 2nds 2 A BITTER cold and windy Wednesday at Cochrane Park was the venue for a commanding display from Newcastle's Women's Football, as they extended their lead at the top of the BUSA table. From a match predicted to be tight between the joint league leaders, Newcastle's Yorkshire visitors were fortunate to return home with a two-goal consolation. For all her enraged, Tarzan-esque roars it was Hallam's goalkeeper who embarrassingly allowed Newcastle to take a deserved lead. By attempting to come for an in-swinging comer legs first, she managed to miss and allow the ball into a gaping net. Further Newcastle pressure ensued before a rare Hallam attack caused momentary panic, but Newcastle goalkeeper Abi Haigh's brilliant reflex save kept Sheffield at bay. The home side doubled their lead when Haigh's long clearance was neatly headed down between Hallam's central defence, and from the outside of the penalty area Laura Ford lobbed a hapless goalkeeper. After half-time Hallam converted a penalty against the run of play to halve the deficit, but just moments later a Newcastle comer was If missed by two Hallam defenders and half volleyed into the roof of the net by captain Heather Staff. Newcastle stretched the lead to three as Staff again turned in a comer, this time a calm side footed finish. Soon after, the captain beat two defenders to slip the ball to Leanne Bell who neatly slotted the ball into the far comer. Laura Ford's curling cross then caught in the wind and found the far post to double her tally and gave Newcastle a 6-1 lead. With five minutes left Sheffield's impressive no.7 curled in a free kick from 25 yards, only to be cancelled out by their left back's wellplaced own goal moments later. Head coach Lindsay Robinson was clearly pleased with the effort shown by her players. She added: "We work on the principle that attack is the best form of defence, and perhaps today's score line reflected that. They all worked hard and showed great energy, we deserved this."j Captain Staff was nominated player of the match for a tireless display in which she scored two, assisted two, and ran rings around the Sheffield defence. In wanting not to curse the rest of their games, let it suffice to say that after half the season now gone, and having won five out of six games to be sitting pretty at the top of table, so far so good. thecourigr 35 busa sport courier.sportranct.ac.uk RUGBY 1STS B y G EM M A DAVIES SPORTS EDITOR Newcastle 62 Sheffield Hallam 5 ANOTHER show-stopping performance from Newcastle's leading rugby side continued their superb unbeaten run in the new BUSA season and well and truly proved their promotion credentials, should anyone have possibly doubted them. A ten-try romp, including a hattrick from winger Alex Wiscombe, meant that the visitors from Sheffield Hallam were left defeated and embarrassed; having been outplayed and outclassed for the full eighty minutes. It was clear from the outset that Newcastle were likely to emerge victorious from the fixture, as the little errors were all falling to Hallam. However, the visitors looked well-prepared for their task that they could foresee was going to be a tough one. It took just less them ten minutes for Newcastle's rout to begin, as winger Luke Clogher evaded a string of Sheffield tackles to finish under the sticks to provide a simple conversion for full-back Melellieu and a 7-0 lead for the home side. Despite Hallam gaining a quick succession of scrums and line-outs in their favour, they did little with this possession and whilst it was obvious that the visitors were determined to shock Newcastle with their attack, the only purpose this served was to expose their weak defence as the Royals kept catching Sheffield dozing off. The University doubled their lead with a try created by pure trickery and wizardry from fly-half Hadden, who once again capitalised on Sheffield's appalling final tackles to dodge his way over the line. By the half-time interval, Newcastle had racked up a lead of 26-0, through tries from hooker James Bunde, who rounded off a spell of excellent pressure from the forwards, and from back-row forward Paulo who, quite unlike the usual stereotype of a forward, intercepted a juggle of the ball from one of his Hallam counterparts in his own half and outran the Sheffield winger to score a true rapid winger's try. These scores were produced with scrum-half Kyle in the sin-bin, just emphasising Newcastle's dominance if they can still manage to rack up points with just fourteen men on the pitch. Hallam started the second-half with an air of determination and actually managed to gain a Poly Push On period. The first half began ominously, with Newcastle sending the ball I Newcastle 17 Northumbria 31 out on the full from the kick-off. This set an unfortunate NEWCASTLE RUGBY 2NDS precedent for the first half, which suffered a disappointing defeat was strewn with errors from at the hands of table-toppers, Newcastle's backs. It only took and local rivals Northumbria. ten minutes for Northumbria to With both teams previously score their first of four tries. unbeaten, Director of Rugby The Poly controlled the match John Fertn saw this game as with most of the possession and crucial, predicting "whoever through the help of a missed wins this game will probably tackle, managed to score under win the league". the posts. The second came soon Sadly for Newcastle, it would after, thanks to more poor appear that Fenn's early forecast tackling. may turn out to be accurate. Newcastle's problem came Throughout the first half from a failure to establish Northumbria dominated, and themselves and not scoring Newcastle only managed to get points. Their forwards were able into the game late in the second to win the ball, and occasionally turned their opponents over, but the number of phases was frequently limited to one or two. Errors from the backs meant they could not r e t a i n ULY FLIVVER...The po s s e s s i o n , forthumbria forwards and thus go ile on the pressure on to score. I RUGBY2NDS [B y WILL RICHENS Monday 21st November 2005 consolation try, although at the time the visitors interpreted it as the start of their comeback. This, of course, was never going to be the case, as mistakes only seem to spur on this rejuvenated Newcastle side and they bounced back with a shower of their own tries. Once Newcastle got their first try of the second forty through winger Wiscombe, the floodgates opened without doubt and Sheffield heads dropped dramatically. Tries followed from captain Ollie Louard, two more from Wiscombe to complete his hat-trick, one for the hard-working front row from Harrity and finally from substitute Anthony Peck. Melellieu added a further three second-half conversions to take his personal tally up to twelve points, leaving Hallam utterly thumped. Days like these are becoming like just another day at the office for Newcastle's rugby squad and are a far cry from the dreary defeats that were all too familiar last year. Long may this form continue, as last season's relegation is forgotten and the new era of Newcastle rugby emerges. MAN-OF-THE-MATCR Ludford, as selected by coach Steve Combe, although as the scoreline reflects, this w as clearly an all-round team performance. Spirits were lifted right on halftime when fly-half Rich McCartney converted a penalty to put the scores at 14-3. Newcastle started the second half badly with Northumbria running over the line within two minutes of the restart. Once again the try was a result of Newcastle's failure to stop the man with the ball. This time the missed tackle count was three. From then on Newcastle began to assert themselves, and were unlucky to concede another try with ten minutes remaining. Captain Pete Nichols inspired the team to come back at Northumbria and finally took Newcastle over the line with a try created through immense forward pressure. Only once Northumbria added a further three points to their tally were the Newcastle backs finally spurred into action gaining precious territory through great running and use of space. The result was a wellworked try scored by Clark, set up by the deft running of centre Gabe. Unfortunately for Newcastle, this came in the last minute of the game. Captain Nichols acknowledged that it was too little too late and recognised that "they let two tries in which could have been scored in the first half - we just got bullied out of the game". Thirds on Fire RUGBY3RDS By KATIE WRIGHT Newcastle 52 Bradford lsts 5 NEWCASTLE'S RUGBY 3RDS defied the biting cold to scorch through a shambolic Bradford team, daiming an easy win with a rampant attacking display. A strong Newcastle team were expected to beat a Bradford side considered the whipping boys of the league with no victories and no points, and they did so in style. Newcastle started the match confidently, setting their stall out early on with aggressive play forcing Bradford into mistakes. Newcastle's supremacy in the scrum resulted in their first penalty, which Jamie Eveleigh struck firmly through the posts. This prompted a period of total superiority for Newcastle, running in six tries in the first half compared to Bradford's one. With Bradford struggling to get out of their own half, Alex Keith showed some great skills on the right wing, opening up space for Sam Bower to power over the line for Newcastle's first try. The right wing was proving fruitful for Newcastle and the majority of their tries were scored on this side of the pitch, taking advantage of an obvious Bradford weakness. This was epitomised by Newcastle's third try, as the ball was booted down the line and a Bradford player kept it in and then fell over, allowing Harry Fildes to kick it ahead of himself and pounce for a poacher's try that should never have been on. With twenty-eight unanswered points Newcastle could afford to take their foot off their pedal, and subsequently allowed Bradford a period of attacking possession, Geoff Sykes eventually scoring Bradford's only try. Newcastle could seemingly attack at will, and responded to their defence being breached with a try of their own, Keith finishing off good work by Patrick O'Malley. Bradford appeared demoralised by the home side's commanding half-time lead, their handling errors and lack of aggression still evident after the break; they appeared to be merely making up the numbers. The focus of the match switched to Evdeigh's running battle with the boot, having failed to convert any of Newcastle's six tries with his wayward kicking. Rob Jackson broke free from the pack to score a try for Newcastle, ensuring he ran as close to the posts as possible so Eveleigh couldn't miss, and he didn't. Another two tries completed the rout for Newcastle, finishing off a display which had seen the Uni put a dispirited Bradford to the sword in emphatic fashion. IN COURIER SPORT THIS WEEK... FRIDAY NIGHT L. LIVE AT THE FALCONS m PAGE 30 MEN’S RUGBY SPECIAL PAGE 35 ; j. m m m m WOMEN’S SQUASH PROMOTION PUSH CONTINUES WOMEN’S SQUASH By ALEX KID D Newcastle 3 Huddersfield 0 mm PHOTOS: Shi Vose As the countdown to the Stan Calvert Cud begins. Northumbria set their stall out in warm-up games in ruabv. football and basketball By GEMMA DAVIES SPORTS EDITOR WITH JUST three weeks until the infamous Stan Calvert Cup, Northumbria took an early advantage, emerging the stronger from three pre-tournament match-ups in the BUSA leagues. In what was potentially a promotion decider, the Poly's second string rugby side gained the upper hand, emerging as 31-17 winners. Meanwhile, both sets of second team footballers played out a dreary 0-0 draw, Northumbria having the best of the chances. In the final Uni v Poly fixture of the day, the Women's Basketball were defeated at home 32-37. If Newcastle are to regain the coveted prize after last year's controversial Northumbria victory, results like these should be forgotten and the tempo stepped up. There is no doubting that on the day emotions will be high as the two local rivals square up in all sporting events. However, the Poly proved last week that they are as determined as ever when it comes to a fixture against their old enemies and are prepared to win at any cost. Bring on December 14th. WITH THE Women's Squash club playing only two matches in the BUSA league thus far, a match against Huddersfield University, indeed any match at all on a Wednesday afternoon, was eagerly anticipated. The Newcastle girls do in fact field three teams in the Northumberland league, a much needed source of competition given that the lacklustre Northern Conference consists only of four universities. Even in this tiny pool of teams, it was quickly apparent that Huddersfield were out of their depth. Number one seed Jasmin Shahid made mincemeat of her hapless opponent Gemma Pack, winning 9-1, 9-0, 9-0. So poor was this player that her top seed status had to be brought into question. It would not have been the first time that tactical seeding has taken place. However, Newcastle's Libby Mackinson defeated an even more inept player, Tabatha Capel in the second match just as convincingly 9-1,9-1,9-0. The captain displayed a wide range of drop shots and boasts (playing a shot off two walls) to embarrass her ham-fisted opponent. The match was effectively over and with it any hint of a conspiracy theory. The hard-hitting third seed, Luci Blissett was equally unflustered during the last match of the tie, losing just two points during the whole contest. And well... that was it - only five points lost in nine sets. Despite, the poor standard of opposition, Newcastle should be given credit for they could only play what was in front of them. Shahid, Mackinson and Blissett, as well as the loyal squad members including Club Secretary and stalwart, Susannah Smith know they will have sterner tests to come. Newcastle now look forward to the playoffs and promotion. The season for Huddersfield was over, and in the aftermath of their trouncing they asked Newcastle for a rematch, but sadly for them Newcastle have bigger fish to fry. It seems as if Newcastle Squash club will look once more to the Northumbrian league for competition. Leading technology. Superb training. It makes you think. To find out more visit accenture.com/ukgraduates or phone our helpline on 0500 100 189 High performance. Delivered.