Issue 3 – January 2010

Transcription

w w w.pl at for m- on l ine.net
Januar y 2010
The Fashion
Exchange
Identity
Fraud
A night of glamour
It could be you
Thailand
You’ll love it long time
Come Dine
With Us
Ditch the Pot Noodle
World Cup
Special
The road to South
Africa 2010
Brown Betty’s
A hidden gem on your
doorstep
The Count &
Sinden
Infiltrating your iPod
www.platform-online.net
Editor-in-Chief
Glen Davies
[email protected]
Designer
Stephanie Combs
[email protected]
Deputy Editor
Andrew Trendell
[email protected]
Online Editor
Aaron Lee
[email protected]
News Editor
Jennifer Rosewarne
[email protected]
Community Editor
Nik Charity
[email protected]
Music Editor
Tom Warmsley
[email protected]
Film Editor
Becky Wojturska
[email protected]
Pictures Editor
Stefan Ebelewicz
[email protected]
Arts Editor
Alexander Britton
[email protected]
Fashion Editor
Rebecca Uren
[email protected]
A
s I write, it’s difficult
to guess what will be
on everyone’s mind as
they read this. Partly
because I haven’t slept
in two days and I’m
having Trainspotting-style visions
of children crawling along the ceiling,
and partly because it’s still December,
so I don’t have the faintest clue what
happened over Christmas.
Editor’s Letter
I would like to be able to write that,
over the break, I won the lottery
and am spending the sort of money
on a toothbrush that Sir Alan Sugar
spends on gold-plating his RollsRoyce. But perhaps that’s a little
optimistic.
However, I was greatly annoyed to
see that a few bitter imbeciles with acne, a grudge and a Facebook campaign managed to spit in the face of the British music charts and make a 17-year-old song become the Christmas number one. If the point of the Top 40 is to measure what new
music listeners want to buy of their own accord, then those few people just ruined
the UK Singles Chart. Fools.
So, you’ll all be happy to be back, won’t you? No? Well you’re stuck with it. But to
ease you back into academic life, rather in the fashion of easing yourself into a hot
tub, we’ve got some ideas to keep you cheerful and happy.
For a kick off, we’ve an interview with up-and-coming house music duo The Count
and Sinden, so that you know what to listen to on your way to see the films we’re
recommending, whilst wearing the clothes you’ve seen in our fashion show coverage.
Then you can eat out at the restaurants in the food section, or copy our Come Dine
With Me event, before playing our reviewed games.
Then, when it’s all stolen by another bankrupt student from the tuition fees protest
covered over the page, you’ll know what to do because you’ve read our identity fraud
feature. That might be the most emotionally draining day in history, but at least it’s
all been planned out for you by the student magazine. We’re just psychic. Or idiots.
Food & Drink Editor
Molly Woodruff
[email protected]
Travel Editor
Lucia Miyashita
[email protected]
Glen Davies
Editor-in-Chief
Gaming Editor
Aaron Lee
Platform Magazine
Health Editor
Danielle Almond
Nottingham Trent Students Union | Byron House | Shakespeare Street | Nottingham | NG1 4GH
Tel | (0115) 848 6200
Fax | (0115) 848 6201
Email | [email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Sports Editor
James Haigh
[email protected]
Editorial enquiries | Email the relevant address on the left
Press/PR enquiries | Email [email protected]
Advertising enquiries | Contact BAM Student Marketing on (0845) 1300 667 or
www.trentstudents.org/student_marketing
Thanks to Hickling & Squires Print Solutions - www.hickling-squires.co.uk. This publication is printed on sustainably-sourced recycled paper (80% recycled, made up of 10% packaging
waste / 10% best white waste / 60% de-inked waste fibre / 20% virgin totally chlorine free fibre) using vegetable-based inks.
Platform is an independent publication and any views expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Editor or of the Nottingham Trent Students Union and its Elected Directors and Officers.
Companies advertised in Platform are not necessarily endorsed by Nottingham Trent Students Union. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the prior permission of the Editor.
Contents
News
Arts
Food & Drink
05 | Students protest over
rising tuition fees
21 | ‘The Office’ vs. ‘Extras’
40 | Come Dine With Me
07 | The EDL in
Nottingham
22 | David Hockney/Frances Stark
@ Nottingham Contemporary
42 | Restaurant Review
23 | Book Review
44 | Takeaway Guide
24 | sinfonia ViVa
Travel
Community
The Beats: A Graphic History
09 | Identity Fraud
25 | Panto Review
11 | No money? No
problem.
Beauty & The Beast
@ Nottingham Playhouse
p24
Brown Betty’s
45 | Ghana
48 | Thailand
p34
p42
12 | Local students should
plan great escape
Film
Health
28 | Film Reviews
51 | Food and Mood
13 | Union News & Events
The Boys Are Back Singin’ In The Rain,
Airplane!
53 | Think about Drink
31 | DVD Review
54 | Home Sickness
Heroes: The Greatest War Movies Ever
Music
Cover Story
15 | Platform Interview:
The Count & Sinden
Hundred Reasons
Photos
Gaming
32 | Climax @ NTSU
55 | Platform’s Top 10
Games of the Decade
Fashion
Tekken 6, Assassin’s Creed 2, New
Super Mario Bros. Wii
34 | The Exchange
Fashion Show
57 | Game Reviews
Flaming Lips @ O2 Academy,
La Roux @ Rock City,
The Count & Sinden @ Stealth,
Arctic Monkeys @ Nottingham
Trent FM Arena
36 | How to master the sales
Sports
37 | Trends
59 | World Cup Special
38 | Turning trash into treasures
60 | Ones to watch
Example
39 | Pick your cotton
carefully
62 | England Squad
18 | Gig Reviews
Starting XI
News
Students protest over rising tuition fees | The EDL in Nottingham
Edited by Jennifer Rosewarne | [email protected]
Students
protest
over rising
tuition
fees
Protests erupt in the capital as
thousands of students vent their
frustration over rising tuition fees.
Erin MacGregor went to check
out the chanting.
Photos by Wing Yin Chan, NUS
P
ARLIAMENT Square in London
on the 11th November 2009.
Masses of angry students
mobilised from all over the country in
search of answers and the pursuit of
honesty regarding the future of tuition
fees. Nottingham Trent students were
in full support and ready to voice their
strong opinions at this demonstration
that saw the National Union of Students visit the Houses of Parliament. >
www.platform-online.net |
5
News
The English Defence
League in Nottingham
What was all that about?
>
Two days previously, Business
Secretary Lord Mandelson announced the first independent review of Higher Education Funding and
Student Finance since the government
introduced top-up fees in 2004, raising
fees to a maximum of £3000. This
review was supported by both Labour
and Conservative parties and alongside
recent comments made by Mandelson,
suggests intentions to pave the way
for a further increase by lifting the cap.
His views that students should become
more like consumers have provoked
feelings of anxiousness and outrage
across the United Kingdom.
The ramifications of these actions will
be greatly seen on prospective university students, predominantly those from
lower socio-economic backgrounds. It
will most certainly create a class divide
between those who can afford an ‘elite’
education and those who cannot. Currently the £3,000 students pay for education is to be paid back in instalments
once they have earned over £15,000
On Saturday 5th December The English Defence League held a
demonstration in Nottingham City Centre, near Castle Road. Whilst
some oppositional organisations have arranged counter-marches, others
have opted to steer clear. Prior to the march, Andrew Trendell investigated
the key issues involved, and what Nottingham can expect to see unfold
upon its streets. Photos by Lucy Greenhill, Jonny Marsh, Callum Kirkwood
Those in the financial position to gain
a higher education would be restricted
in their choice of university and course,
with each university deciding their
own fees. This has potential to lead students into professions based on money
and not passion or talent as it should
be. Whilst many universities will profit
greatly from this change, smaller, less
populated universities could face closure if numbers of students attending
decline.
Nicky Primavesi, Student Union President at University College Plymouth
issues concerns about her diminutive
university that houses only 5,000
students. An increase in fees could
potentially mean closure. “We need to
show that there is one student voice.
Education shouldn’t be treated as a
business. We need to stand united and
show we are angry!!!”
per year. However if fees are raised to
£10,000 per year, the debt amounted
from attaining a degree would far outweigh the surplus money earned from
having a qualification. Nicky Unwin, a
student at the demonstration who was
representing Plymouths University
College said: “We are in a recession and
further education means better employment. The government needs to support
universities. Students are not consumers, we bring something to society.”
6
sign a pledge committing them to vote
against an increase in fees and to fight
to find fairer ways of funding university education. To date, over 40 MPs
have signed and their standpoint is
clearly mirrored in the public’s opinion
with a recent YouGov poll displaying
that 88% do not want higher education
fees amplified.
This may display how UK citizens feel
about the projected rise in fees, but it’s
important to think about international
students. To attend the same course
as a student from the UK, an international student can have to pay fees of
up to £18,000 per year depending on
the course and institution they choose.
So how will this affect them? Will that
outrageous figure stay the same? Or
will it too increase?
With these insane fees come obligations of overdrafts, loans and credit
cards, extra stress that many students
can not deal with. Dire financial positions and constant harassment from
banks can lead to high levels of stress
causing depression and mental health
issues, obviously aspects Mandelson
has failed to take into consideration.
Although this was the stance of the
majority of students that attended the
demonstration, there was a minority
present who chanted for the cost of education to be scrapped all together. What
effect would free university education
have on our society? And would every
person in the country get a degree just
for the sake of having one? These questions are open to new debate and could
lead to thousands of applicants per
graduate vacancy making it incredibly
difficult to get a job. Fairer funding is
what we need to be fighting for and not
free education, as NUS have proposed.
As of September this year, there was
a recorded 2.46 million unemployed
people in the U.K, many of these being
graduates. So with these troubling statistics, is going to University becoming
a gamble? If the cap on tuition fees is
lifted, it undeniably will be.
NUS, who organised the demonstration, have put a lot of pressure on
all parties to state where they stand
on the tuition fee review. The main
objective of the rally was to get MPs to
To join the campaign for fairer funding,
visit www.nus.org.uk/Campaigns/
Funding-Our-Future-/Register-tobe-part-of-this-campaign for your
voice to be counted.
| Nottingham Trent Students Union Magazine
D
ecember in Nottingham is usually a festive scene. Parents and
youngsters skate side by side on
the Market Square ice rink, some take
the time to enjoy a glass of mulled
wine at the German market as others
rush to find the bargains to finish off
their Christmas shopping. However,
this December, Christmas spirit was
disrupted, as demonstrators clashed in
opposition. Saturday December 5th the
City was brought to standstill by protestors and police intervention. Some 16
EDL demonstrators, 15 men and one
woman, were arrested during the day.
Seven have been charged with public
order offences
The demonstration was held by The English Defence League – a protest group
who oppose the presence of extremist
Islam in Britain. Naturally, they have
sparked much controversy, hostility
and resistance in recent months. The
political climate has seen a great deal of
well publicised dissent against the BNP
and other far right parties, and many
have also labelled the EDL as a racist
organisation. ‘Notts Stop The BNP’ ran
a simultaneous-counter march to protest against the EDL, whilst the Muslim
community urged people to stay clear of
the demonstration.
Phillip John, a spokesperson from ‘Nottingham Stop The BNP’, adamantly believes that the EDL are a fundamentally
racist organisation, with strong links
to the BNP. Mr John added: “Wherever
they go there are instances of racist
attacks when they’ve been on protest.
They claim to be against Islamic extremism when in reality we believe they are
trying to ferment racism”
The EDL refute claims of racism and
association with the BNP, arguing that
their organisation has been largely
misunderstood and misrepresented. The
organiser of the Nottingham branch of
the EDL, told us that labels of racism
are entirely false. He argued: “There’s
no race element involved, we just want
to show respect for our troops, whether
you agree with the wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan or not. We’re just a protest
group with no allegiance to any political
party whatsoever. I’m sure people have
turned up on our demos who have been
members of the far right and they do tag
along but we do the best that we can to
stop that. If you’re part of any far right
wing groups, whether it’s the BNP or
the National Front, stay away – we don’t
want you.”
The EDL member tells us that people of
all races and religions – even Muslims
– have joined their league. Dave added:
“We only oppose extremist Islam; we’re
not against Islam as a religion. If people
class that as racism then there’s not >
7
Community
News
>
a lot we can do about it. If you’re
a peaceful Muslim living in this
country then that’s fine. We will
not put up with extremist Muslims taking to the streets and shouting abuse and
threatening to cut people’s heads off.”
Identity Fraud | No Money? No Problem. | Local students should plan great escape
Edited by Nick Charity | [email protected]
‘Notts Stop The BNP’ arranged to march
against the EDL on December 5th with
the hope of shifting the focus away
from extremism and towards equality. Mr John added: “We are calling on
people to show unity in Nottingham,
across communities and trade unions.
We’re in favour of a peaceful protest in
Nottingham, so when we find out where
the EDL are going to go our plan is to
move and take ground and by sheer
force of numbers, show them that they
are not welcome.”
The EDL recognise that counter-protest
is inevitable, but plead for the right
to peacefully protest. Their organiser
said: “Left-wing groups always turn up
in opposition. All we want to do is show
up, have a peaceful demonstration and
leave the city. We don’t start any of the
trouble but you always get these different elements turning up and basically
trying to goad us into fighting.
“If you show up on the day to brand us as
a racist organisation you’d be wasting
your time because we aren’t. Just stay
away and let us do a peaceful demonstration. We also hope that people can
see us for what we really are – a peaceful
organisation.”
Some believe that the date of the EDL’s
demonstration was chosen deliberately
to coincide with the Notts Forest vs.
Leicester City game and the fact that
the 2nd Battalion of the Mercian Regiment marched through Nottingham.
Phillip John argues that this was a very
savvy manoeuvre from the EDL.
Mr John added: “It’s interesting that
the police talk to the EDL, yet normally
football hooligans would not be allowed
to just rally and march through towns.
The reality is that they are pulling
together football hooligans to try and
whip up racism, and we would call on all
football fans, who are clearly opposed
to racism, to come and join us on our
protest and 10 o’clock.”
The EDL disputed these allegations,
claiming that they are coincidental and
8
unavoidable. Dave added: “The date
we’ve chosen has nothing to do with
the troops and nothing to do with the
Forest game. From my own opinion
I’ve never met anybody in the EDL who
supports football hooliganism so I can’t
really speak on that. We were willing
to change the dates anyway, as we don’t
want any confrontation with anybody,
but unfortunately so many things were
put in place that we couldn’t.”
Phillip John asks for all races from
across the community to join them in
opposition to the EDL. He added: “It’s
very important that it should be seen as
a multicultural unified protest against
racism.”
The Muslim community however,
warned against attending, through fear
that confrontation will only add fuel to
the fire. Dr Musharraf Hussein, a Muslim from the Karima Institute in Nottingham, argued that counter-marching
would be counter-productive: “The EDL
are a group of extremists who want to
stir up trouble. The last thing we want
to do is give a bad name to our city, nor
do we want to give the EDL the publicity
– they don’t deserve that. That is exactly
what the EDL want – to stir up trouble
and we would not promote that. I would
ask all young people to stay away and
just ignore it completely.”
ID Fraud Hits
Home For Trent
Student
Identity theft is one of the most chilling
threats in today’s society. Rosanna King
examines why it happens, and what you
can do to avoid it.
I
magine that you have had a long hard day at university. All
you want to do is go home and relax. You pop into a shop
on your way back and hand over your bank card to pay
when the operator turns to you and tells you that your card
has been declined.
You know you have funds in the account as you were just paid
last week. You ask her to try again.
“Card declined.”
21 year old Matt Drake, a student at Nottingham Trent, does
not have to imagine this scenario. It happened.
He said: “I first noticed something odd with my account when
my card was declined and I was advised to contact my bank.”
Matt then went to a cash point to see if he could get money out
there. To his horror, his account was empty when just
days ago he had been paid from his part time job. >
9
Community
No money?
No problem.
>
He added: “I was shocked and confused; I always carry
my card on me at all times.” Matt went to his local
bank and they told him he had made transactions in
a few shops and supermarkets in Sheffield, a place he had
never been. The bank put a stop on his account and advised
Matt that he could have become a victim of fraud and that
his card may have been cloned. His case was passed through
to the fraud department and after thorough investigation it
was found that his card was cloned a few days before when he
withdrew money from a petrol station cash point.
I
always wanted to come to university.
Studying at degree level has so much
to offer – a chance to meet new
people with similar interests, learn more
about a subject you have a passion
for, have great nights out, grow into an
independent adult... oh yeah, and get
into a ridiculous amount of debt.
Matt said: “Although I am grateful that all the funds stolen
from my account were reimbursed and it was dealt with efficiently, it was a very stressful and inconvenient time. […] I had
to wait for a few days whilst this matter was being investigated and did not have any funds in the meantime and had to
borrow money from friends and family until the money was
put back in my account.” Being a victim of Fraud is not always
preventable, but there are ways in which students can try and
protect their personal information.
The average student faces debt of up
to £23,000 when they graduate. It is
estimated that it currently takes the
average graduate 13 years to pay off this
debt once they are earning over £15,000
a year. Yes that’s right; these 3 great
years certainly come at a high price. The
facts can be quite disheartening to hear.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is urging students to protect themselves against identity theft by thinking
before giving information away. It is advising students to
update organisations with changes to personal details and to
dispose of personal documents such as bank statements and
bills securely.
“A number of factors combine to make students particularly
vulnerable to identity fraudsters in the early weeks of the
academic year,” said David Smith, Deputy Commissioner at
the ICO. “Almost every day students give out personal details,
whether signing up to a new club or opening a bank account.”
Your personal information is valuable – simply forgetting to
update organisations when you have moved house and leaving your bank statements or university enrolment documents
to be opened by someone else can be a gift to ID fraudsters.
For more information please contact ICO press office on 020 7025
7580 or visit the website at: www.ico.gov.uk.
The ICO’s top tips to avoid ID theft
• Store any documents carrying personal information, such as your
driving licence, passport, bank statements, utility bills or credit card
transaction receipts, in a safe and secure place.
• When no longer needed, shred or destroy your personal documents so that nothing showing your name, address or other details
can be stolen.
• When you move house, make sure you update organisations
such as your bank, mobile phone provider, energy providers and The
Royal Mail with your new address – you don’t want the new tenants
to have access to letters containing your personal information.
• Remember, less is more. The less you give away about yourself,
the lower the risk of information falling into the wrong hands.
• Think before you buy – use a secure website which displays the
company’s contact details, look for a golden padlock symbol, clear
privacy and returns policies and user agreements.
10
I guess it’s not surprising that I sometimes wonder whether my friends who
have chosen to work instead of going
to university may be choosing the more
sensible option. It is indisputable that
getting a degree level qualification
is invaluable to a future career, yet it
seems that the financial barrier to going
to university keeps getting higher. It
seems unfair that our enthusiasm to
extend our education results in us being
saddled with thousands of pounds of
debt for the years after university.
financial help from their parents whilst
at university. Also, two in three students
admit to worrying about paying back
their student loans. Therefore, it seems
we worry so much about debt that we
could find ourselves in a situation where
we spend more time on a part time
job than we do on an essay or assignment. Also, the majority of employed
students are in jobs with no relevance
to their degree. However, studentgems.
com might just offer what we students
need; skill based work that can benefit
us in the long run, both financially and
professionally.
Co-founder of the website, Joanna Ward
commented on the findings of their
nationwide survey. She said, “It is worrying that students’ studies are being
disrupted after they commit themselves
to a job, so the smaller jobs and projects
offered by employers on student gems
are definitely the way forward.”
By Charlotte Hickmott
The website works to find jobs and oneoff projects for students that use skills
and experience relevant to their degree.
This means students are able to earn
while they learn and fit a part time job
more easily in around their studies.
So we might as well face it – university is
expensive, and part time work may help
to ease the financial strain, especially
when using websites like studentgems.
com to also help develop skills relevant
to our degree. But, judging from
my time so far at Nottingham Trent,
university is an experience better than
anything else I could invest in.
For more information, go to
www.studentgems.com.
Have you used studentgems.com before?
Get in touch ([email protected]) and tell us about your
experience.
Like many other students, I have a
part time job. The National Union of Students claims that over the past ten years,
the number of students with part time
jobs has risen 54%. When our parents
were at university, it would be rare for
a student to even have a job. But now
we are faced with so much financial
pressure, our education sometimes has
to take a back seat.
A recent nationwide survey of over 1000
students by studentgems.com found
that 79% of university students work
outside of their academic studies. Of
this employed 79%, over half admitted
to working more than 20 hours a week
which inevitably disrupted their studies.
A big factor in students seeking part
time work is that 42% don’t receive
11
Community
Union News & Events
Initi8 Project Leaders’
Team Building Diary
Local Students
Should Plan
Great Escape
A
new Fire Kills campaign is urging
students to stay safe from fire, as
they move into homes outside the
security of halls of residence. Nottingham Trent University has agreed to
have one of the new Fire Kills student
Ambassadors, Jordan O’Brien, to act as
a liason and promote fire safety round
the university.
New survey results also shows that
people vastly underestimate the impact
of toxic smoke, many believing they
could survive a smoke filled room for
more than two minutes, or that the
smell of smoke would be enough to alert
them. Others assumed a barking dog or
neighbour would alert them. ‘A barking
neighbour wouldn’t alert me to a fire’,
you might think. But neither would a
barking dog.
Aside from being wrong, these people
simply aren’t taking the issue seriously
enough. The two minutes that you might
be able to survive, is the average time it
takes to escape a house, - the only way
to escape the danger is with a working
smoke detector, something so simple,
but invaluable; obvious to most of us,
but still easily forgotten.
12
Students going into private accommodation must also be weary of their rights
– it is a landlord’s responsibility to keep
up safety standards, and if they aren’t
holding up their end, you not only can,
but should complain and use the term
‘legal action’ if required (really plays
with their hair, that one).
This attention to fire safety came as
the statistics made a noticeable shift
in 2006, detailing that while national
numbers of fire fatalities were dropping,
for young people they are rising, quite
substantially, 14% to be exact.
Martin Malloy of Nottinghamshire Fire
Service said the following: “For students
moving out of the family home into digs,
it may feel like a ‘Great Escape’. However, when you live in your own accommodation, you need to know what to do
in the event of a fire and that includes
knowing how to get out in the event of
a fire – the greatest escape of all. […] As
the new Fire Kills Drowning in Smoke
advert highlights, it only takes a couple
of breaths of toxic smoke to make a
person unconscious. So make sure you
have a working smoke alarm and test
it every week. It’s a small device but it
could save your life.” Nick Charity
Fire Kills campaign top tips for
ensuring you stay safe from
fire in your home:
• Fit smoke alarms on each level of the
house and test them weekly
• Never leave cooking unattended
• Take extra care with cigarettes and
smoking materials and never smoke in
bed – when a cigarette is finished, put it
out, right out!
• Never leave candles or tea lights unattended and ensure that they are put in
safe holders
• Switch off electrical appliances when not
in use, unless they’re designed to stay on
– like a freezer
• Check furniture has the fire-resistant
permanent label
• Plan and practice an escape route with
your housemates
• If a fire starts get out, stay out and call
999
Nottingham Fire Service offers free Home
Fire Risk Checks to local students. They
will visit your home and advise on the best
escape route to take, check your home for
fire hazards and may also install a working
smoke alarm free of charge.
For more information on how to protect
you and your housemates from fire and to
book a home fire risk check or download
leaflets, visit www.direct.gov.uk/firekills.
Day 1: Seeing everyone asleep on the
coach, it seemed like any normal residential...
of course, it probably wasn’t the best sign
that it was 4pm and we were only on our
way there. Even after a gorgeous meal (lets
face it, any free food is good to a student).
We were all just ready for a nice long sleep
in our luxurious hostel style bunk beds,
however we had a full night ahead of rock
climbing, indoor caving, and, in Matt Proudfoot’s case, some ‘extreme hopscotch’. In fact
much of our first day was spent in heated
debate about where we actually were. The
ideas ranged from Derby to Wales. We
later find out we were in Derbyshire/the
Peak District, but at least it kept the leaders
amused for the weekend, as did everyone’s
obsession with the lack of signal on our
phones…
Day 2: With very little rest we started the
next morning bright and early heading out
for some canoeing. It was here we learnt
one of our main lessons of the week, that
bigger is not always better. This certain
lesson was learnt after all the guys went in
the same canoe thinking they would go
faster because they were stronger. However,
quite the opposite of going fast, they started
to sink. After a quick re-organising of the canoes we once more braved the cold waters.
Having had a lot of team
building crammed into
very little time, we began
the real work of training
for our new positions. The
residential was designed
to give us the skills, information and
confidence to run our own projects through
the coming year. And it definitely succeeded,
we can now write risk assessment and
budget forms in record timing, and have
so many ideas for projects you will all be
spoiled for choice.
Day 3: Despite having to get up early on
our Sunday morning, all it took was a little
coffee and breakfast to get everyone as
enthusiastic as ever to face the days challenges. Today these would take the form of
orienteering before heading straight back
to Nottingham. Another rainy day, but
everyone basically ran off to complete their
challenges first with grins on their faces
(which were mostly hidden under layers of
clothing, and huge red raincoats). When this
final challenge was complete we all piled
back on our mini-buses with tired but happy
faces, heading back home to get a well deserved rest. As Zara, one the the new project
leaders this year put it: ‘It was a great experience, everyone worked together really well.
It will be a great year!’ Frankly, if the freezing
winter winds
of the countryside when
we’re soaking wet cant beat us,
nothing will. I can safely say we
are all ready for the challenges
of the year ahead that come
with being a project leader,
and we are certainly looking
forward to meeting all our keen
volunteers. So get in touch and
GET INVOLVED!
Ellen Funston
For details on any of our projects, or to
get involved in any volunteering while at
Trent, feel free to contact:
Laura Buckland (City campus)
[email protected]
or
Jennie Mann (Clifton and
Brackenhurst campus)
[email protected].
It only takes a few minutes to complete the survey online
at www.ntu.ac.uk/rocked and your answers can help the
next generation of students choose the right university and
course.
The National Student Survey gives final year students from
across the UK the opportunity to rate their experiences at
university. NTU takes the results of the survey seriously and
in recent years changes have been made as a direct result of
the survey.
The results will appear on www.unistats.com giving future
students the opportunity to compare universities and
courses when choosing where to study.
So, what’s in it for you?
F
inal year undergraduates whether NTU rocked your world, or hit
rock bottom, share your views in the
National Student Survey.
Complete the survey online and we’ll give you £5 printing
credit. What’s more, if you do it by xx February, you’ll be
entered into a prize draw to win one of 100 ‘NTU rocked my
world’ hoodies.
Visit www.ntu.ac.uk/rocked and tell the world what you
think of NTU.
13
Music
Union News & Events
F ree St r i de Training & Devel opment S es si on s
on of f er in Januar y:
Sessions @ City:
Sessions @ Clifton:
Sessions @ Brackenhurst:
Boosting Your Potential
Programme:
Business Management and
Leadership Programme:
Boosting Your Potential
Programme:
Money Matters - Wednesday 20th
January, 3-5pm
Time Management - Wednesday
27th January, 3-5pm
Introduction to Leadership and
Management - Wednesday 20th
January, 2-4pm
Building Your Team - Wednesday
27th January, 2-4pm
Money Matters - Tuesday 19th
January, 5.30-7.30pm
Time Management - Tuesday 26th
January, 5.30-7.30pm
For more info and to book a
place go to:
Introduction to Leadership and
Management - Tuesday 19th
January, 4-6pm
Building Your Team - Tuesday 26th
January, 4-6pm
www.trentstudents.org/stride
NTSU Entertainments this month:
Climax @ City - Every Saturday during
term time (9:30pm)
Double Vision @ Clifton - Every Friday
during term time (9:30pm)
Assault @ The Pulse – Fortnightly Fridays
during term time (9:30pm)
Tone Club @ The Pulse – Fortnightly Fridays
during term time (8pm)
See www.trentstudents.org for more info
14
Edited by Tom Warmsley | [email protected]
[Photo: Sarah Coss]
Business Management and
Leadership Programme:
The Count & Sinden | Hundred Reasons | Flaming Lips | La Roux | Arctic Monkeys | Example
Interview: The Count & Sinden
They hit you ‘on your beeper’ back
in the summer of 2008 and have
since been revered and remixed
mercilessly. Michael McLeod
catches up with The Count & Sinden
during their stay in Nottingham
midway through their UK tour to
discuss Acid, Fatboy Slim
and diversity >
UP
STEPPING
15
Music
>
Michael McLeod: You met
when you were both working
on Switch’s label. Tell us
more about how you met.
Count: We met about 3 ½ years ago,
when I was recording as Hervè on
Dubsided, while Sinden was working
for Switch’s label Counterfeit, and had
done some remixes with Switch. Switch
introduced us and we started working
together. I asked Sinden over to listen to
some music and make some tracks and
he ended up staying for five days and we
made a whole EP, which included Beeper.
Beeper was a huge success and seemed
to draw on old-school Garage influences, what else influences your current
sound?
Sinden: Our main influence is just UK
dance culture; which is heavily centred
around bass lines, so things like jungle,
garage, drum & bass.
Count: We’re trying not to fall into the
trap of producing something that’s too
familiar. We always try and approach
it differently in terms of our drum
arrangements and sampling. The aim
is to create excitement and amazement
on the dance-floor, and that won’t come
from regurgitating the same stuff as
everyone else.
MM: What were your earlier influences that inspired you to want to
make music?
Count: I started playing drums when I
was about 8 so that was my first step. I
think growing up in the 80’s listening
to electronic stuff like Duran Duran and
16
“T
hat’s the great
thing about the
music scene over
here in the U.K., it’s
always trying new
things and then all
of a sudden the U.S.
are copying us. It’s
quite impressive
for such a small
country to be
boxing toe to toe
with those guys
in terms of new
ideas.”
Kraftwerk made me want to make that
sort of music.
Sinden: I think that period was really
important for me, listening to all those
synths in stuff like the Eurhythmics and
the sampled music in hip-hop inspired
me. I loved Public Enemy, Tribe Called
Quest and De La Soul.
Count: I was really into weird electronic
ambient stuff back then, like Brian Eno
and Acid.
MM: You mean acid the music genre?
Count: Err, bit of both!
Sinden: We had slightly different paths
but we were both grunge kids at some
point too. Heavy Metal came before I
got into things like house.
Count: My tastes have constantly
changed because I love new sounds.
When a new rhythm comes on the scene
and everything just explodes around it.
That’s the great thing about the music
scene over here in the UK, it’s always
trying new things and then all of a
sudden the US are copying us. It’s quite
impressive for such a small country to
be boxing toe to toe with those guys in
terms of new ideas.
MM: Have your transatlantic collaborations made much headway in
America?
Count: To be honest America is only
just getting into the sort of music we
make and they are only just waking up
to it, we’ve had some success underground music scene over there though.
MM: Moving on to the future, have
you got another album in the
pipeline and what are we to expect
from it?
Sinden: Yes we’ve got an album in the
works; it’s coming along well. Over the
last few weeks we’ve been holed up in
the studio throwing around some new
ideas and produced a couple of singles.
Count: We’ve been quite lucky that no
one has asked us make another Beeper
and that we aren’t just expected to keep
doing the same sort of stuff.
Sinden: The next single has more of
a jungle/jump-up D n B sound, which
is another major influence on us from
growing up in London in the 90s
Count: Annie Mac’s already been giving
that some airplay, but we’re getting
another follow up ready so that we can
go off and do our own thing again for a
while. I’m also working with Norman
Cook on some new material
MM: I didn’t know ‘Fatboy’ was
making a comeback?
Count: Nobody did really; it’s been
fun not being able to tell anyone when
they ask me who’s coming round! I’ve
been keeping it a secret, up until he
announced it the other week in an
interview with Mixmag. He’s so good to
work with, and works in such a different
way to me.
MM: You’ve been running a night
called ‘Mega Mega’ in London for a
while now; for those in Nottingham
who don’t know about it, what is it
and how did it come about?
Count: The idea was to get a small
club and pack it with DJ’s that really
shouldn’t be playing a club of that size,
so we called around and we got a great
response.”
Sinden: Yeah we got a massive response,
and we held it in a 200 capacity club
and managed to get people like Skream,
Chase & Status, Frank Music, Mystery
Jets, Xample; and everyone just came
down and did DJ sets in this tiny little
club.
MM: Are there any plans to take
Mega Mega on the road?
Count: I think in summer we’re going to
start collaborating with the big club nights
around the country and take it national.
Sinden: The first one is in two weeks
in Cardiff at CYSE, then expanding
on that next year
MM: Enough about you two!
How do you perceive the recent
changes in the music industry
and the way that music is being
produced?
Sinden: I think Myspace is the best
thing that’s happened to music in a
long time. The fact that anyone who
makes music can put their stuff up
on there and have a voice, and it be
heard is great for the music.
Count: It’s taken away the initial
thing of trying to get heard, and
there have been people literally transformed over night by the internet
buzz. And then you get people who
are signed of the back of internet
success - but I think some of that’s a
scam.
Sinden: Yeah, I think despite the
problems, music is in a very healthy
state right now and it’s improved over
the last 5 years. We get put on the
same bill as bands, dubstep, drum
and bass and bassline; then the clubs
got indie kids and ravers going to
it, so it’s a much more diverse music
culture now.
MM: I’ve heard you say in the past
that you don’t take yourself too
seriously as ‘artists’, do you think
some corners of electronic music
are becoming more pretentious
about the music they make?
Count: Definitely! There’s some great
music out there that’s very deep and
emotional like Burial. But there are
also a lot of people who try way too
hard to be ‘deep’ and think they are
better than everyone else. I think
it’s pointless to intellectualise dance
music
Sinden: There seems to be a sneering
attitude from people who think they
are musically superior
Count: When they can’t play a
guitar and they can’t sing or anything.
The fact is if it makes you want to
dance then its good music. We make
music for the club, and it’s engineered
for that platform, we aren’t trying to
make something artistic.
Sinden: People like Skream, Chase &
Status and Norman Cook have totally
open attitude to music and don’t turn
their nose up at stuff.
Count: You can’t actually find anyone
more grounded than Norman Cook,
he’s so nice.
IDEAS ABOVE THEIR STATION
Interview: Hundred Reasons
In 2002, in the heyday of Brit-Rock, Hundred Reasons took the country by
storm with their immaculate debut album. ‘Ideas Above Our Station’ topped
many end of year polls and won the band a coveted Kerrang! Award for Best
Album. After a tumultuous eight years the world is a very different place for
Britain, for rock music and for Hundred Reasons. Andrew Trendell caught
up with Hundred Reasons singer Colin Doran and guitarist Ben Doyle to
discuss emo, ambitions, and perseverance.
A
ndrew Trendell: You guys
rose to fame at the dawn of
the decade alongside great
British rock acts, who have since
met their demise (e.g. Reuben,
Yourcodenameis:milo, Million Dead,
Hell Is For Heroes etc) Would you say
that it’s a struggle to survive?
Colin: I suppose it just depends on how
you look at it really and how you think
you can carry on. We’ve always been
very frugal with the band’s finances
which is probably what’s allowed us to
keep on doing this.
Ben: What really stops bands playing
is the really boring stuff that people
outside of the industry don’t necessarily understand. Just dull stuff like
marketing, which get’s frustrating when
people don’t know that you’re there.
C: There are a lot of things to consider
but I think I’d mainly put it down to the
record companies themselves not being
able to perhaps do as good a job as they
could. We’ve had label issues, as had
Million Dead – everyone has. It’s really
down to whether you let it grind you
down and just say “That’s it, we’re done”
or whether you say “F*ck you, we really
enjoy playing these songs with these
guys and we’re going to carry on doing
it.” That’s been our attitude.
AT: Back in the early days there
seemed to be a lot more energy
and optimism in British rock music.
Would you say that anything is missing?
C: Yes, I’d say that about 10% of the
bands out there are really, really good,
and the other 90% are just try-hard
wannabes. There’s a lot of that about,
and when I look at a scene and I just
think ‘Oh, another emo band, and
another guy with a fringe who’s singing
the same as everyone else’. They all sing
very similar notes and play very similar
riffs and most of those bands just meld
into each other. I don’t really care for it
too much.
B: It’s a hard one because all music, to
me, is good. There aren’t many bands
where I can look at them and think
‘That’s actually sh*t’. I try to see the
positives in things. It’s all cycles and borrowed ideas though. Every time a new
scene emerges, you notice how it’s just
a few elements fused together. Maybe
hair metal will come back soon. I’m
predicting the comeback of the perm –
the one eye fringe is on its way out and
everything will evolve again.
AT: After persevering to such success
for over ten years, what do Hundred
Reasons still hope to achieve?
C: We never really had any ambitions in
the first place. We were just happy that
we didn’t have to work day jobs.
B: When Hundred Reasons started it
was just a good band in a rehearsal
space with no manufactured elements.
It was just really real.
C: Exactly. You always want to play well,
and sell well because you want to keep
doing it. We’ve only ever really cared
about making music. We’ve never cared
about being famous or glamorous or
anything. We find that really boring
in fact – we just enjoy playing music.
That’s why we did it in the first place. If
we didn’t enjoy playing music then we
wouldn’t have gone through all the
sh*t we have done. We don’t really have
massive ambitions – we just enjoy
playing music.
17
Music
The Count & Sinden @ Stealth 20th November 2009
Flaming Lips @ O2 Academy, Birmingham - 17th November 2009
By Michael McLeod
By Alexander Britton
T
he Flaming Lips suffer from a very
unique problem in music - they’ve
arguably written the perfect
set opener and closer in ‘Race for the
Prize’ and ‘Do You Realize?’ Yet, the 90
minutes that separated these fabulous
bookends are not mere filler - far from it.
The night started disappointingly,
however. Support acts Stardeath and
White Dwarfs were both aurally and
visually punishing. Their performance,
oscillating between an ineloquent Mercury Rev and a tuneless Mogwai, was
accompanied with excessive dry ice and
brutal minute-long strobe bursts. Less a
‘warm-up’ than ‘indifference induce’.
As gigantic balloons and confetti
showered over the crowd with the
opening bars of ‘Race for the Prize’, all
disinterest was cast aside. The Flaming
Lips create an atmosphere of contagious
joy; their sheer delight at being able to
share their craft is apparent. Despite
this being the last show of a world tour,
there is no sense of routine. Frontman
Wayne Coyne bounced around the stage
with elation when necessary, and was
suitably melancholic during songs ‘Fight
Test’ and ‘Yoshimi’.
The set eschewed most of their latest
album tracks, instead focusing upon
their better known songs. It would have
L
been interesting to have placed the new
material in a live context, but given the
experimental edge they’ve taken, the set
list was a safe crowd-pleaser.
With arms aloft, the crowd joined in
with final bars of ‘Do You Realize’ before
the Lips departed, taking their army of
pandas, caterpillars and dolphins away
with them - time was being called on
the most bizarre, joyful house party
imaginable.
La Roux @ Rock City - 17th November 2009
By Beth Hewitt
F
rom an unknown artist to a household name in under a
year, electro-pop duo La Roux have practically monopolised the synth-pop genre and judging by the response
of the Rock City crowd tonight, are rapidly gathering a large
fan base. Tonight with her unusual dress sense, irresistible
rhythms and angular limbs akimbo, it seems like the crowd
will be leaving with a sense of experiencing something a little
off the ‘mainstream’.
Curiously-named support band ‘Ou est le Swimming Pool?’
left a lot to be desired. The few tracks the North London trio
performed were crammed with repetitive lyrics and generic
beats, culminating in the distinctly average ‘Dance the way
you feel’, leaving the crowd wondering ‘Ou est La Roux’?
It’s almost an hour later when La Roux, real name Elly Jackson,
emerges to a throng of electro loving fans - impatient with
anticipation. She kicks off with the energetic ‘Tigerlily’, to
bellows of approval from the crowd. Kitted out in an oversized
shirt and shellsuit jacket combo, Elly works the androgynous
style right up to that huge red quiff from which her name
descends. She continues with the crowd-pleasers launching
into synth-heavy ‘Quicksand’ next and peaks midway with the
anthemic ‘In for the Kill’ causing excitement in the masses,
who boogie appreciatively whilst crooning the catchy chorus.
Elly ended her set on No.1 single ‘Bulletproof’, sparking the
most ashamed 80’s enthusiast to bust some moves to this
futuristic anthem.
Heavily inspired by 80s pop, and citing legends such as Depeche Mode and Eurythmics as influences, La Roux brings a
modern twist to an 80s classic sound. With a No.2 album and
a Mercury prize nomination under her belt it seems apparent
this self-assured Brixton bird is set to be even bigger than her
hair, and not just because her mum’s June off ‘The Bill’.
18
ondon’s genre defying party
maestros, Graeme ‘Sinden’ and
Joshua ‘The Count’ Harvey (AKA
Hervè), have been a distant rumble in
the grounded ears of house music fans
since their inception in 2008, and have
recently entered the public domain with
catchy club track ‘Beeper’. The diversity
of their tastes result in a sound that
incorporates a vast array of genres, and
makes classifying their sound harder
for a music journalist than categorising
a duck-billed platypus is for an ecologist,
proven by their latest follow up ‘Mega’,
providing an edgier sound to that of the
popular ‘Beeper’.
Arriving to Stealth’s readymade Friday
night party atmosphere, there was
no respite for Nottingham’s enthused
party-goers, as Sinden served up some
early club bangers. After meeting this
unassuming gent before-hand, It was
surprising to see a DJ so absorbed in
the party atmosphere, with his head
bopping furiously in synergy with the
rhythmic kicks and swaying to his
wobbling bass-lines. It was easy to see
why the duo work so well in tandem, as
The Count responded with equally bassladen crowd-pleasers, blended with an
ease that can only come from years of
club conducting from those magical
wheels of steel.
The Count and Sinden’s double-edged
success in both commercial and underground music scenes is testament to
their vision of club music, which is often bogged down by genre boundaries
and pretension within its own ranks.
The music they play is nothing new, but
to hear a Dizzee Rascal tune laid down
in the same set as some ungodly dubstep certainly is, and it’s something
that encapsulates the UK scene right
now. Viewing Stealth’s packed room
jump around to every track, commercial or not, just serves to prove that
the dividing walls are being brought
down, and these guys are holding the
sledgehammers.
Arctic Monkeys @ Nottingham Trent FM Arena - 22nd November 2009
By Zoe Turton
I
t’s cliché but Arctic Monkeys have grown up (and grown hair). No longer preoccupied with girls in indie discos and riot vans; tonight they bring their latest album
‘Humbug’ to Nottingham. Opening with the effortlessly sexy ‘dance little liar’,
and following with the storming ‘Brianstorm’ which receives a raucous response.
Although this is an arena tour, it’s as if they could still be playing in your tiny local toilet, as they perform a completely stripped back set. Alex provides no flashy
showmanship, but the audience couldn’t expect anymore from him. True to form the
stage is almost bare apart from a few lights hanging from the sky. But where they
lack in colourful gimmicks, they more than make up for in the actual music they
play this evening.
Older classics like ‘Still Take You Home’ and ‘I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor’ get the biggest cheers and oddly don’t feel at all out of place next to the newer
more experimental tracks. It’s clear though that they want to focus on ‘Humbug’;
tracks like ‘My Propeller’ and ‘Cornerstone’ are often when the band seem most at
ease. From the first guitar strum of ‘When The Sun Goes Down’, the crowd scream
back every word. Suddenly as Mr. Turner swoons about ‘fools on parade...’ on track
‘Secret Door’ confetti guns are set off, feeling a bit out of place as the four hairy men
sweetly play on oblivious.
The crowd are teased with an interlude of fan favourite ‘Mardy Bum’ during ‘Florescent Adolescent’ as a spotlight falls on front man Alex Turner looking every bit the
rock star he never claims to be. By this point Nottingham has been treated to the
kind of performance the Arctic Monkeys should have played at this year’s Reading
and Leeds festivals, and ‘505’ is the
ideal way for us to part. Alex leaves the
stage with just a cheeky wave as his
band play on till the end of the song
after his absence. After all - no one likes
long goodbyes.
For more interviews and reviews, head over to
19
Music
e x a m p l e
in his
pr im e
Interview: Example
TW: Is there anything special you
have been doing for the tour, in particular for the Arena dates?
E: Well we have just been doing out
normal 30 minute set and haven’t really
changed out set to suit bigger venues. I
guess the only thing special I have been
doing is wearing a really nice T-shirt.
TW: Your songs have been remixed
generously -particularly your single
‘watch the sun come up’, do you have
any particular favourite version or
artist that has reworked your stuff?
E: Being signed to Ministry of Sound so there are plenty of remixes on their
compilations, because of their worldwide network of DJs. I commission most
of them though, so I get to choose who
I’d like to work with. For ‘Hooligans’ we
got A1 Bassline to do it. For my new
single ‘Won’t Go Quietly’ we have got
DC Breaks & Vent to remix something.
It’s got some crazy D’n’B , break-beat
electro sounds to it. A lot of the major
labels though just look at who is ‘cool’,
ah yeah ‘Skream’ is cool, get them to
do it.
Arts
TW: Seeing as you are touring with
Lily Allen, for those who don’t know
could you explain a bit about your
response to her song ‘Smile’ with
your track ‘VILE’?
E: Well yeah, she knows it was three and
a half years ago... I’m not performing it on
tour with her. But I know she liked it! Or
else she wouldn’t have me on tour with
her. For some reason people thought me
doing that song meant that I didn’t like
her, or she didn’t like me - but we get on
with pretty well with each other.
The Office vs. Extras | David Hockney/Frances Stark @ Nottingham Contemporary | The Beats: A Graphic
History | Sinfonia ViVa | Beauty and the Beast @ Nottingham Playhouse
Edited by Alexander Britton | [email protected]
‘The Office’ vs. ‘Extras’
TW: Is Lily Allen someone you would
be interested in collaborating with
in future?
E: Yeah, in future. At the moment I don’t
really want to work with anyone, apart
from producers. On my latest album we
have just session vocalists which I have
enjoyed working with. In a few years if my
profile gets bigger, hopefully I can pick
and choose who I would like to work with.
The Best of Ricky Gervais
The pen of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant has
provided two of the funniest comedies of the past
decade. Pearse Connery takes a look back at The
Office and Extras and explores why they are
typically ‘Noughties.’
TW: After releasing your second
album this year, what is set for Example in 2010?
E: I am always doing club sets and DJ
shows every other week, but in January
I will be finishing the second album
and doing a few exclusive DJ sets. Then
in February and March I go on tour
with Tinchy Stryder, which is 20 dates
around the country. Hopefully going to
do my own tour again after that - and
then looking forward to the start of the
festival season.
T
he Office and Extras are quintessential products of the Noughties. The Office, in particular,
revolutionised comedy, making the
mockumentary with a dash of dry wit
a popular recipe. Several television
shows that came after The Office, most
notably The Inbetweeners, follow this
comedic method.
Most Gervais fans would probably rate
The Office the best work of the Readingborn comedian. His other show, Extras,
is definitely on par with the Office, but
given that it had a lot to live up to, it
isn’t held in such high regard.
[Photos © BBC]
He has just come off touring the country with Lily Allen; is about to do it all
again on the road with Tinchy Stryder
and he is probably the genius behind
the remixed track you love. Thomas
Warmsley finds out why, in 2010,
Example could lead by just that.
Thomas Warmsley: You have a couple
of dates left, how has the tour gone
so far?
Example: Yeah it’s been amazing, the
first lot of dates were sold out so we
added more - have played to around
70,000 people so far, it has been an
amazing experience so far. People have
been going mental really!
20
David Brent, the boss of ‘The Office’ is a
sexist, racist, big headed representation
of middle England. Trying lamentably
hard to be funny and loved, he ends
up merely being pitied. The supporting cast is superb: Gareth creates some
comedy gems with his complete lack
of social awareness, and Tim, a tragic
tale of a man who could have done so
much with his life but is working in an
office in depressing Slough; a situation
replicated in offices all over country.
Many people knew ‘a Brent’ in their
workplace, and, as such, The Office became one of the most iconic sitcoms of
the decade. Brent’s dance in the Comic
Relief episode is now widely known and
regarded as one of the funniest television moments of the past ten years, if
not all time.
Andy Millman,
the main character in Extras,
is worlds away from
Brent. The show recounts Millman’s trials and tribulations as an
extra, through to the filming of his
own sitcom – during which he sells
himself short to appease the public.
Unlike Brent, who has a high opinion
of himself, Millman is much more
socially conscious and modest, and
his relationship with his agent Darren,
played by his real-life writing partner
Stephen Merchant, makes for hilarious
viewing. Extras satirises the personalities of the rich and famous through
cameos by various celebrities, each with
their traits turned on their head: such
as Daniel Radcliffe as a chain-smoking
womanizer and Orlando Bloom’s confession that he despises Johnny Depp.
With these two shows, comedy has
changed massively inasmuch as they are
based around the quotidian: mundane
people doing mundane things. Millman
and Brent are stuck in ruts with little
chance of escape. The Office is bleakly
amusing, set in a dour paper merchant
in deepest Berkshire, and, like Extras,
allows glimpses into the lives of people
with potential failing to realise their
goals. This is the stark reality of life for
most people of this era, and that is probably why people relate to both shows
and enjoy them so much.
Greatest Moments...
The Office: The best moment, of many, is
probably where Brent tells Chris Finch, a
supposed friend who treats Brent like
dirt to ‘F**k off’ after Finch offended the
woman he brought to the Christmas party.
The audience had been waiting for Brent
to stand up for himself throughout the two
series and finally he had done it.
Extras: Keith Chegwin’s performance is
one of many notable celebrity appearances.
Whilst ‘Cheggers’ is regarded by most as a
fun loving, bubbly character to the public,
he plays a racist, homophobic bigot which
although quite controversial is absolute
comedy gold. Millman’s disbelief is mirrored by the audience’s when Chegwin asks
him “So the BBC, still run by your Jews and
your queers?” and is a real laugh out loud
moment.
21
Arts
David Hockney/Frances Stark @ Nottingham Contemporary
Words by Alexander Britton | Photo by Stefan Ebelewicz
“C
haos at the surface”
The first bringing together of Hockney
at his prime has allowed the development of ‘Britain’s favourite artist’ to
be traced, scrutinised, dissected and
reassembled by the eyes and minds of
all and sundry. And it was about time
too. Hockney in the 60s was a rare
and majestic sight to behold, he oozed
potential, and finally these works can
be appreciated in the new setting of
Nottingham Contemporary – an impressive site for an impressive artist.
The division of the two galleries is
drawn at a natural conclusion of
one era – pre-California – and the
beginning of Hockney’s American
adventure. His work in Gallery 4 is
cryptically confessional; coded messages seem to suggest that he wishes
to divulge a secret, but wants there
to be an element of challenge for the
audience.
‘We Two Boys Together Clinging’ is as
poetic as the title suggests. The two
boys depicted are more than clinging,
they are bound: it is a representation
of beauty among chaos, with jagged
edges and sharp colours contrasting greatly with the softness of the
embrace.
Occasionally, however, the poetic element of Hockney’s work is far from apparent. The majestic ‘Life Painting for
Myself’, a depiction of a model forced
into a corner, contains the poignant
line “Don’t give up yet” scrawled on
a corner; it is barely perceptible – the
beauty is in the detail.
Gallery 3, the continuation of the
exhibition, is dominated by the stark
blue of ‘A Bigger Splash’. Within this
picture, Hockney tackles the problem
of representing the suddenness of a
splash which, whilst easily represented in photographs, poses the artist numerous issues. This is pulled off with
genuine skill; rather than attempting
to represent that which is perceived,
Hockney creates his own unfaithful
yet well-executed vision.
This exhibition, an eight year long
snapshot of Hockney’s artistic life, is
a joy to experience – the works are
deliciously peppered with affirmation,
potential and accomplishment.
“Sometimes simple on the surface
means a complex structure underneath”
From the cool blues to the clinical
whites, Frances Stark’s work is – excuse the well-worn gag – stark by nature. There is a certain nudity to her
work, but the beauty sits well below
the surface and can only be appreciated at a close proximity. This is best
represented within ‘Free Money’ and
‘And Also another One at the Same
Time’, images comprising of intricate
lettering in a predetermined pattern.
Stark has a certain way of developing the words of others into her own
pieces – offering a window into her
own tastes, and ultimately, her own
experience. Liberal usage of Dickinson, Whitman and Mark E. Smith
place elements of the artist within the
work – something that is occasionally
absent from other works.
The exhibition is fluid, Stark flits between explicit and retiring, the overt
tones of her messages sit unsettlingly
against the minute suggestions of
others. One must approach Stark’s
work almost with a magnifying glass,
peeking into every corner, before
discarding it and appreciating the
totality.
Book
Review
The Beats: A Graphic History
Edited by Paul Buhle
C
oming together towards the end of the 1950s, the Beat Generation were arguably the
most exciting literary movement of the 20th Century. Basing their philosophy on a rejection of mainstream American society, and, under a haze of chemical experimentation,
this collective of bohemian hedonists created valuable literary artefacts of their time - the most
notable of which being ‘On the Road’ by Jack Kerouac.
The Beats: A Graphic History is essentially a two-part book about the runners and riders of the
Beat Generation, all presented in a comic-book style. The first part looks at Kerouac, Ginsberg
and Burroughs, and, in turn, their lives are recalled in a terribly naive fashion. The vision presented is too rosy; every word the Beats wrote is seen as groundbreaking. Irritatingly enough,
there is very little of their actual texts present - a curious choice given the subject of the book
- which renders the narrative akin to someone screaming, “Isn’t this amazing?!” at you every five
seconds whilst pointing to a void.
Given the sublimity and relevancy of the Beats’ work, the choice to not include their prose does
them a great disservice.
The second half of the book presents the supporting cast to the literary movement, featuring a
dozen short sections about these minor characters. Some are fascinating - the Beatnik Chicks
section, for example, expounds the misogyny that the women who got ‘involved’ with the Beats
had to endure. Whereas others just provide greater contextualisation for the movement - not
disinteresting, but not vital either.
The second section sits awkwardly with the first, to the extent that the perceived audience for
this book is unclear. In the first half of the book, the reader is treated to a prosaic look at the
lives of the three main writers - for many with a passing interest in the Beats will already know
a great deal about the actions discussed here, yet it serves as a good introduction to the movement. However, if the intention were to offer a simple insight into the Beat Generation, the
second section is, at best, hard to absorb and, at worst, off-putting.
The Beats is a curiosity and one that is seemingly unsure of its true purpose - there are works
that give a far superior introduction to this literary movement than this one, and equally many
that offer much deeper analysis of those less prominently involved. The idea of ‘illustrating the
Beats’ promised much, but poor delivery hampers the final result. Alexander Britton
22
23
Arts
Ladies in trousers, gents with
no ties, and the conductor
was sporting a beard
M
y taste in music is pretty varied. Like much of you, if asked what I like,
I’d say “pretty much everything.” But as I remember it, there was an age
that what music you listened to defined the kind of person you were – if
you liked metal you were a grunger; if you liked drum n’ bass you were a chav; if you
liked jazz you were a weirdo, and if you liked classical you were a nobody.
These days it is more likely that we have varied tastes and the music simply fits the mood. This is why I
cannot understand the sheer unpopularity of the Classical genres. Young adults are more open minded than
ever before and yet producers like ‘sinfonia ViVa’ feel the need to advertise themselves with an irredeemable
degradation of the English Language for the sake of seeming a bit cool. Frankly, they may be insulting us a
little but we did kind of ask for it. Classical music is generally received as overly conservative, stuffy, formal,
tiresome, tedious, ‘samey’ and only worth listening to if you want to go to sleep.
But wait… before we close the case, there is the other side to this argument: when it comes to live performance,
there is nothing better. The moment you realise that forty-odd people are playing in synchronism for you and
only a select few other (usually grey haired) audience members, the feel of a symphonic lift is overwhelming.
When you realise the genius of a composer to write forty paths of music individually for forty instruments
and the sounds you hear are of their own amplification, this lift becomes a lip quivering, heart-warming, jaw
shattering moment.
Y
But even if you refuse to call the pantomime sophisticated, this
production is certainly traditional. There are no cringe-inducing appearances from burnt out Emmerdale stars for a start.
This show manages to achieve a quality other big city pantos
have lost: genuine family fun, without segregating the jokes
for children and adults in the audience. It’s timeless and ageless! The storyline, the grotesque dame, audience participation, actors’ ad-lib, it’s all there and perfectly executed. And
surely that’s the point of the panto, to meet these expectations? Otherwise how would we know when to shout “Eee’s
behind you!”?
It’s the 26th consecutive pantomime at the Playhouse for
director/writer Kenneth Alan Taylor and one certainly gets the
feeling he could do the 27th with his eyes closed.
The story is Beauty and the Beast, complete with two ugly
sisters reminiscent of the quaint Lancastrian women in Wallace
and Gromit, with Playhouse regular John Elkington brilliantly
suited as ‘The Dame’.
In a purely technical sense, I guarantee this production is a visual pleasure for theatre design students (call it ‘research’ if you
need an excuse!). The set is absolutely magical. It combines
the traditional home-made feel of painted cardboard settings
with impressive with technically accomplished built-up sets,
such as the grand interior of the Beast’s house. There is even
a scene presented behind a screen using beautifully choreographed shadow puppetry.
Out with new, in with the old - the stunning, delightful and supreme pianist, Alexandra Dariescu
provided a mesmerising rendition as leader of Beethoven’s 3rd Piano Concerto - making it a
personal accomplishment and a personal experience for any listener.
The costumes are also gorgeous. These are not the usual circus
performer ensembles or fancy dress shop panto outfits you
may be used to seeing. These are couture fashions!
Sinfonia ViVa will return in March with the
promise of both electric and acoustic violins
in their ‘After:Hours’ performance. Until
then, the Nottingham Classics season
continues to offer relatively inexpensive
ticket prices, concessions and discounts
to members of the ‘GoClassics’ club
(membership free of charge).
Nick Charity
Panto Review
ou can’t deny that there is an air of sophistication often
attached to the Playhouse.
At ‘sinfonia ViVa’, the performance was technically perfect in its operation but unremarkably so. Its true
delight was in the producers choice of compositions that varied in weight and age; the ‘fresh’ edge that
‘ViVa’ went for was wholeheartedly achieved by mixing some well known symphonies with new age material, namely ‘Still, Glowing,’ by Judith Weir - a wonderfully ‘soothing’ piece; one that was new to me and
sublime in its simplicity as a modern composition, with an electronic motif. Also on offer in the After
Hours performance was Phillip Glass’s Symphony No. 3, ticking all the boxes of an established form
and fulfilling the necessary pleasures that most modern composers inevitably forget.
I never thought I would grow to become one of those people that has a favourite conductor, but by the looks of things, I am - and it is André de Ridder, a man who displayed
unstoppable charm and charisma in his short introductions to each piece, his gestures to Ms. Dariescu in the form of a running joke to which the
audience is not privy but endeared, and also
energy as he exploded on the podium time
and time again, jumping as his arms flailed
(but gracefully) and produced more than a
visual accompaniment, but an embodiment of
the forty-ish members of the ‘ViVa’ orchestra
surrounding him.
24
Beauty and the Beast @ Nottingham Playhouse
Words by Jodie Thompson | Photos by Robert Day
On music, there are a few love songs and
home grown solos mainly sung by the
protagonist, Belle. But for the most part,
expect a bigger helping of songs designed
for the audience to sing along to. ‘I Love
Rock ‘n’ Roll’, ‘The Teddybears’ Picnic’ and
even a snippet of a Pussycat Dolls track
help get the crowd chanting along.
And if it all sounds a bit full-on, there
are occasional sedate interludes of
dancing tea cups and various crockery,
played out like a lullaby with live music
to match.
And amongst all that, what could
be more traditional than buying an
ice-cream pot from the vendor during
interval? A definite Christmas cracker.
Beauty and the Beast runs at Nottingham
Playhouse until 23rd January 2010.
25
7ILLYOUALLSTILLBE
AROUNDNEXTYEAR
Film
The Boys Are Back | Singin’ In the Rain | Airplane! | Heroes: The Greatest War Movies Ever
Edited by Becky Wojturska | [email protected]
.EARLYINSTUDENTSDROPOUTEACHYEAR
"ESUREYOUlREALLCOMINGBACKBEFOREYOUSIGNATENANCY
AGREEMENTTOGETHER
!LLMAJOR,ETTING!GENTS0RIVATE(ALLSOF2ESIDENCEANDANUMBEROF)NDIVIDUAL,ANDLORDSWILLBE
ATTHE.OTTINGHAM4RENT(OUSING&AIRON&RIDAY*ANUARY"YRON(OUSEAMpPM
Film Editor | Becky Wojturska
H
appy New Year Trenters, hope you had a great Christmas and all that jazz. Now, we all know that New Year
is a time for celebrating the new (obviously) but in
the film world, the old is just as, if not more, important. So
we take a look back at some classics and review how they are
important and why they are considered ‘classics’.
If there is one New Year resolution we make, it’s generally
to be better people, whether it’s by being healthier or more
giving. So check out our Help For Heroes campaign, where you
can buy a DVD where all the profits go to the charity and get a
great start to the year, both for you and for others. >
27
Film
Singin’ In The Rain
Starring: Gene Kelly, Donald O’Conner, Debbie Reynolds, Jean
Hagen
Directed By: Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly
Released: 11th April 1952
Film Review
The Boys Are Back (12A)
Starring: Clive Owen, George MacKay, Nicholas McAnulty,
Directed By: Scott Hicks
Released: 22nd January 2010
‘Growing up can be the adventure of a lifetime’.
Most people would agree with
the tagline but this film, based
on Simon Carr’s novel of the
same name, explores a motherless childhood in which a
father must come through and
pull the fragments of a shattered life back together. The father in question is busy sports
journalist Joe Warr (Owen)
who is lost after the death of
his wife and left with looking
after his sons; adorable six year
old Artie (McAnulty) and rebel teen Harry (MacKay). Soon, he
finds he doesn’t know them as well as he thought and seeks
to establish a relationship by living by the motto ‘just say
yes’. And so starts the reckless and exuberant lifestyle that is
endearing yet dangerous. Needless to say it’s not long before
something goes wrong. Carr leaves his sons home alone as he
goes to a business sporting event and returns to find the place
trashed after unwanted party-goers crash. The trust that has
been established is broken, not just with his sons but with his
late wife’s parents, and Carr must try to rebuild the trust and
love he so desperately wants and feels.
Often tear-jerking, this film is beautiful with the depths and
emotions of family life explored. Some scenes feel a little
empty however, and the returning image of Carr’s wife ruins
the feeling of loss that the film strives for. However, the young
boys steal the limelight with their stirring acting and moving
bond. Along with the subtle humour and parts that everyone
can relate to, this film is a must-see that will have you laughing
and crying at the same time. One piece of advice; have tissues
handy. Becky Elizabeth Wojturska
28
This toe-tapping tale takes place
in Hollywood, where famous actor
Don Lockwood (Kelly) is constantly
hounded by paparazzi, fans and
worst of all his co-star Lina Lamont
(Hagen) who wants to believe their
fabricated on-screen relationship
is real off-screen. When running
from screaming fans one night he
jumps into dancer Kathy Selden’s
(Reynolds) passing car, after which
the two fall in love.
But as in most fifties musicals there are a series of comedic
events which pose threats, including the introduction of the
talkie film (which does not bode well with Lina’s whiny nasal
voice) and Don’s best friend Cosmo’s (O’Conner) insistence
that Kathy dub over Lina’s voice for the next film. Cue jealousy, laughs and love.
This classic film is perfect for musical lovers, it has dancing,
singing, comedy, love; you really couldn’t ask for more. Well,
maybe a man running up a wall, doing a perfect flip and
landing on his feet. No, wait, it has that too.
Becky Elizabeth Wojturska
Classic Film
Reviews
Airplane!
Starring: Leslie Nielsen, Robert Hays, Julie
Hagerty, Lloyd Bridges
Directed By: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker,
Jerry Zucker
Released: 2nd July 1980
This classic comedy stars the legend
that is Leslie Nielsen as Dr. Rumack, who
springs to action when food poisoning
strikes the passengers and crew of a flight
to Chicago. Among these people are air
stewardess Elaine (Haggerty) and ex-fighter pilot Ted (Hays), who has overcome his
fear of flying (due to a previous war incident) and boarded to save his dwindling
relationship with Elaine. But soon the
pilots are taken ill and it is now up to Ted to push aside his fears and attempt to land the plane.
Airplane is just one of many genius ZAZ (Zucker, Abrahams, Zucker) films, along with The Naked Gun and
Top Secret, but what makes it stand out is its innovation in comedy and its platform for Leslie Nielson’s
comedic career, of which the film world would be a worse place without.
With brilliant direction, eccentric acting and genius yet crazy humour it’s easy to say this is one of the
greatest comedies of all time. I know what you’re thinking; ‘surely I can’t be serious?’ Well I am serious,
and don’t call me Shirley.
29
Film
DVD Review
Heroes: The Greatest War Movies Ever (TBC)
Released: 25th January 2010
fend oﬀ the chill of winter with a hot cup of
coﬀee
now available on campus
The Pulse conservatory (city)
The Point (Clifton)
The Orangery (Brackenhurst)
Guns. Bombs. Artillery. Death. These war movie must-haves
create drama, emotion and entertainment but unfortunately,
these are not just the makings of a war film but real life
for soldiers. Everyday soldiers are critically wounded and
although, sadly, we can’t immediately stop the war, we can
help heal and make the soldiers lives better. So join Britain as
we attempt to raise £1 million for the charity Help For Heroes
with the DVD Heroes: The Greatest War Movies Ever. The DVD
contains excerpts from only the best war films, as selected by
the British public and all the profits (approximately £7.50 per
DVD) will go to the charity.
The DVD includes clips from: Hamburger Hill, Saving Private
Ryan, Catch 22, Gallipoli, Zulu, Stalag 17, The Great Escape,
Bridge On The River Kwai , Hurt Locker, Max Manus Man of
War, The Guns of Navarone, Female Agents, A Bridge Too
Far, The Wild Geese, Platoon , The Cruel Sea, Johnny Got His
Gun, Sophie’s Choice, Welcome to Sarajevo, The Caine Mutiny,
Breaker Morant, The Longest Day, Dunkirk, Days Of Glory, 633
Squadron, Went the Day Well?, The Dam Busters, M*A*S*H
1974, Battle of Britain, Saints & Soldiers, Downfall, Lawrence
of Arabia, Zulu Dawn, The Colditz Story, Schindler’s List, The
Admiral, Henry V, Dr Strangelove, Patton - Lust For Glory, The
Eagle Has Landed, Ice Cold in Alex.
Actor and presenter Ross Kemp said “The money raised from
this DVD will go towards helping some very brave young men
and women who have been wounded in the service of our
country. They do not consider themselves to be Heroes; we
know differently. We may not be able to prevent them getting
wounded, but by supporting projects like this one we can do
something to help them get
better””
The money raised will go
towards building new Army
Recovery Centres (ARCS)
which not only care for the
wounded and sick physically,
but also mentally. ARCS care for soldiers once they leave the
hospital and provide supervision, care and retraining activities
for those who can’t return to the army due to their injury. Not
all soldiers have families that can provide this level of support
and so you can help build the aid they need.
The CEO for Help for Heroes Bryn Parry said “Help for Heroes
was launched in October 2007 to provide direct, practical
support to our wounded. The charity is non political and while
it recognizes that we are helpless to prevent war, we can help
to improve the lives of those wounded in them. We welcome
this terrific fund raising initiative and encourage anyone who
wants to ‘do their bit’ for our Servicemen and women to buy
the DVD and help our modern heroes by watching the deeds
of our past heroes.”
So come on Trent! Let’s come together to help the wounded
(and it doesn’t hurt that you get something in return for your
generosity.)
‘Heroes – The Greatest War Movies Ever!’ will be released on DVD
(£9.99) by Revolver Entertainment on 25th January 2010.
Check out more reviews on www.platform-online.net
31
Photos
‘Climax’ | 12.11.09
Photo: Charlotte
Hickmott
32
33
Fashion
The Exchange Fashion Show | How to master the sales to full potential | Trends | Turning Trash into
Treasures | Turn your design into cash | Pick your cotton carefully
Edited by Rebecca Uren | [email protected]
Fashion Editor
Rebecca Uren
W
elcome back
everyone to the
New Year at
Trent. I hope you all had
a wonderful Xmas and
received loads of amazing
presents whilst taking full
advantage of all the yummy
festive food.
After all that pre- Xmas
shopping and party
celebrations, it’s pretty
normal to be painfully
short of pennies at this
current time. But there’s
no better time to be a poor
student than right now,
with all high street stores
launching their January
sales around Nottingham,
one can pick up a bargain
for extra special prices. For
the price you would’ve paid
for a single dress earlier
on last month, you could
now probably purchase
the whole outfit; shoes and
bag included with the sales
extravaganzas that are
taking place.
Have fun sale shopping
and I hope you enjoy this
issue full of fashion filled
goodness.
34
Red�
Carpet�
Runway�
at�
the�
Exchange�
Fashion�
Show
A night of glamour and fashion in the
Nottingham Exchange, from stylists to
models, make-up to dressers: as Elle
McNamara reports, this Christmas event
was a cracker...
Photos by Jason Parry
P
icture the scene. A frenzy of 20-somethingyear-olds backstage three hours before a
stream of red carpet cascades down the
avenue of anticipative crowds and eager photographers. As the clock strikes 6.30, the student
models glide down the carpet – a picture of
serenity and composure. The antithesis of the
organised chaos that proceeded behind closed
doors.
On arriving at 2.30 that afternoon, it was
evident that the stylists, make-up artists and
hairdressers had a challenge to transform a
group of leather clad students out of our cosy
ankle boots and into our stilettos. De-kinking
our tousled manes with heavy duty hair dryers
and painting our bare faces to slowly create an
illusion of glamour.
Kate Brazier, 22, a second year student on Fashion Communication and Promotion talks about
her apprehension as the moment arrives for her
as the first model to grace the runway: “I always
feel nervous, just before, especially when we’re
all lining up to go on, but then I really enjoy it!”
The irony of super-noodle-eating students,
bejewelled and draped in 100s of pounds worth
of taffeta was not lost on us.
However we were determined to make this a
credible fashion spectacle, and reward Adrian
Parkinson, the event organiser, for taking a
leap of faith and putting his confidence in us to
deliver. As Adrian said: “It’s great to let them get
hands on experience and give them experience
of a real catwalk show - it’s not something I
could do on my own”
The show was pivotal to this seasonal fashion
evening event, promoting local retailers in the
Exchange, such as Tutu, Jaeger and Oasis. The
opportunity of working behind and in front
of the flashing camera bulbs was invaluable
experience for those of us who wish to work in a
variety fashion environments in the future.
The end product was the sum of its components;
in that the preparation and hard work was just
as important as the polished vision that had
been created when the clock stuck 6.30.
The show was a great success, so well received that
Adrian plans to invite us back again for the Spring
2010 event – not bad for a bunch of students!
35
Fashion
How to master the sales to full potential
£40, Topshop
By Rebecca Uren
O
kay, okay, so most of us go
pretty mental when the January
sales start, and end up with
clothes sat in the back of the wardrobe
collecting dust for the remains of the
whole year. If you are one of them people that purchases a pair of shoes a size
too small because they were only £10, to
then leave them in the back of wardrobe
‘waiting for the right occasion’ then read
on for my advice on how to handle yourself during the New Years sales.
When faced in the middle of the store
clutching onto that stunning metallic
handbag like your life depends on it
is, ask yourself if you really love what
you’re looking at, regardless of whether
it’s a bargain.
When sale shopping, it would be at your
main advantage to stick to looking for
classic, staple pieces of clothing that
you know you will get a long wear out
of and will compliment the majority of
your already existing wardrobe. At this
time, it is also a fantastic opportunity
to buy good quality staple pieces at af-
fordable prices. By retaining yourself to
decent winter coats, cardigans, t shirts
and skirts, you can dress them up with
accessories to be on trend and keep on
pulling them out to wear year after year.
When you’re in the middle of having an
adrenaline rush just take a minute to
stop and have a good think about how
you are going to fit this item into your
own style. Do you have at least three
other complimenting items you can team
with the item? If not, then think about
why you’re about to buy an outfit in
which you have nothing to team with it.
If you’re always ending up with ten
items you didn’t really need and as a
result left with no money to buy the
handbag you really needed to invest
in, avoid buying in the whim of the
moment by writing a list before you
leave the house. Create a list of all items
you need or have before the sale launch
that you would like. By doing this, you’ll
then have a clear sense of direction and
end up with the items you really wanted
beforehand.
If you’re looking for jewellery or complimenting accessories for a particular
item of clothing, then bring the item in
a plastic bag (not your handbag, as the
chances of being arrested will increase
dramatically) with you to the shops.
Most shops have a no refund policy on
earrings, so buying to find out they’re
not the correct match will only seek
to be a waste of money. Bring the item
with you and hold it up to the accessory
to see if they make a good match before
purchasing.
£49.99, River Island
£50, Warehouse
Trend: Smart Investments
P
ower-dressing was key to this season’s collections. Think city stockbroker with a sexy twist – it’s all about over sized blazers teamed
with tailored trousers and killer heels. Classic Chanel, pinstripes and
tweed are back in a big way. Despite the credit crunch, it’s still all about
flashing the cash and while our bank accounts may have far from recovered
from those pre- Christmas splurges, Wall Street chic is easily replicable on
the high street, proving that you don’t have to earn a million dollars to look
like it. Recession? What recession?
Remember to keep the tags on recently
bought clothes and store those receipts
away safely. Sale items are getting
cheaper by the day, and many stores
will only refund the current price of sale
items on the day they are returned, not
when they were purchased. So if you
are planning to return something, do it
sooner rather than later
Finally, remember- it’s not a bargain unless you need it. Happy shopping.
£149, Reiss
With streamlined silhouettes Dries Van Notan’s understated 80’s elegance
rolled in the big bucks on the runway , to get this look on a budget team Tapered trousers with a double breasted jacket, layer up with a slouchy shirt
or waistcoat for instant glamour . When working with black or neutral colours don’t be afraid to add statement accessories like these red sunglasses
and killer animal skin effect platforms. Lucy Winkle
Trend: Lace
A
long with the opulence of the sequins and
embellishments popular with designers
this season, lace has emerged as the way
to add interest to garments and a sure fire way
to exude elegance. No longer considered an old
fashioned thing of the past, lace is nothing to be
associated with something your Grandma would
wear. It has been revitalized on the catwalks by
designers such as Prada as modern and fresh
and provides a grown up and stylish look for the
high street. Glamour no longer means revealing
all and hiding the flesh under lace is the perfect
way to attract attention in a sophisticated manner. The celebrities have followed suit from the
catwalk, wearing lace in every form imaginable,
whether it’s a provocative look for the night or a
pretty daytime detail. It can be as subtle as a pair
of tights or a major feature in a lace dress but be
sure to invest in this versatile trend.
Megan Fox
Blake Lively
Taylor Swift
For Megan Fox lace tights dress up a casual cardigan for a relaxed daytime look. Along with slouchy boots, a little but of lace
can add some decadence to your day so make like Megan and wear lace with your oversized jumpers and coats for a stylish
winter look.
It’s all about the small details and Blake Lively looks devastatingly chic in these lace shoes and pretty skirt. Grey lace takes an
interesting twist on the traditional so be sure to add some grey to your wardrobe for some Upper East Side glamour.
Lace doesn’t have to be revealing, and with just a hint of lace, classic beauty Taylor Swift pairs tights with a skirt and jumper for
a demure daytime look. For the not so brave lace tights are the perfect addition to an outfit, day or night. Emily Hart
36
37
Fashion
Pick
your
cotton
carefully
Turning
Trash
into
Treasures
W
ith the ‘Make Do and Mend’
trend weaving its way into
the hearts of fashion lover’s
worldwide, what better way to accessorize your look than with your own
handmade jewellery? Having a DIY style
is not only perfect for expressing your
creative side, but is also a great asset for
your bank balance, leaving more money
to fund student life.
TRASHfashion is an eco-fashion
enterprise that specialises in creating
handmade jewellery pieces by mixing
junk shop finds with a variety of materials. By simply threading a chain through
a stopwatch, attaching buttons to a
pair of studs, or asking your grandma
to teach you the art of knitting, you too
can create one-off pieces that nobody
else can get their hands on.
Ebay is a fantastic place to find your
odds and sods to play with. Puzzle
pieces, Lego blocks and rusty keys
are regularly re-invented into quirky
creations. For a more Sixties feel, spend
some time searching for buttons on the
haberdashery market stalls and in charity shops for a variety of shapes, sizes
and styles.
With ‘Knit and Bitch` groups popping
up across England, this past-time is no
longer for the older generation. Knitting
is becoming fashionable and through the
simple method of finger knitting you can
create a wool chain necklace in minutes.
As students living in a recession, we
are constantly reminded to save money
wherever possible. Now you can create
personal jewellery pieces for yourself
and others, at half the price of that on
the high street. Gina Mollett
Want to find out more?
www.trashfashionsite.blogspot.com
– Coming Soon
Join the NTU Knitting Society on
Monday evenings – your Grandma
will be proud!
Turn your design into ca $ h
Feeling the effects of the credit crunch and looking to make some easy money this New Year?
Teepay is the solution. Providing the opportunity for aspiring new designers to
turn ideas into cash, what better way for students to earn some extra cash this postXmas period. You never know - your design could create a style storm and become
more than just a t shirt designed to make money. Enter your design now and see it
produced and worn by fellow students around you and become the next fashion
entrepreneur of Nottingham Trent. Who needs Dragons’ Den?
The principle is simple, anyone can upload designs to the website and teepay.com
provides the tools to promote their work online. As soon as 10 people order one
design, the money starts to role in. The designer receives a percentage of the royalties
on each tee- shirt sold - royalties being 10% of the selling cost - sell 100 tee-shirts and
earn £250. These royalties are paid in monthly, which comes along a lot quicker than
student loan day and much more convenient than working a nine hour shift at work.
Put your creative head on now and grab the pen and sketchbook out to get creating your design, literally anything that takes
your fancy and submit to teepay, then just sit back, commence with uni work and watch the pennies role in. Rebecca Uren
www.teepay.com
38
F
or millions of people around the world, a
degraded natural environment means
hunger and brutal poverty that costs many
precious lives every year.
The Environment Justice Foundation is a charity
running an international campaign to ‘clean up’
cotton production. By reaching out in as many
places they can afford to reach, EJF provides film
and advocacy training to partners in the global
south empowering local communities to investigate, expose and peacefully resolve abuse of their
natural environment.
Cotton is a dirty crop. Not only is the production
rife with child labour, but the hazardous pesticides sprayed onto cotton poisons thousands of
farmers and families in the developing world
every day.
Top designers including John Rocha, Giles Deacon, Luella and Betty Jackson to name a few are
already showing their respect to the charity by
joining EJF’s campaign by designing an exclusive
range of printed t-shirts made from 100% fairly
traded organic cotton. Designed on the theme
‘childhood, lost innocence and hope’ they aim to
project the issue strongly by representing more
than a million children forced to work in cotton
fields. With all the proceeds going to EJF’S work
protecting the environment and defending human rights, what easier and more stylish way to
support such a vital charity.
Think carefully before you consider purchasing
your next piece of cotton clothing and never feel
embarrassed to ask shop assistants if the brand
stocks any organic cotton. Remember there are
children out there suffering from picking harmful cotton that has possibly gone to producing
the item of clothing you could be holding in your
hand. Do you really want to encourage this any
further? Rebecca Uren
Visit www.ejfoundation.org to purchase your
designer t shirt for only £30 and help protect people
and the planet.
39
Food&Drink
The Diners’ Opinions:
Starter: Tom Pearson (18)
“I
was apprehensive about the Come Dine With Me meal at first;
cooking something which had to look and taste good at the
same time (the two rarely combine when I am involved), but it
was really enjoyable. All the food was brilliant and the company was
good too. Molly’s chocolate brownies were definitely a winner with me,
and the lasagne Alex cooked was perfect.”
Come Dine With Me | Brown Betty’s | Takeaway Guide
Edited by Molly Woodruff | [email protected]
Main: Alex Ward (21)
Come
Dine
With
Me
“A
s a twenty-something student living in a scruffy dig, I hadn’t
expected to be hosting a dinner party. I’ve always thought
of them as an event that caused my parents great stress and
panic. So you can imagine my thoughts when it came to hosting one
of my own. I raced home from a lecture, washed-up several days of
dirty dishes, and pushed our clunky hoover around, which in hindsight
probably produced more dust than it swallowed. Then I set-about
making what I hoped would become a lasagne. I needn’t have worried
though; it emerged triumphantly from the oven. The wine flowed, and
a good evening was had by all.”
Dessert: Molly Woodruff (21)
“I
t was a bit strange at first sitting at someone’s dinner table I hardly
know and having them cook for me, but I have to say all the meals
were amazing and I will definitely be staying in contact with them
all - even if it is just for the free food. The starter was amazing and I
would love to get the recipe and the lasagne was cooked to perfection.
It definitely made for a happy alternative to my usual student menu of
takeaway pizza and beer.”
Wine: Glen Davies (20)
The knives were definitely out in Nottingham
this month (and the forks and spoons too) when
four Trent students got together for a Come Dine
With Me style evening. By Molly Woodruff
“A
dinner party may well be one of the less stereotypical student
pastimes but while others stumble around and vomit on the
floor of Ocean, getting a few people together for one of these
seemed to be a successful idea. I had the pain-free task of buying the
wine. But with that said, there is great skill in choosing the right vino especially budget friendly wines that won’t taste like vinegar. I was
in safe hands with the cooks, though, because the food was brilliant.
These contestants were fully paid-up foodies, but the beauty of it is
that you needn’t be. This is certainly a good evening for everyone.”
I
f you’ve never watched an episode of the surprisingly
addictive show, the idea is four-or-five strangers take it in
turns to host a dinner party in an attempt to out-do each
other in the kitchen and win £1,000.
Not surprisingly, we had to skip out on the one thousand
pound prize - I don’t think the Platform budget would have
stretched to that, but the respect of coming first was a worthy
consolation.
Instead of having a week long event, each of us made a different
course for one big end-of-the-week meal where we got to rate
and more importantly slate each others efforts at fine dining.
40
To end the evening we sampled homemade chocolate brownies with fruit and
cream topped off with copious amounts
of tipple – which I have to say was well
chosen.
Sadly, our night was free from Dave Lamb’s hilarious commentary or contestants outrageous antics like in the show (well
I hope nobody put my pudding in their handbag or fed their
starter to the dog).
We had a mix of contestants with different levels of culinary
expertise – with one person so disastrous in the kitchen that
their job inevitably ended up being to choose the wine.
But, having said that, the night was full of laughs and everyone really enjoyed themselves.
To kick off the night we had homemade cream of tomato soup
with croutons and warm French bread, followed by a hearty
Italian themed main meal consisting of lasagne, mixed salad
and rosemary infused bread.
If anyone out there considers themselves an expert in the kitchen
– maybe the next Naked Chef or short-tempered Gordon Ramsay? get in touch at [email protected] and try your hand out
at the next Platform culinary competition.
41
Food & Drink
Brown Betty’s
St James St, Nottingham
T
he mid-week lunch is vastly
underrated. It has the potential
to be something very special, but
commonly ends up as a flaccid affair
consisting of squashed, Clingfilmclad butties that do little to leaven
the monotony of your day. Often just
confirming the fact that tuna mayonnaise and banana do little to
complement each other when crushed
between a copy of the metro, and the
crumby nether regions of one’s briefcase or satchel.
Thankfully, there is an alternative,
somewhere to steal-away for a few
minutes, or even hours. A sanctuary
where the trials and tribulations of
one’s day are gradually lost in the
delights of really good grub.
That place is Brown Betty’s, literally a
stone’s throw away from Nottingham’s
Old Market Square. Hidden away up a
cobbled street, the deli-style business
has been serving dedicated diners
for more than twenty years. And the
punters just keep coming back. At 1pm
come rain or shine, you’ll find a line of
hungry customers waiting to fill their
empty bellies. How do I know? Very
often I’m one of them.
For the last two years Betty has been
a surrogate mum for my friends and
I. We’ve spent many an afternoon
chain-drinking cups of tea whilst
working our way through the veritable
smorgasbord of breakfasts, sandwiches, salads, hot food and their beautifully crafted ciabatta dishes. It’s one
of the friendliest dining experiences
42
Restaurant Review
available, not so much a cafe than sitting in somebody’s kitchen. There are
only two tables, the furniture exuding
uncomplicated rustic comfort, as you
slide along a bench next to a complete
stranger, and inevitably get chatting.
People are fanatical about some of the
dishes available here, and you know
it’s popular when you see dustbin-lid
sized pans behind the counter with
pasta and spicy chicken rice heaped up,
ready to be served.
Order a plate of their meaty pasta and
you’ll get enough food to feed at least
three people. Riddled with Lincolnshire sausage and bacon, and topped
with melted cheese, salad, salsa and
mayonnaise, it’s the kind of meal that
warrants fasting for the rest of the
week. And all for much less than a
fiver.
For those whose eyes are a similar
size to their stomach there are salads,
and samosas that are full of delicate
flavour, yet pack an impressive punch.
The run-away favourites though have
to be the ciabattas. With an array
of meats, cheeses and other fillings,
it’s often difficult to decide what to
have. Order a steaming mountain of
scrambled-eggs topped with black
pepper and smoked salmon, and you’ll
have the whole shop salivating. Stilton,
sausage and pickle is a mean contender too, but shouldn’t be tackled twice
in the same week if you value your
arteries. There are also award-winning
breakfasts for early risers, or of course,
those who haven’t actually been to bed.
Brown Betty’s has a history that spans
two decades, its charm personified by
the dedicated line of followers that
snakes along the cobbled street. A
family feeding the hungry people of
Nottingham with such cheerful enthusiasm, you just can’t help but smile.
Alex Ward
43
Travel
Food & Drink
Ghana | Thailand
By Nathan Hinsley
A
s a student I find takeaway food is
a bare necessity in my day-to-day
life. Either if it is when I am on my
way back from a heavy night, too lazy to
cook, or tempted by a late night snack,
there is an array of options readily available to us. From China to the North Sea
our local takeaways range from different
origins around the globe and give us a
taste of paradise on a cold January day.
Some of the most popular dishes are
pizza, Chinese, fish & chips, Indian and
kebabs. Below are five of the local takeaways amongst a sea of hundreds here in
Nottingham.
Domino’s Pizza, West Bridgford
As one of the world’s largest takeaway
chains they offer their own spin on the
age-old Italian dish we all know and love.
With stores dispersed all over the city it is
the obvious option and with the added
benefit of delivery services there is no
need to leave the sofa, it is a perfect option for a night in! I often order from this
takeaway and, usually within 30 minutes,
a pizza cooked to perfection is on our
doorstep waiting. Servings cost £4-6per
person. although student offers are
available, like buy one get one free on all
your favourites from Pepperoni Passion
to Vegetarian Supreme.
My recommendation: Beef Curry and rice
The Priory Fish Bar, Derby Road
This is a perfect place to get the old English favourite of fish and chips with good
old-fashioned mushy peas. Now a British institution, this dish has stood the
test of time and still remains one of our
most popular. This takeaway definitely
offers one of the best deals in town if
you are one for large portions as they
give you food by the lorry load. With
prompt service and masses of food this
‘chippy’ is one of my personal favourites
when hunger strikes. Meals are a steal
at £3-5 for a plate full that would satisfy
any appetite.
Beeston Tandoori, High Road
This is a cosy Indian takeaway and buffet
in the centre of Beeston. Offering a
Edited by Lucia Miyashita | [email protected]
variety of dishes ranging in the spice
department - there is a bit of everything
for everyone, however daring you may
be (although be warned: the Jalfrezi
curry packs quite a punch). Meals £4-6.
My recommendation: Chicken Tikka
Masala
Kebab King, Mansfield Road
This is my personal favourite takeaway
in the city centre, central to all bars,
pubs and clubs sitting opposite to
Victoria centre. They offer a wide range
of food to cater for everyone along with
a seating area, toilet facilities and a taxi
rank across the road. There is little more
you could ask for in the centre of town
in the early hours of the morning. Meals
£3-4.
My recommendation: Donner Kebab
Ghana
Do you hate swarms of tourists, who go in big, touristy groups to
awful, touristy attractions? Well, Rachel Curnock knows somewhere that
doesn’t have any of that. >
My recommendation: Hawaiian Pizza
Man’s Garden, Derby Road
Chinese dishes are one of Britain’s
favourite and grow in popularity year
on year. At this undiscovered little haunt
there is a large range of options from
stir-fries, curries, seafood and so on.
These endless choices offer an option
for any palette. This take-away has a
prompt service and can make your
chosen dish within 10 minutes. With its
friendly and helpful staff it has all the
appeals of a local takeaway. Meals £4-6.
44
Note from the Editor: Because even we sometimes lapse into utterly inept habits, last month’s
absolutely lovely Paris feature was credited to Lucia Miyashita, but was written by Charlotte Hickmott.
We apologise for any distress caused. - Glen Davies, Editor-in-Chief
45
Travel
>
I travelled to Ghana in the summer through BUNAC (British
Universities North American
Club), which offers work abroad and
volunteering programmes for people of
all ages. My BUNAC experience began
with meeting 7 other volunteers at
London Heathrow. After a long 8 hour
flight we arrived in Accra, the capital,
and were welcomed at the airport by
two guys who were also partners with
BUNAC. Their team showed us around
Accra for the following 5 days. We had
time to get to know each other, take
drum and dance lessons, learn to cook
various traditional Ghanaian dishes and
participate in a Twi language session
(one of the many Ghanaian languages).
Tina, the woman in charge, then gave
us a handy lesson on some of the major
cultural differences we would need to be
aware of throughout our stay.
talk about the castle’s history and how
the British had first built it for the slave
trade. That weekend was also the weekend of the ‘Panafest’ festival, Ghana’s
major cultural event, and we were swept
away by an acrobatic show at the beach
bar where we would go to relax.
involved catching up at a local bar, sharing experiences and chilling out all for
the afternoon.
After my first weekend with my new
family I started work at the Frank Eve
Foundation. This was a school where
underprivileged young women were
taught employable skills which could
help improve their future lives. I was
teaching mathematics and business
skills, and had a tough time at the start
After this period of orientation, we then
set off to our host families. I was living
with a very nice family in district capital
Agona Swedru along with Eleri, another
volunteer. We spent the first weekend
getting to know one another, and to our
surprise, the process involved attending
a wedding ceremony. What struck us
at the celebration was that the couple
getting married was actually offering
gifts to their guests, instead of having it
the other way round. Another cultural
difference we picked up on from the
wedding is that in Ghana it is a compliment to be big – in size. Hence, our host
family would feed us enormous portions
of food, expecting each of us to eat what
could have been enough rice to feed a
family of five! The food mainly included
bread, rice, fufu, plantain, fish, and
fruits, mostly bananas and pineapple.
for I was expecting to be assisting a
teacher but was actually signed up to
teach independently. There were four
other volunteers working at the school,
two of whom were Canadians. Luckily,
we were able to do some group-teaching
which was both helpful and enjoyable.
The school largely depended on volunteers to keep going, and the girls were
all very good at cooking and at working
with textiles. I was amazed at their
design and sewing skills, and every time
I bought a length of fabric from the market they were more than happy to turn
it into anything I wished.
At the weekends I went travelling. If
there is one thing I learnt about Ghanaians is that they are incredibly laid back,
maybe a little too much. This is particularly so when it comes to transportation.
We travelled almost everywhere in
old, squashed, bumpy Tro Tros. These
are mini buses that never really leave
when they say they will. During the
first weekend we visited some of the
other BUNAC volunteers we first flew
out with. They were living in Kamasi,
north-west of the capital, which holds
the largest market in West Africa.
Even though the market was surprisingly organised into various different
sections to avoid confusion, Eleri and
I still managed to get lost. After about
3 hours of aimlessly walking around in
circles, we finally managed to catch up
with the other volunteers and head over
to Lake Bosumtwi, which according to
traditional belief was the place where
the souls of the dead would come to bid
their farewell to the god Twi.
On our second weekend we travelled to
Kakum National Park and Cape Coast.
One of the marvels of the park is that
it has a 40m high canopy walkway suspended between trees, which are equivalent to the height of about 10 double
decker buses placed one on top of the
other. It was truly breathtaking. After a
heart racing morning walk among the
park’s tree tops, we set off to get some
lunch in a restaurant which, to our very
own disbelief, was built on a crocodile
lake! After this unusual experience we
then headed down to Cape Coast and
had a tour around Cape Coast Castle,
where we were given a very interesting
The following weekend I visited the
Volta Region, and we headed on a very
bumpy Tro Tro and bike ride journey
to a monkey sanctuary, where we slept
right in the middle of the main feeding
area. The next morning we made our
way to Mount Afadjato, the highest
mountain in Ghana. After climbing
the mountain in flip flops, which I do
not recommend, we descended towards
the waterfalls. One of these, the Wli
waterfall, is the highest in West Africa.
We swam at the bottom of the waterfall
which was great after a long day in the
sun.
On my last weekend we traveled down
to Winnebe, which is an hour away from
the capital on my beloved Tro Tro bus.
The beaches there were beautiful but
completely deserted. After 5 eventful
weeks I sadly headed back home.
I chose BUNAC because they have been
around for nearly 50 years, and without
them I would not have gained the valuable experience I did from working at
the Frank Eve Foundation. I was living
in an extremely safe environment;
with people I could contact 24 hours a
day. I had a brilliant time and I would
definitely recommend volunteering to
anyone who has the chance.
In Swedru and in the surrounding villages there were about 20 volunteers,
and once a week we had what was called
an ‘obruni’ meeting. ‘Obruni’ stands
for ‘person from over the sea,’ or ‘white
person,’ and the meetings generally
46
47
Travel
T
Thailand
Welcome to the country of sand, sea and noodles. Home to some of the most exotic and dangerous creatures
on earth - and that’s just the ladyboys. Fraser Wilson takes a trip down memory lane to talk about his perfect
holiday destination.
here are many reasons why both
culture vultures and party animals
continue to flock to Thailand. It has
got sun, great noodle dishes, a fascinating history, friendly people and – once
you have paid for your flights – it is
recession-bustingly cheap.
Bangkok is home to Thailand’s major
airport which, for most people, is also
the starting point to their trip. The
capital city is westernised, bustling
with people and tourists and, while not
everything there may be for everyone,
there is plenty to do. Once you have
settled in, head to Koh Sang road to eat,
drink and bargain hunt beneath the
colourful bunting. Enjoy your balmy
evenings with other tourists over a
bucket of mai thai cocktail (or six) while
debating if your waitress is a lady-boy
or not.
There are breath-taking temples all over
the country, including Bangkok, so find
48
out which ones you fancy with a quick
look at the Lonely Planet guide in order
to avoid temple fatigue. The White Temple in Chang Rai, which looks like it has
just come out of wintery Narnia, is still
being built and is part temple and part
art gallery. Remember to take off your
flip-flops and cover your shoulders and
knees before entering.
Thailand has some amazing wildlife
too. If you fancy getting close up and
personal with the elephants then the
Thai Elephant Conservation Centre near
Lampang is the perfect place, and is
both ethical and safe. It offers a thirtyminute trip on an elephant with an
experienced mahout guiding you up and
down the hills while your ride snacks on
bamboo. The Tiger Kingdom in Chang
Mai is the best place to get yourself a
photograph with a real-life tiger. While
you have to question how (and why) the
big cats are so docile, these pictures are
always a hit on Facebook.
Idyllic island Koh Phangan is home to
Thailand’s notorious Full Moon parties
so, if you’re after some booze fuelled
fun, then this is the ideal place. As a
result of their ever increasing popularity there are now both half moon parties
and black moon parties which, while
not as good as the original, are a handy
choice if you are restricted in when you
can go. Each of the major Thai islands
boast clear blue seas, white sandy
beaches and plenty of beachside bars
and restaurants so you can sunbathe by
day and party by night.
One of the many must-have experiences
on a trip to Thailand is the famous Thai
massage. For just over a fiver you can
be contorted, elbowed, kneed and have
your back cracked by what can only be
defined as a tiny Thai powerhouse. And
you can be sure this will leave a trace of
this beautiful, unpredictable country on
you for years to come.
49
student
accommodation
Health
Food and Mood | Think about Drink | Spots (and OXY washbag giveaway) | Home Sickness
Edited by Danielle Almond | [email protected]
Food
Food and
and
Mood
Mood
The food we eat not only effects our physical appearance
and our general bodily health but can also have drastic
effects on our brain power. Becky Clarke explains the
best foods to eat to keep your body and mind healthy. >
For a free information pack and
application form please call
0115 908 2600
nottingham
• Fully furnished & equipped self-contained flats
• Direct dial telephone in each flat
• All bedrooms have en-suite shower and toilet room
• Broadband available upon request
• Television & Sky package included in each flat
• Sought after location within 5 minutes walk
of Nottingham Trent University
www.victoriahall.com
51
Health
>
The food that we consume on a
daily basis, if wrong, not only
may convert and sit on your hips
and lessen that chance of a six pack, but,
just as importantly, will also cause your
brain to become drained, affecting your
mood and concentration.
Not eating regular healthy meals can
affect your ability to focus and you are
more than likely going to become more
easily distracted by minor distractions
like the TV. And no one really wants to
spend more time than they already do
watching Jeremy Kyle.
Iron is one of your key vitamins and one
of the essential ingredients for transporting oxygen to your brain, too little
iron in your diet means that your brain
will literally be suffocating.
If you want to restore your memory
and concentration than the best place
to start is with your diet. The thought
of another diet may dishearten many
of you as it is just something else that
you need to watch and this diet doesn’t
make you look any fitter. But your
mental performance and relaxation can
both be improved by choosing the right
combinations of food and eating them
at the right times.
Although snacking
can be perceived
as bad for you, it
mainly depends
on what you’re
snacking on. Several mini-meals
and snacks
throughout the
day rather than
a few large
meals with
long intervals
will help your
metabolism
function better,
therefore producing more oxygen for
your brain. A moderate meal every 4
hours provides an ideal balance to help
improve your mood and concentration
levels.
Some recommended brain building
foods are bananas, oranges, apples,
cherries and grapes. These are also
handy because they can be eaten on the
go which is what it seems you’re doing
all the time now.
More savoury foods include chicken,
beef, turkey, fish, and your yummy
green vegetables. This may seem all a bit
obvious but some foods which you
Spots
Spots are caused by various factors, for
some it may be hormones, others may
have a genetic disposition or you may
find that stress is a factor.
Think about Drink
may think are
healthy such as pasta and
bread are actually bad for you as they
are considered one of the brain drainers
as they are comparatively quite dense
and will make you feel drowsy, normally
resulting in you falling asleep with the
television on.
So yes, it is another diet, but it’s a
healthy one not only for the body but
for the mind as well. You will see your
mood and concentration in lectures
improve, which we all should take as a
blessing, but it will also help you stay in
shape. So why not give it a try?
By Rachel Campbell
D
rink is a huge part of the student lifestyle but does come with some off
putting side effects. Rachel Campbell explains why we all should think a bit
more about the reasons why we feel the need to drink at University.
Moving away from home, meeting new people, trying new things and drinking
until you pass out and cannot remember a thing in the morning? The ultimate experience of a lifetime some might say. But for students who move away from home
for the first time, wanting to make friends and get the most from their university
experience, alcohol misuse isn’t something they signed up for.
Many students think that drinking isn’t a form of abuse to their bodies and believe
that drugs like cannabis, cocaine and tobacco are more damaging. But while drug
and tobacco usage is in decline in the UK, why are alcohol abuse levels still increasing at a steady rate?
Drinking alcohol is seen as a social thing to do among friends and a way to have
fun, sometimes even to escape and forget your problems. People who smoke
always get stick from the non-smokers and even the cigarette packets offer a warning to the dangers of smoking. But this isn’t the case for those who drink too much.
Alcohol misuse is not as talked about in the media as tobacco and cannabis abuse,
so people are not always aware of the damage they are doing to their bodies
Liver disease has traditionally affected drinkers in middle age, but now sufferers
are getting younger. Up to 1 in 3 of the adult population is drinking enough alcohol to create a risk of developing alcohol-related liver disease.
There are many factors contributing to excessive consumption of alcohol, depression, homesickness, too much work piling up or just generally feeling down all
contribute to alcohol misuse.
However, not all students feel and act this way. They feel happy when out with
friends, socializing and downing their favourite shots from cucamaras, with waking up without a hangover a bonus.
It’s all about knowing your limits, not always drinking to excess and knowing when
to stop. Many students drink and enjoy themselves, but in moderation.
If you ever feel like you can’t carry
on the day without having a drink
to see you through, then there are
people and places that can help
you with your problems.
52
Resources that can help include:
http://www.drinkaware.co.uk
http://www.talktofrank.com/
To help keep your skin clear it’s important to note that some skin products like
moisturisers or makeup can flare up your
spots so if you’re particularly susceptible to this try to reduce the amount of
chemicals you’re putting on your skin.
Some other good advice is to avoid picking or squeezing your blemishes because
although you may think it will have an
immediate effect it’s bad for the long
term and could result in scarring.
Some common myths about spots are:
Chocolate and greasy foods cause acne.
There is very little evidence for this.
You get spots because your skin is dirty.
Neither blackheads nor spots are caused
by acne.
Stress causes acne. No research has
found that spots are caused by stress but it
can make spots you already have worse.
WIN
Washbag filled with
OXY products
Platform has 4 OXY wash bags filled
with OXY products to give away.
For your chance to win just answer
this question:
Which of the following is a common
skin complaint?
A. Orangeheads
B. Greenheads
C. Blackheads
Email your answer along with your
name, student ID number, and postal
address to [email protected]
no later than Friday 29th January.
Good luck!
53
Health
Home Sickness
For many students, moving away to University is one of the
hardest things they’ve ever had to do. So Amy Howbrook has
put together some helpful advice for those of us who are
feeling the twinges of homesickness.
Photo by Stefan Ebelewicz
F
or the first few weeks everything
is exciting, you’re going out, making new friends and enjoying the
experience and freedom that University
provides. But then everything settles
down and you find you have lectures to
attend, studying to do, and you have to
learn how to use the iron.
For many, this will be when homesickness begins to creep in; no more home
cooking, no annoying little brother to
shout at when you’re feeling angry, and
you begin to miss your old friends, the
ones who remember when you accidentally called a teacher ‘Mum’ and have
never let you forget about it, who you
now only ever get to talk to on Facebook.
This longing for home is perfectly normal,
a recent survey has shown that over two
thirds of students suffer from homesickness in varying degrees, but that it usually decreases after the first term.
That being said, homesickness can still
cause problems. If you decide you belong at home with your family and with
your old friends, you may begin to hate
little things about University, which
could potentially grow into hating your
course and snapping at the people
around you, or even isolating yourself
completely.
If you’re feeling homesick, there are
steps to take to cure it, but remember
that there is no hard and fast rule, and
some methods won’t work for you. A
phone call from home once a week may
help to cure pangs of homesickness,
or going home occasionally if you can
afford it (provided you still have enough
for a night out of course).
Sometimes, it might help to talk to
someone about it, so if your friend is
feeling homesick talk to them about
their life at home, they may feel better
for it and you can both get back to
laughing about the night before.
Sometimes a hug, a cup of tea and a
chat can work wonders, so don’t just sit
there, go put the kettle on.
54
Gaming
Top 10 Games of the Decade | Coming soon in 2010 | Tekken 6 | Assassin’s Creed 2 | New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Edited by Aaron Lee | [email protected]
Platform’s Top 10 Games of the Decade
Ten years since the turn of the millennium. In that time we’ve witnessed social and political upheaval, endured
the ongoing march of globalisation and been subjected to a glut of new technological progressions. We’ve
also enjoyed some of the most groundbreaking interactive creations yet. There was tons to choose from, but
after many late night play sessions, crayon presentations and probably one too many screaming matches, we
present to you Platform’s picks for the noughties’ best.
Halo: Combat Evolved (2001)
Burnout 3: Takedown (2004)
Resident Evil 4 (2005)
Microsoft
EA
Capcom
Bungie’s famous
‘30 seconds of fun’
formula resulted in
Halo’s supremely
versatile gameplay.
It also introduced
many elements that
have now become
standard for the
genre. A believable
story and engaging environments serve
to make Master Chief’s debut appearance his best. FPSs would never again be
the same.
Still remains as fast,
smooth and deep as
when it first arrived.
Burnout 3 towers
above the rest because every inch of
its package is gold
sterling. Dozens
of cars, tracks and
events, pioneering
online multiplayer and highly addictive
gameplay. Once you’re in, there’s no
going back.
The definitive version of a modern
classic and a mustplay. Resident Evil
4 is a game that you
ought to approach
with as few preconceived notions as
possible. An amazing achievement,
especially in how its inspired, state-ofthe-art cinematic presentation pairs
so well with its relentlessly exciting,
white-knuckle action.
Grand Theft Auto:
San Andreas (2004)
Shadow of the Colossus (2005)
Sony
Rockstar
Arguably the best
action adventure
franchise of the
decade, GTA will
always standout
in any ‘best of’ list.
And San Andreas
is the prize jewel of
the series, still to
this very day. Three
huge cities, massive open areas, an epic
story and jumping out of planes. The
best GTA game to date.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
(2006)
Bethesda
Fumito Ueda
presents players
with a forbidden
land, desolate but
for 16 enormous
giants. Ambience,
grandeur and genuine emotion can all
be found in this
unique Japanese title. Its Zelda-like tendencies of horseback riding, exploration,
puzzle solving and archery sit alongside
a fascinating adventure that culminates
in one of gaming’s most unexpected
revelations.
Almost everything
that’s ever been
done well before in
past RPGs is here,
but better. From
the quality of the
story and character
interactions, to
the pure thrill
of combat, to all
the pleasure to be found in the game’s
minute details. These elements combine
to make Oblivion one of the single best,
longest-lasting game experiences to be
had in a long time.
55
Gaming
Call of Duty 4: Modern
Warfare (2007)
Coming soon in 2010...
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of
the Patriots (2008)
Activision
Konami
The revolution for online
shooters arrived
in 2007 with
Infinity Ward’s
outstanding
Call of Duty
4. Breaking all
kinds of records
and changing
the landscape
of multiplayer
shooters forever, so much so that even
now, two years later, the competition is
still scrambling to keep up and Infinity
Ward’s influence can be felt throughout
the industry.
Pushing artistic
and technical
boundaries,
Hideo Kojima’s
mind-bending
finale to the
MGS series
is a marvel to
behold. Exceptional vocal
performances and unparalleled animation bring Snake’s world to life like
never before. With its innovative uses of
interactivity, MGS4 is a prime example
of this medium’s greatest works.
Super Mario Galaxy (2007)
LittleBigPlanet (2008)
Sony
Nintendo
If Mario 64
revolutionised
the platform
genre, Super
Mario Galaxy
perfected it.
This is a title of
galactic proportions. Each level
hosts a variety
of planets, each
with its own
centre of gravity, making for dizzying
experiences. Fortunately, the camera
is remarkably capable. A triumph in
gameplay and the best platformer of the
decade.
A novel,
startlingly
imaginative,
highly customisable take on the
platforming
genre. Although
only the most
enthusiastic of
players would
be up for the challenge of the milestone
creativity within, the tools that can be
utilised are utterly outstanding and
can be appreciated, and still will be, for
years to come.
Compiled by Aaron Lee with contributions from Nadya Jaworskyi,
Stuart Kent, Jason England, and
additional conferring with Adam
Dixon, Alex Jablonskas, Andy King
and Lewis Townsend
Worthy mentions:
Metroid Prime (2002), Soulcalibur II (2003), Half-Life 2 (2004), Metal
Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (2004), World of Warcraft (2004), God of War
(2005), The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (2006), Bioshock (2007),
Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008), Grand Theft Auto IV (2008).
Observe some of the team’s personal choices and tell us your own at
56
get serious with Tekken’s story (if that’s
even possible for a series with more
grave-dodgers than a soap opera).
For the long year ahead there’s a
veritable smorgasbord of games on
the horizon.
Scenario mode is the result, but this
gimmicky quest is neither clever nor
particularly exciting. The action is
comparable to beat-’em-ups like Streets
of Rage or Tekken Force. You are tasked
with laying the smackdown on masses
of opponents across many 3D environments. You’ll sneak some enjoy from it
or utterly detest it.
This month, Sega kicks things off with
the release of Platinum Games’ much
praised spiritual successor to Devil
May Cry, Bayonetta.
Continuing to forge Western alliances, Capcom are bringing updated
versions of Street Fighter IV and
Resident Evil 5, along with Dark Void,
Dead Rising 2, and Lost Planet 2 to
our shores.
Despite their recent spate of company-wide layoffs, EA has plenty to share
with Bioware’s anticipated sequel,
Mass Effect 2, Realtime World’s brand
new IP, APB, poetic gore-fest, Dante’s
Inferno, as well as Army of Two:
The 40th Day and Battlefield: Bad
Company 2.
Ubisoft are bringing several titles
out of hiding: Tom Clancy’s Splinter
Cell: Conviction, Red Steel 2, I Am
Alive, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands and maybe a few other
surprises too.
After a relatively slim showing last
year, Microsoft has a more diverse line
up of Crackdown 2, Fable III, Halo:
Reach, plus Alan Wake will finally see
the light of day. Winter 2010 will also
see the release of their tech sensation,
Project Natal.
Hoping to capture the devoted gaming audience and mainstream consumers alike, Sony’s release schedule
includes two franchises synonymous
with PlayStation, God of War III and
Gran Turismo 5, but also includes
potential sleeper hits from MAG,
ModNation Racers, Heavy Rain and
White Knight Chronicles.
Never in a hurry to rush a product
to market half finished, this year
Nintendo have some tasty treats in
the form of Endless Ocean 2, Sin and
Punishment 2 and, best of all, Super
Mario Galaxy 2. We’ll also see their
mature vision for the Metroid series,
in partnership with Tecmo, Metroid:
Other M.
And that’s not even a quarter of it.
Many more titles are slated to arrive,
including Bioshock 2, Blur, Brink,
Enslaved, Epic Mickey, Fallout: New
Vegas, Final Fantasy XIII, Metal Gear
Solid: Peace Walker, Red Dead Redemption and Split Second. It’s going
to be a busy year, no doubt about it.
Aaron Lee
Game Reviews
Tekken 6 (PS3, Xbox 360, PSP)
mastering combos can be fairly simple as
control is more intuitive.
H
Specific additions to the fighting
mechanics include the combo-juggling
‘bound’ system and a supplementary
damage boost called ‘rage’. When your
health drops perilously low it will start to
flash red indicating you’re now in rage
mode, which means your moves will do
extra damage. Considering the visual artistry, in-game character models all look
sufficiently impressive, environments
are now more destructible and, though
it’s hardly noticeable, blur effects add
slightly more ‘whoop’ to animations.
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Released: Out Now
ow do you quantify a fighting
game? At its core, Tekken 6
remains an outstanding fighting game. The problem is it doesn’t
feel all that fresh. It’s an old arcade
king polished up and given a few new
console-exclusive modes. But, even the
new bits feel old. Nevertheless, there’s
excitement to be had from this classic
fighting formula.
They may be all dressed up and looking
glitzier than grandma’s boxing trophy,
yet our accomplished collection of beastly brawlers, dangerous divas, devil spawn
and talking animals haven’t changed
much. As ever, gameplay in Tekken spans
a broad map of martial arts styles. Each
of the controller’s four face buttons is
connected to your fighter’s main limbs.
So, unlike Street Fighter or Virtua Fighter,
The console version of Tekken 6 is actually comprised of the arcade original
plus its update, Tekken 6: Bloodline
Rebellion. It boasts the largest character
roster in the series’ history, with more
than 40 playable characters. Modes
to please the fighting faithful are here,
and the developers have decided to
Movement and combat controls hinge
on the same analogue stick, so you’ll
find yourself kicking thin air in almost
every enemy ambush. The camera could
also be far better in the way it frames
the action and the angles it gives you.
When it comes to the levels themselves,
which are all so-so affairs of trial and
repetition, the strategy often entails
taking any available weapons as far as
you can to beat the living daylights out
of your aggressors.
Fighters were once the bread and butter of arcades. Namco was one of the
pioneers that helped migrate the genre
from smoke-filled Japanese arcades
to home consoles, and they continued
to innovate long after they’d made
the move. Improvements seem to be
much more incremental nowadays. It’s
not likely to dazzle you in the same
way as Tekken 3 but, with the possible
exception of Soulcalibur IV, Tekken 6
is certainly the most accessible fighter
on the market. Perhaps not the console
highlight that many were hoping for,
but a stable fighter even so. Aaron Lee
Assassin’s Creed II (PS3, Xbox
360, PC)
Publisher: Ubisoft
Released: Out Now
A
ssassin’s Creed II picks up seconds after the cliff-hanger
ending of the original game. We are back in the shoes of
Desmond Miles who is thrust headfirst into the ongoing
secret war between the Assassins and the shadowy Knights
Templar, who seek to control the world.
The game’s story is much, much more complex than it appears at first glance. Through Desmond Miles, we take a trip
back in time to relive the memories of his assassin ancestry.
This occasion we take a look into the life of Ezio Auditore, in
Renaissance Italy. Whilst Ezio’s tale of revenge is a large part
of the plot, there is so much more depth that Ezio himself
cannot even conceive of. It’s a tricky concept to get your head
around, but the game does a good job of streamlining events
whilst still keeping things mysterious right up until the games
jaw-dropping climax.
Assassin’s Creed II begins to unravel the true importance of the
ongoing battle and the treachery of the Knights Templar. Several real world events are weaved into the fiction, including the
assassination of JFK and Ghandi, and raise many philosophical
questions throughout. If you enjoy a good conspiracy theory
this game is perfect for you. It pulls no punches and is even
shocking at times.
>
57
Gaming
>
The basic gameplay mechanics from the first game remain,
essentially, the same with a few
added features. Ezio is a master freerunner, able to run and climb upon any
building with ledges to cling to. Draw
distance is huge and once you get up
high you can witness some of the most
breathtaking vistas yet seen. This time
around you can also jump while climbing to reach further ledges: a seemingly
small addition which helps out greatly
when you are rushing away from a battalion of guards.
Ezio also has the ability to pick up idle
weapons and disarm enemies with his
bare hands. Once again, the animations
are silky smooth and the counter kills are
the highlight of engagements. You are
also granted a weapon wheel to facilitate
a larger selection of weaponry and clever
distractions (courtesy of none other than
Leonardo da Vinci), including smoke
bombs, poison and a pepperbox pistol.
All of these give you much more variety
in how you take on missions, although
more often than not your targets will fall
victim to the trusty hidden blade.
Assassin’s Creed II is visually stunning.
The amount of detail in the environments, and especially Ezio, is truly remarkable. The atmosphere of the Italian
cities is spectacular, though cutscenes
and facial animations can seem a little
clunky. Assassin’s Creed II is by far one of
the most visually accomplished games
this year, putting other open world
games, such as GTAIV, to shame.
Assassins Creed II is an exemplary case
of a successful sequel with many improvements upon the original formula.
For fans of the original and newcomers
alike, a thoroughly enjoyable Renaissance revival. Stuart Kent
New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii)
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: Out Now
New Super Mario Bros. Wii is similar in
many ways to New Super Mario Bros.
for the Nintendo DS in terms of style.
Both games represent the traditional 2D
Mario gameplay with updated twentyfirst century graphics. Therefore, this
game by no means reinvents the genre
or pushes the boundaries of physics and it is not at all required to do so. But
it provides us with what we expect:
classic Mario, and that is what we have
been given.
58
World Cup Special | Ones to watch | England Squad: Starting XI
Edited by James Haigh | [email protected]
World Cup Special
By James Haigh
W
The world’s most famous plumber is
back, but the only tool you will need
is a Wii Remote or two, or maybe
four. That’s right, Mario returns to our
consoles in traditional 2D form with his
loyal brother Luigi, Yoshi and two Toad
companions to aid him in his quest. You
know the drill: Princess Peach has once
again been kidnapped by Bowser’s minions and hauled off in an airship (you’d
think Mario would have beefed up
security by now, right?) and, of course,
Mario sets off on a journey through a
set of differently themed worlds in order
to rescue her.
Multiplayer actually makes New Super
Mario Bros. Wii slightly more challenging due to the fact that having more
players jumping all over the screen can
be quite distracting at times. Although,
it has to be said that the benefits
outweigh this. For instance, if one of the
players ‘dies’, they enter a bubble and
float around calling out for help. The
player in the bubble simply shakes the
Wii Remote to return them to one of
their companions and, upon touching
them, the player is returned to the action - a handy life preserver, indeed.
Sports
elcome to the World Cup special edition of Platform Sports – dedicated entirely to the finest football competition on the planet. This summer thousands will flock to South Africa
and witness one team beat all others to claim the golden trophy.
Group A:
England
USA
Algeria
Slovenia
A tough group for the host nation, but with the majority of
fans behind them, they have a good chance of going through
to round two.
The mighty Three-Lions won nine of their ten qualifying
games and will be looking to destroy the weak opposition. As
Mark Lawrenson said last month: if they can’t top group C,
they don’t deserve to be in the finals.
Our Predictions:
Group Winners: France
Second place: South Africa
Group B:
All of the nostalgic sound effects are
present alongside familiar power-ups,
such as mushrooms, invincibility stars
and those red plants that enable you to
throw fireballs - awesome! New powerups have been introduced including a
propeller hat and a penguin suit. These
are both pretty cool. The propeller suit
in particular, which allows you to shake
the Wii Remote when jumping and be
thrust vertically into the air. This comes
in handy when trying to avoid groups
of enemies or tricky platforms perched
above pit falls. The penguin suit gives
Mario the ability to swim better, slide
across icy surfaces on his belly, throw
ice balls and prevents him from slipping
on the ice when standing up - obviously,
an essential piece of gear for use on the
ice world.
In conclusion, New Super Mario Bros.
Wii employs the classic traits that
made the franchise what it is today and
brings it to a new generation of gamers.
What’s more, it is sure to delight fans
of the original games. Definitely an
essential addition to your Wii collection.
Andy King
Group C:
South Africa
Mexico
Uruguay
France
Our Predictions:
Group Winners: England
Second place: USA
Group D:
Argentina
Nigeria
South Korea
Greece
Germany
Australia
Serbia
Ghana
Diego Maradonna’s Argentina faced a real struggle to qualify
for the finals, but they’ve been blessed with an easy(ish) group.
The efficient Germans look a dead cert to win this group
stage while strong Ghanaians’ – with Captain Michael Essien – could face England in the second round if they nick the
runners up spot.
Our Predictions:
Group Winners: Argentina
Second place: South Korea
Our Predictions:
Group Winners: Germany
Second place: Ghana
(continued on next page)
59
Sports
(continued from previous page)
Group E:
Netherlands
Denmark
Japan
Cameroon
Not a fantastic draw if you support Denmark or Japan. The
Dutch are seeded third in the world while Cameroon and
Inter Milan striker Eto’o is currently in a rich vein of form.
Our Predictions:
Group Winners: Netherlands
Second place: Cameroon
Group F:
Italy
Paraguay
New Zealand
Slovakia
Ones
to
watch:
You can’t have the world’s greatest football competition without the planet’s best players. Therefore,
James Haigh thought it best to compile a list of stars
to watch out for during the summer games – just in
case your favourite nation (whoever it may be) comes
up against them.
Iniesta &
Xavi –
Team: Spain
Barcelona and
Spain’s gruesometwosome perfected
their unbeatable
partnership last
year claiming
the Spanish title,
Champions League
and Copa del Rey
(Spain’s FA Cup
equivalent) along
the way. If you are
unlucky to come
across these two, you’d better prepare for quick one-touch
footy with plenty of (extremely accurate) long range shots.
Torres & Villa - Team: Spain
Two more Spaniards to make it onto our list, but this time, it’s
a pair of forwards. Fernando Torres and David Villa - of Liverpool and Valencia respectively – have an unbelievable striker
rate for their clubs, but are yet to form a decent partnership
while playing for their country. However, this is bad news
if you’re up against Spain, as the summer competition will
provide both men with an opportunity prove themselves to
the world once and for all.
Current World Cup holders Italy must count themselves
lucky after receiving such an easy group. Team New Zealand
returns to the finals after a 27-year absences.
Our Predictions:
Group Winners: Italy
Second place: Slovakia
Group G:
Brazil
North Korea
Ivory Coast
Portugal
Lionel Messi – Team: Argentina
Congratulations must go to the young 22-year-old after picking up the Ballon d’Or – awarded only to the finest players
– and for piping Cristiano Ronaldo to the post. Argentina qualified for the World Cup by the skin of their teeth and many
critics claim that Argie boss, Diego Maradonna, isn’t utilising
Messi to his full potential. However, the five-foot, seven inch
winger is still feared among defenders worldwide, and will
almost certainly take his home nation most of the way.
With the five-time World Cup winners, the best striker and
winger in the world, it must be the “Group of Death”. Unfortunately Ronaldo the winker will be heading home early.
What a shame.
Our Predictions:
Group Winners: Brazil
Second place: Ivory Coast
Cristiano
Ronaldo – Team:
Portugal
Group H:
Spain
Switzerland
Honduras
Chile
After winning the Euro Championships in 2008, Spain are
the bookies favourite to walk away with the trophy. An
inform Fernando Torres and David Villa will provide the
Spaniards with enough firepower to destroy any competition that comes their way.
Our Predictions:
Group Winners: Spain
Second place: Chile
60
Didier Drogba - Team: Cote d’Ivoire
Chelsea’s formidable forward is a powerhouse full of muscle
and dramatic emotion. When he’s not rolling around on the
floor from the slightest touch, he’s slamming goal after goal
into the back of the net. Caused controversy in Chelsea’s
Champion’s League defeat to Barcelona last June when he
openly swore on live TV. However, he’s likely to be the Premierships top striker this season and defiantly one to avoid in
South Africa.
And speaking of the “winker”, Cristiano
Ronaldo comes creeping onto our list. The
Portuguese wonder broke thousands of
Man Utd hearts in the summer when he
forced a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid. However, team Portugal – coached
by former Red Devils boss Carlos Queiroz
– are half the team they were in the last
World Cup under Big Phil Scolari. After
drawing Brazil and Cote d’Ivoire in the
group stages, it looks like Ronaldo will be
packing his bags for an early plane ride
home.
Wayne Rooney –
Team: England
You can’t have an “ultimate shortlist” without the boy-wonder. Not only is Rooney
young, talented and married to a fit wife
with a newly-born son, he’s got a ton of skill
and pace to match. He’ll be Fabio Capello
and England’s secret weapon in the summer
and - providing he’s on top form - we’ll be
able to match any competition that comes
our way.
61
Sports
England
Squad:
Starting xi
Continuing with our World Cup special, we –here at the office - are trying our best to predict the 23-man
squad that Mr Capello will take to South Africa. So, without further ado, here’s who we believe will make it
onto that Boeing 747. Words by James Haigh
(GK) David James
Having recently turned 39, critics have been calling time
on the injury-prone keeper’s career. Although he’s missed
England last few friendly’s, Pompy’s man between the sticks is
still very much in Fab’s mind.
(RB) Glen Johnson
Following a whopping £18million summer transfer to Liverpool, young Glen has forced himself into the first-team…with
little opposition.
STAR PLAYER:
(CB) John Terry
Mr England himself. Willing to risk
life and limb for his country, Terry will
be the beating heart of the three-lions
squad. And with more passion than
Russell Brand in heat, fans will have
nothing to fear at the back – just
don’t let him take a penalty.
(CB) Rio Ferdinand
Almost lost his place in the England and Man Utd line-up after a
few poor performances. However, the 31-year-old will no doubt
regain his pride and starting place next to Terry in defence.
62
(LB) Ashley Cole
Chelsea’s shock-n-awe left-back caused controversy when he
moved from rivals Arsenal in 2006. But now he’s universally
hated for being the only man Cheryl Cole will ever want.
Damn!
(RM) Theo Walcott
The Arsenal youngster has been injured for much of this
season, but since scoring a hat-trick against the Croats in September 2008, he’s been a firm favourite of the England gaffer.
STAR PLAYER:
(CM) Frank Lampard
STAR PLAYER:
(LM) Steven
Gerrard
Now I’m not one to sing Stevie G’s
praises but the fact that the Premiership team he captains cannot win when
he’s injured really shows the calibre of
the man. Besides, World Cup winners Zidane, Ronaldinho
and Cannavaro all claim him to be the greatest player on earth –
and they can’t all be wrong can they?
(CF) Emile Heskey
The six-foot two-inch forward has his England critics – having
only scored seven goals in 57 appearances for the national
squad. However, the big target man holds the ball up-front
and creates space for his teammates to score. After all, every
team has to have a wingman – just ask Maverick and Iceman.
STAR PLAYER:
(CF) Wayne Rooney
The new dad to baby Kia is on fire
in the Premier League and one of
the most feared strikers in the world.
Providing he stays fit for the World Cup,
England can go all the way – just don’t
mention Metatarsals!
Subs Bench:
(GK) Robert Green
The West Ham man’s hand-span is the three-lion’s masterplan to land the grand slam. Suffers from “dodgy English
keeper syndrome”, but is good enough as back-up should
James get injured.
The former Chelsea left-back quit Stamford Bridge last January after playing second-fiddle to Ashley Cole. Unfortunately
it’s the same story in the England camp. (RM) David Beckham
Although Golden Balls has been playing football since the beginning of the nineteenth-century, he still has the best rightfoot in the world. This will be his final World Cup competition
and probably the last few games he plays in an England shirt
as well – let’s hope he goes out with a bang and bends it like
Beckham straight into the upper-90.
(CM) Owen Hargreaves
The first of our “surprise players” to be included – you’ll have
to wait to see the rest. Hargreaves has been haunted with
severe injury, Patella Tendonitis (damaged knee cartilage), for
more than a year now. However, he’s on the mend and will be
back to form just in time to play in Cape Town.
(LM) Joe Cole
Yet another Chelsea man to make it into the team, Joey has
faced countless months on the sideline after picking up
injury, after injury, after injury, after injury. But the cheeky
winger from East London will be on the plane – even if he’s on
crutches.
(CF) Peter Crouch
The tallest man ever to play in an England jersey, and has an
exceptional striking rate for the national team – 18 goals in
35 appearances. We have never lost a game when Crouch has
started.
(GK) Ben Foster
Congratulations must go to Ben after he was awarded the title
of Britain’s unluckiest goalkeeper – a prize he stole off last
year’s winner, Paul Robinson.
(RB) Wes Brown
(CF) Jermaine Defoe
The hot-shot Spurs man put five past Wigan earlier this season
and is determined to get to his first World Cup finals. Defoe
(like Crouch) has a good England striking record – scoring 13
in his last 37 appearances.
With hair as red as the team he plays for, Wes is one for the
subs bench.
Capello seems to have found the
answer to the BIG Lampard – Gerrard debate that has cursed our midfield
all these years. The Chelsea midfield ace has
racked up a minimum of 20 goals per season
over the last five-years for the club - if only he
could match that kind of form with England.
(CB) Joleon Lescott
(CM) Gareth Barry
(CB) Matthew Upson
Once described as England’s answer to the left-wing, Gareth
has enjoyed an up-and-down career. However, ever since the
midfielder made a summer switch to Man City, he’s been an
integral part of our national team.
(LB) Wayne Bridge
Limited national appearances but playing for the money-bags
Man City has its bonuses – just don’t go flashing the cash in
South Africa Joley.
(CF) Michael Owen
The second of our “surprise” inclusions, bet you didn’t think
we’d do it did you! Michael has been through it all in his football career – from hero at France 1998, to zero in 2007 when
Fabio Capello dropped him from the England squad. Just
watch this space as the lad from Liverpool scores in South Africa to help the three-lions lift that coveted golden trophy.
Super strong Hammers captain (that’s West Ham in case you
were unsure) provided excellent cover when Rio Ferdinand
was injured.
63

Issue 3 – January 2010

Transcription

Similar documents

2 central park - The Office Agents Society

biographies CD flyer

PDF - Impact Magazine

details

Case study - The Da Vinci Code The Book… The Film…

Issue 6 – Summer 2011

printable PDF version - Nottinghamshire Heritage Gateway

Rural Office Suite Unit 2, Upper Linbrook Farm