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 From the Outside The Syrian War....................................................................................................................................3‐4 All Eyes On Paris.....................................................................................................................................5 Un‐president‐ed support: Obama LGBT supporter................................................................................6 Sexism in the Film Indstry.......................................................................................................................7 Lights, Cameras, Action, The Oscars!......................................................................................................8 Inside Out Who is Ms Whitmore?.......................................................................................................................9‐10 A2 English Literature: Love Through the Ages‐ Interview with Miss Dodds....................................11‐12 Christmas Book Reviews from Townley Students.................................................................................13 Miss Hegley Recommends: Book reviews per Key Stage......................................................................14 Book writing competition/ calling all year 7s.......................................................................................15 The Review New York, New York‐ Trip review....................................................................................................16‐17 Marvel’s Jessica Jones review...............................................................................................................18 Is Coldplay the same band it was 10 years ago?...................................................................................19 Christmas Top 5 best and worst Christmas Songs.................................................................................................20 The Guys behind Father Christmas..................................................................................................21‐22 The Art Of Giving..................................................................................................................................23 Party Like its 1599!...............................................................................................................................24 For those of you who have been hearing words like “refugees” and “crisis” and “Syria” recently,
withoutreallyunderstandingwhatisgoingon, allowmeto enlighten you.Named“The European
MigrantCrisis”bysome,itisthemigrationofrefugeesfromareassuchasTheMiddleEast,Africa,
South‐CentralandAsia.Thisyear,500,000peoplehavelefttheirhomesintheseplacestoseekasylum
inEuropeand52%ofthesearefromSyria.Thephrase“crisis”onlystartedbeingusedinApril2015,
whenfiveboatscarryingalmost2,000migrantstoEuropesankintheMediterraneanSea‐killing
about1,200people.Unfortunately,anestimatedtotalof11millionpeople(halfofSyria’spre‐war
population)havehadtomigrateorhavebeenkilled.Butwherediditallstart?Well,inMarch2011,
people took to the streets to demonstrate against the government after 15 schoolchildren were
arrested and tortured for writing anti‐government graffiti on a wall. By July army defectors had
organisedtheFreeSyrianArmyandmanycivilianSyrianstookuparmsagainsttheopposition.A
largeproportionofthecountrywantsPresidentAssadtostepdown,yetherefusestodoso.This
peoplearedividedintorebelfighters,politicalparties,andpeoplelivinginexilewhocannotreturn
tothecountry.Itisestimatedthatasmanyas1,000individualgroupshasopposedthegovernment
sincetheconflictbegan.
Inearly2014,theextremistgroupIslamicStatebegantotakeoverlargeareasofIraq‐aneighbouring
countrytoSyria.TheythenmovedintoEastSyriaandgainedlandandpowerthere.InAugust2013,
IS orchestrated a chemical attack just outside the Syrian capital, Damascus. This caused a strong
reactionfromFrance,theUSAandtheUK,anddiscussionsbeganaboutwhattherestoftheworld
shoulddoregardingIS.DavidCameronhassaidtheUKwilltakeinupto20,000refugeesuntil2020,
whileFrancehastakenin24,000alreadyandGermanyhassaidtheywilltakein500,000ayear.
SoshouldtheUKbedoingmoretohelpthesituation?Thecurrentquestioniswhetherweshould
joinRussia,FranceandtheUSAinplanstobombIslamicState.RecentlyDavidCameronsuggested
that,andithasbeenagreedthatbombingISISisthebestcourseofaction.Hisargumentwasthat
theUKisalreadyatargetforterrorattacks,andbombingIslamicStatewillultimately“makeus
safer”.AlthoughtheLabourPartyappearstobesplitwiththeiropinions‐asisthenation‐Head
ofPartyJeremyCorbynisopposingthisaction.Itisprobablethatbythetimethismagazineis
printed,thestorywillhavedevelopedbecauseeventsarehappeningsofast.
InterestinglyJoachimGaucktheGermanPresidenthassaidthecountrywillnotpartakeinairstrikes,yetit
hastakeninmorerefugeesthananyotherEuropeancountry.IsbombingIslamicStatereallytherightthing
todo?TheUShaveconductedthemajorityoftheairstrikesundertakenbytheinternationalcoalitionin
SyriaandIraq,howeverothercountriestakingpartintheUS‐ledcoalitionareFrance,Belgium,Denmark,
Netherlands,Australia,SaudiArabia,Jordan,QatarandBahrain.TheUSAhastakeninthesecondhighest
amount of asylum seekers. Some people would argue that bombing IS would kill too many innocent
survillians, increase terror risk in the UK and not even completely stop IS who may have members
elsewhere.OtherswouldsaywearealreadyatahugerisksobombingISistheonlysensiblecourseof
action at the moment, and that it will send a
messagetotheterrorists.Everycountryisdoing
whattheybelievetobethemostbeneficialtothe
world and to the citizens of Syria. But no one
knowsexactlywhatISwilldonext,whichiswhy
theBritishgovernmentnowhasaveryimportant
andindeeddifficultdecisiontomake.
Solidarté. One word that summarises the feelings the world currently has towards Paris, following the attacks on the 13th November. The death toll of 130 from the attacks is no doubt shocking and an issue that deserved attention in our school debates. Being fortunate enough to run our school debating society, I was able to hear the opinions of other students on the issue. All ages agreed the attack was heinous, but another point brought up enlightened me: though most are aware of the attacks in Paris, very few had heard about other events that had also taken place that day. Earthquakes in both Mexico and Japan, along with a like attack in Bali had been muted under the cascades of attention towards Paris. Finding myself in a position of infirmity, I went home where I remained glued to Google for nearly an hour trying to find out what else had happened on the 13 . Unsurprisingly, there was a severe absence of information: and what I did find was incredibly ambiguous. It was then that I stumbled across an article in ‘Der Spiegelʼ (a renowned German newspaper), which caught my attention: “We as a part of the ‘Westernʼ World, have a natural focus towards nations like our own, yet it is our duty and responsibility to educate ourselves about what is going on elsewhere as well.”
This was confirmed later when I watched a show called ‘BBC Newswatchʼ. Here, they discuss any issues with the BBC coverage of current affairs and give some air‐time to viewersʼ opinions of what is being covered. It came to me as a moment of realisation that media in the West centre around issues closer to home, while other countries focus on their respective neighbours. Naturally, such a revelation led me to wonder why this may occur. In my opinion, the answer is that the media will publicise what will catch peopleʼs attention. As humans, we shall always first want to hear about matters that impact us personally: this helps us empathise with those affected and stay on our guard. This closeness can be in terms of geographical positioning and th
BY FATEMAH KASSAMALI 12.6
UN-PRESIDENT-ED SUPPORT
ANNA GUNSTONE
th
On November
10 2015, the current president of the
United States of America, Barack Obama, was
named ‘Ally of the year’ by Out Magazine. They
attributed this title to their belief that without the help
of the president, the LGBTQ community would not
have yet reached their goal of marriage equality - it’s
hard not to agree with them! After all, expansion of
LGBT rights for Americans is one of his ‘legacy
projects’.
During his time as president, Obama has opposed
and helped to remove the ‘’Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy
in the US army, which meant that openly homosexual
or bisexual people
were banned from military service.
Obama has further aided the LGBT community to strive for
the Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which added
equality by signing
discrimination of
gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and
disability to the federal hate crime law, and supports LGBT
adoption - he extended the Family and Medical Leave Act to
He told Out magazine that his views on LGBT rights
taking unpaid leave to care for children of
LGBT employees
came from his upbringing, as his mother taught him
same-sex partners.
In his second term
as president, Obama has shown his full
support to marriage equality. Only two days before the Supreme
that all people were equal in worth, and from his
experiences with his openly-gay professor at
Occidental College, he claimed that one of the
reasons he became invested in politics was due to
Court ruled same-sex marriage legal in all states, Obama stated:
“Marriage
equality is about our
civil rights,
and our firm belief
that every
citizen should be
treated equally under the law,”
his beliefs about equality. He stated in his interview
with Out that: “no one should be excluded from the American dream just because of who they are.”
Anna Gunstone- 11.ART Sexism in the film industry
Lauren Hoven
Entrapment. Noun. The state of being entrapped. An example could be the way women in the film industry
entrapped in a sexist industry. Entrapment also happens to be a 1999 film starring on-screen love
are
interests Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Hollywood seems to have brainwashed us to think this
is normal, so you might not have noticed, but there is a 40 year age difference between the stars. YesSean
Connery was 69 when the film was made and was (and is) old enough to be 30 year old Catherine
Zeta-Jones’ grandfather. Unfortunately, we’re living in a World where male actors are timeless but female
actors
are only eligible to play a love interest between the ages of 20 and 35. There are a group of male
actors, who have a reputation for starring opposite women young enough to be their daughters. These
include
Colin Firth, Steve Carell, Liam Neeson, Tom Cruise, Johnny Depp and many others. For example
in the film Third Person, Liam Neeson is paired with Olivia Wilde who is 32 years younger than him. Well
about if the casting directors paired Neeson with an actress 32 years older? Apparently a 91 year-old
what
woman opposite a 61 year old man is preposterous.
Recently, a method has been decided to determine the “socially acceptable” age disparity within on-screen
relationships.
“Half his age plus seven”. Take for example, the 2015 Box Office hit Focus, starring Will
Smith and Margot Robbie. Smith was 46 when filming. Half his age is 23, plus 7 gives us a total of 30.
This is apparently the minimum age an actress needs to be, to be Smith’s on-screen love interest. Margot
Robbie
was 24. The bottom line is male actors are valued for their acting skills. I’m sure there aren’t many
young girls who say they’ve got a crush on Steve Carell. Well, even if he is 53 years old, with a receding
hair
line, he’ll still be cast alongside Jennifer Garner (10 years younger), Anne Hathaway (20 years
younger) and Keira Knightley (23 years younger).
If these relationships on screen, were formed because the actors had exceptional chemistry, or were a
really
convincing couple, there would be nothing wrong with it. Just as there is nothing wrong with people
in different age groups who are in relationships. It’s just the idea that no matter what these men look like will be paired with a young, beautiful woman who is cast simply for her aesthetic. Men in the film
they
industry are valued for what is on the inside; personality, sense of humour, ability to act. Take James Bond
for example. The eponymous hero of the films is strong and smart and has been a continued character
since 1962. Since then a total of 75 women have appeared in the films, named collectively as ‘Bond Girls’.
Although the character of James Bond may be immortal, these women come and go, just as female actors
do today- by the time they are 35, they are no longer eligible to play any role where they fall in love. Steve
Carell, Johnny Depp and Colin Firth however, are in fact, immortal and will go on being cast alongside the
next
generation of actresses, while the women their own age are cast as grandmothers!
Another
area of sexism within films is the content. The Bechdel Test was created in 1985 and has become
more prominent in the last 15 years. It outlines a set of basic rules that films should adhere to.
1.
The film has to have at least two women in it.
2. They have to have a conversation…
3. …in which they discuss something other than a man.
In recent years the requirement that they have to be named has been added which shouldn’t be too hard to
fulfil. Or is it? In 2015 an outrageous 40% of films did not pass the Bechdel Test. One of these just so
happens
to be the aforementioned Focus. Of the eight films nominated for Best Picture at the 2014
Academy Awards, none had a female playing the lead while only three passed the Bechdel Test. I’m not
saying this test decides whether a film is feminist or not- trust me- Hollywood has a long way to go before
the
majority of its films are feminist. But I feel that this one small requirement (if fulfilled by film producers)
would be the beginning of a long journey to equality within the film industry.
The winds are cooling, the candles are burning and the leaves are falling, which can surely mean only one thing: Oscar season is upon us! And with 2015 serving large helpings of exciting and resonant films, it’s only fair for me to guide you through the most promising autumn releases… The first film I’d like to spotlight is…’Spotlight’. Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Stanley Tucci and Michael Keaton all‐star in this chilling exposé revolving around the Catholic Church Priest Scandal. From the streets of Boston, one team of journalists aim to unravel that tight web of lies and bribes that kept the Church untainted. Released January 29th here in the UK, ‘Spotlight’ has already received rave reviews and is set to be a major Oscar contender. The next entry on this list is ‘Carol’, a revolutionary love story set in 1950’s America. Cate Blanchett portrays the titular housewife who falls in love with Rooney Mara’s Therese. Directed by Todd Haynes and based on the ground‐breaking novel ‘The Price of Salt’, ‘Carol’ has conjured major awards buzz, with both Blanchett and Mara recently nominated for Best Actress at the Film Independent Spirit Awards. Do not under‐estimate this movie’s potential at the 2016’s Academy Awards. Another revolutionary film that is surely one to watch is Netflix’s ‘Beasts of No Nation’, starring BBC alumni Idris Elba. Set in an unnamed African country, the film (directed by Cary Fukunaga) explores the effects of a civil war on child soldiers caught up in the conflict. Though extremely dark and violent, the film has introduced Abraham Attah, a new talent, to the Academy’s attention, and is littered with stunning cinematography to boot. One film I’m sure you wouldn’t have expected to see on this rundown is Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and yet here we are discussing it. There have been rumblings that Star Wars may in fact be a dark horse at the Academy Awards, with speculation that John Williams may be awarded with his 6th Oscar for his work on the soundtrack and that the incredible special effects present may secure the franchise another gold statue. ‘Bridge of Spies’ is also rumoured to be a strong contender. Starring Tom Hanks, written by the Coen Brothers and directed by Steven Spielberg, this Cold War drama is studded with Oscar‐darlings, and the patriotic, true story aspect of the plot will surely endear it to Academy voters. Another film on the Academy’s radar is obviously ‘The Danish Girl’, which stars Alicia Vikander and Eddie Redmayne. From the director of ‘The King’s Speech’ and ‘Les Miserables’, this movie tells the tale of the first trans‐woman to have gone through gender re‐
assignment surgery. Moving, touching and beautifully shot, ‘The Danish Girl’ may just get Eddie Redmayne a Best Actor win for the second year in a row. Of course, there is also the matter of Best Animated Feature, and although ‘Anomalisa’ (a strikingly different animated film for the older generations) may clinch the award, it has almost certainly already been bagged by Disney Pixar’s ‘Inside Out’, one of my personal favourite films of the year. It’s also worth noting that the critically and fan acclaimed Mad Max: Fury Road may also stand the chance of an Oscar nomination. Director George Miller delivered a thrilling rollercoaster of a film complete with stunning cinematography and ground‐breaking special effects which make it a serious contender. Finally, this list cannot be completed without reference to ‘The Revanent’. From the director of 2015’s ‘Birdman’, this movie was filmed with only natural lighting and stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy as they battled it out in the rugged, cold wilderness. Could Leo finally get his Academy Award? Only time will tell, but in order to keep up to date with all the buzz make sure you keep checking our reviews here at Townley FYI! By James Green Who Is Mrs Whitmore?
Hannah Li 13.1
I recently interviewed Mrs Whitmore to get an insight into what it’s like being
the Assistant Head Teacher at Townley.
What is it that you do around the school?
My role is teaching, learning, and assessment. I also oversee Year 8 as a year
group, so my responsibilities are to ensure that students have the best quality
teaching we can possibly provide and to take on board student feedback to make
sure that happens.
How are you finding your new role as Assistant Head?
Well, I like a challenge and I’ve got a very strong growth mindset, so I feel
that I’ve had to be resilient. It’s been a huge learning curve but I can
honestly say that, even after an Ofsted visit, I’m really enjoying it. It’s
great working with both staff and students to contribute to making Townley the
best place it can be.
What did you study at university?
I studied English and Drama, and then I went on to do my PGCE (the year where
you train to be a teacher) which was in English, Drama and Media Studies.
And what made you decide to become an English teacher?
I suppose my love of literature and my passion for wanting to convey that to
others. If I really like a text, I don’t want anyone to leave the classroom not
liking it as well! So spreading that passion is really important to me. And it’s
a valuable life skill, immersing yourself in literature, in the characters and
the themes that are raised; it’s very valuable in building the person you
become. I’m a bit strange in the aspect that I’ve always wanted to be a teacher,
I’ve never questioned it.
What was your secondary education like?
I actually came here, so it was very similar to the experiences that you all
have. I feel a real allegiance to my school. This place gave me so much and I
want to give back to it.
What are your top three books?
‘Wuthering Heights’ has got to be my all-time favourite! ‘The Secret Life of
Bees’ by Sue Monk Kidd is quite an easy light-hearted one, which I like. And
also ‘The Good Father’ by Noah Halley. I found this very difficult to answer!
These are three I really enjoy but they’re not my only three.
What is on your life’s to do list?
I’m learning a lot about being a mother so I’m always trying to make decisions
that are right to my family, and I’d like to continue being the best mum and
teacher that I can be. I’d like to be on Strictly! If there ever is a noncelebrity version I’ll get on Strictly. There’s lots of things I’d like to learn
how to do…I’d like to one day be in the position to build my own property.
What are you looking forward to this winter?
I’m looking forward to spending time with my family over
Christmas, like when I’ll be going to the ballet with all the
girls in my family. I would love it to snow! I’m looking forward
to some cosy nights with a book by my new fireplace; it’s a proper
wood-burning fireplace.
I’m looking forward to Christmas Eve because it’s the day where I’m
putting my daughter to bed, and putting out the mince pies and milk for
Father Christmas, and also the next morning when I see her all excited.
How do you like to spend your holidays?
I love going away on holiday. I like to go to the Lake District in the
winter holiday, I love it! I think it’s beautiful and a great place to be
outdoorsy with your family. Summer holidays I like spending at the park,
having picnics, and enjoying long evenings in the garden. I haven’t been
abroad since I’ve had my daughter, Emily, but I love travelling.
So you like quite relaxing holidays?
Yes, I’m not the most adventurous person in that aspect. I quite like
“outdoorsy” things but not anything like climbing mountains.
If you were given three wishes, what three things would you wish for?
The first thing would be the happiness and health of my family. I would
wish for people’s ability to show courage and compassion. And also a new
car!
What sort of car?
I don’t know, just one that doesn’t have scratches down the side of it!
Something that’s nice and new, and a bit sporty.
Anything else you’d like to say to our readers?
Keep reading!
Thank you very much!
No problem.
Hannah Li
I interviewed Miss Dodds to find out what she has to say about the Year 13 English Literature course
at Townley.
Could you tell us a bit about the course, for the benefit of our readers who aren’t familiar with it?
Okay, so as an English teacher it’s a real joy to teach, as so much of literature falls under the canon
of relationships and perspectives on love. It’s interesting to trace back to see how love has become
more multifaceted, and society has become more open to different types of love, and I think it’s
something we should celebrate. Looking at love’s different permutations and human emotions, drive,
and feelings is a vital part of our lives. It’s important to better understand others and develop
empathetic skills, and to learn about different features and cultures through writing.
It’s quite a challenging course, going from Geoffrey Chaucer’s time to present day. There are three
main genres we focus on: novel, poetry, and drama. Students must have a good understanding on
not only literary eras and their conventions, but also how different forms present perspectives on love.
For example, love in a poem can be portrayed through a single word, or a
caesura, whereas in drama the representation of the
characters makes it more real, and expressionist
features such as the polka music Blanche hears in ‘A
Streetcar Named Desire’ represents her tragic past
with love and relationships.
It’s not a soft option. It requires meticulous and critical
thinking skills. There’s a misconception that unless
you’re thinking about becoming an English teacher or
going into publishing, studying English literature won’t lead you to a career. English gives you the power of conceptual
thinking, and it expands your ability to reason and be creative; vital skills for higher education; and it’s fun!
What have you noticed that students need to work on the most?
The wider reading element of the course because it is so vast, and it’s not just about making links through wider reading but
also really understanding how meaning is created through different literary devices, which is really hard to do that effectively if
you’re only looking at core texts that your teacher told you to read. As I said, it’s a challenging course, so even if you did well at
GCSE English you might not necessarily find it easy, which is why it’s admired so much universities as it’s so academically
rigorous.
What sort of approach to wider reading would you recommend to students?
I would recommend trying to select texts that cover a range of different types of love, such as unrequited love, familial love, and
so on. This is one of the reasons we picked ‘Streetcar’ to study in class as it explores how desire is fundamental to human
nature, and how when pursued it can lead to traumatic events.
What do you enjoy about teaching this course?
We’re looking at love as an emotion, which not only covers a wealth of fascinating, inspirational pieces of literature but also
allows students to have the freedom to choose their own text and to explore their passion for certain genres. Although it’s hard
work, it’s not just about thinking strategically but you can also capitalise on genres, for example, if you like dystopian literature
you can look at ‘1984’ by George Orwell, or if you like historical fiction, ‘Birdsong’ by Sebastian Faulkner may fascinate you.
Drawing from your interests enriches you education, and I think it is great that this course allows students more opportunity.
I really love reading students’ own interpretations of texts that have really come from their own inferences – it’s amazing
because as an English teacher, when I step into a classroom I really hope that I’ll also be learning from the students.
Anything else you’d like to say to our readers?
I have a badge that says, “I read therefore I am”, which is a play on the words of the philosopher Descartes “I think therefore I
am”. If you don’t read you are leading a one-dimensional life. You’re not living vicariously through other characters’ lives, which
enriches you as a person. I encourage you all to get into the habit of reading regularly and making it something you look
forward to.
Thank you very much for your time!
Thank you!
Books have been around for thousands of
years and since then many readers have
experienced an emotional trauma at the
hands of a book. These are just some of the
books recommended by others that ignite a
smallflamethatIliketocalltheimagination.
BySomtoIbeme
EleanorandParkbyRainbowRowell
“If you’ve ever experienced that first love, the heart‐
wringing, soul‐squeezing first love. Or even if you’re a
sucker
for John Green’s book, The Fault In our Stars
especially.Thenthisisyourbook.
‘TwoMisfits.Oneextraordinarylove.’
Within moments of reading, we learn that our narrator,
Park,haslostagirlnamedEleanor.Rewindingtothestart
oftheschoolyear,justlikean80’sstylecassette‐tape,the
story slowly yet grippingly unravels. Keeping up with
Christmas,
one of my favourite scenes are set on this
particularday.
RainbowRowellreceivedagreatdealofcriticalacclaimin
2013 after her two invigorating YA publishes, including
thisbookfollowedbyhersecondYAbook:Fangirl.
Althoughthecharacter’sbackgroundsareinitiallyworlds
apart,thestorysomehowpullsthemtogetheranditturns
outtheyaren’tsodifferenttoeachother.Thisendearing
story is like no other; it is not your average ‘soppy
romance’ as some may claim. Eleanor wears ties; Park
rockseyeliner.Eleanorissurvivinginpoverty;Parkcomes
from a well‐adjusted home. With the uprising problems
like bullying and social status inside schools, the novel
givesusaninsightonhowtrulyhardsomelivesarelived.
I’dbesurprisedifmyrecommendationdoesnotbringless
thanateartoyoureye.”
~KatrinaFay
TheRestofUsLiveHerebyPatrickNess
“Thisbookfollowsthelivesoffour17yearoldswho
liveinatowninfestedwithsupernaturaloccurrences.
Thisbookexploresthelivesoftheteenagerswhoare
nottheprotagonistsofmajorYAnovels.
Theseteensallhaverealproblemsandarejusttrying
to graduate before someone goes and blows up the
highschool.
Ithinkthisbookisgreatandexploresthelivesofthe
kidsthataren’tthe“chosenones.””~Natasha
MISSHEGLEYRECOMMENDS…
KS3:
KS4:
The Book Thief by
MarkusZusak
“Thebookistoldthrough
the point of view of the
Grim Reaper. It certainly
has a unique plot; a
beautiful yet devastating
read.”
MonsterCallsby
PatrickNess
“The book deals with
the important issue
aboutthelossofaclose
family member/loved
one. A very hopeful
book and important
booktoread.”
Life after Life by Kate
Atkinson
“A brilliant novel about
reincarnation, set in the
backdrop of the key
events of the 20th
century.”
KS5:
AVisitfromtheGoon
SquadbyJenniferEgan
“Afascinatingreadwith
multiplenarrative
voices,anexcellentstudy
fromanarrativepointof
view.”
TheBellJarbySylvia
Plath
“Ableakbook!Butone
withpowerfuland
beautifulimagery.Amust
read!”
Asweroundedthecornerof7thAvenueand45thStreetontoTimesSquareforthefirsttime,Ifellinlove.
Themoney,thepacking,theonehourcoachjourney,the7hourplaneflightand(another!)onehourcoach
journeyhadbroughtushere‐tothecentreofNewYorkCity‐andwecouldallagree,ithadbeenworthit.
AlthoughtheSunwassettingaswemadeourwaytoTheRockefellerCentre,itwasasthoughitwasmidday‐
thefamouslightsofTimesSquareinstantlyintroducedusto‘TheCitythatneversleeps’.
On our first visit into the Square, there was no time to stop and pause beneath the bright, glowing
advertisements;ourschedulewasjustasbusyasthecommuters’,whodashedaboutNewYork.Butasthe
Sun was sinking beneaththe concrete jungle, we were rising up 70 floors, to thetopofthe Rockefeller
Centrewherewewouldseeamostspectacularview‐NewYorkinthetwilight.Wehadonlybeeninthecity
foramatterofhoursbeforewewerepresentedwithanutterlybreath‐takingscene.Idon’tknowtheright
wordtodescribeourreaction(‘awe’doesn’tseemtocoverit).Astheelevatortookusbackdowntoground
level,wewerenowacquaintedwiththecityasawhole.
Ournextstopthatevening,wastherestaurantBubbaGumpShrimpwhichwouldallowustoreturnback
to the visual beauty of Times Square. Although the city is overwhelmingly huge, everything we could
possiblydreamofwaswithinwalking‐distance.Ourhotelwassurroundedbyshops,restaurants,theatres
andnumerousotherattractions,whichmadeiteasyforustodosomequickshoppingafterdinnerthat
night,andgetbackintimeforagoodnight’ssleep‐whichwasessential!
Thenextmorningwasanearlystart‐thefirstoutingofthedaywasacoachtouraroundNewYorkwhich
gaveusagreatinsightintoNewYork’shistoryandbest‐lovedfeatures.WevisitedtheCathedralofSaint
JohntheDivine‐thebiggestcathedralintheworld,andtheHighline,a1.5mile‐longgarden‐apeaceful
sanctuary,elevatedabovethehustle‐and‐bustleofthecity.ItwasabeautifuldayandtheSunshonedown
onus,aswewalkedthroughthegardenfollowingourenthusiastictourguideGerrard.
Wecould’vespentawholedaydrivingaroundNewYork,butfortheafternoon,wesplitupintooursubject
groupstogotothreedifferentattractions.TheDTstudentswenttotheMuseumofModernArt,theDance
students went to a Broadway workshop, while myself and my fellow Media students went to the Sony
WonderLab.WewereintroducedtonewtechnologybeingdevelopedbySony,andhadalotoffunfilming
ourownTVprogramme.OurfirstfulldayinNewYorkwaspackedwithfunthingstodo,butformeitwas
theeveningthatwasthehighlightofmyNewYorkexperience.
We attended a performance of the Broadway show ‘Kinky Boots’. I can never find the right words to
describeanamazingmusical.Itwasaestheticallystunning,themusicwasincredibleandthesetwasso
simplewhichonlyaddedtotheremarkabilityoftheperformance.
The next morning was another time when we split off into separate subject groups, the DT and Dance
studentsattendingtheirvariousworkshopswhiletheMediastudentswalkedtoCentralPark,togetsome
goodfootagefortheannualNewYorkfilm,whichillustratesourtimeinNewYorkprobablybetterthanI
amdoinginthisarticle.Afterall,apictureisworthathousandwords.Onceagain,wewereluckywiththe
weather,andthisdaywasjustasbeautifulasalltheothers.Someofuscycled,someskateboardedand
otherswalkedthroughthepark,takinginthebeautifulsightstheparkprovideduswith.Theseincluded
John Lennon’s memorial, the ‘Friends fountain’, the Shakespeare Garden and the Alice in Wonderland
statue.Afterthis,wehadacoupleofhoursofshoppingtime,beforewemetatRadioCity,foratourofthe
famousbuilding.Wesawtheworld’sbiggeststageandmetaRadioCityRockette;aprofessionaldancerat
RadioCity,whoalsotourstheworldaspartoftheact.
Thenextdaywevisitedthe9/11memorialwhichwasbuiltintheexactspacebetweenwherethetwin
towersstood.AswestoodintheshadowsofthenewWorldTradeCentre,wereflectedonthetragicevents
ofSeptember11th2001whilewatchingthewaterfallinthememorial.Whatmadethemonumenteven
moreprofound,werethenamesofthe2977peoplewholosttheirlives,engravedontoit.Afterthis,was
ourfreedayinwhichwespentthemajorityof,shopping.WewereletlooseinshopswherewespentALOT
ofmoneyonourselves‐probablymorethanusualbecauseyoudon’tactualrealisetheworthofdollarsas
easilyasyoudopounds.ItbasicallylookslikeMonopolymoneysoweallwentabitcrazy.
The morning of the last day, was spent on a boat, on the
Hudsonriver,togetabetterlookattheStatueofLiberty.Up
close,thestatueisevenmoremagnificentthanIhadrealisedandasamediastudent,Igotsomegreatshots!Wewere
alldesperateforthetriptostartalloveragain.I,forone,hadfalleninlovewiththecity.Butallgoodthingsmustcome
toanend.Wehadonelastplacetovisitbeforeweleft;itissomewhereyousimplycan’tmiss.TheEmpireStateBuilding.
Offeringsomeofthebestviewspossiblefromthe102ndfloor‐theviewwasincredible.Thistime,wecouldseeNew
Yorkinthedaylight,oncemorebeforeweleftanditcertainlydidnotdisappoint.TheBigAppleunderabrilliantblue
skyfromoneofthemosticonicbuildingsintheworld.Justseeingeachindividualbuildingandall the tiny little people inside them, made us all realise what an amazing city New York really is. In April 2015 Marvel Studios released their first series ‘Daredevil’ onto the popular streaming service, Netflix. Around the world people were gripped by the more mature and grittier presentation of a Marvel superhero; and according to the officially released Netflix viewing figures, ‘Daredevil’ series 1 was Netflix’s most viewed original project to date, toppling the previous record held by ‘House of Cards’ series 3. After this, people began to wonder what was next in Marvel’s Netflix pipeline. The answer? Jessica Jones. As the chilling ad‐campaign aptly states, it really is time the world knew her name. Not only is Jones an incredible character, but the series tackles very real issues women face day to day in a way that doesn’t exclude male viewers. Introduced in Brian Michael Bendis’ comic book run ‘Alias’, Jones makes her on‐screen debut as an alcoholic and self‐employed private investigator struggling with PTSD after a horrific encounter with the vile Kilgrave (played by Doctor Who’s David Tennant). Krysten Ritter, of Breaking Bad, plays Jessica beautifully. Relatable and charming, the character flies (or as Jones calls it, “falling with aim”) in the face of what a woman is expected to be. Crude and callous, the titular character is one of those rare, juicy and multi‐faceted roles that simply aren’t readily available to a female actor. But just as you think the talent level has been set high enough, David Tennant’s mind‐controlling Kilgrave bleeds into the complex story arc to prove you (and your nightmares) wrong. Disappointingly, I can’t go into detail about why the character was so engaging, gripping and chilling, but I can say that, along with Daredevil’s Wilson Fisk, Tennant’s Kilgrave is possibly one of, if not the best villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Not only does ‘Jessica Jones’ offer some much needed diversity into the MCU in the form of a female superhero, but the series also provides us with layered LGBT and ethnic characters that actually benefit the storyline and don’t prove to be token characters to appease the minorities. Luke Cage, played expertly by Mike Houlter, is one of the most beloved ethnic characters in Marvel comics, and seeing him also make his on‐screen debut is equally exciting. The character is shrouded in mystery as the series begins, but soon we understand that not all is at it seems in both his past and present life, and he proves to be Jessica’s equal in more ways than one. Jeryn Hogarth, a previously male character in the comics, is portrayed here by Carrie‐Anne Moss (Underworld) and is portrayed as a lesbian in the midst of a steamy extra‐marital affair with her secretary. Hogarth is played with such skill that you can never be truly sure whether she is friend or foe to Jessica, and her storyline proves pivotal as the series progresses. It is both refreshing and revolutionary for Marvel studios to take such a bold and large step into introducing more types of characters into their cinematic universe, and it has proven to be a successful move for the company. Talking of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the intertwining links between Marvel’s Netflix shows and their films are charming and enticing. Subtle nods are thrown to the “Battle of New York” that took place in 2012’s ‘Avengers: Assemble’ and after the events of both ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ and ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’, the rift between ‘normal’ humans and the ‘gifted’ ones has never been larger. With much anticipation, this tension will be released with an almighty bang as ‘Captain America: Civil War’ erupts onto screen in 2016. Add some pretty teasing references to ‘Daredevil’, and ‘Jessica Jones’ not only proves to be a show rich in its own mythology, but one enhanced by the opulent material that supersedes its presence in the MCU. In summary, ‘Jessica Jones’ is a show just as dark as ‘Daredevil’ and just as gripping too. It is a series that is finally able to spotlight a female character whose defining feature isn’t her gender. Jessica Jones is more than that. She is a character that takes us through a journey as dark and twisted as Kilgrave himself and concludes with one of the best second‐half of a series I have ever seen. Though this white‐knuckle ride is certainly not suitable for the younger years, Netflix once again guides us down a darker alley of the MCU, and I can’t wait for her to return to our screens sometime soon. Are Coldplay the same band they were 10 years
ago?
It’s important to begin with the fact
that I love Coldplay. A lot of people
will turn their noses up in disgust
at this point; some don’t like the
music, the people, or just the idea of
the band. Coldplay are definitely
not for everyone, and their music is
not to everyone’s tastes, so trying to
force someone to like their music is
wrong and futile. But there seems
to be a bit of a cult against the
band, and personally, I can’t
remember a time when I haven't
been listening to their music.
It’s fair to say that Coldplay are a
significantly different to the band
they were in 1996. Obviously
they’ve aged and matured
(although whether they’ve matured
is debatable) and become one of the
most acclaimed bands in the world,
achieving 7 Grammy award wins
(with 25 nominations), 8 Brit
awards and 5 MTV Video Music
Awards along the way. They have
achieved global domination and
become one of the most successful
bands of the last twenty years.
Coldplay’s music cannot really be
constrained one genre. Their first
albums (Parachutes, A Rush of
Blood to the Head, X and Y) are
best described as indie rock. But
with time, they have become
progressively more pop (Viva la
Vida, Mylo Xyloto) and their most
recent music (Ghost Stories, A
Head Full of Dreams) verges on
electronic. If you compared ‘Yellow’
with ‘A Sky Full of Stars’ you may
be hard pushed to decide that they
are the same band, with only Chris
Martin’s voice reassuring you that
it is in fact Coldplay.
Even if their music is not to your
taste (which is fair enough),
Coldplay genuinely are one of the
‘nicest’ bands around; they are
known for their philanthropy,
having participated in numerous
charity events such as Comic Relief
campaigns and supporting
environmental organisations
against climate change. (I really
recommend watching the
Coldplay/Game of Thrones
collaboration on Youtube). Whether
we like the band members as people
is almost irrelevant – we don't
know them personally, and it's
almost guaranteed that we never
will. But you can’t deny that they
are a hard working, and relatively
down-to-earth band.
Having heard ‘Adventure of a
Lifetime’ and ‘Everglow’, it seems
that the album will be similar to
Ghost Stories. Their last album was
musically and emotionally intricate,
but probably not what most diehard fans were hoping for. What
will their new style be? I’m not
sure, but I’m cautiously optimistic.
My personal favourites:
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Yellow
Clocks
The Scientist
Fix You
Swallowed in the Sea
Speed of Sound
Viva La Vida
Strawberry Swing
Violet Hill
Lost + (feat. Jay-Z)
Lovers in Japan
Paradise
Charlie Brown
A Sky Full of Stars
Emma Rogers
THE BEST
1. All I Want For Christmas is You
Mariah Carrey
EVERYONE
knows
this song- it’s fun, catchy and
Christmassy! Since its release, Mariah Carey has earned
million in royalties from this song alone. Leave the
$50
covers though, no one can sing like Mariah.
2. Fairy Tale of New York
The Pogues and Kirsty McColl
This
was
the
second most popular Christmas song on
our poll - perhaps due to the refreshing brutal honesty
of the lyrics, the profane lyrics or the weird sort of
warm feeling it gives. Whatever it is, Fairy Tale of New
is the UK’s most played song of the 21st century.
York
3. Last Christmas
Wham!
Is it odd that such a popular song is actually quite
melancholy?
Probably not- we seem to like breakup
songs. Wham!’s Last Christmas was joint second most
popular
on our poll, likely because of how catchy it is
or maybe the bitterly sad lyrics? It was released thirty
years ago, but still strikes a chord with everyone, old
and
young.
4. Rocking Around the Christmas Tree
Brenda Lee
one is a classic, that’s for sure. Released in 1958,
This
this
song, or should I say- record, is just shy of being
sixty! However, it still gets people up and dancing, and
ready
for Christmas.
5. White Christmas
Bing Crosby version
Written by Irving Berlin, this song calls back to
traditional
ideas of Christmas. It is a simple and gentle
song which has stayed popular for over seventy years!
Now
that’s an achievement. There are many covers of
this song, but the original is almost certainly the best.
Perhaps
the sweet simplicity of this song is the reason
why it’s number five on our list.
THE WORST
1. Christmas in Blobbyland
Mr Blobby
This song is just horrific. I mean it- and I’m not the
only one who feels this way. One YouTube
commenter summed it up perfectly: ‘I feel as though,
by allowing this song to exist in any form in my
memory, however subconscious, I have committed
an unforgivable evil upon the universe.’ Can you
believe that this song topped the UK charts at
Christmas in 1993? Neither can I. Eww.
2. Mistletoe and Wine
Cliff Richards
More like Mistletoe and WHINE. It seems that this
din is always on at Christmas- though not at Costa,
where it was voted the worst Christmas song and
was subsequently banned from stores across the
country. Yes, it really is that bad.
3. Wonderful Christmastime
Paul McCartney
This supports the theory of some Beatles fans- that
Paul actually died and this was not written by him.
Alas, it seems that he really did write this
abomination. *sigh* Oh Paul, how did you fall so far?
4. All I Want For Christmas Is You
Mariah Carey
Getting a sense of déjà vu? Yes, this is actually also
number 1 on our list of the best. However, this was
actually voted as both the best and one of the worst
Christmas tunes. I guess it’s just a
marmite song- maybe it’s a little overplayed?
5. Santa Baby
Eartha Kitt
See, I don’t dislike this song. In fact, I quite like it- but
many people don’t. Is it the weirdness of crushing on
an old man from the North Pole who delivers
presents to children? Probably. Anyway, this song
seems to get on people’s nerves.
By Sasha Mulvey Who are the actors who play Father Christmas? Ed Asner 1929 ‐ Role: Father Christmas in Elf (2003), The Ellen Show (2001), Olive the Other Reindeer (1999), The Story of Santa Claus (1996). Other Roles: Up (2009) ‐ Carl Fredricksen, the main old man who flies in his house by attaching loads of balloons to it. Mary Tyler Moore TV Series (1970) ‐ Lou Grant, editor of the newspaper Extra info: 7 acting Emmy Awards, keen political activist, born in Kansas, Missouri Jeff Gillen 1942 ‐ 1995 Role: Father Christmas in A Christmas Story (1983) Other roles: Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things (1972) ‐ Jeff, one in a group of friends, all trying to raise the dead. Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach (1988) ‐ Small role of the ‘thief’s victim’ in this crime comedy. Absence of Malice (1981) ‐ an unnamed reporter in a thriller acclaimed by critics. Extra info: Died in Miami Beach, Florida Edward Ivory (birthday unknown) Role: Father Christmas in The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), voice actor. Tim Allen 1953 ‐ present Role: Father Christmas in The Santa Claus trilogy (1994, 2002, 2006) Other roles: Home Improvement TV Series (1991 ‐ 1999) ‐ star role of Tim in this sitcom, Toy Story trilogy (1995, 1999, 2010) voicing Buzz Lightyear. His filmography is extensive. Extra info: Spent his teenage years in a suburb of Detroit, his dad was an estate agent, has written two books and calls himself a considerably limited actor (a comedian who draws from personal experience). John Pasquin 1944 ‐ present Role: Santa number 6 in The Santa Claus trilogy (1994, 2002, 2006), these are films which he directed as well. Other roles: Directed Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous (2005), directed and produced Last Man Standing (2011 ‐ 2015), a sitcom also with Tim Allen in. Extra info: Began career directing Broadway Shows in the 1980s, has won an Obie Award for direction, born in Houston, Texas. The holiday season often brings out the
best in people - this is the time of year
when we revel in giving to others in the
name of 'holiday spirit'. But, giving is
seen as a fundamental human value - so
why is it only a holiday spirit that spurs
generosity?
Everyone is guilty of showing kindness
because there is something they'll receive
in return, even if it is unintentional. We,
as human beings, like to do things that
will benefit us. It's things like this that
bring up the ultimate Christmas
question- is it better to give or to receive?
On one hand, there's nothing wrong with
accepting a simple gift. We can always
enjoy whatever we get for a time, and it
feels good to know that someone cared
enough to give you something. It can be
said that receiving will only grant
temporary happiness, and that's if you
get something you want.
However, it's giving that makes the world
go round. A small gift (which can range
from a simple smile to a flat screen) can
improve a life, however small. With all
the bitterness, hatred, and anger in the
world, a small act of kindness can
outshine the shadow of injustice. Giving
can encourage a never-ending cycle of
kindness, and the fluffy feeling you get
when you make someone smile cannot
match anything you can receive.
The spirit of the holidays should be
spread over all months of the year. We
should all feel compelled to commit
random acts of kindness despite the
season, and the 'holiday spirit' should be
our perpetual state. I think we can all
agree that at Christmas, we expect life to
be just a little bit sweeter. Let's do just
that, by spreading the holiday spirit
every day of the year. But, of course,
enjoy your holiday
Party like its 1599! – Kitty Glover Christmas through the ages Today in Britain, Christmas is a jumble of traditions and social protocol. The media often accuses us of ignoring the ‘meaning of Christmas’ as we are often drawn in by consumerism. Every year we are faced with one of those films that reminds us of this precious ‘meaning of Christmas’ – i.e. being nice, getting along with others, sharing etc. As if. You may think that today’s traditions are set in stone and have been since Joseph cut the umbilical cord, but no, they’re not. Christmas has had a turbulent past and now and then it seems that the ‘meaning’ itself has been completely forgotten. A proper Christmas dinner will finish you off, won’t it? Think again. Let’s put the phrase ‘proper Christmas dinner’ into Tudor terms: Turkey stuffed with goose stuffed with chicken stuffed with partridge stuffed with pigeon, encased in a pastry ‘coffin’ and surrounded with more carnage. Delicious, no? Fancy a boar’s head with your Russian‐doll‐
style Christmas pie? Tudor feasts were somewhat heavy on the meat, so no wonder Henry VIII was such a porker. Another less gruesome Tudor tradition was to put a ‘Yule log’ tied with ribbons on the fire to burn for the duration of the Christmas period and, to add to the festive air, the house was decorated with holly, ivy and mistletoe. The best part – even better than a boar’s head ‐ was that people were not supposed to work on the twelve days of Christmas. Spinning (the main pursuit of peasant women) was actually banned for all twelve days and people occupied themselves with sharing minced pies ‐ with real mince in ‐, singing carols and giving gifts. So their Christmas was basically the same but with more meat and less Eastenders. In the late 1640s Cromwell cancelled Christmas. Sort of. What actually happened was that a number of laws were passed that all made it quite clear that celebrating Christmas with food and festivity was a big no‐no. For a while Christmas was officially a time for fasting and praying really hard, but many people ignored the law and continued to celebrate in style. There was even a bit of violence between those opposing Christmas and its supporters, which could be where all the Christmas family feuds have their origins… Christmas made a welcome reappearance later on in the seventeenth century but carols were not sung and there was less wild drunkenness and chaotic joviality than before. Carols were made popular again in the 19th century, just as Christmas trees became fashionable and gift giving an expectation. The Victorians were super when it came to resuscitating Christmas; most of the traditions that we associate with the holiday were popularised (or imported) by them. We stole the Christmas trees from Germany and lifted Santa Claus from Holland, but by mingling the traditions of others, breathed life into Christmas once more. Bits and bobs have changed since then, but the Victorian era was definitely the time when the Christmas that we know and love started to properly take form. Armed with this knowledge of Christmas past, we are now prepared for all of those oh‐so‐true ads, songs, shows and films having a go at us for being so consumerist and we can say “yeah well, at least I haven’t disembowelled almost every species of bird for Christmas” with a knowing smile. Even if no one knows what you are talking about, you can feel a lot less guilty about exploiting ‘the meaning of Christmas’, because let’s be honest, that is what humans have done for centuries and no one complained about it then… apart from puritans that is.