Issue 2 - Platform Online

Transcription

Nottingham Trent Students Union Magazine
29 th October 2007 | Volume 16 Issue 2 | www.trentstudents.org
inside
music The Young Knives give advice on being in a band
health Are you getting all your vital vitamins?
societies Win a signed Amir Khan boxing glove
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Contents Editorial Team
News
Music
Film
Arts
Fashion
Pictures
Eating Out
Community
Features
Health
Societies
Sports
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04
06
10
14
16
19
20
22
24
26
28
30
Editorial
I’m still not quite sure on what I’m supposed to write in this little section of the magazine.
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I could tell you about all the great news, music reviews, film and fashion... but you’ll be turning the
page over in a minute anyway! I could tell you about the competition in the Societies section to
win a signed Amir Khan boxing glove, or your chance to win tickets to see Comedy of Errors at the
Theatre Royal, but all I’m sure you want to see is photographs from the Freshers Ball!
Coming out every fortnight, Platform is your source to all you need to know at Trent. We are also
available online at www.trentstudents.org/trentmedia. While you're there, check out new programs
from Trent TV and listen to the newly re-launched Fly FM.
If you want to get involved in Platform or Trent Media, visit our website or email in at platform@
su.ntu.ac.uk, call us on 0115 848 6224, or come see me in the SOAP station on the first floor of Byron
House..
David Baird
Editor
Contact Us
Contributor this issue...
Name Carl McQueen
Course Broadcast Journalism
Question Do you have any obsessions right now? Chris Kamara,
junk food and Doubledecker Chocolate Bars
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Platform
Nottingham Trent Students Union
Byron House
Shakespeare Street
Nottingham
NG1 4GH
email
[email protected]
(0115) 848 6224
phone
to advertise with us contact
Contributor this issue...
Name Mark Crossley
Course Broadcast Journalism
Question Have you ever caught a butterfly? No.
IiiVÌÀVÌÞÊV>À}iÃÊVÕì`ÊÕ«ÊÌÊÌiÊÛ>ÕiÊvÊËÓääÊ«iÀÊ«iÀÃÊvÀÊÌiÊ
`ÕÀ>ÌÊvÊÌiÊÌi>VÞ
editor David Baird
[email protected]
designer Stephanie Combs
[email protected]
news sub - editor Susan Mintern
[email protected]
features sub - editor Samantha Hewlett
[email protected]
music sub - editor Robert Reid
[email protected]
film sub - editor Amy Gathercole
[email protected]
arts sub - editor Sarah Davies
[email protected]
pictures sub - editor Patrick Taylor
[email protected]
fashion sub - editor Sophie Howarth
[email protected]
eating out sub - editor Edward Smith
[email protected]
health sub - editor Amanda Yates
[email protected]
community sub - editor Sam Lister
[email protected]
societies sub - editor Jen Skuse
[email protected]
sports sub - editor Jonathan Gravelle
[email protected]
travel sub - editor Position vacant
Email [email protected]
gaming sub - editor Position vacant
Email [email protected]
Cover Photo by Patrick Taylor
Simon Rhodes
[email protected]
(0115) 848 6244
thanks to elite graphics and print
www.theelitegroup.co.uk
Platform is an independent publication and any views
expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Editor or of
the Nottingham Trent Students Union and its Officers. Companies advertised in Platform are not necessarly endorsed by
Nottingham Trent Students Union. No part of this publication
may be reproduced without the prior permission of the Editor.
www.trentstudents.org | Platform | 3
News
Say No to Student Apathy
Say Yes to Student Significance
O
ne of my aims for this year, as News Subeditor, is to eliminate apathy from our
student body. While I realise that this indifference doesn’t apply to absolutely every
student at Trent and there are many of you more than
willing to get involved with certain societies or projects
that do address important issues (such as Aegis, NTU
Pride or the Socialist Society); the majority of us let the
world and its troubles drift by while often the most
difficult decision we make on a daily basis involves what
to have for lunch or what time to meet friends outside
Ocean. This is by no means meant to be a judgement or
a preachy sermon designed to make you feel bad, but I
believe that if everyone took a little more interest in the
plight of their local surroundings or indeed world affairs
then you would get a type of education even more
valuable than the one we’re all paying for.
"Our parents’
generation were
the architects
of the type of
protest that
sadly has become
an intermittent
feature of our
student life."
4 | Platform | Volume 16 | Issue 2
It is a little bit sad to think that there are so many of us
who would be fantastic at volunteering in a hospital
(I happen to know that the QMC is always looking for
volunteers for an afternoon per week) or raising money
for charity, but who don’t take the opportunity to do
so. Even making a contribution by answering phones
for a charity or church is worthwhile, albeit a more
indirect way of lending your support. It is easy to cite
the fact that we don’t have enough time, but the truth
is we have more free time as students than we will
probably ever have again in our lives. The pressures
of full time work and other domestic commitments
that we will inevitably face once we leave the relatively
responsibility-free confines of university life, will no
doubt restrict our ability and the time we can spend on
a cause, so our uni years are the perfect time to become
passionate about an unjust issue and help to combat its
detrimental effects.
The recent Pride of Britain awards showed us that
the true measure of a person is how they treat others
and their bravery should inspire us all to do the same.
Although most of the stories were of bravery and quick
thinking under pressure, one woman from Leicester,
Anne Glover, was honoured for her unwavering dedication to cleaning up her neighbourhood and reclaiming
it from the yobs that were blighting residents lives and
the local area. During her acceptance speech, she addressed the audience ‘I want everyone to put their hand
on their heart and ask themselves if they give up just an
hour of their time each week to do something to help
and I bet most of you don’t.’ The answer was an embarrassed silence from a crowd that were pretty much put
to shame by this woman’s efforts, because most, if not
all of us could easily spare that paltry amount of time to
add something positive to the condition of our community. And I’m certain that we could fit that around our
uni timetables, especially considering that we are more
than happy to schedule in excessive sleep, hangovers
and generally unproductive tasks such as surfing pointless internet sites or building mammoth pyramids out
of discarded beer cans! Again, I am not belittling our
student lifestyle, I have enjoyed it immensely myself
during my past two years at Trent; but this phase of my
life has also bought home to me that student life has so
much more to offer than drinking sessions and daytime
TV – namely organisations such as RAG and Junction
that allow you to have fun while either raising money
dressed as a cartoon character or repainting a counselling room at a women’s crisis shelter, as I did earlier this
year. While I’m not imploring you to give up drinking or
having fun and transform yourself into an eco-warrior or
embark on an all consuming crusade for human rights,
I am hoping that this year will be the year of the ‘baby
step’ where every student at Trent takes an interest in
a worthy cause - whether it be global warming, Darfur,
animal rights, the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan or
the more Trent based concerns of better food in the union bar - and does something, however small, to make a
difference and become part of an eventual solution.
After all, students used to be the primary contingent
that lobbied the government to make changes where
they perceived them to be necessary, nay, vital to not
just their own lives but also to the greater good of
society. Granted, there was outrage at the increase in
tuition fees but that aside, I have difficulty remembering
any other strong and publicised student led protest recently. Our parents’ and the generation of students they
belonged to, were the architects of the type of protest
that sadly has become an intermittent feature of our
student life as opposed to the regularity with which it
occurred back then, in the ‘60’s and ‘70’s. Students (particularly in America) were responsible for the marches
on the war in Vietnam and to support the Civil Rights
Movement, days of action against nuclear bombs, and
were loud voices expressing their disapproval of both
their Johnson- and Nixon-led governments, whilst British students were equally as vocal about the issues in
Northern Ireland; as well as rioting in Grosvenor Square
about the Vietnam War and making their feelings
known about the traditional structure of their society
and the social and political changes (such as the poll
tax) that encompassed that era. French students and
their self belief almost overthrew their government –
although I am not advocating this course of action, their
principles and motivation were honourable at least!
However, it seems those days are
long gone, and this collective
nonchalance that most of us are
guilty of becomes more apparent
when we consider that there has
been a destructive and bloody war
going on in Iraq for more than four
years now, with the Afghanistan
conflict now 6 years old – yet there
has been little, if any of the passionate protest that raged against the
Vietnam War 40 years ago. So why
is this? Is it because we are more
concerned about our careers than
causes? Have we truly become
so blinkered in our quest to get a
good job that anything outside of
that goal is automatically dismissed
without a second thought? If this
is the case, then surely employers
would be thrilled to discover that
you have more to recommend you
in the way of extracurricular activity
and passion for a campaign, that
sets you apart from the thousands
of other applicants rather than you
being just another paper degree
and nervous smile.
all the more disheartening by the
fact that we have the right to both
vote and participate in peaceful
demonstrations, yet we frequently
cannot muster the enthusiasm to
take the opportunity to do either;
whereas in many other countries
such as Iran, Burma, and China,
they are brave enough to register
their discontent although they are
fully aware such protest is classed
as dissent or uprising and often
brutally crushed. Finally, if you
cannot give your energy or time
to help change a situation for the
better then at least keep yourself
informed through the media about
the world’s unpalatable truths –
ignorance may well be bliss, but
being knowledgeable, educated,
and well rounded as a person, and
improving someone’s quality of life,
is most definitely tantamount to
true happiness.
"There has been a
destructive and
bloody war
going on in Iraq
for more than
four years now,
with the Afghanistan conflict
now 6 years old
– yet there has
been little, if any
of the passionate protest that
raged against
the Vietnam War
40 years ago."
Susan Mintern
Perhaps that is the sad truth of the
matter or maybe it’s because we
have become disillusioned with
the government and the seemingly
endless smear, insincerity and lies
that characterise Westminster.
While it would be easy to claim that
this is the reason, students by and
large don’t take even a moderate
interest in politics to know whether
or not it is a waste of time, so that
argument does not hold up either.
This lack of interest is partly responsible for the low turnout of voters
at the last election and is made
Music
Interview
The Young Knives
There’s a certain glamour
associated with working in
parts of the media. It’s all
long lunches spent networking on a seemingly limitless company tab, before
eventually retiring to the
office to write an inflammatory article that annoys
a section of society other
than your own. Student
media, however, isn’t like
that at all.
Firstly, we work on a shoestring budget. This music
section, for example, cost 46
pence. Seriously, it did. Jack
Penate played at the Union,
so we got to review it for
free. There’s some pricless
advice about being in a band
from Young Knives singer,
Henry Dartnell. And we’ve
got a review of Radiohead’s
new album, In Rainbows. That
cost 46 pence. Ouch!
Secondly, we can’t possibly
annoy anyone either because
a) we don’t know if anyone’s
even reading this, and b) you
get’s what you pay for, don’t
you? No! It shouldn’t be like
that. You’re the students
and this is your magazine,
so tell us what you think
about it. Music is supposed
to inspire debate so let’s
get some started. Do you
disagree with something
we’ve written? What aren’t
we covering that we should
be? Have you got some ideas
to improve the magazine? If
you’ve got something to say
then please get in touch.
You can go to the blog at
www.platformmusic.blogspot.com and leave your
thoughts about anything
you’ve read in the magazine,
or just take a look at some
of the extra content that we
put up there. Or for a paltry
10 pence you can even send
us a text on 07929327456. You
never know, we might even
print anything interesting
or funny in the magazine.
So there you go. A 46 pence
music section, in a free magazine, that I’ve now given you
the opportunity to complain
about. It makes you proud to
be British, doesn’t it?
Robert Reid
Radiohead – In Rainbows
Released October 10th
As you’re probably already aware, Radiohead released
their seventh studio album, In Rainbows, on October
10th as a download for which you can choose to pay
as little, or as much, as you like. You can make your
own mind up as to whether the whole exercise is a
piece economic innovation or a cynical marketing
ploy, either way it’s a brilliant record.
The album begins with a possibly Aphex Twin-inspired
piece of electronica called ‘15 Steps’. It’s syncopated
beats and sparse guitars place it well within Kid A and
Amnesiac territory but, surpisingly, it’s Yorke’s vocals
that manage to keep the mood upbeat. Similarly,
second song ‘Bodysnatchers’ maintains the tempo but
takes the listener on a journey through Radiohead’s
past experimentation, beginning with a menacing
bassline similar to that of ‘National Anthem’ from Kid
A, and ending with a blizzard of layered guitars that
wouldn’t be out of place on The Bends.
These first two tracks show that, perhaps more than
most, Radiohead are a band that understand the craft
of an album (the reason they refuse to let their music
be sold on iTunes is because they don’t want it to be
sold bit-part). They certainly set the tone for the rest of
the record by managing to remain challenging whilst
simultaneously giving us a glimpse of a return to a
more traditional notion of the song that, ‘The Pyramid
Song’ from Amnesiac aside, arguably hasn’t been seen
since the likes of ‘Karma Police’ and ‘Street Spirit’ from
1997’s OK Computer.
This idea becomes clearer in songs like the beautiful
‘Nude’, album closer ‘Videotape’, and ‘House of Cards’,
which contains the surprising opening line ‘I don’t
want to be your friend / I just want to be your lover’,
where space is given a more integral in the music than
it has for a long time. In comparison to Kid A’s ‘Everything In It’s Right Place’, the musical equivalent of a
stress position that sets the tone for the claustrophobic run of records that ended with Hail To The Thief,
meaning (or lack of it), it seems, no longer needs to be
sought through the strict, programmed paramters of
mechanised beats. In it’s place is Johnny Greenwood’s
innovative and understated guitar playing becomes
more prominent, which gives rise to a batch of songs
that have some much more conventionally classic elements. The nihlism seems to have gone, and it seems
with so to Radiohead’s occasional desire to be wilfully
abstruse.
I realise that Radiohead sometimes aren’t easy
listening but they are nearly always rewarding; this
album perhaps being more so than anything since OK
Computer. This record, however, is made as a body
of work and as such needs to be listened to in its
entirety. Even though, should you choose, it won’t cost
you anything, it’s in this artistic statement where In
Rainbows real value resides.
Robert Reid
The Young Knives come to The Rescue Rooms on Monday 29th October as part of a 21 date tour, which begins
in Cambridge on the 26th. During a break from trying to finish the second album they’ve been working on for
‘ fucking months’, I caught up with singer Henry for some Barry Manilow based advice about being in a band.
Have the right attitude. “It does offend me when people seem to be
in it more for the success than the music. I won’t tell you who it is but
someone actually said to me once ‘oh well, we’re bigger in the states than
we are here’. I couldn’t give a fuck mate. People talk like it’s a competition.
I like people who approach music with some humour, people like Pavement, Dinosaur Jr. and Robyn Hitchock (singer-songwriter and pysch-folk
guitarist – Wikipedia Ed.). People can come up with god awful shit but
do something good because they’ve got the right attitude at the right
time. It’s not just about music either, it’s about your attitude towards life
in general too.”
Be persistent. “There are no easy sound bites like ‘get a mint distortion
pedal’; you’ve just got to really love it. It’s a good test: if you’re doing it for
ages, get nowhere and just give up then you’re not really into it. You’re
going to be shit at being in a band for ages. I reckon it takes years to get to
the point where you make it look really easy and natural.”
It’s all about the che. “Look at Genesis, they were a crazy prog band that
wore fucking squirrel masks on stage and now look at them with all that
mass produced ‘I can’t dance, I can’t sing’ kind of thing. They did that on
purpose. You should be able to satisfy the record label, your punters and
still do interesting things with pop music without selling out too much.
There’s always pressure, but it’s all about balance.”
Work hard. “If you’re in a band you’ve got to be writing songs, touring or
doing something else associated with all that. I’ve been doing ten hour
days for the past three weeks making videos for our next DVD. It’s not bad
and I’m not complaining, but you’ve got to understand that you can’t go
out and get pissed with a load of other bands every night and tell each
other how great you are.”
Don’t get fat. “You run out of puff when you’re singing. You’ve got to
stay limber too because by the encore you’re like ‘I can’t do it’; you’ve
strained your voice screaming and you’re physically exhausted. Give it
twenty dates and you start to feel a bit better.”
Don’t drink too much. “You might think it’s hilarious but you’ll play
like an idiot. Would you drink four pints of beer and run a marathon? No
you fucking wouldn’t. I’ve done it myself though, plenty of times. We
did Ibiza Rocks last year and the promoter was this real Essex wide boy
and he had us doing shots of vodka and limoncello all the time going
‘have some more, it’s all on me’. Free booze, brilliant. I went on stage at
about midnight though just off it; couldn’t play, couldn’t really sing. Barry
Manilow always said: just have one bacardi and coke to give yourself a bit
of a boost.”
Robert Reid
Don’t move to London. “I was talking to that guy out of Kasabian, what’s
his name? Seb? Serge? Steve? We’ll just call him Steve. He said he moved to
London and it was a nightmare. It’d be night after night of going out to the
pub and ‘I’m Steve, I’m in this great band’. So he moved back to his mum’s in
Leicester because he knew if he didn’t he’d never get anything done.”
D R R D M S H @ K
H S D L R
Music
Singles
The Answering Machine
Lightbulbs
Released November 5th
How many members of The Answering
Machine does it take to change a lightbulb? Don’t know. I do know, however,
that it takes all four of them to sound
exactly like The Strokes. The only difference being The Answering Machine
think that trying to sing is something
actually worth doing, making their
single infinitely more listenable than
almost everything on The Strokes last
two albums. Fact.
Hard-Fi
Can’t Get Along (Without You)
Released November 12th
Another workmanlike trundle through
the slightly dreary world of Hard-Fi
with their soon-to-be-featured-on-aSoccer-AM-montage new single, ‘Can’t
Get Along (Without You)’. Truth is it’s
not that bad. It’s got a chorus catchy
enough to only be mildly distracting,
so it’s perfect for doing other things
while you’re listening to it. Like choosing which record to put on.
Keane
The Night Sky
Released 29th October
Go to www.warchildmusic.com
I voted in the last X-Factor. Not just
that either, I voted for Ray Quinn.
Because I thought he could swing. So
I’m really not too cool to like Keane, I
just don’t. This though is classic Keane.
It’s perhaps the Keanest single that
Keane have ever produced. It’s also for
charity, so I feel bad saying don’t buy it
just because I don’t like it. So my advice
is buy it. But don’t listen to it. Unless
you’re a fan then, by all means, listen
to it. If you’re not though... I’m confused. Forget Keane, everyone just give
generously.
4$
LOADS OF BRANDED
PRODUCTS AVAILABLE
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reviewed by Robert Reid
Sons & Daughters
Gilt Complex
Released 29th October
Sons & Daughters are dark. They make
country-tinged indie, hence song titles
like ‘The Repulsion Box’ and ‘Taste The Last
Girl’. ‘Gilt Complex’ is no different; guitars
all panicking over a constantly malevolent
bassline. Listening to it you can imagine
yourself in a horror film being chased
through the woods by the band. What’ll
they do when they catch you? Tear you
apart, share the pieces and write another
song about it probably. Listen to in pairs.
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GIG
Review
Jack Penate @ Byron House
8.10.07
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After playing at pretty much every festival going this summer, it’s unsurprising that Jack Penate’s fanbase seems to be thriving. Indeed, much of the talk
I overheard at this year’s Reading festival was Penate-based. That or how shit
the Chilis were. Anyway, he’s released a few toe-tappers like ‘Spit At Stars’ and
‘Torn On The Platform’, but I’d heard very little else so I headed to the Student’s
Union to see what all the fuss was about.
The crowd there was possibly the most diverse I’d ever seen from scenester indie types to middle-aged couples looking anxious that they’d left the Merc on
Mansfield Road. But when he came on it could well have been a Take That gig;
his new found-fame and shedded belly apparently shooting him to the status
of sex-symbol. Cue flashing strobes and the furious thrash of his trademark
Fender Telecaster and, despite the subsequent deafness, I must admit it was all
rather impressive. As he ripped through first single ‘Spit At Stars’ who could resist mimicing the dance which has become Penate’s trademark over the past
few months? Erm, no one, apprently. Nevertheless he continued to belt out his
new album, Matinee, including ‘Learning Lines’, the melodic ‘My Yvonne’, and
closing to rapturous applause with fan-favourite ‘Torn On The Platform’.
Words: Nick Longford
Photo: Hannah Batchelor
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The encore began with a cover of ‘Dub Be Good To Me’, which initially concerned me but upon hearing surprised me. As covers go, it’s pretty good. New
single ‘Second, Minute Or Hour’ closed the set, which, if it wasn’t for good old
noise curfews, could have undoubtedly gone on into the night.
The show Penate puts on is electrifying, justifying the hype surrounding him
and the real reason his tour is a sell-out. I left like everyone else, smiling and
sweaty, safe in the knowledge that it isn’t fashionista sweethearts like Faris
from The Horrors who people really care about. Apparently it’s people like
Jack.
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Film
Hope everyone has
recovered from Freshers’
Flu by now and all the
Freshers have settled in!
Seeing as it is All Hallows
Eve (and Kinki Kobwebs!) in a
few days, I thought I’d treat
you to a Halloween Special!
Don’t panic though; if you
don’t like Horror films then
we have the enchanting
“Stardust” and the charmingly cute “Ratatouille”. So
sit back, relax and enjoy…
Happy Halloween
A review of the latest version (and of the greatest version).
Halloween - 1978
Starring: Tony Moran, Jamie Lee Curtis,
Directed by: John Carpenter
Halloween begins with one of the most famous tracking shots in cinema
and ends in a symphony of screams. . .
New
Releases
reviewed by Amy V Gathercole
After this iconic masterpiece, Horror movies would never be the same
again. John Carpenters signature film is noticeable for its lack of gore and
blood, something that may surprise an audience viewing it for the first
time today, but was keeping in tradition with similar films like Psycho and
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Despite this, upon its release the stalk-andslash genre was invented, with its many sequels and imitators heavily
increasing the bloodshed and graphic, sadistic violence. Herein lies the
appealing and long lasting affection for Halloween, as it is a film which
terrorises its audience as opposed to outright horrifying them.
The majority of the scares are provided courtesy of the viewers own imagination, Michael Myers murderous intent only as strong as what they themselves can think. The camera work is a huge part of this, many shots being
filmed from Myers voyeuristic point of view, with both his heavy breathing
and racing heartbeat heard over the music. The soundtrack is also a major
part of the aesthetic of Halloween, its main theme (provided by Carpenter)
just as recognisable and chilling as The Exorcists’ Tubular Bells.
The thrills and jumps which the music provides is just another of the
trends that Halloween has set. The character of Michael Myers has gone
on to become one of the largest Horror icons of all time, the pioneer of
the silent, brooding killer type, and despite his numerous appearances or
imitators, the original will never be bettered.
Chris Dennett
Halloween - 2007
Starring – Malcom McDowell, Tyler Mane, Sherri Moon
Directed by: Rob Zombie
Since the original in Halloween in 1978, there have been eight (yes 8!) sequels spurned, this time it’s been billed as a re-make, however it feels more
like prequel. Rob Zombie is at the helm with some interesting new ideas.
The plot is essentially the same, l Myers (this time played by an ex wrestler,)
is incarcerated at age 10 for first degree murder and escapes on All Hallows
Eve, sixteen years later. The only person who knows the true extent of his
evil is Dr. Sam Loomis (played by a very creepy, Malcom McDowell) and the
question is whether or not he can stop Myers...before it’s too late.
For people who have never seen the original, you will probably derive
some pleasure from the film. For those who have seen the original, I’m
afraid the case is not the same. There is not as much suspense and it is
obviously scarce in originality and (sadly) it undermines the original.
SHROOMS (18)
Saw IV (18)
HATCHET (18)
BLACK SHEEP (15)
Directed By: Paddy
Breathnach
Starring: Lindsey Haun,Jack
Huston, Max Kasch
Released: 23.10.07
Directed by: Darren Lynn
Bousman
Starring: Tobin Bell, Betsy
Russell, Lyriq Bent
Released: 26.10.07
Directed by: Adam Green
Starring: Joel Moore , Tamara
Feldman, Deon, Richmond,
Mercedes McNab
Released: 15.10.07
Directed by: Jonathon King
Starring: Nathan Meister,
Danielle Mason, Peter
Feeney, Tammy Davis
Released: 12.10.07
Critics have said, “Blair Witch, on
Acid”
In my opinion the greatest horror
series of the decade; It’s original,
genuinely horrific, and stomach
turning.
Yay! For originality, Not a remake.
It’s not a sequel and it’s not based
on a Japanese one! Finally a horror
film worth seeing, it’s not the plot,
but the direction that makes this
great.
An Irish film, with a cast of
unknowns. Three couples go to
Ireland woods to collect magic
mushrooms and trip out. Of course
on their way they already meet
some strange inhabitants of the
woods and it doesn’t take long
until a creepy story is being told
at the campfire which of course is
more than just a story…
It tries to be different to the generic, the idea of blurring the lines
between reality and imagination is
original and works after the horror
kicks in along with the effect of the
mushrooms.
With Jigsaw and his protégé both
dead, how can the horror carry on?
Detective Hoffman, the last officer
to remain untouched is abducted
and thrust into one of Jigsaw’s
deadly games with ninety minutes
to escape, whilst Two F.B.I agents
are trying to piece together the
puzzle and reveal the truth before
time runs out.
In this (final?) film the genesis of
Jigsaw’s evil is unveiled, exposing
the puppet master’s true intentions
and the sinister plan for his past,
present and future victims!
When a group of tourists on a
New Orleans haunted swamp tour
find themselves stranded in the
wilderness, their evening of fun
and spooks turns into a horrific
nightmare…
This film is a homage to the horror
films of the 1980’s it is everything
that a American horror should
be, cheesy, self-aware, terrifying,
hilarious, innovative yet respectful
of the great horror films that came
before.
The tagline reads “Get ready for the
Violence of the lambs”. The latest
Zom-Com (this time with an original twist, sheep!) An experiment in
genetic engineering turns harmless
sheep into blood-thirsty killers that
terrorize a sprawling New Zealand
farm. Chaos and comedy ensue.
Anyone who likes the “serious”
zombie flics like Dawn of the Dead
or 28 Days Later will probably enjoy
this film, as would the audiences of
lighter films like Shaun of the Dead
or the awful, Slither. It has a general
appeal.
It even won the Audience award at
the French Film Festival, Gérardmer
Film Festival.
A change that works, is that the plot moves away form the previous Halloween films, as it actually focuses on Myers and how and why he is who
he is and does what he does; rather than him chasing babysitters around,
trying to kill them for two hours.
Amy V Gathercole
Film
New
Releases
“AT THE MOVIES”
2–3pm on FLY FM!
Top Gun Trivia
This week, not only do we have
all the usual reviews and
news from the world of film
with myself and the one and
only John Starkie, but We also
have the chance for you to
WIN A pair of tickets to see TOP
GUN in all it’s original glory
on the BIG SCREEN at the Savoy
cinema – TONIGHT!
(Monday 29th October)
• Val (Iceman) Kilmer did
not want to be in this film,
but was forced to by
contractual obligations.
• In preparation for his
role, Tom Cruise was
allowed to take a ride in
the F-14 Tomcat. He
reportedly got sick
during the ride.
• Director Tony Scott wrote
a quick check for $25,000
to the commander of the
aircraft carrier in order to
capture one vital external
shot.
• Matthew Modine (WHO?)
was originally selected
to play Maverick but he
turned the part down.
STARDUST (12A)
RATATOUILLE (U)
TOP GUN - 1986
Directed by: Matthew Vaughn
Starring: Claire Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Charlie Cox, Robert
DeNiro
Released: 19.10.07
Directed by: Brad Bird
Starring: (vocal talents) Patton Oswalt, Peter O’Toole, Lou
Romano
Released: 12.10.07
Directed by: Tony Scott
Starring: Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Val
Kilmer, Anthony Edwards, Meg Ryan
Stardust is a (slightly) clichéd, cameo filled, cinematic enchantment.
So, seriously: a film about the creature that brought the plague to England,
struck terror into the victims of Room 101 in “1984”, and is generally regarded as vermin. If anyone was going to put the rat in a favourable light,
it had to be Pixar, and yes, they do it fantastically.
I can be a total girl when it’s comes to romance, hence why I have been
waiting in anticipation for the release of this film for the last six months
or so. Stardust was directed by the same man who directed brit-grit film
Layer Cake, and produced Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. The
screenplay was written by Jane Goldman (Jonathon Ross’s other half). I am
happy to report that I have not waited in vain.
It tells the tale of Tristan (newcomer Charlie Cox), a boy who is on a quest
to find a fallen star, to present to the woman he intends to marry (Sienna
Miller). However, he’s not the only one who wants the fallen star. Unexpectedly, the star turns out to be a young woman, Yvaine (Claire Danes),
as opposed to a lump of rock. The other seekers include a witch (Michelle
Pheiffer) who wants to cut out Yvaine’s heart in order to gain youth and
beauty, and a devious prince for whom the star is the key to the throne.
Plenty of adventure, romance, and comedy make this is a film with both a
pulse and a heart that can be enjoyed by all ages.
Cameos come in abundance, from Ricky “can do everything” Gervais as a
dodgy dealer, Rupert Everett as an unfortunate prince, and (my favourite)
Robert DeNiro as a rather camp Captain Shakespeare!
Remy is a rat with a dream: he wants to be a chef. After his cooking idol
dies, he decides to make this dream a reality. The fact that he has a tail,
whiskers and the cutest little button nose are a bit of a dilemma for him.
So he befriends Linguini, a useless garbage boy who works in a fancy
French gourmet restaurant. Here is the buddy relationship that Pixar films
are famous for (Woody and Buzz, Lightning McQueen and Doc, to name
a couple of the previous ones). Together they cook up a storm and have
to overcome their nemesis (voiced by the legendary Peter O’Toole) – food
critic, Anton Ego.
Brad also directed previous Pixar film The Incredibles, and is at the helm
for the sequel, too. However, here he seems more at home; the comedy
is better executed, the jokes are a lot funnier and he really focuses on the
story as opposed to big star vocal talent. Surprisingly, it’s not too soppy
either.
So if you’re looking for a break from all the horror films, here’s your answer:
Stardust.
The result? A perfectly balanced, feast of a film.
Make sure to take your seat promptly as there is a short film - “Lifted”
(which is great) - before the main feature. Bon Appétit!
Amy V Gathercole
Amy V Gathercole
I can remember the first time I was ever introduced to
‘Top Gun’. My Dad brought it home on video and convinced me to watch it by telling me that “‘Top Gun’ is a
true classic in every sense of the word’”. After watching
it, I have to admit, I felt let down by his description. At
the age of 10 I could not appreciate the fantastic catch
phrases present throughout the film, the amazing 80’s
soundtrack and some of the greatest jet plane fight
scenes in cinematic history.
Perhaps, most importantly, at the age of 10 I could
not appreciate the pure aesthetical genius behind the
most homoerotic volley ball game ever!” Now being
older and wiser I can safely say that ‘Top Gun’ is one of
the most iconic and entertaining films to emerge from
the iconic period that was, the 80’s. ‘Top Gun’ made
aviator sunglasses cool. It made nicknames acceptable.
It firmly set Tom Cruise as a big Hollywood star. It
contained great lines such as “It’s classified...I could tell
you...but then I’d have to kill you.” In short, ‘Top Gun’
deserves to be called a classic.
The film sees Tom Cruise in the role of Pete ‘Maverick’
Mitchell, a brash and confident naval pilot who
along with his flight partner, Nick ‘Goose’ Bradshaw
(Anthony Edwards), both successfully obtain a place at
the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School. The
school, known to its students as ‘Top Gun’, trains the
top 1% of all naval aviators to be the best pilots in the
world. Competition in the school is extremely high
and it doesn’t take Maverick long to find a rival within
top student Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazanski (Val Kilmer). Whilst
the pair are at each other’s throats in the attempt to
win the ‘Top Gun’ award for best student, Maverick
falls in love with his beautiful civilian instructor
Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Blackwood (Kelly McGillis) and their
relationship soon blossoms. Although it starts in a
rocky way, but with the help of a great wingman and
a great (but ooooooh sooo cheesy song) “You’ve Lost
That Lovin’ Feeling” he wins her heart. – Goodness
Gracious, Great Balls of fire!
Unfortunately during a team exercise, the competition
between Maverick and Iceman becomes too great
and Maverick accidentally flies through Iceman’s wake
turbulence, causing his plane engines to fail. Maverick
and Goose have to eject from the plane but during
the process, Goose hits the cockpit screen and is killed.
With his co-pilot dead, Maverick also learns that Charlie
is relocating to Washington after accepting a new job
offer. With his best friend dead and his new found love
leaving, can Maverick find the strength to pass ‘Top
Gun’ and become one of the best?
If you have not watched ‘Top Gun’, I firmly recommend
you do. Its appeal truly is universal and even if you do
not share my view that the film is a classic, you will
find yourself telling your mates that they can be ‘your
wingman’ for the rest of the night!
Jonathan Ellison
Arts
What’s On In
Broadway Cinema
and Media Centre
Nottingham
29th October 17th November:
Theatre Royal
The Witches of Eastwick - 30th
October–3rd November - ‘Dance
with the evil this Halloween’.
A spooky trick or treat musical
based on the film starring
Michelle Pfeiffer and Jack
Nicholson
Comedy of Errors - 6th-10th
November - Shakespeare
Comedy starring Jason and
Simon Merrells.
South Pacific - 12th-17th
November - This breathtaking
show is winner of 9 Tony Awards
and the Pulitzer Prize.
Royal Concert Hall
Jools Holland - 1st–2nd
November.
Vampire’s Rock - 8th November
- Featuring some of the greatest
rock anthems from the likes of
Meatloaf and Bon Jovi.
Magical Dance of Ireland - 9th
November - A celebration of Irish
traditions.
Sing Swing - 11th November - A
concert celebrating the swing
era.
The Comedy Of Errors
Nottingham’s Theatre Royal is host to a cultural treat
with Shakespeare’s delightful comedy, The Comedy of
Errors which runs between 6-10 November presented by
the Royal Shakespeare Company. Originally performed
in Stratford Upon Avon; the nucleus of all things Shakespearian, this cheerful production embarks on a major UK
tour which makes a short stop at our Theatre Royal.
Keen to work with young people the Royal Shakespeare
Company have worked with local schools in order for
them to create their own version of The Comedy of
Errors and a special 50 minute edition of the play will be
featured on Thursday 8 November.
Directed by one the UK’s most valued directors, Nancy
Meckler and starring performing art gems Jason and
Simon Merrells, this comic slice of entertainment has
enough credentials to suffice a fastidious audience.
Nancy Meckler regards The Comedy of Errors as one of
Shakespeare’s ‘funniest plays and a great introduction
to his work’. Easily accessible, this comedy is regarded as
one of Shakespeare’s most humorous and is the earliest
of his comedies. Mistaken identity, lost family members
and family reunion are the recipe for this dramatic piece.
The audience is propelled through a journey of baffled
bewilderment as they witness this touching journey
between brothers, sisters and their elders which will
appeal to all ages.
The Comedy of Errors is a revival of the production
directed by Nancy Meckler in 2005, but has now been
given another lease of life. The latest formula embraces
a brand new cast who will tour the country with the
endeavor to reach more people and thrust onto them
the delights of Shakespeare. The new adaptation stars
real life brothers Jason Merrells and Simon Merrels who
are no strangers to the TV screen; Family Affairs, Waterloo
Road and Cutting are a medley of their credentials and
that’s not even mentioning their fruitful theatrical career.
These two real life brothers conveniently play twins and
thus the brotherly bond between the two enhances the
sparkle and authenticity of the relationship between the
two fictional brothers. The play begins seriously when a
man is arrested for being an illegal immigrant. He is given
a one day release to raise his ransom, but if he fails his
punishment will be death. The theatrical voyage thereafter discovers the reunion between the condemned man
and his lost twin sons.
For those of you who are new to Shakespeare or just believe that his work belongs in the classroom, think again.
The Comedy of Errors is easily understood and visually
accessible and as Simon Merrells says, ‘his work isn’t hard
to understand when you actually see it’ Open your mind
and welcome in the beautiful poetry and prose which a
Shakespeare play offers.
Student discount applies to 16-25 year olds and tickets
are a mere £5 (terms and conditions apply) so there is no
excuse for not getting involved!
Do you fancy winning two tickets to see this comic
spectacular on Thursday 8 November? Simply answer
this simple question:
Name the characters of the twins played by
Jason and Simon Merrells.
For the chance to win the best seats in the house,
email your answer along with your student username (e.g. N0123456), your name, and your contact
details to [email protected], no
later than Wednesday 7th November.
So you’ve been in Nottingham
a little while now and you may
have visited Cineworld at The
Cornerhouse or even the old
Showcase for your regular
mainstream movie fix? But have
you heard of Nottingham’s most
exciting choice for cinema? The
Broadway Cinema and media
centre offers an amazing selection
of Art house and independent
cinema for something a little
different. With a Cafebar, Mezzanine bar and Restaurant its not
just about the exciting range of
movies you can see, but a great
social meeting place that offers
great food too. For £8.80 student
concession price you can now see
any film and grab a full meal from
the Cafebar menu! And on Mondays…get involved with Winter
Curry nights where you can get a
film, a curry and a pint for £10.95!
It’s not just the food that’s at great
student prices but all tickets are
great bargain entertainment –
only £3 on Sundays!
The centre itself is not just great
for food and movies but it’s an
integral part of Nottingham life;
supporting the creative industry
and encouraging the diversity of
cultural public life of the city! As
a student you’re part of that…
so get involved and get down to
seeing something new.
This month they’re showing the
Sundance award winning Irish
number Once the outstanding
low budget romance that got
every one talking this year at
Sundance an proved a major US
hit. As well as some great 1950’s
pieces, the Night in the City Noir
melodrama and a 1961 Italian
gem, The Eclipse; the camera
work and silent sequences really
make this one something special.
Broadway’s located at 14-18 Broad
Street (NG1 3AL) and you can
call box office on 0115952611 for
tickets. Explore what they’ve got
to offer and have a great night!
Anna Middleton
book
REVIEWS
Still Summer
Secret Servant: The
Moneypenny Diaries
by Jacquelyn Mitchard
Grand Central Publishing
by Kate Westbrook
John Murray Publishing
For those of you seeking an
alternative, or even just a breather,
from the traditional chick-lit novel,
Jaquelyn Mitchard’s Still Summer
offers just the remedy. From the
author of best-seller, The Deep End
of the Ocean, comes this heartwrenching and gripping thriller,
in which four women embark on
a luxurious cruise as part of a high
school reunion. The trip, however,
turns out to be far from luxurious
as terrifying encounters await them
in blazing heat of the Caribbean.
The dream holiday they sought
after turns into a struggle to survive
as these old school friends find
themselves faced with shark-infested waters, lack of supplies and
modern-day pirates. In a desperate
bid for survival they must reform
the bonds they once had, despite
their differences, and overcome the
challenges they face.
All of you double 007 fans get
ready for your Martini’s to be
shaken not stirred; the forth coming release of the second novel of
the series is due to be explosive.
The Moneypenny Diaries, Secret
Servant is set to define sophistication in a new league. Any fans of
the James Bond novels are in for a
surprise with Samantha Weinberg
being the first woman to write
an official James Bond related
novel. Miss Moneypenny projects
a cool, calm and collated image of
female poise and independence.
Jane Moneypenny fulfils the role
of secret agent in her own right
so move over James Bond, Miss
Moneypenny is going to separate
the men from the boys.
Mitchard paints the portraits of her
characters beautifully and manages
to capture a realistic and insightful depiction of people in both
emotional and physical turmoil.
Despite its nightmarish qualities,
Still Summer explores the complexity of human emotions in a way in
which captures and compels its
readers. The book is surprisingly
warm regardless of the tragic story
line and is a must-read for those
of you eager to opt for something
slightly heavier than your usual
read. Don’t be deceived by its front
cover, this is an addictive, gripping
and enthralling page turner.
Cesca York
The novel is a cross between Bridget Jones Diaries and BBC Drama
Spooks. It is a page turning novel
which will keep you thoroughly
entertained. The secret diaries
reveal a different side to the iconic
character and we begin to see
Moneypenny in a different light. In
the grip of an uncertain love affair
and a haunted family secret, the
intelligence service is in chaos and
her beloved James is in danger.
Only a woman’s touch will save
the day. The novel follows a highly
charged adventure of the typical
James Bond storyline. Her isolation
and loneliness whilst on a Russian
mission leads her to write a thrilling
private diary which is guaranteed
to keep you engrossed.
Fran Morris
Words: Sarah Davies
Photo: Ellie Kurttz
A Simple
Solution
Stepping Into The Season
Photos, left only: Patent lace-up brogues (£30) and Peep-toes (£25), both Dorothy Perkins
The new season is upon us, which means it’s time to move on from the
perils of the British Summer and celebrate the arrival of A/W 2007.
What better way to start than to invest in some essential footwear? There
are so many gorgeous styles arriving in all high street stores, guaranteeing
something for everyone.
From riding boots to sky scraping platform heels, this A/W you will not be
disappointed. If you feel inclined to splash the cash, head to Office or Kurt
Geiger to pick up a pair of brogues with a feminine twist. Go for sculptedheel styles and pair with skinny jeans and over-sized knits. Look out for
chunky buckled heels, slouchy boots and patent flats.
Alternatively, Topshop never fail to impress on the boots front and have
some fantastic ankle boots in a variety of colours, along with dominatrix
inspired platforms with a sexy lace up detail. Wear with thick tights and
ultra-feminine dresses and you have the perfect way to bring your summer
wardrobe into the new season. If you’re on a tighter budget, New Look has
some more-than-suitable styles, including metallic ankle boots for only £20!
Purple is set to be a big A/W hit, and it’s popping up all over the high street!
Funky, sexy patents are a throw back to the 80s – as if we needed another
excuse for nostalgia in our lives! With so much choice to bring your look
bang up to date… why are you still here?
Francesca Dunne
The good news is that there are so many fabulous
A/W pieces that we are all dying to get are mitts
on (the latest ones of course), however the bad
news is that even though our loans have just come
through there is the sudden realisation that they
don’t quite stretch far enough for those ‘Miu Miu
Brogue’s’.
Photo: Cowl neck tunic (£16) and belt (£4), both Matalan
The answer lies within the depths of your wardrobe, probably hidden behind last weeks student
Topshop must haves and the summers cast aways.
Take a look and you’ll most likely find last year’s
chunky knitwear and a classic LBD’s. There is no
considerable difference to this season’s knitwear
trends. So unless you’re desperate for oversized
knits as seen on the Giles A/W 07 catwalk, my
advice is to instantly update these pieces with
statement accessories from the high street or
vintage stores.
A Good
Investment
It’s all about heels and belts so start off with investing in anything in patent, leather, or block colour
(fuchsia is right on trend) and cinch in at the waist
to create a feminine forties style silhouette. Narrow
ones look delicately feminine whilst wide, structured belts add definition to any look. Whether its
shoe boots, sculpted high heels or flats pair them
with tights, think woolly and ribbed as seen at
Prada. Accessories this season are going to be huge,
so invest in some statement pieces to instantly
transform your wardrobe, enjoy updating!
It’s the day after the night
before and that uber-hot
hairdo still looks great, but
remnants of two days neglected washing is beginning to seep through, and
you have a lecture in ten
minutes. A quick, simple
and refreshing option is
keeping it oil-free with a
spritz of dry shampoo.
Sophie Howarth
Above, left to right: Batiste Dry Shampoo, £2; Toni & Guy Label.M Dry
Shampoo, £8; Stila Jade Blossom Hair Refresher, £19
Don’t Hold Back
This is the message that seems to jump out at me whenever I read the
latest fashion magazines. Fashion now more than ever sends out the ‘I
don’t care if I get stared at’ attitude and we as consumers should try and
embrace this. Clothing and accessories are getting bigger, brighter and
more beautiful season after season. It is obvious that designers are trying
to push boundaries and are bored of using the same old fabrics and
components.
Would you have ever thought of using hiking rope to make your new
necklace? This is something that has never crossed my mind but is exactly
what designer Peter O’Sullivan has done. O’Sullivan has created a new
range of ready to wear jewellery which uses traditional hiking ropes and
clasps to make up the necklaces with a touch of PVC to add to the quirkiness of the product.
I can’t see myself wearing anything quite like this in the near future but
I enjoy reading about how designers are constantly trying to push the
market to try new things and I have full respect to the next person I see
walking through the Victoria Centre supporting a similar creation.
Not only are we being encouraged to try out new fabrics and materials
but colour is constantly being pushed to the limit. Designers continue to
produce, on some occasions, near blinding collections.
In a country where the winter months are very much grey and dull, why
shouldn’t we embrace colour into our wardrobes? I will be the first to
admit that black and navy are staple colours in my wardrobe but mixing
that up with a few bright accessories can make you stand out from the
washed-out backdrop of the UK scenery.
So I say to all, wanting to experiment a little this winter go forth and buy
an item of clothing or accessory in a bright colour that you would normally
shy away from especially since about 80% of the time anything can look
good so long as you have the confidence to pull it off.
As a nation we tend to be slightly afraid to try new things, but you don’t
have to be the most creative person in the world to wear a bright red
trench coat. You just need to feel confident in it and think that it looks
good and people will believe you.
Photos (counter-clockwise): High-waisted jeans (£25), Dorothy Perkins; Black leather studded biker jacket (£110), Topshop; 'Anita' dress (£55), Monsoon Fusion; 'Kool' court shoes (£85), Dune; white cotton shirt (£25), Wallis.
Fashion
Never Too Early
Classic Buys for the Ultimately
Chic Wardrobe
From the mouth of Yves Saint Laurent came the fabulous whisper
‘Fashion fades, style is eternal’ and
with a select choice of wardrobe
purchases fashion faux-pas will
undoubtedly elude you.
Simplicity is key, less is always
more…
The Little Black Dress
Since the dawn of Coco Chanel,
the LBD we have come to rely on
this untimely failsafe; flattering,
timeless and ultimately chic, a
must for any wardrobe.
The Leather Jacket
Make this purchase NOW! You’ll
come to love it more in twentyyears. A leather jacket should eek
of nostalgia and emotion.
Denim
From work wear in the 1950’s
the Jean is the millennial child’s
garment of choice, style changes
instantly, but a good pair will look
and feel like a million dollars.
The Stiletto
Marilyn Monroe once said “I don’t
know who invented the high heel,
but all women owe him a lot” and
she was right; the heel is the most
powerful weapon in the greatest of
wardrobes, “putting your ass on a
pedestal where it belongs.”
P.S. If all else fails head for the sales or Primark!
This season try something new, whether it’s a new colour, accessory or
haircut but try to break away from the mould, let yourself go. You never
know you might enjoy it!
White Shirts
The ultimate staple of the
anywhere, anytime wardrobe; a
fabulously reworked classic, whose
versatility knows no bounds…
so long as the white is white and
freshly pressed.
Katie Cairns
Annie Owen
Sophie Howarth
take a
break
Freshers Ball - Monday 16th October / Photos: James Brigham & David Baird
Pictures
sausage roll
& coke
with a
just
£1.50
valid until 30/11/07
www.wildbeancafe.co.uk
RD
At BP Connect St. Mary’s Nuthall Road, Cinderhill, Nottingham NG8 6AX
A610
M1
WOO
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US
HI L L R O A D
CIND
ER
NUTHA
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AD
A610
BEL
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LAN
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NUTHALL
NO
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NG
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A6002
LOW
WO
OD
M1
BULWELL
24 Hour Alcohol Sales
Promoter: BP Oil UK Ltd., 500-600 Witan Gate, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK9 1ES UK
Terms & Conditions:
This voucher entitles the bearer to a Wild Bean Café sausage roll and any can of coke at BP
Connect St Mary’s, Nuthall Road, Cinderhill, Nottingham, NG8 6AX. Voucher can be used once
only and must be presented at the time of purchase. The voucher is to be retained by the BP
Connect store. No photocopied, damaged or defaced vouchers will be accepted. Offer valid
until 30/11/07. Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. Not redeemable for cash.
Available at participating Wild Bean Cafés only. Subject to availability & whilst stocks last. The
promoter reserves the right to cancel this offer or change or substitute the products on which
this voucher may be redeemed with similar products of equivalent or greater value without
prior notice.
To the CSA:
• Scan the product or use a PLU to enter the product into the sale,
• Scan the coupon – this is essential to track the promotion
• On GSS, process the discount amount (78p) as coupon;
on RAP, process the discount as cash and complete a Paid Out
on coupon
• Take a receipt for the sale and complete Shift Sheet
• RSM – reconcile the coupon as normal, DO NOT submit to
0909 5519
Valassis for processing.
Eating Out
Hey Guys! I hope that all
the freshers are settling in
well to life within the
fantastic city of
Nottingham, and that all
the returning students are
as glad as I am to be back
at Trent! This issue I’ve got
more fabulous restaurants
and eateries for you to
tuck into - with a flourish
for the dark side in honour
of All Hallows Eve… Happy
Eating!
Recommended:
Yo! Sushi
Location: Fletchergate
YO! Sushi’s unique concept is an
exciting experience not to be
missed – prepare to be wowed! The
‘on-stage’ kitchen located in the
centre of the restaurant, inside the
conveyor belt area, is where the chef
and his brigade cook and freshly
prepare all 127 dishes from the
menu, providing theatre for diners
seated around the conveyor belt.
Ed Smith
Freshness is guaranteed – all fish
is from sustainable sources and
is only on the conveyor belt for a
maximum of two hours. Each diner
can also enjoy unlimited green tea
for only £1.25, unlimited still and
sparkling water from the tabletop
taps for £1 as well as a seemingly
endless supply of pickled ginger
and soy sauce. Promotions include
25% off for students between 3pm
and 6pm. YO! Sushi is open from
midday right through to 11pm
Monday to Saturday and 10pm
on Sundays, providing the perfect
destination for a business lunch or
light grazing right through to a laid
back dinner in the evening.
David Baird
Good Roast Guide
Fat Cats Café Bar
Fresh veg & proper roast
potatoes:
Fat Cats Café Bar is such a great bar to drink in on a night out so why not visit in
the daytime to sample the food menu. This, the first entry into my Good Roast
Guide (GRG) is one that is already setting the bar pretty high.
Tender meat:
Location: Chapel Quarter, off Market Square
All the food here is second to none and always taste’s great with their roast
being one of the best things on the menu. Priced at £7.95, this is quite an
expensive one to be honest but worth every penny so I’m going to give this a
3 on my GRG scale.
Good gravy:
Atmosphere & service:
Value for money:
Total: 19/25
The chilled atmosphere is great and they play a fantastic selection of music,
last time I went they were playing songs from Jo Whiley’s Live Lounge. There
are loads of sofas and comfy chairs all round the edge of the venue with tables
and chairs in the middle of the room should you require. The bar staff are
fantastic, very friendly and the service is generally great with the food coming
promptly and well presented. I’m going to score this with a 4 on the GRG scale.
Now to the good stuff, the meal itself was absolutely delicious. You can
choose between beef or chicken of which I had the chicken which can be so
hard to cook right, making sure the meat is cooked but still contains all the
juicy goodness. The key with any meat is to let it rest before plating! This locks
in all the juices and relaxes the meat so it is not so tough! The chicken was
perfectly moist and tasted amazing so this has to get a 4 on the GRG scale. The
gravy was home made which pleases me immensely so straight away that’s
a 4 on GRG scale and the veg was fresh plus in high attendance! You get all
your regulars being mash, roast potatoes and Yorkshire puddings so again I’m
going for a 4 on the GRG scale.
After totalling up the score Fat Cat’s has a whopping 19 out of a possible 25
points so this is definitely one to try out!
Ed Smith
Restaurant REVIEWS
‘Eating In’ Quick cook Tip
Roast Pumpkin Soup
Making your own soup is such
a great way to get in your
five RDA (Recommended Daily
Amount) of fruit and veg for
the day and they taste like
nothing out of a tin!!
So for my Pumpkin soup you
will need the following:
2 Medium-large sized pumpkins
2 Carrots
1 SWede
1 Butternut squash
Yellow split peas
1 vegetable stock cube
Crème fresh (not essential)
Pitcher & Piano
Pit & Pendulum
Location: High Pavement
Location: Victoria Street
For those of us who now and then feel the need for a
real treat, this is the perfect place to indulge yourself with
decadent surroundings, a chilled atmosphere and food
to die for.
Given the Halloween theme of this fortnights Platform
I thought it only right that I go eat in the Pit & Pendulum dun dun DUUUN… Situated on Victoria Street,
which is just down from the Lace Market tram stop. It’s
gothic theme is one that is more then just a novelty
and has been done so well. Tables and seating downstairs are set back into dungeons and the toilets can
be fun to find as they are hidden behind a bookcase!
Located in the Lace Market The Pitcher & Piano is
absolutely one of the most beautiful places I have ever
eaten dinner. Its relaxed atmosphere and setting of the
church itself with its stained glass windows and stunning
architecture is just so beautiful that you are in awe every
time you go in!
The menu is fantastic and covers all the bases being
burgers, pizzas, pasta’s and vegetarian dishes. I have been
here many times now and the two things I recommend
are the classic P&P Burger which starts at £7.50 and comes
with the most amazing gourmet relish I have ever tasted
which complements the burger so well, and I also recommend the Crayfish Risotto. I am a big risotto fan as it can
be so hard to get right in my opinion. The rice needs to
be plump and look like it’s bursting with all the flavours it
has soaked up from the stock. This crayfish risotto priced
at £8.75 is one of the best I have tried in Nottingham. I
had never had crayfish before but thoroughly enjoyed
every mouthful, so if you love fish then this is definitely
one for you. The portions are reasonably filling and leave
space for pudding of which I highly recommend the
Chocolate Truffle Brownie that comes with vanilla ice
cream! I cant even begin to tell you how amazingly bad
this most likely was for the waist line however it was well
worth the extra 20 minutes on the treadmill!
The service is not fast but that’s because they are not in
the business of rushing their meals, which are carefully
prepared and presented beautifully. I highly recommend
this as a place to eat out and perfect if you are going out
on a first date, all the food is reasonably priced and worth
every penny. I’d be more then impressed if someone
were to take me out to dinner here!
For more info and special offers check out their website which
is www.pitcherandpiano.com
Words: Edward Smith
Photo: David Baird
Although it is notoriously a “gothic pub”, it surprised
me at being very clean (well despite the themed
aspect!) with a very friendly atmosphere and chatty
staff. The menu consisted of all your general pub grub,
which was made quickly, tasted fresh and was well
presented. A burger would set you back £5.85 with
one free extra topping (either cheese, bacon or fried
egg, the usual basically), along with coleslaw and
chips or curly fries. A wide range of wraps, ciabatta
and sandwiches are also available and priced between
£3.50 and £4.50 of which I personally recommend the
steak and onion rings wrap that was delicious. Pasta
dishes were around £6 and my friend had the chicken
carbonara, which is also highly recommended. They
also do salads that work out at £5.50; sharers of nachos
etc are £6.15, which is more then enough for two
to share. There is a wide selection of main meals all
priced between £6 and £8 (with a steak meal costing
only £7.80, which is a very acceptable price).
From the menu there is a large range of marked meals
that are 2 meals for £7, which everyone will defiantly
find something that tickles their fancy, even for the
fussiest of us. Two meals and two cokes came to
just under £15 and filled a hole. It’s also worthwhile
mentioning that Pit & Pendulum as a venue for drinks
on Halloween is the perfect venue. The cocktails are
themed as the 7 deadly sins; greed, gluttony, pride,
wrath, lust, sloth and envy all of which are priced at £4
each or a special deal of 2 for £5.95, I dare you to try
all seven!
Words: Caroline Tomisson
Photo: Patrick Taylor
So, to make the soup start by
soaking the yellow split peas
in water, this needs to be done
as much in advance as possible
(at least a couple of hours).
Then take the pumpkins, de-seed
and hollow out the flesh
onto a baking tray. Then peel
and chop the carrots, suede
and butternut squash also
adding these to the backing
tray. Douse with oil, salt and
pepper, maybe a few mixed
herbs and roast in the middle
of the oven for 30-40 minutes
on about gas mark 5 or the
equivalent.
While the vegetables are
roasting boil the split peas
until soft and leave to cool.
When the roast vegetables are
soft take out of the oven and
leave to cool. At this point
dissolve the stock cube in
boiling water from the kettle;
you want around 1-2 pints
of stock. When everything is
cool add the roast veggies
and the split peas to a food
blender and pulse, pouring in
the stock. Depending on how
much stock you put in will
depend on how thick the soup
will be so only add a as much
as you like.
If you don’t have a food
blender add all the ingredients to a saucepan and use a
hand blender! And there you
have it! Roast Pumpkin soup!
Heat up at you leisure, if you
saved the hollowed out pumpkins this makes a great serving
dish and id add a tablespoon
of crème fresh and maybe a
sprinkle of saffron to garnish!
Community
A Students’ Guide to Recycling
Share in the Magic of
Over The Wall
Last Summer I volunteered for a charity called Over The Wall (OTW) which
organises residential camps for children and young people from the UK,
aged 8 to 17 years old, who have been affected by cancer and other serious
illnesses. The mission of OTW is to provide the campers with fun, creative
and challenging activities in a safe, secure and medically supervised
environment. Each camp includes a medical team, qualified doctors and
nurses who are also volunteers, to ensure the campers medical needs are
met at all times. The role of volunteers is to encourage the campers to have
fun, make new friends, protect their safety and well-being whilst enjoying
camp to the full.
What happens at OTW camps?
The most rewarding aspect of volunteering for OTW for me was watching
how happy it made the campers just to be there. The children and young
people who attend camp are there because there have spent much of their
lives in and out of hospital. The week for them is a chance to be with others
who have been through similar circumstances and to have fun! The campers
are split into three age groups and assigned a colour – Reds (8-10 years),
Greens (11-13 years) and Blues (14-17 years). Each colour group is then split into
same-sex teams and given a group of male and female volunteers, known as
team mates, who they will spend the week with.
The activities that campers and volunteers can partake in include archery,
kayaking, arts and crafts, swimming, technology and sports and games. Each
team is also given the opportunity one night in the week to camp outside;
I found the girls were a lot braver then the boys when doing this! One of
my proudest moments was seeing the faces of three of my team of 14 year
old girls when they woke up after camp out night and they were the only
campers who had lasted the night.
A highlight of the week for me and many others during the week was the
campers’ talent night. Each team of campers performed their act as tears
appeared in the volunteers eyes who knew how much it meant to them. This
gave everyone the chance to participate and work together as friendships
developed. There is also a camp disco and a chance for the volunteers
themselves to perform at the adult talent night (or talentless night as it has
been renamed!).
Why volunteer for OTW when you’re not getting paid?
Volunteers are essential to the running of the charity as for each adult that
volunteers an eagerly awaiting camper can be given a place. To watch the
campers grow in confidence over the week and not want to leave at the
end, is worth taking a week out of earning money and step into the OTW
‘bubble’ for you as much as for them. Being part of the OTW experience is
rewarding enough in itself but there is also the added bonus of having all
your accommodation, food and travel expenses paid for.
The OTW staff are brilliant at supporting both the campers and the volunteers. Before camp it is a requirement for each volunteer to attend one of
the training days which are run across the UK. This gives you the chance
to meet the team and other volunteers, learn more about camp and cover
important issues such as child protection. There is also an additional training
day at camp before the campers arrive.
The reason I have written this article is because I heard about the charity
from a friend and without her telling me about it I wouldn’t have had such a
fun, rewarding and inspiring week.
Who can volunteer?
Anyone over the age of 18 can apply to be a volunteer as long as you like
children and are safe to care for them. This is assessed through Criminal
record checks, obtaining two references and an informal interview. Most
volunteers live in the UK but volunteers from overseas are also welcome if
they can attend the training sessions.
There is also the opportunity to volunteer as an activity leader. Adults are
needed to prepare and lead activities in arts & crafts, technology, swimming,
camping, drama, media, music, sports, games and fishing.
When are the residential camps?
Next year OTW is expanding to twelve residential camps across the UK.
Volunteers can apply for the sessions that they are available for in the area
of their choice. People who volunteer for OTW for the first time are advised
to commit to just one week of camp. All camps for children and young
people with serious illnesses are held over the Summer holidays. OTW also
organises camps for the siblings of children affected by serious illnesses.
These camps offer the brothers and sisters a chance to find support and
understanding from others and try new and challenging activities. Siblings’
camps are run over the Easter Holidays.
Camp dates:
Spring Camp – Dorset: Sat 22th March – Friday 28th March 2008
Summer Camp – Scotland: (3 x 1 week sessions) 2nd July – Tues 22nd July 2008
Summer Camp – Midlands: (4 x 1 week sessions) 19th July – 15th August 2008
Summer Camp – Dorset: (4 x 1 week sessions) 19th July – 15th August 2008
How can I apply?
You can apply to volunteer at any of the Spring or Summer camps
through the OTW website www.otw.org.uk or by phoning the OTW office
0142082086 for an application pack.
Application deadline dates:
Spring Camp: Friday 2nd November
Summer Camp: Saturday 19th January
Some of you will have recently moved in privately let accommodation
and may be finding the local council’s colour-coded bins a chore you
could do without. Now, this may be that the colours don’t correspond
with those you have at home and so you don’t know what to put in each
or, you may think that if you are the only person in your household that
is actively recycling it will make no difference.
Why Recycle?
Recycling is a fundamental way of reducing the resources that we
squander as individuals, communities and nations. So rather than making new products from fresh and using up our non-renewable resources
we can re-use those items discarded by us in Nottingham’s blue bins.
As you may have noticed, bin collection in the city is alternated with
general waste one week and recyclable goods the next so if you fail to
recycle appropriately you may find your black bin is overflowing and the
council is refusing to take it.
Don’t feel that you are the only person making the effort, if those around
you don’t do it then take it upon yourself to be the great example!
How to recycle?
The easiest way to recycle begins with you. Rather than adding to your
carrier bag collection that accumulates under the kitchen sink throughout the year why not try reusing them, or re-filling your bottles before
you buy new ones?
Don’t think that recycling needs to be a chore in your household, try
placing a plastic storage box next to your regular bin so rather than
separating the rubbish after you can simply reduce the amount of times
the smelly bin needs emptying and hopefully save a few arguments
about whose turn it is! Remember, the tins and bottles will need a really
quick rinse while you wash up as no-one wants your bean juice on them
when they come to collect!
Check www.recyclenow.org for more information and see the links for
your local area’s collection days.
Blue Bin
Green Bin
OK Magazines/Newspapers/Brochures
OK Cardboard/Wrapping Paper
OK Dry Food Packaging (i.e. cereal boxes)
OK Telephone Directories
OK Writing paper and envelopes
OK Plastic milk and soft drink bottles
OK Shampoo and conditioner bottles
OK Cleaning product containers
OK Drinks cans
OK Food Tins
OK Aerosols and clean tin foil
OK Grass cuttings
OK Tree branches
OK Compost
OK Plants/Flowers
OK Animal bedding
X Tetrapak (some drinks cartons)
X Yoghurt Pots
X Margarine tubs
X Carrier Bags
X Cling Film
X Tissue Paper
X Glass (Take this to the bottle bank!)
X Kitchen waste
Everything else can be taken away in your normal black bin on its
fortnightly collection.
For more information about Over The Wall, visit their website:
www.otw.org.uk
Happy recycling!
Samantha Lister
Lucy Judd
The Junction
committee is back
and better than ever!
No longer content to skulk around the
university with the socially inept, we
are determined to bring volunteering out of the shadows and into the
spotlight.
We operate a series of ‘one day challenges,’ events which allow students
to volunteer within the community
without infringing too badly on their
studying (or drinking) activities. Events
are organised by the committee and
include working with disadvantaged
children, organising sporting events,
reading in hospitals, renovation
projects and environmental protection. Whatever your interests and skills,
Junction has something to suit you!
Our inaugural one-day challenge,
which has been running successfully for the past two years, involves a
Halloween party for approximately 30
children from the Young Carers Federation. These kids, aged between 7 –
11, are given a break from the rigorous
demands of their every day lives,
with a variety of activities including
face painting, story telling, and group
games such as the ‘rolling pumpkins
relay’ and ‘pin the wart on the witch.’
This event is scheduled to take place
at Nottingham Trent University on
Saturday 27th October.
A campaign that WelCam will be
running very soon is the Don’t Panic
campaign. During the lead up to
Christmas in Nottingham we see
students rushing and panicking into
signing for their accommodation
for the next academic year. This
frenzy is largely based on the false
speculation that there is a shortage
of student accommodation and all
the best properties are snapped
up early.
It is estimated that there are just
over 40,000 students in Nottingham that require accommodation,
and there will be up to 7,500 bed
spaces vacant. So we see that the
market is in YOUR favour and the
frenzy is an attempt by some of the
housing agencies and landlords to
fill their portfolio of houses as soon
as possible.
If you wait until March/April time
you find yourself in a better position
to negotiate a better deal. Waiting
also gives you more time to think
about who you want to live with.
If you’re a Fresher then you’ll have
only lived with your flatmates for
6 weeks by mid November and,
whilst they may be fantastic mates,
if you fall out with that person you
are then signed into a contract to
live with them for following year.
Ollie Kasper
Welfare & Equal Opportunities Officer
Next up we have a tea dance with
The Radford Care Group. Volunteers
spend a few hours hanging out with
Nottingham’s senior citizens, with
refreshments and dancing thrown in
for good measure. This event, which
is hopefully to be held on Wednesday
14th November, was such a success
last year we were pleased to be
invited back again for a dance-off
rematch.
With a multitude of events lined up
for late 2007 and early 2008, including
those pencilled in during Student
Volunteering Week (end of February,)
there are many opportunities to do
your bit for the community. So whether you’re a fresher wishing to make
new friends, a final year student looking for that something extra for your
CV, or just a very nice person, why not
sign up for one of our challenges and
brighten up somebody’s day.
For more info, email either Laura.
[email protected] or Junction@
su.ntu.ac.uk
Laura Kirk
Junction Project Leader
Features
So guys, its the time of year
where fancy dress is
socially accepted
outside of Kinki. Spent a lot
already? Haven't got much
to spend on a costume? If
so, Platform has a solution
for you...
DIY Halloween
Costumes for
under a fiver!
Halloween
Events in
Nottingham
Ghost
Always an inexpensive option, and cut holes in an old sheet or the
cheapest one you can find, and hey presto your giving Casper a run for his
money.
Angel / Fairy
Again a sheet is needed, this time spray the sheet with glitter hairspray
and cut out a hole for your head. For wings, halos and wands a few wire
hangers and tin foil will work a treat.
Nerd
This is so easy, find a shirt, button it up wrong. Get the hairspray and slick
your hair back, find some pants that are too small or attack some old ones
with scissors and to finish a pair of white socks and glasses/tape combo
and your good to go.
Tourist
Loud clothes, camera, hat and maps stuck into every available pocket.
Rock Star
Torn Clothes, spiked hair, lots of safety pins and a dog collar for the rock
look. For added effect find an arty housemate/friend/anyone who can
paint your face a la Kiss.
Halloween for grown ups
Nottingham Castle
31st Oct
7.30 – 9.00pm
£5
Booking essential: 0115 9153651
Ghost Evening
Newstead Abbey
October 18th-20th, 27th & 31st
£14
Ghostly tales and going on’s. Price
inslude glass of wine and nibbles.
Upcoming Stride
Training and
Development
Sessions:
Tuesday 30th October
4-6pm
City Campus
Wednesday 31st October
1:30-3:30pm
City Campus
Thursday 1st November
4-6pm
Clifton Campus
Tuesday 6th November
4-6pm
City Campus
Wednesday 7th November
1:30-3:30pm
City Campus
Thursday 8th November
4-6pm
Clifton Campus
Book your free sessions online at www.trentstudents.org/stride or call into the Stride Office at The Soap Station in Byron House for a booking form. Take skills in your stride…
From just £1
Ever wondered if the castle is
haunted? Do you dare find out?
Come Halloween, its doors will be
open and invites those who are
brave enough to explore the darker
side of the castle and its grounds
for an evening of gruesome tales
and games.
Booking essential: 01623 455900
Perfect Presentations Motivation Skills
Perfect Presentations
Essay Writing & Referencing
Dealing with Difficult People
Essay Writing & Referencing
Civilization awaits.
+
=
Book early and go home to
London or Leeds for the price
of a couple of tins of beans.
www.nationalexpress.com
making travel simpler
£1 funfares are also available across the country to 52 destinations. Funfares are subject to availability and are only available online at www.nationalexpress.com
Funfares are sold in accordance with the National Express general conditions of carriage, which can be found at www.nationalexpress.com
Health
World Mental Health Day
Now that you’re all settling back into uni life, you’d better make sure that
you do all you can in order to avoid coming down with something at the
beginning of term. I’m primarily thinking about “vitaminization” this time.
Mental health can affect people in a variety of ways in the popular form of
stress, depression or paranoia. To raise awareness of these situations October
10th 2007 was World Mental Health Day. Since 1992 many events have been
held to mark the day, with this year focusing on global issues, promoting
the theme: ‘Mental Health in a changing world: the impact of culture and
diversity’. The organisers this year were highlighting current threats within
the world that are leaving people feeling ‘frustrated, powerless and anxious’.
Featuring high on the list of statistics is the threat of terrorism, immigration,
climate change and war, with disease and natural disasters also proving a
concern. Those taking part in the survey by ‘YOUGOV’ concluded that they
were reluctant to plan for the future because of this.
Breast Cancer
Awareness Month
In autumn and winter we all need more vitamins to support our immune
system. Plus some vitamins are accumulated in the body, so now you
can easily stock up on these helpful little nutrients, which not only help
prevent the common cold but also “immunise” you against autumn and
winter depression! Moreover, stress and all those nights when you get
less than enough sleep alongside the frequent consumption of alcohol all
want increased intake of vitamins.
October 2007 is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a
month dedicated to raising awareness, fundraising
and offering support to sufferers. Breast cancer is a
threat to almost anyone, women, men, the old and the
young. That’s why it’s important for everyone to make
the most of the events and information provided this
month in particular.
The popular myth that vegetable sources are incomplete should be
dismissed. Besides there are other benefits that go with eating fresh
vegetables and fruits. Firstly, you not only get vitamins in their natural
forms, but you simultaneously get the needed material for their digestion.
Secondly, the obtained vitamins are gradually and wholly absorbed unlike
many pills whose concentration is so high that just a part of them can be
digested.
Being the most common form of cancer in the UK,
40,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer each
year, with women over 50 years old facing the biggest
risk. Alarmingly this statistic is rising but due to quicker
detection, diagnosis and improved treatment more
people are surviving.
Though causes are not known, they are considered to be genetic and affected by the individual’s
lifestyle and environment. Though age is the biggest
risk factor, being overweight and drinking alcohol
regularly doesn’t help. It doesn’t take a scientist to
conclude that the healthier you are, the less risk you
face! Making simple lifestyle changes such as healthy
eating and regular exercise will help and scientific
analysis suggests that this may even prevent 1 in 10
cases of cancer diagnosis in the next two decades.
There is speculation that some contraceptive pills are
considered to increase the risk of breast cancer but the
benefits far outweigh the negatives, as the pill helps to
prevent pregnancy and ovarian cancer. Ignore the silly
Vital vitamins
myths like deodorant, underwired bras and bruising
can cause breast cancer, simply maintain a healthy,
balanced diet, keep fit and know your own body, this
way any changes will be easily recognised.
The ‘Breakthrough Breast Cancer’ organisation has
come up with an easy self-test technique called TLC
that women of all ages should regularly perform:
Touch, feel for anything unusual
Look for changes
Check anything unusual with your GP.
Whilst 9 out of 10 lumps are not cancerous it is very
important that they are checked out immediately.
You can get involved with this years campaign by
visiting www.breakthrough.org.uk where you can
find information about holding your own Pink Party,
there is even a page dedicated to helping university
fundraising events. The site also has a wide range of
merchandise available to buy, varying from Christmas
cards, ribbon pins and mobile phone charms.
You can also access lots of information about breast
cancer and find local events taking place on the site.
Amanda Yates
And last but not least, plant food does aid intestinal functionality, which
in itself is highly beneficial health-wise. What is more, who would want to
say no to those delicious apples, grapes, pears or carrots, with so many of
them in season now?
Susanna Lada
Facts provided by the ‘Mind’ organisation inform that every year 300 people
in Britain suffer from mentally associated problems, whilst only 230 of these
seek medical help. Less than half of these are then diagnosed as having a
problem, with some being referred to a psychiatric service. Only a small
number of these people then become patients in a specialist hospital. These
alarming statistics reveal that mental health issues are a growing concern
and are becoming more common so sufferers are encouraged to seek help
without feeling embarrassed or ashamed.
NTU offers a counselling service to students for guidance on dealing with
academic or personal issues. This is entirely confidential and after a short
waiting period a student is eligible for approximately six meetings each lasting around 50 minutes. A councillor will talk through personal anxieties or
simpler issues like time management to relieve academic stress.
As a more accessible way of getting help, NTU’s counselling service also
hold workshops on Presentation Anxiety, Beating Depression and Tackling
Anxiety and Panic. Students can attend these with friends and will be assured that they are not alone with their worries, as many of their peers are in
the same situation.
For more information on Mental Health Day check out www.mhf.org.uk/
Or for NTU’s Counselling Service call:
(0115) 8486487 (City campus)
(0115) 8486623 (Clifton campus)
(0115 8485292 (Brackenhurst campus)
Amanda Yates
Societies
1 Afternoon,
100 students were
asked 1 question…
On Tuesday 2nd October 5
members of Trent Christian Union
(City Campus) set up a stall on
Shakespeare Street between the
staircases for the Sub Bar and the
Glo Bar. During the afternoon we
stopped random students who
were passing by and asked them
to answer that one question…
‘If God came to earth what would
you ask him?’
The activity had a dual purpose.
Trent Christian Union want to know
what burning questions students
on campus have; as this helps
when planning for future events.
As well as this we wanted to leave
students thinking about the existence of God and encourage those
who maybe don’t class themselves
as religious to take a moment and
ponder on the biggest questions
of life.
Here is a selection of the answers
we got and as you can see; there’s
a variety of responses, some
serious and some… well not so
serious!
What about you?
It doesn’t matter if you don’t
consider yourself as religious
or spiritual – imagine getting
your chance to meet God and
being able to ask Him anything….
absolutely anything… what would
you ask him?
Put on the spot: some people
don’t find it so easy to give an answer – others find it difficult to just
limit it to one question! But given
a bit of time to ponder it seems
many students at Trent would love
to ask their Creator about how the
world really started or the purpose
of our existence. Others would
challenge Him about why He is not
doing anything about this messed
up world and some want to know
once and for all what happens
after death. In fairness it does make
sense to ask: if God created the
world - why doesn’t He come to
earth, sort it out and tell us about
what life is really all about?
The thing is… Trent Christian Un-
ion believes that God has already
done this. We believe that God
came down to earth, lived among
humanity and gave us answers
about what He is up to. We believe
that in Jesus we see God up close
– because the Bible claims that
in Jesus God came to earth and
showed us all what He is really like
and gave us answers to some of
our most burning questions.
The Bible has this to say about
Jesus…
John 1:10 'He was in the world, and
though the world was made through
him, the world did not recognize
him. 11 He came to that which was
his own, but his own did not receive
him. 12 Yet to all who received him,
to those who believed in his name, he
gave the right to become children of
God' - (NIV translation)
If you’d like to find out more about
Trent Christian Union you can
check out our website at www.
trentcu.com or email us at exec@
trentcu.com. We meet every
Wednesday (normally at the Sub
Bar) and you are more than welcome to join us. Alternatively come
and chat to us outside Climax on
Saturday nights where we serve
tea, coffee and hot chocolate.
Phillipe Ndabananiye
The Questions people asked:
Why Symmetry?
What is the meaning of life?
Are you real?
Why can’t I see your face?
What happens when you die?
Why am I here?
When were you born?
What are the lottery
numbers?
Are you a spurs fan?
What’s your favourite spice girl?
How old are you?
Will I get a job?
YOUR CONSERVATION
SOCIETY NEEDS YOU!
We have fun whatever we do,
during our practical activity days
on campus or out with external
organisations including Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and the
Forestry Commission.
We also enjoy a variety of social
events such as BBQs and pub
crawls. Whatever you’re looking
for, however much time you
have to spare, we definitely have
something for you.
We value your ideas and invite
you to become as involved as
you’d like, right up to committee level.
On top of all this we like to know
that we are all doing our bit to
help save our little corner of the
world. Come and support us!
If you wish to get in touch with
the society or get more information please email the committee
members below or visit www.
freewebs.com/ntuconsoc
Islamic Society
Salaam ALL! Most of you have seen or met the Islamic Society
at numerous fresher’s fair over the weeks. Our fab stall was
decked out with colourful eye catching art pieces, literature
and all sorts of relevant information vital for your Uni
survival.
For those who haven’t met us yet we are here to represent you
whilst at University to show you can be a student as well a
Muslim by keeping hold of your Islamic values and beliefs.
So, get involved! For more updates on all the stuff lined up
for this year, visit www.ntuisoc.com and watch this space…
Spot The Society
Your fortnightly chance to win great prizes! This week, we've got a boxing glove signed by Amir Khan up for
grabs. For a chance to win, simply complete the word search and figure out which society it is about, then email
your answer along with your student username (e.g. N0123456), your name, and your contact details to [email protected], no later than Wednesday 7th November.
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Find these words in the grid above for a chance to win:
ISLAM
FASTING
PRAYER
ALLAH
FAITH
MOSQUE
PEACE
PILGRIMAGE
MUSLIM
PROPHET
EID
CHARITY
Sports
In League Two, Notts County
boss Steve Thompson is coming
under increasing pressure following the Magpies slow start to
the season.
Right now, I’m writing this
and have just finished
watching Argentina v
South Africa in the World
Cup Semi Final. Whatever
Brian Ashton said to his
team since the group stages
made the world of difference. All I can say now is
that I’m laughing as I hear
the bottom right corner
of the pitch being referred
to as ‘Traille Corner’…and
as Bryan Habana leisurely
jogs over the line for
South Africa’s 35th point,
the game is over.
Audition Details
Date: Thursday 1st November
Time: Females 6-8pm and Males
8-10pm
Venue: Byron Lecture Theatre
Preparation: 1 song of your choice
and a short monologue (2 mins
max)
More Info: www.trentdance.org or
contact Rachelle on 07808400969
or [email protected]
Mark Crossley
If you’ve been to see
Nottingham play at ANYTHING
(Cricket, football, rugby, Ice
hockey, American football…
etc.) Then please send me
your report and see it
published in Platform.
So it’ll be England v South
Africa in the World Cup
Final. No doubt I’ll be covered in more Guinness like I
was in the semi final when
referee Jonathan Kaplan
blew the whistle.
As a matter of fact, if anyone
just wants to write for me
anyway, then let me know.
Email – sports.platform@
su.ntu.ac.uk.
Campaign for Kinki Kamara!
I’m also going to take this opportunity to join together with Trent TV and
Fly FM’s campaign for Kinki Kamara.
Halloween Special: The Ugly XI
For last year’s special, Tim provided
us with tales of the all-time most
horrific sports injuries. This Halloween I give you “The Ugly XI”.
I’ve picked mainly players in the
Premiership now. However, I felt
that two of the team were too ugly
NOT to be in. Feel free to email me
your suggestions. The best ugly
team will be shown at the end of
the year!
Jonathan Gravelle
Come join Trent Dance in their
biggest production to date, FAME
THE MUSICAL at the Royal Concert
Hall on Monday 18th February. If
you can sing, dance and act, please
come along and showcase your
talent.
Despite Neil MacKenzie levelling
up Steve Haslam’s opener against
Bury at Meadow Lane, the visiting side were always in control.
Paul Scott marched through to
put Bury infront for a second
time, and when ex County striker
Glynn Hurst was felled with a
minute remaining, Nicky Adams
tucked away the Shakers’ third
from the spot. To make things
worse, on loan striker Danny
Crow was stretchered off, leaving
both Thompson and County
short of goals and short of points.
Officially, of course, the
result of the weekend was
Scotland beating Ukraine
3-1 to keep a hold on group
B in the European Qualifiers.
I’ve just been made aware
that bookkeepers across
the country are offering
odds of 50-1 if England
football and rugby teams
AND Lewis Hamilton win. Anyone who took this bet will
now be biting their fingers
and crossing their nails
that Formula One’s new
golden boy comes good
next weekend in Brazil.
Jonathan Gravelle
Calling all
talented
performers!
Notts County v Bury
14th October 2007: I spent
yesterday watching England win. They beat Estonia
3-0. They beat France 14-9. Ok
so they lost in the cricket
by 107 runs but I wasn’t
watching that. Meanwhile,
on Planet ‘What the Hell?!’
Wales lost 3-1 to Cyprus
(and a great result it was
for the Cypriot & Hellenic
Society)
‘The Ugly XI’ are:
GK
D
D
D
D
M
M
M
M
ST
ST
Steve Ogrizovich - Coventry
Jolean Lescott - Everton
Martin Keown - Arsenal
Rio Ferdinand - Man Utd
Hermann Hreidarsson - Portsmouth
Phil Neville - Everton
Yossi Benayoun - Liverpool
Peter Crouch - Liverpool
Jimmy Bullard Fulham
Carlos Tevez - Man Utd
Robert Earnshaw – Derby
49 year old Chris Kamara is Sky Sports leading pundit, having had a
successful footballing career with sleeping giants such as Brentford and
Swindon Town.
Renowned for his wit, wacky antics and being downright better in every
way than Mark Lawrenson, he is also related to a member of Trent’s very
own Executive Committee... no prizes for guessing who (no, honestly, you
won’t guess correctly)
After the heated debate on Fly FM on Thursday 4th October with Carl
McQueen and Steve Toplis, we are now calling on all to join the ‘Kinki
Kamara’ Facebook group and let there be an eleventh Kinki... the ultimate
Kinki... Kinki Kamara.
The Exec have declared that if a total of 2000 students join the Facebook
group, then it will become a reality... this may seem a steep number, but
we can do this. If we do, it would be unbelievable, Jeff.
Carl Mcqueen
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