(TCS) Lent Issue 7 - The Cambridge Student
Transcription
(TCS) Lent Issue 7 - The Cambridge Student
NME Tour Interviews and Reviews The CambridgeStudent Thursday, 25th February 2010 Lent Issue Seven Call for action on smart drugs Becky Sage Deputy News Editor Pressure is mounting for the University to take action on the increased use of cognition enhancing drugs. A behavioural neuroscientist at the University of Cambridge has warned that universities must address the increasing use of so-called ‘smart drugs’ such as modafinil and Ritalin by students, as reported in The Cambridge Student (TCS) earlier this term. Students have echoed these concerns. Sophie Walker, an Archaeology and Anthropology student, told TCS that “the university should start a campaign to highlight the negative effects of taking smart drugs and to remind students that taking cognition enhancing drugs is a form of cheating,” although she said that testing should only be introduced “if there is a continued increase in the use of smart drugs” Taking drugs “is a form of cheating” Photo: Dr Thomas Enslein Prize winning photo Lent Bumps in the Snow Full story page 3 p.28 Tweed Reconsidered On Sunday, neuroscientist Professor Barbara Sahakian argued: “This is something that universities really have to discuss. They should have some strategy, some kind of active policy.” In particular, she pointed to urine testing as a potential way to identify users of the drugs. Although the drugs are normally prescribed for neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease and narcolepsy, they may be obtained over the internet. In addition, modafinil is not listed as a controlled substance in the UK, making it easily available. Polls in the US indicate that 16% of students are using these drugs to increase alertness and improve mental performance. In an article entitled ‘Professor’s Little Helper’, published in Nature magazine in 2007 with Dr. MoreinZamir, also at Cambridge, Professor Sahakian suggested that “Universities may have to decide whether to ban drug use altogether, or to tol- p.17 erate it in some situations”. The drugs’ use within universities is not confined to students. In a lecture at the Royal Institute on Monday, Professor Sahakian said that one UK colleague had admitted using modafinil fortnightly to allow sustained intellectual activity, finding the drug “mild but very valuable”. Cognitive-enhancing drugs increase word-finding ability which, Professor Sahakian points out, would be particularly useful to lecturers. Professor Sahakian suggested urine testing More generally, a recent poll in Nature revealed that one fifth of the 1,400 respondents used cognitive enhancing drugs; of this proportion, 52% obtained the drug through prescription and 34% via the internet. In addition, 33% said they would feel pressured to give drugs to their children if other children were taking performance-enhancing drugs. Professor Sahakin has particularly emphasised the coercive aspects of ‘smart drug’ use, pointing out that “Some students say they feel it is cheating, and it puts pressure on them to feel they have to use these drugs when they don’t really want to”. However, Andrew Lomas, a second-Year historian at Churchill, disagreed. He told TCS: “I don’t feel outraged that some students might be using them when I’m not - I think that I can cope with my workload, and achieve what I want to achieve without them; if others have to take drugs to do so, that’s their problem.” In addition, he stated that “I can’t say I know of anyone who has taken anything stronger than caffeine to aid their academic performance.” TCS spoke to a number of students who expressed similar sentiments, suggesting that the statistics cited in Nature do not appear to reflect the experience of Cambridge students. Sam Stamp, from Emmanuel Continued on page 4 The Merchant of Venice p.18 02|News News in Brief Dons fear for freedom of speech Cyclist advocates helmet use following head injury Price of bus tickets in Cambridge to increase Stagecoach bus tickets in Cambridge will become more expensive on February 28th. Dayrider tickets, which provide unlimited travel for a day in Cambridge will now cost £3.40. A country-wide pass will now cost £5.20. A megarider, lasting for a week, will now cost £11.50 and a Park and Ride return will cost £2.60 from the driver, and £2.30 from a ticket machine. Councillor Stewart Newbold has criticised the rises as likely to cause most harm to the most financially vulnerable, but Stagecoach has defended itself arguing that the increases are unavoidable given rising fuel costs. Got an idea for a story? Email [email protected] Get involved: Come to our news meeting on Sunday 3.45pm at the Old Exam Halls, New Museums Site Thursday, February 25, 2010 Spate of burglaries in colleges Alex Cooke Deputy News Editor Students have been warned of the need for vigilance after a sharp increase in burglaries from college properties in February. Earlier this month, the porters of St John’s College were notified by the police about a series of burglaries in student accommodation. Head Porter Paul Doxey sent an email to all students informing them of the burglaries, and warning that although none had occurred inside St John’s, they had all been committed in the immediate area. He told The Cambridge Student (TCS) that John’s College closely liase with the poice, who provide information about local crime which is college related. A series of bike thefts have also occurred at Clare College Memorial Court. Verification of this was given by PC Simon Railer, who told TCS: “We are currently investigating these crimes and are working closely with the University.” Bike theft is a perennial problem at Cambridge. Ben Mortimer, third year English student at Clare College, was a recent victim. He told TCS: “My bike was stolen at the beginning of this term. Ironically, I had carried it across London and on the tube, and then after one day of being back in college, it was stolen! It was strange how the thieves went about nicking it though – they knocked all the numbers off the combination lock. It was quite valuable and I reckon that is why it was stolen, but now I have a cheap bike and I don’t worry about it. I know at least two other people who have had their bikes stolen, and if you look in the bike shed the locks lying on the floor show that bike theft is a problem here.” “Taking items that do not belong to you is THEFT” Students at Trinity Hall were warned by their Head Porter, Mark Whitehead, that theft in colleges is a growing problem. They were told that most incidents had occurred due to doors being left unlocked and that precautions should be taken to make sure rooms are secured and students are aware of who they are letting into the college. However, it is not just theft committed by those outside the University that students need to be concerned by. An email sent to all students at Newnham College by Marion Gale, Halls Officer, indicated that petty theft committed by students is also a serious problem. Gale wrote: “This is a polite reminder that taking items that do not belong to you is defined as THEFT. Theft is a CRIME and punishable by law. There have been numerous incidents reported of theft in student kitchens, with even more having been sent to me today. Taking (or “borrowing”) food from fridges no matter how little, removing other people’s cutlery, cooking implements or crockery, or taking the cleaning up liquid (don’t know why you’d want that to be honest!) is THEFT. Please be aware that unless you ask for the owner’s permission to use their belongings YOU ARE STEALING. It doesn’t matter whether they’ve been left in a public space or not.” CUSU accused of censorship Andrew Georgiou News Reporter Chris Lillycrop, candidate for CUSU Coordinator at the upcoming CUSU elections, has complained about the redaction of his manifesto by the CUSU Elections Committee. The following sentence was blanked out: “Employing a Union Development Manager costs 10% of our annual budget: we must stop spending money we can’t afford on a position we don’t need.” Lillycrop does not believe that the employment of a Union Development Manager (UDM) is acceptable if CUSU’s current economic position is considered, although he made it clear that he would follow due process in all the interactions he would have with the UDM himself, and that his views are merely ideas on how CUSU itself could develop. According to CUSU’s budget for 2009-10, as passed by CUSU Council in Easter 2009, the Manager cost CUSU £39,250 this year. In Lillycrop’s manifesto he outlines how “CUSU’s staff has grown rapidly over the past few years so that they now outnumber Sabbatical Officers”. He added: “CUSU needs to question the wisdom of continually enlarging its staff. “CUSU is about to come under severe financial pressure as our £80,000 per year deal for the Careers Handbook comes to an end. The Coordinator will have to balance priorities to address this new situation. We must stop cutting core Union budgets to pay for unnecessary self-promotion, external relations and staff costs.” Lillycrop sees cost-cutting as one of the major duties that the CUSU Coordinator will have to undertake next year. He feels that the redaction has seriously affected his manifesto as he feels that his outline of how he would deal with funding shortfalls were some of his key statements. Lillycrop alleges that Duncan Mann, the current UDM, influenced the decision that there was a legal imperative to redact his manifesto. He suggests that there is a conflict of interest present. However, the decision to print a redaction was made solely by the CUSU Elections Committe, a body which is not answerable to the UDM. The CUSU Elections Committee, however, has argued that the redaction was necessary for legal reasons. In a clarification of election rules, the Elections Committee stated: “Due to relevant employment law and legislation, candidates may not make statements about the suitability or viability of individual staff positions (including, but not limited to, manifestos, verbal statements or written material online). “This ruling is not intended to unnecessarily restrict candidates’ campaigning, but to ensure that candidates’ campaigns are conducted in such a way that the CUSU elections process abides by relevant UK law.” In a further statement to The Cambridge Student (TCS), the Elections Committee explained that the decision was made after “consultation with relevant staff members at the NUS as well as individual research into the relevant legislation regarding employment rights”. They cited the Employment Rights Act of 1996. The views expressed in this article are not the opinions of CUSU. Comments expressed in this article are the opinions of individuals, and not of The Cambridge Student. Oxonians warned not to deal heroin Lauren Garland News Reporter Students at Christ Church College, Oxford, have been cautioned against the supply and use of heroin. College authorities circulated an email warning undergraduates that they will be handed over to police, and may be sent down, if they are found in possession of the class A drug. The step was taken following the receipt of a letter sent anonymously to the college, alleging the existence of a “considerable drugs culture” in Christ Church. The letter directly accuses one individual, but the police have been unable to initiate an investigation as the allegation does not constitute valid evidence. Olivia Channon died of an overdose Junior Censor Ian Watson, who is in charge of discipline, sent an email to students that emphasises breaches of the law will not be tolerated by the college. In the email, he states that “the censors have neither the power nor the wish to protect anyone who breaks it.” This is not the first time Christ Church has been linked to heroin. Olivia Channon, daughter of Conservative MP Paul Channon, died of an overdose at the college in 1986, during a post-examination celebration. The drugs party was held by Count Gottfried von Bismarck who himself then died following abuse of Class A drugs, in 2007. Students at the college, however, remain sceptical about the allegations. An anonymous third year told Cherwell, Oxford’s student newspaper, that whilst he was aware of some drug use in Christ Church, he was “pretty shocked about the heroin”. He added: “It looks like some nutter coming in, seeing a few people looking rough, and saying they’re all smack-heads. It’s palpably false.” As yet, the accusations levelled against Christ Church students remain uncorroborated. Allegations of this nature have not been reported in Cambridge. However, one second year student, who admits to using drugs during his time at university, told The Cambridge Student that though he has “never heard about students taking heroin in Cambridge”, he does know of students using other Class A drugs in the past. Yet he adds that “the term ‘drugs culture’ is sensationalist – the use of drugs is no more widespread than in any other university and does not pose a problem for the majority of students. The issue is blown out of proportion when Oxbridge students are involved.” Photo: adamr.stone A twenty-nine year old Cambridge cyclist who was knocked off her bike on the Chesterton Road on January 26th has spoken to the press about the importance of wearing cycle helmets. Claire McMahon-Lee, a marketing assistant, sustained a fractured skull in the accident and spent a week in Addenbrookes Hospital’s Neuro Critical Care Unit. Speaking to Cambridge News, Ms McMahon-Lee said, “I have learnt, in a horrendously painful way, such a simple fact: wearing a helmet can potentially save your life.” CambridgeStudent Photo: Christine Bartram Proposed changes to Cambridge University’s dismissal, discipline and grievances procedures have been modified this week following strong protests from Regent House. Dons were concerned that their freedom of speech might have been inhibited by the new proposals and that they might become easier to sack. Historically, dons have been able to appeal to two authorities when faced with dismissal, the University Tribunal and the Septemviri. This system had been challenged, but the official notice published by the Council and General Board has now stated that it will be retained. The The Thursday, February 25, 2010 CambridgeStudent News|03 Controversy over public exam results Jen Mills News Editor The issue of whether exam results should be publicly available has reemerged this week, after students raised concerns that photographs of the 2009 class lists are currently available online. Only those with a university Raven log-in account can access the website where the results are published, however on ‘The Student Room’ internet forum, users have offered to send the class lists to anyone, including people from outside the University, who request them in a private message. One class list, for Medical and Veterinary Science, is publicly available for anybody to view. The founder of the thread advertising the results, a contributer named “Vazzyb” who describes themselves as a medical student at Gonville and Caius, requested students reluctant to upload photos to “please, for the love of god, put them up publicly!!” Moa Hoijer, a second year ASNaC student, was dismayed to find out that her results could be accessed online. She told The Cambridge Student (TCS): “This is infuriating. Exam results should be kept strictly personal during one’s time at University, i.e. between the student and the University. The system of displaying them publically outside Senate House is bad enough - there is no need to further enforce this anachronistic practice.” One member of for the internet forum, who calls themselves ‘Nyet’, was in favour of all results being available. They wrote: “If you spent the year doing mindless rowing with other idiots and got a 2.2, serves you right.” The Pembroke student who set up the website defended it to TCS, saying that “by collecting the class lists on one easily accessible (but restricted) website, it discouraged (and actually prevented) The Student Room users from uploading them to a public location and sharing them that way, which has occurred in previous years.” The results system has recently been modifed so that this year will be the first in which students are guaranteed the opportunity to find out their results online, before they are displayed at Senate House. At a CUSU Council meeting on Monday, Education Officer Sam Wakeford announced that all students would receive an email telling them to check their results on CamSIS, at least half an hour in advance of the list publication. Wakeford felt that this move was a positive step, however he stressed that there was still room for improvement. He argued that the notice given to students before results are published “should be 24 or 48 hours as an absolute minimum - rather than potentially only 30 minutes.” Currently, to get their names removed from the Senate House lists, students must prove that their publication would cause significant distress. Last year, 12.5% of requests were rejected. In reality this figure may be higher as it does not take into account students advised by their tutors not to pursue their application. Students have traditionally found out their results outside Senate House ogy. It depicts an ant withstanding monstrous pulling forces, carrying a mass more than a hundred times its body weight. Endlein explained to The Cambridge Student (TCS): “Weaver ants were my model organism to study the conflict of locomotion and adhesion”. He went on to say that ants can suspend “even up to 1000 times their own body weight”. Endlein reflected that he “wanted to highlight the fragility of the ant’s body which juxtaposes with the solidity of the weight. Moreover, the two things contrast nicely in colour: the organic, warm red of the ant with the cold metallic silver of the weight.” Endlein’s creativity has struck a chord with the public, making him an overnight sensation in nearly all the national newspapers. Modestly he states that his aim Photo: robep, flickr Researcher wins photography competition with uplifting ant-ics Parin Shah News Reporter Art and science clashed in the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) photography competition, with the winner providing a perfect antidote to the view that science lacks aesthetics. The photo was taken by Dr Thomas Endlein, then working in the Cambridge department of Zool- was to “inspire people to think differently about insects: not just as annoying ‘bugs’ but as fantastic creatures.” Mathematics student Alex Owen said, “I know that numbers and formulae can be beautiful, but ants? I just didn’t think it was possible. It’s a remarkable photograph which makes me want to tread a lot more carefully!” The BBSRC said “it won first prize because it was a beautiful image and managed to convey complex science”. For the scientific, some of the ant’s physical controls “combine active neuronal and muscular mechanisms with very clever passive mechanisms which reduce the complexity of their neuronal network.” For the rest of you, feel free to just marvel at what is a tremendously pretty picture. Union Sketch This House would Remove Restrictions to File Sharing Online Ayes: 61 On one point all the evening’s speakers were unanimous: this debate was not about Miley Cyrus. This news might well have disappointed the President who was revealed to be a big fan of the young artist, but, as his Vice President was keen to point out, the implications of file sharing went far beyond sharing the tracks of major pop stars. The Proposition argued that file Abstentions: 73 sharing was an important foundation stone of an open and democratic society, and that laws which sought to restrict this could only succeed if they eroded individual freedom and restricted the awesome potential of the internet. John Enser, of the Opposition, disagreed, asserting that breaching copyright posed the greater threat to civil liberties; he quoted Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in his defence. Richard Mollet went further and, after highlighting the importance of copyright in every type of industry, judged illegal file sharing to be both morally indefensible and economically illiterate. Rick Falkvinge of the Swedish Pirate Party responded by recalling how, as with the motor car in the Noes: 78 nineteenth century and the printing press in the Middle Ages, new technologies were always received with hostility by the older industries that they threatened to render obsolete. However, Enser retaliated by arguing that if all regulation from file sharing was removed, the world would return to the Middle Ages where only the wealthy would be able to afford to engage in creative or artistic endeavour. In the end it was difficult to come down on either side of the house; liberty was used both to attack and defend the motion. It seemed the solution resided somewhere in the middle. For this reason your writer abstained. Nick King The 04|News Continued from front page College, suggested that “if it’s true that these drugs would improve performance then I could definitely believe that a lot of people in the university would take them.” Arguments have also been raised regarding whether taking so-called ‘smart drugs’ constitutes cheating. In the 2007 Nature article, Professor Sahakian pointed out that “just as one would hardly propose that a strong cup of coffee could be the secret of academic achievement or faster career advancement, the use of such drugs does not necessarily entail cheating.” Shelley Batts, at the neuroscience blog Retrospectacle, supports this view: “A pill will never inform you as to the correct answer on a multiple choice test or give you the answer to any essay question. It will only improve the focus and grasp on information which you already know.” Despite this, concern still persists in the student community. Nicole Chambers, from Homerton College, said that “I definitely think that some Push to end poverty Jennifer Boon Deputy News Editor The Global Poverty Project (GPP) is holding its official Cambridge launch tomorrow. The event will take place at 7pm at 3 Parson’s Court, Cambridge Corn Exchange and will be the first opportunity in the UK to see the Global Poverty Project’s presentation 1.4 Billion Reasons. According to the GPP website, the presentation, which has already been launched across Australia, New Zealand and Canada, “clearly articulates the facts of extreme poverty and demonstrates that by making simple changes everyone can be a part of the solution.” Speaking to The Cambridge Student (TCS) Hugh Evans, the CEO of the GPP and a Masters student at Cambridge University, explained that he was launching the UK campaign in Cambridge because that was where the genesis of the plan had taken place. Mr Evans has been planning the project for two years, since his arrival in Cambridge. Mr Evans described the student response to 1.4 Billion Reasons as “phenomenal” and “overwhelming.” He is expecting between 800 and 1000 people to attend Friday’s event. Laura O’Reilly, the GPP Cambridge General Manager, stated that they hope that the audience on Friday will be made up of students and locals in equal numbers. Last Saturday the GPP held a ‘Freeze’ in the centre of town to raise awareness for the event this Friday. Between forty and fifty GPP members stood still for five minutes wearing t-shirts advertising events. Volunteers were also handing out flyers and decorated Market Square with balloons. The event on Friday will begin with speeches by Professor Christopher Dobson, master of St John’s College and Ranjit Singh, the Central and Eastern UK Manager for The Cooperative. Ms O’Reilly told TCS that those attending the event will receive free fair trade chocolate and free entry to Cindies for the after party. A Charities Fair will also take place on 26th February in the lobby of the Corn Exchange. A variety of GPP’s partner organisations, such as Oxfam and Engineers without Borders, will be attending. Mr Evans emphasised that Friday’s event is the beginning and not the end of his organisation’s work in Cambridge. The GPP will be running a series of follow-up workshops at King’s College on 2nd–4th March and 10th–11th March, which will provide students with a guide to practical actions including volunteering, promoting fair trade and increasing political involvement. Ms O’Reilly stated that, on Friday, “Students will be educated, informed and, we hope, inspired.” CambridgeStudent kind of drugs testing should be implemented, throughout the year, and during the exams.” “I definitely think some kind of drugs testing should be implemented” Concluding Monday’s lecture, Professor Sahakian acknowledged that “pharmacological enhancement is one solution to improving society”, Thursday, February 25 2010 but emphasised that other solutions – such as regular exercise, and a healthy work-life balance – should not be precluded. She also raised concerns that students are not aware of what they are buying when purchasing medication on the internet. The University has emphasised the alternative support available for students who wish to increase their academic performance. Professor John Rallison, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education, said: “The University does not approve of any non-medicinal drug taking. Colleges would discourage this for any students who felt it necessary to take performance enhancing stimulants to help with their studies and/or examinations, and would wish to support them in other ways.” Speaking to TCS, Diane Rainsbury, Secretary at the Cambridge University Board of Examinations, did not detail the policy of the University regarding ‘smart-drugs’ testing. She said that the Board was “not in a position to give a firm conclusion as to what our policy is going to be in this respect”. Comment: My experience on modafinil ? I must admit to finding the current controversy over ‘smart drugs’ somewhat intriguing. Cards on the table, and for the purposes of giving the reader some context to this opinion piece: I am a recreational drug taker, and have been for many years. Rather than explain the whys and wherefores and a whole bunch of personal stuff that is really none of your business - I’ll just say that my own experiences mirror those of the legendary Bill Hicks, so I’ll leave it to him to explain: “I’ll tell you something honestly about drugs, honestly, and I know it’s not a very popular idea, you don’t hear it very often anymore, but it is the truth: I had a great time doing drugs. Sorry. Never murdered anyone, never robbed anyone, never raped anyone, never beat anyone, never lost a job, a car, a house, a wife or kids, laughed my ass off, and went about my day.” ‘Smart drugs’ have in truth never been something that have appeared on my own personal radar. To be honest, the only occasion that I have ever been aware of chemicals being deliberately used in an academic context, was at sixth form during A Levels, when quite a number of the middle class ‘helicopter’ parents put their daughters on the Pill– so the girls could control their menstrual cycles during exam weeks. I am aware of course that prescription medication such as Ritalin and modafinil have apparently been used by people in an attempt to improve their scholarly performance but it’s certainly not something I’m conscious of here in Cambridge. By contrast, I would confirm that, in my experience, use of ‘recreational’ drugs at Cambridge is of course just as common here as it is in any other part of the country or sector of society. Therefore, out of a mixture of idle curiosity and sheer naked devilment, in what was going to be quiet week, academically speaking - I managed to procure a small supply of generic modafinil, just to see what on earth all the fuss about ‘smart drugs’ was about. My experience on modafinil was certainly not unpleasant, but it seems to me that it offers very limited potential help to anyone hoping for some sort of panacea to the relative demands and rigeurs of study at Cambridge. Having tried it for three days, it seems to do little (on an otherwise reasonably healthy human being such as myself) but make you feel reasonably awake, alert and perhaps just a little bit more motivated than you might otherwise be. There’s certainly no ‘rough edge’ to it, as you would typically get from other stimulants such as amphetamines, nor is there a ‘buzz’ or ‘rush’ which would see a drug like modafinil spill over into a ‘recreational’ drug of choice amongst students. In my experience it’s a mild stimulant that really isn’t going to offer anyone significant help in say, revising for exams. In my case at least, I honestly did not feel that it acted to enhance any cognitive function and didn’t feel it has much use as an aid for academic performance. All in all, I suppose, it’s perhaps half a step up from the effect you’d get from a few early nights and eating sensibly, I really can’t see it improving anyone’s grades. So having tried it myself, I really am not convinced that this particular ‘smart drug’ is somehow going to rock the world of academia to its core, or should be of any great concern to University authorities here at Cambridge or throughout the rest of the country. Moreover, holding the fiercely libertarian views I do, I must admit that I find the recent press articles advocating drug testing for students extremely worrying, and should the media and a few self-appointed ‘welfare’ zealots get their way, it would be an utterly disgraceful and unwarranted intrusion into the personal lives of everyone studying here. The Thursday, February 25, 2010 CambridgeStudent News|05 Trinity Hall abolish JCR Women’s Officer cer has been replaced by the poSpoiling the ballot Offi sition of a Student Support Officer Students at Trinity Hall have voted to abolish the position of Women’s Officer on their JCR committee. The emergency motion passed by a two-thirds majority, and the duties of the former Women’s Officer are to be assumed by the Women’s Welfare representative, which includes attending CUSU Women’s Union. James Taggart, former Trinity Hall JCR President, proposed the motion several hours before the open meeting after no candidates nominated themselves for the position. Speaking to The Cambridge Student (TCS), he described the move as “a recognition that we no longer feel that women require additional representation. We feel that we’ve reached that point at Trinity Hall. Therefore, the removal of the Women’s Officer should actually be seen as a success for women’s rights”. He also emphasised that “many colleges already function without a Women’s Officer, so maybe other JCRs will decide to follow suit in the near future.” JCR President, James Horscroft, supported the motion. There was, he believed, an “overlap in job descriptions”, whereby the responsibilities could be amalgamated into one role. He concluded that it was “a very positive change for women’s rights This week the CUSU elections candidates were revealed and campaigning is now in full swing. In the race for President, far left Beccy Talmy is up against Rahul Mansigani, who seems to have no views or policies at all. Talmy outclassed him at the hustings, but her anarcho-communist views may be too extreme for the average voter. The battle for Education Officer looks to be close. Maria Helmling has an impeccable record of getting stuff done in the Music Faculty, but her two catchphrases were cringeworthy. Up against her, Luke Hawksbee is an openly far-left candidate who would focus his efforts nationally. Sarah Peters-Harrison husted first for the position of Women’s Officer outlining her idea of an ‘inclusive, dynamic and effective’ campaign on women’s rights. Goulding favoured women’s colleges arguing the need for positive discrimination to readdress the balance. After the recent referendum, the position of Welfare and Graduates Roanna Mottershead News Reporter in Cambridge as it reflects the belief among the students that sexism is no longer as much of an issue as it has been in the past”. The motion was also backed by the departing Women’s Officer Zoë Proud, who told TCS: “the debate comes down to the question: how do we know when we don’t need a Women’s Officer any more? The only way we answer that question is by putting it to the JCR, who responded by supporting the motion, and I feel we should respect that decision.” “as Women’s Officers, we work to make our own roles obsolete” “I understand the concerns surrounding the merge, but we are not doing the post of Women’s Officer a disservice.We are recognising this as a positive change which reflects the inclusive nature of the Trinity Hall community.” Stephanie Davin, outgoing Welfare Officer, distanced herself from the changes, stating that “I personally did not support the emergency motion”, although she acknowledged that “those present at the meeting were extremely supportive”. CUSU Women’s Officer, Natalie Szarek, was disappointed by the decision. She argued that the motion “contradicts any effort to address institutional sexism, and denies students in Trinity Hall an active voice for equality. “The Women’s Officer role is a vital complement to the welfare role, not simply an aspect of it. Gender inequality is not just a case of welfare needs, it is a representative and campaigning position which pushes for change on all levels.” The motion provoked a strong reaction from many Women’s Officers: Amadea Bentheim, of Emmanuel College, expressed concern over the way in which voting was organised, believing it “unfair that such a large decision would be made with only a few hours notice to rally support, or indeed, rally opposition”. “The fact that one third voted in favour of the role shows that there are still members of the community who feel that the position is necessary, proving that the scenario of there being no more change needed is sadly not the case.” King’s College Women’s Officer, Hannah Bass, agreed that “Gender inequality remains rife, with far fewer female fellows, and fewer women than men achieving Firsts in Tripos examinations. “The curious position of the Women’s Officer is that, essentially, we work to make our roles obsolete - but that day seems far off, given the institutional sexism still facing women”. Grayden Webb shared with the Graduate Union. Morgan Wild is the only candidate for this position and spoke unsurprisingly of his intent to build the relationship between CUSU and the GU. The best speech of the night was delivered by Andy McGowan for Access Officer. McGowan demonstrated an insightful understanding of the problems of those students who are not eligible for much help, but are still hard up. CUSU Council was the only chance for the NUS delegates to stand out. The election is dominated by the factions with Mansigani typically promising no policies except ‘representing students’. Fatima Junaid, CUSU Chair, was strong in hustings. Finally, Elections Committee seems to have got itself in a muddle. After the Returning Officer agreed with TCS that two candidates broke the rules, Elections Committee rewrote the rules retrospectively and found they hadn’t broken the new rules. Elections Committee subsequently reprimanded Chris Lillycrop for making his Facebook group public before the close of nominations, despite being told he could do so by a member of the committee and even though the group didn’t advertise his nomination. Elections Committee failed to comment when asked. BCG WEEKLY PUZZLE 7 The Varsity Truel Three students from Cambridge, Oxford and London have a falling out one day and, feeling somewhat dramatic, decide to settle their differences with a (three-way) duel. The student f r o m Cambridge (although charming and ta l e n te d ) i s a p o o r s h o t , and only hits their target 1/3 of the time. The student from Oxford hits their target 2/3 of the time, and the London student never m i s s e s . K n o wing their relative s t re n g t h s , a n d keen to m a k e t h e ‘truel’ a fair contest, they agree to take it in turns to re a shot. Cambridge rst, then Oxford, then London, and so on until only one is le alive. Who should the plucky Cambridge student aim at with their rst shot? For the experts, if each student adopts their best strategy, who is most and least likely to win? What are the odds? If you want to know the answer to this weeks puzzle, or nd out more about working at BCG, please visit puzzle.bcglondon.com Would you like to write for us? Please email: [email protected] wk7_bcg_CUSU_19feb10.indd 1 19/02/2010 17:18:38 The 06|News CambridgeStudent Elation as bops back on at Queens’ Thursday, February 25 2010 “800 years of gender inequality”? Tabatha Legett News Reporter Revellers celebrate at the 80s themed event Saranyah Sukumaran Hermione Taylor Queens’ Bops went back to the 80s this Saturday with the first in-college bop after the restrictions on college entertainment were lifted. With backcombed hair, make up and a touch of Spandau Ballet, students embraced their freedom. One Queens’ Student told The Cambridge Student (TCS), “We’ve been waiting for this moment all term and QEnts definitely delivered. Photo: Wai-Chuen Cheung The atmosphere was incredible both inside the bop and at the bar. The college felt united and we all proved that our reputation for legendary Ents has not been tarnished.” The Dean felt that continuing the ban would have been ineffective and would not have helped identify the perpetrators of last term’s vandalism. As a consequence of the actions taken, the SCR has proposed a review of internal discipline procedures and is hoping to improve relations between students and college authorities. Even members of other colleges celebrated the return of Queens’ bops. A member of Robinson College sporting some golden aviators said: “It was a great night and Queens’ definitely had love for you if you were born in the 80s.” From new romantics to the kids from Fame, it was clear that the bops were back with a vengeance. The theme of next week’s bop is A&E and promises to be a night of “cheap drinks and emergency cheese.” report fulfils “a literal interpretation” of the motion, “it has been written by Tom Chigbo to include bias of opinion on the merits of affiliation to the NUS” and so does not fulfil the intentions of the motion. At CUSU Council on Monday, Chigbo put forward a motion appealing against Tyson’s adjudication and asking for it to be nullified. Chigbo argued that he should not have been criticised for following the wording of the motion and that it was “dangerous” to allow people to define the intentions of motions outside what is actually written in the motion. Speaking to The Cambridge Student (TCS), Towse responded: “Sabbatical Officers cannot wilfully and knowingly disregard the spirit in which [a motion] was proposed just because they have found another interpretation of the letter of [the motion] that better suits their purposes.” Chigbo, however, told TCS that CUSU’s Standing Orders already require a “bland” reflection on NUS affiliation to be presented at the start of Lent and so Towse’s motion was unnecessary if this was the aim. Chigbo added that if Towse did not want something that went beyond what the Standing Orders required, then he should not have brought a motion. A study into postgraduate education commissioned by the British Library and Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) has highlighted a recent trend of more women than men studying at postgraduate level. This statistic is not, however, reflected by Cambridge University’s student demographics. The study, ‘Postgraduate Education in the United Kingdom,’ claims that female students outnumber their male counterparts by a ratio of 60:40. The figures show that “women now take 57% of full-time and 62% of part-time postgraduate degrees” and that “even in research postgraduate study, where men remain a majority, women now make up 48% of the student population (up from 45% in 2005).” The Telegraph reported on a study claiming that in twenty-five years, women could potentially fill 70% of university places. Bahram Bekhradnia, co-author of ‘Postgraduate Education in the United Kingdom’ and director of HEPI, explained: “There is a mindset generally that girls are the disadvantaged group; not boys. While this might still be true of society as a whole, it is emphatically no longer true in higher education.” The research showed that while women now have higher participation rates at all types of universities, Oxbridge continues to have a majority of male students. At Cambridge, women make up 47.9% of undergraduates, dropping to 43% at postgraduate level. The only colleges with more female than male students, excluding those that are women-only, are Clare Hall and Homerton. Natalie Szarek, Women’s Officer for the Cambridge University Student’s Union (CUSU), told The Cambridge Student (TCS): “Although there is a national trend of women outperforming men at A-levels and a growing number of women are entering higher education, Cambridge is still struggling to shake off 800 years of gender inequality.” She said the CUSU Women’s Campaign is working to ensure that “the gender disparity in academic performance and progression to postgraduate study in Cambridge is researched and addressed.” Female-only colleges tend not to be as academically successful as mixed colleges according to the 2009 Tompkins Table. Murray Edwards, Newnham and Lucy Cavendish were placed 23rd, 24th and 29th respectively, out of 29 colleges. The study in The Telegraph also claims that men are over-represented in subject courses that lead to higher salaries. However, it acknowledges that women outnumber men in fields such as medicine and law, which also lead to lucrative careers. At Cambridge, the ratio of men to women in medicine is 48:52, and in law is 43:57. Professor Simon Baron-Cohen, Professor of Developmental Psychopathology, has been involved with research revealing that women are less likely to choose to study subjects like mathematics and engineering. He told TCS: “I’m delighted that women do opt to study subjects like medicine and veterinary science in equal numbers to men, and even outnumber men in other subjects.” held by the CUSU Coordinator: that Chigbo failed to write a report fulfilling the intentions of the motion proposed. He said that the motion Chigbo proposed “would have resolved to strike down the entire adjudication”. Chigbo responded to this accusation by saying that he only had a very limited amount of time to speak at CUSU Council and so could not go through all the charges against him. If Chigbo had had more time, he said that he would have addressed the accusation that he failed to campaign in a personal capacity. He disputed the need of officers to act in a personal capacity. In addition, he argued that campaigning for NUS affiliation fulfilled policy that CUSU already has as the NUS is often part of the solution to problems. He cited the NUS’s ‘Great Amnesty Feedback’ which helps CUSU fulfil its policy with regard to ensuring that more feedback is given to lecturers and supervisors. Chris Lillycrop, former CUSU Chair, questioned Chigbo’s use of the appeal system. He told TCS: “The appeals process exists so that the CUSU Coordinator is not above the law and her adjudications can be challenged if they are clearly inappropriate. It was clear that this was not the case in this instance.” Lillycrop added: “I think it’s important for CUSU that Sabbatical Officers use CUSU Council for listening to students and not for squabbling with each other, which is why I used a procedural motion to prevent the appeal from being debated.” Chigbo instead blamed those that brought the complaints against him for the reason behind his appeal. He said he would rather spend time doing his job and fighting for student rights and not debating which email address he should be using to send different emails when he is supposed to be acting in different capacities. Following the passing of Lillycrop’s procedural motion, the issue has now been referred back to the Democracy and Development and Resources Teams. If the issue is not resolved, it will come back to the next CUSU Council of this term. Chigbo appeals reprimand over NUS campaign Andrew Georgiou Deputy News Editor CUSU President Tom Chigbo appealed at CUSU Council on Monday against the rulings criticising his conduct during the NUS affiliation campaign. Chigbo was reprimanded on several counts in a report written earlier this month by CUSU Coordinator Clare Tyson, whose job it is to investigate complaints about the conduct of elected officers. After reviewing the complaints of former Churchill JCR President Grayden Webb, Tyson found that Chigbo acted wrongly by using his capacities as a CUSU Officer to campaign for affiliation to the NUS. Chigbo was also reproached for the biased report that he produced for CUSU Council at the start of this term on the subject of affiliation. Tyson upheld Ben Towse’s claim that the information provided in this report was intended to be neutral, although this was not made explicitly clear in the wording of the motion. Tyson ruled that, although Chigbo’s Chigbo wants to spend more time fighting for student rights Chigbo also questioned the timing of the complaints about his report of NUS affiliation. He claimed that the report had been distributed in the middle of January but that the complaints took weeks to appear. He questioned the motives of those who complained about the report as they “did not take the opportunity to ask questions or to challenge the report when it was presented and only thought to do so when campaigning for the ‘No’ vote”. Grayden Webb criticised Chigbo’s appeal. He told TCS that the motion proposed by Chigbo only disputed one of the complaints that were up- The Thursday, February 25, 2010 Public schools still dominate Louise Floyd News Reporter Shock death of Fellow Jennifer Boon Deputy News Editor Dr Emile Perreau-Saussine, a fellow of Fitzwilliam College, died suddenly on Tuesday 23rd February. Dr Perreau-Saussine, who was 37, had been researching and teaching political philosophy and the history of political thought at Cambridge since 2001. He was a Newton Trust Lecturer who lectured at Pembroke College as well as being a fellow of Fitzwilliam. In 2005 Dr Perreau-Saussine was awarded the Prix Philippe Habert, a prize given for the best writing on political science by a young re- Photo: jurvetson searcher, for his work on Alasdair MacIntyre. Professor Robert Lethbridge, Master of Fitzwilliam College, said, “Both the Fellows and students at Fitzwilliam College are deeply saddened and shocked by the loss of Dr Emile Perreau-Saussine, a much admired colleague and teacher.” Nora Wukovits-Votzi, a student at Pembroke who was supervised by Dr Perreau-Saussine, told The Cambridge Student (TCS), “Emile to many of his students was not only an inspiration because he was a very engaging supervisor who challenged his students, but also a beloved friend.” A foreign student who keeps a blog entitled ‘Drew Goes to Cambridge’ wrote this morning: “He was one of the kindest, most genuine, and engaging people I’ve known. He was also surely one of the most brilliant – you could see in his eyes how passionate he was about the subjects he studied and taught. I looked forward to our meetings and I will miss him dearly, as I’m sure many other students will.” Flags flew at half mast in both Pembroke and Fitzwilliam on Tuesday and Wednesday and flowers were left outside Dr Perreau-Saussine’s door. Students who were affected by his death have been offered support by their colleges. Miss Wukovits-Votzi commented that: “Personally, and I know that many students feel the same way, no one has influenced me as much academically. “Emile had a passion when he supervised his students that was aweinspiring and truly unique.” Charlotte Lawes, another student at Pembroke, told TCS that, “As a person (let alone supervisor) Emile was truly inspirational - and not in that cliché way that people say on these sorts of occasions. He loved being an intellectual, and was always engaged with what we were reading. “He loved his family dearly and would often talk about his kids - my last supervision was in his wife’s office where he was looking after his daughter who was off sick. “I’ll miss him. He was a fantastic supervisor but more importantly he was a happy and wonderful person who has had a big impact on my life and others.” Astronaut puts Jailbreakers to shame Nat Rudarakanchana News Reporter The spaceshuttle Endeavour News|07 Photo: Department of Politics and International Studies The balance of students from different economic backgrounds at Oxbridge was criticised this week. Speaking on the Andrew Marr Show, Michael Gove MP, Shadow Schools Secretary, drew attention to recent statistics showing that on average only 45 students eligible for free school meals win places at Oxbridge each year, out of the 6,000 that are accepted overall. In comparison, in the 2008/9 admissions cycle, 100 students were accepted by Cambridge alone from public schools Westminster, Sevenoaks, Eton and Tonbridge. However, Labour hit back at these statistics, calling them misleading as they did not take into account students from further education colleges. Tom Levinson, Head of Widening Participation at Cambridge commented in response to the statistics that “the simple fact of the matter is that the University of Cambridge hosts hundreds of events every year which are aimed at encouraging disadvantaged students to consider Higher Education and Cambridge. We spend nearly £3m annually on widening participation events. Cambridge is for the brightest and best regardless of their background. We just need to ensure that that message is getting through.” Andy McGowan, Access Officer at Trinity Hall in 2008/9 and CUSU Target Schools Officer commented that “it is definitely true that very few students who are eligible for free school meals get admitted to Cambridge as a proportion of the total number of students. However, the blame for this cannot be placed squarely at the feet of the University.” He continued: “household income continues to be one of the biggest single predictors of a child’s academic success. In 2007, out of the 30,000 students who achieved 3 As nationally, only 176 of them were eligible for free school meals. I myself was one of the 176. This means that top universities such as Cambridge have a very limited pool from which to choose.” In 2006/7 Cambridge took 55% of its home students from state schools and 45% from the independent sector. Only around 6.5% of schoolchildren in the UK are educated privately. Paul Merchant, a student at Queens’ College who was educated at Tonbridge, highlighted the quality of the education at independent schools. “Private schools tend to attract some of the best teachers, and have the money to provide strong extra-curricular activities and sport. Moreover, these schools tend to encourage capable students to apply to Oxbridge, and prepare them very well for it.” Holly Samuel, a student at St John’s, commented that her experience of education at Sevenoaks was “a productive, success-orientated one. Not only do you have the IB but it is absolutely expected that you have a whole menagerie of significant extracurricular commitments”. On its website, Cambridge states that “independent school students tend to apply with a mix of traditional A levels well suited to the course for which they are applying; they also apply in greater numbers for less popular courses”. However, Cambridge continues to work to improve access. It aims to take 60% to 63% of students from the maintained sector in 2010, which will put it in line with national patterns of achievement at A level. CambridgeStudent Cambridge graduate Dr. Nicholas Patrick completed his second space mission in five years this Sunday. The almunus, who is now a US citizen and NASA astronaut, read Engineering for both a bachelors and a masters degree at Trinity College. The shuttle launch of the spaceship Endeavour marked the start of a 14day mission, spanning over 5.7 million miles. The mission, codenamed Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-130), aimed to attach the final significant US portion to the International Space Station (ISS). This part was the Tranquility node, a module that provides extra space for the ISS crew members, as well as more space for the ISS’s numerous life support and environmental control systems. These include oxygen generating, water recycling, and waste and hygiene systems. The Tranquility node will also contain the ISS’s resident COLBERT treadmill, named after American comedian Stephen Colbert. The node was constructed in Italy, under a contract with the European Space Agency. In addition, attached to the Tranquility node is a robotic control station with six windows, which provides a panoramic view of Earth, surrounding celestial bodies, and visiting spacecraft. This is known as a cupola. The six man mission consisted of a commander, a pilot, and four mission specialists. Dr. Patrick acted as a mission specialist, and was responsible for undertaking three spacewalks, together with fellow specialist Dr. Bob Behnken. A spacewalk is a form of Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA), which is essentially work done by an astronaut outside of a spacecraft. Dr. Patrick specifically installed electrical, cooling, and communication systems on the inside and out- side of the Tranquility node. Each individual spacewalk was physically taxing, lasting around six and a half hours. EVAs are delicate, complex, and dangerous procedures, and up until the present only China, Russia, and the U.S. have shown themselves able to conduct them. Dr. Patrick says that his goal after the mission is to be selected for a long-duration mission on the ISS. From 2011 onwards, however, the only way into space for humans will be aboard Russian Soyuz rockets, which can only hold three people as compared to the shuttle’s seven. With the successful completion of the mission, the ISS will be about 90% complete. While in space Dr. Patrick still managed to post on twitter.com, and his final tweet from space was: “We just closed the hatch to ISS. Undocking tomorrow. Hard to say goodbye to our 5 friends on ISS & to the beautiful view from Cupola.” The 08|International CambridgeStudent Thursday, February 25, 2010 Australia Cautions Japan Over Whaling On the Margin Business Pilots and cabin crew working for one of the world’s largest airlines, Lufthansa, are currently on a four day strike, following the failure of talks regarding pay and job security. More than 4,000 pilots have walked out, with the result that the airline has had to cancel over two thirds of its flights, costing around £33 million per day. Workers had called talks demanding a 6.4% pay rise, and the promise that 2,000 pilots who had been working off contract since March last year, would be offered more job security. Photo: guano Education An American couple have filed a lawsuit against a Pennsylvania school district, accusing it of installing remotely controlled webcams in laptops in order to spy on children. All 1,800 high school students in the Lower Merion school district were given a laptop. The state authorities have called the move to install them a ‘security measure’, and that the cameras would only be activated if the computer were lost or stolen. Arts & Culture A New Orleans based art project, Prospect, has been postponed for a year due to lack of funding. The project was launched in 2008 to help revitalise the city following the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina. Organisers say they have had problems generating enough money in their fundraising campaigns, and as a result, the project has been pushed back by 12 months to the end of 2011, beginning in 2012. Susanna Lada TCS Reporter Australia has threatened to take Japan to the International Court of Justice unless the Japanese government puts an end to its whaling activities in the Southern Ocean. Australia’s Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, gave Japan a deadline of November this year. In spite of of an international moratorium on commercial whaling, Japan still culls hundreds of whales each year, ostensibly for scientific research. The country’s whaling research pro- gramme has caused controversy ever since its inception in 1987, which was just a year after Japan’s acceptance of the International Whaling Commission’s ban on killing the animals for commercial purposes. Nevertheless, Tokyo has continued to issue unilateral ‘scientific permits’ ever since using a loophole in the moratorium which allows ‘lethal research’. Critics assert that research into whales is merely a pretext for Japan, with the real aim being to continue the selling and consumption of whale meat, seen as a delicacy in the island nation. Officials in Tokyo say that the tradition of whale-hunting is an important part of the nation’s cultural heritage, adding that Japan needs to kill whales in order to produce accurate data on details such as whales’ ages and eating habits. Since coming to power last September, Yukio Hatoyama’s new government has maintained its support for whaling. Current Japanese programmes aim for a total catch of more than 1,000 whales per year. So far, protests have consisted of Tensions Flare Over Potential Falkland Oil Science Photo: acmoraes Scientists have developed a new type of mosquito, genetically altered to not carry the potentially deadly Dengue virus. They plan to release their newly enhanced males into the wild, where they hope they will successfully breed with females and have a significant effect on the mosquito population. Dengue currently affects around 100 million people a year, and scientists are able to tackle it in this way because the virus is only carried by a few types of mosquito. Australian anti-whaling groups joining Japanese whaling ships, and trying to prevent them from catching whales. Australia has the support from its traditional allies, such as New Zealand, the EU and the US in its opposition to Japan’s whaling practices. The country had made similar threats in the past, but Kevin Rudd’s government employed a more assertive and forceful tone this time around. It is, perhaps, unsurprising, as the Prime Minister’s last election manifesto promises to bring the Japanese to book; and ahead of the forthcoming elections later this year, and with Rudd’s popularity ratings slipping, tangible results regarding the matter would undoubtedly see his Australian Labor Party in good stead. The Rudd government stresses a diplomatic agreement as its foremost aim. Japan is a crucial and longstanding economic partner to Australia, being the country’s top export market and its third largest source of imports. Negotiations at the weekend saw Australia’s foreign minister Stephen Smith and his Japanese counterpart Katsuya Okada stressing that their long and strategically important relationship can rise above the current wrangling over whale-hunting. The talks appear to have been unsuccessful, with Mr Okada confirming that Japan would defend its “legal’”activities. Technology Tabatha Leggett TCS Reporter The New York Times has reported that Steve Jobs has offered his cooperation in a book to be written about his life. The elusive Apple CEO has apparently given his approval to the project, which will be written by Walter Issacson, former managing editor of Time Magazine, who has also penned the biographies of Einstein and Benjamin Franklin. Argentina has issued a decree that will require all ships travelling towards the Falkland Islands, or through Argentine waters, to hold a permit. This precautionary measure is intended to prevent Britain supplying oil-drilling equipment to the Falkland Islands. It is thought that this measure will fuel the ongoing row concerning ownership over oil beds lying inside the Falklands’ territorial waters. Argentine President, Cristina Fernandez, signed the decree on 16th February. Cabinet Chief, Anibal Fernandez, defended the decision, claiming that the decree is hoped to achieve “not only a defence of Argentine sovereignty but also of all the resources” in the surrounding area. Sir Nicholas Winterton, Chairman of the Parliamentary all-party Falklands group, disagreed, claiming that the decree is “pathetic and useless”. He asserted that the sole purpose of the decree is to impede the economic progress of the islands, and plans to discuss this issue at greater length with senior Foreign Office officials next week. The Argentine government has already prevented one ship, the Thor Leader, from leaving Campana. This prevention was based on suspicion that its cargo of seamless tubes would be used for drilling activity that is pro- moted by the UK. However, Techint, the world’s biggest producer of seamless steel tubing for the oil industry, denied the allegations and claimed that the tubes were destined for the Mediterranean; not the Falkland’. Argentina, which invaded the Falklands in 1982 and were subsequently involved in a brief war with Britain over the Malvinas islands, claim dominion over the islands. The governor of Tierra del Fuego Province, Febiana Ros, claimed: “Great Britain is violating Argentine sovereignty.” Argentina has protested to the UK about the rig, the Ocean Guardian, which is expected to arrive and start drilling as part of an oil exploration next week. Oil companies have expressed optimism about the prospects of drilling, but island authorities claim that no commercial deposits have been found as of yet. Geological studies have shown that the seabed around the British territory could contain rich energy reserves, and up to 60 billion barrels of oil. In response to the decree, the UK government has reasserted its right to develop a hydrocarbons industry in the area. It has not, however, commented on what measures, if any, it is prepared to take in order to ensure that drilling can go ahead. The Thursday, February 25, 2010 CambridgeStudent International|09 Sudan Takes First Steps Towards Peace Deal Photo: mknobil Victoria Hermon Deputy International News Editor The Sudanese Government have signed a preliminary deal and ceasefire with their main opposition, THE Justice and Equality Movement (JEM). Qatar hosted the talks between the two sides last year, and will be thanked and honoured in a formal signing ceremony in Doha soon. Although this new development has been hailed as a significant breakthrough, both sides are stressing that this is not a formal peace agreement. Instead they view it as a framework from which real negotiations can begin. Most of the issues scheduled to be resolved are humanitarian and aid based, as well as those to do with power and wealth sharing. It is expected by JEM that, as a result of the agreement, the government will postpone the forthcoming elections, for a second time. A JEM official stated “Any elections held under the current circumstances in the country, and the changes it is going through, would be meaningless and will have no bearing whatsoever on improving the situation in Darfur Savvy or Sudan as a whole” He added, “we do not recognise the current voting procedure…Khartoum is aware of our posistion and they must agree to reschedule and it is all but certain that they will”. But Head Government Delegate, Amin Hassan Omer, has been quoted by the Sudan News Agency (SUNA) that only the electoral committee has the authority to make a decision about postponing the elections, and none has been made yet. Since the signing of the deal, Omer Hassan Al-Bashir, the current Sudanese President, has announced that he will annul more than one hundred death sentences handed out to JEM prisoners. The men in question were found guilty of taking part in a bloody JEM attack on Khartoum, the nation’s capital, in 2008. He has also promised to release 30% of all JEM members currently being held in prisons. In exchange for this, JEM have promised that they will stop their military operations in the country and region. So far, the conflict in the western Darfur region has been ongoing for the past seven years. Whilst government estimates of fatalities are around 10,000 people, the United Nations put the figure nearer 300,000 dead as a direct result of disease, violence and displacement. Al-Bashir, who has an arrest warrant against him from the International Criminal Court, said he thought the agreement would “heal the war in Darfur…we are committed to finding a peaceful solution”. The Sudan Liberation Army (SLA), which is the other main group opposing the government; maintain that they will not sign any deals or ceasefires before all violence has stopped. ow Vintage British Classics Guaran r ER fo F F O s sive eader r ’ t Exclu n e ud dge St l i r b m Ca s unti rder o l l a ff 2010 10% o h c r a 31st M e: TCS0310 ‘The teed www.savvyrow.co.uk Tel: 0191 3737664 DJs & Tailcoats Tweed Hacking Jackets Morningwear Velvet Smoking Jackets Savile Row Bespoke Pieces Crombie Overcoats Cravats / Hats / Scarves Doeskin Waistcoats Church’s Shoes Suppliers for Goodwood Revival nt Cod Discou Free 1st Class Delivery on all UK orders Next day delivery available www.savvyrow.co.uk The 10|Interviews CambridgeStudent Thursday, February 25, 2010 The battle between creativity and logic Michael Smellie discusses the music industry and development with Mari Shibata Michael Smellie is a leading businessman in the music industry. As the former Global Chief Operating Officer for Sony/BMG, Asia Pacific head of BMG, MD of Polygram and rooArt in Australia, he is now a patron of the Global Poverty Project (GPP)and teaches organisational leadership at the Australia Institute of Music. Do you sometimes find that it is difficult to deal with such creative individuals? “If you ask me why my career in the music industry was successful, it is because I enjoyed the challenge of working with these individuals. The other part of my music industry career that sets me aside from the others in the company was that I worked in all sorts of different countries; Brazil, Netherlands, London, Hong Kong, Tokyo, New York, Sydney. I loved enjoying the difference, but also adapting to living in places where I am outside my comfort zone; I love change. In my experience, about ninety percent of the people embrace change on intellectual terms but don’t actually embrace it. I’m a logical person, perhaps too square sometimes – but I loved bringing order to the chaos that I was surrounded by, and maybe I was good at that. If there needed to be change in the business model then I would be the person that would really address it.” Particularly with the merging of Sony and BMG I’m sure you have had to embrace many changes. What was going through your mind at the time? “Well, for a start the music industry was beginning to decline. My rationale said to me that the Photo: courtesy of Michael Smellie How does it feel to move onto development from the music industry? “I guess it’s good and bad. Working in the music business as a general rule you are not too worried about whether or not you are going to have money every week. I have to say that the one thing that is common in all areas of my career – Sony-BMG, Global Poverty Project, teaching – is that I’m dealing with very creative people. I enjoy it, because creative people are completely mad; they’re not boring. In his own way, Hugh (Evans, GPP) is completely mad! I don’t mean that in a negative sense; he is full of energy, he’s got 500 ideas every two minutes. In that respect, he is a lot like many of the artists, key writers, composers and conductors that I have dealt with in the music industry; they’re all full of ideas.” But to go back to your point, I personally have made an investment to help artists develop better tools so that it would only take three hours a day rather than ten hours a day on this; artists need time to write and to rehearse.” shareholders weren’t committed to the music industry; they weren’t against it, but they were ambivalent as to whether it had a long-term future. The idea of the merger was to give the shareholders some sort of certainty and bring through a degree of stability in a business environment that was constantly changing, though history would prove that we were a bit wrong in that!” How did you make compromises in the business model? You had a merging of two completely different business cultures. “I would say that the failures were where we did compromise too much. The successes were where we didn’t compromise very much, meaning that we had rational debates and made formal decisions because we all believed it was right, even if it meant change. Compromising meant that we ended up having certain things that people were not committed to but were sort of acceptable to everybody. We often looked back a couple of years later and asked ourselves who it was that had agreed to make certain decisions, and it had turned out that no one had actually committed to it. From a leadership perspective, I learnt that mergers need to be ideologically driven rather than political; there needs to be a leader with a vision and there can’t be a compromise. People have to buy into that vision.” I guess one of the things that people then had to buy into at the time was how the company was going to tackle the new wave of technology. What are your opinions on how the music industry will have to cope with that in the future? “Even if we look at the recorded music industry, a lot has changed over the past decade. I don’t think it has settled yet at all; I think there will be evolution and that there is still a lot more to come. One of the changes I can see is a shift in power; artists will certainly have more power than they did before. The big battles of the past were over money and rights. The battle of the future, is of course money but it will be about communities – or the fans - and who owns them. I think the battle lines have already been drawn; for example, iTunes own the communities; they know the names, the addresses and the buying habits of every single person but the record companies and the artists don’t. I think that this is going to become a bigger issue over the coming decade. One of the things I have said to musicians is that they must own their own communities and not to give them away; they’re your fans. If they want to talk to you, don’t put three filters through the way.” So how are artists going to achieve that? “Certainly the online environment provides some tools today and those tools over time, I think, will become more sophisticated. Today, independent artists are communicating with their fans on a daily basis through the medium of blogs. One of the things I look into as the patron of the GPP are tools to help enpower artists to take control over their communities. That becomes a huge asset to potential sponsors, advertisers and investors. It’s fine for artists to come and ask whether they can watch them perform and listen to their music, but if they also said that they had their community “Artists are caring people but they can’t put themselves under the spotlight of journalists” of fifty thousands fans who they talk to every day then that would really grab a record company’s attention.” How do those artists come to terms with time? To maintain constant contact with 50,000 fans on your MySpace, for example, is not easy if you are busy studying or working somewhere to get by. “That is a problem for artists because if there is silence for a while your fans are going to lose interest. People want one-to-one interaction; they really want that, they want to feel special. If you own your communities, you have bragging rights; every single one of your fans has their own customised version of what it is they own about that artist. Returning to the link between music and development, do you think popular musicians are better able to make this connection than classical ones? “I would say that both popular and classical musicians are on an equal level. The difference is that classical music perhaps covers only three or four percent of the market share whereas the other ninetyseven percent are owned by popular musicians. Like classical music, a handful of popular musicians – probably about four percent of them – make a vast amount of income whereas the others can barely pay their rent on a day to day basis. The only difference is that there are more of them than classical musicians, but the general rate of success is exactly the same. In terms of development, for some of them it is going to be hard because their reputation is on the line. If you talk to someone like Hugh Evans, he has a sophisticated idea about development. However, if you talk to someone like Susan Boyle, she may be very committed and may be very willing to help, but she may not necessarily be willing to sit down with a journalist and be grilled about what is good aid and what is bad aid. From my experience, artists are caring people and are willing to give up their time, but they can’t put themselves under the spotlight of harsh tabloid journalists. Of course, there are exceptions but the majority won’t because if they are exposed to the spotlight of the everyday world, they are made to look stupid because musicians lead distinctly different lives; they don’t get up at 9am and go to work like most people.” Finally, then; if, as a patron of the GPP, you wanted to host a live concert for charity, how would you choose your artists? “Well, I would ask the same question to them as I would do when hiring those for development; are you doing it for the money or for the cause? If it is for the cause, then they are more than welcome to take part. As a general rule, musicians are driven by emotional experiences; they are personable and therefore have the ability to communicate messages to a large audience. So if they are solely willing to do it for the cause, then I would love to have them involved.” ‘It’s our birthday and here’s a gift for you’ seanhanna hair salon 1st Year Birthday Offer As a thank you to all staff and students at Cambridge University for their continuing support we are delighted to offer: 20% 30% discount to all Blue Card Holders discount to all NUS Card Holders On a hair cut or colour service until March 31st. 48 Grand Arcade St Andrews Street Cambridge CB2 3BJ 01223 323444 cambridge *TERMS AND CONDITIONS – OFFER AVAILABLE UNTIL THURSDAY 31 MARCH. Offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Offer available with selected stylists Monday to Thursday. Offer not available on retail. Managers decision is final. The 12| CambridgeStudent Thursday, February 25, 2010 COMMENT Inanities Can ours be called the ‘generation of heroes’? Yes Tabatha Leggett This morning, I woke up wearing last night’s outfit. I tumbled out of bed and on realising that I’d overslept and wouldn’t have time for a shower, I dry shampooed my hair. I shoved on a pair of Uggs, texted my friend to find out how exactly I got back to College last night, updated my Facebook status and walked to my lecture listening to my iPod. We all know that my generation (those born sometime around the 1980s and into the 2000s) are a bunch of lazy, consumerist, selfobsessed fools who spend their parents’ money and avoid facing the real world of work. Or, do we? Generation theorists William Strauss and Neil Howe have labelled us “the hero generation”, suggesting that a generation of individuals prompts social reform every four years, and now it’s our turn to shake things up. Strauss and Howe argued that the last hero generation was the generation who fought the Second World War, and claim that a strong desire to save the precarious world in which we live is vital in order to obtain this hero status. So, in order to attempt becoming a hero generation, we need a social crisis. I reckon the impending shadow of climate change and the global recession might just fit the bill. The fact is, whilst everyone else has been shouting criticisms at us, we’ve been quietly whispering revolutionary plans to stop global warming and end the recession. We are a generation of socially networked, technologically savvy, motivated individuals who want to reshape the world and make it better. I’m under no delusion that the task ahead is an easy one. But, I know it’s not impossible. I know that we’re a generation who embrace change rather than shy away from it. How do I know this? I know this because we’re already making positive changes. This week, the Pew Forum revealed that 25% of American adults under the age of 30 describe their religion as “atheist”, “agnostic” or “nothing in particular”. This contrasts with just 19% of those in their 30s, 15% of those in their 40s, 14% of those in their 50s and a mere 10% of those aged 60 or over. The British Humanist Association quotes similar figures, claiming that there has been a 10% decline in religious faith among British young people in just 10 years. It’s official. Young people are praying less often, attending fewer religious services and reading less religious scripture. Does this mean that we simply lack direction? No, quite the opposite. The same study showed that young people are, as a result of lack of religious faith, more accepting of homosexuality, less accepting of Bible readings in schools and far less accepting of creationism being taught as an alternative to evolution. We’re not afraid to break the mould. We’re not afraid to promote common sense and science, and we’re becoming more accepting of individuality. We’re not afraid to challenge orthodoxies and this in itself will inevitably prompt positive change. We’re facing some of the biggest crises the world has ever seen. Yes, it’s daunting and it’s going to be hard work but we have the potential to do something great. Ask any university student you meet what they hope to achieve in life, and I bet they’ll detail their bigger plans to change the world in some way. You see, our generation want to achieve something meaningful. We have the tools to do it. Okay, we may not have God on our side, but I reckon he’d have slowed us down anyway. We’ve been labelled the hero generation, and we’ve been labelled the dropout generation. Now, we have a choice to make: who do we want to be? Letters Dear Sir, In a comment published in Issue 5, Islamic Society Vice-President Mohamed Abdalla misleads TCS readers as to the views of Cambridge alumnus Benny Morris by stringing together out of context sentences from an interview the Israeli historian gave to the newspaper “Haaretz”. Mr Abdalla quotes Professor Morris as having said “There are No Jonny Walker This is no place for heroes – ours is the generation that will have to fight even to see, never mind to be heard or enact a change. The proposition might be suggesting that our generation is morally grounded, is active and is prepared to fight injustice. No. Ours is the generation of straightjacketed aspirations, where even the greatest volition and desire to do good is unlikely to yield much action. Rather than a generation of heroes, the progeny of the millennium will experience only a castrated idealism, at best. Society has taught our generation to be disabled and is more than willing to sell us the crutches. Our inheritance is a deeply entrenched hierarchical system in which inequalities – patriarchy, class and ethnicity – have become so ingrained that the majority of people consider them natural, or at least ‘traditional’. This may be less so the case for Cambridge (enlightened souls that we are…?) but outside the bubble, it remains widely considered that the woman’s place is the home and that the rich and the white belong in the upper echelons of power. How can these fetid structures, which have developed over centuries, be overthrown? Gross. Look at how unfashionably ideological I am – a dirty feminiMarxist. The main reason we are unlikely to be a generation of heroes is that we are ill-at-ease with the practice of change. The language of change we are great with. We can deal with innovation; our iPods gain memory and become lighter, our cameras gain more megapixels, spoons and forks combine to make sporks. Genius! It is not small and slow changes that are the problem - we still hold firm to the enlightenment ideal of progress Want circumstances in history that justify ethnic cleansing. A Jewish state would not have come into being without the uprooting of 700,000 Palestinians.” But between these two sentences, Professor Morris explained that “when the choice is between ethnic cleansing and genocide – the annihilation of your people – I prefer ethnic cleansing.” Clearly, Professor Morris was jus- - what we struggle to accept is the need for radical change. It is this that would be truly heroic. Don’t misunderstand me here – I am not mocking the efforts of those seeking and pursuing change, and I count myself amongst them. But our generation needs to reconcile the myths of power with the realities. My inspiringly militant college Green officer has coerced me into turning off the kitchen light when I leave the room. It is easy to make these small adjustments for the common good, and it might make me feel great about myself, but it won’t offset the emissions of a hulking behemoth of a new factory in industrialising China. Sure, our generation has a ‘moral conscience’. Our generation is happy to act upon these virtues, but only so long as it doesn’t wildly inconvenience us. Our sense of justice seeks mostly to pacify itself in a quick fix of goodness – we can barely so much as entertain the notion that it will take sacrifice, mass group action and a restructuring of society. We overestimate the power we wield in society – the MP you write to will only take up your request if it benefits him, that petition you wave about in rainy Market Square will most likely be shredded upon delivery. This is not a reason to do nothing – it is a call to question whether there are more effective ways of bringing about the changes you seek. Unless we can turn on the foglights, we are bound to remain staggering blindly in the inertiatic fug that clouds our perceptions of society. A desire to change the world is irreconcilable with an embrace of the orthodoxy. This is tantamount to shining a shit. My view is that if our generation is to do anything heroic, and there are few things that would please me more, we are going to have to stop shining the proverbial shit and acknowledge that small changes aren’t enough to heal our ills: we need to step up to society, doggy-bag in hand, and get that shit out of here. to get involved? For letters, articles and comment, email [email protected] tifying the ethnic cleansing of nonJewish Palestinians as a defensive countermeasure taken to prevent the genocide of Palestinian Jews. Benny Morris’s critics might argue either that he is wrong to assert the Jews of Palestine were threatened with annihilation by the Arabs in 1948, or else that a genocide of Palestinian Jews would actually have been a desirable result (and, of course, “not anti-Semitic”). Simply to distort Professor Morris’s published statements is no argument at all, and suggests an unwillingness to engage in reasoned debate. Ernest Ambers Jess Touschek REJOICE ye (not so) pure in heart, for Masterchef has returned to grace our screens. Yes, it’s back – that paean to amateur cooking, that x-factor of middle-class cuisine, promising to make us laugh, cry, drool and hurl from opening theme to closing credits. I might be overegging it. But the BBC has been going through a bit of a dry spot lately, and with every quality American show conceding airtime to the icy snoozefest that is the Winter Olympics, the TV addicts among us can’t be too picky. Besides which, I do love a good cooking program. If it involves stewing, blanching, basting, broiling or, best of all, blow-torching, I’m hooked. To be honest, when offered the choice between watching food being cooked and consuming the swill passed off by college as haute cuisine, I’d go for the first option. Virtual gratification is preferable to actual gastroenteritis every time. Harsh? I’m at Caius; complaining about hall is what we do best. I don’t mind watching an idiot contestant take a culinary dump over the BBC’s best china, but I very much resent paying £6.40 to eat the Cauis equivalent. It’s in these moments of gross self-pity that I turn to the High Priests and Priestesses of televisual gastronomy for comfort. And when St. Jamie of Sainsbury’s and Queen Nigella of edible innuendo aren’t available, the bloke who looks like the lovechild of Blofeld and Jabba the Hutt, and his hirsute Aussie sidekick are acceptable alternatives. Of course, the problem with these programs is that I immediately want to test the recipes. This would have been possible when, way back in the mists of second year, I lived in a house with hobs. HOBS. Honestly, my devotion to those things knew no bounds. I would have taken them to bed with me if they hadn’t been built into the work-surface. Now, condemned to an existence without them, I’m convinced that primitive cooking facilities must in some way constitute a human rights abuse. The cooking facilities afforded by my 1m-by-1m kitchen (couldn’t swing a flea, let alone a cat) are so limited that the simple act of boiling an egg represents a challenge of herculean proportions. Forget the need for a ‘subtle palate’ – unless I somehow develop a Voldemort-esque command over the laws of physics, the standard kettle/toaster/microwave combo won’t cope with the ambition of ‘grilled butterflied monkfish with a sweet runnerbean stew.’ In the end, it’s not really worth the effort. The M&S ready-meal range will have to do. The Thursday, February 25, 2010 CambridgeStudent Comment|13 Insanitabridgians Clémentine Beauvais Time for real socialism The public get the politicians they deserve Edd Mustill There are only two things most people hear from politicians. The first is that some things, like spending cuts in a recession, are inevitable. The second is that some things, like the abolition of tuition fees, are impossible. This leaves a narrow and entirely constructed “centre ground” where elections are fought. Campaigns are boiled down to meaningless slogans like “A fairer Britain for hard-working families.” Great. Who doesn’t want that? What does it mean? By such methods have expectations of politics been lowered to the extent that elections are a contest to find the lesser evil. These days, the third thing we hear from politicians is “I acted within the spirit of the rules and did nothing wrong.” True socialism stands against the idea that poor should pay for the mistakes of the rich. Mass unemployment will remain a feature of British society for years unless we fight it. From a socialist point of view, standing in the election is part of a wider strategy to mobilise people against this state of affairs. Workers’ rights need to be restored by repealing the Tory anti-union laws which have been kept in place by Labour. This would end the ridiculous spectacle of one judge overruling an overwhelming ballot for strike action, as recent happened in the BA cabin crew dispute, and enable people to defend decent working conditions. Challenging Labour from the left draws criticism from Labour hacks who warn about the Tories getting back in. When Labour are thrown out, the same people will say we must rally behind them to get the Tories out of power. And the Westminster merry-go-round will keep turning. My grandparents’ experience of a Labour government was a National Health Service, a massive expansion of social housing, the nationalisation of key industries. My generation’s experience of a Labour government has been the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the selling off of public services, the abuse of the economy by a rampant financial sector. Aside from a handful of socialists on the backbenches, Labour is as much a weapon of the rich as the Tories ever were. . Labour has not just undergone changes in policy. It has severed itself from the class which founded it, funded it and built it. The party began life as the political expression of the trade union movement. That was its reason for existing in the first place, against the voices arguing for a Liberal vote to keep the Tories out. Labour should be “in the pocket” of the millions of union members in the country who fund the party through their unions’ political funds. It should be serving their interests. True ‘Leftist’ candidates are prominent community campaigners, socialists, and trade unionists. They are revolutionaries, environmentalists, ex-Labour people. In most areas, the Left vote will not be big. Smaller parties have to scrap hard for every vote. More often than not, a Labour vote represents nothing more than a cross on a piece of paper, a plea to keep the Tories out. Many Socialist votes represent a commitment to carry on fighting after the election pantomime has left town. Labour right-wingers have always dismissed any challenge to them as unrealistic folly. But, as the old song goes, traitors will sneer. We’ll keep the red flag flying. Alastair Cliff There has been a lot of soul-searching in recent months in Westminster over how to engage an apathetic and disillusioned public in the run up to the next election; the question constantly being asked is ‘What can politicians do in order to reverse this decline in voter apathy?’ My answer to that is simple: they shouldn’t have to. It is time that the ‘public’ in this country started taking some individual responsibility in their attitude to politics, rather than sitting around moaning that none of the parties’ views represent their own. I refer to the ‘public’, because the real class divide in this country at the moment does seem to be between this apparently mysterious class called ‘the politicians’ and another class called the ‘public’. There seems to be a widespread attitude that these ‘politicians’ should be representing the views of the ‘public’, and if they are not they are somehow failing in their duty. ‘I’m not voting because I don’t agree with any of the parties’ is a common complaint from many apathetic non-voters. This distinction between the ‘public’ and the ‘politicians’ needs to be changed, and people made to realise that politicians are not there to represent the public’s views, but their own. If a politician is changing his viewpoint to try and capture as many votes as possible by appealing to the ‘public’, I would seriously question the moral and political credibility of that candidate. A politician who does not stand up for his own views but instead bends to the will of the majority should not a be a politician. Furthermore, the attitude of the ‘public’ toward our representatives needs to change and some individual and collective responsibility taken for our local and national politics. A fitting analogy for the current state of affairs in this country is the relationship between a doting parent and a spoilt child. The child (the public) makes endless demands of their parent (the politician), insisting they provide this, fix that, and when the parent asks the child to tidy his room, the child throws an almighty tantrum, accusing their parent of being overly involved in their upbringing, and stunting their individual development. Politics should be about individual and collective empowerment, not delegating responsibility to a ‘higher power.’ Take anti-social behaviour as an example. Realistically, the government can do nothing to stop anti-social behaviour; however many ASBOs are given, or money poured into police or community initiatives, nearly all the success stories have been when local residents take collective responsibility for their community and stand up to those causing problems. Unfortunately, this is not widespread, with people instead complaining to mummy to sort it out, and then crying foul when they inevitably fail to do so, or indeed do so at too high a cost – such as a loss of civil liberties. If we want tighter security and the government to mother us, we must accept a loss of personal liberty. If we want to maintain our liberty, we need to realise that we must take individual responsibility for ourselves and our communities, rather than relying the government to take control from on high. We need to be consistent, and realise we can’t have it both ways. Another issue is the general lack of interest in the workings of the political establishment, with complaints then arising that politicians are not accountable. Politicians are accountable, it’s just the public is too lazy to take any action in order to hold them so. This was clearly expressed in the recent expenses scandal. In the many years that the abuse of expenses went on, the public took no interest in the personal and professional conduct of their elected MP’s, never attended a single surgery, never wrote a single letter, never checked out accounts, or even knew their MP’s name. It seems highly hypocritical on the part of the public to become so outraged about expenses, when absolutely no initiative was take on the individual’s part to investigate, instead leaving it up to another mysterious class of people ‘the media.’ It’s the equivalent of hiring a builder to extend your house without any research or even learning their name, then taking no interest in the building work or their conduct, and then complaining when you discover they’ve done a shoddy job and taken some biscuits out of your cupboard. I’m not saying that the actions of the politicians were in any way excusable, but the public needs to take some responsibility too. The public get the politicians they deserve. If the general public are dissatisfied with our current stock of politicians, they should realise that politicians aren’t produced for our benefit, but are individuals representing their own views. If you’re not going to vote because you don’t agree with any of the main party’s viewpoints, get off your arse and stand for election yourself. Take some individual responsibility, rather than endlessly whining that someone else should sort it out. The 14|Comment CambridgeStudent Students’ Unions, not student censorship Chris Lillycrop It had not been my intention until very recently to write this article – newspapers are understandably unwilling to give candidates space to writes articles during election week. But an issue of principle has arisen that necessitated exposure in the press. On Wednesday, two days after I started campaigning for election to CUSU, the decision was taken to censor my arguments by substantially redacting the official version of my manifesto. You may be expecting that the cause of such a dramatic event was that I expressed bigoted or hateful views. (Although of course one of last year’s presidential candidates, Li Guolong, received no official reprimand despite repeatedly advocating that homosexuals be given ‘help’ to stop being gay.) But no, my apparent transgression was far more severe: I dared to question the wisdom that CUSU should spend almost £40,000 every year on a Union Development Manager (UDM). With CUSU facing an imminent budget crisis of £80,000 per year as the Careers Handbook contract comes to an end, I have suggested abolishing the UDM position. I was aware that talking about staffing was understandably a regulated process, and so I took pains to stick by the Staff-Student guidelines that had been drafted by the UDM himself. I was thus both surprised and angered when the CUSU Coordinator, responding to a concern raised by the UDM, and on the advice of the NUS, informed me that she was imposing censorship and that I could poten- tially be disqualified by the Elections Committee if I continued to raise the issue. A further attempt at censorship was made when CUSU initially tried to block the publication of this article. Fortunately, they were unsuccessful. Unions used to be run by students and for students. This principle was innately valuable and I believe that it still represents the best way forward. Across the country, student control has continually been reduced to the point that Union sabbs are little more than figureheads; the real control is held by managers and other staff. The most alarming example is the NUS, where most policy is now written by Union staff. CUSU has seen a growth in staff numbers in recent years, but only last year was a general manager employed for the first time. At the time, the decision to hire did not seem nearly as bad as it does now. It seemed that CUSU was about to be transformed by vastly increased University funding. This turned out not to be the case, and when the first post-holder resigned last summer, the entire venture should legitimately have been written off as a well-intentioned but ultimately unsuccessful endeavour. Instead, the new CUSU sabbatical team, on literally their first unsupervised day on the job, rushed headlong into recruiting a replacement, ignoring the fact that CUSU no longer needed the position and would soon be unable to afford it anyway. What occurred then, and what occurred on Wednesday, are both symptomatic of a shift towards a management-led model that both undermines Unions’ purposes and forgets their true nature. Unions should be representative institutions for their members; those who run the Union should be elected from amongst the student body. Increasingly, a huge division is being forced between students and their Unions by replacing these elected The Team Editor James Burton [email protected] Managing Editor Zach Brown [email protected] Design Editor Alice Spawls [email protected] Photography Editor Josh Ward [email protected]. ac.uk News Editor Jen Mills [email protected]. ac.uk Deputy News Editors Alex Cooke, Andrew Georgiou, Becky Sage and Jenny Boon International News Editor Sean Jenkins-Murray [email protected] Deputy International Editor Victoria Hermon Comment Editors Alastair Cliff and Harriet Russell [email protected] Investigations Editor Alex Kϋng [email protected] Deputy Investigations Editor Felicity Davies Interviews Editor Mari Shibata interviews@ tcs.cam.ac.uk Deputy Interviews Editor Farah Jassat Theatre Editor Olivia Crellin theatre@ tcs.cam.ac.uk Deputy Theatre Editor Jessica Jennings Film Editor Shane Murray film@tcs. cam.ac.uk Deputy Film Editors James Garner and Thom Junkins Music Editor Phoebe Amoroso [email protected] Deputy Music Editors Adam Whitehead and Richard McLauchlan Sports Editor Phil Brook sport@ tcs.cam.ac.uk Deputy Sports Editors Thomas Wills and Michael Alhadeff Sports Interviews Editor Bex Law Sports Photography Editor Jonty Fairless Arts & Literature Editors Max Haberich and Sophie Partarrieu [email protected]. ac.uk Food Editor Lettice Franklin food@tcs. cam.ac.uk Chief Sub-Editor Henry Drummond Board of Directors Anna Croall (Chair), Mark Curtis (Business), Clare Tyson (CUSU Coordinator), Joel Winton, James Burton, Zach Brown and Jo Ashbridge tcs-directors@ tcs.cam.ac.uk representatives with staff who do not have the same democratic connection to their members. As the events of Wednesday have evidenced, even the democratic process itself can be curtailed in order to prevent a resurgence of the studentsfor-students ideal. In other Students’ Unions, which run shops and nightclubs and necessarily employ large numbers of staff, some professional management is probably a good idea. But this practice of hiring through necessity has been replaced by a culture in which it is dogmatically thought that more staff – and more non-student management – must be a good thing. CUSU is a small Union organisation. It does not run a shop, bar or nightclub. Employing a general manager figure is a grievous waste of what little money CUSU has. Not everyone will agree with my views about the UDM, but it is vital for CUSU, especially during elections, that views can be heard and debates can be had. Censorship, much like management-control, will only weaken our Union. This is a comment article: it does not represent the views of TCS or CUSU. If elected to CUSU office, I would respect due process in the totality of my interactions with staff. Thursday, February 25, 2010 Editorial The Cambridge Student would like emerged that we had every right to to apologise to our readers for the print the articles in question. late release of this paper. Following The situation was poorly handled the intervention of the Cambridge by the trustees. Whilst CUSU, as University Students’ Union (CUSU) TCS’ publisher, does of course have a trustees (see article K.1 of the CUSU responsibility to make sure the conConstitution), the editors were told tent we print is legal, they also have on Wednesday night that we could a responsibility to seek thorough not print two stories “for legal rea- professional advice before removing sons.” articles from the paper. The editors chose to delay printing As editors, we spend our whole and ask the trustees to seek profes- week working to a deadline, and sional legal advice, rather than rely- choosing to miss one is not a decision ing on the opinions of those with- to be taken lightly. But, on Wednesout the necessary qualifications to day night, the imperative was to provide a clear view. Ultimately, our avoid a rash decision being made on caution was vindicated: when pro- the spur of the moment, and to professional advice was finally given, it tect this paper’s journalistic integrity. Correction: In the Theatre Section last week the Three Tales poster (Issue 6, p.19) was incorrectly credited to Tom Kingsley. We apologise for the mistake. Join us on Facebook for Special offers and local store news at Domino’s Pizza Cambridge The Cambridge Student is published by Cambridge University Students’ Union. All copyright is the exclusive property of the Cambridge University Students’ Union. The Cambridge Student also publishes the magazine ZINE. Although The Cambridge Student is affiliated to the University Students’ Union we are editorially independent and financially self-sufficient. No part of this publication is to be reproduced, stored on a retrieval system or submitted in any form or by any means without prior permission of the publisher. NEWSPAPERS SUPPORT RECYCLING Recycled paper made up 80.6% of the raw material for UK newspapers in 2006 NEWSPAPERS SUPPORT RECYCLING 57997_SKD_Cambridge_Facebook Lft.indd 1 11/01/2010 13:43 The Thursday, February 25, 2010 CambridgeStudent Arts|15 Photo: austinevan CultureScene NME Tour: Stomping Ground of Indie’s Next Big Things Bombay Bicycle Club give their opinion on Cambridge dance moves Always bringing a cavalcade of hype and hysteria, the NME Awards tour came to Cambridge last Friday, as ever playing stomping ground for the next big things of the indie music scene. Despite their early stage time, much-hyped The Drums drew a large crowd with their own brand of surfrock and lo-fi indie pop. Jonathan Pierce was certainly the most charismatic frontman to grace the stage, engaging the audience with theatrical gestures while dancing around in an Ian Curtis-esque manner. With guitarist Jacob Graham bouncing around like a jack-in-the-box, tambourine in hand, the band certainly had energy in abundance. Though yet to release their debut album they got the crowd moving; in particular, the catchy whistles of ‘Let’s Go Surfing’ with its melodic bass line proved utterly danceable. Next came The Big Pink with their hypnotically sweeping electo-rock, and it was they who delivered one of the most exhilarating moments of the night with standout track ‘Dominos’. Raising the crowd to a fever pitch with the dirge-like opening, by the time the chorus kicked in they had the whole crowd punching their fists and singing along in a wave of eu- What would you be doing if you weren’t in a band? Jack: I’d probably be at university, studying French and Japanese. Ed: ‘I’d be studying art, Jamie would do classics, and Suren is going to be a drummer whatever happens’. It’s nearing the end of the NME Tour, have you enjoyed it? Ed: I’m just growing into it now, everyone’s really good friends. Is there any particular band that you’ve gotten to know well on the tour? Ed: The Maccabees are always incredibly friendly, we get on very well with them. Describe your music in a word. Jack: Horndog Is there any band you’re particularly into right now? Ed: We don’t really listen to new bands at all. Currently we really like Yo la Tengo. If you could be in any band at all what would it be? Jack: Miles Davis’ band...if I could play jazz, that would be the funnest lifestyle to have, because every gig you played would be completely different, you’d never get bored of it. Ed: Frank Zappa’s band, the mothers of Invention, pretty much the tightest band ever, although you’d be pretty phoria, while frontman Robbie Furze coasted on a sea of hands. Songs like ‘Crystal Visions’ with its pulsating bass lines and neo-psychedelic elements proved at times mesmerizing, while Akiko Matsuura’s powerful stadium-worthy drumming powered their set along. Following them were Bombay Bicycle Club, and though expectations were rising, they didn’t disappoint. Their set immediately had sweaty teens clamouring to reach the chaotic mosh pit, and the crowd went wild for ‘Always Like This’ and the quietly brilliant ‘Evening/Morning’. Jack Steadman’s quivering yet poignant vocals, coupled with a band abosorbed in its own music, produced some electrifying moments. It was then the turn of headliners The Maccabees. Their set proved energising with crowd pleasers ‘Can You Give It’ and ‘Toothpaste Kisses’. But their newly added brass section wasn’t always audible, and frontman Orlando Weeks often seemed timid. The Maccabees didn’t blow you away so much as gently push you over. Despite such minor flaws they put on an entertaining show, ending the concert with the anthemic ‘Love You Better’. Aurora Horwood Photo: Courtesy of Cool Delta Line-Up Lives Up To The Hype ★★★★☆ scared of Frank Zappa. Has any show stood out on the tour that’s been particularly good? Jack: Birmingham for some reason was really good, maybe they were just putting something in the drinks but the crowd were going crazy to a level that we’ve never really seen before. Has anything especially ridiculous happened on the NME tour? Ed: We got locked out of our hotel room completely naked the other night, and we had to go to reception and ask them to take us back up and let us into our rooms. Jack: The lift was really small so we didn’t know if we could fit in it and we were really squashed together, we The Drums talk to TCS about the hype, the music and their first full tour feel like we’re catching up to our career, because it really is moving at such a crazy pace. Jacob: It’s strange because we’re still Jacob: One from Finland called Cats On Fire, they’re kind of what we’re striving for, to be a band that you can just see it, understand it and love it. Photo: Courtesy of Cool Delta There’s been a lot of hype around you, do you feel pressured by it? Jonathan: We try not to let any hype get to us. Our number one rule is to be selfish and do what we want to do. So if we’re pleased with ourselves then that’s what we want to achieve. We’re lucky enough people seem to be getting excited about what we’re doing. If you weren’t in a band, what would you be doing? Jonathan: I think always in our past we’ve been making music on the side, but I’d probably be a pilot. Jacob: I’d be trying to do something with graphic design. Have you finished the album? Jonathan: We’re just mixing it right now. Adam: I think a reason why the pressure doesn’t feel as heavy is because it’s been done for a while, we weren’t forced to write a record in phases. Jonathan: We wrote everything at the same time, then we picked songs that sounded more summery and we made that EP. Whatever was left was naturally darker, that’s what you’ll hear on the full length. How’ve you found the NME Tour? Jonathan: This is our first full on tour of any kind. A lot of bands spend years figuring everything out and then something big happens to them, but for us, it was out of nowhere. We Connor Hanwick (drums, far right) loved Cambridge so much he bought the T-Shirt in that evolutionary process. Whereas a lot of bands will see pictures of themselves from three years ago and say “Oh gosh, what was I wearing?” I’ll see pictures of myself from three months ago and think “What was I wearing?” Jonathan: I think our saving grace is having such a strong vision, before we wrote our first song, we knew what we wanted to do and how we wanted to go about it. Describe your music in a sentence. Jonathan: Sensitive rock’n’roll. Your favourite band right now? If you could be part of any band, which band would it be? Jonathan: The Sugarcubes because they’re so weird, it’s probably worth it just to be hanging around with Bjork when she was 16. Adam: Being in the Ramones would be pretty cool. Anything ridiculous or memborable that’s happened on the tour? Jacob: Earlier tonight, after we sound-checked, we heard this crazy wild screaming and it was Kiko the Big Pink’s drummer. They reeled her out on the stage on this chair with wheels and she was ducktaped to it and screaming bloody murder, then they threw her off the stage and were pushing her around that room, and she was just terrified, it was the craziest thing. What do you think of Cambridge? Adam: I loved it, it’s my favourite spot so far. Jonathan: Everything’s just so nice, I’d like to see a seedier section. It’s like uptown New York – everything’s perfect. What are you doing after this tour? Adam: We’re continuing touring around mainland Europe. Jacob: It seems intimidating to look at our schedule coming up, but I think it’ll be really exciting. Jonathan: I think when you believe in what you’re doing it makes it all worth it. Maybe it sounds like we’re full of ourselves, but we want to change modern music as much as we can. We’d like things to be different than they’ve been for the last 10 years. I think whether people know it or not, there’s a subconscious craving for something real again. Everything’s been so overdone and manufactured, everything’s glossy and perfect, and I think people are ready for imperfection, I know we certainly are, that’s why we believe in what we’re doing. Aurora Horwood just wanted to freak everyone out in the bar. Ed: Jack always gets naked though, he’s pretty much naked all the time. What’s it like playing in Cambridge? Ed: It’s always one of our favourite places to play. Jack: It’s the certain dance moves that people do here. I’ve always noticed a particularly peculiar one - they aren’t very self conscious. What are you doing after this tour has finished? Jack: We’re going back into the studio, and we’ve got our European tour in a week. Aurora Horwood Inside this week... The fine art of sublime drinking 24 A. E. Housman and Cambridge 17 The Lovely Bones: From page to screen 20 Los Campesinos! Live review 23 The 16|Arts ★★★★☆ Photo: Fitzwilliam Museum Lino Mannocci’s latest exhibition boasts a novel approach to the monotype medium, a printing style that traditionally involves painting directly onto the printing plate with ink in order to create a single image. The exhibition includes a helpful explana- tion of how he has taken this simple method to new heights, introducing original elements such as crumpled tissue paper to achieve the textured stormy skies so fundamental to the series, as well as digital imagery, stencils and collage. Through these additions Mannocci hopes to inject new life into monotype printing. Yet, considering the wealth of monotypes on display at this exhibition, there are very few among them that warrant prolonged attention. In his aim to leave the message of his artwork down to the interpretation of the viewer, Lino Mannocci describes what he does as purposefully ambiguous. Recurrent symbols from mythological and biblical worlds echo throughout the images in an attempt to allude to particular stories, without explicit reference. But despite his enigmatic intentions, the outcome for the most part is a lack of real focus in the prints, which are excessively obscure; atmospheric but vacuous landscapes. One of the main points of cultural reference for Mannocci here is the Annunciation, a theme that comes across through the recurrent celestial imagery, the ominous skies and vulnerable female figures. There is even a second half of the exhibition devoted solely to historical depictions of this topic. This part of the exhibition documents the development of artistic representations of the Annunciation, a classic image of biblical art. However, it seems to contradict the ambiguous symbolism of Mannocci’s art by dictating to us exactly where the symbols he uses have come from, and what they represent. In its need to clarify the mean- ing of particular imagery, this part of the exhibition underlines the lack of clear symbolism to draw their own associations from. A few rubies gleam in the dust. More developed pieces such as “Then Susanna shrieked”, which shows the stark white silhouette of a woman prancing before a turbulent backdrop, are dramatic and captivating because of the numerous stories they suggest. They are simple but effective, retaining enough detail for the onlooker to muse over and imagine the legend behind the figure. Similarly to Susanna’s bold white shape, other pieces bring splashes of colour into the gloom, providing the most effective of the prints on display. The subtle nude shades of the woman in “Concedimi verginità perpetua” (“Let me live always like a virgin”) for instance, add the contemporary twist that this exhibition promised to bring to monoprinting by introducing digital images in an enticing mixture of modernity and ancient myth. Her solitary colour makes her vulnerability strikingly clear in the face of the menacing sky, and we are left to wonder about what the future has in stall for her. It’s a pity Mannocci didn’t take his controlled use of colour further, since these were the real highlights of this exhibition. Despite his attempts at a novel use of the monotype medium, overall Lino Mannocci’s experiments fall disappointingly flat. Louisa Long Oxford’sAnswer to the UL Hatti Whitman hears the Bodleian’s Associate Director out on book-related controversy For most of us, extended periods of time spent in a library are symptomatic of exam-fever or an essay crisis. For Richard Ovenden, Keeper of Special Collections and Associate Director at the Bodleian Library, it’s a way of life. In a talk entitled ‘Can a University Library also be a National Library?’ at Emmanuel College this week, Ovenden presented a cogent analysis not only of the Bodleian today but also of its history as a library serving both students of Oxford University and outsiders. Ovenden began with the history of the Bodleian library, from the growth of the Oxford University book collection through acquisition and gifts, to the work of Sir Thomas Bodley to create a central library for the University, through to the present day. For Ovenden, it is Bodley’s aims in founding and funding the library, which would come to bear his name, that delineate the Bodleian as more than just a university library. Bodley described his vision of a ‘republic of the learned’, implying that the library should not be just for the use of Oxford students, but of anyone with the desire to learn. Not only was it founded with an outlook which stretched beyond the bounds of Oxford University, but this ideal clearly continues to this day. The Bodleian is a legal deposit library (just like our own UL) with an immense catalogue of materials and the 80,000 registered readers with access to this material. The fact that the number of registered readers is nearly four times the number of current students at Oxford seems to Ovenden to speak for itself in terms of the library’s contribution on a national level. Ovenden’s use of visual aids was a real highlight, with photographs of rare manuscripts and interesting parts of the collections, including Franz Kafka’s original manuscripts, which the writer had asked to be burnt. The photographs of the library buildings themselves couldn’t fail to enchant, as it must be said that most of the Bodleian’s architecture is far more aesthetically pleasing than that of the UL – although Sir Giles Gilbert Scott (he of Battersea Power Station, Tate Modern, and UL fame) did manage to leave his mark in the form of the New Bodleian Library. Ovenden responded jovially to questions from the audience, cracking jokes and smiling throughout. It was a talk which brought a seemingly dry subject to life, and opened up some intriguing questions about the national relevance not only of University Libraries such as the Bodleian and the UL, but of the Universities themselves to which they belong. Photo: Roman Kirillov As one might imagine, the meanings of words tend to change, not always randomly, but sometimes seemingly so. I must thank my decidedly non-random friend Neil Simpson for suggesting that we investigate “random.” Something or someone that acts in a random fashion does so rather chaotically, without guidance. This contemporary meaning stems directly from its origins in clashing knights on war-horses. That is right: chivalry, and all that jazz. The original Anglo-Norman word, “randoun,” dating from around the 12th century, and then the later Middle French word, “randon,” refers to “speed” or “haste,” according to the OED. It might be related to the Germanic word “rand” meaning “shield,” or “shield-boss” (the knobby thing in the middle of round shields, and handy for hitting). As such, and as noted by the OED, the word can be found in as old a text as “Beowulf ” (7th century) with this rather undecipherable line, “He under rande gecranc.” An Old English translation of Exodus from the 10th century describes the parting waves of the Red Sea as the “randgebeorh,” or “shield-wall.” We also find the Anglo-Norman phrase, “a grant randun” or “in great haste.” To strike “with great random” was to do so with great force while riding or running, as in the medieval joust, though “at the random” probably refers to the wilder jousting that did not include such niceties as barriers. These now obsolete meanings, referring to a “an impetuous rush” predominated until the 17th century. By the end of the 1500s, the meaning behind the phrase began to change, and meant something out-of-control, perhaps stemming from the idea that running at a full gallop was not always the picture of serenity and restraint. Thus we have the Bard using this line in his Venus and Adonis (c. 1592), “But hatefully at random dost thou hit.” Alexander Pope (1688-1744) later used the word in his Dunciad, which attacked hack writers, with the line in question being, “She shows … How random thoughts now meaning chance to find.” Finally, in a bit of nostalgia, Mark Twain, used the word in 1889, in its older sense, in his Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, with the line, “Two knights came together with great random.” If you have any random wordrelated queries or thoughts, please write to [email protected]. Until next time, take care! Thursday, February 25, 2010 A World of Myth and Poetic Landscape ‘Clouds and Myths’ Fitzwilliam Museum Until Sunday 9th of May “random” CambridgeStudent 1 Cambridge University Students’ Union CUSU Elections 2010 Your pull-out guide to this year’s candidates... VOTE ONLINE 8am Monday 1st - 8pm Tuesday 2nd www.vote.cusu.cam.ac.uk VOTE in COLLEGES Wednesday 3rd 2 CUSU President Candidates CUSU Education Officer Candidates 3 4 CUSU Women’s Officer Candidates 5 Vote Chris Lillycrop for CUSU Coordinator Coordinating the Executive Writing the budget I will ensure that CUSU Officers work effectively and efficiently to achieve your priorities. I recently helped the current Coordinator introduce such a scheme to coordinate CUSU activity, but I believe that the Executive needs to function from Day 1, not just from New Year onwards. We must stop cutting core Union budgets to pay for unnecessary selfpromotion, external relations and staff costs. By emphasising student-support, as well as the Education and Welfare campaigns, I will protect these areas and ensure that they have the funding they need. Managing staff CUSU Council Getting the most out of our current staff members is vital, but CUSU needs to question the wisdom of continually enlarging its staff. The CUSU executive is employed to carry out policy as determined by the representatives of the student body, so CUSU officers must remember to use Council for listening, not for squabbling or grandstanding. If Council can be relevant, responsible and respected, all of CUSU functions better. With almost 200 active policies and 40 executive officers, overseeing CUSU’s policy work is the Coordinator’s single biggest challenge: managing sabbs and part-time officers to ensure that policy goals are being met. CUSU’s staff has grown rapidly over the past few years so that they now outnumber sabbatical officers. I believe that CUSU’s strength lies in its elected student officers. CUSU is about to come under severe financial pressure as our £80,000 per year deal for the Careers Handbook comes to an end. The Coordinator will have to balance priorities to address this new situation. The Coordinator has a responsibility to promote a relationship of trust between CUSU Council and the sabbatical officers, by ensuring that the voices of students are always respected. Chris Lillycrop - Making CUSU Work For You Manifesto redacted due to issues regarding the legality of statements relating to CUSU staff members’ employment. For more information on Elections Committee’s ruling see www.cusu.cam.ac.uk/elections 6 NUS Delegate Candidates 7 8 ELECTION DEBATES Come and grill the candidates for the contested elections Find out what they think and how they differ Saturday 27th February Women’s Officer Candidates - 3pm Education Officer Candidates - 4pm Presidential Candidates - 5pm Clare College - Riley Auditorium The Thursday, February 25, 2010 CambridgeStudent Crème Brûlée, French Pornography and Poetry Photo: E.O. Hoppe Jack Belloli traces A.E. Housman’s wild life at Trinity and beyond Last week’s The Invention of Love at the ADC emphasised that the Other Place was where he found his Elysian Fields, but A. E. Housman made a significant mark on Cambridge too, as Kennedy Professor of Latin from 1911. There’s a rumour that he introduced crème brûlée to Trinity (we certainly have written evidence that he demanded cheesecake); he installed a new lavatory which he forbade Wittgenstein from using; and his extensive collection of French pornography resides in the UL. But if Housman sounds like the touchstone for every eccentric Fellow you’d care to mention, things get more complicated. In stark contrast to Cambridge’s later academic-poets like J. H. Prynne, whose poems betray the Saussure-infused brains which created them, Housman kept the two sides of his personality quite firmly apart. Indeed, his most productive poetic phase coincided with sick leave from UCL because of a ‘relaxed sore throat’. The classicist, fixated on much more’ (although – paradoxically – More Poems would be published posthumously by Housman’s brother). Without the binding influence of Shropshire, these poems drift into a fairyland ruled by ‘the Queen of air and darkness’ or out among the stars in ‘mid heaven’. You’d expect a collection published in 1922 to reflect on the First World War, but Last Poems does so indirectly and archetypally. While his contemporaries made it quite clear that things were falling apart, Housman more subtly suggests that war has destroyed a sense of time: his soldiers carry swords, sack towns and fight for ‘thirteen pence a day’. Even the ‘young sinner’ imprisoned for ‘the colour of his hair’, often interpreted as a reference to fellow homosexual Oscar Wilde, is indirect enough a reflection to criticise any form of meaningless persecution. In lectures such as The Name and Nature of Poetry, Housman stressed that, amid all the new-fangled excitement about literary criticism becoming an academic discipline, poems should still engage the heart more than the head. ‘Lift up your eyes to the stars ... and repeat ... the poetry which they have evoked – do so by all means. But don’t call it astronomy’. It’s an excuse, if any were needed, for a night in with some poetry and a pack of Sainsbury’s £1 crumpets. Well, it’s cheaper than working out the meaning of written fragments shorn against our ruin, became a poet whose work is firmly in the British ballad tradition – passed orally, and therefore more securely, down through the ages. Once heard, a Housman poem is hard to forget: many are short enough to memorise easily, and they use rhyme, rhythm and repetition in a reliably lulling fashion, with their warnings to ‘give crowns and pounds and guineas, but not your heart away’. But displacement runs deeper than that. Housman’s most celebrated achievement, A Shropshire Lad, eulogises a county that he rarely visited. And, while the collection rattles off appropriate place-names – Ludlow, Clun, Wenlock Edge – the collection’s most famous phrase, Shropshire’s ‘blue remembered hills’, is a very deliberate mis-description. The themes of young death, lost innocence and the joy of rural customs could take anywhere as their point of reference. One curious poem is set in London and recounts the poet’s imagined conversation with a statue in a ‘Grecian gallery’, both appreciating that they were ‘fashioned far away’. The overriding feeling you get from Housman is that, wherever ‘here’ is, it’s not where you want to be. It gets even more disturbing in Housman’s later collections, particularly Last Poems, so-titled ‘because it is not likely that I shall ever...write A Rainy Day: An Anecdote Most Macabre An effort in prose by Max Haberich dog, two cats, a snake, a hamster and several mice. Charles loathed them. Whenever his wife kissed one of her tractive woman. She had kept the flirtatious charm of a girl of twenty, and chatted, laughed, and joked with each and every one of them. Sometimes Charles considered it necessary to gently touch her cheek, to remind them that she belonged to him. When this happened, Henrietta got up to fetch one of her dogs, whom she would fondle as if cuddling with one of Charles’ rivals. Henrietta loved pets. She had a cats, whom she kissed more often than him, he felt a sharp pang of jealousy. In the course of an afternoon, this could turn into a rage in his soul out of all proportion. He always kept this to himself, however, and Henrietta never suspected these strong feelings in her husband for a moment. He would have loved to get rid of all of those pets in one grand blow. Whenever they had quarrelled and Charles wasn’t allowed to sleep in the vast double bed, Henrietta would take her terrier into the bedroom with a strangely triumphant look in her eyes. Behind the locked door the solitary husband would hear his wife laugh and squeak until late into the night. One rainy day in October, husband and wife were sitting in front of the fireplace. They hadn’t bothered to light a fire. Charles put his arm around Henrietta, and she was telling him about the new rain jacket she would buy Kenneth, her terrier, for protection against the autumnal storms. Then she got up to perform some small chores in the kitchen. Charles got up as well, and emptied a canister of lighting fluid all over the fireplace. “My darling,” he called, “I‘ll go for a short walk along the river. Would you kindly start a fire in the chimney, so it‘s nice and warm when I‘m back?” “But of course, sweetheart.” she replied. The meadows at that part of the river were protected from development, and cattle grazed there in the warmer months of the year. After he had strolled along the river for a while, Charles cast a glance over his shoulder. He saw the water reflecting a glow as blazing as a summer sunset, and sooty clouds of smoke rising artorial tudent Is bringing herringbone back.... Are you, or is someone you know, a young fogey? Do you miss the pipe shop on the corner of St John’s Street? Do you side part your hair? Spending too much time at the Union, old chum? And, most importantly, are you in possession of your own TWEED JACKET? There’s nothing especially ‘fashionable’ about this week’s Sartorial Student Subject; rather its a look that never really went away. And least of all in Cambridge, home of the aforementioned (anti-) youth movement that is Fogeyism. On both male and female wearers, tweed is endearingly geeky, ragged and idiosyncratic. It is the antithesis of a leather jacket. The old-world charm of Harris tweed is a uniquely British thing; devotees will know already how the heavy wool ‘heritage fabric’ is protected with its own 1939 Act of Parliament, forbidding manufacture anywhere but the Outer Hebrides. Vivienne Westwood is an adamant tweed patron (note the similarities between the Westwood and Harris ‘orb’ logos). Alexander McQueen crafted it into waspish skirt suits worthy of Hitchcock heroines. Menswear innovator Deryck Walker has worked with the Harris tweed mills to pioneer an ultra-fine and ‘un-itchy’ tweed, which the Scottish designer uses to create a softer, narrow-fitting silhouette unlike the traditional thick wool. And meanwhile, Nike once ordered 10,000 metres of the stuff, creating limited-edition herringbone hi-tops. Not bad for the local product of a place better known as the home of ‘The Wicker Man’.. But not everyone can afford the ‘heritage’ pricing, nor are we all lucky enough to have a generous pheasant-shooting grandfather with a stash of worn-in blazers in his attic. Luckily enough, however, tweed is one of those things, like fur and old leather handbags, which only gets better with age. Raid the Mill Road charity shops and you’re sure to find a well-loved shooting jacket or twojust check up ahead for that wet doglike smell that some tweeds develop with time. You can have it re-tailored for a reasonable enough price, or go oversized and pair with moth-eaten vintage cashmere, for Withnail-style shabby chic. Photo: Educationeducationeducation A fair number of male guests envied Charles for Henrietta, who, in her early forties, was still a very at- Photo: Dog Online Charles and Henrietta lived in Richmond, a Southwestern suburb in the sprawling urban expanse of London. To everyone who knew them, they seemed a harmonious couple to the point of envy. They owned a spacious apartment in an Victorian villa not far from the Thames. The houses in their neighbourhood were built in a style quite similar to their own, with immaculate front gardens, some of which even boasted small palm trees. Charles and Henrietta held dinners fairly often, to which they invited many friends and acquaintances. They were known as far as Richmond Hill, an area where artists and musicians lived, for their excellent cooking. Their cocktails were equally superb. Their guests didn’t leave until the early hours of the morning, and only after having tasted exquisite and little-known wines, and having finished the meal with port or sherry several decades old. It was nothing less than a distinction to receive one of their dinner invitations, to be greeted in their entrance hall with its expensive chandelier. In their rooms, each with a high stucco ceiling, the elegance of a bygone era emanated from the simple, graceful curves of their antique furniture. S The Arts|17 18|Theatre ADC Theatre Mainshow 7.45pm Tues 23rd-Sat 27th February The CambridgeStudent Thursday, February 25 , 2010 The Merchant of Venice production. Whilst the visuals consistently reflect the choice of period, there is little else done to indicate that the production has an interest with Mussolini’s Italy. This makes the explicitly anti-Se- awkward atmosphere. This timidity of ideas causes problems throughout the production, resulting in a feeling that more could have been done to fulfil director Patrick Garety’s potentially inter- The Merchant of Venice, Shakespeare’s most complex and captivating comedy, sees Antonio (Ned Carpenter) borrow a large sum of money from Shylock (Theo Chester), the Jew whom he has publically berated, on behalf of friend Bassanio (Luke Rajah), whom he is desperate to please. Shylock lends the money on the condition that if it is not returned, he will take a pound of Antonio’s flesh. Meanwhile, Shylock’s daughter Jessica (Sophia Sibthorpe) has rejected her father and his Jewish faith, eloping with the Christian Lorenzo (Rob Willoughby) from Venice to Belmont. Bassanio uses the money Antonio gives him to go to Belmont, where he tries to court the beautiful, rich and intelligent Portia (Antonia Eklund), whose deceased father has set out the challenge of the three caskets to any man who tries to marry his daughter. Bassanio succeeds in choosing the right casket, which means he is allowed to marry Portia, but is immediately presented with a letter to say that Antonio cannot pay Shylock’s money back, and that the Jew is insisting on his compensation of the pound the life of their husbands’ friend. This production opens, as the posters promise, in a smoky 1930s Italian jazz bar. The vibrant yet simple sets, beautifully designed by David Pugh, continue to stun throughout the mitic jokes from Salarino and Solanio (John Haidar and Toby Jones) at the end of Act II feel unnecessary, out of place and uncomfortable. The production should have been bolder with its setting to avoid this esting and entertaining vision of the play. Antonio and Bassanio’s relationship, one of Shakespeare’s more explicitly homoerotic friendships, lacked conviction in performance; it had been written by the director, Suzanne Burlton. The conventions of melodrama could have been stifling, but Burlton’s witty script revels in them. It is populated with characters who are either bounders, good eggs or women. Tyndall’s Lord Leighton runs the gamut of villainy from blackguard to rapscallion, detailing his dastardly plot in asides to the audience, by contrast to Gilbert’s energetic and heroic Augustus, resplendent in ruffles. Also crowded into the drawing room is an atheist priest Father Flect (Ben Slingo) – Leticia’s father (Hugh Burling) speculates that ‘Perhaps his ordination was a clerical error,’ – an eye- brow-wiggling butler (Christopher Stanton), and a disapproving aunt (Samantha Anders). This is not a flawless production. The sparse set was a missed opportunity to crowd the stage with Victorian fripperies. The performances were not all pitched at quite the same level of melodrama: there were times where it seemed Eades did not fully commit to the silliness. Somehow though, in this context the spirit of amateur enthusiasm is charming rather than annoying: ‘I could sell that painting in London’ becomes a funny line when directed at a small, solitary print hung high on the wall. This is a thoroughly entertaining show, and one of the most confident pieces of new writing I have seen on a Cambridge stage. Shakespeare dir. Patrick Garety Photo: James Graveston ★★☆☆☆ of flesh. Bassanio returns to Venice to try to help Antonio. Portia and her ladyin-waiting Nerissa (Eve Hedderwick Turner) follow them to Venice, concealed as law clerks, in order to save Loving Leticia Pembroke New Cellars 7.00pm Tues 16th-Sat 27th February Suzanne Burlton dir. Suzanne Burlton ★★★★☆ Loving Leticia is like a syllabub served in a fluted glass: frothy, unashamedly old fashioned, and utterly scrumptious. Leticia (Annwyn Eades) wants nothing more than eight hours a day of Virgil, and to marry sweet-voiced Augustus(SamGilbert).Unfortunately her mother (Madeleine Hammond) wishes her to wed Lord Leighton (Jagveen Tyndall), who turns out to be a scoundrel and a kidnapper. About ten minutes in I scanned my programme, wondering why I had never heard of this excellent play; I was genuinely surprised to discover that Giulia Galastro Photo: James Crosby Carpenter failed to convey the crucial adoration and sexual tension. As a result, the character disappears into the background, and the effect of having Antonio sitting alone at the end of the play, having watched Bassanio exit with his beloved wife, is entirely lost. This homoeroticism seems to have been deflected in the production onto Portia and Nerissa. Eklund and Hedderwick Turner share too much physical contact, which not only undermines the importance of physical closeness in the performance, but also becomes quite boring. Eklund’s portrayal of Portia epitomises the fault in the production. Despite Portia being arguably Shakespeare’s most intelligent, autonomous female character, for the first three acts Eklund renders her as an excitable bimbo. The change, therefore, in her character once she is disguised as a man is too vast. Even when dressed as a woman again at the end, the Portia seen in the second half is irreconcilable with the Portia in the first half. In neglecting the importance of Portia’s composure and manipulative intelligence, the production loses another one of the most essential ideas of the play. All in all, whilst it is ambitious in its vision, this production fails to hit the mark and, despite its brilliant aesthetics, is a washout from the start. Jessica Jennings Wit Corpus Playroom Mainshow 7.00pm Tues 23rd-Sat 27th February Margaret Edson dir. Katherine Alcock ★★★☆☆ Katherine Alcock appears in a hospital slip, bandana over her head, and with her hand attached to a drip, as cancer patient Vivian Bearing, in the play she co-directs with Jennifer Boon. Wit documents the stages of cancer from diagnosis to death of Bearing, a professor specialising in Donne’s Holy Sonnets. Even by the standards of academia, this seems an incongruently specific and concentrated subject focus. Playwright Margaret Edson does not manage to convince the audience that Bearing is the highest authority on Donne, as any English student would be able to notice! Alcock is also not convincing in her characterisation of an obtuse professor with a formidable reputation. She does, however, deserve plaudits for her engaging and nuanced performance. Onstage throughout the play Bearing narrates her story allowing herself to travel between memories. The fluidity of the production, moving easily without superfluous scene changes, is well-judged, with smooth lighting shifts to help ease the transi- tions through time and space. Pervasively surrounding Bearing are the stark white walls of the hospital in which she is receiving treatment for her illness, furnished with medical apparatus and wall-charts including a defibrillator giving verisimilitude to the setting. Micah Trippe plays Dr Jason Posner, a cancer researcher on a compulsory work placement caring for Bearing, with a directness which is both convincing and damning towards researchers. Despite a late entrance for her first scene, Jenny Scudamore delivers the finest performance in this production, as Professor E. M. Ashford, especially in the beautifully poignant penultimate scene, in which she reads to Bearing, her former student. The rest of the cast are all secure and competent in their roles, sustaining the engagement of the audience in a drama that is not especially dynamic or exciting. Although it is never boring, the detailing of cancer treatment by pointlessly referencing the technical terms for each medical procedure ensures that the presentation of this illness is neither emotive nor dramaticallyenthralling. Despite these reservations, this production has clarity in its storytelling and deserved confidence in its performances which are rare qualities in Cambridge am-dram. Oliver O’Shea The Thursday, February 25, 2010 CambridgeStudent Theatre|19 The Bald Prima Donna Oliver O’Shea sums up how theatre ticket pricing is costing am-dram productions their audiences Photo: Julia Lichnova-Dinan Corpus Playroom, Lateshow 9.30pm Tues 23rd-Sat 27th February Eugene Ionesco dir. Amrou Al-Kadhi and Francesca Warner ★★★★☆ One hardly knows what to expect from an absurdist Romanian play inspired by the non sequiturs of foreign language phrasebooks. Ionesco’s script - a self-proclaimed ‘anti-play’ sways from the banal to the absurd, imbued with mechanical characters and a sheer lack of meaning, yet Al-Kadhi and Warner’s vivacious production is to be commended for impressive, often hilarious performances from an unusual script. Why do we tend to be less apprehensive about experiencing drama in translation than prose or – particularly – poetry? Why are Greek tragedies the only texts in translation tolerated by the English Tripos? Why do English audiences value Chekhov and Ibsen just as highly as Shakespeare even if the language barrier means we can’t judge them in their fullness? At some level, it’s down to some hard-wired link between the two disciplines. The act of translation is its own little drama. It’s an attempt to bring together two ways of thinking which descent into insanity powerfully engaged the audience, and partially redeemed a rushed climax, in which some of the actors frantically slurred the play’s maddest lines. The set was impressive in its details: bizarre teapots, clocks showing different times and a picture of Queen Victoria maintained a caricaturistic, skewed Englishness throughout the play. Paired with well-chosen costumes and music, the maid who winds up her masters like clockwork dolls and tilts empty frames that she then uses as mirrors all crafted precisely the quaint, unsettling backdrop the original play demands. The audience’s unanimous laughter was testimony to this play’s final success Julia Lichnova-Dinan At first, actors struggled to create distinct characters while responding to the play’s absurdist demands. Mrs Smith’s (Isabella Baynham-Herd)’s opening speech, though communicative, lacked vigour; Mr Smith (Yonni Allen) was trapped by his props and initially under-delivered; Jeremy Evans was amusing as Mrs Martin, but did not deviate from a perpetually frantic centre. A script that demands actors to cover every emotion from indifference to fury to overwhelming love in mere seconds asks not for realism but for a certain self-convinced madness. Characters swiftly improved throughout the play, however, as Allen upped his mad eccentricity and Baynham-Herd shone as the flustered, excitable housewife. Mr Martin (Pierre Novellie)’s impeccable comic timing and emphatic interactions with everything on stage struck not only the absurd notes but also the play’s funniest harmonies. enshrine often-conflicting values, working to reach a compromise between fidelity and creativity. Consider how frequently plays rely on misinterpretation of what others are saying, or characters’ failure to translate their thoughts into words. Of course, many playwrights appreciate this link bring issues of translation into the limelight. This week, the Corpus Playroom presents The Bald Prima Donna, a play so fiendish that my English copy almost gives up, apologising on one occasion for a particularly ‘flabby’ rendering. This didn’t seem to stop Ionesco himself writing versions both in Romanian and French. Whichever language the play is performed in, it seems to be translated just beyond the comprehension of the audience. Ionesco was inspired by the pompous, inauthentic sentences that he encoun- about rabbits and gardens ; tered when learning English: when his however, it ignores audience hears about better the sense of ‘du quality mayonnaise and lait dans un green eiderdowns, palais’, reeven in their own placing language, the sen it with ‘a sation is similar crab in to confrontation a lab’ to with an unknown mainlanguage. tain You’d imagine that the the play’s spiffingly British middleclass setting is slightly less surreal in rhyme. But, given that English than in French, but their lan- ‘lapin’ and ‘jardin’ rhyme, why guage is so absurd that it feels just as not ignore sense there too? Ionesco takes translators’ greatest opporforeign to us. As the play goes on, it relies increas- tunity, that there are no fixed rules, ingly on gleefully meaningless phrases: and turns it into a curse. The play is translating them imposes meaning untranslatable. onto them which they don’t necessarIt’s not simply a matter of being ily have. My edition translates ‘J’aime ‘lost in translation’ – it’s not clear what mieux tuer un lapin que de chanter there is to be lost in the first place. dans le jardin’ literally as a statement Jack Belloli Al-Kadhi and Warner’s vivacious production is to be commended for impressive often hilarious performances Secondary roles appeared undefined: Mary (Leah Betts) was pleasingly coy, but did not develop and the Fire Chief (Andrew Holland) offered a compromised act throughout. Excellent staging, particularly in storytelling scenes, saved these weaker performances. The play’s gradual Lost in Translation It saddens me as an audience member and theatre reviewer to see talented actors in Cambridge sometimes performing to virtually empty auditoriums. Our University has a highly active amateur dramatic theatre scene with over 45 different productions produced last term alone, all competing for an audience. Low attendance of theatre is due to numerous factors, one of which is ticket pricing. If the most ardent of theatregoers had desired (for some inexplicable and perverse reason) to see every show produced last term, that would have cost them at least £225, at £5 for every ticket. Yet students can see professional productions for the price of £5 at their local regional theatres, such as at York Theatre Royal. Why should one pay the same price to see am-dram theatre as professional theatre, when the quality will inevitably, and understandably, be inferior? If one decides to go to the ADC on a Saturday, some productions will set you back an unbelievable £10: one can see a world class production at the National Theatre with a Travelex ticket for the same price. Although professional producing theatre (i.e. not commercial theatre) is subsidised by taxpayers, which allows them to keep ticket prices low, the production values, and consequently their costs, are considerably higher than amateur dramatic productions. Besides, Cambridge’s am-dram societies are effectively subsidised anyway – so why should they be expected to break even at the box office? Other societies in Cambridge are not expected to recuperate their costs, so why should theatre societies? Based on my convictions, amdram theatre in Cambridge should be priced at a maximum of £5, and producers should aim to set their prices lower than this. By keeping production costs reined in, and thinking creatively, producers can feel confident in offering £4 tickets, as my production of Frozen is doing, without making a loss. Ultimately, in theatre the actor has primacy in telling the story; set and costumes are subordinate to the actor. I’d much rather see a brilliantly-acted play than an expensively-produced and expensively-priced flop. FROZEN runs from Weds 10th – Fri 12th March, at Robinson College Auditorium, 8pm. More Online Medics’ Revue (ADC Lateshow) The Footlights Comedy Fest (Arts Theatre) ADC Footlights Smoker http://www.tcs.cam.ac.uk/category/ issue/theatre/ The 20|Film CambridgeStudent Thursday, February 25, 2010 A euphemism for an awful film Thom Jenkins argues that this adaptation of Alice Sebold’s novel is both a moral and an artistic failure The Lovely Bones 2hr 15mins, 12A ★☆☆☆☆ Photo: www.image.net The film The Lovely Bones, in contrast with the best-selling novel by Alice Sebold, only briefly depicts the rape and murder of a fourteen yearold girl, before shifting focus to her happily-ever-after life. Susie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan), the young victim, narrates her story as she makes her way towards heaven passing slowly through an impressively grotesque CGI world called the ‘in-between’. You might think it impossible to handle child rape and murder in a family friendly manner while respecting the painfully sad subject matter. You’d be right. Why Peter Jackson, the film’s director, thought it was a good idea to give it a go is beyond all comprehension. His attempt is as clumsy and offensive as a coprophagic bear riding a diarrhoeic bull in a china shop. The parallels between Susie’s father (Mark Wahlberg) and Mr Harvey (Stanley Tucci), her murderer, are particularly strange and slightly sickening. Their common interest in scale modelling only adds to the confusion created by Wahlberg’s rather inept portrayal of a grieving father, which at times unexpectedly (and one can only assume unintentionally) verges on the comedic. The moment at which he accuses his octogenarian neighbour of his daughter’s murder because the old man happens to wear adult diapers is just plain silly. There are a handful of good performances, however. Ronan exercises a lightness of touch and a certain eerie innocence that is deserving of praise, even if her faux American accent is grating at times. Tucci’s neighbourhood weirdo is expertly restrained and extremely creepy, if a little caricatured (as far as it is possible to caricature a pae- dophilic serial killer). And, Susan Sarandon’s all too brief appearances on screen as Susie’s grandmother is delightful. She’s Mrs Doubtfire with more than a dash of Cruella de Vil. Her whirlwind entrance does, however, seem like the trailer for a different, much better, film. Sarandon’s role is to hold the family together during their poorly -examined crisis, and she becomes something of a confidant for the surviving Salmon children. For instance, Susie’s younger brother, Buckley (Christian Thomas Ashdales), reveals to his grandmother that he thinks Susie is in the “inbetween”. We can surely forgive a child for such imaginations but what about ourselves, an audience of adults? What about Jackson and Sebold? Jackson believes it is the “curiously comforting” nature of his adaptation that allowed him to make the film. However, having Susie “alive in [her] own perfect world” hugely undermines the gravity of her murderer’s crime and her family’s loss. Worst of all is when Susie later talks about “the moment when we choose to go.” It is perhaps understandable that Sebold, a victim of rape herself, would seek to empower those that did not survive their ordeals with some semblance of choice. However, this comes at a heavy cost. Susie was raped. She was murdered. She had no choice. As far as anyone can tell she will never smile, dream or choose again. Hollywood may not have allowed Jackson to make that film, but there can be no justification for this sloppy, sickly and patronising piece. Jackson should have known that even those prepared to accept paedophilia, rape and murder as artistic curiosities, would never seek to be comforted by them. Towards the end of the film Sarandon inadvertently delivers an insightful piece of self-criticism when she asks her daughter (Susie’s mother – Rachel Weisz): “Do you really think that if you seal it up, the pain will go away?” Sealing the rape and murder of a child in the golden cornfields, lush pastures and sparkling lakes of the in-between is to ignore the power of the Salmon family’s story. In this way, and in common with Mr Salmon’s bottled ships and Mr Harvey’s dolls’ houses, The Lovely Bones becomes a much scaled down version of what it is meant to be. whose nickname literally means ‘the gambler,’ but is more accurately translated as ‘the show-off/highroller,’ is down his luck and plans to rob a casino to pay off his debts (the plot will be familiar to anyone who has seen Ocean’s Eleven). The motivations of all involved are slowly revealed to build the tension up for the final heist, which is achingly and surprisingly resolved. However, the real attraction of the film is its style and commitment to fun. Like all Melville films, everyone is snappily dressed in trenchcoats and suits, and Melville has a lot of fun with the men-on-a-mission aspect of the preparations for the job. Where not to start? Le Samourai is one of Melville’s most famous films and typifies everything about his style. It’s a cool, detached, and very methodical story about a cool, detached, and methodical hitman (Alain Delon), who is doublecrossed by his employers. While it’s a brilliant exercise in aesthetics and style, it’s also a very cold film which can make it difficult to identify with, and even Melville fans may find it difficult to love. The Lovely Bones is now showing at the Arts Picturehouse and at Vue Cinemas Introductions to Great Film-makers Jean-Pierre Melville Who is he? Born Jean-Pierre Grumbach, an Alastian Jew, Melville became a quintessentially French director, while remaining in love with American culture and cinematic conventions. Having fought in the Second World War in the French Resistance, and having been involved with street gangs in Paris in his youth, Melville, who renamed himself after the author of Moby Dick, was a rare crime and action film maker who had lived the life that his cinematic characters lived. This gave his films about criminals and the Resistance, both a realism and poignancy that his rivals lacked. Why should I watch his films? Melville, above all else, had a superb handle on how to construct a great thriller and to make the audience care about seemingly unlikeable characters: hitmen, robbers, and gamblers. However, Melville’s crime and war films went beyond genre conventions, examining the lives of these men philosophically. Most of Melville’s films revolve around themes of fate and honour, with a bleak view of life and the inevitablity of death, all shot in impeccable style. Melville’s best films are about characters doomed by their previous choices and current situations, no matter how often they do the right thing. Revealing more than just thrills, Melville’s films paid homage to the American ‘noir’ genre while surpassing both its look and its worldweary philosophy. His greatest film was undoubtedly his brilliant meditation on the French Resistance, Army of Shadows, a brutal and unsentimental look at what it meant to be a résistant. Where to start? Bob le Flambeur, unlike many of Melville’s other thrillers, is relatively unphilosophical and is much warmer than many of his thrillers. Bob, Next Steps.. Army of Shadows, Un Flic, Le Cercle Rouge, Les Enfants terribles, Le Silence de la mer The Thursday, February 25, 2010 CambridgeStudent Film|21 A bright future behind them Will Ghosh casts an eye over the history of child stars and asks if Saoirse Ronan’s success will be temproary Three examples of great child acting which you won’t have seen 1) Bertil Guve in Fanny and Alexander Adored by critics and fans alike, Ingmar Bergman’s five-hour masterpiece is nowhere near as hard work as it sounds, and at its centre is a glassy-eyed boy, about twelve: baffled, scared and occasionally entranced by the world around him. Guve’s great strength is that his almost constant silence never turns into detachment or boredom; he is always painfully involved in watching and listening the scene around him. As his initial happiness ebbs away and he and his sister fall into the hands of a cold, brutal pastor, it is the few moments when we see into his mind which give life to the tragedy of the middle passages and the exuberance of the ending. Photo: www.image.net Adolescence, as a rule, does not treat actors kindly. Stars who have made their name as the poster girls and boys of one or, at best, two films find the going increasingly tough when their voice drops a tone and their looks develop beyond the cute, the unthreatening. Miley Cyrus found this out to her cost when she posed for a so-called ‘nude’ photo for Annie Leibovitz - the transformation from tweenqueen to young woman causing scandal amongst the very demographic to which studios market her films (and posters, and lunchboxes, and dolls). Perhaps the most tragic example of this phenomenon is the now little-known Bobby Driscoll, winner of an Academy Award aged twelve and the first actor signed long-term to Walt Disney animation. Driscoll, unlike most child-stars, made a number of hits for the studio, most notably Song of the South, and its sequel So Dear to My Heart, and yet left Disney aged 16, no longer of any use to them after acne had ravaged his looks. Fifteen years on, his body was buried in a mass grave. After years of substance abuse nobody recognised his corpse. All of this might seem a bit morbid, and it’s worth remembering that a good number of child actors simply carve out successful new careers elsewhere, but the fact remains that very few survive the journey to bigscreen, adult stardom. Those that do – Jodie Foster, Kirsten Dunst and Drew Barrymore for example – tend to be very talented, very photogenic or very lucky. Saoirse Ronan certainly seems to belong to the first category. Her performance as Briony Tallis in Joe Wright’s Atonement garnered a string of plaudits. But just what made it so good? And is she well equipped to confront the transition into adult success? Firstly, and most importantly, Ronan is an actor and not a star (though much could change). Her performance in Atonement was sharp and self-involved - it was not cute. She singularly avoided all the usual pitfalls of the child actor, most notably she was neither too wise to be a convincing child, nor too juvenile to be a convincing character. Thirteen year-olds are not usually sage and prophetic, but nor are they soft-headed dribbling innocents. Rather, she trod a difficult, precarious tightrope. Children are rarely the sole protagonists of films for adults. The dramatic possibilities of a child normally concern the way in which they perceive and interact with the adult world around them. Ronan was asked to maintain a balance whereby she understood most of what went on around her, even (or indeed particularly) the sexualised aspect of it. Yet she did not quite have the maturity to deal with this understanding; to differentiate, in her mind, between what the letter she intercepts means (James fancies Keira) and what it doesn’t mean (McAvoy is a sex-obsessed rapist). Of course, you could argue that the strength of her performance lies in the writing, in the character McEwan created, but this is only half the story. Her interpretation brings out a beautiful coexistence of breathless excitement at what she perceives to be a conspiracy, and calm arrogance at what she thinks she’s understood. It is this sensitivity to the conflicts and complexities of character which any actor must display, on stage or on screen, to be successful; and it is a transferable skill, not dependant on an unbroken voice or a pretty face. 2) Giuseppe Sulfaro in Malena On the basis that you’ve probably already met the almost unbearably sweet Salvatore Cascio (‘that kid from Cinema Paradiso’) this is a performance from a later and more deeply flawed film by the same director. However, Sulfaro is fascinatingly angular, almost disgusting, as he portrays the first sexual obsession of a boy, stalking Monica Bellucci, and ogling her through a hole in her wall as she tries to use her body to escape the poverty and perils of fascist Italy. 3) Alok Chakravarty in Apur Sansar (The World of Apu) Actually, all of the children Satyajit Ray used in filming his mesmerising Apu trilogy deserve the widest accolades, but Chakravarty stands out for communicating the savage wildness of children, as well as the breadth of their heart. The final scene where he dallies – almost coyly – before rushing into an ending which seemed inevitable yet fragile, lodges itself in the mind, and stays there. There are plenty more fish in the sea Raymond Li finds the story of the latest release from Studio Ghibli cute but underwhelming Ponyo 1hr 40mins, U ★★★☆☆ Hayao Miyazaki has been hailed in the Western media as the Japanese Walt Disney. After Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke expectations for this film were high. Sadly Ponyo falls flat. This story is almost a clone of The Little Mermaid: Ponyo is a goldfish with a girl’s face. She is desperate to escape her overprotective father, Fujimoto, and desires to become human. She starts a new friendship with a boy called Sosuke and causes mischief in her father’s ship. Suddenly the forces of nature are in flux, her life is under threat and only Sosuke’s love for Ponyo can save her and the world. There are elements of innocence and naivety that are very endearing. The romance story is a tale of puppy love and, as with Miyazaki’s previous films, there are lots of sweet characters to coo over. Ponyo’s smaller sisters resemble cute hand puppets and even her father’s oily, blob-like henchmen are adorable in their own way. Indeed, watching Ponyo is like seeing all your favourite cuddly toys come alive. The hand-drawn animation captures Miyazaki’s love of natural beauty and the storm scene where Ponyo jumps from one tsunami to another to see Sosuke is spectacular. Think of the Guinness advert with the waves but with giant tunas instead of galloping horses. However, the story is predictable. There is no real sense of impending danger or genuine conflict. Of course Ponyo’s life is threatened and nature is breaking apart but you know how it’s going to end. There are hints at the clash between nature and mankind but they go no further than Fujimoto’s grumbling about mankind. At certain points, the story telling is rather awkward and random. Ponyo’s mother does not fit in the story and her importance is never explained. In another scene, Fujimoto tells Susoke that he must pass a test or otherwise “the moon will fall to the earth!” Cue the camera zooming out in melodramatic fashion, which prompted laughter from the audience. Perhaps I’m just not part of its target audience. And yet, other children’s animations such as Up and Finding Nemo have proved you can transcend the genre and make great films. Ponyo misses that mark but it’s one to see if you can’t resist cute and cuddly characters. Ponyo is now showing at the Arts Picturehouse The 22|Music THE SCENE What’s On This Week TOWN TOWN CambridgeStudent TCS checks out the latest albums GOWN Robin Tritschler, tenor and Joseph Middleton, piano Music from Brahms, Tchaikovsky and others Pembroke College, The Old Library, 8pm, £4 students Photo: Tim Cochrane Bejamin Britten – A Midsummer Night’s Dream Opera St Giles Castle Street, 8pm, £6 students (also running on the 26th) Saturday 27 February DJ Yoda The Junction, 10pm, £10 Sunday 28 February Saturday 27 February Holst Singers: Rachmaninov Vespers Trinity College Chapel, 7pm, Free Temirzhan Yerzahnov Piano Recital Music from Chopin and Sekebaev Bateman Auditorium, Gonville and Caius College, 7.30pm, £7 students CCMS Presents: Carmena Burana Great St Mary’s, 7.30pm, £5 students Ocean Colour Scene Corn Exchange, 7pm, £22.50 Lady Francis Singers: ‘Drop, drop, slow tears’ – Reflective Music for Lent Sunday Coffee Concert: Jesus College Chapel, A Portrait of David Lang 8.30pm, Free Azalea performs his 2003 work ‘Child’ Sunday 28 February Kettle’s Yard, noon, £4 students KCMS Lent Concert: Mozart’s Requiem Mass Monday 1 March King’s College Chapel, 8pm, Free Tinchy Stryder Corn Exchange, 7.30pm, CU Chinese Orchestra Soci£14.30 ety Annual Concert Prelude to Spring Nick Harper and Paper West Road Concert Hall, Aeroplanes 7.30pm, £7 students The Junction, 7pm, £10 Wednesday 3 March Beverley Kills Portland Arms, 8pm, £4 Jill Souble The Junction, 7pm, £12 Boomslang The Junction, 10pm, Sold Out Want to see your event here? Email music@tcs. cam.ac.uk (Island, 2010) The Family Jewels (679, 2010) Friday 26 February Cambridge Graduate Orchestra Plays: Stravinsky and Wagner West Road Concert Hall, 8pm, £5 students Thom Yorke Corn Exchange, 7.30pm, Sold Out Ocean Eyes Marina and the Diamonds Owl City Editors’ Pick Thursday 25 February Thursday, February 25, 2010 Caius Jazz VI Nigel Hitchcock and Ralph Salmins Caius Bar, 8.30, £3 Monday 1 March Newnham Raleigh Music Society Concert World Premier of Gary Higginson’s ‘Six Birds’ Newnham College, 8.30pm, Free Tuesday 2 March Scatpack Jazz a cappella ADC Theatre, 11pm, £5 students ★★★☆☆ ★★★☆☆ The meteoric rise to global fame that Adam Young has achieved in the past six months has primarily been through his unstoppable hit ‘Fireflies’ which has reached No.1 in seven different countries. This track is certainly testament to Young’s ability as a songwriter but a listen of his major label debut Ocean Eyes seems to suggest that there is really only one song that he can write. The moniker ‘Owl City’ is itself suggestive of what to expect from his music; an expansive, nocturnal sound created from layers of programmed synths and loops. Essentially, ‘Ocean Eyes’ is a paean to lost innocence and Young’s sheltered childhood in Minnesota, alongside his diagnosed insomnia, fuels the music. Images of whimsy and fantasy are conjured in tracks such as ‘Umbrella Beach’ and ‘The Bird and the Worm’. Yet these lyrics, as with the music itself, often fall on the trite side; ‘The stars lean down to kiss you; I lie awake and miss you’ is the opening couplet in ‘Vanilla Twilight’. However, the elephant in Young’s room is the remarkable similarity to Death Cab For Cutie’s side project, The Postal Service. While the two acts contain similarly derived electronic beats and bleeps, not to mention the almost identical vocal timbre of Young and Ben Gibbard, the latter’s music holds a musical and lyrical depth that Young never dares to venture into. Yet given time and an opportunity to escape the confines of his hometown, the promise shown by the fantastic ‘Fireflies’ may evolve into something of worthy excitement. James Partridge Introducing... MF Doom Who: Multi-Pseudonym New York Rapper Genre: Dali-esque Hip-Hop With an endless back catalogue, Long Island rapper Doom (real name Daniel Dumile) shouldn’t need introducing. Yet even those of you who appreciate the fact that the Hip-Hop genre doesn’t require an inexplicable appearance by T-Pain would probably struggle to place the name. Musically, 90s ‘alternative’ rap groups like The Pharcyde only ever really dipped into the surreal world Doom inhabits. His is a Dali-esque HipHop, where mentions of Lord Acton precede three headed golden dragon space monsters. And yet in some weird way it all seems to make sense. I challenge anyone to find a more concise critique of the ‘War on Terror’ than on Doom’s 2004 masterpiece ‘Strange Ways’. Instrumentally Doom produces a lot of his own stuff and his sound is unsurprisingly similar to a lot of Stonesthrow releases (think J Dilla with a lot more dialogue samples). Give it a go. Hopefully it’ll dispel that T-Pain induced feeling that Hip-hop is dead and buried. Nathanael Arnott-Davies More Online Rhys Cater takes you on a tour of the music blogosphere www.tcs.cam.ac.uk/category/issue/ music/ She is Marina and we, the listeners, are her diamonds, Marina Diamandis’ MySpace reliably informs me. She is at pains to stress that The Diamonds are not her backing band like a certain Florence’s Machine for instance. Nevertheless, it’s tough to find a review for The Family Jewels which doesn’t draw parallels to Florence Welch. No doubt the comparison is already wearing a little thin for Marina. With our fondness for pigeonholing she’s unlikely to escape it anytime soon, try as she might. And try she does, perhaps too hard. Her distinctive warbling vocals certainly attract attention; singles like ‘Hollywood’ standout on Radio One’s daytime playlist. Yet a thirteen track album is a whole different proposition. It’s only a matter of time before the yelps of “Wahhhhhh ho ho ho” begin to grate. She should have taken the ‘less is more’ approach – she sings “Y-EEEEEESSSS” on ‘Mowglis Road’ when just “Yes” would have been fine. It’s a doubly disappointing because the lyrics are often humorous but succumb to schizophrenic delivery. The record does possess a certain charm however. Her breakthrough single ‘I Am Not a Robot’ makes an appearance, demonstrating how to negotiate the balance between quirky and tryhard. Also, it’s likely that ‘Are You Satisified’ will match the chart success ‘Hollywood’ has already achieved. Listened to in short bursts, The Family Jewels is a decent enough pop record. It’s just not as offbeat as it desperately wants to be. It’s more workmanlike than machine-powered. And on this evidence, Florence has no cause for concern. Adam Whitehead e tap x i M S TC Songs in a Foreign Language Listen to this week’s Spotify playlist to cheer yourself up: www.tcs.cam.ac.uk/ category/issue/music/ Next week’s theme is Instrumentals and we want your ideas. Send your suggestions to [email protected] and you might see your tunes in next week’s mix. 1. Movits! - Fel del av gården “Django guitar, windy street swing; music for both art directors and for your mother.” 2. CéU - Rainha A beautiful juxtaposition, CéU brings together classical Brazilian elements, jazz, and modern indie sounds. 3. Malian Musicians - Makelekele Damon Albarn has written a Chinese Opera, been in two groundbreaking challenging bands, and recorded this album to promote Malian Musicians’ brilliant, danceable pop, and yet some people still think that Oasis vs. Blur is an argument. Anyway, this is brilliant. 4. Manu Chao - Me gustas tú Of Mano Negra fame, Chao speaks over 6 languages. Eat you hearts out MMLers. 5. Jeanette - Porqué te vas? The ‘theme’ song to Spanish director Saura’s unsettling film ‘Cría Curvos’, Jeanette’s dreamy voice is disturbingly discordant with the harsh realities of the film. Context aside, it’s an addictive song. 6. Sigur Rós - Glósóli Magnificent in its ambiance. Lyrics in Icelandic, unlike on their brackets album where Sigur Rós use an entirely constructed language. 7. HaBanot Nechama - So Far / Lihot So Far/Lihot builds and falls wonderfully for such a simply constructed song - let the words wash over you. 8. Antonio Carlos Jobim - Águas de Março This calming Brazilian tune celebrates the “Waters of March” and the rest of the natural world, and was voted the best Brazilian song of all time in 2001 by Brazilian music critics and musicians. The Thursday, February 25, 2010 CambridgeStudent Music|23 Soulfully stylish: The Noisettes bring class to Cambridge Cambridge Corn Exchange 23rd February ★★★★★ thought. The show really gets underway, however, when the band launch into ‘24 Hours’, especially when Shoniwa chops Cambridge into the lyrics, much to the delight of the crowd. This is followed-up by the glam and glittering fast-paced ‘Saturday Night’. At this point, it becomes clear that the and seemingly reminiscent of times past, it feels more like an interlude or an after- Raw but Professional Patrick Kane finds Los Campesinos! a cut above the rest ★★★★★ Photo: courtesy of The Junction Sunday’s gig at the Junction was notable for a number of reasons. Notably, it confirmed that there is such a thing as a middle-class twee mosh pit (much to the distress of the unwitting 5 foot girls that had wandered to the front). Importantly, however, it con- Noisettes thrive on their upbeat numbers. It’s also at this point that Shoniwa’s legs seem to become divorced from her body, and wave and wobble before dragging her across stage. Distinctive and enchanting voice aside, she’s also an incredible performer. “Thank you Cambridge for bringing an amazing hot vibe on such a cold day” she grins at us. Dressed in a black corset, shorts and leggings, with a glittery banana pinned to her hair, she exudes both classiness and fun. Which pretty much summarises the show. Guitarist Dan Smith bounds around the stage with equal enthusiasm and the backing singers wiggle their way through the set. The music moves from soft sixties rock ’n roll to the occasional soulful ballad. ‘Scratch Your Name’ turns up the guitar as the Noisettes show off their early work with its rock-punk roots, much to the bemusement of the crowd. Well-known single, ‘Don’t Upset The Rhythm’, is perhaps the defining moment of the set, as the audience ecstatically chants along and Shoniwa bends her knees and collapses backwards into her most flexible pose yet. Set-closer ‘Never Forget You’ seemss a fitting ending, both lyrically and musically, in its encapsulation of the sixties vibe of the evening. But with stylish lamplights, one costume change for Shoniwa and repeated appreciation of the audience, the Noisettes are a band that do things properly. And so we’re treated to an encore, in which Shoniwa leans backwards precariously over the balcony for the contemplative love song ‘Attitcus’. “You need that burning fire in your soul to know you’re still alive”, she sings. There’s no doubt that the Noisettes have fire in their souls. It’s impossible not to enjoy a band that are enjoying their music this much. Bring on another killer album. And of course, another tour. Phoebe Amoroso crowd over by the end. Constant instrument swapping led to a disjointed performance, but the incredible sight and sounds of three drummers playing in a unique style that can only be described as a cross between Morris dancing and musicianship makes up for this - just. The melodies are nonexistent, the vocals are fleeting, but Eyelets are an experience if nothing else. Swanton Bombs were a refreshing change. Performing as a two piece live is a ballsy move, but it worked brilliantly. With clear influences such as Billy Bragg and The Clash, Dominic McGuinness shone as he delivered rough vocals with blues-tinged guitar riffs. The limelight, however, was firmly fixed on drummer Brendan Heaney as he played with the skill of Buddy Rich and the intensity of Animal. (Top tip for prospective superstar drummers: take off all unnecessary clothing by your second track. Goes down well with the girls, while the guys know you’re serious.) Their lead single “Viktoria” is memorable if not catchy, with a great shouty chorus. Certainly one to watch. Los Campesinos! were quite simply a cut above. Romance Is Boring, their third album release, has garnered critical acclaim as the band have reached that wonderful middle ground that most acts yearn to achieve: the polish of professionalism yet still remaining wonderfully raw when needs be. Gareth Campesinos is guaranteed to have a witty lyric or a piercing, in your face statement or a thought that belies his years, while the songs are just as infectious as ever. The orchestral element is stripped down on stage, but the beautiful violin parts in ‘The Sea Is A Good Place To Think Of The Future’ remain. The atmosphere within the Junction was electric: the crowd seemed to love the selections from the back catalogue chosen, even if they were unfamiliar with the new material. It’s rare to feel so involved with an act at a concert but there’s no real division between the masses and the band: while some kept up their professional composure, a few band members were beaming as the crowd took up vocal duties on numerous tracks. The mood changes from twee to sombre to bitter and back again without delay or difficulty, and the trusty (if much maligned) glockenspiel provides an able accompaniment to proceedings. The immature, Rousseau-referencing ‘You! Me! Dancing!’ seems like it was plucked from a John Hughes movie, full of happiness, ignorance and bliss. Most bands would kill for a closer such as ‘Sweet Dreams, Sweet Cheeks’: fully encompassing the Welsh septet’s ideology to have a good time and throwing in a few naughty lines on the way. Claps echo around the venue. Hands placed in the air gesture in time with the music. The chorus is sung and repeated by a few hundred revellers. This, ladies and gentlemen, is what real pop music is all about. Patrick Kane Photo: Courtesy of SJM Concerts It’s hardly a secret that the Noisettes’ frontwoman Shingai Shoniwa has a phenomenal voice and sure enough, tonight confirmed that the Noisettes are just as good on stage as they are on record. What was surprising, however, was the quality of the support acts. First up tonight is singer-songwriter Tinashé. With just him, his guitar and a drummer, it looks set to be a rendition of sleepy acoustic music. Not so. Tinashé’s voice is clear and powerful, and the enthusiasm and impeccable timing of the duo carries the set. It’s barely 7.30pm and they’re raising cheers. The music is pure pop but its simplicity and its earnestness make it highly appealing. This won’t be the last you hear of Tinashé. Yet if I had to bet on the next big thing, follow-up act Tiffany Page would be it. Strolling onto stage with her band, she shakes her hips, shakes a maraca and flicks her hair in an oh-so-consciously sexy movement, before breathily singing “Hello Officer, I need some assistance” from her opening song ‘Police’. It’s pop-rock, it’s very catchy pop-rock and she’s hot. Need I say more? It’s not anything new. Throughout the set, Page moves from a rockier version of Natalie Imbruglia to a lesscountry version of Shania Twain, and her song ‘7 Years Too Late’ would be The Corrs if only there were a violin in the line-up. It doesn’t matter. Her voice has a raw quality that gives the music a fresh edge. Finally though, the lights dim, the shiny backdrop is lit in silver and pink and the silhouetted Noisettes strut on stage and pose. Then the intro music dies, wind chimes sound and the band opens with ‘Sometimes’. Also the opener on their second album Wild Young Hearts, it’s an odd choice. Sleepy firmed that Los Campesinos! have finally transformed into a serious musical behemoth, both on record and live. Support came from the intriguing Eyelets and local band Swanton Bombs. Intriguing is the only word to describe the former due to his woeful vocabulary, but the band have to be seen to be believed. The four-piece’s attempt to mix elements of shoegaze, insanity and electronica into a workable package flopped for the first half of their set but surprisingly won the The 24|Food CambridgeStudent Thursday, February 25, 2010 “Why don’t you get out of those wet clothes and into a dry martini?” During these grim, grey days The Cambridge Student drowns its sorrows Tom Michaelis and Michael Peacock brave filthy hangovers in order to find exactly where best to begin when it comes to gin We tasted several gins based on two key drinks for any gin fan: the classic Gin and Tonic, and the Martini. Our exact mixing ratios were: Gin and tonic: 2 shots of gin 2 ice cubes 2 slices of lime (1 to squeeze in, 1 to garnish) Tonic water to fill Martini: 2 shots of gin 1 capful of martini Shake over ice Sainsbury’s Dry London Gin 37.5% (Cheapest price £12.65 per litre). Despite being the cheapest gin we tasted, it performed reasonably well in a gin and tonic. Light and inoffensive was one opinion, the other being drinkable but dull. In a martini, it fared much worse with a strong chemical flavour. We agreed it was a waste of vermouth and neither of us could bring ourselves to take a second sip. Gordon’s 37.5% (Cheapest price £18.91 per litre; at time of writing it was on special offer at Sainsburys if you bought a litre of tonic too). Advertised as the ‘G in G&T’, this produced a much better gin and tonic. We have all had many of these as it is served in almost every pub. One taster thought it was a much fruitier drink with a more complex flavour - pretentious idiot. However, it still made a pretty bad martini. Overall opinion - a crowd pleaser, but still only the base line in gin. 5/10 Tanqueray Export Strength 47.3% (Cheapest price £29.01 per litre) Tanqueray is often put on a par with Gordon’s but this extra strength gin is the next step up. It has a more floral and longer lasting taste. Another plus is that you can not taste the extra 10% of alcohol. It made a much more interesting martini. Overall opinion - good gin for getting hammered quickly, but not worth the extra £10 per litre. 6.5/10 It has a more floral and longer lasting taste Hendrick’s Gin 41.4% (Cheapest Price £30.85 per litre). Here we deviated and added cucumber instead of lime. We should probably come clean and admit that we really like Hendrick’s and were looking forward to this. It made the best gin and tonic of the night, full of interesting, subtle flavours with hints of rose and cucumber. However the martini did not have the same subtlety of flavour. Overall impression - If you want a quality gin and tonic, go buy this and some cucumber. You won’t be dissapointed. 8/10 Max Haberich mixes the perfect martini tion is the bottled Martini. This is only vermouth, not the ready-made cocktail - beware of embarrassing mistakes in front of your charming first-year date! Become the much admired star of any cocktail party Pour the drink into a conical glass through a sieve. Voilà, your impeccable martinis are ready, and you become the much admired star of any cocktail party. There is no martini orthodoxy. Her Majesty’s most famous secret agent took liberties with this refined concoction while Franklin Roosevelt added a dash of salty olive water to make his favourite ‘dirty martini’. So, enjoy mixing but beware the consequences of one drink too many! Dorothy Parker describes the potential dangers: “I like to have a martini / Two at the very most / After three I’m under the table / After four I’m under the host.” Ben Slingo makes even a casual tipple into something sublime Drinking is like Wagner. I do not mean, by this, that it must descend into a mead-soaked Valhallan binge, but rather that, like a Wagnerian opera, it should be a Gesamkuntswerk, a complete and rounded piece of art. Just as Siegfried is literary and theatrical as much as musical, a tipple does not consist of a beverage quaffed in a vacuum. What follows is a guide to making each drink a whole (if not a wholesome) cultural experience. Sherry Being dry, even a little saline (cream sherry is drunk only by the senescent, and then only at parties in vicarages), it demands something austere. Drink in front of a pale and delicate Massacio, rather than a fleshy and lusciously coloured Titian. A tipple does not consist of a beverage quaffed in a vacuum Photo: *clairity* Photo: Barbloke The Art of Drinking Shake It Up, Baby Few cocktails have managed to conjure up so many legends, and, of course, such style as the martini. There is a complex science behind mixing the perfect martini. Just how much gin transports the dry to the extra dry? What’s the correct number of olives? And, most importantly, how do you mix the ingredients? There are many factors to be considered, but don’t despair. Get your bottle of vermouth ready, put your cocktail glasses in the fridge, and take a sip of some refreshing non-alcoholic beverage. The classic martini, no matter what 007 may say, is never shaken. Let’s shatter the next cliché: Bond may need that extra drop of vodka to keep his cool around stunning Sophie Marceau but the classic martini is always made with gin, usually five measures of gin to one of vermouth. The less vermouth you add, the drier the martini. An excellent brand of this fine distillation is the French Noilly-Prat. The more student-friendly op- Overall opinion - Good for cheap pre-drinks (although expect a filthy hangover) 4/10 Whisky It’s fiery and intoxicating, to be sure, but also glows with rigour, and taxes in an almost intellectual way. Dostoevsky fits thus well – acrid to sample, but full of peaty interest. Brandy Alexander Supremely decadent, as things dusted with nutmeg are liable to be. Too frivolous for literary accompaniment (Brideshead would be too obvious, and it’s not exotic enough for Huysmans). It is best partnered with clothes. You should wear black tie, but crucially not just that : a silk dress- ing gown à la Noël Coward adds the vital garnishing flourish. Supremely decadent, as things dusted with nutmeg are liable to be Champagne Sparkling; preëminent; deliciously rich but with the elegant sparseness of Classicism. Mozart streams effervescently to mind, and is in fact just right. Remember that Moët et Chandon is a little more sugary, so avoid La clemenza di Tito and combine it with a jaunty opera buffa. % 0 2 o t p u S T N E D U T S R O F K C A B H S CA on selected t-shirts, hoodies and sweatshirts We all know it is hard to make ends meet when you are a student so Indigo created an offer to make it a little easier! Get up to 20% off on a range of specially selected garments, including hoodies, t-shirts and rugby shirts. All the garments in the range have been ethically produced and are top quality brands. So go online and check us out or give us a call on our freephone number 0800 061 2207. Premier stash supplier for nearly all UK universities over the last 6 years t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts and more indigoclothing.com/student-cashback/ Freephone 0800 061 2207 [email protected] The 26|Sports Interview CambridgeStudent Thursday, February 25, 2010 The Next Bog Thing Mack Rivling, creator of Bog Snorkeling, talks to Pete Diver “A course regarded as the hardest” the rest, as they say, is history!” These days, Rivling still works for Green, organising the competitors who come from as far away as Australia. One such team is the Outback Irons; member Trig A. Bates explains what the sport means to him: “It’s a totally different attitude. We Aussies take sport, dare I say it, a bit seriously, so to come to Wales for a laugh is ideal for the more relaxed competitor.” But bog snorkeling is far from a Photo: Wiki Commons Mack Rivling takes a sip of the locally brewed Sun and Star ale in the spectacular Welsh town of Llanwrtyd Wells, and reflects on the last thirty years of his life. “I never thought that in 2010, I’d be famous for being up to my neck in dirt”, he says with a mucky chuckle. Rivling, 74, means it in more ways than one. After splitting his early adult life between performing smutty stand up in Welsh working men’s clubs, and working down the mines, it was only a chance conversation in his local, The Neuadd Arms pub, which he still frequents today, that he discovered what would dominate the rest of his days. “I remember it like it was yesterday”, says Rivling, stroking his once fiery red beard, now bleached white by old age. “We’d been staring out a side window, just after a lovely lamb lunch, at the sheep on the moors, and suddenly one fell straight into a narrow, boggy trench.” “We fall about laughing, and then Josh [Herman, a close friend of Rivling’s to this day], said what a great idea it would be to see if we could do any better.” Later that day, the two men, along with Gordon Green, head of Green Events Ltd. and pioneer of bog snorkeling as a competitive sport, headed out into the fields. “We hollowed out a trench, and laughing matter. The two lengths of the sixty-yard trench required to complete a course are regarded as the hardest in water sport. The water is thick with mud and crawling with flies, and to make matters worse, competitors are prohibited from using conventional swimming strokes, instead utilising flippers and a snorkel to thrash through the water. “You have to swim but actually that takes the form of a doggy paddle in a snorkel, mask and flippers,” says Tay Ghetchi, an Italian who competed for the first time this year. His wife Georgie explains: “Some people also wear a wetsuit but Tay was more macho and decided against that. He did it in about five minutes.” The world record currently stands under two minutes. “He tried to get me to take part as well but there is no way I would do it myself. I’m emphatic about that. “I enjoy my swimming, but in nice warm, clean water.” Llanwrtyd Wells, proudly named as ‘Britain’s smallest town’, now plays host to the World Bog Snorkeling Championships each year. This event attracts more than 200 entrants every year and is rather aptly sponsored by Rowntrees Randoms. Back on land, Green has cultivated a niche for bizarre sports, which attract tourists all through the summer. The season kicks off with the Man vs. Horse triathalon, a 22-mile marathon between runners, cyclists and horses. In 2004, for the first time in its 25-year history, it was won by a man. After the big race itself at the start of July, you can go one further and ride a mountain bike down the trench, and if you’re still up for it, the next day you can run ten miles, bog snorkel through the same trench, and then take an 18 mile mountain bike ride, in the bog snorkelling triathalon. “We hollowed out a trench, and the rest, they say is history!” For those of a more leisurely inclination, the town hosts the Real Ale Wobble in mid-November, a non-competitive mountain-biking event held in conjunction with the Mid Wales Real Ale Festival. There are choices of 15, 25 or 40 mile courses, with half pints of real ale to be consumed every five miles. The charm of the town, and excitement of the sport has rubbed off on Cambridge students, who hope to set up a bog snorkeling Varsity. “I’ve been aware of the sport for a while”, says Jon Crook, a swimming Blue. “We’re famous for our fens, and are looking at locations near Ely to hold the event.” Unsure of the reception this sport will get from the Blues Committee he added, “It’ll be on pretty informal terms, but we’re still confident Oxford won’t be able to cope!” All this is a surprise to Rivling, who thought bog snorkeling would never be more than a private joke. Will he stay involved in the sport despite his advanced years? “I like to keep a tab on things”, he says with a knowing wink. Netball edged out by powerful Oxford Oxford Cambridge 44 35 Oxford proved too strong for the ladies netball Blues this week, winning 44-35 in a close contest. The Blues were well beaten by a well-drilled dark blue team, who scored at a prestigious rate throughout the game to give them a narrow lead throughout. Sporting a skilful line up, the speed of the dark Blue set-up was too much for Cambridge, feeding quick ball to their on-form goal shooter, Natalie Hoon. The skills of England U19, Emma Lonsdale proved a struggle for the Cambridge defence. Yet after the first quarter, with some sharp-shooting by Jess McGeorge, the score stood fairly level at 11-10 to Oxford. However with a home team baying for light blue blood, Oxford powered into a commanding lead, 23-18 by half time, Hoon proved largely uncontrollable by the Cambridge defence. By the final quarter, Cambridge remained in touch, chasing a slim five goal lead. After some clever play by McGeorge again and Katie Marshall, the gap closed to two points. However Oxford picked up the pace to grab an impressive 4435 victory, Hoon netting nine baskets in the final minutes to put the dark blues out of touch. The sterling efforts of the Cambridge man of the match Antonia Akoto were insufficient to give an edge over the Other Place. Yet the final score by no means reflected the game, the superior experience of higher-division Ox- ford showing through in the end to mask the closeness of the match. Perhaps next year, with Cambridge on track for promotion and Oxford sitting pretty for demotion, their positions will be reversed. Meanwhile the Jays beat the Oxford Roos in the second team Varsity, making up for their narrow defeat last year. Sarah Gill and Anna Fries stole the show taking a narrow victory 36-34. Online Male Fashion Store DISCOUNT VALID ALL CODE YEAR Simply enter the discount code CU10 on the shopping bag page ® …and many more brands online… www.fallenhero.com FREE NEXT DAY UK DELIVERY Available on orders over £100 28|College Sport College Update Cuppers Results: St John’s 60-10 Emma Homerton 50-10 Hughs Queens’ 44-21 St Edmunds Men’s Basketball Div 1 Pld 9 8 9 9 8 9 8 8 Pts 16 14 14 12 10 8 4 4 9 Fitz 9 2 Fitz 35-97 Downing Homerton 53-37 Chinese Culture Society St Catz 15-109 Hellenic soc Women’s Hockey Div 1 1 Name Pembroke Pld 6 Pts 16 2 3 4 St Catz Murray Ed St John’s 7 6 5 16 13 8 5 6 5 6 7 Jesus Downing Churchill Emma Fitz 4 6 4 4 4 4 4 3 1 0 The University Centre was busy with sounds of music and dancing this Saturday, as the Dancesport Cuppers match, run by the Cambridge Dancers’ Club, got underway. Many open competitions in Ballroom and Latin as well as Rock’n’Roll and Salsa culminated in a fiercely competed team match between the colleges. The afternoon began with the Ballroom and Latin dances. Open events in Waltz and Quickstep, Tango, Foxtrot and Viennese Waltz were won by the graceful Hywel Room and Olesya Nikiforova, whilst Latin events in Cha Cha and Jive, Rumba, Paso and Samba were won by the hot combination, Tagbo Ilozue and Ellie Duncan. This year’s top beginners couple, Joe Roffey and Eva Johnson, danced all four beginners’ dances to a very high standard, claiming all of the beginners’ prizes. One of the highlights of the open competitions was the ‘same-sex Rumba’ with the Latin champions Tagbo and Ellie separating to form new same-sex partnerships, Tagbo with Yuki Tokeshi and Ellie with Olesya Nikiforova. They took to the floor along with four other same-sex couples and the results were sizzling. The judges quickly chose Tagbo and Yuki as this year’s same-sex Rumba champions. The Rock’n’Roll competition was exciting to watch with many lifts and jumps as well as accurate footwork propelling Adrian Potter and Tori Briggs to victory, closely followed by a new couple who started dancing only this year, Ben Roberts and Amy Welmers. Beginners were a feature of the event, a point picked upon by Potter who stated that “of the 14 people who competed at cuppers, 11 of them only started in October. They’ve worked hard, been very committed and it shows in the final product”. The climax of the day came with the team match. The team walk-on began the proceedings, led by Churchill’s mascot, in a dog costume, and then, with a lot of cheering and screaming, the dancing got underway. nine teams fielded one couple for each dance; Waltz, Quickstep, Cha Cha and Jive. The final competition was very close, with Queens’ College dancers coming in third, only just behind the joint winners, John’s and Emmanuel. This week’s Bumps schedule: THUSDAY M4 - 14.00 W2 - 14.40 M2 - 15.20 W1 - 16.00 M1 - 16.40 FRIDAY W3 - 13.20 M3 - 14.00 W2 - 14.40 M2 - 15.20 W1 - 16.00 M1 - 16.40 SATURDAY Photo: Graham Stratton St Catz’s 1-1 Murray Ed Downing 0-7 Pemboke Pemb Hockey go top Due to the awful weather on Sunday morning, this league match was provisionally cancelled because of snow on the pitch. However, with the sun coming up, the decision was made to play the match one hour before the start, and both colleges managed to get enough players to make a team. The match got off to a quick start with brilliant linking play from midfield to the forwards from Pembroke. A quick succession of goals within the first 25 minutes, including well taken ones by ones by Cunningham and Rickman, left Pembroke 6-0 up. Downing fought hard after half time with a number of attacks driving down their right field for good crosses in the D. Both the Pembroke defence and midfield had to work hard to ensure a clean sheet. A solid performance from the Downing defence meant that only one goal was scored in the second half, and the match finished 7-0 to Pembroke. Philippa Dale Thursday, February 25, 2010 Photo: Jonty Fairless 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Name Downing Hellenic. Wolfson Que./Chr. Hughs Jesus Trinity Churchill CambridgeStudent Emma and John’s quickstep to victory Eleanor Winpenny Sports Reporter Men’s Rugby The M4 - 12.40 W3 - 13.20 M3 - 14.00 W2 - 14.40 M2 - 15.20 W1 - 16.00 M1 - 16.40 Wednesday’s results: BUMPED UP BUMPED DOWN ROWED OVER Men’s Division 1: Women’s Division 1: First and Third Emmanuel Downing First and Third Lady Margaret Jesus Clare Downing Pembroke Caius Jesus Queens’ Trinity Hall Christ’s Caius Pembroke Emmanuel Lady Margaret Fitzwilliam Clare Magdalene St Catharine’s King’s King’s Queens’ (OB) Churchill Christ’s Trinity Hall Churchill Selwyn Girton Newnham Peterhouse (OB) Peterhouse Lower division boats to watch: • Downing M2 (overbumped Corpus Christi M1) • Emmanuel M3 (overbumped Downing M3, bumped Homerton M2) • Downing W2 (overbumped Emmanuel W3, bumped Clare Hall W1) • First and Third W2 (bumped Darwin) Hare and Hounds: Trinity end the year on top Declan Murray Sports Reporter A mix of hail and sunshine matched the range of results of the grand finale of the Chris Brasher College League on Sunday at the Selwyn Relays. The rather poor conditions were unfortunately matched with a fairly dismal turnout from the colleges. However, some of the racing showed brighter signs of promise. The incredible effort by the one-man Homerton team, Matt Clark completing all 16km himself certainly got the spectators talking. Even more so when they learned he had still managed to finish second overall only to the ever-present leaders from Jesus. The former Club Captain, James Kelly, also got the crowd excited as he made a bid on the fancy-dress course record set a few years back by Rich Ward in a dress! Unfortunately, the lactic of a first leg effort and the slippery ground put to rest Kelly’s chances as he finished 20 seconds adrift of the target in his commendable Superman attire. In terms of the real racing, a consistent effort from the 2nd Division Girton team saw them take the overall title being the first full team home (due to invalid Jesus and Homerton teams) largely thanks to a surprise appearance from elusive Blues runner Aidan McGowan. Behind them came a close race between Trinity and Magdalene with the latter just clinching it to cement their already secured promotion and Division II victory. Although, both men’s teams lagged well behind the ladies of Trinity to begin with, thanks to an incredibly quick clocking by Naomi Taschimowitz, that left the boys stumbling in her wake. It was a commanding lead that would remain unchallenged with strong runs from Paulina Golec and Joan Lasenby taking Trinity home to a safe first spot and Women’s Division I title. A notably absent Emmanuel squad left the way open for the women of Magdalene to claim second place. The individual league titles were both reclaimed by their current holders, James Kelly and Polly Keen. And so the conclusion of the league begins to sum up what has been a mixed year for Cambridge running. A Varsity defeat and a nonappearance at BUCS would suggest it has been a year of disappointment and depression. Yet, one need only turn to the increasingly competitive nature of the college league to see that within the University, running has never been more popular. Trinity, Emma and Magdalene are all fighting it out in the Women’s Division, whilst underdogs Magdalene and Girton made great strides towards the Men’s top flight taking the scalps of Trinity, Clare and Downing along the way. Furthermore the season is not over as CUH&H turn at last to the National Cross Country Championships next weekend in Leeds where Taschimowitz and Kelly promise to continue to fly the flag high for the Light Blues. The league may be over but the running goes on… The Thursday, February 25, 2010 CambridgeStudent Sport & Comment|29 Captain Cook on a voyage of discovery Imran Coomaraswamy Sports Comment Cook captained England Under-19s with aplomb Arrogant perhaps, but Sehwag’s approach to press conferences is just the natural extension of his refreshingly no-nonsense approach to batting. So let’s think Sehwagologically Pietersen has looked a shadow of his bombastic former self Wing Commander Strauss’ absence makes the tour a voyage of discovery for Captain Alastair Cook, who obviously deserves his turn at the tiller because he is a) not a bowler, b) not South African and c) a bit posh. To be fair to Cook, he did captain England Under-19s with aplomb and has hardly put a foot wrong since his Test debut as a 21 year-old, one semi-nude photo shoot with pals Broad and Anderson aside. As for Anderson, his knee needs a break to prevent a breakdown, and the Lancastrian wouldn’t have found much swing on offer for him anyway. That said, the pitches are unlikely to be dustbowls and England may well go into most of the games with a single spinner in their line-up. Consequently, I’m glad James Tredwell has been picked ahead of Adil Rashid as Graeme Swann’s understudy, since Rashid – who already has three overseas tours under his belt as a specialist twelfth man – is relishing getting actual match practice instead; the young leg-spinner has been stacking Cambridge 44 35 Leesa Haydock and Thomas Wills Sports Reporters On Sunday, Cambridge Women’s Football Blues took the trip down to Oxford to beat their Dark Blue counterparts with an assurance not reflected in the 1-0 scoreline. Within the first ten minutes, the pattern of the game had been set, with captain Leesa Haydock firing two dangerous shots at the Oxford goal and Emma Eldridge almost converting two free kicks from advanced positions. After forty minutes of sustained pressure, Cambridge finally managed to break The Bangladeshi numero uno is captain Shakib al-Hasan Turning up the heat: Alistair Cook has the chance to show his leadership talent on the current Bangladesh tour. up the wickets playing for the England Lions. Meanwhile, Rashid’s Yorkshire teammate Ajmal Shahzad should get the chance to show whether he can add a bit of hustle and bustle to England’s seam attack, and Somerset’s Craig Kieswetter the chance to show whether he is the hard-hitting oneday opener England have been looking for since Marcus Trescothick’s retirement. In the Tests, Michael Carberry could press his case for a permanent top order berth. At the top of England’s wish list for the tour, however, is a return to form for Kevin Pietersen. Australian cricketing legend Dennis Lillee once said of his great adversary Geoff Boycott, “Geoffrey is the only fellow I’ve met who fell in love with himself at a young age and has remained faithful ever since.” Until recently, you could have said something similar about Pietersen, who is incidentally the only English batsman to average more than 45 in Tests since Boycott called it a day nearly Or as his poker-playing buddy Shane Warne might put it, they need to convince KP that he is still “the nuts.” How Bangladesh must wish for a cricketing ace or two in their pack. At the moment, their numero uno is Shakib al-Hasan, the poor man’s Dan Vettori. I describe Shakib thus only because the pound goes further in Dhaka than it does in Dunedin; the Bangladeshi skipper is no poorer than his Kiwi counterpart in terms of all-round cricketing ability, nor is he any less important to his team. Overall, though Bangladesh now have a number of promising batsmen, their bowling – as Sehwag pointed out – still lacks bite. The Bangla Tigers might ambush Captain Cook’s party in the one dayers but really ought to be tamed in the Tests. Carling Cup set to be cracking Varsity Triumph for Women’s Footy Oxford twenty-five years ago. Indeed in 2006, the Aussies took to calling Pietersen ‘FIGJAM,’ (Fuck I’m Good, Just Ask Me); a rather fruity nickname all round. After a quiet Ashes series last summer however, he looked a shadow of his bombastic former self on tour in South Africa. He did manage a couple of promising Twenty20 innings in Dubai last week and now his teammates really need to re-inflate his ego. Photo: Peter Williams The England cricket team’s tour of Bangladesh gets going in earnest this Sunday with a one-day international in Dhaka. England would be disappointed to come away with anything less than a clean sweep of the three ODIs and two Tests they are scheduled to play over the next few weeks, though you won’t hear any of the team management declaring that openly. Their ECB-media-coached utterances will be mentioning balls in good areas, game plans to be stuck to and tough challenges to be met. Virender Sehwag does things a little differently. On the eve of the first Test of India’s recent tour of Bangladesh, Sehwag was asked by a journalist about the chances of an upset. His response? “Bangladesh are an ordinary side. They can’t beat India because they can’t take 20 wickets.” When Bangladesh bowled India out for 243 the following day, Sehwag was briefly left looking foolish, but in the end his analysis proved to be accurate. about the series ahead. England care so little about this tour that they have decided to rest their captain, Andrew Strauss, their best bowler, Jimmy Anderson, and their best drinks carrier, Adil Rashid. I’m not sure I agree with these decisions but some good may come of each of them. the deadlock, Kat Robinson losing her marker and calmly converting a pinpoint cross from the right. The first half ended with a goal disallowed for offside, further underlining the Light Blues’ dominance. By the second half, the playing surface had seriously deteriorated and Oxford took advantage of the disruption this caused to Cambridge’s passing game, piling on pressure at intervals throughout the half. This made for a more balanced second half, although the Dark Blues never managed to produce a really clear sight of goal. As the match drew on, Oxford began to lose momentum, and Cambridge held on with relative ease for a well-deserved win. Steve Westlake Sports Comment Photo: Rachel Chew This weekend plays host to the Carling Cup Final, with Manchester United and Aston Villa competing for the first silverware of the season. The competition has a somewhat patchy recent history, with bigger teams, concentrating on the rigours of achieving other more glittering prizes, choosing to use the League Cup as a medium to blood young players. Fringe or youth team players, lacking in first team experience or a sense of tight-knit team identity, played in half empty stadiums to apathetic fans. Too often the football on show was not up to the high standards that English football fans have come to expect, since the inception of the Premier League saw standards rise exponentially in 1992. However it can be argued that the Carling Cup, having passed through this necessary period of transition, has now emerged as one of the most exciting and worthwhile competitions on the football calendar. In the past few seasons fans have grown to recognise and appreciate Arsene Wenger’s use of his exciting clutch of Arsenal youngsters in the Car- ling Cup, appreciating the vibrancy and raw talent on display despite the lack of big name stars. The experience that these young players gained throughout the course of their cup runs have seen many of them bridge the gap between youth and first team players, with the likes of Denilson, Nicklas Bendtner and Aaron Ramsey all featuring regularly for the first team nowadays. Both teams contain a significant presence of talented Englishmen What is even more encouraging is the way in which the Carling Cup now provides an ideal theatre for the development of young English players. Fabio Capello will no doubt relish the opportunity to watch a final in which both teams contain a significant presence of talented Englishmen, whilst Ferguson and O’Neill have been rewarded for their patience and investment in cultivating the next generation of English football with a showcase final and the potential of a trophy in the cabinet. The argument that the Premier League has been swamped by over- paid, over-hyped foreign imports is countered by the evidence of Manchester United and Aston Villa’s team sheets: Evans, Young, Milner, Gibson, Delph...the pitch will be pulsating with the potential to drive the England squads of the next decade. Additionally, no one can deny that the most exciting player on show in English football at the moment is an Englishman, with Wayne Rooney in the kind of form that is threatening to almost single handedly compel his team to another Premier league title. At a push, both United and Villa could field a credible team consisting solely of English players, and they are not the only Premier League teams to boast such strength in depth; a situation that bodes for a bright future for English football, contrary to the scare stories about foreign ‘crowding out’. Fabio Capello has promised that, contrary to his predecessors, the players he takes to South Africa in the summer will be those who have proved fitness and form throughout the season. No single big name player will be taking a place in the England squad for granted. Thus, Sunday’s match will provide the perfect arena for young players to stake a surprise claim for Capello’s squad. The 30|University Sport CambridgeStudent Thursday, February 25, 2010 Tough puck in ice Cambridge karate kick ass London Dragons 6 4 Cambridge London Dragons 8 6 Cambridge Luc St-Pierre Sports Reporter It was a challenging weekend for the Blues Ice Hockey Club with two games against the London Dragons. The Dragons came out strong in the first match, scoring after only three minutes of play, but the Blues replied four minutes later with a powerplay goal from Adrian Fielding scored with a perfect backhand shot. Near the end of the first period, the Dragons were able to build a two goal lead by capitalising on two penalties given to the Blues. However, Cambridge continued to play with intensity; defenseman David Waterman threw one particularly bone crushing hit on one of the London forwards and Blues goalie Carl Ma- High Kick: Men’s Captain Nim Sukumar in action Men’s A Oxford Cambridge Men’s B Oxford Cambridge Women Oxford Cambridge 25 61 54 62 16 62 Steph McTighe & Nim Sukumar Sports Reporters For the fourth year in a row Cambridge brought back the Enoeda Cup. The Varsity tournament could only be described as complete Oxford annihilation with Cambridge clean sweeping victories across every category. In the men’s A Kata, Roman Sztyler took 1st place for the light blues for the third year running, followed in 2nd by men’s captain Nim Sukumar. Paul Smith and club president Jonty Fairless seized 4th and 5th respectively ensuring a dominating position on the score boards from the start. In the women’s event, Oxford took 1st however the next three places were taken by Cambridge, with Madeleine Wood 2nd place, Gosia Stanislawek and Ming Wei Tan in tied 3rd place. In the main event, Kumite, Cambridge continued to build on its solid points base leaving little hope for Oxford. Men’s A opened with England international Paul Smith, who in an aggressive display dismantled his Oxford opponent. Next was current captain Nim Sukumar, taking an early lead against his worthy Oxford foe, however the match ran until full time when the fight ended a draw. Thibault Flinois was straight out of the gate in third, displaying a Photo: Jonty Fairless great fearless attitude against arguably Oxford’s best fighter, unfortunately, due to a sharp exchange, his shoulder was dislocated and was literally left hanging by his side. Next was Liam Gabb who made his fighting debut in style with some fantastically timed head punches against a higher graded opponent, eventually providing Cambridge’s second win. The men’s A event was concluded with a textbook display from a very experienced Richard Oriji, who took an early lead in the fight. However it ended abruptly when a clinical sweep left him immobile. In the women’s fighting Cambridge again made an aggressive start with junior England Squad’s Emma Nunn, making her Varsity debut taking the Oxford women’s captain out of the running. Next came a very well spirited display from Gosia Stanislawek who again left no room for her Oxford opponent behind a barrage of techniques that brought about a second win for the women. Madeleine Wood, CUKC veteran and national squad member secured a textbook win, leaving Stephanie McTighe to finish off. With some beautifully executed displays a 4-0 win for the light blue women’s team was sealed. In the men’s B fighting, strike of the tournament has to be given to Nikon Rasumov who delivered a forceful front kick that left his opponent winded and weary and secured the fight for Cambridge. Craig Woodhead followed up with some of his renowned kicking techniques taking a second win for Cambridge. Ahmed Al-Shabab made his debut too, and fought hard and fearlessly for a draw securing a quadruple win for Cambridge. zurek made several saves that were highlight reel material. This hard work paid off late in the first period when Andrew Buddle scored two quick goals to tie the game at three all. Unfortunately, the Dragons regained a two goal lead at the start of the second period. Later, with the Blues on a powerplay due to an elbow thrown by one of the Dragons, Dan Tavana cut their lead to one goal after a scramble in front of the London net. In the third period, the Blues had several chances to tie the game, but the Dragon’s goalie came up with some key saves. In the final minute the Blues pulled their goalie to bring on an extra skater in a last ditch effort to tie the game. Their efforts were sadly in vain, and the Dragons added a further goal into the empty net. Final score, 6-4 to the London Dragons. The Blues sought revenge with the second game. Despite being a second match in two days, the pace was fast. On two occasions the Dragons took the lead, but each time the Blues answered back with goals from Owen Randlett and Thomas Whillier. The level of intensity increased in the second period. London took the lead early, but the Blues replied with two goals from Dan Tavana, securing a 4-3 lead. Despite many great saves from their goalie Carl Mazurek, Cambridge could not hold the lead for long, the Dragons scoring two goals on well prepared offensive plays. Next, Thomas Whillier managed to skate through the London defence and go it alone on the goalie to net his second goal of the night. At the end of the second period, the score was even at 5-5. With the game hinging on the all important final period, the Blues gained new intensity, surprising the Dragons. Pete Morelli took advantage of the confusion giving a one goal lead to Cambridge. Yet the Blues were not able to contain London offense that went on to score three unanswered goals to win the game 8-6. On the track, the Cambridge women were even more dominant, losing only one event. Women’s captain, Kate Laidlow broke the individual record in the 60m, and running the fastest leg to win the women’s 4x400m. In the 3x800m, Rose Penfold and Christie Noble both achieved the Half-Blue standard, whilst Katie Sandford narrowly missed it. In the 3x1500m the light blue women lapped Oxford, Rosemary Pringle breaking five minutes for the first time. The men’s track team faced much tougher competition from the dark blues, but still came out on top, winning all but two events. In the 60m the Cambridge men clinched victory with Mark Dyble and Louis Persent both breaking the previous individual record. Persent showed his class in the 4x400m, striding away from Oxford’s runner. Rory Graham-Watson in the 4x800m ran six seconds quicker than any other competitor. Eamonn Katter ran a superb leg in the 4x200m to move Cambridge into pole position. In the field, the Cambridge team fought hard and retained the field trophy. Ayo Adeyemi pulled out a huge jump in the men’s triple jump to clinch victory for the youthful Cambridge team. The pole vault was the highlight. Nate Sharpe vaulted the Blues standard height to take the Cambridge men to a convincing victory. give Cambridge a 2-0 lead. Drama soon followed, however, from a Crostyx counter-attack, when a flatstick tackle outside the Cambridge D resulted in a double fracture for Nicky Parkes’ finger. Crostyx scored shortly before half time to make it 2-1, leaving Cambridge to reflect on some missed opportunities and defensive errors over the break. The second half started with high pace and good intensity from both sides, but it was Crostyx who struck first, driving into the Cambridge D and, after a frantic scramble near the goal line, comfortably converting a penalty flick into the top left corner. The passage which followed was hectic, with end-to-end hockey, testing both teams. Goalkeeper Chris Robinson absorbed some heavy pressure from short-corners and open play, supported well by the Cambridge defence and the unbeatable stick of Dean Saunders. Some beautiful play through the midfield from Pete Mackenney and driving runs up front from skipper Stuart Jackson and freshman Paul Hicks granted Lee his hat-trick to take the game to 3-2. Constantin Boye then devastated the Crostyx back line, weaving along the base-line and passing round the keeper to give Dan Quarshie a comfortable finish, and Cambridge a 4-2 lead. With the game wrapping up Crostyx threatened, slotting a piercing drag-flick into the Cambridge net, yet it was to be a consolation goal for a team who had been thoroughly outplayed and outpowered. Such form will stand the Blues in good stead in the Varsity match on Tuesday 2nd March. Athletes wipe floor with Oxford Lucy Spray Sports Reporter Cambridge swept Oxford away in an exciting day of athletics. In the hammer, Laura Duke broke the individual record with a phenomenal throw, which also contributed to the team record. Duke had a busy day, also winning the shot. Emma Perkins won the high, long and triple jumps respectively and broke the individual record in the high jump. In the shot, all four of the Cambridge competitors threw further than anyone from Oxford. The light blue women showed their field strength, winning five of the eight team events. Hockey seal narrow win Crostyx Cambridge 3 4 Chris Robinson Sports Reporter The Cambridge Men’s Hockey Blues built on their strong run of form this weekend with a well-fought 4-3 victory over Crostyx. The omens were good for the match as the Blues stepped out onto away turf in the first sunshine of a nascent Spring. Crostyx had a nervy start, squandering an early short-corner, and the Blues dominated the first ten minutes, playing expansive hockey and pummelling the Crostyx backline. Chances were coming thick and fast and Chris Lee capitalised masterfully on two early chances to CambridgeStudent University Sport|31 Water result: Women edge it Oxford Women 5 6 Cambridge Oxford Men Cambridge 6 4 Matthew Ingrams & Josie Faulkner Sports Reporters The Cambridge Ladies’ water polo team edged out Oxford for a dramatic 6-5 win, whereas the Cambridge Men put in what was easily their best performance of the season, but unfortunately went down 6-4 to a strong Oxford side. The women’s team went into their Varsity match with confidence after a recent dominant win over Oxford in BUCS. However, the Light Blues knew that Oxford would raise their game for the grudge match, and they did, keeping the match tight and remaining in the game up until the final whistle. It soon became apparent that Oxford had sharpened up their tactics, and kept key players out of the game. Cambridge seemed unsure how to respond, with several unsuccessful efforts from range, as well as easily intercepted passes to the pit attacker. Despite struggling offensively, Cambridge showed their class with a strong defence from Sally Bullock and Lizzy Day in particular. Notable goals from Sarah Hopkins and Jeanie Ward-Waller kept Cambridge within two points of Oxford. Cambridge regrouped in the second half and launched numerous high-speed counterattacks up the pool, moving close in to goal, and unleashing some powerful testing shots, notably from Rebecca Vorhees. Voorhees won it for the team, scoring four blinding goals giving Cambridge the lead. The Light Blues always looked the better side, and played a better standard of water polo throughout the match, ending 6-5 to Cambridge. Boosted by the women’s result the men opened with some good attacks from Cambridge, although seemingly unable to convert some of their early opportunities Steve Cooke scored a good individual goal. However Oxford came back strong, testing the Cambridge defence, and eventually equalising. The second and third quarters were very close, with not much to separate the teams, although with players tiring both sides lost some of their shape in attack. With the score tied at 4-4 going into the final quarter, the Cambridge team knew that the match could still be won, and started out strong after fiery words from Captain Riccardo di Pietro and Coach Andy Knight. Crucially, three minutes into the fourth quarter Oxford retook the lead. Once again Cambridge pushed forward and tried valiantly to equalise, but to no avail. After the dark blues doubled their lead with less than two minutes remaining Cambridge still fought hard, but were unable to claw back the deficit, the match ending 6-4. The Cambridge side put in a disciplined performance, yet a chronic inability to put away their goalscoring opportunities meant that the men were unable to capitalise on good attacking play. Goalkeeper Alex Ross also consistently made top-class saves, including one penalty, to keep the match close. Cambridge now really need to work on their finishing for the upcoming BUCS semi-finals, and beyond. Men sink as women swim Photo: Emily Bottle Pooling Together: The swimmers after their Varsity heroics Oxford Men Cambridge 97 83 Oxford Women 39 51 Cambridge Emily Bottle & Tom Rootsey Sports Reporters Last Saturday Cambirdge narrowly missed out as Oxford men took the win by a comfortable margin. Meanwhile for the women, a powerful squad proved too strong for the dark blues. Rivalry going into the match was as strong as ever, especially after Oxford took victory in the 2009 Varsity match by just one point (90 to the Light Blues’ 89), when Cambridge had won eight of the previous nine competitions. As the gala got underway, it was clear that this was going to be the fastest Varsity ever seen. The Cambridge girls dominated their individual events, winning all but one, with some spectacular personal best times. In every individual event, a Cambridge swimmer swam within the fastest five times ever recorded by a Cambridge lady, and three swimmers broke all-time records: Henrietta Dillon in the 200m IM, Caroline Gordon in the 100m breastroke and Captain Emily Bottle in the 100m backstroke. The Medley Relay team destroyed the dark blues by more than half a length. By the end of the gala, the final score in the Ladies’ match was 51-39 to Cambridge. The men’s team went into the match knowing the going would be tough Oxford were boasting an extremely strong team, which included Michael Phelps’ former training partner and US World Championship swimmer Davis Tarwater. From the very start, the atmosphere on poolside was electrifying, and this only increased with several finishes separated by hundredths of seconds. There was stunning swimming from both Oxford and Cambridge swimmers which merely highlighted the unprecedented standard of achievement on both sides. Nearly every Cambridge swimmer broke personal bests, and times that would have won the match by a full second and a half last year placed in 4th this year. As in the ladies’ match, there were three all-time individual Cambridge records, set by Dane Rook, Joel Carpenter, and Captain Tom Rootsey, and the all-time Medley record was smashed by over two seconds. In the end, however, Oxford were too strong, and came out on top. winning 97 – 83. Odd Balls... Bex Law takes a sideways look at the world of sport. Dangerous Water Hazard Once more a golfing story has made it into Odd Balls. This week The Daily Telegraph reported that playing golf at one course in North Queensland, Australia, has become rather more dangerous. A freshwater crocodile, known affectionately as Steve, has been discovered lurking at Willows Golf Resort. The club’s manager, Adrian Lawson asserts that Steve “is not scaring anyone” adding “it’s par for the course in North Queensland.” Steve has been seen sunning himself on the 17th holes which tee off over his lake. If a ball goes into Steve’s lake it is immediately a lost ball. Photo: cesarasudillo William’s Way Off Prince William attempted blind archery this week. It was an unmitigated failure. The Daily Telegraph reports that the Prince was visiting a new training and rehabilitation centre for blind ex-service personnel when he attempted the archery challenge with a blindfold. Clive Jones, an instructor at St Dunstan’s Centre in Llandudno, Wales gave guidance but Prince William missed the target on all three attempts. He then added to his failure as he was just as inaccurate with a final shot despite having removed the blindfold. He commented “I’m going to give up now before it gets too embarrassing!” Mr. Jones, who was blinded in both eyes in an off-duty assault, then proceeded to hit the target every time with his three arrows. Topless Tobogganing Two weeks ago TCS reported that a topless sledging contest faced a ban due to concerns from the mayor and councillors. You’ll all be immensely relieved to know that not only did that event go ahead but other events also sprung up. Despite earlier protests the events drew large numbers of competitors and even larger numbers of ogling onlookers. The Metro reports that over 14,000 spectators turned out to watch the freezing spectacle in Braunlage, Germany. The winner was 26-year old Christian Schmidt but according to one dirty-minded man ‘It was very cold, and because of that some of those girls would definitely have a bit of an advantage in a photo finish.’ In the original event in Oberwiesenthal it was ladies only who competed for a prize of about 300 pounds, the dress code was hard helmet and footwear only. An expensive rescue How much would you in seriously sub-zero olsky, literally faced this shut down for the night The BBC re- Photo: Visions of Domino The Thursday, February 25, 2010 pay to be rescued from a ski-lift at night temperatures? One man, Dominick Podproblem as he was stuck on a lift after it was whilst temperatures plummeted to -18C. ports that the German snowboarder was trapped on the lift heading down the mountain on Saturday when he was trapped 10m above ground. He considered jumping off the lift but feared broken legs and freezing to death. He used military techniques to fight off hypothermia. Whilst the light faded Mr. Podolsky began burning tissues and the contents of his wallet. He began with bills and business cards before desperation kicked in and he set fire to his money. The last note of his 120 Euros attracted attention and a skirun clearing crew rescued him taking him to hospital to be treated for hypothermia. Mr. Podolsky is considering suing the company who argue that the lift is not meant for downward trips and that the man had ignored signs to that effect. KARATE VARSITY Cambridge fighters give Oxford a beating The CambridgeStudent THE BIG INTERVIEW Mack Rivling immerses us in the world of Bog Snorkeling Thursday, 25th February 2010 FaT Chance of Headship Thomas Wills Sports Reporter Yesterday’s Lent Bumps racing saw the First and Third W1 boat storm up the Cam to claim the overnight Headship, whilst strong showings from each of the top three M1 boats maintained the status quo at the top Photo: Andy Marsh Impact: Pembroke bump Clare to take fourth in the top men’s division of the men’s division. The women of First and Third have been in blistering form all term, and warmed up for this week’s competition with victory at Pembroke Regatta. They were strong favourites to bump Emmanuel, and did not disappoint, although the Emma girls held them off for longer than expected with a strong row around Grassy Corner. Elsewhere in the women’s top division, Clare, Christ’s and Downing all managed to bump, setting themselves up for a strong week. First and Third, Downing and LMBC all maintained their positions in the top three of the men’s division, with Pembroke quickly bumping up to 4th to shatter Clare’s frail chances of gaining the Headship by Saturday. The big movers among the top men’s boats were the hotly-tipped Queens’, overbumping Fitzwilliam and Peterhouse, escaping the foot of the top division by overbumping a flagging Christ’s M1. As always, the carnage was to be found in the lower divisions. Inexperienced crews led to a litany of mistakes with technical row-overs abounding whilst eight crews have already been fined by marshals for various offences. This included a £50 fine after the cox of Fitzwilliam W1 forgot their lifejacket at marshalling. reminiscent of a 1970’s playing surface, muddy and dramatically rutted. Worse, as the game got under way, the heavens decided to add to the difficult conditions. In a match that would have provided a welcome break from a tiresome week in the league; the Blues relished the opportunity to take their cup campaign all the way. This was reflected in the high tempo they set at the beginning of the game, quickly outmanoeuvring their sluggish opponents. An early six-yard-box scramble and a fine one-handed save by the opposition goalkeeper not only signalled their domination but also their intent. This has been evident all season as the Blues have shown a remarkable work ethic to get them through difficult periods. Yesterday, though, opportunity after opportunity was being thrown up. However, as with most of the sea- son, the Blues have been guilty of spurning some gilt-edged chances. Firstly Day, dominant in the air all game, sent his powerful header wide of the post, an open goal gaping invitingly in front of him. tative of what the Blues have been strong at this season: creating space down the wings to attack. However, it was through the centre that the first goal was scored as Maynard played a delightful through ball which Hylands latched onto, stroking the ball into the corner. It was the first real presence of Hylands, who found himself pushed out wide for this game; although as the game wore on his impact grew. Worcester, on the other hand, struggled to create any really meaningful attacks, restricted to a few long range efforts. It was much the same in the second half, aimless balls into an empty box symptomatic of their poor performance. Their best opportunity came from a free kick in the dying minutes but Ferguson was equal to it, skilfully tipping it over the crossbar. The hostile away crowd only worsened Worcester’s problems as their travelling support targeted the Blues, and in particular Stock and Gwyther. However the latter responded in the very best way, a failed clearance from a corner allowing him to rifle the ball into the net. His celebrations were directed more towards the touchline than his own team. The contest was over and some of their support’s behaviour spilled onto the pitch as Worcester started to fly in with late tackles. The Blues, though, continued to press home their advantage and Amos picked up another goal for the season, taking the score to 4-0. Finding himself in space, he only had to tap the ball over the line. This was a performance to savour for Cambridge, something reflected in Johnson’s post-match comments. They can now look forward to a cup final they richly deserve. Knowing this batch of Blues, though, they probably have their eyes on all the other honours as well. Blues hammer Worcester to move into the Cup Final Blues Worcester 4 0 Michael Aldaheff Deputy Sports Editor The Blues football season continued on it’s upward trend yesterday, as they successfully demolished a woeful Worcester side to progress to the BUCS Cup Final. It was yet another strong performance in a season that continues to exceed expectations. Although, the league and the Varsity match have always been their top priorities, this was by far and away the biggest game of the season, the fact highlighted by Johnson’s efforts to beat the weather and make sure the game was played this week. Indeed, the weather put up good fight with a last minute ground reschedule needed. As it was, the John’s pitch was Page 31 -Bex Law’s Odd Balls Page 31-Varsity latest water polo and swimming Page 29- Sport in touch: Cook takes on Bangladesh Then, the trusted Stock was unable to send the ball home when faced with an onrushing keeper. His typical workmanlike performance would later yield a goal after some good build-up play. The early chances were represen-
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