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UNION PRESIDENT
15th - 22nd March - SABB Elections
VP (WELFARE)
VP (SPORTS)
VP (EDUCATION)
VP (ACTIVTIES)
MEET THE CANDIDATES LEADERSHIP ELECTIONS
all the info you need to know
A brief note from the InQuire editorial team: The placement of each candidate within this wrap was completely random. Each candidate was asked to submit 100 words about their campaign to InQuire. Those statements that exceeded 100 words were cut at their word limit. These statements appear as they were received, and any grammatical or spelling errors are not due to InQuire editorial. InQuire do not endorse any of the candidates.
ANTHONY NORWOOD
GRACE BAILEY
UNION PRESIDENT
UNION PRESIDENT
Hello! I’m Anthony, a third year Physics undergraduate and I’m running to be your Union President. I believe that students want to know that their fees are being spent wisely; that their education is worth these fees and that they can affordably unwind at the end of the day. I know I have the determination and experience to ensure that the students of Kent get the very best out of their time at University.
From Good to Grace: From investigating accommodation costs to improving employability and skills of students. I am fully committed to building a Union that has the space and resources needed, as well as the support and fairness it deserves. I am standing to do something, to take our union from good to great. To apply the skills and knowledge gained as Eliot President to ensure that when you vote for me, you vote for awareness of what is; openmindedness for what we need; and most importantly a guaranteed commitment for what will be.
If you do one thing this Election season, vote Anthony #1 for Union President.
VOTE GRACE BAILEY #1
PHILIP STEPHENSON-OLIVER
TOM SPARE
KARL LEWIS
JOANNA CRABTREE UNION PRESIDENT
My name is Joanna Crabtree and I am a second year Economics student running for Union President. My main points include: An improvement of the Union website, appealing to the University to allow more posters on campus, and a Union Calendar which could show upcoming society and zone meetings and events; Improving Rutherford Bar to make it busier during the day, possibly turning it into another “Social Zone” like the library and adding more power sockets To improve the variety of accommodation including more en-suites and cheaper rooms for first years.
KEHINDE AYANLEYE UNION PRESIDENT
Happy New month dear, from Kent to Medway, I am officially introducing myself as Kehinde Ayanleye, Kent’s Union Presidential candidate in less than three weeks time (22nd of March). As the outgoing president, Tom Ritchie, mentioned that his motive was to get more people to have his life transforming experience as a fresher, I pledge to captain us to a new arena of incredible values that will fill a meaningful gap in your life and that of University of Kent as a brand that affects us all. Let’s do this together! Let’s do it now!! Let’s do this by voting Kehinde!
UNION PRESIDENT
UNION PRESIDENT
UNION PRESIDENT
MATT WESTON
CHELSEA MOORE
My name is Tom Spare, I am running for President. I promise: Greater financial support for all students, so you can embrace University fully Improved employability fairs and opportunities for all faculties, so you’re more connected at the end of your degree An improved Kent Union website, so you can navigate webpages with ease and stay informed about the Union Greater storage space for societies/ sports teams, to help embrace your passions Improved links between Canterbury and Medway, because we’re one university, not just two campuses apart
‘What If...’ Is the central question of my campaign. These elections mark a fresh start for Kent Union and after talking to students I think it’s time we started looking at issues within the Union from a different perspective. What if... Kent Union saw students differently. What if... Participation was simple and we could all be part of a Union that makes our University life better. What if... Kent Union allowed your society, your campaign or your sports club to achieve what you want
I’m Matt Weston, third year SSPSSR School Rep and President of 3S, campaigning to be Union President, and I want students to Get RICH:
With a collaborative spirit and genuine enthusiasm I will improve your student lives. Sabbatical officers are student representatives yet many students are still unaware of what we do! As president, I would enhance the communication between the full time officers and the students within the Union, as YOU, as students, ARE the Union and therefore change is down to you. VOTE FOR… MOORE discounts! MOORE from your medical centre! MOORE night buses! MOORE parking! MOORE library hours! MOORE lecture recordings! MOORE advice! MOORE cash points!
UNION PRESIDENT
UNION PRESIDENT
Hey, I’m Phil, a Joint Honours History and Politics student. Having experienced all sides of the Union as an ordinary student, I believe I know what needs to be reformed and I will restore the principles of inclusivity and representation to its core. If elected, I will: Reform Kent Union’s democratic structures to improve student participation Allocate more funding and resources to societies and sports clubs Improve the diversity of events in the Venue and Attic, extend opening hours, and hire more student staff A vote for me is a vote for accessibility, accountability and engagement. Vote Phil #1
Please find out more about my ideas at www.karl4president.com
Reform - I have a plan for a more open on and offline system for student representation. Inclusion – I will get better Medway, post-graduate, mature, part-time and international student facilities and Union representation. Choice – I will make sure you have the widest possible range of opportunities, in all areas of university life. Help – The Union exists to fight for you, I’ll make sure you get
A vote for Spare is a vote for Honesty, Dedication & Hard work
VOTE
ONLINE AT WWW.KENTUNION.CO.UK/ELECTIONS OR IN THE VENUE POLLING BOOTHS LEADERSHIP ELECTIONS
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want to be dead social?
comment - page 9
neigh to kent firm’s lasagne
Issue 8.12
keynestock 2013 begins!
iq entertainment - page 18
free range at the veg box
iq culture - page 22
the ‘african’ queen
iq features - page 16
students still in immigration count
15th March 2013 kent’s varsity victory!
sport - back page
february asv results announced
Ginny Sanderson
Chris Heron
A local catering giant has joined the recent revelations of companies found horsing around with their food products. Brakes Group, based in Ashford, Kent, was discovered by the Food Standards Agency to contain horse meat in at least two of their dishes. The firm is one of the largest UK caterers, as an established supplier to the House of Commons Catering Service as well as to around 19,000 pub clientele across the country. Their statement says: “Brakes and Creative Foods are very disappointed to have been let down by our respective suppliers and have sincerely apologised to customers.” The offending products, including a spicy minced beef skewer and lasagne, were found to have an unacceptable one to ten per cent equine DNA in some cases and have henceforth been removed from shelves. The horse meat scandal commenced at the start of the year when an Irish food authority discovered its presence in burgers. From then on other major companies’ products such as Tesco, Findus, IKEA, and Birds Eye have been found to contain horse meat in their beef products; over 60% in Findus’ case. Brakes have promised to improve standards by continuing testing for further possible contamination and reviewing their supply chain.
THE first All Student Votes (ASVs) of 2013 put three proposals to students, compared to the eight ASVs from the Autumn of 2012. These three proposals failed to find consensus in the Democracy Zones, but made it through to an ASV. The first proposal, that Kent Union should lobby on-campus retail outlets to sell vegan ready-made food, passed with 435 votes for, 166 against and 103 abstentions. The next proposal concerned lobbying the University to make exam transcripts freely available, which again passed with 634 for, 37 against and 45 abstaining. The last proposal, which did see significant campaigning around campus, concerned Kent Union supporting “the rights of Palestinians by condemning the building of illegal Israeli Settlements”. It also passed with 362 votes for, 223 against and 137 abstentions. These proposals have now become Kent Union policy and will be followed up by the Zone committees. While turnout for the ASVs was roughly half of the autumn votes (averaging at 714, compared to 1389 of last term), Colum McGuire, Vice President for Welfare was encouraged: "When I first started democracy meant 30 students in a room... we've grown the number of participants in Union politics by thousands."
Max Sage THE National Union of Students (NUS), University leaders and the chairmen of five parliamentary committees have urged David Cameron to reconsider the immigration cap on overseas students. The coalition has pledged to lower the level of annual net immigration to “tens of thousands” including non EU students as immigrants. The refusal to adapt policy to exclude non EU students from immigration figures has been met with a backlash from interest groups and parliamentary committees. The NUS has supported the Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) committee in their response to the government's announcement that students
would not be exempt from immigration figures. A recent report from the BSI called on the government to “listen, think and change course.” Daniel Stevens, the NUS International Students Officer recently said that, “the Government must now listen to experts and reverse their position before further damage is done to the UK’s global standing, the vibrancy of our campuses and the prospect of economic recovery.” Overall net migration in the UK has fallen from 242,000 to 163,000, in the year ending June, with The Office for National Statistics saying this was "largely due" to the decline in the number of foreign students. David Cameron would in the short-term reduce immigration numbers, but aside from
potentially complicating relations with non-EU countries, the reduction in international students would have a significant effect on the economy. The BSI estimates that international students bring in £8bn to the British economy, with this figure projected to rise to £16.8bn by 2025. Non-EU students provide on average 10% of universities total income, and a third of their tuition fee revenue. Chief executive of Universities UK Nicola Dandridge said last month that the government's plans for immigration threatens to cripple the multibillionpound market in foreign students. The PM's decision has struck a chord with University of Kent students. Marwan Ulhaq... (continued on page three)
News
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Editor’s Note Hello! We at InQuire wish you a very happy St Patrick’s Day and hope you enjoy a bit of the ol’ luck of the Irish this month as deadlines loom upon us once again. The term is coming to a close, as is this team’s editorship over the paper. The next issue is our final one, so if you’ve enjoyed what we’ve had to offer and want to be a part of it, or think you can do better, then check out the Culture section for information on how you can get involved. In the meantime, enjoy! Pamela InQuireLive 2012/2013 Editorial contacts: Executive: Rex Ejimonyeabala Chairman chairman Pamela Head - Editor newspaper.editor Nina Collins - Website Editor website.editor Newspaper: Matt Gilley - News newspaper.news Jamie Ovens - Comment and for this issue, IQ Editor newspaper.comment Natalie Tipping - Features newspaper.features Harriet Cash - Culture newspaper.culture Chad Greggor - Entertainment newspaper.entertainment Alex Cassidy - Sports newspaper.sport Website: Perpetual Brade - News website.news Amelia Guttridge - Comment website.comment Laura Ricchetti - Features website.features Alice Bryant - Entertainment website.entertainment Lisa Gheysen - Culture website.culture George Hopkin - Sport website.sport Caroline Wadham - Distribution distribution To contact any of the committee, just add @inquiremedia.co.uk to the end of the adress under their name.
farage: ukip is more than just a protest vote Rex Ejimoneyabala Chairman
THE UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage has called his party’s unexpected second place at the Eastleigh byelection more than just a protest vote. He said it was a result of “policy solution”. Speaking on the Andrew Marr show on Sunday 3rd March he acknowledged that “some people who voted UKIP probably used it as a chance to stick two fingers up to the establishment”, but later went on to add, “they don’t just vote UKIP because they dislike the other three, they vote UKIP on policy of how we should control our borders, of what our relationship with Europe should be and of what we should be doing about the looming energy crisis.” This follows the Liberal Democrats hold of their Eastleigh constituency by Mike Thornton after the resignation of Chris Huhne earlier this year. Thornton won with just
over 32% of the vote followed by UKIP’s Diane James with 27% leaving Maria Hutchings, 25%, and John O’Farrell, 9%, coming third and fourth for the Conservatives and Labour respectively. With a turnout of just over 41,000 voters, both parties in the coalition saw percentage points lost in comparison to the 2010 general election. Despite losing 14 percentage points compared to 2010, the Lib Dems were able to claim victory but the Tories 13 percentage point loss was enough to see them slip to third. UKIP on the other hand witnessed a substantial 24% points growth since the general election. Labour also saw a slight 0.22% growth. Responding to the Tories’ performance in the by-election, David Cameron said: “It’s clear that in mid-term by-elections, people want to register a protest but I’m confident that at the general election we can win those people back by demonstrating that we are
rbs makes £5.16bn loss in 2012 Alasdair Lawrence THE Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) announced last Thursday that pre-tax losses of £5.16 billion in 2012 and that the bank’s operating profit rose to £3.46bn, up from £1.82bn in 2011. The operating profit is the profit derived from normal banking operations such as investment. This latest annual figure is the bank’s fifth consecutive annual loss since it was bailed out by the government in 2008 – decreasing this year from a £766mn loss in 2011. RBS is 82% owned by the UK taxpayer. The loss is partially explained by fines and penalties incurred by the bank for the misselling of Payment Protection Insurance and interest rates and for the Libor (London Inter-Bank Offered Rate) rate rigging scandal. RBS and other international banks, including Barclays and Deutsche Bank, had been colluding with brokers to artificially manipulate Libor, which determines the price of payments in financial markets. RBS was fined £390mn for its part in the scandal.
RBS states that the majority of the £5.16bn figure is not in reality a loss – it is a £4.6bn “accounting charge” on its own debt – a quirk of accounting according to experts. RBS chief executive Stephen Hester said: "This company is going through a pretty thorough spring-cleaning. It is a pretty dusty job. "We are spring-cleaning this house and it is looking shinier." He added that there is "another choppy year ahead of us" but that “the light at the end of the tunnel is coming much closer". Despite the bank’s continued losses it has handed out bonuses – this year from a pot of £607mn including £215mn for investment bankers. In 2011 the pot was around 25% higher at £789mn. Hester defended the bonuses, saying: “We are a very big company so the numbers end up being substantial, but they are much smaller than other banks.” “We believe that we are doing a responsible job on bonus restraint while acknowledging our staff are badly needed." In January Hester agreed to waive his own controversial £1mn bonus.
delivering for everyone that wants to work hard and wants to get on.”
This is the best performance by a UKIP candidate since Farage took over as leader.
willetts urges online courses Paul Spanton UK universities should invest in online courses to be part of a “historic” revolution in higher education, said Universities and Science Minister David Willetts. Speaking at the Guardian Higher Education Summit, he said: “Online learning is going to be a big thing, very significant, when you look at the hunger for higher education.” The demand has been driven by the “astounding” appetite in emerging economies, such as India, China and Brazil. The Open University ViceChancellor, and head of FutureLearn project, Martin Bean joined Prime Minister David Cameron’s delegation on his second trade mission to India last month. FutureLearn is partnering with the British Library and 17 of the UK’s top universities to provide “higher education for students in the UK and around the world by offering a diverse range of high quality courses through a single website.” Whilst courses may be as difficult as their conventional counterparts, most are not formally recognised. The
question of accreditation remains open. The Open University launched the first UK-led online platform last year, in response to the dominance of American online networks such as Coursera. Willetts argued that online universities were no longer perceived as “alternative”. He said it will put the UK at the heart of online education.
Call Handlers from May to Aug 2013 Mon – Fri. Taking telephone calls from clients reporting equipment faults and logging the jobs. £7 per hour. Temporary contract. Graphics Designer Design and creating graphics for a user interface and artwork for an educational application for release on the ipad. £300 one off payment upon completion. Waiting Staff A restaurant in Whitstable is looking for waiting staff to join their team on a part time basis. £6.50 per hour.
News 5
cannibal case: local arrested Charlotte Smith
TWO men living in Canterbury have been arrested after they were suspected of involvement in cannibalism. Dale Bolinger, 56, is named as the first man, and the identity of the second suspect is yet to be released. The two men are currently charged with conspiracy offences, grooming and possessing images of child abuse. They are on police bail. Bolinger, whose neighbour
reported seeing police digging up the garden of his home on Davidson Road several days ago, was arrested after he was suspected of using online aliases ‘MeatMarketMan’ and ‘Moody Blues’, to talk via email with Gilberto Valle, a New Yorker nicknamed the 'Cannibal Cop', who has been arrested for conspiring to murder and cook a number of female victims, including his own wife. Content of the emails exchanged last summer between Valle and ‘Moody
students still in immigration count (continued from page one) ... 20-year-old Psychology student from Bahrain who is studying here said: “I don’t see why the government is allowing students from India, but curtailing the rest of the world. I think it would be unwise to limit students from specific regions.” Alternatively, 18-year-old Forensic Chemistry student Alex Sommer said: “It seems quite logical. If students have migrated from overseas so I don’t see any distinction between them and someone who wants to immigrate for any other reason.” The Home Office has asserted that net immigration policy is in place in order to lessen immigration abuse and to put a halt to the admission of ‘bogus students’. Home
Secretary Theresa May spoke last December about plans to ‘radically’ extend tests vetting potential students to “root out the abuse of British visas, and improve the integrity of our immigration system.” In response to Theresa May’s rigorous immigration plans, the NUS has launched a campaign urging students to ‘Give the Home Office the Yellow Card’ by writing to the Home Secretary and demanding she stop “treating international students like a political football.” How exactly this would effect UKC is difficult to say, cause a decline in the number of international students. Over 20% of full time students at Kent are international, something the University is not only renowned for, but extremely proud of.
Blues’, included the latter bragging about having eaten a woman and a five year old boy, claiming “the meat isn't quite like pork, but very ‘meaty’”. The emails include a string of tips for Valle to use on his victims, including using the fat from female breasts to make yorkshire puddings. In the emails the man suggested he fly to America to assist Valle, describing how it would be easy since “girls go missing all the time”. Kent resident Lian Chen, an employee at the Chop Chop takeaway in Canterbury, which Bolinger regularly visited, has been claimed to be the subject of one of the emails to Valle, in which the sender is said to have written: “Her name is Lian... I've got so many plans for her! I'll just snap her neck.” Bolinger denies all charges, and there is not yet any evidence that he is the man behind the online cannibal enthusiast. Police were unable to give InQuire any other information, and the investigation is currently on-going.
£5,000 for kent student law society
George Hopkin Website Sport Editor
ON 15th February the Kent Student Law Society was informed that it had won £5,000 at the RateMyPlacement Society Showcase in London. The biggest society at the University of Kent, with over 250 members, the Student Law Society competed against nearly a hundred other societies from higher education institutes around the UK to reach the final eight in the competition. Kent Student Law Society describes itself as: “The only society on campus for students looking towards a career in law as a solicitor or who are undecided.” Bright Futures, a society based in Medway, and UKC’s Tea Society, dealing in all things from Darjeeling to Honey Bush Chocolate Cake tea, were two other Kent student groups that took part in the overall process. KTV also helped in the penultimate round, to get them to the final, making the society a promotional video which propelled them to the final.
The law group’s Vice President, Mollie Ferguson, and its special advisor, John Thompson, went to Linklaters in London on 8th February to deliver a pitch in the mould of those on BBC show Dragons Den. They spoke about how the Kent society would use the money from the award to enhance their group, including funding a trip to Holland to visit the International Criminal Court in the Hague, and in taking members to law firm open days to showcase Kent’s talent to employers. Funds will also go towards subsidising the society’s annual law dinner at the Cathedral Lodge, allowing a better quality event to take place. Mollie Ferguson told InQuire: “We are so proud to have won, and we've really fought hard for it. “We beat 85 excellent societies in the UK, including 7 others in the final. It has been an incredible year for us, being the biggest society this year, and we just appreciate that RateMyPlacement have seen our further potential!”
calls for better postgraduate loans Farah Chowdhury UNIVERSITIES and Science Minister David Willetts has called for banks to offer more loans to postgraduate students. Whilst undergraduates are able to rely on the Student Loans Company to fund their degree, there is no government funded scheme to help postgraduate students with their fees and living expenses. Postgraduate students are able to get loans from banks but funding is limited with a reported 44% of 22,716 professional and career development loan applications being approved last year. Alex Murray, Vice-President Education for Kent Union commented on the current crisis for postgraduates, saying that “without a central loan system in place students have to approach banks, be lucky enough to have savings or support, or fight for highly competitive scholarships.” With a drop in postgraduate applications of up to 20% in the North-East of England, it seems as though an increasing number of ‘poorer’ students will have to abandon their aspirations of
continuing in higher education, warn the National Union of Students (NUS). They said that “the current fees structure was in danger of putting off poor students from going on to postgraduate studies because of the debts they had already incurred”. The limitations of postgraduate funding have prompted predictions from both the NUS as well as the charity Sutton Trust. Dr Lee Elliot Major, director of policy at Sutton Trust, said: “Something must be done to avoid postgraduate
education becoming exclusive to a privileged elite. “Postgraduate degrees… matter more in terms of life outcomes, but are becoming more socially exclusive.” Universities are considering offering private loans to students, as well as increasing the number of scholarships. The Guardian, however, predicted that the reality of extending university funded postgraduate support is that it will “take time and will inevitably only help a relatively small pool of graduates.”
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News
ministers urge help for syrian students university of kent students help Tom Vine THIS month, Universities and Science Minister David Willetts and Business Secretary Vince Cable urged British universities to waive outstanding fees for Syrian students in an attempt to improve the financial situations of those affected by the ongoing civil war. In a letter sent to Eric Thomas, vice chancellor of Bristol University, the government assured Syrian students they “are doing all they reasonably can to help them and make them aware of the support available.” Around 670 Syrian students are currently struggling to keep up with fee payments and day-to-day costs whilst studying here. Some have had scholarship payments blocked by the Syrian government due to alleged links with the opposition, whilst others have failed to receive payments from family members as a result of EU sanctions imposed on the war-stricken nation. The status of all Syrian
students was guaranteed by the UK Border Agency until 15th March, but following this deadline they risk having their student visas revoked. Pressure from the government on British universities to aid Syrian students follows a campaign by political activist group Avaaz. Campaign Director, Luis Morago, recently hit out at the government, saying, “This smacks of doublestandards. The UK beats the drum for action on Syria but has so far done nothing to help hundreds of stranded Syrian
students in Britain.” Now the government have urged British universities to help with fee payments. This is backed by an Avaaz petition with over 40,000 signatures, so it looks increasingly likely that the students will be able to remain in the UK to complete their courses. At present, the Syrian students are able to apply for licenses from the Treasury to have money sent to them from Syria, whilst they are also currently able to extend their visas without having to return home.
obtain eu charter documents
Amelia Guttridge Website Comment Editor
STUDENTS at the University of Kent’s Brussels School of International Studies have helped procure the publication of European Commission documents concerning the United Kingdom’s possible opting-out from the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. The students worked closely with the European Citizen Action Service (ECAS) and the EU Rights Clinic to obtain the documents. It is hoped by both organisations that the documents will shed light on negotiations concerning the Charter of Fundamental Rights at the time of the Treaty of Lisbon in 2007. The documents are now to be made available to the public, in a bid to enhance public awareness of the current situation in the EU and their EU rights. The organisations hope that
this will further contribute to the European Year of Citizens, which in 2013 is dedicated to the rights that are affiliated with EU citizenship. Anthony Valcke, Legal Supervisor for the EU Rights Clinic, said: “The EU Rights Clinic is delighted to have contributed to this important endeavour. Our students worked on drafting letters, reviewing the released documents and putting together the background note that explains the contents of these documents and highlights their importance.” Tony Venables, Director ECAS, said: “The documents reveal that the opt-out was the lesser of two evils. Serious proposals were made by the Council Presidency to remove the reference to Member States from the Charter of Fundamental Rights. This suggests that governments cannot be trusted to negotiate on our fundamental rights on their own.”
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Comment 7
why do we put up with psychic fakers? Edward Shambrook
“WHY do you still have a career?” is one of many things I would like to say to Derek Acorah, who caused outrage last year by saying that Madeline McCann had been in the spirit world “for some time now”, and is now taking his Eternal Spirits tour across the UK. Acorah’s website claims him to be “the world’s most renowned spirit medium”, and although this could be true, it is certainly not for the right reasons. In 2005, even Dr Ciarán O’Keefe, his co-star on Most Haunted – a reality TV series with elements of Casper and The Exorcist, but with Z-list celebrities and no actual ghosts – accused the selfprofessed medium of obtaining information about locations prior to filming. O’Keefe also claims to have invented a long-dead South African jailer called Kreed Kafer, an anagram of Derek Faker, and had asked a crew member to mention him to Acorah while on a shoot at Bodmin Gaol. Afterwards, O’Keefe said: “I honestly didn’t think Derek
would take the bait. But during the filming he actually got possessed by my fictional character!” Acorah is a glorified party clown. In one TV broadcast, he even claimed to be channelling the thoughts of a dead dog, barking a message. But not only is he a clown, he is an unconscionable one as well. In his defence, there is nothing uniquely evil about Acorah; he is just like everyone else who makes money hand-over-fist by pretending to speak to the dead. Sally Morgan, also currently on tour, was exposed as a fraud in 2011 when messages that she was getting from ‘guardian angels’ were overheard being prompted to her by somebody backstage, seconds before she relayed them to a sit-in audience. On Thursday of last week, not only was it announced that Stoke-on-Trent are to host a “Psychic Rendezvous event”, but the Daily Express also ran an article asking: “Is your dog psychic?” Despite countless exposures of fraud surrounding psychicrelated phenomena, its enduring popularity and intrigue is clear.
Acorah, taking death as seriously as usual. Photo taken by Ian Dewsbury.
Since the 1960’s, former stage magician James Randi has run a one million dollar challenge for all those who make claims that seemingly defy science.
Psychic powers certainly fall into this category. The challenge is simple: prove your ability beyond all reasonable doubt, and win a million dollars.
Acorah and Morgan should take that challenge. Living off of the winnings, they could spare the savings and tears of innocent people.
goodbye hiv: cured child is a beacon of hope
Gene ‘stacking’, as above, can make certain cells resistant to HIV.
James Rowen RECENTLY, I stumbled across one of the most incredible stories of the year so far. American doctors have been quoted as saying that a child has fully recovered from the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, or HIV. After eighteen months of intensive treatment and an interim of five months where no medication was taken, tests were carried out by doctors
in six different laboratories, all confirming that the virus had disappeared. Dr Deborah Persaud, in a report outlining the findings, stated that “this is a proof of concept that HIV can be potentially curable in infants.” Obviously, the research has to be taken at face value – the results say that only one child who was born with the virus, and who got treatment from birth, has recovered from HIV. There is no mention of adults
being cured. Neither is there any indication of how accessible and expensive medication could be. Further trials have been discussed in order to find out if the treatment will work in other cases. Follow-up tests are also required in order to understand the long-term effects of treatment. For me, the very possibility that HIV could be cured is an astonishing human feat. Pills and medication have so far been able to slow down the inevitable process of bodily breakdown in HIV sufferers, but there has never before been anything that seemed so promising. Curing HIV has long been thought of as one of humanity’s greatest challenges, and to suggest that it may be treatable in children who are still in stages of early development is a leap towards that goal. I have to be honest and mention that something did astonish me in the opinions of others. Many sceptics are suggesting that it’s just one
case; it doesn’t mean anything until it can be repeated. Apart from the fact that the treatment certainly did something for the life chances of a child who was born with the virus, I think that the findings present one distinct ramification. One day, any child, no matter where they are born
in the world, may obtain access to drug treatments which will not only steer their life towards improve normality; the drugs may completely destroy the virus they were so unfortunate to inherit. Through this child, medicine is providing something we all need – hope.
Dr. Hannah Gay, a pediatric HIV specialist involved in curing the child.
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Comment
is it sensible to use our aid budget for the military ? Alasdair Lawrence
WHEN David Cameron admitted to being “very open” to using our aid budget for overseas defence operations while on his trip to India last month, my first thought was that he would be taking funding away from real aid projects and giving it wholesale to the military. It seemed wrong that money meant for the reduction of misery and poverty on the planet should go towards building armies, despite assurances that “we are not going to use this money to buy
any tanks”. The money will, however, be used for military security, demobilisation and peacekeeping. Surely this is contrary to the very idea of aid? Well, no. Firstly, if Cameron wanted to use the aid budget to plaster over the gaps left by defence budget cuts, he would have to repeal the International Development Act of 2002, which specifically states that aid is only to be used for the reduction of poverty and the furthering of sustainable development. If the money doesn’t help reduce the amount of awfulness in the world then it’s technically
illegal. But how can soldiers promote sustainability? You can’t shoot poverty. The sad thing is that the most impoverished states on earth are usually also the most wartorn. Whilst rebel groups and government militias might have names that suggest democracy or freedom, more often than not they don’t seem to care about the poverty of the average citizen. Much of the aid we send is often intercepted before it reaches the people that need it most. When you order something from an online store they specifically entrust someone
to make sure it arrives at your door - they don’t parachute it into Canterbury and hope the right people get what they need. Aid needs to be escorted and protected by the threat of force, in case any warlords get funny ideas about who deserves what. There’s a definite union between military and humanitarian missions in the broad scope of ‘government aid’. Aside from just shooting things, armies build bridges and go on peacekeeping tours. All the same it feels wrong to endorse military action. No matter how you dress it up, the only reason armies exist anywhere is so a
body of men and women can kill other bodies of men and women. Despite this, I have to admit that the alternative is just dropping aid willy-nilly into the countryside or letting vulnerable aid workers go wandering off into the most dangerous parts of the planet without so much as a bullet between them. Ultimately, we have to admit that simply producing care packages isn’t enough. It is our responsibility to ensure that aid gets to who needs it, and without military presence this can be very difficult.
fr audster ticket sites need should we pay for better resale regulations friendlier police? Lauren Harris
Photo by Jamie Ovens.
Hetty Sieling BUYING tickets for music festivals or concerts can be complicated, even cut-throat. Whether it is an internationally renowned festival attracting nigh on 100,000 people or an intimate gig by recently signed musicians, care must be taken when buying your way in. I recently caught friends perusing a website that promised to teach the art of hacking secondary ticketseller sites in order to get their hands on sold out tickets - such is the power of Beyoncé. With tickets being sold out within days or hours of going on sale, this desperate interest is understandable. There are plenty of unauthorised websites waiting to cash in on this desire for live music by illegally selling nonexistent or fake tickets. But should we continue to allow extortionate ticket resales to go on? Should we increase regulations and push police resources in an attempt to eliminate all secondary sales? I know that old-fashioned ticket touting is common at music festivals: I come from a town that annually hosts a huge
festival along the lines of rock meets indie meets Eminem (lord knows what he’s doing headlining this year: I can only assume the organisers are trying to rid themselves of the growing daisy-chain-wearing crowd). Every year I see men in their 40s standing on street corners, shuffling about, awkwardly advertising tickets to passersby. There are also small cheaply produced posters and flyers everywhere that promise tickets, with a mobile number to contact. They could not be more unofficial if they tried. A lot of these touts are buying and selling genuine tickets rather than mystical internet ones. Yes, they make a profit (not as good as ‘back in the day’, according to some) and yes, the police try to move them on, but some of them know the law very well and therefore what they can and cannot do. I am not saying that you should go and buy from them, but that in some ways, these ticket touts are less of a problem than you would imagine. They are visible to the local police so if there is any ‘trouble’ they will be taken to the station, and they cannot sell tickets in the numbers that
sophisticated online sites can. That having been said, once you have bought a ticket from them you may never see them again, losing all your money. Whereas with a website there is at least a sense of accountability. Just as ticket resale fraud is on the increase, the police unit that has been successfully cracking down on this lucrative crime is closing down. ‘Operation Podium’ was set up to deal with the inevitable Olympic opportunities - to sell tickets at inflated prices (in some cases, nearly 10 times the price) to people desperate to see sprinters breaking records, Tom Daley diving and horses doing the Charleston. But it is clear that this unit should have stayed active. The need for this kind of regulation in the ticketing industry is enormous. I, for one, am hoping that there is a new unit set up in its place to tackle the issue of online ticket fraud. I do not think that the secondary ticket sale world is ever going to be extinguished, but we desperately need increased regulation online, such as caps on profit margins, and better education for police units about how online fraud operations work.
NO wonder Canada is widely parodied as the nicest country in the world, if their law enforcers felt the need to hand out ‘positive tickets’ in order to be more popular with local youths. Ward Clapham, now a retired member of the Canadian Mounted Police, initiated the system for reinforcing lawful behaviour in the 1980s, when he became aware that children viewed the police as ‘hunters’ who only appeared when somebody needed to be punished. This system grew to such an extent that organisations began providing huge numbers of coupons for treats such as free meals or cinema tickets. Clapham urges our own police departments to take similar action, but is this really a viable idea? Psychologically, this makes sense. The basic principle of conditioning is that certain behaviour can be encouraged by rewarding the desirable and punishing the undesirable, in this case producing law-abiding citizens the world over. The idea itself is an attractive one: why should we be afraid of those who are supposed to be protecting us? Perhaps if you’re lost in an unknown city, you would approach an officer for directions, but other than that, police are either non-existent or appear busy with something else. I personally would feel intimidated to go and ask a question they might feel trivial
and a waste of their time. The belief that police officers are there for criminals and not ordinary citizens is one that is still prevalent in vast numbers of us today. But are these positive tickets really such an incentive? Most people do nice things and obey the law because they want to (or are afraid of the consequences of doing anything else) not for the reward. No teenagers I know are going to have a change of heart because of a free McDonalds burger. Having a tough, strict demeanour is surely not an issue when trying to deter crime, but handing out coupons to kids in bike helmets could decrease any respect for their power that other citizens had. Clapham says that making friends with children through this system is a reward for him, but this is hardly a reason to waste limited funds on such a restricted project. If he wanted everyone to like him, he probably should have been in another career. Youth-related service calls in Canada dropped by 50% during this time but this was in conjunction with several other prevention initiatives. Yes, attempting to build relationships with troubled children in an attempt to keep them out of crime and off the streets is admirable, but positive tickets are not revolutionary or universal enough to make any real changes. They didn’t save the world in the 80s and they certainly won’t do so now.
Comment 9
when your heart stops beating, you’ll keep tweeting
Charlotte Amelia Smith
THE social media phenomenon has reached new heights with the announcement of a Twitter app called Lives On, which has the rather chilling tag line: “When your heart stops beating, you’ll keep tweeting”. The app will allow users to, almost quite literally, tweet after you die. Powered by algorithms that monitor your social networking habits, the app analyses how you speak so it can mimic this behaviour following the event of your death. Although this is the first UK based app in development, it is shockingly not the first of its kind. Other sites are already in existence, such as Dead Social, which allows users to schedule public Facebook posts and tweets, as well as future posts and messages. Additionally, the Israeli site If I Die will post the news of your death to Facebook to inform your friends and followers, and can also schedule a series of future private messages. Since 2011, If I Die has already
accumulated around 200,000 users. As ingenious as these sites may seem, the underlying concept is undeniably, ethically problematic, to say the least! James Norris, founder of Dead Social, has justified the idea as “using technology to soften the impact that death has and dehumanise it’’. However this notion of softening death, arguably the most natural and inevitable thing in the world, is more than questionable; surely this cannot be healthy. This raises the problem of the negative impact such sites could have on the bereavement process, an issue depicted in a recent episode of Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror, which sees a woman use a similar online service to communicate with her boyfriend following his death. Moreover, there is a whole hoard of other issues including these services’ susceptibility to abuse. Pamela Rutledge, head of the Massachusetts Media Psychology Research Centre, voiced her concerns: “What do we do if someone uses this new
extension of time in a way that torments or stalks its receivers? Death is the ultimate lack of accountability.” Erez Rubinstein, a partner at If I Die, explains the appeal of such sites as “an era where most of your life and most of
“Lulz, totes tweeting from the grave #deadbored #wormsparty”
your presence is digital, and you want to have some control over it’’. They are indeed a prime example of how we are choosing to live our lives more and more through our online personas, and whether you see apps such
as Lives On as simply making use of the wonders of modern technology, or a step too far, it is demonstrative of the extent to which social media is becoming an increasingly dominant presence in our lives, to an arguably unhealthy degree.
are some children’s toys sending out inappropriate messages? Jonathan Wheatcroft
IF you were asked to imagine a scenario in which a robber with dark glasses and a gun walks into a bank full of money, you would most likely associate it with a scene of crime, potentially involving hostages and violence. With this in mind, it was somewhat surprising to see that German toy company Playmobil just introduced the innocently named ‘Bank with Safe’ set
(complete with robber wearing dark glasses and touting a gun) to their collection, retailing at £34.99 and recommended for 4 – 10 year olds (small parts being the only issue preventing an even lower age range). As you might imagine, given our incredibly politically correct society, there has been a degree of protest over this toy and its target market. Danny Bryan of Communities Against Gun and Knife Crime said: “I think it is horrendous that young people
are given all these images to shape them. It is sending out the wrong message.” Violent toys, some have argued, can promote and encourage violence as a way to achieve aims, and portray it as a fun and cool means of doing so. Of course children, especially boys, have always played games involving violence, whether completely imaginary like ‘Cowboys and Indians’ or aided by props like toy soldiers. Furthermore, the easy access
children now have to violent video games and television programs make anything Playmobil has put out look tame by comparison. The toy company itself describes its product as encouraging children to ‘imagine, invent, create’ and teaches children about ‘the importance of ‘goodies’ and ‘baddies’. In this case, I believe the set doesn’t send out the right message. While there is scope for imagination here it is very limited. There are no real ‘goodies’ here unless you count the banker - probably the most inappropriate inclusion in the set for some. Despite the harrowing ordeal, the banker has a permanent grin – perhaps he has been transferred from the irresponsible bankers and their bonuses set. On the Early Learning Centre website, its description of the set questions: “What will the banker do?” Here there seems to be only one option; hand over the money! That is unless a particularly conscientious parent is moved to shell out £69.99 for a police station so
Playmobil’s wine bar caused outrage.
their spoilt kid can enact some imaginary justice. The set also leaves little to the imagination with its level of detail, where a screwdriver is included for the robber to break into the safe and steal a number of gold bars. Frankly I just don’t see children getting any message out of this set other than ‘crime pays well’. It also begs the question: Where could they go next? Maybe a drug cartel or strip joint set for ages 4+ is the next progressive step. To end on an upbeat note, the set does include a positive gender message to please the political correctness brigade. The robber is female and, in what has previously been a male dominated environment, this is refreshing to see.
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Editorial
are we all afraid of leaving the crayola behind? Amelia Guttridge Website Comment Editor I HAVE no idea what I’m doing. A large proportion of my time is spent wandering around the university in a slight daze, shooting envious looks at fellow students who pass me, confidently clutching folders and walking with purpose. What if they find out that I’m a fake, and someone let me in the VIP room by mistake? Will I be kicked out of the super cool university club? A lot of the time it feels that way. Medical students have definite plans, drama students have definite dreams, and I have... What do I have? I like to write things and I was good at English at school, so I did English at university. It seemed like a reasonable decision at the time. It’s not one that I regret, but it’s one that baffles me. In some ways I feel as though I was completely ready to come to university; I had completed
secondary school and sixth form, and I wasn’t ready to stop learning. In other ways, I often wonder what in the hell I am doing here. Don’t get me wrong, I love it. But I’m not ready for this, I’m not ready to be giving people advice, planning and organising things, to be boosting my CV in hopes of a career as a writer. Five minutes ago I was lying on the sofa watching Scrapheap Challenge doing a colouring book, and now you’re telling me to work on my crossreferencing? When did this happen? It’s why I don’t deal with our household bills in any way, shape or form and pawn them off on my flatmate. It’s why I’m extremely excited at the prospect of studying for my year abroad in Venice next year, but I’m also petrified. The thought of graduating in a couple of years time and trying to get a job makes me want to sit my next set of exams with a crayon in the hopes of being held back. I think, ultimately, what my time at university so far has taught me is that’s it is okay to be afraid. I’m a student, and for
at least the next few weeks an editor and a secretary, and I’m approaching 20. There are times when I feel together and measured about these things. There are also times when I feel like a 14-yearold that should still be sat in her bedroom listening to Nirvana
(which I still do, in fairness) and fuming at her parent. Not worrying about exams, overdrafts and living abroad. The funny thing is, if I spoke to the person walking past me with his or her life seemingly so together, they’d probably tell me the same thing, that they’re
anxious and uncertain too. I think, and a small part of me hopes, that we all are. Because more important than all of the fear is the excitement. So, if there’s anyone else that’s as awkward, uncertain and scared as I am – it’s not just you, and it’ll probably be fine.
is our zombie obsession fuelled by the recession? Alice Bryant Website Entertainment Editor RECENTLY a film called ‘Warm Bodies’ came to our cinemas, featuring Nicholas Hoult as a lovestruck zombie that roams the earth searching for brains, blood, gore...and romance. Hello, ladies. It’s one of the latest in the slew of films that are instantly popularised through their association with the zombie/ vampire culture. It began as a lowbrow escape from reality for the average post-adolescent male (think of Simon Pegg’s character in Spaced), but now appears to permeate the mass media circuit of our generation. We are now so familiar with the format of such films that we are beginning to ridicule them; Dawn of the Dead has been replaced with Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, and there is now even an app called ‘Zombies, Run!’ that allows
us to integrate the storyline of our own zombie film into our workout routine. The Twilight series has transformed Dracula into an antiquated has-been, with teenage girls falling for the newly fanged archetype: the unattainable, moody twit that is Edward Cullen. The accepted image of the
vampire is no longer an alien, formidable creature, but a 21st century-friendly sparkly sequin of a man with a vaguely irksome craving for blood. Vampires and zombies have been so thoroughly integrated into our cultural consciousness that they in themselves have formed a sort of genre of their own.
A popular theory for the surge in demand for these horror fictions is that, in times of recession and hardship, vampires and zombies become icons of the consumer mentality. Zombies themselves are an exaggerated fantasy of the capitalist mindset: they feed without thought, neither good, nor evil. So, for example, in a world almost saturated by the undead, survivors must form an alliance in order to defend themselves, often breaking into supermarkets and stores that formerly thrived on capitalism. They must infiltrate the abandoned houses of the rich, eating their tins of beans (presumably from Waitrose) and using their family heirlooms in order to defend themselves. Materialism no longer has a place in these societies. Vampires, on the other hand, are the seductive, confident and wealthy representatives of the capitalist elite, ‘feeding’ upon society. Take Twilight, for example. Any luxury that they desire is at their fingertips:
‘Do you want a new car, Bella?’ ‘HELL YEAH’ ‘And a holiday on a remote island and a cottage in the country?’ ‘Yeah, sure sounds awesome, just as long as you don’t eat meeeee.’ ...I think that’s pretty much how most of the film goes. As students, we’re all pretty stretched for money. Not only that, but a lot of us aren’t feeling that confident about our future job prospects, and maybe sometimes resent the fact that the graduate job market is so saturated at a time when student fees are higher than ever. We’re told to consume and consume to get the country out of debt, but, without the likelihood of our own debt being alleviated, we’re feeling drained and frustrated. Although this cultural movement is just a bit of harmless fun, maybe at times like this, the parallels between the zombie and vampire narratives and our own lives are becoming more apparent than ever.
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A Portrait Of Don McCullin “Photography is the truth, if it’s being handled by a truthful person.” page 23
Keynestock Auditions
Six acts battle it out in an electrically charged Attic. page 18
page 15
IQ Features 13
letters page: get involved on campus
enactus fundraisers Henry Broome Enactus is a budding volunteering organisation with plans that, after just a short time, are now starting to gain momentum. Although off-campus Enactus is building a strong reputation with the individuals it helps, it seems that here at Kent nobody knows what Enactus is! I took to the University’s campus to get some figures. Out of 50 people, just 3 had even heard of us (6%). So, what is Enactus? The key principles of the group lie within its name. The first syllable is a segment of the word ENtrepreneur. We find and create value from otherwise unseen opportunities. Our homeless project in Canterbury is an example of not just an opportunity unseen but people as well. The homeless are often forgotten, but Enactus Kent has set up a scheme that utilises their existing knowledge and trains them to become tour-guides of Canterbury. The project provides an income, improves confidence and people skills but most of all it is sustainable, meaning they’re not reliant on charity and instead have a sense of control over their lives. In the middle of Enactus is ‘act’. This
stands for ACTion – the willingness to do something and have the commitment to follow it through. Members of Enactus are people that really throw themselves into projects. Dilara, who works with the Riding for Disabled children Association (RDA), said she joined because: “It seemed like the perfect opportunity to put my passions into practice. I have worked with children with Cerebral Palsy for three years and I love horse riding.’’ However, action is not always achieved on your own (hence EnactUS); often individuals are part of a greater whole. Enactus is a worldwide organisation running in 39 different countries, from Australia to Zimbabwe. It is not just about changing the lives of those less fortunate on a local scale; Enactus Kent has international aspirations of social enterprise projects in Sierra Leone focusing on proper waste management too. It may sound like we are all work and no play but Enactus is composite not just of words but of people too. We’re a society which has fun together. Having only been here a month, I have felt very welcomed by this friendly bunch of people. So give it go and see where you fit in.
inquire puzzle: sudoku
Hard
strictly kent dancing
Georgia Dawson
Its time for Strictly Come Dancing, UKC edition, as our very own Latin and Ballroom Dance Society aims to raise money for Cancer Research. For one evening, and one evening only, various campus ‘celebs’ will be paired with society ‘professionals’ in an all out Battle Royale. Currently I can confirm competitors from Kent Snow, as well as the campus basketball captains – who also happen to be boyfriend and girlfriend - oh, the drama! Don’t miss this exciting charity fundraiser on Friday 22nd March from 8pm; it’s a chance to cheer on your mates, learn some slick moves, plus win some tasty raffle treats. Each couple will be assigned a single performance, ranging from regal waltzing to the feisty foxtrot. After which the top two will have their very own dance off, duking it out for the gold. After all that, a shiny trophy will be awarded to the couple who best impresses both audience and judging
panel, so be sure to scream for your team. Ballroom not your style? Don’t worry. Dance societies across campus plan to throw in their own demos, showcasing the very best routines for your enjoyment. Ever wanted to learn a sexy salsa? The society members will be there, folks. Want to crash in with a little hip hop? Just don’t get caught on camera. Latin and Ballroom are buzzing with “excitement to raise money for a brilliant cause” as cancer threatens more people now than ever before. On average a person is diagnosed every two minutes with one of over 200 types of cancer. Through just one night, we can all contribute to vital treatments. Remember, doors open at 7:30pm with tickets priced at just £4 in advance or £5 on the night. Join the Latin and Ballroom Society in their support for Cancer Research; check out Strictly Come Kent and, as good old Bruce would say…Keep Dancing!
Want your opinion to appear on the Letters Page? Email Nat on newspaper.features@inquiremedia.co.uk and get your thoughts out on campus!
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IQ Features
soap! chocolate circus
& events The Attic Tuesday 19th March Comedy Central
The Venue Saturday 16th March SOAP! Wednesday 20th March - FLIRT! Saturday 23rd March SOAP! Wednesday 27th March - FLIRT!
Mungo’s Mungo’s Quiz every Monday from 8pm Comedy Night every Thursday Magic @ Mungos every Friday Woody’s CSR Quiz every Sunday from 8pm Photography by Alex Lejimps
IQ Features 15
Matthew Jarvis The Book That Changed My Life For The Better: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
my life in books my own Arthur Dentian anxiety with more of a Beeblebroxian absurdity and enjoyment of life. Adams has a witty style and unique way of perceiving the world (towels become invaluable in any situation, and as everyone knows, the answer to life, the universe and everything is 42 – a number without a question). Through that, I came to stop worrying about the things that don’t really matter – even if your home planet is destroyed to make way for an interstellar bypass.
just a shame the rest of Austen’s novels all follow a very similar plot, even if she can write a damn fine sentence.
The Book I Hated The First Time Around, But Came To Enjoy: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
When I was in year six, my English
teacher lent me a copy of Douglas Adams’ comic sci-fi masterpiece and told me that one day I’d be a writer. Not only influencing my own writing style as I attempt to live up to that expectation, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy has also changed the way I approach the world, replacing
Jonathan Easton
Reading Pride and Prejudice for the first time, I found it insufferably dull. Minus a few witty statements, the constant discussion of marriage started to take its toll within a few chapters and it was a struggle to reach the ohso-predictable conclusion of Elizabeth Bennett and Mr Darcy. Reading it again a few months later, I started to realise just why it was so popular, with the humour running to an even deeper level than I had first seen. The cleverlypaced wordplay and satirical style burst through the tedious will-they-won’tthey scenes and gave new life to a book I’d written off as slushy romance. It’s
Jewish race as mice and the Nazis as cats (as well as other races as other creatures) is as gripping and unique as it is shockingly successful in picturing the inhuman treatment of the prisoners of Auschwitz and the other concentration camps. Spiegelman’s own anxious self-aware presence in the novel explores the trouble he has writing about such horrific events, particularly from an outsider standpoint. Maus is brutally affecting and honest, but provides a historical reading experience unlike any other.
A More Unconventional Book That I Love: Maus by Art Spiegelman Maus is a hell of an experience. Published from 1980-1991, Spiegelman’s graphic novel recounts his father’s experience during the Holocaust. While real-life Holocaust stories are commonplace, the Orwellian use of animals to portray the persecuted
my life in comics
The Book That Kept Me Up At Night: Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth by Grant Morrison and Dave McKean
Grant Morrison and Dave McKean’s terrifying effort is both disturbing in its illustration and in its subject matter. Many people credit Alan Moore’s The
Killing Joke or Frank Miller’s Year One as being the beginnings of the dark Batman many think of today but I would argue that Morrison’s horrific tale is even more disturbing. The initial premise is that the Joker has taken over Arkham Asylum and demands Batman comes in with the patients or else he will kill the staff. Along with this is the tale of Amadeus Arkham and his efforts to help the criminally insane which eventually drives him to be admitted and eventually die in the asylum. The title itself is a quotation from Church Going and this graphic novel contains all the intensity of a Larkin poem. Visually complemented by overflowing dark colours that all bleed into one, this graphic novel should be considered as art.
The Epic That Kept Me Reading: Bone by Jeff Smith Jeff Smith’s lovingly self-illustrated piece is widely considered an epic, with Time Magazine even referring to
it being “as sweeping as the Lord of the Rings cycle, but much funnier”. Published as 55 issues over the space of 13 years, its kitsch look with softedges galore leads many to brush this work aside as being childish. Though the protagonist Fone Bone may seem to be naïve, Bone is an incredibly sophisticated comic that slowly draws the reader into the world that the Bone cousins stumble into. While the comic does look overtly cartoonish, this doesn’t stop the comic from being pulsatingly tense at moments. This is a book with a lot of heart that requires a lot of time to read but one that ultimately has a massive payoff.
The City That I Love: Will Eisner’s New York: Life in the Big CityWill Eisner Effortlessly a member of the city and simultaneously an observer of its ways, Will Eisner’s
New York is a love letter to his home. It shows the best and worst aspects of the culture in this collection of interconnected vignettes. The book is, above all, human. It shows real stories of real people that Eisner has come to observe. This, like Bone, is self-illustrated but it possesses a gritty realism that manages to remain full of life.
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IQ Features
recipe: leek and potato soup with a twist
Amy Carr
With Bacon Connoisseurs Week coming up from 18th – 24th March, I decided to make leek and potato soup just that little bit more tasty by adding some of Britain’s favourite meat to the mix. Yes, that’s right, bacon! WHAT YOU NEED Serves 2-3 1tbsp oil 150g bacon, chopped 1 onion, roughly chopped 1 leek, roughly chopped 3-4 potatoes, roughly diced 1 carrot, roughly chopped 25g butter 750ml boiling water 70g stilton, chopped 50g cheddar, grated 50ml double cream WHAT YOU DO 1. Fry your bacon for about 5-7 minutes on a medium-high heat in the oil until it’s nice and crispy. Then set aside, but save the oil to cook your vegetables in. 2. Pour the oil into a large saucepan and add the veg and the butter. Cook on a medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. 3. Add the boiling water and cook for 10-15 minutes, until your potatoes break up easily. 4. Take off the heat and blend until smooth, then stir in the stilton and cheddar and finally the cream. 5. Season with salt and pepper and add the bacon bits.
uproar over magazine african queen editorial
Sofie Finemore
Numéro magazine has ignited a controversial debate in the Fashion Industry this week with a shoot called ‘African Queen’. The editorial features 16 year old white model Ondria Hardin with heavy amounts of bronzer on to make her skin appear darker. In the most recent New York Fashion Week, only six percent of all the models were black and even less were Latina, leaving white models to dominate the industry at more than 83%. With this in mind, fashion icon Bethann Hardison has strong opinions on this shoot, saying: “The more I see this, I want to just understand - why is that? You can’t tell me you still want to have 35 girls, and they all be white, or one black”, and it’s easy to see her disappointment with the industry, with inspirational black models only getting eight percent of work, it can’t help but be discouraging to see that even when a black woman is ideal for the shoot, a white woman is still first choice. Yet was the true purpose of the fashion spread to celebrate diversity rather than discourage it? In response to the uproar, Numéro Magazine had this to say: “For its part, Numéro Magazine, which has the utmost respect for this photographer’s creative work,
firmly excludes that the latest may have had, at any moment, the intention to hurt reader’s sensitivity, whatever their origin.” Opinions on the matter seem decidedly split. On one side, we have those who see it as a positive view on culture. One user, Bebhinn, believes it to be positively portraying the melting pot culture we live in ‘we are all a little bit of many nationalities and races. She (Ondria Hardin) makes a good statement of that’. There is a second side, however, who find the shoot much more demeaning. A user named ‘C’mon’ had found the shoot reprehensible stating: “When you decide not to find even one of the many gorgeous black models to do the story, and hire and darken a white model’s skin, it’s racist.” Whether the intention of the shoot was to be a homage to the idea of beauty within cultures, or even, as some critics have suggested, to act as one big publicity stunt; it has certainly brought to the surface many issues surrounding the
fashion industry. Perhaps Numéro will now be forced to learn that they should choose someone more naturally suited to a role rather than plastering excessive make-up on their models. Although in the fashion industry it’s hard to believe this will happen.
cameron’s condolences for amritsar massacre
Premdeep Grewal
During a three day trade trip to India, Prime Minister David Cameron visited the site of the poignant 1919 Amritsar massacre, which he described as a “deeply shameful event in British history”. As he laid a wreath upon the stone memorial, he became the first serving British prime minister to pay his respects to what is widely considered one of the bloodiest massacres in British history. On 13th April 1919, thousands of Indian protestors gathered in the park of Jallianwala Bagh, where British troops were ordered to disperse the crowd, following colonial authorities banning public meetings. The troops, consequently blocking off the only exit to the park where ordered to open fire on the crowd, only ceasing to attack when all ammunition was exhausted. The savage onslaught left 400 civilians dead, including many women and children taking their own lives by
throwing themselves into a nearby well. The Prime Minister concluded his trip with a day spent in the Sikh holy city of Amritsar, removing his shoes and covering his head in respect as he visited the sacred Golden Temple, and learning to flip chappatis for some of the temple’s pilgrims. He later left a heartfelt message and signed the temple’s book of condolences, emphasising the understated role of Sikhs in the UK: “We should celebrate the immense contribution that people from the Punjab play in Britain, the role they play, what they give to our country.” Some have criticised the PM for stopping short of a full apology for the event which took place almost a century ago. Stating that we are not to dwell on history and seeks things for which to apologise for, but to look forward to promising economic relations, he later added that we are to learn from
the mistakes of Britain’s imperial rule, and that he is keen to build new trade links with the world’s fastest growing economy.
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fashion week round ups Now that all the fashion weeks for Autumn/Winter 2013 are over, Parisha Vaja rounds up the central trends shown in London, Milan and Paris... LONDON The runways of London Fashion Week played host to an assortment of excessive and distorted prints, delicious colour-popping on neutral hues and exaggeratedly feminine ensembles with the odd incorporation of last season’s leather and metallics. To be sure, just like LFW’s A/W12 collections, there is nothing subtle about the styles and structures that will define the coming seasons. From Mulberry’s tough, accented outerwear on breezy, flowing fabrics to the dazzling azure blues and sunburst oranges of Paul Smith’s working wardrobe, one trend certainly dominates and binds all – smart, sophisticated attire peppered with wild twists. This LFW was seemingly all about that – vying to see who could attribute the most frenzied patterns and prints or the most diverse layers of fur, velvet, monochrome, pastels etc. to clean, conventional, rigid structures and forms. So sport those polished midi skirts and sharp-collared blouses but do so without caution. Opt for unapologetically brazen designs and embellishments at will. Borrow from all that has lately transpired – elaborate collars, hypnotic placement print, obscure shades, overt furs and spiked studs, intricate baroque on mesh. All in all not a difficult or striking transition to make from the current season and yet an exciting one it seems.
MILAN Italy’s turn to serve up its sartorial efforts for Fashion Week posed a significant stepping stone for the country, cropping up hot on the heels of its slightly abated political and economic ordeals. Reuters reported MFW’s hopes to bring optimism via fashion on the economy’s road to recovery. Indeed the runways embodied both a tacit imitation of the working woman’s bleak present conditions, all dark shades and leather-clad, and a means to pull out of it with surprise outbursts of frivolous pieces from the most acclaimed artists. Home-grown designers Frankie Morello, Alberta Ferretti and Mila Schon came forth with an abundance of sleek black. Morello and Ferretti opted for sombre-sexy ‘femme fatale’ appeal while Schon was arguably the one who should be most celebrated for her minimalistic use of head-to-toe leather, spontaneity of fruity palettes and careful placement of animal print panels and metallic textures. Gucci proposed a slight hit-or-miss range, jumping from rather over-safe territory in slightly insipid smart/ casual sculpted dresses and jackets to incontrovertible magnificence in mid and maxi gowns of rich silk and lace, elegantly adorned with sequins and fringed feather trimmings. The true glitz and glam lay in accessories, with a deft hand put to regally intricate jewellery, clean-cut oversized totes and D&G’s emphasis on Byzantine and mosaic.
PARIS Following on from the A/W collections showcased in New York, London and Milan, Paris has closed the lid on Fashion Month for another season, with colours baleful and black for the most part. Those designers sitting on the summit of Parisian fashion – Miu Miu, Prada, Hermes, Louis Vuitton etc. – seemed to put express focus on nailing those statement coats and jackets. Designers sent smart masculine cuts and boyish trench coats down the runways, crafted with leather panels, orderly prints, tweed and lots of fur. The Moncler Gamme Rouge collection went particularly all out with its layer upon layer of dazzling animal skins, a refreshingly welcome break from the bulk of meticulously refined outerwear, if slightly on the verge of fur overkill. PFW seemed lacking in the decorative glamour so inherent to Parisian designs, but the likes of Alexander McQueen and Saint Laurent compensated with easy and delightful RTW ensembles, easy to inspire. And then of course the virtuoso of eccentricity, Vivienne Westwood, came complete with a string of experimental trends that amass all recent ones including hard angular, and then soft puffball, shoulder cuts, casually ruched dresses, bulky enlarged jewellery – generally dotting wildly from tuille, silk and brocade skirts to overly casual, slouchy pinstripe trousers and loose hooded knitwear.
the fashion round up Amelia Bundred
It’s finally arrived. After huge media coverage, Rihanna’s River Island collection has officially hit shop floors. From black dresses and basics to bizarre double denim trousers, the highly anticipated collection is proving a huge success with teen-fans, but at £75 for a basic dress, is it affordable? All this month is dedicated to fashion week, be it bloggers or magazines, fashion savvy individuals everywhere have been scourging the internet for this year’s autumn/winter trends! Surprisingly, a semireligious look seems to be trending with nun-like black dresses with peter pan collars amd almost bridal like gowns from McQueen.
Kate Middleton continues to be a favourite in the press for her style choices and this week has been praised for her support of high street brands. The pregnant Duchess was recently photographed in a brown Hobbs coat showing off a slight hint of a baby bump. Gucci has joined Livia Firth’s Green Carpet Challenge with a ‘capsule collection’ in a bid to stop cattle farming’s proven contribution to deforestation. The new collection was first shown this week in Paris and comes with a ‘Gucci passport’ explaining the bag’s origins.
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music maps & atlases at the marlowe theatre
albums in brief
Hurts - Exile
Photograph by Jonathan Easton
Jonathan Easton
With a sound that could be loosely described as Vampire Weekend meets Kings of Leon meets a bit of math rock, Chicago based four piece Maps & Atlases are a band that are gaining more and more attention as each day passes. In an attempt to prove that their hype is justified, they have been touring all over the world with their final gig being at Canterbury’s very own Marlowe theatre. Opening with the infectious Winter, the band quickly set a precedent of what their act is. The audience soon were entranced by the best elements of the aforementioned acts along with
intricate guitar work and foot-stomping rhythms that created what can only be described as a fun atmosphere. There was not one person in the sold out crowd that was not dancing by the time Maps & Atlases came out for their encore. The band were joined by their support, the equally great Farewell J.R, for essentially a 15 minute jam session and everyone was part of the groove. The venue had turned into a massive dancehall. Along with Fleet Foxes influenced Farewell J.R, Maps & Atlases were supported by the pop-ier Mooseblood and local favourites Magnets. All of this together made for a delightful evening
of music that has been notably absent from the Marlowe since its reopening in 2011. It’s a surprise considering just how good the venue is. All the bands sounded great and the lighting was top notch. With a ticket at under £10, it would be hard to complain given the sheer amount of music that the audience was presented with. There wasn’t a single person disappointed by the gig and there were an awful lot of smiles coming out of the venue. The promoters Off The Record and No-Wave combined their efforts to pull off what was undoubtedly one of the best nights of music that Canterbury has seen in a long time.
keynestock auditions first round review Joe Ismail
So we arrive into March, the time of year where deadlines begin creeping and pressure starts rising. Just when you thought there was nothing else that could possibly extend procrastinating and preventing you penning those essays that have been festering in the back of your mind for weeks, along comes the live music auditions for Keynestock 2013 to distract and excite us all. Keynestock, the annual battle of the bands music festival held in Keynes College showcasing the talents of music acts from across the university returns. The auditions are being held every Thursday in The Attic where you can enjoy free entry – perhaps you’ve seen the green Telecaster guitar popping up all over campus and Facebook? 7th March saw the first stage of the festival kick off with a line up of six acts in a surprisingly busy and electrically charged Attic, all battling it out to claim one of the eight precious spots for a chance to perform at the festival itself. Kicking off the evening was one of a trio of 50s inspired rock ‘n’ roll blues
Photograph by James Adley bands, Tommy and the Guns. A band who previously tasted the Keynestock stage have returned seeking a second chance - it must be good, right? They had energy, quality and what more, style, inviting the crowd to put on their dancing shoes and get the floor moving. When Defunk’d took the stage half an hour later, they had the simple task of just keeping up the standard – and they did just that. The funk band
from Kent’s Medway campus kept the competition tight, in particular with their version of a Red Hot Chili Peppers cover as a finale. It seems to be that music has taken another turn with the sound of blues, soul and the saxophone perhaps starting a new craze? Next up stood Lonnie Storey with a mellow rock set. He slowed the tempo but his skill on his Stratocaster was impossible to dismiss. This was shortly followed by Jack Morgan with some original tunes: 3’s a Crowd before a finale with last year’s finalists, Stranded at the Jivin’. There was a notable absence of any conventional rock bands, however there is still plenty of time for them to join the competition. As expected, just six acts have taken the stage and already the quality is exceptionally high. If the following auditions are anything in comparison, then I consider myself lucky I am not on the judging panel. We can be sure that there’s going to be a great festival held in our own back garden come 25th May. For a review of the second round on Thurs 14th March please visit inquirelive.co.uk/entertainment
Apparently it’s not very cool to like Hurts. I’ll admit I am a sucker for their minimalist, 80s Berlin aesthetic – visually they’re sort of a slightly less homoerotic D.A.F. – but listening to their new record I can see why. The epic, synth-heavy feel is still there but without the inexplicably catchy hooks of the first album, and Theo Hutchcraft’s vocals have started to feel a bit sappy and forgotten Erasure B-side. Style over substance strikes again. Harriet Cash
Kate Nash Girl Talk Much like her previous albums (not that that is a bad thing), Nash’s new album contains the quirky lyrics and catchy melodies which have made her a firm favourite of many. A particular highlight is FriEnd?, brilliant for dancing around your room like you just don’t care, think DoWah-Doo with a bit of punk thrown in for good measure. Overall, the album is an excellent continuation to her already brilliant body of work. Natalie Tipping
Bastille - Bad Blood They are the band everyone is talking about; Bastille seem to be everywhere at the moment. They have released an amazing debut, Bad Blood. The album shows a great range of sounds and style, and Dan Smith’s vocal ability is exploited to its full potential. Aside from the singles it includes Laura Palmer, Oblivion and Icarus. Although snubbed in many 2013 new artists awards (including Radio 1 Sound of 2013) Bastille are here to stay. Robert Linton
Giant Drag Waking Up is Hard to Do Giant Drag’s second album, and their first in seven years, is full of messy, lo-fi, imperfectly-beautiful alt-rock. It draws comparison with Best Coast and Ariel Pink. Listen to Messif My Face, Do It and Garbage Hearts. Chad Greggor
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theatre & tv T:24’s the crucible at the gulbenkian Sam Baldwin Arthur Miller’s harrowing portrayal of the 1692 Salem witch trials is powerfully and chillingly evocative. Lies, deceit and paranoia underpin this classic allegorical tale as the disputes of a fragmented community gradually mutate into a contagion of mass hysteria, paralleling the communist witch hunt led by Senator Joe McCarthy in the 1950s. To enact Miller’s seminal work is a daunting task for any student-led production. However, the University of Kent’s own T:24 have masterfully risen to the challenge with their performance at the Gulbenkian. We enter the theatre to a desolate stage, framed only by two gallows on either side - an ever-present and foreboding reminder of the gruesome fate which many of the characters will face. To the left lies a supposedly comatose Betty Parris. She is dressed paradoxically in head-to-toe white, perhaps a subtle hint that her childlike purity and innocence is simply external; a facade to hide the blackness of her character. Here we are introduced to Reverend Parris, superbly depicted by Thomas
Blake as a sly, hand-wringing and cowardly figure who is altogether detestable. Parris’s anxious prayers for his daughter Betty are soon replaced by vain attempts to assert authority over a township that despises him. These clumsy grasps at power are thinly veiled – Blake’s fearful, bowed stance and deliberate stumbling over his words reveals Parris as nothing more than a spineless clergyman seeking to avenge his own personal vendetta against antihero John Proctor.
It is the adulterous love affair between Parris’s 17 year-old niece Abigail Williams (Claudia Marciano) and married farmer Proctor (Liam Horrigan) that ultimately triggers the most tragic and affecting scenes in the play. Her incessant desire for Proctor leads to her accusing the godly Elizabeth Proctor of practising witchcraft; an action that proves to have explosive results. Claudia Marciano as Abigail certainly has a commanding presence; her lying menace and callousness is perfectly captured. The juxtaposition between her age and sordid past is epitomised in her exclamation to John: ‘How do you call me child?’ However, despite strong performances from all the cast, it is undoubtedly Liam Horrigan’s Proctor that left the audience spellbound. Horrigan depicts a conflicted Proctor - moralistic and strong-willed, yet guilt ridden – with ferocity, force and desperation. It is our attachment to this flawed character, whose strength and hidden righteousness almost usurps the law court, which makes the final, ominous drum roll of the gallows a poignant experience to be remembered long after the curtains draw.
aristophanes’ the wasps at the marlowe David Barrett
Aristophanes, writing in late 5th and early 4th century B.C., is responsible for the only complete examples of Greek Old Comedy in existence. He produced works of unsurpassed humour that were also astute, and often acerbic pieces of socio-political criticism. It is because of the enduring vitality and relevance of Aristophanes’ plays that 11 out of the 40 he wrote have come down to us. Their ability to inspire laughter in a society separated by two and a half thousand years is emblematic of his comic potency. The bar was set high by the roaring success of last year’s production – Women at the Thesmophoria. Spurred on, Classics@Kent decided to give it another shot, this time with The Wasps. This choice was their most crucial mistake. I can think of no play from Aristophanes’ entire body of works that is less accessible to a modern public audience than The Wasps. It focuses heavily and in much detail on the inner workings of the Athenian judicial system. No light topic; and a
Photograph by Adriana Palladino large portion of the audience seemed bemused, and not amused when the agon droned on. After an initially baffling start – caused by an illogical layout of the stage props – the play started to warm up and the laughs came thick and fast. The chorus of old men played mostly by young women all gave hilarious performances. They dispensed ‘wisdom’ (when they could remember it) whilst crookedbacked and shaking with palsy; qualities that made their dancing particularly amusing. The highlight for me was undoubtedly the irascible but loveable character of Philocleon, excellently executed by Joseph Nielsen. In fact the casting was mostly very good and all the
performances worthy of merit. It was unfortunate then that the play closed with a confusing and seemingly un-choreographed dance involving three crabs. The reference being to an obscure Greek tragedian named Carcinus whose name means ‘crab’; now for anyone who hadn’t studied Attic drama or Ancient Greek, this allusion
was lost. To keep the play topical, and thus funny, the script had been partially adapted to deride contemporary public figures. Amongst these Katie Price and Lady Gaga were ridiculed and this elicited much laughter; what did not was a crude joke about a particular character being sodomised to such an extent, it was even more than a CCCU student took on any given Saturday night. Overall, for an amateur production, it was an enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours. Let us hope to see more Aristophanes’ performed next year; perhaps a rendition of one of his more accessible plays, such as the Clouds or Lysistrata.
ktv talks kids tv Lucy Sewell KTV Presenter Whilst planning other things, I started thinking about Clarissa Explains It All, the children’s TV show with Melissa-Joan Hart. First of all, I can’t remember anything Clarissa explained to me. So thanks a lot Clarissa, you didn’t improve my childhood intelligence at all. And then I started thinking about how her friend (was his name Chad?) used to climb up a ladder and into her room. As a child that never seemed strange, but looking back, it’s kind of creepy. Nobody does that apart from Romeo and the Prince who rescued Rapunzel, and those were both under exceptional circumstances. You can’t just climb into people’s rooms Chad (is that your name?) It is wrong. I started thinking about other TV shows aimed at children. When you stop to think about it, there’s a whole world of weirdness out there. It’s a miracle that any of us turned out well balanced at all. A personal favourite of mine was called The Clangers. For my entire childhood, it seemed entirely natural that there were pink creatures that lived in space and whistled to each other and ate blue string soup made by a dragon. I mean, surely the dragon is mightier than the tiny pink Clanger? And yet he is confined to his moon cave, forced to make soup from blue string. It smacks of dictatorship. Here’s another thing I’m wondering about: why does Popeye eat his spinach from a can? Sure, it looks really good when he pops it out, but surely tinned spinach isn’t that nutritious? The iron content has got to be below par. And as far as I recall, his wife Olive was a damn flirt too, unless I’ve just completely misremembered that. Either way, it’s time to move on Popeye. You’ve got biceps the size of Mount Everest, you could have any woman. Children’s TV is bizarre, and I’ve barely scratched the surface here. Don’t even get me started on that talking Play-Doh head on Art Attack, what was all that about? He had no limbs, he couldn’t even help with the art! Why did our parents let us watch that stuff? It’s twisted.
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film & games nicholas sparks’ safe haven induces déjà vu
Let’s play spot the difference the country under his surveillance. She winds up in the sleepy coastal town of Safe Haven marks the ninth film Southport, North Carolina, where a adaptation of a Nicholas Sparks novel, host of beautiful sun-kissed residents and as ever the bestselling master await to welcome her with open arms. It of Rom-dram offers up nothing new doesn’t take long before Katie befriends here. Released on the 14th February in local convenience store owner Alex America, I can’t think of anything worse (Josh Duhamel), an attractive widower to subject your Valentine to. singlehandedly bringing up two kids. Erin Tierney (Julianne Hough) flees Their romance blossoms in full swing her abusive alcoholic husband, police cliché style, with the pair getting up to detective Kevin Tierney (David Lyons), a string of amorous antics including adopting a disguise as Katie to escape a scene in which they get caught and
Katie Snow
drenched in an unexpected rainstorm talent. Director Lasse Hallström’s on a lake (yes really, that one again). (Chocolat, Salmon Fishing in the In the meantime, Kevin is using Yemen) effort to fuse mushy romance his authority as a police officer to with crime thriller and supernatural advertise Katie as a wanted murderer, mystery leaves the plot too overcrowded distributing mock up wanted posters and verging on the ridiculous. across America. With Alex getting If you’ve had a tough week of work/ suspicious, will she be able to outrun assignments then the sun-dappled her past? universe of Safe Haven will undoubtedly The small-town American setting is provide a perfect couple of hours of the same as in pretty rest for your brain, “A large majority with the slushy somuch every other Nicholas Sparks film, as far-removed-fromof the cast were are the deeply troubled, reality romantic apparently picked ending edging it but ready-to-love-again characters. Professional guilty for their pretty faces towards dancer and country pleasure territory. alone...” singer Julianne Hough Sparks’ films is truly dull as Katie/ have gone steadily Erin, lacking the depth to convincingly downhill since The Notebook (2004), play the tormented runaway. but with eight more money-spinning In fact a large majority of the cast were novels to choose from, I’ve no doubt apparently picked for their pretty faces the Sparks factory will manage to churn alone, with only Cobie Smulders (How another one out before the year is over. I Met Your Mother, The Avengers) All in all it just is what it is, and if you demonstrating a slither of serious acting like what it is, then you’ll love it.
the beauty of ‘bad’ games
Matthew Jarvis
Just as Newton said, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. The same is true for games, though Newton probably didn’t spend his time playing Goldeneye; ever since great, genredefining classics have existed, so have crappy movie tie-ins, boring rip-offs and iOS and Facebook ‘games’ where you tap on a cow for ten minutes until it produces milk and you can tap on a sheep instead. But there’s a reason these games continue to survive: people enjoy them. No matter how bad a game gets, somebody out there will find some enjoyment in it. But which are the true diamonds amongst the turds? Despite their dwindling numbers nowadays, due to affordable home consoles, arcades used to be the place to play some of the finest made games out there: Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat and classics like Pac-Man and Space Invaders all originated in a coin-sucking, CRT-laden cabinet. Our generation probably remembers more of the House of the Dead and Time Crisis light-gun games, which were simultaneously adored and deplored for their immersive co-op gameplay and shallow plots. However, both found a niche fan-following,
relishing in the easy to pick-up gameplay and enjoyment of standing side by side with a friend blasting away. House of the Dead in particular embraced its B-movie roots and released the self-parodying Overkill for the Wii in 2009, which was similarly loved and hated for its dumb one-liners and exploitation-style gore. In an age where nearly every game has multiplayer, co-op alone can save
a bad game through the entertainment of messing about with a friend, often breaking the game’s otherwise dull mechanics. Critical and commercial stinkers such as Lost Planet 2 and Kane and Lynch have found new homes as endurance run titles for friends, forcing themselves through
a bad game together to laugh at its shortcomings. Numerous YouTube channels and websites capitalise on this entertainment, posting entire runs of games that otherwise would be lost to bargain bins. Other games, while falling short of the quality of polished AAA titles, exhibit such innovation and originality that they survive, as independent films do, as cult classics. Particularly common amongst Japanese gaming auteurs like Suda 51 and Swery 65, games with a strong sense of character and humour but burdened with ancient graphics and controls can become firm favourites amongst Western gamers looking for something to break the cycle of sequels and rehashes. Shadows of the Damned, No More Heroes and Deadly Premonition stand as evidence of the possible success of technically-poor games, even leading to a remake of No More Heroes and a director’s cut of Deadly Premonition. ‘Bad’ games will always be around, but sometimes they can provide just as much, if not more, unexpected fun as a game that has the same old stuff for the fifth time around. Maybe try some out, and see for yourself what the fuss is about.
events spot highlights The Gulbenkian Petrol 14th - 16th March Django Unchained 15th - 20th March Pulp Fiction 18th March 5 Broken Cameras 19th March The Best of Chortle Tour 20th March Animal Farm 21st March No 22nd March Life of Pie 3D 24th March Argo 25th March UKC Musical Theatre Society present Rent 27th - 29th March
The Marlowe Theatre Thirsty 19th March High Society 19th - 23rd March Cooked Up 22nd March
The Beercart Arms Noise Dolls VI Micro Festival: Magnets + Mohit etc. 21st March
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cultural events calendar
Fri 15th March Feel Good Fridays: Mood Boosting Reads 2-3pm, The Beaney Fri 15th March From Bond to Basie 7.30pm, Colyer-Fergusson Building, UKC Thurs 21st March Animal Farm 7.30pm, Gulbenkian Theatre Fri 22nd March The Selecter East Quay, Whitstable Sat 23rd March Whitstable Farmers Market Sat 23rd March Canterbury Artisan Market, St George’s St 9am-5pm Tues 26th March Photography Day at Wildwood Wildlife Park, 10.30am-4pm
NEEDS YOU! like reading InQuire? want to have a go at making a paper yourself? why not run for an editor or executive position? sign up at: www.kentunion.co.uk/studentmedia/inquire we’ve got a brand new student media centre in the attic coming and we want YOU to be a part of it!
kicking new life into creativity
Jonathan Easton
It was a little over a year ago that Tim Schafer of Double Fine Games pitched the idea of Double Fine Adventure! He was arguing to investors that the adventure genre had stagnated and nobody was making games like The Secret of Monkey Island or Grim Fandango any more. Schafer declared that people still have a vested interest in games like this and that he wanted to help revive the genre. The investors he was arguing to, however, were not men in suits in shiny offices, but the good folk of YouTube. While by no means the first, Double Fine Adventure! is undoubtedly the most prevalent instance of crowdsourcing for game investment. Kickstarter and other such websites have opened up a whole new portal for indie game developers to interact with fans and potential backers. The principle is simple: a group or an individual comes up with a concept
for a game. That concept then gets put out on the Internet where that group or individual argues for why it should get made, and hopefully enough people will buy into their idea. Probably the best example of this working is FTL: Faster Than Light: a pitch that required $10,000, gained over $200,000, and was released in September 2012 to critical acclaim. There are also
examples of small games gaining a lot of word-ofmouth and ending badly, such as was the case for The War Z. It wasn’t funded in the same way, but The War Z was brought into the public consciousness by similar means of publicity. Riding on the coat tails of the successful Arma II mod Day Z,
this zomb-mmo (massively multiplayer online) game was released to the public in its Alpha form and was critically lambasted. This is perhaps an example of fan power pressuring small developers into rushing their project and releasing it before it was properly finished. In the case of The War Z it was released on Steam on 17th December and taken down two days later due to negative feedback. This negative response was not just because the game was poorly made, but also because it didn’t even fulfill its description on the website. As a result, Valve saw fit that the game be taken down, not to be seen again until 26th February. There is no doubt that the face of gaming is changing with the rise of indie games. From games such as Rez, Super Meat Boy and Braid, which achieved success from word-of-mouth, to the crowdfunded Android-based console Ouya, now truly is the best time ever for independent gaming.
this week in... 1990: 15th March Journalist executed in Iraq Observer journalist Farzad Bazoft is executed in Baghdad after being convicted by the Iraqi authorities of spying. He was arrested the previous September after visiting a secret military operation in the south of the country. An appeal from UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher had failed. 1968: 17th March Violence at anti-Vietnam demonstration Over 200 arrests were made after violence broke out as protestors marched to the US Embassy at Grosvenor Square. Approximately 25,000 people took part in the demonstration, with 1,000 police outside the Embassy. 2002: 22nd March Woman granted right to die A 43-year-old woman known as Miss B, who was paralysed from the neck down, won the legal right to die by having her treatment withdrawn.
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the art roundup
Julia Smith gives us the lowdown on a fascinating new exhibition at the British Museum.
I can’t stop going on about how brilliant 2013 is going to be in art. I’m sorry, it’s just so hard not to. With major retrospectives (Oh hi there, Roy Lichtenstein! What’s that, Manet? Of course we haven’t forgotten about you!) and impressive exhibitions from a whole host of international artists gracing our shores this year, a quick look at the packed programme of events will show you that we’re really keeping up with this whole progressive, modern thing. Everything from modern to contemporary art to post-postmodernist-abstract-futuristminimalism is being represented in 2K13. But if you’re not up for consuming obnoxious labels or trying to figure out what the hell that bloody blobby painting means, then why not go back to basics with a wonderful new exhibition on at the British Museum.
spielberg to lead cannes jury
Kat Mawford
This year’s Festival de Cannes, which will take place 15th-26th May, will feature acclaimed director Steven Spielberg as President of the Jury. Spielberg actually informally agreed to take on the role two years ago, but had to delay taking the position due to scheduling issues. However the director, himself a winner of several awards at the film festival, will this year be taking over the position from Nanni Moretti, the prolific Italian filmmaker, for the 66th edition of the festival. Spielberg will be the latest addition to the list of holders of this prestigious position at the festival. In previous years the Cannes Jury Presidency has been taken by figures such as actor Robert De Niro, director Tim Burton, actress Isabelle Huppert, director David Cronenberg and actor Gérard Depardieu, each leading a different Jury and praising a wide selection of films. Nanni Moretti, the previous President of the Jury, has produced and directed many dramas and comedies in his career, and last year’s Palme d’Or, the
most prestigious award, was presented to the drama Amour, which went on to win the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. If Spielberg, as a frequent attendee at Cannes since E.T. premiered on the closing night almost 31 years ago, is influenced by previous Jury Presidents, as artistic and powerful
dramas have typically done well at both Cannes and other such film festivals, it may be that these films will again be among those selected. Spielberg is no stranger to the proceedings, yet with the huge range of genres in Spielberg’s films, his own preferences are difficult to predict.
Spielberg’s directorial angles have varied from topics such as entertainment to issues of race, from historical subjects to action and science fiction, meaning that it’s difficult to really make any predictions on what types of films will appeal to the Jury he will lead. However, as the director himself has said the festival “has served as a platform for extraordinary films to be discovered and introduced” it can be hoped that as well as obviously being on the lookout for films which are exceptional, it may be that he chooses a film which carries a specific and well-expressed message, as several of his films have. Additionally, as the festival is particularly significant for European films gaining recognition and Spielberg has also made comments about the international language of cinema, perhaps a foreign language film will again take the award. Steven Spielberg will be joined at Cannes by Jane Campion who is set to preside over the Cinéfondation and Short Film Jury, and who is also a Cannes veteran.
review: free range at veg box cafe
Stefan Vassalos
Ice Age Art: Arrival of the Modern Mind is, you guessed it, an exploration of Ice Age art. Bringing together sculpture, ceramics, drawings and personal ornaments, which were created between 40,000 and 10,000 years ago, this incredibly historic show presents the striking objects not as archaeological finds, but as art. They include the oldest known ceramic figures in the world, as well as the oldest known portrait. Who knew Manny the mammoth and Sid the sloth were so talented? It’s remarkable to witness the transformation of artistic ideas that were established so long ago and one can truly see the endurance of such ancient visual forms. Ice Age Art provides a rare opportunity to discover the aesthetic, not merely anthropological, value of our ancient ancestors in an outstandingly attractive and thought provoking display. How cool is that! (Oh come on, that was punny!) On until 26th May at the British Museum, it’s well worth a visit to this beautiful exhibition.
Have you been to the Veg Box Cafe? It’s above Canterbury Wholefoods, south of the high street and tucked between the Foundry and Brown’s Coffeehouse. There’s also a sign. In the tradition of the best vegetarian food its unpretentious menu lacks meat but not variety, and if you go on a Thursday evening you’ll have the pleasure of enjoying the Free Range events, when the café hosts a series of music, poetry and film evenings, which have been running since the start of the year. The events have previously included acclaimed jazz artists, improvisational musicians and world-renowned poets, and the evening of 7th March promised to be no less engaging. When teased with the promise of being treated to an exclusive performance of a recent composition by an accomplished pianist, one might not expect the musician in question to be wearing a jacket emblazoned with a school crest. Nonetheless, the performance was stunning. Certainly there was something of the magnificent pianist Wilhelm Kempff in it, although more than a touch jazzier. Whether the fresh-faced Francis Bamford laced the piece with echoes (literal, given the stately grand on which he played) of the Moonlight sonata can’t be said, but as always the truth of art is in the
interpretation. From 88 keys to 24 – the next performance, that of experimental clarinet virtuoso Tom Jackson, was a unique outpouring of unrestrained creativity. Both technically impressive and moving (in the case of one audient, to laughter), the free jazz improvisation lasted 10 minutes and showed off more skill with a clarinet than most people have with their native language. After a quarter of an hour pause to drink in the cosy atmosphere (and order – you’d be a fool not to – a reasonablypriced and exotic hot drink), the second half of the evening was given over to the impressive and passionate duo of bass singer and James Joyce enthusiast
Alistair Bamford and improvisational research student cum pianist Sam Bailey. The canonical Irish poet’s work was put to music at various times during the latter part of his life, but the adaptation by Geoffrey Molyneux Palmer is demonstrably one of the most captivating, especially when performed with the astonishing talents of the artists present. Seasonal food, local as well as international talent, an atmosphere to rival any country pub or artists’ bar and an excellent selection of tea – if the Veg Box had any more of these events they’d be a must-see. It’s a good thing they do, then. Every Thursday at 8pm, now until Easter.
IQ Culture
a portrait of don mccullin
Tuppence Jones
“Photography is the truth, if it’s being handled by a truthful person.” So Don McCullin suggests in ‘McCullin’, the Oscar-nominated documentary about his life and work, and of all the great photographers, the film makes you believe that he may be that truthful person. Directors Jacqui Morris and David Morris have crafted a documentary that is subtle and haunting, and which, peppered as it is with McCullin’s unflinching images of some of the very worst aspects of humanity, seems worthy of the message he has spent a lifetime trying to convey. The film traces McCullin’s life and career, from his upbringing in poverty in post-war Finsbury Park, through his first assignments in segregation era Louisiana and the Cypriot civil war in the 1960s, to his reporting from Vietnam and other international conflicts which earned him his reputation as a great war photographer. This renown is a theme which permeates the film and seems to dog McCullin even now; he claims to have worked hard to achieve that mantle and then, having attained it, felt ashamed and conflicted about it. Throughout the lengthy interview which forms the core
of the film, we get an understanding of McCullin’s motivations as well as his personal conflicts about the ethics of standing in a war zone pointing a camera, and of the moral duty of those who undertake such a task. There is also arresting archive footage and an interview with Harold Evans, editor of The Sunday Times during the period McCullin worked there, but the man is largely represented in his own words. This lends the film an air of honesty that is not often achieved so eloquently in documentary film. Discussing the ethical questions of representing human suffering, especially when inflicted by other human beings, can often be abstract and theoretical, but the punch to the guts of one of McCullin’s images is constantly there to remind us of the
hundreds of human faces behind these problems. As his photographs appear and disappear from the screen you find yourself willing the film to pause, so you can fully take in the image and its meaning. The collective effect of these photographs is a reminder of the cost of past conflicts, but it also powerfully underlines the universality of the brutality of human life and of photography’s claims as a truth-telling medium. McCullin reiterates at one point that he is a photographer, not an artist or a painter but a photographer, and that carries with it ethical responsibilities unlike other media. Both McCullin and Evans are also clear that in the most cynical way, governments have learned from the images he took in the 60s, 70s and 80s, and that photographers will never again have the same kind of unmediated access to conflict and tragedy that he experienced. Don McCullin is undoubtedly one of the great photographers of the last half century, and this film is both a worthy portrait of his life and an intelligent discussion of the ethical questions which he faced and which his work raises. If you see one documentary this year, make it this.
bieber: better late than never?
Amelia Guttridge Website Comment Editor
Justin Bieber has been making headlines once again. The not-soterrible-as-he-used-to-be, but still-hasthe-ability-to-make-your-ears-bleed singer was two hours late to a gig in London, causing outrage among his flock. Vaguely psychotic girls in their early teens were in floods of disappointed tears as some were forced to leave early to make their bed times. Was that right of him? No, not really. Whatever you may think of Bieber, his fans paid a great deal of money to see him perform live, and keeping them waiting for two hours probably wasn’t that much of a great move. Regardless of the performer, if you pay for a concert you expect a concert. If you went to a restaurant and ordered food that arrived two hours later, you’d have a right to complain. This is no different. At what age though, does it become embarrassing for Justin Bieber to be performing songs he’d probably rather forget about to screaming 11-year-old girls and their resentful parents? I fear that age is approaching.
Some parents of the youngsters who had paid to see the singer were outraged at Bieber’s behaviour, calling it “selfish” and “unfair.” Well, yes. Complaints that he “sung songs that they
didn’t recognise,” were less founded. By ‘songs you we didn’t recognise’, read ‘non-hits and covers.’ My personal favourite response to this Bieber debacle has been Noel Gallagher,
who upon hearing the news that he had been two hours late because he was playing video games, deemed it “Not very rock’n’roll. My cat sounds more rock’n’roll than that.” Quite. If you’re going to be two hours late to perform, at least have the decency to have been busy trashing a hotel room. I predict one of two things happening to Justin Bieber. He’ll either outgrow his fan base so much that he no longer has one and slowly sink into oblivion, or he’ll realise that he can actually play some instruments and sing quite well now his voice has deepened a bit. He should have just waited. If his song Baby, surely some kind of world record attempt for repetition, had just been the subject of an embarrassing childhood video and not a single, he could have achieved fame later and maybe have been slightly good. Or less bad. If you put aside the fact that he rhymes “on you” with an inexplicable reference to “fondue” in the first line, his Justin Timberlake-esque song Boyfriend is actually pretty decent. As it stands, if by some horrific set of circumstances I had found myself being dragged, drugged or blackmailed into attending a Justin Bieber concert and he failed to show up, I’d probably be delighted.
23
pause for thought
We all noticed that official first
day of spring last week, when suddenly students cover every inch of lawn and you realise how deserted campus has seemed during winter. It may only be March but I’m already thinking about sunny spring mornings and finally leaving my scarf on the peg. A bit of wishful thinking, then, with this week’s poetry choice - Robert Browning’s ode to England in spring time.
Home-Thoughts, from Abroad Oh, to be in England Now that April’s there, And whoever wakes in England Sees, some morning, unaware, That the lowest boughs and the brushwood sheaf Round the elm-tree bole are in tiny leaf, While the chaffinch sings on the orchard bough In England—now! And after April, when May follows, And the whitethroat builds, and all the swallows! Hark, where my blossomed pear-tree in the hedge Leans to the field and scatters on the clover Blossoms and dewdrops—at the bent spray’s edge— That’s the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over, Lest you should think he never could recapture The first fine careless rapture! And though the fields look rough with hoary dew, All will be gay when noontide wakes anew The buttercups, the little children’s dower —Far brighter than this gaudy melon-flower! Robert Browning
24
Sport
HANDBALL WIN THRILLING AFFAIR IN VARSITY DEBUT Jonathan Wheatcroft TO give a brief summary of the very basics of the sport for those unfamiliar with it, Handball is a very fast-paced, intensive, physical and highscoring (teams often score 20 – 35 points) team game that takes place on an indoor court. Teams have seven players on the court at anytime, one of which is the keeper and seven rolling substitutes. The game consists of two thirty minute halves and a team is awarded a point for each time they throw the ball into the other team’s goal. The keeper is the only player allowed in the keeper area and can use their hands or feet to stop the ball. The game is encouraged to flow by a no ‘shot clock’ where the referee can warn a team if they are playing too conservatively. The venue was the small hall at the UKC Sports Centre and the Kent team were present practising shots long before the throw-off time of 6.15pm. Speaking to the UKC Handball Club Committee before the game there was an air of quiet confidence, although with a Varsity point up for grabs there would be no room for complacency.
Photography by Daniel Barnby.
Previous meetings between the two sides had resulted in Kent victories, while both the men’s and women’s teams recently benefitted from the experience of playing at the University Handball Championships. There the men’s team won the Fairplay
award for the effort they gave despite having just five players. As the hall filled up with spectators and the CCCU players arrived anticipation grew. The teams lined up and the game began. For the opening few points the score was close with both sides
snatching early goals however Kent soon began to take charge, racking up 13 points while a strong defence and a number of good saves from Samson Wong kept CCCU stuck on 2 points. This early charge of fast breaks and devastatingly accurate shooting left Kent in
an almost unassailable position accompanied by loud cheers from the home support. By half-time the score stood a comfortable 22 – 8 to Kent. Any remaining doubts over the final outcome of the match were diminished right at the start of the second half. Kent showed no sign of letting up their dominant first half display as immediately after the match resumed a great reaction save from the second half keeper, Valerie Ries, led to a rapid counter culminating in a thumping goal. Both sides had a couple of 2-minute player suspensions in the second half, and CCCU were penalised a few times for not attacking quickly enough as they looked for a respite. Kent, on the other hand, constantly kept the pressure—not relenting until the final whistle blew with the score Kent 40 – 20 CCCU. At the end of the game the understandably delighted Handball Club President and Captain, Sally Lo, praised her teammates: “I am very proud of everyone because everyone did their best. It’s a culmination of what we have been working on since September. Everyone’s learnt so much and has become so much better over the year. I’m very proud.”
SUNNY DAY OF GOLF ENDS IN VICTORY FOR TEAM KENT Rex Ejimonyeabala Chairman IN their first appearance as a Varsity sport, UKC Golf was able to overcome a resilient Christ Church side on a wonderful day at Canterbury Golf Club. The contest, held on Tuesday, was divided into 4 individual matches, with each one featuring a player from both teams. Prior to the beginning of the game, the overall Varsity score was 8-2 in favour to Kent and 4 points were up for grabs in this contest. Kent representatives John Whybrow, Simon Little and Tom Garner were all able to win their individual contests which provided 3 points for Team Kent. Sam Chick was narrowly beaten by a hole by Christ Church’s stand out performer, Chelsey Herbert, who gained a valuable point for her side and by the end of the afternoon the overall score was 11-3 in favour of Team Kent. Whybrow set an early standard
for the day in match four, cruising to an easy win, seeing off his opponent by 7 holes. He won consecutively in the first 6 games which also saw him make a birdie for the first hole. Little faced a tougher task overcoming his opponent in a much closer match up. What had been a close game opened up by the eight, which saw Little extend his lead to 2 holes teeing off at the ninth.By the end of the game it was pretty much plain sailing in match two with Little coming away with 5 and 2. He said after the game, “You have to do your best to win your match then rely on the rest of your team mates”.In match one, players Sam Chick and Chelsey Herbert played the closest game of the day with Christ Church’s Herbert eventually winning by 1 hole. By the ninth, both players were all square however growing westerly winds increased the element of unpredictability in the game. Herbert was able to move 3 ahead by the thirteen
but Chick held his nerve to make a thrilling comeback setting up an enticing last few holes.Herbert remained resilient and exhibited why she is a fantastic player to pip Chick to a well-earned victory for herself and her team. She said, “It’s a difficult course so you have to be straight off the tee. It was a really close game and I had a feeling it was going to go all the way down to the last hole”. At this point of the day it was 2-1 to Team Kent after 3 matches, match three would decide whether Christ Church could claim a draw or Kent would run away as clear winners. Kent’s Tom Garner played a skilled, well-disciplined game to run away with the victory at the seventeenth. For the majority of the match, Christ Church were on the front foot leading by 2 holes but Garner really seemed to come into form in the second 9 of the course. By the fifteenth, he was able to move ahead of his opponent
by 3 holes after making a par followed by consecutive birdies in the twelfth an thirteenth. Christ Church were resistant despite losing their two hole lead and their representative came back in remarkable fashion with successive pars on
Photography by Rex Ejimonyeabala
the fifteenth and sixteenth to bring it to a 1 hole match. This fight back did not faze Garner who was able to hold his nerve and see of his opponent by winning 2 and 1 which brought the final score to 3-1 to Team Kent in a fantastic day of golf.
KENT FALCONS WIN AGAINST CANTERBURY CHARGERS Sam Clemence AS the snow fell down at Chaucer Technological College, the 2013 Kent Falcons trotted out for their final game of the season. It was the first Varsity game played since the 2009/10 season, where famously the Falcons had to win to tilt the result of varsity in the favour of UKC. The second time that these two bitter rivals have met in the season, due to the fact that they are situated in the same conference in BUAFL, the Falcons came out on top the last time they met 13-12, and an equally close match was expected the second time round. With the conditions harsh, the powerful ground game of UKC ran the ball a lot, with Running backs Zach Toogood and Jay C Williams moving the chains effectively throughout the first quarter. The pressure was felt by
the Chargers, when in the 2nd quarter after consistent play calling by Quarterback Aaron Whitworth, Williams burst through the defense to score the opening touch down. The resulting kick was
successful, and the Falcons took a 7-0 lead at halftime. The weather began to get to both teams, with the passing game nullified by the weather, the focus was to maintain the run, something which both
teams continued to excel in during the second half. After an exchange of turnovers, a rare pass by Christchurch found it’s way into Linebacker Blaychie Eshun’s hands, who sprinted the remaining 40
yards to the endzone, giving Falcons a 13-0 lead going into the fourt and final quarter. With two minutes left, Chargers began their comeback, with Quarterback Josh Adams running for a spectacular individual touch down. Despite this setback, the Falcons held on to win the game 13-12. Speaking after the game, President and Quarterback Aaron Whitworth had this to say on the effort shown by the Falcons: “I’m really proud of how everyone played and stuck at it. The pitch was a mess and we could hardly stand up by the end of the game but everyone kept going and we still have never been beaten by Christchurch”. After an impressive playoff season , the Falcons should be proud winning over the crosstown rivals, guaranteeing another point for UKC in Varsity.
RUGBY FIRSTS DROP SHORT IN VARSITY DOUBLE HEADER Dan English
AS the crowds from both Kent and Canterbury Christchurch (CCCU) poured into Canterbury Rugby Club on a bitterly cold Saturday evening, the stage was being prepared for the Men’s 1st’s Rugby contest, one of the picks of Varsity MMXIII. Greeted with cheers and jeers from around the stadium, both sides emerged onto the pitch like gladiators preparing to do battle, all in the name of University pride. Kent perhaps entered the contest as favourites despite their hit and miss form in the BUCS league this season, whereas CCCU were more than happy to take on the role of underdogs and spoil Kent’s evening. The match exploded into
life from kick-off, as events on the pitch turned feisty during an opening ruck with players from both sides getting involved, fuelling the fiery, but good natured rivalry between the two sets of fans. The first 15 minutes contained a cagey yet competitive period for both teams, who were eager to both get on the scoreboard but not concede themselves. As the pressure began to mount of the sides to make the first breakthrough, it was Kent who broke the deadlock through a penalty which was calmly converted by kicker, Mike Salmon, giving Kent a slender 0-3 lead. This lead, however, was short lived as CCCU were undeterred by going behind, as they stormed Kent’s half earning themselves a penalty which was duly
converted levelling the tie at 3-3. CCCU then turned up the pressure slightly on Kent by missing two further penalties as the first half drew to a close, meaning that at the interval both sides went in level at 3-3. The sides re-emerged to an explosion of noise as the fans and players were desperate to earn much desired Varsity points to gain an early advantage in the competition. CCCU again pushed forward, as did Kent as both sides tussled for possession in the middle of the pitch. Both sides displayed master classes at times of rugby possession play. For Kent, however, it was their defending discipline that let them down as they conceded two penalties in close succession— the latter resulting in Kent’s Jan
Scheijde being yellow carded and spending time in the sin bin. With CCCU’s kicking almost impeccable, they soon raced into a 9-3 lead, to the jubilation of their supporters, and the dismay of Kent’s. Kent’s spirit did not deter however, and this was evident as they pushed forward again to try and carve out a scoring opportunity to claw back into the game. It was this attacking mentality that perhaps, therefore, caused the discipline to slip further as CCCU were awarded another two penalties, both of which were converted (something which seemed inevitable), to give CCCU a 15-3 lead with 10 minutes to go. Kent hit back as the game drew to a close, as their
Photography by Daniel Barnby.
pressure finally paid dividends with a Matt DJ try, but with the conversion missed the match ended 15-10 in favour of CCCU. Disappointing but not totally disheartening would be a fair conclusion from a Kent perspective. CCCU’s huge celebrations at the end displayed how huge an upset the result was, on a night that could’ve easily gone in Kent’s favour if other things had gone their way. The result means CCCU lead Varsity by 2-0 thanks to an earlier win for their Women’s 1st’s as well, which was a close encounter and a very good advert for the sport. It was a great night enjoyed by all that attended, so let’s hope the fantastic support will continue this week for both sides, as Varsity MMXIII rolls on.
visit our website at - www.inquirelive.co.uk/sport
InQuire sport
we are the champions!
Alex Cassidy Newspaper Sports Editor IT has been a Varsity week to remember, but now that the final scores have been tallied and the dust has settled on the action, we can look back on the highs and lows of the 2013 competition. The University of Kent has never lost this annual battle for the sporting rights of the city, forever leaving Christchurch wallowing in the wake of defeat. So it was a surprise then, this year, when after the opening day of the week-long competition, Kent found themselves 2-0 down, after two bruising losses in the Men and Women’s Rugby. This deficit was soon erased on Sunday 3rd by UKC Lacrosse, with wins from both the Mens and Womens squads, the
latter demolishing CCCU 20-0. Monday saw six points up for grabs with four Netball games, Handball, and Trampolining all being contested. Kent took away all six, including a particularly impressive four game sweep in the Netball. The rest of the week largely followed the same pattern, with 7/8 of the points available on the Tuesday taken by Kent in Golf, Badminton and Tennis, making the score 15-3 to Kent as the all important Wednesday showdown approached. Wednesday brought the best weather of the year, with the sun shining and the crowds assembling, Kent looked to continue their dominant run in the week and extend their victory even further. Although it didn’t bring the
same dominance that we were accustomed to seeing so far from Team Kent, it created some thrilling matches . The first games of football were played, including a thrilling 5-4 penalty win for the Mens 4ths, whilst Rugby got their first wins of the campaign from their 2nd and 3rd teams. The score after the Wednesday was 20-4, with the magic number of 21 needed to guarantee another win for Kent. The win came through the swimming on the Thursday, when it was finally guaranteed that a comeback wasn’t possible and Kent were the victors of Varsity once again. All that was left now was to bump up the scoreline, not just for the year’s bragging rights, but also for the sake
Photography by Sam Allard. Graphic by Alex Pettitt.
of competition. The drive to win was still present in all of the games that occurred after the win had happened, which showed as Christchurch still put together wins in the Men’s Basketball and Women’s cricket. Furthermore the action didn’t stop, as the weekend played host to Volleyball, Hockey and American Football, who worked their way to another four points, reaching the final total of 30, pushing a 20 point gap between Kent and Christchurch. It also meant that for the 17th consecutive year Kent have won Varsity. The Team Kent Facebook page, which along with InQuire, CSR and KTV provided excellent coverage of the entire week, had this to say on the win: “ The sportsmen and women of all
teams have battled like we have never seen before, showing true pride, true skill and true desire to win and win as a team. Credit must go to them all but it must also ring out to everyone who came to cheer the University on to victory across all nine days; the support has been epic and without you all, Varsity would be just another fixture.” Certainly, without the large support, both online and at games, Varsity wouldn’t be half of the incredible spectacle that it turned out to be. With Team Kent reigning supreme in it’s first year of existence, it certainly seems that the future is bright for UKC Sports Clubs, and that come Varsity next year, the Kent will be storming to it’s 18th consecutive victory.
AMY GILCHRIST VP (ACTIVITIES)
Name: Amy Gilchrist #DontBeSillyVote4Gilly Nickname: Gilch/Gilly Running for: VP Activities Fact: President of KentSnow and Squash Ladies 1st Team. Silly fact: I’ve got a dimple next to my eye where a cat once attacked me. Fav animal: Otter Main Manifesto Ideas: U- The Uniformer K- Kent Soc System C- #CLUBKENT & not forgetting MEDWAY! Like ‘Amy Gilchrist’ on FB to find out more or see my manifesto!
CLAIRE MORRIS VP (ACTIVITIES)
I’m Claire Morris and I am running for VP (Activities). I’ve been involved with Kent Union for all 4 years of my degree, and I believe my experiences I have faced means that I can fix the troubles within societies and make everything run smoothly. Experience: President of the American Society / Communications and Liaison / Officer for the American Society / Course Rep & School Rep / Schools Ambassador Campaigns: New Student Activities Centre / Support & workshops for Presidents / Interim elections over summer break So please give me the chance, vote Claire Morris and “Pick me maybe?”
JOEL CHIA YIH CHIANG VP (ACTIVITIES)
Worried about the job market today or participating in activities for fun? Either way, by participating in activities, YOU gain a lot of experience to IMPROVE YOURSELF as an individual in various aspects and I, Joel Chiang, am here to help YOU with that! I will improve and develop the employability schemes for the activities that YOU participate; I will take positive steps to encourage more involvements in activities from YOU and I will ensure that YOUR concerns regarding any activities are addressed, allowing YOU to have MORE FUN in the activities whilst better equipping YOU with great employable skills.
MATT O’RIORDAN
RYAN BROCK
VP (ACTIVITIES)
VP (ACTIVITIES)
If elected VP Activities I will dedicate my energy and drive to all student groups. I want to undertake the hard work currently taking place and make sure we secure more dedicated staff support for our student groups. I want to update budget forms/risk assessments/ accounts, all to an online format to make it easy and quick to access this key information than submit it readily without having to go to the SAC. There is also still underutilised space at the University that WE could be using and I want to make this available!
Nowadays, employers seek out for more than just a degree. As a result, student activities are becoming more integral to student life! I’m running for VP (Activities) because I want to create an environment in which you can truly make the most of your time here. By unifying all student activities at Kent as a single strong body, improving the level of staff support for student groups and increasing society and SLVG funding by at least 10%, I will empower you to freely enjoy your time at University whilst boosting your employability at the same time!
Make Activities MattO’R Make your vote MattO’R
Remember, #RyansTheOne for Activities!
THIS CANDIDATE HAS NOT SUBMITTED A PUBLICITY STATEMENT FOR INQUIRE
JACKABY BARSBY
JACK MCDONNELL
Do you want more secure and effective society storage space? Do you want greater availability of First Aid Training? Do you want a dedicated member of staff to help make fundraising readily accessible to all students? If you want a candidate that will strive to do this and more, then I believe I am the right choice for you! I have the passion and determination that will guarantee progress that you can see. If you have any questions please email me: jb531@kent.ac.uk, find me on Facebook or on Twitter: @ jackaby #Jacktivities Jackaby Barsby #1 for VP Activities!
I’m Northern Irish, enthusiastic and outgoing and I’m running to be your next VP Activities. Over my three years as a Music Technology student, exec of multiple societies and chair of societies council at Medway, I’ve picked up the skills that will be required as VP Activities. My top two priorities as your Union VP are to change how your society’s accounts are laid out making them far easier to digest, maintaining the entertainment forum and increasing funding for societies/SLVGs on both campuses. I’d also like to develop the E+V toolkit into a handy smartphone app. View my full manifesto for more details and vote #JMcD4KUVP”
VP (ACTIVITIES)
VANESSA SPENCER
VP (ACTIVITIES)
VP (ACTIVITIES)
THIS CANDIDATE HAS NOT SUBMITTED A PUBLICITY STATEMENT FOR INQUIRE
LEADERSHIP ELECTIONS POLLS OPEN: 1PM ON
ALEXANDRA SIDOSSIS VP (EDUCATION)
HANNAH COX
ALEX MURRAY
For £9k fees students should expect the best from their university education. I understand that students are individuals with their own individual needs. As such, the focus of my campaign is not a blanket ‘one size fits all’ approach but one which recognises and accommodates YOU. I view my role as a representative of the student and the link between you and the support that you need. So vote me #1 for the best for YOUR education because HANNAH COX ROCKS YOUR EDUCATION!
I’m running for a second term as vice-president education and standing on a platform of experience, successes and vision. My experience has been established through part time roles and a year as a sabbatical officer. The success has been found in campaigns run this year such as for later library opening hours, further study space and in the case established on the impact of hidden course costs. And the vision is shaped by the work still to be done on postgraduate funding, for student support and the empowerment of the course representative structure at Canterbury and Medway.
VP (EDUCATION)
If you have any questions, find me on Facebook, Twitter (@ COXforEDUCATION) or email me
VP (EDUCATION)
15TH - 5PM ON 22ND MARCH
VOTE
ONLINE AT WWW.KENTUNION.CO.UK/ELECTIONS OR IN THE VENUE POLLING BOOTHS LEADERSHIP ELECTIONS
ROBBIE ASHTON
BECCI HALL
MEGAN WELLS
SARAH O’DONOVAN
ROIZZA MARQUEZ
My name is Robbie Ashton and I’m running for VP Welfare. I’ve worked for the Union for two years, and I’ve honestly learnt more in the past few weeks of research than I was ever made aware of before. All students, knowingly or otherwise are stakeholders in the Union, and they deserve the best from it, without having to go searching for information. I’m campaigning to give students a greater awareness and more power over Union policies. I believe that both Union staff and customers deserve more than they’re getting. If you agree, please check out my manifesto.
Please check out my manifesto which covers important topics such as; accommodation, health, transportation & finance issues. I would like to introduce new and alternative methods to finding new house mates as it can be STRESSFUL, i.e fun events where you can physically meet and talk with potential housemates. I also have plans for alternative (and cheaper) methods of late night transport for all Kent uni students. I will be introducing a new long term health and mental health campaign in order to normalise any stigma related issues with are currently present within society. Lastly I will be discussing alternative ways for students to save money!
Welfare issues affect every aspect of student life. These are my main priorities if elected. Housing that’s fair for everyone; I will lobby the university to adopt a price range that is affordable to all students and relates to student loans and grants. Ensuring student safety; I will improve street lighting and safety on Canterbury and Medway campuses. More financial advice for students; I will launch Finance Week to help students learn how to budget their accommodation and living costs. Make sure that you choose Wells For Welfare and Vote
Hey, I’m Sarah O’Donovan. I am a part-time student in my final year of studying Social Anthropology. I am passionate about welfare issues having seen the problems encountered by my friends and myself. There is no stereotypical student, and often there are times during your degree when you need some support but it’s difficult to know where to go - awareness is key and I will promote making these channels clearer. I will focus on both the personal and academic welfare of students, from accommodation to exam pressure as small things can make a big difference.
Hi! I’m Roizza Marquez and I’m running to be your new VP Welfare. Currently in 3rd year Law and a student just like you and I plan on giving YOU a better voice. It will be my job to look after and represent you!
VP (WELFARE)
VP (WELFARE)
LORCAN O’DUFFY
CHRIS BULL
I’m Lorcan O’Duffy and I’d love to be given the oppurtunity to be your VP Sports next year. Sport has been a huge part of my life over the past 3 years here at UKC and I want to give something back to the Sporting Community. The launch of Team Kent has been fantastic this year and I’m proud to have been a part of it’s development for the Team Kent Executive over the past 2 years. With myself at the helm, Team Kent will continue to grow and be even bigger next year.
‘From the soles of your feet, with every ounce of blood you’ve got in your body, lay it on the line until the final whistle blows. And if you do that, we cannot lose. We may be behind on the scoreboard at the end of the game but it you play like that we cannot be defeated.’
VP (SPORTS)
Remember #lorCAN Do It For You
VP (SPORTS)
Sport means something different to each and every one of us; therefore regardless of the sport, your ability and your motives, I will do all I possibly can to make sport enjoyable, affordable and accessible for all, here at the University of Kent. Chris Bull // Vice-President for Sports
VP (WELFARE)
Megan Wells #1 for VP Welfare.
VP (WELFARE)
VP (WELFARE)
One of the key issues I want to campaign for, is to offer higher financial support proportionate to the increased university fees. Watch out for my whole manifesto when it goes live on the 5th of March! Wanna know more? Email me at rm387@kent.ac.uk or facebook. com/roizza.marquez
Please vote for me!
MIKE SALMON VP (SPORTS)
Hi everyone, I, Mike Salmon, wish to become your next Vice-President (Sports) and take sport here to the NEXT LEVEL. I have 2 years experience on a sports committee and this year have been a Team Kent Executive and held a seat on the Union Council. I am realistic about achievable targets and modest change for sport at Kent, primarily focussing on playing/training space, but above all, maintaining healthy and positive relationships between Kent Union, Kent Sport, sports committees and the students is imperative. So vote SALMON and let’s take Kent to the NEXT LEVEL Facebook: mike.salmon.1675 Twitter: @Salmone23
MATT LANE VP (SPORTS)
Hi! I’m Matt Lane and am running for Sports VP next year. I’m a final year Economics student and the current Chairman of UKC Rowing. Sport is something I’ve always enjoyed and felt passionate about, and I think it should be available to everyone hence why one of my aims is to create more college leagues for different sports. My key focus is longevity and as such I want to change the finance system so Clubs can carry over, at least some, of their money from one year to the next. Keep checking Facebook/Twitter /Youtube for more Campaign information!
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AKILA PALIHAWADANA VP (WELFARE)
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MAX TAPPENDEN VP (WELFARE)