felixonline.co.uk @felixImperial /FelixImperial [email protected] Keeping the cat free since 1949 issue 1591 December 5th 2014 Inside... The Future Looks Bright Felix Food comes close to the tea Professor Keith Barnham on the future of solar power Science, pages 14 and 15
Food 34-35
Imperial Rugby team PUBLISH launches petition AND News 7
It’s the most wonderful PERISH time of the year Deceased Professor sends damning Travel 36 -37 email, only months after being told Arts: The Debate to secure funding or leave Imperial Issue
Comment: page 2 The story so far: page 4 The emails in full: page 5 The world responds: page 6 Arts 30 - 33 2 05.12.2014 THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON FELIX This week’s issue... [email protected] Felix Editor Philippa Skett
EDITORIAL TEAM CONTENTS Editor-In-Chief All the information as it PHILIPPA SKETT News 3–8 Deputy Editor PHILIP KENT Comment 10–13 Treasurer stands THOMAS LIM Science 14–15 Technical Hero LUKE GRANGER-BROWN Music 16 his week, we have spent a lot of THIS WEEK’S EDITORIAL although we were also very aware of time investigating the death how sensitive this story is, and how News Editors Technology 17 Tof Stefan Grimm, a Professor it is a very difficult time for those CAROL ANN CHEAH at Imperial who died at the end of involved. All we could do was collate KUNAL WAGLE Games 18–19 September. Although the cause of the information already released death has never been specified, it and present the story as it stands Comment Editor Television 20 is chilling that his email was sent academic procedure, but not one here, which we hope we have done TESSA DAVEY only three weeks after he passed, source has formally apologised for successfully. Technology Editors Film 27–29 outlining what he considered to be what happened. All have offered So read the story as it stands. JAMIE DUTTON mistreatment from Imperial. condolences, all have carried Read Grimm’s email in full, and the OSAMA AWARA Arts 30–33 Various official sources tell one reassurances of investigations and email Wilkins also sent. Read the side of the story, whereas only a reviews of policies and all sorts of about what the wider world is saying Science Editors LAUREN RATCLIFFE Food 34–35 few, yet significant sources tell the other buzzwords that don’t seem on Twitter and in blogs outside of JAMES BEZER other. Although Felix has not seen to have a lot of depth to them, but Imperial, and talk to people you know Travel 36–37 the original email (we were able no-one outright has provided an too. Ask your lecturers, post docs, Games Editors to recover the email list Grimm explanation for what has been supervisors and other colleagues not MAX EGGL Welfare 38 supposedly sent the email to, but not said repeatedly as “tragic” and only what they think of the story, CALUM SKENE the email itself) there is no reason “saddening.” but how they feel about it too. The Arts Editors Hangman 40–41 to think the email is a hoax, or not Felix was not able to speak concept of Publish or Perish is not a FRED FYLES written by anyone else. to Human Resources or new one, but this may be the first case KAMIL McCLELLAND Puzzles 42–43 There are official statements Wilkins directly, and College of Publish and Perish. Encouraging and emails from College and Communications told us that they dialogue about the underlying issues Music Editors GRACE RAHMAN C and S 44 the staff involved, detailing how themselves would be our only point this story highlights may also mean AMNA ASKARI they offered Grimm support, or of contact. This did restrict what that it is the last case that phrase can Sport 45–48 how what happened is standard questions we could ask and why, be applied to. Television Editors GIULIA GABRIELLI JOHN PARK What’s on this week: Film Editors SURVEY TIME ELLEN MATHIESON JACK STEADMAN JOHN PARK Union Council Meeting (not about sex...yet) Books Editor DIANA LUCACI 18:30 onwards in the Union Are you a lazy medic, or a bright biologist? Do you enjoy Dining Hall. Fashion Editor living in the library, or do you i nd it easy to keep the CECILE BORKHATARIA Tuesday 9th November Food Editors grades high and the work hours low? CAROL ANN CHEAH A busy Council meeting is We want to know if you think your course is worth the planned for next week, so if Travel Editor YUNG NAM CHEAH you like watching students money you pay to study it, and how hard it really is to Hangman Editor repeatedly thrust yellow get a 2.1 at Imperial. SKILIPPA PHETT cards into the air, this could Puzzles Editor be the event for you. Fill it in online here: MICHAEL FAGGETTER Everyone is welcome to felixonline.co.uk/survey Welfare Editors DIBA ESBATI attend, but only members CHANON WONGSATAYANONT can vote. Missing: one mascot, Clubs and Societies Editor BEN HOWITT slightly inebriated, Sport Editor answers to various KUNAL WAGLE drinking chants but COPY EDIT TEAM responds badly to long Copy Chiefs SKETT’S BOX OF SHAME STEPHEN BALL periods of travel on the ELLEN MATHIESON We couldn’t spot any errors in road Copy Editors issue 1590, which is probably an ANNINA SARTOR TOM RIVLIN error in itself. BEN HOWITT Felix, Beit Quad, Prince Consort Road, Printed by Iliffee Print Cambridge, Winship Road, JUNE GAN Do let us know if you could i nd London SW7 2BB Cambridge. MICHAEL FAGGETTER Email: [email protected] Registered newspaper ISSN 1040-0711 MATTIN MIR-TAHMASEBI any. JASPER MENKUS Tel: 020 7594 8072 CECILY JOHNSON Copyright © Felix ABBY GOLDBLATT FELIX THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON 05.12.2014 3 News [email protected] News Editors Carol Ann Cheah and Kunal Wagle RCSU Science Challenge 2015 launches
KUNAL WAGLE Unfortunately two of the essay SECTION EDITOR judges could not make it. Mun Keat Looi, a science writer and editor, had to take his partner to the hospital, n Monday, 100 students while Ruth Whincup, the Imperial gathered in the Sir Alexander Hub Manager, was ill. She was OFleming Building for the represented at the launch by Fatima launch of the Science Challenge 2015. Iftikhar, the President of Imperial The Science Challenge is an annual Hub. competition that is open to Imperial The questions, as announced on College London students and school the night, include “Tell me a story students across the country, often about science”, contributed by Mun drawing in hundreds of entries over Keat Looi, and “What would you like the course of the competition. to discover, and why?” which was The Science Challenge judges this Professor Sue Gibson’s question. year again included high profile Ruth Whincup contributed the last members of Imperial staff and of the three essay questions: “How communicators from outside of do we inspire the next generation to Imperial, each of which set their own take an interest in STEM research?” title for students to either write an A video question, submitted by essay on, or for one judge, make a Professor Philip Moriarty asks “Why Photo: Nathaniel Gallop video to address. should I believe a scientist?” Essay The Science Challenge is currently submissions should be 850 words - one each for Imperial College and June Yin Gan, Science Challenge “I very much hope that those entering its eighth year, and judges in maximum, and the video entry Schools submissions. The video, for Chair, said of the launch: “It was who attended found the talks as the past have included Pallab Ghosh, should be up to three minutes. which there is only one submission a successful evening overall, and interesting as I did, and that everyone former Felix Editor and current There are two different categories stream, will have a £500 prize for the everyone who came told me that at Imperial is looking forward to science correspondent at the BBC. of prizes for the essays - the Overall Overall Winner, while the Runners- they enjoyed themselves immensely. entering this year’s competition. Two of the four judges were present Winner (as will be decided by Lord Up from Schools and Imperial will I hope people have as much fun “I’d like to thank all of our fantastic at the event. Sue Gibson OBE, a Robert Winston, Ambassador for the win £200. making their entries as I had judges for volunteering their time Professor of Chemistry at Imperial, Science Challenge) will win £1000 Essays and videos can be submitted organising it!” for the Science Challenge, and for and Philip Moriarty, a Professor and a shadowing internship in the at any time until noon on the 28th Serena Yuen, current president everyone who helped out in preparing of Physics from the University of House of Lords, while each Question February. Finalists will be contacted of the RCSU said, “The Science the Launch and the rest of the Nottingham attended and introduced Winner will win £400. on the 15th March, with the Final Challenge Launch has once again competition. their titles for their essay and video There are two different submission held at the Luncheon Room in Inner been a fantastic occasion, and one for The final is looking to be a fantastic submissions. streams for the essay competition Temple on 23rd March, 2015. the RCSU to be proud of. night.” Too few people turn up to Union’s General Meeting
PHILIPPA SKETT the entirety of the meeting. both of these papers were not passed. FELIX EDITOR Initially it was decided by During the meeting, Savell Council last academic year to hold a recapped the results of the survey that referendum addressing four options closed earlier last week. 310 students he General Meeting took place for funding education: for education filled in the survey, just under 2% of Monday evening, but with only to be free, for there to be a graduate the current student population. Out T45 people showing up, failed to tax, to pay tuition fees or none of the of those that completed the survey, meet quorum. The General Meeting, above. However, this referendum was 87.7% were undergraduates. proposed by Imperial College Union replaced by the Higher Education Although Free Education garnered Council member Andrew Tranter, Funding survey set and assessed the most support, it wasn’t by a large aimed to finalise the Union’s stance by Alex Savell, the current Deputy majority; 140 students said Free on education funding and formalise a President (Finance and Services). Education would be the funding Higher Education Funding Policy to Tranter proposed in the last model they would ultimately want, reflect this. Council meeting that a General whilst around 90 students said they Photo: Philippa Skett For the meeting to make quorum, Meeting should be held to discuss the would prefer Tuition Fees. Just under 200 people need to show up within Higher Education Funding Policy, than 40 supported Graduate Tax, and for a reduced privatisation of the such a diversity of viewpoints on the first half an hour of the meeting, and come to a decision that hundreds just over 20 weren’t a fan of any of the Higher Education sector as a whole. this issue it is important we listen to all of whom could then vote on any of students could potentially all agree models. In terms of funding, Savell proposed them all and then try and work out a proposed motions. Despite Council upon as opposed to Council deciding Savell’s results were highly that the Union should campaign for stance that reflects that - this General itself having 50 members, with only alone using the results of the survey. comprehensive and looked at the reduced tuition fees, as “this is what Meeting went some way to achieving 49 people turning up, no motion The results were presented in the survey responses from various aligns best with the largest number that. could be passed and the policy will be General Meeting, despite not meeting standpoints, showing the complexity of student views and appears to be “It looks like the new policy is going taken back to Council and discussed quorum. of the student opinion concerning the antagonistic to the views of the fewest to take a middle-ground approach (as in next Tuesday’s meeting. Only then Tranter also introduced two papers debate. Savell therefore proposed a respondents.” opposed to the previous one passed in will the policy be finalised. to be considered at the meeting: one policy that instead of supporting one Paul Beaumont, Union Council 2011), which will hopefully be more Despite not meeting quorum, to install a policy supporting Free particular line of funding, will look Chair, was pleased with the meeting inclusive of the membership’s views. discussion surrounding fees carried Education (regardless of the survey at several components of funding as a as a whole. He told Felix that “Whilst This can only be a good thing. on for a further two hours, and the outcomes), and another to introduce whole instead. not quorate, the students who did “I’d like to thank those who came meeting came to an end at around annual General Meetings, to be held This includes campaigning for attend engaged fully and it was and got involved, and the DPFS for 8.30 pm. Only one person was in the second term of each year. Since a regulation on Postgraduate and brilliant to hear their (wide ranging) his hard work on the initial proposals allegedly seen to be sleeping during the Meeting failed to meet quorum, Overseas Fees, alongside campaigning views. I think that because there is and ground work for the policy.” 4 05.12.2014 THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON FELIX News [email protected] News Editors Carol Ann Cheah and Kunal Wagle Professor sends posthumous email on “Ho Grimm passed away months after being sent “ultimatum email”
PHILIPPA SKETT FELIX EDITOR
n Imperial professor who died “suddenly and unexpectedly” Ain September has allegedly sent a posthumous email to his colleagues, with the subject line: “How Professors are treated at Imperial College.” Professor Stefan Grimm, aged 51, from the Department of Toxicology within the Faculty of Medicine, died in late September. An email from an account, named [email protected], was then sent on October 21st. An Imperial spokesperson said that there was no reason to believe the email was not genuine, and we have republished the email in full on the right. The email was sent to around 40 internal Imperial email addresses, including senior members of the Faculty of Medicine. It details how Grimm was told he would have to leave College after not securing enough research funding. Grimm had previously published over 70 papers covering cell signalling and anti-cancer genes in high-impact journals during his career, alongside two books and several review articles. Grimm describes in his email that this was a case of “publish and perish.” The email was sent three weeks after colleagues were informed of his death on the 29th of September from Martin Wilkins, Head of Department of Medicine and Grimm’s boss. Grimm describes how Wilkins told Photo: University of Pennsylvania him that although he had submitted the highest number of grant Grimm goes on to state in his email legitimacy of the email from Grimm, formal review nor had he been aware that the College is falling short applications, and despite already how “this is not a university anymore nor its contents, but does say that given any notice of dismissal. It is of this standard of support to its acquiring £135,000, he had to obtain but a business… with very few the death is under investigation standard practice in higher education members, we will act.” a total of £200,000 all in one go in the profiteering and the rest of us being by statutory authorities, and that institutions to conduct both Grimm’s email initially surfaced on form of a programme grant to remain milked for money. Stefan’s death came as a “great shock.” informal and formal performance a blog written by David Colquhoun, a working at Imperial. Wilkins says in his email to Grimm Felix has been unable to confirm management.” University College London emeritus The email outlines how Wilkins that he is “committed to doing what I his cause of death, but has been told “In this tragic case, the process was professor of pharmacology, who hosts told Grimm in May 2013 that he can to help you succeed and will meet that the West London Coroner’s at the informal stage.” dcscience.net. He was forwarded the would have to leave Imperial within with you monthly to discuss your District adjourned an inquest into his “His line manager met with him email from associates at Imperial. the year if he didn’t acquire enough progression and success in achieving death on October 8th. It is unknown on a number of occasions to see how He states on his blog: “No doubt any funding. Wilkins then sent him the objective outlined.” when they will reopen the inquest and the College could help him to develop Imperial staff member would be in an “ultimatum email” in March of He goes on to say to Grimm that when the exact cause of death will be more competitive grant applications, great danger if they were to publish this year, constituting “the start of “You have previously initiated made public. for example through internal peer- the email.” informal action” against Grimm. This discussions in our meetings regarding Felix was told last week, prior to the review, collaborations and letters of Said Colquhoun about his blog post, email has since been published in a opportunities outside of Imperial publication of Grimm’s email, that support. “This bullying has been going on for follow-up article on the Times Higher College and I know you have been College is currently reviewing the This is in line with requests years, and it is more prevalent than Education website, and we have exploring opportunities elsewhere.” relevant “policies and procedures” from funders of research to ensure it used to be. The message to Grimm republished it below “Should this be the direction you and present the findings in a report applications are of sufficient quality was not to do more research, but that Wilkins stated in the email that wish to pursue, then I will do what I by a group of senior College staff. to be considered.” you mustn’t do cheap research.” he expected Grimm to succeed in can to help you succeed.” The Director of Human Resources Professor James Stirling, Provost “I think there should be a petition securing a programme grant as lead Following the email, Nigel Buck, accompanied by the Senior Consul, of Imperial College London, said: set up for a public inquiry into his Principal Investigator (PI), and would Operating Officer for the Faculty of Professor Richard Thompson, is “Imperial seeks to give every member death, and ask what the authorities have to achieve this within 12 months Medicine, sent two similar emails leading the review. of its community the opportunity are going to do about it.” “in order for [Grimm’s] performance to those internal and external to the A college spokesperson said that to excel and to create a supportive “It just seems Imperial are doing to be considered at an acceptable College who received the email. “Contrary to assertions elsewhere, environment in which their careers their best to whitewash it. They rarely standard.” Buck’s emails do not address the Professor Grimm was not under may flourish. Where we become get to the heart of the matter.” FELIX THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON 05.12.2014 5 News [email protected] News Editors Carol Ann Cheah and Kunal Wagle n “How professors are treated at Imperial”
Stefan Grimm’s email, taken from dcscience.net:
From: Stefan Grimm overheard the conversation looking that I would survive. But the email this Research Assessment and If anyone believes that I feel what
Wilkin’s email to Stefan Grimm, as taken from THE
Date: 10 March 2014 grants, you have been unsuccessful Imperial College which include committed to doing what I can to however should you fail to meet in persuading peer-review panels maintaining established funding help you succeed and will meet the objective outlined, I will need Dear Stefan that you have a competitive in a programme of research with with you monthly to discuss your to consider your performance in I am writing following our recent application. an attributable share of research progression and success in achieving accordance with the formal College meetings in which we discussed Your dedication to seek funding is spend of £200k p.a and must now the objective outlined. You have procedure for managing issues of your current grant support and the not in doubt but as time goes by, start to give serious consideration previously initiated discussions poor performance (Ordinance D8) prospects for the immediate future. this can risk becoming a dificult as to whether you are performing at in our meetings regarding which can be found at the following The last was our discussion around situation from which to extricate the expected level of a Professor at opportunities outside of Imperial link. http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/ your PRDP, which I have attached. oneself. In other words, grant Imperial College. College and I know you have been secretariat/collegegovernance/ As we discussed, any signiicant committees can become fatigued Over the course of the next 12 exploring opportunities elsewhere. provisions/ordinances/d8 external funding you had has now from seeing a series of unsuccessful months I expect you to apply and Should this be the direction you Should you have any questions on ended. I know that you have been applications from the same be awarded a programme grant as wish to pursue, then I will do what I the above, please do get in touch. seeking further funding support applicant. lead PI. This is the objective that can to help you succeed. with Charities such as CRUK and I am of the opinion that you you will need to achieve in order for Please be aware that this constitutes Best wishes the EU commission but my concern are struggling to fulil the your performance to be considered the start of informal action in Martin is that despite submitting many metrics of a Professorial post at at an acceptable standard. I am relation to your performance,
On page 6, read what Academic peers had to say of the emails 6 05.12.2014 THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON FELIX News [email protected] News Editors Carol Ann Cheah and Kunal Wagle Grimm’s story: academics react online
Within 24 hours of its publication “Grant income is usually necessary “Why[...]create working “This is not, I shouldn’t have to say, Eureka a day is one which doesn’t on dcscience.net, Emeritus Professor David Colquhoun’s for scientiic research, but conditions so severe that it creates how academia works. Peter Higgs, just not ’get’ academia, it’s a blog post received a torrent of ultimately it is a measure of how widespread anxiety among of Higgs Boson fame, said that management which contradicts shares and critical comments much we are a drain of society, not professors, causing some to there was ’no Eureka moment’ to the academic method and it’s one online, including Twitter as well as a measure of our value to society contemplate suicide? How well his work, and he only has 4 papers which has forgotten that it’s meant number of personal blogs curated (or science). The problem here are we teaching students if the listed on Google Scholar: but what to serve the needs of science, the by academics. is that universities are rewarded professors are either on welfare or papers! Science rarely has a Eureka arts, students and researchers, not Felix notes that the responses in too much for grant income, when simply good hustlers that know moment: it’s rather a series of the insatiable maw of attention question did not just come from they should be rewarded more for how to bring home the bacon?” careful, thoughtful developments seeking 'Leaders' (that's the word academics in STEM research or research output. “Does academic archeology have of work done by one’s forebears they use now) and the PR ofice. in UK universities – below is a selection of these comments. Research would be less wasteful; Grimm tales too?”, Bill White on and peers. It’s also a management that kills.” society and government would Succinct Research “A management which demands a “Grimm’s Tale”, The Plashing Vole Disclaimer: All tweets have been get a better deal on the research reproduced in their original form, they fund; good universities @ekansa: “@Cesar_F1000 @ spelling/punctuation mistakes would get a better deal in the long and all. Blog excerpts may have david_colquhoun Not the kind run; and universities wouldn't end of "life of the mind" that anyone minor editing for clarity. up sacking good researchers who would want. Can Academia ever don’t like gambling too much of CAROL ANN CHEAH be reformed?” their time on the horrendously SECTION EDITOR stochastic grant application process.” “Is it about one bad manager, at @ShobhaRaghuram: “Rename Comment by Mark Thomas, one particularly bad university? Is Imperial College as Imperial Professor of Evolutionary it about the culture of one place, Industry and replace academic Genetics at UCL, on dcscience.net all by itself, some unique sinkhole faculty with fund raisers.” of shame into which one life has fallen? Can that one university review its procedures and its @MichelValstar: “Having @dawnbazely: “@david_ management training, and worked at Imperial as a PostDoc, colquhoun @AMCELL Thank encourage the rest of us to move I recognise the vile atmosphere you. This is like something out on to the next bit of news?” portrayed here (via @david_ of Terminator: the rise of the “Wider Lessons”, Kate Bowles on colquhoun).“ (administrator) machines.” Music for Deckchairs Postgraduate Loan System announced
PHILIPPA SKETT demand for high-skilled labour and available, for the first time ever, to all FELIX EDITOR an increase in social mobility as young people undertaking postgrad reasons for the introduction of the master’s degrees.” loan, but also expect that those who However, there may be a downside student loan system has take out the loan will be making to the loans. finally been introduced enough money after completing the The Institute for Fiscal Studies has A for postgraduate study. degree to pay it back. assessed that the loans may result The decision, announced in the “The loans are designed so that, people losing 50% upwards of their Chancellor’s Autumn statement, on average, individuals will repay salary to cover total repayments when is said to “revolutionise’ access to in full, in recognition of the high also considering income tax, national postgraduate university courses. private return to individuals, but insurance costs and undergraduate The government-backed loans will they will beat commercial rates. The repayments too. be introduced for the 2016 to 2017 government will consult on the detail The loans have been designed academic year, ready for students and will confirm the delivery plan,” to ensure that, on average, they who started university undergraduate the Treasury says. will be paid back in full alongside courses after 2013. It is expected that Mr Osborne said in statement in undergraduate loan repayments, the funding will allow an extra 10,000 the House of Commons: “A year compared to the undergraduate loan students to pursue a master’s degree, ago, I abolished the arbitrary cap on which only one in two students will although the loan is only available to the total number of undergraduates pay back in full. students under the age of 30. at our universities. Today, I am Previously, costs for postgraduate The total cost for the loan over the going to revolutionise the support courses have had to be covered by first four years is £1.5 billion, and for our postgraduate students too. Career Development Loans, savings the loan will have an interest rate, Until now there has been almost no or scholarships. repayable at 9% of earnings above financial support available, and the CDLs only allow you to borrow up £21,000. The loans will be available upfront costs of postgraduate degrees to £10,000 so often cannot cover both across all subject types, not just for deter bright students from poorer the living costs and the tuition costs science, technology, engineering backgrounds. for postgraduate study and have to be and medicine degrees as has been “So today, across all disciplines, paid back regardless of employment previously suggested in government. we will make government-backed status after graduation, making them The treasury has cited an increased student loans of up to £10,000 a high-risk payment option. Chancellor George Osborne made the announcment Photo: BBC FELIX THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON 05.12.2014 7 News [email protected] News Editors Carol Ann Cheah and Kunal Wagle Rugby Club launches petition for club captain 500+ students have signed to oppose the Union’s motion of no conidence
PHILIPPA SKETT FELIX EDITOR
CURFC have launched an online petition that has already amassed I500 signatures at the time of press. The petition, to show support for the Club Captain, Thomas Hobson, who is currently at risk of losing his position, was launched yesterday and has been signed by students, clubs and societies as a whole. The petition follows Imperial College Union announcing that a motion of No Confidence will be held against Hobson at Union Council next Tuesday (9th December). If the vote of no confidence is passed, he will be relinquished of his role of Club Captain, and an election will take place to find his replacement. This follows the incidents Felix reported on in November when rugby players were seen stripping on tube platforms after returning from a match on the 29th October. The disruption caused by the players resulted in a district line tube service being suspended. Passengers were told to disembark from the train at Ravenscourt Park station after being told that there was a “signal failure”. The individual players involved are now under investigation by the British Transport Police, who have footage of them drinking from bottles of wine on the tube and being completely naked on several tube station platforms. The motion of No Confidence will be presented to the members of Union Council, and only those that hold a seat on Council will be able to vote for or against it. It is being brought against Hobson as he allegedly lied during the investigation into what exactly happened on the tube. The motion of No Confidence was one of the sanctions decided upon by the Photo: Felix Governance Committee of the Union, which includes members of presented to Council at the meeting. with the best interests of his Club that I was carrying out on behalf of the Trustee board. In an email to Presidents, Club members at heart.” The email also the Governance Committee) and The other sanctions included a Captains and Club Chairs that notes that the team has “already the College Tutors. These mistruths club-wide two-week suspension for are overseen by the ACC, Oliver been punished by the Union as a club were only brought to light when the ICURFC, a suspension from the club Benton, ACC Chair, details how the and as a team”. British Transport Police corrected for those on the match sheet of the members of the committee voted It has also been suggested that us (with the backing of witness day of the incident until the end of to “support [Hobson] through this "The many sports teams will be showing Tom statements and CCTV footage). the year, and for those on the match vote of no confidence” alongside up at the Council meeting in a show “The fact that this dishonesty sheet to also undertake community the distribution of the petition, motion... of solidarity for Hobson, although Wheeler: is not given as the reason for the service. which is garnering support from a was one they will not be able to vote on the "The motion of no confidence in the The Athletics Clubs Committee diverse range of students including motion. reason... online ICURFC Petition indicates (ACC) held a meeting last week, those not involved with ACC. Many of the Tom Wheeler, Imperial College that the only reason for the petition where the members of committee other clubs have also distributed the sanctions Union President, said in regards to is that is the belief that the Club Captain present unanimously voted to petition to their respective mailing decided the petition: “The reason for [the the club was acting in the best interests of support Hobson, despite the reasons lists. motion of No Confidence] is that the captain lied the Club and its members, however, behind calling for the vote of The email also lists how the upon" Club Captain lied repeatedly to both by acting in a dishonest manner the No Confidence. This will also be ACC believes that “[Hobson] acted myself (as part of the investigation repeatedly" Club Captain achieved the opposite.” 8 05.12.2014 THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON FELIX News [email protected] News Editors Carol Ann Cheah and Kunal Wagle Imperial raises £54.2 million from donations
CECILE BORKHATARIA now, placing an emphasis on the need £5,000 or more to Imperial. Those NEWS REPORTER for people to be able to problem-solve who are members of the Circle are and think critically to address the given a lapel pin in commemoration, dynamic problems we face today. She a personal report giving a break down n the 25th of November, said: ‘Today’s world demands new of the impact of their donation, and Imperial College London leaders, critical thinkers, fresh ways an invitation to every special event Ohosted a Thank You Reception of approaching persistent problems, hosted by President Gast. Last month, in celebration of the record-breaking and innovative ways of handling the more than 80 people joined the Circle. number of donations made to the new problems that arise. This is what The evening saw the Queen’s College during 2013-2014. Part of we do here at Imperial – we develop Tower Rooms transformed into an the donations, which totalled £54.2 thinkers and leaders, we extend exhibition hall, with interactive million, went towards funding 110 knowledge and develop solutions. stands presenting information about undergraduate scholarships through And we can do all this only because of the cutting-edge research taking place the President’s Scholarship Fund, your continued support – the support at Imperial. which consists of a £3,000 reward. of our donors.” Alumni from around the world The fund also supported the Imperial The President’s Scholar, 4th year descended on campus to attend the College PhD Scholarship Scheme, physicist Oliver Clipsham, also spoke event. Dr. Michael McCann, who did which cover full tuition fees as well as of the benefits of the scholarship a PhD in Electrical Engineering at additional financing for three and a scheme at the event. He said: “On Imperial in 1963, visited from the half years. behalf of myself and all the scholars US. He has supported scholarships During the year, 5,403 donors gave here at Imperial, I would like to offer at the College for a long time, and money for research and scholarships. my heartfelt thanks that you have his motivation for donating stems President Alice Gast hosted the donated to ensure that more students from the importance of education in event, along with other Imperial may go on to have a similarly building a successful career. staff and students. During a welcome wonderful experience.” He said ‘My PhD has been speech, President Gast remarked that The event also saw the launch of the key to everything I’ve done support for university education had the 1907 Circle, which recognises the professionally.” never been more important than people and organisations who donate Photo: Imperial College London Charity Week raises in excess of £80,000
the world run events too. PHILIPPA SKETT The international total for Charity FELIX EDITOR Week was £732,571.47, and this will be donated to various projects that the volunteers will have a chance to harity Week, a fundraising vote for. event ran by Imperial College President of Islamic Society, CUnion Islamic Society (iSoc) Ibtesham Hossain, said that: earlier this month, managed to raise “Charity Week never fails to get £83,401.70, breaking all previous everyone together, the money records the club held. raised is astonishing, the work put The week, spanning from the 29th in is astonishing and the reward is November, included a black tie astonishing. dinner; an auction; an intersociety “I genuinely believe we are only quiz; a girls-only pampering and just scratching the surface in terms fashion day; volunteers trekking up of what we can achieve through this Snowdon; and an inter-uni football campaign; the potential of each and competition. iSoc also ran daily every volunteer has no limits and, for cupcake and doughnut stalls across this reason, Charity Week at Imperial campus, and door to door bucket will continue to prosper”. collections. Alex Savell, Deputy President The auction alone raised £30,000; (Finance & Services), said: “We one rainbow cake baked by fifth year are incredibly proud of all the Medic Junaid Masud was sold for achievements our many clubs £3,800 after a bidding war between and societies make, but Islamic members of the iSoc committee and Society have really done something the Muslim Medics Society. After incredible this year. driving the price so high, the two “Sitting in our office, we’ve seen groups decided to group together how diligently and enthusiastically and pay in total, making this cake they’ve been working towards this potentially the most expensive cake and I’m personally extremely happy ever bought (allegedly). for them that it’s paid off in such a The finale of the week was a talk spectacular way. by Dr Yasir Qadhi, which was held in “It’s brilliant that a society here are the Great Hall. Tickets were sold for raising and giving such a large sum to £20 each, and the event made a profit such a good cause. of £15,000, which was all donated to “I hope student organisations at charity. Imperial College Union and all other Charity Week is not unique to institutions continue to do such good This cake was sold for more money than you probably will have in your account for another few years Imperial; many Universities across deeds”. Photo Credit: iSoc Imperial's Student Science Magazine AutumnI,SCIENCE 2014 issue
TIME Autumn 2014 look out for your copy around campus from Monday 8th december
Check out our website: www.isciencemag.co.uk 10 05.12.2014 THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON FELIX Comment [email protected] Comment Editor Tessa Davey How Reddit made it okay to hate women Tom Rivlin discusses the dark side of the front page of the internet
ast week I wrote in Felix about ‘GamerGate’, a loosely defined Lmovement nominally about “ethics in video game journalism”. In the article I outlined how really the movement is about harassing women online. But GamerGate wasn’t created when some developer was accused of sleeping around: it’s the latest manifestation of a long history of TOM RIVLIN online misogyny. Specifically, the COMMENT WRITER kind that’s become the accepted norm in certain dark corners of popular forums like Reddit and 4chan. Let me start by saying that Reddit is a very large and diverse website, with forums for every topic imaginable, and people from all walks of life. You want a forum (‘subreddit’) for science? Game of Thrones? Horror stories? All this and more awaits you! 4chan, on the other hand, is less welcoming. It’s notorious for being a vile place, where anonymity allows people to be quite cruel. It’s perhaps less surprising that 4chan has become a haven for online misogyny, but Reddit’s a different case. Photo: cmxhub.com Reddit has a dark side, and it’s a big one. For example, after nude feminism, provides a more a long shot, but not insignificant to communicate, organise, advertise, photos of several (female) celebrities interesting example: how was the either. What exactly is it? associate, and persuade, and they were leaked a few months ago, users moderator selected? Simple: someone Named for the classic scene in profit from doing this. If you like, set up a subreddit dedicated solely saw that there was no /r/feminism, The Matrix where Neo swallows the here’s the Tweet-sized summary: on to uploading and sharing these and registered themselves with the ‘red pill’ to discover the hidden Reddit (and our old pal 4chan), hatred photos. The subreddit was banned admins as a moderator. That was the truth about reality, /r/TheRedPill of women is accepted and in many places eventually, but only due to a flood of end of his involvement with the paid, claims to present its users with the expected. legal notices – not out of any sense official Reddit staff. After that he ‘truth’: that feminism was created by Again, I stress, a lot of Reddit isn’t of decency or empathy for those had carte blanche to do anything he women to control and manipulate like this. If you just hang out in /r/ affected. wanted with the “/r/feminism” brand. men, and that it’s really men who TwitchPlaysPokemon you won’t In fact, in a blog post, CEO Yishan This particular moderator is are oppressed in our society. It’s see any of this. If you really love Wong defended his principles by controversial because he has made a stupid, demonstrably false idea, gardening, 95,000 other people do saying “we consider ourselves not just some arguably highly anti-feminist obviously, but these people take it too! Go hang out on /r/Gardening! a company running a website where statements. So what can feminists dead seriously. And, of course, people from one can post links and discuss them, on Reddit do to make the subreddit Just browsing through the front TheRedPill and MensRights will but the government of a new type of a safer space for them? Nothing, page, threads like “Women are not deny accusations of misogyny. community.” Coincidentally, these pretty much, which might have what you expect them to be”, “women But this is precisely Reddit’s principles are the ones where he gets surprised them – it’s easy to be are children” and “the deregulation problem – these echo chambers to keep the lucrative, coveted images fooled into thinking Reddit is more of the sexual marketplace” (in case warp the users’ perspective on what available on his site. administrated and less user-run than you’d forgotten that libertarianism constitutes ‘misogyny’ so much that Wong is essentially saying that it really is. obsession of theirs) are the norm. they don’t see their own hatred. And people should be free to discuss Of course, there is some This forum basically conditions men then, despite the problems they’re anything they believe in a legal ‘government intervention’. Any to treat women as prizes and to be causing, Reddit still claims to be sense, but also in the sense that subreddit that attracts too much bad wary of their ‘tricks’ and deceit. mainstream and open to all. After all, any viewpoint should have an media attention gets banned quickly. Let me be clear: this subreddit isn’t in its slogan it claims to be “the front opportunity to reach any audience. You can also get banned for exposing an outlier. There’s an even bigger one page of the internet.” So, for example, if bigots want to the identity of other Reddit users. So called /r/MensRights, which claims With this safe space for misogyny talk to each other about bigotry, the the admins ware happy to intervene, to be a safe space for men to discuss (again, 4chan’s role can’t be admins of Reddit don’t see it as their but only when the website traffic is issues affecting them, but seems to understated), is it any surprise responsibility to step in. If Reddit is a jeopardised. mostly exist to criticise feminism. that harassing women online has government, it’s a libertarian one. A bigger problem, though, is that (Top thread as of writing? “Can We become so organised? Something like They claim no responsibility for the you get subreddits that turn into echo Try To Focus on Men’s Rights, not “I GamerGate was inevitable, it just subreddits’ content, but still provide chambers for some nasty stuff, most Hate Feminists!” jokes?”) needed a nucleation site like the Zoe "Reddit has a the ‘real estate’ and association with notably the infamous /r/TheRedPill. The denizens of these forums Quinn accusations. Viewed from this the known Reddit brand to these It’s shocking how bad /r/TheRedPill will deny it, but it’s actually pretty perspective, it’s clear that our society dark side, and people. This leads, worryingly, to is in contrast to the profile and uncontroversial: both of these still has a long way to go. examples like the /r/WhiteRights overall niceness of so much of Reddit, forums are hate groups, no different it's a big one." subreddit, with thousands of openly but what’s more shocking is how to /r/WhiteRights, and Reddit has Thanks to Joseph Henderson for helping racist users. popular it is – it claims over 85,000 approved and sanitised them. They’ve me write this by providing many details The feminism subreddit, /r/ users! Not the biggest subreddit by also given them the tools they need about how Reddit works. FELIX THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON 05.12.2014 11 Comment [email protected] Comment Editor Tessa Davey Who is accountable for the death of Brown? Nathaniel Gallop discusses at the fallout in Ferguson
NATHANIEL GALLOP or the past week, the town COMMENT WRITER of Ferguson, Missouri Fhas been racked with a continuous stream of protests and riots following the Grand Jury’s decision to not indict Officer Darren Wilson in the case of the shooting of Michael Brown. The outcome of the investigation has attracted widespread criticism from many individuals within the United States and elsewhere in the world. For many however, the dubious circumstances surrounding Brown’s death exonerate Wilson and undermine the credibility of the protestors. At the core of many critics’ arguments is an attempt to turn any debate on its head by accusing supporters of the protest of ‘playing the race card’. The argument has been articulated in hundreds of ways, but the underlying message is generally the same: the greatest barriers to a post-racial society are ‘liberals’, who constantly inject race into every issue. As one Fox News pundit put it: “The only people who talk about race are racists!” The argument is as asinine as it is out of touch: race is a fundamental tenet of American politics and will remain so for a long time. The abolition of the ‘Jim Crow It has been tense in Ferguson since the shooting of Michael Brown in August. Photo: ibtimes Laws’ – which mandated enforced segregation between the white and targets of more than 80% of all stop- therefore no real understanding of Davis promptly filed a suit against black communities – has not yet and-frisks carried out by the NYPD, why such deep-seated animosity the police department, and lost. reached its fiftieth anniversary. despite comprising less than half of towards police exists among Brown’s shooting is an indirect There are still individuals alive today the population. Other statistics are minorities; you are out of touch result of these manifold problems. who remember being unable to eat in equally damning: African-Americans from the very start. We lambast our Brown most likely grew up harassed the same restaurants, ride the same are typically struck off from juries politicians for being ‘out of touch’ by law enforcement, under the buses, or even use the same toilets by the prosecution in cases involving with the people they are appointed to impression that the police are not as other ethnicities. For numerous those of the same ethnicity, and govern, yet give our law enforcement there to help him. His distrust in the others, the times when white police can expect to serve longer prison a free pass when they are equally police would be solidified through officers would turn a blind eye to sentences should they be convicted removed from the people they seek to incidents such as those experienced crimes committed against ethnic of a crime. In 2010, the United States protect and serve. by Henry Davis. When Brown was minorities, or when police would Sentencing Commission reported This vitriolic, institutionalised apprehended, his options were stop and arrest people from certain that, on average, a black man will racism is also compounded by a seemingly clear: to confront Wilson, ethnic groups simply because they receive a prison sentence 10% longer culture of opacity and self-interest or to surrender. Surrendering would could, are within living memory. The than what a white man would receive which ultimately jeopardises the give little chance at any semblance of expectation that ethnic minorities for the same crime. In Alabama, role of police officers as impartial fairness: the balance of probability should simply ignore this history a 2010 report by the Equal Justice enforcers of the law. Officers may states that he would be arrested and because it is now in the past, is utterly Initiative found that eight out of ten act with impunity, knowing full well processed by white police officers, absurd and supremely arrogant. African-Americans who qualified to that they will enjoy the full backing tried by a white judge (and most Understanding our history and the serve on juries were struck off by the of their municipality, regardless of likely a white jury), and would be effect it has on our society is the first prosecution in death-penalty cases. the nature of their actions. thrown into prison for far longer step to avoiding similar events in the In light of these facts: is it surprising The negative results of this than was his due. To confront the future. that trust in the justice and law imbalance are synergic: a law police officer may have deadly The harsh reality is that although enforcement systems is lowest enforcement system which is out of consequences, but carried the slight the racist behaviours of Jim Crow amongst ethnic minorities? touch with, and openly aggressive chance of escaping. It is the epitome America have truly died out, the Ferguson is exemplary in this towards minorities, and a justice of a no-win situation. "The only brazen bigotry of previous decades regard: a city in which two-thirds of system which precludes meaningful We may never know the now insidiously manifests itself in the population are black, but 94% investigation into the actions of their choice he made. Ultimately it is people who talk a mode of policing which targets of the civil service and police force officers. The results are shocking: inconsequential; Michael Brown was ethnic minorities – particularly are white. If you are rich and white, In 2010, police officers in Ferguson shot dead. No matter what his choice about race are African- and Latin-Americans – middle-class and white, or even poor beat and hospitalised an innocent was, the police and government of far more aggressively than other and white, then you almost certainly man, Henry Davis, before proceeding Ferguson must be held accountable racists." communities. In New York City, have had little first-hand experience to fine him $1,500 in in property for their role in this tragedy. black and Hispanic people are the of this aggressive profiling, and damage for “bleeding on their shoes”. 12 05.12.2014 THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON FELIX Comment [email protected] Comment Editor Tessa Davey What does the economy have to do with me?
ne question commonly with a bank account. Interest rates asked of economists is “as a can be volatile and can also change as Omember of the public, what the result of monetary policy: Mark exactly does the economy have to Carney could increase the base rate of do with me?” People often feel that interest of the Bank of England from as individuals, they are fighting their current record low of 0.5%, personal battles against household which would theoretically increase bills or focusing on their own the interest rates of high street banks. consumption, rather than being part Perhaps, however, the most direct of a larger group or society. way in which people are affected The reality is that the general by the wider economy is through wellbeing of an economy has a strong their employment status. One key SAMUEL BODANSKY COMMENT WRITER impact on every one of its members. problem with low growth or even Unemployment perpetuates unemployment. Photo: dailyrecord As individuals, we often use banks a recession is that it usually comes and have an interest in companies, with decreasing consumer spending. unemployment. If people continue to make the market structure or the which rely on the corporate system Companies, therefore, tend to have be unemployed, they need training, demand in the economy. As the and the financial system. In fact, lower sales revenues and thus lower which can be expensive. In addition, horse-drawn carriage lapsed into when we become involved in profits during a recession. They often they take unemployment benefit obsolescence, many horse-carriage the larger infrastructure of the scale back production by reducing from the government, which is drivers became unemployed. It is corporate world, we are at the whim their factors of production; for many the single largest expenditure by vital to maintain a steady supply of of the fickle nature of markets and people this means redundancy. government to date. workers in order to strengthen the macroeconomic swings. Unemployment is defined as the Economists have debated the cause economy. Macroeconomic issues such as desire to work, without having a job. of unemployment; they often talk Immigration can be the best growth and inflation, as well as High unemployment is a of cyclical unemployment; this is solution to unemployment. In the value of the local currency, devastating thing for a developed when the time of the year or another theory it allows a steady flow of can change the lives of everybody economy. People who are cycle prevents a market being open, young, dedicated and means-tested in the country. Low growth and unemployment often undergo like extra jobs around the Christmas works to rejuvenate an economy. Is inflation can lead to banks adjusting a hysteresis effect, where the period. However, the real issue is immigration the answer in practice, their interest rates, which affects unemployed find it difficult to structural unemployment. This is however? homeowners, businesses or any entity get back into work, perpetuating when the skills of the people do not This is open for debate. FELIX THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON 05.12.2014 13 Comment [email protected] Comment Editor Tessa Davey True Islamic Caliphate promotes peace, not terror Umar Nasser discusses how to tackle Islamic extremism
his year, the true face of the murder of one innocent like UMAR NASSER Islamic Caliphate has been the murder of all mankind (5:33). CHAIR, IC AHMADIYYA MUSLIM obscured by the smoke rising Their enslavement and treatment of STUDENTS ASSOCIATION T from Iraq. Kindled by the horrific women is the very inhumanity that actions of militant extremist group Islam came to fix, declaring women ISIS, the conflict there has not only to be spiritually equal to men, and scorched the lands of Syria and codifying the rights that are naturally Iraq, but has left in cinders the very theirs (33:35; 39:6; 4:34; 2:228; 90:13). Unemployment perpetuates unemployment. Photo: dailyrecord principles on which the extremists Much more can be said, but their list claim to stand. True Caliphate is a of atrocities is sadly unending, unlike spiritual leadership to promote peace, this column. not political leadership to impose To impartially study the life of power. Understanding how and why the Prophet and his Successors is to extremists twist Islam to meet their know they were peaceful pioneers. own ends is vital in the ongoing fight The Prophet Muhammad allowed against extremism. Christians to pray in his Mosque A ‘Caliph’ is literally a ‘successor.’ - something no-one’s expecting When the Prophet Muhammad died, to happen in Iraq anytime soon. a system of Caliphate was established His second Successor, Omar, once whereby successors were elected to act declined the offer of Christians to as a spiritual leaders of the Muslim pray in their Church, only out of fear community. This lasted around 30 that misguided followers would one years, after which internal divisions day seek to annex it. The difference led to fractures within the Muslim between ISIS and Islam’s early leaders community that still survive to this is as stark as night and day. day. Regardless, everyone is agreed – As such, ISIS will no doubt die their anyone who claims to be an Islamic own death, but not before causing Caliph today is claiming to be a more misery for the people of Iraq. successor of the Prophet Muhammad. Where to go from here then? In a With that title comes certain recent Ahmadiyya Muslim Peace conditions: conditions which the so- Symposium attended by dignitaries called Caliphate of ISIS certainly fail and MPs, Mirza Masroor Ahmad, to meet. the world’s most widely followed Where to begin? Their compulsion Caliph, asked Western powers to in conversion directly violates reflect on ISIS’s source of funding. numerous teachings of the Qur’an Ahmad remarked, “it is quite obvious that instruct Muslims to only that they are receiving the help convey their message, and never and support of certain powers. This force it onto anyone (2:256; 18:29; could be direct support from very 10:99). Their aggressive territorial oil-rich states or it could be other warfare is strictly condemned in the major powers covertly providing the pertinent political dimensions. Rest assured: religion teaches that Qur’an, which only allows defensive assistance.” Radical ideology may be But we are by no means helpless; true spiritual leadership is that which warfare to safeguard the human the spark, but it needs oxygen to keep through educating ourselves about takes us closer to our Creator. Those rights of the innocent (22:39; 2:193). on burning. the reality of Islam and Caliphate we who spread disorder amongst His Their butchering of the innocent is Unfortunately for us students, we can collectively counter the pseudo- creation couldn’t have gotten it more anathema to Islam, which regards can realistically do little to change religious claims of extremists. wrong. Is your degree worth it? We’d love to hear what you think – take part in our new online survey, open until the end of term. www.felixonline.co.uk/survey 14 05.12.2014 THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON FELIX Science [email protected] Science Editor James Bezer & Lauren Ratcliffe “If we could produce our own, free, solar fuel on our rooftops, we could use it in fuel cells to power cars. You’d have free mileage for life.” James Bezer talks to Professor Keith Barnham about his vision for the future of solar energy
You originally started your career drop in cost really came from, to the in particle physics—why did you detriment of EU production and my change to researching solar panels? own company.
I loved particle physics: I worked at You group created the most CERN and Berkeley and it was very efficient solar cells in the world. exciting at both places. What was novel about your design? When I joined Imperial, I spent much of my time at CERN. It’s very different technology to Collaborations were getting bigger other photovoltaics. Ours is based on and bigger and it hit me that I would Gallium Arsenide semiconductors, have to spend more of my time in which most resembles the technology Geneva. We used to bring bubble in mobile phones. There’s at least chamber film back to Imperial for one such chip in everyone’s mobile analysis, but as the beam experiments phone. built up, you had to spend more of First you have three cells grown your time there. Did I want to keep on top of each other by the same Keith Barnham, Professor of Solid State Physics and inventor of the world's most efficient commuting to Switzerland, instead of techniques used to make LEDs. The solar cell. Photo:Keith Barnham working and teaching at Imperial? three cells are arranged to make best And how useful was particle use of the solar spectrum. The first how you make them emit different mechanics problem we teach physics—it was fascinating, but what has a very wide band gap, so it only colours. to physics students and here’s a practical use is was it in a world with a absorbs high-energy blue-green light. Currently, solar cells are often practical application of it. What I lot of problems? Red and orange go through to the used in deserts, where there’s plenty really like about it is that the simplest second cell where they are absorbed. of sunlight. The spectrum in the UK part of quantum mechanics has Photovoltaics have historically Low-energy infra-red passes all the is very different from in the desert, practical applications in solving been expensive and inefficient, way down to the bottom layer. though: we have a redder sun, more global warming. but this has improved a lot in Each photon gets absorbed in cloud and diffuse blue light. In the recent years. What technological the appropriate sub-cell. It’s the future we could generate electricity How do your cells compare to advances have made this possible? goldilocks principle: each cell is just using smart windows by putting other technologies like plastic right for the photons they absorb. photovoltaics on blinds. This would electronics? It’s because of the fall in the cost of The three cells are then put have a different light spectrum again, silicon, by around a factor of four. together in series: the voltage adds up, that we could optimize our cells to. I would say they’re complimentary. This wasn’t technical, though, but giving a very high efficiency of over Ultimately it could be used with They’re all great areas that should be political. The Germans decided to 40%. lenses to concentrate light onto "It’s the researched. Ours offers three times stimulate demand with a feed-in To make this very efficient, you the system, and with high enough goldilocks the energy for the same area of cells. tariff. They hoped this would build want to optimize the band gap of each "How useful concentration, our technology could principle: That doesn’t matter in the desert the market, causing mass production cell. Our technology, uniquely, uses be even cheaper than conventional because space is cheap. However, and a fall in price. quantum wells to adjust the band was particle Chinese-made silicon devices. each cell is it could be useful in applications That happened, but it was a big gap, by changing their depth. 50 of physics in a With quantum wells, we can just right like replacing petrol in cars, where surprise that EU and US industries them in our photovoltaics enables us world with optimize the cell for different for the getting three times the energy for the didn’t invest as much as the Chinese. to adjust the band gap and optimize a lot of spectral conditions. same area is very useful. Technology They made a political decision to highly efficient cells for different The whole idea is just solving the photons it similar to ours with high efficiency put money into big systems, initiate spectral conditions. It’s the same problems?" Schrodinger equation for a square absorbs." and a 25 year lifetime has proved mass production: that’s where the principle behind all lasers: that’s well: the first, simplest quantum itself in satellites, for example, where FELIX THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON 05.12.2014 15 Science [email protected] Science Editor James Bezer & Lauren Ratcliffe they need every bit of power they can get for the minimum area. Plastic cells should be cheap, but they too have run into problems. Plastic efficiencies are not even comparable to silicon. Silicon has become very cheap now: well over half the price of a rooftop system is installation. The other problem that plastic has is that it doesn’t last as long as conventional PV systems. The Chinese intervention is great news for first generation silicon cells, as it has driven down the costs enormously, but bad news for my company and for plastic electronics. Although we had efficiency, our investors decided to sell us to an American conglomerate, because we just couldn’t produce the technology cheaply enough to compete with the Chinese.
Do you think that using sunlight to produce fuels has a complementary role alongside other photovoltaic technologies?
We’ve seen already that electric cars can be powered by silicon photovoltaics: there’s enough sunlight to power a car for an average domestic mileage. But that means the car can only be used when the sun is shining. What you really want to be able to do is store that much energy from highly efficient photovoltaics on the roof of your house that match the electricity needs of your house, plus some extra to power a car. The obvious way to store it is as fuel. There’s enough sunlight hitting a rooftop to capture carbon dioxide and turn it into methanol. Hydrogen is easier to make, and buses run on Will solar panels like this be on all our houses in the future? Photo: Wikimedia Commons it already, but I think for home use, methanol would be better because it’s Is solar power really reliable on. If we do what we can do with PV cells, we could generate around 90% safer. enough to use as our main energy and wind, nuclear will be a complete more energy over the year. The American Physical Society source? irrelevance, but only if we invest in I’ve also signed up to Good Energy, thinks it can’t be done, but I refute subsidies for renewable rather than an all-renewable electricity supplier. their pessimism. Firstly: nature does The Germans did a very important nuclear. All our excess power goes back to the it pretty well. Plants do it to make experiment in 2007 called grid, which I can borrow back later. sugars with about 2% efficiency, but Kombikraftwerk. It took the Does your house have If you can’t get a rooftop system, I think it should be possible to do it equivalent electricity demand of a photovoltaics? switching to Good Energy is a good better, as there are lots of physicists small town and met 100% of it with thing to do. and engineers looking into exactly renewables at all times. It showed Yes! I’m extremely pleased with them. this. that over a year, 70% of German This point about what happens when There’s a group at ETH Zurich demand could be met by wind and the sun doesn’t shine: our excess working on nanostructure filters. photovoltaics, with 25% from biogas (and we often have it) is stored in our They take in carbon dioxide through and only 5% from storage. hot water tank. Between March and the filter at room temperature and The output from nuclear power October, we don’t use gas: all or hot heat it up to 90°; this then desorbs stations has to remain constant: day, water comes from excess solar. So the the CO2 letting you store it at night, summer, winter. message that you will sometimes hear concentrations up to 99% . In the As I discuss in my book, wind that we can’t store solar energy except next couple of years, we’ll be able power output in the UK is, on average, at great expense is completely wrong. to use this technology to produce much higher than in Germany. If Another point is that we have it methanol with CO2 straight from the "It's the the test were run here, around 78% of "Offshore on an East-West side. It generates as atmosphere. simplest demand could be supplied from wind wind and so- much as if it were ideally positioned Chemical engineers are working on problem in and photovoltaics. lar cells are on a south facing roof. We’re actually an electrochemical cell, which uses There’s also another very saving even more on our electricity photons to produce hydrogen. You quantum important point against nuclear rising faster bill, because the sun is shining more can do it easily by shining light on mechanics power. than mobile often when we’re using it. catalysts to speed up the reaction. and here's Offshore wind and PV are rising phones did In the future, concentrated If we could produce our own, free, faster than mobile phones did when photovoltaics could track the sun Keith Barnham’s book “The solar fuel on our rooftops, we could a practical they first took off. If you extrapolate when they throughout the day, so you always get first took Burning Answer: A User’s Guide use it to power cars. You’d have free application it, we could have far more PV and the maximum light intensity on the to the Solar Revolution”, is mileage for life. offshore wind than nuclear by the solar panels. I calculated that using of it." off." published by Orion, RRP £22.50 time the new Hinckley Point turns concentrators with high efficiency 16 05.12.2014 THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON FELIX Music [email protected] Music Editors Grace Rahman & Amna Askari Historic Soho venue’s license revoked for good Grace Rahman relects on Madame JoJo’s rich past and uncertain future usic fans were left mourning in September of last year to demolish the loss of another one of the buildings that currently stand MLondon’s live music venues in the vicinity. Permission was last week, after Westminster council granted, with local business owners permanently revoked the licence of and affiliates of the club nights run at Madame JoJo’s in Soho, after their Madame JoJo’s dismissing it as part appeal against the initial ruling of an unwelcome ‘blandification’ of failed. For years, this had been the the notoriously seedy, but quirky home of White Heat, an indie night location. that’s seen the likes of The xx, Adele, On the 29th October various Lorde, and Horrors grace it’s stage promoters and performers from before they made it big, as well as the venue’s vast array of nights being a favourite haunt of Imperial’s marched from Soho Square to the own Alternative Music Society. headquarters of Soho Estates in The council’s decision was seen as protest. It didn’t seem to achieve inevitable by many, considering the much and White Heat’s Facebook planned revamp of the whole area by page reported that no-one answered developers. when they rang on the door of the However, the council maintains property firm’s office. it was solely made on account of an Soho Estates owns the copyright incident on the 24th of October, when to the name ‘Madame JoJo’s’ and the bouncers at Madame JoJo’s and a new club is expected to replace it neighbouring Escape Bar attacked after redevelopment. As well as being a punter with baseball bats after a one of the few venues in the area to verbal altercation. The punter is have kept its seven-day-a-week 3am alleged to have responded to initial licence, Madame JoJo’s had, quite insults by throwing bottles at the door possibly, the widest variety of club Dev Hynes and Alex Turner share the White Heat stage way back in 2008 for the Falling Off Lavender Bridge staff after which they retaliated by nights in London. album launch Photo: Emir Shad wielding bats they kept in a bin bag on As well as being home to White site at Madame JoJo’s. Heat every Tuesday for six years, of the West End left, the diversity The owners of Banquet Records The head of Westminster’s licencing it has a rich history of alternative of Madame JoJo’s is unmatched. As in Kingston, who run New Slang, a committee called it “an organised cabaret, burlesque and jazz dating well as boasting a wealth of cabaret similar indie night showcasing new assault” and Escape Bar’s license was back from the 50s. At the news of its and drag shows, indie fans have been bands, showed support for White also suspended. Despite the council closure, punters and promoters alike flocking to White Heat for years. Heat promoters Marcus Harris and saying that they had taken evidence reflected on how suited and booted Where else could Dev Hynes of Blood Matty Hall, saying “Chances are New from several parties including the burlesque fans would share the dance Orange (but back then of Lightspeed Slang wouldn’t exist without White police, fans of the club are convinced floor with the first arrivals for Free Champion) been seen jamming out Heat. Good people doing a good it was an inside job. Your Soul, the weekly Afro House with a baby-faced Alex Turner of The night. They’ll be back.” Supporters have also pointed out night. "They Arctic Monkeys? But will they? The petition to save that this was an isolated incident Despite the fact that his company Since Cheap$kates’ home, Madame JoJo’s had nearly 8000 and that the total revocation of its is ready to redevelopment the area retaliated Moonlighting, shut in September signatures at last count, but chances licence conveniently coincides with on which the club stands, many Soho by wielding White Heat was probably the "I only are this Soho haunt is gone for good. the planned regeneration of the area die-hards are grateful to infamous bats they last place in W1 where drinks For now, White Heat is being surrounding Madame JoJo’s. Soho porn-baron Paul Raymond for were still £2.50 each. Grotty but went twice shared between The Lexington and Estates, that has now repossessed the buying up large parts of the red-light kept in a fabulous, much like its clientele, one but both Electrowerkz and hopefully its loyal club, owns hundreds of millions of district in the 60s and essentially just bin bag on anonymous student recalled, “I’ve times I saw fanbase and excellent track record pounds worth of property across the leaving it alone. As well as having site" only been there twice but both times I will mean it will find a permanent West End and put in an application been one of the few unkempt sections saw penises”. penises." home in the near future.
This week on IC Radio Following its total refurb over the summer, IC Radio cover the week’s news. If you have issues, please is back! Tune in to the following handpicked shows at submit them to [email protected] and we icradio.com. GUARANTEE to solve them or your money back.
A Few of My Favourite Things – Friday Letters from the Ghetto – Wednesday 17:00-18:00 14:00-15:00 Conall and the gang offer tunes and chat every Friday Treat your ears to some sensual stimulation as two afternoon. Expect ierce topical debate and jovial guys resolutely not from any sort of ‘Ghetto’ spring observations of the week’s stories peppered with an live-on-air improv on each other in what can best be eclectic mix of hand-picked tunes. described as a mental schism being caught on tape. Come compete in our weekly ‘GSM’ challenge (with The Imperial Ratio – Monday 19:00-20:00 actual prizes!) and lap at our eclectic taste in music as The aim for me and my guests is to have a laugh. we try not to say something politically incorrect. However, if you end up having one too, well, extra brownie points! The show is mainly improv comedy Quantum Musology – Wednesday 17:00- interspersed with some tunes, mainly when we need 18:00 to think of stuff to say. We largely like to poke fun Tune in for some amazing music from all over the at desperate students wanting advice on their hairy world, together with fun facts and info about your Photo: David Newbold problems but we also play radio games and often favourite bands. FELIX THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON 05.12.2014 17
[email protected] Tech Editors Jamie Dutton & Osama Awara Welcome to a world of ups and downs Chrysostomos Meli looks at how you will be paying for things in the future
ilicon Valley has for some time Apple finally decided to join the now declared an all-out war fray with Apple Pay, and everyone Son our non-electronic habits, is hoping that it will be the publicity changing them to fit around their the technology needs to finally go technology. It has been a gradual mainstream. The service is available process but thinking about it, we only on the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, the new certainly don’t read books the way iPads and the Apple Watch when we used to. Writing an essay barely it’s released. Although the service involves a pen anymore, we can has been out for just a little over a go grocery shopping without even month there haven’t been any major leaving the house and our fitness complaints, but we won’t find out regime is becoming a lot more about usage statistics until Apple’s informative. It now seems tech next financial quarter announcement. companies have got their eyes set on Google and Apple are not providing the way we pay. these services for anyone outside the Companies like Paypal have, for USA yet - they want to get it right more than ten years now, been before it goes global. The USA is helping us buy things online. They’re known for its high consumerism and making financial transactions from these companies couldn’t ask for a our own bank account to someone better testing ground. What’s more, else’s that much easier. But that isn’t introducing a new payment system in good enough anymore. Real world a country with a whole new currency, transactions should and will become banking system and consumer as easy and painless. Why should behavior will prove more difficult. we carry those heavy wallets in one That leaves the UK an open playing pocket when we all have sophisticated field for anyone who wants to try. A electronic devices in the other? serious contender is YOYO, a product YOYO is the electronic payment choice of a lot of Imperial students. Disclaimer: has nothing to do with real Paying with your phone is of our very own Imperial Create Lab yo-yos. Photo: Wikimedia Commons definitely not something we are that that has raised £3.1 million in seed used to in the UK but for last few funding from investment groups voucher integration. Every time you iOS or Android even the ones without due to lack of interest. years, the USA has been inundated such as Telefonica and Firestartr. It is spend money at a particular retailer NFC, which encompasses every iOS YOYO for the time being is using a with different apps that can act one of Europe’s largest seed funding YOYO remembers and, if for every user who hasn’t upgraded to iPhone page right out of Facebook’s playbook as credit card holders. The most rounds this year. 9 coffees you get one for free, YOYO 6 yet. and is expanding their user base; interesting one is Google Wallet - an YOYO is an app which, unlike Apple will display the voucher for you to use The app also offers a platform for jumping from one campus to the app anyone can download on their Pay and Google Wallet, doesn’t allow the next time you’re at the shop. store owners to collect and display the next. It’s a move they believe will Android phone. The premise is very you to pay directly through your Another fundamental difference is data they need to run their business eventually bring in retailers, which simple - add your card credentials and credit card. An account is set up once the use of the registered laser scanner more efficiently- data that would any payments service desperately then proceed to the register, paying you download the app and you use to make the transaction; scanning otherwise be impossible to collect. A requires in order to succeed. wirelessly using your phone’s NFC. your card credentials to add funds a QR code instead of tapping your similar service is provided by Square Payment systems are very much in But Google Wallet hasn’t lived up to to your account. Once you reach the phone using NFC. Once the code is Inc. - a Silicon Valley startup recently their infancy, especially in the UK. expectations. Debates over credit card register, the funds used are in the app, scanned, the funds are immediately valued at $6 billion. It should be noted However, startups like YOYO are fees seem to be the prevailing reason, not in your bank account. Although removed from your account although Square’s business platform making real headway. It is very early but as Apple found out last month, this means that you have to top-up displaying your total and actual ‘Square Register’ has seen wide to call but the sky is the limit and big retailers such as Walmart have your account every time it runs out, amount at all times. This give YOYO success, their payment app ‘Square YOYO’s recent deal with Snapchat to their own services, which they need it is a fairly painless process. What the advantage that it can be installed Wallet’ has been recently pulled from provide a money transfer service is to push. makes YOYO attractive to users is its on any smartphone device running both the Android and iOS app stores very much a testament to that. Millions injured in worst Friday since Rebecca Black
Jamie Dutton Smiles of joy however were It wasn’t all bad news, however. SECTION EDITOR transformed into pouts of The government smiled at how indifference as the customers found well the public adapted to such they had to wait six years to be served Americanisation and announced in the queue. plans to abolish the NHS and raise orror at Currys PC World Despite this, many thought it university tuition fees to £100,000 Workington branch as was worth the time and spread the per year to complete the United Hmillions of people flocked to word on social media. The whole of Kingdom’s transformation to the 51st the store to pick up excellent deals mainland Britain drove as fast as they state of the USA. on the best and latest technology, could to get the best deals. It was even The British public, many who ranging from 2.5mm microphone rumoured that some people from have been writing frantically to cables to ruby-encrusted vibrators. Northern Ireland were so desperate their local MP asking when carrying The opening was just like any day to cash in on such great savings that a gun will be legal and when but the first people to arrive were they swam across the Irish Sea. It ‘Disneyworld Lincolnshire’ will be literally confounded by the excellent was the biggest stampede the North built, have unanimously accepted deals such as “buy-one-for-the- had seen since the opening the first this transformation and cannot wait price-of-two” and “80% off (500% of Greggs bakery in 1939 and many were to sing The Star-Spangled Banner at Artist's impression of scene at Currys Worthington Source: youtube.com original value)!!!” injured as a consequence. their child’s next baseball game. 18 05.12.2014 THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON FELIX Games [email protected] Games Editor Max Eggl & Calum Skene
Dance Dance Revolution: Kung Fu style From the KSP Mission Control Sanchit Sharma inally hooks up a XBox controller MATTHEW ALLINSON GAMES WITER ickbeat describes itself as “an them up, you need to double-tap been designed for just your thumb. innovative rhythm game with the correct button instead of single Finally, there’s the cutscenes. Yes, Ka kung fu theme, featuring tapping it. Again, at first this seems this is a rhythm game with a story. Kerbal Space Centre are happy to announce their first fully 3D characters and high-energy okay, but then you realise that in It’s utterly nonsensical (which is successful flight of an unmanned space probe around music!” Which sounds pretty good. any reasonably difficult song you expected and good!) but the voicing the planet. The probe, the RoboUglyDuck launched The reality is not quite as good as it just don’t have the time to press that leaves a lot to be desired. This is mercifully without any noticeable hiccups yesterday seems at first. button twice before the next one clearly a game that needs to be and was able to carry out the desired science missions in Low Kerbin Orbit. In essence, Kickbeat is a classic comes along! And in a difficult song, voiced, but when they don’t bother Unlike previous missions where the idiotic Kerbals four-button rhythm game – at you’re going to mess up occasionally getting decent voice actors it’s just did things like “let go of the space craft whilst in space”, the right time you press up, down, – this causes you to lose health and annoying. I’ve sat through all of the the robotically controlled drone was perfectly well be- left or right. Sometimes you need the only way to regain it is these cutscenes so far (though they are haved. Unfortunately no one has invented solar panels to press multiple buttons at once, powerups. The powerup system skippable), and whilst the master is yet, and since transmitting all its scientific data back sometimes you need to press and simply hasn’t been thought through reasonable all of the other characters to earth, the on board batteries have now died. The hold, and pressing space at any properly, and really needs a complete grate a bit. It really lets the cutscenes remains of RoboUglyDuck are the first chunk of what point will activate your chi (I still overhaul to make it usable. down – whilst the art is beautiful promises to be an exciting blanket of Kessler Syndrome haven’t worked out what this does, After forming my opinion on the and fits perfectly, the story is fun space junk that will no doubt soon envelop the planet. other than changing the background game in general (and struggling to and stupid, but then you get this colour). get through the first few missions really bad voice acting that breaks The “innovative” part of the game because of the design flaws), I got a the best bit of the game. I would comes from the way that the four chance to try this with an Xbox 360 have preferred that they just skipped buttons are presented – as individual controller. Throughout the game, voicing it altogether, if this was the enemies circling you, readying for there are not-so-subtle hints that you best they could do. an attack. They’re even helpfully can use a controller instead of the Going back to the story, I love the colour-coded as to what they’re going keyboard to play, so I figured it was ridiculousness of it. It’s a game where to do! This is a pretty cool idea, in worth a try. you beat up guys using kung fu to theory, but combined with the full And oh my god it is so much better. music, a realistic storyline would 3D environments and characters it Suddenly, my scores shot up. Instead have been worse. Little things are still causes the fatal flaw of this game. of struggling to survive each mission, a nuisance (why is all the music in There’s just too much on the screen I’m now working on getting that 5th the world stored in one place? Why at any given moment. Even with star, the information just becomes is a renowned martial artist teaching the colour coding, it’s difficult to see so much easier to sort through and a completely new technique based the important information because the game feels more responsive. The "Overall, in America?), but overall the story the game is just throwing too much fact is, Kickbeat: Steam Edition is so far gets a thumbs up from me – Photo: Kerbal Space Program, Matthew Allinson at you to be able to sift through just not playable without a controller Kickbeat is especially with the little lines here everything for what you need. Which – which as I’m sure you’ll agree is a game that and there that mean that you just Buoyed by the success of RoboUglyDuck and pan- leads me to believe that actually, pretty stupid. can’t help but laugh (“Did they take icked by the fact we were about to run out of money, chi doesn’t do anything other than However, using a controller brings had a lot of all the songs? Even... Justin Beiber?”). the KSC decided to shoot for the moon. We loaded what changing the background. It certainly a few new problems into the mix. The potential. Overall, Kickbeat is a game that we thought would be enough fuel onto UglyDuck VI takes away a lot of the noise, and screen no longer seems as busy, yes, had a lot of potential. Unfortunately, and put rookie pilot Doodlorf Kerman at the helm and Sadly, the blasted off. The plan had been to go for a free-return makes the game far easier to play! but picking up powerups becomes execution the execution leaves a lot to be sling round the moon without landing on it. We hoped In addition to this, the powerup even harder. And remember those desired. It could have been great but, this would get enough science and reputation to keep mechanic is nearly unusable. enemies that come simultaneously? leaves a sadly, it falls short. our funding up for the time being. Occasionally, enemies will appear Good luck with those on a controller lot to be If you think you want to give it a UNFORTUNATELY this wasn’t to be the case. The with powerups over their head – you’re going to need multiple desired." try anyway, Kickbeat: Steam Edition engineering team are investigating what happened (which is pretty cool). In order to pick fingers on a set of buttons that have is available for £6.99 from Steam. as we speak, however it seems that the rocket was put together asymmetrically: causing it to wobble like hell all the way out of the atmosphere. This wasted so much fuel that we didn’t have enough to make it around the moon. Doodlorf was able to carry out all the scientific experiments to great success, and even managed to do an EVA without letting go of the craft. UglyDuck VI touched down, with Doodlorf a true Kerbal Hero. Unfortunately we lost so much money on that mission that we couldn’t afford a ticker-tape parade.
Photo: Kerbal Space Program, Matthew Allinson Dancing her way to the top, and looking incredibly sassy while doing it!Photo: Creative Commons FELIX THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON 05.12.2014 19 Games [email protected] Games Editor Max Eggl & Calum Skene The Observable Universe on your Desk James Dutton doing a PSA for all you star gazers out there
ave you ever wondered if there is a program that Hcan simulate the whole observable universe (and even beyond)? Well, step forward Space Engine. It has been in the works since 2005 and is the beautiful and complex brainchild of Russian astronomer and programmer Vladimir Romanyuk. The concept of the software is that you can go to wherever you want in space and explore planets, moons, stars, nebulae, other galaxies and more without the need for the most expensive astronomical imaging equipment. All observed astronomical objects are implemented; even the most recently discovered distant stars and exoplanets. But it doesn’t stop there. Instead of an invisible wall ultimately set by the limitations of our current technology, it randomly generates objects meaning that there are literally billions of galaxies to be explored; each containing trillions of star systems and thus even more planets and moons. However, Space Engine isn’t just Photo: Space Engine, Jamie Dutton about objects just whizzing about "It is just in space. You can travel at any over to it in seconds and explore despite looking through hundreds of Imperial students!). It is in beta speed through space and time. This fascinating its planets. It tells you whether planets so far I have not found two stage right now and is thus free to means, for example, you can watch to potter these planets harbour life – from "This that look the same. Most planets are download from en.spaceengine.org. the sunrise (or lack thereof) at any around simple floaters on gas giants to (Space gas giants of course, but even they If you enjoy it and want to help it point on any planet. Each body complex multicellular beings on come in different colours and in has its own in-game wiki telling these some unlikely candidate hosts. You Engine) different sizes. I’ve seen Earth-like carry on there is a link to donate. you almost everything you need unique can then go and see what the planet was very bodies with beautiful pink clouds, If you’re computer has a semi- about it. Using this data it can worlds and looks like on the surface. Some are useful to some with many, many moons decent graphics card (or failing that then simulate whether the planet deserts, some are ocean planets and me in my and even a moon harbouring life it is possible to install on university (or moon) is suitable for life, be it see what some are rocky and very earth-like. with a Saturn-like ring system (see computers… I checked), download organic or some unknown exotic life could It is just fascinating to potter around masters picture). Even though the absolute Space Engine now and lose yourself variety. This is the most enjoyable be like these unique environments and see project this majority of these systems are just in the universe which we call home. aspect of the software for me; you elsewhere." what life could be like elsewhere. year." randomly generated simulations, can click on any star in the sky, fly On the subject of uniqueness, there is something very satisfying about just browsing star systems and finding your own relic of a planet Steam Greenlight – something someone hasn’t found before. of the week This is just the tip of the iceberg of the capabilities of Space Engine. MAXIMILIAN EGGL Being free to move in time means GAMES EDITOR one can observe the configuration of star systems at any point. This Flying is one of the things that is fortuitously very useful to me in is absolutely amazing, but is rarely my masters project this year. Whilst successfully realized in games. observing the magnetic field around However, in Air Brawl we have Saturn, it has proved very useful to what looks like a good attempt. This multiplayer title has a heave know where its moons are relative focus on dogfighting on tight, to the Cassini probe which is doing mazey maps. It definitely looks the measuring. This software allows interesting and currently you can me to type in the desired time and vote for this game on Greenlight. it will instantly depict what the universe looked like at that point to the nearest hundredth of a second. I would go as far to say that Space Engine is probably the best piece of software that you’ve probably not heard of. Although technically not a game, I still think that this would Yep, you can also go down to planets' surfaces and feast upon the beauty!! Photo: Space Engine, Jamie Dutton appeal to most people (especially friday 5 December
Friday 5 December 20:00 - 02:00 Metric and FiveSixEight
Free before 20:00 £1.50 if you sign up to the Facebook event (must be in by 22:30) £2.50 on the door
100% Student DJs on the night house // bass // dnb // and more
Reynolds Bar
imperialcollegeunion.org/whats-on Union Page
Islamic Society raise a massive £83,401.70 during Charity Week!
This year the week was held between the 2 and 9 November. The creativity seen in this year’s fundraising efforts was unparalleled; the week was jam packed with numerous exciting events including an exhilarating inter-society quiz, (Battle Of The Societies), a huge girls only pampering and fashion day (Smoky Not Smudgy), an inter-uni football competition, sponsored treks up Mount Snowdon, black-tie dinner and many more! This was coupled with daily cupcake and donut stalls across campus and tube station, street and door-to- door bucket collections.
Alex Savell, Deputy President (Finance & Services), said: “We are incredibly proud of all the achievements our many clubs and societies Last month Imperial saw the return of Charity Week, an annual campaign make, but Islamic Society have really done something incredible this organised by the Islamic Society with the aim of raising as much money as year. Sitting in our office, we’ve seen how diligently and enthusiastically possible for orphans and needy children worldwide. This year’s Charity Week they’ve been working towards this and I’m personally extremely happy saw the Islamic Society raise a whopping amount of over £83,000, raising more money than both UCL and Kings. Imperial has nearly half the number of for them that it’s paid off in such a spectacular way. It’s brilliant that a students that either institution has, so this was a tremendous effort by all those society here are raising and giving such a large sum to such a good cause who participated and donated. Charity Week is a national campaign facilitated and I hope student organisations at Imperial College Union and all other by one of the UK’s leading charities – Islamic Relief – one of 14 charities that institutions continue to do such good deeds”. The Union would like to make up the UK’s Disaster Emergency Committee. congratulate the Islamic Society on this great achievement.
Applications now open! Free STI Clinic - Tuesday 9 December
Free STI testing at Imperial College Union, provided by the Terrence Higgins Trust and Earls Court Health & Wellbeing Centre
Gonorrhoea, chlamydia and HIV tests will be available, as well as contraception and sexual health advice.
Appointments are free but availability is limited. The Venture Catalyst Challenge is an intensive 6 week science and technology pre-accelerator. It is designed to prove the commercial viability of a course Please email [email protected] to request a slot, including your project, idea or venture you are developing. preferred time. With over 200 mentors, more than 25 service providers and corporate partners and a network of accelerators, investors and other funders, the Venture Catalyst Challenge brings together Imperial College’s manifold resources to A Better Experience for Taught take you a step further. Postgraduates We are looking for ideas that have the potential to really have an impact on the world. We match you with top innovators and mentors with specific expertise We have published our Response to the 2014 Postgraduate Taught Experience to work one-to-one with you to move you forward as fast as possible. At the Survey - making recommendations on how College and the Union can better end we award a substantial cash prize and give you the chance to present your serve our 3500 taught postgraduate members. idea to a room of investors, change-makers and more. The PTES is a national survey that takes place every two years, measuring Open to PostDoctorates, Postgraduates, Alumni and Undergraduates! the satisfaction of taught postgraduates - students on MSc, MBA and MPH courses at Imperial College London. Imperial College Union, as the voice of Come along to the info session on 5 December to hear from past participants Imperial Postgraduates, has generated our Response to the survey results, and learn about what you need in order to enter. including 15 specific recommendations.
For more information on the challenge visit: vcclaunch.splashthat.com Read the full response at imperialcollegeunion.org/responses.
imperialcollegeunion.org 22 05.12.2014 THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON FELIX Television [email protected] Television Editors Guila Gabrielli & John Park Revision 101: a short television guide to 20 minute breaks
Giulia Gabrielli gives us a selection of the best shows for unwinding
re you troubled by revision sufficiently entertaining to become time? Do you find yourself addictive. This is a subtle distinction Asweating over notes and that excludes all spy shows (luckily books, asking yourself who invented rarely twenty minutes long anyway) pre-Christmas exams? Well, we’re all and love plots like How I Met Your in the same boat. Mother. Friends is another no-no. We The revision period can be an may have all watched it hundreds of intense time, when it seems like times, but there is nothing stopping everything in the world revolves us from going through the whole Photo: NBC around your subject. Bottom line, thing once more just for the 1990s it does. But it can be useful to allow nostalgia. uncomfortable humour is what rocks comedy-drama Faking It is probably yourself a responsible break after a These criteria may seem quite your boat. the strongest show on the channel couple of hours’ intense studying. selective, but actually there are A to Z is a traditional romantic (which admittedly is not saying Television can be a useful distraction. several shows that fit the bill. comedy, created thinking that much). The series follows the lives There are, however, a couple of Evergreens like 30 Rock, Parks and we hadn’t seen enough of Cristin of best friends Amy and Karma dos and don’ts to bear in mind, and Recreation and Community are happy, Milioti since the end of How I Met who, in a school too Glee-like for several rookie mistakes to avoid. idle shows, basically created exactly "The Your Mother. Despite this being words, fake being lesbians to attract The ideal TV-break is around for this purpose. New releases are profoundly untrue (we did, after all, attention. This premise may repulse twenty minutes long. Handily, good alternatives, in particular the revision spend ten years of our lives hearing some of you, but the way in which the several TV series follow this format. shows Black-ish, starring Laurence period stories about her), this is a sweet homosexuality theme is touched by Specifications, however, don’t end at Fishburne, and A to Z. can be an and lovable show with one great the show is surprisingly refreshing. length. The first is a new family sitcom. intense advantage. The main characters get Finally, all these considerations It is important to choose something The Johnson family, however, is not together at the beginning of Episode are useless without the appropriate light-hearted, which won’t leave you the typical American TV family. No time, when 1. The programme from then on is degree of self-control. If you find it pondering about the meaning of sugary tough love, pets and candy it seems like supposed to be a recollection of their hard to say stop, don’t press play, go life. This excludes shows like Modern in this show. Dre Johnson (Anthony everything relationship. With no will-they- "For idle for a walk. In these occasions even Family which, despite the humour, Anderson), the father, is a self-made won’t-they chemistry, this is a series adverts can become slightly addictive. may tempt you into calling your Afro-American man who’s arrived. in the world that won’t keep you waiting to long watching, Watching the John Lewis penguins mother for a three hour conversation As a result his children, grown up revolves for answers, but that will still make MTV always play around for the fiftieth time may about your crushed soul and dreams. in a privileged neighbourhood, are around your you smile. offers seem more stimulating than revising Most important of all, the show “too white” for his tastes. This is pure subject." For idle watching, MTV always something." the Krebs cycle, but it won’t be on the must prove entertaining, yet not satire, and definitely worth a watch if offers something. Lately the teenage exam. The thinking woman’s crumpet
Forget Brian Cox and David Attenborough. Forget science French intellectual while hobnobbing in New York’s best documentaries about space and animals, for a little while jazz clubs. And we envy him for it. at least. There’s a new generation of TV presenters giving us Sacred Rivers with Simon Reeve shows us another journey, insights into big cities, old jazz clubs and sacred rivers and one that is more adventurous and spiritual than Fox’s. we are deinitely digging it. The show is a discovery of different parts of the world and Dr James Fox, art historian and Cambridge Fellow, takes us their essential connection to sacred rivers. The Yangtze, through three of the cities that marked our popular culture. the Ganges and the Nile are some of the longest and In the documentary Bright Lights, Brilliant Minds, Fox travels largest rivers in the world, and to the people who live along from 1908’s Vienna to 1928’s Paris and a little further to 1951’s their path they are a source of food, water, religion and New York. community. Through a heterogeneous mix of interviews, original clips Along with the show, Simon Reeve is a revelation. and walks through the places that inspired the greatest Entertaining, sharp and always ready to get his hands dirty, thinkers of the 20th century, Dr Fox illustrates some of the he is a true modern day adventurer. Unlike many of his events that shaped the way we think. Greenwich Village predecessors, his attitude to local costumes is one of awe and and the Beat Poets’ apartments, surrealist cinemas in the excitement and not of patronising judgement. Quartier Latin and Sigmund Freud's ofice are all connected Whether it’s jumping the Nile or swimming across the through a thread that, once explained, appears almost Yangtze, Reeve is always ready for a laugh. This documentary enlightened. is so good, it is impossible not to fall in love with some of Fox’s commentary is entertaining and charming. In a these places. But more importantly, it is impossible not to slightly awkward, adorable manner, he paints the lives of fall in love with the presenter. Magritte, Klimt, Cole Porter and Kerouac. He is essentially Photos: BBC being paid to go on the trip of a lifetime, living the life of a GIULIA GABRIELLI
Term isn’t over ‘til th
Jazz & Free Bar Metric 20:00 Sat 20th December til the Big Band Swing
FELIX THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON 05.12.2014 27
[email protected] Film Editors Ellen Mathieson, John Park & Jack Steadman And the Oscar goes to...
Photo: chrisreedfilm.com
t’s December, which means only one Best Leading Actor Best Leading Actress Best Supporting Actor Best Supporting Actress thing. The Oscar Race has officially A lot of worthy names fighting out Julianne Moore (Still Alice) can most J. K. Simmons (Whiplash) should Hot off her New York Film Critics’ Ibegun. The New York Film Critics for the Oscar with no clear winner set certainly expect nominations to start be in for a very clean sweep of every Best Supporting Actress win, it is full Circle has announced their winners, as of yet but the States should brace flooding in, given her wonderfully single Best Supporting Actor award steam ahead for Patricia Arquette the Gotham Awards have given out themselves for a healthy amount measured, masterful performance as there is out there, for his ferocious (Boyhood) in her quest to win her their trophies to the independent films of British invasion, withactors a linguistic professor with early-onset turn as a ruthless jazz band conductor first Oscar. She has had success on worthy of recognition, the National Benedict Cumberbatch (The Alzheimer’s disease. It is about time who will stop at nothing to achieve television, and is now displaying her Board of Review have also announced, Imitation Game), Eddie Redmayne for Moore to score some awards, the absolute best from his students. talent returning to the big screen. the Los Angeles Critics will soon (The Theory of Everything), Cannes given years of injustices of missing Edward Norton (Birdman) is the Keira Knightley (The Imitation follow, building up the excitement winner Timothy Spall (Mr Turner), out on wins and nominations, and most likely candidate running Game) has won rave reviews for her surrounding some of this year’s best and David Oyelowo (Selma) in hot she may as well start polishing up for distant second, veteran actors warm, tender performance opposite films. contention for their performances. on her acceptance speeches. Reese Robert Duvall (The Judge), Tom Cumberbatch. A part of what made Even in the months ahead of such They all played real-life heroes, (Alan Witherspoon (Wild) for a while was Wilkinson (Selma) and Christoph Wild special was the presence of events, pundits, critics and fans alike Turing, Stephen Hawking, J. M. W. the frontrunner, displaying a strong, Waltz (Big Eyes) are all gunning for Laura Dern providing excellent love to speculate over who will be the Turner, and Martin Luther King Jr., moving performance in a film that is spots, (this would mark Waltz’s third support for Witherspoon as the big winner come Oscar night. It is respectively) which will work hugely very well-reviewed, Amy Adams (Big time in the category) and Duvall in character’s mother, and everyone still without doubt the biggest night in their favour, but the main focus at Eyes) practically scores a deserving particular seems to be likely to get seems to have picked up on this, in Hollywood, celebrated at the very the moment is on Michael Keaton, nomination in whatever serious in on the race, given his success with given the buzz surrounding her end of the long awards calendar. who has put on a performance of a role she plays, and there is talk of the Hollywood Film Awards earlier contribution to the film. It wouldn’t Celebrating films of this year, the lifetime in Birdman. Would you also Brit newcomer Felicity Jones (The this year. It has been awhile since the be Oscar season without the mention Academy Awards will be held on 22nd believe that Steve Carell (Foxcatcher) Theory of Everything) also joining the underrated Ethan Hawke (Boyhood) of Meryl Streep’s (Into the Woods) February 2015, hosted by Neil Patrick could cause a serious upset at Keaton’s mix. Hilary Swank (The Homesman) has scored a nomination, but his name, and her latest musical Harris. Already the buzz is strong on chances? Others who should not be may be a serious contender to the strong supporting turn in what many effort might help her score her 19th certain films and performers, and this overlooked but have a high chance remaining space in her feminist argue as this 2014’s best film, gives nomination. That’s right. 19th. Emma week Felix Film looks at the hotly of getting unjustly ignored are Western. Critics may be divided over him a big boost into the possibility of Stone (Birdman) could be looking anticipated contenders whose names performers whose films have not been the quality of Gone Girl, but they are a nomination. Another cast member at a first-ever nomination in a film and performances you should watch seen widely. Chadwick Boseman (Get unanimous in praising Rosamund of Foxcatcher receiving attention for loved by pretty much everyone, and out for in the coming months. And On Up) is a revelation as James Brown, Pike’s frighteningly unforgettable this performance is Mark Ruffalo, if anyone was looking for an acting let the long, intense, competitive race and Jake Gyllenhaal (Nightcrawler) is performance. Is there space for Essie who might just get squeezed out given nomination with Interstellar, Jessica begin. brilliantly mad. Davis (The Babadook)? Possibly not. how much competition there is. Chastain could be the one. 28 05.12.2014 THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON FELIX
[email protected] Film Editors Ellen Mathieson, John Park & Jack Steadman “Discover how little you know”
JOHN PARK so much conviction that it is easy SECTION EDITOR to believe people like this can exist. Garner’s is a piece of work, restricting her daughter in the interest of mostly her selfish well-being. She is the kind MEN WOMEN & of mother who will make you feel CHILDREN better about yours. She takes the Director: Jason Reitman prize on delivering the most “WTF” Screenplay: Jason Reitman, moments in a film that she will make Erin Cressida Wilson, Chad you want to throw things at her. And Kultgen (novel) there are simply no words to describe Cast: Adam Sandler, Rosemarie what she gets up to towards the end of DeWitt, Jennifer Garner, Judy the film. Sandler and DeWitt make Greer, Dean Norris, Ansel their sexless marriage that is devoid Elgort, Emma Thompson of any inkling of passion work, and rounding off the adult cast, Greer and Norris too have their more dramatic burst to completely own. There are plenty of laughs to be had, although very few of them are actually as technology made us more due to a funny, happy event occurring. violent? More promiscuous? No, these are uncomfortable, nervous HIs it easier to cheat with a laughs of utter shock and disbelief, little help from the internet? How Photo: variety.com which can be the best kind of laughs, dangerous are online games? Is it okay when used correctly. There are so for a mother to essentially spy on her scope is too narrow, and each plot whilst her husband, who may as well in his/her life, we move on to the many embarrassing things that go daughter? Is romance dead because of strand is a quick, simplistic view of not have been written into the film next, and another one after that. We wrong in these people’s lives, that the technology? Does social media reveal a soapy storyline with some flashy since his role is so miniscule, stands see their problems clearly, we see the automatic reaction in the screening too much about us? With a boom in effects thrown in. Just reading the by and watches. Seriously. Tim (Ansel influence of technology, but as the cinema was laughter. the use of texts, Facebook, Twitter, character list above should give you Elgort) finds out his mother, who film begins to develop into a more More impressive however are the and all sorts of other platforms, it is a clear idea as to how the film is not abandoned her family to go live with dramatic one, steering away from younger members of the cast. Elgort, a everyone who has been affected in offering anything new for us. her boyfriend, is now engaged. He the lighter mood, it slowly becomes rising star hot off his success with the some ways, by the advancement of Yes, the internet makes it easier finds this out through his Facebook something incredibly familiar. The Divergent franchise and The Fault in technology. Men, women, children, for Don (Adam Sandler) to look for newsfeed. His interest in football has fights and tears all happen at the exact Our Stars, is excellent, he’s a very good regardless your gender and age, Jason an escort, giving the anatomical hit rock bottom, despite him being moments you would expect them too, crier too, as the depressed high school Reitman’s newest feature is one that specifics to be his near-perfect mating a talented player, and all he cares and there is little surprising about student finding his way back into the looks at how living in the modern partner. His wife Helen (Rosemarie about now is Guild of War, and his the outcomes and how the individual world. He has a very glib outlook on world keeping up with the same DeWitt) uses a dating website that father Kent (Dean Norris), who had strand wraps up. life, as anyone in his position would, struggles as before looks like. encourages married couples to cheat. big dreams for him as a football star, Despite the predictable setting, there but he eventually starts connecting So yes, we get the insecure teenage There she meets “Secretluvur” (Dennis is of course disappointed. Hannah is a reason this film works. It is mainly with Brandy. Her role here is girl who has weight issues wanting to Haysbert), with whom she can try (Olivia Crocicchia) takes risqué photos, thanks to the humour that serves as surprisingly under-written, although attract the attention of a boy whose some cringe-worthy, awkward dirty uploading them online for her website the film’s major saving grace. To start the actress playing the part, Dever, has mind is only on one thing. We have talking. Their son Chris’ (Travis which her “clients” thank her for. The off with, having Emma Thompson great chemistry with her scene partner. an adorkable ex-high school football Tope) internet search history is quite one taking her pictures? Her mother intermittently narrate the events The psyche behind an oppressed child, star from a broken home who is something, with certainly a hint of Donna (Judy Greer). Yes. She believes of the film was such a genius move why she acts out as strangely as she addicted to online gaming. A young fetish for domination. Allison (Elena these photos of her scantily-clad that you wish there was more of it. does, is never fully addressed, and we girl whose smothering (“can’t Kampouris) refuses to eat, and she daughter are to help with her future Thompson has that very dry but witty are supposed to simply accept that if spell mother without it”) mother, who has an army of fanatics trying to be ambition of becoming a star. Who delivery of some shocking narration, you have a controlling mother, it is might as well call herself the National as thin as possible giving her some is the nuttier one out of Garner and all said in a tone that does not seem to only natural for a daughter to be as Security Agency, is watching her every questionable advice. Patricia (Jennifer Greer? You decide. bother her one bit. quirky as this. Crocicchia is convincing move. A young girl who yearns to be Garner), so worried that her daughter Establishing the concept of what Reitman has an impeccable cast playing the exact same role Mena a great big star in L.A. An unhappy Brandy (Kaitlyn Dever) is growing up, this film is all about is done in a at his disposal. Despite some actions Suvari did in American Beauty, and, married couple who look elsewhere does a weekly sweep of everything. very effective manner. As we see one that may seem very, very unlikely, Kampouris, looking painfully thin, is to find some much-needed pleasure. This includes Facebook, phone, etc character use some sort of technology the actors in the roles play them with at times heart-breaking to watch, with And why not throw in their 15-year- her desperation and idealistic view on old son, whose unhealthy obsession love getting her into trouble. with pornography is starting to affect It’s ultimately a formulaic picture, his sex life, when it comes to actually but one that is not short on laughs. having to perform. All the strands finish exactly the way There is of course an element of you would expect them to, and no technology thrown into all the plot- character is immune from having strands at one point or another. The either a soapy meltdown or revelation. film cleverly utilises pop-ups of texts/ What the film wants to say about tweets/posts/messages and everything the influence of technology is, very else as a way of communication. limited and it fails to fully explore this What the characters in the film send frankly overcrowded ensemble. As off to one another, we get to see. The with most things with Jason Reitman’s audience is doing a spying of our name on it, it looks at a serious subject own too. And the focus is undeniably matter and decides to have some limited. For a film that wants to fun with it along the way; and fun is look at how social media is affecting/ what Men Women & Children has an interfering/enhancing our lives, the Photo: diversions.co.nz Photo: whatson.bfi.org.uk abundance of. FELIX THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON 05.12.2014 29
[email protected] Film Editors Ellen Mathieson, John Park & Jack Steadman When the Saints Go Marching In
JOHN PARK this, desperate single mother Maggie his undying love for his wife helps as heart-warming as possible, and SECTION EDITOR (Melissa McCarthy), who is far too him persevere. He also bonds with succeeds on some levels, but it never busy at her work making a living for Oliver. Oliver is the awkward new kid quite gets across the huge crowd- herself and her son Oliver (Jaeden at school with bullies targeting him. pleasing affair it wants to. Lieberher), recruits Vincent’s help… Vincent gives these means boys a The one reason the film manages ST. VINCENT for an hourly babysitter’s fee of proper telling-off. Oliver and the main to get by is thanks to the wonderful Director: Theodore Meli course. bully becomes best mates in the end. performances. Murray, back in a lead Screenplay: Theodore Meli Vincent’s life continues relatively A contrived plot device that makes comedy role after years of being away, Cast: Bill Murray, Melissa normally despite having a kid to look little sense. Vincent is also a retired is perfect for the role. Grumpy enough McCarthy, Naomi Watts, Chris after in his everyday routine. The army veteran, a fun fact that only to pass as a man with lots of issues, O’Dowd, Terrence Howard, two of them hit the racing tracks, his comes up whenever the film needs it sadness and frustration, but with Jaeden Lieberher favourite bar, and Oliver even runs to. It is never used to shape Vincent’s enough soft side showing through to into Vincent’s sort-of girlfriend who character as a whole. be an ultimately likeable individual. works as a stripper/prostitute, Daka The trouble with St. Vincent is that It is a shame the script never does (Naomi Watts). Daka is Russian and it is all so painfully obvious to see him justice. Given that he is at the pregnant, which obviously means she how everything will pan out. Making centre of the film, it is surprising to is here merely for comedic purposes. matters worse in the plot overall, see how little is actually looked at hat happens when you Watts makes the most out of her is that Oliver has been assigned properly with him. Murray’s scenes of put together a grumpy limited, and ultimately pointless role, homework to research into the life interaction with the young Lieberher Wold man and the next her scenes could honestly have all of someone who he considers to be are the real highlight, with the two Photo: shockya.com door neighbour’s slightly, odd but been edited out and no huge impact a Saint. Given the title of the film, actors playing off each other’s talent intelligent child? The grumpy man would be made, and the only thing her guess who he is going to choose for his with excellent chemistry. There is a who everyone hates at the beginning character contributes is some mild project. bond that is established between the of the film does something remarkable comic relief due to Daka’s failure to In all fairness, predictability matters two, which is why the final scene is for the kid, and we discover that grasp the civilised American culture very little, as long as the actual content not a complete and utter disaster. actually, the moody old man is a because, you know, she is Russian in of the bonding process between the Another strong performance comes real softie at heart. An episode of US a Hollywood production after all. It two protagonists does not feel too from Melissa McCarthy. After a string sitcom Modern Family finds a young is rare to see Watts in a role like this, contrived or manipulative but the of roles that involved the actress child bonding with the next door a comedic one, and perhaps this is episodic, scattershot portrayal we essentially swearing and shouting as neighbour, a retired fireman. The something she does have a knack for, see here is too superficial to be taken much as she could for laughs, here mother is concerned. But he lists Gran but in such a thinly written role it is seriously. Vincent, in the end, is we have a more intelligent character Torino, True Grit and Up as examples easy to overlook her contribution to supposed to have had a huge impact played by a very accomplished actress. of how things worked out in the end. the overall narrative. on Oliver’s life. And for that Oliver Here is to hoping more roles like this St. Vincent essentially follows the exact But then we discover things about and Maggie are rightly grateful. But for McCarthy. same formula. We are introduced to Vincent that actually portray him just how on earth Vincent manages Ultimately it is a film let down by Vincent (Bill Murray), a loner of a man in a completely different light. He this is never quite clearly explored. a sloppy script that never bothers to who drinks too much, then drives, and regularly visits his wife suffering from This is why the grand finale in which do anything decent with potentially spends too much and is generally the Alzheimer’s and insists on doing all Vincent is honoured to being Oliver’s interesting characters played by big last person you would want looking the laundry for her. She of course Saint, is never quite as moving as it names. It is pleasant enough, but could after your child. Not knowing any of does not remember him one bit, but should be. The film tries to make it have been much more. Photo: spyce.co.ke The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
JOHN PARK captured by Bening, but what SECTION EDITOR blossoms between Nikki and Tom is so preposterous and farcical that it is difficult to take any aspect of this seriously. THE FACE OF LOVE Tom is essentially cast aside as a Director: Theodore Meli redundant character, and the more Screenplay: Theodore Meli the film tries to make the romance Cast: Annette Bening, Ed between the two work, the more Harris, Jess Weixler, Robin unbearable it becomes. It could have Williams been a sweet premise, but with such poorly defined characters confessing their love for one another at the most random moments, even the coupling of Bening and Harris cannot sell it. Photo: popmatters.com It gets more interesting when Nikki’s daughter gets involved, but he premise is a ridiculous amazement when she accidentally lunatic of course, completely breaking husband. As her character progresses, even this does not last long enough. one, but it could have worked. runs into Tom Young (Ed Harris), down and sobbing in front of the we get hints of how mentally unstable The late Robin Williams is in a TA struggling widow meets a an arts professor, five years after professor upon their first meeting, Nikki may be: constantly referring thankless role as the friend-zoned man who looks exactly like her late the death of her husband Garret and yet a romantic plot strand is to Tom as Garret, and wanting to neighbour of Nikki, a fellow widower. husband. The husband’s role and (Ed Harris again) in Mexico. She forced upon them, and so onto the recapture the moments she once And the less that is said about the the new man’s role are played by is hesitant at first, but eventually audience too. shared with her husband. These acts horrendous ending, that brings the same actor, so we understand decides to pursue a relationship with Bening is without doubt at her best of desperation are sad to watch of together Nikki and Tom’s ex-wife Nikki’s (Annette Bening) shock and him. She comes across as a complete when she is mourning for her dead course, especially when so movingly Ann (Amy Brenneman), the better. 30 05.12.2014 THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON FELIX Arts [email protected] Arts Editor Fred Fyles & Kamil McClelland Editorial: The Revealing the Reality of Campus Rape Debate Issue
FRED FYLES Indira Mallik looks at Emma Sulkowicz’s Carry That Weight KAMIL MCCLELLAND SECTION EDITORS omething of a small revolution is taking place at Columbia If war is the engine-driver of SUniversity. Each day, Emma history, then surely art is the Sulkowicz, a 21 year old 3rd year same for debate. What else can student can be seen carrying her 23 promote discussion, outrage, and kg mattress around campus. It’s not intrigue like art can? From the that she’s found a drastic solution long-running controversy stirred to tiredness at lectures; but rather a up by the annual Turner Prize, to powerful performance art piece. Carry the innumerable think-pieces, That Weight is Sulkowicz’s final year springing up like mushrooms thesis in which she vows to carry the after a rainstorm, every time Tate mattress on which she was assaulted purchases are particularly risible until the man she says raped her is work. removed from campus. In this issue of Felix Arts we are The piece itself, even removed looking at how art and artists can from her story, is powerful. It brings stimulate debate, adding fuel to to mind Tracey Emin’s My Bed, now the ire of popular opinion. We being exhibited at the Tate Modern. start off with Emma Sulkowicz, a The two pieces, quite aside from the 21 year old artist who is carrying obvious superficial similarities share her mattress around Columbia a confessional element; Emin’s piece campus until her rapist is expelled. was designed to open up dialogue Indira Mallik looks at this powerful about mental illness and preserved protest, and links it back to other the artist’s bed as she had left it after pieces of performance art that suffering from a nervous breakdown; double as protest. Carry That Weight aims to throw light We then move on to have a look at on rape and sexual assault across the Tate Modern’s latest exhibition, college campuses. Sulkowicz’s gesture Time, Conflict, and Photography, in is especially powerful as so often which the lasting legacy of war victims of sexual violence remain is explored through the work silent because they are afraid of the of photographers. They use the stigma they face in talking about camera to excavate the past, and their experience. “In my case, I was Emma Sulkowicz is carrying her mattress around Columbia University in protest Photo: Andrew Burton look at the effects that warfare can raped in my own bed’, Sulkowicz told have today; it is seriously powerful Democracy Now host Amy Goodman. helps her to carry it from class to mattress around, her alleged rapist stuff, compounded by a seriously “[My rape] desecrated one of the most class. still remains enrolled at Columbia. smart curatorial twist that sees us intimate and private places of my On 29th October, No Red Tape, Following the October protest, moving away from the moment of life and the way that I’ve brought my Carry That Weight, and Student- students at Columbia were charged the event. story from a place that I keep secret Worker Solidarity organised an $471 for ‘clean-up’. But not all debate needs to be out into the public eye sort of mirrors international day of protest. The In America, it is estimated 1 in about misery; Guy Bourdin, carrying the mattress out into the protest saw students across 130 5 women are assaulted in college, the fashion photographer who light for everyone.” campuses – from Stanford University and the picture doesn’t look much revolutionised the industry, created Women who have been raped often to Central European University better on this side of the pond; In a vast amount of debate with his say that they feel branded as a victim in Budapest – carry mattresses in 2010, a study by the National Union bold, loud, sensuous depictions or, worse, a liar out to ruin a man’s support of Sulkowicz; demonstrators of Students found that one in seven of high fashion. Elizaveta life, when they speak out about their at Columbia University dumped women experienced a serious physical Tchebaniouk heads down to past. Sulkowicz is no exception. When 28 mattresses outside the home of or sexual assault during their time as Somerset House, where the most she revealed her story as part of her Columbia President Lee Bollinger, in a student. Speaking to The Telegraph extensive retrospective of his work thesis, she too faced stigma. Writing the hope of showing that ‘the ball was in May of this year, Sarah Pine, Vice is currently being held, to ind that for TIME she said “I’ve lost friends in his court’ to take up proceedings President for women at Oxford underneath the glamour and glitz, because some people just don’t against the student who alledgedly University Student Union, says that there is a dark, surreal heart. understand what it means to be raped. raped Sulkowicz and two other in the last year alone she’s heard Finally, we take a look at Her One friend asked me if I thought that women. just under 50 stories of rape from Naked Skin, a play about the my rapist would be expelled from Performance art and political female students whilst working for It suffragettes that ran this week school. I said, “I really hope so.” And movements have always been closely Happens Here, the student led Oxford at Guildhall School of Music & he said, “Poor guy”.” intertwined. The hacktivist group University organisation that aims to Drama; taking this as a starting She may have lost friends, but Anonymous wore Guy Fawkes raise awareness about sexual assaults point, we take a look at the history Sulkowicz has also gained a wide masks to protest police brutality in at university. of women writers in theatre. group of supporters. Part of her the killing of the killing of Michael Earlier this month, The White Despite centuries of progress, for performance is following a set of Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. In House launched It’s On Us a new women playwrights, the British ‘rules of engagement’ that include London in 2011, a performer lay campaign aiming to raise awareness theatre industry is still stuck in allowing herself to be helped in naked on the floor of the Tate "Performance of issues of sexual assault and rape. the dark age, passing over their carrying the mattress if someone "She vows Britain’s Great Hall splashed with oil, art and It is hoped that by bringing more scripts in favour of their male spontaneously takes it up with her to carry the emulating a bird caught in a oil spill political attention to the unsavoury reality contemporaries. (though she cannot ask for help) – a in protest against the Tate accepting movements of these crimes, whether through With this issue of Felix Arts, we deeply symbolic and literal gesture. mattress sponsorship from BP. government projects or the bravery want to achieve what all great Indeed Sulkowicz says that she has until her It is yet to be seen whether Carry hace always and eloquence of people such as works of art are able to do: stir up garnered so much support that rapist is That Weight will have a political been closely Emma Sulkowicz, that sexual assault controversy, provoke debate, and – she hardly ever needs to carry the removed" impact; almost three months after intertwined" can be eliminated from university perhaps most importantly – make mattress alone, someone invariably Sulkowicz started carrying her campuses. you think. FELIX THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON 05.12.2014 31 Arts [email protected] Arts Editor Fred Fyles & Kamil McClelland An Excavation of the Bloody Horrors of Warfare Fred Fyles explores brutal photographs of wars gone by at the Tate Modern
“There is an aggression implicit in conflict did not begin in 1914, and every use of the camera” certainly did not end with the Treaty - Susan Sontag of Versailles, despite the hopes of a continent in a post-war daze. ince the dawn of the camera, the Some of the works focuses on the photographer has returned to a most obvious aspect of conflict: Snumber of themes: the beauty the lasting legacy of ruination and of nature, the danger of the streets, destruction it leaves behind. In the glamour of the rich and famous. the months that followed WWI a And yet, there is one subject that number of guides to northern France has captured the photographer’s were published, allowing a crowd of attention like none other: Conflict. horror-tourists to satisfy their blood- From corpses piled high at Bergen- lust; continuing in such a vein, we Belsen, to the tattered remnants of are presented with a series of photos Palestinian homes, it seems that the surveying the destruction wrought spectacle of war has always struck upon Riems, whose cathedral became humanity as one worth observing. a symbol of French hope. Its nave is Just as light, filtered through a Leica’s blasted, its statues crumbling, and aperture, permeates a strip of film, yet the edifice still stands tall, not so to do these photographs strike our yet willing to become a victim of senses and imprint themselves on our war. In comparison, the damage left consciousness. by the bombing of Dresden, levelled But what of the aftermath? Does in a mere two days with a cost of time, that most potent of medicines, 25,000 lives, is harrowingly captured surely has the power to heal all in Richard Peter’s damning book wounds? The answers can be found in Dresden: A Camera Accuses, published the Tate Modern’s latest exhibition; in 1949. entitled Conflict, Time, Photography, Such images are not conceived as a it aims to explore the lasting legacy call to arms; they are not histrionic. of war. In an example of curatorial They do not scream their message brilliance, the Tate has arranged the from the rooftops, but instead softly photos, not in terms of subject, or deliver an inescapable message: that date, but by length of time post- war is an inconceivable horror, and Steel Helmet with Skull Bone Fused by Atomic Bomb, Nagasaki 1963 Photo: Shomei Tomatsu conflict. It does not resemble an art humanity has an endless capacity for gallery so much as an archeological evil. Nowhere is this more apparent exhumed from mass graves replacing nothing can compare to the work of dig; with each room we permeate that in the work of Shomei Tomatsu, pictures of those who were killed. In McCullin and Tomatsu, whose photos deeper and deeper into our collective whose stunning black and white such work it is the space that remains need no explanation; their impact is memories, tunnelling through the photographs of Nagasaki twenty unfilled that is examined; the empty immediately apparent. With their strata and unearthing bone-chilling years after the atomic blast form chair, the shoes left behind. grainy, black and white, seemingly bounties. the focus of the exhibition, both Diana Matar takes this theme and off-the-cuff style, these works come In the photos taken immediately physically and emotionally. applies it to the Libyan Civil War, in the closest to true photojournalism after conflict, what is most startling ‘Nakasaki’, Tomatsu explains, ‘Has her breathtaking series Evidence, in – indeed, McCullin is the only is not the horror of war, but rather two times; there is 11:02, August which she photographs sites of former journalist included in the show – and the stillness with which each photo 9th, 1945; and there is all the time human rights abuses. In each case the perhaps it would have been nice if is imbued. Luc Delahaye’s photo of since then. And we must not forget photograph is accompanied by a short the Tate had focussed more on such an ICD explosion in central Iraq is either of them’. This precise time is text describing that particular crime; artists. blanketed in a grey, muted silence; taken from a broken watch, whose we learn that these humble homes Near the end of the exhibition we we see the time before the dust has hands fused to the lens the moment were fired upon by invading forces, are shown work from Istory, a project settled, before the screams begin. of the blast; it looms out at us from that this billboard was put up in the from Syrian photographer Hrair Similarly, Don McCullin’s Shell- the print, its strap gone, its dial wake of a public double-hanging. The Sarkissian, in which he explored the shocked US Marine, Vietnam, has an chipped, like a vast, unblinking eye. most powerful photo of hers is also semi-public and private archives unsettling calm about it; the soldier Its function is no longer to tell us the smallest: a square photograph of that exist in Istanbul. With their stares out, his eyes bulging out of his the time, but instead to allow us to a calm sea, measuring about 15cm minimal lighting, the photos have head, through which no doubt the remember and reflect on the horrors across, into which the remains of an oppressive quality that reflects conflict that had been raging seconds of the bomb. But Tomatsu documents 1270 political prisoners were dumped the confidential nature of the before is now replaying. He does another time: the present. He looks after their bones had been ground files contained within these vast not notice McCullin. He does not at those who have grown up in the into a fine powder. Matar uses her collections. The stories have been notice the camera. He is blind to the shadow of the bomb, taking dramatic, camera as a tool for truth, uncovering shut away, consigned to the filing world, receptive only to his internal close-cropped, unforgiving photos of what many people have tried hard to cabinet of history, but Sarkissian torment. "Tomatsu's those who were injured, their keloid "A brutal leave behind. exposes them, even momentarily, to In terms of scope, the Tate has photographs scars spreading like vast spider-webs awakening A strange dichotomy exists within the light of day. And this is what the pulled out all the stops, exploring down their necks. the exhibition between the work Tate Modern achieves with Conflict, wars long gone and conflicts still of Nagasaki Elsewhere, the focus is on what is of the that is conceptual and that which Time, Photography: a shockingly raging. The message is clear; all war is form the missing, such as Emeric Lhuisset’s horrors of is – essentially – photojournalism. brutal awakening of the horrors of horrific, and it is all worth exploring. focus of the tribute to murdered Iraqi journalist war, and the In some works the line blurs, such as war, and the debilitating effect of In a year of overzealous politicians exhibition, Sardasht Osman, I Heard the First debilitating in the multiple series looking at the time going by. focussing on the centenary of WWI, Ring of my Death, or Taryn Simon’s brutalist defences left behind by the and an increasingly jingoistic attitude physically genealogical studies performed in the effect of Germans on the French coastline in Conflict, Time, Photography is on being taken towards how one should and wake of the Srebrenica Massacre, in time gone WWII, but they never come across at the Tate Modern until 15th March commemorate those who died, it emotionally" which family trees are reconstructed, by" as more than a poor man’s version of 2015. Tickets are £13.10 adults; £11.30 is refreshing to be reminded that with images of bones and teeth Bernd and Hilla Becher. Ultimately, Students 32 05.12.2014 THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON FELIX Arts [email protected] Arts Editor Fred Fyles & Kamil McClelland Guy Bourdin’s Glamour: Sinister, Surreal & Sexual Elizaveta Tchebaniouk is enchanted by the photographer’s dark inner visions
layouts and contact sheets are to be an artist beyond his being showcased in the exhibition, as well established as a fashion photographer. as polaroids of landscapes which The subjects and motifs which are Bourdin took and marked with black present in the paintings are paralleled tape to focus in on a particular area in some of Bourdin’s photographs, that interested him as a possible and these are displayed alongside. background. Similarly, it is worth Unlike the photographs, most of noticing that the photographs the painting which are exhibited are exhibited in quadruplets in the main unfinished, showing traces of reworks gallery are all slightly different sizes and alterations. Even the finished – Bourdin purposefully adjusted paintings are neither dated nor the widths and length when editing signed. to achieve the focus which was most Bourdin created the perfect dream- perfect for the subject and content of like atmosphere which captivates each specific photograph. the viewer with its strangeness. A Bourdin would also surprise his sense of the unexpected and the contemporaries by eagerly accepting artificial are central in Bourdin’s assignments of shoe and accessory photographs – in them, he engineered advertising campaigns, normally a surreal and dark world. The given to more inexperienced staged world is personal to the photographers due to their viewer – the mind of each fills in constraints. Bourdin, on the contrary, the story of the fantasy, and that is felt the tight boundaries of such perhaps how Bourdin’s photographs Charles Jourdan, Spring 1979 - an example of Bourdin's surreal and sexually sinister style narrow focus did the opposite – they subconsciously and indirectly create Photo: Guy Bourdin provided him with the space for desire, and sold the product. But there creative freedom, and the ability to is a deeper significance behind the omerset House unveiled the loosely related narrative. A girl lies experiment within the boundaries. advertisements; much like Bourdin’s UK’s largest ever exhibition face down on the floor, naked, while An example of such campaign is beloved film noirs, his photographs Sof Guy Bourdin’s work, which scarlet paint leaks from her mouth. shown in the exhibition in a room offer an unexpected escape from the spans the 40 year career of the French Another girl makes a phone call from solely dedicated to Bourdin’s familiarity of reality – one catches a photographer, and features not a booth, all the while in front of two photographs for a shoe advertisement glimpse, for a brief moment, of the only his most iconic photographs, pairs of legs which appear to be lying campaign, which were taken of two rich and strange world as Bourdin but also never before seen material limply on a sand-pile, with the torsos models in a hotel room, and clearly saw it. including Polaroid test shots, leaning out of view. Two models lie shows Bourdin’s mastery in creating double-page spread layouts, contact in a bed, a pile of sauerkraut and such novel diversity out of a simple Guy Bourdin: Image Maker is on at sheets, as well as Bourdin’s paintings, sausages before them; one girl eats a setting. Somerset House until 15th March 2015. poetry, Super-8 films, and sketches. sausage with one hand, while giving Another room of the exhibition Tickets are £9 adults; £7 concessions. In content and title – Guy Bourdin: the other girl a sausage with the displays something most surprising A talk with curator Alistair O’Neill, Imagine-Maker – the exhibition shows other. All these appear to be unlikely and unexpected of a conventional examining the lasting influence of Bourdin as not simply a fashion ad campaigns, and yet they were fashion photographer – his paintings, Bourdin, will be held on 11th December. photographer, but also an artist, and commissioned by high-end clients and thus Bourdin continues to prove Tickets available online. portrays his unique craftsmanship such as Vogue Paris, Pentax calendar, and perfectionist approach. Versace, and Charles Jourdan. The exhibition begins with Walking Bourdin’s sought after photographs Legs – a series of photographs were revolutionary in that they Bourdin took in August 1979 for gave glamour a surreal and sexually a Charles Jourdan advertising sinister hue, and that is why the campaign. His approach was most fantasy they depicted captivated and unconventional; the campaign was mesmerized their audience. shot in locations on a road trip from In another room are four screens London to Brighton which Bourdin which play segments of Bourdin’s had taken in his Cadillac, and unique Super-8 short films, featured no model apart from a pair accompanied by music. Suddenly, of mannequin legs cut off just below one is transported to an atmosphere the knee. Despite being simplistic of Wes Anderson-like dreamy due to the absence of the model, the melancholy the very opposite of the photographs nonetheless convey sinister and surreal one sensed in the a most elaborate type of dramatic previous gallery. Watching a French narrative which is characteristic of maid dance with a trouser-less man Bourdin’s photographs. "Guy in a blazer and dress-shirt is a most "Bourdin The main upstairs gallery features Bourdin's refreshing and charming experience. created a collection of large iconic Bourdin Bourdin was revolutionary not photographs from Vogue Paris, photos only in his content, but also his the perfect among unpublished ones, all hung convey approach. There was a precise science dream-like in quadruplets. Bourdin had a large a most to his art – nothing was accidental, atmosphere, collection of film books where a elaborate but the product of a meticulous captivating single movie could be “viewed” still process. Unlike his contemporaries, by still, and such an arrangement type of Bourdin would submit a ready layout the viewer pays homage to that. Each quadruplet dramatic indicating the precise placement of with its is much like a collection of movie narrative" his photographs to the magazine strangeness" A rarely seen work from the artist's archive, 1979 Photo: Guy Bourdin stills from a film noir, which tells a publishers. Examples of Bourdin’s FELIX THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON 05.12.2014 33 Arts [email protected] Arts Editor Fred Fyles & Kamil McClelland Her Naked Skin & the Legacy of Women Writers Fred Fyles asks the theatre industry where the women playwrights are
n 1613, Elizabeth Tanfield Cary the idea of the Greek chorus to published The Tragedy of Mariam, represent the patriarchal values of Ithe Fair Queen of Jewry. Taking its the day, allowing her to question cue from Roman drama, it is a classic their value; Lenkiewicz presents the example of a Jacobean revenge drama, lessons learned from the Suffragettes a tale of love, betrayal and murder. in a dramatic manner, thereby The play centres around Mariam, highlighting how things have second wife of Herod the Great; at changed since then. But how have the beginning of the piece, Mariam times changed? Surely today, more believes her husband is dead, killed than four centuries after Cary first set at the hand of Octavian. However, out to defy convention, things have Herod returns, and his sister, Salome, improved for women in the theatre? manages to convince him that Sadly, they appear to have not. Mariam has been unfaithful in his Lenkiewicz’ play, although very well absence. As punishment, Mariam is received on its original run in 2008, it executed. What makes The Tragedy of achieved more publicity for being the Mariam special, unique even, is that it first original play written by a woman was the first play written by a woman. to be staged on the main stage at The This week, more than 400 years National Theatre. That’s right. 2008. after Mariam was published, sees The National Theatre, held by many the opening of a new production of to be the finest tribute to theatre in Rebecca Lenkiewicz’s play Her Naked Britain, if not the world, did not put Skin at Guildhall School of Music & on an original production written by Drama. The play, which was written a woman until a little over 5 years in 2008, is set in the years preceding ago. This fact in itself is, for me, WWI, and describes the campaign shocking, but if we expand our gaze, for equal voting rights by the WSPU looking out further afield and back in – more commonly known as the time, the picture we paint for women Suffragettes. Both of the plays use in the theatre is grim indeed. the past as a way of questioning the Let’s start with the National Charlie Bate, Rebecca Lee, Amber James, Alice Winslow, Lily Sacofsky, Elaine Fellos, and Emily-Celine Thomson societal values of today, particularly Theatre, which recently celebrated its in Her Naked Skin Photo: Clive Barda those relating to women: Cary uses 50th anniversary, and is perhaps the best-known theatre in the country. have shown that introducing more play of 2013, garnering multiple Surely, if British women playwrights women onto the boards can have award nominations during its West are to have a place to call home, it wide reaching benefits for the End run. would be here? Unfortunately not: in whole cultural landscape: Phyllida And it’s not just in the UK: Harvard the first ten years of director Nicholas Lloyd’s all-women production of economist Emily Glassberg Sands Hytner’s tenure - from April 2003 Henry IV recently finished its run researched gender disparity on to April 2013 - the NT put on 206 at the Donmar Warehouse to rave Broadway, and found that works full scale productions, of which a reviews, while the Royal Shakespeare written by women were on average paltry 20 were written by women, less Company – which would have 18% more profitable, and yet ran for than 10%. Other theatres fare much perhaps the most legitimate excuse the same amount of time as those better, with the Almeida, Hampstead, for ignoring women out of all theatre written by men, adding weight to the Soho, and Bush Theatres averaging companies - is making active steps to idea that women simply have to be 30% of their output being written by bring a more balanced view to their better in order to achieve the same women, but this is far from ideal. In output, adapting two of Booker Prize as men. Sands also sent out identical fact, the only theatre that comes close winner Hilary Mantel’s works for the scripts to multiple theatre companies, to reaching a balance is The Royal stage. In this respect, the National giving half a women author and half a Court, whose output is 41% written Theatre in particular is dragging its male author; she found that the work by women, although perhaps this is feet: only 18% of their new plays were written by ‘women’ was judged to be to be expected, since the company written by women. of lesser quality, and likely to make champion new and eclectic writing. But perhaps those plays written less money. Recent estimates suggest that on the by women are just not as good as Times certainly may have changed whole, only around 17% of produced those by men? Such an argument, since the days of Mariam, but the plays have been written by women. which seems to revel in the idea of British world of theatre remains So why is there this disparity? the solitary male genius, simply does hostile to women: they can tread their Some blame the Western Canon, not hold water. One only has to look boards, they can even direct their the collection of works regarded as at the current state of theatreland plays, but they cannot write their ‘The Best’, from whose vaulted halls to realise that a majority of the best scripts. The UK in particular has a many women throughout history plays in the last few years have been rich tradition of women writers, from have been denied entry. While there written by women: Lucy Prebble’s Jane Lumley, who in the 16th Century is an argument – a strong one – to be Enron, which fused music and high became the first person to translate made that the Canon marginalises drama to tell the tale of the corrupt Euripides, to modern writers such as any writers who aren’t white men, the US energy giant, ran for nearly a year Abi Morgan and Caryl Churchill, and world of theatre’s reliance on such in the West End, picking up gushing it therefore is so tragic for their work work would almost certainly distort critical reviews with ease; Laura to remain unrecognised. History is, the types of plays being put on. With Wade’s Posh, which premiered at as they say, written by the victors, but a rich history of Ibsen, Strindberg, The Royal Court, has recently been for most of our history women have and Chekhov to choose from, there made into a film, The Riot Club, for been banished from the paper, they is little incentive for theatres to which Wade wrote the screenplay; have been robbed of the pen. attempt to take a chance on newer and Chimerica, written by Lucy Her Naked Skin ran at Guildhall Rebecca Lee and Oscar Batterham in Her Naked Skin Photo: Clive Barda works. But recent productions Kirkwood, was perhaps judges as the School of Music & Drama last week. 34 05.12.2014 THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON FELIX Food [email protected] Editors Carol Ann Cheah and Michael Chung Let’s just get oolong now, shall we? Michelle Tan looks at some teas from further, er, aield
Photos: Lulla, Etsy
t’s no secret that Brits are known form of polyphenols, which can known for being good for health and for being HUGE tea lovers. help the body fight free radicals. increasing peace of mind. Felix Food recommends... ISongs are written about it, many It has also been found to relieve Chai is actually the word for tea jokes (sometimes with vicars) are stomach ailments such as cramps and in many parts of the world; masala made on the subject – it’s a national indigestion. Try this as an alternative chai refers to the specific spiced Found these suggestions interesting? We made a few institution. But do you know about to green tea if you prefer teas with a drink, but we tend to refer to it as tea-related pickings for you to check out! Disclaimer: the many benefits of tea? Thankfully more robust flavour. “chai” as “masala chai” seems to be a We receive no compensation – these are just they’re not all hard-to-stomach bitter mouthful. (Every time you say “chai personal recommendations, tried and tested. brews; there are so many different Blurred eyesight and tea”, a tea-picker somewhere in the types out there that there is bound to persistent skin breakouts? world weeps.) It’s based on a rich FORTNUM AND MASON be one that you’ll come to really enjoy For that “take me to the spa RIGHT black tea infused with all sorts of Call us posh all you want, but besides Whittards and the flavours of. NOW” vibe, try some lemongrass tea herbs and spices – such as ginger to Harrods, this is also a good place to start looking for Everyone has heard of the – I can assure you that it works! The help improve circulation and fight some off-the-beaten-track teas. Michelle's a fan of traditional English Breakfast, aroma of lemongrass just brings me bloating; cardamom to detoxify their Elderflower Green Tea, which gives a nice floral Chamomile and Green Tea, but here back home to Thailand, where it is the body; cinnamon and clove with twist to the much-loved beverage. are some of the less well-known teas. commonly used to scent rooms. anti-inflammatory and antibacterial BLOOM Give them a try the next time you are Plenty of spicy south-east Asian properties; and finally, black pepper Robust rooibos is best paired with another robust on the hunt for a new drink to keep dishes (namely curries) also make to give the tea an extra kick of flavor, and warming cinnamon is just that. Bloom you warm this winter! use of lemongrass, so it’s everywhere! spiciness which is found to improve offers a lovely Heartwarming Tea that combines the Lemongrass contains Vitamin A, our metabolism. two. It comes in fuso bags – the posh pyramidal ones Need to stay awake? which is beneficial for eyesight and Recipes have varied wildly since that enable you to enjoy the goodness of loose-leaf Translated from Mandarin, its name the skin. It also contains citral, an traditional times, so of course sans strainer, and the convenience of a bag without actually means “black dragon”. antioxidant to protect your body there’s nothing stopping you from having to put up with “sneeze dust” tea. You would normally drink Oolong against free radicals. experimenting with the spices you tea during a meal of Dim Sum, use, and how much of each you put in JOE’S TEA CO but don’t let that stop you from Down with the flu? your brew. It is my favourite tea of all, There's peppermint, and then there's PEPPERMINT having it at home! It is one of the Second only to chamomile as our especially with the usual addition of – with Joe’s tea being exactly it! We don’t know more caffeinated teas out there, Food Editor’s herbal tea of choice! milk and sugar! Traditionally in India how they do it, but Carol got the chance to try their peppermint tea after doing that Christmas helping you revitalize your memory Peppermint tea can help relieve your some form of heavy milk is used – try hamper shoot for Brompton Food Market and was especially if you are bogged down sinuses and soothe the sore throats evaporated milk in yours. truly bowled over. Bit more expensive compared to with work. that we tend to get around this time supermarket Twinings, but cheap as an indulgence. It also helps boost your metabolism of the year. A final note... – maybe an added bonus after The menthol in the tea can help act Of course, no herbal infusion is a YUMCHAA snacking on some of those chocolate as a muscle relaxant especially after miracle worker or a substitute for A lovely little independent nook in Camden chip cookies in between revision an intense workout or sports training healthy eating habits! These ones that stocks a variety of amazing loose-leaf teas. sessions! Oolong tea can help aid session. Also, you can have a cup if we’ve listed however are only the tip Translated from Cantonese, the name actually digestion, helping to reduce the onset "Brewing you need to de-stress after a busy day of the iceberg in that huge wonderful means “drink tea”! Michelle rates their Chai Black; of acid reflux or indigestion. at uni. It’s traditionally seen as an world of teas out there, specialty or Yumchaa's blend is made with an Assam tea base. a cup of energizing brew. otherwise. It’s amazing how some of There’s also a tea school for you to check out! them have been used for centuries as Getting stressed and need masala T2 something to help you relax? chai can Want to start getting into traditional remedies, and that they Rooibos tea is a red tea from a South the Christmas mood? aren’t necessarily just a luxury for the Australian by heritage, they opened their irst store make your outside Australasia on King's Road not too long ago. African Red Bush. Due to its lack of I know I do – I mean, it’s December upper classes. They may have been acquired by Unilever in 2013, but caffeine, it can be a good choice just house smell already! Just brewing a cup of masala So the next time you’re out for tea that doesn’t change the fact their premium teas are before bed – especially with winter incredibly chai can make your house smell with a friend or loved one, spice it up well-loved in Australia. Well those guys know their right round the corner. It contains festive" incredibly festive, what with all the a bit – try something new, expand coffee, so maybe this is one to watch... a wide range of antioxidants in the spices. Originating from India, it is your palate’s horizons a bit! FELIX THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON 05.12.2014 35 Food [email protected] Editors Carol Ann Cheah and Michael Chung
Pick your (liquid) poison... CAROL ANN CHEAH Livin’ La Vida Mocha SECTION EDITOR Carol Ann Cheah talks java... the sippable kind, duh
There's something to be said for coffee and tea, whichever beverage you prefer and whatever way you choose to have it (black, builders’, just the mildest dash of milk, etc). Not just because they’ve powered many an Imperial assignment; I'll admit wholeheartedly that this issue has been brought to you by copious amounts of both, alongside Lemsip – thank you so dang much, laryngitis. Not. No, it’s more because they’re both universal catalysts for meetings between all sorts. The butterfly-inducing i rst/blind date, the reunion between old friends, the moment when hipster Artist's impression of the moment I was picking out my first piece of "proper coffee" kit. Photos: Gamesided, Pact Coffee artist/writer i nally meets that stroke of inspiration they’ve been looking for... omehow coffee appears to be ya know). You just mix ground coffee, press and is rather cheap, but also The nice thing is that the bonding would probably a lot more divisive than tea, add boiling water, steep, plunge and with the added plusses of super-easy still happen, regardless of the beverage quality. Sprobably because its (buzzy) pour. cleanup, higher durability (being I don’t think the fact I was drinking “sneeze-dust effects are a lot more potent, and its The one downside to it is that it’s glass-free to begin with) and a much Tetley” instead of posh lapsang souchong made flavors a lot more punchy. Most kids a massive pain in the posterior to shorter brew time. any of the conversations I used to have with the would detest the taste and texture thoroughly clean; old coffee oils love Coffee brewed this way can take sisters at my boarding school’s sick bay any less of coffee; I remember in my case, clinging to the fine filter mesh and on many qualities, depending on meaningful. Neither has the advice given by my it was either some “weird insipid the many other nooks and crannies whether the user makes espresso- dad over breakfast suddenly become useless, just swamp water” or “rocket fuel gloop” in a cafetiere. However, the small style or Americano/long-black-style because he was drinking Nescafé instead of stuff depending on what brew method footprint, relative cheapness and drinks. Regardless, they tend to have made from single-origin beans that came out from a microroastery a week ago. I’ll always attest though was used (or if heaven forbid, it was really small learning curve mean the flavour clarity of a filter coffee that just upping the freshness and quality of your instant.) Just as well, as tots aren’t that it’s a popular choice for people but with a stronger body that’s just ingredients is a relatively simple and inexpensive meant to consume the stuff. graduating from instant coffee for under french press coffee. I use it way to give yourself a little bit of luxury, especially for Call it my palate growing up, but the first time. lots for my “pseudopresso” drinks; one of those tougher weeks. If you don’t know where after discovering as a tween how nice another Felix colleague actually loves to start, give the lovely folks at TeaSoc a whirl. They coffee was with the addition of dairy Stovetop/Moka Pot it so much that he owns two (one for meet every Tuesday for sippable goodness. and sugar (not drunk, but in tiramisu) A favourite in Europe and Latin uni, the other for home). Ironically, while I now absolutely adore my and appreciating the aroma, I was America, with an extremely iconic fortnightly deliveries from my coffee wingmen at slowly introduced to better coffee bit design. These are traditionally To sign off... Pact, kid Carol was so adamant that dad should only by bit. Our generation’s lucky to have made of aluminium, with a bottom This was just a brief introductory drink decaf because it was better for his health. Oh, I seen the evolution of coffee culture chamber filled with water and a primer to some of the more was crazy stubborn about that one! Little did I know through two different waves: second- ground coffee gasket screwed on top. common/popular brew kit. Next at the time that the processes used to decaffeinate wave coffee chains like Starbucks, This is then heated to boiling point, time I’ll be looking at the different coffee were actually worse – Swiss water process decaf wasn't really sold back in Malaysia. Ah, to be and third wave coffee which is the where steam builds up and is then coffee-producing regions and what naive again... specialty stuff out of microroasteries, forced through holes in the coffee characteristics their coffees have, I guess for me, the appeal of these lovely drinks sold in independent corner cafes. gasket, creating the brew. along with the general brewing isn’t just because they bring peeps together or I do appreciate though that for They’re not the easiest to clean, steps for these methods. And of encourage productivity. Neither is it because of the most of us, that cup of joe is a means much like French presses. The course, some troubleshooting for the world of flavours out there. Nah, it's the fact that so to an end: staying awake for those resulting coffee though does have discerning home brewer. many little things influence (some greatly so) the pesky deadlines. Other than instant, extremely rich body (hence being I’ll also be looking at more novel i nal outcome of the brewed beverage. Every new or filter and espresso-based drinks dubbed stovetop “espresso” makers), brew methods as well. If you’ve got a cup brewed is an experiment waiting to happen. from the Imperial cafés, there’s a lot and the brewing process is definitely specific coffee query you’d like me to What are these little things? Water-to-infusion- more to the world of coffee. In this more engaging. You’ve definitely got look at, email in to Food and I’ll see material (tea/coffee) ratio, temperature, time, grind/ hopefully multi-part series, I’ll start to keep your ears out for the changes what I can do! particle size, origin (for coffee), brew method (i lter/ by looking at different brew methods in sound to tell you when the coffee’s I’d like to thank Pact Coffee in cafetiere)... I could go on for yonks. Either way, I also love how both the brewing and – I’ve picked three to look at. Process just right. Bermondsey for the super-fresh java the drinking processes can be highly meditative geeks, right this way! that powers this section. I don’t work one minute, and a habit-on-autopilot the next. I "Our AeroPress for them or get any kickbacks; I just i nd crafting latte art for my “pseudopresso”/faux- Cafetiere/French Press The brainchild of Alan Adler, a really love their wares, convenience espresso beverages incredibly relaxing and fun. That After Turkish coffee (“sludge” in my generation Stanford lecturer who invented and the people behind the company! mug obviously has a different taste and vibe to the opinion) and espresso shots, coffee has the Aerobie flying ring that won Interested peeps can sign up at one I grind at 11am in the Felix ofi ce, just because my made this way is next on the “full- seen the a plethora of awards – Felix Food pactcoffee.com using ‘FELIXFOOD’ body is threatening to make me doze off somehow. bodied” spectrum; it also usually suspects he got bored and wanted to to get the first 250g bag for £1, or What chameleons these beverages are – what tends to leave behind some fine evolution try his hand at something radically use ‘pactstudents’ and sign up with possibilities, too! sediment that’s okay with some and of coffee different. The AeroPress (AP), your Imperial email to get a student- Incidentally, I’ve somehow managed to overwork “ick” to others (hence the “rocket culture invented in 2005, consists of two exclusive kit for just £6.95. myself this week. Investigating the death of Professor fuel” moniker some people give). polypropylene chambers: one with This includes a bag of coffee, a Grimm with News has been really engaging, but as a through result of the phone calls I’ve made chasing up for info Compared to most other home brew a rubber seal that acts as a “plunger” Hario V60 filter cone and papers, and two (and a delayed wave of freshers’ flu), I now have half methods, the cafetiere is actually to brew the coffee with the help of a nice large KeepCup to transport my voice – ergo, Lemsip and Joe's Tea Co Peppermint relatively easy to master and get different pressure (nowhere near that of an your brew. They also have other over the last few days. Look after yourselves, guys... consistent brews from (we STEM waves" actual espresso machine, of course). coffee gift bundles at pactcoffee.com/ the term’s nearly over, so hang in there! people love our reproducible results, It has all the advantages of a French gift – perfect for Christmas! 36 05.12.2014 THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON FELIX Travel [email protected] Travel Editor Yung Nam Cheah It’s the most, wonderful time, of the year... Yung Nam Cheah shares her top pick of upcoming festive activities in the UK
very Christmas holiday, people are often tempted to go Eabroad, whether to visit famous Christmas markets or enjoy the festive vibes of the country. However, there is just as much to do on this island, especially in the capital where we are. I have scoured through the internet for the most interesting event and here are my top 3 picks in London.
Fairytales After Dark Descending to bestow Londoners a magical weekend, the Skewbald Theatre will be bringing fairy tales to life at the greens of thhe Olympic Stadium. Through an enchanting mix of singing, dancing and puppetry, stories familiar and strange, of bewitched frog prince to old Fisherman will come to life in this outdoor theatre. Running three times a day with free tickets, there really is no excuse not to escape into the classical ‘Once Upon a Time’ world and immerse oneself back into your childhood memories. Tickets can be booked through the Olympic park website and are going fast – so don’t hesitate.
Stratford Olympic Stadium 13th-14th Dec 16:00, 17:30, 19:00 The picture perfect Winterville, Victorian Park Photo: flickr/Dominic Alves Free queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk/ Crown Gate, Victoria Park, Grove illuminating the streets every Winter the shortest day of the year. To by the distance, this makes a whats-on/events/2014/11/skewbald- Road, Bow, E3 5TB Solstices for over two decades, commemorate its 21st birthday, good alternative, although the theatre-presents-fairytales-at-night 2nd Dec – 1st Jan, 2015 excluding 25th, Burning the clock parade has now hidden lanterns designed with this performance only lasts 15 minutes. 26th become a trademark event in year’s theme ‘Urbano – the City’ 10:00 – 20:30 Brighton. With a parade of hand- are scattered across the city until Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire Free made paper and willow lanterns, the New Year (map can be found on the 1st-24th Dec 18:15 Winterville, Victorian Park Winterville.co.uk festivities gather over 20,000 people website).For safety reasons, only the Free A new winter destination in London Nearest stations: Mile End, Bethnal for a 45 minutes parade down to the lanterns made by the kit they sell can Windsor rivalling Winter Wonderland in Green sea front of Brighton. be burnt.To join the parade with your 1st-24th Dec 18:15 Hyde Park, Winterville seems to Ending in a bonfire where the own handiwork, stay tuned on the Free have everything and more. Ice rink, lanterns are burned and the firework website for direction of sales (which www.windsor.gov.uk/whats-on/ checked; Fairground, check; Market Burning the clocks, Brighton display starts, this event strives are yet to be released for now). windsor-and-eton-living-advent- place, check; Ferris wheel, check. It With thousands of flickering lights to celebrate the darkest hours on calendar-p1000851 even has a Kids quarter, Pantomine Parade on 21st Dec 18:30 of Robin Hood, Spiegeltent and roller price tbc Ancient Roman festival of disco. Saturnalia parade, Chester Admission is free, and tickets for various events can be brought Before there was Christmas, the online (many comedies and shows in Living advent Calendar people of Rome threw a festival in Spiegeltent are free though!). An idea that originated from honour of their deity Saturn on the For those seeking refreshment, Stockholm, the living advent calendar 17th December. To remember the street food stalls are scattered all over see a festive performance popping glory of the old days, a torch light the site, and to warm you up for the out of a window or door at 18:30 from parade is held in Chester with Roman season there is a dedicated Craft Beer 1st to 24th December, delighting legions stomping through its cobbled area as well. the gathered crowd for 30 minutes. streets. If merely watching the parade For the party crowds there are From carol singing to dancing to isn’t good enough for you, you can Roller Disco and Kicking Club nights tales of folklore, each performance is make your own lantern at Grosvenor for you to celebrate away the festive matched with a venue scattered across Museum from 17:45 till 18:30 fever. the rustic town. beforehand. The only downside is that Victoria Whilst Henley-on-Thames is Park is infinitely harder to get to celebrating Christmas in style for the 18th Dec, 18:30 for us imperialites, but for those third year, Windsor has also joined Free who are a little sick of the Winter the bandwagon. www.visitchester.com/whats-on/ Wonderland, it might be worth Men decked out in Roman army costumes parading down the cobble For those who wants to immerse in saturnalia-parade-p77071 checking out. streets of Chester . Photo: Donald Judge this unique event but are discouraged FELIX THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON 05.12.2014 37 Travel [email protected] Travel Editor Yung Nam Cheah Oh Christmas lights, so Christmas-y Discover the local spotlights of London’s Christmas suit with Yung Nam Cheah
From top left going clockwise: Selfridges Destination Christmas sign beaming out the festive vibes; Selfridges window display consisting of luxury products, gleaming in front of the mystical moon; another window display at Selfridges depicting a golden web with a spinner – no doubt representing the Sleeping Beauty; glimpse of Somerset House completed with Christmas tree through its archway entrance; The large baubles hanging on the ceiling of Covent Garden; decorated Oxford Street looking ever so Christmassy with the complimentary red buses going up and down it all night. Photo: Yung Nam Cheah
t is getting to everyone’s favourite Here’s some of my favourite. long, dark winter nights. Chains of Covert Garden never cease to give that this Christmas wonderland time of the year again, and the circle bulbs have lined themselves up me a sense of wonder. The red and offers plenty of photo opportunity. Icapital has already decked out for Oxford Street and down this major retail runway, silver bring a sense of festivities into When I say that, I just mean when the season. There’s nothing like the glittering with fairy lights wrapped around the the warmly lit space, and there is a you are inside the park. The best view From white fairy lights to giant Christmas light on the shopping trees. delightful reindeer statue outside. of the place is from the south bank reindeer, there’s no end to what streets to put you in the mood for The rearing metal statue is adorned of Serpentine, where you can see the London can dream up with. holiday shopping, especially in the Selfridges Christmas display with lights and riding on a Christmas neon lights reflected on the water. With the theme this year being skate, with a scattered of presents Destination Christmas, the Selfridges at its foot; if this doesn’t bring your have really outdone themselves with Christmas spirits out, I don’t know the otherworldly window display what will. that literally stop people on their feet and draw their phones out for a Natural History Museum dozen photos. Each window seems to Despite the fact that almost every beckons you closer, displaying a fairy Imperial students who commute tale world like no other littered with walk past everyday, the scenic view of golden mannequins, beautiful dresses the Natural History Museum is one and unique props glowing under the that I must mention. With the fairy coloured lighting. These gorgeous lights wrapped around the trees, the scenes have become something more merry-go-round and the ice-skating like art then mere window display, rink with magnetic blue and purple and it’s definitely worth going to lighting cast over it all, it’s almost like have a look before Oxford Street is you are glimpsing a fairy world where swamped with Christmas shoppers. Christmas occur everyday. The metal statue of Reindeer Covent Garden Winter Wonderland sparkling in the long nights of Despite reusing the same display Whilst this popular attraction Christmas. Rearing on a carte Winterwonderland viewed from the Serpentine, an illusion of peace and every year, the enormous dangling hasn’t made it to my top 3 things to ready to go. Photo: Yung Nam serenity Photo: Yung Nam Cheah baubles hanging off the ceiling at do in London, there’s no denying Cheah 38 05.12.2014 THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON FELIX Welfare [email protected] Welfare Editor Diba Esbati & Chanon Wongsatayanont A personal look at psychological abuse Mental health helplines An anonymous writer’s personal experience with emotional and resources abuse and the warning signs If you are concerned t a friend’s house party last about your own mental week I met a couple that health, or that of a loved Abrought back a few memories I had hoped to keep locked up, and one, there are people out now, huddled next to the radiator there you can talk to who in my otherwise arctic flat, I try to can give you advice, or will write this for what seems like the be there to listen. hundredth time. I want to write about emotional abuse, its warning signs, and illustrate this all with my own Samaritans (24 hr experiences because looking back helpline) now, I feel like had I known what Phone: 08457 90 90 90 it was that was happening to me, I Website: www. would have got out of there much, much earlier. samaritans.org.uk You don’t often hear people talk about emotional abuse, and in part, Anxiety UK I think this is because sometimes Phone: 08444 775 774 neither the victim nor the abuser (Mon-Fri 9:30 - 17:30) know it’s happening. Emotional abuse is a series of harmful, repetitive Website: www.anxietyuk. behaviours that slowly chip away org.uk at the victim’s sense of self worth Photo: marcgosselin and independence, making them No Panic dislike themselves. I, unfortunately, Next came the ruining of my make sure that I knew he was a great Phone: 0808 800 2222 have experienced first hand what self esteem – it started subtly at boyfriend by buying me presents, and it’s like to be in a relationship with first, as these things do, with small constantly bring this up in arguments (daily, 10am - 10pm) a manipulative and emotionally comments here and there. He would to make sure I never forgot that Website: www.nopanic. abusive person, and am living proof mock me in front of our mutual he obviously loved me and that I org.uk of how it can mess you up and leave friends under the guise of ‘flirty shouldn’t put him under so much you a mere shadow of what you once banter’, try and counter my every stress when I know he’s so busy with Beat were. This is my story. point in group conversations and work. He would refuse to speak to me When I first started dating my often cut me off when I would try until I apologised for overreacting. Phone: 0845 634 1414 then partner, I was a fairly confident and speak. When I would tell him, If you’re with someone who makes (Mon - Thurs, 1.30pm - person but he soon found a way to in private, that his actions were you think that the emotions you’re 4:30pm) find my every insecurity and dig at it making me uncomfortable or upset, feeling due to something they’ve done until I felt so horrible about myself he mock me for being over sensitive, are in some way unjustified, then Alcoholics Anonymous that I no longer wanted to be alive. tell me to toughen up and learn to that person is not worth being with. I He was the first boyfriend I’d ever take a joke and that he didn’t mean cannot stress this enough, it doesn’t Phone: 0845 769 7555 had – having come from a strict to offend me. When we would go matter what the other person meant (24 hour helpline) religious family, I wasn’t allowed to out with a group of people that I by their comments or actions, if you Website: www.alcoholics- date. This meant that from the get-go, didn’t know, he never made any feel unsafe and bring this up, and anonymous.org.uk I had to hide my relationship from effort to introduce me as anything they then constantly try and make my parents because I was convinced but his girlfriend, and by that you feel bad for feeling offended and they wouldn’t understand, and point, he had whittled down my self refuse to apologise, then they’re not a Narcotics Anonymous that was the first thing I did wrong. confidence enough that I did not very nice person. Phone: 0300 999 1212 Initially, he insisted he wanted to want to participate in conversations Now, he was never physically Website: www.ukna.org keep our relationship a secret from anymore in fear of being mocked or abusive towards me and honestly our friends, because he wanted it cut off. As time went by, it started it might have made it much easier Student Counselling to just be between us, because that to get less subtle. Whenever I would to get out of that relationship if he would make it ‘more special’. The tell a joke, he would tell me that it had been. We’ve somehow been Service thing about manipulators is that they wasn’t witty and would dismiss it, conditioned to think of physical Phone: 020 7594 9637 isolate you from others, and do it so and then repeat later in a different and sexual abuse as being the only e-mail: [email protected]. subtly that you don’t often notice it group taking credit for it. A couple ‘legitimate’ types of abuse, which uk happening until it’s too late. We’d of times, I called him out on it, means it cost me three years and been dating for almost a month until but he would claim that I was just my mental health before I realised he decided to tell our close friends misremembering it and he had come that something was amiss and that it Imperial College Health in halls, and that was after another up with it on his own. He made me wasn’t just me overreacting. Now, half Centre friend of mine had expressed a desire doubt myself so much that I couldn’t "He would a year later, after months of therapy Telephone: 020 7584 6301 to go out with me, an offer that I had "Emotional trust even my own memory after a twist my I’ve slowly come to notice the signs e-mail: healthcentre@ denied. My boyfriend decided that it while. Now, these are all clear signs and just wish someone had told me ic.ac.uk was time for people to know, because abuse is a of emotional abuse, when someone words to about them sooner. So I guess that’s he didn’t want anyone else to think series of makes you doubt yourself so much make it what I’m doing now. If any of these You can also go to your I ‘wasn’t his’. That should have been repetitive that you no longer trust your own seem like I situations seem familiar to you, then the first red flag. What emotionally memory, there should be warning it might be worth thinking long and academic or personal tutor manipulative and abusive people do behaviour signs going off in your head. was being hard about your relationship (be it regarding pastoral issues, is try and make you so dependent that slowly Whenever I would mention that I needy or with a partner, parent, or friend). especially if you think your on them by isolating you from your chip away had a problem with how he treated childish and Thank you so much for sharing your friends and family that you start to me, he would twist my words to experiences with us. Please remember mental health might be believe they have some sort of claim at a person's make it seem like I was being needy, that I was that if you’re feeling under pressure, talk affecting your academic on you, and worse, that you want self eteem" or childish, and make me feel overreacting" to someone. Don’t suffer in silence. – performance. them to have a claim on you. like I was overreacting. He would Section Editor
40 21.11.2014 THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON FELIX
HANGMAN [email protected] An unprecedented 15,000 students turn up to General Meeting
General Meeting was held turned up to provide blankets, this week to discuss the state liquids and other supplies for the A of commercial services at students who showed no sign of Imperial, and approximately 15,000 tiring in complaining about the heat students turned up. The Meeting was on Level 4, the hygiene of the library called to discuss, in no particular café, and how one in five students order, the lack of air conditioning in still leave Imperial as virgins. the library, the mice that are often Said one mathematics student sat spotted running around the cafes in Blackett lecture theatre 1: “I just on campus, having to pay to get into don’t understand why the President the Union and, a point apparently of College spends so much money on thrown in for good measure “The getting us stuff like flying robot labs Imperial Ratio.” or whatever but won’t even pay for The number of students that more desk fans or anything. turned up was unprecedented, and, “I literally have to take shower as such, the Union had to set up breaks during revision in the a number of live streams of the summer if I can only find a seat discussion across campus, with on the 5th floor.” Several hundred students willingly piling into lecture people nodded in agreement, and The crowds also extended down Exhibition Road, as thousands showed up to the GM to make their voice heard theatres across campus on a Monday tens of people were heard to cheer. evening to have their say about the A Biologist sat in the Great Hall, Many were also congregated on Imperial. end Wednesday evening, as people issues that truly mattered to them. which had the discussion streamed Queen’s Lawn, with another last “Apparently demanding girls to slowly left lecture theatres, seminar With a General Meeting only through to a giant screen on stage, minute projector displaying the make me sandwiches and calling rooms, cafes and meeting rooms requiring 200 students to meet said: “What I don’t get is how every debate on the side of the Queen’s it banter doesn’t really make girls and moved towards Beit Quad to quorum, the number of attendees in year I vote in that guy who promises Tower. find you attractive, but it took me queue up for ACC Sports night. As this case meant quorum was met a no more entry fees on a Friday, and During a particularly robust nearly all of first year to come that they were leaving, many spoke to record breaking 45 times over. yet every year I find myself paying debate on point 222.1.6b, “All the conclusion.” A rare moment of Hangman and said it was good to The discussion started at half seven £2.50 to enter Metric and listen decent looking girls do Biology,” silence followed this statement, one get the stuff that bothered them out on Monday evening, and continued to some guy play a shitty itunes one EIE student said “I wish I had of the few of the Meeting, as people into the air like the whole entry fees well into the night as reasoned playlist to an empty stage.” Applause been told that you actually have to seemed to quietly consider what he thing, but one student did say “It is debate turned into impassioned then followed for a deafening ten develop interpersonal skills whilst said. £9.50 to get in, which is annoying, deliberation. At 1am, armed services minutes. at boarding school before coming to The meeting finally came to the but I guess we do get four pints.” Hundreds of students legitimately sign unsecured online petition
angman is pleased to report hour. this week that, for once, Hangman spoke to Iraqi Soc, HImperial students have who despite having seemingly no seemingly rallied together and recollection of signing up, did say displayed a sense of political prowess. they enjoyed rugby as a sport. Said Over 600 students, clubs and societies the President: “Yes, I have watched and even some sabbatical officers and this sport once or twice on TV. Did I senior members of staff have signed sign up? I guess if it says I did, then the ACC Rugby petition. yes, I must have done. Why would The petition was posted online a petition feature names if they earlier this week in a bid to record didn’t legitimately support what the support for their Club Captain that is petition was about?” facing potential expulsion from his Hangman also spoke to the natural role. allies of ACC Rugby, ICU Feminist The petition, in its sheer brilliance Society, who had also signed the and simplicity, allows anyone with petition with their club email. Said any Imperial login to sign up, and the President, “I have seen these with all their email logins appearing both signed the petition and also was the consequences of his actions, but students from every edge of campus boys drink in the Union once or on the petition. It also seems the ICT one on the panel that called for the then my name is on it twice so it and beyond have been apparently twice, and, to be honest, I think their service desk, the library complaints motion of no confidence in the first must mean I doubly support ACC queuing up to show their support. lad culture is actually damaging in team, those behind hiring the place. He seemed perplexed, again Rugby too. No password or email confirmation encouraging sexism at Imperial. But, Union minibuses and even Robert J. unable to recall signing the petition “It is confusing, as it now seems I is necessary; you can enter almost if it says someone entered my login, Carpenter have been moved by the with both his personal login and the simultaneously disapprove and also random combinations of letters and then I guess we do in fact support the plea to protect the rugby player, with presidential account, but did say highly approve of the petition, but numbers and they will manifest team.” their email logins present on the list. that “You can’t really argue with an why would my name appear on it themselves into a codified Imperial Alice Gast, Robert Winston and When Hangman contacted Tom automated list like that, can you? twice if that wasn’t the case? No-one login and add another signatory to also the CGCU Spanner have also Wheeler, Imperial College Union “I am not a fan of the petition as I would dare troll such a sophisticated the petition that is growing on the penned their support of the team, president, we asked him why he had think the individual needs to accept sign up system, would they? FELIX THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON 21.11.2014 41
HANGMAN [email protected]
Diary Of A Fresher aged 18 3/4 Monday 1st I have calculated that I have to revise for 300 hours over Christmas to cover each lecture in time for Friday 28th the exams. I have made a schedule and given myself Christmas day and New Years Eve off for a period of six hours each. I should be able to get through all the material by then and hopefully get After lectures I caught a train back home, the fi rst time I have been home home since full marks the start of term. It was weird being back in a room without a roommate or screaming students parading the corridors, but it was nice too. Mum made me lasagne, god I love Kris Kraye is home tomorrow though, we are going to get him from Heathrow in the afternoon. lasagne. Tuesday 2nd I feel so much better having a meal that hasn’t been sitting under fl uorescent lights in the library café for eight hours. Took Dorothy to the airport and Kris Kraye met us at the gate, wearing a really tattered HR Lads on Tour t-shirt, although someone had drawn a penis on the Queen’s face. Kris said someone did it in jail Saturday 29th when he was sleeping but refused to tell us more. He was really happy when we gave him some wine and said we could go to the casino later. We went on a massive night out tonight into town, as everyone had come back for Neil’s birthday. I know we all go to different unis and stuff but like I reckon we will still be It was really odd though, as Dorothy was really clingy to Kris all day and I dunno, she seemed to be friends for ages yet, it was like none of us had ever even left and it was basically like giving me the cold shoulder. Maybe she is pissed at me because I changed my phone background sixth form all over again. from a photo of us a photo of my friends from Saturday’s night out (best night out ever, I miss home, cannot wait for Christmas and my 12 hours of freedom) Stuart wouldn’t shut up about Leeds though. We get it, you go to a uni in Leeds, living in London is so much cooler so I dunno what he is on about. Whatever Stuart, everyone knows Wednesday 3rd you cheated on Steph in Oxford anyway so we all still think you are a tosser still. Steph didn’t come out as she comes home next weekend, and apparently hasn’t seen the outside Tonight was the ACC night, so I put on my 3D glasses and took Dorothy who was already sporting her of the library in seven days according to facebook. usual fl ushed face by the time we walked over to Beit after predrinking. Kris Kraye joined us too, and he got really excited when Japan Soc came to the Union dressed as different coloured crayons. I forgot how cheap alcohol is back home I lost both of them before coming home but that was fi ne, I got a Burger King on the way back Sunday 30th and it was good to have a whole single bed to myself even for the fi rst time in a while, even if my roommate was snoring. Spent all day on the slowest train ever because it was the cheapest. I decided to avoid Dorothy as she started whatsapping me this morning about how I had ignored her all Thursday 4th weekend. I didn’t want to spend all weekend at home with my head in my phone, you know? So, apparently, Kris Kraye went home with Dorothy. I heard he asked her if she wanted the DPW Writing this in the library on the fourth fl oor, my second home. It is Dorothy free and I and said he’d give some horizontal welfare. Does that mean they had sex? have an essay due in next week. It’s really hard and I literally have spent the last two hours surfi ng imgur and done no work. Fuck. HOROSCOPES CANCER TAURUS GEMINI VIRGO ARIES LEO
This week you find yourself This week one of the Felix This week you are Deputy This week your corridor in This week you enter the This week you write decide to on Imperial’s University grandees wrote a headline for President (Welfare). You halls decides to celebrate RCSU’s Science Challenge. write for Felix. Unfortunately Challenge team, despite not one of your articles saying that decide to spice up your sex Thanksgiving. Since you You lose to an exceptionally you leave this until the last having done well enough in bankers are wankers. All of life by pouring chilli pepper decided to publicly give thanks gifted group of schoolchildren. minute, when you are drunk the qualification round. You the banking companies that powder on your genitals. You for the reflection in the win- You are a fourth year physics and all they have left is the declare your undying love for you applied for jobs at find out learn to be careful what you dow that lets you watch your student who should have horoscopes. You try to inject Jeremy Paxman. The Union about this, and you realise that wish for, and to stop taking neighbour and her boyfriend, known better than to compete them with some serious try to remove you from the your job prospects are ruined. relationship advice from the no one will talk to you again against children. You will carry journalism, but you quickly team, but your friends start a Never mind, you can always Union President. this year. the shame of this forever. resort to tasteless jokes and self petition so you’ll be fine. run for a Sabbatical position deprecation. next year. CAPRICORN SAGITTARIUS AQUARIUS SCORPIO PISCES LIBRA
This week you do this year’s This week you decide to come This week you bake a cake This week you copy edit This week you make your This week you are a prominent Christmas decoration for your crawling back to the Felix Editor that is valued at £3800. Fleix. Sleplling mistakes kepe professional porn debut. Lord at Imperial. You realise hall in the night as a surprise for and finally apologise for being Unfortunately it only makes creepnig into articels, as wlel Unfortunately, you learn that that your moustache is actually your friends. In the morning a dick. You ask her how you can £50 at auction, despite being as grammaric errors. You hope strangulation, fisting, female a live animal and BUAV start you wake up to concerned make it up to her, and she decides a truly exquisite cake. You taht no one noticed, and yuo ejaculation, and spanking a campaign against you. They chatter asking why anyone that you can deliver the paper on realise that your money know that none cares. Fuck it, are now banned. You cannot smear red paint all over your would want to break in and rub a Friday, whilst wearing nothing laundering scheme has fallen this is still better spelling and legally release your film and beautiful vintage Bentley. human shit across the walls of a but a thong and a furry tailed flat on its face, and that it’s grammar than the editorial. your co-stars, your sister Serves you right for making hall of residence. You realise that butt-plug. I know you would time that you joined Finance and mother, are bitterly our Felix Editor cry when she Christmas at your house may secretly love it. Society to learn how these OH I AM COMING TO GET disappointed. interviewed you last year. have not been normal. Be at Beit Quad for 9am please. things are really done. YOU FOR THIS ONE – Ed. FELIX THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON 05.12.2014 42 Puzzles [email protected] Puzzles Editor Michael Faggetter Word Search Paul G.
N A A K I R F A R S I O U X I Z O L N Find 90 languages hidden in the grid horizontally, vertically or diagonally. All the languages to be found E E G A S O E E K O R E H C N D R A O that are of five letters or less are listed below, but it's up to J A V A R M E N I A N O I A I A N T R you to discover the longer ones. When all the languages have been found, the 12 unused E S E T L A M H T G S N T T R A M I U letters, when read left to right from the top row downwards, Y W R I H N B A L A A M A A A B U N H will spell a type of language. E A A C A S T I L I A N L L D U T C H ALEUT FARSI KHMER SCOTS ALGOL GEEZ LADIN SIOUX N H G O C C S S C O T S I A N R O A N AVAR GOSU LAO TAMIL T I A R K H S I D E W S A N A O M A S CHAM GREEK LATIN TATAR COBOL HACK LOZI THAI T L E N E O N C Z E C H N F M Y C L E CURRY HAUSA LUO TWI U I L I I E R O N A C C H A U S A B R CZECH HINDI MANX URDU DUTCH HURON MAORI UTE E W I S O M K E B U N R U E U Q S A B EFIK IDO MOTU XHOSA L T C H A M T N A G A O E R I E C N O ERIE IGBO NAGA ZULU ERSE INCA OSAGE A E P O R U E O D N I O T O R P H I C EWE JAVA PERL D L R E M H K C H I N E S E L Y E A R I I I N O X A S O L G N A S R E Y N O Benedict Cucumberpatch N A G M U S O R E R E H W E R B E H A Z U L U A D H C N E R F K M R L N A T S E U G U T R O P T M T I R K S N A S O B O C O D E U G N A L F U N P E R L O N I P I L I F W I N N E B A G O S U FUCWIT Word Star Send in a scanned copy of your completed puzzles to [email protected]. Find 5, four-letter words using the clues Points are awarded for each correct solution. written below. Bonus points (in brackets) are awarded to the first correct answer! Fit them all into the star (the arrows indicate Points available this week: the direction in which the word is read). Quick Crossword Chess! 3 points (+2) 2 points (+1) Clues: Word Search Word Star 1. Swedish car manufacturer 4 points (+2) 3 points (+1) 2. Meat from a heifer 3. To catch a fish and pull it out of the water Leaderboard 4. An item often used to make necklaces 5. A company commonly assosiated with shoes Individuals: Teams: 1. Adam Stewart 73 1. Mindsuckers 28 for skaterboarders. 2. Catmelon 39 2. L3Gendary 27 3. Kebab King 21 3. Fully Erect 24 Jem Ong 21 4. AnyonebutKofi 8 5. Gabriel Quek 2 5. Aerodoku 2 6. Guang <3 Le 1 43 05.12.2014 THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON FELIX Puzzles [email protected] Puzzles Editor Michael Faggetter
Quick Crossword James Dutton & Kofi Mundy-Castle
Across 1. Well-known reggae Song (1,4,3,7) 8. Slice of meat (6) 10. Mischievous (6) 11. Irene _____ - Sherlock Holmes character (5) 12. Balls worth one point in snooker (4) 13. Applying grease (6) 15. Swiss Chemist - founder of law of constant heat summation (4) 17. National emblem of Wales (4) 18. Arrival (of money) (6) 20. Manlike monster (4) 22. Circumvent (5) 23. Battered prawn (6) 24. Overwhelm (6) 25. Film featuring The Beatles (6,9) Down 2. Blew (6) 3. Particles that travel faster than light (8) 4. Cured sausage (6) 5. Intertwine (8) 6. Quality of (e.g.) iron pertaining to the Curie point (13) 7. James Bond Actor (6,7) 9. German Nobel Prize winning physicist (6) 14. Ivan ____ - Eight-time Grand Slam winning tennis player (5) 15. Tobacco pipe (6) 16. Short dagger (8) 17. South-east London borough (8) 19. Narrow inlets created by glacial erosion (6) 21. Star sign (6)
Last week’s solutions Chess! Max Eggl Quick Crossword Nonogram The return of Chess!. Once again the instructions are: White to mate. In this puzzle, the white pawn is moving down.
Acrostic Grid Disney Character: SHERE KHAN 5: EMITTERS 1: SHUT (THUS) (TERMITES) Triple Word 2: HINGE (NEIGH) 6: KIPPERS (SKIPPER) The theme that linked the three words was CHEESE 3: ESCORT (SECTOR) 7: HEISTS (THESIS) and each was missing the letter ‘E’. 4: ROWDIER 8: ADEPT (TAPED) The three words were: American Caerphilly Gloucester (WORRIED) 9: NEAR (EARN) 44 05.12.2014 THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON FELIX Clubs and Societies [email protected] C & S Editor Ben Howitt Building a Cleaner Future Prashant Mahendran reports on the third London Climate Forum
he forum’s third year sees its growth to an even bigger event, Tkeeping up with the pressure of climate change itself. Movements for equal rights over the years have been pushed forward by the vibrant culture of university, be they for women’s rights, gay rights or the battle against racism. In each case there have been huge steps towards change, so it seems only logical to approach students once again with the problem of climate change. This was a point made by Michael Mathres, one of the many esteemed guest speakers who made their way down to the London Climate Forum at Imperial College London for an incredibly informative day that served to enlighten us on what exactly we could do to make a difference in what sometimes seems like a hopeless situation. The day began with a keynote speech by Professor Sir Brian Hoskins, Chair of the Grantham Institute, followed by talks emphasising the importance of design Imperial Hub have hosted the London Climate forum for three years now. Photo: Ziyaun Mao in innovation for sustainability. After a networking opportunity at lunch, meaningful discussion about change. fuel the wealth gap between those in sustainable self development to the forum split off into two branches. And that’s what is so special about power and those who are victims of make a difference, rather than from The UK Youth Climate Coalition the forum now. We are at a university it.” the perspective of ‘changing’ the held a workshop that boiled down to which reaches out to every corner The afternoon talks in the Great entire world. Alex Kirby, a former ‘telling your story’, a fundamental of the world for its students, so it is hall commenced with Michael BBC environmental correspondent concept at the heart of every imperative to acknowledge this for Mathres of World Climate Ltd who who has now set up the Climate environmentalist, or aspiring one. such a worldwide issue. launched the hall into an active News Network, explored the media’s People from all over the world Reaching across the world to discussion via his global campaign involvement which he believes shared their stories. A lake in a small Borneo, the concurrent event was a to get students involved with Road is fading, and could possibly be community, their dependence on film screening of Sunset over Selungo. to Paris 2015, an effort which he reignited by a “benign catastrophe” to this lake, the lake’s part to play being The film highlighted the issues faced hopes will result in a global deal unite our generation, which is the last washed away by climate change: all by the Penan tribe and their struggles with businesses from the private and that can make a difference. summed up in a moving speech from against the logging of their jungle public sectors contributing positively "...using Talks such as these are essential at a one voice in the room whose story of home. With home swiftly becoming to UN climate negotiations. sustainable science university like Imperial, and her own home left all in silence. "...one voice a recurring theme, I spoke to fellow The series of talks to follow self having the opportunity to hear these A bridge from the bustling in the room Earth Science student Sarhan Abdul- involved linking environmental speakers give a very deep and specific discussion of climate change to Samat, from Borneo himself, who law to the water rights of people in development insight into climate change puts our the story of one person’s home ... left all in told me “I think that it is a very real India, or working on improving the to make a lives into perspective and provides was powerful enough to make a silence." reflection of how minority groups outlook of a very specific community difference," us with the potential and attitude to crowd listen intently and incite a in Malaysia are usually treated and such as Maputo, Mozambique using actively make a change in the future. NAC, Hacks, and Blacksmiths BEN HOWITT Dem Soc (among others), which year’s DPCS, will be returning to SECTION EDITOR have been put into the New Club assist with the transition. Incubator. Iranian Society have also Finally, I received an email from Another week, another issue! been re-established as a society with Owen Leech this week, who hopes Following the excitement of last a new committee. to establish a Blacksmithing week’s ‘Mascotry Issue’, we have Anthony Crowther, the Student society at Imperial – if this sounds an article on the London Climate Activites Manager, is leaving interesting, drop him an email at Forum. In other news: Imperial College Union this week [email protected]. The New Activities Committee to start a new job with the Careers We are always on the look out (NAC) met on Tuesday this week Service at Goldsmiths. For the for new stories and ideas – if you to discuss various new clubs, interim weeks without a Student think you have something to societies and projects. Look out for Activities Manager (the Union would contribute, get in touch at felix. The next society to hit Imperial? Let us know! Photo: Jeff Kubina events from Airsoft, Nepali and Lib quickly fall apart!), Yas Edwards, last [email protected]. FELIX THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON 05.12.2014 45
Sport Editor: Kunal Wagle
Snooker and Pool win i rst medal in Shield Aaron Brown and Robert Hughes report as Snooker and Pool win their i rst medal at the Southern England Championships
ecords tumbled at the around, the matches began and the first inter-university pool three new members, Aaron, Charles Rtournament of the year as a and Linus all managed to see off their new-look Imperial team pulled off first-round opponents with ease (with some stunning wins and overcame Aaron defeating a University College bad luck (and hangovers) to earn London (UCL) 1sts team member, their first ever medal in the Southern point 1 to Imperial), while Captain England Univesities Pool Council Rob proved his own worth to the Team Shield event. The team set team by crashing out in spectacular off early Saturday morning from fashion, along with the President Paddington, and spirits were high of the society, Cheng “so good they as we made the arduous journey named him twice” Cheng. In the last towards sunny Weston-Super-Mare. sixty-four, the standard of play was With three new members to the much better and both Linus and team, team captain Rob had some Aaron were defeated in extremely head scratching to do in the run up tight matches, with Aaron playing a to the tournament as to how to field sloppy frame to hand his opponent his eager players, using the journey victory. However, Charles was making to make sure all were up to speed on a great first impression on his debut tournament rules and regulations. university pool tournament and We arrived at the venue with steamed through to the next round time to spare, and as Rob went off with some unbelievable play and to the captains meeting, the team a touch of alcohol induced luck. A looked at the schedule to discover winner’s medal was not to be though, the identities of their opponents as in the next round he faced a very in the first round of individuals handy player from Southampton tournament. After some waiting who had previously dispatched the
Photo: IC Snooker and Pool
3rd seed for the tournament. With his frames with other universities and to 3rd place based on frames conceded opponent blatantly stealing Charlie’s made excellent use of the cider and and head-to-head. This meant that patented “drink between the shots” Guinness stocked bar to let off some we qualified for the Team shield method, the dye was cast and Chaz steam. event, and our next match was against was sent packing. However, he can Sunday arrived, and the team made Southampton 2nds, a very worthy hold his head high with an excellent its way to the tables for a London opponent. Another no nonsense debut performance. showdown of epic proportions. performance from the team and we Next up was the team event, with With the last UCL – Imperial match finished 6-3 winners, with Rob tying our group made up of UCL 1sts, ending at 6-1 to us, UCL were out for up the match with a simple (although Oxford 2nds and University of East revenge. Charles and Aaron were up he strongly claims it wasn’t) black. Anglia 3rds. First up was Oxford, first, and after Charles lost a very The semi-final was upon us, and and after racing into a 4-0 lead with tight game (against a player who with it came a very winnable match some fine play from Aaron playing finished 4th in the overall singles against Essex 2nds. A shocking at number 1 and Charles at number tournament), Aaron brought it back. start to the match, which saw both 3, we were pegged back to 5-4 to set 1-1. Linus followed, and another the dependable Aaron and Linus up a tense finalé. Captain Rob finally tight frame went UCLs way. 2-1. Each throw away their frames and (in his second outing) showed some team continued to trade frames until Essex race into a 2-0 lead. Rob and mettle and took the winning frame UCL took the advantage when they Charles then brought it back with to give us a 6-4 win and a great start managed to inflict a first loss on some tidy play and we were right to the tournament. Next up were the “mighty” (to use his own words) back in it at 2-2. Unfortunately UEA 3rds, and a much less dramatic Aaron, a “massive” (again his words) the team then fell apart, with easy match ended with us as runaway 6-1 blow. 5-3 was the score with both frames slipping through our fingers winners, with Aaron the only player Rob and Cheng needing to win their and we eventually lost 6-3. While in the team winning every frame frames to avoid defeat. disappointed not to reach the final, so far, something he frequently It was not to be, and UCL managed the entire team can hold their heads mentioned to his teammates to help to convert their lead to a 6-3 win, up as they bring home the first their spirits. With play over for the meaning that after starting the day Imperial pool team medals of the day, the team played some friendly as top of the group, Imperial dropped season (and ever). 46 05.12.2014 THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON FELIX
Sport Editor: Kunal Wagle
Autumn Internationals: How far off are England from lifting the World Cup?
HENRY LAMBLEY SPORTS WRITER
ngland ended their autumn international campaign Ewith a 26-17 win against an Australian team struggling for form in recent weeks. An estimated 82,000 supporters at Twickenham watched England exert their dominance in the scrum leading to a brace of tries split either side of half time for number eight Ben Morgan. Australia did sparkle at times and retaliated with two tries of their own through Fly Half Bernard Foley, who was substituted immediately after, and replacement lock Will Skelton, although they conceded far more penalties during the 80 minutes. After exchanging penalties at the beginning, England pushed ahead with another three points from the tee as well as Morgan’s first converted try – the result of an Australian handling error deep in their own 22. Another Foley penalty meant that at the break the visitors trailed 13-6. Australia emerged the brighter at the beginning of the second half and made light work of the home defence to score an emphatic try 5 minutes in. Having closed to within three points, the game intensified although it was more errors in deep in their own territory that cost the Wallabies a second try at the hands of Morgan. They pushed hard for another try which duly came but were held off with two more penalties from the boot of George Ford. England can take plenty of positives away from the match with good performances put in across the Ben Morgan scores a try for England in their 26-17 victory over Australia. They won two out of four Autumn Internationals Photo: Getty Images pitch. The forwards controlled the game at set pieces and breakdowns backs and would have conceded Owen Farrell was making his mark at New Zealand, the first half against the potential of Sam Burgess’ move as well as utilising the rolling maul more tries were it not for several 10 but has since fallen out of favour South Africa or after scoring tries from League to Union could give the with devastating effect. George handling errors at crucial moments. and with good reason. Ford has grown against Australia, they cannot afford backs that dynamism they have been Ford’s open play kicking was much In contrast, England’s back three with confidence over the Autumn to rest on their laurels against the best sorely lacking. improved. Having lacked purpose in played with little variety and were and played well against the Wallabies teams in the world because they will The series was an opportunity for previous matches, all of his kicks put completely neutralised in attack and although his place kicking will need be punished. Stuart Lancaster to bed in a relatively pressure on the Australian defence provided little to no resistance when to improve to make him top choice Looking ahead to the World Cup inexperienced team with a view to the and were the initiating step of both defending. Jonny May, who scored for the Six Nations in February. next September, England’s prospects World Cup and we will have to wait tries. The stand-out performers were three tries this series, was reduced to a The backs need to improve their look fairly good. While they only won until then to find out if this tactic has Morgan for his two tries and control cameo appearance with a single carry attacking game which lacked two games in the Autumn series it been successful. of the scrum and Courtney Lawes, in the first half while other winger sufficient variation to fool the better was not a complete disaster and the England have undoubtedly stalled who produced try-saving tackles in Anthony Watson made only a few teams. Jonny May shone with an issues highlighted can be ironed out since the Six Nations in the spring both halves before going off injured. short bursts in the second half. individual try against the All Blacks through the Six Nations and over but there is a clear path ahead to There is cause for concern as well. What have we learnt from the series and added another two against Samoa the summer when the coaches will prosperity if the coaching staff Whilst Australia would always prove as a whole? The England pack is not but was made to look as ordinary have more time to work with the are prepared to acknowledge the a greater challenge than last week’s only effective but consistently so. as the rest of them in the other players. It is not fanciful to believe shortfalls of this current crop of opponents, Samoa, the team they They dissected Samoa and Australia tests. Mike Brown was especially that they could win the competition players. fielded looked wearied by a series with ease and formed the basis of disappointing given his performance and should certainly progress from Lifting the Webb Ellis Cup in ten of defeats and were certainly not on most of the teams attacks. With the in recent tournaments. The whole their group judging by the current months’ time may seem more a hope a par with the other big southern likes of Alex Corbisiero and Dan team lacks the intensity over 80 form of Australia. Players returning than a likely outcome with the form hemisphere teams. The English Cole returning from injury they will minutes to secure the win. It was a from injury will undoubtedly inject of the favourites New Zealand but defence was unable to cope with the only be stronger. George Ford is an series long theme that showed that, some energy into the team as the with home advantage, all is still to speed and strength of the Australian emerging talent. This time last year whether it was the second half against competition for places intensifies and play for. FELIX THE STUDENT PAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON 05.12.2014 47
Sport Editor: Kunal Wagle
ICUAFC go on tour to Brighton’s beachside clubs... And play some football as well Taha Butt on the action from the coast
fter weeks of deliberation the exception of a few. Julian and minutes of research, tour NoFuncaponi was deemed ineligible Asecretary Naven Ghulam to play by British Universities & came to the decision that Imperial Colleges Sport (BUCS) as he had College Union Association Football conveniently forgotten his ID for the Club (ICUAFC) and its hordes of entire weekend. Vice-Captain, Robert Rangers were to return to the tour Maizonnier, continuing his ongoing destination from two years ago: the struggle with bouncers all over the lovely sea side town of Brighton. The country was also forced to watch day began as Philipp Gerstenberg from the stands. The game started arrived for his first pint at the with a high tempo and the pace was union a good eight hours before the too much for Cricket Social Sec and scheduled departure time. The Tour self-proclaimed BNOC MattWho? Sec was bombarded with questions Knights as he suffered from a case of on a range of topics using the hashtag ‘Couldn’t hack it with the big boys’. #AskNav. Despite his ability to keep The opposition, University College calm in answering these questions, London (UCL) Netball, arrived late it soon became apparent that he was but were quick to get involved with in fact from the Matt Cann school the play. A cagey period of play of tour secs and that the tradition of ensued as resident Scouser, Ant incompetency was to be carried on. Wilson, peppered the UCL netball Refusing to let this setback hold them goal with some shots but she was down, the army of Rangers powered having none of it. With about an hour Photo: ICUAFC on as more and more joined the cause. on the clock, Dom Wood broke free The touring party arrived in next to the bar and slotted in a neat Seb Gosden collecting his first ever of The Match was Peeran Patel for points were shared. Highlight of the Brighton full of high spirits and finish to open the scoring. Vicious sending off for giving chat-back to being peer pressured into learning game was another late challenge, this optimism. The squad was split into rumours circulated that he also the referee. Bazzledon insisted he had how to kick. time on Bronia’s brother Callum, rooms of 20 and 18 with careful agreed on a return leg in London with scored a winner in the disable toilets With football out of the way there even though he wasn’t even playing. consideration to spread the deadwood the opposition. Club wonder kid, Sam but his claims were denied to due to was just enough time for a visit to Callum was subbed off bringing an and the fun people equally. After the West Brom, was having a torrid time the use of a 4-1-4-1 formation and a another dubiously named night end to his Brighton adventure. session at the union and an eventful in Brighton and there was no respite scandalous self pleasuring technique. club. This time it was the beach side Next morning, the only thing train journey, only a brief stop at from the opposition. Having heard Second day of tour began slowly establishment of Shoosh that would on the agenda was to make a quick the local ‘spoons was required to of his academy past, he was double with the prospect of actual football play host. IC had a lengthy warm getaway and get back to London as get everyone sufficiently loose and man marked out of the game all the to be played. Nav still serving his ban up at ‘spoons where we got told off soon as possible. Despite a quality warmed up. The importance of a good way back to the hostels. Despite the on the touchlines meant the group for having too much fun and being weekend, it was agreed that Brighton warm up was highlighted when a best efforts of the rest of the squad he was without their tour sec yet again. “too intoxed”. Not affected by this would never be revisited. Thank certain Kings’ 1sts player became the couldn’t break past the double man We arrived at the pitch to see what early setback IC arrived at the venue you Naven Ghulam for organising first casualty of the tour and in the marking and the opposition managed can only be described as a poor man’s with high hopes. Unfortunately the another fantastic ICUAFC tour. process made for an uncomfortable to register two goals. IC looked to be Hyde Park football pitch with the opposition set out for a draw and the bus journey for an unsuspecting heading to defeat until Edin Dzeko added feature of actual human faeces. french woman. Our first fixture was snuck in with an equaliser late on as Expert storyteller, Charlie Powell, had being played at a beach-side club the points were shared. Other notable warned the troops of the potentially called Coalition. To the surprise of incidents in the game were Naven deadly effects of getting shit in the many, the majority of the group Ghulam receiving Red for a two wound and players on both teams managed to get into the club with footed challenge to the head as well started the game with caution. IC skins were captained by tour enigma, Alcoholic Frank while IC shirts were captained by 3 out of 4 Patel brothers, Kieran, Beeran and Peeran. (Come to the union to meet all three on any given Wednesday or Saturday). Both teams produced a display worthy of the pitch. A scorpion kick goal from Dickon Dent Duffield was a highlight whilst Charlie bagged a hat-trick only to be disallowed due to lack of goal conversion via Klinsmann. After the game, both teams were treated to an exhibition of textbook Klinsmanns by Shagger Harris, which everyone appreciated. Final score was a 1-0 win Photo: ICUAFC to Brighton football pitches and Man Photo: ICUAFC Issue 1591
[email protected] Sport Editor: Kunal Wagle Imperial Basketball make #PutOutYourBats, Chelsea and Jules Bianchi – the strong start to the season World Sport Column CEDRIC COLLE sessions, where students get to work start a third Men’s team next season. on their individual skills and learn So everyone is welcome to join the IC BASKETBALL fundamental offensive and defensive sessions, whether or not you would moves. Michael Wells, Development like to join the teams! alf-way through the season, Sessions Secretary, reflects on this: Finally, may I take this opportunity and everything is extremely “Here in development sessions, we to invite everyone that may be Hbright for Imperial College have two primary goals: to improve interested to our Winter Basketball Basketball so far! The teams which our basketball skills, and to have Tournament (you do not have to be entered the British Universities & fun! Our sessions are usually split a member to come and play). This Colleges Sport (BUCS) leagues have into two sections: the first forty-five will take place at Ethos on Saturday been performing outstandingly. minutes consist of warm-ups and 13th December from 14:00 to 17:00, The Men’s 1st team tops its league, different drills that serve to improve and it will be good fun. There is no and is still undefeated (just like the a different area each week. For the requirement regarding how skilful Philadelphia 76ers, only the other rest of the session, we run games of you are basketball-wise, just make way round). The Women’s 1st and either 4v4 or 5v5, full court, where sure you bring some enthusiasm! Men’s 2nd teams are respectively 4th we try to incorporate the various For more information, shoot us an Photo: Getty Images and 2nd in their league. things we have learned each week”. email at [email protected] or We’ve also enjoyed a great turnout In addition, with ICU Basketball’s like us on Facebook (Imperial College to our weekly Saturday development fast expansion, we may potentially London Basketball). KUNAL WAGLE beat Sri Lanka in the third One-Day- International in Hambantota on SPORT EDITOR Duckworth-Lewis to keep themselves in the series. Taekwondo emerge victorious ricketer Phillip Hughes was Chelsea dominated against laid to rest at his funeral in Tottenham in the Premier League Chis hometown in Macksville, to secure a 3-0 win. Manchester for second year running New South Wales, on Wednesday. City and Manchester United won, Australian captain Michael Clarke whilst Southampton fell to a second gave an emotional eulogy after acting consecutive defeat, this time at the NATHANIEL GALLOP for highest cumulative medal score and Christopher Dancel for their as a pall bearer. Hughes, who would hands of Arsenal. remains at Imperial College for the instruction and coaching, both on have turned 26 on Sunday, was struck England overcame Australia to win IC TAEKWONDO second year running. the day and during the lead-up to the by a bouncer last Tuesday, and died their final Autumn International For the past three years, the competition itself. on Thursday afternoon, after an 26-17. Wales beat South Africa to he 10th anniversary of the Imperial College Open has grown at Finally we would like to thank artery burst in his neck. The Test register only their second victory Imperial College Taekwondo an increasing rate, and is likely to the BSTF for their support in the Series between Australia and India against a Rugby Championship side Tsociety got off to an explosive continue to grow in the future. organisation of the Imperial College has been subsequently rearranged. under Warren Gatland. start over this past weekend, with The organisational challenges of Open; the ESSA for their sponsorship; Adelaide, Hughes adopted home Sam Burgess, who has recently the hosting of the third annual such a competition are immense and and Image Scotland for their ground, will now host the first test, switched codes from Rugby League Imperial College Open Taekwondo could not be possible without the provision of materials and clothing with Brisbane hosting the second. A to Rugby Union, made his debut last Competition. incredible degree of support received for the competition. twitter hashtag, #putoutyourbats, has Friday, coming on off the bench in a The competition has grown at an from the Taekwondo community. Imperial College Taekwondo hopes become a global phenomenon, with win for Bath against Harlequins. incredible rate since its inception in Imperial College Taekwondo would to build on the success of the past many leaving their bats outside with An accident report has found 2012, this year attracting upwards of therefore like to thank Master three years, with a bigger and better a cap on the handle in tribute. that Jules Bianchi “did not slow 230 competitors from 31 universities Ali Abdoli in addition to Stephen competitions in future. Last week Brendon McCullum, sufficiently” in the lead up to the across the United Kingdom. Butlin, Danut Varzani, Tameem Al- Imperial College Taekwondo wearing a PH (Phil Hughes) on his accident that left him in a coma in This represents the most substantial Kubati and Maniesha Kaur for their trains on Mondays, Thursdays and shirt, became only the second player the Japanese Grand Prix. In other increase in competition turnout assistance in officiating the fights. Saturdays from 20:00 to 22:00. in history after Don Bradman to score news, double points has now been so far, and solidifies the Imperial We would also like to thank Master Sessions are held in the Union Gym, two double centuries and a triple abandoned for next season’s Formula College Open as the second largest Reza Saberi, Estefania Palacios, 3rd floor, Beit Quad. century in a calendar year.England One season. student Taekwondo competition in the country, and the largest such competition planned and run by university students. The massive increase in turnout and scale has provided a significant challenge for members of the Imperial College Taekwondo team, many of whom acted as volunteers and helpers, in addition to taking part in the competition itself. Despite these considerable challenges, Imperial College Taekwondo once again emerged from the competition victorious, winning a total of 23 medals (8 Gold, 4 Silver, 11 Bronze) from a pool of 29 fighters, narrowly defeating the substantially larger 37 strong University College London Taekwondo team and ensuring that the ‘Imperial Award’ Photo: IC Taekwondo Photo: Reuters / Andrew Winning