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twitter.com/warwickboar Wednesday 11th March, 2015 theYourboar award-winning student newspaper Est. 1973 | Volume 37 | Issue 10

However Mr Slater responded, Matt Barker saying: “it sets a dangerous and chilling precedent … I suggest that the University scraps this clause so Warwick University has been as to ensure this never takes place”. Censorship at ranked as red for censorship and The SU’s red rating was based on restriction of free speech, accord- several policies and actions, includ- ing to a Free Speech University ing its equal opportunities policy, Ranking table. the removal of the Sun and the Dai- The rankings, commissioned by ly Star from campus, and the SU’s website Spiked!, employed a traf- campaign launched against Moo Warwick? fic light system to categorise 115 Bar’s allegedly sexist wallpaper. universities. Green rankings were Spiked! criticised an equal op- awarded to universities deemed portunities policy that stated: “The to have a hands-off approach to union, and all of its clubs and so- free speech, and red rankings were cieties that organise events, must given to universities described as be fully satisfied with an agency’s hostile to free speech and free ex- Equal Opportunities policy be- pression. fore contracting any artists on that 41 percent of the universities in- agency’s books. volved, including Warwick, were “If an artist under contract is marked as red. Meanwhile, 80 per- deemed to be racist, sexist, ableist, cent were seen to censor free speech homophobic or transphobic (or not beyond what the law recommends. adhering to this bylaw), that artist Each university was broken should not be re-engaged and the down into the university manage- agency from which the artist was ment body and the students’ union, obtained should be reviewed.” with the overall rating representing Mr Slater said: “If we want to the average result. take on prejudice, we need to take Warwick University manage- it on in debate. How can we hope to ment was given an amber rating, destroy prejudice by simply hiding whereas the Students’ Union (SU) it from view?” was given a red rating. However, Isaac Leigh, societies The rankings were decided from officer and next year’s SU presi- policies and one-off bans or acts of dent, emphasised: “All students had censorship. the opportunity to democratically The main reason stated for the decide whether to lobby the Uni- University management’s amber versity to remove the Sun from sale rating was that, in the University’s on campus. ‘Dignity at Warwick’ policy, the “This is not censorship - it’s definition of harassment includes a campaign which aims to raise ‘displaying material that is likely to awareness and discussion on what cause offence to others.’ is becoming an increasingly promi- Tom Slater, the project coor- nent social issue. dinator, said this clause was cited “There is a difference between a because: “This could mean practi- boycott and a ban – one is a demo- cally anything, and could be used cratic tactic used to effect change, to restrict all manner of speech and while the other is an autocratic, expression.” reactionary measure imposed arbi- Peter Dunn, director of press trarily.” and policy at the University, told The SU also felt that the rankings the Boar: “I am not aware of any as- were limited and “are part of a pub- pect of the University’s ‘Dignity at licity-seeking and politically loaded Warwick’ policy being accused of campaign on the part of Spiked!” being employed in any actual act of However, Mr Slater asserted: Warwick has been ranked red for its ‘restriction alleged censorship. “Censorship on UK campuses has “[The rankings] would appear reached epidemic levels, and it’s not to reflect some of the most ba- time something was done about it of free speech’ on campus sic legal obligations placed on any …Students across the UK are sick public body which would therefore to the back teeth of these patronis- » photo: Vincent Diamante / Flickr make the utility of those rankings ing and illiberal measures.” limited at best”. Continued on page 3

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TF4187Sponsored The Boar Warwick by: 265x44 Banner.indd 1 23/01/2015 13:39 theboar.org/News | @BoarNews | NEWS 2 2 News theboar.org Card-mageddon: over 1,900 posters swamp campus

» Campaign posters on the Piazza Photo: Ann Yip

Ann Yip ficer-elect Charlie Hindhaugh, fol- potential ability as a sabbatical of- Creasy and Sports Officer Alex lowed behind with over 160 pieces ficer, is so important. Roberts were also in the lower of circle posters. “I just hate cardboard now.” spectrum with 70 and 40 pieces of Campaigns for Students’ Union sab- The ‘average’ number of cam- Mr Hindhaugh recalled that cardboard respectively. batical officer positions resulted in paign posters for each candidate his campaign “involved sever- Commenting on the amount over 1,900 pieces of cardboard dis- was 92. al trips with armfuls of card- of cardboard used, Mr Pilot tributed around campus, the Boar Candidates with the lowest board to the back of Costcut- said that most of his card- can reveal. number of cardboard used includ- ter, many scoutings out at board was recycled in the The Boar asked each sabbatical ed presidential candidate Stanley Tesco, and a trip to Ikea for end. officer candidate how many piec- Dodd and Democracy and Devel- the quality stuff”. Sam Parr, Welfare and es of cardboard they used around opment candidate Cayo Sobral. However, there was no Campaigns Officer can- campus. The survey did not take direct correlation found didate, described how into account poster sizes and did “I just hate cardboard now” between the number of he tried to cut down on not include posters of part-time of- Luke Pilot cardboard used and votes. weight by using “corrugat- ficer candidates. Three of next year’s elect- ed cardboard... covered by The candidates that distribut- Luke Pilot, next year’s Welfare ed officers used the lowest sheet cardboard on one side”. ed the highest number of posters and Campaigns Officer, who used number of posters compared Andrew Thompson, who were Education Officer candidate 90 pieces of cardboard, comment- to their rivals. Mr Hindhaugh ran for re-election, explained Jasmine Jones and Democracy and ed on the importance of cardboard used 100 pieces of cardboard, how he “tried to be as efficient as Development Officer candidate in campaigning: “I massively un- Democracy and Development Of- possible”. Tom Diamond. derestimated the importance of ficer-elect Oliver Rice used 35 and He said: “I always tried to…get Postgraduate Officer Andrew cardboard, but at the same time it’s Postgraduate Officer-elect Nat at least two out of a box... I used the Thompson, deemed “the cardboard frustrating how cardboard, some- Panda used 65. » A typical sabb candidate’s room three biggest boxes I had to make don of the week” by Education Of- thing completely unrelated to your Elected Societies Officer George photo: Charlie Hindhaugh my six massive circles.” theboar Editorial Team NEWS Ann Yip FILM Paulina Dregvaite Editor Rebecca Myers [email protected] Rosie Hurley [email protected] Andrew Russell [email protected] Samuel Lovett Arthi Nachiappan GAMES Gabriella Watt Deputy Editors Raghav Bali Connor O’Shea [email protected] Joe Baker [email protected] Daniel Cope April Roach Charlie Roberson Sian Elvin COMMENT Hiran Adhia MUSIC Sam Evans Sub-editors Samantha Hopps [email protected] Eloise Millard [email protected] Jacob Mier [email protected] Florence Vane Nour Rose Chehab Grace Rothwell-Williams Hannah Bettison TV Laura Primiceri Shaquille Basar [email protected] Ellie Campbell Helena Green FEATURES Rami Abusamra Sandeep Purewal [email protected] Roxanne Douglas Director of Business Alessandro Presa Jasmine Johnson SCIENCE & TECH Cayo Sobral [email protected] Lauren Bond [email protected] Selina-Jane Spencer Blessing Mukosha Park Head of Sales Pamela Rajadurai TRAVEL Samantha Hopps [email protected] LIFESTYLE Bethan McGrath [email protected] Farah Chaudhry [email protected] Elizabeth Pugsley Maaike Spiekerman Head of Marketing Kate Mant [email protected] ARTS Catherine Lyon PHOTOGRAPHY Ife Akinroyeje [email protected] [email protected] Tom Lord Head of Logistics & Distribution Derin Odueyungbo Alex Sturtivant [email protected] BOOKS Emily Nabney [email protected] Carmella Lowkis SPORT Luke Brown Webmaster Haseeb Majid Lucy Skoulding [email protected] Warren Muggleton [email protected] Sam Nugent Shingi Mararike

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WE WANT YOU! SUHQ, Floor Two theboar is printed on 100% recycled paper University of Warwick Leave your paper for someone else when finished To write for your student paper University Road Coventry theboar is the University of Warwick’s CV4 7AL editorially independent student newspaper Email the section editors above if produced entirely by and for students. Except where otherwise noted, theboar and the you want to write for the paper works in theboar are licensed under: [email protected] http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk theboar.org/News | @BoarNews | NEWS 3 3 News theboar.org Is there censorship on campus? (cont.) “University Continued from front page “The survey has become so over This ranking also follows inci- ambitious and so complicated in censored dents on campus which include the the information that it requests that On censorship: editor’s note University’s refusal to take part in we are no longer willing to assist s News editor, I would the campaign against Moo Bar’s breakdown the green league, the violence at with the survey in its current form.” like to say that while I am wallpaper last year. Senate House, and the disruption Over the past year, clubs and against any sort of censor- As Isaac Leigh said, these are not of a People and Planet grim reaper societies have also kept quiet on ship and restriction of in- bans or acts of censorship, these are of VC pay” protest during an engineering ca- sanctions and disputes being dealt Aformation, I am completely against democratic boycotts which stand reers fair. by the SU. any existence of sexism, racism or against important social issues, like Anna Khoo This includes the barring of the homophobia on campus - or any- sexism and racism. Rugby Club from SU events and a where at that. I am surprised Spiked! has not dispute between Warwick Labour I agree with the University and deemed the withdrawal of a fascist The removal of the Sun from and Anti-Racism society. the SU that the censorship rankings leader from campus last year ‘cen- campus and the campaign Mr Leigh responded to the si- by Spiked! online are limited. I am sorship’, because, theoretically, we against Moo Bar’s wallpaper lence of societies and clubs: “While not saying that there is no censor- should let the fascist leader express were deemed ‘censorship’ it may be the case that societies and ship on campus, but that the defi- his racist opinions on campus. clubs would be advised not to speak nition of ‘censorship’ by Spiked! is If one were to survey censorship to the media in certain instances pointing in the wrong direction. on campus, the removal of offen- (particularly those involving confi- Spiked! deems the removal of of- sive material on campus is not the Mr Dunn stressed that the rea- dential disciplinary processes), ob- fensive material from campus ‘cen- place to find it. soning behind not taking part in viously this would be subject to the sorship’, citing examples like the re- Ann Yip the green university rankings was: specific individual circumstances.” moval of the Sun from campus and Study-enhancing drugs surge in popularity

Warwick University has refused to offer a breakdown of vice-chancel- lor Nigel Thrift’s pay in response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request issued by University College Union (UCU). 155 UK universities were request- ed to give details on the pay afford- ed to senior members of staff. War- wick was among 14 universities who refused to answer questions in the survey relating to the pay received by the vice-chancellor. The questions left unanswered concerned flight and hotel costs, as well as personal expenses. Nigel Thrift is currently paid £348,000 a year, over eight times more than the average member of staff; average pay for a vice-chan- cellor in the UK is now £260,000, according to UCU. The report, entitled ‘Transparen- cy at the top? Senior pay and perks in UK universities,’ found that War- wick was the eighth top spender on » Study drug usage at Warwick University photo: Ann Yip senior post-holders’ pay, with 158 staff members paid more than £100, Arthi Nachiappan The survey also found that the The rising popularity of the drugs drugs in sport: “If athletes are pro- 000. proportion of study drug users ris- derives from the United States hibited from placing themselves at No minutes are recorded for es to 20 percent when looking at where usage reaches 25 percent of an unfair advantage via substances, renumeration committee meetings The Boar conducted an anony- second-, third- or fourth-year stu- the student body in the most aca- I feel that the same should apply in of which Nigel Thrift is a mem- mous survey of Warwick students dents. Meanwhile, only 5 percent demically competitive universities, academia.” ber, and three of the six committee to investigate whether more stu- of first-years claimed to have used according to a 2005 study by the US A first-year undergraduate who members present are paid staff. dents are taking so-called ‘smart study drugs. National Centre for Biotechnology. had not used study drugs however Students have protested repeat- pills.’ Study drugs are usually bought Although it is not considered said that they did not feel at a disad- edly over the vice-chancellor’s pay Recent recent reports from the on the internet or supplied by a addictive, studies have shown that vantage to those who did use them. this year. A vote of “no confidence Guardian suggest more students at dealer on university campuses. Modafinil can increase levels of do- They said that the issue was not in Nigel Thrift” was passed by War- British universities are turning to The drugs, termed ‘nootropics’, pamine in the brain’s reward centre, to do with increasing intelligence, wick Students’ Union last term performance-enhancing pills when are cognitive-enhancers originally which has been linked with addic- but concentration: “Some people and a petition to rescind his 2015 studying. developed as treatment for long- tion, according to the Guardian. are naturally more able to concen- knighthood currently has 647 sig- The Boar asked 209 Warwick term illnesses such as Alzheimer’s A second-year undergraduate trate than others. Is that an unfair natures at the time of going to print. students about their experiences disease, but they have been in- who had used study-enhancing disadvantage?” Warwick refused to give ex- with and opinions of study drugs. creasingly re-purposed and sold as drugs, commented: “I love them, Warwick University’s head of penses detail on Thrift’s pay under 11 percent of respondents had concentration-enhancing pills or they help me concentrate so much press and policy, Peter Dunn, com- section 12 of the FOI act. The ex- used study drugs, and a further 56 ‘smart drugs’. better. At the end of the day, if peo- mented that the University did not emption holds that obtaining such percent said they would consider One of the most popular in the ple think they give others a disad- identify the use of study drugs as a information would exceed the rea- using them. UK is Modafinil, a prescription-on- vantage, it’s not like they’re hard to significant issue for Warwick. sonable time or cost limits of an When asked whether or not there ly medication for narcolepsy, which come by so [they] could get them He said that in cases where it was FOI request. ‘Reasonable’ limits are was an unfair advantage to other acts as a stimulant to prevent ex- themselves too.” a concern, “it is an issue that the considered to be 18 hours of one students using drugs, 41 percent of cessive sleepiness, according to the A third-year undergraduate, University Support Services and employee’s time, or £450. those surveyed said there was, 41 BBC. Side effects can include pro- who said that they would not con- Students’ Union services would UCU is pushing for full minutes percent thought there wasn’t, and longed anxiety, headaches and di- sider using study drugs, compared deal with on an individual basis of pay discussions and benefits to 18 percent were unsure. gestive problems. them to performance-enhancing with a student.” be in the public domain. theboar.org/News | @BoarNews | NEWS 4 4 News theboar.org Criticism of Labour’s proposed fee reduction News in Brief Alex Ball raising concerns regarding the suf- fected in the short run” and “reduce increase in corporation tax, which Connor O’Shea ficiency of loans for students from government debt in both the short could be used to finance the aboli- “squeezed middle” families. and long run”. tion of tuition fees. The Labour party have promised The plans were announced by Ed However, criticism of this policy The policy would also mean that to cut university tuition fees in Miliband at a speech in Leeds. has emerged from Business Secre- interest rates on repayment of loans England from £9,000 to £6,000 His speech highlighted that the tary Vince Cable, who called the would be increased from three per- per annum starting in autumn average student leaves university proposals a “tax on pensioners”, cent to four percent for graduates 2016, should they be elected in the with £44,000 worth of debt. as well as from Chancellor George earning over £42,000. forthcoming general election. He also mentioned Nick Clegg’s Osborne, who said: “Ed Miliband’s There are concerns that this only They have also pledged to keep failure to carry out his policies re- sums don’t add up.” benefits high earners, who overall this policy in the event of a coali- garding tuition fees, blaming this The University and College Un- would see their repayments going tion. for leaving “a whole generation ion (UCU) said that it “welcomed down if fees were reduced, but low- Ed Miliband has said that this doubting politics”. any reduction in the cost of access- er earners would experience little would be accounted for econom- The leader of the Labour party ing higher education. However, difference. ically by reducing tax relief on also claimed that this policy would what students and staff really need Sam Freeman, first year MORSE pensions for those earning over save the taxpayer £40 billion by is a long-term funding solution for student, said: “[The promise to cap n inquiry has revealed £150,000 per year, and also prom- 2030, noting that the current sys- universities which allows all who tuition fees at £6000 per annum is] that hundreds of deaths ised to increase maintenance grants tem means that too much student would benefit to go.” a poorly veiled attempt to capture of those with mental by £400 per year. debt ends up being written off. The UCU also added that they the votes of young people, especial- health issues in detention However, maintenance grants The Institute for Fiscal Studies were “disappointed that Labour ly bearing in mind the rise [in fees] Acould have been avoided. The in- would only be available to families said that this policy would “leave has not introduced a ‘business ed- in recent memory under the cur- quiry, which was led by Warwick of a total income below £42,000, university finances largely unaf- ucation tax’”. This is essentially an rent coalition government.” Professor Swaran Singh, revealed that 367 adults with mental health conditions died through unnatural circumstances in UK psychiatric Students discuss NHS plans to close SU pharmacy wards between 2010 and 2013. April Roach tial status. The issue was lobbied in Parlia- Concerns were also raised for ick Clegg’s constituen- The directors have written back ment on Tuesday at 9:30 and anoth- Freshers and new students who cy office was occupied to explain that their report is factu- er meeting has been scheduled for may struggle to locate Cannon Park by Sheffield University Students met at The Graduate ally incorrect. next Tuesday at Worcester. in the first couple weeks of term, students in protest over space on Friday 6 March to dis- MW Philips is not part of the Students raised many issues sur- and older students who will be re- Ntuition fees. The students protested cuss plans for the local National NHS and they exist as an inde- rounding the Area Team’s decision, turning from years abroad to find outside his office before entering Health Service (NHS) Area Team pendent commercial organisation. such as the fact that the University their local pharmacy gone. the building. They quickly left Mr to close the MW Phillips pharma- When the contract between the has a 15-year plan to move everyone Freya Jackson, a second-year Clegg’s office once police arrived cy in the SU Atrium. pharmacy and the Area Team ends onto campus, therefore the popula- English literature student, said: on the scene. The protest arose over The local NHS Area Team made on March 31 the pharmacy will be tion of students living on campus is “I think if the pharmacy closes it Mr Clegg’s broken pledge regarding their decisions based on the fact forced to eventually close. set to increase significantly. would be so disastrous for so many tuition fee rises. that the pharmacy is not used However, Mr Dhami explained Disabled students attending the people. enough and there are other phar- that they hope to remain open for meeting voiced issues around the “It would stop people coming igel Thrift was confront- macies available to students in clos- a longer period of time in order to difficulty of getting to Cannon and it might make people drop out. ed by members of War- er proximity. make sure students are aware of the Park, especially with the current It would just be a sign of a lack of wick for Free Education Sandeep Dhami, superintendent closure of the pharmacy. road works around campus. support from the University.” on Wednesday 4 March. of the chain of pharmacies be- Jenny Wheeler, second-year NThe vice-chancellor was attend- longing to MW Phillips, attended Chemistry undergraduate and dis- ing a drinks reception at the Arts the meeting and confirmed that abled students’ officer, added: “I Centre when a group of WFFE the decision was not based on the think that they would be majorly members arrived. The event was quality or underperformance of the disadvantaging all students, par- closed down and security escorted pharmacy. ticularly disabled students - a high- Sir Nigel to his waiting vehicle. The The fact that the majority of er population which actually lives WFFE members shouted questions customers are under 60 years of age on campus. at the vice-chancellor regarding his and are therefore able to locate oth- “They are not considering the salary. er pharmacies in the area was men- ever changing nature of campus tioned as a reason for the closure. given the road works and the new ou are at greater risk of a In 2005 pharmacies were access issues towards Cannon Park. stroke if you sleep for over deemed as essential by the NHS “Trying to get to Cannon Park eight hours a day, accord- and the government, however the anyway when you are ill is not ide- ing to Warwick research- superintendent was aware that this al. I think it is majorly disadvan- Yers. The team, led by Yue Leng, decision might come under review. taging people who have built up a found that those who persistently He believes that due to the recent relationship with their pharmacist. sleep for over eight hours a day cut backs to the NHS, pharmacies It would be a massive shame.” were twice as likely to have a stroke. have consequently lost their essen- » MW Phillips’ contract ends on March 31 photo: April Roach ndian students are choosing to study in the US instead of the UK, according to India’s Com- College banned from recruiting internationals merce and Industry Minister, INirmala Sitharaman. The minister While the actions of St. Patrick’s tion year on year. not on par with home fees”. has suggested that Indian students Simran Thakral College may have been illegal, the Sonali Gidwani, a first year un- She added: “Coming here [to are dissuaded from studying in the situation has raised questions about dergraduate of Philosophy, Politics Warwick] is not entirely worth the UK due to the difficulty in obtain- whether international students are and Economics and an internation- fees but unfortunately for me I’m ing visas and the increased fee for St. Patrick’s College in London re- legally recruited for their higher tu- al student from Hong Kong, com- stuck with paying these exorbitant international students. cently had its license to recruit in- ition fees as opposed to sole merit mented that the £19,000 she pays in prices.” ternational students revoked after in other institutions such as at uni- tuition fees were “exploitative and resent deputy news editors an investigation by the Quality As- versities across the country. have expressed their ap- surance Agency. preciation for News Editor The investigation revealed that “Warwick is not entirely Ann Yip. Reports suggest a total of £3.84 million of public worth the fees but I’m stuck Pthat she has done a fantastic job money was given to ineligible inter- as News Editor over the past year. national students through a student with paying these exorbitant It is also alleged that her commit- loan scheme in order to recruit prices” ment and dedication to the section more students. Sonali Gidwani has been inspirational to all. Sourc- According to Kavin Kanasagab- es claim that Ann will be missed, ai, a business lecturer at the college, International students often pay however, the Boar News team wish- the focus of the college was cen- tuition fees at significantly higher es her every success in the future. tered on financial gains and hence rates than domestic students and Boar Love from April, Arthi, Con- aimed to recruit as many interna- their fees are not fixed at a certain nor, Rosie and Sam. tional students as possible. rate, but subject to rise with infla- » College exploits students Photo: Birkbeck Media Services / Flickr theboar.org/News | @BoarNews | NEWS 5 5 News theboar.org Thrifty’s flighty spending: £54,800 spent on airfare

Sonali Gidwani c l a s s .” Dr Hermes added that informa- tion he was given is “likely [to] rep- Vice-chancellor Sir Nigel Thrift resent only a small part of Thrift’s has spent £54,800 on 12 interna- total travel reimbursements, since tional flights during the last aca- he is entitled to a University-fund- demic year, a freedom of informa- ed credit card for hotel bookings, tion (FOI) request revealed. meals, and other expenses incurred The information was requested overseas.” by Dr JJ Hermes, a postgraduate Nonetheless, he said he thought fellow in the astronomy group of the airfare costs are “an exception- the physics department. ally excessive spend.” Sir Thrift’s spending on air fares He commented: “I am not aware last year was over twice the amount that the decision to allow such ex- spent in 2011-12; he was reimbursed pensive travel, totalling £54,841.08 almost £26,000 for 17 international for the last academic year, was ever trips in 2012, a previous study by discussed let alone voted on by the the Boar revealed. Senate.” According to the information Peter Dunn, head of press and given, Professor Thrift mainly flew policy at Warwick stated: “The via British Airways to a wide varie- flights reflect the specific commis- ty of destinations, including but not sion he was given, as vice-chancel- limited to: Melbourne, San Fran- lor, to raise our international pro- cisco, Mumbai, Mexico City, New f i l e .” York, Budapest and Rio de Janeiro. He added: “Also in that list of He also flew Emirates twice and journeys are two that were taken took Qantas whilst touring Aus- to accompany government min- tralia and Indonesia. He took one isters promoting UK universities flight with Ryanair while returning overseas. Each of those journeys in from Budapest. fact cost us less than just one of the The majority of flights cost over lowest overseas fees we charge for a £2,000, with the most expensive degree course. single destination flight costing “As our overseas student appli- £6,126.25. Professor Thrift’s round cations are up it is clear that the trip within Australia and Indonesia promotional activity we have un- cost a total of £8,208. dertaken such as this has greatly Dr Hermes said that he sub- benefited the University, bringing mitted the FOI request out of in more funding to allow us to de- “sheer interest in starting a con- liver even better teaching and re- versation about whether or not s e arc h .” the vice-chancellor or other senior Research conducted by UCU members of staff should be in the suggested that the average spend habit of flying business (or first) on flights for heads of 128 univer- class while representing the Uni- sities in the 2013/14 academic year versity internationally.” was £9,705.75. A University spokesperson told The study also revealed that the Dr Hermes: “Due to the amount head of the London School of Eco- of travel that the vice-chancellor nomics (LSE) had the highest travel is required to undertake, and that expenditure. Professor Craig Cal- he is required to work while he houn spent £59,811.14 on flights last » The number and cost of international flights taken by Nigel Thrift photo: Ann Yip travels, the University permits the year. vice-chancellor to travel business Student votes could tip election Leamington light-up Roshan Chopra Warwick students were recent- ing elections, stating that “women Louise Olander house/Marshalls. ly labelled by the Guardian as the died to give us the vote!” According to the organisers, the UK’s most powerful students. In addition, first-year Politics aim was to “promote the beau- In 2010, the Conservative Party student Victor Beaume emphasised On February 19, volunteers gath- ty of Leamington Old Town” and Students are expected to come out won the North Warwickshire seat, the importance of students going to ered in Leamington Spa to light “change the way you see the area”. in force to vote during this year’s but there is reason to believe that the polls as it is “important for us to up the town in a unique “guerril- The event took place during the General Elections, with BBC due to recent student protests on decide who will represent us”. la” lighting event. ‘Love Leamington’ month, and at- News reporting that student votes campus, the vote may swing in La- However, he also admitted that More than 50 local volunteers tracted locals of all ages who want- could “tip the balance of power” bour’s favour. he found it “hard to identify with used torches, filters and coloured ed to help brighten up their city. come May. any of the major political parties”. glow sticks to artistically illuminate Jeremy Ireland, project leader of Several cities that contain a large “I have registered to vote, This is a sentiment felt by many culturally significant buildings in Portas, said: “It was wonderful to student population will be affected how can you not? This is our across campus, and some have even the city’s Old Town (the area just see so many people from so many by the way the students there de- opportunity to have a say...” decided not to vote because of this. south of the river), including the backgrounds coming together to cide to vote, particularly as many Prianka Chotai Another first-year Politics stu- United Reform Church and the celebrate the Old Town. have chosen to vote at university dent Edward Randall claimed not Creative Arches. “We have such amazing assets rather than at home. to align with party politics. Warwickshire Community and left to us by generations of Leam- This means that several constit- Equally, the strong student pop- Despite studying Politics, and Voluntary Action organized the ingtonians, and it was great to see uencies with marginal seats will be ulation in Coventry could sway the feeling obliged to advocate politi- event, with the additional support them lit up and made dramatic by strongly influenced by the resident marginal South Coventry region. cal participation amongst students, of the Portas project and Wood- sheer volunteer effort.” student population. For many first years, this will be he admitted to feeling “disenfran- In cities such as Sheffield, which the first time that they are eligible chised and undervalued” by the na- is estimated to have more than to vote. tional parties. 10,000 student voters, as well as First-year French and History He also claimed not to be sur- Cardiff and Wolverhampton, stu- student Prianka Chotai is adamant prised by the “apathy with which dents are expected to be crucial in that she will be voting. many young people approach elec- tipping the scales in favour of cer- She said: “I have registered to t i o n s”. tain parties. vote, how can you not? This is our His views were also echoed by Closer to home, North Warwick- opportunity to have a say in how Alex Gibbs, a first-year English shire is one of the marginal seats the country is run”. Literature student, who voiced his strongly predicted to be influenced First-year History student Geor- opinion that “nowadays, people by the votes of students at Warwick gia Smith was also very vocal about don’t have much to vote for”. University. her decision to vote in the upcom- » photo: Sanna Fisher-Payne theboar.org/News | @BoarNews | NEWS 6 6 News theboar.org “A year of an SU offers free cycle maintenance classes wick students and staff. brake pads. impassioned Lewis Thomas The first session was on March The final event on March 19 and 5, and focused on punctures. This will then focus on the adjustment session taught participants how to of gears. This is key as participants affair” Warwick Students’ Union will be remove a wheel or tyre and how to will learn how to keep their bike providing free cycle maintenance then repair the puncture safely. gears running smoothly and safely. classes for both students and staff The next session on March 12 Each of the sessions will last this month. will focus on the topic of brakes. around two hours, and all partici- Ann Yip News editor, I refused a radio pre- The maintenance classes are part This event will allow participants pants will have a chance for hands- News Editor senter’s plea for us not to publish a of an initiative to encourage more to learn how to adjust brakes, as on practice and experience during story on his inappropriate remark; students to use bicycles as their well as learning how to replace the the time at the session. hen I first laid eyes and this year, I went against all odds main form of transport. The ini- on Boar News, I was a to report on a complaint against the tiative was introduced by the 2014 fresher in term one. I Football Club’s offensive chants. Environment and Ethics Officer, remember one of my But being News editor over the Dan Goss. Wfirst articles was about plans for a year has been tough. You must The event will be run through new WBS building; two years lat- choose which stories are relevant to BikeRight!, a cycle training organi- er, it is finally under construction. tell. People who associate you with sation which aims to make, “cycling I also remember barely making my ‘the media’ become distant, groups viable, safer and better”. The events interview for the deputy position – restrict information from you, arti- will be funded by the Cycle Coven- now I wonder, what if I had not? cles submitted late make your life try project. Today, News is my baby. Per- much harder, and you will have to Throughout March there will be haps I love the section too much; drop everything in order to break a three maintenance classes. This will perhaps I have neglected my degree story. be the last set of bike maintenance (just a little) as a finalist and I am classes directly available to War- » photo: SLO County Bicycle Coalition / Flickr still unable to let go. When I became News editor last “You must choose which stories year, I wanted to show readers that are relevant to tell” West Midlanders’ unpaid overtime work totals £2bn news could be exciting and vibrant; it could be told through statistics, Hector Male unpaid overtime is more common come the norm, and staff become infographics, photos and videos. Being part of the Boar family in the public sector with 27.4 per- over-worked and under-paid.” has, however, been an experience cent of employees shown to have Whilst the West Midlands high- “I wanted to show readers that that I would not, for anything, take New figures released by the Trades worked unpaid hours. This is in lights problems within the local news could be exciting and back. I have made so many friends Union Congress (TUC) have un- contrast to the 18.5 percent of em- area, the trend established by the vibrant; it could be told through through the society that will no covered that workers in the West ployees in the private sector. TUC can also be seen all around statistics, infographics and doubt remain with me for life. Midlands amassed a total of over These new figures come to light the UK with locations like London videos. I would like to thank my deputies £2 billion of unpaid overtime in in a time when boards such as the and the South East rating highly in ” for their hard work and for having 2014. TUC are placing a large focus on number of unpaid hours worked. survived a slightly temperamental Performing an analysis on of- unfair treatment or payment of em- Kendal Barrett, a first year stud- So much of my energy was also and demanding News editor. ficial figures, the TUC went on to ployees. As a response to this, the ying Biochemistry, who also works focused on building its online in- Whether or not I have left a leg- find that 380,000 workers within TUC plan to mark the yearly “Work part time at Pets At Home, com- teraction. I developed my own acy for future generations is un- the West Midland’s region did un- your Proper Hours Day” by call- mented on the new figures: “While pull-quotes and image galleries for important. Instead, I am stepping paid overtime, giving an overall ing on staff to take a proper lunch obviously these figures are stagger- online articles; I created online sub- down as head of News with the average loss of pay of £5,846 per break and leave work on time, all in ing at first glance, it must be said sections and subpages; and I recre- hope that I have made the section worker. a bid to bring equal measures to the that it is so easy to work overtime: ated the News webpage. what I intended to make it during When looked at further, the workplace. in busy periods at my job I fre- I also hoped to develop the sec- my time. TUC analysis throws light on how Commenting on this stark dis- quently work over in order to help tion’s focus on higher education It has been a year of an impas- the education sector is a major covery, TUC Midlands Region- out other colleagues. politics and social issues on cam- sioned affair with Boar News. My hotspot for unpaid work, with the al Secretary Lee Barron has said: “While not necessarily beneficial pus. Dennis Leech will be able to heart breaks as it tells me that we longest average individual unpaid “Staff don’t mind doing a few addi- to you, it’s just one of those things tell you that the Boar has never are to part ways and I watch as it hours totaling at 9.7 hours a week. tional hours during busy periods, you do to help out those around grown tired of UCU-related news. runs off to its new editors Connor This is closely followed by employ- but too many employers take this you. However, with that said these Sexism in particular was some- O’Shea and Arthi Nachiappan. ees in the hospitality industry who goodwill for granted and forget to findings cannot be ignored and for thing I could not let slip under the To all the future news team, I individually rack up an average of thank their staff. the sake of employees around the radar. Within my first few weeks as wish you all the best. 9.3 hours of unpaid work a week. “Further problems arise when country some sort of investigation The analysis also showed that those occasional extra hours be- should be launched.” Boar holds charity quiz for East African playgrounds

Hector Male 20 students, mostly members of the having been awarded prosecco for tries across East Africa. Sian Elvin, explained: “myself and Boar, piled into The Graduate for their efforts. The winning team The charity seeks to reinforce the another editor, Bethan [McGrath], the paper’s Charity Quiz, raising demonstrated an impressive knowl- “importance of play” in accordance are going out to Uganda over the Warwick students filled the Stu- over £60. edge of cheesy 90’s song lyrics. with Article 31 of the UN Conven- summer to build playgrounds for dents’ Union bar, The Graduate, Competition was stiff, with just The entirety of the evening’s pro- tion of the Right of the Child by the charity”. for the Boar’s Charity Quiz in aid two points separating first and ceeds were donated to UK-based building playgrounds in every East Ms Elvin went on to describe the of UK charity East African Play- second place, but Team DDO, the charity East African Playgrounds, African community. event as “a great success” and has grounds. eventual victors, went home happy which sends volunteers to build The initiative is close to the Boar’s suggested that there should be “a On Tuesday 2 March, more than (and perhaps a little inebriated), playgrounds for children in coun- heart, as the event’s co-organiser, reprise after exams next term.”

» Question Master Cayo Q.Eye.Eye photo: Sian Elvin Sponsored by: theboar.org 8 Editor: Hiran Adhia 7 [email protected] Twitter @BoarComment COMMENT fb.com/groups/BoarComment Good night, theboar and good luck Rebecca Myers Editor-in-chief

My whole life, my mum has Editors’ Letters made me write thank you notes. A bit of, “Dear Nana and Grandad, thank you for my new pyjamas, I love them. Love, Rebecca”. Then some, “Dear Uncle Bob, thanks for the book, it was really great. Love, Rebecca.” Nowadays, more of “Dear Aunt Mabel, thanks so much for the Christmas jumper. Definite- “Boar’s yer lot!” ly didn’t exchange it for vouchers “Comment then buy sexy pants instead, then realise I had no student loan left so exchanged those for two weeks’ sense” worth baked beans. Love, Rebecca.” Hiran Adhia Daniel Cope And, now, after four years, it’s Comment Editor Deputy Editor (Communications) “Dear Boar readers, writers, and editors, thanks for reading, writing, his feels bittersweet. What hard the individuals on this paper he things we enjoy most in journey. The old cliché dictates that and editing.” And it feels like the you are about to read is my work every week to make sure there life can often be brief, exhil- I would be inclined to call the Boar most important thank you note I’ll final edition as Comment is an issue that you can pick up and arating and a bit of a whirl- ‘like a family’ but to do so I’d have to ever write. TEditor and it seems only natural to flick through. The Boar machine is Twind and that’s really a lot like my qualify by saying that we are a dys- I have been on the Boar for al- peer back at the first time I looked underestimated. time with the Boar has been. functional family. Dysfunctional in most four years. I have been in at these pages as a writer and see There are nearly 60 individuals I joined the paper in my first the sense we, at times, vehemently our editorial meeting almost every how far the section has come since involved in this process, but it is term at Warwick as a keen fresher disagree with each other. Decisions term-time Wednesday in my uni- I wrote my first article. easy to gloss over that when a pa- writing on anything from: X-Fac- such as what is right for the paper, versity memory, edited over 20 is- It was my intention to leave it in per comes out, regardless of all the tor, mental health, and the educa- whether we should have put things sues of the paper, and haven’t had a better state than when I started; stress and turmoil that goes into tion system. I went on to become in print and general life values. This weekends since 2012. I have lost and hopefully I have managed to making one. That is the ‘comment Deputy Comment Editor, Com- is completely healthy. sleep over horribly tough edito- do that. The Comment mantra has sense’. ment Editor and then Deputy Edi- At the Boar you will not find rial decisions, lost holidays to my always rung true: ‘Be provocative, When you read about bullying tor of Communications. It has been people easy to pacify. Everyone email accounts, and finally lost the not offensive’ and we have lived by in student council, harrasment on a long journey since the ye olde cares deeply about the sections and fear that the main quote I’ll be re- this ideal for the past two years. campus, restrictions on freedom days when I emailed the TV section topics of discussion that they nur- membered by was two winters ago The increase in membership, en- of speech, representative sabbatical before starting university to ask if I ture. When it appears that we don’t, when I declared “I am just SO full gagement and variety of topics has officers, the human rights forum could please write about Doctor you, the readers and writers, hold of snot!” been humbling. it has now distilled and even the blue and black (not Who (plz plz plz!) us to task and good on you I say. But for all that was lost, what into the perfect cocktail of contro- white and bloody gold) dress all in Many people join the Boar be- During my time I’ve seen the pa- gains. I have gained friends, wis- versy and thought-provoking con- the same issue I might add, I know cause they foresee a future in jour- per break news before the nationals dom, (questionable) skills, and a tent. We have stopped talking about that we are doing something right. nalism but that was never for me. and feature some seriously moving few god-awful articles to my name the US Congress and focused more We are breaking stories that rock I am incredibly humbled to have stories about students’ lives. The that I will no doubt try to get re- on Warwick’s campus because these the foundations of this university joined a large group of people who Boar is one of my most inexhaust- moved in years to come. pages are supposed to represent every day and it will be my privilege are wonderfully talented, extraor- ible sources of campus knowledge Above all, I have gained voices: you. to manage it next year. dinarily witty and frankly a little bit and one of the highlights of my the voices of other Boarites, the It hasn’t been without its critics. I am the new Editor-in-Chief weird. The people make the Boar time at Warwick. voices of readers, and the voices of We have had a lot of backlash this and for the small amount of people really. I’m sure 50 years from now you’ll Warwick students. year for some of the editorial deci- that are inevitably reading this, I am It can be a career platform, it can see me being wheeled into the SU I want to thank everyone for the sions that we’ve made, but the im- going to let you in on a secret. This be used for transferable skills and reminiscing in a croaky voice about voices they have contributed to the portant thing is that people are still next year is going to be the biggest it can help you balance the work/ the good ol’ days and complaining Boar. For the times you celebrated having these conversations and we the Boar has ever had. Comment is social life but at its most important about how the Boar is now directly us, disagreed with us, encouraged welcome the feedback. Every day just the beginning. With more peo- level the Boar is simply fun. implanted into your brain and that us, reprimanded us, informed us, we are striving to be a better organ- ple watching and reading us than With sections in business, news, this is a terrible, terrible idea. Until and shouted with us, I am eternal- isation and this can’t happen unless ever before, now is the opportuni- lifestyle, film, sport and much, then… goodbye and thank you. ly grateful. A student newspaper is we listen and respond to the things ty to really make an impact locally much more it’s one of the best soci- nothing without the students that that contributors are telling us. and globally. Now that’s just ‘com- eties on campus to met people you fuel it. However, for me, the most im- ment sense’, isn’t it? would never have crossed paths In all my time at the Boar, I’ve portant thing to remember is how with on your everyday campus never heard the voices of students so loud as this year. You should be incredibly proud. From the feed- back that said we were more polit- A farewell message from some of your editors... ical (tentatively: in a good way) to the friend who said I was “living remember thinking back to the edge. Really? bit late to the Boar game to assassinate the Prime Minister of proof the Boar had had a big year” first Boar social I ever attend- And this shows that not only has than most, my first article Malaysia. (“look at you! You’re EXHAUST- ed. We went to the Dirty Duck the Boar given me some shining was published at the end of Subliminal brainwashing aside, ED!”… er?!), there is a huge amount Ifor drinks. The editors were sat in career prospects, but shaped me as Amy first year. It was a review of the I’ve had the chance to work with to think about and be grateful for. the middle of the circle, chatting a person. Sure, I can use InDesign, first season of House of Cards and the some really amazing writers, So I go out playing ‘It’s Hard Out to everyone, laughing casually and write a news report and give an in- Netflix’s all-at-once distribution (at editors, designers, photographers, Here for a Bitch’ in the office and confidently, talking of things they terview. But it’s more than skills on one time considered controversial). coders, businessers, all of which drinking (always) more coffee, safe knew about university. Which to paper. I can speak to anyone; get Of course, I took the show too se- work incredibly hard to make the in the knowledge that the new exec a tiny fresher like me, seemed like out of a sticky situation; believe in riously and machievalli-ed my way Boar pretty fucking great. will storm it. Just as you used us, everything. my own abilities. And I’ve made a into this newspaper. Unlike most editors here who’ve use them. With no representation Speaking to our newly-elect- tonne of lifelong friends to boot. Two years gone now and know- found replacements, I’ve had no for women nor minorities in the ed deputy editor Bethan the other ing that I’ll never hear the words such luck yet. So I’ll sign off with sabb team, ever-rising VC pay, and night, I realised at the beginning Sian Elvin, Deputy Editor (Publi- Nigel Thrift, University construc- the Boar’s first classified. WANT- a dire political mess likely in May, of this year, she’d seen me in exact- cations) tion, and U1 may break me - so ED: one deputy editor who wants it’s going to be a monster year. Your ly the same light. Sian Elvin, from much so that ten years down the to do dope shit, with dope people. voices are needed far more than our fresher to finalist, writer to editor, line a combination of those words Raghav Bali, Deputy Editor (Web- InDesign skills are. Be heard. ignorant to the font of all knowl- may trigger an uncontrollable urge site) Good night, and good luck. 9 theboar.org 8| Sian Elvin “It’ll be all white on the Cartoon Corner night” otal number of students at the University of Warwick = 23,872. Number of interna- Ttional students at the University of Warwick = 8,340. Number of wom- en at the University of Warwick = about 11,000. Number of sabbati- cal officers at Warwick Students’ Union (SU) for 2015/16 = seven. Number of those officers who are white and male = seven. Spotted the problem yet? So it comes as no surprise that, at the SU elections results, someone yelled “you’re all white and male!” when the seven winners walked onstage to celebrate. Social media completely erupted with people complaining they felt under-repre- sented. This is a year where I have felt genuinely proud of my Universi- ty. Not only are we University of the Year for the Times, but we’ve been named by the Guardian as the top university bolstering political change. We have a majority-female sab- batical team, and a mix of LG- BTQUA+, disabled and interna- tional students are leading the SU. Go us. Then suddenly, in one fell swoop in elections week, we’ve regressed. I’m on the brink of graduation and if I were here next year, I wouldn’t be represented. I’m pretty glad I’m not going to be around. Want to see your cartoons here? Email [email protected] “Stay speechless, Warwick” Cartoon by Rosie Hiscock I don’t want to discredit the win- » ning candidates. They ran incred- ible campaigns and some women came very close to winning – one lost by a mere 30 votes. For two of Time to talk: is Warwick silencing its students? the positions, only white men ran anyway, so we had no choice, bar Molly Russell on the battle between the University’s reputation and rights to free speech RON. It’s not a problem with the our out of five UK universities the police, students were not sup- Instead of the University enforc- banned or protested against, cen- voters at Warwick; that we all know. are actively suppressing stu- pressed by the excessive force and ing censorship on the students, as sorship is not a fear of giving of- It’s a problem with the system. dents’ freedom of expression organised a peaceful demonstra- implied by Spiked!, it is the stu- fence, but a correction of wrongs. For whatever reason, not enough F– according to a recent league table tion supported by some members dent body which is acknowledging The persistence of activism and women or international students coordinated by online magazine of staff and the SU in response, thus wrongs, in this case sexism and proposals, such as the “No Con- are running for sabbatical posi- Spiked!. 80 percent of academic in- indicating that even when there is degradation of women, and then fidence in Nigel Thrift” motion tions. Why is that? It’s not like the stitutions have been stamped with an attempt to forcibly smother free- deciding to take necessary action. which was supported with a 70 SU doesn’t make it easy enough for either a red or amber rating based percent landslide vote, continues anyone to run. It’s structural and on their policies and actions, in- to put pressure on the University the 2015/16 sabbatical team are go- dicating that the University and to listen to the student’s demands. ing to have to work damn hard next Students’ Union have restricted or The fact that it is mainly the stu- year to break this structure, and actively stifled free speech and ex- dents who are proposing policies, encourage a more diverse range of pression on campus. Among the 88 petitions and protests in order to students to run in 2016/17. percent of Russell Group universi- oust discrimination and to create a Next year, our part-time and ties accused of forcibly censoring more equal, inclusive campus is an liberation officers are going to be ideas on campus, Warwick has important fact to remember. needed more than ever – the fierce been marked as one of the worst, On a larger scale, the issue of free competition for the women’s officer most muzzling universities and speech outstrips Warwick when it position alone demonstrated that thus received a red status. But how was propelled into focus last month people are increasingly beginning accurate is this branding? after the attack on Charlie Hebdo. to recognise its importance. An all- Warwick currently has an injunc- The pervading presence of this sub- male, all-white sabbatical team will tion which bans occupation-style ject highlights the importance of only draw attention to the amazing protests, signalling that perhaps Warwick students exercising their work our part-time officers do, and Warwick does restrict the right to liberties and speaking out against that can only be a good thing. freedom of expression. However, it the supposed ‘hostile environment’ Please listen to me, future sab- would be unfair to group the politi- on campus. batical officers. This past week has cally active and expressive students In the face of the framework of proved you’re going to come up in the same bracket as this. dom of expression, it is proven to There is no infringement of lib- injunctions, police brutality and against it. So push our liberation Warwick has been named as the be ineffective. erty by doing this. However, if cam- the red light ranking from Spiked!, officers to the forefront wherever number one most influential stu- Institutional bans which have pus shops were forced to sell a par- I feel Warwick students are not necessary and confront your lack dent voter group in the upcoming contributed to the red rating in- ticular newspaper, that would be an afraid, or feel restricted to speak of diversity in an honest way. Show general election by the Guardian. clude the banishment of the Sun infringement of liberty and expres- out against injustices. Their per- us that you can restore our faith in Warwick’s political engagement and the Daily Star from campus sion. Students are not limiting free sonal sense of freedom is not lim- the SU. was further demonstrated by the shops as part of the No More Page 3 speech, rather exercising their right ited and long may it continue that Josie, Nia, Rachel and Jenny, sit-ins and protests in favour of campaign. Campaigns such as this to it. It is not a case of megalomania way. you’ve got a tough job ahead. But I Free Education. have been carried out democrat- or extreme censorship. » Photo: Ife Akinroyeje / Boar Pho- know you can do it and restore the Despite the alleged ferocity of ically and organised by students. Depending on what is being tography balance we need. I believe in you. Good luck girls. 10 theboar.org

Hannah Bettison Facing sexual harrassment: “my body, my choice” “Big Names Zoë Morall necessarily touched me and friends’ ation of the female body is perpetu- On Campus ” bodies, and we spent considerable ated and normalized. I think that is time complaining about this, my clear from my, and my friends’ ex- he other night, like many friend getting followed only dis- perience at Pop! While those wom- o you reckon the elec- Wednesdays, I went to Pop! turbed me more. en choose to be there, and have the tions are essentially just Despite the perpetual smell This is my friend, these are our right to take naked photos (right on a popularity contest?” I Tof beer and vomit in the Copper bodies, and we are on our universi- girls; your body, your choice), the “Dasked a friend as we negotiated the Rooms, Pop! in my opinion, is one ty campus. Yes, that is right, it is our fact that they are in a newspaper sea of coloured cardboard, t-shirts of the more enjoyable club nights campus too. It makes me sick, but (and that is the issue) makes their and flyers outside the library. This on campus. mostly sad that we are not respect- bodies public property. time last year I would never have It was a pretty standard evening, ed, that a guy walking by me in a They choose to take those pho- thought this. For starters I only that is, until I got home. I was just club thinks its okay to graze my ass, tos, but the attitude that they en- knew one person running, and I getting ready for bed when I got a or run his hands down my waist. courage is an issue, and one that say ‘knew’ in the friends-friend- call from one of my friends who I You may say ‘oh, but that is what we as women must face in clubs, on who-bought-you-a-pint-that-one- had gone out with. She was walking it is like in a club, you chose to go the street, in everyday life. I reiter- time kind of way. home, alone, at about 1.50am, not there so you cannot complain’. Well ate, my body is not an object, and Yet this year I ‘knew’ so many an unusual picture especially on a that’s simply a variation of the slut it is not there to be looked at and of the candidates my voting choic- Wednesday. I answer the phone to shame, and I’m calling you out on touched by anyone who wants to. es seemed decided before I’d seen her distressed voice telling me she your bullshit. My choice to say no and dislike the a single manifesto. The endless was being followed home. The fact of the matter is, it is my actions of people I encounter is just stream of notifications and person- Some guy was walking closely body and unless I give you an okay, as relevant and valid as the women al appeals on friends’ behalf that behind her, and shouting after her. you can’t touch this. Literally, they who choose to be in the Sun. became my Facebook newsfeed She was too far away for me to get play that song every week, when are The key word here is consent. seemed to suggest I was not alone to her quickly and other than re- you going to catch on? My body is My body, my choice; it’s a slogan in this ‘vote for who you know’ log- assuring her that it would be okay, not an object, I know society tells you hear for groups advocating ic. Yet if the elections are little more and advising her that a good hard you that it is, but it isn’t. I’m a hu- abortion rights, or campaigning than a glorified popularity contest kick in the balls is really debilitat- man being and I deserve the same against date rape. It comes up again like the Mean Girls vote for Spring ing, there was nothing I could do. respect that you do. and again because women are con- Fling Queen, does that make Isaac The call only lasted four min- I think this is particularly rel- tinually denied the right to choose. Leigh our new Regina George or utes, but it felt like forever. The evant in the context of all that is Not all women want to say yes, Cady Heron? most overwhelming feeling I had happening with the Sun and Page and equally want to say no. But I In fact, the very existence of the during the duration of that call, was 3 right now. If you are not aware, have the right to say “don’t touch term BNOC (Big Name On Cam- complete and utter helplessness. there has been a long campaign to me”, my friend has the right to pus) seems to suggest that universi- This was soon followed by anger at remove this feature of topless wom- walk home safely. I cannot express » Photo: Boar Photography/ Ife ty is little different, if not more like said helplessness. I simultaneously en, and when it seemed the Sun was enough the importance of the con- Akinroyeje the Mean Girls world of North- wanted to cry, hug her, and punch going to concede, the images con- cept of choice. shore High than secondary school this guy. I already stated, I was tinue to appear. I hope that in writing this both itself. For more similarities look no completely powerless to change her While I am not against porn - I the female and male students of Have you ever further than Warwick Tab, Buzz- situation, but I can try to prevent think that it has its place in society - this university can be more aware experienced feed or studentbeans for the various the same thing happening to me, I am of the opinion that that place is of their actions and attitudes, and harrassment on or articles that point to where you sit and other girls in the future. not alongside our news. By placing I implore you to have more respect around campus? in the library (as opposed to cafete- Especially after an evening where a topless woman in a newspaper, for the wishes and rights of those Tweet: @BoarComment ria) and your fashion sense (or lack multiple guys randomly and un- the objectification and sexualis- around you. of) as markers of subject clique and social standing. Not mentioning Photo: Flickr / SIBE the religious weekly wearing of so- » cial polos and club ties to Pop! Despite this I think we can agree that Warwick, and most other uni- versities, have, like their students, matured beyond the high school Paying the consequences: Thomas Docherty’s suspension mentality. When discussing the SU elections with my self-professed- ly politically-nonchalant flatmate, Molly Fleming looks back at and comments on the University’s controversial move he admitted he had, in most cas- es, actually read each candidate’s t was revealed that the wrongful These allegations led to a harsh tion, stating “Contrary to those in- learned” and once again reiterated manifesto and voted for those suspension of Thomas Docherty nine-month suspension. Docherty accurate reports… the disciplinary that the suspension was in no way whose policies he most support- will cost the university over was not only banned from teaching allegations in no way relate to the related to Professor Docherty’s ac- ed. Thumbing through the elec- I£100,000 in legal fees. The long- but also any contact with colleagues content of the individual’s views on ademic work or views. tions copy of the Boar with another standing case against the popular or undergraduates. He was prohib- HE policy.” However, this did not The president of the University group of friends I realised that each professor has been surrounded by ited from writing references for his stop growing support for the pro- and College Union branch at War- candidate was ‘known’ by someone controversy and as the University is students, without express permis- fessor. wick said that Professor Docherty’s present, yet rather than discussing facing the monetary consequences sion, as well as providing guidance A Facebook page was developed case suggested Warwick’s “need to the vague nature of the relation- of this case the Boar looks back at with PHDs; on top of this he was gaining over a thousand likes. This review the governance of the uni- ship people preferred discussing the trajectory of his suspension. deprived of attending an event held page was an outlet for all those who versity”. the candidates’ ideas, relevant skills at University and writing the pref- believed in Docherty and many ex- The wrongful suspension of and positive characteristics. The “Professor Docherty was ace to a book. pressed their disdain for the sus- Thomas Docherty has not only cost conclusion? They were all “nice”. accused of giving out From the beginning of his sus- pension of an “inspiring educator”. the University financially but is also They’re not ‘big names’ because negative vibes” pension there were rumours sur- another incident to add to War- they know enough people, just well rounding its validity. Professor Do- “he wrote of how deeply wick’s growing list of controversies. enough to mutually nod in pass- The case of Prof. Thomas Do- cherty was very vocal in expressing moved and touched he was During the professor’s suspen- ing, nor because of that thing they cherty began in January of last year, his political views as both a promi- by the support he sion, Warwick has seen itself be- did that one time (here’s looking at when the English and Comparative nent critic of the perceived marke- received” come the focus of national media you naked Rootes girl). They are Literature lecturer was accused of tisation of higher education and as coverage over the police’s use of CS known because they are an active undermining his boss and giving a supporter of anti-cuts activism. His suspension was finally lifted spray on student protesters, trig- university participant, from work- out “negative vibes”. An example of his outspoken crit- in September ahead of a universi- gering one of the largest protests ing in or for various outlets and The complaint focused on a icism can be seen in a 2013 article ty tribunal that cleared him of all ever seen on campus. Nigel Thrift events to participating in and be- specific occasion when, while in- he wrote for the Times Higher Ed- charges. Writing on the Facebook accepted a contentious £42,000 ing executive members of various terviewing candidates for a staff ucation where he described Russell page “Warwick Students, Alumni pay rise and of course we won the societies and sports clubs. Further- position, he was alleged to have Group universities, of which War- & Friends in support of Professor Times University of the Year. more, the fact people are prepared undermined the former head of wick is a member, as “a self-de- Thomas Docherty” he wrote of to be ‘that guy’ on social media or English at Warwick, Catherine clared elite… exerting a negative how “deeply moved and touched” What do YOU have to to take valuable (procrastination) Bates. This was said to have come influence over others”. he was by the level of support he say about this? time to help campaign on another’s in the form of “ ironic comments” As media coverage built, the had received. Warwick has not Comment online: behalf suggests their popularity IS and “projecting negative body lan- University was forced to address expressly apologised but has ad- theboar.org/comment deserved. g u a g e”. these rumours and defend its posi- mitted that there are “lessons to be University isn’t high school, the BNOCs are no longer plastic. 7 theboar.org 10 | The dress that divided the Simran Thakral says YES Halimah Manan says NO world ith the news of the re- rather than their gender or race. f the Student Union (SU) truly of white, cis-gender men. With a cent Student Union Secondly, this may not be the is representative of the wider 49 percent female and 36.6 percent Sabbatical Officer team most politically correct thing to student body, its officers should non-white undergraduate popula- Prianka Chotai Wbeing “all white and all male” say, but your representative need Ialso be typical, or reflective of that tion and a 45 percent female and circulating on social media, it is not be the same gender or race student body. Yet, with the recent 54.5 percent non-white postgradu- fter last week, the word impossible not to take notice. But as you. For example, I voted Isaac elections, it is clear that it is any- ate population, it is clear there is a ‘dress’ has taken on a does it need to be an issue? This Leigh for president because I thing but. Of the seven Sabbatical disparity between the demographic whole different meaning. was not an appointed, but a dem- agreed with his manifesto, particu- Officer positions available every make-up of the student body and ANo longer is it simply an item of ocratically elected, team. larly his policy of trying to push single one was given ‘democratical- those who represent them. The SU’s clothing, but the basis for a na- The core assumption of those for students to be refunded for ly’ to a white man. But how demo- core value of being diverse and in- tionwide debate. against the outcome of the re- really late buses like the Transport cratic was it really? clusive has not quite met its mark. Caitlin McNeill, 21, from Scot- cent election is that only a diverse for London system as I am going Of 23,570 students, only 5,184 This is only emphasised when land, posted a photo of the two- team can represent a diverse stu- to be living off campus next year. people voted in the elections: a you take into account that there tone dress on Tumblr after seeing dent body. Scrolling through my I am not white, nor am I male. measly 22 percent of the student were options for women and ethnic how it had divided her friends. Facebook newsfeed, I see con- Voting for people based on their body. That’s not even close to a minorities to be elected. Yet not one Now the blue/black or white/gold structive opinions: “There needs gender and race just for the sake of majority. Regardless of ethnicity of them was. Sure there were a few dress debate has divided the na- to be more ethnic minority and diversity is not just at all. Let the or gender, the wider student body positions where it was impossible tion. Celebrities soon joined the women running in the elections” , policies and manifestos speak for have, overwhelmingly, not contrib- to vote for anyone but a white man, debate, expressing their views on and even sarcastic comments like themselves and let the democratic uted to the elections and so the SU but does this decrease the account- Twitter. Taylor Swift and Justin “Can’t wait to be represented by process decide for itself. cannot be considered representa- ability of the SU to be representative Bieber saw blue/black whereas the all white, male Sabbatical Of- Thirdly, as I alluded to previ- tive of them. of the wider student body? No. It Kim Kardashian West and Ju- ficers!” Let me clarify why this is ously, if year upon year the Sabbat- However, you might argue that only begs the questions: why didn’t lianne Moore saw white/gold. problematic on so many different ical Officers were all white and all this will always be the case; the ma- a variety of people campaign? And Whether it’s at home, in the ce- levels. male, then clearly, there may be a jority of students at Warwick could why, when there were options for lebrity world or at university, the Firstly, last year’s Sabbatical problem; a systematic and on-go- be apathetic, disillusioned with the representation, did people not vote debate really infiltrated our lives. Officer team did have diversi- ing lack of opportunity for the system of voting or just too busy to for them? Krishan Pugh, first-year History ty as Cat Turhan, a woman, was voices of women or ethnic minori- exercise their right to vote. Those You might be thinking, what student, could not even get away president and Maahwish Mirza, ties to be heard. But with last year’s things could all be true. The per- does their ethnicity or gender mat- from the controversy on a night an ethnic minority woman, was result, this clearly is not the case. centage of the student population ter, as long as they do a good job out: “I went to Kasbah last Fri- the Education Officer. Four out In fact, by making a big issue out voting may never be higher than 22 with the SU? day [27 February] and the cloak- of seven, that’s more than 50 per- of it, we are undermining the legit- percent. That’s a fair point but whether or room assistant was asking every- cent of the full time team, were imacy of those that won the elec- Yet, beyond being representative not the Sabbatical Officer team can one what colour they thought the women. This clearly shows that it tion as they did put in the effort in in terms of how many people voted, do a good job doesn’t excuse the dress was!” is possible for women and ethnic campaigning. the SU has a duty to be represent- need for a demographically repre- But what does it say about our minorities to run for and success- Whether it’s Alice, Alex, Ali, or ative of the wider student body in sentative team, if only to combat society when the colour of a dress fully be elected into the team. The Anisha- vote based on policy and terms of ethnicity, gender, sexual- widespread inequality and give mi- makes the national news while fact that this year’s team lacked choose not to be blinded by gen- ity, and disability. While there are norities a platform from which to ongoing global conflicts conse- diversity was therefore probably der or race. part-time roles which attend to speak for themselves, rather than quently receive less coverage? It due to the popularity of policies those factors, the face of the SU is have others speak for them. seems people are more interested in the dress than bigger issues. Netanyahu’s upcoming speech to the US congress, the Ukraine Is the concept of universal human rights a Western privilege? truce or even matters closer to home, such as the general election, Chris Banner otherwise they become ineffectual should arguably have been at the and meaningless. forefront of our minds. Halimah he recent Warwick Human Even if we did come up with Manan, first-year History under- Rights Forum on Saturday a truly universal concept, there graduate, says: “There were so January 31 sparked some would be no way of enforcing it. many more important things go- Tinteresting and lively debates. Ac- The International Criminal Court ing on. The media use things that ademics and NGO representa- has been able to independently have gone viral to detract from tives came together to discuss the bring charges against certain in- more important issues.” current state of human rights and dividuals for human rights abuses. We are so used to seeing serious, what the future will hold. This is But when it comes to the actions of grave headlines on the news that particularly relevant at the mo- states, how can retribution be tak- when we are shown something ment, with the Conservatives pro- en? Australia’s recent turning away completely different and unex- posing a British Bill of Rights that of asylum seekers, which contra- pected there is uproar. However, is would replace the Human Rights vened Article 14 of the declara- there really anything wrong with Act. The central theme of the sum- tion, not only shows that the West the news covering this story? It mit was the universality of human does not respect human rights, it was relevant and it captured public rights. Is a universal concept of shows that powerful countries are interest and isn’t the purpose of the human rights beneficial? Or is it able to avoid the regulations when news to convey information about a Eurocentric construct that im- it is in their national interests. topical issues? poses Western ideas on the rest of There cannot be a universal Torr Robinson, first-year His- humanity? concept of human rights while tory undergraduate, suggests the Claiming that human rights are pendent representative at the con- tried to undermine the emerging the West continues to impose its debate tells us something more universal is a misleading and dan- ference was Ethiopia. How can the Asian economies by emphasising values on the rest of the world. It profound about society: “It is in- gerous idea. It fails to respect the declaration claim to be universal human rights: a new form of im- is something to aspire to, but it is teresting to see how people can cultural diversity of the world and when nearly an entire continent perialism, a covert way of main- currently impossible to achieve. perceive things in different ways instead attempts to homogenise was excluded from the talks? taining Western hegemony. If we can come up with a concept and how this can cause arguments. humanity into a monolithic enti- This, alongside the emphasis Some human rights are simply that takes all nations into account This can relate to bigger issues and ty. This cultural relativism means on the rights of the individual, incompatible with less econom- and allows for cultural relativism, how we debate over those.” that human rights are not applica- suggests that the Universal Decla- ically developed countries: the there is the potential to work out Some argue that the amount of ble in every context. ration of Human Rights merely re- right to a paid vacation could nev- our shared values. But even then, interest in this dress makes us su- If human rights cannot be uni- flects the Western bias of the time. er be enforced in the sweatshops it would reflect the interests of po- perficial. Others say it is interest- versal, then whose definition is An interpretation which is at odds of the developing world. Talking litical elites and not the beliefs of ing to see how anything can split being used? The 1948 Universal with other cultural practices. For about ‘universal’ human rights ordinary people. This undermines opinion and cause heated debates. Declaration of Human Rights was example, in Africa, community is like saying both rich and poor the idea of universality due to the What is certain is that the dress has written by global representatives and group consensus take prece- have the same right to stay in a five imbalance of power, meaning it caused many more debates beyond but it was drafted at a time when dence over the individual. In Asia, star hotel. The right does not mean merely becomes the universality just its colour. many countries were still colo- duties are generally considered they have the means. Economic of the privileged. nised. Of the 54 African countries more important than rights. Some development must take precedent that exist today the only inde- have even argued the West has over the pursuit of human rights, » Photo: Chris Banner #1 PROVIDER OF STUDENT ACCOMMODATION IN LEAMINGTON SPA

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920 Tara & Co Boar Advert - Student.indd 1 04/03/2015 11:45 theboar.org 10 Editor: Rami Abusamra 12 [email protected] Twitter @BoarFeatures FEATURES fb.com/groups/BoarFeatures What does Anthropocene mean? Harriet Wilson gives us the answer to this and more as she discusses TEDxWarwick 2015

» TEDxWarwick celebrate another success after selling out this year’s conference in the Arts Centre for the second year running photo: TEDxWarwick

efore attending TEDxWar- nology on health. Sabine Hauer, a about how scientists are embrac- for example, or challenge pervasive for suggesting the removal of pay wick 2015, I didn’t really swarm engineer at the University ing crowd sourcing, enabling us and limiting perceptions of beauty. walls for academic articles. For any- know much about TED talks. of Bristol, demonstrated how, by all to take part in scientific break- David Skarbek, who promoted one who is unable to access the one BThey were something I watched in replicating Swarm patterns in na- through and innovation. Creating his talk as being neither feel good school when certain teachers need- noparticles, medicines could be de- online systems to teach the public or inspiring, demonstrated the ed to pad out lessons, or a form of livered more effectively; illustrating about nano-systems, for exam- need for penal reform, recount- “I’m certain, many like procrastination I felt mildly less this with a series of mind boggling ple, and then letting them help to ing the disturbing nature of prison me were left inspired guilty about. Therefore, I didn’t re- simulations that made me feel more solve problems. More excitingly, for gangs in California, the total influ- to go out and make a ally know what to expect when I ar- like a humanities student than ever. those of us who grew up watching ence they have over inmate’s lives. change” rived at the Arts Centre, especially Neil Daly, bravely attempting a Spooks and pretending to be spies, His talk stressed the need for offi- as the theme of the conference, live demonstration, showed how, by Richard Aldrich, Professor of Inter- cials to combat this underground ‘Anthropocene,’ didn’t seem to offer using our phones, we can diagnose national Security here at Warwick, economy, and advocated smaller me, or my entirely representative melanomas at an early stage, there- explained how in the future we will and safer prisons. Something in- article that perfectly supports their straw poll of 10 people, any clues. by increasing survival rates expo- all be spies, our mobiles becoming credibly relevant considering the argument, as obviously it’s the one However by the end of the day, nentially. Most interestingly, Pete like an ‘individual Bletchley Park’. significant overcrowding in British journal Warwick hasn’t paid for ac- I’d learnt that using Tinder re-en- Trainor, who runs Nexus, a slightly For me this really encapsulated prisons, as well as the pervasiveness cess to, this was a real highlight. gineers our mind and body; that Orwellian sounding behavioural what the conference was about, of violence in these institutions. Similarly the day’s charismatic body paint is so much more than design and innovation company, inspiring each and every one of us Similarly, in a break out session, opener Adair Richards, described a reminder of Kasbah on a Satur- explained how his company uses to make a positive impact on the run alongside the main talks, Re- by host Juliette Burton as ‘the odd day morning; and that in the future bio effects created by technology to world, whether it be by using inno- prieve, a charity, highlighted how job man of the white collar’, argued even our handbags will be spying improve mental health. The ways vative technologies, or traditional governments in the West have a that academic institutions should on us. If by entitling the confer- in which apps and other forms of methods. disturbing tacit approval of the be open about their failures and fo- ence ‘Anthropocene’ the organisers technology traditionally maligned death penalty for drug related of- cus more on teaching than winning aimed to examine the dominant as promoting stupidity, can be used fences in Iran and Pakistan. This grants. I don’t know if Nigel Thrift influence of human activity on the to change people for the better was demostrates the hypocrisy of gov- was in the room but Richard’s talk planet (thanks Oxford dictionaries) a brilliant illustration of the confer- ernments, including our own, who was seemingly addressed to him. they certainly succeeded. Not only ence’s core theme. advocate the worldwide abolition Overall, TEDxWarwick 2015 was in trying to transform the image Additionally, Adam Smith, of the death penalty, but continue an eye opening experience, both of negative human impact, but in founder of The Real Junk Food to indirectly fund it. This addressed as a student at Warwick, and as a highlighting how much work we Project, spoke passionately about a serious problem with the theme member of the global community still need to do. how by taking left over food from of the conference, are the examples TED encapsulates. By both sup- anybody his cafes were support- of positive impact given ultimately porting and challenging the idea of ing the most vulnerable in society. superficial? humans having a positive impact “By the end of the day Moving the room, and his son Josh- on the world each speaker left the though, I’d learnt that us- ua, his most vocal fan, by describ- audience with as many questions as ing Tinder re-engineers our ing how allowing people to pay “However, while the talks answers, and, I’m certain, many like mind and body“ whatever they can for food, saves celebrated human achieve- me were left inspired to go out and lives. And Dom Williams, deliver- ment, many were also a ral- make a change. If you have a spare ing one of the day’s most powerful » Photo: Tau Zero / Flickr lying cry for...progress” few minutes then, I’d really recom- talks, explained how sex offenders mend watching the talks when they The dominant theme running are being reintegrated successfully However, while the talks cel- are available online. through all of the talks was humani- into society due to the tireless work ebrated human achievement, many ty’s positive impact on society. Each of individuals. were also a rallying cry for further If all of these issues seem distant speaker, whilst speaking about a Whilst the talks highlighted the progress, highlighting society’s from day to day life at Warwick Have you seen a TED talk completely different topic, empha- work of extraordinary individuals, many failings, and the negative though, several were incredibly that’s made you question sised how humans were making the they also engaged us all, by showing impact humans continue to have. relevant to our student experience. the way you live recently? world a better place. Several of the how collectively humans are creat- How we need to change how we Scott McArthur got the loudest tell us today: talks focused on the impact of tech- ing change. Sabine Hauer spoke treat those living with dementia, spontaneous applause of the day [email protected] TheBoar present: Lot’s Wife partnership with Monash University, Melbourne It is with great pleasure that we include three pages of Monash’s excellent student newspa- per, Lot’s Wife, in this issue of the Boar. Lot’s Wife is a publication with a rich “tradition of progressive journalism” and here they bring their cool, aussie content to these pages of the Boar. We hope it gives you an insight into student journalism over 10,500 miles away. Editors’ Letter

‘Bill, come on mate, what are we going to say?’ mysterious fi gure amongst the Clayton community; we Claire then accidently clicked on the header and are yet to establish how the Waverley Leader actually disabled Bill’s laptop. feels about it, their cutting edge news story was She then ordered Bill to turn up her music unsatisfyingly unrevealing as to their personal bias. upon realising that Joy Division had come on her We expected more from a News Limited publication to phone playlist. She then makes a remark drawing say the very least. attention to the fact that she seems to be the one On a more serious note, we do want this writing the vast majority of their editorial. magazine to be a highly dynamic one and strongly This has been the general trend in this connected to the Monash community and its students. offi ce; Claire makes an error and then orders poor Ultimately, we want Lot’s Wife in 2015 to incorporate Bill around. She is very much an unlicensed autocrat. every element of our campus. This is why Jarrod has Anna and Jarrod watch on in dismay. developed the Engineering and Science section; we all Despite the apparent dysfunction that exists felt like our non-Arts faculties had historically been

in this offi ce, we have managed to get a few things relatively quiet in Lot’s. We will also be holding regular EDITORS’ LETTER done; the most obvious of changes we have made has fortnightly meetings in Sir John’s and in our brand been the formatting and layout of the magazine. In new offi ce to discuss ideas and to hear feedback. It light of the fact that the Saturday Paper is the only is extremely important that people other than the hard copy publication read anymore, we decided to editors attend these; if turn out is low, Claire will not decrease the dimensions of the magazine for your realise that people aren’t really interested in reading

EDITORS’ LETTER EDITORS’ convenience! It is also for this reason that we have a re-review of Nick Cave’s 10,000 Days on Earth in decided to update our website and intend on utilizing every edition, and Jarrod might not realise that it isn’t it to a much greater extent than ever before. Ironically, permissible to publish endless articles of admiration because none of us are particularly knowledgeable for Clementine Ford to a campus of 25,000 students. about Twitter, we might be giving that a bit of a rest So please attend and spare us the embarrassment. until we attend our “Social Media 101” class at CAE. There are a number of key people we wish We also developed a new logo with our to both thank and commend for their assistance designer which received a considerable amount of in helping us develop our fi rst edition. We would positive feedback, primarily from the email address of personally like to thank Dani, from our designing [email protected] – Thanks Clara, you’re great! team, who has been extremely generous in the time We also received a lot of negative feedback too, which she has volunteered to help us with everything from we will admit, outweighed the emails from our good the webpage design to the magazine layout. We think friend Clara. In light of this, we decided to make a she is extremely talented and have the utmost respect few alterations. There probably is no need to restate for her art. We also wish to acknowledge our brilliant our ideas behind the original logo here; if you wish to editorial team who have put in the hard yards when see our motivations behind its original development it mattered to pull this issue together. Without them, you can fi nd an explanation of it on our website. We we would be stuck with 48 pages of Nick and Clem. encourage your feedback on our new logo, preferably We look forward to continuing working with this in the form of letters to the editor because if we team, and hope to engage with many new writers and used the joke we used this edition* it may appear a contributors throughout the year. little tired. Most of the comments regarding our logo were very frank as it was considerably apparent how *Please refer to our letters to the editor page. It’s fucking people felt about it. There does however remain one embarrassing, not even our friends wrote to us.

PHOTOGRAPH BY NAME GOESHERE 25 Dear First Years...

BY STUDENT AFFAIRS TEAM

1. You will be called a JAFFY. 9. Monash does not have 2014 accentuates your youth and JAFFY stands for ‘Just WIFI. There is a dial up system fabulousness. Another Fabulous First at the Sir Matheson Library. Year’. It only works for one computer at a 15. The best way to make friends People who tell you time, and whenever anybody uses at Monash is to boldly proclaim otherwise are wrong. it, all of the phones in the university your love of capitalism, and stop working. You are better off just park your parents’ expensive 2. Join as many clubs & bringing your own modem from home. car sideways on campus. societies as you can - at least Everyone will take pictures 10. It is fashionable at Monash 10. and put them on Stalker-Space for students to wear wigs, You will be involved with admiring your life skills. scarves, fedoras, and other loose every single one of them, even the clothing. 16. If anyone wearing red Avant-garde Esperanto Beat/Slam Don’t worry about these approaches you outside the Sir Poetry (AGEBSP) club. accessories blowing away - the Matheson Library, asking you STUDENT AFFAIRS Menzies building is specially designed to sign a petition, definitely sign 3. Moodle’s networking function to prevent gale force winds hitting it! puts Facebook to shame students. You won’t be late to class and you will learn a lot of accurate, 4. Student politicians are 11. Monash natives refer to balanced information about Marxism extraordinarily down to earth, laid student politics colloquially as that will be vital to know for your back, and open-minded. They are also

STUDENT AFFAIRS TEAM AFFAIRS STUDENT ‘#StudPol’. politics exam. extremely accepting of opinions that are different to their own. 12. Wholefoods is renowned for 17. The student parking its tenderloin steak and fried permits are very reasonably 5. First year is the best year chicken. priced. of university. It is so easy- no culture 13. Sir John’s Bar, named after 18. There will always be a shock, no learning curves, straight Sir. John Monash himself, is a seat for you on the Clayton- HD’s. Just like primary school. high-class venue for gentlefolk Caulfield shuttle bus. to unwind thus not a place for You will never fear for you 6. Your units will never tomfoolery. life whilst wedged between five other clash when you use Allocate+ Naturally, during university passengers and the driver. You can be 7. You will never get hours, no alcohol is served. Who assured that the bus will never make a motion sickness during a would dare think that consumption of sharp turn onto wellington road out of tutorial held on the tenth floor of alcohol before, after, or during class the bus loop. the Menzies building on a rainy times is in anyway acceptable in polite 19. All printing is free. day. Monash society! 20. Don’t write for Lot’s Wife. 8. The Rotunda is home 14. Wearing Year 12 jumpers That shit is for nerds. to the most sanitary bathroom and jackets are the absolute facilities on Campus. height of Monash fashion. Especially for first year 12 students straight out of high school; proclaiming that you are a proud member of the class of 41

Being poor is hard. Being healthy and poor is harder. Follow these tips Being Healthy, for staying healthy and keeping it cheap and you can start curing your hangovers with fresh fruit instead Staying a of mi goreng and stop ‘accidently’ putting avocadoes through as brown onions in the self-serve checkout at Cheapskate Coles. BY KELLY PIGRAM

1. Get a Herb Garden shop and knock off bottles of vodka and just as good reheated as they do fresh gin are ten dollars cheaper than they and they are extremely cheap to cook in Herb gardens sound would be at Dan Murphy’s. If you’re the first place. terrifyingly high maintenance, but buying four dollar wine you clearly aren’t they’re not. Herbs are fast and easy 5. Markets! concerned with taste, but you can trust to grow, as well as being resilient to Load up on fresh fru it and Aldi’s alcohol tastes identical to its your neglect. So if you’re the laziest vegetables from markets where it’s a branded opposition. They even won an person in the world they’re probably whole lot cheaper and generally tastes a award! Rest assured that Aldi will get still going to survive. Go to Bunnings whole lot better. Queen Victoria Market you just as drunk as Dan Murphy’s can. and buy yourself a big plastic pot and in the CBD is always a winner, but if the a small bag of potting mix. Walk to the 3. Any Cash Out? city is too far look up where your local garden section and pick up some basil, Sometimes, when you’re bad at farmers market is. You will be surprised budgeting, you need a physical reminder by how many there are and the weird yet

coriander, mint and parsley seedlings. ARTS & CULTURE Take them home and stick them all in to yourself that you don’t have much convenient locations they pop up in. the pot. Give the pot a big water to get money. This is a slightly cruel budgeting 6. Just Make Good IGRAM it started and put it somewhere it’ll get technique that works surprisingly well. Choices Instead of waving your card in front a little sun and a little shade. Water it The hardest part of budgeting

P ELLY of every Eftpos machine you see, set K daily (DO NOT FORGET) and in about is being a good person and making good yourself a weekly budget for groceries four weeks you’ll have a raging pot party choices and knowing what to spend your and get cash out specifically for your of herb goodness ready to be picked and money on. Shop at night when the baked groceries for that week. Thirty to forty plucked and put into your pasta. Having goods and the meat has been reduced dollars a week is a good place to start. a herb garden will save you the trouble and wait until everything is on special. What usually happens is you’ll do one of spending three dollars on herbs from Refuse to pay more than two dollars-fifty big shop at the beginning of the week, Coles, which you will use approximately for an avocado. spend more than you thought you would, fifty cents worth in that one recipe you 7. Treat yourself bought them for before throwing them then panic and stop buying unnecessary Remember that living cheap out a week later. It will also make your food for the rest of the week. When the doesn’t mean you have to suffer through food taste great! If you get brave, lettuce cash in your wallet disappears rapidly an eternity of two minute noodles and and spinach are also extremely easy to and you see that last five dollars sitting stale bread. Treat yourself occasionally, grow, and having them on hand will cut a in your wallet, you get a whole lot because sometimes things aren’t good thriftier with your shopping, and a whole whole lot off your grocery bill. for your budget but are great for your lot more likely to decide you don’t really wellbeing. Buying a loaf of home brand 2. Get Drunk at Aldi need that family size block of chocolate. Wine is grapes so it falls bread for eighty cents will definitely save Junk food is expensive. So you’re less into the ‘being healthy’ category. Aldi you some money, but quite frankly that likely to buy it when budgeting, and most certainly falls into the ‘staying bread is disgusting and it’s not good for you’re more likely to come home and eat a cheapskate’ category. If there’s an your soul. Fork out three dollars for a what’s already there. Aldi near you, take advantage. It’s not good quality brand, put it in the freezer necessarily much cheaper to shop there 4. Get some freezer when you get home and it will last for for the groceries, but definitely cheaper bags months. You won’t end up throwing to shop there for the drinks. Most bottles If you’re cooking, cook in bulk, out mouldy bread that you left on the of wine are at least three to four dollars freeze and reheat later in the week. bench and it will make everything taste cheaper than they would be in a bottle Soups, meats and pasta sauces taste infinitely better. 14 Editor: Bethan McGraththeboar.org 16 [email protected] Twitter @BoarLifestyle LIFESTYLE fb.com/groups/BoarLifestyle Mario Kart. His desire to succeed big smile. I love his floppy hair. I only worsened his eating disorder. love his body. I love him. It turns He described losing weight as “like out skinny and bookish is my type, a game” – he would always have to and I like it that way. It breaks my weigh less every time he got on the heart that he will never be comfort- scales. able in his own skin, because to me, Unfortunately he was winning he is perfect. this “game” too. He lost a massive When I first met him, that chat- two stone in two months, and it ty, joke-cracking fresher, I would’ve was then people started to notice. never guessed that he felt like that. His mum decided to intervene and Having never suffered from an eat- took him to the doctors. The doctor ing disorder myself, I will never un- asked him if he’d changed his diet or derstand how it feels to desperately exercise. He lied and said he hadn’t want to change myself. There is one changed a thing. The doctor dis- thing I can offer him, and that is my missed his dramatic weight loss as unconditional support. Telling him a growth spurt and prescribed him he has no weight to lose and that I high-calorie milkshakes to help think he’s gorgeous won’t change him get back to a normal weight. the way he views himself, but this But it didn’t end there. By the age time, I’m the one making tea and of thirteen, he weighed a meagre six listening. and a half stone and was hospital- If you’re worried about some- Moving the focus to male ised. He had to stop going to school one who you think may be suffer- for a while, and upon his return, he ing from an eating disorder, your was on a reduced timetable until support can be invaluable. To you, he was deemed to have recovered. they may be perfect, but to them- eating disorders Things changed, but his battle had selves, they are not. Around one in barely begun. Now everyone was 250 women and one in 2,000 men aware that he was suffering from will experience anorexia nervosa at anorexia, he was heavily super- some point. Bulimia is around five vised, meaning he couldn’t return times more common than anorexia One anonymous writer gives us her very personal insight to his routine of vigorous exercise and 90 percent of people with bu- and minimal eating. So instead, he limia are female. However, eating eing in love is an over- each other about our insecurities He told me how he rapidly lost began purging. disorders are not limited to weight whelming, euphoric feel- and our personal history. We learnt weight. He followed a strict rou- Bulimia became a part of every- loss; binge eating usually affects ing. I am a hopeless senti- a lot about each other and know tine of exercise consisting of sit- day life for him until the age of al- males and females equally and is mentalist and I can’t help each other better than anyone else ups, press-ups and fifteen minutes most sixteen. Although he is now a more common among adults. Bmyself but feel blessed that I am in does. It was then that I learned he of running before every meal, all healthy weight, the anxieties which Try not to advise or criticise your a happy and healthy relationship. does not think he is beautiful. hidden away in the bathroom. He triggered his descent into eating loved one, even though you’re un- When I look at my boyfriend, I He told me that in high school, reduced his food intake dramati- disorders have never left him. He derstandably concerned and frus- see someone I adore. He is ridic- he always felt different – he strug- cally. He would sprint the distance still experiences bouts of body dys- trated by the situation, this isn’t ulously intelligent – he always has gled to relate to other kids his age. of his paper round. He read Paul morphia and has relapsed into bu- going to solve anything. Try and something interesting to tell me. He was overweight and, following McKenna’s I Can Make You Thin limia during his time at Warwick. build their self-esteem by compli- He makes me laugh, a lot. He’s al- his parents’ hostile separation, he and memorised the techniques the He said “part of me is always going menting non-physical attributes. ways there to make me a cup of tea spiralled into depression. Having book advised to further deter him- to be like that. I’m too scared to Suggest they seek help from a GP, and lend a listening ear when I’ve almost no control over his school self from eating. ever own a set of bathroom scales a counsellor or an eating disorder had a bad day. I also think that he nor his home life, he decided to My boyfriend has always been in case those feelings come back. I helpline such as Beat. They may is beautiful. take control of something he be- a very successful and highly com- was overweight, and, in hindsight, be reluctant, but being non-judge- When I met my boyfriend, he lieved was ostracising him from his petitive person in every aspect of I’m kind of glad I lost the weight, mental and supportive can make all came across as self-confident and peers: his weight. It was then, at the his life. Getting a first is normal but at times I wish I was still that the difference. outgoing. Once we had been to- age of just twelve, he began his long for him. He’s the reigning cham- skinny.” gether a while, we opened up to battle with anorexia and bulimia. pion of our house-mate league of I think he is beautiful. I love his » Photo: Phil Gradwell / Flickr 50 Shades My Way – a guide to BDSM Blindfolds, bondage and boundaries: Catherine Pearson tells us how it should really be done he much-anticipated film The Safe Word find difficult to follow; anything to dominant can discipline his sub- sure they are aren’t going anywhere adaptation of 50 Shades of First off, decide on a ‘safe word’ build the anticipation of climax is missive with phrases such as “do in a hurry (and unlike Mr Grey’s Grey has hit the big screen together. It may sound a bit dramat- a definite winner. For example, the you know what you have done masking tape, it won’t hurt when and while the film has ic for a night in the sheets with your dominant might say that their part- wrong?”. The dominant can remind taking it off either). Tbrought BDSM to the mainstream, partner, but really the word is just a ner isn’t allowed to utter a sound the submissive of their misbehav- Reward its depiction of the practice left my way of saying that you both respect until they are climaxing, and if they iour and warn them that a repeat The submissive can be proac- inner goddess raging (to rip off a each others’ boundaries and safety. do there will be consequences… offence will lead to their immedi- tive or passive depending on the dreadful concept from the original If there’s anything you’re not enjoy- The Alternative to Punishment ately stopping the act again, mid- dominant’s rules, so whether the novel). BDSM should be about em- ing or comfortable with, it’s better Personally, pain is not something flow and for longer next time until submissive is performing an act powerment, trust and mutual pleas- to be safe than misconstrued in the I wish to incorporate into sex play they learn to behave. on the dominant or succeeding in ure and not about being watched heat of the moment. Pick a word and so the concept of ‘punishment’ Bondage lying still for them to pleasure, if like a hawk by your partner. that would be obvious if you call it here differs from that depicted in There are a number of items you they are following the rules, posi- There is so much pleasure to be out; no need to make it sexy! the film. Some playful spanking could use to explore bondage. I rec- tive reinforcement is a real turn- gained from BDSM, but what if The Rules ommend a blindfold for any sub- on. It may sound like a cliché, but people with no previous experience With the understanding that you “in terms of restraints, a do- missive to enhance the anticipation saying “good girl/boy” is music to a of it think that Mr Grey’s behav- can stop any time, you can adopt it-yourself approach can work, and to better surrender yourself to submissive’s ears, or even better, tell iour and demands are typical of a your roles as dominant and sub- such as using a tie or scarf” your dominant’s touch, whilst in them that because of their good be- relationship between dominant and missive. The dominant can now terms of restraints, a do-it-yourself haviour you’re going to treat them submissive? If you’ll indulge me, tell their submissive what their approach can work, such as using a (perhaps by introducing a sex toy scrap what you watched Jamie Dor- rules are. There can be a selection can serve as a great punishment, tie or scarf, particularly if you don’t into the mix). nan do in the cinema and have a of rules that stand every time you although in my opinion, the best feel comfortable with being tightly read of my ideas and tips for intro- have sex, or the rule can simply form of punishment if you have tied. Handcuffs are also available at Tweet us your ducing BDSM into your own, lov- be to do as the dominant says on gone against your dominant’s rules any sex shop, while enough bond- sex tips ing relationship. This is 50 Shades each occasion. You can tease your is deprivation. Here, the current age tape wound around your part- @BoarLifestyle My Way. partner with rules you know they’ll act is immediately paused and the ner’s wrists and/or ankles will en- 15 theboar.org/Lifestyle | @BoarLifestyle | LIFESTYLEtheboar.org 17 London Fashion Week Special: Subjects of Street Style Shingi Mararike took to the streets of LFW and brings the Boar some of his more (questionable) fashionable finds wice a year thousands of people descend on London for Fashion Week. Forget the runway; for many, the pavements outside the showroom are just as good. I took to Somerset House in Central London and snapped some of the very best street style looks. Behind each outfit was a story. Some people had thoughtful, Tconceptual ideas behind their ensembles. Others? Not so much, but the results were weird, wacky and interesting either way. “The head- pieces are like a show- piece. We did “I came a Jacket for here to take Will.I.AM. His pictures and whole shoul- then I just der pad was thought I’d lego and also put on some- for Pharrell “No idea, I thing flashy. Williams we just threw it I was a little made a Sponge on and left” bit conscious Bob Squarep- I look like ants pendant Colonel Sand- out out of lego. ers (the KFC Adults are just Guy)” like kids, they like to go back to it”

“It’s only been since last summer that I’ve been into fashion design. Because of my “The androg- background; yny thing I “Our boots my dad is from think is mas- cost £20.12 Madagascar so sive in mens- each; they I decided to go wear at the were worn in with urban Af- moment. Why the opening rican fashion. shouldn’t guys ceremony of I’m mixing wear skirts?” the Olympic the urban and Games.” the religious way of London with Africa”

“I want to get rid, dissolve and allow my ego to die a little bit. So, I get rid of the characters, characteristics “I’m a per- that make me forming artist. fleshed out like When I perform everyone else. on stage I like “Fashion week You know it’s to feel a bit in three words? like comics or opulent, I like Wild, fabulous like the most designers who and crazy.” recent film are capable of like Guardians combining that of the Galaxy. opulence with With Groot urban street everyone can sheek.” identify with him because he’s a blank canvas. I’ve stripped away everything that I am and now I’m just paint.” theboar.org 14 Editor: Cayo Sobral 18 Editor:[email protected] Ellie May [email protected] @BoarSciTech SCI & TECH fb.com/groups/BoarSciTechTwitter @BoarSciTech Science and Art: strange bedfellows?fb.com/groups/BoarSciTech Are the two inherently exclusive tribes? Cayo Sobral argues for more unity between disciplines ou will probably have noticed a giant simpler back then and the price for the explo- adays is much to blame. Too much emphasis scientists in history had a sort of artistic cre- rift that runs through all of Warwick sion of knowledge since the Industrial Rev- on rote-learning often hides away the beauty ativity to them. University. And no, I don’t mean the olution is specialisation. The polymath has in Science and Maths for those who do not Science may have split from Philosophy a Somme-like trenches currently all been redefined as someone able to contribute stick with it until this realisation comes on its few centuries ago but it didn’t take away all Yaround the Arts Centre. to two or three subfields at most. own but also leaves the humanities to be seen the important questions with it. At a time In fact, this deep abyss, this greatest of I don’t believe that was the catalyst for the as vain and useless. when so much research, from climate change walls runs through wherever those bitterest rift we currently see. No one has to be a lead- We all lose from the problems this mental- to genetics to artificial intelligence, has im- of enemies, the Science and the Arts, come ing expert in order to appreciate or have an ity causes. A lack of understanding of what portant moral implications attached to it, the into contact. From things like “Physicists interest in anything, be it Picasso or astron- science is all about by the general public leads questions that the Humanities pose cannot have the emotional range of a teaspoon” to omy. And yet at some point the notion that to climate change deniers, anti-vaxxers and be ignored. “At least we can get jobs when we graduate”, scientific thought is purely cold and rational, the politicians who lack the tools to under- we have all heard and probably said similar and diametrically opposed to the creative, ar- stand and make the right decisions. Can the gap between Science things, regardless of which side of the battle tistic mind became dogma. Scientists also lose much by ignoring the and Art be bridged? you are on. Richard Feynman, perhaps the greatest other side. Science isn’t just plowing through Tweet: @BoarSciTech In 1959, the British chemist and novelist C. physicist since Einstein, has a famous anec- equations or a list of lab instructions, the best P. Snow was the guest lecturer of that year’s dote in which a friend of his shows him Rede Lecture at the University of Cambridge. a flower. “I as an artist can see how beau- His lecture was titled ‘The Two Cultures’ tiful this is but you as a scientist take this and it argued that “the intellectual life of the all apart and it becomes a dull thing”, he whole of western society is increasingly being says. Feynman replies “I can appreciate split into two polar groups”. And while some the beauty of a flower. At the same time, parts of his argument were laughable (accus- I see much more (...) imagine the cells ing the “literary intellectuals” of being “natu- in there, the complicated actions inside, ral Luddites”), his main point still stands. which also have a beauty. All kinds of This false dichotomy is a more recent phe- interesting questions which the science nomenon than many might think. Renais- knowledge only adds to the excitement, sance ideals held the polymath, master of all the mystery and the awe of a flower. It trades jack of none, with the highest regard. only adds. I don’t understand how it sub- What better example than Leonardo da Vin- tracts.” ci: Artist, anatomist, engineer, inventor, sci- The way science education works now- entist. There is no doubt that the world was much » Comic : Randall Munroe / xkcd.com #dressgate2k15, or how the brain fools itself Are you team Blue & Black or White & Gold? Selina-Jane Spencer explains the science of #dressgate

efore we start, I should say that the or reading it indoors under the slight blue of ficult to interpret accurately for some people? dress is definitely blue and black fluorescent lighting. The ambiguity of this image stems most- and, whilst I’m usually a strong op- The effect of the brain’s interpretative ef- ly from the lack of visual clues in the image ponent of human eugenics, anyone fort results in a phenomena called colour to tell you how to interpret the colour of the Bwho thinks otherwise should think very hard constancy – but this may be a slight misno- light source. One cannot even decide wheth- about whether it is responsible of them to re- mer since our colour constancy is never re- er or not the dress is in shadow. produce. ally perfect. The colour balance confusion is According to Buzzfeed’s, I’m sure entire- #dressgate’s surprising power to tear apart demonstrated in the graphic at the top of this ly reliable, quiz, approximately one third relationships and drive people to the edge article. On the left hand side we can see it as of people see the dress as black and blue. It of their friendship circles stems from the white and gold because the lighting is effec- could be reasonably claimed (with absolutely science of how our eyes judge colour in dif- tively brighter meaning that our brains do no bias) that this lucky 33 percent have better ferent light levels. When we observe colours not calculate for the effect of shadow on the colour constancy than the rest of the popu- our eyes perform two processes: firstly, they image. In the middle we see the stripes as the lation. There is evidence that people with naïvely absorb all the colours of light which colours that the computer thought they were good colour constancy may also have better are reflected by the object in view; secondly, when trying to colour match the image. On working memory. Also, both Taylor Swift they use cues and experience to interpret the the right hand side we see what Team Black and the Guardian view see it as black and colour of the light source and the effects of and Blue can see because the shadow effect is blue – I leave it to the reader to consider the shadows and remove this from the final im- rendered more obvious allowing us the cal- overwhelming evidence in support of Team age. This double effort explains how we see a culate the true colour. Blue and Black. white sheet of paper as white – whether we In graphic form this all looks very simple, are reading it outdoors in yellow sunlight, so why does the original image remain so dif- » Photo : Swiked / Tumblr theboar.org/science-tech | @BoarSciTech | SCI & TECH 19 19 theboar.org

It’s our future, not theirs Alexander Brock covers Warwick’s annual Climate Forum ast month, Warwick welcomed a a particular aspect of climate change. Joan- and Charles Sheppard, Professor of Marine our denier with the issue of global warming. number of speakers, academics and na Haigh (Professor of Atmospheric Physics Biology from the University of Warwick who Through these activities, Saddington empha- activists for its annual Climate Forum, at Imperial College London) was the first talked about how euphemisms disguise the sized his belief that we should ‘stop shouting an event designed to offer a platform speaker and set out to highlight the often real crisis of climate change – for instance, about the science of climate change’ and start Lfor debate and discussion on the issue of cli- complex and noisy science behind climate how the phrase ‘soil improvement’ actually educating about how it will affect people in- mate change. change and disprove the concept that global refers to flattening habitat for foundations. dividually in order to engage stubborn and As you may have noticed, climate change warming is just a natural process. She cited The diverse nature of the speakers allowed uninformed deniers. is a particularly big issue at the moment. examples in the media where this particu- for a really insightful glimpse into the core Finally, the Climate Forum also featured Despite what some climate change deniers lar belief had been expressed, such as a Bo- issues and problems that surround climate a number of panels that discussed especially might claim, 97 percent of climate scientists ris Johnson column which questioned the change and further emphasised that this is an important issues in solving the problems as- agree that global warming is a direct result of existence of anthropogenic global warming issue that can be addressed in a number of sociated with climate change. The first panel, human activity. Over the next few decades, and argued that solar activity may be solely different ways. chaired by Jonathan Cave (a senior tutor in the increase in global temperature will in- responsible instead. Haigh quickly dismissed The Climate Forum also held a number Economics here at Warwick), debated the evitably result in a variety of environmental such ideas and provided an in-depth analysis of workshops, one of which was hosted by economics of climate change and whether a disasters such as flooding, droughts and the highlighting why climate change is indeed a ‘Art Not Oil’, a movement whose campaign reinvention of our economies is needed for extinction for many species of plants and ani- direct result of human activity. against oil companies through theatrical ac- positive action to be achieved. One point mals. Despite this rather bleak outlook, many tivism and protest. One of their members, a that was addressed was whether we should of us are happy to ignore the oncoming threat group called ‘Liberate Tate’, use performance implement a global carbon price, which is of climate change or feel powerless to do an- He expressed the importance of build- art to protest against BP’s sponsorship of Tate the amount that must be paid for the right to

ything about it. ing movements to campaign against the oil Galleries. In 2011, a naked man curled up in a emit one tonne of CO2 into the atmosphere. Warwick’s Climate Forum aims to address and coal industries by saying “Their thing is foetal position on the floor was covered in oil The second panel, chaired by Alex Clark, this issue and inspire a generation of students money. Our thing is passion, spirit, creativity, in the middle of Tate Modern as part of their explored what the future holds, not only for to take action in this pivotal moment in his- numbers”. campaign against BP. The year after, they sent the planet but also for environmental activ- tory. During this year’s introductory talk, the a wind turbine blade to the gallery. For this ism and attitudes towards climate change in attendees were told that ‘the most common year’s Climate Forum, ‘Art Not Oil’ hosted an general. Both panels were very interesting way people give up their power is by believ- Another speaker was political commenta- insightful and engaging workshop into how and offered an insight into the key debates ing that they don’t have any’ – an Alice Walk- tor Neal Lawson who focused less on science theatrical activism can be used to capture the and arguments at the heart of environmental er quote which highlights the importance of but instead explored why human beings are public’s interest and take on the big oil com- activism and politics that some members of hosting a conference that aims to empower forced into being consumers in a capitalist panies. the audience might not have been aware of students and inspire them to tackle the prob- society. As he stated in his engaging talk, we before. lem of climate change. identify ourselves and each other through Overall, this year’s Climate Forum was an Previous years’ Climate Forums each ad- consumption – for instance, the clothes we ...we should “stop shouting about the sci- engaging and insightful success. Despite the dressed a particular issue surrounding cli- buy and the devices that we purchase. Law- ence of climate change” and start educating bleak and depressing outlook that climate mate change. In 2012 for instance, the con- son went on to argue that this consumerism about how it will affect people individually change promises for the future, the variety of ference debated the role of technology in the lifestyle has trapped us like ‘donkeys being in order to engage stubborn and uninformed speakers and guests provided an incentive for struggle to fix the damage caused by the ef- led by a carrot’ and, as a result, it has prevent- deniers. students to get involved with environmental- fects of global warming. In 2014, the forum ed us from acting upon the issue of climate ism, and also a sense of hope that positive revolved around a particular debate, which change. He stressed the importance of hav- action can be achieved despite almost over- was whether positive action is achievable in ing public spaces where people can discuss Another particularly interesting workshop whelming obstacles. If you are in any way the current market framework. This year’s and debate important issues, and emphasised was hosted by David Saddington, an influen- interested in the issue of climate change and theme however was titled ‘It’s our future, not the need of presenting an alternative lifestyle tial climate change activist who has spoken the future of our species, then you owe it to theirs’ and aimed to address the ‘power shift outside of the entrapment of consumerism at local TEDx events. His ‘Why I Don’t Care yourself to attend next year’s Climate Forum necessary in assuring a stable climate for gen- and shopping. About Climate Change’ workshop was dedi- and get involved. After all, it’s our future. erations to come’. What followed was a day Among the other speakers were notable cated to the problem of how to deal with cli- of engaging speakers, panels and workshops people of varying backgrounds and posi- mate change deniers. In groups, we were en- designed to both address the complexities of tions, including Jacqueline McGlade (the couraged to picture a typical denier, highlight Did you attend this year’s climate change and motivate the student au- chief scientist of the United Nations Envi- ways in which climate change affects his or Climate Forum? dience to act now, rather than leaving it for ronment Programme), solicitor Chris Haan her life, and come up with methods to engage Tweet: @BoarSciTech future generations to deal with. The event began with an introductory vid- eo from environmentalist Bill McKibben, the author of several books on the climate change (such as The End of Nature) and founder of 350.org, a global organisation that aims to

reduce CO2 emissions by raising awareness of anthropogenic climate change. In his vid- eo, he acknowledged how this gathering of speakers and students ‘couldn’t be more im- portant’, especially considering how our po- litical systems have responded ‘feebly’ to the challenge of climate change. He expressed the importance of building movements to cam- paign against the oil and coal industries by saying ‘Their thing is money. Our thing is passion, spirit, creativity, numbers’. The first part of the event featured a va- riety of speakers, each of whom focused on » Photos: Karishma Gulrajani theboar.org/science-tech | @BoarSciTech | SCI & TECH 20 19 theboar.org Anthropocene Laura Primiceri recounts her experience at this year’s TEDx Warwick

Every living thing affects its surroundings, practical change that would have a lasting but humanity is now influencing every impact on how we think, perhaps in a more aspect of the Earth on a scale akin to the positive way than is currently progressing. great forces of nature. We have pushed the The app Tinder made a number of sur- ‘planet into a new geological epoch – the An- prising appearances throughout the day. One thropocene.’ was in Pete Trainor’s talk, drawing attention The tagline for the now famous TED Talks to the spike of evolutionarily dictated adren- is ‘Ideas Worth Spreading’, so it’s a good start aline once the potential love connection is when the title of Warwick’s independently made, and the subsequent rush of the stress organised TED event teaches you something hormone cortisol. new in its very name. This year’s event was Tinder was also discussed in Ali Razeai called ‘Anthropocene’, and, as the programme Haddad’s talk on ‘Crowdsourcing: The Chain explained in the quote above, the term covers of Survival’. This was a combination of the all of recent human history. This gave the co- techy and the medical, presenting the Good- ordinators a lot of room for manoeuvre in the SAM app, an application designed to connect speakers that they hosted, and they exploited off-duty paramedics and patients suffering this potential to its full extent. medical emergencies. If the app becomes The line-up for this year’s TED event was widespread (as much as Tinder, for example), fantastic. Topics ranged from ‘Designing Uni- then it could easily save lives. “If a patient has versities That Work’, to ‘The Beauty of the Hu- a cardiac arrest… it is the first few minutes man Voice’, to ‘Swarming Nanomedicine’. The after the incident that determine the out- latter talk was delivered by Sabine Hauert, a come – life, death, or long-term brain injury,” Swarm Engineer from the University of Bris- GoodSAM’s website warns. This app has the tol, explaining how she used research into potential to connect medical professionals the flocking behaviour of birds in her work with those who need them, and faster than can be used to improve our lives, potentially brunt of overzealous online investigation. on designing nanorobotics that self-organise emergency services. benefiting us in countless ways. Creative recycling was another feature of into swarms, with the ultimate application to Richard Aldrich spoke and made a par- the day, with two speakers discussing differ- medicine that can target health issues such as ticularly relevant argument regarding con- ent ways we can make use of waste. Arthur tumours. Each talk was wildly different from the last, temporary concerns about internet privacy. Kay, in his talk ‘Designing Tomorrow, To- This first science-based talk followed three but all were equally engaging, professional It’s becoming a frequent issue in the news day’, discussed the potential of used coffee more sociological presentations which dis- and impressive; they were easily the quality and (ironically) social media, with the re- grounds being converted to biomass pellets cussed: improving universities, rehabilitating of the TED talks I am used to watching from sponse most commonly being concern that and biodiesel used as fuel. The main mar- sex offenders, and prison gangs – demon- the central organisation user information can be, and is, sold to big ket for his company, bio-bean, is London’s strating the hugely diverse range of subjects businesses or used to target advertising. transport system. With over 200,000 tonnes discussed, and the breadth of specialised in- Aldrich presented a contentious view, with of coffee waste being produced each year tellect and experience on offer. Each talk was Another app, created by Neil Daly, tempo- a talk called ‘Privacy is Dead: The Future is in London alone, the potential for this fuel wildly different from the last, but all were rarily bypasses the need for a professional at Fabulous’. The prediction being that with a source is high and the company is growing equally engaging, professional and impres- all, with the Skin Analytics app, a programme decrease in personal privacy, there will also rapidly in size. sive; they easily matched the quality of the that can determine the risk of cancer in moles be a decrease in the privacy of the institutions A less scientific waste-recycling organi- TED talks I am used to watching from the by taking a photo with your phone. The app people feel threatened by. It will become im- sation has been developed by Adam Smith, central organisation. uploads the photograph of your skin, and possible for politicians to have skeletons in who started the ‘Real Junk Food’ project in The differences between talks were not sends it to the system’s database, which runs their closets, as the general public will have Leeds in 2013, with a café where all the food just between sciences, humanities and arts, comparison checks to determine the risk of the means to rifle through their things with on the menu is ‘waste’, donated by restau- but within each discipline. Pete Trainor’s talk cancer; photos can be taken over a number a flashlight. rants, charities and individuals, and is bought on ‘The Biological Power of Push and Pull’ of months, to track any changes. As with the As an example, Aldrich cited the 2013 Bos- on a ‘Pay-As-You-Feel’ system. Customers discussed how our apps affect how we think, heart issues GoodSAM aims to combat, the ton Marathon bombings. Within hours of the give whatever they feel they can, be it money specifically in how they can cultivate limited key principle behind Skin Analytics is that initial attack, photographs of the finishing or services, and this has not only kept the café linear thinking. If our brains become used to early diagnosis is the best way to increase a line were being scrutinised by the global on- going for over a year, but has prompted the solving the same problems – for example how patient’s chance of surviving cancer. line community. Such was the extent of this appearance of more cafés with the same ethos to fly a small pixelated bird through small These talks all reflect the overarching sen- scrutiny that a suspicious target was identi- all over the world. gaps - then it develops in certain ways. Train- timent of the day, which was one of optimism. fied, his home address identified, and a mob These were just some of the day’s talks; or argues that apps could develop games that It’s not all doom and gloom; in amongst all deployed. Of course, it was added, they were seven, out of seventeen. My focus here has encourage more complex problem solving, of the fear regarding technology destroying wrong in this instance, and it was some in- been on the science and tech side of things, to develop the brain’s hippocampus; an easy, your brain, there are ways that technology nocent athletics enthusiast that caught the but it would be an injustice not to mention the fantastic talks on social issues (and their potential solutions) and the arts. A person- al favourite was Emma Fay’s ‘Playing with Paint’, which showcased some of her beau- tiful artwork, painted onto a human canvas. Often, this human was a contortionist (or three) and the finished product constituted a union between the physical art made possible by the human body, and the painted image. Carefully done to make best use of the con- tortion, this resulted in transfixing images. The event lasted all day, and despite its length (eight hours overall), it was impos- sible to be bored. The scope of the material covered was incredible, and yet accessible. None of the talks were made difficult to fol- low or understand by specialist jargon, but equally none felt dumbed-down or patronis- ing. I can’t recommend attending next year’s TEDxWarwick event enough; I’m already ex- cited for more. » Photos: TEDx Warwick theboar.org/science-tech | @BoarSciTech | SCI & TECH 21 19 theboar.org (Power) nap your way to success The science of self-indulgence his is it. The last issue of term two, our tenth issue this year. After twelve Matt Newman reports on the surprising benefits of regular napping issues as Editor of this section (and another twelve as Deputy Editor), ow is your sleep schedule looking? Research recently published in the Endo- amount of down time. But, despite the fact Tthis is the end. The very last time my name Too tired to concentrate on long crine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinol- that inadequate sleep is recognised as a pub- will be on the header of the section. Apolo- words? With essay and disserta- ogy shows those who are nocturnally sleep lic health problem, napping during the day gies for this little grey rectangle of self-indul- tion deadlines just around the cor- deprived have far higher levels of norephi- has unfortunate associations of laziness and gence but you may have noticed Comment Hner and tthe 24-hour library provision on the nephrine. Increases in this neurotransmitter weakness. already had a whole page of goodbyes and horizon in Term 3, now is the time to recon- can cause increased stress levels, higher blood Times may be changing though. The Uni- this was a ramble too many for them. sider how you sleep. pressure, increased heart rate and higher versity of East Anglia have taken the lead in As I write this, the fact that my dissertation Despite 85 percent of other mammals on blood sugar levels, all of which can lead to se- ensuring their students have an opportunity is due in just under a week is really troubling the planet being polyphasic sleepers and rious illnesses. “Our data suggests a 30-min- to sleep during the day by introducing a ‘Nap me. The biggest piece of work I will write sleeping multiple times during the day, the ute nap can reverse the hormonal impact of Nook’ based on a similar facility at James as an undergrad. 30 CATS. A quarter of the majority of human beings actually sleep take a night of poor sleep,” said Brice Faraut, of Madison University in the US, to provide the whole year. It’s worth as much as my whole only one period of sleep per 24 hours. Tradi- the Université Paris Descartes-Sorbonne in students “a place to recharge their batteries first year was. tionally there are two exceptions to this rule: France. “This is the first study that found in a healthy manner”. Google introduced En- And yet I’d rather finish this rather point- toddlers and young children who nap during napping could restore biomarkers of neu- ergyPods into many of its offices in 2010 to less rant that I’m sure no one will actually the day; and the elderly, who often rest their roendocrine and immune health to normal ensure their employees could restore energy bother reading than get on with what is ar- eyes when they please. Yet, for some reason levels.” levels. In Japan, where the average worker guably the most important piece of work I’ve napping just isn’t done in the majority of The exact amount of nap that is required gets fewer than 6½ hours’ sleep on a work had so far. Procrastination is a funny thing, Western society. for restorative function is debatable. One night (less than any other developed coun- isn’t it? study published in SLEEP (a joint publication try), power naps have started to become This is the last issue for our current edi- of the Sleep Research Society and the Ameri- increasingly acceptable; with many firms al- torial team, the current boargeoisie. You may can Academy of Sleep Medicine) weighed up lowing, and even encouraging employees to notice that a few sections are bigger than the pros and cons of differing lengths of nap. nap. usual or perhaps the content is a bit more out It concluded that although a 30-minute nap Hopefully the growing evidence base and there. One last hurrah before most of us go, provided greater and more lasting improve- shift in attitudes towards napping will make I guess. ments in all studied outcomes (e.g. subjective periods of daytime sleep a regular occurrence So you may have noticed we have four pag- sleepiness, fatigue, vigour, and cognitive per- in more people’s lives. While we may not all es this week, instead of the usual lonely page formance), this was counteracted by an im- be fortunate enough to have the luxury of or the rare and ambitious double-page spread mediate period of sleep inertia or grogginess. Energypods or Nap Nooks, allowing yourself (thanks Selina for doing most of the work A 10 minute nap, on the other hand, proved a few minutes of shuteye each day can only while I ramble here). Go to Books afterwards to be extremely beneficial without having to be beneficial. (or instead, I don’t mind!) and you’ll see my overcome the post nap bleariness. ugly mug (they really insisted on having the Indeed, many would argue they don’t need headshot, I’m sorry), trying and failing to be a study to tell them how beneficial sleep » Photos : Aweisenfels / Wikimedia & funny on Pint of Purple. Being an editor this is – we all feel far better having had a good pixabay.com year has definitely been the thing I’m most proud of during my time at university and I • Limit naps to 20-30 minutes a day to avoid excessive sleep inertia and inter- may be having some trouble letting go. ruption of nocturnal sleep. But if there is one reason for interrupting your regularly scheduled science content, Monday was National Napping Day. For • Lie in a restful place with minimal noise and minimal light filtering in. it is to thank you all. Thank you to those of anyone who is interested in improving you who have written throughout these last their health through napping, the Amer- • Even if you can’t manage to sleep, some studies have shown that closing two years because there would be no paper ican National Sleep Foundation offers your eyes and resting your body and mind can be equally beneficial. without you and thank you for reading this. these useful tips: If you got this far down it is because you ac- • Try to find a place of comfortable temperature. tually read SciTech. Thanks for not making this pointless. • Try not to nap too late or early in the day. Cayo Sobral Samsung vs Apple: A battle for our wrists Are smartphones too commonplace now? Hamza Oza argues that 2015 is the year of the smartwatch n March 1, Samsung announced nology has become better as well. If there new operating system for smartwatches - the vincing consumers that they need this prod- the successor to the Galaxy S5, the were time for creating a smartwatch, now Android Wear - hasn’t helped. These prod- uct. That a smartwatch is more than just an Galaxy S6. If you had asked people would be it. The real catalyst, however, was ucts just haven’t replicated the excitement accessory and can add value to our daily lives. before the event what they would a rumour as far back as 2010 that Apple had that the first smartphones did. It also doesn’t help that they rely on having to Ohave expected, a better display, faster proces- begun to experiment with the idea, that they This is why the Apple Watch is such big be linked up to a smartphone and, sadly, this sor and more RAM would have made the list. had started creating news. Tim Cook, doesn’t seem about to change anytime soon. These upgrades have become the norm. In prototypes, a rumour CEO of Apple, con- However, once a customer is ready to make fact most smartphone upgrades now are pre- which turned out to firmed in an earnings a purchase, they are more inclined to check dictable and uninteresting. Even the S6 Edge, be true. Apple made call that the Apple out the competition and see what’s on offer. with its novelty curved display. The flair and the official announce- Watch would ship to See how they can maximise the value of their excitement has halted. Despite the relative ment of the Apple consumers in April. money. It actually offers up more selling po- young age of the market, they have become Watch in September You could be forgiven tential for Samsung. ubiquitous as if they were washing machines. 2014. for thinking that the Apple has sent out invites to major press It’s unsurprising then, that 2015 will not be In response to executives of Sam- outlets for 9 March. There’s little doubt that a battle of the smartphones. Instead a whole these rumours, man- sung, LG and other this will be a follow up to the September an- new category is about to erupt: the smart- ufacturers started to big players are quak- nouncement. It’s also likely that they held watch. The smart watch isn’t a new idea: IBM roll out their ideas of ing in their boots or back certain key features to announce at this had created a prototype in 2000 that ran a a smartwatch - some expecting it to tank event. What’s going to be even more interest- version of Linux. It even had Bluetooth and might argue prema- like the smartwatches. ing is to see how the other manufacturers re- a touch-sensitive display. The problem was, turely. In 2013, Sam- However, in reality, it’s spond. What changes will they bring to their the battery only lasted for six hours. In fact, sung came out with the exact opposite. line up in response to Apple? Many already the Samsung Galaxy Gear wasn’t even Sam- the Galaxy Gear and argue that the Apple Watch is the better look- sung’s first foray into the market. They came Sony with its Smart- Having another ing, and the most customisable. This is key as up with something in 1999 and tried again in watch 2. Despite major competitor it enables consumers to tailor the device to 2009 with the S9110 Watch Phone. Even Mi- smartwwatches being available on the mar- come in to the market is in their interest. It suit their tastes and personalities. crosoft dabbled with the idea in 2004. ket for two years now, none have truly capti- solidifies the marketplace and adds credibil- The smart watch battle is heating up, and So what has changed? Well electronics for vated the consumer. ity. It’s no longer a fad, Apple also considers 2015 will be the first real battle in a time con- starters. It has become easier to create the Pebble, the company that secured over $10 it to be the next thing. Why else would they suming war. integrated circuits required by these devices. million on Kickstarter, has failed to charm have spent more than three years and count- Electronics have become far more power-ef- the market in breath-taking fashion. Even less dollars developing this product? » Photo : Kārlis Dambrāns / Flickr ficient. Despite appearances, battery tech- Google committing resources to develop a At the moment, the main obstacle is con- theboar.org 30 Sponsored by: Editor: Cath Lyon 22 [email protected] Twitter @BoarArts ARTS fb.com/groups/BoarArts Getting involved: the Loft Theatre Arts Column Laura Bertoni talks about her experiences working at the Loft Theatre, Leamington The final curtain

lthough, at some points in my time with the Arts team, some writers have probably wanted to strangle me with said curtain, as I have them, Aoverall I cannot deny that I have loved every minute of it. I have gained access to some of the best student art in the country, which is be- ing produced right here on campus! I have » A snippet of the Loft’s Christmas production,Scrooge: The Musical Photos: Loft Theatre worked with writers who have the most pro- found and interesting opinions on art, who f you love theatre and would like to get their stage managers, who was happy to meet make sure to go to their Open Day on Satur- love to engage and challenge the boundaries involved in it, in a practical way, keep up with me and let me attend some of their day 21 March. This will give you the chance of what is possible for students to achieve ar- reading. If you’re a fresher, it could be shows backstage, to see how she worked. If to go behind the scenes, talk to current mem- tistically. I have been encouraged by the ever- refreshing to look outside the Warwick you catch them during a rehearsal period, bers of the team, and find out exactly how growing artistic community on campus, and I‘bubble’ and explore what the local area has then even better, because that would allow you can get involved. the increasing interest in art. to offer. (I’m not saying that you shouldn’t get you to see a show ‘in the making’. In addition As an English and Theatre student I am involved with our wonderful Arts Centre, of to offering experience places and workshops continually reassured that students will con- course!) in backstage positions such as sound and If you’re looking to produce or direct tinue to believe that art is important – and The Loft Theatre in Leamington Spa is lo- lighting, the Loft also offers work experience your own show, the Loft would it is! The freedom to artistic expression, I cated at the bottom of the Parade, between in their Box Office and Front of House team, be more than happy to consider believe, is a fundamental threshold which the church and the Pump Rooms (next to the or as part of their bar staff. ensures that other freedoms are maintained. Robbin’s Well pub, if that makes it easier!). The theatre also posts audition notices on With the political situation surrounding uni- And for many years it has been offering valu- their website, so if you would like the oppor- versity administrations at the minute, it is able opportunities for students, so if you’re tunity to act in a different environment to more important than ever that our freedoms looking to gain some practical work experi- the university campus and in student shows, Last but not least there are many upcoming are maintained. ence in the theatre, this is definitely the place check the website regularly to see if there are productions to get involved with and to see. Rant over and time to say good bye. I to go. Whether it’s set design, stage manage- any new opportunities. Abigail’s Party by Mike Leigh will be hitting would like to say a massive thank you to ment, lighting, sound, wardrobe, props, press If you’re looking to produce or direct your the boards from 18 March for a ten day run. the Academy, to the Boar Exec who have and publicity, or marketing that you’re inter- own show, the Loft would be more than hap- It is a classic comedy of manners set in the supported me throughout my time as Arts ested in, you can be sure to find someone that py to consider any production ideas that you rising middle class of 1970s suburban Britain, Editor and most importantly to all of those will be happy to meet up with you and dis- have. The Loft regularly hosts student shows, with a satirical view on its own characters at that have contributed to the section over the cuss how you could contribute to the team. including a recent Warwick University stu- a very unusual drinks party. last two terms. You have produced amazing, dent production of Mark Ravenhill’s Over Following this will be Tom Stoppard’s A thought-provoking and high quality work There, so putting your show on here is a defi- Real Thing beginning 22 April which ques- which I know will continue to be produced For many years [the Loft Theatre] has nite possibility. tions everything from the nature of art to for a long time to come. Signing off for the been offering valuable opportunities If you’re less interested in the practical as- what is the ‘real thing’ in relationships in final time. for students pects, however, the Loft is always recruiting Stoppard’s most heart-felt play. Cath Lyon students who are willing to attend and review Student tickets are available for selected their shows, or get blogging about them. So if performances on Monday and Tuesday eve- you have a blog with a reasonable readership nings, so don’t forget to bring your student What do you think or are looking to expand it, do get in touch ID to the Box Office with you! of the Loft Theatre in In my second year, I contacted the Vol- because they are looking for people to start Visit loft-theatre.co.uk for more details, Leamington? unteering Coordinator because I wanted to blogging about the theatre in the local area. and to begin your own rewarding experience Tweet: @BoarArts learn more about stage management, and If you want to meet the team and have an working with the friendly crew of the Loft they kindly put me into contact with one of informal chat with them about what they do, Theatre. theboar.org 30 Sponsored by: Editor: Cath Lyon 23 [email protected] Twitter @BoarArts fb.com/groups/BoarArts

Freshfest - a writer’s perspective This year’s Freshfest was bigger than ever; Emma Cary gives us her detailed thoughts fter hearing about Warwick’s Fresh- have been ideal for me. However, despite the that it was not being performed due to my the plays The Northbound Service to Belfast blood New Writing, a society spe- occasional mishap with room bookings and a all-consuming fear of it going down like a and How to (Politely) Dispose of One’s Mother cifically designed to showcase disastrous day in Coventry trying to locate a lead balloon ridden by Eric Pickles. should be immensely proud. Whilst one was student written work, I decided to wheelchair for a scene, I do believe that I did Yet, thankfully, not only did people give a drama that warmed and broke hearts alike Aattempt to salvage my half-hearted ramblings serve some use to my talented directors and into my badgering and watch but they also and the other a fast-paced and spectacularly and transform them into something that delightful cast. The hardest part was not try- seemed to thoroughly enjoy it. We had two witty comedy that definitely split a few sides, perhaps could vaguely interest people. It was ing to frantically reschedule rehearsal times successful runs, although we did have a prob- both were brilliantly written and directed the idea of my play, something my brain had due to everyone’s clashing commitments, but lem with one of our room locations. It is part and the casting was exceptional. Seeing such produced other than awkward comments actually managing to relinquish control of of the ‘quirky’ tradition of FreshFest that the talent amongst our student body only helps and dim-witted realisations, being put on at something that had been a part of me for so plays are performed in unusual spaces such to remind us that the University of Warwick, FreshFest that inspired me to finish writing long. The brilliant visual minds of my direc- as cafes, restaurants, etc. Unfortunately, a despite its geese infestation and daily bus bat- it. This year FreshFest was nine days of show- tors allowed them to do justice to something certain venue where we were to perform tles, is actually a hub of talented individuals casing the work of a whopping 101 student that has meant so much to me, and I never did not inform the kitchen staff that we had who have a lot to offer the world. writers, directors, producers and actors. It is doubted them. After the gruelling two days booked the space, which meant, due to loud So what is my conclusion? Simply that the very best of student writing, so you can audition process we endured together, it was machines being used and ‘great banter’ be- FreshFest, from both an inside and outside imagine my surprise and utter delight when clear we had cemented a great relationship ing had, occasionally there were difficulties perspective, is something that needs to con- I was told that they wanted my play to be a and a shared artistic vision. hearing the cast. Although I am genuinely so tinue. I have loved being part of it and hope part of it. I will always be thankful to Amy Despite the faith I had in the talent of my impressed with everyone’s ability to, as Taylor to do so again. If not, however, I shall be per- Morgan and Jodie Marsden, this year’s amaz- cast and crew, this did not help the fear that I Swift recommends, ‘shake it off’ and contin- fectly happy to recline in the audience and ing FreshFest Coordinators for seeing such started to feel as the performance drew clos- ue professionally, it was a shame as it affected bask in the fictitious fantasies of Warwick’s potential in all of our work. er. What if no one likes it? What if no one our last performance. If there could be one finest writers. It would save me another trip As well as being the first play I had ever comes? What if everyone comes and they improvement to FreshFest, it would to avoid to Coventry, after all. written, I was also given the opportunity to find it so horrendous that it would have been such venues in the future. produce. If I am honest, considering I have better if actually no one had come? As writer Taking a break from my role within Fresh- what my friends describe as a ‘scatty yet (oc- and producer, I was caught in a dichotomy Fest, I ventured out from my own fictional Your first point-of-call for casionally) loveable personality’ I am aware between constantly plugging my play to the world into two others created by my fellow any student theatre news. that a role which involved organisational skills point of annoyance to my friends and ac- students. And, both times, I was tempted to theboar.org/arts and quickness in thought and action may not quaintances, and my desires to tell everyone remain in theirs instead. The teams behind

» Smoke weed everyday Images: Freshblood New Writing theboar.org 26 Editor: Sam Evans [email protected] Twitter @BoarMusic MUSIC fb.com/groups/BoarMusic alt-J Live at the O2 Part 1

Adam Davey reviews the recent alt-J show at the O2 - but how many triangles did he see? s far as progression in the realm of live performance for an experimen- tal folk-rock band goes, few oppor- tunities seem to surpass the chance Aof gigging at London’s O2 Arena. Presumably aware that the chances of not only landing this venue but also selling all possible 20,000 tickets was a feat insurmountable, alt-J had to somehow take their intimate, subtle arrange- ments and deify them. And they did just that – apart from turning up the synths to eleven and relying on some occasional crowd-chant- ing – by changing nothing. It turns out that their material is just that flexibly brilliant straight out of the box. The Times They Are a-Changin’ The band was audibly tight and Jeevan Sahota asks where protest songs have gone in the 21st century focused throughout most of the night » What was Joan Baez looking at? We don’t know, but send in your funny guesses anyway photos: Top: Wikipedia, Left: Eddie / Flickr here was once a time where music Guinea migrant Amadou Diallo, when four growing apathy towards the issues around us, Placed contextually in the belly of the al- was greater than itself, where songs New York City Police officers fired a com- and the idleness to not challenge these prob- bum promotion beast, logic would follow were a vessel for a larger message – bined total of 41 shots against a young man lems and offer positive solutions to them. To that the set-list would consist primarily of a brave challenge to the problems of working to make the money for college ed- accept hopelessness is to fulfill the role we songs from the band’s most recent venture, Tthe world and a way to empower those with- ucation. have been prescribed by those in power, and ‘This Is All Yours’. However, the appearance out a voice. The protest song is a dying breed feed the divide between the voice of the com- of TIAY was largely encroached upon by in a time when 1social and economic issues mon people and those who represent us. But material from their debut album, An Awe- are more prominent than ever. You only need In the words of Tom Morello at there is one voice which has always dared to some Wave, which was covered almost in its to travel so far through history to see the di- one Occupy Wall Street protest, defy such convention – the voice of the pro- entirety. It proved a wise move for multiple verse heritage of political music, and the im- test song. In the words of Tom Morello at one reasons, not least due to An Awesome Wave’s pacts these songs had on the world. “every successful movement has a Occupy Wall Street protest: “Every successful backing of immense critical praise, its mem- In 1964, Sam Cooke’s ‘A Change Is Gonna soundtrack” movement has a soundtrack”. With a growing orable singles and controlled grooves found Come’ became an anthem for the American awareness of the flawed systems that claim to on numbers such as ‘Tessellate’, ‘Fitzpleasure’ Civil Rights Movement, written after Cooke’s operate to our benefit without consideration and ‘Breezeblocks’. Pulsating with rhythm run in with police after being turned down While many musicians in the present of our own best interests, it is only a matter of throughout its 90 minute run-time, this from a ‘whites only’ motel in 1963. Having day continue to write similar content with a time until we find our own. show was almost entirely devoid of the band’s heard Bob Dylan’s iconic ‘Blowin’ In The strong focus on pressing political issues, these slower, more folk-oriented album cuts, apart Wind’, Cooke was inspired to make his own songs never quite seem to reach the heights from the inclusion of AAW’s two-part a cap- contribution to a growing body of music cen- set by the protest songs of the past, where pella interlude ‘The Ripe & Ruin’, which aptly tred around an increasing contempt for rac- revolutionary ideals penetrated pop-culture On the other hand... served as a short moment of reflection at the ism and discrimination in the U.S, amongst and challenged the established social or- show’s midpoint. black communities. In 1989, NWA’s infa- der through art. Perhaps the dilution of the Whilst protest songs may have fallen by mous ‘Fuck Tha Police’ was released - draw- music industry through the rise of online the wayside recently, the spark certain- ing attention to the racial tensions brewing file-sharing and streaming sites has created a ly hasn’t faded. PJ Harvey’s 2011 epic ‘Let amongst inner city urban youths and the po- stage far too large for the voices of discontent England Shake’ was a response to the UK’s lice once again. In the same year, Public En- to be heard, instead confining the appeal of involvement in the Middle East conflict. emy’s ‘Fight The Power’ became the anthem such songs to the respective niche audiences Lines like “What is the glorious fruit of for a marginalised youth at a pivotal time in they stem from. Or perhaps due to the wide our land? / the fruit is deformed children” America’s modern history. range of challenges we face it is simply too are indisputably angry and incredibly ef- difficult to write with such universal appeal fective. Radiohead railed against indif- as to attract the attention needed to propel ference to global warming in ‘Idioteque’; The protest song is a dying breed in a modern protest music to the masses. Green Day against George Bush and the time when social and economic issues Whatever the case may be, we are living in military in ‘Wake Me Up When September are more prominent than ever an age where the issues threatening societies Ends’; M.I.A. criticised almost everything are now truly global in scale. The vulnera- in ‘Paper Planes’. The extent to which all bility of the worldwide economy is pushing of these songs could be considered classics Stood in a simple line formation with us into conditions not seen since the Great varies perhaps, but the conclusion is clear: minimal spotlights illuminating the band’s Depression, while we continue to strive for we still have environmentally and politcal- silhouettes at the beginning of the show, the Widely regarded as one of the most influ- growth and economic development at the ex- ly active artists who still give a shit. The lighting grew vibrantly colourful and increas- ential songs of the 21st century, the smash- pense of everything we should hold dear. As embers are there - we just need to reignite ingly elaborate throughout the night, rising hit single brought the media’s attention to the human population continues to grow and them. in waves across the heads of the enthralled the inner-city communities tackling crack we continue to live beyond our own means, listeners to the crescendos of the music. As problems, growing AIDS concerns and governments seem to be shortsighted to the Sam Evans art imitates life, so too does it seem to im- seemingly never-ending racial divides. Rage point of delusion in the issues they choose itate performance. Whilst the band was au- Against The Machine’s ‘Killing In the Name’ to face and the pursuits they blindly follow. dibly tight and focused throughout most of (1992) was one of many songs adding to the However, while it may seem easy to shake our the night, nailing the hypnotic rhythms of rich tapestry of politically charged anthems heads at the dull future that has set before us Think you’ve got what it multi-faceted yet emotional songs such as contesting those holding power, and even at and accept the constant mind-numbing re- takes to write 600 words on ‘Dissolve Me’ and ‘Bloodflood’ (parts one and the turn of the century Bruce Springsteen’s minder that ‘it’s just the way things are’, we anything music-related? two were played in succession), there was a ‘American Skin (41 Shots)’ stirred up further must do the very opposite. Perhaps the great- Tell us on Facebook definite acclimatisation at play for the band. controversy following the killing of unarmed est challenge our modern society faces is the theboar.org/Music | @BoarMusic | MUSIC 25 26 theboar.org alt-J Live at the O2 Part 2

The opener, ‘Hunger of the Pine’, lost much of its ambient, minimalist drama as the per- cussion and synth line were pitched against one another at divergent tempos, resulting in somewhat of a disappointingly laggy collage of sounds. ‘Fitzpleasure’s’ rousing beat recti- fied this, but frontman Joe Newman’s vocals were still somewhat shaky, likely with some understandable nerves due to the gravity of the occasion. By the time the third song, ‘Something Good’, rolled around however, the band had found its feet and began hitting a succession of home runs.

Whilst they may not have the towering status to justify an arena residency yet, alt-J’s cruelly short show was an Boar Music Interview: Zibra exercise in pure indie excellence By far the most interesting aspect of the Jay Chauhan sits down with the emerging dance-rock band and discovers ‘glitch-indie-pop’ night’s set-list was the inclusion of an orig- inal song that the band had noted that they » “Have you got any ideas for what to put on the green screen?” “Nah, we’ll figure it out later.”photo: Quest Management hadn’t played for four years. Titled ‘Leon’, an original studio recording bearing production n a February Thursday afternoon, BM: Your experimentation with synths and SB: I think at the moment it just depends on elements typical of the band’s AAW-era can I met Sam Battle, the lead singer keyboards is very different to other bands, how we do. There’s going to be one EP now be easily found online, yet intriguingly, it from London-based four-piece, Zi- why did you choose to create music in this and then maybe another, and then we’ll see doesn’t seem to belong to any of the band’s bra (signed to Epic Records), ahead unconventional manner? how it all goes down. It is not completely fin- EPs. Sonically reminiscent of the plinky gui- Oof their support slot in the evening with SB: I started off playing guitar mainly, and ished yet, but it is pretty much there. We are tar riffs from Radiohead’s ‘In Rainbows’, or BBC’s Sound of 2015, Years & Years. From then through doing electronics and stuff I be- happy with it but it is not as brash and it is a even Phoenix’s ‘It’s Never Been Like That’, the outside the venue we headed to an angsty gan making money by fixing synthesisers and lot more realised. We are also working to get song’s resurfacing spoke volumes not only pub in the centre of Digbeth, Birmingham, through that we ended up using the synths, it to a point where there are no filler tracks, of alt-J’s versatility, but their ability to sur- where, despite the noise from locals, I was liking it and then eventually recording it. so fingers crossed that is the case. prise. By bulking up the drum line to give it a able to complete an interview with one of this Also because my computer wasn’t very good starring role on the live performance, ‘Leon’ year’s most exciting upcoming bands. I used the synths instead of using plug-ins, BM: As a band you are very DIY, where did (interestingly the second alt-J song inspired which is not what a lot of artists do. I kind of the psychedelic colours and VHS for your by the 1994 film Léon: The Professional – the Boar Music: Hi Sam! Thanks for speaking to liked having that different approach of slicing videos come from? other being Matilda) was a seeming under- the Boar today. Firstly, how did the band get and dicing things up because the computer SB: It was a non-conscious decision to use dog that ended up a clap-along highlight of together, as I’m aware you were previously a was too latent to record. When we ended up VHS. I realised that I’m not a video director the night despite nobody knowing the words. two-piece? with the sound we got we were quite happy. and I can’t stand out in that area. So we used In a way, this surprise hit that proved its Sam Battle: There was a guy called Cal in the VHS to set ourselves apart and got in touch worth amongst an incredibly solid back-cat- band playing drums and over time it didn’t BM: What is your process in the studio? Do with these guys called Youth Hymms, who alogue mirrors alt-J’s own attestation of talent work after adding our synth player Russ. you write together as a band, or are each of specialised in this and we learned the ropes in the cavernous hall that has acted as host Then six months later Ben and Ross joined. you responsible for different things? from them. We are going to take this look of for some of the finest music acts in the world. It was about moving forwards and we were SB: It usually starts with Russ or me coming videos as far as it can go until someone says Whilst they may not have the towering status signed after our debut track ‘R.I.P. (Rest In up with an idea and from there it becomes we can’t. to justify an arena residency yet, alt-J’s cruel- Peace)’ was put up on the blogs. realised into a fully-formed song, which we ly short show was, for the most part, an ex- then take to the other guys who add their BM: What is the craziest thing you have done ercise in pure indie excellence. Ending with BM: What were you doing before you made parts to put it all together. on tour? the iconic ‘Breezeblocks’ as the soundtrack to the band? SB: There are a fair few things…previous 20,000 bodies hollering and swaying, it was SB: I was in and out of other bands playing BM: Having been recently signed to Sony projects have been a bit sketchy. But I did clear that a career pinnacle was playing itself guitar and I wasn’t singing… singing took a Music, are there pressures to conform and jump on Santigold after running onto the out at that moment. while to learn. I had a mixture of jobs from has creative freedom suffered? stage...I got pulled out. I wonder if she re- In short, Alt-J’s triumphant gig had much fixing synths and fixing bikes in Halfords to SB: I felt it slightly suffer, but I started with members me…I hope she does. in common with the work of Jean Reno’s as- being a chef at one point too. I also went to the goal of wanting to get into a situation sassin Léon from the eponymous film: it was University for a year and a half and studied like that to discover how to make it work for BM: Who would you as a band like to collab- a sure-fire hit – expertly executed. Chemistry for 5 months realising it wasn’t for Sony and me. I knew we would have to make orate with? me and that I wanted to pursue music. music that would make it work for both par- SB: Vinnie Jones, he’s not even a musician, ties… I don’t want us to be fighting the label but I ‘d love to have him in one of our music BM: Why did you decide to call the band ‘Zi- and making odd stuff that nobody will un- videos one day. But music wise Philip Oakley bra’? derstand. from The Human League would be awesome SB: It just sounded good. You say Zebra, but as he has a really good sound and ability to stick an ‘i’ in it and it sounds odd. But some BM: Your upcoming EP ‘EP1000’ is released write songs. Captain Sensible would also be a people call us ‘Zebra’ when it is pronounced in March, what made you release these four great guy to collaborate with. ‘Z-i-bra’. tracks in particular? SB: We filmed videos for the two tracks BM: What are your ambitions for the band? BM: How would you describe your sound in ‘Heartache’ and ‘Chlorine’ and while we SB: Do as much as possible. Stay true to our- three words? have been working on our album we discov- selves and not let people turn us into some- SB: Glitch. Indie. Pop. ered that the sound of the other two tracks thing. I just want to take it as far as I can when ‘Suit & A Tightened Tie’ and ‘Monday’ really it comes to a realisation of making music we BM: What has been your best memory in the matched the others. We also want the EP to actually like. Cliff Richard loves listening to band so far? progress onto the album and ‘R.I.P. (Rest In his own songs and it would be really good to SB: Playing the Saint Raymond shows and Peace)’ didn’t seem right for the EP so we are sit and listen to ours too being proud of what the Koko London show in February were the holding on to it for a little bit longer. we have achieved. first two big ones where we got feedback from the crowd. They were actually listening and BM: When can we expect to hear a full- » DELTA photo: Wikimedia Commons we didn’t have to force them to get a reaction. length album? Editor: Emily Nabney theboar.org 2630 [email protected] Twitter @BoarBooks BOOKS fb.com/groups/BoarBooks Pint of purple

Sci-Tech Editor and Warwick’s resident Brian Cox, Cayo Sobral talks books

What book are you reading at the moment? Term 2 has been so busy that I haven’t really had any time to read! Over Christmas I start- ed reading The Origin of Consciousness in So Long, Farewell, Au Revoir the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind. It’s all about this really interesting hypothesis that says consciousness isn’t an old evolutionary Three Books writers discuss what makes the perfect fictional ending trait but instead only came about around 2500 years ago.

The Harry Potter Series The Great Gatsby by From Duty to Daddy by Who is your favourite literary character? Calvin from the Calvin & Hobbes comic by JK Rowling F. Scott Fitzgerald Sue MacKay strips. If you’ve never read them, Google it as soon as you finish reading this! They’re the ll was well.” These words con- t may not be a conventional happy end- ear with me here: the most satisfy- smartest, funniest newspaper strips ever but clude J. K. Rowling’s Harry Pot- ing or what the reader wanted but The ing ending to a book that I’ve ever they’re also so much more than that. ter and the Deathly Hallows, the Great Gatsby has a terribly fitting con- read? Easily Sue MacKay’s eroti- final book in the Harry Potter clusion thematically, emotionally and cally charged From Duty to Daddy. What is the first book you remember read- “Aseries. The book ends with an epilogue show- Itonally. Throughout the narrative, F. Scott BOne of the finest entries into the coveted ing? ing the main characters’ lives 19 years after Fitzgerald makes it abundantly clear that it Mills & Boon Medical series, the novel con- Thomas Bulfinch’s The Age of Fable, a collec- the Battle of Hogwarts. cannot end well for our dear Gatsby. His in- cludes with our hero, the strapping Marshall tion of Greek, Roman, Egyptian and Norse The epilogue is a satisfying conclusion fatuation with Daisy Buchanan and the life Hunter, realising that- after two years of in- mythology. This sounds pretentious as hell to both the novel and the series as a whole. and wealth that she represents proves fatal as decision- his true place in life lies by the side but my nan used to read them to me as bed- Firstly, it offers a suitable denouement after he tries to defy the passage of time and re- of the beautiful young Charlie Lang. By this time stories. So when I turned seven and be- a climactic confrontation between Harry peat the past. Gatsby tries to cling on to the point, I was literally and figuratively moist. came too cool for being read to, she bought Potter and Lord Voldemort. While the idea time that he spent with Daisy in any way he My friend had to fetch me a cold flannel and me a copy. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s of a ‘19 Years Later’ scene may seem cliché, can – hence his decision to swim in the pool. everything. I think my life may have changed. Stone was a close second I think. it is valuable, providing readers with a sense The pool is essentially a symbol of the rebirth Honestly if you get through this novel of completion as they come to know the fu- of Gatsby’s ability to dream, alas, Gatsby’s without your cheeks reddening at frequent What is your all-time favourite book? tures of characters they have accompanied hamartia of his attachment to the past and to intervals, without the hairs on the back of I hate having to pick all-time favourite any- throughout the series. The most important his dream of Daisy, means that this rebirth your neck standing up, without a few flit- things but I would say the Harry Dresden question — “What happened to them after- can never happen. ters and flutters in the pit of your belly, then series. It’s a bit of a cop-out because the se- wards?” — is answered in some detail. Thus, Gatsby dying as he essentially lived, alone, you’re probably as smoothly sexless as Thrift’s ries 15 books long as of now. It’s not ground- the epilogue ties up loose ends effectively. is likewise apt due to the lavish parties of smooth smooth scalp (obligatory VC joke). breaking literature but there are really easy, However, there also remains an opportu- which he had no attachment to aside from By only the end of the third page (the first fun reads. If that’s against the rules (are there nity to recommence the series, should Rowl- the slim hope of Daisy attending. I don’t two were faintly disappointing; needs more Pint of Purple rules?), I’d say The Little Prince ing ever wish to do so. For instance, the Elder know what angered me most as a reader; that sex) I was wrought with an enthralling anxi- by de Saint-Exupéry, it makes me cry every Wand still exists, and while Voldemort has Gatsby died because of his futile infatuation ety, eager to observe the latest comings and time I read it. been defeated, the emergence of another vil- with, and desire to protect, Daisy, or that goings in the relationship (mostly comings). lain for Harry and his friends to fight is not she didn’t attend his funeral. But again, this And the final twist? Oh you’ve never If you wrote an autobiography, what would unlikely in the wizarding world. Alternatively, is just the tragedy of Gatsby’s character, and read anything as lovely and sentimental and be the title? future books could revolve around the newer the superficial, one-dimensional nature of heart-warming in your life: I shit you not. 22 Years of Solitude. To be updated yearly. generation of characters, who are introduced Daisy’s. Yes, Gatsby may be a deeply flawed Basically our Hunter realises that he’s in love Probably to add another year to the count. in the final scene. In this way, the epilogue is figure and his greatness is frequently brought with Charlie, and learns that he’s actually got well balanced, as it answers enough questions into question by Nick’s narration, but his de- a cute daughter with her, too. Which obvi- Kindle vs. book? without revealing everything. votion cannot help but be at least somewhat ously sort of obligates him into a relationship Books, hands down. I don’t even own a Secondly, the ending also creates a full cir- admired despite leading to his demise. but it’s written in a very hot n’ heavy way so Kindle, bit ironic as I’m the Science & Tech cle. The epilogue is reminiscent of Harry’s Another key reason why the ending of it’s all fine in the end. Although I guess you editor! One of my favourite things to do is first trip to Platform 9¾ in Harry Potter and The Great Gatsby is so renowned is its clos- could say it takes the Marshall a LANG time browse Waterstones or Oxfam Books, brows- the Philosopher’s Stone. The Weasley and Pot- ing prose and the sheer memorability of the to realise where his priorities lie!! (That’s a ing the Kindle library online is just not the ter children prepare to go to Hogwarts, much novella’s final line is a testament to the beauty joke there for you, free of charge, because same. Also, we already spend so much time like their parents did at the beginning of the of Fitzgerald’s writing - “Gatsby believed in her name is Lang which sounds a bit like the staring at screens anyway so why not have a series. Lily anxiously awaits the day she will the green light, the orgastic future that year word ‘long’). bit of a break from modern life? join her brothers, just like Ginny did, and by year recedes us…tomorrow we will run When I finished the final page I actu- Percy remains as pompous as ever. Moreover, faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . And ally just didn’t move for a while, I was that How much is a pint of purple? Harry is in a better place than he was in the then one fine morning— So we beat on, shocked and that happy. I sat there in my £1.50 during circle. I’m unsure if that’s only first book, surrounded by loving friends and boats against the current, borne back cease- own little puddle, pleased at how everything true if you buy three at a time though. family. Finally, there is also a tribute to signif- lessly into the past.” Returning to the green had turned out. Honestly the book had me Outside of circling...who knows? You should icant characters that appeared in the series, light that symbolized Gatsby’s obsession with a-twisting and a-turning and I can’t recom- probably not be drinking purple in that case such as Lily and James Potter, Sirius Black, Daisy, his ambition to become ‘great’, and the mend it enough. Plus it’s only 98p on Kindle, anyway. Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape. inescapable passage of time, Gatsby’s struggle which means if you pay with a pound you’ll Thus, the epilogue not only ends the sin- is immortalized in Nick’s study of the great be left with two whole pence to put in a char- gle book effectively, but also completes the man. ity bucket next time you’re accosted on the series: although the books are finished, the piazza by some Kilimanjaro-climbing eejit. magic continues. Sohini Kumar Ellie Campbell Luke Brown

» Photos: woodleywonderworks / Flickr, David Orban / Flickr theboar.org/Books | @BoarBooks | BOOKS 27 16 theboar.org Will YouTube stars light up the publishing world? part in reaching the internet-obsessed teen- are rumours circulating online that popular bought books. Let’s disregard English Liter- Beth Hurst ager. Young Adult author Siobhan Curham con- ature students and academics, and the half Take the case of Zoella (Zoe Sugg) who has tributed to the novel. Maybe anyone can of the industry devoted to ebooks. When almost 7.5 million subscribers on YouTube, write a book with a little help, but does that buying books specifically for other people it’s nce upon a time an author was 3.01 million Twitter followers and a le- mean that anyone should? sometimes hard to know what to buy. I must seen as an unreachable, mysterious gion of young megafans hanging The celebrities’ faces plas- confess I’m guilty of the easy Mother’s Day presence; the tortured artist, the on every word about the lat- tered onto hardbacks at present of Gi Fletcher’s books. I know my sis- recluse. Then somewhere along the est upmarket product to Christmas prove this ter (who is so anti-reading I question if we Oline they became approachable, relatable, and grace her pouted lips. is in no way a new are related) got Zoella’s book along with Alfie dare I say it…tweetable. YouTube stars are While her peers (boy- idea. Is writing a Deyes’ The Pointless Book for Christmas. Not starting to take on the publishing world, but friend Alfie Deys, book any dif- that she’s read them yet, or probably ever will. with ghost-writers and claims of selling out, friends Tanya Burr ferent to sell- Imagine the general public standing at the is there something wrong with our authors and Grace Hel- ing a t-shirt bestsellers wall at Waterstones deciding on becoming less lofty than we imagined? big) have pub- or making a birthday present. For a fan of The Smiths, lished mainly a single? Morrissey’s autobiography seems a good op- non-fiction, Giovanna tion. Meanwhile Man Booker prize nominees YouTube authors have used the digital Zoella bounded Fletcher wait idly on the shelf, knowing that Russell onto the young (McFly wife Brand’s Revolution will be picked before age to their advantage, with social adult fiction turned You- them. Book buying becomes a case of cost, media playing a huge part in reaching scene with tri- Tube star celebrity, but not content. The sad thing is, the internet-obsessed teenager umph. Her debut turned yum- the quality of the book doesn’t always coin- sold 78,109 copies my mummy cide with the best sales figures. Publishing in the first week, turned novel- is a circus, making writers jump through which is miles ahead ist) has brought hoops trying to beat Amazon, the ringmaster John Green, an author before obtaining of classics like Harry out women’s cracking its whip in the corner. And if pop- YouTube success, uses his channel to reach Potter and the Philoso- fiction to general ular YouTube stars supply the kind of books his readers. With behind-the-scenes videos phers Stone. However J. K. acclaim. While her their audience wants to read, who are we to of The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns Rowling didn’t have millions husband Tom Fletcher criticise? Perhaps there’s a subtle difference films, he even made a Tumblr account where of fans behind her as she first pub- has teamed up with his band between writers who are YouTubers, and people can ask questions about his books. lished, so is this really a fair comparison? mate Dougie Pointer to bring out YouTubers that write books. I doubt the next YouTube provided the platform for Green to Zoella has a two book deal with Penguin a children’s book called The Dinosaur that Dickens will have a YouTube account, but as extend his fanbase. The 2012 Tour de Nerd- – something most young writers can only Pooped the World. Is there anything wrong long as books are still being purchased and fighting featuring both John Green and his dream of; a magical fairy tale starring the with musicians, YouTubers, or any celebrities read, what harm can it do? brother, attracted fans of his YouTube vide- publishing princess. However the evil ques- wanting to write a book? Maybe it is their os and books alike. You can see the beauty of tion lingers in the shadows; did she actually childhood dream. Maybe everything up to his prose in his Thoughts from Places videos, write the book? She claims the characters and this point has been aimed towards penning » Photos: Andrew Perry / Flickr, Wikipedia which use footage with a voice over to reflect story are hers, but that the Penguin team sup- the next bestseller. Surely everyone should be upon a certain location. YouTube authors ported her during the writing process. As she able to publish fiction, whether you’re a liter- (if we can brand them as such a thing) like started off as a blogger, there is no doubting ary academic or budding celebrity. Does the publication of John Green have used the digital age to their her creative writing ability. But still the cries You’ve got to think who buys books these famous YouTubers herald advantage, with social media playing a huge of ‘ghost-writer’ are whispered, and there days. Physical, hold-it-in-your-hand, shop- the death of good literature? Tweet: @BoarBooks Jamison’s ‘Memoir of Moods and Madness’ Jordan Hindson reviews Kay Redfield Jamison’s thought-provoking novel An Unquiet Mind inston Churchill used to com- is neither reasoned nor thought-inducing. clinical experimentation, drug trials, brain how Lithium “gentles me out”. pare his frequent bouts of de- Conditions such chemistry and the I particularly love the moment at which pression to an ever-present as manic depres- rest, and her personal she relates, mid mood-swing, her sudden black dog. These dogged lows sion, for those of life. Her wild shop- remembrance of a poem written by Edna St. Ware only one pole of the spectrum for those us who aren’t af- ping sprees, exquisite Vincent Millay. Jamison had not read this who also experience exuberant highs - in flicted by it, can sensitivity to music poem, ‘Renascence’, since she was a child, other words, those who suffer from bipolar even be seen in and sex while man- and yet, in a sudden epiphanic moment, it disorder. Another name for this condition is romantic terms ic, suicide attempts, seemed to her to explain and perfectly cap- manic depression, the term preferred by Kay as an elevation and the destruction ture the ever-sharper descent into madness Redfield Jamison. Jamison literally wrote the of normal exist- and construction of that she was herself undergoing at the time. book on manic depression, in the form of ence into some- her relationships are Jamison at this point did not know that Mil- textbook Manic-Depressive Illness, a scholarly thing more free, all described in prose lay had, after writing the poem at nineteen work that is still frequently cited in the scien- wild and daring. that beautifully coun- years of age, later survived many breakdowns tific literature. She has spent her life practis- Retrospective di- terposes artistic sen- of her own. ing medicine and psychiatry, and throughout agnoses of manic sitivity with scientific much of her life in psychiatric practice she depression have rigour. She has lived kept hidden the fact that she suffers from the been applied to through the shift in Kay Renfield Jamison’s prose very demons that she was trying to tame in many geniuses psychiatry that has beautifully counterposes artistic others. An Unquiet Mind was her ‘coming from previous gone from preferring sensitivity with scientific rigor out’ memoir, and in it she tries at one point eras, and several the flimsy and con- to encapsulate and capture the dream-to- celebrities have venient explanations nightmare dichotomy of the illness: “Manic also attributed of Freud to a larger depression distorts moods and thoughts, in- at least part of emphasis on brain Stephen Fry (a fellow sufferer) once asked cites dreadful behaviours, destroys the basis their own suc- chemistry and imag- several people with manic depression wheth- of rational thought, and too often erodes the cess to the mania ing, and her prose re- er or not, given the chance, they would push desire and will to live. It is an illness that is that constitutes flects this. a button which would strip them of their ex- biological in its origins, yet one that feels psy- one half of the Despite prescribing treme moods, thereby rendering them nor- chological in the experience of it; an illness condition. This Lithium to many of mal. Passing up the opportunity to make the that is unique in conferring advantage and type of idealistic her patients, she had obvious quip (“It would depend on my mood pleasure, yet one that brings in its wake al- thinking must be always been hesitant at the time of asking”), most eventually said most unendurable suffering and, not infre- resisted, and Kay about taking the drug no, they would not. A provisional explana- quently, suicide.” Redfield Jami- herself. The sheer tion for this unexpected reaction is perhaps One of the major problems facing mental son’s book is a scale of her extreme provided by the epigraph of Jamison’s impor- health practitioners and researchers is accu- wonderfully sane moods soon made tant book, courtesy of Lord Byron: “I doubt rate diagnosis. People prone to thoughtful account of her illness. this stubbornness untenable, and she started sometimes whether a quiet and unagitated melancholy or reasoned pessimism might The major achievement of this book taking the drug that she is convinced saved life would have suited me – yet I sometimes confuse this with clinical depression, which was to find a balance between the rigorous her life. She describes, in a beautiful phrase, long for it.” 20 theboar.org 28 Editor: Paulina Dregvaite [email protected] Twitter @BoarFilm FILM fb.com/groups/BoarFilm Four films to last a lifetime From Academy to Art, our writers delve into the films that have stayed with them over the years Being John Malkovich Titanic f I had to trace my current taste in film of male inadequacy and entitlement that his epic romance from the mind of rio and Winslet, Titanic might have simply back to a single big bang picture, it just struck a quivering chord with an anxious, James Cameron is far from the per- been another melodramatic romantic dis- might be this eerily beautiful Spike hormonal teenager newly transitioned into fect film; the quality of CGI dips, aster film, but their chemistry elevates the Jonze-helmed journey into the mind of adolescence. This was great art, with none some historical elements are lack- picture and captivates the spectator. James Iscreenwriter Charlie Kaufman at his most of the cold self-seriousness I associated with Ting, and let’s not start on how often Jack and Horner’s score that contributes to the great- self-loathing. I first saw Being John Malko- that description. When the film was over, I Rose say each other’s names. Regardless, the ness of Titanic, adds beauty to the romantic vich as a 13-year-old at the tail end of an in- was left staring wide-eyed and breathless at sheer scale and spectacle of the film must moments, drama to the chaos, and sorrow to tense Napoleon Dynamite phase and it blew the screen, even after the ending credits had be admired as the most expensive film ever the tragedy. But there is something about the my goofy young mind. It was a dark and finished. I’ve returned to it regularly over made at the time, making Titanic something quality of Horner’s music that is unparalleled strikingly cruel work but it felt freer than the years with a more analytical mind and it of a filmic phenomenon. With a tender ro- which blends so well with Cameron’s direc- anything I’d ever seen before. There was an probably gets credit as the flick which con- mance being intertwined with the tragic tion. The visual beauty of the cinematogra- anything-goes propulsion to the whole thing, vinced me that a great film can be as textually sinking of a ship, the film incorporates the phy is striking, with great attention to detail. from the sexually charged puppet show to the dense as any great work of literature. But it universal and timeless emotions of love and From the vast scope of the narrative to the room full of ‘Malkovich’-babbling Malkovi- remains one of my favourite films ultimately loss. With Leonardo DiCaprio’s Jack being Titanic itself. ches. The film dedicates a solid minute to the because of how it beams its way beyond rea- the embodiment of freedom and adventure Romance, humour, freedom, history, dra- character arc of a chimpanzee we never even soning and interpretation to that place in my in contrast to Kate Winslet’s Rose who is ma, tragedy, death. There are few elements see again because, why not? I didn’t always head still home to that awkward young adult bound by the class and gender expectations that Titanic lacks. The beauty and meaning understand what was going on but it was all laughing cathartically at an operatic head of the social hierarchy within the world of the that resonated with a generation show why too gloriously trippy for me to care. Cinema, trip of deranged misery. ship, the love story is also one of liberation. Titanic is a film of which I’ll never let go. as it turned out, could be weird. Scenes such as the ‘I’m flying’ scene now But more inspiring was how all this ab- David Pountain seem cheesy yet it still remain as one of the Ellie Campbell surdity amounted to genuine emotion. Craig most iconic romantic scenes of modern Hol- Schwartz’s story was a serio-comic nightmare lywood cinema. Without the pairing DiCap-

La Jetée Forrest Gump ne of the films that has most influ- tor - said that film is truth 24 frames per orrest Gump is close to the hearts of as an unintelligent white man is blessed by enced my thinking about the pos- second; Chris Marker, a part of the now many. And why shouldn’t it be? It God and accomplished something neither sibilities of the medium has been eponymous Left Bank filmmakers, explodes ties in 20th century US history with Bubba nor the rest of his family were ever Chris Marker’s short film La Jetée this language through powerful still images, the journey of a mentally challenged able to do. And this appears to be a com- O(The Jetty). Composed entirely of still images demonstrating how film can explore what, to Fman, telling a story which provokes alternate mon theme of the film. Forrest waltzes (or, the film flows through a narrated story about the post-war filmmakers, were issues of vital spells of tears and laughter. It champions the as I should say, ‘runs’) through life with ease memory and time travel from an apocalyptic cultural and political importance: what do underdog and never lets him go, no matter whilst all of the other important characters; future back to the seemingly innocuous site we remember and what do we forget? How is how clueless that underdog happens to be. - Jenny, Lieutenant Dan, and even poor Mrs of an airport viewing platform. memory composed and recalled? The recent I have watched Forrest Gump more times Gump suffer as a result of the society they While only 28 minutes long, the story that memories of war and the increasing pace of than I can count on both hands. I had so live in. unfolds is one of a subtle beauty, interweav- post-industrial life make these questions of much faith in its unerring veracity that I Though Forrest’s trajectory in itself may ing a simple sci-fi premise with a love story to vital importance. watched it the night before a GCSE exam be aggravating for a number of reasons, you explore how memory is tied to the spaces we These might sound like lofty questions for on American History. I’ve loved it for its in- can’t deny Forrest is a lovable buffoon, and inhabit and charge them with meaning. such a short a film and deter most viewers, nocence, its optimism, and its soundtrack is most viewers would find him completely and One aspect of film that it made me ques- but La Jetée shows just how simple this task fantastic too. However as I’ve learned, films, utterly endearing. He has a strong capacity to tion was the speed of story and cutting em- can be and how banal spaces, like our desks books, or music you loved as a teenager have love and this is evident throughout. If I was ployed in contemporary Hollywood film. and beds from where we see these films, can a habit of changing over the years judging it on sensationalism alone, I’d whole- The constant visual movement in these films become otherworldly. But if you prefer some We learn about Bubba’s turbulent family heartedly give it a thumbs up. makes one think that we’re being taken plac- more dialogue to your films, watch Terry history, and his ambitions for success with es and engaging with a story but, after watch- Gilliam’s feature length remake 12 Monkeys his family trade, shrimping. In one of the Beth Erasmus ing La Jetée I realised that a film can be com- straight after you see this. A brilliant combi- most heart-breaking scenes of the film, For- posed of very little content but the emotional nation. rest holds Bubba as he dies in Vietnam. impact can often be heightened through this However, Forrest takes the reigns of Bub- » Photos: Argos, Propaganda, 20th Cen- simplicitiy. Andrew Russell ba’s ambitions and bring his family out of tury Fox, Paramount Jean-Luc Godard - a French film direc- poverty; all with the implication that Forrest Editor: Laura Primiceri theboar.org 30 [email protected] Twitter @BoarTelevision TV fb.com/groups/BoarTV Banning sexist advertising My Life As A Kirsten-Rose Brooks explains why Kazam’s recent advert deserved to be taken off air TV Pilot slim, white woman trails around women in lab coats? Where are the women sexily around their flats and gaze adoringly her beautiful flat in her underwear, saving lives, carrying out important research, at themselves in the mirror before slipping swaying her hips and stroking her playing sports? Women in adverts are far their designer clothes on. hair. more likely to be orgasming over yoghurt If I tried, I would burst out laughing and AShe gazes at herself in the mirror, runs her (see Nicole Scherzinger for Müller Light) so would my flatmates; I spend my mornings fingers down her cleavage while biting her steaming my eyes open over my coffee mug Emily Nabney lip, and wiggles into her jeans as if perform- and rummaging in my wardrobe for that top ing the most awkward reverse strip-tease The advert is one minute long: and the I got a compliment on once, before necking already live a life filled with passion, ever, then irons her shirt for the day. phone is in shot for a grand total of ten breakfast and legging it to the library. drama and improbably great hair, so it’s If this were a lingerie ad it could be dis- seconds. A phone that’s so tough it can survive a not difficult to imagine what a TV pilot missed as just another sexist ploy to sell hot iron, though? That would be seriously based on my life would be like. knickers, provoking another round of wea- cool, and far more useful than, well, a skinny IThe plot goeth thusly: a beautiful and high- rily annoyed tweeting before being forgotten. than lifting weights, though I can definitely phone the length and width of a shoe. ly intelligent princess (that’s me, of course) And yet, I can’t let this one go. When the tell you which is more common in real life. from a minor European country lives a life woman’s phone rings and she pats herself Near-nakedness can be absolutely » photo: Kazam + ssoosay / Flickr of luxury – until her father (played by Sean down to find it and - oh, how funny, it was fine - in the right context. Clothes pret- Bean, obviously) is deposed in a bloody revo- in her shirt pocket the whole time and she ty much get in the way when selling ac- lution. didn’t notice - we discover that the dancing tual lingerie (though there are plenty The princess is forced to flee the country about in her underwear and the creepily lin- of problematic bra adverts), and if you fancy and go into hiding, enrolling as a student in gering focus on her boobs and bum were all wandering round your flat in in the buff, why the picturesque, windswept landscape of, er, to sell a phone. not? Warwick University. A phone. The advert is for the latest offer- But why is it needed to sell a Now the princess faces a new challenge: ing by Kazam, which, when the advert was mobile phone, of all things? The ASA assimilate with the rowdy and somewhat produced, was the world’s slimmest phone, banned this particular clip because it “bore unwashed locals. Tiaras have been replaced enabling the ad’s creators to draw the tenu- no relevance to the advertised product”. by headbands and balls have given way to ous link between slim model (Camilla Hens- It is one minute long; the phone is in shot drunken grinding at Pop!, but the princess son, Sweden’s candidate for Miss Universe, for a grand total of ten seconds. The “sexual- knows that one day she will take back her no less) and slim mobile phone. ly suggestive” shots highlighted by the ASA father’s kingdom (with Fire and Blood, prob- Adverts which objectify women seem “lin- gered over her breasts, ably). ubiquitous, even in 2015, yet this particular but- tocks and lips”, However, in the meantime, she might as one provoked enough complaints that the a n d therefore well make herself the beloved (yet feared) Advertising Standards Authority banned it, were directly con- Queen Bee of Warwick, so with the help specifically “because it was overtly sexual trib- uting to the of her Sassy Roommate (played by Emma and objectified women”. treatment of Stone), must learn to mix with the common- Was the watchdog going over the top? women’s bodies ers. The answer is a vehement ‘no’ - I, and as blank canvases Of course, no TV series would be complete most other women, are sick and tired of on which to sell without a hastily tacked-on love triangle to lazy advertising which contributes to products, any prod- increase the ‘stakes’. And here’s mine: on the the beauty standards internalised by ucts. one hand, there’s her brilliant seminar tutor women, and carried throughout In no way can this with a wry sense of humour and an uncan- our lives. be justified; despite ny resemblance to Stephen Hawking (Eddie In advertising, where what many straight men Redmayne) and on the other, there’s the mys- are the (clearly the ad’s targeted terious, brooding yet artistic boy who lives audience) may fantasise, down the hall (Aneurin Barnard). most women do not saunter Is he a spy, a secret billionaire or a vampire? You can find out once the CW picks up the show this year!

Saturday Night Live: Anniversary Highlights Title: The Princess and the Paupers. Theme song: Taylor Swift, Style. Anushae Fecto picks out all the best bits of Saturday Night Live’s 40th anniversary special aturday Night Live (SNL) had its 40th with a red carpet event at Radio City followed actually break into laughter while delivering ble, as she has been subject of many of Tina anniversary on the 15 February, and by the live sketch show at Studio 8H. Justin their skits live! Fey’s impersonations. There was a whole seg- was a truly iconic moment for com- Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon opened the Kanye West’s Beyoncé Obsession was Ad- ment on Saturday Night Live targeting Sarah edy, television as well as the entire show with a musical number and were fol- dressed Twice Palin and Hilary Clinton, played by Tina Fey SAmerican entertainment industry. lowed by Steve Martin who introduced an ar- Following a recent incident at the Gram- and Amy Poehler. ray of comedians, actors, and musicians who my’s - involving Kanye once again proclaim- Tina herself found these sketches hilarious The show was aired by NBC and was a have been a part of the show’s history. ing Beyoncé is the best singer in the world and wasn’t even offended when Jerry Seinfeld three and a half hour spectacle beginning From then on we saw our favorite enter- and deserves to win best artist at the Gram- even addressed her as ‘Tina Fey’ during the tainers unite under one roof to provide us mys - Kanye was mocked not once but twice! mock Q and A round. with some world-class humor. Here are some The first reference to this was made when All the Memories of the most memorable moments: Maya Rudolph delivered her impeccable Be- Some of the best moments of Saturday Betty White and Bradley Cooper Kissed: yoncé impression and then again in the Skit Night Live since 1975 were shown, many This was part of a Hi-larious sketch “The “Wayne’s World”. Kanye himself performed cast members, hosts and performers who Californians” which included Kristen Wiig, in the show and was also seen laughing in the have performed on the show for the past 40 and the regular cast of the sketch joined by audience- not taking offence to the mocking. years re-united. Bill Murray, one of the old- Taylor Swift and Bradley Cooper in putting Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David had a est members of SNL was there, as were Eddie on fake, over-the-top Californian accents, in Litte Reunion Moment: Murphy and Chris Rock, as well as Tina Fey, blonde wigs acting as Californian (dumb) as Jerry Seinfeld delivered a mock Q and A Amy Poehler, Jimmy Fallon, Miley Cyrus and possible. session where he answered questions from Adam Sandler just to name a few big names Though the audience was in hysterics several celebrities including his ex boss, who have been cast members, hosts or have throughout the sketch, the unexpected kiss the creator of Seinfeld, Larry David - the performed on Saturday Night Live. at the end really made the audience go wild. two reminisced on their hit show for a few Just to conclude, if some awful giant as- Adam Sandler joined Andy Samberg in short moments - it was quite heartwarming teroid were to strike on studio 8H that night his Digital Shot: to watch for me, as it would probably be for - the world would be devoid of most of its hu- This short musical number performed by most Seinfeld fans. mor. two Saturday Night Live alums titled ‘That’s Sarah Palin was there: When You Break’ mocked how cast members Sarah Palin’s presence was quite memora- » Photo: SOCIALisBETTER /Flickr 31 Editor: Gabriellatheboar.org Watt 30 [email protected] Twitter @BoarGames GAMES fb.com/groups/BoarGames The Cracking Corkboard of Gaming Experiences

Alistair Jones

At the risk of sounding like I was a horribly anti-social child, my Game We all possess a fondest memory of gam- Boy Advance was one of my closest companions. It was the first console ing, that which fostered in us a lifelong love I ever owned, and while others have come and gone, confined to boxes for consoles, characters and virtual adven- somewhere in the attic, I’ll still occasionally return to my Game Boy, even tures. In this special issue, the Games writ- ten years later. I didn’t actually own that many games for it, but that’s just ers and editors remember theirs. a testament to how good the games I had actually were; I spent countless hours with Super Mario Advance all, Pokémon Sapphire For me, gaming first became an obsession when a friend allowed me to bor , the Sonic Advance row his Game Boy Colour in the school playground for five minutes, and I fore I got my Game Boy, and and LeafGreen I’ve played plenty more series,as technology and, above has Dan Ewers moved on, but nothing gives me the same. I had nostalgic played thrillplenty as of the games console be played format ofPokémon the game, Blue collecting creature companions to best other trainers that showed me just how easy it could be to lose yourself in a great game.- Version and overcome a number of obstacles,for the reallyvery first struck time. a chord Something with me about in that the short, brief snapshot of Pokémon-filled awesomeness and I remain, to this - day, a huge fan of the Pokémon franchise. A few weeks later, I had somehow acquired a Game Boy Color of my own along with and that was that. Some dozen or so years later, here I am, still gaming, and I hope that in some dozen years or so into the future, gaming will still inspire the same interest in me as those five minutes all those years ago! Pokémon Silver Version Joe Baker

Is there a particular game that’s defined my overall gaming experience? I suppose I could pick a certain pocket-monster JRPG of the 1990s, but I like to think that since the days of being glued to my Game Boy I’ve grown out of watching virtual pets sent to die for my amusement. Well, at least till my tax rebate comes through and I can afford a Pokémon 3DS Bundle like the dirty hypocrite I am. It’s actually the fantastic Bethesda games of recent years I’ll choose, as they really got me to grips with my preferred play style; cautious, slow, a little bit stupid, and utterly laid back. You can see why being shouted at in a really my thing. The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion Call of Duty lobby was never take things at your own pace, explore withoutand constantlyFallout 3 , meanwhile,being told what allowed to do, you and to come to your own moral conclusions about these mysterious locations and the people who inhabit them. They also let you put a bucket on a shopkeeper’s head, steal all his wares and whack him in the testicles with a sledgehammer. Great times.

Max Elgar

Hannah Froggart Far Cry and Shadow - As a huge fan of open world video games and the trend of ‘open world-ing’ in games, from the LEGO franchise to - of Mordor, one of the most enlightening and revelatory moments for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone me in my gaming life took place. After upon an my expansive first playthrough character of creation Bethes The Christmas my brother was six, he received a brand new da’s Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion PlayStation One and a screen and skill selection menus that took up a good few hours before movie tie-in game, which dominated our waking lives for about - I even started to really play the game, my character emerged from the two months. We were a pretty good team, despite our very differ sewers into the first open space you see in the game. Upon consulting ent styles of play. I collected every magic bean, completed all the the map, it dawned on me that the vastness I saw with my eyes barely side quests and went back to redo sections if I didn’t get a perfect scratched the surface of the game’s actual playable area. This sheer score. My brother had no patience for that so he forged ahead, spectacular expanse made me contemplate the possibilities of modern pushing through the game a lot faster than me and clearing more gaming, and the sheer enjoyable time-sink simply exploring fantasy difficult levels. He was an expert on the broomstick and he could worlds can be, something I still enjoy to this day. clear the flying challenges easily, whilst I had the fine motor con trol of a drunk horse on roller skates and ran into walls when I tried to jump. We had a dodgy save file so we frequently had to restart from scratch, and I have fond memories of being coached through the first Quidditch challenge by my brother whilst I told him the locations of all the hidden beans. We want to know about your defining gaming memories. Tweet us @BoarGames to share! theboar.org/games | @BoarGames | GAMES 27 32 theboar.org 31 Halimah Manan Charlie Roberson

I’m not going to make a charade of it. My favourite game ever is - Despite no other RTS really living up to my expectaDishonored) Andreas because I played it all the time with my older brother. We played it pretty much every day from the morning we got it until he leftGTA: for uni San tions and FPS or stealth gamesAge (or, of rather,Empires just. If I had to pick, versity. Sometimes we tooled about in single-player but we devoted most taking over, I will always love I’d say this cemented my love of games. As one of the first of our time to the spectacularly rudimentary co-op. - I maintain that this co-op was probably the peak of sandbox gameplay. games I remember playing, I wouldn’t say I was ever very Not because it was mechanically perfect (it wasn’t, it barely worked) but good at it (and often used cheats, but the priests in the first game were deathly slow, so can you blame me?), but the mix because it offered unparalleled scope to experiment. - Was it possible to balance on the wing of a plane while another player of semi-historical events and gaming really made me enjoy it flew it? What happens if you try and have a fight with chainsaws on top of all the more. Plus, playing as Romans or Egyptians, and build a skyscraper? Who could find the fastest route down Mt. Chiliad? Most of ing wonders (with the help of trusty cheats) just to win games, these schemes ended in disaster, but the thrill of experimentation never was always fun. It’s a game I find myself always returning to faded. experience all over again, despite having played the campaigns to death and never quite gaining the courage to play against other people.

Gabriella Watt

Pokémon Red Version was the game that taught me the first rules of financial discipline (the result of two months penny-pinching on laundry duty), and I also spent many unhealthy hours trapping my sims in doorless dungeons to colonize an uber-graveyard on the edge of Pleasantview. Hormonal pre-teen by

day, the world’s shrewdest undertaker by night. ButApe only Escape one 2game. This I PGown version was played of Planet and ofabused the Apes until my PlayStation 2 could no longer read the disk – had you running around after hordes of pants-wearing, weapon-wielding monkeys, beating them with a pole if they didn’t come quietly (or luring them with a remote control car disguised as a plate of pudding) and catching them in your monkey net. Every monkey had a name (most of them laugh- out-loud primate puns; I even caught monkey Tom Cruise - very exciting) and their own personality. I got a Bananarang. I fought a sumo wrestler and a pop idol. I visited a Japanese onsen where threeApe monkeys were dancing a ridiculous butt-wiping jig (I admit, I was sorry to have to catch them all). Escape 2 propelled me into the wacky world of Japanese gaming, and I’ve never looked back. Pretty sure PETA might have had something to say about a glorified animal abuse simulator, but hey. Monkey King Specter was trying to take over the world and enslave the human race. Game. Choices. Validated. Real or virtual brick, I just can’t Lego of the past Alistair Jones explains how his love for Lego has been revived by the game franchise I suppose my love of all things Lego that And, yes, I’ve stepped on my fair share of Lego-scapes that unfold before your eyes superhero characters, and compulsively col- stuck with me throughout my childhood be- stray Lego bricks. I no longer fear anything throughout the time spent immersed with- lecting every single collectable in the game, gan when I was about five or six years old. The that could be out there in this world after go- in those games. I’ve scaled the arms of Lego that gripped me so furiously that I would not Bionicle series was all the rage at my primary ing through that. stone giants. I’ve defeated Lego supervillains. rest until they had each been finished. Noth- school; the Game Boy Color was seemingly Now in my 20s, it gives me a great sense I’ve even freed the entire Lego universe from ing missed, nothing ignored. From then on, everywhere and the nineties had just drawn of nostalgia and a feeling of childish wonder the diabolical scheming of Lord Business, Lego games have been my personal gaming to a close and ushered in a new millennium to play, and eventually complete, some of my all from the comfort of my desk chair with project, with three currently being under my in their wake. I remember that I would wake favourite franchises of all time in the form of a controller in my hands and a childish grin belt and another one waiting in the wings, I myself up really early at about 6.30am or so, a Lego videogame. Lord of the Rings, Marvel splashed across the width of my face. have loved every spare hour here and there I and, wiping the sleep from my eyes, I would Superheroes, even The Lego Movie I remember moving into my new student have put into a Lego game. make sure that I had an hour to build some- itself, are all repre- house at the beginning of this year. It took I’m a completionist. I know it’s some- thing with what soon became a rather large sented within about two weeks from when I moved in to what boring and a teeny bit obsessive, but I collection of Lego bricks. Those really were those huge get the internet set up and operational and, spend my time trying to complete games in the days. sprawling I must admit, it was tough. I had my PC but their entirety. So far, I’ve amassed 20 or so no internet to connect to, so I did what an- 100 percent completed games on Steam, and yone else in my position would do: I picked I seem to be always looking for a new chal- up my controller and I lenge, keeping my eyes peeled for the next played LEGO: Mar- game to tempt me to complete it. The Lego vel Superheroes games provide me with a light, fun, interest- from beginning ing challenge in completing them in their to end, from entirety, with the added bonus of being tied 0 to 100 per- to some of my favourite franchises to boot, cent in under a and I hope that they don’t stop producing week. There was such high-quality, nostalgia-inducing, down- something about right silly games like they currently do. TT completing the Games does an absolutely stellar job with objectives, un- their games and I look forward to the next locking the host of one. Lego, I love you.

» LEGO Marvel heroes in action Photos: Left and middle, Joshua / Flickr, Essell / Flickr; Right, Jorge Figueroa / Flickr

Which game defines you as a gamer? Let us know on Twitter! Tweet: @BoarGames 24 Editor: Samantha Hoppstheboar.org [email protected] Twitter @BoarTravel TRAVEL fb.com/groups/BoarTravel

Travelling when the chips are down Samantha Hopps talks to professional poker player Charlie Combes about his jetsetting lifestyle

Boar Travel: How does being a profession- you go or are they whistle stop visits just for The most exciting has to be the main event It takes time to get really good but I was lucky al poker player differ from being an amateur? the game? at the WSOP in Las Vegas. It’s a $10000 buy- to have a natural instinct at it which was Charlie Combes: Professional basically CC: I try to have a few days off in between in which attracts roughly 7000 entrants from helped by being good at maths and playing means you earn your bread and butter from tournaments to explore the city. It depends if all around the world playing for a first prize lots of games like chess when I was younger. it. Amateurs are there for the fun and take a I’ve been there before or not, and if the cities of close to $8million. It’s exciting in a num- Poker and chess have a lot of similarities in risk to make some money on a one-off basis aren’t amazing, I get straight out of there. ber of ways: obviously the first prize is real- mind games, etc. whilst still working elsewhere. This is why BT: Have you found out anything weird ly exciting, and even if you finish 20th you BT: And finally, your mum plays poker poker will always be profitable because there about Vegas or anything that people probably win around $400,000, but also the prestige: too, have you ever played a game with her are loads of amateurs in most tournaments wouldn’t know? if you win this you are the World Champi- and is she good? What’s it like having your you play. CC: [Laughs]You definitely need to have a on and being world champion in any aspect mum play too? BT: So what made you decide to go pro- mental budget for Vegas. The first year I went of what you live off is pretty cool. This along CC: At first my mum, as most parents fessional? was after a few massive scores online and I with hundreds of amateurs that are chasing would be, was apprehensive of me starting CC: I didn’t finish the degree I chose and didn’t have a budget and fell for all the temp- the glory and have qualified for cheap, seeing poker as a career but this didn’t last long after my mate at uni showed me the potential tations that Vegas offers, but you live and their faces and hearing some of their stories she saw the amounts I was winning and how money you could make and the fun lifestyle learn and I was far more sensible the second can be touching. the lifestyle and independence suited me. She so I thought I’d give it a try. I gave myself a time around and focused on the poker rather then started to play some free-rolls (tourna- timeframe to see if I could get really good than the pool parties, etc. “My mum plays very aggressively ments that are free to enter but you can still and then had early success so carried on. Last year my roommate went missing for which is rare and takes a lot of win a small amount) now and then online BT: Do you travel a lot for games etc? 38 hours and I got really worried and called egotistic men by surprise” and started to love the game herself: I think CC: Yeah I’ve managed to travel a lot with the police. Turned out he was passed out on a she’s always loved mind games as well. the game at various live events around the pool lounger having partied for 30 hours and I do love how she’s grown to love the game world. I’ve always loved travelling to amazing lost his phone: this is what Vegas can do to The WSOP main event pre-2003 used to because she supports me throughout - even cities around the world from my gap year and you. get maximum 150-200 runners, then an am- when the times were tough at the beginning it was part of what drew me to the game. BT: What did you originally want to do ateur businessman called Chris Moneymaker - and I see how excited she gets at these when you started your degree? Did you ever (yes that’s really his name) won it and was events which makes me happy. She has come “My roommate went missing in Vegas think you’d end up travelling so much? broadcast all over America. This started the a long way and for an older lady she plays for 38 hours and I called the police... CC: I got the bug for travelling in my gap poker boom because your average Joe saw an very aggressively which is rare and takes a turned out he was passed out on a pool year while going around Morocco for six amateur win close to a million and thought lot of these egotistical men that you find by lounger having partied for 30 hours weeks, then Australia for five months but they could all do it. It now attracts at least surprise. It’s more of a hobby for her anyway and lost his phone” never thought my job would ever involve as 7000 entrants every year which makes it far and if she can make some cash along the way much travelling or freedom as poker brings. harder to win but obviously far more exciting it’s a bonus. She will always be watching me My initial degree was Manufacturing En- if you manage to get a deep run in it. if she’s at home online and it’s good to have BT: So where have you travelled for games? gineering and Management, which my career BT: Do you have any advice for budding the support and encouragement she gives. CC: Australia, all around Europe, Prague, advisors at school thought was right for me, poker players or people who do it on the side Sometime it can be tedious when she’s trying San Reno, Barcelona, Vienna, Amsterdam, being a maths geek and all, but I soon found for how to get better and how to start travel- to teach me though, asking me “why did you Paris, even the highlights of sunny beach, out I had no interest in it at all, so along with ling for games and getting sponsored to do do that?” after a game! Bulgaria. I go to Vegas every summer for the 9am lectures every day it didn’t work out. so? WSOP (World Series of Poker) which is the I saw myself staying independent either CC: My main advice for anyone trying to » Photos: Viri G / Flickr, Tom Godber / biggest series of the year. Costa Rica, Mexico, through business or property which I still become a pro now would be to stay clear. The Flickr I’ve probably missed a few out…it’s been fun! plan to do one day with the money I make game is far tougher than when I first started BT: Do you get to be a tourist much when from poker. I just need to start saving the playing six or seven years ago. I wasn’t half money which is my plan this year. as good then as I am now, yet it was far eas- BT: So poker isn’t a long term career plan? ier to print money most nights. Nowadays CC: It’s my best Return-on-Investment so there are so many online training sites, its I think I’ll always dabble in it on the side but broadcast on TV, players are doing private over the next few years I want to try to move coaching and most importantly so many into property slowly, building up a resumé youngsters have ‘chased’ the dream, they’ve (this is if I can win enough through poker) seen the lifestyle it can bring and have spent because it’s pretty hard to get a mortgage hav- numerous hours learning and studying to be- ing poker as your income. come better. This didn’t happen years ago as BT: What’s the biggest or most exciting firstly not many people knew about the game game you’ve ever played? or that you could live off it and secondly the CC: The biggest events I’ve played in have growth of social media/online training sites definitely been live events. The €10,000 EPT etc which never used to exist has got big- (European Poker Tour) grand final main ger and bigger and over the years the game event in Monte Carlo is the biggest buy-in has constantly evolved (however weird that I’ve played and maybe the most expensive sounds) and there have been many different city I’ve ever been to: ridiculously pricey but levels of thinking and complexities to the a beautiful place. game which no-one ever used to think about. theboar.org/Travel | @BoarTravel | TRAVEL 33 The great debate: the best way to get to campus Happy days, expensive nights (an editor’s farewell): Three writers go head-to-head to see which transport is the best (or worst) Writing for the Boar Bus Car Bicycle

ou have to be pretty zen to trav- Driving is the best way to travel to and My prime motivation for moving to Earls- Samantha Hopps el on the U1. You battle wind and from campus. It is flexible, convenient and don for my third year: I never, ever wanted to sleet to reach your stop with no puts you in control: when I want to go home, have to rely on buses to get me to campus in s this is my final issue of the Boar, idea when the next bus will arrive, I can simply walk over to my little car and time to hand in an essay again. Earlsdon was, I wanted to share with you the Yand the only way to achieve an inner calm is travel in warmth and comfort. My days of I had been told, a fifteen minute bike ride honest-to-God best thing to do in to surrender all control to fate and take what waiting an eternity just for the big blue and from campus. I also wouldn’t need a £200 the local area. It doesn’t just cost it brings. red U1 to turn up are over! piece of card labelled ‘bus pass’. So I bought Aless than a night out; it’s free. In addition to all the expected anxieties Driving is faster than the bus and although a second-hand bike, and my department Writing for the Boar and being a part of the of putting yourself at the mercy of an out- it is more expensive due to petrol and parking scrapped handing in paper copies of essays. editorial team has been the best thing about side force to perform a vital service for you, costs, the price difference is not extortionate: I really enjoy being able to cycle to cam- my university experience, so now it’s time, as there is the added fear that the bus will speed I didn’t purchase a bus pass, I don’t need to pus. I can decide when I want to go and how I hand over my position to the worthy Jack straight past you, or that the driver will refuse drive and park on campus every day and my long I want to stay for without having to con- Prevezer, to convince you to be a part of the to let you on, which is why you car is surprisingly sider bus timetables. My bike will same thing. now flinch whenever you hear fuel efficient. Yes, never leave me standing at a stop I started in my first year writing an article the phrase “peak time”. finding parking or simply not show up. Especially about horsemeat, and when I first submitted “Peak time” means the con- on campus can in summer and the sunnier days at that piece I was terrified: would it be good centration of many people into be rather painful the beginning of this term, I loved enough, would people tear it apart, would a tight space, increasing the likelihoodVS that with the never-ending roadworksVS and con- the fifteen minutes where I had to focus on people think I was a terrible writer? one of them will be an inconsiderate bell-end. struction eating up a lot of spaces. Arts Cen- something besides essay deadlines and the Now, three years on, an article is not a Bus travel need not be an assault on the tre car park full before 10am? Horrific! feeling of actually being semi-awake in my source of stress, but the best de-stressing senses, but through creative use of body I also won’t deny that driving isn’t the best morning seminar. That being said, there have method there is. Got an essay to write? Better odour, blaring phones and uncomfortably option for the environment; I try to give been days where it has rained so much the start that article I’ve been meaning to write. public displays of affection, an enterprising friends lifts to avoid travelling with an emp- water seeped straight through my supposed- If you are reading this and have been want- turd-biscuit can create one with a minimum ty car, and there is also the Carshare scheme ly waterproof jacket and where I could see ing to get involved with the Boar, I can’t rec- of personal exertion. which is admirable. Despite the downsides, I about as sharply with glasses as without. On ommend you do highly enough. Any article You don’t know discomfort like that until believe that the advantages are greater and I the whole, cycling in on a rainy day requires you pitch will be accepted and any queries the next time you fork out your £300 for the definitely won’t be reverting back to the bus. a fair amount of mental persuasion. I’m also you have answered. Unirider pass. If I was any good at riding a bike I may give it less likely to meet with friends in Leamington Not only is it fun and a great ego boost to And the less said about roadworks, the a go, but what happens when I have ten books because of having to pay, in correct change, see your name tagged to an article, it’s also better... to carry home and my laptop? To the car it is! for a bus ticket. such a useful conversation starter. People Hannah Froggatt Julia Wessels Maaike Spiekerman always seem to be interested in the fact that you write for a student paper. Even if journalism is not what you want to do, as with me, writing articles is still a very Planning summer? Start now! useful skill for many career paths, and at the very least it shows you to be a well-rounded Scarlett Mansfield discusses why it’s not too early, and what you can do to start planning your summer person with opinions and grammar and stuff. I am so sad to be handing over the reins of hy? PRICES! If you book this Not only flights, if you are on the e-mail there are often bus length times and a rough this section, and with more scope and time early, flights are significantly subscription for hostelworld or hostelbook- estimated of prices. there are many things I would have liked to cheaper. This year I managed ers, they often have great sales this time of This year, for example, to go through do: for one, I think that the travel section has to bag a return to Rio De year, allowing me to save 60% on my first South America I have worked out my bus an untapped goldmine of writers from the WJanerio for only £515! If I had left it to the last three nights’ accommodation in Rio. and train fare will come to around £400. As- international student body that needs to be minute I was looking at £900 and upwards. What can you do right now? suming roughly £10 a night for a hostel too, I discovered. I am sure that Jack can achieve Flights are definitely cheaper booked far in Plan! Grab the nearest Lonely Planet and have worked out how much I need to approx- some really superb things over the coming advance, so planning now allows you to save hit up those travel blogs and get researching. imately save which means I know how many year, and wish him all the best. those hard-earned pennies. Again, this can help you to save money as re- hours on average I should be working a week. So there you have it: a final editor’s note search in advance will allow you to find out If you are travelling independently, or want from yours truly, with a promise that writing the cheapest ways of getting from A to B. Not to add more people to your existing group, for the Boar is the best and cheapest thing to only that, it allows you to see how long you planning in advance may also be of benefit as do in your local area, and I cannot recom- can have in each place. I always write down you can connect with other travellers to the mend it enough. the main places I want to go and use tripline. same destination. Travel Editor out. com to plan my route. Planning in advance is also particular- ly useful if you are going in peak season, to avoid disappointment from a lack of hostel ‘Spare’ days are useful for when you space such as during the Full Moon Party in fall in love with a city and aren’t ready Thailand or Carnival in Rio. This may also to depart just yet. give you time to find a contact on couch- surfing.com to hook you up for the duration of the stay and giving you a chance to get to I then pencil in rough dates and the mini- know them beforehand. mum time I could spend in each place to work So there we have it – plenty of reason you out how many ‘spare’ days I have. ‘Spare’ days should plan ahead, and what you can do now are useful for when you fall in love with a city to enjoy your summer to the max and on the and aren’t ready to depart just yet, these let cheapest of budgets! you know how long you have to spend there before you really must leave. How have you started Planning your route in advance also gives planning for your summer - » Photo: Kate Ter Haar / Flickr you a rough idea of budget. In Lonely Planet let us know! » Photo: Boar Photography / Alex Sturti- Tweet: @BoarTravel vant

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Absolute Boarginners: skiing is snow easy task (Yes we’ve used that pun before but it’s week 10, give us a break) Sian Elvin gives the slopes a go!

tanding right at the top of a ended up super painful by the end rible at climbing up a hill, I was ing adventure had to be helped me because after glacier, and looking down of the day. Probably because I had even worse at getting down it. We when I fell over at the a week of skiing, I what was probably the small- to walk for what felt like miles to were taught the most basic move, top of a treacher- wanted to run as est nursery hill ever at the top get up to the top of the frigging gla- called the snowplough, where ac- ous blue (nov- far away from Sof it, I remember thinking: “…And cier in the first place. cording to my instructor you “open ice) slope, the slopes as I why would I want to slide down an And still stood at one of the your legs like a pizza slice” to stop. sliding all possibly icy slope with only two strips of highest points in Val d’Isere, Problem is, I usually couldn’t stop. the way to could. But metal strapped to my feet?” France, I was wondering whether But still, I wasn’t deterred from the bottom actually, af- I mean, let’s be honest. The very I could actually be bothered to ski attempting the green (beginner) and leav- ter the notion of skiing is absolutely ridic- down to the bottom of it, because slope at the end of my lesson… ing my skis hangover ulous. First of all, you’re chucked I’d only have to climb back up to which resulted in me falling half- and poles subsided, into one of the most dangerous the top again. And that’s a lot of way down the slope on my bum, at the top. I the con- environments there is. It’s at a tem- effort. Especially on a lingering struggling to hoick myself back up later found stant squat- perature below freezing (it even Après Ski hangover. and thinking “never, ever again”. out that this ache in my reached -13 degrees Celsius at one But anyway, I’d paid for this After my first day I felt like I want- (incorrect) thighs went point), there are often blizzards, entire trip so I kind of had to be ed to cry; how could I ever get technique is away and the you’re at risk of developing severe bothered, really. I lifted my heavy, down that slope without crashing humorously bruises faded, I frostbite if you don’t wear enough long feet and prepared for the slide and burning horrendously? called a “yard sale” decided I had a thermals, the altitude is pretty high down the hill. Until my instructor, The thing is, if you want to get – not so hilarious when pretty fun time skiing. (my asthma really thanked me for a bonkers French guy with a face good at skiing, you need to get ac- you’re sat at the bottom of a By the end of the week I was that one), and if you step on a bit probably more tanned than the rest quainted with your buttocks – and ski slope wondering how the attempting red (intermedi- of ice in the wrong way then well, of his body, grabbed my arm and fast. The tip to conquering the hell to get your stuff ate) runs and trying you’re shipped off to A&E faster said: “No, you no ski down. Before sport revolves around losing the back. Luckily, a cra- my hand at parallel than a pint of purple gets downed you ski down, you ski up!” fear of falling, and being prepared zy OAP rescued skiing – and the at circle. to receive a few bruises in the neth- my severely adrenaline So why on earth would I want to er regions. After that first horrific scratched kit rush you get try and slide on a bit of ice, when If you want to get good experience I learned that crashing and helped when you I can barely step on it without at skiing, you need to get isn’t too bad after all: there’s always me click are brave having to go to hospital? It’s fun, acquainted with your buttocks someone around on the slopes to my skis enough to apparently. It certainly didn’t feel help you get back up again. back into go really it when I had to bundle myself in And from that moment on, my place, fast is like more clothing than is in your nan’s skiing actually improved. When s h a r i n g nothing wardrobe, stuff my head into a hel- I glanced at my friends, also on we started learning how to turn the a piece of else you met where I could barely hear any- the beginner course, and realised next day, I discovered that I could advice that could ever thing and shove my feet into what that everyone was slowly attempt- actually go around corners to the some Nor- experience. usually ended up being two blocks ing to climb up the hill on the next part of the course, as opposed wegian guy One day I’d of ice. And what are those poles edges of their skis. After a few at- to accidentally going off-piste gave him back love to go again. even for, anyway? tempts, I discovered that not only every time. And only once did my in 1969: “Never But perhaps when Oh, ski boots. How I do not miss does it take you a full ten minutes instructor have to drag me down turn your back on the the nightmare of fall- thee. They were seriously awkward to move about a metre, but is also the mountain when I was too hun- s l op e .” ing off a ski lift for the hun- to walk in and made my legs more stupidly exhausting. gover to move myself. Well, I’m not sure whether that dredth time has stopped recurring. full of bruise than normal skin, and As you can guess, if I was ter- One of the highlights of my ski- particular nugget of wisdom really » photos: Sian Elvin Oi! Have you been watching the Cricket World Cup? One thinks it’s good, the other disagrees. Read and decide for yourself. Or don’t, it’s your choice.

efore the Cricket World Cup not? No, not exactly. To be honest to long-form sports encounters in I don’t care. As a formerly open duced submission. There is no fun started, I used to cry myself I couldn’t give a shiny silver-plated our hyper-ready society: an arrest- minded aspiring sports journalist I in watching men garbed in pads to sleep whilst Roulette Na- shit. ing anomaly. tried to sit down and watch Cricket and helmets run around some grass Btion flickered pointlessly on the tel- But something about the wil- Basically, it’s athletic Valium and many years ago. Painful, regrettable smacking a red ball around. It’s a far evision set in my bedroom, delud- lowy, leisurely pace entices you in. it doesn’t care if you understand memories. I sat out in the lawn on a cry from watching gloved brutes ing me into thinking that I wasn’t Forget your favourite pair of socks, what’s going on or not. Sunday afternoon, sprawled out on smash each other in a ring or over- alone. But that’s all changed since it’s like keeping your favourite Luke Brown a deckchair in my oversized Zimba- paid primadonnas diving into their I discovered the World Cup, a ram- pair of underwear on for an entire bwe Kit. This would be the glorious own spit on Football pitch. With bunctious cricketing orgy of big month (come on we’ve all done it, ’ve always wanted to be a cool day I was introduced to game of my all due respect to Cricket Legends hitting and fast bowling. amiright?!): a synthetic sporting kid with swanky clothes and a long lost forefathers. Then it be- Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar, Do I understand what’s going second skin forever keeping you swagger that’s “on point” so to gan. Over after over, ball after ball, their sport is the least entertaining on? No. Do I really care if Afghani- warm, no matter what else is going Ispeak. So why on earth would I feel wicket after wicket it was absolute way to pass your time whilst lan- stan beat Scotland in a game about on in your life. the need to watch a Sport as tedi- torture. From that day onwards I guishing on sofa. The Ashes aside as utterly irrelevant as my opin- Perhaps because England have ous, as mind numbingly dull and as vowed I would never watch Crick- Cricket lacks the passion and spark ions on the Afghanistan v Scotland been so crap, too, the tournament un-cool as Cricket? Telling me the et again. Test, O.D.I. 20-20 they’re we see in other main stream sports. game? No. Do I enjoy seeing balls just seems like a super slick sports- Cricket World Cup is on is about as all nothing more than brands of Wickets? Forget about them. being thwacked over the boundary day. Every ball seems indistinguish- pointless as informing Robert Mug- sporting punishment sent by the Shingi Mararike rope before they touch the turf or able from the last, a ceaseless paean abe a general election is underway. Gods to beat us into boredom in-

Editor’s note: bottom here. A brief bastard child If you’re reading this and you al- and giving this society a go. I can it anymore gives me this horrible All of the section editors are scrawl of a farewell, the last thing I ready write for the Boar: see, I told only speak from personal experi- knot in the stomach. What a melt. writing goodbye notes and I feel left publish before I graduate and have you it was self-indulgent. But if not, ence, but I’ve made friends for life The section is now in far safer out, so I’m sneaking mine down the to face the real world and all that. well, I recommend getting in touch and the thought of not writing for hands. Good luck Shingi and Sam! theboar.org 32 Sponsored by Editor: Luke Brown [email protected] Twitter @BoarSport SPORT fb.com/groups/BoarSport » Photo: CMD Facebook

CMD turn campus pink and SMASH charity target Beating your charity target by over £1000? All in a week’s work for the CMD club, reports Luke Brown

he Classical and Modern throughout the week, as this is clothes sale in the atrium, and a ity work and Emily admitted that Selected Results Dance (CMD) club turned where people were able to find out generous donation from a dance- “engaging with the charity is what Week 8 into ‘Pink Week’, additional information about the wear company meant that there is most important”. Lucy also spoke 4 March 2015 and raised an incredible week, and also the charity that the was some very cheap, nearly new about how the club was determined Ttotal of £3,357.84 in the process, money is being raised for. clothing available to buy. to continue raising money that will a record-breaking amount for the Speaking before the week had Emily admitted that one of the fight against breast cancer, so al- club. On Facebook after the event, begun, Club President Lucy Jetha, best things about the week was the though the charity that the money the club were exceptionally proud and Vice President Emily Vincent, fact that every club member could is being raised for has changed, the of their achievement, adding that outlined that their intention was get involved, whilst Lucy added that end goal remains the same. “everyone who has helped out and to break the £2,300 that the club “it’s a great week because there’s op- Unsurprisingly, the charity was donated this week: we couldn’t had raised last year, a total they portunities for everyone in the club incredibly impressed and grateful have done it without you!” smashed by over £1000. to take part, and not just the exec. with the club’s efforts. “We would A whole range of special activi- “We have lots of activities Obviously the piazza stall is a big like to thank everyone involved in ties and events were planned, all in planned to help us beat the £2,300,” draw, and there’s lots of opportu- making CMD Pink Week such a order to raise money for the charity Lucy said before the event, “from a nities for freshers to get involved. huge success,” they commented on Breast Cancer Care. The UK wide Dancehall workshop on Monday to Plus everybody was welcome along Facebook. organisation provides specialist our annual Pink Ball on the Tues- to the stall, not just club members”. “We know how hard it can be Badminton support and information for those d ay.” As with the Let’s Dance show, a to raise money, and the team have affected by breast cancer; and the “Everybody on the exec is also great amount of planning went into worked so hard and had so much Women’s 1st H Nott Trent 1st 4 4 club have set up a Just Giving page, going to give up one of their fa- the week, and the club were very enthusiasm and it has really paid Women’s 2nd H Derby 1st 4 4 which is still active should you wish vourite things for the entire week”, active in planning and promoting off – thank you!”. to donate to the cause. Emily added, “and we’re being Pink Week. “We recently had a “We are so grateful for the amaz- Football CMD had events planned for sponsored to that from our Just large photoshoot where everybody ing contribution CMD Warwick every single day of the week, and Giving page, so hopefully that will posed for photos with facts about have made, and so impressed with Men’s 2nd A Ox Brookes 1st 0 2 their piazza stall was ever pres- increase the total!” breast cancer on them, and lots of all the effort that has gone into put- Women’s 1st H Loughborough 3rd 0 1 ent throughout. A variety of items There are also further activities people have made these their pro- ting on these events.” Women’s 2nd A Stoke 1st 2 2 were on sale here, from pin badges planned for the end of the week, file pictures on Facebook”, Emily To support the charity work of to face paint, and there were also the highlight of which proved the said. “That’s great because it obvi- the club you can donate online at Golf some prizes to be won in differ- afternoon Jazz performances on ously raises awareness of the char- justgiving.com/CMDPinkWeek, to ent games and competitions. The the piazza on Thursday. On that it y.” help the club succeed even further. Mixed 1st H Leicester 1st 2 4 stall also acted as the club’s hub day there was also a second-hand The club is very proud of its char- Hockey

Men’s 4th A Nott Trent 5th 0 1 Women’s 1st H Birmingham 4th 1 1

Lacrosse

Men’s 1st H Nott Trent 2nd 14 5 Men’s 2nd A Cambridge 1st 0 30 Women’s 1st A Cambridge 2nd 4 16

Rugby League Warwick boss cross-country, gaining promotion Men’s 1st H Coventry 1st 10 42 Whack on ‘Movin’ On Up’ by Primal Scream, WUAXC have some good news Rugby Union arwick Athletics and consolidate Warwick as a top uni- confident that “we have the talent league for ladies in the Midlands, Men’s 2nd H UEA 1st 12 15 Cross Country Club had versity for athletics. in the club to cement our place in members have been training hard much to celebrate as the The A team consistently per- the top tier to be sure to stop us and encouraging participation. Squash W2014/15 cross country season drew formed well with runners such as from being the relegation-promo- This year the club has empha- to a close. Jonathan Escalante-Phillips rank- tion yo-yo team. I’ll be keenly fol- sised diversity by encouraging Men’s 3rd A Ox Brookes 1st 0 5 After the successful recruitment ing as high as 8th place in the lowing progress next year!” many joggers who have never run Women’s 1st A Notts 3rd 2 2 of over 250 new members, the cross fourth race of 203 people. The team The diverse A team consisted competitively before to take part in country squad has been particular- actually won two out of the four of Georges Vacharopoulos, Ollie the races. This has allowed them to Tennis ly strong this year. While securing races during the season with their Poulain, Tony Hogan, Tom Stock, take their ability to the next level the first Varsity 2015 victory for aggregate scores, reflecting their Nathan Tipping and Jonathan Es- and begin to attend other sessions Men’s 1st H Nottingham 1st 6 6 Warwick University, the men’s A ability to adapt to unknown cours- calante-Phillips. With four first- to supplement their training. Men’s 2nd A Oxford 2nd 2 10 team have also earned promotion es and compete in varying weather and second-year students making As the club looks forward to the Women’s 1st A Birmingham 1st 8 4 back to the top cross country league conditions. up the team, the club expects a con- summer track season, many cross Women’s 2nd A Nottingham 2nd 2 10 in the area, Division 1. This is in fact the third time in tinued high standard in the next country competitors have already Next year the club will compete the entire history of the club that cross country seasons. begun training for indoor and out- Volleyball with other high-performing teams the A team have earned a place in Warwick Athletics has also had door events including BUCS 2015. Men’s 1st A Durham 1st 0 3 such as Loughborough and Bir- the top league and James Water- a successful season in the women’s Women’s 1st A De Montfort 1st 3 2 mingham University to continue to man, Men’s Athletics Captain, is league. As there is only a single Demelza Griffiths