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THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1947 ISSUE NO. 763 FRIDAY 23RD NOVEMBER 2012 VARSITY.CO.UK Don’t rain on my parade PATRICK O’GRADY News: Roundup of the 03 whole Assange fi asco News: The creation of 04 the Universe comes to King’s Chapel Features: In search of 14 greener pastures Charlotte Keith Magazine: The rise of the EDITOR notoriously saw a small group of protes- with a stage invasion of around 20 disappointment from the NUS”, com- 20 tors storm 30 Millbank, Conservative people, and Burns was pelted with fruit plaining that protestors were marching R&B sad boy “No ifs, no buts, no education cuts”. Or Party HQ, resulting in violent clashes and eggs. He appeared unphased by past corner shops and houses, “rather rather, no more education cuts. ou- with police. ‘Demo 2012’ was a con- the disruption though, later tweeting: than anywhere politically signifi cant”. sands of students from across the UK siderably smaller aff air: while the NUS “Amazing day, 10k out, students’ unions Chris Page, the CUSU Welfare and crowded the streets of London on predicted a turnout of up to 10,000, the buzzing... And my egg dodging is pretty Rights Officer, agreed that the offi- Wednesday, as part of ‘Demo 2012’, a real fi gure was less than half that, some- fi erce.” cial route was “bizarre”: “it felt like a protest organised by the National Union where between 3000 and 4000. At least e overall feeling among the Cam- trivialization of the students to march of Students (NUS). e aims of the 100 students from Cambridge travelled bridge contingent was that this was a away from the seat of power, where march were diverse: to protest against to London on the coaches organised by lacklustre contribution to the student the decisions are made, to a damp park the rise in tuition fees, the cutting of CUSU. protest movement. ere was wide- in Kennington”. ere were also com- the Educational Maintenance Allow- NUS President Liam Burns was heck- spread dissatisfaction with the route of plaints that the demonstration was ance (EMA), and the poor employment led and forced to leave the stage during the march – agreed on beforehand by scheduled for too late in term, lower- prospects faced by today’s graduates. his speech at the rally in Kennington the NUS and the Metropolitan Police ing turnout. As the protestors reached is was the fi rst mass student pro- Park, south London, where the march – which avoided Parliament Square Parliament, a number of people tried to Sport: Pre-Varsity test in the capital since 2010, when ended – by which point only a few hun- and, after crossing Westminster break away from the designated route, 30 analysis plus more than 50, 000 participants gathered dred protestors remained. Chants of Bridge, passed through largely residen- toward Parliament Square, but were Steele-Bodger’s match to express their anger at the proposed “NUS shame on you, where the fuck tial areas. Cambridge student James soon moved on by police. rise in tuition fees. is earlier march, have you brought us to” were combined White described the route as “a big Continued on p. 8 Arms industry Postgraduate Competitive job Review: Blues kickboxing funds grants funding reform market? Not quite Black Ops II triumph News, p.11 News, p.4 Comment, p.13 Magazine, p.24 Sport, p.31 EDITORIAL Editor: Charlotte Keith 2 NOVEMBER 23 2012 Want to write for Varsity? Say hello: [email protected] Inside the paper... EDITORIAL Cambridge is an easy place for an and unfair reporting. Causing ego to infl ate to a disproportionate controversy is not laudable in and of It’s almost the end of term. It’s the last paper issue of Varsity. But don’t despair: all is DIGITAL CONTENTS size. e communities that develop itself: debate is vitally important, but not lost. Read this newspaper cover to cover, do the crossword (anyone who does the around colleges and institutions like not at any price. is week’s events whole thing correctly and sends it in automatically becomes next term’s editor), and the Union and yes, even Varsity, have exposed serious fl aws in the way Online: then give it to your friends and family, to wrap all your Christmas presents with. Enjoy! can give one an over-exaggerated the Union goes about its business. e Days, a unique photo blog sense of self-importance. Much of As Union President, anyone would BNOC culture may be tongue-in- feel the pressure of ensuring that the from urstan Redding and Tom NEWS Rasmussen will be going up any day cheek, but this is a place full of highly institution lives up to its reputation. now. Look out for some amazing competitive, intensely driven people. But free speech involves more than dancing in the trailer, and some Biggest boozers 06 e weight of history also increases giving a platform to ‘big names’. those of Cambridge’s very own looking the pressure to succeed. But we need voices that are being heard precisely surprisingly sophisticated in front of Why do students who do the most boring – ahem, sorry – to be careful, in the relentless pursuit because they are already being heard. the camera. relevant subjects drink the most? Economists, you’d better have a of ‘success’ that ideas like “free Provocation and publicity should not bottle nearby before reading this. speech” – or “breaking news” – don’t and need not come at the expense of Abroad: become distorted into something other, more important, values. COMMENT else: the desire for publicity at any Charlotte Keith Hannah Wilkinson, blogging from cost, sensationalism, inaccurate Editor, Michaelmas 2012 Cairo, learns when to speak up and when to shut up: “Our year Oh yeah, dictionary?13 abroad handbook had provided us with a list of things not to mention. Lewis Wynn invokes Julia Gillard and J.H.Prynne to explain why, Fill these pages yourself If people ask about your religion, when someone tells you to look it up in a dictionary, you can tell do not tell them you’re an atheist. them to stick it. More or less. Social conservatism makes it hard Varsity is looking for reporters, crit- e deadline for applications to ics, and section editors for Lent term. be Editor (yes, with a capital E) is to explain things like the fact that FEATURES my parents were never married. Applications are now open. If you’d Monday 26 November, by 5pm. For And the big no-no is homosexuality; like to work on the independent Cam- other applications, the deadline has a practice so frowned upon that Merry Bridgemas bridge student newspaper, you can been extended to Monday December even defending it in conversation 18 fi nd an application form and all the 3rd, also 5pm. Bloggers, columnists can, socially, leave you up a certain e Varsity team emerge briefl y from their lairs to off er some information you need on our website. and one-off contributors also always creek, lacking the proverbial paddle.” thoughts on what they love and loathe about Christmas. Or at You are more than welcome to apply welcome - email editor@varsity. Find the full version on Varsity Live. least, the preposterously early Cambridge version. as a team. co.uk. You know you want to. THE TEAM Letters to the Really, though? world of good for those looking to get one of the many universities that have Editor Charlotte ‘Is that a Hyphen!?’ Deeply upsetting and potentially involved at the ADC. I, myself, was increased their fees, Cambridge is Keith [email protected] Editor dangerous? Really? Really? Let’s say lucky enough to have many friends probably one of the most cost-eff ective Business Manager Michael that someone, presumably with almost interested in theatre, which made where you feel you are getting your Techno-Whizz Derringer no grasp of the english language, it quite comfortable and friendly money’s worth and does provide [email protected] Standing up for Susy Langsdale read this, and thought he was being world in fi rst year, but I know many substantial bursaries to make it more Design Editor Craig Bloody Slade Yes, because OBVIOUSLY Susy has completely and utterly serious. What people who have been put off by the accessible to everyone. [email protected] to end up getting married (no such thing would they think? at it helps to know the terrifying audition process, or I disagree with the severe cuts in Digital Editor Luke Silver Sweeney as co-habiting - or shock horror, not the right people and be quite confi dent encountering stereotypes such as these. funding for arts and humanities [email protected] getting married at all, is there?) and live to do well in Cambridge theatre life - In highlighting them and ridiculing subjects, as this gives the impression News Editors Alice Token Ex-Scientist a hetero-normative life. Being gay, bi, which seems to be, while obviously not them Fred has shown that at the core of that they are less relevant or important Udale-Smith & Paddington O’Grady pan or asexual? Of course not! the whole story, not exactly untrue... theatre, these are actually the LEAST degrees to pursue. Furthermore, arts [email protected] You know nothing about what rape , .. important traits, and anyone who feels students receive less ‘contact time’ Comment Aliya PuddyCat Ram & Lewis does to a person’s psychology if you intimidated by such “thesps” need not during their courses and are paying Words Wynn, [email protected] think that’s anything to go by.