Newspaper of the students of the University of Surrey

Issue 35 Tuesday 8th November 2011

Got a something to say? Introducing the NEW Opinion & Analysis section including The Great Debate
NEWS
Surrey univeristy is to provide a better e-learning service across campus... Page 3

FEATURES
Do something good and Teach English Abroad as a British Language Council Assistant or give blood...page 13

VANDALISED!
Paul A Richmond and Mutasim Billah Pritam

US ends Cold War nuclear bomb programme 45 years after disassembly began

SCIENCE AND TECH

Lethal Viruses wreaking havoc - the real fear of lifethreatening epidemics...page 19

SOCIETIES
Societies Development Week, 17th-21st October 2011 Find out more about what you want to do! Page 14...

DANCE & THEATRE

Blood Brothers at GLive and a guide to enjoying the theatre cheaply! page 23

LITERATURE
WINNER: We announce the winner of The Stags Halloween creative writing competition... page 26

Reprobates left cracks on the doors of Union House after being refused entry to Rubix. The Union has the miscreants faces on camera vows to find them. By Jyoti Rambhai, News Editor Currently both the front doors either side of the revolving doors cant be used until they are fixed. Commercial Manager for the students Union, Ben McCauley said: We havent got the police involved as we know it is students who have done this. And we will find out who did this. Once we do know who it is, they will face the full consequences of their actions: they will have to pay the full cost of replacing the windows and will be banned from Rubix and Chancellors. Employee at Chancellors and Rubix, Harry Hole told The Stag: I didnt see it on the night as I wasnt working. The first time I saw it was on Thursday when I came in for a cup of tea before my lecture. Another employee at Chancellors and Rubix said: This is my fourth year working here and it is upsetting to think that somebody could just go and vandalise it out of anger. Especially as it is also place that I regularly go to socialise and so do many students. And now that Ive broken my foot, I have to make a conscious decision to use the back doors as I cant use the revolving doors on my crutches.

SPORT
Surrey Surf and Wakeboard Club visit Newquay and enjoy the waves while this weeks sports results are up!

n the night of Wednesday 26th October, two students smashed the two front windows of Channies, beside the revolving doors. The two students responsible for this were refused entry into Rubix on the night, they then walked round to the front of Chancellors and decided vandalise the building before heading off. The staff on duty that night realised straight away what had happened and it was also caught on CCTV.

EDITORIAL

The Stag |

8th November 2011

editor@thestagsurrey.co.uk

Editor | Jack White editor@thestagsurrey.co.uk Editor-in-Chief | Bakita Kasadha ussu.communications@ussu.co.uk Deputy Editor (Design) | Hollie Rowe-Roberts design@thestagsurrey.co.uk Design Team | Ellie Brodie, Paul A Richmond, Hannah Roberts-Owen, Joanna Zalis, Christina Morman Deputy Editor (Marketing) | Tom Goulding marketing@thestagsurrey.co.uk Marketing Team | Shervin Hejazi, Imogen Jones and Eleanor Pearson News News Editor | Jyoti Rambhai news@thestagsurrey.co.uk News Team | Anna K. Bernzen, Hattie Elkins, Sophie Howard, Geoffrey Pullen, Melissa Raske, Sophie Smith and David Williams Features Features Editor | Nicole Vassell features@thestagsurrey.co.uk Features Team | Declan Cooney, Amy Kingman, Kristie Marchant, Ellis Taylor, Chris Thomas and Sophie Vickery Science and Technology Science and Technology Editor | Nathanael Roome sciencetech@thestagsurrey.co.uk Science and Technology Team | Lawrence Finn, Dave Holcombe, Shourya Khanna, Kate McAtamney, Melissa Raske and Emma Thomas Societies Societies Editor | George Fry societies@thestagsurrey.co.uk Societies Team | Vacant Arts Dance and Theatre Editor | Hannah Jelliman dancetheatre@thestagsurrey.co.uk Dance and Theatre Team | Emily Bourne, Lee Anne Gough, Kerri Leybourne, Sarah McDowell and Tiffany Stoneman Film Editor | Tiffany Tucker film@thestagsurrey.co.uk Film Team | Kristie Marchant Laura Howard and Mia Reid Music Editor | Sophia Field music@thestagsurrey.co.uk Music Team | Liam Conroy, James Conelley, Dan Davison, Tanya Noronha and Elliot Tyres Literature Editor | Alexandra Wilks literature@thestagsurrey.co.uk Literature Team | Tom Goulding, Tessa Heenan, Raisa Joseph and Becky Richmond Sports Sports Editor | Jordan Vine sports@thestagsurrey.co.uk Sports Team | Victoria Ashdown, Katie-Jane Beaven, Taila Hewitt and Hannah Roberts Owen Copy Editors | Megan Barnacle, Michaela Fulton, Emma Giles, Candice Ritchie and Louisa White copyteam@thestagsurrey.co.uk Webmaster | Andrew Smith webmaster@thestagsurrey.co.uk Photo Editor | Raisa Joseph photo@thestagsurrey.co.uk

Unison, GMB and University and College Union (UCU), the trade unions their members on a dispute surrounding pensions.

Lectures cancelled Exam papers unmarked No security presence on campus.

of UCU and the University, to hear both sides of the debate about why

This will be followed by a week-long online vote on www.ussu.co.uk to or not.

Letter from the Editor

Jack White Editor

e are a few weeks into the year now and with secondary elections to the Unions Executive and NUS National delegation complete, this years mode of student democracy is beginning to come into focus. Over the past few years, our Union and those around the country have wrestled with diminished interest in politics, as legislation designed to sweep out a left-wing hold on student unions took effect from the 90s onwards. Surrey Students Union has struggled to keep attendee numbers at student general meetings high enough to be in any way representative of the whole of us and so the Union has tried a number of different tactics to try and engage students. This year, taking a lead from the online surveys we get twice a year the Surrey Barometer is taking place right now at www.shapeyoursurrey.org the

editor@thestagsurrey.co.uk

The Stag is a newspaper editorially dependent on and published by the University of Surrey Students Union. The views expressed in the paper are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the educational team, the whole Students Union or the University of Surrey.

Trinity Mirror (South) 8 Tessa Road, Reading RG1 8NS The Stag reserves the right to edit all submissions and the right to decide which articles are published.

Union will be combining general Students Forums with an online voting system, where we can all read up on the topics and motions currently at hand, and vote on them without having to set foot away from the sofa. This year also marks a change in the way the Union will engage with the NUS Conference. Our own Union Chair has passed a strategy for real involvement through the Union Executive which will see our delegates able to make a big impression upon NUS policy over the coming year. The observant and more-than-casually interested among you will have seen your editors name among the NUS delegates. I urge you all to contact any and all of us delegates to express your views on the NUS and your hopes for yourselves, the University and Union, and all the students who will be coming here after us. As President Osama has found out this month (see page 6), the decisions we make now will have a profound effect for years to come.

The Stag |

8th November 2011

NEWS

University to provide enhanced e-learning across campus

Eastern Arizona College

By Hattie Elkins, News Team

rom the start of the 2012/2013 academic year, the University of Surrey is set to introduce a hi-tech, revolutionary e-learning system to enable students to be educated on computers and mobile devices in a far more personalised setting. Desire2Learn Learning Environment allows students to work virtually through group work, discussions and blogs, as well as supplying lecturers with the means and flexibility to set coursework and communicate virtually with students, putting all interactions in one easily accessible place.

Desire2Learn Learning Environment has come as a result of a six year partnership between the University and the information technology firm Desire2Learn UK Ltd. The new Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) will replace and vastly improve the current system with innovative, cutting-edge technology. The University currently has 17,900 students registered in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, and the introduction of this new e-learning system will involve all four faculties: the Faculty of Engineering and Physical

Sciences, the Faculty of Business, Economics and Law, the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences and the Faculty of Arts and Human Sciences. It will also incorporate the involvement of various other areas within the University, such as the Library and Learning Support, the Students Union and the IT Services. This online system is set to extend and enhance learning opportunities for all students in the University, as well as producing a higher incentive to learn through a more exciting and enjoyable experience.

Poppy appeal launches from Surrey Sports Park

By David Williams, News Team

his year, on 26th October Surrey Poppy Appeal celebrated its 90th anniversary at Surrey Sports Park. Her Majestys Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey, Mrs Sarah Goad JP, presided over the event and also presented one of the first poppies to Surrey University Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Nigel Seaton. Professor Seaton commented: The University of Surrey is

delighted to be hosting the Surrey Poppy Launch and that he hoped the involvement of the University would work towards strengthening our links with the wider local community. The appeal, organized by the Surrey Royal British Legion, raises money for ex-servicemen, women and their dependents in financial need. They hoped the donations this year will have matched last years record breaking total of 1,044,816.

Tuition fees hike results in fewer university applications

By Sophie Howard, News Team

s predicted after the government announced plans to raise tuition fees up to 9,000; recent UCAS figures have shown a significant decrease in the number of University applicants they are receiving for 2012 entry. A spokesperson for the National Union of Students (NUS) has responded to this declining number of applicants, and has said: The indication is that the confusion caused by the Governments botched reforms is causing young people to, at the very least hesitate before applying to university. A survey for the BBC of more than 1,000 A Level students revealed the impact the tuition fees has had on student attitudes towards going

to university. Results showed that the number of applicants applying through this cycle of UCAS is down by 12% on last year. This is attributed to the theory that many students rushed their applications earlier this year in order to avoid paying more than three times the amount of the current university fees, a controversial move by the current coalition government. Statistics also show that there is a significant reduction in the number of applications UCAS is receiving from mature students, suggesting that the governments plans to widen participation in higher education are backfiring following the fee increase. However, Gill Wyness, a higher

education researcher at the think tank CentreForum, commented on the publication of these recent statistics: Actions speak louder than words. We cannot accurately predict the future behaviour of A level students, which is why the BBC/ComRes survey should be treated with caution. Similarly, todays UCAS figures do not indicate a meltdown in demand for higher education, as some newspapers have suggested. It is argued that the reason for this seemingly large decrease is due to the fact that there was a higher than normal level of application for 2011 entry, in an attempt for students applying to have a firm offer before the fees were raised.

NEWS

The Stag |

8th November 2011

news@thestagsurrey.co.uk

Guildford transport to be renovated

AndrewHA

By Melissa Raske, News Team

lans for changes to Guildford town centre and its transport have recently been revealed. The aim of these plans is to improve the efficiency of transport links within the town which will consequentially benefit the surrounding areas. A new bus station is set to be built along Bedford road, near the Odeon cinema, which will create a

direct pedestrian link between the railway station, the bus station and the Friary shopping centre. The route will include a replacement for the footbridge that currently crosses the River Wey in front of the cinema, which will lead to a new crossing on Onslow Street. The positioning of this new bus station will reduce the number of buses turning on to North Street by the Friary thereby making it easier

for pedestrians to travel between the Friary and the rest of the Town Centre. Another feature of the plans is to create a square next to the River that will contain restaurants and other businesses. These plans are currently set to be presented to the full Borough Council on December 8 where decisions about their funding will be made.

University starts new accident report system

By Jyoti Rambhai, News Editor

Trouble for university applicants as ministers revise funding goalposts

Students looking to start their higher education in 2012 are confronted with financial insecurities as universities and colleges are allowed to rethink their access agreements.
By Anna K. Bernzen, News Team

he Office for Fair Access (OFFA), which is in charge of ensuring equal study opportunities, has made an emergency announcement whereby universities have been allowed to renegotiate their access agreements. The revised agreements were to be submitted by 4th November. An access agreement provides information on the institutions tuition fee and means of support for disadvantages students, especially those from low-income families. Every institution charging a tuition of 6,000 or above from 2012 on has to submit one. The new deadline was set due the government's proposed changes to student number controls. The National Union of Students (NUS) warns that the changes may provide for chaotic times for students who have already applied. It estimates that around 70,000 will be affected. The changes in the access agreements may not be in

the students' best financial interest. NUS Vice President, Toni Pearce said: Students looking to assess and compare what support will be available to them will be facing weeks of uncertainty and many will find that vital bursaries have been replaced with tokenistic fee waivers. President of the Students' Union, Osama Salih shared the NUS' concerns: I think that a bursary is the better option for students. [...] As a student, I will want to know how I am going to make it through the week and worry about the debt when we come to that bridge. The University of Surrey's access agreement was approved in July. It states that the tuition will be raised to 9,000 and outlines a financial support system for lowincome students. Both its central parts, the National Scholarship Programme (NSP) and the Surrey Bursary scheme, comprise of a combination of bursaries paid to the students and fee waivers relieving them of

parts of their tuition. For example, a student whose annual household income is 25,000 or less and who lives at home will receive a 2,000 fee waiver and a 1,000 cash bursary. The University has decided not to revise its access agreement. Director of Strategic Planning, Harri ap Rees said: We are content with the extensive support that we will be providing students from low income backgrounds. Considering that the University was not going to change its agreement, Osama Salih also added that he did, not think that chaos will affect prospective Surrey students. Future students at other universities and colleges who have already submitted an application based on existing access agreements will be contacted when the new agreements are finished. They will then have about a month to reconsider their choice of university.

ast year the Health and Safety Department received more than 240 incident reports using the current paper based reporting system. People often find that filling in a form can be time consuming and reports suggest that it has even deterred people away from reporting incidents. Therefore in order to address this, Health and Safety have launched an easy, web based reporting system known as

ReportNow. This system allows any member of the University, staff or student, on or off campus to report any incidents. Director of Corporate Services Greg Meller stated: Every month the University is informed of a number of harmful incidents that happen on and off campus. [...] Our shared objective must be to ensure that all staff, students and visitors leave our University in the same healthy state that they arrived. To report an incident visit: www.surrey.ac.uk/reportnow

Free help with debt

M
Jyoti Rambhai, News Editor ost students end their study period in some sort of debt and with the tuition fees increasing drastically, the amount of debt students acquire are escalating to new highs. IndependentFinancialAdvisor .co.uk has just launched a nonprofit student debt service. The website offers high quality, ethical financial information on a whole range of financial products including savings, investments, mortgages and pensions. The website also gives information and carries links to debt charities which offer free help and advice to people who have found themselves in financial difficulties. For students in particular, the advice aspect covers areas such as; taxes (for example, council tax), student loans, shopping, bills, working and funding trips, loyalty cards and ways to save money. A spokesperson for IndependentFinancialAdvisor. co.uk said: Our goal is to provide a comprehensive set of guides that can help students save money while studying, but also provide helpful information on tackling issues surrounding debt. And further to our guides we offer one-on-one support through our linked organisations such as CCCS (Consumer Credit Counselling Service) and National Debt Line.

Loop_OH

The Stag |

8th November 2011

NEWS

Post-graduate degrees in demand by UK employers

By Sophie Smith, News Team

joint study conducted by the University of Surrey and the London School of Economics has shown that the number of students who choose to stay on at university after graduating is increasing. Figures showed that on average, employers pay those with a postgraduate qualification thirteen percent more than employees who only hold a Bachelor degree. Over a third of graduates now hold a Masters or Doctorate qualification and research found that postgraduates tend to be assigned tasks which are

significantly more complex than those given to employees with only a first degree. According to the report, it has been found that postgraduates have higher numeracy levels (especially advanced numeracy), higher levels of analysing complex problems and more specialist knowledge or understanding. Furthermore, the demand for employees who possess computer skills has grown during the last 15 years which has also been seen to benefit postgraduate students. The study stated: The principal beneficiaries of the computer revolution have not been all graduates, but those with postgraduate qualifications.

However, recent figures revealed that the number of University applications is at its lowest in 30 years, after many institutions pledged to increase their tuition fees to 9,000 a year from 2012. The findings of the study are also expected to add to concerns that a University degree may no longer be worth the investment. Nevertheless the University of Surreys Joanne Lindley and Professor Stephen Machin from University College London described postgraduates as having, significantly strengthened their relative wage position.

Local Poppy Appeal organiser Angela Snape and the Queen Elizabeth Park Cadets.

Army cadets assist local Poppy Appeal

University marred by theft of collection tins
By Jack White, Editor

Students Union Election Results Community Officer

Jade Foley was elected in the second round of vote counting. Beth Tyrie and Patricia Orozco were knocked out.

Ethics & Environment Officer

John Cook was elected in the first round of vote counting.

ollowing the launch of the local Poppy Appeal at the Sports Park (see page 3), a fundraising stall has been set up at Tesco on Egerton Road. Young members of the Queen Elizabeth Park Army Cadet Force have been manning the stall, taking donations and handing out the familiar card poppies and talking to the public about the ongoing Appeal. The Poppy Appeal is run by the Royal British Legion, which raises money to help improve the welfare of ex-soldiers and their dependents. Local Legion organiser Angela Snape said, The Appeal starts with two weeks at this year of year, but

you know it actually goes on all year round. Angela also praised her team of cadets, saying that their branch helps out year on year. The Universitys appeal though has been set back by the theft of collecting tins placed in Starbucks in the centre of campus and at GSA. Supporters can contribute to the Poppy Appeal on the website of the Royal British Legion as well as in cash (www.poppy.org.uk). Since the start of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the welfare of service personnel and their families has come back to the fore in the national media again and again. Both the previous and current Governments have been attacked on the issue.

Postgraduate Officer
Arran Stears was elected opposed only by Re-Open Nominations.

Tube strike ahead

By Sophie Howard, News Team

NUS Conference Delegation

Sam Ratzer was elected in the first round of vote counting. Jack White and Arran Stears were elected in the second round. Olly Deed was elected in the third round. Community Officer: ussu.community@surrey.ac.uk Ethics & Environment Officer: ussu.ethics@surrey.ac.uk Postgraduate Officer: ussu.postgrad@surrey.ac.uk The NUS Conference delegation can be contacted through Union Chair, Olly Deed at: ussu.chairperson@surrey.ac.uk

t has been confirmed by Tube Union RMT that tube drivers have voted on taking strike action. This news comes with dramatically high statistics, illustrating that 1 in 4 drivers voted in favour of the strike, in a dispute over safety concerning the London Underground. Tube Union RMT has outlined four main areas in which the safety of the London Underground is currently at an unacceptable standard. This includes new procedures that have recently been introduced, for example drivers have raised their concerns over being asked to reverse a train without any assistance, leading to potentially dangerous consequences.

The General Secretary for RMT, Bob Crow said: London Underground is attempting to impose dangerous operational changes that are cost-led, and it will undermine established safety procedures and will put our members and the travelling public in potential danger. Mr Crow also stated: It is our members who have to deal with the consequences of these ill-conceived policies. From Friday (28 October) RMT train operators and instructors will not co-operate with aspects of LULs misnamed Operational Effectiveness Programme and will continue to use the proven safe procedures for reversing trains and carrying passengers over shunt signals.

UNION

The Stag |

8th November 2011

editor@thestagsurrey.co.uk

Sabbaticals Say...
I
Current Union President Osama Salih, with past holders of that title A. Barnacal and A. Matthews, and the very first President, David.R.Varney.

The new RAG committee is ready for action

Jake Willis
Union VP Societies the Exec Elections). Because of this, RAG is now far more accessible for people who wish to put on events whether you are needing a team of RAG Reps to help run the event, or some guidance on liaising with a charity. Ultimately, the new RAG Committee are here to raise money, and they need your help to do so. Over the next year, youll see some incredibly exciting things from RAG. Whether this be Rubix events, RAG Raids, Bake Sales or oneoff events, RAG are leading the way forward with charity fundraising on campus. If you have an idea for a charity event, head to www.ussu. co.uk and fill out the Fundraising Event Form, which will get you in touch with the committee, who can give you guidance on the event.

Surrey celebrates th 120 anniversary

Osama Salih
Union President

had a huge block when wondering what to write for this months Stag article. Would I write about Societies Grading, or the Development Week? Or maybe a bit more about volunteering, like last month? However, since my last article, something exciting has happened within the Union we now have a full RAG Committee, and theyre ready for action. As part of the Unions dedication towards RAG, it is now a Union Committee, chaired by Miriam Nawagamuwa (elected last year in

uring the last fortnight I have been working on many different things: on the first Monday the University had a visit from Robert Earl, founder of the Planet Hollywood chain of fast-food restaurants and for those of you who are Everton fans you will know him as the Director of Everton F.C. So last week was mainly focused on getting things sorted for the Halloween Scare Trail, the biggest challenge was to get everything sorted in eight days, from getting people involved in acting and marshalling for the event, to getting the path cleared and ordering all the lighting props needed to make the site look good. It is always a nightmare when it is short notice, getting people to help and become the acts needed to make the whole event look good and students to have a good time. At the start of the week we had about 10 people who were willing to participate and volunteer on the trail which wasnt a great number, but I was sure that more would come during the week. On Wednesday there was the Thorpe Park Fright Night, we took two coaches to Thorpe Park where students spent the whole afternoon going from ride to ride. The weather wasnt that great but it was still an enjoyable experience. Once it got dark it was time to get on the scary rides Colossus, Nemesis Inferno, Stealth and SAW. The queues to the rides were sometimes more than an hour long. Some of you may think it seems very silly to wait in order for enjoying a couple of minutes ride. Well you are mistaken because

the adrenalin rush that you get with every second you are on the ride is absolutely amazing. Some of the students were dressed up and they were perfect to be part of the Halloween scare trail, so I approached them and mentioned it, they were more than happy to participate. Through the trips and activities you get to meet new people and have fun so I encourage you all to join the trips. Last Wednesday, the University of Surrey held an honorary degree ceremony for its 120th anniversary. Back when it was founded, the University of Surrey was called Battersea Polytechnic Institute and College of Technology, and this ceremony was to award honorary degrees to graduates of Battersea Polytechnic. After the ceremony, I had the opportunity to meet many of these people, to share our experiences and to talk about how the University has changed. One thing that I was really pleased to hear is that many of them were still involved with the alumni and still giving money to the University, and even though they have all gone their different ways and through their careers, they still remember Surrey. In particular it was nice to meet the first three presidents of the Students Union. David R. Varney was the first president here at Surrey and was also the man who designed the Students Union building which we still use today. A.R. Matthews, the second president of the union, told a great story that when he used to play rugby for Varsity, in one game against a London college, one of the players girlfriend was kidnapped by the their team, and taken back to London, apparently because Battersea had lost. So after the Battersea team had left to London the whole other team had followed them to London in pursuit of the missing girl and eventually managed to get her back.

British football breaks the mould with Right to Play

Trung
Union VP Sports

he first bit of news goes to our teams. Well done to all our clubs on your first sets of season fixtures. Weve had many great results and if anyone wants to see them all, check out the back of The Stag and like the Team Surrey Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/teamsurrey. In the world of sport, charity branding has broken into the realm of British Football. Chelsea has announced that they will be incorporating the charity logo of Right to Play on their Champions League kit to raise awareness of what they do. Chelseas new shirts debuted on the 1st November against the Belgium team KRC Genk. RTP use sport and play programmes as low-cost highimpact ways to teach and bring together children in disadvantaged countries across the world. The objective is to bring fun to childrens lives and educate targeted regions in four key areas:

Basic Education & Child Development Health Promotion & Disease Prevention Conflict Resolution, Tolerance and Peace Community Development

Whats the link with Surrey Sport? - Right to Play is the official charity for BUCS which is the association which our teams compete in. - The resident Harlequins RFC based at the Sports Park sponsor Right to Play - Well last year the big Surrey vs Kingston Varsity sponsored RTP with their logos on the varsity T-shirts. Yes Varsity, Surreys biggest sporting event of the year, is coming to a Sports Park near you.

The Stag |

8th November 2011

OPINION & ANALYSIS

Opinion & Analysis

The alternative to 9,000-a-year fees
Daniel Stevens

Local councils underused assets for student welfare

George Potter
allowed to move from one side of the Union building to the other. And students spend over 5,000 a year each on living costs. Most of that money goes straight into the local economy and local businesses depend heavily on the money that students spend in town. We make a big contribution to both the town and to the councils coffers. Now, every single one of us has the right to vote in local elections to determine how the Council is run. And there are loads of cheap, easy things the Council could do to improve life for us stuff like setting up a register of student landlords. Yet at the last Council election only a couple of hundred of us bothered to vote. At 16,000 strong, we form a fifth of Guildfords population. But because we dont vote the Council ignores us and doesnt think were worth listening to. If we ever want the Council to make life better for students then you, yes YOU, need to start voting.

tudents have had a hard time recently. University fees are due to increase to 9,000 at most universities from September 2012, whilst younger students from modest financial backgrounds no longer receive muchneeded support through Educational Maintenance Allowance. A year after the Coalition Governments tuition fee-rise successfully passed through Parliament, Labour has outlined its alternative. During this years Labour Party Conference the partys leader, Ed Miliband, pledged that he would lower the 9,000-a-year tuition fee cap to 6,000 if his party is returned to Downing Street after the next election. The announcement was unlikely to have students jumping

for joy, but it highlights a fundamental difference between the main political parties: their view towards young people and their education. Despite claims to the contrary, many Conservatives still see education as elitist. 9,000-a-year fees price many students out of the university experience and applications via UCAS have already begun to fall sharply in comparison to recent years. In the red corner of Labour, however, there is a very different belief: that any young person in this country should have the opportunity to fulfil their potential. Fees of 6,000 per year are arguably still too high, but the 33% reduction from the current cap would significantly lessen the burden on todays generation of young people; encouraging them to apply for a place at university instead of feeling cheated out of a lifechanging opportunity. It is a sad reality that Higher Education finances must be reformed and Labours proposal balances the needs of both institutions and students.

Greece warns Germans to back off on ideology EU Referendum:

Jack White

id you know that, in some parts of the country, local councils have set up registers of accredited landlords so that students looking for accommodation arent ripped off and so that bad landlords can be held to account? Did you know that some councils provide late night bus services for students to get them home safely or that they organise town wide schemes to get local businesses to accept student cards as a form of ID? From waste collection to providing social housing to setting parking charges, our local council can have a huge impact on our lives. For example, it was the Council that had to decide whether or not to allow Chancellors and Rubix to serve alcohol and it was the council that decided that Pizzaman should be

he referendum on Eurozoneenforced cuts that was (briefly) mooted by the Greek Prime Minister last week may have come as a surprise to some, but surely not to everyone?! Over the past months, Greece has accepted battery after battery of German ideological artillery, trying to mould Greece into brand new model of promarket economics. Since the start of the crisis, Greece has suffered rolling freezes and cuts on public sector salaries and pensions. There have been tax rises, even for the countrys poorest citizens. Perhaps most starkly in the longer view, is the massive selloff of nationalised industry. These measures have been largely forced on Greece by the Eurozone, IMF and European Central Bank in return for bailouts. It was only a matter of time

before Greece straightened up and pulled up its trousers. The Prime Minister, George Papandreou announced that there would be a referendum on the terms attached to a write-off of 50% of Greeces debt to private investors. A masterstroke! Perhaps not a fiscally sound move (or a move in favour of a long career), but one which was a massive bluff-call. The existing austerity measures have caused waves of social unrest in Greece, eclipsing everything the UK has experienced (so far). The measures are not just tackling the debt problem by legislating for safer credit controls, they are targeting the most humane aspects of the Greek system good pay and pensions and nationalised industry. What Papandreou has done is to challenge the EU to justify their meddling in Greek domestic economy. Is it really true that all these austerity measures are necessary in order to prevent Greece defaulting on its debt, or is it the case that Germany is asking Greece to dance for their dinner? To my mind, the aim of a united,

integrated Europe is still the overwhelming goal for the Greeks and the Germans alike. Papandreou is using the cast-iron club of democracy to warn Germany not to push too far. It is not in anyones interests for Greece to explode into violence. What then, about the possibility that the extra terms placed upon Greece are unnecessary and ideologically driven? If Greece refuses to be reformed into a neoliberals dream, is it nonetheless true that the EU would benefit from letting Greece go? I dont know about that. Greater European integration is still a goal in itself and lets not forget that every eastern European state that falls outwith the EUs area of strategic influence falls automatically into another one Russias. With arch-wheeler/ dealer Vladimir Putin coming back for another round of presidency, even Greece leaving the Eurozone would be like giving Putin the key to Athens. It is no wonder that now Sarkozy is talking about a top-down coup in Greek government. Democracy eh?

travesty averted
Alex Wilks

here seems to be a paradox in political thinking whereby many of the people elected through a democratic process distrust the very people who put them there in the first place. The most recent manifestation of this came in the form the commons debate on whether to have a referendum over our membership in the European Union, where within five minutes of the opening speech, MP David Nuttall cited the EUs Working Time Directive as the reason for a local hospital wards closure. Thats right! The inability of managers to exploit doctors and nurses to work more than 48hrs a week is the reason some

hospital departments provided substandard levels of care. You could just dismiss this as head-scratching hyperbole, but it was only a matter of months ago that almost identical tactics were used to convince people to vote against the AV system. Posters highlighting the apparent cost of such a switch directly suggested that the money would be taken away from that special babies cardiac/soldiers vests fund that the government apparently has on reserve to dip into anytime it needs a bit of extra cash. One can only imagine the nonsensical arguments that would be used as Eurosceptic ammunition should the decision to left to us, the humble and uninformed British public, to decide whether we need a European Union or not, but I for one am relieved that the country doesnt have to suffer months of campaigns on banana bendiness and immigrant cats.

OPINION & ANALYSIS

The Stag |

8th November 2011

opinion@thestagsurrey.co.uk

Letters to the Editor

Gonalo Valverde

Send your correspondence to letters@thestagsurrey.co.uk. Letters maybe abbreviated out of consideration of space on the page.
Dear Editor, I live on Southway and must pass behind the GSA building to get home. I have noticed that all the areas seem "flooded" with water that simply sits there day after day. Where I come from (the Caribbean), if you leave open bodies of water to sit mosquitoes begin to breed and this gives rise to problems of dengue. I know also that in Africa the mosquitoes there cause malaria. Both diseases are fatal. I was just wondering if anything could be done about the situation i.e. some form of clean up or awareness. If I am wrong however and there are no expectations of insects to breed in these conditions, forgive my paranoia. Ashleigh Ashleigh, Thank you for your consideration of all our welfare. Insects in Britain do not usually carry diseases like dengue and malaria, although standing water does still breed insects. In the summer, insect bites may cause discomfort for most of us, or allergic reactions, but the risk of disease is very small. Unfortunately some news agencies have reported in the last few years that as global warming increases the temperature in Britain, disease-carrying insects may start to migrate here. Yours, The Editor Dear Editor, I wanted to write some kind of reader response in reference to the so-called infamous page 15 article (which was simply put, if Im not mistaken, a personal opinion about the possibilities of heteronormative anal sex; you should say it how it is in my opinion, not beat around the bush) to create some kind of discussion. I wasnt even offended by the content, but the fact that the writer wanted to hide behind anonymity: if you cant take the heat, then get of the kitchen (or whatever the phrase is). If you want to cause a reaction, then face up to that. The political buzz word right now is responsibility, even if so-called adults can do what they want in spite of the consequences and not be held accountable. I think peoples private lives should be kept that way, not brought into the public arena. But then of course Im not everybody. Just like if you are serious about getting employed at some point then you might want to get rid of your Facebook account because all people have to do is Google you these days to find out what youre really like (subjectively of course). Essentially the crux of the matter is in regards to freedom of speech, which actually exists to allow us to speak out against oppression. In Stalinist Russia (as an example) there was no free press, but now all we read about in developed Western society is drivel about celebrities (or simply put, people who want their five seconds of fame) and what annoys people. Just like human rights, which are supposed to protect us (even if certain people want to do away with them), free speech allows us to speak out against regimented forces that restrict our potential as a society. If you want to expose the foolishness of extremist opinions (not that Im saying I cant understand why people would stick to their guns so to speak on such things, given my own experiences), then drag out such groups into the open, like they did with Nick Griffin of the BNP on the BBC Politics Show. Not that my political opinions even matter, but hiding behind far left wing opinion or anarchy does not justify the pretty much paedophilic means of uploading pornography onto a childrens medium like Sesame Streets Youtube channel (which was pretty recent and Im not saying the two are connected just referencing the attitude to doing whatever you like to break societys imposed rules), or stealing someones hard earned money through hacking to support Lulzsec (or whatever theyre called), is just like hiding behind apparent application of political correctness to be racist or upset other minority groups. There is always a middle way no matter what: as in life, think before you speak, so think before you write. So sorry if I have offended (and no Im not being sarcastic) because I do actually care, even if caring is apparently intrinsically selfish because I want to be selfless. But then again I might have got the wrong end of the stick. Daniel Pilgrim Daniel, I think you are making arguments against each other. On the one hand, you want the author of The Article to take full responsibility, and on the other, you want to champion free and open speech. Many advocates of free speech in places like the Soviet Union or China do make their free speeches under assumed names or without credit because the harm that will befall them if the real name is published is simply not worth getting the credit. It is simply not the case that things are so much better in this country that the freedom of speech we do have is enough for everyone always to be willing to be credited. Where we do not have a secret police ready to pounce on the least subversion, we do have an abundance of moralists, voyeurs, creeps and gossips, who are just as able to cause harm. For Mrs W, who evidently engages in what is for some people a sexual taboo, even a perversion, the thought must have been there that 2,000 readers were now wondering about her sexuality. Perhaps it is too much to expect someone to willingly allow 2,000 people to know that it is your sexuality they are wondering about. In this case, I put it to you that the most effective way to drag a topic into the light is to allow for anonymity of the debaters and that this is most conducive to a frank, honest and illuminating argument. Yours, The Editor

Pitch or Bust
Peter Bailey

BUSINESS

resentations make up an increasingly important part of many degree courses. Whether its part of mock-business pitches, group work exercises, or dissertation vivas, not many modern students will get through University without facing down their public speaking demons. Many people view the need to stand up and present their work or ideas as an intimidating prospect. Indeed depending on your audience it can be exactly that and I would defy any speaker who is genuinely interested in their topic or their audience to claim they have absolved themselves completely of presenters nerves. Interesting to think why the opportunity to stand up and speak is hard wired into such nervousness in our minds. My degree course involved a heavy quotient of presentations, mainly in the form of Business pitches which has lead me to the point where personally I relish the opportunity to talk about something that interests me. But thats not to say there wasnt a time where I remember wracking my brains and twisting my knuckles in sheer terror before the first presentation I gave in the misty memory of Year 8 English class. If you count yourself among the category of nervous presenter or could do better then a wise approach might be to tackle this blind spot headon. Many Academics or careers advisors will express to you the importance of solid cognitive and written performance as part of your preparation for the world of

work. But I would argue that so much of life is about truly selling yourself (in a strictly legitimate way before you ask), that you really cant afford to neglect this skill. I attended a conference on Social Media in London recently with a plethora of supposed experts from the field. The presentation styles varied hugely, and considering all were based in an industry firmly centred on communication you could argue it was a melting pot of some of the best techniques around. Whether or not this was true in practise is up for debate, but the irrefutable fact is that the speakers with a dynamic and engaging presentation style had a far higher chance of people absorbing their content and coming away with a positive impression. Some general rules of thumb from my experience are as follows: Image-heavy, text-light. Fewer slides, more messages. Slower speech, more eye contact. Some great presenters who use these techniques include Richard Branson, the now late Steve Jobs, and Mark Zuckerberg to quote a few high-fliers. Check out TED (http://www.ted.com/) for a great injection for lesser know, but no less able, presenters for inspiration. So whether you consider your future to hold many or few public speaking opportunities, I really cant stress enough how much of a difference it can make if you change your mind-set to view the opportunity to speak to an interested audience as a golden opportunity. Whether for a job or for marks in a module, learning to develop your presentation alterego with the right balance of personality and professionalism will get you streets ahead in Business and in life. (It might even get you a date if youre lucky, after all thats selling yourself too right?)

The Stag is looking for your opinions, analyses and letters. Currently all should be submitted to letters@thestagsurrey.co.uk at the latest dates of Friday 11th November and Friday 25th November for the last two editions of the Autumn Term. Updates up post-Christmas editions will be available on the Stags Facebook page: www.facebook. com/TheStagSurrey.

The Stag |

8th November 2011

OPINION & ANALYSIS

The Great Debate

The death last month of Colonel Gaddafi was mired in controversy over whether or not he was executed/assassinated, or whether he caught a stray bullet. Is it permissable to execute a hated former leader, or should they be put on trial?
Guilty or not guilty, he should have been given a right to explain himself
By the For Team

A fair trial would have been morally just

olonel Muammar Gaddafi was captured alive in Sirte, Libya, but died due to wounds which, according to the Libyan National Transitional Council, he received during a gunfight. Whether he died during a battle, in an ambulance afterwards, or was shot while captured is unclear and hasnt been verified. Despite international condemnation of Gaddafi, his regime, and his response to the uprising in Libya; it should be internationally viewed that he deserved the right to a fair and free trial. This right was laid out in Article 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the UN General Assembly in 1948, and had been common practise in many free countries beforehand. For a Western government to not agree with this (including in the case of Gaddafi) would be to deny freedoms to which they hold so strongly, and is why they were condemning the death of Gaddafi, whilst still celebrating his downfall. Guilty or not guilty, he should at least be given a right to explain himself. For family of victims of his regime or of those who were killed in the fighting, finding out his motives and hearing his story may have been paramount to them in recent months with his downfall looking more and more likely and

to see him convicted may be of some comfort to the bereaved. Although plurality may not be guaranteed, it would have been better for this brutal era to have ended morally and legally and a trial held inside Libya (not a member of the ICC) than for him to have been killed. Although Muammar Gaddafis failed capture is regrettable there is still the prospect of putting his son, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi on trial. Although he is believed to currently be in neighbouring Niger, he has been in indirect contact with the ICC, which wants to try him for crimes against humanity, murder and persecution.

By an Interested Reader ike most people, I am glad to see the end of Muammar Gaddafis dictatorship in Libya. However, I find myself feeling uncomfortable with the pictures and videos floating around, partly because of the medias grotesque fascination with his dead body, and partly because I do not think he should have been killed. Some may argue that there are no rules in war, but the justice system disagrees. If Gaddafi was deliberately killed in captivity, it constitutes a war crime. Its obvious, but important to note that the laws of war apply to both parties in a conflict; not just the side you disagree with. And the capture of Gaddafi was a chance for the leaders of the rebels to show that they were better than the old regime. Killing him, in my opinion, did not prove this.

Ideally, Gaddafi would have had a fair trial. As well as being morally just, it may also have helped to ensure a smoother transition of power. On top of this, it would have been an opportunity to investigate the dodgy deals Gaddafi had struck with the West. Because of his death, these deals will not be scrutinised, and the people involved will face no consequences. However, I recognise that the circumstances in Libya were far from ideal, and I do understand the basic psychology of mob mentality. I also recognise that I am privileged in that Ive never lived under a murderous dictatorship; if my family had been tortured and I was faced with the man responsible, Im not entirely sure Id be able to react in a rational way. But in order for Libya, or any society, to succeed, there needs to be a distinction made between justice and revenge. Gadaffis death, to me, was the latter, and even though he was undeniably a cruel and brutal dictator, I definitely feel that he should have faced a fair trial.

Was it not for the Libyan People to decide Gaddafis fate?

By the Against Team

The former President of Iraq, Saddam Hussein was captured and taken for trial. He was executed in 2006, nominally for the murder of 148 Iraqis in 1982.

he debate over justice for the victims of the Gaddafi regime has caused widespread discussion across the globe. Although many news agencies have focused on those wanting to see him put on trial at the ICC, many Libyans rejoiced at the death of their former leader and had little interest in a trial at all. There has been the moral argument that justice for those killed by the regime was achieved upon Gaddafis death, with many Libyans arguing that Gaddafi didnt need a trial, in death he paid the price for forty-two years of brutality. If Gaddafi had been tried the process would have certainly been long, complicated and costly. Although it cannot be denied that Gaddafi certainly takes many secrets to his grave, how many secrets would he have revealed during a trial? With nothing to lose, Gaddafi

would have been unlikely to cooperate or reveal much anyway. Gaddafis death also marks the end of a difficult and painful chapter in Libyan history. Would a trial not just prolong the painful memories and ghosts of Libyas past? The death of Gaddafi enables Libya to move on and rebuild, a lengthy trial would ensure Gaddafis presence lingering over the Libyan people at a time for reconciliation and rebuilding. Ultimately, was it not for the Libyan people to decide Gaddafis fate? Although the violence surrounding Gaddafis last moments was sickening, with many in the Western world preferring Gaddafi to have a trial, Libya is an independent country and it is not for the likes of Britain, France and America to dictate to the Libyan people the fate of their former leader.

10 FEATURES

The Stag |

8th November 2011

features@thestagsurrey.co.uk

Features
Who wants to be a millionaire? Absolutely everyone, apparently

Freshers Blues?
T
By Ellis Taylor, Features Team hey say Theres no place like Home. Personally I say Theres no place like my Bed. But one of the toughest things about starting University is still homesickness. As a fresh-faced fresher, Ive had it, my flatmates have had it and youve probably had it too. In fact 50-70% of all UK university freshers suffer from it. Needless to say, homesickness isnt uncommon, but that doesnt mean you should suffer in silence. Suddenly moving away from home to a brand new city with brand new people can be scary and hard to adjust to, but dont think youre in it alone! We freshers no longer have our best friends by our sides, our mothers to do our washing, nor knowledge of the best places in town. Personally, I find that a little bit nerve-wracking. The key thing to remember is that everyone else is new too. They are as lost as you, so go explore together. Some of the girls from my flat and I had one of our first bonding moments when we decided to make our way into town. It was a mini adventure and we were on the verge of collapsing after our first encounter with Stag Hill, but it was fun! It also really took all of our minds off missing home though it might also have had something to do with the mountainous hill and the heat. Either way, it all became a little less scary. On average, homesickness tends to melt away after three weeks of being at university. Obviously it does last a little longer for some than others, but dont take this as a sign of weakness or that you shouldnt be here. The best thing to do is to talk to your flatmates because they will understand completely, let yourself have a little cry then make a cup of tea. We all know those things make everything better, but sometimes you need a bit more than reassurance from a sparkly new friend; you need to hear a familiar voice. So keep in regular contact with home, but dont call every two minutes if youre like me, itll make you feel worse! Another thing that can help a lot is sleep. A nice, proper sleep can do wonders for your mood, as can healthy eating and staying active. Im sure that lots of dancing in Rubix counts but if you prefer proper exercise, head on over to the sports park and work out that sadness! However, if you still feel really homesick after all this, dont forget that your Court Life Mentor is there for you! Their purpose is to help you with any problems and issues you may have and if they cant help, they will know someone who can. Another university service that can help is the Centre for Well Being who have drop-in sessions every Monday to Friday at 2pm where you can talk to a counsellor about any issues or concerns you may have. Above all, relax, have fun, and embrace university life.
Robert S Donovan

By Declan Cooney, Features Team

Leo Reynolds

aturally, when a friend receives a windfall I tend to harbor a little envy. Even so, I have found the reaction to Dave and Angie Dawes Euromillions luck plainly embarrassing. The pair scooped 101 million last month and their going public has divided opinion; some remain adamant that they should have kept it under their hats (metaphorically, of course: that would be some hat). So why does our money-driven culture lambast lottery-win openness? Is it crude, or is bitterness to blame? The biggest cause for complaint with the Cambridgeshire couples outing is its supposed flashiness; news programmes after the win recited the tale mechanically, and newspapers included the customary big fat cheque shot. However, it is actually their partaking in the theatrics that undo any suggestion of Dave and Angies pretentiousness. They are not deluding themselves with thoughts of entering the financial-elite where open celebration is considered distasteful, but attributing their wealth to sheer luck and laughing at it. Indeed, the medias attention to the couple might have worthwhile ramifications. Dave, 47, hastily announced, Weve drawn up a list of 15 to 20 people that were going to make millionaires. Anyone who has helped us through our lives. The fantastic thing about this promise is its delivery at a press conference; the couples going public has enabled them to glamorize generosity. The media is awash with stories of fatcat bankers profiting ludicrously from our financial uncertainty, and could the constant descriptions of Angie, 40, as a volunteer of the British Heart Foundation remind us of the importance of karma? More than that, it gives a well-deserved morale boost to the countrys workforce. Those opposing the Dawes openness claim it will

lead to a life of saying no, either to desperate old friends or the genuinely needy. In 2009, Mark Gardiner spoke about winning 11 million on the lottery and blamed it for ruining his life. Gardiner claimed that interest in his fortune became intense, and the letters angling for a slice of it relentless. I am not refuting Gardiners experience, but is it really representative? The National Lottery (from which Euromillions spawns) was established in 1994 and has generated an obscene amount of millionaires in the UK who have not gone on to regret their wins. Granted, this months prize was a biggie, being the third largest ever scooped as a result of a single ticket, but when discussing tens of millions we lose sight of such distinctions: what can 100m realistically do that 90m can not? And how many of us choose between spending on ourselves and giving to others everyday? Every time we pass the charity shop in favour of the high street we are making a choice comparable to the ones the Dawes will make when they disregard their imminent begging letters. Does it ruin our lives? No. Will it ruin theirs? That is their choice. Most baffling is that the whole Dawes-debacle looks like the perfect recipe for a national celebration. The 101million brings the money factor that audiences demand, from magazines dedicated to finance to huge cash prizes on game shows. The luck factor that scaffolds our notorious championing of the underdog? Check. The coming forward itself serves as a tidy resolution; I would have felt deprived, having experienced the lengthy hype of the draw, if the winners remained unknown. Denying ourselves the climax to the win would be like this years X Factor final refusing to announce its victors name. Perhaps the problem is our society-driven competitiveness; the Dawes story is loaded with reason to congratulate them. The only criticism I can find of the win? It isnt mine.

The Stag |

8th November 2011

FEATURES

11

Have a green day!

By Sophie Vickery, Features Team

Yknow what really grinds my gears?

People hijacking my column!
By Osama Salih, Union President

really dont understand what the fascination is with African hair! Every time I meet someone, after saying hello, the second thing they do is touch my hair. Why on earth do people find afros so intriguing? Perhaps the reason is because its not necessarily a hair style seen everyday, or just because it conjures up images of the fun of the 70s and 80s. What people dont understand is that in order for an afro to look good, it has to be maintained and taken care of in a very specific way when everyone keeps touching it that obviously isnt going to be the case. Since week one, there hasnt gone one day without someone asking Can I touch your hair? or simply just reaching out for it anyway. It seems to be especially the case on most nights out when people are drunk. It doesnt seem to bother them when I specifically ask them

to do the opposite, people will just grab my fro. If you want to greet a person, usually you shake their hand, you dont give them a tap on the head! I might try it myself one night: everyone I say hi to, Ill go and ruin their hair style. I wonder how long people will be able to tolerate my rudeness. If you like afros so much, I doubt theyre more than 1 on eBay. Better yet, just get one from Flares; they come in all sorts of colours and the good thing is that you do not have to maintain them you can just take it off and buy a new one. Just leave mine be! Readers, dont think this will be a regular occurrence; Osama totally abused his presidential rights. None of you will get his opportunity. I swear Im not a moany mare all the time; its just that I steal GMGs from Family Guy and then someone decides to steal my column from me and it just really grinds my gears!

an we really handle another negative news report about the environment? Can we stomach anymore gloomy statistics about melting ice, droughts and floods? Probably not which is why we should perhaps try to do something about human impact on the world. Yet, as students surrounded with heavily packaged ready meals, smartphones constantly demanding charge and laptops left on standby, is this really possible? When asked to picture those who can help the environment most efficiently, its unlikely youd think of students. However, there are many ways in which a students daily routine can play a role in helping the environment. Its a Sunday; a day for household chores and catching up on work plenty of opportunities to help our planet! The day begins with waking up, blurry eyed, stumbling into the kitchen to make tea and toast. Here switching off the kettle and toaster at the switch will immediately save energy. Although you may then fancy a long, hot soak in the bath a shower will save money and time. Students could then face the mound of laundry growing in the corner. Before leaving for the laundrette its a good idea to ask flatmates if they need any washing done as a full drum is better than an emptier one because less washes will be done overall. This saves the precious pounds too! We should also remember that choosing a lower temperature holds environmental benefits. Lunchtime arrives but the student cupboard is bare, with just a packet of noodles and tin of tuna so a Tesco trip is in order. Even in the supermarket, a students shopping habits can have Earths best interests at heart. Simply making a few changes such as reusing carrier bags, buying fruit and vegetables loose and choosing recyclable cans, tins and cardboard can make a big difference. Walking back from Tesco will trim carbon emissions as well as your figure! Upon returning to campus students realise their rooms are starting to look messy following a build-up of wastepaper bin rubbish. Luckily there are plenty of recycling bins on campus to use. Even The Stag can be recycled! Unfortunately, work can be avoided no longer yet even whilst working one can become

greener effortlessly. Studying lecture notes online instead of printing them is a great way to save paper. After finishing work it takes no time at all to turn a laptop off rather than leaving it on standby. Its time for dinner and the chicken korma ready meal is popped into the microwave. Ready meals are typically heavily packaged but some are cardboard based and recyclable. Any leftovers? Let them cool completely before putting them in the fridge to help maintain a low temperature. Now for the dreaded washing up; filling a bowl rather than leaving the tap on will save water. Time for Sunday evening socialising by reusing plastic shot glasses rather than simply throwing them away, youll be making an effort to help the planet! So students, there are no excuses! To be green is like making beans on toast; quick, easy and perfect for all student capabilities! The effects wont just help to reduce energy usage and landfill but will shrink the amount of gloomy statistics about global warming we have to endure. Whats more, the effects can make campus even more pleasant, save money and improve health too. Overall there is no reason not to make changes to your routine so make tomorrow a green day!

Two days on the zone

By Olly Deed, Union Chair

he role of Union Chair is multi-faceted; coupled with representation at home here at USSU, it is the responsibility of Officers to head off to conferences to represent us on the national stage. The National Union of Students Union Development Zone Conference provided my first opportunity to do just that. At the Adelphi Hotel in Liverpool, delegates from all over the country came together to share ideas and best practice all in aid of developing our Students Unions in order to provide better representation to each and every student. The agenda was fairly packed but Alan Roy, Kathy Jones and I deployed ourselves strategically. Whilst Kathy and Alan were sampling presentations on various elements related to Union Development, I headed to a presentation about Student Enterprise

as well as presentations on widening participation at Students Unions. I also listened to speeches given by Everton Football Club and the President of Loughborough University and engaged in workshops with members of other unions to pool as many ideas as possible. I also got the chance to vote for members of the new Union Development Zone committee and you can find a full breakdown of how I voted on the USSU website. The array of ideas buzzing about the Conference was definitely the best aspect to the two days. Im looking forward to talking to students about how we can push enterprise on campus, and working with the Exec team to try to reach those groups of students that we fail to engage currently. Definitely two days well spent. Hopefully we can translate some of the ideas emanating out of the Conference into real change here at Surrey.

sheeshoo

12 FEATURES

The Stag |

8th November 2011

features@thestagsurrey.co.uk

Not sure what to do for Placement or after graduation? Want to try something different? Want a challenge? Want an unforgettable experience?

Teach English abroad as a British Council Language Assistant!

By Amy Kingman, Features Team

m a final year here at Surrey and spent last year on placement, in Spain, teaching English as a British Council Language Assistant. I worked in a secondary school in a town called vila and helped the students to improve their English speaking skills. I hadnt heard of the programme until I started researching placements and think that a lot of you could be missing out on applying simply because you arent aware of it. You can choose to be an assistant in one of fifteen countries, based on the language skills you have. You dont have to be studying a language now, you just need an AS-level standard (except if you want to apply for China where no previous language skills are required). I had an amazing year in Spain and have come up with my top ten reasons why you should apply for the Language Assistant programme:

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1) You get an insight into teaching as a career: As an assistant, you get a chance to work in a school as a member of staff and get to teach students without having the responsibility of marking homework, writing exams, etc. Even if teaching isnt something youre interested in, its great to say youve tried it. 2) Cultural exchange: My students loved hearing about life in England so I gave them presentations about

5)

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things like schools, teenagers, Christmas and football (which I had to do a bit of research for!) Its a real novelty for them to have you in their class, especially as youre young and English, so the kids really look up to you. At the same time you learn about their culture and some of the most interesting things I learnt during the year were from my students. You meet lots of people and have new experiences: I met so many great people, both locals and other assistants. The highlights of Spain were the local fiestas, the amazing food, the fiery Spaniards and their love for a party (pre-drinks start at midnight and they stay out til 7am!) Your language skills improve a lot! Obviously the best way to advance in a language is to immerse yourself in its society. At the beginning you do feel a bit thrown in the deep end, but it wasnt until I came home that I realised how much I missed speaking Spanish every day. You can travel to see other parts of the country: As an assistant, you have a pretty cushy working schedule (I had 12 hours Monday-Thursday), which means theres plenty of time to travel. A group of us managed to see lots of cities, including Madrid and Barcelona. We also found flights for 8 Euros to go to Portugal for a long weekend. You can give private English classes to earn extra money: Now more than ever there is a huge demand to

learn English. I gave eight private classes a week and the extra money was a bonus (not that I needed it the wages from the assistantship were more than enough to live on). 7) Your family and friends have somewhere to visit! If they are anything like mine they will make the most of you living abroad! Living away for a year can be hard at times, so its always nice to look forward to a visit from friends or relatives and its fun to show them around your town and introduce them to your new friends. 8) You learn a lot and it looks great on your CV: Its only when you come back that you realise what an amazing year youve had and how much youve grown, both personally and professionally. Having a year abroad will definitely give you something to talk about with future employers and generally makes you sound more interesting! 9) Its a unique opportunity: I think one of the best things about this scheme is that you have the chance to live abroad for a year without having to commit to longer than that. It pushes you out of your comfort zone and shows you how you cope living abroad, which is important when it comes to making decisions about your future. 10) Its fun! Placement is obviously about getting practical work experience but I never expected to have such a brilliant year and make so many fantastic memories.

Up for the challenge?

Applications are open NOW for 2012/2013 For all information visit the British Council website: www.britishcouncil.org/languageassistants www.facebook.com/CouncilEnglishLanguageAssistants

British Council Language Assistants:

Where could your language skills take you?

Love Thy Neighbour

By Nicole Vassell, Features Editor

f youre one of many second-years who now live off-campus, congratulations youre now even more of an adult! Youve had to get used to buying things like bin bags, and perhaps have taken to wearing six jumpers at a time as opposed to turning on the heating. One of the first things Ive learnt through living an actual house is that there are actually people who arent students who live in Guildford! Now that your nextdoor neighbours arent necessarily people youd bump into at Citrus, there are certain things youll need to be wary of. Here are some tips for harmonious living out in the big wide world: 1) Introduce yourself! It may seem corny, but if you and your housemates give a little knock on their door just to say hello,

the Jones family at No 6 will surely be more lenient about your recycling boxes overflowing onto the street occasionally 2) Wild house-party in the middle of the week? Perhaps not if there are young children living near, or people with jobs meaning theyll have to get up super early, its considerate to keep the noise down. Of course there will be times where youll have to celebrate mid-week, but make sure its not too often, and give them a bit of prior notice. 3) If youre lucky enough to have a car in Guildford, dont take your neighbours car space. Most likely, the Joneses were living on that street for a quite a while before you, and will probably be there after you move out next year. Stick to your spot, and others should hopefully do the same.

4) Wave when you happen to leave the house at the same time in the morning. Theres no need to stop for awkward, stilted conversation if you dont want to, but a little acknowledgement of each others existence really can work wonders. 5) Finally, at all costs, avoid a drunken game of Knock Down Ginger. Especially at 4am. It will not end well.

shtikl

The Stag |

8th November 2011

FEATURES

13

Lets negotiate! Diced Lamb with Roasted

By Chris Thomas, Features Team

Mediterranean Vegetables
By Kristie Marchant, Features Team

ave you ever wondered what the best way to persuade someone to your point of view is? It can be a frustrating process trying to get someone to align with your opinion. In this case we are not referring to those beliefs such as religion that have been instilled upon us since birth, but those times when a person takes a side in a debate or situation. Wouldnt you like to know how to deal with these scenarios more effectively? Of course, you could try arguing with logic, but that will only work under circumstances where there is a correct answer. The logical approach also has an element of forcing the correct solution on someone, which can be unpleasant to experience. So, what is the psychology behind holding a particular point of view? One researched theory is the law of consistency. This states that when someone makes a declaration in public, they unconsciously need to remain consistent with that declaration. This dedication to an opinion or concept occurs on a very deep internal level and there is a lot of external social pressure to conform to that particular image. What then is the most effective solution? Firstly, it is important to realise when we are being too stubborn ourselves. Stepping back and looking at any situation of conflict from a distance allows us to understand that all behaviour has some underlying positive intention behind it. This prevents us from being emotionally drawn into the dispute. Secondly, the law of consistency itself can be used. This works on the basis of someone consistently saying yes to the first three concepts you say to them, which then encourages them to say yes to the fourth concept, otherwise they would be breaking the consistency. To put this principle in context, imagine for a moment you are trying to persuade someone that going out tonight is better than staying in studying. The first thing you want to do is step back from the situation and ask what is the purpose of staying in tonight? and suppose they answer I want to stay in and study for a test in a few days time. The most effective response to this using the yes consistency principle would be so you have a test in a few days time? (answer yes) which means you still have a few days to revise for this test? (answer - yes) and you want to make the most of university, dont you? (answer yes) so do you want to come out tonight? Notice how this approach easily avoids the logical argument situation. Now imagine how you too can use this principle in your daily life to become a better communicator.

Put some summer sparkle into those cold wintry evenings with this exotic recipe:
Ingredients:
500g diced lamb 1 carrot 1 courgette 3 mushrooms 1 red pepper 1 yellow pepper 1 green pepper 1 small sweet potato 3 salad tomatoes red onion 1tsp garlic pure Olive oil 1 can of chopped tomatoes Your choice of herbs and spices

Boston Public Library

Step 1: Step 2: Step 3: Step 4: Step 5: Step 6: Step 7:

Preheat the oven to 180c. Chop up your chosen veggies in large chunks (roughly the same size for even cooking). Cover the bottom of a roasting tin or oven proof dish liberally with olive oil. Add all your chopped vegetables and the diced lamb to the roasting tin or equivalent. Sprinkle your choice of herbs and spices and garlic pure over the contents and pour over the can of chopped tomatoes. This is the messy bit: Use your hands to evenly cover the ingredients with the sauce to give everything an even covering. Alternatively you can just use a wooden spoon if you dont want to get your hands dirty! Pop the dish in the oven for roughly 35-40 minutes. Stir the contents regularly to ensure even cooking. The time taken to cook may vary, depending on how good your oven is, but when the lamb is browned throughout and all the veggies are soft is a good way to tell when your meal is ready.

Give blood, save a life. Please.

By Dave Halls, VP Welfare

very three seconds in the United Kingdom, someone requires a blood transfusion. Whether it is a newly-born infant in Intensive Care, an elderly individual needing a vital operation to give them one last chance at life, or a cancer patient needing life-saving treatment; blood is what keeps all of us functioning. As you sit in lectures this week, chances are someone in the room wouldnt be there with you had it not been for donated blood. Around 60% of us are eligible to give blood, yet only 4% of us do. The whole process takes less than an hour, and only a pint is taken- the majority of this blood has been replaced by your body by the time you wake up the next morning. You really never know when you, your friends, family or, eventually, children might

need a blood transfusion. For all any of us know, this time tomorrow we could be in a situation where we are relying on someone else having given the blood we need to stay alive. By taking just one hour to give a pint of the red stuff, you become the indirect hero who has just kept up to three other people alive. There are few activities we can undertake that create so much good from so little effort. On Thursday 24th and Friday 25th November, the National Blood Service bloodmobiles will be in the pay & display car park opposite the AP building. While there will be some time slots available to just turn up and donate, you will find the whole process far quicker if you book an appointment in advance. Simply call 0300 123 23 23. I urge you to please book an appointment, and do something amazing. Cuddly Blood drops urge you to donate

14 FEATURES

The Stag |

8th November 2011

features@thestagsurrey.co.uk

Games
Answers in the next edition of The Stag. Send correct answers to letters@thestagsurrey.co.uk to get a mention in the paper.

Sudoku
6 2 3 4 1 2 1 4 3 2 6 5 3 8 2 7 8 6 4 5 9 3 2 9 7 5 5 4 1 3

Wordsearch
P E A G B T V S Z O J P M K A D N O T A A O N U E D N L L N D P W M P E A Z A R Q P L X S T L C U K B Y Q U C D A G E N H A M H Y R O B O T P R I V I F Y D R I B
The words to find are: BIRDY POTLATCH ROBOT NEWqUAY POPPY DAGENHAM ZONE vANDAL LAMB

Last issues answers

Sudoku
1 6 3 2 4 8 9 7 5 2 9 8 5 3 7 1 4 6 5 4 7 1 6 9 3 2 8 4 7 9 6 8 5 2 1 3 6 3 1 7 2 4 8 5 9 8 2 5 9 1 3 7 6 4 3 8 6 4 7 2 5 9 1 7 5 4 8 9 1 6 3 2 9 1 2 3 5 6 4 8 7

Wordsearch
L S M N M N S A A E B H C A O E Q D L O Q H R B R C J Z J K I R E A A R Z X S C I L L J E I K T K A S F V L R I Y E G N I L Y H N L N E R A B V C R E U D B K D I
The words to find are: NOBEL CHICKEN MARRIAGE STYLE JOBS FLARES DRIVE BALL RIZZLE

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MONDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY TO FRIDAY SATURDAY & SUNDAY 9.00AM 11.00PM 9.00AM - MIDNIGHT 11.00AM - 11.00PM

07/11 to 13/11

Catch the DUSK bus on Monday Nights from Chancellors

FOOD SERVING TIMES

MONDAY TO FRIDAY SATURDAY & SUNDAY 9.00AM - 8.00PM 11.00AM - 6.00PM

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V - Suitable for Vegetarians H - Suitable for Halal

OPENING HOURS 7.30am - 5.00pm

21/11 to 27/11

PROUDLY PRESENT A HILARIOUS MUSICAL COMEDY ABOUT LOVE, RELATIONSHIPS AND SEX!

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PROUDLY PRESENT A HILARIOUS MUSI 1.50 night COMEDY ABOUT LOVE, RELATIONSHIPS A

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Foreplay PreDrinks in Chancellors

Tickets:2.5advance,4door

SEX Ball

Tickets: 5 in advance from the union shop

Book and Lyrics by Joe DiPetro Music by Jimmy Roberts This amateur production is presented in arrangement with JOSEF WEINBERGER LTD. On behalf of R&H Theatricals of New York

8.00pm 21st 23rd Novem

8.00pm 21st 23rd November

Wates House, University of Sur

Wates House, University of Surrey

Tickets: 5 in advance in The Living Room ACS Urban Night from the union shop

Tickets: 5 in advance WEAR RED from the union shop

Book and Lyrics by Joe DiPetro Music by Jimmy Roberts This amateur production is presented in arrangement with JOSEF WEINBERGER LTD. On behalf of R&H Theatricals of New York

Sexual Health World Record Attempt

Book and Lyrics by Joe DiPetro Music by Jimmy Roberts This amateur production is presented in arrangement with JOSEF WEINBERGER LTD. On behalf of R&H Theatricals of New York

Photographic Wo TOUCH YOURS

Look out for the Events Team.

colour suite

colour suite

EMILY REDUCED THE COST discounts! Just go to www.nus.org.uk/en/NUS-Extra. ofEMILY REDUCED from her everything for Uni, THE COST
Want of everythingover 120 Uni, from her laptop candiscounts abroad? countries, and get an extra 40,000 to amoney in for new mobile, You save discounts worldwide for her course upgrade only 1.99.order your NUS International laptop Card books,mobile, Extra Card. to a new you Just select the Student when a wintercourse an alarm clock her coat and books,
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Osama Salih President

ussu.president@surrey.ac.uk

HELP OR INFORMATION - Any questions, then pop

ENTS PLANNER
THURSDAY
Marrow Recruitment Event 12-7pm in Rubix
POP UP UNION

www.facebook.com/surreyunion www.ussu.co.uk twitter.com/surrey_union

These are fundraising events for the University of Surrey Students Union

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TUESDAY 22ND NOVEMBER TICKETS JUST 3 PER PERSON PER GAME TICKETS ON SALE NOW IN THE UNION SHOP OR ON THE DOOR

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Bouzoukia Night
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ENGLAND V NEW ZEALAND 5.30pm IN CHANCELLORS

ack Brewery

FINAL 5.30pm IN CHANCELLORS

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Terry Francis in the Living Room

Filtered Thursday 25.11.10

Underground House And Techno Underground House And Techno Underground House And Techno

Live Premiership Football Chelsea v Liverpool 4.00pm

the Musical

in Chancellors
Video Game Soc 6 - 9pm in The Living Room

Fabric London Resident Trip to STONEHENGE

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SL2s DJ SLIPMATT
performing On a Ragga tip

Terry Francis
Supported By:

Edward B Willhelm Ringwood 10:00-02:00

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in Chancellors
Video Game Soc 6 - 9pm in The Living Room

Live Football in Chancellors West Ham v Derby 5.20pm

Live Premiership Football Swansea v Aston Villa 1.30pm Liverpool v Man City 4.00pm

mber
NIGHT
in The Living Room
Video Game Soc 6 - 9pm in The Living Room
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facebook.com/live2flirt @live2flirt

rrey

Wild_West_A5.indd 1

02/09/2011 17:18

Live Premiership Football Wolves v Sunderland 4.00pm

orkshop SELF DAY .

Make Christmas Shoe Boxes for the homeless

Iranian Night in The Living Room

The best The larg brands. es The chea t choice. pest pr ices.

Mexican Night
Marrow Recruitment Event 2-8pm in Rubix

D AN LS OD A FO K DE T RIN POR D +S

YOUR THEME YOUR NIGHT

Look out for the Events Team.

lunteer Training nfo evening

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Trip to WINDSOR See you next year!

Live Premiership Football Sunderland v Blackburn 1.30pm Stoke v Tottenham 4.00pm

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DUSK

Make Christmas Shoe Boxes for the homeless

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TOURNAMENT in THe Living Room 6-9pm

hancellors

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party
Trung VP Sport & Recreation
ussu.sports@surrey.ac.uk

christmas

Live Premiership Football QPR v Man United 12.00pm Aston Villa v Liverpool 2.05pm Man City v Arsenal 4.00pm

www.thestagsurrey.co.uk

For more information please email ussu.giveitago@surrey.ac.uk

www.madtvsurrey.co.uk

1350am or www.gu2.co.uk

Sam Ratzer VP Education

ussu.education@surrey.ac.uk

Dave Halls VP Welfare

ussu.welfare@surrey.ac.uk

Jake Willis VP Societies & ID

ussu.societies@surrey.ac.uk

Union House The University of Surrey Stag Hill Guildford GU2 7XH T: (01483) 689223 SMS : 07624 805349

p into the Students Union and go to the Information point or call on (01483) 689223 or email ussu.information@surrey.ac.uk

18 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

The Stag |

8th November 2011

sciencetech@thestagsurrey.co.uk

Science & Technology

High density Asteroid our ancestor?
By Shourya Khanna, Science & Tech Team

Are robots the future of surgery?

By Melissa Raske, Science & Tech Team

here is no definite answer to this question as yet and although currently robots are only in use in a minority of procedures, there is a great deal of interest in the field. Advances have already been made, from the AESOP 1000 approved for use in 1993 which acted like a third arm for surgeons and was controlled by a foot pedal, to the ARES project completed in 2009 in Italy which looked at a small robot being swallowed in parts and then reassembled inside the patient. The main robotic system used in theatre today is the da Vinci, built by Intuitive Surgical, who currently dominate the market. The da Vinci is controlled by a surgeon who utilises joysticks and a 3D vision system to manipulate four arms holding the instruments and camera during laparoscopic procedures, most commonly for the prostatectomy. Robotic assisted surgery has a number of

advantages including eliminating the problem of tremors in a surgeons hand and allowing for more delicate manoeuvring around the prostate. The robotic arms have a larger range of movements than the human wrist and make the difficult task of suturing after a prostatectomy easier. The amount of blood lost during a robot assisted surgery is a mere tenth of that lost during an open surgery. Currently, a trial using around 100 patients and led by Ara Darzi, professor of surgery at St Marys Hospital is taking place in four hospitals to determine whether the advantages of robotic surgery outweigh the shortcomings. The cost, more than 1 million for a da Vinci, and the amount of training required for proficiency are the main drawbacks. However, research into newer, smaller and cheaper robots and the possibility of their use in a wide variety of surgery is constantly underway.

n July 2010, the ESAs Rosetta spacecraft flew by the asteroid 21 Lutetia, the largest asteroid visited by mankind until the Dawn mission went into orbit around Vesta in July 2011. Now, over a year later, scientific analysis from Rosettas data has been completed and results published in the JournalScience suggest Lutetia formed during the birth of the Solar System. Most asteroids are large piles of rubble, weakly bound by gravity and easily torn apart by collisions. Large asteroids (more than 100km in diameter) however, survive most collisions with smaller objects intact, so it is believed they remain unchanged since the birth of the solar system. As Rosetta approached Lutetia, the gravitational pull of the massive asteroid accelerated it. The additional Doppler shift of the spacecraft radio signals imposed by 21 Lutetias gravitational perturbation on the flyby trajectory was used to determine the mass of the

asteroid at 1.7 1018 kilograms. The volume was then estimated using Infrared remote imaging on board the craft. This allowed the Rosetta team to calculate the asteroids density, which at 3400 kg/m3, has surprised everyone, as similar high bulk densities are known for the asteroids 4 Vesta, 16 Psyche, and 20 Massalia, all of which are much larger than Lutetia. Bulk densities of more primitive asteroids are in the range of 1200 kg/m3 to 2700 kg/ m3. This supports the suggestion that Lutetia formed as a solid object and does not have a porous, debris-like structure. Moreover, the density measurements indicate a metal core possibly iron rich. Other surface processes such as landslides and the presence of regolith a dusty material formed over a long time by the shattering of rock by cosmic rays and micrometeorites, bolster confidence in this theory. Rosetta is now in hibernation till 2014, but its data should help us have a clearer picture of the nature of bodies involved in planetary formation.

Yay for science!

By Emma Thomas, Science & Tech Team

21 Lutetia compared to some notable asteroids and Near-Earth objects. Up until July 2011, Lutetia was the largest asteroid ever visited by mankind. Photo Credit: NASA/ESA

ey, you! Yeah, you. I see you. Dont you run away to the other page just because you dont understand science. You think its a realm of single, white-haired, bespectacled men who speak a language that may as well be Babylonian for all the sense it makes. No. Science affects us all and while we may not understand the complex formulas involved that doesnt mean we cant explore the fascinating facts and history behind it. Take James Simpson, who, with his assistants, sniffed a beaker full of an

unknown chemical. They collapsed in a heap around the table much to the surprise of the housekeeper. What had they discovered? It was chloroform. Initially a breakthrough in the history of anesthetics, it is now popularly used in movies as a way of abducting people. Be careful though! Inhaling too much is lethal. There we go. Youve learnt something. If a masked man grabs you from behind and puts a cloth over your mouth dont scream. Try and kick him (or her) in the privates and run. Physics is equally engaging. Taking an interest in the subject also prevents you from being a hysterical idiot who, no thanks to the tabloids, runs around thinking that were all

going to die from a Black Hole Machine or that the plot of the film 2012 will actually happen. Physics makes you feel smarter when you can watch QI and go: Yes. I knew that. I knew that if you drop a bullet and fire a gun horizontally they will both hit the floor at the same time. Ah, Biology - often considered the softer option but by no means less intriguing. Just look at all the weird and wacky creatures around you, a.k.a. your friends. You also learn that not all bacteria are synonymous with villainy and they dont all live in yoghurts either. You can find many on your very skin. Then theres the extremophile, a type of

microbe which can live in extreme conditions (creative name) such as the Alkaliphile. Try googling the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia. As well as being a home for the Alkaliphile it also becomes, when it rains, one of the largest mirrors on Earth. Thats the beauty of science. If you dont believe me you can research these things yourself and dont forget about the others: Psychology, sociology and things ending in -ology also count. After all, science (scientia) is Latin for knowledge. Now dont you feel clever? So throw away your misconceptions and regardless of gender get stuck in!

The Stag |

8th November 2011

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

19

This two-day event is open to all Surrey PGRs and is designed to showcase the best of the University of Surrey's postgraduate research, celebrating multi-disciplinary research. Along with providing a unique opportunity for postgraduates to present their work, within a learning environment, it is aimed to encourage cross-faculty interaction and collaboration.

Sceptics climate change argument doubtful

31st January & 1st February 2012 Austin Pearce Building

For further information on this event you can check out our website: www.surrey.ac.uk/pgrconference/

By Melissa Raske, Science & Tech Team

The evolution of epidemics

By Lawrence Finn, Science & Tech Team

ethal viruses wreaking havoc: weve all seen the films! Scientists have long suspected that viruses like HIV are most likely to spread between closely related species, an idea now backed by the recent findings of a group of Cambridge and Edinburgh researchers but why the trend? Dr Frank Ryan at the University of Sheffield proposes that transmission is all part of a mutualistic relationship between host and virus. Its obvious what the virus gains: a new means of satisfying the evolutionary drive to reproduce. With similar vulnerabilities, a closely related species can be all too easy to infect. Yet how does the host benefit? Given time, the host comes to tolerate but still carries the virus, having gained a formidable new weapon. How better to up your

survival odds than by unleashing a deadly virus on the competition! Having thought to have originated from the simian immunodeficiency virus found in our closest relativethe chimpanzee, it is possible that Were seeing the same thing with HIV, argues Ryan. Yet the research team also revealed that viruses are quite capable of making quantum leaps between entirely unrelated species, depending on their evolutionary history. Thankfully, our species has a battery of immune defences- from stomach acid to the antibacterial enzymes in our tears. Yet suppose we had a distant relative that hadnt evolved such defences since we went our separate ways. They would be a hotspot for many of the viruses that infect us. It is thanks to such research, that were now a step closer in restricting new epidemics to the big screen!

or years those sceptical of climate change have claimed that a global rise in temperature is normal and has been happening throughout history. However a recently published study by Professor Svante Bjrk, a climate researcher at Lund University in Sweden, shows that simultaneous warming events of the northern and southern hemispheres have not occurred periodically over the past 20,000 years. He says What is happening today is unique from a historical geological perspective. Professor Bjrk has completed a comprehensive study of research publications that go through the global climate archives and document climate events since the end of the last Ice Age. The results show that when one hemispheres temperature rises the others either drops or remains

unchanged. An example of this occurrence is the last clear change in climate which was between 1600 and 1900 and known as the Little Ice Age. During this time Europe experienced some of its coldest centuries, however there is no evidence of any change in the Southern hemisphere. There are numerous examples similar to this throughout the climate archives which have accumulated data by using samples of glacier ice as well as marine and lake sediments to show how temperature, precipitation and the composition of atmospheric gases change over

the centuries. The only global changes in history were caused by an external influence on the climate system, for instance a volcanic eruption that causes ash to spread all around the world. Similarly, todays raised levels of green house gases can be seen as the external influence that is causing an increase in global temperature. Based on the evidence his study provides, Professor Bjrk stated that We must see todays global warming as an exception caused by human influence on the Earths carbon cycle.

Interim findings of malaria vaccine seem hopeful

By Kate McAtamney, Science & Tech Team

he RTS,S clinical team have recently reported very promising findings in the New England Journal of Medicine of their phase 3 trial of the malaria vaccine. The RTS,S vaccine has been in development for the past 25 years, and is the subject of the largest malaria vaccine study including almost 15,500 infants across seven African countries. The group have found that the number of infants in the experimental condition who went on to develop malaria was 56% lower than the control

group who had been given a dummy vaccine. The children in the experimental condition still developed malaria, but they suffered from fewer and less severe bouts; for every 1000 children in the experimental condition there were 750 cases of malaria 12 months following vaccination, whereas there were 1500 cases of malaria for every 1000 children in the control group. The overall chances of developing serious malaria dropped to 46% following vaccination. These findings show that the vaccine has the potential to reduce the impact of malaria on peoples lives and to reduce the

burden on hospitals. As the vaccine is not yet 100% effective, it will have to be used in conjunction with existing preventative measures, such as bed nets and insecticide spraying. The World Health Organisation has said that if the results continue to be this promising, the vaccine could be ready for more general use by 2015. However there are concerns about whether there will be adequate funding for large-scale vaccination, as donors may choose to invest in existing measures and wait for a 100% effective vaccine.

US ends Cold War nuke programme

By Dave Holcombe, Science & Tech Team

The cold steel shell of a Cold War atomic bomb: the last B53 has been dismantled by the United States.

n the 25th October this year in Texas, the last of the Cold War-era B53 nuclear bombs was dismantled 22 years after the collapse of the Berlin wall and with it the threat of Communism on the West. The reason it has taken so long for all of these 1960-era bombs to be dismantled is due to the dated methods and technology used to construct them. The majority of the scientists and engineers behind the B53 have since become deceased or have

retired. Despite the challenges facing the NNSA (National Nuclear Security Administration), all B53 nuclear bombs were broken down 12 months ahead of schedule. This signified the end of the Cold Warera nuclear deterrent. This is all part of President Obamas drive to reduce Americas arsenal of nuclear weapons. In doing so he hopes that the rest of the world will also follow in reducing nuclear weapon stockpiles until no such weapon exists. The bomb is said to be 600 hundred times more destructive

than that of the bomb that was dropped in Hiroshima during WWII. It weighed around 10,000lb which in the metric system is approximately 4.5 tonnes and was the size of a minivan. The NNSA have separated around 300lb of explosives from the uranium pit. The sole purpose of the bomb was to destroy bunkers which were underground. It did this by gently landing on the ground above the target bunker, aided by five parachutes, and then detonating with a 9 megaton explosion, simulating an earthquake.

NASSNews

geograph

20 DANCE & THEATRE

The Stag |

8th November 2011

dancetheatre@thestagsurrey.co.uk

Dance & Theatre

O
By Tiffany Stoneman, Dance & Theatre Team

How to be Happy
ne would imagine that a man who wrote a book entitled How to Be Happy would be a guru of finding joy amongst lifes anxious moments. However, Paul is in the same miserable state as the rest of the world. Writer and director David Lewis new play looks into what truly makes us happy and provides an intuitive insight into the psychological nature of frontroom conversations of the middle-class. Sam Dowsons black and white set provides an ironic backdrop as the characters struggle with the grey areas of life and several messy relationships. Paul Kemp takes the writers role as grumpy misanthropist, yet is both a completely dislikeable character and 100% relatable his fluctuating desperation and frustration are relevant to all. Kemp taps in to that dormant feeling of suppression, expressing our thoughts in a way that is not patronising but rather liberating. Similarly, Kate Miles Emma is difficult to watch for she gives a complex character real heart as a divorcee struggling with a technology-obsessed husband and moody teenager, and constantly at odds with her ex Paul. You cannot envy people in such circumstances, yet Miles gives a stark picture of her private moments on the sofa; the things we never let others see. Kate Lamb was a very strong teenage Daisy without being condescending, and Carolyn Backhouse showed hints of sitcom in Katy a woman playing a part in the face of impending poverty, necessary and well performed. Steven Elder is the most subtle as Graham who is always trying to appease Emma in spite of her anger and stubbornness. The audience is drawn to him and his final exit is wholly acceptable as we watched him find no peace in his home. How to Be Happy is realism at its best, whilst making great use of the Orange Tree space by creating split scenes over the mutual sofa in a way that never detracted from the speech. Lewis evidently has a real talent for picking on life and recreating it with ease, making this play both enjoyable and enlightening to an audience of any age.

Review: KathakBox by Sonia Sabri

By Sarah McDowell, Dance & Theatre Team

n the 26th October, Ivy Arts Centre re-welcomed to the stage Sonia Sabri Company, with their new work, KathakBox. The audience witnessed a true collaboration of classical Kathak repertoire, with other art forms such as beatboxing, hip hop and contemporary. Although Kathak is often seen as just a dance form, Sabri sees it as an entire art form and a way of life. Kathaks direct translation is story teller; Sabri uses this meaning to experiment with the individual artists, to challenge them to tell their own story through their own style. Throughout the piece, Sabri addresses issues of identity: at the beginning, a dancer is confused as to which box she must tick when selecting her ethnicity. Her short movement phrases convey different cultured personas, for example to portray the British she stays very upright in her torso, while performing delicate arm gestures. Sabri is addressing the fact that as the country gets more multi-cultural, it also gets more segregated. In an interview, Sabri discusses her theory of changes through adaptation, where she believes in not forcing a style on a body that is not accustomed to it, but that over time, one form can rub off on another, just like ones characteristics may rub off on another in social situations. This is transferable to her dance practise, where different styles can rub off on dancers of differing techniques as they rehearse together. Sabris choice for the collaboration with hip hop was due to its similar structural links to Kathak. The use of Beat Boxing within the piece was a stylistic choice as it tries to achieve the same musical qualities as Classical Kathak in mimicking the sounds of the instruments through the use of voice. Beat boxing plays a massive part in KathakBox, as the recital of Kathak syllables can be seen as a form of beat boxing. This is what the dance repertoire is mostly preformed to throughout with an equally close relationship to the rhythms. Through portraying Sabris thoughts and ideologies she has presented an evening of entertainment whilst encouraging the audience to be active thinkers and change the face of Kathak in a modern British society.

David Andrews

Your fortnightly guide to the Arts at Surrey

his Wednesday, The Ivy Arts Centre brings you an inspiring new choreographer, James Wilton, with an evening of two exciting dance pieces. The first, Cave, presents an exploration of our own perceptions of reality, whilst the second, Falling Unknown is a duet exploring self-sacrifice. Wilton, who is claimed to be the next Hofesh Schechter, is a young, upcoming choreographer who displays explosive pieces, combining the precision of martial arts with the freedom and energy of break dance. Beginning his choreographic career as a student at London Contemporary Dance School, James Wilton has leapt onto the choreographic dance scene and is constantly growing in both popularity and the results of his work. Dont miss out on this fantastic opportunity to see his work right on our door step at an unbelievable price!

This fortnights Dance and Theatre Highlight: When: Wednesday 9th November, Where: Ivy Arts Centre How much? 10 (8 senior citizens; 5 students)

James Wilton

The Stag |

8th November 2011

DANCE & THEATRE

21

Fantastic workshop opportunity: Rambert Dance Company

By Kerri Leybourne, Dance & Theatre Team

n Saturday 19th November, Rambert Dance Company, one of the countrys leading contemporary dance companies, are offering anyone aged 18 or over and in full time dance training the opportunity to take part in a oneoff workshop. The workshop is a professional master class, taught by a dancer from the company on Sadlers Wells Stage. For just 12, you can dance on one of the nations most famous stages and learn some outstanding professional repertoire.
To book your place or for more information please call 020 8630 0615 or email either of the following:

5 shows for 15
By Emily Bourne, Dance & Theatre Team

Eric Richmond

learning@rambert.org.uk OR kerri.leybourne@rambert.org. uk

REVIEW: Blood Brothers

By Lee-Anne Gough, Dance & Theatre Team

ts a bright new day! chime the cast, and its a bright new future for Guildfords new entertainment venue GLive as they open their doors for their first musical: Blood Brothers by Willy Russell. As red lights descend over the audience, you know its going to be a rollercoaster show. Blood Brothers tells the story of the Johnstone twins, Mickey and Eddie, who are separated at birth. It follows the course their lives take in living on opposite sides of the tracks, and the consequences which arise when they are reunited. It is a strong story with interesting themes of class and motherhood; although the songs are great, they do not drive the story like many musicals and its pleasant to think that if they were taken out, we would still be left with a heart-wrenching tale. X-Factor 2007 finalist Niki Evans shone as the twins mother Mrs Johnstone, a noble woman with seven children and little income. She had warmth and charm and her facial expressions towards Eddie the son she gave away are subtle yet heartbreaking. Tracy Spencer was chilling as the constantly paranoid Mrs Lyons, Eddies mother, always afraid that her son is going to discover the truth. In my opinion, these two characters are the best representations of independent women in musical theatre and the two actresses played them perfectly. My favourite character, however, is still the Narrator. A haunting omniscient presence on the stage, whether he is in the corner barely seen or looming on the balcony like a puppeteer, he is an intriguing figure. I felt that Craig Price as the Narrator could have been more dominating and there were times when he kept pausing between words. This had me thinking he had forgotten his lines rather than using dramatic emphasis. Nonetheless, it is the best show for seeing grown actors convincingly pretend to be seven year olds and Sean Jones and Chris Carswell as the brothers had adorable

innocence but seamlessly matured in the second half. Have you ever heard the story of the Johnstone twins? the Narrator asks, and I personally believe you will want to.

y friends and I are always talking about going to the theatre, but when we add up tickets and travel and food it can often get a bit too pricey, especially on our student budgets. So Ive been doing a bit of research and heres my list of five great shows to see this month, all for only fifteen pounds or less! 1) One Man, Two Guvnors The Adelphi Theatre 12 Gavin and Staceys James Corden stars in this hilarious retelling of Carlo Goldinis play A servant to two masters. 2) Tales from a Sea Journey PATS Dance Studio 7 On the 30th November, the award winning theatre company New International Encounter will be leading the audience on a journey through different stories about life at sea, with an exciting blend of physical theatre and live music. 3) 13 The National Theatre from 12 (or only 5 if you have an Entry Pass card!) A play set in modern-day London, on a morning when the population wakes up from an identical, horrifying dream... 4) Henry V Yvonne Arnaud Theatre 15 One of Shakespeares most famous plays is being performed by the theatre company Propeller, described by the Guardian as mixing a rigorous approach to the text with a modern physical aesthetic. 5) The Westbridge Royal Court Theatre 20 (but all tickets are only 10 on a Monday!) Set in South London, this is a play about racial and social divides looked at from a humorous point of view.

Jellimans Gems:
Dancing in all its forms cannot be excluded from the curriculum of all noble education; dancing with the feet, with ideas, with words, and, need I add that one must also be able to dance with the pen? Friedrich Nietzsche

22 FILM

The Stag |

8th November 2011

film@thestagsurrey.co.uk

Film
Never Let Me Go
ever Let Me Go is a heart-wrenching British drama about the concept of life, love and heartbreak. It tells the story of three young people, whom we come to learn are actually clones; raised in a strict boarding school, they are trained to become future organ donors. The film centres on the bitter realisation that these characters will have their lives cut short and die before they are even middle aged. The plot follows the character of Cathy, a charming and kind-hearted young girl with a schoolgirl crush on Tommy. However, her best friend Ruth steals him away, along with any other chances of Cathy being able to find a genuine romantic happiness, as Tommy was the only boy she ever loved. The story is not one to give away, but with each character we come across the audience feels a stroke of bitter hopelessness: that their fates are sealed and unchangeable. Even the power of love appears unable to save them from their haunting reality. All three main characters deliver an extraordinary performance and the character of Ruth is portrayed perfectly by Keira Knightley, who is the movies anti-hero and melancholy villain. This film is highly emotional, and can teach whoever watches it a thing or two about living life to the full. The end of the film is beautifully written and certain quotes stick in your head for the rest of the day. Cathy, at the end of the film, asks whether her fate is really much different from those who will receive her organs: "We all complete. Maybe none of us really understand what we've lived through or feel we've had enough time.

By Tiffany Tucker, Film Editor

Paranormal Activity 3
By Tiffany Tucker, Film Editor he inevitable third installment of Paranormal Activity failed to disappoint, with chilling and suspenseful moments, terror and intrigue. Before watching the movie, I made sure I had no conscious predictions. High expectations for a horror film usually result in a bitter disappointment, and I was slightly disenchanted after Paranormal Activity 2, which only made me jump on the mere occasion - perhaps it didnt help that I watched it one evening when bored at home. However, Paranormal Activity 3 had me enticed in a gripping daze of fear. The fact I watched it in the cinema had much to do with this: with the big screen and surrounding darkness, it was an atmosphere that encouraged fright and panic. The film takes us back to the

year 1988, where it all began. Katie (Chloe Csengery) and Kristi (Jessica Tyler Brown) are ordinary, happy sisters living in seemingly peaceful suburbs, who become the target of the ghostly presence named Toby. After initial spooky things start to happen within the household, step dad Dennis (Christopher Nicholas Smith) sets up cameras around the house to capture footage for real evidence. Then we encounter the real scare: for most of the film, Toby interacts with the two young sisters. While it starts off rather tame, older sister Katie soon becomes the main target of attack, and the outbreaks become terrifying. There is just the right amount of moments that have the potential to make you jump out of your skin, and the film leads up to an exciting climax where youre itching to find out what happens.

Being a prequel, its interesting to discover how it all began and thats where the storyline fails to let audiences down. The only frustrating part of the film would be the mothers failure to understand what is going on in her house her poor daughters are caught up in a torturous game, which she has no idea about. The fact that her husband fails to do more in regards to notifying her of the chilling presence of Toby, which he has caught on camera, is equally as infuriating. Aside from that, both young girls give an exceptional performance and the film manages to add vast terror and shock perhaps to make up for the somewhat absent fright of the first two films!

The Stag |

8th November 2011

FILM

23

We Need to Talk About Kevin

It goes without question that this is Swintons film her constant struggles matched with courage are both heartbreaking and admirable. Eva is the central character, appearing in every single scene of the film, none of which are easy viewing. Ramsay even goes to the lengths of using the colour red in every scene, a motif for the horrific events that have occurred in the past and a constant reminder of the horror that prevents Eva from being able to move on. From the ball she uses to play with Kevin when he is a toddler to the red lampshade in the lounge on a lonely Christmas morning, Eva constantly carries her sons actions around with her, taking the sadness up another few notches. Swintons performance is perfectly matched by Ezra Miller, who plays the teenage Kevin. Gorgeous but repellent, he epitomises evil, not caring who he hurts or how he does it. Hes the teenage Damien Thorn a parents worst nightmare, and someone you pray not to go to school with. When it comes to his mother, its all about toying with her emotions and making her constantly on edge. Nothing gives Kevin greater joy than watching his mother squirm. A boy of few words, the crooked smile speaks a thousand words; another nail has been nailed into Evas coffin, and Kevin wont stop until shes trapped with no escape. Its this contrast of innocence and corruption that make We Need To Talk About Kevin not only a hard film to watch, but also surprisingly hypnotic you want to stop watching this grim tale, but are enticed by Kevins next move and its implications. Itll be no surprise if Swinton is one of the frontrunners for Best Actress during the upcoming awards season, although both her and Miller deserve equal recognition for their flawless performances.

Made in Dagenham
By Candice Ritchie, Film Team

By Mia Reid , Film Team

ionel Shrivers 2003 novel We Need to Talk About Kevin had everything going for it to make it an instant hit. The premise, a high school massacre involving a sociopathic teenage boy, and its perspective, that of the killers mother, told through a series of letters to her estranged husband. A book not only accessible to many, but one with intellect, it was no wonder that it garnered critical acclaim (Shriver herself winning the Orange Prize in 2005, and becoming a book club favourite). We Need to Talk About Kevin was a successful, thought-provoking Thriller and study into what makes a child go bad, and what subsequently are the consequences for the parents of children like Kevin. This undeniably had potential to be a profound and gritty film, with one exception the structure. The epistolary style was the foundation for creating a rising crescendo into the books dramatic climax, leaving its biggest punch until the very end. Readers experience Evas (Kevins mother) life before and after the massacre, and this obviously couldnt work in a film adaptation. But the vision of Lynne Ramsay and screenwriting collaboration with husband Rory Kinnear turn a previously unfilmable novel into an independent cinematic wonderland using meticulous cuts and frames, as well as opting for a just-under-two-but-feelslike-four hour running time. Ramsay replaces letter writing with flashbacks to unfold a story of truly horrific events, juxtaposing them with the grim aftermath experienced by Eva, played by the always excellent Tilda Swinton.

ave you ever wanted to be one of those people who changed history? Rita OGrady was one, and a significant one at that. Set in the decade of revolution that is the sixties, Made in Dagenham tells the story of the fight for womens rights, and the culmination of the Equal Pay Act in 1970. As factory workers for Fords car plant in Dagenham, the miniscule group of women are appalled when the head office re-grades them unskilled. Responsible for creating the interior of Ford cars, the women believe they are entitled to at least a semi-skilled title, and the wages that go with it. However, after an immediate 24-hour stoppage, and planning on extending their strike, they soon realise that the only reason they receive less pay is because of their gender. Women will always be paid less than men. As uproar ascends amongst the machinists, Sally Hawkins (Calendar Girls) stars as protagonist OGrady, who takes lead of the revolution to fight for womens equality. Demonstrating a passionate, enthusiastic

and powerful character, Hawkins absorbs the role perfectly. With 187 women (as opposed to 55,000 men) working for Ford in 1968, and women having never been on strike before, Fords leading males are intent on ignoring their complaints; such a fight seems improbable. However, when OGrady gathers together the entire population of Fords women machinists across Britain, and a permanent stoppage is initiated, she causes the mens workload to descend significantly and the impact upon the Ford Company is striking. As relationships become strained, the cost of living grows difficult and friendships are questioned, the strike certainly proves a fierce battle. A heartwarming and truly inspirational story, Made in Dagenham proves that anything is possible if you stand up for what you believe in. Bringing a tear to my eye, it definitely left a lasting impression on me, and even made me want to make history myself - especially for women! Out now on DVD.

Retreat
By Laura Howard , Film Team

An exceptionally good film, which is equally as haunting and hard to swallow as the novel its based on. It wont appeal to everyone, and its not something youll want to watch again for a long while, but it deserves recognition due to its fine performances and direction.

VERDICT:

ost end-of-the-world disaster films are large budget Hollywood affairs. This British offering is no special effects frenzy, but it still manages to hit the mark. Retreat stars Cillian Murphy and Thandie Newton as Martin and Kate, a couple who decide to revisit a picturesque island in order to patch up their failing marriage. However, they soon realise that its not the idyllic retreat that they signed up for. Staying in a cottage without electricity, they start to become anxious when their CB radio cuts out, leaving them completely isolated from the mainland. Things take a turn for the worse when an injured soldier appears on the island, claiming that there has been an outbreak of a deadly airborne virus. The only chance of survival, he says, is for the three of them to barricade themselves inside the cottage. But his erratic and violent behaviour leads the couple to question whether or not he's telling the truth. Are they being protected or held captive? Despite starting out as a low budget project,

Retreat has established itself as a high-quality film. The claustrophobic cottage is the perfect setting for a tense and disturbing tale, and, from the cast of three main characters, the acting is superb. However, there are some faults to the movie. The plot is not always convincing and, in the shadow of 28 Days Later, its not entirely original. But in spite of this, Retreat remains an engaging and intriguing film to watch. Overall, this is a solid thriller which doesn't disappoint.

24 LITERATURE

The Stag |

8th November 2011

literature@thestagsurrey.co.uk

Literature
HALLOWEEN COMPETITION: WINNERS ANNOUCED!
T
hank you to everyone who entered! We had so many impressive and accomplished entries, which made it very hard to pick a winner. The quality was so high that three runners up were chosen: Tessa Heenan, Darren Diedrich and Stephanie Davies! Paul Vlitos feedback will be emailed to you shortly. However, one piece really shone through and that was Let Your Hair Down by Danielle Coombs! A big well done to Danielle and dont spend your five pound voucher all at once! Here is Danielles piece for you to read: The thought makes her cry. She draws her knees to her chest and wails into her jeans, choking on spit and snot and grief. This can't possibly have happened. The denim of her jeans is mottled when she finally raises her head again. She gathers her courage and goes to the window to look out, but no trace of her stepmother remains. The zombies shamble between the wrecks of cars and claw at the foot of the tower as usual, wearing their fingers and teeth away on the stone. Light rain falls. Rapunzel, her face scrubbed clean for a second time, sits by the open window as she brushes her hair and looks out over the hills. In the distance she can see where the ruined city gives way to empty fields. The crops have gone wild and bleed between fences and hedgerow. Yellow rapeseed streaks partway along a field that once contained her namesake in tidy rows. The sight is familiar, but it takes on a new destitution now she's alone. She might be the last person left in the whole world. She'll grow old here in this desolate tower and deny the zombies her bones. The zombies become more docile in the rain; the smell is not so bad. Rapunzel watches them drift through the shattered streets. She remembers her twelfth birthday and how fast she and her stepmother ran to reach the tower, and wonders if she'd be able to run that fast again. The weight of her hair is unbearable. She feels dizzy when she stands. There are black starbursts in her vision, and when they clear nothing looks entirely real. It could be the rain. She packs some clothes, a lighter, a little food, and hangs her stepmother's hatchet at her belt. Lastly she takes the dressmaking scissors and chops off her hair above her ears, leaving it glinting like a golden rope on the floor as she lowers the knotted bedsheets from the window.

Potlatch: Surrey's creative magazine

P
otlatch is a fun new magazine set up last year to showcase the creative talents of Surrey students and staff alike. We accept writing of all genres, as well as photography and artwork, so this is a chance for all you creative types to have your work displayed both in print and online. Categories: prose, poetry, script, photography. We accept submissions from staff and students alike.

Extract from Let Your Hair Down:

A week after Rapunzel turns sixteen, her stepmother jumps from the tower. Rapunzel knows not to look over the edge, but she does it anyway. Below, the zombies groan and lick her stepmother's splattered brains from the pavement. The body disappears quickly beneath matted hair and bloated flesh slipping over slick bones. Rapunzel loses her grip on the windowsill and falls to her knees. She vomits onto the tiles. It's been a long time since she puked in horror, and she'd thought she was immune to revulsion by now. Her eyes and throat burn. After a minute or two she gets to her feet and goes to the water tank. She feels disjointed, distanced from a competent self that fills a bucket and mops up the vomit. The sick smell lingers alongside the usual stench of rotten meat, and she flings the filthy water and rag out of the window before returning to the water tank to wash her hands, face, hair. She uses twice her normal shampoo ration; her stepmother won't need it any more.

Rules:
- Only one submission per category for the print issue. - Print issue limitations: Prose/scripts should not exceed 500 words in length. Poems should not exceed sixteen lines. - Online issue limitations: Prose/scripts should not exceed 5000 words in length. Poems should not exceed fifty lines. - Submissions must be sent as attachments to potlatch.editors@gmail. com. - All text submissions must be in plain text (.txt) format. - Deadline for the print issue is 19th December 2011. Submissions for the online issue will be accepted year-round.

Congratulations to Danielle! Dont forget to keep an eye out for more competitions...

To join the mailing list or sign up to help with the committee, contact potlatch.editors@gmail.com. The next meeting will be in November.

Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro

I
By Becky Richmond, Literature Team magine a world where a cure for cancer is readily available. Sounds great, doesnt it? But what if the vital organs you need for the cure were taken from a living person who was born and bred to forcibly donate them? Kazuo Ishiguros novel Never Let Me Go is an entertaining and heart-touching read. Yet, it also forces the reader to consider the idea of mass production of clones for medical uses. The novel forces the reader to consider why were here, and what our purpose in life is. Kathy, Tommy and Ruth (the protagonists) are just three of the students who grew up at Halisham, a school for students who will grow up to become carers of those donating and then eventually become donators themselves. Kathy and Tommy become best friends at a young age when they begin to discover the truth about where they come from and why theyre alive. Also, whilst not obviously a classically romantic couple, Tommy and Kathys relationship grows as they leave Halisham. Ruth is jealous of this relationship and becomes an obstacle to it. Mark Romaneks film adaptation portrays Kathy and Tommys relationship differently to the book; theyre very obviously in love from a young age in the film. (Check out our film review pg. ) However, this is not the purity that I think a lot of readers will appreciate from the love story. As Kathy relives her younger life, looking back as a 31-year old, we get an insight into what it must feel like to have your life mapped out for you. This is sometimes that the reader cannot relate to, yet the strength of Ishiguros writing allows us to empathsize with the characters. I enjoyed the book so much because there were so many themes I could relate to: relationships, friendships and loss. These signs of normality are juxtaposed the reminder that these clones are bred for donation. This novel had me thinking for days afterwards and I can guarantee this isnt a book Ill forget for a while. Definitely 10 out of 10!

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8th November 2011

LITERATURE

25

Anonymous: To be or not to be?

Any Human Heart, by William Boyd

By Raisa Joseph, Picture Editor

his novel first came to my attention when Channel 4 broadcast four episodes based on it. I watched the series which lead me to buy the book last summer. Reading the opening prologue immediately swung my preference to the written piece over the television adaptation, mainly because of the style in which Boyd writes. The novel, titled after Henry James quote Never say you know the last word about any human heart, consists of nine journals kept by Logan Mountstuart (1906-1991). While Logan is a fictional character, the inspiration came to Boyd from reading Cyril Connellys journals from the 1920s. He spent four years researching and writing these intimate journals which track the different stages in Logans life. Over the course of Logans life we see him as a writer, spy, prisoner of war, and newspaper

salesman, to name a few of his occupations. Each man we see is a different self that forms a part of the whole. He isnt perfect; his flawed personality is exemplary of the human condition. Boyd says that he tried to depict in Logan the true man of the 20th Century. We see both his loves and his kindnesses, his shame and his personal tragedies, as we live his life with him. The journal style is crucial to the influence the text has over the reader. Boyd is not the first to write in this way, but he does exceptionally well. A text in journal form has to be in the moment and without hindsight. There are sections of omission and forgetfulness, and musings on Logans inner most thoughts. This technique along with the clever placing of real people in their historical context (Virginia Woolf, Picasso and the Duke of Windsor, for example) makes the whole book believable. A good read for anyone who keeps a journal themselves.

By Tessa Heenan, Literature Team

riters throughout history have used pseudonyms, also known as pen names, when publishing their work and still do so. When looking at famous writers in history, trying to prove their identity and authenticate their writing with no proof is a complicated matter. Director Roland Emerichs new film Anonymous looks at just that. Was Shakespeare a fraud? Anonymous (out 28th October) is a controversial view on the identity of William Shakespeare. It speculates that Billy didnt write his works but follows the Oxfordian theory, that the true author of Shakespeares work was an English nobleman named Edward De Vere. There have been several other theories that question Shakespeares authenticity, some believe that he was in fact a woman; others suppose that it was a group of writers publishing under a collective name. The problem, however, lies in that most of the theories surrounding Shakespeares identity cannot be proven. Doubt about the man from Stratford-upon-Avon is reasonable though, could one man really have written 37 plays, 157 sonnets and introduced over 1700 words to the English Language in a life spanning just 52 years? Does speculation around the author change the way we think about his work? The words are still the same, of course. If anything, surely this ambiguity adds to the romanticism surrounding Shakespeares work? We may never know for sure the truth about Billy Shakespeares true identity, but can this film really change the way we think about a key part of English Literary Heritage, or is it all much ado about nothing?

Left to right: Matthew Macfadyen, Jim Broadbent and Sam Claflin as Logan Mountstuart throughout his life in Channel 4s adaptation of Any Human Heart, By William Boyd.

Sun, Sex and Suspicious Journalism

By Tom Goulding, Deputy Editor

t was the kind of town that made you feel like Humphrey Bogart: you came in on a bumpy little plane, and, for some mysterious reason, got a private room with a balcony overlooking the town and the harbor; then you sat there and drank until something happened. I felt a tremendous distance between me and everything real. As Johnny Depp returns to cinemas as Hunter S. Thompson in The Rum Diary this week, movie revelers and literary buffs alike will be celebrating Bruce Robinsons adaptation of the late writers lesser-known work. Lauded for his surreal journalistic style of writing known as Gonzo, Hunter S. Thompson was the subversive voice of Nixon-era America, satirizing the cynicism that prevailed following the collapse of Sixties counterculture. His most infamous

novel, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, is a drug-fuelled blend of fact and hedonistic extravagance that has since become a cult classic and hit film directed by Terry Gilliam. Written some years before Thompson gained his notorious reputation, The Rum Diary tells the story of Paul Kemp, an American journalist who takes a job on a daily newspaper in Puerto Rico. Kemp is soon seduced by the attractions of sun, surf and sex that in turn lead him down a road of romance, deceit and corruption. As Columbia University panel moderator Nicholas Lemann recently put it, the novel and film are as soaked and saturated in journalism as [they are] soaked and saturated in rum. The discovery and subsequent publication of The Rum Diary is a story worthy of Gonzo status in itself. Forgotten for almost forty years, Depp came across

the manuscript while living in Thompsons basement. Although rejected by publishers several times in the early Sixties, Depp was sure that if the pair waved enough whiskey bottles at people with thick wallets, the novel would see the light of day. In 1998, the novel received its audience, with the Mail on Sunday going so far as to call it a discovery of great literary importance. The fear of aging is a recurring theme throughout The Rum Diary, and a concern that plagued the then 22-year-old Thompsons mind. It is perhaps telling then, that the acclaimed author chose to take his own life in 2005, aged 67. The saying that it is better to burn out than fade away, is a rock star philosophy that many can admire from a safe distance. For a brief moment in time, Thompson was the rock star of the literary world, and The Rum Diary is a fitting reminder of where it all began.

Channel 4

26 MUSIC

The Stag |

8th November 2011

music@thestagsurrey.co.uk

Emerge NME Radar tour review - 18th October

Music

Review: Justice
By James Campbell, Music Team

Audio, Video, Disco.

T
hese two mischievous musical puppeteers have returned to run riot on the electronic scene, manipulating our oral perceptions and grasping this musical domain by the scruff of the neck. French firebrands DJs Gaspard Aug and Xavier de Rosnay of Justice are still able to give contenders, most notably Daft Punk, a run for their money, homing in on a sound that is as melodic as it is bombastic. Justice laid down the law with an arbitrary deluge of pock rock and electronica in 2007, flooding the global airwaves with the release of Cross. Four years down the line and the French provocateurs have re-emerged with Audio, Video, Disco, brandishing musical mesmerism that oozes freely from the records synthetic pores. Audio, Video, Disco is a demonstration of Justices musicality, and it is clear that their direction is toward progression not regression. Resembling a crazed pair of eccentric scientists, Aug, and de Rosnay, have breathed life into a somewhat theatrical magnum opus, sculptured and crafted with an array of ostentatious instruments and a conglomeration of mimicry rocky grooves from the big guns of the 70s and 80s. The album roars into life from the offset with the voluminous opening track Horsepower setting the pace, an aptly titled introduction that evokes the image of a histrionical standoff between Frank Zappa and Queen engaging in a raunchy rock showdown. Civilisation follows in hot pursuit, spawned as an amalgam of discordant chords, electronic fuzz and a catchy chorus that is bound to be a dance floor pleaser as is title track Audio Video Disco, an upbeat, robust number with grumbling guitar and snarling piano chords, complemented by the obtrusive notes of a grandiose baroque organ. Newlands treats us to punchy rock riffs and unrelenting piano chords complemented by oscillating snyth, reminiscent of the dogged driving force of Electric Light Orchestra and Super Tramp. Simultaneously, OnnOn will remind many of a revamped Zepplinesque Kashmir, encapsulating the outer worldly, transcendental sound of classic rocks founding fathers, teleporting listeners into a utopian world of synthetic sitars, spirited strings and quivering woodwind. The garbled Brain vision features a fluttering bassline, an undulating melody mnemonic of a flamboyant rendition of Franz Ferdinands Matinee. Simultaneously, Helix is a celestial piece, with overlapping guitar parts fluctuating synth and a tenacious battering of piano keys that brings the mysteries of the cosmos to our eardrums. For the albums denouement, Justices Planisphere bellows out of the speakers as a dystopic cacophony of intense noise, hypnotic pounding drums, screeching guitars and cavernous distortion that vehemently rages, howls, wails and clamours incessantly, culminating in a spine tingling turbulent musical orgy. Despite wreaking havoc on the tympanum for all the right reasons, it is unfortunately a little too long; seventeen minutes of intense aural battering doesnt make this track easy listening. Nevertheless, Justice inject some kind of musical sorcery into this epic, with a convulsing, beastly bass line and quivering, enchanting piano chords bordering on the gothic that is bound to seduce many. Although Audio, Video, Disco cannot be proclaimed as a truly innovative album, it is peppered with ample amounts of spice and attitude, making it an enjoyable and euphonious assortment of musical creativity. Needless to say, Justice has delivered a record that has a universal sound that will spread like contagion. Recommendable for rock n rollers and electro junkies alike!

By Liam Conroy, Music Team

he final night of the NME Radar Tour ended in style at Koko in good old Camden Town. Previous Radar Tours have introduced us to the likes of La Roux and Hurts, propelling them from obscurity to the playlists of Radio 1, so I was anticipating an education as well as a night of brilliant live music. I wasnt disappointed. DZ Deathrays opened the evening, unfortunately to a half empty room, with their own energetic take on thrash pop, but their sound was a whimper compared to the arrival of Niki & the Dove who look set to take the music industry by storm. Led by front woman Malin, simultaneously channeling the spirits of Kate Bush & Robyn, Niki & The Dove left the audience with stars in their eyes thanks to their heart-pounding electro-pop tunes and the eerie addition of zombified dancers. Fantastic tracks to look out for from Niki and The Dove include The Fox and DJ Ease My Mind. Definitely an artist to watch, and almost impossible not to, considering the vast quantities of glitter and gold! Up next was S.C.U.M. with a sound not too dissimilar to the recent album Skying from The Horrors. Tracks like Amber Hands and Whitechapel, which would not sound out of place on The Breakfast Club soundtrack, proved the

potential of this band. Extra credit must go to the charismatic lead singer Thomas Cohen for weaving around the stage with the grace of a psychotic Natalie Portman, keeping all eyes enthralled. He may be dating Peaches Geldof but dont hold that against him. Rightfully headlining the night was Wolf Gang, not to be confused with Odd Future Wolf Gang and their posse of deluded pre-teen groupies. Arriving on stage, front man Max McElligott owned the stage with killer catchy tracks like The King And All Of His Men that deserve to be publicly recognized and danced to in fields all over Britain next summer. The Supertramp-esque vocals and upbeat rhythms created the impression that Noah & The Whale could make similar music if they just loosened up a bit. Comparisons aside, Wolf Gang closed the night with the sort of euphoric celebration that a night of so much new talent deserves. The NME Radar Tour plays an important role in delivering brand new bands to music fans in some of the most intimate venues around the country. Before the arena tours come calling it is a fantastic opportunity to see some of the best new musical talent on offer. A musician is not an artist unless they can perform live and these four bands have proven their worth as future stars (take note, Britney). Bring on Radar 2012!

Audio Video Disco is on sale at ITunes for 7.99. Keep up to date with Justices latest movements and tour dates for the UK in 2012 at www. myspace.com/etjusticepourtous .

28 MUSIC

The Stag |

8th November 2011

music@thestagsurrey.co.uk

REVIEW: RADIOHEAD TKOL RMX 1234567

By Tom Mckeown, Music Team

ENJOY LIVE MUSIC LOCALLY

ot a free evening? Go out, grab a few drinks and enjoy some of the live music Guildford has to offer, you might find a new artist you love. Wednesday 9th November, 7:30 PM Fly This For Me Pop/Punk Free entry The Star Inn, Guildford Thursday 10th November, 7:30 PM Clearwood Acoustic/Alternative Entry 3 The Star Inn, Guildford Thursday 10th November, 7:30 PM Foreign Beggars, Subsource Acoustic/Folk Entry 15 The Boileroom, Guildford Friday 11th November 2011, 8:00 PM Us Fighting, Virgin Minnows. Indie/Alternative Entry 3 The Star Inn, Guildford Wednesday 16th November, 7:30 PM Mistys Big Adventure Indie Entry 7 The Boileroom, Guildford Sunday 20th November, 7:00 PM Brotherhood of the Lake, Golden Tanks, Ursa Major, Lucy T Rock/Metal/Hardcore Entry 5 The Star Inn, Guildford

emixes can be incredible, they open the door for outside artists to reinvent your favourite tracks with a good injection of electronica. In many cases this proves hugely successful, as seen with Linkin Parks tremendous remix of their debut as 2002s Reanimation or contemporary artist Skrillex (a.k.a ex-From First To Last front man: Sonny Moores) dubstep mixes of Lady Gaga, Twin Atlantic and Bring Me The Horizon. Unsurprisingly, Oxfordshires experimental alt-rockers: Radiohead, have joined the game with the release of their first remix album TKOL RMX 1234567. This record sees their eighth and arguably most experimental album: The King Of Limbs get given a very fitting remix treatment. The inspiration behind such a move, as vocalist and avid electronica fan Thom Yorke states, was, to see how the people I was listening to...would use what we gave them...how the songs could really branch out and mutate something he describes as healthy for music. The result however, is hard to say, as many of the remixes deviate so starkly from the originals (usually containing only fragments of the songs) so all that the listener is left with is a sonic overload of electronic waffle, with Give Up The Ghost

(Thriller Houseghost RMX) retaining nothing identifiable of the acoustic-based original. Most of the remixes follow a similar suit with the contributing artists throwing everything from harps, the sound of ping pong balls and all manner of electronic peculiarities into their mixes, adding very little and often outstaying their welcome. Despite this, tracks such as Bloom (Jamie XX Rework) from The XXs DJ: Jamie Smith, provides an enjoyably ambient and hypnotic piece, even though it only features whirls of nondescript vocals from the original. Such a move however may alienate fans of the original album as it contained a notably intricate and blended instrumentation, something completely lost in any of the remixes. It is however the occasional remixes that preserve the originals which are the most enjoyable, such as Lotus Flower (SBTRKT RMX), which strips down the busy energy of the albums lead single to a sober concoction of heartbeat bass and echoing vocals, before launching into danceable Prodigy-esque drums and fuzzfilled aqueous electronics. Similarly the fantastic Bloom (Harmonic 313 RMX) seemingly takes the track underwater while vocals blend with synths unidentifiably and culminate in an overpoweringly dark crescendo. It takes a very dedicated fan to listen

to an almost 2 hour long and 19 track album, particularly when the quality of the remixes are so variable and when plenty of the tracks clock up to 4-7mins each. Indeed this is a release very much for the Radiohead completest or lover of the electronic underground than the casual fan, whod do best instead to download the stronger remixes individually. A rather underwhelming collection, it seems Radiohead may have missed a trick with this one. Notable Tracks: Lotus Flower (SBTRCT RMX) Little By Little (Caribou RMX) Bloom (Harmonic 313 RMX) For Fans of: Radiohead, Jamie XX, Four Tet

Birdys got it covered

A
By Tanya Noronha, Music Team cover of a classic tune can make or break an artist. It seems to be a widely held view that too many covers are not advisable for an up and coming artist. Generally, the ability to write your own music grants you a higher level of respect. However, when the artist in question is balancing GCSEs with a burgeoning music career, you view the situation in a whole new light. Jasmine Van den Bogaerde, better known by her stage name, Birdy, began learning piano aged 6, and writing her own music aged 7. Her mother was a concert pianist, and this flair for music was clearly inherited, as aged 12 she won Open Mic UK, not only winning the under 18s category, but also the Grand Prize against 10,000 other competitors. She performed her own song So Be Free to secure this win and a contract with 14th Floor Records. However, it was the Bon Iver classic, Skinny Love which was to propel her career into the awareness of the general public. Covering a song is always difficult, as changing it beyond recognition incites hordes of angry fans to take an instant dislike to you, but you are still required to bring something new to the table. Skinny Love was a risky undertaking, based on Bon Ivers popularity, especially when performed with just vocals and piano. However, the risk paid off when Fearne Cotton, a Radio One DJ, chose the track as her Record of the Week. Due to this, a month or so later the track climbed its way into the UK Top 20. She was then invited to perform in Radio Ones Live Lounge a few months later. Understandably nervous, she nevertheless performed her second single Shelter and covered Ed Sheerans The A Team live. Her vocals and piano were flawless, her execution professional. She sounded far older than 15. Her first studio album, the selftitled Birdy, will be released on the 7th of November. The track listings include the three covers previously released as singles, including People Help The People, a Cherry Ghost cover. There is also mention of a Fleet Foxes cover, but I am personally most excited to hear her version of Young Blood by the Naked and Famous. The album admittedly still sticks to covers, with the exception of one original Birdy song. However, she has a gift for making a song her own. Her haunting vocals can give a song a new depth and meaning. I am curious to see how she interprets a wide range of covers, but based on what Ive seen so far this album will, Im sure, live up to the hype.

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8th November 2011

MUSIC

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A Band for all seasons: The Arctic Monkeys

By Elliot Tyers, Music Team

hey say that history repeats itself, and in terms of music this certainly rings true. Looking across the decades we can see patterns. Led Zep, The Who, The Smiths I could go on, they were all what Id call Bands of their Generation, huge acts that shaped the musical landscape around them. Recently Noel Gallagher released his first solo album with his band Noel Gallagher and the High Flying Birds, the albums pretty good and shows that Noel is a consistently brilliant songwriter but it struck something home for me. Oasis is dead. The biggest British band of the past 15 years is gone. And theyve left a void and one extremely pertinent question who is the band of this generation? Music now is perhaps, too fast and furious to allow an era-defining act to succeed. Everybodys looking for the next act of the moment. Bands are already out-dated by the second time you listen to them. Or maybe its just that we have too much variety to pin down a defining sound? The people who listen to the folk-ish twang of Mumford & Sons are just as open to the idea of skanking to Chase & Status. We have no real musical zeitgeist like the hard rock of Zep, or Britpop a la Oasis. Lets assume there is such an act that has the longevity, the sound and the swagger to be a band of our times, who are our contenders? Coldplay are a massive act at the moment, and with the release of their fifth studio album Mylo Xyloto theyre obviously lasting and successful. Yet, I cant imagine Chris Martin on the same level as the likes of Keith Moon and the Gallagher Brothers. His environmental activism and soft-rock sound is the sort of thing listened to by men who pee sitting down. Ill admit I enjoy Coldplay as something of a guilty pleasure, but they dont meet the grade. The Libertines had the potential, the raw sound of a gritty Britain, they even had the turbulent genius in the form of Pete Doherty and Carl Barat which looked like it would

Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner with his new rocker image match up the eternal genius of Morrisey and Marr. But they imploded under their internal tensions and drug habits. Enough swagger, passion and burning hot talent, but not the staying power, so theyre out of the equation. Maybe I should look further afield? The Horrors are a band that have moved sounds from scuzzy garage through shoegaze rock and their most recent album Skying was a mixture of dreamy pop and psychedelic influences. Theyre amazingly talented, but can you really imagine them writing anything which is just as out there good fun as Wonderwall. Something that will be sung drunkenly and badly by friends with arms around one another in clubs for the next decade or so? I dont think so. Biffy Clyro are a pretty serious contender, with every album I think theyre getting bigger and bigger. And like a British (or more specifically, Scottish) Foo Fighters, theyve honed the alternative rock sound into something that mass audiences love as well as die-hard genre fans. But for me, this generations band is the Arctic Monkeys. Just think about it. They were the first band to gain widespread acclaim across the internet with their first album, bringing in the world we live in now where we use the Internet more than the charts or radio to find new music. I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor is the kind of classic that still gets played regularly in clubs. Their first albums were a soundtrack to a night out for everyone, from those desperate to pull in Still Take You Home to those who have a girlfriend in a mood with them Mardy Bum. Their latest two albums have moved into darker, scuzzier psych-rock territory, and despite their musical progression theyre still keeping the same wit and popularity that characterised their earlier records, just look at Crying Lightning or Dont Sit Down Cause Ive Moved Your Chair as evidence of that. They are the Great British Band Of Our Generation (capitalisation intended) The witty lyrics of the Smiths, the swagger of Oasis, the rocking clatter of the Who, the constantly changing sound of the Beatles all in one brilliant made in Sheffield package.

OLD DOGS, NEW TRICKS: The Fireman Electric Arguments

By Dan Davison, Music Team

onsidering the theme of this series, touching upon the later career of a Beatle was arguably inevitable. With his recent marriage and upcoming November/December tour, it seems as appropriate a time as any to focus on Sir Paul McCartney. More specifically, we will be focusing on The Fireman. As I suspect that most readers are at this point asking who or what is The Fireman? allow me to bring you up to speed. In 1993, McCartney teamed up with record producer Martin Glover (aka Youth) to experiment in electronic

music. Under the moniker of The Fireman, the duo released their debut album Strawberries Oceans Ships Forest that same year, followed by Rushes in 1998. The subject of todays article is their third album, 2008s Electric Arguments. Those who read my previous review of Elton Johns Songs From the West Coast may recall me describing its creative approach as decidedly nostalgic. In several respects, Electric Arguments represents the opposite mentality. What McCartney set out to achieve with The Fireman was something truly unprecedented in his career and with Electric Arguments, he seems to have succeeded. There are two primary elements to Electric Arguments distinct sound. Firstly

is the approach to songwriting. Whilst McCartneys talent for melodies remains evident, for this album he adopted an improvisatory mindset akin to a painter flicking at a canvas. Secondly there is Youths ambient and psychedelic production, which lends the LP an almost ethereal atmosphere. The result of this is an album brimming with a vitality that belies McCartneys sexagenarian status. The opening rocker of Nothing Too Much Just Out of Sight warrants comparison to such McCartney classics as The Beatles Helter Skelter (1968) with its crashing guitars and dynamic vocals. Sing the Changes and Dance Till Were High are guaranteed to uplift on even the most monotonous days. Meanwhile,

the lushly textured Sun is Shining provides the perfect backdrop to a cloudless day. The closest the album comes to conventionality is the uptempo Highway, if only by virtue of having a discernable verse, bridge and chorus. Where one could potentially find fault with Electric Arguments is in its latter half, which becomes increasingly abstract in terms of song structure. As most of these tracks are over five minutes in length, one may well find that the LP begins to drag slightly, suggesting that a more concise approach would have proven beneficial. This is, however, a terribly minor complaint; what has been achieved by The Fireman is a genuinely innovative work of music. If there is

one album that can utterly discredit the popular perception of John and Paul as the avant-garde and popfriendly Beatles respectively, it would be Electric Arguments.

laviddichterman

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8th November 2011

sport@thestagsurrey.co.uk

BUCS Sports Results

Badminton
H Surrey Mens 2nd 8 vs 0 Kingston Mens 2nd

Squash
H Surrey Mens 1st H Surrey Mens 2nd 2 1 vs vs 3 2 Brunel Mens 1st Brunel Mens 2nd

Basketball
A Westminster Mens 1st H Surrey Womens 1st 58 48 vs vs 48 Surrey Mens 1st 42 City Womens 1st

Hockey
H Surrey Mens 1st A Brunel Mens 3rd H Surrey Womens 2nd 0 2 0 vs vs vs 2 1 0 Brunel Mens 2nd Surrey Mens 2nd Imperial Womens 2nd

Fencing
A Brunel Mens 2nd A Essex Womens 1st
135 76

vs vs

82 128

Surrey Mens 2nd Surrey Womens 1st

Football
A H A A Brunel Mens 2nd Surrey Mens 3rd Kingston Womens 1st Brunel Mens 5th 6 4 4 0 vs vs vs vs 0 3 2 2 Surrey Mens 1st Brunel Mens 5th Surrey Womens 1st Surrey Mens 4th

Tennis
H Surrey Mens 1st H Surrey Womens 1st 4 2 vs vs 8 Imperial Mens 1st 10 Brighton Womens 1st

Volleyball
A Essex Mens 1st A Royal Holloway Mens 1st A Sussex Mens 1st 0 0 0 vs vs vs 2 2 2 Surrey Mens1st Surrey Mens 1st Surrey Mens 1st

Rugby Union
H Surrey Mens 1st H Surrey Mens 2nd H SurreyWomens 1st 58 20 10 vs vs vs 0 Arts London Mens 1st 12 West London Mens1st 41 Herts Womens 1st

Netball
A Brunel 3rd H Surrey 2nd H Surrey 3rd 48 36 30 vs vs vs 38 Surrey 1st 25 Portsmouth 6th 11 Bucks New 3rd

Table Tennis
H Surrey Mens 1st 5 vs 12 Sussex Mens 1st

Cricket
A Solent H Surrey
1133 1205

Independent Results:
vs vs
1172 63

Surrey Salford

Ultimate Frisbee
Surrey 1st beat Roehampton, Essex, Brunel & Kent, coming 4th Surrey 2nd beat Brighton, UCL, Chichester, Sussex & Portsmouth, coming 21st Surrey 3rd beat KCL & Imperial, coming 30th

Surrey Lacrosse
N
ew? Experienced? Advanced? Then we need YOU. Lacrosse is now officially a sport at the University of Surrey and we are looking for anyone who is willing to give it a go. You dont have to be a professional to take part in this sport; its very easy to learn from beginner level. Lacrosse is one of the fastest growing sports on grass and it is becoming more and more popular in the UK amongst Universities so come and try it! This year we are keen to keep it mixed and sociable with fun sessions for all levels. No money is involved!

All information about future training and socials can be found on our Facebook page: University of Surrey Lacrosse

The Stag |

8th November 2011

SPORT

31

Surrey Goes Surfing

By Hannah Roberts Owen & Taila Hewitt, Sport Team

Surrey Surf and Wakeboard Club

of catching the waves, even if they werent quite managing to stand up yet! The waves at Towan beach were small but perfect for those needing a bit of practise, although not so ideal for the pros amongst us! Back at the lodge after some grub and much needed hot showers, we were handed surprise fancy dress outfits: bright orange convict boiler suits, lovingly hand customised with the USSW logo by the surf committee. From there the pub crawl commenced, every bar taken by surprise by the 72 tangoed criminals. Many people wanted to buy our outfits off us, the best offer being 20 and a clothes swap, which we refused of course! Each bar played different music to suit every taste, the most popular seeming to be Red Squares upstairs dubstep bar (despite the resident MC who apparently only knew how to say Yeah yeah yep, represent on the mic) which saw embarrassing skanking from everyone sorry guys! Getting up early on Sunday morning was made all the more difficult by the aches and pains of the previous days surfing, but all was forgotten as we walked down the hill towards the windswept Fistral beach and saw some sweet sets rolling in. The bigger waves gave everyone an opportunity to show off their skills: a perfect finale to the weekend. For those who didnt feel so fresh there was the option of a greasy fry up and a day of exploring Newquays shops, followed by Cafe Irie for Bob Marley chill out drinks. Thoroughly exhausted by the

hen the University of Surrey Surf and Wakeboarding club (or USSW for short) proposed a surf trip for 60 to Newquay, it seemed like an amazing deal for a weekend by the sea. But it wasnt until Friday night when we were loaded onto the buses, pumped with Red Bull and winding down the country lanes towards Cornwall that we realised just how awesome the weekend was going to be. The trip was a complete sell out, with more people than ever before heading down to the coast. Compared to the one minibus seven years ago when the USSW was first set up, the four minibuses and two cars this year packed full of bodies, bags and boards was a significant increase an indication of how popular the club has become. We arrived at Reef and Matts Surf Lodge, the usual accommodation spots, just after midnight, donned our surf trip t-shirts and headed for Red Square, the best place to find frozen mojitos and shots of every flavour imaginable in Newquay. For the brave hearted there was a 4am swim, but those who were more sensible headed back for bed, gearing up for the 8 oclock start. After a groggy walk down to the wetsuit and board hire shop the following morning, and a squeeze into the skin tight neoprene nightmares, we set off for the beach with the majority of us carrying 6ft foam novice boards. Once we had overcome the initial shock of the freezing October waters, most people were starting to get the hang

end of the day, everyone headed back to the lodges and finally boarded the minibuses. The journey home was much quieter; however there was still a steady flow of caffeine for the designated drivers,

just to prevent any last minute fatalities, considering everyone managed to avoid any wipe-out injuries! This is the first of many surf trips this year, so if youre interested in one of the best weekends of unilife then get involved! The USSW runs many social events; up and coming ones include pub, club and

film nights, a Christmas meal and a trip at the beginning of December (cold but so worth it!). If youre more of a wakeboarder then watch this space, theyre in the process of getting back on their feet (literally, excuse the pun). Big thanks to the surf committee, a truly gnarly weekend.

Surrey Surf and Wakeboard Club enjoy Newquay in a highly popular and gnarly trip this October

Oh Surrey Ski...
By Katie-Jane Beaven, Sport Team

Surrey Snowsports

ello to all Stag readers and welcome to your friendly neighbourhood ski club, just keeping you up-to-date on all things snow related. Firstly, to all those who attended Whiteout, thanks so much for joining us on such an incredible social event, Im sure you will all agree it was a truly awesome night. Three hundred of you came along to our sell-out bar crawl, as we traipsed around the finest bars Guildford has to offer dressed as Office Hoes and CEOs. It was a heroic effort from you all,

and if you missed out be sure to like us on Facebook so you dont miss out again! Continuing on the theme of record numbers, this years beginners lessons have been a huge hit with you as we have the most attendees ever. You might see a recurring theme here, but again we had a record number of attendees at race training, which was reflected in our first appearance at Kings this semester. A five star performance from all resulting in a win for Surrey! If you want to join in with one of the biggest sports societies on campus be sure to visit our website at www.surreysnowsports.com. Even

if you dont ski or board remember we throw the best socials as well. So... make sure you remember to book your place on the ski trip to ensure you dont miss out on our biggest event on the slopes this year, spending New Years Eve in Tignes. It doesnt get much better than that! Finally make sure you all sponsor your Snowsports committee as they undertake the 6km Santa run in Battersea Park for disability Snowsports on 3rd December. Visit www.justgiving. com/surreysnowsports and make a donation towards a very worthy cause.

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sport@thestagsurrey.co.uk

Sport
Trampolining was the one for me!
By Victoria Ashdown, Sports Team

ts strange how those seemingly insignificant choices in life, like the decision to run for a bus or snooze your alarm for an extra ten minutes, can have the greatest impact. For me, this decision presented itself in my choice to attend the taster sessions at Surrey Sports Park last year. After dragging myself to a number of clubs, where no untapped sporting ability presented itself, trampolining was my last hope. There, I found a group of my closest friends, an opportunity to try something new and a feeling of community I hadnt yet experienced from my course. The sport became something I came to love, with supportive coaches who helped me to overcome any difficulties in technique, and the opportunity to participate in internationally recognised competitions. The University of Surrey Trampolining Club offers coaching to all abilities, from those who have never tried it before to those who seem capable of defying the laws of physics. Every session I witness group members progressing in their skill, and in their confidence. In many cases, this confidence manifests itself in the desire to compete for

the club in an attempt to acquire medals. The club attends BUCS in addition to smaller competitions held at other universities. These competitions are a fantastic way to socialise with new people and represent Surrey in a sport that you enjoy. It also presents achievable goals to work towards, which are addressed in sessions following the event. Of course it also gives the excuse to dress up in leotards - whats not to love? Although trampolining, like gymnastics, is stereotypically a female dominated sport, a significant proportion of the clubs members are male. The sport appeals to a wide range of people and provides an exciting way to exercise. It strengthens muscles, teaches control and contributes towards a healthy lifestyle. In my experience, it is certainly preferable to routine gym sessions and I would recommend it to anyone. Its strange how those seemingly insignificant choices in life, like the decision to run for a bus or snooze your alarm for an extra ten minutes, can have the greatest impact. For me, this decision presented itself in my choice to attend the taster sessions at Surrey Sports Park last year. After dragging myself to a number of clubs, where no

untapped sporting ability presented itself, trampolining was my last hope. There, I found a group of my closest friends, an opportunity to try something new and a feeling of community I hadnt yet experienced from my course. The sport became something I came to love, with supportive coaches who helped me to overcome any difficulties in technique, and the opportunity to participate in internationally recognised competitions. The University of Surrey Trampolining Club offers coaching to all abilities, from those who have never tried it before to those who seem capable of defying the laws of physics. Every session I witness group members progressing in their skill, and in their confidence. In many cases, this confidence manifests itself in the desire to compete for the club in an attempt to acquire medals. The club attends BUCS in addition to smaller competitions held at other universities. These competitions are a fantastic way to socialise with new people and represent Surrey in a sport that you enjoy. It also presents achievable goals to work towards, which are addressed in sessions following the event. Of course it also gives the excuse to dress up in leotards - whats not to love? Although trampolining, like gymnastics, is stereotypically a female dominated sport, a significant proportion of the clubs members

are male. The sport appeals to a wide range of people and provides an exciting way to exercise. It strengthens muscles, teaches control and contributes towards a healthy lifestyle. In my experience, it is certainly preferable to routine gym sessions and I would recommend it to anyone.

Surrey Tennis Surrey hard rocked as Brighton rain supreme (sic)

Officimpore, natemporum explatur, ni bla cus, consequi ad uteniet alia exeri quos. By Jordan Vine, Sports Editor bringing driving rain and numbing cold. October 26th saw the start of the University of Surrey womens tennis season. Unfortunately, even this late start may have come a little too soon for the girls. Brighton University proved too strong, running out 10-2 (five games to one), crowning them victors at a wet Surrey Sports

ritish tennis: we usually associate it with strawberries and cream, sunny skies, packed crowds and international stars. However, University tennis and Wimbledon are worlds apart. This week, SW19 was replaced by GU2,

Park. However, this does not tell the whole story, Surrey were missing three of their top players and were unfortunate not to claim at least one more victory. The game I covered featured Surreys Isabel Candy and Lorna Hopkins and the girls were ultimately made to pay for a poor start, leaving themselves too much to do. The weather conditions made play especially serving incredibly difficult, Isabel explaining We just couldnt get into the first set. Unfortunately for the home side, Brighton adapted to the poor conditions better and were able to hit a number of winners from compromised positions from the off, a dominance which led to an apparent complacency. Hopkins and Candy looked shell-shocked after the early bombardment and their play suffered, hitting a string of errors. However, the girls soon found their rhythm where lesser players would have crumbled to defeat, particularly in the miserable conditions. After losing the first set by six games to two, the pair then fell five-two down in the second. With the writing apparently on the

wall, Surrey staged an astonishing comeback, winning four games in a row. Hopkins and Candy hit deeper, more aggressive ground strokes and coupled with consistent and impressive serving - forced a number of mistakes from the Brighton pair as the pressure rose. The tension became clear as the oppositions moods turned from jovial to frustrated, berating themselves and turning against each other with each missed shot and each Surrey winner. Although Surrey missed their first opportunity to close out the second set, the girls were victorious in the subsequent tie-break, continuing their seemingly unstoppable momentum as they cruised through to win 7 points to 1. Isabel explained the resurgence, saying In the second at 5-2 down we just didnt want to give up so easily. Unfortunately, the tidal wave of points soon hit the levees. Brighton once again showed the high quality tennis of the first set in winning the championship tiebreak the means by which games are decided when the game is tied after two sets by ten points to

six. So a disappointing defeat, but plenty of positives to take from it. Hopkins said of the game It was disappointing to lose the doubles so narrowly, particularly after turning the second set on its head and frustrating the opposition who thought they had won easily at 5-2 up in the second set. The pair can take plenty of heart from their performance and if they take this into their next game, they will surely register their first wins of the season sooner rather than later. Elsewhere in the womens matches, Surrey succumbed to four further defeats; however, there was one ray of sunshine on a grey day as Anna Giles won her singles match 6-1, 7-5, an impressive result as Anna wasnt even in the original squad, but stepped up due to the injury problems in the Surrey ranks. The defeat leaves Surrey 4th in the South Eastern division with four games still to play. Next week, the girls play away to UCL, who were beaten in their opening game.