Newspaper of the students of the University of Surrey

Issue 54 Wednesday 30th January 2013

Its the run up to elections, see what the Sabbs have to say! Page 8
NEWS Times are tough, but just say neigh to Tesco value horsemeat burgers... Page 3 OPINION & ANALYSIS Jack White argues that a United Europe is worth the fight... Page 12

Check out the centrespread for #getfitfeb and see what sports suit you

Snow hits university campus

FEATURES Ankur Banerjee explores the Chinese equivalent of Las Vegas... Page 14

SCIENCE & TECH Global cyber-attacks threaten Eastern Europe... Page 16

FILM Did you shed a tear during Les Misrables? Find out what the Film Team thought... Page 26

As the snow caused chaos around Britain, the University of Surrey had to postpone exams and only ran essential campus services. Fore more on the story see page 3...

MUSIC Hot new acts and artist picks for 2013 on Page 30

SOCIETIES Interested in a trip to Barcelona? Find out more on Page 33

Undergraduate applications to the university English, chemistry and economics among the are up 38% this year. most popular subject choices.
By Dani Pavitt and Sophie Vickery, News Team

Surrey has record year for undergraduate applications

application figures of 2010/11 and bringing the university a record year. Chemical engineering, chemistry, physics, biosciences, business, economics, English, law and politics have had the highest number of applications, making them the most sought after subjects in 2013. Over the last seven years, the Continued on page 3...

ndergraduate applications to the University of Surrey have increased by 38% surpassing the

university has been working on strategies to raise entry standards and strengthen their position in the

15th February - Rubix

Promote your society or join a new one!

EDITORIAL

The Stag |

30th January 2013

editor@thestagsurrey.co.uk

Editor | Alexandra Wilks editor@thestagsurrey.co.uk Editor-in-Chief | Abbie Stone ussu.editor@surrey.ac.uk Deputy Editor (Design) | Hannah Roberts-Owen design@thestagsurrey.co.uk Design Team | Paul Richmond, Ankur Banerjee, Tina Morman Deputy Editor (Marketing) | Becky Richmond marketing@thestagsurrey.co.uk Marketing Team | Emily Gill, Natasha Cruz-Millheim and Georgie Wood News Editor | Rachel Thomason news@thestagsurrey.co.uk News Team | Sophie Vickery, Dani Pavitt, Shaneezah Ally, Sam Bradbury, Tom Porter, Ankur Banerjee, Hannah Craig, Denise Juvane, Jack White Opinion & Analysis Editor | Justine Crossan Opinion & Analysis Team | Poppy Tyler, Ankur Banerjee, Melissa Bolivar, Jack White Features Editor | Ellis Taylor features@thestagsurrey.co.uk Features Team | Pippa Tollow, Rebekkah Hughes, Ankur Banerjee Science and Technology Editor | Alex Smith sciencetech@thestagsurrey.co.uk Science and Technology Team | Mike Colling, Ankur Banerjee, Reza Rezai Javan Societies Editor | Shalini Thondrayen societies@thestagsurrey.co.uk Societies Team | Shaneeza Ally, Marilyn Johnston, Dniel Mller Dance and Theatre Editor | Tiffany Stoneman dancetheatre@thestagsurrey.co.uk Dance and Theatre Team | Annie Callahan, Catherine Horne, Amy McGivern, Abigail Oscroft Film Editor | Candice Ritchie film@thestagsurrey.co.uk Film Team | Sophia Field, Becky Richmond, Candice Ritchie, Ankur Banerjee Music Editor | Becky Worley music@thestagsurrey.co.uk Music Team | Becky Worley, Ankur Banerjee, Elliot Tyers, Theo Spalding Literature Editor | Emily Smart literature@thestagsurrey.co.uk Literature Team | Alexandra Wilks, Ankur Banerjee, Sophie Vickery Sport Editor | Anna Giles sport@thestagsurrey.co.uk Sport Team | Connor Mcloughlin, Joe Livesey, Tom Hopkins Copy Editors | Sophie Vickery, Emma Fleming, Hannah Wann, Tina Morman, Tessa Morgan copyteam@thestagsurrey.co.uk Webmaster | Andrew Smith webmaster@thestagsurrey.co.uk Webeditor | Samantha Murray webeditor@thestagsurrey.co.uk Photo Editor | Tessa Morgan photos@thestagsurrey.co.uk Campus Marketing | Charlie Taylor

Vice Chancellor to do an Ask Me Anything

By Ankur Banerjee, News Team

ice Chancellor Christopher Snowden will be giving a special lunchtime lecture open to all students on Wednesday 13th February 2013 about his career in academic and industry, and how students can make their education work towards building a career that could make a real difference to the world. Professor Christopher Snowden was knighted last year for his contribution to the field of Engineering and Higher Education and is also set to take over the role of President of Universities UK later this year in August. Under his term as Vice Chancellor at Surrey since 2005, the university has increased revenue through sale of academic spin-off companies which has allowed 80 more professors to be hired along with the construction of a new learning centre as well as a multimillion pound sports complex. The lecture will be followed by a question and answer

session to give an opportunity to ask him questions about anything. The event is free but space is limited and those wishing to attend are urged to book their seats through the University box office.

Letter from the Editor

lections are coming!! Exams are over!! There was snow!! It has been a somewhat eventful two weeks. Well done to everyone who took exams, and I hope you get the grades you want. Now, the most exciting thing (in probably the whole academic year) is of course the UNION ELECTIONS!! Dubbed Surrey Decides (check out the hash tag #SurreyDecides now) and brought forward this year, these promise to be the most exciting elections of all time. OK it might not sound that exciting.like what even does the Union do for you, right? I mean who really cares which people are leading it? WAIT, STOP. The thing is the Union is the one place that has the Students best interests at heart. The Union is all about the Students. Plus, all the people running in the Union Elections are either Students or ex-Students, i.e. theyre people like us. If youre at Surrey, you have the right to choose who is going to be looking after your Students Union.

Thats why its so important to exercise your right to vote. Question Time, which will take place on the 17th19th February, is your chance to watch the Candidates squirm I mean, to find out who you think is the best candidate. Plus, you can watch them squirm. And Twitter gets really exciting, and sort of intense, with everyone tweeting their opinions. I remember my favourite tweet from last years elections, The 4 candidates for President look like the most dysfunctional boyband ever. Cheers Liam Conroy, still brings a smile. You can watch Question Time online or you can come grab a beverage in Chancellors and watch the squirming in the flesh OR you can sit down in Youngs Kitchen and watch it on a big screen. Ill be down in Youngs with my Media Minions, I mean my team, live blogging all the action straight into your phones, computers or any device that has an internet connection. Lets make these elections the biggest, best and most exciting Surrey has ever had! See you at Question Time. I will be the harassed looking female barking commands at 3 unfortunate members of Stag Team.

The Stag is an editorially independent newspaper and is 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 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.

News Editor: Rachel Thomason | Copy Editor: Tina Morman

The Stag |

30th January 2013

NEWS

Surrey applications up 38% Snow leads to

Continued from page 1... league tables. University of Surreys President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Christopher Snowden, believe that the rise in applications follows the quality of Surreys courses, outstanding student experience; evidenced by our recent NSS scoring, and a consistent rise through all the national university league tables. Furthermore, Surreys worldclass staff have helped to develop one of the best learning and research facilities in the UK. The increased number of applicants is also unsurprising following the universitys recent success in the national league tables which valuably assist prospective students during the application process. Surrey has risen seven places in The Guardians University Guide 2013 to 12th position, with 14 out of 22 subjects featuring in the top 20. Meanwhile, The Times Higher Education Supplement ranks Surrey 15th in its 2012 Student Experience Survey, to exceed the rankings of other universities such as Nottingham, Bath, Exeter, Kent and Sussex. Surreys President and ViceChancellor continued to explain the record numbers, commenting that Surrey graduates continue to be among the most employable in the country with the latest data from HESA quoting 94.8% of our graduates entering employment or further study upon graduation. Our placement scheme and exceptionally strong links with business industry contribute to this unrivalled employment track record over the past ten years. By Tom Porter, News Team

campus closure
riday 18th January saw the University of Surrey campus operating only essential and faculty based services after heavy snowfall caused commotion throughout the county and the rest of the UK. Travel was disrupted across the country, with delays at many UK airports. The wintery weather meant that thousands of schools were closed in England, Wales and Scotland, to the delight of many school children. The snowy conditions seemed to be at the worst in parts of Wales where a rare red Med Office warning was in place. Elsewhere, amber warnings were issued over the majority of the British Isles. All non-essential University staff members were advised to return home safely, and for extra care to be taken when walking or driving around campus. The cold spell couldnt have come at a worse time for a lot of students as examinations scheduled for the Friday afternoon and the Saturday morning had to be postponed. The problems extended to GSA where students were forced to cancel many auditions. Luckily for those who wished to continue revising instead of building a snowman, the library did remain open, although was operating a reduced service. If the snow does continue, keep up with the updates at www. surrey.ac.uk/alert/snowalert/ students/ to find the latest on the situation.

Horsemeat found in Tescos value burgers

By Shaneezah Ally, News Team

he revelation of horsemeat being used in beef burgers in Tesco and Iceland stores has shocked the UK recently. The UKs Department for Enivironment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is undertaking an investigation to examine how beef burgers became contaminated with horsemeat. Across the UK several supermarkets were selling horsemeat burgers to customers completely unaware of what they were purchasing. The Irish food safety officials have reported that there is no health risk to eating horsemeat; however the burgers were removed immediately after discovering that they contained horsemeat. Tesco and Iceland have apologised over the incident and have guaranteed that it wont happen again. The Irish safety officials claim that the horse DNA came from Meats and Silvercret Foods plant in Ireland and Dalepak Hambleton plant in Yorkshire. On examination it was revealed that on average 29% of a burger contained horsemeat. Defra has claimed it is clearly unacceptable to sell a product without informing the public of its true contents. Other food including lasagne, beef curry and cottage pie were also analysed and found to have pig DNA. This is massively controversial for those with specific dietary requirements and religious beliefs. Tesco and Iceland have claimed that the quality of their food is their main concern,

therefore they have promised to ensure that no illegal meats are to be found in their products in the future. Food minister David Heath has stressed that this is a serious matter which verges on the borderline of criminality. Currently no explanation has

been found for the contamination of horsemeat in the beef burgers. Therefore the investigation is still under way to explain why the quality and standards of food being sold by these supermarkets fell below average.

UK degree still deemed valuable

By Hannah Craig, News Team

Comment...
Reactions to the presence of horsemeat in burgers... You should probably know what youre eating but if youve already been eating it then you may as well carry on. - Fi Marie Buckland, Law and International I think we should know what goes into our food. If people are buying beef burgers, then they should be getting beef and not horsemeat. - Rebecca Yip, Law Before everyone jumps to conclusions, we should see if there are any nutritional benefits to eating horsemeat. But its not part of our culture to eat horse meat therefore I think businesses are taking reducing costs too far. - Victoria J Sillett, Business and French

ollowing the article in Issue 53 regarding the drop in university applications, a report published by million+, a leading University think-tank, has highlighted how this will have a detrimental effect on the UK economy. The decline of student numbers due to the tripling of tuition fees is estimated to result in a 6.6 billion cost to the UK economy per 30,000 lost students. The government needs to invest in higher education if it wants to continue securing rates of return of 10.8% for an undergraduate degree. On an individual level, the average net benefit of an undergraduate degree over a working lifetime amounts to

115,000, with a Masters degree adding an additional 59,000. However, investing in a degree pays off for individuals as Toni Pearce, NUS Deputy President, confirms: Higher tuition fees are putting capable students off going to university. The report, published on 17th January 2013, emphasises the value of a UK degree to the individual with higher chances of employment and larger salaries available, even in the economic downturn. Professor Patrick McGhee, Chair of million+ and Vice-Chancellor of the University of East London commented: As well as opening up new opportunities for individuals, the Treasury reaps exceptionally high returns from its investment.

NEWS

The Stag |

30th January 2013

news@thestagsurrey.co.uk

Rapper from N-Dubz found guilty of assault

By Denise Juvane, News Team

-Dubz rapper, Dappy, has been found guilty after an accusation of assault in Guildford of February last year. According to the accused, he was merely trying to promote his latest single [at the time] called Rockstar and added that the opposing group had been rude and wanted to mess me up because Im famous.

Dappy, 25, whos real name is Costadinos Contostavlos was arrested together with a 27 year old man earlier last year following the incident. The fight broke out at the early hours of the morning, shortly after Dappy had been for a night out at the Casino Nightclub in Guildford with friends. One year on, the jurors found him guilty of playing a part in the fight at the Shell garage on Woodbridge Road. Dappy was also found guilty of beating and spitting at David Jenkins who was part of another group at the petrol station. David Jenkins, it appears, had placed Dappy in a deadlock which triggered the brawl. The rapper has been cleared on two other accounts of assault relating to allegations that he had also spat on two other girls before the fight broke out. Another co-defendant, age 25, from West London, was also found guilty of affray.

Guildford third best place for employment

By Sam Bradbury, News Team

uildford has been listed as the third best place in the country to be looking for a job in the recent end of year review. According to statistics there are more than 1.4 jobs per job seeker with a total of 500,000 vacancies available last year. In 2012 unemployment in Surrey remained steady at around 1.6%, however job vacancies rose by more than 2000. Guildford also reached the top five for wages with an average of 32,539. Wages have particularly increased in the technology sectors due to the success of Surrey Research Park and the arrival of other new software firms. Although there are more jobs available than people looking for work, students have still expressed difficulty in finding work.

Harry Metters, Business Management student claimed: Ive been looking for a part-time job since November. I have handed in around 20 CVs and Ive had one response and that was to say I was rejected. However, Becky Ayteo, a first year student studying Psychology looking for a part time job said: I havent found the statistics all that surprising. Guilford is a lovely place to live. She added: Ive just been offered a job working with kids. Its an amazing opportunity that relates to my degree and its the kind of thing I would like to do after university. Christ Stanton, co-founder of Guildford Job Club told GetSurrey that people looking for jobs will generally find employment more quickly in Guildford. He added that if somebody is unemployed, Guildford and the surrounding areas is the best place to be.

Surrey hosts BBC panel show Any Questions?

By Jack White, News Team

he University last week hosted BBC Radio 4s popular political panel show Any Questions? Joining Chairman Jonathan Dimbleby were Communities Secretary Eric Pickles, broadsheet journalist Charles Moore, business woman Cornelia Meyer and the Shadow Attorney General Emily Thornberry. The panellists discussed issues in current affairs, including the possibility of a triple-dip recession, women in the armed forces and the Prime Ministers recent speech on Europe, which included a promise of a referendum on EU membership in the next Parliament.

Discussion of membership of the EU provided the biggest surprise of the night, with a poll of the audience suggesting that around 80% of people did not want a referendum. Pollster YouGov this week revealed that for the first time, a majority of UK voters were in favour of staying in the EU. Ms Thornberry however argued that Cameron has only set the date beyond the next election as an election-winning strategy. The Office of National Statistics has revealed that the economy shrank in the last quarter of 2012, raising fears that the UK will experience a third renewed recession. Debate opened on this topic, with Meyer attacking

the Governments austerity programme: If we go into a triple-dip recession... we have no momentum to get out... We overdid it on austerity and have been criticised by the IMF. Thornberry focused on spiralling long-term unemployment, particularly among young women. Discussion turned to Pickles efforts to tackle high spending in social services. Currently around 400 troubled families are costing the tax payer 9bn a year. Mr Pickles proposes to give families one case handler instead of the many they currently have. Ms Thornberry and Ms Meyer agreed, but questioned the wisdom of introducing the programme at a time of budget cuts. The evening closed with debate over the USAs decision to allow women to undertake close combat roles in the American armed forces. Mr Moore drew jeers from the audience when he said, I would be very sad if the way that women stand for peace and gentleness in society were taken away. The audience member who made the original question replied that if women pass the physical test required, they should be given the same opportunities and requirements as male soldiers.

THE VICE-CHANCELLORS STUDENT LECTURE

WEDNESDAY 13 FEBRUARY, 1.00 TO 2.00PM
Grifths Lecture Theatre

What motivates the Vice-Chancellor? What keeps him awake at night? How did he develop his career to be the head of one of the UKs leading universities?
Come and learn more about the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Christopher Snowden at this special lunchtime student lecture. As he reects on his career, you will gain an insight into how you can you make your education, skills and experience work for you and reach the right decisions to build a career that will keep you happy, challenged, and make a real difference. Your work is going to ll a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satised is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. Steve Jobs Professor Sir Christopher Snowden is a distinguished engineer whose career has spanned both academia and industry in the UK and US. He has been President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Surrey since 2005 and under his leadership Surrey has positioned itself as one of the UKs leading research-led universities. He is a strong advocate for innovation in industry and sits on the governing bodies of Government agencies and international committees including the Prime Ministers Council for Science and Technology, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Council and Technology Strategy Board to drive strategic change. Sir Christopher is internationally recognised for his contributions to engineering and science through awards and Fellowships including the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering and in 2012 he received a knighthood from Her Majesty The Queen for services to Engineering and Higher Education. In August 2013 he will take ofce as the President of Universities UK (UUK), an advocacy organisation supporting the work of all universities in the UK and promoting their interests. This lecture will be followed by a Q&A where the Vice-Chancellor will be happy for you to ask him anything. The event is free and open to all students but as space is limited we ask that you book your seat through the University box ofce.

UNION

The Stag |

30th January 2013

editor@thestagsurrey.co.uk

Exam stress got you feeling blue?

SPLASH! into a world of higher grades

ould you like to get higher grades? Are you on the cusp of a 2:1 or 1st? Are you struggling to implement the best essay writing techniques? You want to get your head around the best ways to research for your Masters? You feel that you worked hard in Semester 1, but you need a little extra help? You really want to get a better grade? If the answer to any of the above it yes (and I suggest that might be the case for many of

you) then the SPLASH Service is the one for you. Located on Level 3 of the Library, they help all students who want to perform academically. For free. No student has had a lower mark, after seeing them! So why not take the opportunity for free and extremely helpful advice, which is likely to increase your grade. Remember why youre at university and take every opportunity that is available to succeed and better yourself.

o matter what, you have officially made it through the exam and hectic coursework period. But what have you learnt? All-nighters back to back not so good, when attempted over four consecutive days? Yeah... well its a lesson that we all must learn at some point. You probably now know if youre an early bird or a late night worker and youve learnt that exams and deadlines are stressful. Now stress can be a great motivator, it can drive people and give a sense of direction that will

lead to success, otherwise not achieved. Too much stress however, can result in feelings of being overwhelmed and ultimately no progress is made. So if your stress was motivating, skip to the next paragraph, if not- read on. Before we know, the busy spring/summer exam and coursework deadline period will be here. Learn tips on how to unwind and manage stress from the Centre for Wellbeing and if you feel you that you were stressed because you were werent prepared, remember that the

SPLASH Service is available and Now is your time to de-stress unwind and get ready for a new year. As part of Get Fit Feb, Sunday 3rd-9th February is de-stress week, giving you handy tips about looking after your mental wellbeing and the importance of taking a break. Remember, if youre agitated, you wont do as well in your exams and coursework Take advantage of reading week (I wish I could underline, bold and put that sentence in italics)!

Housing Awareness Week

onday 4th till Friday 8th February will be Housing Awareness Week. A campaign, that will give you the information you need to know when before you start house hunting. Over the week, there will be talks and presentation and smaller workshops giving you the opportunity to find out more about Housing.

There will also be Housing guides available from the Union, Accommodation Office and Student Services Centre. Look out for the Housing Awareness facebook group that that you can join to have your questions asked on-line. You can also use the group to find potential housemates.

February: take advantage of the opportunities that you may have missed out on last year...
To get a job, we now need more than a degree.

Welfare Warrior
I
ts that time of year again- we have our second recruitment for Welfare Warriors, the Unions campus campaigners bring welfare campaigns to life and make sure that you are aware of the important issues that may and are affecting students, and how to tackle them. No previous is needed experience is needed, just enthusiasm. Check out the Union website for more details- ussu. co.uk.

hen caught in the University bubble, its easy to remember the end goal. The majority of us came to University to increase our chances of success and open up new opportunities for the future and real adult life. Remember why youre at University, its to learn both in and out of the lecture room, labs, seminar tutorial groups. But now that there are many people with degrees, you have to set yourself

apart even more. Sometimes, a degree is not enough to secure a job. Extra-curricular activities are a great way for personal development. Let your course give you the knowledge and a little something extra give you the practical skills. Do something elsebecome a committee member of a sports club or society in spring; or apply to be a campus campaigner; nominate yourself to be a Full-time

Sabbatical or student officer. More details are available on the Union website- ussu.co.uk. Opportunities for personal development dont only lie within the Union; there are volunteering/ paid opportunities on and offcampus. Remember that the paid part-time job you have right now, is building your skills and CV as well as giving you some extra cash.

Union Contact: ussu.information@surrey.ac.uk

The Stag |

30th January 2013

UNION

Fat free talk: Body Image

By Aoife Mac Intyre- Eating Disorder AdvisorCentre for Wellbeing)

Important deadlines:
Housing Awareness Week (4th-8th Feb) Get Fit Feb: De-stress (3rd-9th Feb) Get Fit Feb: Body Image (10th-16th Feb) Rubix Safer Sex (13th Feb) Union Nomination (25th Jan 11th Feb) Grill a Sabb (5th Feb) Union voting (21st-22nd Feb) Welfare Warrior, campus campaigner application period (8th-17th Feb)

s part of Get Fit Feb, Sunday 10th-16th February, there will be a Body Image campaign, for it we are teaming to up with the Welfare Warriors and Centre for Wellbeing to discourage fat talk and promote a positive body image. A core belief in our culture and society today is that women and men should have a certain body type. Obsessive concerns about body shape and weight have become so common among men and women today that it is now the norm. It is for a person to enter a room and immediately judge their own status, based on the ways others in the room look. Do we really want to live in a world where how a person looks is more important than who they are? Two main aspects to a negative body image are feelings/thoughts and size/perception: Negative body image thoughts are automatic. Feelings associated with over-emphasis on body image are feelings of failure and inferiority, irritability and low selfesteem. Some thoughts can sound like this: I am fat and disgusting or I look so fat/thin/ugly next to [insert

person name here] The second aspect is the effect of body image on size perception. It is evident that people over or under-estimating their size of dislike body parts, even if data indicates otherwise. Does this sound familiar? That guy has bigger biceps than mine Everyone notices my flat chest So does our negative body image affect us? If there is an overemphasis on our external selves, this makes it very difficult to appreciate our internal selves. Body dissatisfaction is associated with depression, anxiety, relationship problems, and self-contempt and social introversion. Negative body image results in self-loathing resulting in low self-esteem and social withdraw due to feeling inadequate. Think about all the time and effort you spend hating your body and, and that time and effort could be better used to help you progress and grow. Imagine if we channelled the energy to pursue other aspects of our lives. Vast amounts of energy and time spent on trying to change our bodies and meet certain body types, can often lead to psychological problems such as

eating disorders. Right now how can we change this? 1. Change your negative automatic thoughts by replacing it with a positive one. Say things like I have beautiful hair or I look good today it may seem stupid at first, but it will help. 2. Do something that you are good at or find something you are good at. Try a new sport or activity. 3. Do something that makes you laugh and smile such as a comedy show. 4. Say something nice about someone else. Feedback from others affects self image so help others with their own body image. 5. Groom to enhance your good features and exercise to enjoy it not just body manipulation. (Jade, 1999 and Learner and Associates, 1990) Feeling at home in our bodies is essential and acceptance of our own body is crucial in order for us to be productive and happy members of society. By being aware of a negative body image, we may be able to enhance our relationship with our body and challenge the beauty and body standards of our society today.
Charlotte Clarke, a Photoshop whizz, edited Kat for you to show exactly what can be done in a couple of hours to perfect a body. This is exactly what she changed...

slimmed down two dress sizes removed all blemishes lightened legs to match rest of body darkened skin colour reduced arm width changed shoulder shape increased breast size reduced waist width drew on cleavage and added highlights slimmed down hips reduced head length reduced nose length increased eye size amd changed eye colour removed creasing around eyes removed dark circles under eyes changed shadows to fit new shape added ruching to dress to create a completely flat stomach added blusher made hair shinier added highlights and volume made curls thicker

More information available regarding all featured topics:

ussu.co.uk ussu.welfare@surrey.ac.uk Facebook: University of Surrey Students' Union and VP Surrey Welfare Twitter: SurreyWelfare VP Welfare blog

UNION

The Stag |

30th January 2013

editor@thestagsurrey.co.uk

Being the President

Dave Halls
Union President

Sabbaticals Say...
the Unions performance to the University Council, to helping the International Officer gauge student opinion and effects of changes to the UK visa rules. This, all whilst meeting regularly with the Universitys senior management team on key issues, and overseeing the finances and operations of the Unions commercial outlets, Rubix, Chancellors and the Living Room/ Youngs Kitchen. The President also maintains the relationship the Union has with the highest levels of the University, as well as the NUS and other external bodies. You meet regularly with the Vice-Chancellor, speak often with the NUS President and link up with other Unions. You lead the political direction of the Students Union (based on student feedback, of course, though). You are the representative of all Surrey students in the eyes of all outside of the University, and play a key ceremonial role in the tradition of the university (the Vice-Chancellor and the President of the Union are the only two people who attend every single graduation ceremony!). Much is made of a so-called Union clique; and that only those who are already involved get elected. This couldnt be further from the truth. Yes those already involved often know more about the Union, but it doesnt necessarily make them the best candidates. When I first ran for a Union position, other than through sports and Rubix, Id had minimal involvement with the Union; I wasnt bar staff, wasnt an academic rep, I wasnt part of the inner circle; and Id certainly never even contemplated putting myself out there to ask for votes! With enthusiasm, a good campaign and ideas of how youd want to make Surrey a better place, anyone can be part of the next team of officers to take the Union forward. It really is your Union; I wholeheartedly encourage you to throw yourself into this opportunity. Win or lose, its a fantastic experience and who knows what kind of doors it could open to you!

What does being VP Welfare involve?

Bakita Kasadha
Union Vice-President Welfare

he President of the Students Union has perhaps the broadest remit of all the Union Executive officers. Whilst the other positions have quite clear goals and areas of representation, the Presidents role is a mixture of every aspect of student life. This is perhaps understandable, given the role of President is that of the first point of contact for any and all student concern at Surrey. As such, this gives both wide responsibility and incredible opportunity to make a real difference within the role. The President is the line manager for all the Union officers, and has a key role to play in helping all the elected officers thrive within their role. You could be working with the VP Education to review proposed changes to academic regulations one moment, reporting

nion nominations will be open between 25th January and 11th February. It can be quite hard understand what a VP Welfare does day to day, so heres a list of some of the things that are in my calendar over January and February: Interview with Stag TV (x2); Court Life Mentor meetings (x 8); NUS meetings; Grants panel; Academic Appeal; mental health and World AIDS Day campaign report writing; Get Fit Feb; articles for The Stag (x8); Committees (Human Resources, Finance, Student Experience, Anti-Social Behaviour); Pound in Your Pocket Workshop (trip to London); trip to Sheffield Union; Election meetings (x7);

PostGrad Conference; Campaigns (Housing Awareness Week, Safety awareness, De-stress, Body Image, Healthy Living, Sexual Health); Pop-Up Union; monthly meeting (Head of Centre for Wellbeing and the Director of Student Support), Welfare Walk-in (x2), Sabb blog (x3); meetings (Exec, Student Awards, improving the look of poorer areas on campus). VP Welfare really does involve anything thats non-academic, involving one to one pastoral care, campaigning and meetings with University senior staff to represent Surrey students. On Wednesday 6th February, I will be holding an informal Welfare Q&A session, for anyone interested in finding about the role of VP Welfare over the Union nomination period. This will be taking place in the Committee Room (Students Union), 6th Feb at 5pm.

What does the Equality and Diversity Officer do?

Munya Mudarikiri
Equality and Diversity Officer

y name is Munya Mudarikiri I was elected into the role of Equality and Diversity Officer, it is a part time role alongside my studies. The Equality and Diversity Officer is the representative of the student body charged with ensuring

the organisation conforms to standards of best practice in addressing issues pertaining to equality and diversity. The post is also responsible for supporting and advocating for equality for all groups that may exist on campus, this can and does include liberation campaigns for Ethnic minorities, women, LGBT+ and students with diabilities. as Equality and Diversity officer you

sit on the Widening Participation and outreach subcommittee of the university, the Students Union Human Resource Committee and the Equality and Diversity Committee. Like with Many of the roles on exec it is what you make of it. You can prioritize issues as you see fit, year on year the officer may have a different focus it just depends on who is in the role.

Find out more about the role of the Communications Officer

Kat Heneghan
Communications Officer

Could you be the next VP Societies?

Em Bollon
Union Vice-President Societies & Individual Development

s a student, I was heavily involved in the Students Union: an Academic Rep, Freshers Angel, mini-bus driver, Womens Captain for Ultimate Frisbee, a member of Surf & Wake, President and Musical Director of Gospel

Choir... The thing is, I didnt really know! All the extra stuff that comes with studying at Surrey thats often the work of the Students Union! Now, as VP Societies & ID, I get to be a part of facilitating these opportunities for others. Not only that, but Im in a position of representation for the student body to the University and local community. As a Creative Music Technology graduate, Ive grown in ways I never imagined I could,

and discovered gifts and passions Id not yet had the opportunity to discover: IT skills like video editing, creative writing, being diplomatic and even remaining engaged in intensive meetings honing in my focus and concentration skills! If youre up for a challenge, love people and want to give something back, I fully recommend running for a Sabbatical position. You, yes you could be the next VP.

he best part of any role is sitting on the executive committee once a week. You never really understand the importance of this until youre a part of it. Each meeting, ideas are born and changes are begun which spring out of each students experience at Surrey. Those could be your ideas. Its important to remember the roles are linked in such a way that you have the opportunity to be involved in any area and when the chance arises to go for it. Its real world experience of working within a team to a common goal. I wont lie, there are tough decisions you will have to make as a team but it is those which make the roles worth so much the chance to really have a positive impact on student life.

Communications Officer is a role which is hard to define. It went through some massive changes this year which mean I am still getting to grips with what the role is, what it can do and what I want to achieve. But that is why I have loved every second of it; the potential to make your own stamp on the role is so tangible. This role is about the ideas you have which make student interaction with the Union easier. Its also about being a liaison between the Executive committee and the media. Being able to pass ideas between the two and work towards ensuring they are a central part of student life is a wonderful experience for anyone. If you are looking to go into marketing, PR or any role which requires creativity and an understanding of how people interact then this is a role which will benefit you enormously.

Union Contact: ussu.information@surrey.ac.uk

The Stag |

30th January 2013

UNION

Vice President Sport: Find out more! VP Education for 2 years, and
Arabella Gilby
Union Vice-President Sport & Recreation

ne thing Ive learnt from this year is that you can make the role how you want it to be, yes there is the meetings you have to attend and general admin; not forgetting replying asap to students emails! But in terms of every day and projects these are up to you. You have to be passionate about sport and your opinions stick by your decisions, think carefully when writing your manifesto, this is what you will be working on for the whole year, and if you write completely unrealistic goals you will finish the year on a bit of a low. But ultimately if an issue gets raised whilst in the job which has some student backing behind it, you may

have to put your manifesto to the side for a moment. You were elected to represent students, so matter how important your desire to start a football in space club, other issues may become more important. This happened this year with the KWAF campaign to Keep Wednesday Afternoons Free. Despite this not being in my manifesto, this became an apparent problem for students and so as their representative I adopted this as a priority. You also need to have the ability to swap hats so to speak, to represent different parts of the job, I am either a Vice President of the Union making important decisions which dont directly affect sport to steer the Union. Or the role of Sports & Recreation, representing student sport and working on my manifesto projects or finally as a Trustee of a charity,

carefully considering financial positions and approving important documents. One thing that is vital is not to forget your own individual hat and to socialise outside of the campus and the Union! In the role of Sports & Recreation you work closely with Surrey Sports Park, so make sure youre happy to embrace that and get to know everyone those at the Union and SSP! Remember you dont have to do anything the same as your predecessor, just because its happened before doesnt mean it has to be done this year obviously if its been a success you might have to answer to a bunch of students of why it isnt happening! But ultimately every decision you make, think will this benefit students? After all it is them you have to answer to.

no 2 days have been the same

have the strong views of students with you, it becomes an easy task. You will work on projects and campaigns over the year, this year I have looked closely at the role of the personal tutor and have informed the University of the shortcomings in the level of pastoral care being offered in many cases to students by their departments, something that with our support we will be able to change and in the long run benefit so many students who experience difficulties while at University. You may be feeling right now that you don't have the skills or the confidence to be a good VP Education, but through my own experiences I've found it to be about passion first, then development later. You will build the skills through carrying out the role. You will meet students you've never met on a daily basis, learn from your fellow students through learning about their experiences, you will present your ideas to students and learn from their crticism; all of these activities will help you to develop, but the key thing is that working to improve the education opportunities of other students will be central to everything you will do. Give it a thought and give it a go, you won't regret it.

Sam Ratzer

Union Vice-President Education

A day in the life of VP Welfare

Bakita Kasadha
Union Vice-President Welfare

magine a role that gives you the opportunity to be creative, use leadership skills, and see positive measurable results... thats what being VP Welfare has enabled me to do. The role involves anything nonacademic -so this week I may have a meeting with the campus police officer about a security campaign, and next week I might be filming a drink awareness video with Stag TV, the week after I may have a meeting about the best ways the Union and University can work together to deliver pastoral care to students and last week I might have been

sitting on a student disciplinary panel deciding whether a student is well/healthy enough to continue with their degree, or whether they should be banned from Rubix for punching someone in the face! I have attended meetings with the IT team about the availability of wi-fi in accommodation, and worked with the Centre for Wellbeing about mental health and wellbeing, whilst later on in the day I may be popping up in a random place on/off-campus (with the other Sabbaticals) explaining what the Students Union does. One of the ways the role has allowed me to be creative is through organising and implementing a Union led mental health campaign and figuring out different ways to publicise it; Ive used leadership skills when co-ordinating the

campus campaigners; positive measurable results have been seen through surveys- we now know that there has been 20% increase in mental health knowledge (amongst students) since the Mind Maintenance (mental health) campaign. The role has also given me the opportunity improve my media skills (Ive been interviewed by the radio stations BBC Surrey, Eagle and GU2, as well as featuring in Surrey Advertiser, Surrey Times newspaper and The Stag and Ive had regular opportunities to talk on Stag TV. My biggest achievement to date, has been successfully receiving almost 1,500 in grants from external funders who have supported some of the welfare campaigns.

eing the VP Education for the last 2 years has been a fantastic experience, that has challenged me but has offered opportunities to develop in ways I could not have imagined. There is responsibility involved, being the academic representative for 15,000 people doesn't come without it's expectations, but anyone who approaches this role with a good amount of passion and determination to achieve will be well suited to thrive. You receive support however from a fantastic team, not only from the Student Union staff, the other sabbatical officers but also from many staff working in the University who have the students' best interests at heart. Over the year you will get the chance to develop a team of your own, you will work closely with a team of 400 elected academic reps as well as having a closer team of 4 Faculty Reps. Should you be elected on a day-to-day basis you will attend various meetings as the sole student representative, sounds daunting? However if you go into these meetings confident that you

Union Chair: Could this be the Exec Role for you?

Happy New Year from VP Societies

Em Bollon
Union Vice-President Societies & Individual Development

love the turn of a new year, as it gives us all a little nudge to make a change; see the world through brighter eyes! A perfect time to try something new, a perfect time to

get involved with Societies. Re-Freshers Fayre on Feb 15th is your seconds chance to meet the wonderful wealth of current Societies. Weve over 10 new Societies that you wont have seen at Freshers Fayre, so come and meet them! International Festival is coming up - beginning of March a week filled with culture, colour and charisma! Kicking off with the

Exhibition and closing with the ever loved Gala, its going to be a great week. Keep those eyes peeled for promotion that will be out very soon. Which Union team role could you see yourself in? VP Societies & ID perhaps? Feel free to drop in and chat with me in office hours... Enjoy the rest of Get Fit Feb!

o I am the Union Chair. This means I chair a number of committees or meetings (Union Exec, Democracy Committee, Annual Members Meeting and Student Forum) and sit on a number of others (Board of Trustees, Finance Committee, Annual Fund Disbursement Committee, Court of the University). If that doesn't sound exciting enough I can also sit on Union and University disciplinary panels and get involved with projects such as referenda, election processes and 'Celebrate Surrey', for example. In fact my biggest achievement this year was the co-ordination of a debate on whether we should stay in the NUS and a referendum to that effect. The resultant vote was the biggest turnout in any referendum Surrey has

Charlie Eastaugh
Union Chair

seen. Side-projects can also be undertaken, and this February's "Grill a Sabb" (sabbatical-officeraccountability-forum) was one innovation, which will hopefully prove to be a good evening and can continue in the years to come. Furthermore I have just produced a governance review which, while probably not bedtime reading for many, suggests some quite dramatic changes to the way the Union is run. Being Union Chair is a great experience with great responsibility, but make sure you're good at keeping a schedule and checking emails very regularly if you choose this position for 2013-14! Good luck.

10 UNION

The Stag |

30th January 2013

editor@thestagsurrey.co.uk

Ever thought you could be the Events and Trading Officer?

Events and Trading Officer

What about Community Officer?

Jade Roberts
of students, and also working to make Guildford a better place for residents & students alike. The Community Officer is the representative of all students to the Guildford population, working closely with the VP Welfare. You could be attending residents meetings in areas of high student populations, or working with Surrey Police to appease the residents of Walnut Tree Close.

Anna Lawrence

thriving social calendar is a core aspect of the student experience. As such, the Events & Trading Officer ensures that

student feedback is heard and taken into consideration when planning events the Union puts on; be they in Rubix/Chancellors/ Living Room or trips & activities. The Events & Trading Officer also provides a link between part-time staff and Union management. This

year, the Events & Trading Officer introduced part-time staff reps to ensure the voice of all part-time staff members is heard and acted on! You do not need to be a member of bar staff to be Events & Trading Officer.

Community Officer

How about running for International Development Officer?

Maria Sklirou
International Students Development Officer

Interested in the environment? Tryvironment and Ethics Officer

Ethics and Enivonment Officer

he University and its student body has a generally good link with the Guildford community it is a part of. Of course, this doesnt mean we shouldnt be working closely with them to gauge community perceptions

Interested in Education? What about Postgraduate Development?

Education to ensure postgraduate concerns arent ignored in lieu of those pesky undergraduates. You could also put together events aimed specifically at postgraduates in the Students Union. Recent things worked in include looking at the fairness of the teaching hours PG-Rs are required to do as part of their course. You do not need to be a postgraduate student to be PG Development Officer.

Katie McManus

Imogen Jones
Postgraduate Development Officer

urrey has a diverse student population, with around half of Surrey students coming from abroad! With different cultural traditions and ways of life, sometimes very different to that in the UK; its important to ensure international students dont feel alienated either within their Union or their university. The International Officer represents the views of International students to both; ensuring the concerns of overseas students are heard. Recent campaigns include working in partnership with the President & the NUS to combat the impact on international students of the new visa regulations. You do not need to be an international student to be International Development Officer.

recent Union survey showed that sustainability and ethical practice is a growing concern amongst Surrey students. As Ethics & Environment Officer, youll work with both the University and Students Union to ensure ethical practices are adhered to, and that both retain a focus on green modes of operation. You could be working with students to promote green campaigns, or with external organisations keen to promote ethical/green practices. And then, of course, theres Green Week/ Fairtrade Fortnight every year, promoting sustainability and fair trade!

ostgraduate students make up a huge proportion of the Surrey population; both research and taught postgrads need representation too! You could be their voice to the University, working closely with the VP

Election Myths [bUSTED]

u You do not need any prior engagement with the Union to take on any Union position; the only requirement is that you are currently a full-time student (if going for a fulltime role) or will be a full-time student next year (for part-time roles). t You do not need to be a postgraduate to be PG officer, or international student to be International Officer, etc. All positions are open to all students. t Student officer roles are voluntary and thus unpaid. But this doesnt mean you go unrewarded. In exchange for your commitment and efforts, youll get free entry to Rubix on Wednesdays & Fridays.

Opinion & Analysis Editor: Justine Crossan | Copy Editor: Emma Fleming

The Stag |

30th January 2013

OPINION & ANALYSIS

11

Opinion & Analysis

Spicy food, coffee houses, and short skirts
Ankur Banerjee

o my understanding, consumption of fast food contributes to such incidents. Chowmein leads to hormonal imbalance evoking an urge to indulge in such acts, said a local Indian village council leader, laying the blame on a spate of rape of cases in the rural outskirts of Delhi on the fact the perpetrators had consumed chowmein a local take on Chinese stir-fried noodles before committing those rapes. Indian media and the public in general collectively shook their head, considering that to be all that was wrong with educating rural India in their attitudes towards women. Rapes happen mostly in villages and underlying solution to this was higher literacy in villages, went the thinking. That was back in October last year, before the story of a girl brutally raped while travelling by bus in Delhi gained international limelight. I was in Delhi when the protests intensified, around the time of the victims death. In a fit of inspired creativity and lack of personal information, Indian media had christened her Damini after the protagonist of a 90s Bollywood film about a woman who campaigned to bring rapists to justice. I was smoking has with friends on the rooftop of a dilapidated coffee house in central Delhi when one of my friends suggested we head over to join the protests a short walk away at Jantar Mantar a massive 18th century sundial that has over time become the de facto venue for protests in Delhi. A medieval sundial is perhaps an apt place to represent the change undergoing in India right now. I did not plan on attending this particular Occupy Central Delhi protest. Protests in India and there are many any given

month; take your pick from crime, corruption, health facilities, government policies et al tend to be short-lived and mostly attended by hipsters and Ayn Randians of Delhis urban middle-class who make it a point to protest against the government just-because. The crowd at this protest was decidedly different. There were grandmothers, cab drivers, schoolgirls, women professionals each with their own story of how they had been sexually assaulted more than once in their life. It was a sobering thought, and one that I heard repeatedly during my trip. Friends told me that they regularly faced catcalls, groped on public transport, attempted to be abducted by passing cars in broad daylight in busy shopping areas. Quite a few of them had taken to carrying pepper spray illegal to possess in India until recently or knives as a means of defense. It is a story which rarely ever gets told, with many of them brought up by their families to ignore such a violation of basic human rights as a fact of life. It A public vigil in remembrance of a rape victim is a story that one does not hear growing up as a boy in Indias conversations everywhere about would have consequences for their male-dominated society. Victim- how the law and order situation careers. Fast track courts are being blaming is a common stance, needs to change for the better. Soon mulled to provide speedy trials for with even highly-educated women after that rape incident, another sexual assault and rape cases. claiming in the media that rape rape victim committed suicide Yet, I get feeling that in the victims had it coming because after she came forward to report middle of all of this, much of they dressed provocatively in the crime and the police officers the anger has gotten carried short skirts, or in Daminis case suggested that she withdraw her away. Examples of the Taliban were, out at undesirable hours complaint and marry the rapist stoning rapists or Iranian with her boyfriend. instead. Islamic fundamentalists publicly There comes a time in every In the face of continued executing rapists are being upheld society when people collectively protests, the Indian government as virtuous deeds. The perpetrators get fed up of the status quo and has begrudgingly initiated of Daminis rape were beaten up resentment froths. This is what reforms with hotlines staffed by and forced to eat human excreta is happening in India right now. female police officers being set in a maximum-security prison. In The protests, for a change, refuse up for women to report sexually- a case hastily brought to trial, the to die out because it has been a motivated crimes. Police forces pro bono defense lawyers for the long time coming. The brutality of are being given directives that accused were heckled and booed by University of Surrey University of Surrey Zipped Hoody JUST rape that particular 27.50 has catalysed Printany reports of rape being ignored other lawyers present in court. American Hoody
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Indian media is a strange beast, often playing the role of not just passively reporting on events, but actively channelling opinions; some news channels, allegedly, coordinate film crew schedules in cohorts with protestors. They have made calls for rapists to be publicly hanged on 26th January Republic Day, the anniversary of the date when Indias constitution came into force. For me, a public execution or a farcical trial would be as grave a failing of the Indian judicial and government system as the crimes the accused are supposed to have committed.

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Boris Johnson is no scientist

Melissa Bolivar

oris Johnson has become a real embarrassment to Londons scientific community after his latest outburst of climate change scepticism, which exposes not just a glaring weakness in his own knowledge but also within his team of advisers. On Monday, Johnson used his Telegraph column to muse on the global climatic implications of a few days of wintry weather in the UK in January. He concluded that it might be time for policy-makers to consider whether the earth is heading for a mini Ice Age. This is complete rubbish, of course, and shows not only that Johnson does not understand the basic science behind global warming but also that he cannot distinguish between anecdote and evidence, or between weather and climate. Claiming to be an empiricist, Johnson suggested that this is the fifth year in a row that we have had an unusual amount of

snow and that I dont remember winters like this. Unfortunately, his commitment to observational analysis apparently does not extend to consulting the Met Offices records, which would have shown him that although the average temperatures in the UK during winters 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 were below average, last winter was actually warmer than average, as were most winters since 2000. Furthermore, he would have discovered that the UKs climate bears the unmistakeable footprint of global warming, with the seven warmest years on record all occurring since 2000. So why does the Mayor claim we are experiencing global cooling? Well, it seems that the only person Johnson consults on this issue is his friend Piers Corbyn, who rejects the overwhelming evidence that rising atmospheric levels of greenhouse gases is driving the unambiguous rise in global average temperatures, and instead holds the sun directly responsible for trends in the Earths climate. The trouble with Dr Corbyns theory, which he has not published in any peerreviewed scientific journal, is that it is not supported by evidence. He does not even believe that the earths climate is controlled

by the amount of energy radiated from the sun, but instead blames its magnetic activity, which increases and decreases cyclically about every 11 years and so clearly cannot be the main driver of global warming. Johnsons description of Dr Corbyns theory is an almost verbatim reproduction from one of his earlier columns last July (clearly the 250,000 he is allegedly paid each year is not high enough to guarantee original content for its readers), and is punctuated with references to JMW Turner, Shakespeare and the Aztecs, but largely devoid of scientific insight. This latest gaffe follows his decision last year to invite Matt Ridley, a prominent climate change sceptic and former chairman of Northern Rock, to speak at City Hall about how environmental risks are overblown, as part of the cultural celebration that accompanied the Olympics. Perhaps we should not be surprised by all

this given the complete lack of scientific education that Johnson has received. However, the Mayor has to take scientific evidence and expert knowledge into account when making many important decisions, not the least of which is how to adapt the capitals transport system and infrastructure to withstand the impacts of global warming. He should not be relying on the fanciful theories of friends when it comes to issues that affect the lives and livelihoods of Londoners. Johnson should make better use of the fact that the capital is home to many world class universities and scientific societies where he could consult genuine experts, most of whom now cringe every time he holds forth about climate change. But it is also time that the Mayor of London followed the example of central government departments by adding a professional and credible chief scientific adviser to his team.

Merkel on a mission
erkels popularity maintained as the left plummet in German polls. Germanys Social Democrats have plunged deeply in opinion polls, reflecting a number of gaffes committed by standard bearer Peter Steinbrck, who remains its candidate to challenge Chancellor Angela Merkel. Merkels rising popularity defies a political trend witnessed across Europe last year, when several incumbent governments, most of them right-wing, were unseated by opposition parties. As recently as October, the left-wing SPD polled at 30 percent in Germany. A Jan. 9 public opinion survey published by independent pollster Forsa, however, rated the party at just 23 percent. Merkels Christian Democratic Union, by contrast, continued its steady rise to 43 percent. But its liberal coalition parties are struggling to cross the 5 percent election threshold, so Merkel may have to govern with either the Social Democrats or the more leftist Greens. The drop in popularity is in part caused by Steinbrcks controversial statements. In an interview published Dec. 30, he suggested chancellors in Germany are underpaid and Merkel enjoys an electoral advantage because she is a woman. The incident may well be forgotten by the time Germans vote for a new Parliament this fall, but its not just because Steinbrcks unfortunate remarks that caused his partys tumble in the polls. Steinmeier, former foreign minister and the Social Democrats leader in Parliament, told Der Spiegel last week that no matter the outcome of Lower Saxonys election, where many left-wing voters are opting for the smaller Green Party instead, Steinbrck will represent the SPD in this years federal vote. The ruling coalition of conservative and liberal parties has no solutions for the demographic, energy and infrastructure challenges of the future, he added. This government profits from the decisions made in the middle of the last decade,

United Europe is worth fighting for

Jack White

Poppy Tyler
when the Christian and Social democrats were in government together, he said. They only reap what the other has sown. Such a grand coalition may be likely after the next election and would enjoy comfortable majorities in both chambers of Parliament. Meanwhile, Merkels present coalition has to rely on opposition support in the Senate. A grand coalition would give her a strong mandate to enact comprehensive economic and social reforms. The German Social Democrats inability to sway voters is remarkable in the European context. In the past two years, virtually all incumbent governments were voted out in national elections, owing to popular dissatisfaction with austerity measures imposed - many on the left in those countries argued - on Germanys insistence. The most recent example was France, where conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy, an ally of Merkels in the European sovereign debt crisis, was replaced by Socialist Party leader Franois Hollande, who expressly campaigned against spending cuts. In Germany, it is Merkels very insistence on fiscal consolidation in Europe that endears her to many voters. German support for the euro, even European Union membership, has steadily decreased since the beginning of the crisis as the country bore the brunt of rescuing weaker economies on the periphery of the currency union. The Germans are willing to pay to save the single currency, but up to a point. They see in Merkel the steadfast leader who successfully balances the European interest against the German. Why vote for the less experienced candidate when she is willing to serve four more years?

ritish political commentary on Europe has for many years been a tussle between the frothing ultranationalists who call for the country to completely disengage with Europe, and the silent moderate Europhiles who continually deny that there is a problem with Britains current stance on Europe. Since the Prime Minister announced a referendum on EU membership in the next parliament, this second group has begun howling about how only a fool would want to leave the EU and how the public is not informed enough to make a decision. Its this second argument that makes me happiest with the decision to hold the referendum. From the point of view of fellow Europhiles, it is abundantly clear that the electorate is indeed not informed enough to decide on Europe. But who is to blame for that? For more than a decade, the proEurope camp has refused to even discuss the issue beyond bland and shallow We must have a say arguments. Now Europhiles will be forced to start making their case for Europe and I for one, am only too happy to do just that. In the opening to his speech on Europe last week, the Prime Minister correctly cited the need for lasting peace as the very foundation

stone on which the EU has been built. Where he went wrong was in reducing Britains interest in the modern-day EU to a single market. The single market has always been and always will be merely a tool for completion of the project that cements peace in Europe: the constitution of a united European state. The challenges faced by people in Britain today are the same as those faced by the people in France and the people in Germany. Our needs and desires are the same: full employment, the best education systems, the means to secure our economic future in the face of exploding economies in the East and South America. So why are we dogmatically sticking to an outmoded, 400-year-old conception of nationality? Are we still in love with the British Empire an institution itself outclassed by any number of social and political trends in the last hundred years when the Empire was such a bloodthirsty, oppressive beast? Now is the time for a revolution in European affairs. Over the last two years, we have seen the crushing failure by the current EU to stave off a crippling financial crisis, because it was unable to take coherent action across the whole Union. It was unable to do this because of the interference of outdated international borders and pettyminded nationalist politicians. Europe deserves a bright future, moving past the fake, small-minded boundaries of the nation state and into the light of recognition of the commonality between Europeans and of our shared interests and heritage. This means that self-identified Europeans must be pushing to the front of the media, and organising to show off the better future we can have together. This must be a rallying call to the greatest banner of our times.

Features Editor: Ellis Taylor | Copy Editor: Tessa Morgan

The Stag |

30th January 2013

FEATURES

13

Get your apron out, its time to cook

By Rebekkah Hughes, Features Team

Features

Top tips for a good nights sleep

By Pippa Tollow, Features Team

s a student, its often all too easy to reach for the tin of beans to have on toast or just stick a pizza in the oven. A full timetable, or sports commitment can leave us longing for the easy option, and this cant-be-bothered attitude towards cooking can be found in almost any student kitchen. However, there may be a solution to all of your culinary woes. A new cooking website, www. lemonsqueezy.eu, has been launched to help those with constraints on their time, as well as their wallet. Its helping students all over the country realise that cooking good food doesnt have to be difficult. Lemon Squeezy seeks to provide naturally easy-to-follow recipes that are cost-effective and not overloaded with ingredients. Its

simple layout allows the browser to discover easy recipes, plan their weekly meals, read articles about certain food groups and their benefits, or even create a shopping list from the recipes youve found. Updated daily and free to use, Lemon Squeezy is an easy way of getting back into good eating habits post-Christmas-binge. The website even provides nutritional facts and information alongside the recipes to demonstrate the benefits of each meal. Another useful feature is The Lemon Squeezy Storecupboard, which lists all the possible foods handy to have in the cupboard ready to use. Ranging from rice, grains, beans and pulses to tins, stock and flour, each food group expands to all their variants. It even displays multiple recipes each can be used in, meaning theres no need for any wastage.

Italian by birth and with a passion for nutritious food, Lemon Squeezy founder, Anna Atkins, created the site after increased demand from her daughter and her university friends for her great food, made easy recipes. Anna spent over twenty years developing her recipes to make them efficient and effortless. It was only after sending her daughter off to university with meal planners and shopping lists that she discovered the potential for fussfree cooking. With a tried and tested section compiled by students, youve got nothing to loose by giving a few recipes a whirl and seeing how far it gets you. You could even check the Facebook page, updated regularly with meals and pictures there really is no excuse to try out some good food.

hort term sleep problems are common amongst students after exams, as work related anxiety, late nights studying, and reliance on caffeine can all accumulate into some very strange sleep routines. However, it is important that this doesnt turn into a long-term problem when exams are finished, so here are some student-ready tips for getting a good nights sleep; Many people believe they should only go to bed when sleepy, and as a result may not go to bed until very late. However, this may not be the case for everyone, as a recent study found that 39.3% of sleep-deprived students didnt feel sleepy before falling asleep. Although, if youre still awake after an hour in bed then try getting up and reading a dull book for 15-minutes before going back. Problems switching off? Try to avoid caffeine and heavy exercise for at least four hours before bedtime. Equally, if you have trouble with alertness in the mornings then exercise may help wake you up. Dont spend too long in bed after waking,

1.

2. 3.

as it is important to associate your bed with sleep. Ideally, activities on your bed should be limited to sleep and sex. This can be difficult in Halls or cramped student houses, but perhaps working at a desk or socialising outside of your bedroom could help. Many people panic when they cant sleep, but be reassured that the average amount of sleep required by young adults is only 7.5 hours, and this varies widely between individuals. Bad sleep can be a vicious cycle, but our bodies can function on surprisingly little sleep, so try not to worry if you cant sleep and reassure yourself that resting can also be useful. To work out how much sleep is right for you; get up at the same time every day, avoid lying in bed after waking, and manipulate your bedtime so that you start early and gradually go to bed a little later each night. When you find a time where you fall asleep within a few minutes and wake up feeling refreshed, this may be the best amount of sleep for you. If youre having trouble sleeping and the problem persists or is affecting other areas of your life then go see your GP. Otherwise, good luck and sweet dreams!

4.

5.

Surrey Care Trust challenge YOU

By Pippa Tollow, Features Team

ant to make a new years resolution with a difference? Do you fancy doing something a bit extreme whilst raising money for a local charity in 2013? The Surrey Care Trust is a local charity supporting local people who have had a difficult start in life, due to disadvantage or a lack of opportunity. A snapshot of some of the charities work includes offering immediate financial help to those in great need, keeping young people in education, and providing training for people of all ages in order to improve their chances of employment. The charity was founded in 1982, but in 2013 the

Surrey Care trust are urging you to take on a challenge and raise money at the same time. Fire walking and skydiving are just two of the biggest challenges for Surrey students to get involved in this year in the name of a good cause. On March 22nd, the charity will be giving you the opportunity to walk over 20 feet of burning embers, promising one of the most thrilling and exciting evenings of your life (as well as earning you major bragging rites amongst friends!). However, if freefalling from 10,000 feet is more your thing, then also on offer is a day of sponsored skydiving on the

24th March. In return for a small entry fee, the charity is inviting you to take part in these unique experiences, whilst raising money to support the future work of the Surrey Cares Trust. So, if you consider yourself a bit of a daredevil or just fancy something new in 2013, then make sure you get involved with a Surrey Care Trust challenge. For more information on these events, or the Surrey Care Trust and the many other fundraising activities they run, visit www.surreycaretrust. org.uk or contact Vicky Nash on 01483 412751 or vicky.nash@ surreycaretrust.org.uk.

Build up your karma AND be a badass at the same time

14 FEATURES

The Stag |

30th January 2013

features@thestagsurrey.co.uk

Las Vegas Chinese cousin

Why the uncool should be cool

By Ellis Taylor, Features Editor

ometimes I cant help but think that as there is so much love for fashion in the world it is a mighty shame that some items just arent deemed as cool. And at the same time, there are so many items that dont really deserve the admiration they receive (Ugg boots, Im looking at you). So before you start planning your SS13 wardrobe take a look at my list of things that should be cool and throw away the rule books and dull pieces. 1) Bunny ears. Or any other animal ears. Louis Vuitton took them to the catwalk in 2009 and really tried to make them cool, alas it did not catch on and animal ears are still strictly Halloween wear. Boo. Dont do a Bridget Jones though. 2) Wide brimmed hats. And berets. None of this snapback business. Lets go classy. 3) Bow ties. I really want to do this sometime. Pretty sure Whovians will join in on this

style boundary breaker! (Not sure we can pull off Fezzes as well though). Alternatively, go the more fashion route and follow Karl Lagerfeld, black ribbon bow against a white shirt. 4) Tutus. Im talking big poofy skirts that have an extraordinary swish factor and make you feel like a ballerina. Possibly the most fun skirt in existence. Possibly the skirt most likely to get you asked for ID. 5) Pocket watches. Our science & tech editor, Alex is a fan, and I wholeheartedly support this. Wearing the time on you wrist is just so 2012. What is annoying is that some of the pieces just arent going to catch on in the near future, but we can dream. And if some of these things seem a little too scary to try (Im really not expecting to see the students of Surrey sporting animal ears any time soon) I urge you to push yourself a little bit and wear that piece youve always wanted to. Why the heck not?

Macau - a place of gambling, fun and very bright colours By Ankur Banerjee, Features Team tackily replicates the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel, leading on to a casino floor that stretches out as far as the eye can see. Going by the number of abandoned halls, deserted faux canals, and creepy hallways which look straight out of The Shining it seems that the owners built far too much than there is any demand for. The oddest sight was a poster apparently for a real-estate developers conference that featured Bumblebee from Transformers on it. I hadnt read any book on blackjack tactics and I certainly did not have a posse of spotters to count cards for me, so I hit the slot machines. Slot machines and not the higher stake poker and blackjack tables that make casinos a majority of their profits. It was my lucky day, however, as I successively won around 600 on different slot machines, starting off with just 10. By the time I went to cash in my third winning ticket, I was approached by a floor manager dressed all in black. Would I like to join the high rollers lounge? Why of course. The rest of the night was somewhat hazy as my friend and I blew through the whole amount on an obscene amount of drinks (and god knows what other stuff) but I do remember the highlights: the saddest looking waitresses with the fakest tits being felt up by pudgy Chinese businessmen, a succession of bad karaoke performances from fellow high rollers high on champagne, and getting stalked throughout the night by a woman who looked like a posh hooker. As my friend and I stumbled out of the casino after thirteen hours her clutching a bag of Steve Madden shoes it struck me that what people say about time getting lost in casinos really is true. And on any other trip, I would definitely have checked out the old Portuguese quarters of Macau, with their paved streets and heavenly SinoPortuguese fusion cusine. Whats Hot: The House of Dancing Water, a spectacular noveau- c i rque -meet s-t heat re show put on at the City of Dreams casino. Over 2 billion Hong Kong dollars was spent on building the stage and technology for the show and it clearly dazzles. The story is somewhat convoluted, but ships appearing and disappearing within an indoor stadium, African tribal dancing, and motocross stunts more than make up for it. Whats Not: Its hard to pick out anything bad about Macau so Im scraping the bottom of the battle here: the SkyWalk a walk around on a metal platform 233 metre high at the Macau Tower is a total cop-out. Grow a pair and do the bungee jump instead at the same venue, which is the worlds highest bungee.

he worlds top gambling destination (in terms of amount of dollars spent) isnt Las Vegas; that title goes to Macau, which occupies a tiny peninsula of mainland China. What makes Macau such a surprisingly big gambling destination is the fact that gambling is illegal in China; Macaus special status as a former Portuguese colony affords it administrative freedom to rule itself by its own laws. Thousands of gamblers cross over the border from the mainland to indulge in the secret Chinese addiction to gambling as well as seedier aspects such as rich Chinese tycoons using gambling winnings as a front for money laundering. Think of all the big Vegas casino chains the Wynn, the Venetian, City of Dreams, Hard Rock and they are all there, along with their gaudier neon-lit local counterparts such as the Grand Lisboa. Its a curiously different vibe though, for instead of nattily-dressed people cruising around in limousines, when you step inside the casino floors you are more likely to find a Chinese family crowded around a grandmother at a craps table egging her on. The biggest monstrosity of the lot is The Venetian, the largest casino in the world; larger than its Vegas counterpart, in fact. Its entrance has a ceiling that

CAREERS
By John Watkins, Director of Careers Service

t has been a tough first month for the retail sector HMV, Jessops and Blockbusters amongst those succumbing to Administration. It has not come as a huge surprise that the high street has lost out to online competition as we face up to a radical change in the way that consumers operate. There is an equally profound impact on current and future careers. Technology, globalisation, changing business models, ongoing economic uncertainty, currency instability, changes in higher education, skills excesses and shortages are all complicating the employment market. One such change is the nature of relationships between employers and employees. This month we learned that record numbers of graduate jobs are going to students who have already worked for the employer. A study by High Fliers Research analysed vacancies and starting salaries at 100 of the countrys top employers including banks, law firms, retailers and the civil service. More than a third of vacancies will be filled by

graduates who have already completed work experience placements or internships - rising to three-quarters at some firms. In a stark conclusion students with no work experience at all are being warned they stand barely any chance of landing a job at a leading firm, regardless of their academic achievements. A not dissimilar trend might be anticipated in at least a proportion of the smaller and medium sized enterprises that are the destination of many Surrey students. Our students are comparatively well placed in this regard, benefitting from professional training most obviously for those that take a placement year, but also for those who dont but are still part of an environment with employability to the fore. The Careers Service is here to help convert the advantage with support and indeed a wide range of opportunities on the job vacancies database. You can find us in the Philip Marchant Building and at www.surrey.ac.uk/careers w w w.u n iofsu r reyca reers. wordpress.com www.facebook. com/surreycareers

Features Editor: Ellis Taylor | Copy Editor: Tessa Morgan

The Stag |

30th January 2013

FEATURES

15

Games
Issue 52 Solutions Wordsearch Sudoku
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A O B N A I L B I T I N G A E C U R V Y E I I U M H O D T B Y A C S B R A Y H U J H T R U T R E O T D C P E B T T H U N E M I I Q X N E A E W H A K I S P A M G B E D S I A I E I O N I D U S U R G E R Y G I O N I T E T H K N Y Z U E H E P O Y D O B I G I T Y N O S Y F Y P I R S E S B N J L A A E A D Q M T A A K D A N I I W B Y G U M L O V H T B I Y U T R N L T U W I B T U N H E T G O L I B G E N E O O L D B Y K W N T L K G M I R R O R A J M S A E

CURVY SKINNY THIGHS BUM BODY ARMPIT

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BOWTIE DEGREE DAPPY ELECTIONS LIBRARY MACAU

16 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

The Stag |

30th January 2013

sciencetech@thestagsurrey.co.uk

Science & Technology The dawn of the code war?

networks, computers and mobile devices by using techniques such as recording keystrokes, viewing browsing histories, accessing Microsoft Outlook information, and saving passwords. All the gathered intelligence is then sent back to the command and control centre - whose exact location is still unknown. The Red October hackers have also developed one new feature unique to this piece of malware; it has a resurrection module builtin which allows it to hide away as if deleted, disguised as plugins and program add ons, and then reincarnates after things like security scans. Speaking to the BBC, Prof Alan Woodward from the University of Surrey said If its discovered, it hides. When everyone thinks the coast is clear, you just send an e-mail and boof its back and active again. Its not quite Skyfall or Die Hard 4.0, but as the art of digital spycraft develops and evolves, more and more elaborate techniques are being used to out-do the enemy. Perhaps its fair to say that Red October is the first e-double agent - or at least the first to be caught out. Either way cyber-warfare is a political game changer, whether its used for espionage and subterfuge or in place of a military offensive, it has the ability to cripple any electronic target and even control physical systems. Take Stuxnet back in 2010. Stuxnet was a computer worm which was one of the most sophisticated ever found. Symantec believe it took a team of up to 30 people around 6 months to code, and some suggest its ingenious self-destruct code was a hallmark of western governments. Organisations went into lockdown; my school alone limited internet access and disabled all USB drives on school machines, all because Stuxnet attacked through Windows computers and at the time its intentions were unknown. The consensus now is that this malware was used to disrupt Irans nuclear enrichment program. If youre brave enough to go through all the Wikileaks and join a few dots you might believe it was a joint US-Israeli effort following news that Iran had managed to further enrich uranium than ever before - although this hasnt been irrefutably proved. Discrete subterfuge without repercussion or loss of life was almost as effective as ordering an air-strike. And therefore cyberwarfare is an inevitable future which the world, engulfed by the rush of the information age, faces. If the pen is mightier than the sword, then the keyboard has become the new atomic bomb and the next arms race is just beginning. Strategically speaking, smart is the new sexy.

The scale of machines targeted in the Red October attacks as identified by Russian computer security company, Kaspersky. All countries in red were hit by the malware, with the purple dots identifying the type of target institution. By Alex Smith, Science & Tech Editor the spy was a computer program malware. Since 2007 a major and ongoing highly targeted cyber-attack, known as Operation: Red October (believed to be of Russian or Chinese origin), has been carried out against 250 IP addresses across 39 countries with the intention to gather classified documents from high-value institutions, including: embassies; oil & gas companies; the military; and nuclear and energy research facilities. Discovered by Kaspersky and several governmental Cyber Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) who published a research paper earlier in January, Red October extracted information from

ts as if it was taken straight from a novel; Ian Fleming couldnt have done better himself. Over a five year period a range of sensitive government facilities, primarily in Eastern Europe, were infiltrated by the enemy and encrypted files stolen. The only difference was that

Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet grounded globally

By Mike Colling, Science & Tech Team

Kaspersky Labs

oeings latest and most technologically advanced flagship aircraft, the 787 Dreamliner, faces yet more criticism amid safety concerns over its lithium-ion batteries. An emergency landing outside Tokyo on 16th January has sparked a worldwide grounding of all fifty 787s in service, initiated by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The All Nippon Airways flight to Tokyo-Haneda airport made an emergency landing due to indications of smoke in the forward avionics bay (the area of the aircraft in which electrical

components are housed), thought to be caused by a malfunctioning lithium-ion battery. The potential for fire on board an aircraft is clearly a serious safety issue, which led to the FAA demanding that all US-registered Dreamliners remain firmly on the ground until an investigation is conducted. The European Aviation Safety Agency and the Indian government followed suit and grounded all 787s in Europe and India respectively. Airlines in Japan, Ethiopia and Qatar have voluntarily taken their aircraft temporarily out of service for precautionary inspections. Boeings chief executive, Jim McNerney, said the company is confident the 787 is safe and

The Boeing 787s fall from grace - Dreamliners to temporarily remain on the tarmac. working around the clock with its customers and the various regulatory and investigative authorities. He also added that Boeing is committed to supporting the FAA and finding answers as

quickly as possible. The 787 Dreamliner is one of the most advanced commercial airliners ever produced. Around 50% of the aircraft is constructed from composite materials, while

new engines make it 20% more efficient and 60% less noisy than similar jetliners currently in the market. However, the 787 has been plagued with problems since the start; airlines took delivery of the aircraft years later than expected, at billions of dollars over budget. In 2013 alone, cracks in a cockpit window, issues with undercarriage braking systems and leaking fuel tanks have all hit the headlines. The grounding of commercial airline fleets is extremely rare the FAA last issued a similar order in 1979 following the fatal crash of a McDonnell Douglas DC-10 aircraft. An investigation into the cause of the 787s faulty battery is ongoing.

Kentaro Iemoto

Sci/Tech Editor: Alex Smith | Copy Editor: Sophie Vickery

The Stag |

30th January 2013

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

17

Aaron Swartz: martyr for freedom on the Internet

By Ankur Banerjee, Science & Technology Team

Technology round-up
By Alex Smith, Science & Tech Team
Waterproof phones the next big thing?

aron Swartz, prominent Internet activist associated with social news website Reddit, committed suicide on 11th January 2013 at the age of 26. His death has sparked off protests online about laws surrounding freedom of information on the Internet, and how the US government handles such issues. Swartz was a proponent of hactivism much in the same vein as Julian Assange and believed that information needed to be free for a better society. While he was a faculty member at Harvard University, he was annoyed by the fact that online academic journal database JSTOR charged exorbitant fees to its subscribers for access, yet paid nothing to the academics

contributing the articles. He subsequently downloaded millions of academic articles from JSTORs database with the intention of publicly releasing what he saw as a government-funded research data. He was charged under various counts of computer fraud and unauthorised access the US Computer Fraud and Abuse Act a law that pushed for a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison for such a crime. Despite making millions as co-owner of Reddit, he found his wealth bled dry under American laws which freeze financial assets of people accused of crimes. It is believed that the prospect of going to prison for a long time along with financial pressure is what ultimately led to Swartz going into depression and committing suicide. Much of the online protests

A
John Brown

Activist, web-entrepreneur and co-owner of Reddit, Aaron Swartz, who was found hanged in his Brooklyn apartment. following his death have focussed on cyber laws, especially whether the punishment defined in law for cybercrimes is proportional to the acts. Legal experts have also raised questions on whether the prosecution was correct in pursuing such harsh penalties, or whether the crimes warranted any prosecution at all. What sets this case apart is

t the CES earlier this month, phone manufacturer, Sony Ericsson, unveiled their latest edition to the Xperia family by submerging it in a tank of water. The phone, expected to hit UK stores by March this year, is expected to set the trend as other handheld devices are expected to follow suit and make this new feature universal.

that as hactivism a looselydefined term covering unorthodox methods of protesting authority on the Internet becomes more commonplace online, laws are increasingly facing challenges on what can be appropriately defined as crime. Aaron Swartz has unintentionally becoming a martyr around whom activists are rallying for these changes.

Man updates Facebook status before being shot

Is there a leadership gene? New study says some are born leaders
By Reza Rezaei Javan, Science & Tech Team

30 year-old in Michigan was shot by a policeman after an allegedly kidnapping and raping a woman, setting fire to a house, stealing a truck and then ramming it into two squad cars. The man then had the time to update his Facebook status as Well folks, Im about to get shot. Peace before being shot by a policeman.

Half of Instagrams users leave after T&Cs change

esearchers now believe that some individuals may, quite literally, be born leaders. Thats according to the results of a new study that led to the discovery of a correlation between a specific genetic traits and leadership qualities. The studys findings, published in the online publication The Leadership Quarterly, were revealed in a paper titled Born to lead? A twin design and genetic association study of leadership role occupancy, by researchers Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, James H. Fowler, Nicholas A. Christakis, Slava Mikhaylov and Christopher T. Dawes. Researchers at University College London, in collaboration with academics from NYU, Harvard University and the University of California, have concluded that a new genotype named rs4950 is linked with a strong predisposition toward strong leadership qualities. In other words, leadership abilities

can, in fact, be passed along to ones offspring. The study revealed that this leadership gene is expressed in approximately 25 percent of individuals. Dr. Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, of the University College London School of Public Policy, led the team of researchers who compared and analyzed genetic samples and personal data from approximately 4,000 twins in the United States. Researchers used the individuals career choice as the primary indicator of a predisposition toward exhibiting leadership qualities. The leaders were identified as those who held a manager-type position in the workplace. So are some individuals born leaders? This study allows us to answer yes, to an extent, explained Dr. De Neve. He added, Although leadership should still be thought of predominantly as a skill to be developed, genetics in particular the rs4950 genotype -can also play a significant role in predicting who is more likely to

occupy leadership roles. Its important to note that scientists maintain the belief that these genetic traits do not guarantee that an individual will exhibit leadership traits. Modern conventional wisdom holds that a combination of nature (genetics) and nurture (upbringing and opportunity) account for an individuals leadership qualities. So while a parent who exhibits exemplary leadership skills may pass along the rs4950 gene to his or her offspring, thereby predisposing the child to developing strong leadership abilities, environment and other external factors have a significant impact on whether a person will ultimately display an inclination to seek out leadership roles. In short, its no longer a matter of nature versus nurture; its widely believed that both nature and nurture determine whether an individual exhibits a particular trait or characteristic. Its believed that parents who are strong leaders will model leadership-type behaviours for

their children. These parents are also more likely to encourage and promote qualities that will ultimately cause the child to seek out leadership roles. This, combined with the rs4950 genotype, is believed to be present in natural born leaders. Notably, the discovery of this genetic link to behaviour does spur some ethical questions concerning how this genetic information may ultimately be utilized in the future. Biomedical advances have spurred dialogue among ethicists and philosophers, who speculate that genetics could become the basis of discrimination. Individuals could be screened for a gene thats linked to criminal behaviour, mental illness, leadership qualities or another trait. We should seriously consider expanding current protections against genetic discrimination in the labour market, De Neve concluded. Ultimately, only time will tell how these genetics findings will impact society and medicine alike.

espite a U-turn on new terms and conditions which meant it has the right to sell your uploaded pictures for advertising. Instagrams daily user count has reportedly fallen by 55% in 4 weeks. Instagram was bought for 630 million by Facebook in April 2012 shortly after being released on Android, snapping up 1 million sign-ups in just 12 hours.

Airport nude body scanners being dropped in US

he US Transportation Security Administration is removing its range of fullbody scanners which generates detailed images of naked bodies that pass through them, but keeping the ones which create a generic outline of the traveler.

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20 DANCE & THEATRE

The Stag |

30th January 2013

dancetheatre@thestagsurrey.co.uk

Get involved with TheatreSoc

By Annie Callahan, Dance & Theatre Team

Dance & Theatre

ts been an exciting year so for the Theatre Society! We kicked off with a cabaret in October, which featured a variety of acts from the societys members including monologues, stand-up comedy and singing. It also featured pieces provided by MADSoc and MTSoc, previews of upcoming shows such as MTSocs Songs For a New World, and our very own production of The Importance of Being Earnest. It was a very successful night so thank you to everyone who came! In the last week of term before Christmas, after two and a half months of hard work, we presented our first major production of the year Earnest. The eight-strong cast did a fantastic job, and it was great that we sold out on the second night (and very nearly on the first too). This show was a great fundraiser for the society, and also got new members involved. So, upcoming for 2013! We have lots of plans, including a Murder Mystery which is currently being written (details of auditions will be announced shortly). We are also midway

through the rehearsal process of our self-created production Cinderella in Space, written by two of our members. This is going to be performed on March 13th and 14th in Wates House, Firs Room at 7.30pm. With a tagline such as Fairytales need fairies in magical kingdoms; if Cinderella's on Mars, who will be her fairy godmother? expect tin foil, disco lights and humour that should be considered anything but childfriendly. And if thats not enough for you, we are proud to announce our latest venture: a festival of short plays, due to take place in the summer term. Submissions for plays are now open and anyone can get involved! The (very few) guidelines are the following: it must be short (a maximum of 30 minutes), it can be self-written or a published play, and it doesnt just have to be a play or monologue - it can be a scene or section of text. Do you fancy directing or acting in a show, but havent had the confidence to do it before? This is your opportunity to give it a try. With each show probably only having a small cast, and without committing to the time required to rehearse a

full show, you can experiment with theatre and contribute towards this event! Plays or ideas can be submitted to ussu. theatresoc@surrey.ac.uk, or you can find us on Facebook (/surreytheatresociety). Please also contact us if you are interested in directing, and the chosen plays and auditions will be announced at the start of second semester. We look forward to seeing everyone's ideas, and the exciting year ahead!

Surrey staff in Talking Heads

By Tiffany Stoneman, Dance & Theatre Editor

ts not often students are placed in a position where they can watch their lecturers actually doing the subject they teach how many budding physicists have seen their tutors in non-university laboratories? Or how many English Literature students have read a novel written by their supervisor? Im not saying it doesnt happen, Im just saying its rare. I had the lucky occasion to see not one, but two of my own lecturers in their working profession namely, Julia Carey and Cory Peterson acting in Alan Bennetts Talking Heads at the Mill Studio in Guildford. Having formed a new theatre company, CCC (or TripleC), with Catharine Humphrys, this is the first show the trio have put on, debuting as a group who aim to put on smallscale, but good quality productions, locally. And Talking Heads was a fantastic start simple, funny, heart warming, and with a somewhat surprisingly varied audience. Bennetts play consists of three characters and excerpts of stream-of-consciousness monologues depicting aspects of their rather unusual lives. On the face of it, it can seem like its been done before one extreme being Play by Samuel Beckett. However, this piece is anything but ordinary.

As the lines and the laughs tick on, the audience becomes increasingly aware that there is a lot more under the surface of these three individuals than first meets the eye. A vicars wife with a penchant for wine, a man protecting his mother from something hes not quite sure of, and a single woman standing firm as a one-woman neighbourhood watch. Catherine Humphrys played the wonderfully efficient Irene, forever writing complaint letters, pen constantly in hand to ensure the safety and welfare of those around her was paramount, reporting on anything from a broken concrete step to a slightly cramped crematorium. With incredible commitment, even throughout the semi-blackouts, Humphrys balanced the well-wisher with the obsessed, making her steady fall appear effortless and honest. This, accompanied with her light-spiritedness in the second half, made for a beautiful allround performance that was endearing as well as sympathetic. Although Cory Peterson struggled a little with the soft Yorkshire accent and who can blame him, I cant get my head around some regional accents as one who has lived in England 20 years! and yet still managed to preserve the dignity, vulnerability, and softness within the character of Graham. With such a subtly complex role, it could have been easily overplayed, yet Petersons portrayal of a caring but frustrated man made him believable and strong. Susan was given life by Julia Carey the resigned vicars wife is both cynical and romantic in her search for something more to life. Creating a real sense of a woman hiding from her past, present and future, Carey moved throughout the piece with a grounded understanding of the character, whilst appearing to always be holding that last sentence back, forever catching herself before letting too much out. Talking Heads provides entertainment for everyone; giving the slightly wiser a chance to laugh, reminisce, or consider their own quirks to which their family would roll their eyes, whereas younger audience members nodded knowingly at the unusual nuances of parenthood, as well as the all-knowing look from Susan when referring to her 26-year old corner-shop friend. As Triple Cs first performance, they did well to cast their net wide, yet accurately, and I look forward to seeing what they have in store for us next.

Watch This Space: Arts At Surrey

xams are almost over, the snow is (slowly) melting, and were gearing ourselves up for the next semester at uni. This means that shows are rounding off their rehearsals and are getting ready for fresh-faced audiences. Heres whats coming up over the next few weeks, and a reminder of any that you missed from last issue.

What: Dance Double Bill When: 6th February Where: Ivy Arts Centre Cost: 5 (12 full) Featuring dance artists Joe Moran and Theo Clinkard, youre in for a treat with this night of new choreography and dance speciality. What: Jerry Springer the Opera When: 4th-9th February Where: Electric Theatre Cost: 9 (10 full) GSA present the Olivier Award-winning musical based on the notorious TV talk show.
What: The Drowsy Chaperone When: 6th-9th February Where: The Mill Studio Cost: 5 (10 full) GSA present a hilarious 1928 musical about a Broadway starlet longing for marriage

Dance/Theatre Editor: Tiffany Stoneman | Copy Editor: Hannah Wann

The Stag |

30th January 2013

DANCE & THEATRE

21

Interview with a BalletBoy

By Tiffany Stoneman, Dance & Theatre Editor

ith their imminent return to the GLive stage with new show The Talent, I had the chance to interview the BalletBoyz regarding training, breaking out, and redefining the rules of ballet. Ed Pearce, who graduated from the Rambert School in 2010, is enjoying his third season with the company whilst also being

a freelance dancer and teacher. He offers his advice, experience and encouragement to all those who are seeking to pursue or continue in a dance profession at University and beyond. The Stag: The Dance programme at the University of Surrey is very popular, but what avenues did you pursue after formal training (if any)? Ed Pearce: I was very lucky in that I got a job with BalletBoyz two weeks before I graduated. I know how hard it can be coming out of training unemployed, so was very grateful for this opportunity. I also pursued some dance teaching work and choreography work in schools. TS: There is currently a student-run company at Surrey, called Actual Size, but how do you push out of the relatively 'safe' environment of university, and establish yourselves at the beginning? EP: I think just push the boundaries and try and be innovative. Don't try to copy

things that are already out there. Also try and perform as much as possible, as during training you can sometimes forget dance is a performance art and not just an intense workout regime. TS: BalletBoyz turns away from traditional ballet, and creates something bold, inventive, and relevant to new audiences - what (apart from these attributes!) drew you to build a different style of dance? EP: I think the idea of two men dancing together in a tender and beautiful way is very interesting, while still maintaining that masculine quality. This is something I havent personally seen in dance for a long time if at all. This style is attractive to people from all different walks of life. TS: How hard was it to break out of the traditional training habits of ballet to become so 'free' with your choreography and design? EP: I trained in contemporary dance as well so it wasnt too difficult. I think improvisation helped and was a way of

learning how to dance with the other company members when I first joined. TS: What piece of advice do you wish you'd been given just before starting out in the big wide world? EP: To audition for absolutely everything as you just dont know what theyre looking for. And dont underestimate your competition!

What to do with 20 seconds of embarrassing bravery

By Catherine Horne, Dance & Theatre Team

ow many people at university know exactly what they want to do after their degree? I dont,

and havent met many others that really do. All through school we are asked the question What do you want to be when you grow up? Unfortunately, in most cases, you

cant keep saying superhero or rock star forever. Doing A-Levels I found it so easy to get stressed about finding the perfect job to aim for. The problem was trying to plan too far ahead, or paralysis by analysis. It was only after admitting that I had no clue what I wanted, that I decided on a degree choice. I chose to do my degree in Theatre Studies, which may not always be thought of as the most prestigious subject to do a degree in. Theatre was something I had stumbled into as a kid, but when I was trying to write my personal statement and looked back on all the stuff I had done in my 17 and a bit years, theatre work was number one. So why not spend three years learning more about something you enjoy and are pretty good at? Funnily enough, in the

year and a half Ive been at Surrey, I have finally started to figure out what I want. Since starting here, Ive worked in areas Id never considered before, or was never confident enough to try. This has included acting in a Shakespeare play, working as sound operator and occasionally box office supervisor in the Ivy Centre, and this semester, agreeing to be the set designer for an upcoming society play, amongst many other things. I think the point of my random jumble of words is this: if you dont know where you want to be in 5, 10 or 20 years time, thats perfectly fine. If you are in this position however, be prepared to try as many different things as you can. Be like Jim Carreys Yes Man and take every

Valerie Hinojosa

opportunity that comes your way. Dont be afraid to try new things just because you dont know if youll be good at them, because you might surprise yourself. This doesnt just apply to career choices either. You can always try something new, and University is a great time to do it. Audition for a show, try out a new sport, get involved in volunteering, sing in public, anything. Not only will it look good on a CV, but youre likely to make a lot of new friends, connections and memories this way. Theres a saying from the movie We Bought A Zoo: Sometimes all you need is 20 seconds of insane courage, just literally 20 seconds of embarrassing bravery, and I promise you something great will come of it.

22 DANCE & THEATRE

The Stag |

30th January 2013

dancetheatre@thestagsurrey.co.uk

Dont let the monsters stop the magic...

By Abigail Oscroft, Dance & Theatre Team

Creative Fear
The Fear is the worry that once these words stumble onto the page, or out of the mouth, they are going to transform from a great idea and become nothing more than a disease-ridden zombie of an idea, which will roam around the room trailing disgust and displeasure in its wake, leaving all fingers pointed at you its creator. Im talking about the Frankensteins monster of creativity. However, the thing we need to realise is that this fear, like Frankenstein, is nothing more than a horror story that we play in our heads. Nobody knows where it came from, though I do think Mary Shelley has a lot to answer for, but one thing is certain: The Fear does nothing more than hold us back from creating something that may actually be quite beautiful. So I say to you, the creative person cowering in the corner, stop hiding from your own ideas. Theres only one way to destroy the monsters under the bed and that is switch on your light bulb of creativity, letting it shine brightly for all to see. So be brave, stand tall and shout for all to hear I have an idea! It may be ghastly, but who knows, it may just be a little bit wonderful!

ne thing every performer, writer or mad scientist will face at one time or another is The Fear, of his or her own creation. Im not talking about the butterflies as the curtain rises, or the anxious wait for the review. This fear takes place long before the work has even hit the stage. This is the fear that occurs seconds before the fingers hit the keyboard, moments before the mouth opens to express the words which leave echoes of doom ringing around the originators head.

A Dolls House
By Amy McGivern, Dance & Theatre Team

Fr. Dougal McGuire

Bits O The Bard

Shall we their fond pageant see? Lord, what fools these mortals be! Puck, A Midsummer Nights Dream, Act3 Scene 2

can safely say that upon trying to find the venue for Foreign Affairs recent production of A Dolls House, I had never been so lost in my life. This is my first confession - the other is that I had never seen an Ibsen play before then, something that should be considered shameful when currently studying drama at university. After countless trips up and down the same road, and a pit-stop at the pub, we found it; a stark white building among offices. This is the West Ends pop-up theatre, and it looks like an abandoned art gallery. Inside we were greeted by actors, in costume, selling macaroons and cava - quite a strange way to begin the production. The room in which the play was staged was tiny; the audience couldnt have been more than fifty, the arena staging and set were minimalistic, there were no stage lights, wings or theatrical pretences, and it was as if we were inside their living room. Trine Garrett, who played Nora, was by far the

strongest actor in the show; her slight accent added to the character and she appeared nervous and childlike throughout the production. You had to admire her patience when working alongside Adam Mannerring who, unfortunately, frequently stuttered his words and spoke over her on several occasions. However, the dynamic between them was good, like that of a married couple who had been together for years. Jason Denyer, who played Doctor Rank, was equally as brilliant, adding a comedic element to the show which is needed to keep you from crying throughout. When he spoke to Nora about running away together, it was a tense moment and done with great skill and obviously good direction, giving me the impression that she would, if she even saw it as a possibility. Overall, I feel it was a good interpretation and nice to see such a classic play done with a very modern set. The audience seemed to enjoy it greatly and I laughed and cried, although an interval would have been appreciated.

24 FILM

The Stag |

30th January 2013

film@thestagsurrey.co.uk

By Candice Ritchie, Film Editor

Review: This Means War

eve all been there - a friend of ours fancies the same guy or girl and the desired one automatically becomes unavailable to both. Its part of the code, and theres no breaking the code. But what happens when two people realise they are already dating the same person? War. FDR (Chris Pine) and Tuck (Tom Hardy) are CIA operatives and simultaneously best friends. Both have been off the dating wagon for some time and are keen to hop back on. Blonde beauty Lauren (Reece Witherspoon) soon seems the answer when she meets Tuck on a dating agency and swiftly bumps into FDR in an entertainment store afterwards. When it is revealed that they are both dating the same girl, the two are unanimous on their decision fight for her affections. What follows is a series of hilarious mishaps, romantic gestures and sneaky invasions as they both attempt to find out what she loves and woo her heart. As the title suggests, a dating war commences. When a film begins and the leadingmale role is shared by Pine and Hardy you know its going to be good. But you also know its going to be bad for your lusting instinct. Im a sucker for rom-coms, and for me, one of the best parts is drooling over the hot male protagonist its a must in a chick flick! So when a film consists of cute heartthrob and Unstoppable hero Pine, and muscly mans-man and Batman legend Hardy, we have a problem - who to choose? Scrap the plot; throughout the majority of the film I was immersed in deciphering which of the two was hotter. Needless to say, I didnt come to a conclusion. Lest I forget to mention the beauty that is Reece Witherspoon the film dedicates itself to aestheticism. As the much-desired and fought after Lauren, Ms Witherspoon adopts her stereotypical role of heroine - why should she change; shes brilliant at it! But I hasten to add that its becoming quite predictable. Weve had the ever-popular Legally Blonde series, the emotional Just like Heaven

Film

and more recently, the stunning novel adaptation of Water for Elephants. This film just appears to add to her neverending list of romances is she just a one-trick pony? Someone sign her up for an action or horror, please. But perhaps I am wrong to expect something out of the ordinary. After all, This Means War doesnt try to be anything its not. It is what it is: a typical rom-com guy meets girl, all begins well, then comes a series of difficulties, a resolution to those difficulties and the infamous happily ever after. Maybe Im just pining for variation. However, what the film does do differently is set up the eventual sorrow for one character at the very beginning. With a girl dating two men, one was always going to end up date-less and defeated - and the film makes sure to highlight Laurens final choice (youll have to watch it to find out whom). I seem to enjoy rom-com endings that dont allow every character to be happy - not out of spite, of course! Its surprising and unpredictable something we need to see much more of in todays film industry.

Brit Marlings twin indie dramas

By Ankur Banerjee, Film Team

rit Marling seems an unlikely candidate as one of the hottest upcoming stars in the indie film circuit. Starting off as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs, she finds herself drawn towards the world of cinema. The result is two spectacular dramas that she screenwrote and acted in: Another Earth and Sound Of My Voice. Another Earth is a sci-fi drama set around a startling scientific discovery. A new planet is discovered in the solar system which is a carbon copy of our Earth with exactly the same people living on it. The plot follows Rhoda (played by Marling), a bright young high school student who runs over a woman and her son while drink-driving. The story continues following her release from prison; now unemployable, she tries to reconcile herself with the crime she committed and finds herself falling into a relationship with the man whose wife and son she killed. While the premise of another is wildly fantastical and scientifically inaccurate in how its portrayed, the film explores Rhodas doubts about how differently things have gone for her on the other Earth. Sound Of My Voice has similar

roots in sci-fi; Peter and Lorna film a documentary trying to expose Maggie (played by Marling) as a hoax, for she is the leader of a cult who claims she is from the future. Much of the film is shot within a single room, showing worship sessions of the cult and the characters struggles in accepting Maggie for who she claims she is with some showing blind devotion and others being sceptical. Without giving too much away, Sound Of My Voice ends with one of the most enigmatic cliffhangers I have seen in cinema. It is easy when writing sci-fi dramas to get distracted by scientific intricacies of making the premise seem accurate. Both films call upon the viewer to take the premise almost as an act-of-faith, and instead focus on the human aspect of the stories. Is it okay to fall in love with someone whose family you killed or hide your identity from him? Why do smart people get attracted by a cult anyway? Brit Marlings brilliance lies in the fact that her films are full of what-if questions that make the viewer think about they would do in a similar dilemma. This is what makes Another Earth and Sound Of My Voice both brilliant and unsettling to watch.

26 FILM

The Stag |

30th January 2013

film@thestagsurrey.co.uk

Silver Linings Playbook

By Becky Richmond, Marketing Editor

ts amazing to think that before shooting Silver Linings Playbook Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper had never met; the chemistry between them in this quirky film was amazing! They seemed to gel, which is why theyve confirmed theyre going to be doing further projects together! The film is definitely worth all of its Golden Globe and Oscar nominations,

including Best Picture, Best Actress and Actor and Best Screenplay. Id seen the film advertised and I thought oh, that looks quite good. I love Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper is damn fine and Robert De Niro is a complete dude and why wouldnt anyone think that? So, it was with these thoughts in mind that I went to see the film; and oh my, I was not disappointed. Cooper does a beautiful portrayal of a bi-polar man fresh out of a mental institute who happens to meet

Lawrences character; also a wonderful portrayal of a grieving widow with a sex addiction. After the couple enter a dance competition, you root for their love to blossom and by the end of the film you can see the characters mental instabilities healing. Silver Linings Playbook is funny; which was slightly unexpected as its romantic and sad at the same time. Its a wonderful feel good film and you just want it to work out well for all the characters! It is definitely worthy all of the hype, and I would say Jennifer Lawrences Golden Globe for Best Actress was very well deserved. Good Luck for Silver Linings Playbook at the Oscars, and make sure you see it!

Les Misrables
By Sophia Field, Film Team

he only efficient way to describe Tom Hoopers rendition of Les Misrables is epic. He has taken a fantastic novel, transformed into a stage production, to become a worldwide phenomenon; penetrating the consciousness of people who would never have otherwise experienced the story. The movie is an incredibly ambitious feat in all regards and the outcome is a filmic journey that is larger than life. The visual is full of closeups, huge spectacles and heartrending solos to offer valuable, emotional insights. Having been lucky enough to attend the World Premiere of Les Misrables, the passion that filled cast members and director, Tom Hooper, was visibly evident. It was a movie they all seemed to be incredibly proud of. The broken Fantine, played by Anne Hathaway, produced arguably the most impressive solo performance of the film with her excruciating rendering of I Dreamed a Dream. Dropping weight and having almost all of her hair cut off on set, Hathaway succeeded in producing an incredibly moving and raw performance that certainly deserved her recent Golden Globe success.

The most striking element of the creative process is the way in which the soundtrack was generated. In most musical films the vocals will be pre-recorded similarly to the making of an album, and the actors will sing to these tracks during filming weeks or months later. However, Tom Hooper recognised that the sheer emotion of the story required spontaneous reaction that the actors could only truly perform in the moment. This meant that for the first time in movie history all the music was sung live on set to the sound of just a piano in the earpiece of the actor. Whilst capturing the raw and stripped down sensation of the scene, Anne Hathaway also described how the technique made her feel exposed, adding to the vulnerability of some of the performances in the movie. This risk, combined with such a strong portfolio of actors, is what makes the movie such an extraordinary piece of cinema and is the reason it comes as no surprise that it features heavily in the nominations during this years award season. While some people may be put off of the film because they dont enjoy musicals, I would say this performance is an exception and a must see for 2013.

Interested in films?
Whether you prefer Cannes, Hollywood or just your local Odeon, we are looking for you! Get involved and become part of The Stag, just by reviewing releases new, old or obscure. Get in touch through film@thestagsurrey.co.uk.

Lit Editor: Emily Smart | Copy Editor: Sophie Vickery

The Stag |

30th January 2013

LITERATURE

27

Literature Five exciting debuts for 2013

By Alexandra Wilks, Editor

Y Marjorie Celona
Already having caused a stir in America, Y makes its UK debut this month. Celona sounds like she might be the next big thing having received several prestigious awards already. Waterstones in Guildford certainly seem convinced saying, I may never read a book as good as Y again.

The Fault in Our Stars John Green

Currently number one in the Book Charts, this book tells the story of Hazel who has terminal cancer. Green is an award winning, New York Times bestseller.

Inferno Dan Brown

OK, so this one isnt out until May, but it will feature Robert Langdon (protagonist of The Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons and The Lost Symbol) and will be based on Dantes Divine Comedy. Bound to divide everyone, and ultimately sell way too many copies.

Requiem Lauren Oliver

This is the third in Olivers Delirium series; which have been a surprising adult hit despite being aimed primarily at teens. The Delirium series is set in a dystopia future, where love is illegal.

Fifty Shades of Feminism Lisa Appinanesi, Rachel Holmes and Susie Orbach
A feminist answer to 2012s most talked about book, Fifty Shades of Grey. This book answers Fifty Shades with fifty womens stories reflecting the shades that inspired them and what being a woman means to them today.

Review of Vish Puri triolgy

By Ankur Banerjee, Literature Team

hat caught my attention when I first heard of the Vish Puri trilogy was the quirky titles: The Case of the Missing Servant, The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing, and The Case of the Deadly Butter Chicken. Written by British freelance journalist Tarquin Hall, the trilogy is about Vish Puri ; India's Most Private Investigator and the outlandish mysteries that have been solved by him. Think Vish Puri meets Sherlock Holmes. However, this comparison causes much chagrin to the detective who dismisses Holmes as a "veritable upstart". (You may have heard of Tarquin Hall's book Salaam Brick Lane, which I believe, along with Hanif Kureishi's

The Buddha of Suburbia, is one of the best pieces of literature within Asian culture in Britain.) Each novel has a colourful premise: an investigation into the character of boy matched for arranged marriage; a missing servant in a wealthy family; a prominent scientist murdered by an apparition of the Hindu goddess Kali, the father of a Pakistani cricketer poisoned at a high-society. Assisting Vish Puri in his investigations is an ensemble cast of minions with bizarre code names such as "Facecream", "Handbrake", and "Tubelight" and a plethora of relatives you would expect of a stereotypical Indian "extended family". The mysteries themselves are not hard to solve, but that's not the allure of the stories. Novels about India tend

to fall into staid categories; either going for the foreign-born Indian returning home (The Namesake), or rural Indians on their journey for prosperity (The White Tiger, Life of Pi). Hall goes beyond the remit of a detective novel, providing insightful social commentary into the transformative changes that have been sweeping through India's urban elite during the past two decades in a way that only an outsider - an expat - can. His descriptions of Delhi's Punjabi culture are written with local speech and mannerisms that feel a little forced at times, but the pace and lighthearted tone of the novels keep the reader engaged.

28 LITERATURE

The Stag |

30th January 2013

literature@thestagsurrey.co.uk

Tea, toast and a lesson on how to write a racy read

By Sophie Vickery, Literature Team

alk of erotic literature joins fashion, cooking and gossip on breakfast television as Lorraine Kelly inspires her morning viewers to pick up their pens and unleash their passionate fantasies with a competition to find the next big racy read. With the help of Jackie Collins; best-selling author renowned for her gripping novels lavished in Hollywood glamour and steamy relationships, Lorraine hopes to bring another romantic bestseller to the bookshelves in 2013. The competition also helps potential writers release their fantastical words and potentially share Collins success in selling over 500 million books worldwide. Collins herself has given top tips to Lorraines viewers and emphasises the importance to write about real people in disguise; if anything, my characters are toned down, the truth is much more

bizarre. On its own, sex is boring but with interesting characters exciting sex scenes follow. These should be erotic, rather than rude, so that women think about the male characters in their everyday lives; they should want to date them and be the heroine. Meanwhile, the female characters should be strong, refined women. Todays books should leave women in the kitchen and promote the intellect, power and flair they encompass. Collins also stresses that you dont need to live in Hollywood to write enthralling stories; she advises writers to write about what they know; be it a passionate affair between staff in Hillside restaurant or a lustful afternoon beside the lake. She admits that writers block can limit writers but blames the problem on writers themselves; dont just talk about writing; do it! Get up, get your coffee and write! A page a day and you will have told a story by the end of the year.

Sophie Vickery questions whether audiobooks will help to banish the book
A
udio books are becoming increasingly popular and like the e-book, pose a significant threat to the survival of the paperback. This is unsurprising as they help us fit literature into our hectic lives. Suddenly we can read through our ears at times when our hands are unavailable to pick up a book; in the car, washing up, at the gym, cooking. Plus, they are usefully light-weight. Downloading stories is cheap and offer delightful voices to make stories truly come alive. Stephen Fry heightens Rowlings magic in his narration of the Harry Potter series. Unfortunately, this leaves the paperback nervously twitching its pages. E-books, such as the Kindle, have already threatened the survival of books and now the audiobook looks to do the same. However, the paperback is not completely doomed and strives for survival in its offer of authenticity; books are the real thing. The pages, smell, words; these are the original components of the story, straight from the writers mouth; no one else. Some readers simply prefer to physically hold and read, while others remain reluctant to read from a screen, especially after a long day on the computer at work. There are also educational concerns surrounding the audiobook. While they valuably encourage reading among children by telling tales theyd struggle to read, there is a danger that childrens grammar and spelling will suffer if they rely on listening to stories rather than reading them. For students at later stages of education, listening to audiobooks means they miss out on structural techniques, such as punctuation or paragraphing, deliberately constructed by writers. As readers casually listen to a story they will bypass thoughtfully chosen language or meaningful metaphors and simply focus on plot instead. Although this is a limitation of the audiobook, their increasing popularity means reading could become ignorant of the writer and damage a storys value. It seems the paperback faces yet another opponent in its fight for survival and with everyday devices like the iPad and smartphone offering audiobook apps, its future becomes ever-more bleak.

The Stags own Twitter fiction

In the last issue, Becky Richmond provided us with the next installment of the story But this is real life, no wizards, Im running from real life problems. Money, friends, love. Too much of some and too little of others. This week I thought I would try a hand at Twitter fiction.

I nearly lost it all that night. He was so close to finding out what I had done. I cannot be deceived though. I am far too clever for that..

Lester Public Library

30 MUSIC

The Stag |

30th January 2013

music@thestagsurrey.co.uk

Top new picks for 2013

By Becky Worley, Music Editor

Music

012 was a brilliant year for music, with Alt-J winning the Mercury Prize, Korean pop bursting onto the scene, the celebration of British music at the Olympic ceremonies and one-pound fish man vying for Christmas number one. This is a year which surely takes some topping? Or maybe 2013 will be lit up by these bright stars...

Save Me is a beautiful first single and we are sure to hear more from these talented ladies. Recently they won the Sound of 2013 award from BBC Radio One, which surely is a sign of big things to come. Check out our feature on them over the page.

A year to triumph over the last?

Stornoway:
A brilliant indie-rock band whos new album Tales from Terra Firma is definitely one to look out for. It will be released in March alongside a tour through February to March. They are playing in London on the 27th March, which is their nearest gig to Guildford.

Saint Lou Lou:

These two drop-dead gorgeous twin sisters feature on the track Maybe You with beautiful, dreamy vocals and minimalist guitar tones - just perfect for when summertime finally rolls around. Listen at soundcloud.com/saintloulou

Haim:
Haim are a three piece band consisting of three sisters from California. Their low-fi song Dont

Tom Loffill:
Tom is an unsigned artist with songs packing a beat that you just have to tap your foot along to, as well as an alternative sound. His debut album On the Surface was released on the 3rd December 2012. For a taste of his sound check out: soundcloud.com/tom-loffill

Biffy Clyro:
Okay, so they are clearly already onto a winning formula here and dont need any help where their fan base is concerned, however, just keep an eye out for their new album Opposites, featuring incredible singles Stingin Belle and Black Chandelier. The double-disc album is out on the 28th January.

Alexandra Legouix & the Sunflowers:

With sultry female vocals, simple but seductive bass, acoustic guitar and brass instruments (notably the lilting notes of the saxophone) their music makes you feel like youre sitting in a smoky, underground bar in the twenties sipping on gin and tonics, watching the femme fatale and band combination on stage. Their song Lola stands out, especially the acoustic version.

Danny Howard:
The Radio One DJ is renowned for his dance-floor-filling playlists. He has recently mixed Ministry of Sounds Clubbers Guide for 2013, as well as being part of the official remix for Examples latest single, which is also coming out at the end of February. Hes also just released his single Apex which is available to buy. Danny will be visiting Rubix on the 15th February so dont miss out on this opportunity as it promises to be a huge night.

Music Editor: Becky Worley | Copy Editor: Hannah Wann

The Stag |

30th January 2013

MUSIC

31

Haim: Sound of 2013

By Thea Spalding, Music Team

hen I first heard their debut single Dont Save Me I presumed from their soft-rock meets indie-pop sound that they would be a London-based group aiming for the stars. So, I was shocked to find out that the trio actually consists of three sisters from Stateside. The group seem to be attracting crowds of musical critics, partly because of their deviation from the classical girl-group genre, with each member of HAIM being talented musicians. Playing all their own instruments in their

songs including bass, guitar, drums, keyboard and percussion, sisters Danielle, Este and Alana Haim appear to be musically talented virtuosos. Having emerged onto the music scene rather hastily, signing to Polydor Records in only June 2012, HAIM have since made musical contacts with Mumford & Sons and Florence and the Machine after supporting them on their tours. Giving them the recognition they needed, soon the band had caught the attention of both the music press and the general public. On December 10th, HAIM released Dont Save Me and the

track has since been dubbed by Fearne Cotton as her Record of the Week. With its catchy hook and lyrics, the song appears to be dominating the radio, and its pretty much impossible to tune into a musical channel without it being played not that Im complaining. But the real breakthrough for HAIM came after they won the widely acclaimed BBC Sound of 2013 poll, which has been previously won by the likes of stars Jessie J and Ellie Goulding. The win assures the band to be the most promising musical act of the year, and as it stands it doesnt look like theyre going to disappoint!

The Black Keys

By Elliot Tyers, Music Team

Why I love... Why I love...

Warpaint
bluesy vocals across the past decade and with their most recent album El Camino. Part of the reason that I love them is that theyre just two regular looking dudes in their mid-thirties whove been friends since they were nine years old, who played their first gig to a crowd of four. They struggled for years before attaining any level of success, during which time they rejected album sessions because they sounded too much like modern-rock radio, and rejected any idea of selling out. Part of the reason is that theyre evocative of a specific moment in a way that I believe all great music is their songs, from Set You Free to Little Black Submarine, sound like theyre all played in some dingy, hot, late night, whiskey-soaked bar somewhere in the Southern USA. But the main reason I love them is that theyre sheer fun; I defy you to listen to any of their tracks and not tap along with the drum beat, or find yourself air-guitaring along. Their music may not be especially thought provoking, or high concept, but who says it should be? Instead, it is loud and brash and stupid and fun, and I love it.

he Greek philosopher was right when he said the only constant is change, or at least he was mostly right. The tracklist of my iPod is in constant change, from adding whatever new songs are released by bands I already like, or old songs Id forgotten I love, to becoming addicted to niche genres, to deleting said niche genres when Im bored of them and ruthlessly culling old tracks to make room for the new if I put my iPod on shuffle the next few tracks Id listen to would be mostly future garage, or maybe the new releases by Foals. What Im getting at is the fact that it is rare that a track stay in my musical tastes for more than a few weeks at time. The lone exceptions to this are The Black Keys, whove stuck around since sometime in the mid 00s and I dont expect theyll ever leave. Part of the reason that I love them is that, although guitar bands seem to be a dying breed, theyre going from strength to strength. Theyve slowly perfected their mixture of scuzzy rock guitars that are as sloppy and perfect as Hendrix at his best, and howling distorted

Album Review: Villagers {Awayland}

By Ankur Banerjee, Music Team

Awayland}, the latest album from Irish band Villagers, is, perhaps, the only music release where I have heard a braying donkey (literally) included in the track list. It would be disingenuous to base your idea on that one track, however. Compared to their debut album

Becoming A Jackal, {Awayland} is far more mellow. The vocals are warm and gave me an urge to listen to them on an LP or an old radio to accentuate that warmth. On the whole this release sticks traditional folk roots than their debut album, although there is a hint of experimentation with electronic sounds too in tracks

such as The Waves and Judgement Calls. My pick out of the lot would be The Bell, which stands out as the best example of this fusion of folk with electronic.

Societies Editor: Shalini Thondrayen | Copy Editor: Hannah Wann

The Stag |

30th January 2013

SOCIETIES

33

Fancy a trip to Barcelona this Jewenile at Surrey April? Come and join us! I
By Dniel Mller, Chairman

Societies

admit; building a society of young religious people is not the most mainstream type of extra-curricular activity in 2012. On the other hand, I felt desperate to act when I was searching for the Jewish societys stand at Freshers Fair and I couldnt find one. This experience motivated me and a few of my friends to set up a brand new society, and today we have a small community of Jewish students: a.k.a. J-Soc Surrey. Religion has always been, and will always be, a secret bond between those who belong somewhere as well as those who are searching for something to reach out to. I personally believe that Judaism is not only a religion, but a 5773 year old culture, which is now spread all around the world because of historical reasons. This is what makes this culture so

One of the beautiful views of the city. By Shaneeza Ally, Societies Team Port Adventura for a truly unforgettable experience. Barcelona is an amazing city, and it should definitely be added to your University Bucket List. This is bound to be a marvellous experience and a fantastic Easter break for those of you going. Keep up to date with our trip by finding us on Facebook! The Spanish Society has also been planning other events coming up soon this year. This includes a movie night to watch a variety of Spanish films and also a possible collaboration with the Ballroom and Latin Society to organise a dance for the Get Fit week in February. So keep an eye out! The Spanish Society has been hard at work organising these events and hopefully there will be several more events to come in the future.

Moyan Brenn

exciting, emphasizing the same values and morals everywhere, but also being so diverse in traditions and habits all around the world. Interestingly religious wise, Judaism is not the most liberal religion, however here at Surrey, the J-Soc stands for everything that makes this subculture fun, such as cooking traditional Shabbat meals together or just going out bowling with open-minded, fascinating people. For instance, we also organize trips to London and compete with other J-Socs all around the UK. This approach made us want to pass on our ancestors knowledge and traditions, while also keeping our society open for every Jewish student, or simply those who want to know more or just us. This approach made us want to pass on our ancestors knowledge and traditions, while also keeping our society open for every Jewish student, or simply those who want to know more or just us. If you are interested, please contact us on dm00175@surrey.ac.uk or on Facebook: J-Soc Surrey.

he University of Surreys Spanish Society has some exciting news that they cannot hold any longer. This April, we are planning a fabulous opportunity to visit the one and only BARCELONA for a six day, four night trip. Tell me more, I hear you say... Well, the society has spaces for only a group of 60 students - so do not lose out on tardiness! Get your tickets now, before youre disappointed. If you have never gone abroad before, or to Spain, this is a great chance for you and your fellow peers to indulge in the Spanish culture together. One of the biggest aims of the trip is to experience life in Spain, seeing what it has to offer from Spanish food to designer shopping, as well as a chance to pick up and learn their language. There is so much to do and see; Barcelona is well known for having remarkable landscapes, a rich culture and plenty of historical sites. This city provides something for everyones taste, and you wont be disappointed! During the day you can enjoy some delicious Mediterranean food at an array of tapas bars and at night visit the vibrant night life of Barcelona. There is an impressive nightlife scene with some of the best clubs in Europe, including the popular Opium Mar beach club. Alternatively, if youre a thrill-seeker, why not take a ride the tallest rollercoaster in Europe at

Try something different this term, try CRAFTsoc!

By Marilyn Johnston, Materials Manager for CRAFTsoc

Any questions?
If you have any question please contact the Spanish society on Facebook or by email at ussu.spanish@surrey.ac.uk https://www.ussu.co.uk/ClubsSocieties/ societies/spanish-society/SitePages/ Home.aspx

o, the exams are gone, why not start the new term with a new activity? Or better still, how about a new activity every week?! At CRAFTsoc we do different crafts every week, meaning youll never get bored of doing the same thing. In 2012, some of our best crafting sessions included decorating mugs with sharpies, making collages and Christmas crafts. CRAFTsoc meets up each Monday between 7-9pm in the Living Room. Everyone is welcome - no skill required! Sessions are run by our president Jasmine (or another skilled crafter) and all the materials are provided. Your first session is FREE so theres no reason why you shouldnt come along and try a new craft! Normal sessions

are 2 each, which goes towards materials, meaning you get to keep your lovely creation at the end of the day! Dont hesitate to email us with any questions at ussu.craftsoc@ surrey.ac.uk. Or join our Facebook group! Its always fun learning a new skill, so come along to our first session on the 4th Feb or visit us at Refreshers Fayre. Who knows, you might end up hooked on crochet or in stitches over sewing!

Raspberry & White Choc Cupcakes

1cupunsaltedbutter 1cuppackedlightbrownsugar 2largeeggs 1/2cupmilk 2teaspoonspurevanillaextract 1/2teaspoonsalt 2teaspoonsbakingpowder 11/2cupsplainflour 2cupsfreshorfrozenraspberries 340gramsgoodqualitywhite chocolate 11/2cupsheavycream

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. 2. Melt the butter in a medium heatproof bowl, in the microwave. When the butter is just about melted, whisk in the brown sugar. Leave to cool for a few minutes. 3. Whisk the eggs into the butter/sugar mix. Add the milk, vanilla, salt, and baking powder; whisk to combine, and then fold in the flour. Finally, add the raspberries. 4. Fill each muffin tin as desired and bake until a skewer inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. It should take about 20 minutes. 5. ICING. Place the chocolate and cream in the top of a gently simmering double boiler. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is melted, for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool in the fridge until thick. 6. LIBERALLY frost your cupcakes with the dreamy chocolate icing and surprise, surprise... eat them!

CHOCOLATE CROISSANT PUDDING

Sport Editor: Anna Giles | Copy Editor: Emma Fleming

The Stag |

30th January 2013

SPORT

35

Race for Pep is officially over

By Connor Mcloughlin, Sports Team

Sport

n recent weeks it has been announced that Pep Guardiola, the former Barcelona player, and then manager, has made the decision after his years sabbatical in New York, to come back to European football. He will join Bayern Munich as he replaces the retiring Heynckes at the end of the season. This will be a blow to Chelsea and Manchester City who had both courted him since his decision to leave Barcelona at the end of the 2011-12 season. Chelsea have Rafa Benitz in a caretaker-manager role, as it is well known that they had hoped Guardiola would be available to take over as manager. There is no doubt that there would have been negotiations between Guardiolas

agents and Chelsea owner Roman Abrahmovic. They would have offered more money than Bayern Munich also, so this is a bitter blow to the current European champions. It can be argued they have been building a squad of small and technically able footballers, assuming that Guardiola would be the man to shape them into a victorious side. Manchester City, who have also arguably made some movements that seem as though they would liked Pep Guardiola to have been the man to take over the reigns there. This is arguable of course, as current manager Roberto Mancini has a long term contract. However, it is foreseeable that if Manchester City do not win the Premier League then Mancini may be out of a job. City had brought in Ferran Soriano and Txiki

Begiristain to the boardroom to try and lure Guardiola as a potential replacement for Mancini. Both were key members of the Barcelona boardroom that assisted Guardiola during his time as a manager. What this underlines about Guardiola potentially managing in the Premier League one day, is that he wants to go to a club that will be more stable than the two clubs that were probably offered to him in his current year off. Bayern Munich, and German football in general, is far more stable than the offers he received this year. If he does one day join the Premier League I can only see it being at Arsenal or Manchester United. Who will most probably give him more time to get it right than Chelsea or Manchester City would have done.

Pep Guardiola will return to European football

By Connor Mcloughlin, Sports Team

New Year, New You

it means you do not pay for the months that you may not be around university, a huge down side to buying a full years membership. However, it is all too common that people who undertake this its a new year therefore I must get fit approach tend to be the ones who give up the fastest. It must be remembered that with a little perseverance, a lot of enjoyment will be had. This is reflected through the long-term changes that a good fitness regime can lead to. Everybody feels better about him or herself after a good session of exercise, and the many long term benefits that are possible should be obvious who doesnt want to look a bit better or lose a few pounds. So go out there and make the most of the great chance to start something new in 2013 and make the most of the great offer that the Sports Park has made available this January. However, remember that there is no law written that restricts you to making these sorts of changes only at the start of a new year.

very year, without fail, gyms and fitness centers all round the country (and probably the entire world) take on many new members who are seeing the New Year as a new start and a chance to increase their fitness levels. Now, we as students at Surrey are really lucky if we undertake this New Years resolution, as Surrey Sports Park are kindly offering students a six month membership for only 105. This is especially great as

Surrey sprints to success

By Joe Livesey, VP Running During Januarys cold exam period, two of Surreys sprinters, Nathan Steele and Dela Yohuno raced in the 60 metre sprint at Crystal Palace. Dela won his 60m race, and in addition, both achieved new personal bests. As winter draws to a close, summer competitions are starting , Team Surrey Running is looking for keen sprinters and long distance athletes. If youd like to train and compete with us, send us an email to: ussu. running@surrey.ac.uk or find us at refreshers fayre!

Surrey Running

thesportsreview.com

36 SPORT

The Stag |

30th January 2013

sport@thestagsurrey.co.uk

Lance Armstrong, the truth?

By Connor Mcloughlin, Sports Team

Lance Armstrong admits to the doping accuations on the Oprah Winfrey show

n recent weeks we have seen Lance Armstrong finally come clean and admit to doping accusations. This was done in a very managed and controlled environment, as Oprah Winfrey interviewed him on American television. However, after observing this interview there has been a confession, debatable as to whether this is in full or not, that still leaves the feeling of something thats not being said, and above all, shows someone that is not really very sorry. Throughout the interview Armstrong came across as confident and almost cocky, as he outlined that he had used a variety of performance enhancing drugs as part of his 7 Tour de France victories. These drugs included the use of EPO, cortisone injections, testosterone injections and the use of human growth hormone. This confident attitude is almost understandable as he went so long without provable detection. During the interview Armstrong was trying to justify his actions, using a multitude of reasons, including that after surviving cancer, he had an attitude that was all about winning

and he also used the excuse that many others were doing it. The fact that Armstrong tried to justify what he has done reflects on his fundamental beliefs as a human being. However, there are still a variety of unexplained instances that may never be fully explained by Armstrong after not being questioned by Winfrey. These include his interactions with the governing body for the Union Cycliste International, and the alleged payments to keep positive drugs test results covered up. There is also the refusal of Armstrong to engage with the accusations of Betsy Andreu, the wife of a former teammate of Armstrong, who claims there is more to tell specifically on Armstrongs control over the sports governing body, UCI. There is no doubt that as a repercussion of his coming clean, Lance Armstrong will have to repay a lot of money to a lot of people. However, the possibility of a full and comprehensive confession detailing all others involved with the affair, under his control through lies, bullying and manipulation, now looks almost impossible, as Armstrong is seen to have come clean.

A tale of a ripple forgot: Boat Club

By Tom Hopkins, Boat Club

lthough last semesters weather was arguably wetter than Mens Captain, Nathan OReillys tongue, the cancellation of many races did not stop the University of Surrey Boat Club from managing a number of solid performances at Head races, as well as at the BUCS Indoor Rowing Series, showing the strength of the Senior Crew and the eagerness of Beginners to excel. On 3rd November, bystanders at Teddington Small Boats Head gazed in awe as the four stallions from Surreys Senior Mens squad arrived. Stroked by Ashley Epps, powered by Rupert Graham and Jon Rains, and funded by Rob Sherry III, the boat was thrust into 2nd place in the IM1 4+ category, with victory only being hindered by Royal Holloways questionable attempts to mount their vessel upon Surrey mid-race. After their brief jaunt the old boys set off to Fours Head of the River on 10th November, competing against 62 of the best IM2 4+ crews in the country. Although the team

were nearly disqualified for Rupert Grahams act of indecent exposure to which he argued he was just warming his hands they swept through to claim 25th place, solidifying the Clubs reputation as a national player. Amid the torrents that raged outside, on the 1st December Surrey headed under shelter of St. Marys University to participate in the regional BUCS Indoor Rowing Series a test of a mans sanity to pit him or herself against others in a 2km rowing machine race. To say the results were impressive would be an understatement. Jon Rains claimed 1st place in the Mens Heavyweight category in an arse-shredding time of 6:09.3 minutes, with 6th, 8th, 9th, 10th and 12th place out of the 35 participants going to Rupert Graham, Matt Davis, Charles Weston, Rob Sherry and Tom Hopkins. Surreys Guinevere Wentworth and Taylor Johnson who took 1st and 2nd place in an elegant display of agility and determination also dominated the Womens

Lightweight category. Our own Womens Captain, Sophie Parsons too put on an impressive performance, coming 4th in the Womens Heavyweight. The Mens Lightweight race

Rubenstein

erupted with the arrival or Nathan OReilly, Doug Malbty and Jack Deung, who each took the 2nd, 3rd and 5th places. The Womens Beginner category was also swarmed by the Surrey girls,

with notable mentions going to Abi Munson, Nicola Stiddard and Hannah Williams for coming 4th, 5th and 6th respectfully. O n e can only wonder what great things this Club will go on to achieve.