Newspaper of the students of the University of Surrey Issue 71 Tuesday 6th May 2014

S
urrey Police is appealing for
witnesses after a number of
women have reported a man who
was seen indecently exposing
himself in the Guildford area.
Police are on the look-out for a
man, described as white, aged in
his late 50s, of chubby build with
short hair, who has reportedly been
fashing himself to a number of
women between 16 February and 21
April.
The latest incident occurred
between 7:15 and 7:30pm on the
Easter bank holiday weekend. A
man was seen standing in Warren
Street exposing himself, just two
miles from The University of Surrey
campus.
Several female joggers were in
the area at the time.
Police have also received reports
of other incidents in the Guildford
area, which they believe to be
connected.
Warren Road and Epsom Road
are among the list of locations where
a man has been seen naked from the
waist down.
Detective constable Nicola
Bartholomew said: These are clearly
distressing incidents for the women
concerned and we are appealing to
anyone who may know who this man
is, or with any other information, to
come forward to help us catch him.
We are carrying out a thorough
investigation to fnd out who this
man is and I would urge anyone else
who believes they may have been
similarly targeted, to come forward
and report it to us.
If you can help, contact Surrey
Police on 101 quoting crime
reference 45140031768 or, if you
prefer remain anonymous, call the
independent charity Crimestoppers
on 0800 555 111.
By Emily Smart, News Team
Inside: WIN festival tickets Young Kato interview Caffeine truths
NEWS
Union Vote Shakeup?
The Students Union may
be making a change in
the way we elect sabb and
part-time roles - Page 3
FEATURES
Library spotting
An Attenborough-esque
study of the characters of
the UoS Library & Learning
Centre - Page 11
OPINION & ANALYSIS
SCIENCE & TECH
Are beards hot or not?
A study suggests that the
clean-shaven look is more
attractive - Page 24
SOCIETIES
Surrey and we know it
Enactus and Gospel Choir
have been competing hard
recently - fnd out more on
Page 34
LITERATURE
50 Shades of Jane Austen
Is it okay that some of the
19th century classics have
been transformed into
erotic fction? Page 25
All things spring! Societies
and Features make the most
of the new season
Come to The Stag AGM on Monday 12th
May in 05AC03 at 6pm to be a part of
next years team!
Is this a Christian
country?
A debate about the
comments made by David
Cameron - Page 8
The
Guildford
Flasher
Police urge witnesses to come forward over
fasher reports
Incidents described as distressing...for the
women involved
THE STAG IS GIVING
AWAY TWO TICKETS
TO ONE OF THE BEST
FESTIVALS IN EUROPE:
BENICASSIM!

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Find out how to enter the
competition on Page 6
SPORT
Doping dramas
The frequency of drug
scandals threatens to
undermine the spirit of
sporting Page 35
Who wants to
be on a beach
this summer?
EDITORIAL 2 The Stag | 9th December 2013 editor@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Editor | Nicole Vassell
editor@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Deputy Editor (Head of Design) | Paul A Richmond
design@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Design Team | Sophia Field, Hannah Kaine, Josie Pullen, Candice Ritchie,
Alice Wilkinson
Deputy Editor (Marketing) | Matilda Tasker
marketing@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Marketing Team | Vacant
News Editor | Shunayna Vaghela
news@thestagsurrey.co.uk
News Team | Emily Smart

Opinion and Analysis Editor | Sam West
opinion@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Opinion & Analysis Team | Dan Davison, Joshua Langley, Katie Sands,
Anastasia Ulyanova, Ting Wei
Features Editor | Rebekkah Hughes
features@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Features Team | Sean Burby, Ardy Cheung, Daniel Gautrey, Lily Pearson,
Jas Smith
Science and Technology Editor | Siobhan Harris
sciencetech@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Science and Technology Team | Fahmid Chowdhury, Li Sa Choo,
Francesca Gillard
Dance and Theatre Editor | Ambar Parker Moreno
dancetheatre@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Film Editor | Sophia Field
flm@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Film Team | Joshua Langley, Jim Onyemenam
Music Editor | Candice Ritchie
music@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Music Team | James Campbell, Kyra Hanson
Literature Editor | Shiri Shah
literature@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Literature Team | Joseph Harrison, Emma Hawken
Societies Editor | Alice Wilkinson
societies@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Sports Editor | Santiago Avils
Sport@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Web Editor | Alistair Walker
webmaster@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Copy Editors | Laura Ball, Oliver Gosling, Harriet Knight
copyteam@thestagsurrey.co.uk
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 editorial
team, the Students Union or the University of Surrey.
Trinity Mirror (South)
St. Albans Road, Watford
WD24 7RG
The Stag reserves the right to edit all submissions and the right to
decide which articles are published.
Letter from the Editor
H
ey everyone,
Welcome back to campus and to another issue of
The Stag!
It feels like I say this a lot, but time is really
moving fast its May already. Despite what
the very modest temperatures outside would
indicate, theres only six weeks until campus
goes into hibernation as the majority of
students leave for the Summer break
*turns on Madonna Holiday*
Personally, I know that its going to be
so nice to not feel the too frequent panic
of all-nighters just before an essay
deadline instead, I can spend the
wee hours on Wikipedia, searching the
important things, like the differences between porcupines
and hedgehogs.
The approach of summer also means that festival and
holiday season is coming up. Have you got your tickets yet?
If not, never fear Im really excited to announce that this
year, The Stag is giving away two tickets to Benicassim
Festival! Find out how to win on page 6.
However, before we reach summer, there is the
inevitable obstacle course of exam season. Everyones
beginning to up the ante and work that much harder to
secure those high grades look out for spring focus tips
and a caffeine special in Features.
Lets make this fnal push count!
Until next time,
Nicole
AGMs aplenty
By Nicole Vassell, Editor
Editor Head of Design Head of Marketing
News Editor Opinion and Analysis Editor Features Editor Science and Tech Editor
Music Editor Film Editor Dance and Theatre Editor Literature Editor
Societies Editor Sports Editor
Webmaster
Designers
Copy editors
If you want to know more, get in touch all contact details are on the left!
Over the next fortnight, many
sports clubs and societies will
be holding their Annual General
Meetings, in which round-ups of the
years successes will be discussed,
along with plans and ideas for the
future. However, the most pressing
of matters dealt with is the election
of the new teams for 2014-2015. Ive
attended my fair share of AGMs Ive
been on The Stag team since my frst
year back in 2010, and Ive had many
different roles from Copy Editor, to
Features Editor, to Head of Marketing
before fnally being elected as Editor
in December 2013. It goes without
saying that The Stag has been a major
part of my Surrey experience, and I
would highly recommend running for
a position.
The frst clear beneft that I have to
point out is, of course, the illustrious
boost it can give to your CV. How
better to back up stock terms like
reliable, responsible and team
player than with the hard evidence
of running a club or society? Extra-
curricular activities can be a real help
for a career in a similar sphere for
example, alumni of The Stag have gone
on to write for national and regional
newspapers and magazines.
Youre more than likely to learn
something useful that your course
doesnt necessarily teach. Since being
on The Stag, not only have I improved
my writing skills, but Ive learnt how
to use InDesign and Photoshop. Plus,
when you take on a larger role in your
group, you are forced to get yourself
more organised = more organisation
in your studies! (Sometimes.)
But more than this, plain and
simple, societies and clubs are fun.
Youre surrounded by people with
similar interests to you be that
creative, academic or physical
which gives ample opportunities for
unforgettable times. Though your
degree is a main priority, the university
experience as a whole is about more
than your course. The three, four or
more years you spend here will move
faster than youll imagine so many
memories can come from the time you
spend running a society or sports club.
Though prior involvement can be
a plus, AGMs are open to any student
who wants to participate old and new
faces alike! Youre only at university
for a short amount of time, so dont
let the fear of standing up and trying
stop you you could be missing out on
a great experience.
The Stag Team say cheese before heading off to Citrus
The Stag AGM will be on
Monday 12th May at 6pm
in 05AC03. If youd like to
be on the team next year,
come along and run!
All positions are up for
grabs:
NEWS 3 The Stag | 6th May 2014 News Editor: Shunayna Vaghela
T
he University of Surrey Students Union will suggest a change in the voting system used
in campus elections at the upcoming Annual Members Meeting.
As it stands, the method used by all higher education unions is the Alternative Vote (AV).
However, USSU will soon propose a shift to First Past The Post (FPTP), the system in use in UK
parliamentary elections.
Under AV, voters rank each candidate in order of preference, as was the case in the
sabbatical and part-time elections in February. If no-one wins with a 50% majority in the frst
round, the last placing candidate is eliminated and the remaining votes get redistributed
among the other remaining candidates.
If, after this, no-one has reached the 50% majority mark, the 2nd least popular candidate
gets eliminated, with his or her votes distributed again amongst the remaining contenders.
This process is repeated until someone reaches the 50% mark.
In comparison, the FPTP system entails favouring one single candidate. Also known as
simple majority, whoever receives the highest number of votes will win the election.
In May 2011, there was a nationwide referendum asking whether UK voters wanted to
change how MPs are elected in General Elections. Out of 19 million respondents, 67.9% decided
to retain FPTP voting. The proposal from Surreys Students Union, published Friday 2nd May,
states a belief that AV will never be adopted for general elections.
Interestingly, 57 of the 58 cross campus elections since 2010 would have had the same
outcome if FPTP had been used instead of AV. The Union states: The adoption of FPTP in
Union elections would have no effect on the outcome, but the simplifcation may increase
voter participation. It is important for every possible area of the election process be looked at
for improvement.
If the majority of union members vote in favour of changing to FPTP, the University of
Surrey Students Union will be the frst and only higher education union in the country not
to use Alternative Voting.
To have your say on this, and many other Surrey student issues, the Union AGM will be on
Thursday 15th May at 6pm the location will be confrmed in due course.
By Nicole Vassell, Editor
Union Voting Shakeup?

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Voters choose only one candidate with First Past The Post
NEWS 4 The Stag | 6th May 2014 news@thestagsurrey.co.uk
C
ome and cheer on your
student teams when they
take on our alumni at our frst ever Grad Sport.
The Forever Surrey Alumni and Development Offce, together with the Students
Union and Surrey Sport Park, are hosting the Universitys inaugural alumni vs
students sports day on Saturday 17th May. Alumni have been invited back to relive
their student sporting days and to offcially become members of Team Surrey.
The fun-packed day will run on a similar format to the Varsity Day but this
time involves competitions between current and former students, with 14 sports
featured. It will culminate in a formal prize-giving for winning teams.
There will be a lunch-time BBQ and, in the evening, there will be a screening
of the FA cup fnal in the Bench Bar and a continued party at the Students Union.
LIFE AFTER
SURREY
Rachael Lowe - Alumni and
Development Offce
For further information, please visit www.surrey.
ac.uk/gradsport. Any current students wishing to
take part should speak to VP Sports & Recreation,
James Lovell, on 01483 689981 or email ussu.sports@
surrey.ac.uk
Inaugural Grad Sport 2014:
celebrating sport at Surrey
A
group have raised more than 10,000 in
sponsorship money by abseiling down the
160ft tower of Guildford Cathedral.
The charity abseil, which took place on
Saturday 26th April, was in support of the
Cathedrals Make Your Mark fundraising
campaign, in an attempt to raise money towards
the 7million needed to repair the building and
ensure its survival.
By August 2014, 1.3mmust be raised, which
will allow the Cathedral to apply for a 4.5m
grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Partakers in the abseil included members
of the Surrey Advertiser team, including chief
reporter Nick Edmondson and reporters James
Watkins, Jennifer Morris and Matt Strudwick.
Guildford Mayor, Diana Lockyer-Nibbs also
did the drop, as did Cathedral Dean, Dianna
Gwilliams, and Vice President of Surrey
University, Greg Melly.
Despite a few showers, the Cathedrals
enterprise director, Caroline Simcox, said that
the weather had largely been pleasant for them,
and that they had a great day.
She went on to say, The abseil is always a
popular event because there are some fantastic
views from the top of the cathedral and people
are always keen to take on the abseil.
And some were even inspired by the event to
take on higher abseils. Mrs Lockyer-Nibbs said
that it wasnt high enough, and that she would
like to abseil down Londons The Shard.
To donate towards, and to fnd out more
information about the Cathedrals Make Your
Mark Campaign, visit: https://www.guildford-
cathedral.org/makeyourmark?highlight=370.
By Candice Ritchie, Music Editor
Supporters raise over 10k by
abseiling down Guildford Cathedral
Always a popular event: a fundraiser abseiling down the Cathedral in 2011.

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More UK students to study abroad
A
ccording to the British
Council, the number of
UK students willing to study
abroad is increasing rapidly.
A survey of over 2,500
students established that the
number of students that would
consider a degree overseas had
almost doubled in percentage
in comparison to just a year
ago.
There seems to be a number
of factors that are driving more
and more students to study
overseas. Rising tuition fees
in the UK have been the main
contributing factor, with 57%
of students polled stating it
had affected their choices in
Universities.
The poll also showed the
predominant academic reason
was to gain credit in their feld
of choice, as well as a chance to
improve their language skills.
The British Council found
the prevailing non-academic
reason was the opportunity
to travel overseas and gain
different life experiences to
those offered in the UK. The
USA, Australia and France
ranked amongst the top
destinations for UK students to
study abroad.
Dr Jo Beall, the British
Council's Director of Education
and Dociety, said: "It is
essential for the UK's global
competitiveness that our
next generation gain more
international skills and
understanding, so it's very
encouraging to see that more
UK students are considering
studying abroad.
By Shunayna Vaghela, News Editor
NEWS 5 The Stag | 6th May 2014 News Editor: Shunayna Vaghela
By Sarah Kendall, Hannah Roberts and Alex Tromp, Careers Ambassadors
CAREERS
COLUMN
W
elcome back! We hope you had a restful break and have managed to
enjoy some of the recent sunshine!
The Careers Service has been open for the majority of the Easter
holidays, however for those of you who are yet to secure a placement,
graduate job or would just like general advice before the stress of exam
season is upon us, just a reminder that the Careers Service is open as usual;
Monday Friday 9-5pm and everyone is welcome to drop by.
As usual, we have a packed events schedule planned for the forthcoming
weeks with a vast array of employers - make sure to check out the Careers
website to book your place. http://www.surrey.ac.uk/careers/.
In addition to our usual employer events, we also have our annual
summer Careers Fair taking place on Wednesday 28th May from 14:00 until
17:30 in a marquee on PATS feld. 70+ exhibitors will be attending, including
Allianz, Estee Lauder, Hay, Targets Jobs, the Department for Education and
the University of Law. The full list of confrmed exhibitors can be accessed
on the Careers Service website. Open to students of any academic year
who are wanting to meet with employers, establish relationships, are
looking for a summer job or want to gain clarifcation on which direction
of feld you would like to work in, the Careers Fair is the place to do that
before the lengthy summer holidays commence. A few of the company
representatives will be graduates, who have likely undertaken a placement
year themselves, so be sure not to miss the opportunity to talk about any
career anxieties or worries as they will be able to relate!
Wed love to know your opinions of the Careers Service. Whats been
your favourite event of the academic year or how can we improve? Please
let us know by dropping into the service or alternatively email us at
careers@surrey.ac.uk.
Thank you for reading and we look forward to seeing you in the Careers
Service or at the summer Careers Fair!
Pearce Re-Elected as
NUS President
By Shunayna Vaghela, News Editor
T
oni Pearce has been re-elected as President of the
NUS during this years National Conference.
Pearce formerly held the position of Vice President
of Further Education, and last year became the frst
NUS President not to have attended University. She
won the 2014 election with a majority of 62% of the
vote.
Pearces manifesto prioritised ending exploitation
in the workplace, ending student poverty and
promoting women in leadership. After reminding
delegates of previous NUS campaign wins, such as
scrapped fees for apprentices, Pearce urged members
to recognise that change is tantamount in the year of
a general election.
Pearce declared her vision of a student
movement thats more representative than weve
ever been. A student movement that listens.
During the Students Union election period
earlier in the semester, Ms Pearce visited Surrey
and appeared as a special guest on the third night of
Surrey Decides: Question Time.
T
he weekend of the 10th and 11th May sees Guildford
Rileys and the West Surrey Pool league host a 36
hour non-stop pool marathon to raise money for Great
Ormond Street Hospital and the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.
Starting at 9am, the event will see eight players
continuously play pool for 36 hours. Of the eight
players participating in this challenge, three represent
the University of Surrey, including the fans favourite
Gurpal Cheema. The players will need more than
caffeine and alcohol to get them through the weekend
so why not come down for a few hours and support
them?
Both charities work tirelessly to improve the lives
of thousands of people each year, relying heavily on
fundraising from events such as this.
Everyone is welcome to take part in the side
competitions run over the weekend, including speed
and killer pool. Each being 2 entry with 50% going to
charity and 50% to the winner.
Come down, bring some friends, and help support
a good cause whilst having fun.
Charity Pool-a-thon in Guildford
By Chris Lucas, Contributor
Any support or donations are greatly appreciated. Donations can be made online at: http://
uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/poolmarathon

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* COMPETITION *
Win Tickets to the
Benicassim Festival!
In the summer of 2014, Benicassim, one of Europes biggest
and best festivals will be celebrating its 20th anniversary. To
celebrate, The Stag is giving away two tickets to the event,
which includes the four day festival along with eight days
at the campsite! For your chance to win, we want to see how
youll be reading The Stag on the beaches of Benicassim.
HOW TO WIN:
1. Create a beach scene featuring a copy of The Stag
2. Take a photo
3. Post it to The Stags Facebook page
4. Get as many likes as possible!
The photo with the most likes by 23:59 on Monday 26th
May will win the tickets. GOOD LUCK!
Situated in the Spanish city of Benicassim, the festival is known worldwide
for its young crowd, the beach parties that last all night long and for
always having a stellar line-up - and this year is no exception.
Headlined by Kasabian, this year will feature the likes of Paolo Nutini,
Lily Allen, Chase & Status, MIA, Example, Tinie Tempah, Ellie Goulding
and many more, making this one of their best line-ups yet.
Though the festival runs from the 17th to 20th July, the site is open
from Monday 14th for four days of early camping fun!
Sea, sun and sound - this
July, theres no other place
to be!

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OPINION & ANALYSIS 8 The Stag | 6th May 2014 opinion@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Opinion & Analysis
T
his Easter, David Cameron called Britain a Christian
country. He told the Christian Times that we should
be more confdent about our status as a Christian country,
more ambitious about expanding the role of faith-based
organisations, and, frankly, more evangelical about a faith
that compels us to get out there and make a difference to
peoples lives.
His statements have divided, brought forward critics,
and even led to a group of 50 prominent individuals (ranging
from actors, scientists and philosophers to comedians) to
sign their names on an open letter in the Daily Telegraph.
The letters message argued that the UK is largely a non-
religious society, stating that most British peopledo not
want religions or religious identities to be actively prioritised
by their elected government.
Concerns were also raised that his public statement
alienates other religions and beliefs in our society. By
prioritising Christians, we are denying Britains growing
cultural diversity the appreciation and respect it deserves.
Freedom of belief cannot be fulflled whilst one religious
group receives preference and help from the government,
and others do not. Inequality in the treatment of religious
groups is a dangerous and undemocratic move, and I
disapprove of Cameron for being so old-fashioned about the
issue.
Statistically, the 2011 census in England and Wales
reported that 59.3% of the population defne themselves as
Christian, a decrease in 17.8% from the 2001 census. A quarter
of people answered that they had no religion at all, alongside
7.2% opting not to answer the question. Here we can see that
the reality of British religion is far more complex than the
Prime Minister has acknowledged. Britain, I would argue,
is in fact slowly following the likes of Sweden to become an
irreligious country, and moving away from the traditional
church (England alone was forced to close 1,500 churches
between 1969 and 2002, due to issues such as low attendance
levels).
If we were a Christian country, our laws relating
to abortion, same sex marriage and the teaching of
homosexuality would not be what they are today. The
University of Lancaster conducted a survey in 2013 on the
beliefs of British Catholics in relation to their spiritual
leaders. According to the survey, only 9% would feel guilty
using contraception and just 19% would support a ban
on abortion. The fact that these citizens still consider
themselves Catholic is likely to refect a cultural attachment
to religion, rather than a faith-based following. Christianity
will always be part of Britain's cultural history, but its effect
on our religious beliefs and daily lives is becoming more and
more distant.
Camerons sudden willingness to put his personal faith
into politics can cynically be seen as being voiced at a time
where Christian supporters of his party may feel disillusioned
with Conservative policies. The partys implementation of
gay marriage laws were not welcomed by some Christian
voters, and it seems the party is worried the move may lose
them votes in future elections.
His statement also puts forward the worrying assumption
that charity work is a Christian vocation, with Camerons
promise to fund more Christian charities. Christian groups
contribute some invaluable charity work to Britain, but
it seems ludicrous to exclude other religions and non-
denominational organisations from extra government
support, purely because they dont adhere to a particular
faith.
He seems to be endorsing the age old myth that
Christianity and morality are inseparable terms. Christian
morality can offer some great guidelines such as love, charity
and respect. Yet these values are perfectly capable of being
followed regardless of a belief in God (or a Christian God). In
fact, Humanist, Muslim and non-denominational charities
(to name but a few) can be just as charitable and contribute
to communities, and do not deserve to be side-lined because
of not being in the majority faith.
I am not trying to argue that the presence of our Christian
history isnt felt in modern Britain. We are still a Christian
State whilst there is a Church of England and Bishops sitting
in the House of Lords. However, I do believe that we are in a
period of disillusionment with the churches connection to
the state, and it is foolish to disregard the distance between
Christianity and our modern day lives. As a nation, we should
acknowledge and celebrate the religious diversity in British
culture, rather than clinging to our Christian past.
Cameron, We Are Not A Christian Country
Loud Secularists, We Are A Christian Country
O
ver the Easter period, when David Cameron referred
to Britain as a Christian country, he stated this is all
sensibleness. After all, it is not a matter of debate, but a matter
of fact. Yet surprisingly, or maybe unsurprisingly, there was
a loud criticism from a loud minority. In writing to the Daily
Telegraph, a selection of public fgures warned that claiming
Britain is a Christian country would foster alienation and
division. The criticism wasnt by people from other religious
groups who may suffer from this apparent alienation and
division. The criticism was from a particular class of people,
predominantly atheists, humanists and secularists.
However, these people seem to ignore the statistics. In
the 2011 Census, when everyone across the country stated
their religion, 59% identifed as Christian. This is a large
and signifcant amount. Although most may not attend
church or believe in the depths of the faith, they identify
with Christianity. The second largest was No religion at
25%, followed by Islam at 5%, and Hinduism at 1.5%. But
just because some may identify with no religion or another
religion, this doesnt equate to an offense of the phrase
Christian country. The Muslim Council of Britain agreed
that this is a largely Christian country and the Hindu Council
UK stated they were very comfortable with it. Likewise, the
secularists who brought up the criticism are just one class,
not representing the majority of non-religious people who
are likely to be a lot more tolerant.
Being a Christian country is surely a statement about
identity and culture, rather than religiosity. Although
religiosity has declined over the years, this doesnt change
the fact that Britain is a Christian country. It would be very
different if David Cameron called Britain a religious country.
Christianity is tied into the foundations of Britain.
Although there are some pagan foundations going back, it is
Christianity that has been practised as the main religion for
well over a thousand years, perhaps going as far back as 1,400
years. As time has passed, Christianity has become more and
more engrained in our history and culture. Our history and
culture is not something that can simply be rewritten just
for a few people.
Christianity is very much part of Britain today and
sometimes we dont even realise. We have the established
Church of England. A Royal Family with their role in it. We
have Christmas and Easter. Churches all over the country.
Biblical frst names are still very common. Place names and
roads named after saints. Sunday is still the main resting day.
British marriage, even if non-religious, follows the Christian
format. The vast majority have Christian or Christian-
integrated funerals. Other religions have their own send-offs
too, but one which remains very low in comparison to their
secularist shouts, are the humanist funerals. In 2011, the
Cooperative Funeralcare recorded only 12% of their funerals
as being humanist.
What the militant secularists are most misguided in,
are in their claims of alienation and division. Christianity
is not about these values at all and does not seek to preach
them. Britain is founded on Christian ethics and we should
celebrate them, as they also represent the values we hold
today. Values of tolerance, liberty, responsibility, charity,
morality, respect, kindness, hard work, love, justice, and
fairness. The perception that Christianity is intolerant,
whether in religiosity or cultural heritage, is far from the
truth.
It is better to live in a country which identifes itself
as Christian, as this culturally recognised and celebrated
heritage helps to protect the freedom of religion for all.
It protects Christianity itself, as well as Islam, Judaism,
Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, and any other faiths that may
sprout up. Take France, for example, where there is a proud
and interventionist secularism. Not only are Muslim women
banned from wearing a Niqab while walking down the street,
but Christian children are also banned from wearing a simple
cross in schools.
While a loud minority may disagree due to illusions of
their own utopia, Britain is a Christian county. Not only do
the majority identify with Christianity, but it is part of our
heritage, history and culture, which cannot be changed. This
is something that we should hold on to. Not for the sake of it,
but because it is a positive force in the British society that we
live in today.
Sam West
Opinion & Analysis Editor
Katie Sands
DEBATE: Is England a Christian Country?
OPINION & ANALYSIS 9 The Stag | 6th May 2014 Opinion & Analysis Editor: Sam West
N
owadays, the close connection between
media and politics exists in every
aspect of our lives. Their close cooperation
might be both helpful and destructive for
society as a whole, and for international
relations between countries. Social and
political implications that result from media
development might be used to inform people
and help regulate problems and possible
confict. However, this could become an
infuence machine in the hands of political
structures.
Media involvement might bring negative
effects to the political arena and society.
The problem mainly occurs because media
workers want higher pay, but sometimes
government infuence threatens people,
pushing them to do something they do
not agree with. For example, during the
Ukrainian crisis in 2013, Russian journalists
were threatened by the state media to write
what they were told to; not the truth.
The media can also be harmful for
international relations between counties
because of information wars, which occur
when governments use the media to present
themselves in the most desirable way,
engendering certain thoughts and feelings
in peoples minds. Again, this was used in
media sources by the Russian Government
in the ongoing Ukrainian situation. Jens
Siegert, head of Moscows bureau associated
with the Russian Presidents, stated the
difference between independent media and
government propaganda. He stated the
effects on big picture issues, worsening
relations between Russia and Ukraine after
misinformation, fowing from Russian state
television since December 2013.
Siegert named Russian media as a
propaganda machine, creating false
impressions on relations between Ukraine
and the European Union, to gain their own
benefts by presenting the ugly truth which
people should start to believe in. Something
is bound to stick in the end Siegert stated
about Russian media, which made a focus
on the extremes which disappointed people
and provoked them to fght back. This fres
up anger and resistance within the nation,
creating huge cracks in mutual trust and the
cooperative process. In other words, Russia
has created confict globally and in Ukraine
internally, despite being asked to allow the
Ukrainian government to solve their own
problems.
Just several months ago, in December
2013, Russia stepped into the information
war with the Ukrainian media. This
increased aggression by the Ukrainian
people, expanding the ethnic confict
between the two nations. Russia called
Ukraine a war zone where everything is out
of control, presenting a horrifying picture
of a decaying nation that provokes further
negative reactions from Ukraine. This is
shown by the BBC, as it presents the Russian
approach as an information offence against
Ukraine, calling it a country of bandit
excesses that had brought democracy to its
knees. It illuminates the fraternal nation in a
humiliating and unacceptable light that goes
beyond any positive aspirations. It destroys
the reputation of the Ukrainian people, who
were fghting for their freedom and a better
life for their children.
To conclude, the cooperation and
relative process between media and politics
is an issue of high importance. As stated by
Friedrich Nietzsche in his recollections, The
snake which cannot cast its skin has to die.
As well the minds which are prevented from
changing their opinions; they cease to be
mind. People need to be more critical and
give a correct interpretation of information
they receive. Opinions constructed by media
sources should be based on individual,
personal thinking, and used to inform, not to
infuence. Only an honest approach may help
reduce damage caused by incorrect and false
information.
As previously stated, the situation
between Russia and Ukraine could be less
harmful for both sides if there was no
media manipulation from Russian state
sources. But still, there is always a chance
to change attitudes, and this is a real issue
to think about. Do we want to be informed
or deceived? What can we do to become less
dependent on media sources and start to
believe in what we can understand ourselves?
Our personal attitude towards the media
constructs the world we live in nowadays,
and big issue problems might be cured if
media sources and political forces were able
to create a cohesive structure for the beneft
of the people.
Do You Eat Fish?
F
or almost a decade, I have lived on a
vegetarian diet. Over the years, I have
learned to dread one question from people
who become aware of this: Do you eat fsh?
This is not to say that I do not grasp the
reason for the question. There are those
with what can broadly be termed semi-
vegetarian diets (in other words, those who
consume some forms of animal fesh, but
not others) who self-identify as vegetarian.
Most notable amongst the semi-vegetarians
are pescetarians, who eat fsh but not poultry
or red meat. Nevertheless, the fact remains
that such persons are not vegetarians: both
the Vegetarian Society, who popularised the
term itself, and the Oxford English Dictionary
expressly defne a vegetarian as someone who
does not eat meat or fsh. Accordingly, I wish
to present my argument for discontinuing
the colloquial use of vegetarian to describe
semi-vegetarian diets.
The most likely objection to this argument
is that the common, but erroneous, use of a
word becoming an accepted meaning is an
inevitable part of how language evolves. On
this basis, one could argue that discouraging
the non-standard use of vegetarian is overly
prescriptive; that if the use of a word meets
suffcient acceptance, that should be the end
of the matter. Whilst understandable, this
view overlooks two important points. First,
as I have come to learn on my Law degree,
conceptualisation is signifcant. Whilst it is
easy to describe categorical distinctions as
mere labels, what is important is not so much
the label itself as the fact that something was
considered worth labelling to begin with.
By using the term vegetarian to describe,
say, vegetarians and pescetarians, one not
only treats the conceptually distinct as
conceptually identical, but loses sight of why
these concepts were worth distinguishing.
In the case of vegetarianism, it was that the
lifestyle did not involve consuming animals;
an essential feature which pescetarianism
lacks.
This leads to the second overlooked
point: by perpetuating the incorrect use of
vegetarian, immediate problems are created
in practice for actual vegetarians. Imagine if a
vegetarian were informed that a product was
vegetarian-suitable, only to discover after
consumption that it contained fsh and that
the seller or maker of the product had simply
believed that vegetarianism only involved
abstinence from eating land animals.
Similarly, a vegetarian used to being in the
minority may experience understandable
joy in having met a fellow vegetarian, only
to disappointedly discover that he had been
misled.
Before drawing to a close, I would like to
make clear that all this is not a criticism of
semi-vegetarian diets: contrary to popular
stereotyping, I do not take every opportunity
to push my vegetarianism onto others, no
matter the strength of my ethical opinions.
I therefore am not asking for pescetarians
to discontinue their diets. What I am asking
for is greater care when using the term
vegetarian so that we avoid the adverse
results of poor conceptualisation. And
believe me: no vegetarian ever wants to hear
that dreaded question!
Dan Davison
What Should We Believe?
A vegetarians dreaded question
Anastasia
Ulyanova
The growing link between politics and media can lead us to question: what is the truth?
Newspapers from 1930s Soviet Ukraine

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OPINION & ANALYSIS 10 The Stag | 6th May 2014 opinion@thestagsurrey.co.uk
A
week ago I went to the National Gallery
to appreciate the Sunfowers by Vincent
Van Gogh. Although I love his unique, vivid
and distorted way of presenting real-life
subjects, I list Claude Monets work at the
top. Van Gogh belongs to postimpressionism,
while Monet belongs to the controversial
impressionism (coined by the critic Louis
Leroy, after Monet exhibited the work
Impression, Sunrise). Impressionism is
characterised by its accurate depiction of
light on ordinary subject matter (e.g. great
scenery). Later I found an article written by
Alain de Botton in The Guardian about art
therapy. When discussing Monets work, he
said some people worry about this taste for
prettiness, because it is a sign of forgetting
the actual conditions of life, which of
course, is not all roses. As a result, Monets
fans might end up deluded as to what life is
actually like.
This reminds me of the problem; whether
to be idealistic or realistic. Does that mean
that the nickname for idealistic must be
utopian, whereas realistic always represents
a materialistic and sophisticated world?
In my opinion, there is no clear-cut line
between these two doctrines. They appear
in your mind intertwined according to
different situations and stages in your life,
and help you to make decisions. In other
words, both of them serve us during our
growth. For example, why do we need fairy
tales for children? Isnt it time-saving if we
let them know the cruelness of the world
and Darwins survival of the fttest as early
as possible? Furthermore, why do we need
literature? Isnt it more practical and useful
if we just publish the How to books? Can
Harry Potter bring you a higher position
and increase your salary (unless you are J.K.
Rowling)? The answer is no. However, we need
them. We need fantasies, happy endings, and
even the boldness for revolutions to inspire
our imagination and keep moving on with
hope. Because the most powerful force in the
world is a heart flled with hopes and dreams.
And hope is Bottons caption for Monets
Bridge Over a Pond of Water Lilies. Hope is
the remedy of fury, depression and despair
caused by the evils of existence.
However, being realistic is also
indispensable in ones life. One parameter of
identifying an individuals maturity is to see
if most of the decisions made by this person
are reached by a careful thinking process,
which requires a knowledgeable mind with
a certain amount of life experiences. Being
realistic means we are engaging in our society
and being more careful about our decisions
and behaviour. It awakens the idealists to
the fact that the world is not dualistic - good
and evil. There is a third dimension of grey -
the mixture of merits and sins. This in turn
proves the need for idealism, to bring us hope
to cope with the sickness of society, which
should not be in a violent way, but by using a
more patient, realistic approach.
In sum, life is not all roses. We need
idealism to bring us hope to fght for our
realistic pursuits.
Idealistic And Realistic: No More
Hesitation To Choose Your Standpoint
The European Elections: Its All About You

This debate is about you was the opening

salvo of Nick Cleggs speech, as he set
out his position in the LBC hosted in-out
referendum debate with Nigel Farage back
in March. Staring down the camera, it was
obvious that Clegg was trying to channel
sincerity in the way that he did in the 2010
leaders debate. However, this is a hard task
for a man who once promised not to raise
tuition fees, but ended up being instrumental
in the passage of the legislation. But this
is beside the point. What Clegg said was
true; this debate is about you and it begins
in earnest in the forthcoming European
elections on the 22nd of May.
Turnout in British elections amongst the
18-24 age bracket is abysmally low, because it
is felt that the political class in this country
are not representative of our views. There is
certainly much to be said for this perspective,
with the largely white middle class men
that make up Westminster, clearly not
refective of the British public or its values.
However, choosing to disengage with formal
democracy serves no purpose other than
to make it easier for politicians to continue
the current business as usual approach, and
avoids bringing about the changes to the
status quo that are needed.
Moreover, lower turnout often serves to
make politicians of different political parties
more similar, because they feel it is a wasted
effort for them to spend time differentiating
themselves from one another. It is this
contrast with the Westminster parties that
UKIP (United Kingdom Independence Party)
represents, which has allowed it to gain so
much media coverage and a rise in popularity
in the polls.
Similarly, UKIP will do well in the
European elections because the cohort
that can be reliably counted on to vote,
the over 65 age group, are the most likely
to support them. At the same time the
fact that the under 30s, who are likely to
be more cosmopolitan in outlook and less
anti-European Union, vote less, makes it
easier for UKIP to hold sway. Furthermore,
the consequences of failing to vote in the
European elections could be huge. Imagine a
scenario in which UKIP does extremely well
in the European elections, achieving second
place after the Labour party. This increases
the media attention the party receives,
increasing its popularity and support. With
the possibility of a referendum on Europe
after the next Westminster election, a UKIP
with a strong voice will make the prospect of
leaving Europe far greater.
Leaving the European Union will be a
bad thing. The openness in trade, greater
job opportunities, and the greater exposure
to diversity we experience in Universities
through the ERASMUS study programme
and other exchange programmes like it, will
be lost. Regardless of what Nigel Farage might
say, Britain will not be stronger outside of
Europe. If a house is so well protected that
no one can get inside, but equally no one can
get out, the greater security gained will not
be worth it. Equally the question becomes, if
Westminster has a greater say over decisions,
but loses the benefts of being part of Europe,
is it worth it? This is a question we will all
have to ask ourselves, and I hope it will start
with you having your voice heard by voting
in the European elections.
Ting Wei
Joshua Langley
A representation of Monets hopeful painting in Japan

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FEATURES 11 The Stag | 6th May 2014 Features Editor: Rebekkah Hughes
Features
What would David Attenborough make
of the University of Surrey Library?
By Alice Wilkinson, Societies Editor
W
e students, like animals, are creatures of habit.
And where better to analyse our habits than a
university library? It becomes a second home during
exam and assignment period; we work, eat, drink,
(occasionally sh*t and shower) and even sleep in
there. We all have our favourite spots. I for one have
spent my entire university life experimenting with
various different spots, waiting for an epiphany type
moment where I will fnd the one that will make my
degree easy. During frst semester, experimenting
in the level one silent area, I sat next to the same
stranger for three weeks straight. Despite not having
spoken one word to each other, I felt like I knew her
inside out.
Name: Jessica (only frst name terms as shown
on our coffee cups Starbucks don't yet require
surnames, middle names and preferred titles)
Snack of choice: Bag of cashew nuts. Occasionally
Cadburys Dairy Milk.
Hobbies: Outdoorsy (judging by her canvas back
pack and footwear choice)
Where to sit in the library presents a daily dilemma
for us as university students. Do you sit on level two,
knowing that you're bound to bump into your friends
and spend your day chatting, with a bit of work here
and there? Or do you opt for solitary confnement
in a ffth foor single study booth and abolish any
possibility of spontaneous human interaction?
Noise levels, food availability, and the level of sh*t
you'll be in if you don't do some work immediately all
come into this decision.
Once upon a time we were all taught "how to
revise" and we were told that we ft into one of three
types of learners: kinesthetic, visual or auditory. I
would argue however, that I relate more to Pavlov's
dog than I do these types of learning the only thing
that gets me into the library is chocolate. When
I get there I sit right by the vending machine in
Whisper's cafe so I can get my fx. Like Pavlov's dog
I need to be conditioned; this has proved prosperous
many a time I have picked up a chocolate bar or
coinage that has fallen out of the machine. Having
positioned myself during another experiment,
by the librarys equivalent of a watering hole, to
write my dissertation I found my biggest (and most
enjoyable) procrastination was people watching and
I have decided that every university student falls
into one of these three categories: The Gurus, The
Procrastinators and The Gremlins.
The Gurus. For these adults, university is the
most critical time in their young lives. Exam periods
present their 'make or break' months and you'll see
these young adults desperately looking for silence.
Having migrated miles from home, these students
settle in the silent areas, single study booths and the
single study rooms, which resemble wardrobes with
desks stuffed inside. These students are the envy of
the university world, the crme de la crme, the ones
that the University of Surrey will be proud to feature
in their prospectus. Sipping on ice cold water and
nibbling on cucumber sticks, they are the gurus. Their
cucumber (or carrot) sticks are prepared at home the
night before, refrigerated and carried in impressive
Tupperware cases which resemble a very elite brand
of hamster cage multi-coloured, triple tiered and
with rotating and removable compartments.
Another type of this species found here is The
Procrastinator. These creatures, although ambitious
and hard working, get very easily distracted by their
fellow primates and are usually seen on level two and
in group study areas. Long term studies have given us
new perspectives on how this creature has developed
to share one hundred per cent of its student loan
equally between Starbucks and The Surrey Shop, in
order to survive.
If, like for many of us with deadlines looming
and exams just around the corner, you are spending
considerable time in the library you may even
be lucky enough to spot one of the rarest breeds,
The Gremlin. The most resilient and longstanding
members of its species this creature is the slowest
of them all, only able to move, at its quickest, at 0.5
mph. These students very rarely leave the confnes of
the library and will be found wearing fip-fops in all
weather conditions, slumped over desks fast asleep or
showering in the library.
The Last Semester:
Re-Spring Your Study
by Ardy Cheung, Features Team
W
ow, time sure does fy!
Were nearing the end of
the last semester already and
we all know what that means:
exams and coursework. If like
me, you got a bit too excited
about the sun over the Easter
break and got less work done
than planned, now is the time
to knuckle down and tackle it!
Here are some tips to help re-
fresh your study routine.
Re-Fuel
Swap that hot latte for an iced
one. The ice will wake your brain
up and leave you feeling less
puffy. Or for an earlier taste of
summer, sip on refreshing fruit
juices to boost your brain. Costa
serves iced lemonade which
you can also get in strawberry
and peach favours. If you have
leftover Easter chocolate, melt
and blend it with your favourite
yoghurts or fruits. Pop it in the
fridge for a chocolate shake that
will help kick up a happy brain
pre-revision!
Re-Locate
Enjoy the longer daytimes
by taking your books and laptop
outside. Soak up the sun whilst
you work in the garden or the
park now that is good multi-
tasking. Surrounding yourself
with greenery is good for those
eyes, which are oh-so-tired from
all that reading. If you cannot
be dragged from your room,
why not place mini plants and
fowers on your study desk? You
can get them from homeware
stores such as Wilkinsons.
Working amidst your favourite
things makes you happy! In
those drizzly spring showers,
it may be a good idea to park
yourself at a window seat in the
library or a quiet coffee shop. It
sounds a bit romantic but some
people say that working whilst
listening to the pitter patter of
rain against the windows can be
calming.
Re-Organise
Buying or organising new
stationary gives you the sense of
purpose to start studying! Use
your favourite pen or buy post-
it notes in rainbow colours and
fun shapes. Organise by colour
codes, long lists, alphabetical or
date order. Preparation is your
key to a successful revision and
work session. Of course, if you
prefer chaos and clutter, then
work in the way that you do best!
Re-Fresh
Remember that we are not
robots and cannot operate for 24
hours. Take time out from work
to do the things that you enjoy.
Sleep, chat with friends, watch
TV or go food shopping. Taking
a stroll by the campus lake or
visiting nice views will relieve
your study stress. There is great
leafy woodland at St Annes Hill
in Chertsey or calming sea, cliffs
and sheep at the Seven Sisters
Country Park in Sussex. Having
some time off is important to
give time for all that revision
information to digest in your
brain.
Happy working and good
luck!

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FEATURES 12 The Stag | 6th May 2014 features@thestagsurrey.co.uk
T
he world of fnance can often be perceived as
complicated, overwhelming and perhaps a little
boring by those who dont have an interest or work
in the industry. If this refects your feelings, you have
probably asked yourself: why should I care? Whats
in it for me? Isnt it best left to the professionals? Rest
assured - this isnt a lesson on the ins and outs of how
fnancial markets work but rather a chance to explore
and even beneft from common misconceptions that
you may have about fnance, particularly investing.
Investing is a term used to describe any activity
aimed at generating a return (proft) for example,
buying and selling stocks are shares, houses and
even fne wine! Why should you care? The truth is, if
you are aiming to lead a comfortable life (as Im sure
all of us are!), working hard and putting your money
in a standard bank account unfortunately wont be
enough. Investments provide a powerful vehicle
through which you can continue earning even when
you are eating, sleeping, in lectures or on a night out.
In effect, you are creating your own business; what I
mean by that is when you invest, you are essentially
employing your money to try and make more
money, gradually building wealth over time.
Sounds good, but isnt investing really risky? Of
course you can lose money when investing, but what
is essential to overcoming that fear is developing a
long term mindset and not panicking when things
arent going well. To keep things simple, lets say
you bought 1,000 shares in Apple at 1 each and
overnight the share price dropped by 50% - leaving
you with 500. It is reasonable to sell your remaining
shares and avoid further losses but then again,
suppose Apples share price tripled from 50p to 1.50
a few months later; you couldve made yourself 500.
One way to overcome such irrationality is to think
of investing like buying your favourite product. If
its price goes down, you dont immediately think
to sell it. In fact, your natural instinct would be to
buy more wouldnt it? If you adapt this mindset to
investing, then buying more Apple shares (from
my earlier example) when the price was 50p could
have delivered an even larger return than 500. Yes,
things can swing the other way but you get the idea.
You dont have to be a fnancial guru either
to invest either I did allude to the example of
Apple but there are simpler ways to invest that can
deliver decent returns. All it takes is an open mind,
willingness to learn and an interest in paving the
way to a more comfortable future! If you want to fnd
out more, simply type in a search term like how to
invest into Google and take it from there.
I
like to think more often than not, that I take real
life experiences and turn them into writing. So
this is exactly what Im going to do right now in this
article, because something strange has happened.
I was minding my own business, watching a few
episodes of Whose Line Is It Anyway? as any student
does at 2am on a Sunday morning, when I get a
Facebook notifcation. Person-You-Havent-Spoken-
To-Since-Year-7 has commented on your photo of
Your-Uni-Flatmate-He-Has-Never-Met. Instantly, I
was intrigued, so I clicked the link.
Now, Im not quite sure what happened. I believe
this is a part of human behaviour that scientists
will be studying many years into the future, under
the Latin term Facebookus Rageus. For no obvious
reason whatsoever besides a profle hijack, this guy
I went to school with decides to call my fatmate the
dreaded C word. And I dont mean cuddly.
Its beyond me why, but nevertheless I decided to
respond. I joked about how my fatmate has made a
friend, and enquire that this is obviously not him,
believing I handled it well; Im not one for drama on
social media sites. In return, I received more abuse
targeted at my fatmate, and then get told that Im
not as retarded as he remembers and also decides
to add, almost on a whim, that he remembers that
I was damn retarded. So naturally, I blocked him.
This got me thinking: what should I really defne
this act as? Was I (and my lovely fatmate who bared
the brunt of the abuse) at age 20 experiencing cyber
bullying? Or was this just a common, run of the mill
Fac? Personally, I believe it was the latter. But still,
why should I be subjected to this random abuse?
Why should my Whose Line Is It Anyway? time be
interrupted for someone I once sat next to in French
nine years ago?
And the strange thing that happened to me was
that someone who I now consider a stranger, under
the term friend, who has nothing to do with my life,
made a seemingly unfair, random judgement. And
that shocked me. It seems to me that Facebook is
slowly becoming Facelessbook, with people hiding
behind a persona on a social media page.
Although my experience was just a petty joke
quip, there are people on the internet who receive
abuse on social media sites every day, from so called
friends; abuse which leads to the real horror stories
of teenage suicide. I got over my 2am social crisis
pretty quickly, but there are people out there who
dont. People who can get really hurt by snide, little
comments. So next time, think before you post, joke
or comment. The internet can be just as harmful as
the real world.
Something Strange Has Happened
by Jas Smith, Features Team
Investing that Makes Cents
by Sean Burby, Features Team

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The main basis of being
a Student Life Mentor is to
provide ongoing support to frst
year students as they learn the
university way of life (we all fnd it
scary at frst!) and to be a regular
friendly face should they need
impartial advice, or even just a
casual chat.
Mentors work especially hard at
the start of the year to ensure that
they are available on campus to
anyone fnding their frst weekend
at university particularly tough.
From this point onwards, mentors
are assigned several houses in an
area of accommodation to visit
on a weekly basis. Mentors get to
know and provide support for a
set group of frst years, meaning
they are able to build good rapport
with students and this friendly
relationship means that students
always have someone to turn to.
Before starting, mentors
undergo a week long training
program that teaches them to
deal with a wide range of issues.
These include cultural awareness,
empathy and an incredibly helpful
session on active listening skills
from the Samaritans.
Whilst mentors are not trained
counsellors, they are an integral
part of the support network here
at Surrey and are able to pick up on
early signs of emotional distress
or personal diffculties and point
the student in the right direction
for help. We work closely with the
Centre for Wellbeing and other
student support networks, making
this role extremely important for
the welfare of students at Surrey.
Being a mentor myself, Ive
found the role incredibly fulflling.
I have met so many interesting
people and enjoyed every moment
of the job. All mentors work as part
of a team, which means you are
constantly supported by a lovely
bunch of people too.
In terms of a job, this is a
great source of employment if you
are a student as the timings ft
around your studies. Its also great
experience to put on your CV to
show potential employers you
have excellent interpersonal and
problem solving skills!
If you are interested in getting
involved then we want to hear from
you! Applications for 2014/15 are
open so go to the Surrey website
and search for mentoring, or fnd us
on social media at www.facebook.
com/surreymentoring and www.
twitter.com/surreymentoring
Why Mentor?
A brief insight into Student Life Mentoring
By Annie Driscoll, Campus Blue Mentor
FEATURES 13 The Stag | 6th May 2014 Features Editor: Rebekkah Hughes
S
pring cleaning will
be the death of me.
I recently started to have a little sort out of all the things
(aka crap) that lies around and tries to look pretty in my
room. I was very mistaken as to how much of a task I was
undertaking, however
I started with the apparent stuff: everything to the
visible eye. This was easy enough, and I cleared a few tops
and felt instantly clean. Once that surface is clean though,
the surface is scratched and the cracks begin to show.
I have several spaces/drawers/crevices in my room that
hoard all the unsightly bits and bobs that I either dont want
to deal with or I cant bear to throw away. Its these areas
that need turning over during Spring Cleaning, and when it
happens, my room turns from clean, tidy and acceptable on
the surface to a bomb having exploded and utterly ruining
my room.
Ill paint the picture: most of my foor space is covered
in random items and things, some of which I havent seen
in years or I forgot I even owned, and I have to actively clear
my bed every night before I sleep because its covered in so
much stuff I cant even see the duvet.
Ultimately, it leads to a box for charity, a box of rubbish
and a box of keeping, but it needs a new space.
Eventually, and I really, really stress that, eventually,
signs of life begin to creep back and normality ensues.
Youve cleared out some things that you dont need anymore
and you feel somewhat lighter for it.
In the lead up to exams, a good working environment is
pretty essential. I know if my room just isnt working, I have
to go the library just to be in a decent environment.
Another area that may need a bit of a sort out though
your folder or notes may need a bit of attention too.
Spending an hour or two organising and sorting notes for
a module will help you massively when you need to access
some information for revision.
Spring Cleaning, for me at least, doesnt meaning blitzing
your room (although thats exactly what Ive done), it can
mean organising yourself and getting a little of that light,
clean feeling however you can. Not only will you feel better,
youll be geared up and ready to revise.
Debunking the Student Stereotype
by Lily Pearson, Features Team
A
s I write this, the second week of our
Easter holidays is coming to an end.
Tomorrow is Good Friday and of course,
the start of a four-day weekend. This,
for my non-student friends and family
particularly is a national event saturated
with joy, excitement and excess. My
Facebook and Twitter newsfeeds brim with
intentions of intoxication and the dizzying
prospect of sleeping in until ten. I try to
join in with their enthusiasm but I feel
like a fraud. I have, effectively, been on my
"holidays" since I handed my dissertation
in two weeks ago and, considering I quit
my job before my third year started, I
don't really have many responsibilities -
that's how everybody else sees it, anyway.
I've even started to believe it myself
- continually telling people I'm on my
Easter holidays when they ask what I'm up
to, choosing to ignore the ever-expanding
mound of duties that await me. I have been
sent on daily errands and called a 'lady of
leisure' by my boyfriend who works full-
time and, clearly, views the university life
as one that is merely part-time. 'You look
like such a student,' my mum scoffed, as I
came downstairs in the morning, wearing
a hoodie and pyjama bottoms. The notion
that students are lazy, messy, professional
sleepers is hardly controversial; it is, in
fact, an opinion held by many people.
Of course I am savouring the fexibility
that accompanies life as a student: not
having to get time off work, lay-ins and
mid-week drinking will all be joys of the
past once I make the dreaded transition
into adulthood. I do, however, fercely envy
the stability and security of my friends in
full-time, fulflling employment. Instead,
students are charged with balancing
the stresses of essay deadlines, infnite
reading lists and postmodern theory with
fruitless job hunting with an empty purse,
all as graduation looms. These are just
an example of the stereotypes directed
my (and probably your) way; myths that
require a radical debunking.
1.Firstly, not all of us sleep 14 hours
a day. Sometimes, when workloads hit
a critical point, library all-nighters are
inevitable. Getting up at 1pm isn't so bad
when you only left the library at 10am.
2. Tracksuits/pyjamas/questionable
onesies are the uniform of choice for
students. Wrong, these clothes are merely
the most confortable for aforementioned
long library stints.
3. Perpetual drunkenness is crime for
which students are repeatedly accused.
This, again, is undeserved. Visit a student
night during exam season and the queue
for the bar will be as non-existent as our
social lives.
The picture of students painted by
society is one crafted with misperception.
Next time someone casts you a judgmental
eye because you don't have as much
responsibility as them smile - at least you
don't have work tomorrow.

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Y
ou've just left home with nothing but a
backpack and a red cap, you fnd yourself
terrifed of tall grass and your weird uncle has
just asked you a series of obvious questions
like "what sex are you?" and "what's your
name?" Don't worry though, he's also
letting you pick a new pet at random in his
laboratory, because it turns out that tall
grass is actually full of dangerous creatures.
No, you're not dreaming, you've entered the
world of Pokemon.
On April 1st, the Google Maps app for
Android and IOS was updated to include a
new Pokemon themed quest. It compelled
people everywhere to be the very best, that
no one ever was, to catch them was the real
test. Training them is the cause. Lyrical
referencing aside, it gave players everywhere
the chance to search through the map to fnd
Pokemon with a simple 'tap to catch' system
that made it more like a sticker collection
than an actual Pokemon game.
Although geeks everywhere were going
crazy for this wonderfully creative April
fools joke, personally I don't think that's the
exciting part. For years Nintendo has been
hesitant to enter the mobile gaming market,
relying on their mobile console devices (the
Nintendo DS series) when the Wii (and Wii U)
failed to keep up in the console market. The
fact that they created an April fools joke with
Google means they were probably already
working together on a bigger project.
This project could be any number of
exciting things as currently there isn't any
information on this mysterious partnership
although it seems like a long shot to assume
they teamed up simply to create a little April
Fools joke. Personally, I like to entertain the
idea that Nintendo may have fnally decided
to enter the mobile gaming market and have
teamed with Google to do so. If they've
decided to adapt their early hit games like
Super Mario, Donkey Kong, any number
of the gen I-III Pokemon games then they
could be setting themselves up to dominate
the mobile gaming market for some years. I
would love to play Mario Kart on my phone,
especially as the key to that game is the lean
controls.
Nintendo have been a massive player in
the gaming market and its time that they
adapt to the new technology, we all love
our classic GameBoys and look back fondly
on them, but not many of us are willing to
carry around a separate gaming console
anymore. Although their gaming systems
remain popular with the under 12s market,
that's not where big money is, especially
with mobile phones being given to younger
and younger children.
by Daniel Gautrey, Features Team
Gotta Search 'Em All
The Big Spring Clean
By Rebekkah Hughes, Features Editor

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FEATURES 14 The Stag | 6th May 2014 features@thestagsurrey.co.uk
CAFFEINE AND OTHER
STIMULANTS: The Pros and
Cons
Pros:
Caffeine is a natural stimulant
commonly found in coffee and tea,
cocoa and kola nuts. Extracted
caffeine is added to most soft
drinks. Caffeine stimulates the
body's central nervous system,
which results in alertness, and an
increased ability to concentrate. It
also increases dopamine levels in
the brain. Dopamine is a naturally
occurring chemical responsible for
feelings of wellbeing and happiness.
Therefore, caffeine tends to improve
one's mood: this is thought to be the
primary reason that caffeine is an
addictive substance.
Additionally, 130mg of
caffeine taken in conjunction
with painkillers has been shown
to improve headache relief by
approximately 40% - a substantial
difference in results. Some people
fnd that they don't need to take as
much of a given pain killer when it is
taken in conjunction with caffeine,
and some doctors advocate taking
medications with caffeine to reduce
the likelihood of developing an
addiction to a given pain killer.
Cons:
Caffeine intoxication" is a
jittery state resulting from drinking
too much coffee or other caffeinated
substances. A feeling of restlessness
and excitement, trembling,
accelerated heartbeat, increased
urination and occasionally
digestive upset are all signs of
caffeine overdose. An excess of 300
milligrams of caffeine can bring on
this state.
An added increase in adrenaline
puts pressure on the adrenal
glands, which in turn can suppress
immunity. Being regularly stressed
isnt good for any part of your body
in the long-term. The effect of
caffeine on the body can include a
raised heartbeat, anxiety, diarrhoea,
insomnia, dizziness, fushed face,
headaches, sinus issues irritability
and increased urination.
How Much Caffeine is
Safe?
A cup or two a day of
coffee or tea is enough to attain
the positive benefts of caffeine
and for most people, about 300 mg
of caffeine a day is a healthy level
of caffeine consumption. That is
roughly equivalent to three cups
of coffee. However, caffeine levels
in coffee, tea and chocolate vary
widely, and some people are more
sensitive, experiencing symptoms
of excess caffeine consumptions
after consuming as little as 100 mg
of caffeine, so be sure to check how
much caffeine is in your favourite
products if you are concerned about
your caffeine intake.
Can Caffeine Help
Someone Sober Up?
There is a common myth that
caffeine (or coffee) will help a
drunken person sober up. This has
been proven to be completely false,
and consuming caffeine while
drunk can actually cause more
harm than good. For example, if
someone has drunk enough that
their natural physical reaction is
to pass out and, by default, stop
drinking, then caffeine can inhibit
this reaction by making them more
alert and allowing them to continue
drinking. It can give a person a false
sense of sobriety leading them to
make unsafe decisions like driving
home.
Drinking lots of caffeine may
seem the only way to keep up with
your study deadlines or make it
through morning lectures, but think
about moderating your intake. Cut
back on the cuppas (gradually so you
minimise withdrawal symptoms)
and make sure youre drinking
plenty of water.
A
n increasing number of university students are using so called study drugs or brain boosting
medication to increase concentration and memory particularly during exam time. These are
stimulant medications, which are used to treat conditions like Attention Defcit Disorder and Narcolepsy
and are only legally available via a prescription. They are being used either improperly by a person with
a prescription, or (more often) illegally by a person without a prescription. The attractive effects of
using these drugs include increased motivation, an increased ability to stay awake, stay focussed and
an improvement in memory. Students have described themselves as unstoppable and driven whilst
taking these stimulants.
However whilst these are legitimate drugs they are only legally available via a prescription from a
medical doctor so acquiring and using them from another source is illegal and is considered a serious
criminal offence. This includes buying them off the Internet or from a person who was legitimately
prescribed them for a medical condition. Some of them are Class B drugs and possession without a
prescription can lead to up to 5 years in prison, and 14 years for supplying.
While most of the research in this area comes from American universities, a study of 1,000
students by Varsity, the campus newspaper for Cambridge University, revealed that 1 in 10 students
have taken such drugs and one third of respondents admitted that, given the opportunity, they would
take concentration-enhancing medication. However, there can be a come down effect: one third-
year student, who has taken a 100mg tablet every day for a number of weeks, did report a feeling of
despondency in the evenings. Although [the drug] has undoubtedly aided my concentration, after
a [the drug]-fuelled library day I fnd it very hard to engage with people socially, she said. Side effects
listed by the manufacturers of this particular drug include anxiety, dizziness, abnormal thinking and
depression alongside physical side effects.
But if these are legal drugs and they help me get through my exams, why not?
Well apart from the fact that taking prescription drugs is only legal if a medical doctor prescribed
them for you, if you buy from the Internet you cant be sure what you are getting despite what it may say
on the label. Likewise, if someone gives you a couple of tablets how can you be sure what they are without
the original packaging? The long-term pharmacological effect of these drugs when used by someone who
does not have a medical condition is also unknown. There is also the possibility of their use becoming
habit forming. While the drug itself may not be addictive its effects can lead to a belief that you can only
get through your exam/course work or any other stressful period with the help of these stimulants.
Getting ready for exams
by Margaret Dunne, Nurse Advisor, Centre for Wellbeing
Caffeine is very much a part of our lives
and is extremely hard to avoid in food
and drink. Taken in moderation it does
have some health benefts, but like so
many things too much can have the
opposite effect!
If you are concerned about any substance you have taken or are currently
taking or are worried about a friend, get some expert advice. You can
contact your GP or local hospital or have a look on www.nhs.uk/Livewell/
drugs/Pages/Drugshome.aspx and www.talktofrank.com
If you fnd you are struggling with concentration or motivation try some of
the support available at the University:
The Centre for Wellbeing can offer advice and emotional support in person
or via leafets and the self-help section of the website www.surrey.ac.uk/
currentstudents/health
Have a look also at what SPLASH can offer you at http://www.surrey.ac.uk/
library/splash/about/index.htm in regards to study skills and revising
smarter. All support is free and comes with a guarantee of no long-term
side effects that might damage your brain!

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NUS Conference 2014
Surreys Delegates (from the left): Sheldon, Simona, Em,
Hannah and Ian.
Between the 8th -10th April 2014, five elected delegates from Surrey attended the NUS Conference in Liverpool.
Representing you were
Hannah Waterhouse Hannah is the current Union Chairperson and is currently in her final year of an English degree.
Sheldon Ford Sheldon is a student of biomedical science, chair of the mountaineering club and works in the Union Shop.
Ian Kugler Ian is studying for a politics degree and is currently the Unions Ethics and Environment Officer
Simona Mariuta Simona is a first year politics student and has also just been elected as next years Union Chairperson.
During their time there the following key decisions were made:
The future of education funding

The conference voted for the NUS to focus its campaigning on higher education being free. The NUS originally came to the conference with
a proposal for a new funding model which was affectively a graduate tax, replacing the student loans system. However, this was altered by a
series of amendments which were put through by students unions at the conference, and the result was that the NUS must instead focus its
attention and political lobbying on achieving a free higher education system, with no fees and therefore no loans.

Proportional representation

At the last NUS conference, this proposal was unsuccessful, and at this years conference, it passed. It sets out that all Unions need to ensure
that their delegation is 50% female and 50% male. This means that Unions will need to work harder to ensure that election processes are
accessible to women. The opposition in the room felt that fulfilling quotas is not the right way to achieve equal representation. Nevertheless,
this motion has passed and the next step will be for the NUS to explain in more detail how it impacts on Unions and how it will be achieved in
practice.

The presidential vote

A crucial decision is taken every year at conference who will be the leadership of the NUS next year, representing students as a whole on a
national level. You are likely to see the NUS President on the national news, or hear them speaking on the radio about what matters most to
students. This years winner was Toni Pearce, who will therefore continue to be NUS President for another year. Surreys delegation all voted
for Toni to continue in her presidency and send their congratulations.

How you can get involved

Any student can stand as an NUS delegate through the Unions election process. Information about next years NUS delegation will be widely
publicised in the next academic year. The NUS also hosts a number of conferences throughout the year Black Students Conference,
Disabled Students Conference and LGBT+ Students Conference to name but a few if youre interested in representing Surrey students by
attending a conference, contact the Students Union for more information.

The full report can be viewed at www.ussu.co.uk/yourvoice
Our Aims,
An Update
At Freshers Fayre this year, you may have noticed our banners lining the
marquee (see above). As well as over-sized images of each Union sabbatical
officer, these banners included text that celebrated current successes as well as
our aims for the year ahead, and have since lived on the walls outside Rubix.
Ems banner
In the 2013 National Student Survey results, we were ranked 13th best Students
Union in the country with regards to the level of satisfaction felt by our students.
The 2014 results wont be released until later this year, but engagement in Union
activities this year has been at an all-time, record-breaking high with the number
of members in our sports clubs and societies, candidates running in the Students
Union elections, and voting turnout in the elections all surpassing our targets.
Priyas banner
The iGrad survey is held once a year, is open to all students, and benchmarks
student opinion across the globe. In this years set of results, by maintaining our
percentage of student satisfaction, we have been ranked 4th best Students Union
in the country. With higher demands from students year on year, it takes a great
level of hard work and dedication to keep the level of satisfaction high.

This year, we are working with the university to allow course reps to be elected in
the summer term in preparation for the new year, allowing us to train and prepare
them well and focus on the first year reps in the winter term.
Toms banner
The Investors In People accreditation is reassessed every 3 years by external
assessors in order to ensure each organisation is keeping up standards. We will
be reassessed by the end of May and hope to retain the accreditation because it
enables us to embed excellence, recognise achievement and value all our staff
through continuous improvement, strategy, affective management and performance
measurement.

We had a record-breaking 47 number of candidates stand in this years Students
Union elections, and hope to break our ambitious target of 50 with the up-coming
Events & Trading Officer by-election. The increased level of engagement in these
elections is shown by our voting-turnout which was 6% over our target and broke
our 4-year target by 1%.
We have been ranked 4th best Students
Union in the country
iGrad Survey Results 2014
Priyas banner
The iGrad survey is held once a year, is open to all students, and benchmarks
student opinion across the globe. In this years set of results, by maintaining our
percentage of student satisfaction, we have been ranked 4th best Students Union
in the country. With higher demands from students year on year, it takes a great
level of hard work and dedication to keep the level of satisfaction high.

This year, we are working with the university to allow course reps to be elected in
the summer term in preparation for the new year, allowing us to train and prepare
them well and focus on the first year reps in the winter term.
Toms banner
The Investors In People accreditation is reassessed every 3 years by external
assessors in order to ensure each organisation is keeping up standards. We will
be reassessed by the end of May and hope to retain the accreditation because it
enables us to embed excellence, recognise achievement and value all our staff
through continuous improvement, strategy, affective management and performance
measurement.

We had a record-breaking 47 number of candidates stand in this years Students
Union elections, and hope to break our ambitious target of 50 with the up-coming
Events & Trading Officer by-election. The increased level of engagement in these
elections is shown by our voting-turnout which was 6% over our target and broke
our 4-year target by 1%.
We have been ranked 4th best
Students Union in the country
iGrad Survey Results 2014
James banner
We continue to hold the title of undefeated champions after beating Kingston
Cougars 61-13 in this years Varsity competition; even after changing the point-
scoring system to work in their favour. This years Varsity finale was watched
by over 2000 students, after being streamed live online for the first time.

We are on course to finish the season in the top 40 of the British University &
Colleges Sports (BUCS) league table, and have scored a record number of
points already so far. There have been some incredible performances in both
league and cup competitions as well as some outstanding individual success.
Mazs banner
This year we received 370 nominations for Student Awards, however it is
important not to miss-interpret this statistic. Student Award nominations are
really about quality, and the standard of entries this year was inspiring. Our
annual Student Awards are a fantastic way to appreciate the hard work of our
volunteers through both the individual and society awards that are up for grabs.
So fewer, well-written nominations make the decision making process more
accurate.
This years iGrad survey results show that our clubs and societies continue to
add great value to the student experience with 96.8% students being satisfied
with the opportunities they provide. At 3570, weve more members than ever
before, and our new society rewards scheme for committees (STARS) and ever-
popular Colours Ball are celebrations of these great achievements.
We are on course to fnish the season in the top 40 of the
British University & Colleges Sports (BUCS) league table
James Lovell, VP Sports and Recreation
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 23 The Stag | 6th May 2014 Sci/Tech Editor: Siobhan Harris
Science & Technology
S
peak to any frequent weed user and most will argue
that the occasional use of cannabis is harmless;
some may even preach its benefcial qualities after
all, they dont call it medical marijuana for nothing.
According to statistics from the United Nations Offce
on Drugs and Crime, 3.9% of the worlds population
are cannabis users, with cannabis being the most
widely used illicit drug, particularly amongst young
adults. With its decriminalization across several
states in the US, societies in the UK continue to fght
for the right to legalise its recreational use.
A recent collaborative study conducted by
researchers at Northwestern Medical School,
Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical
School appears to dispute these arguments with
claims that even casual use of cannabis can change
the structure of the brain.
While there have been numerous studies on the
effect of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on the brain
structure of animal models, very little is known
about its effects on the human brain. THC is the
primary psychoactive element found in cannabis and
thus is responsible for affecting brain function and
subsequent alterations in behaviour.
Using high-resolution MRI scans, researchers
analysed the brain structure of 20 individuals who
partake in smoking cannabis on a weekly basis.
They compared the scans of these individuals to 20
control subjects who were not cannabis users, but
who paralleled the users in age, sex, race, handedness
(left or right) and years of education.
The study observed that the size and shape of
the nucleus accumbens and amygdala in the brains
of cannabis users was changed in comparison to
that of the control group. These regions of the brain
are responsible for addiction, decision-making and
memory. It was also noted that the size of other
regions of the brain including the prefrontal cortex
were reduced in users. However, there is no mention
in the study as to whether these changes led to any
disruption of behaviour in users.
The study has received signifcant media coverage
which has also meant it has been subject to intense
scrutiny with many questioning the validity of the
experiment on such a small sample group of only 40
subjects in total. A more appropriate study would
investigate the same individuals before frst using the
drug and then again after prolonged use. With this
current study, is it not possible to say that this was
the structure of the users brains prior to exposure to
the drug, resulting in a disposition that means they
are more likely to smoke it? In addition to this, the
study was funded by a cohort of organisations which
included the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
and the Offce of National Drug Control Policy leading
to further concern that the study may be somewhat
biased.
Whilst the study has some obvious faws, it has
only appeared to fuel the medias perception on
cannabis use. Regardless, further research is required
before the population can be fully convinced in either
direction.
By Li Sa Choo, Science and Technology Team
A
team of scientists from Kings
College London have grown
a layer of human skin from stem
cells. Stem cells are the versatile
cells of the body that can grow in a
variety of ways to perform different
functions. The scientists say that
skin grown in the laboratory
can replace animals in drug and
cosmetics testing a long-sought
solution to the ethical problem of
using animals.
The skin is unlike any that has
been grown in labs before because
this sample resembles real skin
more than the previous models
have. The team also said that it is
cost-effective and reproducible.
It was grown in a low-humidity
environment which allowed the
cells to form a protective barrier,
the epidermis, which prevents
moisture escaping and microbes
entering the skin.
This new method could be used
to test new treatments for skin
diseases in the near future.
By Siobhan Harris, Science and Technology Editor
The Study That Will Change
Your Mind About Cannabis
Stem-cell Skin to replace
animals in drug & cosmetic
testing

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he search continues for
Earth-like planets capable
of supporting human life, and
astrophysicists are determined not
to give up. Could their hard work
be reaching its reward? Scientists
reporting in the journal Science
say they have found the most
Earth-like planet yet.
Kepler 186f, called a rocky
planet because of its size, has the
potential to hold liquid water,
which is crucial for supporting life.
It is part of a fve-planet system in
the Milky Way that orbits around
a cool dwarf star. It has been
named Kepler 186f because it was
discovered by the Kepler telescope,
which has found almost 1,000 new
worlds since its launch back in
2009.
The region it is in is called
a habitable zone, and the team
behind its discovery believe that
it could hold water because it
has an orbital path that doesnt
journey too close to its star for the
liquid to boil away or so far out
that it would freeze. However, it is
currently surrounded by stars so
the likelihood that it would sustain
life is low, even if it manages to
hold water on its surface.
Only time will tell if there
is a planet out there that will
truly support life-forms in the
capacity that our Earth does, and
the time will likely come with the
emergence of new technologies.
By Siobhan Harris, Science and Technology Editor
Has The Next Habitable
Planet Been Found?
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 24 The Stag | 6th May 2014 sciencetech@thestagsurrey.co.uk
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ove a beard? Believe even a single bristle
shouldnt be allowed to grow? Or, like me,
you quite like just a little bit of stubble on your
man? Well it seems likely that there are many
more haters out there right now. Scientists are
warning that we may have hit peak beard.
There are just too many hipsters sporting
beards nowadays for us to fnd the fuzz
attractive anymore.
The study, carried out by scientists from the
University of New South Wales, investigated the
perceived attractiveness of men with differing
amounts of facial hair. The 1,666 participants
were shown a series of photographs of mainly
bearded men from full hairy bikers to neatly
trimmed goatees followed by a few images of
clean-shaven men. This research found that
the clean-shaven men were considered more
attractive. For those of you with an aversion
to the overgrown 5 oclock shadow, this may
not seem surprising. However, remarkably, the
reverse test showing more clean-shaven men
than bearded resulted in the bearded men
seeming more attractive.
The article concluded that we are
conditioned to fnd the unusual attractive, so
due to the current popularity of beards, even
an immaculately groomed soul patch just
wont cut it anymore!
This phenomenon is known as negative
frequency-dependant selection and it is
prevalent all throughout nature. It is thought
to be one of the factors that has led to our
worlds extraordinary biodiversity.
It may also be a scientifc reason to
explain the rise and fall of facial hair fashions
throughout the ages. A study, published in the
American Journal of Society, of historical beard
wear in the 1900s shows how the popularity of
different styles changed over time. In 1853 you
would most likely see a man walking around
with a pair of sideburns, but by 1877 this was
superseded by the sideburns-and-moustache
combination. By 1892 the gaps in between had
been flled and full beards were most popular.
The report goes on to show that a long
period of disappearance or near-complete
dormancy of a style follows its decline. This
period was calculated to be on average 103
years. I feel at this point I should advise all
readers that the waning of the moustache
began 95 years ago meaning we may begin to
see a re-emergence of the soup strainers. Dont
say I didnt warn you Movember is just the
beginning!
By Francesca Gillard, Science and Technology Team
Grab the Razor! Scientists Warn We
May Have Hit Peak Beard

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By Fahmid Chowdhury, Science & Tech Team
Top in Tech
M
icrosofts virtual
assistant, Cortana, has
been unveiled as a possible
cross between Google Now and
Siri. As an additional twist,
Microsoft have added a sense
of humour in its functionality.
Microsoft virtual assistant has a
sense of humour
M
icrosoft, creators of the
Windows Phone OS, are
going give a couple of Indian
phone makers their OS for free,
foregoing their usual licence
fee. It does this with the aim
of increasing Windows Phone
adoption in the country.
Nokia is gone
G
oogles project has come
up with a new form of
innovation the possibility
to swap components of a
smartphone when needed.
This allows smartphones to
be customised to your specifc
needs.
Googles Project ara -
smartphone innovation
BMW launch their frst electric
car
M
aking their debut into
the electric-car market,
BMW has launched their frst
hybrid electric vehicle. The car
is an absolute beauty and drops
the notion that hybrid vehicles
cant be great lookers.
A
pple have allowed
members of the general
public to download and install
a beta version of OS X 10.9.3.
The last time it did this was in
2000 when it asked for $29.95
for allowing one to do so.
Apple announce OS X beta
testing
LITERATURE 25 The Stag | 6th May 2014 Literature Editor: Shiri Shah
W
ithout a doubt, the world of
Remarques books gives the reader
a vivid unprecedented impression. These
books might be named as good evidence that
this world is different for everyone, decked
with different colors and shades, and the
variety of opinions and judgments could
not say anything about the truth of one
another. Considering our sophisticated view
of the world, our universe through the prism
of differences, similarities and contrasts
makes it even more mysterious and unique.
The world of Remarque shows the secret
borders across which the consciousness of
man has not yet passed. Heroes and nations,
wars and revolutions, feelings, decisions
and judgments deployed to the extent
and unselfshly offer us a map of these
recognizable - our own mistakes.
It is diffcult to describe the indescribable,
it is diffcult to see the impenetrable, it is
diffcult to feel, if you are insensitive, and
diffcult to get to the truth, if your mind is
not ready to work against the stereotypes.
The characters of Remarque are on their way
to the truth, which might be not appreciated
by the society - but for the truth, which
might make them happy.
Arc of Triumph: A Novel of
a Man Without a Country
The most prominent and popular of all
of the works of Remarque - Arc of Triumph
opens the way for the mind freedom.
Narrating the beginning of the Second
World War, it characterizes the events in
the late thirties, displaying those who have
been victims of violence and oppression.
Ravik - middle-aged man, a profcient doctor
experienced life with all its possible sides,
both good and bad, immigrated to Paris.
To gather your attention, his life is
closely associated with a woman - Joan, the
actress who became the object of his infnite
refections, subtle, casual, free from all
sorts of obligations, but unable to resist the
feelings emerging in it to Ravik.
Reading The Arc creates the impression
of closeness to the characters, you begin to
empathize with them, cry and rejoice with
them, feel their indifference to each other.
The book itself does not contain detailed
descriptions of military or political action,
it is based on the feelings and experiences
of the characters, who are forced to fght
for their happiness, to catch moments with
their mouth agape, when life gives them a
chance to smile briefy.
Happiness Ravik and Joan is fragile,
weightless, but they almost learned to
appreciate every moment, thank each other
for what they have with no demand for
more. The book states that everything in
this life is short, not only life itself, but all
what it means for us - love or hate, hurt or
forgiveness, meeting the ones or farewell.
Fate of Joan ends tragically; Ravik
understands that losing her he loses
something meaningful. War only acquires its
shape; Ravik spots a long life, which might be
full of the same deaths and disappointments.
But somewhere in the depths of his soul, he
understands that his life without Joan is
wrong, something is different, so different.
Remarque describes life without
embellishments, with all its dirt and outs
of identifying witness of human sins. Here
there is also the cruelty and murder, envy
and pride.
The Arc might be safely called a
masterpiece of world literature, because
thats what this book has collected all those
moments you paid attention to the writers
of those times. Each heading - a separate
life. Every utterance - quote. Without
exaggeration - the book that deserves special
attention and all.
A
fter the popularity of erotic fction such as 50
Shades of Grey, its unsurprising that more of this
sexual genre is being published. However, recently the
classic novels, like Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre,
have found themselves being controversially rewritten
with added sexual scenes. Renamed the Clandestine
Classics, these old novels have been enhanced and
questionably corrupted for the 21st century reader.
Despite the fact they keep the original authors voice
and plot, the graphic passages added make for a much
different reading experience than originally intended.
These classic nineteenth-century novels
prided themselves in portraying sexual tension, while
respecting the moral values of their time. Yet, this 21st
century twist has explicitly sexed up the relationships
known greatly to us. For example, in the new works
of Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth defnes Mr Darcy as
hot, spicy and all man, while Jane Eyre has explosive
sex with Mr Rochester. Although this could make
for exciting new literature, Jane Austen fans have
been left enraged, arguing that Austen wrote with
passion and feeling and respected the morals of her
time, all of which has been corrupted with these new
added scenes. This appears to be an issue relating to
our present society, as it questions whether sex is the
modern way to represent love, or has love accidently
been rewritten as lust? It appears Austen knew how to
modestly represent true love and connection and did
so without pornographic scenes.
However, enjoyable and tantalising these
Clandestine Classics are to read, I cant help but
wonder if we should be preserving our literary heritage,
instead of attempting to enhance it with somewhat
poorly written and randomly placed pornographic
passages that do not fow with the original narrative.
In Wuthering Heights, Catherine Earnshaw now enjoys
bondage sessions with Heathcliff, while Sherlock
Holmes has homoerotic sex with Dr Watson, leading
us to wonder what Emily Bront and Arthur Conan
Doyle would think if they could see their works of art
cheapened in such a way. Undeniably these are being
produced for proft, purely for the market that was
boosted by E L James and her 50 Shades of Grey trilogy,
yet these classics have now lost their decorum and
subtlety in representing true love.
The founder of the Clandestine Classics,
Claire Siemaszkiewicz, stated that its not our
intention to rewrite or distort them but to create
a whole new experience, enhancing the novels by
adding deeper relationships. But questionably these
novels have been distorted and tainted by this 21st
century need for eroticism and sexual adventure. Were
our classics not enjoyable before when they relied a
little more on the readers imagination? Is additional
sex necessary in our classic novels, for example is
sadomasochistic sex initiated by Mr Rochester in Jane
Eyre what was really missing? These novels are what
we have to remind us of a modest past era, and they
remain an important historical document of societal
expectations of the time. I can appreciate that they are
striving to incorporate a new readership to the well-
known classics, and undeniably some of the raunchier
scenes are quite entertaining. However, I cant help
but feel these classics should remain modest, as the
authors intended it, and new erotic fction should be
written instead for our generation to enjoy.
Literature
Should our classics have been eroticised?
By Lauren Boland, Literature Team
Perception of Erich Maria Remarque
By Anastasia Ulyanova, Literature Team

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LITERATURE 26 The Stag | 6th May 2014 literature@thestagsurrey.co.uk
I Woke Up Like This - The Writing
of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
I
f youve listened to Flawless from Beyoncs latest
self-titled album (which you defnitely should have
by now,) then youll already know who Chimamanda
Ngozi Adichie is and the feminist principles she
stands for.
But for those of you who dont quite know who
this increasingly infuential Nigerian author is, heres
some background:
Born and raised in southeastern Nigeria, Adichie
studied Medicine at the University of Nigeria before
studying at various prestigious universities across
America. Since then, shes gone on to write a series of
successful short stories, poems and novels, winning
her the Readers Digest Author of the Year Award and
the prestigious Commonwealth Writers Prize. Her
writing addresses issues such as religion, domestic
violence, and sexuality, as well as the political
turmoil that followed Britains colonisation and exit
from Nigeria.
She published her third novel, Americanah last
year. It tells the story of a young couple from Nigeria
divided by the challenges that come with living apart,
but delivered with Adichies characteristic humour.
Promoting gender equality has been a central
part of her work, highlighting the unfair way society
treats women using experiences from her own life as
examples. In her TED talk titled Why we should all
be feminists, she addresses the stigma surrounding
the word feminist, which caught the attention of
Beyonc, leading to some of Adichies quotes being
sampled on her album.
She points out the way women are discouraged
from being ambitious from an early age:
We teach girls to shrink
themselves, to make themselves
smaller. We say to girls: you can
have ambition, but not too much.
You should aim to be successful,
but not too successful otherwise
you will threaten the man.
Adichie has also been an important voice in the
African literary community as a whole, bringing an
audience to its work beyond the continent.
In doing this, shes sought to change the way
Africa is perceived; tackling the misconceptions
many Westerners have of its population, including
the idea that it has no middle-class.
With Africas infuence on the world stage greater
than it has ever been before, authors like Chimamanda
Ngozi Adichie are playing an increasingly important
role in the world of literature and what better way
to learn about these changes than with Adichies
charismatic wit?
By Leo Blanchard, Literature Team

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I
ts been an exciting time for the literary
scene here in Guildford over the past
couple of months. March saw the second
annual Surrey New Writers Festival, hosted
at GLive. A range of panels on bookish
subjects were at the festival, from how to
write a novel, to the nitty gritty of getting
one published. Then April saw the ninth
annual Conference for The British Society for
Literature and Science, or the BSLS, come to
Surrey. The BSLS is a scholarly society which
promotes interdisciplinary research into the
relationships of science and literature. I got
a ticket for the festival and helped to run the
conference, and, of course, I was sure to take
my notebook along with me. Im here to give
you the highlights.
The New Writers festival hosted a range of
panels, including one on recent technological
developments and their impact on how we
read literature. There was also a panel called
Industry Insiders: Agents and Publishers,
useful for aspiring agents and authors alike.
Literary agent Alex Christof, of Conville
and Walsh Literary Agency, had some tips
for budding agents. A literary agent, he said,
should strive to be a diplomat, keeping
good relations with authors, publishers
and fellow agents alike. They should also,
however, be a used car salesperson. That is,
with a good know-how of marketing authors
and their works, and a frm grasp of the
money side of things. Ultimately though, he
pointed out, a good literary agent is in their
job because they love literature. For those
on the other side of the coin, Samantha
Haywood, of Transatlantic Literary Agency,
had some words of warning. Its a good idea
to be professional when writing a covering
letter for a manuscript. However, agents
are totally inundated with manuscripts, so
its important that your covering letter is
different in some way. It doesnt have to be
intricate. It just needs to be original in such a
way that it jumps out at the person reading
it.
Holly Luhning, lecturer in the Creative
Writing School at Surrey, who founded the
festival last year, spoke about her motivation
for starting it. She had been driven, she
explained, by a desire to search for writing
connections in their local community, and
to share these with others. She stressed that
its meant to be a malleable festival, ever
open to change and development. Judging
by the highly attended panels at this years
festival, it would seem that the festival
has some real potential for building and
developing a writing community over the
coming years.
Now, to the conference. The BSLS hosted
their frst conference at the University
of Glasgow, In March 2006. Since then its
quickly risen in popularity and esteem in the
academic community. Last year, Dr Greg Tate,
professor of English at Surrey, became one
of BBC threes ten resident New Generation
Thinkers, for his promising research into the
interplay between poetry and developments
in psychology in the nineteenth-century.
This year, he was the force that brought
the BSLS conference to our humble Lecture
Theatre building.
Over the course of three days, from the
10th to the 12th of April, academics from
all over the world (seriously, one bloke few
from Canada), spoke in an eclectic range of
panels, delivering their latest research into
the interdisciplinary feld of literature and
science. To start off with, our very own Jim
Al-Khalili delivered a paper entitled Science
and Rationalism in Medieval Arabic Texts.
The paper shed new light on the important
scientifc work that went on in the East
during the middle ages, and had said some
quite surprising things to say about the
history of science and mathematics. For
example, it turns out that the father of
algebra, Al Khwarizmi, didnt use numbers,
but rather pure prose, when he frst wrote
about algebra.
Other papers delivered at the conference
included one on the supernatural in the
writing of Lewis Carol (a Guildford man,
by the way). The speaker described Carols
advice for seeing fairies: it is best done on
a hot day, without having anything to eat or
drink. Then in the Reading with Dinosaurs
panel, a paper discussed the progression
of the dinosaur in the publics mind; from
the lizard-like monsters of the nineteenth
century, to the Jurassic Park-esque creatures
we know today. Then rounding things off,
Bernard Lightman, of York University,
Toronto, delivered a fascinating key note
paper called Conan Doyles Ideal Reasoner:
The Case of the Reluctant Scientifc
Naturalist. The talk discussed the scientifc
ideas that made Arthur Conan Doyle an
agnostic and how Holmess use of scientifc
echoes the beliefs of his author. Delivered in
the style of a Sherlock Holmes story, all the
different threads of the paper were drawn
together with a fourish at the end, and we
were left with an intriguing suggestion:
Doyle killed off Holmes in 1891 as a refection
of his growing doubts in the potential for
science alone to explain the world around us.
From commercially aware literary
agents, to professors passionate about
nineteenth-century dinosaur stories, I got to
meet a range of very interesting people, and
joined Surreys English department for a very
memorable couple of months.
From mingling with literary agents to reading with Dinosaurs:
an exciting couple of months for Guildfords literary scene
By Joseph Harrison, Literature Team
MUSIC 27 The Stag | 6th May 2014 Music Editor: Candice Ritchie
Music
W
ith appearances in Made In Chelsea, opening for You Me
At Six, and having one of the Top 10 most listed songs on
the Spotify chart, it's only a matter of time until Young Kato
begin topping the charts, building up a larger fan-base and
marking themselves on indie history. The band, comprising of
Tommy Wright, Jack Edwards, Joe Green, Joe Lever, Harry Steele
and Sam Henderson, dropped by the Boileroom, Guildford, for
the third gig of their tour. And with such a portfolio building
up, it was best to check out what the six-piece indie alternative
band had to offer
The gig opened with support act The White Bicycles, an
Indie Electro duo from Falmouth, Cornwall, who performed
songs taken from their EP 'Volume I: Elegy', and captured the
small teen-flled crowd's attention with their unique sounds.
Throughout their performance, they created a relaxed
ambiance and with strong ballads like 'Lie' and 'Surrender'
they were truly able to hook the audience with their lyrics.
The performance was truly an amazing way to start the night
and though we were entranced they did have to end, leaving
us to 'Capture and cherish the past, the present won't last, the
future it's just out of reach'.
Next up were Pixel Fix, a four-piece indie rock band from
Oxford. The sound intensity of their set gave us a real feel for
the instrumentals, though it did seem to overcloud the lyrics
which created a slight disconnection with some of the audience.
However, the synchronisation of most of the audience's head
banging with that of the band's was admirable. With the fow
of their innovative sounds and the improvement in the clarity
of the lyrics as the set went on, it was clear why they had been
picked new band of the week by The Guardian, Artist of the
Day by Louderthanwar.com and have dates set to perform for
XFM, Lainfest and the Truck Festival in the coming months.
It was then time for the main act to grace the stage. From
the moment they began, Young Kato captivated the audience
with their beats, movements and heartfelt lyrics. Performing a
mixture of songs including Help yourself, Lights, Something
Real, Life's Good, Ignite, Revolution and Break Out, the
boys from Cheltenham flled the room with their rhythm,
illuminating the crowd and encouraging us to sing along...
You watch the world go by... hold a fuse to my heart and
I'll ignite'and so they ignited the fame in the audiences
hearts, especially with their fnale Drink, Dance and Play,
which had the crowds jumping and singing along. Their lead
vocalist Tommy had a great vocal range, guiding us through
their amazing music until the end of their performance. After
they fnished, The Stag were lucky enough to be able to catch
up with them for a quick interview;
The Stag: What quality do you think has enabled you to
make it this far?
Young Kato: The fact that we are doing what we love, we
just want to play our songs and make good music.
TS: What do you think has kept you guys together?
YK: If theres any animosity, it's always resolved and never
built up - everyone communicates with each other.
TS: At which point did you/would you feel that you had
made it?
YK: Never. As we continue to achieve things, we create
more goals and more things we can aspire to. Its an endless
process where we will always continue to strive for more.
TS: Tommy said that he'd gone through every pain for
this band, what did you mean by that?
YK (Tommy): That was elaborated from the frst video we
shot for our single 'Something Real', where I had to do a 9 mile
run. I was dragged in the sea on a winter day and in the end
it was taken down because we felt we could improve it. We've
re-recorded it and wanted to re-release it with a hopefully less
painful video (laughs).
TS: How did you guys get together?
YK: Well, Jack and Sam are stepbrothers. Tommy, Joe Green
and Jack all went to the same school and Harry, Joe Lever and
Sam went to a different school together, so the stepbrothers
brought us together.
TS: What are your major infuences?
YK: We listen to different genres, from Grime or Jazz, to
RnB or Rock. The mere fact that we listen to different types
has contributed greatly to us as a band. We have very eclectic
music tastes, which enables us to have a different sound from
others. People can pull our songs apart and say that's a bit
indie and that's a bit rocky, it's a pigeon hole of sound from
each genre and we're just interested in good music really.
TS: Do you have any advice for people who want to
follow in your footsteps?
YK: Do what you like and be ready for it - some people just
put out a song and are not ready to develop as a band.
TS: Whats been the biggest crowd you've played to?
YK: We played Alexander Palace as a supporting act which
was about 9000 people, and headlined in London, which is like
our surrogate home, to about 500. We have played in Russia to
about 200 in the past, though we don't feel the need to rush
too much for an international fan-base its best to begin at
home, build up a fan-base in your town and spread out from
there.
TS: How do you each contribute towards the creative
process of the songs?
YK: We all came from guitar groups and when we came
together, Harry blew our mind with sync and keyboard stuff
and introduced us to different fows, enabling us to branch out.
He is the one, he changed the band and sound for the better,
stepped us up from the average guitar band into Young Kato.
We have some future projects in the work with everybody
contributing, writing, producing and making demos, which
are just bringing us closer as a band.
One thing that defnitely sparkled for Young Kato was
their humility, making the time to sell to and speak to fans,
their honesty when answering questions, and their emphasis
on the fact that they were doing something that they love. And
of course, their main goal, to remain true not only to their
fans but to themselves a quality which many acts often seem
to neglect.
Together, there was just something that clicked, which
shone not only through them but also through their music.
They truly have founded a fan in me and after a couple of
listens they will surely make a fan out of you.
At the Boileroom with Young Kato
The Stag reviews Young Katos show at Guildfords The Boileroom, and has a quick chat with them after
Young Katos lead vocalist, Tommy Wright

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Check out their song Drink, Dance & Play which reached
12 on the indie charts and their free download Ignite, as
well as other singles on iTunes.
By Elizabeth Kadie Tyvesse, Music Team
MUSIC 28 The Stag | 6th May 2014 music@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Open Mic Night: An Insight
I
caught up with Surrey Universitys Open
Mic host Alistair Cowan to fnd out what
makes Channies on a Thursday night such
a success, as well as sharing his top tips for
anyone thinking about performing.
The Stag: How long have you been
hosting Open Mic?
Alistair: Something like 8 years. I was
asked to come and do it by the then bar
manager Tim Goodman. It was a real success
because the bar staff and managers really
got behind it, and listened to what I had to
say regarding the setup and layout after
all, at that time I was running 3 other very
successful Open Mic nights in Surrey.
TS: What attracted you to Surrey
University particularly?
A: Ive played countless times at Surrey
over the past 20+ years, with my band
Redwood, and various festivals, clubs and
parties around Campus. The students are
great; there are some real success stories that
come out of Surrey. The Stage Crew who set
up the equipment are a great bunch, and its
always good to see one of them carry on to
greater things. Its a friendly place to come
and work, and the vibe from the audience is
always so supportive I get the feeling that
the students are proud of their Open Mic
night and so they should be.
TS: Do you ever tire of playing
Tenacious D/ Billy Braggs New England?
A: New England is a great song to warm
up on, and a good sound-check song. I used
to busk it in the subway in Bournemouth. I
dont actually get tired of playing it its a
song that people seem to love and I can play
it differently every time. Tenacious D is really
a show off song I can do it well, and its very
popular Tribute and the other one.
TS: I have to mention Nigel! Do you
remember Nigels frst performance? What
do you think of his poetry?
A: Nigel has been performing at Open
Mic for as long as I remember. Hes a great
guy very eccentric and very polite and
considerate, he appreciates that it is basically
an Open Mic night centred on music.
Regarding his poems some of them are
pretty out there, and he doesnt hold back,
but they are colourful, and if you get on his
level you can follow it.
TS: Over the years, has there been any
drastic change in terms of the talent or
style of music being played? Do you see
Open-Mic moving away from acoustic and
opening up to different genres?
A: I think I encourage live music though
some people dont have a musician to play
with, so they use a backing track. Thats
fne, as it gets them up and playing. Some
weeks we have more rap artists, but we
had rappers playing 10 years ago at Open
Mics. There is an ebb and fow with quality
and type of songs in the end people return
to what theyve been doing for the past 50
years a good song with an acoustic guitar.
TS: Open Mic has quite a range of
performers Do you ever have any regrets
about who you let perform?
A: I always give people a chance no-one
wants to do a bad show. Its not really for me
to decide who is good and bad. People only get
better when they are given the opportunity
to perform in front of crowds, and thats
exactly what Open Mic is for. Im strict on
timings, just because I want everyone to get
the same chance on the night.
TS: What are your top tips for aspiring
artists who are thinking about performing
at Open Mic night?
A: Just have a go. You learn so much
getting up on stage, and in the end, what
does it matter if you mess up? We all do it
Im always messing up, but who cares?
Other than that, look into Mic technique -
the sound engineer can turn you down, but
NOT up if you are too far from the Mic thats
when you get feedback. Check out the page
on the openmicnight website - http://www.
openmicnight.co.uk/hints-and-help/ - its a
really useful piece Ive written covering just
this.
TS: With the advent of social media, its
easier for bands and artists to promote
their music online - do you think the role
of Open Mic nights is diminishing? In
terms of Channies as a venue, what do you
think makes students come back again
and again?
A: Bands use social media to promote
their work, but they still need to be able
to play it live. Actually most people who
get up and play do it just because they
enjoy performing I guess its the human
condition. The reason people come back to
Channies I think its because its a friendly,
accessible venue great to socialise in, where
the music is presented in a professional
format. And hopefully Im supportive, and
can encourage as many people as possible to
take to the stage.
By Kyra Hanson, Music Team

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t might feel like only yesterday that the death of the CD was
being rumoured, bidding farewell to the days of jewel cases
and saying hello to the much more convenient alternative of
downloads. But after only a short time as king, the download
is already looking like its on its way out, with a big share
of listeners already switching to the quicker and easier
alternative streaming.
Services like Spotify and Pandora have become popular
in recent years thanks to their users demand for on-the-go
listening that gives instant access to any song, all without
the ordeal of syncing tracks across. Facebook integration
and student discounts on subscriptions have also made it
especially popular amongst young people. But apps like
Spotify still work in a pretty conventional way, delivering
music to listeners through big labels and forcing users to
endure obnoxious adverts between songs unless they stump
up for a subscription. This emphasis on paying to listen
to music doesnt appeal to everyone though, even if its
cheaper than legal downloads; thats especially the case for
a generation that learnt how to pirate music before it could
walk.
Thats where SoundCloud comes in. SoundCloud, with
its huge surge in popularity in recent years, is
making music social again by adopting a format
similar to that of Twitter and Tumblr. Users
follow each other and publicise artists by
reposting to each others streams, and
just like most social networks, theres
no membership fees or annoying ads.
But most importantly, any artist can
upload their music and instantly have
it streaming to any user, making it
a great platform for up-and-coming
ones looking to increase their fan-
base.
By providing greater control, such
as the ability to upload hours-long mixes,
SoundCloud is handing power back to
musicians and restoring them to their rightful
status. This is especially important at a time when
more and more high-profle artists are falling out with labels
over creative control, such as the continued delay of Azealia
Banks debut album Broke With Expensive Taste which she
threatened to leak back in April.
The same way Twitter revolutionised
how celebrities interact with their fans,
SoundCloud acts as a great platform for
artists to listen to the music of those
who listen to theirs. This has created
a collaborative environment where
creativity thrives, acting as a
great place for music discovery
as well as inspiring remixes and
edits sort of similar to the same
ideas that are peer-reviewed in
academic journals.
As great as SoundCloud is,
therell probably never be a single
platform that we all listen to music
through, especially now that vinyls
miraculously regained its lost popularity.
But, either way, its beginning to look like a great
source of music, at least until we get the technology to
beam the latest Arcade Fire and Drake straight to our brains.
SoundCloud Revolution
By Leo Blanchard, Music Team

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FILM 29 The Stag | 6th May 2014 Film Editor: Sophia Field
Film
IMDb Top 100 Do You Agree?
I
cant be the only one who runs to IMDb for support when
choosing a flm to watch. In an attempt to avoid wasting hours
of my life watching terrible movies, checking out the rating it has
received by our trusted peers and critics is essential in fnding out
the score. But do we all agree with these ratings?
#48 Back to the Future (1985) IMDb rates 8.5
By Sophia Field, Film Editor
Noah
R
ated as #48 in the IMDb top 100 movies, Back to the Future is one
of the few light hearted movies to make the top ranks. The list is
mostly compiled of hard hitting dramas that evaluate profound and
sometimes dark subject matter, but Back to the Future remedies that,
and proves that comedies can still be critically acclaimed. Although
its plot centres around a time travelling adventure, the heart of Back
to the Future is situated frmly in the importance of family. The
character of Marty Mcfy, played my Michael J. Fox, is arguably one of
cinemas most lovable characters, and the audience follow him as he
travels back to 1955, when his parents are in high-school. However,
things get complicated and he realises that his presence may make
changes to the future that would prevent the existence of himself
and his siblings. The character who is the most iconic is Christopher
Lloyds Dr. Emmett Brown, with his wild grey hair and eccentric
behaviour; he is the epitome of a mad scientist. Great Scott, the man
must be a genius, he created a time machine out of a DeLorean after
all. If you are part of a rare species of student who have made it into
their twenties (or heaven forbid, thirties) without participating in a
Back to the Future marathon, tonight has got to be the night.
By Jim Onyemenam, Film Team
D
arren Aranofsky presents an intense character
study, challenging our beliefs, understanding, and
the folklore of the oft retold story of its eponymous
lead. The story follows Noah, who has to build an ark to
save the innocent animals from the deluge that God is
bringing to wipe humanity and its sins from the world.
In 10 generations, man has scavenged the earth and
created a civilisation where food is scarce and people
are so brutal that they resort to murder, rape, and
cannibalism.
The point of brilliance of the flm is not in its dark,
gritty, realistic presentation of a story that we thought
we knew, but in the complex portrayal of a character
experiencing emotional turmoil as a result of the
destruction he has witnessed, and to some degree
facilitated. In this regard, the flm is not entirely
biblically accurate, and a lot of creative liberties have
been taken not only to create a traditional apocalyptic
cinema, but also to infate the emotional climatic
drama that ensues upon the ark. Films should never
be regarded as text for historical or biblical accuracy,
but flmmakers do have the responsibility to remain,
at least thematically, true to the source material. Noah
does that.
The flm explores themes of not just the redeeming
qualities of love, and the propagation of sin through
necessity, but also the glory, but the ills of blind
servitude. Thus, the greatest villain gradually becomes
Noah himself, and this is the point of brilliance. Noahs
(masochistic) servitude to God is his greatest strength.
The question therefore becomes how far can Noah go
to do what is asked before he is overcome by love and
mercy? In order to achieve this, Aranofsky took what
must be said to be his greatest creative liberty which
would divide even the most religious and stoic critics. In
the flm, Noah, when building the ark is not assured of
his familys safety. He believes that they too, as they are
human, are destined to die in the food. Although this is
not biblically accurate, it makes the flm a testament to
the extent to which Noah would go to follow the will of
God. Furthermore, its creative liberties were necessary
to infate what is barely four chapters in the Bible to its
139 minute runtime a perfect length.
The flm features an ark, which was actually built
to Biblical specifcations, which was necessary to
ground what was already a CGI-fest, particularly with
the animals. Additionally, its sharp stop-motion-esque
editing technique makes its montage sequences where
it illustrates the creation of the world and the fall of man
visually catchy. Ultimately, Aranofsky creates a world
which inherently feels very real and very familiar, but
the little details, for instance the stars in the daytime
sky, helps maintain the intricate balance between his
world feeling real and familiar, and it feeling fantastic
and miraculous.
Generally, the cast was applaudable. Anthony
Hopkins, as Methuselah, is a typical, charming
grandfather-fgure a role which would not have
stretched his acting chops one bit. Emma Watson on
the other hand shows off a newfound ability to show
wide emotional breadth, plus although her husband is
Douglas Booth, she seems to share a genuine chemistry
with Logan Lerman possibly due to their work together
on The Perks of Being a Wallfower. Logan plays Ham,
Noahs middle son who comes close to betraying his
father (another creative liberty), and authentically
shows the confusion that must have plagued his
character. And Russell Crowe, as Noah, comes off as
inaccessible, and thus his manic servitude convincing,
but no less deranged. His character arch gradually
becomes a horror story, made ever so convincing by
his adept portrayal of its conficted lead. The true
star of the production is Ray Winstone as Tubal, the
main antagonist. He illustrates a self-important yet
vulnerable tyranny, fuelled by a self-servient existential
philosophy which is almost endearing, possibly because
it is refective of us.
Sometimes the flm becomes preachy, and at points
excessively dumbed down especially, in a few moments
where speech is overused and silence would have
been a more apt tool. But ultimately, for a flm which
is not designed to be biblically accurate, but rather
an inventive character study of a man we thought we
knew, Noah explores depths of that character we never
imagined, inspires curiosity into the actual Biblical
story, and encourages numerous rewatches.
FILM 31 The Stag | 6th May 2014 Film Editor: Sophia Field
The Other Woman
By Nicole Vassell, Editor
A
smart lawyer meets a charming businessman and they
immediately hit it off; weeks of hot dates and overnight hook-
ups lead her to not only cut off her other suitors, but to invite him to
meet her father. Life is going well for Carly (Cameron Diaz): great job
check; great wardrobe double check; and now a great guy to boot.
The only thing about her amazing new boyfriend? Hes married.
And its not long before both aggrieved parties discover each other
and meet but unlike other incarnations of the mistress vs. wife
trope, they dont engage in a hair-pulling, face-scratching fght over
their mutual man: instead, they become friends and conspire against
him.
Perhaps one of the most anticipated comedy releases this year,
The Other Woman had a lot to live up to and to a large extent, it
succeeds. For one, it really showcases the comedic strength of the
majority female cast in a way quite reminiscent of 2011s Bridesmaids.
Though flms headed by women can unfortunately be prejudged as
lacking in true humour, the script was exciting and full of slapstick
fun, with scenes involving handbag vomit, falling out of windows
and crashing through glass walls being particularly memorable
examples.
Though Diaz played the sensible character, silly situation role
well, the majority of the laughs were undoubtedly elicited by Leslie
Mann. A clear standout, her hilarious portrayal of wronged wife Kate
manages to be ditzy, sweet and lovable without crossing the line into
annoying.
About a third of the way into the flm, model Kate Upton joins
the team as Amber, another woman played by Mark, the serial
cheater (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau). Though an Academy Award winning
performance wasnt expected, Uptons casting seems to have been
motivated by her looks rather than talent; her few, fairly average lines
did little more than reinforce the dumb, busty blonde stereotype.
Rapper Nicki Minaj also swaps her day job and features briefy as
Carlys straight-talking assistant, and while not being particularly
useful for the plot, she is an amusing addition to her handful of
scenes.
Directed by Nick Cassavetes, whose prior works
include The Notebook and My Sisters Keeper, some
would automatically pigeonhole it as little more
than a chick fick. Though the prominent theme
of unity and friendship between the women has a
clear appeal, women and men in the audience alike
were entertained throughout.
All in all, despite the occasional venture into
cheese, The Other Woman is a truly enjoyable watch.
An unlikely story? Most defnitely but its funny
enough that even the most sceptical of viewers
should be able to hold back the eye rolls and just enjoy.
By Joshua Langley, Film Team
T
he sequel to 2011s Captain America and the
second helping of Marvels frst Avenger
is far superior in both script and story, to
the original. With the superhero background
having already been expanded upon, the flm is
able to move quickly into its action sequences.
However, the movies quality is not in the orgy of
explosions and comic book violence provided by
its $235million budget, but rather in the questions
that it poses about the society in which we live
today.
One of the best action sequences of the
flm involves a car chase through the streets of
Washington DC. In this scene the character of
Nick Fury (portrayed by the ever reliable kick-
ass Samuel L Jackson) attempts to escape from
the clandestine forces of Hydra. However, we do
have to take the story weakness as a matter of
course. Clearly, the plausibility of the Nazi elite
science division, surviving for 70 years unnoticed
and netting itself into the American military
is not realistic, but you should surely expect
this when going to see a comic-book movie. For
me the flms superiority to the original comes
from its script. Although, still cheesy, brash and
predictable the dialogue adds to the flm. This
allows us to actually appreciate the quality of the
acting talent on offer with Jackson and Johansson
shining throughout.
The villain of the flm is Alexander Pierce,
who is a long term ally and confdant of Nick Fury.
The characters are very similar in their political
views and as realists they believe that humanity
is fundamentally corrupt and dangerous. The
character is played by veteran flm star Robert
Redford who simultaneously conveys both
insidiousness and likeability, in a similar vein to
his portrayal of John Gage in 1994s An Indecent
Proposal. However, he is merely a fgurehead for
plotline purposes, as the true villain of the movie
is the technology that we all now possess at our
fngertips. Harnessed by the full might of the
US military industrial complex; or as it is known
in the Marvel Universe Shield, the flm turns
into one mans struggle against a tremendously
powerful and corrupt system.
The conspiracy that underpins the entire plot
turns Captain Rogers (played by Chris Evans) into
public enemy number one. This for me is where
the flm gains its merit as an art form. Obviously,
the meaning of the flm is dramatically more
overt than a French art-house movie, and does not
take a lot of hard work to understand. However,
by mirroring the likes of Edward Snowden,
something I am sure the flm makers will deny
vigorously, we are led to wonder whether the
balance between freedom and security that we
currently have in the western world, is the right
one. As we know, the idea of fying robots that go
around assassinating enemies of the state is not
completely outside of the realms of possibility.
However, if youre looking for a simple superhero
flm this is also what you get and well worth a see.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
FILM 32 The Stag | 6th May 2014 flm@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Television Corner
A
t a time where watching television on a monitor, ruled by the timings of the TV Guide
is becoming outdated, on demand television platforms, such as Netfix and LoveFilm
are on the rise. They are doing what they can in the fght against piracy and providing a
cheap, legal service for those who just cant wait for the American shows to hit our British
screens, or those who simply cannot afford a real television in university digs. As students,
we are perhaps the largest demographic to watch TV on our laptops, and for all those of
you who dish out the 6 a month, Netfix has a catalogue of television and flm to blame for
many, many hours of procrastination. In an attempt to set themselves apart, and become
more relevant, Netfix now acquire original content for their subscribers. Orange is the New
Black, House of Cards and Hemlock Grove are examples of this and have all been renewed for
another season, to air across the next year. So now is the time to catch up, or get out.
Top 3: Netflix Original Series
By Sophia Field, Film Editor
O
range Is the New Black was a stand out performer of
2013. With an original premise and addictive episodes,
it quickly generated more viewership in its opening week
than other Netfix original series, including House of
Cards. The show is based on the true story of Piper Kerman,
whose involvement in laundering money from the trade
of heroin landed her in jail. Her character provided the
inspiration for Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling), a bisexual
woman serving a jail sentence away from her fanc Larry
(Jason Biggs, known for American Pie) and alongside her
ex-girlfriend and the cause of her imprisonment, Alex
Vause (Laura Prepon). The audience get an insight into
the world of the female only prison, the corruption of
guards and the tension between inmates both love and
hate. The series has everything: sex, violence, drama
and humour. The characters are unique, and we grow to
love and understand many of them before we encounter
fashbacks of their criminal sides. Orange Is the New Black
embraces the LGBT community by featuring both lesbian
and transgender storylines, but also includes heterosexual
love stories. It is truly for everyone. If you havent seen this
series, please do. The second season is out in June 2014.
K
evin Spacey plays ruthless democrat, Frank
Underwood, in this intense political drama. His
manipulative character grips you from the opening
episode and becomes more vengeful towards those who
have betrayed him over the course of the series. House
of Cards is evidence of the changing tides and exceeding
importance of online content, as Robin Wright, who
plays Claire Underwood (Franks wife) in the series, won
a Golden Globe for Best Actress, the frst major award to
be presented to exclusively online content. Both Spacey
and Wright provide extremely polished and commanding
performances. The show delivers a bitter, dark and unique
observation of politics and corruption, and is gripping
from the start. House of Cards has just been renewed for
a third season which is set to air in February 2015, but
until then, there are two seasons to catch up on.
H
emlock Grove is based around a fctional town
in Pennsylvania with the same name. The town
encounters bizarre goings-on, suspicious behaviour and
murders. After the recent obsession with the vampire in
popular culture, Hemlock Grove offers a different insight
into the supernatural and brings the werewolf into the
spotlight once again. The series is a dark and sinister
examination of both humanity and the supernatural
world, revolving around the powerful Godfrey family,
who are suspected of leading twisted experiments in
their Institute of Biomedical Technologies, and the life
of Peter Rumancek, a young gypsy with a damming
secret. Whilst it has received more negative feedback
from critics than the likes of Orange Is the New Black and
House of Cards, fans of horror series such as American
Horror Story should enjoy Hemlock Grove. The second
season premieres in July 2014.
Orange Is the
New Black Grove
Hemlock
Cards
House of
SOCIETIES 33 The Stag | 6th May 2014 Societies Editor: Alice Wilkinson
By Fiona Buckland, International Societies Offcer
One World Week
U
niversity of Surreys One World Festival saw another week of creative events a c r o s s
campus this year. Incase you missed anything, here are the highlights. We would like to thank
everyone who made this an incredible event; to the University of Surrey societies for sharing their
traditions with us and creating a wonderful showcase of culture, to Em Bollon (Union President),
Maz Hussein (VP Societies), Rachel Evans (Activities Coordinator) and Alice Bentham (Surrey Stage
crew).
One World Week Exhibition. Societies from around the globe flled the Union
with music, colour, chilli and a host of different activities; the famous Pakistani
bus was outside Chancellors during the day offering tours around campus, and
Tropical Inc. bought a selection of scary and scaly snakes to hang around your
necks.
24 Monday
25 Tuesday
African Caribbean Society Afrofusion at Rubix; a cultural show telling the
story of Yemi who learned about her heritage via song, dance and spoken word
followed by an after party in Rubix. The Christian Union arranged International
Cafe offering a friendly environment for people from across the globe to socialise.
In the evening Chancellors held an International Chancellors Challenge with
questions all centred round the topic of all things World.
26 Wednesday
Sushi making took place at Youngs Kitchen; students were able to sample a
selection of sushi and taught how to roll rice. Malaysian Society, positioned in
the Library Foyer, tempted passing students with traditional Malaysian food.
Spanish Society had set up a Salsa class in Rubix; a talented professional took
a group of students through the basic steps of this fery and passionate dance.
Surrey Video Gaming Society brought the Living Room a FIFA 14 Tournament.
To end a busy day, the International Offce held their Home Away From Home
event where students shared their diffcult and humorous experiences of being
away from home.
27 Thursday
Portuguese Society brought some sexy samba to Rubix; students shimmied,
swayed and swivelled around the dance foor led by two professionals. That
evening, Rio Carnival night at Living Room, presented students with a chance
to show off their newly developed moves, try the famous Brazilian drink, the
Caipirinha while enjoying the Brazilian and Portuguese music.
29 Friday
One World Week Gala. Packed to the rafters, this event attracted a whole
range of people including the Mayor of Guildford. Showcasing the diversity of
Surrey Universitys societies who, assisted by Stage Crew, put on a beautiful
display of their own individual culture and traditions with dancing, singing,
acting with an innovative shadow performance from Vietnamese society.
30 Saturday
31 Sunday
One World Week 6-a-side Football Tournament saw international teams play
against each other at Surrey Sports Park. The sun was out making it a perfect
social sports afternoon from which Cypriot and Hellenic society left victorious.
On Sunday Rubix hosted the One World Week Film Marathon. Screening
flms from all corners of the globe, this event offered students a relaxing end to
another of Surreys amazing One World Weeks. Until next year...
All things spring

C
ampus has been quiet over the last four weeks! As
lectures restart, library opening hours return to
normal and many of you will be returning from home
or holidays, this exciting edition of The Stag societies
section has been pulled together to update you on what
our societies have been up to over the Easter break.
Societies

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SOCIETIES 34 The Stag | 6th May 2014 societies@thestagsurrey.co.uk
O
n March 15th Enactus Surreys frst Jail
Break began. Four teams set off from
campus with the challenge of getting the
furthest distance away in 36 hours using
no personal money to pay for travel. Using
hitch-hiking, free or discounted tickets
and kind donations from the public, all
four teams managed to leave the country.
The four locations reached at the end were
Amsterdam, Cologne-Germany, Montreux-
Switzerland and fnally the winning team
travelled 634 miles to Nice-France. The total
amount raised for charity was 825.50 which
was split evenly between Enactus and Sport
Relief. Thank you to all who took part and
supported the event. Look out for Enactus
Surrey Jail Break 2015!
By Mark Boateng ,John Gonzales and Hayley Magorian
C
ompetition day fnally arrived on
Sunday 5th April. Despite the cold, 6.30
AM start, everyone was in good spirits
boarding the coach. On arrival at the
Old Carlton Cinema, Islington, we were
shown to our dressing room. Sharing this
very small room with four other choirs
presented us with quite a struggle as
between rehearsals there was a lot of spare
time. But with two of our members with
their ukuleles in-hand, we managed to keep
the Gospel Choir Spirit alive, jamming the
hours away. As University of Surrey was
the closing act, we were able to eye up our
competition; it was strong and showcased
the talent and individuality of each of the
UKs Universities top Gospel Choirs. When
it was fnally our time to shine, we kept
morale high backstage and encouraged
everyone to have FUN and enjoy what we
love doing best- singing! As we performed
our favorite song He Lives In You from
the Lion King with our accompanying
choreography, the atmosphere was
unbelievable and the performers within us
came alive. So, when we missed out on one
of the top three spots in the competition,
we werent too disheartened; we are all
proud of each other for performing well
and coming together as a choir. That is not
to say we wont come back fghting next
year.
University Gospel Choir
of the Year Competition
A
fter a busy year of near-constant
productions, one might think that
MADSoc would be using the Easter holidays
as a period to rest and recuperate. Not so!
We have been using the time to prepare for
our upcoming musical, Spring Awakening
(14th-16th May, 7:30pm, University Hall).
Based on Frank Wedekind's controversial
play of the same name, the enormously
successful, award-winning Spring
Awakening depicts the story of eleven
young people caught between childhood
and adulthood. Dealing with themes such
as adolescence, sexual awakening and
the pressures of being a young teen, this
coming-of-age rock musical cannot be
missed!
On top of the hard work our cast
and crew have been putting in for the
musical, we recently came to the end of
our last, extremely successful production,
The Appointment. Based on the story
of a young woman volunteering at a
retirement home, this piece gave our
members something more serious to
sink their teeth into! We also celebrated
the Easter holidays by taking a trip into
town to see the fantastic Avenue Q at the
Electric Theatre. And last, but not least,
we have been making preparations for our
AGM (6th May, 6:30pm, 15AC03)! Handover
is always an exciting time for societies and
were looking forward to seeing who will
be a part of the next years committee!
Tickets for the musical are
available at www.facebook.com/
MADSocSpringAwakening
Spring Awakening
University of Surreys
Big Allotment Challenge
By Devon Ashley, MADSoc Secretary
By Calvin Jor
O
ver the Easter break, as the nation saw
Fern Britton donning her wellies for
the debut of BBCs Big Allotment Challenge,
University of Surrey fnalised designs for
their very own Campus Garden. Plans, which
began over a year ago in affliation with the
National Union of Students, Student Eats
Project, are, at last coming together.
In the coming weeks you will see visible
improvements as the site of the garden,
behind Guildford Court student halls,
will be re-landscaped with paving and
connected to a water supply. The team
behind this, led by Victoria Johnsen Surrey
Universitys Environmental and Cultural
Change Manager, are pushing to have the
garden ready for planting by September
this year. The garden will provide a hub
for the community, promising to be a
multifunctional space for a range of people;
from academic staff conducting research to
green fngered students eager to produce
their own groceries.
Elsewhere, the NUS Student Eats
programme has been incredibly successful.
The project encourages institutions across
the UK to form student-led growing sites
and provides student specifc gardening
resources and information on plants that
will harvest during University term times.
Unique projects are being launched across
the UK with students building barbecues and
pizza ovens on site to host student socials.
With impressive projects emerging, such as
Roehampton Universitys Growhampton;an
allotment-come-caf project which will serve
the produce grown on campus in a student-
run caf, the team behind the University
of Surrey Campus Garden are inspired
and determined to make Surreys garden
something special.
YOUR GARDEN NEEDS YOU. We are
forming a student society to manage and
run Surreys campus garden project. This
will be an incredibly rewarding, enjoyable
experience and an opportunity to be
instrumental in the future of Surreys garden.
If you would like to be part of it, please send
an email to Alice@thestagsurrey.co.uk
By Alice Wilkinson, Societies Editor
O
n the 14th and 15th April, after months
of rehearsals, Surrey Enactus Society
showcased the inspirational projects they
have been working on infront of hundreds of
students, advisors and senior employees from
supporting frms for the Enactus National
Competition 2014. They presented about
their Hives Empowers Lives project , located
in Ethiopia working with poverty-stricken
farmers to set up honey producing bee farms,
their Oakleaf Project, working with a local
mental health charity, and their Linden
Centre project, working alongside expelled
students, motivating them to seek a better
future. Out of 54 Universities, Surrey took
home 2 trophies and are proud to announce
that our Enactus society was among the TOP
10 in the UK.
Enactus National
Competition 2014
Enactus Surrey Jailbreak
Enactus
Gospel Choir
MADSoc
SPORT 35 The Stag | 6th May 2014 Sport Editor: Santiago Avils
I
t has emerged that previous 100m world record holder
Asafa Powell tested positive for the banned stimulant
Oxilofrine. As a consequence, he is being served with an
18-month ban by the Jamaican Anti-Doping Commission
(JADCO). The ban means he will not be able to compete in
the coming commonwealth games in July. In the process of
doping investigation, in light of the positive result, Powells
hotel was raided by police whilst he was competing in Italy.
What they found was an inordinate quantity of supplements
considering the length of the competition. However, no illegal
substances were reported.
In his defence, Powell stated that this positive result
was as a consequence of taking a supplement by the name
of Epiphany D1, which is advertised to improve memory,
focus and attention span. The former world record holder
has claimed to have sent the supplement to two independent
testing facilities, both of whom support the athletes claim
that doping was unintentional. Despite this, the sanction
still stands. It must be noted that Powells national teammate
Sherone Simpson, who shares the same coach and trainer,
(Stephen Francis and Chris Xuereb) also failed on the
same grounds. This adds credence to the claim that it was
unintentional and was merely caused by a routine supplement
prescribed to the team.
However many anti-doping commissions and competitors
have criticised JADCO. Allegedly no blood test has ever been
performed at their humble facilities. Only a single urine test
was performed on the athletes prior to the London games,
leaving the possibility that athletes and coaches need only
to consult a calendar to avoid detection. Veronica Campbell-
Brown was cleared by the Court of Arbitration for Sport,
escaping a two year ban for a prohibited diuretic. Due to
the weak methodology her samples were compromised and
therefore left themselves open to legal scrutiny. The World
Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) may impose disciplinary
measures if JADCO fail to improve the situation which as a
result, could seriously harm Jamaican athletes reputation.
In terms of doping throughout the ages, here are some
cases which may shed light on the severity of punishments
for doping offences in sport:

Diego Maradona The proprietor of the Hand of
God was well publicized for getting his hands dirty outside
of the football pitch, being caught no less than three times
and even escaping drug traffcking charges. It is alleged that
his Cocaine addiction began as early has 1983 during his brief
stint at Barcelona, which leaves the possibility that he won
the 1986 world cup with Argentina with the analgesic still
in his system. Diego would only be caught in 1991, enduring
a worldwide 15-month ban, ending his run at Napoli with
his addiction overshadowing his remarkable achievements.
During this inactive period, the Argentine ballooned in
weight and never reached the same level of ftness. For the
94 World Cup he was required to lose a staggering even
loosing around 16kg in preparation. Ultimately, this was
his undoing. Testing indicated a suspiciously high level of
Ephedrine (incidentally a precursor in the illicit synthesis of
Crystal Meth) and ephedrine analogues. FIFA sent Maradona
home after playing only a single game. Diego hit rock bottom
after testing positive once again while at Boca Juniors, which
ended his playing career.
Ben Johnson The 80s produced fne athletes, none-
more so than Canadas Ben Johnson, Americas Carl Lewis and
Great Britains Lynford Christie. The 100m in the Seoul 88
games was one of the most anticipated athletic events of the
decade, with a rivalry established between the Canadian and
the Lewis. Johnson, built like a house, was the most powerful
fgure at the starting line. His technique was fawless,
possessing an explosive start and a spectacular acceleration.
He would set a world record speed of 9.79s only for it, along
with his gold medal, to be stripped from him two days later
in light of stanozolol (winstrol) being found in his urine
analysis. In his defence he would go on to claim that he only
resorted to taking banned substances in order to compete
with the other top sprinters, who were also doping. He was
merely a scapegoat for all the US.
Time would be his ally in confrming this. Of the 8 who took
part in the fnal, 6 would go onto test positive at some point in
their career. This led to the race being dubbed as the Dirtiest
race in history. In fact, documents released in 2003 by the
Wade Exum, former director of the US anti-doping committee
would indicate that over 2000 US athletes would fail drug
tests, including Lewis (for ephedrine, pseudoephedrine &
phenylpropanolamine) and several other gold medallists; yet
this was swept under the rug so Americas Golden Boy could
compete. British athlete Linford Christie (also testing posting
positive the same year for pseudoephedrine) would be the
frst to point out favouritism, with video footage proving Carl
Lewis overstepped his lane several times and despite this,
was still allowed to claim the gold medal. It should be pointed
out that Christie would be banned for 2 years in 1999 for the
detection of the heavy steroid Nandrolone.
Marion Jones The BALCO scandal was the undoing
of several notable athletes, including Dwayne Chambers,
but no one fell into disgrace harder than the Sydney gold
medallist Marion Jones. Implicated for her relationships
with several individuals under investigation, she was in the
public spotlight for several years, constantly contesting
any cheating allegation, going as far as to provide false
statements to agents. In the face of mounting evidence
and testimonies, her statements changed and she fnally
admitted to doping. Subsequently she was charged with lying
in a federal investigation as well as being involved in check
fraud. As a result, she was sentenced to 6 months in prison.
Mounting legal costs and the return of prize money resulted
in a deterioration of the mother of twos fnances to the brink
of bankruptcy.
Tyson Gay One of historys fastest men recently failed
his A sample with an undisclosed anabolic steroid, costing
him his Adidas sponsorship. WADA is yet to announce their
verdict, however a two-year ban is likely for the 31 year old.
All these revelations, both old and new, cast a dark shadow
over the integrity of sports and highlight the demand for all
doping agencies and sport governing bodies to step up their
efforts to purge competition of chemical assistance.
Doping Dramas Affecting Sporting Integrity?
By Santiago Aviles, Sport Editor
I
n their 20th anniversary season, the
Surrey Stingers American Football
Team reached the playoffs, competing
against the most successful Stingers
teams of all time. Despite the Stingers
unshakable determination to play hard
and come away with that elusive frst
ever playoff victory, it wasn't to be.
The Stingers lost to Kent after a
tense 0-0 game and the narrowest of
losses in sudden death overtime- the
fnal score 0-6. The Stingers were left
battered and bruised but proud of the
achievements of the season. This feat is
even more impressive considering two
years ago the Stingers recorded two
walk overs, an 0-8 season, 0 offensive
touchdowns and team sheets consisting
of only 16 names. Today, the club boasts
50+ registered members, increasing in
wins and touchdowns, conceding just
three defeats to teams ranked in the
national top 20, including a narrow
15-0 loss to #3 ranked Brighton. As
it stands at the time of writing, the
Surrey Stingers are now ranked 27th in
the country and have secured 33 BUCS
points for team Surrey.
The Stingers are hoping to
continue the great work of the team
and committee from this season. As a
society, their aims are to achieve that
frst elusive playoff win, also to expand
the success of the club and getting as
many people as possible involved to
enjoy the great sport that is American
Football.
The team would also like to take this
opportunity to thank the head coach
Sharif Omar for his hard work over the
last three years. Sharif who has been
instrumental in the teams success this
season, will be leaving the team due
to family commitments and the whole
society would like to wish him all the
best.
The next Surrey Stingers game: 13
May: Old Boys Match - current team vs.
Alumni, Farnham Rugby Pitch.
By Matthew Sadlers and Will Anderson
A season of gridiron for The Surrey Stingers American Football Society
Surrey Stingers narrowly miss victory
Asafa Powell, pictured, faces an 18-month competition ban

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Surrey American Football
SPORT 36 The Stag | 6th May 2014 sport@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Sport
By Zoe Taylor, Treasurer of Team Surrey Running and Athletics
The Color Run
T
he Color Run, also known as The Happiest
5k on The Planet is a fve-kilometre, un-
timed race in which thousands of participants
are doused from head to toe in different colours
at each kilometre. The fun continues at the
fnish line with a gigantic Color Festival, using
more coloured powder to generate happiness
and lasting memories, not to mention millions
of vivid colour combinations.
RACE RULES:
Rule #1: All participants are welcome fast,
slow, runner, walker, old, and young.
Rule #2: White shirt dress code at the offcial
start line.
Rule #3: Finish completely covered from
head to toe in a crazy coloured frenzy.
Come take an afternoon off on Sunday 1st
June in Wembley Park, London, before exams
kick off, for a well-earned endorphin infused
revision break!
Money raised goes towards the Save the
Children charity.
1
954 was a promising year. The year before, Queen Elizabeth
II was crowned queen, Edmund Hillarys team scaled
Mount Everest, James Watson and Francis Crick publish all
their fndings on the structure of DNA , British pride was
rightly at an all-time high.
The ability to run a mile sub four minutes was deemed
impossible by the best athletes and journalists alike, one
athlete of the era going on to say: Its like a wall. One man
rose to the challenge, the Englishman Roger Bannister. As a
young student at Oxford, Bannister showed great promise,
being considered to represent Great Britain for the 1948
Games, an honour he would refuse believing he was unworthy.
Several National and European Championships later, he
would compete in his frst and only Olympics at Helsinki 1952.
Expectations ran high back home, and the pressure
proved all too much for the Medical undergraduate, leaving
him going home empty handed and frustrated after placing
4th in the 1500m. Great Britain would only win a single medal
those games, in the show-jumping event. As a consequence,
the entire team returned to the mercy and harsh criticism of
the press, but none more so than Roger Bannister.
Returning home he would set himself a fnal challenge
before pursuing his medical career. To redeem himself he
would attempt the impossible and run a mile under four
minutes. Many contemporary athletes had tried and failed,
the best clocking in tantalisingly close at 4:02. It would
require a further year to prepare for the feat, recruiting
two of his friends, Chris Chataway and Chris Brasher, to set
his pace for the four track laps. Both Chataway and Brasher
would go on to become fne athletes in their own right.
Bannister would push his body to new limits, all while
juggling his academics. The morning of the 6th of May was
dreary, the weather unfavourable for any record attempts.
However, this didnt stop him as: A man in England cant
wait for good weather. And so, that evening, the trio set out
to make history in front of a 3000 spectator crowd, breaking
the record by a hairsbreadth - 3:59.4.
Six weeks later, he would graduate in his degree
subject and pursue a specialisation in Neurology. For his
accomplishments and services as Chairman of the Sports
Council, he would go onto be Knighted Sir Roger Bannister
in 1975.
Today, elite athletes frequently outdo this time. In fact,
the record stood for only six weeks. Bannister and his main
rival would both go on to run sub 4 minutes, the miracle
mile, at the Commonwealth Games later the same year.
But the frst to do so was a humble student, lacking in
todays army of nutritionists, masseurs, coaches and sports
sciences specialists. Its an inspirational tale as to what we
students can achieve with our youth, perseverance and the
countless opportunities open to us.
By Santiago Aviles, Sport Editor
The 6th of May marks 60 years to the day of Sir Bannisters achievement
How Roger Bannister led the way for British athletes