The School of English has caused panic among students by stating that bibliographies should be included in the word-counts of essays. This guidance was given via email on January 6, just three days before a deadline.  This information is not contained in the rubric of essay questions. One second year student said: “The school has failed its students utterly.”

BY BEN FINCH AND ROMANO MULLIN

Following an outcry from students, a second email was sent on January 9 which states: “Students will NOT be penalised should their essays be over length on account of the bibliography.”

Prior to the first email, students received conflicting advice about whether bibliographies were to be included in word-counts.  The general consensus was that bibliographies were not included.  Some students’ bibliographies now took up a quarter of their essay, requiring a substantial portion to be cut in order to make their argument.

The email, dated January 6, reads: “As stated in the School’s assessment policy: ‘each assessment will have a specified word length which is intended to include all the components of the assessment: main text, notes, bibliography etc.’” It has not been possible to verify this policy.

The guidelines attached to questions say: “For further details, please refer to the document entitled ‘Guidelines for Submission and Presentation of Summative Work’ also available on Queen’s Online Website (QOL).”  It is assumed this document contains the statement quoted.  It is not available on QOL, the School of English website, the Queen’s website or Google.  There are no results for ‘QUB School of English assessment and feedback policy’.

The last document found which includes bibliographies in the word-count is the 2008/09 Stage One Handbook.  This says: “It should not exceed 2000 words in length including bibliography.”  Other than repeating students, undergraduates in the School have only been studying since 2009/10.

It also appears the School expected SSCC Representatives to provide students with this information regarding the inclusion of bibliographies.

The student said: “It seems the school wants to blame students for [the school’s] incompetence, judging by the tone of the first email. Philip [McGowan, School of English Examinations Liaison Officer] commented [on FaceBook] that reps should have told students about the changes. Firstly, it’s unclear if they were actually changed and secondly, it is not the job of the rep to communicate policy changes, but rather to voice what students want to say to staff.

“The main problem is that the school didn’t state clearly whether or not a bibliography counted as part of an essay word count. It seems to contradict the general academic encouragement to read widely.

“In my most recent essays my bibliography ran to 500 words, which could be so valuable in expanding an argument. The temptation will be to limit reading so that an argument could be expanded. However, without wide reading, surely an argument will suffer. I can’t believe the school waited until the day of the deadlines to clarify their position on this. It’s a total disgrace.”

Another said: “To be honest, I think our tutors and lecturers weren’t aware of all the rules and that’s why we’ve been told different things by different people. It seems to encourage using a smaller bibliography and, obviously, the less sources you’re citing the more limited your points are going to be, or you’ll get done for plagiarism because you haven’t put in all your articles. It’s ridiculous.

“I know people who have made themselves sick over it. If you’re going to impose a new rule, or an old one no-one knew about, tell us before one of the most stressful periods of the year.”

A third year student agreed, saying: “I first found out about this new, and quite frankly, ridiculous rule amidst a general discussion about bibliographies on FaceBook. All of us had received conflicting information from our tutors but most assured us, after we enquired, was that bibliographies did not and never have been included in the word-count.

“However, as a couple of tutors had advocated that they should be, a few of my peers decided they would email Philip McGowan and their individual subject tutors, to receive clarification. Of course, Philip replied, quoting from the school’s new assessment policy, and confirmed that this new rule had come in to effect and it was mandatory that we now include our bibliographies in the word-count. This conflicted with many of the tutors’ responses. Some even quite forcefully asserted this rule did not exist. From that, I can only speculate that this new information wasn’t disseminated across the school and tutors were just as ignorant to it all.

“Basically, I think this whole debacle reflects poorly on the School of English. There is obviously a lack of communication within the staff and they are highly disorganised. Much unnecessary stress and worry was caused and, if I speak on behalf of my peers, I think all of us are still trying to catch up from those two days which were spent re-reading essay guidelines, emailing tutors and getting distressed over an issue imposed on us by the people who are supposed to help.”

Nuala McAdams, VP Education, said: “This issue has been brought to my attention and after speaking with the School of English I can confirm that for this examination period (January 2012) students will not be penalised for not including the bibliography in the word count. The School’s policy is that bibliographies will be counted in the word limit. Due to this information not reaching all students within an appropriate timeframe, the School have made an exception for the January examination period. Following this, the bibliography will be counted in the word limit. The School have also contacted all students informing them of this.”

Dr McGowan said: “The School realises this is an issue of concern for all of its students, has emailed all students to reassure them that there will be NO penalisation on account of over length due to bibliographies in this assessment period and is grateful to The Gown for helping clarify this situation.”

Dr McGowan was unable to comment on how information regarding the inclusion of bibliographies in the word-count was not provided to students as this was discovered after office hours.

None of the students quoted in this article wished to be named because of any possible effect there may be on the quality of teaching received in the future.

2011 can be considered a good year in film, if you take a view that makes a few glaring omissions. While Hollywood stumbles on with its incessant remakes, reboots, re-imaginings, sequels, prequels, threequels and adaptations vibrant and vital filmmaking continues to come from other avenues.

BY MATTHEW MCKERNAN

While the extremely successful Harry Potter franchise ended in July and November saw the beginning of the end of The Twilight Saga, Hollywood looks like it might be losing its key tent pole films. Though a brief scan of the film’s due for a 2012 release makes it clear that the blockbuster format has not yet been exhausted.

Yet there was some indication of blockbuster fatigue in the UK box office. Palme D’Or winner The Tree of Life managed to hold a place in the Top 10 for three weeks, despite competition from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part Two and Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Being a rather difficult art film and certainly a hard sell, despite the presence of Brad Pitt, the film’s success at the box office was telling.

Similarly, The Guard did good business, retaining a place in the UK box office for five weeks despite only being released in Northern Ireland. A hit domestically, the film also travelled well with good reviews across the UK and the US. A good sign for a domestic Irish cinema and proof that there is an international market for homegrown cinema.

2011 saw yet another comeback for Woody Allen with Midnight in Paris. Neither the critics nor the box office takings have been kind to Woody Allen recently, despite his work being of a fairly consistent quality since the Seventies. Midnight in Paris has proven to be a success with the critics and became Woody Allen’s high-grossing film so far.

It was an interesting year in censorship. Following on from last year’s Last House on the Left remake, this year saw the release of yet another remake of a Video Nasty. This time it was I Spit On Your Grave. For those who don’t know, the Video Nasties were a collection of 60 horror and thriller films banned seemingly at random by the BBFC due to pressure from an outraged tabloid press. While the original I Spit On Your Grave was banned outright, the remake was passed with cuts made, while the similar Straw Dogs remake was passed uncut. On top of this, the notorious Cannibal Holocaust was given a wide DVD re-release with many of the cut sequences reinstated. It seemed as if censorship guidelines had slipped until the arrival of The Human Centipede II: Full Sequence, which was banned outright by the BBFC. It was eventually released cut by two and a half minutes. This banning was a controversial reminder that films still can go too far.

Sadly, 2011 also saw the deaths of many significant people from the older generations of cinema. Amongst them were Elizabeth Taylor, Edward Hardwicke, Ken Russell, Sidney Lumet, Anna Massey, Peter Falk, John Neville, Michael Gough, Jane Russell, Maria Schneider, John Barry, Susannah York, Peter Yates and Pete Postlewaith.

The Red Hot Chilli Peppers scorched the O2 Arena with a fiery set-list that included a few tunes off their new album, I’m With You, as well as some old school favourites. On  4 November, Dublin was treated to a top-notch performance from Anthony Keidis, Flea, Chad Smith and new guitarist Josh Klinghoffer, who were opened by up-and-coming Californian collective Fool’s Gold. As an opening act they delivered a strong performance of neo-African-rhythmic-pop-rock that left the crowd grooving and ready for seduction from Flea’s funkilicious bass. 

BY MATTHEW GILLEN

The arena dimmed and then exploded into an array of coloured lights as the Chilli’s unleashed new tune ‘Monarchy of Roses’. 14,500 people jumped and cheered at such an adrenaline pumping start, which seamlessly transitioned into ‘Dani California’. To pinpoint a single definitive moment of the night wouldn’t do justice to the concert or the band. There were so many highlights ranging from the music, the audience and the venue itself. The visual displays were stunning as the light show moved in perfect sync with the tempo and tone of the songs. This was accompanied by an impressive wall of rotating screens broadcasting an entertaining montage of the band playing, the crowd, pre-recorded clips and mugshots of fans.

The Chilli’s followed a new/old formula including; ‘Look Around’/ ‘Scar Tissue’ and ‘Factory of Faith’/ ‘Under the Bridge’. Towards the end of the night the newer songs became rarer as they belted out classics such as ‘Californication’ and ‘By the Way’. During a short break for Anthony’s vocal cords, Chad began a thumping drum solo with Flea and Klinghoffer gradually joining in to do an instrumental cover of U2’s ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’.  It was pleasing to see such great chemistry between the band members, including Klinghoffer who is evidently warming up nicely to his new friends, as he comfortably stood facing Flea while they jammed with one another.

Much to everyone’s delight, the set ended with ‘Give It Away’. It’s safe to say that this gig wasn’t just a ploy to promote new material. It was a genuinely entertaining night and as the lights illuminated the arena, the band walked off stage, while Chad, wearing the Tricolour, threw his drumsticks into the audience.

It has become hackneyed to point out that MTV (which stands for ‘Music Television’, in case you weren’t aware) no longer plays music videos. And it’s a justified cliché too, one that makes up the bulk of why MTV has apparently lost its relevancy, but sadly it appears the company’s greatest crime is the inability to live up to its legacy.

BY LEE BRADY

MTV was first aired in 1981 and became an almost-instant success in the USA. The innovation of a channel devoted to music and the public introduction to the music video, brought great support from both viewers and the music industry alike. Its introduction to the world acted as a booster pack for what was a three-year decline of sales within the music industry. Music videos let people connect with their music in a far more accessible form than going to see a concert. This wide appeal brought record sales through the roof, which in turn allowed record companies to invest in more musicians and so expand the industry’s appeal. By 1984, MTV was on top of the world.

Today, MTV is a mixed bag. It still benefits the music industry. Their award ceremonies often celebrate the biggest vogue acts and encourage the masses to support music as a whole. Their removal of music in order to show more profitable reality shows is as corporate as it is embarrassing. Forgoing their old image and attitudes, reality shows such as Jersey Shore and A Day in the Life of [Insert Little Known Attractive D-List Celebrity], as well as semi-reality shows like Plain Jane, in which they take girls who are supposedly middling-attractive, tell them they’re unattractive and process them so they can impress a stereotypical American boy. MTV stands tall as it delivers the message: integrity does not a dollar make.

The sad truth seems to suggest exactly that. MTV still rake in huge sums of money every year through advertising and show-coverage, while the music industry suffers blow after blow. The internet came and stole MTV’s stick by offering more accessible music, and rather than rise to the occasion, they backed out and kept as much money as they could. It seems like a shame too because if anything was to bring music back to people and help the industry evolve out of its current rut, there’s no doubt MTV would have the best shot at it.

BY SHANE MELAUGH

Striking out on your own and managing your own expenses is a difficult task that everyone has to deal with, and at university you’re getting your first taste of life without your family to fall back on. By the end of October, you’re all patting yourselves on the back and congratulating each other on a well-made curry, finally learning how that strange white contraption in the corner people call a washing machine works. Yet, you will soon be feeling the strain on your wallet due to the oversight many of us make when we first strike out on our own: the energy bill.

We’ve all experienced that horrifying moment when we realise that tomorrow we might not have power or fuel to heat a shower because it’s our housemate’s turn to pay their share. And with this year seeing rocketing electricity costs, leaving many households spending an extra £90 on electricity alone, and the volatile pricing in oil and gas fluctuating more than Kim Kardashian’s marital status, it’s time we took charge of our energy usage and ensure we’re warm this winter.

Ensure that your radiators are bled properly, if you don’t know how to do it you can ask a friend or your landlord to help. Airlocked radiators waste energy and never heat a house properly, so why pay for heat you aren’t getting?

The timer for your heater should be your  new best friend. You know what its like to get out of bed in the morning, your room is freezing, so you run down stairs turn the heating on and prepare for class. By the time the house has warmed up you’re about to walk out the door and no-one gets the benefit of the heat. The best thing to do is use the heating timer and set it for about half an hour before you wake up. The downside is you might find it harder to get up and go to a crowded lecture hall when the other option is to stay in a nice warm bed.

Why work in your house and waste all that precious energy when you could go to the library? Make use of the free internet, array of helpful books and it’s always heated – sorted. Always charge your phone in the library.

A good way to ensure that you have your housemates involved is to have regular house meetings well in advance of the bills coming out and ensure money is paid upfront and in full. This works best if someone is placed in charge to keep on top of management.  And if all else fails, steal your neighbours’ internet and live in the library.

Given that the first official gig of Belfast Music Week fell on Halloween, the abundance of superheroes, witches and tiger onesies was assumed. The first band of the night, Colly Strings, unsuccessfully attempted to emulate the gothic cool of A Clockwork Orange’s Alex DeLarge. Instead, they resembled a quartet of immaculately turned out butlers. Dubious costume choices aside, the band won over the crowd with a splendid set, but still paled in comparison to the next twenty minutes from Rainy Boy Sleep.

BY TARA MCEVOY

The solo artist from Derry was doubtlessly the revelation of the evening, a troubadour for our times whose poignant tales of shopping centres to detentions came alive, aided by a simple loop pedal backing. Straddling the divide between Owen Pallett and Ed Sheeran, and reviving the concept of geek chic while he’s at it, Rainy Boy Sleep marks himself as a prospect to keep your eye on. Unfortunately, things from here on in took a turn for the worst, as the next band to take to the stage, Silhouette, offered a lacklustre performance. Those hoping surprise guests General Fiasco would provide a reprieve were also disappointed, as the Bellaghy four piece only had enough time to power through three (albeit rollicking) tunes, finishing up with the anthemic ‘Ever So Shy’.

Closing the night were A Plastic Rose, a group whose brand of in-your-face raucousness wasn’t to everyone’s taste.  Vocalist Ian McHugh bounced on stage  dressed as everybody’s favourite fried chicken vendor, Colonel Sanders, and their guitarist sported a mask of Marvin from JLS’ face. It was all a bit too Tenacious D to be taken seriously and a bit too uninventive to be considered funny. Suffocating under a maelstrom of guitars, A Plastic Rose left the stage, drawing to a close what had certainly been, to use an old sporting cliché, a night of two halves.

Belfast City Council and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board contributed £870,000 to bring the EMAs to Belfast on 5 November. An event like this has a lot of power behind it and with 1.2 billion viewers tuning in all over the world, all eyes were on Belfast.

BY PRIYA BIRING

Benefits to the economy and tourism were a given. The award show accounted for more than 8,000 hotel room nights at forty hotels providing accommodation for crew, artists and VIP guests – a much needed boost for the struggling sector. More than ninety local businesses got work from the awards show, more local suppliers than have worked on any other EMA event. As well as recruiting all of its show runners and backstage coordinators from Belfast, the EMAs worked with businesses, ranging from internet and ISDN providers, photocopier hire companies, taxi and chauffeur businesses, production managers, event staff, security, catering, audio visual, venue branding, food concessions, furniture, riggers, restaurant and fencing companies.

Estimates suggest that the EMAs bring in around £10 million for the host city, directly and indirectly, and there is a lot of competition to stage the annual showbiz bash.

Lord Mayor, Councillor Niall Ó Donnghaile, said to expect announcements of major events coming to the city in the weeks ahead. He stated: “MTV are already coming back next year for a major concert on the slipways near to the iconic new Titanic Belfast building and they said to me they want to maintain the links with Belfast and build on the success of the past few days – it was their most successful EMAs ever.”

With Belfast attracting attention from international filmmakers and our own home-grown talent getting attention from overseas, Belfast is turning into a hub of arts and culture.  Then next year, we have the opening of Titanic Belfast and the accompanying series of major events throughout 2012, including the Olympic flame coming to Belfast on the 3rd and 6th June – the only city it will visit twice outside of London.

The people of Belfast are pushing their city toward being an advancing and developing place that has a stake in Europe and the world. Belfast has used the EMAs as a stage to showcase their capabilities.  We have seized the opportunity and can now bask in the success and glory of our achievement, in our city.

The MTV EMAs were incredible. Whether you liked the music, layout or even the show itself, it’s obvious there was a lot of effort to make Belfast look as great as possible.  But what would the average tourist be met with, stumbling into some bar offering live music? Well, if it’s anything like the music  heard at Belfast Calling, there would be no doubt that they would be blown away.

BY LEE BRADY 

The night before the EMAs, The Limelight Complex opened their doors and hosted Belfast Calling, a showcase of Northern Irish talent. With over thirty bands crammed into the night over the three interlinked bars, one would expect disaster with timing. Luckily, each bar had multiple stages that allowed one band to set up while another continued playing. Once their time was up, the band on the other stage would start playing and the audience’s attention would simply be grabbed again. Not once did this seem tiring or chore-like.  So, if there was any one performer who didn’t suit your tastes, you could move along.

Each act represented the very best of what we had to offer. A big task, with the impending EMAs, but the diversity and talent of each performance made a big impression. A renewed sense of passion was felt for our own music scene, rekindled by acts such as Intermission, Colly Springs, Ram’s Pocket Radio, Katie & The Carnival and Aaron Shanley to name a few. From acoustic solo artists, to rock bands, to metal bands, to upbeat folk and pop, there was something for everyone. The talent on offer was exceptional.

Overall, it was an inspiring night for our music scene. Here’s hoping for a repeat.

BY BEN FINCH

The event was considered a “success” by the team, even after some set backs.  Derek Crosby, Raggie, said: “It was a success. We raised a couple of hundred pounds despite an annoying move at the last minute.”

According toCrosbythe party saw “all sorts of arsing about” including a number of drinking challenges, one of which included attempting to down a pint of vodka jelly.

The amount raised has not yet been counted.

When you look back on your childhood and early adolescence, there’s a big chance that many of your brightest memories will contain the hypnotic tinge of the television set. Most of us will remember those Saturday mornings, sneaking downstairs before everyone else, to sample a dose of Live and Kicking, SM:TV Live or Den TV. Even now we can’t shake off the influence of Dustin the Turkey or the Animaniacs, as someone on those nights out takes it upon themselves to be the comedian extraordinaire, playing their well-worn repertoire of impersonations and recycled jokes garnered from the shows that made them giggle all those years ago.

BY ROMANO MULLIN

But what about the assortment of television shows available for today’s hordes of youngsters? According to a recent report by Ofcom, it may be a bit redundant for anxious parents to censor their children’s viewing habits. Apparently, most young teenagers would rather lose their television than their mobile phone. Many in the group surveyed said they would prefer watching their favourite shows on iPlayer or YouTube instead of when they are broadcast – when they’re clearly busy texting on the latest smart phone anyway.

But the truth is that the quality of home-grown children’s television is improving. Most students know this because we spend a large chunk of our hangovers listlessly wasting away in front of Horrible Histories or Peppa Pig. The addictive Horrible Histories won a British Comedy Award and has now made the transition to ‘grown up’ TV, with narration by Stephen Fry: a seal of approval if ever there was one. And if you haven’t caught Young Dracula, you’ve now got the chance to see the newly commissioned third series of Vlad and his wacky breather friends.

However, for the youngest viewers, things are a tad crazier. Most of us will recall Rosie and Jim, Postman Pat and if we’re not too ashamed to admit we watched it at the ripe old age of eight or nine, the Teletubbies. It was probably the Teletubbies that spawned a generation of exasperating, mind-numbingly weird shows that are required by some arcane televisual law to be brightly coloured, and unable to speak coherent English. Or any other language, for that matter.

Those who’ve spent their time babysitting will know the seventh circle of hell that is Waybuloo or In The Night Garden. The Morbegs may have seemed wacky, but at least they didn’t look like products of a bad acid trip.

In fairness, the Waybuloos are pretty laid back creatures, spending their days singing harmless ditties and doing exercises known as “yogo”, which parents are encouraged to emulate with their children. If nothing else, a few episodes will tire the little devils out and give frazzled parents an hour or two of peace and quiet.

In this complex age of digital innovation and singing Hannah Montana lunchboxes, it’s only natural for the nineties kids among us to wish for a simpler time. Boxsets of Sooty and Sweep are readily available for those clinging to their youth in these times of pending adulthood.

Conducting a little experiment in the run-up to the MTV EMAs in Belfast, I asked five people if they were aware it was Belfast Music Week – not the greatest survey in the world, but the results may still be relevant nonetheless. Of the five, only one had actually heard of the event. The remaining four gave responses ranging from, “Well, that’s not very original,” to an enthusiastic, “Well, that’s good! Maybe some good bands will play.”

BY LEE BRADY

For the uninformed, the week starting 30 October marked the beginning of Belfast Music Week,  which coincided with the impending MTV award ceremony. There was a series of gigs, which showcased Northern Ireland’s home-grown talent.  Brochures and schedules were posted all over the city, banners were hung, posters were placed; and yet, apparently, only one in five had heard of the event – if we are to take a straw poll as fact.

This raises a question: were the gigs not publicised enough? Perhaps greater effort was required on behalf of radio and television? Cool FM, the official EMA radio station, only occasionally admitted to the existence of the event, preferring to draw more attention towards the already all-consuming EMAs. According to the press release, over 170 events occurred during the week, so more attention could have been raised. Perhaps there just isn’t any great appeal in the Belfast music scene these days except among a dedicated few.

Belfast Music Week did not receive the recognition it deserved. If Belfast is to re-establish itself as a significant musical landmark, attention to music will need to evolve beyond a single week and remain a consistent part of what makes Belfast a great place to see.

Portstewart three piece, Axis Of were described in 2010 by ‘Rock Sound Magazine’ as being “the most exciting band to come out of Northern Ireland, possibly ever.”  No wonder the Speakeasy was rammed with raucous, die-hard fans before they played.

BY PRIYA BIRING

When the band first formed in 2008 their sound and brand of music was very different to their current style.  Axis Of were very fast and punky, writing songs about the environment. Their first album, The Echo Conspiracy, was down tempo, even sludgy in places. Ewen Friers, bass and vocals, stated that their influences and song writing techniques had changed vastly. The genre of music they listen to had also changed, they are inspired by different bands now, ranging from the heavy metal thrashes of Mastodon to the indie rock of Fang Island. They are no longer just influenced by sludgy modes of music; in some sense they have evolved to embrace a whole host of bands.

With a different taste in music comes a new style of song writing. With old influences including the unique lyrics from bands such as The Locust: “get off the cross we need the wood”; new versions of song writing have become simpler. Friers said: “We work from the ground up. We try to incorporate simplicities with a really heavy guitar underneath them.”

Although Axis Of weren’t nominated for a Northern Irish Music Award (NIMA) they were not in the least bit disillusioned or scathed by the choice. Supporting a lot of bands from Northern Ireland, including some at the NIMAs, they stated that LaFaro, Visceral Attack, Gascan Ruckus, The Hornets, And So I Watch You From Afar and Team Fresh were all great bands that they supported and enjoyed listening to. Axis Of even said that bands that have become internationally famous, such as Two Door Cinema Club and General Fiasco, were beacons of success to enjoy and encourage. In fact they insisted that there was no-one they did not support on the Northern Irish music scene.

Axis Of have had great touring success. Unconventionally, they claimed their favourite place to gig was in the Alps. “The people were just great,” said Friers. “It’s such a beautiful setting, it was inspiring.” Of course, they still found the North Coast and the South to be some of the most rewarding places to gig. Rock Sound Magazine were not wrong about this band, they are definitely a force to be reckoned with.

BY EMMA GALLEN

The event due to be held on 29 November received a number of emails from students involved in the Belfast Feminism Network, accusing the Business Club of sexism.

The cancellation was not the first course of action taken, the Business Club initially decided to change the name to “CEO’s and Secretaries”, but this still caused offense and more complaints were issued.

James McKevitt, Event Organiser for the Business Club, said: “To date no student or non-student has made any contact with the Business Club or myself outlining any contention they may have had with the event or event title. Had they done so, I am sure we would have acted just as swiftly with the Students’ Union ‘Best Practice’ in such incidences.

“Also, as the Event Organiser I was continuously discussing event theme and event titles with numerous students from across the student body, and at no time was there any indication of contention in ration to the event title. Had we been aware, the Business Club and I would have never used the title of numerous popular university and college parties knowing it might offend any student, particularly as one of the core goals of the Clubs & Societies Fundraising Event was to bring together all of Queen’s students.”

Treasa Harkin, VP Equality said of the issue: “When the planned staging of an event entitled “CEO’s and Ho’s” was brought to my attention, I took immediate action to resolve the situation.  As an inclusive Students Union that promotes Equality and has been recognised for this on a national level, such a proposed title was not acceptable and was contrary to our Equality and Diversity Policy.

“I spoke to the Business Club who immediately realised their misjudgement – the event committee swiftly moved to prevent any further offence.  It was the sole decision of the Business Club to cancel the event and I commend them for such a mature and immediate response.

The Students Union now views this matter as resolved and therefore closed.”

Sarah Wright, President of Polysoc, asked at Student Council on 21 November why the Students’ Union had approved the event. She said that her experience with booking an event in Mandela Hall involved getting the theme approved by a board which included Sabbaticals.  Treasa Harkin has said otherwise: “As it stands, there is no formal approval process for those Clubs and Societies that wish to stage events – this situation will be reviewed in due course.”

BY EMMA GALLEN

A PSNI report from June 2011 says that in the last year 525 rapes were reported, over ten a week.

The website rightsni.org quoted a survey taken by Amnesty International in 2008 that said 46 per cent of students thought that women who had been raped was partially or totally to blame if she had been acting flirtatiously.

VP Welfare Adam McGibbon said on the matter: “I hope that we’ve moved on since then, but they are appalling statistics. Since those statistics came out we’ve worked with NUS-USI, Belfast City Council, and Amnesty International on ‘Get Home Safe’ campaigns.

“While we obviously work to disseminate campus safety measures the whole year round (Cab Now Pay Later, provision of free personal alarms, etc), it must be clear that the no blame for any incidents rests with the victim. We’ve worked with the PSNI on a campaign targeting the attitudes that lead to sexual assault – the campaign emphasises that sex without consent is a crime, that rape convictions last forever, and to take no for an answer, etc.”

VP Equality and Diversity, Treasa Harkin said: “The fact that such an inexcusable attitude still exists, especially from Students, is not only worrying but dangerous and upsets justice at its very core. Such an attitude needs to be tackled and addressed.  However, we as a Students’ Union can only do so much, it is a pressing wider societal issue which needs addressed by both judiciary and government.”

BY EMMA GALLEN

A member of the University Officer Training Corps (UOTC) made it an official society as the same time as members of the “Troops off Campus” campaign failed to pass a motion requiring the Students’ Union to say they were opposed to British Army recruitment at Queen’s.

The “Troops off Campus” motion was quickly forced to a vote using technicalities, stopping any debate.

The UOTC society was passed with ease, but Cllr Fionntán Hargey was met with disdain from council when he asked: “Do you support the murder committed by the British Government?”

The campaign’s motion to get the SU to openly oppose the British Army appeared to irritate other members of council. Cllr Niall Bole, last year’s VP Clubs and Societies, asked that proceedings were moved along because the society had already been approved earlier in the evening.

The approach of council to Cllr Hargey’s motion was later questioned by Jason O’Neill, SU President. He said: “I would like to have seen the matter being debated properly, I was disappointed in some members’ attitude.”

Speaking for the motion, Cllr Claire Heaney said: “This would be a very public demonstration in support of peace.  The British Army are responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of civilians, for extraordinary renditions.

“The UOTC are deliberately duplicitous, they claim they’re not a recruiting organisation.”

Speaking against the motion, Cllr Bole compared the UOTC to “Scouts that play with guns.”

The hype had been building for weeks in the lead up to the biggest event that Belfast has ever hosted; the MTV EMAs.  A special show featuring Snow Patrol, Jason Derulo and Boyce Avenue outside City Hall took place at the same time as the award ceremony hosted in the Odyssey.

BY CONOR KERR

The event began with a one song set from Cork band The Voodoos which was warmly received by the quickly growing crowd in front of them.  Soon after, American R&B star Jason Derulo took to the stage. This was Derulo’s first performance in Belfast, and was one of the most hotly anticipated performances of the evening.  He didn’t disappoint, performing a sleek, well performed set, belting out hits such as ‘Whatcha Say’ and ‘Ridin’ Solo,’ accompanied by fantastic dance routines, throwing in a handstand, splits, and a front flip for good measure.

Next were American acoustic rock band Boyce Avenue, receiving a great cheer of approval as they took to the stage. Probably more commonly known for their unique cover songs, the band played an excellent set. While they played one or two original compositions, their covers of Adele’s ‘Rolling in the Deep’ and Oasis’ ‘Wonderwall’ had the crowd singing along to every word at the top of their voices.

After a short interval, it was time for headliners Snow Patrol to take their place in front of the 15,000 strong crowd that had packed itself in front of City Hall and down Donegall Place. With no loudspeaker introduction, you wouldn’t have realised that the band had walked onstage, if it weren’t for the roar of the audience. Opening with ‘Open Your Eyes’, the audience singing every word, was an early sign of what was to come, and that tonight was going to be something special.

With television cameras floating overhead and against the stunning backdrop of City Hall, lead singer Gary Lightbody told the crowd: “Belfast, city of our hearts, the world is watching. Let’s show it what we’re made of.” And with that they launched into a song written especially for Belfast, ‘Take Back The City’, with the masses singing and dancing in unison. As if there was any need to remind anyone of why the event was even taking place, Lightbody announced that it was “time to go live to the MTV EMAs” for a performance of new single ‘Called Out In The Dark’. There was a little bit of drama towards the end of the song when Lightbody’s mic fell, but the crowd pulled through and finished for him.

The band continued to treat the audience for the rest of their set, including singing “Belfast” in place of “New York”, in their track ‘New York’ and a beautiful duet with Shauna Tohill (of Ram’s Pocket Radio), singing ‘Set Fire To The Third Bar’. No-one would have been disappointed if the set ended there, but Snow Patrol, not content with ending so soon, came on for an encore of ‘Chocolate’ and a stomping rendition of ‘Just Say Yes’. To say the band left the stage on a high note would be an understatement. It was homecoming gig for the boys from Bangor, but this was no ordinary homecoming gig.

BY EMMA GALLENRules are there for a reason, and in council this is so everybody gets the chance to speak, regardless of whether it is viewed as redundant by most the people there. Council attendance was poor enough at the last meeting, so everything should be done to encourage people to attend and to speak. What someone says may be repetitive, but unfortunately that’s how most meetings are. And although a lot of what was said by “Troops off Campus” campaigners received mutters of “propaganda” and “republican” they spoke articulately and concisely. That is something that should be encouraged, not greeted with disdain.

Everybody that attended at least knew whether they disagreed with what “Troops off Campus” were saying because it was said well, and when it came to a vote, there weren’t multiple attempts to explain what a vote for or against meant. The changes proposed regarding School Representatives was too convoluted for most of the third level students, and the amendment about the Campaigns and Equality board was confusing even after the typo was rectified. Perhaps the Sabbaticals should get the “Troops off Campus” speech writers to look over their “amendments” so the rest can understand.

BY EMMA GALLEN

QUB email is meant to be protected, meaning that spam like this is not meant to be as common. The email was sent to students from different banks including Ulster Bank, First Trust and Santander. Graduates from Summer 2010 also received the spam email. Students without Visa cards were also targeted.

According to a recent QUB graduate of Computer Science, who also received the spam: “The email addresses were obtained either by negligence, or by a security breach of the QUB network. In other words, hacked. If it’s only email and not personal details, the biggest threat is that hackers can use the information to better target their ‘phishing’ – attempts to fool people into giving up passwords or account numbers with bogus but official looking emails. Which is exactly what has happened. If they have personal details, then there is the potential threat of fraud.”

A current Queen’s student, who studied Electronics and Software engineering said: “Even if victims don’t have the cards or banks targeted, many users are not aware enough of the danger and may try to log in with their ‘usual’ username and password, which they may use across many services. Such spamming organisations often run the credentials they acquire across the databases of many services, exposing everything from personal email, travel accounts, social network services, internet forum systems, and many other internet-based services.”

The Queen’s IT Help Desk said on the matter: “spam just comes in, it’s just a common hazard.”

An Advisory email from Queen’s IT Systems and Security, sent on the afternoon of 26 November, said: “Anyone who has followed the link and entered any information on the resulting page should take action to safe guard their account.

“The advice is always, never to open, follow or provide details as a result of an unsolicited email.  Simply delete the email.

“When concerned always take action by going directly to the web site of your financial institution or their phone contact centres.  Never follow links from unsolicited emails.

“We will continue to filter out as many of these phishing type emails as possible but we will never be 100% successful.  It is your responsibility to manage carefully all online activity.”

Queen’s University is set to be rocked by strikes over changes to the staff pension plan that have been described as “high-handed” and could see members of staff losing £400,000 for their retirement. 

BY BEN FINCH

The proposals are also thought to make it easier for universities to sack staff.

This will be part of the largest day of industrial action in theUKin 85 years as millions of workers withhold their labour from employers.

It is expected that over 400 staff will join the picket lines on 30 November, with many others not turning up for work.  It will be the first time many staff will have taken direct action. More than two hundred students are planning to join the pickets in solidarity with staff.

Staff have been asked by the University and Colleges Union (UCU) to inform students if they are taking action but are under no obligation to inform their line managers.  The Students’ Union is working with staff to ensure there is as little disruption to students as possible.

The direct action is being supported by the Students’ Union following a motion passed at council on 21 November.  This called for students not to break picket lines by attending classes run by UCU members.  TheUnionis also supporting the wider action happening across the country.

UCU are hoping to protest outside every building that is part of the university.  Following the pickets there will be a rally for staff and students in the Mandela Hall at eleven o’clock.  This will be attended by members of the National Union of Students and Union of Students inIreland(NUS-USI), UCU and the Northern Ireland Public Services Alliance (NIPSA).  Members of Unite, the largest union inBritainandIreland, had still to confirm if they were attending.

Following the rally there will be a march toCityHospitalto join the feeder march on City Hall.

The day before, 29 November, will see a teach-in to explain how the changes to pension plans will affect staff and students. This will be held in clubrooms three and four on the top floor of the Students’ Union at one o’clock.

The action is being taken over changes to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), the staff pension plan.  Unlike public sector pension plans this is a private scheme.  It currently considered to be one of the most stable final salary schemes in theUKas contributions are higher than payments.  More than eighty per cent of those eligible to join the scheme are members.

The changes that UK Universities (UKU), the representative body for universities in theUK, is implementing could see new members of staff lose almost £400,000 from their pension.  A lecturer who is already a member of the USS would lose £130,000.

Current members of staff will have to increase their payments by one per cent to 7.5 per cent, a move seen as a pay cut.  New members of staff will be required to join a career average revalued earnings (CARE) scheme.  This is based on the average earnings throughout a career, rather than on the final salary paid.

UCU has attempted to avoid strike action through negotiations with UKU. The union asked the arbitration service, ACAS, to help settle the dispute.  This move has not been recognised by UKU.

Dr Renee Prendergast, the UCU representative at Queen’s, said: “The changes are even more draconian than those seen in the public sector.  This action has been going for some time, the negotiations with the employers have seen nothing to indicate that they will back down.

“The university are playing it softer than usual, I think there’s a lot of public support for the action.  There’ll be a lot of people out who’ve never been on strike before.  After this work to rule will continue.”

Dr Mark Gardiner, a member of Queen’s UCU committee, said: “The USS isn’t in any difficulties, this is part of a wider assault on pensions.

“Pensions are part of the whole employment package, it’s deferred salary.  It’s going to make a very significant difference, not just to me but to the new staff who’ll bear the brunt.

“It’s important to students, it’ll go on to affect them.  Universities must stay competitive in terms of salary and benefits so they attract the best teachers and lecturers.  If students don’t want to be taught by the best then why are they paying fees?  We’ve got to make sure universities stay as good as they can be.  We see this as part of a wider struggle for education.”

Adam McGibbon, VP Welfare, said: “[The Union support] is about standing with our hard-working lecturers and staff, who deliver our education, in their time of need.

“Changes to the University Superannuation Scheme propose an increase in employee contributions. It also proposes creating a two-tier system where newer staff will receive much less over the course of their careers than older staff.

“This is despite the fact that the University Superannuation Scheme is in good health, according to the scheme’s own managers. Last year it grew by £4bn. It is an ‘immature’ scheme, meaning that it takes in more than it gives out. Quite simply, this is a political move to make it easier to remove staff. This is about education cuts, which we oppose as a union, and it’s about the quality of teaching at the University. Both are central to the student experience, and if the changes to the pension scheme go ahead, students will suffer.

“But obviously recent events have meant that this just isn’t about the University, millions of public sector workers will be striking on November 30th; we should be supporting doctors, nurses, teachers and other public sector workers who will be out on strike that day.

“The staff stood by us against increased tuition fees when we needed them, now they need us to stand by them.”

BY CLAIRE WILLIAMSON

McMeel won the final task, the results of which were based on the profits of bottled water that they had designed, marketed, created adverts for and sold.  The overall winner was decided through a round of interviews.

Following the event McMeel said: “It’s fantastic, obviously fantastic for my CV and the experience we gained throughout the whole process is super. Congratulations to Nicole as well who was fantastic.

“I’m looking forward to the experience with Deloitte and I’d just like to say the amazing job Enterprise SU and VP Community Aidan Hughes have done in planning and carrying out the whole process.”

Hosted by VP Community Aiden Hughes, the evening began with a round-up of the events of QUB Apprentice with the final seven candidates returning. Speaking to McMeel and McShane beforehand, they both stressed how much they had enjoyed the process and that no matter what the outcome it had been a brilliant experience.

Jim Eastwood, aka “Jedi Jim”, who came third on the BBC Apprentice, took on the role of Lord Sugar as he hosted the final boardroom which saw Owen and Nicole battle it out to prove they had what it took to become the first QUB Apprentice. Eastwood, one of the only contestants to date to be able to argue himself out of being brought back to the boardroom, took to the microphone to tell some insights and anecdotes from the world of The Apprentice. He shared with the captive audience his four keys to success: belief, focus, positivity and persistence, although there were a few clichés here and there, notably: “Aim for the moon that way if you miss you’ll still be amongst the stars”.

Wasting no time in getting down to business Eastwood quizzed McShane and McMeel on their worthiness and asked for their thirty second “elevator pitch”. Both started with niceties but these were quickly replaced with fighting talk as McMeel slipped in “I didn’t cheat” but McShane soon retaliated by saying that in the audition clips: “Owen’s pitch was 49 seconds when it should have been 30”. However, Eastwood had the final say as he stated: “I’m not one to talk about over talking”. Whilst Eastwood and his two aides went out to deliberate, best bit videos were played of both candidates

The panel returned and Eastwood, with Lord Sugar’s signature point of the finger, told McMeel that he was hired. A gracious winner, McMeel thanked everyone that was involved and started a round of applause for McShane and the other candidates, finishing with asking representatives from Deloitte: “All that’s left to say is when is the first day?”

Aiden Hughes said: “Congratulations to Owen, he definitely showed so much business acumen and played the competition so well.  Commiserations to Nicole and the other seven, but by taking part in the process they’ll all have learnt so much that they can take forward in their careers.

“The response we received was overwhelming, there was nearly 20,000 views on YouTube.  The candidates themselves have been top quality, it’s been such a celebration of enterprise initiatives at the Union and the University.

“It’s so important at a time when employment is one of the biggest issues facing students.”

Claire Williamson

An exchange programme for the last 4 years has been running at Queen’s university called the PMI-2: Strategic Alliances and Partnerships scheme. Its aim is to take a group of students to either India or China for academic and cultural exchange, and in the process take part in university life and complete some research. I’m a 24 year old student from Wales just waiting to graduate from a full-time Masters in Social and Community Development, and over the summer I spent a month, along with four other students and a member of Queen’s academic staff, in the Indian southern state of Andhra Pradesh and the city of Hyderabad.

BY JONATHAN EVANS  

India is a country of over 1.2 billion people and a whole world of contradictions. Greeting us on arrival from the plane in Mumbai in early August was the sight of corrugated iron roofs on a hillside next to the runway of Mumbai. It was in fact the slum of Dharavi, famous for being one of Asia’s largest slums. The size of the slum is over half the population of Northern Ireland.

However, I was off to the comfort of a university campus another flight away in Hyderabad along with my colleagues. My research involved going out into local poor communities, some at a slum level, and speaking to everyday people.

On meeting young slum children growing up in an environment devoid of opportunity, the big smile adorning their faces really makes you take stock. Having the privilege of being an honoured guest on visiting a group of village women who, through saving what little money they had, pool this together and create opportunities for themselves makes you appreciate what you have in your own life. Invitations to family homes for dinner, and being asked about your life, is an entirely humbling experience.

More than anything else, I thought I knew a bit about poverty living as a student, and the confidence shedding effect it potentially has. Relatively I am struggling, but there is always that safety net there for me: my family home and my parents. If I was really in trouble I would be just fine. For the communities I spent time observing and interacting with in India, they do not have the same options and fall-backs as we do.

There are times in life when you have to take a step back and try to take it all in. For the last month and a half I have battled with the fact that I am not still in India, and will not be for a while. The sights, smells, differences and kindness of the people I have missed more than almost anything else I can recall. My defining image of the trip is this picture of slum-kids in the city. What I won’t forget is the smiles on those faces and the spirit of India: it is something that has changed me forever. My advice to all students is: you only live once, get out and take these opportunities.

A group of protestors who disrupted a lecture at Queen’s have been described by a disciplinary report as “probably Catholic”.

BY BEN FINCH

The report details the investigation into the protest and was used at the disciplinary hearings of three protestors.  It was received from a whistleblower who had concerns about the disciplinary process.

The source said: “The report was so biased and inaccurate.  They tried to paint the students as liars and the claims made are so outrageous that people needed to be made aware of it.

“It’s completely discriminatory and it shows that Northern Ireland Friends of Israel tried to involve themselves in the disciplinary process.”

The report highlights the pressure that was put on Queen’s by Northern Ireland Friends of Israel following the lecture as well as a number of breaches of confidentiality.

In February this year the Palestine Solidarity Society (PSS) and Ogra Shinn Fein disrupted a lecture delivered by Solon Solomon, a former legal advisor to the Israeli Parliament (Knesset).  This was due to his position on the legal standing of building Israeli settlements on Palestinian land.

The lecture was stopped after seven minutes before the acting head of the School of Law entered into an argument with Gary Spedding, president of the PSS.  Solomon was escorted from the room by security, who stopped the society from following.  As Solomon left the taxi he was travelling in was slapped by a protestor.

Included in the report are the minutes of an interview with Dr. Onder Bakiricioglu of the School of Law.  In this he is recorded as saying: “The students are young passionate people, they all seemed to be from Northern Ireland, probably Catholics, and there were no international students that he could see. The students were protesting.”

When questioned as why the comment was made Dr. Bakiricioglu said: “I made an observation that they looked like Catholics, I mean I’m not from here.  I just gave my lay opinion, I just know that the Catholic community tend to support Palestine and the Protestant community tend to support Israel.

“I didn’t think it was going to be included in the report, it was just an observation.  This was stupid of them to include it.” Dr. Bakiricioglu is a Turkish national.

The report was compiled by Michael Uprichard of Accomodation and Hospitality Services.  It is assumed that he interviewed Dr. Bakiricioglu and decided to include the statement in the official report.

Spedding is a member of the Greek Orthodox Church.  When contacted he estimated that there were ten Catholics and six Protestants at the protest.

The university declined to comment on the comments inclusion, instead releasing a statement that said simply: “The University does not comment on student disciplinary cases.”

Also included in the report is: “[Sally Wheeler] stated she had heard that [Gary Spedding] has Asperger’s Syndrome.”  This was then followed up by Uprichard, who confirmed it with Queen’s Disability Services.

Spedding’s Asperger’s was not public knowledge. Professor Wheeler’s knowledge of this is now under investigation as it may show that confidentiality within the university may not be watertight.  Again the university declined to comment.

“This was something I had tried to keep quiet for some time because people with Asperger’s tend to get treated differently,” said Spedding. “It’s not something I’m ashamed of but I’ve no idea how Sally Wheeler managed to hear this.

“I feel outraged that such comments [regarding religion] were included. I don’t believe sectarianism or external politics should be involved in human rights.  I’m shocked that a university report would include something that implies this was sectarian.”

There were a number of members of Northern Ireland Friends of Israel (NIFI) at the lecture.  Prior to this they sent Queen’s an email to warn of a possible “mass protest” as Solomon was speaking. The email was written by Steven Jaffe and Terry McCorran , co-Chairs of NIFI.

Following the protest Jaffe and another member of NIFI, Sandra Bailie, were awarded a meeting with Helen Hart, Head of the Vice-Chancellors Office and Peter Irwin.  This was “so that [Jaffe] could communicate his concerns face to face.” These were “concerns regarding the School of Law seminar on Wednesday 23rd February.”

At this Jaffe and Bailie expressed: “Shock and disappointment that the University had not issued a statement following the event. He said that such an infringement of academic freedom must contravene the University’s principles and should therefore be a priority for the University”

This was not met with a response from the staff present. NIFI also asked whether an apology had been made to Solomon and what the process was for disciplining students.  The report also contains correspondence between members of the NIFI and Queen’s.

The university declined to comment on whether such meetings and correspondence were appropriate and whether they constituted allowing an outside organisation exert pressure on internal disciplinary action. Steven Jaffe also declined to comment.

Jason O’Neill, Adam McGibbon and Treasa Harkin, President, VP Welfare and VP Equality and Diversity of the Students’ Union respectively, were also contacted for statements. They declined to comment. As did Ogra Shinn Fein, QUB SDLP, QUB DUP and QUB Alliance.

Tyler McNally of the Socialist Society, said: “That is unbelievable.  It’s completely out of the question, it shouldn’t be in there.  That’s disgraceful for a lecturer to be saying that, he should apologise.

“I wouldn’t go as far as to say its institutional sectarianism but I would go as far as to attack Queen’s for letting something like that be allowed.”

Queen’s has climbed four places in the QS World Ranking’s, one of 29 UK establishments to place in the top 200.

BY BEN FINCH

QUB moved up from 197 to 193, following surveys of over 33,000 academics and 16,000 graduate employers.

Cambridge University topped the list, followed by Harvard and MIT.

A spokesperson for the university said: “Queen’s welcomes the news that it has continued to rise in the QS World University Rankings. As an international centre of academic excellence rooted at the heart of Northern Ireland, the University is continually striving to enhance its standing on the world stage.”

This year has seen controversy over how tuition fees in the UK are funded, with unversities in England being allowed to charge up to £9,000 per year. The study shows that the UK is no longer value for money, with many cheaper options outperforming British institutions.

The press release for the rankings states: “While UK universities still represent a cheaper option compared to most of their US peers, the rankings uncover international universities that offer arguably better value relative to their ranking position.”

John O’Leary, Editor of the Times Good University Guide, said: “With so many well-qualified UK candidates missing out on university places, this year’s QS rankings may encourage many to consider applying to universities abroad.

“While studying abroad has traditionally been seen as the preserve of a wealthy minority, fee increases alongside greater provision of English-language degrees in Europe mean that it could now actually be a money-saving alternative – this is an entirely new situation”

BY BEN FINCH

Jason O’Neill, president of Queen’s Students’ Union, said, “The phone network at Queen’s was inundated with thousands of calls from people looking for a last minute place through clearing.  But the problem isn’t the number of calls, the problem is the number of university places in Northern Ireland.”

A spokesperson for Queen’s said, “The phones haven’t crashed at any stage. There is a high volume of calls coming through and people are asked to be patient or alternatively email admissions@qub.ac.uk or go to the Student Plus reception in Lanyon North, Queen’s – where assistance is available.

“The general admissions office account had received 980 emails. Individual members of staff are also receiving heavy volumes of inquiries and in addition there are faxes and inquiries being dropped off in person.  The call centre has answered 1253 telephone calls. Places in clearing are expected to be about 100, similar to last year.”

Figures released yesterday by CCEA showed that 34.5% of the pupils in Northern Ireland achieved and A* or A while the overall pass rate was 98.1%.  This compares to nationwide figures of 27% and 97.8% respectively. 32,582 students in Northern Ireland entered for an A-level this summer, an increase of almost 1000 on 2010.

As is usual girls outperformed boys in all areas with 9.1% of the females achieving an A*, 36.9% gaining an A* or A and 98.4 passing their exams.  7.9% of boys got an A*, 31.5% an A* or A and 97.7% passed.

Adrienne Peltz, president of the National Union of Students and Union of Students in Ireland (NUS-USI), said, “Today’s a really happy day for the NUS-USI. We wish the students going to university the very best.

“However, that comes with a warning that funding for Higher Education next year has still not been decided and we are very concerned about the education maintenance allowance.

“Also there are 23,000 people studying for their A-Levels. Last year we saw dwindling places in Higher Education and students going into Further Education instead. This is squeezing out other students who wish to stay in education.

“We want to know what the Executive are going to do about it.”

Students hoping to attend Queen’s through clearing have been directed to http://www.qub.ac.uk/sites/NewStudents/Undergraduate-UKandEU/ClearingandAdjustmentVacancies/ for further information.

There are no vacancies remaining within the Law School, School of Management, Theology or Medicine and Health Services.

QUBSU picked up the NUS Equality and Diversity Award for 2011 on Wednesday night. Over 500  attended the ceremony hosted by Leeds University Students’ Union.

BY DARAGH ROBINSON

The NUS awards recognise the efforts of students and students’ unions in voluntary work and campaigns. Liam Burns, NUS President, said: “Once again we’ve seen an exceptional field of nominations that recognise the vital role that students play in their local communities.

Burns went on to say that despite the events of the past year he still has a “real sense of hope for the future and the fight to get more support for students from a cynical government.”

Burns said of the Equality and Diversity Award: “The steps Queen’s University Belfast Students’ Union has taken to improve its equality and diversity impressed me. By strengthening existing activities and developing new ones, it has really improved the student experience for its members.”

Last year’s VP Equality and Diversity Samantha Tan said: “It’s truly an honour to have won this award. I feel it reflects the amazing work put in by the sabbatical team and all SU staff this year. We’ve come extremely far and I hope this success is used as encouragement to continue striving towards building a more equal and diverse Students’ Union for everyone.

“I would also just like to thank all those who helped achieve this in any way – the various clubs and societies, staff members, student councillors, national unions and the rest of my team. It’s not just about winning this award, but about making sure that every single student voice is heard and responded to in equal measure.”

QUBSU was nominated for the Best Students’ Union award but lost to Northumbria University.

“Man, am I starving!” is a common utterance in households worldwide, a gross exaggeration for most people, but not for children in Somalia.

BY CLAIRE WILLIAMSON

The worst drought in more than half a century has forced the country in to a state of crisis, leaving over 10.7 million people in the need of urgent help.

A famine occurring in the same world as ipads, 3DTV and million pound salaries is absurd. The country has not seen a famine in 19 years despite been plagued by war and conflict for as long as can be remembered. Even in these desperate times violence and threats are preventing aid from getting to certain areas due to the high risk of attacks.

The figures and statistics are simply horrifying:

• Four out of every 10,000 children are dying daily;
• $300million is required for the next two months;
• Children as young as eight are being recruited to join militant forces.

Families are travelling for up to 22 days at a time with no food to reach aid teams. However, the younger members cannot cope with this strain on the body and are dying en route, leaving the rest of the family no choice but to bury their relative in the wilderness. Some are even too weak to dig a grave and have to leave them at the roadside. Aid workers have described the children as, “Tiny, emaciated children with wrinkled skin hanging off their bones, rib cages jutting out, bulbous eyes gazing out forlornly, flies covering their faces – the all-too-familiar images of African hunger.”

Fact: Famine should not in the year of 2011 be claiming the life of anyone.
The rest of the world needs to take note and act fast.

To donate to the Disaster Emergency Committee’s emergency appeal, please visit http://www.dec.org.uk/item/506?gclid=CJvGy42hlaoCFUQKfAod8QPfwQ

Darren Clarke’s magnificent win at the weekend at the Royal St. George course in England has cemented Northern Ireland’s place as the current golfing capital of the world. Three major winners in thirteen months are from the north. Moreover six winners of the last seventeen majors have come from the island of Ireland. Surely the time is right for the Open championship to return to these shores for the first time in over half a century.

BY SEAN ASHFORD

The Open is one of golf’s four majors and is the oldest and most prestigious of them all. Each year the course rotates around nine courses in England and Scotland. St Andrews, the ancestral home of golf, plays host every fifth year. The last time Northern Ireland hosted the tournament was in 1951, when Englishman Max Faulkner conquered the championship course at Royal Portrush.

Sixty years on and Northern Ireland is punching well above its weight in the golfing world. The result of all the attention has been to renew calls for Northern Ireland to host the Open in recognition of the achievements of Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke.

Aside for the inherent nationalistic feelings, there are numerous legitimate reasons why Northern Ireland would be a suitable host for a major golfing tournament. Firstly, we have two of the world’s most renowned courses in Royal Portrush and Royal County Down. On the outskirts of Newcastle, Royal County Down has been consistently named as one of the best golf courses in the world.  It was named the best course outside America by Golf Digest in 2007, and the course record happens to be held by a certain Tiger Woods who carded a 65 there. However, the course is not spectator friendly and does not have the ability to cater for the large influx of people the Open Championship would bring.

A more realistic proposition would be a return to Royal Portrush. Regarded by many as one of the most difficult courses in the world, it consistently makes top 10 lists of courses around the world. Its par three 14^th hole, nicknamed ‘Calamity’, is one of the most dangerous holes in championship golf. It’s a classic links course, and the weather on the north coast would certainly guarantee action. All three of Northern Ireland’s top golfers have called for the Open to be held in Portrush, and the club now boasts the gold medal won by Darren Clarke in the Open last week in its vast trophy cabinet.

However, Portrush also suffers in that its fairways are wedged between the sea and the hills, making it difficult to attract the large crowds places like Troon in Scotland can attract. This argument is perhaps not as persuasive as naysayers would have us believe, as the Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club covers less acreage than Portrush but will host the competition next year. The other major problem is transport. Despite its proximity to Coleraine, not to mention Portstewart and (obviously) Portrush, spectators must be able to travel to and from the golf course, but also to nearby towns and cities so as the local economy takes the greatest possible benefit from the hosting of such an event. With many tickets for the Open only for certain days of the four-day event, there exists an opportunity for Northern Ireland to showcase itself during their breaks from watching the golf, but also to capitalise on the opportunity by enticing them to the towns in the area thus providing a much needed shot in the arm for the local economy. The most obvious way to do this would be via the adjacent rail network which would take them through Coleraine, Limavady and on to Derry. However, this stretch of railway is the only section not to have undergone any redevelopment in recent decades and with plans to cut the number of trains on the line daily from nine to five, then the much needed investment is unlikely to be forthcoming.

On the issue of local transport, a Translink spokesperson has said ”There are a number of high-profile events which occur on the north coast each year, the North West 200 and the Portrush Airshow. The current road network manages to cope with these large visitor numbers. For any event, the organisers will prepare an event plan to cover all appropriate areas, including traffic management and transportation.”

Despite all this there remains a strong possibility that Northern Ireland will be rewarded for the achievements of its golfing heroes. Undoubtedly there are the courses to host the events. It is simply a matter of whether Stormont politicians are willing to invest money into turning Northern Ireland into a viable alternative to the traditional courses and capitalising on the events of the last 13 months to boost the economy here. With the trade and tourism boost that hosting the Open would bring, any investment would more than prove its value, and it would certainly help pay for the expensive receptions our golfers keep getting at Stormont these days.

The People and Planet Green League have placed Queen’s University Belfast in 53^rd position amongst UK universities, with a score of 33 out of 70 for their environmental management and performance.  Although Queen’s has placed similarly as in academic university guides, Oxford and Cambridge score much lower, coming in 103^rd and 68^th respectively.  In contrast, University of Ulster is in the top 20, placing 19^th with a score of 41.5 and receiving a first class award.

BY EMMA GALLEN

VP Welfare, and member of the Green Party, Adam McGibbon, wants Queen’s to focus more on ethical investment. He said: “Queen’s should look to its fellow Russell Group institution University College London for inspiration on ethical investment.” UCL scored full marks in its evaluation of ethical investment as did Russell Group member London School of Economics, which is the only Russell Group University to have received a first overall.  UCL placed 83rd.

McGibbon said: “In particular, as the Green League shows, QUB’s record on ethical procurement is pretty abysmal. One example of this is the sponsorship of Belfast Festival at Queen’s by Ulster Bank, an RBS subsidiary.” RBS have been involved in funding the exploration of Canadian tar sands in order to extract oil, which McGibbon describes as “horrifically polluting and unethical.”

Although he says he won’t be happy until Queen’s are number one, McGibbon is pleased with the progress, as QUB have moved up 12 places since last year.

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Mel Gibson plus hand puppet… and this is meant to be his great return since he went biblical.  That’s right, the man who decided that he never again wanted to use film as a means of just making money, he wanted to get his message across.  Never mind the huge money making successes that ‘The Passion of the Christ’ and ‘Apocalypto’ were, he’s returned to being in front of the camera and firmly positioned himself in centre stage with his new role.

BY LAURA SHEARER

Directed by Jodie Foster, and also starring Jodie Foster, ‘The Beaver’ sounded like another Hollywood backed and Hollywood made film, made in mind of the Academy Awards.  What’s really surprising is the seemingly endless list of backers at the opening credits, all of which are smaller film production companies and look more suited to independent film.  So what’s gone wrong in Hollywood that Gibson and Foster have had to turn to any means possible to fund their film? It’s very dark, so there’s a start.  Not something Hollywood likes to focus on or see too much of, unless it’s large scale disaster flicks with heroic events and lots of happy faces at the end when everything bad has been resolved.  If you’re expecting this, swap your tickets now.

Walter Black suffers from severe depression and he’s tried everything to get back on track.  When the pills, the therapy and the self-help books prove to be utterly useless, his wife Meredith decides it’s time to make a change and save what remains of her family.  Walter packs his life into his car and heads to a hotel, on his way dumping boxes in a bin outside a garage, where he picks up a beaver hand puppet.  After an unsuccessful suicide attempt, Walter seeks a new beginning with the beaver as his sole means of communicating with the world around him.  The beaver fixes things, life gets better and perhaps it’s even an improvement on Walter’s previous life.  Yet he’s still a middle aged man with a hand puppet who refuses to communicate otherwise.  Things take a turn for the worse and after a certain traumatic self inflicted incident, Walter finally gets the much needed help.

There is an element of comedy to the alter-ego of the beaver hand puppet, but it’s by no stretch of the audience’s imagination a hugely engaging performance from Gibson or Foster.  Relying on the clichés of family life, there’s nothing original about the narrative other than the situation of the hand puppet.  The beaver as a device and character merely becomes a way of exploring the already explored territory of family relationships and corporate professionalism.  Nothing new, nothing to see here, move along.

On May 28^th, activists protested across the UK against the dismantling of the National Health Service, and, more broadly, against cuts to public spending, the unfairness of which I don’t have to go into here.

BY ADAM MCGIBBON

UK Uncut is one of the most exciting protest movements of our times. Good-humoured, imaginative, attention-grabbing and effective, it has thrust issues of corporate power and tax avoidance – and the deep inequalities that they perpetuate – into mainstream political debate.

But why has Northern Ireland largely missed out on this wave of activism so far?

After all, our Assembly has passed a £6bn cuts budget. Our universities and colleges are being cut. Belfast Health & Social Care Trust alone is cutting the equivalent of 1,755 full-time staff this year. The consociational nature of the Assembly means that parties in mandatory coalition can blame each other for cuts in individual departments. Nationalists blame the ‘British’ cuts coming from Westminster. Parties can even vote against budgets and still remain in coalition. They all attempt to elude the fact they are all culprits in this.

And while all this is going on, those most able to pay remain untouched and there is a disturbing consensus about cutting Northern Ireland’s rate of corporation tax. All but a handful of MLAs in the Assembly – and all the parties in the Executive – have pledged to cut corporation tax from the current rate of 28% down to 12.5%. Not only is the logic of doing this flawed in the extreme (as has been argued convincingly here), but it’s going to cost money – around £300m a year – which we’re giving to aid corporations when we should be aiding the most vulnerable in our society at a time when they need it most. Corporation tax cuts, slavishly supported by everyone from the DUP to Sinn Fein to Alliance as the false panacea to our economic woes, mean even more cuts to vital public services.

The opposition to corporation tax reduction in the Assembly is almost non-existent, but strangely diverse. In fact, it’s perhaps the only time ever the Greens have shared the same view as the hardline unionist TUV. In Westminster, Mark Durkan is the only NI MP to have signed Early Day Motion 1146, supporting UK Uncut.  Sylvia Hermon came out against it this week too – and she should know, being a member of the parliamentary select committee that’s taking evidence on it.

Surely this calls for opposition outside the chamber – that is why we need Northern Ireland Uncut.

We need a movement of ordinary people to stand up to cuts and the prioritization of big business over everyday need. It can’t be owned by any one grouping or faction, and the decentralized, good-humoured nature of UK Uncut protests can draw in people beyond the usual left political sphere. It’s very simple – we pay our taxes. Why shouldn’t corporations?

There has been at least one action in Belfast so far, but it seems to have escaped the media attention that helps the concept gather public support in other parts of the UK. Others have started – we should join them. It’s really quite simple to list an action, gather some friends and post a Facebook link.

This is not at all a criticism of all that’s been done so far, but a call to participate in some friendly competition with our friends in England, Scotland and Wales. The picture is not complete until every part of the UK has consistent, regular Uncutter actions.

But who am I to say this to you? Nobody. Just some guy.  But that’s the beauty of it. The decentralized nature of this movement means that literally anyone can do it.

So, people of Northern Ireland  – get organised. I’ll see you on the high streets.

www.twitter.com/belfastuncut

BY LAURA SHEARER

The group of assassins are assembled to bring justice and restore the order that Lord Naritsugu has destroyed by his selfish and brutal climb to the top of the Shogun rule. Not far off the plot of Kurasawa’s ‘Seven Samurai’, we see the horrors that Lord Naritsugu has inflicted upon those in his path and the helpless that he has no mercy for.  This is all with a Miike twist of course.  Involving some brutal death scenes, lots of completely honest seeming revelations of torture and naturally lots of blood, when one of the samurai comments that ‘this village will be a bloodbath’ he’s literally not lying.  Not for the faint hearted, this is a samurai film with extraordinary vision.

At the heart of the film are the central themes to most samurai features.  Honour, courage and loyalty are themes anybody can relate to and themes most people would link with their knowledge of the samurai feature.  Miike’s decision to maintain these ideals upholds something of the tradition that began in the 1940s with the samurai film master Akira Kurasawa.  To be honest, the narrative has upheld the best elements of these themes and used them to dramatic advantage.

Set in 19^th Century Japan, the film has a very classical feel to it.  Great attention to detail is placed in the recreation of the Edo period of Japan.  Miike’s choice to keep the narrative within this timeframe is both wise and inspiring, as he could well have taken a very different route and made a modern conversion of the samurai plot in say modern Tokyo.  The set designs and landscapes are beautiful and eloquent with a real sensation of nostalgia for ancient Japan.  The cinematography doesn’t ever make light of this aspect, often creating a few seconds of still frame for the audience to enjoy the luxury of the scenery.  Looking at any of the media releases of images from the film, it’s clear that the cinematography is justifiably indulgent in the fabulous sets.

It’s not the samurai epic in run time as it could have been so hardcore samurai fans may feel a little cheated, but there’s plenty crammed into every shot to make even the most critical walk away satisfied.  Those new to Japanese cinema will have their eyes opened wide by the glory that is this feature.  It’s a huge achievement for Miike and there’s not a single sequence that’s less than instantly impressive.  As much as I feel it must be seen on the big screen to get the full impact, it’s going to be in DVD collections the world over in no time.  ’13 Assassins’ is a sure fire winner for anybody who loves period features, blood and battles, or even just a well written, steady moralistic plot.  The success it’s already enjoyed doesn’t seem enough to evaluate the brilliance.

What is a crisis? Perhaps it is a time of great difficulty or a period of instability. The definition of what actually constitutes ‘a crisis’ is open to interpretation and often context-dependent. However, what is certain is that the corruption scandal that has hit FIFA has left this all-powerful organisation in the midst of a major crisis.

By John Benedict-Farrel

That is unless of course your name is Joseph S. Blatter.  FIFA’s President has always had a rather curious outlook on matters that would seem like common sense to the average punter. It has for a long time been the way of world football’s governing body to bury its head in the sand at the first sign of trouble and hope for things to blow over. Except this time the allegations levelled that FIFA officials from top to bottom are lining their own pockets with illegal payments are a little more problematic.

FIFA started over a century ago as a modest group of individuals passionate about football with the simple aim of furthering the development of the game. Much has changed since then, with the organisation enjoying a global reach with even more associate members than the United Nations.  With globalisation came the opportunity for financial gain, but as some say, the love of money is the root of all evil. Greed has taken hold of FIFA’s officials, and they have been swept up by their own self-importance to the extent that nearly every scenario is now viewed as carrying the prospect of personal profit. The bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups last year, which also saw the suspension of two officials for offering to sell their votes, cast light upon this fact.

Qatar won the right to host the 2022 tournament, but doubts have since been raised as to the legitimacy of this decision.  The inspectors’ pre-voting report stated that it would be the least suitable venue to host it of all the bidding nations. Yet Qatar still won. Why? Jerome Valcke, FIFA’s General Secretary, suggested that money was exchanged for votes, whilst another FIFA official was secretly filmed explicitly saying that the Qatari bid team would have paid up to $500,000 to members of the Executive Committee for their support. This is evidence that something is seriously amiss, and yet Mr Blatter has chosen to turn a blind eye. Personal interests obviously come higher than the protection of the game’s integrity.

Underhand dealings are nothing new to Blatter. His reign as FIFA President began under a cloud of accusations that as much as $50,000 had changed hands to secure each of the 20 crucial votes that won him the Presidency in 1998. This was hardly a perfect start and is a problem which has been allowed to grow into a trend under his not so watchful gaze. Documents were recently uncovered detailing millions of dollars of payments to various officials by a rights-holder during the 1990s. Yet no action was taken by FIFA. In fact there was no investigation whatsoever. In 2006, his right-hand man, Jack Warner, was embroiled in a controversy where he touted tickets for World Cup matches at a 200% mark-up. Alarm bells sounded around the globe, yet Warner faced no repercussions from within the organisation.  He should have, but the powers that be wished once more to ensure its top dogs remained untouchable, so chose not to act – a grave error.

Five years on, Warner has finally been collared for more misdemeanours, as has the man who was to challenge Blatter for the Presidency, Mohamed bin Hammam. Blatter has been all too keen to tell us about FIFA’s Code of Ethics and how it is keeping members in check. Nothing could be further from the truth. This document is no more than a mission statement that is intended to deter any challenge from the media and is loosely adhered to by many officials. It is ambiguous, and doesn’t even lay out the penalties for being in breach of it, except suggesting that anyone who does mightn’t be appropriate for office. The fact is that not one FIFA official found to be in breach of the Code has ever been dismissed. Mr Blatter believes that any problems in his organisation can be solved through “faith, energy and morals,” and points to this booklet as if it is the solution. This approach is simply sweeping the issue under the carpet. In Blatter’s flawed opinion, The Only Way Is Ethics.

So what now for FIFA? How does this institution solve its problems and clean up its act for good? The simple answer is that its hierarchy must be torn down and rebuilt, giving up its power and returning to its humble roots and acting purely in the interests of football. However, football has a lot to thank FIFA for, so it must be done in a way that maintains the size of the sport but restores people’s faith in the system. We can only hope that FIFA can bring itself to acknowledge this too and decide to act upon it. The game must always be the priority – without it, FIFA would be nothing. Sadly, somewhere along the line they have lost sight of this.

‘Julia’s Eyes’ is the second Spanish horror film to come with the ‘Presented By’ label from Guillermo del Toro, following the huge success of fantastic gothic chiller ‘The Orphanage’, which also starred Belén Rueda. ‘Julia’s Eyes’ is a suspense-thriller with something that many recent horror films don’t have: characters.

BY MATTHEW MCKERNAN

The film follows Julia (Rueda), a woman who is progressively losing her eyesight due to a degenerative disease. She stumbles upon the body of her dead sister Sara, who had gone blind already due to the same disease. Sara seems to have committed suicide, but Julia is unconvinced, and mounts an investigation into her sister’s death. Though the police and her husband Isaac (Lluís Homar) remain sceptical, she continues. Coming to believe that a strange and unseen presence is watching over her. As her eyesight deteriorates, the dangers that lurk in the shadows come out to attack.

Director Guillem Morales imbues the film with a similar mystery format to ‘The Orphanage’, but this film uses an entirely different aesthetic, recalling primarily the thrillers of Alfred Hitchcock and Italian giallo films (for example, the work of Mario Bava or Dario Argento). Several scenes revolve entirely around a sinister prop, not unlike the bag of money in ‘Psycho’, and the mysterious man wears black gloves, a giallo staple. In fact, in one scene in which the man is chased down a dark corridor by Julia and a line of flickering fluorescent lights, Morales manages to outdo anything by Argento. The camerawork is frequently impressive, especially towards the end in which a variety of characters move about without their faces ever being shown. As well as this the film has a couple of inventive scares along the way. Stylistically, the film is a great success, making it a very exciting and entertaining thriller.

However, the characters are the film’s most important calling cards. For a start, you care about what will happen to Julia. Belén Rueda delivers another powerful and completely convincing performance that refuses to be shaped and diluted by the otherworldly goings-on in the film. Homar, who plays her loving husband, complements her very well. Their relationship is conveyed in a very tender way, making these people adults rather than fodder to a twisting plot…for the most part.

Unfortunately, as the film progresses, it does try too hard to surprise, adding a few too many twists and turns to a plot that doesn’t need them. The characters fall into cipher mode to accommodate a few not particularly surprising moments and it all threatens to fall apart. Thankfully, the film doesn’t go too far down this road, recovering for a fairly touching ending.

‘Julia’s Eyes’ is a rollicking and exciting film, which doesn’t overstay its welcome long enough to tarnish the whole experience. It is a highly entertaining film with eye-catching visuals and real people that are worth caring about. Things get silly but the film remains a good thriller with a powerful atmosphere, made with genuine skill and heart.

We all know that story of the small town band that gets noticed on YouTube and makes it big. Boyce Avenue are the latest band in this trend. However, they are not just another name to add to the ever-expanding list!  The band deliver fresh acoustic sound and songs with real sentimental meaning. They embody what all music should be in this time of dance and techno takeover!

BY CHRISTOPHER SHARKEY

Opening the show in the Mandela Hall, were two You-Tube “claim to fame” artists who are slowly gaining the same popularity that Boyce Avenue  achieved through the site. The opening song set the scene for what this night would be about – acoustic sessions. Keywest Ireland, a band who I had never heard until this show, delivered a strong performance reminiscent of early John Mayer. But sadly, it was nothing new to the ears.  Although fans of the genre will no doubt anticipate the release of their first album later this year.

Following Keywest Ireland was newcomer Nick Howard. Being a loyal Howard fan from the early days, when YouTube was just a baby and not clustered with as many ads as the TV, I was very excited about this performance and oh did it deliver. Starting with a cover of Adele’s ‘Someone Like You’ I was nervous that the song would lose some of its emotion without a piano and strong female vocals; but instead Howard’s soft voice and natural ability brought it to a whole new level, winning over the crowd. Following with ‘Falling For You’, the debut single from his new album, Howard won over the hearts of the teenage-girl fan base by singing about falling in love. Anyone who listens to this song can tell this man is going places, and let’s hope he does! A special shout out to Howard for staying to meet the fans after the show, and yes, I got a photo to put on my bed side locker.

Finally, the big moment came, marked by deafening screams that filled Mandela hall. The three brothers of Boyce Avenue ran across stage to greet their screaming fans. There was no better way to start the performance than with a famous cover, which is how the band was first discovered! So as their lead singer, Alejandro, asked if I had ever felt like a plastic bag a confused viewer suddenly realised what was going on. The atmosphere became electric as ‘Firework’ by Katy Perry belted out. The entire crowd was singing along in praise for the band. Boyce Avenue took a good approach with their set list, a mixture of covers and their own material. The crowd seemed to respond more to the covers, mainly due to familiarity with the famous artists, but their own material had such a powerful and personal message that it moved the crowd. Such songs as ‘Brianne,’ that relied less on acoustic guitar and had more of a focus on electric and piano, were so touching the crowd remained silent during the performance with an outburst of steady applause at the end.

The band took their time to explain the meaning behind their original songs and particularly with ‘Brianne,’ the message was highly emotive. ‘Brianne’ is about the untold words between a husband and wife after a suicide, the song is very powerful. The performance went on with songs such as ‘Broken Angel’ and ‘Find Me’ in which the band use slow guitar and heartfelt lyrics. These pleased the crowd, but at times it did seem like the same song was on repeat. Don’t be mistaken in thinking this is a one-trick wonder band of slow paced songs and soppy lyrics. Songs such as ‘Tonight’ and ‘As The Lights Die’ bring out the bands electric funk side. These songs had more of a good quality feel and once these songs were presented Boyce Avenue had found their comfort within the crowd by mixing crowd pleasers, famous covers and moving songs. “You guys are crazy,” shouted Alejendro at the crowd as the beats of the Cajon began- a musical instrument most fans will be familiar with while first timers will be left thinking, “Why is he playing with his seat?” So as the words “I throw my hands up in the air sometimes” echoed through Mandela Hall, that’s exactly what we did. The song ‘Dynamite’ would be the best of the set, as the crowd became explosive with movement, jumping and screaming!

So as the night came to a close and the band departed the stage the screaming once again began which could mean only one thing… ENCORE! To close the show Boyce Avenue did what they did best and stuck to famous covers. As ‘Wonderwall’ filled the Hall the audience sang in sync with the band. In comparison with their next song ‘Back For Good,’ it was clear the male members of the audience were trying to maintain some dignity but it was clear that everyone knew the words of the Take That classic which Boyce Avenue did more than justice too.

Boyce Avenue will definitely have a future in music and I will be following them eagerly. This band is inspiring, to think how far they have come from posting videos on YouTube to touring Europe. Let’s just hope they continue to do what they do best, make original music that touches the hearts of their most loyal fans to first time listeners!

Two men were arrested and a viable device was defused in the early hours of Friday morning in an alley opening on Eblana Street, just off University Street. The alley opening lies just behind the headquarters of the Alliance Party. This building also doubles as the constituency office of Anna Lo, MLA.

BY LORCAN MULLEN

Police scene-of-crime officers are still working at the scene of a failed dissident bomb attack in the university area.

The Alliance Party’s leader David Ford serves as the Justice Minister in the Northern Ireland Executive: in this role, he is nominally in charge of the police’s anti-dissident efforts, and has also been at loggerheads with a number of

republican groups over alleged ill-treatment of prisoners.

In a statement issued by the party, the deputy leader Naomi Long MP acknowledged that Alliance HQ was the target:

“Over the years, Alliance has faced many threats and we say to those who wish to cause instability that such acts merely strengthen our resolve to deliver peace and stability and build a society free from division and prejudice.”

Ms Long also condemned the perpetrators, stating they have “utter disregard for the lives of local people.” No representatives from Alliance could be reached for further comment; a party worker at headquarters was unwilling to give any comment beyond the issued statement.

Details of the circumstances of the failed attack remain unclear. While two men were arrested at the scene, a further two men and a woman were also arrested for suspected dissident activities last night at undisclosed locations elsewhere in Belfast. A taxi used by the Eblana Street suspects was also seized by the police for further examination.

A police spokesperson acknowledged that the Eblana Street arrests were made as part of that broader anti-dissident operation, and not as a result of local patrols. The police were unwilling to explain why the suspects still managed to successfully deliver a viable device to its apparent target.

While no group has claimed responsibility, the Republican Network for Unity staged a recent protest at the Alliance offices, attempting to deliver a letter calling on David Ford to stop alleged strip-searching of republican inmates at Maghaberry prison.

According to a statement issued by RNU, Alliance refused the activists entry and called the police. RNU reportedly have close links to Óglaigh na hÉireann, the dissident group responsible for the attack on PSNI officer Peadar Heffron, amongst others.

The university area has seen a number of similar incidents recently. Last night’s events follow the planting of viable pipe bomb at Queen’s Officer Training Corps, and the sectarian intimidation of a QUBSU sabbatical officer at home following the ratification of the Republican Congress society by the student representative council. Both incidents happened in this academic year. A police spokesperson insisted that the investigation of the OTC device is still active.

Speaking for the students’ union, VP Welfare Adam McGibbon said: “Queen’s Students’ Union utterly condemns this senseless act. For it to happen at any time of the year is bad, but endangering and stressing out students during exam time is completely unacceptable: these people have no support among students and the community.”

‘The Hangover Part II’ is the inevitable sequel to a film which proved that comedies that were unfunny, unlikeable and thoroughly boring, could be both commercial and critical hits. This one proves that they can have equally unfunny, unlikeable and thoroughly boring sequels.

BY MATTHEW MCKERNAN

The film picks up two years after the events of the first film, with Stu (Ed Helms) preparing to fly over to Thailand for his wedding. Along comes Phil (Bradley Cooper) and, to everyone’s dismay, Alan (Zack Galifianakis). Eventually, they all wake up in a sleazy hotel room in inner city Bangkok with someone missing and a wedding to get to.

One of the main problems with ’The Hangover Part II’ is that it follows the exact structure of the first one, almost scene by scene, making it about as worthwhile as one of Haneke’s or Van Sant’s shot-for-shot remakes. There are no changes beyond the location, and the species of animal that they have to deal with. Smugness pervades as we are dragged from one tired set piece to another without any improvements made to the equally tired formula of the first film. The lack of character development isn’t a shock. However, as it has been clearly shown before, these are not characters; these are loud, screaming, incredibly irritating voids. Alan is still weird, Stu is still having trouble asserting himself, Phil is still a child, Mr. Chow (a grating Ken Joeng) jumps out of something and everything stops for another terrible musical number. The idea seems to be that people will be happy to pay to see the first film again if you alter some slight details.

It took three writers to string all of this together, an incoherent film filled with bits and pieces held together by a structure that has proven entirely unsuccessful. It’s a mystery film in which people look back at things that have already happened. We know the outcome and we can guess the reason, so why bother showing us. For example, Stu wakes up with the much-litigated Tyson tattoo. Why did he get it? Because he was drunk. Do we really need the film to get bogged down in the intricacies of how he got it?

It is worth pointing out that none of this would particularly matter if the film was funny. Comedy is probably the only genre which can be gravely terrible in every way, but which can get away with it if it is funny. These films aren’t funny, because the characters aren’t well drawn and the situations they get into just aren’t believable. They aim for outlandish, but manage only to become fantasy. At least ’Dude, Where’s My Car?’ was clever enough to become complete science fiction, rather than trying to convince the audience that all this could happen. Ultimately, however, the film just isn’t funny because it lacks any conceivable wit, uses only tried-and-tested jokes and repeats them again and again. And then a couple more times after that.

If you like ’The Hangover’ then just watch it again. If you don’t, then pay for something worthwhile.

After working through the first Eurovision semi-final, the second clearly allowed for a well deserved break. Essays are due (impending doom), but Jedward and ice cream are too hard to resist. Glee is clearly a big influence this year, the best act being Estonia with the Rachel Berry-esque girl singing about going to Rockefeller Street. There is no Rockefeller Street, in case you were wondering, but that is irrelevant for the voters of Eurovision.

BY EMMA GALLEN

Sweden were another Glee-tastic entry, singing about how they just want to be popular. They got through to the final in case you didn’t get to enjoy Eric and his floppy hair.

Israel, who are not particularly European, were a shock loser of the night. Transgender Dana International were trending worldwide on Twitter but failed to make it to the final.  Perhaps the voting public and music industry professionals decided they wanted European countries, or maybe Gary Spedding now has a massive phone bill.

The other surprising omission was Slovakia’s Twins.  Two very attractive girls, who would not look out of place on Hollyoaks or The Only Way is Essex with their legs and boobs out. And they delivered another Glee-esque song. They would have been able to double date with Jedward too.

Scott Mills, who was commentating on BBC3, was devastated at Austria getting through with their musical style ballad. His major issue being that the girl singing had an asymmetric bob.

Slovenia were one of the best.  The scantily clad woman sang, “No one will love you, no one will touch you, no one like me.”  Whoever “you” are, you are clearly a horrible person and will never feel the love of the “Slovenian Christina Aguilera” (that’s the BBC’s term).

Other countries who qualified were Romania, with Hotel FM who had an English lead singer, Moldova, with their gnome wizards, and Denmark, with A Friend in London, who copied Jedward’s hair. Ukraine, who were not memorable also qualified, as did Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the man who wrote their national anthem.

The highlight was undoubtedly Jedward.  They were born for Eurovision.  They can’t sing, can barely dance and do nothing in time with each other, but ‘Lipstick’ is Eurovision-gold. The hair, the outfits and the entertainment value of the twins is what Eurovision is all about.  Plus the song is ridiculously catchy.

BY COLIN WILLIAMSON

The pace and skill required for the abbreviated form of the game suited the exciting brand of rugby demonstrated by QUBRFC over the past two seasons, which has seen the club claim the All Ireland League Division 3 title and firmly establish themselves in Division 2. A competitive and successful foray into Sevens rugby will surely set the boys up for further success next season, with promotion to the top table of Irish Rugby the ultimate goal.

This most recent victory affords the students a shot at the All Ireland title, to be fought out amongst the other provincial champions at St Mary’s College RFC, Dublin, on the 21^st May.

I’m by no means fluent in French, but I know my feel-good tunes when I hear them! Enter ‘Safari Disco Club’, a soundtrack to your summer just waiting to be played out along side beach parties, living room raves (complete with home-made foam machine) and night drives in the tepid summer air. Yes, it’s sung entirely in French with the exception of a bonus remix track, but that doesn’t make it incomprehensible if you’re not Pepé Le Pew. Fun transcends the language barrier with this album. You’ll probably make more sense of these lyrics than Lady Gaga’s newest export anyway. Plus they toured with Katy Perry on her UK tour earlier this spring, bringing the exposure Yelle needs to make it big here on the summer circuit.

BY JANETTE LOUGHLIN

‘Safari Disco Club’ is one trippin’ techo-induced drug laced journey into surrealism. With existential ponderings on wanderlust mixed in with slightly more trivial aspects of life, like dreaming of a ‘Wayne’s World 3′, Yelle have created a perfect pop balance between sassy and slightly serious music. Not to be underestimated, the French three piece rose to fame in 2005 with ‘Je Veux Te Voir’, which poked fun at certain French rappers. Like their previous album, ‘Pop Up’, ‘Safari Disco Club’ packs a punch. This isn’t cheesy Euro-pop, this is on the brink of now-nouveau sounds that have been expertly grafted with the help of producer Grandmarnier.

The eponymous track fuses an array of sounds; from ping ponging brass beats to plucky Vampire Weekend-esque guitar riffs. ‘C’est Pas Une Vie’ is sweet and wistful during verses, but leaps into a cheeky school-girl chant for the chorus; tongue in cheek, it captures a certain … Je ne sais quoi! ‘La Musique’ sounds a bit like you’ve been sucked into a game of Super Mario with all its dream-pop sounds but beware the saucy undertones! This ain’t no Yo Gabba Gabba kid-pop. ‘Mon Pays’ is full of constant, mini tense hyper lifts, adding a touch of drama and depth to fuzz and distortion. It has that essence of electro-organ that sounds like it belongs to Sesame Street’s The Count.

‘Le Grand Saut’, (The Big Jump), and ‘Unillusion’ (here comes that existentialism you’ve been promised!) combine notes of seriousness with an expert flippancy. It would be easy to overlook the political undertones layered throughout ‘Unillusion’ due to all the synth flying around, but haven’t important cultural messages always reached the masses with through pop in some way or another? Thank you MC Nxtgen & Rob Gee (“Andrew Lansley – tosser!”). ‘S’eteint Le Soleil’ uses dub-step wobbles as a backdrop for sweet-as-sucre vocals. It shimmers with that summer vibe before melting into a plucky instrumental bridge.

The remixes noticeably slow down the pace, letting the album linger on just a little longer before it finishes. ‘Que Veux-Tu’, remixed by Madeon, is a reminiscent of a Kylie Minogue track; that perfect blend of 80s pop fused with a zany synth-laden hook. ‘Chimie Physique’, remixed by Fortune, introduces English into the mix. It feels a bit like modern Duran Duran, if slowed down and drawn out. The final track, ‘Mon Pays’ (Lo Fi Fnk Remix) opens like elevator music, taking us up up and away in a Willy Wonka glass creation.

Français has had its moment in the UK mainstream music limelight. With club hits like ‘Alors On Danse’ by Stromae belting out of clubs all last summer, and the popularity of French music to promote French brands, á la Brigitte Bardot’s ‘Moi Je Joux’ for Miss Dior Cherie, it’s been incorporated into our pop culture today as a fun and playful language. French Canadian bands like Stars and Arcade Fire have incorporated French into their songs numerous times, proving success doesn’t have to come in plain English. ‘Safari Disco Club’ is catchy and hyper fun, enjoy it with some skittles vodka this sunshinetime.

The McClay library was evacuated earlier due to a serious sewage leak onto the foyer of the ground floor which resulted in the library being closed for the majority of the day.

BY SEAN ASHFORD

At 12:15pm sewage began to spill out from the bathrooms on the ground floor covering a large section of the foyer floor. Students were immediately evacuated from the building with staff attempting to cordon off the affected areas.

A member of staff said the decision was taken for health and safety reasons as the untreated waste material posed a serious health hazard. They also were forced to turn off power to the elevators due to their close proximity to the affected areas and the risk of the sewage seeping through the elevator shaft into the basement bellow.

When a member of staff addressed the evacuated students outside he informed them that the computer rooms in the MBC would be opened to accommodate them and that the library would open again with two to three hours, although information later put this at closer to a 5pm reopening time.

A number of students were extremely angry at the events which had unfolded with many stating how this had the potential to affect their exam preparations. One student said, “they don’t understand the problem, it doesn’t matter about opening computers in the MBC, most people were there to use reference books and now we can’t. It’s a disgrace.”

It is yet unclear whether the problem has affected the bathrooms on the other floors, it was mentioned that there was a general plumbing problem. If so then the library may remain closed for a longer period of time than originally forecast.

BY EMMA GALLEN AND BEN FINCH

It is as follows:

Editors – Emma Gallen and Ben Finch 

News – Sean Ashford

Arts and Entertainment – Priya Biring

Features – Janette Loughlin

Sport – Colin Williamson

Lifestyle – Claire Williamson and Megan Liddy

Opinions – Alex Redpath

Business Manager – Sarah Arnold

Promotions Manager – Niall Crozier

Design – Andrew Mulholland

Congratulations to all who got positions, we’re confident we have a strong team.  Commiserations to those who didn’t, everyone interviewed did very well and left us with some hard decisions.  We hope you will still contribute.

A letting agency in the South Belfast area, called QUB Student Rentals, has raised alarms in the Students’ Union.

The company is completely unrelated to the university which VP Welfare Adam McGibbon says may mislead students.  He says, “It’s important to underline that ‘QUB Rentals’ have nothing to do with Queen’s or the Students’ Union, and students shouldn’t be fooled into thinking that their name implies any extra security or reputability than any other letting agent.”

BY EMMA GALLEN

Using the term “QUB” is contentious, as it signifies the university.  Declan Boyle, from QUB Student Rentals, sees no issue with using the term, saying, “I don’t believe we have to [be associated with the university].”

QUB Student Rentals say the initials stand for Queen’s University, University of Ulster and Belfast Metropolitan College.

Adam McGibbon, along with  SU Director Andrew Dodge and Mike Uprichard of QUB Accommodation, have been in contact about the situation and are seeking legal advice on the matter.

Declan Boyle, however, states that, “The Union hasn’t been on to me about anything.”

Plans are in place to open an SU Letting Agency next year, and there is concern from the Union that students will be misinformed and confuse the two.

BY EMMA GALLEN

The key difference between the 2010-11 League and that of this year is the drop in graduate employment.  QUB’s 5% drop from74.7% 69.4% is only repeated in the top 50 with Leeds University, which fell from 70.5% to 65.8%, and Queen Mary, who dropped from 76% graduate prospects to 71.7%. Aberdeen took the biggest hit falling from 76.8% to 69.4% and falling two places overall in the league.  Leeds fell five positions.

Yet QUB, in a similar position with graduate prospects and scoring lower in all the individual assessments listed on the basic table compared to Queen Mary, has been placed higher. Queen’s best performance was in facilities spend, i.e. the McClay library and all the recent work that has been carried out in the Elmwood Hall and Elms.

A Queen’s University spokesperson said: “This ranking acknowledges the University’s ongoing commitment to enhancing the life-changing student experience which it offers, and its growing reputation as an academic centre of excellence on the national and international stage.”

BY STEPHEN CONLON

Programme Editor Vicki Mohan described ‘Rough Cuts’ as “an opportunity to express our creativity, explore our imagination and create theatre,” and this was most evident in the amalgamation of the sets used for each play. Before the performance commenced, the stage was a cluttered mess of mannequins, chairs, doors, benches and bin lids, not forgetting the front half a red convertible car, until eventually the sets were stripped down and taken away as each play featured a well choreographed and seamless transition into the next.

‘Rough Cuts’ began with ‘Passing Places’, “a road movie for the stage,” originally written by Stephen Greenhorn and adapted for this stage by Ryan Crown, a QUB student and the host of Queens Radio’s ‘The Culture Show’. The play had a fairly light-hearted feel, evoking plenty of laughs from the audience, until it closed with an earnest monologue delivered by the main character Alex, played by Robbie Cully. In any of its incarnations, the play relies on the dynamic between Alex and his ditzy friend Brian, here played by Sam Gribben, and Crown’s actors do a nice, convincing job of portraying this relationship in the brief time-slot they had.

The contemplative conclusion to ‘Passing Places’ was radically juxtaposed by the intense drama of ‘Faustus’, a grim and psychological narrative directed by Kerry Burns that stays true to the original Christopher Marlowe text. The costumes were exceptional, the cast was charismatic, and the whole production ran remarkably tightly yet still finding moments of what felt like spontaneity.

‘Rough Cuts’ then took another surprising shift in genres with the nineteenth-century play ‘Lady Windermere’s Fan’. This piece explored issues prominent to the time period such as gender relations and social expectations. These were acted out wonderfully by Sarah McLaughlin and Aine Dambrook, and if the audience had not already realised it by this point, then ‘Lady Windermere’s Fan’ demonstrated that ‘Rough Cuts’ was proving to be an entertaining showcase of the dramatic talent at Queen’s University.

The intermission was book-ended by two raucously-received comedy plays, ‘Sparkleshark’ and ‘Black Comedy’ before delving into some of the most pensive and psychological offerings of the showcase in Sarah Kane’s ‘Crave’ and Brian Friel’s ‘Winners’. Again, ‘Sparkleshark’ and ‘Black Comedy’ featured talented actors with great chemistry and timing. They proved to be the perfect one-two punch in engaging with and eliciting laughter from the audience. They indulged heavily in physical comedy, but generally avoided falling into the pitfalls of farce and slapstick. By all means, the plays were heightened, extreme and bordering on lunacy, but the cast and the directors always seemed in control of the action.

‘Crave’ was arguably the most divisive portion of ‘Rough Cuts’, as is often the case with Kane’s work, due in large part to the absence of a linear narrative and the fact that such a psychologically complex piece followed ‘Black Comedy’. Unlike most of the plays here which have had a long, commercial life, Kane’s works have been largely marginalised by the theatre-going community, and her own controversial, abrupt death makes watching her plays a very disturbing experience. Nonetheless, the actors were once again excellent and at the hands of a fantastic director.

‘Winners’ struck a greater balance between comedy and drama as a solemn news report of the ambiguous deaths of two teenagers ran parallel to the teenagers’ fixation on school, marriage and impending parenthood. James Maguire and Natasha Harbinson worked flawlessly together as the young, eccentric couple, while Lauren Dornan and Hannah Webb excelled as the ominous narrators. ‘Winners’ really was quite moving at times and it exemplified the range of talent to be found among current QUB Drama students. In fact, ‘Rough Cuts’ as a whole featured so many fantastic pairings and groups that it was a genuine treat for the audience to see each cast converge in an amusing group performance of ‘IPH!’ directed by Holly Conlon. The performers received an enthusiastic applause and showed future students that the 2011 showcase is the one to beat.

BY MATTHEW MISKIMMIN

Mike ‘The Streets’ Skinner, to his credit, answered this question by resolving to sing exclusively about life in LA surrounded by cocktails and recreational drugs, but Glasvegas frontman and most serious man in Scotland, James Allan, has responded by ignoring the question, investing in an all-white wardrobe, and making a ludicrously overblown, frankly ridiculous second album.

Indeed, Allan must be the only man in the world who heard ‘Glasvegas’ and decided that it wasn’t quite overblown or ridiculous enough. ‘EUPHORIC /// HEARTBREAK \\\’ largely tackles issues associated with euphoria and heartbreak, and kicks off with exactly three minutes of Allan muttering ‘pain, pain never again’, while a woman rambles in French. Kool and the Gang it is not. This is supposed to flow seamlessly and powerfully into opening track proper ‘The World is Yours’, an effect which is lost when interrupted by the exciting news that Spotify is hiring. It might be wise to invest in the CD if you’re actually interested in Allan’s grandiose vision.

Nevertheless, the track is a notable highlight, and the band’s decision to hire a proper drummer, sadly absent in the past, immediately pays dividends – it is bracing, urgent and good enough to convince even the most cynical of reviewers. Sadly, ‘You’ of is the first of several big-anthems-by-numbers, which involve Allan bellowing one phrase repeatedly while his band rattle through the big book of rock clichés (no doubt nicked off the Edge while he wasn’t looking; Glasvegas have enlisted U2’s producer, a man called Mark Ellis, who prefers to be called ‘Flood’). ‘Lots Sometimes’ is the worst offender, not least because it lasts seven minutes.

However, there are many indisputably awful bands, and Glasvegas are not one of them. Some second albums have been so poor that those responsible have quite rightly been pilloried. James Allan might write unlistenable power ballads like ‘Whatever Hurts You Through The Night’, but that doesn’t make him Tom Clarke from The Enemy. On at least two occasions he hits the jackpot. The synth-drenched ‘Dream Dream Dreaming’ is genuinely affecting and builds patiently to a terrific crescendo, while ‘Shine Like Stars’ is a straightforward indie-rock anthem which could have been written by Brandon Flowers. As such it is a welcome relief on an album which is otherwise overwrought and over-produced. Meanwhile, you won’t need to buy the album to hear ‘Euphoria, Take My Hand’, as it might has well have been written specifically to soundtrack Premier League television coverage. Perhaps it was. It is only a lesser version of Coldplay’s ‘Life in Technicolour’ though, so Sky Sports will probably just carry on using that.