SHUlifeYour Union. Your Life.

Issue 01 Free

Mr hudsonsongs, shows and Kanye West

baracK obaMaWhere did it all go wrong?

International recipes... Example interview... styles on campus... artwork by Kid solo... sports roundup...

Much, much more...February 2010

General EditorsJames ClareyWill Campbell

Film EditorMark Lankester

Sports EditorMike Whatmore

Welcome to the new look SHUlife. It’s been a while, and a lot has changed. First off, we would like to introduce ourselves as the new

editors - James Clarey and Will Campbell. Both third year media students, we’ve tried to create a varied magazine to reflect our modern, dynamic university. Over the next few months, we will try to bring you content that you find relevant, entertaining and informative – content that represents your views and interests.

We would like to see this magazine become an open fo-rum of opinion for all the student body. If there are issues to address, points to be raised or news to be spread, we’d urge you to get involved and speak out. We’d like to thank everyone involved and hope you enjoy reading the magazine.

Corrigan FoleyVicky LangleyHannah RobinsonKezia BuckleyMegan BaldwinCorey KitchenerDanny YoungJen SheppeckSarah WaltersNisha Karavadra

Kate BerresfordRuth WildeAdam KayAlex LynnHayley RitchieKris HollandMatt RogersonSam GinnsJames Gregory

EDITORS

CONTRIBUTORS

NEWS

FEATURES

REGULARS

4 UNIVeRSItY 28 SpOrt

6 Mr hudSOnWill Campbell talks to the singer about his road into the music industry and working with Kanye West

8 ObaMa’S firSt yearJames Clarey discovers what the US president has achieved in his first 365 days and why his ratings have plummeted

10 internatiOnal cuiSineHannah Robinson shares her recipes for traditional classics from around the world

12 faShiOntrends for 2010 and Sheffield’s vintage scene14 SCIeNCeFighting terrorists with terahertz15 artwOrkSam Ginns and Kid Solo19 ARtSMapplethorpe exhibition at Graves

20 FILMthe Road, A Prophet and this month’s top 5 and Masterpiece22 cOMpetitiOnS23 MUSICexample interview, Vampire Weekend and Jamie t26 tRAVeLInterRailing explained, Perhentian Islands and Snowbombing

to advertise in SHUlife, contact Katie Johnson at k.johnson@shu.ac.uk

For any other information regarding SHUlife or to get involved, contact us at shu.life@hotmail.com

Disclaimer:the views expressed in this publication are the views of the individual contributors and do not represent the views and opinions of Hallam union, its staff and officers.

Advertisements do not constitute a recommendation by SHUlife or Hallam Union.

All details correct at time of going to print. © 2010

EDITORIAL contents

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FEATURED ARTISTthis month’s featured artwork is by Sheffield based Kid Solo. Inspired by independent cinema and with an arts & crafts mentality, his works are individual and acces-sible in equal measure. Our centrefold art, ‘play it cool’, shows Buffalo 66 heroine Layla and twin Peaks beauty Audrey Horne engrossed in dance. While our cover im-age, ‘Swedish Girl’, is an off key portrait of an acquain-tance from the continent.

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Hallam digital project sows seeds for better Indian crops A Hallam-developed system giving farmers in rural India tailored and expert advice to resolve problems with their crops has won the Manthan South Asia Digital empowerment Award. academics from Sheffield hallam university worked with a farmers’ co-operative to design a software package for use on a mobile phone, allowing farmers to take pictures of particular prob-lems and also describe what they see on an audio track. the Kheti system then sends the information from farmers in remote Madhya Pradesh to agricultural advisors, who can discuss and help to resolve the problems. dr andy dearden, a reader at Sheffield hallam who managed the project, said: “the system was first launched in rural india at the beginning of 2009, so winning this award is a fitting way to end the year. We are discussing next steps for this project, but are hopeful that we can make further inroads to improve commu-nication across the third world.”

Architecture Technology students sweep the board in national awardsthree Sheffield hallam university students have cleaned up at the Chartered Institute for Architecture technology (CIAt) awards, taking every gong on offer for the third year running. Student Aimie Rimmington was awarded the CIAt Student Award for technical excellence in Architectural technology for her compre-hensive design project. the Sheffield hallam project was a hypotheti-cal design proposal for the site at the southern edge of Sheaf Square adjacent to Sheffield railway Station. the students were expected to produce complete architectural solutions for this key part of Shef-field’s city centre. andrew Stanford received a highly commended award and Kieran Mappleback was given a Commended award, each for their work on the Sheffield digital campus. Norman Wienand, Head of Architecture and Planning at Shef-field hallam, said: “aimie’s submission was an excellent technical project which reflected the ethos of the competition. Our architec-tural technology course is very special and winning the awards for the third year in a row reflects the high standard of the architecture programme, the support of our business partners and the dedication of the students.”

robotics experts from Sheffield hallam university have been work-ing with firefighters from South yorkshire fire & rescue to show-case a unique group of firefighting robots. researchers say the robots, called Guardians and Viewfinders, could revolutionise the way fire-fighters work. funded by the european union, the Guardians are a ‘swarm’ of robots that can navigate and search urban areas like warehouses and factories. the Guardians warn of toxic chemicals and provide mobile communication links with human firefighters. the robots carry laser-range, radio-signal and ultrasound

sensors. they can be used to assist search and rescue during large scale incidents, such as warehouse fires and chemical spills. “the Guardian robots navigate autonomously and accompany a traditional human firefighter,” Said dr Jacques penders, from Sheffield hallam’s centre for automation and robotics research “they connect to a wireless ad-hoc network and forward data to the human operator and the control station. “Viewfinders autonomously navigate through and inspect an area and the interface ensures the human firefighters a good, rel-evant overview of the ground and the rescue workers inside.

HALLAm SHOWCASES FIREFIGHTING ROBOTS

Sheffield hallam university have launched a unique set of sports events management modules, in partnership with the London Organising committee of the Olympic Games (lOcOG). hallam is the only university in the uk to officially partner with lOcOG in this way. the ‘media operations’ modules are designed to introduce stu-dents to the process and practice of working with the media during major sport events, providing opportunities to work with the media during the london 2012 Olympic and paralympic Games. “the Sheffield hallam media operations programme offers stu-dents a unique opportunity to launch their careers,” Said Olympic gold medallist and lOcOG board Member Jonathan edwards. On successful completion of the modules, students will be well placed to apply for volunteer positions to help manage the 5,600 accredited media representatives at the Games’ Main Press

centre. lOcOG will begin recruitment for the volunteer programme later this year. “Its great news for the region,” said Rosemary Leach, princi-pal lecturer in sport at the university, “and will mean hundreds of regional students will have opportunities to volunteer at the London 2012 games.” An estimated 600 students are expected to apply for the mod-ules before the start of the Games. the modules will continue to run long after the Games have concluded to ensure students are able to help deliver the media operations function for other major sporting events. these modules are open to students studying BSc (Hons) Sport event Management and BSc (Hons) Sport Development with Coaching.

OLympIC mODULES FOR 2012

n ew s

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Students from Sheffield hallam university helped mark the one year anniversary of the brutal Gaza attacks outside Information Commons on 19th January. the Palestine Society held the vigil to commemorate the innocent victims who lost their lives in the Israeli assault in dec 2008. Students from all over Sheffield gathered to remember the people who died in the attacks. Students at the event read out the names of the victims and held a candlelight vigil. the names of all 1500 victims were remembered and many students took time out of the busy exam period to attend and pay their respects on this one year anniversary. from 27th december 2008, israel led a series of rocket fire attacks on the Gaza strip before moving onto a ground based invasion. the three week conflict killed 1400 civilian palestinians, wounded over 5000 and displaced over 50,000. During the Israeli offensive, allegations of soldier misconduct and the use of white phospuros were reported in manners outside of international law. While much of the world condemned the hostilities and called for peace, the Western powers of Australia, America, Canada and the United Kingdom neither endorsed the Israeli position or refused to condemn anyone other than Hamas - a Palestinian political group. although a deeply rooted religious and racial conflict over stolen land, in order for peace to be established and innocent lives saved, we must put pressure on the University, the government and the world to take action on Israel’s illegal and inhumane actions. Currently, Israel continues its siege on Gaza, resulting in a des-perate shortage of basic necessities such as food, water and drugs. Approximately 80% of the population in Gaza is relying on humani-tarian aid and support to survive. Much more aid and support is needed to rebuild the lives that have been destroyed and displaced - an effort which is being hampered by Israel’s Gaza blockade, which the united nations has called a ‘war crime’ and urged to be referred to the International Criminal Court.

last year, the Sheffield Students against israel’s attack on Gaza held numerous campaigns and sit-ins to pressure Universities to act on the Israeli attacks. the society hopes vigils such as this will continue to put pressure on the University to play an active role in supporting the union policy of end israeli Occupation event organizer raisa ahmed, from the university of Sheffield Palestinian Society, said, “It made it so much more real to see the endless list of names of actual people who had suffered. the event also made us realise how much work there is to be done. Although it is true that we can’t solve the conflict in one day, we can continue to put pressure on our universities to not comply and passively sup-port oppression.’

Nisha Karavadra

a researcher at Sheffield hallam university will swap academia for acting when he appears in an online soap opera, produced and acted by people with learning difficulties. Alex McClimens, a senior research fellow, will have a cameo role in Haddon Street - a soap opera made by people with learning dis-abilities from the Great Holm Lifelong Learning project, run by national charity MacIntyre. “I’m really looking forward to entering the surreal world of Haddon Street,” Alex said, “the soap is a brilliant cross between the ChuckleBrothers and the Muppet Show, with a soundtrack by Daft Punk.” the soap focuses on the lives of thecolourful characters that live on the semi-fictitious haddon Street in Milton Keynes. Alex will play character Nick Nitro’s long-lost father, after the producers of the show read a review he had writtenand invited him to make a one-off guest ap-pearance. Paul Payne, a learning support worker with the group, said: “the cast and crew are delighted that Alex agreed to appear in our show - he will certainly be a welcome addition.” the programme is an irreverent and sometimes surreal look at the daily lives of the larger-than-life characters that inhabit the street. the cast and crew were keen that the programme wasn’t just about learning disability issues, so it focuses on universal topics such

Soap opera stardom for Hallam researcheras bullying and relationships too. the first episode of haddon Street was ‘aired’ in 2008 after the media group at Great Holm taught the people who use the service to use various multimedia devices and applications. they originally intended to produce a magazine to document their lives but thought that it would have limited appeal so a television programme was the way they decided to go.

The episode featuring Alex will be uploaded to the Haddon Street website later in the year. Visit http://www.myspace.com/haddonstreet for more d

STUDENTS mARK GAzA ATTACK ANNIvERSARy

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I’m balancing a Cornish pasty on my right knee, a pocket-sized note pad on my left and the phone under my chin, when it dawns on me how chal-lenging this music journalism business really is. Honestly, I put it to any multi-tasker to keep their notes ordered, pasty pigeon-free and convince a tour manager they’re about 500 metres closer to the venue than they actually are.

After a short sprint and an extremely brief chal-lenge with security, I am shoved through into a hub of activity and things seem a lot more familiar. Stage hands are fixing up the kits, techies buzz whilst fiddling with lights, and the lean figure of Mr. Hudson is leaning against the high balcony siding. trademark bleached blonde hair and leather jacket, somnolent posture and easy words. I began to feel good about this interview.I start vague, knowing only what Wikipedia can pre-pare me with, so a good all-encompassing question is needed. What is Mr. Hudson’s music all about? What is its ethos? “Well that’s like asking a chef ‘what’s food all about?’” he starts in a vexed tone, but after a moment’s thought, a more diplomatic an-swer arrives, “well, with the new album ‘Straight no Chaser’,” he says, “I wanted it to be more inclusive. whether you’re five or 85 you can still enjoy it.”

the sound certainly has an inclusive nature, stretching from elements of alternative rock to con-temporary R&B. In the past he has supported such acts as the Police, Kanye West and Calvin Harris. Does he see an obvious link between rock, pop and dance? “I don’t think they are mutually exclusive. artists nowadays can pick and mix their influences.”

So if you have never encountered Mr. Hudson, where would be a good starting point? What would you need to know? “Just listen to the albums start to finish, give them the time they deserve. form your own conclusions.” Something tells me self-publicity does not come easily to Ben Hudson.

even though he is signed to Kanye-run record label, ‘G.O.O.d Music’, and sites andre 3000 and dizzee rascal as influences, ben insists he is not just an R&B act. “Straight No Chaser,” he continues, “is re-ally an on-going growth of me as a person.”

So what would be the main difference between ‘Straight no chaser’ and debut album, ‘tale of two Cities’? “the new album sounds more travelled,” he muses, “each song on there is like a postcard from the time or place.” Indeed, if there were three themes I could mention that build up Ben Hudson, they would be travel, growth and escape. even though we have only been talking for ten minutes, his personality comes across as one that is extremely footloose. I get the impression his reluctance to affiliate himself with a genre, or commit to any sort of ethos is down to T

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Ben Hudson shows Will Campbell why being an Oxford graduate doesn’t have to be synonymous with banking, suing and the masons

his need for individualism. even now I get the impression most things are interesting him more than my questions. His phone, the table, the room next door. Does Mr. Hudson want to escape?

i take a punt at another question. One of my personal favourites - where does he see himself in a year’s time? there is a long silence while he finishes his text. i almost begin to ask the question again when he says, “A year’s time?” there is another pause, “I want travel with this new album and to keep evolving as an artist.” Maybe we’ve dwelled too much on the albums and the gigs, so what about ben hudson himself? how did an Oxford graduate fall into the role of pop sensation? “I don’t like the idea of being fenced in,” he says, “All my uni friends went off to become bankers and lawyers. that’s not for me.”

Before Mr. Hudson and the Library (as they were formally known) took flight, ben was an avid countryside beer brewer. a strange but under-standable wing of his footloose nature, finding the right occupation is something Ben took very seriously. “You have to try all the aspects. Like seats on a bus, everyone has their favourite spot but you have to try each of them first.” Still though, how does an Oxford graduate actually become such a hit in the pop community? “If anything, uni equipped me with the confidence to be creative. i could have skipped uni and gone down to London to make it in music but I don’t think I was ready.”

to be honest, before this meeting, all I knew of Mr. Hudson was that he is endorsed by Zane lowe, ‘Q’s breakthrough artist and he is mates with Kanye. Leaving the interview, I have to say, I’m really not sure why. the new album is, in some respects, a well produced pop product. However, I personally thought it was an effort to listen to and little satisfaction gained. Certainly no leap-out singles like his debut.

‘tale of two cities’ had a home-grown acoustic feel with Motown and piano cleverly interweaved. Its arrival in pop music was largely unre-ported in comparison to ‘Straight no chaser’. there is no doubt that kanye west is the catalyst to hudson’s success: “kanye has definitely given me a huge spotlight and developed new tools for me mentally and musically”. All I hope for Mr. Hudson is that the fan-base built by ‘tale of two cities’ isn’t put off too much by the kanye-induced change in sound.

f e at u re sIllustration: Jam

es Gregory

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NEW SOCIETIES FOR 2010Hallam Asian SocietyHallam Asian Society is all about bringing together people from different Asian and Arabic back-grounds to provide great entertainment, socials and opportunities to meet new people. they hold nights providing a mix of r’n’b, hip hop, garage, dancehall and bhangra – expect performers! Movie nights, sporting and cultural events and shisha socials at local hotspots all designed to integrate the community, provide entertainment and promote their culture! Members can also take advantage of discounts at local clubs and cafes and benefit from being part of a society associated with Asiana magazine by getting free mags, free access to national events and great graduate op-portunities... membership is free, so you can sign up today. everyone is welcome!

S.A.M.E.E.M Societythe SaMeeM Society is designed to enrich and enlighten the minds of university students through discovery of the ‘self’ through a forgot-ten dimension – spirituality - enhancing both physical and psychological health. SaMeeM Society will be particularly active in providing a series of personal programs and activities for overcoming the stress of exams and coursework. their aim is to produce a new generation of professional, well rounded and balanced individuals who will benefit the community. to achieve this level of excellence they provide a methodology for self-realization and personal development to instil the qualities needed to succeed not just in your work environment but your day-to-day life. the society will offer a unique combination of lecture seminars, networking opportunities, and pre- and post- graduate practical advice.

Aerospace Societyinterested in aerospace? fascinated by planes and gliders? the Sheffield hallam aerospace Society is for people interested in all things aerospace. Among the many activities planned, the society also organises trips to air shows and aviation career fairs. there will hopefully be opportunities for discount-ed flying/gliding. Members can also enjoy having regular society-themed nights out, which is a great opportunity to meet new people and have some fun! Membership is £7 for the year, which will be put towards a hoody and possibly membership to a local gliding club!

Table Football Society the table Football Society is another new society recently passed by the union. It is perfect for anyone who enjoys playing table football just for fun, or even for competitions. the society is looking for the union to purchase a football table for the HUBs. Membership is free and available to anyone - whether you have been playing all your life, or are just looking to give it a try! if anyone enjoys playing on a footy table, they need as many people as possible to join so they can persuade the union to buy a football table for the HUBs. the society will be holding regular events and cash prize competitions.

to be a part of any of these new societies, just join on facebook and go down to the hubs with a passport photo and sign up! Some societies do require membership but others are free and are a great way to meet many different types of people, have great nights out and enjoy learning and experiencing new things!

Nisha Karavadra

f e at u re s

Valentine’s Day What’s it all about? Find out with vicky Langley’s love day report.

February has arrived and brings with it the Valentine’s Day lovers and haters. the old argument about it being too com-mercial and a way for shops and businesses to make money

rears its ugly head again. It’s true that the moment Christmas is over card shops get their Valentine’s Day stock out - a friend of mine is in New York at the moment and says the whole city is a pink and red blur. On this side of the pond, we also get bombarded with cards, balloons, bears, banners, chocolates, roses, photo frames and anything else the retail industry can think to throw at us. How-ever, I can’t help but feel this is a bit of a negative and cynical view. Surely there’s a deeper meaning out there? traditionally - before the retail industry got its money grabbing hands on it - St Valentine’s Day was about exchanging love notes. At my secondary school we had a custom where, throughout the week leading up to the big day, people could post their Valentines cards and roses anonymously. When the day arrived, these would be distributed during class time. One student would even send himself a card every year, but was finally sussed out after doing this in every one of his classes. Schoolboy error. Bizarre postal behaviour aside, what did St. Valentine’s Day

mean to the old romantics? In Britain and Italy, unmarried women would wake on Valentine’s day and the first man they saw would marry them within a year. Some friends of mine were contemplating this and while we think it’s a nice idea, it could easily backfire. the first man you saw could be anyone...i mean anyone! they would also pin 4 bay leaves to their pillows and eat eggs, replacing the yolk with salt, on St Valentine’s eve. their future husband would then reveal themselves in a dream-like apparition. Perhaps the apparition wasn’t the only thing to materialise from this odd culinary combination? Alternatively, you could write the names of your lov-ers on paper and put them in clay balls, drop them into water and whichever name came up first, would be the one for you. In Italy, arguably the most romantic country in the world, Baci Perugina is given. these are small chocolate-covered hazelnuts which have a romantic poem in four different languages inside. this was a winner with my friends - talk about imaginative. the chances of Moonpig offering these are confidently slim to nil. this brings me to my pet valentine peeve. One of the biggest - if not the biggest offender in the degradation of St. Valentine’s Day is the sending of e-cards. Although this may be practical, cheap and, above all, eco-friendly it’s not really what you’d call romantic. Call me old fashioned, but I prefer to gauge love in actions rather that kilobytes. So if any of you out there are celebrating St Valentine’s Day this year, heed my advice. Steer clear of the e-card, or else you may be celebrating on your own. the shops will no doubt avalanche you with ideas, but the real task is finding something special. Good luck!

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f e at u re s

with Obama setting foot in the oval office, the bells tolled for a new era. Ousted was the team that brought the country to its knees, on the brink of complete civil unrest and in walked the hopes of the silenced proletariat - heads brimming with visions of their American dream. However, Massachu-setts, a Democrat stronghold, have just celebrated the anniversary by electing their first republican senator since 1972, showing an unprecedented shift in opinion, not only with the right-leaning public, but also within his own supporters.

Ryan Brier, a teacher from Vermont, explains, “[Obama] ran the Jfk card - that he would defeat bi-partisanship, when in fact he has done nothing to compromise with Republicans and conservatives, and has began a new divide with the most left-wing liberals from his democratic mass.” How-ever, emma Brown, a Hallam student currently working in Massachusetts explains, “the overwhelming propor-tion of campaign material was for Scott brown [the republican candidate]. no one really knew about the Democrat’ candidate [Martha coakley] or what she would try to achieve, so she stood little chance of winning, really.”

However, this trend is not limited to one state – it is nationwide. Obama’s net-approval ratings have plummeted from a whopping 68% to only 48%, ac-cording to leading polling organisation Gallup - the lowest rating of any presi-dent in the modern era at this point in their terms in office. So, what exactly has Obama achieved in his crucial first 365 days – or should it be more a question of what he hasn’t achieved?

InTErnATIonAl rElATIonS

It’s hard to know where to start, but what drove Bush out of power was the shifting winds of thought over the war in iraq – a problem inherited by his successor. Strong words were thrown around this controversial predica-ment, but one thing was clear – get-ting Obama in the white house would get US troops out of Iraq. Keeping to promises, troops have been withdraw-ing steadily and August this year is likely to see the end of the combat mis-sion – probably a good move for ap-proval ratings, but not the impossible quick-fix people may have expected.

Obama’s america: One year Onit was a little over a year ago that the liberal world rejoiced – their saviour had shown himself as a walking, talking, American male. James Clarey looks at where the dream turned sour. Illustration: Sam Ginns

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However, this does not mean fewer troops are out fighting dangerous and reckless wars. the troop numbers being removed from Iraq are being moved directly into Afghanistan, where money is being ploughed into creating permanent military bases in areas where situations have a high possibility of becoming extremely risky and troublesome. Maybe the real test for Obama’s international relations will come when North Korea rear their head and throw their weight around in the nuclear armament situation or whether the rift between the US and Iran eventually comes to blows. Maybe then, Obama will stick to his Don’t Ask, Don’t tell scrappage promise, meaning thousands of homosex-uals can sign up to the military. But that’s another Obama failing for another day…

EnVIronMEnT

copenhagen was a no doubt disaster – but maybe looking for a definitive deal in those few days was like searching for Jeremy Kyle’s soul. Factoring in the wants of so many nations, a deal would have been convoluted and meant little to anyone. however, what Obama achieved at the summit was reprehensible, with Phil Radford, the executive director of Green-peace, saying, “[he] crossed an ocean to tell the world he has nothing new to offer, then he said take it or leave it.”

One of Obama’s beliefs is to look at the bigger picture. the environmental picture doesn’t get much bigger than the Copen-hagen summit, and he certainly wasn’t focussed on it. this has undoubtedly lead to the undertones of cynicism starting to emerge from not only the middle-ground fence-sitters, but also within his staunch band of liberal supporters.

in the past week however, Obama has pledged that the federal government – the largest single user of fuel and electricity in the US - will cut its emissions by 28% by 2020. this will mean be a saving of 80 metric tons, and around $10bn. A step in the right direction maybe, but it’s look-ing unlikely still that a climate bill will be passed through Congress during 2010.

HEAlTH CArE rEForM

One of his most revolutionary policy promises which would become part of his ultimate legacy is the health care reform. One of the only developed nations in the world without a working health care system, this highlights the unsympathetic approach taken by the country in the past. the moves to change this also highlight quite how little power the new administra-tion has.

A bill to extend health insurance to an ex-

tra 31 million people, meaning 94% of the population will soon be covered, irrespec-tive of their health problems, is trying to be pushed through before the Massachusetts seat is filled by a republican. however, the bill has already been through the wringer, with key issues amended and toned down to please the still-stubborn, centrist Senate, including the scrappage of any abortion amendments. this is now far from the bill Obama wanted, and promised, to pass, but even the toned-down version is causing upset. Ryan from Vermont - a state with an elected socialist democrat as senator, says, “Many people here are finding that it appears to be ex-pensive and almost worthless. Still carry-ing it through Congress makes him seem stubborn, arrogant and impulsive.”

EConoMy

It’s hard to envision just how large the economic problems of the past year and a half have been. All the economic news we get focuses on our total disarray due to britain’s loss of jobs – and we thought we were the cool, calm and collected nation. With terms as panic-inducing as ‘the credit crunch’, the media turned us apeshit. Should we spend? Should we save? Should we put all our money in gold, or sell any scrap of it we could find to Dale Winton?

Not a good time to take control of the nation where it started. Some of Obama’s first decisions were to bail out the banks, drive money towards the auto industry, and pass an economic stimulus package worth almost $800bn. You can guess how Americans reacted. However, from being on the brink of a second Great Depres-sion, the package has already created, or at least saved, two million jobs, accord-ing to the Council of economic Advisers. this, combined with the news that the fourth-quarter economy growth was much better than expected, may mean the end is near for the troubled financial system.

ConCluSIon

everyone, let alone Americans, love slick rhetoric when it comes to politics. unfortunately, many policies Obama has brought in have lacked the taglines of the Bush era. An example is the binning of the harsh ‘war on drugs’ of former leaders, in preference of the european, more sympa-

thetic, stance of safe needle exchanges for harm reduction. the same can be seen in the favouring of treatment over incar-ceration - policies such as this are adding fuel to the spreading right-wing fire.

the support that initially came with the eventual booting-out of Bush clung to Obama – the public identified them as one and the same, making that fateful elec-tion and what it stood for more pressure for Obama than it should have been. Or maybe this is nothing to do with political positions, but perhaps the bursting of an impossible bubble. the wave of enthusi-asm from the public and media painted him, as Ryan puts it, “as a glamorised celebrity ‘king’ of the americans.” emma, still an Obama supporter, agrees, saying,

“People have had false expectations of what he can actually achieve in a year. He’s done more good than Bush did in his eight years – but no one really expected Bush to be much of an achiever.”

No longer the underdog, the American public have woken up to an unrecognis-able man in power – an african-american, brought up partly in indonesia – and have only just realised that he can’t pull off the impossible. Most of those in powerful posi-tions are not so radically different to what had come before and Obama is only one man. One man who has no doubt tried his best to shift a country in the right direction in the long term, but, as with the rest of his nation, still at the mercy of Congress. Unfortunately, after the Massachusetts up-set, as Ryan says, “Republicans will use this momentum and inspiration to go after other big seats and positions.”

On the issue of fighting bipartisanship, which he brought up during his campaign trail, this can be seen as Obama’s ultimate failing as of yet. A divided nation after 8 years of the Bush administration, the gap has only widened between right-wing Republicans and left-leaning Democrats. at the end of this fateful first year in office, not only does he have the lowest average approval rating of the modern era, but also the largest gap between the two major party supporters. While 88% of Democrats approve of his decisions, only 23% of Republicans feel the same. this national polarisation will do nothing for the morale of a country he is looking to change – es-pecially as their hopes start to fade.

“No longer the underdog, the American public have woken up to

an unrecognisable man in power”

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f e at u re sAn Introduction to International Cuisine...

ever wondered what the alternative to your morn-ing- after full english breakfast is for the rest of the world? How about your bangers, mash and gravy?

the signature dishes that permeate British culture such as our Sunday roasts define us – we’re known to the french as ‘roast beefs’! So how accurate is our portrayal of the cu-linary habits of the rest of the globe? the way we treat food often forms stereotypes, for example, the much lambasted overweight American - basically because America is home to more takeaway restaurants and more of the population are obese, but it is also home to 5 times more people than the UK. Many of us would be surprised to hear of the famine that still occurs in places such as Kenya, where families are severely malnourished and hunger dominates whole com-munities. Also, that the Chinese have one of the healthiest diets in the world, consuming mostly fish, rice and vegeta-bles. this extreme contrast in the manner of which food is treated differently in other cultures is often ignored because nowadays, globalisation has lead to the merging of cultures. this means we can experience different foods from other Countries with a Chinese or Indian takeaway. However, the traditional foods and national dishes of a country are not usually found in takeaways or on the supermarket shelf. there are some delicious international delicacies that are healthy and simple to make, with many ingredients that can be found in your kitchen cupboard. We’ve investigated the foods that are more traditional to their cultures and come up with the tastiest, healthiest and easiest dishes from a number of different countries for you to try yourself!

Words and Recipes: Hannah Robinson

Indian Aloo ParathaThese savoury, potato filled pancakes are commonly eaten for breakfast in India - they are simple to prepare and make a great snack or side dish. Serve with salsa or tomato chutney. Makes 10 (approx.)

1) Mix flour and water together with a pinch of salt. It should be like soft dough - not sticky, but if this is the case, add more flour. 2) Peel the potato, chop into small chunks and boil for 15 minutes. 3) Mash the potato with the curry powder and paprika. 4) Roll the dough into round balls, and then flatten out onto a surface sprinkled with flour. Place a small amount of the potato on top of each one, then fold the dough around it and pinch the edges together, so the potato is completely covered and you have a ball shape. 5) Flatten each of the balls in your hands so they are like disks, then place in a little oil in a frying pan until golden brown on each side.

2 cups Flour ½ cup Water 1 Large potato1 tsp Curry powder ½ tsp Paprika Salt

German Cheese WürsteThis is a sausage recipe that you can make yourself, simply by using some sausage meat bought from most supermarkets, along with the sauerkraut, which usu-ally comes in a jar. Germany is well known for its different types of Würste, such as the frankfurter and bratwurst. Serves 4.

1) place the sausage meat into a large mixing bowl, add the cheese, mayonnaise, sauerkraut and seasoning then mix well. 2) Form the mixture into small sausage shapes, place into a shallow dish and oven cook for 20 minutes, gas mark 6. Ensure sausages are thoroughly cooked before serving. 3) peel potatoes, then boil for 20 minutes. 4) mash potatoes well, add milk and butter. 5) prepare gravy and serve.

200g Cheese, grated 400g Sausage meat100g Mayonnaise 200g Sauerkraut (German shred-ded cabbage). pinch of Salt/pepperto serve: Mashed Potato6 medium potatoes2 tbsp Milk 1 tbsp ButterGravy

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Chinese Ginger and Chicken Chow MeinA really quick to prepare take-away favourite, using the right ingredients to eliminate the fat. Serve on rice rather than with noodles if preferred – technically not a chow mein, but still lovely! This dish benefits from being cooked in a wok, but a normal pan is fine.Serves 4.

1) Fry all the vegetables and ginger together in the pan with a little oil. 2) Add the diced chicken until cooked through. 3) Add the fresh noodles straight to the pan and stir in. 4) Add soy sauce, sugar and rice vinegar, stir, and allow to marinate for a few minutes. Serve immediately.

Sarah Says...What do you think of when you go on

holiday? A beach side town with bars and restaurants? this is generally all that is

available on the coast, unless you hop in a car and travel to where the locals live, earning you funny looks and a dense language barrier. even in Rome, there are numerous english and Irish bars offering British food and drink. this is one of the culture capitals of the world but still has to offer an alternative to those who want a break from Italian culture. It is not as if you have to go there just to hear someone speaking english - the city is bursting with tourists from all over the world. From my traveling experiences, I have been on both ends of the scale. In the Canary Islands we were among the many Brits on holiday, meaning no language barriers and no strange looks (except after a few too many cocktails by the beach). But there was also no Spanish culture - even when we had Paella, we were surrounded by people talk-ing in Irish, english and Scouse accents. However, in Central Portugal, we were quite obviously the foreigners and often struggled with communication. We also looked a lot different from the locals, so the pale, tall people were the object of attention. It seems that, unless you travel far far away from the touristy areas, you’re stuck in a sunny version of britain. let’s hope this ‘beach culture’ stays by the seaside, leaving the rest of the world free for exploration.

Sarah Walters

1 Pack fresh noodles 400g (2 fillets) diced chicken 1 Onion100g Mushrooms, chopped100g Bean sprouts 100g Water chestnuts, sliced1 teaspoon grated fresh or dried ginger50g Sugar snap peas, chopped. 1 tbsp Soy sauce 1 tsp Sugar 1 tbsp Rice vinegar

Mexican Beef Tacos with SalsaMexican food is widely re-nowned for its spicy flavours, but by altering the amount of chilli powder, you can control how spicy the beef will be.The minced beef can be replaced with strips of grilled chicken if preferred. Serves 6.

1) Fry the minced beef, onion and pepper with a little oil in a frying pan, until mince is browned2) Stir in the chilli powder, curry powder, salt and pepper3) To make the Salsa, combine the ingredients in a bowl and stir together with White Wine vinegar or Olive Oil if you don’t have any. 4) Scoop filling into Taco shells or Fajita wraps, top with Salsa, let-tuce and cheese, and enjoy!

Pack of taco shells or Fajita wraps500g extra lean minced beef 3 tbsps mild Chilli Powder 1 tsp Curry Powder Salt Pepper ½ red/ Green/ yellow pepper, sliced1 Onion, dicedGrated cheeseShredded lettuce

For the Salsa: Chopped tomato Diced onionClove of Garlic white wine Vinegar or Olive oil

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fas h i o n

fashion swings both ways for Spring/Summer 2010 – on the one hand the de-signers are working an ultra feminine look with ruffles galore but, in equal measure, masculine military-style looks are also in vogue. A key trend spotted everywhere from Burberry to Dior were dresses in candy floss coloured pastels. already worn on the red carpet by stars including Gwenyth Paltrow and Penelope Cruz, these shades are set to be huge, and are already avail-able in Chanel-esque tops and skirts at River Island. After a year of jumbo shoulders and serious black, designers have returned to girlier routes - fairytale princess outfits were awash on the catwalk with drap-ing, frills, bows and tutus in the designs of celebrity favourites, such as Chanel and Versace. For a cheaper alternative, topshop has near identical crop tops to those at Chanel (left) and has tutus by the truckload – with a student discount of course! But if the thought of these sugarplum looks makes you shudder, fear not, as

anything masculine or military is also bang on trend this season - be it an army jacket like Cheryl Cole’s (top right) or a pair of paratrooper style combats. Making this trend even easier to work is the fact most military looks on the catwalks were oversized, meaning ‘borrowing’ dads/boy-friends clothes puts you in the fash pack for free. to move even further away from winter’s dark shades, the designers have also turned to prints in bright technicolour hues - alexander McQueen presented a full show of printed dresses, each accompanied with a pair of 12 inch platforms (bottom right), as modeled by Lady Gaga in her Bad Romance Video. Although prints are the thing to be seen in this season, a plaster cast isn’t, so we recommend avoiding the shoes and head-ing to the high street for your pick of this season’s hottest looks.

Corey Kitchener

The trends for 2010: Pastels, Prints, Princesses and… Paratroopers

Louise turner , 19, covets Nicole Richie’s style and wears a coat and bag picked up at a Manchester vintage fair, mixed in with stylish basics from topshop and River Island, and a necklace ‘borrowed’ from a friend.

Channeling her style icon Alexa Chung, is Danielle Coletta, 22, who wears Miss Selfridge jeans with Freeman’s boots and a fab leather jacket found on ebay. Her mammoth bag is from vin-tage treasure trove Portabello Road market in London.

Alex Snook, 17, adds a colour pop via some topshop leggings, something her idol Lauren Conrad would no doubt approve of. her oufit is completed with a H&M leather jacket, River Island pumps and a Louis Vuit-ton bag.

Karen Williams loves her textile student sister’s style and wears Aldo boots and bag with a dress and jacket, both from Zara. the 19 year old wraps up with a chunky scarf from H&M.

SPOTTED! Who’s been ticking all the right style boxes this week? SHUlife stalked the streets of Sheffield to find out...

words by c

orey kitchener. S

potted! photography by k

ate berresford

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it’s fashionable to be caught in your grandma’s cardy!

Vintage clothing is loosely defined as a garment that was made between 1920 and 1980. usually one of a kind and in good condition, they are pieces of timeless fashion that remind your mum of her heydays. So, where exactly in Sheffield can i find myself some cowboy boots to team with my 1970s jumper? to find out where’s good to go for us penniless students, i visited three vintage shops , two better known and one that remains quite undiscovered - until now.

FreshmansSituated just off Division Street, and with a window display that even topshop would kill for, Freshmans is quaint, but stuffed to the ceiling with colour and variety. A range of patterned skirts are around £15 each. there isn’t a massive choice of Christmas jumpers (a staple piece to every vintage wardrobe), but prices are around £12-£15. you can pick up a fake fur coat for about £25 and levi jeans are currently on sale.

Best for: Vibrant skirts & collared shirts.

Cowprobably the most well known vintage store in Sheffield, cow is placed on West Street. Denim shirts are a reasonable price at around £17 and a couple quid less for chequered. ranging from around £10-£20, a favourite in cow, is their amazing collection of dresses - all sizes, shapes, and styles. there’s a healthy sized section for men, and a well-stocked collection of shoes and gorgeous bags.

Best for: Exciting dresses & cowboy boots

It’s Second Hand, Stupid. Not Vintage!the ‘to let’ sign is still up, and inside you’ll find dresses hanging from the ceiling, and shoes piled high on the floor - but i think i may just have stumbled upon a fashion student’s paradise. relatively new to Sheffield, they intended on the place feeling like the thrift stores found in the basements of Camden, and they achieved just that. Prices are given on request and there’s plenty to be found. interestingly, the owner of the store insisted that what he sells is first and foremost ‘second-hand’ - a collection of clothing that doesn’t need to be labelled as ‘vintage’ to be sold.

Best for: Trilbies, jumpers & a general rifle through the racks.

Don’t forget Charity Shops!yes, it’s true! this year, the likes of Oxfam, the heart foundation and cancer research have seen an increase in sales due to the increas-ing vintage scene. So get down to your local charity shop and know that the money you’re spending is going to a good cause.

the Vintage scene in Sheffield is huge, and not only are we keeping up with fashion trends but, in retrospect, we are recycling clothing! i remember when the thought of having to accompany your grandma to your local Oxfam made you cringe. however, that is no longer the case, now that it’s indeed fashionable to wear second-, third- and fourth-hand clothing!

megan Baldwin

The Sheffield Vintage Scene

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S c i e n c e

a natO-organised summit, chaired by a Sheffield hallam academ-ic, has discussed the science behind full body scanners, as airports begin to install them in the fight against terrorism. the summit in turkey discussed the latest terahertz (tHz) radiation technol-ogy, emerging as the most high-tech weapon against terrorism in airports. tHz devices such as quantum cascade lasers are the main can-didates to deliver high-power tHz radiation for full body scanners in airports. Professor Mauro Pereira, from the Materials and engi-neering research institute (Meri) at Sheffield hallam chaired the summit, and said, “terahertz is the radiation that can scan people without harming them while providing images and discriminating those images to identify objects.” Leading experts believe novel and rapid methods of detection can be created with tHz devices that operate in spectral ranges. this allows for the scanning of weapons, detecting hidden explo-sives, controlling the quality of food and other exciting applications with no health repercussions. the natO conference has been seen to have built the basis for a wider collaboration between researchers and academics in the

area of advanced photonic research for defence against terrorism. could this mean a safe and efficient method of airport security after years of so-called degrading examinations? Full body scan-ners are set to be introduced in several airports within weeks, after the attempted terrorist act on a plane from Amsterdam to Detroit on Christmas Day.

TERAHERTz AGAINST TERRORISm

Nanotechnology: Big opportunities for small businessesa unique opportunity for companies in Sheffield to develop new products or processes based on emerging technologies is being launched by the region’s Nanofactory - thanks to the expertise of the city’s two universities. the Nanofactory, which brings together nanotechnology experts from the university of Sheffield and Sheffield hallam together with academics from bradford, huddersfield, leeds and york, is looking to form partnerships with companies interested in exploring new business opportunities based on latest advances in nanotechnol-ogy. the project is part-funded by a £1m investment from the eu-ropean Regional Development Fund as part of the Yorkshire and Humber eRDF Programme that is making substantial investments over the next three years to create jobs and increase business competitiveness in the region. “the expertise at Sheffield hallam has proved to be invaluable in driving forward nanotechnology,” dr nick farmilo, from Sheffield Hallam’s Materials and engineering Research Institute, said, “and making it accessible for small to medium sized businesses (SMes)

to whom it has often been out of reach in the past.” “Nanofactory connects the knowledge and expertise of aca-demic researchers with the needs and challenges of companies in the region,” Said Nanofactory director, Professor Richard Williams. “this offers a powerful combination and driver for innovation. As a result new fundamental and applied research programmes will be stimulated leading university researchers to seek out funding and partnerships to deliver these.” Partnerships with Nanofactory universities will allow SMes to ex-plore this new area of technology and potentially apply for a range of external funding opportunities - for example european Union funding, and technology Strategy Board grants. the project will launch a series of sector-specific workshops around the region during 2010, at which the benefits of new nano-technology advances will be outlined and discussed with delegates. the events will provide a forum for companies, those in the supply chain and technology experts to brainstorm ideas for future R&D possibilities.

Some of the leafiest and greenest areas of cities like Sheffield, Leeds, and Manchester could be under threat due to proposed pub-lic sector job cuts, sparking a debate on the future of street trees in cities across the UK. Dr Ian Rotherham, Director of the Geography, tourism and environment research unit at Sheffield hallam university, says trees in areas such as Sheffield’s nether edge and fulwood may not receive the same level of care if cutbacks have to be made after the general election. Dr Rotherham said, “Street trees can improve the visual quality of our urban environment, enhance biodiversity and the outdoor living experience and contribute in adapting to the effects of climate change. However, they can also create potential headaches for those responsible for their long-term management and mainte-nance, and there are substantial costs for local authorities and highways in delivering the necessary professional care and mainte-nance.

“there are concerns that with the current economic downturn cuts to the public sector could reduce our resources to look after trees and so it is the right time to be having a debate about how we can preserve and encourage street trees for generations to come.” Dr Rotherham, editor of the International Journal of Urban For-estry, will lecture on the politics and economics of urban street trees during a professional workshop on thursday 11 February. also speaking at the event, part of Sheffield hallam’s Sustain-able Communities Network, are leading national experts from the Forestry Commission, the Woodland trust, Leeds Metropolitan University and the University of Manchester, together with Dan lewis, previously Sheffield city council’s tree and woodland Manager. this will be an important and significant regional and national meeting that will raise vital issues for local authorities and other practitioners.

Growing concerns over future of city’s street trees

SAm GINNSWalrusmonkey (Page 18)

“I can’t remember not loving to draw. I try to experiment with as many mediums as possible, although I always come back to watercolour and ink work.”

Sam is a Graphic Design student, and can be contacted at weasles_rock@hotmail.com

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Robert mapplethorpe ExhibitionGraves Gallery, Until 27 March

A Man’s Resolution between Dark and Light

Good or evil. Light or Dark. throughout the ages, the battle between the two almighty forces is a conquest that even the greatest of us have floundered over choosing which side

to take. early on, Adam and eve’s moral tale warned us about the consequences of dancing with the dark side. then Shakespeare’s Dane nearly lost his head pondering the epic contest in Hamlet, some question about being or not being, whether to kill or not to kill. And we all know of Luke Skywalker’s headache over the lure of the dark side… Robert Mapplethorpe’s own plight didn’t involve lightsabers or forbidden fruit, but was no less testing. Raised in a strict Catholic household, Mapplethorpe struggled to accept that he was gay - initially living in a heterosexual relationship with Patti Smith, up until their break up, where he was forced to face up to his true sexual-ity. it was this conflict of interests which inspired the reconciled harmony of Mapplethorpe’s photographs, saying that he found photography, “the perfect vehicle for commenting on the madness of today’s existence.” the exhibition at Graves Gallery illustrates Mapplethorpe’s discordant character, ranging from images of the New York sadomasochistic scene, to famous artists captured in saintly poses, to fragile flower studies. the exhibition simultaneously displays the peaceful contrast between the visual light and darkness of his monochrome images, showing how adverse opposites can complement each other, mak-ing them stand out extraordinarily. Mapplethorpe manipulated the effects of black and white photography throughout his career, as can be seen in the portrait of ‘andy warhol 1986’, where the shock of his white head appears to float on a dense black background. Mapplethorpe was also famed for his fascination with capturing the perfect black nudes, lighting the organic lines of muscle - examples of the less risqué which can be seen in the exhibition. the highly stylised portraits of Mapplethorpe proved popular with artists and creative people alike - many of whom posed for their own iconic image. By far the most memorable portrait is of the 98-year-old artist Louise Bourgeois, stood with her monstrously phallic sculpture which she affectionately calls her ‘fillette’ (little Girl) tucked under her arm, smiling knowingly, like a child who has sneaked an extra biscuit from the jar. On the switch side, Mapplethorpe captured whole pictures of innocence, in that of Susan Sarandon’s daughter eve, which shows simply a child with no spoils of adult life. these photographs were

taken just a few months before Mapplethorpe’s death from AIDS. these photographs of repaid hope are displayed only a few spaces away from ‘Gun blast’ - literally showing the exploded trails left be-hind from a bullet leaving the barrel, as though in slow motion. the mish-mash of images shows the numerous themes Mapplethorpe strived to connect throughout his life. One of Mapplethorpe’s last works, ‘Self portrait 1988’, poi-gnantly depicts the photographer’s hand clutching onto a cane with a small skull resting above his hand, as though surrendering his power to death. Hovering in the background is Mappletho-rpe’s own head - much bigger, however slightly out of focus. the white shapes of his face and hand that cut sharp against the black atmosphere are united in the grey tones of the cane. Appearing as a legacy to his work, Mapplethorpe silently communicates that, against all odds, he chose to bring together the light and the dark, resolving them within each image.

Ruth Wilde

four of Sheffield’s most famous and creative sons are sharing a stage for the first time. Singer-songwriter Richard Hawley, producer eliot Kennedy, art-ist Pete McKee, radio presenter Rony Robinson and Arctic monkey Matt Helders will take part in a panel event to talk about why they love Sheffield, how the city has influenced their work and why they are proud to call Sheffield home. My Sheffield: a personal View will be hosted at Sheffield hallam University on tuesday 2nd March, with the speakers offering a unique insight into the city’s special places and its creative culture. “Sheffield is a very creative city that has produced a lot of tal-ent,” says Matt Helders. “this is a good opportunity to celebrate and recognise that.” the event is being held in association with the Arena ticket Shop and will raise money for the preservation of a famous Shef-field artwork, the Minerva frieze, which was designed by Godfrey Sykes in 1854. Pete McKee is a well-known artist, whose paintings bring to life the people, places and characters of his past. His celebrated

style blends influences as diverse as lowry, edward hopper, reg Smythe and Georges Remi. In 2007, McKee was commissioned by Oasis guitarist noel Gallagher to paint him as part of Gibson Guitars’ Guitar town show. McKee painted a portrait of the guitarist on to a 10-foot fibreglass guitar which was displayed on london’s South Bank. richard hawley is one of Sheffield’s most renowned performers. His latest album, the critically-acclaimed truelove’s Gutter, is the fourth he has named after places in Sheffield, following lowedges, Coles Corner and Lady’s Bridge. He was a member of Longpigs, played with Pulp, and has recently collaborated with Dame Shirley Bassey and Lisa Marie Presley. John Palmer, Director of Corporate Communications and public affairs at Sheffield hallam university, said, “this will be an intimate, informal and illuminating event and will offer a real insight into the lives of our panellists. We are delighted to welcome four such influential speakers to the university and by bringing them together we are sure to have an enjoyable evening.”

Sheffield sons in night to remember

Mifune gives an amazingly charged performance that leads the cast throughout the film, with each character presenting all that is flawed with mankind. Yet, a fourth account is eventually of-fered, leading to an incred-ibly poignant climax which tears everything apart and forces the audience to ques-tion their own morality, either filling you with contempt, or hope.

If you are not familiar with Kurosawa’s work, Rashomon is a good place

to start. Whilst Kurosawa generates atmosphere, cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa immerses the audience with stunning aesthetics. Subsequently, the audience is com-pelled to feel like part of the jury as the stories are being recounted through a point of view shot, which are followed by flashbacks cleverly filmed from different angles to disorientate and question the validity of each story. Rashomon was seen as unconventional and radical because the camera lied to the audience, however, it is this same form that has consequently become so influen-tial. therefore, it is Rashomon’s originality which has placed it on the list of Master-pieces.

Corrigan Foley

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Fi l mTop 5: Love stories with a differenceAs it’s Valentine’s Day this month, Mark lankester chooses his top 5 ‘love Stories with a difference’...

1 - Badlandsterrence Malick’s acclaimed “Bonnie and Clyde” story. Badland’s sees Sissy Spacek’s teen crush on the cool but terrifying Martin Sheen leads them on a cross-country killing spree through 1950’s America. Violent and seemingly immoral - Badlands is also a stun-ningly composed insight into blind-love. As much about innocence as it is about rebellion.

2 - WALL•EPixar’s animated epic is a commentary on capitalism, consumerism and the environment - but despite the fact that wall•e himself says almost nothing throughout the film, it’s also one of the most charming and heart-warming stories of unconditional love ever seen.

3 - let The right one InLast year’s adaptation of John Ajvide Lindqvist’s Swedish vampire novel went under the radar when compared to the twilight phenomenon. However, unlike its American cousin, let the right On in is a far more subtle, beautifully innocent tale of bullied 12 year old Oskar and the girl who befriends him.

4 - Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless MindeSOtSM follows Joel and clementine as they travel through their failed relationship, hav-ing the emotional memories erased as they go. Although technically a break-up movie, Michel Gondry’s sci-fi love story is thought provoking, funny and completely touching.

5 - lost In Translationbill Murray’s aging film star embarks on an unlikely relationship with the much younger Scarlett Johansson in an effort to escape the monotony of their lives. Set against the backdrop of modern tokyo, Lost In translation explores the unspoken, but mutually un-derstood, love between two people who can only ever be friends.

Masterpiece:Mark lankester and Corrigan Foley have compiled a list of what they think are the greatest films ever made - some perhaps not as well known as others, but all brilliant in their own way. every month they’ll be reviewing a different one for you to go and see for yourself.

RashomonDirector: Akira KurosawaWith: Toshirô Mifune, Machiko Kyô, Masayuki Mori 88 mins, Cert. 12released: 1950

At the time of release, Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon was considered unconventional due to its irregular style of direction. Nevertheless, it has become one of the most influential films of all time, spawning cinematic greats such as the Usual suspects and Hero. Not only did Rashomon make Japanese cinema more accessible to the Western world, but has become formulaic in the concept of filmmaking. Rashomon’s famous opening scene tracks a decrepit old building, as the heavens open and catch three men in its wrath. Here, a woodcutter (takashi Shimura) recounts the stories presented to a judge by three people in regards to a murder and rape. emphasis is put on how important hon-our is to humanity, when the defendants - a bandit (toshiro Mifune), a woman and a Samurai – all have conflicting accounts and each portrays them-selves in the best possible light at the expense of the others.

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A prophet (Un prophète)Director: Jacques AudiardWith: Adel Bencherif, niels Arestrup, Tahar rahim150 mins, Cert. 18

as if 2004’s the beat that My Heart Skipped wasn’t a big enough contribution to cinema, Jacques Audiard now brings us the award winning A Prophet. A Prophet begins with 19-year-old Malik el Djebena (tahar Ra-him) an unlikely hero, and an even more dubious Prophet, being sentenced to 6 years in prison. Malik is initially shrouded in youth and vulnerability and, in turn, is singled out by the leader of a Corsican gang and forced to work for him. By complying with their demands, Malik gains the trust of his peers and is subsequently granted enough power and freedom to formulate plans of his own. Rahim excellently portrays Malik’s gradual transformation from a fragile youth to a moustache-sporting criminal. His journey is presented to us through brilliant camera work, making use of roving camera to follow Malik and other key characters – almost granting the audience omniscience. throughout the film audiard knows exactly where to focus on in order to evoke the maximum effect from a scene - whether it is presenting brutality, humour or even weakness. It is this style of camera work that allows you to better relate with the characters - an aspect commonly lacking in too many films. Jacques Audiard noted in an interview in regards to Malik that, “we’re dealing with a little prophet.” Malik is prophetic in the re-spect that he is granted enigmatic visions of the future, but he also rises above his situation and the constraints of his life. Audiard also said that he wanted to make an “anti-Scarface,” and in turn he has presented a brutal film in which the rise to power doesn’t require a protagonist suffering from megalomania, but instead, a more poetic and touching one whom we can relate to. Audiard has created an atmospheric, realistic and contempo-rary rags-to-riches story, enhanced by the brilliant acting, gripping scenes and an excellently constructed plotline. A Prophet exhibits everything that a great film should have and more, which is exactly why everyone should go and see this film.

Corrigan Foley

(500) Days of SummerDirector: Marc WebbWith: Joseph Gordon-levitt, Zooey Deschanel, Chloe Moretz95 mins, Cert. 12A

the tagline to Marc Webb’s quirky Rom-Com states, “this is not a love story. this is a story about love.” this is the premise of (500) Days. Whilst it’s easy to reel off a whole list of date movies where the couple, who despite the obstacles in their way, eventu-ally fall in love and live happily ever after, everyone knows - things just aren’t that simple. However, (500) Days goes that little bit further in that it tells the whole story, from the butterflies in your stomach and awkward kisses, to the all too often inevitable empti-ness in your gut and even more awkward breakup. What writers Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber have ef-fectively penned is an incredibly offbeat date movie that feels like it’s about all the things that are missing from other Rom-Coms. the whole film is grounded in a down to earth-ness that so many other films of the genre seem to miss - subjecting the audience to a warts-and-all romance. this is not to say that (500) Days is a bleak depiction of modern love - it simply serves to makes the film more approachable. the film skips back and forth in time through the story, juxta-posing the arguments and low points with the giggly silliness of infatuation. Intimacy contrasted with outright hilarious extrava-gance. this makes for an exciting and fresh watch, whilst all the while remaining completely believable. Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s convincing performance as the love sick greetings card writer tom, is testament to this - he is nothing more than a boy in love. Meanwhile, the object of his affections, the titular Summer, is played by Zooey Deschanel with utter cool - although as a charac-ter she can seem distant and elusive to understanding. However, this could be the intention of the performance, as Summer is seen through tom’s foot-thick rose-tinted glasses, projecting all the ideals of his favourite songs and movies onto his relationship with her. this presents the real hook. (500) days Of Summer is rare in that it is a Rom-Com from a male perspective. this is not a boy meets girl story. this is a story about a boy, who met a girl.

mark Lankester

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The RoadDirector: John HillcoatWith: Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, robert Duvall, Guy Pearce 119 mins, Cert. 15

Let’s face it: the worst part of the year is the start. Christmas is over, your jeans feel tighter, your wallet feels lighter and you have to go back to work, university, or both. these things tend not to put you in the best frame of mind. Unfortu-

nately, the Road is unlikely to make you feel any better. Based on Cormac McCarthy’s Pulitzer prize-winning novel, it tells the tale of a post-apocalyptic earth in which the sun is obscured, all plants and animals have perished, and mankind has turned to cannibalism. Light-hearted fare, then. Viggo Mortensen of lord Of the rings fame stars as the un-

named protagonist. He and his son, played by newcomer Kodi Smit-McPhee, are journeying south across the desolate landscape in search of food and survivors. Handled properly, this premise could have produced an inspiring and uplifting piece of cinema, full of depictions of mankind’s unwavering hope in the face of adversity - or something. instead, the road feels as flat and cold as its title. It must be said, the blame for much of this has to be placed on Mortensen. He grumbles his way through the movie with all the emotion of a packet of crisps. And ultimately, that is the main problem with this film – a lack of emotion. for the story to work, you need to feel some empathy with the characters, to care what happens to them. here, you find yourself thinking ‘i couldn’t care less’. Admittedly, it isn’t all bad. Indeed, the Road is often bleakly beautiful to look at. Its depiction of deserted cities and barren wastelands, all set against a stark white sky, is almost hypnotic at times. But as the two main characters trudge their way through scene after scene of death, suicide, depression and, yes, more death, you’ll be too busy crying into your popcorn to notice. If you’re looking for a cure to the post-Xmas blues, it’s safe to say the Road isn’t it. In fact, it’ll probably leave wondering why you didn’t just stay at home to watch You’ve Been Framed instead.

Adam Kay

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fi l mSHAFF (Sheffield Adventure Film Festival)next month sees the fifth annual Sheffield adventure film festival (Shaff) coming to the Showroom cinema. running from friday 12th to Sunday 14th March, Shaff is a great opportunity to see something completely unexpected. the festival showcases films of any kind on the subject of extreme sports, the great outdoors and the spirit of adventure that accompany them both. the three day event, climaxing in an awards ceremony on Sunday night, will attract attention from around the world, with films submitted by home-grown heroes and industry professionals alike. Ranging from 3 minute gonzo movies to full blown, passionately made documentaries and even the occasional animation, audiences can watch films on anything from climbing to kayaking, Surfing to Skateboarding, even baSe Jumping and parkour. although the main focus is the films, there will also be several guest lectures and exhibitions on the side - and if you can’t make up your mind exactly what to see, the organisers are screening compilations of the most popular features so that you can ef-ficiently sample the festival highlights. the essence of the event is the focus on experi-encing something different – for the film makers and their subjects, it’s all about personal exploration and squeezing everything possible from each single moment. For audiences at this film festival, it should be no different.

For more information on the event, visit www.shaff.co.uk, or drop by the Show-room Cinema, opposite the HuBS.

Mark lankester

COMPETITIONS

SHUFILmbeing the union Magazine, it would be rude not to mention Shufilm - the Sheffield hallam film Society. the group currently hold fort-nightly screenings in the Void (Owen, level 1), showing anything from cult classics to arse-kicking blockbusters. Screenings cost £1.50 for members and £2.50 for non-members. a society for film fans, members have the chance to discuss the films they show, as well as vote for future screenings. for more information about upcoming Shufilm screenings, or to get involved with the society, visit their facebook page: Sheffield hallam film Society.

to celebrate the launch of their brand new weekend events, em-brace are giving away 4 Vip entries, complete with free bubbly, to their new ‘Get kinki’ club night. One lucky reader will be able to take 3 mates along for a night on the tiles at Sheffield’s premier Friday night hotspot.

‘Get kinki’ is an amazing mix of the biggest club anthems and the wildest, naughtiest themes guaranteed to put the bounce back into the start of your weekend. All you need to do to win is answer this simple question:

What is common form of an embrace?a) A Hugb) A Pushc) A Pull

Send your answers to shu.life@hotmail.com with the subject ‘embrace’

Hallam union are offering six VIP entires to the sexiest Saturday night this side of the Don the infamous Sheff 1. Indie Anthems, R&B and dance with a free bottle of bubbly await one lucky win-ner and 5 friends. All you need to do to win is answer this simple question:

what mythical flying creature is our union bar named after?

a) Pegasusb) Griffinc) Phoenix

Send your answers to shu.life@hotmail.com with the subject ‘Sheff 1’

M U S I C

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i first encounter example – a.k.a rapper elliot Gleave - outside the venue. After ten minutes of banging on Plug’s urine-washed metal doors, I still can’t get any answer. then Gleave strolls past, chatting away on his hands-free. Do I interrupt him? It could hinder getting a good interview. By the time I’ve pondered this question, he’s walked past and i’m left shivering in the crisp October air. finally, i manage to get hold of the tour manager - the co-ordinator of the whole opera-tion - and scurry into the pitch-black venue.

Inside his tiny dressing room, the dark box is cramped with three guys, all in their mid 20s, unexpectedly sporting the latest in indie and emo fashion. A hand reaches through the gathering. “I’m elliot,” comes a voice from behind them as he emerges, a clear half-foot above anyone else. Understated in black jeans, trainers, matted black hair and a plain white t-shirt, he lets his band know just who is boss, “Ok lads, get out.” all but one leaves. “did you not hear me? Get out!” is he joking? “it’s alright, i’m happy doing it with them here,” I say, trying to diffuse the tension. “No, they’ll just mess around and we’ll never be able to get it done.” And with that, they’re gone. the london-based rapper had his first recognition as a writer back when he was 15, winning a Royal Mail Poet of the Year award. as a child, he wanted to fit in at school, “So i started rhyming words and limericks and stuff,” he says, offering me some of the grapes he’s munching on. “I wanted to be part of something; there was the football team, basketball team, the Goth group or the Nirvana fan. I just liked rap and that was the most natural thing for me to do.” although fitting in at school was his early agenda, he never strived to get the attention of his peers. “I used to occasionally get up on the open mic nights and freestyle over a beat but it wasn’t really for me. I never really felt part of it,” he says. “I’ve always really only been part of my own scene. I never really had a rap cliché. I’m not friends with that many other rappers. Its always just been me, and it’s more comfortable that way.” Comfortable is something that could well describe his career up to now, building up momentum and working gradually on improving his output, careful not to rush into things. when releasing his first mix-tape, he found it important to create his own style and find his voice before looking for any label interest. “It’s not a case of writing music for the charts, it’s just writing your best possible music, and at the time I wasn’t writing what I thought was going to be the best possible music in my career. I was writing to my limits at the time. It was just pressed up on CDs but we sold about 10,000 copies of it.” the same route was taken with all his early singles, but he still managed to get the attention of big music figures. “Once someone has a logo, some pictures and artwork, and something tangible that they can hold in their hands and look at, there’s always the chance that it’s going to be taken seriously. When I pressed up some nice artwork on 7” vinyl, we got played on Pete tong and Zane Lowe, so it all took off from there.” this staggering amount of recognition for such small releases saw the big labels come knocking for his debut album, with offers on the table from giants, Island and Sony. However, still not happy with his song writing abilities, he shunned these, in favour of a smaller label, “i signed to the beats ‘cos i wanted to work with [label owner] Mike Skinner, and i knew that for my first album, i probably wasn’t ready to go for any chart hits.” However, at the end of 2007, the Beats label met its demise, and the time was right for example to do or die. “I never wanted to be like a pop star, but any job you go into, you have to pay the bills and get

a mortgage, and I want to go on nice holidays and treat my girlfriend to nice stuff and there’s no way you’re ever gonna do that unless you somehow get into the charts.” So, he worked at improving his abilities, and subsequently, his confidence to work on a larger label. “you have to remember that you can make music for either just yourself and a couple of fans and hopefully play a couple of small venues now and again and hopefully get put on the radio, or you can make music for as many people as possible.” His choice of label was dance and electro-based Ministry of Sound. explaining it, he said, “I’ve always strived to make songs with the biggest choruses. It’s just a few years ago, my chorus writ-ing wasn’t very good, but it’s really good now, and sometimes the

difference between getting in the top 20 and the top 40 is how good your chorus is or how good your beat is,

so you start working with new producers and start with other songwriters and you learn

loads of things.” Until this album, example has

stuck with his long-time pro-ducer and school friend

Rusher. However, in his attempt

to

work with new people, he has been working with

some of the biggest names in the industry. Without a breath, he starts listing off names: “Chase & Status are producing on it, Calvin Harris, a guy called Pascal Gabriel who’s done things with Ladyhawe, Blondie and Little Boots, and Metrophonic, the guy who writes for Kylie, Britney and JLS.” He takes a well-earned breath and finishes off the cup of grapes he’s been eating since we met, before concluding, “I’ve also done a song with a guy called Biff Stannard, who wrote things for the Spice Girls, so there’s a real mix of dirty electro, hip-hop and pop.” and was the experience important to boost his confidence in having a big-label backing? “Well, if you look at someone like Jay Z, who’s just been lucky enough to work with people like Pharrell, tim-baland, KanyeWest - all the best producers contribute songs to his albums, so he’s gonna have some great songs in there. I think you get different ideas and learn different things from different people, and so I’ve certainly learnt a lot about the song writing process from working with all these different people this year.”

example’s new single ‘won’t Go Quietly’ is out now, and you can catch him on nationwide tour supporting tinchy Stryder throughout February.

In Conversation with Exampleexample talks to James Clarey about working with Calvin Harris, Chase & Status and Mike Skinner on the road to recording his new album. Illustration: Sam Ginns

“Did you not hear me?

Get out!”

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m u s i c

I hate it when gigs get cancelled. You buy your tickets, get yourself all excited, only to find out that

the band has been forced to ‘re-schedule’. Grr.

Jamie t was due to play the O2 academy in Sheffield last October, before laryngitis forced him to pull out. three months later, he’s back in town facing the task of proving he’s worth the wait. Is he?

well, he certainly comes out fight-ing. he opens with ‘the Man’s Machine’, his latest single and an undeniable highlight of second al-bum, ‘kings and Queens’. instantly, the crowd is with him, arms aloft, screaming the lyrics back.

this isn’t just Jamie t karaoke, though. One of the best things about the Wimbledon singer-song-writer’s live performances is the way songs are transformed. On record, ‘Operation’ is a middling rap-rock

track - tonight, it becomes pulse-pumping-punk. Almost a lullaby in its album guise, here ‘emily’s heart’ ends up sounding more like Guns ’n’ Roses. Kudos has to be given to his backing band, the Pacemak-ers, for their ability to create these seamless re-workings. they may look like Cockney street urchins, with their bad haircuts and snaggle-tooth grins, but they can’t ‘alf play, guv’nor.

As for the man himself, he’s a riot of schizophrenic energy throughout. One minute he’s a british eminem, whipping the crowd into frenzy dur-ing ‘368’ - the next he’s strapped on an acoustic bass and is delicately strumming along to ‘back in the Game’. Midway through ‘pace-maker’ he leaps headfirst without warning into the crowd. Song over and back onstage, he explains “If you fuckers aren’t gonna move, we’re gonna have to do something to get you moving, aren’t we?!”

JAmIE TSheffield O2 academy - 22nd January

and move they do. the academy is filled to capacity, the crowd consisting of anything from squealing 15-year-old girls to lager-swilling 30-year-old lads. Some of them may not have loved Jamie t before tonight. By the time the last chord rings out, it’s safe to assume they’re all head over heels.

worth waiting for? definitely.

Adam Kay

Ok Go first broke our eye-line back in 2006 with second album ‘Oh no’. four years,

one treadmill video and a new al-bum later, the group are very much a feature in the British listening landscape. their catchy riffing and three part harmonies effortlessly appear on both tV and radio. Still, there is something that doesn’t sit right as i walk up to the Sheffield venue. It might be the concerned blog on the Ok Go website re: the Norwich show implying a lack of interest in their up-coming tour. It may have been that the few people trying to gain entry on the main door are ushered round to the consider-ably smaller Academy 2. However, all was well as the Illinois cad-rockers came through the door. Dapper suits and old-school clubland looks hung loosely as they tumbled into opening anthem ‘Get Over it’. everything that preceded was now irrelevant; the worrying blog, the attendance, the support band. It all evaporated with each viperous, dissipated lyric of each polished, highly delivered song. the show progressed flawlessly, converting audience momentum back into musical potency until, mid-

way through ‘Good idea at the time’, they deploy their secret weapon. the much under-utilised, confetti cannon. the high point of the evening was front man Damien Kulash regaling us with his brief interchange with a small town church group who wanted use of his music - which inspired the band to re-orchestrate debut album hit ‘what to do’ on the holiest of instruments, the hand bells. Completely un-plugged, wear-ing white cotton gloves and gath-ered round a table full of lumines-cent brass, Ok Go held a flawless four-part harmony that was simply haunting. Normal service was soon resumed with guitars that were most definitely plugged, viper vocals and more indispensable confetti cannon. the set drew to a close, the band bowed and everyone clapped. But chicago’s finest were not done yet, not on your nelly. chants of ‘More, more, more’ filled the room and the baiting crowd were quickly rewarded. In the close to pitch darkness, Ok Go illuminat-ed almost every man, woman and teen in the venue from the flashing lettering woven into the back of their

OK GOSheffield 02 academy - 16th January

custom made suits. O k G O flashed from the four backs now lined in front of us. they turned just as new album opener ‘wtf’s Muse-esque bass line dropped, reveal-ing yet more custom design. Guitars with their own light shows, bass with a digital display on the body and lasers attached to each guitar head. this no doubt symbolises the departure from ordinary guitar rock shown in their last two studio efforts. the difficult third album has, as most things seem to be with Ok Go, been achieved effortlessly, cementing them in my book as a truly innovative band. new album ‘Of the blue colour of the sky’ is out now and with a brave leap into the electronic void it is certainly a good indicator of this decade’s musical direction.

Will Campbell

m u s i c

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vampire Weekend - ContraXL Recordings

Vampire Weekend’s new album Contra looks to develop upon the idiosyncratic, Afro-indie sound of their massively successful self-titled debut. Second album syndrome is always a potential concern when an individual sound becomes synonymous with a band – they can become apathetic and unwilling to ex-periment. On first listen, it would appear Vampire Weekend have stumbled into this territory.

Opener ‘horchata’ and second track ‘white Sky’ could be lifted directly from their debut. they carry the same premise - buoyant, bouncing, peculiarly and unremittingly danceable. this continues through ‘holiday’ - another enjoyable enough song, but by three tracks in, one begins to wonder whether Vampire Weekend may be struggling to initiate any real development. however, when we reach ‘california english’, we see a creative

leap and a turning point. the incessant beat and computer-tone vocals are brilliantly bound together with waves of staccato strings, and we see a new side of Vampire Weekend that becomes more comfortable with itself as the album progresses. ‘taxi cab’ follows, with a slower, steadier rhythm, complemented by a twirling melody. the use of a drum machine adds to an electronic sound - this time both contrasted with, and somehow brought together by, the incorporation of classical piano. the combination of wide ranging sounds and styles is testament to the creativity of Vampire Week-end which is finally revealed. although they do not reproduce a sure smash like ‘a punk,’ the songs are still memorable, strangely captivating and delicate, whilst remaining peculiarly exhilarating. adding an electronic influ-ence to their songs works wonders with the African and reggae inspired beats. the final two songs on contra are most unlike any other Vampire Weekend song and demonstrate the progression of the band. the album finishes with a cool piano riff, haunting echoes, and shimmering reversed guitars, woven together with beautiful waving strings to provide a most fragile ending. Contra is a grower - have a few listens and it becomes clear that it is an important transition for a very talented band. Although it begins with a slight regurgitation of old formulas, the album grows into something understated, quirky and at the same time unreserved and enthralling.

Alex Lynn

Gil Scott-Heron - I’m New HereXL Recordings

Spoken word, soul musician and author Gil Scott-Heron has returned with this - his 17th solo album. We haven’t had a studio effort from heron since 1994’s ‘Spirits’, and for good reason. Gil Scott-Heron, spending most of the past 16 years in prison for cocaine possession, has found it somewhat difficult to record of late. Almost immediately after his release however, XL Recordings snapped him up for a revamp. he was coaxed away from the influences his earlier albums gravitat-ed to - jazz, hip-hop and poetry. this new record is almost electro in style, looking at forthcoming single ‘Me and the devil’. i myself am a huge Robert Johnson fan, but the track was a good minute in before I deciphered the heavy beats, whirring samples and Brooklyn sound effects to be a song of my blues hero’s composition. Scott-Heron, in collaboration with producer Richard Russell, has moved in to this track and truly made it his own. this is not the only cover the album has to offer, though. Other scarcely recognisable and highly doctored covers include Bobby bland’s ‘i’ll take care of you’, Scott-heron’s own ‘the Vulture’ and Smog’s ‘i’m new here’ as the records title track. it appears Gil may not be so keen on writing these days, as this 28 minute album, featuring mostly covers is, on first appearances, a lean comeback. at a sideways glance you would be forgiven for thinking it’s an eP, but don’t let its length fool you. this record is like a shot of tequila - small and un-imposing but, if dabbled in, will blow your socks off. Flashing unashamedly between acoustic, electro, hard rock, dub-step and of course, spoken word, Gil Scott-Heron has managed a complete revamp of character and sound. Its release date is set for 8th February and is most certainly one for the diary.

Will Campbell

you me At Six - Hold me DownVirgin

you Me at Six, a pop/rock quintet from Surrey, had a very successful 2009 after the re-lease of their debut album ‘take Off your colours’ in October 08. However, they show no signs of slowing down this year with an extremely energetic and highly anticipated new album.

the album starts off strong with the first single from the record, ‘the consequence’. the opening guitar riff is a sublime intro-duction to the album - building up suspense until lead singer, Josh Franceschi, breaks through and tears the song apart with a well rounded, strong vocal talent. A few powerful chords and sing-along choruses later, the song breaks down into what You Me At Six have become so well known for - a single, simple lyric, repeated in a catchy, jumpy beat that encourages chants and fan involvement in the live shows.

the mix of pop and punk rock genres in this album reveal a brand new side to the energetic band that will be sure to gain a brand new fan base. It is evident that You Me At Six have grown and developed since the release of their first album, due to the support and advise from US bands after their Warped tour ap-pearance. However, compared to the unforgettable chanting in ‘Save it for the bedroom’, or the jumpy chorus of ‘finders keep-ers’, this album has a slightly more rocky edge to it, consequently losing some of the unique twists that the quintet from Weybridge became famous for. On the other hand, songs such as ‘conta-gious Chemistry’ reveal the band’s roots and bring back the edgy beats and catchy choruses that are missing in many of the tracks from ‘hold Me down’.

Hayley Ritchie

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thanks to the recent nuclear winter we have all experienced, I’m sure you are more than fed up with our glorious country and are ready and willing to fritter away that last installment of your grant on a nice long summer holiday. However, this time you really have no intention of going back to that unpronounceable Greek island where you did the thing with the barman in the swimming pool. this year you’re going to do it properly. For a month or two, you will be a real backpacker. You shall InterRail around europe living off your whit’s, squandering your hard earned wages and attempting to drink a bearded Swedish man under to table in Berlin And you can do it all cheaper than you think. Here’s how…

THE TICKETAn InterRail ticket comes in different forms you have

Global ‘Continuous’ You pick the date you want your InterRail journey to start, and it then allows 15 days, 22 days or 1 month’s continuous, unlimited travel. the best option for those wanting to see as many places as possible in the given time-frame. Although it seems a more expensive option, you do get your moneys worth in train travel! from £250 to £380.

Global ‘Flexi’ A good idea for those not wanting to be tied to train travel and who have no idea what they really want to see. the pass lasts for a period of either 10 or 22 days, starting on any date you specify, but you only get 5 or 10 days of unlimited travel within that period. From £149 to £230.

Single countryessentially how it sounds. these can be bought for 3-8 days, only usable in one country, however the prices vary hugely. France is £180 for 8 days travel, whereas turkey is only £72. the ticket must be used up within the month.

Some of the passes entitle you to discounted ferry crossings to and from particular countries. the most popular are crossings from Croa-tia to Italy or Denmark to Scandinavia.

FlIGHTSthe InterRail pass is not valid in your homeland, so you will have to find alternative transport to mainland europe. depending on where you wish to start, there are a few options - trains, boats or, by far the cheapest, planes. ryanair fly from all major airports and don’t get put off by the price - most of these deals are genuine. be flexible and Ryan will be good to you. Visit www.ryanair.com but don’t be dazzled by the flashing 1p seat banners.

MonEyi don’t care what your dad says – travellers’ cheques are a thing of the past. the best way to keep your money in order is on a debit card with no overseas withdrawal costs. Certain banks do have this feature but, if not, I recommend the Caxton FX card. It’s basically a

loadable MasterCard that doesn’t have any AtM charges, is easily recoverable and converts your money at the best possible ex-change rate. It really is designed exactly for multiple country travel.

BuDGETDepending on the length, location and classiness of your trip, the structure of budgeting varies. I split people into 3 types of traveller: A High end traveller will stay mainly in hotels, eat out every night, go on excursions and buy presents for people. the Medium traveller will be living in hostels with a variation of shared dorms and private rooms. eating out is every two days or so, depending on the severity of the last night on the town, and presents are strictly in the form of decorative pencils. Bankrupt travellers are the hardiest of them all. Medium travel-lers will flirt with this stage, so pay attention. these people will live exclusively in dorm rooms, eat occasionally at local restaurants and nights out are funded mainly by other drunk people. Money is saved for excursions and street sausages. the amount spent also varies as to what part of europe you travel. As a rule the further east you go, the cheaper it is.

1 west and central europe, 2 central/east borders and 3 far east/ ex soviet countries.

this is, on average, what you should be looking at trying to budget per day, depending on the type of traveller you wish to be.

Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3 MixHigh £100+ £50 £30 £60Medium £40 £20-25 £15 £30Bankrupt £25 £15-20 £10 £20

the beauty of the InterRail pass is the scales for open travel. None of the countries are visa restricted, so you are free to hop on and off and travel as far as you desire.

Visit www.interrailnet.com for more details

Words: Danny young. Illustration: Sam Ginns

t r ave lInterRailing Explained

t r ave l

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“the world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page” these words of St. Augustine’s stuck with me as I walked uncomfortably back to my hut, covered myself in after sun and con-vinced myself yet again that I was burnt from the scorching sun. I lay on my bed in anticipation of the electricity and subsequently the fan that felt almost too good to be true. I must admit, not everything is how the guide books tell it.

the Perhentian Islands are undiscovered for many who travel through South east Asia - it would be a huge mistake to miss this relatively unknown place. Having heard that accommodation was hard to come by I took the risk and if worse came to worse I would have to sleep on the beach. Luckily I found a quaint little hut that would do that job, as waking up on the scorching hot sand and heat at a ridiculous hour of the morning was far from ideal. I booked the next speedboat from Kuala Besut, on the North east coast of Ma-laysia, and coming into shore I am greeted by tropical views; every first impression that hits you is literally breath-taking and beauti-ful. “Unspoiled and relaxed” is an injustice; the island is so much more than that. Crystal clear waters lapping up the white sand with waves that shimmer under the sun dominated sky. Seen through the eyes of the local thai man sleeping under his hat on the ham-mock or by the French couple kayaking beyond the pier or simply by the young english girl sat sieving the sand through her fingers, taking in every detail possible.

A week prior my mind had been caught up on the streets of Bang-kok eating cockroaches, in a whirlwind of danger and adrenaline in

tuk-tuks and transfixed by the sordid details of a “ping pong show”. every sense was being electrified, beyond what i expected yet somehow now they were serene, content to the point of ecstasy. Impossible to believe this is reality; I suppose it wasn’t reality. In reality you don’t meet Domino, the ukulele player on a candle lit beach whilst singing along to Oasis and you don’t go for a casual swim only to spot turtles, sharks, and a stingray darting around under your toes.

to take this island literally – “a place to stop” – the perhentian Islands.

Jen Sheppeck

Back for its 11th year, Snowbombing festival will once again hijack the idyl-lic chocolate-box town of Mayrhofen

this April - turning the Alps into the biggest rave Austria has ever seen. A jam-packed, week long celebration mixes sliding down alpine mountains with on-the-piss fancy dress raves held in igloos, where the hills really do come alive with music. With head-line acts such as Fat Boy Slim and editors, who could say no to this end of season session? From snow virgins to seasoned pros, the beauty of ‘bombing is that all are welcomed with open arms. there’s no elitism, no snobbery - just the ticket to great music and a good time. And if Skiing or Snowboarding really ain’t your thing, you can just indulge in the après-ski without the actual ski. Hotel Strass also boasts a world-renowned spa, which makes getting through a hangover a little easier. austria may not be the first place you would consider for spring skiing, as many of its resorts are relatively low altitude. However, Mayrhofen is the beautiful excep-tion to the rule - situated in the heart of the Ziller Valley, it is still possible to experience pure powdery perfection. this resort takes pride in its 625km of pistes, including the hair-raisingly daunting Hari-Kari, Austria’s steepest slope at 78 degrees and a link to

the snow-sure Hintertux glacier. Be warned - Snowbombing is not for the feint-hearted. And don’t expect to get any sleep either, as organisers try their hardest to keep the party going all night long. From NMe indie faves the enemy, to Belgian electro due 2manydjs, they have dirty drum ‘n’ bass, hip hop, house, soul and every-thing in between. Snowbombers know how to party, and party hard. Artists are spread out over more than 10 venues including an open-air forest rave, a fancy dress party held in an underground tennis centre, transformed into a 3000 capacity club, and traditional wooden log cabins that tend to get rather steamy. And then there is the legendary Arctic disco - a club made entirely out of snow, offering you the chance to sip on cocktails in glasses made from crystal clear ice, or chill out in a steaming hot tub. radio 1 dJ kissy Sell Out is welcomed back to the Arctic Disco this april to get the ‘bombers bouncing. this year the organisers at Snowbomb-ing are offering the opportunity to host your own venue in the form of a shed. Competi-tion winners will be able to name, theme, dress and possess one of the twelve sheds for an evening, they are already equipped with a sound system and ipod dock, the rest is a blank canvas for imaginations to run wild with.

With cheap, end of season prices, pack-ages start from just £279 and can be tai-lored to include flights, kit hire, lessons and the infamous Arctic Disco. A return coach from Sheffield can be added on for £105, so get involved. What better way to spend your easter holiday (and loan)?

For more details visit www.snowbombing.com

SNOWBOmBING – THE GREATEST SHOW ON SNOW THIS EASTERKezia Buckley runs us through the year’s biggest musical extrava-ganza on the slopes

learn to Ski...

Sheffield Ski Village offers 4 lessons lasting 90minutes each plus two hours free practice slope time for £80. they promise that if you are unable to ski down the longest run at the end then you can repeat the final lesson for free until you can. Prices include equipment hire.

Sloping off to Austria...

the UK economy may have been ripped to shreds by the ever deepening recession and the pound weakening by the day, but that doesn’t mean you can’t grab a bargain this ski season. all you need now is £100 for the deposit, which gives you time to save before you go.• Self-catering accommodation and festival wristband from £279• equipment hire from £68• lift pass £101 for 3days• return coach from Sheffield £105 or,• Grab a car and 4 mates and join the road trip for £40 pp• arctic disco £29

THE pERHENTIAN ISLANDS

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s p o rt

Age 20Height 5’11”Weight 200lbsnumber #9 (or #1)

How long have you been playing American Football?Since the summer of 2004

Which teams have you played for?Sheffield tomahawks youth footballYorkshire Rams SeniorCoventry Cassidy Jets, 2008 British Championsengland U15 - european Championsengland youth (u20) (4 years)GB Lions

What position (s) do you play?Wideout, tailback and Safetycurrent Quarterback for the Shu warriors

Best moment in footballLooking back in retrospect it was the unbeaten run we had at the tomahawks, never losing in 34 games including a 46-8 demolition of the northern champions Gateshead senators – i didn’t appreci-ate it at the time because winning was the norm but when we lost 4 games in my first uni season i began to realise what we did was pretty special!

Worst moment in footballthere has been too many to recount!there was the game versus leeds away in my first year – we lost 6-0 after 7 overtimes! i popped my shoulder on the second play and strapped it up and played through. By the end of the game I was so physically and mentally drained, drugged on too many painkillers (8 neurofen plus) i just sat on the field sobbing. and then last year’s plate final. finally a chance to showcase what we could do as a team and we were let down by poor play calling and personnel choices! it was heartbreaking, i’d spent weeks preparing for one game – 60 minutes, the defence bent and bent and bent under poor offen-sive drives, i made a record 11 tackles in the first half and we finally bent too far on a 67yard tD run in the 3rd quarter which killed us off and we lost 13-8 on the national stage.

How have the Warriors faired this season? Fantastic, beating two teams we have never beaten before and comfortably brushing aside a new team in the league. Roll on Hull and an 8-0 division title!

How do you rate the Warriors’ chance of making the playoffs this year?We will make the playoffs and I’ll literally do anything and every-thing i can to get us to the bowl!

Who are the Warriors’ rivals the big two are the Sheffield Sabres and the leeds celtics - i lost my first two games versus Sabres and my first 3 versus leeds!We also have a rivalry with Leeds Carnegie because of certain politics and I imagine a Carnegie -Hallam game would have some bad blood and big hits!

Have there been any noticeable performances from players this season?Obviously playing on the offence, i don’t see much of the d, but Darren Gayle has been a revelation on the offence. Also Rich Grif-fiths is finally looking fit and hungry so i expect big things from him down the stretch. However, the credit must be given to the line - Si has really matured as a player and leads a rookie line very well!On the d side, will looks pretty dominating!

Do you have any pre-match superstitions?

For a Sunday game... On thursday, all training gets shut down and i begin carb load-ing, I’ll get a deep muscle massage on a Friday night to make sure i’m not carrying anything! On the Saturday i’ll always go watch the late night showing at the cinema to help me sleep! On the morning of the game it’s the same routine, 2 bowls of porridge and Lucozade to drink. I get dressed in the same order - skins then vest – i write a short passage on my wrists before taping them, I then write over the tape with various inscriptions while watching the same video, listening to the same mix tape.I then do my eye black followed by putting my sweats on and pack-ing my kitbag. I have the same food - pasta, boost and carb drinks etc. I drink green tea just before kickoff to clear my mind and take 2 minutes to say the same prayer - i won’t bore you with the details! that’s just about my routine for the last 3 years!

Hallam Warriors’ David Saul takes some time out to chat with Mike Whatmore about the teams’ chances this season, his highlights and some unusual pre-match rituals...

IntervIew wIth a warrIor

s p o rt

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Teammates: Craig “midget” Driver

Worst trainer - Danny Wil-liamson

Biggest moaner - Coach Grizz

Quickest - Darren Gayle (One time)

Slowest - Mark Dunn (Wakey 2.0)

The joker - Depends who is least angry on any given day.

Most skilful - Will Flinton

Most intelligent - Darren Gayle’s girlfriend. She studies some aerospace course!!

Worst taste in music - Possibly me or James Cullis

Best dancer - Darren Gayle

Who is the longest in the shower? - David Saul

mike Whatmore

Winter varsityVarsity began 14 years ago when the two sports officers from Sheffield hallam and Sheffield university wanted to bring the celebration of sporting competition to Sheffield. Six years ago the winter element of the competition was in-troduced, with both Universities competing against each other in skiing, snowboarding and ice hockey, to be crowned Winter Varsity champions. Winter Varsity has 5 points up for grabs. 1 for ski racing, 1 for snowboard racing, 1 point for ski slopestyle, 1 point for snowboard slopestyle and the final point is for the ice hockey. the skiing and snowboarding takes place at Sheffield Ski Village on friday 19th february - tickets are £6 and available from the HUBS shop. the price includes an after party at the Ski Village with tuesday Club DJs. Buses are available to the ski village at 6pm, 6.20pm and 6.40pm. return buses are available at 11pm, 1am and 2am. the ice hockey this year is at Sheffield arena before the Sheffield Steelers v belfast Giants Game. if you have never watched ice hockey before it’s an excellent spectator sport. the speed, skill and sheer spectacle that is ice hockey will amaze you. It’d be great to get the support of the crowd behind our hallam team at this amazing venue, so come on down! it’s sure to be a great end to the competition, which will hopefully see us crowned 2010 winter Varsity champions!

tickets are only £2 or students can get ticket for Varsity games and the Steelers game for £5! tickets again are available from hubS shop or online at www.sheffieldarena.co.uk

Winning streak for WarriorsSheffield hallam warriors american football team look to begin 2010 where they left off in 2009. the side have not lost a game this season and their winning streak looks set to continue. the Warriors began the season with a dominant 32-6 win over Staffordshire Stallions. the Stallions are one of the Northern conference powerhouses, having been the British University American Football League (BUAFL) runners up two years ago. Rookie side York Centurions were next for the Warriors. Hallam ended up thumping York 61-0. the York offence ended up with minus 17 yards of offence compared to the Warriors 530 yards. the third game was against Leeds Celtics. Hallam had previously never beaten Leeds in a competitive game, however all that changed with a 34-6 victory. the team, captained by David Saul, Si Byrne, Satnam Singh and Will Flinton, now sit atop of the Northern 2 Conference and will be look-ing to carry on this form and extend their unbeaten record.

The Warriors play their home games at the Graham Solley sports centre on Bawtry road - take the 130 bus from the city centre. Visit www.shuwarriors.net for more information.

mike Whatmore

Diving event at ponds ForgeSheffield’s ponds forge international pool is hosting the british Gas National Cup from February 5-7. the event is an opportunity for the best divers in Britain to showcase their skills as they compete for places in the FINA World Cup, held later this year. 15 year old world champion tom daley will be returning to Sheffield after picking up his second BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award in december. this will be a return to action for the first time since his success in the Rome World Championships last year.

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Sheffield UnitedBlades slice open Reading defence

At Bramall Lane, things are looking a little brighter for Shef-field united. after taking all three points in their last league fixture at home by hammering Reading 3-0, the Blades now sit just inside the playoff places in 6th, but do have Leicester and Crys-tal Palace breathing down their necks. However, their F.A cup exit to premier league Bolton will obviously disappoint the United fans. United have secured the signing of Richard Cresswell from Premiership side Stoke City for an undisclosed fee. Cresswell had been on loan at Bramall Lane since the end of September, but with limited chances available in the Stoke squad, he has dropped down a level, in order to aid the clubs’ push for promotion. the Blades have also bought Middlesborough’s Mark Yeates, for a fee believed to be around £500,000. he had only been at his previous club since June 2009, but his impressive performances for ’Boro attracted the interest of United boss Kevin Blackwell. Yeates, who is a winger, will wear the number 11 shirt for the Red & White. the Blades have also been able to extend Jonathan Fortune’s contract until the end of the season. Going in the opposite direction in the transfer window is Matthew kilgallon. the midfielder, and veteran of over 100 appearances for the club, joins Premier League side Sunderland for a fee of around £2 million. boss, kevin blackwell, was not surprised by the move saying, “there was nothing more that the club could do because Matt was in the final months of his contract and exercising his right to speak to other clubs.” Going to a game?the Owls have a special offer for hallam students this month. their game at hillsborough, against blackpool, on february 9th will cost you £6 (or £5 if bought in advance online). kick off: 7.45pm. Other home games are on 16th and 20th

Sheffield SharksCup Success for Sharks

Sheffield’s premier basketball team, the Sharks, won their first piece of silverware in over six years on Sunday January 17th. their 89-86 victory over the Cheshire Jets ensured that the BBL Cup would be coming back to South Yorkshire. Sharks player-coach atiba lyons told the clubs official website, “it’s great to win the first silverware of the season. chester made it tough for us in the final quarter, but we are delighted to get our hands on some silverware.” the Sharks can now direct their full attention to their league campaign. they currently top the standings in the British Basketball League. With little under a third of the season to spare, they have a great chance of completing a league and cup double for the first time since the 1998-99 season.

Going to a game?the Sharks play their February home games (on 5th and 19th) at the eng-lish institute of Sport Sheffield. located adjacent to ice Sheffield & the don Valley Stadium. Student concession admission is £7. tip-offs: 7.30pm

Sheffield WednesdayOwls fly out of relegation zone

the old tradition of new manag-ers revitalising struggling clubs is certainly in effect down at Hillsborough, with new boss alan irvine managing to guide his Sheffield wednesday side to maximum points from his first three games. Wins over south Yorkshire rivals Barnsley, mid-table Blackpool and relegation-battlers Peterborough have given them a healthy points boost to help them climb out of the relegation zone. So after a disappointing first half of the season for the Owls, things may be starting to look up as they seek to climb from their current position of 20th. However, Irvine has urged caution, by insisting that the job is not over yet saying, “If they feel as if that’s it and everything’s going to be ok from now, then we’ll end up having problems.” Alan Irvine wasted no time in renewing striker Luke Varney’s loan deal from Derby County. It is the 27 year olds’ third loan spell at the Owls in under a year, and this latest deal will keep him at Hillsborough until the end of the season. with fixtures against fellow relegation candidates Scunthorpe and Plymouth coming up, Wednesday will be hoping that they can continue with this form and help stave off the threat of relegation.

Going to a game?their match against plymouth argyle on february 27th is just £5 admission for hallam students. tickets from hubS or the Sheffield united ticket office. kick off: 3pm. Other home games are on 6th and 13th.

Sheffield SteelersSteelers record tenth home defeat!

the Steelers were looking to bounce back with a victory over Hull Stingrays, after losing to the Nottingham Panthers 5-2 in their previous match. However, the defending league champions suffered their tenth home league defeat to basement club Hull Stingrays.the game started with a bang, with goals for both sides in the first period. kevin bolibruck put the Steelers ahead after 1.40, but the Stingrays’ Adam Knight squared the game up just over one minute later. Steelers’ new boy Jonathan Zion then score his second goal in two games to give the home side a one goal lead going into the second period. Hull Stingrays levelled the game for the second time in the match with a goal from Curtis Huppe. With the sides tied at two-apiece, the fans would have thought that the Steelers would have tried to gain some inspiration from last year’s championship winning side. How wrong they were. the Stingrays scored three goals in the final period to end the Steelers hopes of what is now an elusive home victory. Jason Sil-verthorne scored the first of the three goals on 47.08. further goals from craig Mitchell, just fifty seconds later, and Sylvain coultier, with thirty two seconds remaining, sent the home fans away very disappointed.

Kris Holland and matt Rogerson

Sheffield SportS roundup

Want to represent and campaign for students while you study?BECOME A UNION REP FOR 2010!Union Reps work alongside and support the work of full time officers and concentrate their efforts on representation and campaigning work in the following areas:

for more info go to hallamunion.org/elections or email hallamelections@shu.ac.uk.

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