Issue 69March 9 2010

The Newspaper of the Students of De Montfort University Circulation 2,000 FREE

De Montfort students have picked their executive team for next year with a record-breaking 2,601 votes cast.

After two weeks of hard campaigning, leafleting and appearances at numerous Leicester night spots, the nervous candidates gathered in Level 1 on 26 February to hear the results from the returning officer Al Powell.

The atmosphere was electric as the candidates and their campaign teams gathered to hear the news that they had been looking forward to and dreading for two weeks.

With a huge majority, current Vice President Media and Communications Andy Schooledge was elected as Union President for next year.

He said “it’s such a privilege to be re-elected. There are loads of issues for the team to deal with next year but if it will be anything like this year, it will be a fantastic experience.”

The Deputy President Education position was incredibly hotly contested this year with seven candidates hoping to get elected.

In an extremely close run of voting, Azhar Maqsood was voted in to the position and was clearly emotional as he gave his thank you speech on the stage.

In another hotly contested position Amy Seabrook was elected as next years Vice President Media and Communications. She said:

“I’m delighted as everyone worked so hard throughout the week, when I found out I was

overwhelmed and I cant thank people enough for their votes.

It was a tough category because their was some very deserving candidates who I know would of done a good job. So I will make sure that I put 100 per cent effort in next year.”

Liam Davies was voted in as Vice

President Student Activities after an extremely hard fought campaign and Sarah Miles filled the position as next year’s Vice President Welfare.

Along with the new exec elections, Nico Lehmann was elected as Chair of Student Council, Sara Dixon became Womens’ Officer and Jessica

Cooke was elected to the Student Councils Open Place.

With an increase of 1,000 votes from last year, this election was a clear success. Well done to everyone who helped and to the candidates and congratulations to everyone who was elected.

Professor Dominic Shellard to be new De Montfort Vice Chancellor

The University is excited to welcome Professor Dominic Shellard – a past lecturer at the University of Salford, who will be succeeding Professor Philip Tasker as Vice Chancellor when he retires this summer.

Professor Bill Dawson, Chairman of De Montfort’s board of governors, said: “he has great ambitions for the institution’s future success and we look forward enormously to working with him.”

Police hunt for DMU student

DMU student Phil Dillon has been missing since February 19. He was last seen near Bede Park in the early hours of the morning and CCTV footage of Dillon walking along the river is being reviewed.

The police have been scouring Leicester and the surrounding areas whilst divers have trawled the Grand Central Canal in the search for the missing student. It is believed that Dillon has not used his bank account since his disappearance over a week ago. Leicestershire Police urge anyone with any information to call police on 0116 222 2222.

News in BriefRecord Election

DSU EXECUTIVE 2010-11 (Left to Right): Amy Seabrook [VP Media & Communications], Andy Schooledge [Union ��President], Liam Davis [VP Student Activities], Sarah Miles [VP Welfare]; Azhar Maqsood [Deputy President Education].

No to Increases

PPCs speak out about tuition fees.

Page 5.

Chile 8.3rThe full details on the Chilean Earthquake.

Page 3.

Football VarsityThe full report on the first varsity of the year.

Page 6-8.

News

A whale has killed its trainer at SeaWorld in Florida.

On Wednesday 24 February, the killer whale attacked its trainer, Dawn Brancheau, in front of a large audience waiting for a performance to begin. Dawn, aged 40, had worked at SeaWorld for 16 years, and was known as one of the parks most experienced trainers.

Media reports have said that Dawn was standing in front of hundreds of visitors at the popular attraction, when the orca, named Tillikum, attacked. Chuck Tompkins, Corporate Curator of Zoological Operations at SeaWorld said, “She was rubbing the killer whale’s head, and he grabbed her and pulled her in.”

Whilst initial reports claimed Dawn had slipped and fallen into the pool, it has now been confirmed that the killer whale grabbed her by the waist, thrashed her about and dragged her underwater, where she drowned. Seconds later, sirens went

off and the shocked audience were hurriedly evacuated.

Speaking to an American newspaper, a former employee of SeaWorld said that Tillikum is usually kept isolated from other whales and that trainers are not allowed in the water with him, due to his history of violence.

In 1991, the whale was responsible for drowning one of its trainers during a public performance in British Columbia. It was also involved in an incident in 1999, when an intruder was found dead across the orca’s back. Tompkins stated that destroying the whale was not an option due to the breeding program at SeaWorld, and that Tillikum would remain at the park.

Animal protection group, PETA, has said that the death is “a tragedy that didn’t have to happen.” For years, the group has asked SeaWorld to stop confining oceanic mammals to such small areas, stating “for them it is like the size of a bathtub.” PETA also said that it is no surprise that the creatures lash out, due to their living conditions.

The tragic attack has raised questions about the relationship between humans and the giant, intelligent mammals. No one knows what triggered this latest attack, and experts have agreed that it is almost impossible to determine why Tillikum reacted this way.

"They are highly social animals that tend to live in cohesive groups, so it's quite an artificial environment to capture them and put them in a small area," says Dr Andrew Foote, an expert on wild orcas from the University of Aberdeen.

Whilst animal protection groups are calling for the release of these massive animals, and the phasing out of such sea parks, previous attempts have proven unsuccessful.

The star of the 1993 family film Free Willy, Keiko the killer whale spent more than twenty years in captivity. After protests were made to free the orca, trainers spent four years preparing him for his release, but it was never fully successful, due to his years spent with constant human contact.

Keiko died in 2003, still semi-captive.Groups such as PETA are

campaigning for the phasing out of attractions like SeaWorld, so that whales will no longer be captured and therefore tragedies like this recent one will not be a threat.

SeaWorld representative, Jim Atchison, has confirmed that killer whale shows at the popular park in

Florida are to resume. However, staff will not be in the water with the whales, to avoid any other accidents.

Chuck Tompkins expressed his regrets over the situation and extended his sympathies to Dawn’s family, “This is a terrible, terrible situation that's happened, it's a tragedy, and our greatest sympathy goes out to her family.”

New guidelines published show what prosecutions could be faced for assisting a loved one to commit suicide.

The guidelines will mean closer scrutiny on a suspect’s motivation of the killing, leading to the decision of whether or not they should be prosecuted. Authorities will need to question the reasons for the suspect’s actions and whether or not they acted out of motivation for financial gain or compassionate circumstances. The guidelines suggest that if a person acted out of genuine concern to help someone with a “clear, settled and informed wish to die” they would be unlikely to face prosecution later.

The guidelines have been released after Debbie Purdy fought a long legal battle to ensure her husband would not face prosecution for assisting to end her life in Switzerland. Ms Purdy announced she was delighted with the results of the guidelines although she vowed to continue efforts to have the current law changed as she feels people need a guaranteed protection against prosecution up-front. A draft version of the guidelines was issued in September but changes can be seen in the official document. The most obvious change in the guidance is the removal of the

reference to a victim’s terminal illness or disability. Authorities said this was done because it could discriminate people with these conditions and suggest they are less protected.

Kier Starmer, the Director of Public Prosecutions told Sky News that: “The policy is now more focused on the motivation of the suspect rather than the characteristics of the victim. The policy does not change the law on assisted suicide; it does not override the will of parliament. What it does do is to provide a clear framework for prosecutors to decide which cases should proceed to court and which should not.”

Assisted suicide in the UK is illegal and a person who helps another to end their life could face a maximum jail sentence of 14 years. However, despite this, more than 100 Britons with terminal or incurable illnesses have travelled to the Swiss centre, Dignitas to die. Authorities are adamant that the guidelines are not focused on changing the current law but more to guide those prosecuting on which cases they should treat most severely. Sarah Wootton, Chief Executive of the Dignity in Dying campaign described the guidelines as a “victory for common sense and compassion”. She said: “The guidance represents a significant breakthrough for choice and control at the end of life for those who

feel they are suffering unbearably.”The guidelines set out a range of

factors for prosecutors to consider when making their decision. The factors include the victim’s state of mind and whether or not they had reached a voluntary decision. Prosecutors must also consider the victim’s state of mind and whether or not they had the mental capacity to make an informed decision. The person aiding the victim is also expected to have reported the victim’s suicide to the police and to have fully assisted them in their enquiries. The guidelines are clear in stating that it would be inappropriate to assist someone who would not need help in committing suicide. A prosecution would be more likely if the person assisting the suicide was found to have a history of abuse, was seen to have pressurised the victim or if they encouraged the victim into suicide. Starmer added that the policy did not mean that policy was now more or less likely or mean that the current law had been relaxed. He said that everyone who assisted someone in suicide would still face a police investigation. Criticism regarding the new guidelines has not been minimal. The Care Not Killing Alliance fears that the guidelines will be used as an excuse for those who kill a vulnerable relative. Campaign director, Dr Peter

Saunders that there are still flaws in the guidelines to the effect of how compassion will be tested. Dr Saunders said: “Anyone who takes part in an assisted suicide is going to claim they were acting out of compassion, The only witness who really knows will be dead.” Gordon Brown is also against

the new guidelines as he feels that it may lead to defenceless people feeling pressurised into ending their lives. The guidelines will cover England and Wales but will not affect Scotland, which does not have a specific law on assisted suicide. Similar guidance has been set out in Northern Ireland.

New Guidelines on Assisted Suicide

Tillikum the Killer Whale kills TrainerNaomi Marcus News Editor

Victoria Coffey News Editor

2 | Tuesday 9 March 2010

News

A massive earthquake has hit the South American country of Chile, killing more than 400 people.

The biggest earthquake to hit Chile in 50 years struck just after 3:30am on Saturday 27 February, destroying homes, bridges, motorways and public buildings. The magnitude of the quake measured 8.8, making it five hundred times larger than January’s earthquake in Haiti, which measured 7.0.

The worst affected city is Concepcion, the largest city near the epicenter of the quake. A fifteen-storey apartment block collapsed; only sixteen people have been pulled out alive. A university, amongst other buildings in the city caught fire after gas and power lines snapped.

Local police were forced to use water cannons and tear gas to stop looters who were raiding shops and supermarkets. 209 inmates from a nearby prison also escaped when the tremors collapsed the structure of the jail unit, and a fire broke out.

Rescue teams are working tirelessly in an effort to find any survivors, but are battling against aftershocks and dangerously unstable buildings. The lack of electricity also restricts rescue efforts to daylight hours.

Paulo Klein, who was leading a group of rescue specialists, told Sky News, "It's very difficult working in the dark with aftershocks, and inside its complicated. The apartments are totally destroyed. You have to work with great caution."

Geologists had warned Chile that a major earthquake was on its way, so they were prepared for the worst. Despite the Richter scale reading being

higher than that of Haiti’s quake, there are fewer casualties and a significantly lower death toll in Chile. His is due to more sturdy buildings, and the tremors running deeper than in Haiti.

After the quake struck, concerns were announced that the tremors had triggered a tsunami, feared to destroy more than fifty Pacific nations. However predictions made by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii proved to be much over-estimated, with the worst damage reported coming from the Juan Fernandez Islands, where five people were killed.

"We expected the waves to be bigger in Hawaii – maybe about 50% bigger than they actually were," Gerard Fryer, a geophysicist

at the warning centre, said. Tsunami warnings have since been lifted, but several countries are keeping their own watches, including Japan, which has issued evacuation orders for some 320,000 residents on its coast.

Following the earthquake, many survivors were forced to remain outdoors. Chilean journalists have reported that many people had left their homes, determined to spend the rest of the night outside in fear of aftershocks causing more destruction to their homes.

Authorities estimate that 1.5 million people have been affected, and 500,000 homes damaged following the quake and subsequent aftershocks, one of which reached 6.9 on the scale. Tremors were felt up to 1,800 miles east in

Brazil, whilst Chilean residents at the epicenter were thrown from their beds.

The country’s president, Michelle Bachelet has said that the destruction in central Chile is "a catastrophe of devastating consequences.”

It is difficult for anyone to assess the cost of the damage, but estimates are currently ranging between £9bn-£20bn.

Despite International leaders, including Barack Obama and Gordon Brown, offering assistance, Chilean authorities are keen to get their country back on its feet without aid from other countries. "The system is functioning. People should remain calm. We're doing everything we can with all the forces we have," the president said.

Chile struck by 8.3r Earthquake

Floods and mudslides caused by torrential rain led to the deaths of at least 42 people in Madeira.

The Portuguese island has been left in a mass of destruction after the frighteningly powerful torrents of water and mud tore through the streets on Saturday 20 February. Authorities did not anticipate the rain, as usually this time of year the weather is dry and sunny. This is the first time such flooding has hit the island - the last instance of a similar disaster in Madeira was in 1998 when eight people died. Madeira resident, Joe Mendonca told Sky

News: “We didn’t get any warning at all we just woke up and saw all these rivers. I have never seen the weather like this, it was horrendous.”

The sheer volume of rain coming down off the mountains caused heavy mudslides to hit inhabited regions of the island. Nearly 500 people had to be evacuated from their homes following the flash floods after fears of further mudslides. Rescue workers have been working round the clock on the streets, which are usually frequented with tourists on a holiday stroll. Bulldozers are being used to try and rid the streets of the damage left behind while sniffer dogs trail the island in the hope of more survivors.

Buildings have been left in ruins and many are still waterlogged after the flooding. One tourist said: “They’re getting on with the clear-up, but there’s a kind of darkness hanging over the city, it’s so sad.” Although rescue efforts are strong, more heavy rain has held back the clean up as some isolated communities remain cut off. The military has organised for specialist rescue and medical teams to visit and assist the island while construction companies on the island have provided equipment to help clear the streets. At least 250 people have been left homeless after the tragedy and officials in Madeira warn the death toll could continue to increase.

BBC news reported that British resident, Chris Berry said: “It is a scene of absolute devastation.” Phone networks on the island are down meaning families in the UK with relatives in Madeira are struggling to contact loved ones. One British victim, reported to be Pamela Gaines from Yorkshire was killed in the flooding when water engulfed the taxi in which she was travelling. The death number being so high has led authorities to be forced to use the international airport as a temporary mortuary. The Foreign Office is “strongly” advising Britons to contact their travel company before travelling to the island.

Scratch Card Prize Winner eats Lucky TicketA passenger travelling on a Ryanair flight to the East Midlands airport ate his winning scratch card ticket he had bought on board.

The passenger was reported to have become angry when informed he would not be given his winnings of £8,765 immediately and proceeded to eat his ticket.

When the man was told all winners had to be verified and he would have to collect the money from the scratch card company, the passenger became disgruntled.

The money will instead be given to charity as it is now deemed as ‘unclaimed’.

French Government Discuss Tagging Domestic AbusersThe French government is debating a new tagging device for husbands that are likely to be violent towards their wives.

Domestic violence cases are high in France and the proposal is hoped to be a way for victims to feel safe.

The tags would be attached to men who have received court orders to stay away from their partners. Breaking the court order would mean the police would be alerted immediately by the device.

Leicester Council allows new Sunday market at Walkers' Stadium

The council gave permission for the market to be run on Sundays and bank holiday Mondays despite a petition of more than 20,000 signatures against it.

The market will be run by a private firm that has been given a three-year license from the council.

Traders at Leicester’s central market worry that the introduction of something new will make customers less likely to buy from them.

News in Brief

42 die in Madeiran floods

Naomi Marcus News Editor

Victoria Coffey News Editor

Photo: Vasta

Tuesday 9 March 2010 | 3

Domino’s Pizza Leicester

Special Late Night Delivery Service For Students

Get a pizza delivered after the clubs shutDon’t Forget To Use Your Student Discount Cards

148a London Road, Leicester

0117 299 6600240 Narborough Rd, Leicester

0117 299 6611

Features

Are you a SEXpert?

Deciding what to do after your degree can be a complicated process of choosing whether to continue on with your studies and do a masters or post graduate course, or to venture out into the working world and put what you’ve learnt into practice, something that I can vouch for being extremely difficult to decide. Aside from the learning, the social aspect of university has been massively important for most students in enjoying their three years here, and the prospect of leaving those friends and fun nights out can be a little depressing.

For third year students the climax

to their time at university is fast approaching, with deadlines drawing ever closer and the stress level rising. But what do they really think about coming to the end of their education at DMU?

Some are dreading the day they have to leave, as third year Tatei Montejo said: “I can’t believe how fast these three years have gone. I’ve had the best time of my life and I really don’t want to leave. My course has given me a taste of what I want to do in the future and opened up a lot of doors for me. I’m not ready to stop being a student yet.”

However, every student will look back on their experience differently and many people are feeling mixed emotions about leaving as the

pressures of graduating with good grades builds up, as third year student Rebecca Jerram added: “I’m actually quite looking forward to leaving uni. It’s just going to be good not having deadlines and essays. Don’t get me wrong I’ll miss the people I’ve met here but I think the course just wasn’t really suited to me. My plans for after uni are to start looking for a job”

Others feel enthusiastic about their future after studying here, but have certain things they are eager to leave behind them with third year Megan Hill adding: “I’ve enjoyed the media course this year and have chosen my career based on what I’ve learnt here, however I am looking forward to graduating partly because i've become restless at uni and would like a job,

but mostly because I would like to leave my accommodation as I’ve found the living arrangements stressful and am looking forward to living back at home or by myself. My course has been interesting and overall I’ve enjoyed the experience of university.”

Looking back on his time at university third year Krishan Mistry said: “DMU has been a good experience and I’m glad I came here. I will be happy to graduate at the end of the year.”

I personally also have mixed feelings about leaving and may continue my time here at DMU by doing a masters course.

Not only do I love the people I’ve met here and the fun times

I’ve had with them all, but also I have really enjoyed learning here and feel that I couldn’t have picked a better course. So whatever the future holds for me and my fellow DMU students I wish you all luck in the coming months and in whatever you choose to do after graduating.

How much do you really know about sex and contraception? We're sure you've all seen our sex awareness appeals around the students union, or had someone ask you if you've taken a chlamydia test, but we're still wondering if you really know the facts behind condoms...

Records indicate that condoms were first used in the Sixteenth Century.

European paintings in 100-200 AD portray the use of condoms. Materials used to make this genius invention were; oiled silk paper, linen sheath, leather, and even shells or very thin, hollow horns.

It was the 15th century when Dr.Gabrielle declared that linen sheath condoms should be used as a protection against the syphilis epidemic which had spread throughout Europe. Having found useful of prevention from infection and disease, it also came to recognition that this could be indeed a very handy birth control device.

It was in during the 17th Century that King Charles II was advised by his doctor, Dr.Condom to use a special design, made from animal intestines to avoid any illegitimate births in future.

1. Saying that condoms have a Pearl Index of 98 means the condoms fail in two out of every 100 used.False. The Pearl index is a standard for how effective a birth control pill is. A high Pearl index stands for a high chance of unintentionally getting pregnant; a low value for a low chance. The Pearl index will be determined by the number of unintentional pregnancies related to 100 women years. So a condom with a Pearl Index of 98 would mean 98/100 women would become pregnant if only using condoms!

2. Condoms can help reduce the chance of a woman developing cervical cancer.False. Condoms do provide some protection against HPV (the infection which causes a change in cervical cells), but they cannot completely protect against infection. The infection can still be passed from one

person to another by skin-to-skin contact with an area of the body that is not covered by a condom - like the skin in the genital or anal area.

3. The most common mistake people make when using condoms is tearing them with sharp fingernails.True. Tearing due to opening the packet with teeth or having sharp nails piercing the condom before use is a common mistake, but Condoms are also known to slip or break due to the use of out of date condoms, improper storage and using oil based products such as lipgloss.

4. Gel charging means using extra lubricant to enhance pleasure when using condoms.

True. Gel charging, which involves placing a small drop of lubricant on the inside of the unrolled condom before you put it on, it will also

increase sensitivity and help to give a more natural feel.

5. The Durex ‘Performa’ is so-called because it can enhance and extend pleasure in lovemaking.

True. Durex Performa condoms contain benzocaine (a mild anesthetic), which helps men last longer in bed.

6. The Durex ‘Avanti’ condom is designed for people who are allergic to spermicide.

True. Avanti is made from a revolutionary material for people who have, or think they have, an allergy to latex. Avanti condoms are odourless, thin, non-allergenic and can be used with both water and oil-based lubricants. So who's going to want to use Avanti? Obviously anyone who's allergic to latex is going to be able to use them, and as Avanti comes with a non-spermicidal lubricant, it's the

best condom for those with sensitive private parts.

The clinics are confidential and open every Thursday 10am-12pm & 1pm-3pm on the City Campus (go to the Welfare & Education Centre). You can get:

20 free condoms a month��free pregnancy testing��free Chlamydia testing kits��someone to talk to about sex & ��relationshipsleaflets and information ��

The clinic is run by student volunteers for students any age.Supporting the clinics is a Choices Nurse 12.30-2.30pm who is based in the First Aid room in the Students' Union. The nurse can do STI screening including HIV testing and give all forms of contraception including the morning after pill. This is also a confidential service and is for under 25's.

10am-12pm is by appointment, ��and 1pm-3pm is drop in. To book an appointment you can email secsclinic@dmu.ac.uk.

Graduate...Then what?Lauren MillerFinal year student

DSU SECS clinic dispels some of those old myths behind contraception

Tuesday 9 March 2010 | 3

Features

Like many students I am not oblivious to the problem of homelessness in this city. I pass daily one such man who seems to have made the doorway to Narborough Road’s Maryland Chicken his home, and when I use any ATM in town on a night out there is almost always someone perched underneath, eyeing up those crisp ten pound notes.

Passersby react to homelessness differently; some donate change or buy food, some hurry by, torn between guilt and annoyance, and some march on resolutely, eyes firmly diverted. Homelessness can be a disturbing thing, both on a personal level and also reminding us that our society is far from perfect.

I almost never give change as my purse isn’t often bulging and also because, like many others, I worry that my cash will not be spent on food and necessities but alcohol or drugs. Nevertheless, when I heard of the Sleep Out, I was eager to get involved in raising awareness and money for Action Homeless, a Leicester based charity which helps people to get off the streets, and also to experience for myself a night sleeping rough.

On Saturday evening on the DMU campus steps, clutching a thin sleeping bag and trying to judge the temperature of the night, I met a number of other people concerned about homelessness. Carl White was one of them and at 27, he is a regular guy like everyone else. He was born and bred in Saffron, Leicester, but what makes him different is that he

has had two homeless experiences in the past few years.

“When people ask and you tell them you’re homeless, they look shocked,” he told me. “They don’t see me anymore. People are too quick to judge a book by its cover.”

Overcoming the stigma of homelessness and the inevitable connection that people make to drugs and alcohol is a huge problem for those sleeping on the streets. Carl says that he has never used drugs or had a drinking problem but knows that many who saw him will have made this assumption.

The eighteen of us who took part in the Sleep Out were warned not to drink alcohol as it actually lowers the body temperature, increasing the risk of hypothermia. By about 11pm though, with boredom looming, a drink seemed a great idea. By 3am, with drunken, noisy students pouring out of the SU and the cold settling into the bones, alcohol would have certainly been a welcome reprieve from the irritation of seeing the rest of the world so carefree on a Saturday night.

We had made our beds for the night using cardboard and newspaper to provide much needed insulation from the night. Thankfully the rain did not affect us, sheltered under the campus centre as we were. We were advised by Carl not to move too much, to get warm and sit still in our sleeping bags. If our beds got wet we would not get warm throughout the night.

Carl told us how he was made homeless after splitting with his partner in 2006. “I started squatting all over the place. I had to break

into abandoned buildings to keep sheltered. I’ve never begged because I’m too proud, but sometimes you have to look elsewhere.”

When I asked Carl what he meant by looking elsewhere, he admitted that he meant stealing. His face said he wasn’t proud of it and he knows he was lucky not to get involved with the police. It was easy to see how prison can look like the lesser of two evils when you’re out on the streets. We were cold and uncomfortable, tired but unable to sleep, and we had come prepared.

Carl told me that his son, William, aged 2, gave him the motivation

to get off the streets for good. “If it wasn’t for my child I would be in prison now,” he said, “It does run through your head, ‘If I was to punch that copper I’d be locked up, but I’d be kept warm and fed.’”

Carl lives in accommodation provided by Action Homeless, who are helping him to train as an electrician. He is thankful for the opportunity they have given him, telling me, “When you’re on the streets you don’t see anything good around you and it’s not until you get to Action Homeless that you realise you are worth something.”

Claire Marshall, 21, a creative writing and media student from London felt that the Sleep Out was important for raising awareness of homelessness, which is why she took part with a friend.

“Whenever people talk about homelessness it’s always negative,” said Claire, “People say ‘oh, he just wants money for drugs’ or something like that, we don’t say ‘look at that person out on their own in the cold.’”

The volunteers are hopeful that their target of £1,000 was reached. The money will go to Action Homeless, which helps people like Carl, ordinary people who are down on their luck, to get off the streets and learn new skills in order to rebuild their lives. With the money raised I hope this great charity will be able to help more rough sleepers throughout the city, those who I am sure all of us who took part in the Sleep Out will look at with a new respect as we pass by. For us it was just one night before we could go home to a warm bed, for the homeless this is their lives.

If�you'd�like�to���help�volunteer�at�projects�such�as�this�one,�please�get�in�touch�with�DSU�Volunteering�by�emailing�them�at:�Volunteer@dmu.ac.uk

DMU students help homelessHannah Slater tells us about the night she spent sleeping rough on the SU steps...

4 | Tuesday 9 March 2010

www.smart xit.com/uni

SmartFixIT provide on campus Computer Support and Repairs to students and staff at De Montfort University.

Open Monday to Friday, the SmartFixIT service centre is located on the rst oor of De Montfort Students’ Union.

Computer Problems?

That’s one hangover you don’t need!

Lifestyle

Vodka Revolutions

Vodka Revolutions is better known for its impressive range of vodkas than for sophisticated dining, which is position in the scenic New Walk area of the city centre. Most students will have been introduced to the bar during fresher’s week and it is a regular stop-off point for the many organised student bar crawls, which take place through city.

During the daytime however, it is a different story as you are able to appreciate the aesthetics of the venue. Here they offer a generous selection of wines in an

excellent location and a simple lunch menu on an offer that attracts a much more professional crowd. A brief look at the website shows that their prices aren’t too steep, even for a student on a budget, so I decide to try it out.

That’s where this reviewer takes a break from the norm. Ordinarily this is the point where I would talk about the food, but sadly, I didn’t even get that far. On my visit my friend and I were the only customers, perhaps owing to it being a Monday afternoon or quite possibly because their food service reputation has preceded this article.

I know, I know, you get what you pay for right? So I shouldn’t be complaining when I’m eating out somewhere so reasonably priced right? Wrong. What I paid was £5.50 for a fish finger sandwich, and what I received was an hour-long wait, two wrong orders and a bad mood.

After a ‘tiny bit too long considering the place is empty’ 25-minute wait, I was brought a chicken sandwich that I hadn’t

ordered. This problem took forever to explain to the waiter, who was more interested in his laptop than the job. After attempting to charge me again he admitted his mistake and promised to correct it. After 10 minutes I was served a fish finger sandwich – they were getting closer but the plate and the sandwich were covered in both the mayonnaise and the salad dressing that I had told them to leave out. I added this sandwich to the collection that the waiter was stood unprofessionally eating at the bar.

After waiting a further 25 minutes I gave up, demanded a refund and left. So, to be fair, the food at Vodka Revolution could be fantastic, I honestly wouldn’t know. But the so -called service is ridiculous and the only reason on earth that I would recommend that you go there in the day is if you’re feeling stressed out and need to vent your anger towards somebody utterly incompetent. Trust me, it feels great.

Sarah Jones

Have you ever had a friend who you always thought that maybe there was something more than friendship? You know the guy who will pick you up and hug you a little too hard, who even though you’re “just friends” makes you blush when you see them?

I have a “friend” like that. This is the “friend” that both my housemate Cindy Keswick and I have admitted after a few too many glasses of wine, that if we where single we so would. We have also both admitted to have this odd connection with him, something that neither of us could ever put our finger on.

So I couldn’t help but wonder, now that I was single and in a position to test this more-than-friendship theory. Is it ever a good idea to get with a friend and what happens after that one night of passion (or not!) – can you or do you go back to just being friends? What if one of you wants more than no-strings-attached sex? And can you ever really truly be just friends ever again?

My “friend” is a guy that I met through my housemate’s, he has, at times spent so much time at ours that he has become part of the furniture. He is the guy that when you have lost everyone else at the end of the night you can always rely on him to get a taxi back with. He has seen me at my best and at my very worst (I’m talking last night’s clothes, makeup smeared all over my face and hair like a bird nest!!!). He

is always lurking around at one of our infamous house parties and has at one point or another slept in everyone’s bed (... you know just as friends ha ha!!!).

So I hear you ask: how can far too much alcohol, one Wednesday night out and two friends be the basis for a whole article? Well after that night out, things got (hmmm how can I say this...) a bit hot and bothered. I have to say much of what went on that night is an absolute blur, so when I woke up the next day to find my “friend” naked next to me I freaked out a little.

Luckily me going downstairs to get a cup of tea soon hurried him along and he left. I spent the rest of the day taking the usual banter from the rest of the house. It was only later that night that I thought about the consequences of my drunken actions the night before. Would that one night of drunken debauchery mean that we could no longer sit around in the living room drinking tea just being friends?

What about if things became so awkward that we could never speak again? I mean I certainly didn’t want anything else but what about if he did?

Luckily I saw my friend a few days later and things where just how they always have been. Except I don’t have that weird little crush on him anymore, in fact I see him as more of a friend now than I ever have. Just goes to show that sometimes you just have to put these things to bed... literally!

Confessions of a DMU GirlFrom friends to lovers and back again... it's Cinnamon Patrick

... but not slow service

The Secret Speech – Tom Rob Smith Tom Rob Smith’s combination of melodramatic plots and riveting historical events has created yet another crime thriller adventure. Based on real events, Smith travels back in time to the political period of 1956 during the uprising of Hungary and the death of Stalin and his empire.

He brings us to the controversial speech of Nikita Krushchev, the successor of Stalin who addresses the congress of the Soviet Communist party with a private speech called The Personality Cult and its Consequence, later marked in history as the Secret Speech. It was an outright attack on Stalin and his reign. Khrushchev exposes the corrupt leadership of

his predecessor by revealing his criminal activity involving organised purges on his own military men and members of his Communist party. However, Krushchev’s motives are also questionable. His underlying, intention was to dissociate himself from Stalin’s regime, whilst securing his own leadership and to justify his own purges on party members still loyal to their former leader.

Supposedly a secret, the speech swiftly leaks out into the public sphere, causing many of Stalin’s former front men to feel vulnerable as their criminal activities were exposed worldwide.

This is the case of ex- KGB agent Leo Demidov who we first saw in Smith’s first best-selling novel Child 44. In the first novel Leo is introduced as a corrupt figure and devoted supporter of Stalin and his government. However, in The Secret Speech- the sequel to the Smith’s first novel- Leo is a reformed character who works as a police officer for his own homicide department.

Drowned by the weight of guilt, he attempts to put right some of his wrongs by desperately trying to keep peace among a country that faces political unrest, caused by the hands of its corrupted government. Trapped in his own world of turmoil Leo is very much a conflicted hero. Although he tries to prove his change to others, he remains distrusted by colleagues and those he wronged regard him as the personification of evil. Nonetheless, he devotes his time to being a good step-father to his new adopted daughters whilst being an honorable policeman. However, standing alone in no-man’s land leads as to ask whether the challenge of saving a nation from ruin is even a big task for a hero?

Jayde Philips

Book Reviews

RestaurantReviews

8 | Tuesday 9 March 2010

Lifestyle

What happens when two Editors go out for cocktails on a Sunday night? Answer: a great deal of messiness the morning after. But back to the previous night…

We headed for O-Bar, Braunstone Gate which is a notorious place for having a great selection of cocktails (not to mention a club card which gets you £1 off drinks) and we were not disappointed. Plush, comfy seating, a lovely atmosphere and a great place to go with a friend - the bar winds down one side of the wall so you can sit whilst waiting for your drinks and have a chat.

“What would you like please?”… The inevitable question. I plumped for a Strawberry Mojito which is personally my favorite cocktail in the world, and I was not disappointed. Mint, rum, sugar syrup and soda water all mixed up and crushed. Then to top it off, a squeeze of strawberry

puree. A pile of ice on the top and I was happily united with my drink. Mr. Editor plumped for a beer and we chose to sit upstairs. Their seating is a range of very comfy sofas and armchairs, and with low lighting and complementary music, makes the perfect Sunday chill out spot.

Half an hour later and I had savored the last of my cocktail. Onto the next one which was ‘Pretty in Pink’, which I can only describe as heaven in a glass. Described in the menu as an ‘alcoholic strawberry smoothie’, this drink lived up to its expectation and more. Frothy and delicious, it was topped with an added swirl of strawberry syrup. Needless to say, I practically gulped it down.

Back to the bar and another beer for Mr. Editor, I perused the menu once more and chose the ‘Strawberry and Raspberry Debonair’, which was again absolutely delicious, a yummy

blend of raspberries, strawberries topped with three fresh raspberries on the top. Another one I couldn’t help but down rather than sip it slowly!

I felt very at home to snuggle down into the comfy sofas (this was probably helped along by the amount of alcohol I had consumed in the last half hour) and stay and chat. In some bars you feel harassed to move along once your drinks are finished, but there was no such pressure here.

All in all, I loved my time at the O bar. Warm and comfy, the atmosphere is friendly and inviting; the architecture of the building inside is cleverly designed to fit in more people than it appears (no surprise then that it’s packed out at the weekends) and it’s full of comfy sofas and tucked-away chairs so you can enjoy a night with friends, your other half or even your family. It’s great for both an evening out on its own or for pre-drinks on

your way to somewhere else!And if you don’t live near

Braunstone Gate then do not worry - it’s a part of The Orange Tree, a branch of cocktail bars that all serve the same delicious drinks,

complemented by a tasty menu. These bars also offer fun events like music, comedy and quiz nights (we nearly got caught in the middle of one ourselves, but I was too tipsy to participate).

For a Strawberry Mojito, you'll

need....

50ml Rum (Havana 3-year)��

6-8 lime wedges��

Strawberry Puree��

8-12 mint leaves��

Crushed ice (plenty)��

Brown sugar (or any type��

Sugar Syrup ( or more sugar)��

Leicester Orange Tree Bars:

‘O’ Bar59 Braunstone GateLE3 5LH

The Lansdowne 121-123 London RoadLE2 0QT

Orange Tree99 High StreetLE1 4JB

Visit www.orangetree.co.uk for more information, menus and their clubcard, which gets you a discount off your drinks!

If you can't afford to splash out on a night out, why not try making your own cocktails at home..?

Students are best known for drinking, so Lifestyle Editor Sarah Taylor decided to accept her fate and went for some cocktails...

Step 4... If needed, add more crushed ice till glass is full and stir, then garnish with Mint leaves and a Lime Wedge

Step 1... In a 14oz glass, muddle the lime, sugar, and sugar syrup

Step 2... Add mint leaves. Half fill glass with crushed ice. Pour in 50ml of Rum and stir hard with a spoon (don't break the glass!)

Step 3... After 30 seconds or so, add more crushed ice and strawberry puree to taste. Stir again.

Our cocktails were mixed by Luke Crook at O Bar. Make sure you don't miss out on Pretty in Pink next issue!

Tuesday 9 March 2010 | 9

Music

The line-up for Leicester’s Big Session folk music festival 2010 has been announced. The award-winning festival welcomes the winner of the 2010 BBC Radio 2 Folk award for best album, Cara Dillon with her incredibly heart warming voice and last year’s folk award winner Chris Wood, who is heralded as ‘the renaissance man of English folk’. The late night slot will see UK dance pioneers Dreadzone, who are back with style to get us all dancing our way into the festival spirit.

For those wanting a rural twang, The Rockingbirds will be performing on the Friday. Chumbawamba will also be making a welcoming return, with their new album ABCDEFG, described as musically eclectic and brimming with wide-ranging sounds from pop, to folk and jazz. Former member of Rachel Unthank & The Winterset and named as Best Newcomer at the

BBC Folk Awards, Jackie Oates is also thrown into the mix with her latest critical acclaimed album ‘Hyperbeans’ set to impress. Yorkshireman Ian King and his band will also be appearing with their own brand of medieval dub. Newcomer to Big Session, Raghu Dixit, who is fast becoming a shining beacon on the Indian independent music scene, will also be adding a zest of colour with his own unique style of folk music. Festival goers can also look forward to Miles Hunt & Erica Nockalls, doing an acoustic set alongside Irish folk, banjo maestro Damien O’Kane, and duo Megson, who after supporting the likes of Seth Lakeman and Show of Hands, have both gone on to achieve sell-out tours. You can also expect to see a performance from Oysterband’s very own Ray ‘Chopper’ Cooper, a unique and visually compelling Whapweasel, with the one and only Gordon Potts

and excite yourself with something diverse from Holy Bandits.

To continue the tradition of showcasing new talent, Big Session will play host to the esteemed songstress, Nancy Elizabeth, guitar master John Smith, washboard rockers Julian Gaskell and his Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, folk-stomping quintet Moulettes, young folk trio Tyde, quirky folk-pop band 6 day riot and young talent Blair Dunlop.

Oysterband will be returning as the festival hosts, joined by Scottish twins The Proclaimers and one of the British folk scene’s best loved artists Kate Rusby. This year’s hotly tipped five-piece Stornoway, recently seen on ‘Later’ with Jools Holland are also set to excite. Having played 6 performances across 4 stages at Glastonbury, 2009 and being chosen to headline the ‘Introducing Stage’ at Radio 1’s Big Weekend last spring, 2010 really does

look set to be this band’s year. They’ll be joined by Irish favourites Dervish.

The festival will play host to an eclectic mix of emerging and established artists, with a vast range of real ales to really get your taste buds tingling. This award-winning festival further succeeds with its green motivations, having the most impressive recycling initiatives, through to the Kids Zone keeping youngsters entertained. Everyone will enjoy the music whatever the British weather as all sets are undercover on indoor and outdoor marquee stages. This really is a family-friendly festival, with something for everyone to enjoy.

Early Bird tickets are priced at £62.50 for the whole weekend and are available to buy now until Sunday 28th February, with family and children options also available. Tickets can be purchased online at www.bigsessionfestival.com or from the De Montfort Hall Box Office on 0116 233 3111.

Best Big Session Set For Summer

Electric Set For Thirty Seconds To Mars Jared Leto and the rest of Thirty Seconds To Mars kicked off their European tour in Nottingham playing the Trent FM arena on 19th February, with Lost Alone and Street Drum Corps for support.

The gig, which had sold out, was the first of the UK venues for ‘Into The Wild Tour’ promoting their new album ‘This is War’ which includes their recently released single ‘Kings and Queens’.

Lost Alone, from Derby, have supported many successful bands including My Chemical Romance. They kicked off the setlist and played to a 10,000 strong crowd all in high spirits even after a delay. It was worth the wait.

Lost Alone played a few singles mainly unknown to the audience, but this made no difference as the audience were still ecstatic

Street Drum Corps then took to the stage. They were an unexpected and unusual support band who class themselves as a punk rock percussion band; using drums, kitchenware and recycled aluminium rubbish bins to produce a grinding and unique sound.

Then the main attraction took to the stage with Jared rocking his new Mohican, playing hits such as 'Attack, which turned in to a huge sing along. Then unknowingly to the people on the front row the band moved across the

middle and tiered section of the arena to perform their biggest hit 'The Kill' acoustically, which resulted in the crowd drowning out Jared’s powerful voice. Not only were the audience treated to one encore... but two, with the final song of the night being their new single 'Kings and Queens' to which Jared got several fans up on stage. Between the songs there were screaming and singing competitions between each side of the audience all adding to the electric atmosphere and making everyone feel involved. Considering this was their opening night there were no stage-fright or mistakes, with fans leaving a very memorable night.

Music Editor Laura Westerby lines up the acts set to play at this year's festival

Rebecca Jerram reviews a memorable gig at the Nottingham Trent FM Arena

British folk artist Kate Rusby��

Scottish twins The Proclaimers��

Rock band Thirty Seconds To Mars��

12 | Tuesday 9 March 2010

Music

Kings Of Leon and Kasabian are set to play headline slots at this year's V Festival, it has been announced.

Florence And The Machine, The Prodigy, Stereophonics, Paul Weller, La Roux and Faithless are also on the bill for the two-site event.

V Festival takes place on two sites – one in Chelmsford and one in Staffordshire – on August 21-22.

Tickets went on sale on Friday March 5 at 9am. To check the availability of V Festival tickets and get all the latest listings, go to www.vfestival.com

The V Festival line-up so far is:

Laura Westerby

Music Reviews

Gigs For The Diary

Jedward – Under PressureI was slightly apprehensive when I started listening to this song - and by the end I was simply horrified. ‘Jedward’ mania has taken over and it’s difficult to know that some people actually think this is a good song. They’ve ruined a classically brilliant song with their weak vocals, bad raps and an awful video (yes, we know

who you are, no need to keep flashing up your name in the background). Even the inclusion of Vanilla Ice can’t redeem it. All in all, I cringe when this song comes on – and I just feel bad for Queen and David Bowie.

Sarah TaylorLifestyle Editor

V Festival Line-up 2010

Monday 15 MarchThe Four Tops & Temptations Tour. NIA, BirminghamTickets £38 plus booking fee.Book by

calling The Ticket Factory on 0844 338 8000 or online at theticketfactory.com

Saturday 20 MarchThe Soldiers- The coming home tourDe Montfort Hall Tickets £26.50 £29.507pmwww.demontforthall.co.uk

Wednesday 14 April

Whitney HoustonTrent FM Arena Nottingham Buy tickets online or call the 24hr Ticket Hotline: 08444 124 624

Kings Of Leon��Kasabian��Stereophonics��Faithless��The Prodigy��David Guetta��The Kooks��Paul Weller��Paolo Nutini��Florence And ��The Machine

Madness��White Lies��Skunk An-��ansieMika��Goldfrapp��The Temper ��TrapLa Roux��Newton ��Faulkner

Swift Flasby is a four-piece rock band connected through life-long friendships that first started at school. Originally from Burton-on-Trent, they’ve made Leicester their second home (because apparently Burton-on-Trent is small and rubbish), in an attempt to build their fan base and make a success of their music career.

They formed three and a half years ago and ever since, they’ve gigged anywhere and everywhere throughout Leicester, fulfilling their dream of being musicians and working towards making Swift Flasby a full time career. They want to get away from their nine to five jobs, as working in a garage (not a petrol station) or working a depressing six till six shift is not where these down-to-earth lads want to be. ‘To do this full time would be the dream’ they say, ‘this is our idea of success.’

Swift Flasby’s music is very rock and roll, incorporating their musical influences of Oasis, The Beatles and Kings of Leon into their sound. Taking an anthemic, diluted modern-rock approach and incorporating elements of the blues into their energetic, pacing sound, really enhances the band’s powerful on-stage presence. They present a neatly constructed set, with sharp beats, superb bass, fine drums and distinct vocals that add originality to their music; taking them above the average talent of an unsigned rock band.

The band agree to play at least one gig a month in Leicester, with their hard-working commitments leading them to self-produce a seven song debut EP, which they sell at their gigs. The band also aims to release single ‘cold lover’ through iTunes and MySpace by the end of March.

Following this, the four-piece are due to play at Glastonbudget, a new-acts festival taking place in Leicestershire in May. They see this as a crucial step in the right direction to get their music careers moving.

Acoustic sets on BBC Introducing have also strengthened the bands midland’s status. Metropolis Records have also shown interest in the band, with a single release and tour in the limelight, but nothing is set in stone.

Swift Flasby deserve to make a powerful entrance into the world of rock and roll, as they show incredible potential through their domineering sound and determination to do everything possible to make a success

of their musical ambition.To listen to Swift Flasby’s music,

visit their MySpace page at www.myspace.com/swiftflasby

For gig listings, follow the band on MySpace, Facebook and Twitter.

Unsigned Talent: Swift Flasby Music Editor Laura Westerby talks to one of Midland's top rock and roll bands

Photo supplied by Lauren Burke

Tuesday 9 March 2010 | 13

Film

My Name is Khan“My Name is Khan...and I am not a terrorist.”

My Name is Khan has been a major blockbuster movie. Released globally on 12 February, 2010, the film broke box office records for an Indian film all over the world. It grossed the highest opening weekend and opening day overseas for a Bollywood film.

Starring Shahrukh Khan and Kajol, the film was a major success as it highlights the key issues surrounding this society. With the September 11 crisis and the racism that prevailed, the issue of hijab and having an illness such as Autism – the film deals with it all as it takes a spectacular stance in highlighting these major issues.

Directed by Karan Johar, the film essentially focuses on the central character, Rizwan Khan who is a Muslim child growing up with his brother, Zakir, and comes from a middle class family in Mumbai. He has talents allowing him to repair ‘almost anything’ and as he grows up, he comes to realise that the world can be a difficult place to live. The love story between him as a Muslim and Mandira as a Hindu, causes a rift between him and his brother who believes that by marrying a Hindu is blasphemy but Rizwan couldn’t disagree more as he believes that there is no difference between people and their religion, the only difference which sets people apart is those who are good and those who are bad.

Truthful and honest, Rizwan Khan receives mixed emotions from the community. His good actions set him apart from most. This is Rizwan, an

innocent, clean hearted, simple guy who believes there are only two types of people in this world; those who are good and do good deeds and those who are bad and who do bad deed. The reason for his innocence and candidness is due to the Asperger's Syndrome, a disorder making it difficult for him to interact socially. Rizwan Khan is without a doubt, everyone’s favourite. His sincerity and innocence is heart-wrenching and there is only one man who could have done justice to this role and that is Shahrukh Khan.

The first half of the film is focused on the Rizwan-Mandira love story which is realistically portrayed as of “love at first sight” and in a style which only Karan could do. However, although it seems a perfect ending for a perfect family, their world is turned upside down due to the nature of the events which takes place. The racism which follows the September 11 attacks strains Rizwan’s and Mandira’s relationship after their only son, Sam, dies during a soccer game and which later is know that he died of a racial attack. Destroyed and heartbroken, Mandira believes that Sam died by taking the ‘Khan’ name and she should never have married a Muslim. She leaves Rizwan telling him to only return after he tells the President of the United States, “My name is Khan and I am not a terrorist.” Innocently, Rizwan sets out on the journey to clear his name and fulfil his promise to Mandira. What happens next remains to be seen after he gets caught up in many obstacles on his journey to desperately meet the President.

This is not the typical Johar film.

It’s different, much better and a major blockbuster internationally. It is clearly more realistic than his previous films. This film is portrayed with flashbacks and is done in a great sequence which sets the movie off really well.

In terms of cinematography, you've got to give it to Ravi K Chandran, the film was filmed beautifully. The locations were attractive and very pleasing to the eye. It was not over-powering and simply used as a back-drop.

The supporting cast were also flawless, they are relatively unknown actors (apart from Jimmy Shergill) and this is effective in making the story believable. They give heart-felt performances that compliment the leading actors.

The chemistry between the actors Kajol and Sharukh Khan is simply amazing. They complement each other so well in every film and this film was no exception.

No movie in recent times has given so much of emotional attachment with the characters of the film. This soul-tearing movie forces you to re-think about the myths of religion, classes, communities & genders in which the human beings are classified every now & then. It is a fascinating love story that shows that love conquers all and hate can destroy everything. The film illustrates an angle of religion and a world-shaking incident as a backdrop. It not only entertains, but also mesmerises, enthrals and captivates the viewer. This film is sure to have a far-reaching influence from the audience due to its noble theme.

Directed by Garry Marshall, Valentine's Day works in the tradition of last year's February romantic success story, and Love Actually, a British dramatic rom-com that jump-started the technique of applying multiple love stories in a film.

February 14th, Valentine’s Day, is not a national holiday, but it is one of those days that must be celebrated. Starring Jessica Alba, Anne Hathaway, Jamie Foxx and Patrick Dempsey, this romantic comedy shows the intricacy of relationships and the love between the couples and how they can cheat on you on the worst days.

The well known actors did a great job in delivering their roles but the downside to this movie was that there were too many story lines and none of them were fully developed. There was no originality in the film and the plot was also predictable but there was some truth in the story lines. The movie highlights that there are “special someone’s” in everyone’s lives who expect to receive romantic gifts from their lovers. Commercialism has put a tremendous amount of pressure on men to give their lovers a romantic day with all the trimmings. Women are under pressure to have a man, or they feel desperate and unloved and Valentine’s Day does nothing to help ease that pain.

This film follows the lives of several couples during this day with connected story lines amongst all of the characters. Their stories are told through the links they have with each other. Some will find romance in their relationship whilst others will feel the heartbreak of ending a relationship.

Valentine's Day is set in Los Angeles where love and heartbreaks

are intertwined all within those 24 hours. Florist Reed Bennett proposes to his girlfriend Morley, and he is all excited about it but she gets cold feet as the day draws to an end, Reed’s best friend Julia, is having an affair with Dr Harrison Copeland who has a wife and a kid whilst talent agent in training Josh Morris, has just met the receptionist Liz, who is not quite what she seems. Meanwhile 10-year-old Edison, who is one of Julia's pupils, wants to send flowers to his Valentine but the flowers don’t get delivered at the right time and his grandparents Estelle and Edgar also have a surprise after being married for so long. And up in the air, an off-duty soldier travels from afar just to spend one day with someone she loves...

The ensemble cast really shines in this light romantic movie, especially Ashton Kutcher, whose been absent from the limelight for a bit, makes a pleasant return as the florist who is as much of romantic as they come, and George Lopez is also great in his role of the family man with all the right views on love.

In this Russian roulette world of finding love, everyone in the film is asking for advice on how to find and keep true love through both sincere and amusing advice. It portrays the many types of love you see such as young love, mature love, new relationships, and the also the type of love for someone you didn't realize you had. This love story is at times entertaining and which portrays the randomness of love and how in its truest form is more important than anything else but the movie is also a chick flick to say the least, which uses the twists to weave all of the characters together.

Humarya Sadiq looks at 'Valentine's Day', this year's most ridiculously star packed rom-com fest.

Tuesday 9 March 2010 | 15

Are you still looking for accommodation for the next academic year?! Are you looking for a reliable agency that you can trust? Are you tired of looking round sub standard houses that don’t meet your needs?

If so then look no further than DSU Lettings, run by YOUR student union. So far we have let 47 houses for next year, but this doesn’t mean that we’re running out or only have the “worst” properties left!

In the past 2 weeks alone we have taken on 8 new properties, ranging from studio apartments to 5 bed houses, all within 15 minutes walk of the University (& that’s only if you’re a slow walker!)

We have been made aware by some students recently that other agencies in the area are using high pressure tactics and scaring students in to signing tenancy agreements for unsuitable houses by telling them that “At this time of year, that’s the best you’re going to get!” PLEASE don’t fall for this!

All of our properties provide quality accommodation for a reasonable price and if we are unsure about

a landlord’s credentials, we simply won’t let their property to you.

Where we feel that a property needs additional work to meet our requirements we ensure that our contract with the landlord states that any necessary works will be completed prior to our students moving in, and unlike other agents, we will inspect all our properties over the summer, to confirm these works have been completed. This means no nasty surprises for you when you turn up to move in to your new house in September, leaving you free to enjoy Fresher’s week and concentrate on getting to grips with your course!

Don’t forget DSU Lettings offer a 100% FREE service to students: there are no hidden admin fees or non- refundable deposits. The only money we will take from you will be your deposit that is protected by the Deposit Protection Service (DPS) and your termly rent payments.

So what are you waiting for?! Get on to our website www.dsulettings.com to check out our new additions, then call us on 0116 257 6303 to book a viewing!

dsulettings.com

Politics

There had been an expectation that Unite, the cabin crew union, would announce on Thursday details of when and for how long workers would strike. Members of the union voted overwhelmingly in favour of walkout on Monday with 81 per cent of those voting in favour, over 70%of all workers, triggering the likelihood of the first strike by the cabin crew for over a decade. Legally Strike action must commence within 28 days of the ballot to ensure the validity of strikes.

The strike action has been said to concern “security, pay and working conditions”. In November, BA reduced the number of cabin crew on long haul flights from 15 to 14 and brought in a two-year pay freeze from 2010. With pay freezes having accounted for a third of settlements in recent months it will be interesting to see whether the unions will be able to resist such this proposal.

"We're asking British Airways management to recognise they have lost the trust of an important group of their employees. And the way to regain that trust is to listen to their

grievances", said a Union leader. Last year BA cabin crew voted in favour of strike action over the Christmas period over the same issues, but the high court ruled the vote was illegal, “Negotiations are certainly ongoing.” He added “we do not want to create any sense that we are not serious about negotiating. And announcing strike dates would do that. We would only announce strike dates when all other options have been exhausted.”

BA’s management replied to these claims by the Unite, criticising their disregard of customers; stating, “It has to be said that it is frustrating for customers to be kept in the dark. Customers need to know as soon as possible what is going on. If you were cynical, you'd say that the union is playing with customers' travel plans. Every day that this goes on, there is less availability on alternative flights and prices will go up. Unite need to make a decision and stop messing people about”. However it could be said in reply to this that BA themselves have shown exactly what happens when you make decision without taking into consideration the needs of stakeholders.

Walkouts over Easter have already been ruled out and this is a perfect

example of unions not doing this. “We want to secure an honourable agreement that our member are happy with and secures their future, but at the same time assists in making certain that British airways can move forward as a viable operation and we’re not back here six months down the line.” said Len McCluskey - assistant general secretary of Unite, at a press conference in central London.

The union has, under industrial relations law, 28 days between the ballot being announced and starting the strike. It also has to give seven days' notice to the company before starting its walk out.

Both sides have stated that progress is being made during the ongoing talks. The British airways website states, “We remain very keen to resolve the issues between Unite and British Airways for the sake of our customers and all our staff. The outcome of the ballot is very disappointing and brings a renewed threat of industrial action, which is completely unjustified.” Perhaps such action could be described as unjustified, but this is by no means the first time BA has been involved in industrial disputes, with this being the third summer in succession.

The company website states -“we will not allow Unite to ruin this company. Should a strike take place, we will do everything we can to protect your travel plans as far as possible.” This could be seen as a poor attempt to demonize UNITE and the Trade Union movement. Earlier this month BA announced it made a pre-tax loss of £50m in just the three months to December 2009, down from the £122m it lost a year earlier.

Although it has stated it is acting in their best interests, BA has not shown any recognition for the effects of these changes on staff. BA has instead threatened to take away generous travel perks for workers who do strike. Such actions appear to go against Union hopes that with an overwhelming majority voting for action, BA will now listen”, says Ablard. Meanwhile unions representing French air traffic controllers have announced a four-day strike, beginning on Tuesday that will result in hundreds of flights in and out of Paris' Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports being cancelled. 4000 German pilots of airline Lufthansa are also striking. All in all it doesn’t appear to be the greatest time to travel by plane.

Whilst Unions have taken into account the public discontent that would arise from a strike over the Easter it remains to be seen how their claims of “unfair working conditions” and “bargain basement wages”, for new recruits will hold up given the financial position of British Airways. However such a position does raise the question about whether private enterprise is so much more efficient and than the public sector organisations given that the only innovation British Airways is showing is in their attempts to cut costs.

For the interest of students who are travelling over Easter with BA this re-assurance on their website should deal with some anxiety, as they clarify that “all of our flights are continuing to operate as normal at this time. Normal Conditions of Carriage will apply for any flights that are cancelled outside of the strike period”.

"At the moment, if you've got a choice of airlines, you could well take the one which is not BA. And this will be very frustrating for those that have already booked flights," Francesca Equerry said. If your flight is cancelled BA is obliged under EU law to offer you either a refund or a different route.

Unite Votes for BA Strikes

With the General Election looming on the horizon like some sort of monstrous democratic behemoth on the horizon, Leicester is full of people who wish to become our MPs come 6th May (that’s what I’m banking on anyway). So with some scouring of the internet I had soon gathered a list of all the prospective parliamentary candidates (PPCs), a list of seven in all, and I sent a letter to them last week.

The subject that had so motivated me to write to these people is one that, as far as I could tell, seems to be a matter of importance to many people at De Montfort, to the point where it was the only policy shared by all candidates standing in our own recent elections. The issue is that of student opposition to the tuition fees increases which seem more and more likely to be the outcome of the

Browne inquiry. There has been no student involvement in this enquiry. Combine this with the stinging cuts that Lord Mandelson has hit higher education with, whilst almost every other part of the political machine

refuses to name where the rest of the saving will be made and it seems that the government of the moment feel nothing but indifference to students and don’t seem to care what they think of them. In light of this lack of care for students on the part of those that govern us, even the incumbent MPs of this student centric town (both Keith Vaz [who is standing] and Patricia Hewitt [who is standing down for family reasons, which should probably read expenses] voted strongly in favour in the 1st round of fees increases back in 2004), I decided to write to those who would soon attempt to win our favour and become our representatives, in order to remind them of student concerns and the power of the student vote.

In the letter I put across the fact that there are around 18,000 students at DMU alone, a considerable figure and one capable of swinging voting figures substantially. Equally I made reference to the recently leaked findings of Northern Ireland’s very own fees inquiry which suggest that, contrary to Mandelson’s claims, student experience has not been shown to increase in value

proportionately in relation tot the amount they pay for their education. I then whether, in light of these findings and the views of their would be constituents whether “the readers of The Demon, and the students of De Montfort University as a whole count on your commitment to oppose tuition fee increases if elected? Will you sign up with the pledge at voteforstudents.co.uk?” Voteforstudetns.co.uk, for those of you who don’t know (although its mentioned in this paper enough) is a website where students can sign up pledging to vote for a candidate who stands against fees increases and also for MPs and PPCs to pledge they will stand against these issues. As I said before I sent out seven copies in all, last Friday (26th Feb). I have so far received two replies.

The first I received was from Steve Score, candidate for the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) in Leicester West, he said he was “absolutely opposed to the lifting of the cap. In fact I have long campaigned against tuition fees themselves”. Add that “believe education should be free. I went

to university in the 1970s when education was free and not only that, instead of loans, we got a reasonable grant. Most of the politicians of the main parties, who now say students should bear the burden of education costs, got theirs for free!” Mr Score finished his promising “that elected or not, I will continue to campaign against the lifting of the cap on fees as well as the principle of fees themselves. I would be happy to work with the students union and the trades unions on this and opposition to the cuts.”

The other response I received was from Celia Harvey, Conservative candidate for Leicester West who said that she agreed that “there are serious problems with the current university funding system .” She then went on to add that “in the current financial climate, a full state subsidy is simply not something we can afford, but we are committed to providing a fairer deal for young people should we win the next general election.” Mrs Harvey then goes on to say that the Conservative party “believe[s] that there should be an independent review of how universities are funded

and how top-up fees are affecting students”. Whilst Mrs Harvey does inform us that she cannot back a full state subsidy for education, she makes no mention of her views upon tuition fees increases, nor does she make it clear, in light of the Browne inquiry, which will not finish until after the general election, whether she will oppose any rises in fees; although she does outline “a series of policies aimed at helping more young people such as a discount on student loans which are repaid early, and the provision of much better advice and information about the true costs and benefits of going to university”. I would invite her to also express her views upon tuition fees increases, as well as on their abolition.

Other than these two I have so far not received any reply from the other candidates I have emailed. I will endeavour to ensure I have contacted them via the right email addresses and hopefully in time obtain a response.

You can contact the two candidates quoted in this article @: stephen.score@ntlworld.com and celiaharvey@leicesterconservatives.com.

PPCs speak out on Fees Increases

Chris Day

Chris Day

Tuesday 9 March 2010 | 5

Sport

Dramatic Finish gives Men VictoryMatt StottDe Montfort Women’s football

suffered an undeserved 2-0 defeat to Leicester University in this year’s Varsity match.

On the return to the Walkers Stadium on Tuesday evening, DMU looked confident to overcome the Leicester side that started the match as favourites to win.

Centre-back Ellie Banks predicted a win before the game: “We haven’t got a bad record going into the game– we’ve won our past four games.

“I predict a 3-0 win to us. I think Rosie Corbett will get a couple for us”

The Leicester side on the other hand seemed determined throughout the game to secure another win following last year’s Varsity, where they beat DMU in penalties 4-3.

Before the match the Leicester captain said: “We’ve been preparing for this longer than we were supposed to, due to two week postponement of the match. The team is looking good today; we’re on top of the league and haven’t lost yet. The girls are really looking forward to it.

“There is a change of tactics and players from last year’s 0-0 draw, so you can expect something new.”

Leicester are in the league above the De Montfort side, currently in 2nd place, just three points behind the University of East Anglia. Despite Leicester's mental advantage, both teams had a confident start with but were unable to keep any consistency on the ball, with possession changing hands throughout the opening minutes. After 15 minutes, Leicester had started to threaten the DMU side, and their dominance showed

as they opened the scoring with the first goal of the match from a corner, which goalkeeper, Amy Davis, was unable to save, with Leicester poking the ball home to give them the lead.

DMU's best chance came towards the end of the first half, with Corbett playing in Shayley Jones, but the on-rushing Leicester goalkeeper thwarted the shot brilliantly, preventing an equaliser for De Montfort.

With DMU 1-0 down at half-time, the team returned seeming determined to score, with Beth Clarricoates going on a fantastic run, spurred on by the excitable De Montfort crowd. The gospel choir were also there clearly supporting their girls, leaving the Leicester fans sat quietly.

After 10 minutes into the second half DMU made a substitution, bringing defender, Elzi Villca Berrios on, who demonstrated exceptional dribbling skills as soon as she got onto the pitch.

Despite a gallant and top class defensive display, Leicester scored their second goal after 31 minutes, with a powerful shot which Davis was unable to stop, a goal which spelt the end of any chance DMU had of winning the trophy.

After the second goal, DMU fought on, bringing on two other midfielders, Kate Greenfield and Casey Philpott, both giving excellent performances.

In the final minutes of the game, striker, Shayley Jones, took a last shot at goal, but her effort fell straight into the keepers arms.

As the final whistle blew a beaten but proud DMU team showed togetherness and their efforts were applauded by their supporting crowd.

University of Leicester ended the match with the spoils and a deserved win on the whole, but the win was nonetheless a cruel blow to DMU who have played so well coming into the game, winning 6-0 and 9-2 in the matches leading up to varsity.

Yoki ‘JJ’ Akinwale grabbed a dramatic last-gasp goal to preserve DMU Mens’ Varsity bragging rights for another year in a hard-fought 1-0 victory over rivals Leicester Uni at the Walkers Stadium.

Penalty kicks appeared inevitable as both sides struggled to create clear-cut chances as Leicester presided over the majority of proceedings in a fiercely contested affair last Tuesday night.

But striker ‘JJ’ tore up the script as he latched onto substitute Sahid Mohammed’s low cross after Leicester had failed to clear a 92nd-minute corner to coolly slot home from eight yards out and send the DMU faithful into euphoria.

Akinwale believed the game was a classic example of having to take your chances when they are presented to you: “They had a lot of chances but didn't put them away. We knew we just needed one chance and we put it away.”

The match-winner notched up his sixth goal of the season, and was aware of the importance of his left-footed injury-time strike: “It’s amazing. I can’t start to explain how it feels – we were just so determined not to let the match go to penalties.”

He believed the combination of Leicester’s scouting strategy and an energy-sapping soft pitch, that cut up as the match progressed, stifled DMU’s customary slick passing style: “We were not allowed to play our normal game because Leicester have seen us play a lot of times, so they knew exactly how we would play and didn't allow us to play our normal passing game.

“It was a quick pitch – on a great pitch we have an amazing passing game like Arsenal, but we were not able to do that. Yet all we needed was that one chance and when we got it at the end we took it – we’re just loving the moment right now.”

Yet last month The Demon reported they had not been loving any of the moments in their previous three outings – defeated in each one and haplessly leaking twelve goals, surrendering top spot of the third tiered league. So to have any chance of retaining last year’s Varsity trophy, our boys in red would have to revert back to first five games of the season, where we triumphed in the opening six games and garnered an imposing twenty-three goals.

Leicester University ran onto the pitch with a worthy sense of optimism after having won eight out of eleven games in all competitions this season, albeit in a league beneath DMU. They also had the benefit of having their players match fit as they have played on three occasions since returning from Christmas, with DMU’s season not yet restarted due to weather-inflicted postponements.

Speaking by the dugout prior to kick off, stand-in manager Sam Pearce was in confident mood, despite the lack of recent action: “We were on a good run of form before then. Our form on paper looks to have dropped, but we have a good bunch of lads and are a strong unit.”

If it was not for his groin injury picked up a month ago, the captain, who applies his trade at left-back, would have been marauding down the wing and encouraging his comrades across the pitch. Yet he was unable to pass a late fitness test and swopped roles with first team manager Lee Linnett, who slipped into the centre of defence to partner Curtis Watts.

He admitted to be frustrated to not be playing: “It was going to be the big send off this year as it’s my final year. But I did my groin in four weeks ago and have tried to get fit but the physio says ‘another week, another week’. The problem is I'm so close to a return but my groin is just not good enough. I'm on the bench though, so if it goes to

pens, expect me to come on!”Ominously, he forecasted a high-

scoring encounter: “I think there’s goals in this game, it won’t be 0-0 last like last year. We set out a more defensive formation last year with five in midfield and this time we have three attackers on from the start and I guarantee goals. I think we’re pretty confident.”

After two minutes, his prediction had seemed an accurate one. DMU kicked off but it wasn’t long before Leicester took control of possession, and there brutally agile number nine forward Franklin Mensah would have been one-on-one if goalkeeper Lewis Hearne had not been quick to remove the ball from danger from outside his box after the defence had been left flat-footed by Mensah’s deft turn.

This early sharpness settled the first year student, who had been selected over Dan Hancock and in turn became the inaugural fresher to pull on a pair of gloves in DMU’s Varsity history. It set the tone for his impressive performance throughout the game and instilled vital confidence to the defence in front of him.

Pearce had employed the perennial 4-4-2 diamond formation which featured the tenacious Jake Smith as the holding midfielder, tidying up in and around the back four with gritted determination, and Andy Baxter as the support act behind the front two who initially struggled to play a part in the early goings.

Leicester moved the ball around with some guile in the opening fifteen minutes, and had another opportunity on the sixth minute when Convey maraudered into the DMU, ignoring two weak challenges, but could only arrow his shot straight at Hearne.

Three minutes later Mensah found himself space just inside the box and drew a comfortable save again from DMU’s rookie keeper, who appeared

Heroic Effort Ends In DefeatAmy Seabrook explains how the Womens team suffer defeat but continue to stay proud

"A beaten but proud DMU team showed togetherness and their efforts were applauded"

6 | Tuesday 9 March 2010

Sport

DMU Men’s retained the coveted Varsity trophy last Tuesday at the Walkers stadium thanks to a dramatic last-minute Ayoki ‘JJ’ Akinwale goal that sunk bitter rivals Leicester University and gave DMU a 1-0 victory.

In the eagerly-anticipated annual clash, both teams failed to find their best form and golden chances to win the match where few and far between.

But in the 92nd minute, ‘JJ’ connected to a Sahid Mohammed left-footed cross, dribbling pass the oncoming keeper and finding the back of the net from 8 yards out to send the loyal DMU fans into rapture.

JJ said: “It’s amazing. I can’t start

to explain how it feels. We were so determined not to go to penalties. They had a lot of chances but didn't put them away. We knew we just needed one chance and we put it away.”

Acting manager Sam Pearce believed a late substitution swayed the game into DMU’s favour. “We were on the back foot, struggling, and they were really pushing us back, but we caught them on the counter attack. I pulled a tactical masterstroke out of the bag there! I just put an extra man upfront and it seemed to help us out.

“It is quality to win two years in a row – it would have been nice for a few more goals today – but we won and that’s all that matters.”

Lewis Hearne, the first fresher to keep goal for DMU in a Varsity game, was impressive and pulled out

a string of saves throughout that kept DMU in the match. Leicester Uni will feel hard done by, especially after dominating large parts of the game but failed to convert any of their chances.

Defensive pairing of first team manager Linnett and Watts gradually dealt with the attacking threat posed in particular by Leicester Uni’s Mensah and his replacement Weaver in the second half. They snuffed out the majority of attacks with the aid of the combative Gill, especially formidable in the first half, and the tireless efforts of the midfield who were forced to position themselves deeper to grasp a foothold in the match.

Nevertheless, a late change of tactics from Pearce to hit Leicester Uni on the counter-attack proved to be the decisive act of the game

when, with a penalty shoot-out looming just minutes away, our opponents failed to deal with a corner kick DMU had earned from said counter-attack, and suffered the consequence when Mohammed and Akinwale superbly combined to stun the Leicester Uni defence and spark dramatic scenes.

Calvin Dass, part of the DMU setup and who barked orders from the touchline, said: “To be fair, we started on the back foot but classic DMU we came all the way through and won the match – which was the most important thing. We defended strong and Lewis our goalkeeper kept us in there, but Curtis Watts was my man of the match.”

Meanwhile, the DMU Women’s team battled bravely, but were unable to capture the varsity trophy, going down 2-0 at the hands of Leicester

Uni Women’s Varsity match that took place prior to the Mens'.

Goals in each half gave holders Leicester Uni a deserved victory, one which never looked in any danger of being over-turned as our rivals dictated the majority of the play, hatching onto costly defensive errors on our behalf.

Goalkeeper Amy Davis said: “It went alright. We were a bit disappointed, we played well as a team we just didn't have the opportunities we needed, so very upset, but also very proud of our girls. At least we get another chance next year to redeem ourselves.”Goals in each half gave holders Leicester Uni a deserved victory, one which never looked in any danger of being over-turned as our rivals dictated the majority of the play, hatching onto costly defensive errors on our behalf.

Varsity Victory!

Matt Stott

8 | Tuesday 9 March 2010