Maldonado reigns in Spain
James Froom looks at Pastor Maldonado’s victory for Williams and the fire which engulfed the team’s paddock in their post-race celebrations…
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Author Archive
Food for Thought: Meals to Boost Your Brain Cells
Did you know; that while it’s resting the brain uses 20% of the body’s energy. So whilst you’re trying to get your head around Maths Equations or the language of Chaucer, that percentage will be sure to rocket. So, during exams it’s really important to eat regular, nutritious meals. However, it can all get a Read More →
Was F1 right to race?
James Froom believes that despite a successful race, there should never have been a Grand Prix in Bahrain this year…
Is F1 heading for trouble… again?
James Froom looks at the reasons for going ahead with the Bahraini Grand Prix and says he is hopeful that it will pass off without incident…
Five things we learned from the Masters
Thomas Dodd looks back at the first major of the year and sums up what we have learned from the four days at Augusta…
Roger’s Revival
Tom Garry believes Roger Federer’s demise has been greatly exaggerated and that the Swiss legend can still add to his list of 16 grand slam titles…
Poor signings by Dalglish the reason for Liverpool’s slump
Luke Callis looks at the reasons for Liverpool’s poor season in the Premier League and questions whether Kenny Dalglish is the right man to turn their fortunes around…
No Sinking Ship!
Charlotte Goodwin evaluates if Titanic really is a sinking ship. With the centenary of the fatal sinking of the Titanic fast approaching, television schedules are filled with memories of the tragic disaster. ITV have made the most out of this anniversary with the director of the successful Downton Abbey, Julian Fellowes, creating his take on Read More →
Feature – Cadbury Lecture: Academic first, Archbishop second
The Edward Cadbury lectures concluded on March 16th after this year’s series of talks around the subject of ‘Seeing and Believing in Modern Christianity’. The main speaker this year has been Professor David Morgan of Duke University, but the final lecture – ‘Idols, Icons and Images’ – was conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury himself, Read More →
Interfaith Relations on Campus and Beyond
Birmingham University last week witnessed an inter-faith event beyond anything seen before in which many of the University’s faith societies pulled together to successfully organise a hospitality event which catered for almost 1,300 students. Through 4 months of planning and hard work, ‘Around the World in Eight Faiths’ successfully laid the foundations for years of Read More →
Live Review: Civil Wars
HMV Institute – 13/3/2012 In their first gig of their first headlining tour outside of America, The Civil Wars are visibly struck by the reception they receive: a standing ovation before they even start; but one that is ultimately deserved. Fresh from the release of their excellent debut album, Barton Hollow, the sheer musicianship of vocalist Read More →
Birmingham win BULSCA champs
Brum’s Life Saving team came up trumps in Bath where they left as champions having won a number of individual and collective medals on the way…
Climbers scale the heights at BUCS
Birmingham’s climbing team put in a stirling performance as they took on the best university competitors in their finals…
Album Review: Chiddy Bang – Breakfast
How Chiddy Bang ever got to the stage of releasing an album is beyond me. Mildly famous due to their cover of MGMT’s ‘Kids’ entitled ‘Opposite of Adults’ (see what they did there?) they probably should have faded away by now. But still they hang on. I wouldn’t worry too much though as their main Read More →
Review: Watch This presents: The Labotomy of Marco Leroux
Who would have thought a schizophrenic, with only one personality; a pyromaniac; an insomniac; an obsessive compulsive, and a bipolar sufferer, would make for such a formidable cast? The audience are welcomed into the office of the Warden of the Atomicus Lunatic Asylum, which has been commandeered by these patients for one night, to celebrate Read More →
Review: Footnotes meets Footlights
As De Montfort’s opening act joked – they are not from a university in the south of France but from Leicester and they brought a burst of energy to the stage in Selly Oak’s very own TC’s. This night of stand up comedy was moved from joke to anecdote by the charming comperes; Matt Saull Read More →
Badminton teams fall at semi-final stage
Up against Loughborough and Leeds Met, both Birmingham teams put in a great effort but succumbed to their two rivals…
Fencers share the foils at BUCS
Rosie Davies won a bronze medal after reaching the semi-finals of her event…
Silver success for Gann and Smith at Judo championships
Chris Gann and Annie Smith were the biggest successes in Sheffield where the Birmingham team competed looking for BUCS glory…
Volleyball team rally to claim fifth place at BUCS
The men’s team rallied after two defeats with back-to-back victories as they improved on last year’s seventh place finish…
Synchronised Success for legend McCoy
Max Milward looks back at the Cheltenham festival and the contrasting success of Synchronised, Big Buck’s and Kauto Star in the biggest races of the week…
Damien Hirst
Daffodils bringing colour back to campus as Spring reveals its regenerative face have rekindled a certain dislike for the world’s most notorious artist; Damien Hirst. Hirst will soon be exhibiting a retrospective of his life’s work at the Tate Modern, promoted as a map of the artist’s life. It may reveal a mellowing of the Read More →
Mar 19 2012 | Posted in Arts | Read More »
Hunky Dory
Director: Marc Evans Cast: Minnie Driver, Aneurin Barnard, Danielle Branch Cert: 15 In the long, hot summer of 1976, a class of Welsh teenagers are grappling with homework, each other, and a production of The Tempest; set to the music of such legends as Bowie and The Beach Boys. Led by their foul-mouthed, chain-smoking teacher Read More →
Album Review: Empirical – Elements Of Truth
Elements of Truth is the new album release from striking young quartet Empirical. This London-based band are expanding the boundaries of modern jazz and this record certainly does them justice. Beginning with a lush blend of piano and vibraphone, Elements of Truth is opened by the track ‘Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say‘. This title takes on Read More →
Mar 16 2012 | Posted in Album Reviews | Read More »
Wales on course for yet another Grand Slam
Fraser Kesteven looks ahead to the Six Nations’ final fixtures and says Wales are on course for a deserved third Grand Slam in six years…
Five of the Best: John Cusack Films
Nicolas Marriott looks at a man who has survived aircraft hijacking and the end of the world. #1 - Con Air Con Air is the kind of action film Michael Bay wishes he could make. The film partners Cusack with Nicolas Cage as they work together to try and stop a prison plane which has been Read More →
Stirling stop Brum
The golfers finished their league campaign as unbeaten champions last week. In the cup they faced a Stirling side known to have an extremely strong golfing set-up…
Sport Shorts 16/03/2012
Korfball Bronze Birmingham’s Korfball first team took part in the BSKA National Championships last weekend, performing impressively to come home with bronze medals. Brum reached the quarter-finals following a 9-3 win over Leeds and then a dominant 16-2 victory over Reading. The team then booked a place in the semi-final after triumphing over Edinburgh 10-6. Read More →
Mar 15 2012 | Posted in Sports | Read More »
Kony 2012 contrives the issue
In this age of the internet, campaigns must make up for the short attention spans of viewers by appealing to their attraction to loud, catchy images. ‘Kony 2012’ has done a fabulous job at this, creating a campaign of sensationalist melodrama and emotional demagogy unparalleled in recent years. For those of us who have, for Read More →
Live Review: Noel Gallagher
N.I.A – 1/3/2012 It’s hard to predict what the quieter, and arguably more lyrically creative Gallagher brother can bring to the table of British music that we haven’t already seen. Proud, youthful, artist angst? Smashed guitars? Disappointed avid fans? One thing is for sure, the performance delivered by Noel Gallagher at the NIA did anything Read More →
Return of the 80s!
A while ago I wrote an article expressing hope that this decade would be the one where the 21st century could truly get off on the right foot. Two months down the line one might be forgiven, just by glancing at the situation, for thinking that the decade was now simply trying to do its Read More →
UK medical students turn to prostitution due to debt
According to reports, medical students are resorting to selling themselves to pay for their hefty course and living fees. Medical students face higher costs in comparison to many of their peers due to studying for longer, yet, as prices are set to drastically increase this year, there are fears that prostitution amongst young women will Read More →
Moyes still going strong as Toffees’ boss
Reece Lawrence looks back at David Moyes’ 10 years at Everton and assesses how well he has done during his time with the blue half in Merseyside…
Fierce & Finished
Fierce… Birmingham Fashion Fairs- Last week left us spoilt for choice with both the Fairtrade and Vintage Fashion fairs. Oh, how we adore a good old knitted jumper. Calvin Klein launch new cosmetics range- The new CK One Colour Cosmetics won’t be released until September but we shall eagerly await the line of over 130 Read More →
Vajazzling & Feminism: A Not So Unlikely Combination?!
Vajazzling – the act of literally sticking crystals on to one’s foof – has sparked much controversy in the world of feminists recently… Is it simply a beauty regime that makes us feel sexy and confident, or are we really just bluffin’ with our muffins in an attempt to get the opposite sex’s attention? For Read More →
Mar 11 2012 | Posted in Lifestyle | Read More »
A Right Royal Round-Up: Kate vs Pippa – The Style Stakes
Kate Kate Middleton has undoubtedly made an impression on the fashion police of Great Britain ever since she turned heads in that McQueen wedding dress. Blogs and websites such as ‘What Kate Wore’ and ‘Kate Middleton Style’, to name a few, seemed to crop up the minute Wills proposed! No one can seem to resist Read More →
Mar 11 2012 | Posted in Lifestyle | Read More »
Five of the Best: Films Inspired by Shakespeare
Renaissance woman, Natasha Lavender, shares 5 things she loves about The Bard on screen. #1 Ten Things I Hate About You A comedy of love and underhand negotiations, this sees The Taming of the Shrew transported to an American high school. When popular Bianca is forbidden from dating before her antisocial sister Kat (Julia Stiles), Read More →
High Fashion High Tops
They may have started out as notoriously chav-tastic, but ‘high-tops’ have well and truly made their way into the fashion world. There is no doubt that they are comfortable and practical, but some have considered whether they can ever really be high fashion, despite their popularity amongst celebs. However, with fashion powerhouse Isabel Marant designing Read More →
The Beginner’s Guide to… Silent Film
This week we’re thankful Jayne Rudd hasn’t kept her mouth shut about these silverscreen gems Since the acclaimed silent film The Artist gained five awards at the Oscars, there have been mixed opinions as to whether the silver screen still has a place within modern culture, or if it is now a forgotten relic to Read More →
Mar 10 2012 | Posted in Film | Read More »
Two weeks of tedium…
As a final-year student, the Guild is something I chose to be a part of. It is a vehicle for extra-curricular activities: hobbies or just frantic attempts to enhance one’s CV, and a place that hosts a variety of corporate, over-priced food vendors. Despite what it claims to be, I have never felt that I Read More →
Mar 9 2012 | Posted in Campus Comment,Comment,Comment,Guild Elections 2012,Key Stories,Online Exclusives | Read More »
Battling Bedford bruise Brum
Men’s Rugby Union, Conference Cup semi-final Birmingham 2nds 8-26 Bedford 1sts On an afternoon that saw everything from dazzling sunshine to pounding hail, it was a dull gloom that eventually settled over Birmingham as visitors Bedford 1sts progressed to the Midlands Cup Final. Despite playing in an inferior league, Bedford were bigger, stronger and more Read More →
Redbrick meets… High Contrast
Lincoln Barrett, otherwise known as High Contrast, has been producing Drum and Bass for Hospital Records since 2002 and has now become an iconic global DJ. His very recent fourth album is set to storm the charts… So, High Contrast, what is the style of music you play and what are your main influences? I’m Read More →
BUCS Championship Contenders
The University’s best teams travel up to Sheffield next week to take part in the prestigious BUCS Championships. Here, we profile the teams that are travelling northwards in search of titles and silverware. Redbrick Sport will launch a microsite where all the news, reports and interviews of that weekend will be available. BUCS for Read More →
Novices tame Thames waters
The University of Birmingham Boat Club may not have an invitation to compete alongside Oxford and Cambridge in their famous annual boat race on the Thames, but this has not stopped them from putting in impressive performances of their own every year on the 7km course between Mortlake and Putney. Last weekend saw the both Read More →
Mar 8 2012 | Posted in Sports | Read More »
Cheltenham Festival preview
Max Milward looks ahead to this year’s event and suggests who could triumph in the biggest races of the week…
Sport Shorts
This week in… 1936 - Sepp Blatter celebrates his 76th birthday this week. He is one of sport’s most controversial figures having been embroiled in fiasco after fiasco, yet has thus far refused to resign. The decisions to award Qatar the 2022 World Cup, made on his watch, has been met with worldwide condemnation. 1975 - Juan Read More →
Mar 8 2012 | Posted in Sports | Read More »
Heroes & Villains
Heroes… Rory McIlroy The 22-year-old rose to the top of the world golf rankings after winning the Honda Classic in Florida by two shots. McIlroy headed for Madison Square Garden in celebration to watch his girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki play a tennis exhibition match; the Irishman even took to the court himself to the delight of Read More →
Mar 8 2012 | Posted in Sports | Read More »
Newcastle’s woes extended by ruthless Brum
Birmingham are comfortable in Premier North mid-table, and played a Newcastle side who are fighting to stay in the division. Men’s Badminton Birmingham 1sts 7 Newcastle 1sts 1 Birmingham men’s first team headed into their Premier North division clash against Newcastle firsts full of confidence fresh off the back of winning Read More →
Unbeatable
Birmingham’s golfers wrapped up the Premier North title last week, and travelled to Lincoln for their final league match, determined to end the campaign unbeaten. Men’s Golf Lincoln 1sts 2.5 Birmingham 1sts 3.5 The University of Birmingham golf first team extended their lead to 26 points from a possible 30 at the top of the Read More →
Michalak magic denies Brum title
This was it. The title-decider. Birmingham needed to beat a strong Nottingham Trent team to secure the league and, with it, promotion to the Premier North. Women’s Basketball Birmingham 1sts 51 Nott’m Trent 1sts 67 The title-deciding game of the Midlands 1A division saw Birmingham fall short against their main league rivals Nottingham Trent in Read More →
The Quota Predicament
The appointment of Les Ebdon as head of the university fair access body (OFFA) by Vince Cable sets dangerous precedents for the equality and fairness of university applications as well as the continued international competitiveness of Britain. Ebdon’s selection comes against significant opposition from conservative MP’s, the advice of the commons business select committee and Read More →
European Nation
As recent scenes in Athens attest, social unrest follows hot on the heels of economic dysfunction. The Greek public debt crisis has been brewing for several years – a welfare state unsupported by tax receipts, compounded by the massive outlay on an unprofitable Olympic games and thrown into sharp relief by the recent worldwide financial Read More →
Banning Chisora without trial denies him justice
Luke Strauss believes Dereck Chisora deserves to be banned indefinitely from boxing, but that the decision should have been made after giving him a trial…
Fall of the Angels
A few months ago, we saw the arrival of the much-hyped, but ill-fated revival of the Charlie’s Angels TV series on E4. Now, after a swift cancellation, the show has been relegated to Channel 4 on a Saturday morning, I suppose in a desperate attempt to pick up viewers too lazy and exhausted from Read More →
Save, Spend, Splurge: The Platform Sandal
As the warmer weather rolls in bringing with it an onslaught of spring/summer trends, we can hardly see the wood for the trees in the sandal department! Let’s focus on the key little (or should I say chunky) trendsetter this season: The Platform Sandal. Whether you’re splashing out for a Milano break or staying local Read More →
Armchair Traveller Book Review: The Jolly Pilgrim
Chloe Osborne reviews the next big hit in travel literature, The Jolly Pilgrim by Peter Baker The Jolly Pilgrim is the debut of travel enthusiast and worldly philosopher Peter Baker, and is the perfect reading material to get any travel fiend’s blood pumping. This meaty travel memoir chronicles Baker’s fascinating two year journey across Europe by Read More →
Plates for a Pound
As term draws nearer to the end, so does your student loan. Now’s the time to be saving those pennies and something’s got to be sacrificed. But with these tasty and easy meals that only cost up to £1, it doesn’t have to be the quality of your dinner. French Onion Soup Heat some butter Read More →
Mar 3 2012 | Posted in Food | Read More »
Brum avoid Cambridge blues…
The Aussie rules team is going from strength to strength. Having beaten Oxford two weeks ago, could they do the same with Cambridge on a bigger pitch?
Brum set up Loughborough cup showdown
Birmingham 1sts, who are up at the top of their Premier division, played a quarter-final cup game against a Sheffield side that hasn’t yet lost a game…
Save the library campaign launched by students
The University of Birmingham has announced its intention to rebuild the Main Library, but plans for the new building are facing opposition from students. Once in a lifetime opportunity On its website, the University explains that ‘the current library, which was built to house a print-based, pre-digital collection, and which has grown sporadically since the Read More →
Mar 2 2012 | Posted in News | Read More »
Review: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Director: John Madden Cast: Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Dev Patel, Maggie Smith Cert: 12A Rating: With this film John Madden does not take us on a journey in time, as he did in Shakespeare in Love, but rather we travel with seven ageing people to a place far in the East; it takes us Read More →
New £50 million sports centre planned
The University of Birmingham is about to submit a planning application for a new £50 million sports centre facility, aimed to be in operation by early 2015. Large investment The new facility will be positioned behind the Guild with the entrance facing onto Bristol Road at the junction with Edgbaston Park Road, where the Gun Read More →
Live Review: Two Door Cinema Club
O2 Academy 18/02/12 Up-and-coming American rapper Azealia Banks opened the night with a somewhat sombre response from the crowds of indie fans who had clearly flocked to the 02 more eager to see headliners Two Door Cinema Club. Her performance of single ’212′ got the crowd moving but it was her cover of The Prodigy’s Read More →
Meet the red hot star of White Heat
Hannah Lloyd-Davies talks to David Gyasi, one of the stars of upcoming BBC2 drama White Heat… White Heat depicts the lives of students from the 60s to the present day. You play Law student Victor, who emigrates from Jamaica to study in Britain. How did you research the role? I had to interview my dad Read More →
Redbrick meets… Metronomy
‘Wait, where are we?’ Joe from Metronomy looks around the stairwell of the o2 Academy, ‘Oh Birmingham!’ Yep, Birmingham. Metronomy have reached their one stop in the Midlands as part of this year’s NME Awards Tour. Arriving early that morning – he tells me it’s normally 3am when the bus gets into the next tour Read More →
Mar 2 2012 | Posted in Music | Read More »
Making Lent last: A helping hand
In this modern age, Lent is not so much a time just for those with a deep belief in its Biblical origins, but rather a time of reflection and a chance to try to improve ourselves with a somewhat healthier lifestyle. Many of us jump on the sacrificial bandwagon, safe in the knowledge that we Read More →
Militant atheism and the privatisation of religion
As a society, we seem to be stuck in a weird state of limbo, and are currently asserting a passive relationship towards Christianity and other religions. After the recent banning of prayers before council meetings, much rhetoric has developed about the fact that we must respect other religions and must understand that we live in Read More →
The common cause: a fresher’s first perspective
I still to this day remember watching the vivid images on television, as a fire extinguisher was thrown and other disorder broke out. Anger absolutely infused me, as I watched some members of the ‘leaders of tomorrow’ and other members of my own generation breaking out into collective anarchy. All recollection and meaning of what Read More →
Meme Madness
Redbrick gets UoB Meme’s creator Simon Langley’s take on the social phenomenon After venereal diseases themselves memes are possibly the most viral craze amongst the student demographic. Ok, that’s a bit of an exaggeration but the UoB Meme Facebook page is currently the most popular of its kind in the country with over 5,600 ‘likes’ Read More →
The Woman in Black
Director: James Watkins Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Ciaran Hinds, Janet McTeer Cert: 12A Don’t be fooled by its reassuring 12A rating – The Woman in Black will have you sleeping with the light on for a week. Alternating between spine-tingling suspense sequences and jump-out-of-your-seat scares, James Watkins has recreated all of the terror of Susan Hill’s Read More →
The Crazy Student Myth?!
I am writing this after a week in Marrakech, which got a bit crazy and so, obviously, I then decided to live my life by the roll of a die, because I am just that messed up! Oh, and of course half my friends are having secret affairs with their tutors, while the rest are Read More →
Sustainable eating: a far off dream for students?
For any supermarket, takeaway or fast food chain, students are easy pickings. As consumers who are newly in control of their own finances and lifestyles, the student market can prove highly lucrative and is therefore the target of myriad promotions, so-called student ‘deals’ and marketing campaigns in an attempt to implement brand loyalty early. Freshers, Read More →
Feb 27 2012 | Posted in Food | Read More »
The Alternative Student Shopper
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I really can’t face going to the supermarket, not just because it requires you to trek there and back with what feels like twice your own weight of ‘essentials’ but because each visit is generally not a nice shopping experience. You arrive with the intention of being in Read More →
Feb 26 2012 | Posted in Food | Read More »
App solves fashion dilemma
‘Getting caught is the mother of invention,’ wrote Robert Byrne, and he was right – getting caught in the zips and buttons of incorrectly sized high-street clothes has been a problem in need of solving since, well, forever. Perhaps overly tight blouses weren’t quite what Byrne had in mind, but fed up of incongruous sizing Read More →
Feb 26 2012 | Posted in Tech | Read More »
Five of the Best: James Bonds
The name’s Sanders… Isidore Sanders, and she shares her five favourite 007s here… #5 George Lazenby A one-hit wonder in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Lazenby’s Bond tried to settle down for a while by taking a wife. His marriage is short-lived though as the omnipresent villains SPECTRE see to the assassination of Mrs Bond Read More →
Who Are You?: Indie Soc
Do you ever feel that you’re the only one of your friends who likes music that isn’t played in Gatecrasher? More of a Radio 6 than a Radio 1 type of gal (or guy)? Indie Soc will be your new best friends. Boasting 100 to 150 of the universities most eclectic music fans, Indie Soc Read More →
Feb 25 2012 | Posted in Music | Read More »
Top 5 cartoon bromances
Eliott Rhodes has a gander at the animated world’s take on male friendships… #5 What if poor, defenseless animals could talk? That’s the basic premise of this Nickelodeon original. Again we have a fat stupid cat and a psychotic hairless dog who pull together against adversity to try and prolong their shameless and unenviable lives. #4 Cat’s Read More →
Feb 25 2012 | Posted in TV | Read More »
Spring Beauty is Looking Just Peachy
We’ve reached that time of year when it’s really not too early to start getting excited about the joy of spring: budding flowers, touches of green on once seemingly dead trees, fresh mornings and the promise of summer in the not-to-distant future. Ok it may be a little too early to start thinking about summer, Read More →
Feb 25 2012 | Posted in Lifestyle | Read More »
London Fashion Week: Highlights
It’s that time of year again: London Fashion Week. February 17th to the 22nd saw fashion magazines, blogs and mere mortals like ourselves dedicated to our laptops, relishing over and reviewing the Autumn/Winter 2012-13 shows (that’s right, the looks we’ll be wearing next winter – it’s good to be prepared). Here’s a compilation of the Read More →
Justified Existence: The Oscars
Natasha Lavender tells us why the Academy Awards are still golden even if they do have a few flaws Despite their status as the oldest and most prestigious awards in film-making, The Academy Awards have seemingly fallen out of favour. Film fans were outraged when hot contenders Ryan Gosling, Tilda Swinton and Michael Fassbender were snubbed Read More →
Feb 25 2012 | Posted in Film | Read More »
Join Global Brigades: Do your bit for global health and development
Global Brigades is the largest student-led global health and sustainable development organisation in the world. It began as a collaboration between an American medical student and one Honduran man, but the charity spread rapidly throughout America and Canada. In 2009, 1,819 volunteers travelled with Global Brigades, serving 124 communities in Central America and helping over Read More →
The Muppets
It has been 15 years since the Muppets last appeared on the big screen, and in their return they deliver a film which is both very funny and heartwarming. While The Muppet Show was a children’s programme, the target audience of this film is aimed at those who grew up watching the Muppets. Jason Segel Read More →
5 minutes with… MRTN Sthlm
MRTN Sthlm Beat is a well known name in Swedish house music and is founder of blog Stockholm Beat Connection… What type of music do you DJ/ produce? Dance music. Not so much into dividing genres. But it’s a blend of house, electro and techno. Which artists have influenced you the most? Probably Daft Punk, everyone Read More →
Feb 24 2012 | Posted in Music | Read More »
New Releases
Eyeoneeye Andrew Bird If Eyeoneye was a sugar-coated treat, however, it would be a sherbet spaceship – at first colourful but then bizarrely tangy in the centre (Bird’s whistle, however nostalgic, seems misplaced) and then quick to dissolve and be forgotten about. He harks back to an earlier affair of simple verse-chorus framework whereby reading Read More →
International women’s week on campus
Monday saw the start of the University of Birmingham’s International Women’s Week, with events including lectures, talent shows and workshops being held throughout the week, with the aim of raising awareness and money for women’s causes. Feminism lectures On Tuesday afternoon lectures were held discussing feminism and the controversy it often causes. Dr Shelly Budgeon Read More →
Fierce & Finished
Fierce London and New York Fashion Week: It’s the time of year we have all been anticipating. Who would pass at the chance to revel in the amazing and bizarre creations that grace the catwalks, spy on the celebs and snag free goody bags… need I say more? Nicki Minaj for MAC: Our very own Read More →
Review: Daddy Daycare
Channel 4′s newest documentary is a three part series exploring what happens when dads learn how to do daycare. Apparently, British women do twice the amount of daycare as men, and this programme follows ‘lazy, disinterested and absent’ fathers who undertake a crash course to make themselves better parents. The first episode follows Gary, a Read More →
Review: Let’s Dance for Sport Relief
Back for its fourth series, BBC One has called in yet another array of familiar, and not so familiar, famous faces to don their dancing shoes, all in the name of charity. Accompanied by presenters Alex Jones and Steve Jones, a celebrity panel comprising of Graham Norton, Greg Davies and Keith Lemon, plus musical performances, Read More →
Review: South Pacific at The Alexandra
As the curtains open and the 25 piece orchestra begins to play the overture of South Pacific, the silence from every member of the audience speaks volumes for the emotive and engaging reinvention of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s classic 1949 musical. Set during the Second World War, this is a story of a Nellie Forbush, a Read More →
Sharks attack in Aussie Rules rivalry
It came down to the last minute for Birmingham’s Aussie Rules team to clinch a win against one of their biggest rivals, Oxford, last weekend. Having continuously lost out in their past meetings, Birmingham travelled away with a strong squad in the hope of overcoming their opponents. Aussie Rules Football Oxford ARFC 45 B’ham Sharks Read More →
Mudge improved Brum secure clean sweep
‘We have to win this match, otherwise we drop down to the second division and that would be a disaster!’ The pressure was on as Birmingham women’s squash team, led by their injured captain Katie Quarterman, as they embarked on their latest encounter with Newcastle. ‘We haven’t played them in ages so this one could Read More →
Golfers maintain winning streak
The men’s golf firsts began their BUCS Championship campaign on a gloomy morning at Edgbaston, where their Scottish opponents Aberdeen probably had the advantage of being more accustomed to the wet and windy conditions. Despite this the University of Birmingham first team remained positive and Gareth Jenkins led the team off with a solid 2&1 Read More →
Title hat-trick beckons for Brum
Birmingham women’s hockey firsts have kept their dream of a third consecutive BUCS knockout cup trophy alive after convincingly defeating Bath firsts 4-1 in Wednesday’s semi-final at Beeston Hockey Club in Nottingham. Women’s Hockey Birmingham 1sts 4 Bath 1sts 1 Birmingham took the lead in the twelfth minute through Sarah Haycroft, while goals from Rosie Read More →
This Much I Know… Madonna
So she’s back! Once again pouring herself into those lycra outfits, with a face 40 years younger than her body, airbrushed to within an inch of recognition. It can only be the one and only Madonna and this much I know, it’s time she was stopped! Never mind the fact that at one point she Read More →
Alec Baldwin – a celebrity profile
Hannah Lloyd-Davies details the highs and lows of a decade-spanning career. Alec Baldwin is currently most famous for his appearance on the hit show 30 Rock, where he plays top executive Jack Donaghy, the platonic foil to Tina Fey’s protagonist, Liz Lemon. Tina Fey herself credits much of the show’s success to Baldwin, as he Read More →
Feb 18 2012 | Posted in TV | Read More »
‘Love’ has become a viral institution
The whole world revolves around the internet and social networking nowadays. Politics, religion, music, everything. Most of all, relationships. If you want evidence for this, just type ‘Why doesn’t…’ into Google, and the top suggestion is ‘Why doesn’t he like me?’. People are actually Googling for relationship advice. I was hoping for something with more Read More →
Feb 18 2012 | Posted in Comment | Read More »
Telly Talk
In the most embarrassing moment in Take Me Out’s history last Saturday, millions of viewers cringed behind their cushions as model Damion committed social suicide again, and again, and again. With an extreme case of foot in mouth, Damion gave a prime example of what not to do on a dating show by repeatedly insulting Read More →
Feb 17 2012 | Posted in TV | Read More »
UniLad under scrutiny
UniLad magazine has become a symbol and doctrine of Lad culture, which in recent years has erupted on British campuses. Up until the comments about rape were made on their website, I knew nothing of this magazine. However, it wasn’t any surprise that something like this existed, exemplifying university lifestyle in the way that it Read More →
Feb 17 2012 | Posted in Comment | Read More »
The Measure of a Man
Giles Longey-Cook asks if our fixation with scandal obscures deeper issues in the world of politics… The ignoble state of John F Kennedy’s private life has never been much of a secret. Whether jealously contemplating his affair with Marilyn Monroe, or questioning if his fling with a mafia bosses’ girlfriend led to his assassination, the Read More →
Feb 17 2012 | Posted in Comment | Read More »
BSA Presents A Family Affair at The Crescent
Alexander Ostrovsky’s satirical comedy A Family Affair illuminates the secret of comedy. With bawdy, fabliaux humour, the Birmingham School of Acting unashamedly revealed Ostrovsky’s dark examination of the nineteenth century Russian Mercantile class. A Family Affair is a farcical tale of a nineteenth-century Russian family whose debt leads them to resort to fraudulent bankruptcies Read More →
Feb 17 2012 | Posted in Arts | Read More »
