The Aston Times

Cocktail review, Food & Drink, pg. 18

Johnny Depp in the much-awaited fourth part of
POTC. Can we get enough of Jack Sparrow? Pg. 11
F
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In this edition:
Since 1947
MAY 2011
ISSUE NO. 636
more on News, page 5
more on Food, page 20
Giggs: Super
Injunction Mayhem
BUCS Year Round-up
Pirates of The Carribean
On Stranger Tides
How To Get A First - By a frst class graduate.
Ever wandered what it is you need to do to get a First Class Degree? If youre answer is no, you
are probably in the minority that have this thing fgured out, or perhaps already read the E-book by
First Class Graduate Michael Tefula - How To Get A First.
The E-Book addresses the misconception that in order to achieve a First, you have to be a genius
or some special breed of individual. We secured an interview to speak with the man behind the
book to get an insight on the book, who its primarily aimed at and what made him write a book
about what many, at the start of each semester, aim for but seldom achieve come results day.
...or does it?
No one knows the day or hour,
not even the angels in heaven...
Mark 24:36
What I meant
to say is that
All RAPE is a
serious crime
Ken Clarke
Justice Secretary
What do you think
REALLY happened
to Osama?
JOIN THE DISCUSSION
Going, going,
GONE!
Farewell to towers
Photos by The Birmingham Post
more on Gaming, page 14
PSM Network Hacked!
Screaming Orgasm?
more on Music, page 12
Judas is Back!
more on Sport, page 10
Student Fashion Blog
Editorial
VIKRAMJIT SEN
Editor
MUNIRA JASAT
Deputy Editor
MOHAMMED ALSAEGH
Marketing and PR
BEN SMITH
Sport Editor
KOSH MWAMUKA
Music Editor
OLE MWANAKATWE
Gaming and Technology
EMMANUEL
IDRAWWITHLIGHT
Photography Editor
LJ DAVIES
News Editor
LIZ HUNT
Lifestyle Editor
CHANTAL
FOYER
The Aston Times is an indepen-
dant publication that belongs
to the student body. The As-
ton Times aims to generate its
funding by advertising. It is a
paper edited by the students, for
students; students should at all
times feel it is their paper and
that they can contribute at any
time. Please contact the guild
editor with ideas for articles, or
if you have an interest in regu-
larly contributing to the paper.
For Advertising &
Marketing Enquiries
contact George
Dowding on
0121 204 4830.
Terms and Conditions : The As-
ton Times has the right to edit
any letter, article or e-mail ir
receives. Permission must be
obtained by the editor prior to
using any material published in
the Weekly or Monthly editions.
The views expressed in any ar-
ticles do not necessarily refect
the views of the editorial team.
Aston Times Offce
Floor 3, Room 313
Aston Students Guild
Birmingham B4 7ES.
@vikramjitsen
Dear Reader
It has been a front row rollercoaster experience this year as the Editor. Come to think of it, we have had
quite a few successes throughout the year, which as you may well guess by now, I am only too eager to
enlist within this monologue. There were extreme downers too, some of paranormal magnitude and some
of more recurrent nature. Fortunately, even amongst an evergreen host of omnipresent critics, we had many
well-wishers who helped make the AT differentiate itself from negligible trash scattered around the Guild
Foyer.
Over the year, we have had a team of roughly forty enthusiasts,
which is a rare volume of voluntary student involvement, es-
pecially for the AT itself. The new offce, its glass front and the
glamorous conference room probably helped instil some sense of
importance and inspiration within our team.
From a dreaded, almost obsolete past, the Aston Times is now a
fully-functional monthly with widespread readership (thanks to
the friendly, accommodating Library Staff) and quality paper ma-
terial (yes, I am aware of how bizarre it was to be seen reading one
of these with the quality of paper that it previously printed on).
I wish good luck and much success to Lauren Hornbuckle, the
new Editor of the Aston Times for the following academic year.
I am sure she will not only maintain the level of success brought
about this year but also take it to further horizons than experi-
enced ever before. All the best, Lauren! Also, best of luck to LJ,
we at AT have had him for six years! We will defnitely feel the
loss!
A big shout out to Jessica Mckenna and Steph Rance who won
the Dalton Big Brick competition, as a fundraiser for the Climb
Kilamanjaro event, and won themselves 250.
Thats it for me. Whats next? Placement interviews, job hunts, a year of explora-
tion (hopefully) in a whole new suit-and-tie world that seems to be a million miles
away from sluggish, nonchalant University life with occasional examinations and
habitual adrenaline.
Thank you, for actually making it till this point of this editorial, and for being a part
of the Aston Times with us.
Good Luck with exams
Vik
Hi Everyone!
For those of you who have graduated this year well
done. For those of you who have survived your frst
year well done. For those of you about to embark on
placement good luck!
This year has been my toughest year yet at Aston Uni-
versity, largely because I havent been here, but also
because Ive learnt so many things...
Firstly, never underestimate what you can do. Second-
ly, never be afraid to ask for help. And fnally, value
your weekends use them wisely! Those about to go
on placement will begin to realise this as the days turn
into weeks, which turn into months
Im looking forward to coming back to Aston in September and taking over as the
Editor of the Aston Times. I value Viks support in my ambition, as well as his ef-
forts that have gone into making this year another successful year for the newspa-
per. Im hoping to build on this success and wish him the very best for the future,
whatever that may hold.
The newspaper has had so many different styles, so itll be no surprise to many of
you that the paper will have my stamp on it next year, which I hope will not disap-
point!
For those of you who voted for me, thank you and I hope Ill meet your expecta-
tions. For those of you who would like to give writing a go next year, or who would
like to be involved in some form, please get in touch. Not only will the offce door
always be open, but also Ill always take the time to listen to fellow students.
See you soon Aston-ers!
Lauren
hornbulf@aston.ac.uk
02 The Aston Times
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Call: 0121 333 5792

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03 The Aston Times
Campus
I interviewed Lynda St Cooke from the Know Before You Go
Campaign.
What is the aim of the Know Before You Go Campaign
and how long has it been in motion?
Know Before You Go is a travel advice campaign run by
the Foreign & Commonwealth Offce. The campaign encour-
ages British nationals to prepare for their foreign travel so
they can avoid preventable problems. We work with over 400
travel industry partners to communicate our messages.
What type of travellers is it targeting?
The campaign targets all travellers from gap year students to
package holidaymakers; sports fans to older travellers and
people visiting friends and family abroad.
What particular groups of travellers do you think experi-
ence the most problems while abroad?
There is no specifc group of travellers which experiences
more problems than others; this depends on a number of
things from levels of pre-departure preparation to local cir-
cumstances while youre away. Most trips abroad are trou-
ble-free but one of the best ways to protect yourself is to get
a comprehensive travel insurance policy. If you are a victim
of crime or need medical treatment, a travel insurance poli-
cy will help you cope better by helping to cover your costs.
Come home with stories to tell, not large bills!
What do you think are the fve crucial things that stu-
dents should do before heading on holiday or gap year
abroad?
Five top tips include:
Get comprehensive travel insurance (read the small
print so you know what your policy covers you for
e.g. riding a moped or water sports).
Sign up to www.facebook.com/fcotravel or twitter.
com/fcotravel to get up-to-the minute travel advice
on the go.
Take enough money and have access to emergen-
cy funds.
Visit www.fco.gov.uk/travel and get a good guide
book to read up on your destination and fnd out
about local laws and customs.
Speak to a doctor or visit a travel clinic well in ad-
vance of your departure so you can get any neces-
sary vaccinations or anti-malarial medication.
Do you have any extra advice for students going on a
placement year abroad?
If you are studying or working abroad youre likely to get used
to your surroundings; it might even start to feel like home.
Just remember that you still need to ensure you are covered
by travel insurance and its worth signing up to www.face-
book.com/fcotravel or .twitter.com/fcotravel so you get a reg-
ular update on travel advice for the country you are living in.
The Foreign Offce provides advice for people moving abroad
to live or work visit www.fco.gov.uk/travel .
What mistakes students should avoid making before go-
ing to a foreign country?
Avoid thinking you are invincible! While most people have
trouble-free trips, problems can happen. We dealt with a
case where a guy on a gap year in Southeast Asia had a se-
rious moped accident. He dislocated his hip, broke both legs
and a couple of vertebrae in his back and was suffering from
internal bleeding. His travel insurance didnt cover his medi-
cal repatriation to the UK the small print stated he needed
a class A motorcycle license back in the UK to ensure he was
covered. He didnt and his family had to cover all the medi-
cal and repatriation costs. It cost 20,000 to fy him back to
the UK.
How can consulates help you?
The primary purpose of consular services is to help British
nationals overseas. We will help people in trouble as best we
can, but there are a lot of things we are simply unable to do,
for example we cant get you out of jail if you are arrested and
we cant cover your medical expenses or the cost of fying
you home if you get ill or injured and arent properly insured.
Its worth being aware of the level of help you are entitled to
if you do get into diffculties aboard:
You have a country travel advice on your webpage. What
kind of information does it include?
The Foreign Offce website offers advice on all aspects of
travel preparation for every country in the world, from visa
entry requirements to local laws and customs. There is also
a specifc section for gap year travellers: www.fco.gov.uk/ga-
pyear.
What other resources and information can be found
available on your web page?
Youll fnd traveller checklists, information on planning, gap
year destinations, tips for working abroad and a section for
women travellers.
Tsvetelina Tsenova
One of the most striking
things about being at univer-
sity is the amount of time off
we receive. A few fgures to
exemplify: the school year
is 40 weeks, the university
year 30 and only 22 for
frst-years in some courses.
15 weeks off for the summer
is exorbitant enough, but it
looks like Ill get a colossal 20
(!) after coursework is handed
in next week (not to mention
NO lectures between April
and October).
It always seems to fy by; 1
minute, youre well into the
familiar schedule of lectures
and seminarsnext minute, it
all evaporates and September
seems like yesterday.
In my mind, there are two
main differences between this
and the end of term at school.
Firstly, university corridors
are still bright and visible;
school corridors were all pitch
black during the last week
of term. The reason: staff,
too fatigued to teach, found
themselves persuaded into
showing educational videos
which were not educational
in the slightest. If you get my
meaning.
The second difference is
the onslaught of E-numbers
which had to be gobbled up
before 3:30 to whoop it all up
again. Alcohol is, of course,
the university counterpart.
After the usual celebratory
drinking and the novelty of
a few indolent days now that
term has ceased, you begin to
wonder exactly what youre
going to do with all this time.
The days and weeks stretch
out in front of you. Its what
you want most, but what you
use worst.
I cant advise people person-
ally on how best to spend
their timejust do something
worthwhile. In my experience,
all time goes quickly, and no
sooner does an event occur, it
is swept away and something
else supplants it, which itself
will be swept away too.
Ill leave the fnal word with
Jean De La Bruyere, French
essayist of the 17
th
century:
Those who make the worse
use of their time are the frst
to complain of its shortness.
Alista ir Becker
Dear Students,

Measles Outbreak

We have been asked by the Health Protection Agency to tell you that there is currently an increase in
cases of measles in France and England, including the West Midlands. These appear to be amongst
older children and students in colleges and universities who have not been immunised (vaccinated)
against the illness.
Measles is a highly contagious illness and can make people, especially adults, quite ill. In some circum-
stances people can develop pneumonia or encephalitis.

If you have not been immunised (ie you have not received two doses of the MMR vaccine), you are
advised to obtain the MMR vaccine by contacting your GP/Doctor, particularly if you are travelling to
mainland Europe. For those of you who are registered with the Halcyon Medical Centre, you should
have been offered this vaccine at Registration but, if in doubt, please contact the surgery on 0345 245
0780

Further information about measles can be found at NHS Direct http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/

Best wishes,
Kate
Kate Parsons



Staff and Student Diversity and Wellbeing Manager
Aston University
Aston Triangle
Birmingham
B4 7ET

Telephone: 0121 204 4580
@ alistair_170

Measles Outbreak Monologue: Time Off
Know Before You Go
The Aston Times
4
04 The Aston Times
International and PostGrad Snippets with Soni and Passo
Hi folks,
We hope you have been keeping well
and all that examination stress is
either well and truly behind you, or
you are on your way towards fnishing
them for the year!
Recent Headlines:
The MSc-MBA Alliance Aston organised their inaugural Pulse
2011 week which was packed with lots of mini events ranging from a tug
of war competition, photography exhibition to a talent showcase! The
event provided a good integration between the two taught postgraduate
groups and this was followed by a MSc V MBA football match which
was won by the MScs 6-1.
Eurovision 2011 was showcased at B4 Bar with its usual
colourful fags and face paints. Dusseldorf proved to be a good host and
expectations were high for UK with Blue being chosen with their single
I can. There were some dodgy Jedward hairdos around but the night
belonged to Azerbaijan as they won the competition with their tune Run-
ning Scared!
Shoutouts and Gossip:
Damini set off the Lakeside Fire Alarm twice in the last term,
so if you want to get her go to lakeside block e foor 1
If rumours are anything to go by, weve
heard that the international fresher of the year is
fnally settled down, so that he is guaranteed scrab-
ble every night.
Apparently Keano and Villas James
Collins are buddies from back in the day?
French Caroline scrabble on the
Spanish Costa Brava Beach?!?
As this is the last article we would like to take a
moment to thank all the lovely members of the
Guild Executive team, who have put up with us all
year:
Prab- who took every possible chance to portray his
love for Bhangra
Sat- who loves his ballot boxes
Ben- for not raising a big enough total on relay for
life last year
Tom- for being the best VPSI ever :P
Axup- for being loud and proud
Shevane- who loves cross-dressing
Ria- for having the best accent on the team
Keano- For being married to the guild
Sam- for having the curliest locks
Alex- for not being famous (*cough Birmingham
mail *cough)
Jazz- for keeping the website up to date (LJ has had
a very long stint as PGO)
Jenny- for cutting down on her pies
Jamie- for being able to vote on exec decisions
Vik- for always giving us enough time to write our articles!
Watch out for:
11th June: Astonbury- Defnitely the biggest night in the Guilds Social
Calendar, and with Zane Lowe making a comeback with a 1.5 hr set,
whats not to like?
13-17th June: Final Fling
24th June: Postgraduate Summer Ball at the ICC
Thats all folks, have a great summer and we hope to see you back next
year!
Offcers from Bir-
mingham West
and Central police
are now interact-
ing with the public
through both Twit-
ter and Facebook.
Followers in Twit-
ter receive regu-
lar updates about
policing news as
well as Tweets
from the Beat,
crime prevention
tips and exclusive
competitions. You
can join offcers on
Twitter by visiting
www.twitter.com/
brumpolice
Offcers also update
their facebook page
on a regular basis
with links to local
news, videos and
crime prevention
advice. You can
join the facebook
page on www.face-
book.com/birming-
hamwest andcen-
tralpolice
FOLLOW YOUR LOCAL POLICE TEAM
USING TWITTER AND FACEBOOK
Dear Ben,
Im sure youve had so many leters about this,
but Im stressed with exams! Im a fnal year, so
the pressure is really on. I have been working
hard throughout the year, but now its come to
crunch tme and Im desperate to get a good
degree to set me up for a good Grad job. Ive
been prety much living in the library, and Im
not sure how much Im taking in anymore.
Please help!
Yours,
Stressed with exams
Dear Stressed with exams,
Yep, there are lots of people in your situaton,
and especially in fnal year, it can be really
stressful. I went through it, and so do thou-
sands of students every year, so youre not
alone! Its good to hear that you have been
working throughout the year to give yourself
the best possible opportunity in the examina-
ton period. I completely understand that afer
3 or 4 years, you are desperate to get a good
degree, and one that will refect your ability.
From your last sentence about not being sure
how much of it youre now taking in, it sounds
as though you may be overdoing it a litle. It
is obviously hugely important to you, but re-
vising too much could have a detrimental ef-
fect on your studies. Litle breaks every now
and then are good. Taking a few hours of to
go to the gym, or to eat and chat with friends
may refresh you a litle and allow you to take
more in. All you can do is work hard and try
your best. If an exam doesnt go as well as you
would have hoped, try not to dwell on it, as it
might afect revision for your next exams.
Good luck to you and everyone else taking
examsthe fnish line is in sight, and youll be
able to relax and enjoy Final Fling and Aston-
bury very soon!
With the exam season well under-way, no one could blame you
for losing touch with reality for a while. Heres a quick rundown
of this weeks top stories to put you back in the picture.
Super-Injunction Mayhem
Manchester United ace Ryan Giggs was named and shamed in
the Houses of Parliament last week as the married man who
banned his alleged bit-on-the-side and The Sun newspaper from
printing details about his affair. The footballer is in the midst of
the medias witch-hunt against super-injunctions, as speculation
rises about Twitter users facing court for posting tweets about
the scandal.
Thar She Blows!
The eruption of the Icelandic Grimsvotn volcano last Saturday
caused disruption to thousands of travellers in Iceland, the UK
and Germany earlier in the week as many planes were grounded
until the density of the volcanic ash decreased. Most services
have no resumed, although the Met Offce predicts that a change
in the direction of wind later in the week might see ash being
blown back over the UK.
Denmark Hates It
British savoury spread Marmite could be banned in Denmark if
authorities fnd the foodstuff does not meet the safety require-
ments of the countrys Food and Veterinary Administration. Love
it or hate it, Marmite could be joining Ovaltine if it is found to
have more than acceptable levels of added vitamins and minerals.
Beast of a Car
On a recent trip to Ireland, a broken-down, bomb-proof Cadil-
lac was probably the least of President Obamas worries, but
The Beast (as it is known to Obamas team) went down with a
clang! on the frst day of his tour. The lowered limo couldnt
make it over a small ramp upon leaving the US embassy in Ire-
land, resulting in massive damage to the suspension of the motor.
Is it a lion? Is it a tiger?
The Xixiakou Wildlife Zoo in China is home to some of the cut-
est creatures ever born baby ligers. These cross-species lion-ti-
gers were abandoned by their mum and adopted instead by a dog
which had recently had its own puppies. According to experts,
ligers live to grow much bigger than either of their parents.
Captured by the Rapture
21st May 2011 was meant to be the beginning of the end of
the world, according to evangelical preacher Harold Camping.
Judgement Day was predicted to start at 6pm that day, when a
massive earthquake would bring mass destruction whilst true be-
lievers would be swept up to heaven. Instead, the apocalypse is
now predicted to be on the 21st October after Mr Camping admit-
ted he made a mistake. Watch this space!
Elizabeth Hunt
The Aston Times
4
News
Researchers in Birmingham and Bristol are
working to develop a brand new sensor which
could be used in neonatal units to detect a dev-
astating condition which affects premature ba-
bies, before it makes them seriously ill, thanks
to funding from childrens charity Action Medical
Research.
Each year in the UK, around 3,000 babies de-
velop a serious bowel problem called necrotis-
ing enterocolitis (NEC).
1
Sadly, up to 35 per cent
of these babies die and survivors often develop
long-term health problems.
1
The disease typically strikes without warning. By
the time it is diagnosed, babies are often already
extremely ill. Researchers are now developing
a new diagnostic test, which could allow babies
with the disease to be identifed and treated
sooner. They hope this will reduce the likelihood
of the disease progressing and therefore limit
the devastating consequences.
Dr Alexandra Dedman, Senior Research Evalua-
tion Manager, for Action Medical Research, said:
Up to 8 per cent of newborns in neonatal units
develop this disorder.
2
Doctors and nurses must
be constantly on the lookout for symptoms of
NEC, as premature babies in neonatal units can
develop the disease at any time, with little or no
warning.
No current test can reliably identify babies in
the early stages of the disease so we are really
pleased to be funding this important research
project which could make such a difference to
babies lives.
Babies who develop NEC can need emergency
surgery to remove damaged parts of their in-
testines. Up to half of babies who survive the
disease develop health problems. Some fail to
put on weight properly, they can develop seri-
ous infections and liver damage, and nutritional
problems can mean they have to be fed through
a tube that goes directly into their bloodstream.
Babies can also develop signifcant hearing, vision
and movement problems.
Highly experienced researchers from Birming-
ham and Bristol are collaborating on this proj-
ect to design a new sensor, which could allow
screening of premature babies for NEC to be-
come routine for the frst time ever.
The design of the sensor should mean it is suit-
able for regular use alongside babies cots in
neonatal units. If the results of this project are
positive, then clinical trials would follow.
The project leader, Dr Andrew Ewer, from the
Neonatal Unit at Birmingham Womens Hospital,
will oversee the clinical aspects of the study
recruiting babies to take part in the study, from
fve neonatal units in the West Midlands, collect-
ing samples and gathering data on the babies
health.
Dr Ewer said: In earlier work, we made an ex-
citing discovery, which we believe could lead to
a major breakthrough in the diagnosis of NEC.
Our research found preliminary evidence that
suggests the composition of a babys faeces
changes in a characteristic way if he, or she, de-
velops NEC.
We think that these changes begin early in the
disease process, before the baby experiences any
obvious symptoms and we want to study a larg-
er group of up to 1,200 premature babies, who
were all born at least six weeks early, he added.
The team is now developing the sensor which
works by detecting gases or, more specifcally,
volatile organic compounds that are emitted
by babies faeces early in the disease process.
Researchers at Bristol Royal Infrmary, Uni-
versity Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
and University of the West of England in Bris-
tol, are undertaking the laboratory work. They
have cutting-edge skills in analysing the complex
mixture of gases emitted by faeces and are very
experienced in the statistical analysis of vast data
sets, like the ones that are being generated in
this study.
The project has been funded for two and a half
years with a grant of 131,638 from Action Med-
ical Research.

Researchers developing new sensor for premature babies
05 The Aston Times
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08
Ben Smith
VP Education and Welfare
Aries
Interests: Sports, food, reading,
flms
Fav Movie: Sin City
Fav Artist: Sigur Ros
Luke John Davies
Year & Degree: Graduated April
2011, MA European Union and In-
ternational Relations, BSc Politics
with International Relations.
Zodiac: Gemini
Interests: 35mm photography,
travelling in the Balkans
fav movie: Kind Hearts and Coro-
nets
fav artist: The Killers
fav quote: There is no problem
which cannot be solved with the
intelligent application of brute
force and ignorance.
Mayur Soni

Post Grad: Info systems and
business analysis;
zodiac: scorpio
interests: ultimate frisbee and
lifts
fav. movies: attack the block
and your highness;
fav. music: dance
fav. quote: SHIT! Stafford 13
is on fre!- Aston 2006-7.
Emmanuel Ruhumuliza
(iDrawWithLight)
2nd Year, Business & Psychology
Zodiac sign: Capricorn
Favourite artist at the moment: Big Sean/Rick Ross
Favourite movie at the moment:
Inception
Favourite quote: None but for the pur- pose of this activity - Blame someone else and get on with your life
Favourite Music genre: Bass-heavy hip-hop or r&b (Though it really
depends)
The Aston Times
Kosh Mwamuka
2nd Year Economics &
Management
Virgo
Interests: Music & Football
Fav Movies: Troy, Alexander, Minority Report & Inception
Fav Artist: Kanye West
Fav Quote: Genius is child- hood recalled at will. - Charles Baudelaire
Ole Mwanakatwe
2nd Year, IBAM
Interests: Video games,
fshing, football and clubbing
Favourite Game: God of War
series
Favourite Artist: Lupe Fiasco
Favourite Quote: Thats what
she said!
Vikramjit Sen
2nd year, BAM
Zodiac- Virgo
Interests- Film, Music.
Artist - Orson Welles
Christopher Doyle
Banksy

Quote- On a long enough time-
line, the survival rate of everyone
drops to zero - Fight Club
Damini Passi
Second year: business and
management
Zodiac- libra
Favourite movie; Lord of the
Rings Trilogy and life is beauti-
ful
favourite quote; You can live
your life in fear of peoples
opinion, or you can just not give
a shit!
Fav Music genre: House,
R n b, (commercial charts) and
Suf Music
MEET THE TEAM...
MEET THE TEAM...
Chantal Foyer
Placement Year, BSc Politics
and
International Relations
Zodiac- Leo
Interests- Writing, Travelling,
Photography and the Middle
East
Fav movie - Shawshank Re-
demption
Fav Artist - Reza (photographer)
Fav quote- So it goes.
09
5
Danielle King (Dani)
Degree: BSc English Language
Year: 2
Zodiac: Virgo
Interests: reading, dancing, movies
and making clothes!
Fave Movie: Green Mile, The
Notebook, Up, the list goes on...
Fave Artist: Changes every day!
Fave quote: Dont say good luck,
say dont give up.
Jimmy Naraine
Degree: International Business and
Management, 2nd year
Passions: travelling-anywhere, anytime,
personal growth, business&travel litera-
ture, the psychology of social dynamics,
beatboxing, looking for new ways to go
beyond my comfort zone
Favourite music: I listen to everything,
from Mozart to Snoop Dogg
Favourite movie: Blood Diamond, Hotel
Rwanda, The Godfather
Favourite authors: Dale Carnegie,
Napoleon Hill, Brian Tracy, Tim Ferriss,
John Grisham
Zodiac: gemini
Rachel Burley
First year, English Language
Gemini
Art, baking, fashion, reading
Meet Joe Black
Blink-182
Keep calm and carry on
Eias Abbas
Pharmacy
Interests: Sports, gym
Fav Movie: How High
Fav Artist: Dr. Dre and Snoop
Dogg
Tsvetelina Tsenova
First year- Business and
Management
Zodiac- Virgo
Interests- marketing and media,
writing, dancing
Favourite movie- The Green
Mile
Favourite artist- Bon Jovi.
The Aston Times The Aston Times
Nicole Green
First Year- Translation Studies:
French and German.
Virgo.
I'm interested in languages,
fashion, travel and animals.
Fave movie: In Bruges.
Fave Artist: Christina Aguilera.
Fave Quote: 'Hollywood is a
place where they'll pay you a
thousand dollars for a kiss and
ffty cents for your soul.'
Rachel Sheldon
Virgo
Second year English Language
Interests: Netball, Journalism,
running, sailing
Movie: The Dark Knight
Artist: David Guetta
Learn from yesterday, live for
today, hope for tomorrow. The
important thing is not to stop
questioning. Albert Einstein
Alistair Becker
English, 1st Year
Gemini
Interests: Football, Creative
Writing, Cooking, Travel.
Fav quote -
Wise men talk because they
have something to say; fools,
because they have to say
something Plato
Stephanie Edwards
Year: Second year.
Degree: BSc English Language.
Zodiac: Cancer. Interests: Reading
a good book, creative writing, horse
riding and swimming.
Fav movie: Inglorious Basterds/ Mean
Girls/ Twilight / Harry Potter.
Fav Artist: Banksy,
Rihanna.
Fav quote: A girl should be two
things: classy and fabulous - Coco
Chanel.
Kate Logan
1st year, English Language
Zodiac- Cancer
Interests- Art, flm, music, writing,
fashion, football.
Fave movie - Mary Poppins
Fave Artist - The Kooks
Fave quote- The best and most
beautiful things in the world cannot
be seen or even touched. They must
be felt with the heart
Craig Shuker
Second Year, Business and
Management
Star sign: Virgo
Interests: Photography,
Motorsport, Music
Favourite movie: Cloverfeld
Favourite artist: If their photos
do enough to catch my eye, then
theyve won me over..
Favourite quote: What you see
and what you do, doesnt touch
what is out there waiting for
you.
Elizabeth Hunt
Degree and Year: 2nd Year BSc
English Language
Zodiac Sign: Scorpio
Interests: Photography, travel-
ling, writing, gigs and festivals
Fave Movie: Omg so many
- The Hangover, Twilight,
Harry Brown (I know, massive
contrast!)
Fave Artist: Obsessed with The
Naked and Famous right now..
Fave Quote: No thank you
Turkish.. Im sweet enough.
Craig Shuker
Second Year, Business and
Management
Star sign: Virgo
Interests: Photography,
Motorsport, Music
Favourite movie: Cloverfeld
Favourite artist: If their photos
do enough to catch my eye, then
theyve won me over..
Favourite quote: What you see
and what you do, doesnt touch
what is out there waiting for
you.
Toni Norris
frst year, English Language
zodiac sign- Aries
interests- writing, art, fashion
favourite flm- (500) Days of
Summer
favourite quote- I am an
optimist. It doesnt seem too
much use being anything
else.
MEET THE TEAM...
TEAM. MEET THE TEAM. MEET THE TEAM. ME
TEAM. MEET THE TEAM. MEET THE TEAM. ME
MEET THE TEAM...
10 The Aston Times
4
Lifestyle
British Summer Fashion
Lazing by the lake and skiving tutorials
in hope of catching a few rays may seem
like a distant memory amongst the driz-
zle and exams, but summer 2011 has of-
fcially arrived! Think festivals, beaches,
cocktails and rainy bank holidays. Collec-
tively a complete nightmare when it comes
to shopping for your summer wardrobe.
You wouldnt want to be caught out wear-
ing your espadrilles in the rain, put it that
way. So here are some of summers key
trends, and how to apply them whatever
the weather.
New Denim
Time to tuck the skinnies away in a safe place
because this season denim is all about low slung
jeans, denim pinafores and dungarees worn with
relaxed tees. Keep it simple and cool by adding
tan accessories.

The Little White Dress
Forget the LBD, this summer is the perfect time to embrace the
LWD. Fresh and simple, this look is elegant and sophisticated and
can be dressed up or down to suit the occasion.
Source: fashionmylove.com
Missselfridge.com

Dolce & Gabbana
Source: betterthanstyle.com
Topshop.com
So embrace this summer in whatever way you can, whether
its festival chic or beach babe, let your style refect it!
Kate Logan
These Dolce and Gabbana dresses incorporate another big
trend this summer crochet. Mix bright whites with metallic
slivers and lashings of gold for truly classic look. Topshop of-
fer a beautiful LWD for only a snip of the price perfect for the
beach, going out or with a pair of wellies and a trilby.
Statement Florals
This perpetual summer trend places emphasis on English gar-
den forals this summer. Anything goes, but to avoid looking
too much like a crazy cat lady, keep to one or two prints of
varying size or mix with a block colour as shown in the Erdem
collection below.
This forever 21 dress is just as stylish at a mere 16.75!

Erdem
Source: betterthanstyle.com
Forever21.com
These denim dungarees from Miss
Selfridge are perfect for daytime sight-
seeing, shopping and chilling out. They
can be teamed with sandals and a loose
tee or leggings and boots in colder
weather.
About:
The Student Fashion Blog is a blog for
the fashion-conscious cash strapped
University student. Written by stu-
dents, for students, it features reviews,
discounts, tips, ideas and commentary
on campus fashion, as well as general
musings on University life.
Studentfashionblog.co.uk hosts Bi-
Weekly and Monthly competitions
with top prizes and fashion items up for
grabs, discounts and vouchers from top
labels, fashion tips and guides, fashion
photography, regular reviews of trend-
ing styles, clothing and fashion.
Reviewed labels and stores include
H&M, GetTheLabel.com, J!NX, CA-
SIO G-Shock, RIMEL, SuperDry, Elise
Ryan, Whistles, Rotary, Forever 21,
Blue INC and loads more.
There are also monthly opportunities for
students in the Birmingham area to mod-
el items sent to SFB by companies to be
reviewed by a student. So yes, YOU can
be a model on SFB and be featured on
the blog wearing fashionable items and
accessories provided by the top brands
and labels. Oh, and you get to keep the
itemsfor FREE*.
Careers:
SFB is not just all fashion and games; it
also announces latest fashion career op-
portunities such as internships, designer
showcasing opportunities, permanent
jobs at fashion houses etc. Some of the
latest on offer where at Aitor Throup,
Claires and Peacocks.
Follow SFB:
Facebook: Student Fashion Blog
Twitter: Studentfashion
Emmanuel iDrawWithLight
StudentFashionBlog.co.uk
The Aston Times 11 The Aston Times
5
5
Movies
COMING
SOON
An origin story set in present day San Francisco,
where mans own experiments with genetic engineer-
ing lead to the development of intelligence in apes and
the onset of a war for supremacy.
From Walt Disney theme park ride to one of the most popular
flm sequels in recent times, May brings us the fourth instalment
of the Oscar-nominated Pirates of the Caribbean series. After a
four year wait, Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is
out now and with it, some changes to the usual setup.
Gone are the familiar faces of Keira Knightley and Orlando
Bloom for the frst time since the flms begun, their characters
of Elizabeth Swann and Will Turner having been integral parts
of the Pirates of the Caribbean brand for many of us. The one
character vital to the flms though, Johnny Depps Captain Jack
Sparrow, returns to take centre stage as he embarks on a new
voyage. Joining him on the screen this time are Angelica
(Penelope Cruz), a festy woman from Sparrows past,
and new villain Captain Blackbeard (Ian McShane), who
essentially races against Jack Sparrow in a bid to fnd the
mysterious Fountain of Youth.
To tell the story inspired by Tim Powers 1987 novel On
Stranger Tides, its all change for directors too- Rob Mar-
shall (Chicago, Memoirs of a Geisha) takes over from the
director of all three of the previous flms, Gore Verbinski.
As has often been the case with recent sequels, the flm
takes advantage of 3D cinema for the frst time, bringing
the sword fghts and action scenes we all expect from a Pirates
flm to life.
The reviews, however, have been mixed. The third flm in the
series, At Worlds End (2007), was not received as well as the
previous two and so this latest flm is perhaps being looked upon
to regenerate the Pirates brand. Whilst it ranks highly on online
flm database IMDb, On Stranger Tides is also accused of being
slightly lacklustre by many. A number of reviews suggest that
despite new characters and a new director, the flm has a weak
plot lost between multiple action scenes and suggest the series
should now come to an end. Of course, at the time of print it is
too early to tell how it will be taken up by cinema goers here and
regardless, the flm is likely to be lapped up by audiences due to
the popularity of the flm franchise as a whole already. Disney
Couture have even made a Pirates of the Caribbean jewellery
collection and all kinds of mechandise from T shirts and posters
to the rather more unusual On Stranger Tides monopoly board
game all use the brand to bring in big money. But with a sense of
weariness in the air, is this the last we will see of
Jack Sparrow?
Toni Norris
Pirates of the Caribbean : On Stranger Tides
IMDBs USA Weekend Box-Offce Summary
week of 13 May 2011

Rank Title Weekend Gross
1 Thor (2011) $34.7M $119M
2 Bridesmaids (2011) $26.2M $26.2M
3 Fast Five (2011) $20.4M $170M
4 Priest (2011) $15M $15M
5 Rio (2011) $8.28M $125M
6 Jumping the Broom (2011) $7.07M $25.8M
7 Something Borrowed (2011) $6.87M $25.5M
8 Water for Elephants (2011) $4.2M $48.6M
9 Madeas Big Happy Family (2011) $2.21M $50.2M
10 Soul Surfer (2011) $1.83M $39.2M
source - imdb.com
12 The Aston Times
5
Music
The Changing Faces of Hip-Hop
Over the past couple years Hip-Hop music and what it stands for
has changed, and has transformed into catchy hooks and easy lis-
tenable verses. If you have listened to artists such as Soulja Boy,
Lil B or even Wacka Flocka, then slip in a classic such as Illmatic
by Nas, youll most defnitely see the difference.
Not so long ago Nas was saying that Hip-Hop was dead, many
artists tried to fght that statement. It was very blunt but he may
have been
on to some-
thing if you
compare the
quality today
to the times
when Mobb
Deep had
just released
Shook Ones
II or when Dr.
Dre dropped
his Chronic
album. Due to
the success of
hip hop music,
the content,
the structure,
and the overall
face of what it
r epr es ent ed
has changed.
This has left a
bad taste in the mouths of those people who consider themselves
true Hip-Hop followers. But rap musics move from the under-
ground to the mainstream has been a dream that many rappers in
past could only wish for. The Hip-Hop market has now changed
and opened up globally, with more people embracing it as though
it was pop music. Rappers are now able to attain high album sales
which bring in more money for record label companies, and when
a lot of money is to be made record labels no longer mess about.
Well its 2011 and now the spotlight is on hip hop music where
the faces of this generation can be seen in the form of Lil Wayne,
Drake, Wiz Khalifa and Nicki Minaj. All very capable artists with
good fow and lyrical abilities, but are they enough to make Nas
statement invalid? To the new hip hop heads the answer would be
yes. They have worldwide appeal, they make catchy songs, the
lyrics are accessible, plus they have swag.
All those statements above are very true, although Drakes swag
is debatable if youre interested in fashion. But if you ask those
people who consider themselves the true hip hop fans they may
reply differently. This is because right now Hip-Hop music has
been diluted. It still has the word play, hard sounding beats, and
the energy of the past era, but its lacking one of the true attributes
that pioneered hip hop music And that is depth!
Thats not to say that the artists I mentioned above or any other
artist out at the moment does not have the capabilities to provide
songs with great detail and emotions, but its almost as if they
know if they do it probably wont sell as much. Hip hop music has
now become a fully accepted form of music and with that comes
more fans, more money and an infux of new rappers every year
looking for the same success. At the same time Hip-Hop has
had to sacrifce its complexity to make way for more diverse fans
which is amazing considering where it started, but at the same
time it has left a lot of the original fans not being able to accept
the music currently being released.
This may all soon change with up
am coming artists such as J.Cole
and Jay Electronica, bringing
back the feel of the 90s back
into hip hop through great word
play and in depth lyrics. The next
couple of years for Hip-Hop may
change soon and return to the
way it started with more artists
coming out bringing back the in
depth lyrics of the 90s.
With a good balance of depth
maybe the hip hop music of to-
day may be able to appeal to both sets of fans equally. Artists like
Drake and Lil Wayne, regardless how you view them, should be
given credit for their contribution Hip-Hops mainstream success
but ulrimately both sides of the genre should be rewarded with
success.
Regardless of which set you represent, the next chapter in Hip-
Hops story looks like it may be a good one.
Theo Clayton
Is Hip-Hop Dead?
Lady Gaga never short on provocative statements has
made one of her biggest ones yet with the new video
for Judas. Now besides the outrageous lyrics the
song actually follows a very similar song structure
and progression to Bad Romance and Poker Face,
but the video is pure shock value. Hit the youtube
video for Judas and the frst comment reads people
dont believe in religion because of things like this.
great way to convey people into disbelief. Gaga is
the new god for
these idiots that
follow. Ironi-
cally the next
comment actu-
ally reads still
cant believe
how perfect
this video is!
Surely another
music video
Grammy for
Gaga, this is pure brilliance!!! It is the perfect ex-
ample of how divided opinions of Lady Gaga, and
her song Judas in particular, are.
The melody is undeniably Gaga, there is a lot of it!
And its defnitely as addictive as her previous hits
were, but has she honestly gone too far this time.
She sings Im just a Holy Fool, oh baby, its so
cruel. But Im still in love with Judas, baby and the
only question is when does it stop being provoca-
tive and start becoming bad taste? They are a lot of
people who arent happy, and Gaga has defnitely
stopped a few parents from buying their daughters
Gagas next album. So was shocking the world for
a couple weeks truly worth the cost? She would
say yes, she is defnitely of the belief that the mu-
sic comes frst. Lyrically Gagas songs have always
had a certain depth to them, and many argue that
the use of Jesus and Judas is just a metaphor used to
describe the good and bad within our subconscious.
But others claim she is a devil worshipper trying to
bring down Christianity. One things for sure, she
has a hit, so maybe we should take the advice of
mode94013
I dont understand how the catholics are offended
by this...its just a pop song
Kosh Mwamuka
Judas Is Back
Cheryl Cole
American Idol
Cheryl Cole will be on the frst judging
panel for the US X Factor. The Girls
Aloud star had been debating whether
she wanted a crack at America for a
few months now and shes decided to
try her luck. Shes also decided to keep
her Geordie accent as opposed to being
trained to speak with a London accent
which would be easier to understand
for the Americans. Its no secret that
shes a star in Simon Cowells eyes and
if this move is successful shell most
probably sign for Cowells Syco label
in the US and launch her music career
across the Atlantic. With Simon Cow-
ell and Piers Morgan already winning
American hearts could it be a triple
threat with Cheryl Cole joining them
on the big stage. Good luck to her.
Drake Dreams Money Can Buy

Dreams money can buy Everybodys surprised I
wasnt surprised.
Drake is the name on everybodys lips Those were
the same words I typed in my frst article for the Aston
Times and a lot has changed in that year, especially
for Drake. Hes now a platinum selling artist, Grammy
performer and most important (as stated by the song
title) a millionaire. But even with all his fame and
fortune hes still the only one who wasnt surprised
with the impact his 2 new songs have made.
Im On One and Dreams Money Can Buy, his solo
single being the latter, have reminded the hip-hop
world why Drake is the most exciting talent in the
genre. A sample singing dont f*** with me through
a vocoder provides an incredible chorus in between
Drake verses that take you back to his So Far Gone
days. Throughout the song Drake speaks of the luxu-
ries that fame has brought him but unlike in his previ-
ous songs he is embracing them and seems completely
ready for the new spotlight that comes with the release
of a sophomore album.
Single Reviews
Swedish House Mafa Save The World
The group who brought you the song that had every
dancefoor drunk asking girls what their names were
are back with their third mainstream single, Save The
World. The track features vocals from Swedish singer
John Martin and was released on May 15th.
This time the Swedish supergroup have gone for a more
traditional dance/pop song structure, with the emphasis
was on mid-range melodies rather than the speaker bust-
ing bass of their previous hits. The song builds as the
content ebbs and fows between musical revolution and
the mindlessness of pop and they dont seem to be sure
where they want to take the song. But by the time the
chorus arrives the songs sounds straight out of the same
factory that supplies Britney Spears, Kesha, now Usher
and oddly Kelis. It has all the right ingredients for a club
hit but is unlikely to have the same staying power as
their last 2 records.
The Aston Times 13 The Aston Times
4
New Music Releases
Tyler The Creator Goblin
At just 20 Tyler The Creator is clubbing in London, perform-
ing in Germany and smoking in Amsterdam and he seems to
have the world in his palm. His album is separating critics and
no one seems quite sure if hes just a lucky kid or an ingenious
revolutionary. Either way Tyler is aiming to create the riot music
of the new millennium with the most controversial debut album
since The Slim Shady LP. Goblin in stores now.
Clapton Fox Amazing Thunderstorm
Clapton Fox, the brainchild of Hackney producer Robert
Kaniepien are like marmite, you will either become a huge fan
immediately or you wont get why anyone likes them at all. The
experimental 3 piece band formed in 2008 and will be releasing
their frst album Amazing Thunderstorm on August 1st. They
are defnitely worth a listen and if you are open to new forms of
music then their album should be high on your summer wish list.
For more information about Clapton Fox and their debut album
visit:
www.blurbpr.com
Calvin Harris Featuring Kelis - Bounce
Keliss new dance craze continues with her energetic feature on
Calvin Harris new single Bounce. After the constant ridicule
Harris received for his ability to sing live he has left the singing
duties to Kelis and although Bounce isnt of the same caliber of
previous Calvin Harris hits, its bound to shake up the dancefoor.
Music On Campus
Music on campus this edition is fo-
cusing on The Wayne Republic. It is
the work of our very own music edi-
tor, Kosh, and is a mix of the music
of Lil Wayne, OneRepublic along
with the production of Kosh himself.
The album is due to be released on
June 6th and is already gathering
buzz amongst Lil Wayne blogs and
blogs here in the UK. The young
producer is hoping this project can
help catapult his sound into the UK
mainstream and be the platform for
a successful career.
Check out Koshs music at: face-
book.com/kmwamuka
Follow Kosh on Twitter: twitter.
com/kamikazekosh
Upcoming Concerts
29 May Sade LG Arena
5 June Journey NIA Arena
13 June Wu Tang Clan HMV
Institute
20 June 3 Doors Down 02
Academy
26 June Cyndi Lauper
Symphony Hall
28 June Take That Villa Park
30 June Paul Simon NIA
Arena
2 July Alexis Jordan HMV
Institute
Album Review
Chris Brown F.A.M.E
The second highest frst week sales of 2011, two top 10
singles and over half a millions units already sold. Is Chris
Browns frst Billboard Chart topping album really as great
as everyone is making it out to be? The answer is yes. This is
by far Chris Browns most diverse album and shows the full
range of his talents. Lets be honest Chris Brown has never
made a bad album but with F.A.M.E he fnally looks ready
to fll the male super-performer shaped hole left by Justin
Timberlakes Futuresex/Lovesounds and Ushers Confes-
sions. Not saying F.A.M.E is even in any of those albums galaxies, but it is probably
the best R&B album since.
F.A.M.E opens with Deuces, the Rihanna-inspired R&B anthem, it then moves swiftly
into Up To You a piano driven bedroom-banger which is similar to songs Brown
has made in the past. With the next 2 tracks also being singles that had already been
released, I was fearing the worst for Breezys 4th album. However, the ffth song She
Aint You which leans heavily on a SWV and Michael Jackson sample in a move that
The Boston Globe called totally shameless and completely effective provides the
albums frst real exciting moment, from this point in the album Brown is completely
let loose.
The rest of the album moves seamlessly from the super club feel of Yeah 3x to the
pop-sensibility of Shouldve Kissed You and Justin Bieber assisted Next To You.
Say It With Me and Oh My Love are two standout tracks produced by London-based
producer Harmony H-Money Samuels which both take Browns music to a level it
has never seen. Both tracks interchange between percussive verses and intoxicatingly
melodic hooks in a way rarely heard in contemporary popular music.
Track 9, All Back, is 2011s answer to the classic rock ballads of the 70s and 80s.
Its probably the best song on the album and a candidate for Chris Browns best song
to date. A guitar riff Prince would be proud of drives the song as Brown sings If I had
the minutes, I would turn them into hours. And make love to your mind, not your body
instead. Seems the early hopes for Brown to be our generations answer to Michael
Jackson werent a complete shot in the dark after all. And as if to further boast his com-
plete musical palette, on the album closer Beautiful People, CB took what seemed
like a label execs decision to recreate the success of Yeah 3x and provided the frst
dance song with any songwriting substance for a long while.
Chris Brown again made the mistake of leaving some of his better material as bonus
songs, which he did in a similar fashion on Graffti but anyone would fnd space to ft
additional songs on this very strong album. Vitally it had the injection of fun that was
missing on Graffti and Chris Brown seems ready to fght for the crown of Pop/R&B
king. And at age 22, I wouldnt bet against him.
Kosh
14
The Aston Times
4
4
5
Gaming
@ Ole_Gunner
LA Noire is an ambitious new project from famed Rockstar games
set in 1940s Los Angeles. This however, is a radical departure
from the traditional GTA formula that we have come to expect
from Rockstars sandbox titles. You dont get to play the rampag-
ing bad guy, but the seemingly incorruptible Cole Phelps, a detec-
tive who serves as a beacon of integrity for the police department.
The entire city has been meticulously recreated with iconic signs
such as the famous Hollywoodland letters across the Santa
Monica mountains and the Roosevelt Hotel. But where LA Noire
differs is that its a more linear game, with an emphasis on story
that is cinematically delivered by a talented cast of actors.
The core of LA noire revolves around the detective work. Cole
Phelps must rise through various desks through the game, begin-
ning as a traffc cop, rising through the ranks with homicide and
arson before ultimately reaching vice. Investigations start with a
visit to the crime scene. Here is where the old-school detective
roots really show. You can search the scene, pick up objects that
might be of interest, scribble clues into your notebook and try to
piece together the events that led to the crime. Often youll fnd
evidence laid out for you at the scene when you arrive from of-
fcers who arrived earlier, and you can pick these up and examine
them in detail to fnd clues.
LA Noires signature selling point showcases itself during interro-
gations. Using a new technology called Motion Scan, Team Bondi
has captured the facial performances of all characters using 40
HD cameras. The resulting in-game result is astonishing, with
game characters faces eerily pulling off every expression that the
real actors had. Every shift of the actors eye, the furrowing of
a brow, the slight downturn of a mouth. What you see is exactly
what you would if watching an episode of a police drama. This is
all-important as you must judge whether a suspect or witness is
telling you the truth, lying or must be pressed for more informa-
tion.
When you ask questions, youll need to pay attention not only to
what people say, but their eyes, mouth, and body language. After
responses, you have three options. You can believe them, doubt
them, or outright accuse them of lying. What follows is a branch-
ing conversation sequence that can lead you onto further avenues
of investigation or dead ends.
LA Noire still impressively serves enough adrenaline moments
to quicken the pace of the game. You will have to trail witnesses,
chase suspects across rooftops, have car chases and even have a
fstfght with a hobo! The shooting and driving mechanics work
well enough but it must be said that controls are slightly clunky
and not as smooth as 3rd person games like Uncharted. Visually
the game is very impressive and easily worthy of the title AAA.
At the same time, the current deluge of sumptuous visuals that we
have enjoyed this year does make the game look slightly outdated
on occasion.
From what I have played so far, LA Noire is a great leap forward
in terms of interactive entertainment. Rockstar are looking to pro-
vide a mature experience that captures a classic feel that hasnt
been explored enough by games. There is so much I havent
touched on such as Coles murky backstory, the amazing manner
in which cases unfold and interlink or the brilliant soundtrack,
which feels cherry-picked out of a classic black and white. LA
Noire is something that should defnitely be on your radar.
Ole Mwanakatwe
LA Noire Preview
The entire city has been meticulously
recreated with iconic signs such as
the famous Hollywoodland letters
across the Santa Monica mountains...
On the 26th of April 2011, Sonys Playstation
network- the infrastructure that allows PS3 own-
ers to play online games as well as buy movies
and other downloadable content was infltrated
by an unknown hacker, and the customer details
of up to 77 million users were compromised.
What ensued was an unprecedented PR disaster
for Sony who took days to notify its customers
of the breach. The world media panned Sony for
having poor security features that put customer
data at risk. The uproar from PS3 was not only
concerned with when they could get their next
fx of Black Ops online but more importantly the
fear of whether credit card details were in hacker
hands.
However, a month later, here we are. Sony presi-
dent Kaz Hirai has fnally made the customary
public apology, the network has been restored
to almost full functionality (the PSN store is still
down) and no reports have been heard of anyone
being seriously affected. Sony has even provid-
ed an astounding $1 million worth of credit pro-
tection to any brave PS3 owners willing to claim
it. Everything appears to be moving along rather
nicely this unprecedented scenario has changed
the landscape of online gaming forever.
The fact of the matter is that this was a disas-
ter that was waiting to happen to either Sony,
Microsoft and to a lesser extent Nintendo. Al-
though Sony has had past firtations with hacker
group Anonymous, the allure of hundreds of
millions of gamers credit card information on
the PSN or Xbox live platforms, is too much of
an allure for any hacker out there and someone
was bound to try and access it. The argument can
be put forward that Sony should have the most
sophisticated security systems in place to protect
such valuable data, which I do agree with. But
this is true for all government agencies, banks,
and embassies as well, which have all been
victims of sensitive data being stolen. Even the
most beefed up security systems can be compro-
mised and Microsoft could have just as easily
have been the target. This hack has left the entire
industry on high alert and every game company
should be re-assessing their security features to
avoid such a nightmare.
Sony recently announced that it lost $107million
while the PSN was down as its digital revenue
stream was lost. This leads to the point that not
only Sony and its customers lost out during the
downtime but game developers too. They were
unable to sell games or other add on content for
an entire month with Capcom senior Vice Presi-
dent highlighting that these are funds we rely
on to bring new games to market for our fans.
The PSN downtime took a large bite out of many
developers planned budgets, which in this cur-
rent economic climate could result in unfortu-
nate job-layoffs across the industry. Sadly too,
it could result in the scaling back of future titles
in development.
The PSN hack has served a warning to all of us
consumers about the trust we employ in Sony
and other companies in general. After this f-
asco, are we willing to risk these corporations
with our bank details? Personally, I believe Sony
will have enhanced their security enough for me
to give them another chance. In any case, PSN
voucher cards can be used for transactions but
I do believe that worried parents will control a
lot of younger PS3 owners sub accounts. Sony
could eventually see a fall in consumer trust re-
fecting a hit to the PS3 brand image.
Ultimately, the PS3 is too capable a console with
quality software that will always entice people
to buy it. Nevertheless, the Playstation Network
hack will have far reaching consequences for the
future, as it really is an unprecedented moment
in video games infant history. For all Sonys crit-
icisms, let us not forget that the true criminals
of this episode are the hackers responsible. Dan-
gerously, they still remain hidden in the depths
of cyber space.
Ole Mwanakatwe
Playstation Network Hack: Pandoras box opened
Ols Rating
8.5
4
16
The Aston Times
Travel
Miles To Go...
Visiting the West Bank
Last weekend, I ventured to cross the border to the West
Bank... Although its not the worst and impermeable border
in the world, the crossing was a long and tedious process. I
stayed in Jerusalem, but I also had the opportunity to see more
of Palestine: Bethlehem in the West Bank. Against every UN
security statement we went by bus, which in these times of
increasing tensions are the main target of extremists. Getting
there was not a problem and I was amazed by Bethlehem. It
is not very big, but it has a very nice city centre and after a
delicious meal at Al-Hafteem we visited Nativity Church. It is
odd to see the context of a story you know since you are little.
Jesus birth is one of the frst stories I ever heard and seeing the
cave where it is supposed to have taken place was just unreal.
It was like stepping into my little illustrated bible.

Then we saw another attraction of Bethlehem... the Wall.
Being German, Walls bring up deep feelings, and seeing that
wall just made me feel like vomiting. The Israeli soldiers were
probably pointing their sniper at us from the watchtower. To
get back to Jerusalem, we had to go through a checkpoint,
that was described to us as still human, but it was so eerie and
impersonal. The worst was that the Palestinians were treated
much more severely than us, as the guard barely looked at my
passport whereas the Palestinians were checked in detail and
had to leave their fnger prints.
In the evening we went to a bar in the New City of Jerusalem
and suddenly it felt like being in another world. A world that
looked a lot like ours. This bar could have been in Berlin or
wherever in Europe. How could this all make sense. The horror
stories you hear about how Palestinians are treated and the bit
you see of it versus the normalcy of life in new Jerusalem.
Where are the bad guys?
Chantal Foyer
1. New York
It is certainly a dreamy destination for us
students. Take a walk through Madison Square
Garden and the Central Park, where you could
see places you just
saw on your TV.
Visit the Museum
of Natural History
, the metropolitan
Museum of Art, the
Museum of sex and
many more. Take a
toor through Rockefeller center and to the Stat-
ue of Liberty. Glance the energy of New York
from the top of Empire State Building. The
City which never sleeps has a lot to offer from
amazing nightlife scenes to unforgettable street
views. The reason for which Lonely Planet has
given New York the deserved spot in top 10 cit-
ies for 2011 is mainly because of the opening of
the National September 11 Memorial, which is
a tree plaza with deep waterfalls at the footprint
of the former twin towers, rimmed by the name
of the victims and illuminated at night.
2. Tangier
A city in Morocco, Tangier is positioned in the
most northern part of Africa , which gives it the
extraordinary view of Spain on its left, Europe
on it right and
Morocco on the
back. Although
tourism was
never properly
developed in
Tangier, with
the arrival of the
new governor the city is booming with energy
and life. The town beach now sparkles and it
is the main place to hang out during day time.
The so-called white city now offers a stylish
new view of the place with renovated buildings,
dynamic art community, great shopping plazas
and lively night scenery..
3. Tel Aviv
Dont think
that Tel Aviv
entirely
carries the
legacy of
Jerusalem,
as there are
more bars than synagogues. Tel Aviv is by far
the most international city in Israel and a truly
diverse Mediterranean spot. Walk through Old
Jaffa a picturesque neighborhood and feel its
charismatic charm Go to the Hayarkon Park, for
fun relaxation and outdoor activities surrounded
in greenery. Catch a show in the Suzanne Del-
lal Center, where you can see one of the most
artistic people from around the globe. Also due
to its university and many museums, it is also
the greenhouse for Israels growing art, flm and
music scenes, so try exposing yourself to more
of Tel Avivs charm..
4. Wellington
Wellington
is the city
in New Zea-
land, which
we all saw in
the success-
ful trilogy
of Lord of
the rings. Sir
Peter Jackson announced that it will also be the
place where Hobbit will be flmed, which in
this rather medium city gives you the opportu-
nity to take a glance of some actors . Moreover
all year round art and cultural events are taking
place everywhere in the city giving the tourist
a full cultural experience. Plus the amazing
scenery of crystal blue water, a lively city and
huge mountain peaks, allows Wellington to be a
experience full tourist destination.
5. Valencia
Valencia is a tourist
destination for the keen
sport fans, as it was
offcially announced as
the European Capital
of Sports for 2011. The
third largest city in
Spain now successfully
integrates international
people through to the various Americans yacht-
ing Cup fnals and the annual Formula 1 motor
race. Alongside the sport entertainment in the
city dont forget to visit the Plaza de Mercado.
The home of picturesque architecture and
charismatic scent; La cuidad de las Arte and las
Ciencias, translated it means the city of Arts
and Science, an extraordinary four building
museum situated just on the coast; take a walk
through the Botanical garden, which is will daz-
zle you with the spectacular green scenery and
architecture.
6. Iquitos
Situated on a
coast alongside
the Amazon riv-
er, this Peruvian
city is a now
mighty mega-
polis, with tour-
ism booming
like never. The pulsating life of the city is due
to the vast population consisting of Brazilian
and Columbians. As for nightlife Clubs bounce
to salsa and rock until the early hours of the day
and the culture could be easily experienced in
the Museum of Amazon ethnography, the streets
full of Perus art, the rainforest tours, the full of
hustle central market and the riverboat bustle.
7. Ghent
Fact: Ghent is one
of those cities,
which you never
even thought of
visiting. Despite of
that the wanders of
this small Belgium
city will have the
full attention of your eyes. Take a train along
the Leie River, where the fnest water pano-
ramas, spires and centuries old houses, visit
the historic center which is simply a beautiful
temple of culture and history. Ghent is also
one of the most dynamic European festival
scene, which is currently developed, into large
pedestrian squares within the city to better the
nightlife and the entertainment in the city giving
more space for partying and entertainment
8. Delhi
The great
metropolis
of Delhi, en-
compassing
Old and New
Delhi and
sprawling out
for miles, has
not looked this smart and sparkling in centu-
ries. Huge preparations for the Commonwealth
Games, which took place in October 2010,
improved the citys infrastructure, cleaned up its
streets and added to its accommodation options.
Aside from, of course, a bounty of new or im-
proved sporting facilities, theres the marvellous
artery of the Metro an underground transport
system thats a futuristic, egalitarian world
away from the sometimes chaotic, class-ridden
situation above ground. This year marks 100
years since New Delhi was founded in 1911.
At least eight cities are known to have been
founded on this spot. The commemoration of
this anniversary is sure to be a colourful and
lively affair.
9. Newcastle
Laying in the shadow of the far more largest
and more visited Sydney, this Australian city
should now offcially be on your list to visit
if you are going South. Although smaller and
less populated
than Sidney,
Newcastle holds
the ultimate
tourist assets for
the ones loving
adrenaline. The
surf beaches in this subtropical climate are a
great place for water sport, plus the diverse
dinning, nightlife and arts scenery gives New
Castle a young dynamic atmosphere. Moreover
a couple of hours drive is the famous Hunter
Valley wineries, the Port Stephenson offering
whale watching and shark feeding activities and
Stockton Beach designed especially for sand
boarding.
10. Chiang Mai
I The culture
capital of Thai-
land, Chiang
Mai certainly
will give you
more exploring
grounds than
Bangkok. With
a friendly cos-
mopolitan feel this cities is a safe and pleasant
place for visiting. There are number of temples
and other heritage landmarks. Many upcoming
adventure trips are just appearing, which offer a
choice of river rafting, elephant rides, trekking
and off-road cycling
Lonely Planets Top 10 Cities for 2011 Revisited
The Aston Times 17 The Aston Times
At this very moment I am en-
sconced in a comfortable seat on
my way to Treviso, Italy, and an
inner urge propels me to expose
my thoughts. I fnished my In-
ternational Business Economics
exam barely a few hours ago and
I feel vibrant and ecstatic to pen-
etrate the world. As I look down
on the Alps from my emergency
seat, I feel fulflled. The breath-
taking view captivates my at-
tention, and vivid images of last
years expedition come rushing
back into my cerebral hemi-
spheres. I conquered a distance
of more than 3000 kilometres
and 8 countries for a meager 200
euros. A very surrealistic sensa-
tion flls my body when I realize
that not long ago I was hitch-
hiking along the Alps with an
almost empty wallet. The only
difference today is the altitude
and my perception of the world.
Instead of making New Years
resolution, I planted a seed in
my fertile mind, the germination
of which would allow me to de-
sign a unique lifestyle. Namely,
I wanted to fnd out whether it
would be possible to fulfll all
commitments, including secur-
ing a proper placement, and
navigating toward multiple des-
tinations. My goal was to book
at least 2 return fights every
month.
My new way of living was punc-
tuated with a trip to Portugal. I
have seen many countries in
my life, but had never booked
random fights during the term.
I felt an insatiable thirst to em-
brace the challenge. As you
know from previous edition of
Aston Times, the trip turned
out to be an amazing adventure
and very soon I decided to book
fights to other places includ-
ing Ibiza, Montpellier, Tenerife,
Venice and Malaga. Travelling
became an inextricable part
of my life, which transformed
my mindset. If two years ago
somebody had proclaimed that
I would be fulflling my child-
hood dreams, I would have
laughed in disbelief. Is it possi-
ble for a student to travel almost
all the time, even during the
exam period? It worked for me
and I am deeply convinced that
many students can do likewise.
The problem is that the vast
majority of people actually be-
lieve that extended world travel-
ling is a domain of the richest.
In our contemporary world we
have the perception that in or-
der to explore other countries
you need to have money bulg-
ing out of your pockets. My
80-euro trip to France can be a
good example that this is not the
case. The second limiting belief
haunting students is the convic-
tion that they will not be able to
fulfll their university duties. As
Tim Ferriss wrote in his book,
The 4-hour work week, there
is a huge difference between be-
ing busy and being productive.
Many people try to do every-
thing all the time, and this eve-
rything is mostly comprised of
unimportant tasks. As a result
they feel busy, but does it really
mean that they will accomplish
their goals? Absolutely not. In-
stead, it is better to make use of
the Pareto principle. Students
should identify the key success
factors and focus on them. In ad-
dition, if a person makes use of
the chunks of free time that eve-
rybody has throughout the day,
instead of spending hours on fa-
cebook, they will defnitely fnd
enough spare time to fathom out
passions and penetrate foreign
lands.
I truly believe that travelling is
the University of Life. It enables
you to discover different cul-
tures and appreciate that people
have different beliefs and val-
ues. Furthermore, extreme back-
packing is a great platform to
discover your limits and break
them. My adventures taught me
how to shape my reality in the
way that serves me the best. In
other words, I discovered how
to remain positive and happy
even when faced with hardships.
This state of mind gives you
an amazing state of being, the
state in which you experience
the present moment with all the
senses you possess. Yes, not the
past, not the future, but just the
present moment. After all, what
is happening RIGHT NOW is all
we really have in life. The rest is
merely a blurred dream.
Have you ever felt joy flling
your heart just because you were
able to breathe the fresh air of
the sea, just after the storm? Just
because you intoxicated your-
self with all these exotic aromas
you encountered along your
path? If not, avoid constant anal-
ysis of the past and planning for
the future. Free your soul, forget
about negative things and focus
on every single positive aspect
of your existence. Embrace the
present moment!
Life is a great gift, offering an
infnite number of opportunities
and we should not forget about
it. There are many exhilarating
experiences waiting for you, ex-
periences which will positively
shake up your mindset. Experi-
ences which can signifcantly
change the way you have al-
ways perceived the world. Book
a random, cheap fight, pack
your backpack and kiss the un-
known. I promise that when you
come back you will be a differ-
ent person.
Future plans
From June I will be working in
a leading investment bank in
London, which will require me
to work 50-hour weeks. Howev-
er, I intend to embrace another
challenge. I want to prove that
long work weeks do not have
to constrain anybody from em-
bracing the mobile lifestyle. The
goal is to book at least 2 trips to
foreign locations every month.
How do I want to do it? This is
an example:
FRIDAY EVENING
1. fight to Alicante
2. exploring Spanish nightlife-
meeting random people
SATURDAY
1. chilling on the beach
2. exploring the city
3. dinner out and party
SUNDAY
1. chilling on the beach
2. return fight
3. preparation for a hectic work
week
I know that it seems crazy, but I
am sure that it is possible. Hope-
fully, you will be able to read
about the outcome in the next
academic year!
Thank you all very much for
reading my articles. It has been a
great pleasure to work for Aston
Times. I do hope that my writ-
ings have in some way encour-
aged you to start travelling.
Jimmy Naraine
Travel
18
The Aston Times
Tuna and tomato pasta
Ingredients
*SERVES 2*
Pasta (any type)
Around 6 forettes of brocolli
1 clove of garlic
Half a medium sized onion
1 tin of tuna
Mixed herbs
Salt
Pepper
A little cooking oil
1 tin of chopped tomatoes

1) Put as much pasta as youd like into a sauce-
pan, add boiling water and a pinch of salt and
bring to the boil.
2) Peel and crush the garlic, and peel and chop
the onion into sized chunks of your preference.
3) Add a drizzle of oil (or butter) to another
saucepan, allow to heat and add garlic and
onion. Remember to stir regularly.
4) Roughly chop the brocolli into slightly
smaller chunks and add to saucepan 2 after
about 2 minutes.
5) Fry for about another 3 minutes (or until you
think its done) and add the tomatoes into sau-
capan 2. Leave a little of the juice in the tin.
6) Stir pasta and taste to see how its doing.
7) Add a few pinches of mixd herbs and season
with salt and pepper.
8) Allow to simmer for a few more minutes
9) By this time the pasta should be done.
Check, and if so drain and put back in sauce-
pan.
10) Add the tomato sauce to the pasta, stir, and
gently heat for a few more minutes.
11) If you think the pasta is a bit dry, add some
of the left over tomato juice.
Serve!
Method
5
Food & Drink
Summer Spot
Screaming Orgasm
f oz vodka
f oz coffee liqueur aka Kahlua
f oz Baileys Irish cream liqueur
1 shooter/shot glass
1 barspoon/teaspoon
Chill the ingredients to make it nice an re-
freshing. Take a shooter glass and pour in
coffee liqueur. Next take a teaspoon and hold
it to the edge of the glass. Now its time to
layer Baileys. Finally, layer vodka over the
top. Now your cocktail is ready to be served.
The Jam House
3 - 5 St Pauls Square
Birmingham, West Midlands
B3 1QU
0121 200 3030
Open Tue-Wed 6pm-12am; Thu 6pm-
1am; Fri-Sat 6pm-2am; also open Sun
Sport
Sports Editorial
Hello Sports Fans,
Were reaching the peak of most sportng calendars now. Man-
chester United managed to wrap up the Premier League against
Blackburn Rovers following a very impressive victory over Chelsea
who had been in the ascendancy. Wrapping up the ttle a game
early means that their key players can rest before the Champions
League fnal, a rematch of the Barcelona game 2 years ago, which
promises to be an excitng game. The batle at the botom of the
table is a lot tghter, with 4 teams batling to stay in the Premier-
ship with 1 game to go. In rugby union, we have our 2 fnalists for
the Heineken Cup (Leinster v Northampton) and for the Premier-
ship playof (Leicester v Saracens). We are 5 races into the F1
season, and it looks as though Vetel cant lose at the moment,
having been uterly dominant so far.
At Aston, the BUCs calendar has fnished, with everyone taking
a well earned break for exams. Good luck to everyone with their
exams and to all of the newly appointed commitees for next
years fxtures.
Keep actve,
Ben
Hello everyone, here is my end of year review
for how the teams of Aston have done this year.
First of all I would like to say how disappointed
in the so-called review in the last issue. This
Alistair Becker does not appear to be involved
in the teams at all. The teams are not named by
leter, so we have no A, B, C teams etc... Aston
has the 1sts, 2nds and so on. If you are going
to slate the teams at Aston at least make sure
you are involved with them and get your facts
straight and make it a litle more than a foot-
note on page 18 of 24. Also he clearly has litle
to no knowledge of the challenges all the teams
have faced this year frst and foremost the clo-
sure of the Woodcock Sports Centre. This has
resulted in reduced training tmes for the ma-
jority of clubs as we have had our facilites efec-
tvely halved. Without the facilites Woodcock
ofers (our main sports hall and swimming pool)
keeping some of the clubs going throughout
this year will have been a challenge for those
students running them, partcularly some of the
smaller clubs who have since had to head of
campus to contnue their sports. So I would like
to take this chance to thank them for doing such
a good job this year in light of this challenge.
But we do have next year to look forward to,
with the refurbished Woodcock Centre being
re-launched as the Aston University Doug Ellis
Sports Centre. There will be a swimming pool
on campus again and open for everyone, a new
gym and lots more fat foor space for the mar-
tal arts and dance clubs. This means that next
year we will be back to having 2 sports facilites
available once again which means there wont
be such a pressure on training tmes and match
tmes all of you who have been involved in the
clubs this year will know how precious tme in
any of the facilites has been.
It may sound weird but at Aston it is very dif-
cult for us to gain contnuity with our teams be-
tween years due to the number of students that
go on a placement. So a team may perform very
well one year and gain promoton, only to lose a
lot of the players to graduaton and placements.
From there the players the following year not
only has to contend with building a new team
but also performing at a higher standard to the
year previous. As a result it is not uncommon
to see teams at Aston yo-yo between leagues.
That said we do punch above our weight in
terms of our sportng achievement, beatng uni-
versites with dedicated sportng courses and
universites that are twice our size and fnish-
ing above BCU, UCB and Newman consistently
in recent years (not Birmingham though, they
always fnish top 3 but theyre posh tw*ts)
Right moving onto our performance in the BUCS
(Britsh Universites & Colleges Sport) Leagues,
these are the leagues in which the teams from
Aston will compete against other Universites
and insttutons claiming to be universites, you
all know who Im talking about. The teams we
take on in the leagues are all meant to be of a
similar level and from the Midlands; however
we do end up with the occasional match against
Lincoln and UWE for some reason. The BUCS
cups are even less forgiving as a team from As-
ton could be drawn against a top fight team
from anywhere in the country.
Badminton (Men & Womens)
The Mens team unfortunately got knocked out
of their cup in the frst round but have shown
strong form in the league fnished 3
rd
. The wom-
ens team have had a fantastc season, perform-
ing well in the cup and winning every match in
their league gaining promoton into the Mid-
lands Conference 1A.
Basketball (Men & Womens)
Unfortunately Basketball has been one of the
clubs that has sufered most with the loss of
the Woodcock Centre with their training tme
reduced signifcantly and Im sorry to say it has
shown in their results this year with Womens
team having only 2 wins in their league (and
not fnishing botom) the Mens season ending
in relegaton from Midlands 2A to 3A. I wouldnt
be surprised to see them bounce straight back
up next year though
Cricket (Mens)
BUCS is a funny creature, having to consider all
the Universites throughout the country, so it is
forgivable that at tmes their fxture planning
doesnt always fall kindly to all students across
the country let alone at Aston away game to
Lincoln before a coursework deadline anyone?
The cricket season is even more awkward with
it startng afer Easter and currently ongoing
throughout exams. The teams have gained good
results but if there is any wet weather the chanc-
es of rescheduling the games are increasingly
slim with the deadline for all fxtures the 22
nd

May. Our boys will perform well in the games
they get to play but this will sadly get dictated
by the weather, resultng in some losses already.
Fencing (Mens)
Have contnued on as a club this year but not
having the best season, fnishing botom in the
Midlands Conference 2A. Im not going to lie;
one of my failings is a lack of knowledge on Fenc-
ing so best of luck to the guys running this next
year!
Football (Mens)
Weve got 4 Mens Football teams currently at
Aston and Im sorry to say that for the 1
st
, 2
nd
and
3
rd
team havent had great seasons. The 1sts and
3rds fnished botom and 2nds ending up one
from botom. On the other hand the 4
th
team
have done well in their league resultng in a sec-
ond place fnish.
Football (Womens)
I was here last year and Im sure those who
played for the Sharks last year will agree that
they had an abysmal season. BUT they managed
to keep a smile on their faces and turned up to
their games determined to get as many goals as
possible ofen against intmidatng odds to say
the least. But this season their performance has
been an absolute turn around, ofen getng their
scores into double fgures and on more than
one occasion reaching and breaching 20 goals.
This doesnt show up in their league positon
though as in their league of 6 teams, 3 of them
have dropped out which means we havent got
to keep some of those results. Looking forward
to good things from the girls next season and at
least we know we beat BCU 23-0.
Gaelic Football (Mens)
Although not competng in any BUCS compet-
tons this year I felt that these guys deserved at
least a menton in this piece. To start of with
their number of sign ups was astounding consid-
ering that Gaelic Football is a sport that many
people coming to Aston will not have heard of
or seen, let alone played before and the turn
outs for training was fantastc again. Like I said
no entrance into BUCS this year but that hasnt
stopped them competng in games against local
teams or going over to France to compete in a
tournament that, I think they will agree, massive
underdogs. This year Gaelic received the Most
Improved Club of the Year award and I am sure
that if they keep up this level of efort that they
will be a contender for Club of the Year next year.
Hockey (Mens & Womens)
Love them or hate them, you cant deny that
Hockey is one of the best run clubs at Aston, on
and of the pitch. The womens team bounced
straight back from last year and only sufered
one loss in their league; they promptly went
and took 5 goals of them at their next meet-
ing up in De Montord. Their performance this
season gained them a promoton back up to
the Midlands 3A league and they look to have
a good team together to put a strong perfor-
mance in next year.
I hope the Mens 2
nd
team will not mind when
I say that this season they are there for the so-
cial players and have struggled to get a team out
some Wednesdays sometmes playing with 10 or
even 9 players on the pitch having got them from
wherever they can. Whilst not gaining any wins
this attude is what we want from all the teams
at Aston going down fghtng!
The Mens 1
st
team however is a diferent story,
afer a bumpy start to the season they man-
aged to hit their stride, including being the frst
team to get points of Oxford in their league in a
surprise 2-0 win. They ended well in the league
gained a 3
rd
place positon, missing out the 2
nd

place only on goal diference, it is also worthy to
point out that the mens teams managed to get
a team out for their Saturday league without fail
this year. Well done!
BUCS Review 2011
20 The Aston Times
5
Netball (Womens)
Netball is another one of the clubs that have
been hit hardest with the lack of the Woodcock
Sports hall resultng in less training tme. The frst
team managed to hold a mid table positon in
their league and are looking to improve on their
fnish. The second team, who gained promoton
at the end of last season also managed to hold a
mid table positon in this tougher league and will
contnue to play in that league next year.
Rugby (Mens)
The Rugby Leagues have been the busiest
leagues throughout the whole of BUCS; so busy
in fact that they had to start a week earlier and
in some unfortunate cases are stll ongoing. Im
writng this on Wednesday 18
th
May and tonight
the 1
st
team will be heading down to Bedford for
a play-of match! The 2
nd
team havent had the
greatest season, and Im afraid to say that the 1
st

team havent either but they did have a grudge
match against BCU which saw us beatng them
and relegatng them in the last game of the nor-
mal season. Now the frst team only have to beat
Bedford (the team that fnish in the same place
in League 2B, were in 2A) to avoid relegaton.
Good luck!
Swimming & Water-Polo (Men & Womens
Teams, Individuals)
Our Swimming & Water-Polo team has always
been unusually strong for a university of our size
and the closure of Woodcock was always going
to have a great efect on them, partcularly on
the membership retenton. They have thank-
fully found some local pools to contnue their
training and kept a good number of students
involved. This has refected in their inclusion in
local leagues for Water-Polo and entrance into
the BUCS Swimming compettons in which we
had over 10 students travel to Shefeld for. The
campus swimming pool returning will undoubt-
edly give their membership numbers a reinvigo-
raton and contnue to compete at the natonal
level they have done before.
Squash (Mens)
Squash is another sport that unfortunately I do
not know too much about, but the team this
year has put in a solid performance ending in a
mid-table positon and I will leave it at that.
Table Tennis
Sometmes I think it has to be said that the
heart isnt there for a team and I think this was
the case for Table Tennis this year. 7 scheduled
games, 4 games played resultng in 4 losses. It is
disappointng that the team didnt put the efort
in to at least play all the scheduled games. I hope
that next year the team puts in the efort for all
the games.
Tennis (Mens, Individuals)
On the fipside to that it is fantastc to see a team
put a massive amount of efort in. 2 years ago
the tennis team didnt exist, this year the team
have put superb performance in throughout the
year fnishing 3
rd
in their league, missing out on
2
nd
only on point diference and reaching the
Quarter fnals in the Cup. Also individual players
have performed well at the BUCS Championship
that took place in Bath recently. It is encourag-
ing to see that a club can grow this quickly and
there will a Womens team entered into the
BUCS leagues next year.
Volleyball (Men & Womens)
The womens Volleyball team have had a simi-
lar season to with womens football good re-
sults but it doesnt show in the league due to 2
teams dropping out (both of whom we got wins
against) leaving only 3 teams in their league. Its
a real shame when this happens but next year if
the league is populated we should get a decent
league positon.
No disrespect to the other clubs at Aston, but
the mens Volleyball team has been the shining
star this year! This year they won all their games
in all compettons rarely dropping a game. The
season saw them fnishing top of their league
with maximum points and taking home a Cup
Final victory against Cambridge on away turf.
Needless to say they easily got Astons Club
of the Year and were looking forward to good
things from this team next year!
That is it from the team sports but I had beter
include two individuals that have stuck in my
mind from this year I wont embarrass them by
naming them but we did enter individuals into
the female Ten-Pin Bowling BUCS Championship
and into the male Equestrian BUCS Champion-
ship, so well done to you two!
Please remember that if there is a sport that
isnt listed here that doesnt mean that we wont
help you to get it started up. This year we have
some interest in sports such as Womens Rugby,
Rounders and even Pole Fit if there are enough
people who want to do this you can get it set
up and with a litle efort entered into the BUCS
compettons so dont be afraid to get in contact
with me if there is a sport you want to see at
Aston next year. Just come up to the Student Ac-
tvites Ofce in the Guild or send me an email
on guild.actvites@aston.ac.uk
Thats it from me now, Id like to say well done
to all the teams for their performances this year
and thank you for making this year so enjoyable
for me and thank you to you for taking the tme
to read this.
Take care guys!
Tom Farrelly
Vice President Student Involvement
Ultimate Frisbee.
Ever heard of it?
Throwing and
catching a disc?
Throwing a Fris-
bee and seeing
how far it travels?
just some of the
suggestions I have
heard.
Well for me Ulti-
mate Frisbee was
unknown. This
however changed
since joining Hor-
nets Ultimate.
Ultimate is a high
energy disc sport,
which rival teams
attempt to score
points in opposing end zones through marking and defending,
while using a variety of throws from forehand, backhand, ham-
mers and high-releases. It isnt simply throwing and catching
a disc, but stamina, agility and precision are tested through the
high-impact games, drills and matches.
This year has been the teams best performance, both on and
off the feld, with record number of tournament entries and
awesome socials. This year weve entered almost the same
amount of tournaments as in the previous four years put togeth-
er, climbed seven places in regional leagues and improved our
seeding in major leagues, such as the BUCS (British Universi-
ties and Colleges Sport), where we are now ranked 17th.
We even topped our group and went on to reach semi-fnals in a
local tournament
defeating our
rivals Warwick
and Birming-
ham universi-
ties. This run of
good form even-
tually led to the
winners trophy
at Lloretfest in
LLoret de Mar,
Spain.
The Aston Ulti-
mate team is a
mixed, enthusiastic and sociable group ranging from beginners
to experienced players from all Aston years. We have termly
socials as well as end of year dinner and dance. Not forgetting
tour, our yearly highlight, where we visit Rimini, Italy or Lloret
de Mar, Spain. This year the team partied and played hard, expe-
riencing a variety of sports including American football, beach
sports and celebrating victories in the evening alongside hun-
dreds of students with themed nights in the Lloret de Mar Strip.
Tour is a great opportunity to excel in sporting tournaments,
socialise with different universities and have a great week with
team members- whether next year you join as a player or social
member, tour is a memorable university experience that cannot
be missed!
The team welcome anyone to attend weekly indoor and outdoor
training sessions and would love to challenge your opinions on
the sport and show you just how competitive, addictive and fun
Ultimate Frisbee can be! Come and check out our stall at As-
tonbury for the chance to meet team members, try your hand a
throwing a disc and winning some great prizes!
For any queries please contact astonhornetsultimate@gmail.
com!
Ultimate Frisbee
The Aston Times
21 The Aston Times
4
22
The Aston Times
Trivia
May - Facts
SUDOKU
DIFFICULTY : MEDIUM
Across
1 Robin Hood villain
6 The ___ of the Mohicans
10 The Great Caruso star
11 Pocahontas villain
13 101 Dalmatians villainess
15 A Bugs Life villain
17 ___ Mountain
20 Sitcom about the Conner family
23 Beauty and the Beast villain
25 The Rescuers villainess
28 Pinocchio villain
31 ___ Target (1979 flm starring 14-
Down)
33 The Whole ___ Yards
34 Sleeping Beauty villainess
Down
1 Arthurs dog on Arthur
2 Destination ___ Space
3 Subject of Auto Focus
4 The Bell ___
5 Home on Gilligans Island
7 The ___ Truth
8 1943 Richard Dix western
9 Oceans ___
12 Its ___ World (Ted Bessell TV series)
13 All-American Girl star Margaret
14 Oscar winner for Two Women
15 The People vs. Larry Flynt star
16 Eddie Murphys animated series, with The
18 The ___ Has Landed
19 Killer Tomatoes ___ France!
21 ___ Family Values
22 Monroes costar in The Seven Year Itch
24 ___ Clear Day You Can See Forever
25 Actor Healey in The Incredible Melting Man
26 Fame dance teacher Morgan
27 ___ Door
29 Smiles ___ Summer Night
30 ___ Station Zebra
32 Will the Real Jerry Lewis Please ___ Down? (TV
cartoon)
DISNEY BADDIES CROSSWORD
According to the early Roman calendar, May was the third month. Later, the ancient Romans used january
1 for the beginning of their year, and May became the ffth month. May has always had 31 days.
Several stories are passed around to show how the month of May was named. The most widely accepted
explanation is that it was named for Maia, the Roman goddess of spring and growth. Her name related to a
Latin word that means increase or growth.
Empire State Building opened May 1, 1931.
Karl Marx, author of Das Kapital, born May 5, 1818.
Edward Jenner, a British physician, performed the frst vaccination against smallpox in May 14, 1796.
Israel became an independent country as the last British troops left Palestine, May 14, 1948.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, British author and creator of Sherlock Holmes, born May 22, 1859.
Emerald is the birthstone for May.
Napoleon died on St. Helena, May 5, 1821
Fill in the Bubble and win
Lunch for 2 @ B4 BAR
5
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