Sixth Form Mercury Wilson’s School’s newest student-run publication
Volume 1, Issue 3 - October 2010
Introducing...
Camberwell: Relebohile Molia
Tom Sutherland You may remember that during last year’s summer activities week, each House was tasked with choosing which charity it wished to sponsor for the duration of this school year. Not only that, each House had the opportunity to sponsor a child through the Action Aid scheme, which provides aid for people in developing countries, and which is known for its child sponsorship programme. The scheme means that the child you sponsor is guaranteed access to safe, clean water, food and an education; things that people often take for granted and yet many have to live without. As sponsors, we can help eradicate poverty for the child, their family and others in the community thus giving poorer people the chance to work their way out of poverty and improve their living conditions. The purpose of this article is not to simply repeat the information that can be found on
Southwark: Mukeshimana the Action Aid website, but rather to introduce you to the children that each House decided to sponsor (Brecon and Hayes decided not to sponsor a child and to focus instead on other charitable pursuits) and to make sure that the Sixth Form are aware of what is happening in their Houses. Each House has committed to sponsor their child for the next five years, at a cost of £180 per year. At first, this may seem like a large amount of money to be raised in a school environment - especially every year. However, as there are seven groups of approximately thirty in each House in every year group, it works out as a donation of £1 per year on an individual level. There are also members of staff associated with each House and so we should hopefully be able to raise more than the £180 sponsorship fee each year. Of course, contributions would be voluntary, but we would like to be able to raise as much money as possible and as such, ideas for different ways we can raise money both for Action Aid and the other House charities would be useful; any ideas
Greencoat: Boaz Mahiri can be passed on to the House captains who will work to get your idea made into an actual event. Over the course of the year, the three sponsored children will write to us at the school and we will be able to write back to them. We will also receive correspondence and photos from them too, which will all be displayed on the House noticeboards outside the hall. For more information about Action Aid, the other House charities and the House system in general, please keep an eye on the House noticeboards. I would like to express my thanks to all those who have been involved with the scheme, and especially to Mrs Gill, who has paid that £180 sponsorship up front!
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From the Editors
Welcome to the third edition of the Sixth Form Mercury. As usual we would like to thank everyone who has written for us and also to Mr Mulcahy, who kindly proofreads and arranges printing for each issue. You may have noticed from reading past issues that there are certain people who write in every issue. As such, we are really pushing to find others who would be interested in writing either a one-off piece or a recurring column, to introduce some more variety and to take the pressure off of our regular writers! We’re happy to print news, comment or features. If you’re interested, please email either one of us at the addresses below.
Sixth Form Mercury - October 2010
The Truth of Being a
House Captain
Mark Fuller
Keeping track of academic work while being a House Captain is stressful. Getting to school early, leaving late, pressure from staff at lunchtime and a rebellious prefect team make life more difficult. This is by no means an attempt to put off Lower Sixth students from applying to be a House Captain or a prefect- I just think it is important that the responsibilities of taking up the role are understood beforehand.
The expectations of a House Captain are high; you feel the need to perform well acaFinally, a quote that seems apt at this time demically, participate in extra curricular acof year, with Upper Sixth working on uni- tivities, and maintain popularity with staff versity applications and the Lower Sixth and students alike. The House Captains are responsible for running their prefect team starting their A Levels: during the day. This is not only a method “Knowing is not enough; we must apply. whereby the school can save money, it is also effective in giving a select group of Willing is not enough; we must do.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe sixth formers responsibilities.
Fear no more the heat o’ the sun, Nor the furious winter’s rages; Thou thy worldly task hast done, Home art gone and ta’en thy wages. Golden lads and girls all must, As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.
I am sure that most of you will remember being in Year 11 and being told to ‘get outside’ by a morning prefect and blindly ignoring their requests; however, when you yourself are the prefect and are the person on the receiving end of this attitude, it can become very trying. It looks bad when a teacher walks past and questions why so many people are inside so early and the reason is, while you theoretically have the power, in practice, the older students see you as ‘just another kid’.
Fear no more the frown o’ the great, Thou art past the tyrant’s stoke; Care no more to clothe and eat, To thee the reed is as the oak. The sceptre, learning, psychic, must All follow this, and come to dust.
Perhaps the largest problem with the student prefect system is just that; it is a student team, a group of people who the younger years regard as no more important than themselves and this is where the problem of respect comes in.
Fear no more the lightning-flash, Nor the all-dreaded thunder-stone; Fear not slander, censure rash; Thou hast finished joy and moan. All lovers young, all lovers must Consign to thee, and come to dust. William Shakespeare
Don’t apply to become a House Captain or prefect if you think you won’t be committed. Don’t apply if you think you won’t be able to handle disrespect. Don’t apply if you think you won’t have the time. Don’t apply if you are lazy. Finally, don’t apply just because it will look good on your UCAS
Tom Sutherland and Matt Tijou
[email protected] [email protected]
Fear No More the Heat o’ the Sun
What’s Inside?
Article Action Aid From the Editors The Truth of Being a House Captain Fear No More the Heat o’ the Sun Who can stop drug culture? The Wire Review Ladyman’s Corner An Incisive Sequel Uprising of the Young
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THEATRE VISIT Tuesday 30th November
Hamlet, National Theatre Tickets £10 For more infomation, please see Mr Mulcahy
WANT TO REACH AN AUDIENCE OF 300+ 16-18 YEAR OLDS
(AND THEIR PARENTS)? We are looking for sponsorship to help make this magazine financially viable. If you are interested, please get in touch for a quote: Telephone: 020 8773 2931 and ask for the Sixth Form Office Email:
[email protected]
statement because the job means a lot more than that. Otherwise, if it sounds like a job for you, do apply, as at its best it can be a great job to do.
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Sixth Form Mercury - October 2010
Debate
Who can stop drug culture? Jordan Childs
With the headlines full of ideas and appraisals on the new government’s policies, one policy has not yet received the scrutiny it deserves: the war on drugs. It is safe to say that the war on drugs has failed. The Conservatives successfully managed to dodge the issue of drug policy in the run-up to the general election, perhaps because, in reality, there is very little difference between their approach and that of the former Labour government. But the voices calling for them to assess current UK policy on drugs are getting louder every day: it is untenable for the government to ignore this issue any longer. If the government truly wishes to eschew their predecessor’s legacy of having a lack of a good drug policy, they must be prepared to implement a drug policy that actually works. Drug policy must be formed on a scientific basis if we are to tackle the evident widespread health and crime issues that the war on drugs has largely failed to address, and the way this has to happen is simply by imposing a criminal record to anyone found in possession of an illegal substance. In much the same way, something has to be done to stop the source of the drugs, and this can be simply done by burning the poppy crops in Afghanistan which not only would stop the influx of drugs but cut off the money supply to the Taliban. The facts are simple: overall, illegal drugs directly or indirectly caused 1,490 deaths in 2008- a number that is completely unnecessary, especially when you realise that is the result of a few moments of a cheap ecstasy (not referring to the drug). The government has spent approximately £10 billion on the war on drugs - double the amount it has spent on the Iraq war. However the real, unknown (and untaxed) profit is reaped by criminal gangs- the main benefactors of the government’s current stance on drugs. It is simply not enough to say that you are tough on crime, it has to be
supported with evidence that it is working; something that is currently not available. It must be about time that we, as active members of the civic society, see some results and the government implement new, tougher ideas so we don’t return to the immoral age of the sixties and people in Britain truly learn some respect for themselves, their superiors and generally everyone in society.
Review
The Wire Vishnu Premachandralal
It’s hard to explain the euphoria that you feel when you meet another fan of The Wire. Once fate brings you together, you are lost in a sea of philosophical quotes about how awesome Omar actually is. During a time where television is dominated by shows that shine so brightly and then collapse in on themselves like a dying star, the Baltimore police drama was a breath of fresh air. Creators David Simon and Ed Burns both worked and lived in Baltimore, learning about the lives of addicts, students, dealers and journalists. This in-depth knowledge of every aspect of the setting is just one of the things that made the show so successful.
Copyright BBC MMX.
Scratch the surface of the show and there is so much more than a cops and robbers drama. The Wire gives us real character development and not the cliché characters we saw in Lost. This show gives us a reason to love and hate every character. It tells us that not all drug dealers are bad and not all police officers are good. Each season focuses on a different aspect of Baltimore; the corners, the docks, the politics, the schools
and the media, but you never stray far from the original characters. The show takes you through the life of your average Baltimore citizen and soon enough you find yourself truly caring about their fate. Aside from the artistic writing and uncommon realism, the acting is sublime. The show avoided using actors who weren’t from Baltimore. The fourth season is where the acting is at its best and whilst watching it’s hard to believe that it is the first time these twelve year old boys have acted. One of these child actors went on to star in the most horrible piece of television I have ever seen: 90210. Aside from that career move error, it is hard not to appreciate the raw talent that is shown by all the actors. Casting my mind back to the first episode, there is one main thing I recall: confusion. Being a middle-class Asian teenager I have a limited knowledge of the drug trade, as well as a restricted knowledge of urban American slang, but that’s what I love about The Wire; it doesn’t treat you as an unassuming TV drone, it treats you like a weathered police officer, a young black dealer and a millionaire drugs baron all at the same time. The first episode is filled with drug slang and police jargon- creator, David Simon, even stated that the show wasn’t going to ‘dumb down’ for the masses. Perseverance results in you talking like a Baltimore shotter in no time. Until then, subtitles will come in handy. The grasp that The Wire has on the lives of those who watch it is as tight and ridiculous as the no-eating-in-the-common room rule. The show is like a parasite that crawls into your brain and tells you to “jump the five” when you dial the phone and to “make sure you pick up the soap powder for MeeMaw.” What secures The Wire its status as a great TV show, is its purpose; the show was never about ratings, it created characters that we could all vouch for, it gave us true insight into the world of the drugs trade, the downward spiral of an addict and the rise of a drugs baron. Don’t take my word for it though; I’m just a writer I suppose.
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Sixth Form Mercury - October 2010
Review
An Incisive Sequel The Desert Spear by Peter V. Brett Stephen Brown
rality and growing demonisation presents several interesting questions to the reader about the price of power and the cost of war. I think it is obvious that I very much enjoyed this novel. I recommend the series to any who enjoy fantasy novels. It kept my interest throughout and now I can’t wait for the next instalment, The Daylight War. 4/5
Part two of the Demon Trilogy, The Desert Spear by Peter V. Brett is a continuation of his great: The Painted Man. A more sizeable offering this time The Desert Spear continues the tale of Jadir, the man who lays claim to be the saviour of the world against the corelings, and Arlen, the painted man and, perhaps, the true saviour of the world. Jadir takes the place of the main character from Arlen this time and The Desert Spear tells of his youth in the same way The Painted Man told Arlen’s. For those new to the series, The Demon Trilogy takes place in a fairly traditional fantasy world set mainly in a medieval style society, which is all that remains of a supremely advanced society ravaged by nightly demon (coreling) attacks. The only thing that saves humanity from total destruction is ‘wards’, a form of magic that offers protection from, and also kills, corelings. This novel dives far more into the consequences of this magic, its origins and its limitations. It also introduces some of the coreling nobility, directing attacks on the surface, now that the threat of a saviour has emerged. The sequel focuses far more on the cultures and history of the societies present in The Painted Man, which is a great move. The warrior culture of Krasia has a fascinating ferocity. There are several well written action scenes sprinkled into the mix to keep the pace. Whilst certain exposition of the side characters comes off flat, the character development of Jadir and Arlen is excellent and adds a great amount of depth and allows justification of actions from the previous novel. The battle between Arlen’s mo-
Comment
Uprising of the Young
Nick White
youth filled side at Tottenham in the third round of the Carling Cup and a solid 3-1 win over Partizan Belgrade in the Champions League has put life back into Arsenal’s campaign. Not only this, but with young English stars such as Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott being nothing short of impressive so far, Wenger’s youth policy looks to have paid off a few years in advance. I’m not saying Arsenal will win the Premiership this year, I still feel that they are missing the raw power and leadership that you can associate with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United. But I do think a trophy is on the horizon for Arsene Wenger’s side this season. It has the qualities to perform in the cup competitions I feel, and I think one of the domestic cup competitions is certainly within its reach. I’ll finish with my predictions for Arsenal this season: Premier League: 3rd FA Cup: Quarter Finals Carling Cup: Winners Champions League: Quarter Finals
For many years, Arsene Wenger has been both applauded and criticised for his policy on Arsenal’s young players. Applauded for giving young players plenty of first team opportunities such as in the Carling Cup, and never reverting back to the first team, no matter how far the ‘boys’ progressed in the tournament. These actions have been commended by the FA and in particular Sepp Blatter of U.E.F.A, dubbing Arsenal as “exhilarating” and “youthful.”
Ladyman’s Corner
However, these pundits have in my opinion been unfairly overpowered by criticism of Wenger. Restless fans are becoming impatient with the side’s lack of consistency against ‘lower’ opposition, and desperately want to land a trophy. You have to go back to 2004 since Arsenal last won the Premier League, and defeats such as the 3-2 loss at The Emirates to newly promoted West Brom will not help them. This is in addition to a disappointing 1-1 draw at Sunderland, and with only six games gone, there could yet be more slip ups for Wenger’s young side.
Recently, Kanye West promised to release a song every Friday until Christmas. However, due to some of his songs being leaked onto the internet, this has been cancelled. He released Runaway and Power from his upcoming album, as well as Monster and So Appalled from his soon-to-be-released collaborative album with Jay-Z. Each of the released songs, apart from Power, has a respectable artist featuring, ranging from Jay-Z to Nicki Minaj. This certainly isn’t a bad thing; each one adds their own unique touch to the song. Lyrically, all four songs are powerful and the music is just amazing.
In my opinion however, Arsenal look to have a promising season ahead of them (which hurts me deeply to say as a Chelsea supporter). An impressive display from a
Kanye West has recieved lots of hate over the past year, but it has just given him more to write into his music and that that doesn’t kill him, only makes him stronger.
I may just be a skinny little white kid, but I do know about rap - and Kanye West is the best thing it has at the moment.
