Issue 02 - University of Surrey's Student Union

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CAMPUS BOY Who is Bob Mitchell, and why does he hate Starbucks By Christian Gilliam A Christmas party, a Friday night, there was no getting out of this one. I was cajoled into going by some acquaintances. It’s got to the stage where people actually get excited if I attend a social event... ‘Wooooo, he’s here! Yaaay, lets drink some more... lets vomit into the fridge!’. Despite walking slowly across campus in order to down a beer, the WD-40 of social interaction, I arrived a little too punctually. I sat in awkward silence in a kitchen full of unknown clowns. This was no theme night at the Union, but the women present hid themselves beneath a mask of make-up, while the men demonstrated their bravado in drinking games, resulting in playing cards being flicked through the air. This was a circus, and I was the elephant in the room. Someone new was at this party, a fresher that I hadn’t met before and didn’t really feel the need to now. I was urged to shake his hand, so he held out his hand expectantly. He noticed that I didn’t shake it properly. I blamed it on the Wotsits... saying that I thought he had been eating Wotsits and I didn’t want to touch his cheesy hand. I didn’t really get away with it because he hadn’t been eating Wotsits. I’m not even sure if there were Wotsits available. It was awkward, but it set the tone for the evening. Finally, some friends arrived. I accidentally drank too much, and ended up agreeing to go to the Union, which has only ever happened on 3 other occasions in my life. Thankfully, it was pretty quiet in there. To be fair, I avoid most nights out. People have cottoned on to this, and one girl in particular keeps telling her friends that I am a social retard, which makes the introductions a lot easier at least. I’m honing my method of avoidance in order to steer clear of another custard-pie-in-face scenario. These people see me in the front row, observing their hideous pretence, and they see I’m vulnerable. But by the same token, I have the measure of them, and they can’t pull me out of my seat, into the spotlight. I’ve a beer in one hand, and the other in a bag of Wotsit flavoured popcorn. I’ll just sit and enjoy the show. 8 Campus Boy By the looks of things, ‘Bob’ is an unknown student political activist, keen on spreading his message of social justice and ethical business. It all started with the short-lived appearance of the anti-Starbucks posters. Presumably the Union, or perhaps a very pro-Starbuckian, determined the posters diminishment. Nonetheless it has evidently spurred on a great arousal. Within a week of the posters debut, there appeared a Surrey anti-Starbucks Facebook group ‘The UniS Hate Starbucks Front’. A curious name to say the least, masterminded by the curious ‘Bob Mitchell’. Is Bob a real person Or is he (or she) a student, passionate about their beliefs but worried about public appearance If the latter factor is true, which seems to be overtly evident, it will undoubtedly cause problems when this infant social movement looks for a human leader. If the idea to form a public debate on campus about Starbucks prevails (which based on many of our students sentiments, seems likely) the Front will surely need Bob Despite the identity of Bob, his message is what intrigues myself and many other students most. Bob and the ‘Bobites’ appear to be expressing concern over Starbucks’ unethical business practises. Although some of Bob’s remarks on the Facebook page about Affluenza have implied he holds an underlining moral objection to marketing and consumerism, his and his group’s real message is less ideological. On the Facebook group, Bob describes this movement as being concerned with Starbucks’ fictitious selling point. Namely, that they advertise themselves as partaking in fair trade, yet only 0.001% of their sales are fair trade. Bob and the Bobites also oppose the monopoly Starbucks evidently has, and its effects on local businesses. An interesting point that Bob has raised on the group message board is that, even by purely capitalist standards (laid out in Adam Smiths Wealth of Nations), Starbucks is illegitimate and any government would be legitimate in restricting its monopoly. In Smiths view, its monopoly infringes on the functions of the free market. Not just a left-wing movement after all. Arguments against Bob, is that Starbucks brings considerable revenue to the University and that Starbucks is being unfairly targeted. Bob has addressed this point by stating that the students in the group do not want their tuition fees to be subsidized via illegitimate means. They express that students should have a say on how their University and, indeed, their education, is funded. Accordingly, justifying Starbucks on the grounds that it will provide revenue for the University is simply ‘not good enough…this is dirty money, funded by slave labour’, says Bob on the Facebook group. Apparently Starbucks is the only major corporation of this kind on campus using predominantly unfair trade while simultaneously pretending to be doing the opposite. Bob and his followers are encouraging a movement to boycott Starbucks, with the intention of sending a clear message; that they want Starbucks to sell more fair-trade and/or detail in their ‘fair-trade’ advertisements the real percentage of the fair-trade products that they sell. If they fail to do this, then according to Bob, they have no place on campus. This is not the first time Starbucks has come under a hailstorm of hate. Conversely it is not the first time that anti-Starbucks supporters are subjected to equal if not elevated amounts of hate. Both sentiments are evident on the Facebook group message board, and both of them have convincing arguments. The real question is though, what do the students think Are there enough students in support of this to deem the group legitimate in launching an attack on Starbucks Is Bob right when expressing that Starbucks’ fictitious selling point is countering the prevalence of any moral objection Perhaps more students would reject Starbucks once presented with the evidence of their unethical practises But of course there is always the choice argument. After all, who is Bob to deny you of your Frappuccino
1350am GU2 Is Run By A Team Of Crack Addicts, Card Sharks and Insurance By Andy Vale Salespersons Actually that is a lie. I could never back it up. Part of me is glad it’s a lie; however another part of me holds no fear of such mavericks. The real faces behind the voices are a lot less glamorous and law breaking. Student Radio has its high and low points. On one hand you have more say over just about every aspect of your work than you are ever likely to have again in your career, be it in radio or used-car sales. You also have the opportunity to flex your creative muscles in a number of different disciplines such as music choice, presenting skills, marketing missions and technical bollocks. However you still have to pay for your own pizza. I did say there were downsides. Despite coursework, eXXXams and degrees in general, GU2 has been busy as sin these last few weeks. On Sunday 23 rd November we hosted the National Student Chart Show, which was broadcast to over 30 other Student Radio stations across Britain. Each week a different Student Station is given the honour of hosting the chart run-down to the whole of the UK. Presented by Drivetime specialists Phill Nathan and Bex Wood, the show covered the top 20 student songs as well as two bum-scorching local acts. We received a great deal of praise for the slick job we did and we’ll hopefully be asked to host the Student Chart Show sometime next year. There is still space for us to add more shows, but in the mean time we have plenty of bucking frilliant slices of audiogasms broadcasting out to you all. Last week when listening to the Afternoon Tea show, I discovered that Russell Brand has also been knobbing the granddaughter of Che Guevara! Also, since starting here, Elliot Friel has played many big artists on his show long before the Radio 1 specialists. Examples include Black Kids, Foals and Ladyhawke. In fact last month he interviewed Ladyhawke and ended up asking her out, he got turned down but they are now Facebook friends. On a Wednesday night you can also tune into the Cyclone Dance Show to see why the Cyclone events have become such a success in the HRB. After that there is The Midnight Moshpit, which now starts at 11. It is worth tuning in for just to hear the ghost stories. All of which can be heard by listening at 1350am or WWW.GU2.CO.UK If you can’t find a computer/radio then we are often out and about on campus, hear us DJ live in Chancellors every other Saturday and at any other event we are invited to. If your society is holding an event and would like us to DJ your event then email EVENTS@GU2.CO.UK We are also a big supporter of local artists and high quality unsigned talent. Every week we have roughly three live sessions in the studio and are always on the look out for more artists. I’m actually shocked that I should have to say this, but if you are a music student then we would love you to come on down and play whatever you have. Just email Andy@gu2.co.uk and I’ll see what I can do. Last week I had a Elliot Friel interviewing Reggie Youngblood from Black Kids guy who’d flown over from Canada JUST* to do a live session for me. I also got sent a CD by a band called Travis Matte and The Kingpins, who are the best thing I have heard from New Orleans in a long time. Train of thought is rapidly going off the tracks here, basically if you are any good then contact us! If you consider yourself a bit of a music know-it-all then you’ll love our specialist programming. Each weeknight there is a different theme, it goes something like this. Monday is Indie/Electro night, Tuesday is an all-out rock affair, Wednesday is when we let Cyclone take over for most of the night, Thursday is urban/hip-hop and on Friday night there is really no telling what you may hear. On the weekends there is also a huge mash-up of different shows too, so go to the website WWW.GU2.CO.UK and have a look round. If you think “OMG this looks more fun than sitting around in my room, putting on some DVDs and congratulating myself” then send an email to MANAGER@GU2.CO.UK saying what you’d like to do! Alternatively just turn up to one of our meetings at Wates House at 6:15 on Thursday evenings. When you get there, find the best looking guy in the room. I’ll then point you in the direction of someone who can help you achieve your goals. You also score mega-points for joining the Faceboob group “GU2 Radio 1350AM” I also interviewed a band that has a mission to get the terms Windmill, Cowabunga and Insania into every interview they do. *Lie, lie, lie, but the truth is more interesting. I found a guy called David Celia on myspace. Liked the song. Contacted him. Told him to come play Guildford when he next toured the UK. That’s what he did. 9
Page 1 and 2: Issue 2 Editor : Claire Worgan Edit
Page 3 and 4: Manor Park Roasting on an Open Fire
Page 5: Student Bursaries By Nick Entwistle
Page 10 and 11: By Pete Natress 10 ******** WARNING
Page 12 and 13: Naughty or Nice Tasty treats and na
Page 14 and 15: Poker After Dark By Vikram Nanda Ev
Page 16 and 17: Guild Standing Report By Justin Wai
Page 18 and 19: 18 Pakistan Students’ Association
Page 20: Horoscopes by Madame Zsa-Zsa: “Th
Page 23 and 24: Surrey’s Own Music Exclusive with
Page 25 and 26: Surrey’s Own Music Exclusive with
Page 27 and 28: The best and worst of film 2008 Ano
Page 29 and 30: University of Surrey Gliding Club
Page 32: We hope you have a wonderful Christ

Issue 02 - University of Surrey's Student Union

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