Tuesday, April 29, 2025
Blog Page 1452

Street style from East Asia

Namphuong Dinh
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Street style from East Asia

JAPAN

In Japan, girls like to mix sporty or tomboy-esque pieces with feminine ones: it’s common to find girls dressed in flowing skirts and heavy Dr Martens or sports trainers. Female fashion is also big on towering heels, and they love their back packs! Boys tend to dress quite smart, with fitted shirts and slim trousers. The more fashion conscious males really do go all out though, with accessories such as hats, suspenders and colourful tie scarfs. Both men and women love detailing and accessories – lots of hats and jewllery – and are big fans of layering clothes for a cool everyday look. You also see traditional Kimonos about, a popular dress when going to the Temple.

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KOREA

The fashion conscious of Korea are big on super skinny jeans and baggy shirts. Oversized leather backpacks and manbags are seen everywhere, often worn with a nice pair of leather shoes. 

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Photography: NamPhuong Dinh

Stop telling us we’re lazy

Max Long
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Stop telling us we’re lazy

Whilst most of you have probably spent your summer learning how to “fuck people over for money” in a cozy office internship, I spent much of my time working on the grape harvest in a winery in Spain. The work mainly consisted on leaning down on small vines of Monastrell, cutting away at the fruit and getting covered in a sticky mess of grape skin and juice. 

However, what most struck me about the back breaking work was not the intense effort involved, but the hours put into it. During my time at the winery, I worked in almost every department from packaging, accounts and marketing to picking grapes by hand. Everywhere I went people worked long hours, and they worked hard as well. The typical day consisted on arriving at the bodega at 8 am, and most employees were not on their way home before 8 pm. 

It has often been asserted, particularly in the international press, that Southern European economies are in dire straits mainly as a result of their laziness. The indolent Greeks, Italians and Spaniards can’t be bothered to work hard, and so the efficient northerners have to come to the rescue. This offensive attack on whole nations, based on stereotypes rather than reasonable evidence, is disguised through the use of the word “culture”. These countries can’t help being lazy, you see, because it is ingrained in their very culture. This claim, apart from having worryingly eugenicist connotations, is quite simply incorrect. 

The ultimate example of Spain’s supposed idleness is the siesta. The need to have a nap half-way through the day, so the argument goes, makes the whole country inefficient. In fact, apart from the fact that the siesta is actually quite uncommon in most jobs nowadays, it doesn’t mean that Spaniards work less. To make up for a larger lunch break, Spanish workers toil late into the evening; thus, even discounting a forty-minute nap after work, the typical spaniard ends up working more hours than the average nine to five job.

But what about fiesta? Surely the Spanish tendency to stay up all night partying means that even during their hours of work they are incapable of working properly. Well,just because rowdy English tourists encounter nothing but all-night fiesta on their revelries in Torremolinos, Benidorm and Malaga doesn’t mean that the whole country is one big booze-induced party. Indeed, not only do Spaniards party a lot less than people like to think, but the lack of a self-destructive alcohol culture such as that of Britain means that a Spaniard can wake up the next morning with a much clearer head than the average Brit.

Blaming Spain’s – and indeed the rest of Southern Europe’s problems on a form of cultural lethargy ignores the real issues behind their economic troubles. Spain has suffered an awful economic crisis not because its people are lazy, but due to systemic corruption, inefficient bureaucracy, an unrealistic construction boom with an inevitable bust, and a serious issue with black money and informal employment. 

Spain has a lot of issues – but a lazy country is something that they certainly are not. 

Former St Hugh’s student completes row across Pacific

April Peake
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Former St Hugh’s student completes row across Pacific

A St Hugh’s alumna has rowed across the Pacific from Japan to Alaska – and is thought to be the first person to complete the solo voyage.

Sarah Outen, who read Biology, rowed 3,750 nautical miles in 150 days and arrived in Adak in the Aleutian Islands on Monday.

She told Cherwell, “I am so happy to be safely ashore after some of the most amazing months of my life. And stoked that it all started in Oxford – that’s when I started to row. Thank you St Hugh’s/OUWBC!”

The voyage was part of her London2London: Via the World expedition; she is attempting to row, kayak and cycle across two oceans, three continents and 14 countries in a continuous loop around the world. The expedition began on 1 April 2011 at London’s Tower Bridge and will see her row 7,500 nautical miles and cycle 16,000 miles in total.

Bridget Fryer, outgoing President of Oxford University Women’s Boat Club, said, “It is great to hear of Sarah Outen’s achievement. We are extremely proud to have her as an alumni of the Oxford University Women’s Boat Club and I hope that her determination and courage is an inspiration to current and future oarswomen at Oxford University and throughout the UK.”

After completing the North Pacific crossing Outen, 28, commented, “I have pushed myself to my absolute limits both physically and mentally to make land here in Alaska, and body and mind are now exhausted.”

She added, “I am so grateful to everyone for supporting my return after Mawar ­– sponsors, family, friends at home and in Japan and my team. Without them I wouldn’t be here. I am solo only physically – there are in fact a lot of people on my boat with me!”

Outen previously attempted the voyage in May 2012 but had to be rescued by the Japanese Coast Guard 25 days in after her boat was damaged by Typhoon Mawar. During her second attempt the rower capsized five times, narrowly avoided a collision with a cargo ship and was forced by high winds and bad weather to row to Alaska instead of Canada as planned. 

A spokesperson for St Hugh’s told Cherwell, “St Hugh’s is extremely proud of Sarah’s achievement. Not only has she successfully completed a demanding physical and mental challenge, she is also raising a significant amount of money for charity. We would also like to congratulate her on her recent engagement and wish her all the best for the future.”

Outen proposed to her girlfriend Lucy via a satellite telephone whilst in the middle of the Pacific. She will move on to the next leg of the journey in 2014 when she will kayak through the Archipelago to mainland Alaska. Outen is expected to complete her London2London expedition in late 2015 and is hoping to raise over £100,000 for CoppaFeel!, the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association, The Jubilee Sailing Trust and WaterAid.

A third year undergraduate at Exeter College said, “I will try and think of Sarah when I’m sweating on the Isis and be humbled. Big respect!”

A Month in Music

Jack Chown
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A Month in Music

Elvis Costello & The Roots – Wise Up Ghost     9/10

An unlikely pairing: two industry outsiders who meet in the middle ground to create a record that shouldn’t, but somehow does, work. Both serial collaborators, Costello’s lyrical genius is self-referential to some of his own ‘deepest cuts’ (‘Refuse To Be Saved’ quotes from Mighty Like A Rose’s Invasion Hit Parade), whilst the Roots provide the music.

If you were expecting Costello to rap alongside Black Thought, be disappointed – it’s probably for the best. It’s an entirely different ‘vibe’ to 2010’s Wake Up! where the Roots (with John Legend) reference their Afro-American influences. Wise Up Ghost is more subtle, darker, and a more intelligent record with more swagger than ever for all involved.

Elton John – The Diving Board     3/10

Once again collaborating with long-term friend and lyricist Bernie Taupin, Elton seems to have become his own spitting image. Critically acclaimed track ‘Oscar Wilde Gets Out’ is a poor overdub of his previous work, with a piano part that could easily have been a variation of Your Song; album opener ‘Oceans Away’ is just dull and lacks any credibility. Where’s the innovation? Where’s the excitement!? The Diving Board has been described as reflective, a stripped back record that shows Elton at his best – but all it does is reveals gaping holes in his artistic abilities which leave you wondering whether he was actually ever any good? Perhaps not.

Kings Of Leon – Mechanical Bull     5/10

A respectable rock band? A guilty pleasure? The career of Kings of Leon is immortalised in their latest offering – a dichotomy of credibility and laziness, the sublime and the uninspired. Mechanical Bull remains frustrating and ultimately underwhelming. Lyrics such as “I was running through the desert/I was lookin’ for drugs” raises serious questions about Caleb’s creative abilities. Moments of brilliance are suggested with the grime and grit of ‘Don’t Matter’ and the balls-out bassline of ‘Family Tree’ but they’re far too few and far between. With a lack of the complexity and basic layering that led to the anthemic feel of past offerings, Mechanical Bull feels unfinished, perhaps unlike the band themselves.

Drake – Nothing Was The Same     8/10

Apart from Jay Z. who managed to creep into the studio for ‘Pound Cake’, Nothing Was The Same remains an entirely solo affair for Drake, and an intimate one at that. Known for including rants at non-famous girlfriends throughout his records, the line “The one that I needed was Courtney from Hooters on Peachtree/ I’ve always been feeling like she was the piece to complete me” (‘From Time’) has already gone as viral as the album itself, with his most successful first-week sales to date. The subtleties of Drake’s compositions remain intact with one idea generally worming its way into the next, and a lack of the abrasive horn sounds that dominate the megalomaniacal approach to rap. Drake is a populist, but also an introvert, reflective and not afraid to give you less for more. Genius.

Haim – Days Are Gone     7/10

The most over-hyped album of the year? Probably. The most upbeat, radio friendly ‘guitar band’ of the year? Definitely.

It seems practically impossible to even make a passing reference to Haim without mentioning Fleetwood Mac, who’s influence is felt with a Status Quo-esque shuffle present on ‘The Wire’, and shimmering ‘Everywhere’ synths on ‘Falling’. Despite being heavily influenced by the 80s, the funk-laced groooove, bass-laden mix and catchy lyrics are just falling straight into the class of summer 2013. Haim are obviously due to take over our airwaves and party like it’s 1989. If it’s originality you’re looking for though, please look elsewhere.

Review: 10×10: Drawing the City London

Mimi Goodall
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Review: 10×10: Drawing the City London

On a wet weekend in mid-September, I found myself (as one does) in an architect’s office in East London. Amidst the chrome-and-glass and strangely configured furniture was a group of artists and architects who were participating in an event called 10×10: Drawing the City London – an initiative run by the charity Article 25.

The concept is to divide an area of London (this year, the City) into a 10×10 grid. 100 artists, designers and architects are then allocated one square and they respond artistically to their zone. The artworks they produce are then exhibited for a week and finally put up for auction. All of the money raised goes to help the charity. Big names such as Richard Rogers, Sir Terry Farrell and Zaha Hadid all take part and therefore the auction can prove extremely profitable for the charity.

The conceit is a neat one. The charity responds to Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states that adequate shelter and housing are fundamental to our human rights. The architects who get involved believe they have an obligation to “build” homes. They continue to do so here, but indirectly: their sketches make the money which makes the shelters.

The difference in the responses to the task by the participants was fascinating. Artist Rydal Handbury cherished the way that the initiative had given her the opportunity to draw in a different area of London. Usually she draws commuters at Bank but her patch was at the bottom of Brick Lane. Her drawing caught the sense of community outside a small greengrocers owned by two brothers. During the period that she worked there, they started to sell Jack-fruits – which are rare Bangladeshi goods – and she depicts the enthusiasm and the discernment of the customers.

By contrast Dara Huang, the founder of the luxury design firm Design Haus Liberty, had the intention to look at her space conceptually and “draw what you don’t see”. But most notable was the enthusiasm they all had for the event.

This passion for the initiative was understandable. Article 25 is an enterprising and successful charity that is providing aid where is it often forgotten. One of the stories regaled to me at this event was their struggle in Darfur to provide shelter when they had no water with which to make mud-bricks. They employed researchers at the University of Sheffield to work out the precise amount of human urine that could be mixed with the dirt instead in order to make durable bricks.

So often art auctions in aid for charity are marred by the disquieting disparity between the buyers and those who the charity helps, whether this becomes the case at the auction in November has yet to be seen, but the overwhelming impression of the initial weekend was the uncomplicated desire of the artists to use their skills to help others. It was certainly inspiring.

The Alumni Guide to Oxford Clubs

Tim Ellis
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The Alumni Guide to Oxford Clubs

Dear Freshers,

Just over one week till the big move. You’ve already been inundated by your nana’s collection of 20ps for the laundry, you’ve been to Sainsburys to buy value bags of Uncle Bens rice and you’re now frantically trying to complete the reading list. Relax, newcomer to higher education. These things do not matter for now. Your priority now is to decide which club  night tickets you might want to buy for freshers week. At this moment, we cannot actually transport you to the nighttime watering holes of Oxford to give you an idea of each venue’s relative pros and cons. What we can do is to show you which clubs the famous alumni (living or dead) of Oxford (probably) would have gone to if these venues had been around in their day. So sit back, and see if there’s anyone from your college on this (very comprehensive) list.

Inspector Morse (St Johns)- Bridge

Inspector Morse is the most quintessentially Oxford-y of our celebs- and Bridge has the distinction of being the only club on our list which displays big photos of Oxford sights on its walls. Bridge is also a massive crime scene- the crime being that after queueing for 45 minutes you end up getting sent round the side entrance into Anuba (Bridge’s lame sister bar) to queue some more.

In addition to this there are many mysteries about Bridge that Morse could solve- namely, what is that smell coming from the toilets? Where have all your friends disappeared in the packed and dark dance floor? And most of all, just who exactly is Old man Bridge, a 50-something man who frequents the nightclubs of Oxford (especially Bridge) posing with girls half his age for photos?

Nigella Lawson (LMH) – Camera

Camera is the most toffish of our clubs- with it’s a closeted VIP area (notoriously hard to get into) it models itself on a posh London club. Nigella, as the daughter of a Tory cabinet minister, would fit in fine with it’s red-trousered clientele. As an avowed epicurean, she would love the regular champagne and chocolates evenings (courtesy of law soc and the business guild). Also, during the day, camera does food- need we say any more?

Bill Clinton (Univ.) – Park End

Park End is nicknamed ‘Shark End’ due to the fact that it effectively functions as a place to get disgustingly drunk and then meet strangers with whom you may or may not fornicate with. This makes it ideal for renowned ladies man, Bill Clinton. As a simple son of Arkansas he would much prefer the laid-back atmosphere here to the metropolitan pretensions of Camera. As the only American on our list, bigger is better, and with 3 floors, Park End is distinguished from the other clubs  on our the list. The cheese floor plays many a cheesy 90s hit, thus making it perfect for the man who epitomised the 90s in the US.

Harold Wilson (Jesus)- Junction

The man who headed the British government during the era of swinging London in the 1960s (and gave the Beatles OBEs) would love the London Underground themed Decor of Junction as well as the retro music played at Itchy feet on selected Tuesday nights. The working class lad from Huddersfield would not be put off by the somewhat grotty exterior of this establishment either.

Al Murray (Teddy Hall)- Wahoo

Wahoo is the most laddish of our venues, frequented by rugby players following crew dates. It describes itself as ‘sports bar and comedy club’. This makes it the most difficult club to pair with one of Oxford’s celebrity alumni, given that most are sensitive, reserved, intelligent types. There is however, one man who fits the bill – Al Murray. As a comedian he would fit right in with the comedy club, and in his pub landlord guise, he would not be afraid to tackle its beer-swilling patrons on a Friday night. 

CS Lewis and JRR Tolkein (Magdalen and Pembroke)- Lola Los

Lewis and Tolkien frequented the Eagle and Child, just up the road from this venue on Magdalen Street. It’s tucked away behind a faux-bamboo door, much like the famous wardrobe in Narnia. As an underground venue, it also puts you in mind of a hobbit hole. One further parrallel (sadly) is that as no-one in reality has ever visited Narnia or Middle Earth, no-one in reality has ever actually visited Lola Los.

Oscar Wilde (Magdalen)- Babylove

As the most dandyish celeb on our list, Babylove with its cocktails, hipsterish indie music, and Instagram-esque photography would be right up our Oscar’s street. As a man who in the 19th century endured persecution for his homosexual orientation, this establishment with its weekly gay night (Poptarts) would have been a welcome destination for someone looking for a bit of tolerance in fin de siecle Britain.

Clement Atlee (Univ.)- Clems

Not much to say here. Both share a first name. Churchill said of Attlee ” a modest little man with much to be modest about”- applicable to this nightspot located across the river from Magdalen Bridge. There however the analogy stops. That, in a nutshell, is Clems.

Richard Dawkins (Balliol)- Carbon

As a biologist Dawkins would love the name of this place (situated next to Camera) – as it is the most basic element in life on earth. It also tried to get a zebra for its May morning party last year. But wait a moment, does Carbon even exist? Hasn’t Camera had more noble prizes for its patrons in one year than Carbon has had in its lifetime? Possibly.

Aung San Suu Kyi (St Hughs)- Cellar

Playing the most international music (Latin jazz, funk and reggae), an internationally renowned stateswoman such as Aun Sang Suu Kyi would probably head here on a night. She might also have caught fellow Hughsie Joe Goddard (of Hot Chip fame) playing here.

(For the older ones amongst us unfortunately ‘Roppongi’ was not deemed worthy of an entry in this list)

Top Tips for a Turkish Delight

Amelia Anderson
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Top Tips for a Turkish Delight

I’ve just finished the summer with a trip to Turkey, so here are my tips on how to enjoy Istanbul and the rest of the country…

Must-sees in Istanbul:

  • The Blue Mosque – Located in the centre of Old Istanbul, The Sultan Ahmed Mosque is hard to miss. While the 6 minarets dominate the skyline, the interior is equally as impressive, with the blue and green tiling giving it the title the Blue Mosque.
  • A boat tour of the Bosporus gives an amazing view of Istanbul and all its sites can be seen from the river. A sunset trip is particularly magical.
  • The Grand Bazaar – This indoor market is one of the oldest and largest in the world. You will be able to find some great gems, but don’t forget to haggle!
  • Topkapi Palace – Home to the Ottoman Sultans for about 400 years, the palace is a massive Turkish landmark and definitely deserves a visit. If funds are running low, you can chill out in the first courtyard just outside the Gate of Salutation, just as the Turkish general public did hundreds of years ago.
  • Hagia Sophia – The originally Christian church, built in 537, boasts fantastically preserved mosaics, as well as all of the features of an Islamic mosque, which were added following its conversion in 1453. 

Other Must-sees in Turkey:

  • Cappadocia – The rock formations in the region of Cappadocia are so impressive. Take a hot air balloon ride over the landscape at sunrise or quad bike round the dusty countryside, before hitting the traditional Turkish baths.
  • 12 islands of Fethiye – although the town isn’t that beautiful, the blue lagoon status of the sea makes a boat trip a perfect way to spend a relaxing day.
  • Ephesus and Troy – once seeing Ephesus, which is impeccably excavated, you may be disappointed by the lack of remains in Troy. (Blame the “archaeologist” Heinrich Schliemann who is said to have ruined excavation in his quest to find the treasure of Priam). Nevertheless, the famous tale of the Trojan War makes the site as equally as important as Ephesus.
  • Hierapolis– not only does the Greek city boast extremely well preserved ruins, including the impressive amphitheatre, but the city also has natural hot springs fro visitors to bathe in.

Be Wary:

  • This may be obvious, but set a price with the driver before you get in a taxi, otherwise they will rip you off!
  • Stay clear of the food street vendors – speaking from experience, the kebabs tend to make people ill!

Ring-fencing culture or ringing the changes?

Delia Lockey
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Ring-fencing culture or ringing the changes?

When the news broke that Jane Austen’s ring, earlier purchased at an auction by Kelly Clarkson, was to remain in the UK as the result of fundraising, the response of one commentator stood out; he said that if we didn’t care about it staying in Britain, it would be like letting our culture slip away.

I wonder if this really is the case and, even if it is, what is the problem with a culture abandoning a practice or art form.

When an item intrinsic to cultural identity is forcibly removed, there is a natural uproar — even sometimes raised long after the theft. Greece has argued for the return of the Elgin Marbles, and the museum at the foot of the Acropolis in Athens has a strong visual reminder of what is missing from its exhibition, as it fills in any blanks with obvious replicas. Standing in a place where it is so clear what has been taken is striking, yet the British Museum’s display is still one of my favourite places to visit. In fact they might be best shown there, as they are looked after and subject to fewer threats from natural causes. There are strong counter-arguments to transferring the treasure, not least the huge expense and danger of their damage. Yet it is still a tricky issue, and one which can make for pretty uncomfortable consideration.

With something physical, I suppose it is easier to demand its continued presence in its cultural home. Thus the enthusiastic response to the appeal for the ring. But is it really an issue which is especially close to our public heart? One could easily retort that nobody cared enough in the first place to win the auction over the singer. If it were suggested that Austen’s novels were no longer available on this side of the Atlantic, I think the outcry would be much stronger. However, if some long forgotten element of a culture is revived across the world, and yet still dormant in its home, we would not mind so much; it would be as though we’d forfeited our rights over it by lack of use. Indeed we might be pleasantly puzzled that its merits were being valued, like if we found out S Club 7 albums were popular on Mars. Should we not be equally concerned about the traditions of a culture being slowly eroded, to make way for the new, if we react with such dismay to the news that a cultural relic is being lost immediately and through one transaction.

In a way these issues are central to cultural relativism, a concept thought about since the time of Herodotus in the context of comparative discussion of nations. We can view shifts in cultures in a temporal sense using similar parameters, and I suppose we may well feel, like the ancient historian, a fondness for what is useful and a general feeling of ambivalence to anything else. Any attempt at maintenance of a culture involves making value judgements about what is truly important and intrinsic, which may well be impossible to decide without hindsight and a wider perspective.

I am glad that Austen’s ring has been saved, but I’m not so convinced that we can (or need to) preserve all physical manifestations of British traditions and culture so neatly as by raising £150000.

The Cherwell Guide to Libraries

Nick Hilton
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The Cherwell Guide to Libraries

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Bodleian gets a new chair

Joe Iles
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Bodleian gets a new chair

For the third time in its history, the Bodleian library has commissioned a new chair design, after the winner of a prestigious competition was announced.

After an initial 60 designers had been whittled down to just three, the award went to Edward Barber OBE & Jay Osgerby OBE with manufacturer Isokon Plus.  The chair will be developed over the next year to meet industry standards and will be launched in October 2014 alongside the newly refurbished Weston Library.

The chosen design is a three-legged oak chair which the Bodleian described as “a contemporary response to the brief which combines a strong sense of craft heritage, sculptural form and complex reader requirements”. Although made from wood, the chair has been cleverly designed so as to allow tilting backwards and forwards, for those readers who are so inclined.

According to the Bodleian, “The duo [Barber and Osgerby] identified the rear view of the chair as critical to the concept of the design – this is the aspect that will be most visible when the chair is in situ. Thus a strong vertical timber, echoing the spines of books on shelves, forms one of the three legs that attaches to the sled base. The generous circular form of the seat frame is echoed in the armrest and sled base – producing a strong but remarkably light oak chair.”

The first chair designed for the Bodleian was a wooden Windsor chair in 1756, and cost 8s 6d per chair. 180 years later, Giles Gilbert Scott won the competition for a new chair and designed a leather-clad bucket one.

At the moment, the Bodleian uses a mishmash of chairs, from a range of eras and in a variety of styles. This new chair looks to bring unity to a wildly disparate seating system.

The news has had a positive response among students who agree that the current stock of chairs is too uncertain. Alice Rickett, a second year Classics and English student, commented, “Chairs are more important than we think. For too long, the Bodleian seems to have been following a less than vigorous chair selection policy, but hopefully this is now at an end. Now, chairs are the least of our worries, which is how it should be.”

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