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The Orlando Massacre: More than Terrorism

By Livvy McComb, 25 Nov 2016

Donald Trump does a good job of epitomising the worst parts of American culture and following the devastating massacre at the Pulse gay club in Orlando on June 12th, he didn’t fail to live up to expectations. He tweeted: “Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism, I don’t want congrats, I want toughness & vigilance. We must be smart!” Below the tweet’s severely inappropriate narcissism lies an issue more pervasive than Trump’s ego: the pigeonholing of the massacre into an issue of radical Islamic ideology and terrorism.

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Cats the Musical Review

By Livvy McComb, 24 Nov 2016

If you’re a lover of dance and all things feline, put this on your bucket list. But if you’re more of a dog person, I’d save yourself the money… and the cringes.

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Dying For A Six Pack: The Crisis of Masculinity

By Jacqueline Spragg, 18 Nov 2016

Lad culture: a subculture initially associated with Britpop music of the 1990s. “The image of the ‘lad’ or ‘new lad’ arose in the early 1990s as a generally middle-class figure espousing attitudes conventionally attributed to the working classes”. I personally believe this definition is a complete polar opposite to the types of “Lads” we know, see and most definitely hear today. The National Union of students describes Lad culture as group or ‘pack’ of ‘Lads’ with a mentality residing in activities such as sport and heavy alcohol consumption, and ‘banter’ which was often sexist, misogynist and homophobic. Recently, the union has called for a summit on Lad culture due to the effects it is having on generic divide in universities, increasing sexism and increased sexual harassment like common catcalling which, I’m sure, every girl has witnessed. The formation of this new type of hench, offensive group of complete juvenility can be seen as a harmless culture giving people the gift of “Banter”. But despite the jokes and harmless mick taking, people partaking in this new culture craze can unfortunately become ignorant and blind to the devastating effect they’re having on women, society and sadly – themselves.

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Happiness and Healing

By Demelza Rose Werrin, 6 Sep 2016

Unfortunately, I don’t know how many people make it their business to be nice to others, but it makes me really happy when I see others attempt and achieve in their attempts to put a smile on people’s faces.

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The EU Referendum: A Game of Hokey Cokey

By James Griffiths, 21 Jun 2016

By now, you’re probably sick and tired of all the anti and pro EU propaganda being thrust upon us by the media. Or, you haven’t got a clue what’s going on. The referendum will affect us all living in Britain and, as the younger generations of society, the result will affect us more and for the rest of our lives, as it not the case with our elders. However, we can’t vote, and the fate of our country rests with our parents, grandparents, teachers, aunties, uncles, and that random bloke from the bus stop… and it’s a pretty big deal, so you might as well get a little clued up.

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Editor's Foreword - Edition 1

By Ciaran Hanvey, 21 Apr 2016

Welcome to the first edition of the brand new school magazine, ‘BackChat’: run by the pupils, for the pupils. You may be thinking, ‘great another school publication like the Chronicle’, but you couldn’t be more wrong. BackChat gives a fresh, alternative view of current affairs, both inside and outside of school, and, covering five diverse categories (Arts and Entertainment, Lifestyle, Science and Technology, Sport, and News), there is something for everyone.

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Life on the Dark Side

By Livvy McComb, 21 Apr 2016

Life as Public Enemy No 1 is not easy but frankly, I’m adjusting. I’ve become numb to the gasps of horror and I’m a ninja when it comes to dodging accusatory questions. But no amount of social gymnastics will absolve me of my sin: I’ve never seen Star Wars.

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And the Light

By Kane Ogier, 21 Apr 2016

It’s December 2015. The days are short, and the frost lays crisp upon the ground. For people around the world, the tension is building, they’ve been counting down the days, nibbling on a haphazardly moulded chocolate on each, as the main event approaches. It’s an early night tonight, you need to get in plenty of sleep. In the purgatory between your dreams and the world around you, bells start to ring in the distance… could it be? Yes. It’s your alarm, set for 11.00pm on the 16th of December, ‘cause you need to get showered and throw your giant green ears on - a midnight screening for Star Wars you have.

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Why One Man Should Have All that Power

By Adi Silvestro, 21 Apr 2016

Will the abomination of Obama’s nation be the President of his own?

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US Elections: An Overview

By Ciaran Hanvey, 21 Apr 2016

January 2017 will mark a new era for American Politics. On the other hand, it will mark the end of the historic Obama Administration which began in January 2008. When the US picks a president, it is not only choosing a head of state but also a head of government and the commander-in-chief of the largest military on the planet.

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The Golden Globes

By Evie Game, 21 Apr 2016

On January 10th, 2016 the 73rd Golden Globes Award Ceremony was broadcast live from Beverly Hills in California. It was hosted by comedian, Ricky Gervais, and many movies and television programmes were honoured. A list of the of the awards can be found here.

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Struggles with sadness

By Mel and Ma, 21 Apr 2016

My Nan is really ill at the moment and I don’t really want to talk to anybody about it but it’s really upsetting and I keep getting angry at my friends and am struggling to do much of my schoolwork because I want to see her. People are starting to notice – What should I do?

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Playful Partners

By Mel and Ma, 21 Apr 2016

So I found out that my boyfriend of 8 months has been speaking or as he says ‘only flirting’ with my best friend of 11 years. I know everyone says that teenage relationships are ‘destined for doom’ and people use them to help pass the time and get through secondary school, but the boy I was with was so different from all the others, and I guess it was this kind of naivety that makes it unbelievable. My and my best friend ended our friendship on a cold note and my ex-boyfriend is begging me to rethink my decision about leaving him. I really don’t know what to do. I don’t deserve to hurt anymore but I can’t trust him again.

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#OscarsSoWhite

By Livvy McComb, 21 Apr 2016

The Oscars hit the headlines this year for all the wrong reasons. Outrage was sparked by the all-white nomination lists for the four acting categories, as was the case with the 2015 awards. These four categories were not the only categories where the names of black and ethnic minority professionals were scarce, and something must be said for the lack of women in technical categories, however the stark image of a whitewashed, twenty name long nomination list for acting was particularly confronting.

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Oscars - Editor's Shout Outs

By Livvy McComb, 21 Apr 2016

BEST ACTOR: Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant DiCaprio proves that good things really do come to those who wait. The Revenant may not have been DiCaprio’s best ever performance but the Oscar is well deserved following some astounding performances over the years.

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My Sport - Ravi Gurung

By Ciaran Hanvey, 21 Apr 2016

Sport is engraved into the school identity, with many pupils excelling at sport both inside and outside of school. As part of the ‘My Sport’ series, I aim to uncover sporting gems of Five Ways and interview them about their sport and how it plays a part in their lives.

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Meet the Producers

By Kane Ogier, 21 Apr 2016

Our school has a wide range of talented, creative people- this goes without saying. However, despite our best efforts, it’s impossible to effectively showcase the wide range of creative interests of our pupils, especially those that extend beyond the constraints of formal creative awards and the academic interests of the classroom. In this ‘Meet the’ series, my aim is to celebrate the Five Ways students who embrace music, drama, art and a wide array of other creative subjects for enjoyment in their day to day lives.

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Life of a: Maccarthian

By Ciara Farrelly, 21 Apr 2016

The struggles of being a member of that house. The one that cheers for joint third place.

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Life Hacks

By Miranda Townsend, 21 Apr 2016

If you’ve got nothing to do,
Well I’ve got a couple of tricks for you.
So I hope you won’t look uncool,
Using these life-hacks at school!

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Is Gaming Really a Sport?

By Zafar Abbas, 21 Apr 2016

From watching competitive players compete for massive prize pools to watching lets players on YouTube, gaming has become more than just about games. Perhaps the fastest growing off shoot of typical gaming is that of e-sports which has begun to attract millions of young people to watch and participate at the highest, most competitive level of professional gaming. No longer is gaming the solitary hobby of teenage boys, it has developed into its own thriving community of pro players and their massive followings which only seem to grow. By 2018, the gaming industry is expected to be worth $113 billion with 36.4 million gamers in the UK alone. But can video games ever really be considered a real sport?

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Inside the School Council

By Mariam Khan, 21 Apr 2016

The school council may think they’re doing a good job; but can we be sure? Are they doing the utmost to support our needs? Can we find out? Of course! One of our reporters went to a meeting to observe the doings of the council. The subject that was most argued about was the tying hair back rule, a rule an anonymous source told us was greatly opposed by Year 10 and 11.

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How to: Survive School

By Shannon Penasar, 21 Apr 2016

We Five Ways pupils share at least one thing in common: we all attend school. In fact, for us British citizens, we have to attend school until we are 18 (good luck). But to survive, there are some very easy steps. The first is quite obvious, yet for some reason, so difficult…

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Great Sporting Upsets

By Ciaran Hanvey, 21 Apr 2016

Let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a good fairy tale story? The outstanding performances of Claudio Raneiri’s Leicester City have captivated audiences worldwide during the current Barclays Premier League season. People have even given Leicester the tag of ‘the team who saved football.’ Their performances led me to delve in to the history books to find some similarly outstanding and unthinkable performances by underdogs within the world of sport.

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GCSE Stress

By Mel and Ma, 21 Apr 2016

I’ve got my GCSE’s at the end of this year and I don’t know how everyone else has managed to do them! There’s so much to learn and all the exams are so important. How do I revise? When should I start? What do I do?

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From Takashi to Tournament

By Isaac Shepherd and Tomos Jones, 21 Apr 2016

Due to the hype train of Street Fighter V, and just the overall amazingness of the series, we have decided to tell you a little bit about the development of the Street Fighter games, and the lore behind them involving the main characters of Ryu, Ken, Akuma and Gouken. Of these characters, Ryu (probably the most well-known fighting game character in the world) is our main ‘protagonist’ and Ken is his training partner under Gouken, their master. Akuma is the brother of Gouken, and a demon of sorts who has transcended his humanity.

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Fractious Friendships

By Mel and Ma, 21 Apr 2016

Lately, it’s been really hard within my friendship group. It’s just been one fight after another and it’s stupid because the majority of them are pointless. The dilemma for me is that I never know which side to take. It’s really difficult when your best friends put you in situation where you have to choose which one to side with, and it’s unfair on me. What should I do?

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Five Ways VS Fiction

By Aimee Hughes, 21 Apr 2016

Five Fictional Schools That Make You Glad You Go to Five Ways. This school may not be perfect but at least it doesn’t have a body count

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Fighting with Parents

By Mel and Ma, 21 Apr 2016

I recently had a massive fight with my parents. I’ve never had so many mean things said to me in my life and I’ve never said so many mean things in my life. The scrap made me re-evaluate who I am as a person and it seems to me that I’m probably the worst kind. I broke up with my boyfriend because I realised how much I hold him back, limit his possibilities and influence sadness and arguments. I am crazy in love with him but there’s no way that I can continue to hurt him and be okay with that at all, even if the hurt sprouts from jokes. I’m an anchor to all of the people I am supposed to love, and I’m going to have to let them go. What do I do?

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Everything you need to know about stress

By Shannnon Penasar, 21 Apr 2016

Stress. Now, end-of-year exams are drawing ever closer, although mocks have finally finished (yay!). But for some (most), stress is still rampant! Especially amongst the Upper Years!

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Comic Sans

By Lily Dent, 21 Apr 2016

Techies hate many things. They hate 3 hours’ worth of unsaved work and a crashing computer, they hate bad AIs, they hate slow internet. But the one thing that they really hate – a font? Read More

Body Shaming

By Demelza Rose Werrin, 21 Apr 2016

It’s always baffled me that people offend and purposefully ignite self-loathing within others by shaming their bodies. The media’s portrayal of what people now believe to be the perfect male and female bodies are illusions that people divert to in an attempt to weaken someone else’s self-confidence. So here’s a quick reminder:

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Baking Mishaps

By Shannon Penasar, 21 Apr 2016

I was standing there, in my super-fancy apron like one you’d see in Masterchef, and completely covered in flour and batter. My dark hair looked like a weird mix of steel grey and the tacky white paint used in hotels and other cheap places. I took ages to get that out of my hair, especially since it turned into a sticky, gloopy mess when water hit it. Not fun.

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Assembly Transcript 13-04-16

By Adi Silvestro, 21 Apr 2016

As the majestic organ (played by the even more majestic Mr. Swindells, Swinny to his friends) blasts out the heavenly notes that cascade down onto the eagerly awaiting school children. The sound, the constant echoing plod of Mrs. Wilkinson’s childskin high-heels can be heard echoing around the recently renamed Wilkinson Hall, soon she is on the podium and kindly allows us to regain our seats.

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Apples, apples everywhere

By Molly Pearce, 21 Apr 2016

I love apples! There’s so many things you can do with them: pie, cake, tarts and more savoury selections for those without a sweet tooth. And there are so many combinations and possibilities that easily work together.

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America: Prejudice For President

By James Griffiths, 21 Apr 2016

“Make America Great Again!” – A man riddled with melodrama, perfectly accompanied by a crude and bigoted nature, Donald Trump seeks to capture the hearts and minds of fanatical patriots of the United States. With policies ranging from plans to build a ‘border wall’ between the US and Mexico to an almost complete rejection of eco-friendly green fuels, Trump has the media going wild with bewilderment, only adding to his theatrical character, making the world shudder with disgust and worry. Will Trump rise to power? Is this man the next US president? It’s hard to tell, and it seems unlikely, but Trump has got unrealistically far already. So now the world can only watch and wait in disbelief, as a sense of impending doom hangs over America.

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Should we bother with Space Exploration

By Benji Marshall, 21 Apr 2016

Space exploration is an expensive and dangerous human endeavour, but it also is very rewarding and captivating. The entire Space Race between the USA and USSR was based upon the fact that both sides wanted to look more technologically advanced than the other side.The USA and the USSR spent billions on the Space Race outdoing each other for political and scientific gains. The USA won the Space race when they landed men on the moon, and they stopped spending the same vast quantities of money because there didn’t seem to be any reason to continue. They still have made advances, with orbital space stations such as the International Space Station (ISS), and space shuttle programs, but as they turn to new endeavours such as potential manned missions to Mars, it is worth discussing the merits and difficulties of space exploration.

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