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Pangaea tickets cause online frenzy Early Bird tickets sell out in just three and a half minutes Michael Williams News Editor Ticket sales for Students’ Union event Pangaea sold in record time - with one price band of ticket selling out within three and a half minutes. Tickets for the event were split up into four lots – Super Early Bird, Early Bird, Steady Eddie and Late Worm. As each lot were sold, the prices increased. 500 Super Early Bird tickets – priced at £15 – sold out in just three and a half minutes, as over a thousand students attempted to buy tickets via the website. Sales then progressed to the ‘Early Bird’ tickets, which sold out within an hour and a half.
The Union’s twitter page was immediately inundated with messages from angry students who missed out on the cheaper tickets. “Not impressed with this new way of selling Pangaea tickets,” tweeted student Kate Siredzuk. “Don’t think I even want to go when the tickets sell out before they go on sale!” Pippa Allen-Kinross, a second year studying English Literature, said: “I did really want to go, but they went up in price ridiculously quick.” “I think I’d feel robbed knowing that some people there had paid ten pounds less than me, especially when there are nights at places like Warehouse Project which are cheaper.” According to a post on their Twitter page, The Union has promised to “take comments
on board when [looking] at ticketing for the end of year event”. Despite some disappointment, many students managed to secure tickets. “Is it too early to already be wetting my pants with excitement?” wondered German and Chinese student Joanna Dryden. Tommy Fish, Activities Officer at the Union, expressed surprise at the speed of ticket sales. “I’m flabbergasted that we’ve hit these heady heights,” said Fish. “The summer event I expected to sell within a day, but the winter event has never had so much momentum.” The twice-yearly event takes place across the Students’ Union venues and features ‘a huge selection of artists and genres’. This year’s theme is ‘Pangaea in Wonderland’. The Students’ Union website promises “a wonderland with a winter twist; complete with toadstools and trees”.
Language undergraduates most likely to change degree A third of degree changes made by first years last year were by students originally studying a language Ellen Conlon News Editor Language students are more likely to change their degree than other students, reveals University figures. The information comes from a Freedom of Information request and reveals that of the official course swaps made by first year students last academic year, a third of them were by students who originally studied at least one language.
Of the 18 official degree swaps already made this academic year by first year students, seven of them have changed from studying a language. Typically, this move is from studying a degree with two languages to studying one, or a cultural ‘studies’ degree. Emma Bean, a second year Middle Eastern Studies student at Manchester described how she changed degree three times before settling with Middle Eastern Studies: “I applied with my UCAS to study German and Russian, and as soon as I got here I changed to German and Arabic without even going
to any classes. Then after a week of German classes I changed on a whim to Arabic and Persian, all within two weeks.” Telling of how easy it was to change, Emma explained: “I just had to go and make an appointment and fill out a form each time. I don’t think I even needed to the first time, I just had to tell them my A-Levels.” Lisa Murgatroyd, a final year languages student, told of how she changed from studying Middle Eastern Languages, Hebrew and Persian, to Middle Eastern Studies. “All it took was an email and filling out a simple form which my academic advisor signed,” she said. “Although, it’s worrying that there was no real questioning of my reasons, they just took my decision on the face of it.”
Sophie Garside, Undergraduate Programme Director for Middle Eastern Studies, said she thought the reason that so many language students changes degrees was because they aren’t prepared for the level of difficulty involved with learning a language. “For Middle Eastern Studies, it’s not like European languages, students come here and start from scratch, they don’t come with an A-Level of that language,” she said. “Some students may choose a Middle Eastern language because they want to know about the Middle East and obviously having a language with that is important. But they have not got enough insight into how hard that language is.” Continued on Page 7
02 : NEWS
ISSUE 11 / 3rd DECEMBER WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Highlights
The rise of UKIP a force to be reckoned with?
Manchester take on Edinburgh in the Men’s hockey at the Armiage Centre. Manchester ran out 3-1 winners.
Photo: Tinbai Wang
Comment, Page 10
Top 10 films of the year Film, Page 14
Picture of the week
Tommy Fish issues new statement on societies funding scandal Tommy Fish, Activities Officer for the Students’ Union, has issued a new statement regarding the societies funding scandal. He previously issued a short statement apologising for e-mailing societies telling them they ‘needed’ to attend Demo2012 if they wanted more funding. The e-mail gained national coverage, with stories emerging in other student newspapers and the Daily Mail. Tommy Fish’s new statement in full:
Game of the Year 2012 Games, Page 22
First and foremost, this story should never have got beyond The Mancunion. I wrote a stupid email, I backtracked, corrected it, and apologised unreservedly. End of story. There was no ‘bribery’ as the Daily Mail put it. It’s not as if I was standing there with a bag of cash for societies that took part in the Demo. Secondly, the Mail’s references to ‘taxpayer’s money’ are completely misinformed. Do your research before you write that nonsense. I fully take the blame for this and the rest of the Union and the Exec should be left alone. If anyone has something to say, say it to me. For that reason I emailed the writer in question to say that he was remarkably light on me, and too harsh on my peers. I apologise once more if it seemed like I was trying to impose my political views on others. It is for that reason I immediately released the statement essentially telling societies to ignore my email. I am
very proud to be an elected officer here, and FROM the start I have always said that my door is open for societies to come in and make suggestions on how things should run. Many have been doing so and the outcome has always been friendly and productive. Changes are being made so now is the time to get your views across, so as ever, pay me a visit or send me an email with opinions. I want societies to dictate how they are run, rather than have a system imposed upon them.
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In terms of the Demo itself, politically what I did was wrong, but from a moral viewpoint I’m afraid I cannot back down and let the media give me a kicking for something I wholeheartedly believe in. Young people in this country are facing a bleak future and I’m not just talking about students, I mean school kids and unemployed 15-25 year olds (which currently sit at 1 in 5 out of us). Tuition fees have tripled, leading to a fall in the number of students, which in turn has led to the death of Fallowfield. This used to be the most vibrant student town in the country, and it is now a pathetic shadow of its former self. EMA is no more, housing conditions are getting worse: rents are rocketing, house ownership taken for granted by our parents seems a pipe dream for this generation, child poverty is on the rise, all the while pay and bonuses for top Executives went up by 27% last year. Am I concerned about this? Do I think that students should protest? Do I think University of Manchester students should protest? Yes! I think they owe it to themselves and to their generation to let politicians and fat cats know what they think. What else should they do? Sit back, watch the X-Factor and celebrate the rise in poverty and inequality? Students have always protested against social injustice and wars. They are the conscience of society.
News Editors: Ellen Conlon, Anthony Organ, Jonathan Breen & Michael Williams news@mancunion.com Beauty Columnist: Jessica Cusack beauty@mancunion.com Business Editor: Oli Taylor business@mancunion.com Comment Editors: Lisa Murgatroyd, Emma Bean & Antonia Jennings Fashion Editors: Elizabeth Harper & Jake Pummintr fashion@mancunion.com Food & Drink Editors: Jessica Hardiman & Emily Clark
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ISSUE 11 / 3rd DECEMBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
NEWS : 03
Suspended Manchester Metropolitan University Professor returns to work Professor Ian Parker is expected to appeal the decision, which requires him to issue an apology Anthony Organ News Editor
The internationally renowned Psychology Professor suspended on charges of “gross professional misconduct” has been offered his job back by Manchester Metropolitan University. Professor Ian Parker’s suspension in October sparked a campaign by students and academics calling for his reinstatement. An online petition has received almost 4,000 signatures from around the world, including from the world-renowned American philosopher Noam Chomsky. But Prof Parker is expected to appeal the recent decision, since MMU’s offer hinges on him making an apology and being issued a “final written warning”. The University and College Union (UCU), of which Prof Parker is a member, claimed that “the hearing was not conducted fairly”.
Professor Ian Parker
In a statement, they continued: “There is an admission in the letter from the disciplinary panel that sending emails questioning secrecy and control was the sum total of Ian’s crimes.” Two emails purported to be the offending items, seen by The Mancunion, show Prof Parker emailing other members of staff about organising a “workload schedule” and questioning the unclear process used to appoint a new Senior Lecturer in Psychology. Prof Parker was banned from his office, had his email access suspended and was told not to contact other staff or his students. Most students and staff were only alerted to the events several days later when the campaign was launched in protest to his treatment. Amanda Jayne Morgan, a Master’s student of Critical Disability Studies, said: “This issue is impacting on students. “As a student representative for Master’s students, I’ve had lots of emails from people who are concerned about Ian. Noone knew where he had gone. “He’s been missed very much. It’s awful the way he’s been treated.” A statement released by the UCU Branch Committee on Prof Parker’s behalf said: “This action by MMU is clearly an attack not only on me but also on my
MMU suspended Professor Parker in October “pending an investigation into allegations of gross misconduct”. Photo: Joe Sandler Clarke
students, who are asking what I have been charged with. “The most pernicious effect of this suspension and disciplinary action is that the secrecy enforced by MMU is damaging not only their own reputation but
also my reputation.” Prof Parker is a leading figure in the field of Critical Psychology and is linked to the editorial boards of over a dozen journal and book series. At the time of writing he was
travelling back to the UK from a Far East book tour to confirm his next course of action with UCU. MMU refused to comment on the issue, saying: “It’s private and confidential as far as we are concerned.”
The institution previously claimed that “external speculation” about the reasons for the suspension was “wholly inaccurate”.
Ms Dynamite blows off Sponsor a scholar for sex Union event Ellen Conlon News Editor
Michael Williams News Editor
Fans of Ms Dynamite were left feeling ‘ticked off ’ after the R&B artist failed to show up for an advertised appearance at University of Manchester Students’ Union event Supersonic Vague. Ms Dynamite further frustrated her fans by not letting them know that she was not coming. “We hope everyone enjoyed last night...” read a statement on Fresh Friday’s Facebook page. “Miss Dynamite didn’t
turn up though!? We can only apologise on behalf of Supersonic Vague Manchester and everyone at Rough Hill Student Events for their booking problems...” The star’s no-show meant that one of the doors at the venue could not be opened for two hours, until staff were sure she was not coming. A student told The Mancunion: “We waited two and a half hours and she didn’t turn up.” “It’s a shame for the people who came just to see her.” Events company RoughHill, via a statement on their
‘Supersonic Vague’ Facebook page, told fans that Ms Dynamite had “sent a full apology for her lack of appearance”. The company is promising free tickets to “anyone who came to see her” when she next performs at Supersonic Vague. Ms Dynamite is set to appear at the University of Manchester Students’ Union event Pangaea this January. “At least she’s fresh for [her appearance at] Pangaea!” said Tommy Fish, Activities Officer at the Union.
A website allowing strangers to sponsor students up to £15,000 a year in exchange for sex has been exposed. SponsorAScholar.co.uk says it helps women between the ages of 17 and 24 cover the cost of their university studies and claims that it has arranged for 1,400 women to be funded by wealthy men. It offers students “up to 100% of your tuition fees” in return for two-hour sessions with men between one and four times a term. The meetings must “always” take place in a private place, “such as a hotel.” “Because of the considerable sums of money our sponsors are offering in scholarship, they tell us that they have expectations of a high level of sexual intimacy
with their chosen student,” the website says. The website claims that it has a roster of hundreds of students and suggests that it operates within the grey area in Britain’s sex laws, which allow escort agencies to function legitimately by offering introductions between the clients and the students. The sponsors range from men aged 28 years to 50 years old and they “want to have discreet adventures with a student whilst helping them fund their studies through a scholarship.” SponsorAScholar.co.uk uses a false company and VAT number that belongs to the legitimate dating site Match.com. A spokesperson for Match.com said: “The website is not affiliated with Match.com in any way and we are in the process of contacting them to legally require that all references to Match.com are removed
immediately.” This revelation has caused charities to urge young women to say safe, and to not be tempted to use the website. Rachel Griffin, director of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, which promotes personal safety, said: “Meeting a complete stranger in private could be highly dangerous at any time but when it is in connection with a scheme like this, the risks are sky-high.” The NUS has accused the website of trying to “capitalise on the poverty and financial hardship of women students.” NUS Women’s Officer, Kelly Temple, said: “It appears to be… exploiting the fact that women students are in dire financial situations in pursuit of an education.” The website now appears to have closed, saying: “Sorry website unavailable for maintenance”.
04 : News
ISSUE 11/ 3rd DECEMBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
‘Celebrity psychologist’ fired NEWS IN BRIEF from University of Manchester Christmas Market security guards trained to use defibrillators Defibrillators are installed at this year’s Christmas Markets with 20 staff members trained to use them. With thousands of visitors everyday, the council are worried that the chance of someone having a heart attack is high. Councillor Pat Karney said: “Safety awareness training and the installation of defibrillators at the markets give our staff that peace of mind that they are prepared, equipped and ready to act if an emergency should occur.”
Manchester named as a great Olympic city After the success this summer, Manchester has been named one of the world’s greatest Olympic cities. Athletes living or based in the city have won more gold medals than virtually anywhere else a new study has found. The only cities to do better were Beijing, Moscow and Los Angeles, all of which have a population at least 10 times bigger than Manchester’s.
Stockport soldier spends £20K to prepare for the end of the world Ex-soldier Simon Dillon has built an emergency larder with food to last 365 days and has spent £20,000 ensuring that his house will run without power. This includes installing solar panels, wood burning stoves and off-grid lighting. The father of five said: “I’m just a normal guy who feels a duty to support my family. If a difficult time comes, I won’t be relying on the state.”
Professor Geoff Beattie plans to appeal ‘gross misconduct’ charges Michael Williams News Editor A University of Manchester professor and ‘celebrity psychologist’ has been sacked from the University after being found guilty of gross misconduct. Professor Geoffrey Beattie, former head of the department of the School of Psychological Sciences, plans to appeal the charges. A hearing is to be held next month. Professor Beattie told the Manchester Evening News that he “hadn’t done anything wrong”. “It’s an interesting story”, he told the MEN, “but I’ve been advised to wait for the outcome of my appeal [to discuss the allegations]”. The University of Manchester refused to comment on the case due to the appeal being launched by Professor Beattie. A university spokesman said: “We can confirm Geoff Beattie has been dismissed from the University for gross
misconduct following a disciplinary hearing.” “As we have been made aware that he plans to appeal the decision, we cannot comment further.” As well as being a Professorial Research Fellow at the University, Beattie, 59, was known to a wider audience from his appearances as resident psychologist on TV shows such as Big Brother and ‘Ghosthunting with Girls Aloud’. He also authored over 18 books on various topics, including one novel. Students of Professor Beattie spoke of their surprise at the charges levied at him. “I can’t believe that he’s been sacked,” said Cassie Riddell, a second year studying Psychology. “He always came across as a smooth character, and seemed to be well-liked [amongst students].” Students and non-students alike also expressed their shock at Beattie’s firing on Facebook and Twitter.
Professor Geoff Beattie, sacked from the University of Manchester. Photo: University of Manchester
“Oh my god!”, posted Erica Holland, lecturer in Psychology at Staffordshire University. “Shocking”, wrote Twitter user @Justyna_K_, a student of Psychology at the University of Manchester. No stranger to controversy, Professor Beattie was in the
Salford student puts ‘soundscapes’ on the map Michael Williams News Editor
A student at the University of Salford has created a mobile app to compile ‘the world’s first sound map’. iSAY, created by a team headed by PhD student Charlie Mydlarz, asks users to record short audio clips from different environments and upload them to the website. The clips are then added to a ‘soundscape map’, which aims to ‘get a better understanding of what gives a place ‘character’ and how opinions and attitudes to sound environments vary’. “[This is] the first ever sound map purely for research purposes”, explained Mydlarz. “The findings could have far reaching uses, from psychological research to town planning”. The contributions of the public are key to the app’s future success, says Mylardz. “By using everyday technology to get people involved, this has the potential to be the largest study of its kind,” he said. Users have been recording sound clips
from as far afield as New Zealand, Japan and Thailand. The app does not only want to help people decide whether to move into an area or not, however: the researchers want people to start thinking of sound in an entirely different way. “Rather than ‘landmarks’ and ‘landscapes’,” read a statement on the project’s website, “we might describe distinctive features of our sound environment as ‘soundmarks’ and value them as highly as an attractive country vista or dramatic urban skyline.”
Users from all over the world are recording their own ‘soundscapes’. Photo: Sound Around You
news earlier this year after it had emerged he had a string of affairs after his wife lost her arm in a train accident. The Guardian revealed in May that the married father of three had fathered two children with a long-term girlfriend. “Unfortunately I did what I
did, and for complicated reasons”, he said of the affair. There is now no longer any mention of Professor Beattie on the University of Manchester website, including the School of Psychological Sciences internet profile, where Beattie used to have a large online presence.
Academic wins physics award Jonathan Breen News Editor
A professor from the University has won a prestigious physics prize. Prof Jon Billowes, from the School of Physics and Astronomy, won the 2012 Nuclear and Particle Physics Division Prize from the Institute of Physics. The international charity awarded him the accolade for important recent advances in research or development, on a specific topic relevant to physics.
Specifically, for his work in experimental nuclear physics, particularly regarding breakthroughs in laser spectroscopy . Professor Billowes will receive a certificate, as well as a cheque for £500 and will be invited to give a talk at a future conference. Prof Billowes was also recognised for his leading role in the development of the University’s nuclear energy and medicine research centre the Dalton Nuclear Institute.
University Prof Jon Billowes, right, has won a prestigious prize for his work in nuclear physics
05: News
ISSUE 11/ 3rd DECEMBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
People of faith unite to spruce up Platt Fields Park - Volunteers paint fences and clean graffiti for Interfaith Week Jonathan Breen News Editor Students from a mix of faiths volunteered in Platt Fields Park for Interfaith Week last Wednesday. University of Manchester students from all the major religious societies attended the event designed to bring students from different faiths together. Students’ Union Diversity Officer and Interfaith Week organiser Saad Wahid said, “Students belonging to Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Christian faiths joined hands for a common cause. “Approximately 60 student volunteers turned up, sacrificing the comfort of their homes to contribute and engage in a community-based project. “The event generated a lot of enthusiasm and the feedback I have received has been positive.” Volunteers spent the time cleaning graffiti off benches and scraping down and repainting fences. The President of the Islamic Society told The Mancunion he hoped the event would
show people religion is not just about religious activities. “People think faith is something that is limited to prayer spaces,” he said. “The Islamic society is here to show that faith is something that gives back to the community. “Religion is also seen as something that divides people up, because it is seen that each individual faith has different interests, but by coming together we are showing that there are so many things we can work together on. “There is no reason to segregate faiths.” Tim Mckenzie from the Student Christian Movement said he did not usually mix with people from such a variety of faiths. “I think this was a really good opportunity for people from all faiths to come together and do something practical and engage in conversation about everything from religious views to more mundane things,” he said. “I had a conversation with somebody from the Pakistan Society about cricket. “I think it’s important for us to engage in the world around
Students paint fence railings in Platt Fields Park for Interfaith Week Photo: Sabrina Khan
us. “Caring for the environment and the world we live in I
“I think it is really important for faiths to come together,” Sarah Cohen said.
right to be in. “This is the first time we have had a multi-faith thing. It
different faiths working together. “We are here to work for the
think appeals to all the major faiths.” Interfaith Week, which happens every November, is designed to bring people from different faiths together, something the outgoing Interfaith Officer from the Jewish Society said was really important.
Members of the Friends of Platt Fields Park directed the student volunteers, originally expected to be up to 200 people. Friends of Platt Fields Park volunteer Anne Tucker said, “I think parks are one of a few places in society that everybody feels they have a
would be lovely if they could come back next year.” Islamic Society member Mohamed Heruba said Interfaith events allowed people to see faiths through a different light. “People see faiths through debates and the media, but never get to see people from
community, we are not here to try and convince each other of anything.” Vice-President of the Islamic Society Aamiah Taheem added, “We are all humans at the end of the day.”
Lloyd: Clegg and Cameron ‘dunces of the year’ Anthony Organ News Editor Greater Manchester’s new Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) has attacked the “stupefying incompetence” of the government for “making a mess” of the elections. Speaking to The Mancunion, Labour’s Tony Lloyd said: “Top marks, Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg, step forward for the ‘dunces of the year’ award. Although in fairness to them, they have got form of incompetence.” PCCs will be elected every four years, set the force budget and aim to form a link between police and public. They also have the power to appoint and dismiss the chief constable. November’s PCC elections have gone down in history as having the lowest turnout of any UK elections in peacetime, as fewer than 15 per cent of the public bothered to vote. The Electoral Reform Society calculated that the £75 million cost of the elections meant
that £14 was spent on each vote, compared to just £2.85 in the 2010 General Election. Home Secretary Theresa May told the Daily Telegraph: “Obviously I’m disappointed with the turnout, but I’m confident that the turnout at the next election will be greater because people will have seen PCCs in their posts, will have seen the role and will understand it better.” Mr Lloyd blamed the low turnout on the government failing to justify and explain the new role, holding an election at an unconventional time of year, and using a ballot paper “which was confusing even for people who’ve spent years involved in elections”. Asked whether the public want PCCs, he said: “I voted against it in Parliament because there are defects in the way the government set it up, but there will be a PCC and it’s pointless to argue that someone shouldn’t occupy the role now. “It would be dereliction of responsibility to
say that I’m not going to do it, even if some people don’t want it.” Having served as MP for Manchester Central for almost 30 years, Mr Lloyd said that he has “represented plenty of students for an awfully long time”. Asked how students will be affected by his election, he said: “If you want Manchester to be an attractive place for students, the students themselves and no doubt their families will want to know that this is a safe community. “Community safety for students isn’t just about the police - it’s about the police working in partnership with other institutions, such as the NUS and the universities themselves.” Tackling anti-social behaviour was marked as a priority in Mr Lloyd’s manifesto, but he claimed not to see students as the problem. He said: “Everyone knows that some students are stupid and irresponsible, but so are some refuse collectors, some doctors, whatever you care to name.
Tony Lloyd won greater Manchester’s first ever PCC elections “Where there is an issue is that over the summer break and Christmas you can get local deserts appearing, which can lead to vandalism because there’s so few people around. “The residual population can be left quite isolated over the holidays, but it’s not students
who are the perpetrators of that.” Greater Manchester is the largest police force area, serving over 2.5 million people, but only 13.9 per cent of the public voted in the elections. There were also reports of almost 7,000 spoiled ballots, which was over 2.5 per cent of the total.
06 : News
ISSUE 11 / 3rd DECEMBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
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NEWS : 07
Language undergrads most likely to change degree
Cambridge to begin ‘Terminator Studies’ Anthony Organ News Editor
Language students at the university of manchester were responsible for a third of degree changes made by first years last academic year. Photo: Stefano Costanzo @Fotopedia
Continued from front page
She explained how a lot of students have romantic notions of learning languages, “but when it comes to the nitty-gritty, and when they actually have to do it, and it’s a rainy day in Manchester, and lots of grammar, this is not what they had in mind,”
she added. Emma disagreed: “I don’t think that that’s accurate,” she said. “Personally I was fully aware of what it would entail, grammar is a lot of work. That’s not a shocker if you’ve done language ALevel.” “I think with languages it’s just that there’s such a selection that it’s just trying to
make that decision of just sticking to one of them and it’s actually quite a big decision. “I don’t think people have overly romantic notions, but I do think that some people may think that it is easier than it is. It would probably make sense to put in a requirement of language ALevels, which they don’t,”
Manchester grad to row across Atlantic Jonathan Breen News Editor A University of Manchester graduate will row across the Atlantic Ocean to raise money for breast cancer. Geography graduate Nick Rees and his friend Ed Curtis plan to row from the Canary Islands off the coast of West Africa to Antigua in the Caribbean – a journey of almost 3,000 miles, as part of the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge. The event, which starts on 2 December 2013, is considered to be the world’s toughest rowing race – the duo will row unsupported and self-
sufficiently the entire way. The inspiration for the journey is Mr Rees’s wife Ellen, 33, also a Manchester graduate, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009. “Ellen has showed incredible strength to get through it,” he said. “She is our inspiration for wanting to take on such a big challenge for Breakthrough Breast Cancer. “Knowing the money raised will help fund new treatments and help save lives is our motivation for this unbelievably tough race.” The pair hopes to raise £250,000 for charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer.
explained Emma. While the difficulty of learning a new language is an important factor in students changing their degrees, Mrs Garside went on to explain how recently a number of her students have changed in order to increase their employability. “This year we’ve had changes of degree names, but not
The challenge is not for the fainthearted, with unpredictable and extreme weather conditions and up to 40-foot waves. The fact more people have been into space than rowed the Atlantic, is a testament to its difficulty. Physically, rowers have to deal with blisters, irritating rashes, sleep deprivation and rowing two hours on, two hours off, around the clock for weeks. The pair will typically burn 8,000 calories a day and lose 20 per cent of their body weight during the race. Mr Curtis said he was up for the challenge and believes their close friendship would help them through. “I love a challenge and there are few bigger challenges than this,” he said. “We have to be a bit mad to take this on, but we should get through it because we are both very deter-
much of content,” she said. Courses such as Middle Eastern Studies and Persian have been created, and students studying pure language degrees, such as Persian, have been able to change over to them. “This is purely because of employability and I agree with them,” explained Mrs Garside. “When you go out into the market and say, I’ve got a degree in Persian Studies, what does it mean? People don’t know. If you say you’ve got a degree in Middle Eastern Studies, i.e. the area, plus a language, that is now more acceptable. “Studies of the history, culture, religions and the language are clearer to the employers and that is why more students are now moving to these degrees.” Lisa agreed that her employability was a factor she considered when deciding to change her degree. Discussing studying a pure language, she said: “It sticks you in a very specific box, and if the job you’re applying for doesn’t use the language you studied, then what’s the point?” When asked how many of her students graduated with the same degree which they started on at the University, Mrs Garside said: “I can’t tell you. But I would like to think probably two thirds. Which I think is not bad.”
mined and, more important, close friends. “Following Ellen’s breast cancer treatment we had to do something to fight this disease which affects so many.” The pair have bought the winning boat from last year’s race, received tips from others who have completed the epic ocean crossing, and is now juggling rigorous training with their work commitments and family life. Mr Rees added, “There is still a lot of work to do over the next 12 months but we’ve already achieved so much.” To find out more about their challenge, visit their website, www. breakthroughatlantic.com.
The University of Cambridge is set to open a new centre to study “extinctionlevel” risks to the human race.Being dubbed the “Terminator Studies” department, the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk (CSER) will assess developments ranging from bio and nanotechnology, to extreme climate change and the artificial intelligence seen in the Terminator franchise. Huw Price, the Bertrand Russell Professor of Philosophy and one of CSER’s founders said: “At some point, this century or next, we may well be facing one of the major shifts in human history – perhaps even cosmic history – when intelligence escapes the constraints of biology.” Prof Price founded the centre with Lord Martin Rees, whose 2003 book “Our Final Century” warned that humanity’s destructiveness meant that the species could wipe itself out by 2100, and Jaan Tallinn, co-founded of Skype. Prof Price said: “[Mr Tallinn] said that in his pessimistic moments he felt he was more likely to die from an AI accident than from cancer or heart disease. “I was intrigued that someone with his feet so firmly on the ground in the industry should see it as such a serious issue, and impressed by his commitment to do something about it.” In a blog post on The Guardian website, Lord Rees said: “New hazards are emerging that could be so catastrophic that even a tiny probability is disquieting. “We are in denial about low-probability high-consequence events that should concern us more. The recent financial crash was one such.” With the University last year celebrating its 800th anniversary, Prof Price said: “Our aim is to reduce the risk that we might not be around to celebrate its millennium.” Since 2005, the University of Oxford has been operating its Future of Humanity Institute which explores the risks and opportunities facing humanity “to clarify the choices that will shape humanity’s long-term future”.
08 : Feature
ISSUE 03 / 3RD DECEMBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Manchester’s lost musical heritage
Some of Manchester’s most significant venues have been turned into supermarkets and flats, writes Chloe Glover Chloe Glover
H
ow well do you know where you live? You probably know the shops, the best takeaway (and which late night kebab place to avoid) and more likely than not, your local pub. You know the best way into the town centre, the local amenities and there’s a good chance you’ll know some if not all of your neighbours; whether that’s out of choice or due to the thin walls. But when you stand outside on the street and look up at the places you know, how well do you know their history? Living in Victoria Park for the last year our local shop on Anson Road, Venus supermarket, has been famous
to my housemates and myself for its incredible baklava counter, Turkish delight and whole aisle devoted to pickled vegetables (and deservedly so!). So when I stumbled upon Longsight’s Manchester history page I was not expecting to find photos and recollections of the very same building 80 years ago in its past life as Birchfields Skating Palace. A quick google search later and this now already historic building was revealed to also have been more wellrenowned as International One, an epicentre of Manchester’s 1980s music scene, host to bands like Husker Du, Inca Babies, Simply Red and REM as well as the base of The Stone Roses. That a building of such historical importance, not just for Manchester’s local history but to recent British
Manchester music legend Morrisey played the Hacienda with his band The Smith’s throughout the 1980s
The Hacienda - now luxury flats
musical history has had its past literally plastered over and hidden away only for those lucky enough to remember its legacy to revive its from time to time and share it with a wider audience is an all too saddening reminder of the reality of Manchester City Council’s attitude when it comes to honouring its musical heritage. As much as the image of Manchester as a city proud of its musical clout prevails and is countlessly regurgitated in its official tourism drives, I feel that the Council itself has a much more dismissive day-to-day relationship with the city’s musical history. Whilst its long-standing plaque scheme honours Manchester’s notable people, events and buildings none pay homage to the places where scenes were born, raised and nurtured. The International Nightclub is of course not the only, or
Whilst its longstanding plaque scheme honours Manchester’s notable people, events and buildings none pay homage to the places where scenes were born, raised and nurtured.
even most famous musical building to have been snubbed by the Council. The Hacienda, a locus of the acid house and rave music scenes that inspired the cult film 24 Hour Party People was demolished in 2002 to make way for a luxury apartment block, despite attempts by groups such as the OK Cafe to highlight the threat to the building’s future and reclaim it for the community. This story of demolition is by no means an anomalous conclusion to landmark venues in Manchester. The existence of the infamous Kitchen squat club in Barry Crescent in Hulme which formed part of the thriving counter culture scene there, where John Robb believes it felt like “every band in the city had done time there” can only be traced through the memories of its attendees.
ISSUE 03 / 3rd DECEMBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
In the cases of the Hacienda and The Kitchen it is perhaps very easy to see why the Council have never been too keen to commemorate sites that during their heyday occupied a large amount of time in the minds of authority figures. The untold quantities of not so legal substances that helped keep the parties going well into the next day (at least) and their dislike of locations that were inevitably going to be difficult, if not impossible to police, makes it unsurprising that they were all too keen to bury their fiery pasts in unmarked graves. Yet it does not fully explain the Council’s apathy towards revered venues that attracted less notoriety whilst they were open. The plot of land which was home to the former Russell club (AKA PSV and home to the Factory club night) on Royce Road in Hulme is now host to a generic brick flat cube, a now sadly ubiquitous sight in an area which has been purged of much of its meaningful infrastructure. The Twisted Wheel, a veteran Northern Soul club that emerged out of the Left Wing Cafe
Feature : 09 helped pioneer the scene in the early 1960s is the latest iconic music venue to feel the icy indifference of the Council planners. Last week they approved the destruction of the 6 Whitworth Street building which the club made its home, after moving from premises on Brazennove Street, to make way for the building of a Motel One chain budget hotel. Attracting fans from across the UK every weekend during the years it was open and a strong following when the building re-opened as Legends, hosts of the successful alternative gay clubbing night, Bollox, the building’s cultural significance sadly seems no match for the Council’s finance-capital oriented preoccupation. Even the Lesser Free Trade Hall, the legendary location of purportedly the most influential concert of all time that a good many more people than the 40 capacity allows claim to have witnessed first-hand, including Mark E Smith, Morrisey and the members of the Buzzcocks has been given no formal recognition by the Council. Today it too is occupied by a hotel
chain magnate, though as a listed building it has survived the Council’s profit-driven chopping block. This is by no means meant to be a comprehensive list (and probably couldn’t be having not lived in the area long enough to know the full extent of the ‘musical shadows’ I’m walking in). It’s overlooked the Electric Circus, only open for a year or so but host to many early punk bands such asThe Clash, the Ramones, Talking Heads, Rezillos, Warsaw (later Joy Division), Buzzcocks, Penetration alongside John cooper clarke whose last night has been immortalised on a 10 inch colour vinyl recording. It doesn’t mention Rafters on Oxford Street or The Mayflower in Gorton that operated within the same era, the Gallery on Peter Street, the mostly reggae ‘The Osbourne’ on Oldham Road or even the Free Trade Hall proper that was home for one night to the likes of Lou Reed and Captain Beefheart. What it does show is that the extent of Manchester City Council’s disregard for our musical
inheritance leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to representing the interests and honouring the memories and accomplishments of its residents, the very people who elected its members into power. Its eagerness to turn venerated institutions over into private hands in return for financial gain over a sense of responsibility to respect all aspects of local culture, not just the more traditional and canonised types is explicit and seemingly remorseless. Fortunately, the people of the city themselves are ensuring that this integral part of Manchester’s history is not forgotten. Whole websites, exhibitions and community initiatives are constantly being generated to try engage residents both old and new with their home-town’s musical legacies and provide a lasting memorial – such as those not provided by the Council. Thanks to Michael Herbert Exhulme, Manchester District Music Archive, Culture Word and Manchester History for their invaluable insights.
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Politics & Comment
ISSUE 11/ 3rd December 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
My Political Hero... Pussy Riot This year the world became acquainted with Pussy Riot, an anti-Putinist, feminist punk troupe, after three of its members were arrested and imprisoned for what was deemed “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred”. It followed the 40-second performance of their song “Punk Prayer – Mother of God, chase Putin away!” in Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. According to Pussy Riot themselves, it was a protest against the support given by the leader of the Orthodox Church to President Putin. Kirill, also very appropriately known as the Patriarch of Moscow and all the Rus’, had allegedly described Putin’s presidency as a “miracle of God.”
The rise of UKIP - a force to be reckoned with? Lisa Murgatroyd questions whether the United Kingdom Independence party could ever become the third party of the country The UK Independence Party was founded in 1993 “to campaign for the UK’s withdrawal from the EU”. They have been labelled many things in the last twenty years, accused of being racist, homophobic, xenophobic; written off by leading politicians with a shake of their head and a knowing smirk yet they are the UK’s fourth political party, and recent polls have seen them beating Lib Dem in local elections. In fact, their standing is being taken so seriously as to prompt Michael Fabricant, the Conservative party vice-chairman, to suggest a pact with UKIP to avoid splitting the rightwing vote come the next general election. The suggestion, released on 25th November, was quickly dismissed by all sides, with the Conservative party issuing a statement saying, “Michael Fabricant does a great job campaigning in by-elections but he doesn’t speak for the party on this issue.” Prime Minister David Cameron had already made enemies with UKIP after refusing to retract his comments describing UKIP members as “fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists, mostly” so it came as no surprise that UKIP leader Nigel Farage declared ‘war’ with the Tories on his personal Twitter account. The party styles itself as a “libertarian, nonracist party seeking Britain’s withdrawal from the EU” but aside from their main aim of revoking EU membership, the party has received heavy criticism over its manifesto goals such as cuts in foreign aid and freezing immigration for five years. It is opposed to same sex marriage (although civil partnerships are OK), and there are often reports of links with the BNP (though the party continually makes serious efforts against any connection). With all this in mind, how has the party managed to secure itself in the mainstream of
British politics? It is no coincidence their popularity has increased in a year which has seen the future of the Euro burnt down with the crashing European economy, and many people losing faith in the struggling Con-Dem coalition. Professor John Curtice of Strathclyde University has found that 7% of people who voted Conservative in the last general election would now vote UKIP. A rocky campaign in Rotherham’s by-election on 29th November saw a serious compeition for the seat, traditionally a safe constituency for Labour since the 1930s following the controversy over a couple whose foster children were removed from their care because of the parents’ UKIP membership. Labour won the by-election, but UKIP saw their biggest result and taking 22% of the votes, beating their two-week old best of 14.3 per cent in Corby. Nigel Farage has declared victoy, as “the second party in the North” beating the coalition parties, with the Tories stumbling in at fourth in Rotherham, and the Lib Dems losing their deposit. The outrage which followed this decision has brought substantial positive PR for the party, however this was marred by apparent confusion over the party line when the candidate for Croydon North made comments suggesting that it would not be “healthy” for children to be adopted by gay couples. Openly gay UKIP London chairman David Coburn insisted that his party supports equal rights for the LGBT community. Yet, he does not believe in the fight for same-sex marriage. In a statement published on Pink News earlier this year, Mr Coburn explained his party’s position. “I think it does the gay community no good whatever to cross the street and pick a fight with people of faith.” His argument stems from the notion of ‘authoritarian’ versus ‘libertarian’. “The Lib-
Lab-Con parties want to regulate everything you do and even what you think through their chosen instruments of ‘elf ‘n safety, Security mate!, political correctness and Equality Fascism.” These words will certainly ring true to a majority of the public, which James Bethell, formerly the director of an anti-BNP campaign has labelled as ‘ANTI’ voters – politically Angry, economically Neglected, socially Traditional, focused on Immigration. Those people, not historically Tory members, who are disillusioned with and contemptuous of the political establishment. According to a Channel 4 survey in 2009, a majority of Tory, Labour and Lib Dem voters agreed that “all further immigration to the UK should be halted”. In last year’s HOPE not hate report, 63% of white Britons and almost half of Asians believed that immigration had been a bad thing for Britain. The party has been stained by connections to far-right European parties, and with the problem of a support base that could be swayed as equally by the BNP, but to strike them off as far-right extremists themselves is an oversight. There is time yet until the next general election to iron out the creases in their manifesto, and as the calls for a referendum on UK membership in the EU strengthen, their fifteen minutes on the spotlight may turn to something more concrete. “We believe in the minimum necessary government which defends individual freedom, supports those in real need, takes as little of our money as possible and doesn’t interfere in our lives.” These words, taken from the UKIP website, are ideals which will strike a chord with a majority but it remains to be seen whether they have anything to back them up.
Their trial was widely criticised by the international community, with Amnesty International designating the three defendants – Katya, Nadya and Masha – as prisoners of conscience. The guilty verdict and excessive two-year sentences imposed, quite rightly, attracted near universal condemnation in the Western media. Even the Russian Prime Minister has now called for clemency. Whilst there were fundamental problems with the trial (no defence witnesses were allowed to be called, the prosecution declined to question the defendants) and the disturbing trend of criminal prosecution as the weapon of choice to quell dissent, I don’t admire Pussy Riot as victims or even martyrs of a corrupt, violent regime. Combining democracy, sisterhood, art, the internet, political insight, courage and a sense of fun, their case demonstrates the effectiveness of punk aesthetic and performances as a form of protest. Other than opposing Putin and smashing patriarchy, they are concerned with LGBT rights – something the Russian state actively represses and which has been the subject of propaganda campaigns against them. Their fluid membership actually encompasses a fairly diverse range of left of centre politics, united by one theme: feminism. They are self-styled and self-aware. Their exuberantly coloured outfits and makeshift balaclavas are instantly recognisable, easy to replicate and invite us to participate with them: we are all Pussy Riot! Depending on the context, we could call this clever marketing or just sheer subversive genius. Either way, it has inspired thousands of proxy demonstrations by DIY Pussy Riot supporters and possibly even made them the generation-defining icons of Russian dissent. You could argue that they exposed the corruption and machismo of the Russian state just by their cool insouciance towards the farce of its “so-called justice system” as Masha called it during their trial. The image of them defiantly smirking behind a glass panel as they were handed their sentences is remarkably powerful. Masha, who took an active role in their defence, made the poignant closing statement in the trial: “You can only take away my so-called freedom. And that is the exact kind that exists now in Russia. But nobody can take away my inner freedom.” I feel the true message of Pussy Riot has been somewhat lost by the framing of them as primarily victims of an elaborate miscarriage of justice. In this sense, their situation has much in common with countless political prisoners around the world who perhaps lack the style and excitement that Pussy Riot is able to generate in the media and who suffer for their crimes in regimes we are less interested in. Unlike some of their detractors, I don’t think this makes it hypocritical to focus our attention on Pussy Riot – not if we genuinely engage in their ideas and send them solidarity, not just sympathy. Although Masha and Nadya continue to suffer in punishment for their actions (Katya has since been released on a suspended sentence), Pussy Riot is an idea which cannot ever be imprisoned. So put on a brightly coloured balaclava, stand up against oppressive power and you are my political hero. Cat Gray -Welbeing Officer
Comment
ISSUE 11/ 3RD DECEMBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
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‘It’ll look good on your CV’ On their own, degrees may not be enough but employers’ obsession with ‘extracurricular activity’ leaves Tom Glasser exasperated How many of you have heard this phrase whilst being at university? So pervasive in university culture has it become that it has now ousted my number one pet hate: groups of girls who think that talking to each other whilst eating freakishly loud lettuce in the purple area of John Rylands can be considered “a really hard day at the library”. In the final year of my degree it has been drilled into my psyche in leaflets for charities, career talks and even through my lecturers who have put aside some time to tell us about how we should be concerned about that pivotal section of our CVs: extracurricular. “If you haven’t started working with those school kids down the road yet”, said my lecturer recently, “now’s the time to start thinking.” It is this attitude towards our extracurricular activities that worries me. At this point I must make clear that in no way am I dismissing the fantastic work that so many students at this university do. There is enthusiasm in abundance within many great university societies, teams and charities. However, through my degree I have met more and more people who will do anything to get that extra bullet point on their CV. The rise of ‘voluntourism’ – where affluent westerners pay thousands of pounds to take part in a community project – is particularly concerning. One begins to wonder whether modern volunteering, in essence an act of selflessness, is done not for those who need it, but instead for the volunteer. And these charity companies
don’t attempt to hide it: “A great improvement to your CV” read one flyer distributed around the University of Manchester, offering trips in excess of £2,500 to tropical countries. But who can blame them? In the society that we live in, we are all competing against one another to get those coveted job positions. If we weren’t, why would we have chosen to go to university? University is after all talked up as a necessary prerequisite to a good career. We are told that employers like to see multi-tasking, a good balance of work and social life, and an exponential rise (with no breaks!) in personal development, towards the CV of the perfect applicant. Who knows, perhaps in ten years time, employers will look much further back than our higher education: “So Mr. Smith, I see on your CV that between September 1990 and June 1991, there is a gap in your acquisition of key skill sets and no signs of volunteering?” “Um, but I was only 1 at the time you see.” “Thank you Mr Smith; we’ll um…keep in touch.” I still cling on to the belief that I will find my dream job by befriending the director of BBC Worldwide in a smoky downtown bar. But as graduation day creeps closer – as well as the drunk in the bar who isn’t the director of BBC Worldwide – I begin to worry about that dreaded leap from higher education. A friend of mine recently floated the idea to me that I should get some business cards printed in order to network within the world
For graduates a degree is not enough. Photo: University of Manchester. of radio. Worryingly, the first thing that came to my mind was that scene in American Psycho where Patrick Bateman views his co-workers’ superior business cards and attempts to hide his psychotic envy. I never like projecting myself, the brand ‘Thomas Glasser’, however I understand that in order to sift through the thousands of applications that employers must receive, an individual must stand out from the rest. But I hate writing down that I’m a team player. I’m not. I work better alone. What worries me is that a generation is being urged by our peers to do constructive extracurricular activities: because if we don’t, we won’t get good jobs. These are activities that we may not even want to do, and activities that many less privileged people will never even have
the chance to do. Are we therefore increasingly approaching life thinking that a minute spent enjoying ourselves is a minute wasted? There is, naturally, a solution: lie detectors in job interviews. “So Mr Smith, we’ve wired you up. Answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ please. Did you genuinely want to travel to Malawi and help build a school, and not to go on safari?” “OK! OK! I admit it! It was only for my CV! I can’t stand children! There! Are you happy?!” A nice idea, but hardly a practical one. And, after all, I have to ask myself why I’m writing this piece in the first place. Am I writing it for you or for me? I’ll leave that one for you to work out.
Disagree? Tweet us @mancuniondebate, or email us at comment@mancunion.com
Manchester’s research under threat? With animal rights campaigners targeting transport companies could research in British institutions suffer? Important medical research carried out at our University relies on animal testing, the majority of animals used being mice and rats. All of this work is done under extremely tight regulation, and only when no alternative to animals are available. This research helps scientists to better understand terrible conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, stroke and cancer. But for researchers doing this crucial work, things are getting harder. Recently the animal rights group PETA have announced that two of the world’s largest air carriers, FedEx and UPS, will no longer transport mammals for use in laboratories. This has followed months of pressure from animal rights groups, which have already succeeded in getting every ferry carrier into the UK to stop their transportation of laboratory animals, as well as many airlines. It is not yet impossible for animals to be brought into the UK, but with all ferry links now cut and growing pressures for more airlines to follow suit, it soon may be. Animal transportation is crucial for research. Last week a petition has been started by researchers to ask the government to intervene, but should we care? Should students at a university in which this work is carried out be adding their voices to this campaign? Crucially, allowing animals to be transported actually lowers the numbers of animals used. The majority of animals brought into the UK from abroad are needed because they have a specific genetic modification (that is, they are transgenic). For example, mice do not get Alzheimer’s disease, so to give a mouse symptoms that are similar to Alzheimer’s disease, they have genes introduced into their DNA that cause symptoms of Alzheimer’s . These mice can then be used for research. Making transgenic mice takes a long time, a lot of money, and a lot of mice. If someone else has already made such a mouse, transporting a few they have already
A wistar lab rat, commonly used for research. Image: Wikimedia commons bred will save a lot of unnecessary breeding of animals, time and money. As well as reducing the numbers of animals used, limiting the transportation of animals will badly affect research carried out. Science budgets are tight, and researchers do not have enough money for them to easily shoulder this extra cost. Either they cannot afford to remake these transgenic animals, and the work isn’t done, or the money they use to do so is taken away from another part of research. If it starts to become impossible for researchers at UK universities to have animals transported into the country, we will be less competitive compared to universities in countries where these animals are available. This could lead to researchers going
abroad to carry out their work; and UK universities such as Manchester suffering as a result. As well as being bad for universities, this could be bad for animal welfare, as work may end up being done in countries where animal welfare legislation is not as stringent as our own. A poll conducted this year for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills found that 85% of the general public in the UK support animal use in medical research, with conditions. Most people agree that when no alternative is possible, and where suffering of any animals used is limited as far as possible, animals should be used. We need to pressure the government to ensure this important research, which the majority of the public are behind, can continue. To do this, they need to
get together with transport companies and agree together that animal transport will continue. This would mean that singular companies cannot be targeted by protesters as they have been now. As for the campaigners who are pressuring these companies; there are far better uses of their time. Animal testing practices in the UK are not perfect, and campaigners would make a much better impact if they respected the general public’s support for this important research, whilst campaigning to improve practices. For example, if results for experiments using animals which did not prove a particular idea were more easily publishable (which does not happen currently) other researchers would not repeat this work unnecessarily. Professor of Neuroscience at Manchester University, Stuart Allan, comments “It has been very difficult in the past to publish negative data but thankfully some journals are beginning to change their practice and are now doing so. Hopefully others will follow suit which should reduce unnecessary repetition of experiments using animals. Drug companies could also release data that they have obtained using animals which could again prevent others repeating the same work.” If protesters focused on specific issues such as these, they could both reduce the number of animals used, and help research. Students should support the researchers who work at our university to keep animal transport links open. Most importantly, blocking animal transport is not better for animals, as it will result in more animals being used. It will also have a detrimental impact on vital medical research; research done in laboratories such as those at the University of Manchester. If this research suffers, our reputation on a global scale will suffer too, which would be detrimental for all students at the university. Rebecca Montacute
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Comment
ISSUE 11/ 3rd December 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
The allure of languages Emma Bean examines why people seek out language degrees, but can’t stick with them
Jerusalem, the location for the year abroad study for Hebrew students. Photo: Lisa Murgatroyd
As a former languages student, it doesn’t seem particularly shocking to me that this is one the most common areas of course change in the University. Picture the scene: A green eyed first year, presented with the possibility of learning so many languages, from so many distant lands; more choices than most students have ever had before in their short academic careers. At Manchester, we have a really wide selection of courses to choose from, and within the various language departments of the University many cultures and countries are represented. It doesn’t seem wildly incomprehensible that people find it pretty hard to decide, when such a plethora of options are presented before them. The great thing about language degrees is that you get not only the skills found in most humanities degrees, but you get the added employability of competence in foreign languages, which are incredibly desirable to employers given that successive governments of our nation have entirely neglected languages in the curriculum. It is hardly news that we are one of the worst nations in Europe, indeed perhaps the world, when it comes to language learning – and most of our neighbours put us to shame. In an era when humanities at university level are no longer getting any funding from the government, many feel that ‘just a Humanities degree’ is no longer a sensible option, particularly when students are having to spend £9000 just for tuition per annum. Aside from how distressing the trend of not valuing the Humanities is, it could certainly potentially lead people who are not natural linguists into studying languages, as to many it could
When ‘just a humanities degree’ isn’t enough, it seems little wonder people seek alternatives seem the most attractive option within the humanities – apart from vocational degrees such as law and education. Not only has the funding been cut altogether, but the wider culture of Humanities being seen as lesser in comparison to Sciences has had a negative effect. With a language degree, people feel they can at least get employment without having to study science subjects. When you start learning a language, particularly if it is your first time learning one more properly than year nine ‘Bonjour! C’est bien merci!’ level French, it can certainly be a shock to the system. Having to break language down to its most basic principles of construction, rote learning vocabulary, studying grammar textbook after grammar textbook can not only be dry but also, excuse the pun, entirely foreign to the average British undergraduate. In most British schools, grammar is not taught as thoroughly as it is elsewhere in the world – whilst you might know your ‘their’ from your ‘they’re’ you probably shan’t be able to recognise present progressive verbs, for example. When language teachers not only have to explain the grammar of the foreign target language, but also the concept of conjugations in the mother tongue this
leads to a problem. For most beginner level languages, which can be taken as core parts of your degree at the University, whilst it is advised as preferable to have studied a language previously, it is not deemed essential. When it comes to the more ‘exotic’ languages such as those within the Middle Eastern Studies department (Arabic, Persian, Hebrew and Turkish), Chinese and Japanese offered at the University there are more problems than those within just the European languages. It is markedly easier to learn a language when it is from the same language group as your own or another you are familiar with, as it relies on similar structures in its construction and similar grammar patterns. Not only are there different alphabets to be learned when you go further afield (which one of the simpler hurdles to overcome, generally speaking) but the very way in which the languages are made is different. These sorts of differences are perhaps not made plain enough to people, or perhaps the lure of added employability makes people forget just how tricky they can be. When you are a student who is interested in business and you hear of the benefits available to Mandarin speakers, you may try and do a degree in the two areas – without perhaps having the necessary skills to fully and successfully grapple with what is one of the hardest languages to learn. Language degrees should not be something that people enter into on a whim, as they require a great deal of particular skills that are not common within the average British undergraduate student – but the blame for that reality does not lie at the feet of students.
“Will fuck for tuition” SponsorAScholar.co.uk has been exposed as exploiting cash-strapped students, but how prolific is student sex work? On Wednesday 28th November, the Independent published the findings of an undercover report in to the website ‘SponsorAScholar. co.uk’ which it has been claimed can offer students up to £15,000 a year to cover their fees in exchange for sex. Unfortunately, this isn’t the first website to be exposed, nor will it be the last, and it’s not only here in the UK, but across the world. The cost of education is more than monetary. From Malaysia, to the US, there have been stories of students (male and female) who have entered prostitution in order to afford the opportunity to better themselves at university. Prostitution is a legal and moral grey area. In the UK, it is not illegal to have sex for money, or to pay for sex amongst consenting adults, but if someone has been trafficked or coerced into prostitution then this is illegal, regardless of whether this information is known at the time. Advertising sexual services on the internet is also illegal, but SponsorAScholar and similar websites will skirt this issue by claiming to facilitate ‘companionships’ with no knowledge that clients will
agree to a sexual encounter. A survey published in 2010 by researcher Dr Don Roberts , of the University of Kingston, found that 16 per cent of students would consider working in the sex industry, and one in four knew someone that worked in the industry already to fund their studies. In September of this year, researchers at Swansea University were awarded a grant to conduct new research in to this area. Research leader Dr Tracey Sagar indentifies ‘sex work’ as “erotic dancing, web cam sex, phone chat sex, escort work, massage parlour work as well as work in the porn industry.” The greatest problem lies in the hidden risks which may be overlooked by desperate students who are looking for a means to an end. TV shows such as ‘Secret Diary of a Call Girl’ have glamourised the sex industry, portraying Belle du Jour as a sophisticated high class call girl who attends parties and jets off into the sun, but glosses over the very real dangers of an unregulated industry rife with exploitation. The story is based on the true story as published by Brooke Magnanti who worked for a London escort agency
during her PhD at the University of Sheffield. The reality is that many of those who turn to such work are not as fortunate. The undercover reporter for the Independent who met with an “assessor” for the SponsorAScholar website, was told she would have to undertake a “practical assessment” that was necessary to “prove the level of intimacy” before being permitted to join the website. When Huffington Post UK attempted to set up an interview with another undercover reporter, they were told there was a waiting list of two to three weeks. If this is true, this so called “assessor” would be meeting with multiple female students in an attempt to sexually exploit them with only the vague promise of securing a “scholarship” at a later date. The website, which has since appeared to have crashed, even claimed that these generous businessmen would be able to claim a tax break for providing a scholarship. The Independent reports that “young women facing financial hardship brought on by the rise in the cost of studying were urged not to be tempted into using the website.” Yet, a
cursory glance of the National Union of Students website, in particular pages belonging to the Women’s Officer and Welfare Officer, showed no warnings or response. There is also nothing currently available from our Students’ Union at Manchester. As part of the “Student Sex Work Project” research at Swansea University, a website has been launched to offer information, advice and guidance to students that may be involved in the sex industry in Wales. The project aims to promote learning and understanding about student sex worker needs and associated issues, and to provide a non-judgemental sexual health service. Talking about the sex industry is still a difficult area for many; it’s either condemned or pitied. Hopefully this project will help lead the way in challenging perceptions, and offering help to those who need it. Prostitution on the streets of Manchester is well known, and with the largest student body in the country, it is important that the universities, the Students’ Union and local authorities take this issue seriously. Lisa Murgatroyd
Student protester at Demo2012 Photo: Lisa Murgatroyd
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Film Top 10 films of 2012
ISSUE 11/ 3rd DECEMBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
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Film Editor Nihal Tharoor and his loyal contributor team count down the top films of this year From innocent young love to superhero destruction. From hitmen of the future to operatives of the past. From post-war America, through the troubledeyes of veterans and the wide-eyes of restless youth. Hollywood gave us a year of refreshing contrast, and though its not over yet, myself and The Mancunion Film Section contributors have painstakingly devised for you the definitive, indisputable list of the best films of the 2012.*
10. Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2
It does pain me to include this but I suppose if you are an unfortunate enough soul to be captivated by the Twilight saga, this final conclusion (thank the lord) I am sure proved a fitting and emotionally satisfying climax. My coFilm Editor Sophie James does assure me that it is an engrossing tale of love, light and redemption… drenched in a thick cheesy sentiment that will leave your arteries begging for mercy.
Haneke creates an engrossing story out of the bleak end which awaits all of us.
6. Argo
Argo is Affleck’s third film as a director, and
Blood is not the contentious Scientology critique that was predicted. Instead, it is so much more – a woozy, disorientating and brilliant exploration of post-war America and the nature of faith. Joaquin Phoenix puts in a magnetic performance as a WWII vet whose frenetic life often resembles a
3. The Dark Knight Rises
Christopher Nolan’s follow up to The Dark Knight may have not eclipsed its predecessor but it was confirmation of Nolan’s brilliance in reinventing Batman into a more dark and sophisticated series of films. Heath Ledgers presence is sorely missed but that does not take away from the adrenaline filled spectacle Nolan gives his audience. A fitting conclusion to the indisputable king of the Batman sagas. Joshua Brown
2. Skyfall
9. On The Road
Skyfall went far, far beyond most expectations. We were treated to a plethora of memorable performances, most notably of all by Dame Judi Dench, who provided us with a handkerchiefsoaking au revoir and re-instated our belief that Bond had the power to move. Daniel Craig has won us over, and stood out alongside his onscreen nemesis Javier Bardem in some enthralling action sequences and chilling verbal exchanges. Roll on the next installment! Alex Morrison
8. Avengers
Quirky. Whimsical. Offbeat. All words which could describe the latest offering from Wes Anderson. Yet it would be a disservice to a film which has more heart that quirk, more wit than whimsy, and is offbeat in a way that makes this tale of young love and adventure thoroughly refreshing. The supporting cast – including Bruce Willis, Ed Norton and Tilda Swinton – are all great, but it is the two child leads who really impress, and who make Moonrise Kingdom quite possibly the funniest and most entertaining film of the year. Alex Larkinson
A rather diversely received film, many argued that Kerouac’s streams of consciousness, by nature, could not be put to film. While this may well be true I feel Walter Salles delivers an authentic and faithful production of this iconic novel of the 20th century. All the more enriched by a great ensemble cast, most especially in Viggo Mortensen’s Old Bull Lee and Garrett Hedlund who commendably grasped the enigmatic legend of Dean Moriarty.
Joss Whedon achieved the seemingly impossible with Avengers. He not only managed to meld a bunch of blockbuster characters into a coherent film, but actually made it a damn good one at that. Spectacular action was expected, and achieved, but the real star of the show was the Whedon’s zippy dialogue. This is what made Avengers not only the best action film of the year but also one of the funniest. Dylan Wiggan
7. Amour Far more than a token ‘foreign’ film to add colour to this Hollywood-heavy list (though it certainly serves such purpose) Amour is a engrossing tale of the twilight years of a elderly Parisian couple. Poignant and an unflinching in the face of its rather tender subject matter, Director Michael
1. Moonrise Kingdom
definitely his finest. It follows the so-ridiculousyou- can-barely-believe-it true story of how the CIA created a fake Sci-Fi film, Argo, in order to get escapees past Iranian border control. Yet this film is no ordinary hostage story. Argo takes a slower pace than your typical Hollywood heist, helping to build it to a conclusion of almost unbearable tension, whilst being interjected with moments of comic brilliance in the form of Alan Arkin and John Goodman. The result, a highly engrossing political thriller. Rebecca Williams
5.The Master
Sometimes baffling but always compelling, Paul Thomas Anderson’s follow up to There Will Be
fever dream, and who finds a possible kindred spirit in Philip Seymour Hoffman’s titular Master. A film you itch to re-watch from the moment the end credits roll. Alex Larkinson
4. Searching for Sugarman
Documentary filmmaking at its best, Director Malik Bendjelloul delves into the shrouded history of folk artist Rodriguez who fell tragically short of the American Dream, but who’s music found an unexpected home in apartheid South Africa. Beautiful and compelling with a wonderful twist, Sugarman is delightful reminder that a big budget is by no means necessary to create a highly entertaining and engrossing film.
Joaquin Phoenix: The Attention Seeker
Suraj Vara takes us through the outrageous shock tactics of Joaquin Phoenix
Joaquin Phoenix, star of the new independent film The Master, has recently found criticism and acclaim by stating that the Oscars are “Bullshit”. In the midst of awards season where many actors, directors and producers are looking to appeal to audiences for votes, Phoenix would rather disassociate himself from what he described as “The worst tasting carrot he’s ever tasted in his life.” Is this his clever ploy to place himself in the centre of a voting frenzy after having missed out on two academy awards for past roles? Beginning his acting career in Los Angeles at the age of 8, he followed the footsteps of his older brother, River, who had played in the adaptation of Stephen King’s novel Stand by Me (1986), crime drama Running on Empty (1988), and even had a cameo role as a young Indiana Jones in The last Crusade. Joaquin and River were both together on the night that River tragically died following a drug overdose in a Los Angeles club; he was 23. In the maturity of his acting career, Joaquin demonstrated his dedication to the sincerity of his characters and personal beliefs while working on set. He embraced many bodily alterations for his roles such as losing or gaining weight and changing the colour of his complexion. Due to his strict vegan upbringing, Phoenix specifically requests that no animal products are used in his costumes and so in the 2000 film Gladiator, all leather was made
out of synthetic materials to fulfil Phoenix’s request. He had also recorded an entire album and used his own vocals for his role as country music legend, Johnny Cash, in Walk the Line. One of the biggest shocks of Phoenix’s career, however, was the announcement of his retirement in 2008, shortly after the release of Two Lovers. Phoenix had been on a promotional tour taking television interviews, the most notable of which was on the Late
Show with David Letterman, which can still be seen on Youtube. Phoenix ambled out on stage, with a remarkable resemblance to Zach Galifianakis, and proceeded to proffer single word answers and stern looks in response to questions and playful banter. The interview
appeared to be a comical play on stage, especially when Phoenix announced that his resignation from acting was to pursue a career in hip hop and rap music; the crowd burst into fits of laughter. Unfortunately, Phoenix was not amused and replied “What the fuck? What have you got the audience on, are you pumping nitrous gas in here or something?” Phoenix continued to be disinterested in his own career, claiming not to have seen the film he was there to promote, and sticking his chewing gum under Letterman’s desk. Thankfully, Phoenix’s outrageous career move was a hoax to benefit a mock documentary he had been making with his brother-in-law, Casey Affleck. The Mockumentary, entitled I’m Still Here, was aimed to explore the relationship between celebrities, the media and spectators. Spending two years on filming, I’m Still Here features some incredible footage of Phoenix assaulting a heckler during a performance, as well as a large portion of his Letterman interview. Joaquin, having returned to acting, is now touring to promote The Master, which was released in cinemas on the 2nd of November, and will be followed by the release of his next film, Nightingale, in 2013. Suraj Vara
*list based largely on hearsay, conjecture and deeply bias views
Nihal Tharoor Film Editor
Actor Profile
David Ayer’s filmography is a mixture of authentic urban drama and generic Hollywood drivel. Starting his career as a screen writer his early credits included Fast and Furious, S.W.A.T and Training Day, the latter being his breakthrough which would go on to define his style as a director. His latest film End
Name: David Ayer Age: 43 Best known for: Training Day, End of Watch
of Watch, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, is the realisation of that style and the writer/director’s best work to date. Filmed on location in South Central Los Angeles, and shot primarily on handheld cameras, it follows two members of the LAPD through their daily routines in one of the most violent areas of the country. The
film mixes brutal realism as well as an emotional depth that proves both hilarious and h e a r t - b re a k i n g . Ayer’s use of Los Angeles was pivotal in making Training day a success due to its gritty street vibe, and this was again his calling card in the much overlooked 2006 film Harsh Times. Featuring a powerful central performance from Christian Bale, Harsh Times delves into the mind of a troubles ex-soldier struggling to make a living and being tempted toward crime Dan King
Film
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Preview
Zero Dark Thirty
A Year In Film: 1960
Director: Katheryn Bigelow • Starring: Jessica Chastain, Mark Strong
1960, the dawn of a new decade brought an exciting prospect to the cinema. 1960 paved the way for the gradual end of the Hollywood system to make way for an era of revolutionary cinema. However, even though 1960 made way for a new generation of films, it still had a little room for a couple of epic classics. The Magnificent Seven, a western remake based on Japanese director, Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai (1954) tells the story of American, gunspinning guys who are hired to protect a village in Mexico. This was, to say the least, the star studded movie of 1960 with a cast including Eli Wallach, Steve McQueen and Charles Bronson. On an even greater magnitude, Stanley Kubrick’s gladiator spectacle Spartacus wowed audiences with its sheer scale. It is difficult to believe when viewing this movie that there is no CGI and for that alone it should most definitely be praised. However, this is not just a film made to massage the male ego and certainly holds much more than endless action scenes. Cue the high pitched stabbing noise. Yes, this was the year of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic Psycho. Whether you’ve seen it or not, the eerie story of a
It seems Kathryn Bigelow is in the habit of breaking records. In 2008 she became the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Director for the astounding The Hurt Locker. Now, four years later, she has surely broken the record for shortest time between an event taking place and a film based on it being released. By the time Zero Dark Thirty hits screens it will have been little over eighteen months since a team of Navy Seals killed Osama bin Laden in what has become a defining moment of the 21st Century. Kudos then to Bigelow and her screenwriter Mark Boal (whom she reunites with from The Hurt Locker) for staying topical. But the truth is Bigelow’s film about the hunt for bin Laden in fact precedes the event itself. Before the dramatic events in Abbottabad, Bigelow was already in the process of making a film about the ten year hunt for the world’s most wanted man. Originally it was presumed to focus on the frustration of those most involved in the hunt and the psychological turmoil that came with it. Much in the way The Hurt Locker wasn’t really about defusing bombs, it was about human trauma, Zero
Dark Thirty would be more about the emotional impact and dedicated nature of those pursuing bin Laden than the manhunt itself. But real life events changed things significantly, with Osama bin Laden now dead the nature of the film shifted considerably. Unparalleled access to classified documents means Zero Dark Thirty looks set to be a fascinating insight into how the CIA finally caught their man. That’s is not to say the film has disregarded the themes of
its original incarnation. With a heavyweight cast, including woman of the moment, Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty will likely be as engaging as a character study on obsession, as it will be one as one of the year’s best thrillers.
Robbie Davidson
young woman who goes to stay in the infamous Bates Motel is timeless that is easily recognised. Psycho not only leaves us with a spine-chilling revelation but also a piece of music which has left its imprint on popular culture. However it was not just Hollywood which was challenging the traditional norms of narrative and aesthetics. The French New Wave, perhaps one of the most influential revolutions in cinematic history brought Jean-Luc Godard’s masterpiece À bout de souffle (Breathless) to the silver screen. Highly acclaimed by many directors including professed admirer Tarantino, À bout de souffle must be appreciated for Godard’s experimental approach to filmmaking. This
classic certainly embodies the ethos of la nouvelle vague auteurs. The sense of this radical change also hit our very own cinematic ground. British cinema got a taste of its own ‘new wave’, releasing Saturday night and Sunday Morning which still holds much critical acclaim. This story of an antihero in working class British society certainly reflects the new values of cinema, creating a realistic insight. 1960 came swinging into the decade with style. Although certainly not by any means the end of Hollywood cinema, 1960 opened the eyes of possibility to cinema big wigs.
Faye Broadbent
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again... CORNERHOUSE Sophie James tells us why we won’t just be singing carols this Christmas
Tis the season to be jolly and what better way than to have a good sing song? There may well be loads of good films out this Christmas, but Tom Hooper’s Les Misérables (out on January 11th) is sure to be the film highlight of the year. Whether you’re proud to admit it or not, we all have a favourite musical and it’s the film industry that we have to thank (or blame) for that. Countless actors have been unable to resist the charms of the musical, stepping up to the microphone to showcase their inner Judie Garlands. From Pierce Brosnan to Alan
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Rickman, Renee Zellweger to Nicole Kidman – they’ve all had a go. Even Marlon Brando proved himself to be a singing sensation, banishing none other than Frank Sinatra from the limelight in Guys and Dolls (was there anything that man couldn’t do?!) All joking aside, this is a prestigious genre. Many musicals have gone on to receive not only great commercial but critical success. Robert Wise’s epic The Sound of Music tackled subjects as varied as nuns misbehaving to the rise of the Nazis and did so with great gusto. Winning five Oscars and being nominated for four more, it also went on to knock Gone With the Wind off the top spot, becoming the highest grossing film to that date. Similar success stories have included Bob Fosse’s Cabaret. Winning eight Oscars, including best actress for the one and only Liza Minelli, this was not a film to be messed with, tackling equally challenging subjects with similar musical ingenuity. Then came Mamma Mia!. Whilst being the most talked about and laughed about (poor Colin!) film in a long time; the film’s celebration of Greece, abs and disco flares, shot Mamma Mia! to super stardom, becoming the most commercially successful film in the UK since Titanic. Yes, Tom Hooper has a lot to live up to, but that doesn’t mean his latest film won’t maintain the musical’s prestigious reputation within the film industry. First off, his choice of musical isn’t bad. Les Misérables has so far been left untouched by directors and filmmakers,
perhaps because it happens to be the longestrunning musical of all time (no pressure then, Hooper!) Not sure you’re familiar with it? Two words: Susan Boyle. But if there’s anyone who’s going to give it a good go it’s Tom Hooper. Being quite the Oscar winner himself, with his last film The King’s Speech winning four Academy Awards back in 2010, the only way has to be up. Teaming up once again with casting director Nina Gold, Hooper has produced a great cast with incredible voices. A-listers such as Amanda Seyfried, Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman, Helena Bonham Carter and Anne Hathaway are acting and singing alongside the likes of Eddie Redmayne and Sacha Baron Cohen to bring the musical adaptation of Victor Hugo’s beautiful and seminal novel to cinematic life. Not wishing to stop there, Hooper has secured this film’s place in cinematic history as being the first musical to have purely live singing performances on the soundtrack. There’ll be no miming or auto tuning in this one – what you see will be what they heard 100 takes later during filming, live on set. This will not only reveal the true singing talents of the cast, but showcase Hooper’s incredible vision as a director. Start spreading the news! There’s a place for Les Misérables somewhere and it’s at next year’s Academy Awards…or perhaps that’s just a dream I dreamed. Sophie James Film Editor
Amour Director: Michael Haneke Michael Haneke has made a name for himself with hopeless, despairing films such as the fourth-wall-breaking torture fest Funny Games (2008) and World War I drama, The White Ribbon (2009). Amour, like The White Ribbon, won the Palme d’Or, in its respective year, and with good reason. Amour is a crushingly bleak but beautiful tale of an elderly Parisian couple and their struggle through their final years. Georges (Jean-Louis Trintignant) and Anne (Emmanuelle Riva) live with a fair amount of comfort and happiness in a Paris apartment until one day Anne suffers a stroke. Georges tries his best to care for the now semi-paralysed and slowly deteriorating Anne, never once complaining about his wife’s tragic situation. Anne begins to show signs of improvement before another stroke leaves her bed-ridden and incomprehensible. Never even allowing the idea of sending her away to a home to enter his mind, Georges is forced to watch as his wife dies slowly in front of him. One may be inclined to think that a film entitled Amour would have some sort of clichéd, sugar-coated “love conquers all” message but Haneke is far too melancholic for that. In fact, Amour feels far more like a horror movie than one could reasonably expect. One particularly effective dream sequence has Georges walking through the eerily waterlogged, dilapidated halls of his apartment building while the camera follows him around blind corners, much like it does for Danny’s tricycle rides in The Shining (1980). Amour effectively shows how terrifying growing old can really be. Andrew Home
THE MASTER (15)
GREAT EXPECTATIONS (12A)
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK (15)
DIRECTOR: MIKE NEWELL
DIRECTOR: DAVID O. RUSSELL
DIRECTOR: PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON
RUNNING TIME: 89 MIN
STARRING: RALPH FIENNES, HELENA BONHAM CARTER
STARRING: BRADLEY COOPER, JENNIFER LAWRENCE
STARRING: PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN, JOAQUIN PHOENIX
SHOWING: 1600, 1820, 2135
RUNNING TIME: 128 MIN
RUNNING TIME: 121 MIN
RUNNING TIME: 143 MIN
SHOWING: 1415, 1715, 2020
SHOWING: 1220, 1505, 1800, 2045
SHOWING: 2135
END OF WATCH (15)
GAMBIT (12A)
DIRECTOR: DAVID AYER
DIRECTOR: MICHAEL HOFFMAN
STARRING: JAKE GYLLENHAAL, MICHAEL PENA
STARRING: COLIN FIRTH, ALAN RICKMAN, CAMERON DIAZ
RUNNING TIME: 109 MIN SHOWING: 1310, 1545, 1820, 2055
ISSUE 11/ 3RD DECEMBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Gráinne Morrison turns to more serious matters...
Vacuous, pointless and shallow: all words often used in regards to the fashion industry. It’s no secret that fashion, and those associated with it, are looked on with derision. It is a fast-paced, ever-growing sector that plays a pivotal role in the world of celebrity, politics and music; but this elusive business is treated with condescension by unenlightened cynics. Yet the fashion industry accounts for over £35 billion of the UK’s economy each year, London fashion week generates at least £100 million in orders year on year and the industry provides 2.8% of British jobs: what’s so vacuous about that? In the eyes of the converted, fashion and intellect are inextricably linked; the designing of clothes does not merely consist of doodling: it entails a sense of architecture; knowledge of fabrics; an understanding of the human form and the ability to meet the demands of both mass and niche markets. Those who label fashion as shallow are guiltier of taking themselves too seriously than those who accept its invaluable role in everyday life. To dislike fashion is a personal choice; to disregard it is an
ignorant one. It’s an irrefutable fact that in the current period of economic downturn, the fashion industry remains crucial to recovery. This year saw fashion chain ASOS’s sales grow by 15%, a clear indicator of the industry’s strong role in business. Vanessa Friedman, fashion editor for The Financial Times, has said that “the size of the fashion industry has made it a natural subject” for the predominantly business-focused publication. The fact that such a respected broadsheet takes fashion seriously further validates its relevance in the world of finance. So why does this not suffice in response to those who dismiss fashion? The idea of fashion is at times daunting for those who don’t ‘get’ it. It isn’t an exclusive club for the wellpaid and well-dressed; like it or not, fashion is a part of our everyday lives. To dub it as vain is more of a defence mechanism than an offence, and it’s not very effective. Of course as an industry it can be sexist, racist, all forms of controversial- it can even be ugly; this doesn’t make it any less valuable as an economic commodity. And unless you’re a naturist (which I assume isn’t very popular in Manchester), it’s an industry you have bought, and will continue to buy, into. This trend (excuse the pun) of putting down fashion as an irrelevant past-time of naive consumerists is similar to the sequinned hotpant: it had its time, but we’re over it now. Anyone who wants to refute my claims can find me in the SU reading the FT, but I won’t be looking at the ftsethere are more pertinent issues to address in the Style section.
Fashion as Self-Expression Damilola Ade-Odiachi and Gráinne Morrison on the importance of appearances.
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TOP
This week: What is the point of Fashion? Fiscal Fashion
Fashion Films 1) Clueless - 1995 The 1995 hit sensation Clueless embodies everything we love about the ’90s. From miniskirts to knee high socks, Cher and Dionne quickly became fashion icons for teenage girls everywhere. Seeing the current return of ’90s trends it we will remember to pay homage to the film that started it all.
The Changing Face of Fashion The infiltration of the ‘celebrity’ into the fashion industry is not necessarily a bad thing, argues Chloe Letcher... Celebrity collaborations within the fashion industry have become increasingly prominent. The last decade in particular has seen a significant shift in the face of fashion. The high fashion model, well regarded within fashion circles, but otherwise often nameless to the general public, has been replaced with a known face or a household name in the form of a celebrity. The extent to which fashion and celebrities have become intertwined becomes incredibly clear by simply considering the many examples of celebrity fashion lines: David Beckham for H&M, Kelly Brook for New Look, Cheryl Cole for Stylist Pick, Pixie Lott for Lipsy, and most recently the Kardashians for Dorothy Perkins. These examples hardly even touch the surface of an industry that has witnessed celebrity and fashion become dependant on each other. However, this surely begs the question: why are celebrity fashion lines becoming so ever-increasingly popular?
2) Breakfast at Tiffany’s- 1961 Nobody demonstrates the significance of the LBD better than Holly Golightly in the 1961 classic Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Designed by Hubert de Givenchy, the beautifully effective simple cuts and lines of Hepburn’s dresses are reinvented in every scene through the use of tiaras and chunky pearl necklaces. The film is a masterclass on the importance of accessories.
3) Factory Girl- 2006 Epitomising signature styles of the 1960s, Edie Sedgwick, may only have had ’15 minutes of fame’ but in the words of Dior’s Galliano ‘her style and image influenced a whole generation.’ Her pixie cut introduced us to the world of androgyny in a decade of liberation of women.
Psychology offers some scientific reasoning behind this question. According to the Hovland and Yale model of advertising, an advert is more likely to be successful in selling products if the person attempting to persuade the audience is an attractive celebrity. This model takes into account how the target audience have a desire to emulate and imitate celebrities in any way, meaning that an audience is likely to buy a product in the hope that it will make them like the celebrity promoting it. This view presents the fashion industry as operating in an ongoing cycle of exposure, attention, recall and PR coverage; all of which it achieves through the celebrity which it uses to front its brand. Yet surely such a view also suggests that the fashion industry, and celebrity fashion lines, are also opportunistic, and often exploitative? The Mail Online writer, Liz Jones, surely seems to think so. Jones comments on the ‘cynical greed of celebrity fashion lines’, and how ‘the number of celebrity ranges has mushroomed alarmingly of late as High Street stores clamour desperately to lure customers into parting with their cash’. Although it would be silly to suggest that there is no element of greed in celebrity fashion lines (in particular, she refers to the newly released Kardashian Kollection for Dorothy Perkins) there is also something slightly reductionist in her article. Call me naïve, but I find it highly uncomfortable to think that I am simply a victim of consumerism, conditioned by adverts which tell me I “need” a certain item of clothing, and beckoned into a store because I’ve
Editors’ Question: What does Fashion mean to you? “Fashion means diversity, variety and creativity.” – Nuala ”People spending too much money for a name that doesn’t exactly mean quality.” – Stefan
4) The Artist- 2011
Pour Femme: No matter who you are, what you wear says something about you. The colour, the brand, the fabric, the fit: they all indicate a choice, subconscious or otherwise. Oxford Road is a hub for female students trying to express themselves as free thinking individuals (often through a variation of khaki, disco pants and ombre hair); yet we still often underestimate the power of style and the influence it has on how we are perceived. One can express a daring side through a shade of lipstick, a penchant for the finer things in life through a cashmere scarf or an I-honestly-couldn’t-care-less attitude through conveniently ripped tights (suspicious). The most important decision of your day can sometimes be how you will dress. Even if you wear the most nondescript ensemble you own, you’re still making a statement (albeit a less interesting one). Of course there is many a morning that I depend on my fail-safe choice of leggings and an oversized top, but there are others on which I wake ready to face the world head on, these are the days bold colours and dangerous jewellery were made for. A unique fashion sense is revered not frowned upon. Take heed from women such as Daphne Guinness or Iris Apfel, who aren’t afraid to convey their out-there personalities through their various ensembles. Make the most of yourself, if you want to wear a floral tea dress with men’s shoes because that defines your contradictory nature: go for it. Even if it’s just accessorising, take the opportunity to express yourself amongst the masses. So perhaps Lady Gaga’s meat dress isn’t appropriate for a 9am seminar, but you get the idea. They say it’s what is on the inside that matters, but when your exterior can match, it would be selfish not to share.
Pour homme: Over the last century, the rules governing male style and dress have slackened considerably. Society permits us to wear things that our forefathers would have found completely scandalous. For example, earlier this year Marc Jacobs wore a rather masculine lace dress by Commes des Garcons to the Costume Institute Gala held at the Metropolitan Museum. In the current times the possibilities for self expression are limitless. It would be lovely to pretend that outward appearances didn’t matter and that every one had the time, the patience and the willingness to get to know you. However this isn’t the case. The clothes you wear act as a beacon. They not only tell world how you perceive yourself but also how we as members of society should perceive you. The clothes do not make the man but they tell us volumes about him. It is no great achievement to infer that a man who changes his style as the fashions change is image conscious and may have confidence issues. Just as the man who ignores all good sense when it comes to clothes will be praised for his confidence and his stance against society. Consciously or subconsciously we express the fundamental parts of our personalities through the items with which we clothe ourselves. You must wear the clothes that you feel most confident in all the time whether they are in style or not. As Polonius says to Laertes in Hamlet, ‘To thine own self be true.’ However there is something to be said for expressing yourself in more conventional items of clothing. You don’t have to wear a tie-dye t-shirt and a flowery head band to let everyone know that you’re all for world peace. A t-shirt with the word peace inscribed on it will probably do the trick.
No words are needed to compliment the dazzling designs of the 1920s costumes in this silent film. Costume designer Mark Bridges cleverly plays with the black-andwhite motif showing us that cut can be more important than colour. The film leaves us pining to be able to pull off the cloche hat as perfectly as Bérénice Bejolt.
5) The Devil Wears Prada- 2006 The clue is in the title, this film lets us into the cut-throat world of the fashion industry – and makes us long for it even more! With an outrageous amount of 1 million dollars spent on costumes alone, the film exhibits how the right clothes can transform you from a frump to a fashionista.
Lizzie Pugh and Susie Coen
“Fashion in England? To me that means wearing way weird clothes and not washing your hair but twice a week.” - Katy “Fashion is an expression of oneself, a way to signify who you are, where you come from and what you believe in.” - Matthew “Have you seen me? Not a lot…” – Mike “It is a way of communicating who you are and if you are having a bad day, it can help turn things around.” – Dana “It gives you confidence to approach everyday challenges” – Zara “It means that I can convey a different look every single day. It is never boring and it is something everyone has to partake in, whether they like it or not.” - Charlie “It means people respect me because I look good.” – Candice “Fashion is a pretentious fallacy that I don’t care about, I’d rather wear
comfortable clothes than those that would impress other people.” – Joshua
Street Style
Photo: Melissa Malala
(Left) Name: Huyen Le
(Right) Name: Sheridan Hampson
Spotted: GB Mag event at Selfridges
Occupation: Fashion student at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Occupation: Fashion student at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Unless, of course, you’re dealing with the big dogs. We’re talking designer stuff – because, of course, every major fashion brand in the world now has an accompanying beauty and/or fragrance line, so you can not only wear the underwear, shoes, accessories, outfit – and one for your pet Chihuahua of course – but you can also smell like the brand, and yes, your lips are wearing the brand’s autumn/winter colour. This, dear readers, is extreme consumerism – not even Marx himself could have predicted humankind’s desire not only to own mass-produced, heavily-advertised branded products but to be the brand itself. To put it in more localised student terms, for those of you who are not of the Chanel Rouge disposition: how many of you have iPhones, iPods and Mac Books? Repeat after me: ‘Be the Apple, you are the Apple…’ Yes, the beauty industry is the cherry atop a very profitable cake for most brands these days, but it’s currently L’Oréal who is the main player in the beauty industry. From New York yummy-mummy favourites Kiehl’s to a perhaps more accessible (ie. stocked in Boots) Garnier, L’Oréal owns, either entirely or a portion of, a staggering number of international beauty brands. Of course, like any multi-billion dollar industry it’s had it’s fair share of scandal: animal testing continues to haunt the company, and it’s founder, Eugène Schueller, was said to be a Nazi-sympathizer, but like other multi-billion dollar industries these facts do not seem to massively damage its reputation or its stake in what we put on our faces.
“Fashion is a snapshot of what you like or how you feel at a particular time, because of its ever-changing state and the way in which we choose certain looks over others.” – Emma
“Fashion is a masquerade and nothing is better than dressing up.” - Jamie
The Business of Beauty
Jessica Cusack on the economics of it all.
“Fashion is to impress the boys.” – Wanda
“Well, if i really dont like what I’m wearing then I’m not having a good day. Fashion can determine my mood.” – Romana
Beauty
been hypnotised by the latest celebrity staring at me from an enormous billboard. What Jones fails to take into account is why there is such a big space in the market for celebrity fashion lines, a question which cannot simply be put down to the greed of tycoons like Sir Philip Green. Green evidently recognises how celebrities have become a cultural phenomena within fashion, in that they act as the middle man (or woman) between the customer and the enormous Empire that is the fashion industry. Take the Kardashian Kollection; the sisters perhaps do not go to the lengths that ‘proper designers do’ as Jones criticises them for, but they have never claimed to be designers. What they and other celebrity fashion lines do offer is a degree of attainability. The Kardashian sisters are feminine, curvy, hardworking, savvy, and it goes without saying, glamorous and impeccably well-groomed. Their fashion line for Dorothy Perkins reflects how female fashion choices are becoming influenced by figures like Kim who, at 5’3 and with a famously large derrier, is slightly more ‘real’ than the 5’11 high fashion model, whose never ending limbs and perfectly airbrushed body is often unattainable for the vast majority of people. What we are seeing with celebrity ranges is a more representative face within the fashion industry. Consider a programme like The Only Way is Essex. The show is a prime example of how reality television stars are also becoming significant in influencing fashion. Many of the cast members such as Billie and Sam Faiers, Lydia Bright, Jess Wright and Amy Childs, have opened their own boutiques. Similarly, some have also brought out fashion lines because of the show, such as Amy Childs for Lipsy, and Lauren Goodger for New Look. Although the never ending list of merchandise (perfume, autobiographies, eyelash ranges) can sometimes become tedious, the Towie girls have made “Essex style” popular in its own right, and along with sequins and towering heels, have brought an affordable glamour to the High Street. Not every celebrity fashion line will appeal to every single person, in fact some are rather questionable, for example I wouldn’t rush to Lipsy to buy one of Amy Childs’ dresses, as our taste in fashion differs and her collaboration simply doesn’t compliment my own style. However, celebrity fashion lines are a good thing. We need celebrities, whether they are actresses, singers, reality television stars, or presenters, who come from different walks of life (rather than just the path of the You might be mistaken for overlooking the beauty industry runway) to bring variation to the fashion industry. Aspiring to a certain look because of a certain celebrity encourages people to push boundaries and try in favour of the fashion industry. Indeed, the beauty pages of something new. Yes, the face of fashion is changing- but that isn’t a bad thing. a publication are far more likely to be fewer in number and often relegated to the latter section of the magazine or newspaper, unless it’s a publication which deals with beauty specifically. But the cold hard facts tell a different story. In the wake of the financial crisis, consumers may not always buy new clothes but fresh shampoo/conditioner/moisturiser are staples which are unquestionably chucked into the shopping trolley. Not to mention the fact that the estimated life-time spend on beauty products is over £40,000 for the average woman in the UK: buying things like a new mascara, hair serum or lipstick requires very little thought as you chuck them into your basket at Sainsbury’s, unlike clothes which usually take more careful consideration.
“Fashion is feeling good about yourself, taking inspiration from places and people and putting them together to make something that is your own, something that you are proud of and enjoyed creating.” – Emma
“Fashion to me means feeling good and wearing clothes I love, having fun with how I dress and not taking it all too seriously.” – Chessie
Fashion
17
Wearing: All by Topshop.
Wearing: Skirt and shirt by Topshop, jacket by Firetrap jacket and shoes by Jaeger.
Favourite Trend: Something girly, my go-to outfit is a skirt and blouse.
Style Icon: Demi Lovato for her rock edge.
With the staggering popularity of beauty blogs and videoed beauty tutorials, beauty writers are becoming as eminent as their fashion counterparts, and as they are, in my opinion, dealing with an altogether more forgiving industry it’s not difficult to see why: you don’t have to be 5’10” with measurements of 32-24-34 to feel truly involved in the beauty world. While we should definitely be cynical of companies such as L’Oréal, especially as beauty products are becoming increasingly scientific, it’s good to be aware of who is in control of the products which adorn our dressing table, and to understand that, like everything, beauty has a serious business side.
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Music
ISSUE 11/ 3rd DECEMBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Interview
Feature
The race for Christmas number one Adam Selby As the tinsel begins to come out and the first doors on advent calendars across the country are opened – not forgetting that list of forgotten family friends who you still write a card to, despite not seeing them for years – it can only mean one thing; Christmas is well and truly on its way. And with the festive season comes the annual race to see who can take the coveted Christmas Number 1 spot in the singles charts. But is it still the serious contest that it once was, or do we really care who tops the charts this Yuletide? Plenty has changed in terms of the race for the number one spot, as compared to the past. Firstly, if you turn the clocks back thirty years or so, the build up, the waiting and the anticipation for which song would make it to the top put this announcement on a par with the Queen’s speech, in terms of importance on Christmas Day. Artists rallied hard on limited resources to promote their song and push it to number one purely for the prestige and honour of being the nation’s favourite song, not solely for the money and publicity it would provide them, as is the case with many artists in this day and age. However, 2012 proves significant in the context of the battle to chart success at Christmas, marking the end of a decade which has seen a reality television revolution, led by the grinch himself, Mr. Simon Cowell. Since 2002, six out of the last ten Christmas number ones have been held by the winner of Cowell’s competitions (seven
5 SONGS IN THE FIELD OF... Christmas George Bailey
if you count Little Mix’s attempt in 2011 until they were replaced, later on Christmas Day, by The Military Wives). It was a period of musical ennui that continued unbroken until 2009 saw the successful Facebook campaign that placed the decidedlyunfestive Rage Against the Machine top of the heap. Yet even before the days of The X Factor and Pop Idol, there was an ongoing change in trend as to what the Great British public went out and bought during the eighties and nineties. We seemed to wave goodbye to any future possibility of a festive number one, and in the process we glorified the highly dubious likes of Mr Blobby, Bob The Builder and Brian Harvey’s four piece East 17. Early rumours have suggested that The X Factor are set to bow out of the traditional battle for the Christmas number one, after what has been a disappointing series for Cowell and co. The Hillsborough justice campaign’s charity effort and Girls Aloud’s comeback track are both contenders, but the odds-on favourite this year hints at a long-sought return to tradition – the twenty-fifth anniversary re-release of The Pogues’ ‘Fairytale of New York’, which, poignonantly, could top the festive charts less than a week aftre the twelfth anniversary of Kirsty MacColl’s death. If the evergreen Irish rockers can pull it off, it’d make for a refreshing move away from charity songs and reality show releases, and back towards a bit of festive convention – it can only be a good thing.
Tim Westwood The Mancunion chats to the ‘Big Dawg’ about his recent ‘Europe DJ of the Year’ award and who to look out for in 2013 Lydia Paver Tim Westwood; often considered somewhat of a ‘marmite’ personality, some adore him, others loathe. It just so happens that I adore him. Regardless of varying opinions, the 54 year old DJ from Lowestoft’s role in the UK Urban scene cannot be disputed. Westwood’s love for American Hip-Hop and promotion of home-grown British talent have graced (if you like) the airways of BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra for over 20 years, and earned him huge support from Hip-Hop royalty such as Jay-Z, Eminem and 50 Cent. Despite constant criticism, even from David Cameron (who accuses Westwood of promoting gun violence), alongside the removal of his drive-time spot on BBC 1Xtra earlier this year, The ‘Big Dawg’ is as cheerful and positive as ever, insisting that “life is brilliant, life is blessed.” One reason for such optimism may be a recent edition to his plethora of awards, which includes three MOBO’s, three Sony awards and a Pure Music Award for his ‘Outstanding Contribution to Music Radio’. Westwood defeated the likes of Armin van Buuren, Paul van Dyk and Jamie Jones in securing U.S. Global Spins’ ‘Europe DJ of the Year’ award. “The success has been crazy. I couldn’t even attend the awards ceremony in New York City because of my even more “crazy” work schedule. His latest album mix Hardest In The Game, Legends Live Foreva, which is available for download on SoundCloud, iTunes and the 1Xtra website, complies the biggest Hip-Hop anthems right now from artists such as Young Money, Waka Floka Flame, 2 Chainz, MMG, Kendrick Lamar and The Weeknd. The mix really does sum up a Westwood party- HipHop and R&B mixed with Afro-Beats and Bashment. As The Big Dawg himself claims, “there ain’t no party like a Westwood party...
1. The Pretenders - 2000 Miles
2. The Darkness Christmas Time
A yuletide number that really warms the cockles of your heart, while at the same time making The Proclaimers’ ‘500 miles’ look less of a trek and more of a brief walk to the shops. I wouldn’t recommend walking 2000 miles for your loved ones though, Christmas or not, unless you want heavily-blistered feet.
Truly a modern-day holiday classic. It’s got everything: joyous lyrics, a catchy chorus, a children’s choir, and a bona fide, kick-ass… err, guitar solo. Now that’s how you write a christmas song. Justin Hawkins’ falsetto is so damn good you could listen to this tongue-in-cheek tune all year round.
There ain’t no party like a Westwood party...baby baby”. In terms of 2012’s best albums, Westwood found difficulty in selecting one, or even two, of his favourites. He eventually selects both 2Chainz’s Based on a T.R.U. Story, and Dreams and Nightmares by Philadelphia’s Meek Mill as the two hottest albums of this year. “Nicki Minaj’s Roman Reloaded Re-Up and Rick Ross’ God Forgives, I Don’t can’t be forgotten either. I’ve also been digging Waka Flocka Flame’s album, Triple F Life: Friends, Fans and Family, recently.” Speaking of the hip-hop talent of the moment, Kendrick Lamar, Westwood says there’s “an enormous buzz in the West Coast. He is one of the most spoken about artists to have come outta LA”. He describes the Compton born-and-raised rapper as “an incredible artist”, which, needless to say, is
proven throughout his debut album good kid m.A.A.d city which sold 241,000 copies in its first week alone, putting him at number two on the Billboard’s Top 200 Albums Chart. As for the UK Music scene, Westwood explains that there’s “a lot of good things out there, grime artist J Spades is definitely one to watch out for 2013. Another UK MC, Giggs, whose upcoming album’s release has been pushed back, is also a favourite of Westwood’s, who insists Giggs’ album, once released, is “going to come with some heat”. As for American artists, The Big Dawg views the current popular hip-hop stars as only to get bigger this coming year, describing Maybach’s Meek Mill and G.O.O.D. Music’s 2Chainz as “crazy beyond belief” and Detroit’s Big Sean as “on fire”. “A good year ahead” is predicted for the Hip-Hop and UK Grime music scene. Having played Sankeys on a regular basis over the past decade, the last time being just a few weeks ago, Westwood is already looking forward to his return to Manchester’s “excellent party scene” on the 14th of December, when he will be hosting Sankeys’ End of Term Party. The good news for all you lovely ladies out there is that tickets are £7 for males on the door, but entry for females is free all night. If you haven’t already had the pleasure then there is no excuse not to come and experience the effect that Westwood has on crowds of people. As Snoop Dogg puts it; “You can’t be in the Kingdom and not see the Prince”.
Westwood plays at Sankeys on the 14th December. Advance tickets are still available for £7 from www.sankeys.com, but it’s free on the door if you’re lucky enough to have a vagina.
3.Bing Crosby & David Bowie - Peace on Earth/ Little Drummer Boy
4. The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale of New York
5. Wonderful Dream (Holidays Are Coming) Melanie Thornton
A wonderful song by the great Bing Crosby and post-Ziggy Bowie. Listen to it once and you’ll be “pa-rum-pum-pum-pum”-ing all the way to Christmas day. Just spare yourself the horror and avoid the cringe-worthy video, where Bowie asks Bing if he’s “the new butler”. Talk about respecting your elders.
I don’t care how obvious a choice it is, it just isn’t Christmas without hearing Shane MacGowan’s Irish slur about alcoholism and drugs. Any festive song with the words “slut”, “scumbag”, “maggot” and “happy christmas your arse” is a good one in my book. T’is indeed the season to be jolly.
Better known as “that song from the Coke advert”, it’s as big a part of christmas as watching Home Alone or unwrapping a hideous jumper from your aunt. The track itself isn’t anything spectacular, but if you can think of a song that better conjures up the giddy christmas excitement, well, I’ll buy you a coke.
Music
ISSUE 11 / 3rd DECEMBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
19
Best Of 2012
The Mancunion’s Best Albums of 2012 You know Christmas is on the way when every website, blog and magazine around is forcing their opinions on the year’s best records on you, and we’re no different here at The Mancunion, so we re-listened and pored over a plethora of albums before a poll of our contributors threw together the following top ten - an eclectic mixof rock, pop. hip hop and elecronic music that’s been dominating our playlists all year long.
10) The Gaslight Anthem - Handwritten The Gaslight Anthem’s fourth full length album Handwritten, sees the bands harp back to a more familiar punk sound, reminiscent of the acclaimed ’59 sound, but with an extra shot of Springsteen for good measure. The album is a letter to the listener, dealing with love, loss and general teenage angst that affects us all. However, its Brian Fallon’s honesty and sincerity that turns a somewhat clichéd story into a compelling one. The Gaslight Anthem are yet to really make it on the big stage, but it can only be a matter of time before everyone realises that these guys should be headlining festivals all over the world! Tom Ingham
Honourable mentions (20-11) 20) Jake Bugg - Jake Bugg 19) Mystery Jets - Radlands 18) Chromatics - Kill for Love 17) DIIV - Oshin 16) David Byrne & St. Vincent - Love This Giant 15) Grim,es - Visions 14) The xx - Coexist 13) Architects - Daybreaker 12) Blood Red Shoes - In Time to Voices 11) Tame Impala - Lonerism
9) Flying Lotus - Until the Quiet Comes
8) The Shins - Port of Morrow
Stephen Ellison, aka Fly Lo, is a beat-maker whose adventurous productions definitely veer off the beaten track. Following on from 2010’s Cosmogramma, his penchant for extravagantly textured soundscapes has not lessened in the slightest. Vocal help is on hand from the likes of Thom Yorke, Erykah Badu and Niki Randa, whose excessively delayed voices add to the ethereal feel that exists throughout Until the Quiet Comes. He somehow manages to meld together flecks of jazz, hip hop, glitch, and dance music in order to craft a record that now sits at the very forefront of nightmarish downtempo music. DanJones
7) Frank Ocean - Channel Orange
You’d have been forgiven for thinking this record wouldn’t come to pass, but the end result of James Mercer’s extensive five-year reconstruction of The Shins provides compelling evidence that his hiring-and-firing was justified. The signature Mercer marriage of irresistible melodies and achingly gorgeous lyricism appears as strong as ever; ‘The Rifle’s Spiral’ and ‘Simple Song’ are marvellously crafted pop stompers, with the funk jam of ‘No Way Down’ providing a change of pace. ‘September’ and ‘For a Fool’, both beautifully wistful, vie for the title of this record’s ‘New Slang’. If lineup changes and collaboration are what Mercer needs to flourish, then so be it; Port of Morrow is another masterwork from one of the great modern American songwriters. Joe Goggins
Mere weeks prior to the release of Channel Orange Frank Ocean openly revealed his bisexuality, an exceptionally brave act even in 2012 within the masculine genre. Cynics condemned this as a publicity stunt, butChannel Orange demonstrates Ocean’s music is all he needs for recognition. The range displayed on the album is stunning. ‘Thinkin Bout You’ is a beautiful, soulful expression of unrequited love, whilst ‘Super Rich Kids’ satirises the shallowness of LA’s young elite. ‘Pyramids’ alone is a 9 minute genreskipping, subject-jumping epic in which Ocean seamlessly flows between tales of Egyptian princesses and Vegas strippers. Channel Orange is a pioneering, potentially seminal work of art. Patrick Hinton
5) The Cribs - In the Belly of the Brazen Bull
6) Actress - R.I.P. Never one to stand still, the third album from Darren Cunningham – better known as Actress – is comfortably his most daring and compelling yet. The follow-up to 2010’s critically acclaimed ‘Splazsh’, ‘R.I.P.’ flawlessly fuses house, IDM and techno to create an album which becomes more rewarding upon each listen. It’s a bold step away from his previous work with traditional 4/4 beats foregone in favour of a more minimalist ambient approach. You may not hear this one much in the clubs but that doesn’t stop it being the best electronic release of the year. - even surpassing the formidable competition of Flying Lotus in our poll. Matt Gibney
4) Lana Del Rey - Born to Die
Shorn of former Smiths man Johnny Marr and diverted away from the formulaic avenue he appeared to be steering them into, The Cribs returned to their three-piece, basement roots to produce Brazen Bull, a record as gaudy and delightfully overblown as its title. Like a paean to all their biggest 90s influences, the record combines Pinkerton era-Weezer (‘Come On, Be a No One’, ‘Jaded Youth’) with spiky, Pavement-esque guitars on ‘Pure O’ and the stormy, feedback-drenched ‘Back to the Bolthole’. Its crowning achievement though, is the four-part rock opera to close - a sharp reminder of the ambition of a band too often written off as just another indie rock outfit. Joe Goggins
To say it’s been quite a year for Lana Del Rey would be an understatement. Her debut single ‘Video Games’ rocketed up the charts 12 months ago, and one year on, her debut album Born to Die has done the same - putting her firmly on the map as one of the biggest names in modern day music. Her sudden rise to fame is largely thanks to this very album, with singles such as ‘Born to Die’ and ‘National Anthem’ receiving widespread acclaim, whilst the beautifully written tracks ‘Without You’ and ‘Summertime Sadness’, amongst others, lend some credence to the enormous levels of hype that seem to have surrounded her since day one. Adam Selby
3) First Aid Kit - The Lion’s Roar There’s something unique about the way that siblings sing together. It might be that growing up together makes them more sensitive to each other’s voices but family bands like the Staves just seem capable of creating harmonies in a way that others can’t. Swedish sisters Johanna and Klara Söderberg only serve to prove this. A record that belies their young age, The Lion’s Roar is full of pain, longing and beauty. From the heartbreaking ‘To A Poet’ to the raucous ‘King of the World’ the record beautifully exhibits their talent and they’ve harnessed that unique family bond to create one of the most stunning records of 2012. Rachel Bolland
2) Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d. city
Discussions surrounding hip-hop are almost always as compulsively obsessed with judging “where the genre is going” as they are with the quality of work itself. Such commentary can have an alarming self-fulfilling effect and might be seen to have culminated in a branching off into internet gimmicks and drudging anti rap. Not so with good kid, m.A.A.d city. Lamar fuses together the narrative and autobiographical with the figurative, illustrating a life concerned with and by image, fame and family. Lamar’s greatest achievement is honesty, a trait in short supply amongst the posturing that infuses the genre. A must listen album. Jack Armstrong
1) Alt-J - An Awesome Wave NCambridgeshire-based quartet Alt-J have had far from a quiet year after being swept along by the phenomenal reception of their debut album An Awesome Wave, and now they’ve scooped their biggest prize yet - top spot in The Mancunion’s end-of-year poll. To try and define the trademarked Alt-J sound would be futile. In fact, it would be trickier to pick out a style of music that doesn’t make an appearance on An Awesome Wave. Trip-hop beats fused with indie-rock idiosyncrasy and heavy synth riffs combined with folk harmonies make it near enough impossible to put Alt-J under a specific umbrella. In theory, a combination of so many musical atmospheres played all at once should probably produce the aural equivalent of seasickness.
However, this is not the case. Sewn together by frontman Joe Newman’s reverb-fuelled lead vocal, each style seamlessly floats into the next to create a sound so refreshing it almost washes over you. From the soothing acoustic melodies of ‘Matilda’ and ‘Something Good’ or the inconceivably slick sounds featured on ‘Tessellate’ and ‘Fitzpleasure’, there’s almost something there for everybody. Perhaps it was this universally-relatable style that gave An Awesome Wave the edge over competitors to be take the prestigious 2012 British Barclaycard Mercury Prize, following in the footsteps of previous winners The XX, Arctic Monkeys and Primal Scream, perhaps not. In any case, the innovation displayed in An Awesome Wave gives us a lot to be excited about in 2013. Joe Doherty
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Music
ISSUE 11/3rd NOVEMBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Live
AlunaGeorge Deaf Institute - 21st November 2012
Jessica Cusack I was unsure of what to expect upon arriving at the Deaf Institute to see AlunaGeorge perform the Manchester leg of their first tour. The warmup by a DJ named S-Type – who I would seriously recommend – set the tone for the sounds on display for the evening: electronic-pop infused R&B. Visually, Aluna Francis and George Reid tick all the boxes and it’s easy to see why their videos have a slightly fashion-y edge. As the rather stunning female vocalist, Aluna naturally took centre stage, accompanied by her mile-long legs and grinding dance moves, while George stood at his decks to her right, pulling some pretty slick moves himself and providing the shimmering beats beneath the sweetly squeaky vocals.
8/10
Entertaining a crowd of already die-hard fans (including one guy who thought he was Aluna) meant that there were whoops of glee at the start of every song, but the duo still impressed those of us who didn’t know their music inside out. Their famous track ‘You Know You Like It’ was met with expected joy, while the infectiously catchy hook of ‘Your Drums, Your Love’ was sung out from the crowd louder than it was on stage. They entertained us with an unexpected version of Montell Jordan’s ‘This is How We Do It’, which forced those at the back who weren’t already dancing to get on their feet, while my absolute favourite XX-esque ‘Watching Over You’ added a more melancholic edge to an otherwise high-energy set. The changes in tempo may have provided a stumbling block for many artists, but in this instance they were expertly managed. AlunaGeorge are, if predictions are correct, set to be one of the best emerging talents of 2012, and judging by this gig it’s not hard to see why their fun, accessible and most importantly unpretentious take on electro-pop would be rejected by a larger audience. The fusion of George’s tight production and Aluna’s infectious vocal hooks will undoubtedly enable the duo to exert mass appeal over the next year or two.. The only selfishly indulgent downside to this inevitable popularity is the ticket prices for their next live show will be much more that the seven quid I paid in this instance.
www.manchesteracademy.net Live Music and Clubs at the University of Manchester Students’ Union
December 2012
9/10
Stooshe + Tich Thursday 13th December - £12.50
The Doors Alive
Action Bronson + Juicy DJ’s
Saturday 1st December - £10
Friday 14th December - £12.50
The Lancashire Hotpots
The Hives
Saturday 1st December - £12
Saturday 15th December - £17.50
Rodriguez Sunday 2nd December - £17.50
Jessie Rose + The Naughtys + The Minx + Chaddy
Evan Dando & Juliana Hatfield
Molotov Jukebox + Nimmo and the
Sunday 2nd December - £15
Mosh pits were the rule for all the other songs. But fortunately for the people on the seats, the Vaccines’s also the kind of band that you can enjoy quietly. The pit was full of teenagers wearing Vaccines t-shirts. “Wow there’s a shitload of people” acknowledged lead singer, Justin Young. It was, indeed, really packed. Manchester’s Apollo may be pretty ugly but it is the perfect size for this kind of band. Because you might not exactly think so when you listen to their sad introspective songs but these guys are stadium material. No matter how loud Justin Young sings “I’m no teenage icon”, he just keeps on proving himself otherwise.
Saturday 15th December - £8
Guantletts + The Roughneck Riot
Glasvegas
Saturday 15th December - £10
Sunday 2nd December - £14.50
Stereophonics
Dappy
Sunday 16th December -£32.50 RESCHEDULED Original tickets remain valid
SOLD OUT
Atonement Fest 2012 Sunday 16th December - £10
RESCHEDULED Original tickets remain valid
Monday 3rd December - £10
Ellie Goulding
Yeasayer
Monday 17th December - £22.50
Monday 3rd December - £15
Parokya Ni Edgar & Gloc-9
Red Fang + El Caco
Thursday 20th December - £25
Tuesday 4th December - £10
Waka Flocka Flame
Thunder CANCELLED
Thursday 6th December - £25
Melissa Blanche
Thursday 13th December - £17.50
Saturday 1st December - £15
Needtobreathe
Apollo - 21st November 2012
It Bites
Therapy? + Hawk Eyes + Lafaro
Monday 3rd December - £15
The Vaccines You know you’re gonna have a great night when you’re surrounded by hundreds of sweaty people, guys shouting “let’s go fucking mental” and Mancunians singing “oh Manchester is wonderful”, before the concert has even started. And yes, they did go fucking mental, and yes, it was a great night. But it was a long wait before the Vaccines actually came on stage, on this 21st of November at the Apollo. No less than three supporting bands to keep us waiting. First, a synth and guitar duo called Pale. Quite nice. Then a girls grunge and bluesy duo, on drums and guitar, called Deep Valley. Pretty uninteresting. That brings us to DIIV’s very hectic set. You know the concert won’t be boring when you already have to fight for your life during the supporting act. I’m not sure if people really loved the band or were just getting mega excited as the time for the Vaccines concert was getting closer. In any case, DIIV, and their dark/rock/shoegaze/highly instrumental music, definitely deserved such enthusiasm. So by the time the Vaccines finally arrived on stage, at 9:45, the audience was fully warmed up. They played half songs from their new album Come of Age and half songs from their first one. You might think both albums are totally unoriginal but you could hardly say they’re crap. At least they sure can make people jump. ‘Wetsuit’ was the biggest success. People didn’t seem too sure whether to wave, jump, sing or shout so they just ended up doing all of these things at once.
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God Is An Astronaut Thursday 6th December - £12.50
Friday 21st December & Saturday 22nd December - £30 (1xCD with every ticket purchased
January 2012
Electric Six
The Sword
Thursday 6th December - £12.50
Tuesday 8th January - £10
Stolen Peace The ‘Devil Hammer’ single Launch Party + The Logicals + F.I.G.M.O + Ruby Tuesday
Early Mojo + Glory For An Idol + During December + Half VI
Friday 7th December - £6
Rancid Friday 7th December - £20
The Glitter Band Saturday 8th December - £14
The Stones Saturday 8th Dec - £10
Katatonia Tuesday 11th December - £14
The Rasmus Thursday 13th December - £12
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Friday 11th January - £6
No Hot Ashes + Big False Assembly + Seize The Chance + Nova Saturday 12th Jan - £6
Danny & Ben from Thunder Thursday 17th January - £18.50
Passenger + Stu Larsen Thurs 17th January - £9
Manchester Academy Heavy Rock & Metal Festival feat.
Madison State + Severenth + Candid Iniquity + Collibus + Sercrusis + Another Dead Hero + Giants Of The West + Aftermath Eternal Friday 18th January - £6
FOR FULL LISTINGS PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE
Books
ISSUE 11/ 3rd DECEMBER 2012 WWw.MANCUNION.COM
Book Club special: Best books of 2012
Top 5 Books you wouldn’t want to be seen reading on a Magic Bus
Check out some of the Books section’s readers’ favourite books of the year
Do you judge people by the covers of their books? If you do you, remember they may return the favour Image: Kmb gu657
Books are for everyone and the vast variety of genres reflects the diversity of humankind. At the Books section we understand it takes all shapes, sizes and fonts to make a library, but the person sitting next to you on the bus may not be so forgiving. Here are a few books that may be better enjoyed in the comfort of your own home, if you want to avoid strange looks and backseat judgement: 1. 50 Shades of Grey – E. L. James (2011) The controversy factor of this book has been more than well-documented; its popularity was the best advertisement Kindles ever had. Amazon should pay royalties. Everyone knows why you’re reading this, and it’s not for the quality of the writing. Whipping out 50 Shades may seem like the perfect antidote to a hard day of lectures but, even if you can take the vicarious blushing, remember it’s not that dissimilar from the guy next to you pulling out Nuts.
2. Once More with Feeling – Victoria Coren and Charlie Skelton (2002)
When Book Club asked friends, readers, contributors for their favourite book of the year, we opened the floor not just to books released in 2012 but any book you might have read this year – not because there was a shortage of great books released this year (not that at all), but because with the millions of wonderful books written every year other than 2012 why would you ever confine your reading list to only the latest releases? So take a look at our admittedly subjective and far from comprehensive (aren’t all book lists?) Best of 2012, and get compiling your 2013 must-reads: Agnes Chambre, 20, philosophy: The City’s Son by Tom Pollock, (2012) A debut fantasy novel that came out earlier this year to some impressive acclaim. I’m not an avid fantasy reader (excepting Harry Potter obviously) but the story’s familiar London setting, captured perfectly by the author, draws you in and grounds fantastical riffs on the grind of city living. Joelle Jefferis, 20, social anthropology, Game of Thrones (1996), or A Song of Ice and Fire series by George RR Martin Epic in length and epic in nature. The TV adaption can never match this brilliant fantasy series, George RR Martin has probably created a more complete world than the one I am meant to be inhabiting in the daytime, and, even better, his world has got dragons.
Comic artists assemble Following up last week’s contribution from Manchester Uni’s Comic Collective, Tobias Weinald traces the development of a truly collective society
3. Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus You’re having relationship troubles then? Reading selfhelp books like this ‘90s classic in public is the literary equivalent of changing your Facebook relationship status to “it’s complicated”.
4. Fantasy novels By which I mean a Terry Pratchett cover stands out a mile. As a devout fantasist it hurts me to put this on the list but however much the media likes to tell us ‘geek chic’ is in, the endorsement does not extend to the reading material beyond the fake glasses. Be proud of the nerd status a Pratchett brands you with, or cower in the face of superficial stigmatism and read it on your
Need we say more? These are basically just Heat or OK annuals. They may be styled and spray-tanned to look like books, but literature it is not. Joelle Jefferis
P h i l l i p a Moran, 19, social anthropology, The Other Hand by Chris Cleave, (2008) Something in the blurb drew me to this book – that it didn’t fulfil its usual function of describing the novel intrigued me. It just said “Once you’ve read it, you’ll want to tell your friends about it. When you do, please don’t tell them what happens either. The magic
is in how it unfolds”. So I can’t go into great detail, but I can tell you that it is one of the most beautiful and heartbreaking stories I’ve read in a while. It will definitely make you think differently about certain things… Will Westerman, 20, philosophy: East of Eden by John Steinbeck, (1952) The subtlety and delicacy with which Steinbeck sculpts new depths for his characters, both in strengths and often fatal weaknesses, is something that makes you marvel in wonder at a man so honed in his craft. A staggering feat of grandiose imagination allegorical and yet so utterly pertinent to the everyday lives we live as people; a book which should be deemed essential reading for anyone who seeks an understanding of what it is to be human. Phoebe Chambre, 23, music student and Books editor: a two-way tie between Hot Pink by Adam Levin (2012) and The Pale King by David Foster Wallace (2011) This was a really tough decision, but I have to include The Pale King, the incomplete posthumously published novel by David Foster Wallace which I got around to reading this year, as it’s the last work we have from the author after his tragic, unexpected death in 2008 – the last piece in an incomplete puzzle. Whilst it is by no means my favourite DFW book it is still heads and heads and shoulders and shoulders above most (any) other thing that you might read. And Hot Pink actually came out this year, the first thing I had read by Adam Levin; a beautiful book that I read almost whole.
Feature
Less well known than 50 Shades, it is not the title that triggers associations with this book, but the cover. It is an account of the authors’ attempt to create their own porn film, and its cover displays a bold cartoon of a naked couple ‘frolicking’. Needless to say, Once More will garner more than a few raised eyebrows on the bus. It is a brave student who reads this book in public. Go on, we dare you.
5. Celebrity ‘auto’-biographies
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The Collective published its first anthology last year, available now on lulu.com
It began in March 2010 when some students posted a thread in the Manchester University Japanimation Society (MUJS) forum about finding like-minded people interested in the creation of comic art. What began as an enthusiastic group of just three was almost fated to die instantly, as several organisational problems came together to lead to the group’s shutdown within only a year. However in September 2011, a young architecture student named Archontia Manolakelli came to the university; she says, “I was always interested in comic arts, and
when I found out about this society, I was very disappointed that they weren’t active anymore.” There was life in the old dog yet, it turns out. “Just before Christmas I received a message that the group was about to reopen and was looked for a secretary, so I applied right away”, she says. Since the thread was still in the Japanimation Society, a lot of the new members brought their anime and manga backgrounds on board, which had a huge impact. Now it’s 2012, and Archontia is President of the collective, which now has over 100 members. So what’s it all about? Besides the basics – drawing lessons on characters, objects, expressions, and perspective, the focus is also on the wider aspects of comic creation. The actual lesson plan includes storyboarding, writing, using computers and tablets and a basic introduction to formats, panels and pacing. The collective is also present on several conventions and exhibitions, like this year’s London Expo. There also stands the social aspect, as Archontia points out: “We want to release the creativity of our members by showing them ways to express themselves. We encourage everyone to interact with each other and share their knowledge.” “Everyone is welcome, regardless of age or technique”, says Jevgenija “Jay” Maramzina, who is the only original member still part of the group today. “Besides our regular lessons we occasionally let members teach about certain subjects. We try to keep things flexible as we believe everyone can learn from anyone here”, agrees Nicholas Wilshaw, age 20, chemistry and management student, who is, besides Jay, one of the collective’s Vice Presidents. The society restarted on these innovative concepts, which came to fruition with the Art
Anthology Vol 1., an anthology published this summer made up of the artworks and comics from several members. Jay remembers, “We already had the idea back in 2011, but bringing together the material and finding a publisher took time.” And it’s for a good cause as all the gains from the book will go to charity. In the end we were able to self-publish with the website lulu. com, it was perfect for the Collective because we weren’t interested in a profit or going through an agency. Archontia makes it clear: “The whole point of the book was to bring together the skill and passion of everyone involved. Profit is not what this is about.” So what are the plans for the future, besides more books, of course? Archontia is everoptimistic, “my aim for the group is to exchange knowledge and showing that the expression of imagination still has its place in the modern world. I also encourage the members to bind in long term friendships and cooperations, especially as some of us consider professional careers in the comic industry.” ————————————————————————————————— Check out the Manchester University Comic Collective’s Art Anthology Vol.1, which is available on http://www.lulu.com/gb/en/shop/jevgenijamaramzina-and-archontia-manolakelli-andvincent-jung-and-shophia-syddall/manchesteruniversity-comic-collective-art-anthology-vol1/ paperback/product-20453313.html for only £4.00. Support your university’s talent! MUCC on facebook: www.facebook.com/ groups/108726279145245 MUCC on deviantart: http://mucomiccollective. deviantart.com Tobias Weinald
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Games
ISSUE 03/ 3rd DECEMBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Gaming Society members vote Borderlands 2 as Game of the Year
Borderlands 2 and Halo 4 have picked up awards in multiple categories in the Mancunion’s Game of The Year awards. Nominated by games section contributors and voted on by the University of Manchester Gaming Society, the awards covered the year’s top games in the categories of; Best Multiplayer, Best RPG, Best FPS, Best PC Game, Best Handheld Game and Game of the Year. Here are our winners: Borderlands 2: Game of the Year, Best RPG A fantastic blend of RPG and FPS, a long list of quests to complete and an excellent co-op structure makes Borderlands 2 our Game of the Year. Glorious visuals, a brilliant sense of humour and memorable characters made it a straightforward choice. Handsome Jack, the antagonist is a lovable ass. He so fervently believes that he is the true hero that he almost convinced me he was, before graphically describing killing an innocent man with a spoon as his children
watched. Jack stands out as the funniest element of what is already a comical game. Undoubtedly one of gaming’s best baddies, Handsome Jack is up there with Portal’s GlaDos. The games fantastic storytelling is why it picked Best RPG as well. Borderlands 2 doesn’t go for replayability, more “Why stop playing?” Sure, you may have finished the main story. Maybe you even finished the many side-quests. But did you beat True Vault Hunter mode? Did you complete the hundreds of challenges? Did you even try another character class? A steady stream of DLC keeps content fresh for the perfectionists. Borderlands 2 is a game that we’ll be playing well into 2013. Halo 4: Best FPS, Best Multiplayer Halo 4 wins Best FPS due to its reproduction of a classic gaming formula. It mixes an engaging plot, solid gameplay and impressive visuals with innovative elements in order to create an exciting game to play.
The fact it comes from a long running and well-loved series, with an expansive universe and mythology to draw from doesn’t exactly hurt it either. The gameplay mechanics are as sound as any modern shooter, and the lack of cliché elements like the dreaded chest high walls is a refreshing change. The game also offers players choice in how they complete missions, with less of the on-rails linearity seen in some other games. Halo 4 also wins on the multiplayer front, combining interesting new maps with the classic weapons and mechanics seen in previous iterations that made the series one of the biggest online games in history. 343 have taken this illustrious past, and added new elements such as kill based item drops, that help improve the experience, without detracting from the classic Halo gameplay. Black Mesa: Best PC Game Announced in 2004 as a complete remake of the classic Half-Life using the then recent
Source engine. Released after 8 years of delays and hyped media, the infamous mod had a lot to live up to. The excitement for its release was satiated, as the game still provided balanced levels, excitement, and challenges that presented Valve’s novel way of storytelling. Black Mesa wins Best PC Game not just because of its predecessor’s brilliance, but due to the way it rubbed away the years of progress that tarnished Half-Life revealing the fun and the immersion that came with the original. Pokemon Black and White 2: Best Handheld Pokémon Black and White 2 are part of the 5th generation of Pokémon games, and are direct sequels to Pokémon Black and White (also for Nintendo DS). With the largest regional Pokédex thus far (containing Pokémon from all generations), tons of new features, and a fairly engaging storyline, Black and White 2 are some of the best, if not the best, Pokémon games in the series. Fun to play alone or battling with others, at home and on the move, Pokémon has always been a brilliant series for handhelds. Pokémon Black and White 2 certainly don’t disappoint. Alasdair Preston Jonathan Edwards Adam Robins David Buckley Eleanor Jayawant Sam Dumitriu, Games Editor
Age of Empires 2: Age of Kings Age of Empires was already an established realtime strategy game in 1999 when the second instalment in the long running series was released. Age of Kings was positively received by critics and is now recognised as a major breakthrough for the strategy genre. In Age of Kings the player takes control of one of thirteen civilisations, including the Mongols, the Franks and the Vikings! Custom mode offers the gamer a choice of which age to start in, allowing beginners to start playing during an advanced age, while letting more experienced gamers start in the dark ages; the earlier the age the harder the challenge. Along with an impressive choice of civilisations the game offers a clear visual improvement on other real-time strategy games released at the time. Every civilisation has its own unique look and distinct units, allowing gamers to distinguish between their own team and the enemy through more than just what colour armour people are wearing. A few detailed features were added to the game for the first time. Gamers could forge alliances and trade deals with other teams (up to 4 teams could compete on one map) and pool resources before attacking a stronger enemy with a more powerful combined force (any strategists’ idea of heaven). The game also takes on a maritime flavour, with island maps requiring the player to construct navies and engage in sea battles as well as land invasions. Age of Kings provides an enjoyable campaign, facilitating a gentle progression in difficulty so players have time to hone their strategic skills. Online play is also on offer allowing friends to play online and create game-based communities. Age of kings is innovative, looks great and most importantly of all loads of fun – a must play and if you haven’t you’re only 13 years late!
Jack Crutcher
Review
Hitman: Absolution Square Enix • 360 / PS3 / PC Very often developers will try to “reboot” a series by changing the core mechanics to breathe new life into what had become stale and stagnant. The best example is what Capcom did with Resident Evil 4. However, change can alienate old fans whilst bringing new ones into the fold. Fallout 3 was a massive departure from the old formula, but one that brought the game into the modern market. So, does Hitman Absolution meet the expectations of old fans whilst feeling fresh? The question on any long-time Hitman fan’s lips will be “Is it as good as blood money?” Well, no. Whilst Absolution makes an attempt to be a game-changer, it sadly fails on a number of counts. The first act, and the first two levels, starts off promisingly, with good stealth sections mixed in with excellent choices on how and when to kill the targets. Admittedly, the first “mark” dies in a cut scene, but getting to them is the journey, and the cut scene is necessary to frame the game’s plot. After that, you’re thrown into a crowded square with a specific target and options. So far, so promising. While you can’t pick your weapons and you are forced to improvise resources, it turned the game into a question of learning the level and made me look for more creative ways to kill the mark. With five difficulty modes to choose from, the
Michael Howe hardest of which being eye-wateringly difficult, everything seemed promising. Then it all went wrong. The first act featured forced stealth sections, with hiding from the police being incredibly frustrating. I won’t get into why – you are an assassin, let’s be fair. Regardless, whilst one can disguise themselves as a member of the police department, somehow the city’s plod all know each other, and as such, the disguise becomes almost useless as they’ll spot you pretty quickly. For those without much patience for this, just play it on easy and speed through. It’s not great. The stealth is by no means perfect, using the “press button to stick to the wall” mechanic. Hiding in a crowd while sometimes poorly implemented broadly works allowing you to use the environment to distract NPCs or disguises changing what is accepted behaviour. But it gets better. The game opens up and you have become more creative, going to various places and forced to really try to work out how to cause some of the more creative deaths. The challenges add a huge amount of depth to this, and with only vague hints to go on, one must work out what the game wants. The nun level is nothing like the infamous trailer and is one of my favourite levels, combining stealth with careful takedowns. It’s closer to the first Assassin’s Creed. But that’s okay. It works and
there’s a huge amount of rewarding replay value. For those who want it, Contracts Mode looks to be the most interesting addition. Other players set marks, you pick the weapons (or they do) and you have to work out how to kill everyone silently, being graded on whether you were spotted, if the body was found, etc. It’s heaps of fun, and once the community produces more, it’ll be one of the most interesting multiplayer concepts in a long time. I played this on PC with max settings and
graphically it’s gorgeous, with great textures and animations. There was some slowdown, and apparently it’s not perfectly optimised, but patching is in process. The 360 version works fine and still manages to look impressive. The game is not perfect, but it provides the rare single player, value for money experience. The plot is very Hitman, yet it is not overly contrived taking you and Agent 47 to some pretty… interesting places.
Food & Drink
ISSUE 11/ 3RD DECEMBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
12 Drinks of Christmas Hot Apple Crumble cocktail 50 ml Vodka 1 inch cinnamon stick (crushed) 25ml Apple Puree (or stewed apple boil apple with water and sugar in a pan until soft, then mush) 25ml apple juice 12.5 ml lemon juice 10ml sugar syrup
Port Try the festive Noval 10 Year Tawny Port. Full of dark chocolate and dried fruit flavours ,yet retaining freshness.
Mulled wine with Amaretto To a large pan, add a bottle of red wine with 100g sugar, 3 cinnamon sticks, 2 tsp ground ginger, one sliced orange and some cloves. Add a very generous glug of Amaretto liqueur (approximately 2 x 25ml shots per person.) Simmer gently and let the smell waft through your house for at least half an hour.
Warm ingredients gently in a pan over the hob. Strain into mug. Sprinkle with some cinnamon to finish. Mulled Cider
Baileys
Hot chocolate
Pour 1 litre of cider into a pan along with 3 cinnamon sticks and some cloves. If the cider is quite dry, add a few tablespoons of sugar or honey. You could also add a good splosh of orange liqueur if you want an extra tang. Add some slices of apple and warm through for at least half an hour.
This heavenly Christmas liqueur is undoubtedly best drunk without frills. Serve it simply on the rocks with a pinch of nutmeg and a splash of full-fat milk for a smooth festive indulgence.
Melt grated chocolate with milk and add sugar to taste. Whisk for froth and serve with biscotti. Alternatively, visit The Alchemist for a Choc Chip Coffeetini.
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Apricot and orange chutney Check out The Mancunion website for other edible gifts! Ingredients 400g no-soak apricot cut into small chunks 1 tsp whole coriander seeds 225g of brown sugar 425ml cider vinegar 1 chopped medium onion 50g sultanas 2 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger 2 chopped cloves of garlic 1 tbsp of salt 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper Grated zest and juice of 1 small orange Method Put the coriander seeds in a warm pan and toss them around to toast. When they splutter tip them out and crush them lightly. Bring them to a simmer with all the other ingredients in a big saucepan, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Cover and simmer for 45 mins - 1 hour until the apricots are tender but chunky and the consistency is not too thick nor like a liquid jam. Spoon into jars (that have been washed or put in the oven at 150 for 10 minutes/run through a dishwasher to sterilize). Top Tip: Make sure the jars are still warm so they don’t crack as you fill them. Eve Commander
Stout
Cranberry and Orange cocktail
Hot Toddy
Red Willow Heartless is a limited edition Colombian chocolate stout. Sip slowly to fully appreciate the rich complexity.
Pour 2 parts vodka, 1 part orange liqueur and 1 part cranberry juice and a squeeze of lemon juice into a cocktail shaker. Add ice cubes, shake well and strain into a martini glass.
Add a large glug of whiskey to a mug of boiling water. Sprinkle in a pinch of cinnamon, stir in a good spoonful of honey and garnish with a slice of fresh lemon. The perfect remedy to an unwanted Christmas cold, or just to combat the winter chill!
Chocolate cherry tarts Maddy’s alternative to the ubiquitous mince pie! Ingredients 10 digestives 5 tbsp butter 150g milk chocolate 2 eggs 50g golden caster sugar 2 tbsp flour 1 tub glace cherries 1 tbsp brandy (Makes 12-14 cupcake sized tarts) Method
Eggnog
Snowball cocktail
Gingerbread latte
Eggnog is the quintessential American Christmas beverage. Whatever recipe you follow, you must use the best ingredients available. Treat yourself to this creamy, boozy delight, topped with a rasp of nutmeg.
Mix two measures of advocaat with a squeeze of lime juice and pour over crushed ice. Top with lemonade.
Add a quarter tsp each of ground cinnamon and ginger to 1 tbsp molasses syrup, 1 tsp of vanilla extract and 1 tsp instant coffee and mix together. Heat 1 cup of milk until foamy, then pour milk into the coffee mixture.
Jess Hardiman, Emily Clark, Alexandra Williams, Ben Walker, Eve Commander, Andrew Shaw
Bash the digestives and add 2 tbsp of melted butter, then press the combined mixture into the base of a cupcake tray, lined with cases. Bake in the oven for 10 mins at 180 ° C. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate and remaining butter in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Leave to cool for a minute then vigorously beat in the eggs, followed by the brandy, sugar, flour and a pinch of salt. Chop up the glace cherries and fill each cupcake case with them, then pour over the chocolate mixture, and bake for 20 mins or until a skewer comes out clean. Maddy Hubbard
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Arts & Culture
1 0 T H I NG S
you should know about
RAPHAEL
ISSUE 11/ 3RD DECEMBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Review
The Sleeping Beauty
The English National Ballet’s ‘The Sleeping Beauty’ is a technically brilliant ballet, grounded in a convincing emotional reality
Miss Lucy J by Raphael
ART HISTORY LESSONS w it h L u c y J
He was named after the archangel, Raphael, and painted him twice. Despite the religious themes that Raphael used as motifs for his work, Vasari, a contemporary biographer, documented that he was actually an atheist.
He died aged 37 on Good Friday in 1520 which was in fact his birthday.
His full name is Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino.
All of Raphael’s ‘Madonnas’ are portraits of the same woman.
Raphael was a renowned ladies man. Raphael never married but had a long affair with a baker’s daughter called Margherita Luti.
Raphael was not afraid to show the influence that other famous artists of time had on him such as Paolo Uccello or Leonardo. There is even legend that he spied on Michelangelo whilst he was painting the Sistine Chapel. Raphael was a studio apprentice by the time he was 11 under the artist Pietro Perugino
Raphael was buried in the Pantheon and the inscription on his sarcophagus reads: Ille hic est Raffael, timuit quo sospite vinci, rerum magna parens et moriente mori,” meaning: “Here lies that famous Raphael by whom Nature feared to be conquered while he lived, and when he was dying, feared herself to die.”
In her text ‘From the Beast to the Blonde,’ Marina Warner discusses the idea that Romance, and the fairy tales which owe a significant debt to the romantic tradition, offer us the tantalizing possibility of being able ‘to remake the world in the image of desire.’ That is a sophisticated premise and would suggest, I think, that fairy-tales do two things - they tap into a childlike wish for magic, a belief in impossibility and a certainty in the sense that reality can always be ‘remade’, but they also often access more adult themes of desire, threat and sadness. The importance of keeping a childlike innocence and joy in the story, while not letting the characters become two-dimensional or childishly simplistic, is the balancing act in play here. This is achieved beautifully in the English National Ballet’s production of ‘The Sleeping Beauty,’ currently touring and playing at the Manchester Opera House. I went last night, and was prepared to be amazed by the technical skill of the dancers, to be made jealous by the sumptuous costumes that made you wish you owned a tutu, and to wish I had the ENB Orchestra to follow me around to play at appropriate moments in life. However, I was not prepared
Copyright English National Ballet
for the honest storytelling which grounded and supported that extraordinary spectacle, and achieved what I thought was an impressive feat - make a show which is at first glance people pirouetting around in archaic costumes reveal itself to be real, relevant and believable. Whilst we are, as an audience, initially drawn in by the technical skill of the ballet, I think had it not been for that emotional depth, even the most beautiful pointe work
could have left the audience feeling cold. In that sense, the movement provided a route to understanding emotion, and it was that emotion which was the main event, rather than the technical brilliance of the ballerinas flying across the stage. That is not to say that the dancing itself was underwhelming, just that without that emotive underpinning the story would have felt hollow. That sense of
honest emotion was echoed in the sympathetic and detailed costume and set design, which was a development and in some cases a reworking of the original design of the show. The artistic team seemed to share a sense that they didn’t want to make anything too obvious or easy for the audience - details of the choreography meant that at moments we did feel a sympathy for Carabosse, the wicked fairy who casts the spindle spell over the Princess
Aurora. Similarly, as Carabosse discovered the Lilac Fairy about to lead the Prince to wake Aurora with a kiss, the lights played across his costume and made some parts of it appear a deeper purple colour, subtly seeming to echo the Lilac Fairy’s own costume. That was just one example of the way in which the production seemed unwilling to draw too obvious a line between ‘good’ and ‘evil,’ between the childish innocence and more adult subtleties of the story. Whilst we do as an audience rejoice with the happy ending, part of that joy comes, I think, from those subtleties within the performance which mean we never quite forget the threat of Carabosse, but neither do we forget her loneliness and jealousy either, meaning the ballet plays in a quite a sophisticated way with our emotions. These sadder undertones keep the production from becoming to saccharine or indulgent, and ground it in a reality that reminds us, however hard we might try to, we can never wholly ‘remake the world in the image of desire’.
Harriet Hill-Payne Arts & Culture Editor
This week, have a look at our Facebook for some photos of Christmas at the Mill, Islington Mill’s Christmas festival. Check out the review of the launch party for Black and BLUE, a radical student-led magazine, which was held at Kraak and involved ‘erotic food’ and communal wine drinking. APOLOGY: To Grace Williams for a sentence which had the end cut off when it appeared in the paper - please have another look at the corrected ‘A Night at the Musem’ online.
Review
Review: Fraser Chapman Clayton Fuller visits The Cornerhouse for the latest from contemporary artist Fraser Chapman Even from across the street, through the rain, and between the buses, it’s quite easy to see the first series of work by the Cornerhouse’s newest ‘Projects’ exhibitionist - Fraser Chapman. On the ground floor, a collection of five globe-like paintings demand attention with their large size and varicoloured composition. At first glance, it’s difficult to know what it is we’re looking at - my first guesses ranged from microscopic views of germs to worrisomely active weather maps. The Manchester-based artist’s paintings are actually, as described by Cornerhouse, “accurate depictions of the geological makeup of the lunar surface.” Far-out man! From the near side to the far side, each area of the moon is illustrated in a paintby-the-numbers fashion. Whether the paintings have a meaning or purpose that extends beyond exploring the aesthetic potential of geologic
Fraser Still life #1, 2012, EmulsionMill, on print ‘I - TheChapman: Sleep Collection’ at Islington copyright Roshana Rubin-Mayhew/Islington Mill
maps is for Chapman to know and for us to decide. Either way, they’re worth seeing as a beyond-earth warmup before heading upstairs where David Shrigley’s exhibit will turn your world upside down. On the first floor, in the back area
of the Cornerhouse café, can be found Chapman’s second series. You’ll have to make your way through bustling tables of chatty, cultured types drinking their wine, scribbling in their notebooks, and excitedly discussing their newest ideas,
but that’s part of the fun. In this second series, Chapman channels his inner-Marcel Duchamp by imaginatively repurposing a set of found, mass-produced canvases. In the first two paintings, Still Life #1 and Still Life #2, the figures
are reduced to silhouettes while the setting remains untouched -- allowing us to reinterpret scenes originally depicted by masterful painters such as Pierre-Auguste Renoir. The majority of the remaining pieces are covered almost entirely in white emulsion -- leaving only one or two subjects untouched. By placing a dense fog around the remaining figures, they become the focal point of our understanding of the scene. We are left to imagine the setting and, perhaps, realise our frustration with concealed information. Fraser Chapman has more than a cool given name - he has the honour of displaying his work at the Cornerhouse and you should go check it out.
Clayton Fuller Contributor
Theatre
ISSUE 11/ 3rd DECEMBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Must see 3rd December-10th December
Review
Is it us or them? Ellie Riley reviews Blue/Orange at the Manchester Opera House Four Stars out of Five Stars
The Lion King The musical that surely needs no introduction, The Lion King finally comes to Manchester after its 13th year at the Lyseum Theatre, London. The production is said to be one of the most visually stunning of our time, so get down to the Palace and join the Circle of Life! Runs until March 13th 2012 at the Palace Theatre Tickets £22.50-£75
Arabian Nights The Library Theatre Company’s Christmas show this year is the infamous tale of Arabian Nights. The classic story of a thousand and one stories is staged in the round and promises to be visually stunning! Runs from 30th November until 12th January 2013 at the Lowry Theatre Tickets £14.50-£20
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Blue/ Orange, Joe Penhall’s award winning play comes to the Opera House on a typically wet and bleak Manchester evening. Sporting a fairly star studded cast, that is if you’re a fan of Hollyoaks and Downton Abbey. It is a highly realistic story questioning the relationships between psychiatry, race and insanity, with a satirical twist running throughout. It tells the story of Christopher, played by Oliver Wilson, who delivered a highly engaging and believable performance, he believes his father is military dictator, Idi Amin, and has been sectioned under the Mental Health Act. The ultimate power and ego struggle ensues, as his doctor, Bruce, played by Gerard McCarthy, believes it is too soon for Christopher to be released, diagnosing him with Schizophrenia. Whilst consultant Psychiatrist Robert, is keen
to release him back into the community. Played by Robert Bathurst, Robert, best known for his roles in Downton Abbey and Wild at Heart, delivers a thoroughly entertaining performance, whose dry and satirical delivery provided light relief and humour at such a complex issue. Through research like The Human Genome project, it has been discovered that in 90-95% of cases genes are not the cause of Schizophrenia. Therefore Blue/Orange addresses the more controversial, confusing, potential underlying causes; race, environment and culture. Issues that, as we see portrayed in Blue/Orange, can evoke extreme opposing views, and throughout the play my perceptions of the two sparring medical professionals continued to intertwine. At one moment I had labelled Bruce as genuine and good, and Robert as arrogant and obnoxious. At one point I was
questioning their sanity! Are the medical professionals probing and thinking too deep? However as the performance progressed I found myself wavering and I could understand both sides of the arguments and issues raised. The sparseness of the staging was extremely eye catching upon first glimpse of the stage, I heard utterances of, “well, they haven’t spent much money on the set”. With just a desk, water cooler small table, fruit-bowl and 3 chairs, the set was minimalist to say the least. This along with the fact that there were only ever 3 actors on stage created a really engaging performance for the audience, as it drew all your concentration to the extremely complex topic being dealt with. By the end of the play, we are still questioning who is right and wrong, and trying to resolve certain issues. This to me represented the limited and differing insight into mental illness and in particular
Schizophrenia, in today’s society. It leaves you questioning sanity, we blindly assume we know what ‘sane’ is. Penhall has blurred the boundaries between what and who we believe to be sane and insane, forcing you to question your own opinions. This is a deeply thought provoking performance, which I found really intriguing. It may not be to everyone’s taste, it requires concentration throughout, discussing a fairly taboo topic. Nonetheless it is fast paced, engaging, brilliantly acted and will leave you questioning your perceptions of the two debating sides. Blue/Orange runs until 24th November at the Manchester Opera House
Review
The Confused Storm Vicky Carter reviews Forced Entertainment’s The Coming Storm at the Contact Theatre
Peter Pan
Two Stars out of Five Stars
The Bolton Octagon’s family festive show this year is the timeless classic we all know and love: Peter Pan. With a talented cast of actor-musicians playing originally composed music, the show is sure to bring out the child in all of us! Runs from 16th November 2012 to 12th January 2013 Tickets £9.50-£22
Irving Berlin’s White Christmas A musical based on the Bing Crosby film classic, following the success of the record-breaking, sell-out run of 2009. A spectacle that’ll warm any Scrooge-like heart, White Christmas promises to deliver ‘lots of laughter and some of the greatest songs ever written’. Runs from the 30th November to 5th December
Why I Love / Why I Hate Harriet Leitch reveals of her likes and loathes of theatre
The Coming Storm is the most deconstructed piece of theatre I’ve ever seen, and even antiperformance. A fellow student remarked “It was the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen”, and I might just agree with them. The actors continuously break the fourth wall and perform straight to the audience, communicating to them and including them in their humour. The set is simple apart from a few clothes racks, chairs and a piano on the side, but within the performance the actors arrange the set to how they like it at that precise moment. An interesting concept yes, but most of the time led the performance to seem chaotic and random. Constant unrelated costume changes and the lack of characters within the performance further emphasizes the destruction of the fourth wall, and the actors seem to be playing exaggerated versions of themselves constantly conflicting and confronting one another. The show begins with six
Why I Love: The Royal Shakespeare Company In my experience, I have not been disappointed when seeing work by the Royal Shakespeare Company, especially when I visit their theatre in Stratfordupon-Avon. There is something captivating about the mix of the traditional style of thrust stage married with the more modern approach of the Compan’s performances I have seen there. I find their approach to iconic Shakespeare texts both creative and accessible. The company take you on a journey to far flung locations
actors strolling casually on stage and they begin to tell us “What makes a good story”. They then intertwine stories on different topics, different issues and different themes. I say tell us, but in fact they leave the stories unfinished as each actor jostles for the focus from the audience, and having only one microphone on stage, they make the competition for their voices to be heard humorous. Although funny, it leaves audience members disappointed and even confused, as once you’re gripped by a story, it is then lost over someone else’s voice, or even live music at times. The performance is an erratic montage of narrative, comedy, physical theatre, live music, dance, and slapstick humour. I say humour, as the audience had a very diverse response to it; some of the audience was finding it hysterical, whilst other members like myself looked on in confusion and bewilderment. Although I can see what they were trying to achieve, with their seemingly improvised
demonstrating classic Shakespearian love and tragedy narratives which are in no way tedious or tiresomely melodramatic. Some may discard these classics as boring; a bombardment of olde English they don’t understand with actors in archaic costumes. I would argue, however, that performances by the RSC are entirely contrary to this and in my experience they have been both thrilling and captivating. I would urge you to take another look at Shakespeare and get yourself to a production by the RSC. -
performance by presenting a critique of theatre and society rather than crowd pleasing entertainment, and how they are breaking boundaries in this radical performance through their non acting style, however I just didn’t get it. Leaving the theatre I noticed I wasn’t the only one. A student studying at a drama school in Manchester said, “I felt like it was my mate’s parents drunk at a house party”, whilst
the other exclaimed, “I just don’t know what to say.” I’d recommend going to one of their performances to see this style of theatre for yourself, just don’t say you haven’t been warned. The Coming Storm ran between the 14th and 16th November at the Contact Theatre
The cast of ‘The Coming Storm’. Photo: Hugo Glendinning
Why I Hate: Chekhov You only need mention the word Chekhov and it makes me let out a long sigh. I find nothing exciting about the thought of going to see the likes of ‘The Seagull’ or ‘Uncle Vanya’ at the theatre. In my view, the monotonous ramblings and pointless wittering’s of the characters in largely unexciting and domestic settings are enough to send me to sleep. Yes, he may have been the pioneer of Naturalism in his day, but to me his plays are all the same, if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. There are only so many depressing performances of the unhappy nature of existence of his characters
who dream of escaping their tedious lives without ever doing so. The characters sit and talk, and sit and talk some more, and it is only the sound of a gun being fired in the final act, that so often happens at the end of a Chekhov play, that is enough to jolt me from my peaceful doze in the comfy auditorium seating.
Lifestyle SECOND 60 Online Dating
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ISSUE 11/ 3rd DECEMBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Feature
Interview
We talk to QCumber clothing’s Henry Comyn
Lucy Gardner’s second week of virtual romance
Who came up with the idea behind QCumber clothing?
it that way.
The founders of the company David and Rob came up with the idea when a food fight with some strawberries resulted in a delicious and perfect imprint on a white jumper. From that Qcumber was born and before too long the designs you see now were created.
We have all committed a ‘Frape’ and we have all fallen victim to one too. Unattended laptops and unlocked rooms prove to be way too tempting not to tamper with. People, posing as you, will change your gender to ‘male’ and declare your undying and forbidden love for your friend’s 60 year old dad - tagging him and everything. The world of online romance is no exception.
What has been your most popular sale? Pineapples on Maroon has been the most popular jumper by far, followed closely by Watermelons on Pink.
How successful has the line been in Manchester? Since being the brand manager in Manchester from September the line has steadily getting more popular – I have now seen quite a few around uni so that must be a good thing! The jumpers are so unique that they are easily identified with the brand which really helps our presence in Manchester.
This week I have found out that the perils of online dating are not only stranger danger and graphic messages. Oh no. The truth is that while at university, nobody is safe from ‘Fraping.’ It turns out that the online dating site is just another on
It’s...
It also helps that all Manchester students are entitled to a 10% on the jumpers using the code ‘Manchester01’ on checkout!
which your flat mates can publically humiliate you. The embarrassment doesn’t stop there either. The emails have continued and their arrivals have been far from discreet. Most of my fellow Geographers now know that I am in search of virtual love, put
Thanks to others, I have already been blocked twice and appear to be engaged in a long conversation with a twenty five year old woman, who is a few sandwiches short of a picnic basket and hard to get away from. Even when I returned to my room and broke the news that I was into men and men only, she did not give up. Worse still, a guy from Salford who is actually pretty cute, is now under the impression that I am a young offender fresh out of the institution, looking for love in the form of him. Poor guy. Now, there is also the small issue of the aforementioned, SERIOUSLY EMBARRASSING emails. Admittedly, I could have turned them off, but what I didn’t realise is that I would receive
Blind
First impressions? What did you have to eat?
What did you have to eat?
The hardest falafel dish to eat without making a mess.
I had the spanish stew and they both had the falafel platter.
What did you guys talk about?
What did you guys talk about?
If they were an alcoholic beverage which one would they be and why?
Rating?
The fact that we have put fruit and vegetables on bright jumpers – there is no one else like us!
Mainly about the other guy not showing up, otherwise just generic “where are you from?” type stuff.
Degrees, how they were both from France, and what we liked about Manchester.
And finally, what sets you apart from everyone else?
If they were an alcoholic beverage which one would they be and why? Shandy. Not overly in your face about anything and easy to get along with.
Were there any awkward silences?
Were there any awkward silences?
I don’t think so. 7/10 Finally, hug, kiss or something more? Nothing, but it was a nice evening.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Friendly looking girl, awesome shoes.
Seemed cool and welcoming.
Umm, maybe fruit cider, relaxed and easy to chat to!
to on my Mac. We’ll see…
Julian & Robin, History, Management
First impressions?
I believe that there are plans in the pipeline but I cannot confirm anything officially, we will have to wait and see.
The conclusion to week two? Sorry readers, I’m afraid that I have yet to secure a date. If my flat mates have anything to do with it, I won’t even be able to get one. Anyway, the truth is, I’m still too ashamed of my online dater status to actually go on a real, face to face date with any of the ‘admirers’ who have ‘hearted’ me. Perhaps I should start turning my phone on ‘silent’… or perhaps I should just stick to eye contact as opposed to winking emoticons and flirty first conversations at the bar, as opposed
Date
Martha, French & Spanish
Are you looking to expand to other pieces of clothing or items?
a minimum of twenty a day. I did not expect to be informed every single time someone looked at my profile. I pulled out my phone in a lecture, only for multiple emails to pop up very loudly and in clear sight of the row behind me. If you were on that row, please retract all judgments. Pretty, pretty please. If you were on the 142 bus and witnessed this too, I implore you to do the same.
Not that we noticed. Rating?
Marth a
& Ju lian & Robin
Hard to say under those circumstances, but Robin was lovestruck and gave her a 9. Finally, hug, kiss or something more? She has my email so we may have made a new friend.
Visit: www.qcumberclothing.com Due to unforeseen circumstances Martha was obliged to dine with our lovely photographer, Julian, and his friend Robin. Apologies to Martha for the mix up and many thanks to all three participants.They ate at Trof, fallowfield. Thanks to the guys down there for getting involved. To check out their menu and what’s going on there head to http://www.troffallowfield.co.uk. To sign up for Blind Date please email your name and course to lifestyle@mancunion.com with ‘Blind Date’ as the subject.
Lifestyle Could we go the distance? STUDENT 101 ISSUE 11/ 3rd DECEMBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
27
Relationships
Dana Fowles takes us on a rocky ride through her ‘man detox’ I am a dating disaster. During the past twelve months, there have been failed romances with Mr. Attempted player (who locked himself in his room and wouldn’t come out when I found out that he had slept with a close friend of mine), Mr. Keeps it in his pants (who accused me of being a prostitute when I tried to take things further with him) and Mr. Best friend (who is subsequently no longer my best friend). Understandably, I felt that it was time to go on a self-imposed man detox. Said man detox lasted five months – five hassle free and frankly bloody boring months. With the exception of the boob fondling of my two gay best friends, I was beginning to think that I would never experience human affection ever again. All of my friends were either in relationships or at least having casual sex. I on the other hand was picturing myself at future family events: the crazy old cat lady, downing vodka shots at the bar. In hushed tones various relatives would be explaining, “Oh yes, that’s Dana. It’s such a shame, she’s never met anyone. She’s still on her own, well except for the cats that is”. Thankfully, before I resorted to purchasing my first tabby, summer arrived and along came Mr. This Might Actually Work. He was a friend of friends – an attractive friend of friends. He also happened to have a personality. For someone as picky and as hard to please as me, this was a rare find.
A couple of friendly outings later and we started getting together. Low and behold I remembered what it was like to actually kiss somebody A couple of friendly outings later and we started getting together. Low and behold I remembered what it was like to actually kiss somebody. There had been no friend shagging, no offensive comment making and (apart from the time when I had woken up in his bed, looking like a tramp after a night out, to find out that his devoutly religious Nan was downstairs having a very civilised Sunday lunch) there had been no awkwardness. All in all it seemed like I was onto a winner, but this
was of course too good to be true. My return to Manchester was looming ever closer and he was due to begin his Master’s… in a completely different city a fair few hours away. One particularly drunken night, he suddenly blurted out that he “didn’t know what to do” about the distance because he “hadn’t planned” on starting to like me and things were going to get “complicated”. Naturally, I had to agree with him and that’s when I began to ask myself whether there was actually any chance of a long distance relationship working. Could I ever bring myself to have Skype sex? I will admit that perhaps this wasn’t the most important issue up for contemplation at the time. Nevertheless, could I!? How else do long distance couples manage to maintain their chemistry? Would the whole thing lose its sense of fun once we had to start planning regular visits around our timetables and bank balances? Plus, wouldn’t one of us inevitably cheat on the other? Romantics, I apologise, but let’s be honest, it’s just realistic. Finally and most importantly, if I was no longer single, how on Earth would I fill this column every week? Onto the next one…
The Cycling Boom The passion for cycling in the UK has hit epidemic levels this year and Manchester is no exception. Groups such as Biko bikes (www.umsu.manchester.ac.uk/action/bikobikes) offer bike hire for as little as £1 a week so there’s never been a better time to get involved. Now with the roads swarming with riders and the newspapers swarming with the dangers of the road it is perhaps a good time to answer a couple of questions. So just how dangerous is it? And what can you do to be as safe as possible? Last year there were 107 cyclist deaths on British roads. That number may sound high but it’s significantly lower than the number of pedestrian (453) and car user (883) deaths in the same period. However 107 is still 107 too many so what can you do to help negotiate the roads safely? First up, having the right equipment is essential. Now I’m not saying you need to be head to toe in lycra but there are some must haves. A helmet is the first port of call for any budding cyclist. It not only protects your head but in
Terrible tales from between the sheets... This week: Dana Fowles 11th September 2011 “My then girlfriend and I were doing a 69er. It was going well until I farted in her face. We split up shortly afterwards. I can’t think why . . .”
had shut the self-locking door behind her, that she realised that she had left the bag of poo alongside it. Unsurprisingly, he never called”.
Sam
Francesca
“A friend of a friend went back to a guy’s house one night. The next day before she left, she thought that it would be romantic to leave her number for him on a piece of paper. Deciding that she needed the toilet first, she went for a poo. A poo that would not flush. Luckily, she managed to find a carrier bag with which to fish out the poo. Tying the bag up, she wrote the note as planned. It wasn’t until she
“During First Year, I eventually got together with a guy who I had fancied since Welcome Week. After an innocent period of kissing and hand holding, I decided that it was time to get the show on the road and plucked up the courage to make the first move. I attempted to give him a blowjob, but he started to have an asthma attack. He literally had to use his inhaler. I have never been more horrified in all
my life and for the record; no it did not work out between us.” Sarah “During foreplay with my ex, I fanny farted really, really loudly. I tried to laugh it off, thinking it was funny. He on the other hand, shot me a look of disgust, shouted at me because it was entirely my fault that he was now ‘completely turned off ’ and then proceeded to storm out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Awkward!” Georgina “My boyfriend and I were having sex in the missionary
position when he suddenly had a nosebleed. Right. Onto. My. Face. Mood killer is an understatement, especially if like me, you are more squeamish than most!” Becci “One morning after a particularly heavy session during my gap year, I woke up (alone) to find my penis covered in teeth marks. There also happened to be what I think was a nipple piercing embedded in the poor guy. Still to this day, I do not have a clue what happened!!” Andy
a bright colour can help motorists see you as well. Next, with the winter months approaching and the days getting shorter (sob sob) its important to invest in a pair of lights as, by about 5 o’clock, the evening starts to draw in and your visibility starts to diminish. Other than the above, a fluorescent raincoat not only keeps you dry but also keeps you visible. There are other more fun ways to increase your safety as well. ‘I Bike MCR’ (www.ibikemcr.org.uk) is a great organisation that promotes cyclist events throughout the year. From boozy socials to film nights and even the odd cycle ride they can provide a great starting point for anyone wanting to take to the road on two wheels. One event that ‘I Bike MCR’ run and is a must do on any students itinerary is the critical mass ride from the central library, meeting at 6 o’clock on the last Friday of every month. Critical mass is an idea where in cities all over the world cyclists take to the streets and ride in an effort to promote cycling. It’s a ride at a gentle pace where you can mingle with other cyclists whilst music is blaring out of speakers. The rides don’t have a set route but they are often seen riding up Wilmslow Road towards Fallowfield so have a go and start living life on two wheels.
Do you have a horror sex story that you’d like to share? Send them to lifestyle@mancunion.com
Dream Job Roller Coaster Qualifications needed: Mechanical or Civil Engineering (MEng) Salary: £45,000 – £90,000
If you’re an amusement park nut and dream roller coaster rides or just someone slightly sadistic who enjoys people being terrified then this is almost certainly the job for you. These firms have designed roller coasters at Alton Towers, Thorpe Park and Disney Land and have offices all over the world so not only will you be designing legal thrills for adrenaline junkies, you’ll also quite likely be a jet setter zipping from continent to continent checking out new sites for your latest contraption. ‘How do I get this job?’ You may now be asking, well to start with a degree in engineering is essential. It gives you the skills necessary to understand the technical and physical aspects needed to make the
greatest thrill rides. There is perhaps one word of caution if you are intending to follow in the footsteps of those that designed the Nemesis, Big Dipper or Oblivion and it is that these jobs are fairly hard to come by. Unsurprisingly, this is due to there being a limited number of rollercoasters to design. But do not be disheartened potential fun makers if you plan ahead and get into contact with these firms then you can arrange internships, which can then lead into employment. In short, there may be many highs and lows and twists and turns in getting to the top, but imagine coming back to one of the amusement parks you ran riot in when you
were kid to see others in madly long queues waiting for your own thrill ride.
Sarah Barnes
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Lifestyle
ISSUE 11/3rd DECEMBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Dream Winter holidays
Lucy Gardner tempts you with some winter treats When it’s grey, raining and minus a billion degrees outside, even those of us who have the travel bug are reminded that it’s the season of to be jolly and spend time with the family. Bustling up and down a busy train trying to find a space for your awkwardly large, present filled suitcase is enough hassle on your way back home from uni. Trying to leave the country? Well, that’s another mission altogether. However, there are some destinations that would make Christmas and New Year the hassle worth it. Now to start asking Santa for a few thousand pounds in your stocking this year… New York City, USA Undoubtedly one of the most Christmassy places to celebrate the holidays. Rockefeller Centre Plaza is dubbed the ‘Capital of NYC Christmas’ with the famous tree lighting up the plaza with its 30,000 lights as you ice skate by. Macy’s Santaland even has the Macyland Express to take you to its very own North Pole. Amongst the masses of Christmas food, drink and spirit, the Big Apple’s winter experience is definitely a trip worth saving for.
The
Deep South: Memphis
Student version: Spinningfields Ice Rink is open from the 22nd of November until the 6th January and a short walk away from the Arndale for your Crimbo shopping. Close enough, I guess… Vienna, Austria A little closer to home, this is a city break which is more in touch with financial reality. Vienna is the heart of European Christmas with the main Christmas market outside of the town hall encompassing everything you could possibly imagine Santa’s grotto to be. The snow covered stalls offering mulled wine and pastries are on offer as well as a traditional, old fashioned carousel. Who said Christmas was for kids? Student version: Grab your fur lined coats and hats and head over to the Albert Square market, or the Arndale’s Christmas grotto, where you can enjoy some German beer and chocolate covered delights. Jukkasjärvi, Sweden Okay, the name resembles the sound of someone sneezing, but that may be because this little Swedish village is home to the world famous Icehotel. With temperatures being kept at a
Nestled in the heart of the American Mid-South, Memphis is known as the birthplace of blues, soul, and rock ‘n’ roll. Most visitors come here for Graceland, and the chance to nosy around the mansion of Memphis’ most famous former resident, Elvis. But if Mr Presley isn’t your sort of thing, and you’re not looking for guidance on hideous ways to decorate your house, the city provides plenty
constantly cool −5 °C, this may not be an action packed holiday, but when you can sit sipping vodka out of a glass made of ice at the Absolut Icebar, who needs adventure? This is definitely a chilly experience not to be missed. Student version: If you do sway more towards the Icebar than the snow and ice bed (complete with reindeer skin quilts), Icebars can also be found in London. Sydney, Australia Jetting off in search of winter sun is becoming more and more popular. Where better to go than Australia? Christmas Day lands within the Australian summer months, so turkey and stuffing can be replaced with a beach barbeque and time spent topping up your long lost tan. Student version: If your loan doesn’t quite stretch to the cost of Emirates return tickets, pop over to the Mediterranean coast and islands, where average December temperatures reach 17°C – a whole 10°C warmer than Manchester’s December.
more than happy to speak to passing tourists! Beale Street is the party hub of Memphis: a road lined with bars, clubs and music venues. Drinking on the street itself is practically encouraged, and bars are happy to let you come in with a drink already in hand. Start your night at BB King’s – owned by the blues legend himself, this place serves great Southern food accompanied by live musicians, and a long cocktail list. Emily Whitehouse
more to do. Memphis played an important role in the American Civil Rights movement, and a visit to the Lorraine Motel, where you can see the balcony Martin Luther King Jr was standing on when he was assassinated in 1968, is a must. Now converted into the National Civil Rights Museum, the motel has been a subject of criticism due to its expensive rejuvenation in a low-income, predominantly black area of the city. Jacqueline Smith, the motel’s former housekeeper, has protested outside the museum for the last 30 years, arguing that Martin Luther King would not approve of $9 million being spent on a building for him. She is
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ISSUE 11/ 3rd December 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Shoe Amnesty
Find out how donating your unwanted shoes can help the British Heart Foundation raise money for life-saving equipment Shoe Amnesty is a campaign where volunteers from the Manchester Leadership Programme (MLP) are collecting good quality second hand shoes in aid of
the British Heart Foundation. Bhagwan Manku explains why this charity is so worthwhile as it affects so many people in Britain today.
Hearty the BHF mascot . Photo: Vanessa (EY) via Flickr
“The volunteers are encouraging University staff, students, local retailers and members of the public to donate unwanted shoes to the charity. We are aiming to collect 599 pairs of shoes, based on the statistic that 599 people died from coronary heart disease in Manchester last year. Shoe Week is being held on The University of Manchester campus from Monday 3rd to Friday 7th December. Groups of volunteers will be situated around campus throughout the week by having shoe drop-points, engaging staff and students in the campaign. Look out for ‘Hearty’, the British Heart Foundation mascot who will be let loose around campus to spread the word too! In the build-up to Shoe Week, we have placed red donation bins in various locations throughout campus, and have already started to receive a steady stream of donations.” The British Heart Foundation is desperately in need for donations, it is with stock like shoes that they can use the money raised to provide vital resources and equipment to heart disease patients. “Each pair of shoes on
average raises £5.99 for the charity. Each £5.99 could provide a lifeline for heart patients.’’ Apart from donating all your old unwanted shoes, students are also welcome to get involved in the campaign. “We are looking for enthusiastic people to volunteer for us on Shoe Week, handing out flyers and really engaging with people about the campaign. As well as targeted university staff and students, we are also planning to target retailers across the city to see if they are willing to support the campaign and donate anything. If they are MLP students, or not and are interested in doing their bit for this amazing charity, then get in touch.” They can get in contact with us through our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/BritishHeartFoundationShoeAmnesty’
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Creative Writing Alix Roberts catches up with Jonny Heath to find out about the Creative Writing society and share some of their work A couple of weeks ago The Societies Show on Fuse FM caught up with Jonny Heath to find out about the Manchester Creative Writing Society. Aside from the interview, we were treated to examples of members’ writings and a song or two from Jonny himself. There is much to be excited about from this little group. The society welcomes all students, whether they are already an avid scribbler or just curious about what’s going on, to come along to meetings to share, listen and enjoy each other’s work. They encourage people who are interested in any kind of writing “be it prose, poetry, plays, stream of consciousness or erotica.” The essence of the group is informal and fun, and it’s a great society for anyone who has wanted to give writing a go, but not had the opportunity to do so. Judgements are left at the door so if you fancy getting involved, don’t hesitate to drop Chair Jonny Heath a message about what’s going on. The society is looking forward to a collaboration with other creative events as well as a potential publication. More information including meeting times and events can be found on their Facebook Page, search, ‘Manchester Creative Writing Society’. Here is a taster from the group so far: Define a ‘kiss’ How many moments plucked? pucked, touched, fucked. Find the strength to define, when lips align, a kiss. Father son, does that disgust you? Wife husband, does it hurt you? This moment we use, choose to abuse, clutch in our dreams and use as a means to sacred time? A seal of love? No stolen, polluted, an oil caked dove. Give me a reason I’ll stab the whore, then kiss her cold hand and waltz out the door. Onto another’s love in disguise, into the legs of stripping eyes, to pound romance with a volley of lies and a dove falls to earth as the ‘kiss’ dies.
Kate Bullivant
Japanimation
Richard Les met with Peter Tran from the Japanimation Society
Joe Goodman
Every Friday the Japanimation Society meet for a night of scheduled programming free from the tropes and clichés of western film and television. I caught up with Peter Tran to find out more. ‘‘We are a free society that is centred on watching, discussing and enjoying anime, also known as Japanimation. We do weekly screenings to showcase various shows and films to introduce and engage both people unfamiliar with anime and fans who may just be getting involved (or are long-time fans). It’s all about opening up people’s horizons to learn about different and new concepts, which is one of the big aspects of being at University.’’ ‘‘Japanese studios treat animation more objectively and use it to match and enhance the content of their work, so it’s not limited to kids-only fare. It can be
Societies
Events
applied to different age brackets and genres such as fantasy adventure, science fiction and even just serene drama, all of which can be played straight. The strongest benefit of animation is that it frees up the imagination more than live-action, when those images and scenes would then have to be matched to reality, what settings and actors were available and what the bank balance would allow for with effects. In animation however, all that can be interpreted as the creators wish and be presented directly to the audience. Detractors often dismiss anime as simply being weird, but that is one of the great things about it; it can be as weird, as extravagant, as surreal or as small, intimate and tranquil as it wants to be.’’ ‘‘In addition, it is always fascinating to experience foreign
products and see how it reflects different concepts and thoughts, be it on specific matters to Japan or on general matters observed across other nations (e.g. Environmentalism, technology in society). Plus, enjoyable stories along with enthralling imagery shouldn’t be overlooked by the general public simply because it’s not from a CGI-saturated Hollywood live-action franchisespinner.’
Monday3rd December
Tuesday 4th December
JUDO SOCIETY Armitage Conference Room 7pm-8 30pm
As well as weekly screenings of TV shows, the Japanimation Society also hold a feature film double bill most months; next up is a Christmas-themed joint film night with the Manchester Japanese Society on Friday 14th December showing one liveaction and one animated film. On Sunday 16th December they will also be holding a Christmas
Cosplay Party at The Zoo: ‘The event is open to the general public and attendees needn’t have to dress up to get in. But it helps as cosplayers pay £1.50 (instead of the usual £3.50 entry fee). We have a DJ and there’s going to be a vibrant mix of Japanese and Korean music, so it’s going to be a unique event in the society’s calendar.’ Facebook: http://www.facebook. com/groups/mujsociety/ UMSU page: http://manchesterstudentsunion.com/groups/ japanimation-society
Wednesday 5th December
Thursday 6th December
ROLE PLAYING SOCIETY
Wednesday 5th December
Council Chambers, Barnes Wallis
HARMONY GOSPEL CHOIR
DANCE SOCIETY
Hardy Wells - Rusholme
Building, 6pm-7pm
Upstairs in Jabez Clegg
Zoo
8pm-9pm
4pm-6pm
8 30pm -9 30pm
Raw Manchester Rocks Society
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ISSUE 11/ 3rd DECEMBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Bizarre Sports Special Five of the strangest sporting injuries Finlay Donaldson
Whilst injuries are an unfortunate consequence of participation in sport, sometimes you hear of stories that really push the limits of your imagination. As commonplace as injuries are, sometimes there are stories that are so bizarre, so strange that they merit plenty of attention. Below is a list of five of the strangest injuries to have made the news:
Paul Wood: manly. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
1) Every team has one. The player that always over celebrates. The player that really likes to make a fool of himself. However Bill Gramatica of the Miami Dolphins took public humiliation to a new level during one game. After successfully slotting a kick and deciding to celebrate like he had just won the Super Bowl, Gramatica leapt high in the air and promptly tore his anterior cruciate ligament on landing. Safe to say Bill wasn’t celebrating again anytime soon. 2) It also not a great idea to celebrate prematurely, advice golfer Bobby Cruickshank would have done well to remember during the 1934 U.S. Open. Cruickshank fluffed his shot on the 11th hole, sending it into a creek, yet remarkably the ball bounced off a rock and landed perfectly on the green. With Booby leading by eight shots and clearly thinking it must be his tournament he allowed himself a small celebration. What happened next is a crash course in how not to protect a lead. Cruickshank joyously tossed his club in the air but to his display on the way down it hit him in the head and knocked him unconscious. After coming
to, Bobby managed to finish the tournament but bogeyed several of the remaining holes and could only tie for third. 3) Not one for the faint hearted, Rugby League player Paul Wood suffered an injury that evoked great sympathy from men all across the world. Early in the second half of the Grand Final, Wood was on the receiving end of a stray knee which resulted in Paul rupturing one of his testicles. Remarkably Wood managed to carry on playing for twenty minutes, keeping up the hard men stigma attached to Rugby League. After the game Paul had to have his testicle removed. For most, losing half your manhood and the Super League Grand Final in one day would leave you feeling very down but Wood was even able to joke after the operation, posting on twitter: “Just coming out the hospital to go home... Seriously feel like I’ve left something?” That’s a real man. 4) Step forward David Seaman who proved that harm can happen off the pitch as well as on it. The former England goalkeeper, who played over four hundred times for Arsenal, remained largely injury-free in his stellar career but suffered a rather embarrassing moment when at home. Whilst relaxing at home, Seaman managed to pull a muscle in his back just by reaching for the television
Bill Gramatica: celebrating in style Photo: tennisacerg @ Flickr remote which side lined him for a number of weeks. Strangely, whilst playing for Paris Saint-Germain, Lionel Letizi suffered the same injury whilst reaching for a Scrabble piece he dropped. Reports suggest the scrabble game was called off soon after. 5) While kids all over the country are taught of the benefits of effective communication on a football pitch, aspiring footballers should do well to avoid the example of Alex Stepney. The former Manchester United goalkeeper managed to break his jaw after yelling so loudly. Speechless.
The common remote: David Seaman’s worst enemy. Photo: Sharon Drummond @ Flickr.
Champions League exit displays City’s identity Alex Underwood
Wednesday the 21st of November proved to be a busy day for Manchester City. In the afternoon, representatives from the club visited the University of Manchester sporting the Premier League trophy to promote the “Learning Through Football” programme, an initiative that will include the contribution of student volunteers in educational projects for young children across Greater Manchester. After dark a much greater challenge lay ahead: nine-time European Cup winners Real Madrid. The two events show both how far Manchester City has come as a football club but also the strange dichotomy of a community football club with global ambitions. One of the most celebrated and laudable achievements of City’s ascension is the community work it does and the belief
that it is Manchester’s true local club. Yet at the same time the project of Sheikh Al Mansour is an international and expansive one. The defeat to Real Madrid marked the premature end of City’s Champions League campaign for the second successive season. There are of course many reasons why City have failed to qualify on both occasions: the draws have been particularly unfavourable given that City have been grouped with European giants Bayern Munich and Real Madrid and dangerous attacking opponents Napoli and Borussia Dortmund; a general improvement in European football and decline of English sides at an inopportune moment could also be recognized, on the basis that last season Manchester United also failed to qualify. But perhaps the real problem is that balancing the club’s local and international identity is proving tricky.
Especially among City fans, the idea of the Champions League does not appear to have taken off. Just 40,000 tickets were sold for the critical Ajax game earlier this month compared to over 47,000 for the Aston Villa game two weeks later. The Etihad Stadium has sounded quieter for mid-week games than for League games, which on the surface is strange when such exciting opponents as Real Madrid are in town. The explanation could be that Manchester City is a club still under development and building a reputation at home; the appetite for Champions League success thus seems to be less strong. For Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal, Champions League nights are extra special because of the history each club can associate to European football. The Champions League is the Holy Grail for sides that have won multiple Premier Leagues and FA Cups and so the fans respond. Manchester City has
not yet asserted that domestic dominance. Local rivalry also plays a part; for a long time City have been the neighbours living in the shadow of Manchester United, but now they have the chance to get one over the enemy every season in the Premier League. That, and the fact that winning the Champions League is a much less realistic objective, may contribute to the sentiment that winning the Premier League is more important. However, while the transition into becoming a European force is understandably tough, City must look to protect that community link in the process. In time, the ambitions of the City faithful will catch up with those of the club itself and the Champions League will become the priority. At that point projects such as “Learning Through Football” will be even more valuable in grounding Manchester City in Manchester.
Manchester City have to balance their international commitments with their local fanvase. Photo: James Bird @Flickr.
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ISSUE 11/ 3rd DECEMBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM/
UoM cup campaign off and running University of Manchester
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University of Edinburgh
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Andrew Georgeson Manchester edged past Edinburgh in a keenly contested BUCS trophy match on a freezing afternoon at the Armitage Centre. The opening phases of the match looked promising for Manchester, pinning Edinburgh in their third for the opening five minutes with three consecutive penalty corners. They found themselves unlucky not to be ahead, hitting the upright before Plummer forced a save out of Edinburgh keeper Fursdh. Unfortunately, the nerves that come with a cup game started to show and despite looking defensively stable, keeping possession seemed to become a problem for Manchester with many misplaced passes allowing Edinburgh to impose themselves on the game. Manchester’s Capper looked strong throughout the first half, often acting the catalyst for his side’s attacking play with splitting passes and tricky runs. Manchester won another penalty corner after a pass of his was adjudged to hit an Edinburgh foot, but the resulting effort was sent wide by Trem. The chances were adding up for Manchester as another went begging; a shot from Jabbal was parried to the feet of Capper who played it across the face of goal, but no-one was there to make the connection. Two minutes later Edinburgh delivered a blow to Manchester as Edwards scored from a Jameson lay-up following only their second penalty corner of the game.
Manchester were clearly shaken by the goal and only moments later Edinburgh were back through on goal and only fine goal-tending from Richmond forced the Edinburgh striker to put the shot wide. Edinburgh played out most of the last ten minutes of the half in impressive fashion, particularly through strong runs from Kock and a testing long shot from Scwarerick that was only inches wide. However, in the final moments of the first half Manchester picked themselves up for a final push with a shot that went wide before receiving a penalty corner. The corner was played in by Clemenson and after a melee in the area a shot was taken by captain Clements, took a bobbling deflection before being well finished by Jabbal, making the half time scores 1-1. Manchester carried the momentum from scoring into the second half, yet the final ball was still lacking, failing to cause any major problems for the Edinburgh defense. Edinburgh’s first major attack of the second half came through McKruthin, who posed problems for Manchester throughout the second half, but this was well cut out by the impressive Clegg. The second goal in the tie was always going to be vital and it fell to Manchester after 9 minutes of the second half. A defence-splitting pass fell to Dutoy, who despite having an extra man in support, expertly beat the defender as well as taking it around the goal keeper. Despite being fouled,
UoM are curently top of their league, and carried their fine form into the BUCs trophy. Photo: Kay Lubwika and claiming said foul with one hand raised in the air, he still managed to pass the ball into the open net with the other. Although initially appearing to reward the foul, the referee decided to play the advantage and let the goal stand. Manchester went onto dominate much of the rest of the match, Edinburgh’s only real chance of the second half coming from a dubious penalty corner that ended up being intercepted by Clegg. The half was finished off with another
Manchester goal. The first shot from Mullibland was well saved by Edinburgh’s keeper, and the rebound from Brooke was parried to Jabbal who grabbed his second of the game. Ultimately, it was a comfortable win for Manchester. Despite the Northern 1A leaders having a difficult first half and falling behind, their superiority shone through in the second to see them progress to the next round of the BUCS trophy.
BUCS Hockey 2012-13 Trophy Last 16 results: Sheffield 1st Manchester 1st Edinburgh 2nd Nottingham Trent 1st Birmingham 2nd Cardiff 2nd Exeter 2nd Brunel 1st
P-P 3-1 3-5 3-0 4-2 1-6 3-1 2-3
Liv’ John Moores 1st Edinburgh 1st Newcastle 1st Birmingham 3rd Cardiff 1st Exeter 3rd Reading 1st St Mary’s 1st
*Note: Manchester will play the winner of Sheffield v Liverpool John Moores in the quarter finals
Revival starts now for toothless Sharks Cal Millar explores Sale Sharks’ woeful season so far...and how they can turn it around Cal Millar My heart is pounding, the adrenaline is rushing, the desperate need to prove myselfyes, I’m making my debut…for the university newspaper. And as a regular armchair pundit, I’m used to reading about the oxymorons of sport: leaderless Chiefs, humbled Giants, taking a win from a loss. But this season, I’ve had to endure one of my own; the toothless Sharks. Manchester, with its two major football clubs, has little time for 2nd cousin rugby. But Sale Sharks boast a proud rugby heritage, having won the premiership as recently as 2006, and after the relegation in successive years of Leeds Carnegie and the Newcastle Falcons they remain the only northern rugby union club left in the Aviva Premiership. As a big rugby fan I was excited to be coming to a city with such a great team, which has me begging the question, “where have they
gone?” Sale are rooted to the bottom of the Premiership with one win from nine so far this season. I was lucky enough to be at the Salford City Stadium for their home victory over London Irish, which had fans suddenly optimistic again, but their fortunes have not improved despite surprise wins over Saracens in the LV=Cup and the Cardiff Blues in the Heineken Cup. For a team that finished in the top six last season, and recruited heavily in players and coaches during the summer, this form has had pundits baffled and fans tearing their hair out. Even worse, men have paid for it with their jobs, with Forwards Coach Steve Scott fired after the first four losses, and Bryan Redpath, controversially recruited from Gloucester last season, demoted not long after from his position as Director of Rugby. During one game I was at earlier this season, a despairing fan turned to me asking, “What on Earth do we need to do to turn this around?”
Well, being overly qualified to answer this question, boasting my level one refereeing qualification and five years of school rugby, my suggestion of “give a new regime time to gel” earned a look that might have indicated I’d suggested they form an ice-skating team and dance the Bolero. But I do believe that Sale’s hasty reactions to early losses have robbed them of the chance to build some continuity and have faith they are moving in the right direction. Even the happy recent announcement, that they will be recruiting former Golden Lions coach John Mitchell, has me wondering why they are reacting as though “it’s all hands to pumps, we’re sinking!” With some genuinely talented players; including Scottish giant Richie Gray, gifted Flyhalf Danny Cipriani and Samoan International Johnny Leota to name but a few, my advice to you, despairing fan, is let the Sharks just keep swimming. This knee-jerk reaction to the fear of
relegation will not get the best out of the players. But when they do find their bite again, just you watch out, because this does look like a group of players who can take chunks out of the Tigers and Harlequins of the Premiership. When the Sharks find their ruthless edge, I recommend you get down to the Salford City Stadium. With cheap student price seats available and some of the most enthusiastic supporters I’ve ever known it’s a real sporting experience. So if you fancy a break from your revision this January, Sharks are hosting Montpellier and Scarlets, both of which are class acts full of international players. By then the Sharks should be roaring loud again, or whatever it is sharks do… Sale Sharks take on Harlequins. Photo: Fearless Fredd@Flickr
SPORT WWW.MANCUNION.COM
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Hockey: UoM 3-1 Edinburgh
3rd DEC 2012 ISSUE 11 FREE
Manchester City’s identity crisis
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Clinical Manchester stroll into last 16
P30 BUCS Rugby Union trophy 2012-2013 SELECTED ROUND 2 RESULTS: Wednesday 21th November Reading 1st Bristol 1st Bath 2nd Cardiff Met 2nd Lo’borough 3rd Warwick 2nd Lo’borough 2nd Notts Trent 2nd Manchester 1st Durham 2nd Aberdeen 1st
33-16 Imperial Medics 40-0 Sheff. Hallam 1st 34-0 Cardiff 2nd 16-19 Exeter 2nd 17- 13 Birmingham 1st 13-15 Leeds 2nd 30-22 Notts 2nd 41-0 Ednbrgh Napier 1st 50-12 Bishop Burton 1st 27-3 St Andrews 1st 24-17 Edinburgh 1st
CONFIRMED ROUND 3 FIXTURES: Wednesday 30th January Lo’borough 3rd Notts Trent 2nd Durham 2nd
Manchester proved too good for Bishop Burton Photo: Cil Barnett-Neefs
University of Manchester
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Bishop Burton College
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Tom Acey Sport Editor University of Manchester overwhelmed Bishop Burton to reach the last 16 of the BUCS Rugby Union Cup. As the home side play in a higher division than their visitors, the result was not altogether surprising, but Manchester will have been delighted with their first half performance, in which they managed 31 points without reply.
The hosts eased the pressure in the second half and Bishop Burton enjoyed much of the territory, but Manchester were always the more disciplined and clinical of the two sides, asserting their authority with two tries towards the end of the game. Manchester started well, with three of their eight tries coming inside of ten minutes. In fact, for much of the opening period, the visitors struggled to get hold of the ball, and frequently conceded
penalties and lost line-outs in dangerous areas. By contrast, Manchester were well drilled in attack, and the power of their pack caused plenty of problems for the visitors. The hosts may have been disappointed not to have made more of the sinbinning of Ali Heard, but their five tries proved just reward for their dominance in the half. The visitors’ concerns were heightened by an injury to Danny Wilson, who left the field midway through the half with a suspected broken tibia. The winger was well enough to watch the second half from the sidelines, and his team will by hoping that his injury is less serious than initially thought. After a serious dressing down from their coach,
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Bishop Burton started the second period well, but any hopes of a comeback were dashed by a magnificent Manchester try. Paddy Shaw broke from near the halfway line, evading three tackles before kicking to the far touchline for the onrushing Joey Helsop to convert. With the score now at 360, the away side had nothing to lose, and they began to play some excellent rugby, moving the ball quickly and pressurising the home side into careless mistakes. For much of the second half, they were actually the better side, and tries from Jarad Williams and Wilson’s replacement were just reward for their efforts. However, despite their relative dominance, the
visitors remained wasteful, squadering several potential openings and frequently conceding possession in good positions. Manchester, meanwhile, remained comfortable in defence, remaining resolute as the green and white shirts came streaming forward. Despite their best efforts, the visitors struggled to break the home side down, and Manchester again dominated in the latter stages, with two more tries sealing a 50-12 victory and a safe passage into the third round of the cup. Manchester will face league rivals Nottingham Trent 2nd in the next round, and, with their opponents propping up the Premier North B table, will be confident of progressing to the last 8 of the competition.
Email: mancunion.sport.editors@gmail.com
v v v
Leeds 2nd Manchester 1st Aberdeen 1st
BUCS
league standings PTS 1
Loughborough University
2331
2
University of Bath
1625.75
3
Durham University
1605.5
4
University of Birmingham
1534
5
University of Exeter
1515
6
University of Nottingham
1386
7
Leeds Met Carniege
1353.5
8
University of Manchester
1303
9
University of Edinburgh
1148
10
Newcastle University
1114.5
11
University of Leeds
1045.5
12
University of Bristol
1032
13
Cardiff University
1010
14
Northumbria University
1003.75
15
Oxford University
997