Issue19 by The Mancunion

22ND APR 2013/ ISSUE 19 FREE

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MANCHESTER’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER

Meet the PhD student campaigning for Syrians in the UK

Freshers’ Week Pangaea set to launch

UMSU-SHAMBLES

Goodbye to Sankeys

MMU cancel radical speaker event Jonathan Breen News Editor

• THREE candidates successfully appeal against election disqualification  • Kazi Tawseef replaces Ellie Bradbury as Wellbeing Officer following recount  • Open letter complains about handling of the affair Andrew Williams & Richard Crook Dislodged Wellbeing Officer Ellie Bradbury has hit out against the Students’ Union over their handling of the student elections. Ms Bradbury was elected onto next year’s Students’ Union executive on 14 March, but lost out to Kazi Tawseef following his successful appeal against disqualification. She told The Mancunion: “This whole process has been a shambles and deeply upsetting for all parties involved. “I will be making sure that the Union takes sufficient steps to ensure that this never happens again. If I am not satisfied with their response, I will consider seeking legal

advice.” Chourdhry Haziq and Shahneela Shehereen, candidates for General Secretary and Activities Officer respectively, were also successful in their appeals, but lost out in the subsequent recounts. The disqualifications of Khaldoon Khan (Community) and Ali Khalid (Diversity) were upheld by a 17-strong student panel. A Students’ Union statement read: “Following the disqualification of five candidates from the Students’ Union Elections at 9.50pm on Thursday 14 March, the disqualified candidates were offered the opportunity to lodge an appeal against this decision. The deadline for appeals was 9am on Friday

22 March. All five candidates lodged appeals.” Whilst three of the five appeals were successful, only one result was changed. A recount for the position of Wellbeing Officer saw Kazi Tawseef beat Ellie Bradbury by 278 votes. The newly-instated Wellbeing Officer ran an unusual but clearly effective campaign, claiming to be supported by Albus Dumbledore and pledging to deliver a 24-hour student-only ambulance service. But Mr Tasweef was initially kicked out of the race after one of his supporters allegedly hassled a voter at a polling station, despite several warnings by an official. On results night, Fuse FM’s

Joe Kearney broke the news that five candidates had been disqualified following complaints of cheating, minutes before the winners were announced. While some took to Twitter to praise the move, PakSoc, who had supported all five of the banned candidates, called for a “detailed investigation” to ensure there “was no discrimination” against their candidates. The panel that overturned the three disqualifications was “picked to be reflective of the wider student population,” meaning students were chosen on the basis of factors such as gender, disability, and sexuality. Continued on Page 2

MMU cancelled a talk with controversial Islamic speaker after they were tipped off by an online pressure group last week. Self-described “human rights” group Cageprisoners were scheduled to send speakers – including a former Guantanamo Bay inmate - to an event in the University’s Business School on April 18. After extremism-awareness group Student Rights contacted the University to inform them of one of the speakers past views, staff cancelled the talk because it had not been booked properly. “The event was cancelled because an internal booking system had been used inappropriately to bypass University procedure,” said an MMU spokesman. “Hence this was not an official event and organisers had not allowed for a proper risk assessment to take place as is the norm for all such events. “Lacking the necessary information or preparation, the University was unable to support this event and it had to be cancelled.” After the event was brought to the attention of the staff, they discovered students from the business school, who booked the event, had not gone through the necessary department. “When Student Rights told us that this event had been booked by students in the Business School, it turned out that Conference and Events knew nothing of it, so the necessary checks had not been carried out,” added Mr Hollyman. Jahangir Mohammed, one of the speakers scheduled, is known to have radical views on ‘the West’ and in an article for the Islamic news-website Ummah News discussed “Nazi Israelis” and a “Muslim holocaust”. Hollyman acknowledged

that the views of the speakers scheduled for last Thursday’s event were a concern for the University. “It’s fair to say the Student Rights warning about the external speakers did concern us,” he said, adding, “There is a fine line between allowing free speech and allowing antisocial views to be heard publicly. “While we would encourage student protest and student questioning of issues concerning politics and justice, we have a policy of zero tolerance of any speech or acts which could incite discrimination, hatred or worse.” Cageprisoners responded to the cancellation saying they were not involved in organising the event, but disapproved of how MMU had handled it. “We do…wonder why, given the event was booked and advertised some time ago, it took the University the day before the talk to flag up irregularities and cancel it. “This caused maximum disruption to the speakers and around 250 people who had planned to attend. It also gave organisers the shortest notice possible and virtually no chance to correct any procedural irregularities or move to an alternative venue.” Messages supporting Cageprisoners appeared on Twitter soon after the cancellation, including from MMU Criminology lecturer Waqas Tufail, who tweeted, “Cageprisoners event cancelled due to pressure from [Student Rights] (who have dodgy views to say the least).” Manchester student Iskandaranya Awy tweeted, “The irony. An event about justice has been cancelled because justice was absent. Cageprisoners held an event at University of Manchester on April 17, which included a work-shop outside the University’s student’s union.

02 : NEWS

ISSUE 19 / 22nd April 2013 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Members of the Save Our NHS campaign – including medics and nursing students in white coats and scrubs – gathered outside Manchester Royal Infirmary last Wednesday in protest against what they say are government attempts to privatise the NHS. The government has proposed Section 75, an amendment to the Health Act (2012) that would force all NHS services to compete with private companies to win government healthcare contracts.

Highlights

Author Bill Williams, on his book Jews and other Foreigners News, page 4

Picture of the week

Astro girl reaches for the stars News, page 7

Life beyond Hugo Chavez Features, page 8

UMSU-SHAMBLES Continued from front page

Their decision will be devastating for Ellie Bradbury, who told The Mancunion having been announced as the winner on 14 March: “I’m so happy. This is a job I really wanted to do.” When asked for her reaction to the news that she will no longer take up the position of Wellbeing Officer next year, Ellie explained: “I am very upset about the situation. But more than anything I am furious about how the whole process has been handled.” “I was only made aware of the appeal the night before the decision to overturn the disqualifications, almost two weeks after the initial elections night,” she told The Mancunion. “I find it deeply upsetting that I have not received any information from the union since the recount, nor have I received any form of response to an email I sent expressing my concerns about how the situation has been handled.” “Considering that the Students’ Union is meant to be there to support and advise the student body, that there has been no concern shown for how distressing this situation has been for any of the parties involved is distressing.” She continued: “This whole process

has been a shambles and deeply upsetting for all parties involved. I will be making sure that the Union takes sufficient steps to ensure that this never happens again. If I am not satisfied with their response, I will consider seeking legal advice.” Ellie also confirmed that she has not been given the opportunity to appeal against the decision to reinstate Kazi Tawseef. The reinstatement of three previously disqualified candidates has also sparked anger within the Students’ Union itself. On Wednesday, Manchester SU trustee Sarah Webster posted an open letter on her Facebook page deploring the Union’s handling of the saga. It read: “The UMSU trustees were not informed of the decision to hold an appeal regarding the disqualification of five candidates from the UMSU elections yesterday. As a student trustee, I have received no communication on the appeal and have no knowledge of how the appeal was conducted or the information presented to the student panel.” Ms Webster continued: “I have only had access to the information on the disqualifications and appeals that has been available to all students via the

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Comment, page 11

Wednesday lunchtime. Nick Pringle, General Secretary of the Students’ Union, issued a statement confirming they have “decided to commission an independent external expert to look at our election processes and procedures. “A separate full written report outlining the appeals decisions, including the reasons for the decisions and the process which was followed, be produced by the independent parties who facilitated the process and published by the Students’ Union as soon as possible.” It has undoubtedly been an election season in which the rules have come under considerable scrutiny. Some candidates criticised the role current exec officers play in campaigns, particularly after Kaz Dyson publicly apologised for her tweets about Activities Officer candidate Raj Singh. Later in the campaign, an open letter in protest against the use of iPads to garner votes was signed by ten candidates. The Students’ Union had initially banned them “until further notice” over the weekend of the 10-11 March, before the election’s Returning Officer confirmed to candidates that they would be permitted as of the following Monday.

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M13 9PR

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UMSU website. I found out via Facebook about the decision of the appeal.” “I believe that the trustees should have been informed in advance for transparency and accountability reasons as we are ultimately responsible for the decisions and actions of the Union. It falls within the remit of our role to ensure that any appeals process against the decision of the Returning Officer is independent, unbiased and transparent.” “I will uphold the decision of the appeal. However, I believe that there are concerns about the appeal and how it was conducted that must be answered. I am posting this statement because it is important that all students have faith in the democratic process at UMSU, and that the Union’s decisions and actions are transparent and accountable.” “I post as a concerned trustee and as a concerned student,” the letter concluded. The open letter has received significant backing on Facebook, with no less than half of the newly-elected Students’ Union executive indicating their support for the letter. Rosie Dammers (Education), Clifford Fleming (Campaigns), Liam Mayet (Activities) and Tabz O’Brien-Butcher (Women’s) all ‘liked’ the post after it went up last

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ISSUE 19 / 22nd APRIL 2013 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

NEWS : 03

Darfur whistleblower calls for action on Syria

Meet the Manchester PhD student campaigning for Syrians in the UK Haytham Alhamawi was imprisoned by Assad’s regime in the early 2000s. Today he helps coordinate a campaign to help Syrians studying in the UK Joe Sandler Clarke Media Intern For Haytham Alhamawi – a 36 year-old Syrian PhD student at the University of Manchester – being tortured was not the worst part of being imprisoned by Assad’s regime. “During interrogations they tortured you, but not that much,” he says; telling me he had expected far worse. “You hear in interviews what they’re doing to prisoners now. They beat the prisoners everywhere, with everything they have. They take their nails off, they break their knees, their elbows.” In 2003 Mr Alhamawi was sentenced to four years in prison for organising anti-bribery campaigns and protests against the Assad regime in his home town of Daryya – an area four kilometres south-west of Damascus. As part of his sentence he spent three months sharing a 3×3 underground prison cell with 40 other men. “Not seeing sunlight for three months was difficult,” he says in a typically understated manner. “I had scabies, I had lice, I had all these problems.” Mr Alhamawi campaigns against the regime began in earnest in the early 2000s, when he and his friends would meet to discuss books and the arts in secret while studying at Damascus University. From this act of ‘private protest’, they would organise small scale community demonstrations, drawing attention to the rampant corruption in the country. They ran a street cleaning campaign in Daryya to help win the support of the local people, and to challenge the regime’s control over all aspects of life. Later they would organise protests, sometimes hundreds strong; while they also distributed anti-bribery posters to local businesses. “We didn’t agree that everything we did should be controlled by the regime. We wanted to tell the regime ‘we are free men’ and we wanted to act like free men,” he explains. As soon as the protests started, Assad’s forces became interested in Haytham’s campaign. He was released from after serving two-and-a half years of his sentence following a

presidential pardon; a result of a shortlived liberalisation of the Assad regime in 2005. A few months later, despite protests from his wife with whom he has two children, he was back on the street protesting. Today, from his office in Manchester the one-time political prisoner helps coordinate a campaign to get support for his compatriots at UK universities. The pressures of civil war, sanctions and the closure of the Syrian embassy in London, have left many students struggling financially. In January a student at Salford University, who had previously told The Mancunion that their savings had run out and that they were unable to ask their family for help, received a letter from their University telling them “they could not complete their studies” unless £10,140 fees were paid. Another told us that in the absence of support from his family, or from his University in England, his situation had become impossible. Mr Alhamawi, whose role in the campaign is to look to raise awareness about the plight of the Syrians studying in the North West, says the stance from the higher education sector and the British government has been unhelpful. “If they can ignore it, they will ignore it; like any issue,” he says of the government. After the campaign gained widespread attention and won support from the NUS at the start of this year, a number of universities, including Salford, have reached an agreement to allow Syrians to continue with their studies, but not to graduate. Other institutions have waived fees entirely for those caught up in the crisis. It is a great achievement for Mr Alhamawi and his friends in the British Syrian Community of Manchester. But, consumed with worries about family and friends in Syria and with little prospect of returning home as his country continues to tear itself apart, he doesn’t feel he has much to celebrate. His family have inevitably been caught up in the turmoil back home. And after his father was repeatedly arrested last year for protesting against the regime,

they decided to flee. His father-in-law was arrested in July 2011, and he has not heard anything about him since. Since the outbreak of violence two years ago, communicating with political prisoners, already difficult when living in such an autocratic regime, has become virtually impossible. “The prisons in Syria are like slaughter houses,” says Mr Alhamawi, matter-offactly. “I’ve heard from my father how they torture people; about the people who die in prison.” Unable to return home due to the war and the likelihood that he would be arrested as soon as he stepped foot in the country, Mr Alhamawi finds himself in a state of limbo; waiting for the regime to collapse but not knowing if or when this will happen. Never mind what might replace the Assad regime if it falls. Before the violence started in 2011 he tells me he had booked his flights back to Syria so his children could be home in time for the start of the academic year. Two years later he has gained refugee status to stay in the UK, and his oldest son is set to take his GCSEs in Manchester. “My kids are perhaps more interested in Manchester United than the Syrian cause; but I still dream of returning home,” he smiles. Half-an-hour before I arrive to meet him, Mr Alhamawi gets a call from his supervisor telling him that he has passed his PhD in Occupational Health. A subject which he says interested him because it meant that he could help whole communities, rather than just individual patients. It is this desire to help people that is one of the most striking things about him; whether he’s talking about protesting against bribery in Daryya, or fighting for those affected by the Syria crisis in the UK. I ask him what motivates his ceaseless campaigning. “My motivation is human,” he replies. “As a Muslim I feel that I have a responsibility towards my people, towards everybody. I believe that we are not just individuals, we live in society and we should care about each other.”

Joe Sandler Clarke Media Intern A former United Nations chief and Manchester University Profes sor, who was the first person to draw attention to the genocide in Darfur, says that more needs to be done to help Syria. Speaking to The Mancunion, Mukesh Kapila, Professor of Global Health and Humanitarian Affairs at the University, said human rights abuses including rape and gender violence had become widespread in Syria since the civil war broke out in 2011, and drew similarities between the conflict there and the war in Sudan. “In Syria terrible atrocities have taken place. There has been targeting of civilians and shortages of basic amenities like food and water, as there was in Darfur,” explained Prof Kapila in a phone interview. “What’s different about the cases is that in Darfur the violence was of an ethnic nature. Black African tribes were attacked by Arab supremacists from Khartoum in a genocide or ethnic cleansing. In Syria there have been war crimes, and crimes against humanity have taken place; but I wouldn’t say they amount to genocide. Violence has been targeted against those who disagree with President, not against people based on ethnic, racial, or religious grounds. The other big difference is that President Omar Al-Bashir has been end cited for war crimes by the international criminal court” With a background in public health, Prof Kapila was formerly head of the UN in Sudan and is a veteran of humanitarian crises and ethnic cleansing in Iraq, Rwanda, Srebrenica, Afghanistan, and Sierra Leone. The UN estimates that as many as 70,000 thousand Syrians have been killed since the conflict erupted there in 2011; with Secretary Ban Ki Moon warning that as the international community stands idly by, the country is “tearing itself apart.”

Professor Mukesh Kapila

“There have been efforts to take Assad to the international criminal court, but the Security Council is hopelessly divided,” explains Prof Kapila. “There is plenty of intervention in Syria, but it is of the wrong sort, and has led to further conflict. The Arab World: Saudi Arabia and Qatar, along with Western powers are intervening for the rebels, while Iran and Russia are intervening for the government.” I ask if there is a danger of Syria becoming a failed state if the violence continues. He says: “Syria is already a failed state. Where four million people are living as refugees and there are bombings every day, it must be a failed state.” Prof Kapila argues that the interventions in Iraq and Libya, as well as short-term foreign policy goals from major government have served to spread mistrust on the Security Council leading to its current inaction. His new book ‘Against a Tide of Evil: How One Man Became the Whistle blower to the First Mass Murder of the Twenty-First Century’ aims to tell future generations of his experiences covering the mass murders and hu manitarian crises in Sudan, Rwanda, Srebrenica and elsewhere. I ask him if the current inaction over Syria shows that the international community have learnt little from those events? “My intention writing the book was that we might learn the lesson of what happens when we don’t intervene early enough, and when what happens when we fail to intervene. Perhaps two years ago a more purposeful intervention by the Security Council might have led to a situation where we could have found an answer. But now with 1 million people displaced, and 70,0000 plus killed, we are in a very different state of the world. I feel that as an International community our ability to learn lessons is very lim ited, or we learn the wrong lessons.”

ISSUE 19/ 22nd APRIL 2013 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

04 : News

‘Top academics were rescued while lesser ones were left behind’ The Mancunion talks to Bill Williams, author of Jews and Other Foreigners, about Nazis on campus, immigration and the University’s involvement in the rescue of European Jews during the 1930s The University of Manchester saved

kitchen,” he explains. “They stepped

the liberal country, and Manchester

25 Jewish academics from Fascist

inside and saw that the room was a

had the reputation for being the liberal

Europe in the 1930s, including three

Hitler shrine. There were swastikas all

city. Is there something in that, or is it

people who went on to develop

over the walls and photos of prominent

just rhetoric?” asks Williams.

the atomic bomb. But what kind of

Nazis. Her husband had obviously

“Having heard from Jewish refugees,

reception did those who fled Facism

been a member of the British Union of

communist refugees and people from

in the 1930s get when they arrived in

Fascists.”

the Basque country; I concluded that it

the north-west? In

‘Jews

and

‘Jews and Other Foreigners’ is filled Other

is liberal city, and it is a liberal country

Foreigners’,

with stories like this. At one point Mr

published in paperback by Manchester

Williams’ reveals the Stephen Joseph

He talks of how some migrants felt

University Press this month, Jewish

Studio, a church-like building situated

isolated when they arrived, often

history scholar Bill Williams, 82, tells

behind the Samuel Alexander Building

living quite separate lives from their

the story of immigrants who came to

now used to hold lectures, was taken

Mancunian counterparts. Meanwhile,

Manchester in the 1930s.

over by German students in 1933 and

for Williams, the recruitment of Jewish

Looking to challenge the idea that migrants were welcomed to Britain

Party in Manchester. Even those who helped migrants

people who came to the north-west

come to Britain readily discriminated

from across Europe in the 1930s.

against them. Quakers, a group which

Through his interviews and archival

long been associated with helping

research he reveals how migrants faced

Jews flee Europe and come to Britain

discrimination when they arrived in

during the 1930s, declared that they

Manchester.

would

only

help

“non-practicing

He tells me about a Jewish couple he

Jews or friends” – those with existing

met who, upon arriving in England,

contacts in the Quaker community.

took lodgings in Withington.

Support from the Catholic Church in

very pleasant. And when they had to leave she invited them into her

Mothers Day card from Ruth Schneider, from Vienna, in Austria to her parents. She was allowed to travel to Manchester by British authorities in 1939 for her safety. Ruth’s parents Josephine and Isak Schneider were not admitted and were killed by Yugoslavian fascists in 1941.

became the headquarters of the Nazi

with open arms, Williams spoke to

“The woman who took them in was

but with reservations.”

Manchester was, according to Williams, virtually non-existent. “Britain had a reputation for being

Britain had a reputation for being the liberal country, and Manchester had the reputation for being the liberal city, so the question is: is there something in that, or is it just rhetoric?

book for a moment and turn to the

Liberal, and Labour politicians are all

question of what motivated Williams, a

still keen to highlight the historical

Welshman - who was raised as a Roman

benefits of immigration to the UK

Catholic - to make the study of Jewish

whenever given the opportunity.

history his life’s work. At first he talks

Bill Williams – who is also an honorary

of getting into the field via a “chapter of

fellow at the Centre for Jewish Studies

accidents”, but as our talk progresses

at the University and founder of the

he tells me how he became interested

Manchester Jewish Museum – is an

in the history of minorities during his

advocate of unrestricted immigration,

time in Malaya during the 1960s and

and tells me he “detests” organisations

1970s.

like UKIP and the English Defence

“There was a moment which I very rarely talk about,” he begins.

League. Discussing the way immigrants are

“When I was in Malaya the Communist

treated today, Williams argues: “In the

Emergency was still on. I was living in

1930s there were reservations, and

a house on a college campus where

anti-semitism. Today there is a lot more

I was doing teacher training. Most of

anger. The immigration debate now is

us were very relaxed about the whole

focused on restrictions. Restricting

thing. The emergency was nearly over,

benefits,

and we thought nothing would happen

allowed into the country. All the major

to us. Only one family boarded up their

parties are in favour of more restrictive

house and put up iron bars and so on.

policies.

restricting

the

numbers

That was a Jewish family, and when the

“Underlying the way immigrants are

communist terrorists came they were

treated today is a lack of compassion.

attacked and the father was killed. A

What we should be doing when we

European staff by the University and

question stuck in my mind after the

look at migrants, is not asking what

leading industries in Manchester was

event: why did he board up his house?

they can do or what they can offer, but

“It struck me that there was a certain

rather what they need, and how can we

as pragmatic as it was humanitarian. “Manchester University was looking

fear, a certain anxiety in him that

to develop strong departments like

perhaps stemmed from his Jewishness.

“I didn’t set out to write an explicitly

physics, where those who went on

That was important. We were close

political book, but I am an explicitly

to develop the atomic bomb went to

friends. That made a great impression

political person; and if there is a

work, and they could look at German

on me.”

message I’d like people to take away

academics and say ‘we want that one’,”

Despite being a study of the past,

he explains. “The result of this process

‘Jews and Other Foreigners’ touches on

was that top academics tended to get

modern themes.

help them.

from this book it’s that one: the need to offer compassion to immigrants.” Bill

Williams,

‘Jews

and

Other

rescued, while lesser ones were left

Britain still prides itself on being a

Foreigners: Manchester and the Rescue

behind. The University was liberal,

liberal country, tolerant of immigration;

of the Victims of European Fascism, 1933

and it was humanitarian, but also it

particularly compared to its European

- 40’, (Manchester University Press) is

was self-interested. It was liberalism

counterparts. And even as the political

out now in paperback.

complicated by self-interest.”

consensus shifts towards increasingly

I stop our discussion about the

harsh rhetoric against migrants; Tory,

ISSUE 19 / 22nd APRIL 2013 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

NEWS : 05

Freshers’ Week Pangaea Festival announced Pangaea set for Freshers’ Week 2013 after disaster of M13 festival last year

Michael Williams News Editor A third Pangaea festival has been added to the University calendar in Freshers’ Week. The event will take place on the Saturday night of Freshers’ Week, replacing the disastrous M13 festival cancelled this past September. “The union has tried to do their own events on the Saturday of Freshers’ Week every year,” explained Activities & Development Officer Tommy Fish, “and it’s never really worked. “M13 was doomed from the off because it didn’t have any student involvement,” Fish continued. “One of the key elements of Pangaea is student involvement, that spreads throughout the student population and that will be one of the big factors that will make the September [event] a success.” The announcement comes after news that June’s event, themed ‘The Night The Toys Had A Party’, will feature an outdoor stage – potentially outside Alan Gilbert learning commons or in the car park. “It’ll be light until about ten, so it’ll be a nice atmosphere,” said Fish. “As long as the weather holds up…

which you can’t really bank on in Manchester.” The Mancunion can also reveal three acts that are scheduled to appear at June’s event. Artful Dodger are to perform, along with MK in the house room and DJ Derek, a 71-year old reggae DJ. “He’ll be spinning his minidiscs up in Academy 3”, explains Fish. The full line-up has yet to be released, but The Mancunion can confirm one name that will not be in attendance. “I’d love to put on Dr Dre”, said Fish, “but it’s not gonna happen unless I have a million pounds”. June’s event is not without controversy, however. The addition of a launch party at the Union – held this past Friday night - as the only way to purchase Super Early Bird tickets provoked negative comments online. “Buying a ticket for this really is the definition of poor financial planning”, remarked Ben North, a Politics and International Relations student, on the Union’s launch party Facebook page. “With anything you do”, said Fish, “some people hate it. People are saying ‘it’s not fair I have to go to the launch party to get a ticket’ but well, the next tier up is only £3 more, and you can get that online on Monday.”

Photo Caption: Blah blah blah

“The launch party is more for first and second years, with third years having dissertations, who probably missed out last time. It gives them a chance.” After The Mancunion reported last year that tickets for December’s event sold out in record time, the festival will now see tickets released in a staggered fashion. For June’s festival, ‘Early Bird’ and ‘Steady Eddie’ tickets will go on sale on different days – April 22 and April 24 respectively – be-

fore ‘Slow Worm’ tickets are released. Students paying way over the odds for tickets, both from touts and other students buying them specifically to resell for a profit, is a major concern for Tommy. Currently, students must show student cards both when ordering tickets and when arriving at Pangaea. For the last event, there was also a system whereby tickets could be returned to the Union for resale at face value.

“[Previously] there was nothing in place for resales,” explained Fish, “which is something I begged and begged and begged to be put into place. The idea [now] is to stop touting, just cut touting off.” “Even the students that were complaining [about other issues] still said that it’s great that we’re stopping touting.” Summer’s Pangaea festival takes place on Thursday 6 June. Tickets are available via the Students’ Union website.

CHECK OUT OUR NEW

University Challenge team set for semi-final Andrew Williams Features Editor The University of Manchester go head-to-head with Bangor University tonight for a place in their fifth University Challenge final in eight years. Team members David Brice, Adam Barr, Richard Gilbert and Debbie Brown will face Jeremy Paxman – and some of the toughest quiz questions on television – as they seek to defend Manchester’s title, won at the expense of Pembroke College, Cambridge in a topsy-turvy final in 2012. This year’s quartet narrowly beat Lincoln College, Oxford in the first round before overcom-

ing a second Oxford college, Magdalen, in round two. They then saw off Imperial College, London in the first of their quarter-final matches before suffering a setback to lose to University College, London. However, the team eventually made it through to the semi-finals with a comprehensive victory over St George’s College, London. “Let’s just say, it’s pretty exciting!” said team captain Richard Gilbert. “It’s also a relief that we’ve got to the semis, since no Manchester team has gone out before then since about 2005.” “It would have been awful to have been that team, but frankly, after our calamitous first round match, everything had been a

bonus.” “Hopefully, this good run will do some good towards maintaining the good uni’s reputation - some prospective students use University Challenge as something of a gauge, so maybe we’ve inspired some applications!” As reigning University Challenge champions, the trophy sits proudly on display in a glass cabinet in the University of Manchester library – for the time being, at least. A win this year would see Manchester become only the second institution to win back-to-back championships in the show’s 51-year history. The semi-final will be shown on BBC Two tonight at 8pm.

HERE COMES THE SUN! So why not try a sensationally summery Pimms salad with brie and bacon, or keep it real with a classic home made beef burger. Fancy spicing up your summer? Try our chicken wings or spare ribs marinated in our secret recipe sauce.

For the full menu, visit manchesterstudentsunion.com/unionbar

ISSUE 19 / 22ND APRIL 2013 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

NEWS : 07

Astro girl reaches for the stars Dani said. “I’ve got an interest in aerospace so it all adds up to

and I think that put people off ”,

astronaut!”

Dani said.

i is currently placed 136th

Michael Williams News Editor A student at the University of Manchester is attempting to be sent into space as part of a Lynx advertising campaign. However, this isn’t a ‘lad’ looking to get “the ultimate lead in the dating game”, as the Lynx

adverts suggest. Indeed, this

at school, Dani attended the

isn’t a “lad” at all.

University of Sheffield to study

Danielle Hawarden, a University of Manchester, has

the RAF Volunteer Reserves,

been interested in space from a

and completed a solo flight in a

young age.

Grob Tutor T1 aircraft. “The combination of flying and

After having flying lessons

physics got me into it, really”,

meet some of the astronauts

it on TV and [said] oh my god,

space,” Dani said.

first round of the competition

this is amazing! This sounds

is decided entirely on votes

right up my street”, she con-

what I want to do. It was amaz-

from the public, with the top

tinued.

ing!”

“I [said to myself ] ‘this is

“That reaffirmed that this is

Given the advert’s promise

April 30th advancing to the

definitely for me. I’m doing it

to give “one man the ultimate

mysterious next stage.

regardless.’”

lead in the dating game”, would

This isn’t Dani’s first brush

Dani use her newfound space

released,” she explains, “but

with space celebrity, however.

celebrity to pull, if she won?

it’s basically going to be men-

At 16, she managed to score a

“I don’t think my boyfriend

tal and physical challenges,

work placement with NASA, at

would be very happy with

as if it were a real astronaut

the Johnson Space Centre in

that”, she stated. “But I would

selection.”

Houston, Texas.

try and use it to get some free

“I basically rang around NASA

stuff!”

and I’ve done triathalons

to see if I could do work experi-

“I’d definitely use it to my

before, so I’ve got the fitness

ence there, obviously thinking

advantage. Maybe if I apply

side down hopefully”, Dani

‘no way’”, Dani explained.

to NASA later in my career it

“I’m hoping that this, com-

there, she was a member of

“People weren’t even sure if

thousands of applicants. The

continued.

pre-medical student at the

“When I was there, the Discovery shuttle landed, and I got to that had just came down from

“I’m on the Uni rowing team,

Physics and Philosophy. While

ant company.

women could apply, but I saw

“Not many details have been

Danielle Hawarden uses Lynx promotion in attempt to blast off

without the help of a deodor-

in the competition out of

200 when the poll closes on

With an interest in space from a young age, Dani plans to take the next “small step” thanks to a Lynx promotion. Photo: Danielle Hawarden

“A lot of their advertising is obviously geared towards men,

“Amazingly, I managed to get

would be good on my CV to

a week at the Johnson Space

say ‘well, I’ve already been to

bined with my degree, [means]

Centre in Houston, and that’s

space!’”.

I’ll do quite well. I’m in with a

where Mission Control is so it

The link to vote for Dani is

decent chance!”

was a pretty good place to go!”

http://www.lynxapollo.com/

Was Dani weary of applying,

Whilst there, Dani rubbed

given the company running the

shoulders with some astronauts

promotion?

who managed to get to space

en_GB/45629/dani-hawarden/. Voting closes on April 30.

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08 : Feature

ISSUE 19 / 22ND APRIL 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Has Chavismo died with Chavez?

Rioting on the streets, a tanking economy and a divided nation Caracas-based journalist Girish Gupta speaks to The Mancunion about life beyond Hugo Chavez

Andrew Williams Features Edtor

Seven weeks ago, Venezuelans awoke to a bright Tuesday morning without an inkling that the day millions had been dreading was finally upon them. That afternoon, the announcement many believed would never come: Hugo Chavez, the revolutionary president who promised to preside over “the resurrection of Venezuela” when he came to power in fifteen years ago, had lost his battle with cancer at the age of 58. Chavez’s legacy, hotly disputed amongst Venezuelans who variously deify and detest him, is at least in part a country riven by in-fighting between his most fervent supporters and fiercest critics; between the Chavistas and the Chav-nots. Given the strength and depth of feeling on both sides towards his regime – indifference is off the menu here – it was somewhat inevitable that the vacuum left by his passing would be filled, at least in the short-term, by violence on the streets of Caracas. Last week, seven people were killed and more than sixty injured during postelection clashes in what has become one of the world’s deadliest capital cities; the rate of homicide having quadrupled since 1998, today Caracas has a murder rate comparable with Baghdad. Now, with Chavez’s anointed successor Nicolas Maduro sworn in as president despite allegations of electoral irregularity by a furious opposition, the immediate future of Venezuela looks decidedly uncertain. Girish Gupta, a former Mancunion news editor now based in Caracas, has found himself in the thick of a tumultuous period for Latin American politics. At just 26, he has reported from four continents, covering the notorious Mexican drug wars before moving over 2,000 miles south in 2011.

The young freelance journalist paints a picture of a truly dichotomous nation; a country of outstanding natural beauty pockmarked by crumbling, slum-ridden cities, where the struggling middle classes rub awkwardly against a newlyenfranchised poor. “There are many people who would very, very fervently argue that Chavez completely destroyed this country,” Girish explains. “People used to call Caracas ‘the New York of South America’ – they don’t any more. Venezuelans were known for just buying everything because they had so much money.” On the other hand, he says, “roughly the same number of people here regard Chavez as having saved the poor in this country. Poor people who were completely ignored have been given a voice – they now have a stake in politics, which never happened before – and they will tell you that this guy is their God, literally. They use quasi-religious language when they talk about him. So the ‘Chavez: good or bad’ question is incredibly polarising. There are people who will argue absolutely adamantly both ways.” El Comandante, as he was known, was perhaps the most charismatic political figure of his era – “an absolutely fantastic personality,” according to Girish Gupta. “Chavez was great at populism. He was absolutely superb at connecting with people. For that reason it’s very difficult trying to get across to people just how powerful the love for Chavez is. It’s Christ-like, it’s ridiculous. Aside from North Korea, which is of course a very different situation, there is nothing remotely comparable. It’s just not something we ever see in western politics.” One anecdote is particularly indicative of the Chavez phenomenon. “I spoke to ordinary Venezuelans when it was first revealed he had cancer and I said to them, what’s going to happen to this

country when Chavez goes? And they would say, quite seriously, ‘he’s never going to die’,” Girish recalls. “So I said, alright, in twenty years when he’s not in power… ‘he will be in power,’ they would say. That sort of language was quite common.” Yet this reverence is almost entirely at odds with the economic reality of present-day Venezuela. The country is, to all intents and purpose, an economic basketcase. “The economy is absolutely screwed,” Girish tells The Mancunion. “You’ve got one of the highest rates on inflation in Latin

Foreign Correspondent, Girish Gupta America [an eye-watering 25 percent]. You’ve got a shortage of basic products here because exporters have to contend with a collapse in the currency; you can’t exchange for dollars. For me, that’s amazing – I can fly to New York for 200 bucks – but Venezuelans are really suffering economically.” Have Chavez’s ever-loyal supporters simply ignored these facts? “People never associated Chavez with these failings because, you know, it was Chavez. ‘He’s cool,’ they would say. ‘Look at what he’s done for us.’ They blamed all of the problems on government ministers,” Girish says. Nicolas Maduro, who won last week’s

general election by just 235,000 votes – a hair’s breadth – cannot rely on stonking rhetoric or a finely tuned cult of personality to power his presidency. On Thursday, a leading opposition newspaper splashed a picture of the bus driver-turned-president on their front page, complete with Hitler moustache. The defeated candidate of the right, Henrique Capriles, has cried foul play and looks set to dig in his heels, whilst the United States have refused to recognise the result of the election. Put simply, the great challenge of Maduro’s presidency will be the fact that “he doesn’t have the same hold that Chavez did. I don’t think even he would be audacious enough to say that. I spoke to several people who said, ‘I’m a Chavista, I’ve always been a Chavista and I always will be a Chavista, but I’m going to vote for Capriles this time.’” And yet, Maduro has much to do beyond holding his own party together. The eruption of violence which followed the election result was horribly apt, unfolding as it did in a city suffering from a criminal epidemic. “You speak to any person in Venezuela and they tell you the key here is crime. There’s no confidence in the police, and the prison services are incompetent,” Girish says. “You don’t feel safe or secure. When I go back to London I pull my phone out of my pocket and I’m surprised that I can do that. I don’t like walking around at night, even in the nicer areas of town, and the danger isn’t about getting mugged, it’s about the guns that they’ve got, and the fact that they don’t care about using them.” He continues: “It makes no difference to them whether they kill you or not, and that’s the scary thing for me. Forget about your new iPhone, forget about your computer, you don’t want to be in a position where these guys get pissed off with you and decide to shoot you, because no one is ever going to catch them. So no, I don’t feel safe here at all.” Fortunately, Girish tells me, he is yet to fall victim to crime in Caracas, but he fully expects to at some point. “Pretty

much everyone I know has been,” he laments. “Before I lived in Mexico, everyone told me how dangerous it was, but you can walk around Mexico City at night, and it’s fine. But in Caracas you can’t. You genuinely cannot. A colleague of mine recently saw a guy killed coming out of a bank one day, so it does manifest itself even in places where you should feel quite secure.” Despite the lack of personal security, Girish has no desire to turn his back on Venezuela for the comfort of a Fleet Street newsroom. “Politically it’s very, very interesting here, and it’s so much more valuable [than regular journalism] in every single sense. It’s not like I have a small patch to myself – I have a whole country to myself, a whole region to myself. The money you can earn from freelancing is absolutely ludicrous, so there’s absolutely nothing now that would attract me to a deskbased job in London.” Though Girish met Hugo Chavez on several occasions – “I usually had a couple of words with him, though nothing of substance” – he never had the opportunity to interview him. His view on the legacy of Chavez is of a mixed picture. “Caracas is crumbling a little bit – it’s not a nice city, it’s not been taken care of – which is sad because otherwise it’s such an incredible country. It’s got the world’s tallest waterfall, it’s got this great Amazon jungle, it has everything, not to mention all of the oil wealth that hasn’t been taken care of. Venezuela could and should be very nice, because they’ve got all of this money.” The long shadow of Chavez will doubtless extend for decades into the future, but now the fate of one of Latin America’s great powers lies in the hands of a divisive President Maduro. Girish Gupta will be a judge at the University of Manchester’s inaugural Student Media Awards on 26 April.

ISSUE 19 / 22nd APRIL 2013 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Feature : 09

‘Sankeys was the Haçienda of its day’ Two weeks today, the legendary venue will close its doors for the final time. Andrew Williams reminisces with Sankeys owner, Dave Vincent Oh, Sankeys. We knew you so well, and yet, we barely knew you. Ask just about any Manchester student who has passed through the club’s hallowed doors – be it for the Thursday night juggernaut Full Moon, or to revel under bright lights in the presence of a world famous DJ – and they will recall one classic, emotionally-charged night at the legendary venue just as easily as they will all-but-forget a further three; those alcohol-imbued nights reduced to a smattering of barely intelligible photos on Facebook. It is no coincidence that few students could point in you direction of Jersey Street, the home of Sankeys, but could instinctively direct you towards the bar. Alas, Sankeys is moving house (pun intended), to a new home. A marathon, 12-hour party on Bank Holiday Monday will see the club voted the world’s best just three years ago open and close its doors for a final time. The announcement that Sankeys Manchester will close to enable the organisation to concentrate on its Ibiza counterpart provoked an outpouring of grief on social media. Speculation that the closure may be a short-lived publicity stunt, only for the club to rise from the ashes in September, was generated more in hope than expectation. Here, we talk to owner and ‘creative visionary’ Dave Vincent about the club’s

legacy, the reasons behind the move, and why “no-one can fill Sankeys’ shoes.” Why do you think there has been such a tremendous and emotional reaction to the closure of Sankeys? Because quite simply Sankeys is one of the world’s most respected club names, and the club has contributed massively to Manchester’s music scene, its culture and heritage. I really have been overwhelmed really by the reactions from people from the four corners of the world – huge amounts of support and love from everyone. It’s been very humbling to feel the impact the club has had. To what extent have students played an integral part in Sankeys’ success? Students have always been a huge part of the club’s success, especially during the more traditional student times but also throughout the summer. We have always had a very loyal crowd and the students have helped underpin this. Plus Sankeys attracts people from all over the city and beyond - it’s a vibrant and mixed crowd. What sets Sankeys apart from any other club in Manchester? We have always striven to be different, left of centre, and do what everyone

Sankeys was named the World’s Best Club by DJ Mag i n 2010. expects us not to. There’s a unique spirit that the club has which I don’t think you can find anywhere else. The Haçienda was a legendary club and so is Sankeys. And of course this was recognised by DJ Mag in 2010, when we won the World’s Best Club award. We retain an intimacy in the venue which everyone loves; the basement is such a brilliant space which has seen pretty much all the world’s best house and techno DJs play over the years.

future?

What are you strongest memories of your thirteen years in charge of Sankeys?

It’s going to be a really epic weekend as the club closes. We are knocking the wall between the Basement and the Bar down to make one room so everyone can enjoy the closing night more freely. We are going to be giving away pieces of the wall to people as souvenirs to take a little piece of history home with them, and also we are throwing in a free ticket to some shows so you can go to Sankeys Ibiza too. We have got a special eight-hour show

For me, one of my best memories is the Danny Tenaglia 12-hour session from 2002. Everyone who was there knows how it defined Manchester’s club scene. It took us to the next level. What is your ultimate goal? Where do you hope to take Sankeys in the

The idea of having seven Sankeys’ - seven wonders of the world, seven Sankeys’ - is something we are determined to achieve. We are also opening in Miami and New York City this year, as well as our third season in Ibiza, so there’s lots coming up. What should people expect from the closing party next month?

from Sasha on Saturday 4 May, who at the moment has his album going to number one in nearly every dance chart around the world, and the Haçienda are having a BBQ party on Sunday afternoon with New Order’s Peter Hook, and possibly Shaun Rider from the Happy Mondays. Of course, expect the unexpected – we have got some surprise guests too playing on the final day. It’s the question on everybody’s lips - is there any chance of Sankeys returning to Manchester in the future? In all honestly who knows at the moment. It is closing indefinitely, but if Sankeys does return it won’t be with me as its owner. I have done my time here in Manchester; I love this city dearly and always will, but for me this is the end and I want to finish on a high.

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Politics & Comment

ISSUE 19/ 22nd April 2013 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Margaret Thatcher 1925-2013

Thatcher the Libertarian? James Jackson questions the conflation of Thatcher’s love of free markets but opposition to other freedoms When discussing the death of Lady Thatcher, there are a number of journalistic clichés that need be avoided. The usage of “divisive,” “controversial” and “polarizing” to describe her is the primary one, true though it may be. There is also a perceived need to note her humble origins, and her gender. It is taken as read that she is the darling of the political right and of the “aspirational” middle class while she is hated by socialists, trade unionists, and Scousers. But where do libertarians stand in relation to the Iron Lady? A number of articles have been penned in support of her by the right wing libertarian press, most notably in the Spectator. The Spectator’s Alex Massie notes the tension between the social conservatism and the economic liberalism which Thatcher championed. But Thatcher was not just a social conservative in the sense of Flag & Family (more on that later); she was also an authoritarian statist. She mobilized the full force of the state, usually in the form of the police, against near anything that she disagreed with: raves, gays, and miners. But before I get onto the obvious fights against liberty during her rule, I wish to critique the near-consensus view that all her economics were libertarian. Influential libertarian blogger Sam Wells writes: “Real libertarians take individual rights seriously- seriously enough to consistently uphold them against the initiation of the use of force by anyone (including government) for any reason. This means that government [...] has no business coercively interfering with the lives of peaceful (non-coercive) citizens in their private affairs and voluntary (market) relations.” Thatcher’s most popular policy among the Tories, breaking the influence of the unions, was a betrayal of libertarian values. A Libertarian perspective is that the trade unions (the democratic ones at least) represent a collective bargaining tool for the workers, who have the freedom over their own labour, and therefore the freedom to strike. I would add that if libertarianism is to be anything

other than the ideology of the rich, then it must respect worker’s freedoms. Did Thatcher respect this freedom? She respected it by sending in the long, brutal arm of the state, the police, to assault those workers whose freedom interfered with her politics. Though many British libertarians feel instinctively closer to the Tory party than Labour or the Lib Dems (I am not one of them), I feel that at least some of the praise for her is down to this tribalism, and the polarization she engendered. Her actions were not libertarian, as Alex Massie claims, but authoritarian and populist. She was not pushing through reforms out of a principled defence of freedom, nor did she commit to rolling back the state- indeed today’s Coalition has cut far more than she did. She instead represented a populist reaction against the post-war social democratic consensus; a consensus which gave trade unions a huge amount of power, and during which the philosophy of Marxism became popular among the British left. The British people were, largely, against the elitist unionists and their policies of industrial action, as well as opposing the radical communists, who appeared as Eastward-looking outsiders in their midst. Alex Nunns argues that she was not even a true monetarist: the privatized national industries, like Network Rail, is not a competitive free-market, but a state sanctioned monopoly, closer to Mussolini’s corporatism than Friedmanite monetarism. Nevertheless, times have changed in the “Conservative” party, which is currently dominated by a liberal wing. Gay marriage would have been inconceivable under Thatcher’s government; indeed the infamous Section 28 made it illegal to even talk about homosexuality in schools. That infringement of a person’s freedom of expression goes beyond mere social conservatism, and leans closer to fascism than many dare admit. Centralized interventions in schools were widespread during her governments, and the national

curriculum was developed for the first time. Stuart Hall describes her as an “authoritarian populist” who reacted against the miners with strike-breaking violence, the AIDs panic with Section 28, and the Acid House/rave movement with tear gas and rubber bullets. Rave culture began during Thatcher’s reign, and was reportedly responsible for a reduction in violence on the streets (who wants to fight when you’re that high?), as well as introducing a generation to dance music. A free marketer would have seized the opportunity to legalise and capitalise on the rave experience, including its fuel of choice, Ecstasy, as well as Cannabis and other drugs. Instead Thatcher demonised and criminalized the party goers and drug users, showing her true colours as an authoritarian conservative reacting to moral panics. The tactics of the police were brutal, and infringed on fundamental freedoms like the freedom of association. What about her foreign policy? Well, she propped up the racist South African apartheid regime by refusing to boycott, famously referring to Nelson Mandela as a “terrorist,” yet she pled for mercy towards the Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, robbing his victims of their justice. She even worked with the genocidal Khmer Rouge, preferring to deal with them over the Vietnamese. You can call this real politik, but whatever its name it is incompatible with a political philosophy like libertarianism, which strongly opposes violent, authoritarian, and anti-democratic regimes like those above. Thatcher may have criticised the social democratic model, opened up the markets and improved Britain’s standing on the world stage. But it is not just her successes that she should be measured for, but her failings as well. To view her as a proto-libertarian or even a neo-liberal is narrow, to say the least. Authoritarianism is intrinsically opposed to libertarianism, whether the authoritarian believes in markets or not.

I could open this piece by quoting one of the many words uttered by the iron lady over her many years. I could state my own ardent admiration for a divisive woman – indeed if you wish for a piece of vitriol, I recommend turning away now. This is not the piece you are looking for, though I will attempt some degree of balance. Instead, I will begin with a personal anecdote from a year or so ago whilst walking with a former friend. She had grown up in a council house and been consistently poor most of her life, and informed me that I could not reasonably say what Thatcher did was fair, how could I know what it was like to be affected so directly by her policy, having always come from relative wealth? A fair comment, so rather than argue the obvious case that money does not make one blind, I asked her what should would recommend needs to be ‘done’ about the state of the poor? Having been raised to loathe Thatcher, her answer surprised me. She told me they needed a ‘kick up the rear’ and to be made more ‘self-reliant’ rather than ‘state-reliant’. I should not need to state my amusement upon informing her she had just almost quoted the loathed wicked witch of Grantham. This is, for me perhaps, one of the most enduring parts of the Thatcherite legacy. A change in attitude, she shifted the debate and in doing so changed the country. The question becomes for better or worse, and in the words I have, I doubt I can answer this. But I shall attempt this herculean task. Students perhaps have most to say with regard to unions, specifically coal. Having been born in 1991, and like most readers of this publication certainly post-Thatcher, I cannot say I recall the winter of discontent nor the strikes. But history teaches, and though it is through revisionism I say this, I must admit that I find the unions’ actions in the 70s reprehensible, and the acts such as the illegal (unconstitutional within the mandate given by the union) strike called by Scargill lead me to question how much of a choice the politicians of the day had. Collective bargaining is a wonderful idea, collective ransoming is not. Nottingham miners who wished to continue working had not even been consulted were made not to work by those ‘protecting’ the pits. This is not the act of a force standing up for the worker. Neither is the policy of only allowing workers in industry to join one union. The closed-shop was no less harmful than the pit closures, if for differing reasons. No, I must find that I admire Thatcher’s steadfast action in dark times. I admit her actions broke communities, and find this problematic. Her faith in the market stretched too far – it is not enough to simply remove industry that fails and assume markets will fill the gap. This was part of the naiveté on her part. Thatcher’s name, the iron lady, though not meant as such, is close to the mark – wrought in iron, a warrior, not a thinker. No politician is perfect, no policy perfect, but in Thatcher’s case the damage caused is difficult to justify. Sadly, it is harder still to justify the situation the postwar consensus created where reliance on failing industry was all that could keep communities together. I cannot say the results of Thatcher were perfect, and to those negatively effected, I am sorry, and sorry I will continue to be, meaningless as it may be. Michael Howe

Comment

ISSUE 19/ 22nd APRIL 2013 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

The Mancunion needs a paid editor and a ringfenced number of issues if it is to surivive The Mancunion is an easy target for cuts. It’s expensive to maintain and its budget is decided by an elected student executive, who we spend the majority of our time scrutinising. But this week, I’ll be arguing that the newspaper should be ring-fenced from further cuts - and be maintained at its 32 page, 20 issue size - and that we return to a paid editor to safeguard the paper’s long-term future. The Mancunion is an enormous operation. On top of the 35 section editors we have photo editors, web developers, marketing officers and subeditors. Then of course there are the contributors, which by the end of the year total well into the hundreds. It takes all of these groups to come together to make this newspaper work week in, week out. As for my motion for a paid editor, it’s not a sly way of sticking around for another year. I’m off to City University at the end of the year, with a CV and portfolio that I’ve spent the year building up. I have no desire to carry on dealing with union politics for any longer than I have to. The paid editor motion is about more than that. The vast majority of section editors, an experience essential for any Editor, are third year students. So the pool of talent for the Editor position is small. The editor was removed as a paid position last year because there were complications with having them as a trustee of the Union. I can see the argument to that, but there must be a way around that. It’s partly because so many people are involved that the newspaper cannot be compromised. The Students’ Union often talks about graduate prospects, but there are few groups they fund that can support a career as much as involvement with

us. Working for the paper is what you make of it. Some contributors come along simply because they love theatre, music or the arts. And that’s great. It involves them in Manchester life, encourages discussion and debate and they can see their name in print and views read across campus. For others, the skills acquired here stay with writers and editors for the rest of their lives. Learning about media law, using advanced design software, conducting interviews and gaining contacts are incredibly useful for those wanting to get into journalism. That’s not just hot air designed to get you signing up next term. Last year’s editor is writing front pages for the Manchester Evening News, while our News Editor (and NUS award winner) works for a national financial magazine and spends his weekends working for The Independent. Jennie Agg, 2009/10 editor, now works for the Daily Mail. Her News Editor Girish Gupta, interviewed in this week’s edition, has written for New York Times and Reuters. Of course, most students at Manchester won’t get involved, though you’d be hard pressed to find another single society with that much regular commitment. This year we’ve exposed extremism on campus. We reported on a former Exec who campaigned on broken promises and then took two and a half months holiday. We covered dodgy exams and told you the reality of DEMO2012 against the endless propaganda churned out by the Students’ Union Facebook page. If our budget remains beholden to each year’s student executive, these stories will be fewer and farther between. There will always be the fear that

your stories may be doing permanent damage to the long-term future of the paper if a vengeful exec comes around. I’m not being alarmist. The President of a Russell Group Students’ Union visited in October and couldn’t believe I was a student. I asked why, and they told me how the budget would be dangled over the Editor by certain exec members if they started writing stories that criticised them. Nationally we already have a big problem with censorship. The Students’ Union at Edinburgh invoked some pitiful excuses to ban a story on an Exec member, whilst the current situation at the London Student looks like an unmitigated disaster. You may not have agreed with everything we’ve written. But it would be a crying shame if, as the biggest University in the country, our awardwinning newspaper was allowed to be cut away bit by bit.

I’ve sat in meetings in which the idea of digital copies has been put forward as “that’s the way the industry is going.” Rubbish. Our newspaper is free and is spread around campus. In any case, we have so many contributors because they see their name in print. Take that away and we could become a glorified blog. No student would take my job and devote their final year to managing something available only online. The Students’ Union must be careful how it spends its money. I accept that I’ve seen waste. But this is not an irresponsible motion and I sincerely hope you are behind us.

Richard Crook Editor-in-Chief

The Sussex Occupation Khalil Secker, the student union’s campaigns officer reports on his experience of the news grabbing Sussex occupation ‘Why protest?’ I ask one guy. ‘The first people you meet when you come to uni are the porters. They sort your post, fix your boiler and generally just help you out. The staff have worked here for years and they’re a part of the campus community. If they all get replaced by staff working from private companies who are underpaid, overworked and moved around all the time – that sense of community will be broken up.’ The protest began on 7th February, when a number of students occupied a building in protest at the university’s decision to privatise campus services – including caterers, porters, security guards and kitchen staff – putting the jobs of 235 staff under threat. By the time I arrived, they had been in occupation for over six weeks, costing the university over £300,000. This was partially because they occupied a conference centre which the university normal hires out, but also because of the round the clock private security keeping guard outside the door. Everyone in the occupation had a small yellow square cut from felt pinned to their tshirts or jackets. This was copied from the red square symbol of student activists in Canada who successfully campaigned against the rise in tuition fees through a sustained series of occupations and student strikes. A recent poll found that 70% of students oppose the plans and I saw lots of students wandering round campus wearing yellow squares, including staff in the union shop. Yellow sheets of A4 paper were stuck up in windows all over campus, both in academic buildings and in halls of residence. The yellow square had gone viral. They’d also employed the tactic of targeting open days, making their own ‘Ask me’ signs to emulate the campus tour guides and explaining to prospective students and parents what was going on. Many accepted invitations of coming upstairs for tea, with one 6th former even staying overnight.

Meetings were run in the horizontal decision making style of the Occupy camps, with one person chairing the meeting to make sure people don’t talk over each other and that everyone gets to have their say. After six weeks of confined proximity, people who had barely spoken before the occupation had now become like family. ‘We haven’t just decided to have this occupation on a whim, this is a last resort.’ says one campaigner, Michael Segalov. ‘Plans to outsource staff were announced in May of 2012 and since then we’ve had ongoing demonstrations and multiple requests to meet with the university through either trade unions or the students’ union, but we’ve been consistently ignored.’ He is also critical of the unions themselves. “It was two weeks before our own students’ union came out and said they supported us. Initially, there was resentment towards NUS within the occupation over how little they supported us until Liam Burns signed an open letter to MPs urging them to sign out Early Day Motion. Vicki Barrs (Vice President for Union Development) also came down to show support. UNISON (the main trade union for campus staff ) has been terrible. They didn’t want any form of strike or protest, they just wanted to negotiate the redundancy package.” As a response, the staff and students set up their own Pop-Up Union with the aim of building for strike action. Michael deals with most of the external communications for the occupation and has built links with the BBC, Guardian, Huffingdon Post, Times, Times Higher Education ( “very influential but often overlooked” ) SkyNews and the local papers. ‘I’ve been woken up every morning at 9am by a different journalist’ he says ‘To be honest it just becomes normal after a while. I think it’s important not to feel out of your depth and not made to feel like “an activist” or someone less important than the

institutions you are fighting against.’ He explains his attitude to campaigning ‘It’s about always being one step ahead and setting the agenda. Always being able to provide references and evidence for everything, exposing their wrongs but also displaying that you’re right.’ ‘We’ve been getting around ten emails a day of support from students and university not just at Sussex but internationally. They tell me that one of the happiest and most unexpected moments of the occupation was when the comedian Frankie Boyle (a Sussex alumnus) rang up to express support and promptly ordered them all pizza. They’ve also had messages of support from Noam Chomsky, Ken Loach, Owen Jones, ‘The Thick of It’ actor Peter Capaldi, Billy Bragg, comedienne Josie Long and Will Self. Michael also persuaded his local Green party MP Caroline Lucas to table Early Day Motion 1216 in Parliament criticising the privatisation of Sussex campus services. An EDM is a petition exclusively for MPs that can occasionally pressure the government into changing their stance) and this one has so far been signed by twenty five MPs from various parties (though none Conservative) – including the Manchester Lib Dem MP John Leech. In the space of just a few weeks, they built for a national demo on the 25th March that drew over a thousand people. Campaigners peacefully occupied all five cafes on campus (all of which are due to be privatised) with the aim of shutting down business for the day in order to put extra pressure on the university. The demo passed by the main administrative building, Sussex House – symbolic because it houses the offices of the senior university staff behind the decision to privatise campus services. Campaigners scrambled up a signpost and onto the roof as well as hopping onto the balcony to raise the a red and

yellow flag up the flagpole. Police were pushed aside from the main doors as protestors streamed into the building. They held it for only half an hour before returning to the main occupation at the conference centre. There, around three hundred people held a general meeting, shared similar stories of privatisation on other campuses and finally agreed to hold a national week of action in April. Following the national demo, university management took out a court injunction preventing anyone from ‘entering or remaining on the campus and buildings of the University of Sussex for the purpose of protest action (without the consent of the University of Sussex)” until September 2013. This essentially means that any protest whatsoever is banned unless permitted by the university. In yet another display of resourcefulness, the campaigners linked up with unnamed barristers happy to do pro bono work in an attempt to challenge the injunction in the European Court of Human Rights. Protests have continued both against the privatisation and against the injunction itself, together with 10,000 signing a petition against both. The occupation was evicted on Tuesday 2nd April after eight weeks. Hordes of riot police evicted the twenty five peaceful protestors in the conference centre. Four arrests were made. One was man arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and criminal damage, relating to an incident at the university on Monday 25 March. Two women and one other man were arrested for obstructing police as they tried to arrest the former. With the occupation over, campaigners are looking at other means of resisting privatisation and are spreading the Pop-Up Union membership not just amongst the original 235 staff affected, but amongst all campus staff. For the time being, momentum seems to still be on their side, with strike action by campus staff looming round the corner.

Comment We don’t need a Men’s Officer ISSUE 19/ 22nd APRIL 2013 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

With an idea having been submitted to the upcoming Union assembly claiming ‘equal representation’, Helen Stevenson examines what a men’s officer might achieve. This week sees University, Union and Community assemblies taking place to debate a range of issues. The most contentious one is whether the “Union should introduce equal representation for men and women through the introduction of a full-time Men’s Officer” in which to “direct the Union’s work on men’s inclusion, representation and welfare.” Where to start with this one? First of all, we don’t need to work on men’s inclusion and representation. At our university, as well as in greater society, men are already vastly over represented. The amount of buildings around university named in honour of male figures is testament to this; Steve Biko, Mansfield Cooper, John Rylands, Samuel Alexander, John Owens…do I need to go on? And then we have the Ellen Wilkinson building. There are glaring and measurable inequalities in society with the top positions in politics, law, business and sport dominated by men. We have a Minister for Women and Equalities in Parliament to recognise and address these structural imbalances. We also have a Women’s Officer at our university to work on the structural imbalances caused by a patriarchal system which disproportionately favours men at the expense of women. Unfortunately men do experience incidents of sexism at an individual level, but it is not a systemic problem that leads to the mass disenfranchisement of men. A Men’s Officer is unnecessary. There have been seemingly legitimate arguments made as to why a Men’s Officer should be introduced, the most salient being those surrounding mental health issues and the rate of suicides amongst men. Men are half as likely as women to be diagnosed with depression, but twice as likely to abuse alcohol and drugs. Society plays a huge role prescribing and teaching men how to be “men”, with self-reliance and stoicism prized as positive masculine attributes. As a result, men generally are more reluctant to

talk about mental health issues. I agree these are HUGE problems that need addressing, as soon as possible. It’s a good thing the Wellbeing Campaign this year has worked to try and remove the stigma attached to such issues, by

There are glaring and measurable inequalities in life, the elites are completely dominated by men providing safe spaces and encouraging men to talk about their mental health issues. Men’s wellbeing is catered for with the existence of the Wellbeing Officer, the Community Officer and Diversity Officer. The Women’s Campaign also directly tackles the misrepresentation of men by challenging and combating gender stereotypes. Men’s Officer would have no remit, as men’s issues are already addressed by our Union. However, women’s issues cannot be subsumed into general issues the way men’s can, because women’s oppression is routinely side lined in a way that men’s aren’t. A better use of an executive officer salary and the masses of energy and debate surrounding the need for this role would surely be better spent actually trying to improve mental health services within the Union. It’s great that so many people are so passionate about mental health issues, more dialogue = less stigma yay! But maybe channel those energies into helping the Wellbeing Campaign instead of asking what

about the menz? The motion proposes equal representation for men and women through the introduction of a Men’s Officer. The motion is proposing we should have a Men’s Officer because we have a Women’s Officer. It seems very similar to the sentiments expressed by many people on International Women’s Day. Annually on 8th March, thousands of events are held around the world to inspire women and celebrate achievements of women. I was met with a barrage of questions as to why there isn’t an International Men’s Day to celebrate the achievements of men. Guess what? There is. It’s been on the 19th November every year since it started in 1999. It only seems like it’s every day. Why are people asking when this is and not celebrating it? Because much like the position of a Men’s Officer, it’s pointless and unnecessary. Confronting and accepting your privilege is a difficult thing, and it can be hard to accept thatsociety is structured in a way that favours certain groups over others, especially if in being a member of a privileged group you see

no discernible benefit to your life. But accept that privilege, instead of being defensive and having knee jerk reactions asking for a Men’s Officer just because we have a Women’s Officer. Equal representation in the Union will only be achieved if inequalities are tackled and removed. The introduction of a Men’s Officer represents a power grab, defensive reaction to the presence of a Women’s Officer. Inequalities in a system that structurally disenfranchise women do not disappear with the introduction of the Women’s Officer; the Women’s Officer is there to begin to address those imbalances. The physical manifestation of ‘equal representation’ - having a Men’s and a Women’s officer- will not address the inequalities in our society as current (mis)representation is not equal. The problem is that equality isn’t justice. Once gender inequalities are corrected, in a utopian world we won’t need a Women’s Officer. We will have fair representation because we don’t need gender specific Executive positions. But until that time, support the Women’s Campaign instead of constantly undermining it. Who knows? We may

Politics, a field in which men are hardly underrepresented. Image: Wikimedia commons

Students on marketing internships - to pay or not to pay?

Katherine Mountain argues that if a student’s work brings value to the company, they should be paid for that work The debate over whether university students should or should not be paid for experience has again resurfaced, this time with particular emphasis on PR and marketing agencies. In August 2012, Robert Minton-Taylor, a wellknown marketing academic, accused PR agencies of unethical work practices. Whilst it is most likely that this debate has come about recently as a result of the latest increase in undergraduate tuition fees, issues of unpaid work and high tuition fees must remain separate. Unavailable work experience, paid or unpaid, is a problem that undergraduates and graduates are facing on a regular basis and deserves attention as serious issue in and of itself. We have largely heard from professionals and academics on this matter, but as this issue largely concerns the welfare of students, the students’ voice needs to be heard. I have been working parttime in Manchester based PR Agency, Refresh PR, since April 2012. I know how much value working at the company has given me and like most other students, I know how important gaining experience is in order to secure a job post-graduation. When I first started looking for work experience over a year ago, I knew it would be difficult. Considering there are nearly 94,000 students in Manchester alone, it is a blatant fact that demand for work experience in any industry outstrips the possibilities on offer for students. The reality is that agencies often don’t pay students for work experience because they don’t have to. Students are so desperate to find any experience to put on their CVs; they will often be willing to work unpaid.

Of course, the fact that students are willing to work without pay for companies does not justify the argument that not paying students should be the norm. Instead, it is important to consider the ethical implications of not

ultimately up to the company, rather than the student. It is the company that dictates the student’s schedule, where the student has the potential to flourish. If the firm simply wants an intern to make coffee and file paperwork,

Gap with a good example of marketing. Photo: Wikimedia commons

paying a person for the work that they have undertaken. There are several factors that need to be taken into account, and I am not suggesting a blanket rule for all students and all firms. Firstly, I would argue that a key question to this debate could be: what does an ‘intern’ add to the value of a company? What an intern contributes during their work experience is

then that’s all they will get out of that student. Often, companies underestimate the worth that a fresh face can bring to a company. Secondly, when does work experience stop being experience and turn into work? This could either be dependent on the period of time that the student spends at the company, or the intensity of the work they do. As Robert Minton has previously mentioned,

companies can charge work that students have undertaken back to their clients; this is clearly work. However, if a student is taken on for a week or two week basis, in which they carry out tasks that introduce them to that particular field, and receive training from staff, then that arguably does not have to be paid. The difficulty in specifying what should or shouldn’t be paid is the reason why I’m not arguing that paying interns for the work they do should be a blanket ‘rule’. Rather, at this initial time, it is important to educate firms on the potential worth that a student can bring and to nurture their talent. At Refresh PR, I started as an intern and I now have a graduate job. Whilst I was a paid intern, that initial experience in an award-nominated agency, has been priceless. Unfortunately, whilst it is crucial to boost experience on offer for students, this may mean that fewer students will be paid for their work as often companies either don’t want to, or cannot afford to pay students who come in on a temporary basis. The upcoming CIM debate is a step in the right direction to addressing the issues of student work experience in the industry. Students need to be made aware of the fact that there are firms out there, who are willing to pay students for their work, and that they are a valued asset to a company on either a short or long term basis. For agencies, the debate provides the opportunity to find out about the views and opinions from the opposite side, and to realise the potential that young people have, who, inevitably are the future marketing and PR directors.

Societies

ISSUE 19/ 22nd APRIL 2013 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Jazz Orchestra

Charlie Marshall speaks to Kate Bullivant about the Manchester University Jazz Orchestra and what they have achieved over the year

The Manchester University Jazz Orchestra. Photo: Joel Smith The University of Manchester Jazz Orchestra has been running for the past fifteen years. Currently there are over 25 members in this band who play a whole range of music from jazz, funk, soul and big band. Throughout the years the orchestra has organised a number of different gigs all over Manchester. I spoke to the society Chair Charlie Marshall who has been part of the band for four years, who told me about gigs this year and ones to look

forward to in the future. ‘One of our most successful gigs this year was held at Antwerp Mansion. We organised the event and got a line up with the Manchester Harmony Gospel choir and a Ska band (The Skalactites) and then a couple of the Heads Up DJs to finish off the night. It was basically a night of live music for people to come and have a listen and good time. It was really successful, we managed to pack out the main room with music from 9-2.30ish and

the response we got was amazing. Everyone seemed to love it and the response from the audience while we were playing was fantastic. Antwerp have asked us to come back and do another gig so that’s something we’ll look today later in the year.’ The society’s success over the fifteen years is partly due to the great support of musician Roger Hughes. He has been involved in running the society from the beginning from providing a lot of musical input as well as being

crucial in organising various gigs. ‘Another key member is Neil Kershaw a trumpet player who has been in the group for many years and helps in the running of rehearsals as well as sorting out much of our music (not a small job).’ The band rehearses once a week, but if you want to get involved they hold auditions at the start of each year to fill spaces in the band as members leave. These spaces are obviously limited; however everyone is welcome to audition for the band. There is no need to be disheartened if you don’t make the cut, Charlie explains how they always offer support to those with a keen passion of music. ‘What we try to do is encourage people who haven’t made it into the band to start up groups of their own. We try and support this by letting them use our Facebook page as a place for people to meet other musicians and we’re also happy to talk to people and give advice about setting up their own bands.’

Lauren James talks about the Zoology society and their latest trip to Blue Planet Aquarium in Chester

The Zoology Society. Photo: Zoology Society

Societies

Events

organised the trip for 22 members of the society. “The aquarium was fantastic, with vibrant, colourful displays of exotic fish and other marine creatures, but they also had an interesting collection of amphibians and reptiles. The main attraction was of course the shark tank. With a huge range of shark species including the stunning leopard shark and “Dotty” the zebra shark. Demonstrations took place throughout the day, involving divers in

the main tank showing us how they looked after the sharks and hand-fed the stingrays. There was also a tunnel through the main shark tank, giving a 360° view of these majestic creatures, a definite highlight of the day. Overall it was a great day, with everyone thoroughly enjoying themselves, so in my view totally worth the three months it took to organise and we will definitely see if we can run it again next year.” This was their main trip of the year,

Society Spotlight: MUCC Rachel Heward attends Manchester University’s Comic Collective for their ‘finishing steps and inking’ class

You can visit the Facebook page at MUJO - Manchester University Jazz Orchestra

Zoology Society

The Zoology Society is aimed at anyone with a passion for animals and conservation, a place where budding zoologists can come together and participate in a vast range of activities. These range from light hearted socials to slightly more serious academic talks. I spoke to the social secretary Lauren James who told me about their latest social to the Blue Planet Aquarium in Chester. Famous for having the largest collection of sharks, the zoology society

however they have organised many other events ranging from themed nights out to academic talks running the duration of last semester. Although the society is naturally very popular with zoology students, the society is open to everyone interested in zoology. “I became part of the society as I was invited to the Zoology Society Facebook group when I joined the University last year, and I went along to their “post exams party. I met so many fantastic people in one night and as soon as I received an email with the opportunity to be part of the committee for this academic year, I jumped at the chance to have a more active role in the society. These socials are a relaxed and fun way to get to meet people in the society, when you go once you will find yourself coming back time after time. I recommend anyone wanting to join the society to come along and get involved.” Visit their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/ groups/220988784625859/

Before the Easter break I went along to Manchester University Comic Collective’s class on ‘finishing steps and inking.’ MUCC organises a series of lessons throughout the year for people who are interested in learning how to draw various styles of comic art. The classes consist of still-life drawing, sculpturing, outdoor sketching, Photoshop and many other various techniques. They start with the very basics and progress slowly, building up skills gradually so that anybody can join, whether they are experienced or novices. They incorporate lots of different styles so the work they produce is always varied. At the end of the year they produce an anthology containing their work, including individual art pieces as well as collaborative works and stories. As it is pretty late in the year the class was at a fairly advanced stage, which meant I could see what kind of work they have done, and how far they have progressed. This lesson was about colouring and inking, about building up layers to make a drawing or character more life-like and three dimensional. The finished piece looked extremely accomplished and skilful, however, when Tobias Weinald, the tutor for this week’s lesson, stripped back the image on Photoshop and showed us how it was layered gradually, it appeared a lot easier than I would have expected. Even though the finished picture looked complicated, it was actually fairly simple to create by building up layers of colour, shading and depth. After the tutorial I had a go at a simple drawing of a leaf, incorporating some of the skills that Tobias had showed us and was quite surprised at how life-like managed to make it look. As well as the classes, MUCC have social events which include city tours, outdoor activities, convention and competition participations, parties and other socials. If you are interested in seeing some of their work, last year’s anthology is on sale at lulu.com and this year’s will follow shortly. All profits go to local charities. Alternatively, visit their Facebook page by searching ‘MUCC – Manchester University Comic Collective’ where they also post information about classes, events and socials. MUCC will continue next year so if you’re interested in learning a new skill or furthering your artistic experience then visit their Facebook page for more information.

Kate Bullivant

Monday 22nd April

Tuesday 23d April

Wednesday 24th April

Thursday 25th April

SRHS (Student Run Self Help)

ROLE PLAYING SOCIETY- Weekly Meeting

CIRCUS SKILLS

JUDO TRAINIING

RAW MANCHESTER ROCKS

Burlington Society

Armitage Conference Room

Hardy Wells - Rusholme

Council Chambers, Barnes Wallis Building

2pm-4pm

7pm-8 30pm

8pm-9pm

UMSU Room 4 6 30pm- 8 30pm

6pm -7pm

Film

TOP

Musicals!

5. The Muppets (2011) This film follows the Muppets on a journey to reunite in order to save their old theatre from an evil oil tycoon. With songs by Flight of the Concords’ Bret McKenzie, who won an Oscar for the wonderful ‘Man or a Muppet’, it is one of the happiest films I have ever seen.

ISSUE 19/ 22nd APRIL 2013 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Old school animation in the digital age

Dylan Wiggan looks at the changing landscape of animated movies Once upon a time, if you wanted to see a rat make it as a chef, learn what monsters are hiding in your closer or find out what happens to your toys after you left the room, you’d have to draw it. Panstakingly, frameby-frame. But the times they are a changin’, as Bob Dylan once sang. But unlike Dylan I’m not flagging up a change of a social and cultural nature in the face of the civil rights movement, no, instead I’m looking into the much more important issue of the change of animation techniques. It’s all Pixar’s fault really. Little did we all know as we tucked into our popcorn and slurped our big gulps, chuckling haughtily through each of the latest insta-classic films

they delivered us throughout our childhood, that they were hammering nail after nail into the coffin of what has become known traditional animation. You see the meteoric rise of Pixar, famed for their CGI 3D animation, coincided with the fall of Disney’s classic 2D output. In hindsight this looks to be more due to poor quality then changing tastes: compare Disney’s Atlantis (2001), Treasure Planet (2002), Brother Bear (2003), Home on the Range (2004) against Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. (2001), Finding Nemo (2003), The Incredibles (2004) and it’s clear which studio was a better run of creative form. Regardless though, the studio bigwigs got

4. Funny Face (1957) Funny Face stars Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire, both on form, as the reluctant model Jo and fashion photographer Dick Avery respectively. This is the best film to cheer me up on a rainy Sunday afternoon with beautiful views of Paris and a wonderful wardrobe.

3. Moulin Rougue! (2001) A tale of doomed love between a young poet and a beautiful courtesan, loosely based of Verdi’s La Traviata, Moulin Rouge is a modern masterpiece. It has a sumptuous set and a brilliant score that reworks modern songs into the 19th century time frame. It is a film that is a treat for the eyes and ears.

2. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) With an unforgettable performance by Tim Curry as Dr. Frank-NFurter and classic songs such as ‘The Time Warp’, The Rocky Horror Picture Show has become famous for its devoted fans and midnight screenings. A true cult classic.

1. Cabaret (1972) While it may not have the cheeriest subject matter, being set in Berlin during the early 1930s, Cabaret is a truly great musical. Winning 8 Oscars, it has brilliant songs and fabulous performances from the whole cast especially by Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey. Olivia Stevens

together and decided the reason they were in such a rut was the format rather than the content. They proclaimed 2D was dead and promptly shut down their traditional animation studios and committed to aping the more popular approaches of Pixar and Dreamworks animation. Since 2004’s Home on the Range you could look at the film landscape and agree that 2D is dead as CGI animation dominates the market. The last major 2D attempt, 2009’s The Princess Frog, was a relative financial disappointment, and the last major hit in the format was 2007’s The Simpsons Movie, which was a unique proposition. Despite mainstream failure old school animation undoubtedly lives on, only just for more niche markets. Aardman Animation, though increasingly straying into computer animated waters, continue to toil away with stop motion with the likes of Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit and The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists. The revered Studio Ghibli continually shows how 2D has no limits to its hardcore cult fan base of both kids and adults with such favourites Ponyo (2008) and The Secret World of Arrietty (2010). Not to mention quirky stop motion hits Coraline (2009) and Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009). Most recently there was Frankenweenie

(2012). This Tim Burton film is a black and white, stop motion film (perhaps as noncommercial as a family animated film can get). Speaking exclusively with The Mancunion, Frankenweenie’s executive producer Don Hahn talked about getting this kind film made in today’s climate. “The black and white was homage to the old monster movies and the studio [Disney] was surprisingly co-operative with all that stuff we wanted to do. And I don’t think it’s just because Tim was involved, I think its that stop-motion is a relatively cheap and really personal medium that has an under-served, rabid fan base.” Though CGI looks to be the dominant medium for the foreseeable future, films like Frankenweenie are a great reminder of how family films don’t need computer animation to still feel fresh and relevant to modern audiences. Hopefully Frankenweenie’s success will lead to more old school style animated films, giving ‘kids’ films the same diversity as ‘adult’ films enjoy. Frankenweenie is available on DVD and Bluray now Dylan Wiggan Film Editor

Preview

Star Trek Into Darkness To many, the original Star Trek is science fiction epitomised. That’s not because it looks or sounds the prettiest (moderate budget television in the 1960s didn’t get you very far in this regard), it’s because, first and foremost, Star Trek has always been about ideas. The idea of a united Earth working together to explore the unexplored is enough to make you look past the silly sets and polystyrene rocks. Though there have been four subsequent TV series (including one animated one) and 11 films, all with hugely increased production values, none (perhaps with the exception of Wrath Of Khan (1982)) have captured the awe-inspiring simplicity of Gene Roddenberry’s original vision. Enter now, the 2009 reboot Star Trek which was sorely needed after the bloated and extremely average Nemesis (2002). Star Trek then represented a new start, not only literally but also emotionally: the chance to regain the sense of wonder at what humanity as a species could achieve that made the original series so special. Despite all the film’s faults (Chris Pine’s arboreal performance and the grossest misuse of lens flare in

the history of cinema to name but two) it at least succeeded in this regard. Seeing Kirk, Spock et al. rally together in the film’s climax provided, however fleeting, a glimpse of the original series’ emotional punch. The J.J. Abrams helmed franchise now faces the dreaded sequel. Now that all of the relevant protagonists are on the same page, can their united effort against a common villain, Benedict Cumberbatch’s John Harrison, be as compelling as all their internal squabbling was in the first (or 11th ) time round? Cinema goers as a species love origin stories, hence why so many superhero movies seem to get rebooted every decade or so, so it will be testament to Into Darkness’ greatness, or lack thereof, if it can keep their collective attention held. Well what does the trailer promise us? One thing that will stick out to most is Cumberbatch’s slimy, emotionless villain. Cumberbatch is one of the most consistent British actors working today so the time feels right, what with him being both Smaug and Sherlock and all, for a star-making role. Tom

Hardy had Bane, hopefully now Benedict Cumberbatch will have John Harrison. Certainly his unflappable coolness and hatefilled baritone will make for an emotive performance (I don’t think I will ever get sick of hearing him contemptuously utter, “I will walk over your cold corpses”). However, one of the more promising aspects of the plot is that the majority of the conflict seems to take place on Earth or at least in its orbit. This may not sound like a big deal but it does birth an interesting dynamic: when the USS Enterprise has explored the farthest stretches of the galaxy, what does it mean when their home is under attack? This trope is slightly overused, to the point where one can’t help but think it analogous to how all movies based on sitcoms feel the need to go to a foreign country, but the intrigue is still undeniable. In fact, this sums up my feelings to any new Star Trek movie: even though I’ve seen it all a thousand times before, I will always be back for more. Andrew Home

I’m Sorry But...

‘Animal’ films are rubbish Don’t get me wrong, animals are great. However, if I’m paying to see a film I would choose to see something starring humans as opposed to life on the farm or stories about pets tragically left behind. Understandably most of these films are aimed at children; Babe, Lassie and Black Beauty are all entertaining but only if you have absolutely nothing else to do. Even as a child, I never fully appreciated films involving dogs or cats, especially when the animals talked and their mouths moved; any child would thereafter expect to be able to have a conversation with their goldfish, only to suffer devastating disappointment. My favourite Disney films were not 101 Dalmatians, Bambi or even, shock horror, The Lion King. We never even owned these on video because I preferred fairy tales which seemed much more believable.

There are more recent animal films which have moved people to tears. Marley & Me was a box office hit thanks to the star cast and the lovable Labrador, Marley, whose life is chronicled in the film, ending very sadly with his [*SPOILERS*] death. I appreciated the sad ending especially as Marley was such an awesome pet, but I haven’t met anyone else who didn’t cry. I must have a heart made of stone. On the other hand, Happy Feet, Finding Nemo and Stuart Little, I’ll concede, are animated classics which for some reason interest me. Was it the more gripping story lines, exotic locations or the added humour? I’ll never know, but regardless I won’t be queuing up for the next pet saga. Ally Mitchell

ISSUE 19/ 22ND APRIL 2013 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

: @mancunionfilm : /MancunionFilm

Film

Review

Spring Breakers

A Year In Film: 2000

Director: Harmony Korine • Starring: Vanessa Hudgens, Selena Gomez

Remember the year 2000? Back then DVD players were the newest craze for home entertainment, you couldn’t use the internet and a landline at the same time and social networking meant talking to people face to face. It was a simpler time, it was a better time. It was also a year which spawned many significant film releases. Gladiator marked the resurgence of the ‘Sword and Sandals’ genre and set the standard for epic historical dramas with powerful performances from Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix and precision direction from Ridley Scott. Sadly, films that have been made due to the success of Gladiator have failed to match up, for example Troy, 300, King Arthur and Kingdom of Heaven. Gladiator also went home with the Oscar for best film of 2000 and best actor award for Crowe. In hindsight the most ironic film of the year has to be What Women Want. As a rom-com vehicle for the talents of Mel Gibson the film follows his character as he is gifted the ability to hear, and therefore understand women’s thoughts. Given his record of alcohol fuelled domestic abuse and racial hatred it’s probably safe to say a sequel is

Spring Breakers could be described as a spectacle of pop-art aesthetics, glorified violence and objectification amplified by an appropriately hyper-aggressive Skrillex score. All this is reminiscent of pornographic franchise, Girls Gone Wild and in its heightened sensationalism, reflects popular MTV inspired culture. So, it must be perverse trash right? Well, not necessarily. Harmony Korine first gained notoriety as the writer of Kids (1995), a doped up picture of teenage drug taking and sex. In Spring Breakers, he has returned to youth culture in a slightly sleazier tale of four wayward college students who, dissatisfied with the mundanities of their life, escape to Spring Break. Ultimately, this film completely immerses itself in spring break culture. Rather than objectively observing and criticising, each part of the film is seduced and embraces the hedonistic delights of the spring break holiday. In its fast-paced editing, vivid colours and inebriated camera angles, the camera eye leers at and joins the girls on their intoxicated dream.

Of course, this has caused much uproar and dislike amongst critics. Many have talked of its overt sexism, unsatisfac tory plot and lack of charm. Others have gone so far as to argue that it glorifies and encourages the rape culture that seems to be emerging within America. All in all, many have agreed it to be a one-dimensional, shallow, drug and sex-fuelled headache. However, one cannot deny its humour. The opening scene is a montage of ‘boobs and bums’ jiggling to the accompaniment of Skrillex. Additionally, James Franco gives an excellent humorous performance of a gangster called ‘Alien’. To set up the film with these shots, Korine is telling us what he wants to achieve. He wants to shock, embrace and parody the spring break culture. Additionally, by reflecting the camera style of that of ‘MTV culture’, perhaps his objectified gaze and lack of plot substance is a reflexive

and ironic reflection of this culture. But you can never be sure. Maybe Harmony is simply living out his perverted fantasies. One cannot deny that it is a little odd that he cast two ‘disney’ girls into a role which is hyper-sexualised, and quite frankly, lacking development and depth. Even if he is being ironic, you can’t deny the feeling that he is fully glorifying a culture that is so heavily criticised for its destructive nature. Whatever your opinion, one cannot deny that this has potential to become a cult film. In its controversy, it has a certain mystique, and that is why, love it or hate it, it is worth seeing. Alice Hughes

Prequel vs Remake Lloyd Hammett questions which is best, or least worst? It is always a worry for long term fans when either a prequel or a remake is announced of their favourite films or franchises. It is a credit to the original idea that these films get made, but which one is more likely to give a serious tribute to what we loved in the first place? I am always a fan of the idea of prequels as it allows us to dive back into the world we so loved with new elements added to it. In possibly the greatest prequel ever, The Godfather Part II (aspects of it), you get to follow the story of young Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro). It is this sort of story that can make a prequel, as it is so greatly written and acted; it brings a whole new life to the character. The beginning of the story is always intriguing for fans and X-Men First Class provided amazing backdrop on two of the biggest characters in the X-Men universe, Professor Xavier ( James McAvoy) and Magneto (Michael Fassbender). After the previously poor prequel in X-Men Origins: Wolverine we were won back, similar to Rise of the Planet of the Apes, helping us to forget the disappointing 2001 remake of Planet of the Apes. A Star Wars prequel centring on Han Solo has been rumoured and although exciting, can anyone play that character better than Harrison Ford? Oz the Great and Powerful recently came out as the prequel to the classic 1939 film The Wizard of

Oz, which is the perfect way to relive the magic that this era defining film brought. The creation of a remake is always a dangerous task, especially as they usually look to emulate previously great films. There are many cases where a remake has worked wonders, The Departed (Infernal Affairs remake), the 1984 Scarface and

Christopher Nolan’s Insomnia. No one could complain that these films equalled, if not bettered the original, and that we are better off for them. However, it is often the case that the remake, although not bad, just does not touch the original, which begs the question do we really need them? The Mark Wahlberg starring Italian Job is enjoyable enough, but it just doesn’t hold the old school class and charm that Michael Caine’s 1969 version does. Disturbia is a good attempt with twists on its original, but the fact is it isn’t Rear Window, an Alfred

Hitchcock masterpiece. A remake has to be absolutely perfect in its delivery otherwise previous fans will never warm to it. Those who grew up with Arnold Schwarzenegger being the biggest action hero there ever was, no doubt didn’t view Conan the Barbarian and Total Recall as quite matching up to their predecessors. Christopher Nolan used the now loved ‘darker’ theme in his Batman Trilogy to reboot the franchise with the same characters, same world, but a completely new film. The Zack Snyder directed and Nolan produced Man of Steel being released this year also seems to have this dark, grittier touch. Possibly such innovation has come from Tim Burton and his darker takes on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Alice in Wonderland. There are examples of both good and bad prequels as well as good and bad remakes, leaving it all down to how the director decides to take on the project. When it comes to the film itself I can safely say I’d prefer a prequel, mainly because remakes always walk the line of embarrassing the original (I’m looking at you 1998 Psycho). But when it comes to it, an original script and movie should always be the first choice. Lloyd Hammett

unlikely. Film goers who were aching to watch a man slowly go insane whilst talking to a volleyball were in luck with the release of the painfully slow Castaway which also came in at number three in the list of top grossing films at the box office. The number one spot went to Mission: Impossible II and Tom Cruise’s haircut which was nearly as offensively bad as the film. The year’s best films include Memento and Traffic. Memento signified the arrival of Christopher Nolan, future director of The Dark Knight Trilogy, onto the scene with his first major motion picture production. Starring Guy Pearce Memento is a psychological neonoir film which plays in reverse chronological order

and proves to be deeply gripping and original. Steven Soderbergh’s Traffic was a winner at the Oscars and is an intricate dramatic portrait of the US-Mexico border drug trade from several perspectives. 2000 was also significant for re-popularizing Chinese martial arts movies with Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, a film, like Gladiator, that spawned many mainstream copies e.g. House of Flying Daggers. 2000 also reminds us of X-Men and Meet the Parents, good films that resulted in poor sequels, an all too common theme in Hollywood. Dan King

CORNERHOUSE I’m So Excited Director: Pedro Almodóvar Language: Spanish This May sees the release of I’m So Excited or Los Amantes Pasajeros, the latest film from the titan of Spanish Cinema, Pedro Almodóvar. Whilst the title cleverly describes the current state of most Almodóvar fans, the film itself seems to be about a topic few of us would get excited about – following one fated plane journey towards Mexico City and the events that occur between passengers, crew and everyone in between. This “stuck in a vehicle” scenario may seem familiar. After all, it was about this time last year that audiences were eagerly anticipating the release of the Cronenberg/Pattinson masterpiece Cosmopolis. But one look at the trailer tells us that I’m So Excited will be poles apart from the tense tale of a brooding hunk and his exploits in the back of a limo. King of the camp, flamboyant and extrovert, and with very much an “anything goes” philosophy; Almodóvar is always the one to knock us out with his crazy scripts and equally unpredictable characters. With Almodóvar himself describing the film as “a light, very light comedy” and with cameos from previous muses and Spanish acting royalty Penélope Cruz and Antonio Banderas, I’m So Excited is set to be a celebration of all things Almodóvar! Excited yet? Well prepare to go into overdrive. If you’re unable to wait for its general release on the 3rd May, The Cornerhouse is hosting a UK launch screening of the film on Tuesday 23rd April, followed by a satellite interview with Pedro Almodóvar himself. Described as the most internationally successful Spanish director since Luis Buñuel, and having written and directed some of the most brilliant, outrageous and hilarious pieces of cinema the world, let alone Spain, has ever seen, an insight into the mind of this Oscar-winning director is an opportunity few will be able to pass up on. So fasten your seatbelts, this is one flight – I mean film – you won’t be needing your emergency exits for! Sophie James Film Editor

Fashion

ISSUE 19/ 22nd APRIL 2013 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

This week: The Power Issue Man! I feel like a woman Susie Coen on the rise and fall of the power suit

You wouldn’t enter enemy territory without armour, and that is exactly what the power suit used to be for women: a shield against the brutal patriarchal business world. Although it might appear a trivial analogy, in a society where women were chained to their kitchen sinks, looking fierce reiterated that girls ran the world (well, we didn’t then but we do now). Yet today we don’t need to be kitted out with shoulder pads to show we mean business and the trouser suit can be worn on a daily basis. So how did the Power Suit come into being? And does its demise mean that women have gained enough confidence that we can face battle unarmed? Sowing the seeds of the power suit in the 1920s, Chanel designed skirt suits which liberated women from restrictive clothing like the dreaded corset. Chanel’s suits consisted of knitted cardigans and matching skirts, not quite the polyester suits we are used to today but still a revolutionary step. Around the same time, the adored German actress Marlene Dietrich exhibited a male suit with bow tie and matching top hat and looked powerful, sexy and down right fabulous. Following the example of Dietrich, the fantastic Katharine Hepburn demonstrated that it was possible to wear a trouser suit and maintain your femininity. Her role as Tess Harding in the 1942 sensation ‘Woman of the Year’ influenced innumerable women about how to dress to get recognised in the business world. In the swinging ’60s nobody can be more accredited for helping wom-

en’s suits gain prominence than Yves Saint Laurent. The creation in 1966 of YSL’s infamous Le Smoking suit paved the way for androgyny to gain momentum. The style gained even greater attention in 1971 as Bianca Jagger married her beloved Mick whilst wearing a white Le Smoking jacket designed by YSL, although as Mrs Jagger decided to wear nothing under the suit jacket, this exact look wasn’t quite mimicked in the office. However, although Bianca’s suit wasn’t present at board meetings, the second-wave feminism of the 1970s inspired the power suit to explode into people’s wardrobes. Suits emerged which exaggerated women’s shoulders, deeming her a force to be reckoned with. Skirts were more often than not traded for trousers and combined with a double-breasted jacket. Giorgio Armani was one of the many designers who embraced this look, creating unstructured designs with relaxed jackets. This contrasted with Donna Karan who endorsed women’s sexuality by incorporating designs such as wrap skirts to enhance their curves. At the power suit’s peak, the 1980s showed sharp cuts, rigidity and superiority. The 1988 film ‘Working Girl’ demonstrated the influence that a structured suit could have on a woman’s career, as the secretary Tess McGill managed to climb the ladder of success after stealing the skirt suits of her boss. Along with this, the election of Maggie Thatcher indicated just how powerful women had become, as she donned her power suit in 10 Downing Street. Yet she wasn’t quite the style icon young women desired. Rather, Madonna became the ultimate role model of that era, and her 1990 Blonde Ambition tour simultaneously inspired girls and revolutionised fashion. Madonna mixed a Jean Paul Gaultier pinstripe suit with a conical corset giving birth to the idea of contrasting the masculine and the feminine, and women everywhere began mixing lace shirts with their trouser suits. Yet throughout the late 1990s, the power suit’s popularity began to fall and by 2000 it was deemed near extinction. The new workplace look for women became more feminine, softer cuts and feminine colours such as pinks appeared more and more. Along with this, the trouser suit has become adapted into everyday fashion; it can be worn to university or even to the supermarket. But the power suit’s disappearance is not due to women losing power, quite the opposite. With more and more women on top, they can decide what they wear and when they want to wear it. Rather than being restricted into attempting to fit into the male businessman exterior, women all over the world now enjoy the freedom to dress how they want but still maintain their authority.

Fashion’s creation of a ‘battle axe’ Alice Tofts on the aesthetic legacy of the Iron Lady

Fashion can be powerful, and in the case of Margaret Thatcher, it was used to formulate her image into one of stoicism and resilience. The famous image of Thatcher in regal-coloured suits and a pearl necklace resides but her legacy hardly bears on her style. She shall be remembered for neither her originality nor a commitment to fashion trends. But this gives credit to the subtleties of the fashion choices that helped

create her status as a ‘battleaxe.’ As the first British female Prime Minister, Thatcher was presented with unceasing patriarchal challenges. At the time of her tenure, femininity and style were often equated with political weakness and inadequacy. How could a woman in a male-dominated environment present herself in a way that recognised her strength without surrendering her femininity? You may challenge me on this but, for men in government, fashion choices seem limited to the colour of their shirt and tie. Yet, women face never-ending possibilities when choosing outfits, not to mention risks of being perceived as utilising female sexuality as a means to exercise power. In many ways Thatcher’s image was dominated by these ideologies on femininity and power. As part of the 1979 bid to win the vote, Thatcher was advised to lower the tone of her voice due to the belief that masculine traits are more likely to earn respect and support. Furthermore, she was advised not to wear those “easily mocked” hats so to make her more appealing. Does this suggest items that clearly conform to fashion trends devalue status? Her style evolved as her political career progressed. As the daughter of a dressmaker, she was not blind to the world of fashion. In her early years, she seemed to want to emphasise her unique status of feminine power through subtle pieces such as the pussy-bow blouse. As her tenure stabilised in her second term as Prime Minister, her suits became noticeably bolder, more colourful and more shapely. Yet despite progressive attitudes towards women wearing trousers in the 1970s, she refused to wear them and instead always appeared in nothing less formal than a skirt suit. Well-turned-out and not a curl out of place, she was the pinnacle of composure. Of course, good presentation is unanimously expected from people in authority. But with Thatcher her highly-groomed uniform reinforced and highlighted her tenacity, firmness and unwillingness to give up the things she believed in. In many ways, Thatcher’s style reflected the residing dominance of a patriarchal establishment. In order to win support, she contrived her appearance in accordance to expectations surrounding power and gender. Many condescend fashion’s importance in high politics but Thatcher exemplifies how vital fashion choices are in creating not just a visual image but also a representation of power and strength.

TOP

ISSUE 19/ 22nd APRIL 2013 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

The wolf in sheep’s clothing Gráinne Morrison on the role of fashion amongst the powerful.

Fashion

Beauty

How To: The ultimate power brow Halee Wells shows us how to achieve the perfect statement brow

Political Style Icons 1) Yingluck Shinawatra, PM of Thailand Elegant, charming and beautiful, not only is Miss Shinawatra the first female president Thailand has seen in six decades, she is by far its most stylish. With a penchant for high-end brands, her powerful East meets West fashion statements certainly pack a punch, combining occidental trends with striking traditional Thai fabrics and patterns.

2) Cristina Kirchner, President of Argentina Notorious for her immaculate war paint, numerous daily costume changes and having a tag-along beautician accompany her unfailingly on visits abroad, this Latino firecracker is a fashion force to be reckoned with. She is rumoured to own a total of 200 LBDs as well as an astounding number of sky-high heels and fascinators.

3) Helle ThorningSchmidt, PM of Denmark

Politics is not usually something we associate with fashion. Or at least, that’s what they want you to think. The art of dressing in the world of the power is a sly tool employed to gain popularity without appearing vain. Those on top want to dress to impress without anyone thinking that they’re not devoting all their efforts to the more ‘serious’ issues. David Cameron and style icon are not often used in the same sentence, yet everything from his tie to socks is carefully picked out by a team of professionals. It seems even in the stern realm of Westminster, image is everything. Why so important you ask? As Madonna one said, “we are living in a material world”. And therein lies the problem, for we judge politicians for a fashion faux pas but then we condemn them for being too fashion conscious and spending money on designer garments whilst living off the tax payer’s money. Unlike elections, it seems there’s no winning in the fashion stakes for our dear leaders. And it’s not just for votes that style matters. Leading a country is a very strenuous task, when one is in charge of a few wars, a dwindling economy and backstabbing colleagues, dressing oneself is not always the number one priority. Barack Obama recently admitted to only wearing navy or grey suits, so as to save time and ‘decision-making energy’. And it’s a decision that obviously works for him, with Obama making GQ’s best dressed list. So politicians can lead in style as long as they stick to a routine way of dressing, wearing classic colours and shapes – a simple solution to the complexities of public image.

Of course this applies to female politicians (yes, they exist). Oh wait, no. If you’re a woman in politics, you must resign yourself to the fact that your wardrobe will be more discussed than your policies. Type Hillary Clinton into Google and the third most searched enquiry is ‘Hillary Clinton hair’. But of course, as the US Secretary of State, her hair is of vital importance. Clinton once called an interviewer out when he brought up fashion, “Would you ever ask a man that question?” she asked him. He said no. But as women such as Angela Merkel are breaking the mould by succeeding in the male dominated world of politics, why are we still so focused on image? It’s socially accepted for the press to slate female politicians for their lack of femininity instead of commenting on current issues, yet it would be deemed irrelevant to call out a male politician for his dress sense. It appears that society is still adjusting to the idea that women are more than something pretty to look at, and that, regardless of aesthetics, there may be more to these leaders than their haircut or the brand of suit they wear. I love a well-dressed politician as much as the next person, yet I find it hard to accept a world in which a woman’s image overtakes her political skills and achievements. Fashion is an issue for politicians of either gender, yet for men it is a minor element in their public image while for women it seems to be a game changer. Either way, let’s not forget that these are politicians I speak of: they can’t even run the economy right, we can’t expect them to master the intricate rules of dressing. They can have the power, I’ll take the clothes.

Dress to Impress: What to wear to an interview

Described as “slender as a hare, yet strong as a silk thread” this willowy blue-eyed blonde is a walking paradox and that’s just how we like it. Coined ‘Gucci Helle’ in 1999 for her handbag obsession, Ms Schmidt always maintains an air of elegant hostility in her impeccably tailored yet on-trend skirt suits.

4) Laura Chinchilla, President of Costa Rica OK so she’s not exactly in Costa Rica’s good books at the moment, being allegedly responsible for a massive $997 million deficit but at least she looks good, RIGHT?! Widely known to favor bold indigenous prints when it comes to her professional attire, Chinchilla’s look is highly hybridised and eye-catching.

5) Condoleezza Rice, 66th US Secretary of State Ms Rice perfectly exemplifies the lethal combination of sex and power. Known as a ‘consummate power dresser’ she appeared at a US army base in 2005 wearing ‘dominatrix’ boots and a military jacket, thereby becoming a subversive sex symbol and beacon of fashion in the political sphere. You go girl!

Nikki Patel

There’s no denying that big brows are back and bigger than ever this spring. But this look can be difficult to get right, making you look more Charlie from Busted than the gorgeous Camilla Belle. So here is a step by step tutorial to perfect the power brow. Step 1 Tint: This may seem daunting for many of you, but it is honestly a lot less scary than it sounds! You can buy a cheap eyebrow tinting kit from most pharmacies, with simple step by step instructions to darken your brows. Obviously you lucky brunettes with already dark eyebrows can skip this step, but blondes may need to tint to make our brows stand out more and frame our face. Make sure you apply Vaseline around the brows to start to it doesn’t transfer onto your skin, then apply the mixture and wait 5 minutes. I used Eyelure Dylash 45 day mascara in Dark Brown, £7.50 from Boots, which can be re-used 5 times or so. After the tint has darkened the brows, you can remove it with cotton pads and warm water.

DO: 1. Phone ahead and ask the dress code, you’ll normally be given one. Some companies are more casual than you’d expect. Remember though, it’s always best to be too smart than too scruffy. I know people who have even put on a suit for a Skype interview: it shows you care. 2. Iron. It might be a tricky concept for some of you but a creased shirt can very easily crease their opinion of you. 3. Wear a white shirt. It matches pretty much everything and gives you more room for creativity with your watch, hair and pocket square (the list goes on…). Quite simply, it reduces the chance of overkill. 4. As before, stick to safer colours. Suits should stay in darker colours in professional instances. That electric blue blazer might have gotten 64 likes on Instagram but your future boss probably isn’t on Instagram and doesn’t care that you’re #instafashionable. 5. Shine your shoes. Or buy new shoes. Just have nice shoes (and by that I don’t mean ‘smart’ high-tops.) They’re probably more important than the shirt. If you don’t look professional you won’t be seen as professional. DON’T: 1. Wear glasses if you don’t need them. It doesn’t make you look smarter, and if they find out you’ll probably be laughed at. 2. Accessorise. Unless you’re looking for a job as a pimp just stick to a watch. Bling won’t help you here. 3. Be too unique. Be yourself, but remember to maybe tone it down a little. You can still stand out but you don’t need to be catwalk fashionable. Justin Timberlake managed to pull of the shiny suit but that’s because he’s, well, Justin Timberlake. 4. Wear a ‘fun tie’. They’re not fun. They’re stupid. 5. Be afraid to pamper yourself before. Moisturising will help you look healthier and make sure to ensure your nails are clean and well trimmed. Remember to shave or trim. Nothing says, “hire me” more than that “just-out-of-a-slum” look.

Unfortunately the Manchester homeless-hipster look isn’t going to wash well with your potential employer, so stick to a smart skirt suit with tights or a tailored trouser suit. Dark colours are best, paired with a smart light-coloured shirt, hiding your cleavage and midriff. If the idea of dressing like a frumpy business woman scares you, don’t be afraid to shop around for a stylish ensemble. Mango, Zara and H&M have plenty of gorgeous work clothes to choose from, differing from your Mum’s baggy Matalan choices. Say no to body art: I know, I know: I don’t want to take my tragus piercing out either. But a day without your piercings may just land you the job. Show your individuality in your personality, not your body art. Employers may be more relaxed when you get the job, but keep it minimal in the interview stage and opt for simple lobe studs and understated accessories, definitely covering any tattoos. If you are lucky enough to have a lengthy assessment centre with an overnight stay, you can pop your piercings back in at bedtime to ensure they don’t close up. Fly away flyaways : Bed hair won’t make the best first impression. So tame hair into a polished bun or comb pesky flyaways down to smooth out your hair and avoid bright hair accessories. A donut hair ring is perfect to keep your hair off your face and your future in sight, or a simple low pony tail will do it. Minimal is magical: Looking groomed is essential for the perfect interview, but how groomed is too groomed? Try to keep makeup to a minimum, avoiding dark eyes and bright lips. Use neutral shades and a simple lipstick, avoiding shiny glosses. A splash of blush or bronzer will give you a subtle glow and tamed brows will show you pay attention to detail So there you have it. Only one more question, when can you start?

Miles Zilesnick and Halee Wells

Step 2 Pluck: Now that you have tinted your brows, stray hairs will stand out more than before. Keeping your skin taut, pluck out hairs from the bottom of your eyebrow. This will lift the eye and make you look happier! Then remove any strays from the top of brows keeping to the natural shape. You can pluck a few hairs from underneath your natural arch to emphasise the shape and create a flattering look. I use MAC cosmetics eyebrow pencil in Lingering, £12.00, a makeup must-have.

Step 3 Pencil and Highlight: Fill in any sparse areas with an eyebrow pencil, to make the brows darker and a better shape. Drag the outer corner down to elongate the brow, and fill in the inner corner in a round or square shape. Add highlight just under the brow to lift the eye even more and create a subtle glow to the face. Voilà, there you have it girls, easy simple step eyebrows to give Miss Delevingne a run for her money

Music

ISSUE 19/ 22nd APRIL 2013 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Interview

Editor’s Column

Music and politics What’s going on? Tom Ingham Music Editor Recent events, in particular the passing of a certain Margret Thatcher (the name should ring a bell) has called into question the inability of the press to report the true feelings of the British public. The former PM’s life has been celebrated on the BBC and in the newspapers, however the media has also simultaneously been undermining and above all ignoring a lot of protestor’s views on the “divisive” figure. One of the main sources of backlash has come from the music world, notably Morrissey’s rather damning statement on fan site true-to-you.net where he claimed “no British politician has ever been more despised by the British people” amongst other things. As entertaining as it was to read, it can be hard to take the once gladioli branding singer seriously, despite his stern comments. And should musicians even be getting involved in such a matter? Stevie Wonder told us “Music is a world within itself, With a language we all understand” and it would seem a waste if this universal medium wasn’t used to its full potential, which of course means tackling topics with a bit more gravitas than a song like ‘Call Me Maybe’. Mozza’s comments hit hard but perhaps the most damning piece came from Elvis Costello, in 1989’s ‘Tramp The Dirt Down’ where he hoped he would still be alive at the time of the Iron Lady’s demise “Because there’s one thing I know, I’d like to live, long enough to savour, That’s when they finally put you in the ground, I’ll stand on your grave and tramp the dirt down”. It is however possible to enjoy the

5IN THESONGS FIELD OF... Food Ol Urwin

Spike album without embodying such hatred yourself. Of course, the combination of music and politics is an already well-established one with leftwing activist Billy Bragg almost basing an entire career on it, as did many of the classic Punk bands and more recently of course Pussy Riot. The music of a certain decade has come to reflect and define crucial moments and events in time, whether it’s something tasteful like Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s Going On?’ or something a bit more naff (musically speaking) i.e Paul Hardcastle’s “n-n-n-n-nineteen”. We often mock the likes of Bono for his involvement with politics and Africa, but it isn’t really too absurd for musicians to have opinions. Australia’s deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan claimed Bruce Springsteen predicted the global economic crisis “You can hear Springsteen singing about the shifting foundations of the US economy which the economists took much longer to detect, and which of course everyone is talking about now”. Now if that doesn’t justify the involvement of politics in music I don’t know what does. To claim music should be undiluted with these matters is something slightly insulting to the listener. It’s nice to escape with a harmless, care-free pop song but there also comes a time where we also want something with a bit more meat on the bone. Sadly the days of the intelligent, political song seem to be up with the idea of Punk now something we tend to ridicule for its extremity and bad make-up.

Kenny “Dope” Gonzalez We caught one half of Masters At Work waxing lyrical on 45s, the consequences of technology and Nuyorican Soul II Daniel Jones Music Editor

Back in the 80s, a teenage Kenny Dope kept himself busy by digging deep for forgotten funk and soul cuts, throwing block parties in Brooklyn and borrowing drum machines from Todd Terry. Thirty years down the line and Kenny’s relentless work ethic has guaranteed his status as one of the most fabled figures in the history of NY house. We managed to catch up with the man himself from his home in New Jersey, where he was more than happy to dive straight into the thinking behind his reissuefocused imprint, Kay Dee Records. “The Kay Dee thing is poppin’ off, man,” Dope drawls in a broad Nuyorican accent, “It’s pretty much an outlet for the years I’ve spent collecting records. The label is coming up on ten years now, but I’m still finding old 45s that I’ve never heard of. It just continues, y’know? There’s always another new groove to find. We’ve got a new mix of ‘The Professor Is Here’ [Gary Davis] coming this summer. Also, a couple of tracks with Simon King [Tru Thoughts’ own, Beta Hector] - one called ‘The Kraken’ which you’ve gotta look out for. I’m just trying to push the sound to the next generation, some kids these days have probably never seen a 45. You’ve gotta realise, I’ve been through three generations in my time. The kids who were coming out to see us in the 90s have got kids now, in the 00s there was another set and now, we’re playing to a whole new set again. We try to teach whoever is willing to listen.” It’s clear that reintroducing, even reinventing, himself is a challenge that Kenny is more than willing to accept. “My thing is, coming from the way we started out recording to where things are now, it’s just amazing to me. I’m still trying to grasp the technology, I mean you can do something

now in a couple of hours that used to take three days to do! Back then you had to make all the parts, record all the parts to tape, then mix them one by one. Now, you can do all of that on Ableton or ProTools. But there are consequences too. There’s a certain sound you can get out of the digital world that you’ll never be able to get with analog, and vice versa. A lot of it depends on what style of music you’re trying to produce. I have no problem with technology but you’ve gotta try to be different. Make the best thing you can make. There are a lot of records out there now that are just the same loop for 32 bars and all they’re doing is filtering in and out and I’m like, ‘Really?” For Kenny, mixing things up has always been the name of the game. Aside from his role alongside Louie Vega as one half of pioneering duo Masters At Work, he has produced and remixed under countless aliases – The Bucketheads, Hardrive, KenLou and Liquid Dope to name but a few. But of his many, many brainchildren, Nuyorican Soul stands out as his most esteemed sideproject. With a line-up including George Benson, Roy Ayers, Tito Puente and the Salsoul Orchestra, the amount of class acts on board that record is just plain silly. “The whole thing was just groundbreaking for us, man. It really hits me when I’m looking back at photos and you’ve got Tito on one table, Jocelyn [Brown] on another. It was crazy. These are the guys I grew up listening to. But that’s also why we couldn’t tour the record back then. Think about it, you had the A-list of A-list of stars and all these guys come in with really high prices to perform, so you’re not gonna go and ask them for favours, like for a gang of shows, y’know? Moving forward, we said when we do Nuyorican Soul II we need to base it around one artist, so we can tour it. That’s the main reason it didn’t happen. We never found a person who could do Latin,

who could sing, who hold their own on the urban side and on the RnB and soul side. We’d love to do another record, but we’re still looking for that person.” Fingers crossed, that special somebody will rear their worthy head sooner rather than later. Talking of prospects, Kenny is quick to point out that there is by no means a dearth of talent out there today. “Right now, I’m feeling Monophonics and Adrian Younge. They’re both West Coast. Then, of course, you’ve got The Dap-Kings, Lee Fields, most of the guys on Daptone and Truth & Soul. Oh yeah and Shawn Lee, he’s doing some real interesting stuff at the moment with AM. He’s actually working out of England too.” When quizzed about his upcoming summer slot at Eastern Electrics, Kenny sounds genuinely excited at the thought of coming back to Blighty. “Believe or not, I feel like England is a part of me. We were always there because a lot of the English labels embraced us; in fact, probably 50% of everything we did came from there. It’s like a second home. Any time there are gigs that can happen, Southport, Hard Times, anything with Gilles Peterson, we do it. It’s our first time at Eastern Electrics so I can’t wait to check that out.” After half an hour on the blower, I have to admit I’m a little bit daunted by Kenny’s capacity for work. It’s no wonder that such a non-stop attitude to production has led him to amass a back catalogue of unassailable quality and unthinkable quantity. And it’s still growing. As Mr. Dope himself notes, with one eye firmly fixed on the future, “Some of these young guys seem to think they know it all already, but I’m still learning about music every day, man. And if I’m still learning, there’s definitely room for everybody else to learn.” You can also catch Kenny @ The Rainbow, Digbeth May 18th

1.Descendents – I Like Food

2. Beastie Boys – B-Boy Bouillabaisse

3. Smashing Pumpkins – Mayonaise (sic)

4. Beach Boys – Vegetables

5. Dead Kennedys – Soup Is Good Food

In and out like a fast food restaurant, the sophomoric punks’ paean to junk grub clocks in at 17 seconds, but finds the time to list juicy burgers, greasy fries, turkey legs and raw fish eyes on its menu. The reason? Because “food tastes good”, duh.

At the other end of the song length spectrum is this stewy 12 minute melting pot that’s equal parts stuttering, chopped beats, languid soul samples and sleazy funk, simmering over the Boys’ trademark lyrical largesse. From the epochal, way before its time Pauls’ Boutique, this is truly chicken soup for the MC’s soul.

Two for the price of one here – a foodstuff in both the band name and the song’s title. While the lyrical content may be low on the gloopy, egg-based condiment, the song’s sinewy, serene opening is as indulgent, not to mention twice as tasty, as a dollop on your chips.

Brian Wilson’s whacked out, utterly joyous ode to greens of all kinds could be the best pro-healthy eating song ever; Beachie Boys Wilson and Jardine sound totally blissed out. Fellow plant enthusiast Paul McCartney ably provides the rhythmic celery chomping you can hear towards the end.

“You made a good meal, but we don’t need you anymore”. The acerbic Californians might be in praise of soup, but it’s only because automation is putting the song’s victims out of work and into a slow death. Soup really is delicious, but it’s hardly a fair trade here.

ISSUE 18/ 18th MARCH 2013 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

: @MancunionMusic : / TheMancunionMusicSection

Music

Feature

Bieber: Misbehaving or misunderstood? Will Lynn weighs up the teen idol’s most recent set of antics Whether you like it or not, Justin Bieber is the biggest pop star in the world. He has nearly 38 million Twitter followers, 3 billion views on Youtube and 52 million Facebook fans. He sold out Madison Square Garden in 22 minutes. He is, opinions aside, a pretty big deal. The question that has been bouncing around the Internet recently is; has all this gone to his young beaver-like head? The Canadian star has always divided opinion, from his devoted army of ‘Beliebers’ to the copious amount of ‘Haters’ he has managed to accumulate. Even taking this into account, his last few months have been controversial. His time here in the UK marked the beginning of the media storm. He turned up two hours late for one of his sold out O2 arena shows, one of the biggest shows of his record-breaking ‘Believe’ tour. He reportedly remarked backstage, when one of his entourage attempted to chide him onto the stage, “My Beliebers will wait for me”. If this is true, not only does he sound harrowingly like a cult leader, but also like a massively self-absorbed prick. The idea that his fans worship him so much that he can pick his own concert times is mildly terrifying and borders Naziesque devotion. Regardless, his tardiness cannot be overlooked. It is quite clearly a sign of someone struggling to deal with just how colossal his brand has become.

Stunningly, this was not his most reported misstep on our Great Island. His uncontrolled rage directed at a photographer made many more headlines. After the photographer had called Bieber a myriad of revolting names, the 19-year-old burst from his people carrier to declare that he was going to “fucking beat the fuck out of you”. In fairness, the names being thrown at him were enough to make anyone’s blood boil, but should he not have learnt to control himself by now? He has had this level of attention for over three years. This, coupled with the fact that the likelihood of him being able to “beat the fuck” out of anyone, never mind the huge bald photographer was very slim - making his reaction seem overcooked and impudent. His sea of bodyguards prevented him from getting anywhere near the object of his desire, but many would have silently thought “Go on, Justin. Let’s see what you’ve got.” His antics did not limit themselves to the UK. Only this week, his actions have wreaked havoc in Amsterdam. Like many tourists, he decided to pay a visit to the Anne Frank museum, situated in the alcove in which she and her family hid from the Nazis until their eventual capture. I myself have been there and it is a hugely affecting experience. On his way out, young Mr.Bieber decided to write in the guestbook. He scribed “Truly inspiring to be able to come here.

Anne was a great girl. Hopefully she would have been a belieber.” Although undoubtedly well meaning, the ‘Boyfriend’ singer grossly misread the situation. The museum is a place of such gravity for so many, that to mention himself and his followers in his reflection comes across as shockingly arrogant. Despite the young singer’s behaviour, I think we need to cut him some slack. I would defy anyone not to become slightly self-absorbed when you have 50 million fans that devote their lives to you. He receives tweets on a daily basis containing such charming ditties as “I would be nothing without you” or “you are my reason to live.” Although terrifying, this has no doubt had an effect on him. His day to day friends

consist of bodyguards, a vocal coach, a manager and many other non-descript helpers who are paid to be with him. He has no idea of what a normal childhood is like. He is 19, with an estimated personal fortune of 120 million dollars. When he was caught on camera supposedly smoking weed, his fans started trending the twitter topic #cutforBieber in an attempt to curb this new badass Bieber behaviour. Is experimenting with drugs that ludicrous for a teenager? Although his recent actions have been misjudged, I for one feel desperately sorry for him. No one can understand what his life is like and I see him as a teenager dangerously out of his depth.

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Live

The Fratellis

Peace

The Ritz, Manchester - 13th April 2013 The Fratellis returned from their three year hiatus last summer after what can only be described as an unsuccessful attempt to forge solo careers in which lead singer Jon Fratelli fronted Codeine velvet club. The Scottish band made a name for themselves in 2006 when they released Costello Music and won a BRIT award for Brest British Breakthrough Act in 2007. And now some six years later they’re back in front of a sell out crowd at Manchester’s Ritz. With their third album in the pipeline The Fratellis could have been forgiven for plugging new material, however the opener ‘Henrietta’ highlighted the groups intentions earlier on as they went back to their roots performing hits from their first and second album. Despite their apparent lack of material the band were able to comprise a surprisingly varied set list of over 20 songs. The surprise highlight of the night was a leisurely version of ‘For the girl’, one of the lesser played tracks from Costello Music. After a brief pause the band returned to allow the crowd to fully exercise their inner lads and ladettes with the 5th

Avenue sing-a-long anthem ‘Chelsea Dagger’. Despite a hiccup at the start in which a bemused Jon Fratelli seemed to get the words wrong (not that many of them cared or in fact noticed the mistake) the band didn’t disappoint. The set is sparse in terms of new material, instead favouring tracks like ‘Ole Black ‘n’ Blue Eyes’, ‘Creepin Up the Backstairs’, ‘flathead’ and ‘Everybody Knows You Cried Last Night.’ The Fratellis are no-ones

7/10

favourite band, but despite this they manage to unite people in chorus in a way other bands can only dream of. Unless new album We Need Medicine completely breaks the mould I can’t see the bands live popularity ever diminishing.

Dominic Coyle

Manchester Club Academy - 12th April 2013 Support band Superfood sufficiently whet Manchester’s appetite with a bowl of meaty grunge that tastes like Weezer only with extra hot sauce. The latter providing just enough after-taste for the hungry crowd, eager to see one of this year’s biggest upcoming bands. The sound quality reveals every subtle flavour, of which Peace provide plenty during their opening coconut ‘Delicious’, a song which sets an intriguing tone for the rest of the set. It’s like a tropical storm where the cold echo of shoe-gaze flows between fruity pop songs that hit you at a hundred miles-perhour. It’s the fact that this colour and vibrance floats over a punkrock back-to-basics mess-about spirit which keeps the crowd bellowing every word whilst jumping to the ceiling. ‘Higher than the sun’ easily wards off any mid-set-slumps and captures debut album In Love’s care-free attitude perfectly. The same vibe is ushered out of everyone by frontman Harry Koisser’s relaxed tone and ‘feel-good’ preaching’s, providing a catalyst for what must be the

biggest track of the night, ‘Wraith’. Every bongo sounds perfect along with the chorus’ sugary guitar tones. Moments of calm do provide a good twist in this otherwise chaotic cocktail, during dreampop anthem ‘California Daze’ or ‘Float forever’, but the set continues to reek of grandeur (and sweat). Superfood seem like mere doner kebabs as the set comes to a climactic close, with lead guitarist Douglas Castle screaming at the crowd as the roof drips with the sound

7/10

of ‘1998’ (and more sweat). All the boogieing, surfing, moshing and screaming tell me there’s still for hope guitar bands yet. In fact, despite the surprising amount of chaos they bring, I think everyone could do with a bit more Peace in their lives. Believe the hype.

Sam Ward

Music

ISSUE 18/ 18th MARCH 2013 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Albums

NOW: Tyler, the Creator - Wolf Odd Future Records - April 2013 Fin Murphy Two years ago, relative unknowns Odd Future carried on a grand lineage dating back to The Who blowing up drums and Elvis gyrating – shocking people via television performance. Donned in balaclavas, Tyler Okonma (the Creator) and Gerard Long (Hodgy Beats) performed ‘Sandwitches’, a claustrophobic composition of stuttering drums and lurching synthesisers, its lyrics of sexual violence and paranoia delivered in Okonma’s deep, stern tones. It was an incendiary few minutes. Okonma baited listeners, the press, fellow musicians – with a fresh blend of rapper braggadocio, frat boy flippancy and punk antagonism, his effectively managed image, coupled with impressive debut album Bastard, gave him major label deals, international touring and his own TV show. Recently, the group’s status quo has shifted. Okonma’s latest Kimmel performance was a deeper affair; he showcased his piano talent and eclectic taste on ‘Treehome’, alongside the more conventionally ripping ‘Domo23′. We’ve witnessed the rise of Grammy Award-winner Frank Ocean and the formerly-missing Earl Sweatshirt, whilst newfound competition has arisen in the likes of Pro Era, A$AP Mob and Raider Klan. After the blistering debut of Bastard and the lukewarm reception to Goblin, Wolf may be the last opportunity Okonma has to stay ahead of the pack. Opening on the title track, it soon becomes apparent where the album is flawed. The instrumental is triumphant; buoyant piano-work, well contrasted with machine gun samples and lush backing vocals. Instead of the Frank Ocean croon it deserves, the listener is treated to Okonma’s usual ‘ism’ rhetoric. However, what was passion is now perfunctory. In Okonma’s desire to craft nice beats, he’s subdued the self-aware humour which lurked beneath his words. This track ends on a ‘therapist meeting’, the concept which has connected Okonma’s past albums. Whereas it was an innovation of ‘Bastard’, it became

a crutch for his second. Thankfully, it’s reduced here. ‘Jamba’ is a cut which wouldn’t be out of place on Goblin, or indeed an N.E.R.D b-side; popping drums, sexy vocal samples and funk-driven bass. ‘Domo23′ is almost identical to the charmingly titled Goblin track ‘Bitch Suck Dick’; pounding drums, fast rapping from Okonma and a processed-vocal hook. Indeed, what becomes unfortunately apparent is just how stylistically close Wolf comes to Goblin, as opposed to Bastard. These range from the calm and sparseness of ‘Slater’ and ‘Her’, the melancholy of ‘Lone’ and ‘Window’ and the Diplo copying of ‘Tamale’ and ‘Radicals’. The album only succeeds when Okonma almost entirely departs from hip-hop. For instance, the upbeat and charming ‘Treehome95′ sparkles with the singing of Erykah Badu and Coco Owino; it proves to be the best track of the album. Furthermore, the three-headed ‘Partyisntover/Campfire feat Laetitia Sadier/Bimmer feat Frank Ocean’ proves other great ideas, sadly stunted by the lack of length. The yearning of Okonma on the first part is complemented well by sugary synthesisers and echoed vocals. The second’s tripped out sound, calm guitar riffing and children singing, could’ve been stolen from Tame Impala. The third, ‘Bimmer’, has all the sheen of a pop hit; fitting, considering it was allegedly written for Justin Bieber. Funnily enough, the track where Okonma most involves Odd Future,’Trashwang’, is abysmal. There’s a simple reason why the lesser heard Jasper Dolphin, L-Boy and Taco have stayed lesser heard- they just aren’t much good at rapping. Overall, Wolf is an album documenting indecision. On tracks such as ‘Treehome95′, ‘Awkward’, ‘Cowboy’ and ‘Partyisntover…’, the growth of Okonma as a musician is audible. However, his personality proves to be his own worst enemy, as he just can’t quit being the character he’s spent so long building. With Frank Ocean finding success with his soul-bearing R&B, Earl Sweatshirt with his heart-wrenching return to form on Chum, perhaps it’s time for Okonma to show the world who he really is.

THEN: The Doors - L.A. Woman

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COMA UK 2013

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“Get loose!” orders Jim Morrison on the opening line to L.A Woman. Those two words sum up why The Doors’ sixth studio album is possibly their best ever work; the shackles are off and the sound is stripped down after the grandiose but ultimately disappointing Soft Parade. It’s The Doors at their blues-rock best, and its mere existence is a miracle in itself. Morrison’s bohemian lifestyle became an alcoholinduced spiral of self-destruction, culminating in an arrest for two counts of indecent exposure, two of public profanity, one of excessive public drunkenness and finally “simulation of oral copulation”. Very rock n’ roll. Recording sessions were a disaster, producer Paul Rothchild resigned and the band were left frustrated and bored. But then something changed. They ditched the recording studio in favour of their old rehearsal room and, much to Morrison’s delight, Jerry Scheff (of Elvis fame) was invited to the recording sessions to take on bass duties. The album suddenly sparked to life. Krieger’s catchy guitar riff on ‘Lover Her Madly’ cemented it as the lead single, and Manzarek’s bright melodies on his Vox Continental ensured it became a Doors classic. ‘Riders on the Storm’ is a more atmospheric offering, conjuring a powerful vibe of loneliness with the sound of pouring rain and thunderstorms layered over a melancholic keyboard. You can almost imagine Morrison singing ‘Cars Hiss By My Window’ to his empty pint glass in some L.A dive; it sees the band at their most bluesy before the title track kicks in and the album becomes a different

beast entirely. ‘L.A Woman’ is as fast-paced a rocker the band have ever recorded, a sprawling eight minute masterpiece about the allure of late 60’s Los Angeles and its “cops in cars and topless bars”. Then there’s ‘The Wasp (Texas Radio and The Big Beat)’, an outlet for Morrison’s oft-lauded poetry. It started life as part of his famous poetic interludes during gigs, but appears here as a fully-fledged slick number with a pulsating beat from Densmore on drums. “The future’s uncertain, the end is always near” sings Morrison on earlier track ‘Roadhouse Blues’. It’s a line that was never more appropriate than during the recording of this LP, as just two months after its release, Morrison was found dead in a Paris apartment. L.A Woman is a fitting end to the career of a true genius.

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Books

ISSUE 19/ 22nd APRIL 2013 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Book Club: Celia Mullins – History Student Hi Celia! reading?

How are you, and What are you

Hey Phoebe! I’m great thanks. I’ve just finished reading The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende What’s it about? What are the characters called? Do you like them? It’s a familial saga, spanning four generations, set within the turbulent political and social context of postcolonial Chile, and falling within the genre of magic realism. Of course there’s a lot more to it but that’s it in the barest of nutshells (and according to Wikipedia). The family is called the Trueba family, Esteban Trueba being the man of the house and often the protagonist. Esteban marries Clara (the clairvoyant) and they have an assortment of children, grandchildren, and If I remember correctly are on the cusp of great-grandchildren by the end. Some of the characters are fairly likable; I held a flame for one of the sons, Jamie, and the granddaughter Alba, who seem amongst the kindest and best hearted of the Truebas. But some of the characters are less likable. Estaban Trueba is a fascinatingly dark figure. He gets his rape in early, which is daunting because you know you’re just about to settle down to the rest of the book with a protagonist who appears misogynistic and bitter, but although he darkens and ruins the family on a number of levels, you ultimately empathise with him – which is a pretty effective angle to spin in a work of fiction. The relationships that play out in the novel are frustrating for a needy reader but in actual fact probably add rather than take away from the book as a literary work. What’s the prose like? Any stand-out features that need a mention? Yes, one thing that I think could be mentioned in terms of prose is that the book gets very dark and sinks very low in places, and this is often accompanied by an entirely unflinching prose. Allende largely wields this to articulate human and often physical suffering. In these pits of the novel, the vernacular becomes bodily and gory. It is stunning, visceral writing, these passages ride very close to the knuckle, but she never gives an inch. For example, when Estaban is visiting his dying mother, having not seen her for years, she writes “Esteban pulled back the threadbare damask quilt and saw his mother’s legs. They were two bruised, elephantine columns covered with open wounds in which the larvae of flies and worms had made their nests and were busy tunnelling; two legs rotting alive with two outsized pale blue feet with no nails on the toes full to bursting with the pus, the black blood and the abominable animals that were feeding on her flesh, mother, in God’s name, of my own flesh… .”. So that’s definitely one stand out feature. Would it make your Desert Island Books if you were actually going to a desert island, not just on a radio show? No, there is no way The House of Spirits would make the cut, as much as I loved it! It’s just not the right book for a desert island situation. It would be too much of a slow painful plod through the tragedy of life for someone stranded on a desert island alone with only one book. I would be already miserable enough because of being stuck on a desert island without having to repeatedly read a book about the relentless grind through life. Which is not actually my opinion of The House of Spirits or of life for that matter. But I think If I had to read it for the rest of my life I would grow to resent it. I would have to take something very very long and quite a bit happier onto the desert island I think. Something with a happy ending for sure!

Summer Reading List

Review: NW by Zadie Smith NW may not have the punch of White Teeth, but Zadie Smith’s novels have matured alongside her, and this portrayal of London captures something real Zadie Smith’s latest novel NW is not really ‘new’ anymore; it was published September of last year. I was initially put off reading it by two negative responses published in The Guardian when it first came out: the first a ‘digested read’ by John Crace (which is quite funny) and the second a review by Adam MarsJones. I didn’t properly read the review, I skipped the parts that I thought were going to give away the story, because I hate it when reviewers do that. If I had read it properly I would have seen that Mars-Jones was the type of man who calls a book ‘chick lit’ because it contains mention of pregnancy, and I would have known to ignore him. There were also two factors urging me to read the book. The first was that I like the cover, designed by John Gray, a Peter Blake-esque target with heavy black and white lettering filled in with old maps. The second was that it was bought for me as a present, a signed hardback copy that couldn’t be ignored, and put pain to any reviewrelated hesitation. Mars-Jones (as others have) compared NW’s rambling form to Ulysses, and then complained about lack of stable plot, saying that it is not a successful novel ‘though it contains the makings of three or four.’ I agree that compared to White Teeth – Smith’s first and

around her hair. Directly underneath are the words “Zadie Smith was born in North-West London in 1975”. These details gave me the impression that she wanted the reader to know that she was part of the story; her beautiful freckled face seemed to be saying, “I wrote all these words”.

Rivers of London, Ben Aaronovitch Ben Aaronovitch’s fantasy/crime world offers some much-needed respite as dissertation deadlines and exam period draw ever closer

Even if I know what the author looks like, I don’t really think about it while I’m reading the novel, the book constructs its own world so the authors face sort of gets subsumed by that. I think it’s quite irrelevant to the book and the experience of reading it. So I’m not really fussed either way. But I absolutely love being read to, it’s such a great pleasure! If it’s the author reading then I guess that’s even better!

Yes that is precisely what would happen! I would absolutely have to go and see it in the full knowledge that I would be let down by it. Even if it was a really good film in its own right I would just be disappointed if the characters that were projected on the screen were different from the ones that had been projected in my head while I was reading it. Actually I just looked on IMDB and turns out they did make a film! In the 90s… So I will definitely have to watch it and no doubt be let down by it. It’s got Meryl Streep playing Clara which is fitting because Clara is quite whimsical and otherworldly and I always think of Meryl Streep like that.

still most famous novel – NW does not have such a succinct storyline. In that taut debut, everything leads towards a big bang at the end; however this plot is more real. I really felt London in summer: intimations of believable places, situations and dialogue. I myself would compare the novel to Sam Selvon’s The Lonely Londoners, or Pat Barker’s Union Street novels in which the characters are used foremost to explore and present a specific place and time in history rather than as drivers of a complicated plot. Smith puts heavy emphasis on the form of the novel, using different sections organised in different ways: one in numbered chapters, another in numbered short paragraphs with appropriate headings. In one of these numbered paragraphs – headed ‘Stage Directions’- Smith briefly turns the character Natalie’s life into a play (a device used also by Joyce). There are also frequent colloquial direct-address comments made by a third-person non-participant narrator such as, “You’re welcome”. At the back of the book there is a photo of Smith, wearing a crimson scarf tied

Summer Reading List

Do you like knowing what an author looks like, and/or what their voice sounds like, or do you prefer to remain ‘blind’ in this respect whilst reading? I like hearing authors, but not seeing them (the opposite of children, really) – seeing and hearing together being the worst of all possibilities.

On a similar note, if there was a film adapted from this book, who would play the main character? Would you go and see it? Would you feel bound to go and see it, knowing you’d be disappointed anyway?

I have three essays due and so naturally spent Easter catching up on my “To Read” list. I spent a very contented time reading Ben Aaronovitch’s series Rivers of London, which follows Police Constable Peter Grant, a policeman who seems destined for an average career in the Metropolitan police,

until he meets a ghost and finds himself recruited by a special division of the Met to help deal with all things supernatural and magical. Of course to deal with the occult, you need a particular skill set, so Peter is also now a wizard in training. This isn’t a pure fantasy series, although it does delight the wannabe sorceress in me, the books follow a progression more akin to the crime genre. Aaronovitch cleverly interweaves police investigation with magical pursuit, as PC Grant investigates a brutal series of murders which are beyond the understanding of the standard police. This genre overlap means that a cast of classic police characters – the gruff but fair Detective Inspector, the maverick young gun – is mixed with some more mythical types. My particular favourites are the host of deities belonging to the River Thames, including Mama Thames, a Nigerian matriarch, and her tributaries, her headstrong daughters like Tyburn

and Fleet. The series consists of three books so far: Rivers of London, Moon Over Soho and Whispers Under Ground, with the fourth in the series, Broken Homes, due out this July. While it’s unlikely to be described as great literature, the writing style and story are undoubtedly absorbing and fresh. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and Aaronovitch offers a new perspective on magic which fits nicely into the modern setting of London. Having discovered the back panel and not Narnia in my wardrobe as a child, and subsequently being snubbed by the Hogwarts owl on my 11th birthday, this book leaves me with hope that magic still has time to enter my adult life. I definitely recommend it as a great escape from thoughts of exams or essays, and while of course I’d never condone procrastination, everyone needs a break from it all sometimes. Joelle Jefferis

Food & Drink

ISSUE 19/ 22ND APRIL 2013 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Lounge 10 Emily Clark steps into a world of velvet resplendence and mellow gin The Cake and Bake Show has been hailed as the biggest baking event of the year, a haven for baking experts and connoisseurs right down to home bakers and cake makers. After a successful launch last year in London, the show ventured north to Manchester on the weekend of the 5th-7th of April. The show boasted classes and demonstrations from the likes of Paul Hollywood, judge of the Great British Bake Off, and Tom Herbert, one half of the Fabulous Baker Brothers. As I wandered down the aisles of the venue, I was hit with a sudden, devastating realisation. There were no heady aromas of herb crusted focaccia or the sweet scent of a molten chocolate brownie. Turning around the corner I realised why. Most of the cakes had been unabashedly covered in smooth, matt icing, their spongey insides left for me to imagine. Although I had walked straight into ‘the cake catwalk’ whose purpose was no doubt to provide visual entertainment, I wondered whether this was a cake show or an art exhibition. The cake catwalk seemed to me to be more of a feat of engineering than of baking. Nothing about a cake that looks like a bride in full garb screams ‘eat me!’ in my opinion. The aesthetics of a cake come second to the taste and the smell. If it doesn’t taste good, I’m not going to be happy about paying £3 to devour someone’s artwork. I’m eating the cake, not looking at it.

Emily Clark Food & Drink Editor Lounge 10 is a recently re-opened speakeasy bar with all the persona of a breasty, silkadorned cabaret singer blowing you a sultry, cigarette kiss. Upon arriving, we knocked on the door and gave our password to the lady behind the sliding panel. It took me more than a few minutes to adjust to the incandescent lighting, the opulent folds of velvet drapes and luxury plastering every inch of space not to mention the suave, swaggering staff. I was enjoying it an awful lot. Upstairs we were shown the equally resplendent toilets, where the suited toilet attendant proudly introduced us to Vivienne Westwood (he was pointing at a portrait) and explained that she helped Lounge 10 design the aforementioned drapes, don’t you know. Once we had also glimpsed the white baby grand, the dimly lit restaurant and the door handle to the back stairs which of course was the shape of a large, veiny penis, we went to the bar and ordered cocktails. On offer was the lofty ‘The Best Gin And Tonic In The World’, a drink made using Sloane’s gin and 1724 tonic. Sloane’s gin is produced using a more laborious method than other gins, separately mixing the infused ingredients to create a perfect blend. The 1724 tonic is made using quinine found at 1724 metres above sea level, which means the taste is mellow compared to other tonics. This actually was the best gin and tonic I’ve ever had - so smooth and dangerously drinkable. I ordered another. We sampled the speakeasy menu which was a variety of amuse bouches served on a threetiered stand. The quality of the food was very good - the brie lollipop with cranberry foam

A fortune teller, an absinthe lady, a magician you can’t fail to be entertained in this 20s style speakeasy bar. Photo: Lounge 10 was anyone’s idea of deep-fried cheese heaven, and the smoked duck roulade with raspberry and a date puree and the curried rainbow trout with avocado and salmon were well balanced texturally and intense in flavour. The chocolate brownie, however, required a Mary Berry side-crunch to attack its exterior. That is not anyone’s idea of a brownie. The whole selection is offered at £18 for two people. While I thoroughly enjoyed most of it, as a student, I would much rather spend money on food that constituted a whole meal, rather than a few bites. Of course, there is a restaurant upstairs, with a moderately-priced menu that combines French and British cuisine in a modern way. But one of my favourite things about Lounge 10 is the absinthe lady whose sole job, it

Dog Bowl

57 Whitworth Street West M1 5WW 0161 233 4036

This show takes the cake. Photo: The Cake and Bake Show

I left the cake catwalk in search of something I could actually eat. There were samples aplenty: interestingly flavoured popcorn, scones, pies, rustic pizzas and some great looking bread. The samples I tasted were delicious. Of course there are different types of baking and The Cake and Bake Show clearly had a firm focus on decorating and sugarcraft, which, if the huge crowds were anything to go by, lots of people enjoy. Although a great place to pick up some new baking equipment and marvel at what people can achieve with a piping bag, I felt the Cake and Bake Show left a lot to be desired. If you are looking for baking inspiration which steers away from the norm I would stick to the blogs and the books.

Frideswide O’Neill

Dog Bowl puts an exciting spin on what might otherwise be just an evening of bowling. Photo: Dog Bowl

Recently, Manchester has seen the emergence of a new breed of hipster nighttime activity, a revamp of everyone’s favourite childhood party pastime, bowling – but with a twist. Manchester now offers two boutique bowling venues, the latest of which to open being Dog Bowl, located in the up-and-coming Southern Quarter, home to the popular Gorilla and Underdog. On entering Dog Bowl, you instantly recognise the distinct modern New York speakeasy vibe typical of the Black Dog venues, with its industrial interior complete with exposed pipes and corrugated iron walls, as well as its urban, underground feel, being tucked away in a bridge archway on Whitworth Street West. It may seem like an impossible task to cram a bowling alley, a bar and a restaurant into such

a small venue but Dog Bowl combines them seamlessly and effectively, creating a lively yet cool atmosphere in which all three elements can be enjoyed. From the bar and restaurant area you can hear the falling of pins and strike celebrations so whether you’re bowling or not, you’ll still share in the quirky experience. The bowling itself is what you’d expect but, realistically, how do you improve on bowling? Dog Bowl does give it a go, though, with the addition of quirks such as the balls resembling billiard balls which, when returned to you, pop out of a dog’s bum, naturally. Despite bowling being the obvious focus of the venture, the food is far from that of your average fast food joint attached to most bowling alleys. With a clear American and

seems, is to guardsbottles of the aniseed spirit alongside an absinthe fountain. The fountain slowly drips cold water into the drink, giving it a milky, cloudy appearance which apparently is the proper way to drink it. So much for those nights out in Eastern Europe. And just in case one tires of one’s own company, there is a magician who will astonish with card and coin tricks as well as his politeness. Of course I can’t forget the music, a set mixing jazz and cabaret style songs, provided by very competent musicians - a saxophonist, double bassist, male pianist and singer and an extremely attractive female vocalist who held nothing back in her performances. I think there was something going on between her and the magician. The only thing that let us down, as music students, was the occasional resort to karaoke-style backing tracks which spoiled the authentic vibe. All in all, Lounge 10 has hooked onto something good. All the staff were passionate about their jobs and we were very well attended. I was very impressed to learn that the bar stays open till 4 in the morning. But I am slightly wary of the difficulty that some establishments have in cultivating a members’ style club. Becoming a member at Lounge 10 is free though, which brightens its chance of success - and you don’t have to be a member to just go in for a drink, if you book ahead. Lounge 10 is in the city centre next to Albert Square, open from Wednesday to Sunday. I would heartily recommend a visit, if you’re in the mood for a world of velvet extravagance and mellow gin.

“ Stand-outs include the tender beef brisket served with tangy Mad Dog sauce and the moreish smoky pulled pork” Mexican influence, Dog Bowl serves up a range of currently fashionable small plates for sharing, including pork crackling, spiced popcorn and smoked nuts, along with the mandatory Mexican dishes, nachos, fajitas and tacos, and classic American bites such as burgers and chicken wings, which were all finger-licking and filling. Stand-outs include the tender beef brisket served with tangy ‘Mad Dog’ hot sauce and the moreish smoky pulled pork dished up with a confusing yet oddly successful combination of mashed potatoes and coleslaw. While we’re not championing Dog Bowl as a sophisticated foodie hotspot, it serves the sort of unpretentious, hearty grub needed to sustain bowling energy levels. If bowling isn’t your thing and it’s just a few bevvies you’re after then don’t dismiss Dog Bowl as a good place to drink. The bar offers a wide range of cocktails – we recommend the White Russian, a classic bowling tipple, and the Passionfruit Tequila Mojito, which married fruitiness with a powerful Mexican liquor kick. Beers, wines and house spirits were the standard Black Dog offerings, which are all reasonably priced. One of the best things about Dog Bowl is its student-friendly pricing. With student discount offered on the bowling, reducing a game to only £5 each, and a generous meal averaging a tenner, a good night out here won’t break the bank. So if you fancy some good old-fashioned fun but with a drink in hand then hit up the Southern Quarter and get bowled over (sorry, couldn’t resist). Alexandra Williams and Andrew Shaw

Food & Drink

ISSUE 19/ 22ND APRIL 2013 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Manchester vs. Food: an unhealthy marketing ploy? James Griffiths

Adam Richman is a living legend. Man v. Food was a brilliant show, a view into the gluttonous and testosterone fuelled world of American competitive eating, replete with raucous handlebar moustached rednecks, raunchy cheerleaders and rotund, rapacious cooks. Richman, a magnetic food-stuffing maestro, was also appreciative of good American food, which he canvassed with trips to secret little eateries from Rhode Island to Reno, Montana to Miami. Bizarrely, Richman was also an athlete, working out before challenges to get his metabolism and his appetite stoked. Afterwards he would then ‘cleanse’ with a session on the treadmill. Despite such athleticism, Richman was ultimately a fat git. This is because he attempted to eat excessive amounts of food in short spaces of time. As much as I love food (I am a carb addict), I would never seek to enter into one of these ridiculous challenges. One would have thought that sensible minded Brits would avoid bigger portions and indeed eating challenges. Instead we seem to be embracing them. Indeed, in our very own Manchester, where an intriguing ‘redneck revolution’ of American food has taken place, there are several eateries pushing out pukeprecipitating amounts of food. There is much to be said for this famed American grub, with great burgers, beef brisket and pulled pork. There is a danger however, in

The heart-stopping ‘Kidz Breakfast’, weighing in at the weight of a healthy newborn baby. Photo: Jesters Diner

encouraging eating challenges in a country with already bulging waist sizes. Several years ago, such challenges were non-existent in the UK, now they are cropping up everywhere. For example at Southern Eleven they have the £25.99 ‘Chicken & Waffle Tower’ of fried chicken, waffles and creamy white gravy served with extra spicy battered chicken, home-made ‘slaw’, parmesan truffle fries, BBQ beans and bourbon mayo. If you neck it in 45 minutes, you get the meal for free. One guzzler remarked however that the whole challenge was weighted in favour of the establishment since the chicken was seasoned with excessive amounts of salt, whilst the waffles

had more sugar than a Jamaican plantation. Great, real healthy. Am I also the only one that finds the combination of chicken and waffle a bit screwed up? Secondly, at Manchester’s new and mouthwatering Luck Lust Liquor & Burn, you can order the £30 ‘Tapout Burrito’. The burrito is packed full with crispy beef, BBQ pulled pork and shredded beer-can chicken, with accompaniments including fries, cheese, spicy rice, grilled onions & peppers, and salad ‘lubed’ with secret taco sauce, sour cream and ‘guac’. Even corporate chains are having a stab at stuffing you with saturated fat, as Revolution in Fallowfield has launched ‘The Fallowfield

Preview: Grillstock Festival

Manchester welcomes Grillstock for its Northern debut, with a hope of meat, music, and maybe even some sun

Jessica Hardiman Food & Drink Editor

Even if you don’t become King of the ‘Q’, it may be worth hanging around for a sample. Photo: Grillstock

Challenge’, the MANchester vs. Food epic burger. Beyond Manchester and more foolish Brits are embarking on this foolish course of action. Take the ‘Kidz Breakfast’ at Jesters Diner in Great Yarmouth, which includes an 8-egg cheese and potato omelette, 12 rashers of bacon, 12 sausages, 6 fried eggs, beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, 4 hash-browns, 4 bits of black pudding, sautéed spuds, 4 slices of toast, 4 of bread and butter, and 4 of fried bread. That’s 14 eggs. Each egg contains 210mg of dietary cholesterol. Recommended intake is 300mg a day. Jesters thus provides you with a whopping 2940mg of dietary cholesterol, which is 10 times the daily intake. In other words, you’re likely to have a heart attack whilst heaving on the toilet to get over crippling constipation. Interestingly, the meal also weighs about the same as a healthy newborn baby Further examples include a 3ft long hotdog served in Walsall, containing enough calories to feed a grown man for a week, the ‘Judgement Burger’ in Argyll, the ‘Munchy Box’ of Indian food in Glasgow, and lastly ‘Ray’s Pizza’ (26”) in London. Brits are that buzzing about the whole affair, they are even mapping the mammoth eating challenges around the country. The trouble is that these food challenges set a very dangerous and unfunny precedent. They are contributing to a negative alteration in attitude towards food quantity. Restaurants need to ignore such profiteering in the interests of our nation’s health. I’m not saying 90% white plate, 10% food: just decent portion sizes for meals like fry-ups and burgers, which are already indulgent.

Manchester is truly embracing the era of the so-filthy-it’s-fashionable junk food of America, evident from the queue snaking its way daily from the doors of Almost Famous. Along with SoLita’s bacon jam and pulled pork Scotch egg, it would appear that all things carnivorous are going nowhere other than the depths of our stomachs. But beyond the overpriced hotdog, there is an art to this meaty fodder. Welcome Grillstock Festival, a two-day meat feast taking place June 8th-9th in Albert Square (that place where you were chomping on a Bratwurst and sipping mulled wine at the Christmas markets a few months ago), celebrating

the smoky pit of the barbeque. For the barbeque aficionados amongst you, there is the King of the ‘Q’ competition, which is the heart of the festival and invites contestants to showcase their low ‘n’ slow barbequing magic with chicken, ribs, brisket and pulled pork. Along with a £1000 cash prize, winners are given the opportunity to compete at the American Royal World Series of BBQ in Kansas City. The only downside is the pretty steep entry cost of £150 per team. For those whose budgets don’t stretch that far, alongside this are smaller contests of a slightly more light-hearted nature. These include a chilli eating competition and, for those who can’t handle such heat, a rib eating competition.

And for those without a competitive bone in their body, demos and live entertainment provide an easier pace to the weekend, allowing you to stuff your face and soak up the atmosphere. There will be British and American beers on offer with Brewstock, and Brooklyn Brewery will also commandeering the pumps. Along with music from headliners Kitty Daisy & Lewis, the line-up features local favourites, Riot Jazz. There may well be no guarantee of sunshine, but at least we can revel in the Great British tradition of the barbeque without having to struggle with soggy coals on the patio. Put down the tongs and instead let some real meat lovers do it for you. www.grillstock.co.uk

Try these sweet potato, leek, mushroom and goats’ cheese patties for some pre-deadline energy

Sweet potato patties Joanna Fox

With a Monday morning Spanish exam looming, I decided the most effective use of my Friday evening would be Spanish-themed procrastination in the form of tapas. This is one of those recipes where a few simple ingredients go a long way. I recommend making up a batch and freezing the uncooked patties, so that you’ve always got a nutritious and tasty light meal (or carbohydrate for a meal) to alleviate those “night before” panics in the coming weeks. This recipe is inspired by ‘Puré de Batatas con Queso de Cabra y Puerros’ from Carlos Horrillo and Patrick Morcas’ Tapas: Simple Combinations, Striking Flavours.

Ingredients: 2 medium sweet potatoes 1 leek, diced 5 chestnut mushrooms, diced 2 cloves of garlic, crushed or finely sliced 30-40g goats’ cheese, crumbled into lumps Salt and pepper to season Method: Bake the sweet potatoes, either in the oven at gas mark 6/180-200°C for about an hour (pricking the skins a few times with a fork to avoid exploding potatoes) or for about 8 minutes in the microwave. Meanwhile, fry the leek and mushroom in a teaspoon of butter until soft. After a few minutes add the garlic and stir regularly to avoid the mixture

sticking. When the potatoes are baked, cut them in half and scoop out the insides into a bowl. Break down the flesh with a fork but don’t purée them as you will want a few lumps. Mix the leek, mushroom and garlic mixture into the potato and leave to cool for a little while - this is so that the cheese doesn’t completely melt when you add it. Add the cheese to the potato mixture. Form patties from 1-2 tablespoons of mixture - I made mine quite small, but when my mum makes these at home she usually makes them larger and they’re equally as good. Brush with olive oil and bake in a hot oven on a lightly greased baking tray for about 30- 40 minutes, or until starting to brown.

Arts & Culture @EDAnalysis

Politeness and The Mail A few days ago Slate published an article calling for the end of perfunctory email sign-offs such as ‘regards’, ‘best wishes’ and ‘yours sincerely.’ For the writer Matthew J. X. Malady these gestures are ‘are holdovers from a bygone era of letter writing’ and waste time by causing email writers to agonize over the appropriate sign-off for the email they are sending. The Daily Mail have, on the surface, and strangely for them, offered a review of the ‘debate’ without taking sides, simply offering the views for and against politeness. But close-reading nonetheless reveals the ideology behind their article. The writer has played up the ‘fuss’ that the Slate article caused. In keeping with their reactionary conservation of old models of politeness The Mail go as far as to begin with: ‘A New York writer has sparked a debate about the manners of email after calling for an end to the written sign-off ’; by framing it as a debate the gesture is; don’t worry, there are still plenty out there in avid support of the hierarchical structure of politeness. But is it really hierarchy, and deference to your seniors and elders, that The Mail wants to protect, or is there something else to the importance of politeness? Theorist Robert Pfaller comments that ‘narcissistic societies’ maintain a public sphere because they perceive any played role in it as an ‘alienation’ from the true self. The statement is relevant here; the email sign-off, or the polite behaviour that The Mail wants to defend, allows the individual to believe that beneath this performance of politeness they have a ‘true self ’ who could potentially act unconstrained by social rules and conventions.

/TheMancunionArtsCulture @ArtsMancunion

Careers in the Arts: Interview

Peter Cooke: ‘curiosity should be at the heart of everything you do’ Annabel Herrick sat down with University of Manchester lecturer Peter Cooke to discuss his career and the works which inspire him For our ‘Careers in the Arts’ feature I interviewed French lecturer Peter Cooke who specialises in nineteenth-century French art. Being fascinated by his brilliant modules over the years and soon to be graduating myself, I was intrigued to find out more about his career path. I wondered how the art world has changed since he embarked into the world of work and if he has any tips as we anxiously leave our student days behind us. Graduating from Oxford with a degree in French and Spanish, Cooke always had an interest in art yet it was his thesis on Gustave Moreau that truly inspired his passion. Having no formal qualifications in History of Art I ask whether he considers himself self taught, he smiles and answers “we are all self taught”. Cooke’s fascination with Moreau stemmed from his year abroad in Paris with days spent in the ‘Musée Moreau’ unsupervised hours in the archives and even in Moreau’s house itself, where he sat “encapsulated, surrounded by his paintings, reading his manuscripts”. He announces that his new 120,000 word book, a lavishly illustrated piece on the life and work of Gustave Moreau

‘The Woman Taken in Adultery’ by Rembrant : “Rembant’s work speaks of a deep humanity and compassion that comes across very strongly. His paintings are intensely human.”

“La Countesse d’Haussonville’ by Ingres: “I love Ingres’ portraits and this one in particular is mesmerising; what a simply magnificent ice queen!”

Peter Cooke is co-curating an exhibition, ‘Picturing Stories: British and French Romantic Illustration’ in John Rylands Library which opens in August.

Careers in the Arts: Interview

We caught up with Shereen Perera, Visual Arts Co-ordinator at Islington Mill, to talk about her work, the Mill and how she got there role to yours and do you have any advice? Being entirely committed to the work of the artist whose residency/exhibition you are facilitating, building a relationship with the artists and forming lasting collaborative friendships. Never being too afraid to execute your own ideas no matter how crazy or mad they might be. Being a risk-taker, some things work, some things don’t, but I’m lucky enough to work in creative environment that encourages ‘trying things out’ and it’s ok if you do fail.

Next Video Jam: Wednesday 24th April 5-7pm MMU Holden Gallery FREE

WIN: TICKETS TO SOUNDS FROM THE OTHER CITY Sounds from the Other City returns to Chapel Street this May Day Bank Holiday, and with a line up featuring Stealing Sheep, Daedeulus, producer Deptford Goth, Belfast’s Sea Pinks & Glasgows ‘The Cosmic Dead’, this is not one to miss, and we have two pairs to tickets to give away! Email arts.mancunion@gmail.com, telling us which one of these three Manchester figures is still alive, and what they are famous for: A) Anthony Burgess B) Emmeline Pankhurst C) Howard Jacobson Video Jam at Islington Mill © Wall Fly Photography

‘La Salomé’ by Gustave Moreau: “I was very privileged to see it before it was opened to the public and the reproductions just do not do it justice. It is totally unique; I’d never seen anything like it and I was instantly captivated.”

Annabel Herrick

Interview: Shereen Perera a self-organised art school (Islington Mill Art Academy), an artist led B&B, and an ongoing residency programme working with artists locally, nationally and from around the globe. What did you do before you had this job - degree? Previous projects? I studied Drama and English [BA] at University of Manchester. As well as working at Islington Mill I work parttime at the Royal Exchange Theatre and am part of music/ film collective Video Jam who put on experimental nights of short films with a variety of live musical/sonic accompaniment. What qualities do you think are important in someone hoping to work in a similar

PETER COOKE’S top three

of course, is the highlight of his career thus far as he believes it’s an accumulation of 20 years of hard work. He admits he does not follow modern art with the same ardour yet he has noticed how tastes constantly change; “art has basically come off the painting and onto the floor. Traditionally art on the wall remains in its own space, but modern art has invaded our space as spectators”. I am impelled to ask if he has any tips for graduates who want to pursue a career in the arts, unfortunately there is no shortcut or easy answer as he tells me “the prerequisite is that you have to love art, it also helps to get to know the right people.” It seems not much has changed for humanities-based jobs as networking remains the only way to work your way up. Nevertheless, he acknowledges that these days a specialised training is expected and a “learn by doing” in the art world is not as easy to accomplish, yet above all what he believes most important is “an integral curiosity.”

Careers in the Arts: Interview

What exactly is a Visual Arts Co-ordinator? Being a Visual Arts Coordinator at the Mill involves facilitating and producing the Mill’s exhibition and residency programme working closely with Rivca Burns, Events Co-ordinator to curate a cohesive visual arts and music programme. Why do you think Islington Mill is an important and unique arts venue in Manchester? Walking through the door of Islington Mill is an interactive experience not just an event. Many people think of the Mill as a venue that puts on gigs and club nights, but we also are home to over 50 artist studios,

ISSUE 19/ 22ND APRIL 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Architecture: ‘as pragmatic or esoteric as you like

Arian Lehner and James Taylor-Foster founded Mies UK to look at architecture from a student perspective through written and filmed interview We chatted with the Head of Manchester School of Architecture, Professor Tom Jefferies, for our second UNI interview. We asked him how he got into architecture, how he then found himself in the thick of architectural education, what makes a good school, and where he would like to see MSA going in the not too distant future .

Education in the UK “When architectural education is working well it sets up the landscape for you to ask very challenging questions and to come to some sort of resolution.” According to Tom, you can describe architecture as either a profession or a discipline, and if you describe it as a discipline it’s amazingly wide – “you can be as pragmatic or esoteric as you like.” He said that “the UK system allows for someone to enter the discipline, define where they sit, and then work out how they want to engage with the profession when they emerge out of it”.

Talking MSA So where does he see MSA going? “The interesting thing about MSA is that it’s an ongoing project.” Tom, along with Eamonn Canniffe, was there at the very beginning when the joint school was formed in 1995. “Like anything new, it took a bit of time to bed in. The next phase is to get a fully joint school from BA to PhD, and then see how the school could engage with its professional and academic context in the most dynamic way possible.” Tom said that “the trajectory is to set the school up to become stronger and stronger by realising its interconnections within the two universities it is

a part of, but also in the wider professional world.” We’re two students aiming to bridge the gap between student and architect through film and interviews. Where are Mancunian architects taking the profession right now, and what kinds of challenges are they facing? What are the innovative solutions being explored in response to this? We want to document unique architectural ideas and the faces behind them. www.mies.org.uk

Theatre

ISSUE 17/ 22nd APRIL 2013 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Review

Must See Rutherford and Son 22-28 APRIL

The Lowry •

Can’t Pay? Won’t Pay! Translated from Dario Fo’s original play ‘Sotto Paga? Non Si Paga!’ this is an energetic and witty comedy with political relevance. Following housewives Antonia and Margherita who become involved in a protest at the escalating cost of living its sure to strike a cord for those of us struggling with life on a student budget!

Runs 25th April – 18th May at the Bolton Octagon. Tickets £14.50.

Our Country’s Good

Barrie Rutter in the Northern Broadsides production of Ruterford and Son. photo: The Lowry

Part of MMU’s Capitol Theatre Summer Season this production is set in an 18th Century Australian Penal Colony. Here Second Lietenant Ralph Clark who sets out with a cast of convicts to stage a production of ‘The Recruiting Officer’ encountering challenges along the way.

Runs 24th – 27th April at the Capitol.

Rutherford and Son follows the trials and tribulations a family who try, with varying degrees of success, to escape the control of their tyrannical father who rules both the family and the glass business he owns with an iron fist. What makes the play so convincing is its presentation of the flaws of each individual character, making it impossible to consider any of them as wholly good, or wholly evil. The plot follows his loss of power in the family home: his son Dick leaves to join a parish in Southport, his favourite John

steals his money and runs away, and most importantly Janet begins a secret relationship with the man whom the governor trusts most in the world, his worker Martin. Northern Broadside’s adaptation of this stifling family drama focuses solely on one room in the house, the dining room. The play was written by Githa Sowerby in 1912, and there are notably huge points of comparison between her own family life and the Rutherford family. The lack of scene change heightens the sense of claustrophobia within the domestic

Rosie Panter

sphere, particularly for women, who like the audience, cannot leave. This sense of domesticity is strengthened by moments of silence within the novel, the relationships within this home never feel forced. Funnily enough, whilst this stagnation made me feel increasingly anxious about what could happen between those four walls, it never left me feeling bored. A special mention must be made to Barrie Rutter’s performance as John Rutherford: he perfectly conveyed the frustrations and anger of a man who had given his life in toil in the belief that he was creating a life for his children. Whilst he is truly terrifying in the scenes in which he shouts at, first John, and then later Janet, it is hard not to feel some level of sympathy for this failing father. Despite the dark nature of this family drama comic respite was given in the scenes in which John is proven to be an absolute fool, and through Wendi Peter’s portrayal of the snivelling Mrs Henderson. These moments of humour are much needed not only to provide some respite, but also to increase the credibility of the family tale. This is one family drama that perfectly portrays the tensions in a community or home that has no hope for change. The resonance of the play still rings true today; power, and power alone cannot bring happiness. Five Stars out of Five.

Review

The Glass Menagerie Hannah Lawrence reviews Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie is highly symbolic, then, a sign of trust and courage, overcoming her protectiveness over the glass figure suggests a metaphorical overcoming of her paralysing anxiety as a result of Jim’s kindness and attention.

Margot Leicester as Amanda Wingfield and Fiona Hampton as Laura Wingfield. photo: Ian Tilton The Glass Menagerie, Tennessee Williams’ most directly autobiographical drama, deals with many of the themes which characterise much of his body of work. However, the play plot is relatively uneventful and much of the play’s power is through its use of motif and symbolism. Presented as a memory play, from protagonist Tom’s memory of mother Amanda and his sister Laura during his life at home the play has often been seen as a parallel for Williams’ own family, with Laura, particularly, being seen as a parallel to his sister Rose. Amanda’s obsession to find the shy and reclusive Laura a ‘gentleman caller’ drives the narrative which is all takes place in their small apartment, symbolic of a sense of physical and mental claustrophobia which pervades the characters’ lives. As a play driven by a relatively uneventful plot line I feel The Glass Menagerie takes particular skill to do well. This is not a drama of epic proportions, in fact, quite the opposite, this is a play about the things which remain unsaid, unseen and hidden

from view. It was for that reason that I would like to particularly commend the use of silence throughout the play. The most powerful moment was itself a moment of silence. In the second act Tom brings home a ‘gentleman caller’ for Laura, a friend from school named Jim who we discover is known also to Laura; when Amanda asks Laura if she’s ever liked a boy her response is to show her the picture of Jim in the yearbook. Despite her initial paralysing shyness towards Jim the two are left alone and she becomes less shy. It was the atmosphere through this scene which was particularly powerful. There was a slight tenseness to the atmosphere, a suggestion of reserved emotion but also a slight mutual tenderness which was captivating to watch and highlight emotive. This scene’s most evocative moment for me, was the moment in which Laura entrusted Jim with her glass unicorn, her most treasured of the small glass figurines which she keeps, of ‘the glass menagerie’ to which the title refers. The act of Laura giving Jim the small glass figurine

“

All four members of the cast gave tremendous performances

Here the silence of the moment as Laura placed the unicorn onto Jim’s outstretched hand, placing it carefully with utmost concentration created such a silence I became slightly aware of my own

breathing, for a moment. This was, without a doubt the most powerful, poignant moment of the play. For me, all the symbolism and tension of the drama were held in that moment and it was suddenly that I realised that not only is Williams’ drama itself as much about what is not said, as a successful performance is a result of the way in which the company use moments of silence. All four members of the cast gave tremendous performances and the production fully engaged with the symbolism and poignancy of Williams’ script.

Five Stars out of Five.

Nathan Wiley as Tom Wingfield. photo: photo: Ian Tilton

Lifestyle

60 seconds with... Cosmo girl Laura MacBeth Laura Jane MacBeth, a freelance journalist and Cosmopolitan magazine’s Sex And The Single Girl columnist, speaks exclusively to Lifestyle

ISSUE 19/ 22ND APRIL 2013 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Confessions of a TV addict

Are you constantly searching for your next small screen fix? Gwen Ellis exposes the dangers of TV addiction My name’s Gwen and I’m addicted to TV. I watch anything and everything my laptop can stream. I like to think that I can stop at one episode but before I know it, its 3am and I’d gladly give up a limb just for another small screen hit. Before I came to university I hadn’t encountered the joy of Putlocker and thought that Sockshare was a website on which people traded anecdotes about sock-puppets. Entering these sites can only be compared to entering another (dream) realm: I could now watch endless episodes - even whole series - of whatever I desired in the space of 24 hours and from the comfort of my bedroom. Dangerous. Pilot episodes were much like first dates; there had to be a connection but I should be left yearning for more. If it didn’t fit the criteria or mood I was in, then I could just dump it and move on to the next. That’s right, I became a TV whore. This dreadful behaviour continued and soon enough I became entangled in a web of dramas and comedies. My evenings and weekends were spent in bed watching Mad Men, Desperate Housewives and Game of Thrones. Inevitably, I began sacking off lectures for the next fix. The thought of having to wait to

find out whether or not Mike was actually dead was far more sickening than that of having to skip an hour of my degree (even though I knew that the attendance email was on its way). It gets worse. My addiction started to spiral out of control and before long, I was even making excuses for not going out. Why should I torture myself at Sankey’s when all I truly needed was to find out how Ted met his wife? I reasoned. I finally realised that I had a problem when I completed a Grey’s Anatomy marathon (for the third time) and looked in the mirror. What I saw was a greasy-haired, puffy, red eyed zombie. And it wasn’t just my appearance that was suffering; my room looked as though a tornado had just blown through it, scattering empty crisp packets and Pot Noodle cups all over the place. My personal relationships weren’t doing well either; I felt closer to the cast of 90210 than I did to my own friends, who were close to filing a missing person’s case. I came to the conclusion that the bingewatching had to stop, but like every addict, I have relapsed. There are still times (after every episode of The Vampire Diaries) that I’d give up a family member to not have to

wait another week for a new episode of my favourite series. My problem isn’t as severe as it was, but I still have a long road to recovery. I hear that the first step to overcoming the problem is admitting that you have one: I am a TV addict and I need help.

It’s...

Hi Laura Jane. First thing first, is the world of women’s magazine journalism really as glamorous as it’s made out to be? Ha! I don’t think it’s quite as glamorous as the movies suggest; I don’t have access to a wardrobe of designer clothes and it is hard work. It’s also an exciting, fun and rewarding career, however. Plus I’ve been to some amazing events like the MTV Awards, Cosmopolitan Ultimate Women Awards and Elle Style Awards. Perks of the job! You write for a mix of monthly and weekly women’s magazines, from ELLE and COSMO to Women’s Health. How do you think these publications influence women’s lives? Although each of the magazines I write for have different focuses and content, they are all very positive. They aim to make women feel good about themselves and achieve what they want to in life. It’s nice feeling like you might help someone with your writing or what you share. Journalism is a notoriously difficult field to break into, how did you do it? I started out by writing free film and club reviews for independent magazines, then got some freelance work with The Independent and The List. I actually started out subbing, but always wrote freelance, and eventually got my first writing job at the now defunct Sugar magazine (RIP!) How should aspiring journalists go about finding work experience? I would obviously advise applying to the national magazines, newspapers and websites you want to work for, but also to smaller local magazines or newspapers which might be more likely to give you writing work. Make sure you tailor your application to each magazine and don’t be afraid to do something different to stand out. I read about a guy in America who put his CV on the wrapper of a chocolate bar and I thought that was a brilliant idea! Thanks for chatting to Lifestyle Laura! Follow Laura on Twitter: @LauraJaneCosmo Dana Fowles

Blind Date James, 2nd year Business & Japanese First impressions? A nice girl

Amber, 1st year English Literature First impressions? He had friendly smile and a nice shirt.

Did the date get off to a flying start? Yes , there was a lot to talk about.

Did the date get off to a flying start? Yeah, we found out we have mutual friends and so instantly had something to talk about.

Best Features? Nice arms and a nice voice.

Best features? He had some interesting stories.

Any awkward moments? No, I don’t think so. She wasn’t an awkward person and neither am I so it was fine.

Any awkward moments? No, I don’t think so., apart from the awkward boyfriend situation maybe...

Did you have many things in common? Yes...her ex-boyfriend (who kind of looks like me) is a friend of mine. If he sees this picture of us, I’m sorry Jake. We also both like the ‘Go Falafel’ shop on the curry mile and we were both in the Manchester University Harlem Shake.

Did you have many things in common? We both like travelling. We didn’t have that much in common but that meant things were interesting and we had more to talk about. What was the weirdest thing he told you? He sent his mates a photo of him on the toilet which got put on ‘Spotted’, which I thought was pretty weird.

What was the weirdest thing she told you? Nothing was weird really. She told me that she brews her own wine which was cool, and that she has recently turned a vegetarian. What happened after you finished your meal? We got another drink, watched a bit of the open mic night, then we parted ways. I had a fun night.

What happened after you finished your meal? We had another drink but I had to dash off.

Jame s&

How did you say goodbye? We said “goodbye” and hugged. I think I tried to give her a kiss on the cheek however im not sure if it got her cheek or her neck or completely missed.

Amb er

How did you say goodbye? A friendly hug and he took my number. Would you look at him twice in a club? Yeah I would probably notice him. Potential sex partner percentage? 65%. Any future plans? I might see him around, especially now we know we have some mutual friends.

So did you kiss? Yes...no Would you look twice at her in a club? Yes. Maybe three times. Maybe four. Potential sex partner percentage? 69% Any plans for the future? First i should apologise to her ex boyfriend then maybe we should go for a coffee sometime..?

Beth Currall and Lauren Arthur Thanks to Trof and all the staff at Trof Fallowfield. If you would like to get involved please send your name and course details to Beth Currall at bethcurrall@hotmail.com

Want to write for the Lifestyle section in the next academic year? We are looking for fresh new faces, with an enthusiasm for writing and a range of ideas, to join our team. Everyone is welcome, from experienced writers to budding bloggers. If interested, contact Beth Currall at bethcurrall@hotmail.com, or Lauren Arthur at lauren.n.arthur@gmail.com.

Lifestyle

ISSUE 19/ 22ND APRIL 2013 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Advice

Awkward Situation Dodging Beth Currall on how to tackle those embarrassing, post-night out encounters Awkward situations are an integral part of university life; they occur every day for students, whether it be in lectures, at the supermarket or in the middle of a club. Frankly though, who knows what to do in these terrible, unavoidable circumstances? Lifestyle provides some simple steps to help you emerge from your most embarrassing moments unscathed. The Morning-After Lecture: So last night you had an extremely cringe-worthy, drunken conversation with someone on your course who you’ve barely spoken two words to since Freshers. Now, squinting through your jägerinduced headache, you see your NBF (New Best Friend) scurrying over in the hope that you really meant that you could be lecture buddies for the rest of the year. The moral

thing to do is to smile, move your bag and gesture to the empty seat next to you. The way to escape awkwardness for the remainder of the semester, however, is to suddenly jump up, ‘dash to the toilet’, return to the other side of the lecture theatre and ensure you’re out of there and on a Magic Bus quicker than the lecturer can say, ‘Any questions?’. A little Mean Girls-esque, but it could save you hours of awkward situations sat side by side in Samuel Alexander. The Supermarket Struggle: You’re taking an innocent stroll through Sainsbury’s, contemplating what to have for dinner and bam! - your flat mate’s annoying friend hones in on you from the other end of the cereal aisle. Whilst the person with a conscience would force themselves to endure 120

seconds worth of painful conversation, the awkwardness avoider will take this advice: create a distraction. It is vital that you always carry something in your hand, such as a bag of carrots or a shopping list. Then, you can pretend that you’ve picked up the wrong item/ forgot something on your list, sigh to yourself, then bolt out of the aisle as fast as your hungover legs can handle. Fool-proof. The Conquest Come-Again: It was a bad night in Sankey’s last week, and you ended up going home with someone who evidently looked a lot more attractive after seven double vodkas. Now you’re enjoying your night in Tiger and who appears? Well, your ‘previous’ of course. This really is a crap situation because you don’t actually want to come into contact with them again, but simultaneously want to look calm, collected and pretty damn hot. The only thing to do is work it: turn to your friend and engage in what looks like the most witty, interesting conversation known to man, do your best catwalk strut* into White Room, and then breathe a sigh of relief. *NB: if you trip up, skip the White Room and head straight for the exit, as this awkward situation can only be avoided by hibernating at home for the rest of the night).

Help, I’m a traditionalist! Are you an Elizabeth or a Jane? Lauren discusses Over the Easter break, my friend from home asked a boy out. She met him, became smitten, added him on Facebook and started messaging him. A couple of days later she asked if he wanted to go for a drink. When she told me this the next day, my insides instantly shrivelled up. How could she be so bold? What if he’d rejected, or worse, ignored her? Most importantly, should women even ask men out? After some thought on the matter, I realised that whilst I admired her, I would never be able to imitate her. Both my traditional romantic side and my independent ‘I don’t need anyone’ other half are, for once, in full agreement. Sadly, I believe in good old fashioned chivalry and courtship. I don’t want some big cringey gesture, but I don’t want to have to ask my knight in shining armour out first either. I like having the power to be reserved and slightly elusive; by asking them out there’s no mystery and there’s certainly no doubt about your interest. However, later as I served a group of men at work it I found myself questioning why on earth women shouldn’t ask. Their captivating conversation covering new protein shakes and Match of the Day made me realise that women shouldn’t sit around waiting for these blatherskites to ask. If you know you like someone then there’s no harm in taking the plunge; many, I’ m sure, would find your confidence even more attractive. The boy that said friend asked out did say yes and a date has been arranged. Whilst I envy her courage and the other women that follow suit, I can’t help but think that that will never be me. Women that ask are the empowered heroines, the Elizabeth Bennett’s of our generation and the rest of us are Janes: slightly more reserved yet (hopefully) ending up equally as happy.

Lifestyle

Tales of a student shopaholic Molly Allen on how not to manage your money I am cursed; I am unable to enter a supermarket without trying to buy half the shop. Unfortunately I came to uni a scared, wide-eyed fresher with no idea about money or budgeting. My downfall, after shoes, is food. My mother raised me to be a classic food snob. I first encountered Sainsbury’s Basics at my cousin’s house upon discovering the brand’s orange juice in the fridge. Without thinking, I shouted at my aunt, “This is for people with no food standards and students!” Unfortunately, I spoke too soon and karma had the last laugh. Now independent, poor and alone I am subjected to dodgy Lidl vegetables (they taste like crap), Asda Smart Price meat (tastes like road kill) and even the Sainsbury’s Basics juice which I was so quick to judge (tastes like wee). The worst part of my student shopping habit, however, is my ability to turn the need for one or two items into the need for enough food to feed a family of five with leftovers for the dog. Buying a box of teabags turns into deciding to bake that amazing three tier wedding cake I saw on Pinterest. I have somehow been transformed into a bargain bitch. The problem with my newfound

love for a bargain binge is that whenever I spy something that’s been slightly discounted - be it 3% or 30% - I will buy it. One such event occurred only last week; I was looking for ingredients to make a pie but happened to catch sight of the new “Curiously Strawberry” cereal discounted to £2. When I arrived at my boyfriend’s place, armed with my fabulous (or so I thought) purchase, he pointed out how stupid I’d been. There was only 375g in the box. The worst bit? The cereal wasn’t even that nice. I still remember my dad’s advice in Waitrose one fateful Sunday before coming to uni, “Always look at the price per ml or gram,

that way you’ll get the cheapest.” What he failed to take into account was that his daughter has no self-control or common sense when it comes to money, be it venturing to the Arndale for a cardigan and returning with shoes, a hat and a dress as well, or be it popping to Morrisons for some milk and returning with enough to feed the 5000. The conclusion? So much for us students accomplishing money management. I can guarantee that 10 years down the line, when I’m living in a cardboard box due to my lack of funds and loan induced debt, I’ll have only a Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference cake to my name because it was £5 down from £5.30.

WE ASK: Worst chat-up lines Dana Fowles reveals your cheesiest chat-up lines Once in a bar, a lad came up to me and said: ‘I lost my virginity! Can I have yours?’ I stared in disbelief for about five seconds before turning and running. Beth (editor)

‘If I buy you a Big Mac will you have sex with me?’ Unsurprisingly this was said to me in the most romantic destination on the planet, Magaluf. Rebecca

A guy once asked me if I could psychoanalyse him with a wink when I said that I studied Psychology. Original. Sarah

A guy was staring at me for ages recently on a night out and I started to feel uncomfortable. When I eventually asked him (as politely as possible) if he could stop staring at me, he said, ‘Sorry. I just find you really sexually attractive.’ I just ended up thinking he was a creep. ‘Hi, what’s your name?’ would probably have been a better conversation starter! Fiona

‘Your phone won’t work without my number in it’ was a bit of a corker! Chloe

Someone once said to me, ‘you have 206 bones in your body, want one more?’ Needless to say, I didn’t take him up on the offer. Lauren (editor)

My friends and I recently had ‘I want to put my willy in you’ chanted at us by a group of guys in the swimming pool. Its safe to say that it didn’t work, although it did make us laugh. Dana (editor)

‘I play for first team rugby and I’ve just tripped over falling for you’ warned me off rugby guys forever. Georgina

Do you believe in love at first sight, or should I walk past you again?’ was definitely the worst I’ve had! Jess

‘I like your dress. It would look better on my bedroom floor though.’ Yes, somebody actually said this to me. I cringed a lot! Annie

Games

ISSUE 19/ 22ND APRIL 2013 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Review

Bioshock: Infinite

Bioshock: Infinite finally answers the question “Can games be art?” argues Alasdair Preston

In 2007, Bioshock was released to universal acclaim. Perfect scores and Best Game awards came pouring in. So when I say that the true sequel, Bioshock Infinite, is every bit as good, it means a hell of a lot. Infinite leaves behind the murky depths of Rapture, and instead soars in the open skies of a new city, Columbia. Founded by a man calling himself a Prophet, the city stands upon his Christian beliefs and the ideals of Washington, Franklin and Jefferson. Columbia captures the essence of an idyllic 1912 America on the surface, with wholesome families, parades and good, oldfashioned heroes. I spent my first hour exploring. I gazed around at the beautiful city nestled between the clouds. I listened gleefully to the many conversations the citizens were having. Then I watched a parade of floats pass by. Later, I tried every stall at the fair, which served as a kind of weapons tutorial. I was totally seduced by Columbia. Then everyone turned out to be super racist. The jarring introduction to this world reflects the city as a whole. Whereas Rapture was a shadow of it’s former self by the time Bioshock took place, Columbia is a city at it’s peak at the beginning of Infinite, and the arrival of protagonist Booker DeWitt ignites a sharp decline. Picking through the ruins of Rapture and

piecing together what happened was engrossing, but living through the downfall of a city and understanding why is what makes Columbia outshine Rapture. Booker DeWitt is a man who owes the wrong people too much, and has to travel to Columbia to rescue a young lady, Elizabeth. How he has to do this wasn’t specified. Between all this is civil unrest, and uprising from the people who feel wronged by the Prophet. On the one hand, Booker has access to a variety of scientifically magic powers called Vigors and, on the other, a whole arsenal of guns. One Vigor can pull distant enemies in for close kills, another can launch them helplessly into the air ready to be picked off. Combat in Infinite is a more fluid, streamlined version of the fighting in earlier Bioshocks. Swapping guns and abilities feels dynamic. The best action kicks off in big areas littered with possibilities. Gun and Vigor combinations can suit many play styles, skylines can be used to whizz around and dive onto foes, and Elizabeth can use her abilities to change the battlefield. She can bring into reality many helpful items, from weapon crates to automated turrets that can change the tide of battle. Elizabeth herself is a really handy AI partner. The game helpfully tells you that you don’t need

to look after her in combat, which drew a big sigh of relief from me. She spends her time finding any kind of supply you might be short of, and can be a lifesaver in a pinch. It’s hard to find faults with Infinite, although some do exist. Most sorely missed are the neat puzzling sections that punctuated the gameplay in the original Bioshock. While the enemy varieties are each uniquely challenging, nothing is quite as intimidating as going toe to toe with the Big Daddies and Big Sisters of Rapture. Scattered around Columbia are 80 audio logs, special stat upgrades and many sight seeing opportunities. Finding them all is well worth doing to gain a deeper understanding of the people and city as a whole. The hardcore 1999 mode should stump even the most dedicated of fans. A big part of what makes Infinite so memorable is the whole look of the game. The vibrant city floats among the clouds, and viewing it for the first time is simply breath taking. Grand houses and majestic plazas give way to dark corners and crumbling structures as time goes on. Infinite also has an outstanding soundtrack. Expert score that intensifies the impact accompanies every emotional scene. Around the game, 1912-ified versions of pop classics, such as ‘Tainted Love” and “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” can be heard. While 2013 will probably be remembered as the year of the new generation, it should really be remembered for the big games that saw off the old generation. Bioshock Infinite is possibly the biggest and best of these. It is an absolute mustplay, and a compelling reason for anyone to buy a console if they haven’t already even at this late stage in the cycle. Quite simply, Bioshock Infinite is art. Bioshock Infinite is, without doubt, the best single player experience I’ve had with a game in years. The story it tells is engaging on every level, and the gameplay is a delight. Much like going back to a favourite book or film, I’ll be going back to this game again and again.

Ape Escape To say that Ape Escape was a game changer would be a disservice to the game that introduced the world to the muchloved Dual Analog Controller. Hailing from Japan, the story is suitably wacky; a monkey named Specter has donned a helmet which makes him super intelligent (and evil), conscripted a bunch of fellow apes and headed back in time to achieve world domination, kidnapping and brainwashing your best friend Buzz in the process. The player takes control of Spike, and is tasked with capturing said primates and stopping Specter before his Planet of the Apes dream is realised. In order to catch these cheeky chimps, Spike must utilise a range of gadgets bestowed upon him during his adventure, including the Stun Baton, Monkey Net and Slingshot. Ape Escape’s most praised feature is the control system, and rightly so due to its then innovative design. Movement was mapped to the left stick, and gadgets to the right, meaning every gadget was controlled differently; the Stun Baton was granted a 360° attack area, while gadgets such as the Dash Hoop required several rotations of the stick to charge up. In keeping with the time travel theme, level locations varied from prehistoric times (complete with dinosaurs) to medieval Europe, feudal Japan, and finally a futuristic utopia ruled by Specter. With each new location came new monkey varieties; cave-monkeys, ninja monkeys, monkey knights and robomonkeys were but a few of the enemy varieties Spike had to overcome. Ape Escape received universal praise upon its release and is often listed among the best platformers on the Playstation One. The controls handle well, gameplay is challenging while remaining fun, and the story, though strange, is engaging. It’s now available on the Playstation Store, and I strongly recommend you try it.

Josh Girling

Review

Gears of War: Judgment

Sam Dumitriu investigates if a new lead character is enough to keep Gears fresh after four games? For the first time in the series, the adventures of Marcus Fenix and Delta Squad take the backseat. Set just after Emergence Day, Judgment follows Kilo Squad lead by series favourites Damon Baird and Augustus “The Cole Train” Cole as they defend themselves against war crime charges in a military court run by Col. Ezra Loomis. You play through these testimonies justifying your actions to Loomis. Each testimony is broken down into sections; each section gives you the option of taking on declassified missions. These allow you to change your testimony to sound bolder and braver, but ultimately do not affect the story. One declassified mission has you battling across rooftops with almost no ammo, while others involve finishing the section only using Sawn-offs and Boltoks. The enjoyability of these missions varies, the ones restricting your weapon selection and toughening enemies’ amp up the intensity and add to the challenge. Others are at best lazy and at worse frustrating, the worst offender being the arbitrary time limits, that do nothing to enhance the gameplay beyond frustrating the player. The incentive for imposing the additional challenge on yourself is that it allows you to accumulate stars faster. Your performance in each section is given a star rating, in order to get the three star rating at the end of the section, you must play an especially aggressive style of play, racking up Gib (Ground into bits) kills and executions. The star rating system works because it pushes you towards a more enjoyable style of play providing significant replay value. Campaign takes a reasonable eight hours to complete on Hardcore difficulty, and generally sticks to the classic Gears formula. Dialogue

between Kilo Squad felt forced and left you longing for Marcus and Dom to return. Cole can usually be counted on for a few laughs but sadly, the banter between Cole and Baird wasn’t enough to carry the story. New additions to Kilo Squad include Paduk, an ex-UIR man who still carried a grudge towards the COG from his experience in the Pendulum wars, and Sofia, an ex-journalist tasked with keeping an eye on Paduk. Sofia and Paduk are welcome additions to the series, with Paduk in particular having the best lines, both in terms of emotion and humour. With the new campaign comes new weapons, the most exciting of which is the Booshka, firing grenades that bounce off walls and explode on contact with the enemy. Other new additions include the Tripwire Crossbow, which fires an explosive tripwire, and the Breechshot, a powerful rifle that kills most enemies with one headshot. Missing from the campaign mode were truly epic moments, perhaps Gears fans will have had their expectations sent unreachably high, but nothing reached the awesomeness of riding a Brumak, or watching a Rift Worm tear through a city. Campaign also features horde-style objective defence sections, these are a welcome change of pace, and probably the best moments in Judgment’s campaign involve defending your AI from waves of Locust. Once you’ve collected 40 stars, you unlock an additional campaign in Aftermath. Set parallel to the final events of Gears of War 3, you get to see what Kilo Squad did as Delta squad ended the war. While, additional gameplay is always welcome, Aftermath feels a lot closer to Gears 3 than it does to the campaign in judgment. The levels are cramped,

and the pace is slower. Aftermath also lacks the star rating system, which feels weird after you’ve torn through campaign with it. Gone are Horde and Beast mode and in their place are Survival and Overrun mode. The main difference being that you have to defend an objective rather than just surviving. Overrun differs from Survival mode by allowing you to play as the Horde. However like in Beast mode, controlling the Horde is clunky and doesn’t live up to the promise of destroying everyone as a Corpser. Competitive multiplayer largely sticks with the classic Gears formula, but throws in a few new modifications. You can only carry two weapons now, and you have to choose between starting with a Lancer or Gnasher, this actually works very

well as a way of balancing the Gnasher. One bizarre change was the shift from COG versus Horde to COG Blue versus Red, while it doesn’t affect the actual gameplay; stylistically it feels dull. You can now customise your weapons and armour with a variety of skins that can be unlocked through levelling up or micro-transactions. While hardly ground breaking, and at times a bit silly, these do add to the multiplayer experience. Gears of War: Judgment is worth buying on the strength of the main campaign alone, but some strange choices with multiplayer and Survival mode not having the fun factor of Horde mode means that it won’t be remembered as a high point in the series.

Tickets can only be purchased by University of Manchester students, via the Students' Union website. Before you buy a ticket, you'll need to have registered first. If you bought Pangaea tickets last time or you're a member of a society you're already registered. You can buy a maximum of two tickets for Pangaea. When you come to Pangaea, you'll need to bring valid student ID with you, and your guest will also need to arrive at the same time as you. The name on the ticket must match the ID of the person who purchased the ticket. Your guest does not need to bring student ID, but they must be over 18 and have a form of valid ID with them, especially if they are lucky enough to look under 21. Refunds & Exchanges As with January's Pangaea, refunds will only be given in mitigating circumstances. If you've bought a ticket for Pangaea and can no longer attend, you'll have until the 29th May to let us know. If we can resell your ticket, you'll be given a refund. If we can't resell your ticket, no refund will be given.

D E S A LE E R E B E E... L IL TH GON W S OF VE T E LL HA K IC R A ES T M FTE DDI R O A YE W D W A O E SL ST

30 : SPORT

ISSUE 19/ 22nd APRIL 2013 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Thursday nights, Channel Five...?

Ciarán Milner, Matthew Barber and Tim Manson determine which football competition is truly the greatest of them all Champions League Manchester City 1 v 1 Borussia Dortmund Ciarán Milner

FA Cup Manchester City 4 v 0 Leeds United Ciarán Milner

Quality of football: From Dortmund at least, absolutely outstanding. Quick, technical play allied with an aggressive pressing game. A joy to watch. ***** Atmosphere: The Champions League theme tune never fails to send shivers down the spine. Dortmund fans were incredible, the loudest I’ve seen. City fans ot quite as loud, pullin it down a star. **** Officiating: Why are those guys behind the goal again? Penalty shout turned down, but otherwise alright. *** Value for Entertainment: Champions League student tickets for £15.00. The bonus of city being mega-rich. Well worth it. ***** Other: Minus a star for the slightly intimidating Dortmund fans who had managed to sneak into the the City end. -* Total: 16

Quality of football: Manchester City appeared to revitalise their season with some excellent pass-andmove. Leeds were abject in every department.**** Atmosphere: Despite lacking excitement and developing quickly into a non-contest, the Leeds fans brightened proceedings with some hilarious chanting. They seem to have perfected the art of abusing the goalkeeper (“you sh*t bastard, hahahahaha”), and the attempt to get the entire stadium involved in a barefooted chorus of “shoes off if you hate Man U” was admirable. *** Officiating: Excellent, didn’t get a call wrong. ***** Value for Entertainment: £10.00 is fantastic value. Again, City being super-rich helps. Leeds’ inability to make it a contest pulls it down slightly. **** Other: An extra star for the comedy stadium announcer, who exclaimed gleefully on Aguero: “We signed him!”. Like everyone else in the squad, then. * Total: 17

Europa League Liverpool 3 v 1 Zenit St Petersburg Ciarán Milner Quality of football: Very good. Suarez scored two belting free kicks and Liverpool’s passing game was a pleasure to watch in the flesh. **** Atmosphere: Incredible. Even neutrals would struggle to be overawed by the atmosphere that Anfield generates on a European night. A cliché, yes, but true. ***** Officiating: Didn’t notice the ref. A good thing. **** Value for Entertainment: £35.00 was pretty steep, for what turned out to be useless seats. When stood up, the crossbar for the opposite goal wasn’t visible. The game itself was hugely exciting though. *** Other: An extra two stars for the friendly stewards, who happily moved us pitch-side after we complained we couldn’t see. ** Total: 18 Premier League Manchester United 3 v 2 Fulham FC Ciarán Milner Quality of football: The Premiership at its best. An entertaining mix of the technical, evidenced by an outrageous van Persie volley, and the physical, with Dembele dominating the midfield. And five goals, of course. **** Atmosphere: For a supposedly small club in London, the Fulham fans made a lot of racket. Old Trafford wasn’t as noisy as it can be. *** Officiating: Can’t remember the ref doing too much wrong. **** Value for Entertainment: Expensive, but given the quality of football it was certainly worth it. **** Other: Usain Bolt putting forward an excellent case to Fergie to sign him pre-match deserves an extra star. * Total: 16 Championship Leeds United 3 v 3 Blackburn Rovers Ciarán Milner Quality of football: Defensively terrible, but six goals, including a scissor-kick volley and a last-minute backheel for an equaliser, made for an engrossing contest. *** Atmosphere: For a six-goal thriller you’d expect better. Suffered from being an early season game between two non-rivals without much at stake. ** Officiating: Nothing of note from the officials. Allowed an entertaining game to flow. **** Value for Entertainment: Tickets at Elland Road are as expensive as half the teams in the Premier League. If all the games were exciting as this it’d be worth it. They aren’t. ** Other: The half -time entertainment, in which a fan attempts to score from Tugay territory, is always good for a laugh. * Total: 12

Capital One Cup Leeds United 4 v 0 Shewsbury Town Ciarán Milner

The Champions League: Didier Drogba’s personal favourite. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

League One Bury 0 v 2 Coventry Tim Manson Quality of football: League One is not reputed for its beautiful football and it didn’t disappoint with its display of route one football. However, there were also few spells of decent passing movement and one quality finish making it a lively affair. *** Atmosphere: The fact that the travelling Coventry City fans numbered almost the same as the home supporters silenced the home crowd. The Coventry support were excellent throughout, orchestrated by a hilarious troupe of Crayola Crayons. *** Officiating: Good. No bad decisions and a willingness to playon in a bid to keep the game flowing. **** Value for Entertainment: £13.00 for a 70% empty stadium seems a little steep, considering the price of tickets available in higher leagues. However not much beats an afternoon in the sun watching live football. *** Other: Half time refreshments remarkably absent of a cold refreshing pint, limited to cups of tea and a can of coke. -* Total: 12

League Two/Conference National Macclesfield Town v Hereford United Matthew Barber Quality of football: I watched this game in League 2 last year and the Blue Square this season. It’s not always pretty, but there are goals and excitement aplenty. ** Atmosphere: I’ve had a season ticket for two years, so I might be little biased. When the Moss Rose gets going, though, it’s great fun . *** Officiating: Again, bias is a terrible thing. Having said that the It was a good weekend for UoM Judo refs are, generally speaking, a joke. * Value for Entertainment: £50.00 for a season ticket is a bargain, provided you want to sign yourself up for a year of tentative optimism followed by crushing misery. **** Other: An extra star for the authentic terrace atmosphere. Old school. * Total: 11

Quality of football: Appalling. Shrewsbury attempted to play long balls with a striker who was 5ft6; Leeds attempted to play tiki-taka with a team that included Michael Brown and Luciano Becchio. Four goals bump it up a notch. ** Atmosphere: Empty ground, not a lot of noise. Shrewsbury fans put in a good effort. ** Officiating: Horrifc. Leeds scored two blatant offside goals and a penalty that never was. * Value for Entertainment: Simply, no. * Other: The ever-enigmatic Ken Bates appeared confused in his program notes, consistently referring to this competitive cup tie as a ‘friendly’. Perhaps the August sunshine had confused the poor bugger. Minus a star for degrading the integrity of the cup. -* Total: 5 Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Coventry City 0 v 3 Crewe Alexandria Ciarán Milner Quality of football: Intelligence! Technique! Glamour! All words that have never been associated with the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy. Nor should they ever be. * Atmosphere: Coventry’s first decent chance to get to Wembley in decades made for a sell-out crowd at the Ricoh Arena, despite the competitions supposed lack of glamour. Excellent effort. **** Officiating: The referee and stewards failed to deal with a solitary pitch invader, who managed to run the length of the pitch twice before getting tackled by a Coventry player. Said player was then booked. * Value for Entertainment: Three goals, a great atmosphere, and cheap, cheap tickets - only £5.00. Well worth it, despite the lack of quality. ***** Other: An extra star for comedy pitch invader. * Total: 12 THE VERDICT The Winner: The Europa League Perhaps unsuprisingly, it was a close call between the Champions League, the Premiership and the Europa League. Good refereeing, an incredible atmosphere and refershingly friendly stewards made for an excellent experience and just about pushed the Europa League infront. The Loser: The Capital One Cup Hampered by horrible football, a poor atmosphere, an idiotic chairman and expensive tickets, there was one clear loser. Surprise Package: Johnson’es Paint Trophy Despite the awful football, the JPT scored surprsingly high thanks to a combination of ridiculously cheap tickets, decent crowds and comedy pitch invasions.

SPORT : 31

ISSUE 19/ 22nd APRIL 2013 WWW.MANCUNION.COM/

Interview: Oldham Athletic striker Matt Smith The Mancunion speaks to former Manchester student Matt Smith about his time at uni and his incredible 2012-13 season Matthew Barber Sport Editor All things considered, it’s been something of an incredible year for Oldham Town footballer Matt Smith. The University of Manchester alumnus has helped his club avoid the drop from League One, not to mention scoring against both Liverpool and Everton in the Latics’ incredible run to the last 16 of the FA Cup. The Birmingham-born striker looks back fondly on his time at the University. “My highlight was the social side,” he says “I made a lot of good friends and have some great memories.” Smith was also a successful captain for the university football team. “We won the Booster Cup and the BUCS Cup, and the league twice,” he recalls, “the camaraderie was great with all of my team mates.” It was only injuries and unfortunate timing that prevented Smith from featuring at the World University Games and for the England C Team. He admits that it was sometimes hard to balance student life with his sporting ambitions. “It was very difficult,” he says, “especially in my last year when I was trying to push myself to get into professional ranks. I had to completely sacrifice my social life. But I can look back now as a pro footballer so I don’t have any

regrets.” Despite his successes, Smith comes across as very levelheaded. He makes it clear that, while in Manchester, his first thought was always his studies. “My priority was always to get my degree; once I’d set my mind to it I always wanted to complete it. Football started as a social thing and only became more serious as I went on.” Smith studied International Management with American Business Studies, and is grateful to the University for how they dealt with his unusual commitments. “Manchester Business School were very accommodating with my needs such as travelling,” he says. “I missed a few lectures here and there but they made it easy for me to catch up.” One of many reasons for Smith’s successes is his family. Both his father and grandfather played professionally, and Smith recognises their role in spurring him on to do the same. “They gave me an insight into what football life is like and offered plenty of encouragement,” he says, “they really were a positive influence for me.” The 23-year-old has scored some crucial goals recently, hitting winners against Yeovil and local rivals Bury to lift Oldham away from the relegation zone. Smith is

keeping his feet firmly on the ground, though. “The ideal scenario would be higher up the table and I wouldn’t need to score such important goals,” he reflects. “But I’m happy to play my part in the league and the cup and it’s been a good season. As long as we stay safe which it looks like we will, we can reflect on a very successful campaign. After all, we are one of the clubs with the lowest budgets in the league and we managed to get to the last 16 of the FA Cup.” Smith was undoubtedly the hero of the cup campaign, netting a double in the club’s 3-2 win over Liverpool and another to take Everton to a replay. He was again on the scoresheet at Goodison Park as the brave League One club were finally beaten 3-1. His dominating performances against two of the Premier League’s best defences were the talk of football fans up and down the country. “It was surreal, going from relative obscurity to a national headliner,” he says “It was strange but a fantastic experience and something I won’t ever forget.” One person who was very vocal on Smith’s success was Jack Whitehall. The comedian, also a former Manchester student, took to Twitter to reminisce about his alleged

Smith was captain of the University team during his time at UoM Photo courtesy of Oldham Athletic FC goalscoring days alongside Smith for the University team. Smith laughs when I bring this up. “We keep in touch a little bit,” he says. “We had a good mutual friend when we were students together. He’s moved on to bigger and better things now. I wish him the best of luck to him because he’s a very hard worker and a very funny guy.”

After such a great season, I have to ask if Smith feels he is aiming to play in the Premier League one day. “I hope to play at the highest level possible,” he replies, “having scored against Premier League opposition it gives you that hunger and that knowledge in the back of your mind that I could I do this on a more regular basis. I know how competitive it is

but as long as you have that self-belief, that motivation and desire to do well that takes you a long way. I’m a hard worker, and dedicated I really want to excel.” If the way in which he terrified the likes of Martin Skrtel and Phil Jagielka this season is anything to go by, there is no reason why this young striker won’t do exactly that.

Manchester achieve fifth in Ultimate Frisbee Nationals Jessica Benson Things looked bleak for the Ultimate Frisbee University Mixed Outdoor Nationals as original hosts Durham cancelled due to frozen pitches. But Manchester women’s captain Elly White saved the weekend and organised 21 teams, accommodation, pitches, a party and much more besides all in just three days. Despite the stress for the home team it was a weekend of fantastic, high quality Ultimate Frisbee all round, with several really strong bids for top spot from the first game. Since they were hosting, Halcyon (Manchester) managed to take a big team, meaning that we had plenty of fresh legs and even several beginners making a stellar debut appearance. They took a tough pool by storm, winning three out of four games on the Saturday and holding a close draw with North West rivals Bangorlanding them at the top of their

pool, a strong start for Sunday. Predictions were for Sussex University’s Mohawks, a wellknown formidable force on the Ultimate scene, to take top spot. The pressure was on from the start on Sunday with an intense game against Durham. Neither team held back with Durham bringing out a strong line of women and Manchester using their fantastic long options; it was tense too with a lot of calls stalling play at crucial points for Halcyon, several times ruling out what could have been scores. It was frustrating but tight, landing the teams on a 7-7 draw as the whistle blew and forcing a sudden death point; a close, hard fought point with some frustrating stoppages ending in Durham just taking the game by the skin of their teeth. Despite now being out of the running for the top four Manchester went hard into a game against Oxford, determined to now take 5th

spot. A last minute shock win for Jesters, LeicesterUniversity, put favourites Sussex out of the final. Leicester and Edinburgh brought a tough final with a proud Edinburgh just taking the title for University Mixed Outdoor Nationals 2013. Manchester went all out for an aggressive last two games against Oxford and Warwick and, after some worryingly close moments, beat both of them with some convincingly strong Ultimate and 100% effort and passion from all team members. Manchester managed to finish in fifth. The club President, Kinga Roszkowska, said it was a weekend that made her ‘proud to be president’ and every team there agreed that Manchester had really stepped up and created an incredible weekend in a ridiculously short space of time.

UoM Ultimate Frisbee team. Photo: Jessica Benson.

SPORT

22ND APR 2013/ ISSUE 19 FREE : @Mancunion_Sport : /TheMancunion

MANCHESTER’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER

Which football competition is the greatest?

Interview: Oldham striker Matt Smith

P30

Manchester equestrians qualify for Nationals

WWW.MANCUNION.COM

P31 Equestrian Regional heat Team: 1st – Manchester (60) 2nd – Bishop Burton (61.5) 3rd – Lincoln (138.5) 4th – Newcastle (165.5) Individual: 1st – Charlotte Whittal (Bishop Burton) 2nd – Claire Henderson (Manchester) 3rd – Emma Brodie (Bishop Burton) 4th – Asher Hillsmith (Manchester) 5th – Suzie Lonerlan (Bishop Burton) 6th – Diana Burwood (Lincoln) 7th – Laceyahna Monroe (Manchester) 8th – Flora Sherry (Newcastle)

BUCS TOP TEN PTS

UoM B team qualified for the Nationals on Wednesday Photo: Claire Henderson and Asher Hillsmith

Claire Henderson & Asher Hillsmith The University of Manchester Equestrian Club B team achieved a record success by qualifying for the National finals on Wednesday. Having gone in to the regional heat as the underdogs, the Manchester team had trailed at the halfway stage, but a smashing showjumping phase allowed them to pip hosts Bishop Burton to victory. The day began with the dressage phase. In this event, each team has one member riding each of the three horses. The best score on each

horse wins, with the differences between the riders’ scores deciding the rest of the placings. Dressage is not the strongpoint of the Manchester riders, but each rode reasonable tests to finish in third place behind Bishop Burton and Newcastle. The team still had an outside chance of progressing to the Nationals, but it seemed they would now require a flawless final round to do so. The jumping phase runs very similarly to the dressage, with a rider from each team riding one of the four horses over a course of fences. The riders are scored on their style and get penalties for knocking

poles or refusing fences. The phase started on an unfortunate note, as Newcastle’s Anna Higgins had her round cut short by an accidental separation of horse and rider. Both horse and rider were fine, but this ended Newcastle’s hopes of qualification. The poles were dropping left, right and centre as the jumping phase continued, with each team desperate to secure their progress in the competition. The Manchester team sensed an opportunity and, in their determination to pull back the points after the disappointing dressage phase, the team came out on fighting form.

Three riders jumped clear rounds, with those of both Claire Henderson and Asher Hillsmith being the only clear rounds jumped on their horses. Laceyahna Monroe now had a challenging ride, as she was left with the same horse that had unseated Higgins earlier in the day. Under enormous pressure, Monroe controlled the horse beautifully. She proceeded to jump a fabulous round, resulting in the highest scores of the day – straight nine out of tens for her skilled riding. The overall result was now likely to be tighter than first imagined, but the Manchester team were shocked

when their victory was announced. Club Captain, Emilie Larson admitted that the victory was ‘a big surprise’ but added that it was ‘so well deserved after a stellar jumping round’. Both Club Presidents who have competed for Manchester for three years placed exceptionally well, with Claire Henderson placing second and Asher Hillsmith finishing fourth. Bishop Burton’s Charlotte Whittle rode spectacularly to win individually, having won on both her dressage and show jumping horses. The Nationals will be run from the 12th to the 14th of June at Hartbury College.

Loughborough University

4325

Durham University

2743

University of Birmingham

2591.5

University of Bath

2374.25

University of Exeter

2222

University of Nottingham

2190.5

Leeds Met Carnegie

2085.5

University of Edinburgh

2070

University of Manchester

1870

Newcastle University

1630.5

Standings as of 18th April: 1 Manchester - 36 2 Liverpool - 35.5 3 Leeds - 34.5

NEXT WEEK: CHRISTIE CHAMPIONSHIPS SPECIAL - WILL MANCHESTER RETAIN ITS CROWN?