Issue1 by The Mancunion

15TH SEP 2014/ ISSUE 01 FREE

MANCHESTER’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER

Disunited Kingdom?

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WWW.MANCUNION.COM Photo - Scottish Goverment@ Flickr

Welcome Week 2014 Edition

We’re in the Money! - Having recorded a deficit of £500,000 last year, the SU now has an operating surplus of £82,932 Aidan Gregory Editor-in-chief

The finances of the Students’ Union are back on track, after the implementation of a range of austerity measures. It has been confirmed that the Students’ Union now has an operating budget surplus of £82,932 going into the 2014/15 academic year, al-

though this figure is still subject to an audit. Last year, the Students’ Union was forced to introduce emergency reforms in response to a worsening budget deficit of around half a million pounds. The response to the deficit included making 11 staff redundant, insourcing its financial management, and scrapping the reintroduction of a

paid editor of The Mancunion. Biko’s café on the north campus was also closed, as it was no longer making a profit. In a statement to the The Mancunion, Charlotte Cook, the General Secretary of the Students’ Union, expressed her delight at the news, and was positive about the year ahead. “This news is down to the

brilliant work of staff at the Union who pulled together admirably to produce such results, enabling the Union to return to a position of financial stability. Going forward, our aims for the Union are brighter than they have been before; we’re planning on making a better organisation for representation and engagement, and students can rest assured that we are in a strong position to ensure they are supported”. She added further, “an excit-

ing thing to come this year is the building of the 3rd floor in the Union and the renovation of the RBS building, both to create new spaces to be used for student activities and we will consult heavily on what it is students want these spaces to be used for. As well as this, a democracy review is under way for students to have a say on who represents them and how they engage with these processes. These however are just two of the Continued on page two...

02 : NEWS

ISSUE 01 / 15th SEPTEMBER 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Highlights P. 8

Features Check the Exec: Politcs, Policies and Promises

P.14 Music - Alternative freshers guide

P.16 P.16 Fashion - Manchester: An Insiders Guide

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Workers survery “the sinkhole” on Oxford Road, which is causing buses to be diverted around the campus. Photo: Lauren Gorton

Picture of the week- “Holey Moley!”

Page 1 continued... the exciting things we can look forward to as we head into Welcome Week and I have no doubt there will be many more throughout the year”. Now that the Union has funds again, The Mancunion asked when the position of a paid editor-in-chief will be reintroduced. Cook replied, “Students submitted and voted to support the adoption of a paid Mancunion editor in the Union. Last year this was unfeasible due to financial constraints and the Trustees chose to postpone approval of the role, however it was and it remains our aim to honour this decision. “In this vein, when it comes to the drafting of the budget for 2015/16 which will begin towards the end of this year, we will be reviewing the situation in light of our renewed financial position”.

“Graphene sandwich” could satisfy our hunger for designer materials Andy van den Bent-Kelly Science & Technology Editor

Scientists at The University of Manchester have discovered that sandwiching layers of graphene with hexagonal boron nitride could produce new designer materials which could potentially become the basis for new high-frequency electronic devices. Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), also known as white graphene, is a member of a family of two-dimensional materials discovered following the isolation of graphene at The University of Manchester 10 years ago. Since that iconic discovery, researchers have been able to show that stacking various 2D materials into so-called heterostructures can produce perfect crystals, which could potentially be used in next generation transistors. This most recent development has shown that the electronic behaviour of the heterostructures can be diSub-Editors: Morgan Hollet & James Jackman News Editors: Anna Phillips, Lauren Gorton, Helen Chapman & Jenny Sterne news@mancunion.com

Food & Drink - Top Freshers pre-drinks

Visit Our Website www.mancunion.com Facebook: The Mancunion Twitter: @THEMANCUNION Editor-in-chief : Aidan Gregory editor@mancunion.com Deputy Editor-in-chief : Charlie Spargo Postal address: Univerity of Manchester Students’ Union, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PR Phone (0161) 275 2933

Science & Technology Editor: Andy van den Bent-Kelly scienceandtechnology@mancunion.com Features Editors: Haider Saleem & Roberta Rofman features@mancunion.com Opinion Editors: Morris Seifert & Marcus Johns opinion@mancunion.com Fashion Editors: Aimée Grant-Cumberbatch & Gráinne Morrison fashion@mancunion.com BeautyEditor: Nikki Patel beauty@mancunion.com

rectly influenced by controlling the orientation of the crystalline layer within the stacks. University of Manchester Nobel laureate Sir Kostya Novoselov headed the team of researchers responsible for this discovery, which also consisted of scientists from the University of Nottingham and Lancaster University, as well as other colleagues from as far afield as South Korea, Japan and Russia. Two graphene electrodes were carefully aligned with a layer of hBN separating them. The team of researchers discovered that both electron energy and momentum were conserved. The findings, which were published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, could potentially result in the creation of devices with ultra-high frequencies, such as electronic or photovoltaic sensors. Professor Laurence Eaves, a joint academic at both The Food & Drink Editors: Elena Gibbs & Adam Fearn foodanddrink@mancunion.com Film Editors: James Moules, Thomas Bruce, Martin Solibakke, & Andriana Hambi film@mancunion.com Books Editors: Leonie Dunn & Ali Pearson books@mancunion.com Games Editors: James Thursfield & Matt Cole games@mancunion.com Lifestyle Editors: Robert Firth & Luke Prince lifestyle@mancunion.com Music Editors: Patrick Hinton, Samuel Ward, Lowell Clarke, and Daniel Whiteley music@mancunion.com

Sport Editors: Andrew Georgeson & Will Kelly Sports Reporters: Liam Kelly sport@mancunion.com

University of Manchester and The University of Nottingham, said: “This research arises from a beautiful combination of classical laws of motion and the quantum wave nature of electrons, which enables them to flow through barriers. “We are optimistic that further improvements to the device design will lead to applications in high-frequency electronics.” Lancaster University’s Professor Vladimir Falko added: “Our observation of tunnelling and negative differential conductance in devices made of multilayers of graphene and hexagonal boron nitride demonstrates potential that this system has for electronics applications. “It is now up to material growers to find ways to produce such multilayer systems using growth techniques rather than mechanical transfer method used in this work.” Theatre Editor: Nicole Tamer theatre@mancunion.com Arts Editor - Holly Smith arts@mancunion.com Societies editor - Evie Hull societies.mancunion@gmail.com Interested in photo journalism, with an eye for colour and detail? The Mancunion are looking for photographers . If you would like to get involved, contact Aidan Gregory at editor@ mancunion.com

ISSUE 01 / 15th SEPTEMBER 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

NEWS : 03

Big Brother is Watching You!

- University passes an amendment to punish students off campus, despite protests from the Students’ Union Lauren Gorton News Editor

The Student Conduct and Discipline Committee (SCDC) has caused controversy this summer by amending the University’s regulations on punishing students for misconduct, which is now applicable towards behaviour off campus. The amendment alters the University’s definition of misconduct so that “a student may be liable for disciplinary action in respect of conduct that damages the University’s relationship or reputation with its local communities, as evidenced by substantiated complaints from residents, resident’s groups, local authority representatives or the police.” Prior to amendment the University’s policy for misconduct applied nearly exclusively to students on campus and engaged in university activities, although exception was made for off campus

behaviour where a student committed a criminal offence or behaved in a manner intimidating or threatening towards others. The SCDC criticised this approach as out of line with other Russell Group universities, stating that “the University’s apparent lack of commitment to tackle serious off campus anti-social behaviour” undermined the good work and volunteering of those students positively engaged within the community. However the amendment has been objected to by the Students’ Union who have said it is “misconceived and unsubstantiated.” Numerous arguments have been raised against the amendment by the Union, including that its drafting is extremely broad and its terminology uncertain; it being unclear what conduct the University will consider as damaging to its reputation. On interpretation it is possible that criticism of

The amendment gives the University of Manchester the power to punish students for what they do off campus. Photo: raver_mikey the quality of University services and behaviour conducted at a student’s out-of-term address could potentially apply under this ruling. Further, the Union have argued that the amendment is patronising to students and fails to recognise that students too are also victims of noise and anti-social behaviour, going against the University of Manchester’s ethos of “treating students

Armed Robber Caught Red Cheeked and Red Handed

An armed robber was bungled by his own trousers as he tried to burgle a newsagents in Levenshulme last Monday Lauren Gorton News Editor A machete-wielding thief left Greater Manchester Police with an entertaining CCTV clip following his bungled robbery at Naran Newsagents on Barlow Road in Levenshulme. Whilst the thief escaped the newsagents with cash from the till, he found himself robbed of his dignity as he both lost his trousers and potential anonymity in the process. The thief entered the newsagents at around 11:45am on the 6th September, brandishing an eight inch machete with an orange handle and concealing his identity behind a hood and green/yellow Halloween mask.

After demanding cash from the 18 year old cashier, the thief however then slipped dropping both the stolen cash and his machete. In attempting to pick up the stolen money, some £500, the thief’s hood fell off, partially revealing his face to CCTV cameras, at which point a customer entered the shop startling the thief who in his attempt to then flee also dropped his trousers halfway down his legs. However, despite describing the CCTV footage as a “comedy of errors”, Detective Constable Andrea Holden-Cullum of the Greater Manchester Police has described the thief as a dangerous individual and said

that the robbery is “no laughing matter”. The Greater Manchester Police have now released the CCTV footage on their YouTube account and are appealing for any witnesses or persons who recognise the thief to come forward. The footage shows the thief to be a white man with a shaved head, dressed in a black coat and dark trousers, and is around 5ft 9in tall. Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or anonymously contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

as partners in a shared academic community.” As such, “it is continuing to perpetuate a narrative that students cause damage to the community by virtue of simply being students,” and will “inevitably only increase tension and division between residents within the local community.” Although in their recommendation the SCDC stressed that only the most severe off campus anti-

social behaviour would be referred to a University student disciplinary body, the Students’ Union is currently working with the University on an alternative approach. General Secretary of the Student Union Charlotte Cook said “the Students’ Union was very disappointed that the Off Campus Discipline policy passed at Senate. Students bring great things to this city and it is important to

us that their autonomy as citizens and community members, outside of their academic identity, is protected. “Despite the policy passing we are now working with the University to create a partnership Community Engagement Strategy to improve relations within the community, with an end goal of repealing the policy.”

It’s Wednesday night, Why Not! - The Students’ Union is to launch a new Student night on the 17th September, called “Why Not Wednesdays?” Jenny Sterne News Editor “Why Not Wednesdays” is the Students’ Unions new weekly student night. It will be launching on Wednesday 17th September from 23:00 – 03:00 with a UV Bouncy Castle Disco. The night will include giant bouncy castles, UV cannons, free glow bands and a few other surprises. Upcoming events include Two Door Cinema Club, an Oktoberfest special, a Tiki style Beach Party and many more acts performing across the year. The Students’ Union has said that the idea behind the event is “to put the fun back into student club nights in Manchester”. Three rooms of

music will make up the event ensuring there is something for everyone, from Ibiza cuts and remixes, anthemic indie and alternative rock tracks, to old school hip hop, disco and R&B. There will also be a range of drinks offers from £1.50. The Union promises “loads of giveaways, big name acts and amazing themes with all the profit going back into supporting the Union to support you”. A competition within The Mancunion will also be run in the near future, with the chance to win four platinum passes, entitling you to free entry all year for the event. The Students’ Union has also announced that University of Manchester Student Union

societies, halls of residences and sports teams are able to get special discount rates for their social events. They can even, if so inclined, sell the tickets and keep the difference to raise money for their society, team or hall. Entrance for the night is £3.50 in advance or £4.50 on the door. You can get all of your tickets online at www. manchesterstudentsunion. com or from the Students’ Union Helpdesk. For more information see the Facebook page ‘Why not Wednesdays?’ or follow them on Twitter – @WhyNotWed.

ISSUE 01/ 15th SEPTEMBER 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

NEWS : 04

Number of students awarded Alumni Scholarships reaches Record Levels - This year, 700 students will attend the university on alumni funded scholarships. Aidan Gregory Editor-in-chief The number of students attending the university on alumni funded scholarships is greater than ever before. The 2014/15 academic year will see around 700 students attend the university on either undergraduate or postgraduate scholarships, with many coming from backgrounds under represented at UK universities, or from the world’s poorest countries. This represents a 15 per cent increase from last year. Speaking to The Mancunion, Regular Giving Officer from the Division of Development and Alumini Relations, Emma Brownlow, explained that this is due to the department smashing its record for the number of individual donors. The total donated by alumni since 2011 now stands at £1,375,713, of which £550,219 was given in the last academic year. In the 2011/12 academic year there were 3380 individuals who donated to the University of Manchester. In 2013/14, there were 4,600. Many of the scholarships handed out by the university are given through the Manchester Access Programme – a scheme which targets disadvantaged students from Greater Manchester. In the words of the division, the programme is “a structured scheme for local post-16 students who meet specific academic and

background criteria. “The aim of the programme is to support entry to Manchester, through a completion of work demonstrating specific knowledge and skills”. On completion of the programme, students receive 40 UCAS points towards their offer from Manchester, and an annual scholarship once they register for a course at the university. Sadia Sadik, second year Law, is one of the students who has received a scholarship. In a statement to The Mancunion, she said, “Before enrolling onto Manchester Access Programme, I had considered attending university but I was not sure of whether I wanted to go. However, after taking part in different scheme events, I was sure that going to university was right for me. My favourite part of programme was the opportunity it provided to find out more about what university life is like. The programme made sure I knew what to expect and helped me to meet new people and make friends. Sadik added, “The scholarship has been a great help to me, as it has allowed me to comfortably cover costs, such as for travelling and books. Without it, I would be worrying about money, but my donor’s support means that I can concentrate on doing well in my studies.” Alumni support does not just fund scholarships, but also to world leading research projects at the university in areas such as

Students from the Manchester Access Programme - an alumni funded scheme, which which targets disadvantaged students from across Greater Manchester. Photo - The Division of Development and Alumni Relations medicine, development, and scientific research, and also funds many of the projects which can be seen going on around campus, such as the Eureka Challenge Event. The newly refurbished Fuse FM studio has also been paid for with alumni donations, as well as

University climbs to 38th in Shanghai Global Rankings Lauren Gorton News Editor

According to recently released academic rankings of world universities, the University of Manchester has risen in the international rankings to 38th in the world for 2014, a rise of three places globally, setting the University as seventh in Europe and fifth in the UK. The rankings were compiled by Shanghai Jiao Tong University based upon the number of research papers

published in leading journals, as well as the number of alumni and staff winning Nobel prizes and other academic achievements. The University’s success has been largely associated with highly credited publications in Professor Luke Georghiou, Vice President of Research and Innovation has said that “credit belongs to all of those colleagues whose excellent research underpins our position. “It is the University’s goal to be a world-leading institution. While all ranking systems have

their faults, it is nonetheless pleasing to see our progress marked by this increase”. However the Shanghai rankings are not connected to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings set to be published on October 1st and which at current for the 2013-2014 academic period ranks the University at 58th globally and 8th in the UK.

the free water bottles given out to first year students in halls Alex Clark, Environmental Coordinator, said: “Donor funds are invaluable for us to give every student living in halls of residence (9000 residents) their own reusable water bottle. We wanted to see whether

this would be a success in order for us to continue the project every year from then on. Now in its 4th year, this project has been a huge success and has helped us encourage 9000 students each year to love tap water and reduce the dependence on plastic bottled water.”

If you are interested in becoming part of the student fundraising team in the division, you can find out more at your.manchester.ac.uk/student-caller.

Manchester one of the most expensive cities for first year students, say HSBC Anna Phillips News Editor A study by HSBC has revealed the most expensive British universities to attend. The study examined 20 towns and cities in Britain with the highest student populations, and the cost of living for first year students. The University of Leicester came out on top as the most affordable city for students, with the weekly cost of living totalling £196. The University of Nottingham and the University of Southampton closely followed, with the average cost of living as £207.13 and £228.50 respectively. However, the results reveal that the most expensive cities for students are not all Southern. While London remains the most expensive city for students, Manchester and Bir-

mingham are within the top 5 most expensive. The total cost of living for first year students in Manchester was £262.48. Manchester’s average cost for self-catered halls averaged £131, whereas both UCL and Imperial averaged at £106 per week. The cheapest halls of residence were located in Newcastle, where on average students are expected to pay £87 per week for self-catered. The study also looked at the cost of living for second and third year study, which decreases considerably after leaving halls of residence. For second year study Manchester came in the top ten cheapest universities, with an average cost of living decreasing from £262.48 per week to £200.98. These results coincide with a new report which suggests that students’ maintenance loans do not adequately cover their cost of living. The re-

port, published by The Money Charity, highlights the cost of university-owned accommodation in relation to students’ maintenance loans. The Money Charity reveals that at 28 per cent of universities, students from the poorest backgrounds are forced to pay more than half their maintenance loan on their accommodation alone. The report, named “Set up to fail”, calls for more clarity from the government and universities about costs of living. Andy Mielczarek, head of retail products at HSBC said: “it’s important [that students] think ahead about how much they’ll need to spend each week. “For parents, explaining the financial implications of university to students is an important step. Planning early and regular saving will make the financial burden of university much easier to manage.”

ISSUE 01 / 16th SEPTEMBER 2013 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

NEWS : 05

Public Expenditure Deserted Allen Hall Surge in Manchester to Remain Closed Infrastructure works causing disruptions across the city Allen Hall is to remain closed for a third year in a row centre are all in aid of a £1 billion investment project. Jenny Sterne News Editor For new and returning students to the City of Manchester, the sight of infrastructure works will be abundant. This will inevitably be an inconvenience for students during the busy September period. However these present disruptions are all in aid of the £1 billion investment programme collectively called “Grow”. So what precisely is this Grow plan hoping to achieve? The aim given by the Council for the project is to “future proof” the city. An independent report has predicted the programme will attract 40,000 more jobs and 50,000 more residents. This is in tandem with playing a major part in a proposed £5.5 billion increase to the national economy.

Councillor Andrew Fender, chair of the Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) Committee, said of the Grow project, “we are laying ambitious foundations for a prosperous future”. But this prosperous future will mean longer journeys around the city and unattractive building works becoming the norm for the foreseeable future. Many would question whether all this work had to occur at the same time. Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, has said that “the funding for the projects is there now and we need to act now. “The ongoing benefits of this coordinated work will far outweigh any short term frustrations”. The multitude of works around Man-

chester is, according to the Council, a “visible sign of a thriving Manchester which remains very much open for business while they are being carried out”. The message is that for us to graduate into a prosperous Manchester, longer journeys must be endured for now. Transport projects will be a major factor of the Grow project. Debbie Francis from Network Rail said that the Northern Hub and redevelopment of Manchester Victoria will “stimulate economic growth across the North of England [and] will provide a fitting gateway to the city”. However it will be, said Francis, “a significant challenge” and disruption will be unavoidable. But there are many aspects of this pro-

gramme that will significantly alter student life. “Velocity” is a £20 Million project making cycling safer and easier across Manchester. This will transform the lives of many students who use cycling as a cheap means to travel to University. However, the planned finish date is not until 2025. Students will also be keen to hear that 15,000 jobs will be created in the city by the project NOMA, which will give the city over 5 million square feet of new and refurbished office space. According to the council, the Grow project, “NOMA will create a new chapter in the Manchester story”.

because of lingering asbestos. Jenny Sterne News Editor Allen Hall has been closed for the past two years following boiler failure and the discovery of asbestos in the building. For a third year, it has been decided that Allen Hall will again not be occupied by new students from the University of Manchester. The 53 year old hall of residence is a traditional catered hall based on the Fallowfield campus. The University has said “traditional catered halls make a valuable contribution to the University in providing smaller

ent inertia of Accommodation

Mills explained that he “under-

management, the renovations

stands removing asbestos from

needed to bring the hall back

the hall will be an expensive and

into student use have not been

time-consuming undertaking”.

made”. Mills added that “The

However, “closing down the

University of Manchester should

hall would be completely short-

treasure its more traditional

sighted, and makes a mockery of

halls of residence – instead of

the University of Manchester’s

closing them down”.

claims to be committed to en-

A University spokesman has

hancing the lives of its students”.

said, in response to these claims,

The future use of Allen Hall is

that “the decision not to occupy

currently under review and it

Allen Hall was not a reflection

is anticipated by the University

on the rewarding community

that this work will be completed

and social environment that stu-

in the next six months.

dents who stayed at Allen Hall experienced”.

communities with their own distinct character which continues to appeal to a number of students” Daniel Mills, who lived at the halls between 2003-6 and is now a member of the Hall committee, has said that “Allen Hall has enjoyed a reputation as a thriving communal residence with a wonderful sense of community and identity “. However Daniel Mills has also said, “owing to the appar-

Photo: raver_mikey @Flickr

student fair 16-17 September 10am–4pm Students’ Union

www.manchesterstudentsunion.com With over 300 societies on campus ranging from Knitsoc and Chess, to Dodgeball and Bhangra, there’s something for everyone at the Students’ Union. Head down to the biggest fair on campus for society sign ups, fab freebies and a fantastic atmosphere.

News: 06

ISSUE 01 / 15th September 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Simple blood test could improve the chances of ovarian cancer patients Researchers say new blood test could help doctors to determine how different patients will respond to certain cancer-busting drugs. Andy van den Bent-Kelly Science & Technology Editor

A new blood test could prove pivotal in helping doctors to determine which ovarian cancer patients may benefit from certain treatments. Scientists from The University of Manchester and The Christie Hospital, both of which are part of the Manchester Cancer Research Centre, say that this simple test could be implemented in hospitals across the country within the next few years. It would mean that medics could see which patients could benefit from certain drugs whilst still undergoing conventional therapy. The test would also enable them to identify patients unlikely to benefit from the same drugs. Consequently, these patients would not be required to undergo the treatment, eliminating the risk of any potential negative side effects. The whole process would save the NHS valuable time and money. Professor Caroline Dive of the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, based at The University of Manchester, said: “We will now look to further explore the potential of using a blood test to personalise treatment for ovarian cancer patients. “Moving towards a more individualised treatment plan specific to each patient and their particular tumour is key to improving outcomes for patients while sparing those SRE14.OCT.STAND.MANC.HALF.pdf 1 12/09/2014 15:30 unlikely to benefit from potential side effects of therapy.”

The standard treatment for ovarian cancer is surgery and chemotherapy, although this procedure has not led to a noticeable improvement in survival rates over the past few decades. This has prompted scientists to search for new strategies to enhance the current approach. One such strategy is the use of blood vessel-targeting drugs, which work by slowing the growth of blood vessels within a tumour. This prevents the cancer from receiving vital nutrients. One of these drugs, Bevacizumab, has been trialled worldwide for the past decade and its use has resulted in modest improvements in patient survival rates. Professor Gordon Jayson, Professor of Medical Oncology at The University of Manchester and Honorary Consultant at The Christie Hospital, said: “We are keen to identify predictive biomarkers—measures that can indicate how well a patient will respond to treatment—so we can better target these drugs to patients most likely to benefit. “We investigated levels of a range of proteins in patients’ pre-treatment blood samples to see if any were associated with improved survival.” The research team from Manchester studied blood samples of patients enrolled in an international trial of Bevacizumab. They found that two proteins—Ang1 and Tie2— could be used to predict how the patient would respond. It was discovered that patients with high levels of Ang1 and low levels of Tie2 were very likely to benefit from the drug, whereas the same treatment would not be worthwhile for patients with high levels of both proteins.

Simple blood tests could enable doctors to determine whixh treatments cancer patients would benefit most from. Photo: Thirteen of Clubs @ Flickr

CMY

08 September to 09 October Have you got what it takes to help lead the Students’ Union?

Global 7

ISSUEâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;1 / 21st SEPTEMBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

In the news this week... A comprehensive view of whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been happening outside the university bubble this week.

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News news news news news China Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque tincidunt vestibulum tellus a dictum. Suspendisse ac eros eget arcu sodales efficitur. Nunc dapibus facilisis erat sed porttitor. Nam dui lectus, interdum sed efficitur at, ultrices vitae massa. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque tincidunt vestibulum tellus a dictum. Suspendisse ac eros eget arcu sodales efficitur. Nunc dapibus facilisis erat sed porttitor. Nam dui lectus, interdum sed efficitur at, ultrices vitae massa. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque tincidunt vestibulum tellus a dictum. Suspendisse ac eros eget arcu sodales efficitur. Nunc dapibus facilisis erat sed porttitor. Nam dui lectus, interdum sed efficitur at, ultrices vitae massa. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque tincidunt vestibulum tellus a dictum. Suspendisse ac eros eget arcu sodales efficitur. Nunc dapibus facilisis erat sed porttitor. Nam dui lectus, interdum sed efficitur at, ultrices vitae massa.

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News news news

United Kingdom Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque tincidunt vestibulum tellus a dictum. Suspendisse ac eros eget arcu sodales efficitur. Nunc dapibus facilisis erat sed porttitor. Nam dui lectus, interdum sed efficitur at, ultrices vitae massa. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque tincidunt vestibulum tellus a dictum. Suspendisse ac eros eget arcu sodales efficitur. Nunc dapibus facilisis erat sed porttitor. Nam dui lectus, interdum sed efficitur at, ultrices vitae massa. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque tincidunt vestibulum tellus a dictum. Suspendisse ac eros eget arcu sodales efficitur. Nunc dapibus facilisis erat sed porttitor. Nam dui lectus, interdum sed efficitur at, ultrices vitae massa. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque tincidunt vestibulum tellus a dictum. Suspendisse ac eros eget arcu sodales efficitur. Nunc dapibus facilisis erat sed porttitor. Nam dui lectus, interdum sed efficitur at, ultrices vitae massa.

News news news news United Kingdom Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque tincidunt vestibulum tellus a dictum. Suspendisse ac eros eget arcu sodales efficitur. Nunc dapibus facilisis erat sed porttitor. Nam dui lectus, interdum sed efficitur at, ultrices vitae massa. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque tincidunt vestibulum tellus a dictum. Suspendisse ac eros eget arcu sodales efficitur. Nunc dapibus facilisis erat sed porttitor. Nam dui lectus, interdum sed efficitur at, ultrices vitae

08 : Feature

ISSUE 01/ 15th SEPTEMBER 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Check out the Executive: Their Politics, Policies and Promises Haider Saleem takes a look at what the Exec have planned for the Union during their year in office Haider Saleem Features Editor

Charlotte Cook General Secretary

Coming into office for her second term first serving as Community Officer, Charlotte smashed her opponents during the elections with 1206 votes, with the closest candidates at 365 votes and the rest lingering around the 300s Charlotte’s manifesto seems reasonable and she may not have much difficulty to implement the majority of it. This is more likely as the Union’s budget is now in surplus and unlike last year’s General Sectary, her manifesto features no extravagant pledges (see last years discounted gig tickets). Charlotte is currently in talks with the commercial team about how they can incorporate the ‘campus cash card’ proposed in her manifesto into the existing student card using the inbuilt technology. Charlotte described the progress so far as “really positive” will be working out a timeline for moving forward with this project. The card is similar to the one that is available at Manchester Metropolitan University. The idea is to conveniently have everything on one card that can be used at shops around campus and incorporating reward points and top up features so even parents can add money to it. To save money on food, Charlotte proposed having microwaves in the Union for students to heat their own food. Currently, Charlotte is developing a ‘microwave map’, mapping all the available and accessible microwaves on campus for students to look at. As well as this, talks regarding the third floor extension which is being built this year, Charlotte is hoping to get this incorporated into the planning as a space in the Union where students can heat their own food. Her pledge for societies to be able to hire university rooms free of charge has already had significant progress. Societies can now save huge amounts of money when holding events (see below).

Conor McGurran Campaigns and Citizenship Officer

With a detailed manifesto, Conor will have a successful year if he is to achieve all of his aims. He has specific pledges regarding education, the campus, the Students’ Union and the NHS. The pledge to lobby the University to reduce the amount it charges societies to hire lecture theatres is undergoing,

Student Assembly, Student Council, Exec positions, rep positions, how we discuss policy, almost everything is up for consideration Conor McGuran Campaigns and Citizenship Officer

and societies may be able to book University Place for free in the evenings in the future, significantly increasing the space for societies and reducing their expenses. Regarding lecture podcasting, Conor proposed a ‘points system’ in his manifesto as an incentive for students to still attend lectures, however this idea has seemed to collapsed and he has informed me this is unlikely to be happening any time soon, as it’s within the remit of the Education Officer. Compulsory podcasting seems to be heading in anyway, and we will have to wait and see if all courses will take it on. Conor would most likely to lobby those who have not taken it on after semester one. Student apathy of the union has been an issue for many years. Clifford, Conor’s predecessor had already established a student council which was on Conor’s manifesto. The council is made up of ‘various representatives’ of students groups and has places for elected students. It currently has little power. Conor is however putting his efforts towards the Students’ Union democracy review, where he is going to “completely change all of our democratic structures this year.” This is certainly something to look out for, as it could potentially be a huge transformation in the structure of the Union. “Student Assembly, Student Council, Exec positions, rep positions, how we discuss policy, almost everything is up for consideration.”

Tessy Maritim Diversity Officer

Tessy’s manifesto is made up of a broad ‘six point plan’ which includes policy ideas and pledges in various areas. Integration, of course, is one of them. This involves team building exercises at the start of the academic year to help bring people together. However, after research over the summer, Tessy has scrapped this idea and is planning on working with society heads. I can image Tessy will find it difficult to organise such events with all societies, as now there are over 350 societies registered with the Union. Tessy is also planning on launching an ‘International Olympics’ during Global Week. Another point on Tessy’s manifesto was to work with country representatives to subsidies travel expenses for students. It’s hard to see how Tessy will achieve this policy this and how it is within her remit, however will have to wait and see. Tessy also has the job of running the hugely successful TEDx event, and it will be interesting to see the individuals recruited to talk at the event. Plans to promote more diverse work opportunities are “still under way”, where Tessy called for more opportunities in exotic areas of the world such as Australia and South America. Regarding home country resits: “I have had a few meetings with the university regarding home country resits and we are examining how the re-sit exam experience as a whole can be improved.”.

Jessica Lishak Women’s Officerr

Jess has taken over the role of Women’s Officer from Tabz, who served two successful terms and backed Jess as a “powerful, positive voice” during the elections, leaving no competition for the other candidates. This semester, Jess is looking to meet up with female students across campus and to fulfil some of her manifesto pledges which she has already started over the summer. Currently in development is an online tool for the MyManchester homepage and smartphone app for reporting and getting support on issues that students are facing, such as sexual harassment, which is likely to be launched and promoted in November. This will provide a direct link to the Union Advice Service who will deal with the complaint. This semester Jess is also focusing on safety both on and off campus. Her biggest task is most likely taking the successful ‘We Get It’ campaign into an accreditation and training scheme for bars and clubs in Manchester. This also ties with her pledge to help students feel safer on a night out, for example, by always having women on duty. Being early days, this hasn’t started yet as Jess is currently waiting on getting collaboration with the Women’s Campaign and other students to further develop this. I can imagine it will be quite difficult to gain cooperation from venues around Manchester and it is unlikely that they will agree to always have a woman on the door, but we will find out in the near future. Indeed, Jess is aware of the task

Photos: Student’s Union

with students, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) to improve safety on the buses and review how drivers deal with harassment and assault on their buses. Jess has set up an initial meeting with GMP and TfGM who both said they are interested to get involved.

Ellen McLaughlin Community Officer

Charlotte Cook Photo: Manchester SU ahead: “It will be a big project and I also have to wait on a few internal developments of ‘We Get It’ within the union and the university.” Another point in Jess’s manifesto was to launch ‘Reclaim the Night Bus’ – a spin-off from the ‘Reclaim the Night’ campaign. This will involve working

The ballot going into the fourth round made the Community Officer the closest run for office this year, and was secured by Ellen with 919 votes. The most popular point Ellen’s manifesto was the promise to run a housing campaign, part of which would be the ‘Don’t Let Yet, Rent Right Campaign’. Ellen mentioned that: “It is my priority to run a knowledge campaign to ensure students make informed decisions before signing a tenancy agreement.” The campaign will be launching towards the end of October as it is a time when students begin looking for houses for the following year, which according to Ellen is far too early. Ellen will also be releasing an in-depth guide to renting in the private sector as well as launching a highly visual ‘Don’t Let Yet’ campaign in halls and on campus. There will be a Halloween ‘House Of Horrors’

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themed event and ‘Housing Week’ in the last week of January where the Students’ Union advice service will be offering pop up contract checking/advice sessions, along with various fun events on throughout the week. Ellen will also oversee the launch of six elected Student Community Officers whose role it will be to organise events and run campaigns in the local community, as well as represent students at meetings with the council, university and local Ellen will also be working with the ‘Access All Areas’ coordinator on Widening Participation projects that focus on breaking down barriers to higher education for hard to reach groups.

sexual health testing in halls, and has just started a piece of research on childcare provision (or lack of it) at the University. Rosie has also been working on a campaign to get

Feature : 09 into taking the festival to a higher level. There will be a Pangaea warm up party as promised, happening on December 6th. Something else highlighted on his manifesto was

experience for students to come and enjoy, with money from every ticket going back into societies and future events.” Joel is also working to improve the

education and it’s protection from marketisation’. This year, Harriet told me that she will be “campaigning for free education, to improve access to

The Exec this year have the chance to make real change. Photo: ManchesterSU students cycling called ‘Get On Your Bike’ – bike workshops and fairs should be coming in the near future

Joel Smith Activitiesand Development Officer

Rosie Dammers Photo: Manchester SU

Joel has the responsibility of organising the three Pangaea Festivals and is very keen on making it bigger and better. This year he has managed to secure Mike Skinner and Tensnake as headlines for the first of the three Pangeas.

Rosie Dammers Wellbeing Officer

Rosie last year served as Education Officer, and this year will take the role of Wellbeing Officer, beating her opponents with an impressive 1525 votes. The only other real contender was Rowan with 749 votes. In contrast to Kazi, last year’s Wellbeing Officer, Rosie’s manifesto seems to have clear, sound policies which are probably down to her experience in office last year. The main issue Rosie is concerned about is mental health, particularly the stigma surrounding it and giving students access to help when they need it. Kicking off a yearlong campaign, Rosie is planning a mental health awareness and action week, running in October. During the week, Rosie will work with volunteers encouraging pledges and participation and raising awareness of peoples own mental health. By Christmas, Rosie has planned to have a written report on provision for students with mental health and use it to lobby the university to improve support services. Along with the report, Rosie has also aimed to have recruited and trained a number of students in mental health first aid so that they can be mentors to those in need. By then, The Union will have signed the Time to Change pledge, and will have trained staff in mental health first aid so they are properly equipped to help students. Aside from the work on mental health, Rosie has been working with Sexpression to organise

“Im working on Biko’s playing Fuse FM during the day and also ‘headline’ shows on Fuse FM being played in the Union bar 5-7pm.”

room booking system and create a society timetable so that it is easier for students to get involved with various activities going on at the Union. He mentioned: “There’s great stuff happening all the time but if you aren’t in the right Facebook group or don’t catch an event poster you might miss out on these.”

Harriet Pugh Education Officer

Harriet has worked on a range of her promises. The contest for Education Officer was a two horse race, with Harriet coming on top with 1709 votes. Backed by two of the Execs during the election, including Rosie who was the previous Education officer and now Wellbeing, there was little competition. When running for office, Harriet said she is ‘passionate about

Joel Smith Campaigns and Citizenship Officer

Joel Smith Photo: Manchester SU Joel is also pushing to get more students involved in organising Pangaea and is looking to recruit volunteers for ‘Team Pangaea’, a group which will have massive input on the festive and direction. This could perhaps be the first of a big step

adding an extra dome stage with projected visuals. He told me that this should “hopefully (subject to a sponsorship deal we are currently working on for January) tie in with the theme then” and is “90% sure we’ll be able to make this happen.” The issue of why the Fuse FM is not played live around the Union is something which irritates all those who are involved within student media activities within the Union. Joel promised to make the most of student media in his manifesto, and told me that he is “working on Biko’s playing Fuse FM during the day and also ‘headline’ shows on Fuse FM being played in the Union bar 5-7pm.” Bringing more “outside events”, the newly refurbished club academy is now open for anyone who wants to organise events. Joel believes that by second semester, there will be externally organised evening events to look forward too, in addition to Why Not Wednesdays. He told me “plans for WNW are also looking very fun, the staff team here are working Harriet Pugh really hard to make sure each Wednesday brings a completely new Photo: Manchester SU

postgraduate study, address the black students’ attainment gap, diversify curricula to include black, women and LGBTQ issues and working class material and deliver cooperative training for students to set up housing, knowledge and cooperatives.” As well as this, Harriet is looking to train, support and coordinate course reps to run campaigns to improve the quality of teaching and learning. She will also try to get more student places on university decisionmaking committees to ensure that the student perspective is taken seriously in the definition of and solving of academic issues.

The verdict so far:

Given that the Union is out of its financial troubles that they were in last year, there is a good chance that the exec will live up to their word and fulfil their promises. Having said that, there are one or two pledges on the manifestos which there is already doubt in, such as making travel cheaper for students. Two Exec members have already served a year, their experiences is evident when I asked what they have done and plans for the future. For the new members of the Exec, they are certainly making positive changes to the union - from Pangea to the structure of the Union.

Haider Saleem Features Editor

Opinion

ISSUE 01/ 15th SEPTEMBER 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Editor’s Foreword The Disunited Kingdom Welcome to this year’s Opinion Section. We would like to thank Alice Rigby and Charlotte Green for their hard work last year. This year your editors are Marcus Johns and Morris Seifert. Marcus is a second year Politics, Philosophy, and Politics student, and Morris is a third year English Literature student. We really look forward to developing this section over the coming year and to building on the hard work of last year’s editors whilst taking the Opinion Section in new directions. This year we are taking a more thematic approach, in order to get contributors and their articles on the same page—pun shamefully intended.

This week we have some amazing articles by fresher’s regarding the state of Education; having just finished their stint of universal education, we think that they’re best placed to comment on it. We both drew straws and argued our corner of the Scottish independence debate too, just in time for the referendum on Thursday. We had more submissions than we could fit on the page so if you would like to read more of their contributions, then please take a look at the Opinion pages on the Mancunion’s website. Next week, we will be featuring articles on religion and its role in society.

Editors Marcus Johns and Morris Seifert argue each side of the Scottish Independence Debate ahead of the referendum on Thursday.

Yes

Scottish Independence is long overdue, but it doesn’t just belong to Scotland. Firstly, the Scottish need a government that they want—and our democratic process is broken.

Fresher Christopher Nelson has written about what he believes Cicero would think, If he came to university in 2014. This is an abridged version of the full article, which can be seen on The Mancunion’s website

Photo: London Permaculture @Flickr

Of all the terrible times for Scotland to seek its independence – it is now. Of all the short sighted and damaging displays of hubris in the last decade – Alex Salmond’s must be the worst. If Scotland cuts ties from its greatest protector, provider and ally it will disintegrate like a bottle cap in a crusher. This is not Braveheart, Scotland are not fighting tyranny, Salmond is not an altruistic paragon of politics – this is an unnecessary war being waged out of pride, one that could damage Scotland and the rest of Britain.

“This will be a mistake that they c a n n o t apologise for.” We all know the truth “money makes the world go round” and Salmond would point to oil and gas and contend with a grin on his face that Scottish Independence would herald a new wave of prosperity – but it will do the opposite. Austerity and an increase in costs will catalyse capital flight and

“Yes is the only permanent answer.” In keeping with the idea that our democratic system isn’t working for Scotland it’s key to remember that we’re not just forcing governments on them; we do it with nuclear weapons too. There is widespread opposition to the hosting of nuclear weapons at Faslane. It’s undemocratic and unfair to force nukes upon an otherwise peaceful nation. There is a huge democratic deficit in the UK and part of that has been caused by piecemeal devolution. The West Lothian question needs answering, and answering with a yes. In 2000, 2003, and 2011 Scottish MPs were decisive in the introduction and consequent increasing of tuition fees. Indeed, the 5-person majority in the 2011 increase to £9000 would have been negated had there been no Scottish MPs. There are benefits for the Unit-

If Cicero went to uni in 2014

Cicero, the famous Roman lawyer and politician of minor aristocratic birth was the first member of his family to reach the highest political office in Rome. His meteoric rise was aided by his education, and his self-made attitude. He wasn’t however very liberal. Roman education was delivered in the form of a highly paid private tutor. Not the universal service we receive today. It’s likely that he’d disapprove of the universal reach education serves today. In Roman times, most people would have learnt on the job—in a kind of apprenticeship. Formal education for all would seem completely alien to Cicero. Cicero would have loved the facilities available for today’s students; the University of Manchester library alone holds some 4 million books, and one of Cicero’s most famous quotes was, ‘a room without books is like a body without a soul.’ Education in Cicero’s day was far removed from state control. As an insightful and intelligent politician, I believe that Cicero would be able to see the state interference and tinkering of the education system by modern governments for what it is: a political chess piece. Cicero was a traditional man. Welcome Week would be an opulent display of excess in his eyes. Interestingly though, Cicero was only vocal against opulence of womankind, therefore it’s probable that he’d be fine with the lads hitting the town and pretty shocked and appalled that women could venture out too. In conclusion, Cicero probably wouldn’t have made much of today’s education system. The partying, the universality and the state control would have dismayed him, whilst the facilities and resources of today’s universities would probably have amazed him beyond belief.

The Scots have not voted for any Tory government, ever— we’ve been whitewashing a constitutional crisis. Scotland has never and probably never will vote for the Conservatives, yet we continue forcing successive unwanted governments, who have no mandate to govern Scotland, upon the Scottish.

see a scramble of labour and organisations to relocate south of the border. At the moment the Scottish economy relies mainly on tourism, whisky and services. Oil and gas is the key mediator proposed to propel Scotland to prosperity but Salmond’s figure of 24 billion barrels of oil and gas under the North sea are heavily disputed by the Office for Budget Responsibility who put the figure at 10 billion barrels and further disputed by BP who claim only 3 billion barrels are economically viable to recover Oil and gas is notoriously volatile, since mid-June investors have driven down oil prices by 15% and despite common belief, the global oil market is well supplied – its price toyed with by powerful organisations. A weak, independent Scotland depending on a commodity with volatile, falling prices and controlled by powerful, international organisations is a ludicrous plan. Oil is highly mobile, meaning the need to incentivise companies with lucrative tax treatment if it is to be extracted. Add this to the fact that basing your economy on a finite resource is inherently flawed; the whole idea of an oil based economy seems as slippery as the commodity itself. The only silver lining being the internal demand for whisky will skyrocket when this manifests itself as evident. It may also be false to assume

Scotland will get the key investment it needs; uncertainty would soar in both Scotland and Britain after such a dramatic split

“A standalone Scotland seems doomed to fail.”

ed Kingdom caused indirectly by Scotland’s departure too. London’s iron grip over the UK needs to end, and Scottish independence will prove it is possible that the vicious predator, poaching the graduates and skilled workers from all corners of the UK can be forced to loosen its grip. If independence comes, it proves that the North, the South West and the other regions can claw their own powers back from the London and South East. Scottish independence will pressure the government to devolve more to the regions and cities of the UK, decreasing the stranglehold of London over the nation. We’ve kicked into motion a

“The Bank of Mum and Dad is closing.” huge doubt that will remain for years to come, and yes is the only permanent answer. Without wanting to gesture to the slippery slope down which the UK may descend, we’ve put in motion what commentators have called the ‘neverendum referendum’. If Scotland votes no, they’ll just try again. It’s best to let them go now, and go amicably than to allow the dissolution to happen more expensively and with more anguish in the years ahead. We must now turn to the economic arguments for Scotland to depart from our union, they’re wasting our money and they’re not giving anything beneficial back—in purely economic terms of course. The UK subsidises Scotland. It’s time that it stopped. The Scottish spend 116 per cent of it is so necessary. Amid Scotland losing control of its currency, it will need to borrow pounds at a higher interest rate – this cost will be passed onto citizens. Iain McLean, professor of politics at Oxford University, calculated on average every Scot would be £480 worse off amid currency costs and uncertainty and falling

the UK average per person, which in 2012-13 stood at £12,300 per person. Including the oilfields that will be lost in the event of independence, Scotland only took £9997 per person in taxes. With oil prices having fallen by 15 per cent in the past year, and BP’s claims that there are only 3 billion barrels of oil economically viable to extract, it’s clear that Scotland as a nation is no longer beneficial for the United Kingdom’s economy. The Scottish public spending deficit amounted to £12 billion in the past year, and it’s currently underwritten and absorbed by the UK. Scotland needs to take responsibility of its own spending, the Bank of Mum and Dad is closing. From a student perspective— when Scotland accedes to the EU Scottish universities will be legally obliged to charge UK students nothing. Currently home students can be charged, however EU students cannot be charged different amounts to home students under EU law. Free university education is thus a potential consequence of independence. To conclude, the only answer is yes. Less debt, a fairer United Kingdom, with free university just over the border, England-only issues decided by the English and the end of the relentlessly growing centralisation of the UK in London are the consequences of Scottish independence. In the spirit of democracy and progressive politics, it’s time we shed tradition and allowed the Scots to grow into their own. so bad that Robert Mugabe could consider offering financial advice. RBS and Lloyd’s (both based in Edinburgh) toppled over like a skyscraper made out of cocktail sticks as the recession hit, needing to be bailed out by the Bank of England and the UK tax payer, a further absurd contradiction that seems lost on Salmond as he pushes blindly for independence.

“If Scotland cuts ties from its greatest p r o t e c t o r, provider and ally it will disintegrate like a bottle cap in a crusher.”

Photo: Martainn @Flickr

in what is seen as a traditionally safe country, causing a radical relocation of swathes of its service industry across the border and without the support of the Bank of England using the pound Scotland will have little control over its monetary policy to provide stimuli at a time when

prices regarding Scotland’s oil. The prospect of EU support is also doubtful in the short term, when they most badly need it and a lack of experienced government will slow Scottish parliamentary and political progress. Scotland also has a history of financial management

The truth is Scottish independence will be harmful for everyone but the ego of a few proud Scots. England will lose its 300 year old ally and take a small economic hit but Scotland will be hit hardest. The economy will buckle under the weight of sudden and sharp shocks and political anger will stir when its people realise they are worse off. The antipathy in Britain over this bid for independence is already palpable; if Scotland does go they will never be forgiven and this will be a mistake they cannot apologise for.

Opinion

ISSUE 01/ 15th SEPTEMBER 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Frustrating A-levels makes the prospect of university even better

As part of our Welcome Week Education Special, David Brierley tells us why he thinks the failure of A-levels and standardised testing makes university a more exciting opportunity. At AS Level, I got a U in Critical Thinking. I was later informed that this was because the exam board failed me on account of insulting them. This was funny at first, but later raised some more serious questions: had I said something that bad? Well, I didn’t think so at the time. I had mentioned that Standardised Testing wasn’t as effective as it was made out to be, and that the whole system of end-of-year exams placed extreme stress on students. Yet these statements were considered to be either rude or at least subversive enough to add an extra, and somewhat less A shaped, vowel to my results sheet. The very idea that I would think that my A-levels weren’t actually that helpful was so awful that I had to have some kind of punishment. It was all very Ministry of Truth—George Orwell would have shuddered. Now, I am proud of my A-levels nonetheless, but I will be the first to tell you that the system is inherently flawed. For subjects such as Mathematics there is a right answer. Even still, the students at my school who studied Maths complained often and loudly. They were dropping marks for

simply doing a sum in a way different to the question’s requirements—even if they came out with the correct final answer. Others would point out that they didn’t follow the instructions, and therefore didn’t show they knew the specific process required. But that’s just it—it wasn’t so much that they were wrong, but that they didn’t follow the instructions.

“I am proud of my

A-levels nonetheless, but I will be the first to tell you that the system is inherently flawed.” Instructions are important, but what about the Arts? I shall use the example of English because I study it. We can all agree that an applicant suggesting that Romeo was a Martian is wrong—however had I stated that Romeo and Juliet is a terrible play with an incredibly weak female character, I think it unlikely that I would be attending university.

It’s only my opinion that Shakespeare’s tragic females are, overall, limp and plain characters compared to his comedies; because a relationship between a thirteen and a fifteen year old that lasted two weeks and left four people dead is not, for me, the makings of a great romance—more the front cover of the Daily Mail. Therein lies the problem. By having an opinion, by doing something differently—for the simple flaw of thinking in a way that isn’t defined by a mark scheme or a candidate number, a person becomes difficult to confine within an exam structure. My Geography teacher always refused to grade me higher than a B because I didn’t work to the mark scheme. I ended up with 98%. My English teacher praised and challenged me to outdo myself. Yet, I only just managed the A that I needed: Why? The truth is, I don’t know—I felt both papers went equally well. If you asked the people who knew me for the last seven years, they would tell you that I’m good at English and absolutely nothing else. That’s not however what my results will tell you, they suggest Human Geography is an excellent career path and I should perhaps

avoid thinking critically. This is why I’m excited for University. More specifically I’m excited for my course because I finally, finally, get to be an individual. I can be the English Student who hates Romeo and Juliet. I can be the Metallica fan who can quote Wilde and Poe and Festus the Clown. I can be the guy who goes both to the Dojo and to Pride. I’ve still got exams to worry about, and coursework to hand in—but no longer do I have to fret if what I’m putting is correct to such an unwieldy set of criteria. As I said, I’m proud of my A levels, and I’m not saying you shouldn’t be—you don’t need me to tell you that you worked your socks off to get them. To my fellow Freshers, I would say that they don’t show you who you are, and they don’t necessarily tell you how good you are at something; they sacrifice the freedom of expression of the brightest to keep it fair for those the current education system has already failed. There’s a world out there, free from A-Levels and standardised testing. Yours is filled with whatever you choose to make of it.

Private Education—Worth the cash?

In keeping with our Welcome Week Education Special, another incoming fresher Ashika Vijay questions the value of private schools. Fees for private schools have doubled in the past 20 years and less than 10% of students in the UK are privately educated. It is time to evaluate whether it’s really worth it. After moving to a mixed, state sixth form college from a private single-sex secondary school, I appreciate the value and I am aware of the flaws of private education. There is a general impression that private schooled students are rich and snobby. Disappointingly however, private school doesn’t involve paper boat races with £20 notes, and there’s no Latin banter—at least not regularly. Nevertheless, you do become more disciplined knowing that your average day costs around £50, which is paid by your generous hard-working parents. Manners are also enforced and encouragements for good work ethic given. It can be argued that this should be parents’ responsibility, to teach their own children discipline from childhood and for everyone to be brought up equally with these essential etiquettes. The benefit from private education in this aspect is therefore unclear. After an entrance exam, there are smaller, more specialised classes to stretch you further. Do not forget there’s also cash splashed on the latest equipment, extracurricular activities and arguably better teaching. In the end, you walk away with grades, which are not however guaranteed to be straight A*s. Yet parents are still willing to make the sacrifice. Good grades are more likely with a good learning environment but everyone is an individual— if you work, you get the grades; if you don’t, then you don’t. It does question whether or not it’s worth it, because the playing field is level.

“Private

school is no longer advantageous for educational attainment.” When a state schooled friend at college told me that her Physics teacher had left halfway through Year 10 I was shocked. Even if a replacement were possible, such

Photo: diamond geezer @flickr The School Library and School Hall of Eton, one of Britain’s most famous public schools. Is it really worth it? Ashika Vijay questions. interruptions would slow down the course. uniform that is treated as if it were more We both still got top grades because she used important than actual education (which the Internet to teach herself. Looking back, is basically a BHS bulk buy with a fancy I did the same with other subjects, despite emblem stitched on that you will grow out the fact that my parents still paid the school of!) to bolster your school’s reputation. But directly. Evidently, most of the money was reputation alone is not a reasonable excuse being spent on teachers, however some to pay for private education, especially in would have been used for renovating the light of the other indicators to which I have school buildings and for extra-curricular pointed. activities—including activities such as the Private education used to be the guaranteed Duke of Edinburgh award or orchestras fast track to success but maybe it’s time we where you can engage with a wider variety replaced fee-paying schools with grammar of people from your local community. schools? Teaching is not the only thing you pay for; They give the same opportunity for pupils private education provides excellent extrawith high academic abilities to be stretched curricular activities. further, regardless of their parents’ wealth. Reputation is very important for There is an equal focus on discipline and educational institutions—uniform especially. range of extra-curricular activities without Looking neat gives the impression that you the colossal fees. Money is spent more are professional; in my opinion however accordingly in order to allow more students to freezing to death rather than wearing the attend university irrespective of background. wrong coloured coat for fear of retribution The real world is far from cosy. Being selfjust seems more childish than practical. So sufficient is a key skill learnt at sixth form and you have your school fees and an expensive this is not enforced as well in private schools

as it is in state schools. In March 2014, I saw a BBC News headline, ‘State pupils do better at university than independent candidates who have achieved the same A-level grades.’ This suggests state educated students have greater independence and are more prepared for university. Other beneficial skills include budgeting, interacting with all divisions of society and being proactive in your own education. You don’t have to be in a private sixth form to get the best A-level grades because you shouldn’t be relying on a teacher anyway. The top universities have admitted giving more offers to state pupils than to the privately educated in order to fulfil equal opportunity policy. I believe this is sensible because it’s no one’s fault if their parents couldn’t afford it and this should never corrupt ambition. Equality of opportunity is not optional. Since the tripling of tuition fees, there are now higher loans, better grants and more bursaries to increase support for poorer students. Paying for private school is no longer advantageous for educational attainment. Nowadays your academic ability is not influenced as strongly by the type of education you receive. Teachers are increasingly encouraged to dedicate more time with students across the spectrum. Moreover, since A-levels, and even GCSEs, rely upon your individual efforts, there are evidently students who still fail in private education and some who strive in state schools. We can say goodbye to private education as a guaranteed fast-track to success. The value of private education has been falling every year, as education and opportunities improve for all. Parents though are still being duped into believing it is worth paying an arm and a limb for private education but they should keep their hands in their pockets—for its value is far exaggerated.

Music

Editors: Patrick Hinton, Lowell Clarke Samuel Ward, Dan Whiteley

ISSUE 01/15th SEPTEMBER 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Feature

Opinion

the Opinion

Photo courtesy of vipa@flickr

Rage Agaisnt the Mau5-chine Lowell Clarke Music Editor

A major lawsuit is brewing between Disney and producer Deadmau5, Lowell Clarke shares his thoughts on the matter... Dark clouds gather over Disneyland. Lawyers scurry into position, their pens and paper prepared to fend off the oncoming assault. At the gate, Deadmau5 stands tall in the name of all things electronic and mousey. If this sounds ridiculous, you’d be 100 per cent right. The currently unfolding legal battle between Disney and Deadmau5 isn’t the last stand of one musician against the corporate machine. It’s just a clash of two big money making interests, plain and simple. What does Deadmau5 owe Disney? Take a look. The mask that transforms Joel Zimmerman into Deadmau5 is at best a blatantly twisted caricature of Mickey Mouse. At its worst, it’s an insight into Mickey’s weekends off, blowing off steam by dabbling in some “Disneys” or “Nintendos”—or whatever the kids down in Orlando call them these days. Either way it’s clearly Disney’s famous cartoon critter whether you’re nine or 19, and surely that’s exactly the point?

Deadmau5’s live show feeds off this whole idea—the video game visuals and cartoon animations that illuminate the audience are being used to bring them back to a place of warmth and happiness within their childhood, therefore allowing them to “let go”, AKA go absolutely nuts for the next drop. Deadmau5’s success and the infamy of his live shows makes it clear that he’s doing this well, but to turn around and copyright what is blatantly derived from a well-known icon of childhood—the Deadmau5 head from the Mickey head—is disrespectful to the underlying influences that differentiate him from the rest of the soulless swathes of EDM producers. Getting the copyright doesn’t make his music any better, nor his shows any brighter. He’ll only make it harder for others to take cues from him as he has from Disney. Ultimately, it just takes him one step closer to becoming yet another bland, entertainment based, corporate entity.

Either way it’s clearly Disney’s famous cartoon critter whether you’re 9 or 19.

REM: Never, ever, ever getting back together?

theOpinion

Getting the Band Back Together

Dan Whiteley asks the question on every fan’s mind: should never actually mean never? Dan Whiteley Music Editor To an adoring music fan, few events are harder to stomach than the announcement that one of your favourite bands are parting ways. The realisation that this is the end of the road – that you’ll never see them onstage again, that the new masterpiece you’ve been waiting for will never come – can give rise to strangely personal feelings, despite you never having known these individuals personally. I myself was just a starry-eyed youngster when R.E.M. last came to the UK back in 2008. Having been offered a chance to go, I politely declined, for reasons I now admittedly cannot fathom. “Don’t worry, Dad,” I said, “I’ll catch them next time round.” They then proceeded to split up forever. But, as inconsolable as learning I missed my only chance to see my favourite band made me, in a way it could be worse. Because if there’s one thing that’s more frustrating than leaving us wanting more, it’s when bands – years, sometimes even decades down the line - refuse to leave their legacies alone; and unfortunately, in an age where enduring and timeless music is getting harder to come by, the reunion tour epidemic is fast becoming an everyday reality. But why? Popular opinion suggests that these reunions are so frequent nowadays simply

Photo: Hyunji Choi@flickr

“Don’t worry, Dad,” I said, “I’ll catch them next time round.” They then proceeded to split up forever. because they’re a tried and tested business venture; if the public demand is there, the effort-to-gains ratio can be astounding. The recent Libertines’ reformation, for example, was, by their own admission, a shameless money making exercise which saw Carl Barat and Pete Doherty each earn around half a million pounds for a single show. And they’re not the only ones - The Stone Roses reunion was reportedly motivated by Ian Brown’s eye-watering divorce bill, whilst The Replacements returned to the live arena with the selfless aim of helping fund exguitarist Slim Dunlap’s medical treatment following a stroke. For others, it’s a matter of pride and sense of entitlement. When Billy Corgan revived

the Smashing Pumpkins in 2006 after a short stint in (the infinitely less successful) Zwan, he lamented “I want my band back, and my songs, and my dreams”, and set out to do so, albeit with only the drummer agreeing to return. Similarly, in what is probably the most infamous of all comebacks, Axl Rose single-handedly took ownership of the Guns N’ Roses moniker and replaced the entire band with a revolving door of faceless session musicians, releasing a lone, overblown mess of an album (2008’s Chinese Democracy) since then, robbing their discography of the chance to quit while ahead. It’s an all too familiar pattern, trying to recapture old magic when the moment has long since gone. There are exceptions, of course – The Police’s victory lap was a fun and tasteful nostalgia exercise, and Blur’s sporadic reappearances have triumphantly cemented their status as national treasures. But for every Blur success, it seems there’s several No Doubts. And really, in 2014, does anyone need No Doubt?

Top 5

TOP 5

Overplayed tracks this Freshers week Lowell Clarke Music Editor

1.Walking with Elephants by Ten walls It’s been one of the breakthrough house tracks of the summer, so expect to hear it at absolutely. Every. Single. Club night this coming week.

2. Changing by Sigma ft. Paloma Faith After successfully adding a drum and bass beat to a Kanye West sample, Sigma return to proove that they’re not just one hit wonders.

3. Chimes by Hudson Mohawke

4. Rather Be by Clean Bandit

5. Animals by Martin Garrix

If Scotland vote yes to independence then the UK may lose one of our most promient producers. But it won’t stop the clubs from blasting this trap anthem.

Some tracks refuse to die. Some hang around like an unwanted cold. This one is set to haunt you for years, maybe decades, to come.

I can barely describe how much I hate this song, at present, let alone how unbearable it will be in three months time.

Music

ISSUE 01/15th SEPTEMBER 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM /TheMancunion: Music Section @MancunionMusic

Preview

WHP 2014: Store Street Patrick Hinton walks us through yet another exciting new season at Manchester’s very own Warehouse Project

“For those who never experienced Store Street, you’re in for a treat. For those who were there first time round, you know what’s coming.” The series kicks off on September 27th with a killer house and techno offering headlined by Seth Troxler and also featuring names such as Carl Craig, Tale Of Us and Leon Vynehall. The 11th October sees Ape vs Ram Jam unleash a drum & bass, garage and reggae filled extravaganza with a bill including the likes of heavy hitters Andy C, Wilkinson, DJ EZ and David ‘Ram Jam’ Rodigan MBE.

Let’s hope it’s still standing at the next weekend because Four Tet and Caribou are back after their highly successful curation last year. Grime fans should be sure to check out heavyweights Champion and Terror Danjah, the latter of which has collaborated with Four Tet earlier this year.

Beaters and sunglasses at the ready – Jamie Jones and his Paradise crew on are in town 24th October. The following night I fear for the structural integrity of Store Street with Hudson Mohawke, Rustie, Lone and Jackmaster & Oneman’s Can U Dance all playing undoubtedly hyperactive and explosive sets.

December opens with 3 hour sets from legends The Chemical Brothers and Andrew Weatherall on the 5th. Speaking of legends, Fatboy Slim performs on December 19th.

Images courtesy of Warehouse Project Patrick Hinton Music Editor There aren’t a whole lot of students left in Manchester who were there to experience Store Street the first time round. The crop of first years, myself included, that arrived in Manchester alongside Warehouse Project’s move to Trafford in September 2012 are now set to begin their third, and in most cases final, year. Yet Store Street has remained prominent in the collective memory of Manchester students during its two year

absence: be it openly through the accounts of its superiority to Victoria Warehouse from older friends or subconsciously in the fleeting feeling of annoyance at how much more convenient a city centre location would be when forking over twenty quid for a taxi back to Fallowfield – felt just before the need to get home immediately and cocoon yourself on your sofa kicks in and quashes any qualms. All in all, it feels like there’s unfinished business with Store Street, so it’s very good news

indeed that Warehouse Project will be returning to their “spiritual home” for the 2014 series. So, good venue – check. But who have they got playing? The answer is, of course, most of the best names in the game across all areas of dance music. With the variation on offer, if you’re interested in pretty much any form of dance music there’ll be at least one night that looks tailor made to your taste.

Preview

Super Weird Happening Preview Blind Arcade’s Kermit Leveridge to join DJ/Producer Greg Wilson for an interesting collaboration this Autumn at Gorilla Two of Manchester’s own inspirational and dynamic countercultural figures, Kermit Leveridge (via his new project Blind Arcade) and Greg Wilson (through his super-weird substance imprint) have launched a series of five events taking place around the UK during the autumn. The events are set to feature a “vibrant mix of music, debate, art and more...with special local DJ guests and speakers hosting audience’s Q & As”. Leveridge communicates his journey of redemption and return to the musical world after a harrowing departure caused by a near-death experience. The former Ruthless Rap Assassins member came close to the pearly gates after contracting septicemia due to injecting heroin with dirty needles. However, after winning his battle with addiction and becoming a father, Leveridge is set to focus on bringing a newlyfound maturity and focus to his music. Contrasting this poignant tale is Wilson’s luminous electro-funk twist. The Madchester DJ is probably most famous for his residency at the Haçienda night club in the 80’s and teaching Fat Boy Slim to scratch. Super weird’s recently released

mixtape reflects their mission plan, of providing an antidote to much of the current scene’s “lack of emotion.”

As we enter November, Resident Advisor are providing my personal highlight of the calendar. Chilean master Ricardo Villalobos heads the bill with Nina Kraviz, a tantalising Hessle Audio three way b2b2b and Joy Orbison also appearing in Room 1. Then over in Room 2 you’ve got 3 hour sets from each of Jackmaster, Moodymann and Underground Paris. I’m looking into whether dividing myself into two parts is a viable option for this.

Super Weird Happening hits Gorilla on Saturday the 20th of September Samuel Ward Music Editor Photo courtesy of Greg Wilson

News

If soaring, blissful house is your thing then get yourself to the Innervisions night on December 13th, featuring none other than RA’s No. 1 DJ in the world – Dixon. This also falls nicely right at the start of the Christmas holidays. There’s plenty more too beyond that, see the warehouse project website for full details. Be sure to keep an eye on those TBA line ups, especially the consistently staggering New Year events.

Preview

Primal Scream Guitarist Dies

Mercury Award Shortlist Revealed

Samuel Ward Music Editor

Lowell Clarke Music Editor

Robert Young, one of Primal Scream’s founding members, has been found dead in his flat. The prolific musician contributed guitar work on some of the band’s most vivid work, including the fanfavourite Screamadelica and singles such as ‘Movin’ on Up’ and ‘Rocks’. Young left in 2006 and according to ex bass-player Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, “[Young] had problems in his personal life”. Frontman Bobby Gillespie and guitarist Andrew Innes released a statement describing Young as “A beautiful and deeply soulful man”. Interestingly, they go on to say that “He once said to me ‘when we go onstage it’s a war between us and the audience.’ He never let go of that attitude.”

It’s that time of the year again: the Mercury Awards are upon us again. Here’s the nominees complete with their William Hill Odds:

Photo: Kewl Kela@flickr

4/1 4/1 6/1 6/1 7/1 7/1 8/1 8/1 8/1 10/1 10/1 10/1

Damon Albarn Everyday Robots Royal Blood Royal Blood Kate Tempest Everybody Down Bombay Bicycle Club So Long, See You Tomorrow Nick Mulvey First Mind FKA twigs LP1 Jungle Jungle East India Youth Total Strife Forever Young Fathers Dead Polar Bear In Each and Every One Anna Calvi One Breath GoGo Penguin v2.0

Through a career with Blur, Gorillaz and many other projects, this may finally be the year Damon Albarn nabs the award. But newcomers Royal Blood - a duo of only an overdriven bass guitar and drums - may prove to be tough competition. Elsewhere, Bombay Bicycle Club’s number one album, which saw the group using sampling for a new sound. The unstoppable return of the

funk may have another great success if London based soul collective Jungle’s self-titled album wins. But who can’t help but want Manchester’s very own Jazz Trio GoGo Penguin to win, despite those 10/1 odds!?

Music

ISSUE 01 / 15th SEPTEMBER 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Welcome Week Guide

Alternative Freshers’ Guide Don’t want to spend a single second of freshers week dancing to the Top 40? Patrick Hinton has you covered Patrick Hinton Music Editor

M T W ARY BEARS C S

HIT & RUN

Bootleg

Hi Ku x Heavy Rain x Groove Kitchen

Antwerp Mansion - £3/£5

Xolo - £1

Mint Lounge - £2

Throw yourself straight into the deep end with a night of dubstep and dnb. Kahn headlines and is sure to bring a selection of rare and exciting dubplates in tow. Med School label signed Manchester student Keeno also features.

NXNW kick off this year with a free party held in an underground basement featuring their residents and friends, sure to be a fun and sweaty affair. Check the Facebook event for details on how to get on the guestlist. Free entry before 12:30/£2 after.

Get into the groove at Mint Lounge as these 3 well loved promoters team up in order to, in their own words, “cut through the vapidity of foam parties, cheap VKs and endless David fucking Guetta that can too often saturate this week”.

T F S NxNW

Obscure presents Club Rez

Koh Tao - £2

Soup Kitchen - £5/£7

Joshua Brooks – £10/£12

The next generation of Night Slugs producers is on show at Manchester’s best club. The Night Slugs crew are always ahead of the curve, so attend this if you want to hear the future of club music.

3 titans of techno take to the Joshua Brooks basement in a colossal b2b2b. Pariah, Tessela and Kowton have been impressing vastly of late, the three together is some prospect. This is easily the highlight of the week.

Fun vibes will be abound at Frontin’s freshers’ party. They encourage all attendees to let loose and have a ruddy good time by playing a great selection of Dancehall/ Garage/RnB/Disco.

get

INVOLVED

Selective Hearing

Want to write for us? We are always looking for enthusiastic contributors with a passion for music. No previous experience is required, although a good grasp of grammar and punctuation is important. Email us at music@mancunion.com to find out more about joining The Mancunion team.

Games

ISSUE 01/ 15th SEPTEMBER 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Editor: James Thursfield, Matthew Cole This Month

featureFIFA 15: is realism enough?

With the launch of FIFA 15 on the 25th September, Games Editor James Thursfield asks whether EA Games is prioritising realism over genuine innovation Summer is over, the first semester has just begun and, just as the sun rises every morning, FIFA’s latest annual offering hits the horizon. On 25 September FIFA 15, with its hypedup “emotion” and “next-gen realism”, will provide the most authentic depiction of the beautiful game to date. FIFA 15 looks set to advance the franchise, not through revolutionary new game mechanics (as presented in FIFA 10’s 360 degree control or FIFA 12’s revamped defending), but by utilizing their next-generation IGNITE engine to provide an unparalleled degree of visual realism. EA has sought to blur the lines between the game and reality by scanning over 200 new player faces and remodelling all 20 Premier League grounds with next-gen shadowing and pixellation. EA’s obsessive pursuit of realism in FIFA 15 is epitomised by their football

Photo: EA Sports FIFA @Tumblr pitches that are now programmed to deteriorate over the course of a game, with the ground registering every individual boot mark and slide tackle. With goal-line technology being included in the game, the only feature that seems to elude the latest FIFA entry is the infamous vanishing spray.

Another key feature to FIFA’s latest entry is “emotion”. When assessing emotion in FIFA most fans tend to associate it with the frustration following an unfairly conceded goal or game glitch. However, in FIFA 15 “emotion” takes multivarious forms with players demonstrating attitudes and reactions based on over 600

different emotions to reflect the changing contexts of a game. This could involve teammates tussling over an unfair tackle or bemoaning a teammate’s missed opportunity. With such variety available this fan has a small hope that one of these could include a disingenuous bite. With so many improvements being made to FIFA 15 visually it is fair to question whether the latest entry is prioritising style over substance. Lacking innovation is not exactly a newfound criticism of the FIFA franchise. FIFA 14 was criticised for lacking a definitive new feature, as is FIFA 15. Both games prioritise selling the experience as a whole rather than being dependent upon any individual feature. From a gameplay perspective FIFA 15 boasts a host of minor improvements. One that is likely to be a fan favourite is the revamping of goalkeepers. Goalkeepers now

have more realistic movement and decision-making powers with a host of new animations. Now, if you are unfortunate enough to concede a “jammy” goal, at least it will be conceded in the most realistic manner to date. However, to what extent are new animations, updated visuals and physics a strong enough selling point for an annualized franchise? For several years now, FIFA has boasted similar improvements with only small game-play alterations. If EA fails to innovate one of their industry dominating franchises stagnation could potentially set in. However, for FIFA’s first proper foray into next-generation consoles, with no meaningful competition in the market, it seems likely that realism will more than suffice for the present.

Feature

2014—the year so far After a mind-numbingly barren first six months on sale the latest games consoles have finally picked up some momentum with regards to big budget releases. This year’s major blockbuster, Destiny, has just hit shelves and will be closely followed by FIFA 15 , The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Alien: Isolation, The Crew, Assassin’s Creed Unity and Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare in the coming months. Somewhat depressingly, of those seven games, only two are built from the ground up for current generation hardware and only three are new franchises. Of course those games are my selections but it’s because of this trend that the industry can be argued to have had a juddering opening year in every sense but sales. Until recently, the Playstation 4 and Xbox One had achieved little but to usher in the dawn of the first forwards-compatible gaming systems, what with the majority of titles being available on old platforms as well as new. Despite this, the magpie effect has seen to the financial success of both Sony and Microsoft while the tragicomic hero Nintendo continues to lick its wounds after a torrid couple of years trying to convince the public that the Wii U is anything more than an ironic sort of nostalgia box. Their hopes of a revival naturally rest on the reception of the next entry of their beloved Smash Bros. series which will be coming out in console and handheld editions late in the year. Although still in its nascent stages, virtual reality made a huge splash in the news after Facebook’s acquisition of Oculus VR back in March for an estimated two billion US dollars. Oculus Rift, their first venture into headset VR, was initially funded by public backers in a Kickstarter campaign with the tacit promise that

Games editor Matthew Cole reviews the releases of 2014 so far and looks ahead to the future

the technology would be used for cutting edge gaming. The resulting disdain of these early investors was twofold: firstly, it meant that their contribution to the relatively small and independent project was now worth mere crumbs, and secondly it meant that the technology would veer off into a completely unwelcome direction— prior to the buyout these investors were forecasting graphically intense and immersive versions of the kinds of games already on the market, but once Facebook’s involvement in the project was confirmed they reluctantly came to terms with the fact that they had actually just funded Mark Zuckerberg’s latest attempt at mass mind control; a conspiracy to keep us asleep. Specifics have yet to be outlined but, rest assured, virtual reality is well on the road to making you feel even more alone. A far bleaker story that has gripped online gaming circles recently is the so called ‘gamergate’ scandal.

Originating in a nothing blog post made by a bitter ex-boyfriend, a debate over the spurious relationship between games developers and games media ensued, spawning frenzied allegations of corruption along with targeted hate campaigns against the accused. Zoe Quinn, indie games developer and subject of the blog attack, was alleged to have had sexual relations with prominent games journalist, Nathan Grayson, in order to promote her profile in the industry. These claims remain unsubstantiated but were treated as gospel at the time by a horde of angry 4chan users who took to Quinn’s Twitter account in a coordinated effort to shame and intimidate her, with the abuse then extending to peripheral figures such as Anita Sarkeesian, an active feminist for the medium, who had nothing to do with the saga but who had shown support for Quinn and who has thus received similar misogynistic vitriol. The ongoing episode has exposed

the gaming community as a naïve and remorseless hive of boneheads who are yet to understand the virtue of compassion and the fundamental necessity of truth. If nothing else, ‘gamergate’ serves as a reminder, if one was ever needed, of the futility of organising Internet discussion and the nearimpossibility of corroborating online sources. Arguably there is one redeeming quality to this massive car crash: the slew of fascinatingly barmy online commentators and their blinkered take on topical events. The plankton you will find upon a search of “gamergate” will almost make you think the smear campaign was a fair trade off for the subsequent entertainment it provided. There are still reasons to be excited about the medium though. Glimmers of innovation were seen at E3, not least in Hello Games’ No Man’s Sky. The developer promises to present players with a procedurally generated universe, which means you’ll encounter quasi-randomly generated planets and extraterrestrial set-pieces that are nevertheless shared between everyone in the game. I say quasirandomly because while the universe contains an infinite combination of possible constellations, ecosystems and even specific animal species, technically the game can only exist and function smoothly because the data contained within conforms to finely tuned algorithms, granting not just an endless variety Oculus Rift: the future of gaming? of scenarios but a safety Photo: Global Panorama @Flickr net from chaos.

Opposing the tendency of modern games to shower players with objectives and waypoints, No Man’s Sky instead embraces its germination in traditional sci-fi concepts by focusing on isolation and discovery, much in the same way that the new Alien title appears to embrace old-school horror game conventions without the rollicking action sequences and cheap scares which end up tainting rather than augmenting the final experience. Other highlights from E3 include the new gameplay trailers for The Witcher 3, which looks to be the next Skyrim but for people who can take themselves seriously. Add to that the exciting new Silent Hill project, cleverly titled Silent Hills (at least it’s better than having a ridiculous number or subtitle stamped on the end), a collaboration between Pan’s Labyrinth director, Guillermo del Toro, and Metal Gear Solid’s creator (and all around smug narcissist) Hideo Kojima. We could well be witnessing the resurgence of true horror over the next year. Having taken a brief glance at the year so far, and having pondered a potentially bright future, I’m afraid I must end on a hypocritical note. The one game, whether announced or unannounced, that might reasonably be expected to tickle my fancy, happens to be a certain Fallout 4 , an adventure I will have already experienced the likes of before and one that has a big fat number slapped to its title, and all this hype despite my pathetic objection to sequels and stagnation in the above scroll. Alas, I too am a sucker for known quantities and my only real wish is to melt into a fifties apocalypse once again.

ISSUE 01/15th SEPTEMBER 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

/TheMancunion: Fashion and Beauty

Editors: Gráinne Morrison, Nikki Patel, Aimée Grant Cumberbatch

@TheMancunion

Feature

Manchester: An Insider’s Guide Gráinne Morrison guides you through Manchester’s hectic high street So it’s probably dawned on you by now that shabby-chic is the staple look of the Mancunian student. Hard as it may be to believe, there remain a few of us who like to buy garments that have not been previously worn (I think the word people use is ‘new’). If this is you, you’ve come to the right place. Manchester’s array of high street stores is a major reason I fell in love with it all those wondrous three years ago.

‘You have no excuse for looking anything but fresh at all times.’

Yes, vintage shopping may prove more fruitful in terms of original looks but one doesn’t always have the time to trawl through rack after rack of questionable knits and floral blouses. Sometimes you just need a sure thing, this is where the Arndale Centre steps in. If you haven’t yet ventured into the famous landmark, you will inevitably find yourself there in the next few days. For me, it’s the safe haven to which I run when I realize midday on a Wednesday that I have nothing to wear to Juicy, which is just not okay. It’s where you’ll find Topshop, River Island, New Look, Ark, Kurt Geiger, Office etc. You’ll also find Shout, aka the five pound shop; they sell knock offs of more expensive stores

for, you guessed it, a fiver. Most importantly, the Arndale is home to Luv Ya Babes, the go to place for all things jungle for Saturday’s Pangaea. Market Street houses all other student favorites such as H&M, Urban Outfitters, All Saints, Schuh and a man who sells brollies for one pound, what more could you possibly want? There is, of course, a major Zara which you’ll find at the lower end of Market Street. Make it your fallback for classic items and you’ll never go too wrong. Looking for a more high end look? Deansgate will sort you out with stores like The Kooples and Whistles. There are department stores galore with House of Fraser, Harvey Nichols, Selfridges and

Debenhams. Obviously there is the Trafford Centre but please be careful, it is not a place to be approached casually. I don’t know of one person who has left that building with anything resembling a reasonable bank balance or working legs. All in all, there are few complaints to be had when it comes to shopping in this beautiful, rainy city so you have no excuse for looking anything but fresh at all times.

Aimée Grant Cumberbatch helps you unearth Manchester’s vintage shopping secrets For most new arrivals, Manchester’s vintage scene is the stuff dreams. Whether you come from a small town where your style was stifled or a place where retro is considered a dirty word, the city has swathes of boutiques and shopping streets dedicated to looking just a little different. Your first port of call for second hand items should always be Manchester’s Northern Quarter. Home to the town’s quirkier bars, restaurants and clubs, this is also where you’ll find some of the best vintage bargains. Don’t let yourself be sucked in by the edgy looking options that fringe Manchester’s Piccadilly

‘Buying’s completely guilt-free.’

Gardens (a.k.a the bit in town where you get off the bus) as although these stores are cool, they are all too aware of it and will see you waving goodbye to your brand new loan before you can say cable knit jumper. Making the effort to find Manchester’s more hidden vintage gems will stand you in good stead both sartorially and financially. Located in the heart of the Northern Quarter is Affleck’s Palace. A little bit like the Camden market of times gone by, this is the stomping ground of steam punks, hipsters, grunge girls, indie acolytes, goths and grebos alike. A day out in itself, there are of course a lot of stalls in Afflecks that won’t be quite to your taste to you but keep your eyes peeled

Photo: Yasorsomething @Flickr

for the haberdashery stalls where you can stock up on everything you need to alter and up cycle your outfits and the bead shop where you can buy ingredients for original accessories. For when your wardrobes needing a little love or even for when its bursting at its expertly styled seams, you’ll need to know the locations of Manchester’s best charity shops. Your go to spots for stocking up on jazzy shirts, silk scarves and chintzy tea cups, you’ll find them dotted around the slightly less central areas of Withington and East Didsbury, and even a few in the back streets of Fallowfield (Mauldeth Rd East). Needless to say, the prices are low and the buying’s completely guilt free.

ASK

Is Manchester’s maddening meteorology wreaking havoc on your wardrobe? Aimée Grant Cumberbatch explains how to survive the city in style.

Rainy walk to bus, sweaty journey on bus, rainy walk from bus to lecture theatre, equatorial heat or subarctic temperatures in lecture theatre, rainy walk back to bus, repeat. If you aren’t already familiar with this gruelling cycle then you soon will be. This epic voyage through desert-worthy extremes of temperature and meteorological madness is what we call getting to uni. Yes, it’s fair to say

Older, wiser, better dressed… We asked some of Manchester’s finest for their fresher’s fashion advice.

that Manchester presents a clothing conundrum that takes a fair few drowned-rat moments to surmount. So “how to do it?” I hear you cry from beneath that barrage of broken brollies. Well first of all the key is layering. Yes people, it sounds obvious but good layers are a subtle art. Invest in high quality knitwear, well-fitting shirts and jackets that you can keep cracking out every winter until you graduate. Now to the tricky subject that is the u m b re l l a , unless it’s made from reinforced steel and industrial-grade tarpaulin, Photo: Pthiers @ Flickr it won’t be

long before Manchester’s made mincemeat out of yours. For the days when drizzle is as dire as it’ll get, then a small black umbrella is both chic and practical. However, when the grumpy old northerner’s in a stormier mood, it will laugh in the face of your feeble Accessorize offering. On days like this you want a raincoat with a hood, yes I said it, raincoat. But fear not fellow fashionistas, dispel those visions of macs in sacks and school trips to forsaken corners of the country, I don’t mean that kind of raincoat! Look out for navy blue duffle styles or a classic trench coat. Right, let’s not wander around the issue, footwear presents a bit of a problem in the veritable washing-up basin that Manchester frequently resembles. Now being

something of a wellington purist (that is to say festivals only), I don’t advocate that you take the wellie route, I can’t deny their practicality but they will never scream chic. However, nor do I condone the nonsensical sporting of flip flops, you know who you are, stop it. The sight of hairy toes on the morning bus is not a hangover cure. Instead I’ll level with you, last year I put my boots on in October and didn’t take them off till March; this means that your pair need to be delectable, or else you’ll just be depressed. Also, it’s wise to invest in an array of cosy wool socks which provide warmth but also a cheeky bit of decoration when left peeking out over the top.

Looking back on my own first year Fresher’s week I cringe at my toothpick brows, patchy foundation and caterpillar falsies. To avoid my own beauty crimes, here’s a fail-safe, striking and simple beauty look that will turn heads for all the right reasons during this week’s festivities. By Nikki Patel. 1. After priming your lids to create a smooth base, apply a rich mahogany shade all over the lid with a fluffy brush, blending out towards the brow bone.

Photo: The Mancunion

2. Define your inner creases with a more intense shade and firmer brush, blending well to avoid patchiness. Bring this same shade underneath the eye before highlighting your inner corners with an illuminating pigment and applying mascara and liquid liner.

Student Beauty

you

ANSWER

I (sort of) Woke Up Like This

with Gráinne Morrison

“Always go out in clothes that won’t look conspicuous on the bus home at 10.30am the next day.” - Emma Cadman

Freshers’ Why does it always rain on me? Tutorial

We Ask You Answer

Fashion

“Leavers hoodies, uggs, leggings which show your knickers through... All unacceptable.” - Jessica Cusack

“Triple denim.” - Miles Zilesnick

“Giraffe is a strong look.” - Jack Bittiner

“Whatever it is, just tone it the f*** down.” - Giueseppi Garbow

“I’ve seen a couple of guys with floral bucket hats recently, please stop this from happening.” - Sarah Wolff

“UV paint on clothes. Having the written “Down with leavers’ hoodies.” - Jake Pumwords of ‘ENTER HERE’ on the back of mintr your Tshirt is a terrible look. Freshers banter is always, always lame.” - Liviy Poole

So you’ve had a big night, you’ve got kebab in your hair and you look like an extra from The Mummy? Memorise these beauty tips so that you can strut to class with pride as opposed to shame in the am.Nikki Patel

Preparation is everything Alcohol dehydrates everything, leaving your hair your skin and even yzour brain feeling shrivelled. Hydrate yourself from the inside-out with a fish-oil supplement. Trust me, you’ll feel a lot fresher the next morning and your skin will thank you for it. Bun=Best Friend: Sweaty roots and mangled tresses can be easily disguised with a messy top knot. Be sure to prep your locks with a texturizing powder and a scented hair mist to fake that freshly washed look come Monday morning. Redken Style Connection Powder Grip, packs a powerful volumising punch and lasts and lasts. Aquolina Pink Sugar Fragrance is spiked with candy scents and fruity flavours, masking the musty odours from last night’s smoking area. Give the makeup a miss Well, in a certain sense. Nothing gives away last night’s secrets more than a full face of foundation which on dehydrated skin can look cakey and discoloured. Instead target specific points of discolouration with Rosaliac CC Cream by La Roche Posay. Green tinted correctors such as this neutralize redness and yellow tints mask under eye bags. Finish with a light slick of hydrating BB cream such as Shiseido Perfect Hydrating BB Cream; it’ll sit much better than your regular foundation. Shine bright like a diamond Highlighting really is the pièce de résistance when you wake up feeling fuzzy. Just a few dabs blended along your cheekbones, down the bridge of your nose and in the centre of your forehead will add depth to your face and create a luminous effect. Combine this with a rosy cream blush such as Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge and for all anyone knew, you stayed in with your Kindle last night. Sight for sore eyes Friday’s smokey may have wowed at the time, but heavy eye makeup during the day will only highlight that you’ve had 2 hours sleep and you’re running on Red Bull. Utilise a beige liner along your lower water line to make your eyes appear wider and more awake. Sleeping with an extra pillow also helps to drain fluid from under your eyes, preventing puffiness. Though when you arrive home, pizza, not pillow height is Photo: Pinterest probably the first thing on your mind!

Photo: The Mancunion

3.Finally fill in you your lips with a crimson matter liner, enhancing the areas that you choose. This will ensure that your perfect pout stays in place for the entire evening. Finish off with a lick of your favourite deep red, set everything with a mattifying powder, and you’re good to go!

Photo: The Mancunion

Film

ISSUE 01/ 15th SEPTEMBER 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Editors: Tom Bruce, Andriana Hambi, James Moules, Martin Solibakke

Top Five

Top Five: University Films With Welcome Week upon us, James Moules counts down his picks for the best movies about uni life. 5) Good Will Hunting (1997) Will Hunting was a genius, but he was content to work as a janitor at MIT. Was he wasting his talent? Perhaps he was. There may be plenty of us who are hiding from our true potential out there – this charming coming of age tale could be an inspiration for them.

4) The Freshman (1925) If silent films are your thing, then you’ll more than likely enjoy this Harold Lloyd comedy about a new college student and his mission to achieve popularity. Ninety years down the line, and the film has achieved the popularity that the protagonist was so yearning for. How charming, eh?

3) The Nutty Professor (1963) I’m guessing that most readers will be more familiar with the Eddie Murphy remake, so I urge everyone to check out the original. It’s a hilarious and smart movie about a nerdy university science professor who creates for himself a good-looking and charming alter ego. A PhD project idea to consider, perhaps?

Feature

The Cornerhouse A HOME Away From Home Editor Tom Bruce urges all students to visit the famous Cornerhouse cinema/gallery. For those university students who all sorts. To answer the second part of that regularly attend the palatial hub of art and question: What’s normal? Sure, there might film known as the Manchester Cornerhouse, be films that aren’t to everyone’s liking, but it never fails to amaze them how few people everyone’s preferences are different – for have been to or even know of it. Nestled example, I hate period dramas, period. between the Oxford Road train station and However much you may initially distrust the the central library as you head towards particular genre/origin of a film there is such Piccadilly, the Cornerhouse has been this a thing as an acquired taste, and it applies city’s most renowned exponent of theatre, just as much to cinema as it does to food or visual arts and independent cinema Photo: www.annemariemarshall.com since October 3rd, 1985. In stark contrast to your Didsbury Cineworlds, Trafford centre Odeons and Deansgate AMCs, the place has history. Here’s just a few examples of the Cornerhouse’s rich heritage: It had the honour of screening the UK premiere of Quentin Tarantino’s first feature film, Reservoir Dogs; it was the first venue to display the artwork of the internationally famous modernist Damien Hirst; lastly, according to his book Hatchet Job, it is the place where Britain’s foremost film critic (and former University of Manchester student) Mark Kermode got in a tussle after watching Blue Velvet, heading straight to the bar and saying it was discount alcoholic beverages. As well as the crap. If those nuggets alone aren’t enough yearly Oscar fare, Cornerhouse puts on a to send you straight for the Cornerhouse’s varied display of older movies hailing from prestigious automatic doors, how about the golden era of cinema, which in the last the free two-floor gallery or £4.50 student year have included Throne of Blood, The cinema tickets? Deer Hunter and Sunset Boulevard. If you ‘So what kinds of films do they show at haven’t seen those films you should come to this house on the corner? Do they show mine and watch them on DVD. normal ones?’—this, accompanied with Now onto the future. A couple of years an expression of contorted disdain, is the back, the Cornherhouse’s management typical response of the uninitiated towards made it known to the public that their any acolyte of the Cornerhouse who cinema/gallery/cafe/bookstore was going to extends a recommendation. To answer be changing in a big way: it is going HOME. the first part of that question: They show HOME, the new exciting cultural project

from the Greater Manchester Arts Centre Ltd, is set to open in Spring of 2015, which of course means that you lucky people can be among its very first patrons. Aside from confusing conversations about where to see the latest flick (e.g ‘Oh I didn’t know that was out. Where did you see it?’ ‘We saw it at home’ ‘You downloaded it? But that’s illegal!’), the HOME project will be of major benefit to the local area, especially for students of the arts. One of HOME’s highest profile sponsors is Olympic ceremony conductor and Oscar winner Danny Boyle—you might remember him as the director of such films as Slumdog Millionaire, 28 Days Later and Trainspotting—who is currently on the campaign trail raising awareness and funding for this fantastic, multi-media entertainment facility. Mr Boyle said in a recent public appearance:’Having always had a great relationship with Cornerhouse, I’m really excited to be supporting HOME. The funding that the organisation has already received recognises the scale of HOME’s ambition.’ Previz images of the HOME building itself, which will serve the requirements of both the Cornerhouse and the Library Theatre Company, make it look like some kind of new age Library of Alexandria, if that were made out of hunks of discarded alien spaceships. It’s going to look pretty nifty anyway, and you will be able to find it on First Street, a new area of property development located a few blocks south west of the Cornerhouse’s current location. HOME will have five cinema screens to the current venue’s three, but we’re hoping the student rates will remain the same.

Classic Review

Photo: Paramount Pictures

2) Animal House (1978) I couldn’t possibly list the best university movies without reference to Animal House. Without spoiling it for anyone yet to see the film, let’s just say that the clue to the movie’s nature is there in the title. Outrageous does not begin to describe it.

1) The Social Network (2010) A great and ambitious movie about great ambition, David Fincher’s masterpiece about the founding of Facebook gives us a sharp and perceptive but never cynical look at the innovations that a young mind can bring. Just try your hardest not to be an asshole. That is unless you are trying.

Photo: Columbia Pictures

The Deer Hunter War movies are far from being an uncommon sight in popular culture, so it’s easy to let loose a groan of weariness when presented with the opportunity to watch another – while it is true that the filmmaking institution likes to squeeze every possible ounce of creative potential out of the recent military conflicts of our time, if I were to name ten war movies that are essential viewing to even the most ardent sceptic of cinema, The Deer Hunter would certainly be one of them. One thing that will probably surprise most first time viewers of this film is how little time we actually spend in the warzone. This is because The Deer Hunter is not so much a war movie as a movie about war and, more specifically, its impact on the lives of ordinary people. Before Vietnam, we see the characters played by Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken and John Savage living their lives as normal Americans in a normal American town. By the time they’re back from the war, these three actors are playing completely different people. Anyone who has seen

Director: Michael Cimino • Starring: Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, Meryl Streep Released: 1978 the film knows how much of an emotional gut-punch we get from this transformation. Everyone else can but speculate. Although The Deer Hunter has come to be overshadowed by the cinematic colossus that is Apocalypse Now – which was released one year later – the two movies are entirely different experiences. One is a technical tour

de force that gives us a haunting portrait of the Vietnam War. The other is a harrowing emotional journey through the lives of people like ourselves in extraordinary surroundings. Neither of them can be missed by anyone. James Moules

Photo: Universal Pictures

/MancunionFilm

Film 19

ISSUE 01/ 15th SEPTEMBER 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

@mancunionfilm

Review

TV Guide

Before I Go to Sleep Editor James Moules reckons that Nicole Kidman’s latest is a cheap attempt at replicating better movies. Few things can make a passionate the truth about her condition. lover of cinema’s blood simmer I expect that any self-professed more than when a filmmaker connoisseur of cinema will wastes a great premise. What’s likely be quick to spot the plot even worse is when it happens similarities between Before I Go so often in such a sort space of to Sleep and Christopher Nolan’s time. Transcendence managed to 2000 masterpiece Memento. I also be guilty of this abominable sin anticipate that absolutely no one earlier this year, and now Before I would walk in to a cinema with Go to Sleep has managed to Photo: StudioCanal continue this beastly trend. The movie tells the story of Christine Lucas (Nicole Kidman), who wakes up every morning not knowing where she is or what has happened. Her husband Ben (Colin Firth) informs her each day that she is an amnesiac who, for the past few years, has forgotten everything about her life every time she goes to sleep. She also keeps on getting calls from a scientist (Mark Strong), who claims to be studying her memory this in mind and expect Before I patterns while trying to cure Go to Sleep to be any better. And, her. Not knowing if she can trust inevitably, they’re not wrong. anyone, Christine seeks to find any Before I Go to Sleep is one of those possible way to keep a track of her cinematic ‘remakes’ that seemingly life while attempting to establish forgets what made the original

great in the first place. The main problem that Before I Go to Sleep has that Memento avoided is its inability for us to connect with the central character. When Christine wakes up each morning, she’s forgotten everything – we, the audience, have not. This results in a tiresome sequence of frustration inducing moments when we are forced to endure halts in the narrative to allow Christine to catch up with us. Christopher Nolan solved this problem in Memento with his genius handling of the film’s ‘backwards’ narrative. Before I Go to Sleep seems all too aware of the fact that it’s standing in Memento’s shadow, which I assume is why they chose to follow a more conventional narrative pattern. I don’t think I need to elaborate as to how big a mistake that was. While I’m not trying to spoil the plot for readers here, I think it’s a fairly safe assumption that

any viewer would expect a large number of plot twists in a narrative like this. If you are switched on enough to make such a casual leap, then you’re in luck, for Before I Go to Sleep has what can only be described as an abundance of such plot devices. Again, this is where the filmmakers were trying to be too clever for their own good. While there are one or two effective rug-pulls, most of the occasions in which they try to trick us are so obvious and/or so insignificant in the broad scheme that by the time of the final reveal, we just don’t care. We know not to trust anyone, and therefore we don’t root for anyone either. For all the promise that Before I Go to Sleep had with its interesting (albeit familiar) premise and its stellar cast, it pretty much manages to define a missed opportunity. If there’s one thing I love the most about this movie, it’s the irony that a movie about memory loss manages to be so forgettable. I’m guessing this irony wasn’t intentional, though. 2/5

Cornerhouse Pick of the Week

You Can’t Handle the Truth!

Night Moves

Greatest Movie Ever?

Tom Bruce found this ‘explosive’ thriller to be something of a dud.

James Moules bemoans the popular notion that The Shawshank Redemption is the best film ever made.

Photo: Cinedigm Corp.

Almost twenty years after her directorial debut, writer/filmmaker Kelly Reichardt is still cranking them out. She may not be the most influential or well funded woman in the business, but she has stayed true to her vision, capturing stories that hone in on social realism and the power of nature. Three characters who are slightly more passionate about mother earth than Ms Reichardt are Josh (Jesse Eisenberg), Deena (Dakota Fanning) and Harmon (Peter Sarsgaard), the leads of slowburn suspense film Night Moves, in which a pair of manipulable part time activists are coaxed into blowing up a dam by an ex-army explosives expert. Call themselves environmentalists? They aren’t even vegan! Everyone knows the song ‘Cool Guys Don’t Look at Explosions’- well, these guys are so composed that they barely hear the ammonium nitrate blast which they so painstakingly rigged as they drive off home, acknowledging the execution of their anti-establishment crime only with a

2/5

I have a little test to work out if a person knows what they’re talking about when it comes to cinema – I ask them, ‘What is the greatest movie ever made?’ If they give a definite answer, they have no idea what they’re on about. Don’t get me wrong – there’s nothing incriminating about having a favourite film. But trying to make such a bold claim as to label one film the greatest of all time is mark of a lofty-minded ignoramus. An even more self-disregarding display of lack of intelligence would be to assume that the question of determining the greatest film of all time could be answered by means of an open opinion poll. Now, don’t get me wrong – I’m not bashing pure democracy, and I’m not saying that conducting such a survey is an interesting exercise. What I do protest is when such a poll comes out with a blatantly questionable result that goes on to be regarded as definitive. Astute readers will be aware that I am, of course, referring to the iMDb Top 250 list. The perpetually referenced poll has

GUIDE

Hello, and welcome to the Mancunion’s first weekly television guide of 2014. Whether you’re a fresh(er) faced first year or a wizened post-grad who knows that all students do is sit down and flick through day time garbage until it’s late enough to go out, this column is here to inform you of the best things for you to watch/record on your TV. It’ll be fun and educational. Like university. If you have TV reception, then it’ll also be free. Unlike university. Photo: 20th Century Fox

First on this week’s list is the inferior (but still hilarious) sequel to Airplane, called Airplane II: The Sequel, on Film 4 on Monday at 7pm. What better way to bond with your new flatmates than to laugh at trauma victims and dirty priest jokes? Avatar is on the same channel right after at Photo: DreamWorks Pictures

9pm, but who wants to see that again? For those with a taste for old-school thrillers, Alfred Hitchcock’s Saboteur airs on Tuesday at 1.25pm (Film 4 again). Later at 9pm on BBC4 you can join Billy Elliot for pre-drinks, then follow in his footsteps by shuffling around in a crowded club for three hours.

Photo: Columbia Pictures

wry chuckle. All suspense leaks from Night Moves – as would a pent up river through shattered water barrier – once the trio slit up and resume their daily routines; Josh works on a farm (it’s boring), Deena owns a sauna (it’s stuffy) and Harmon does sod all. Cinematographer Christopher Blauvelt takes a very deliberate approach to each and every scene, dragging out the shots of the leads moping around for as long as possible to establish a bleak mood of impending doom – that might sound impressive but it is actually rather dull. Dakota Fanning gives the only noteworthy performance of the piece – her star is ever on the rise. Someone whose star will hopefully soon devolve into a black dwarf is Jesse Eisenberg. He was scabrous yet sympathetic in The Social Network, gormless but amusing in Zombieland, and a smarmy prat in Now You See Me. In Night Moves he’s just bad.

consistently labelled none other than The Shawshank Redemption as the number one film of all time. My question is this – why? Let me be clear before you all start hating – it’s a good film. No questions there from me. I can see why it’s so popular. It’s an inspiring, entertaining and moving picture. But is anyone genuinely suggesting that it’s the best film ever made? While Shawshank is a great piece of entertainment, it doesn’t come anywhere close to representing the peak of cinema as an art form. It’s not the most innovative piece of storytelling ever put to film. It simply does what it does well. Nothing more. Of course, I hope that most people who have their heads screwed on properly will take iMDb’s Top 250 with a large pinch of salt – nobody ever takes publicvoted book polls seriously, so why do the same with movies? Don’t be afraid to have your own opinions! That’s all for now.

Wednesday is a bit of a clash: The 40 Year Old Virgin (ITV2), Ghost Rider 2: How’d It Get Made? (Film 4) and The Fifth Element (5*) are all on at 9pm. Oh, and don’t dare miss Tropic Thunder on BBC3 at midnight, or else Tom Cruise will f*** you up. Why not take a day with Ferris Bueller on Friday (Film4, 6.45pm), then die at 9pm on E4 – die Hard, that is. Bad Boys is also showing at the same time on 5*. Outside The Shawshank Redemption (ITV, Sat, 10pm), Silence of the Lambs (ITV4, Sat, 11.35pm) and Sightseers (Film 4, Sat, 11.45pm) the weekend doesn’t have much on apart from X Factor (ITV, seemingly always),and repeats of the Great British I’m Baked and Very Hungry - just use iPlayer for that one. Until next week then. Tom Bruce

ISSUE 01/ 15th SEPTEMBER 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Editors: Leonie Dunn, Ali Pearson Profile

Books 20

TheMancunion: Books @MancunionBooks

Feature

albert CAMUS

Photo: Wikimedia Commons Born in Algeria in 1913, to impoverished colonists, Camus never knew his father, and was raised by a mother who was unable to read. He studied philosophy at the University of Algiers, spending his free time as goalkeeper for the university team, as an actor on the stage, and as a member of the Algerian communist party— although he admitted that he had neither the time nor the will to read Marx. After university, he became a journalist, and during the Second World War found himself involved in the resistance in Paris. Due to his impoverished upbringing, Camus would always feel like an outsider in the city—a rugged, tanned maverick amongst bourgeois Parisians such as Sartre and de Beauvoir. This however did not stop him from establishing himself as an intellectual leader, both through his leadership of the underground newspaper Combat and his novels. He also joined Sartre’s social circle, and became known as a serial womaniser. Published in 1942, The Outsider ( l’Étranger ) is a fiercely atheistic tale of a murder in paradise, carried out for no conceivable reason. In France it became an instant success, and was eventually translated into over thirty languages. 1942 also saw the publication of The Myth of Sisyphus (Le Mythe de Sisyphe. ) It puts suicide as the only essential philosophical question. In a post-religious world, what is the point in being alive? Doomed by the Greek gods to push the rock up the mountain for all eternity, Sisyphus suffers a meaningless and absurd existence, yet he refuses to take his own life. His struggle is the same suffered by mankind. We must learn to view life as an absurd struggle against the universe rather than a journey towards final ends. Only then, Camus believed, can we be truly alive and free. Like many of the greatest authors, Camus did not live to see old age. He died in a car crash at the age of 47. Paying tribute in an obituary notice, Sartre wrote, “Camus could never cease to be one of the principal forces in our cultural domain, nor to represent, in his own way, the history of France and of this century.” Aidan Gregory Editor-in-Chief

The Life of Leo Tolstoy

On the 186th anniversary of the Russian author’s birth, Books Editor Ali Pearson explores the life and times of the prolific writer, philosopher and political thinker. The 9th September marked the 186th anniversary of Russian author, philosopher and political thinker Leo Tolstoy’s birth. He is one of the most inspiring authors who ever lived. Virginia Woolf called him the greatest of all novelists; James Joyce remarked, “He is never dull, never stupid, never tired, never pedantic, never theatrical!” His work “The Kingdom of God is Within You” brought up the idea of pacifism that would have a heavy impact on Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. Born into a family well known to Russian nobility, Tolstoy was the fourth of five children. He briefly attended Kazan University before dropping out and moving to various cities around Russia. In 1851, like his fellow contemporary Fyodor Dostoevsky, he suffered from running up major gambling debts and decided to join the army with one of his brothers. It was roughly at this point that he started to write. His first piece of work “Childhood” would eventually become the first of a trilogy that explores a young person surfacing into the world and their role in it. It would be

followed by “Boyhood” and “Youth”. In his later years Tolstoy would dismiss these works as “an awkward mixture of fact and fiction,” however it did earn him immediate acclaim from one of the prominent Russian writers of the time, Ivan Turgenev. In 1862 Tolstoy married Sophia Behrs. The relationship would be later portrayed in “Anna Karenina” through the characters Levin and Kitty. The married couple would go on to have fourteen children; five would tragically die before reaching their 8th birthday. In 1863 he began his most prestigious novel, “War and Peace”. The epic piece would take six years to finish and contain 1,225 pages. It documents Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in the early 1800s as seen through the eyes of five Russian aristocratic families. Significantly the first edition is partially written in French but the majority in Russian. The dialogue is where most of the French is presented as it was considered more esteemed than Russian though critic Orlando Figes suggested in his New York Review of Books that Tolstoy used the French

language to illustrate deceit and Russian to symbolise sincerity and honesty. The book would later be included in countless lists as one of the greatest pieces of literature ever written. The American magazine Newsweek placed it at number one in their list of top 100 books. Critics praised Tolstoy’s objectivity in the novel with Ernest Hemmingway remarking, “no one could write about war better than Tolstoy did” and Isaak Babel going as far as saying that “if the world could write by itself, it would write like Tolstoy.” He began his first proper work of fiction “Anna Karenina” in 1873, taking four years to complete. It is a story of a doomed love as the unhappily married titular character commences an affair with Count Vronsky. It was one of the first pieces of literature to use a stream of consciousness style, something that the likes of James Joyce and Virginia Woolf would later utilise. Like “War and Peace” the novel is highly regarded with Dostoevsky declaring it “flawless as a work of art”. “Anna Karenina” had a

profound effect on Tolstoy and he fell into an existential crisis, which he explained in his 1884 publication, “My Confession.” He converted to Christianity in 1878 in attempt to use faith to solve the problem of life’s meaninglessness. However, he soon discovered that all organised religion seemed to be corrupt and thus developed his own beliefs based upon Christianity. He outlined his Christian Anarchist beliefs in his 1894 piece “The Kingdom of God is Within You”. It was greatly influential for Mohandas Ghandi who said he was “overwhelmed” after reading it. The pair would

Photo: Jim Forest @flickr exchange letters from 1908 until Tolstoy’s death two years later. Tolstoy would extend his Christian Anarchist beliefs by writing his own religious model gaining many followers. However this resulted in him being excommunicated from the Russian Orthodox Church. Leo Tolstoy died aged 82 after suffering pneumonia. Thousands lined the street for his funeral, which only exemplifies what a prominent figure of Russian life the great writer was. His final burial place is by the “green stick” his brother told him about in his childhood.

Review

Franz Kafka—The Castle “If a man has his eyes bound, you can encourage him as much as you like to stare through the bandage, but he’ll never see anything.”

F ranz Kafka’s final novel, “The Castle”, is a typically Kafkaesque story incorporating themes of alienation, frustration and bureaucracy. It is a long and gruelling read as Kafka takes us on a steady journey of Josef K’s life in a surreal setting and situation where you never quite know if the journey will provide any meaning or progression. Despite sharing many features with Kafka’s earlier work, “The Trial”, it contains additional elements such as degrees of humour as well as loving relationships between the protagonist and other characters. Josef K has been employed as a surveyor by an unknown entity from the castle and told to report for duty at an unknown village. The village is dark and cold, we are told spring and summer only last a couple of days there, and lies below the castle. Due to the weather the castle is barely

visible but its ominous presence is felt by all of the people in the village. Upon arrival, K is provided with two assistants, an annoying and childish

duo that provide some unexpected smiles for the reader, as they resemble The Chuckle Brothers with their antics, jumping over one another, laughing and giggling and generally just annoying K. K’s frustrations grow as he learns the village has no need for a surveyor and furthermore, he cannot gain direct access to the castle and has to go through various procedures and processes before he can even think of venturing there. He endeavours to meet Klamm, an alleged secretary of the castle who resides in the village sometimes. However, on the first night where he could possibly meet him, Klamm’s mistress, Frieda, distracts him and the two begin their love affair on the floor of a pub. Whether K ever genuinely adores Frieda or just uses her to try and get closer to the castle is never quite known but Frieda eventually presumes the latter and leaves him. This is not before one of the most hauntingly beautiful lines of the book where K tells Frieda “I dream of a grave, deep and narrow, where we could clasp each other in our arms as with clamps, and I would hide my face in you and you would hide your face in me, and nobody would ever see us any more.” The rest of the novel sees K running tirelessly around the village looking for answers to explain why he was

invited to this nightmarish place and perhaps more importantly who invited him and for what purpose. The book ends mid-sentence, as Kafka himself seemed to become too frustrated to provide a conclusion to this miserable story. A logical ending to the story would be K’s death and supposedly that is what Kafka intended telling Max Brod in a letter that K would be on his deathbed when he would be notified that his “legal claim to live in the village was not valid, yet, taking certain auxiliary circumstances into account, he was permitted to live and work there”. But the actual ending, for me, is more poignant to the struggles we all have against bureaucracy. Josef K, unlike the character of the same name in Kafka’s earlier novel “The Trial”, doesn’t give in and surrender to the authorities, he tries to rebel and discover what his own fate is although it is an impossible fight. The fact that the novel ends mid-sentence shows that an individual’s struggle against the world’s order would be never-ending and is always fruitless and absurd, so giving up is always somewhat justifiable. The way Kafka expresses this in his prose makes it beyond question that he was one of the greatest writers of the 20th Century. He could even be mentioned alongside the likes of Orwell and

Huxley in producing a body of work that illustrates a dystopian future that in the present day appears more and more like reality. Photo: Celeste RC @Flickr

Societies

ISSUE 01/ 15th SEPTEMBER 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Editor: Evie Hull

Societies at Pangaea

Societies Editor Evie Hull casts her eye across the societies making an appearance at Pangaea, the biggest night of the University’s year. By now you’ve probably got your Pangaea tickets, are in the middle of sorting out a fantastic costume and have predrinks planned. It’s set to be a fantastic, varied night, with something for everyone to enjoy – and that means some of the societies on campus will be making an appearance! The LGBTQ Society will be hosting a room for the fourth year; you can find them in Room 3 on the top floor of the SU all evening with an irresistibly cheesy event. Committee member Monica Dhillon promises “wall-to-wall party tunes and classics that you’d normally be too embarrassed to play as Pan-GAY-a returns as your premier dodgy teenage house party throwback that you hate yourself for loving.” Look out for them at the Welcome Fair on the 16th and 17th, and their other events through the first few weeks of term, including the annual Village Bar Crawl on the 19th and a Meet & Greet at Sidney Street Cafe on the 25th. Save Our NHS will also be making one of their regularly

scheduled appearances; they’ll be hosting the bar area and will be “giving out stickers, glitter and tattoos with the help of their now Pangaea-famous mascot Bevan the Bear”, in the words of member Emma Runswick. They’ll be available for a chat about what they do both at Pangaea and the Welcome Fair; campaigning against cuts, closures and privatisation in the NHS, in addition to working with local groups on issues affecting the community and lobbying on international issues. They always welcome new members, and the society is open to everyone. UoMDnB (Drum & Bass Society) and the Reggae Society will also be hosting areas at Pangaea; in Room 2 and at the Street Food Festival respectively. UoMDnB offers discounts on the main DnB, jungle and bass nights in Manchester and on the night will be hosting multiple DJs, as well as offering information on their society—and it’s totally free to join! The Reggae Society, formed in October 2013, are not only offering their signa-

ture mix of friendly community and reggae dance, but also the launch of the Sound System CoOperative, a student-owned and maintained sound system available for use. They’ll be around all night with more information

about upcoming events and membership. So, rumble in the jungle on September 20th with all the fantastic societies the University of Manchester has to offer!

Spotlight on

Women’s Campaign Manchester’s Women’s Campaign offers an inclusive and varied range of events to all interested students, both within the university and in the local community. Evie Hull Societies Editor

Manchester Women’s Campaign kicks off again as term opens; running right through Freshers’ Week and culminating with a multi-society meeting, there is no shortage of ways to get involved with one of the biggest campaigns on campus. With events ranging from The Riveters Feminist Collective’s body-positive tea party to the Black Women’s Forum to the ISOC Sisters’ bowling evening, and culminating with a multisociety meeting, there are events for all tastes. Open to all self-defining women, the final meeting will unite the different feminist societies in a space to outline plans and events from the year, meet new people and introduce long-running Women’s Campaign events, such as the annual Reclaim The Night event and volunteering at shelters. Last year, the Women’s Campaign was involved in countless areas across the union, from implementing the We Get It! zero-tolerance sexual harassment pledge, putting on the biggest Reclaim The Night event in the UK (complete with huge afterparty!) and running panels on women in science

This year’s theme—Rumble in the Jungle. Photo: Manchester Students’ Union

and sport, as well as frequent trips, meetings and casual socials, making it a hugely diverse and inclusive area to get involved in.

The Manchester Officer Training Corps on campus

Women’s Officer Jess Lishak says, “I’m really looking forward to seeing what the Women’s Campaign achieves this year, and seeing lots of new and old faces at the big Women’s Campaign welcome event on Thursday 25th! Whether you want to get involved with Reclaim the Night, a huge march against street harassment and violence against women in

The Manchester and Salford Univerities Officer Training Corps tell us about the varied and exciting experiences students who join their ranks can gain

February, the We Get It- zero tolerance to sexual harassment

reported by Evie Hull Societies Editor

there is something for everyone!

There are a list of activities that are usually synonymous with a university student’s summer. For some university students, such as Ben Tong and Mahmoud El-Gindy, this list could be extended to include parachuting over Germany, running through the woods with a rifle on a military exercise, going on courses that can enhance your CV and a whole host of exciting endeavours all while being paid. Ben and Mahmoud are both Officer Cadets with the Manchester And Salford Universities Officer Training Corps (MSUOTC), part of the North West Officers’ Training Regiment, an organisation that boasts around 300 students from across Manchester, Liverpool and Lancaster. This summer, both Ben and Mahmoud went to Sennelager, one of the British Army bases in Germany, to throw themselves out of a plane for the hell of it (admittedly with a parachute attached). Usually, such a trip would be a once in a lifetime expense. Both of these gentlemen went for free along with 23 other Officer Cadets—and they can go again next year if they

want. This week-long event, nicknamed “Ex LION LEAP” (the lion being the symbol of MSUOTC) is just one of many that the Universities Officer Training Corps organises for its Officer Cadets. Everybody has the chance to do many forms of “Adventurous Training” (AT) with the UOTC. On our annual camp we all enjoyed hill walking, rock climbing, squirrelling (similar to caving), kayaking and mountain biking. If there’s something you want to do it is almost guaranteed that the staff at MSUOTC will be on hand to help get funding and organise all the things you’ll need, from transport to accommodation. As well as this, the UOTC helps those who wish to take part in more usual sports, with the unit competing in the annual Queens Cup competition at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst at football, rugby, hockey and netball. This can all be balanced with university studies—both Ben and Mahmoud went to Germany after their exams, Ben studying Geography at the University of Manchester and Mahmoud studying Contemporary Military and International History at the University of Salford. Not your average student’s summer. AT is not the only pursuit that

the UOTC has to offer. For all Officer Cadets, a form of military training (while maintaining a sense of fun and perspective) at weekends throughout the term is required. Don’t worry, the UOTC can’t send Ben and Mahmoud (or any of our other Officer Cadets) on military service as theyare classed as ‘Group B’ Staff, which is undeployable—but still paid. In fact, military service after your time at the UOTC is not mandatory, and many of the Cadets eventually join the Army with little to no initial intention of joining the Regular Army. For those who are interested in the military life, the UOTC can help propel us through our careers, with Mahmoud returning to Germany this summer in order to complete the “Summer Leader” course, meaning that he is now only a 3 week course at Sandhurst away from commissioning as a Second Lieutenant with the Army Reserves. Whether it’s helping to understand the intense application forms, preparing us for selection or liaising with the unit we’re attempting to join, the staff at the UOTC will provide all the support we could hope for. Alongside regular trips to the Curry Mile, our socials can range from running between

pubs dressed as foxes, hounds or in tweed, through trips to the Dogs and several formal black tie dinners, including the annual Regimental Dinner, steeped in hundreds of years of British Army traditions and free wine. Our Commanding Officer, Colonel Hayman, once spoke to us about contrast, and it is never as obvious in life as it is with the UOTC. One night we were drinking wine at our dinner, then even more drinking together in the mess, everybody dressed in their finest black tie attire. Mere days later we were all in our uniforms, the dirt ground into the fabric and mud clinging to our clothes as we sprint across fields and through trees on exercise. The variety of our lives since joining the UOTC is staggering. So as you can see, while our Officer Cadets may look like average students (and for most of their lives they are), their stories from their summers could not be more different from other peoples’. Anybody can enjoy the opportunities that the UOTC can offer, as we accept recruits in September every year.

Post provided by Manchester and Salford Universities Officer Training Corps.

campaign, tackling harassment and assault on the busses, or any of the social and informative events throughout the year, “If you want to get involved in anything the Women’s Campaign is doing or create a new women’s society or event, just drop into the Student Voice office and say hi or email me at jess.lishak@manchester.ac.uk.” The Women’s Campaign is comprised of Women For Women International, The Riveters Feminist Collective, ISOC Sisters, Women of LGBTQ, Women’s Interfaith Forum, Fempowerment, the Student Parent Support Group, Robogals and the No More Page 3 Campaign.

The Manchester Women’s Campaign Photo: Manchester Students’ Union

Write for us or promote your society by emailing societies@mancunion.com

Food & Drink

ISSUE 02/ 22nd SEPTEMBER 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Editors: Elena Gibbs, Adam Fearn

Review: Black Dog Ballrooom

Adam Fearn and Matthew Whitworth kick back with a few beers at The Northern Quarter’s popular Black Dog Ballroom, Manchester’s answer to the American speakeasy.

from 100% local Cheshire beef and served on a toasted bun, with fries and garnish. For only £4.95, it was perfect! Your usual array of extra toppings to customize your meal further can be added for an extra price of 75p, including Lancashire cheese, roasted Mediterranean vegetables, and jalapeños. The service was quick, and Georgia was quick to replenish our drinks with a selection of the other real ales that were on offer. Our visit to The Northern Quarter’s Black Dog Ballroom confirmed the bar’s reputation as a relaxing and calm space to relax with friends after a grueling day of lectures and seminars. All of the prices were reasonable and the food was well portioned and delicious. My friend and I stayed around for a few more drinks even after we had finished our meals for a few games of pool on one of the four pool tables that were open for hire. The venue hosts various club nights throughout the week and always offers discounts to students, so make sure you bring your student card when you visit! More information about Black Dog can be found on their website and Twitter pages: Website: http://www.blackdogballroom.co.uk/nq/ Twitter : @BlackDogNQ

Photo: The Mancunion

Black Dog Ballroom has long been a popular choice amongst students across Manchester. Boasting a wide range of beers, filling pub grub, and a number of quality pool tables, it has gained a reputation within the student sphere as a fantastic place to spend a Saturday afternoon unwinding with friends. We decided to visit earlier this month to experience Black Dog’s speakeasy atmosphere ourselves. Upon entering, we were greeted by Georgia, a friendly, chatty member of the establishment’s staff. After being seated, our waitress

recommended a selection of their most popular beers and dishes. The comprehensive menu, served from 10am until 1am daily, takes advantage of locally sourced ingredients in its dishes. All of the pub grub favourites are here, such as the New York styled burgers, fresh pizzas and gourmet hotdogs, as well as healthier options of salads, catering for every type of student audience. I chose to sample the mozzarella sticks for my starter, followed by The Classic Northern Quarter Pounder; a succulent beef burger made

Review: Sweet Mandarin Sweet Mandarin is one of the greatest Chinese restaurants in the U.K. (…and don’t just take our word for it!) Adam Fearn Food Editor Chinese cuisine lays focus on the colour, aroma, flavour and shape of its food, as well the harmony between its five main flavours; salty, sour, spicy, bitter, and sweet. According to traditional Chinese medicine, each of these flavours delivers regulative functions to the human body, promoting wellbeing and good health. The strong spicy taste, for example, can diffuse the body of evil influences and promote blood circulation, whilst sweet flavours can help to improve mood and relieve pain. I’m definitely not an expert in medicine, but I can confidently say that, when successful, this arrangement of flavours can create some of the most delicious gustatory experiences available. My experience at the Northern Quarter’s Sweet Mandarin restaurant convinced me of this, and proved that unrivalled culinary perfection is found when different tastes are masterfully combined together. Sweet Mandarin is a family restaurant that culminates three generations of Chinese recipes under one roof. Sitting in the Northern Quarter close to Walrus and The Blue Pig, the establishment offers food of the finest quality at affordable, student-friendly prices. Portion sizes are perfect, the food’s presentation is flawless, and its staff are exceptionally hospitable. You shouldn’t just take our word for it. Sweet Mandarin has won a

plethora of awards, ranging from Gordon Ramsay’s F-Word Best Chinese Restaurant in the UK (after beating over 10,000 other restaurants), to being awarded the 1 AA Rosette, making them the only Chinese restaurant in the North West to receive this honour. Its owners, Lise and Helen Tse, have both received MBEs for their dedication to food and drink, and have launched a series of gluten-free, vegan sauces that secured investment from Duncan Bannatyne and Hilary Devey, two businesspeople from BBC’s TV programme, Dragons’ Den. You name it, Sweet Mandarin delivers tenfold. A range of genuinely unique and exotic cocktails offered in a stylish and ultra-modern dining setting? Check. A catalogue of famous followers? Check. Food to die for? Definitely. When we visited, we decided to sample Mabel’s Claypot Chicken, a dish that the restaurant’s owners made for David Cameron and Premier Li of China at Downing Street in 2014, and the salt and chilli squid, one of the courses that helped Sweet Mandarin to obtain Gordon Ramsay’s F-Word trophy. These signature dishes are given brief descriptions and backstories on the menu, turning it into a colourful and interesting chronicle of the owners’ histories and pasts; a trait that we found incredibly original and innovative. The combination of flavours on the squid and in its accompanying dip was divine, and its coating was succulent and tender. Needless to say, we left nothing. Mabel’s Claypot Chicken was phenomenal; the chicken was

Photo: Sweet Mandarin

cooked to perfection and, like the squid, was immensely flavourful. Sweet Mandarin is, by a considerable degree, the best restaurant that I have visited so far. Everything about the restaurant exhibits quality, from its pleasant interior to its delightful food, reasonable prices, and attentive hosts. It just works. To watch how The Twins fared against The Dragons and for further information on their restaurant and products, visit their website and Twitter page: http://www.sweetmandarin.com/ Twitter - @SweetMandarin

Review: Pie and Ale

Adam Fearn and Matthew Whitworth visit Pie and Ale, one of the Northern Quarter’s hidden gems. until the last forkful. Each of our puddings were decorated with a pastry Adam Fearn Food Editor Hidden away in the depths of the Northern Quarter, Pie and Ale offers its clients a unique dining experience. The restaurant offers two of the things that The Mancunion loves most; huge, tasty pies that are expertly coupled with rare, unusual real ales. Unlike most restaurants and bars in Manchester that specialise in pies, Pie and Ale offers its guests exotic and unusual meats and flavours. On our visit, the comprehensive menu offered a range of delicacies from around the world, including elk, horse, kangaroo and wild boar. My friend and I opted to share two different pies, - one elk, and the other horse - both of which were superb. The pies were topped with a delicious potato mash that burst with flavour whilst offering an extra layer of depth to the meal. Although they were bursting with meat and filling (as any good pie should be!), neither was overly starchy or stodgy; they remained fully satisfying

cut-out of the animal that the selected pie’s meat is from; a nice touch that helped to personalise and give character to the dishes, whilst helping the waiting staff to differentiate them from each other. Our waitress, Amy, was fantastic and attentive to our needs. She was knowledgeable about the products that were used within the dishes, as well as the locations of the breweries of the ales that we were drinking. We opted to try DNA, an Indian pale ale with a rich biscuit malt aroma. Before deciding on this beer, however, Amy offered us samples of the most popular real ales that were on offer, allowing us to choose the ale that was most to our taste. Overall, our experience of Pie and Ale was fantastic. Both the restaurant and bar sections of the establishment had a relaxed atmosphere, even though we visited on a Friday night. Each individual sitting booth had a lot of space, helping Pie and Ale to stand out as a warm and friendly place to enjoy quality food and a drink or two after a hard week of studying.

Photo: The Mancunion

For more information on Pie and Ale and its products, please see their website and Twitter page: Website – http://bakerie.co.uk/pie-ale Twitter - @PieandAleMcr

If you fancy your hand at food and drink journalism, whether it be interviews, recipes, reviews, or some interesting culinary anecdotes, email us at foodanddrink@mancunion.com or get in touch via Facebook.

ISSUE 1/ 15th SEPTEMBER 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

/TheMancunion: Food & Drink @MancunionFood

theFRESHERS GUIDE:

Food & Drink 23

Editor Adam Fearn offers his opinions on four freshers’ staples you’ll definitely be drinking in your first few weeks of university

Being a third year student at the university, I’ve had a bit of time to sample the best and worst of the cheap alcohol that Manchester has to offer. Here is my introduction to four of the drinks that you’ll become well acquainted with during your stay!

Crofters / 2. Hawksridge Apple Cider

1. Sainbury’s Basics vodka

700ml

£11

2 litres

37.5%

Serving itself as the staple alcohol within the students’ repertoire and coming in at a mere price of £11, Sainsbury’s Basic will serve as a faithful companion on your nights out if you can handle its sting (and its odd hand sanitizer-esque smell!). Versatile and reliable, this student favourite is guaranteed to get your night off to a fantastic—and incredibly drunken—start. Basics can combine with all sorts of mixers, from coke to fruit juices, allowing almost any drink in your fridge to be a viable addition. Unlike most cheap vodka products and other spirits within the Sainbury’s own brand range, I have never woken up with (too bad of ) a hangover from it. I also think it provides much less throat burn than two of its other main rivals around the student scene, Tesco’s Everyday vodka and Asda’s infamous Select Value range. Find it difficult to drink? If you aren’t able to tolerate its sharp taste, try leaving the bottle to chill for a while in The (Image: Mancunion) the Friendship freezer before youThe drink it; you’ll find it goes down much easier. Also, always add good quality mixers to your vodka—it will improve the overall quality of your drink, making it much more palatable.

£2.09 5%

It’s not Strongbow or Bulmers admittedly but, for the price, you can hardly go wrong with these ciders. You can purchase 2 litres of either Crofters or Hawksridge from Morrisons for £2.09, making them fantastic options for small social flat gatherings with a couple of friends. If that cider sounds a little upmarket for you, why not try one of the famous white ciders? A favourite among those who find their cider isn’t onion-based enough for them, White Ace and Frosty Jack’s are a go-to if you want a high-alcohol and somewhat bleach-like drink.

Our hero: Water

unlimited! free! 0% After all of the partying and drinking that you’ll be doing on freshers’ week, make sure you drink a few glasses of trusty water before you go to bed and as soon as you wake up. Completely free with an alcohol percentage of 0, it’s a perfect drink to help douse potential hangovers before they occur and shock your system back into sobriety.

3. Lambrini 750ml

£1.95

7.5%

So you’ve spent all of your money in the first week of term and are now struggling to fund your social life. You can’t afford Hardys or Echo Falls, and you can’t stomach another bottle of Blue Nun. Don’t worry—we’ve all been there. Half of the university experience is learning how to budget, which often means sacrificing quality for quantity. When the financial push turns to a shove, you sometimes have to lower your standards and turn to alcohol that’s a bit less classy. Costing only £1.95 per bottle (!), Lambrini may taste like vinegar, but you’re getting a lot of glasses to your pound. Marketed as bottle of wine instead of the Perry that it truly is, Lambrini has your alcohol needs covered in even the worst of financial circumstances. There are a number of different flavours to try, such as the peach, cherry and summer fruit variants, offering you a few different options to choose from.

Lambrini: a true student favourite. Photo: Adam Fearn

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CMY

10/09/2014

12:15

Theatre

ISSUE 01/ 15th SEPTEMBER 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Editor: Nicole Tamer

Welcome Week Guide

GUIDE: theFRESHERS Nicole Tamer Theatre Editor

FULL MONTY

the

Nicole Tamer Theatre Editor

The Students’ Union is currently home to the following A crowd of cheering women, a standing ovation and performance societies: rumbling laughter throughout the performance spoke for It’s easy to lose track with all ] Drama Society themselves and created an that’s on offer, but don’t despair; ] Improvisation Society enthusiastic atmosphere in here’s the ultimate Freshers’ ] Musical Theatre Society the Manchester Opera House. Theatre Guide, complete with ] Panto Society Interestingly enough, the contrast The theatre culture has a rich venues, websites, societies ] Comedy Society between the posh venue and the and reputed history; many and workshops. Start out at the ] Gilbert & Sullivan Society stage transformed into a factory famous actors have begun their university and explore the vast ] Operating Theatre Company hall, combined with the strong career on Manchester’s stages theatre culture of Manchester. ] Technical Theatre Society Northern accents of the actors and the term ‘Manchester made the play even more comical. The interaction between the actors and the audience was definitely a strong point and The University of Manchester is generally crucial for film Our alumni have played roles such as Sherlock adaptations on stage. But is the and Dobby, but they all started out small as drama performance comparable to the students. The university offers all sorts of performance societies where you can realise your inner star and in film success in 1997? Yes and no: the future you might even end up on the big stage - or the film helped to make the live screen. Find them at the Freshers’ Fair, at the Students’ performance even better than Union website or on Facebook or Twitter. those in the film. Thanks to the Don’t miss: Away from Home at Martin Harris Centre film, the performance seemed incredibly natural and the story evolved smoothly without a lot of unnecessary explanations. Furthermore, the audience The Palace Theatre anticipated certain scenes and Originally known as “The Grand Old Lady of Oxford Street”, it was bombed characters and the actors played with their expectations. The during the Manchester Blitz. It later Contact Theatre play managed to make certain had a bit of a dodgy period as an Situated right on the doorstep of the university scenes even funnier because the X-rated theatre, but “the Lady” and not to be missed due to its unique chimneys, luckily rebranded and now offers a story is about a live performance. the Contact Theatre offers free workshops, holds wide range of Broadway plays, operas, Questions such as “who would auditions and hosts a wide range of theatre, ballet and comedy performances. comedy, poetry and dance performances. pay to see man getting naked?” Don’t miss: Jersey Boys Don’t miss: Digital Media Workshops were greeted with laughter.

School’ exists to describe local popular playwrights of the last century.

Photo: Gullig@Flickr

Manchester’s Theatre World

£ Oxford Road M15 6JA contactmcr.com

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Photo: Samiadd@Flickr

Manchester Opera House This opulent building hosts touring musicals, concerts, ballets and a Christmas pantomime. It hosted the European premiere of Westside Story, the British premiere of The Phantom of the Opera and continues to impress with its shows. Don’t miss: The Full Monty

They might not be young, they might not be pretty!

Another aspect which the film couldn’t create as well was that the closeness to the actors on stage, which gave the play more vulnerability. Although the storyline seems simple at first – jobless steel workers stripping to earn money, it touches difficult topics and often coats them with black humour. Homosexuality, suicide and body issues are mentioned throughout the play, but masculine identity is the main struggle of the unemployed men. What are they worth if they no longer fulfil the role that society expects them to play? Do women still need men when they have their own jobs and test tube babies exist? The traditional gender roles are swapped in a refreshing portrayal where women are sexually confident and hold stronger positions than the male main characters. Brilliant writing is essential for a good performance and Simon Beaufoy, who won an Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire and wrote the screenplay for The Hunger Games, adapted his earlier Full Monty screenplay for the stage. Although the play offers the full package of humour, depth and promised male nudity, it only lasted for a month at the London West End, despite standing

ovations, good reviews and winning the UK Theatre Awards. Of course, Billy Elliott is also set in the North, but combined with dancing and singing it is more approachable than not-so-pretty men and identity crises. Seeing it in Manchester, it fitted well into the environment with the accents and the dark humour. The Manchester version also features well-known actors from Coronation Street, East Enders and Hollyoaks Later, which makes it more likely to succeed. The buzzing atmosphere, the good writing and the creativity of the stage design are certainly not to be missed. And will the actors do the complete Full Monty live on stage? Find out until September 20th in the Manchester Opera House.

Photo: westendframe.com

Whether you’re a fan of musicals, a comedy geek or a Shakespeare devotee, both the city and the University of Manchester offer theatre venues, societies and plays that cater to every taste.

Review

£££ 97 Oxford Street M1 6FT 0161 245 6600

Royal Exchange Theatre Having a rich history and featuring many celebrities before they became famous, amongst them Hugh Grant, Kate Winslet and David Tennant, it is reputed for its classic theatre and revival pieces. It is the largest round theatre in the whole of Britain and it is supposedly haunted - it was even the subject of a paranormal investigation. Don’t miss: Hamlet ££ St. Ann’s Square M2 7DH royalexchange.co.uk

Photo: Paul J Coles@Flickr

££ 3 Quay Street M3 3HP 0844 871 3018 The Lowry The theatre journey ends with the futuristic looking gallery and theatre complex located at the Salford Quays next to Media City. It has the largest theatre stage outside of London where touring plays, musicals and comedy events take place. Don’t miss: War Horse

Other Venues HOME New in the city centre ]homemcr.org Bolton Octagon Plays, Comedy, music ]octagonbolton. co.uk Oldham Coliseum Musicals, Plays, dance ]coliseum.org.uk

£££ Pier 8, Salford M50 3AZ thelowry.com

Photo: lizjones112@Flickr

Useful Websites manchestertheatres.com ]what’s on, info, offers manchestertheatreawards.com ]winners, reviews.articles

Getting involved If you fancy your hand at journalism, whether it be interviews, >Journalism experience >CV enhancement reviews, or some interesting theatrical anecdotes, email us >Opportunities for editorship (information online) or get in touch via Facebook.

25% off glasses for students £69 range or above

FREE EYE TEST

Valid for one test booked on or before 27 December 2014. Present voucher at time of test. Cannot be exchanged for cash, used with other vouchers or redeemed by customers already entitled to a free NHS eye test. One per person, at named Specsavers stores only.

Manchester Halle Mall, The Arndale Ctr. Tel 0161 834 6665

>See the best new shows in town

Lifestyle

ISSUE 01/ 15th SEPTEMBER 2014

Editors: Robert Firth, Luke Prince

Welcome Week Guide

Beat the Depression: even sex burglar students having the best time ever suffer from it

don’t have ...until you’ve read this article!

by Ellen McLaughlin Community Officer

Robert Firth Lifestyle Editor

Student houses are a common target for burglars. The reasons for this are twofold. First—students tend to own a lot of nice shiny things such as laptops, tablets, phones and other devices. Secondly, for many students it’s the first time they have lived independently and so many students forget simple things, such as locking the front door and securing all the windows (it seems ridiculous but it’s true). My role as Community Officer means I regularly meet with the police, so based on my experience as a student and conversations I’ve had with the police, here are my top tips on how to bamboozle a burglar:

Face it: at university, sex happens. If you’re up all night to get lucky it’s worth knowing about these resources. 1. The Doctor

Where? Most Halls when you arrive and at The Welcome Fair (16th–17th September) at the SU and Academy.

Why? You can immediately make an appointment with your doctor if you have any sexual health concerns. Most surgeries have dedicated sexual health clinics which are worth finding out about. 2. Student Advice Service Where? Ground Floor of the Students’ Union – ask at the reception desk if unsure. Why? Free condoms and femidoms. You can see an advisor for free and confidential advice about any matter relating to sexual health. When? Mon–Fri 10am–4pm. Drop in or book. Contact: 0161 275 2952 advice.su@manchester.ac.uk 3. UoM Counselling Service What? Free and confidential help from professional counsellors and therapists on sexual wellbeing and relationships. Contact: 0161 275 2864 (9am–4pm Weekdays) counselling.service@manchester. ac.uk www.manchester.ac.uk/ counselling 4. Manchester Centre for Sexual Health What? The closest and most comprehensive, friendly sexual health service. STI tests, treatments, Family Planning and HIV clinics, counselling, sexual health and contraception advice If you’re pushed for time, make an appointment. Where? The Hathersage Centre, 280 Upper Brook Street, Manchester, M13 0FH. www.manchestersexualhealth.org Appointments: 0161 276 5200 or call into reception. 5. LGBTQ Society What? Society ran by University of Manchester students providing support, advice and social events for anyone who defines as LGBTQ—the Q stands for questioning. Find them at the Welcome Fair www.manchesterstudentunion. com/groups/the-lgbtq-society uofm.lgbtq@gmail.com 6. Online Resources www.nhs.uk/livewell/ sexualhealthtopics/pages/sexualhealth-hub.aspx This NHS site is a hub of information about everything sexual health related.

Many students struggle with depression at university. This is the story of Will, who seemed happy and popular but struggled with the illness alone.

Lock it up! Do not leave your house without first securing all the windows and locking all the doors (yes, even the upstairs windows.)

Robert Firth Lifestyle Editor

ill was having the best time ever at university, so when I met up with him during the summer break and he told me he hadn’t sat his exams because he was suffering from depression, I didn’t get it. Depression happened to people with terrible lives. Will’s life wasn’t terrible. He was popular, intelligent and interesting. People just not getting it is something Will has become familiar with. “Someone in my house was talking about it and they were like ‘I don’t know why he doesn’t snap out of it’ but I haven’t got the chemical in my brain to elicit that response… depression is often followed by a physiological aspect, hormones in your body, lack of B12, lack of iron.” This often overlooked physiological element of depression is part of what makes living the caffeine- and sugar-powered university lifestyle so difficult when you’ve got it. “The more the depression gets to you, the less easy it gets to do normal tasks like get up, get on a bus, because you haven’t got the energy,” Will says. It’s easy to see how quickly people isolate themselves: not going into university means people forget you, which means you don’t get invited to things, which means there’s no reason to get up in the morning. Will tells me that a video made by YouTube personality TomSka called “I Am Depressed” helped him greatly in realising his depression. It was an apathy to living which TomSka talks about that Will related to. However, Will’s path from recognition to treatment was far from simple, with GPs writing off feelings of apathy as typical teen behavior and exam anxiety. “You kind of go under the radar unless you’ve got someone fighting your corner for you.” Perversely, the effects of depression mean that most sufferers are unlikely to have the energy to fight this battle themselves. One in five women will suffer from depression in their lives—twice as many as men, yet in 2012 the UK male suicide rate was 3.5 times that of women. The reasons for this are numerous, yet one point to note is that the talking focused approach of many support services at universities, such as Nightline and Counselling Services, don’t appeal to men. “It’s the rationale,” Will says. “Women

Create the Impression someone is in If you are popping out for the evening, perhaps leave a landing light on or hang coats and leave shoes within sight so anyone peering in will shortly scarper. Similarly if you and your house/ flatmates are all hopping in a taxi together make sure you say bye to the imaginary person you’ve left in the house.

It’s not as easy as just “snapping out of it.” Photo: Rupert Ganzer @Flickr think that by talking about something they can take on help, whereas men don’t expect to get help, they just report the thing.” It’s concerning then that when people like Will are reporting symptoms of depression to GPs, these are being dismissed as merely exam stress. For Will, getting the treatment he needs has helped him and ensured he returns to University this year. However, it is clear that the systems for accessing treatment need to be better. Talking helps, but not everyone all the time: “I know that talking about something won’t really help me because I know that the only things that can help are therapy and drugs.” To anyone who thinks they may have depression, Will says putting things aside and getting help is what matters. “You need to do whatever… and just focus on getting better, because if you dig yourself into a hole you end up where all the people in them statistics are, where you feel you can’t cope and you go for the quick way out at the time; and that’s irreversible.”

The more the depression gets to you, the less easy it gets to do normal tasks

If you’re feeling depressed: Immediately register with a local GP and book an appointment to see them.

Manchester Nightline Confidential and anonymous listening service ran by students for students 0161 275 3983 (8pm-8am term time) http://www.umsu.manchester.ac.uk/ nightline/

The University of Manchester Counselling Service The university’s own group of counsellors and therapists providing confidential advice and support to students. Located on Floor 5 of the Crawford Building. http://www.studentnet.manchester.ac.uk/ counselling/

Samaritans 24 hour confidential support service for anyone suffering distressing or suicidal thoughts. 08457 90 90 90 http://www.samaritans.org/

Clear and concise information about Symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of Depression from the NHS:

Have organised fun If you are having a house or flat party, lock your bedrooms with your valuables in and mingle in your social space. Try to make sure strangers haven’t tailgated their way in and if your party is gatecrashed by undesirables, don’t hesitate to phone the police. Use a trusted taxi service Street Cars have a partnership with the Students’ Union and will take you safely to and from your home. 0161 228 7878—if you are lost or have no money Street Cars will pick you up and drop you home for free. Just pass over your student card and after 12pm the following day pick it up from the Students Union reception for the price of your taxi fare. Get Insured Ensure all your valuables are insured by the likes of Endsleigh just in case you fail to bamboozle the burglar https://www.endsleigh.co.uk/

Greater Manchester Police also have this to add: If you have a burglar alarm, use it Make your devices traceable Register your property on www. immobilise.com and if you have a smartphone or laptop activate or download a tracking app. Like the GMP page on Facebook: facebook.com/mcrstudentsafer

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/depression/ Pages/Introduction.aspx

Do you have a story that you’d like to share? E-mail lifestyle@mancunion.com

ISSUE 01/ 15th SEPTEMBER 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

/TheMancunion: Lifestyle @MancunionLife

Lifestyle

Welcome Week Guide

How to survive Finding your niche Welcome Week at university

Rosie Dammers, Wellbeing Officer for the Students’ Union, gives her tips on how to stay safe, have fun, and experience Welcome week in style. Go to Pangaea. Pangaea is Europe’s largest student-led festival and it takes place right here in Manchester. So don your best fancy dress and come down for a night of mischief and mayhem you won’t forget. Make your room feel homely. Buy a poster from the poster sale or get a wall hanging from the curry mile. Whatever your taste, your room will feel a lot nicer after a little decoration. Club together with your housemates on food. It’ll save you money. Plus, communal cooking is fun and a great way to make new friends.

Save the Safe-Taxi number in your phone – 0161 228 7878. The Union has a partnership with Manchester Street Cars which means you can get home even if you have no money. All you have to do is call the number, quote ‘Manchester SU Safe Taxi Scheme’ and then at end of your journey give the driver your student card. You can pay the money back the next day when you pick up your student card from the Union helpdesk. Bag a buddy. Ask someone in your halls if they would like to buddy up with you. Put them on speed dial in your phone and agree to check on each other every 24 hours.

Carry a condom. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Register with a GP and stock up on multivitamins. You’ll thank yourself later when freshers’ flu hits. Go to a society event. From kickboxing to bhangra, cooking to hiphop – we have societies for everything! They are a great way to meet likeminded people, or try something completely new. You can shop around for the ones that interest you in the Society Fair happening on the Tuesday and Wednesday of Welcome in the Students Union.

Charlie Spargo Deputy Editor-in-chief

Moving into university can be a daunting experience. For the first time you are living alone, away from mum and dad, and the conflict between instant freedom and the daunting responsibility can come down hard upon new students. Many will come from big sixth-form college, but it’s impossible not to feel like a small fish in a really, really big pond here at Manchester. With 40000 students in the entire university, and 80000 in the city as a whole, finding your place can be one of the hardest things to do. Many students face the risk of spending their entire time at university floating around with little direction, going to a handful of parties, and leaving university with a respectable 2:1 in a respectable subject. However, in today’s society, with number of qualified jobseekers far outweighing available positions, this isn’t enough. Extra-curricular activities, further qualifications and hours of relevant experience are what are needed to impress employers nowadays. During Welcome Week, the university runs fairs, events, talks and a multitude of other activities to maximise

exposure of experiences to students. It can almost be overwhelming and many first years return to halls on the first day of the Welcome Fair with bags full of flyers having signed up to an absurd selection of societies. This is, however, the best way to do it. Freshers’ week isn’t easy—it’s tiring, confusing and the onslaught of information and alcohol is enough to make any student need at least a week off, but it only happens once. For once in your life, you and your peers will all be in the same boat. In Welcome Week people meet and get to know scores of, and in a month’s time have forgotten most of their names. However, the five per cent of people who stick around are set to be an invaluable support network for your first year at university. That’s not to say that if you don’t meet your best friend in Welcome Week, you’ll never meet them. First year is the time to explore different groups of people— from your halls, from your course, from any societies you are interested in. I wouldn’t waste any time in the first few weeks you are at university. Don’t do anything you don’t want to do, but at least try something like curry society, botany society or skydiv-

ing, make it your mission to meet as many fellow students as you possibly can. Societies are also a great place to find like-minded people. Societies for certain nationalities, faiths, identities, and many, many hobbies are available. The Union now has over 350 societies, and any student can set up their own if they think something is missing. Sport is also a big part of life here at Manchester. There are sport societies, taster sessions, and fitness classes such as yoga or kickboxing available, and for many people exercise is a great way to keep healthy and meet people. Take my advice; when you graduate, you will leave a rounded individual with a wider range of experiences than many of your peers. People sometimes end up experts in things they never could have known they would like when entering university at the age of 18, with a group of close friends they bumped into in the first week of university, lost and confused. So—go out, try everything, say yes to as many things as you can, and you can look back on your Welcome Week months and years later with no regrets.

Your Welcome Week 2014. Photo: Manchester Students’ Union

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ISSUE 01/ 15th SEPTEMBER 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

SPORT

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Sports Editors: Andrew Georgeson, Liam Kelly, Will Kelly Contact: sport@mancunion.com

Comment: Manchester United need a change in philosophy A break from the ‘Manchester United way’ is necessary to rebuild Will Kelly Sports Editor

Manchester United’s disastrous performance last season led to many claiming that this could well be the beginning of a decline for the former giants. Such arguments rested on the case that David Moyes, the manager who was hand chosen by Sir Alex Ferguson as his successor, had inherited a squad in decline. One only has to look at the likes of Manchester City, where one could easily pick a whole new starting XI that would be deemed competitive. They have the ultimate strength of depth while Manchester United had seemed to be too patient with the likes of Ashley Young, Nani, Cleverley and Anderson. However, it is of course too simplistic to address this as the ultimate reason for last seasons’ decline. I would argue that David Moyes was a lot to blame. It was never going to be easy to replace Sir Alex but Moyes had made damaging mistakes. His failure to perform in the transfer market was unacceptable. After the failed pursuit of Cesc Fabregas, Moyes opted to sign Fellaini and later Mata out of desperation. Although both good players, neither were the domineering midfielder that United craved. Meanwhile, Moyes successor at Everton, Roberto Martinez, bought in Lukaku, Barry and Deuolfeu. Moyes’ lack of game plan was also a catalyst for his downfall as lineups would be seen to be baffling in the tactical sense. Take his decision to opt to play Giggs and Fellaini in midfield against Everton at home; Everton would obliterate the midfield in the counter attack as neither had the legs to work back effectively. The Liverpool game also showed the lack of strategy from Moyes. He was too eager to start Mata, Januzaj, Rooney and Robin Van Persie all at once, when perhaps it would have made more sense to devise a plan to stop Liverpool’s impressive midfield. Instead Mata was played out wide, where he had no effect on creating chances, nor the legs to get back to help his fullback. Liverpool’s midfield would exploit these spaces left. Drastic change was needed in the summer and so in stepped the new manager, Louis Van Gaal. His C.V speaks for itself: he has enjoyed Champions League success with a rather young

Will Van Gaal’s revolution prove fruitful? Photo: ING Nederland @Flickr

Ajax team and has won league titles with Barcelona and Bayern Munich. Most recently, he had just led the Dutch National team to a third place finish at the World Cup in Brazil. He has often been credited of discovering the great players of our generation, with Seedorf, Xavi and Iniesta and Muller being most notable examples. This track record has enabled him to attract the calibre of player Manchester United are looking for David Moyes arguably needed to prove himself as a manager first before he was able to attract players he had wanted. Now Manchester United have ‘splashed the cash’, with the summer acquisitions of Ander Herrera, Luke Shaw, Marcus Rojo, Angel Di Maria, Daley Blind and Radamel Falcao on loan for a combined £150 million. In ‘splashing the cash’, Van Gaal has hindered what has been one of the most crucial ethos’ of Manchester United as a football club: its youth development. His contract itself, that being 3 years (compared to 5 years that David Moyes had signed), implies short term success as the aim. It is therefore quite upsetting seeing Danny Welbeck, a local lad from Longsight, leave to join Arsenal. I don’t blame him for wanting to leave either, most Manchester United fans can understand the ability he has but unfortunately, he is not given the chance he deserves to prove himself. With Champions League games lacking this season, Welbeck is at the age that he needs to be playing regularly to be

able to improve. This does not mean that Manchester United won’t continue to produce good young players. Tyler Blackett for instance, has started every game this season. But one can only imagine in such a short term plan to get Manchester United back to winning trophies again, that youth development would have to be put on hold. The expensive signings made are necessary, considering the squad looks depleted compare to Manchester City’s. How Louis Van Gaal has lined the team up to play is certainly not what one would regard to be the ‘Manchester United way’. Manchester United are known for quick counter attacking football, which they have always used wingers to play such daring football where chances were taken to win the game. What we now see with Van Gaal’s 3-5-2 formation is a specialised, disciplined structure. This had worked incredibly well for Van Gaal at the World Cup and he essentially believes that with this shape, it is easier to defend as the player would defend the space and the opposing player coming into it. However, there must be reservations with the formation. Roberto Mancini in his final season at City had initially insisted on playing 3 at the back, but this had led to notable criticism from his own players. City would crash out of Europe, without winning a game in their group and the formation was dropped. Can Van Gaal really make this work then? Time will only tell. The formation

itself has so far seemed to make the Manchester United players nervous in defence. They appear to knock it around, unsure what to do. Personally, I would think Evans should start as the middleman instead of Jones. Jones of course can play in the other 2 centre back roles, but he hasn’t got quite the confidence to bring the ball out and to feed the midfield. Evans in this department is remarkably comfortable on the ball. In signing Rojo and Blind, perhaps Van Gaal has gone for players that are specialised for this formation. Blind for instance can operate as the wide wing back, or can play as the holding midfielder and may very well help bring the ball out of defence. Many have argued that Manchester United should have signed a ‘world class’ centre back this summer but I see this to be very harsh on Smalling, Evans, Jones and Rafael. Without midfield structure last season, the Manchester United defence had very little help and this was able to exploit such experienced defenders as Vidic, Ferdinand and Evra. It is hard to beat the drum that such players are ‘past it’, considering they had just won the league a year before. According to Squawka, the Manchester United keeper David De Gea made more saves (87) than any of the top 4 teams goalkeepers, which seems to reflect how exposed they were. It is not easy for young players to suddenly stand out and certainly confidence would have been depleted when bad results

are consistent. Moreover, at no point in Moyes’ reign did the starting XI remain the same and such amount of changes does not help to build consistency. Creating chances was also very poor last season, with Squawka recording that Manchester United created the least amount of chances compared to the teams that finished in the top 4 thi season. Manchester United could only carve out 388, which is low compared to the winners Manchester City at 533. In terms of assists, United were also at the lowest with 37, compared to City’s 65. United are famous for wing play but Moyes took it to extremes last year as shown in the 2-2 draw against Fulham where 905 crosses were attempted, more than any other team in the league. This made United look too predictable. Van Gaal has set out to solve this problem by signing Angel Di Maria for a British Transfer fee of £59.7 million. He alone was able to create 90 chances in a season, along with succeeding in 17 assists. Perhaps United will be able to switch to 4-3-3, to accommodate Falcao in attack. There is no need to introduce Falcao as the man has proven to be a goal machine, but it will be interesting to see who will be dropped in the line up to accommodate him. Although it is upsetting to see the sacrifice of youth, United fans are able to see a plan in place, something that was very difficult to see under David Moyes. Yes the defence may look a bit shaky but perhaps we should be patient before we can criticise it, to see if the players can regain their confidence. Van Gaal has arrived and has take the challenge by the scruff of its neck. He has already stated that the squad is “unbalanced” with the amount of number 10s in the squad. This has led to the departure of Kagawa back to Borussia Dortmund, a player I believe has been wasted by Manchester United. Others have also been shown the door with the notable players of Javier Hernandez, Cleverley and Nani leaving on loan. The great question is, how on earth was Anderson able to survive the cull? Nevertheless, it is exciting times for Manchester United. Not since 2009 have Manchester United seen such an attacking force, with such players as Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez and Berbatov. The question must only be a matter of time before they start competing at the top again.

More of a writer than a player? Come to our contributor meetings on Thursday, 6pm, Student’s Union Second Floor. Or tweet @mancunion_sport/email sports.mancunion@googlemail.com. NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

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ISSUE 01/ 15th September 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

@Mancunion_Sport Rollerblades, rucks and riding

Liam Kelly shows sports in Manchester goes alot further than City and You could be forgiven for thinking that Manchester is a city where the only sport is football, and the only teams are Manchester United and Manchester City. However, Manchester is one of the leading sporting cities in the UK, and there is a lot more sport to be found if one scratches the surface and looks past the Premier League giants. Much of this sport will be found at the University of Manchester. The growing strength of sport in Manchester began with the 2002 Commonwealth Games, when worldclass facilities such as SportCity, the Armitage Centre and the Manchester Aquatics Centre were constructed. In the decade since, sport in the city has got stronger as a result of the Games’ legacy, and the turning over of these facilities to aspiring athletes. At the university, there are loads of ways to get involved in sport, whether you have previously played competitively or want to try something new. The Athletics Union has 42 teams that compete in the British Universities and Colleges Sport system, and 36 of these teams offer beginners’ programmes. The University of Manchester finished tenth in 2013/14, and will be looking to improve upon that this year. All of the AU teams will be at the Freshers’ Fair in the Students Union on Tuesday 16th and Wednesday 17th September, where information on how to sign up will be available. Students can also take part in sport in inter-hall and inter-course competitions, which is a more casual environment than the BUCS competitions, but are still a great way to compete and keep fit. Student memberships at the Armitage, Sugden

and Aquatics Centres are subsidised, while the Hall Sport programme run by the university provides free sports and activities every week. More information is availableathttp://www.sport.manchester. ac.uk/sport/hall/ If watching and learning about sport is more for you, Manchester again provides a huge variety of opportunities to do this. The National Football Museum is home to the world’s largest collection of football memorabilia, including Fulham’s Michael Jackson statue, Robbie Savage’s ponytail and the Football League’s original transfer window. It is based in the city centre, and admission is absolutely free – perfect for student budgets. Cycling has become an increasingly prominent sport in the UK as a whole – and Manchester in particular. You need only observe the amount of people cycling down Oxford Road on a weekday

morning to see how popular cycling is in Britain. The British National Track Championships will be held at the National Cycling Centre at SportCity between 26th and 28th September, with tickets costing just £11. The venue contains a state-of-the-art velodrome, which has been credited by many for the amazing success of British track cycling since the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Excitement is guaranteed in track cycling, and this event is a great way to see the next generation of Brits looking to follow in the golden tyre tracks of Sir Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton. For something completely different, head down to the Thunderdome in Oldham and watch the Northern Series Roller Derby. Greater Manchester is represented by the Rainy City Roller Girls, and they compete against the best teams from across the UK in fierce, full-contact

Mixhael Jackson’s new residence is the National Football Museum Photo: @MENNEWSDESK

Roller Derby in Actgion! Photo: Sport Manchester

sport. The Roller Girls are a not-for-profit organisation, and all money made from ticket sales and membership fees goes back into the skating. The next slated bouts at the Thunderdome are on 27th September in a double header; with Leeds taking on Newcastle before the Rainy City girls take on the Middlesbrough Milk Rollers. Tickets cost just £8 in advance, and once you have the taste for roller derby you are sure to get addicted. You can even get involved in this unique sport, with new skater training held at the Thunderdome on Mondays. Manchester is one of the most sportingly diverse cities in the country. At the university and throughout the wider city, there are loads of ways to get involved in sport beyond shelling out up to £950 for a season ticket at one of the Premier League sides. Whether it is doing it yourself and representing your university, hall or course – or going to see something more

unique – Manchester is the perfect place to have fun with sport.

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what sporting events you get up to in Freshers! Tweet @mancunion_

No Foiling about for fencing Auld enemy and Independence Will Kelly reviews the success of one the University’s newest clubs Despite being one of the University of M a n c h e s t e r ’s n e w e s t competitive t e a m s ,t h e Fencing team have proven that they are no push overs.E ntered into a national beginner’s competition, they certainly started off well with a number of fencers finishing in the last 16. To have such a great start was a fantastic, but the team has rapidly built on this success with the women’s first and men’s second team working hard to

finish second in their respective leagues. On the national front, the University of Manchester took the sport by storm with Indy Leclercq finishing third at the Ulhman Trophy and J e n n i f e r S c h o f i e l d finishing second at the Leeds open. Speaking to Captain Matt Hunter, a 3rd year studying physics, he reveals that Jennifer had to beat Catriona Sibert to make it into the final: a fencer in the top 10 in the UK womens’ foil. Asked on the aims

En garde! Photo: Julian Wakefield

of the season, Matt appears determined to improve on what already was an impressive season and is looking to expand and incorporate as many new members as

possible. Those interested should contact umfencing@ gmail.com or visit the University of Manchester Fresher’s fair where they will be situated at stand 8. Despite the fantastic

competiveness the University has shown, Matt assures that the club is very much open for new members of all abilities: “We take pride in being open to new members. The university fencing club is full of friendly, welcoming people who send as much time in the pub as on the piste! It’s a great sport to take up, it’s fun, improves mental and physical agility and provides a great ‘alternative’ work out”, he said.

Sports and politics are a dangerous mix, as Scotland could soon find out

typically Andrew Georgeson is encapsulated Sports Editor by Celtic and Rangers. As ‘yes’ Scotland’s game flags were being against England waved around i n N o v e m b e r Celtic Park, a ‘vote could have a no’ banner was very different feel being unfurled at about it. Ibrox. Amongst all Of course, Celtic’s the usual angst relationship with surrounding a independence is home-nations more complex, match, there is the with many added factor that, supporters for the first time a l i g n i n g in Association t h e m s e l v e s Football’s history, with the Irish Scotland could be Republican an independent m o v e m e n t , nation. making them Roy Hodgson prime candidates has to prepare his for wanting young team to independence. face a nation that A movement is uncoiling more called ‘The Radical and more by the I n d e p e n d e n c e day. Campaign’ even The atmosphere uses Celtic’s home will presumably games to spread be hostile as the support of its nation, at the message, holding time of writing, up ‘yes’ cards on is separated by a the 18th minute mere 2%. of the home game This separation against Dundee,

symbolic of the September 18th voting date. The atmosphere will be toxic either way, should Scotland get independence, the fans will be mocking England, if not the England fans will presumably bring out the song they used against Switzerland, ‘we’re voting for yes, we’re voting for yes. F*** off Scotland, we’re voting for yes.’ Many Scotland fans see no problem with the independence in terms of Sport. Quoted in the Guardian, Hamish Husband believes that there will be no problem with independence, saying the atmosphere will be electric on its own, citing Scottish fans

were ‘treated like royalty’ when visiting Wembley last year, and the England fans will be treat the same. He also believes that the reception the England athletes received at the Commonwealth games, sometimes as good as that of their Scottish counterparts has helped eased some animosity. It is difficult to see whether those such as Hamish simply have an idealistic view of a perfect tartan-clad, haggis eating Scottish population post referendum, but it is difficult to see how Scottish people don’t believe that sports and politics intertwine when religion and sports go hand in hand. L o o k i n g

past Scotland, Barcelona have announced that they will be wearing their Catalan colours of red and yellow against Athletic Bilbao. This is because Thursday marks the National Day of Catalan, yet has been jumped on by Catalan independence movement, who are holding an unofficial, and illegal, referendum on independence on September 30th. T h e consequences of the referendum are, of course, greater than just its effect on Sports. However, it should not be underestimated how the Sporting world is used to spread political ideologies.

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ISSUE 02/ 22nd SEPTEMBER 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

@Mancunion_Sport

Alcohol and Sports Performance After Freshers’ week, Will Kelly reviews the effect Alcohol has on the body.

You’ve pushed your body to the limit and it’s time to work off those rounds of drinks and late night kebabs! Even typing these very words, I know I have a challenge to get back to match fitness. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a casual exerciser, are in the gym every day, or compete in regular matches or events, anyone who cares about playing sport or keeping fit should understand the effects alcohol can have on their performance. Alcohol is diuretic. There’s your posh word to impress your fellow partner as you let them know you need to go to the toilet. It means that your kidney produces more urine. Drinking too much can ultimately lead to dehydration which is bad news if you decide to hit the gym the next day because it can make your dehydration worst because you sweat as your body temperature rises. Alcohol also interferes with the way your body makes energy. When you’re metabolising or breaking down alcohol the liver can’t produce as much glucose, which means you have low levels of blood sugar. When exercising, your body requires high levels of sugar to give you energy and performance will be adversely affected if your liver isn’t producing enough glucose. Professor Whyte, an expert in sports performance remarks that your body would turn to run from supplies of fat rather than blood sugar. “This will ultimately make you slower and you won’t be able to exercise as intensely”, he said. This

would ultimately have an effect on your coordination and concentration. Alcohol is high in sugar, which means it contains lots of calories. So if your aim in the gym is weight management then drinking alcohol is counter-productive! Muscle gain can be affected to as it can essentially disrupt sleep patterns and growth hormones. These are vital for muscle growth and are released while you are in deep sleep. When is the actual ‘best’ time to consume alcohol? According to www. healthcentre.org.uk, this is the day after you have been excercising, or at least 2 days prior to any planned sporting activity. Many like myself will feel ridiculously out of shape and it’s time to hit the gym again! The University has two gyms, one based in Fallowfield and the other on Sugden Street, just outside Manchester Metropolitan. For the Armitage Center, it is £165 for 12 months whilst the Sugden center stands at £195. There are also other types of memberships you can get. What needs to be warned however is that these gyms can get frustratingly busy, particularly just before dinner. This means that you may not be able to do a sufficient work out, particularly with weights.

Roller Derby in Actgion! Photo: Sport Manchester

All sorts of drinks have been consumed this week Photo: MDMA

what sporting events you get up to in Freshers! Tweet @mancunion_ Let the force be with you as you battle to regain fitness. Photo: W_Minshull @Flickr

The best of the rest

Can’t get into a unversity team? Don’t sweat, there’s still campus league Will Kelly Sport Editor

Sadly University sport teams operate on a different level to what you may have experienced in school or college. Trials are a shambles. For most teams, your trial would be you in your most hung over state, lumping your body around and trying to stand out in the midst’s of thousands. Schools and colleges, however, allow you the opportunity to show that you can improve on a weekly basis. Try not to be hard on yourself if you don’t get into the team straight away because it is difficult. I personally felt really aggrieved that I didn’t make the University of Manchester football team despite being told to my face that I would most likely be in. I found out online that this was

History FC battling it out in the campus league. Photo: Matt Segal

not the case. But it’s certainly not the end of the world as the University runs very competitive leagues for societies. In terms of football, the standard is very competitive with 50 teams playing across 5 divisions. Playing at Wythenshawe sports grounds, games come thick and fast as

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you’re not only competing in the league but there are also numerous cup competitions to play in. Other sports include rugby and netball, and there are also chances to participate in mixed hockey and mixed basketball teams. This is a great way to meet new people, so get involved and get playing!

sport

Manchester lose out to Notts Nottingham pip Manchester and Portsmouth to City of Football title, with promises of improved grass-routes funding. Andrew Georgeson Sports Editor Manchester’s bid to become the UK’s City of Football was fell short to Nottingham. The decision, made by Sports England, was in favour of Nottingham in order to improve it’s grassroots system, as well as increase diversity within the City. Since last year over 100000 amateur footballers have stopped playing in the midlands city, which is somehing they were keen to address. The £1.6 million pound investment is going to be spread over two years, with Nottingham Football Association trailing the football app ‘Playbook’ in order to communicate to young people the new sporting opportunities that will arise once the

Stuart Pearce and Forest have been in fine form this season Photo: Wikimedia Commons

money is invested. When talking about the decision, director of Sports England Phil Smith said, “Nottingham has an exciting and inventive response to the challenge of getting more people to play the game and we will look forward to working with them to make this happen.’’ “Nottingham was simply the best - it was a

terrific bid.” Questions have been raised over the suitbaility of Nottingham to have recieved the nomination over Manchester, with neither Nottingham team featuring in the top-tier of English football with Nottingham Forest currently sitting top of the Championship and Notts County finding

themself in the middle of League One. However, the optimism that Stuart Pearce has bought with him since rejoining Forest will see them likely challengers for promotion this season. Should they reach the Premier League more money will become available to the public via. the often crticised Premier League in the community campaigns, helping long term success in Nottingham after the two years of funding from Sport England runs out. Manchester’s City of Football bidding team took the defeat in good spirits, tweeting; ‘From all involved in the @ Manchester_COF bid we wish to congratulate @NottinghamCOF named as @Sport_ England’s first ‘City of Football’.

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15th SEPTEMBER 2014/ ISSUE 20 FREE

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: @Mancunion_Sport : /TheMancunion

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P.29 Sport in Manchester P.30 Che Ben Arfa P.31 Manchester unites to bid for City of Football A change of ways

Rivalies are set aside as Manchester compete with Portsmouth and Nottingham to become the UK’s first City of Football

Campaigners write message of support for Manchester’s bid. Photo: @mancunion_sport

Liam Kelly Sport Editor Sport England judges visited Manchester on Friday to run the rule over the city’s bid to be crowned the inaugural UK City of Football. It was a fun-filled day of footballing activity outside the National Football Museum at Cathedral Gardens, with hundreds of people from across the local area taking advantage of the day in the city centre, which lasted

for over four hours and proved to be exciting for all. There were open coaching sessions provided by coaches from both Manchester City and Manchester United, whilst free mini-matches were staged on pitches erected for the occasion. Other activities available to all free of charge included a test of shot power (yours truly managed to clock in at 39.6mph) and a mesmerising quick feet game.

Entertainment was provided in the form of super-talented football freestylers, whilst there was also fantastic live music from a host of local talent on the Key103 stage, including Molly Corcoran and Sam Irving. High-profile backers of the campaign include Manchester United legends Andy Cole, Denis Irwin and Bryan Robson; former Manchester City manager Kevin Keegan, and exCoronation Street star Michelle

Keegan (no relation). The bid has also resulted in the city’s two Premier League clubs joining forces in a rare united front, as well as MPs and councillors from all parties representing constituencies across Greater Manchester putting their differences aside to back the bid. When the Mancunion arrived at Cathedral Gardens, there was a Manchester City bus being driven by a man in a United shirt, demonstrating the power of unity

this bid – and football – has had in the city. The Mancunion spoke to Colin Bridgford, chief executive of Manchester FA, who said “We are aiming to transform grassroots football in Manchester by engaging greater numbers of kids and young people in more varieties of football.

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