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WWW.MANCUNION.COM 10th OCTOBER 2016 / ISSUE 04 FREE Photo: George Hodan@ publicdomainpictures

“Wait and See” if Erasmus+ will last

Education Secretary Justine Greening was unable to confirm if the Erasmus+ programme will remain post-Brexit Barney Weston News Contributor The future of the Erasmus+ exchange programme appears to be at risk as a result of Brexit, following the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham, which took place from the 2nd–5th October.

In response to whether the Erasmus+ exchange programme was to remain an option for students in postBrexit Britain, Justine Greening, Secretary of State for Education, replied: “Well… wait and see but I think it’s been a fantastic chance for our students to be able to get opportunities around Europe and to get all the experiences that brings.”

When asked why its future was in doubt, Greening replied: “Well people have had a vote on Brexit haven’t they?”

Jacob Rees-Mogg, Conservative MP and prominent Brexiteer, claimed: “The Erasmus exchange includes non-EU countries already, and that’s whether or not we wish to make a financial contribution and that just becomes a normal political decision. It’s not dependent on the EU.” According to the Erasmus+ website, “Erasmus+ aims to modernise education, training and youth work across Europe. It is open to education, training, youth and sport organisations across all sectors of lifelong learning, including school education, further and higher education, adult education and the youth sector. It offers exciting opportunities for UK participants to then study, work, volunteer, teach and train abroad in Europe.”

In response to the threat to the Erasmus+ programme, the Liberal Democrats have begun a petition to save it—which now has over 9,400 signatures. The party’s youth organisation, Liberal Youth, will send 20 students to Brussels in order to present the petition to the European Parliament.

The Mancunion approached Angela Rayner, Shadow Secretary Continued on Page 2...

Security incites feelings of unease amongst Fallowfield students

Len Cotton News Contributor

Fallowfield student houses have been visited 64 times since September for noise complaints. This comes in light of the news earlier in the summer that both Manchester Metropolitan and the University of Manchester were to employ notorious security company G4S to patrol Fallowfield.

This controversial move came about after disruption was caused to non-student Fallowfield residents last year, with police making over 400 visits to houses on the basis of excessive noise. The Universities’ executives claimed that they had initiated this plan as a way of maintaining “positive relationships between students and residents”.

There is now growing concern about the choice of security made by university officials.

The company employed to patrol the streets of Fallowfield, G4S, is an organisation who have been accused of many breaches of power and

Are the SU right to ban the Daily Star?

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unprofessionalism.

This choice of client for the university has already resulted in a number of Fallowfield students reporting what they felt were both intimidating and unfair experiences with G4S. A second year student stated that G4S had sent uniformed employees to their household, asking for the personal details of all current residents. The security guards justified this on the grounds that the previous tenants had caused multiple noise complaints, further enforcing that if similar events were to occur this year immediate sanctions would be taken. Importantly, this visit occurred before any such noise complaints, parties, or indeed altercations with neighbours had occurred with the house’s current inhabitants.

This is not an isolated case. Other students have reported receiving the same visits, with officials emphasising that if the current students caused any disruption they could face expulsion from the university.

Second year Lara experienced one of these visits and explained her

How are European universities tackling tuition fees?

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objections to the scaremongering tactics enforced by the university: “I think this whole thing is totally ridiculous and I hate being treated like a criminal when neither I, nor my housemates, have done anything wrong. I think it’s important that people know that if the police come to their door they don’t have to give them any personal details. This is a really short-sighted policy and its accusatory approach is doing nothing but alienating students.”

Indeed, other examples have arisen where students have felt that Fallowfield security had behaved unfairly. Just last week an incident occurred on the border of Fallowfield and Rusholme where a student house party was being held. On this occasion, the host claimed that she received complaints from the residents next door, but had acted quickly to reduce noise levels throughout the rest of the night.

No visits from security were made on the night, but the next day the house received a visit from the police. They reported receiving Continued on Page 4...

Foreign academics forbidden to advise on Brexit

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ISSUE 04 / 10th OCTOBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Picture of the week: The Imperial War Museum in Salford Quays at sunset Photo: Alicia Love

Highlights

Letter from the Continued from page one... Editor-in-chief

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Photo: Dennis Jarvis @Flickr

Opinion: Music is exciting again

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Fashion & Beauty: Alexander McQueen: A tragic genius

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for Education, for her reaction to the uncertainty. She described the prospect of the UK losing the Erasmus+ programme as “really scary”. “We’ve asked those questions, we’ve raised those concerns. [...] We’re trying to do our best.” However, Mrs. Rayner admitted that, characteristic of everything Brexit, “nobody knows”. She in fact suggested that UK universities could perhaps organise the programme themselves, saying: “Universities are better at it than politicians.”

Peter Aldous, MP for Waverney, has described how Erasmus+ “widens people’s horizons, gives them greater experiences, and in an era when I know there is some skepticism of globalisation, and I expect it is a tide that we can’t keep back, we’ve got to shape it to suit ourselves rather than adopting a canoe approach. I think we need to assure that our students can continue to have that diverse, international education experience.”

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “EU students make an important contribution to our worldclass universities, and we want that to continue. While the UK remains a member of the EU, UK and EU students will continue to access exchange opportunities through Erasmus. The UK’s future access to the Erasmus programme will be determined as part of wider discussions with the EU.” The Erasmus+ programme is often lauded by those who have benefitted from it. Felix Peckitt, who spent a year abroad at Ruprecht-Karls Universitat Heidelberg in Germany, said that to him, Erasmus+ “meant complete intellectual freedom.

I could study things I wouldn’t be able to in Manchester, and I’ve bought them back to expand on them in the UK.” If the UK was to pull out of the Erasmus+ programme, they could end up either not participating at all, or possibly taking an approach similar to Switzerland, which is classed as a partner country within the Erasmus+ programme. This has been the case since 2014, when Switzerland approved a referendum on immigration quotas, and therefore couldn’t take part within the Erasmus+ programme.

Since then, Switzerland has taken part in the Erasmus+

Visit Our Website www.mancunion.com The Mancunion @TheMancunion Editor-in-chief: Jennifer Sterne editor@mancunion.com

Sport: To knee or not to knee?

Deputy Editor-in-chief: Elise Gallagher deputyed@mancunion.com Postal address: University of Manchester Students’ Union, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PR Phone: 0161 275 2989 Subeditors: Gemma Sowerby, Robert Parris, Jane Simmons, Hannah Foy, Christopher Tchen, Lauren Bramley, Adriana Elgueta, Lauren Pizzey, Stevie Grieves sub@mancunion.com

programme as a partner country via the Swiss-European Mobility Programme (SEMP). This has, however, proven to be extremely expensive. The country spent 25.1 million CHF, the equivalent of £20.1 million, on it in 2016. This funding only covered the higher education and further education aspects of the Erasmus+ programme, more similar to its Erasmus predecessor in nature. Similarly, a Norwegian approach would not be possible unless the UK took part in the European principle of free movement.

Moreover, after having spoken to Erasmus+, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and the Department for Education, it became clear that no one was confidently able to to confirm which department was responsible for the programme.

After much discussion, it was eventually confirmed that in the UK, Erasmus+ will now be managed by the UK National Agency, in a partnership between the British Council and Ecorys UK. This will be overseen by the Department for Education and Justine Greening, as the UK’s National Authority for the Erasmus+ programme.

This is a recent development as the Erasmus+ website still claims that the UK’s National Authority is the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. However, following the disbandment of the department in July, the responsibility was shifted to the Department for Education.

The National Agency for Erasmus+ in the UK commented: “We hope that the UK can continue to be a full member of the programme, so that at least 250,000 people across the UK have the chance to study, train, or volunteer abroad from 2014 to 2020. Organisations and participants should continue to prepare for the application deadlines in 2016/17 as usual.

We are continuing to manage the Erasmus+ programme in the UK and cannot speculate on any possible post-Brexit scenarios.”

Either way, the uncertainty surrounding the Erasmus+ programme in its current form suggests it may not be considered as a red line by the government within its negotiation plans.

Head News Editor: Yasmin Mannan Deputy News Editor: Alexandra Bickell Science Editor: Georgie Hines news@mancunion.com science@mancunion.com Head Features Editor: Jacob Nicholas Deputy Features Editor: Emma Shanks features@mancunion.com Head Opinion Editor: Tristan Parsons Deputy Opinion Editor: Edward John opinion@mancunion.com Head Fashion Editor: Sarah Kilcourse Deputy Fashion Editor: Sophie Soar Deputy Fashion Editor: Talia Lee Skudder fashion@mancunion.com Head Food & Drink Editor: Felix Sanders foodanddrink@mancunion.com Head Film Editor: Eliza Slawther Deputy Film Editor: Shema Begum film@mancunion.com Head Lifestyle Editor: Rachel Adams Deputy Lifestyle Editor: Araddhna Patel mancunion.life@gmail.com

Head Music Editor: Joe Casson Deputy Music Editor: Katie Shepherd music@mancunion.com Head Sport Editor: Harry Newton Deputy Sport Editor: Alex Whitcomb sport@mancunion.com Books Editor: Roma Havers books@mancunion.com Games Editor: Stephen Lewis games@mancunion.com Theatre Editor: Brogen Campbell theatre@mancunion.com Arts Editor: Laura Joyce arts@mancunion.com Head Online Editor Rebecca Carr Deputy Online Editor: Holly Smith online@mancunion.com Photographers: Alicia Love Copyright of imagery belongs to the photographers and anyone wishing to reproduce them should contact them individually

Our front page this week features threats to student wellbeing from international, national, and local student issues—the threat of Brexit on engagement with European universities through the Erasmus+ programme, the national implications of the new conservative government and the local issues surrounding the universities recruitment of G4S to patrol Fallowfield, which has led to 64 students’ houses being visited.

Students, who voted in majority to remain in the EU, are being left in the lurch, told to “wait and see” what lies in store for them in the Brexit negotiations. That the government is allowing such uncertainty to continue demonstrates the regard with which they hold students within their plans. We are well aware students are not the only ones left in limbo, that even if we now know the deadline for triggering article 50, Brexit is still being defined for everyone as simply Brexit, or Breakfast…

Yet on top of this uncertainty we are also being told that our fees will rise, if our universities win an Olympic medal… and that the people we give such staggering fees to are hiring security staff to keep an eye on us. We are definitely not the worst off post-Referendum, but as one of the largest groups to not have voted for Brexit we deserve to be listened to in the negotiations.

For more discussion on the topic of fees turn to page eight, where the Features section explores how our European neighbours, compared to us, are managing university costs for their students.

On page ten we explore whether the Students’ Union was right to ban the Daily Star, a decision made at the first Senate of the year. The writer argues that banning it will not resolve the concern that they objectify women and goes on to claim “by denying students the ability to access the Daily Star, they are denying us of a fundamental human right set out by the UN”—freedom of speech.

It seems we are unable to complete an issue without debating what free speech means and whether it is threatened; it seems now to come hand-in-hand with working alongside student politics.

However as the article claims “the way to create change is to start conversations about it. By creating a dialogue, it allows everyone to think and exchange ideas”— and that is exactly what we aim to do for the next 16 issues of the year.

The Mancunion is the official student newspaper of the University of Manchester., established in 1969 with a readership of around 20,000. It is printed weekly for 20 editions and is distributed across campus and the city.

All writers are volunteers and new contributors are always welcome. No previous experience is necessary, just a passion for student media and a good story. You can get involved by turning up to a meeting, the times of which are listed on the Mancunion website’s Join page.

We gladly accept contributors from outside the University of Manchester.

The Mancunion is part of the Manchester Media Group, along with Fuse FM and Fuse TV. This body encompasses all of the Union’s official media outlets, and organises training, outside speakers, and social events for Manchester students interested in student media.

If you have any comments, questions, complaints, or would like to contribute, please e-mail the Editorin-chief or Deputy Editor-in-chief.

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ISSUE 04 / 10th OCTOBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

‘Blame your MPs, not labour migrants’ Angela Rayner and Jeff Smith spoke at the University of Manchester on Thursday 6th October to discuss the future of the Labour Party Shivani Kaura News Contributor Angela Rayner, the Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Jeff Smith, local MP for Withington, joined the University of Manchester at the student union on Thursday 6th October to discuss the future of the Labour Party and their support for the students in the city.

The discussion was first led by Rayner, who introduced herself as ‘just a ginger from a council estate’ and then went on to familiarise the audience with her position in Parliament. Rayner expressed that this is a scary time for students and politics, as the Higher Education Bill was drafted before Brexit; this means that any adaptations to the Bill will be much harder to make now we are post-referendum. She also noted the lack of student representation in the House of Commons.

When asked her opinion on Theresa May, Rayner raised her concern that people have too much faith in our new Prime Minister and for the wrong reasons. Rayner believes that May “has no mandate” and that May, having just been appointed Prime Minister, is “acting like she just entered politics for the first time”, even though she’s been

by Cameron’s side for the past six years. The Shadow Secretary questioned why May is trying to make Brexit a success when she herself was a part of the remain campaign.

The Erasmus programme set up in 1987 is a European Union student exchange. When asked whether the Labour Party would protect the

project, which is used by thousands of UK students, including many at Manchester, Rayner stated that the UK would have to have reciprocal agreements with officials in the EU and that nobody has an exact answer yet. She added that she had been persistent in questioning Theresa May about the situation but had not received a solid answer.

Joe Johnson, brother of Boris Johnson and the Minister of Universities has stated that he wants tuition fees to rise to £9,500 a year, causing uproar amongst students. Jeff Smith quickly clarified that he does not want tuition fees to rise and if he could, he would abolish them as a whole. Smith proposed that the Labour Party are currently doing their best to allow students in the future who come from underprivileged backgrounds to be given a larger maintenance grant, as well as improving access to them. He suggested that this should be introduced by channelling through the cooperation levy.

The discussion then moved on to the expansion of grammar schools and whether this would promote social mobility. Rayner, having attended a comprehensive school during her youth, stated that it is a much better form of education than grammar schools. She is a strong believer that state schools have much better academia that grammar schools and the teachers are equally good.

When asked whether she thought that universities are secretly sexist, as discussed in The Mancunion last week, Rayner replied that we are years away from making things perfect - however, in a rare moment of praise for Theresa May, she complimented the Prime Minister

on her efforts for fighting for equal pay.

Jeff Smith went on to say that the economic powerhouse of Manchester is the only major city in the UK with equal representation, with 48 female and male councillors, giving Manchester an advantage in securing balanced opinions.

Smith believes that Manchester has a serious problem with homelessness and wants to tackle the situation by investing more in social services and by building more council houses in the North. Rayner commented that one of the main problems with the government is that they are based so dominantly in the South. Due to this, they are blaming labour migrants and “shoving them up North”, complaining that there isn’t enough room for them in the UK when there evidently is.

Tensions rose as the discussion continued, with Rayner and Smith both constantly checking their mobiles as Corbyn started reshuffling the Cabinet, lacking assurance of their positions in the hierarchy of the party. As they were both alerted that the Chief Whip, Rosie Winterton, was sacked, Rayner started to become more conscious of her position and joked that she “could be gone by the end of the panel meeting.” Even though Corbyn could let them down, they are faithful in his position as the leader of the Labour Party and both agree that the only way to take down the Tories is by lobbying them with hopes of an early general election before 2020.

Photos: The University of Manchester Students’ Union

Cap on medical students raised, but at a cost Jeremy Hunt announces new plans for present and future medical students

Becky Hodgkinson & Lydia Ransome News Contributors In a bid to make the UK self-sufficient in its numbers of doctors, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has revealed plans to lift the cap on the number of medical school places, which is currently set at 6,000 per year, and to fund an extra 1,500 places.

These extra places will cost the government £100million.

Hunt reasoned this change with the claim that Britain has never before trained enough doctors, and that we must do so in order to “prepare the NHS for the future”. He also pointed out that employing doctors trained outside of the UK undermines the ability of all the British students who don’t get the chance to study medicine because of the caps.

Between 2007 and 2012 the numbers of practising doctors under the age of thirty who trained outside of the UK and Europe shrank from one in seven to one in twenty, which will have been in part due to tighter immigration laws put in place under Theresa May as home secretary.

Now that Britain has left the European Union, the government has a greater ability to limit the number of doctors coming in from Europe to both train and practice inside the UK. However, the shortage of doctors will have to be tackled from both the training and qualifying ends, as numbers of NHS doctors are shrinking.

Many newly qualified doctors are choosing to enter into the private sector instead of working for the NHS or even leaving the UK all together in order to seek out better working conditions.

In fact, it is estimated that up to 5,000 doctors are opting to leave the UK every year, with higher pay, lower cost of living and no out-of-hours work being key factors in their decision.

Hunt’s way of ‘tackling’ the issue will be to penalize those who move abroad or into the private sector straight after qualifying.

New recruits will be pinished for fleeing to countries such as Australia, Canada and New Zealand; they will be required to work for the NHS for at least four years after graduating or be forced to repay some of the £220,000 cost of their training.

The British Medical Association (BMA) have criticised the move, claiming that the underlying reasons for doctors opting to move abroad need to be dealt with instead. This would include addressing that many staff shortages are a direct result of the anger at the imposition of the new junior doctor’s contract.

“Demotivated, burnt-out doctors who don’t want to be in their jobs will not be good for patients” said Dr Mark Porter, the BMA’s council chair.

Nigel Edwards, chief executive of the Nuffield Trust also commented: “We need to be looking closely at why we are losing skilled doctors to other countries, rather than compelling them to stay.”

The punishment on newly graduated doctors will be based on the “return of service” model of commitment of the armed forces, whereby fighter pilots must serve 12 years before pursuing private-sector posts.

Photo: Jasleen_kaur@Flickr

Photo: NHS Confederation@Flickr

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News

Continued from page one... ...multiple complaints from neighbours the previous night, eventually issuing the house with an official warning.

They further added that if similar events occurred in the future, the student residents could be removed from their courses and property.

All these threats were made despite the fact that the party had received no direct warnings from police on the night. The student source in question said that she had felt “unfairly penalised” as, had she known about the scale of the disruption caused, she would have acted to close the party immediately.

The University of Manchester’s Students’ Union, in a statement to The Mancunion, said: “We are uncomfortable with the decision that has been made to use G4S for this pilot scheme, we have a number of conversations from the beginning with the university and council on this topic and have voiced our concerns about the use of G4S to them. We have posed a series of questions to the university regarding this pilot scheme which have now all been answered.

“We have been told there will be two officers whose roles will be to; ‘manage noise nuisance and anti-social behaviour either by attempting early interventions or through professional witnessing’ we have also been assured that the officers will have gone through a variety of training including but not limited to: Incident Response Officers Licencing and Training, Front Line SIA Licenced, SIA CCTV Licenced, Enhanced DBS check.

“We hope to monitor the pilot scheme throughout its 8 week period to make sure students are safe and protected and if you have any concerns please do not hesitate to get in contact with us”.

A spokesperson for The University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University told The Mancunion the “Universities are committed to maintaining positive relationships between students and residents.

A patrol operating under the recently introduced night-time response pilot scheme in partnership with Manchester City Council identified some issues at a property which resulted in a noise abatement notice being served by Manchester City Council.”

What seems clear by the responses from students The Mancunion spoke to is that they are deeply angered that the university are prioritising their reputation over ensuring the best student experience possible for those enrolled at their institutions.

ISSUE 04 / 10th OCTOBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Foreign academics banned from contributing to Brexit negotiations Gemma Sowerby Chief Subeditor Academics and expert government advisers who are non-British nationals will be asked not to contribute to reports, analysis, or government policy on Brexit on account of their nationality.

Foreign academics at the London School of Economics (LSE) were sent an email from the Foreign Office informing them that their expert contributions to the Government were no longer wanted in relation to government planning and strategy in negotiating Brexit.

This was revealed by Sara Hagemann—an assistant professor at LSE who specialises in EU policymaking processes, EU treaties, and the role of national parliaments. She said in a tweet that she had been told she and many others “no longer qualify” as government experts because they are not UK citizens.

The Liberal Democrats’ EU spokesman Nick Clegg condemned the news: “It is utterly baffling that the government is turning down expert, independent advice on Brexit simply because someone is from another country.

“This is yet more evidence of the Conservatives’ alarming embrace of petty chauvinism over rational policymaking.”

Hagemann, who is Danish, said she had been informed specifically that she wouldn’t be asked to contribute further to any Brexit-based government policy or analysis.

The Guardian reported that up to nine LSE academics specializing in EU affairs have been working with the Foreign Office on briefings for Brexit issues, but that any non-UK citizens would no longer be allowed to provide expertise. According to The Independent, it has been suggested that one of the academics affected is a dual national, with citizenship of both the UK and another EU member state.

The move is all the more confusing given Britain’s well-advertised lack of trade negotiators, something that could possibly affect its ability to take part in exhaustive and protracted talks with the countries that remain in the EU as part of its Brexit strategy.

A spokesman for LSE said: “The UK government regularly calls upon LSE’s world-class academics for their advice on a range of issues.

“We believe our academics, including non– UK nationals, have hugely valuable expertise,

which will be vital in this time of uncertainty around the UK’s relationship with Europe and the rest of the world.

“Any changes to security measures are a matter for the UK government,” the spokesman added.

Photo: Sébastien Bertrand @Flick r

Manchester RAG Sleepout

A preview of Manchester RAG’s upcoming sleepout to raise awareness of homelessness in the city Amy Bradley News Contributor With homelessness becoming an ever-growing issue in Manchester, students want to do something about it.Over the past few years, the problem of homelessness in Manchester has grown significantly seeing more people than ever on the streets and increasing by 50% in the last year alone. Manchester RAG is holding an event to raise awareness of the on-going issue in the aim to educate students of the real struggles of daily life on the streets.

The sponsored ‘Sleepout’ event will take place outside the Catholic Chaplaincy opposite the Students’ Union on 21st October from 7pm to 7am. The evening will be an opportunity for students wishing to take part to fundraise for any charity of their choice that relates to the pressing issue of homelessness in the city and the education around it.

There will be speakers on the night from from several homelessness charities such as MASH, Mustard Tree, Coffee 4 Craig, and Barnabus.

The idea intends to put people in the difficult position of being homeless by spending a night on the streets with other fundraisers in the hope of gaining an understanding of the lives of over 70 homeless people in Manchester. With guest speakers

who have experienced homelessness first hand, the night will be an environment of learning and educating. Live music and talks about the different types of help available to people on the streets will also fill the evening giving everyone involved the opportunity to understand the services out there and how to offer to those who need it.

The event points towards looking for a long-term solution when it comes to homelessness and steering away from short-term solutions such as supplying food or money. Instead, RAG and Student Action aim to encourage people on the streets to get help from organisations as they feel the Manchester community has a bigger responsibility at tackling the issue of homelessness. Jodie, chair of Manchester RAG, said of the event, “As a student body we have a responsibility to look after our city and everybody in it. We want to raise awareness of the issue of homelessness by not only fundraising money but also educating people to hopefully make a long term impact.”

Although donating food and money to rough sleepers creates in instant solution to some of the more fixable issues of homelessness such as hunger, it does nothing to contribute towards the harder issues like mental health, drug abuse and harm.

There will be speakers on the night from from sev-

eral homelessness charities such as MASH, Mustard Tree, Coffee 4 Craig, and Barnabus.

Every night, people sleeping rough on Manchester’s streets have to relocate from one shop doorway to another, with some setting up tents near Piccadilly train station and dangerous areas next to roads. Easier access to sleeping bags and tents along with food donations from the public, mean homeless people are not being encouraged to seek help and move away from a life on the streets.

In fact, with the increasing number of rough sleepers, it has been suggested that generous donations of food and money only make the problem worse by continuing to stabilise people’s lives on the streets instead of making a bigger change and moving them off the street. The event held by Manchester RAG will address this issue and raise awareness in what proves to be an inspiring and progressive evening.

Two US students suspended over mocking Black Lives Matter with blackface Yasmin Mannan Head News Editor

Photo: Elena Cotton @Wikimedia Commons

Photo: RAG

Two students have been suspended over a 43-second online video showing a student in blackface mocking the Black Lives Matter movement.

The video of the white female student, who attended Albright college in Pensylvania, shows her in an Albright T-Shirt and blackface makeup. In the video, the student mockingly calls herself “Carisha” and ridicules the Black Lives Matter movement. There is at least one other student in laughing along in the video and dancing in a hallway.

The president of Albright College, Lex McMillan III, said “We unequivocally condemn the behaviour in the video” and that “It is unacceptable by any member of our community and in no way represents the values of Albright.” He also claimed that the two students involved apparently came forward voluntarily and have expressed remorse.

The incident is indicative of wider problems with blackface being seen as an acceptable ‘costume’ for students.

A more detailed version of this story is online.

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ISSUE 04 / 10th OCTOBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

West Sussex proposes 4-day school week Head teachers in West Sussex forced to consider drastic action to battle lack of allocated funding

Aliya Ismangil News Contributor A West Sussex head teacher has decided to explore “modifying opening hours” in order to cope with budget cuts and rising costs.

Louise Goldsmith, Conservative Leader of the West Sussex County Council, has said that West Sussex received £44m less funding than the national average this year, with the area being “the fifth lowest funded nationally.”

Goldsmith has personally written to Education Secretary, Justine Greening, about the issue, pleading for emergency support: “They cannot absorb more pressure on their budgets, which are already squeezed to the limit.”

Chair of the West Sussex Secondary Heads’ executive and head teacher of Weald school in Billingshurst, Peter Woodman has raised his own concerns that schools may not even have enough funding to open for five days a week. Although this is only a consideration at the moment and understandably “not a place we really want to go,” the considerable lack of funding is putting pressure on Woodman and other head teachers in West Sussex to find ways to keep schools running.

This could include “increasing class sizes again, reducing our curriculum, not replacing staff and considering revised opening hours;” some schools in the area have already taken some of these actions. Parent governor, Helen Quiroga, says that “it would have a devastating effect on their education;” she opposes the cutting down of the school week using the strict current policies of many schools on taking holidays during term as an example. She believes that these policies are in place due to the

negative long-term effects on children’s education when missing school hours— missing a full day every week of school will surely have far greater ramifications.

The current education funding system for the UK has no national formula and the main determinant of how much an area is funded is schools’ spending in the previous year. Therefore, current funding largely reflects that which was allocated when the current scheme was introduced in 2006/07. The system does not take into account rising inflation, nor changing circumstances of areas or schools.

Earlier this year, the government proposed a ‘fairer’ funding system that was set to take effect in 2017-18, but a recent announcement by the Education Secretary revealed this has now been pushed back to 2018-19. During this time, no interim funding is planned, only the guarantee that funding will not decrease from that received this year. Many believe this could lead to catastrophic consequences, pushing head teachers to the dramatic measures that they are now considering.

Head teachers and those supporting the ‘Worth Less?’ campaign, which advocates action to improve the funding system, hope that voicing these considerations of drastic measures to save money will highlight the problem to MPs and the Government.

The Department of Education has issued a statement assuring their commitment to introducing a fair national funding formula. “That’s why we have protected the schools budget… in 2016-17 that will total over £40bn, the highest on record.”

This statement somewhat loses its reassuring tone when you consider the situation of the schools in West Sussex and other areas at the moment.

‘Killer clown’ craze has come to UK soil

Creepy clowns terrorising pedestrians in the UK Araddhna Patel News Contributor Recent sightings of ‘killer clowns’ jumping out of bushes and chasing members of the public have been reported all over the UK. One police force reportedly received six reports in five days.

These clown hoaxes originated on college campuses in the US, when people dressed in horrifying clown costumes and scared pedestrians walking by. Officers in the UK are warning that these antics could land pranksters in serious trouble.

Newcastle was one of the areas to first report clown sightings in Britain. A spokesperson for the Northumbria Police said a teenager from Blakelaw was arrested in connection with a ‘clown’ incident. He then added that a “bladed article” was found on the teenager.

Schoolchildren across Newcastle have so far been the target of the clown pranksters, leaving them traumatised and “distressed”.

So far, no one has been attacked or injured, but the police force has received numerous reports of clowns chasing passers-by down local streets.

Inspector Stephen Wykes of Central Area Command said: “The people carrying out these

pranks may think they’re being funny but it’s leaving a number of young people incredibly distressed.”

“Parents of the children affected, and teachers at our local schools, are understandably concerned and we are working closely with them as this is not something we want to see happening in our local community.”

“There have only been a handful of these incidents, which we think have been inspired by a trend in America, but we are keen to stop them before they cause anyone else further distress.”

“We are keen to identify those people who are dressing up as clowns so we can speak to them about their conduct and establish whether any criminal offence has taken place.”

A spokesman for the police commented on the arrest of the Blakelaw teenager: “This arrest should act as a clear warning to others who are actively seeking to cause distress and potentially harm others.”

“This behaviour will not be tolerated and extra officers will be on hand to offer reassurance and catch those responsible for any criminal offences which have taken place.”

This sinister craze has now reportedly arrived in Manchester. There has been a flurry of panic on social media, but no incidents have been reported—yet.

Photo: voodooangel@Flickr

Man Met student found dead in halls

Police are not treating the death of university student Ed Cooper as suspicious Yinka Oyetade News Contributor A Manchester Metropolitan student has been found dead in University Halls.

18-year-old Ed Cooper was found dead in his halls of residence at Manchester Metropolitan University on September 28th.

Ed cooper, an events management student, was originally from Guiseley in Yorkshire and had only been at the university for a matter of days. Ambulance services received an emergency call at 9:42 on the Wednesday to his Halls of residence and he was pronounced dead at the scene by police.

The cause of death is still unclear, although a spokesman for Greater Manchester Police has said “the matter is not suspicious and a file is being prepared for the coroner”.

In the wake of his death, Ed’s sister Sofia Cooper has created an Ed Cooper celebration page on Facebook, encouraging friends and family to ‘post photos and memories’.

One message from Alex Robinson spoke of Cooper as a “man of the highest kind, order and quality supreme”. Another message by Jake Keating described as Ed as “a happy go lucky man with a smile that could light up a room”. Despite having only been a student at Manchester Metropolitan University for a short time, he seemed to have already settled in, with many tributes flowing in from fellow students at the institution.

Abigail May Scammell, another student at the University, wrote: “I didn’t know him for

long, but he was one of the most genuine, lovely and kind people I have ever met, so funny and happy, it’s so unfair that you’ve been taken so soon, rest in peace bar crawl buddy.” Raffaele Okyere said, “It’s been a pleasure to meet someone with your heart and humbleness, I definitely won’t forget you bro, love you.”

A spokesman from the university has released a statement, saying “Our thoughts are with family and friends at this difficult time.”

Student Support Officers are currently providing support and assistance to students affected by this tragic loss.

Photo: David McKelvey @Flickr

Manchester ‘Walk of Fame’ honours city icons The temporary ‘Walk of Fame’ installation marks the opening of a new bar Elizabeth Rushton News Contributor Manchester’s First Street has become home to 20 stars on the pavements, honouring some of the city’s most revered residents.

The city’s answer to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, ‘Star Walk Manchester’ is part of a promotional campaign ahead of the opening of new bar, ‘The Liquor Store First Street’, a sister business to the Deansgate establishment of the same name.

The 20 favourites featured in the installation were selected through a poll run by the bar’s management. The resulting top 20 represent the diversity of Manchester, from its heavily industrial past, to artists like L. S. Lowry, as well as more recent additions the city, such as the late comedian Caroline Aherne.

Liquor Store co-owner Doug Waldron commented on how honouring the creators of the city’s legacy was an important part of the Liquor Store’s expansion.

“Manchester is at the heart of everything we do at the Liquor Store and with First Street being an artistic breeding ground, located opposite the famous Hacienda building, it seemed fitting to open our new bar by celebrating some of the city’s most prolific stars.”

Demonstrating the breadth of Manchester’s contribution to the world, the icons represent a number of fields ranging from sport to the arts. Figures such

as Paul Scholes of Manchester United, acclaimed actor Maxine Peake, and director Danny Boyle, the man behind the opening ceremony at the London 2012 Olympics, all being celebrated.

Manchester’s rich musical history is, naturally, represented especially strongly, with Ian Curtis, Morrissey, the Gallagher brothers, and iconic manager Tony Wilson all to be found in the project. The University of Manchester also maintains a strong presence, with the inclusion of poet Lemn Sissay, Chancellor of the University, and Physics fellow Brian Cox. Emmeline Pankhurst, a pioneering figure of Britain’s suffragette movement, also appears in the installation, following the announcement in January that she will be honoured by a new statue located in Manchester, the city of her birth.

Unfortunately, Star Walk Manchester is not a permanent fixture. Manchester’s pedestrians will only be able to admire the installation until Monday 10th October, following the opening of the new branch of The Liquor Store on Saturday 8th October.

The full list of featured stars is as follows: Noel Gallagher; Liam Gallagher; Morrissey; Ian Brown; Ian Curtis; Bez; Mick Hucknall; Paul Scholes; Brian Cox; Maxine Peake; Tony Warren; Lemn Sissay; John Thaw; Caroline Aherne; Dame Sarah Storey; L S Lowry; Danny Boyle; Tony Wilson; Emmeline Pankhurst; Les Dawson

Photo: The Liquor Store First Street

6

News

British scientists dominate Nobel Prizes The 2016 Nobel Prizes for Physics, Chemistry and Medicine and Physiology have been announced Iqra Choudry Science & Technology Contributor This year, four UK scientists have been honoured with a prestigious Nobel Prize, given to those who had “conferred the greatest benefit to mankind”.

The Nobel Prize in Physics this year was divided, with one half awarded to David J. Thouless, an Englishman, and the other half jointly to F. Duncan M. Haldane, also from England, and J. Michael Kosterlitz, a Scotsman, “for theoretical discoveries of topological phase transitions and topological phases of matter”.

All three scientists carried out work on exotic states of matter whilst affiliated with American research universities. The work they carried out uses abstract mathematics called topology to explore unexpected properties of materials, such as superconductivity, using mathematic models to explain physical phenomena. It is thought that their work will be integral to forming a basis for the research aiming to create quantum computers in the future.

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2016 was awarded jointly to three men; Jean-Pierre Sauvage, from France, Sir J. Fraser Stoddart, another Scottish recipient, and Dutch scientist Bernard L. Feringa “for the design and synthesis of molecular machines”.

The trio worked on replicating elements of cellular machinery with molecules, making miniscule molecular switches and motors. Their work has significant therapeutic potential, and is being developed with a view to one day using molecular machinery to create medical micro-robots and selfhealing materials.

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2016 was awarded solely to Yoshinori Ohsumi of the Tokyo Institute of Technology in Japan for his “discoveries of mechanisms for autophagy”. His work revolves around the body’s cellular recycling systems, which break down and reuse cellular components.

Dysfunctional recycling has been linked to illnesses like Parkinson’s disease, type 2 Diabetes, cancer, and a host of age-related disorders meaning research based on Yoshinori Ohsumi’s work would focus on developing therapeutic drugs to target the autophagy system in patients with defective recycling systems.

Amidst celebration of the various British Nobel Laureates, arose a discussion about the state of British science. All of the English scientists awarded this year had “defected” to universities in the States during Thatcher’s cuts to science funding in the 1980s. With the status of post-Brexit British science yet to be decided, the question being asked is: Will there be any future British Nobel Laureates based in the UK?

Photo: Yana Audas

ISSUE 04 / 10th OCTOBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Preview: Manchester Science Festival

The Manchester Science Festival returns for its 10th year, running from 20-30th October, in collaboration with the Museum of Science and Industry Georgie Hines and Emily Hughes Science & Technology Editor and Contributor Manchester Science Festival is the biggest science festival in England, with a huge variety of events, performances and workshops to get involved with. The festival, produced by the Museum of Science of Industry, will return with its unique combination of science, art, music, literature, food, and more. This year the festival has chosen to focus on “surprising, meaningful science”, with a goal of inspiring and encouraging future generations of scientists and inventors.

The Mancunion was lucky enough to be invited along to the launch of the festival, held at MSI, where guests were given the opportunity to try ‘tasters’ of upcoming events such as the Chronarium sleep lab, virtual reality, and Manchester megapixel. The latter is an event that is running throughout the weeks festivities, where participants can “help build and colour in a giant megapixel display”, that will be a staggering 15 feet tall, and will be unveiled on the closing Sunday of the festival at MSI. Speaking at the event, Sally McDonald, Director of MSI, spoke of the 120,000 visits MSF had last year, making it “by far” the largest science festival in the country. However, she continued to say that, “it isnt just about being the biggest, it’s about being the boldest, and the most creative and the most innovative”. Acting as the flagship event of Manchester’s reign as European City of Science 2016, this year’s MSF has inspired them to “make the city become alive

with science not just in the period of October but throughout the year”.

The festival aims to be appealing to all. There are events that cater specifically to different age groups, as well as inclusive events for all ages to enjoy. Adults can enjoy delving into the science behind casinos, learning about sus-

“It isnt just about being the biggest, it’s about being the boldest, and the most creative and the most innovative” tainable eating or taking a whiskyology class.

There is also an event performed by Rachel McCarthy called ‘Elements: Poetry in molecular motion’, which will be exploring the science behind poetry. This event promises to combine visual, smell and audio stimuli alongside some of McCarthy’s acclaimed poetry collection.

If you fancy something active, there are plenty of tours run by the festival, such as the cycling solar system tour around Fallowfield.

You can also literally walk a mile in the shoes of inspiring scientists; the ‘John Dalton: Father of Science’ tour walks through places important to the life of Dalton, who is regarded by some as Manchester’s first great scientist.

Now in its 10th year, MSF will also be throwing

a ‘birthday party’ to commemorate the festival’s run, because as Antonio Benitez, Director of MSF, correctly pointed out, “if Manchester knows how to do anything, it’s to party”. The event will still appeal to everyone’s inner-geek as you can find out the psychology of hating clowns, the secrets behind magic tricks, and the mathematics in cutting the perfect slice of cake.

Whilst the majority of events are free, some do require pre-booking or a fee, so it is worth checking on the website for additional information and a full timetable of activities.

Our Science and Technology Editor trying out virtual reality at the launch of MSF Photo: Georgie Hines

In Conversation with Professor Andre Geim The MSI welcomed one of the university’s golden boys of graphene to share his experience of winning the 2010 Nobel Prize, how far he has come since levitating frogs, and where graphene research is going next

Hannah- Rose Ford Science & Technology Contributor The University of Manchester very proudly proclaims itself as the “home of graphene”. The National Graphene Institute leads the way in graphene research, as well as acting as a beacon for the university’s publicity efforts, with Prince William and Kate Middleton scheduled to visit Manchester to tour the facility later this month.

An In Conversation event at the Museum of Science and Industry is a rare opportunity to get to know one of the university’s well-known faces of graphene, Sir Professor Andre Geim, as he shares the stage with former journalist Roger Highfield, now director of external affairs at the Science Museum Group.

The conversation began with Andre and the audience being taken back to this time 6 years ago, when the Nobel prize winners were announced in 2010. Geim tells the audience quite nonchalantly that he had spent several years at that point being told that if he lived long enough he would win the award, and that “it was an ordinary day, until I came

“It was an ordinary day, until I came to work and all the people started congratulating me. That’s it. Nothing special”.

to work and all the people started congratulating me. That’s it. Nothing special”.

Many people, including Highfield, thought the Nobel Prize in Physics for 2016 might be awarded for the discovery of gravitational waves earlier this year. Geim disagreed however, responding that the committee usually waits until all but three of the scientists working on a discovery have died before rewarding it to them. It is perhaps unsurprising then that the award went instead to the American researchers for their work on exotic matter in the 1970s and 80s.

Of course as well as his Nobel prize, Andre Geim is also infamous for the work which won him the Ig Nobel Prize in 2000; levitating frogs. This came about as a result of what he calls “friday night experiments”, when he has a chance to try whatever ideas he has at the time, no matter how off-the-wall they are. Geim describes this time as an attempt to deviate from the tough life of academia, with a heavy focus on getting published, which “from your scientific cradle to your scientific coffin, [is] a straight line [sic]”. This adventurous approach to science was highlighted throughout the conversation, with Geim stating that “I’m not doing research, I’m doing only search.”

When asked for his opinion on Brexit and the “wail of horror” that has since emerged from the scientific community, with Highfield suggesting that Geim might appreciate that Britain is “venturing off into the great unknown”, he responded that if he went to the doctor and was prescribed medicine to cure all his problems, he would ask first whether the doctor had tried it on himself—failing that, he would want to know if it had at least been

tried on frogs first. “I like to base my search on the previous knowledge”, he says, “this is unbelievable what happened”.

Geim has a special relationship with Manchester, and with the issues of immigration raised this summer during the Brexit debates. Having grown up in Russia with German parents, he talks about how he has always been the foreigner, “an alien among my own and on my own among aliens.” His 15 years in Manchester are now the longest he has ever lived in one place, and he talks in a heartfelt way about the research landscape in the UK, and the opportunities to do internationally competitive research that he has had in Manchester. Of course, he also jokes that it is a lovely city to work in because the rain means there are few distractions.

In his current research Geim works with what he calls “graphene 3.0”. Having moved on from researching graphene itself, before even winning the Nobel Prize, to other materials only a single atom thick, his current research involves disassembling lead into individual atomic layers and then trying to reassemble them into something that nature cannot provide. Geim describes this as “a Lego game played not with those cubes, but with individual atomic planes”.

We have a new toolbox thanks to graphene, which is being commercialised at an unprecedentedly fast rate. Geim argues that we are now moving from the “age of silica” to the “age of two-dimensional materials”—and that is an exciting time to be in Manchester.

A full recording of the event is available on the BBC Focus website.

Photo: WikimediaImages@Pixabay

Global 7

ISSUE 08 / 14th November 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

In theThenews this week... important and interesting stories from the

Men are less likely wider world this week to disclose mental health issues than Headteacher women Stories by: Cachella Smith, Araddhna Patel, Len Cotton, Eleanor Forrest

Clinton’s supporters persevere

US American citizens are not wholly content with Trump’s triumph it seems, with over two million people signing a petition pleading for Clinton to be President (she did after all win the popular vote!) This petition is not as absurd as it initially seems; the voting system in the US being such that the people vote for ‘electoral college’ representatives who are expected to then vote reflecting the choice of their state.

Potentially, however, these representatives have the ability to abuse that right and vote for someone else. Will the Electors choose to ignore the votes of the people and take the presidency into their own hands?

Psychotic sauce takes woman by surprise

US Talk about a food fight!

Divel McLean from Wyoming claims a ‘possessed’ exploding salad dressing bottle attacked her, and damaged her friend’s house. McLean told Fox19: “I heard pop, pop, pop. I looked up, it was possessed. It was going crazy. It was shooting up in the air, to the side,” like the devil was in her dressing. It then exploded “like a firecracker. Real loud.”

McLean believes it caused $2500 worth of damage. The true reason for the noise was bacteria in the product that caused it to bubble and foam. Its manufacturers have recalled the product. Lettuce hope no one else was scarred by the hissing condiment.

Bereaved pensioner clones dead wife as a doll China A grieving pensioner has recently splurged on a £2,000 sex doll after the death of his wife. However, scandal has struck in light of the fact that the doll is an exact replica of his wife. The manufacturing company asked for a photo of his dead wife to make the doll as realistic as possible. The 70-year-old said that he was very satisfied with his purchase, taking particular liking to the face as it resembled his wife in her younger years. Unfortunately, the man has experienced another bereavement as the doll is beginning to fall apart due to ‘overuse’.

shortage in UK UK

The UK could be due to face a chronic teacher shortage by 2020, sources claim.

Nationally, schools could be short of an estimated 19,000 head teachers, despite spending £200 million each year on recruitment.

Causes of this shortage have been said to be anything from employees in leadership positions retiring early, to negative perceptions of the role by other teachers.

The shortage is predicted to affect secondary schools the most, with schools teaching disadvantaged pupils facing the greatest threat. Teaching recuitment and training company TeachFirst have announced that they will embark on a campaign to encourage as many people as possible into the roles.

Prevent Strategy tightens UK A review of the government’s counter-radicalisation strategy is finally upon us. Surely this will take into account the many that view PREVENT as targeting Muslims and as a ‘spying game’; with more than 400 children under 10 being referred to police in the last four years. Surely this will mean a long-awaited scrapping of the programme? Think again.

A secret internal review established that it “should be strengthened not undermined”, going on to outline 12 suggestions to further reinforce the strategy.

The Home Office argue it is successful in screening out wrongly identified individuals, using the statistic that 80 per cent of referrals are not acted upon by police.

Uk Men are reported to be significantly less likely to report a mental health issue to friends or experts than women.

YouGov conducted a survey of 2,500 participants with 28% of men stating that they had not sought help, despite suffering from a mental health condition.

The survey also found that just a quarter of men had told their family and friends that they were dealing with a condition, as compared with one third of women. Researchers have suggested that this is due to the great social stigma held around men and their emotions. Indeed, as masculinity complexes continue to be a growing problem in the UK and western society, mental health charities are urging men to source help before it becomes too late.

Puss in (military) boots France The latest development to hit the animal kingdom comes from none other than Ivan Veryasov. Ivan stormed the press after he constructed a (to scale) military tank for his cat to parade the garden on. Initially, Ivan stated that he embarked on the project to scare off dogs who repeatedly entered the garden, much to the distress of his feline friend. However, Ivan has now said that although the problem is solved, he wishes to continue the project in order to provide some light entertainment for both the cat and himself.

In Science this week...

World grieves for giant earthworm ‘Dave’ UK There has been public outcry after a 40cm earthworm, named Dave, was discovered in the back garden of a home in Cheshire. The woman who found the creature said she ‘couldn’t believe it’ when she saw the size of the beast. However, criticism has arisen on twitter after Dave was killed and put inside a jar, all in the name of science.

The woman who found the worm was said to be devastated when she heard the news of his fate. Some are now deeming Dave to be a prodigy of the insect world, having martyred himself to the name of science.

Beagle 2 nearly landed on Mars

UK Scientists have discovered that the failed British mission, Beagle 2, came excruciatingly close to landing on Mars in 2003. New analysis has shown that the robot designed for researching the conditions of Mars may not have crash landed, as originally thought. In fact, researchers are claiming that the small craft may still be at work on the planet, but due to a failure in the communications probe it cannot send messages of its findings back to Earth. This could mean that if a ‘Beagle 3’ were to be sent to Mars in the future then science may be one step closer to discovering if there is life beyond our world.

Russian courts ban LinkedIn

Russia Moscow courts have voted to uphold the August decision in support of the country’s online regulation blocking the website LinkedIn. The ruling stated that LinkedIn contravened Russian law, as the website did not provide personal information on its 2.6 million users. The decision has sparked fears about the level of state control in Russia, with many fearing a reversion to the Soviet system of pre-1991. Business owners are also criticising the ruling as they state it makes online advertising for smaller companies far more difficult. However, some left-wing activists in Russia have viewed this as a victory against large capitalist organisations, claiming that even ‘internet giants’ must comply with the law. This acts as a reflection of previous government efforts to quell the growth of autonomous businesses that threaten the state.

Leonard Cohen dies aged 82 United States For 50 years the world has enjoyed the indescribable talent of Leonard Cohen, who died on the 7th of November, aged 82.

Leonard Cohen, who was associated with Andy Warhol’s ‘Factory’ crowd, began his music career in 1967 with his first album Songs of Leonard Cohen. This album became the first of many up until 2016 with his last album You Want It Darker, highlighting his devotion to his craft and passion for music.

Symbolism ran strong in Cohen’s writing, who began as a poet and writer, with lyrics such as “There is a crack in everything.

That’s how the light gets in” illustrated how he felt nothing is perfect but its flaws make it excel that supposed perfection.

Cohen’s undeniable talent shone through in every track he recorded showing the intelligence behind this visionary that leaves behind a legacy of creativity and candour.

John Lewis Christmas advert met with criticism UK Have John Lewis topped off 2016 by ruining Christmas? In recent years, the first showing of the John Lewis advert has overtaken Coca-Cola’s in marking the beginning of Christmas. Previous broadcasts have had us crying over anything from a man on the moon to the heart-warming friendship of a boy and a penguin.

This year, however, the reception hasn’t been so positive. Parents have watched with panic as the advert shows a child’s father putting up the new trampoline on Christmas Eve, with many demanding: “Where is Santa Claus?” It seems the company have overlooked a major detail regarding their potential audience: instead of embracing “a sense of fun and magic”, as quoted by a customer director at John Lewis, they may have just ruined it by introducing doubts surrounding the existence of Santa Claus in the minds of curious children.

Science by: Len Cotton

Monkey walks again after ‘brain-wifi’ breakthrough A monkey has had feeling returned to his leg after new scientific developments in ‘brain wifi’ have restorative beams into the patient’s nervous system. The monkey was paralysed in one leg due to a damaged spinal cord, but with the help of the beam therapy the monkey shows positive signs of movement and feeling in the affected area. Scientists are deeming this one of the biggest breakthroughs in modern medicine and technology, claiming that the therapy could be ready for human use within the decade.

Red squirrels carry leprosy

UK Studies have found that British red squirrels carry two forms of bacteria associated to the deadly disease, leprosy. The effects of the disease can be found on the squirrel’s ears and muzzle, although scientists are encouraging people not to worry as the bacteria poses little, if no, harm to humans. The population of red squirrels has declined dramatically in recent years, although environmental experts are also suggesting that this holds no correlation to the leprosy bacteria. However, wildlife conservationists have told observers to look out for abnormal growths in the ear and snout, as this could indicate that the squirrel is infected.

8

Feature

ISSUE 04 / 10th OCTOBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

How are European universities tackling tuition fees?

With tuition fees on the rise in the UK, Maria Ortega Rechkemmer asks: How are other European countries managing university costs for their students?

Tuition in the UK costs a solid £9,000 per year. In an earlier issue we were shown just how much that money is worth. One year’s tuition could pay for a year at the University of Freiburg in Germany for 35 students. It would pay 90 student’s yearly tuition in Norway. In Denmark, a student would just be £9,000 richer.

A year’s worth of university fees in Freiburg is €290 per year, €100 in Norway and completely free in Denmark.

The UK is home to the highest tuition rates in the whole of Europe according to the BBC. In addition, the UK has the highest costs in the industrialised world according to The Guardian, with the U.S. not far behind.

Europe has some of the best universities in the world and while the UK is raising fees more each year, other countries are choosing to handle tuition costs with different methods.

I sat down with several Erasmus exchange students just starting their semester at the University of Manchester.

Countries like Germany, Norway and Denmark focus on students and their education in more ways than one—without indebting them with student loans. If this is the case, are such high tuition costs worth it?

In Norway, “students pay €50 per semester and there is a variety of student welfare services,” says Marie Dahl Slaastad, a Norwegian Erasmus student in Manchester.

“This is the tuition for public universities, which are the best

ones in Norway.”

When asked if she had noticed any differences in education between her home university and the University of Manchester she said that she had not noticed a difference “when it comes to lectures and courses, but the campus is much bigger and the facilities, social fairs, societies and cafés are a lot bigger here.”

Slaastad also added that since public schools do not have tuition costs, but more of an administration fee, the state spends much more money on the universities and schools because “it’s a large part of the Norwegian welfare system and everyone should have the opportunity to have an education, regardless of what their parents earn or save.”

Amalie Noer, a Danish Erasmus student explained how the university system works in Denmark, given that there are no tuition costs or administration fees to be paid. “The state gives a grant of about £600 per month” she said, and this money offsets the costs of living for students. “Denmark is a very expensive country” she said, “the money most often just covers rent and food costs.” I asked why there were no costs, not even the bare minimum for paper used and Noer responded that “the philosophy behind it is that it makes it equal for everyone to attend university.”

Of course, countries like Norway and Denmark are financially more stable than most other countries within Europe.

Photo: Campbell Galón

Their countries are wealthier and their taxes are higher, so they can focus on education as much as they want.

Countries similar to the United Kingdom, however, have also found a way around colossal university fees. Countries like Germany, who are similar to the UK in population size and economy, has managed to abolish tuition fees and keep

“I wouldn’t have studied English if I had tuition fees”

their standard of education. This set up a great precedent for countries with high tuition fees. According to the BBC, Germany spends up to 3 per cent of its GDP on higher education whereas the UK spends 1.7 per cent GDP, billing students and not the taxpayer for higher education.

I sat down with two German Erasmus students at the University of Manchester for a more extensive look at Germany’s tuition system. Larissa Wehrle, a student at the University of Freiburg, pays €145 per semester for administration fees and Milena Rüschendorf, a student at Humboldt University in Berlin, pays €307 per semester, with all transportation costs included.

When asked if they could notice the difference between their home universities and the University of Manchester, Rüschendorf said that yes she could notice the difference “with the classrooms especially. Here the audio and technologies are much better, and the classrooms are nicely built and modern, whereas the buildings and rooms in Berlin are quite old.”

Although she noticed the difference in the role of technology and development throughout the campus, she added that “the libraries are the same, though, and that’s the important part.” Wehrle said that “the buildings in Freiburg are just as beautiful as the buildings here and I find it crazy that students here have to pay.”

They started talking about how odd it seemed to them how much guidance they received from the University. University services in Manchester have the ability, monetary and otherwise, to focus on the students, especially the first year students. During Welcome Week, it was clear to see the number of students volunteering to make the progression into university life much easier.

The German students stressed how much more independent one has to be in university while in Germany.

“The German standard is more independent, in work and research, whereas if I would have had my first year here I don’t think I would be as independent in finding my own research” says Rüschendorf from Berlin.

Wehrle, from Freiburg, also stressed that in Manchester “the professors are more motivated and more professional in what they say, mostly because they do research in their own fields” while in Germany “professors want you to be more independent.” I asked her whether she had different expectations in going to a university where students pay tuition, she answered “I’m not reaping more benefits as much as I thought I would.”

I also spoke with Rudolf-Werner Dreier, head of Public Relations at the University of Freiburg for a better look at how the German higher education system works. “The university used to charge €,1000 per year, but the government and the people decided to abolish tuition and now students pay administration fees of €145 per semester while each individual state substitutes the rest,” he informed me. This fee is used towards the university dining hall, transportation, and the Students’ Union.

Mr. Dreier emphasized that “first and foremost education must be free and affordable for everyone, including those who cannot afford it by scholarships.” He also explained that there are student loans in Germany where students are only required to pay back half of their loan, and only once they have started to work. “If compared to the status of higher education in the U.S. or the UK, people cannot afford to study at all and education becomes a dreaded product in these countries and that should not be the case.”

I finally asked both Wehrle and Rüschendorf what would happen if they had had to pay tuition fees in Germany. “I would be much more stressed,” said Rüschendorf, “since we

don’t pay, students are more open and have more freedom to study want they want to and broaden their horizons and have the opportunity to earn more degrees.”

She ultimately concluded, “I wouldn’t have studied English if I had tuition fees; they make you feel more locked down because of the money you invest.”

Wehrle added that she knew many people who had started studying one subject and changed to different degrees.

“The system is prepared for this, it makes education accessible to everyone.”

They both emphasized the fact that since education is free, the atmosphere is more competitive and that makes public universities better and therefore makes the education better.

Meanwhile in Manchester, second-year student Jocasta Davis said, “many people can’t afford tuition, even with loans.” The increase of the £9,000 tuition is “becoming for the elite”.

From a distance, the idea of no tuition costs and a low administration fee seems utopian, but is it at all feasible for British youth? At the moment, these prospective students seem to have to leave the country in order to find such an ideal situation.

I spoke with Katy Ridsdill-Smith, a London native who is a third year student at the University of Freiburg studying her Bachelors in Liberal Arts and Sciences—a degree completely taught in English. “I think to start with I had lower expectations because money usually brings with it better equipment and resources,” she reflects about the beginning of her education in Germany. “I really don’t think this is the case. I have a lot more contact time with my professors than all my friends studying at English universities.”

Although the focus on extra-curricular activities such as societies and social functions are not as frequently seen in German universities, Ridsdill-Smith says, “I am 100% satisfied, I won’t have debts and will have a good university degree which is internationally recognised.”

The UK is lucky to host some of the best universities in the world, ranked at the top in various charts and lists. This,

“Everyone should have the opportunity to have an education, regardless of what their parents earns or saves” however, has been the case for years—even when the tuition rate was much, much lower.

Calling for an end to university fees is not an extreme or unfeasible thought, as some would think. It is a policy that many other countries have already put into action, and they are now reaping the benefits of a better educated society. This kind of change comes with much motivation, higher taxes and less funding for social aspects of student life.

The one factor that all the students who were interviewed shared was the philosophy of having an accessible education. A kind of education that keeps external financial pressures to a minimum, creates a more innovative environment and grants an additional freedom of a passionate career. In the meantime, we will take in the benefits that tuition at the University of Manchester does grant us—a beautiful campus and an extensive list of societies.

Want to write about something in a bit more depth? Come to the Features section meeting on Tuesdays at 6:30pm in the Students’ Union Activities Space, or email features@mancunion.com

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We love to fear the zombie David Moseley Contributor In recent decades, zombies have risen again to invade our screens. As early as 1996 and the release of the first Resident Evil game, the undead were beginning to take a hold of our imaginations once more. In the new millennium, we had modern classics such as 28 Days Later in 2002, and Zac Snyder’s 2004 reworking of George A Romero’s Dawn of the Dead, through to the box office smash World War Z a few of years ago.

All of this has culminated in AMC’s surprise hit The Walking Dead, which reached 14.6 million viewers in the US for the Season 6 premiere, and pushed 20 million when taking online streaming into account. These numbers rival the American heavyweights of Sunday night football and NCIS. The success of The Walking Dead, in particular, has transformed the horror sub-genre from the preserve of undead enthusiasts, who hoard non-perishable foodstuffs in their makeshift bunkers and are never a few metres from an axe, into the weekly watching of the living room masses.

“Nobody wants to watch perfect people leading perfect lives.”

And it is a ‘surprise’ hit. Its unrelenting story-lines, bleak moral outlook, and the destruction of the characters’ humanity make you wonder how it can be so popular. The Walking Dead will enter the seventh season on 23rd October, and producer Greg Nicotero says that it only gets worse: “It’s almost too much… It goes lower and lower and lower”. Yet it has drawn ambivalent zombie viewers, such as myself, and produced die-hard fans of the walkers.

It is nothing new that we enjoy watching depravity and despair for entertainment. Time magazine noted how extreme has become the new norm, citing the rising prominence of other unremittingly brutal series like Game of Thrones. Nobody wants to watch perfect people leading perfect lives, but we have reached a point where TV shows will kill children and endorse suicide, and still continue to drag us through every harrowing 40 minute episode and bingeinducing cliff hanger.

This is an excerpt. To read the full version, head to www.mancunion.com

ISSUE 04 / 10th OCTOBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Are the SU right to ban the Daily Star?

Has the Students’ Union gone too far? And if so, how can we tackle the objectification of women in such publications?

Michael Petch Contributor

At the recent Manchester Students’ Union Senate, 92 per cent voted in favour of a motion to cease the sale of the Daily Star due to its objectification of women.

In effect, this is a constitutional ban on the newspaper. To make it clear, I do agree that the Daily Star objectifies women— you only need to read it to realise that— however banning it is in no way the correct way to resolve this, as it sets a dangerous precedent of censorship and limitations on the freedom of the press.

First of all, I think it is important to ask if the Students’ Union actually has the right to do such a thing. The simple answer is: no.

Article 19 of the UN’s Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to “seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers”. By denying students the ability to access the Daily Star, they are denying us of a fundamental human right set out by the UN. But let’s say for some reason the SU has decided that they are beyond the power of the UN. The answer is still no. The SU is bound by the University of Manchester Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech which states that the university will uphold the freedom of expression, speech, and thought by any practical means necessary. There is one proviso, however; the university does not protect speech that “constitutes incitement to riot, insurrection, racial hatred, religious hatred, sexual harassment, or other activities—beyond the right of peaceful protest—which are likely to cause a breach of the peace or public disorder, or otherwise would be unlawful”.

with it. All this serves to do is to push such voices underground and make them more dangerous and extreme, only aiding in the creation and strengthening of the ‘Alt Right’.

“The objectification of women is clearly wrong. But instead of using a ban, we should look to have a dialouge with the Daily Star.”

Photo: Day Donaldson @ Flickr Photo: Andrys @ Pixabay

Is it possible that the motion was perhaps submitted for one of these reasons? When questioned, the SU quoted the notes that were submitted alongside the motion. The student responsible believed that “[the Daily Star] objectifies women and is totally inappropriate to be sold, particularly in an academic setting”. As I have said before, I don’t believe that whether it objectifies women is a point of contention, I just don’t think that this alone warrants the violation of the university’s policy, or the freedom of the press.

So why would the SU do something that is so blatantly wrong? Shockingly, it isn’t the first time; The Sun was banned in 2013 for similar reasons. I think it is a bit too coincidental that both of the newspapers banned are right-wing papers. The SU has made it very clear through past actions that it is an organisation prone to bias on the

left, and as such, the banning of two rightwing papers feels like an act of censorship.

It may not be intentional, however, as I believe they are probably more critical of right wing media without realising and are therefore quicker to condemn it than their leftist counterparts.

The idea of the SU censoring the right wing is especially pertinent considering their attempts to ban Donald Trump and David Cameron from all SU buildings— again two representatives of right-leaning politics. The motion of banning Cameron is speculated to have been a joke, though there is no real evidence to suggest this.

However, although the motion to ban Trump did not pass, 27 out of 56 people voted in favour of it. Rather than trying to invite an open discussion between the political left and right, the SU seemingly seeks to shut down voices which disagree

The question is now: What should the SU do to maintain the freedom of press whilst still sending a message to the Daily Star and The Sun? I believe they should re-allow the sale of these two newspapers in SU premises. They have violated several different rights and rules in doing so and, to me, it is beyond doubt that this is wrong.

The next step should be to send a letter to the newspaper signed by the SU on behalf of all students, saying that they believe the objectification of women is wrong, and that the SU would gladly have conversations with them on how to move forward in such a way that treats women as equals. Should this not work, then escalate it to the NUS and have other universities and Students’ Unions submit letters pressuring them to change. The way to create change is to start conversations about it. By creating a dialogue, it allows everyone to think and exchange ideas, rather than creating political extremism with no conversation.

The shambles that is the Labour defence policy Adam Merrill Contributor

“You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you.” That famous quote from Leon Trotsky seems to have been completely overlooked by today’s Trotskyist worshippers in the Labour party. Mr Corbyn, Momentum and many others on the left of the Labour party who advocate a complete disarmament of Britain’s nuclear weapons, along with her military-industrial base and Armed Forces, have also forgotten that traditionally, before New-Labour, the party had been pro-defence.

It was ‘old’ Labour leaders, such as Ernest Bevin and Clement Attlee, who saw the importance of defence and an independent nuclear deterrent. Mr Corbyn, on the other hand, reckoned, “wouldn’t it be wonderful if every politician around the world… did what Costa Rica has done, and abolished their army.” Sure, it would be wonderful for his friends, such as Hamas and Hezbollah.

Perhaps Putin would stand to benefit, along with ISIS, North Korea, and any other terrorist group—but not Great Britain.

Meanwhile, on the streets of Liverpool, Mr Corbyn’s Momentum friends outlined the meaning of “kinder, gentler” politics by mocking the physically disabled and those with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

At the Momentum fringe event, The World Transformed, various items were on sale that mocked both soldiers and the institutions of the Armed Forces, with offensive smears on mugs and books. One such example was a leaflet pretending

Labour’s defence policy does more to expose the party’s weaknesses than protect those it claims to

to be an Army recruiting advert, offering “free prosthetic limbs.” Oh yes, suffering horrific, life-changing injuries is hilarious.

The condescension for an institution that is populated with many young men from working class backgrounds should seem remarkable. It is not, sadly: The Labour party, and the left in general, have completely forgotten that the first responsibility of government in a democratic society is to protect and safeguard the lives of its citizens

“Is Mr Corbyn a real revolutionary, as so many on the hard left would like us to believe?”

Regarding the Labour party defence policy, do people not remember that there was a Labour Defence Review set up in January? It seems that Mr Corbyn and the entire Labour hierarchy had forgotten all about this. Who can blame them when Ken “Hitler-was-a-Zionist” Livingstone, who was meant to report its findings, had been ousted from the party. This lack of thought on the topic is displayed by the moment when Shadow Defence Secretary Clive Lewis was handed a Post-It note informing him about defence policy amendments, minutes before his speech. A video then emerged of the MP, prior to his speech, typing furiously into his phone about said changes, before confirming that the party does indeed

have a policy for Trident renewal.

Mr Corbyn has suggested that both the police should not use lethal force when lives are at stake, and that he would refrain from using using nuclear weapons. Thus, Labour intends on spending billions of pounds on a weapons system that is designed to deter, even though it will not deter since its leader has made it clear he would never use it—and so defeating the idea behind it. Billions of pounds that could have been spent on areas such as social housing or the NHS will be wasted on a project that won’t even do the job it is meant to do—given that Britain’s enemies know it will not be used. If Labour has decided on a leader that is against the use of nuclear weapons, you would think that they would make it party policy to scrap Trident. Apparently not.

The shambles continues with indecision and inconsistency. On the very first day of Mr Corbyn’s party conference, after his re-election, Mr Corbyn criticised MI6 for recruiting more staff to fight terrorism.

He then went on to decide that it was necessary for Britain to have a scaled back land-based defence force. I assume this is in preparation for times in which his economic policies will have destroyed Britain and everyone will have had to have emigrated.

Over the summer, Mr Corbyn refused to say if he would come to the aid of a NATO ally should Russia attack said ally. Given his negative attitude towards NATO, America, interventionism, and the application of violence in general, we might assume that he would rather not.

However, at the conference, Mr Lewis said that NATO membership would continue,

along with the commitment of spending two percent of GDP on defence. The two percent is a figure that should be debated, and one that I would argue is too little, given the current circumstances. But what is clear from this statement is the corrupt nature of Mr Corbyn, and the indecision of Labour on its defence policy.

It elects a leader who wishes to downsize the military and be rid of Britain’s military-industrial base, but yet proposes continuity on defence spending. It simply does not make sense.

“Corbyn has called for a scaling-back of Britain’s defence forces. I assume this is in preparation for when his economic policies will have destroyed Britain.”

This all begs the question: is Mr Corbyn a real revolutionary, as so many on the hard left would like us to believe? Is it revolutionary to make bold statements about pacifying the nation, but fail to do so if should he come into power?

Renewing Trident, the continuity of Britain’s membership of NATO, and the commitment of spending two percent of GDP on defence are not revolutionary ideas.

Opinion11

ISSUE 04 / 10th OCTOBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Will there be a General Election before 2020?

I asked members at the Conservative Party Conference what they thought of the PM, Brexit, and the next election

Barney Weston

Contributor The Labour Party Conference concluded with Jeremy Corbyn putting members “on notice” for a 2017 general election and hoping to win it with ‘21st century socialism’. Following my opinion piece on the taboo of socialism, I expected to go to the Conservative Party Conference, in Birmingham, and be greeted by the Tories, arrogant with power, without much complaint from the general public in regards to a new Prime Minister.

“The Conservatives have not underestimated Corbyn” Yet, sitting through day one of conference, I was reminded of how historic this period (with regards to Brexit) could prove to be. And in this historic period, with the conference season in the midst of it, I met one disgruntled Conservative, and tens of disgruntled Labour voters and politicians.

I felt as though I had to go and find another upset Tory. That evening, at the West Midlands fringe event, I spoke to Councillors Linda and Peter Hailstones, who serve on the Newcastle-under-Lyme borough council. I asked them if they thought Cor-

byn could win a general election: “I don’t think so.”

I asked Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, and Skills, what he thought of Corbyn: “It’s obvious,” was all he had to reply.

These people did not seem bothered about Corbyn. The reason why? He is trying to make socialism appeal to a centre ground. But, in this political space, people are more interested in what the Conservatives will define Brexit as.

Yet the Conservatives have not underestimated Corbyn. In fact, Thomas Coffey, Selly Oak’s Conservative candidate for next year’s local council elections, told me, “we’ve got the majority. Why risk it? I don’t underestimate Labour at all […] I trust the country wouldn’t make that decision. But I wouldn’t writehim off.”

The Conservatives I spoke to did not believe another general election was necessary. I ask Fin Young, working on the Conservative Youth Outreach stall, who told me it is “not necessary […] It’d be irresponsible, frankly.” He tells me how the country following Brexit needs “a period of certainty. A general election would do the opposite.”

Peter Aldous, MP for Waveney, initially told me that he thinks the next general election will be in 2020 because Theresa May has been, “so unequivocal in what she said about the next election being in 2020, that I think she’ll be having to seriously eat her words if she didn’t.”

But Mr Aldous describes Mrs May’s government as a completely ‘new government’, rather than a repackaging. Surely, we should have a general elec-

tion to grant her a mandate then, I ask? “[...] I think people are probably a bit fatigued. Probably in the sense we’ve had this referendum, now get on with it. […] I don’t detect any appetite for an election both in Westminster and in the country.” I think he is right.

I asked him why Corbyn put his members ‘on notice’ at the end of Labour Party Conference. “I think as a politician, that when you’re in opposition you have to say that. [If you] don’t say bring it on, someone, people will wonder what on earth you’re doing.”

“The Conservatives I spoke to did not believe another general election was necessary” So I begin to ask when the next election will be.

Both Sajid Javid and Andy West, the Conservative West Midlands Mayoral candidate refuse to comment. Most junior members told me 2020.

At least the Conservatives are seemingly unanimous in regards to the popularity of their new leader. At the West Midlands fringe event, it was

to my surprise to meet the PM as she entered the room. Older Conservatives made use of their smartphone cameras for the first time, whereas younger members insisting on talking to her. Even I asked for, and was granted, a handshake. Councillor Omer Kokou-Tchri, who serves on the Epsom & Ewell Borough Council, told me “I love her! […] She’s one of the most powerful ladies I’ve seen.”

I asked Peter Aldous what he thinks is coming up for Theresa May: “Obviously much of it will focus around Brexit.” I ask him if he thinks it will make or break her. “I think it could certainly make her.

As far as breaking, an awful lot does depend on the state of the opposition. Obviously Brexit is an issue.

Maintaining Britain continuing to look outwards and play a role on a world stage and be a trading nation, economically, is a challenge” He goes on to list the NHS, the education system, and infrastructure (the latter two in regards to productivity) as areas that need to be focused on.

Ultimately, as I sat in Birmingham for the final hour I pondered on the timing of Article 50 being activated by March, perhaps in timing with a May general election. Could Theresa May be holding off to give the country a rest after the referendum that Peter Aldous referred to, and then have an election in May 2017 in order to allow the general public to choose what type of Brexit they want? That would be the democratic thing. But I am sure that if we do get a general election in May of 2017, it will not be for those reasons.

What do Teach First ambassadors actually promote?

The organisation’s prominence is detrimental to the progress of schools in Britain’s most deprived areas

You may have seen students around campus wearing Teach First hoodies, perhaps promoting this supposed charity at stalls in your individual departments. You may have seen society events sponsored by Teach First. You may have heard about their involvement in education, but are unsure as to what exactly it is that they do.

Do not believe the propaganda. The organisation may be the largest graduate recruiter in the country, but that is as far as it goes for their provision of accurate information to unsuspecting students. This company aims to address educational disadvantage by taking some of the country’s top graduates and placing them in the worst schools in Britain — after only six weeks of training.

“Perhaps these ‘teachers’ missed their chance of having a ‘gap yah’ abroad, and now wish to be paid to undertake charity work closer to home.”

What would inspire anyone to take part in such a scheme? Perhaps people missed their chance of having a ‘gap yah’ abroad before starting university and now wish to be paid to undertake charity work closer to home. Or, more likely, the reason why many students are encouraged to undertake two years of stressful work is the possible opportunity of ‘exiting the teaching profession’, instead taking up a finance role in one of Teach First’s many banking partners.

Educational disadvantage is a real issue. Teach First is increasing the already-high teacher turnover rates at these schools — changing teachers every two years or three years. Perhaps, if a school is really lucky, one person might decide to remain for five-or-so years.

It is disgraceful to use students in some of the most deprived regions of the country as a step-up for graduates having a career in finance. I believe there is nothing wrong in changing careers, and I personally do not blame the graduates themselves.

alone reaching their full potential.

I am sick of seeing Teach First being promoted aggressively around university campuses when the reality of the situation is so different. They do not address educational disadvantage in the slightest; in fact, they make the problems worse.

I am also sceptical as to what support Teach First teachers receive when they are thrown into the deep end. I advocate other pathways such as a Postgraduate Certificat in education (PGCEs), which combine practical training on the job with the study of pedagogy —learning how to teach. Schools

“Teach First? More like Teach First, Leave Later.”

Photo: Cybrarian77 @ Flickr

Elrica Degirmen Contributor I blame Teach First, in deliberately emphasising the possible exit opportunities. Even before someone steps into a classroom, they know there is a nearenough guaranteed place for them to work at a bank if they get through two years of teaching.

“I do not believe for one second that those with only six weeks of training are able to deal with such challenging [disciplinary] issues.”

This is not fair to pupils. The pupils that they are supposedly trying to help, require experienced

and dedicated teachers that are able to cultivate relationships with students that last throughout their school lives. Schools are all too happy to take on Teach First graduates because someone first starting on the job will inevitably be cheaper than someone with years and years of experience. This is disgraceful behaviour on the schools’ part.

Not to mention that some of these schools may have problems with discipline and tackling students’ behaviour. I do not believe for one second that those with only six weeks of training are able to deal with such challenging issues. But, of course, in the minds of the banks, graduates who are able to merely survive these tricky situations will inevitably have the skills and personality traits to tackle a high-pressured environment when they transition careers. Under no circumstances should secondary-school children be used to help graduates whom are lacking these skills. This is all at the expense of pupils. I am highly sceptical as to whether the pupils are actually learning in the first place, let

Direct is another route where from the very start they learn on the job, but are fully supported by the school in the first place, rather than being placed across the country at random.

I want the new teachers placed in schools to actively want to be there because they have a true passion for the profession. These alternative pathways are examples of commitment to the profession, as they take a significant amount of time and thus give room for people to think about whether it is the profession for them. This is far better than Teach First’s encouragement of people to leave the profession.

I am not impressed by the way Teach First is seen as the main pathway to teaching. It should not be, and if I had it my way I would cut its funding by one hundred per cent. Unfortunately, I do not run education policy in this country. I do find it a shame though that PGCEs and Schools Direct are not as promoted as much as Teach First.

If you see Teach First ambassadors on campus, ask them about these issues and listen carefully to their responses. Make up your own mind about whether you would want someone straight out of university with only six weeks training, teaching students at any school, let alone ones that need the best teachers the most. Teach First? More like Teach First, Leave Later.

Music

12

ISSUE 04 / 10th OCTOBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Live

Live Live

Feature

Live: The Kills

Album: Warpaint – Heads Up 23rd September via Rough Trade

September 29th at the Albert Hall

Warpaint could have easily rested on the laurels of their successful 2014 self-titled album, but have progressed nonetheless with a little bit of inspiration from their R&B idols

The Kills thrill the Albert Hall with an electrifying rock show which is far from relaxed expectations, writes Mattea Bubalo

Rebekah Shaw Contributor

8/10

Mattea Bubalo Contributor

8/10

making a move into electronic instrumentation and, most significantly, experiments in rhythm.

Whilst each song differs from the others, within particular tracks their lyrics are minimalist and often enclosed in repetition – usually successfully, although the curse of repetitive pop does prevail on one track in particular. ‘New Song’ overuses this method of songwriting to the extent that it quickly becomes bland and tedious, giving its overly-poppy chorus an artificial feel.

Photo: Album Artwork

Warpaint had to pull something pretty special out of the bag in wake of their 2014 critically acclaimed album Warpaint ; they seem to have done it. Warpaint’s signature breathy vocals, drowsy harmonies and muggy basslines persist throughout Heads Up , yet there are clear R&B influences that the band has soaked up during their twoyear vacation.

‘Whiteout’ eases the listener into this change of pace, as it begins in the same slow, moody, guitar-led tone that the band became known for and builds up layers of instrumentation until Emily Kokal’s vocals change to a strained version of her norm: she is heralding a new era in her band’s creativity.

The songs on Heads Up feel more distinct than before, a set of singles rather than one meshed-together entity. Based on Warpaint’s 2015 interview in NME, this was intentional, as they announced a mutual priority of writing individual songs rather than a cohesive album. It paid off as they slowly compiled this clever array of tracks, capturing the best of their past endeavours whilst

“The songs feel more distinct than before, a set of singles rather than one entity” Thankfully, this is the exception within the album: the sultry ‘So Good’ and ‘Don’t Wanna’ stand out on Heads Up , despite being the least verbal, with the former enveloping apt lyrics with reverberating mystery as Kokal and Theresa Wayman murmur “Can’t you tell me all your secrets? I’ll tell you all mine”.

It is no secret that the girls took inspiration from their favourite hip-hop artists on this album; their tentative experimentation with R&B elements is apparent in most tracks and they give a nod in particular to one of their influences on the song ‘Dre’.

Heads Up takes us on a journey of nostalgia for Warpaint, as they clearly have fun merging their tried-and-tested (and popular) sulky style from their previous endeavours with that of their adolescent favourites from the 1990s hip-hop scene. This is an exciting progression for a band that weren’t doing much wrong to begin with.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

With a sound Pitchfork flatteringly described as “dirty ice”, I wasn’t too sure what to expect when I went to see The Kills perform at the Albert Hall last Thursday. Other than the standard musings put forward by Pitchfork, their new album, Ash and Ice, has been praised for its insidious and heavy sound, and this certainly came across at the gig.

Alison Mosshart, bathed in blue light, graced a wild audience with her feverish and rocky vocals in ‘Heart Of A Dog’. Certainly, a huge highlight of the night was her dancing. Her energy went on for about six songs, where she finally took a couple of seconds to cool down. Almost like a heavy metal Jarvis Cocker, Mosshart tantalized her audience with electrifying guitar solos (although the middle finger to the crowd was slightly cringey) and an effortless take over on the drums. This was a gig far from the realm of being “a little too chilled” (words courtesy of Pitchfork).

Jamie Hince’s brooding voice offered a sinister injection into Mosshart’s more forceful, punk-princess

vocals. On stage this worked brilliantly, and the duo acknowledging each other with only a vigorous head thrust seemed to cement their rockstar status. An unusual balance between the rockstar theatrics of Mosshart and the quiet charisma of Hince worked to produce unique and heavy sounds. ‘Baby Says’, for example, sounded like heavy metal punched country music in the face.

The definitive highlight of the night was a blasting performance from Ash and Ice: ‘Doing It To Death’ was dripping with a satisfying dose of heavy guitar riffs and reckless attitude, and clearly a crowd favourite.

Familiar additions of gospel-esque melodies and 90s pop punk sounds combined with an electronic infusion in songs like ‘Doing It To Death’ and ‘Tape Song.’

All in all, they are a combination making an otherwise quite repetitive genre refreshing. The Kills have never been afraid to risk mixing it up. Overall I would give the gig four leather leggings out of five.

Album

Album: Bon Iver – 22, A Million

Top 5:Iver’s Post-Freshers’ Bon third LP challenges every preconception about the artist, but comes off all the Comedown songs better for it, writes Callum Oliver 30th September via Jagjaguwar Callum Oliver Contributor Bon Iver have always been difficult to pin down.

The project of Wisconsin songwriter Justin Vernon and a band in name only, they were initially pigeonholed as twee, corduroy-clad folkies, until this perception was derailed by Vernon’s pleasantly bizarre collaborations with Kanye West.

Their fascinating, occasionally exasperating new album 22, A Million seems set to further crumble existing perceptions of the band, taking them down a left-field rabbit hole into abrasive electronica and a ragged re-rendering of their initial sound, as if Vernon spilt soy milk on his laptop while compiling the songs.

Old-school fans of the band are likely to be bewildered by the unapologetically dense soundscapes of 22, A Million. The sounds of creaking gates, monotone background chatter and heavily distorted samples crowd out the tracks. Strings

Tracks of the week: Paak slacks in this week’s ‘Tracks of the Week’ feature. writes Calum Pinder

9/10 are faint and distant, as if being played in the next room. Many of the songs fall into a sort of computerised gospel, layers of Vernon’s auto-tuned voice forming synthetic choirs. An obvious but unavoidable comparison is Kid A, in that it was the product of a well-regarded band suddenly swerving onto a stranger and more interesting creative trajectory; similarly to that album, 22, A Million initially is simply overwhelming, but gradually reveals its secrets.

There are well-constructed songs beneath the thick production; for example, ‘33 “GOD”’ (the song titles are the worst example of Vernon’s pomposity) is a piano-driven ballad shrouded in tinkling banjos which morphs into a distorted lurch halfway through, complete with choppedup sampled drums. ‘715 – CRΣΣKS’ portrays the clear influence of Kanye West, specifically Yee-

zus, on which Vernon occasionally cropped up. In its acapella, heavily auto-tuned vocals, it seems designed to repel the fans who flocked to Bon Iver for ‘Skinny Love’ and this perversity is also to be found in the lyrics—Vernon was never the most straightforward lyricist, but here he is more inscrutable than ever. “There isn’t ceiling in our garden, and then I draw an ear on you” he sings at one point in opener ‘22 (OVER S∞∞N)’, to general bafflement from the listening public.

However, his scattershot images of romantic confusion gel well with the distracted and lost nature of the music, as if the subject is too agonising to be dealt with directly.

22, A Million is a product of its circumstances in that it was born of Bon Iver’s need to confound expectations, but it feels utterly out of its time, and alien. There are fragments of gospel, folk

‘Get Bigger/Do You Luv’ - NxWorries

‘Perfect Coffee’ - Kate Tempest

‘Saudade Songbook’ - BROOKZILL!

The latest offering from the upcoming debut of Anderson Paak’s project is less than promising.

Paak’s bars feel hurried and unconsidered.

Knxwledge’s production has potential, but lacks any development whatsoever. What starts as a promising slow jam quickly becomes repetitive.

For those craving more of Paak’s Malibu stylings, it might be worth holding out a little longer.

From the London-born writer, rapper, and poet’s sophomore album Let Them Eat Chaos comes a timely track about gentrification. Mirroring the rest of the album, the lyrics are a detailed and vivid exploration of the theme. However, the overall production and delivery of Tempest’s work feels a little flat.

Throwback to the Future is the debut album for DJ Prince Paul led BROOKZILL!. The De La Soul producer and friends (Ladybug Mecca and Don Newkirk) start in style. ‘Saudade Songbook’ blends Rodrigo Brandão’s Brazilian bars with Count Bass D’s smooth east coast rap. It’s relaxed, groovy, and fun.

Photo: Album Artwork

and electronic music littered across the album, but ultimately its greatest achievement is that it sounds like nothing but itself. It will almost certainly alienate the band’s casual fans, but such a radical proposition would do this anyway. It is difficult to escape the impression that this music is far ahead of its time, and despite, or perhaps because of its frustrations, this album will probably be spoken in the same breath as a Kid A or Yeezus in years to come.

Music13

ISSUE 04 / 10th OCTOBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Opinion

Opinion: Music is genuinely exciting again A series of high-profile, transgressive album releases have shown that 2016 is the year where mainstream music has got its mojo back, writes Frank Hillman

Frank Hillman Contributor

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Since the turn of the century, a common theme in mainstream music has been its tendency to imitate music styles from earlier times.

A plethora of guitar-based rock bands dominated the UK music scene for much of the early 2000s, with bands as uninspiring as The Fratellis and Razorlight doing their best to define the times. This wave of bands owed everything, from the guitar-based rock songs to the not-arsed too-cool-for-school facade, to the heroes of the ‘60s and ‘70s; the deified likes of Jagger, Lennon, and Page.

Other than the quality of the music, the obvious difference between these acts of the 2000s and those so rightly glorified from earlier times was their attitude and approach. The refusal to play safe, genuine charisma, and justified self-confidence that embodied the golden age was totally lost on the plagiarisers of the 2000s. A willingness to innovate, take gambles and push the envelope was scarcely seen in mainstream music at the turn of the millennium.

However, as the political world enters the most turbulent period of

our lifetimes, there are signs to suggest, that in the music world too, to quote the greatest musical innovator of all, ‘the times are a-changing’. For 2016 has been a hugely inventive and exciting year for the mainstream, with both established acts and relative newcomers proving that the previous era of dreary music is a thing of the past.

Kanye West and Radiohead, two rare artists to have made their name in pioneering surprising new sounds and musical gambles since the turn of the century, have both put their stamp on the year.

The Life Of Pablo symbolised not only further musical endeavour from West, but a new way of delivering music in the album format; debuting the songs at a live event in New York, and making continuous retrospective amendments to numerous tracks even after the album had premiered. A Moon Shaped Pool, Radiohead’s first release in five years, was released in a similar vein; launched with a 6Music ‘listening party’ on a Sunday evening, not the industry’s preferred Friday. These landmark works combined a visionary way of

launching the album with sublime, interesting music, further establishing these artists at the cutting edge of their genres. Nick Cave’s heart-achingly brilliant Skeleton Tree, made in the aftermath of his teenage son’s death and released alongside a painfully beautiful film, adds to this list in its own idiosyncratic way.

But alongside those acts already perceived as constant pace-setters in musical originality, 2016 has seen the further materialisation of many others, firmly establishing themselves at the top of their game.

Bon Iver’s third album 22, A Million, displayed bandleader Justin Vernon ditching the high-pitched vocals and acoustic guitar methods that made him so worshipped in the first place, replacing them with 34 minutes of gloriously auto-tuned, emotionally piercing and unconventionally structured songs. This album’s significance goes far beyond its sonic qualities; it is indicative of an artist that has successfully changed his sound and refused to play safe, risking alienating a huge fan-base in order to create new and intriguing forms of music.

Frank Ocean’s long awaited album Blonde, a stripped-back, ballsy record that Ocean cunningly circumvented his record label to release independently, firmly established him as an artist capable of innovating and making wonderous, brave statements with his music. Beyonce’s intense, politically charged video album Lemonade added to the list of established artists releasing bold, daring albums that challenged the format, and indicated that the creative nature of 2016’s music found its way to even the most popular artists. And it would be impossible to compile a list of innovative contemporary albums without giving due mention to Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly.

Perhaps the most important thing about all these albums, and artists, is that even at their most forward-looking and avant-garde they continue to make stunningly brilliant music. Observing the release and reaction of these albums, it appears that music has become genuinely exciting again. Artists have embraced change, resisted the urge to play safe, and have been rewarded with a broadly positive response. It seems ironic that in order for artists to distance themselves musically from the golden age of the 60s and 70s, all they had to do was embrace the same fearless attitude. The sound and style of the music may be worlds apart, but the gutsy, courageous approach is the same - and music in 2016 is all the better for it.

Album

Album: Solange – A Seat at the Table Top Post-Freshers’ Her5:sister may have beaten her to the finish line, but Solange Comedown songs

Knowles’ effort is more cohesive and understated

Released 30th September via Saint/Columbia Jacob Bernard-Banton Contributor “I’m weary of the ways of the world,” sighs Solange Knowles on ‘Weary’, the second track off her third album. As well she might be: not long ago, she took the time out to write about her experiences at a Kraftwerk gig in New Orleans where four white women lobbed half-eaten limes at her. It is symptomatic of the ghastly racial tensions, to put it politely, currently engulfing the United States; as scenes on the news doubtlessly reveal, the America of 2016 resembles more the America of fifty years ago, rife with civil rights marches and police brutality.

As such, A Seat at the Table comes imbued with the anger and agony of post-Ferguson America. Strangely, what you’d expect on paper to be a gritty, harsh artifact on par with the polemic of the Black Lives Matter movement turns out to be soft, balmy and gorgeously furnished. ‘Weary’ is littered with fantastic arrangements: restless electronic bleeps, jazzy piano, doleful chords and rumbling percussion. A Seat at the Table has an illustrious supporting cast: QTip, Dave Sitek, Kindness’ Adam Bainbridge, serial Solange cohort Devonte Hynes of Blood Orange, Kwes, Sampha, Questlove, Kelela,

9/10 Rostam Batmanglij, David Longstreth, and then some. It goes without saying that it’s cheering to see so much British songwriting talent here.

It’s certainly an angry, passionate album – the fittingly titled ‘Mad’ is a pickled retort to those misguided souls inquiring why black people are so incensed nowadays, as if they didn’t know. However, the music contained is delightful, gossamer-light and inviting: this isn’t the gnarled angst of To Pimp a Butterfly. ‘Don’t You Wait’, in particular, is beautifully gauzy. Like Hynes’ Freetown Sound, the preponderance of luscious pop songs is staggering, though it is infinitely more refined and cohesive than that album. ‘Cranes in the Sky’ opens with strings and hip-hop-accented drums and soars, with help from Raphael Saadiq’s popping bass.

Everything from the itchy electro-funk-soul of standout track ‘Junie’ to the earthy brilliance of ‘Don’t Touch My Hair’ to ‘F.U.B.U’s woozy, undulating vapour (“For us, this shit is for us,” it begins and goes about wryly dissecting American race relations) translates a deeply personal and honest expression of blackness. In some re-

Photo: Album Artwork

spects, the album forms a relatively more leftfield counterpoint to her sister Beyonce’s Lemonade, the latter, on reflection, slightly underwhelming. As it stands, A Seat at the Table is uniformly excellent R&B-pop as digestible and uncomplicated as its message; a bold, important and immensely enjoyable document of empowerment and black identity.

Music

14

the Interview

ISSUE 04 / 10th OCTOBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Watsky

Rapper Watsky talks to Katie Shepherd about tackling fear in order to reach joy, ahead of a triumphant performance off the back of his latest album

Katie Shepherd Deputy Music Editor

Top 5: Cosy Canadians The shock of the cold is enough to make you want to never leave your bed but don’t worry – these tracks will help warm you up better than any coffee based, pumpkinflavoured drink on offer Tara Bharadia Contributor 5) Tory Lanez - ‘Loners Blvd’ With the weather getting cooler, this Ontario based rapper and his storytelling rap tracks are just what you need—no matter how much beef he gets into.

4) Justin Bieber – ‘No Sense (feat. Travis Scott)’ Love him or hate him, Bieber’s collab with Houston’s Travis Scott is just the right mix of trap and soul. It’s exactly what you need to complement your woolly jumpers as you

Photo: Dan Garcia @ Flickr

It’s a Wednesday night and the dim basement that is Club Academy is alive with the pulse of several hundred people jumping in unison before the man at the heart of the room; George Watsky. Every person in the crowd has their arm resolutely in the air and every voice joins Watsky’s to declare the brilliantly affirming: “Just take everything ever and we are that, times infinity.”

This celebratory and defiantly positive statement that concludes Watsky’s ‘Tiny Glowing Screens’ trilogy encapsulates not only the message behind his latest album, aptly named X Infinity, but the general feeling that dominated his show.

While ‘Tiny Glowing Screens’ Parts 1 and 2 from 2013 album Cardboard Castles see Watsky struggle with his own insignificance in the face of the vastness of the universe, ‘Part 3’ sees a flip in perspective: “From the view of an atom the human body’s a universe”, he states. It is this fresh positivity that is integral to his latest release, a notion echoed by George Watsky as he sits across from me in a corner of the venue, hours ahead of his performance.

“I spent a lot of my young life trying to grapple with anxiety around getting older and mortality. I was raised in a non-religious household and I always wanted answers and to be comforted by my parents, but in retrospect I really appreciate them not giving me comforting answers. I think at some point in anyone’s life, you have to grapple with that feeling of meaninglessness and find a way to assign joy and beauty to your life. I do think it’s pos-

sible to do that, but you have to go through that fear in order to get to the joy on the other side. All we have control over is the present moment and that philosophy is at the centre of the new album.”

It may not be a new concept, but the way Watsky pitches it—tightly honed rap layered over the punky chants of tracks like ‘Midnight Heart’, or laced amongst melodic choruses—it certainly carries itself as if it were.

The show itself was a diverse display of the rapper’s talent. Having been thoroughly warmed up with a vibrant DJ set by Chukwudi Hodge, it might have seemed strange that Watsky then drew us in and cooled us off by opening with the intense and sobering ‘Knots’. But with this, Watsky gripped the crowd with a connection that gave the entire set the feeling that you were experiencing something special.

From the growling anger that seeps into ‘Seizure Boy’ and ‘Don’t be Nice’, to the bouncy chant carrying the chorus of ‘Never Let it Die’, to the raw emotion of ‘Tiny Glowing Screens Part 2’, Watsky took us on a journey through a full spectrum of human emotion.

It is this masterful combination of the fearless honesty of Watsky’s lyrics and the integrity with which he presents them that makes his music and his performance so compelling.

“I think your goal as an artist is to try to express your feelings in a way that’s relatable to people—at least that’s one of my goals.” He tells me, “I’m trying to mine my own emotions and get closer to what my own personal truth is. I want to make sure I’m getting closer to reflecting the truth as I see it.”

It is perhaps on this quest for his personal truth that Watsky turned to a slightly different form of expression, releasing his first book earlier this year.

How To Ruin Everything is a collection of essays written with the same conviction and dexterity as his songs are, combining brutal honesty with sharp humour to a beautifully poignant result.

“I felt so at sea writing the book at first,” he confesses, “I really didn’t think I’d be able to do it. I regretted my decision to take the book deal for a long time because I felt like it was total shit what I was writing... I’m not saying I’m a Pulitzer Prize worthy author, but I definitely felt really proud of getting to the point where I felt this is worth being bound and published by a legitimate publisher.” As a New York Times bestseller, it certainly seems like something to be proud of.

Talking to Watsky, I am struck by both his incredible work ethic and his humble respect for every person he works with.

“I’m working with a lot of other people who are very responsible for me being at where I am at… There’s no way that I would have the career I have without those talented people. I definitely still feel a sense that if something falls through or doesn’t go right then ultimately it’s my responsibility; if someone can’t get a flyer done in time then I will get onto Photoshop and I’ll make the flyer. I am my own fail safe, but by no means have I done this myself.”

“I do view what I do as my job. This is my nine to five and I take it seriously…

I need to show up to work and I need to make things and if I don’t do that then I’m going to lose my job and have to do something else. What it comes down to is that I like doing it, I’m going to keep doing it and also take it seriously as a job. I’m not going to stop, but try to push the boundaries of creativity for myself.”

Already pushing a number of creative boundaries, X Infinity is a remarkable album about embracing all the fears and uncertainties that plague our lives and rather than allowing yourself to become crushed by them, finding the ability to be comforted by them.

At its core, X Infinity is a celebration. And with our hands up, moving in fluid symmetry with the body of the room, that is exactly what Watsky’s show felt like. A defiant shout of man’s capacity for good at a world focused so predominantly on man’s capacity for evil.

walk into class.

3) Majid Jordan – ‘Day and Night’ This old-school track blends a simple baseline with perfect harmonies, so let Majid Jordan lead you into chill this year as they show you how to dance in the cold and embrace the fact that winter is coming.

2) Roy Woods – ‘Innocence’ Woods is just the person you need to fall in love with this autumn, as he promises to make you feel like you’re curled up by the fireplace—even if you are actually freezing at the bus stop.

1) Drake – ‘Marvin’s Room’ Here we see October’s Very Own ranting to an ex about what went down in the potentially the most chilled Drake rant ever.

A perfect way to get over a summer love, now that it’s clearly over.

Get Involved Writing for the music section is easy: here’s how Meetings: Monday 5:30, Students’ Union 1st floor Facebook: ‘The Mancunion: Music Secion’ Contributors Facebook: ‘The Mancunion: Music Section 2.0’ Twitter: @mancunionmusic Instagram: mancunionmusic Email: music@mancunion.com No experience is necessary—the only thing you need is enthusiasm and all the other skills can be learned!

Games 15

ISSUE 04 / 10th OCTOBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Review

Syndrome: Indie survival horror Alec Wilby Games Contributor Syndrome, a sci-fi survival horror from developer Camel 101, initially seemed to have some promise. From the handful of trailers and screenshots I saw while waiting for the game to download it seemed like an indie hybrid of Alien: Isolation, Dead Space and Doom 3— some of my favourite games. Alas, any excitement I had dissipated within the first hour.

The beginning of a game ought to be interesting enough that you want to go further and see what the story has to offer; whether by sprinkling clues of a universe you want to discover, dumping you into a high speed chase or waking you up in the middle of an abandon ship order. Syndrome, however, does none of this. Instead, the first minutes of the game are spent bumbling through the “I’m all alone on a spaceship” cliché and you quickly discover that most of

Jump scares, bad lighting and creepy sound don’t necessarily make a good survival horror Photo: Camel 101

the crew are dead.

Over the course of the first half hour of the game, a few diary entries and radio conversations with other survivors are intended to build suspense and flesh out the story; however, I really struggled to find myself caring about what was going on. These tactics are successfully used by other games in the genre but in Syndrome, I don’t think enough effort was made to establish a premise for the player to actually care about.

By the time the action started, I was really forcing myself to go on. They game is not exactly buggy, but it strikes me as being unfinished. Simple things, such as how to save the game, are not actually explained and so, after dying to an electrical fault, I had to re-do 45 minutes of gameplay. Combat starts soon after you get your first weapon, an all-purpose wrench (sound familiar?), although the pacing is strange and it is difficult to win a fight without losing most of your health. I think you are expected to run-and-hide more than stand-and-fight but encounters with enemies seem so heavily scripted (often appearing straight after completing an objective) that running away does not seem like an option.

Jump scares are frequent (if ineffective) and backtracking through the ship to find objects or use computers is all too common.

At this stage, I should probably say that it is not all bad. The design of the ship is often very impressive and really fits the genre and the graphics (for an indie game, not a Triple-A) are very good.

To create atmosphere, the developers have relied heavily on things being really really dark which, despite

fitting the setting, quickly becomes a hindrance. Some rooms are inaccessible due to unseen objects blocking your entry and exposed electrical wires (pretty much the main threat early on in the game) are often invisible unless you pump up the gamma.

Their other key atmospheric technique is another survival horror staple: creepy sounds. In Alien and Dead Space, creepy sounds work well, because they are usually subtle. Alien Isolation is packed full of creaks and thuds, but the suspense comes from the fact that you are not always sure if you can hear the Alien, or just the spacestation falling apart. Dead Space has a constant, almost inaudible whisper in your ear throughout the entire game, the purpose of which becomes apparent much later. Syndrome on the other hand has an array of synth music, skittering and other environmental sounds which results in a sort of audio-

mess. Furthermore, after you complete an objective, you are usually greeted with a comically loud growl or scream, signifying that you are about to fight an enemy while also ruining any hope of immersion.

Ultimately, the issue with Syndrome is that the first hour or so of gameplay was not at all entertaining. Combat was very clunky and I was frequently left wondering what to do; had I bought the game, I would definitely have refunded it within the 2-hour grace period. The gameplay trailer and screenshots seem to show a game more enjoyable, dramatic and fast-paced than what we have here (when don’t they?) but I really have to question whether the game is actually ready for release. Jump scares, creepy sounds and bad lighting are key features of survival horror games, but they are not the entire basis of the genre.

Photos: Alec Wilby

Feature

GTA V: The game that just keeps giving?

David Edwards Games Contributor Rockstar Games first released the latest instalment of the critically acclaimed Grand Theft Auto franchise back in 2013, to almost palpable anticipation, and they certainly did not disappoint. With sales in excess of 60 million copies across multiple platforms, GTA V’s success rivals that of the King of Pop and his 1982 album Thriller.

But how do the team over at Rockstar alleviate the insatiable hunger of their enormous fan base and keep GTA V relevant? With a ton of FREE downloadable content, that’s how!

The majority of downloadable content (DLC) is restricted to the online element of the game, which was developed in tandem with the singleplayer mode, to create a world that is continuously developing. So what is on offer in the dynamic open world of Los Santos for you and up to thirty others to enjoy?

Rockstar have so far released a plethora of content ranging from the ‘I’m Not a Hipster’ and ‘Beach Bum’ updates, to special holiday themed offerings such as the ‘Festive Surprise’ or ‘Valentine’s Day Massacre Special’.

Apart from adding new weapons, vehicles and outfits, such updates have remained relatively superficial.

However, that all changed with the release of Online Heists. This feature allows you and three friends to prepare and pull off a set of audacious

robberies and line your pockets with some much-needed cash at the same time.

Yet what does a kingpin of the criminal underworld do with all that new-found wealth? Buy an attack helicopter of course! The ‘Lowrider’ DLC quickly succeeded online heists, allowing players to cruise down Vespucci Beach listening to West Coast Classics in their very own custom 1964 Impala.

Or, if you are under the impression a crime boss deserves a little more luxury, the ‘Executives and Other Criminals’ update might be for you.

Stroll the deck of your own superyacht or hire other players to escort you around in an armoured limo with a mini-gun on top; the possibilities are endless.

This begs the question, how does Rockstar follow up on such a prestigious lineage of DLC? Two words: Biker Gangs. That’s right, the latest update for GTA online allows you to establish your own motorcycle club of up to eight fellow bikers. Members have their own roles and responsibilities ranging from enforcer to president as they burn rubber and terrorise the streets of Los Santos.

However, the Biker update is much more than a range of new bikes and weapons, it is an opportunity to create your own criminal enterprise, expanding on the earlier ‘Finance and Felony’ DLC. You can buy one of twelve clubhouses dotted around sandy shores to act

as your base of operations while you expand your organisation and battle rival clubs. There are also numerous business opportunities such as money counterfeiting and document forgery, or you could turn your hand to arms smuggling and large-scale narcotics distribution.

The Biker update adds features the game has been crying out for since its conception and Rockstar certainly do not disappoint with this new DLC. This really is the game that just keeps giving, expect many more great things on the horizon.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Want to meet fellow gamers in Manchester?

Come and visit the University of Manchester Gaming Society stall at this years freshers fair! We host weekly events and have always been a good place to make friends and play some amazing games as a community.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Fashion & Beauty

16

This week we focus on all things controversial. From a lack of diversity on magazine covers to the ethics of the beauty cosmetics, there is no end to the industry’s critiques and criticisms

Alexander McQueen: A tragic genius

Fashion & Beauty 17

ISSUE 04 / 10th OCTOBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

ISSUE 04 / 10th OCTOBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Microbead Mismanagement Shannon Winterbone explores the dark impact of microbeads and the steps the beauty industry is taking to combat the problem.

If you’ve been following the news recently, you may have heard something about the recent ban on microbeads. Microbeads are small, plastic beads found in beauty products such as exfoliators, shower gels, and toothpaste; you may even have something which contains them in your bathroom.

Celebrities such as Dougie Poynter (of McFly) have campaigned for cosmetics lines to discontinue the use of microbeads in their products, but why? Microbeads have been found to cause extreme damage to marine life, a fact widely spread by Greenpeace, who have been central to the campaign in the UK. Why are microbeads a problem?

Most commonly made from plastic, polyethylene, these beads are specifically defined as being smaller than 5mm, which has allowed them to become a toxic part of our oceans. Due to their small size these beads are able to travel through plugholes and pass straight through water filtration systems. In this way, they find their way into the sea. Fish are commonly mistaking them for food, of course, harming them. We are all aware of the issue of waste pollution affecting our oceans, right?

This is the same thing on a micro scale. Microbeads have become an avoidable addition to the plastic already damaging marine life. In order to diminish the amount of plastic already in our oceans, the decision has been made to ban this substance from beauty products throughout the UK. What is being done about this?

Firstly, big-brand companies have begun to pledge that they will stop using microbeads across their lines. For example, L’Oréal has promised to phase out the microbeads used in their scrubs, cleansers, and shower gels, while The Body Shop has already cut microbeads from their products. Secondly, the distribution of microbeads in cosmetic products has been banned in particular countries, thereby forcing brands to either comply or have their products withdrawn from shelves.

America and Canada have already signed the bills to ban the distribution of microbeads in their respective countries, and equally, the UK has also banned microbeads. The government has promised that they will be phased out by 2017, which will hopefully decrease the amount of pollution entering our oceans. Environmentalists are hopeful that the discontinuation of microbeads in cosmetics will help to tackle the damaging effects of waste.

Fashion

Zeitgeist Gender demystified: Tarun Daryanani explores why androgyny is fashion’s hot new trend As the fashion calendar commences every February and September, an excitement and a childlike curiosity crosses the minds of the fashion elite and the modern day fashionista. What to expect this season? What outre pieces can shock us? These are the questions amongst the FROW, as designers send their creations to grace the catwalks of New York, London, Milan and Paris.

Androgyny has played a huge role in the fashion

world ; being able to break out of the stereotypes of an ideal man and woman, and experimenting with both genders. Gender neutral pieces were publicly born when Yves Saint Laurent spawned the “Le Smoking “ tuxedo in the late 1960s.

No curved silhouette but rather a straight masculine body form broke gender stereotypes. Fashion is such a world where evolution is key; being able to adapt with the current climate of ever changing trends and social issues. Social media has provided a platform for social acceptance of individuals exploring the opposite side of their assigned genders (Jaden Smith being one of them). This has inspired and influenced creative fashion teams to plunge into a risky creative process that would shock.

Givenchy, Vetements and Gucci (during Alessandro Micheles’ tenure) have clearly embraced the femininity of the man and have brought it to the forefront through the introduction of pussybow blouses and flowy formal wear.

Since Gucci took a risk by implementing Alessandro Michele as their creative director, the Italian brand have since channelled 70s disco punk with a risky exploration into gender swapping. Menswear comprised of bright pink hues and studded sandals, whilst womenswear included grandpa jumpers

Photo: Vetementswebsite

Are fashion magazines behind the times?

Jenny Knowles suggests that fashion magazines are failing in one crucial area: diversity, with the ultimate fashion bible Vogue being perhaps the worst culprit

Photo: Syanes @ Flickr

Deputy Fashion and Beauty Editor Talia Lee-Skudder pays homage to Alexander McQueen and his most controversial and innovative collections Before tragically taking his own life, Alexander McQueen was one of the most sought after British designers of the mid-nineties through to the late noughties. While his legacy and brand live on through the direction of McQueen’s current artistic director Sarah Burton, the fashion house’s days of controversy are a distant memory. McQueen was criticised but also much adulated for his controversial yet innovative fashion shows. He was a designer who was unafraid to shake the boundaries of the fashion industry and in doing so earned a legion of admiring fans from Kate Moss to Sarah Jessica Parker. His unparallelled passion, skill and pioneering take on fashion, has cemented McQueen as one the greatest designers to have ever graced the fashion scene.

Not one to shy away from controversy and the publicity it brings, here take a look back to some McQueen’s most exciting and inspiring collections.

Autumn/Winter 95 McQueen debuted his memorable collection ‘Highland Rape’ which saw models take to the runway wearing tartan, torn lace — which later became his signature with the iconic ‘bumster’ skirt. The ‘bumster’ skirt was created to elongate the body and draw attention, to what McQueen considered the most erotic part of the body; the spine. The models adopted different personas when walking the runway, some anxiously checking the length of their skirt while others stormed aggressively down the catwalk. This combined with the torn clothing and seemingly battered appearance of the models caused many to deduce what McQueen was displaying was abuse and struggle. In fact, McQueen stated he was commenting on the persecution and ethnic cleansing the British army conducted in the Scottish Highlands during the 18th and 19th centuries. Nevertheless, McQueen was instantly bombarded with criticism over the presentation and connotations of his collection. His defence, however, was his choice to display the way woman are treated in this society.The unveiling of this show ensured that McQueen was the name on everyone’s lips.

Spring/Summer 99 McQueen’s show-stopping finale of this collection is what earns Spring Summer 99 (SS99) collection as one of his most memorable shows. Not just your average fashion show, SS99 was a spectacle of performance art.

Supermodel Shalom Harlow made her way to a rotating turntable in the centre of the runway surrounded by robotic paint guns. She wore a plain white, strapless dress and as the table began to rotate, Harlow was sprayed with paint, creating a unique and original piece of fashion in front of the audience. Mesmerising, brilliant and, most importantly unforgettable. McQueen produced one of the most show-stopping and unique finales in fashion history.

Spring/Summer 10 The final completed collection before his death, McQueen’s Plato Atlantis show was staged in Paris. It debuted as one of the first runway shows to be live streamed — until Lady Gaga tweeted about it and promptly crashed the site before the show began. The collection was a combination of reptile meets alien and was the first time that McQueen’s iconic notoriously high ‘armadillo’ heels were unveiled. These heels later went on to be associated with the then pop star of the moment Lady Gaga, who wore them in her 2009 hit ‘Bad Romance’.

The heels raised a lot of questions. How tall are the heels? Where do the toes go? Is there any storage space in the platforms? And are they appropriate to wear for drinks on a Saturday night? I’m still yet to find the answers to these questions. However, McQueen’s final collection was as memorable as those preceding it. From the armadillo heel to the compilation of alien and reptile print, this daring collection secures its place as one of my favourites.

Through his collections, we have a lasting glimpse of the creative genius that was taken much too soon. Alexander McQueen has left behind a legacy that has affirmed him as one of the greatest designers of all time.

Photo: notoriousjen @Flickr

Cruelty-free beauty Want to be certain that your make-up choices are kind to animals? Bailey Petts makes sure you know

Photo: Urban Decay

As awareness of animal treatment and cruelty grows, people have started altering their lifestyle choices—such as what make-up they choose to buy.

People are beginning to pay attention to how their choices affect the world around them, avoiding products with palm oil as ‘their part’ in controlling the destruction of the rainforests. In the same way that the increased popularity of vegan leather and faux fur has occurred, cruelty free beauty products are becoming more of an interest to women and men.

Many animals are burned, poisoned and killed as a consequence of animal testing. Ever increasingly it is the expected norm that it should be everyone’s objective to help stop animal testing completely.

Consider these popular brands that do test on animals: Avon, Bobbi Brown, Covergirl, Estée Lauder, Head & Shoulders, L’Oréal, M.A.C. Cosmetics, Mary Kay, Maybelline, Pantene, Revlon, stila, TRESemmé.

If you use any of the above products, is there a chance that the list below could offer alternatives?

Here are some popular brands that do not test on animals: Anastasia beverly hills, Becca, By terry, Cargo, Charlotte tilbury, Chantecaille, Duwop, Elf, Eyeko, Gosh, Illamasqua, Kat Von D, Korres, Lush, Pixi, Prestige, Rouge Bunny Rouge, Sugar Venom, Tarte Too Faced, Urban Decay.

These brands that do not test on animals ultimately bring forth the question, is it really necessary to test on animals? Why do some brands still, in today’s society, need to use this unethical practice?

It is possible that in the future, all brands will eradicate the use of animal testing and only use ‘safe’ ingredients and find new means of testing such as in-vitro testing. As individuals, we should understand and know which brands are ethical and make a conscious effort to buy from cruelty-free brands.

worn over loose skirts. This exhibited the idea of a new gender being introduced; an unknown one. Yes, the clothes make men lust to boogie to 70s disco and the brand has reinvented itself with glitz and plenty of spangle.

Givenchy experiment with peoples’ sexualities, making their audience lust for dramatic, theatrical dressing. Givenchy recently sent their female models down the runway wearing long lined black jackets with combat zip pockets, giving die hard female fans that masculine edge.

Even the menswear explored a side of innocence and vulnerability channelled through feminine swaying skirts emblazoned with embellishment as part of tailored masculine suiting. With a brand such as Vetements, the youth fashion rebels feel like they can channel their inner tomboy. The tailoring of the super high shoulders was impeccable and resembled a businessman lounging around in his oversized work suit.

Oversized shirts paired with enlarged parkas and tight skirts allowed the Vetements girl to play as a boy and the brands’ signatures are gender neutral and to be able to exhibit an edge which is usually innate from a rebellious male.

Photo: Jazzbritt@Flickr

As this fashion season starts to unwind, concluding with Paris Fashion Week, one topic that never goes out of style is diversity in the fashion industry. That is cultural diversity, to be exact, with the very definition of the term meaning the variety of cultural or ethnic groups within a society.

Throughout numerous advertising campaigns and other fashion mediums, the industry has been criticised for its lack of diversity from models on runways to those in advertisements.

Living within a multicultural, connected world where everything is accessible, I find it astounding how cultural diversity is still not reflected on the runways or advertising campaigns in the international world of fashion. The industry stands for creativity, acting as a form of self-expression and celebrating innovative design from and for all.

Sadly however it fails to represent the many lovers of the fashion world. Each and every race and cultural type should be reflected within the industry to portray the culturally diverse world that we live in. Enough is enough with cultural appropri-

Fashion magazines are the epitome of contemporary media. We look to fashion and lifestyle magazines for what to wear, how to act, and even what to eat. So the question we must ask ourselves is how some of these magazines are able to follow every inspiring idea, every pencil stroke of every popular designer, yet still haven’t grasped the crucial concept of modern diversity.

Take Vogue for example, the fashion bible, launched in 1916 yet waited fifty years to publish their first black model on their cover. A recent uproar in the media concerns Jordan Dunn as the first black model to grace Vogue’s cover in twelve years. In 2013, models Naomi Campbell, Iman, and Bethann Hardison wrote a letter to Vogue expressing their outrage: “No matter the intention, the result is racism.

Not accepting another based on the colour of their skin is clearly beyond aesthetic”. However, during these twelve years various nonwhite iconic celebrities such as Beyoncé and Rihanna have featured on the covers of Vogue. A concept that has become an issue is that of ‘whitewashing’. Whitewashing is the idea of transforming celebrities with a more multicultural background into the lighter-skinned, straighter-haired versions we see now, in order to create the ‘perfect image’ in the eyes of today’s society and in some cases coloured contacts and ‘shrinking’ is used to make the body appear slimmer.

It is obvious how much we are influenced by what’s on the cover of magazines. They set the trend of what’s hot and what’s not, particularly in the weight department. Different cultures bear varying per-

ation as demonstrated in the criticism of the recent Marc Jacobs SS17 show, for which models were styled with dreadlocks.

Beauty is subjective (that is something we can all agree on) and recently we have slowly seen a different attitude… however only slightly. This needs to change. The industry needs to learn that all individuals, regardless of race, shape, size and sexuality, are all equal. As citizens of the world we should strive to represent our rich and diverse backgrounds, celebrating race and skin colour in all facets; not merely viewing the world in one colour or size.

The crux of the issue could lie in the never-ending battle with Western perfectionism that the industry suggests countlessly throughout its flawless, airbrushed campaigns. Sometimes I wonder if we are just mindlessly absorbing this painted picture, manipulating our minds to believe this unattainable beauty. It is an illicit fantasy that is simply not a true reflection of our reality.

ceptions of the ideal body image. For example, research shows that the ideal woman in Black and Latina cultures has feminine curves, big hips, and a big bosom, none of which are normally shown on UK models. Models are made to disown what is desirable in their own culture in order to conform to the dominating white ideal that the UK has obsessed over for so long, in order to become ‘beautiful’. We are fed images that form our idea of what is perfect. Not exposing the readership of fashion magazines to multicultural faces on their pages means we are in danger of distorting our own vision of what is the social norm, inevitably encouraging, perhaps subconsciously, racism and ignorance among the impressionable minds of our country’s youth.

High fashion magazines such as Vogue set these criterion because they can. However, with growing immigration and multiculturalism, the western world is flourishing with diversity and many companies are failing to reflect this through the mainstream media. Jordan Dunn told The Guardian in 2013: “People in the industry say that if you have a black face on the cover of a magazine it won’t sell”. But is this really because of the buyers or the prejudices that have been fabricated by the industry? Maybe companies which have such a large impact on the fashion industry should consider more carefully how much their covers affect society’s acceptance of those who might look a bit different from ourselves.

The diversity debate Following the controversy regarding the Marc Jacobs SS17 show, Jai Joshi weighs in on the debate on diversity within the industry and calls for change

Do you want to write for Fashion and Beauty ?

It’s so easy to get involved! Simply send an article to: fashion@mancunion.com That’s it! No CV, no coverletter and you can be published.

Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @mancunionfashionandbeauty Meetings are Wednesday at 1pm in the Students’ Union Activity Space.

Photo: uk_pictures @Flickr

Film

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ISSUE 04 / 10th OCTOBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Top 5

Feature

Films About Films They get the Oscar nod and are popular amongst critics, but these are five you need to watch

Louis Theroux: A force to be reckoned With the release of My Scientology Movie approaching, we look back at Theroux’s career as documentary film maker and talk about his latest work, Savile Georgia Welch Film Critic

Photo: Cineriz

Dominic Bennett Film Critic

5. Life Itself This documentary charts the life of possibly the greatest film critic and popular proponent of film as an art form, Roger Ebert. It occasionally veers too close to the bog standard talking head doc style but its protagonist’s charisma keeps it engaging. Ebert once said “art is the closest we can come to understanding how a stranger really feels”.

Any cinephile would be wise to watch Life Itself, so they can feel and be inspired by his undying passion for film.

4. Holy Motors In Leo Carax’s Holy Motors, Denis Lavant uses his unique physical skills to play a man travelling round Paris to performing various roles at mysterious appointments. It might be difficult to say with any confidence that Holy Motors is about anything at all, but there is much thought to be found amongst its series of surreal vignettes. It enigmatically examines the role of film in the increasingly disparate digital age, as well as how performance and art can reflect our lives.

3. Man With A Movie Camera When originally released in 1929, Dziga Vertov accompanied his film with a statement to warn viewers that it “represents an experimentation in the cinematic communication of visual phenomena”, and this still serves as a good brief of what to expect. Man With A Movie Camera is a totally mesmerising yet narrative-less film that places the cameraman at the heart of the action, as he films everyday life in various Soviet cities. Using a range of innovative shots and techniques, it is a unique work that lays bare the powerful language of film.

2. Cinema Paradiso Cinema Paradiso focuses on Salvatore Di Vita, a melancholic filmmaker who is provoked into remembering his youth by the death of the man who made him fall in love with film in the first place. The film showcases the unifying joy of cinema for all those who watch it, as well as the way films seep into our memories and fill us with nostalgia for the times we watched them. All this is topped off by a stirring score from Ennio Morricone, and one of the greatest finales you’ll find in any film.

1. 8½ The previous entry about a disillusioned Italian film director is only surpassed by this iconic film about the same thing. In Federico Fellini’s semi-autobiographical journey we follow Guido Anselmi as he struggles to find inspiration for a new feature and retreats into his childhood memories, before finding redemption in those around him. 8½’s greatness lies in way it moves beyond an exemplary look at film’s role in life, to become an affirming and fantastical masterpiece about how one should live.

In the build-up to Louis Theroux’s upcoming Scientology film, set for cinema release on 14th October, it’s hugely interesting to reflect on the work of one of the UK’s most prolific, revered, and widelywatched documentary filmmakers. Taking into account the scale of his ever increasing repertoire, it’s hard to predict Theroux’s next step, with his impressive back catalogue spanning nearly two decades and covering a plethora of rarely approached topics— from the porn industry, to UFO hunters, to neo-Nazis. Preceding the hotly anticipated My Scientology Movie, however, was the recently aired BBC Two documentary, Savile, a follow-up to 2000’s When Louis Met Jimmy, in which Louis Theroux entered the personal world of the late entertainer, long before the truth surfaced about his extensive history of sexual abuse, rape, and paedophilia.

Savile is an uncomfortable and, at times, downright unpleasant viewing experience, as victims meet with Louis to speak candidly and honestly about the horrific abuse they suffered at the hands of a man who was, for a time, considered a national treasure. Indeed, Theroux himself in the documentary reflects on his own personal guilt at having trusted Savile and even considered him a friend during the time they knew one another. At one point, one of his interviewees, Sam, turns the discussion around and asks Theroux if he felt he too was ‘groomed’ by Savile, to which he hesitates and suggests that ‘groomed’ is too strong a word. However, it is definitely clear from his response that he feels deceived, much like the rest of the world, by Savile’s poisonous façade, which adds an interesting new facet to the documentary which isn’t present in his other productions. His involvement and

Photo: BBC

self-described ‘friendship’ with Savile, and the subsequent examination of his own conscience and the suspicions he held at the time of their encounters with one another, help to create a documentary in which the spotlight falls upon its creator just as much as its participants.

The continued success of Theroux and his insightful, boundary-pushing documentaries is a credit to both his meticulous, inquisitive style as a writer and— perhaps more importantly—his consistently respectful and unbiased approach when reaching out to various groups and individuals within society. This naturalistic, human, and agenda-free attitude with which Theroux approaches those who feature in his films provides viewers with a refreshing and often shocking look at a whole range of unconventional lifestyles, strange pursuits, beliefs, and ideologies; it is surely one of the key factors behind his popularity. His uninhibited and unrelenting questioning style most definitely adds an element of

intrigue and exclusivity which simply isn’t seen in most other documentaries.

Looking back at his various exports, from Weird Weekends, BBC Two specials and his When Louis Met… series, to his current spate of standalone documentaries, there are very few taboo topics Louis Theroux hasn’t yet ventured into. It’s hopeful, and likely, that the sense of ambition and relentless curiosity which underpins his filmmaking will inspire the next generation of exciting documentary makers. After the harrowing, yet eye-opening experience of watching Savile, Louis Theroux is once again a name on everyone’s lips, particularly with trailers circulating for the imminent release of My Scientology Movie. It is no easy task to document a religion so shrouded in mystery and confusion, yet followed by some of the world’s most influential celebrities.

But, if anyone is capable of producing something compelling and illuminating, it’s undoubtedly Louis Theroux.

Review

Sembene!

Sarah Jane Thomas Film Critic Sembene! is a remarkable piece of art that walks the audience through the life of the Senegalese filmmaker Ousmane Sembene, offering both a biographical and historical insight. Through a collection of photographs, original video footage, interviews and clips from Sembene’s films, the life and work of this significant man is presented to the audience in a way that does not hide the controversies surrounding Sembene but instead explores them.

Born in Ziguinchor, Senegal on the 1st January 1923, Ousmane Sembene was born as the son of a fisherman.

After being expelled from school, he followed in his Father’s footsteps by becoming a fisherman himself before moving to work in Marseilles, France. It was there that he discovered his love for literature.

When realising that there was an absence of his African culture in the literature that he was reading, he decided that he wanted to create pieces of art that conveyed the culture of the “common people” of Africa. The rest is history.

The documentary was co-directed and co-written by Samba Gadjigo, a biographer of Ousmane Sembene and Professor of French and African Studies, and award-winning film producer Jason Silverman. The journey begins by Gadjigo sorting through the old and rusty film canisters that contain many pieces of unseen footage shot by Sembene, some of which appear to have already become rotted and unplayable. It is this footage of Gadjigo as he tries to salvage, protect and maintain the film canisters that introduces what

A documentary about the African culture and society, the arts, filmmaking and of course… the man himself the documentary is really about, which is to protect and to maintain not only Sembene’s work but also his legacy. In an interview included in the documentary, the phrase “Sembene came to cinema and invented a new language to represent black people” can be heard. It is this statement that sums up one of the primary aims of the documentary; to portray him as his given status as the “Father of African Film”. His controversial opinions and stances on topics such as Islam and different aspects of the African society that are highlighted in his films are addressed in this documentary truthfully and forwardly. The documentary does not try to shy away from Sembene’s true thoughts and because of this, the film is made to feel more so like a true and accurate account rather than a biased or persuasive one.

Aesthetically, Sembene! is bursting with beautiful film sequences that not only enrich the story of the life being told but also serve as pure visual pleasure for the viewer. One point of criticism would be that the documentary does not delve into Sembene’s literature, which is arguPhoto: Cinvox ably where his artistic journey began. It would have been a lot more beneficial for both the spectator’s benefit and the narrative if the documentary was to discuss Sembene’s literary works for this reason. However, this absence does not take anything away from Sembene!. It still leaves me to believe that this documentary is an incredible piece that must be celebrated and applauded for its artistic vision and for its success of educating others about the life and work of Ousmane Sembene, a story which needs to be told. Sembene! allows a legacy to live.

4/5

Film 19

ISSUE 04 / 10th OCTOBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Feature

Monsters and the Femme fatale

Chilling Netflix documentary Amanda Knox exhibits the blatant Rosa Simonet persecution of women who have sex Contributor

Photo: Netflix

The chilling new Netflix documentary, Amanda Knox, aims to challenge the public’s obsession with real life crime, but ends up exhibiting the blatant persecution of women who have sex.

The documentary –directed

by Rod Blackhurst and Brian McGinn—details the investigation of the murder of Meredith Kercher, while exposing the cruel and chaotic nature of our culture of obsession.

The harrowing footage at the beginning of the film is a somber reminder of the murder of Meredith, often completely overshadowed by the speculation regarding Amanda Knox. We see a red hand print on the wall, a blood-stained bra, and dark, deep pools of blood coming from underneath the sheets covering Meredith’s body; the work of what one could only assume

was a monster. Over this chilling reveal of the original crime scene, Amanda begins to speak.

She begins to explain the lack of ‘in-between,’ when it comes to her judgement and why perhaps she became a symbol of both fear and vulnerability. In this explanation emerges the film’s tagline ‘either I’m a psychopath in sheep’s clothing, or I am you,’ an introduction to key elements of the investigation that enabled and, in fact, contributed to the demonisation of Knox.

The opening sequence points at the media. ‘Were you into deviant sex? …experimental activities?’ are the words of one reporter interrogating Knox. Obsession with Knox’s sex life became a crucial aspect of the media frenzy and trial, despite it having little to do with the investigation.

Headlines and statements eager

to depict Knox as a sex-crazed murderer are key to the documentary’s scrutiny of the press.

At the heart of this portrayal is Nick Pisa, Daily Mail Reporter.

It would be too easy to mock his contribution to the speculation; working for a newspaper which applauds unethical journalism and malicious gossip. Throughout the documentary Pisa reminds himself of the success of the story, often becoming giddy and at one point compares getting the world exclusive front cover story of Kercher’s autopsy report to ‘having sex’. He frames Knox as a ‘nutter,’ an assumption made from a picture of Knox from her Myspace page. Knox, in an attractive yellow dress, sits behind a machine gun pulling a funny face. The picture is quite clearly posed and intended to be viewed as humorous, but Pisa among other journalists used this as evidence of both Knox’s sexual deviance and mental instability.

Makers of the documentary highlight the extent of Pisa’s stupidity following the declaration of Knox’s and Raffaele Sollecito’s innocence. Pisa says, completely ignorant of his own guilt, there was ‘no one else to blame but the police,’ and their ‘wild theories.’ (Nod to the composer for the simultaneous hiccup in the

melody.)

Also, at the centre of these conspiracies is Prosecutor and Sherlock Home’s fan Giuliano Mignini. Though amusing, Mignini’s attachment to his pipe only works to parody his ‘traditional’ outlook. Mignini’s accusations are considerably driven by Knox’s sex life. At one point he creates his own script of the night of the murder; saying Amanda is ‘inhibited’, and ‘Meredith must have scolded Amanda for having no morals’. Mignini portrayal consists of not only footage from the investigation but also of original, almost caricature, clips of him parading through the streets with pride or hanging his head in shame. The film chooses to highlight Mignini’s religious beliefs in his departure, capturing him walking through a grand church whilst he reminds the guilty of the final trial we all must face.

Perhaps most daunting are the young and fresh-faced images of Amanda compared to the Amanda before us, who appears drawn and humourless. Amanda lost her youth and innocence to a case that constantly heralded her as a sex-crazed maniac who killed her ‘prudent’ flat mate, whilst Meredith was lost amidst a monster hunt.

Review

The Girl on the Train The best seller fails to live up to the high expectations set

Photo: DreamWorks Productions

Shema Begum Deputy Film Editor Paula Hawkins’ best selling novel is amongst the many book-to-film adaptations coming out this autumn, with Michael Fassbender’s The Light Between Oceans ;Tom Hanks’ Inferno and Lupita Nyong’o’s The Queen of Katwe all to yet reach our screens. The surge of book adaptations brings hope and expectation from both film and book lovers alike. However, often you find films collapse as they try too hard to stay true to the book, and the story is lost along with any excitement the film had. Surprsingly, as stimulating The Girl on the Train is, it is another victim of this, even with the director, Tate Taylor, who brought us the brilliant adaptation of The Help.

Emily Blunt plays the lead role of Rachel, a divorcee from former husband Tom (Justin Theroux) who had an affair with his now current wife Anna (Rebecca Ferguson).

Now a paranoid alcoholic who commutes to Manhattan every day, Rachel spends her time on the train either vigorously sketching or looking out of the window, and fantasising about the lives of the individuals in the houses the train passes by. She has a particular liking for couple Megan (Haley Bennet) and Scott (Luke Evans), who remind Rachel of her past relationship. Rachel soon finds herself a part of their lives, as Megan goes missing and she might just hold key information on what soon becomes a murder mystery.

The Girl on the Train struggles to grasp a structure which engages viewers and sheds light to the thrilling aspects of the narrative.

Ultimately, all events are shown through the perspective of the three main female characters—from Rachel spotting Megan in the arms of another man, to Anna’s changing domestic life. The alternation between the three prevents viewers from building any sort of empathy for either of them, and

leaves the male characters merely ancillary to all the action. For a mystery/thriller it really isn’t that thrilling. The film fails to create adequate suspense and suspicion around what happened to Megan, and who could be to blame. A mediocre attempt is made to get viewers questioning the various suspects of Megan’s murder, but this is underwhelming. Little is shown to cast doubt over them, and so you are not truly captivated to solve the mystery. Although, Danny Elfman’s chilling score does help to alleviate the intense nature of the film.

What manages to rescue the film from being a complete disaster is the use of flashbacks.

They reveal Rachel to be an unreliable narrator which provides an intriguing twist, as not all events pan out to be how they are seen at first. This uncertainty surrounding Rachel adds that edge of tension, which should have been present throughout the whole film. In doing so, the end revelation is both gripping and satisfying enough. After being compared to Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train is very far from what director, David Fincher, had created. You cannot help but think of the film’s missed opportunity to become a must-see in the genre, despite its potential.

3/5

Feature Fea-

Revisiting: Beware of a Holy Whore Mritunjay Sharma reinterprets Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s classic Rainer Werner Fassbinder belongs to the most prolific of the European directors. He made 40 feature films in the time period of around 13 years, which is a statement that suggests the kind of genius he was. In a list assembled by Fassbinder, Beware of a Holy Whore was listed at the top.

Beware of a Holy Whore is a film about film-making. It is a docu-drama style self-critiques of Fassbinder on his behind the scenes techniques, based on the experiences of his film Whity, which was shot in Spain. Lou Castel played the role of self-contained, bisexual and alcoholic director, wearing a leather jacket, the traits of none other than Fassbinder himself. Although, the same area was touched upon by Godard in Contempt which is about the agony of making a film, Truffaut in Day for night about the joy of making film. But Beware of a holy whore is a film about the agony of not making a film.

Filmmaking is a tedious process and to make a film from conception to screening, takes lots of time and patience. The whole process is depicted in an extremely monotonous way with the constant grilling of characters in various scenarios. The monotony is also set by the wait of the director to arrive to the set, then the wait for the film material, then the wait of the inspirations and then just waiting for something to happen. This film is a reminder of the fact that film is nothing but a synthetic representation of life. We try to mimic life through this process, sometimes we pass and sometimes we fail. We fail because the people who are tools to mimic this life i.e. the actors and the technicians are not in sync with each other. Throughout the film the whole cast and crew are going through a psychosexual duel, creative blocks and impatience. They keep on hopping from one identity to another, like they do before and after the shout of action on the film set.

The first shot of the film is an intriguing one as in the whole shot the camera is placed at a waist level and a monologue is delivered by Deiter about Goofy the cartoon, who teaches kindergarten, gets beaten up by his students, meets Wee Willy, a gangster who is a dwarf, takes the crook home, and feeds him. Though the police arrest Wee Willy, Goofy refuses to accept that his new friend is less than perfect. Deiter does not have a significant role in the film, but his presence and absence again shows the continuous nature of life, how people come and go from the life. How we feel connected to them in the beginning but with the progression we move on and finds another adventure.

The film ends with the quote from Thomas Mann “And I say to you that I am weary to death of depicting humanity without partaking of humanity”. The statement appropriate the life of Fassbinder, the life where he continuously churned out cinema of great meaning, of complex relations and desperate characters and the life with a leather jacket, drugs and Cuba Libre.

Photo: Festival de Cine Africano @Flickr

Books

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ISSUE 04 / 10th OCTOBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Feature

Reading at university: Why it’s a good idea Rachel Adams reminds us why it is important to find the time to sit down with a good book you enjoy

Strange as it may sound, you don’t actually get that much free time at university. As soon as you get five minutes to sit down and open a book, something else pops up; it might be academic reading you forgot to do for tomorrow’s seminar, your society’s social, a friend wanting to go out.

There always seems to be something else that’s more important than reading for pleasure—this shouldn’t be the case.

As an English Literature student, the days of me being able to sit down for an hour or two and read a book that’s not on a syllabus, background reading, useful for my dissertation, or in any way related to my degree are long gone. Despite this, I still try to find some time each day to read something purely for myself and my own enjoyment. I think it’s so important to take some time out of your busy day to just sit and enjoy a good book; otherwise, your degree ends up taking over your life. Even if you’re not studying an English degree, reading for pleasure is still important. It can help keep your mind relaxed, removing stress or worries. There is no better cure for stress than escaping for a while in the depths of your favourite book.

Although it may seem like you’re wasting precious time that could be spent studying—or drinking—spending some time unwinding from a long day by reading can actually put you in a

better mood to then go out and socialise. You don’t have to choose between the two; there’s enough hours in the day for you to work hard, relax, and socialise. If there’s not, then you’re either working too hard or not hard enough.

“Doing wider reading around books on your syllabus can still be productive, whilst feeling like you’re not actually doing work.”

your extra knowledge.

At the end of the day, if you enjoyed reading for pleasure before you came to university, there’s no reason why you can’t still enjoy it now that you’re here. People wouldn’t expect you to give up doing sport or playing an instrument at university, so why would you want to give up

reading as a hobby? It’s something that can be done anywhere and everywhere; on the bus, in between lectures, or when you get home after a long day. The benefits of a little escapism every now and then can’t be stated enough. Happy reading!

Many people who I’ve spoken to have said that they used to love reading when they were younger, but as they became busier they gave it up. Maybe I’m showing my English bias here, but I don’t get why anyone would give up reading as a hobby. It’s the best way to take your mind off everything and is a great way to procrastinate whilst still feeling productive.

Of course, the books you read don’t always have to be completely unrelated to your degree. Doing wider reading around books on your syllabus can still be productive, whilst feeling like you’re not actually doing work. It’s a great way to relax yet still impress everyone in your seminar with

Photo: Paui Bence @Flickr

Preview

Write Now: Have a novel in the works?

Roma Havers Books Editor As of the 5th of October the applications for the Manchester segment of the Penguin Random House writers scheme Write Now are open.

Designed to help, mentor, and inspire writers from under-represented backgrounds, Write Now recognises Penguin’s current market and the difficulties that under-represented writers often have when applying through the conventional agent-to-publisher method.

The scheme leaves the details of what ‘underrepresented’ means to each applicant, but suggests that they are looking for disabled, BAME, and LGBT writers, as well as writers from underprivileged backgrounds. As part of the process the applicant is asked to self-define what this means for them.

So what does the scheme entail? The first step is an online application where you will talk about why you are interested in the scheme and a bit about your manuscript. You will then be on the list to be invited to an insight day— the London insight day is now closed but the Photo: Penguin Random House

Manchester and Birmingham days have just opened for application.

The Manchester insight day is on the 4th of February. These insight days will offer you a chance to hear more about the scheme, ask questions of the mentors, writers, and publishers who will be running the day, and meet 150 other applicants. After that ten writers are chosen for the twelve-month mentoring programme, where you will work alongside a mentor in every step of the publishing process, if all goes to plan you could end up with your novel on the bookshelves by the end of it.

Manchester’s insight day is run in co-operation with CommonWord, a locally-based writer development organisation who do fantastic work, and already play a part in representing under-represented writers in Manchester; they are currently hosting the Black and Asian Writers conference at Contact Theatre.

So what do you need to take part? This is the slightly daunting part, as Write Now asks that you have a finished manuscript, or at least nearly finished manuscript, in order to enter the scheme. This is not an opportunity to be

mentored through the writing process, but rather the complicated process of editing, publishing, getting an agent—all of the areas of getting that book on the shelves that can seem

“The scheme, at its heart, concerns itself with outreach and diversity, in its team of writers as well as the content of the books they publish” unfamiliar, scary, and very off-putting.

The scheme, at its heart, concerns itself with outreach and diversity, in its team of writers as well as the content of the books they publish.

However, you will only need to send off around a thousand words with your first application.

You will also need to be able to attend the insight

day, and be available to put some real time into the project after the February mentoring programme starts.

So, why should you apply? There is a real deficiency of diverse literature in the current mainstream media. If you have ever struggled to find yourself in a book, or have ever written your way into a narrative because you felt there was a missing voice, this scheme is about finding a place for those voices.

Penguin Random House is one of the most recognisable names in the publishing world; they publish the most mammoth texts and have done for centuries, and if you apply for this scheme your work could be up there alongside the major writers of the canon. For more information visit write-now.live and follow the hashtag #writenowlive for the live details of their events around the country. The deadline for applications is the 28th of October.

If you would like support in this process please contact Manchester Creative Writing Society; if there is interest, they may run a session for help with the application.

Book recommendation of the week

Reasons To Stay Alive by Matt Haig ‘I’ve recently started working for Think Ahead, an exciting new mental health social work graduate programme, and this has ignited my interest in mental health. Reasons to Stay Alive is a moving and honest portrayal of living with mental illness. He breaks it into manageable, hard-hitting yet also funny and uplifting chunks of advice and beautifully life-affirming reasons to stay alive.’

Chosen by Catherine Millar: Think Ahead Ambassador and undergraduate student

University of Manchester Students’ Union Black and Minority Ethnic Students’ Campaign Presents

6 1 0 2 H T N O HISTORY M facebook.com/BMEMCR

Food & Drink

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ISSUE 04/ 10th OCTOBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Review

Al-Madina, the legend that stood firm Joe Taylor Contributor It is 3:30 am, I am sat in the passenger seat of some sort of hybrid. I figure this is probably the last chance I will get to salvage something of worth out of my first and last evening at Sankeys.

With my friends chattering in the back, I strike up a conversation with the driver, beginning with the formalities, ‘How are you? Do you enjoy your job? Do you have kids?’, before launching in with the questions I really wanted to ask: ‘Where are you from?’ and ‘Where do you eat on the curry mile?’—Pakistan and Al-Madina were the respective replies.

From that moment on it became almost mythical, a place where all the cab drivers retired to at the end of their shifts to sit down to the ‘staff curry’, a curry so good that it was named after the people who cooked it, rather than the place it was made—I had to go.

Having spent weeks raving about that fateful cab ride, embellishing at every given turn, and wondering how I had got my hands on a secret so valuable, I probably should have made my first visit on my own. Anticlimax can be a cruel mistress, if it can be called a mistress at all. But alas, some good friends were up from Whitechapel, home of Lahore Kebab House and Tayyabs, so I thought I would take them to Al-Madina see how it compared to the greats of East London.

The frontage of Al-Madina is probably just as promising as a night out at Sankeys; neatly nestled between Kobeda Place and Antalya Cafe on the Wilmslow Road, it is green and white lettering, strange pictures of food, and dark interior would be more likely to turn one away than entice.

The four of us trundled in at 10pm, on time for our table reservation, as I thought that we might be in amongst the crowds on a Friday night. Boy did I get that wrong. They almost looked surprised to see us….. ‘custom?! At this time?!’—their faces betrayed them.

Having studied the menu for a while and discovered that no ‘staff curry’ was listed, I snuck off to ask the man behind the counter if such a thing existed. He looked a little confused at first (I felt shame, I felt humiliation, I felt chagrin), before smiling and telling me that it was listed as ‘traditional lamb on the bone’ (I felt relief, just relief). We ordered one of these, along with a Lamb Rogan Josh, a Lahori Chicken Channy, a Karahi Chicken, two sides of rice and two Peschwari Naans.

The dishes were brought out on inoffensive, rather homely flowered crockery, very similar to those that I had eaten off in

“Anticlimax can be a cruel mistress, if it can be called a mistress at all”

railway diners when in India. There were none of these sizzling cast iron pots that sounded like they had been designed to tell you your food was piping hot and had been made five seconds beforehand, it was simple, and in a strange way, pretty.

The Karahi was made up of large chicken chunks cooked in a buttery sauce with plenty of cumin, onions, garlic, yoghurt and coriander, creating a mild but spiced flavour so good that one of the East London boys deemed it superior to that of Tayyabs (Wilmslow Road 1, Whitechapel 0).

The ‘staff curry’ was beautiful, with chunks of tender lamb half-heartedly clinging to the bone in a sauce once again made with a tomato, onion, garlic and coriander base spiced with turmeric and chilli, making it hot, but not too hot.

The Chicken Channy was simple and tasty and worked well with the sweetness of the sultanas in the Peschwari naan, but was arguably made unremarkable by the calibre of other dishes on the table. It was the Rogan Josh, however, that stole the show; chunks of lamb were matched with large pieces of green pepper which worked to create a freshness in an otherwise spicy curry, it so full of flavours that I found it difficult to identify what was what.

The owner had been nothing but amiable, happy to answer questions about the dishes, and to even let me in to have a look at the kitchen. As we departed, full, content, happy, Al-Madina’s late night crowd began to file in. I was tempted to give them a wink, a nod, a knowing look of “yes, we both know why we’re here”, but decided against it, for the fact that we were all there was enough. That evening, it was not only the food that had stood firm under scrutiny, but the place, the myth, the legend.

Manning Up with a Meat-Free Method Like any standard late night fast food cutlery piece, my first year-long culinary experience as an independent post-teen was split into two.

The former half was a debauched odyssey with little nutritional support; the latter mostly the same but with more food and no meat.

Much has been written about the benefits of vegetarianism, especially by vegetarians. My own reasons for such a lifestyle choice I feel do not need to be disclosed here, as you will most likely already know whether you sympathise or are sickened by them.

The change brought me a variety of new things—newfound pretension, a disapproving father, flawless bowel movements and all that.

But without a doubt the greatest physical improvement I have found has been my approach to cooking.

Before I gave in to my nagging conscience over abattoirs and rising water levels, I was totally impotent when it came to the kitchen. I was in a dark place, like Charlie Sheen, or a Chilean miner.

My standard weekly dinner diet featured a rota exercising few skills: Pasta avec sauce on Monday, microwave pouch rice avec sauce on Tuesday, soup and bread on Wednesday, pasta Thursday, pouch rice Friday, soup sans bread Saturday (too hungover) and the self-treat of a takeaway on Sunday.

In between dinner mainly consisted of Weetabix and yes, more bread, with which I applied a toaster, condiments and anything left rotting on a flatmate’s plate to spice it up a wee bit. Tuna, chicken and egg made the odd appearances, though this was always after I exercised—because when it comes to protein, no modern man can afford to slack.

But once the decision to renounce meat and fish had been made, I began doing something I realised I had never properly done before. I started thinking about the food I ate. Initially, this was only in a monitoring sense; however after a while I needed to make up for my protein deficit as my level of physical activity continued.

This led me to discover quinoa—with one serving containing more than double the calories and grams of protein that a serving of red meat offers, as well as all nine amino acids the body requires. I also discovered that quinoa on its own tastes shit, and before long I had Googled my first ever recipe for a meal: quinoa with mashed avocado and some sweet chilli sauce on a slice of buttered toast. At nineteen, this was the moment I truly became an adult, a light-bulb moment fresh straight out of the ground.

Soon I had acquainted myself with grilled halloumi, scrambled tofu (incredible) and falafel wraps, amongst a whole world of foods I always knew existed but would never have given the time of day as long as I had Tesco’s processed meat aisle up the road.

Best of all was the inescapable duty to cook with vegetable for the first time. You might think that going veggie without having ever really cooked vegetables before is as ridiculous as, oh, I don’t know, a TV personality business-

Photo: Joe Taylor

man going for the United States Presidency with absolutely no political experience, yet here I am in 2016, frying some spuds in my kitchen, whilst Clinton does the exact same thing in a televised debate.

I was once far too lazy and uncomfortable in a kitchen to think about using produce. Now I have got sizzled peppers with my pasta and broccoli fighting cancer for me. To my own embarrassment, it should never have taken this long and there is still much, much more I can learn. Yet there is no denying it would have taken a lot longer had I sustained my subhuman diet.

Vegetarianism has forced me to give consideration to the meals I prepare and encouraged me to take more time making them taste good.

As well as bringing health and happiness, it has been a catalyst in my coming of age, and even if you disagree with it, it can help any student escape the takeaway cycle and experiment in the kitchen with meatless recipes.

So if you think you might lack the discipline, desire or multi-set of knives to cook efficiently or healthily, maybe try the odd veggie day or week and I guarantee you will discover some gorgeous nosh, with some personal enlightenment on the side.

Will Baldwin-Pask Contributor

Food & Drink 23

ISSUE 04 / 10th OCTOBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Review

Manchester Food and Drink Festival

Miriam Mizzi- Contributor Instagram - @hungoverhabits Website - www.hungoverhabits.com

Last Thursday saw the opening of Manchester’s 2016 Food and Drink Festival in Albert Square. Due to my rather relentless obsession with all things food, I had to get down there on opening evening and scope out what this years’ stalls had to offer. When I arrived, I was rather let down by the lack of people evident in the square, but, dismissed this to be down to it only being the first night.

My friend and I entered and immediately headed to the well signposted wine truck (yes, there’s a wine truck!) and grabbed a rather small glass of white wine. With this in hand, we had a quick wander around to gain an overview of what cuisines were available, before committing to any firm decisions.

Drawn in by the stall owners’ friendly smiles and enthusiastic waves, Bakchich was my first food-van destination. For £5, we gained a jam-packed box full of Middle-Eastern

treats. With some of my favourite disco songs playing in the background, we devoured the little pockets of chicken shawarma, fresh humus, falafel, and pickles. My favourite part of the box had to be the chicken, it was succulent and flavoursome. Unfortunately, the falafel didn’t rival that found on the Curry Mile.

Next, we decided to head to Cau’s South American truck. I was disappointed to find out they had run out of their steak option, so, decided to grab two empanadas instead– a pastry I fell in love with in Spain. The first was filled with chorizo and cream cheese and the second was vegetarian friendly, filled with spinach and dates.

Although both flavours were extremely impressive, the veggie one stood out due to its creamy inside, mixing perfectly with the accompanying spicy chipotle sauce.

Already feeling rather full, we decided to give ourselves

a break and explore the other drink options. We headed over to the main Festival Bar and fancied a pint. There are much more glamourous options such as Prosecco and Gin cocktails available too. It was obvious the festival had the clear motive to cater for all kinds of tastes, and it was delivered.

From here, my eyes were drawn back to the food stalls, and in particular Tampopo’s colourful Asian booth. We decided to go for a katsu curry, some may say the obvious choice, but I love comparing this dish in Manchester restaurants. The friendly gentlemen handed us over a classic street food box and also offered us a box of Thai spicy noodles that somebody else had not come back for. We gratefully obliged, and sat on a nearby bench to tuck in. I was impressed with both dishes, the noodles had the classic taste of a Thai green curry, spicy but not overpowering, and the chicken katsu

curry was rich and tangy.

Last but not least, we felt we had to try a wood fired pizza.

The only option for this was Proove’s stall. Already open as a restaurant in Sheffield, the chatty staff told me they are soon to open here in Manchester. They kindly customised our pizza, throwing on extra garlic, and even did my favourite trick of having halfand-half toppings. We had one side covered in mixed peppers and the other with olives— both were delicious.

For days ahead, I felt the festival had to ensure that some of its best sounding menu options were all in stock, and to hope more people ascended to the Albert Square arena.

Overall, though, we did not mind about these details, as it was the ideal destination to reap the rewards of the city’s continuously developing food scene.

Fossip The quesion on everybodys lips this week, has Jamie Oliver’s Frankenstinien paella recipe ruined Spanish food forever? His shameless use of chorizo has sparked unprescidented animosity among the Latin food wold. Earlier this week The Naked Chef posted a recipe for the classic Spanish dish but took it upon himself to throw in chorizo.

Twitter proceeded to implode. One tweet fom a man called Francesc Alonso announced ‘Thanks for destroying our most famous recipe.

Please don’t use the word ‘paella’ to describe rice with random stuff.’ - Carol Kohlrabi The new series of Chef’s Table has aired on Netflix. Season 3 is a spotlight on France.

Cue HD slow-mo food porn and classical music. One of the standout chefs of the new series is Adeline Grattard of Yam’Tcha in Paris. She is amazig. With the help of her tea wizard of a hsuband they have a michelin star serving a combination of French and Chinese food. The Food & Drink news desk is often criti-

cal of fusion food but this is a whole other world. It is done with an icredible finesse and a seamless pairing of worlds.

- Hula Hoop A launch party for this months food and drink festival was thrown by the good people from The Real Junk Food Project MCR. They hosted a 140-person sit down dinner made, as always, with food that would have otherwise gone to landfill. Junkfood’s eclectic band of chefs came through, despite massive adversity, to produce an incredible dinner. Rumour has it that sous-chef Burton has been recruited as a coach for the next series of Strictly as a result of her Swayze-like manouvres on the dance floor after the event. Said moves made such an impact onHead chef Mctague, that she has since fled to Africa in order to train in traditional dance methods in order that she might one day be able to joing Madame Burton on he dance floor. - Yam Sandles

Recipe

Butter Chicken ‘Now would be a good time to start cooking the rice’

Lily Carden - Contributor Twitter/Instagram - @GorgeousGateaux Website - www.gourmetinthemaking.blogspot.co.uk

2 portions rice 30g butter ½ onion, diced 1 garlic clove, minced ½inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated 2 chicken breasts, cubed 1tsp ground cumin 1tsp ground coriander ½tsp garam masala Pinch of chilli flakes 125ml tomato passata 125ml chicken stock or water 40ml low fat natural yogurt 20ml single cream

When I first moved to Singapore, I wouldn’t eat any curry more spicy than Butter Chicken, which made eating out a bit boring . Thanks to some mis-orders and a chef who had no idea the dish should be mild I now love spicy food. Butter Chicken is an old favourite though and I still make this recipe to enjoy the simple f lavours.

Melt the butter in a mid-sized pan and add the onion, garlic and ginger, cooking on a medium heat until they’re soft.

Now would be a good time to start cooking the rice (don’t forget to like I often do!). Add the diced chicken to the pan along with the coriander, cumin, garam masala and chilli.

Make sure the spices coat the chicken. Pour in the passata and chicken stock, mix everything together and then go do some uni work for 20 minutes*, until the chicken is cooked.

Check the f lavour and add more chilli if you’d like a bit of a kick and some salt if needs be. Take off the heat and leave for 5 minutes. Stir in the cream and yogurt and then enjoy with rice.

If you want to reheat this the next day then keep it below the boil to stop the cream and yogurt from splitting the sa uce.

Photo: Lily Carden

*I mean, watch Netf lix

Facebook: The Mancunion: Food and Drink Twitter: @MancunionFood Email: food@mancunion.com

Arts

24

ISSUE 04 / 10th OCTOBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Feature

Review

Manchester’s MustSee Monuments

The Graffiti Project The global refugee crisis is brought to light in Manchester’s Journeys Festival Emily Driscoll Arts Contributor

Photo: Nigel Gibson @Flickr

Ever the arts hub, we look at Manchester’s most exciting and interesting sculptures Laura Joyce Arts Editor Alan Turing A pioneer in modern computing, this tribute to Alan Turing is situated in Sackville Gardens. Turing is commonly well-known as the ‘founder of computer science’. He is also something of an icon in the gay community, following his suffering during a time when homosexuality was illegal in Britain. Naturally, the memorial sits close to Canal Street, Manchester’s gay village.

Tree of Remembrance Designed by Wolfgang Buttress and Fiona Heron, Piccadilly Gardens plays host to the Tree of Remembrance. Erected to mark VE (Victory in Europe) Day in 2005, the metal tree is a symbol for the civilians who lost their lives in the Second World War. Around the trunk are the names of said civilians.

Messenger of Peace At the centre of the peace garden situated at the rear of the Town Hall near St. Peter’s Square, sits the Messenger of Peace. The figure marks Manchester becoming the world’s first ever nuclear-free zone in 1980. The statue was erected in 1986, created by sculptor Barbara Pearson.

The ‘Journeys Festival’ showcases and fosters creativity in Manchester’s refugee and asylum seeking communities in spectacular style, from theatre and music to stunning art pieces displayed around the city until the 12th October. The art side of the festival was kicked off on the 5th October with the Container Project, the first part presenting the Graffiti Project; the complete transformation of a shipping container in St Ann’s Square by the street-art duo ‘Nomad Clan’.

The featured image does not show the finished product but marks only the beginning. The message it sends is a strong one, and makes it incredibly clear that the journey to find a home in Manchester hasn’t been an easy one. This image alone takes me back to hearing the news of the young Syrian boy becoming a victim of the struggle to find a different life, which lays heavy on my heart despite being half a world away.

The poppies – more of which, I’m told, will be added to the final image – evoke the idea of the casualties of war. Poppies are inherently tied to many peoples’ notion of patriotism in Britain, as a symbol for the ones that are lost in conflict and those irreparably affected by it. I think it’s a fitting tribute or an interesting

Photo: Emily Driscoll

reminder that the people making these horrendously dangerous journeys are doing so due to conflict, due to wars which they did not start.

I have only seen the beginnings of the project but I will be returning to the square later in the festival to see the final piece, and explore all of the different parts of the journeys portrayed.

I would thoroughly recommend a trip before

the end of the festival, whether you have a few minutes or a few hours to sit and look at the amazing detail that I never thought possible to achieve with spray paint. This is the kind of art that the soul yearns for, demands to be lost in, and find its own connection with the piece.

I find it to be food for the mind and the heart, and I will be keeping my eye on ‘Nomad Clan’ in future.

Feature

Boldly Beautiful: Turning Scars into Works of Art The beauty of survival is encapsulated through mastectomy tattoos Molly Joslin Arts Contributor

Photo: Jake @Flickr

Ishinki Touchstone “Ishinki” meaning “form returning to its heart” was created by Kan Yasuda. Weighing an incredible 18 tonnes, this polished stone is made from Carrara marble, and rests in Barbirolli Square outside Bridgewater Hall.

Life Cycle Created by George Wylie, the Life Cycle is situated outside Deansgate Station. This huge metal bike was built in 1995. The bike is a symbol of the small things each of us can do to help ease the strain on the environment.

Some of the most beautiful artwork I’ve seen hasn’t been displayed in galleries or featured in sculpture parks, but instead has adorned the bodies of women who have undergone mastectomies. More and more women are choosing to turn their scars into works of art; choosing to take back control of their bodies and in doing so creating something uniquely beautiful.

Big Horn Acting as the gateway to Manchester’s Northern Quarter, the Big Horn by David Kemp was completed in 1999. The horn appears to be wrapped around the remains of an old building on the junction of Tib Street and Church Street.

A US organisation dedicated to empowering women, P.Ink, aims to “connect breast cancer survivors with tattoo artists who can provide a form of healing that no one else can”. The art on their portfolio, although individually designed for each woman, features mandalas, floral patterns, and birds with open wings. They are colourful and bold, and are so much more than ink on the skin.

Whether you’re a fan of tattoo artwork or not, nobody can argue that this type of artwork is truly inspirational.

In collaboration with tattooist Shane Wallin, of Mastectomy Tattoo, artist Erena Shimoda takes the artwork one step further by photographing these women underwater as part of a campaign that aims to heal emotional scars and improve women’s confidence.

The images are powerful and feminine.

They are dynamic in a way that’s positive and life affirming.

I think we can all agree that the ‘tittoo’ phenomenon is another example of how art can be so much more than a picturesque painting or perfect sculpture; it can be an embod-

iment of beauty on the most remarkable of canvases.

For more information about Erena Shimoda and her incredible work, visit her website.

Photos: Erena Shimoda

Photo: Matthew Hartley @Flickr

Fancy getting involved?

If you enjoy art, and would like to write for the Arts section, join our Facebook group : Mancunion Arts Contributors 2016/2017.

OR Come along to our weekly meetings in the Activities Space in the Students’ Union. at 5.30pm on Mondays.

Opening this week An exciting new exhibition sees Idris Khan’s return to the Whitworth this week

Idris Khan at the Whitworth 14 OCTOBER 2016 – 19 MARCH 2017 Kahn’s return to the Whitworth is causing a lot of buzz across Manchester. Also displayed at the Whitworth, The Devil’s Wall (2011) displayed a collection of texts from the Quran on black cylindrical sculptures in both

Arabic and English. The upcoming exhibition will see him creating a new “monumental wall drawing” within the gallery.

Khan works in various mediums, he often creates artworks using text, laying and manipulating it –deriving new meaning to musical scores, theology and religion.

This highly anticipated exhibition is turning a lot of heads as the artist returns to the city with more Muslim-text-infused works. No doubt the work will be powerful snd compelling, as his work always is.

Watch this space for an upcoming review on Idris Khan’s latest works.

Theatre 25

ISSUE 04/ 10th OCTOBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Reviews

Giselle

An innovative and haunting reimagining of an old classic. Almost lives up to expectations, lacking only a clear sense of narrative

Ollie Kaiper-Leach Reviewer One of the most highly anticipated productions to come to Manchester this year, Akram Khan’s reimagining of the classic ballet Giselle ticks almost every box, and certainly lives up to expectations. This is due to the combination of Khan’s own legendary choreography, Tim Yip’s stunning visual design, and Vincenzo Lamagna’s ingenious reworking of the classic score by Adolphe Adam. However, this foolproof formula sadly fails to marry with the most important element of all: the story.

Having been updated by dramaturge Ruth Little, the story is one of chilling, dystopian predictions of migrant factory workers dominated by lavish, decadent landlords. Alongside a forbidden romance which attempts to bridge the gap between the two, facing a good dose of the supernatural along the way.

Unfortunately, to anyone unfamiliar with the original template, the story, with all its nuances, was difficult to follow.

The opening image immediately sets the tone, creating an image so ominous you dare not look away, as the mass of figures clad in dirty, cloth rags and dresses yearn towards an imposing wall as if climbing in vain up Mount Purgatory. Rumbling electronics and sounds of analogue interference complete the atmosphere, setting an unsteady canvas on which to begin the familiar folk dance of the original score.

The company already show incredible form here, creating beautifully precise lines through which Giselle (Fernanda Oliveira) and Albrecht (Fernando Bufalá) tenderly float together. The folk dance is interrupted by the relentless security alarm, an ingenious reincarnation of Adam’s original hunting bugle, both of which announce the arrival of the

nobility. Praise here must be paid to Yip’s striking costume design, conjuring as an ensemble a nightmarish concoction of Lady Gaga meets Queen Amidala. Isabelle Brouwers’ Bathilde is ice-cold here, the alignment of her arm down to the end of her glove-clad finger suggesting a dangerously calm black swan, after which she drops her glove on the floor, a gauntlet of sorts for Giselle to pick back up.

It is a real shame for Brouwers, however, that the lack of clear storytelling thus far means that, to the uninitiated, the significance of Albrecht as a nobleman in disguise is completely lost, where in the original it is the first fact to be established. His betrothal to Bathilde is therefore also unclear, and so the overall impact this has on Giselle and, ultimately the audience, is lowered.

Nevertheless, the audience cannot help but gaze in awe at the delicate drama of Giselle’s anguish and grimace at the increasingly grotesque recorded vocals which accompany the breathtakingly close duel between Albrecht and Hilarion (Oscar Chacon). Whilst the pizzicato strings struggled to settle on a tempo at the beginning of this sequence, the precision of the company keeps us engaged as Oliveira’s uncomfortably tense shoulders focus our attention — before the colossal wall rotates in increasing velocity, bringing the first half to an appropriately abrupt close.

Act two sees the unprecedented involvement of the supernatural, as the Wilis, the fabled ghosts of maltreated factory workers, are seen for the first time.

Again, the lack of context surrounding the legend of the Wilis makes for an abrupt adjustment of thinking, although the dystopian platform for the story allows perhaps a little room for open-mindedness.

Nevertheless, Laurretta Summerscales as Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis, steals the show, with a dark and encapsulating presence as she reanimates the dead body of Giselle. This is also the first time in the entire ballet that we see the use of point work, which makes it all the more effective and ghostly. Indeed, one moment in particular, evoked an audible gasp from the audience, as Myrtha drags Giselle out of death and straight onto points.

The final duet of Giselle and Albrecht is full of breath-taking moments, from expertly executed lifts to the use of the very edge of the stage as Giselle straddles the realms of life and death. The closing solo of Albrecht feels more like a desperate, delirious, unrequited duet, as he is left trapped and alone behind the all-too-familiar and imposing wall, the gaol-suggestive lighting reducing him to nothing more than a silhouette.

The English National Ballet’s dancers prove just how worth saving this production is, and the holes in the plot are certainly fixable. With an ingeniously innovative score and beautifully dark aesthetic, Akram Khan’s Giselle so nearly lives up to all that it should, and could, be.

Photo: Jason Bell (English National Ballet)

Wish List

A clever and play which explores the struggles of living in a world that seems determined to undermine and disregard you Brogen Campbell Theatre Editor Katherine Soper’s Bruntwood prize-winning text has its world premiere at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester. The play explores the struggles facing young people in employment and the harsh reality of having your benefits cut in this Royal Exchange Theatre and Royal Court coproduction.

The play revolves around the central character Tasmin Carmody (Erin Doherty), who starts working in a distribution warehouse on a zero-hours contract.

The job is anything but glamorous, with grueling and unforgiving targets, oppressive managerial figures and an overall lack of compassion by the company for its employees. Tasmin has little choice but to work at the warehouse, due to her younger brother, Dean (Joseph Quinn), being declared fit to work and his benefits being recently cut. The play sees Tasmin managing work, to support her and Dean, whilst appealing the benefit-cutting verdict.

This leaves her overworked with no way to escape the situation. The cuts seem to be an obvious injustice as Dean’s idiosyncratic behaviour makes it difficult for him to perform common tasks, such as leaving the house. The play is extremely emotive, as you instantly side with the Carmondys’ against the injustices they face.

Doherty gives a stunning performance, portraying Tasmin with enough depth that the audience don’t simply regarded her as someone to be pitied, but as a person to be admired for continuously trying to overcome the many hurdles in her life. Her physicality depicts the hardship she faces, as she walks more like a women in her 40’s than a young person in her prime. Similarly, Quinn manages to portray Dean’s quirky repetitive routines, without making the character one-dimensional. A great deal of credit has to go to Soper, who pushes the boundaries with her writing. This is evident through the character relationships, especially Tasmins and Deans. Tasmin expresses annoyance and envy at times that she has been denied the chance to gain a more prosperous future. Her desire to study Physics has to be forgone, due to the demands of caring for her brother. This of course doesn’t overpower the love, which is evident, between the two siblings.

Instead these layers make the characters more realistic, which is one of the reasons why the story and characters are so engaging.

These layers and depths can be seen in all four characters. Even in Tasmin’s manager (Aleksandar Mikic), who has his own pressures and targets to stick to. The friendship between Tasmin and her coworker Luke Mburu (Shaquille Ali-Yebuah), keeps the play from becoming too depressing, offering some much needed lighter moments. Luke is completely endearing and a character you instantly

Photo: Royal Exchange Theatre

fall in love with for his easy smile and jokes. One of the standout moments of the show is when Tasmin performs Meat Loaf’s I’d Do Anything For Love for Luke. Doherety’s energy was infectious and you really do want to get up and join her. This is one of the rare moments of pure joy the audience are treated to.

Another striking moment emerged after Dean is left alone in the house. This follows a scene where Dean throws out all his hair products, denying him his routine of meticulously styling his hair into spikes. The sacrifice of the products was an attempt for Dean to show he could get better, but this quickly backfires. The tension builds leading to Dean purposely burning his hands on a hot pan, which emits an audible gasp from the audience and the shedding of a few tears.

Matthew Xia’s direction, placed the factory setting alongside the Carmodys’ home, highlighting the repetitive nature of both routines. The lighting and sound design was used to aid and increase the impact of various scenes to tremendous effect. This along with Soper’s superb script results in a highly emotive production filled with both highs and lows.

The play casts a light on a number of important issues. Firstly, the troubles that face young people as Tasmin is 19, Dean 17 and Luke is just 16-yearsold. Secondly, it highlights the consequences of cuts to benefits not just for the claimant but also their family. Finally, the play questions how many people are living just to survive, in a world which revolves around your worth in labour.

Wish List is a must see. The play advocates a voice for people who are often misrepresented in society as ‘scroungers’ and ‘benefit cheats’. You can catch Wish List at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester until the 15th October.

Review

The Emperor Rhiannon Symonds Reviewer

A moving soliloquy on the ridiculousness of total power, Kathryn Hunter’s The Emperor is a shocking piece in many ways. Based on Ryszard Kapuściński’s 1978 book of investigative journalism regarding Haile Selassie’s reign in Ethiopia, one would be forgiven for assuming that this is a heavy going show. However, the opposite is true. Kathryn Hunter showcases exceptional talent and originality in her portrayal of the servants in Selassie’s court and navigates a still contentious story with humour, respect, and honesty. Whilst the script used is not verbatim to the published book, Hunter portrays the characters with such chameleon-like fluency that one can hear the original interviews through her voice.

Of course, the most shocking thing of all is that it is just Hunter acting — a musician and lighting director the only addition to the cast. Whilst Ethiopian musician Temesgen Zeleke obviously adds a second dimension, the show would lose a great deal of impact without Mike Gunning’s fantastic lighting.

The interaction between Hunter and Zeleke is not crowbarred into the piece to lend an ‘authentic’ tone, but is rather a necessary plot device, not only used to indicate different characters in the early stages of the piece, but also to create the necessary tension later as we approach the rebellion and revolution of 1974.

I will admit, when I saw there was no interval, I was sceptical. However, I did not notice an hour go by, due to Hunter’s truly engaging performance.

The characters created were bizarrely all sympathetic, despite the heinous acts of cruelty committed by several, including the deluded Minister of

An exceptional performance that made every theatre-goer sharply question what they thought they knew, with stunning physicality, originality and respect for a troubling story Information, whose own son was killed in the Civil War that began in 1974. An example of the excellent balance between humour and thought-provoking material came from this character, whose monologues regularly ended with the question “why do you keep asking about my son?” This line, followed by an immediate black-out and silence, was one of the many lines that left a huge impression on the audience, and could be heard being discussed in the bar.

Hunter’s will to force us to see the ridiculousness of our obsession to create was evident in Kafka’s Monkey, but here it is even more desperate.

The only moment that felt a little forced was as the desperately daft concept of ‘internationalism’ in a starving country was being ridiculed by Hunter, dancing in front of a white satin curtain, and an audience member was dragged up to dance with her. Whilst audience participation can advance a piece, it didn’t seem to here.

This minor gripe was of course offset straight away by Hunter’s sudden transformation into an old, painfully shuffling servant bearing witness to the dethronement of his master. We felt sympathy for this faithful valet, whilst never knowing the true character of his emperor, as every voice seemed to hold bias of some sort. An exceptionally challenging ending simply displayed the future of Ethiopia, and the statistics of the bloodshed of the civil war, and left the whole audience questioning; is Western progress really what everyone needs?

Photo: Simon Annand (HOMEMCR)

26

Lifestyle

ISSUE 04 / 10th OCTOBER 2016 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Can you go the distance?

As a new term gets underway, we look at how long distance relationships can affect your university life and the best ways to avoid heartbreak…

Megan Byrne Contributor So you’ve done it. You’ve taken the plunge and moved away from home for the first time. You packed up your life into the back of your parent’s car including your favourite hoodie, your posters, and an indeterminate number of fairy lights. But what if the one thing you want to take along most is the one thing you can’t? Leaving a partner behind can be the toughest part of moving away for any amount of time. One of the most common problems faced by students is whether or not to attempt to maintain relationships over long distances. Whether you’re a fresher, moving to a new city, or choosing to study abroad for part of your degree, the decision to commit to a long distance relationship (an LDR) is a big one.

It’s important to sit down and have a frank discussion with your beau about how you both feel. It might be that, whilst you’re both really into each other, a long distance relationship isn’t for you and you can part ways with relatively little heartache. By being brave and actually asking the simple question of ‘do we really want to do this?’ before you make the big move, you can avoid weeks of skirting around the issue because neither of you wants to hurt the other and the whole situation inevitably ending in arguments and tears. Plus, if you do both state your commitment to continuing your relationship this gives you a strong foundation and sense of security before you embark on an LDR. Next it’s important to consider the practicalities of a long distance relationship. Getting to grips with Skype early on and maintaining a kind of routine in how often you ‘see’ each other can be really good for avoiding those pesky pangs of homesickness. Knowing that

Photo: brett-sayer @Flickr

you’re definitely going to see your boyfriend/girlfriend on Sunday night and spend some quality time catching up makes it easier to be more present during those exciting first few weeks in a new place without constantly checking your phone and wondering why they haven’t been in touch. Secondly, think carefully about planning actual visits. By booking train tickets—or flights if your other half is a little further away—well in advance, it gives you both something to look forward to. Make fun plans that you can get excited about—even if those plans only involve your bed and a Chinese takeaway. Think about the things in your new city that you’d love to show them as well as making sure to leave time to spend alone together.

The hardest thing about an LDR is being understanding and

Preview: Design Manchester 2016

Design Manchester returns between 12th-23rd October, here’s a preview of some of the events on the calendar this year Cachella Smith Contributor 2016 marks the fourth year that the annual Design Manchester festival invades one of the most innovative cities in the UK, the theme this year being ‘Design City.’

Aimed at encouraging inclusivity and diversity within art and design, this year the non-profit organisation will hold 37 separate events over a 12-day period — running from the 12th-23rd October. With venues ranging from bars and clubs in the Northern Quarter to the London Road Fire Station, the accessibility of the festival for everyone is key to promoting design as a collaborative art; it is not a field merely restricted to the artists and inventors of the world.

Design Manchester is focused on encouraging everyone, from emerging designers to industrial workers, to both discover and celebrate the work done within the Design industry.

Established in 2013, primarily by Manchester School of Art, the festival has gained greater popularity over the years, with this year promising to be the best yet.

2015’s event saw over 20,000 visitors, from architects to educators to families, coming to the 17 events available.

With 37 events this year, including the ones below, the festival promises to be bigger and better than ever.

Women in Print Exhibition: Taking place from Thursday 13th October to Sunday 23rd October between 12-6pm, this free event is an exhibition presenting the work of local designers and printmakers that focuses on celebrating of the contribution of women throughout Mancunian history. The exhibition, taking place in both the Co-op HQ and Northern Quarter’s PLY, will showcase the involvement and input that iconic female figures have created the City of Manchester that we know today.

Street Art Tour: Running on both Saturday 15th October and Friday 21st October, this event will educate its visitors on the history of the alternative Northern Quarter, demonstrated through street art. Costing only £7.50, the tour, hosted by well-known writer Hayley Flynn, tells of the artists of the area’s oldest street art, and how art drove the redevelopment of the once-deteriorating Northern Quarter. The event will run each day between 11am and 1pm, showcasing both the historical and current influence of art within the city.

City ID: The Grand Debate: On Wednesday 19th October, between 6:30-9pm, a well-informed and design-

orientated panel will discuss topics from transport innovations to the controversial subject of Brexit. The debate, however, is not limited to panel members, which includes Peter Mandelson, former Cabinet Minister and EU Trade commissioner and Emer Coleman a digital pioneer, but rather requires audience participation. The latter half of the session will provide a few glasses of wine hopefully encouraging further opinions and discussions.

This is a free event at Old Granada Studios, providing you have pre-registered, it plans to let loose opinions and encourage debate, provoked by, but not limited to the well-known panel members.

The above events are merely a sample of the possible activities you could get involved in over the 12-day period. An amazing opportunity to discover more about the city in which you live, as well as perhaps unleashing the creative potential hidden within you. This festival will be both fun and informative. It will not only will give you a greater insight into the contributions of design in Manchester but further gives you the opportunity to meet like-minded people and possibly continue to hone your creative energies long after the festival has finished. For more details and information on the remaining events, see the website.

Photo: Design Manchester Festival

accommodating of the other person in the relationship. Distance can result in a lack of communication which, in turn, can lead to arguments and bitterness. Airing any worries or problems you might have instead of allowing them to build up is the best way to avoid this, as well ensuring that any jealousy that might arise is quickly dissipated. It’s normal to be unsure about whether or not your relationship can survive the first few weeks of term but it’s important to trust in yourself and, even more importantly, trust in your boyfriend/girlfriend and avoid being paranoid. For example, if you know they’re going on a night out with their friends, ask them to make sure they send you quick text when they get home safe as opposed to bombarding them with texts all night. This might make them feel like they’re being hounded, and distract them from making friends and memories in their new place, as well as interfering with your own experiences.

Having a definite point in the future where your relationship will no longer be long distance is often the thing which will get you through the heartache. For many couples, this is as easy as knowing that one of you will be coming home after a semester or two but for others it can get a bit more complicated. Having an idea about how you would like your future to be as a couple can be really helpful in providing hope and the motivation to keep going through any rough patches you might encounter. If you find that you’re struggling in your LDR, as well as being open with your partner, it’s also a great idea to have someone else to talk to. Friends and family can be great for this but the University of Manchester Counselling Service also provides counsellors who are available to speak with you about any worries you may have, and are easily accessible through the university website.

Five things to do for free in Manchester

Chloe Hatton Contributor

Living on a student budget can be difficult, especially when so much of what Manchester has to offer can be so expensive.

Fear not, here is a quick guide to the best of Manchester — and the best part? It’s free.

1. Whitworth Art Gallery Right on the University’s doorstep, the Whitworth Art Gallery is certainly one of Manchester’s gems. Hosting artists from Tracey Emin to William Blake, the gallery boasts an impressive 55,000 items in its collection. Whether it’s a slice of culture you’re after or something to do on a rainy afternoon, you certainly won’t be disappointed. Featuring various exhibitions throughout the year, you are sure to find something to pique your interest. Its eclectic Thursday Lates are becoming increasingly popular, consisting of talks, performances, and live music— all for free.

2. Parkrun A great way to keep fit and meet new people, Parkrun is held in Platt Fields Park, minutes away from Fallowfield accommodation. The 5km run is timed, but there is no pressure as to how fast (or slow) you want to run.

To top things off, they also hold a post run coffee in the Fallow Café for those who fancy rewarding themselves. If you’re able to get up for the start time of 9:00am on a Saturday morning this could be an excellent way to try and improve your time, have a laugh, and feel smug because you’re doing exercise on a Saturday morning. The runs themselves are free, but they do ask that you register here before your first run.

3. The Lowry Created in 2000 as The Millennium Project for the Arts, The Lowry is a hub for the creative. With no less than three theatres, it makes theatregoing as close to the London experience as possible— without the cost.

The galleries are free and exhibit a changing collection of Lowry’s work, with exhibitions from other artists thrown in, and on the first

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Saturday of each month, After Hours in the Galleries hosts free music and special events in the evening. Although the theatre shows are not free, for those aged between 16-25 they offer a range of £5 and £10 shows, making the trip out to Salford Quays much more bearable.

4. Manchester Museum Be honest, how many times have you walked past the Manchester Museum, right next to Whitworth Hall, and not gone in?

Well, maybe it’s worth a shot. Dinosaurs, mummies, and live animals are just a few of the things you’ll see as you venture into a building that plays host to artefacts coming from many different periods of history.

Satisfy your thirst for the ancient and see what the Vivarium has to offer— just minutes away from lecture halls. With changing exhibitions, there will always be something new to see, so tear yourself away from those books and make the trip— you won’t regret it.

5. Chetham’s Library This is the oldest public library in the English-speaking world— dating back to its foundation in 1653. The building itself is even older, built in 1421, and so it’s worth the trip just to see how stunning it is, let alone read the books. Even better, it’s situated opposite the National Football Museum right in the heart of Manchester; you can pretend you’re much more intellectual than those across the road, which is a definite positive.

As can be imagined, it is hugely popular, so although no library membership is needed, those wishing to study library material are asked to make an appointment at least one day in advance.

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Combatting freshers’ flu

Feeling a bit under the weather? Read on for some useful tips on how to take care of yourself this semester Araddhna Patel Deputy Lifestyle Editor

It’s your first night out with your flatmates during Freshers’ Week, and you’re absolutely loving life. The night passes, and you do it all over again for several days. But then, the worst happens: the dreaded Freshers’ Flu. Your head is pounding, and not just from all the alcohol you’ve consumed. Your nose is runny, your throat is sore, and you just want to hide away from everyone and everything under your duvet.

Having the flu is inconvenient, what with all the new people you have to meet and the parties you have to attend. Here’s a guide on how to take care of yourself during this rough period.

1. Keep tissues with you: make sure you’re always around a tissue, whether you’re in your room, on the bus, or at university.

Nobody wants to be sat next to someone in a lecture theatre who keeps coughing and sneezing into their sleeve. Use a tissue; you’ll make more friends that way too.

2. Eat healthy: this is pretty much common sense! You need to eat your fruit and vegetables; not only will you make your mum proud, but you’ll be getting loads of vitamins and minerals into your diet. Ditch those ready meals for a change, and eat fresh foods.

3. Drink lots of water: you need to keep yourself hydrated and flush out those Freshers’ Flu toxins from your body. This doesn’t include drinking alcohol though, so perhaps cut that out until you’re feeling better!

4. Go outside: you’ll start to feel the benefits of being outside and getting some fresh air, and you’ll be able to explore your new home for a while—it’s a win-win situation!

5. Take a bath/shower: the hot water will make your muscles relax, and the steam will help your sinuses.

6. Get some sleep: tuck yourself into bed and go to sleep. You might be missing one or two nights out, but this just means you’ll be able to go on for that much longer.

Photo: williambrawley @Flickr

7. Make your room cozy: nothing makes you feel better like being at home with your mum, but if it isn’t possible for you to go back, you’ll need a thick blanket, some fluffy cushions, a hot water bottle, and pictures of your loved ones all over the wall. This will make you feel better almost instantaneously.

Everyone knows how stressful it can get to be ill at university and feel like no one is there to help you. Just know that you aren’t alone; a study by Kleenex revealed that Freshers’ Week is when students most often call home complaining about their symptoms to their parents.

Their research also shows that in the first three weeks of university alone, there were over 10,000 mentions of Freshers’ Flu on social media. 75 per cent of all conversations about the flu came

Photo: drbeachvacation @Flickr

from females, who are most likely to suffer the most from it.

Social media data from individual universities last year tells us that students at the highest risk of catching Freshers’ Flu are in Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Cardiff, and Newcastle. Use these tips if you are unlucky enough to catch the flu, and fight it!

Freshers’ guide: Societies 101 How to fight off ‘freshers’ face’ Want to get stuck in to student life, but not sure where to start? Check out our guide to the societies that have something to offer everyone Rachel Oelbaum Contributor With over 400 societies at the University of Manchester, it can be tough to know where to start. Maybe competitive sports isn’t your thing, and you’d rather melt than appear on a stage. Don’t worry, there are still loads of ways to get involved! We’ve taken some of the more general interest societies and broken them into different groups. Take a whistle-stop tour through what else the Students’ Union has to offer, and you’re sure to find something to suit you!

Eating and drinking: We all have to eat, so what better way to meet new people than by doing something we can all enjoy? Manchester is full of great bars and restaurants, and this is a great way of exploring what the city has to offer. You can also pick up some extra skills, whether it’s how to make a bakewell tart or how to pick the best wine for your meal. As Julia Child once said, “people who love to eat are always the best people.”

Societies to join: Baking, Cheese and Wine, Coffee, Craft Beer, Veggie/Vegan Keeping active: Ready to get stuck in and do something different? Look no further! We know that not everyone likes to sweat it out at the gym, but there are lots of other ways to keep your energy levels up, get out and about and meet new people. You might break a sweat, but you’ll be having fun doing it!

Societies to join: Swing Dance, Yoga, HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts), Ice skating, Folk and Ceilidh, Hiking Adrenaline junkie: If your tastes are a little more adventurous, there’s lots of groups to choose from.

Whether you want to scale the skies or burrow deep into the caves, there’ll be a society that gets your

heart racing and the adrenaline pumping. Just don’t forget your harness!

Societies to join: Expeditions, Karting and Motorsport, Skydiving, Speleology, Sub Aqua, Mountaineering Beyond the classroom: University is all about learning, and if you’re someone who likes to challenge themselves outside the lecture theater then there’s lots on offer. These groups offer a chance to explore original ideas and meet people who share your passion for what’s new, interesting and thought-provoking.

Societies to join: Book Club, Pint of Science, Board Games, Socionics Society, TedX, Debating Arty: Whether you’re good with your paintbrush, your pen or your needle, these groups are for you!

There’s lots of ways to explore your creative side and get involved with the artistic scene around campus!

Don’t be put off if you’ve not tried something before; give it a go, you might find a hidden creative talent!

Societies to join: Comic Collective (MUCC), Blog Soc, Creative Writing, Craftivism, Film Making, Whitworth Young Contemporaries

Photo: Rachel Oelbaum

Is your skin suffering from partying too hard in Freshers’ Week?

We give some helpful tips on how to combat freshers’ face, including the best type of alcohol to drink to reduce the effects of a wild night out Bailey Petts Contributor

Photo: perpetuallychic @Flickr

As we welcome the new first years to the University, they are thrown into a lifestyle where drinking a high quantity of alcohol throughout the week is the norm, particularly during Freshers’ Week. Late nights, sugary alcoholic drinks and drunk food all have an impact on your skin—with an increase in spots, dry and dull skin, as well as increased pigmentation (such as a red flush). Alcohol dehydrates your entire body so it’s so important to drink a lot of water the next day after a heavy night. If you can, drink a glass of water before you go to sleep after a night of drinking as well to help fight the effects.

For girls, taking your make-up off before you go to sleep is key to avoid spots, blocked pores, and skin redness. Maintaining a good cleanse, tone, and moisturize system will also aid with clearer skin. Eyes can lose their brightness and the late nights, lack of sleep, and overall alcohol consumption can cause puffy eyes. To help eradicate these symptoms without altering

your sleeping pattern, splashing your face with cold water, or putting fresh cucumber or tea bags over your eye area will improve this (the tannin in tea is particularly effective at eradicating puffiness and discoloration).

Investing in good exfoliators, cleansers and moisturizers, consuming more fruit and vegetables and less sugary, fatty foods as well as introducing some light exercise to your routine will mean you can enjoy your nights out with reduced consequences.

Obviously limiting the amount of alcohol you consume, choosing a purer alcohol such as good quality gin or vodka (these typically leave your body quicker), and drinking water in between your alcoholic drinks to promote a diuretic effect will not only help with hangovers but will help with freshers’ face. No one wants to decline a night out, especially in first year, so utilize these tips and party without completely sacrificing your youthful and fresh appearance.

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Stick or Twist?

@Mancunion_Sport Photo: Ronnie MacDonald @Flickr

Job uncertainty is a way of life for managers in the world of football

Toby Webb Sport Reporter

I will begin with two stats: eight out of the twenty teams had a new manager at the start of the current Premier League season, with four beginning their second full season in charge.

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Fans are entitled to an opinion on their team, whether the football they pay to watch is good enough .

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Moreover, in the last week Swansea have recently fired Francesco Guidolin, replacing him with Bob Bradley. There is a similar picture in the Championship: eight out of the twenty-four teams began the current season with new managers, with Aston Villa sacking Roberto Di Matteo and Cardiff sacking Paul Trollope in the last week. Ultimately, this suggests that the role of manager is fluid, defined by constant change, and thus uncertainty.

Analysing why fluid-

ity and uncertainty are endemic in the world of football does not point to a clear answer.

Firstly, I would point to the everincreasing fickleness of fans. Fans are entitled to an opinion on their team, whether the football they pay to watch is good enough. However, over the last decade I think football fans have lost faith in the idea of longevity, that a manager has a long-term project to build a team.

While football is undoubtedly a ‘results business’, I think this concept has reached a new extreme in the modern game. I think the fickleness of football fans is symptomatic of the hyper-speed, digitalised age we inhabit. Our age has developed impatience in us: we lack the patience to put up with periods of poor results or perceivably bad football.

Furthermore, the boards of clubs have become more and more unforgiving. This can partly be explained again by modern day impatience and fickleness. However, there is another reason. With the influx of incredibly rich owners, football clubs are now being envisaged as businesses. This is inevitable, given the amount of money these owners are investing. Owners look for a return on their investment, i.e. success on the pitch. If a business is not performing to your satisfaction, you make changes. A similar logic is applied to football managers.

Sadly, the tendency of changing managers to achieve success

clashes with the unpredictability of football. While it is a case of finding the right person to create a successful formula, creating success often takes time. Time is not what a lot of managers are being given these days. Rarely does a manager enter a job and immediately achieve success, and if they do, the success is short-term. Longevity is the key to sustainable success.

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Wenger has his critics, which are justified in their argument ; Wenger has not won the league since the 2003/04 season, and they believe someone else could lead Arsenal to heights of another title .

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Arsène Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson are the recent examples of

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Longest Serving PL Managers*... *as of 07/10/2016

Arsene Wenger 20 years 5 days

this. While Ferguson was massively more successful in terms of winning trophies, longevity enabled both men to mould, and remould, teams precisely to their philosophy.

Recently, Wenger celebrated the 20th anniversary of his appointment as Arsenal manager.

Wenger has his critics, which are justified in their argument; Wenger has not won the league since the 2003/2004 season, and they believe someone else could lead Arsenal to heights of another title.

These critics are blind to what Wenger brings to Arsenal, as well as wildly unrealistic to think someone could come in and be more successful. When Wenger eventually leaves, or retires from, his position, I think Arsenal will go into meltdown in the same way Manchester United did when Ferguson left.

Klopp’s classic celebrations Photo: Jürgen Jung @WikimediaCommons The scale of longevity (20 years+ of management) that Wenger and Ferguson enjoyed will likely

Eddie Howe 3 years 359 days

Sean Dyche 3 years 342 days

never happen again. A modern conception of managerial longevity is perhaps three to six years.

As expected, the average lifespan for a Premier League manager is less than this. As of October 2015, the average was 2.28 years.

However, subtract Wenger, a modern anomaly, from the equation and the average was 1.29 years.

Currently, only the top managers, the likes of Klopp and Guardiola, are promised the time they need to recreate the success they have had before. Yet, even then, it would be very interesting to see how secure their job appears on the back of a bad set of results.

The notion of longevity is being ignored when it comes to football management. This sacking culture creates inevitable instability. Envisioned as a game of blackjack, the boards, or owners, are almost always choosing to twist, rather than stick, when a club is going through a rough patch. The decline of managerial longevity is a loss to our game.

Mark Hughes 3 years 129days

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The England Problem Gareth Southgate has a struggle on his hands, and calling-up Glen Johnson will not help

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Harry Newton Sport Editor

Whether we like it or not, Big Sam is out of a job. With a 100% win record that will never be topped, Sam Allardyce was fired from being England manager after being caught out by The Telegraph doing some dodgy dealings. Allardyce did not just dent his own reputation with this though, the FA have been left trying to tape the pieces back together of this broken England team.

With this in mind, the FA went for the complete opposite of Big Sam when selecting their new manager.

They have moved on from the car salesman look, and gone for the IT technician look, opting for squeaky clean Gareth Southgate. Southgate has a good record in the England setup, as he has managed the undertwenty-ones since 2013, and seen relative success with them. However, his first act as England manager looks a little like he’s struggled to find said tape, in order to stick

this national team back together.

Southgate’s first England team was revealed for the upcoming qualifiers against Malta and Slovenia, and was met with a strong reaction from the public. Mothers dropped their children, vicars swore, and dogs went rabid. Everything was pretty much the same except from the inclusions of Glen Johnson and Jesse Lingard. I have no problem with the inclusion of Jesse Lingard—he deserves his call up—but the problem is with Glen Johnson.

Johnson last played for England in 2014, and last played well for England in 2010. He has been playing pretty well for Stoke City of late, but calling him up for the national team highlights England’s biggest problems: living in the past.

We need to get over the “golden generation” of Gerrard, Beckham and Lampard. We need to stop comparing current players to them and trying to fit them into this mould of an excellent game-controlling midfield style of play, we have a very different squad now. We have a young pacey side and we should run with that idea. I’m not going to sit here and tell Southgate how to work the tactics for his team, but bringing back players far past their peak, because of prestige that they once had is simply ridiculous.

An argument in favour for the inclusion of Glen Johnson would be

that such a young team needs experience. I do agree, especially with a relatively unexperienced manager now at the helm, but if his dose of experience is coming from Glen Johnson, then things are far worse than we ever though. Joe Hart, Phil Jagielka, Gary Cahill, and Wayne Rooney already offer that bit of experience that the team need. There is a difference between a side with experience and an experienced side. Our English players aren’t good enough to have an experienced side.

Ironically, Glen Johnson pulled himself out of the England squad with an injury, to be replaced

by Michael Keane of Burnley, who entirely deserves his place.

I don’t want to complain too much about Gareth Southgate though; he’s not managed a game in charge yet and it’s completely unfair to stick the knife in before there is any evidence. However, I’m going to completely ignore that last sentence and tell you who I think should replace him.

Southgate was the best available choice for the England job in my opinion. Eddie Howe is not—despite popular belief— yet ready for challenge, and Steve Bruce in charge of England would upset the nation.

Therefore Southgate was definitely the obvious choice for England.

However, we must ask ourselves: why are we looking for an English

manager? If there’s a fantastic English choice available then yes, this should work in the candidates favour, but there is no reason at all why a foreign manager would be a problem; it works in our league.

The majority of other big national sides have all hired a man of their own nationality—except Belgium, who should act as a reminder to all England fans that it could be worse, as they hired Spanish Roberto Martinez—but this does not mean that England should settle for sub-standard, we need just to adopt this mindset.

The perfect choice, of course, would be Arsene Wenger. The country has pretty much adopted the Frenchman as one of our own, and experience has been fantastic. Also, if he left Arsenal for the England job, it would mean that all Arsenal fans would finally realize how good a manager they had when Tony Pulis took over.

Despite all this, I will watch the game and hope that Gareth Southgate and his men go on and do well!

Partly because I love my national side, and I always want them to improve, and partly because I can’t be arsed hearing any more about who the next manager will be.

Manchester United squad is most expensive ever According to a report, the ManUnited squad is the most expensive in football history George Ball Sport Reporter It has been revealed that the current Manchester United squad is the most expensive squad ever assembled. Analysis by the CIES Football Observatory, a team of researchers based in Switzerland, found that United have invested €718 million (£635m) in their current team.

The research analysed the squads of all the teams in Europe’s ‘big 5’ leagues; the top divisions in England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France. Second in the list are Spanish giants Real Madrid, who have invested €634 million (£560m) in their squad, whilst city rivals Manchester City are not far behind with an investment of €611 million (£540m) in playing staff.

After the recent summer transfer window business, it is no surprise that United top the rankings. They broke the world record for the most expensive transfer fee ever with the signing of Paul Pogba, which was rumoured to be in the region of £93 million. They also made expensive signings in midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan from Borussia Dortmund and defender Eric Bailly from Villarreal. This saw an increase of €185 million (£164m) from research done by the same group in September 2015, when the Red

Devils had the third most expensive squad. At that time Real Madrid were top of the rankings with Manchester City in second.

Premier League teams, with the latest £5.136 billion television deal seemingly burning a hole in their collective pockets, dominate the top twenty of most costly squads. No less than nine Premier League clubs feature, contrasting with just two from Germany and France, three from Spain and four from Italy.

Absent from the top twenty, but not far behind in twenty-sixth, are the Premier League champions, Leicester City. Their squad has benefited from €130 million (£115m) of investment; less than twenty per cent of the cost of United’s.

The report could put United manager José Mourinho under greater pressure, with the club sitting in a disappointing sixth position after the first seven matches of the Premier League season. Record signing Paul Pogba has also failed to live up to his large price tag so far, with just a single goal to show for his league performances. They are already five points behind fierce rivals Manchester City, having lost to them in the September Manchester Derby.

However staggering the figures may be, Manchester United can point to jus-

Most Expensive Squads

Photo: Sean MacEntee @Flickr

tifications for being able to spend such large sums. In May, accounting firm KPMG published a report that declared Manchester United the joint-most valuable football club in the world, along with Real Madrid. They were both valued at £2.1 billion. The report took into account

factors such as profitability, stadium ownership, popularity and sporting potential. This dwarfed the valuations of Premier League rivals such as Manchester City, who were valued at £1.2 billion, along with Arsenal.

The latest spending figures are not sur-

prising, but perhaps are an indictment of the era of ever increasing sponsorships and television deals which football is now in.

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To Knee or not to knee?

San Francisco 49’ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick elected to sit during the national anthem which he claimed oppresses black people and people of colour Jeremy Smith Sport Reporter

The NFL’s sustained collectivist approach is what has made it such a success in America, bringing the whole population together through the allure of cosy patriotism and tradition .

In the words of iconic NFL coach Vince Lombardi “Football is like life—it requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication and a respect for authority.” These words have acted as a guiding mantra for American Football which prides itself on players acting as transient cogs serving to power a greater machine.

Indeed it is noticeable that in a country that suffers from such regular turbulence as America, how little of it seems to affect its most popular sport. The NFL’s sustained collectivist approach is what has made it such a success in America, bringing all of its population together through the allure of cosy patriotism and tradition .

However when San Francisco 49’ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick elected to sit during the national anthem which he claimed oppresses black people and people of colour, this tradition seemed threatened. Within minutes of this statement being made the carefully maintained bubble of political neutrality, maintained by the NFL, had been popped. What followed has been a flurry of diverse responses which has risked breaking the delicate bonds which keep NFL teams together.Yet in spite of these disruptions it is worth asking the question whether Kaepernick’s protest is having the effect he intended.

The Kaepernick scenario highlights some of the unspoken tensions which are perennially in the background and conveniently ignored.Most polls cite that the majority of players in the NFL are black, making up 68 per cent of the league, whereas 77 per cent of the Fans are white.

This gulf in demographics is unspoken, unacknowledged but also unavoidably present and was exposed in the aftermath of the Kaepernick incident.

Indeed most of the players regardless of race supported their right to protest even if they did not agree with the message or the methods.

Whereas 44 per cent of NFL fans stating in a Yahoo Sports/YouGov that they were likely to stop watching NFL games if these protests were sustained. This has also been reflected by the withdrawal of endorsements from players such as Brandon Marshall who had opted to protest.

This tension in views amongst players and fans should alarm the NFL who are

Photo: Brook Ward @Flickr

walking a tightrope in their attempts to enable their player’s freedom of expression whilst also reassuring fans that they do not actively support Kaepernick’s view. Indeed the NFL’s current policy of enabling the protest’s while not endorsing them has currently been effective in satisfying both sides.

Yet Kaepernick’s protest has not fizzled out in perhaps the way the NFL and its fans would have hoped. Instead it has prompted a flurry of political communication and expression not previously seen in America’s most popular sport.

Other NFL players have expanded on Kaepernick’s initial protest and interpreted it in their own distinctive ways.

Marcus Peters, of the Kansas City Chiefs, raised his fist in solidarity, emulating the gesture performed by John Carlos and Tommy Smith in the 68 Olympics, while the Seattle Seahawks locked arm in arm in a promotion of unity.

It has also prompted some soul searching amongst white NFL players with former marine Nate Boyer reaching out to Kaepernick in an attempt to understand his perspective on sitting out the anthem. Indeed Kaepernick’s stand has filtered down into different sports as demonstrated by support

lent to his movement by female US footballer Megan Rapinoe, who knelt in solidarity with Kaepernick. Therefore Kaepernick’s protest has seemed to have prompted the discussion of racial injustice on a more public platform.

Still it is hard to ignore the defiant blast of opposition which has faced Kaepernick. A bunch of grizzled NFL veteran players and coaches have repeatedly criticised his gesture as self seeking, naive and downright stupid. Furthermore he has not escaped reaction from high profile figures outside of sport with Donald Trump suggesting that he ought to find a new country and Obama being prompted into a cagey response.

Yet all of this discomfort and vitriol has only succeeded in proving Kaepernick’s point. The strength of criticism evoked in the criticism of Kaepernick has only sustained his protest and has magnified how increasingly polarised different sections of American society are.

Furthermore the criticisms levelled at Kaepernick that his form of protest is fundamentally hollow and has no substance have also been dispelled.

Since gaining such large publicity Kaepernick has pledged to donate a mil-

lion dollars of his own money towards charities that aid deprived communities as a result of the sharp rise in sales of his own jersey, further reinforcing the popularity of his own movement.

This impact is manifesting itself in an outpouring of support from the majority of the Afro American community.

It has resulted in a number of trickle down protests where mainly Afro American high school football teams have emulated him in taking a knee. It is difficult to conclude that without such a public form of protest that this would have happened.

Therefore Kaepernick’s protest has become a divisive lightning rod for the NFL which has risked polarising players and fans along divisions of race and politics. It has served to risk the popularity of the NFL through creating an unsettled an uncomfortable fan base.

Yet this is the intention of Kaepernick’s protest; in unearthing a stiff wall of opposition towards his protest his point is being made for him that America remains a divided and polarised country in 2016.

Write For Us The Mancunion Sport is written by students, for students! And, we have plenty of room for more in the team. If you’re interested in writing about sport, or want to get involved with Fuse TV, or Fuse FM, then come by to our meeting at 5PM on Monday in the Students’ Union Activities Area (the first floor). You do not need any experience in writing – just a passion for sport. Alternatively, drop us an email at sports@mancunion.com. We’re dead nice.

Who are RasenBallsport Leipzig?

Magnus Henderson Sport Reporter I know what you are thinking: ‘who cares? Whooptie doo, they are a little German football team who recently got promoted to the Bundesliga, what of it?’ Well, wherever or however you are reading this article, you are clearly interested (to some degree) in sport, and probably football. In that case, you should care about RasenBallsport Leipzig because their very existence could be seismic to football clubs all over the world.

You may have first heard the name ‘RB Leipzig’ this summer, when the German side snapped up the promising winger, Oliver Burke, from Nottingham Forest. The record transfer for a Scottish player of £12.75 million was impressive, but even more so was Leipzig’s ability to fight off the interest of Premier League giants such as Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham.

Let us flash back seven years to 2009. Red Bull decided to buy out the playing rights of fifth-tier club SSV Markranstädt and renamed the men’s football team RasenBallsport Leipzig. Since 2009, Leipzig have achieved four promotions, the latest of which came last season putting the club in the top tier of German football for the first time in their short existence. This incredible growth has caused major concern for Bundesliga fans and is now threatening the established clubs.

The German top division is celebrated for having incredibly low ticket prices and promoting the “people’s game” rather than the astronomically priced Premier League. These fans, who love the raw purity of their league are now unnerved and angry at the arrival of a corporate owned club. The problem is, there is not a huge amount they can do about it. Borussia Dortmund’s famous ultras, earlier this season, decided to (in protest) visit their club’s under 21 home game on the weekend when the title chasing side’s first team travelled to Leipzig.

Unfortunately, the remonstration had little effect as Dortmund’s popularity led to the away tickets being snapped up by less prominent BVB fans. Leipzig defeated the giant Bundesliga club 1-0.

The problem for your average fan is that Leipzig are, fundamentally, owned by Red Bull. The global corporation also owns Red Bull Salzburg, New York Red Bulls and Red Bull Brasil. In Germany, the regulations did not allow the club to be called ‘Red Bull Leipzig’ and so the board opted for ‘RasenBallsport’ but has branded the club as ‘RB Leipzig’, clearly promoting the club’s true brand. This kind of rule bending is one of the reasons why RB Leipzig is a very unpopular team in Europe.

The lack of subtlety in their branding is another: Leipzig’s colours were changed to Red Bull’s famous white and red, the club’s shirt sponsor was changed to Red Bull, the crest was changed to two Red Bulls charging towards a football and the stadium was renamed to… that’s right, the Red Bull Arena.

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Allardyce. Photo: Brent Flanders @Flickr

Ryder Cup overshadowed by fans’ terrible behaviour This year’s Ryder Cup ended in a USA win, but it was the crowd’s performance that has grabbed the headlines Luke Maguire Sport Reporter The USA emerged from the Ryder Cup with a feeling of triumph after a hard-won, but comprehensive, win over Europe finishing 17-11. However, the victory may have been bittersweet.

The tournament was marred by abuse and heckling from spectators targeted at European players.

This behaviour was widely condemned by all, but the question must be raised as to whether more could have been done by the organisers to quell such abuse. Certainly the availability of alcohol did nothing to help the situation with drunken American fans not content with generic booing or heckling, but often shouting personal attacks at some of the European players.

Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood in particular being subject to such abuse.

This kind of behaviour has come to be expected at football or rugby matches but golf has historically managed to almost always avoid this loutish and drunken behaviour. It may be unfair to say that this is an American problem but in a previous tournament held in Celtic manor, Wales, Tiger Woods had ten months previously become involved in a sex scandal—and yet he received no heckling at all. Whereas previous tournaments held in America have had attacks against Justin Rose for his dead father. No matter how drunk or passionate the USA fans are for their team to win, there can be no justification for such abuse.

If these fans who hurl abuse were simply a minority at the tournaments then

perhaps it would not be considered a serious problem but at times there has been widespread booing aimed at European players and shouts of “miss” just as they are about to take a shot. These are not isolated incidents and occurred throughout this year’s Ryder cup.

It is truly a shame that this issue has been raised when the focus should lie on some of the beautiful golf we have seen in the cup this year. On the 8th, Rory McIlroy scored a peach of a shot with a birdie from 60 feet. That was a rare highlight for Europe in a Ryder cup which lacked the sheer quality of the American performance. After the first two days, USA were leading by 9 to 6 so it would have required an unlikely comeback to overturn that lead.

The European captain, Darren Clarke has been criticised for some of his wild-

card choices with Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer putting in poor performances while some of the rookies such as Chris Wood and Andy Sullivan played in very few sessions.

However, Thomas Pieter rewarded Clarke’s faith in him by putting in an exceptional performance but it was not enough. Overall the USA were superior over the tournament and deserved the win. Though it was still a fiercely fought competition both teams were desperate for the win.

Individual duels highlighted this intensity with McIlroy and Reed going head to head on the final day with each pulling off stunning shots. However it was McIlroy who crumbled first with a bogey on the 12th, allowing Reed to take the advantage and come out on top.

This was a hotly anticipated contest

with both players being billed as each team’s talisman. World no.3 McIlroy pushed Reed right to the wire but the American was on scintillating form and managed to achieve a decisive victory over the Northern Irishman.

The European team will obviously be disappointed with the result especially since they were on course for a record 4th successive Ryder Cup win. However the future does look promising with the likes of Rory McIlroy, Thomas Pieters and Justin Rose looking likely to only to get better in the years ahead.

The next Ryder Cup will be held in home territory in Paris and hopefully will avoid any of the ugly scenes that marred this year’s tournament.

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