WWW.MANCUNION.COM 19th October 2015 / ISSUE 5 FREE
2015 Tory conference: A view from the inside
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Mental Health in Music: A Matter of Life and Death?
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Student protester paid damages by Sussex University
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Lemn Sissay Universities to face fines if working installed as class students don’t pass Chancellor
Lancashire-born poet Lemn Sissay has been officially inaugurated into his position as figurehead of the University of Manchester Photo: @lemnsissay @Flickr
Charlie Spargo Editor-in-cheif On Wednesday the 14th of October, local poet Lemn Sissay was inaugurated as Chancellor of the University of Manchester. Sissay, who was elected by university alumni, staff, and members of the General Secretary in June, took over from property developer Tom Bloxham, founder of urban development company Urban Splash. Sissay received 7,131 votes, beating the other candidates for the role—Labour politician Peter Mandelson, who gained 5,483, and Music Director at the Hallé Orchestra Sir Mark Elder. He officially started as Chancellor on the 1st of August, but received formal inauguration at the Foundation Day celebrations last week, in which he also received an honorary doctorate, alongside journalist and presenter Baroness Joan Bakewell; physicist Professor Dame Athene Donald; theatre and film director Sir Nicholas Hytner; and judge Dame Janet Smith. Sissay said: “My primary aim is to inspire and be inspired. Reach for the top of the tree and you may get to the first branch but reach for the stars and you’ll get to the top of the tree.” He starred in two university-produced promotional videos—one of which featured a poem, ‘Inspire and Be Inspired’, which he wrote especially for the inauguration. He also took a selfie with Vice-Chancellor Dame Nancy Rothwell during the proceedings. “Foundation day is over but the journey has just begun” tweeted Sissay after the event. For the next seven years, Sissay will act as a figurehead for the university, representing it to the world and promoting its work. He will also attend each graduation to shake the hand of every single graduate. “When you leave somewhere you take it with you,” he said. “I would not want everyone who has studied at this great institution to stay here. I want them to go out and experience the world and come back. “We are a migratory species. We are, by nature, migrants.”
Elinor Bridges Reporter
The Sunday Times has revealed that universities which do not increase the participation and pass rates of disadvantaged students may be fined. The proposals, which are due to be announced later this week, are part of the government’s plan to increase the standard of teaching at UK universities. The new plans state that several measures must be taken by universities if they wish to avoid
financial penalties. These include preventing first year students from disadvantaged backgrounds from failing their first of study, and helping working-class graduates to find good jobs or further education. Universities must also recruit more disadvantaged students onto their courses. If these targets are not met, universities will be prevented from raising their tuition fees in accordance with the rate of inflation, and may also face cuts to funding. Jo Johnson, universities minister, has said that judgement of universities will now be influenced by the
level of progress their disadvantaged students make. This will be done by, “measuring, for example, their retention rates and the universities’ success in moving students on to further study or graduate work.” The Sunday Times has reported that this new approach could have a huge impact on funding of universities that have, in the past, relied on their high levels of research and long-standing reputations. Several elite universities including Oxford, Cambridge, Exeter, Durham, Edinburgh and Bristol are not currently
meeting the government target for the proportion of students recruited from state schools, for example. Johnson has also stated that the new Teaching Excellence Framework will be “intimately” linked with “widening participation and access.” It is known that the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) is trying to increase the diversity of successful students at university, while the Prime Minister has Continued on page 2...
“I could not be in a more inspiring place on Earth than the University of Manchester.”
Photo: The University of Manchester
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set a target to double the number of disadvantaged students in higher education by the year 2020. It has been quoted that lower-income students are currently 2.5 times less likely to progress to university than their better-off peers. Earlier this year, Professor Madeleine Atkins, Chief Executive of HEFCE, expressed the importance of increasing the numbers and success of disadvantaged students in higher education. She said: “We should now focus on establishing which interven-
tions are working most effectively to educate the graduates the country needs. HEFCE will work with universities and colleges to implement methods to evaluate what kinds of activities work best across the whole student lifecycle and into employment.” She also stated that the work done in this area would be used in the Teaching Excellence Framework. Although at an early stage, the planned proposal has received a mixed response. Some have praised the move, suggesting that it may force
universities to place greater emphasis on attracting students from state schools. Other members of the public, however, have expressed doubt toward how effective the move would be. There have been concerns that university staff will be tempted to pass lower-performing students due to the financial incentive, creating an imbalance in how much work is expected of the students. Michael Spence, Education Officer at the Students’ Union, expressed con-
cern that the government was continuing to increase the cost of higher education while making these attempts to help the less well-off. “Supporting students from lower income backgrounds is of paramount importance,” he said. “However, I seriously doubt this government’s commitment to these students. They are doing this in the context of (once again) raising fees, abolishing maintenance grants and freezing the threshold for new graduates.”
Photo: Chris Potter @Flickr
Opinion:
How do you measure a nation’s success? Photo: oddwick @Flickr
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Lifestyle: Fame is fickle; clinging on is hard
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Food & Drink: Indy Man Beer Con review
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Games: Manchester Play Expo 2015
NUS President joins national campaign to stay in Europe NUS President Megan Dunn supports Britain Stronger in Europe, and challenges the Brexit campaign and its views on the EU Elena Losavio Reporter Britain Stronger In Europe, the main national campaign to keep the UK in the European Union (EU), was launched on Monday the 12th of October. Megan Dunn, President of the NUS, and Janet Beer, ViceChancellor of the University of Liverpool, joined the board of the campaign. Politicians from several parties, including Labour, Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, and Greens, together with eminent businesspeople and others working in arts and entertainment are involved in this campaign. An in-out EU referendum will be held in the UK by the end of 2017, according to the Conservatives’ election manifesto. The electorate will be asked to vote if Britain should stay in or leave the EU. British, Irish and Commonwealth citizens over 18 years of age who live in the UK will be eligible to vote. In addition, people who have a British nationality and have lived abroad for less than 15 years can also
cast their vote. EU citizens, unless they are from Ireland, Malta or Cyprus, cannot vote. In 1975, the UK had a nationwide referendum in order to decide if Britain should have continued to be a member of the European Economic Community (EEC). At the time, more than 67 per cent of voters cast their votes in support of the campaign to be in the EEC. Since the creation of the EU, many projects and collaborations, particularly for young professionals and students, were instated between the 28 European countries, such as the Erasmus Exchange Programme, a key partnership. Since 1987 over 200,000 UK students, and over 3,000,000 Europe-wide, have been abroad to study or work with the Erasmus scholarship without worrying about expensive Visas. According to NUS President Megan Dunn, about 15,000 UK students joined the programme in 2012 alone. Reflecting on the EU’s influence on UK education, she wrote in The Independent: “The EU supports our education sector in Britain and ploughs close to a billion pounds a year into higher education fund-
Head News Editor: Jenny Sterne Deputy News Editor: William Brown Deputy News Editor (Science & Technology): Andy van den Bent-Kelly news@mancunion.com
ing and research alone. There are students up and down the country today benefitting directly from the courses and resources that come with this money. This income is increasingly important. “EU funding now provides an additional 15 per cent on top of the UK government’s own science and research budget. If we sleepwalked out of the EU, this funding—or at the very least our influence over it—would be at risk.” She highlighted that for UK students, whom she represents, staying in or leaving the EU is not only an issue concerning money, but also and above all an issue of multicultural and international identity. She added: “I, like most young people I speak to, simply do not recognise the picture of Britain painted by those campaigning for us to leave the EU. “Students in Britain do not fear today’s modern, diverse world. We fear isolation, not internationalism. We do not want to turn the clock back and whilst we recognise the world is a complex place, the answer is to campaign for change together, not quit and walk away.”
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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. 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, or complaints, or would like to contribute, please e-mail the Editor-in-chief or Deputy Editor-in-chief.
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“This is not what a rapist looks like,” says Warwick student Judith Morales Contributor
A Warwick University student has expressed how disrespected he felt after receiving a Facebook invitation to consent training because “I don’t have to be taught not to be a rapist.” In an article written for The Tab titled ‘Why I don’t need consent lessons’, George Lawlor, a Politics and Sociology student, explained how he received an invitation to attend an educational event on consensual agreement meeting, ‘I Heart Consent’, which aims to prevent rape. Lawlor explained how he felt personally offended and painted as a “rapist-in-waiting”. The article was accompanied by a photo of himself holding up a sign reading “This is not what a rapist looks like.” He also said he is not concerned about being targeted as a misogynist or a rape apologist for “taking the wrong side.” However, when The Mancunion asked about the repercussions of his piece, Lawlor said: “Fighting this was hard on a personal level. I’ve received a lot of abuse and hatred for what I have said but I stand by my comments.” In his article, Lawlor calls the consent lessons a waste of time organised by “people pointing out the obvious, thinking they’ve saved the world. “I want to call the people leading
the charge behind these classes admirable, I want to call them heroic, but I’m afraid they’re not. They selfishly make themselves feel better by indulging in the delusion that all that’s needed to save the vulnerable from foul predators is to point out the blindingly obvious. “I’m not denying there have been tragic cases of rape and abuse on campuses,” Lawlor wrote. Still, he says he doubts a person liable to rape—”the kind of people who lack empathy, respect and human decency”—would show up in this kind of events. Responses to his criticism were swift and critical. Josie Throup, Women’s Officer at the University of Warwick’s Students’ Union and organiser of the consent training sessions said, also on The Tab, that she was proud of making Lawlor feel uncomfortable: “The first time I was confronted with the statistic that 80 per cent of rape survivors know their attacker, I felt the same.” Telegraph columnist Rebecca Reid wrote an article titled ‘Breaking news: rapists can be nice university educated boys’, in which she says “Lawlor has so spectacularly missed the point. What [he’s] really saying is: ‘I fundamentally misunderstand rape as an issue.’” In his comments to this newspaper, the Warwick student said he is pleased that he has provoked discussion. “That can only be a good thing. As well as abuse, and legitimate criticism, I have
also had a lot of support and that shows that what I have said is supported by many people. “At this point I don’t mind so much if I win the argument, just as long as we have the argument.” Jess Lishak, Women’s Officer at the University of Manchester Students’ Union, said: “Suggesting that he is ‘not what a rapist looks like’ and that teaching what consent is isn’t useful because all rapists know what they’re doing is not only misguided but also highly offensive to the one in five women aged 16 – 59 who have experienced sexual violence. “You cannot tell what a rapist looks like, otherwise our shockingly low conviction rates would be much higher. 90 per cent of rape victims know and usually trusted their perpetrator. “The study ‘The sexual victimisation of college women’ found that 84 per cent of men who committed rape said that what they did was definitely not rape. This, many other studies, and just common sense points to the most desperately needed and long term solution to the huge issue of sexual violence against women: Education. “Of course that needs to start from an early age, teaching all children about what a healthy relationship looks like, that everyone has the right to decide what happens to their own body, what consent actually is, and that they have the right to say no whenever they want.”
Texas students protest gun laws using dildos
Students from The University of Texas plan to stage a protest involving “gigantic swinging dildos” next year, when new gun laws come into action allowing students to carry concealed weapons Jenny Sterne Head News Editor Students from The University of Texas in Austin are protesting laws that allow people to carry concealed weapons on campus by hanging dildos from their bag. The ‘Campus (Dildo) Carry’ protest was organised by Jessica Jin through a Facebook event. On their page, they highlight the irony that “The State of Texas has decided that it is not at all obnoxious to allow deadly concealed weapons in classrooms, however it does have strict rules about sexual expression, to protect your innocence”. They add “you would receive a citation for taking a dildo to class before you would get in trouble for taking a gun to class”. The protest is against the signing by Governor Greg Abbott of S.B. 11, also known as the “campus carry” law. The law allows license holders to carry a concealed handgun throughout university campuses. The law is set to come into effect in August 2016. Contrastingly, the state prohibits the exhibition of any writing or visual image that is considered obscene on campus
grounds. Over 9000 students have signed up so far to the protest planned for next year when the law is passed. The students plan to strap “gigantic swinging dildos” to their backpacks on August 24, 2016. They have welcomed anyone to join them declaring on their event “Come one dildo, come all dildos”. Many gun rights supporters have posted criticism on the Facebook event. One arguing, “we don’t blame cars for drunk drivers; why blame guns for violent people”. Another gun rights supporter wrote “a grand example of the decline of value in American University education”. Supporters argue that gunmen target “gun-free zones”, such as university campuses and cinemas, because they know
Photo: dalej @ flickr
that they will not be met with resistance. The BBC reported however that a while a student was armed during a recent college shooting in Roseburg, Oregon, he did not decide to use his weapon. He was reported to have said he feared police would mistake him for the gunman and didn’t want to put his life in danger. Students have appealed to the University President Gregory Fenves to limit the new law. The law does give public universities some discretion to regulate campus gun carry. Jessica Jin concludes her invitation to the event with: “You’re carrying a gun to class? Yeah well I’m carrying a HUGE DILDO. Just about as effective at protecting us from sociopathic shooters, but much safer for recreational play.”
Woman raped on MMU campus Marcus Johns Deputy Editor-in-chief GMP cordoned off an area of the Manchester Metropolitan University campus and a nearby church after reports that two men raped a woman. The 18-year-old student was visited by police at 5:30 am on Friday 16th of October. A major investigation has been launched into the incident that took place in the Oxford Road Corridor, the heart of student life in the city. It comes after a number of high profile rapes occurring in stu-
dent areas in Manchester over the last year. An MMU administration centre—the Ormond Building—and St Augustine’s Church were cordoned off, as well as the area of Lower Ormond Street around them. The Ormond Building has since had its cordon removed. Forensic teams in white suits were accompanied by a large police presence and were witnessed combing the area for evidence. However no arrests have yet been made. A GMP spokesperson told The Mancunion: “Police are investigating after an 18-year-
Photo: Google Maps
old student was raped in South Manchester. “At around 5.30am on Friday 16 October 2015, officers were called to an address [in South] Manchester, to reports that a woman had been raped by two men. “Officers attended and a scene was subsequently established on Lower Ormond Street. “The investigation is ongoing.” Witnesses or anyone with information can call GMP on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Photo: Google Maps
Student Rep election results announced
Emily Hulme Reporter
Last week the student elections took place. Candidates have been seen drumming up support from around Owens Park and around campus, in an attempt to gain students votes for a number of positions on the executive. Positions range from Women’s Officer, to Ethical and Environmental Officer and Student Community Officer to name a few. In short, the elected representatives do all in their power to improve life for University Of Manchester students. The results this year are as follows: Undergraduate Humanities Officers: Ally Routledge, Fred Craig Postgraduate Taught Humanities Officer: Amber Guan Postgraduate Research Humanities Officer: Ros Wolfe Undergraduate Life Sciences Officer: Sarah Choke Postgraduate Taught Life Sciences Officer: Laura Castro Undergraduate Medical
and Human Sciences(MHS) Officers: Mohammed Alli Safdar, Chloe Brookes Postgraduate Research MHS Officer: Helen Parker
Postgraduate Taught MHS Officer: Natasha Motsi Disabled Students Officers: Dorian Gordon, Nayab Begum Women Students Officers: Muneera Lula, Jess Lowe BME Student Officers: Felicia Odamtten, Deej LashleyJohnson LGBTQ Officers: Liss Anckorn, Yi Ye Ethical and Environmental Officer: Alexandra Cuschieri International Officer: Duan Sun-Sundy Undergraduate EPS Officers: Miruna Pislar, Mushfique Hossain Pavel Postgraduate Taught EPS Officer: Zhao Chenhoe Postgraduate Research EPS Officer: Imhotep Baptise (Imo) Community Officers for Fallowfield and Withington: Jacob Morris-Davis, James Riley Community Officers for Rusholme and Whitworth: Fran Lester, Louis Appolinari Community Officers for
City Centre: Joseph Clough, Andrew Yau The turnout this year amounted to 2459—the highest amount of votes cast in an election for part-time officers in the university’s history. This perhaps reflects the recent increase of young people becoming more engaged in politics. Ally Routledge, the successfully-elected Undergraduate Humanities Officer said: “The high turnout from the election proves that students really do care about how their university is run—I will work hard to represent the views of all humanities students to make their time at university the best it can be.” This year the elections had a bit of a shake up. If successful, candidates are now allowed to help set the direction of the Senate, allowing them to assist in shaping university policy. This gives the newly elected officers a chance to really put their mark on how things are done. Students are encouraged to approach the newly elected committee if they want to suggest how university life could be improved.
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Twins die as court rules for life support to be withdrawn Two 14-month-old boys died after their life support was withdrawn following a court case where Mr Justice Holman ruled in favour of doctors’ judgement
Marcus Johns Deputy Editor-in-chief
Two 14-month old boys have died after a court ordered their life support to be switched off against the wishes of the parents. The court case Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust vs A and others took place on the 2nd of October 2015. The boys died around five days later in the presence of their parents and an Imam. The boys, referred to as A and H in court proceedings, were both suffering from an unidentified degenerative disease of the brain. Treating doctors at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital gave evidence in court as to the “futile and unjustifiable” battle to support the twins. The parents however said that such an act was against their Islamic faith and provided a document from the Islamic Fiqh Council of the Muslim World League in order to support their case. The father, representing
himself and his wife, said in court: “I have respect for the law of the United Kingdom, but, please, do not forget that withdrawal of life support goes against our beliefs.” Judging, Mr Justice Holman, acknowledged this in his ruling and repeated claims he had made in a similar, earlier, case that: “I have the utmost respect for the father’s faith and belief, and for the faith of Islam which he practises and professes. But I regard it as irrelevant to the decision which I have to take and I do not take it into account at all.” The parents also believed that their children smiled in their presence and flinched away when tickled. Tragically, doctors stated that these movements were not indicative of pleasure and were in fact random movements. The family, an Iraqi family who were living in Iraq, have a healthy four-year-old son. They had had a baby daughter who died at the age of eight months to an undiagnosed medical condition. Despite not being fully diagnosed, it
manifested symptoms very similar to those that eventually led to the deaths of A and H. The twin boys were born in Iraq in August 2014 before moving to the United Kingdom in December of that year. At the age of three to four months the boys’ situations began to deteriorate. They were admitted to hospital in mid-January 2015 at the age of five months and did not subsequently leave hospital care. In April 2015, A required CPR for six minutes and was transferred to the paediatric intensive care unit at the hospital, where he remained on life support since. H was transferred shortly afterwards so that he could stay with his twin brother. In May, H also suffered a respiratory arrest and since then required mechanical ventilation too. The judge also remarked on concerns raised by the father as to whether or not the nursing staff had been attentive and caring, urging the judge to dismiss the nursing report. The judge did disregard the report
but made clear that he made no judgement or criticism towards the dedication or expertise of the nurses. Doctors submitted evidence as to the suffering of the boys and potential future suffering if the boys were to continue on life support; they believed that the boys would be in nearconstant pain and suffering without the ability to show signs of this. These signs are key in alerting medical staff as to the suffering of the boys and doctors believe that the decline in ability to express this would not have been necessarily linked with a deterioration to feel those sensations. In order that the father did not suffer unduly, the judge announced the outcome of the case before his judgement, adding that: “I felt it would be unkind to the father, who attends alone and unsupported, save by the independent interpreter, to have to sit through a long judgement in a state of great anxiety and uncertainty as to outcome.” The father also argued that
his God may one day grant medical science sufficient progress as to cure the boys and pleaded that they be kept alive so that this may be possible. Doctors though gave evidence that left the judge “beyond any doubt that there is in truth no prospect of a cure for either of these boys ever.” The outcome of the case was that it was lawful that the twins would have their mechanical ventilation withdrawn; that they would not be resuscitated in the event of cardiac arrest; that they would no longer undergo blood sampling or receive antibiotics unless it is the case that such treatment
would ensure their comfort and diminish distress; and that it is lawful and in each child’s best interests to have been provided with palliative care only.” Approving the transcript of the case, the judge added that he had been informed that life support was withdrawn from both boys at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital around five days after the ruling was made. This was done in the presence of the boys’ parents and an Imam and both boys died. The judge concluded by adding: “May they rest in peace.”
Photo: The Labour Party @Flickr
Assange invitation Protest in solidarity with causes resignation staff at risk of redundancy at Cambridge Union Paul Scott Head News Editor
Cambridge Union’s Women’s Officer resigns following decision to invite controversial WikiLeaks founder to union debate via weblink Jenny Sterne Head News Editor
Cambridge Union recently announced plans to hold a referendum on whether or not to host WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at a debate next month. Following this announcement, Helen Dallas resigned from her role as Women’s Officer for Michaelmas 2015. Julian Assange has been granted political asylum and has been living at the Embassy of Ecuador in London since 2013, after allegations of sexual offences in Sweden. A statement released by the Union says that “her position at the union became incredibly difficult following this decision.” Three other officers have resigned in the last month, though the union has insisted that these were “totally unrelated” to the Assange affair. The union has said that it is “beholden to its members (students and alumni)” and is therefore calling this online vote on the 22nd October for the entire membership to decide whether he should attend. Assange is scheduled
to appear via Weblink on November the 11th if the vote produces a yes vote. The union has also called for a full union debate in the 21st October, which they have promised will be “conducted with sensitivity and decorum with respect for both sides.” Oliver Mosley, President of the Cambridge Union, said in a statement: “In our 200-year history the Union has gone through many periods of social change. “Considering the unique nature of Mr Assange’s position, in that the UK Supreme Court has approved his extradtion to Sweden to face charges of lesser degree rape but he has refused to come to trial or indeed be questioned; the decision has been taken to consult the entire membership of the Union around the world on the platforming of him as a speaker during Michaelmas term.” He added “The union is a neutral forum that has in the past given a platform to all speakers that operate within the confines of regular society, without endorsing or condemning their views.”
A Cambridge Union spokesman, commenting upon the resignation of Ms Dallas said: “We were incredibly sad to lose our Women’s Officer. We were wrong to not have included her earlier in the discussion; but as the union is run by a group of 13 voting members, due thought was never given that we should have added a 14th for the purpose of this debate. He continued by promising that “changes are being made to address this mistake, both in the short and long term.”
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
As the IT jobs dispute continues, with staff working at the University of Manchester under threat from compulsory redundancies if voluntary agreements cannot be reached, students and staff rallied in solidarity by staging a protest on Thursday 15th of October displaying banners and distributing flyers to “keep up the pressure on the university and raise awareness” of the situation. Speeches were made by staff, students and union members who all emphasised the need to resist the new measures and to negotiate fairer redundancy packages and better job security. Speakers asserted these moves targeting IT workers are symptomatic of a changing attitude centred on generating profit, though the university denies this. One union member claimed the cuts were a result of the university’s efforts to ensure it adhered to a “sound business model.” The unions say measures by the university which have given rise to this dispute, represent changes to the Redeployment Policy which states staff cannot be made compulsorily redundant, which focuses on finding alternative employment elsewhere within the university for staff. Previously, staff were entitled to remain on the redeployment register
Photo: The Mancunion
indefinitely, but this has been reduced to just three months, offering little long-term job security. The university plans to outsource much of IT services to private companies, a move which is strongly opposed by current staff who claim it will result in a “poorer service for students” and that it is primarily in the interest of profit. The university maintains that offloading staff is necessary at a time of economic difficulty, when budgets are tight and cuts to expenditure are needed. But this is something staff, who feel like they are victims of “growing privatisation in higher education,” refuse to accept. With the leader of Unite stating that “we feel as
though we have been backed into a corner over this”, strike action now looks increasingly likely. A University of Manchester spokesman said: “The university has consulted with the campus trade unions concerning the position of staff who have been on the redeployment register for more than three months and has made an offer of voluntary severance to all those staff affected. “The university has also made an offer of voluntary severance, in consultation with the unions, to those IT staff affected by the changes. The university remains willing to engage with the campus trade unions and is holding further discussions with them.”
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LSE recommends gender quotas
Hong Kong universities march in silence for academic freedoms
Katie Buckingham Reporter
Students and academic staff of the University of Hong Kong gathered for a silent protest to combat Beijing’s apparent encroachment on academic liberties
On Tuesday 12th October, the London School of Economics’ Gender Institute published a report titled ‘Confronting Gender Inequality’. The report, codirected by LSE Professors Diane Perrons and Nicola Lacey, argued that gender inequality could be reduced in the economy, law, politics and media and culture with recommended changes. The Gender Institute said, ‘The Commission was designed to draw on LSE research and external experts to provide theoretical and empirical knowledge to inform public and policy debates in the UK.’ Across all the four sections, the study highly recommended and emphasised the importance of mandatory quotas in order to see real reductions of gender inequality. The study stated that this would ensure ‘greater gender balance’ as well as being one of the most significant ways of effecting change. The authors argued that ‘presence alone is not sufficient’. The report called specifically for quotas for women in internal government positions. The report acknowledged that ‘quotas can, on occasion, be cumbersome or feel overly mechanical’, but still contended that ‘this is the only way to ensure that questions of equality and diversity are taken seriously within a party.’ The stark difference between male and female employment in politics was highlighted
with statistics on female representation within elected bodies. Just 29% of UK MPs, 35% of MSPs (Members of Scottish Parliament), and 42% of AMs (Members of the Welsh Assembly) are women. Although the report credited the UK as being significantly ahead of the world average of female politicians, which is approximately one in five, it emphasised that ‘we cannot assume that change is set to continue in a steady upward curve.’ The Guardian reported that Kate Green, the shadow equalities minister, said: “The report is right – radical action is needed to push for greater gender equality and representation.” Mandatory quotas and audits were also advised to be introduced into the practice of law. The study criticised the limited impact the new system of equal opportunities in legal work,
introduced in 2005, had made; only 10% of QCs were female in 2010. The study also stated that ‘The UK has never sent a woman judge to key international tribunals such as the International Criminal Court (ICC), the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) or the European Court of Justice (ECJ)’. The government’s economic policies were criticised as the study gave evidence showing that current austerity measures are causing more harm to women, especially those on lower income. The report recommended socially fair and gender sensitive macroeconomic policies; the authors argued that public expenditure is vital in order to protect the local services that provide crucial facilities for women. These included childcare centres and law advisers which provide accessible legal aid to lower income families.
LSE Main Library Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Merle Streck Reporter An estimated 2,000 students and faculty members gathered at Hong Kong’s oldest university to take part in a silent protest on Tuesday the 6th of October. The aim of the protest was to voice concern about Beijing’s infringement on academic freedoms. The march took place on campus and was triggered by the university’s governing council’s decision to block Johannes Chan, a liberal law professor, from becoming Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the university on the 29th of September. Students and academics opposing the decision believe it was pressure from the Beijing government which led the council to vote down Chan’s candidacy for ProVice-Chancellorship by 12 to eight. Reports indicate that the move by the council was due to Chan’s participation in last year’s umbrella movement protests. Timothy O’Leary, one of the leading organizers of the protest as well as the head of the School of Humanities,
stated: “All we can conclude is that they have blocked it for political reasons and that is completely unacceptable.” Chan’s supporters believe that the Beijing government is seeking to punish the university for the prominent role its student activists and professors played in last year’s pro-democracy protests. The so-called “umbrella revolution” of 2014 saw thousands protest for 79 days to advocate universal suffrage in China and the expansion of democratic rights. The protests began after reforms to the electoral system were set to be introduced. These reforms were believed to be restrictive and placed control into the hands of the Communist Party. The Hong Kong Federation of Students and other student activist groups such as Scholarism, led by the well-known student Joshua Wong, started a strike soon after the decision was announced. Occupy Central, one of the largest movements within the protests, was launched by Benny Tai, a law professor at the University of Hong Kong at the same time Chan was head
of the school. The movement began its campaign of civil disobedience on the 28th of September 2014. Chan and Tai share a close relationship and it is believed that Chan’s close ties to his colleague were a driving force behind the decision to vote him down as a candidate for the Pro-ViceChancellorship. Chan also expressed his concern about Beijing’s encroachment on academic liberties, saying “there are people who are worried about how far they can still comment on public affairs, particularly those who work in humanities. I have junior colleagues coming to me saying: ‘I don’t know really know whether I can still write about this or not.’” Commenting on the aim of the protest, O’Leary said: “We march today in silence not because we have nothing to say, not because we are mourning anything. We march in silence to demonstrate to ourselves and to the city of Hong Kong what a university could be like if its academic staff and students were silent.”
Homesickness among Student protester paid students peaks in the £20,000 in damages third week of October by Sussex University Merle Strecke Senior Reporter Research conducted by the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) indicates that the third week of October is the most popular time for students to travel back home from university. Out of the 1.7 million journeys made in this week last year, more than 337,000 journeys were booked using 16 – 25 railcards. This figure represents a 13 per cent rise compared to the usual weekly average and a 28 per cent increase on railcard journeys originating in a university town, suggesting this is a particularly popular week to travel back to see family. Christmas, according to ATOC, was the only busier period
last year. According to the research, the five top cities from which students with 16 – 25 railcards were departing from in the third week of October were Exeter with 64 per cent, Durham (61 per cent) Liverpool (52 per cent), Bristol (45 per cent) and Birmingham with 42 per cent more journeys than the usual weekly average. Commenting on the recent data, Andrew Robertson of ATOC said: “Going to university for the first time can be an exciting but daunting experience for young adults. And our research indicates that for many, the reality of living away from parents can really kick in after just a few weeks.” Scarlett Ash, Student Coordinator for EAC Peer Mentoring at the University
of Manchester, told The Mancunion: “By week three of uni the novelty of being independent can begin to wear off, meaning students start to miss their home comforts. Homesickness is not only a problem for first years, but for anyone who may feel that uni work is holding them back from spending a weekend at home.” Leonie Dunn, a fellow Student Co-ordinator added: “It’s something most people will go through at one point in their time at university and often people are too embarrassed to voice it—this is something that we need to overcome.”
Charlie Spargo Editor-in-chief An anti-privatisation protester at the University of Sussex has received a formal apology and £20,000 in damages after being accused of criminal behaviour for a protest in late 2013. In 2013, hundreds of students joined protests on the Sussex campus against the outsourcing of more than 200 jobs to an external company. Five protesters, including Michael Segalov, then an undergraduate law student, were disciplined. 22-year-old Segalov was suspended, banned from campus, and accused of “intimidating behaviour, theft, damage and violence” by the University after sit-ins and demonstrations in November and December 2013. The university published two bulletins about the protests on its website, titled ‘University
starts disciplinary process over persistent disruption of campus’ and ‘Disciplinary processes continue as University lifts student suspensions’, in which they made accusations that Segalov organised and led unlawful occupation of University property, and carried out criminal behaviour. Over 200 academic staff wrote directly to Vice-Chancellor Michael Farthing who has recently announced he will step down, criticising the University’s response as disproportionate and threatening to the right to protest. The university have now released an official apology, acknowledging “that there is no truth in any of these claims, and is happy to confirm this is the case. In particular it confirms that Mr Segalov did not engage in any form of intimidation, theft, assault of a member of staff and/or damage to university property.” “Throughout my time as a
student, I maintained that the campaigns I was part of were peaceful in nature, leaderless in their organisation, and had the support of the majority of students and staff,” said Segalov. “The University of Sussex administration showed a blatant disregard for basic principles of law when attempting to clamp down on protests—suspending students wrongfully, banning protests, and publishing defamatory statements about me online. “I’m relieved that the apology and statement in open court will show once and for all, and encourage students and activists across the country to continue to campaign for a fairer and free education system, and acts as a warning to administrations considering to act in similar ways as Sussex.” The university have agreed to pay Mr Segalov’s legal fees, as well as £20,000 in damages. Photo on cover: DanielJPHadley
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Manchester Science Discovery sheds Festival returns new light on the minds of dinosaurs The hugely popular science festival returns for its ninth year, starting on October 22nd and running for eleven days
Rossy Natale Science Reporter A recent digital reconstruction of a rare dinosaur braincase has shed new light on inner workings of the dinosaur brain. The reconstruction and subsequent report centres around the 2007 discovery of a braincase in Eastern Spain’s “Lo Hueco” excavation site. Research has since been conducted on the specimen by a team of researchers led by the University of Manchester’s Dr. Fabien Knoll.
This 72 million-year-old Titanosaur braincase is one of the most complete dinosaur skulls ever unearthed in Europe. Knoll was present for the excavation along with two other authors of the report, Francisco Ortega and Jose Luis Sanz. “In the field,” Knoll told us, “it was not possible to tell that the specimen was so complete.” Dinosaur braincases are generally not well preserved, and as such we know little about the brain and thus the cognition that occurred in these animals. Knoll explains how “a braincase is the
Image: Public Library of Science
only part of a dinosaur skeleton that allows the reconstruction of a soft organ… and what an organ! The brain no less!” It is for this reason that this discovery is of such importance, as the reconstruction of the brain provides important glimpses into how these creatures saw, thought, and sensed the world around them. Following the excavation, Knoll was joined by Ortega, Luis Sanz, and two experts on 3D reconstruction from Ohio University in the United States. After removing any trace material from the specimen, a series of CT scans were conducted on the braincase to begin the difficult process of digital reconstruction. CT scans such as these are performed in order to visualize the cavities within the braincase and paint a complete picture of the specimen. Not only did the team do this and completely reconstruct the cavity in which the brain lay, but they have mapped out the passage of the cranial nerves, as well as the inner portion of the ear. After eight years of work, the team’s findings were published this last week in a journal article in the Public Library of Science One.
Emily Hughes Reporter The Manchester Science Festival is returning for its ninth year. The festival, running from 22nd October – 1st November this year, will be held all over Manchester (some of its events even take place in pubs) with a main base at the Museum of Science and Industry. Last year, over 98000 people attended the festival, and with many of the events taking place at night and on weekends, there’s no chance of missing it if you’re studying or working. There are over 135 events taking place, covering every aspect of science. Some of the activities included are part of ‘Conversations’, a series of talks and debates with some notorious faces from the Manchester science scene, such as Matthew Cobb and Richard Dawkins. Brian Cox will also be appearing, bringing his awardwinning BBC Radio 4 science and comedy show, The Infinite Monkey Cage, with Robin Ince. There are plenty of events for families too, such as ‘Catch a Shooting Star’, where children and adults alike can handle meteorite specimens that have
landed on Earth from the Moon and Mars. If you’re looking for something more grown up, why not try the adult ball pool? It’s intended as a creative space to inspire people to question the effect of fun on our ability to think, but you can just swim amongst the 81000 balls and pretend you’re a kid again if you’d prefer. For something more serious, there are dozens of events exploring the links between art and music with science. The Royal Photographic Society has an exhibition showcasing a huge variety of scientific photography. Or, for the more musical types,
there’s a silent disco that will be playing seventies, eighties and nineties favourites. If you fancy something more active, there are walks and tours around Manchester based on scientific pioneers that were based in the area – you can literally walk a mile in Alan Turing’s shoes. Some of the activities are feepaying but many are free, so it’s worth checking on the website before you go: www.manchestersciencefestival.com The website also has a full timetable of where and when each activity takes place.
Jump into the adult ball pool. Photo: Manchester Science Festival
Manchester professor University scientist publishes 15 scientific renounces “wildly papers in a single day optimistic” UN claims on climate change
A professor from the University of Manchester has estimated fungal disease prevalence rates in 15 countries Andy van den Bent-Kelly Science & Technology Editor A Manchester professor has set an extraordinary scientific precedent by publishing 15 papers on the same day. David Denning, a Professor of Infectious Diseases in Global Health at the University of Manchester, has now provided 15 countries with the necessary motivation to improve their efforts to tackle fungal diseases appropriately. Professor Denning worked with 47 co-authors from across the globe to estimate the number of people affected by serious fungal diseases in 15 separate countries. Their findings were published in the journal Mycoses. The nations investigated were as follows: Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Mexico, Nepal, Qatar, Russia, Senegal, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, Ukraine and Vietnam – the populations of which total 636 million. These figures have never been estimated before. Across
the countries, prevalence rates ranging from 1.7 per cent to 12.5 per cent were discovered. The publishing of these papers means that each country can now actively start to think about how to confront the issue of fungal disease spread. Despite the huge health risks associated with them, many fungal diseases are considered low-priority and are poorly understood in multiple countries. The likes of fungal asthma and cryptococcal meningitis are both potentially fatal, with the latter being the second most common AIDS-defining illness in Africa. Frustratingly, there is a lack of expertise in many nations affected by these diseases, although it is hoped that these papers will provide the relevant countries with the impetus to improve public awareness and develop more effective treatments procedures. Professor Denning has already published multiple papers on the global frequency of individual fungal diseases. These recent publications suggest something of a swap – switching his focus from the
entire globe to single countries, whilst investigating all fungal diseases rather than just one. Prior to the release of the 15 papers, similar studies had been conducted for Ireland, Spain, Nigeria and Israel. The team now intend to follow suit for Brazil, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. The Head of Global Health for the university, Professor Mukesh Kapila, said: “Understanding how big a problem is in a given country and who is affected, is a key step forward for healthcare planning. “Leadership of this neglected area of fungal disease has been lacking at the all levels in the global health agenda, so it is gratifying to see this void being filled.” Professor Denning said: “I’m delighted that the years of work with friends and colleagues is now visible to help conquer the unaddressed scourge of fungal disease in so many parts of the world. “Fifteen papers published together is a once of a lifetime event but I hope that it’s just the start as we try to build a global picture.”
Rossy Natale Science Reporter
A University of Manchester professor has recently spoken out against claims published by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Limiting climate change to 2°C above the pre-industrial level by the year 2100 has become the unanimous goal championed by not only the IPCC, but other environmental and governmental bodies. Energy supply, industry, forestry, and animal agriculture have been cited by the IPCC as the top four drivers of global climate change. Addressing all of these issues would seemingly herald revolutionary changes in the way we live and utilise resources. However, IPCC officials have stated that when working towards this goal, “global economic growth would not be strongly affected.” It is this statement that Manchester’s Professor Kevin Anderson finds to be “wildly over-optimistic.” “In my view,” Anderson’s explains, “the IPCC’s own carbon budgets make it abundantly
clear that only a revolutionary transition can now deliver on 2°C.” These ‘revolutionary transitions’ are conspicuously absent from any of the panel’s reports. The organisation pushes for a gradual move away from fossils fuels as a feasible way to reach the 2° goal. According to the IPCC, “to keep a good chance of staying below 2°C, and at manageable costs, our emissions should drop by 40 – 70 per cent globally between 2010 and 2050, falling to zero or below by 2100.” They also have stated that we can release no more than 1,000 Gigatons of C0₂ between 2011 and 2100. Even if these figures are reached, the panel only predicts a 66 per cent chance of our planet remaining within the 2° range. Anderson believes these the panel’s plan of action is far too facile when considering the goal at hand. The optimism of the IPCC, he believes, is based on faith in “the large-scale rollout of speculative technologies intended to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere,” and on a reliance on “unrealistically
early peaks in global emissions.” “Wealthier high emitting individuals, whether in industrial or industrialising nations, will have to accept radical changes to how we live our lives—that or we’ll fail on 2°C.” Accepting voluntary contributions on climate change from scientists and other various experts, the IPCC is primarily a scientific body. However, all research presented must be reviewed by governmental bodies before it is released. Anderson believes this to be part of the issue, as many of the climate experts working within the organisation tend to censor their results to make them more “politically palatable.” “Scientists must make their assumptions transparent and defensible, however politically uncomfortable the conclusions.” With The United Nations Climate Change Conference due in November and a new chairman of the IPCC having been appointed a few weeks ago, Anderson’s remarks are coming at a critical point in the history of climate change policy.
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Oxford activist resigns South Korea to take posts, admitting control of history nonconsexual sex text books William Brown News Editor
Well-known student activist Annie Teriba resigned from her political campaign posts at Oxford University last week after stating that earlier in the year she had failed to receive full consent before having sex. Teriba was a strong campaigner for BME and LGBTQ+ rights and a significant voice against sexual harassment and abuse on campus. She previously served as the editor of No Heterox – a magazine ‘for the Queer and Trans* Voices’. Teriba also served as a key member of both the NUS’s black students’ committee and the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts committee. She achieved notoriety by leading a campaign demanding the removal of a statue of Cecil Rhodes, a white supremacist who was instrumental in the establishment of British colonies in South Africa, from Oxford’s
Rhodes College. Speaking to Sky news earlier this year, Teriba said that Oxford University “was built off the back of exploiting labour and the colonial project and it’s something that still gets celebrated in the form of a statue.” Last year, Teriba wrote an article criticising the Oxford Union over its conduct in an alleged rape scandal. Teriba called for compulsory ‘consent committees’ to educate students about the laws surrounding sexual harassment and rape. Concerning her own conduct, Teriba wrote an extended statement on her official Facebook profile explaining her resignation. “At this year’s NUS black students’ conference, I had sex with someone. The other party later informed me that the sex was not consensual. I failed to properly establish consent before every act. I apologise sincerely and profoundly for my actions. “I should have taken sufficient steps to ensure that everything
I did was consensual. I should have been more attentive to the person’s body language. In failing to clarify that the person consented to our entire encounter, I have caused serious irreparable harm. “In a separate incident, in my first year of university, I was alerted to my inappropriate behaviour whilst drunk in a club, where I had touched somebody in a sexual manner without their consent. Therefore this is not an isolated incident. I apologise sincerely and profoundly for my actions. “With these incidents I have rightly lost the trust of those who I organise with and fully intend to work to ensure that I put my politics into practice in my personal relations and prove to them that I am committed to transformation. As such, it would be wrong of me to accept platforms and access spaces until I have done so.”
Joe Astill Reporter
The government of South Korea has announced that it will take control of the content of history textbooks for middle and high schools. The current system, which allows for schools to choose what textbooks they will use from eight different publishing companies in schools, was only introduced in 2010. Before this, South Koreans had almost 40 years of staterevised history textbooks in their schools put in place by authoritarian leader Park Chung-Hee. By 2017 all history textbooks used in secondary school classrooms will be issued by the state of South Korea. It will be a single history textbook produced by a state-appointed
In the news this week... “Shocked” The important and interesting stories from the wider world this week.
Stories by: Joe Evans, Merle Streck, Elinor Bridges, Emily Hughes, Ellen Lawrence-Clery, Andy van den Bent-Kelly and William Brown
Afghanistan deployment extended President Obama has confirmed a policy shift that will see the US military presence in Afghanistan extended beyond 2016. The US currently has 9,800 troops stationed in Afghanistan but will now keep 5,500 in the country when Obama leaves office in 2017. They will be stationed at four bases in Kabul, Bagram, Jalalabad and Kandahar. The decision has come amongst fears that more US troops will be required to help Afghan forces counter the growing threat of the Taliban. Making the policy announcement President Obama acknowledged that the troops could make ‘a real difference’ in supporting Afghan forces that he described as ‘not as strong’ as they needed to be.
Israel Palestine Violence escalates This week fresh violence has erupted between Israel and the Palestinians in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. This month seven Israelis have been killed in a series of stabbings and guns attacks. At least 30 Palestinians have been killed. Some of these have been attackers. The BBC reports that the UN Security council is holding an emergency meeting on the recent spates of violence. Many fear that the region could descend into a chaos with a full scale uprising or Intifada.
Shocking aid figures It has been revealed that less than 2% of humanitarian funding goes to NGOs, despite suggestions that they take the highest risks and are best placed to deliver aid. Speaking at a conference in Switzerland, Stephen O’Brien, head of UN humanitarian affairs, said that aid from NGOs is often more ‘culturally appropriate’ than that provided by government aid workers. Figures for how much funding goes to NGOs are difficult to find but the World Disaster Report puts the figure at 1.6%. Degan Ali, head of Adeso Africa, argued that this figure should hit 20% by 2020. “Local NGOs are taking the risks, are the first responders, are the innovators. But we are persistently sidelined,” he said. “Without money, without funding, we are so constricted.”
In Science this week... New Europe-Russia space mission planned The European and Russian space agencies are to join forces to send a lander to the Moon in five years’ time. The spacecraft will be sent to an unexplored region of the Moon’s south pole to investigate whether or not water and raw materials can be found. The aim is to see if fuel and oxygen can be made, with the long-term ambition being to send humans back to
the surface and potentially establish a lunar colony. The craft, called Luna 27, will head to the pole, which has zones that are permanently coated in darkness. It is believed that the freezing temperatures there could store ice and other chemicals.
Migrants Meet Polar Bear A group of migrants near the Calais refugee camp known as ‘The Jungle’ had a shocking experience when they broke into the back of a slow moving lorry. Upon entering, three migrants found themselves in the company of a most unusual passenger in the form of a 22 month old polar bear, Nissan. Fortunately, the polar bear was secured inside his cage during the ten minutes that passed before the police arrived to remove the migrants. Nissan, who was on a journey from Moscow Zoo to Yorkshire Wildlife Park, was checked over before completing the remainder of his journey. He has now arrived at the park, and is said to be doing, “Absolutely fine.”
committee aptly named ‘The Correct Textbook of History’. The decision has not been received lightly, with many vicious attacks coming from both academics and opposition parties. Some are arguing that the President, Park Geun-Hye (Park Chung-Hee’s daughter) is trying to consolidate her father’s legacy with the move. In particular, Lee Joon-Sik, a research fellow at the Centre for Historical Truth and Justice, said: “The President is trying to extend ruling-party control and recover her father’s lost honour. To do that, she needs to control the students.” However, not everyone is fighting in opposition to the plans. Kim Moo-Sung, the leader of the ruling Saenuri Party (New Frontier Party) said: “90 per cent of history scholars in our country are left-wing. There
Baby born on board China Airlines flight A woman unexpectedly went into labour on board a China Airlines flight heading from Bali towards Los Angeles on Thursday, October 8th. A video was uploaded some days later showing five air hostesses assisting the new mother by trying to shield her from sight of the other passengers and wrapping the new born in complementary airline blankets. A doctor who happened to be on the same flight that day helped deliver the little girl just before the pilot conducted an emergency landing in Alaska. The mother and her baby daughter were taken to hospital straight after the flight.
seems to be an intention to teach people’s revolution to the students.” The Saenuri party have also said that the steps are vitally necessary in order to promote national unity and discourage schoolchildren from developing sympathy for North Korea. The New Politics Alliance for Democracy has said this in a statement about the proposed change: “The Park government is trying to turn history books into government-controlled ones that glorify Japan and dictatorship.” Education, and especially history has been a controversial topic in other Asian countries, with the most recent scandal regarding the inclusion of the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands as part of mainland Japan in social studies lessons for junior high school students.
Global Santa Claus to join North Pole City Council A man formerly known as Thomas Patrick O’Connor has been elected to the City Council of North Pole, Alaska after legally changing his name to Santa Claus. Also a child advocate and monk, Claus won the position with 58 write-in votes in a town of 2200, according to local media. In a Facebook post on 14th November the new councillor wrote “I’m happy to announce that I have been elected to the North Pole City Council! “My thanks to everyone who voted for me, the news media that covered my campaign, and all who supported my run for office via social media. I look forward to continuing to serve my community.”
Accidental cancer treatment found in malaria A new cancer treatment is harnessing the power of malaria after its accidental discovery. A team of Danish scientists were originally looking for a way to protect pregnant women from malaria. Instead, they stumbled across the fact that malarial proteins can also attack cancer cells due to a structural similarity; malarial protein binds to a carbohydrate that is also present in cancer. So far experimental results have been extremely promising. The team were able to reduce one type
of cancerous tumours in mice to a quarter of the original size, and 5 out of 6 mice with metastatic bone cancer survived, compared to 0 in the control group. This exciting and accidental discovery could be instrumental in the development of new cancer treatments, and has provided scientists with an entirely new angle for researching the disease.
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An insider’s view at Tory conference
Colm Lock, whose attendance at the Conservative Party Conference saw him get egged by a protestor, provides an exclusive insight into what it was like inside the ‘safe zone’, and his jump onto the front pages of national newspapers Photo: chunkymark @ YouTube
All is abuzz in the conference hall. One can hear nothing but the murmurings and merry chortles of party activists that come with winning your first majority in 23 years. The protesters outside are inaudible. Numerous and vocal though they may be, their effect on the interior is underwhelming. “Tory scum!” and “Shame on you!” shout the crowd, creating a sound I doubt has been heard on British shores since the Jacobite charge at Culloden. It is of course, the Conservative Party Conference that has drawn such a crowd, both in and out of the conference hall. It is indeed a momentous occasion for the Conservative party with attendance up 30 per cent and, for the first time in many students’ memories, a majority Conservative government in power. They went into the last election insisting a majority was possible whilst the pollsters and media sat in a circle and talked endlessly of the most ghastly coalitions their imaginations could conjure up. So now they have power for the first time since the 1990s and, if the protesters are to be believed, the end of the world will come about as a result. The first major speech is from the party chairman, Lord Feldman, who talked about the election victory and what is needed to achieve a second victory in 2020, after which the attendees were treated to a montage of the events of the general election. The biggest cheers came from the clips showing Vince Cable and Ed Balls losing their seats to Tania Mathias and Andrea Jenkyns, respectively. Speeches from the Secretaries of State for Defence and Foreign and Commonwealth affairs were largely inconsequential, and had very similar overtones regarding Russia and Daesh (I refuse to give that death cult the legitimisation of statehood) breaking no news. The media seemed much more interested in the events that were unfolding outside. A journalist
was punched, a young Tory threatened with rape, two more journalists spat on—one of whom was Michael Crick from Channel 4. Most infamously, I took an egg to the face. In my defence I was not brandishing Lady Thatcher’s face at the protestors; rather, I was carrying under my arm a copy of the Sunday Telegraph that happened to feature a picture of the Iron Lady on the front cover. I have no doubt that the person who threw the egg thought it would be the spark of some revolution but, in the end, all it achieved was an unexpected trip to the dry cleaners. It was not until the next day that I quite realised the amount of coverage that what I considered to be an incident of minimal significance had received. Upon waking up on Monday morning it was to my disbelief that I had made it into every national newspaper, prompting the BBC, ITV and LBC to hound me for an interview for the remainder of the conference. Much was said by the baying Left of how I was clearly an old Etonian who had never worked a day in his life. If they ever learnt the truth—that I am in fact state school educated and the son of two teachers, whose first proper job was in a garden centre—I doubt they could comprehend such a revelation. Taking the time to explain to them that you can be both a Conservative and not have been educated at an elite boarding school would be would be about as useful as tits on a fish. Their world view is one very much rooted in 19th century class structure, where your place in the social ladder dictates your political persuasions and where revolution is just around the corner, something they have been saying since the Victorian period. The Conservative party nowadays is quite a broad church, welcoming all classes, races and sexualities. Hence why it is the Conservatives who have given this country its first female prime minister,
first Muslim woman in the cabinet, first Chinese MP, and currently has an ex-miner as the secretary of state for transport. I also hasten to add that, unlike the Labour party, the Conservatives have a woman occupying one of the four great offices of state. It was also the first year when journalists have had to enter the party’s conference alongside the rank and file members, and they got a shock. Even Owen Jones of all people was called “Tory scum” on his way in. Never before have I seen anything quite like it, and it has woken up the press to just how violent the radical left can be. Your average Conservative party activist will have dealt with this abuse from day one, but journalists have not ever really been on the receiving end until now. The criticism brought about by the media is rightly placed: Where is the new “gentler, kinder politics”? I would argue there never was going to be any such thing from a man who so openly has endorsed the IRA’s attacks on British troops and civilians, and who has described the death of Osama Bin Laden as a tragedy. I only single out Jeremy Corbyn because I was there. I saw the placards in the crowd proclaiming support for Corbyn, and I have no doubt that many moved on to see him speak at a rally on the Monday evening. He has the power to tell them firmly to stop and embrace civility when dealing with one’s political adversaries, but only timid bleats can be heard from his cabal of terroristsympathising front benchers. But comrades, I digress. The second day of conference began with slightly sore heads, as most members remained in the Midland bar until about 2am. While most speeches of the day were rather lacklustre—with the exception of George Osborne— the best aspect was that Liz Truss had managed to avoid making another awful speech regarding imported cheese and the opening of pork markets in China. The Chancellor made his speech to a crowd that, even without the help of Mystic Meg, could probably have predicted most of its contents a week in advance. It mentioned a fair bit about builders and the “Northern Powerhouse” but it was a powerful speech nonetheless. Osborne talked about rebalancing the country’s economy, investing in infrastructure and of course, let’s all say it together now, “to fix the roof while the sun is shining,” this being one of the Chancellor’s favourite catchphrases that appeared in a speech so full of buzzwords, you could probably create a good drinking game out of it. On the other hand, the fringe events were a whole different ball game. Owen Paterson MP hosted two retired army officers who talked candidly about the situation in the Middle East, and were probably the most informed people on the subject I had heard speak on the matter in a long time. One event called Open Europe, where free beer was provided in copious quantities in return for listening to a small speech on the benefits of free trade within Europe, was a firm favourite. I was lucky enough to grab a ticket to possibly one of the most sought after events at conference: Zac Goldsmith’s reception. It was fairly inspiring stuff and, with it being so late, one often finds politicians tend to drop the media polished façade and become more like actual people. He spoke passionately about London and his plans for it, ranging from his plan to build on Transport for London land and his opposition to a third Heathrow runway. One thing that must be emphasised is that these are the situations where politics becomes personal. Gone are the bodyguards, lecterns and camera crews. Instead, these events tend to be held in small, crowded rooms where personal space is often something of a luxury. Zac’s event was held in the upstairs of a small,cramped, poorly lit bar, but it allowed members to get a one-on-one with the politicians. It is often said that politicians are inaccessible or too distant from reality, but they are not going to come to your door and have a chat with you about immigration in your pyjamas. An effort must be made and it is truly an effort, as this bar had noticeably failed to discover the wonderment that is modern air conditioning. Tuesday came and with it, a new energy. It was the day the conference was going to hear from the likes of Iain Duncan Smith, Theresa May, Zac Goldsmith, Jeremy Hunt, Nicky Morgan and, of course, Boris Johnson. Seats in the main conference hall became the hottest tickets in town. Duncan Smith was one of the few that really inspired the conference hall to stand up and applaud following his speech. A standing ovation is usual procedure following each speech but his felt more deserved, like he had touched a nerve amongst the party faithful, which made one want stand up and begin singing Land of Hope and Glory. I feel his image would be much improved if people realised that “Iain Duncan Smith hasn’t actually been offering up human sacrifices to
Adam Smith in the basement of the Department of Work and Pensions,” as The Telegraph put it. However, of all the speeches that day, Theresa May’s got the most attention, and rightly so. For me, it felt as if every minister had toned down from the rhetoric of last year’s pre-election conference, except for Mrs May, who opted instead to up the ante which, though it sat well with the party faithful, did not chime as universally outside the conference hall as Osborne’s or Boris’ speeches. Some suspect her of trying to use it as a springboard for a future leadership bid, but it seems unlikely to me that the party will choose her to lead them into 2020. The audience warmly received Zac Goldsmith, though there was a sense that he was merely the warm-up act for the Mayor of London. Boris’ speech was probably the best of his career to date. He talked on matters that ranged from the protestors outside whom he called socialists with “vested interests and, indeed, interesting vests,” a clear quip about Corbyn’s sartorial taste, to the cutting of child tax credits, his opposition to Heathrow expansion, increased life expectancy for Londoners and his proximity to hookers whilst playing rugby at Eton. His was without a doubt a leadership bid, and you didn’t need to be a political analyst to see it. He made honeyed overtures to both the Tory heartlands and to the floating voters who always decide an election, consciously trying to seize the centre ground and embody the one nation appeal that the party has been trying to emphasise in recent years.
“The person who threw the egg thought it would be the spark of revolution but, in the end, all it achieved was an unexpected trip to the dry cleaners” There was much talk at conference of George Osborne being a serious contender for the leadership, but most members are still of the opinion that Boris will be Cameron’s successor for the simple reason that, when photographed, he doesn’t look like he is diabolically plotting something, and that he can stand properly on a stage. The final day of conference had a completely different feel compared to those previous. The usual relaxed atmosphere had gone. People queued for over an hour to get a seat in the main hall which today was focusing on Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, followed by the Prime Minister. With the assembly elections coming up next year, Andrew Davies and Ruth Davidson both brought great energy into the hall, the latter being one of only three speakers at the conference to receive a standing ovation as she entered the stage, a testament to her popularity. These two speakers however, while both giving excellent speeches, were completely eclipsed by the Prime Minister. He entered the room to thunderous applause and cheering, having to signal four times for the crowd to stop applauding and take their seats. When he eventually did get on with his speech, it was not until the end that any of us quite realised the gravity of what had just happened. As the first majority Conservative PM in 18 years, his speech went down so well, it even received praise from many left-leaning journalists who normally see Cameron as some kind of incarnation of the Antichrist. In my view, he showed himself to be the true ‘heir to Blair’ by taking on such evils as racial inequality, gay rights and lack of social mobility, he parked his tanks firmly in the centre ground, from which Labour retreated upon it’s election of Corbyn last month. His comments on Corbyn received a standing ovation, and he has successfully set the government up as the antithesis of the protest group that is now Her Majesty’s Most Loyal Opposition. As the conference wound down, mostly unaffected by the “nose-ringed crusties” outside, the centre ground of British politics was firmly occupied by the Tories. Boris looks poised to become leader, and the future looks very bright indeed as Labour head down the path to electoral oblivion. But judging by the protests outside the conference, they won’t go quietly.
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Silicon Valley Comes to Manchester
Fancy yourself the next Mark Zuckerberg? SVC2Manchester brings the chance to network with some of Silicon Valley’s top business leaders and newest start-ups Gemma Sowerby Subeditor Manchester might seem far away from the bright lights and palm trees of Silicon Valley—the epicentre of Noughties-born, high-tech innovation and investment in the San Francisco Bay area—but on Wednesday the 4th of November, UK-based organisation Silicon Valley Comes to the UK are bringing the tech to us for a one-day summit: SVC2Manchester. Featuring speakers varying from the top of the Silicon Valley food chain, to local and national start-ups from the North West and beyond, SVC2Manchester is an opportunity for business leaders, investors, and serial entrepeneurs, to provide networking and mentoring to students looking to get their foot in the door of the next big thing. I sat down with Summit Lead and University of Manchester Ph.D. student Laura Jeffreys to find out everything about the upcoming event, the Manchester tech scene, and how students can get involved. One thing’s for certain—it’s not to be missed. What is SVC2UK, and what were their goals for starting this not-for-profit organisation? It was formed nine years ago because the founders wanted to bring that Silicon Valley attitude to the UK; all the ideas were happening in the States, they could get funding pretty easily because they have all these routes to go down, whereas in the UK it was nothing like that. With the world as it is now, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t have all this. So it was originally founded to network from America to England, and to build up these entrepreneurs. Now everyone is jumping on the bandwagon, there are loads of new apps and products. It’s just about networking—it’s that simple. One of the co-chairs is Reid Hoffman, CEO of LinkedIn, so he brings a lot to the table. Why and how was SVC2Manchester born? “Last year they decided to bring some focus to the North, and especially Manchester as the start-up community is so good here. London has a reputation for breeding entrepreneurs, but the speakers are always really enthusiastic to come here, and Manchester has got a hell of a lot to offer. This is the second time that the event has come to the North, and both times Ph.D. students have run it, so we’re really involved with the university.”
as they are now, as billionaires, but from “When I was a student…”. They too learnt from experts, had their ups and downs, got bigger and bigger, and worked hard; they’re not the type to say “Oh I inherited £20 million from my father and invested it everywhere…”. Before the event last year I always thought “Oh, I’ll never be an entrepreneur, it’ll never happen, you’ve got to be in the right place at the right time and have a brilliant idea,” but they don’t make it about the idea; they got involved by knowing they were the right person for the job—someone else can have the idea. So you think, “How can I get there?”
Photo: SVC2UK, with permission of Laura Jeffreys
So what is the set-up of the day—what can we expect to see and learn? In the morning we have these TED-style talks from each of the five speakers, and then there are workshops, or master classes, which are really Q&As. People ask really in-depth questions that you wouldn’t have necessarily thought of, it’s really exciting. The summit’s themes are ‘Scale-up’ and ‘Connected health’. Could you explain these for those who can’t speak Silicon Valley? Yeah. ‘Scale-up’ is just a fancy way of saying their journey, the scale-up from start-up to serial entrepreneur; it’s Silicon Valley talk for that, they’ve got loads of words of their own. [Laughs] Connected health means health tech—last year we had a focus on health tech, but we had feedback from Manchester Business School (MBS) students that it was just about health tech. This year we only have two speakers talking about health tech and about the future of the industry, Andrew Thompson and Jack Kreindler. Andrew’s product is really interesting, it’s a tablet you take but it’s an electrical device, and it tells you how fast your tablets have been absorbed, how active you are, and it sends all this data to your phone, your family’s phones, your doctor. So you can check up on a patient or an elderly relative throughout the day. This is about as in depth as the talks will get into the medicine—it’s more about the future of technology, like we’re getting closer to everything being on a wristband, it’s just so interesting, I think. Though I am a bit health techy being a Ph.D. Biochemistry student!
How did you get involved in SVC2Manchester? I started my Ph.D. in Biochemistry at Manchester last year, and heard about the event through a fellow postgraduate student who was running it. I asked to volunteer on the day, and at the event itself I got to sit in on all the talks and listen. I really enjoyed it—it was so inspiring. Then I got asked to run it this year, and of course I said yes, so that’s how I got here.
Andrew Thompson is one of the Silicon Valley serial entrepreneurs—how do you tempt these people to come to Manchester?! Well, we contact them like a chain mail sort of thing; we know someone, they know someone, and so on. They’re really busy people and most of their business is in the States, so it’s hard. But if they can get to England then it works—they like spreading the word to new places; Andrew Thompson feels like he can make a difference at a new event to new people.
Why did you want to be involved again? At the student event, the speakers begin from where they started, so you’re not just seeing them
Tell me a bit about some of the other speakers and their careers. Well, we have Charlie Songhurst, he started out SVC2UK are bringing some Silicon Valley tech-spertise to Manchester. Photo: patrick_nouhailler @ Flickr
by predicting that Google were going to be really big, and his company guessed and bought shares, and he made that company so much money. So he started small, and then got bigger and bigger. He worked for Microsoft and was behind their [$8.5 billion] acquisition of Skype. With Charlie, he’s so nice that you just talk to him, and you forget that he’s worth millions. Now he has his own company, Katana Capital, where he just goes round and gives money to people—that is his job. He has about 130 start-up businesses. He invests in people, he doesn’t invest in products. One reason he’s coming back to Manchester this year is because he thinks there could be another really good business here in Manchester, as he found one last year. We also have Dr. Neil McArthur MBE, a British entrepreneur who founded TalkTalk and is a Governor at the University of Manchester. He just founded a new charity called Manchester Tech Trust, which is about networking really. A big problem when you start up is you’ve got a good idea, sometimes even the product too, but you get that far and then it’s like: “Whom do we sell to? Where are our contacts? How do we make ourselves bigger?” So Manchester Tech Trust is about making the connections that need to be made. So he loves this event, and it’s like a minilaunch for them. So if you’re a student in Manchester and you think you want to get involved, how can coming to this event change your path, or inspire you? Could you network? Oh yeah. It gives you an idea of what the journey will entail—it’s not the sort of thing you can learn in a lecture. You’ve got to see it being done. Last year, two students met and realised they had similar passions and they’ve since developed an app—I probably shouldn’t say what it is. As I mentioned before, Charlie Songhurst gave £100,000 to a business a student pitched him last year, and now he’s done a second round of investment totalling £300,000. For students this event is to meet like-minded people and learn from the best. There will be time as well for students and startups to interact over lunch. Although there is a really good start-up community in Manchester, sometimes it doesn’t interact much with students. But start-ups are always looking for new employees; start-ups in incubators look for different students to do part-time jobs, as Communications Officers for example—someone with English skills to sit and write press releases, people like that. So how easy is it for students to get involved with start-ups? What is the tech scene like in Manchester? There’s an event every week called the Silicon Valley Drinkabout and it brings together entrepre-
neurs from around Manchester, mainly from startups. At these events people just come up to you and say, “Hi, I’m so-and-so, and I own this company, what do you do?” Because I do a Ph.D., they find it the most interesting thing ever. They don’t really meet many students, and the more people they meet, the more they know about the world. I would completely suggest it to people who are interested in tech. I’ve seen students there before but not many; students are usually way too busy just getting the degree to think about a start-up as well. However, the university is an amazing stepping stone for startups; we have a lot of competitions—like Venture Out, Venture Further, and OneStart—which give students injections of cash for their start-ups. It’s a big step in the right direction for students just getting into it. You also get a lot of good advice, from the Manchester Enterprise Centre for example; they’re so encouraging for businesses and for students to be entrepreneurial. I have a friend who came second place in last year’s Venture Further—with the simplest idea ever for an app for Ph.D. students— and now it’s taking off, he has investors. In Manchester there are so many spaces for startups, like incubators and accelerators where you rent out a desk in buildings with lots of other startups; there’s a community feel, and people higher up can help and inspire you. They’re all over the city, in the Northern Quarter for example, and Barclays have one on Deansgate. They have internships too; the people who run them hire interns to do the dayto-day work, and help out with all the events in the evenings. Manchester students have done summer placements there and absolutely loved working alongside these people. Finally, how do students sign up to attend the event, and why should they come? So you sign up to the Eventbrite page, then they’ll get to decide which workshops they can go to. There are six workshops with all different people, you get to choose two to go to, but you’ll still hear talks from all five speakers. Each one is different; for example, Claire Mills has a start-up to do with allergen-free food, and she is running a workshop about women in business. It’s an issue that needs to be talked about; we still need more female programmers, we still need more women high up in tech, so I think it is something that needs to be encouraged. At events like these it’s just sort of time to tell everyone, girls, students: “Go on, now is the time to try it.” So I hope the students of Manchester will come along. We want it to be full of students. I want it to be standing room only, even if there’s a fire hazard!
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Opinion
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ISSUE 5 / 19th OCTOBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
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Palmyra’s destruction: A very human tragedy
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We should not underestimate the tragedy of ISIS destroying an ancient city and the heritage it represents
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Imagine a dear family heirloom. Perhaps it’s a wedding ring, a clock or an old diary— something that’s been passed through the generations, symbolic of your family, their happiness, and their achievements. Maybe it’s something that makes you feel secure, or reminds you that you will always have that small group of people to whom you’re related, connected with, and from whom you descend. Maybe it’s just something that gives you a sense of collective identity. Now imagine a stranger stamping on it, burning it or throwing it in a river—not only destroying the object, but spitting in the face of this heritage. This is what is happening to Syrian culture with the destruction of Palmyra; IS is destroying the past and all that it means. The most recent act of historical extermination—at the time of writing this— is the blowing up of the Triumphal Arch, the centrepiece of a grand portico that led to the great temple. This monument was of great cultural significance and actually was of a fairly unique style—even at the time of its construction, one that was distinctive to the region, based along the shores of the Euphrates River that runs through Iraq and Syria.
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Blowin’ his own Trump-et US contributor Coby Tunnicliffe gives his view on the race for the presidential nominations Donald Trump has been dominating conversation about the 2016 Presidential Election. His mix of bold claims and controversial statements have successfully kept the media talking about both him and the Republican nomination. In contrast much less attention has been given to the Democratic nomination. Most pundits have presumed that Hillary Clinton would take it without much of a fight, and although she’s still in the lead, her win is now less certain than when she announced her intention to run. A series of scandals, particularly criticism of her using a private email address while Secretary of State, have dogged her campaign and chipped away at her approval ratings. Despite this, Clinton doesn’t exactly have anyone close on her heels; Bernie Sanders is still 18 points behind in second place, but still much closer and making gains, defying cynical expectations of many for the self-described socialist. An even bigger threat for her could be the much rumored entering of Joe Biden, the current vice president into the race. Biden would be less likely to pull support away from Sanders’ younger and more radical camp but instead from Clinton’s more centrist supporters. If people in her campaign office are still complacent, they may need a shake. It is easy to see why Trump has gained so much attention. Crude insults make what has previously been considered a dry and boring political process by many unpredictable and entertaining. So much so that the latest Republican debate gave CNN its highest ever ratings. However, time spent talking about insults and personal feuds has come at the expense of conservation about virtually everything else. Other issues, and the Democratic race, have not found a platform and are being neglected in the public discourse.
This is an excerpt of Coby’s article. The full piece can be found online at mancunion.com/ opinion
“IS are ridding the land of any ideology which predates their own, and Syria is all the poorer for it.” Possibly the most striking feature of the site, was the Temple of Bel. 15 metres high and consecrated to the Mesopotamian sun god, it was the best preserved building
Photo: Alessandra Kocman @Flickr
Alex Daniel Contributor of its type. It displayed a unique synthesis of Greco-Roman and ancient nearEastern architecture that could not be found anywhere else; classical columns adorned with ancient near-Eastern friezes and masonry. It was awe-inspiring and incredibly significant, as a cultural landmark and as a piece of monumental art, not only in Syria—but in its part of the world. It was blown up in August. Shrines to gods such as Bel are what keep our knowledge of ancient religious practices alive—imagine how many films wouldn’t have been made if we didn’t know about Zeus and Poseidon from all those Greek temples. It seems small, but the cultural point is that it would be tragic if this knowledge about regional ancestry dies out. It is fascinating to the foreign eye to observe and learn about something like this, which is not only beautiful, but also truly, truly unique. Yet, more to the point, for the people who live in the neighbouring
modern city of Tadmur, this is their culture. This is their heritage and they are losing it. A child born tomorrow in Tadmur will never see the legacy of this site, and might not ever be taught in school that this ancient city was known as the ‘Venice of the Sands.’ They may not know that it was a major trading site in the deep web connected to Silk Road, and how it became exceptionally wealthy under Roman rule. They may never see the huge diversity that shaped the place; it has been under the influence of religions including Christianity, Greek and Roman Paganism, Judaism and Islam—along with the worship of Mesopotamian and Arab gods which were native to the area. IS are ridding the land of any ideology which predates their own, and Syria is all the poorer for it. People may grow up never to have known anything other than the institutionalised violence, sexism and fanaticism that the group has come to
represent, all because the history of this city is considered ‘idolatrous’. There are, of course, those who label it crass that the media even covers the loss of some ancient ruins while the loss of human life in the same area is growing to the point of abstraction. Perhaps we have heard about bombings, beheadings and needless brutality so much over the past few years that we have become inured to it. Maybe now, in our internet-age boredom, we have simply moved on, and are now bemoaning the loss of a few stone pillars because it’s different news. I strongly dispute this logic. They are different kinds of loss, that evoke entirely different types of mourning. It is astonishing that people are able to, in some way, communicate with the words, deeds and intentions of their forebears of two millennia through these priceless monuments to civilisation. And yet this is what is being cut loose with the systematic destruction of Palmyra—a connection between generations. ‘Blocks of stone’ these temples, arches and libraries may be, but they stand for much more. Just because the tangible loss is comparatively small, the intangibility is bigger. Consider this—the Colosseum in Rome has stood for 2000 years, the Parthenon for nearly 2500, and the Great Pyramid in Giza over 4500. These are testaments to humanity. Palmyra is of the same ilk and was first mentioned in the early 2nd Millennium B.C. When it is destroyed, the people whose memories that lived on in its spectacular architecture, inscriptions and art are forgotten. And this humanity dies. These are not just the bitter rantings of a Classics student whose academic niche is slowly being wiped out by IS; cultural eradication on this level is, without a shadow of a doubt, a very human tragedy.
Is our pursuit of A.I. as intelligent as we think? Ed John fears that we are undermining human experience with the growth of artificial intelligence Throughout the last decade, we have seen unprecedented, and perhaps to some, unimaginable technological growth. With each year that goes by, the power and influence technology possesses grows at a rate unseen in any other industry. Whether it be for the social, economic or medicinal aspects of our lives, it is undeniable that we are rapidly heading for an existence in which we are rarely detached from technology’s influence. Whilst this growth and expansion has it indisputable benefits, are we really ready for the world which we seem so desperate to attain? For the past few decades, science fiction has enabled us a glimpse into the future of technology and how it impacts our lives. From Ridley Scott’s dystopian and pessimistic look at our relationship with artificial intelligence in Blade Runner, to Spike Jonze’s Her—which takes a less noir approach to what it would mean to fall in love with an intelligent computer operating system—the broad scope of theories regarding the future of tech and artificial intelligence have been represented again and again. Yet, as time goes on, such scenarios are becoming less of a figment of imagination, and more of a hard hitting reality. With 64% of Americans owning a smartphone and Silicon Valley boasting an estimated GDP of $176 billion, we can see firsthand how technology and our relationship with it is shaping our society. This growth has of course had numerous positive, and often life saving, consequences. For instance, the summer of last year saw Colorado resident Les Baugh become the first double amputee to wear and operate modular prosthetic limbs. What separates these prosthetics from others previously developed and used, is that Baugh was able to operate them simply by using his brain as if he were moving his own limbs. These prosthetics are also able to
simulate feelings of touch, whilst simultaneously interacting with existing muscles in the torso to enable realistic movement. Yet, alongside undeniably important and positive developments such as this, has come an arguably darker and more troubling side of technological advancement and intelligence. Implants and microchips have long been of interest to many, and have, again, been the subject and premise of many science fiction stories. But with both large tech companies and individual ‘biohackers’ now pursuing the development of them in real life, we are faced with an increasingly important and tough question regarding how far we should take such modifications. Arguably, the ability to monitor and alter things such as our blood sugar through the use of a small implant in the forearm can
Photo: Lorenzo Natale @ WikimediaCommons
only bear positive implications. As would brain implants, proposed by a number of companies, which offer a similar package but with the combined ability to download and store an incomprehensible and inhuman amount of data within seconds. It is this ability to take us into the realm of inhumanity, however, that is the troubling part. Case in point, American company RealDoll are currently collaborating with robotics companies in order to produce lifelike sex dolls that allow for artificial intelligence to be installed in order to replicate ‘sex talk’ and the discourse of a real relationship. Although to some this offers a solution to a number of issues prevalent in modern day society which make it difficult to engage in a real relationship, to others it signifies a problematic and dangerous step towards the death of relationships as a whole.
This may seem like a far fetched and unrealistic outcome, but one only has to look to Japan, a country synonymous with technological advancement, to recognise that this is not the case. As a nation constantly in the pursuit of technological superiority, Japan are at the forefront of an artificial intelligence revolution—the revenue from their Robotics industry is expected to reach $75 billion within the next ten years. Yet, although this may do wonders for the development of useful technologies such as those previously mentioned, it is also having a dangerous and dramatic effect on their society as a whole. With a median age of 46, Japan is the second oldest country in the world. Although not the sole cause of this issue, one factor in their reaching of such an old age is the development of companion and sexual robots that negate the need for human interaction. Much like the aforementioned biometric implants, such a denial of the fundamental human need for relationships with one another can only signify a damaging deduction from the human experience. It is undeniable that technology and artificial intelligence is necessary to a number of aspects of human life. And yes, it has had endless positive ramifications everywhere from the labour market to medicine. However, can we afford to take it to a a level which sees our existence as social, cohabiting people threatened? Or even to a level, as seen in Japan, that leads to the negation of reproduction itself? Stephen Hawking said in December 2014, “the development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race”. This may seem far fetched, but as the pursuit of an enhanced human experience continues, it seems we are in actual fact doing more to undermine and diminish it.
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How to measure a nation’s success Tristan Parsons examines the ways to measure how successful a society really is How much does Gross Domestic Product (GDP) affect you? Do you share in the celebration when the Chancellor tells you how much that figure has grown? Many of the statistics we are told are flawed, and there are plenty that are simply avoided. The ways in which we measure and define national success are extremely important in how citizens understand, perceive, and react to the actions of governments. In this digital and highly observed age, there are statistics for almost everything. Yet, what the media, study groups, and governments report is narrowed down to a few recognisable sound-bite figures. This has a significant impact on the thinking of citizens, and can shape movements and discussions, from the grassroots to the high tables of global politics. It may be argued that many of the measures we use today are signs of the neo-liberal and hyperglobalised era. GDP—the main culprit—acts as a useful method of grouping the entire output of a nation, and applying it to everyone’s lives. It ignores issues of inequality and the potentially damaging dominance of particular sectors, as finance arguably is in many western economies. This is a convenience for governments that are less focused on using growth to improve the living conditions of the many, but instead show a preference to transnational corporations, showing might on the world stage of global economies, and arguably using national statistics as a subtle method of encouraging nationalism. Forms of GDP per capita are not much more use. By simply dividing the figure between how many people live here, we gain no understanding of how
that money is spread out in reality. Placing more emphasis on people’s actual incomes is far more beneficial. It is crucial that this figure involves the cost of living; otherwise it is useless in comparing progress in prosperity. However, on balance, basic economic statistics are not the major problem. Although they definitely need tweaking, they serve as a fairly good guide of how the nation’s finances are faring. The recent fall in unemployment to 5.4%, for example, should be welcomed, and is an example of an effective statistic.
“It may be argued that many of the measures we use today are signs of the neo-liberal and hyper-globalised era.” But there are more pressing issues that are not adequately considered by the mainstream. Whilst the economy is a very important factor in a nation’s ‘success’, there should be far more consideration in statistics for the environment, and the social implications of policies. There are a few voices for this broadening of statistics. Notably, Jeremy Corbyn, in an interview with YouTube channel Novara Media (‘Things Are
Not Going To Be The Same In 2020’) declared that if he were Prime Minister, there would be a far greater range of statistics that would be presented—from energy consumption, to biodiversity, to inequality indexes. This is, then, a political issue. The current Conservative government could present these types of figures; only its core vote cares little for them, and it would shine light onto previously buried issues, such as their U-turn on environmental policy since the election. There are social measures that could be used too. Figures for homelessness, obesity, or mental health are examples of measures that could be made more prominent in government reports. It is very important that the public are more aware of the effects of the policies they have voted for, and the wider state of the nation. More ambitiously, a national happiness index, such as is carried out in Bhutan, could be very useful. This may seem like a weak fad, but it has found some very interesting results. Unmarried and younger people are the happiest, the urban are happier than the rural, and (on average) men are happier than women. Having this kind of information readily presented, and then analysing it, could be useful for raising public awareness, organising grassroots movements, and further holding governments to account. The index does probe a deeper question over what we seek from life. Do we want high output and high performance? Interestingly, it was found that the unemployed are happier than corporate employees, and that whilst primary education
increases happiness, higher education does not. These kinds of debates could be very useful for helping to heal society; where many trudge around in growing but miserable offices, breathe polluted air, and endure mental illness or social dislocation. The country may well be recovering from a recession in economic terms, but what for? Goodcountry.org is an example of how countries might be alternatively ranked across all spectrums. Figures on health, economics, charity, trade, peace, education and more are averaged out to form an index. The index—as promoted by Simon Anholt’s accompanying TED talk—highlights the word ‘good’ as the opposite of selfish. He criticises nations that seek to only gain prosperity (and even happiness) for being selfish, and not looking outwards. Global problems require global solutions. He argues, rather convincingly, that in order to tackle climate change, end war, find solutions to pandemics, defend human rights, quell the roots of terrorism, design methods of dealing with demographic changes, and a whole host of other issues, nations need to look outwards more, which should involve promoting the use of an index such as his. An overhaul of measurement is required. For too long we have remained obsessed with growth and material wealth. From the global changes in our climate, to the stressed and depressed in our offices, we are measuring our nations and our world in ways that are so detached from the issues we face. The measurements need broadening, with particular emphasis on national happiness and observing what makes a ‘good’ country.
The hypocrisy of white western feminism Jessica Chow-Lau examines modern feminism’s problematic middle-class, white focus
In the western world, to say you are not a feminist is to send yourself to the gallows. Our increasingly informed public society has moved beyond race to focus on gender in discussions of equality, inherent rights, and systemic prejudices. This has materialized in the mainstream acceptance of feminism, being that it’s the loudest and most prominent voice offering solutions. To say then, that you are against feminism is often equated with the idea of disagreeing that women are equal to men. What is missed however, are the subtle, and sometimes not so subtle, transgressions committed by the group. Well-intentioned genesis aside, the suffrage campaign has historically excluded black men and women. This continues into the modern feminist movement, where a complete disregard for other disadvantaged groups, stemming from a passive stance, is the norm. In fact, the feminists of today have dwarfed their predecessors in their degree of false virtues via hostile intimidation methods and insolent effrontery of other cultures. What results is a limited agenda that exclusively benefits the white, educated, middle class female. Today’s feminists dotingly reference Elizabeth Cady Stanton and her entourage of suffragettes with romantic deference. A principle actor in pushing for the 19th Amendment giving women the vote, she is commonly seen as progressing women’s rights in America. And initially, her relationship with social reformer and ex-slave Frederick Douglass reflected how white women associated with black men within the movement: equally supportive of the each other’s crusade. But after the 15th Amendment was passed, allowing black men to vote, a bitter vitriol filled the air: “What will we and our daughters suffer if these degraded black men are allowed to have the rights that would make them even worse than our Saxon fathers?” Stanton clearly sees herself as superior in class and culture; disappointingly ironic since that is exactly what she’s fighting against. Her bigoted sentiments translate throughout the pro-women organisations, where privileged white women drew on their connections with powerful white men to further their cause—one that did not include poor women, immigrant women, or black women. The exclusion was entirely premeditated. By distancing themselves from black women, suffragettes from the north were able to appeal to southern women using race. What arises from such racism is Ida B. Wells, a black suffragist and leader
Women of the movement borrow their perception of conservative cultures from misconceptions originating from the opposite hemisphere, immediately leading to feminism acting as a vehicle for western jingoism. Some that subscribe to this overweening mentality that Islam or any traditionalist culture suppress women as an inherent tenet are also the ones that take violent reactionary measures. Last month at a French Muslim conference, Ukrainian feminist group Femen forced presenters and audience members to submit to their credo via their signature topless screaming. What they, and feminism as a whole fail to understand, is that Muslim teachings are not black and white. They have defended themselves since the dawn of Islam, and are presently using sharia arguments to fight against rulings that penalize rape victims in Pakistan—they do not need white women to save them.
Indian Suffragettes march for the right to vote. Photo: RV1864 @ Flickr
of an anti-lynching campaign, being forced to walk at the end of the famous Women Suffrage Parade in 1913—despite many states being desegregated. Racist language among prominent female figures persisted in the two years after women were allowed to vote; Rebecca Ann Latimer Felton, the first woman to serve in the Senate and white supremacist, asserted “I do not want to see a negro man walk to the polls and vote on who should handle my tax money, while I myself cannot vote at all.” The hypocrisy of working to progress one group’s liberties while feeding the toxic machine that hinders another can be seen in this country as well. Emmeline Pankhurst, leader of the British suffragette movement, strongly believed in colonisation (a detail that is noticeably absent from BBC’s history page on the activist). Another prominent figure, Millicent Garrett Fawcett considered women in New Zealand being able to vote before women in the home empire to be appalling. This humiliating woman on woman racism becomes outright shameful when the modern feminist movement does so little to address past faults
or improve current relations. Feminism’s severe inability to embrace women who have two equally important identities (black women, trans women, impoverished women) has rendered their dogma into little more than entitled complaints. Because when slut-shaming and rape culture is being preached, the rules of defense should also cover women of color. The current state though, is that the particular issues that are specific to non-white women are either being ignored or translated into generalised white feminist issues. Ignored when the feminist sphere has accidentally acted insensitively toward another race and translated when they see a potential member in the black girl. The black female community simplified this in the 2013 hash-tag, “#solidarityisforwhitewomen”, pointing out the complete disregard feminists—and by extension, the media—have toward addressing black female problems. Like their predecessors, feminists are excluding black women for the advancement of their own cause—only bringing them back into the dialogue when convenient.
“Feminism’s severe inability to embrace women who have two equally important identities has rendered their dogma into little more than entitled complaints.” Instead of antagonising Islam, these Muslim women are using it to contest sexism in a way that is still respectful to their religion. Feminism doesn’t seem to comprehend that Islam is empowering to women because a large part of it intersects with the white saviour complex, whereby white people go to “fix” dilemmas of developing nations without understanding the country’s history. This can be seen in their brazen positions on male-female relations in India, and in Muslim women’s donning of veils. Feminism needs to shed its sanctimonious tone and be more inclusive of all women. If a movement claims to defend the rights of a group, there cannot be any picking and choosing when it comes to equality.
Music
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ISSUE 5 / 19th OCTOBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Profile
I’ve just discovered The Internet!
The stuff these kids are into nowadays...Ellie Gibbs finds out more. Yeah, bit late to catch on, I know. The name was spawned originally as a joke regarding the unavoidable irony that comes from putting something out in the world without the intention of attention, hence the Freudian title of their latest album: Ego Death (June 2015). The name also happens to be where the members met. The Internet isn’t about hit counts, how many people listened on Spotify, how many people watched on YouTube. But sure, those numbers are a valid by-product of their incredible music. The subgroup of infamous rap collective OFWGKTA, The Internet aren’t all that dissimilar to their namesake: they take some of the best creative talents from around the world and collaborate to form something unprecedented, life-changing and impossible to reinvent. Sydney ‘Tha Kyd’ Bennett and Matthew ‘Martian’ Martin from Odd Futures, whose name
F
is self-explanatory, are joined by Patrick Paige II, Christopher Allan Smith, Jameel Bruner and Steve Lacy to form a beautiful amalgamation of sound. Syd’s lighter than air vocals contrast her seemingly hard exterior, which is a dichotomy that holds for the entire group; looking at their album cover one may expect some thrashy and aggressive six-strong rap battle ft. quirky instruments. The reality is soft, twangy (twangy being the technical term) guitars, rippling melodies and psychedelic interludes. This odd combo may be unparalleled, but to give an idea of the genre, think Erykah Badu meets The Fugees at an edgy art gallery. The tracks to make your heart move: ‘Girl’ - Suitably catchy for the radio release track, they tease with the building repetition of that four beat seduction dropped right at the beginning, it’s difficult to get enough.
‘You Don’t Even Know’ – They use a glockenspiel. A glockenspiel! And more twinkly sounds to make you feel like you’re in a magical sparkly music world. Which you are. ‘Tellem’ - Looks like the Bruner Brothers have a signature style for hooking bass notes, as Jameel takes to the bassline in the allure that is the intro of 2013 album Feel Good, with tantalising string pulls reminiscent of sibling Stephen’s ‘Heartbreaks + Setbacks’. It’s really no wonder they’re touring together. See them live (but please don’t take a FB selfie): Manchester Academy 2, November 25th, £19.25 And Oh Sheit, Thundercat’ll be there too. Photo: Album Artwork
Review
Live
Album
Metric 9th October The Ritz Jacob Bernard- Banton Contributor
Sekou Kouyate and Joe Driscoll 5th October The Deaf Institute
8/10
Metric really know how to put on a show, walking out wearing comical animal head masks and holding torches, seemingly hovering across the dry ice. It looks preposterous, but the band pull it off with both panache and good humour. It also Photo: Wikipedia Commons helps that they’re a ferocious live act, whisking you off your feet into outer space by way of euphoria-inducing pop. “Let’s take Mars before the Californians get it,” frontwoman Emily Haines enthuses and, for a moment, you really do believe they can. The old songs sound brisk and self-assured; the new songs are lithe and dazzling, as glittery as the band’s custom-made keyboard stands, adorned in sequins. Guitarist James Shaw’s otherworldly Theremin only adds to the space-age aesthetic. They storm through the sleek, strutting ‘Lie Lie Lie’ with the vigour and exuberance of a new band with something to prove. Haines even manages a few costume changes. At one point, she comes out sporting plumage decorated with multi-coloured traffic lights, looking like an extraterrestrial peacock. Later, she wears a fluorescent green cape singing over soured, beat-heavy electropop under UV light. The rest of the band also join in the sartorial sci-fi high jinks by donning futuristic LED shades. Metric’s gaze is set firmly on the future, even if tonight’s set harks back to the gleaming synthpop of the 1980s in the mould of Depeche Mode. There are moments that strongly recall Arcade Fire’s magnificent synth-studded ‘Sprawl II’, but for the most part everything sounds fresh and modern. ‘Youth Without Youth’ is a terrific, galactic glam-stomper from 2012’s Synthetica, thrown in between songs reminding you that Metric were doing Chvrches well before Chvrches. The band exude confidence, maintaining an unerring level of quality throughout. If anything, they’re too professional, but they leave the audience on a tremendous high. As the band triumphantly exit the stage, Earth seems a million miles away.
Tracks of the Week
Oscar Talbot Contributor
5.5/10
Sekou Kouyate is the son of the Guinean multi-instrumentalist M’Bady Kouyate. Both play the Kora: a West African instrument which utilises plucking to create a flowing and melodious style. Sekou Kouyate’s use of wah pedal with this adds a Western spin to what would otherwise be traditional West African music. On the other side of the spectrum is Joe Driscoll, who cut his teeth playing early 90’s rap on the acoustic guitar for his mates. Together, they create music which is lithe and riveting. To western ears it sounds different enough to be interesting, yet familiar enough to be accessible to on a pop music scale. However, performing it on a Monday night to a half-full Deaf Institute may have been the worst way to demonstrate this. ‘Faya’, the stand-out track from their new album, sadly lost much of the sense of motion that the studio version has. Although the kora is undoubtedly a fascinating instrument, providing half of their live stage presence amongst a full band, it can only be played in one tuning for an entire gig. This gave the proceedings a rather monotonous feel. Driscoll failed to use his skills as a beatboxer or guitarist, and then insisted on introducing the band no fewer than 5 times. Furthermore, the quickest way for any band to lose potential fans is to insult the few who turned up; a tool he did utilise extensively. Yes, there wasn’t a hoard of devotees, but at least they shelled out and came. Making sarcastic comments like ‘this is what success feels like’ fails to amuse. It was the sort of gig that, had it been rammed, would have been great. However if the band aren’t enthusiastic there is little to no reason anyone else should be. Better luck next time.
Beach House: ‘Marjorette’ from Thank Your Lucky Stars Album released 16th October via Subpop
‘Majorette’ is the highlight of the 3 singles released from Beach House’s surprise new album, `Thank Your Lucky Stars`. Although this feels very much like a Beach House song, everything is just a little bit different. From the mild My Bloody Valentine-esque shoegaze guitar in the background, to singer Victoria Legrand actually sounding feminine for once, ‘Majorette’ provides a subtle, yet brilliant, change to their sound. If you were disappointed by their last album Depression Cherry, rest assured that Thank Your Lucky Stars more than makes up for Cassie Hyde it. All three singles, ‘Majorette’, ‘One Thing’ and ‘She’s So Lovely’, are gorgeous.
Contributor
Alex G Released 8th October Domino
Photo: joeandsekou.com
Dan Miller Contributor
5/10
Speckled with occasional moments of sonic brilliance, a blatant sense of tiredness is sadly what stands out most on Alex G’s newest LP, Beach Music, released on 9th October 2015, under Domino. Alex Giannascoli has made a name for himself as a a lo-fi icon, with this his seventh release in five years. Last year’s DSU, his first record under a label, the Brooklyn-based Orchid Tapes, saw his popularity levels explode. It was always going to be a difficult one to follow. Opening track, ‘Intro’, gives little indication of what’s ahead. Fifty seconds of dark, trippy noise fade in and out, before ‘Bug’, one of the three tracks released as singles, brings the listener back to what they’d expect from the 21 year old. The record focusses on experimentation, instrumentally and production wise. Radiating an almost extended jam-session vibe, Rhodes-esque keys and funky drums open ‘Salt’ in a tasteful, Latino way. Harmonics and mathematical guitar riffs repeat, under depressing, moaned lyrics. Pitch-shifted vocals add a weirdness to tracks, with the lyrics, “bug in a crosshair” repeated in a chipmunk style during the outro of ‘Bug’. ‘Brite Boy’, with it’s call and response vocals, feels like an uncomfortable primary school singalong, before an odd, riff-stacked outro takes over. With the album barely passing the half-hour mark, many of the tracks live up to their snappy, single word names. ’Look Out’ sounds like a demo recording, leaving the listener itching to hear more. ‘Walk’ again returns to a more minimalistic style, this time in instrumental form. However, repeated ideas begin to show cracks in Giannascoli’s songwriting skills. By the time you reach tenth track, ‘Mud’, these recycled ideas feel like they are loosing their grasp. Although all the lo-fi elements are there, disappointingly, Beach Music does not possess that minimalistic style his niche audience craves. This record doesn’t feel like it was created due to necessity or ease, but more as a tool in order to show off. Occasional coughs in the background keep you reminded of just how ‘lo-fi’ this guy wants to remain. We get it Mr. G, one mic is all you need. Photo: Album Artwork
Deerhunter: ‘Living My Life’ from Fading Frontier Album released 16th October via 4AD ‘Living My Life’ feels very much like a song that can’t stand still. The song moves from ethereal, dream pop balladry, to funky guitar work. The drums move from drum machines to live instrumentation. The bass moves from smooth and subtle to groovy and upfront. The main instruments move from ambient keyboard to choppy guitar chords. All of this is done seamlessly and adds an insane amount of texture to the song. The overall production on this track is incredible, giving the song a warm feeling to it overall. This is definitely worth your time.
Neon Indian: ‘The Glitzy Hive’ from Vega Intl. Night School Album released 16th October via Mom + Pop Even though this has only just been released, ‘The Glitzy Hive’ feels very much like a summer song. Musically, it feels like dance, funk, synth pop and r’n’b all rolled into one. The instrumentation is also gorgeous, but hilarious. The squelchy synth bass line sounds really dumb, but it is just the right kind of dumb to work. The vocals and lyrics, on paper, sound questionable at best. The vocals sound like a Prince impersonation, whilst the lyrics are all about “The Party”. Yet, given how silly and fun this song, it totally works. Overall, this song reminds me of fashion. It’s all about “pulling it off” rather than what you’re wearing. The song is the same, and it pulls off its sound very well.
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ISSUE 5 / 19th OCTOBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
the
Opinion
Mental Health in the industry: A Matter of Life and Death?
Like the chicken and the egg, the music and the misery continue their endless cycle. Alex Daniel thinks it’s time for change. Recently, Benga announced on Twitter that there was more to his 2014 exit from the music industry than had initially met the eye. He’s cited drugs and excessive touring as the respective reasons for worsening cases of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. In doing so, he has sowed the seeds of a more general debate surrounding links between deteriorating mental health and professional overwork in the previously unresponsive soils of the music industry. Exhibit A, Yannis Philippakis of Foals: “If you can’t hack it, don’t do it”. Benga’s case puts this issue in the spotlight again. One of his tweets read: “The stigma around it [mental health issues] is what makes you feel so alone… Nobody recognises it.” His reluctance to admit his troubles publicly for over a year after his 2014 ‘retirement’ from music is testament to this and is indicative of the ignorance that the industry commonly exhibits towards these matters. Benga isn’t the only one experiencing problems of this sort either; Zayn Malik, previously of One Direction, copped plenty of abuse from 1D diehards when he announced his departure. Was this fair? A source close to the band told the tabloid press: “Zayn went because he’d had enough. Have you ever been on the road for four years?” Admittedly, neither of these cases are in the same ballpark as 27-club deaths, nor did either of them (it seems) have to endure the same long-term tortuous experience that led to Ian Curtis’ suicide. However, the Joy Division frontman’s difficulty in balancing his musical career with a difficult personal life, compounded by ill-health brought on by his famous epilepsy, is presumed to be the cause of his death. It may seem a long way from Benga and Zayn Malik, but the formula is the same in each case. It must be taken seriously.
One possible source from which those subjected to such problems might draw hope, however, is the charity Help Musicians UK. Though it tends to work on a smaller scale their mission is essentially to provide support for musicians who find themselves in dire straits, helping them through to continue on the road to success. Perhaps it isn’t on the same level, but the existence of organisations such as this will only help to provide exposure for those who are suffering in the industry. If there had been a more visible movement or school of thought that addressed the mental health issues brought on by the inconstancy and insecurity of a musician’s life on the road throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, perhaps there wouldn’t be a 27 club. With all this in mind, is Benga garnering unnecessary sympathy when he actually squandered a charmed existence? He made it; he got to do what he loved for a living; was able to express himself and travelled the world in a successful career as a relative dubstep-pioneer. I’m sure there are many who would happily swap lives with him, and even more who would happily show him the true meaning of being mentally ground down by an arduous professional life. Perhaps Yannis is right: “People destroy themselves for their art, for their calling”. The trouble with this sentiment is just how true it can be.
Photo: Twitter User @HelpMusiciansUK
the Venue
Joe Evans rages against the dying of The Star & Garter. A fortnight ago I levelled on the leach-like venue culture that pervades Manchester. With so many venues suckling the last drops of blood from the city’s historically significant musical heritage, the existence of any music venue that truly supports emerging music is something that should be preserved. With that in mind, the threat of closure now bearing down upon Fairfield Street’s The Star & Garter is something no music fan should overlook. For many years The Star & Garter has championed Manchester’s underground scenes. While famous for its Smiths night, it also unashamedly embraces the city’s subcultures. It is nicknamed ‘The Temple of Doom’ by metal fans, and ‘the home of punk’ by its admittedly less creative punk frequenters. It is a true bastion of the Manchester music scene that is set to be wiped off the map and discarded in favour of railway expansion. The beautiful Victorian building and its heritage are hanging over the precipice, the sounds of salivating property investors echoing up from below. Licensee Andy Martin released a plea to defend the property via the Manchester Evening News website in 2014. With the¬ aforementioned railway expansion already set in motion—a product of the Northern Hub redevelopment scheme—the pub was told it would have to close for 36 months. The impossibility of preserving
Top 5... Songs About Space In space, no one can hear you scream about your favourite songs. Mark Holland Contributor
the business for this long without being able to open its doors is obvious. Without customers and without revenue the business would close. With the closure of The Star & Garter, another corner of Manchester will be opened up for redevelopment and the rampant milking of Manchester’s heritage will continue. It will continue to erode the city’s culture until we realise that, like London, the heart has been surgically removed, discarded as if it were squatting in the centre of what is now a cultural wasteland. However, there is another poisonous influence at work that is making the idea of entering the arts all the more impossible, and that is the ever-powerful hand of big business wrapping its fingers around the throat of The Star & Garter and threatening to suck the life out of a powerful and positive influence. It’s easy to scoff at calls to preserve places such as this. “I don’t like punk”. “I don’t like metal”. That’s missing the point. What happens to any small, honest venue matters in the war against attempts to champion financial potential over cultural development. This is a war that anybody with any investment in music - especially new music - should be engaged in. The death of The Star & Garter seems to be set in stone. But, as the curtain comes down on yet another venue, the visibility of independent art in Manchester too takes one step further out of the spotlight.
Brian Eno - ‘Deep Blue Day’
Nicolas Jaar – ‘Space Is Only Noise If You Can See’
Taken from 1983’s Apollo: Atmospheres & Soundtracks, this typically ambient Eno track features no vocals but perfectly encapsulates the stillness and tranquillity of floating through the cosmos.
The space influences are clear throughout Jaar’s 2011 album of the same name. Having previously worked with Eno, this echo-y experimental cut captures the darker and more isolated depths of space.
the Interview Melvins
Buzz Osborne grew up in a town without a record store....so he bought a car, and drove to Seattle. Joe Connell Contributor “I’m never surprised”, says Melvins frontman Buzz Osborne, a.k.a. King Buzzo, sitting across from long-time drummer Dale Crover. “Almost never.” As the pair relaxes backstage, hours away from the penultimate show of their European tour, an impressive musical legacy looms. The band’s thirty two year history covers over twenty studio albums, as well as individual members rubbing shoulders with the likes of Nirvana, Butthole Surfers and Slayer, to name a few. Clearly I was not going to surprise either of them. Regarding their lengthy career, a stretch of time in which most bands complete the burn out/fade away rock and roll narrative, the Melvins offer some advice. “Never have massive success”, Buzz halfjokes, with Dale adding that “we never have-been, so we were never has-beens.” They seem like the fulfilment of a romantic vision of punk, the escapist teenage fantasy most famously embodied by Melvins fan and occasional producer Kurt Cobain. They were never big enough to sell out, but never a critical or commercial failure. Somewhere along the line, the band found a happy balance between paying the bills and making music on their own terms. “People who like our band are probably into weird bands,” Dale adds, keenly aware of the Melvins’ cult status, “we’re not the easiest band to like.” Certainly, the Melvins’ music has a kind of off-kilter, abrasive quality, generally found somewhere between Bleach -esque grunge and weirder types of metal. They’ve influenced Japanese avant-metallers Boris, who take their name from a song off Bullhead, as well as Sunn O))) and Mastodon. And yet, all these name-drops and comparisons scarcely do enough to convey that Melvins sound. They trace this unique sound back to their childhoods in Washington state, Buzz in Montesano, Dale in Aberdeen. Buzz in particular paints the image of a lifelong outsider, growing up in a town without a record store where everybody hated him. He utters the word “rednecks” with an unusually contemptuous tone, mentioning how his love of now-fairly mainstream artists like David Bowie led to him being ostracised. This all changed, however, when Buzz was able to drive, and the legendary Seattle scene was made accessible to him. “I realised that the world I was inhabiting was not the world I wanted to be in”, Buzz laments, “I do not look back fondly on any of that.” When Dale joined the band in 1984, replacing original drummer Mike Dillard, the Melvins moved towards a slower and heavier form of hardcore punk that would become the stylistic basis for grunge. Growing up in a similar isolated environment to Osborne, with only Monkees, Beatles, and Osmond records
“We never have-been, so we were never has-beens”
available via the grocery store, it’s easy to see how the two found a kindred spirit within one another. Their joint love of “weird heavy metal music that nobody knew about” endures to this day, such as in Dale’s roles in sludge and doom outfits Men of Porn and Shrinebuilder, or Buzz taking on lead guitar duties in Fantŏmas. The conversation moves towards the current affairs of the band, including their recent studio album Hold It In , as well as Buzz’s acoustic album This Machine Kills Artists , both released in 2014. Regarding the latter, the pair pass some amusing judgement on the “Nashville Skyline” direction that so many acoustic albums go in. “You know the one thing that every one of these guys does… they get up there with an acoustic guitar and they wear fucking cowboy boots!” Dale is referring to a particular Foo Fighters guitarist, but as neither he nor Buzz can remember his name, I’m saved from being completely embarrassed for the perpetrator in question. Dale and Buzz are right, mind. There is something deeply sinister about the idea of ‘90s alternative rock associates doing acoustic sets of countrified Otis Redding covers in brand spanking new cowboy boots. Safe to say, they promised that nothing of the sort will feature in the Melvins’ future. On one hand, this humour provides a welcome diversion from the band’s somewhat sombre recollection of their youth. However, it also mirrors that righteous strand of bizarre comedy that comes through in the Melvins’ music, the kind of stuff only lifelong anti-redneck punks could come up with. For a brief moment, I feel welcomed into the kind of space they make music in, that irreverent and alternative vibe that anyone who has ever bought a Goo or Nirvana t-shirt can relate to. It’s nice to see that it’s all survived. And then, unsurprisingly, I’m baffled once more. As I get ready to leave, the band, alongside Coady Willis of support band Big Business, begin a rendition of Kiss’ ‘Beth.’ Whatever the hell the Melvins are, I hope they never stop. Hail Dale. Hail Buzzo.
Photo: YouTube User ‘Stav Peleg’
The xx – ‘Stars’
Blur: ‘Thought I Was A Spaceman’
David Bowie – ‘Space Oddity’
Space and the unknown are common themes on The xx’s eponymous debut, often used to represent the wide-eyed innocence of young love, all the time whilst sounding very minimalist and celestial.
A dreamy highlight from this year’s The Magic Whip sees Damon and Graham looking to the stars and imagining a life travelling through the universe as though it was a distant memory.
And what’s a list of songs about space without Bowie? The incredible track is so iconic it was even performed in orbit, by astronaut Chris Hadfield aboard The International Space Station in 2013.
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Review
MGMT: Oracular Spectacular Released Jan 2008 via Columbia
Album
Record Reappraisal
Adam Rogers Contributor
Mid-noughties indie pop was fun while it lasted, but did it really leave anything behind? Jacob BernardBanton thinks not.
Kode9: Nothing 1st October Gorilla
9/10
Scottish-born producer Kode9, real name Steve Goodman, steps up to the plate with his first solo album, Nothing, following the passing of long-time collaborator The Spaceape. The LP comes forward from Goodman’s own London-based label Hyperdub and “revolves around an evacuated, fully automated, luxury hotel known as The Nøtel, whose corporate logo features on the album’s cover.” Nothing opens with ‘Zero Point Energy’, a glitchy short ambient piece full of menace and suspense that hits you with a wall of distortion. It sets the tone perfectly for the album, that – save a few pieces – is teeming with angst and malice. The single ‘Respirator’, released ahead of the album, opens with a jackhammer of a kick drum imported straight from the Chicago Juke/Footwork scene before the song is filtered through Kubrick’s The Shining. The end result is something bludgeoning and truly sinister. There’s little surprise to the extent of Footwork found on Nothing - Hyperdub had signed the late DJ Rashad several years previously and it’s clearly left a lasting impression on Goodman. Tracks like ‘Holo’ and ‘Casimir Effect’ offer some of the more bouncy and melodic moments on the album and are heavily reminiscent of 2011’s Room(s) by American artist Machinedrum. Kode9 also reworks the classic dubstep anthem ‘9 Samurai’ into an epic and unrelenting beatdown of a track in ‘9 Drones’. It’s a track designed for a peak-time sound system in a low ceiling basement, and will be no doubt finishing off many DJ sets to come. Another peak-time moment found on the LP is ‘Zero Work’, arguably the only straight forward dubstep track to be found here. ‘Zero Work’ somehow strikes the balance of coming across as a first-wave style dubstep track while also sounding entirely fresh and progressive. For all the praise this album deserves, it’s haunted by something lingering over the album, something missing - the brooding, syrup-like textures from The Spaceape, Stephen Gordon. The Spaceape passed away late last year following a long standing battle with a rare form of cancer, but can still be found on ‘Third Ear Transmission’, although unfortunately far too briefly. ‘Void’ was also written with the Spaceape in mind, spaces left where his vocals should have been. Nothing is an astounding album that doesn’t really falter, it draws on several genres and styles but Goodman’s filter and twist on every aspect is fresh and interesting. The album flows impeccably as a whole, but all the tracks are so concise and well executed that they work out of context – there’s no flab or filler to be found here.
Upon release, MGMT’s Oracular Spectacular achieved overwhelming levels of hype and praise. It was easy to see why. Its singles were the sort of skewed alt-pop commercial enough to get onto Radio 1. ‘Time to Pretend’ with its Day-Glo industrial synth throb and quirky, trebly keyboard riff was hard to avoid. Equally ubiquitous was the festival-ready, 8-bit pulse of ‘Kids’. However, nowadays, the album is beginning to show its age. What once sounded restlessly creative and mind-altering now sounds clinical and studied. It was easy to succumb to its charm, but now awareness of its liberal pilfering of entrylevel psychedelia staples is hard to quell. All those reverberating echo effects and backwards, phased-out guitars now sound tired and hackneyed. ‘Kids’ comes off more syrupy and chintzy than winning. ‘Weekend Wars’ features Andrew VanWyngarden’s fantastically unsubtle Mick Jagger impression, all wailed vowels and camp inflections on the end of every line – still, the proggy, seesawing chorus
and life-affirming coda are hard not to love. Unfortunately, that dreaded impersonation crops up again on ‘Pieces of What’. ‘The Handshake’ opens superbly but tails off by the end. It sums up the album: a lightweight offering billed as being weirder than it really is. It isn’t all bad, though. ‘Of Moons, Birds & Monsters’ has a strong melody that is undeniably great. The plaintive, marooned guitar hook that closes it adding a beautifully elegiac tone as it wrestles with increasing gusts of chattering, whirring noise. ‘Electric Feel’ is a stone-cold winner, the kind of unashamedly sexy glamfunk that mid-noughties indie seemed to hold in suspicious contempt. It is bold and insanely catchy, less 1960s-indebted psych than slinky, strutting 1980s pop. That aside, the rest of the album feels like two scientists trying their best to replicate, note for note, 1960s-indebted psych. ‘Future Reflections’ flirts with dub, then tosses the idea aside, dissolving into nothingness. There is something odd about how an album so vibrant-sounding can come off quite insipid
Quick Q&A: Drenge
Mark Holland has a chinwag with one half of Drenge, Eoin Loveless. Hello Eoin. How’s tricks? “Hello. Not bad.” How was it recording the new album? I hear Infectious Records was bought out on the day you went into the studio… “Yeah, that actually meant we had, like, 4 months in the studio to record. Which is a luxurious amount of time and one that we’ll never really have again, but it was nice and gave us a lot of freedom and allowed us to really, really take our time.” Undertow seems to have a cinematic feel. What influenced the record? “It’s hard to say. I never really had a specific narrative in mind, but two getaway films, , Gun Crazy and Pierrot Le Fou, found their way in there somehow.” How do you feel about playing The Albert Hall? “So excited. I saw Sleater Kinney here back in March and it was one my favourite ever gigs.” Music venues do seem to be dropping like flies though. Is that something that concerns you? “Deeply. It feels like there’s nothing you can do, there was a signature thing that went round in Sheffield, 20,000 people signed it, there was a march where 900 people went and marched up outside the city hall and it doesn’t matter because the city planners just win at the end of the day. Those buildings will get knocked down and they’ll get turned into flats. It’s shit because I dunno if there’s anything that you can do to combat that sort of stuff, there’s too much power at the end of who decided what goes where.”
Photo: Album Artwork
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So you felt the need to speak up? “There just weren’t many other people that were going to stand up for a particular block of buildings that had been really important in mine and Rory’s cultural upbringing. I think we’re at a stage now where people can’t do anything and I feel like the voice of protest and shouting against something is being diminished and ridiculed and that’s really scary.” So do you think there’s a lack of politics in music nowadays? “It’s always just a cheap thing being thrown at musicians that there aren’t any more political songs. I don’t think people need to listen about that sort of stuff in songs; they need to be much more well informed. There’s more important stuff that you can do as a musician to allow people to relate to something than going y’know ‘conservatives are awful’, everyone knows that. There’s no surprises in political song writing anymore.”
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Photo: Album Artwork
at times. It would be unfair to retroactively compare Oracular Spectacular to Tame Impala’s thrilling kaleidoscopic rock or other exponents of modern psychedelia. In fact, you needn’t cite a recent example to illustrate the album’s shortcomings. Animal Collective’s colourful, astonishing and highly-acclaimed Merriweather Post Pavilion arrived a year later in 2009, but it sounds timeless. Looking back, Oracular Spectacular passes muster as a spirited but unremarkable effort.
2015 Mercury Prize: The Nominations A force for good or ill? That’s a discussion for next week’s opinion column. For now, Rob Paterson muses on this year’s picks.
Photo: mercuryprize.com
Aphex Twin: Syro This is a pretty solid come back from a seminal artist, but I have a huge problem with it being on this list. The reason, simple: IT DIDN’T COME OUT IN 2015. Benjamin Clementine: At Least For Now Theatrical, layered and intense, his music is like a constant bond theme. Move over Sam Smith; I don’t see your nomination. C Duncan: Architect Gentle, ethereal and largely acoustic. Somehow, C Duncan wears these labels and sounds distinctive. Eska: Eska This one’s a nightmare for categorisation. Incorporating elements of soul, jazz and folk, it’s certainly a distinctive debut. Florence + the Machine: How Big How Blue How Beautiful The token pop album. It’s her second nomination, but where last time saw her as the outside favourite, she enters the 2015 race having just headlined Glastonbury. Don’t get your hopes up Flo. Gaz Coombes: Matador New records from long established artsists rarely win, but a cursory listen to his glitchy solo effort showed that it’s not the derivative blast from the past you might expect from a brit-pop star. Ghost Poet: Shedding Skin This part poet, part rapper, part singer has seen a nomination before, but I wasn’t hopeful the first time around. Neither his idiosyncratic style nor level of popularity has developed much since; you do the maths. Jamie xx: In Colour Here’s the sweet spot between indie-cool and popular that I always predict to win… and almost never does. Rosin Murphy: Hairless Toys Think Bjork at a disco or The Knife after slight sedation. I know who I’m backing. Slaves: Are You Satisfied? Sleaford Mods must be fuming. The Mercury have a disposition to nominate artsy, genre-fusing stuff, so usually pick a straight up rock act to composite. But is this vacuous punk duo the best they could come up with? Soak: Before We Forget How To Dream It tickels the same sensibilities as C Duncan, but demands latte sipping levels of attention. She’s obviously way more popular and likely to win than he is, because I’m always wrong and there’s no justice in the world. Wold Alice: My Love Is Cool NME must be having a field day! Along with Slaves, this puts two of their over-hyped pedlars of average on the list.
Games 15
ISSUE 5 / 19th OCTOBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Feature
Play Expo 2015
This years Manchester Play Expo has come and gone but what did Jasmin Tiyur think of one of the north’s biggest gaming events? Read on to find out. This year, I went to Manchester’s EventCity to experience Play Expo 2015. An annual event that brings together game lovers from all around the country, Play Expo lived up to the hype of previous years whilst still bringing something different this time around. Play Expo 2015 was all about the indiegaming experience. Although there were many games on display from the established markets, the indie games were the ones that really stood out from the crowd. That’s not to say some of the mainstream titles weren’t good. I dabbled briefly in playing Dark Souls 3 for the PlayStation 4. The game itself was beautiful, the graphics were crisp and the gameplay was definitely both engaging and lived up to the difficulty of its predecessors. However, as someone who has never personally been a die-hard fan of the series, having only really played the first one, the game seemed to play almost identically to the first. There was nothing unique that I could pick from it that made it stand out from my previous experience of the series. Dark Souls was the only non-indie game that I played before the indie games quickly took over. The first of these was a third person shooter called Beyond Flesh and Blood. The game is available on PC, however it will also soon be available for Xbox One and
Photo: Play Expo
PlayStation 4. Those who were at last year’s Play Expo may recognise the title as it also made an appearance there. However, for 2015, the game made a comeback with a far more polished design. For those who are less familiar, the game is set in a post-apocalyptic recreation of Manchester. This for me became quite entertaining as I quickly began to notice landmarks from the demo area that were familiar to me. However, as far as third person shooters go the game is quite generic. Its appeal lay mostly in the familiar setting and the fact that it also supports the Oculus Rift. Being able to engage with a virtual reality headset and play the game with a new dimension is always a bonus for any gamer, however it did not necessarily make the game itself any better. In any case, I was only able to play for about 5 minutes with Oculus Rift before I began to feel slightly light-headed and had to move on! The next game that caught my attention was a Mario Kart style game called Coffin Dodgers, in which players play as elderly characters who are on the run from death. Yes, it was just as funny as it sounds, however the AI did not do it any justice. It was disappointing that the demo itself had so many flaws, such as being impossible to beat on later courses. Certain promised aspects of the game, such as items, were also not working. However, hopefully we can assume that whatever feedback is taken for the game will be implemented as this quirky racing game has a lot of potential. Personally, I think this will be the case as game representatives were on hand to provide an insight into the game’s features that were not part of the demo, such as the upgrading and customisation of your scooters. The last game I played was a Minecraft style, free-to-play MMO title called SkySaga, although categorising the game with the other Minecraft clones
Photo: The Mancunion
would be greatly devaluing the game as a whole. From the very start, it is quite evident that a lot of passion had been put into the game with no assets being taken from Minecraft itself. The game is completely unique in all regards, from the models, the textures and the objectives. Within the gameplay there are three pathways that can be undertaken: exploring and questing a procedurally generated world which requires the use of gem keys to access; house management through which you can decorate and expand your own personal island; and the coliseum which makes up the PvP section of the game that is crucial to traditional MMOs. However, as is the case with any free-to-play MMO, micro-transactions will most definitely play a major part in the game. Although this was not too evident in the demo, there were instances that I noted in which the gaming experience could be sped up or made better through the use of realworld money, such as farming for gem keys, and I’m sure these instances will become more embedded as the game develops further. Besides these three ‘major’ indie titles,
I would like to briefly write about two smaller titles that I believe are worth mentioning: City of the Shroud and Sokos. The former is a strategy RPG much like the Final Fantasy Tactics and Fire Emblem series but with realtime action and even a stamina meter thrown in. The game seems to require a lot of micro-management and quick thinking skills, however it has the potential to be a fun and successful strategy RPG once finished, especially as it also offers a nice multiplayer touch. The second game, Sokos, is essentially a cross between Portal and Lemmings. You play as a creature called Soko who has the ability to create portals - you enter the green ones and exit the purple ones. Once these portals have been set, Soko runs freely through them without the player’s control, therefore adding a dimension of difficulty to the game as the portals must be laid out for Soko to run through them successfully. The overall gameplay was enjoyable and the level designs were good for the most part. The introductory world was great and engaging as it taught the in game mechanics without the need for text boxes. Both of these games are available on mobile platforms as well
Plants Vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2
Connor McBride played Plants Vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 at this years Gamescom. Read on to hear his thoughts.
Photo: Photo: PopCap Games, Electronic Arts Inc.
Photo: The Mancunion
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Photo: Photo: PopCap Games, Electronic Arts Inc.
as PC, with Soko looking to be greenlighted for release on Steam. Besides the gaming experience, there was much more to be seen and enjoyed. Browsing around the stalls I came across a lot of retro and arcade type games such as pinball machines and lines of cabinets and consoles. On the Saturday this area was far too busy to enjoy however on Sunday it was less packed and I tried my hand at some classic games such as Donkey Kong, Popeye and Pac-Land. There were also card games being played including Magic and Yu-GiOh! as well as a merchandise and memorabilia section. There was plenty to buy as there was something for everyone. I found myself spending a lot of time just window shopping as well as buying the odd game here and there. And, of course, no gaming convention would be complete without cosplay and Play Expo was no exception. There were contests held on both days for the best cosplays and there were a lot of participants! The overall experience at Play Expo 2015 was definitely one to remember and I am confident that I will be back again for 2016!
Did you watch E3 this year? Do you remember during the EA conference the man in the oversized mascot costume and how absolutely no one applauded? That pretty much sums up Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2, a game that, like an ageing rock star or the Numa Numa guy, tries too hard to stay relevant and funny. When PvZ:GW2 was on the EA stage, people quickly flocked to find something more interesting. Like Guitar Hero: Live. Or Farming Simulator 2016. PvZ: GW2 is a third person shooter where you can play as either Plants or Zombies in 6 fun (their word, not mine) online game modes against up to 24 other players. There is a huge selection
of characters to choose from, divided into 14 classes. There is something for everyone! In theory, at least. The main thing they were showing off at Gamescom, however, was the 4 player cooperative modes where you play as either Plants or Zombies defending objectives from the waves of Zombies or Plants. It sounds simple enough; you find 3 friends, fire up the Xbox One and spend a good evening playfully yelling banter at each other while playing as a bunch of fruits. However for that to work the game has to be good. It committed the cardinal sin of being a bit boring and, well, lifeless. This sentiment was shared by all the
other people I saw leave the stand early. The real challenge was not surviving the waves of enemies, it was seeing how long you could play for before someone suggested something more interesting. It seems to me that EA want to reinvent a franchise that really did not need reinventing. At release I’m really not expecting much from this title. I am envisioning long queue times because you have to wait for 24 other players and a co-op mode you only play when you need something to base a drinking game off. But please, EA, prove me wrong.
Photo: UoM Gaming Society
Do you think you have what it takes to be the best gamer around? Then come and prove it at the University of Manchester Gaming Societies’ annual Gauntlet event. At this event, players will compete in 3 mystery games that will put all of their skills to the test. Admission is only £1 and the winner will recieve a cash prize at the end of it. Even if you do not feel confident in your skills, you should still come down and play some games anyway. It will be a fun event and you could get a new favourite game from this. The event will take place at Whitworth Park halls student bar, the Grove, found opposite the Oxford road Mcdonalds. Doors will be open from 7:30pm and the event will start at 8:00pm. We hope to see you there! /gamingsociety
Fashion & Beauty
16
ISSUE 5 / 19th OCTOBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Fashion & Beauty 17
ISSUE 5 / 19th OCTOBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Fashion in Film
Feature
Opinion
Phoebe Nickalls Contributor
Dark lipstick: Purple is the new black Villainous Vogue The big costume debate: Sexy VS scary
High Street Hallowe’en
Beauty
First up, we’ve got Revlon’s Super Lustrous Lipstick in ‘Va Va Violet’. This is a great all-nighter lipstick, so you won’t have to worry about topping up too much. This lipstick is perfect for darker skin tones, paired with some gentle contouring and simple eye make-up. You can grab this for just £7.99 in Superdrug, and with 3 for 2 on lipsticks, why not jump on the lippy bandwagon?
We love Hallowe’en. It’s one of the only times of the year that we can dress up as pretty much anything we want. Add some fake blood and voila! You have a pretty cool Hallowe’en costume! For the less creative amongst you, we have scoured the high street up and down searching for the best Hallowe’en-inspired items. Most of them you can even wear when it’s not October 31st…we won’t tell! ASOS Our first selection of picks is from our old favourite, ASOS. These cobweb leggings (£18) are a great start for any Halloween costume. Add some fancy makeup and you’re done. It’s scarily simple. If you’re going somewhere smarter, this cat dress (£25) will be sure to impress, and if you feel like incorporating the holiday spirit into your everyday wardrobe, these ballet slippers (£25) will add a hint of fun wherever you go! For the men amongst us, the skeleton onesie (£28) makes for a hassle-free and stylish costume; you can even wear it around the house when it starts to get cold! The Mancunion Fashion and Beauty: Helping students save money on their heating. You’re welcome.
Photos: Topshop
Topshop If Topshop is your go-to, then why not take your pick from their spooky selection this Hallowe’en. This skeleton dress (£28) can be dressed up or down and would suit most Halloween parties. If you are looking for the perfect accessory to finish off your costume, why not go for this spider choker (£5) to complete your look. Or, if you’re not going out but still want to embrace the day, these cute bat socks (£3) are an easy way to add some Halloween spookiness to your everyday wardrobe. And lastly, no Hallowe’en night out would be complete without several people dressed as cats! These sparkly cat ears (£7.50) will do perfectly…
Photos: ASOS
Boohoo We were really impressed with Boohoo’s Hallowe’en selection this year. For a full fancy-dress outfit, look no further than their Zombie Cheerleader Dress (£25): an affordable way to go all out! We also love the Trick or Treat Midi Dress (£15) for an understated Halloween look. If you loved the leggings from our ASOS selection, why not pair them with this Skeleton Crop Top (£12). It even glows in the dark! And lastly, for the guys who want to go out for Hallowe’en, but don’t want to completely dress up, this Skull Top (£8) is a wearable way to smash the look!
Photos: Boohoo
Kassi Allcock Head Fashion Editor
Perisha Kudhail Contributor
Photos: Paramount Pictures
Sarah Kilcourse Contributor With Halloween just around the corner, it’s time to start picking out your costume. Generally, there are two categories for female costume: Sexy or scary. By scary, what I really mean is ‘funny’, and by sexy what I really mean is ‘naked’. Take Cady Heron’s famous ‘ex-wife’ in Mean Girls. It’s definitely not scary, but it is amusing—mainly because she’s the only one who’s not naked. Don’t worry, I’m not here to write a judgemental article telling you off for choosing to wear more or less clothes than you normally would; all I ask is that you do try to wear some form of costume. Fancy dress is just good fun, and university is one of the best opportunities to let loose and dress like an absolute loon.
If you’re going to go down the sexy route, the high street has an array of options available on the cheap: cat, devil, and skeleton; all of these are popular Hallowe’en costumes that you can still look hot in. Or, if you already have worthy but un-stereotypical Hallowe’en attire, get some fake blood and scary contact lenses and you’ll be good to go. The scary route is also wonderfully cheap; the main benefits, in my opinion, are the extra warmth and comfort. However, according to my flatmate, you can achieve funny and sexy very easily—the pumpkin. You can get your legs out, but be comfortable and comical in a big round pumpkin suit!
Mens
TOP TIP: To check how a lipstick colour will look on you, use the skin in between your thumb and palm to test. This will be a closer match to your face than using the back of your hand.
Photo: Revlon
Next up is Mac’s Heroine Lipstick. This is fab for that extra oomph in your autumn makeup, with the purple shade especially matching with pale tones. This dark lipstick can speak for itself; just a few coats of mascara will be more than enough of a supporting act for this number. Get down to Selfridges and grab this must-have for just £15.50. TOP TIP: Try outlining the Cupid’s bow with a white lip liner to add ‘two tone’ to your lips.
Barry M’s Burgundy Lip Stain is a great date choice. Have as many drinks as you like and not worry about your lippy disappearing. This pick is great for people with dark eyes, to further unleash the colour. Team up with burgundy nails and you’re good to go. At only £4.49 from Boots, you can’t deny it’s an essential this season. Treat yourself to both the nail colour and lipstick for £7.00 with Boots offers. TOP TIP: Why not try using a slightly darker lip liner to accentuate your lips.
Photo: MAC
Photo: Barry M
Our next contender, Rimmel Kate Lipstick in ‘107’, is great for most skin tones. It is the perfect shade and formula for all year round. Try to mix this up by experimenting with different lip pencils for fill-in and outline. For a stand out dark lip, try a dark purple outline filled in with this dark red. A great buy for a superb look at only £5.49 from Superdrug. TOP TIP: Make sure you blot glossier lipsticks so you don’t get unnecessary shine.
Photo: Rimmel
And finally, how could we do Hallowe’en right without the classic Black—Barry M’s Lip Paint in ‘Black’. Even if it’s just for one night, use Hallowe’en as an excuse to whack out those dark smackers. Experimenting seems reasonable for only £4.49 from Superdrug. Barry M’s Lip Paint in ‘Black’ is a unique addition to your makeup box. TOP TIP: Always outline and fill in the lips with lip liner to make a dark colour last for longer.
Photo: Barry M
Trends
Top 5: Alternative Men’s Hallowe’en costumes Accessories: The Halloween Edit Millie Kershaw Beauty Editor
Kathryn Murray Fashion Editor
For the facial hair-cultivators: Alan and Baby Carlos
The end of October has crept up on us again and the time is ticking for you to knock up a vague excuse for a Hallowe’en costume. Maybe you want to break the mould this year and swim against the relentless current of ripped t-shirts and halfhearted zombie makeup. Maybe you don’t fancy blowing your loan on an ensemble you’re probably only going to wear once. Here are some original options for this Halloween that won’t leave your bank balance screaming in fright…
If you’re going for the comedy value at Halloween, this is sure to be a winning look from The Hangover. Source the toy baby and carrier from a younger sibling or the toy section of a pound shop and you’re good to go. A fake beard can be purchased at the wearer’s discretion. You will need: A toy baby with a baby carrier, two pairs of sunglasses, a fake beard (if applicable)
For the suit-wearers: Shia LeBoeuf
For the sportsmen: Banksy’s Flower Chucker Fancy dress doesn’t have to be fancy, no need to change out of your sports kit for this one. Don some black trackies, a hoodie, a cap and wrap a scarf around your face. Source some real or fake flowers and even apply some white face paint to exposed skin for a finishing touch. Strike the pose and you’ll be easily recognisable and highly commended for your artistic flair. You will need: A black tracksuit, hat, scarf, a bunch of flowers, white makeup (optional)
If you want to get one more wear out of your dinner jacket and bowtie this year than just your graduation ball this summer, try this slightly creepy look that epitomises the ‘minimum effort, maximum effect’ idea. This unforgettable LeBoeuf episode took place at the Berlin Film Festival last year, and is promising to be a thoroughly timeless look. You will need: a suit, a paper bag, a marker pen
Photo: MyModernMet
For the group costume lovers: The Zombie England Rugby Team
Photo: nathaninsandiego@Flickr
For the DIY-ers: The Shining
Can’t face not doing a collaborative fancy dress with your mates this year? Here’s one option that thankfully isn’t The Smurfs. A slightly more current variation on the zombie theme, dust off your England rugby shirts that you’ve probably stashed away in disgrace and go as the walking dead England rugby team. All in all quite a plausible costume idea, as Robshaw et al have all probably died of shame…
A bit of forward planning and a spare cardboard box or two will help you recreate this classic movie moment. Cut a head-shaped hole in the middle of the cardboard, and some holes to loop the string through so that you can wear it like a mask. To finish, draw on some authentic wood-like markings and of course that famous quote: “Here’s… Johnny!”
Photo: Manu Chávez @Flickr
You will need: some cardboard, scissors, string, a marker pen, an axe (optional)
Photo: courtarro@Flickr
You will need: Friends, an England rugby shirt, shorts, socks, face paint
Don’t want to go all-out for Hallowe’en but want your outfit to acknowledge the scary theme? Hallowe’en comes around every year. Yet we never seem prepared. Strange, huh? If you are like me and don’t want to commit to buying a full-on outfit, only to wear it once every year, then accessories are a great option!
Feet Bit of a weird one I know, but an outfit is from head to toe after all! Everyone has that go-to LBD, or even an LBS (little black skirt, in case you were wondering). Stick this on and add some witch tights (£8 from ASOS) and the job’s a good’un. ASOS also does these spider web tights for £8, or if you are feeling super stylish, why not try these Cobweb Heeled Mules for £45. Because shoes always fit.
so well. If these are a bit tame for you, why not go for some fingerless gloves... with cobwebs (ASOS: £7)! Jazzy.
Maleficent There is no denying it—Angelina Jolie’s cheek bone game was on point throughout the whole of the 2014 film release of Maleficent. With her ghostly pale complexion, her oxblood lips, and her sassy purple cape, nobody could look quite so stylish whilst being a… well… maleficent villain. The most fearsome feature of her entire look is her glistening set of teeth, almost blinding her victims as she cackles her menacing laugh.
The Joker
Photo: warriorpoet@Flickr
This crazy woman is an absolute style icon for every villain everywhere. I mean, just look at her! Literally wearing her victims in the form of a fur coat, evil resides in her bones. She takes monochrome to another level, travelling all the way up to her hairdo. Although her look is both sleek and fierce, I can’t help but think about how much upkeep her ‘do’ must need…
Bit of bling
Photo: Claire’s Accessories Photo: Topshop
If you actually just want to go on a night out but it happens to coincide with Halloween, a bit of jewellery is a great way to add spook to your outfit. ASOS sells a Suzywan glitter bat necklace for £20. Glitter? I am sold. Or maybe try some horny hair clips which are easy-peasy to use, and are sequined. Oh ASOS, you know me
Photo: rwoan@Flickr
Corpse Bride
Photos: ASOS
Photos: ASOS
Although not the epitome of glamour in his prison uniform, The Joker’s usual attire of an eccentric purple suit and faded green locks definitely has flare. His gruesome make up could easily be recreated for any Halloween villain look—simply grab yourself a paint palette that includes white, red, and black. When drawing on your elongated smile, make sure to fashion yourself a few fake scars. He wouldn’t be The Joker without cracking a funny or two about how he got his creepy smile.
Cruella De Vil
Face This is one of the only nights you can go crazy with your makeup and not care if you accidentally give yourself a black-eye instead of a smokey-eye! Luckily, the range of decorative face products has drastically improved over the last few years. Take this Orelia ‘Sparkle stars’ Halloween face tattoo. You can find it on ASOS for £5 and it looks great! Metallic tattoos are on trend, and will look great with any outfit! Want to be a bit more traditional with your face decorating? Why not invest in this face paint kit for £12 from Claire’s? Pumpkin, Zombie, Vampire, Cat, anything is possible with this palette. If you dab a bit of paint or apply a face tattoo, you are guaranteed to be Hallowe’en-ready.
Photo: randar@Flickr
All of these accessories would make any outfit scream Hallowe’en! The hard part is to decide what to go for… If all else fails, Sainsbury’s in Fallowfield has a selection of halloween products for salewhich could be perfect for that last minute dash. They definitely sell bed sheets for that perennial favourite, the ghost. Or another option can be black bin bags, which generate a wealth of halloween costume possibilities.
Photo: losmininos@Flickr
Although not technically a villain, the eerie feeling surrounding all Tim Burton productions feels pretty villainous to me. What better way to spend Halloween than painted blue from head to toe, wearing a torn, dirty wedding dress? It even gives you an excuse to apply your favourite vampy lipstick! Get your boyfriend/best guy friend involved by dressing him as Johnny Depp’s character, Victor Van Dort, and pass by all of the green-eyed monsters wishing they were you—the most stylish couple in the room.
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Film
18
ISSUE 5 / 19th OCTOBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
TV Binge
Feature
This Is England ‘90 Shane Meadows’ award winning drama returns for a final season, stronger than ever
Hollywood’s Relationship with Hippies Does Hollywood negatively stereotype hippies? In 1969, Charles Manson and his gang of acid-addled followers were arrested and put on trial for an assortment of gruesome crimes. To many, this spelled the end of the era of free-love and innocence, which, for many, remains the defining factor of the hippie movement. In the same year, Dennis Hopper contributed the counter-culture classic Easy Rider to the New Hollywood canon, a film that delves into the darker elements of the non-conformists of the 1960s. Hopper himself plays Billy. A twitchy, swarthy fiend who bears more than a passing resemblance to Manson. Additionally, the struggling Hippie commune
visited by the film’s protagonists suggests that whatever promise the Hippie movement once held…was never truly realised. Interestingly, one of the most damning portrayals of 1960s Bohemia comes from a comparably white-bread film; 1994’s Forrest Gump. In Forrest Gump, director Robert Zemeckis suggests that Forrest’s childhood friend, Jenny, is only drawn towards the flower-child lifestyle because it offers her a superficial escape from the traumas that she has suffered, only for her be sucked into a world of drug-addiction, further abuse and, finally, fatal disease. Easy Rider, at least, takes the time to explore the allure of free-love, drugs and communal living, as well as the darker side of perpetual rebellion. Forrest Gump, on the other hand, dismisses the entirety of the counter-culture movement as empty hedonism.
Jake Sanders & Izabella Kerr Contributors
The presentation of hippies as figures claiming to be enlightened, whilst secretly harbouring few interests beyond physical pleasure is also a stereotype that has endured throughout several films. They range from the sinister, such as Martha Marcy May Marlene, that presents a commune that promises an escape from the banalities of ordinary life through sex and companionship but functions as little more than a masquerade to keep John Hawkes’ cult leader sexually gratified. David Wain’s Wanderlust features a more comedic version of the same sort of concept, with Justin Theroux’s long-haired, far-out charmer proving to be a materialistic fraud. Thus, regardless of tone, Hollywood seems unable to resist perpetrating the same negative ideas about hippies that have persisted for decades.
Photo: Netflix
Photo: 20th Century Fox
Photo: Warner Bros.
Photo: Channel 4
Jack Lunn Film Critic The latest – and rumoured to be final – instalment of Shane Meadows’s hard-hitting mini-series adaptation of the 2006 film moves into a new decade. One that saw the end of Margaret Thatcher’s hegemonic grip over the United Kingdom. A buoyant wave of optimism struck the nation, and this is the context in which the This is England ’90 opens: through a now-standard stock-footage opening montage that is backed by a soundtrack—the timelessly anthemic ‘There She Goes’ by The La’s. England is certainly dreaming, yet this is no fairytale story. It is clear that whilst some things have changed over the two years separating this series with its predecessor, the northern backdrop remains as tough an environment as ever. Central figure of the film, Shaun is struggling to come to terms with a break up, whilst his ex is seemingly at ease with her new life. Woody and Lol, the power couple of the series, are trying to build a stable suburban backdrop within which to raise their children, but for family interference and a certain ghost from the past. Though, in this series the biggest hardship is felt by Lol’s sister, Kelly, who falls into a bottomless spiral of hard substance abuse. This certainly makes for uncomfortable viewing. Her steep descent is exposed at a party in the woods, which ultimately turns sinister and provides possibly the most uneasy-but-transfixing moment of ’90, in a series which is more than full of them. The drama is brutal and could be crushing viewing if it weren’t for the brilliant comedic moments interspersed throughout the series. The returning Flip (of “fuck off with your ginger chips, Shaun” fame) from the ’86 series provides priceless moments. Clad in the garb of a Def Leppard tribute act and as brash as ever, one scene sees Flip buy a whole £1’s worth of weed, to which he compares himself to “Antonio Montana”. Most of the gang are as on form as ever, especially in the case of Woody, who has inevitably fallen slightly behind with the new sounds of the rave culture, but is still able to give a hilarious effort at an onomatopoeic rendition of the immortal main riff of The Stone Roses’ ‘Fool’s Gold’. But, one of this mini-series’ biggest charms is that, after all of the previous content, you feel as though you are watching a group of your mates going about their lives. You give a shit if they are having a bad night, whilst you laugh along with all of their jokes. Should this be the last series, Meadow’s has definitely ended strongly, with arguably the best series yet, and although it could be seen that the arcs of some characters have been neatly rounded off, further episodes would be more than welcome from a show unparalleled in current British TV.
Photo: Channel 4
Or has the free love era been more influential to filmmakers? Conversely, the hippie movement produced some of the best music of the past century, with many iconic figures being immortalised through film. Perhaps the most popular is Michael Wadleigh’s 1970 documentary Woodstock. Wadleigh’s work was met with critical acclaim, and nominated for two Academy Awards. While it is somewhat unconventional in that it is a documentary, not a drama, these prestigious award nominations indicate a high appreciation for the hippie movement, be it in regards to their music, aesthetics or values.
Indeed, the date of this piece, and the fact that the nominations were from years ago, may suggest that recently the relationship between Hollywood and the Hippie may have soured; however, the fact that in 1996 it was chosen for preservation by the National Film Registry in America negates this, proving that a positive relationship between Hollywood and the Hippie has endured the test of time. Whilst the characters of Baz Luhrman’s 2001 film Moulin Rouge! are not hippies of the long-haired, unwashed, protestingagainst-nuclear-weapons variety, Luhrman’s characters most definitely indulge in the Bohemian lifestyle. The majority of them are willing to sacrifice everything for their art, and furthermore, Christian and Satine
– the protagonists – are willing to sacrifice everything, including their art, for love. It can be argued that love was at the epicentre of the hippie movement, and thus, Luhrman’s film presents hippie sensibilities within Hollywood, and indeed presents them in a positive light. These characters do not fall into the aforementioned negative stereotypes, yet the influence of the hippies can still be seen within them. Hollywood is rife with films that celebrate and appreciate this popular subculture. To claim that these characters are consistently dismissed as stereotypical and undesirable tropes is to overlook the rich culture and revolutionary ideals that the Hippies provided—whether it is by viewing them as clichés or disregarding their influence.
Classic Review
My Own Private Idaho
Gus Van Sant’s My Own Private Idaho never fails to be beautiful at any given moment Joe Hunt Contributor Almost everything about My Own Private Idaho has a sense of beauty about it, no matter how distorted that beauty may be. That’s what strikes me every time I watch it; a sense of beauty, but also a huge amount of sadness. The film follows two male prostitutes named Mike (River Phoenix) and Scott (Keanu Reeves) as they roam through various settings, situations, strangers’ bedrooms and abandoned hotels. Mike comes from poverty, living in a broken home, and also suffers from narcolepsy; while Scott is a runaway and son of the mayor of Portland, Oregon. They come from two very different worlds, and this is reflected in the way that the story is told. It does not have any sort of obvious plot, but is instead a collage of strange moments and different textures. Director Gus Van Sant’s arthouse background is very clearly shown in this particular movie, with strange vignettes set on the covers of porno mags and a lilting western soundtrack which also contains the Pogues. As a film, it feels strangely like flicking through a photo album, yet there is a cohesion to it. The central theme is the idea of home and what it means to someone who was raised without one. This is exemplified by Mike’s desperate search for it, particularly for his long lost mother. Indeed, Mike’s desire for a mother could be described as at least one half of the plot. I say half because My Own Private
Photo: Fine Line Features
Idaho was not based on one script, but two, along with a short story—all written by Gus Van Sant. While I would say Mike’s story is the crux of the film (and that’s probably because it is the most enchanting), Keanu Reeves’ side of things adds a whole other layer. The second script was not completely original, but is instead based on Shakespeare’s Richard III. This means that the film suddenly meanders into a strange sort of Shakespearean dialogue, complete with a sense of tragedy and characters of fools and princes. It is so odd, you watch the film expecting a film full of dirt, sex and drugs—but instead are left with this meandering mishmash of styles, settings and Shakespeare. I’ve read some
reviews which found this aspect of the film jarring and thus unconvincing, but I found it quite the opposite. The film is tied together not by its plot, but by this strange melancholic dream like feeling that you’re left with long after it’s finished. Due to Mike’s narcolepsy he may collapse at any point in his home, eye lids twitching into a sleep complete with grainy home movies and family houses falling from the sky. And when he wakes up, he may be where he was left—on a road in the middle of Idaho, or he may be in Italy. What is so incredible as a viewer is that you are completely taken along for the journey, despite its almost hallucinatory strangeness. That’s what makes it such a beautiful watch.
Film 19
ISSUE 5 / 19th OCTOBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Review
The Walk
Top 5 Aside from outstanding visuals in the final act, The Walk is largely a bore that drags along at the titular pace
James Moules Head Film Editor Allow me to begin by saying this – the film’s depiction of Philippe Petit’s highwire walk between the Twin Towers (from which it gets its rather bland title) is every bit as terrifying and visually stunning as you’ve heard. The brilliant use of 3D and IMAX for the sequence would make even the hardiest of souls feel unbearably vertiginous. And I’m pleased to be able to report this, because it’s just about the only thing I can say in The Walk’s defence. Many viewers will already be familiar with the story at hand from James Marsh’s 2008 documentary Man on Wire, and this is the film on the subject that I would recommend with a banner raised high. That film never failed to be engaging at any moment. The Walk, on the other hand, forces us to toil through what many will deem the ‘boring bits’ before we get our £10 worth. A whole half-hour of the film’s two hour runtime is dedicated to Petit’s backstory, in which he goes through the highs and lows of starting out as a circus performer. He rises, he falls, he brushes himself down and he tries again. This kind of narrative is nothing new and adds little to the story. Even Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s charming narration cannot save the first quarter of the film from feeling like nothing more than flab. There are many angles from which this story could have been approached. The film’s first few minutes offer us a promising set up when Philippe Petit (Joesph Gordon-Levitt) tells us that he does not fear death, and that risking everything on this high-wire stunt is his idea of life. A character study of such a daredevil
Highlighted here are our top five performances over the last five years - shamefully, the Academy opted not to nominate any of the protagonists for Best Actor 5) Joaquin Phoenix – Her While credit does lie with the Oscarwinning script, it is, however, Joaquin Phoenix who manages to bring sincerity and warmth to a romantic relationship with an operating system. His loneliness and battle to find companionship is something anybody can relate to, but not many actors have brought such believability to this struggle. The moustache alone is enough to validate a spot on this list.
Photo: TriStar Pictures
could have made for a fascinating picture; unfortunately, director Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future, Forrest Gump) ends up deciding to backtrack on this and to make artistry the thematic foundation of The Walk. While this is not an inherently bad idea, the more we hear Petit’s frequent whining about his desire to create a great artistic performance in his moments of crisis of confidence, the more irritating and unsympathetic he becomes. We are supposed to root for this guy to survive his perilous stunt, but his character is too uninteresting for us to really care. Gordon-Levitt does the best he can with what he has, but even the best of actors can’t save a bad script. His questionable – and frankly jarring – attempt at a French accent doesn’t help. Speaking of one-dimensional charac-
ters, I can barely bother to recall the cast of supporting roles in this movie. Petit’s entire team is made up of single trait characters—we have ‘the one who cares about him,’ ‘the crafty one,’ ‘the one who is scared of heights.’ If I were to talk about them for much longer, I feel they would drag me down to their own catastrophic levels of dullness, so I shall leave this point here. The visual spectacle of the film’s final act does deliver a long awaited shift-up in gear, but is it even worth the wait? Okay, we are treated to a few suitably tense sequences when Petit’s crew set up the wire against the clock and the law. Yes, as I have already mentioned, the stunt itself is a visual marvel when experienced in 3D. But these scenes, which total to about forty minutes, are the only worthwhile
parts of the film. I dare say that I would have had a better time if The Walk was just a 3D IMAX short film, focusing solely on the event itself. But Zemeckis’s insistence on bloating the narrative in tedious places makes the experience, as a whole, something of a drag. Much like the high-wire walk itself, this movie feels more like a stunt than anything else. It is a showcase for Zemeckis’s best and worst tendencies. Visual effects: superb. Storytelling: somewhat wanting. As they often say, there is a fine line between genius and madness. Philippe Petit walked precariously along this line. The Walk doesn’t even try to emulate his spirit.
HOME Pick of the Week
Suffragette
Suffragette successfully chronicles the early feminist movement and manages to be both intellectually and emotionally stimulating
Photo: Focus Features
Nadia Cheung Subeditor If you learned anything about women’s suffrage and the militant organisations forged in order to stand for the rights of women in Britain before the First World War, you will know about this story. Carey Mulligan plays Maud Watts, the protagonist. A workingwoman in a laundry service. All that she’s ever known to be, other than a mother and a wife. Living in difficult working conditions under an abusive boss, it comes with fate that she meets Violet
Best Actor Oscar Snubs
Miller (Anne-Marie Duff), an outspoken and proud suffragette who pulls her into the movement. Forced to testify her own working conditions and her life as part of an appeal to convince the government for the vote, she is accepted into the movement and befriends other female activists who fight against the system— literally. On top of that, Helena Bonham Carter stars and plays Edith Ellyn, a chemist, organiser and campaigner for the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU). Her drive for equality pushes her to do such things as orchestrating
secret meetings, plotting action, and building explosives for militant action. She is a highly-valued asset amongst the suffragettes involved. Meryl Streep also has a brief moment on-screen portraying the leader of the suffragette movement, Emmeline Pankhurst, who is in hiding but it is determined to encourage her followers to use “deeds not words”. Set primarily in London, the home of the Houses of Parliament, Suffragette is the first film of its kind to be shot on location, providing a somewhat authentic feel. Though the beginning of this film is quite slow, this is necessary
to illustrate the oppression of women within a patriarchal society. There are several scenes where this patriarchy is so prominent that you just cannot ignore it, and it makes you think about how different elements of British life are now compared to how they were then. In a sense, Suffragette certainly succeeds in getting you emotionally invested. Suffragette is a film that deals not only with the historic details of the suffragettes, but also the emotional aspects, too. For the film’s entirety, you follow Maud and see how her involvement with the WSPU changes her drastically, until she grows from passive and accepting woman to a militant activist fighting for equal rights amongst her peers. I don’t want to give too much away, but what I feel I can say about a film that bases its plot on historical events in the past, is that, if you know about it, then you know very much what will happen in the course of the film. Other than the script being wellwritten and the film being cathartic, it is refreshing to be taken back in time to one of the earliest feminist movements, and to be able to appreciate what women’s suffrage has achieved.
Photo: Columbia Pictures
4) Tom Hanks – Captain Phillips The career of Tom Hanks is littered with exceptional screen roles and he has two Best Actor Oscars to prove it. Nevertheless, he can still feel aggrieved that he was not nominated as the titular Captain Phillips, in what is arguably his strongest performance of the last 15 years. The final scene alone demonstrates this; he is overcome with trauma and breaking down in a devastating release of emotion. 3) Ryan Gosling – Blue Valentine Ryan Gosling has been nominated once before for his turn as a drug abusing teacher in Half Nelson, and most definitely deserved a second nod as one half of a fractured relationship. Gosling’s work in Blue Valentine is among his finest, bringing an honesty and brutality as a husband/father failing to hold onto those whom he loves.
Photo: Open Road Films
2) Jake Gyllenhaal – Nightcrawler As time passes, Jake Gyllenhaal’s portrayal of bug-eyed reporter Lou Bloom will only grow in stature to the point where it will be assumed that he must have been nominated. Gyllenhaal brings a deep level of commitment and intensity, which mirrors the character’s single minded determination for success. This is reflected in his desire to lose 30 pounds for the role to create a ‘hunger’ within him. 1) Michael Fassbender – Shame It’s abundantly clear that the explicit material within Shame alienated the more elderly members of the Academy. What they neglected to see was the film’s study of a damaged soul and the sheer number of layers Michael Fassbender had embedded into his pained character. This is a haunting performance showcasing a man riddled with addiction, and he is one of the greatest in committing himself to a film. Imran Bukhari Film Critic
Books
20
ISSUE 5 / 19th OCTOBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Review
The future’s bright for YA novels Elizabeth Gibson gives an insight into Young Adult literature in her four YA novel reviews
Young Adult books are typically aimed at 16 to 26-year-olds but many are perfectly accessible to other adults. As an aspiring author of YA novels I try to keep my finger on the pulse of current trends and rising stars in the genre via Twitter, Goodreads and other social media. I rarely buy new books, preferring to wait and get them from the library or second-hand; however, this summer I was given an Amazon voucher and had my first ever—and probably last ever—“book haul”. My selection covered several genres and included four recent YA books. Through them I aim to give you a glimpse of the current YA scene on both sides of the pond. If you are new to YA or not really sure of what the term means then I hope you enjoy learning about this diverse and constantly evolving genre. 1. We Were Liars – E. Lockhart (US) This tale of rich and foolish young things was marketed in that irresistible but potentially destructive way: Can you guess the massive plot twist? This, of course, is not a good idea unless the twist is both impressive and well-hidden. It was well-hidden but not that impressive: the same thing or similar has been seen many times before. However, the setting, an island near Martha’s Vineyard, was vividly described and the sense of impending doom made me quite jumpy at times. If you don’t see
frequently seems much younger. We watch her try to function over the year following her mother’s death in childbirth—the “rat” of the title is her baby sister. It’s as moving as you would expect, albeit with a gratuitous and slightly annoying romance thrown in.
Photo: vblibrary@Flickr
the ending coming I can guarantee you will flick back to the beginning to read at least some of the book with new eyes. 2. Solitaire – Alice Oseman (UK) This novel caused a storm for having been written by a seventeen-year-old. As a young writer myself I followed Alice’s story and when my copy finally reached me—I was studying in Spain at the time—I connected to the story instantly. It’s unique among novels I’ve read in that it depicts a modern British sixth form realistically, no doubt because Alice was attending one when she wrote it. There are so
many references that Brits of my generation (90s kids) will get but probably no-one else will. Even if you don’t, it’s very readable, especially if you’re somewhere hot and fancy being transported to a freezing UK winter. 3. The Year of the Rat – Clare Furniss (UK) I remember when this first came out I fell in love with the artsy purple dust jacket. Sadly the paperback, which is what I ended up with, is more ordinary. The important thing, of course is the story, which is pretty good. However, for me there was a major issue with age: the main character, Pearl, is supposed to be 16 but
4. I’ll Give You the Sun – Jandy Nelson (US) This was probably the most hyped of the four and that put me off reading it at first. I was slightly peeved when my copy arrived without the yellow page-edges—that was one of the things that attracted me to buy it rather than wait for it to arrive at the library. Anyway, this, like We Were Liars, utilises setting to the max: The action unfolds on the Californian coast and we see the best and terrible worst of living by the sea. The prose is beautiful and makes up for the lack of plot (it just drifts dreamily from romantic encounter to fight to romantic encounter to fight). The big mystery is guessable from early on but for me it didn’t really matter. A violent thunderstorm hit Salamanca while I was reading this and the room literally shook. Needless to say, it was a memorable—and powerful—reading experience. Overall I was very pleased with what I read. now is clearly an exciting time to be a YA author.
Feature
Manchester Literature Festival 2015 Katherine Horrex tells us what’s going down at the city’s very own celebration of literature There can be no better way to familiarise yourself with Manchester than by attending the Manchester Literature Festival, this year celebrating its 10th anniversary as the UK’s premier showcase for international writing. This is especially true if you plan to attend one of the walking tours available as part of the event, such as the ‘History of Manchester in Ten Poems’ tour, on which you’ll learn how the city has been evoked in verse by Carol Ann Duffy, John Cooper Clarke, Rudyard Kipling and others. Of course, there are plenty of less strenuous opportunities to hear readings from bestselling authors, including Kate Mosse, whose latest novel ‘The Taxidermist’s Daughter’ finds a fitting backdrop within the university’s own Manchester Museum, while Centre for New Writing tutor and poet John McAuliffe reads on campus for the launch of his collection ‘The Way In.’ Award winning poet Don Paterson will be reading from his new collection of sonnets in the spectacular setting of Halle St Peter’s. More so than ever before this year’s festival promises to demonstrate literature’s importance within the wider spectrum of artistic disciplines, with a rare opportunity to hear Paterson perform not only as a writer but as a musician, supported by Rommi Smith who will read from a sequence of poems inspired by Blues and Jazz. Part lo-fi
Plath’s ‘The Bell Jar’, and will then discuss the remarkable project with Observer columnist Rachel Cooke. Other highlights include Turkish writer and TED speaker Elif Shafak’s delivery of the Gaeia Manchester Sermon, which focusses on current ethical issues, and Manchester doctoral student Gulwali Passarlay’s discussion of his first book, which details his journey as an Afghan refugee, at Amnesty International’s Asylum and Exile event. Indeed, as well as globally established names, the festival makes plenty of time for new and emerging voices in literature. There will be an exciting chance to witness homegrown talent in the form of New Identity, a cutting-edge group of young Moston based wordsmiths whose performance at the Contact Theatre, ‘Battle of the Minds’, investigates the value of what they have so far learned in their navigation of playground fights, societal pressure and P.E. classes. In its aim to make literature accessible to the public, the festival caters not only to members of the literary audience but to those who wish to work creatively in the building of their own literatures. The ‘industry insights’ section of the programme therefore features a small number of creative workshops and conferences: Michael Rosen and Mandy Coe will examine the future of children’s poetry,
indie rock concert, part exploration of mental illness, on October 17th, songwriter Kathryn Williams and her band will play songs written to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Sylvia
while Danny Brocklehurst will share his insights into becoming a screenwriter. Instituto Cervantes will host a session designed to help participants gain a head start in literary
translation, working with Julio Cortázar’s children’s stories. Although Manchester is busy all-year-round as a centre for cultural events, there will certainly not be a busier time than the 12th – 25th of October for literary aficionados. It is for this reason advisable to make the most of the festival’s wonderful and stimulating series of events, many of which are free of charge. Be sure to check the event listings here: manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk/events
Photo: jeffedoe@Flickr
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Food & Drink
22
Feature
ISSUE 5 / 19th OCTOBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Telling a story through tea
Food Editor Ellie Gibbs has the pleasure of attending Quinteassential’s exclusive tasting event at The Midland Hotel. ______________________________ RECIPE
A scoop: Rooibos with hint of Seville Orange
A sprinkle: Fennel seeds Pomegranate seeds Heather flowers Red safflowers Amaranth flowers Sugar stars Photo: The Mancunion
As I sat down to write this, unsure of where to start and determined not to produce a clichéd, superficial review of the experience I had, I thought what better reminder of the day than a freshly boiled kettle. Back on the 28th September, I had the honour of being invited to Bernadine Tay’s exclusive QuinTEAssential tasting event, where ingTEAdients had been sourced from all around the world and collected to adorn the shrine that was the tea blending station set up in The Wyvern Room of The Midland Hotel, Manchester. As I arrived, expecting to be greeted by a room full of old ladies drinking English breakfast, I was delighted to see a small table in the centre of the suite, laid out exclusively for six loose-leaf drinkers, bloggers, and food writers. Each place had a mysterious envelope on its table mat, marked with the guest’s name. As our intrigue grew, Bernadine introduced herself as creator of Quinteassential, the passion in front – in no way does she take a back seat – of the brand and its design. Bernadine went on to explain how she loved the drink from a young age, with her Mother steeping black tea and oranges in a tin kettle while her family sat around for cakes and conversation. As she travelled, Bernadine noticed the almost ritual-like practice of tea that was present all over the world. Each place that she went to had its own unique way of brewing, flavouring and serving the beverage as a means to lubricate the vocal chords and create smooth, flowing conversation. Holiday gifts would come as hot-red Rooibos from Africa, smokey Lapsang Souchong from China, and musky floral Oolong from India. Passing around the various boxes for us to see and smell, we all eagerly awaited the revelation of the connection between our envelopes and the blending table. Introductions
over, Bernadine divulged: “The moment you’ve all been waiting for; you can open your envelopes.” Now, before the event, every attendant had received an email from qtea’s Cassie & Amy asking for a little bit about their personality, including one word in a tweet and a few facts. I had replied with the description that ‘I always like to try something new, am creative, friendly, warm and open minded’, with the word ‘enthusiastic’, adding that I was in University. I didn’t think anything of this question, until it all clicked into place when I opened my envelope. Bernadine had designed individual tea recipes for each of the attendants at her event based on the information that we’d given, thoughtfully taking the time to predict our respective personaliTEAs. I couldn’t believe how accurate Bernadine’s prophecy was from this brief sum up of my character. The tea recipe in my envelope sounded magical, and I loved that it was also open to interpretation, meaning that I could try a little bit of everything from the blending table. It was like a dream come true: potions class but with tea and without Professor Snape. “FUN” For nights of midnight oil burning, partying yet still staying fit, Ellie’s lend is a healthy and fun. South African Rooibos, fennel seeds, pomegranate seeds and a spray of flowers is a blend that is hydrating and bursting with antioxidants. Caffeine-free and calming, Ellie’s blend is beautiful hot or cold, and one that is made for sharing.
I followed the recipe and surely enough, before I had even mixed it, it cast a spell on me. I was overcome with elation, asking tireless questions about the history of tea, the origin of the mint leaves – what were safflowers? Was this blending table available to purchase? Being urged to shake my blend so that the components could infuse, I rotated my jar like an hourglass full of sand, watching the multicoloured grains combine and intersperse to form a beautiful new compound. We were advised to wait a few days before trying our teas, so that the flavours would have time to brew in their transparent cauldrons. Meanwhile, we sat down to enjoy an exclusive afternoon tea laid out by The Midland Hotel, which consisted of traditional cucumber sandwiches, warm sultana and plain baked scones, various cake selections and the modern twist of Vimto jelly with a vanilla panna cotta lid. This was served, instead of the customary 3 tier plate tower, on an abstract wooden structure that did, admittedly, look a little like an upturned drawer. Manager James will be pained to see that description, but it honestly adds to the charm of the restyled English convention. The chocolate-orange Opera cake was smooth and soft, with its fine layers of alternating sponge and buttercream topped with a rich ganache that was almost mirror-like in surface. This stood alongside a perfectly moist square of cinnamon carrot cake, the infusion of warming spices making contrast to the sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting. The scones were kept warm and snug in a blanket of thick cotton cloth, which made the butter melt and sink pleasingly into the depths of the cakey bread. Alongside the food, I drank an accompanying Quinteassential loose leaf brew: British Mint and Caramel.
This twist on a classic brings me to the description of the products themselves. It was in 2010 that Bernadine became inspired to nurture her passion for exploration and taste to form her own brand which would encompass all ranges of tea from the finest gardens around the world: Quinteassential. Not only does the product itself taste incredible, but it is also clear that the designers understand the relation of taste to all the senses; sight, sound, smell, and touch. The boxes are beautifully designed to illustrate the colours that correspond with each tea, for example the ‘Jewel of Africa’, that takes rich rubies, golds and ambers to reflect the resplendent moment in evening sky when the sun meets the horizon. The back of the product comes complete with an individual QR-code that when scanned plays a piece of music designed to conjure images of the Serengeti plains, its melody lasting for the exact time it takes for the tea to brew. Redcurrants, rooibos and sandalwood make up the aroma of this tea, and the earthy scents evoke the atmosphere of a warm Saharan night, with fire in the air and life bursting in its midst. Even the packaging is tailored with the luxury experience in mind, like a drawer to its dresser, the box slides over its base to create that inexplicable pleasure that comes from a perfect fit. It was so enlightening to hear someone speak with the same passion and excitement about travel, sound, senses and smells to that which I am normally met with a raised eyebrow. This day left me feeling invigorated with a renewed sense of love not just for tea, but for flavour combinations and the relation of food and taste to happiness and the soul. The brand does everything with finesse and accuracy, making a polished product that I am proud to have had the honour of viewing so exclusively. Like when Bernadine said ‘when I work at The Midland, I’ll know I’ve made it’, I concur, but for Quinteassential. Accompanying music: Feist – The Reminder (Album) Use the code “Quintea” to get 15% off quinteassential.co.uk
The Coffee Column Andrew Wells mixes things up and heads to North Tea Power for this week’s Coffee Column.
North Tea Power For this week, the ‘Coffee Column’ has been hijacked because, after being greeted by a friendly ‘hello’, the first thing that strikes you about North Tea Power, as you may have guessed by the name, is the vast quantity of tea that’s on offer. You can get anything from the standard breakfast tea to the rarer ‘Bolivian Cascara’ or the more unusual ‘White Hairy Monkey’. This small but busy establishment is set back into a commercial cloister on Tib Street in the Northern Quarter and its popularity is understandable. There’s a relaxing atmosphere to this place and it’s an ideal spot to socialise with friends during the day. The rhythmic, indie music creates an ambience that lets you know you’re still in the city but still somewhat detached from the crowds. Inside, the room has an organic feel with jars of tea leaves lined up on wooden shelves, flowers sat upon wooden tables and chairs that stand on the reclaimed floorboards. There’s something dishevelled about North Tea Power that is rather enchanting. What makes this special is the almost overwhelming array of loose leaf tea. Just by sitting here and enjoying the coffee, you feel as though you’re learning something about tea. For instance, judging by the list, the British go-to tea is black tea, but then of course there’s green tea and herbal tea, what’s more is that there’s oolong and white tea too. Each of these categories of tea have a number of species, so to speak, from various countries with as many flavours as you can imagine. But alas, this is the ‘Coffee Column’ and NTP serve a great tasting range of the stuff. It’s certainly better than the standard coffee that you usually find, but then it’s also not as refreshing or individual as other coffees you can find elsewhere. During the warmer seasons, they serve cold brew as well as iced varieties of the classic coffees. There’s not much to say other than it’s a good, standard coffee. It may also be noted that if you want something a little stronger, NTP is licensed and has a comprehensive selection of bottled craft beers. Though ,there are cheaper places around the NQ for a drink, with the cheapest bottle priced at a rather dear £3.50. This is an ideal place for a light lunch or snack with a selection of sandwiches, baked products and vegetarian food on offer. The breakfast food is available all day if you fancy a bowl of cereal or egg on toast after lectures. The food and soft beverages are all sold for a reasonable price that shouldn’t trouble the budget-conscious too much. This place scores full-marks for its originality and atmosphere but, for a coffee lover, it feels slightly uncomfortable sampling their coffee when tea is clearly their pièce de résistance. So, after sitting here for an hour and contemplating the idea, maybe it wouldn’t hurt to try a ‘White Hairy Monkey’…
TAKE-AWAY FOOD CAKE OTHER DRINKS
✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
36 Tib St, Manchester M4 1LA
The Mancunion: Food and Drink @MancunionFood food@mancunion.com
Food & Drink 23
ISSUE 5 / 19th OCTOBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Feature
Vegetarianism in a meat-orientated culture Photo: The Mancunion
Georgia Welch explores the difficulties of an anti-meat lifestyle in today’s society As someone who has previously consumed meat on a regular basis, the process of going veggie in our meat-orientated society was testing. Not only is the transition of cutting out meat difficult, but concocting vegetarian recipes that are convenient, healthy and tasty can be a challenge—particularly when you’re a busy student on a budget. Over the summer I gradually phased meat out of my diet, to the point of total vegetarianism. So far, the process has been rewarding, but certainly not without its difficulties. As any student reading this can relate to, sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in the day. Keeping on top of your studies, carrying out household chores, exercising, socialising with friends, having time to yourself and preparing a satisfying meal from scratch is no mean feat. It’s a common stereotype that students live on takeaways and convenience food, their culinary skills barely surpassing the ability to boil pasta—yet this definitely isn’t always the case. I, for one, relish the satisfaction of cooking a delicious meal for myself and friends, but often struggle with finding the time and patience to do so. In my pledge to become vegetarian, I have found that the secret to success is in planning ahead. Cooking meals in bulk and freezing them means I spend less time in the kitchen and don’t find myself settling for convenience food too often. And leftovers can go in the freezer, so I waste less food, too.
One of the biggest struggles of becoming a vegetarian is the scepticism you will likely encounter from friends and family. It doesn’t take long before you grow weary of people donning their pseudo-nutritionist hats, telling you how hard it will be to consume enough protein and iron as a vegetarian. But believe it or not, it is possible to eat a balanced diet as a vegetarian and get all the right nutrients. Beans, eggs, cheese, lentils and yoghurt are all high in protein, and are just as readily available as meat. So take that, cynics! “But we were designed to eat meat!” is another argument I’ve been faced with. Vegetarianism might not be for everyone, but assuming that everyone should eat meat because ‘it’s natural’ is a poor argument to oppose vegetarianism. Why should what is considered natural outweigh personal values? Despite the adjustments I’ve had to make to my diet during the process of cutting out meat, I really haven’t missed it as much as I imagined I would. Not only do I feel healthier, but I’ve also become increasingly more creative in the kitchen now that I’ve been experimenting with meat-free dishes. If you’re thinking of going vegetarian, or even just fancy the idea of trying it out, I’d highly recommend it. I’m sure you’ll find it far easier than you first anticipated, just as I did.
Recipe
Review
Indy Man Beer Con
Stanley Johnson drinks up at this year’s annual Beer Convention at Victoria Baths, where ales range from Tzatziki Sour to Ice Cream Pale
The Independent Manchester Beer Convention, or Indy Man Beer Con (IMBC), is the beer festival for those who aren’t so bothered about CAMRA, casks and beery heritage as well as those who would rather drink a third of a pint of extra-hoppy rhubarb IPA, brewed in a shed in the Peak District. Although there are some cask ales on sale for the orthodox drinker, the IMBC aims to showcase a more “progressive” side of beer. Last Thursday, I headed down to catch the convention’s first session at Manchester’s historic Victoria Baths—whose crum bling, Edwardian splendour is an unusual, but lovely place for sampling some deliciously tasty beer. The convention stretches across three main halls, and a warren of green-tiled rooms and hallways. It was pretty bustling. My companions and I grabbed a table and got down to some beer tasting. I started off with a super tasty Black Widow Imperial Stout, from Ad Hoc of Liverpool. Taste-wise, it’s a chocolate, coffee and malt explosion—dangerously drinkable at 9.3% ABV. The stouts and porters were out in force. Honourable mentions go to Ireland’s Galway Bay and their refreshing, crisp milk stout, Buried At Sea. And also, to Magic Rock of Huddersfield, and their Bearded Lady Stout (another boozy heavy hitter at 10.5% ABV), which had the smell of ripe apples—but upon tasting, it had a deliciously rich, but smooth coffee flavour, and a slight savoury finish. The best kind of weird beer from that night, was the Tzatziki Sour from Merseyside’s Madhatter Brewery. It genuinely tasted like Tzatziki—a bit sour and yoghurt-y, with a definite cucumber edge. But somehow, it was still beer and it was absolutely delicious. Less good, but also unusual, was Photos: Jack Pople
the Ice Cream Pale (a collaboration by Buxton and Swedish craft brewers Omnipollo). Very pale, sweet with a vanilla finish, and a touch of creaminess. Sounds nice, but ultimately, it was a bit too sweet and tasted a bit too artificial, too. Later, we went outside to grab some food from one of the many trucks and stalls which had been set up to feed the beery punters. It was all pretty expensive (£8 for pie and mash!). I didn’t go for anything more than a portion of chips, but my flatmate splashed out on a paneer kebab which looked tasty. Very generously, he let me try some, and I can indeed confirm that it tasted great. If there was one thing I didn’t like about the IMBC, it was the pricing. Craft beer is more expensive, but IMBC prices are listed by the 1/3 pint. That’s not a bad thing, but there were very few beers for less than £1.50 a third. My maths GCSE tells me that’s £4.50 a pint! This might put a lot of these delicious brews out of the price range for many students. Finally, I ended the night in Manchester’s own Cloudwater Brew Co.—away from the main rooms, sipping on their crisp, refreshing and autumnal Red Ale (4.5%). By this point, the notes I was scrawling down were getting messy, so I decided to call it a night—it was last orders anyway. Next year’s IMBC is on my calendar already. Maybe it’s not the cheapest place to drink. But the gorgeous venue, buzzing atmosphere and excellent selection of beers more than make up for it.
Stanley is a co-writer for specialbrewsmcr.com Follow them on twitter @SpecialBrewsMCR
Giovanni Rana Lucy Brenner shows how to make home cooking that little bit easier, without compromising on taste So, the academic year has begun, and many exciting times lie ahead. The only downside is that you’ll be away from your parent’s cooking. Learning to cook can be a daunting experience, and attempting to make something that lives up to your mum, dad or guardian’s high standards can be difficult. Sometimes all we need is a little extra encouragement. That’s where Giovanni Rana comes in. Found in your nearest supermarket, Giovanni Rana offers a tasty range of pasta and sauces with something to tickle everyone’s taste buds. They pride themselves that “you’ve never experienced pasta and sauces like this before!” All their products are made with premium fillings—using only the highest quality ingredients with no preservatives, artificial colours or added flavours. Try this quick and easy Bolognese sauce on Giovanni Rana’s Spinach Ricotta Tortelloni to fill you with that warm fuzzy feeling inside. Ingredients: Giovanni Rana Spinach Ricotta Torllloni (250g/1 packet per person) 1 onion, chopped Olive oil 500g British mince meat 1 tin of peeled plum tomatoes Tomato puree 1 beef stock cube Salt and pepper Method: Fry the onion on a low heat with a generous amount of olive oil until soft. This should take around 15 to 20 minutes. It’s important to be patient during this stage, it will ensure that your Bolognese sauce is extra sweet. Turn up the heat and brown the mince meat. Once the meat is brown, pour in a tin of peeled plum tomatoes. Give the sauce a stir, then add a tablespoon of tomato puree and continue stirring. Season with salt and pepper. Crumble in the beef stock cube, stir again. Turn the heat down and leave to simmer. While the Bolognese sauce is left simmering, cook the Giovanni Rana Spinach Ricotta Tortelloni. Place the pasta in a pan of boiling water and add a pinch of salt. Leave to simmer for 1 minute. Then drain the pasta thoroughly before serving. It really is as easy as that. Plate up the tortelloni topped with the Bolognese sauce. Buon appetito!
You are invited...
Key speakers and exhibitors at the event will include :
. .to attend this event organised by the University and Students’ Union to encourage research students to recognise the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance while working towards their PhD. Staff from various University and Union departments will be on-hand to encourage researchers to widen their horizons and take advantage of opportunities to access support and engage with extracurricular activity to help them maintain their wellbeing and maximise their achievements in their research degree and beyond.
Prof Matthew Lambon Ralph, Associate Vice-President for Research A PhD: More than a thesis
Dr Darcey Gillie, PGR Careers Consultant A presentation on the services and support you can access
University Careers Service
Find out more about the servuces available.
University of Manchester Students’ Union
Advice on Representation, Societies, Volunteering and Fundraising opportunities
Faculty Research & Development Teams
Meet the Research & Development representatives to learn about the training sessions and support available for PGR students.
Location: Christie’s Bistro, The Quadrangle near Whitworth Hall. Date: Thursday 22nd October, 1.30-4.30pm Drinks Reception with free refreshments provided
Tickets available from: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/pgr-wellbeing-event-tickets-18037970054
Theatre 25
ISSUE 5 / 19th OCTOBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Feature
Feature
Comedy is coming to Manchester Fancy a laugh? Here’s a glimpse of the comedy on its way to Manchester over the coming months
Elise Gallagher Theatre Editor Women in Comedy Festival – Thursday 15th of October to the 25th, Norther Quarter. After two successful years producing Europe’s only Women in Comedy Festival, the 2015 Women in Comedy Festival UK launched on Thursday 15th at Manchester’s Frog and Bucket and will run until Sunday 25th October. Over 50 shows will take place over 11 days in ten venues focused in Manchester’s Norther Quarter. Comedians include Susan Calman, Jo Coffey and Lara A. King with actor Maxine Peake joining the team of patrons. “A festival filled with laughter combined with feminist principles taking place in the North… what’s not to support!” Of course, the festival is open to all genders. Festival of the Spoken Nerd: Just for Graphs – Sunday the 25th of October, Lowry Theatre The science comedy phenomenon, Festival of the Spoken Nerd, is back with their show ‘Just for Graphs’, jampacked with live experiments and statistically significant laughter. Experiments maestro Steve Mould (BBC1’s Britain’s Brightest) will perform stand-up based on data from the birth of his first child, geek songstress Helen Arney (BBC2’s Coast) sings an emotional tribute to the intrepid Philae lander, which travelled 4 billion miles only to run out of batteries on comet 67P, while Matt Parker (Discovery’s You Have Been Warned) will be “setting charts on fire” with the worlds greatest graph. The trio have racked up over a million views on YouTube for their experiments, songs and stand-up, as well as
their material being one of the best reviewed at the Edinburgh Fringe this summer. Michael McIntyre: Happy and Glorious – Thursday 29th of October to the 31st, Manchester Arena The UK’s number one comedian, Michael McIntyre, is set to return to the stage in 2015 with his brand new hotly anticipated UK & Ireland Arena tour, ‘Happy & Glorious’. Michael’s previous tour ‘Showtime’ was the biggest selling comedy tour in the world in 2012, playing to over 640,000 people including a record-breaking ten-night residency at London’s O2 Arena. In 2013 he performed internationally; playing to sold out arenas in South Africa, Dubai, Norway, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. His show in Johannesburg was the largest ever comedy show in Africa with his Dubai shows winning the Time Out Best Night Out Award. Alan Carr: Yap, Yap Yap! – Thursday the 5th of November to the 7th, Manchester Apollo 2015 NTA winner Alan Carr will be yapping his way around
the UK & Ireland with his brand new stand up show ‘Yap, Yap, Yap!’ The BAFTA and British Comedy Award-winning comedian and chat show supremo returns to his stand up roots with his hilarious take on life. Tickets will sell out fast so don’t miss the chance to get up close with one of the country’s funniest, most cherished and unique comedians at the very top of his game. Pam Ann – Sunday 22nd of November, Manchester Opera House Pam Ann, the world’s favourite International Air Hostess, is back in the UK with a brand new show. Jet setting in direct from sell-out tours in Europe, USA, Australia, and following a six week run at London’s Leicester Square Theatre, Pam Ann will arrive at Manchester’s Opera House later next month. Pam Ann is the comic creation of writer and comedian Caroline Reid. Together they sell out every stage they hit from New York, Sydney, Paris and Berlin. In the UK, Pam Ann was the 4th best-selling female comedian of 2014 wedged between Dawn French and Joan Rivers.
Review: The Crucible
Kate Harvey Reviewer
It is impossible not to feel that this play has a timely relevance to our dissonant modern day society in which uncertainty is en masse. We witness an onset of insecurity through Miller’s intersection between two haunting periods of US history: The Salem witch trials of 1692, and the widespread paranoia engineered by the House of Un-American Activities Committee over a feared spread of communism during the 1950s. Frenetic dancing and witchcraft rituals in the opening scene leaves the audience feeling uneasy over the play’s immediate hysteria, and left me highly expectant of Sarah Amankwah’s role as Tituba. While her gestural performance fit the scene well, I felt somewhat disappointed by her vocal projection that at times seemed rather mumbling. Jonjo O’Neill delivers a strong, dignified performance as John Proctor and is equally matched by Matti Houghton’s performance as his stoic wife, Elizabeth. Their onstage relationship is one of the more striking aspects of this adaptation: it is clear that Director Steinbes is aware of the necessity to appeal to a wider audience, as The Crucible has been a fast favourite in GCSE, A-level and theatre courses nationwide. In recognising this, her production carefully blends more subtle themes of social interaction, gender, and sexuality with more obvious political issues within the text, and by doing so
timelessly appeals to both the young and old. I predicted some viewers might feel the mixture of accents to be confusing, but the blend of British and Irish accents seemed only to add to the authenticity of its New England colonial context. While the mish-mash of costume styles is at times slightly disjointed (puritan dresses featured alongside a Berghaus anorak…?) it only emphasizes the play’s ability to transcend time to the present day. The production’s visual oscillation between past and present is a jarring reminder that mass paranoia is in fact not all too alien a concept. In a world where an irrational fear of terrorism can be so easily stirred up over social media, pointed fingers and tales of witchcraft seem all the more pertinent. Although at times Max Jones’ set feels a little stark, his design vision manages not to disturb the gravitas of the text. We witness a transformation in the concluding scenes as water floods the stage—a brave dramatic experiment that surprisingly isn’t too excessive. It serves its purpose as a powerful metaphor
for the ‘purgation’ of countless unjust accusations. The round theatre setting adds physicality to the feeling that the characters are involuntarily ‘pulled’ into a whirlwind of suspicion. While the performance is undeniably sombre, Jones’s watery set gives it a religious reverence that is mindful of the more existential elements of the play. Somehow, it works. Having recently visited Miller’s alma mater at the University of Michigan to take part in preparations for his centenary symposium, it appears that modern dramatists, actors and theorists worldwide are eager to circulate his work today to make it accessible for all. It is for this reason that I was particularly excited to see that The Crucible was coming to Manchester. Miller is to this day revered by many, and serves as the father of the great allegorical play of the twentieth century. This adaptation is not to be missed. The Crucible will only be showing until the 24th October, so book now to avoid disappointment.
The Crucible. Photo: Press shot
Competition
Festival of the Spoken Nerd: Just for Graphs. Photo: Press shot
Editors’ Picks
Monday Lost in Thought: A Mindfulness Opera - Lowry Theatre 6PM Tuesday Forced Entertainment: The Notebook - Contact Theatre 7:30PM MLF15: Three the Hard Way – Part Two - Contact Theatre 8PM Wednesday Forced Entertainment: The Notebook - Contact Theatre 7:30PM Poles Apart - Lowry Theatre 8PM
Thursday Forced Entertainment: The Notebook - Contact Theatre 7:30PM Poles Apart - Lowry Theatre 8PM We Want You To Watch - Lowry Theatre 8PM Conceal |Reveal - Lowry Theatre 8PM Friday Poles Apart - Lowry Theatre 8PM We Want You To Watch - Lowry Theatre 8PM The Green Gold Conspiracy Lowry Theatre 7:30PM An Enemy of the People Octagon Theatre, Bolton 7:30PM
Saturday Southbank Centre & Contact present WHY? Festival - Contact Theatre 11AM – 6:30PM Poles Apart - Lowry Theatre 2:30PM & 8PM Mack and Mabel - Manchester Opera House 2:30PM & 7:30PM An Investigation into Arthur Miller - Octagon Theatre, Bolton 10:30AM Sunday Festival of the Spoken Nerd – Just for Graphs - Lowry Theatre 8PM
Slamboree Halloween Extravaganza Photo: Press Shot
few picks throughout the What’s on this week? Aweek in Manchester
Win tickets for Slamboree Halloween Extravaganza
Photo: garryknight @Flickr
For a chance for you and three friends to win tickets for Slamboree Halloween Extravaganza simply email your name and course to: theatre@mancunion.com Entries close 1PM on the 26th of October. Winners will be notified by email by 5PM on the 26th of October. Good luck.
26
Lifestyle
ISSUE 5 / 19th OCTOBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
The fickleness of fame Five minutes of fame are easier than ever to achieve but clinging onto stardom is a different story
Hannah McGrory Lifestyle contributor Now that the internet has become firmly ingrained in all of our day to day lives, more and more people are finding themselves stamped with the label of ‘celebrity’. Although internet fame is a relatively new phenomenon, it’s one that has taken society by storm, prompting millions of young people across the globe to take to their computers in bid to post something funny/controversial/ disturbing enough to go viral. This type of fame is a particularly fickle one, with many people being forgotten just days after they’ve achieved international celebrity status. However, there are some who have managed to stay the test of time. One such figure is 18-year-old Kylie Jenner. You might know her as the youngest member of the infamous KardashianJenner clan (who—admit it, we all love to hate), but it has been through social media that this young lady has truly managed to find her calling. Amassing over 39 million followers on Instagram and 1.8 million on Twitter, Jenner epitomises all that is to be an ‘internet famous’ teenager. Distinguished by THAT beestung, overfilled pout, a typical selfie from her generally garners over a million likes—though that is not to say that she’s no stranger to criticism. Not too long after the brunette controversially
Photo: JasonHowie@Flickr
enhanced her lips with surgical fillers, the #kyliejennerchallege took the internet by storm. Millions of people across the globe began posting videos and pictures of themselves using shot glasses, bottles and cups to suction their lips into ‘the perfect Kylie pout’—however the method may have taken an attempt
at humour a bit too far. The reportedly painful process was said to leave results that could last for hours—even days, when blood vessels in the lips burst. Although the teen tried to distance herself from the challenge and its promotion, it certainly worked in thrusting her even further into the internet spotlight. Her
Relationship: It’s complicated
Aj Mal Lifestyle Contributor
“It’s like a game,” says Fiona, a final year student, as she sips a coffee in the Students’ Union and texts, “laying here thinking bout u” to a boy she is interested in. Mobile phones have led to texting and flirting becoming an easy element of everyday life, where having multiple ‘love interests’ on the go at the same time can now be easily maintained in one inbox. However, this has also led to our love lives becoming more complicated. Dating. One night stands. Hook-ups. Booty calls. Randoms. Flings. They are all now part of the dating landscape, and making decisions when drunk, lonely, and wanting attention can and will result in poor decisions made. (Beyonce failed to mention drunken texts and other things you regret in the morning in ‘Drunk in Love’...) Fiona describes her dilemma. “My life is ruined. It’s only a matter of time before my boyfriend finds out about the guy I’m in love with, or my fling with his best mate. I wish I could wake up and just not be me for a day.” This sounds like the perfect scenario to describe as ‘It’s complicated’. However, the truth is never as bleak as it may seem. Time will make a funny story out of most complex situations, and it is important to not feel too down about a relationship not working out. If you feel it is not going to work out with someone,
it is better to be honest and admit it as soon as possible, rather than letting something drag on. It can be difficult to say, but it is always best for both people, and it prevents awkward situations and even more difficult conversations in the future. Jen, now a postgraduate student, regretted lingering in a relationship for too long: “I didn’t want to hurt his feelings so instead of breaking up with him, we just stayed together for far too long, even though we both liked other people, until eventually we admitted it to each other. It really wasn’t worth it and we wished we hadn’t wasted time and had just been honest sooner. If its not going to work out then there’s no point feeling bad about it.” University is an opportunity
Photo: robadob@Flickr
to figure out exactly who you are. A new environment, and the chance to meet new people and experiment, without the attention and the ‘fishbowl’ atmosphere that can exist in your home town. It is important not to attach too much significance to mistakes or errors in judgement. They’re part of the journey of self discovery. Some great advice for us all is provided by Stacey, a second year, who had the following to say about University relationships: “We are all learning about ourselves, and who we are, as well as meeting other people. You may have to kiss some frogs before you find your prince. Or princess, or whatever it is you’re into.” Get out there, stay safe and most importantly, have fun!
social media followers increased dramatically, and she began to overtake nearly all of her sisters in terms of popularity—something that was dramatically pointed out for all to see when the ‘Klan’ each released their own personalised apps last month. Kylie topped the iTunes app chart in just one day after releasing
her digital hub—beating her older sister (and argued ‘leader’ of the famous family) Kim. When looking at the app, it’s easy to see why she did it—it costs $2.99 to access its content and it’s also full of links to clothes and accessories that ‘King Kylie’ recommends, earning her thousands of dollars in advertiser’s fees alone. As much as she’s been criticised, it’s somewhat hard to blame Kylie Jenner for utilising her status as a celebrity to further her income. Given the chance, wouldn’t we all do the same? However, money making isn’t the only side effect that social media can have. Nearly everyone we know has at least some form of it on their phones or laptops, and more than most have the whole lot: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and so on. But hardly any of us seem to understand the risks that such profiles pose. While we might think social media is a great resource for stalking our exes to see whether or not their new babes is as hot as us. When you really think about it, the fact that we have the capability of doing that is actually quite scary. While what we’re doing is pretty harmless, there are people out there that use the same methods to do a distinctly more sinister type of stalking. It’s easy to forget the safety measures you’re willingly foregoing when you sign up for social media, perhaps that’s something that we, as young people, need to become more aware of.
A thought on the selfish selflessness of the gap year Is volunteering in the third world a life changing experience for both parties, or just the one? Astrid Kitchen Travel Writer I am another who can raise their hand as someone who trooped to the other side of the world to scrawl my signature on ‘genuine’ poverty in the third world. Returning with stories of ‘how these people really live’, I too felt I’d experienced a rare insight into the lives of the receivers of volunteer work, for those who really need it and, more importantly, from those who really need it. And, indeed, for months afterwards I was an endorphin buzzing mess, gliding around with a half-smile on my face, safe in the knowledge that I had experienced something wholly unique and profound, a secret which kept me warm at night amidst the blunder that is life as a lonely Fallowfield fresher. Setting me apart from my fellow students, I was embarking as an undergraduate in Social Anthropology and I was ahead of the game! Unfortunately, unbeknown to me was the fact that all gap yah kids, impressionable and eager to experience real life, leave voluntourism with the same smug entitlement. Indeed, one of my first tutorials was spent sulking when the guy with long hair and piercings (probably a style inspired by the same trip) had beaten me to it, shoe-horning stories of the ease with which Cambodian children
smile, into a discussion about the cultural significance of the burqa. Even now, almost two years on, the predominant feeling I associate with those pivotal four weeks in Tamil Nadu (I’ve been to rural India!) is guilt. On a course obsessed with cultural relativism, this is not an easy thing to admit and yet, having spoken to my fellow do-gooders, the lingering flavour left behind from ‘volunteer’ work is a bitter one. This is not to denounce all volunteer work because of course there are life-changing projects which can bring about unquestionable positive change, but for those of us popping over to distant parts of Asia to embed ‘the volunteer experience’ into a four month trip prioritising various forms of cultural enlightenment, the hangover of guilt is not welcome nor appropriate. To ground this rant in the specific, recalling my time spent at Kings Matriculation Secondary School often leaves my conscience begging for mercy from fearmongering chants scolding my failure to return, poor efforts to stay in regular contact with those with whom I formed close relationships, or, perhaps worst of all, the thought that I returned from holiday sunkissed and rested while my welfare receivers remain enmeshed in their cage of third world hardship. Am I being harsh? Such remorse
is of course well intentioned, springing from a place of altruism and gratitude, but affording our work such significance is not only immodest but it also elevates us to a higher status socially, economically and morally on the premise that ‘our’ life is better than ‘theirs’ and it is for this reason we ought to ‘do our bit’ to ‘give back’ (in the native tongue of the colonial aid worker). My gripe is with us European jetsetters who, cradling our privilege, render aid receivers vulnerable and dependant peoples sat in the window awaiting our return. Sadly, speaking from experience, it is highly likely they have forgotten your name if they ever learnt it, they have forgotten the English words for household pets (which they never fully understood anyway, because why would you intentionally ensure a feral cat remained in your house when it was only eating your food and weeing on the floor?) or have otherwise forgotten that is was you who taught it to them and, for the most part, are going about their day-to-day life in the same happy fashion you left them in. Only yes, they still don’t have an iPhone 6, and continue to eat their meals with their left hand, because, yes, they also still don’t see the use in killing the rainforest for toilet roll when God equipped us with fine functioning hands.
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#WTF? Aj Mal Lifestyle Contributor Wine o’clock, NBD, bants and manspreading may not sound like ‘proper’ English, but all make it into the new edition of the Oxford English Dictionary. They reflect the rapid evolution of words and phrases that are occurring as a result of our desire to text and email frequently and not type long, complicated words and sentences. Our dependence on phones and computers has lead to thousands of new abbreviations and words being created, and it is often hard to keep up to date with an increasingly diverse, but also often incomprehensible text language. One negative aspect of this language change is the increased difficulty for many people to write ‘proper’, intelligible English. Words and phrases such as lol, wtf and lmfao are heavily used, but inserting them into an essay or dissertation is not a good idea. However, whilst these phrases are not considered part
of the English language, many are now being officially recognised. The Oxford English Dictionary was first published in 1884, and contains over 50 million words. New words are now being added to the dictionary at an unprecedented rate, with one thousand new entries in the quarterly August 2015 edition. This reveals the phenomenal rate of language development that we are currently witnessing, with new words, abbreviations and linguistic innovations every day. While
some tongue twisters and confusing abbreviations will undoubtedly arise, a great number of words and phrases are easier to use and more flexible than those that they have replaced. Students, as a large, intelligent group of people who are also heavy phone and social media users, are at the forefront of language innovation. So let your creative juices flow, and one day you may see a word or phrase you created in a future edition of the Dictionary!
Overheard University of Manchester The funniest things you’ve been saying around campus this week
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I started seeing this guy, but then I met someone else who I instantly knew was the better one for me. Should I be honest with the first one? Do I owe him that or can I just let it fizzle out? Dear Lucky in Love, “Honesty is the best policy” is a mantra that should be ingrained into everyone as a child, and this is even more relevant in every relationship you should have or should wish to embark on. This value is too sacrosanct to sacrifice... period. You have to question how feasible it is for you start something new if you haven’t finished the old? Furthermore, put yourself in his position, do you think it’s fair for him to be strung along whilst remaining uncertain, and maybe full of hope of starting a new budding relationship, whilst you know the likelihood of this happening is slim to none. At the end of the day, the person’s feelings you are protecting are yours and yours alone and it is not fair on Guy A as ultimately he will be the one that suffers. It’s never easy ending something, but I recommend doing so soon. Let the guy get over you and find something new, and stop taking him for a ride.
‘I knew we were going to be best friends from the moment I licked a shot off your tit.’ – Overheard in Warehouse ‘At one point I looked in the mirror and forgot that I was Asian.’ — Overheard in Withington ‘I’ll show you his girlfriend on Facebook in a second, she’s a mongrel and a half though.’ — Overheard in Withington ‘He grabbed this squirrel by the tail and it came off in his hand. He had to have tetanus jabs and everything.’ — Overheard in Withington ‘My local karaoke grew to hate me. One Lionel Richie song too many tipped them over the edge. They certainly weren’t dancing on the ceiling.’ — Overheard on the 143 bus
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Sport
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SPORT “City will never mount successive title campaigns, because City are a pseudo-football club with a hollow future”
/TheMancunion @Mancunion_Sport
Fanzone
–Alexander Craig Prediction: 2-0 to United (Martial brace)
The likes of Sterling, KDB and Bony will have to step up. This shouldn’t be a problem against the pub players United have at the moment, most notably Chris Smalling and the donkey Michael Carrick. –Ben Blakey
Prediction: Comfortable 3-1 to City. “The return of Vincent Kompany is music to United’s ears. His lust for hot headed defending, leaving space in behind and giving away needless fouls, is something which the Ice-Man Martial is bound to feed off.“
“The balance of power in Manchester has definitely switched since Fergie’s departure: United are now ‘the noisy neighbours’.” –Ben Blakey
–Alexander Craig “Blood and Thunder, passion, sweat tears” “With the leadership of our captain back in the team, we should be able to do this. But the lack of Aguero’s goals means this will be a tough one. The game really hinges on if Wilfried Bony can deliver after a difficult first year at City”
–Andy Tate
–Harry Newton
Sergio Aguero; Anthony Martial / Kevin de Bruyne; Bastian Schweinsteiger; David Silva; Juan Mata / Aleksander Kolarov; Vincent Kompany; Chris Smalling; Matteo Darmian / David de Gea
This is United’s chance to stand up and be counted for the Title Race. Even though it’s early days this game can show how far United can go. Come on Reds!” –Will Kelly
Sport in the City With an abundance of differentlocal sports in Manchester, Sport in the City focuses on one each week. This week: The Fitness and Fight Festival Adam Selby Sport Reporter Over the course of the academic year, as well as paying close attention to and prioritising the progress and successes of our university’s very own societies, teams and campus sports, let our new Sport in the City feature tempt you into a very different sporting day out. Whether it’s a new sport, a team you’ve never heard of, or just an event that interests us, we hope that we will be able to entice you to explore the wide sporting variety that the city has to offer during your time studying at the University of Manchester. In the spotlight this week: Fitness and Fight Festival Well… what is it? Described as an afternoon out which has something on offer for the whole family, the Fitness and Fight Festival is a weekend long event which aims to promote the benefits, importance and the integral role that fitness, nutrition and regular sporting activity should play in our lives. After the successful 2013 festival in Manchester, the first ever independent event showcasing all thing Mixed Martial Arts, 2015 is the year of Fitness and Fight and will play host to a number of different activities throughout the week-
end. With over 60 live events taking place ranging from general fitness classes to natural bodybuilding competitions and Thai boxing, or simply just presentations from keynote speakers, Q&A sessions with those in the know and open discussions, there really is something for everybody. So no matter whether you are a fitness fanatic or just somebody still in desperate need of feeling refreshed after freshers week, the Fitness and Fight Festival could be more than just an afternoon out; it could be the start of a much healthier future. How do I get there? The Fitness and Fight Festival takes place at EventCity which is part of the Trafford Centre complex, 6.2 miles from the University of Manchester student union. Now please don’t be alarmed as although it is not exactly round the corner, travelling to and from EventCity can be rather straightforward whichever mode of transport takes your fancy. Admittedly not easily accessible by Metrolink, it’s now time to finally get your money’s worth from your UniRider or even a Stagecoach Day Rider as the bus is the best way to reach your destination. The Trafford Centre high frequency bus service, the X50 can be caught from Stand K in Piccadilly Gardens and runs on average every 15 minutes, 7 days a week, as does the 250, which also takes the same route. Free parking is also available for anybody wishing to drive to the event.
How much does it cost to get in? Inevitably because of the incredibly wide variety of exhibitions, demonstrations, advice, guidance and equipment on show amongst many other features, which tempt people to travel from far and wide to the festival, the Fitness and Fight Festival will cost a little bit more than your average afternoon out. Yet when you actually weigh up and consider the amount of individual features on offer, it could certainly prove to be money well spent. A weekend admission ticket for both days of the event will cost you £30, or a day ticket to either day of the festival is available for purchase at £20. All tickets are available through the official Fitness and Fight website: fitnessandfightfestival.com What are the facilities like? EventCity is essentially a box, a very large box, based in the outskirts of Manchester in Trafford. But whilst it may not look like much from the outside, it is what happens on the inside which has made it such an attractive location to host exhibitions, entertainment broadcasts and sporting events since its opening in late 2010. EventCity itself is part of the Trafford Centre shopping complex and the building is the second largest exhibition space outside of London with 28,000 square metres of space.
Tell me something I didn’t already know… The last event attracted over 14,000 visitors over two days with event participation during the festival totalling 2,500 competitors and with 120 different stands. And although the special guests for the 2015 edition of the Fitness and Fight festival have still yet to be announced, expect to see some of the leading fitness guru’s as well as some of the biggest motivators and industry influencers in the business make an appearance during the festival. So if you’re in need of some words of wisdom, inspiration or just eager to see what all the fuss is about, you’re certainly in the right company. Finally, when can I see this in action? The 2015 Fitness and Fight Festival takes place on the weekend of Saturday 24th to Sunday 25th October from 10am till 5pm and for more information, visit their website. If you have any requests for local teams, sports or events taking place in Manchester, or if you wish to be involved, please email us at: sports@mancunion. com.
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The Manchester Derby: Preview
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
With the Manchester derby coming up this weekend, the SPORT team have joined together to discuss who we think will come out on top. Written by Will Kelly, Harry Newton, Davide Cappelli, and Toby Webb, with Alexander Craig and Ben Blakey With the Manchester derby coming up this weekend, the SPORT team have joined forces to preview the game! As the derbies the last few years have become more even – this one offers to be one of the most even for a while as both teams find themselves title challengers again. City’s Tactics Going into Sunday’s clash, City will look to mimic Arsenal’s performance against United a few weeks ago; namely, to deliver the knock-out blow before the end of the first round. United were completely overwhelmed by Arsenal’s direct and pacey approach, conceding 3 game-deciding goals in the first 20 minutes. The directness was too much for United’s haggard midfield of Michael Carrick and Bastian Schweinsteiger; huge gaps in midfield and in front of the defence were easily exploited. City has the pace to emulate Arsenal’s achievement, with Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling. De Bruyne has truly hit the ground running since his move to England late in the transfer window, creating and scoring goals in recent matches. Sterling has shown glimpses of class; a big performance at Old Trafford will immediately place him in the fans’ hearts. I have maintained for some time that City look their most threatening when the counter-attacking style, employing a fast tempo and directness. Several of the goals scored in the 6-1 demolition of Newcastle were on the counter-attack, thus showing that City have the components to play in this way. A counter-attacking style will be easier to adopt as they are playing away from home. United will be expected to dominate the game, with the majority of players looking to join the attacks. This will leave open space for City to utilise as long as they can move the ball forward quick enough. As mentioned, the midfield, specifically the gap between the defence and deep-sitting midfielder, will be a crucial area that City can exploit. David Silva, provided he’s fit, will aim to occupy this insecure space, looking to thread balls through to the striker or stretch the play by bringing in the wide players. Silva sometimes has a tendency to slow the play down by passing laterally or even backwards, however, he must endeavour to go forward as much as possible if City are to have the same success as Arsenal did. A further aspect that plays into City’s advantage is the often unpredictable United team selection. Antonio Valencia and Ashely Young have both played out of position in recent weeks. While Marcus Rojo’s return to fitness should resolve some of the issues, United will most likely continue to play Daley Blind in defence who is traditionally a midfielder. He is a solid player but the likes of De Bruyne and Silva could easily expose him. Ultimately, Louis Van Gaal is yet to decide on his favoured starting team; this uncertainty is something City should look to exploit if possible. With Vincent Kompany likely to be fit, City should have a solid and organised defence to build a performance upon. City manager Manuel Pelligrini often errs on the side of caution in the big games, selecting two midfielders to sit in front of the defence, these likely to be Fernandinho and Yaya Toure (Fernando if the latter is not fit). This formation has sometimes left City looking uninspiring going for-
ward. However, the invention of De Bruyne and the pace of Sterling should counteract this. With both teams in Champions League action this week (United away to CSKA Moscow and City at home to Sevilla), both managers will have to use their squads effectively to ensure the right players are fresh for Sunday’s clash. From a City perspective, if the team can play with the same tempo and directness shown against Newcastle (something United have struggled against previously), they will likely be the victors on Sunday.
Toby Webb’s prediction: 2-0 City Manchester City find themselves in a difficult situation when asking who their star man is for this game – with their blatant best player this season David Silva, and goal machine Sergio Aguero both most likely to miss out. When City fans sat and watched Aguero tear apart Newcastle their minds turned to this very match! Five against Newcastle in twenty minutes? Surely Aguero could manage two or three against Louis Van Gaal’s men in ninety! Alas, the man of glass suffered an injury. So who is City’s main man now? Kevin de Bruyne, since his megabucks move from Wolfsburg this summer, has injected City with a whole new feel! The energetic midfielder brought the blues straight back after a stuttering start. David Silva is almost the complete footballer, but what he misses – de Bruyne has. Watching the two play together for the start of the Belgian’s City career has been scintillating, and there is no reason he cannot do this without Silva or Aguero by his side. This man has unlocked some of the best defences in the world – whether it be acting as the Bundesliga Player of the Year in Germany last year, or for Belgium – so he should have no trouble against a faulting Manchester United defence…surely. One of City’s men who slips under the radar of many, but consistently performs, is Fernandinho. He will be just as important to this game as de Bruyne, and if he continues on his good form he will do well for the blues.
Harry Newton’s prediction: 1-0 to City. Either de Bruyne, or a Joe Hart overhead kick.
proved costly. Yaya Toure, for whatever reason, did not track back and United’s midfield utilised Mata in the gaps behind City’s midfield. This was essentially, playing triangles around City’s midfield and United were able to win 4-2. Mata is currently United’s player of the month, having completed an average pass accuracy of 90%, notching up 3 goals and 4 assists and his performances will be key if United are to make a sustained challenge for the Premier League title this season. However, against Arsenal, United were themselves suspect of allowing too much space which Arsenal attacked ruthlessly. It did not make tactical sense to play Michael Carrick and Bastian Schweinsteiger because they did not have the legs to track back against Arsenal’s deep runners. I would expect Schneiderlin to start the game and to really get stuck into Yaya Toure and break their midfield down. United have been playing a possession dominated game this season but they need to play with intensity, and to have no fear in taking on City’s fullbacks to force Raheem Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne to track back into their own half. Questions will be raised if Memphis Depay will start, as he has been so inconsistent thus far and I would expect that Ashley Young will start ahead of him as he loves to drive at the full back. This will be a big game for the 19 year old Anthony Martial, who has been nothing short of a revelation since his arrival. Scoring 3 goals in 4 games, Martial has rightfully been named as Premier League player of the month for September. Something that has been quite surprising is his strength, as he is able to hold the ball up and turn on his centre back to really drive into the box. Vincent Kompany will be a stern test of strength but if he can continue to make runs behind the centre backs or carry the ball in close control within these areas, this will allow the likes of Mata and Young (if selected) to penetrate the inside of the area. The key to success is to keep possession of the ball, but also to be clinical in attack and like United’s recent performance against Wolfsburg, United could run City into the ground.
Will Kelly’s prediction: 2-1 for United. United to get a two goal lead, and a nervy ending. City Derby Memories
United’s Tactics In terms of historical significance in the world, the University of Manchester has proven to be influential in the school of physics with the likes of Alan Turing with his computer science, and Ernst Rutherford splitting the atom. Over at Old Trafford, a new “philosophy” is emerging from Van Gaal having made a strange new discovery of his own: ‘False Mata’. The base of this theory is that Juan Mata is no longer the playmaker United fans had thought they had signed but is the “false right winger”, as Van Gaal has dubbed him last season. Instead of looking to assist in a congestive midfield where he only stands at 5”7, it is the Spaniard’s job of getting the ball into the back of the net. Matteo Darmian as the overlapping fullback provides width, which enables Mata to drift inside, often without the ball, looking for space between defenders on the edge of the box. Manuel Pelligrini opted for a 4-4-2 formation in the Manchester derby last year and it certainly
Harry Newton looks back at his favourite City derbymemory There’s been some fantastic derby moments for City down the years, but there is one that sticks out more than any other: the 6-1. In City’s first title winning season, they needed the belief that they could really see off the world’s best teams and go on and snatch the Premier League trophy for their first time in decades. This game had it all. Balotelli started off the goal scoring and began a humiliating day for the reds as he silenced the Old Trafford crowd and stole away all their attention to look at his message under his shirt. Why always me? If that was the only goal in a 1-0 win then maybe you would have had the back pages Mario, but the blues continued full steam ahead. Aguero bagged two, Silva with another, and Edin Dzeko finished off the romp with two for himself! Dzeko’s last goal will be seen for years to come on
numerous highlights reels. Whether it be for the demise of Manchester United that season, the rise of Manchester City, the fantastic assist from David Silva or his pure audacity to check the scoreboard before holding up six fingers to whoever were left in the Old Trafford stands to see him. Prior to the game some comments from Sir Alex Ferguson about City’s inferiority to the red side of Manchester added insult to injury for United fans, and the blue half of Manchester still sing about this day since. The fact that City have since beaten United to the league title by mere seconds, and had them battered once more by a big 4-1 score line – and yet they still sing about this day, tells you all you need to know about how important this game was for the team and fans alike. This was not just a battering of a local rival in front of their own fans – this was a statement of intent to the world. Manchester City have grown. They were no longer little City, or megabucks City struggling in the Europa League – these were the quick, the goal scoring title contenders Manchester City. It’s just a shame that this was only the second best game City played that season…. United Derby Memories
Will Kelly looks back at his favourite United derby memory My favourite derby memory was Manchester United’s 4-3 victory, when Michael Owen scored in the 96th minute to win the game. It was an absolutely incredible game and bar Bellamy’s wonder strike, United had practically handed City the 3 goals after some serious errors by United’s defence. I remember some people started to leave after City had scored the equalizer in the 90th minute but for some reason, I knew that the game wasn’t over yet. I was pumped with adrenalin and I lost my voice trying to rally fans around me that we could keep going. After The pass from Ryan Giggs (with the outside of his foot), there was deafening silence as Michael Owen took the touch in the box and prodded home the winner. The stadium exploded and I for one as a 16 year old was whisked around, lifted up 6 rows up the stand. I had to find my brother after the match, that was how far I was lifted up! Another favourite memory was Sir Alex Ferguson’s last season when Robin Van Persie scored the winner from a free kick, again in added time. I was in the away end and we just erupted in a sea of red. My glasses flung off during the wild celebrations and it wasn’t ideal that I had to submit an essay for the next day, having spent the whole day drinking. It was a long night!
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Black History Month
MTN-Qhubeka: the first African Tour de France Team Alex Whitcomb reports
In 2015, MTN-Qhubeka made their first appearance at the Tour de France. In doing so, they became the first African team to compete at the tour, a major milestone in the sport’s history. Now they have firmly established themselves as the fans’ favorites with their attacking style and plucky underdog status. The team has been bucking trends ever since its inception, and part of the team’s project is to promote the organisation Qhubeka. The word Qhubeka is an Nguni word for ‘to progress’, and the charity is the World Bicycle Relief’s South African programme. The group has distributed over 220,000 specially designed bikes to communities across Africa. The charity says that “having a bicycle changes lives by increasing the distance people can travel, what they can carry, where they can go and how fast they can get there”. Devoting half of a team’s lucrative advertising space to a non-profit group has raised eyebrows amongst the European peloton, but their slogan #bicycleschangelives has helped gain support for their cause as well as their team on the roadside. Like British and American outfits before them, they have had to import European talent to ensure invitations to top races. For instance, their first Tour stage win was with veteran GB rider Steve Cummings. However, the team insists that this hasn’t taken away from their ambition, and have said that in the next three to five years a black African could stand on the podium of the Tour de France. It may seem a bold statement, but similar incredulity greeted Dave Brailsford when he predicted that there would be a British winner within five years of team sky launching. The squad certainly isn’t without African talent. Eritrean rider Daniel Teklehaimanot lit up the first week of the tour and wore the King of the Mountains Jersey for 4 days – the first African ever to don the polka dot jersey. It’s also the case that the African riders are younger than their European teammates, and will benefit immensely in their development by being on the team. It’s also no secret that black representation in pro cycling is woefully poor. Of the 198 athletes at the 2015 Tour, only 3 were black, and only one came from a team outside of MTN-Qhubeka. Gregory Baugé is one of very few black athletes to climb to the heights of winning a world championships with eight world titles to his name. He also narrowly missed out on a gold medal at London 2012. MTN have also experienced some racism within the sport. While competing at le Tour it was reported that one of the team’s riders had experienced abuse from a fellow rider on the Tour of Austria. However, the hope is that - with teams like MTN - more black athletes from all continents of the world will succeed in professional cycling. Latin American cyclists faced similar problems in the 1980s. An outsider nation at first, Colombians now dominate world cycling races, with the 2014 Giro D’Italia champion and double Tour de France runner up Nairo Quintana now a Colombian national hero. The team will change their name to Team Dimension Data for 2016 but will carry on their mission of promoting Qhubeka. Success on the road has also allowed them to complete one of the most talked about transfers in world cycling. Legendary sprinter Mark Cavendish has joined them for next season, raising their profile immeasurably and adding to the pool of talent and experience available for the home grown riders in the squad to benefit from. So while it’s clearly the case that they have achieved much for African cycling already, their best days look to be ahead.
Walter Tull: the first black professional outfield footballer James Haughton reports Born in Folkestone, Kent, in 1888, Walter Tull would go on to live a groundbreaking, yet tragically short life; becoming the first ever mixed-race professional outfield footballer, the second person of mixed-race as a professional player, and the first ever mixed-race officer in the British army. Tull’s father, Daniel, was born in Barbados and moved to Kent, where he met Tull’s mother, Alice Elizabeth Palmer. Walter’s parents died while he was still young, and so him and his brother Edward were moved to a Methodist-run orphanage in London. Edward was adopted by a Glaswegian family and later became a successfully qualified dentist. Walter, on the other hand, learned the trade of printing during his time at the orphanage, and in his free time, he would play for the orphanage’s football team. In 1908, he was signed to Clapham FC. His short spell at the club was a successful one—in 1909 he would lift the FA Amateur Cup with Clapham. During that same year, Tull signed professionally for Tottenham Hotspur, earning four pounds a week—the maximum a footballer could earn at the time. His time at Tottenham was troubled, as he was the victim of racial abuse when Tottenham played an away game against Bristol City. “A section of the spectators made a cowardly attack upon him [Walter Tull] in language lower than Billingsgate...” reported one newspaper. Furthermore, Tull’s first-team opportunities were limited at Tottenham; he made only ten league appearances for the club. In 1911, Tull moved to Northampton Town. At the time, Northampton were managed by Herbert Chapman, who would later go on to manage both Arsenal and Huddersfield Town to one FA Cup win and two First Division titles. Walter Tull was a regular for Northampton, playing over 100 times for the club, mainly as a wing half, a position supporting the centre half—who in those days would play in central midfield, not in the defence—in the now-unused 2-3-5 formation. As a result of the outbreak of World War I, Tull joined the 17th Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment—more commonly known as the Footballers’ Battalion, and participated in the Battle of the Somme. His bravery and leadership qualities led to him gaining promotions in the army, and, on the recommendation of senior officers, he underwent officer training, despite rules at the time forbidding black men from becoming officers in the British army. When Tull returned to the front lines in 1917, he fought in Italy, and his commanding officer praised his “gallantry and coolness” in leading a group of 26 men on a night raiding party. In 1918, Tull returned to France, and it was here, at the age of 29, where he lost his life during the Spring Offensive. His standing amongst his fellow soldiers was demonstrated by the fact that they fought valiantly to retrieve his body. But it was to no avail, and his body has never been recovered. He was recommended for a Military Cross but has never received it.
An Evening with Viv Anderson
Will Kelly & James Haughton reports As part of Black History Month, the People’s History Museum, located in Spinningfields, Manchester hosted a talk with Viv Anderson—the first black footballer to represent England, against Czechoslovakia, at Wembley Stadium in 1978. Anderson would eventually earn England thirty caps over a ten year period. Anderson was born in Nottingham in 1956 and as a young boy, he had trials with Sheffield United and Manchester United—whose academy he subsequently joined. Anderson and his father would travel back and forth between Nottingham and Manchester, and had the amazing opportunity to train with professional footballers like George Best, Dennis Law and Bobby Charlton. But it was not to be at United, as they decided to let him go at the age of twelve His big footballing break came when, while working as an apprentice, Nottingham Forest asked him to play youth matches, leading him to become a member of their academy. It was at this club that Anderson’s distinguished club career would begin. He played for Nottingham Forest between 1974 and 1984, during which at the time—under the manager-assistant duo of Brian
structions given to him by Clough at Forest: “Keep the ball out of my net and give the ball to those who could play.”—which he applied to all of the games he played in. Anderson came up against racism many times during his career, with Newcastle away being a particularly bad ground to go to. Recounting one away match at Carlisle, when he was on the substitute’s bench, Clough told Anderson to go and warm up. Two minutes later, Anderson would return and explained to Clough that the crowd were throwing apples, bananas and pears at him. Clough told him to go out there, and bring him back a pear and a banana! Clough later brought him aside in the changing room and told him that Anderson would never get far in football if he let people dictate his life and get to him emotionally. Clough told him to let the football do the talking and Anderson used this as a mantra for the rest of his career. One focal point of the evening was Anderson’s thoughts on the lack of black managers within the English game. Anderson remembers going into management at Barnsley and being only the second black manager in England, to which the media stated that this would be the start of things to come. Today it saddens
James Haughton (left) and Will Kelly (right) meet Viv Anderson Credit: Will Kelly
Clough and Peter Taylor, he gained promotion to the old First Division, and won the First Division title and two European Cups. After leaving Forest, Anderson went on to play for two of the most successful clubs in English football, Arsenal and Manchester United. From there he moved to Sheffield Wednesday, regularly playing for a team that reached the League and FA Cup finals of 1993 and finished seventh in the first Premier League season, before becoming player-manager at Barnsley and then assistant manager to Bryan Robson at Middlesbrough— where injuries forced him to make his final two appearances as a footballer. Anderson was a chatty, jovial guest throughout the talk, never shying away from a question asked and was always willing to provide insights and anecdotes from his playing career. Naturally, many of these stories involved the mercurial Brian Clough. Anderson also had the distinction of being Sir Alex Ferguson’s first signing at Manchester United. When asked to compare the two managers, Anderson felt that they were very similar; they commanded the respect of the players—even once players had left the club, they commonly refused to divulge either manager’s methods to the press; and they had an innate ability to infuse players with a sense of self-belief that translated to improved performances. In spite of all the accolades garnered in his club career, Anderson called his first appearance for England his favourite game of all time because he was so proud to be given the opportunity to represent his country—a fact complemented by his possibly optimistic, but hopefully prescient, prediction that England would reach at least the semi-finals of Euro 2016. Anderson cheekily claimed that he got an assist on the night: a pass to Steve Coppell who ran 60 yards with the ball, and crossed it for the striker to head into the net! One subject that was not at the forefront of his mind in the build up to the game against Czechoslovakia, was the historical milestone that he was about to achieve. To him, he was just a strong lad from Nottingham, whose job was to kick people for a living. He recounts the in-
Anderson that despite 15 years on, the situation hasn’t changed. Anderson puts this down to the perception that notable black candidates are seen to be good players, but people doubt their ability to go into management. He called for the FA to make a stance. Whether this came in the form of the ‘Rooney Rule’, like they have in America, Anderson declared that something had to be done to help people from minority backgrounds to enter football management. Anderson recognised that into today’s games, it is increasingly difficult for managers to get a chance to prove themselves as the game has become essentially, a results-orientated business. Martin O’Neil, Anderson’s former team mate, lost his first 13 games as manager of Leicester City, yet the club stood by him and he went on achieving great things. Another former teammate, Terry Butcher, has just lost his job after 8 games in charge of Newport County. Gordon Taylor, the Professional Football Association’s chairman was present and he echoed Anderson’s claims for a fairer recruitment policy. Taylor encouraged people to start at a good club lower down the leagues and cited Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink—currently working wonders with Burton Albion. Taylor, also, was greatly concerned about the lack of people from Asian backgrounds working in football today and encouraged a recruitment policy that would help them become integrated as players, referees and even coaching staff. For him, studies needed to be done in Asian populated areas such as Blackburn and Bradford to understand why these people are not coming through in football. Football has come a long way since the days when the likes of Viv Anderson were subject to torrid racist abuse from the sidelines. Today, the England team has plenty of black stars within the squad. But clearly, football still has a long way to go. Perhaps the FA should stand up and take note of Anderson and Taylor’s sentiments and ultimately, take action.
19th OCTOBER 2015/ ISSUE 5 FREE
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Black History Month P.30
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Manchester Derby
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FIFA chaos as the world cries out for change With Platini, Blatter and leading football chiefs embroiled in a web of problems, it is time for action
Credit: Antoon Kuper @Flickr
Harry Newton Sport Editor The Third Reich, the Roman Empire and Kerry Katona’s showbiz career are all things that saw a pitiful demise from positions of such unimaginable strength, and the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) are in danger of finding themselves in a very similar situation. Football’s governing body, FIFA, are facing a power struggle due to the stream of accusations of corruption against its highest members—with UEFA president Michel Platini and FIFA president Sepp Blatter both being given a 90 day suspension last week over a payment of £1.35million to Platini himself unaccounted for. On a basic level football is a game loved by millions, but without
a governing body for the international running of this sport, it will falter—and with the current disarray that FIFA are in, football is already suffering. For a very long time now, football is no longer just a game. It is no longer the case that each match is the most important thing to do with football; politics has become increasingly more important in football as the years have gone on. This is of course a good thing, as these politicians organise international football and help it to grow further—but with politics comes corruption and with this, football is dragged down and the game could be ruined. FIFA need to stop and start again, but with men like Platini and Blatter heading the organisation, this will never work. Prior to voting, the FIFA inspection team came to the conclusion that Qatar was the only “high risk” option overall from all candidates to host the 2022 World Cup. And yet, Platini and many others
still voted for Qatar, who gained 14 of the 22 votes of the executive committee in December 2010. The world fell to outrage and pursuits to get the corruption out of the game increased. It was always presumed that there were obviously different reasons than football that lead to this decision, and Blatter, of all people, was the man to confirm these reports. In the voting for this the French and German governments intervened in the choosing of the 2022 World Cup—to try and push for a Qatar win; a place with three stadiums in place, and now thousands less workers due to deaths on the job. This was due to French and German business projects in the richest country in the world that could be made even more profitable from a Qatar World Cup. This is evidence for not only the corruption in football, but also the magnitude of it as the French and German governments show their muscle too—but with the right people in charge of FIFA running it the right way, then this may have been averted. Platini and Blatter find themselves emulating Gary Barlow and Robbie Williams—everyone knows it’s time to call it a day, except themselves. You have had your time in the spotlight, but that fire will not relight anymore and it’s time to let go. Despite, in June, Blatter had said he would stand down following American and Swiss investigations into possible money laundering; yet, he still found himself sat in his chair soon after. When the allegations against Blatter had began, squeakyclean Platini had put on his cape to save the day and put himself forward for election. He put himself forward as the man ready to make football about football again, but now finds himself under investigation and suspended from having any interaction with football whatsoever. This is due to £1.35million being given to Platini, and no written record of this being kept. This is money that Platini should have apparently been given in a period of FIFA’s history when they did not have enough money to pay him, so it has been given to him more recently. This is the same period in FIFA’s history where they enjoyed surplus revenue of £80 million. The whole episode certainly doesn’t seem to make sense, but Platini protests his innocence, and says it was a verbal contract between the two men. This is definitely not shining Platini or Blatter in any positive light. With the Dutch, German
and Danish associations all saying they are assessing their loyalty towards Platini in the presidential election, and the English FA saying they are “following the ongoing investigation,” a man who looked like he may have saved football is under some extreme pressure here. Many of the officials in world football find themselves in this spider web of deceit—even the current acting president, Issa Hayatou, was reprimanded in 2011 over bribery allegations. Another example of a football chief entangled in this problem is Thai FA head Worawi Makudi, currently suspended for 90 days, who was found guilty in a Thai court for forgery in his re-election as head of the Thai FA. Even Gregg Dyke, the man seen as looking quite clean in all these proceedings, has only last week decided to suspend the Football Association’s support for Platini, after immense pressure. Prior to this he had given Platini full backing despite no manifesto being in place—or any other candidate for that matter. That’s like voting for an X Factor winner before they’ve even sang. Blatter may finally leave, after finding himself trapped in the revolving door of the FIFA HQ for the last year, but the problems in football are deeper than one man. Football needs a fresh start, but unless Alan Sugar hosts a special edition of The Apprentice, I can’t see anybody different coming to the forefront any time soon. There are options of course. Blatter and Platini can go, and we can find ourselves with a different person at the top, and he may run the organisation better. With Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan officially submitting his candidature for the presidency this is a real opportunity for FIFA to progress, but the problem with this is that the world may find itself slaughtering a tiger, to set loose a lion, as simply installing a new person at the top will not get rid of all the problems. Another option is being expressed from the cries from the back of the room, for the Swiss government to put FIFA in state control and just simply start again. If there’s still twenty two players, one ball and a referee then who really has a problem with starting again? This is extremely unlikely, but football is definitely at a stage now where change is necessary, and the politicians need to be reminded of the game they represent.