Issue6

22nd OCT 2012/ ISSUE 06 FREE

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WWW.MANCUNION.COM

MANCHESTER’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER

Gambling: the secret student vice

Men’s football team lose training pitch after ‘mix up’

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University gets £1billion investment

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The flyer advertising the ‘A rmed forces vs. Taliban night at The BOP

THE BOP

STOPS HERE

Social Junkies forced to pull Armed Forces vs.

Taliban themed clubnight Richard Crook Editor Social Junkies have landed themselves in hot water yet again after The BOP organisers were forced to pull their “tasteless” ‘Armed Forces and Taliban’ themed clubnight.

The decision came after the massive backlash from students pressured them to cancel the event just one day before it was set to go ahead.

Flyers for the night depicted men representing the Taliban against a wall with their hands tied, and a soldier pointing a gun towards them.

Social Junkies claimed they changed the night on Monday and withdrew “all promotional material”, but students found flyers being distributed around campus as late as Thursday.

The promoters issued a grovelling apology on Facebook after being overwhelmed by sustained attacks from students and members of the Union Executive.

“The BOP should have paid closer to attention to this theme and, more importantly the image that accompanied it when it was originally designed. We made a mistake. We are sorry,” said a statement on their Facebook page.

But Social Junkies put the blame for the theme

selection on Halls RAs, stating, “As in every year, the themes are put out for discussion and choices are made via google docs between many RA members.”

The flyer thanked several hall committees for their “help and support”, including Owens Park, Oak House and North Campus halls.

Prior to the event being cancelled, Ben Hourahine, Social Secretary for Owens Park, said on Facebook, “Already bought my Abu Hamza fancy dress costume.”

Both the Islamic Society and the Students’ Union came out against Social Junkies.

Saad Wahid, Diversity Officer at the Union, told The Mancunion, “This theme trivialises the suffering felt by everyone affected by the devastation of conflict worldwide. It makes a mockery of the armed forces, their families and of human rights abuses committed in the context of war.”

The Islamic Society went further, calling for more action to be taken. “This event was founded on the fundamentals of racism and stereotypes, asking guests to dress as racially stereotyped caricatures.”

“We believe that it is not enough that the event is cancelled. We believe the organisers should not only be held accountable for their unacceptable behaviour but for their complete lack of respect.”

The BOP takes place at Jabez Clegg every Friday.

Alan Harvey Duty Manager at Jabez Clegg, “We found out this morning. We can’t cancel the event because of our agreement with Social Junkies. At the end of the day we are a venue, people hire us out, then its up to them what they do.”

02 : NEWS

ISSUE 01 / 17th SEPTEMBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Highlights

Are sexed-up club night themes damaging women?

Fatboy Slim plays at Sankeys Photo: Ben Bradford

Comment & Politics, Page 11 Picture of the week

Preview: Skyfall

The BOP stops here Continued from front page

Film, Page 14

Bastille Interview Music, Page 18

Over 400 people signed up to the Facebook page calling to end the night. Students took to the page to express their outrage.

Amy Walls, nursing student at the University of Manchester, said, “As someone who has family serving in Afghanistan, I find this extremely disrespectful. BOP have crossed the line here.”

Recent graduate Ben Green added, “Social Junkies are forever doing stupid things like this. The University just needs to stop doing business with them. I’m sure there are plenty of other promotion companies which are not run by asshats.”

Manchester RAG was due to hold an event at The BOP that night, but when being

alerted to the theme of the night immediately changed the venue.

Social Junkies – who have strong links to University of Manchester Halls of Residence - are becoming a magnet for bad press.

In 2010, the University and the Union condemned their ‘fuck a fresher’ night. This

year, The Mancunion reported that lavish perks were offered to JCRs to peddle their nights in 2011.

Most recently, Social Junkies were slated for their filter system for reps, which involved secretly rating students on campus for their attractiveness.

A spokesman from the University of Manchester told The Mancunion: “The BOP is held at a commercial company, so there is no formal association with the University.

“However, we were not happy for the University’s name to be used in connection with this event, so Senior Management contacted Social Junkies to demand the immediate withdrawal of all publicity material and let them know that the proposed theme was totally unnacceptable.”

editor@mancunion.com Media Intern: Joe Sandler Clarke joe.sandlerclarke@manchester.ac.uk

50 Shades of Fallowfield: the conclusion Lifestyle, Page 26

Visit Our Website www.mancunion.com Facebook: The Mancunion Twitter: @THEMANCUNION Postal address: Univerity of Manchester Students’ Union, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PR Phone (0161) 275 2933 Editor-in-Chief: Richard Crook

University Christian Union leader resigns after ‘blacking up’

Sub-Editor: Catherine May News Editors: Ellen Conlon, Jonnie Breen, Michael Williams & Anthony Organ news@mancunion.com Beauty Columnist: Jessica Cusack beauty@mancunion.com Business Editors: Oli Taylor & Scott Mckewan business@mancunion.com Comment Editors: Lisa Murgatroyd, Emma Bean, Antonia Jennings & Eve Fensome Fashion Editors: Elizabeth Harper & Jake Pummintr

Michael Williams News Editor The President of the University of Birmingham’s Christian Union, Ben McNeely, has resigned after photos of him ‘blacking-up’ were posted on Facebook.

The pictures, taken at a Caribbean themed fancy dress party, were seen by The Birmingham Ethnic Minorities Association, who responded with an online article – which received over 5,000 hits – and a petition with more than a hundred signatures calling for McNeely to resign.

‘Blacking-up’ refers to a form of make-up and costume called ‘blackface’, which uses caricatured racist stereotypes to mock black people. The practice was popular in England and America in the nineteenth century, and was common until the 1960s Civil Rights Movement in the USA. In a statement, McNeely called the costume a “foolish mistake.”

“As a Christian I believe all people are equal regardless of their race and each individual has

Food & Drink Editors: Jessica Hardiman & Emily Clark foodanddrink@mancunion.com Film Editors: Sophie James & Nihal Tharoor-Menon Features Editor: Andrew Williams Games Editor: Sam Dumitriu Lifestyle Editor: Dana Fowles lifestyle@mancunion.com Literature Editor: Phoebe Chambre literature@mancunion.com Marketing: Michael Green & Edmund Alcock marketing@mancunion.com Music Editors: Sophie Donovan, Dan Jones & Joe Goggins music@mancunion.com

special dignity in bearing the image of God,” he said.

“I was genuinely unaware of the history attached to this issue and how it was used to perpetuate a negative stereotype of a particular race.”

In an article posted on the BEMA website, President Areeq Chowdhury condemned “the damage that had been caused to anti-racism movements” and claimed that McNeely was ignorant of “the full extent of the offence that the blackface ‘costume’ had created.”

Initially, McNeely refused to resign from his position. In an email to BEMA, he wrote, “Given that I will apologise to all offended, I do not think it is appropriate for me to resign from my position as President of the Christian Union.”

But, after his resignation was tendered, BEMA issued a statement accepting Mcneely’s apology “wholeheartedly.”

“We see he is willing to educate himself on liberation issues and white privilege,” said BEMA.

Music Web Editor: Thomas Ingham Sport Editors: Ciaran Milner. Tom Acey & Matthew Barber sport@mancunion.com Theatre Editor: Josephine Lane theatre@mancunion.com Web Editor: Jenny Ho webed@mancunion.com Design Supervisor: Sean Redmile Advertising : Stefan Redfern stefan.redfern@manchester.ac.uk Tel 0161 275 2930

ISSUE 06 / 22nd OCTOBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

NEWS : 03

Councillor fears mass bar-crawl could become ‘Mancunian Magaluf’ Masses of students dressed for the ‘pimps and hoes’ themed night in Deansgate on Sunday Jonathan Breen News Editor A Manchester City councillor has criticized the mass student bar-crawl ‘Carnage’, fearing it could become the ‘Mancunian Magaluf ’.

Carnage UK organises student bar-crawls across the country and on Sunday they hosted a ‘pimps and hoes’ themed event in bars around Deansgate Locks.

Partygoers paid £10 for a ticket and were given a Tshirt gaining them free entry to six bars in the city centre between 9pm and 4am.

Councillor Patrick Karney said last week he didn’t want the event to become a “Mancunian Magaluf with huge swathes of drunken revellers moving en masse from bar to bar oblivious to the trouble they’re causing.”

Cnllr Karney warned, “The council will be keeping a close eye on it and if there are complaints we will be taking the strongest possible measures against the organisation and bringing them before the town hall to explain themselves.”

In a statement to The Mancunion, Varsity Leisure Group, who run Carnage, said each year more than 250,000 revellers go to their events across the country and this was the first time they had received such complaints in Manchester.

“In Manchester, we have operated this event in the city since 2004. We have received no complaints from the Coun-

cillors in all this time.

“VLG is extremely disappointed that Councillor Karney did not contact us at the earliest opportunity to discuss his alleged concerns with us directly. Councillor Karney has never contacted us before.

“If Councillor Karney had taken the time to contact us, we would have been happy to alleviate those concerns which it would appear that he has, by setting out quite clearly the measures which we have in place at our events.

“VLG’s events are carefully organised, carefully planned and carefully managed. We proactively liaise with Greater Manchester Police in advance of events.”

Carnage events have come under fire before for their themes and for the antics of drunken students.

A student in 2009 was pictured urinating on a war memorial during a Carnage event and Sheffield Central Labour MP Paul Blomfield criticised the ‘pimps and hoes’ theme last month for “trivialising prostitution and violence towards women.”

Becky Boffa, a second year psychology and neuroscience student, said, “I like the idea of carnage but I don’t think it’s as popular in Manchester as other places so I can’t imagine it becoming a Mancunian Magaluf.

“I went to a few and they’ve really been like normal nights out in Manchester except with t-shirts and entry to loads of places. And

Manchester far above average in alcohol-related deaths and hospital trips Michael Williams News Editor Alcohol-related deaths in Manchester are far above the regional average, and alcohol-related hospital admissions are almost double – but students are not to blame.

Deaths caused by alcohol in Manchester were over one and a half times the regional average, with 184 people dying from alcohol abuse compared to the average North West figure of 112.

Despite the stereotype of the drunken student, the

figures, released by Alcohol Concern, show that the 1624 age group had far less hospital admissions related to alcohol last year than any other group.

The 25-54 year old age group had 6,543 admissions, 55-74 year olds accounted for 5,347, and people 75 years old and above had 2,512 hospital admissions related to alcohol.

16-24 year olds, the age bracket that would encompass the vast majority of university students, had a comparatively low admission rate of 904.

Alcohol awareness campaigners Drinkaware have also spoken out against the barcrawl. Photo: Martin Klefas-Stennett also there’s so many security measures now I don’t think anything could get that out of hand.”

Second year Neuroscience student Tom Young said, “It’s only one night and it’s just students having a laugh, this kind of thing happens at universities and in cities all over the country.”

Brogan Thompson, studying for a degree in criminology felt Carnage was the same as any other student night out.

She said, “It’s not really any different to other nights out except that you have a t-shirt telling you where you have

“It is the common perception that young people are responsible for the increasing cost of alcohol misuse,” said Alcohol Concern Chief Executive Eric Appleby, “but our findings show that in reality this is not the case.”

“It is the middle-aged, and often middle class drinker, regularly drinking above recommended limits, who are actually requiring complex and expensive NHS care.”

There were 120,815 overall hospital admissions related to alcohol this year, almost double the North West average of 62,441.

These admissions cost each adult in Manchester £95, almost £10 more than the average adult in the North West pays.

to be at what time, which is quite annoying.

“In some other places carnage looks good but its not like that in Manchester so it won’t ever become a Mancunian Magaluf.”

Alcohol awareness campaigners Drinkaware also spoke out against the barcrawl and condemned the encouragement of binge drinking.

Head of Campaigns and Communications at the charity Siobhan McCann, said, “Organising events centred on binge drinking or drinking to get drunk is irresponsible

and should not be encouraged.

“Bar crawl organisers have a responsibility to ensure participants are not put at risk.

“Drinking to excess in a short amount of time can make people vulnerable and increase their chances of being a victim or perpetrator of crime.”

In response to the comments from Drinkaware, VLG said, “We utterly refute that this is an event ‘centred on binge drinking or drinking to get drunk.’ The focus of our events is fancy dress and not “on binge drinking or drink-

Oxbridge raise bar in admissions process Ellen Conlon News Editor The majority of students will be expected to score straight A* grades in their A-Levels for the first time to secure admission to Oxbridge, it has been revealed.

Both institutions have also revealed that they are preparing to set more entry exams in addition to formal interviews.

These announcements have been made just days before the deadline to apply to the prestigious institutions.

Oxford University has said that it will now require almost nine in 10 prospective students to sit some form of aptitude test, up from around twothirds in 2009.

Cambridge will be running 20 en-

trance tests in 2013.

Cambridge already demands that all applicants achieve one A* and two As as a minimum entry requirement but the number of courses requiring an A* at Oxford will increase by a third this year, from 15 to 20.

These decisions will fuel fears that universities are still struggling to identify the most able applicants from the thousands of pupils leaving school with straight As at A-Level, and as more students strive for the very best universities, to ensure value for money after the tuition fee increase, it is likely to make it harder for sixthformers to secure places in 2013.

Caroline Lindner, managing director of Oxbridge Applications, said the universities were creating increasingly sophisticated tools to select the

ing to get drunk.

“The welfare and supervision of our guests is of paramount importance to us.

“VLG ensures the deployment of additional SIA event security personnel at the events, the cost of which is paid for by the Company.

“We are fully aware of our responsibilities as event organisers. We are under no obligation to put in place those measures; we do so voluntarily to provide a safer environment within which students can come to our events to socialise.”

brightest students.

“With so many people applying, admissions tutors need more checks and balances to make sure that they’re getting someone who is going to be suited to an Oxbridge way of teaching,” she said.

Mike Nicholson, Oxford’s director of admissions, said that the A* often failed to mark out the brightest candidates in the humanities and social sciences subjects. Aptitude tests were therefore particularly important in these areas.

The rise in tests also reflects that so many students were applying from other countries or sitting alternative qualifications in the sixth-form, he said.

“Having a test that everybody does gives us a chance to benchmark candidates against each other, irrespective of the education system or country they have come from,” Mr Nicholson said. “That is increasingly the reason why we are seeing the tests as being valuable; because the applications pool isn’t all doing A-level.

04 : News

ISSUE 06 / 22nd OCTOBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Men’s football club lose training NEWS session due to ‘mix up’ IN BRIEF Man City fans left furious over sold-out match prices City fans are fuming after dozens of tickets for a sold-out match have gone on sale online with a large booking fee placed on top.

Tickets were made available for the Spurs match by online firm Viagogo.

Fans say tickets with a face value of £51 were being sold with a £12.24 booking fee on top. Buyers also need a £10 City membership card to purchase.

“It’s a sad day in the history of Manchester City,” said a Blues season card holder.

Greater Manchester Police face £120,000 fine after USB containing private information stolen The USB was inside a detective’s wallet when his house was burgled and the wallet taken.

The memory stick contained sensitive information about 1,100 people who gave information about drug probes and has no password protection.

The force was handed an £120,000 fine for failing to order all staff to use encrypted USB drives.

The detective responsible for the security breach is believed to have been disciplined by the GMP.

Law graduate praises Manchester for helping him become King of Cakes BBC’s Great British Bake-Off winner John Whaites competed on the program in between studying for his final year exams at Manchester University.

He says his win is down to his studying: “If I hadn’t been in the middle of the degree I’m not sure I would have won.”

He graduated this summer with a first class degree.

Over 70 players now have to train at a single session, on a single pitch Ellen Conlon News Editor

The University of Manchester’s Men’s Football Club is currently training on one Astroturf pitch after the club captain had a “mix up” with training times.

Over 70 players from the club now train together in one session, on one pitch.

Last season the first and second Men’s Football teams trained on a Sunday evening, but when members of the team turned up to train last Sunday, they were told to leave because the slot was no longer theirs.

Club Captain, James Thwaites, said that he informed members of the team about the cancellation through Facebook, but admitted that “it’s impossible to ring around every single person in the club to let them know of a certain development.”

When asked why the slot no longer belonged to the first and second Men’s

Football team, Andy Cowen, the University’s Athletic Union Sport Sabbatical Officer said: “They haven’t got that slot because they didn’t book it in the first place.”

Chris Renshaw, Assistant Director of Sport at the University, who is in charge of organising the training timetables, explained the process of booking training slots for each team.

“All teams including Men’s Football were asked for their bookings in advance of the term starting,” he said.

He explained how after the term started, someone from the club came to see him asking why their Sunday training session wasn’t booked, but when he checked his records no request had been made by them to train on a Sunday.

The slot never officially belonged to Men’s Football, but was booked as a three hour slot by the Campus League. They didn’t have their full 16 teams last year

A “mix up” has forced over 70 footballers to train on one pitch. Photo: Nick Whiting so reduced their training session to two hours.

“Unbeknownst to me, Men’s Football took that slot up by arrangement with the Armitage Centre and then played on it,” explained Mr Renshaw.

This year the Campus League re-booked their three-hour session meaning there was no free space.

“To cut a long story short, the fault is with Men’s Football, they never booked. It will be the official’s fault,” said Mr Renshaw.

UK voted the safest place to study by foreign students Ellen Conlon News Editor The UK has been voted the safest place to study for international students due to its ‘multicultural nature.’

The survey was conducted by the British Council and students from over 80 countries took part.

Over a quarter of participants placed Britain top in their safety ratings.

Online student forum, The Student Room also provided material from a poll on its website, which showed that Britain, Canada, Germany and New Zealand were perceived as safe countries for foreign students to study in.

The main reason why international students perceived the UK to be a safe place to study was because of its “very multicultural society.” This was voted most significant by almost 40 per cent of voters.

Other factors adding to the UK’s high safety status included strict gun ownership laws, good medical care and a relatively low crime rate.

“It is seen as a country where high priority is given to protecting person-

al safety,” said Elizabeth Shephard, research director for the British Council’s Education Intelligence team.

Countries voted the most ‘unsafe’ by students were Israel, South Africa, India and Brazil.

The UK’s Complete University Guide annually publishes data on the level of crimes likely to be of relevance to students – burglaries, muggings and violence.

For the first time this year it also published a ranking of universities in England and Wales based on the incidence of these crimes within five kilometres of campuses.

Outside of London, Manchester and Nottingham were ranked as being the least safe.

Bernard Kingston, founder of The Complete University Guide, said: “Our new methodology allows potential students to assess the risks for individual institutions with much greater precision, at least for England and Wales.

“It is clearly a matter of considerable concern when considering where to study as an undergraduate.”

“The first time they’ve not been able to use it was this Sunday, [the Club Captain] was fully aware that they could not use it and it was his responsibility to tell all of the team members,” added Mr Cowen.

When asked what he thought the consequences of the mistake, which results in over 70 players training together on one pitch, would be, Mr Thwaites said he could see “no detrimental effect.”

“If anything it can create a

positive social aspect to the club, which is of course not a bad thing,” he assured.

“They still have the same amount of equipment, as each team has their own.

The coaches we have are easily good enough to work with the space we’re given to create an intense, beneficial session for all teams.”

“We’re trying to solve it either way as a club and hopefully it will only be a temporary measure for now,” he added.

Mick Hucknall to receive honorary degree from University Anthony Organ News Editor The University of Manchester will this week give honorary degrees to what it describes as “six outstanding individuals”.

The recipients include Professor Peter Higgs, Sir Philip Craven and Mick Hucknall, the former lead singer of Simply Red. Mick Hucknall was born in Denton, Manchester and was the lead singer of Simply Red for over 25 years before the band split in 2010.

He is also due to receive a lifetime achievement award from The Radio Academy in November.

The Higgs boson, commonly known as the “god particle”, is the most sought-after particle in modern science and owes its name Professor Peter Higgs.

Prof Higgs first suggested such a particle in 1964 and earlier this year scientists using the Large Hadron Collider claimed to have found it.

It was featured as part of the London 2012 Paralympics opening ceremony.

Also featured in the London 2012 Paralympics opening ceremony was Sir Philip Craven, the President of the International Paralympic Committee, who was watched by the world as he welcomed the Queen into the presidential box.

A former student at the University, Sir Philip obtained a BA in Geography in 1972 and went on to represent Great Britain in wheelchair basket-

The former Simply Red frontman will receive an honorary degree in his home city. Photo: Pierre Hennequin

ball at five Paralympics, from 1972 to 1988.

Other recipients of the honorary degrees include Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, the founder and chairman of the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee, the world’s largest nongovernmental development organization, and Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw, a former Mathematics lecturer at the University who turned 100 this month.

The final honour will be given to John Timpson, Chairman of the Timpson retail business.

His great-grandfather William Timpson founded the business in Manchester in 1869 and the business is currently based in Wythenshawe.

05: News

ISSUE 06 / 22ND OCTOBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

15% of graduates in ‘low-skilled jobs’, according to study The Mancunion talks to recent graduates about their early experiences in the world of work News Editors

“I suppose the one time my degree has been useful in my job was when people were sitting around in the office wondering why the drink Rubicon is called Rubicon,” explains Bill, a History graduate from the class of 2012.

“Someone said ‘it’s named after a band’ and I said proudly: ‘no it’s not; it’s named after a river in Italy. It’s the river Julius Caesar had to cross to invade Rome.’”

Nearly 15 percent of those students who graduated in 2011 today find themselves in lowskilled jobs. For those who left with degrees from humanities courses, particularly History and English, that percentage is even higher.

Having used up most of his overdraft over the summer, Bill took a temping job. Now he works as quality checker for a gas distribution network back home in Cardiff. “It’s boring, very boring,” he says.

Catie, another graduate – who left the University of Manchester with a first class Classics degree – was working at a leading human tissue research company until last week. “I’d sit at the computer and process the orders scientists gave to me,” she explains. “So I’d order mouse tissue, mouse bones, rat bones.”

So you were just ordering rodent body parts, I ask.

“I wasn’t even ordering it, I was just processing it,” she laughs. “Thankfully I was only there for a week.”

Research by the Higher Education Careers Service Unit (HECSU) shows that 61.8 percent of students who graduated last year have a job.

Last year that figure stood at 62.2 percent. One in 12 students are without work six months after they graduate.

For one Linguistics graduate, work – despite having a first class degree and a CV packed full of extra-curricular activity – has been difficult to come by.

“I went for one interview and they were congratulating me on my degree. They said that my CV was really impressive, so I was quite optimistic about it,” she says. “And then they gave me this tour of the centre where I’d be working and it soon became clear that my job would be to set up meetings for people using the centre and to make tea and coffee for business meetings.

It just seemed weird that that this was the job and they were saying ‘well done on your first’ as if that made me qualified to make coffee.”

For those who are either unable to find a job or are looking to make it in a particular industry, work experience can be another option – even though it won’t pay the rent.

One University of Manchester graduate who wants a career

in journalism tells me that she worked 12 hours a day at a national newspaper and was not even offered travel expenses.

I ask Andrew Whitmore from the University of Manchester Careers Service whether he’s concerned by the number of students’ taking low-skilled jobs after they graduate.

“Obviously I’m always concerned about people who are either unemployed or are in low-skilled jobs, so that goes without saying.

“The fundamental thing is that there are a significant number of graduates going into low-paid work and there are a number of reasons for that. In big cities like Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool you find that people want to hang around in the city no matter what. We find a lot of students here who have worked part-time in a call centre in Manchester. Often, after their smorgasbord of experiences, students want to stay just keep living the dream.

Mr Whitmore also acknowledges that even for low level jobs, including bar and restaurant work, degrees are seen as necessary. “I won’t mention any names but I know bars and restaurants in Manchester that I ask for degrees. Even though you don’t need a degree to do the job there just looking for someone with a degree because they feel that they’d get on better with their customers; who are mainly students.”

I put it to Mr Whitmore that perhaps the real problem is that the majority of degrees, particularly humanities subjects, just don’t prepare

A Manchester student prepares for the real world at a graduation ceremony. Photo: University of Manchester

students for the world of work.

“If you go and say to someone: ‘I deserve a job in your business because I have a degree in history’ you’d have the wrong approach,” he acknowledges. “But if you went to an organisation and said I’ve developed a whole range of skills particularly

analytical skills, analysing data and information and communicating with people through writing essays and doing presentations, that’s the way to sell it. Certainly loads of historians from here have gone on to become significant players in large organisations.”

The view that a humanities

degree gives you a number of excellent transferrable skills is shared by Catie, who now hopes to use her extensive volunteering and charity experience to do some more work in that sector.

Bill meanwhile is considering moving to Canada, if only to get away from Cardiff.

Pupils pay up to £300 for UCAS statements Anthony Organ News Ed i t o r Pupils are spending hundreds of pounds for top universit y graduates to write their UCAS personal statements.

We b s i t e s a r e c h a r g i n g u p t o £300 for the services of their professional writers.

One website, which says it “exc l u s ive ly e m p l oys g rad u ate s f r o m t h e U K ’s t o p u n i v e r s i t i e s , ” offers services ranging from professional editing to fully written statements.

Cathy Gilbert, Director of Customer Strategy at UCAS, said: “UCAS has looked closely at the issue of personal statement services” before stressing “eve n a bespoke personal statement service carries the risk of being caught by our similarit y detection soft ware.”

She continued: “There is a fine

line bet ween using an editing service, which is now offered by a number of websites, and using a service which writes the entire personal statement.”

When asked whether this meant that it is acceptable for students to pay for professional editing services a U C A S s p o k e s p e r s o n s a i d : “ We advi se applic ants to have their statements checked, that might be by a teacher or parent, and if you did want to have somebody check it over in a professional way then that would be okay too. “ What i sn’t okay i s someone write your statement for you.”

having entire

Julian Skyrme, Head of Undergradu ate Rec ruitment at t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f M a n c h e s t e r, said: “ The whole i ssue of having p e r s o n a l s t ate m e n t s ‘c h e c ke d’ o r ‘e d i te d’ i s c l e a rly s o m e t h i n g of a grey area and is an issue that could reasonably merit

further clarit y from UCAS. “Where ‘e d i t i n g ’ means someone else is effectively writing important aspects of the personal statement, this obviously compounds existing issues with the validity of personal statements, used in their own, as a selection tool. Because of these issues it therefore rare for any Universit y to place a singular emphasis on this part of the application.”

He said that he was “not aware of a spec ific inst ance” at the Universit y of a personal statement being written by a p r o f e s s i o n a l w r i t e r.

The website seen by The Mancunion offers a “Gold” s e r v i c e , c o s t i n g £ 6 9. 0 0 , w h i c h consists of a professional writer editing a pre-written statement.

The “Oxbridge” costing £ 1 6 9. 9 9,

service, involves

a professional writer and specialist in your exact field of study producing a fully written, edited and unique statement, as well as offering individual support.

system Copycatch. The system checks statements for wellknown phrases and patterns, but statements written by individuals could evade detection.

Clients c an pay extra to m a k e u s e o f a “ S e n i o r Wr i t i n g Specialist”, meaning a top Oxbridge gradu ate, and pay more for a response within 24 hours, potentially increasing the cost of to £280.

Copycatch is also commercially available and the website seen by The Mancunion claims to use it to check each statement, meaning that the number of fraudulent applications could potentially be higher than 8,000.

Customers simply fill out a form detailing their interests, work experience and the course they are applying for and the writers do the rest.

The website claims to “have helped thousands of students achieve entry into their desired u n i v e r s i t y. ” Last year just over 1% of applic ants – over 8,000 – were identified as being potentially fraudulent by UCAS, using the similarity detection

A UCAS spokesperson said that “a claim of using Copycatch isn’t a guarantee that it is actually being used” and noted that UCAS uses “a specially developed version” in which each statement “is compared against a large, evergrowing library of personal statements already held by UCAS and a library of sample statements from a variet y of other sources.”

VOTE!

Voting is easy on My Manchester

19th - 26th Oct 2012 www.manchesterstudentsunion/vote

07: News

ISSUE 06 / 22ND OCTOBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

University to invest £1 billion into ‘single campus’ - University to create single Oxford Road Campus - Union building extension part of re-development

Jonathan Breen News Ed i t o r

The University of Manchester has announced a £1 billion facelift, which should seal the fate of the institution’s North Campus.

The University’s Board of Governors gave the go ahead to the investment on October 10, which will be made in two installments over the next ten years.

The ‘Estates Master Plan’ aims to create a single campus on Oxford Road, and will see the construction of new buildings and facilities for the schools making the move.

The shift from North Campus is set to take place in 2018, with everyone leaving at one time, confirmed Jon Keighren, Head of Media Relations at the University.

“Everyone will go at once and the scheduled date for that is 2018, it won’t be a ghost town in 2017,” he said.

The Maths and Social Sciences, Mossat, and Faraday Buildings are currently the only three empty on the North Campus, but by 2018 the majority will be vacant.

Mr Keighren told The Mancunion that it had not been decided what will happen to the vacated buildings – which includes the grade II listed Sackville Street Building, but that the University is working with the City Council and Association of Manchester Authorities commission New Economy to come up with a use for them.

“All options are open at this stage,” he added.

Director of Estates and Facilities Diana Hampson said since UMIST and Victoria University of Manchester merged their goal has been to build a single campus.

“Since the merger of the two universities in 2004, it has been our ambition to bring all of the academic activity together on a single site south of the Mancunian Way, which will improve efficiency, improve the student experience and reduce the University’s carbon footprint,” she said.

Second year electrical and electronic engineering student Udara Perera, a regular user of the campus, felt there was little immediate benefit to the move.

“In my opinion it’s unnecessary to move the North Campus as they modified the Renold building.

“It’s well positioned to the rail network and close access to the city centre. And most of the university’s historic value is based in the north campus for example the UMIST (Sackville Street Building) where I have my lectures.

“On the other hand if this move is going to get the uni more international recognition then it’s good for us when we are graduates.”

Third-year engineering student Mamun Shaikh expected the shift would not affect the “student learning experience.”

“If you move it just down to

Oxford Road I don’t see much point to be honest. If it is just down the road I can’t see much benefit in that really.

“It’s just a five minute walk, in the long run its not going to make that much of a difference to the student learning experience.

“If they don’t move the accommodation then I don’t actually see much benefit.”

Tom Ingham, a second year English Language student, said, “It’s something of an inconvenience having lectures in the north campus and then having to come back to Oxford Road for a seminar or a lecture.

It’s just impractical.

“It also feels, to me, a bit disconnected from the rest of the university, it’s too far away from the Students’ Union and library.

As a part of the plan, there will also be an extension made to the Students’ Union.

In a press release the University said there are plans for a “bigger and better Students’ Union,” just part of a multi-million pound development to the public area around the university, which will also see wider pavements and tree-lined boulevards along Oxford Road.

Nick Pringle, General Secretary of the Students’ Union said, “The University’s decision to invest over £4m in the Students’ Union building as part of a wider £1bn investment in the entire campus is an exciting opportunity for students currently at Manchester and for future students too.

“We’ll be consulting widely with those who use this building a lot, a little and not at all to make sure that students truly guide the development.

“Our building is already buzzing with activity and space is in high demand. I’m looking forward

The University has announced a £1 billion investment to create a single campus on Oxford Road, the pictured Sackville Street Building will be vacated Photo: Hannah Reiss

to the opportunity to maximise what we’ve got and build a bigger and better Students’ Union for the future.”

The first phase of the master plan, to be rolled out over the next six years, will cost approximately £700million and include a new engineering campus and new centres for law, business and medicine.

There will also be a large-scale

refurbishment of the library and the telescope at Jodrell Bank.

Plans for the four-year second phase, to start in 2018, include creating a Biomedical Campus around the existing Stopford Building. It is expected to cost an additional £300million.

The recent investment is on top of £750million spent since 2004, which has seen the construction of ten new buildings.

President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, said, “For the first time, we will deliver a single site for The University of Manchester, where engineering, arts, biomedicine, business and all of our other activities live side by side, and our students will be at the real heart of a campus.

Million pound restaurant to open on curry mile Anthony Organ Ne w s E d i t o r A former Manchester Metropolitan student is opening a £ 1 m i l l i o n r e s t au r a n t o n t h e Curry Mile, hoping to attract new people to the area.

business management, business strategy and accounting, Business Studies really helped me moving for wards.

But the greatest thing was the e x p e r i e n c e t h a t I go t t h r o u g h actually working during the last 12 years.”

T h e r e s t au r a n t , c a l l e d M a l a i , will seat 120 diners over t wo floors and offer valet parking as well as business club deals to transport corporate customers b e t w e e n t h e r e s t au r a n t a n d Manchester cit y centre.

He said that he hoped that his rest aurant would improve the current state of the Curry Mile: “ I r e m e m b e r a s a k i d go i n g t h e r e a n d i t w a s a l w ay s e xc i t i n g . I t ’s a l w ay s h a d t h a t s o r t o f e l e c t r i c atmosphere.

J a f S i d d i q i , n o w 3 0, s p o ke about his time studying at MMU: “ I d i d n ’ t h av e a s p e c i f i c c a r e e r path in mind, which i s why I stuck with Business Studies and kept things general.

“ U n f o r t u n a t e l y n o w t h e r e ’s a n i n c r e a s i n g n u m b e r o f t a k e aw ay s and shisha bars, which is really detrimental to the restaurant i n d u s t r y.

“While I was studying I was f u n d i n g m y w ay b y w o r k i n g i n b a r s a n d r e s t au r a n t s , a n d t h a t ’s h o w I g o t i nv o l v e d i n t h i s i n d u s t r y.

“I

think

with

regards

to

“In the rest aurants and the t a k e aw ay s t h a t a r e t h e r e , t h e q u a l i t y o f f o o d i n my o p i n i o n i n s o b a d , i t ’s n o t a u t h e n t i c .

“Since we’ve gone on site there and the project was

publicised, a number of a d j a c e n t o u t l e t s h av e p u t s o m e significant investment back into their businesses as well. It seems to be going in the right direction.”

Shabir Mughal, chairman of the Rusholme Traders Assoc iation, which represents restaurants on Curry Mile, said: “When we h e a r d a b o u t a n d l o o ke d i n t o h i s proposal, it seemed good for the other businesses bec ause he would be attracting some new clientele to the area. “ I t ’s g o i n g t o b e a v e r y h i g h end, posh restaurant, so it will be corporate people and celebrities.”

P h o t o : A n a r t i s t ’s i m p re s s i o n o f t h e M a l a i R e s t a u ra n t .

But Mr Siddiqi said that he is “not pitching out to celebrities”, instead focusing on attracting “ business clientele who don’t currently visit the Curry Mile”.

M r M u g h a l c o n t i n u e d : “ We ’ r e totally behind him bec ause if he hadn’t come then some shisha

b a r c o u l d h av e t a ke n o v e r. “ We ’d m u c h r a t h e r h av e h i m than the shisha bars and he’ll bring some new spark into the area.”

There are currently only 12 sit-down restaurants left on the Curry Mile; half the number there were three years ago.

M a n y h av e b e e n r e p l a c e d b y shisha bars, which now number 28.

An NHS c ampaign was launched last week with Manchester Cit y Council to highlight the dangers o f s m o k i n g s h i s h a a n d t h e l aw s concerning it.

One shisha bar was recently f i n e d o v e r £ 2 ,0 0 0 f o r a l l o w i n g p e o p l e t o s m o ke i n s i d e t h e café area during five separate inspections by police officers, council inspectors and HM Re v e n u e a n d C u s t o m s s t a f f .

08 : Feature

ISSUE 06 / 22nd OCTOBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Gambling: the secret student vice

Andrew Williams explores the increased prevalence of - and motivation for - student gambling in an era of 24/7 betting

Andrew Williams Features Editor

One autumnal Saturday, around three years ago, I joined a couple of flatmates in making the short trip from our Richmond Park halls to William Hill in Fallowfield. My friends were keen to place a few small accumulators on the afternoon’s football in a bid to spice up the day’s action; the biggest games of that weekend were taking place on Sunday, so a small financial stake in the day’s 3 o’clock kick offs would make those less illustrious fixtures that little bit more entertaining.

Having turned 18 just six weeks previously – my late August birthday making me the ‘baby’ of our year group – I had never really been given the opportunity to gamble.

The lackadaisical attitude of certain football stadium bookmakers had enabled my underage self to stake the odd quid here and there, but this was the first time I had set foot in a traditional bookies. To my slight surprise, we weren’t the only ones looking to win big that afternoon.

With around half an hour to go until kick off, the shop was packed to the rafters with people – an overwhelming majority of whom appeared to be students – poised to compile their accumulators with bright blue, cigarette-sized pens hovering anxiously over a comprehensive list of the days’ football fixtures. After much agonising, most would attempt to justify their final selections to friends via commonplace platitudes; ‘I mean they really should all win – on paper’.

At around 2.45, scores of testosteronefuelled students began to drift back towards Owens Park clutching a hopeful wodge of betting slips. ‘I’ve got a good feeling about this’, would be the typical ante-triumphal cry.

That was the first time that I had seriously bet on anything (beforehand, I had never bought so much as a lottery ticket) and I found the experience far more exciting than I had suspected.

Granted, I had lost a fiver, but it was worthwhile for the thought that with 20 minutes to go I was still in with a chance. After all, you’ve got to be in it to win it, or so the old adage goes.

This seemingly inconsequential event, I am afraid to say, went some way to altering my lifestyle for a short period of time. Within weeks I had joined the legions of students who couldn’t go a sporting weekend without having a punt on a football match or five. Reeled in by promises of free bets and cash bonuses, I signed up to several online betting websites and began placing increasingly sizeable wagers on increasingly meaningless fixtures and outcomes; I wasn’t completely hooked, but I could quickly see a hundred explanations for the explosion in compulsive gambling amongst students over the past decade or so.

There was a definite moment, around six months later, when I knew that I had

to reign in my own gambling in order to prevent it becoming a problem. I had become a regular visitor to the aforementioned branch of William Hill, popping in almost every time I passed the shop on my way to Sainsbury’s – typically, between four and five days a week. As a result, I had got to know one of the members of staff sufficiently well to talk to her each and every time that I went in.

Jess Brownsword, then a student at Manchester Metropolitan University, was my over-familiar acquaintance.

Three years working at William Hill to fund her studies gave her a sometimes shocking insight into the extent to which gambling had penetrated the student culture. “I think that gambling has definitely affected students”, she says with hindsight. “Just look at the amount of bookies near Manchester Uni – there are so many bookies now and they specifically target students. I definitely saw the downfall of students who initially would bet no more than £5 and within a year they were skipping lectures to bet on roulette machines in particular.”

The proliferation of these ‘roulette machines’ – also known as fixed odds betting terminals – is indicative of an industry which has changed beyond recognition in the past two decades.

Until relatively recently betting shops were, to stray into the realms of generalisation, overwhelmingly working class haunts. At the other end of the spectrum, the altogether more glamorous sport of horse racing saw the wealthy converge on Cheltenham, Aintree and Ascot to part with chunks of their disposable income.

As with so many other aspects of society, technology changed everything. First, online betting websites allowed anyone with a bank account to bet previously unimaginable amounts on events as diverse as snooker and virtual handball. Where bookmakers once had a closing time, now the industry was 24/7. Can’t sleep? Stick a fiver on an NFL game. Trying to find ever more creative ways to procrastinate?

There’s probably some third division football on in Turkey. Back in the day, a lackie with a chalkboard would stand in the high street bookmaker altering the odds with nothing more than a rubber and a stick of chalk at his disposal; this weekend, Ray Winstone will repeatedly shout live odds at us through our televisions, cajoling us to “BET IN PLAY, NOW.” Simultaneously, betting shops were transformed into mini-casinos. A Labour government drive to deregulate the gambling industry saw bookmakers stuffed with as many fixed odds betting terminals as the physical square inches of each shop would allow. The machines allow punters to wager as much as £100 a spin – and face losing up to £18,000 an hour. It is no wonder, then, that these machines now account for the vast majority of turnover in UK bookmakers. In the first six months of this year, £12.5 billion was gambled via William Hill and Ladbrokes betting

machines alone. By comparison, just £2.5 billion was wagered on over-thecounter sports bets in the same period.

The total amount fed into machines across the industry could reach £46 billion in 2012.

“I remember one guy who came in on student loan day. He was just sat there feeding hundreds of pounds into one of the machines,” Jess recalls. “By 6pm his eyes were so red from playing roulette all day – he’d lost about £1,300 in cash and he’d made some card payments too. He said he was trying to make up for an accumulator he’d lost at the weekend. It wasn’t very nice to see.”

“You could always tell when it was loan day. There were actually few students that got hostile with me, but the ones that did lost a lot,” she says.

There are, it seems, countless horror stories in a similar vein. Two years ago, a 19-year-old student placed £4,400 on Angola, 4-0 up with 12 minutes to go in their African Nations Cup match against Mali, to close out a seemingly inevitable victory. His potential return: a comparatively paltry £44.

To his dismay, Mali staged an almost unprecedented fightback to draw 4-4.

The student is alleged to have partly financed the bet using his student loan; the mistake is believed to have cost him his place at university.

In the same year, the tragic demise of a University of Leicester student made for even more shocking headlines.

Qing Jing Mao was so hopelessly drowning in debt that he faked his own kidnap, in the hope that a £60,000 ransom demand would see his wealthy parents dig him out of a seemingly inescapable hole. Qing Jing Mao had made £10,000 on his first ever trip to a casino – perhaps the ultimate expression of ‘beginners luck’ – only to lose an astonishing £80,000 within just a few months.

Gambling addiction is estimated to afflict around 0.5% of UK adults, the problem facilitated by around 8,500 betting shops across the UK. It’s a figure that is on the rise amongst students, more so than any other demographic.

Speaking to The Guardian, the help, support and advice charity Gamcare recently warned: “[Students] are in debt for the first time and wonder how to get out of it. They often see maths students – who understand the risks – and believe they can do it, too.”

But is gambling amongst students necessarily a problem per se? Whilst there are undoubtedly some who become excessively dependent on gambling, for many others it is simply a bit of fun on a Saturday afternoon.

For some, it is simply an alternative lifestyle – a preferable one at that – and tidy source of income.

Tim Holbrough, 21, is a third year PPE student at the University of Manchester.

On the face of it, he is not unlike your average male student: interested in his chosen subject, articulate if occasionally lethargic, partial to a pint and obsessed with football. One salient fact sets him apart from his peers: he spends an average of 50 hours each

Liv Boeree: Former Manchester student is one of the world’s foremost female poker players week playing poker, for sums of money that would make the undergraduate living on £1,200 a term wince.

Tim started playing poker for fun five years ago, during his GCSEs. He would return home at lunchtime after yet another exam to be confronted with that most dreadful of all student plights – nothing on television, or so he thought. Not to be deterred, he began to watch the World Series of Poker on Bravo; the game itself seemed relatively simple, and it wasn’t long before he decided to have a crack at it.

Yet it wasn’t until he arrived at uni in 2009 that Tim regularly began to play for serious money. Five nights a week, Tim sets off on a familiar journey to Manchester’s swish 235 Casino, just off Deansgate. “In a single evening, I always go out with £600 in my pocket.

If I go through that £600 – and that’s happened a fair few times – I will say, how’s the game, is this a game where I can make this money back, is there an opportunity to still win money at the end of this? If I decide yes, then I might rebuy once more. If I decide no, I go home. Depending on how things are going I’ll stay as late as 6.30am.”

I put it to Tim that £600 is an enormous amount of money for the

vast majority of students. If he can afford to lose that much in one fell swoop, he must surely have a sizeable bankroll? He refuses to disclose a figure, but is prepared to admit that losing, “upwards of about two and half thousands pounds would be a disaster.

In the last two or three days I’m down £1,000, which I don’t think is a disaster.

I think it’s a consequence of the games I’ve been playing in. This weekend was a £1,400 loss. It sounds like a lot, but given the games I’m playing in I can get £1,400 back.” To me, the casual loss of £1,400 is inconceivable; taking into account a four-figure overdraft, a similar disaster would render me literally penniless.

Poker is arguably the greatest winner of the gambling industry’s online revolution; the world’s largest online cardroom, PokerStars, boasts over 50 million players. Liv Boeree is a member of Team PokerStars Pro and, accordingly to their website, “one of the most successful female poker players of all time”. A former University of Manchester student – she

ISSUE 06 / 22nd OCTOBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

enjoyed “some of [her] best years” as an Astrophysics student here, before graduating in 2004 – Boeree has won well over $2 million in live games alone since she took up poker seven years ago.

Interestingly, however, she didn’t play poker once during her time as a student. “I didn’t start playing poker ‘til after I graduated. I didn’t play because I didn’t know anything about it! Had I found out about poker earlier I probably would have started then – I just didn’t know that anyone was playing back then. Online poker has made the game more accessible to the masses,” she tells The Mancunion.

Her experience points to the fact that student poker is a relatively recent phenomenon.

Though miniscule compared to those of Liv Boeree, Tim’s lifetime winnings currently stand at an impressive £12,000. The lifestyle is not one without drawbacks, however. “The problem is that it doesn’t allow for very much socialising – I’m often asleep in the day and when I come to, everyone is having dinner. It used to get to me but it doesn’t bother me at all now,” he insists. “Because of the way that I am, I don’t like doing things that other people like doing. The conventional student night out is to have a shed load to drink, go out to a nightclub, have a shedload more to drink, spend £50, £60, wake up the next morning feeling terrible… I’d rather do other things.”

“In first year that was a problem, because then I was living with six other people for whom that was their thing. And I was a bit of an outcast on that score. It’s not easy to be the one out of seven people who is living an almost completely separate existence.

But that’s not a fault of gambling per se.

If you replaced gambling with going to

the cinema, for example, you’d still end up with the same problem.”

Nonetheless, he maintains that he has a handle on his poker-playing exploits. For Tim, keeping his gambling in check is simply a question of controlling his state of mind. “It’s all about playing within your means and gambling money you can afford to lose.

Gambling can become very addictive.

It’s not a dangerous thing to do if you play within your means. If you don’t play within your means it’s the most dangerous thing you can do, because you will end up almost certainly going broke. It’s not the gambling itself, it’s the lack of control that’s the danger.”

A key tenet of Tim’s gambling is a determination not to chase his losses – something which he admits he has been guilty of in the past. “I’ve chased losses in sports and I’ve got lucky, by my own admission. I’ve put far too much money on games, and I’ve got there. I once put £400 on a basketball match. That was a ‘steam bet’ – they call it a steam bet because you’re not thinking straight. And I got lucky.”

Though he remains unscathed, Tim has witnessed his fair share of catastrophes at the poker table. “I’ve seen people go broke. I’ve seen people dust off the last of their money on tables. It’s kind of sad to watch, but the way I tend to view it is that short of putting these people on a leash, that’s exactly what they’re going to do.

These are grown adults here – there’s a reason why only adults are allowed to do this.”

Despite this, Tim is clear that gambling is an entirely healthy pasttime if approached with the correct attitude. “When students start upping their stakes to make money back, that’s very dangerous. When it starts getting in the way of essential things, when it

Feature : 09

235 Casino: One of Mancester’s most popular casinos, frequented by students and footballers alike

starts to become the only thing in your life, that’s when it’s difficult. I like to think that now more so than ever I’ve got a balanced life. I think before there was a massive emphasis on going out and playing. It’s not the gambling itself that was the problem, it’s the fact that I was doing it all the time. My main advice to freshers gambling for this first time would be this: play within your means”.

Clearly, Tim’s story is an atypical one; few students have either the means or the cojones to play at his level. He is, by his own admission, someone who prefers his own company, who

eschews the caricature of student culture in favour of a lifestyle which he finds altogether more fulfilling. Yet he ultimately identifies, and in some cases embodies, a set of consistent themes which are illustrative of the pervasive nature of gambling across the student population.

We’ve all heard myths of ‘student loan roulette’ – the act of withdrawing your loan payment in cash, taking it to a casino and risking it on the turn of a wheel. Red or black? That is a thought which would never so much as cross the mind of 99% of the appropriately risk-averse among us. But for the

impulsive student at the start of the semester – with hours of time to kill and a seemingly endless supply of disposable income – gambling is a temptress which he would do well to avoid.

Meanwhile, Tim and his contemporaries play on. It seems that he is having a bad week; two nights after we meet, he has lost again. His Facebook status: “sometimes the best play is not to play, to get up and walk away. Tonight’s game was one such time. There’s always tomorrow.”

10

Politics & Comment

ISSUE 06/ 22nd OCTOBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Focus: Union Politics The Monster Referendum last year changed a number of things at the Students’ Union, for better or worse. How the Executive Team operate, and the way in which policies are drafted and implemented, is one of the more complex aspects.

No longer do you need to corral 300 students in to one room to discuss a topic at a General Meeting (or the even tougher task; 1000 students to make an amendment to the constitution). Instead, a panel of 20 randomly selected students are drawn together (and offered £20 for donating a couple hours of their time in the name of democracy) and will hear ideas put forward at three separate Assemblies.

There are are invited

three Assemblies; to the panel to

University, Union and Community. Anyone can put forward their ‘idea’, present and clarify any points. Think a less glamorous version of Dragon’s

and Den.

If a majority cannot be reach, then the vote will be open to all students online.Over the 9th, 10th and 11th October, the first Assemblies of the 2012/13 academic year were held.

University:

Community:

Union:

‘The Students’ Union should provide a Safe Walk program service for a comfortable, secure walk to or from campus activities after dark.’

‘The University should make space available to heat your own food and clean your lunchbox, with the Union to lead the way where possible.’

‘Students should have access to Power Point slides from previous year(s) of their elective modules so that they can better judge course content.’

Result: Passed; 19 in favour – 0 against.

There were no ideas for the Union.

Result: Passed; 18 in favour – 1 against.

‘The Students’ Union should campaign to protect the NHS from cuts and privatisation to ensure that changes to the NHS do not impact either the healthcare services available to students or the educational opportunities available to healthcare students.’

‘There should be more sheltered areas outside including providing shelters for pre-existing outdoor seating.’

Result: All Student Vote; 8 in favour – 9 against.

Result: Passed; 16 in favour – 1 against.

‘Each Welcome Week should include a forum for students to come together and discuss their concerns, fears and hopes with a panel of student speakers.’

Result: Passed; 18 in favour – 1 against.

Result: Passed; 16 in favour – 1 against.

As well as restructuring the paid Executive Team, the volunteer positions were also reshuffled.

We must now elect; 8 Undergraduate Reps (2 per Faculty) 4 Postgraduate Research Reps (1 per Faculty) 4 Postgraduate Taught Reps (1 per Faculty)

These course reps will work to support the Education Officer, representing student’s views on a range of Students’ Union and University decision making panels. They will ensure that all four Faculties are represented – Engineering & Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, Humanities and Medical & Human Sciences.

Action Groups have been set up to ‘bring students with a particular passion or representative issue together to directly shape and develop the Union’s activities,ensuringbetterrepresentationforthatparticulargroup,andtohold the Exec Team to account on the work they have done for those students’.

2 Postgraduate Action Group Chairs 1 International Action Group Chair

There are four liberation campaigns in NUS, and for each area there will be two elected positions; 2 LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bi Trans) Student Reps 2 Disabled Student Reps 2 Black, Minority and Ethnic (BME) Student Reps 2 Women Student Reps

Liberation groups exist to represent students that have been recognised to face discrimination in education who also may be oppressed in wider society. Their position will also involve campaigning and ensuring the wellbeing for the students they represent.

Voting opened Friday 19th October, and runs for one week until noon on Friday 26th October. Successful candidates will take up their positions on 12th November.

You can find more information on the Students’ Union website: www.manchesterstudentsunion.com/studentvoice

My Political Hero...

Hans-Dietrich Genscher There are many reasons why Hans-Dietrich Genscher, former (West) German Foreign Minister, may be called a political hero. As Minister for the Interior, he presented himself as a hostage in exchange for the Israeli athletes during the 1972 Munich Olympics. In 1989, he announced to several thousand East German refugees, camping at the West German embassy in Prague, that they were allowed to pass through the Iron Curtain – an event which literally marked the end of the Cold War. In these times of European crisis however, one should first and foremost consider his European politics and commitment to the European Union as political union.

Born in 1927, he belonged to the last generation of German politicians who actually lived under the Nazi regime. At the age of 16 he was forced to leave school to work as a flak unit auxiliary. Later he became an American and British prisoner of war before he deserted in order to escape Soviet imprisonment. He joined the East German Liberal Democratic Party and started to study Law in East Germany. In 1952 he fled from the Communist regime in the German Democratic Republic, as he desired to live in a free and liberal country, reigned by democratic principles.

Genscher served as Bundesminister for 23 years, of which he spent 16 as Foreign Minister, making him the longest-serving Foreign Minister in the Western World. His East German roots played a big role in his politics. Having been subject to human rights restrictions in his home country, he put their compliance, especially in the Soviet Union, atop his political agenda. Whilst being Foreign Minister he met and supported political activists like Lech Walesa and the Czech opposition during the Prague Spring. To strengthen peace and stability, he put a lot of effort in the advancement of multilateral institutions, foremost the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, NATO and what was then the European Community.

Genschers’ foreign policy established great trust in Western Germany on both sides of the Iron Curtain.

In his fight for reunification he never tired of citing the letter for German reunification which stated that “the political aim of the Federal Republic of Germany [is] to work for a state of peace in Europe in which the German nation will regain its unity through free self-determination.” He never doubted that a reunified Germany could only persist as part of a strong European Community. More so, by signing and actively shaping the Maastricht Treaty, he laid the foundation for the European Monetary Union. It was one of his last official acts.

Genscher voluntarily resigned as Foreign Minister in 1992. Today he is an honorary member of his party, the liberal Free Democratic Party. He is not one to still be omnipresent in the public sphere.

However, with the Euro crisis he takes a clear stand and criticises the scattered voices in German politics that predict an end of the eurozone. With wagging forefinger, he reminded his former colleagues in the German daily Tagesspiegel that “size and strength do not automatically grant more rights but rather call for more responsibility”.

Hanna Krasmann

Comment

ISSUE 06/ 22nd OCTOBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

11

The burning question...

YES To say that as a consumer you should have absolutely no cares for whether or not the people making your clothes have had good working conditions and a fair wage is to say that you should entirely ignore one of the most important tenants of humanity: altruism.

Most people with half a heart can see that trade unions and workers’ rights are a fairly good thing, hence why in this country they are very firmly enshrined in law and there is minimal (though alas still some) political support for reversing such measures. There seems to be no real difference in how important workers’ rights are whether they’re in the UK or on the other end of the earth, people are people and ought to be respected as such.

Also, to make absolutely clear, sweatshops do not merely slightly infringe on a person’s right to enjoy appropriate working hours. Sweatshops

Emma Bean refer to places where people work horrendous hours, in often dangerous and dirty conditions, for minimal pay (far below any living wage) with no steady employment or job security. There is no maternity leave, sick pay, flexible working hours. No pensions, no health insurance, nothing except an absolute pittance of a wage.

There are also less holy reasons why having workers’ rights enshrined in international law would be overwhelmingly positive.

The relatively expensive British worker would be comparatively less expensive to employ, so it could well lead to more employment of British workers in sectors like clothes manufacturing that have declined in the past decades.

In terms of perceptions of the exploitative developed Western nations this would also decline, as there would not be this exploitation occurring,

“Should we care where our clothes come from?” or at the very least there would be less exploitation. Whilst it would be naïve to say that this would change perceptions of the West entirely, it could certainly help us seem more human and less like we employ double standards – one set of rights for our people, and another for yours.

I’m not going to argue sweatshops aren’t bad; obviously, they are. They are exploitative, unjust, and it’s disgusting that such an industry is supported by our desire for disposable fashion in the Western world.

The truth is that these sweatshops are creating some, however unethical, form of employment. While they can’t claim to be lifting these people out of abject poverty, they are in some small way making the lives of the sweatshop workers

Anon slightly better, at least in some way. A minuscule income is better than no income, surely?

The argument that pressure on these companies will force them to improve working conditions for their employees doesn’t really hold either. Evidence shows that pressure on these companies does not make them become more ethical, it only makes them relocate.

Sadly, there are plenty of places in the world which have no employment opportunities, and multinational companies are very aware of this. It doesn’t matter to multinational corporations whether they exploit people in India, China, Somalia or wherever, so long as they can keep their labour costs low.

If you don’t agree with the above argument, think about how much difference you can actually make. The cheap fashion industry is worth billions of pounds in the Western world, and your contribution to it is negligible.

Primark, Topshop and Nike

NO don’t really care if they lose your business, you are just one of their millions of customers.

Even if a movement started with larger numbers of people boycotting the companies, there would never be high enough numbers of protesters to really make a difference.

The West’s appetite for cheap fashion is as insatiable as companies’ hunger for profits, whatever the ethical cost.

Some of you may wonder why, if I truly believe in what I’m saying here, I’ve decided to remain anonymous. It’s because while I think I’m being completely rational, I feel many people are misguided by their emotions. People need to look at this issue and consider it in the context of how the world actually works, not homogenise it into an image of an abused child. The issue of sweatshops needs to be tackled, but by bigger forces than the individual. Sadly, you deciding to buy ethically is just not going to make a difference to anybody.

Disagree? Tweet us @mancunioncom, or email us at comment@mancunion.com

Are sexed-up club night themes damaging women?

Becky Montacute looks at the one-sided culture of sexualisation prevalent in student nights out Female students are constantly under comment and scrutiny for the way they dress and the way they act. Am I wearing enough?

Am I wearing too much? Am I having enough sex? Will someone think I’m a slut? External forces are constantly pulling us to and fro, telling us what is deemed acceptable and what is not. Themed student nights now come under inspection: are girls being overly sexualised at these events? (Is there a ‘right’ amount of sexualisation?) Are they being coerced to dress too provocatively and act too sexually? To be both sexually available but not a ‘slut’?

Let us begin with an example from right inside our own rainy city. At ‘The Bop’ recently, a group of girls on a bar crawl were encouraged to lick the chocolate off of a Kit Kat Chunky from between a guy’s legs. Boys were not required to perform any such task.

And so the story repeats itself up and down the country, with girls being encouraged on bar crawls to remove clothing and perform sexual acts, whilst guys are left to sit back and enjoy the show. In Sheffield, protest resulted after the company Carnage held a ‘Pimps and Hoes’ themed bar crawl, leading many to question whether it’s right to hold themed nights encouraging girls to dress provocatively.

Comment on over-sexualisation of student nights is rampant.

‘Pimps and Hoes’, ‘Vicars and Tarts’ and ‘Geeks and Sluts’ are all recent student event themes with one thing in common. They encourage females to wear very little whilst allowing males to dress in, what is perceived at least, a humorous fashion. But before we criticise the organisers of these bar crawls too much, think about your average student night.

The majority of girls will be wearing fairly little, many in the thought that sexy is only possible with a large amount of flesh on show.

This is down to societal pressure, a pressure that men do not feel, but this isn’t simply

Photo: Martin Klefas-Stennat

because of themed bar crawls. The bar crawl could be ‘Vicars’ only, and I can guarantee you there would be some dog collars teamed up with some very short skirts. Wider societal pressures are telling girls sexy means less, and whilst these bar crawls are reinforcing those stereotypes, they are not the root cause of them.

So if banning – or at least massively frowning upon these patriarchal bar crawl themes – isn’t the answer, what is? Firstly, it’s important to remember there will always be girls out there perfectly happy to wear hot pants with their bum cheeks spilling out, and there will always be girls who manage to make even the most mundane fancy dress outfits sexual (I’m thinking sexy pumpkin). I say, all power to them. The problem with saying certain nights aren’t acceptable is that this allows other

people to tell girls ‘sexy’ dress up isn’t okay, that they’re wearing too little, being too slutty.

Girls should have the choice to participate in these themed bar crawls, not be told it’s not okay by external voices. I want all women, and all men, to be happy to wear whatever the hell they want to wear on a night out. The only effective way to do this is for girls and guys to tell societal norms they aren’t happy with to sod off, and go out in whatever they want to go out in. Girls and guys, wear t-shirts and jeans if you want to, wear absolutely nothing if you want to. A little reminder in case anyone’s forgotten, but female vicars and geeks exist, male ‘sluts’ and ‘tarts’ exist, and you’re free to make all these outfits as sexual or non-sexual as you want. Go on these bar crawls, but do what the organisers aren’t expecting. The problem isn’t over-sexualisation, but a forced

‘over-sexualisation’ of just one specific gender, and the expectations and judgements forced on that gender. The only way that will change is if we change our attitudes, not if a bar crawl’s theme tells us to do so.

‘Pimps and Hoes’ is however an entirely separate issue, and I understand the concerns of the protestors. Women are still today being forced into prostitution here in Manchester, in Sheffield, all over the UK and the world. Men still hold these power positions over incredibly vulnerable women, and getting people to ‘act out’ such a power relationship as ‘just a bit of fun’ is disrespectful to the women in these situations. But a little bit of perspective is needed here. I do not for one second think that Carnage wanted to belittle the suffering of these women when thinking of its theme, I also don’t think that any participants on the bar crawl will suddenly think that it’s okay to sexually exploit women. It’s also important to remember that just because something is distasteful, that alone cannot warrant censorship. So whilst I agree with the aims of the protestors, and am certainly glad their protest has led to increased awareness of the issue, I can’t help but think there are much better targets to protest against than a bar crawl that, whilst misguided and stupid, was not meant in malice.

And as for those Kit Kat Chunkys? Absolutely fine. But only so long as such exploits are not only aimed at the sexualisation of women. If I’m going to lick chocolate out from between a guy’s legs, or a girl’s legs, I damn well expect them to return the favour. A big part of student life is sexual exploration, and I’m fine with bar crawls providing an outlet, whilst having a bit of fun, for people to explore their sexuality.

But bar crawls need to stop only sexualising young women but also encourage guys to get down and dirty. It is, after all, only fair for them to get a go too.

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Comment

ISSUE 06/ 22nd OCTOBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Is the European Union the only bad Nobel Peace Prize winner?

The reception has been mixed, but this year’s winner typifies the award for all the wrong reasons The Nobel Peace Prize has endured myriad controversies since its inception. The prevalent criticisms have been that awards have been politically motivated, premature, or based upon a very loose interpretation of peace. This year’s winner is an example of all three. A look at past winners demonstrates that this year’s award isn’t the first dubious decision taken by the Norwegian committee – far from it, in fact.

In 1919 the winner was US President Woodrow Wilson, for his role in establishing the League of Nations. This was criticised because the League was a key element of the Treaty of Versailles, which substantially diverged from Wilson’s notion of ‘peace without victory’; Germany was forced to accept the war guilt clause and was subjected to crippling reparations. It hardly needs to be stated, too, that the League of Nations was unsuccessful in ensuring peace in Europe, nor the world.

The 1945 award was given to Cordell Hull, Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Secretary of State during World War II. He was one of the architects of the United Nations, for which he was awarded the prize. He also denied asylum to thousands of Jews escaping to America on the eve of the Holocaust and sent them back to Europe. And later, when American Jews attempted to raise money to prevent the mass murder of Romanian Jews in the Transnistria camps, he refused to sign the release forms to send the money and save their lives.

The 1973 prize was dually awarded to North Vietnamese leader Le Duc Tho and another US Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger. Tho rejected the award, stating that there was no peace in his country. Kissinger was involved in the following – a secret bombing campaign in Laos; the US Operation Condor, a campaign involving kidnappings and murders with collaboration from the security services of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay; and had previously been party to the death of French nationals under the Chilean junta; and had supported the Turkish intervention in Cyprus. Two committee members resigned in protest for this award.

1978 saw another dual award: Anwar Saddat and Menachem Begin. Saddat was president of Egypt during the 1973 war against Israel and led an economic policy that

resulted in riots in Egypt. Begin was Prime Minister of Israel who initiated a revolt against British rule, authorised the bombing of an Iraqi nuclear plant as well as the invasion of Lebanon in 1982, igniting war in Lebanon and resulting in the Sabra and Shatila massacre, and was involved in a failed plot to assassinate German chancellor Konrad Adenauer.

The 14th Dalai Lama won in 1989 after receiving CIA funding to stage a violent coup d’état in Tibet, and the Committee admitted their intention to put pressure on China. The 1992 winner Rigoberta Menchú, an indigenous Guatemalan campaigner for ‘social justice and ethnocultural reconciliation’ has been criticised as her memoirs, which brought her to fame, were revealed to be partly fictitious.

Two years later the victorious trio were Yasser Arafat, Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin, for the establishment of the Oslo accord, an attempt to end the Palestine-Israeli conflict. One committee member resigned in protest; Arafat has been widely labelled as a terrorist, and the state of the Palestine-Israeli conflict today speaks for itself.

In 2002 the winner was ex-US President Jimmy Carter, for “decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts”, just after the United States had authorised then-President George W. Bush to use military force in Iraq and invasion plans were being drawn up.

Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan environmental and political activist and founder of the Green Belt Movement, won in 2004. Despite her achievements she has insinuated on more than one occasion that AIDS was deliberately spread in Africa by Western scientists as a means of depopulation.

The 2007 prize went to Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and received criticism for being overtly political and in no way related to the ending of conflict. Two years later the winner was Barack Obama, which he called a “stunning surprise” and was criticised for being underserved, premature and politically motivated.

Compared to previous winners the European Union seems like a tolerable candidate. But the irony cannot be lost on the Norwegians awarding the EU a peace prize when, just days ago, Angela Merkel was received in Greece by riots, Molotov cocktails and protesters dressed in Nazi regalia, when there are similar riots throughout southern

European Commission Europe, and when Spanish youth unemployment is at 50 per cent.

The EU’s award is flawed in all three respects. It was not the EU that kept the peace post-1945 – it was the Allied-led disarmament of Germany in 1945, and subsequently NATO, led by Britain and America, that kept the peace in Western Europe. The EU in its current incarnation did not even exist until 1992 with the signing of the Maastricht treaty.

It is also an overtly politically loaded message of support for the EU at a time when the future of the single currency hangs in the balance. And it is premature; the EU may bring the “advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights” in the future, but it has not done so yet.

The EU has brought more unrest than peace to Europe.

For that alone it does not deserve the award. On 19 occasions, the Nobel Committee were unable to award a suitable candidate. That number should be higher, and this year should have been the latest addition.

Nicholas A. Brown

The importance of being accountable wish to h a v e politics in the same way as our national leaders do, they should be aware that with this comes

Amanda Walters winning in the 2010 elections Photo: Joe Sheffer The news section of last week’s paper was dominated by the shocking story of a Students’ Union executive member taking over a month of extra paid holiday and massively under spending their budget. What is even more distressing about this story is the fact that there seems to be so very little recourse for accountability in the Union Executive structure.

Student politics and

student politicians often get laughed at for the way in which they behave as a microcosm of national politics, with the party lines drawn firmly in the sand, the mildly dodgy election pacts and deals, and the way in which people take it oh so seriously. Whilst criticising somebody for taking union politics seriously seems unbelievably peculiar, given that it does affect people’s lives, if student politicians

responsibility. Members of the Union Executive should no more skip work than an MP would skip parliament, a member of cabinet would not be allowed to massively under spend their budget (only 30% spent) and spend but £30 on education, one of the most important areas of campaign for a student politician. Not to mention that fighting education cuts was something that Amanda Walters used to be

re-elected, as she had been so involved in the student protests against tuition fees and cuts in her first term as campaigns officer.

When an MP or member of the cabinet behaves in a manner unbefitting of their role, or is judged to have done things that represent an “abuse of the position” as Ms Walters’ exploits were judged to be, there would be an absolute field day in the national press, quite rightly.

For politicians to say one thing before they are elected and then do an entirely different thing afterwards is a great problem in our democracy and indeed in any representative democracy. It is a problem that Ms Walters herself identified when being interviewed on Sky news during the student protests, stating “there’s a democratic deficit in this country when someone can be elected on a certain pledge and then turn around and say they’re no longer going to keep that.”

But there is a problem here far greater than that of this one individual person behaving in an incorrect manner. The problem is that

of accountability, and how student politicians are held to account.

One of the main checks for student politicians is actually the thing that they’re most frequently criticised for: that they are only in it to further their career. This is quite possibly true, that a lot of people get involved to further their own political career, but this can lead to positive outcomes for students.

People who are interested in furthering their own career are probably going to work quite hard and aren’t going to want to leave any spots on their record, as politics is a competitive industry and any dirt or bad mark to their name would probably mean that they would not have any future success; their rivals would certainly make them pay for it.

The second check should be student media, as it is on the national stage also. If national politics is scrutinised by the national press, and student politicians wish to treat university politics as a microcosm of national politics, then it seems reasonable that student

journalists should do much the same. A particular problem with student politics is that most students aren’t really aware of what is going on in the same way that most people are aware of what is happening – at least vaguely – on a national stage. Here too can the media can be beneficial, as holding people to account in a public forum such as student media can mean that more people come to be aware of the actions of their representatives, and also be enraged when things go wrong just as they would be when this happens on the national stage.

This goes both ways, the media can show when politicians do bad things, but it also ultimately is a positive tool for them to share their successes with their electorate; it is a working partnership that is beneficial for all.

Emma Bean

Film Uni Life on the Big Screen TOP ISSUE 06/ 22ND OCTOBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

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Flora Anderson discusses whether films set at university are ever that close to the truth

High School Movies 5. 10 Things I Hate About You This reworking of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew has lines to match anything the Bard came up with. Case in point: good girl Bianca’s musings on the difference between like and love.

“Well, I like my Skechers, but I love my Prada backpack.”

4. Heathers An 80’s Mean Girls with a big dose of psychotic violence. Tiring of her fellow popular girls “The Heathers” (all the best girl gangs have a name), Winona Ryder’s Veronica decides to eliminate them, casually murdering a few others along the way with the help of Christian Slater.

A dark antidote to teenage fluff.

3. Dazed & Confused Tarantino called this one of the greatest films of all time. On the last day of school, 1976, jocks, nerds, stoners and beautiful girls terrorize younger kids, attempt to buy beer, make out, get high, drive around and contemplate the future. Funny, relaxed, and totally wonderful.

2. Cry-Baby Everything that made Grease weird feels right at home in John Waters’ dazzling high school, musical satire. The characters are brilliantly grotesque, the doo-wop and rockabilly soundtrack flawless, but Johnny Depp steals the show as a juvenile delinquent in 1950s Maryland. A cult classic.

1. Mean Girls That’s why her hair’s so big. It’s full of secrets.” With an endlessly quotable script, the iconic Plastics and a classic teen-movie message (being popular isn’t everything!), this is high school gold and a sad reminder of what a great actress LiLo was, preraging coke addiction and tragic transformation into Donatella Versace.

Moya Crockett

How I Met Your Mother’s Josh Radnor turns to the big screen this month, starring, writing, and directing his homage to University education, Liberal Arts.

From the perspective of his 30-somethingish character remembering his old College days, they seem the best thing, like, ever, to the point where he starts rolling in the grass outside the library in ecstasy of his bygone ‘Uni lifestyle’. But is it really possible to sum up the university experience in one movie?

The highs? The lows? The Crazy bus lady?

In the case of American cinema, we generally get the all-drinking-not-muchthinking approach, which has given global notoriety to the Red Party Cup. Upgrading from the high school flick means the disappearance of the school lunchroom clique set-up, but never fear! The sociopolitical element in College is explored through the vast amounts of Fraternities and Sororities. This format gave us the iconic National Lampoon’s Animal House, arguably the creator of the ‘gross-out’ movie genre and the inspiration for all

crazy college movies that followed in its wake (Old School, Van Wilder, Road Trip

to name but a few). Even the USA’s Library of Congress deemed it to be ‘culturally significant’, probably due to it bringing us the immortal line ‘TOGA! TOGA!’ But there are also films about people who actually do their work too. Both set in Harvard, Legally Blonde and The Social Network give University a greater sense of future worth which can give you a morale boost when watching them, despite the fact you might be doing so to actually avoid your work.

Back in Britain, film-makers have recently focused on the tricky process of actually getting a place (An Education, The History Boys) perhaps there’ll soon be an epic Odyssey-style adventure film entitled “The UCAS Form” or “Nick Clegg: the Revenge”!

A rare film which actually depicts the UK University lifestyle is Starter for Ten, which shows James McAvoy as he goes off to Bristol, trying to get out of his humdrum life, meanwhile landing himself a place in the University Challenge team.

Despite not being the best movie of all

time, instead of glamorising uni like its American cousins, we get loads of horribly familiar stereotypes: gap year bores, impassioned student politics, getting painfully drunk in order to relieve the awkwardness of a crap freshers party and the constant warning that uni will make our protagonist “a complete wanker.” It even has a performance from Benedict Cumberbatch who as an alumnus of Manchester, brings the film even closer to home! There’s not many more like it, and it’s a subject ripe for a transition to the silver screen; Inbetweeners 2 perhaps?

For now Fresh Meat is as accurate as you’re going to get, yet it differs to the films in this article as it isn’t fuelled by a sense of aching nostalgia for the good old university days. The uniting factor of most university films is a warning to enjoy it whilst you can before, as Liberal Arts warns, “life happens.”

Flora Anderson

Review

On The Road Director: Walter Salles • Starring: Sam Riley, Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Stewart Released: 12th October 2012 When Kerouac put the experiences of his travels to paper at the mid-point of the 20th century, he managed to capture the restlessness of a generation; establishing the roots of a movement that would go on to shape America as a whole. In essence he was urging readers to open their heart and mind to any and every experience, to be relentless in one’s drive for new and exciting worlds.

These were revolutionary ideals in an America which held strong notions of conformity and tradition and though On The Road has had a lasting impact on American culture, it is questionable whether, in this last fifty years, America has been ready to confront its radical notions of sexuality, drugs, society and life on the big screen.

Now, more than half a century after its publication, On The Road has been given its long-awaited Hollywood adaptation and, all things considered, it is a result that Walter Salles and executive-producer Francis Ford Coppola should be proud of.

English actor Sam Riley confidently takes the helm of protagonist and narrator Sal Paradise, who is in reality struggling writer Jack Kerouac. Riley boasts a convincingly rough east-coast accent and readily guides us through his adventures; most importantly though, he stands confidently astride the fascinating Dean Moriarty.

The fast-talking, fast-driving, womanizing-prophet of the ‘beat’ movement is our flawed hero; and any consideration of a film adaptation over the years has always brought with it the question who could play Dean Moriarty?

From Marlon Brando to Brad Pitt, Hollywood heavyweights have always been pegged for the role, and

Actor

PROFILE Name: Daniel Craig Age: 44 Best known for: 007: Quantum of Solace, Casino Royale, Skyfall

so there was slight trepidation with the casting of lesserknown actor Garret Hedlund. This, however, stands as Salles greatest achievement, as Hedlund brings to life the wide-eyed drive and compelling madness of this enigmatic man in full force.

In company with a strong supporting cast (Viggo Mortensen, Kirsten Dunst, Steve Buscemi, and Kristen Stewart), Salles drives us through this wild journey with loyalty to plot, authentic characters and an overall inspiring radiance of their life on the road.

This is not to say the film is without its faults. Any fan of the book would be aware of the inherent constraints that a film adaptation would face. On The Road has a strong period setting and much of the beauty of the novel comes from Kerouac’s powerful and unfettered descriptions of 1940s American landscape. In the countryside and deserts, which have remained fairly intact in the last fifty years, a single ‘47 Cadillac can easily transport us back in time to this nostalgic era. However, obvious budget constraints have kept the exploration of cities, such as San Francisco, New Orleans, Los Angeles and New York’s bustling urban landscapes, noticeably absent.

In similar respects, though Salles does not leave any key aspects of the novel out, beautiful scenes and fascinating characters are not given their just appearance due to inevitable time constraints – here’s hoping Salles has a director’s cut up his sleeve.

Past these rather unavoidable compromises however, lies a film which is faithful and respectful to its roots. Of course the film does not resonate with its audience as the

Whether you approve of his recent castings or not (a hotly contested debate these days), it is undeniable that a string of prominent performances has built Daniel Craig up into one of the major Hollywood icons of the modern era.

Chesire-born Craig took notable early film roles in Sam Mendes’ Road to Perdition in 2002, and in Layer Cake in 2005. His film career really took off when he was cast as the new James Bond in 2006’s Casino Royale, a move that divided opinion ferociously due to Craig’s untraditional looks and mannerisms.

He subsequently became the first actor to play Bond who was born after the creation

novel has resonated with its readers, but an exuberant cast, breathtaking scenery and timeless message gives us an adaptation with real heart. Salles’ has managed to capture the essence of Kerouac’s On The Road and in a sense that is the greatest achievement he could have hoped for.

Nihal Tharoor

of the series and the death of the writer of the original Bond books, Ian Fleming. Craig’s performances brought about a number of mixed opinions from critics, with his take on the films sometimes regarded as a gradual move away from our classic perceptions of Bond, with blazing guns and sleek action sequences taking priority.

Returning to Mendes’ cast in the latest 007 adventure Skyfall, Craig is now faced with a new test of his ability, to bring back James Bond in a way that comforts as well as excites.

Skyfall has been tipped to present Craig’s best Bond to date; here’s to hoping.

B

Film

ISSUE 06/ 22th OCTOBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

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Preview

Preview: Skyfall

A Year in Film: 1991

Director: Sam Mendes • Starring: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem This October marks the longawaited return of our nation’s most famously cunning, humorous and combative quintessential Brit to the screen.

I am of course referring to our welcoming of James Bond back to the British cinemas in Skyfall, the 23rd instalment of the series.

Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Road to Perdition) has taken the reigns as director for this latest instalment, which follows Bond re-appearing from the dead to find M’s reputation in tatters after the identities of MI6 undercover agents are leaked.

His return sparks a hunt for Raoul Silva ( Javier Bardem), the latest eerie villain to test Bond’s endurance with blood-curdling speeches and a shockingly poor choice of hair-dye. With an on-going focus on M’s past, and Bond’s loyalty put to one of its most thorough tests as a result, we certainly are left with enough of an intriguing plotline for Mendes to work with.

Much is still a mystery regarding Skyfall, but the trailer pulls no punches when it comes to entertainment. Mind-blowing action sequences are mixed with stunning landscapes, ranging from Istanbul, to the beautifully lit lakes of China and of course, with plenty of black taxis, Union Jacks, and images of carnage on the London Underground, an

assurance that we remember where it all began.

The film retains much of the qualities that have kept Bond the popular franchise that it remains today, with Bardem looking like the ideal actor to bring a refreshingly chilling

villain to the film through Raoul Silva, and two exquisitely beautiful new ‘Bond girls’ in the form of Berenice Marlohe and Naomie Harris. Adele’s wonderful theme tune is also necessary to mention, adding further British zest to the film.

Yet there are still fears of Bond losing some of the characteristics that made

him what he is. The most controversial factor, and what is perhaps a harsh sign of the times, is the takeover of Bond’s drink choice by Heineken.

No more will we hear the ohso-comforting ‘shaken, not stirred’ martini order from 007.

Instead, he will ask for a Dutch lager, taking us away from our comfortable Sean Conneryshaped nostalgia and moving us, if only momentarily, into a world driven by two things green – money and Heineken. This does give food for thought as to what direction the Bond films are heading, along with whether Daniel Craig, with his rough, ready and rather unshaven take on Bond, is a part of a gradual move away from the series’ tongue in cheek beginnings, and into the arms of the explosive, action-focused Blockbuster.

Despite this, while I am more than slightly hesitant to hail it with pre-emptive praises without pointing out some of Skyfall’s potential frailties, it does look set to be an extremely exciting addition to a classic collection, hopefully retaining its British grittiness and humour, while keeping sharply in line with the ever changing modern world of film and money.

Alex Morrison

For those interested in film, 1991 will stand out as a truly fantastic year. As Arnie burst back onto our screens, 1991 contained one of the only sequels to be widely accepted as better than the original: Terminator 2: Judgement Day. The film built on everything that had been great about the first installment, whilst adding special effects that revolutionized the use of CGI in cinema, a trick James Cameron, the director, seems not to have forgotten. The sleek design of the liquid metal T-1000 netted the film an Oscar for best visual effects.

But as far as Oscars went, the entire ceremony was totally eclipsed by one film. Jonathan Demme’s Silence of the Lambs took the five major awards (Best film, best director, best actor, best actress and best screenplay), making it only the third film to have achieved this feat after It Happened One Night and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. But what truly made this extraordinary was Anthony Hopkins managing to win Best Actor, despite being in the film for a meagre sixteen minutes – further highlighting just how phenomenal his performance was (if you haven’t seen it, do.

Right now. Don’t even finish reading, just go!)

For those of you who aren’t

into either horror or science fiction, 1991 also featured Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, which then went onto be the first animated film ever to be nominated for best picture, effectively paving the way for some of the fantastic animated films we have today. In terms of comedy, we had a still relatively sane Charlie Sheen in Hotshots!, parodying various action films but most obviously Top Gun. Billy Crystal starred in City Slickers, a film that inexplicably made it into the top ten grossing films of the year, despite being entirely terrible. Then Kevin Costner fought Alan Rickman’s Prince John in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

Woody Allen: the most charming egoist in modern cinema

LISTINGS

his place by his psychotherapist wife who says that he lacks the usual psychological makeup of an ego, a superego and an id – he just has three

ids. No one lays bare male egotism and selfdeception quite so charmingly.

In Midnight in Paris, the streets of Paris serve as a portal for a love affair that takes place between a man and his imagination. To contrast with Wilson’s character’s creativity and openness, McAdams plays a stiff-upper-lip woman who couldn’t understand romance if

ON THE ROAD (15) DIRECTOR: WALTER SALLES STARRING: SAM RILEY, GARRET HEDLUND RUNNING TIME: 124 MIN

it slapped her in the face. Comme d’habitude, Allen uses the female to counter-balance the man’s temperament. She exists in relation to him.

In To Rome With Love Allen interweaves a number of stories which spin off the heteronormative axis. One of the main narrative strands is a surrealist encounter between a man and woman, played by Jesse Eisenberg and Ellen Page, in which Alec Baldwin and Eisenberg critique the finer details of Page’s character right in front of her while she is deaf to their scrutiny. They label her a performative, narcissistic manipulator and, having collectively sussed her, they explore why it is that Eisenberg remains so attracted to this false ‘creature’. Page’s character exists to be scrutinized and mocked.

Having written, directed or acted in over sixty feature films, it would appear that Allen’s quirk and panache are waining. His fixation on gender dynamics from a particular perspective has now been explored from practically every angle in every predictable ‘romantic’ city, from New York to Paris. As he approaches the tail end of his career, I’d like to see Allen think outside the box for once and direct a genderbending Sci-Fi feminist utopia, or is that too much to ask?

Jessie Cohen

RUBY SPARKS(15) DIRECTOR: JONATHAN DAYTON STARRING: PAUL DANO, ZOE KAZAAN RUNNING TIME: 104 MIN SHOWING: 15.45 18.15

TAKEN 2(15) DIRECTOR: OLIVIER MEGATON STARRING: LIAM NEESON RUNNING TIME: 91 MIN SHOWING: 13.05 14.05 15.25 16.25 17.45 18.45 19.30 20.15

Leo Mates

CORNERHOUSE

Jessie Cohen on egos, gender and what’s next for the movie-making wonder At age 76, Woody Allen has just starred in his most recent comedy-romance To Rome With Love. He plays his signature role as an adorable neurotic – a cinematic doppelgänger of … himself. Fitting with most of Allen’s films, in To Rome With Love the male psyche is powerfully explored, if not radically indulged. To facilitate a launching into the male mind, the female characters resemble fantasy figures played by Hollywood’s finest from Scarlett Johansson to Penelope Cruz. Allen’s women beguile and ooze sex-appeal. There is no attempt to make them ‘real women’ – that would defeat the point.

Allen’s other recent comedy-romance, Midnight in Paris, also exemplifies the “Allenian” formula of a male-centred drama in which women are objectified and, to bolster the concept of cinema-as-realisation-ofmale-fantasy, the films’ locations are deeply romanticised. In the film, Owen Wilson plays an angst-ridden writer (like Allen) who is enraptured by his own genius. During a scene of Paris in the sunshine, Rachel McAdam’s character turns to Wilson and tells it straight.

“You’re in love with a fantasy,” to which Wilson unconvincingly replies, “I’m in love with you.” before the film explores his estrangement from McAdams and drifts into a fantasy narrative. In a similar exposé of the male ego, Allen’s character in To Rome With Love is put in

Finally, 1991 also featured one of my favourite films of all time: Hook, featuring Robin Williams as Peter Pan. Having grown up, forgotten his various adventures in Neverland and moved to America for some reason, Peter Pan is forced to return when Captain Hook (played

by Dustin Hoffman) kidnaps his children. What follows is a fantastic piece of filmmaking, with great comedic turns from all the cast, and at least three scenes that can still get me a bit teary. Special mention has to go to Bob Hoskins’ Smee, who plays a fantastic foil to Hoffman’s Hook.

Moulin Rouge Director: Baz Luhrmann The spectacle that is Moulin Rouge is coming to the Cornerhouse Cinema on the 23rd October to enchant our hearts once again.

The final instalment of Lurhman’s ‘Red Curtain Trilogy’ provides a feast for the senses that underpins the magnitude of his instinctive artistic ingenuity. Allow yourself to be swept away on the love infused journey and indulge in the theatrical exuberance of underworld Moulin Rouge.

Taking inspiration from Bollywood culture, Lurhman broke the confines of mainstream, conventional cinema to construct an original genre altogether – intertwining period romance with contemporary musical influences. Set in the year 1899, Christian (McGregor), an English poet driven by notions of love, heads to the centre of the bohemian world (the Montmartre Quartre) falling almost instantaneously for mesmerising courtesan, Satine (Kidman). This tragic romance is carried along by a complete musical assemble of 20th century hits; an innovative spin transforms tracks from the likes of Queen, Elton John, Madonna and The Police onto the big screen. Lurhman’s vision encapsulated through his unorthodox cinematography, persistent flashy editing and bold mise-en-scene allows this epic to be distanced from both mainstream and art-house films – it is one of a kind.

Despite being shot entirely within Australian sound stages, Moulin Rouge received much deserved recognition for its artistic individuality at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival and the 74th Academy Awards. Lurhman swooped to take home both the Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design Oscars – others didn’t stand a chance!

Samuel Parr

PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER (12a) DIRECTOR: STEPHEN CHBOSKY STARRING: EMMA WATSON, LOGAN LERMAN RUNNING TIME: 103 MIN

OUT THIS WEEK: SKYFALL (12a) DIRECTOR: SAM MENDES STARRING: DANIEL CRAIG, RELEASED: FRI 26/10 SHOWING: 10.00 13.30

Fashion

ISSUE 06/ 22nd OCTOBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Dolce and Gabbana SS13: It’s just heritage, right?

Ethical Style Icon:

Emma Watson

by Emma Williams

Faye Howard gives her opinion on the recent controversy surrounding the Italian designers’ latest collection.

Dolce and Gabbana have ruffled the feathers of the fashion world during the premier of their ‘controversial’ SS13 collection at Milan fashion week last month. Beady-eyed observers

were quick to jump down the throats of the design house after they sent plastic earrings, resembling ‘Blackamoor statues’ and ‘Old Aunt Jemima dolls’ (post-colonial iconography, if you didn’t know) down the catwalk. Critics branded the collection ‘offensive’ and in the harshest case, a ‘romanticism of slavery and plantation life’, suggesting the two Caucasian designers had created a ‘clueless colonial look’.

For many years, Sicily (the homeland of Dolce and Gabbana) has been the inspiration behind many a collection, with the designer’s beautiful, intricate and sometimes zany designs living and breathing the infamous duo’s Italian roots. Claiming the collection to be in no way racist, Domenico Dolce & Stefano Gabbana took inspiration from their Italian heritage combined with a summer holiday theme to create the brightly coloured, hessian constructions, utilising imagery of Moorish statues (the controversial black faces on the earrings) and historic prints of battlefields on dresses. A racist and politically incorrect slip-up? Possibly not.

The question is, was this really a step too far in the ‘la-la-land’ of fashion? Or is this just simply a step too far for the nit-picking critics who are constantly snooping for controversy in today’s ‘strictly PC’ media? Either way, I find myself delving into the land of the unknown, to the

ETHICAL CRAVING & SAVING

point where I am questioning my own political correctness, and dare I say views, on racism within fashion. Is it absurd to think people could just look upon the collection as a beautiful creation, concept and celebration of a country’s heritage and culture, without jumping on the racism bandwagon? I know for certain that if we saw these earrings on the ears of Naomi Campbell, we wouldn’t think twice other than this was an ‘out-there’ fashion statement.

Had there been at least one black model used in the show, would the critics have been pacified?

Milan is well renowned for having a distinct lack of non-white models on their catwalks, and one could indeed argue, that it was actually the deliverance of Dolce and Gabbana’s show that did not sit well on first look at this ‘conceptual’ collection. There were 85 looks showcased, yet there were no black models on the runway.

Surely this wasn’t a good idea if they were truly interpreting the multi-cultural heritage they set out to? Either way, I feel that anyone who criticised this collection for having connotations of ‘slavery’ and ‘years of oppression’, should take a good, hard look at the bigger picture. There are obviously issues with race in fashion we have to deal with here, and they do not start with a pair of earrings.

A Lush Profile

Craving- Vivienne Westwood ‘Yasmin’ bag, £235.

VivienneWestwoodisknownforraising awarenessofworthycausessuchas nucleardisarmament,climatechange, andforsavingtheworldingeneral.

Herlatestproject,‘TheEthicalFashion Programme’,hasprovidedsomeofthe poorestcommunitiesintheworldwith jobs.ThroughtheproductionofherAfrica Bagsline,Westwoodhashelpedover7,000 womenwholiveinextremepoverty.The collection,madebythesewomen,andfromrecycledmaterial,isethicallysourced andsustainable.Myfavouritepiecefromthecollectionisthe‘Yasmin’bag.Thebagis handmadeinKenya,andtheliningofthebagismadefromarecycledt-shirt.Priced at£235,itisabitofasplurge.However,theMassaibeadingonthefrontofthebagis wonderfullyauthenticandunusual,whilstthetrademarkgoldorbstillechoesasense oftheiconicBritishstylethatWestwood’sbrandencapsulates.

Saving- H&M jumper, £14.99.

Devotedtoproducingfashionable,yet sustainableandethicallysourcedclothing, highstreetfavouriteH&Msucceedswithit’s Consciousline.Thecompanycomments onitsdesirethatallbusinessoperations should‘beruninawaythatiseconomically, sociallyandenvironmentallysustainable’.

It’squiteamazingtoreadwhatthebrand hasachievedthroughthesustainability programme;H&Marethelargestuser oforganiccottonworldwide,2.3million oftheirgarmentsaredonatedtocharities,andthecompanyhassaved300million litresofwaterindenimproduction.Italsomeansthatthisjumperisbothabargain,at £14.99,andaguiltfreebuy.Madefrom50%viscoseand50%recycledpolyester,the prettypiecealsocomesinapastel-mintgreen,blackandwhite.Iftheconscientious don’t-spend-moneyvoiceinsideyourheadtellsyounottobuyit-tellittobequiet.It’s goodfortheenvironment.

Chloe Letcher

AlongsidethearomaticbubbleyouwalkintowhengoingintoaLushstore,another obviousfactoryounoticeisthatthevastmajorityoftheproductsare‘naked’.Customers areaskediftheyneedabag,ratherthanwantone.TherewasarecentBagMonster campaigntoraiseawarenessofanewgovernmentinitiative charging5pforallsingleuse plasticbags,encouragingcustomerstousethierown.Thesecond-handplasticbagswere usedtocreatebagmonstercostumeswhichLushstafffromallovertheUKworetothe ConservativeHQinBirminghamlastweek.

Theirbuyingpolicymeansthattheproductsmustbesourcedandcreatedin establishmentsthatprovidetheappropriaterightsfortheirworkersandthatdonotutilise childlabouroranimalexploitation.Lushisalsoinvolvedwiththeworkofcharities;they wanttohelpgrassrootsorganisationswhoseethicsfitwiththeirown.Thesecharitiesare thosethatwouldhavedifficultyraisingfundsforthemselves.Lush’sforthcomingcampaign seesthereturnofthe“FabulousMrs.Fox”bubblebar,aproductwhichraisesawareness andgeneratesfundsfortheHuntSaboteursAssociation.

Lushisrenownedfortheuseofcontroversialadcampaigns.Inabriefinterview,we spoketoPeteSimmsofLushabouthisfirst-handexperienceoftheLushcampaigns.He reported:“Oneofmycolleagueswascagedforthedurationofhisshiftlikeananimal,and customerswereallowedtoprodhim,drawonhimetc.Hewasleftprettymuchhelpless.

Perhapsthemostshockinganimaltestingcampaignwasheldinthewindowofthe RegentsStreetstore,whereaperformanceartistwassubjectedtothetreatmentofanimal testing,beforebeingstuffedinabinbagandthrownoutontothestreet.”

LushalsosellscharitybodylotionswherebyeverythingbuttheVAT,whichisrequired tobegiventothegovernmentbylaw,isdonatedtocharity.Thismoneyisdividedbetween charitiesthatsupportenvironmental,humanitarianandanimalcauses,.Therearemany companiesthatclaimtobeeco-friendlyandgreenbutitisveryrarethatacompanytackles theissuefromsomanydifferentanglesasLush.

Miles Zilesnick

Emma Watson has come a long way in the style stakes from her first appearance as a frizzy-haired, cape-donning wizard back in 2001; becoming the face of Burberry and style icon for her generation with her daring red carpet choices and beauty decisions (who could forget her Mia Farrow-like crop back in 2010?). But far from being a glorified clothes horse, Watson has become an advocate for ethical fashion since launching her own collection for eco-chic brand, People Tree in 2010, and choosing to pursue the opportunity of designing her own collection based on her own passion for promoting Fair Trade and organic produce.

Frustrated with the ‘fast fashion’ and capital priority of the high street, Watson chose to design a line that was fashionable and youthful as well as fair and moral: from the source of its fabric to its manufacturing. The actress’ fervour for inspiring such a revolution in the way that brands should prioritise their designs is evident, basing the collection on the style of her friends and producing wardrobe basics that could stand alongside the mass-produced high street names.

Last year, Watson put her hands to another project of sustainable fashion with renowned Italian designer Alberta Ferretti—‘Pure Threads’— which saw a capsule collection comprised of five lace-embellished pieces that marries the star’s own style with Ferretti’s ethereal flourishes; all under the ethical values that Watson has prioritised in her projects.

Clothing doesn’t seem to be her only eco-venture either, as it has been reported that the Harry Potter star has been in talks with Lancôme to produce a range of eco-friendly beauty products.

17

Inside the Outsider Does ethical fashion come at too high a price? Grainne Morrison and Jake Pummintr investigate… t’s hardly a secret that cheaper clothes come with a higher price. The Fashion industry is known for its fast-paced, ever-changing trends and high street shops must keep up with this to make a profit. One has to ask why and where our garments come from. The problem faced by many students is that unfortunately our loans do not sufficient to budget for ethical attire and so we are rendered with no choice but to accept the unethical practices of the top high street stores. As students we have quite an influential voice in society and thus have the responsibility to help change the ways in which fashion is produced. By seeking out ethical labels we are helping a much needed industry to expand.

This week, The Mancunion spoke to Noorin Khamisani, the founder of Outsider fashion and she has provided us with some fabulous behindthe-scenes insight about how her brand functions.

Khamisani’s best advice to students is that “it’s all about buying a little less and buying better – think about investment pieces that are well made, will last and are versatile.” Here at The Mancunion, we agree.

After all, if you buy cheap, you buy twice…

Outsider believes that ethical fashion should just look like fashion and we agree. In today’s society, the notion that all of the clothes we purchase should be made in ethical factories using sustainable methods is a given. Sadly, the reality is different. Khamisani, who knows all too well about the manufacturing process

“It’s all about buying a little less and buying better. Consider investment pieces that are well made, will last and are versatile.” of high-street attire, having worked for a number of these brands, describes herself as an “Eco-worrier.”

She continues: “I am conscious of the issues and want to make a difference but I also want to wear beautiful things […] without making myself or my customers look like a hippy.” There is the perception that ‘green’ and/or ethical attire cannot compete with those of the normal manufacturing process as more effort has been put into the artistic endeavour behind the designs, as opposed to sourcing ethical fabrics.

Khamisani agrees stating that “[she has] to do a lot more research than perhaps a conventional designer would do.”

This is what we love about Outsider – it gives the customer the complete freedom to shop without having to second-guess where the farmer is who has been completely ripped-off or how many children have been overworked and underpaid for the sake of a cheap cotton-blend t-shirt. “No one is perfect but I try to make informed and conscious choices rather than purchases on a whim,” says Khamisani.

Not only this, but Outsider believes that sustainable fashion is “the opposite of throwaway fashion…with items being well-made, with minimum impact on the environment that are worn again and again, and enjoyed again and again.” This image [inset] shows Livia Firth wearing an Outsider dress when accompanying Colin to the palace however, she has also worn it on two other occasions. Khamisani elatedly commented that “my dress has done what it

was designed to do – it is timeless, versatile and still relevant no matter what the season or year.”

Difficult as it may seem, clothes that are both ethically produced and affordably priced can be found. H&M’s ‘The Conscious Collection’ is particularly great; it allows you to purchase a dress made in the best interests of workers and the environment, but at the same price as other high street items. Of course, the most accessible ethical fashion is vintage. Secondhand clothes are a mere fraction of any high street

hot spot for vintage finds but why not try your luck in charity shops around Fallowfield and Withington for some hidden gems. Want ethical fashion without leaving your house? Look no further than ASOS Marketplace or Ebay (Vintage Jaeger for £3? Yes, please). The Green Style Blog (found on www. vogue.co.uk) offers guidance for anyone interested in boosting their fashion karma. Check out the complete interview with Noorin Khamisani at www. mancunion.com or shop the entire collection online

price. It’s well known that the Northern Quarter is a

at www.outsiderfashion.com.

Beauty

50 Shades of Skin Jessica Cusack on ethnicity and diversity, or lack thereof, in the beauty industry.

Skin. The largest organ in the body, and quite possibly the most commonly troublesome. Covering 3000 square inches of the average adult and weighing in at six pounds, most people would vouch for that being a whole lotta surface area stress. We all have our issues with it: too pale, too dark, too spotty, too dry, too oily, too freckly, too un-freckled… Too much bloody work.

In this issue we’ve been talking about race in the fashion world, and it’s far from surprising that non-white faces are also still under-represented in the beauty world: it is rare to find a brand which caters for all skin tones as opposed to just the standard shades ranging from ivory white to a frightening deep beige. The fact that it is noticeable when a black model stars in beauty campaign or that fashion show-attendees broke into rapturous applause upon a group of black models walking on a runway (Lanvin S/S’11) is, in my opinion, quite a sad fact of the 21st century. Non-white faces are so under represented in this industry that it is seen as some sort of miracle when they do make an appearance.

Only recently have we seen an influx of non-celebrity black models being used in beauty campaigns, such as Joan Smalls for Estee Lauder (see image), or Jourdan Dunn for YSL. Dove is a big campaigner for diversity in advertising, using women of different races, ages and dress sizes in their inspirational ‘Real Beauty’ ads, which rubbish the all too familiar skinny white photo-shopped figure who pouts back at us from the pages of a magazine.

Also making multi-coloured waves is No7, who have just released their Foundation Match Made Service at Boots, in which costumers have their skin tone read by a device to work out which colour of foundation would most suit, and in what form, from classic oily teenage skin to a special 60 plus range for your Gran. They aim solve the common problem of never being able to find the precise foundation colour for ones skin among the aforementioned sea of beige tones. And if you can afford it, Estee Lauder have also just released an new range of Double Wear foundation in 30 shades, knocking the racial diversity problem on

its head with both their make up and their campaign.

Skin is an important and often expensive issue, but the cheapest and most effective way to look after it is through lifestyle choices. Eating a healthy, balanced diet, getting enough sleep and drinking lots of water will tackle skin problems from the inside out, as opposed to make-up which aims to conceal problems without solving them.

Perhaps skin will always be an issue because we will always want what we can’t have. I, for example, use St Tropez to fake a tan (the jig is up) just as a woman with darker skin may be inclined to use whitening products to achieve my shade of fair skin (God only knows why). While this is perhaps an unsolvable issue, beauty brands should still endeavour to cater for skin of all colours and textures, tapping into a modern, diverse and profitable marketplace by putting down the beige and opening their eyes to the colour spectrum surrounding them.

18

Music

ISSUE 06/ 22nd OCTOBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Editor’s column

New Musical Ennui NME’s sixtieth anniversary only serves to prove how far it has fallen Joe Goggins Music Editor You’re probably aware of the sad decline of the NME in recent years.

Through the 70s and into the 80s, it stood as an indispensable weekly bible for fans of alternative music, characterised by an adventurous writing style and an idiosyncratic sense of humour. The magazine encompassed the birth of punk and maintained political undertones, and also provided a launch pad for some of the country’s mostrespected music writers, including Steve Lamacq. This was a time when those three letters really stood for something much bigger than the sum of their parts.

We now live in a world where a once-great musical institution has been reduced, in recent years, to putting Skins and The Inbetweeners on the cover; you wonder why they didn’t just make it Spongebob Squarepants and stick a free plastic toy to the front.

No disrespect to Spongebob, by the way, which is just as relevant to new music as those other two shows, and, unlike the latter, doesn’t involve rampant levels of casual sexism and homophobia; in the NME‘s heyday, a show like The Inbetweeners would’ve been far more likely to provoke an angry piece deriding its lazy prejudices than one that lavished it with praise and promotion and threw in the occasional reference to the Klaxons to keep it ‘on message’ (probably).

And herein lies one of the major faults with the current incarnation of the magazine; I’m by no means suggesting that there is any active prejudice in the NME‘s editorial decisions, but there’s certainly not much of an attempt to strive for diversity either. It’s a point that was neatly underlined recently, when, in celebration of its sixtieth

SONGS 5 IN THE FIELD OF...

Household items Sam Ward

anniversary, a special issue with eight different covers were produced, and seven of them featured white men from guitar bands on the cover; Patti Smith served as the only exception. It actually beggars belief, but since the start of last year, only two people from ethnic minorities have appeared as cover stars; Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes and Tyler, The Creator; the former sings in a guitar band and the latter was likely included in a cynical attempt to cash in on an internet sensation than through any actual desire to reintroduce serious consideration of hip hop to the magazine. Only five different women have filled that same role over the same period, and when the decision was taken to grant an up and coming new band that slot two weeks ago, they plumped for Palma Violets – four white guys who play Strokesesque guitar music.

Interview: Bastille

Bastille talk to The Mancunion about God, lying and Forrest Gump

Lisa Murgatroyd Comment Editor

be like, ‘We’re not praying together or anything.’

None of us are even remotely religious.” Will: “I am … I love God.” Dan: “He’s definitely lying.” Will also throws out there that ‘Forrest Gump’ has a really good soundtrack which was met with an awkward silence, “… not agreeing with me?”

Moving swiftly on, we discussed past, present and future collaborations. Over the summer, Bastille worked with Gabrielle Aplin on a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Dreams’. “She’s just really sweet, her music’s really nice. We wanted to do something together and saw that as an extension of the mixtape, something that was maybe outside her comfort zone. So I kind of forced her to sing kind of high, in an area of her voice that she’s maybe not that massively confident and comfortable so that was fun.” Vocal sadism aside, Dan also revealed a side project with best mates, To Kill A King. “We’ve got a cowboy band that we’ve been working on for a while.” Will chirps in with a laugh, “I love that you say that like it’s an established thing.” Defending this, ah, interesting collaboration, Dan continues, “I’ve written an album with Ralph [lead singer of TKAK], and we’re gonna get both bands together to record it, when we have time.” Woody: “Should be out in 2016.”

Aside from TKAK and Gabrielle Aplin, all four were eager to mention Jay Brown (supporting act) and Professor Penguin as well worth a listen.

Staying to check out the gig, front row no less, there was a realisation that these guys are even more incredible live than recorded. Speaking with Dan after, he said that producers will always tell you to tone it down in the studio, but you can just push yourself on a stage. The result was an energetic and heart felt performance that will not be forgotten anytime soon.

Recently featured as Steve Lamacq’s New Favourite Band, withold any expectations and check out their website, www.bastillebastille.com.

There’s no question that the magazine’s a desperate shadow of what it used to be – half the pages seem to be taken up by gig listings, and their website seems so close to parody that you wonder if Chris Morris is behind it, preoccupied as it is with the banal minutiae of the lives of the Gallagher brothers rather than anything with even a modicum of excitement or adventure. Taking that, and its everdwindling circulation into account, it seems astonishing that they can’t even do the simple things right – what exactly is stopping them from packing their publication, and website, with as much new, interesting and diverse music as possible, rather than mindnumbing, inconsequential garbage about dull egotists that were last relevant fifteen years ago? Answers on a postcard, please.

It’s hard to genrelise Bastille as anything other than ‘alternative’. The four lads, consisting of Dan Smith (vocals and keyboard), Kyle Simmons (keyboard), Chris ‘Woody’ Wood (drums) and Will Farquarson (bass), take their name from the day on which Dan was born; Bastille Day. Starting off modestly with self produced songs and videos released online, they’re now coming up to their one year anniversary with Virgin Records, and are currently performing on a sold out headline tour.

Meeting in the basement of Night & Day Café before their gig on Saturday 13th October, their modesty was evident, “It’s just mad to go play a gig, and people come.” Dan says incredulously, “It’s weird that people knew the words to songs which haven’t even been released online and were singing them at the gigs.”

Their debut album is set for release on 4th March, 2013. “Dan’s been in denial for a while,” Will jokes, “’Hopefully next week’ has been heard many times.

Dan’s been liberally lying for ages.” They had hoped to get it out at the beginning of January. The album is already available for pre-order and the band seem genuinely shocked that orders have been flooding in. “It’s awesome that people are buying it already, but five months up front is quite the wait … they might hate us by then!”

Considering that their mixtape, Other People’s Heartaches, has had over 25,000 downloads from their website, and their gigs across the UK and Republic of Ireland have sold out, their doubt seems a little overly pessimistic. Dan describes the covers mixtape as a “weird, bizarre mash up of loads of good but awful music”, which include crowd favourites ‘What Would You Do’ by City High and mash up of 90s dance classic ‘Rhythm is a Dancer’ and ‘Rhythm of the Night’.

“Despite the fact we’ve tried to make it incredibly

1. ‘Textbook’ – We are Scientists:

2. ‘Scissors’ – ‘Eight and a Half’:

3. ‘Maps’ – Yeah Yeah Yeahs:

4. ‘Gloves’ –The Horrors:

5. ‘Coffee And TV’ – Blur:

Apart from Eight and a Half, no one recommends the use of scissors in cutting away old friends, dying relationships or personal feelings. Despite this the song has some amazing synths in it (listen with a subwoofer).

Don’t try Jailbreak without this. Apparently, the tears in the video for this song were real – Karen O’s then boyfriend was late for the shoot, so why not embellish it with a bit of emotion? I’ve gotta say, it reflects the song perfectly.

Literally a song about Faris’ obsession with collecting people’s lost gloves – “…it was lying half frozen and twisted on the kerb”. Who knew something as weird as that could actually make it onto an album? Mind you, Strange House is a bit, well, strange.

Quite a curious song, seeing as it’s about how boring certain aspects of Coxon’s life were despite also being one of the most interesting songs he’s ever written. Thank god he turned it around, probably by stopping watching so much x-factor.

No student should ever be without theirs and, according to Keith Murray, neither should the paranoid lover type.

Despite reading up on this girl’s background, he still can’t figure her out apparently. No wonder the band were falsely mistaken as scientists before they adopted their name.

Our promoter kept coming backstage, and we felt like we needed to say, ‘we’re not praying or anything!’ easy for people to get hold of, for free, it’s still up on loads of bit torrent music ripping sites. ‘Guys! Get it from us!’ – Piracy doesn’t pay … us.”

It also features dialogue from films such as The Breakfast Club and Requiem for a Dream. Asking Bastille what film soundtracks they love, Dan pipes up immediately, “I love David Lynch. I think he’s amazing … You know sometimes in films or TV or whatever, they just get it completely right and you just can’t imagine the two not having each other.”

According to Will, ‘O Brother Where Art Thou’ is an ‘obvious’ choice. “We like to sing the songs before gigs … the really religious ones.” Dan adds, “Yesterday we were doing the ‘Down in the River to Pray’ song and the promoter kept coming backstage as we’re trying to warm up and every time he walked in we’d be singing the really Godly bit, almost to the point where we felt the need to

Music

ISSUE 06/22nd OCTOBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

19

Album of the week

Mercury Prize 2012 In a time where a song can be performed on the X-Factor and within hours rocket to number one in the charts, we can always rely on the annual Mercury Prize Awards to do what it does best – provide a much needed reminder to many that in fact, good new music does exist in this day and age. Since its birth in 1992, the coveted and highly sought after prize has been awarded to artists who have gone on to become household names - the first stepping stone to an illustrious career in the music industry (of course, with the exception of the 2009 winner Speech Debelle).

Three years on from her

contentious victory, the shortlist is dominated by a host of alternative bands and solo artists, with the stand-out name being Plan B who’s third album ill Manors debuted at number one in the UK album chart. It seems like Plan-B’s daring change in direction, from the soulful Strickland Banks to a much darker and politically inspired rap album, has been a gamble which has most certainly paid off as he makes history, being the first soundtrack ever to be included in the shortlist for the coveted album prize.

The rest of the 12 strong shortlist features an array of offerings from established

artists such as Richard Hawley and The Maccabees. This year’s nominees also include a crop of indie newcomers like Alt-J, Django Django and Field Music who must all dream of following in the footsteps of 2007 victors and then-newcomers Klaxons, who scooped the award from under the nose of the late Amy Winehouse with their album Myths of a Near Future. The MOBO nominated Roller Trio with their self-titled debut album complete the list of bands nominated, totalling six in this year’s Mercury Awards.

In what has been a strong year for solo artists across the globe, BBC Sound of 2012 winner Michael Kiwanuka and Sam

The MUMs Lunchtime Concert series

The MUMS Lunchtime Concert series this year boasts a grand variety of ensembles displaying a wide array of talent from across the university. All concerts are all held in the Cosmo Rodewald Concert Hall in the Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama, Bridgeford Street and are admission FREE.

Friday 2nd November 1:10pm Beginning our series are The Cosmo Singers (one might say ‘The Cosmo Speakers’ upon hearing a feature of their programme: Ernst Toch’s Geographical Fugue.) Other composers featured include James MacMillan and Arvo Pärt With a diverse repertoire of choral music, this concert will take you on a musical journey, quite literally.

LIVE: Trail of Dead

years since.

Given the Trail’s formidable live reputation, most supports would be quaking at the prospect of having to open for them. But Maybeshewill are perhaps the perfect choice given their ability to create emotive instrumental soundscapes that appeal without demanding familiarity.

Their performance is

Florence to this year’s shortlist.

A week ahead of the announcement, Ben Howard appears to be the people’s favourite. Critics suggest the prize should go to Alt-J, but admit that this year’s award is one of the hardest to predict in recent years. It could seem this is down to the strength of the albums shortlisted in 2012, but considering the lack of truly

outstanding records released this year it’s no surprise that many are unwilling to place their bets. Let’s hope 2013 yields a shortlist that justifies a trip to the bookies.

Announcement of the winner: Thursday 1st November on Channel 4.

Friday 9th November 1:10pm

Friday 16th November 1:10pm

The Saxophone Ensembles showcase their talent in their first lunchtime concerts since forming. With a varied, eclectic repertoire consisting of mostly contemporary music for different ensembles, this is one not to be missed.

The penultimate concert of the series presents the vocalists of the department. It brings together the close-harmonies of the acclaimed Manchester University Barbershop Chorus alongside the soaring sonorities and dramatic airs of opera arias, duets and art-songs, all performed by talented members of MUMS.

Friday 30th November 1:10pm Concluding the series are the MUMS Brass Band, newlyfounded by 3rd year Jonathan Evans.Alongside Arutunian’s Trumpet Concerto, this concert features a new work by alumni Timothy Langston called “Greek”. Motivated by the music of Beethoven and Homer’s The Odyssey, it aims to replicate the sense of gravitas in these major works.

Adam Selby

LIVE: Kelly Clarkson

Club Academy - 8/10 - 11th October 2012

Few bands inspire quite the same sort of devotion that Texas stalwarts …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead. Rising to prominence in the late nineties and releasing their magnum opus, Source Tags and Codes, in 2001 to a rapturous critical and commercial reception, they were subsequently written off and have been largely ignored on both fronts in the eleven

Lee lead the way for the males, alongside widely acclaimed singer-songwriter Ben Howard, whose album Every Kingdom has earned him a strong and ever-growing fan base across Europe. As for the female contingent, 2012 has proven to be the year of the newcomers with Jessie Ware and Lianne La Havas pipping the previous favourites Emile Sandé and

Manchester Arena - 7/10 - 12th October 2012

astonishingly tight, showcasing their trademark dynamic of sweeping piano-led uplift followed by monolithic crush.

Trail of Dead’s performance is much more chaotic. This is the dynamic they have built their reputation upon, and while their performance this evening is full of their wellestablished bluster, there’s no evidence of the former cracks that would lead to full-blown fights onstage. Instead their energy is perfectly channelled into rousing singalongs interspersedwith stretched-out psychedelic jams which fed off the crowd.

The most gleeful of moshpits opens up in appreciation of new material from the forthcoming ‘Lost Songs’, as well as classic cuts, and by the time the band’s signature track, ‘Another Morning Stoner’, rings out as the evening’s closer, the latest in a long line of Manchester shows for Trail of Dead has served only to further enhance their live credentials.

Kyle Rice

Back in September 2002, a Texan comedy club cocktail waitress won the inaugural season of American Idol. Ten years, five albums, 21 million record sales and two Grammy awards later, it’s safe to say that Kelly Clarkson is still going strong, perhaps even Stronger.

Despite such a lavishlydecorated career, it’s still a little surprising to see Clarkson fill the cavernous MCR Arena tonight; more a testament to her cult popularity than her crossover appeal. She exudes confidence on stage, and while some of her banter was a bit suspect (she inadvertently started talking about crack, which had the party of six year-olds in front of me tutting in disdain), she established a decent rapport with her audience from the outset; her stage presence only grew as the evening went on, and it was difficult not to like her.

Although her songs may be an acquired taste, Clarkson’s voice is undeniably brilliant; I found myself muttering “you go, girl!” under my breath more than once – indeed, it was almost impossible not to. As

she belted hit after hit, it was difficult not to be impressed by both the apparently effortless, immaculate vocal performance, and the wealth of solid material which Clarkson has to draw on.

As well as her own tracks, though, she performed a wellexecuted cover of Fun.’s ‘We Are Young’, but perhaps more noteworthy was her superbly understated rendition of Oasis’ ‘Wonderwall’ – she had many in the packed MEN Arena on their feet (we are in Manchester, after all).

For those who associate the

Clarkson with the two midnoughties smash hits (‘Since U Been Gone’ and ‘Because of You’) with which she arguably made a name for herself in the UK, this performance was a sublime demonstration of what else the 29 year-old has achieved in the last decade, and an indication of what she might offer in the next. Right on, girl.

Hugo Nicholson

20

Music

Mancunion Recommends

NOW: Dan Deacon - America Domino Records; 2012

America: a country noted both for being “an e v i l , E a r t h d e s t roy i n g monster of war” and f o r i t s “s i m p l e b e au t y ” .

T h e s e a re t h e wo rd s o f B a l t i m o re exp e r i m e n t a l i s t D a n D e a c o n , wh o s e eighth album seeks to re s o l ve t h e s e d i c h o t o m i e s t h ro u g h h i s ow n v i s i o n o f w h a t “A m e r i c a” , a c t u a l ly m e a n s . Te n s i o n i s o f t e n a c a t a l y s t f o r c re a t iv i t y, a n d the contradictions of his s u b j e c t m a t t e r a re we ave d t o ge t h e r w i t h a m p l e d ext e r i t y.

The album is a thrilling exp l o r a t i o n o f h i s exp e r i e n c e s o f t r ave l , a n d a r g u a b l y, a b re a k t h ro u g h i n h i s ow n mu s i c a l d e ve l o p m e n t . C l a s s i c a l l y trained with a CV boasting a w r i t t e n s c o re f o r a

F r a n c i s Fo rd C o p p o l a f i l m , D e a c o n’s f i r s t a l b u m , Sp i d e r m a n o f t h e R i ngs , was criticised for being a p ro l o n ge d mu s i c a l e qu iv a l e n t o f a p r a c t i c a l j o ke . B ro m s t , h i s s e c o n d , w a s a h a rd l y- t e n t a t ive entrance into classical collaboration. None of the c o r re l a t ive we a k n e s s e s o f e i t h e r a pp e a r o n A m e r i c a .

‘G u i l d f o rd Ave nu e B r i d ge ’ i s a f re n e t i c , e a rr a t t l i n g o p e n e r, b u r s t i n g t h ro u g h a ny s c e p t i c i s m h e m i g h t i n c u r by b e i n g d e s c r i b e d a s a n “e l e c t ro a c o u s t i c a r t i s t ” . ‘ Tr u e T h r u sh’ i s a e u p h o r i c journey anthem that will h ave A n i m a l C o l l e c t ive f a n s qu e s t i o n i n g t h e i r l oy a l t y. ‘ P re t t y b oy ’ i s wistful and atmospheric, e vo k i n g i m a ge s o f hu ge landscapes and named a f t e r a re s e r vo i r. T h e s e c o n d s i d e , o r ‘ U SA’ t a ke s a d e c i d e d ly d i f f e re n t t u r n , l e s s p o p, m o re c o n c e p t , with the entrance of a s y m p h o ny o rc h e s t r a wh i c h i s b l e n d e d sk i l f u l l y t h ro u g h o u t w i t h t h e s qu e l c hy b l o c k c h o rd s

that punctuated some of the songs on the first.

D e a c o n’s t a l k o f ‘ l aye r i n g d i c h o t o m i e s ’ d o e s n’ t s p e a k t o a ny brand of pompousness.

America is successful in d e c a n t i n g w h a t h e t a ke s to be some of the most p re s c i e n t d u a l i s m s o f the land, the life and the mind that is America, w i t h o u t t h e a r ro g a n c e and paternalism that can s o m e t i m e s a c c o m p a ny wo r k s m e a n t t o b e ex p re s s l y p o l i t i c a l .

D e a c o n’s a p p ro a c h i s m o re nu a n c e d , a n d m a ke s f o r o n e o f t h e b e s t re l e a s e s t h i s ye a r.

Jack Armstrong

BOOK NOW: 0161 832 1111 www.manchesteracademy.net Live Music and Clubs at the University of Manchester Students’ Union

OCTOBER 2012 My Darling Clementine Monday 22nd October

Delilah Tuesday 23rd October

Dog Is Dead Tuesday 23rd October

Carjack Mallone

Sunday 4th November

The Road To Warped Tour 2012 New Found Glory + Less Than Jake

+ Man Overboard + The Story So Far

Thursday 25th October

Monday 5th November

Modulate

Rock Sound Riot 2012 Billy Talent + Awolnation

Labrinth

Friday 26th October

Thingumabob & The Thingumajigs Friday 26th October

Street Dreams Saturday 27th October

Daniel Jones Music Editor

Saturday 3rd November

Sonic Boom Six

Thursday 25th October

you won’t know what h e ’s h i t you w i t h .

The LP ends with a rolling rendition of R&B stomper ‘Night Train’.

The album itself was released the following y e a r, a n d B r o w n w e n t on to record two further albums at the Apollo, in 1971 and again in 1995.

This remains his most soulful performance under the roof of the revered Harlem theatre, and the one that helped to reinforce the validity of live albums as a concept.

Polica

NME presents Generation Next Howler + The Cast Of Cheers

Lacuna Coil

time ballad ‘Try Me’ follows, much to the delight of the several hundred girls who are present.

By the time he reels off ‘Try Me’ and ‘Think’, they are in the palm of his hand.

The epic ‘Lost Someone’ marks the halfway point, and at a lengthy 10 minutes 42 seconds, it eases the crowd into a false sense of relaxation.

This is broken by the opening chords of B row n’s longest standing hit at the time, ‘Please, Please, Please’.

This kick- st ar ts an 8- song m e d l e y, showcasing B row n’s i m p rov i s ato r y l ive p e r fo r m a n c e at i t ’s best.

The way he is able to effortlessly switch between the songs in his arsenal is a bit like p l a y i n g G TA .

He kills it with the pistol, then t h e c h a i n s a w, t h e n t h e shotgun, then the rifle, t h e n t h e f l a m e - t h r o w e r, then the bazooka. Oh, and his bare hands too.

B a s i c a l l y, b y t h e t i m e the ‘Bewildered’ ends,

Friday 2nd November

Wednesday 24th October

Thursday 25th October

Ah James Brown. THE f u n k s o u l b r o t h e r. T h e reach of this m a n’s genius is beyond me; spokesman for the civil rights movement, originator of funk music and influence to pretty much every single recording artist there has been over the past 50 years. What a g u y. A n d t o t h i n k , K i n g Records refused to finance his request to make a live album back in the early sixties, stating that “ a record with no new songs wouldn’t be profitable for them”.

Silly bastards.

For tunately for us, James Brown and his m a n a g e r, B u d H o b g o o d , decided to fund the album themselves. As a result, Live at the Apollo was recorded on the night of October 24th 1962. Introduced by MC Fats Gonder and backed

by The Famous Flames, the Hardest Wo r k i n g Man in Show-Business begins proceedings with a gritty version of ‘I’ll Go Crazy’. Big

Pentagram

Saturday 3rd November

Mindless Self Indulgence

King Records; 1963 (recorded 24/10/62)

Friday 2nd November

Alex Clare

Wednesday 24th October

THEN: James Brown - Live at the Apollo

The Heartbreaks

Guns 2 Roses Saturday 27th October

Immortal Technique

Tuesday 6th November

Punch Brothers Tuesday 6th November

Claudia Brucken Wednesday 7th September

Gorira + Klone + Trepalium Wednesday 7th November

3OH!3 Thursday 8th November

Live Evil “Into The Dark 2012” Angel Witch + Enforcer + Age Of Taurus

Sunday 28th October

Thursday 8th November

Damien Dempsey

TECH N9NE

Sunday 28th October

Friday 9th November

The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster

JJ Grey + Mofro + David Ford

Monday 29th October

Owl City + Matthew Koma Tuesday 30th October

Everytime I Die Wednesday 31st October

Two Gallants Wednesday 31st October

NOVEMBER 2012 Tyler Hilton Thursday 1st November

Twin Atlantic + Charlie Simpson Friday 2nd November

Saturday 10th November

Devlin + Krept & Konan + Saving Grace Sunday 11th November

Alabama Shakes Monday 12th November

Architects Monday 12th November

Ryan Bingham Tuesday 13th November

Ladyhawke Tuesday 13th November

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Books

ISSUE 06/ 22ND October 2012 WWw.MANCUNION.COM

Top 5: Scary Classics to prepare you for Hallowe’en Five seasonal classics that guarantee goosebumps

“A good story is a good story!”

– Why adapting a book can be for the best Bringing Literature to Life, a Manchester Literature Festival event, explored the issues inherent in adapting literature for stage and screen Photo: Charlie Hopkinson. Writer, Jeremy Dyson

It’s that time of year again, approaching fast. The most wonderful time of the year: costumes and parties, and Sainsbury’s running out of pumpkins and reading week. Whether you’re planning on staying at uni or going home for the week, and no matter your preferred genre of scary, we have a few seasonal classics to fill your lecture-less time that will definitely promise a scare!

1. The Gore Fest: American Psycho, by Bret Easton Ellis This first-person narrative plays out through the eyes of the handsome and successful businessman, Patrick Bateman (immortalised by Christian Bale in the 2000 adaptation). He is obsessed with the details of his life, from brand names to business cards, and becomes increasingly obsessed with the details of his very dark, very gory fetish. And details are certainly what you get. This book is definitely not for the squeamish, faint hearted or easily offended. It was initially banned in many areas of the world due to the explicit level of its disturbing sexual and violent content, so read it if you dare…

2. Real Life Chiller: Helter Skelter, by Vincent Bugliosi & Curt Gentry This true story is told through the eyes of its ensuing prosecutor, Vincent Bugliosi. It tells the notorious Manson Family’s story; the ‘family’ comprised a group of hippies led by Charles Manson who together committed no small number of gruesome murders. The vivid, descriptive nature of this book is visceral, truly brutal, and if nothing else will make you seriously question any form of drug use.

3. The Dystopian Scare – A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess You may have to persevere with this one, at first. Burgess writes in ‘nadsat’ (a made-up slang of his own creation that is mostly nonsense but vaguely based on Russian and Cockney rhyming slang), that is the narrator, Alex’s own register, which, as the reader grows more and more familiar with the language, has the effect of slowly reconciling the gaze of the reader to that of the narrator.

You literally view the story through/as Alex. And, once you get over the first hurdle, the book is a real page-turner. Featuring more than its fair share of violence (and also transformed into celluloid magic, in 1974 by Kubrick) this book raises questions (and hairs) concerning how far humans can and will go in controlling each other, and how much free will makes a difference.

4. The Psychological Thriller – The Shining, by Stephen King This is probably one of the best known of Stephen King’s novels, and for good reason. It’s about a small boy, Danny, who has a very special gift, a gift that begins to negatively impact his father when he starts a new job working in a hotel. This is one of those books that will completely engross you, and then not let you go.

5. The Supernatural Horror – Heart-Shaped Box, by Joe Hill Written by Stephen King’s son, this book is a spine-chilling story of an old rock star that becomes plagued by the poltergeist of an old lover’s father, in the form of an old suit. Yes, that is the premise. In trying to free himself from the rage of this spirit, he uncovers the true horrors behind the suicide of his ex-. It’s fast-paced, exciting and modern – and will make you think twice about buying things online…

Phillipa Moran

21

Have you been to see any films in the cinema recently?

Or watched one of the BBC’s mini-series? The chances are pretty likely that if you have, you watched a story that originated as a book. This year alone, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Hunger Games and Anna Karenina, are all adaptations of

books, and have been devoured by cinema-goers. This, along with the popularity of Parade’s End and The Paradise on the BBC, and it’s clear that a book adaptation has pulling power.

Bringing Literature to Life, part of the Manchester Literature Festival, was therefore a pertinent event.Hearing from the people who transfer the story from the pages to the screen, stage or airwaves was fascinating.

The panel consisted of Jane Rogers, whose expertise is in adapting texts for radio and television, Jeremy Dyson, a comic writer famous for The League of Gentlemen, who recently adapted Roald Dahl’s Tales of the Unexpected for stage, and, headlining the list, was Nick Stafford, whose stage adaption of Michael Morpurgo’s War Horse has won him a Tony award.

As the discussion kicked off it was immediately clear that these people were not mere copycats, that adapting a story

to fit an entirely different media requires skill. As a bookworm, I can’t deny the wave of horror I feel every time I see an advert for a new film adaption of one of my favourite novels; the fear that it will have been altered beyond recognition and special secret of the work inevitably lost in the process. Listening to the panel, though, was comforting: Jeremy Dyson spoke of the “instinctive response” to a novel needed to make a good adaption of the original, a sentiment with which the other panellists strongly agreed. Alterations to the story are sometimes necessary for budgetary constraints, but also simply to make the theatre production, TV show or film, work. “There’s more room in a novel” Jane Rogers explained as she spoke of adapting one of her own novels for radio, “You have to find the action.”

So, then, are book adaptions so simply pale reflections of the novel? I asked at the Q&A at the end of the session why they adapted novels; if they loved

the books they were working with, why change them? Nick Stafford responded flippantly: “Well, it’s a job.” But Jane Rogers saw herself as doing more of a service to books; she believes that adaptations make books accessible, and, having adapted the likes of Thomas Hardy, she should know. They also bring attention back to authors who may have been lost in the mists of time. For the purist book lover, the rise in film and TV adaptations may appear to undermine the literature they immortalise, but I would say not. As the chairwoman of the discussion said, “A good story, is a good story!” and it is the story that will engross people whichever medium it is told through. Adaptations may even tempt more people to crack open the book afterwards. Love them or loathe them, it seems they’re here to stay.

Joelle Jefferis

Review

Peruvian author charms Manchester The Peruvian author, Fernando Iwasaki Cauti, graced Manchester during the Literature Festival, to discuss technology, humour, y amor I went to see the Peruvian author, Fernando Iwasaki Cauti, in discussion with his translator and friend, Andrew Slater (Professor of Spanish and Latin American Studies at Leeds University), last Thursday. The event was held as part of the Manchester Literature Festival, which is currently sweeping the city, in the Instituto Cervantes. Fernando talked about his place in the South American, and Hispanic literary canon; the vital importance of humour, the entanglements technology has furnished us with, and word play. In short, issues so far up my street they’re already in Rusholme.

Fernando is an extremely prolific and varied writer; he writes novels, short stories, such as Neguijón (The Worm of Decay), Ajuar funerario; non-fiction essays and academic histories, like Nabokovia Peruviana, and things in between. He has worked as a columnist, a magazine editor, an anthologist.

But his works still haven’t been translated and distributed in English – pointing to the gaping hole in the UK literary industry and its readers’ acquaintance with ‘foreign’ fiction.

Fernando was wearing a bright red (velvet) jacket, and round glasses; he didn’t know how to work the microphone properly, and he didn’t belong here, in the drab North.

These were good things. The wine was warm.

This was a not so good thing.

He was charming, in the way of the exuberant, warm, patriarchal (and emphatically non-British) artist. I wanted him to tell me things about my life. Instead I asked, “In your opinion is, or should, writing be, difficult, a struggle, or can/should it be

Want to write for Books?

something approached light-heartedly?

Unlike life, can it be without struggle?” After multiple muttered attempts at translation, Fernando answered by describing his writing habits: he can write non-fiction anywhere, plane, train, dentist’s office, but fiction he must be consumed by, writing only at his own table in his own house, write 18 hours a day, for many months absorbed in it. He talked about the “writer’s voice”, which must be upheld, even when composing a text message. He didn’t really answer the question. But then, he never could have.

The past and present, and their relationship, seemed to be an overriding concern for Fernando. This manifests in the idea of pain, in the novel Neguijón (The Worm of Decay) – which takes place in the pestilence of 17th Century Spain. The neguijón is the ‘tooth worm’, a medieval idea that tooth decay was caused by microscopic worms burrowing into the tooth. The author discussed the abstract, detached conception of pain we have today, our detaching from pain; whenever it occurs: we numb it immediately, and illuminating this through the extreme contrast of a world where the body, its smell, its pain, could never be escaped.

The impact of technology definitely underlines this idea of a present rapidly accelerating from its past. Cauti doesn’t mind iPads and e-readers and kindles; and their literary counterpart: micro, “flash” fiction, just so long as they don’t replace reading.

And their discussion did prompt the best line of the night, in a section read from Libro del Mal Amor (The Book of Bad Love): “In these

times, we have a lot of face, and not enough Book.” I posted it as my status.

Phoebe Chambre

Write to Books: books@mancunion.com Facebook Books: http://www.facebook.com/TheMancunionBooks Meet Books, at our weekly meeting: Tuesdays, 6pm in the Student Activities area, 1st floor of the Student Union

22

Games

ISSUE 06/ 22nd OCTOBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Salford hosts the Play Expo Sam Dumitriu plays the latest games at Britain’s newest gaming convention

It’’s a me, a Mario! Photo: Sam Dumitriu

Salford’s EventCity hosted the Play Expo, Britain’s newest video-game convention on October 13-14.

It provided an opportunity for gamers to get their hands on the latest games, as well as the yet to be released Wii U. It also catered to the retro gamer with a vast array of classic arcade and pinball machines. eSports were represented with the European Gaming League (EGL) setting up the biggest series of LAN tournaments to ever take place in Manchester.

The eSport area provided an opportunity to see some of Britain’s best gamers play and lose their temper (I saw one gamer use the ‘f word’ as a verb, noun and adjective in one impassioned sentence) on a variety of games including COD: MW2, Halo: Reach, Street Fighter 4 and FIFA 2012.

Cosplay was also on show at Expo, with gamers dressing as their favourite characters and competing in the cosplay masquerade at the end of the day. The quality of the cosplay was highly variable, from a brilliant GLaDOS costume and an awesome Sub Zero to a frankly nightmare inducing King Hippo (picture a shirtless morbidly obese boxer wearing a crown).

While King Hippo made me want to go home, curl up into a ball and cry myself to sleep, I stuck around and queued (Oh the queuing, so much queuing!) for a chance to get a hands-on with the

newest games, as well as the much-anticipated Wii U. Here are my highlights: Nintendo Land, Nintendo, Wii U: Nintendo Land will be bundled with the Wii U at launch, just as Wii Sports was bundled with the Wii, to showcase the new style of gameplay the Gamepad brings us. Nintendo Land is a collection of mini-games that serve as an introduction to asymmetric gameplay, where gamers experience different aspects of one game by using different controllers. One example was the Zelda minigame, where one player uses the Gamepad to control an archer, while the other four players use the Wii Remote to control swords. Not everything in Nintendo Land is multiplayer however, with the Donkey Kong themed mini game showcasing the Gamepads built-in accelerometer as you guide a kart around a 2D map through tilting the Gamepad.

New Super Mario Bros. U, Nintendo, Wii U: New Super Mario Bros. U is largely like its Wii predecessor, however there are a few additions to the platformer, firstly HD graphics make this the most visually pleasing 2D Mario title ever. The Gamepad is also put to use allowing a fifth player to join the fun and place blocks around the level using the touchscreen. Using the gamepad, I felt like a third wheel, getting in the way as much as I helped.

It looks like it’ll be a fun game provided you’re using the Wii Remote and not the Gamepad.

Rayman Legends, Ubisoft, Wii U: While Nintendo Land gave an introduction to asymmetric gaming, Rayman showed just how good it could be. The game manages to make the experience fun for both gamers, with the Wii Remote being used for the 2D platforming that Rayman Origins perfected, while the Gamepad is used for interacting with the environment, creating new paths, firing catapults and swatting dragons.

Everything you do looks impressive, while being simple for even for a complete novice.

Halo 4, Microsoft Studios, Xbox 360: Halo 4 was on show, and despite being the first Halo game not made by Bungie, it still felt faithful to the other games in the series. I got to play 12 person Team Slayer, it felt broadly similar to Reach, although graphical improvements have been made.

Zombi U, Ubisoft, Wii U: Zombi U was the game with by far the longest queue in the show, but gamers who braved the 2-hour wait were rewarded with an innovative gaming experience, which put the Gamepad to good use. The Gamepad displays your inventory, so there’s no respite when you want to change weapons, you have to look away from the screen and just hope no zombies catch up with you while you swap weapons. Another interesting dynamic was revealed, when you die instead of respawning at a checkpoint, you spawn as entirely different character somewhere else on the map. Zombi U is looks set to become the Wii U’s killer app.

Despite the excellent selection of retro games, an eclectic collection of Pinball machines (I particularly enjoyed the whodunit themed machine) and areas for multiplayer console gaming, there were still negatives. Long queue times (two hours just to enter the building), a limited selection of new-releases, expensive food, and a sparse convention floor that really made the Play Expo feel like Britain’s newest gaming convention. Still, it’s likely in future years these problems will be resolved and with the Play Expo being so well attended it looks here to stay.

Reviews

Despite now being older than most undergraduates, id Software’s 1992 ‘Wolfenstein 3D’ is so infamous among retro gamers that it’s easy to forget the falsehood in its title – the game is rendered entirely in 2D. Right down to the bucket-headed stormtrooper sprites that started the trend of screaming untranslatable gibberish whilst being hosed down by an American with a BFG: now recognised as one of the proudest traditions of the gaming industry. In other respects, Wolfenstein’s mantle as the ‘first modern shooter’ is well-earned.

There had been first-person games before, as well as concepts of HP, upgradable weaponry, and diversity among antagonistic goons. But id Software rolled them all together, creating the basic run-n’-gun template that we know and love, in a hilarious game with enough controversial appeal to put shooters onto the popular market. It was left to id’s next icon, ‘Doom’, to introduce trivialities like visual and narrative realism.

To celebrate Wolfenstein’s 20th anniversary, the entire game is now available free to play in browser at www.wolfenstein. com. Amongst the prolific gore, playing it through again makes you think that in 1992 gamers were deemed intelligent enough to find their own way around a Nazi death camp without linear level-plans and sudden mortar strikes as punishment for leaving the mission area. Every door that you see in Wolfenstein – and several that you won’t – will lead somewhere, whether into an arsenal, a treasure trove, or a room full of hungry Alsatians. The player has free reign to explore a plethora of secret passageways and increasingly convoluted level maps: including one which when viewed from above is clearly a vast maze of interlocking swastikas. In this respect and others (Mecha Hitler), it is hard to beat Wolfenstein in terms of sheer novelty – and it’s hard to undersell its contribution to gaming history

Review

Dishonored

Pokemon Black and White 2 Nintendo/ The Pokemon Company Breaking the trend of midgeneration expansion of Pokémon games, Pokémon Black & White 2 are direct sequels to Pokémon Black & White. Although the story feels less established than previous Pokémon games, the little things that have been added along with the everpresent theme of becoming region champion make the newest addition to the Pokémon family a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

The story in Black & White 2 is stand-alone, allowing new players to understand the game without any previous Pokémon experience.

However, the Memory Link function allows Black/White veterans to sync the games, providing insight into the mind of N, the troubled rival from B&W. The cutscenes shown are often touching, and nicely bridge the two games for those who played B/W. Like B&W, B&W2 have 2D sprites in a charming 3D world, which works surprisingly well. As the in-game seasons change, the world around the player changes, and some areas are quite pretty considering the graphical capabilities of the DS. The soundtrack captures the essence of

Thomas Lee looks at the ‘first’ first person shooter

Nintendo DS

Unova, while subtly keeping classic Pokémon themes that everyone knows and loves.

The brilliant Habitat List separates the Pokédex into routes, displaying a stamp once all the Pokémon in an area have been seen. It breaks the Pokédex into manageable chunks, helping hopeful Pokémon Masters catch (or at least see) ‘em all. This is particularly useful as B&W2 boast the biggest regional Dex so far, with almost 300 Pokémon to catch. Other welcome new features include the introduction of Hidden Grottos – secret areas containing rare Pokémon or items – and the Pokémon World Tournament.

The PWT allows players to battle prominent trainers from previous

Eleanor Jayawant

games with multitude of battle styles.

The Medal system is an achievement system within the game. With over 200 medals, B&W2 are jam-packed with things to do for even the most ambitious completionist. Medals are awarded for all sorts: simple tasks such as cycling for the first time to more complex objectives like completing the National Pokédex.

Pokémon Black & White 2 have something to appeal to Pokémon fans old and new (especially as it is possible to catch Pokémon from previous generations in the wild, unlike in B&W). The games feel like bigger, better versions of B&W, with more to do, new challenges and a totally revamped Unova.

Bethesda 360/PS3/PC In an industry full to the brim with sequels and prequels, new IPs are a scarce commodity, especially those with a unique take on the action/RPG genre.

Dishonored, developed by Arkane Studios, who brought us the well-acclaimed Arx Fatalis, sees the player as Corvo, a skillful bodyguard turned assassin out for vengeance, having been framed for the murder of the Empress. Utilizing a crossbow, a sword and an array of supernatural skills including human/animal possession and short-range teleportation, Corvo must help instate the rightful heir onto the throne and bring down the authoritarian, selfserving regime.

The tale takes place in Dunwall, which can only be described as a steampunk fan’s wet dream where whale oil is the main source of energy and huge whaling ships occupy the city’s waterways. Highly influenced by Victorian architecture, the city is overrun by a gruesome plague claiming it’s citizens, and the new

Toby Edwards

regime, out to protect itself and its wealthy supporters, use what little advanced technology there is to keep the poor and diseased locked away, and left to fester.

The selection of magical skills allow one to mix and match to great delight and approach each level in a plethora of different ways, whether that be remaining unseen or slipping into a murder spree. The environments also allow for a level of verticality that one rarely sees, and there’s basic but solid upgrade and collectible systems.

Aside from arsenal of skills at the player’s disposal, the setting, intriguing it its uniqueness, is likely to be the main appeal of Dishonored. The story is competent and fun, though the character writing and voice acting leave a little to be desired and feel as though they fell short of their full potential. Regardless, Dishonored is one of the most interesting games of the year so far, and well worth a try if you like open gameplay with a narrative that breaks free from the norms of games writing.

Food & Drink

ISSUE 06/ 22ND OCTOBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Interview: John Whaite

Recipe Tartiflette

Alexandra Williams talks to The Great British Bake Off’s John Whaite Now that Great British Bake Off has ended, we appease our devastation by having a quick chat with the cheeky chest-baring finalist and former Manchester University student, John Whaite. We discussed his experiences in the competition famous for its excellent crumb formations and dreaded soggy bottoms.

How did you get into baking?

I got into baking when I was 5. My parents got divorced and I used to bake with my mum and sisters so it was always a really inherently comforting thing for me to do with my family.

So what made you decide to enter the Great British Bake Off? My partner and flatmate from last year kept telling me I should apply, and I’ve always been baking along with the show and I just thought I should go for it. So I did!

A lot of thought clearly goes into your

ideas – how do think up all of your bakes?

Everything I do is very symbolic and I like it to say something about me, I want it to be a statement.

Do you have a favourite bake?

People always ask me this but I rarely bake something more than twice; I don’t have a signature dish. I like to build up a repertoire and move on, I don’t want to stay stagnant with a few things.

Is there as much camaraderie on the set with the other bakers as there appears to be on the programme?

On the show we all had that one thing in common so while we might not be able to go out with each other every night of the week, we automatically click. Not only that, but we were all under the same pressures- James was doing his degree, Catherine has a family.

How about with the judges – is there a lot of pressure because of Paul Hollywood

and Mary Berry, two iconic bakers?

If Mary and Paul said oh “that’s poor” you interpret that as you, yourself, are poor. It’s very personal, but to be a successful baker it has to be personal. They are brutally honest, but always constructive and I know it’s a terrible cliché but I learnt more in the 10 weeks than I have learnt in my 23 years of life.

You mentioned in the penultimate episode you wanted to further pursue baking, tell me about that?

I want to be a baker, definitely. I want to go to Le Cordon Bleu where I would learn French patisserie and cooking or I would love to open a bakery. I always say that my life path, wherever it takes me, is littered with cake crumbs.

Building up to the final, did you do anything different to the usual?

Every day I had wake up and bake the same thing over and over and that’s what I found most difficult. It’s like looking at a

23

spreadsheet for a whole week everyday, and when you come to reinterpret the bake it can be very stressful. I prepared as much as I could and I think I probably spent every waking hour in the kitchen.

Any specific high points for you?

Winning Star Baker in week two obviously was amazing, and just clinging on for dear life every week and progressing through the show!

And, of course, any lows?

Salt in the rum babas wasn’t a highlight, and then of course slicing my finger and not being able to finish the showstopper in week six was a definite low.

Finally and most importantly, what happens to all the food after filming?

There are about 60 production staff and they just get devoured by them!

Alexandra Williams

Tartiflette is a dish I was introduced to while in France; sort of their equivalent to the student pasta bake.

There is really no way to market this combination of carbohydrate, cheese, bacon and cream as healthy food so instead I shall suggest that this recipe is good for stomach lining. There is the risk of getting a food-baby but when it’s this good why not just leave the body-con at home, or even stay at home yourself and have a sneaky extra portion?

Serves 4 800g potato, chopped roughly into cubes 1 large onion A packet of smoked bacon, sliced into small pieces

Rachel Walsh hosts the penultimate night of sucking peanuts and mysterious paella

The guests enjoy Rachel’s ‘inter-course entertainment.’ Photo: Jess Hardiman

As we made our way eagerly to Rachel’s house, nobody seemed entirely sure as to what to expect, Catherine admitting that she felt Rachel was a “dark horse.”

The starter signaled controversy for Ollie, who became convinced that they would be the product of Sainsbury’s. Once again, Will had never had chicken satay before, saying “I’m excited. I’ve no idea what to expect.” As we walked through the door, however, Ollie firmly declared, “I stand corrected. I can smell the saaahtay.” The scents that wafted over to our intrigued nostrils could be no effort of a supermarket.

Catherine was impressed with the little skewers with which the chicken pieces had been impaled and the boys were won over by the marinating process, as Rachel proudly stated that it had been an overnight affair.

Post-starter interviews, however, revealed that the guests did have some niggles with the dish.

What was generally well-received due to intense flavour, was also accompanied with beliefs that a third skewer may have made the dish even more well-received.

Ollie yearned for a “stupid salad” or some equally pointless but beautiful garnish.

Starters consumed, Rachel announced that there would be “inter-courseentertainment.”After quite a substantially awkward pause, she added, “it involves straws.” The game did, indeed, involve straws, as well as a bowl of salted peanuts and a lot of sucking.

Rachel then served up the mixed paella main. No one could ascertain what “mixed” paella would specifically comprise, but the consensus seemed to be that no one would be keen on a surf ‘n’ turf orientation. Will was “excited” once again. As mounds of golden yellow rice were slopped onto the plate, flecks of both seafood and meat could be seen and everyone looked at each other nervously.

After dinner, guests started reminiscing nostalgically on their time with each other. As the penultimate night of Come Have Dinner With Me was drawing to a close, Ollie noted that talk had gone from “lewd to actually quite civil.” Were our diners… maturing?

After another dose of inter-course entertainment – this time involving

straws and Maltesers – Rachel served up the dessert, a chocolate ripple cheesecake. Once again, Will had told us that he found the idea “quite exciting… I’m excited.” He even had two slices, but doubleportion veteran Ollie wasn’t on top form – he felt a bit delicate after getting drunk with his Granny the day previously.

Catherine wasn’t entirely convinced, saying that the “base could have been crisper”, but overall, Rachel’s food seemed to be a hit, guests noting that any criticism they mentioned were mere niggles. Catherine longed for some atmospheric music, as had been enjoyed on previous nights, and Will said that the entertainment would have worked better with more rules: “Organised fun is the way forward.”

Scores will be announced when everyone has had a chance at hosting!

Jess Hardiman Food & Drink Editor

A beacon of hope amongst the bars of Fallowfield

Review: Wählbar ‘Wähl’ is German for ‘choice’ or ‘selection.’ Fallowfield’s Wählbar, as one of Manchester’s finest purveyors of bottled beer, offers exactly this.

Fallowfield is literally awash with offerings of gaudy franchises, weak cocktails and stale, soulless lager.

Wählbar, on the other hand, is a game changer. Nestled between a run of kebab houses and a Wetherspoon’s, a bastion of liquid delights brings the concept of quality over quantity. Though it is by no means prohibitively expensive, the house lager Jever, 160-odd years in the making, is a crisp and hoppy offering at less than £4 a tankard. Jaipur (Thornbridge) has made a recent appearance on tap, as has

5am Saint (Brewdog). Making up a trio of phenomenal British beer with real depth of flavour and individual character is Red Willow. The selection of Odell and Sierra Nevada Beer is also good, plus they are currently stocking Flying Dog Oyster Stout, which reflects nicely the oncoming of autumn.

However, Wählbar does far more than merely open delicious bottles of beer.

Their cocktails will not be beaten for the price they charge. The cost of a whiskey/ amaretto/gin sours is only £3.50-£4, depending on your poison of choice, and are all magnificently refreshing and dangerously moreish. They have even taken off-menu requests in the past for

an Old Fashioned and a martini.

Lots of wood and industrial-style interior design gives this place all the coolness of the Northern Quarter, but is spared a lot of the pretension. Wählbar also boasts good bar food, free wi-fi and outdoor seating. The coffee is slightly disappointing, but the quality of soft drinks compensates the teetotalist.

Whether in search of a quick beverage, spot of lunch or a substantial session, Wählbar is a not a left field suggestion, it is very much becoming an imperative.

Wahlbar’s espresso Martinis are Food & Drink’s tipple of choice. Photo: Emily Clark

250g Reblochon cheese cubed. If unavailable, try Pont l’évêque or Brie (Sainsbury’s do a superb Basics one) 300ml double cream

Parboil the potato cubes in boiling water for 8-10 minutes, or until the potatoes start to soften.

Meanwhile, fry the bacon and onion. Drain the potatoes and put in a baking dish (go on, you know your mum bought you one; dig it out from the back of the cupboard and give it a rinse).

Mix in the bacon, onions, cheese and cream, season with salt and pepper, and bake at about 220 °C/ Gas 7/ fan 200°C until hot and bubbly, about 20 minutes.

Enjoy with a green salad.

Ben Walker

Joanna Fox

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Arts & Culture

ISSUE 06/ 22ND OCTOBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Manchester Weekender:

The Student Weekender North by Northwest: experience iconic cinema in true style

Flaneurs Guide: take a step back, consider and contemplate

When I sat down in an 1830’s train warehouse to watch North by Northwest, 1959, I was already excited.

Directed by the legend Alfred Hitchcock, known for his classics Psycho, Rear Window and Vertigo it had masterpiece written all-over it. Put off slightly by a gent ahead who enjoyed telling me off for fidgeting, and thus, preceded to consistently stare at me throughout the film, it was thoroughly fantastic.

Hitchcock has managed to produce an exceedingly witty, charming and cheeky timeless adventure. The protagonist Roger O. Thornhill, played

by Grant, is unfortunately mistaken as a government agent named George Caplin and accordingly an intelligent antagonist Phillip Vandamm pursues him endlessly.

The great actor James Mason portrays Vandamm exceptionally well and better than his comical henchman Martin Landau. Knowingly managing to charm and slide his way out of sticky situations Thornhill manages to board the 20th Century Limited train to Chicago, where romance fills the air as he meets the stunning blonde Eve Kendall

The Flaneurs Guide consisted of 4 simultaneous tours of the area, each with a slightly different focus, but all with the aim of encouraging participants to experience life and urban activity from a new perspective.

As explained by our dandy guides, flaneurism is the practice of wandering or strolling through the urban environment responding artistically and sensorially to people and place. We were encouraged to experience the street in more contemplative ways, just as the original flaneur of 19th century Paris would once have done.

Organised by Northern Quarter Stories, the tours are part of a project aimed at celebrating life in the Northern Quarter. Project cofounder Mark Babych spoke of the group’s ambition to ethnographically document and preserve the cultural diversity and creative energy of the area. This will be achieved by bringing together contributions from tour participants, be they stories, recollections, images or perspectives. Although ambitious, by attempting to create a patchwork of social

played by Eva Marie Saint.

Unfortunately for him there is more to her than meets the eye.

Cary Grant is a man many men would like to impersonate: unbelievably cool, calm and collected.

Subsequently, his acting and humour is exceptional.

Previously used by Hitchcock in ‘To Catch a Thief ’ there is no question as to why he was turned to again. It does not surprise me to hear that Ian Flemming modelled James Bond with Cary Grant in mind. Moreover, if Cary Grant is James bond than Daniel Craig just isn’t as sweet but Eva Marie Saint is definitely a bond girl. These actors give a memorable performance in this blockbuster filled with suspense, action and entertainment. To add to the atmosphere a steam train consistently passed the back of the Warehouse, which gave a theoretical feel to room, I could have been at the fringe with this one. Hitchcock is masterful. Great film and great set-up, let’s just say I picked up a couple of what’s-on flyers, I might indulge.

George Latimer-Butler Contributor

Encouraged to go off the beaten track in the Northern Quarter Photo: Jonny Whiting

history that may otherwise be lost, the project appears a worthwhile endeavour.

As we set off along our route our guide provided a brief history and pointed out sites of interest that may previously have gone unnoticed, such as the Edwardian architecture of Oldham Street, and the quirky street art of Tib Street.

Despite this guidance, self-led exploration remained central to the tour.

Although perhaps not fitting with the observational spirit of flaneurism, the tour would have benefitted from greater emphasis on the area’s historical usage and significance, if simply to help the Northern Quarter newbie put their interpretation into some kind of broader perspective. Despite this, the kind of engagement the tour encouraged is often prohibited by the fast paced realities of modern life; we could all benefit from taking a moment to step back and consider our surroundings in a more personal way. The true flaneur would describe this act as the very key to understanding and participating in modern city life.

Grace Williams Contributor

Borderline Vultures: immersive and interactive

Larger than Life: the newest from the Whitworth demands the viewers full attention

The performance explores the art of communication through ‘immersive and risktaking theatre’ and ultimately by removing a common language.

The performance took place in an abandoned warehouse where we were each given a number and a lab coat. From then on the rest of the night became a chaotic blur as we were quickly separated and placed in individual rooms.

We were greeted by ‘workers’ who spoke a mixture of unrecognisable languages and we were put to work - obviously any communication proved difficult!

Audience members were left to roam confused, intrigued by the warehouse and its vibrant workers. I must applaud the team who built the ‘set’ as each room was full of fascinating objects from old projector films to code breaking puzzles with disturbing messages.

The atmosphere at times was sinister and always curious with dim lighting, manic sounds of machinery and the frantic and random interactions with the performers. I particularly enjoyed the one on one

interaction between performer and audience member. The audience clearly enjoyed their active and interactive roles as gossip soon spread of codes and secret messages and possible danger found in the rooms. And the performers expertly created a sense of urgency and frustration through their struggles to communicate.

However after the build up of a deliciously exciting atmosphere, the performance fell a little flat.

It felt like there was a moment of chaos and suddenly the workers were ‘free’ and the performance had ended. The audience were left questioning and slightly frustrated- although the key concept of the performance was to explore the struggles of communication, it was almost cruel to create such an amazing atmosphere and such potential for a gripping storyline and yet provide no action or answers.

However I would still put Borderline Vultures as a ‘must see.’

Ellie Scallan Contributor

From just past the Whitworth Art Gallery front desk it is possible to read the large wall text title for Aisha Khalid’s new site specific exhibit Larger Than Life. Hung to the left of this text is the recognisable, but enticingly small, form of a picture frame. As you move close enough to view the miniature painting Form x Pattern (2000) you are forced to adjust as you would in order to hear a whisper - leaning as close as possible and with full attention. However, as you realise that the picture is 12 years old, and turn the corner into the North gallery proper, you are met by a noise and scale which is an alarming shout after the intimacy of Form x Pattern. This artifice of perspective manipulation is at work throughout Larger Than Life and is evidence of Khalid’s uniqueness as a miniature specialist working on a giant scale.

Khalid is a Pakistani artist based in Lahore.

In 1997 Khalid completed a Fine Arts degree at the Lahore National College of Arts, followed by a residency between 2001 and 2003 at the world renowned Rijks Academy in Amsterdam.

Khalid’s strategies in Larger Than Life educate any who presume Khalid’s art is as traditional as the miniature techniques she uses. In doing so Khalid challenges the definition of what a miniature is. The momentum goes further, forcing revaluations of our relationships to the machine and the hand made, and the position of women in society.

The first, site specific, piece of Larger Than Life

Must see

Top Bunk @ Cornerhouse

Everything’s Inevitable

Jane & Louise Wilson

Museum Allomen t

Public Service Broadcasting

Remind yourself of the scope of artistic inspiration before it is contrained to rigid professional boundaries.

Manchester Art Gallery exhibit a selection of sculpture, painting, and drawing curated by Des Hughes.

This Turner-prize nominated duo exhibit poweeful large scale and video art inspired by Chernobyl at the Whitworth.

Check ou the Manchester Museums for some insight into how the world around us shapes the choices we make.

Soup Kitchen hosts this duo who, in their own words, ‘teach lessons of the past through music of the future’.

THIS WEEK

(2012) covers an entire wall. Though a dramatic contrast in scale, the grid of embroidery roses are almost identical in design and pattern to those of Form x Pattern. Likewise Larger Than Life continues to posses the gravity of a miniature, pulling spectators within touching distance. This is in part because of the change to a more tactile medium and in part because the some of roses are curiously unfinished.

Move in closer and you will find needles pierced into the wall, their threads caught like stray cobwebs. On the ground beneath the wall, a video shows the making of the roses. The gatling sound of the sewing machine plays loudly as a giant needle fires across the white material leaving a trail of scarlet thread behind. Look back at the wall and those loose red threads begin to look like dripping blood.

The violence of the video is undeniable and disrupts an aesthetically detached gaze. Both the partially completed roses and the video act like question marks concerning mass produced textiles: Is the brutality foregrounded in the video that of the machine revolution which damaged the position of handmade techniques and brought about the poorly paid, nonartisan, and, repetitive labour of sweatshops? Are the needles and threads of the unfinished roses appeals to the return of the handmade, like miniature swords in a stone, tempting us to try continue where the machine left off? And what is more beautiful? The uniform precision of the

machine made or the freedom and possibility of straying from the blueprint and uniquely beautiful ‘mistakes’ of the handmade?

Moving on from the roses one will find a celebration of the handmade. Khalid has taken up the sword and seeks to slay the soulless machines of production through dauntingly vast ‘miniatures’ which defy the stamina of the handmade, while matching the scale and precision of the machine made. The Larger Than Life paintings hold a mystifying secrecy which is tensely at odds with their size. In contrast to the roses, the paintings are the colour of shadows and camouflage and furthermore they show nothing of how they were created.

As you move close enough to see the finest details of these ‘miniatures’ a figure appears.

Though easily missed at first, it stands gigantic, simultaneously invisible and obvious. And with this opposition the figure becomes a visual representation of the woman taken for granted in society.

Scrutinising for answers here, and in the exhibition as a whole, is like staring at the patterns which make up these pieces, which shift and change, simultaneously structured and formless like the fabric of the veil itself Louis Steven Contributor

Theatre

ISSUE 06/ 22nd October2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

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Review

Must see

Manchester’s finest at Joshua Brooks Helen McCarthy reviews some of the JB Shorts at Joshua Brooks

22nd-29th October Light-Hearted Intercourse Light-Hearted Intercourse has its world premiere this week after being unearthed from Bill Naughton’s (Bolton’s most famous playwright) archives and being brought to life by director David Thacker. The play looks at a young couple in the 1920s adjusting to married life whilst keeping secrets from their pasts from each other.

Runs until 3rd November at The Bolton Octagon

Orpheus Descending Whilst being one of Tennesse William’s lesser-known plays, Orpheus Descending, still has plenty of what we love about him: a young male drifter, an unhappy Southern belle and lots of passion. Stars Imogen Stubbs as Lady Torrance.

Runs from 24th October to 24th November at The Royal Exchange Theatre Student Tickets £10 and £5 on a Monday or Friday

Obama The Mamba Based on a true story, Obama The Mamba, introduces us to George Hussain Obama, the Nairobi slum gangster and half-brother to the US President. A story about fate, power and destiny.

Three Stars out of Five Stars Who’d have thought that Joshua Brooks, the home of Moustache and Juicy, was also home to theatre? I certainly didn’t, so when I crammed myself into a room that’s usually dripping with sweat, I wasn’t sure what to expect. JB Shorts, which is simply described as ‘six short plays by top TV writers’ on its official flyer, is a surprising mix. It’s crude

and explosive but also gentle and subdued at times. The only problem is there’s not much time to refresh between courses.

‘A Christmas Carol’, began with the sound of a barking dog so convincing that I thought I was going to be mauled right there in my seat, and Jenni Howarth Williams was so brash that she could easily have fitted into some kind of post-watershed version of Coronation Street. In the

quiet moments though, when only her eyes flickered or her forehead creased, she stood out possibly beyond any other cast member.

Ian Kershaw’s script was blissfully funny, but during the drama it left the audience lagging behind, still shuffling around and giggling from the line before. The next piece was in a similar vein and had similar shortcomings. Trevor Suthers’ ‘No Comment’ had such glowing comedic aspects that even when Colin Connor lunged across the stage at an accused child killer with violent conviction, it was mildly amusing.

In ‘Seeds’, Steve Mitchell charmed the pants off the audience as a priest going through a sexual crisis and Carole Solazzo’s script was such bliss that the audience was sent into a lull of appreciation. In fourth came ‘Maddie’, in which an ageing pop star waved a Rampant Rabbit around, a sight I did not expect to be treated to on an otherwise normal Wednesday evening. The physical comedy, courtesy of Chris Brett, was particularly striking but the plot was unsatisfying. It never seemed to really get going, but thankfully it turned into a delightful farce which saved it from being inconsequential.

Lucas Smith, a graduate from Manchester Metropolitan’s Theatre School, gave ‘The Bombmaker’ a wonderfully quiet beginning.

Backstage, I learnt that during rehearsal he had ruled out the idea of putting on an ambiguously foreign accent for the sake of the terrorist role.

The piece ‘played with stereotypes’ – when the audience saw Smith hold a backpack with the utmost care and walk onto the stage to the sound of an Islamic call to prayer, the majority will have no doubt assumed him to be a bonafide extremist, instead we were treated to a voice that would be at home at RADA. And finally there was ‘Red’, what can only be described as the ballad of a disgruntled United fan. Writer and actor James Quinn prefers to think of himself as a ‘positive FC United fan’, but even a football novice could understand this ferocious loyalty to a football club that has been split into two polar opposites.

The corporate United was played by a suited and booted Daniel Jillings, and the people’s club FC United, was played by Sinead Moynihan, an interestingly feminine choice. In Quinn’s words, ‘twenty years ago it would have just been two blokes’ arguing about football, but set against the exposed brickwork of Joshua Brook’s cellar and the backdrop of surprising theatre, nothing was safely assumable.

The JB Shorts runs until 20th October at Joshua Brooks

Review Runs from 23rd October to 27th October at The Lowry Theatre Tickets £10-£16

Bordering on insanity?

Harriet Leitch reviews new 360-degree experience at The Lowry Theatre

42nd Street

Three Stars out of Five Stars

Musical about small-town girl, Peggy Sawyer in her rise to Broadway fame. Set during the Great Depression and includes songs like ‘Lullaby of Broadway’ and I Only Have Eyes For You’.

Runs from 23rd October to 27th October at The Palace Theatre Tickets £12.90-£28.90

ThickSkin: The Static Physical theatre piece about a teenage boy who can move objects with his mind, developed by award-winning theatre company ThickSkin.

Runs from 24th October to 25th October at The Contact Theatre Student Tickets £6

Why We Love / Why We Hate Claire Duffell and Holly MarshallDe Angelisreveals their likes and loathes of theatre

I was greeted by a woman in a white lab coat in the lobby of the Holiday Inn at Media City, just a stone’s throw away from The Lowry. “Thank you for participating in Syntech Solutions assessment programme. Please wait until your name is called and you will be escorted to the testing facility”. It was clear from the outset that this was not going to be your average night at the theatre.

Before I had time to comprehend what form the evening’s entertainment would take, I and several other audience members were whisked away to what looked like a disused office building, apparently ‘Syntechs’’ headquarters.

The evening was a bombardment of signs, symbols, gibberish and the occasional blast of the Rocky Horror shows

Why we love: Billy Elliot It’s almost impossible to imagine “Billy Elliot” without the encapsulating rhythm of the jam’s “A Town Called Malice” which defines the film for most. So it was with much scepticism that I went to see the musical , unable to envisage how the stage could capture the iconic scene where Billy tap dances down the street through a riot.

However, Elton John’s breath-taking sound track managed to add a whole new layer of magic to the performance. The comedy of a

‘Let’s do the Time Warp again’.

Belongings are handed over in exchange for a lab coat with an individual identity number and some safety glasses. Then you are directed into one of three doors and here you enter fully into the mad and alternate world that is Borderline Vultures. This 360 degree immersive theatre experience was something like I had never experienced before and probably never will do again.

A man in a lab coat pointed a piece of chalk at me and spoke in an alien language. I was lead to another door and gestured to go down a dark and dingy corridor.

I could hear occasional screams, an alarm sounded in the distance and as I tentatively wondered though the deteriorating industrial maze I wondered where all the rest of the audience had gone and what my fate would be.

You are left to interact with the

dancing wardrobe combatted with the beautiful relationships displayed on stage meant that the audience experienced every raw emotion. The stage was alive with energy and the unquestionable skill of every actor left your hairs standing on end. This performance really is a must see!

cast and wonder around and the topsy-turvy rooms; some dark, some covered in newspaper.

One had monitors where you could watch CCTV footage of all everyone participating in this exciting and weird theatrical experience.

There is no explanation and no indication of what to do or what to think. This was almost like real-time piece of contemporary art of some kind which was undoubtedly unique and made me question the boundaries of theatre.

Once you have experienced the whole building, however, you are somewhat left unsure what to do next and there was certainly half an hour too long to wait for the ‘climax’ of the piece which had little continuity with the narrative of the piece thus far. Despite this I award points for the creativity and thought provoking nature of the experience. I was compelled to ponder the ‘big-brother’ nature

Why we hate: Grease When you hear the word “Grease”, you envisage the energy of the 50s, the enviable image of Olivia Newton – John in leather trousers, and you dream of having your own “summer lovin’”. So it was with great anticipation that I went to see the musical, and I was greatly disappointed. With his stomach bulging out of his skin tight trousers, Danny, every girl’s childhood crush, resembled a high school janitor more

of today’s society of Facebook, recorded phone calls and constant CCTV surveillance and the new found ways in which we communicate with each other in this digital age.

Think George Orwell’s 1984 meets a funfair madhouse. Within the world of Borderline Vultures the audience are completely free to explore the performing space and interact as much or as little as they choose where each audience member will have their own unique experience. Prepare to be apprehensive as you enter into this insane world. If you are looking for a theatre experience like no other, then this is the ‘performance’ for you..

Borderline Vultures runs at The Lowry until October 28 th

than he resembled a high school stud.

This I could have handled if the plot had lived up to expectations, but the iconic summer romance was more like an episode from a sleazy soap opera based on two characters with no inhibitions. All of this was topped with a lack of energy and a set which looked like a high school production. Unlike Sandy and Danny, the stage and Grease do not go together.

Lifestyle SECOND 60 50 Shades of Fallowfield

ISSUE 06/ 22nd OCTOBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

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Feature

Interview

We talk to Umar Kamani, owner of boohoo.com

The conclusion to Gwen’s 50 Shades of Grey parody

What did you study at university?

I studied Business Studies at Manchester Met Business School.

What was the inspiration behind boohoo.com?

Boohoo is a family business that my dad first set up. I am now focusing on our new accessories business, PrettyLittleThing.com, which is really exciting and great to have the experience and knowledge from Boohoo and taking that into a new business or ‘baby’ as such!

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

I wouldn’t say there has been one such highlight. This whole journey has been surreal, and overwhelming.

Everyday presents new challenges for me. The highlight of my life is having my four grandparents still as a part of my life.

What advice would you give to anybody wanting to start their own business?

The advice I would give (and I don’t want to sound ‘cliched’) is to go with your instinct. You have to go with what makes you happy so you can enjoy your success once it happens.

You can never be the best if you don’t cherish your work.

I would say it’s important to surround yourself with good people and wise people, and work hard. Nothing comes easy.

This lecture seems to be going on forever.

I can barely concentrate on anything but my aching thighs. I still can’t believe that even after two steamy nights together, the Adonis hasn’t tried to contact me. My inner goddess is extremely pissed off and I tell myself that I shall refuse to give into

It’s...

his advances if there is a next time.

I wander out of the lecture in the Chemistry Building in a complete daze. The next thing I know, I walk into someone and drop all of my books. Wow, as smooth as always. Embarrassed, I immediately crouch down to pick up my

Blind

First impressions?

What did you have to eat?

What did you have to eat?

Cheese burger and chips and a chocolate brownie with cream. (Tom didn’t get pudding… but it’s free?!)

I had the Trof burger and a honeysuckle cocktail.

What did you guys talk about?

We talked about our courses, where we had been travelling and a bit about sport.

What did you guys talk about?

Mutual friends, lads, football, Wales. Star Wars, growing up without television. Tom’s friend who looks like a paedophile and sends him religious books from India.

If they were an alcoholic beverage which one would they be and why?

Not really, maybe a couple of short silences but they didn’t feel awkward.

If they were an alcoholic beverage which one would they be and why?

Were there any awkward silences?

A cosmopolitan. Undoubtedly a huge hit with the ladies, but perhaps not to my taste.

Rating?

7/10 Finally, hug, kiss or something more?

Just a hug.

The End

Good! Clean, polite, and punctual.

She was well dressed and attractive.

I absolutely love Manchester.

Everyday I feel like we’re growing as a city within the fashion world. People understand that so many talented designers, businessmen, artists etc come from Manchester. It’s a beautiful city. I have to travel a lot and spend a lot of the time in beautiful places with great weather, but the feeling of landing in Manchester is second to none. I believe that there is a growing fashion culture, and I really hope we maintain this as a city.

Alice, 3rd year, Spanish and Linguistics

First impressions?

Maybe some kind of Spanish drink because she has lived out there, Sangria.

around for people, or to check for mice.

I undo the zip of his chinos to release the live beast. I run my hand up and down the hard shaft and we both cry out with pleasure simultaneously. Books are flying off the shelves but we don’t care - we just need to reach the end of the experiment.

Our cocoon of lust is broken when we hear the judgemental gasp of a cleaner.

Flushed and frustrated, we unravel ourselves. As I’m trying to tame my dishevelled hair, he grabs my hand again.

‘I know somewhere else we can go,’ he whispers.

By the time I’ve managed to swipe myself out of the library, we’re at a run, heading towards the Students Union.

He leads me up the stairs and to the conveniently gender neutral toilets.

He grabs me by the waist and I wrap my legs around his middle as he pushes us both into the cubicle, locking it behind us. He practically rips my knickers off – thank God they’re not the Hello Kitty.

He thrusts violently inside my eager cave and I cannot contain myself, as a shriek escapes my mouth.

As the thrusts become quicker and harder, I begin to scream loudly and I know I’m nearly there. His groans become louder telling me that he’s close too. As we reach a mind shattering orgasm, we’re both panting loudly like dogs. I crumble into his arms.

Date

Tom, 4th year, Medicine

What does Manchester mean to you in terms of fashion?

Visit boohoo.com

belongings. As I look up, I recognise the bulge in those familiar chinos and realise that it’s him I bumped into. My heartbeat quickens. I try to avoid eye contact, but he’s crouching down too, handing me my notebook. There is a look in his eye that tells me that there will be a next time after all...

Suddenly his hand grips mine and he’s dragging me with force through the crowds of students. I have no idea where we’re going, but my stomach begins to churn with excitement and my palms begin to sweat.

We’re darting into the library.

‘It’s much quieter in here since the new learning commons opened,’ he grins at me.

We rush into the elevator and the tension becomes too much. I want him to take me right here, right now. I am desperate for his touch. I push him against the wall and we’re kissing insistently, his hand caressing my butt cheeks. I feel his hard pecker brushing against me and I groan.

The lift comes to a halt at Blue 2 and we walk out, dishevelled.

He places his hand on my lower back and directs me towards the end of the Chemistry section. We resume kissing between two rows of books, his hands urgently running up and down my body.

My drenched clam is all too ready for his skilled touch. Before I know it, he grabs me by the waist and puts me to stand on a stool. His thick fingers are inside me before I even have a chance to look

Were there any awkward silences?

Tom &

Alic e

No, it was a really fun evening! We had plenty to talk about and got a bit boozy.

Rating?

Tom is a total 8 (fun, attractive, intelligent), but there was no spark between us…

Finally, hug, kiss or something more?

A hug and a friendly promise that he’ll teach me squash!

Tom and Alice ate at Trof, fallowfield. Thanks to the guys down there for getting involved. To check out their menu and what’s going on there head to http://www. troffallowfield.co.uk/ To sign up for blind date please e-mail your name, year of study and course to keir.stone-brown@student.manchester.ac.uk with ‘Blind Date’ as the subject

ISSUE 06/ 22nd OCTOBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Career

Year Abroad Experience Cimarron Young, studying French and Business Management, talks to us about her year abroad experience working at ELLE magazine, Paris How did you land yourself with a position at ELLE, Paris?

I just sent them a cheeky email with my CV and then had a telephone interview.

Describe a typical day working at ELLE. I worked in various departments, but a typical day working as an assistant stylist would consist of going to the studio, checking emails, meeting with the stylist to discuss which look we were going for for a shoot, search for and order in clothes in relation to the brief, maybe go to a press presentation for additional research on a designer’s new collections, which was always the highlight of the day as they would give out presents after each presentation (I once received a Swarovski necklace and Ray Bans!) I would then head back to the studio and start organising the clothes as they arrived and do the returns for any I didn’t like. Then a nip to the canteen for lunch where a three course meal would be less than a euro! They were very generous.

Did your language improve?

Very much so. It was incredibly difficult at first; I started to question my five years of education in French and wondered if I had in fact been learning the correct language, but as the months went on I found myself speaking much more fluently and naturally. Thank god I improved though, otherwise work would have been hellish!

What was the hardest thing about working in a foreign environment?

I reckon the hardest thing was the daily struggle of trying to impress your managers in a foreign language. Your communication skills have to be spot on in order to get anywhere in that line of work. Your brain is just constantly working all day and by the end of it you’re absolutely knackered!

Did you notice many differences between French

Final year student Lucy Firth gives advice about living away from home Millions of students across the country move to university each year to embark upon a new life, living away from home as a student. From my experience, being a fresher, essentially the ‘newbie’ in the university world, is both exciting and daunting. Let’s face it: waving goodbye to delicious homemade meals, a blazing fire and even more importantly, close family, friends and the dog isn’t easy. On the positive side, settling into the initially unfamiliar surroundings of university halls and later, into a shared flat or house, can be a piece of cake if you take note of the following tips.

Having a nicely decorated room, with little reminders of life at home really makes a difference. So when you’re taking that mad last minute trip round IKEA, filling the trolley with lots of ‘necessities’ that your parents will feel obliged to pay for, focus on buying bright, colourful items such as a rug or an art print to form a focal point of the room. Also, as we tend to associate home life with being warm, cosy and relaxed, soft cushions and bedding are a definite must-have. Photographs of special occasions with close family and friends serve as a nice reminder of happy moments and can help stave off homesickness in those difficult initial weeks.

and English culture?

There definitely are some interesting differences, for example, when you get into a lift you simply have to say hello and goodbye to everyone who gets off, otherwise you’re literally the rudest person on the planet and given many a dirty look. Also when you’re socialising with people you know, the french custom of kissing everyone hello and goodbye even when you’re in a group of ten people can get a bit awkward.

In terms of guys, if you get with someone on a night out or go out on one date with them you’re immediately their girlfriend. This English custom of ‘seeing people’ does not exist...I guess it avoids confusion.

Was the French fashion industry really like it is

portrayed in films?

Oh lord no, it’s more tiring than glamorous. You spend your life doing returns of heaps and heaps of clothes in a dimly lit, stuffy studio which can be physically demanding and not very mentally stimulating. (Mostly) everyone was lovely, but I did have some Devil Wears Prada-esque managers and the token fashion bitch.

What was the highlight of your year abroad?

Probably the Fete de la Musique in Paris. It’s this annual street festival, and there’s really good DJs playing on every street corner. It’s literally such an amazing atmosphere and you just get mega drunk and party on the streets of Paris with cool french people all night. Amazing!

We ask, You answer

This week, Dana Fowles asks:

Do you make your best friends at university or at school?

I think you make better friends at Uni; you get to live with them and know them inside out. Plus, Uni is a once in a lifetime experience that can’t be compared to any other. I find that because of this, I can’t really relate to my school friends anymore. A lot has changed!

Emily This is a tough question! I would probably say at school; you’re with them for longer.

Having said that, living with people really helps to form strong bonds.

John I would say that your closest friendships are formed during

Lifestyle STUDENT 101

27

your school years. You’re at school longer than you are at Uni. Annie I reckon that you make better friends at Uni; you’re adults (supposedly) and are more likely to make the effort to keep in touch. Apparently it’s really common for people to end up living in the place they studied permanently, so you may also be more likely to stay friends for that reason.

Emma I think you make better friends at school because you grow up together.

Matt

I would definitely vote Uni. You find other likeminded people who are more similar to you than those who you went to school with. Plus, life gets a bit more serious during your Uni years and I think that your friendships tend to reflect that.

Lily My best friends are my school friends. I know that they will be there for me when I finish Uni, whereas my Uni friends will probably return home once the four years are over.

Ashleigh I guess it depends on the individual and the people

they happen to meet, both at school and at Uni. Personally, I made really good friends at school (who are still really good friends now), but I’ve also made close friends at Uni. For me, it’s a mixture of both.

Becci As cheesy as it sounds, your friends become more like family at Uni. I find that I am able to tell my Uni friends more than my school friends. At school you sometimes find that you are friends with people because you have to be, but when you start Uni, you are grown up enough to know what qualities you want in a friend and choose accordingly.

Maria

Listening to your favourite music, reading a book or even enjoying a cuppa from your special birthday mug all help to create a homey feel. Don’t forget to bring your favourite teddy- everyone secretly has one!

Whether you’re a fresher or a final year student, actively participating in university life is essential. This can be through joining societies, attending course social events or simply getting out and about to see what the city has to offer.

As everyone is in the same boat, it is important to work as a team and but also learn to be independent. Once the fresher’s hype has died down and the essays start to pile up, simple pleasures such as a home-cooked meal can really make your day. So find a tempting recipe and create a home from home feel by cooking a meal and watching a film together with your new friends. Organising a monthly social event for your degree programme is a great way to get to know other like-minded students and that initial ice-breaker might be the start of a budding friendship.

It’s normal to feel homesick from time to time but family members are only a phone call away. As final year students, my friends and I still miss home in term-time but we’ve acclimatised to university life and live it to the full! You’re only a student once so enjoy it!

Do you have a story that you’d like to share? Send them to lifestyle@mancunion.com

Dream Job Entrepreneur Qualifications needed: None Salary: 16K+ Location: Worldwide

Richard Myers, the creator of ‘Get Baked’, describes his company as the ‘World’s first dessert and American confectionery business’. ‘Get Baked’ has recently taken Manchester by storm. The company started up in Leeds last year and it’s opening in Manchester for Freshers week 2012 is a testament to its growing success. Richard is excited about the response to ‘Get Baked’ and he is keen to expand further.

Using an entrepreneurial style can be regarded as a risky way to break into the business world. Whilst it is true it can be unstable, building one’s own business

gives you the ability to create your own vision. Richard knew that he wanted to work with food, and that he wanted to have his own business. He explained that he saw a gap in the market for what he describes as ‘not typical takeaway food’. ‘Get Baked’ provides baked goods in Manchester and Leeds. They deliver until the early hours of the morning, perfectly complementing student life. Brownies, waffles and flapjack are just a few of the items that are available.

business, Richard’s original plan was to sell baked goods and desserts, but spotting a further gap in the market he grasped the opportunity to expand into American confectionery selling sweets such as Nerds and Peanut Butter Cups.

Knowing your market is the key to success. ‘Get Baked’ is a classic example of this. When setting up his

Victoria Goodwin

Setting up your own business gives you the flexibility that calling the shots allows. When you’re young you have less to lose. If you see a gap in the market, as Richard did, why not give it a go?

Lifestyle

28

ISSUE 06/22nd OCTOBER 2012

Experience... Glasgow Expect the unexpected when visiting Scotland’s second city as Becky Leddy explains Glasgow took me by surprise.

Trainspotting had perhaps tarnished my outlook on what I had until recently assumed was a run-down neglected city, populated by an overwhelming majority of drunks and art students. How wrong I was.

For I did not see any such heroin dealers or back alley discos (clubs, yes); perhaps the roughest part my lucky self came across were the banks of River Clyde, which runs south of the affluent centre and the particular bars and cafes I visited. And so over the course of a chilling September weekend over the hills and not so far away, in true Glaswegian style I set upon a quest to drink my wee self to glee.

Many may have a misconception about Glasgow, but it without a doubt one of the most impressive and upmarket cities I have visited in the UK; with the hilly Kelvingrove Park connecting the West

ask

KEIR

Q

Hi, I’m really, really enjoying going out in Manchester but the only thing I find a bit weird is that we went to the Warehouse Project in December and quite a few people were taking Es? Essentially I just want to know if they’re safe for me to take or not?

A

Well the short answer to that question is we don’t know.

Even with the thousands of

end to the Hogwarts-esque University, and intertwining lanes laced with fairy lights and scrubbed up beer houses, Glasgow has the grandeur of London and the culture and gothic architecture of continental Europe.

Fittingly it was the city centre’s Transeurope café where our café hopping began. Serving sandwiches named after European cities at reasonable prices, you get to sit in old train seats eating top grub whilst being entertained by the ever present owner’s Glaswegian charm. Impressive evening menus are available to accompany your beverage and its delightful ambience gives a very Amsterdam feel, only with a much nicer smell.

Next we ventured to Nice n Sleazy for cheap pints in a band poster splattered alternative set up on the otherwise commercial and very ‘freshers’ Sauchiehall street. It’s a welcome venue for students

seeking a bit of live music or wishing to fill their ravenous bellies, as the Mexican themed menu made my mouth water despite my Berlin butty, leaving me gawping enviously at a nearby burrito.

Next up was vegan hangout The Thirteenth Note. I would not normally spare any time for vegan food however this bar which doubled up as a music venue was something to be relished; the Budvar & burger deal went down a treat with my affiliates, as coincidentally did the house sweetcorn relish and the table football which we noticed was a standard accessory in most bars, perhaps testament to the football crazy-lager mad Scots. The ‘Glasgow mega death’ v hot sauce was my favourite feature, nothing like near death tongue torture to spice up your veggie burger.

The student haunted West end of

Glasgow is host to yet more charismatic bars and to my delight an amazing pasta takeaway, something that could only have originated in this Italian occupied city. Big Slope also stood out for its ‘Po’ boy’ lunch deal and yet more table football. I could go on for days but Glasgow is somewhere you must see to believe. It’s hard not to be charmed by; each establishment has its own backstory, infused character and of course Glaswegian regulars. Its allure will without a doubt have me back for a Christmas visit; why seek festive spirit overseas when you’ve got the magical village of Hogsmeade right here?

Travel - Trains from Manchester Picadilly: from £10.55 single (with railcard)

Ask Keir is a column aiming to answer all your health questions. If you want to know about that funny looking lump that won’t go away, why your GP won’t give you those antibiotics or anything at all to do with health get in touch at: askkeir@gmail.com

studies done on the effects of Ecstasy (aka MDMA, MD, pills etc.) there is no conclusive evidence of any long term positive or negative effects. The findings range from it having cancer fighting properties to them causing long term depression and anxiety. The main short term effects are; •An energy buzz that makes people feel alert, alive, in tune with their surroundings, and with sounds and colours often experienced as more intense.

•Users often develop temporary feelings of love and affection for the people they’re with and for the strangers around them.

•Short-term risks of ecstasy can include feeling anxious or getting panic attacks, and developing confused episodes, paranoia or even psychosis.

•Some people have been known to take another `E’ when they haven’t yet felt the expected `high’ of their first `E’.

The danger then is that both Es kick in at once and you’ve got a double dose of effects to deal with.

The most stand out danger with ecstasy is that more often than not it is `cut’ with something else. This `something else’ can be another recreational drug such as cocaine or ketamine but it’s much more likely to be

something cheaper like talcum powder, in some cases even rat poison has been found, so those peddling the drugs can make the ecstasy go further and make more money for themselves.

Another thought to take into consideration is that ecstasy is a class A drug and if caught by police in possession of it you can get up to 7 years in jail and a fine. Caught supplying it can get you life imprisonment. Any form of prosecution can limit your future job opportunities and may affect you being able to travel to some countries like the USA. So all in all the risks go further than just those to your health.

The Tasty Takeaway It’s three am, you’ve been drinking for seven hours straight and you crawl out of a taxi, with the intention of paying the nearest takeaway a visit before you hit the sack. You queue for 20 minutes and spend your remaining £3 on the biggest grease-infested meal that the menu has to offer. Sound familiar? It happens to the best of us, but what is really going into your post-lash treats? Lifestyle investigates…

First to take the stand is Krunchy Fried Chicken. While it’s safe to say that their deep-fried nuggets and burgers are the perfect end to a messy night, the effects on our waistlines are less so. A six nugget meal with fries can set you back a massive 950 calories, with 28g of fat. Choose to wash it down with a coke and you’re talking 1200 calories, over half a female’s daily allowance and just under half a male’s. So, next time you’re stumbling back to Fallowfield, it may be wiser to say no to Krunchy Fried Chicken – no matter how inviting it may seem!

Next to be put to the test is the Cod Father. Renowned for being the best chip shop in all of Greater Manchester, the temptation to scoff a battered sausage or a cone of chips can be too much to resist in your hung over state. However, it may be easier to walk away with the knowledge that just a small cone of chips has around 500 calories, not to mention 17g of fat. It doesn’t help that chip shops load all of their food with salt. The conclusion: avoid, avoid, avoid.

If you crave pizza after a night out, then you are more likely to end up in Dominos. My advice to you here is to choose a personal cheese and tomato pizza. At 108 calories and 5g a slice, it’s one of the least body offensive options. By comparison, a large meat feast could set you back a whopping 235 calories and 11g of fat per slice – enough to make your entire stomach shrink in fear and leave your arteries running for the hills.

So there we have it, chips, burgers and pizzas may seem like the ideal hangover cures, but they are in fact hiding a multitude of sins. If you want to wake up guilt-free the next day, walk past Fallowfield’s takeaway strip with your eyes firmly shut.

Beth Currall

All questions will of course be kept confidential and anonymous

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Societies

ISSUE 06/ 22nd OCTOBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Society Swap: Judo vs Karate

Bad things: Coming from a Karate background, we show a lot of respect for the heritage of the sport. This is through bowing every time we get on and off the mat and a series of other things. I Name: Michael Pearce thought this was lacking Society: Karate from Judo a bit, because you can still show appreWhat were the things you ciation for the origins and enjoyed about your Judo have people turning up for session? the session.

Well it was quite different, so it was good to pick You said you liked the up some new skills. It was paired work in the Judo, also really good exercise, is that something you and very physical. I really would like to add to your enjoyed the amount of part- Karate sessions? ner work they do, I ended Well Joe was a bit unlucky up meeting a lot of new in his session, we usually people. It was good how do more paired work but they have a range of abilibecause we were in a differties in the same class and ent venue there wasn’t that this means that the more much room. Where Judo is Above: Michael Pearce (left) from Karate swapped with Joseph Perry (right) from Judo experienced can teach the 100% paired work, Karate ferent techniques, and then Would you go again? beginners. is a mixture of individual the paired work teaches Definitely, I thought their and paired. Individual work you about distances and coach was fantastic – and helps you practise the diftiming.

I’m pretty sure he just won This week, I managed to get the Karate society to swap with the Judo society. A lot of people think they’re very similar but this is not the case as Joseph Perry and Michael Pearce found out.

Amnesty International

rights violations.

This Wednesday a silent flash mob consisting of thirty participants, gathered to raise awareness of the effect of the death penalty in the USA. Carrying a large banner urging for the abolition of the death penalty and wearing masks of the face of Reggie Clemons, members of the Amnesty Society and many passers by were inspired to get involved, campaigning against the flawed penalty system in the USA. The society is there to Amnesty International’s Flash Mob. Photo: Aggie Rice inspire students to act, the Letters of SolidarAmnesty International, even in very small ways, ity supporting prisoners aims to protect people to improve human rights ‘wherever justice, fairness, of conscience and their globally. campaigns against those freedom and truth are It’s easy to get involved in denied.’ Unlike many chari- in positions of authorAmnesty’s work, which ties, Amnesty International ity thought to be violating promotes involvement on is not primarily committed human rights laws. The Let- a drop-in basis. A funraisto the raising and distribut- ters have had a huge impact ing event will be hosted on political prisoners and ing of financial relief, but at Ram and Shackle, on campaigners. Ana Maria instead, seeks to prevent 18th October offering live Pizarro was persecuted for music, food, drink, henna and abolish instances of severe human rights viola- defending women’s rights and, of course, plenty of in Nicaragua and has said tions on an international campaigning opportunithe Letters gave her the scale. ties.

The Amnesty International strength to continue the Facebook: Amnesty Internafight. society contributes to this tional Manchester cause. Through ‘small acts The Amnesty International Aggie Rice Society holds letter-writing of resistance’ the society events every two weeks, aims to peacefully pressurise governments and big on a drop-in basis, to allow students to get the chance corporations found to be to participate in these modresponsible for infringing est, yet very effective, acts human rights. of resistance against human Amnesty is famous for

Societies

Events

29

SOS Children’s Villages

awareness, we organise various events throughout the year. To raise awareness we carry out public talks in local community groups such as churches.

These talks are not about raising money. They involve us giving a presentation which we can adapt to the audience depending upon what countries we specifically talk about, and answering any questions they may have. To raise money we host events such as gigs and raffles. These also increase the social aspects of the society.”

Since setting up the society last year they have already held a public talk in a local church and organised a concert called

MUGSS - CREW MEETING

Thursday 25th October

The Arch - outside Barnes Wallis building, North Campus, M1 3NL

SEAN WALSH LIVE AT OWEN’S PARK

6 30pm-7 30pm

8 30pm

University’s computer clusters 2pm-3pm

For more information visit www.mugss.org

Don’t miss out!

CIRCUS SKILLS

University of Manchester Students’ Union 7pm-8pm

Burlington Society

RAW MANCHESTER ROCKS SOCIETY

Tuesday 23rd October

WARPED - QUIZ NIGHT

ROLE PLAYING SOCIETY

Wednesday 24th October

Jabez Clegg

Council Chambers, Barnes Wallis Building, Altrincham Street

BLOOMBERG ASSESSMENT TEST (BAT) FREE

JUDO TRAINING Armitage Conference Room 7pm TO 8 30pm

6pm-7pm For more information contact: alex.ofeeworth@student.manchester.ac.uk

‘gig for the kids’ that raised £361 for the charity. At the end of the year they also organised a raffle draw that raised a further £100.

Their plans for the year include at least two more talks and they are also hoping to have another gig as well as a comedy night.

SOS Children’s Villages Society meets every Wednesday at 7pm in the Student Union to organise their events. They hold regular monthly socials where they do activities such as bowling to ensure everyone in the society has the chance to get to know each other.

Facebook: ‘UOM SOS Children’s Villages’ Twitter: @MCRSOSCHILDRENS. Rachel Heward

The SOS Children’s Villages Society has been set up to raise money and awareness for the SOS Children’s Villages charitable organisation. They are the world’s largest orphan charity and operate in 125 countries, supporting orphans long-term through the means of sponsorship.

For nearly sixty years, SOS Children has developed an approach based on building a community.

They provide children with a home, a family and a new mother in a purpose-built local Village. They invest in whole communities in order to provide for children until they are ready for independent life. Because they are reasonably unknown in the UK, they have set up student societies around the country to increase their profile.

I spoke to Annalise Baker who is the president of the SOS Children supporters group and set up the society at the University of Manchester. She explained about what they do, “in order to reach our aims of raising money and

Monday 22nd October 8pm-9pm

Bad things: It’s hard because they are so different and good in Score out of ten? their own ways. But I didn’t 10 – there was nothing bad like the theater that surabout Judo it’s just very dif- rounded Karate,I underferent from Karate. stand that they have to be vocal because it adds power Name: Joseph Perry to each move but I thought Society: Judo there was a slight undercurrent of demonstrating your What were the things you aggression, which doesn’t enjoyed about your judo appeal to me. session?

I loved how strongly foWould you go again? cused it was on discipline; Yes in Judo there are a lot of throws where you can just Score out of ten: hurl yourself into it, where- 7 - I was a bit disappointed as with Karate you have to I didn’t get to have a onebe so aware of your body on-one fight but I think because accuracy is every- that’s because I was a beginthing. I would say Judo was ner but the coach was great a bit more of a scrappers and I felt I learned a lot. sport so Karate teaches you how to be precise in your To get involved in Society movements. I also thought Swap, email me at mancunthat the coach was really ion.spotlight@gmail.com good, although sometimes I got a bit lost!

Kate Bullivant an award for 50 years in Judo coaching.

MUGSS - REHEARSALS

Two children that the charity supports. Photo: SOS Children’s Villages.

2pm-4pm

Hardy Wells – Rusholme 8pm-9pm

30 : SPORT

ISSUE 06/ 22nd OCTOBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM / email: sport@mancunion.com

Tim Manson

The United States Anti-doping Authorities’ damning 1000-page dossier has rightfully left cycling’s biggest celebrity Lance Armstrong’s reputation in tatters, and has left a bitter taste in the mouths of most involved in the cycling world.

His journey from promising cyclist cut down with cancer with a 50/50 chance of survival to seven time winner of the Tour de France inspired millions. It is both a terrible shame and an outrage that the story was built on deceit and lies.

There can be no denying he was an incredible cyclist. As much as one likes to think so, no amount of blood doping is likely to ever turn me into a tour winning machine.

Some will argue that this Armstrong branded ‘witch hunt’ is singling out one man from a peloton that was predominantly using the same performance enhancing drugs as he was; his use simply leveled out the playing field, which he then dominated. As much as this argument may hold some weight, it doesn’t make it acceptable or right.

Since its inception there has always been the impression that to even complete the Tour de France was near impossible without the aid of drugs. It begun with recreational drugs as competitors looked at ways to provide energy and a pain buffer.

Britain’s very own Tom Simpson died on the climb up the Col du Galibier in 1967 having pumped himself full of amphetamines, whereas other competitors were known to have used speed. With the emergence of Armstrong it seemed

as if cycling finally had someone it could believe in as a clean winner.

Now we know Armstrong is no such hero.

There appears to be disbelief at the sheer quantity of evidence gather against the Texan, with both Team SKY’s Principle Dave Brailsford and Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins have commented on being overwhelmed by it. There is much to be overwhelmed by, bearing in mind that this is a man that has never failed a drug test in the five hundred plus he had been subjected to within his career. To discover that Armstrong’s victories were earned through cheating and deception is shocking.

People forget that as much as the USADA revelations center on one man, it also affects the lives of eleven other cyclists who all lost out as a result of the investigation into doping.

Fair play to these 11 riders, all former team mates of Armstrong, for coming out and giving the evidence which also incriminated themselves. Some would argue that they were obliged to by law, yet most had been denying it for the whole of their careers and had a lot to lose from confessing. Some were Lance’s most loyal servants; George Hincapie, for example, was there on all seven editions of the Tour in which Armstrong finished first.

One of the most shocking revelations of the report, given Armstrong’s clean image, seems to be the portrayal of him as a bully, bending people to his will and forcing them to dope. Tyler Hamilton and Floyd Landis, while both disgraced riders themselves,

Photo: Rubenstein @ Flickr

Lance Armstrong’s betrayal takes more than just his titles away

Lance Armstrong’s doping scandal has brought the cycling world into disrepute

were the first publicly claim that they had doped with Armstrong; brave considering that Armstrong had previously caused French rider Christophe Bassons to leave the 1999 tour in tears by isolating him from the rest of the peloton for remarking on the need for change regarding the drugs culture.

Asked why he had said these things, Bassons claimed he wanted to change things for the future generation. It seems that most of the riders who confessed in the USADA

report have voiced their desire to change things for the younger generation of riders coming through. This is what cycling as whole should be focusing on now the truth has come out.

The current director of the Tour, Christian Prudhomme, has called for there to be no winner of the Tour de France for the Lance years when the UCI ratify the USADA findings.

A line must be written under it, not forgotten but remembered as part of cycling’s dirty past; a place to

Controversy as Newcastle agree Wonga sponsorship deal Morgan Hammond This month loan-shark company Wonga signed a multi-million pound sponsorship deal with Premier League club Newcastle United. The controversial deal, which comes into effect next season, is set to generate over £8 million a year for theclub.

At the beginning of last season, many Newcastle fans expressed their frustration at the renaming of St. James’ Park. As part of the deal, Wonga have agreed to veto sponsorship rights to the stadium, allowing the infamous ‘Sports Direct Arena’ to be knownbyitsformernameoncemore.

Critics will argue that this is a cover up to divert attention away from the fact that Wonga are essentially a legal ‘loan shark’ company, who capitalise on vulnerable people in desperate financial trouble in order to pursue their own financialgain.

Surely Newcastle FC has a certain social responsibility to its fans and community.

Promoting a controversial company such as Wonga could jeopardise its own image and reputation.

To complicate matters, Newcastle’s starting elevencontainsfourpractisingMuslimsinDemba Ba, Papiss Cissé, CheickTioté and Hatem Ben Arfa. Under Sharia law, a Muslim is not allowed to benefit from lending or receiving money from someone, which means that earning interest is notallowed.

Ex-Seville striker and Muslim Frédéric Kanouté

famously refused to wear the logo of gambling company ‘888.com’ on his shirt. His personal decision to not bear the logo quite rightly went unpunishedbyLaLiga.

However, given that over a third of Newcastle’s possible starting XI may choose to boycott the Wonga logo, then having it as the official shirt sponsornextseasonseemsabsurd.

Life-long Newcastle fan and Muslim Nurudeen Kyari understands the reservations of Ba, Cisse and co. “I can see why they wouldn’t wear it - the whole world is watching them and they are role modelstokidsandgrown-upsalike.”

He admits, however, that the deal may be a necessary evil for the club. “I guess if the money comingintotheclubthroughWongaissubstantial thenIcan’tcomplain.Iwouldstillbuytheclubshirt withWongaasthesponsor”.

The proposed deal is set bring in around £24 million in total, making it the most lucrative sponsorship deal in the club’s history. Wonga have also agreed to invest heavily in the Newcastle’s academy, in the hope of achieving Mike Ashley’s goalofregularChampionsLeaguefootball.

It is clear, however, that the owners face a long task in convincing fans that the sponsorship is appropriateforahighprofileclub.

Many fans would put the brand into the same category as alcohol and gambling companies.

Newcastle, however, might like to draw on other examples of clubs such as Blackpool and Heart of Midlothian, who have sported the Wonga

which it should never return.

Cycling has changed massively over the last decade, yet we still see big names being pulled up for drug use, which suggest that while cleaner, drug use is still prominent. It is always suggested that the anti-doping authorities are always having to play catch up to the cheats. While hugely damaging for cycling, the cycling world can turn the revelations of the last few months into a force for positive change within the sport.

Armstrong will still remain a legend, but for very different reasons. A few months ago he was a legend for winning seven consecutive Tours. Now his legend is that of the best sporting conman ever. At the victory ceremony of his seventh victory he said “I’ll say to the people who don’t believe, the cynics and the skeptics I’m sorry for you. I’m sorry you don’t believe in miracles.” Well, Lance, you’ve certainly made it that bit harder to believe in miracles again.

Bizzare Sports Ben Weich

Photo: armedtoreact @ Flickr logowithoutanybacklashinpopularopinion.

ItmightalsobenotedthatnoneoftheNewcastle players have a problem with sporting the logo of VirginMoney,theclub’scurrentshirtsponsor.

One thing is for sure. The Premier League is a competitive financial market, with the top six becoming increasingly distanced from the rest. If Newcastle are continue to challenge for top four spot, then must match the ambition (and more importantly, the spending power) of those above them. Moral responsibility aside, the owners will argue that this was just too good an opportunity tomiss.

There are many reasons why a sport might have only a small following behind it. Some ‘niche’ sports might be too physically demanding for the majority of people; others perhaps are too expensive.

You get the impression, however, that the main reason why bog snorkelling has not become a pastime of the masses is that the act itself is so very unappealing.

Wikipedia characterises bog snorkelling as the completion of ‘two consecutive lengths of a water-filled trench cut through a peat bog, in the shortest time possible’. Competitors are forbidden from using traditional swimming techniques; instead, they must rely on the power generated from their flippers, with most employing a stroke akin to a doggy paddle. If the task didn’t sound sufficiently unwelcoming, bog snorkelers must also keep their mouth and nose below the murky water, hence the ‘snorkelling’ element.

The World Bog Snorkelling Championship is an annual event, taking place over the August Bank Holiday weekend in Llanwrtyd Wells, the Welsh town in which the sport was conceived. The event has taken place every year since its inauguration is 1985, save for the years 1995 and 2001, which were cancelled because of a drought and the outbreak of foot-andmouth disease, respectively.

Refreshingly, bog snorkelling refuses to take itself too seriously, with competitors at the world championships humorously donning an array of fancy dress costumes

ing

orkell n S g o B : 6 #

(or lack of them), with proceeds from each year’s event donated to a selected charity.

Britain isn’t the only home of bog snorkelling enthusiasts; regular events are also held in Australia, Ireland and Sweden.

At these championships, an imaginative variant of traditional bog snorkelling can be found: mountain bike bog snorkelling.

It’s just like regular bog snorkelling, but competitors have to complete the course on a mountain bike.

Prospective participants may be drawn to the sport after watching YouTube videos, in which bog snorkelers can be seen laughing and frolicking joyously upon completion of the course, although this outpouring is probably more one of relief than unadulterated happiness. I know I’d be over the moon to get out of such a foullooking trench. That is, if you could ever convince me to take the plunge in the first place.

SPORT : 31

ISSUE 06/ 22nd OCTOBER 2012 WWW.MANCUNION.COM/

Opening day victory for table tennis team University of Manchester 11 - 6 Liverpool University Andrew Georgeson University of Manchester’s men’s table tennis team recorded a convincing 11-6 win in their opening fixture against Liverpool University.

Despite this, the series of matches, in which every player from each team played each other once, was even to begin with. Both UofM’s Adrian and Kenny emerged victorious from their opening fixtures. However, the score was soon level at 2-2 with Liverpool University’s Geoff and Yan Xin winning their respective matches.

The stalemate continued to 4-4, and it wasn’t until the 5th set of games that the deadlock was broken. An impressive win over LU’s hardhitting Yan Xin from Adrian and a comfortable 3 set victory for Oscar setting the tone for things to come and advancing the score 6-4 in UofM’s favor.

The 6th set was key for both teams, as for LU it would level the scores if they won, whereas for UofM it would put the series and match out of reach. The importance of the two games was reflected in the scores. Although UofM’s Kenny won his match over LU’s Cherngloin by 2 sets to 1, he was pushed all the way with the scores being 11-8/ 9-11/ 12-10. A similar pattern could be seen in UofM’s Bryan’s match with Geoff as he was pushed into a fourth set by the LU man with the final scores being 1210/12-14/11-8/11-5 leaving Bryan an overall winner by 3 sets to

23rd October: Ice Hockey Varsity: University of Manchester vs Manchester Met Altrincham Ice Rink 19:30 24th October: Mens: Badminton: Mens 1st vs Leeds Carnigie Armitage Site 15:30 Lacrosse: Mens 1st vs Durham Timperely Sports Club 14:00 Basketball: Mens 2nd vs MMU Chesire 1st Armitage Site 20:00

UoM Tabel Tennis team. Photo: Dong Ming Lau 1 and making the score 8-4 to UofM. The fixture was finally put out of reach by UofM’s Oscar who, despite being 2-0 down at one point, defeated LU’s Geoff to making the score 10-4. Yan Xiu reduced the deficit with a convincing 3 set win over Kenny to reduce the deficit to 10-5.

The comeback was short lived though, as Adrian went onto

defeat Cherngloin, for the score of 11-5 to UofM. The last match of the day was then a doubles match between UofM’s Kenny and Adrian and LU’s Yan Xin and Geoff, in which the visitors triumphed leaving the final score of 11-6 to UofM. After the match, committee Chairman Den Chuang seemed encouraged by the start the

club had made saying “we are short of match practice, and I think that showed by the earlier results, however, once we got going we did very well.”

When asked about the clubs aspirations for the season he responded “last season we were the third largest points scorers [for BUSC rankings] from any team in the University, so we hope to build on that, as well

as maintain our ranking as the fourth best team in the country.”

In the other matches played during the day, the UofM Men’s seconds lost out to LU seconds, whereas the UofM women’s first team recorded an impressive victory over the University of Newcastle women’s first team.

times the amount of his Premier League counterpart.

Even more noteworthy is the level of wages that top level players receive. The likes of Terry and Suarez reportedly earn six-figure weekly wages, meaning that any such fine is insignificant. How many other jobs could you hope to remain employed at all after such an incident?

The oddity of football fines is not restricted to players. The implementation of fines to clubs and football associations across the globe are equally futile. It’s not as though these institutions are cash-strapped.

Take the English FA for example.

For the financial year of 2010, the FA Group reported that their turnover was in excess of £300 million, with a healthy operational profit of £37 million – not too shabby considering the economic climate.

Yet in 2011 the Bulagarian FA was charged just £34,000 for racist chants at the English players, while Porto were fined just £16,700 this year when their fans committed the same offence, aimed at City’s Mario Balotelli. In order to punish an establishment of

Luis Suarez was banned for eight games for racially abusing Patrice Evra Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Tennis: Mens 1st vs Durham Sport City 14:00 Volleyball: Mens 1st vs Northumbria Sugden Centre 14:00 Womens:

Change needed in football’s fight against racism Matthew Barber Sport Editor There are many injustices in football; penalty decisions, overpriced pints, goal-line incidents. But perhaps the most blatant of them all is the implementation of monetary fines – especially in racially aggravated cases. There seems to be no correlation between offence and amount, and even then the fine is often trivial to the offender.

It is well documented that Nicklas Bendtner was charged £80,000 for baring his Paddy Power briefs at Euro 2012. Now, it’s easy to understand why UEFA doesn’t want this sort of thing to happen, with multi-million pound advertisement deals at stake. But this fine is ludicrous when compared with fines that players receive for frankly what must be considered much more serious offences. Luis Suarez, for example, was found guilty of racially abusing Patrice Evra last year and was fined just £40,000, half the amount that Bendtner was charged. John Terry, found guilty of the same offence as Suarez (even when found innocent by a court of law) was charged £220,000, over five

Upcoming home fixtures:

such magnitude, fines that are implemented need to be of much greater value. It seems as though the true power of FIFA’s disciplinary action comes through publicly embarrassing the guilty party, with the fine merely an afterthought. In situations where it is apparent that fans are at fault, it makes no sense to fine the governing body anyway, as the action has very little impact on the offenders.

I think the solution is simple, with both offending players and fans – hit them where it hurts. All footballing governing bodies should take a stand against racism. Enforce games being held behind closed doors – an action which would really influence fan behaviour. When it comes to players, ban them from more games, in true proportion to their offence. When Suarez and Terry were charged, it was the match suspensions that were the real talking point, because they are what matter to the player, and what will modify their behaviour. In the wake of the England U21 clash with Serbia this week, I’m sure that the rest of the footballing world agrees that such a change in policy cannot come soon enough.

Fencing: Womens 1st vs Birmingham Sudgen Centre 14:00 Hockey: Womens 1st vs Birmingham Armitage Site 13:00 Netball: Womens 1st vs Loughborough Armitage Site 13:00 Rugby Union: Womens 1st vs Liverpool Armitage Site 13:00 Volleyball: Womens 1st vs Durham Sugden Centre 16:00

SPORT WWW.MANCUNION.COM

22ND OCT 2012 ISSUE 06 FREE

Why Lance Armstrong is a disgrace to cycling

Opening victory for UoM table tennis

P31

Serban inspires magnificent comeback

P30 Uni sport round-up Football: Men’s 1st - 0 Sheffield Hallam 1st - 1 Women’s 1st - 8 Salford 1st - 0 Men’s 2nd - 3 Edge Hill 1st - 1 Rugby Union: Men’s 1st - 30 Nottingham Trent 1st - 21 Keele 1st - 15 Men’s 2nd - 29 Liverpool 3rd - 19 Men’s 3rd - 12 Hockey: Men’s 1st - 13 MMU Cheshire 1st - 2 Leeds Met Carnegie - 1 Women’s 1st - 3 Netball: University of Leeds 1st - 40 Women’s 1st - 32

Manchester overturned Bangor’s advantage in a dramatic final quarter (Photo courtesy of UoM Basketball Club)

- University of Manchester 57-54 Bangor University - Manchester overturn 20-point deficit in final quarter Alex Underwood The University of Manchester men’s basketball first team delivered a superb last-quarter comeback to defeat Bangor University 57-54 on Wednesday night at the Armitage Centre.

After chasing shadows for the first three quarters, Manchester, inspired by number 10 Carol Serban, finally got going in the final quarter to turn around what looked like an insurmountable deficit.

This proved to be anything but a quiet season opener, with both

teams playing at a frenetic pace from the outset.

It was Bangor who came out of the blocks quicker than Manchester, and were disappointed to be behind after the first quarter. The hosts committed a number of fouls early on, but Manchester forwards Tom Marks and Freddie Stephenson took advantage of the few chances they were given to Manchester took a fortunate 17-16 lead at the break.

Sofiane Bébert and Jonathan Lake tried manfully to get Manchester moving, but they started the second quarter as sluggishly as the first, allowing the visitors

to quickly take control of the game.

Bangor penetrated through the home defence time and again and Manchester responded by making wholesale changes. However, they were unable to stem the flow and the visitors boasted a 30-23 lead by the half.

Judging by the Manchester coach’s reaction, the players were likely given the hairdryer treatment in the dressing room, but it seemed to have no effect as Bangor continued the onslaught into the third quarter.

Thirteen points without response looked to have killed

Manchester off; they continued to give away cheap fouls and, as frustration began to build, Bangor played some quick incisive basketball to take a 49-29 lead into the final quarter.

However, Manchester came out a completely different team and immediately dominated. The Romanian Serban was at the centre of everything, putting away 17 crucial points in a breathless last 10 minutes.

A strong start to the final quarter brought the crowd to life and seemed to galvanize the home team. Spirited reactions to twopointers brought a vital response from the Manchester players, who showed tremendous nerve to take their chances.

Bangor began to tire and tempers briefly boiled over, as the Bangor number 21 inexplicably

kicked a folding chair across court after yet another Manchester break. The visitors, it seemed, were struggling to keep their cool as the tide began to turn in Manchester’s favour.

With 4 minutes left on the clock Manchester drew level at 51-51, before the teams exchanged freethrows to make it 53 apiece going into the final minute. Bangor scored again from the free-throw line but Manchester were not to be denied, as 2-point plays from Stephenson and then Serban finally broke the Welsh resistance.

It was a wonderful effort from Manchester, who stayed positive despite behind for most of the game. They will now look to build on the excellent spirit they showed on Wednesday night when they travel to Liverpool Hope next week.

Women’s 2nd - 44 Edge Hill 2nd - 43 Rugby League: Man Met 1st -20 Men’s 1st - 10 Tennis: Leeds Met Carnegie 1st - 4 Men’s 1st - 8 Badminton: Birmingham 1st - 7 Men’s 1st - 1 Lacrosse: Birmingham 1st - 14 Women’s 1st - 1